What you need to know: Wednesday
It’s Wednesday, April 22 and here is your day ahead:
In local news…
WEATHER: Today will be mostly cloudy, windy, and chilly as the low pressure system intensifies to our northeast. Full forecast
1. AIRMAN DEATH
Services today: A Wisconsin National Guardsman who died in Japan earlier this month is being laid to rest today. Airman 1st Class Kelly Tomfohrde is being remembered at a service with full military honors this morning in Marshfield. Tomfohrde died after falling from a fifth-floor window earlier this month. She was assigned to the 115th fighter wing. Tomfohrde was a native of Auburndale, Wisconsin, and a student at UW-La Crosse. Gov. Scott Walker has ordered flags to fly at half-staff today in her honor. More on this story
2. STEELE TRIAL
State rests: The insanity trial for former Dane County Sheriff’s Deputy Andrew Steele could head to the jury by the end of the day. Today, the defense has the chance to call rebuttal witnesses to argue that Steele’s ALS affected his mental state when he killed his wife and sister-in-law. Yesterday, Dr. Deborah Collins said she talked with Andrew Steele twice in the days after the double-homicide. She testified that Steele’s actions on the day of the murders were purposeful and were not random. The judge told Steele to talk with his lawyer about whether or not he wants to testify. More on this story
3. JACOB PAYNE
Informant killed: Jacob Payne was working as a drug informant, and was stabbed to death by the alleged drug dealer, according to the criminal complaint. Rudy Ramirez-Milian and Juan Aguilar-Vargas appeared in court yesterday on homicide charges. Two other men were also in court accused of helping hide Payne’s body. The criminal complaint says Payne had been buying cocaine from Ramirez-Milian. Payne had done two drug deals with Ramirez-Milian before his death. The complaint states an argument between the two men led to the stabbing. If convicted of homicide, both suspects could spend life in prison. More on this story
4. SPORTS
Packers: The Packers 2015 regular season schedule is out and the highlight is a Thanksgiving night game against the Chicago Bears. That’s the night Brett Favre will have his number retired. Favre will also be inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in July. Another schedule highlight, the Seattle Seahawks and Russell Wilson are finally headed to Lambeau Field. Green Bay and Seattle will play the second week of the regular season on Sept. 20. More on this story
Bucks: State and local lawmakers are meeting in Milwaukee today to continue discussions surrounding the new Bucks Arena. Milwaukee Bucks president Peter Feigin says there is no immediate deadline for a financing deal for a new arena. Feigin’s comments Tuesday evening came after he told business leaders earlier in the day that a deal needs to be done within 10 days so the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee can consider it. A team spokesman later said that Feigin had misspoken in referring to a 10-day window. Feigin said in a statement Tuesday evening that the team wasn’t creating any deadline. He said the team is hopeful to make progress in reaching a deal. More on this story
5. EARTH DAY
Local plans: Today marks the 45th annual celebration of Earth Day, which is celebrated by more than a billion people around the world. Former Wisconsin Gov. Gaylord Nelson created the day in 1970 to increase public awareness of environmental problems. Several events are planned around the area for Earth Day today. Madison College students are cleaning up Unity Park. An Earth Day forum is taking place at UW-Madison to discuss the ways Gov. Walker’s proposed budgets cuts could possibly affect science programs at the university. And News 3 will be delivering a tree to our final Earth Day Contest winner at Pineview Elementary in Reedsburg. More on this story
In national news…
1. FREDDIE GRAY
Protests grow: It was an emotional day yesterday in Baltimore, as the fallout from Freddie Gray’s death continued. Protesters rallied last night, marching to a local police station. Among the crowd were members of Gray’s family, including his mother, who cried and collapsed at the spot where her son was arrested. Earlier in the day, Baltimore police released the names of the six officers involved in Gray’s arrest. They have been suspended without pay. The Justice Department also joined the fray, announcing it would investigate to see if Gray’s civil rights were violated. Gray died Sunday, a week after his arrest and after suffering a severe spinal injury while in police custody. More on this story
Airstrikes resume: The Saudi-led coalition resumed airstrikes in Yemen today, less than 24 hours after stopping the bombing and launching Operation Renewal of Hope, a new initiative focused on the political process in the war-torn country. Saudi Arabia is claiming victory over the Iranian-allied Houthi rebels, saying that the month of airstrikes had degraded Houthi-controlled military infrastructure. A senior Saudi official said that the Houthis agreed to “nearly all demands” of the U.N. Security Council and that former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his family will leave Yemen and never return for a position in politics. With Renewal of Hope, the coalition seeks to bring back Yemen’s “security and stability through establishing a political process.” More on this story
3. BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING TRIALThe finger: That’s what the jury — charged with deciding if Dzhokhar Tsarnaev lives or dies — saw yesterday when a photo, taken when he was in a holding cell in the same courthouse where his trial is being held, was shown in court. In the image, the now-convicted Boston Marathon bomber glares into the camera and defiantly raises his middle finger. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadine Pellegrini said Tsarnaev was “unrepentant” and saw the people he killed as “the enemy.” The victim impact part of the case also started yesterday, with often heartbreaking testimony from survivors and families of the dead. More on this story
4. CLINTON BOOK
‘Cash’ clash: Explosive exposé or conspiracy theory? That’s the range of reactions to an upcoming book on Hillary Clinton that serves as the first major test of her presidential campaign’s ability to fight off attacks from detractors. “Clinton Cash” by Peter Schweizer alleges that the former secretary of state used her position to benefit foreign donors to the Clinton Foundation who helped it accomplish its philanthropic mission. The book provides fresh fodder for Republicans — especially 2016 GOP hopefuls — looking to attack the Democratic frontrunner on foreign policy. Clinton, her team and other Democrats are already mounting a campaign to discredit the book — and Schweizer. More on this story
5. NFL
Schedules released: Are you ready for some football? If you are, you still have to wait five months before the pigskin starts flying, but at least now you know who’s playing whom. The season kicks off on (what else) a Thursday night in September with the defending champion New England Patriots taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Other notable games include the Philadelphia Eagles (and newly acquired running back DeMarco Murray) playing Murray’s former team, the Dallas Cowboys, on September 20. Pro football’s nastiest current rivalry — the Seattle Seahawks vs. the San Francisco 49ers — resumes on October 22. And the rematch to one of the greatest NFC championship games in history will be played on September 20 when the Green Bay Packers host the Seahawks. More on this story
