SATURDAY
May 25, 2013

MADISON — Republican Gov. Scott Walker is shrugging off state lawmakers' decision to nix his plan to exempt rent-to-own businesses from Wisconsin's consumer protection act. Under the consumer protection act, rent-to-own companies must disclose their interest rates. Industry supporters say their transactions don't involve credit and as such shouldn't fall under the act. Walker's plan would have exempted them from the disclosure requirements and created new statutes specifically tailored to them.
>>Wis. gov expects compromise on voucher school plan

MADISON — The Legislature's finance committee Thursday approved a plan in Republican Gov. Scott Walker's executive budget that would dramatically expand the state's powers to seize DNA from crime suspects. Wisconsin currently takes DNA only from convicted felons and sex offenders. Walker's plan would require police to seize DNA from anyone arrested for a felony and a host of sex-related misdemeanors.
>>Budget committee permits Milwaukee crime lab move
>>Judge overturns Wisconsin man's rape conviction

GREEN BAY — University of Wisconsin-Green Bay men's basketball coach Brian Wardle will keep his job after an independent review largely cleared him of allegations that he mistreated his players, university officials said Friday. At least one player had accused Wardle of using vulgar and obscene language, and a second player told officials Wardle forced him to work out until the player lost control of his bowels and then ridiculed him. There were no allegations of physical abuse.

MILWAUKEE — Poor starting pitching has been to blame for much of the Milwaukee Brewers' losing ways over the past few weeks. Marco Estrada worked to change that Friday night. Estrada gave up one run over seven innings and retired the first 14 batters he faced in leading the Brewers to a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Milwaukee had lost 16 of 20 games entering the contest, while the Pirates had a four-game winning streak snapped and lost for just the third time in 14 games.
>>Gorzelanny activated, Burgos goes on DL

MADISON — The University of Wisconsin-Madison is asking state lawmakers for an exemption from the state's open-records law that would allow it to keep research data private until the information is published or patented. The school cites a change in federal law that could potentially allow a rival to learn about its research through an open-records request and then file for a patent first, the Milwaukee Journal.

NEW YORK — A lawsuit filed by two massage therapists who sued retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre over claims he sent racy text messages has been settled, a lawyer for the women said Friday. Lawyer David Jaroslawicz wouldn't comment on the terms of the settlement, saying only that the case had been "resolved and discontinued." Christina Scavo and Shannon O'Toole had alleged in a lawsuit seeking unspecified damages that in 2008.

WASHINGTON — No one answered the tax-help hotline at the IRS on Friday. And you could forget about getting advice on avoiding foreclosures at the 80 Housing and Urban Development field offices nationwide. It was "furlough Friday." Roughly 5 percent of the federal workforce — 115,000 people at six major agencies — were told not to show up as the government dealt with the continuing effects of the sequester spending cuts. The good news for many federal workers: a four-day Memorial Day weekend.

DULUTH, Minn. — When George Voyles moved to his dream retirement home in the woods of Adams County, Wis., he happened to pick up a brochure on how to defend rural property against wildfires. So Voyles cut down trees that hung over his house and cut down pine trees nearby. He got rid of bushes and wood mulch landscaping around his house. He cut back brush, and he moved the firewood pile far out in his expanded yard of grass.