Wisconsin Today: Morning News

Around the holidays, parents go above and beyond for their kids. One Eau Claire parent especially wanted to for Christmas morning. Merry Christmas to those who are celebrating today. Coming up, we’ve got a Wisconsin Life about one parent’s quest for Peef the bear.

Up in Marathon County, one historical society is bringing the Christmas traditions of the 1920s to life. Almost 100 years ago, the Yawkey family celebrated Christmas in their Wausau home. Now, visitors to the now Yawkey House Museum can step back in time and experience it too. Coming up, WPR’s Shereen Siewert will chat with the executive director of the Marathon County Historical Society about how they’re putting it together.

The 14-year-old who died in Monday's school shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison was buried Saturday. Wisconsin's Attorney General Josh Kaul says the state needs a holistic approach to reducing gun violence. And, Governor Tony Evers has appointed a new secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

The Wisconsin State Assembly will have a new committee to address government efficiency. A plan to move coal piles out of downtown Green Bay is in jeopardy. And, almost 300 homes show off their best holiday decor in a western Milwaukee suburb. Producer Mallory Cheng strolled on over for a visit.

Madison's police chief shared officers have recovered two handguns from Abundant Life Christian School. It's where a student fatally shot herself and two other people on Monday morning. A 20-year old California man has been arrested in connection with the Madison school shooting. And, state health officials have detected the first human case of avian flu in Wisconsin.

Amidst the aftermath of the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, community members gathered to support one another. Wisconsin's presidential electors formally cast their votes for President-elect Donald Trump. And, a Juneau County school district will ask voters for a third time to approve a referendum needed to keep schools open.

Police say a 15-year-old female student shot and killed a teacher and a classmate at a small private school in Madison Monday before turning the gun on herself. Five other students and a teacher were injured. AT&T plans to discontinue its traditional landline telephone service in Wisconsin. And, a town Sheboygan County recently decided not to repair its broken tornado warning siren.

A valve failure on an Enbridge Energy oil pipeline in Jefferson County caused a spill that dumped nearly 70,000 gallons of oil into the ground. Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein is hopeful there will be more bipartisan support in the next legislative session. And, the U.S. Supreme Court is taking up a religious rights case questioning whether the Catholic Charities Bureau in Superior should pay state employment tax.

After delays and errors plagued the process last year, The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is finally out. Wisconsin is now second among states in the number of whooping cough cases this year. What's the biggest animal in the state of Wisconsin? Our WhySconsin team will figure out the answer for us in today's Wisconsin Life.

Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer says she's hoping to see more bipartisanship in the Legislature. The kayaker who faked his death in Green Lake this summer has returned to Wisconsin. And, at a holiday market near Lake Geneva there's a giant glass Christmas tree, where visitors can help add the finishing touches.