State Representative Joe Sheehan has thrown his full support behind a newly introduced Democratic bill that seeks to reinstate $480 million in funding for Wisconsin’s Child Care Counts program. The proposal is a critical part of Governor Tony Evers’s 2025–27 biennial budget plan, aiming to address what many lawmakers are calling a statewide childcare crisis. Speaking in favor of the measure, Sheehan emphasized the growing challenges families face in accessing affordable child care across Wisconsin. A Program Facing Elimination The Child Care Counts program was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic using federal relief funds. It provided critical financial support to child care providers struggling with staffing shortages, reduced enrollment, and increased operating costs. The init...

McCormick County, South Carolina, is set to welcome a significant international investment, as German firm Mikro-Technik announced its decision to launch its first North American facility in the region. The move is expected to bring new jobs, infrastructure upgrades, and fresh economic momentum to the rural community. $3.2 Million Project to Create 27 New Jobs The company, which specializes in natural fiber processing, will invest $3.2 million to lease and upfit a facility at 8463 Highway 28/221 in Plum Branch, a small town in McCormick County. The project is slated to create 27 new jobs, marking a substantial boost for local employment opportunities. What Mikro-Technik Brings to South Carolina Founded in 1954, Mikro-Technik is known for producing cellulose fiber-based additive...

Wisconsin may be known for its cheese, forests, and lakes—but for fans of eerie folklore, one small town is known for something much more spine-tingling: vampires. Recent whispers have reignited the old legend of the “Mineral Point Vampire,” a chilling tale that dates back over four decades but refuses to die. The origin of this vampire lore traces back to March 1981 in the town of Mineral Point, Wisconsin. A local police officer, John Pepper, was called to Graceland Cemetery after reports of suspicious activity. What he claimed to encounter was no ordinary trespasser—it was a tall, pale figure wearing a black cape. As the officer approached, the figure allegedly leapt over a six-foot fence and vanished into the night. Despite a full investigation, no one was ever found. The town was...

A serious traffic incident on Interstate 80/35 in the Des Moines metro area caused significant delays for drivers on Tuesday afternoon, following a crash involving a semi-truck and a construction barrier. According to the Clive Police Department, the crash occurred near the Douglas Avenue exit when a semi-truck traveling westbound/southbound struck a concrete construction barrier. The impact was strong enough to dislodge chunks of concrete, sending debris flying into the opposite lanes. The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) confirmed that the concrete pieces scattered into the eastbound/northbound lanes of I-80/35, creating an immediate hazard. Another vehicle traveling in those lanes was unable to avoid the debris and collided with it. Emergency responders quickly ...

Four teenagers from Urbandale and Carlisle are facing serious charges after what was supposed to be a drug transaction turned into a violent robbery in Norwalk over the weekend. According to Norwalk police, the suspects not only attacked another teen but also threatened to shoot him and stole his belongings during the encounter. Drug Deal Set Up Via Social Media Police say the incident took place on the night of Saturday, May 24, 2025, on East 17th Street in Norwalk. The victim, a local teen, had allegedly arranged a drug deal with 17-year-old Alonzo Tucker of Urbandale using social media. Instead of a routine exchange, the meeting escalated quickly. Tucker arrived with three other teens—16-year-old Michael Moore and 16-year-old Kwlei Levy-Bundy, both from Urbandale, along with 16...

A father and son from New Jersey have been sentenced for their roles in a shocking homemade explosion that rocked a quiet Manville neighborhood during last year’s Fourth of July celebrations. The blast seriously injured a bystander and caused substantial damage to nearby properties, prompting an investigation that has now led to significant criminal consequences. According to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, the incident occurred on July 6, 2024, at Cooper Street Park in Manville. Authorities say Thomas Kaiser, 60, of South Plainfield, transported a metal tube filled with explosive powder to the park, where his 28-year-old son, Erich Kaiser, of Monmouth Junction, placed and ignited the device in an open area. Wartime-Type Injury Leaves Man Hospitalized The explosion was i...

A woman known for her erratic and hostile interactions with law enforcement, dubbed the “Screaming Banshee,” is now facing serious charges after a fatal crash that killed a 73-year-old man in Massachusetts. Lauren Mullins, a 32-year-old law clerk from Roselle Park, New Jersey, has been charged with operating under the influence and negligent operation of a motor vehicle after she allegedly struck a man on a moped near the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge. The incident occurred on March 21, 2025, and resulted in the death of Daniel O’Neil, who succumbed to his injuries two days later. At the time of the crash, police said Mullins appeared intoxicated and uncooperative at the scene. According to local authorities, she refused standard sobriety tests and became v...

In a rare and emotionally charged turn of events, residents of Bayonne, New Jersey, have succeeded in keeping the doors of St. Andrew the Apostle Church open—thanks to an official ruling from the Vatican. The Roman Catholic church, located at the heart of Bayonne, had been slated for permanent closure by the Archdiocese of Newark, but after months of grassroots mobilization, local parishioners managed to reverse that decision by appealing directly to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Clergy. The church had officially closed its doors on September 22, 2024, citing declining attendance and rising maintenance costs. Since 2016, Mass attendance had fallen by more than 35%, and income had dropped by 31% following the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Archdiocese. Adding to the challenges,...

A Maryland woman was arrested and charged with felony child abuse after allegedly hitting a young boy on a flight from Orlando to Hagerstown, Maryland. According to authorities, the incident occurred as the passengers were returning from a family trip to Disney World, turning a vacation into a criminal investigation mid-air. The woman, identified as Kristy Crampton, reportedly became enraged after the boy, whose identity has not been released, repeatedly called her “fat” and referred to her as “Miss Piggy.” Police allege that Crampton responded by striking the child with her fist and a water bottle, and even slamming his head into the airplane window during the flight. Mid-Flight Assault Alleged by Witnesses The incident occurred on an Allegiant Airlines flight departing from Sanf...

The scenic San Luis Valley of Colorado, a legal and cultural conflict over a massive fence surrounding a billionaire’s ranch has led to new state legislation and stirred strong community reactions. The dispute centers around the Cielo Vista Ranch, a sprawling property owned by Texas billionaire William Harrison. The ranch, located in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, covers more than 100 square miles and sits within a historic land grant that dates back to 1844. The land grant, known as the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant, provides descendants of early Mexican settlers with communal rights to the land. These rights include gathering firewood, grazing livestock, and continuing traditional practices passed down for generations. When Harrison purchased the ranch in 2017, he began erecting an 8-f...