Friday on Sly in the Morning:

Tom Nelson and T Wall's Write-In Campaign

Updated: September 2, 2010 -- 4:47 p.m.

State places blame for amusement accident squarely on operator

A Wisconsin investigation has determined there was nothing mechanically wrong with a free fall ride when a 12-year-old Florida girl fell about 100-feet to the ground. The state Department of Commerce report released Thursday indicates the operator at the top of the Terminal Velocity did not follow protocol when Teagan Marti fell July 30 at the Extreme World amusement park in the Wisconsin Dells. The report says Marti was dropped before the cage in which she was riding reached the top and before a net was in proper position. Thirty-three-year-old Charles Carnell was the dive master and was charged with one count of first-degree-reckless injury. Marti was severely injured and may be paralyzed. She was transferred Wednesday to a Florida hospital. The ride remains closed.

Write-in effort urges senate primary support for Wall

Former Republican U.S. Senate candidate Terrence Wall says he has nothing to do with a new effort to write-in his name on the Sept. 14 ballot. A new website was launched Thursday urging people to commit to supporting Wall, a Madison-area real estate developer who dropped out of the race in May after Republicans overwhelmingly endorsed Oshkosh businessman Ron Johnson. Long-shot candidates Dave Westlake and Stephen Finn are also running. The winner will take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold. Wall says he's not reviving his campaign but if enough people want him to serve, he would consider it. In addition to the website an anonymous e-mail was sent out Thursday announcing the write-in effort and urging support.

Record turnout predicted in fall primary

A record-high 28 percent turnout is predicted for Wisconsin's primary on Sept. 14. State elections officials made the estimate on Thursday, citing highly contested statewide races for governor as well as local legislative and congressional contests. Government Accountability Board Director Kevin Kennedy says there appears to be tremendous interest in this election. The highest primary election turnout on records dating back to 1960 was 27.9 percent in 1964. This year's prediction equates to about 1.2 million voters. The governor's race is one of six contested primaries for statewide office. There are also contested Republican primary for U.S. Senate and seven primaries in the eight congressional districts.

Wisconsin agrees to improve conditions at Waupun

Life is about to get better for some of Wisconsin's most dangerous and worst-behaving prisoners. To settle lawsuits filed by inmates, state officials have agreed to make wide-ranging changes to the segregation unit at the maximum-security Waupun Correctional Institution to make it easier for them to sleep, exercise and communicate. New windows, magazines and even hacky sacks are on the way for the 180 inmates who are housed there, according to settlements signed last month and obtained by The Associated Press. The state is also paying more than $113,000 to two inmates and their attorneys. The inmates had argued the conditions in the cells were so isolating and harsh they violated their constitutional right to be free of cruel and unusual punishment and made their mental illnesses worse.
 

Five police departments unveil records management online

Five area police departments announced Wednesday that the records management systems they use will now be able to provide the public with online access to information on police incidents, including crimes, traffic crashes and traffic enforcement. The police departments of Sun Prairie, Middleton, Fitchburg, Verona and Monona are providing the information on websites. Also available will be Department of Transportation reportable accidents that have occurred in the respective communities.

Crime Information
City of Sun Prairie: http://sunprairie.mpsis.org
City of Middleton: http://middleton.mpsis.org
City of Fitchburg: http://fitchburg.mpsis.org
City of Verona: http://verona.mpsis.org
City of Monona: http://monona.mpsis.org

Madison police crack down on homeless downtown

In response to a rise in complaints from business owners, Madison police are taking a tougher stance with homeless people that sleep in bus shelters and doorways downtown. On a typical warm night, you can find up to 50 people sleeping out near capitol square, according to police Lt. Dave McCaw. First-time offenders will usually get a warning. Repeat offenders can be issued a citation. But McCaw says they also worry about pushing the problems into nearby neighborhoods.