RHINELANDER - When's the last time you pulled out a thesaurus? In the news we use this reference a lot, so on National Thesaurus Day we decided to quiz our local elementary students.
Our first question: Would kids in a digital age even recognize a thesaurus?
“You know, we had a couple say it was a dinosaur...” say’s Central Elementary’s Library Para-Professional, Laurie Lenten
During a “JEOPARDY!” style game with kids at Central Elementary School, we found out old-fashioned book smarts are still essential for tech-savy youth.
"I think we have kids that, you know, they're texting, so they're using "text language" and it even slips into papers," says Lenten.
"A lot of our language is lost in the ‘LOL's’ and the abbreviations," says fourth grade teacher Jenny Prom.
Flipping through a thesaurus may feel like an ancient task for kids more familiar with Google, but a commanding vocabulary can give strength to student’s voices.
"I want to show them that there's more ways than just saying something is ‘nice’," says Prom.
And students seemed to agree. They shared many of their favorite reads, including ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’. The also participate in “writing cafes” where they’re encourage to cook up saucy stories.
BARABOO - A Wisconsin dairy farmer has been acquitted on three of four counts in a trial related to the sale of raw milk.
Dairy farmer Vernon Hershberger was found guilty on one charge of violating a holding order placed on products at his farm. This was after a 2010 raid.
Hershberger could get up to a year in jail and a $10,000 fine.
They found the 41-year-old not guilty of charges that he sold retail food, produced milk and operated a dairy plant without proper state licenses.
His supporters have said he was targeted because he sold raw milk through a private buying club with several hundred members.
ANTIGO - Despite having to poke her fingers, and inject insulin throughout the day, 7 year old Meredith smiles all the time. Now YOU can make her smile even brighter.
This is the race car Meredith Meidl designed for Ford's "Real Heroes Contest" benefitting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund. Meredith knows a lot about diabetes. She's had the disease since she was 2.
"I just (clicks) and then I push it on my finger and I squeeze my finger and then I put my blood into the strip and it reads my blood," said Meredith demonstrating how she tests her blood sugar.
RHINELANDER - Rhinelander kindergartener Carlie Jahn watched her dad leave for his third overseas tour of duty last fall.
Usually, she gets to see him for two-weeks during his nine-month tour. But there was no leave for Guardsmen Justin Jahn this year. He will be in Afghanistan until July.
Instead of too much sadness, Carlie's mom is helping her by sharing at school.
"Once that time came through, it was hard for her to understand why he wasn't coming home. I thought this would be a fun way to have her realize that she's not the only one, that there's others out there," says Amanda Jahn.
Jahn talked with grade schoolers at Crescent Elementary today about living with a family member in the military.
Students also recognized veterans and active soldiers related to them.
Eight Years Prison Time for Sexually Assaulting a Child
Submitted: 05/24/2013
RHINELANDER - A man from Rhinelander will spend the next eight years in prison for sexually assaulting a very young child.
The details of the case are so graphic and so disturbing, we can't put them on television.
What we can show you is edited to protect the victim's identity.
Forty five-year-old Jack Kaufman faced up to 40 years in prison. He insisted to the very end, that what he did was an accident, not sexual assault.
Prosecutors said today Kaufman gave so many versions of the story, they couldn't keep track of them all. One version was that the child walked in on him while masturbating. Then he said he accidentally ejaculated on the child. Although in some interviews, he said it was on purpose.
But the child described a full sexual assault to police, and said it happened, "lots of times".
"Mr. Kaufman provided many versions of his assault of (the victim). When confronted with the overwhelming discrepancies he said (the victim) was telling the truth. But at no time did he say he was sorry. He did say he wished his family wouldn't have reported," says Scott Moller, Oneida County Assistant District Attorney.
Kaufman told investigators he had no interest in sexual activity with anyone, child or adult. Judge Michael Bloom didn't accept that.
"That did not stop him from taking advantage of the presence of a warm, living, breathing person who happened to be nearby when he was engaged in this activity," says Judge Bloom.
Judge Bloom sentenced Kaufman to 14 years prison. He'll spend the first eight behind bars, and the remaining six on extended supervision.
RHINELANDER - You might remember the name Shannon Wolf. He chased his wife down, stabbed and choked her by the Hodag statue in Rhinelander last February. He'll now spend the next twelve years in prison.
Today Latoya Wolf testified she was partly to blame for what happened. She told the court Shannon Wolf was trying to cut his own wrists. But she got in the way and was cut in the struggle for the knife.
Prosecutors said the violent encounter and the victim's backtracking was a classic example of the domestic abuse cycle.
"I believe that there are significant pressures on Mrs. Wolf," says Assistant District Attorney Scott Moller.
Moller presented Wolf's extensive criminal history. He said there's also a documented history of domestic abuse.
Moller asked Judge Patrick O'Melia to sentence Wolf to 30 years.
Judge O'Melia said he believes this case is one of classic domestic abuse.
He sentenced Wolf to 24 years. He'll spend 12 in prison and 12 years extended supervision.
Wolf is not allowed to have any contact with his wife. He's also not eligible for early release or boot camp.
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