By Associated Press - Monday, March 24, 2014
Chippewa ask 7th Circuit to allow night deer hunt

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Wisconsin’s Chippewa tribes have asked a federal appeals court to allow tribal hunters to shoot deer at night.

The Chippewa have been pushing for decades to hunt deer at night in northern Wisconsin’s ceded territory even though the state has banned the practice out of safety concerns. Two years ago the tribes mounted another attempt, arguing the state has allowed night hunting to cull deer and slow chronic wasting disease.

Crabb rejected the tribes’ arguments in December. The tribes filed notice in January they intended to appeal. They submitted a brief Monday with the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing night hunting has become more common and the state can’t argue it’s unsafe.

State wildlife officials referred questions to the state Department of Justice. A DOJ spokeswoman declined comment.

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FDA reviews DNA-based colon cancer screening kits

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Food and Drug Administration is weighing the benefits and risks of two experimental colon cancer screening tests which use DNA from a patient’s stool to detect dangerous tumors and growths.

FDA scientists have questions about the accuracy and the potential real-world impact of the kits from Epigenomics and Exact Sciences, according to briefing documents posted online Monday. The agency released its reviews of the tests ahead of a two-day meeting that starts Wednesday.

Doctors have long used stool tests to look for hidden blood that can be a warning sign of tumors and precancerous polyps. Colon cancer is usually treatable if growths are detected and removed before they multiply and spread to other parts of the body.

Both tests under review were more accurate at detecting tumors and worrisome growths than traditional blood stool tests. However, both tests also returned more false positives - reporting growths when none were actually present.

In addition, the tests were less accurate in patients of certain racial and ethnic groups, including African-Americans. The FDA will ask a panel of experts whether the tests should have special warnings for those patients, among on other questions, at its meeting later this week. The agency is not required to follow such expert advice.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., with over 50,000 deaths expected this year, according to the American Cancer Society. Deaths from the disease have been declining for more than two decades, a development attributed to increased screening in patients ages 50 to 75. Still, only about 60 percent of people in that age group have had recommended screenings.

Colonoscopy is the most accurate test but many adults are reluctant to undergo the invasive procedure, which requires several hours under sedation as doctors probe the colon with a camera-fitted catheter. Guidelines

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Veterans retreat on effort to stop asbestos bill

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Wisconsin veterans who had been urging Gov. Scott Walker to veto a bill affecting asbestos exposure lawsuits are backing down after being told the governor plans to sign the measure.

Jason Johns, lobbyist for the Military Order of the Purple Heart of Wisconsin, said Monday that he emailed veterans telling them to curtail their effort after a Walker aide told another veteran the governor planned to sign the bill.

Walker’s spokeswoman Laurel Patrick says Walker continues to evaluate the measure.

Republican proponents argue the goal is to stop those bringing asbestos exposure lawsuits from being able to double dip by suing businesses and trusts established to pay claims. But opponents say new requirements will delay and deny justice for those harmed by asbestos, including veterans.

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Sex offender accused of groping man in mall

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Madison police say a 43-year-old convicted sex offender was arrested after he allegedly groped a man inside a mall restroom over the weekend.

According to the police report, a 21-year-old Madison man told police had a casual conversation with the suspect before both entered the restroom at the East Towne Mall about 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

Once they were inside, reports say the suspect inappropriately grabbed the 21-year-old, telling him that he had just gotten “out of the pen.” The victim broke free and called police.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (https://bit.ly/1gT2TaHhttps://bit.ly/1gT2TaH ) reports officers found the man, who told police he had been staying at homeless shelters since his release from prison.

Police say the man faces a tentative charge of second-degree sexual assault.

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Information from: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, https://www.jsonline.comhttps://www.jsonline.com

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