A private zoo in Washington County is under legal fire with neighbors over a land permit to help expand operations.
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Crawford's decisions leaves the court with a 3-3 split between liberals and conservatives.
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State lawmakers are seeking a legal opinion from Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul about whether allegations of public school teachers grooming students is punishable by an existing state law barring immoral conduct that endangers children's safety.
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FBI agents arrested more than 30 people in the scandal involving illegal betting and poker scams.
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Days after a man was charged with stalking her, Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Jill Karofsky told a forum in Madison that political violence is “on the rise.”
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Jewelers in the state also say they are in a holding pattern of "wait and see" with tariffs.
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Discover Sturgeon Bay, the historic maritime gateway to Door County, Wisconsin.
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Stories come to life at Bookworm Gardens in Sheboygan, a literary botanical oasis.
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Artist and educator Geo Rutherford makes educational videos about “haunted hydrology” for more than 2 million followers on TikTok and Instagram. Here, she shares her top 5 spooky spots in Wisconsin.
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A video quickly circulating online showed a father boarding a school bus and telling his daughter to hit another student. The man has now been arrested by local police.
The incident occurred Oct. 9 on a Ferguson-Florissant School District near St. Louis, Missouri. On Tuesday, the Ferguson Police Department identified the father as Maurice Fox, 36, in a statement.
In the video footage released by the department, Fox is seen onboard the bus telling his first-grade daughter to assault another student saying, “This one? Yeah, do what I told you to,” and “Don’t put your hands on my daughter no more because if I find out you’re touching her again, your parents will have to talk to me.” The daughter then begins punching the other student. When she stops, Fox says, “Again, I want her crying.”
Fox later posted on social media that he felt he did what he needed to do to teach his daughter to defend herself from bullies
A news article reported that before Fox was taken into custody, he created an online fundraiser seeking donations for his legal defense. But a spokesperson for GoFundMe said the platform’s terms of service prohibit people charged with violent crimes from raising money for their legal defense. The fundraising page was removed and donations were refunded.
The article also said that according to an affidavit, the school bus driver tried to stop Fox, but “he pushed the driver’s arm out of the way and continued walking.” The video blurs the faces of all others on the school bus, but the school bus driver appears to be seated at the front of the vehicle.
The statement said that Ferguson Police Chief Troy Doyle confirmed that Fox turned himself and is being held at the St. Louis County Justice Center with a $100,000 bond.
Prior to Fox’s arrest on Monday after turning himself in, police said he was being sought on an at-large warrant from the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s office. Fox is now also facing charges of one count of first-degree harassment, two counts of assault in the fourth degree and trespassing on a school bus.
“This incident is extremely troubling on many levels. As adults, we have a responsibility to model appropriate behavior and teach our children how to resolve conflict peacefully. Encouraging violence among children — especially in such a public and frightening way — is unacceptable. We are grateful this individual chose to turn himself in, and we hope this brings some measure of accountability,” said Police Chief Troy Doyle.
He continued, “No child should ever be exposed to that kind of behavior, especially in a setting that should feel safe, like a school bus,” he said. “We encourage parents and guardians to work with school officials, counselors and community resources when facing conflicts involving their children. Collaboration and communication, not confrontation, are how we keep our kids and schools safe.”
In the comments on the police statement, many people commented on the difficult emotions of knowing a child is being bullied, but that there are better ways to handle the situation.
School Transportation News reached out to Ferguson-Florissant School District for comment and received the following statement from their communications department:
“We fully cooperated with law enforcement as they addressed this matter. Student and staff safety is always our top priority, and we will not tolerate anything that compromises their safety. School buses are an extension of the school campus. Trespassing on a school bus and engaging in the behavior described in this incident are completely unacceptable.”
Related: School Violence Grant Provides Opportunity for Threat Assessment Training
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Related: 9-Year-Old Arrested for Bringing Loaded Gun onto Florida School Bus
The post Missouri Parent Boards School Bus, Tells Child to Assault Another Student appeared first on School Transportation News.
MESA, Ariz.,- Verra Mobility Corporation (NASDAQ: VRRM), a leading provider of smart mobility technology solutions, continues its commitment to National School Bus Safety Week (October 20-24) by providing a toolkit promoting safe school transportation to communities nationwide.
Passing a stopped school bus with its stop arm extended is illegal in every state, yet nearly one in four drivers are unaware of this law, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. As a leading provider of school bus stop arm enforcement technology, Verra Mobility recognizes the importance of education around school bus safety and invites communities nationwide to help spread awareness.
The need for education is urgent. Children are vulnerable to being killed or injured when boarding or deboarding a school bus, and illegal school bus passing violations can lead to devastating consequences. During the 2023-2024 school year alone, victims included a 15-year-old student in Alabama, a 15-year-old student in Texas, and an 8-year-old student in Georgia, all of whom were boarding or exiting their school bus while the school bus’s stop arm was extended with lights flashing.
To encourage communities and organizations to raise awareness around school transportation safety, Verra Mobility created its toolkit with ready-to-share social media posts, educational messaging, and statistics. The toolkit equips communities with ready-to-use resources, including social media posts, digital collateral, educational messaging, and statistics to emphasize the importance of safe driving around school buses.
To download the free materials and share this important safety message, visit www.verramobility.com/national-school-bus-safety-week-toolkit.
“Children – our most vulnerable citizens – must be able to get to and from school safely,” said David Dorfman, senior vice president, Verra Mobility. “This week is a great reminder that we can all make a difference and help improve safety for our children. We’re proud to once again partner with communities nationwide to raise awareness around the importance of safe driving near school buses, and to remind drivers that a child’s life is not worth saving a few minutes.”
One available resource that can help reduce illegal school bus passings is Verra Mobility’s school bus stop arm program which works when the bus’s stop arm is deployed. AI-enabled cameras capture video evidence of vehicles illegally passing the stopped school bus; the violation is then transmitted to a secure platform and reviewed by law enforcement.
These programs have been shown to change driver behavior, with 98% of drivers who are issued a violation for illegally passing a stopped school bus not repeating their behavior, and with some programs experiencing up to a 67% reduction in issued citations when comparing the beginning of the school year to the end.
“Verra Mobility has equipped thousands of school buses across the country with life-saving technology that helps communities improve school transportation safety,” said Dorfman. “This week allows us to highlight the positive impact of these efforts while educating parents and students on how they can prevent school transportation-related tragedies.”
To learn more about the school bus stop arm safety program, visit
www.verramobility.com/government/school-bus-safety/.
About Verra Mobility
Verra Mobility Corporation (NASDAQ: VRRM) is a leading provider of smart mobility technology solutions that make transportation safer, smarter and more connected. The company sits at the center of the mobility ecosystem, bringing together vehicles, hardware, software, data and people to enable safe, efficient solutions for customers globally. Verra Mobility’s transportation safety systems and parking management solutions protect lives, improve urban and motorway mobility and support healthier communities. The company also solves complex payment, utilization and compliance challenges for fleet owners and rental car companies. Headquartered in Arizona, Verra Mobility operates in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. For more information, please visit www.verramobility.com.
The post Verra Mobility champions student safety during National School Bus Safety Week appeared first on School Transportation News.
PASADENA, Calif. — At RIDE, every mile matters, especially when it comes to the safety of our children. As we celebrate School Bus Safety Week Oct. 20–24, we’re proud to highlight how RIDE 100% battery-electric school buses are redefining safety and sustainability through advanced innovation.
“Safety isn’t just a feature — it’s our foundation,” Patrick Duan, Co-CEO RIDE Mobility said. “Our Blade Battery, built on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) technology, sets the industry standard as the safest and most reliable battery system available today.”
Designed to withstand extreme conditions and prevent thermal runaway, the award-winning and innovative Blade Battery ensures every school bus ride is as secure as it is smooth. Through rigorous testing, the Blade Battery delivers unmatched protection for children. Parents get the assurance and peace of mind they need, knowing their children are safe on their way to and home from school.
Beyond safety, RIDE’s all-electric, zero-emission buses eliminate tailpipe pollution, creating a quieter, cleaner cabin environment and contributing to a healthier community, directly benefiting the long-term respiratory health of our communities.
Based in Pasadena, California, RIDE is committed to protecting students and giving peace of mind to parents, drivers, and communities across the country. Visit ride.co to learn how RIDE is shaping the future of clean, safe student transportation.
About RIDE:
Headquartered in Pasadena, Calif., with a 550,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Lancaster, Calif., RIDE, founded in 2023, is the US spinoff of BYD. RIDE builds award-winning battery electric school buses, transit buses, motorcoaches and trucks for the U.S. market. RIDE is a union employer with a unique community benefits agreement that offers opportunities to those who have faced previous barriers to employment. A global force in clean energy and transportation, BYD is the world’s leading battery and EV manufacturer. Visit our website RIDE.CO to learn more.
The post RIDE Celebrates School Bus Safety Week appeared first on School Transportation News.
A school bus fire in Bethel, Minnesota, turned into a dramatic rescue earlier this month when a mother helped evacuate 22 elementary students just moments before flames engulfed the vehicle, reported CBS News.
According to the news report, Kari Thorp was waiting for her daughter’s school bus when she noticed smoke and flames coming from underneath the vehicle as it stopped in front of her home. She quickly alerted the driver, Rick Gratton, and the two acted fast to get the children off the bus safely.
“It was crazy. I’m just thankful that he was very calm,” Thorp said via the article.
Thorp’s Ring doorbell camera captured the scene as students from East Bethel Elementary gathered on her lawn, visibly shaken while flames spread rapidly through the front of the bus.
“Kids were crying. Kids were scared and freaking out,” Thorp told local news reporters. “It was quite emotional and kind of frantic.”
The fire escalated quickly. Within 15 minutes, the front of the bus was fully engulfed, and the intense heat even melted part of the road in front of Thorp’s house.
Though some backpacks, lunch boxes and the bus itself were lost in the fire, no injuries were reported. The students’ safe evacuation is being credited to the swift response of Thorp and Gratton as well as the children’s recent school bus safety training.
Both Thorp and Gratton were recognized for their “heroic efforts” in getting all students to safety by St. Francis Area Schools. Thorp reflected on how different things might have turned out if she hadn’t been outside at the time.
“I don’t think he would have gotten very far. And I don’t think we would have been able to get those kids off the bus as fast,” she said via the report. “A lot of little ones sit up front, and that’s where it all started.”
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire.
Related: California Student Honored for Quick Thinking During School Bus Fire
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The post Minnesota Mom Helps Evacuate 22 Students from Burning School Bus appeared first on School Transportation News.
Registration is now open for the 2026 ACT Expo, which returns to Las Vegas, Nevada, in the spring.
The 16th ACT Expo, held May 4-7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, will feature sessions on AI and autonomy as well as zero-emission vehicles. Originally called the Advanced Clean Transportation, ACT Expo for short, will now be known solely as ACT Expo, which event producers TRC Companies, said reflects the “expanded scope across advanced, autonomous, connected, and clean transportation technologies.”
TRC noted that ACT Expo can no longer “be simply defined as the clean or advanced technology show — it has become so much more.”
ACT now stands for the following:
The event, which annually attracts over 12,000 attendees and 500 exhibitors, “offers end-users the most current insight into the key technology trends driving the market today and in the years ahead, practical lessons from peers, direct access to every major OEM and industry supplier in the market, strategies to boost competitiveness and accelerate the use of high-tech and clean vehicles and fuel, and the relationships that drive long-term success,” a press release on the event states.
The ACT Expo traditionally has hosted one school-bus-specific session each year and features school buses on the trade floor from various manufacturers. This year, however, TRC Companies said ACT Expo will place a greater emphasis on the digital frontier, reflecting industry investment in software-defined vehicles, real-time data collection and analysis via the use of AI and autonomy.
Related: (STN Podcast E257) The Paths Forward: AI, Clean Energy, Manufacturing Discussed at ACT Expo
Related: ACT Expo Heads Back to Anaheim, Agenda Released
Related: School Bus Wi-Fi Solution Now Available for Districts Left in E-Rate Cold
Related: WATCH: Michigan Association Releases Illegal Passing PSA for School Bus Safety Week
“Through end-user case studies, the event will highlight how these cutting-edge technologies are improving performance, safety, and ROI, while giving attendees a clear view of where and how they are scaling,” the release states.
In addition to the technologies, the conference will continue to highlight ultra-clean vehicles and low-carbon fuels, spotlighting infrastructure.
“The pace of change and acceleration of advanced technologies in commercial transportation is phenomenal; it’s unlike anything we have seen before,” stated Erik Neandross, president of Clean Transportation Solutions at TRC. “From the boardroom to the show floor, ACT Expo is the one place where C-suite representatives from fleets, OEMs, and infrastructure partners engage directly to shape real-world progress and the future of their businesses. It’s where fleet leaders learn what’s actually working in the field, what’s just around the corner, and where they can better understand proven strategies that can deliver both economic and environmental results.”
School Transportation News is a media sponsor of the event.
The post ACT EXPO Registration Opens, Event Focus on AI and Autonomy appeared first on School Transportation News.
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