The U.S. Department of Defense says a Wisconsin soldier killed in Afghanistan was on foot patrol when an improvised explosive device exploded and fatally wounded him. 24-year-old 1st Lt. David Johnson from Mayville was killed in action Wednesday while serving in Afghanistan. Johnson, a platoon leader, was assigned to the Army's 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state. Johnson was a 2011 graduate of Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri a school his brother Michael attends. Campus pastor John Plake says David was the oldest of four siblings. He had two brothers and a sister. Johnson’s father, Andrew Johnson is the owner/publisher of the Dodge County Pionier newspaper. Andrew Johnson, his wife Laura, and their family issued this statement honoring David Johnson on the Dodge County Pionier's website:


"We are very proud of our son. He is a hero. He first was a man of God. He has been a strong leader at Mayville High School, at Evangel University and to the men in his unit. David had no fear of adversity; he lived life to the fullest. There are no regrets. He is an American hero. We love him very much and miss him very much."

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republicans in the state Assembly have passed a sweeping bill to help a Florida-based company open an iron mine in northwestern Wisconsin. The bill calls for state regulators to approve iron mine applications within a year and eliminates challenges to permitting decisions. The measure is designed to clear the way for Gogebic Taconite's plans to open an iron mine near Lake Superior. The company has claimed their project will create hundreds of jobs. Conservationists, though, fear the mine will pollute one of the most pristine regions in the state and hurt the tourism industry. But Republican lawmakers are looking for ways to deliver on campaign promises to create jobs. After nearly four-and-a-half hours of debate, the measure passed on a 59-36 vote. It now goes to the state Senate.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Assembly Republicans have cleared dozens of protesters from the chamber's galleries after they disrupted debate on a contentious mining bill. As the body began arguing over the bill Thursday afternoon, demonstrators hurled obscenities at Republicans from the Assembly's overhead galleries under the cover of group coughs and throat-clearing. Assembly President Pro Tem Bill Kramer, a Waukesha Republican, threatened to clear the galleries but stopped short after a band of protesters left voluntarily. About two hours later, more protesters draped a massive banner over a gallery railing that read "Bury the Bill." Someone yelled out "Fascists!" Kramer then ordered the galleries cleared. Protesters moved from the galleries to outside the chamber, where they banged on the doors and chanted "Shame!"

A convicted killer died from an overdose of methadone while in his state prison cell, and officials are trying to find out how he got the drug. The Dodge County medical examiner's office said this week that David Wapp's death was caused by accident. The 31-year-old Wapp was found dead November eighth at the Waupun prison. And the only thing officials knew at the time was that foul play was not involved. Toxicology tests uncovered the overdose. Wapp, of the Mukwonago area, was sentenced in June of 2010 to life in prison with no chance for a supervised release. He stabbed and cut his ex-girlfriend 37 times while they argued in a car outside the home of Wapp's aunt in Waukesha County. It happened four days after he left prison for another offense.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Two ex-aides to Gov. Scott Walker while he was Milwaukee County executive face charges of doing political fundraising while working on county time. Kelly Rindfleisch was charged Thursday with four felony counts of misconduct in office. She was deputy chief of staff for Walker before he became governor in 2011. She's charged with spending significant time raising funds for Brett Davis, an unsuccessful GOP candidate for lieutenant governor in 2010. Darlene Wink faces two misdemeanor counts of political solicitation by a public employee. She was Walker's constituent services coordinator. They are the latest charges filed in connection with a secret probe by the Milwaukee County District Attorney. Three others with ties to Walker were charged earlier this month. Neither Rindfleisch nor Wink immediately returned messages left by The Associated Press.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A new poll shows most people support a state law that requires voters to show photo identification at the ballot box starting next month. Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican-controlled Legislature passed the law last spring, saying it was needed to combat voter fraud even though there have been few instances reported in Wisconsin. Democrats have said the law will suppress the rights of minorities, senior citizens, students and the poor. Three lawsuits have been filed challenging the law. The Marquette University Law School poll released Wednesday shows 66 percent of 701 registered voters favor the law. Thirty-two percent oppose it. The voters were polled by telephone Jan. 19-22. The poll has a 3.8 percentage-point margin of error.

JEFFERSON, Wis. (AP) — A research and policy group aimed at improving teacher quality is suing to get access to course outlines at the University of Wisconsin's schools of education. The National Council on Teacher Quality is reviewing teacher colleges around the country. The nonprofit group has met resistance from UW, which has refused to hand over course outlines. The group is suing the UW System Board of Regents for not complying with information requests the organization made in November under Wisconsin's open records law. The group filed the complaint Wednesday in Jefferson County court. The suit contends that the course outlines at 12 UW schools of education are public records. UW officials contend that university course outlines are not public records because they are subject to copyright.