The Daily Tribune from Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin • Page 5

5A Central Wisconsin Sunday Sunday, January 11,2004 State Doyle criticizes Bush, GOP over Medicare bill counts with pharmacies, he said. Because Wisconsin purchases in such large quantities for its 60,000 employees, it's able to bargain for much cheaper prices. The Medicare bill prevents the federal government from doing the same thing, Doyle said. "Instead of using Medicare's enormous bargaining power to get the best discounts for our seniors," he said, "American taxpayers and seniors will be forced to foot the the Democrats' weekly radio address. Doyle said the Bush administration has done "nothing for those under 65, who aren't eligible for Medicare but often face exorbitant drug costs." The government will spend nearly $400 billion over the next 10 years to subsidize, prescription drug coverage, beginning January 2006.

The government also will encourage insurance companies to offer private plans to millions of older Americans who receive health care benefits under terms fixed by the federal government Doyle said he was concerned about the fate of prescription drug benefits enacted by states like his own, which are more generous than those in the Medicare bill. Wisconsin and other states save taxpayers millions of dollars every year by negotiating bulk dis- bill for greater drug company profits." Doyle called for revamping the new Medicare bill to allow the government to negotiate lower drug prices and allow seniors to purchase cheaper medicine from Canada. The Republican Congress had the chance to pass a bill clearing the way for reimportation, he said, but the measure died under intense pressure from drug company lobbyists. In Brief Woman faces murder charge JEFFERSON A Lake Mills woman faces a murder charge in the suffocation death of her baby daughter, and a prosecutor says she smothered the girl three different times to gain attention. Lois Pomplun, 23, pleaded not guilty to one charge of first degree reckless homicide and three charges of reckless endan-germent in the death of her 9-month-old daughter, Shaylee.

Before Friday's hearing, prosecutor Michael Schaefer told the family Pomplun might have Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a condition in which a caregiver harms a child to get attention. Lake Mills police records show Pomplun made 911 calls on Aug. 7 and Aug. 8 to report the baby was unconscious and unresponsive. Mix-up won't i Democrats invited to pre-primary debate 9 -5 A 1 1 illll III I Hill i 1 1 Mill III illnllili Retired Gen.

Wesley Clark greets supporters during a campaign stop Saturday at Indianhead Technical College in Superior. A AP photo get the best discounts for our seniors," he said, "American taxpayers and seniors will be forced to foot the bill for greater drug company profits." Doyle called for revamping the new Medicare bill to allow the government to negotiate lower drug prices and allow seniors to purchase cheaper medicine from Canada. The Republican Congress had the chance to pass a bill clearing the way for reimportation, he said, but the measure died under intense pressure from drug company lobbyists. million a year from the Ho-Chunk. City of Madison and Dane County officials said they rejected the initial offer because it called for them to adopt resolutions supporting casino-style gambling at DeJope rather than hold a public referendum on the issue.

i i 1 Dane County residents will vote Feb. 17 on whether to turn DeJope on Madison's southeast side into a casino. lirilllllil BlllllHlllMllllBMitlliMlMllll 111111 like his own, which are more generous than those in the Medicare bill. Wisconsin and other states save taxpayers millions of dollars every year by negotiating bulk discounts with pharmacies, he said. Because Wisconsin purchases in such large quantities for its 60,000 employees, it's able to bargain for much cheaper prices.

The Medicare bill prevents the federal government from doing the same thing, Doyle said. "Instead of using Medicare's enormous bargaining power to The Associated Press MILWAUKEE The nine Democratic presidential candidates have been invited to a nationally televised debate at a local university two days before the state's primary. The "Wisconsin Presidential Debate 2004" was announced Saturday by its sponsors, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WTMJ-TV and Journal Communications. The 90-minute debate, which begins at 5:30 p.m. Feb.

15, will be broadcast live on NBC affiliate WTMJ-TV and on MSNBC, according to today's edition of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The event will be held at Marquette University in the Alumni Memorial Union. There's also a candidates' forum on health care planned for Feb. 15 by the National Health Care Policy Council at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a $100-per-person fund-raiser held by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin on Feb. 14.

Retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark of Arkansas plans to attend the debate, but the rest of his schedule has yet to be determined, said his national press secretary Bill Buck. Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich plans to be in Wisconsin from Feb. 14 through Feb.

17 and will attend the debate, said David Swanson, his campaign press secretary. Swanson was unsure about the other events. Carol Moseley Braun, a former Illinois senator, planned to attend the debate, according to Jjdretta Kane, her communications direction'. Kane said she. didn't about the other events.

The Rev. Al Sharpton's campaign manager Charles Halloran said they planned to be in yield charges MANITOWOC It's too late to file charges against a man implicated in a 1985 sexual assault for which another man was wrongly sent to prison for 18 years, a prosecutor says. Manitowoc County District Attorney Mark Rohrer said Friday that the statute of limitations prohibits filing charges against a man already serving a 60-year prison term for a 1995 sexual assault in Green Bay. DNA testing cleared Steven Avery, 41, of Two Rivers, resulting in his release from prison last September. Testing of the genetic material implicated the other man in the assault.

Office seeker faces challenge MILWAUKEE Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke Jr. submitted only 32 more valid signatures than required to be on the ballot in the race for Milwaukee mayor, and an opponent has challenged the validity of his nomination papers. Elections officials scheduled a hearing Tuesday on the challenge mounted by Vincent Bobot, another of the 10 candidates for mayor in the Feb. 17 primary election. The Associated Press California and New York on Feb.

14 and Feb. 15, but did plan on visiting Wisconsin at some point. Messages left by The Associated Press at the campaigns of former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, Missouri congressman Dick Gephardt, Sen.

John Kerry of Massachusetts and former Vice President Joe Lieberman were not returned Saturday. Martin Kaiser, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel senior vice president and editor, said the debate would give Wisconsin voters a better opportunity to decide how to cast their vote. "Because Wisconsin is the only primary that week, it should give our state a powerful voice in selecting the Democratic nominee," he said. Anchor Mike Gousha of the Milwaukee NBC affiliate will moderate the debate, joined by a panel of journalists. The Wisconsin primary falls between two pivotal groups of primaries.

There will be balloting in several states, including Missouri, South Carolina and New Mexico, on Feb. 3, and others, including California, New York and Ohio, on "Super Tuesday" March 2. Wisconsin's is an open primary, meaning the state does not require voters to identify or declare a party affiliation when casting votes. Political observers expect a strong turnout because the ballot in Milwaukee will feature a mayoral primary and in Madison will have an advisory referendum on a proposed casino gambling prqj-. ect.

At the candidates' forum on health care, planners expect each candidate to appear separately, speak and respond to audience questions. Hours casino deal offered schools aid The Associated Press WASHINGTON Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle on Saturday criticized President Bush's Medicare overhaul, saying it is nothing more than a handout to prescription drug companies. The companies profit while people who depend on medication "are forced to make inhumane and unbearable choices between food and medicine or cutting their pills in half" Doyle said in Wes Clark touts values The Associated Press WASHINGTON Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle on Saturday criticized President Bush's Medicare overhaul, saying it is nothing more than a handout to prescription drug companies.

The companies profit while people who depend on medication "are forced to make inhumane and unbearable choices between food and medicine or cutting their pills in half" Doyle said in the Democrats' weekly radio address. The Democratic governor said the Bush administration has done "nothing for those under 65, who aren't eligible for Medicare but often face exorbitant drug costs." The government will spend nearly $400 billion over the next 10 years to subsidize prescription drug coverage, beginning January 2006. The government also will encourage insurance companies to offer private plans to millions of older Americans who receive health care benefits under terms fixed by the federal government. Doyle said he was concerned about the fate of prescription drugtenefits enacted by states Initial Madison The Associated Press MADISON The Ho-Chunk Nation initially offered a half-million dollars to Madison and Dane County school districts and proposed building a public swimming pool and fire station in exchange for expanded gambling at DeJope Bingo Hall. The tribe also proposed giving another $500,000 a year to be used for public works projects and programs in the city and county.

In addition, the city and U3t county were offered yearly payments of $1 million, the Wisconsin State Journal reported Saturday. The newspaper cited a Sept. 19 letter from an attorney for the Ho-Chunk Nation, obtained through an open records request. The city's and county's final agreement is a much more lucraj tive offer to local governments than what the Ho-Chunk initially proposed. It calls for both governments to get payments of $3.5 Hew Expanded ZT CL child's health care needs.

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