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• Brown to scrutinize UW-Madison nuclear reactor safeguards
• St. Croix County teenagers injured in single vehicle accident

How secure is the research reactor at University of Wisconsin-Madison and what really happened when interns from the ABC news show "Primetime Live" tried to enter the facility.

That will be the focus of a hearing to be held by area Republican and chairman of the state Senate committee on homeland security Sen. Ron Brown, Eau Claire.

"While it appears that the UW has safeguards in place, the ability for a couple of interns to apparently gain access to unauthorized areas which house a nuclear reactor, is rather disturbing," Brown said.

ABC claimed in its report that the interns were not given proper security checks before they entered the area near the reactor which is housed in the Mechanical Engineering building.

However a UW-Madison spokesman disputes the story.

"The interns went to the back door and asked to get in, but were refused entrance and told on how to arrange a tour by the student operator. One of the interns then crossed the door's threshold but got no farther," said Terry Devitt, director of communications for the research department at UW-Madison.

Devitt added that campus police were able to locate the two interns within 24 hours and that UW-Madison then notified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other universities about the incident.

"Primetime had been doing this across the country and the first time the NRC had heard of it was from us," said Devitt.

He also noted that since the incident the university has made changes to its security procedures.

Brown said he plans on calling UW-Madison officials to appear before the hearing which he hopes to hold in the first part of November to discuss the changes and why the breach occurred.

"I want to know why there wasn't a security system in place that prevents that type of access," said Brown.

He added that he understands the great benefits of having such a site on campus for research purposes and to educate future nuclear and physics engineers.

"I also want to know if personnel actions are going to be taken against those who allowed the breach to occur," said Brown.

Dewitt stated that the university is a public university with an emphasis on public and that in order to maintain an open learning environment they are used to students walking in and out.

Brown represents the 31st Senate District which includes most of the eastern half of Pierce County and all of Pepin County.

Two St. Croix County teenagers were injured in a single vehicle accident in Pierce County Wednesday night.

According to a report by the Pierce County Sheriff's Department the accident happened at approximately 9 p.m. when Nathaniel Jewell, 16, Woodville, was driving southbound on 490th Street in Martell Township when he lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle then went into the ditch on the west side of the road.

Also injured was the passenger, John Baumgartner, 16, Baldwin.

Both were taken to the Baldwin Area Medical Center with unspecified injuries. Their condition is not known at this time.

The Ellsworth Ambulance Service and Fire Department both responded to the scene.