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• Stepfather suspected in toddler's death
• Governor Doyle puts final ink on budget plan

A Minnesota man is a suspect in the death of his 18-month-old stepson, who died last week apparently in Pierce County.

Tylar James Hokanson, 22, is being held in the Dakota County (Minn.) jail as authorities from that county and from Pierce County investigate the death of Nicholas Miller.

A Northfield (Minn.) News obituary lists the boy's parents as Melissa Hokanson of Northfield, and Brian Miller of Castle Rock, Minn. His step-grandparents are Ruth and Walter Hunecke of Maiden Rock.

Tylar Hokanson was taken into custody Saturday. The Dakota County jail's Website identifies the grounds for arrest as probable cause -- murder in the second degree, without intent.

The child's death is being treated as a homicide, according to Dakota County Chief Deputy Sheriff Dave Bellows. He said while the child died in Pierce County, the autopsy indicated the injuries likely occurred in Minnesota.

"We are working with Dakota County on this," said Pierce County Chief Deputy Neil Gulbranson Monday afternoon. He said more information may be available later this week.

A press release says Dakota County officers were notified by Pierce County officers that the boy died in their county June 23.

The child was taken to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office where an autopsy was conducted.

According to the press release, multiple injuries, including injuries to the brain and body, were found. Earlier injuries that had healed were also found.

Detectives conducted several interviews of the child's family members and extended family.

Following an interview at the Dakota County Sheriff's Department, Hokanson was booked into the jail at 10 p.m. Saturday. The case will be sent to the Dakota County Attorney for charging.

"This case presented unique challenges to our detectives, but their diligence in seeking out the truth resulted in the arrest of this suspect," said Bellows.

by Shawn Johnson

Wisconsin Public Radio

MADISON -- Governor Jim Doyle signed Wisconsin's state budget Monday, marking the first time in three decades that a budget was completed on time.

Doyle also vetoed several pieces, including an optional sales tax hike for Milwaukee County. The budget that passed the legislature would have allowed for a .65-percent sales tax increase to pay for buses and public safety in Milwaukee County. It was a far cry from the three-county sales tax the Governor would have allowed in his budget specifically for bus and rail in Southeast Wisconsin.

The Governor's plan would have created what's known as a "regional transit authority" which qualifies a region for federal funds. Doyle says the plan the legislature passed didn't quite fit that billing, adding that the proposal got things off on the wrong track and it'd be hard to build a true regional transit authority from that.

Doyle also used his partial veto to scale back film tax incentives that passed the legislature. Those are the credits that helped lure the film "Public Enemies" to shoot in Wisconsin. The Governor capped the credits at $500,000 which is along the lines of what he wanted all along. Doyle says these are refundable tax credits, which is like actual cash being handed out to film crews.

Most of the budget survived the Governor's veto pen, including two major insurance mandates. One would require all drivers to carry auto insurance. Another, which the Governor highlighted, would require all health policies to cover autism treatment. Doyle said at the signing that he could say it on a lot of issues, but on the autism one especially, "it shows elections matter."

Doyle also vetoed the budget to give his office the power to cut an additional $200-million across all state agencies. That would be on top of the other cuts in the budget.