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• No heat wave, but it's a bit warmer; more state briefs

It's a little warmer this morning in most of Wisconsin. Only the far northwest is in the deep freeze.

It was minus 18 degrees in Osceola at 7 a.m., and Superior had the state's coldest wind chill at minus 23 degrees.

Most other parts of Wisconsin had enough cloud cover to keep temperatures in the single digits and teens. That includes northern Wisconsin where Eagle River had 12 degrees and Woodruff had 13 at 7 a.m. Parts of southwest Wisconsin had clear skies and readings around zero.

But don't look for a heat wave this week. Highs are supposed to be in the single-digits and teens in the north and in the teens and 20's in the south.

More snow is expected Wednesday night and Thursday, and then it's supposed to get colder again.

La Crosse had its coldest start to the New Year since 1979. The average temperature for the first two days was just a half degree above zero - well below the normal of 17.

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Altoona woman's death considered homicide

Authorities said an Eau Claire County woman missing for over three days was murdered.

Officer Scott Kelley said Theresa Still, 43, of Altoona died from "complex homicidal violence."

She disappeared the night of Dec. 27 after leaving a bar in Altoona. Still's car was found the morning of Dec. 30 in a department store's parking lot in Eau Claire. Her body was found that afternoon in a remote part of Adams County.

Altoona police say they do not have suspects, but a 44-year-old man is considered a person of interest and is cooperating with officers.

Meanwhile, police said they searched the victim's home and a couple of vehicles yesterday, and they're still reviewing surveillance video from the store's parking lot.

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Census workers wanted

Need a job? The U.S. Census Bureau wants to hire about 48,000 people to work on the 2010 census count.

The numbers are very important. Wisconsin's population decides how many seats the state gets in the U.S. House of Representatives. It also plays a role in political boundaries, determining how much funding local schools get and how much the state spends on projects like highways.

The jobs are mostly part-time, paying between $11.50 and $15 an hour. Testing is being done this week. Those hired will work two to six weeks, with the effort being wrapped up in June.

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New recycling rules in effect

Wisconsin's new "E-waste" law took effect at the start of the New Year.

The makers of TV's, computers and other electronics must now arrange for their products to be recycled. Starting Sept. 1, it will be against the law to throw those things in the garbage.

Dan Kohler of Wisconsin Environment said 10,000 tons of computer monitors and 24,000 tons of TV's are buried in landfills every year, and the lead and mercury from those items can pollute the groundwater.

That's why the governor and Legislature made Wisconsin the 19th state to adopt mandatory recycling. Gov. Jim Doyle signed the bill in October.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency about one of every five devices is reused or recycled.

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Archbishop installed

Almost 700,000 Catholics in southeast Wisconsin will get a new leader today.

Jerome Listecki will be installed at 1:30 p.m. Monday as the new archbishop of Milwaukee. Listecki, 60, has been the bishop in La Crosse since 2005.

At a service Sunday, Listecki followed the church's tradition of knocking three times on the front door of Milwaukee's Cathedral of Saint John. Once he was let in, he presided over a vespers service attended by friends, relatives, priests, deacons and others.

Listecki said he hopes his new members will find him to be a good citizen who works to make the community better.

The archdiocese includes 10 counties in southeast Wisconsin. Listecki replaces Tim Dolan, who left last April to become the Archbishop of New York.

About 40 bishops and cardinals from throughout the country will attend the installation service, and about 200 priests will attend.

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