As we welcome the year 2007, we’d like to highlight some of the big events across western Wisconsin in 2006.

Some of the past year’s biggest stories happened in a court room. In January, charges were filed against Michael Kozlowski, the semi driver accused of homicide in the Chippewa Falls bus crash. Kozlowski faces five counts of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle and 29 counts of reckless driving. He will go to trial in April.

In May, a jury found Bill Marquardt not guilty of murdering his mother. But, in December, a Florida grand jury indicted Marquardt on two counts of first degree murder. Florida Assistant Sate Attorney, Pete Magrino says he thinks Marquardt killed Esperanza Wells and Margarita Ruiz.

Authorities say they found the body of Marquardt’s mother in Chippewa County the day before authorities in Florida found Wells and Ruiz’s bodies.

The summer of 2006 brought drivers a new way to get around stop and go traffic on Hastings Way in Eau Claire with the opening of the new 53 bypass. In late August, the last barricades were removed, finalizing the 4-lane freeway connecting Eau Claire to Superior.

In September, school violence left its mark on central Wisconsin in the small town of Cazenovia. 15-year-old student Eric Hainstock allegedly shot and killed Western High School principal John Klang.

That shooting happened just days after authorities averted a school shooting at Green Bay’s East High School.

In October, bagged spinach lost some appeal after a deadly E.coli outbreak forced a California company to recall its products. More than 200 people became ill nationwide and Wisconsin was hit hard. Our state accounted for many of the cases, including the death of a 77-year-old Manitowoc woman.

This past November, voters shifted Wisconsin’s political power, giving democrats control of the Senate, adding a few more democratic seats in the Assembly and re-electing democratic Governor Jim Doyle for a second term.

It was the first time in 32 years our state re-elected a democrat as governor. Doyle beat republican challenger Mark Green.

2006 was a deadly year in Iraq, but December has been the deadliest month for U.S. forces, and one of the toughest for Wisconsin. Three members of Wisconsin’s military forces were killed within just nine days in Iraq.

But 2006 also brought some joy for Wisconsin’s military families, as hundred of troops returned home to their loved ones. Making for some happy faces that are sure to last well into 2007.