Putin sends troops into parts of Ukraine, punishment handed down in UW fight and we're in for a very ugly winter day

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The Kremlin decree signed by Putin did not specify whether or when Russian troops would enter Ukrainian territory. It came as President Joe Biden signed an executive order to sanction any Americans who invest in the eastern Ukraine regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, the two breakaway areas that Putin recognized as independent. Putin's moves further inflamed tensions with the West amid fears of a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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In Washington, a senior Biden administration official accused Putin of seeking to "justify a war" during a rambling, hourlong speech in which he incorrectly claimed that Ukraine was only the product of power-brokering during the beginning of the Soviet Union. Yet it was unclear whether Putin's "peacekeeping" operations in the eastern Donbas region would trigger the full-fledged "severe" sanctions that Biden has threatened if Putin invades Ukraine.

It's going to be a miserable wintry-mix of a day in Milwaukee

* Depending on where you live, you're waking up to a cold rain, freezing rain or sleet. Freezing drizzle moved into parts of southeastern Wisconsin last night and some schools, well north and west of Milwaukee, have already closed for today. Milwaukee Public Schools announced Tuesday morning that all schools and after-school activities will be canceled. But most of the Milwaukee area got only rain Monday night into the overnight as temps remained above freezing.

* A winter weather advisory is in effect for all of southern Wisconsin until 6 p.m., so if you're heading into the office, both commutes could be ugly. It will be a close call in Milwaukee as the rain will continue much of the day and the temperatures will be right around freezing.

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"It'll be rough," NWS meteorologist Paul Collar said of travel conditions in southeast Wisconsin. "It doesn't take much ice to have the roads get real slick."

The Big Ten has suspended Juwan Howard for 5 games and UW coach Greg Gard has been fined $10,000

* Howard was also fined $40,000 after he slapped UW assistant Joe Krabbenhoft in the face after UW's convincing win Sunday afternoon. The Big 10 determined that Gard was also in violation of the conference's sportsmanship policy. He was fined but not suspended. UW AD Chris McIntosh said he considered the fine a "Wisconsin fine" and not a "Greg Gard fine" and as such the athletic department would be paying it.

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Michigan players Moussa Diabate and Terrance Williams II were suspended one game apiece for fighting. UW's Jahcobi Neath was also suspended one game for fighting. All three were seen throwing punches in the melee that followed Howard's slap.

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The penalties were handed down by the conference in conjunction with the universities. "Big Ten Conference coaches and student-athletes are expected to display the highest level of sportsmanship conduct," Commissioner Kevin Warren said in a news release. "I am grateful for the partnership with Michigan Athletics Director, Warde Manuel and Wisconsin Athletics Director, Chris McIntosh.

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The Money

KOHL'S: Activist investor Macellum Capital Management makes a pitch to Kohl's Corp. shareholders ahead of a shareholder meeting in two weeks.

The Fun Stuff

SHAMROCK SHUFFLE: It's almost time for the event that calls itself "the best St. Patrick's Day party of your life." It returns to Milwaukee on March 5.

USINGER DAY: Feb. 23 is the 15th annual Fred Usinger Day — proclamations by the county executive and acting Milwaukee mayor make it official. And that means free bratwurst at the Old German Beer Hall downtown.

The Games

PACKERS: Dominant defensive tackle Kenny Clark can do for the Green Bay Packers what Aaron Donald did for the Rams.

RODGERS: The Green Bay Packers quarterback expressed thanks, gratitude in cryptic social media post.

Around Wisconsin

SURING: The Oconto County District Attorney's Office asked the Oconto County Sheriff's Office to reopen its investigation of Suring High School administrators who were accused of strip-searching students to their underwear for vaping devices in January.

Today in Wisconsin History

The Riverwest offices of the Bugle American, an alternative weekly newspaper, were firebombed on Feb. 22, 1975. No one was injured, but the paper's equipment, records, back copies and content for its next issue were destroyed in the blaze. Local musicians performed benefits and local journalists donated some cash to help keep the publication afloat; the alternative newspaper continued publishing until September 1978. (There is no record of the case being solved.) - Chris Foran

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