A home invasion and stolen car report in Menomonie ended with the suspect being shot dead. The sheriff in Dunn County says a man broke into an apartment in Menomonie last night, fired a gun, and stole a car. A few hours later officers spotted that car and pulled it over. That's when the sheriff says authorities shot and killed the suspect. A Dunn County deputy along with an unspecified number of officers from the Menomonie Police Department have been placed on leave because of the shooting. The state's Department of Justice is now investigating the case.
It's a reminder that this winter's ice isn't as strong as in years past. The sheriff in Goodhue County, says six trucks fell through the ice on their side of Lake Pepin over the weekend. The trucks were parked on the ice because there weren't any parking spots on the beach. No one was hurt, and deputies say they towed all six trucks out of the water. This winter has been warmer than last, and DNR managers say fishermen need to be aware of the ice when they head out.
Home sales continue to fall in Western Wisconsin. Winter is traditionally the slowest time of the year for home sales. According to the Wisconsin Realator Association, home sales herein Western Wisconsin for December of 2022 were down 26% compared to December of 2021. Buffalo County reported 10 home sales in December, Dunn County 35, Pepin County 1, and Pierce County 26 homes were sold in December. The median price of a home in Western Wisconsin rose 2% to $255,000.
Broadband will be coming to southern and Western Pepin County. Last week the Pepin County Board approved spending $160,000 of ARPA toward broadband expansion for Stockholm, Frankfort, and Pepin. The money is contingent upon Pierce-Pepin Cooperative Services receiving a grant from the FCC for the expansion.
Western Wisconsin's new congressman wants to be the 'cheese king of Congress.' Congressman Derrick Van Orden was named to the House Committee on Agriculture last week. He's the first Wisconsin member of that committee in nearly a decade. Van Orden says he wants to make sure dairy farmers are protected in the next farm bill. He said he wants to be an expert on dairy for Congress as that new bill is written.
Wisconsin gas prices are on the rise thanks to high demand. Triple-A says the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded in Wisconsin is three dollars and 19 cents. That's up six cents from last Friday. In Western Wisconsin, gas is three-24, up about 10 cents from last week. Triple-A says gas prices are up because more people are driving because of the mild winter.
The Wisconsin Senate is ready to vote on the governor's appointees. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu last week said he is sending over 200 appointees to state against, boards, and commissions to the Senate for up-or-down votes. The nominees will first have a hearing in front of a statehouse committee. The Senate didn't approve any of the governor's major nominees during his first term. Le Mahieu was quick to say that just because they are getting a vote, that doesn't mean the appointees will be approved.
Wisconsin's governor is going to lay out his plan for the state. Governor Tony Evers will deliver his State of the State speech tomorrow night. There's no official preview, but the governor will likely talk about finding more money for local schools and local governments in Wisconsin. Much like his inauguration speech, he's also expected to talk about restoring abortion access in Wisconsin. Republican leaders at the Capitol are also set to deliver a response tomorrow night. The governor will speak at 7 p.m., and the Republicans will speak after that.
There's a fight about yard signs in Neenah. A number of folks have signs in their yard fighting the rezoning of a local middle school. Leaders say city rules only allow signs for 30 days in every 90-day period. Neenah wants the signs removed. But the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty says there's a free speech question to answer. WILL says Neenah's sign rules regulate content and should be struck down. WILL is threatening to sue. Neighbors near the middle school say they simply want to protect their neighborhood from over-development.
Minnesota Democrats are proposing billions of dollars in new spending for education. Governor Walz is asking the Legislature to invest more than 700 million in additional general public school funding over the next two years. Annual boosts would be tied to inflation, amounting to a nearly one-point-five billion dollar funding increase for the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years. Walz's plan also includes more than 700 million over the next two years to pay for special education services and around 200 million a year for free meals for all students.
Wisconsin's Emergency Rental Assistance program will stop taking applications in ten days. The state Department of Administration said on Friday that January 31st will be the last day for applications. The program has helped thousands of households with rent, utility, water, and internet bills. Funding for the program is running out and benefits will be paid as remains available. The Department of Administration said priority will be given to households facing imminent eviction.
The Teamsters Union says it will fight Energizer's plans to close its plants in Portage and Fennimore. Energizer has notified workers it intends to close both plants in the next year to two. The Teamsters Union represents nearly 600 workers at the two plants and said on Thursday it will fight the company's plans to move some jobs to a non-union plant in North Carolina and others overseas. As of Thursday afternoon, Energizer had not filed layoff notices with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
The man convicted of killing a University of Wisconsin-Madison student over 14 years ago will spend the rest of his life in prison. Today David Kahl was sentenced to life in prison for the 2008 murder of 21-year-old Brittany Zimmerman, who was found dead in her apartment on West Doty Street. Kahl wasn't charged in the case until 2020 and he pleaded guilty back in October. He'll have a chance to petition for release after 20 years.
A Belgian foreign exchange student at a West Allis high school is unable to compete as a gymnast for the school. The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association says Ana Glineur cannot be a member of the Nathan Hale High School varsity gymnastics team because the WIAA says she violated rules for direct placement, which requires a year of ineligibility from competition unless a transfer student’s parents also change residence. Students at the school started an online petition to allow Glineur to compete. The petition already has more than 2,600 signatures.
Wisconsin voters will be able to weigh in on a proposed constitutional amendment on bail reform as part of the April statewide ballot. The measure will allow judges to consider past convictions of those charged with crimes when setting bail. Lawmakers also approved an advisory referendum that will ask whether childless, able-bodied adults should be required to look for work in order to receive state welfare benefits.
A Minneapolis healthcare provider is being ordered to pay over a million dollars in back wages and damages. The U.S. Department of Labor found Minnesota Living Assistance Inc. failed to pay workers overtime wages and didn't keep proper payroll records. A collective one-point-six million dollars will be distributed to 136 employees.
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