Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), yesterday announced that Wisconsin municipalities received more than $134 million in fourth quarterly payments for 2023 for General Transportation, Connecting Highway, and Expressway Policing Aids. Here in Western Wisconsin, Buffalo County received over $204,000, while the city of Mondovi received $40,000. Dunn County received $409,000 while Pepin County received $97,000 and the city of Durand $28,000. Pierce County received $381,000 in general transportation aid.
Pepin County is closer to having a new 4-H educator. During last night's Pepin County Board Meeting, Extension Committee Chairwoman Angie Bocksell told the board that the Extension Committee has submitted an employment offer to a candidate, but the candidate has yet to accept the offer. Bocksell also reported that the collaboration between Pepin and Buffalo County Fair continues to grow with more 4-H and FFA exhibitors from Pepin County exhibiting their projects at this year's Buffalo County Fair.
Former Eau Claire County Sherrif Seth Cramer has received the First Responder of the Year award for the 93rd assembly district. Assemblyman Warren Petryk said in a statement that Cramer exemplified what it means to be a hero through his actions of selflessness and integrity. Sheriff Cramer’s wife Cheryl accepted the award, which recognizes Ron’s accomplishments and contributions to our community. We were fortunate to have such a brave and selfless person serve our community, and he is deeply missed Petryk said. Cramer passed away in September.
Western Wisconsin's congressman is fed-up with the infighting over a new House Speaker. Congressman Derrick Van Orden yesterday said the House is in 'disarray' because of the move to oust Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker. Van Orden voted for Jim Jordan, twice, but Jordan fell short of the 217 votes needed to become the next speaker. Van Orden said he is just as angry at the eight Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy as he is with Democrats on Capitol Hill.
Olmsted County is ready to receive public comment on a proposed ordinance to restrict the use of cannabis in public. The ordinance would be modeled after the county's current public smoking ban and would prohibit marijuana smoking and vaping in a variety of public settings. The county may seek to ban the consumption of cannabis edibles in public at a later date. A public hearing on the proposed ordinance has been set for November 7th.
The U.S. Department of Energy is awarding millions of dollars in grants for projects that will help strengthen Minnesota's power grid. The U.S. Department of Energy announced a 50-million dollar grant to Minnesota Power yesterday to help upgrade a transmission line that runs from Center, North Dakota to Hermantown, Minnesota. Xcel Energy will be getting a 100-million dollar grant to help protect its electric lines from wildfires and extreme weather. The grant covers five states, including Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Minnesota Department of Commerce will also share in 464-million in grants to support five Midwestern transmission projects.
A second inmate is now dead during lockdowns at several Wisconsin prisons. Tyshun Lemons is the second person to die in custody since lockdown conditions began in March. Some prisons are being kept on lockdown while they are filled to capacity. For one prison, lockdown will last for as long as a year. Wisconsin Watch claims prisons in Green Bay, Waupun, and Stanley have poor conditions and lockdowns. Poor conditions include dirty water, canceled family visits, and a lack of timely access to medical and mental health care.
The Wisconsin State Patrol is once again telling drivers to hit the deer. Troopers yesterday issued their annual warning about deer crashes. The State Patrol says there were 16 thousand crashes involving deer in the state last year. Troopers say it's always best to avoid deer, but they say it is better to hit a deer than swerve at high speed, or swerve and hit a tree. The State Patrol says if you cannot avoid a deer, simply slow down as much as you can before impact.
Republican lawmakers at the Wisconsin Capitol are looking to close what they say is a loophole in the state's elections laws. An Assembly panel today will look at a plan to tighten the rules for indefinitely confined voters. Wisconsin saw a spike in indefinitely confined voters in 2020, even though many of those voters were not confined to their homes. The new plan would require voters to ask for a separate indefinitely confined absentee ballot, would require voters to prove who they are, and would ban them from voting indefinitely confined if they vote in person.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to travel during MEA week. Most kids have today and Friday off as teachers gather for the annual Minnesota Education Association conference. The Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport expects to see nearly 50-thousand people move through TSA today. The Metropolitan Airports Commission is encouraging travelers to get to the airport two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight.
Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate on Tuesday denied seven of Governor Tony Evers’ appointees to state boards and commissions. Democrat Brad Pfaff, who Senate Republicans fired as state Agriculture Secretary in 2019, questioned their motives. Those rejected or fired included Joe Czarnecki, an Evers’ appointee to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, and four members of the state Natural Resources Board. Evers quickly appointed four new members to the NRB.
The Wisconsin Assembly voted Tuesday to pass a bill providing free driver’s ed grants to teens who qualify for free or reduced lunch at school. Most private driver’s education programs cost around $450, which is something many Wisconsin families can't afford for their teens. The state already set aside $6 million of money from industry fees paid to the state by Wisconsin insurance providers to fund the program. The bill now moves to the Wisconsin Senate for approval.
The state’s highest court decided to reduce the time some eviction records remain public. By a 4-3 vote, the Wisconsin Supreme Court decided to “shorten the record retention period for eviction cases in which no money judgment is ordered" from 20 years to two years. The decision will have those varieties of evictions disappear from the tenant’s record on the state court website after two years. The information on those evictions are used by landlords to screen rental applicants. Justice Rebecca Dallet stated that two decades was too long. The rule change won’t take effect until sometime next year or in 2025.
A newly released investigative report details allegations against Michael Queensland, who was barred from the Capitol and resigned as Senate Chief Clerk last month. An investigator hired by Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu found sufficient evidence to conclude Queensland engaged in the misconduct with a woman identified in the report as Jane Doe. The investigator concluded Queensland's insistence the encounter was consensual wasn't credible. Queensland has denied the allegations.
Minnesota-based Sun Country Airlines is expanding its nonstop flight offerings. The airline will offer nonstop flights to ten new destinations, including Montreal, Toronto, and Albuquerque. Sun Country will also be flying to Boise, Idaho, Missoula, Montana, and Syracuse, New York. The new domestic routes are scheduled to start in the spring and summer. The Canadian routes are still pending regulatory approval and could start in the summer months.
There is a happy ending for George the puppy and his family. Milwaukee Police say four armed men took George during a carjacking on Sunday. The puppy's family pleaded for his return, and yesterday said someone turned George in. The puppy appears to be okay, and his family says someone found him late Monday night. Milwaukee Police are not saying anything about their investigation into the suspects who took George.
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