Local-Regional News May 15

 Mondovi residents may soon be allowed to drive golf carts on city streets.  At last night's council meeting members discussed the possibility of allowing golf carts on city streets.  Some council members were concerned about how the carts would be identified in case of accidents and that the owners should have insurance.  The council voted to direct City Administrator Loken to write a draft ordinance for the council to review at the next meeting.

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include the board reorganization, setting of the school breakfast and lunch prices for the next school year, and discussion and possible action on the renewal of the agreement with the city of Durand for the school resource officer.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6pm in the board room at Durand-Arkansaw High School.

One person was injured when they were hit by a BNSF train in the town of Trempealeau on Monday afternoon.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriffs Department, the BNSF railroad reported one of its trains had hit a pedestrian that had been walking between the sets of tracks near mile marker 321 in the Trempealeau Wildlife Area.  After a search by authorities and BNSF employees, the 74-year-old male was found with a broken left arm and transported to the hospital.

A Trempealeau County man charged in connection with breaking into a Blair home on New Year's Day has reached a plea deal with prosecutors.  Blair police accused Shawn Gill of entering a home on Taft Street and causing thousands of dollars in damage and he also attempted to break into two other homes.  Gill was shot by the third homeowner.  Gill was charged with attempted arson, burglary, and criminal damage to property.  The plea deal requires Gill to complete a 40-month diversion agreement, he must write an apology to each of his victims,  pay nearly $19,000 in restitution, and not drink alcohol or use drugs.  In exchange, he will not serve any additional jail time and will be eligible for his record to be expunged after probation.

Menomonie's police and fire department are celebrating their biggest gifts ever. The Robert B. Wigen Family Trust on Monday gave the fire department and the police department 100 thousand dollars each. Menomonie's police department says the generosity of the gift will 'echo through the halls of our departments for years to come.' Neither the police department nor the fire department have said how they plan to spend the money. Both departments are expected to take some time and come up with some ideas. 

The man who threatened to shoot up the Chippewa County courthouse is now in the state mental hospital. Court records show that 40-year-old Harley Alcala has been committed. He was arrested last May after he threatened to shoot up the courthouse because of a custody dispute involving his daughter. Police say he didn't have any weapons on him when he was arrested. Alcala is due back in court in July. 

The Goodhue County Sheriff's Department will now have body cameras for its deputies.  The sheriff’s office stated it used one-time funding from Minnesota’s budget surplus last year to purchase 68 cameras. Officials say the cameras cost $370,000 in total. Major Mike Johnson says the bodycams will not arrive until the end of May. There will be enough cameras for all sworn officers and half of the detention center’s staff with enough to handle two out of the four shifts.

Two teens were injured in an ATV accident north of Dallas on Sunday.  According to the Barron County Sheriff's Department, a 16-year-old from Hillsdale lost control of an ATV on the trail, causing the ATV to roll and throwing both the driver and passenger off.  The 16-year-old driver was taken to Mayo Hospital in Barron with serious injuries, while the 19-year-old passenger was med flighted to an Eau Claire Hospital with critical injuries.

An elementary teacher accused of inappropriate behavior with a student has resigned.  School officials in Hudson say 24-year-old teacher Madison Bergman has tendered her resignation from River Crest Elementary.  She was arrested after a student's parents came forward with alleged sexually charged text messages between Bergman and their son. 

The president at the University of Wisconsin says he's disappointed with how UW-Milwaukee's chancellor ended his campus protests. President Jay Rothman said yesterday that he is looking into the agreement that Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone signed over the weekend to bring an end to the pro-Palestinian protests there. Rothman did not say just what part of the agreement he's upset with but did say that the university must remain 'viewpoint neutral' when dealing with protesters. UW-Milwaukee's agreement both calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and calls on Israel to release Palestinians who are being held in jail. Protesters promised to end their campus encampment, and not disrupt this weekend's graduation in exchange for the university's support. 

 As promised, Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate shot down a slew of Governor Evers' vetoes. Republicans overrode nine vetoes from the governor, including vetoes that scuttled a PFAS clean-up plan and that tied up millions of dollars for hospitals in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls.  31st State Senator Jeff Smith said in a statement, “The funding is available right now despite disagreement over the details. This was accomplished in a bipartisan way. We passed it into law and now the last step is to release the funds. We are inches away from having $15 million available, but Republicans wanted to travel a mile-long political gauntlet to come back to where we are at today. This all-or-nothing approach leaves all of the Chippewa Valley with nothing at all."  Yesterday's vote was almost entirely for show, however. Republicans in the State Assembly do not have enough votes to follow suit and override the governor

A proposed end to non-compete clauses could mean better wages for workers. UW-Madison management professor Martin Ganco says the Federal Trade Commission ruled those clauses stifle competition. Those clauses have been increasingly used in industries that don't need them like food service and retail. Ganco says non-competes allow companies to lock employees in place without offering competitive wages. The rule is set to take effect in September, but there are already several lawsuits pending against it.

Aldi is issuing a cream cheese recall due to potential salmonella.  The Germany-based grocery chain is recalling eight-ounce portions of its Happy Farms Whipped Cream Cheese Spread, Chive & Onion Cream Cheese Spread, Cream Cheese Spread, and Strawberry Cream Cheese Spread products.  The affected products were sold in Wisconsin, Minnesota and 26 other states, and have various sell-by states between August 30 and September 15, 2024.  The recall is out of an abundance of caution and is in cooperation with Schreiber Foods, Inc.  Anyone who purchased the products should throw them out or return them for a refund.  

The agency overseeing Minnesota's paid family and medical leave program says the state needs more money to pay for the plan.  Officials with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development asked state lawmakers yesterday to increase the payroll tax that will pay for the program when it begins in 2026.  The agency says a new analysis projects the payroll tax should be set just below point-nine percent, ensuring an additional 300-million dollars in revenue.  Lawmakers approved a tax of point-seven percent last year.  The House and the Senate are expected to consider the proposal this week.

There’s a buffalo on the loose in Waupaca County.  The sheriff’s office there said Monday the bison was spotted north of Ogdensburg, in the center of the north-central Wisconsin county. They ask drivers in that area to travel with caution, and they also advise residents to not approach the buffalo, noting that the animal can behave unpredictably.

A new bill that will make service fees more transparent in ads is advancing to the Minnesota Senate.  The House passed the measure yesterday by a 76-to-57 vote.  Under the proposed legislation, any business that does not disclose mandatory fees or surcharges as part of the advertised price of goods or services would be considered engaging in deceptive trade practices.  If the measure passes in the Senate, it will go to Governor Tim Walz for final approval.

An unusual speed checkpoint in Southeast Wisconsin.   Police in the Washington County village of Jackson had an officer sitting on the side of the road in a chair holding a radar gun. The department said in a Facebook post that several drivers who usually look for a squad car along the side of the road never noticed the officer in the chair. The “cop in a chair” method led to 14 issued warnings for speeding by Jackson Police.

Local-Regional News May 14

 The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on allowing the use of golf carts in the city, repealing and recreating the ordinance regarding mobile food trucks in the city, and reports from the mayor and department heads.  Tonight's meeting begins at 5:30 at the Marten Center in Mondovi.

No one was injured in a silo fire in Buffalo County on Sunday.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department,  firefighters were called to a fire at La Crosse Milling on Hwy 35 in Cochrane on Sunday Night.  When crews arrived, they found an oat silo smoking due to a fire in an auger that had overheated.  A building next to the silo was evacuated and fire crews contained the fire to one silo.

The city of Wabasha will hold a grand opening celebration on May 31st for the new athletic complex.  The grand opening will include a game with the St. Paul Saints to benefit the Falcon Youth Baseball Association.  The new Wabasha Athletic Complex will have pickleball and tennis courts, a basketball court, a hockey/skating rink, a warming house, a concessions stand, and restrooms. The grand opening event will be from 4 to 7 p.m.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS), along with other Minnesota and Wisconsin state, county, and city agencies, will participate in a simulated emergency at the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant today.  The annual drill tests the capabilities of federal, state, and local agencies in the event of a plant incident. A variety of field activities will take place near the plant in Dakota and Goodhue counties.

Another school district is looking for a superintendent.  Darrin Strosahl is resigning as superintendent of the Plainview-Elgin-Millville School District at the end of this school year.  Strosahl has accepted a position as executive director of the Minnesota Rural Education Association, based in St. Cloud.  He has served as PEM’s superintendent since July 2022.  The school board will now begin a search for a new superintendent.

There will not be an investigation into how HSHS closed its hospitals in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services yesterday said it does not have the authority to open a criminal investigation into the hospital's decision to close Sacred Heart and St, Joseph's hospitals back in March. Eau Claire's city attorney asked DHS last month to open an investigation, saying HSHS didn't give Eau Claire enough time to plan for its closing.  DHS Secretary-designee Kirsten Johnson says they can't investigate the hospital unless there's been a violation of the Medicare Conditions of Participation.

 Part of the Republican-controlled legislature is ready to override the governor, but the other half can't. Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate say they will come to Madison this morning to override Governor Evers' vetoes of a PFAS clean-up plan, and another plan to send millions of dollars to hospitals in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls. Senator Eric Wimberger said the governor is playing games with the millions of dollars included in the plans. He said Republicans have the votes to fix the mess the governor created. But only in the Senate. The Republican-controlled Assembly doesn't have enough votes to override the governor, so today's vote is already doomed.

Arena football is coming to Eau Claire. The Arena League yesterday said Eau Claire will be getting an expansion team. There's no word on what the team will be called, or just who owns the team. The new Eau Claire team will join the Arena League next year. The Arena League includes teams from Duluth, Minnesota; Waterloo, Iowa; Springfield, Missouri; Kansas City, Missouri; and Hot Springs, Arkansas. League Commissioner Tim Brown will be in Eau Claire on Friday to provide some more details. 

The air above western Wisconsin is a little less bad. The state's Department of Natural Resources yesterday said the air quality over Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls is a little better than Sunday. Though, the DNR does expect smoke from Canadian wildfires to continue for a while. Those fires are burning for the second straight year.  

The Rochester City Council wants to find ways to boost passenger numbers at Rochester International Airport.  The council will meet for a work session today to discuss why passengers are choosing other airports to start some of their trips.  Passenger numbers following the pandemic are about half of what they were in 2019.  A study being presented to the council indicates that more direct flights to destinations that are not served by the airport could boost passenger numbers by up to 33-percent.

Most of Wisconsin's Red Lobsters look to have survived the first round of closings. Red Lobster this week closed 48 restaurants across the country as the company looks at bankruptcy. The Red Lobsters in Wauwatosa and La Crosse are among those that closed yesterday. But the restaurants in Appleton, Ashwaubenon, Eau Claire, Greenfield, Madison, and Mount Pleasant all appear to still be open. Bloomberg first reported that Red Lobster is considering bankruptcy as a way to manage its debt and operating losses. 

Wisconsin's supreme court is questioning whether it should once again allow for ballot drop boxes. The new liberal-majority court heard arguments yesterday from a liberal group that says it's unconstitutional to not allow Wisconsin voters to drop off their ballots at unmanned boxes throughout a community. The court's conservative justices said there's nothing in state law that specifically allows for ballot drop boxes, and pointed to the law that says absentee voting is a privilege in Wisconsin. Still, the liberal justices said the former conservative-majority court may have made a mistake in 2022 when that court banned drop boxes. The decision from the court could play a role in this November's election.

It was a ransomware attack. Ascension Health on Friday confirmed that the hack that's frozen their computer system is a ransomware attack. Ascension says they are now working with the FBI to try and unfreeze their computers. The hack nearly paralyzed Ascension's hospitals and clinics across the state. Doctors cannot access patient records, and that's forced delays and cancellations across the entire Ascension network. There's no word just how much the hackers want to release Ascension's files. 

Organized baseball and softball require umpires. After a dip in the count of umps during the pandemic, the director of training for the Wisconsin Umpires’ Association, David Furru, says those numbers are rebounding. But he says help is always needed, especially with the explosion of youth sports, clubs sports, and traveling teams. Furru also stresses the need for younger people to join the umpiring field, as the current count of umpires is aging. Furru says the Association exists to help train new umpires. There’s more information about the group at WUAumpires.com.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and other state leaders are announcing a 525 million-dollar expansion in semiconductor manufacturing in Minnesota.  The project at Polar Semiconductor in Bloomington will be by 75 million dollars of state investments, along with 120 million dollars from the Biden administration's Chip and Science Act.  The business produces high-voltage semiconductors for auto, commercial, and industrial uses at the Bloomington facility.  The expansion will cause the business to double its monthly output and will add 160 jobs.

A previously unidentified person found dead and stuck in a chimney in Madison has been named. The body found more than thirty years ago, was found in a pipe in the Good 'n Loud Music Store on University Avenue. Ronnie Joe Kirk was originally from Oklahoma, but his last ties were in Wisconsin. He was identified through the DNA Doe Project using genetic genealogy. 

Minnesota's new state flag and seal are now officially in use.  A ceremony was held on Saturday morning at the State Capitol to retire the old state flag and raise the new one.  Secretary of State Steve Simon also recognized members of the State Emblems Redesign Commission and the designers of the flag and seal with an award for their efforts.  He used the new state seal for the first time to sign a proclamation at the event.  The ceremony was part of Minnesota Statehood Day, celebrating the state's 166th birthday.

A central Wisconsin car show is rated one of the best in the county. A USA Today list of the top 10 car shows in the nation, placed the Iola Car Show at number eight. The show’s executive director, Joe Opperman, tells WAOW-TV in Wausau the annual event creates anywhere from 25 to 30 million dollars in economic impact for the area each year, and attracted a record attendance of 134,000 last year. The 52nd edition of the show, with the theme "Meeting of the Muscle”, will run from July 11th through the 13th.

Local-Regional News May 13

 An Arkansaw man was arrested for OWI on Thursday in Dunn County.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, troopers pulled over 60-year-old Larry Baker for an unsafe lane deviation on Hwy 29 near Hwy E.  Troopers noticed a heavy odor of intoxicants emitting from the vehicle and Baker admitted to consuming alcohol prior to driving.  Troopers conducted a field sobriety test and Baker was arrested for OWI-5th offense.  Baker was taken to the Dunn County Jail.

Menomonie Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a suspect in an armed robbery of the Circle C convenience store on Thursday.  According to police the suspect entered the store and brandished a machete toward the store clerk.  The suspect removed cash from several registers and then fled.  The suspect is described as a Caucasian male, wearing a gray Under Armour sweatshirt with a camouflage-colored logo, blue jeans, black shoes, dark cloth gloves, and a black face mask.  Menomonie Police are sharing security camera footage from the robbery with the hope that someone recognizes the suspect. Anyone with information is asked to contact Menomonie Police.

A lost woman in Buffalo County was found by rescuers.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department, on Friday night, deputies were called to an area off of Hwy KK near the town of Nelson from the woman who said she was lost in the woods.  Rescuers from Buffalo and Pepin County used drones, K-9 units and searched on foot and found the woman at around midnight. She was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

There's a warning about the air in Wester Wisconsin. The state's Department of Natural Resources yesterday issued an air quality alert for the entire WRDN listening area because of the smoke from Canada's wildfire. The DNR says the air may be unhealthy for some people. The DNR says the same Canadian wildfire smoke is expected to move across the rest of the state later today and could trigger other air quality alerts throughout the day. 

State DNR officials say a lake in Eau Claire will be safe for swimming and fishing while an herbicide is being used to get rid of pondweed.   The Department of Natural Resources will oversee the application of the herbicide Endothall on Monday at Half Moon Lake.   According to the Eau Claire Community Services department, the entire lake has been overrun by pondweed.   While swimming and fishing will still be allowed, the DNR does plan to suspend the use of the lake water for irrigation for seven days.

 It will be a busy weekend at UW-Eau Claire this weekend. The school is getting ready for graduation. The commencement ceremonies will be on Saturday in Zorn Arena. Seating will be limited, and the university is already telling families about their opportunities to watch graduation remotely. There are also plenty of parking warnings going up on and near campus. 

The rules for absentee voting in Wisconsin aren't changing, at least not yet. A federal judge in Madison on Friday tossed a lawsuit from a Democratic firm that sought to end Wisconsin's requirement for a witness to sign off on all absentee ballots. The lawsuit argued the law was too restrictive, and forced witnesses to know detailed information about the voter who they were signing for. The judge said that argument didn't make sense, and said Wisconsin's absentee voting laws are written to allow most able adults to act as voting witnesses. There's no word yet about an appeal. 

Due to high groundwater levels influenced by water levels on the Mississippi River, the downtown reconsonstrucion project in Wabasha is shifting from Bridge Avenue to Pembroke Avenue.  The city announced that crews will begin work on Pembroke Avenue this week.  Work will begin with milling the asphalt surface, followed by utility installation starting at the intersection of Pembroke Avenue and Main Street.  During this time, directional signage will be installed along 4th Grant Boulevard to direct traffic to Alleghany Avenue for access to downtown. In addition, Bridge Avenue from Main Street to 2nd Street will have gravel installed to allow for traffic to use that portion of the roadway.

Bird lovers in Western Wisconsin are celebrating World Migratory Bird Day.  The Trempealeau National Refuge in the Village of Trempealeau had a birding festival on Saturday.  Trempealeau is located off the Mississippi River and officials say the refuge is "in a great location to provide habitats for birds that are migrating."  They added that it provides visitors an opportunity to learn about bird protection.  The festival included presentations and bird watching and also allowed visitors to watch the bird banding process.

If you're planning a yard sale this summer, or are out thrifting yourself, Wisconsin Consumer Protection has some tips. Administrator Michelle Reinen says you should watch out for unsafe toys or products before you make a purchase. You can look up your potential purchase online at Safer Products dot Gov, and see if a recall has been issued. Reinen says they've also been getting reports of people passing counterfeit bills at rummage sales. Watch out for people trying to make small purchases with large bills, and if you think you're being scammed, call local law enforcement to file a report.

Wisconsin voters will not see a line for the No Labels Party on the ballot this fall.  The party this week asked the Wisconsin Elections Commission to remove its name from the November ballot.  No Labels couldn't find a candidate, so there's no name to go along with the party.  The Election Commission is expected to officially remove No Labels next week.

Senator Tammy Baldwin is joining two other senators to introduce a bi-partisan bill to ban water beads.  The bill is named "Esther's Law" for a ten-month-old Wisconsin girl who died after swallowing one.  The small, colorful balls can be sold as toys and in craft kits and can grow up to 100 times their original size when exposed to water. The measure would have the Consumer Product Safety Commission ban the products from being marketed as toys, educational or art materials or sensory tools.  Baldwin is joined by Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins and Pennsylvania Democratic Senator Bob Casey.

The family of two Sun Prairie boys who drowned in a retention pond is considering a lawsuit. Eight-year-old Legend Sims and six-year-old Antwon Sims fell through the ice of the pond and died after first responders pulled them out of the water. The claim sent to the City of Sun Prairie isn't a notification of a lawsuit but does indicate the family is keeping its options open. Their lawyer tells WKOW TV that their main concern is a barrier to prevent more children from going out onto the lake. The City put a fence around the pond in the days following the boys' deaths, but it was removed last month. The City Council has approved 200-thousand dollars toward pond safety measures.  

Minneapolis-based Target is offering Pride merchandise in fewer stores this year after experiencing backlash in 2023.  Some of the LGBTQ-friendly items were pulled from the retailer's stores last year with some calling for a boycott.  Target officials say some of its workers were faced with confrontational behavior, as well as threats made on its customer hotline.  All of the store's Pride merchandise will be available online.

Nearly 86-hundred University of Wisconsin-Madison students are celebrating their degrees following commencement over the weekend.  Ceremonies were held at Kohl Center on Friday and at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday.  The university presented more than 62-hundred bachelor's degrees, nearly 14-hundred master's degrees, and 968 P-H-Ds.  A number of graduates walked out during Saturday's commencement in protest of the war between Israel and Hamas.

A remarkable feat for a Fox Valley high schooler.  Neenah High School student Tony Marose earned a perfect score of 36 on his ACT exam. Marose’s result on the college entrance test is a combination of his math, science, reading and English scores. Data from ACT says that the average score for the exam is 19.5. Of the over 1.3 million students who take the test, less than two-tenths of one percent achieve a perfect score.

Stevens Point may become the home for a place "where art, cats and coffee come together."   According to its Facebook page, the Starry Night Cat Cafe will be the "first-ever cat cafe."  Along with locally made coffee, tea, and light snacks, the cafe will also host a sanctuary for cats from the Humane Society of Portage County that are up for adoption.  The Starry Night Cat Cafe is currently an online store and its Facebook page says proceeds are going towards opening the cafe.  The page says "Coming in 2024," but an opening date is not specified.

Local-Regional News May 9

 Two people were injured in a two-vehicle accident in Clifton Township last Friday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 24yr old Emily Vaughn of River Falls was traveling westbound on Hwy 29 when she collided with a vehicle driven by 46yr old Heather Vasser from River Falls.  Vasser was attempting to turn left from Hwy FF onto eastbound Hwy 29 when the accident happened.  Vaughn was transported to Regions Hospital while Vasser was taken to River Falls Area Hospital.

The Durand City Council has approved the School Resource Officer contract with the Durand-Arkansaw School District.  Under the contract, the city provides a police officer to work at the school during the year.  The District pays 70% of the wages and benefits for the officer while the city covers the remaining 30%.  The 3yr contract must still be approved by the Durand-Arkansaw School Board.

With the Tarrant Park Pool under construction, this summer Durand area parents looking for swimming lessons for their children can go to either Mondovi or Wabasha.  Mondovi will have lessons available from August 5th through the 8th and August 12-15.  Registration for those lessons is due by May 24.  Contact the Mondovi School District to register.  In  Wabasha, lessons will be available July 8-12 and July 15-19.  Registration is also May 24, and contact the Wabasha City Hall for more information.

Police in Menomonie say yesterday's school threat wasn't credible. Officers still aren't saying just what the threat was, but they say they looked into it and didn't find any real danger. The report comes after police in Mount Horeb shot and killed a middle school student last week after he brought a pellet rifle to school and pointed it at officers. 

A Houston, MN man was arrested after a pursuit in Trempealeau County on Tuesday.  According to the Trempeleau County Sheriff's Department, a deputy attempted to stop 55yr old Scott Coxworth for speeding near Hwy 53-93 and Hwy 54.  Coxworth failed to stop and continued into La Crosse County reaching speeds of up to 95mph.  Holman Police deployed spike strips and Coxworth attempted to continue with deflated tires but was stopped on Hwy OT in La Crosse County.    Coxworth was then taken into custody.

Gov. Tony Evers announced today that he is seeking applicants for the Eau Claire County Circuit Court – Branch 2. The appointment will fill a vacancy created by Judge Michael A. Schumacher’s resignation, effective Aug. 9, 2024. The new judge will complete a term ending July 31, 2025.   Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Mon., June 3, 2024.  The application can be found on the “Apply to Serve” page on Gov. Evers’ website at: www.evers.wi.gov.

Western Wisconsin's power company is moving ahead with a new non-solar power plant. Xcel Energy this week began work on a new, 244 million-dollar generation station in Wheaton. The idea is to replace the plant's old and outdated turbines and generators with new, much more efficient ones. Xcel says they need the new power plant to produce energy on the days when wind and solar aren't enough. Xcel's new power plant will be able to run on both natural gas and fuel oil, but the company says it will be 90 percent more efficient than the power plant that it's replacing. 

Oncology services will be starting at the OakLeaf Clinic in Eau Claire.  OakLeaf says there are more than 500 cancer patients in the area who still need local services after HSHS and Prevea closures.  Healthcare professionals who used to lead the Prevea Cancer Center have been hired at the OakLeaf site. 

Add these two to Wisconsin's list of specialty license plates. The state's Department of Transportation yesterday unveiled new suicide prevention, and spay, neuter, adopt plates.  As with all specialty license plates in the state, money from the new plates will be donated to specific charities. The plates will cost you an extra 15 dollars, plus a 25 dollar donation to charity. You can have them personalized for an extra 15 dollars more. Wisconsin already has 55 different specialty license plates available. 

Minnesota is awarding nearly ten-million dollars in grants to railroad projects across the state.  The state Department of Transportation announced the grants this week as part of the Minnesota Rail Service Improvement Program.  Nearly two-million dollars will go to build new loading facilities and storage bins at the Northern Country Co-Op in the Mower County community of Lansing.  Money was also awarded for projects in Winona, Lakeville,  and Crookston.

Vice President Kamala Harris is becoming a regular. The VP's office yesterday said Harris will campaign in Milwaukee next Thursday. It will be Harris' fourth visit to Wisconsin since the beginning of the year, a sign of the state’s critical importance in a bid for a second term.. This visit is part of the Economic Opportunity Tour, and Harris is expected to talk about Bidenomics.

An audit of diversity, equity, and inclusion practices at state agencies and the UW System will proceed. UW System President Jay Rothman on Tuesday told the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee that he’s not clear on what exactly will be audited and that the UW’s primary mission is centered on student success. Rotham said the system “will be transparent about it and if the audit can help make us better God bless it.” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos had promised the audits to help root out DEI programs in state agencies after reaching an agreement with UW to redefine DEI positions. Tuesday’s 6-4 committee vote to approve the audits was along partisan lines, with Democrats opposed.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed a bill aimed at increasing transparency and fairness in the ticketing industry on Tuesday. Dubbed the "Taylor Swift bill," it requires ticket sellers to disclose the full price upfront, including fees and prohibits speculative ticketing and deceptive practices. Authored by Rep. Kelly Moller and sponsored by Sen. Matt Klein, the law is set to take effect in January. The inspiration for the bill came from Moller's personal experience trying to purchase tickets to a Taylor Swift concert last summer. Despite some opposition from industry groups, the bill received bipartisan support and is hailed as a win for consumers and local businesses alike.

There is now only one county in Wisconsin free of the emerald ash borer beetle. WJFW-TV reports that the beetle has been found in Washburn and Taylor Counties. That leaves Burnett County in far northwest Wisconsin as the last place the invasive beetle hasn't spread. The Department of Natural Resources ended its statewide quarantine on moving firewood last year. Experts say once the beetle is in an area, it's only a matter of time before all native elm trees are killed by the pest.

A former Mayo Clinic doctor accused of killing his wife may have been looking for a new relationship before her death.  Investigators are asking for permission to search Connor Bowman's electronic devices in search warrants filed this week in Olmsted County District Court.  Bowman was charged with first-degree murder after his wife Betty died last August.  The search warrant request indicates that Bowman may have been telling women he met on a dating app that he was already a widow before his wife's death.  The next hearing in the case is scheduled for June 11th.

A couple in Wisconsin is facing charges after allegedly having sex in a county jail lobby.   28-year-old Desmound Cleveland and 67-year-old Karen Hill were caught doing the deed in the waiting room of the Waukesha County Jail last week.  Both are charged with disorderly conduct.  Hill admitted to having sex, and deputies say she told them 'sex happens.'  Waukesha County doesn't have a loitering ordinance for the jail, and there's no specific ban on sex in the jail lobby, so disorderly conduct charges are the best that prosecutors can do. 

Local-Regional News May 8

 The Durand – Arkansaw School District Board of Education completed first-round interviews on April 30 and May 2 for the district’s superintendent opening. Four candidates were selected to participate in first-round interviews from an original field of eight applicants. Upon completion of initial interviews, the Board selected two finalists. One finalist, Dr. Ryan Nelson, will participate in a final round of interviews with the Board of Education and district administrators on May 14. The second finalist decided to remain with their current district and withdrew their application.  Dr. Nelson is completing his tenth year as the district administrator for the Augusta Area School District in Augusta, Wisconsin. Prior to becoming the superintendent, Ryan served as the elementary principal in the district for three years.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on the renewal of the School Resource Officer Contract between the city and the Durand-Arkansaw School District, along with reports from the Mayor, City Administrator, and Department Heads.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30pm at Durand City Hall and will be live-streamed on the WRDN Website.

Durand Public Works is informing residents that street seal coating projects will begin next Monday.  Sealcoating will be happening on Washington Street from 6th Ave East to 11th Ave East, 9th Avenue East from Prospect Street to Washington Street, 10 ave East from Washington Street to the end of 10th Avenue.  There will be no parking and roads will be closed until the seal coating has cured.   Crews will begin at 9am on Monday, depending on the weather.  The project should be completed by May 17th.

 Lawmakers in Madison continue to say Governor Evers is to blame for the lack of hospital money in the Chippewa Valley. State Representative Mark Born yesterday said Governor Evers decided to change the specifics of the proposal that would have sent 15 million dollars to the other hospitals in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls. The legislature agreed on that money after HSHS closed Sacred Heart and St. Joe's back in March. Born says the governor decided to expand the plan and send the money to other hospitals across western Wisconsin, and allow it to be used for whatever those hospitals wanted. Born says the governor has his chance but chooses to play games instead.  Meanwhile, State Senator Jeff Smith said the JFC "kicked the can down the road" and called the inaction of the committee "inexcusable, if not unconstitutional".

The sheriff in Chippewa Falls is reminding people that they don't call people and threaten to arrest them. The sheriff's office yesterday issued a warning about a phone scam that is making the rounds. The scammers call people and threaten to arrest them unless they pay a fine. The real sheriff says that's not how it works. He says if you get a call, simply hang up. 

The man arrested in Lake Hallie for running down the road with a machete last February is now a wanted man. Court records show Chad Nylen skipped his court date yesterday. Police say Nylen told them he was drunk and high on meth when he was arrested back in February. In addition to the machete, police say Nylen tried to crash into a squad car before he was arrested. Nylen has an active warrant out of Eau Claire County as well. 

 Some wedding barn owners in Wisconsin are taking the state's new liquor law to court. Two wedding barn owners, one from Berlin and the other from Blair, yesterday filed a lawsuit against the state's Department of Revenue. The owners say Wisconsin's new liquor law that requires wedding barn owners to either limit their offerings or get an expensive liquor license is unconstitutional. Wisconsin lawmakers overhauled the state's liquor laws last year. In addition to sweeping changes for how beer, liquor, and wine can be sold, the new law included a change aimed at small wedding barns that allowed people to bring their own beer and liquor to their events. The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty says that the law is wrong because it was essentially written by lobbyists to benefit the state's enshrined liquor powers that be. 

 A Midwest-based grocery store is recalling several products over potential salmonella contamination. Hy-Vee stores say some of their plain regular and whipped cream cheese spreads, and cookies and cream mix, are covered by the recall. No illnesses have been reported in Wisconsin. There are eight locations in the state, including in the Madison and Eau Claire areas. Hy-Vee recommends throwing the product away or returning it for a refund. 

A Southeast Minnesota School District is facing a budget shortfall.  The Byron School District announced that the district will have a $1 million budget shortfall this school year and next school year.  The district says rising healthcare costs, declining enrollment, and the ending of Covid-19 funding are all playing into the reasons for the shortfall.    The Byron School Board will have a special meeting on Monday to discuss recommended actions and the board will meet again on May 20th to discuss possible staffing reductions.

A Rochester middle school is going back to its pre-COVID policy of having students leave their backpacks in their lockers.  The principal of Kellogg Middle School says the revived policy will go into effect today.  In a letter to parents, the principal said the backpacks create a distraction because of the items students carry into class.  That includes prohibited items like vape pens and pocket knives.  Students can carry a drawstring bag with them to class if needed.

Former President Donald Trump is set to headline the Minnesota Republican Party's annual Lincoln Reagan dinner. He is marking his first visit to Minnesota for the 2024 election cycle. The event, expected to occur next week during the party's annual convention in St. Paul, has sparked both excitement among Republicans and criticism from Democrats. Trump's campaign officials have expressed confidence in Minnesota's potential to be in play for the 2024 election despite his loss in the state to President Joe Biden in 2020.  

Non-protesting UW Madison students meet with campus officials. The Daily Cardinal first reported that students on the Madison campus met with Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin and other members of the administration on Monday. In the meeting, students shared personal experiences of intimidation, harassment, and antisemitism they experienced from encampment protestors and outside agitators. While pro-Palestinian protesters have issued a set of demands, the non-protesting group has a set of requests, including defining and condemning antisemitism and allowing representatives of Jewish and Israeli students and unaligned groups in any negotiations.

A pair of student groups at UW-Madison are suspended, and under investigation over what they wrote in chalk at Madison's farmers market over the weekend. The university yesterday said Mecha de UW Madison and the Anticolonial Scientists both received interim suspensions yesterday. The UW is not saying exactly what the group's members wrote in chalk, but the university says it endorsed violence, supported terrorist groups, and was antisemitic in nature. The suspension means the groups cannot meet or use university spaces for any of their activities. 

Uber and Lyft are not happy with a compromise on rideshare compensation proposed by state lawmakers and the city of Minneapolis.  The compromise announced yesterday would raise rideshare pay to a dollar-27 a mile and 49 cents a minute.  The Minneapolis City Council had suggested a higher amount but has agreed to go along with the compromise reached at the state level.  Uber and Lyft both say the rate is still too high and now say they will stop operating statewide if the legislature passes the measure.

 Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is charging eight people who are linked to an alleged scheme to defraud the state's Medicaid program out of two-point-six million dollars.  He says the defendants used the stolen identities of hundreds of people, who are mostly from the Faribault area, to charge Medicaid for services the victims did not receive.  They are charged with several felonies including racketeering, and identity theft.  The charges come about five months after Ellison brought charges in another Medicaid fraud case, which involved close to eleven million dollars in billing.

Local-Regional News May 7

 Be on the lookout for counterfeit money. That’s the warning from western Wisconsin law enforcement after someone used a fake $100 bill to buy a low-cost item from a garage sale in Eau Claire over the weekend. Police in Chippewa Falls added that a similar incident happened there. Eau Claire Police advised residents through social media to be careful and examine larger bills should you be having a garage sale or yard sale this summer. A suspect in the Chippewa Falls incident has been identified.

Pepin County residents won't have to send private well water tests down to Madison in the future.  The Pepin County Health Department is building a new testing lab here in the county.  Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says the Department earmarked ARPA funds to pay for the lab.  The department also has grants available for nitrate mitigation equipment for homeowners who have private wells with nitrate issues.  Contact the Health Department for more information.

  Public health managers in Eau Claire are now making it easier to track opioid trends. The city and county's joint health department yesterday launched a dashboard to help people track opioid use, opioid deaths, and opioid trends. The idea, the health department says, is to put all of its opioid information in one place. That includes a portion of the dashboard that tracks prevention and harm reduction, like how to keep opioid pain pills safe and out of the hands of people who are looking to abuse them. 

Chippewa County wants to join the list of counties in Wisconsin with a Narcan vending machine. The county's public health department says the public health vending machine would allow people easier access to fentanyl strips and Narcan spray. Both are used to make sure people don't die from accidentally using fentanyl. The health department's Hailey Bomar says they are also looking to add condoms to Plan B, hygiene kits, and even toothbrushes. The money for the machine would come from the state. Bomar said if Chippewa County is approved, the county should see its vending machine by the end of the year. 

An Eau Claire man is now looking at child sexual assault charges. Prosecutors filed formal charges against Jeremy Shilts yesterday. Shilts is accused of abusing a young girl for years. Investigators say the abuse started when she was five or six, and continued until she was 14. Stilts is looking at first-degree sexual assault of a child charges. He's due back in court next month. 

An agriscience teacher in western Wisconsin is being honored as one of Wisconsin's Teachers of the Year.  According to the state Department of Public Instruction, New Richmond High School teacher Rachel Sauvola helped develop the Students Opportunities with Agriculture Resources educational center and manages the school farm, which gives students the opportunity to produce goods for school lunch.  Sauvola is one of five Wisconsin teachers to receive the award.

A Dane County judge has tossed a lawsuit that accused the DNR of listening to wolf hunting groups too much in the state's new wolf management plan. The Friends of the Wisconsin Wolf & Wildlife sued the Wisconsin DNR for meeting with groups that support wolf hunting. The DNR met with the groups outside of the normal wolf management plan hearing process, but there were not enough DNR members to make it an official meeting. The Friends' lawsuit sought to toss whatever information was shared. Ultimately, the judge said there was no open meetings violation, and the judge rejected claims of due process and administrative procedure violations. The judge says the Friends didn't cite any evidence of what they are calling discrimination. 

Governor Tony Evers is again calling a special meeting of the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee, to approve funding to address hospital closures and PFAS contamination. WisPolitics reports that while the Democratic governor can call a special meeting of the Republican-controlled budget panel, he can't force the committee to meet. Co-chairs Senator Howard Marklein and Representative Mark Born quickly rejected Evers’ call. The committee is already set to meet Tuesday on the Department of Health Services Plan for opioid settlement dollars and funding for Department of Transportation driver Ed grants among other requests. Evers has repeatedly pushed JFC Republicans to approve the $125 million set aside in the budget to fight PFAs contamination and $15 million to address hospital closures in western Wisconsin.

More information is coming to light about the alleged "inappropriate conduct" that ended with an elementary teacher in Hudson being placed on on administrative leave.  River Crest Elementary School's principal met with parents yesterday.  He says the parents of a fifth-grade student claim 24-year-old teacher Madison Bergman was exchanging text messages with their child, describing "making out" with the student and other sexually suggestive messages.  Bergmann is facing criminal charges.

Minnesota lawmakers are moving forward with a bill that would set new restrictions on they way firearms are stored.  The state House approved a measure on Thursday that would make it a crime to store, keep, or leave a firearm in any place, unless the gun is unloaded and equipped with a locking device, or locked in a firearm storage/locked gun room.  Proponents of the bill hope it will help keep guns out of the hands of children.  The legislation now moves to the Senate.  

Wisconsin lawmakers are going to look into diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts across the state. The state's Joint Legislative Audit Committee will hold a hearing tomorrow on a proposed DEI audit. The Republican-controlled legislature has made no secret of its dislike of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, particularly on UW campuses. The Republican Assembly speaker has called DEI the new religion of the Left. Lawmakers famously held-back 32 million-dollars from the university that was supposed to be spent on DEI positions. Republicans say that money should be spent on getting people back to work. 

Mount Pleasant is getting ready to host the president again. President Biden is planning a visit to the old Foxconn site on Wednesday to celebrate Microsoft's development there. Microsoft has bought nearly 15 hundred acres at the old site, and the company plans to use the land for new data centers. There's no word yet just what President Biden will do or say. Democrats in Wisconsin panned the original Foxconn deal when President Trump came to Mount Pleasant back in 2017. Governor Evers negotiated the deal with Foxconn, and has paid the company its tax benefits for the past couple of years.

A Wausau educator is in custody and accused of bringing drugs on a local middle school's property.  John Muir Middle School math teacher 23-year-old Nevan Larson, was arrested and will go to court on Friday. The Wausau Police Department says a school resource officer got information that Larson may have cocaine in his car. A K-9 hit on the vehicle, and a search of the car found a baggie of suspected cocaine. Initial tests of the substance are positive for cocaine. PD says they don't believe students were involved. 

Tickets are now on sale for additional Amtrak service between the Twin Cities and Chicago, affecting eight Wisconsin stations. The second daily round trip trains, named Borealis, will start running on May 21st.  Wisconsin stations seeing extra stops include Milwaukee, La Crosse, and Wisconsin Dells. Coach fares start at 41-dollars, with discounts for students, seniors, and military personnel and families.

Local-Regional News May 6

 An Eau Claire woman is looking at a deal in a burglary case where she bashed an elderly man in the head. Megan Dehate entered her guilty plea on Friday. She was originally facing armed burglary and abuse of an elder person charges, but she pleaded that down to burglary and physical abuse of an elder person instead. Investigators say Dehate was high on something when she broke into an elderly couple's home. They say she smashed the husband in the head with a 20-pound piece of metal, but he was able to wrestle her to the ground. Dehate is due to be sentenced in August. 

One person is dead after a rollover wreck in Bloomer. The Chippewa County Sheriff's Office says it happened on State Highway 40 near 155th Avenue. Deputies say a driver took their truck off the road and over a driveway. That's when deputies say the truck went into the air, and then rolled over into some trees. The driver was the only person in the truck and died on the scene.

The new Mondovi Public Library is nearly completed.  The Library will be closed on May 20-21 as staff moves into the new library.  Checkouts won't be available while the library is closed but will resume after the move is complete.  A grand opening for the new library is scheduled for June.

Another 15 Ash trees that are in the boulevards in Durand will be coming down this summer.  The trees are coming down due to the spread of the emerald ash borer.  Durand Mayor Patrick Miliren says the remaining ash trees are in city parks and will be removed in the next few years.  Many residents have taken advantage of a program where the city and property owner each pay 25% of the cost of the removal of the boulevard tree, and the rest is covered by a forestry grant from the Wisconsin DNR.

The Wabasha County Board is meeting tomorrow.  Items on the agenda include approval of the project agreement between the county and MNDOT, discussion of an ordinance for a Local Housing Trust Fund and report from county department heads.  Tomorrow's meeting begins at 9am in the old courthouse annex in Wabasha. 

The old Girl Scout camp in Chippewa County is back open. The camp's new owners cut the ribbon on Camp Nawakwa yesterday. The Girl Scouts owned the camp for years but sold it off last year because of the costs. A group of former Girl Scouts in the Chippewa Valley came together to buy the camp, fix it up, and reopen it. The group's board secretary Amanda Stephens says the idea is to keep the camp open for Girl Scouts, and other youth groups going forward. 

One person is hurt after a reported stabbing in Tomah on Saturday.  According to the Tomah Police Department, officers responded to a resident on the 300 block of Hollister Avenue for a reported stabbing. When law enforcement arrived, they found a person on the sidewalks with stab wounds on their back. The person was taken to the hospital and is in stable condition.  The suspect was located at the same address and taken into custody without incident. 

There will be another protest on campus at UW-Madison today. UW faculty members and staffers say they plan to rally in support of the pro-Palestinian protesters who've been on campus now for a week. Professor Keith Woodward says they want to listen to their students and hear their ideas. The faculty rally will be at the Library Mall, which is the center of the current protests. Faculty members say they plan to meet with students in the tent village on campus and share their thoughts. 

The UW's president says campus protest tent communities will 'ultimately be gone.' President Jay Rothman was on Milwaukee TV over the weekend, and he said the university will not allow protesters in Madison and Milwaukee to continue to camp-out on campus. But Rothman did not say how, or when the university will deal with the protesters and the tents. UW-Madison sent the police in last week to clear the campus. Since then, protesters have returned and university leaders say they are negotiating with protesters. Rothman said some of the protesters' demands, like a police-free campus, are non-starters. 

A new report highlights the toll of reckless driving in Milwaukee. Wisconsin Policy Forum analyst Mark Sommerhauser says between 2002 and 2022 the number of speeding-involved crash fatalities in Milwaukee County increased more than 200%. In the other 71 Wisconsin counties, they declined by 55%. Sommerhauser calls that divergence “pretty staggering.” The report comes as Milwaukee continues to address reckless driving, and with officials asking the legislature to allow the use of red light cameras to deter speeders. 

 Applications to hunt elk this season in Wisconsin are open through the end of the month. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says the Black River Elk Range will be open for the first time since elk were re-introduced to the state. Applicants have to choose between the Black River Elk or Clam Lake ranges while applying. Fees are ten dollars each, with seven of those dollars going toward elk management and habitat improvement. Applications are available on the DNR's website.

The state DOJ says the Mount Horeb Middle School student killed by police had pointed his pellet rifle at officers before they shot him.  The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation said in a news release on Saturday that officers directed him to drop his weapon and he would not comply.  The student died on the scene after lifesaving measures were deployed.  In the release, the DOJ described the weapon as a Ruger 177-caliber pellet rifle.  The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Friday cited unnamed sources to identify the student as a 14-year-old eighth-grader.  The DOJ release did not provide his identity.

A private college in northern Wisconsin will remain open. After announcing in March they'd have to close if they couldn't raise $12 million by early April, the board of trustees at Northland College announced Thursday that the Ashland school would operate on a refocused model. The changes would lead to staff and faculty adjustments leading to almost $7 million in savings. The college will also offer only eight majors. The board says Northland will conclude its current academic year as planned and offer support to students who want to transition out of the college. The 132-year-old school is the nation’s first environmentally focused liberal arts college.

Olmsted County investigators have arrested two men who allegedly scammed a woman out of 16-thousand dollars.  The sheriff's office says the victim reported the scam on Monday.  One suspect reportedly identified himself as a deputy and told the woman she had missed a court date and needed to pay immediately or go to jail.  She met the suspect outside the county government center and paid him.  Police identified and arrested Demonte Brazil of Atlanta, Georgia on Tuesday.  They also arrested Gabriel Weatherspoon of South Bend, Indiana, who was in the car with Brazil at the time of his arrest.  Both men are facing charges of theft by swindle and impersonation.

 A soon-to-be life sciences communication graduate at Wisconsin-Madison is the new "Alice in Dairyland."  Halei Heinzel was chosen on Saturday by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.  As the 77th Alice in Dairyland, Heinzel will have a full-time position with the agency touting the importance of agriculture in the state.  Current Alice in Dairyland, Ashley Hagenow, will serve until July 8th, when Heinzel takes over.

Two Wausau West High School students are champions in an international competition.  Senior  Jackson Albee and junior Sadie Steinbach teamed up to win the School-Based Enterprise-Retail Operations competition at the International Career Development Conference.  The two beat out 304 other teams to win the award.  The event was held in Anaheim, California.

Local-Regional News May 3

 Two people were injured in a motorcycle accident in the town of Gale on Saturday.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department, Garret Granum was traveling northbound on Hwy 53, when he lost control of the motorcycle and crashed.  Granum and passenger Shannon Boylan were taken to the hospital.  Granum has been charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, causing injury.

 The City of Wabasha is close to realizing a long-held community goal of re-routing State Highway 60 through the former athletic field and more directly out of town. Senator Amy Klobuchar and Senator Tina Smith sponsored a bill in Congress and helped Wabasha secure $5 million in a congressionally directed request. Now the City is awaiting the outcome of the 2024 legislative session to see if they secure the balance of funds, about $4.9 million through the capital bonding process. If approved, the project could begin construction in 2027.

This week, Congressman Derrick Van Orden along with three other representatives introduced legislation to permanently extend telehealth services for Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics.  Current Medicare telehealth flexibilities for FQHCs and RHCs, previously extended by Congress under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, expire on December 31, 2024. In 2020, 35.9% of Medicare claims rendered by FQHCs and RHCs included a telehealth service, allowing millions of individuals in medically underserved communities access to behavioral health and non-behavioral health services.   Van Orden said, "Expanding telehealth access is an important step in bridging the gap between rural and urban communities and helps ensure that folks, no matter where they are, can receive safe, quality care.”

There was another school bus scare in the Chippewa Valley yesterday. Police say a bus driver had to pull over yesterday morning and use a fire extinguisher on their brakes. Chippewa Falls Schools say the bus was carrying kindergarteners at the time, but none of them were hurt, and the smoke from the brakes never made it into the bus. The scare is just the latest for schools in the Chippewa Valley. It comes after a bus crash in Eau Claire in mid-April, and two crashes on I-94 last week.

Prosecutors in Rusk County say a drunken fight has led to attempted homicide charges. The sheriff's office arrested 56-year-old William Irvin the Second on Tuesday after finding his brother in the hospital with broken ribs, cuts, and a possible gunshot wound to the head. Investigators say Irvin and his brother got into a fight that ended with a shooting. Irvin is being held on 20 thousand-dollars cash bail, he's due back in court next week. 

Wisconsin's task force on AI is slowly building to some recommendations. The Governor's Task Force on AI will meet again next week in Wausau. This task force is focused on how AI can help workers and businesses in the state, Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development is in charge. Monday's meeting will focus on how AI can be used to help Wisconsin farmers. No one is saying just when the task force will deliver a report to the governor. 

UW-Madison leaders have agreed to another meeting with campus protesters. A school spokesman said that yesterday's meeting was productive, and said they've agreed to meet again. Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin said earlier this week that she'd be willing to meet with protest organizers to talk about their demands, but only after they removed their tents. The university ordered the police to do that on Wednesday. Mnookin reportedly told protest leaders yesterday that she has no plans to do that again. The protesters have said they want the University of Wisconsin to divest from Israel, and they want a ceasefire in the war in Gaza.

Legislation to delist the gray wolf passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 209-205. The “Trust the Science Act” would remove the gray wolf from the list of federal endangered species, ensure that action is not subject to judicial review, and restore authority to state lawmakers and state wildlife officials to control the gray wolf population. Bill co-sponsor Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin says the science shows the gray wolf has recovered.  25 other members of Congress cosponsored the “Trust the Science Act,” including the entire Wisconsin Congressional delegation.

The Department of Natural Resources is reminding you to get your license before you head out to fish this weekend. Fisheries director Justine Haas says that's the most important piece of fishing gear in your tackle box. You can get your license online at Go Wild dot W I dot Gov or at most places you buy your fishing gear. Also, be sure to pick up a copy of this year's regulations so you can be sure you're legal on the water.

An elementary teacher in Hudson is on administrative leave over alleged "inappropriate conduct" with a 13-year-old.  Authorities say 24-year-old Madison Bergmann, is currently behind bars for suspicion of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.  The fifth-grade teacher was arrested yesterday.  She's also banned from contacting students, parents, or staff members connected to  River Crest Elementary School.

A deadly crash is under investigation in Houston County.  The Minnesota State Patrol says a motorcycle rider from Wisconsin died in the crash last night on Highway 26 near Brownsville.  Investigators say the motorcycle collided with a car driven by a 45-year-old Iowa woman.  The state patrol expects to release more information about the crash later today.

An advocacy group wants special interest funding out of state Supreme Court elections. Jay Heck with Common Cause in Wisconsin says too much money muddying the waters.  Heck says the state needs to set clear recusal rules for judges for cases involving groups that spent money on their campaigns. He's also calling for a repeal of the 2010 Supreme Court decision that allowed for unlimited special interest funding in elections.

 

One of Wisconsin's Most Wanted is under arrest at the Mall of America.  Israel Israel spent time in prison for sexually assaulting a woman while armed with a weapon in 1988.  After his release from prison for those charges, he was quickly put back in prison for non-compliance. He was released again last September, but cut off his GPS monitor and went on the run within days. Investigators tell Fox News 6 out of Milwaukee that Israel had applied for a job at the mall using an alias. After searching for the name online, the mall found a news article about him that included the alias, and called a tipline.

The Minnesota House is advancing a bill that would protect children who create or are used in social media content.  The House voted 103-26 yesterday to pass the measure.  The bill would require parents who use their children in at least 30-percent of revenue-producing social media posts to set aside the profits for the child.  Children under 14 would be prohibited from creating paid social media content, while those between 14 and 18-years-old would be required to put their profits in a trust until they become adults.  A companion bill is still being considered in the state Senate.

The first peregrine falcon chick of this year's nesting season from sites at We Energies facilities has hatched. The baby falcon was born at the Valley Power Plant in Milwaukee to father, Rolo, and an unbanded female. The avian couple has nested together two years in a row. Hundreds of the chicks have been hatched at We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service facilities since the early 90s. More than a fifth of peregrine falcons born in the wild in Wisconsin were hatched in these nest boxes. People can watch live streamed footage of the nests on the WEC Energy Group website. 

Local-Regional News May 2

 An invasive species affecting lake populations is found in Western Wisconsin.  The state Department of Natural Resources says zebra mussels were found in Lake Menomin [[min-OH-min]] in Menomonie [[muh-NOM-oh-knee]].  The mussels can reduce plankton, algae, and fish populations.  The department is asking that anglers keep their boats and equipment clean and drain all water to prevent spreading the invasion.  The DNR says boat ramps are being monitored. 

City of Durand Property owners could have their properties re-assessed in 2026.  The City Council was informed at the last council meeting that because current property values are under 80% of equalized value, the city will have to have a complete reassessment.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says that just because there is a reassessment, doesn't mean taxes would automatically go up.  That reassessment could cost the city between $50000-$60000.

A Zumbro Falls woman faces burglary and theft charges in Wabasha County.  41-year-old Polly Calhoun was in Wabasha County court yesterday charged withfirst-degree burglary with a dangerous weapon and felony third-degree burglary and gross misdemeanor theft charges.  Lake City Police alleged that Calhoun broke into Gerken's Town and Country Store on the night of April 13 and stole nearly $600.

The city of Eau Claire's attorney says he's 'baffled' by a jury that says an Eau Claire police officer violated a man's civil rights during a drug bust back in 2019. A federal jury last week found the officer not guilty of excessive force, but found him guilty of violating Sidney Coleman's civil rights. The jury says the officer didn't have probable cause to make the stop that turned-up marijuana, ecstasy, meth, and a concealed knife. Coleman argued that he was racially profiled. Eau Claire Police Chief Matt Rokus says the facts of the case show the officer's actions were 'appropriate and not malicious,' The jury awarded Coleman 550 thousand-dollars, the city says it plans to appeal. 

 

Add this to the healthcare woes in northwestern Wisconsin. The Marshfield Medical Center in Rice Lake yesterday said it is 'pausing' its labor and delivery services. Marshfield's Dr. Brandon Parkhurst blames the pause on the decision to close HSHS' hospitals in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls. He says Marshfield has had to spread its resources to cover the entire area. Parkhurst says he expects the pause to last at least a month or two. HSHS closed its hospitals last month over what it said were cost challenges and industry trends. 

 Some new healthcare options are opening in western Wisconsin. OakLeaf Clinics yesterday opened offices in both Ladysmith and Cornell. The new clinics will replace the ones that Prevea [[ pru-vey-uh ]] closed over the past few weeks. OakLeaf says it will open a clinic in Menomonie next week, and then has plans to open a clinic in Rice Lake after that. 

Eau Claire is paying for a study to look at possible new uses for the Oakwood Mall. Community development director Aaron White says the plan is to look into the future and see what can be done to keep the mall chugging along. White says the mall is doing fine right now, but he wants Eau Claire to be prepared. One of the ideas is to break the mall down into smaller retail centers and allow for more walkability. 

Wisconsin is getting more Amtrak service. Amtrak yesterday announced a new train service between Chicago and Minneapolis-St. Paul. That means two trains each day that will connect Milwaukee, Columbus, Portage, the Wisconsin Dells, Tomah, La Crosse, Winona, and Red Wing. One train will leave from Milwaukee in the morning, and the other will leave from the Twin Cities during the middle of the day. Amtrak is calling the new service the Borealis Line. It begins May 21st. 

There's another hospital name change in western Wisconsin. Gundersen Health is changing its name to Emplify Health. The new name comes about two years after Gundersen and Bellin Health finalized their merger. The new name will cover both hospital systems. The name is the only thing that is changing. Emplify says it's not planning any closings as part of its now finalized merger.

Add this to the list of reminders as fishing season opens in Wisconsin. The DNR yesterday warned fishermen not to recycle their old fishing lines in their regular recycling. Those lines can get caught in the recycling machines, Instead, the DNR says " Bag up your old fishing line and take it to a special fishing line collection center. Sporting goods stores usually have those. As for lead weights, the DNR says those can be recycled, but only if your recycler accepts them. But the DNR is suggesting that people skip lead weights, saying they are a danger to both lakes and rivers and the wildlife that may eat them. 

Wisconsin's governor says he's monitoring the pro-Palestinian protests at the UW, but he's ruled out calling in the National Guard to break them up. Governor Evers yesterday said protests are fine, but he said protesters can't break the law or the UW's rules. Camping on campus is illegal in Wisconsin. The governor said the tents on campus in Milwaukee and Madison will have to go 'at some point.' He said he hopes protesters choose to take the tents down, though he said he's not going to order the National Guard to campus to do it for them. 

A new audit says police officers at the Wisconsin Capitol do a better job of responding to alarms in lawmakers' offices. The report looks at the response times from 2021 til last year. State Senator Joan Ballweg asked for the audit after her office pulled the alarm in 2022, and said no one came. Capitol Police say they are doing a better job, and have implemented some changes since the 2022 alarm. But Capitol Police continue to say they are shorthanded and say that is one of the biggest drivers of any delays in responding to emergencies. 

 Wisconsin's attorney general is reminding people that there is help available to try and prevent sextortion cases. A-G Josh Kaul yesterday said his Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force has a video that can help young people understand the dangers of online sextortion cases. Sextortion is when someone gets nude pictures or videos, and then threatens to release them if they don't get more nude or money. Kaul says oftentimes the extortionists are from Africa or the Philippines. Kaul says learning about online safety ahead of time is the best protection that young people can get. 

Planners for this summer's Republican National Convention are asking to move the protest zone back. RNC organizers this week sent a letter to the Secret Service, asking that protesters be kept out of Pere Marquette Park. Milwaukee chose the park as the designated protest zone and said it balances people's right to protest with the safety concerns of the convention. The RNC's letter says Pere Marquette Park is too close to the convention site in the Deer District, and protesters could make it hard for convention goers to get where they need to go. Some protest groups also don't like the idea of being in Pere Marquette Park. But they want to move closer to the convention, not further away. 

A longtime member of the Minnesota House is in a tough fight to get re-elected this fall.  District 26-B Representative Greg Davids of Preston failed to win the endorsement of Fillmore and Houston County Republicans during a meeting late last month.  The endorsement went to businessman Gary Steuart, who won exactly 60-percent of the vote.  Steuart claims Davids has been in office too long and is out of touch with voters.  Davids said he was disappointed by the decision but still plans to run in the August 13th GOP primary.

A high school employee in southeastern Minnesota has won an online contest to determine the nation's top custodian.  Bob Galewski was honored as the winner of the Cintas Custodian of the Year contest yesterday during an assembly at Wabasha-Kellogg High School.  Galewski has worked at the high school for 22 years.  Galewski will get ten-thousand dollars and a trip to Las Vegas for winning the online competition.

Local-Regional News May 1

  The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) confirms the first positive test result for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a wild deer in Pierce County. The deer was sick and humanely dispatched in the town of Spring Lake and is within 10 miles of the Dunn and St. Croix county borders.  This detection will cause Pierce County to begin a three-year baiting and feeding ban on May 15, 2024. St. Croix County will begin a two-year baiting and feeding ban on May 15, 2024. Dunn County will renew the ban already in place.  The deer was a 4-5-year-old doe and is the first confirmed wild deer CWD-positive detected in Pierce County.

The University of Wisconsin-Stout can officially add a new “color” to its identity – green.  The U.S. Department of Education has named UW-Stout a national Green Ribbon school, based on its long-term and ongoing efforts to infuse sustainability into operations and the classroom and to create a campuswide culture that advances environmental initiatives.  The Green Ribbon award, a one-time honor, is given annually to a select number of schools, including early learning centers, and elementary, secondary and post-secondary institutions. The 2024 winners are invited to a fall recognition ceremony in Washington, D.C. See a video announcing the winners and the list of awardees by state.

A former Eau Claire North teacher is looking at three years in prison as part of a plea deal in a child pornography case. Former teacher Todd Williams pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of possessing child pornography. Prosecutors agreed to drop six other counts. Investigators say they found child porn on Williams' computer back in 2019. He's filed an appeal in an attempt to stay out of prison. 

With the Wisconsin fishing season opening this Saturday, Xcel Energy is reminding recreational and fishing enthusiasts to be safe around dams and hydroelectric facilities.  Boating or canoeing above or below a dam can be very dangerous, especially if the flow changes and your boat is anchored in a hazardous area,” said Rob Olson, Hydro Operations at Xcel Energy. “If you’re operating a watercraft near a dam, you need to be aware of changing flow conditions from either the spillway or powerhouse. And if you recreate near a dam, you need to be aware of your surroundings so you can quickly respond to rapidly changing water conditions.”  Xcel Energy operates 19 hydroelectric plants in Wisconsin with a total generating capacity of about 270 megawatts. Six of those plants are on the Lower Chippewa River and collectively account for almost three-quarters of Xcel Energy’s total Wisconsin hydro generation capacity.

The Minnesota State Patrol says one person is dead following a crash in Dakota County yesterday.  Investigators say a Toyota Camry was driving through a work zone on Highway 52 near Hampton when it crossed the center line and was hit by a southbound tractor-trailer.  The crash closed the highway for several hours and led to additional crashes that injured at least three people.  The State Patrol has not released the name of the person killed in the crash.

A stolen car case from 1999 is finally over, thanks to the Wisconsin DNR and some satellite images. The Chippewa County Sheriff's Office says it pulled the car, a Lincoln Town Car, out of Lake Holcombe yesterday. The car was underwater for 20 years. The sheriff's office says the car is not connected to any current investigations. There's no word if investigators are still looking for whoever stole the car 25 years ago, or if the owner wants it. 

The City Brewery in La Crosse is looking at a fine because of its smell. The city yesterday imposed a 100 dollar-per-day fine on the brewery to try and get the swamp gas smell under control. La Crosse's Public Works Department says it's been working with the brewery for a while to try and find a fix for the smell, but the city says there's nothing permanent. La Crosse says it wants a contract or an action-plan, and not more promises from the brewery. 

UW-Madison leaders say they will talk with pro-Palestinian protesters, but only after the protesters get rid of their tents on campus. Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin released a statement to protesters yesterday that says the school recognizes their right to protest, but also says protesters are breaking the law by camping out on campus in Madison and Milwaukee. Mnookin said she hopes that "protestors will elect to avail themselves of the many alternative ways to protest and to express their views without tents or encampments on our campus grounds." The UW is not saying what will happen if the students don't take down the tents. 

Firefighter Hubie Widmer accomplished an extraordinary goal he set a decade ago: posing for a photo in front of every fire department in Minnesota. With the support of his wife Denice, Hubie visited all 775 fire stations across Minnesota, documenting his journey with photos that now fill fourteen albums. From the bustling city stations to the remote outposts, Hubie completed his mission just months before he retired from the Watertown Fire Department. Hubie's dedication and perseverance highlight the close-knit bond among firefighters across Minnesota, with his journey serving as a testament to the commitment and camaraderie within the firefighting community. After 43 years of service, his accomplishment is a symbol of the pride and honor firefighters carry in protecting their communities. 

Local-Regional News April 30

 Dunn County has received for state grants to help improve broadband access for residents in the county.  The tows of Grant received an $816,000 grant, the Village of Knapp, $580,000, the town of Lucas $535,000, and the Town of Colfax $335,000.  The grants will provide broadband access to 273 homes and 100 businesses.  Dun County has pledged $182,000 to the projects.  The grants are part of the $43.2 million in new broadband grants announced by Governor Evers and the Public Service Commission.

While the reconstruction of Hwy 10 from west of Durand to the Pierce County Line continues, the highway is now re-opening all the way to the Pierce County line.  Hwy 10 had been closed at the beginning of the project to install new culverts near Arkansaw.  Motorists are advised to drive with extra caution through the work zone.  Hwy 10 still remains closed for another project between Ellsworth and Prescott.

A local school bus driver could potentially face charges after a bus carrying Eau Claire middle schoolers was involved in a crash last week.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, the driver of the school bus is being referred to the St. Croix County District Attorney's Office on the potential misdemeanor charge of operating a school bus without the proper school bus endorsement.  The accident on I94 injured 6 students, a chaperon,e and the bus driver.

No one offered any specifics about a threat to Chippewa Falls schools last week. The administration at Chippewa Falls High School sent a note home to parents saying that they are aware of a recent threat to the school. The note says law enforcement investigated the threat, and the school said there's no evidence of a credible threat. The letter to parents say the school cannot share any more information because of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. 

UW-Eau Claire is being recognized for its sustainability efforts. The university on Friday said it has received a silver ranking from the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System. UW-Eau Claire is one of just 350 or so schools to get a ranking. Eau Claire has both an Administrative Office of Sustainability and the Student Office of Sustainability, and a full time sustainability director. The school says it's hoping to go for the gold ranking next year.

  A man from Florida will spend four years in prison for sexually assaulting an eleven-year-old girl in Chippewa County. The man was charged with the assault in 2011 and pleaded no contest last summer. The girl says he showed her and two other children pornographic videos. After his sentence is complete, he'll have eight years of probation.

Votes at the annual Spring DNR Surveys show Wisconsin residents want to restrict wake surfing. That was just one of the topics up for a vote at the Spring Hearing. On a vote of 10,274 to 3,363, residents agreed they want the state to take action to ban excessive wakes on lakes smaller than 1500 acres and require any wake surfing on lakes that are large enough to allow for it to take place at least 700 feet from shore. That is far more restrictive than a plan forwarded by Republican lawmakers last fall. The bill would have allowed wakeboarding on lakes as small as 50 acres, but it failed to advance

A man is dead after a single-vehicle crash in Olmsted County.  The Minnesota State Patrol says 55-year-old Corey Krohn of Rochester drove off U.S. 63 in Oronoco Township yesterday afternoon.  Krohn died and a 15-year-old passenger in the truck had minor injuries.  Investigators say both the driver and passenger were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.

One Fox Valley community is opting out of No Mow May. Planners in Fox Crossing say they are dropping the plan to not mow lawns next month because it doesn't appear to work. No Mow May came from a now-retracted Lawrence University study. The idea is to let lawns grow to help bees and other pollinators. Fox Crossing community development director George Dearborn says there are other ways to help pollinators without letting the grass grow out of control. He suggests planting native plants, and limiting your use of pesticides. 

Madison Police say the Mifflin Block Party once again ended with arrests and a huge mess. The city says 80 people were arrested Saturday, most of them for underage drinking. Six people, however, were taken to jail. Officers say a car was flipped over, and another was severely damaged when the crowd got wild. A Madison Police officer was also hurt when someone hit him with their car. That driver sped away. In all, 11 people were taken to local hospitals from the block party. Again, most of those were from drinking too much. 

 UW-Madison is making it clear what will, and what will not be accepted as part of any on-campus protests. The school on Friday issued a new set of guidelines for protests. The rules come after weeks of anti-Israeli protests on college campuses across the country. UW-Madison will allow protests as long as they don't break school rules, threaten, injure, or intimidate anyone. Signs, t-shirts, and even chants will be allowed in most cases. 

  A Native American tribe is asking the Minnesota Historical Society to return an artifact reportedly used in a mass execution in the 1800s.  The Prairie Island Indian Community has filed a claim through its historic preservation office to have the "Mankato Hanging Rope" returned to the tribe.  The noose was reportedly used to hang 38 Dakota men in Mankato in 1862 following the U.S.-Dakota War.  The tribe says the noose was stolen from the grave of a tribal member and was later donated to the historical society.  The request is under review and a decision is expected by late next month.

A dog saves the day for a family in Oconomowoc. The Western Lakes Fire Department says when a fire broke out at the home of the dog’s family Tuesday afternoon, the pup broke down a gate to run upstairs and alert a family member with a baby. When the family member saw the fire downstairs, they grabbed the baby and dog and fled the burning home safely. Firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control. Its cause is unknown.

Local-Regional News April 29

 Mondovi is still experiencing issues with its new wastewater plant.  During last week's council meeting, they discussed the issues where phosphorus levels are still too high.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says it's unacceptable. The plant is still under warranty until August, but the council is considering withholding payments until the plant is functioning properly.

The Durand City Council approved borrowing $550,000 for three different projects including the 6th Ave West, the new ladder truck, and the pool.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the city had already decided to borrow for the 6th Ave West Project. The loan would be split up into $240,000 for 6th Ave West, $225,000 toward the Tarrant Park Pool, and the remainder for the ladder truck.

Students at Durand-Arkansaw Middle  School will no longer have to pay a technology fee.  At the last school board meeting the board approved removing the $25 fee for Chromebooks and charging stations at the school.  The district will be investing in a new system that will provide 15 carts that have Chromebooks and charges for middle school classrooms at a cost of $14,250.

A Florida man will spend the next four years behind bars in connection with child sex crimes in Chippewa County in 2021.  A judge pronounced sentence on Friday for Frank Facasse, who had pleaded no contest as part of a plea deal last week.  Facasse was originally charged with sexually assaulting an eleven-year-old girl, as well as showing pornographic videos to her and two other children.  Facasse will also spend eight years on probation following his prison sentence.

A man from Eau Claire County will spend nine years in prison for stabbing his neighbor and holding a standoff with police. Adam Langiewicz pleaded no contest to his charges in exchange for reducing a charge of attempted homicide. Prosecutors say he stabbed his neighbor in Boyd before returning to his home and participating in a four-hour standoff, before he set his house on fire. The judge believes drugs and alcohol were factors in the crime.

Gunderson Health System is considering expanding into the Chippewa Valley area.  WQOW reports the company sent a statement saying Gunderson is investigating opportunities in the Chippewa Valley and is meeting with local officials to understand what is needed.  Earlier this year HSHS closed Sacred Heart and  St. Josephs Hospitals along with the Prevea Health Clinics. 

A sturgeon tagged in Wisconsin has made a record-breaking swim. The Wisconsin Department of Resources says the fish initially tagged in the Chippewa Valley was found by the Missouri DNR in Illinois along the Mississippi. The sturgeon traveled more than 650 miles, the longest known distance a Chippewa Valley lake sturgeon has traveled. The DNR says lake sturgeon are rare on the Mississippi but live long lives. The oldest in the state was 152 years old.

A step forward for solar in Wisconsin.  The state has been awarded $62 million in federal funding from the Solar for All Grant to help fund solar systems for low- and moderate-income households. Governor Tony Evers’ office says the cost of installing solar systems is among the barriers low-income residents face. A 5-kilowatt rooftop system in Wisconsin averages between $14,000 and $19,000 before tax credits and incentives. Funding for projects is anticipated to begin in late in 2024 or early 2025. Solar power installations will help Wisconsin avoid almost two million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, according to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

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The price of a home in Wisconsin is up 10 percent from a year ago. The Wisconsin Realtors released their latest report yesterday. It says sales are up just over three percent compared to March of 2023, but prices are way up. The report blames both a low supply of homes for sale and much higher interest rates. The median price for a home in the state is now just under 300 thousand-dollars, though it's higher than that in both the Madison and Milwaukee areas. 

A Dane County resident has been confirmed to have a case of measles.  The Wisconsin Department of Health Services did not publicly identify the individual but did say this person travels to and works in Rock County.  In a news release on Friday, the DHS said its working with the public health departments in both counties to "identify and notify people who may have been exposed."  The DHS said anyone who may have been exposed and has not been vaccinated should get vaccinated within 72 hours of exposure.  Those who have been vaccinated are likely not at risk, according to the DHS.

 Wisconsin's clergy and faith leader abuse hotline has received almost 275 calls since it was launched three years ago. Attorney General Josh Kaul says people who previously reported to law enforcement or religious authorities were able to get more help with their cases through the tip line. Tips have resulted in the arrests of several religious leaders. Kaul says victims are encouraged to report either online or by phone.

Opening statements in the first Feeding Our Future criminal trial are set for Monday in Minneapolis.  A jury of Minnesotans from across the state was selected yesterday after a four-day process.   The 12 jurors and six alternates, who are mostly white and from the Twin Cities, were sworn in.  Prosecutors say the seven defendants stole millions of dollars reimbursing meal programs that feed low-income children.  The trial could last six weeks.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is demanding that UnitedHealth Group provide more assistance for healthcare providers and patients impacted by a recent cyber attack.  He joined 21 other state attorney generals who sent a letter yesterday to the Minnestonka-based healthcare giant.  They had concerns that United Health Group has been unfairly providing more help;p to clinics that it owns and operates.  The February cyberattack targeted  UnitedHealth subsidiary, Change Healthcare.  The impact has been felt at pharmacy counters, where patients struggled to fill prescriptions, and at hospitals and clinics, where the system for filing claims for payment from health insurers has been seriously disrupted.

A Glendale-River Hills eighth-grader is being called a hero for stepping in when his school bus driver went down.  The school district says Acie Holland the Third saw his bus driver lose consciousness during the ride to school earlier this week.  Holland jumped up, got the driver's foot off the gas pedal, and then applied the brake.  The bus was on Route 207 at the time and police say it was starting to veer into on-coming traffic.  Holland then called 911, and even assured the younger kids on the bus that everything would be okay, according to police

Local-Regional News April 26

 There appears to be some interest in the City of Durand City Administrator Position.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says 7 people have expressed interest in the position so far.  Current City Administrator Rassmuesson is set to retire from the City Administrator position on July 1st.

With the spring season here, the city of Mondovi will be doing some needed repainting of road striping across the city.  Mayor Brady Weiss says that includes repainting crosswalks and curbs.  The city hopes to have that completed by the end of May.

An Elk Mound Middle School counselor has been recognized nationally.  Cindy Bourget and the school's counseling program as a whole has been designated as a recognized model program by the American School Counselor Association.  Elk Mound was one of only three Wisconsin schools to receive the model program designation from the ASCA.

A field trip to Minneapolis ended at the hospital for a couple of middle schoolers from Eau Claire. The kids were on a school bus that crashed into the back of a gas truck on I-94 yesterday. Six of the kids from DeLong Middle School were slightly hurt when the bus hit the back of the truck. Two of those kids were taken to a local hospital in Hudson as a precaution. Traffic cam video caught the crash. It shows a smaller truck pull-off in front of the gas truck which caused the gas truck to stop, that's when the school bus hit the gas truck. Eau Claire Schools yesterday said they are thankful that the crash wasn't worse. 

School libraries in the Eau Claire Area District are getting more than 810-thousand dollars from the state.  Wisconsin Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski visited Northwoods Elementary School and Memorial High School before presenting the district with a check.  The money is coming from the Common School Fund. 

Saturday is Drug Take Back Day in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says too often unused and expired medications find their way into the wrong hands. That's dangerous, and sometimes tragic. Bringing unused and expired meds to Drug Take Back Day collection sites protects you, your family, and your community. It's easy to participate. Just stop by a site and drop your items into a bin. No questions asked and you can be in and out in minutes. You can find more information and a Drug Take Back Day site near you at DHS.wisconsin.gov

Wisconsin's attorney general is once again arguing that there is nothing in state law that bans ballot drop boxes. A-G Josh Kaul filed his case with the Wisconsin Supreme Court yesterday. He said drop boxes are technically not illegal, and therefore should be allowed. The new liberal-majority court is taking another look at the 2022 decision from the then-conservative-majority court that said there's nothing in Wisconsin law that specifically allows for drop boxes, therefore they are illegal. Kaul said local election managers should have the flexibility to decide if they want to use drop boxes on their own. 

The University of Wisconsin is walking away from its Richland campus. The university announced earlier this week that it plans to vacate the campus by July 1st. The university ended in-person classes there two years ago. At that time there were just 57 students looking to get a degree. Local leaders in Richland County want to know what they're going to do with the campus now. They signed an agreement promising to help pay for the campus, and are now worried that they will be stuck with the entire costs. The UW has ended in-person classes at five two-year campuses in the past 18 months. It's not clear if the university plans to abandon those campuses as well. 

Drought conditions are improving in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  The latest U.S. Drought Monitor maps released yesterday show that much of central and southern Minnesota is either free of drought or in the abnormally dry category, the lowest level of measurable drought.  Here in Western Wisconsin, Pepin, Buffalo and small parts of Pierce and Dunn Counites are still abnormally dry.  With rain in the forecast, drought conditions are expected to continue to improve.

Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth Group paid hackers a ransom this year following a cybersecurity attack.  The health consultant company was breached on February 21.  The attack impacted prescription availability, paychecks for medical workers, discharges from hospitals, and billing and care authorization portals across the country.  UnitedHealth did not say how much was paid to the hackers.  Reports say 22 million dollars was requested in exchange for the company to get their data back.

 A man from Cornell accused of sexually assaulting a child is incompetent to stand trial.  Spencer Harmison was accused of sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl last year.  Investigators say he admitted to assaulting her.  A Chippewa County Judge found Harmison is currently not competent for trial, but will likely be deemed competent in the future.  He will be admitted for treatment, also on the judge's orders. 

Wisconsin is distributing 75-thousand dollars in youth firefighting training grants. The Madison Area, Fox Valley, and Northcentral Technical Colleges will get part of the money, along with the Kewaunee County Junior College. The Youth Volunteer Firefighter Training Program says it's looking to boost recruitment by pairing students to local fire service opportunities. It says rural, volunteer stations are having an especially hard time with retaining firefighters.

A factory expansion in Jefferson County will bring a hundred new jobs.  Governor Tony Evers says the Nestle Purina PetCare Company will be expanding its Jefferson plant -- a 195-million-dollar investment.  Once finished, the company says the factory's production of wet food will increase.  The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation is giving almost two-million dollars in tax credits over the next five years.  Nestle has had a Purina factory in Jefferson since 1910.

Wisconsin will be getting four-point-six million dollars to help conserve coastline habitats.  The state Department of Administration says the money will be split between two projects.  One project in Iron County will go toward purchasing and managing more than a thousand acres of Lake Superior coastline.  The rest of the money will go toward restoring the upper part of the Valley Creek corridor and reducing future flooding risks.  About 75-million dollars will be given out nationally through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law 

A Minnesota state senator is admitting to making a mistake with her vote on a bill passed by the Senate last week.  Republican Senator Carla Nelson of Rochester voted yes on a bill to enact the Minnesota Voting Rights Act.  The vote was surprising, as Republicans have criticized the bill as partisan and failing to address concerns about election integrity.  Nelson admitted in a statement that she voted for the bill in error after losing track of the debate while she was multitasking.  She said she would vote against the bill when it returns to the Senate floor.

Wisconsin utilities want help naming this year’s peregrine falcon chicks. For the last three decades mated falcon pairs have laid their eggs at Wisconsin Public Service and We Energies power plants. This year, 11 eggs are ready to hatch, and they'll be named after Olympic heroes. You can vote for your favorite names online from a link at We dash Energies dot com