Local-Regional News July 22

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include an appearance by Scott Teigen, Vice President of Kwik Trip, discussion and possible action on the sale of the city softball field to the Durand-Arkansaw School District, and the council will also go into closed session to discuss a cost sharing agreement with Kwik Trip regarding Hardy Street construction as part of the Kwik Trip Development. Tonights meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall and will be live-streamed on the WRDN Facebook Page.

The Plum City School Board has approved a new scoreboards for the gym.  The new scoreboards will be an updated version of the current scoreboards but will not include a shot clock as that option would have been cost prohibitive. The cost of the new scoreboards are approximately $7200.

The Buffalo County Health Department is warning of potential exposure to COVID-19. Potential exposure locations include: Larry’s Lookout in Arcadia on July 11 from 8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m, Waumandee House in Waumandee on July 11 from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m., and White Pig in Mondovi on July 11 from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Any one who has been exposed and is showing symptoms should contact their health care provider and get tested for Covid-19.

The Pepin County Board has approved a resolution supporting a special session of the Wisconsin State Senate to address water quality issues. During the last legislative session, the Wisconsin Assembly passed 13 water bills in response to findings from the 2019 Speakers Task Force on Water Quality. The bills were never voted on in the State Senate as the session was postponed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The resolution is asking the senate to convene in extraordinary session to address the 13 water bills.

Authorities in western Wisconsin are investigating a fire at the Burnett Dairy Cooperative near Grantsburg. The Burnett County Sheriff's Office says firefighters from eight departments battled the fire that started late Monday night. All of the employees were safely evacuated and it appears a mechanical malfunction is to blame. No injuries are reported. The fire was still burning early this morning (Tuesday). The Burnett Dairy Cooperative has been in operation since the late 1800s and is a popular tourist spot.

Congressman Collin Peterson says the bi-partisan Veteran Treatment Court Act of 2019 is on its way to the president's desk.  The measure unanimously passed the U-S House Monday.  It will establish the Veteran Treatment Court program in the Office of Justice Programs and provide technical assistance to advocates and local court officials to expand the courts.  Peterson said "these special courts are proven to help veterans who are charged with non-violent crimes get the help they are entitled to."  He says veteran treatment courts provide the counseling, care, and support veterans need to help address these challenges rather than sending them to jail.

Walmart has decided to be closed on Thanksgiving Day this year, saying that it wants to have its employees spend time with their families during the coronavirus. The move marks the first major indication of how COVID-19 will affect Black Friday store shopping, which for almost a decade kicked off with big crowds on the turkey feast and expanded into Friday. However, safety concerns are making stores rethink their plans for the holiday plans. Given Walmart's clout as the nation's largest retailer, other major retailers could very well follow its lead. Walmart also said Tuesday that it will be giving out another round of bonuses for workers on the front lines of the coronavirus.

A former Mayo Clinic employee will spend 60 days in jail for stealing 170-thousand dollars while he was parking and transportation supervisor.  Forty-eight-year-old Timothy Stafford pleaded guilty to felony theft for taking the money from September 2015 through March of 2016.  Stafford was ordered to repay 100-thousand dollars in restitution, do 100 hours of community service and serve ten years of probation.  An anonymous tip to Mayo's compliance hotline in January of 2016 sparked the investigation.

Governor Tony Evers says he and his staff are devastated by the death of his personal assistant.  Twenty-five-year-old Ben Belzer drowned while tubing on the Sugar River in Albany over the weekend.  The governor says it is unimaginable that Belzer is gone.  Witnesses say he went under the water at about 3:20 p-m Saturday and never resurfaced.  A spokesperson for the Albany Fire Department says it is the first tubing accident on that stretch of river in more than 10 years.

The list of speakers at next month’s modified Democratic National Convention may be a short one.  Former Vice President Joe Biden may be the only person to speak while present in Milwaukee, according to The Daily Beast.  The convention that once was expected to mean tens of millions of dollars to the Milwaukee economy has been postponed and shrunk.  Local planners for the convention aren’t responding to the report.  A spokesperson says the plans for the D-N-C haven’t been finalized.

The White House Chief of Staff says there could be orders as soon as this week to send federal agents to combat civil unrest in cities – including Milwaukee.  Mark Meadows named Wisconsin’s largest city in an interview with Fox News.  Meadows said President Trump could send the federal teams to Chicago, Portland or Milwaukee to make sure communities are safe.  He said the Trump administration is working closely with Attorney General William Barr on the issue.

The Wisconsin Capitol and Executive Residence Board has voted to restore two statues that were damaged by protesters earlier this year.  There is no official estimate of the cost to repair the statues of Colonel Hans Christian Heg and a woman who embodies the state’s "Forward" motto.  The board also gave unanimous approval for the plan by the Wisconsin Historical Society to begin a fundraising effort to pay for the work.  Demonstrators tore the statues down last month during a protest against police brutality and racism.

Wisconsin-based Briggs and Stratton says it is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection due to financial challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The company says it has secured more than 677 million dollars in debtor-in-possession financial which will let it keep operating until the deal is finalized.  Briggs and Stratton is called the world’s largest maker of small gas engines.  Those engines are used in lawnmowers, pressure washers, electrical generators, and other products.  The company was founded in Milwaukee 112 years ago.

The coronavirus pandemic could be the reason for record fishing license sales in Minnesota. The D-N-R's Eric Altena says sales are up 11 percent over last year and are fueled by a spike in youth fishing licenses. Altena also says there's been more traffic and more boating going on -- on area lakes and certainly even shoreline fishing. He says the Mississippi River in central Minnesota is a great fishery with plenty of places to cast a line right from shore.

Local-Regional News July 21

The Plum City School District will continue to move forward with its plan to re-open school for in person learning 5 days a week this fall. Plum City School Superintendent Amy Vesperman says as long as the kids can go to school every day that is the plan they will stick with. About 20 kinds are going to start the year with virtual learing. While the district is encouraging parents to drop off and pick up their kids from school, it will provide school bus services, and parents are to contact the district to let them know if they need bus services or not.

Buildings in the Durand-Arkansaw School District will be re-opening to the public in August. Durand-Arkansaw School Superintendent Greg Doverspike says while the buildings will be re-opening, that could still change. Athletics was not discussed as part of the August reopening as the WIAA is having a meeting this week to discuss fall sports. A special school board meeting will be held July 29 to discuss athletics and the fall reopening plan.

One person was injured in a motorcycle vs deer accident in Waumandee Township on Friday. According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, Scott Ritter of Englewood, FL was traveling westbound on Hwy E near Wojchick Valley Road when a deer ran out of the ditch and directly into the side of the motorcycle. Ritter was thrown from the motorcycle. He was med flighted to Gundersen Health System in La Crosse with severe injuries.

A Menomonie man is charged with 11 felonies, all related to child sex crimes. Daniel Brooks was charged with the crimes in Dunn County Court, and according to authorities Brooks admitted to the crimes and a search of his phone gave evidence to what Brooks admitted to. He is being held on a $10,000 cash bond and will be back in court July 28. If convicted, he could spend life in prison.

Face masks will be required next week for anyone at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport as coronavirus cases continue to rise. M-S-P spokesman Pat Hogan says the penalty for a violation is a misdemeanor with a fine up to one-thousand dollars - "but our focus is obviously not on fining, it's on trying to get people to comply." Hogan says the decision was made for the safety of air travelers. Masks and hand sanitizer will be available throughout M-S-P.

Authorities are investigating a body found in the wreckage of a Minneapolis pawnshop burned down during the riots following the death of George Floyd. Minneapolis police, firefighters and A-T-F agents discovered the remains Monday at Max It Pawn on Lake Street. Homicide detectives have taken over the case. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office will identify the victim and determine the official cause of death. Twenty-five-year-old Montez Lee of Rochester is facing federal arson charges for setting the May 28th fire.

There is plenty of time to prepare for the November presidential election and Wisconsin clerks have learned from their experiences in April.  They say they’re much better prepared now.  The Madison city clerk’s office says people requesting absentee ballots so close to election day made things tough for the presidential primary.  It should be smoother this fall.  Madison got a one-point-three million dollar grant – one-half million going for sanitation supplies and personal protective equipment for in-person voting.  Thousands of Wisconsin voters have already requested and received absentee ballots.

Attorney General Josh Kaul is joining 9 other attorneys general in suing the US Department of Education over P P E funding for schools. That funding was part of the CARES Act, and is meant to go to Title 1 schools, which handle low income students and families. Kaul says that Secretary DeVos' decision could strip over 4 million dollars in funding from Wisconsin's public schools.

There will be no 2020 Wisconsin State Fair, but you can still buy samples of the legendary fair food.  The first of four so-called Fair Food Drive-Thru weekends is coming up at the Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis.  The menu will change from week-to-week, but starting Thursday afternoon you will be able to buy Pickle Pizza, funnel cakes, pretzel-wrapped brats and lemonade.  

Public school students should start the school year with virtual learning. That is the belief of the leaders of five Wisconsin teachers' unions. Leaders from Green Bay, Kenosha, Madison, Milwaukee and Racine sent a letter to the governor and education leaders today expressing their concern about surging coronavirus cases across the state. They say teachers want to be back in the classroom but students and staff need to return to a safe environment that is protected by guidelines supported by science.

The Citizens Utility Board is asking Wisconsin power companies to delay disconnections during the rest of the coronavirus pandemic.  A moratorium on disconnections is set to end Saturday.  A spokesperson for the watchdog group says a recent increase in coronavirus numbers shows that this is not the time to cut off people’s electricity service.  CUB is urging anyone facing a disconnection to apply for state help in paying their utility bills.  The moratorium on disconnections has been in force since March.

Suspended Wauwatosa police officer Joseph Mensah is getting a lot of online financial support.  A GoFundMe page is said to be approaching 30 thousand dollars and on its way to 50 thousand.  Mensah’s brother launched the page last week after the Wauwatosa Police and Fire Commission suspended him while considering whether to fire him.  He has been involved in three shootings over the last five years.  Mensah was cleared in the first two, but the third is still being reviewed.  The money raised would be used to clear his name and explore legal options if the city does fire him.

 Parents and teachers say they want input on who the Minneapolis School District hires to replace its school resource officers.  A rally was held Sunday.  The school board voted earlier this summer to eliminate school resource officers and replace them with public safety support specialists.  District officials say a requirement for that position will be to have a background in criminal justice.  People attending Sunday’s rally say they have some ideas about who might fill the positions.

Minnesota Senate Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says he has a tentative agreement place with House Democrats on a police reform package. Lawmakers are trying to pass a bill today on what could be the final day of the legislature's second special session. Gazelka says details still must be worked out but did say there's agreement on banning chokeholds and warrior-style training for officers, plus changes in arbitration procedures for excessive-force cases.

Crews with the U-S Coast Guard will replace the Manitowoc South Pier Light this week.  The navigational light was knocked off its foundation and into Lake Michigan during a storm in January 2019.  The tower was found two months later in 19 feet of water.  The Coast Guard says the new light will be sturdier and two feet taller, made of steel and will have a solar-power L-E-D light.  Officials say it will look a lot like the one that was blown over by high winds and waves.

Local-Regional News July 20

One person is dead after a pedestrian was struck by a train in the village of Alma on Saturday. According to the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department, 70yr old Linda Sanden was with a family member and was carrying fishing gear across the tracks near the 300 block of South Main Street. An eastbound BNSF train was nearing the area and the crew made efforts to warn Sanden and stop the train, however they were unable to avoid striking Sanden.

Clean up continues in Pierce and Trempealeau Counties after a pair of Tornados struck Saturday night and early Sunday morning. The National Weather Services says an EF-1 tornado touched down in Washington County, MN, crossed the river and continued into Pierce County to just two miles southwest of River Falls. The storm had a maximum wind speed of 100mph and was on the ground for nine and a half miles causing extensive tree damage and damage to farm outbuildings. No injuries were reported. The second tornado touched down four miles southwest of Osseo early Sunday morning and traveled just over 3.5 miles and had a wind speed of 105 mph. Several Farm outbuildings were damaged and no injures were reported.

The Plum City School Board is meeting tonight. Due to the Covid19 pandemic, there will be a limited number of seats available to the public to attend the meeting. The district is taking sign ups for the meeting tonight via the districts facebook page. The meeting will also be live streamed via google meeting and begins tonight at 7pm.

 

A 22-year-old Minnesota man is in custody after leading authorities on a high speed chase in a stolen vehicle across three counties in western Wisconsin.  It began just after 5:30 this morning (Friday) when a trooper clocked the vehicle at 103 miles an hour westbound on I-94 in Jackson County but lost sight of it.  State troopers resumed the chase in neighboring Eau Claire County, where the suspect was reportedly going 115 to 130 miles an hour and weaving in and out of traffic.  The suspect was arrested after stop sticks were deployed farther west near Menomonie.  Devante Hatten from Minneapolis is facing multiple charges.

 The La Crosse Board of Park Commissioners has given its unanimous approval to a plan to remove the 60-year-old Hiawatha statue from Riverside Park.  The same action calls for the city to explore options for a replacement.  La Crosse Mayor Tim Kabat had asked the board to remove the statue and return it to the artist’s family.  City officials expect the removal to cost 15 thousand dollars.  The Thursday vote didn’t set a date for removing the statue.  People who want it to remain have filed papers for a historic designation – which would stop the move.

 A 31-year-old man who's accused of selling the drugs that caused an overdose death faces reckless homicide charges in Eau Claire County.  Cody Ormond was charged Thursday.  Authorities were called to a motel where a dead man's body had been found lying face down.  Investigators say they found a cell phone at the scene which revealed communications between the victim and Ormond.  They say the man who died bought drugs from Ormond.

Leaders of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa are asking visitors to stay away from the reservation.  A state of emergency has been declared after a weekend storm caused significant damage.  Chairman Richard A. Peterson posted on Facebook that trees and power lines are down and many roads are impassable.  Tribal members are being asked to limit their travel as much as possible.  There is no indication of how long the state of emergency will last.

 This is the final week for unemployed workers to receive the 600 dollars-a-week federal lifeline checks.  Wisconsin residents still out of a job will still get their state unemployment benefits, but the congressional enhancement passed in March is coming to an end.  More than 25 million Americans have been receiving the checks as part of the two-trillion-dollar economic aid package that was passed.  Members of Congress are working this week on the next economic stimulus package, but no deal is expected before these payments end.

Vice President Mike Pence used a visit to western Wisconsin Friday to talk agriculture and the U-S-Mexico Canada Trade Agreement.  Pence took part in a roundtable discussion and toured a dairy in Onalaska.  The V-P said the Trump administration is working to cut back federal regulations that he claims impede trade efforts for smaller farms and encourage exports.  Pence said, "the United States is actually going to increase our exports by 50-thousand metric tons of milk, 12-thousand metric tons of cheese, 10-thousand tons of cream and the list goes on."  The vice president also stopped at Ripon College Friday morning and claimed former Vice President Joe Biden would endanger America's public safety if he's elected president in November.

The list of big box retail stores in Wisconsin that will require you to wear a mask while shopping is growing rapidly.  All customers inside Kohl’s stores will have to wear one effective Monday.  The story is the same at Walmart and Sam’s Club stores.  Thursday, officials with the Woodman’s grocery chain made a similar announcement.  The retail stores are hoping the masks will help slow the increase in coronavirus cases across Wisconsin.  Masks will be available inside the stores.

Potawatomi Hotel and Casino is permanently laying off around 16-hundred employees due to the coronavirus pandemic.  C-E-O and G-M Rodney Ferguson said the decision was not made lightly — and it is one that hurts.  Ferguson said the layoffs take effect August 15th.  He says the business will expand operations as the science guides us and pandemic conditions dictate.  He added that decisions will continue to be made "in the best interests of guest and team member health and safety."

Public school students in Milwaukee and Madison will start the new year this fall with all virtual classes.  The Milwaukee Public School Board approved a three-phase plan Thursday night.  As the spread of COVID-19 decreases, students will return to schools for two days each week.  Phase three will allow all students to return to the classroom full time.  The Madison Metropolitan School District will hold school virtually until at least November 3rd.  Cases of coronavirus continue to rise in Dane County.  Interim Superintendent Jane Belmore said, "the safety of everyone who enters our school buildings each day is my ultimate responsibility, there can be no margin of error in our decisions to keep students, staff as well as our entire community safe."

The Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) is calling on Governor Tim Walz to order a statewide mask mandate amid COVID-19.  The M-H-A says even though hospitalizations are down in the state, the positivity rate and coronavirus case counts are increasing.  The M-H-A says there is "a narrow window of time to slow the spread of the virus" and they say the C-D-C -- after reviewing the latest science -- is reaffirming that cloth face masks are a critical tool in controlling the spread of COVID-19, especially when used universally within communities.  Walz has said a mask mandate is on the table for Minnesota.

Milwaukee Zoo visitors will have a few more exhibits to see this weekend.  Zoo managers say they will open some more animal buildings starting today (Saturday). The reptile center, the aviary, the dairy barn, the elephant care center, and the ape center will be available for viewing.  All will be at 50 percent capacity.  Some other zoo areas being opened up include the carousel, the train and the Sky Glider.

Local-Regional News July 17

Two people were injured in a motorcycle accident in the Village of Stockholm on Thursday afternoon. According to the Pepin County Sheriffs Department, 55yr old Dwight Gorder of New Hope MN was traveling northbound on Hwy 35, when it lost control ejecting both Gorder and his passenger 54yr old Joy Gorder. Into the southbound ditch. Both were med-flighted to Mayo Rochester with serious, life threatening injuries. That accident remains under investigation.

As the Durand-Arkansaw School Administration works on re-opening schools for the fall the topic of school lunch is being discussed. Durand-Arkansaw Superintendent Greg Doverspike says with the district looking at a hybrid of in person and virtual learning, some new issues have cropped up.  During the school shut-down, the district served nearly 65,000 meals to students .

Pepin County has a new highway commissioner. During this weeks county board meeting, members voted 11-1 to elect Robert Platteter as the new commissioner effective Monday. Platteter replaces Kris Quandt who resigned on June 4^th. Interim commissioner Brent Bauer will return to his foreman position on Monday

Olmsted County Public Health says 70 new COVID-19 cases are linked to an outbreak among people who visited bars in Rochester.  Officials had been urging anyone who spent time at downtown bars without coronavirus restrictions to consider getting tested.   That recommendation led to a big spike in the number of people seeking tests last weekend.  Fifty-eight cases were directly linked to downtown bars and  12 more secondary cases have been identified in people who had contact with infected patients.  More than 220 others may have also been exposed and are being contacted by tracers. .

Pepin County Residents will be receiving county information on the covid-19 pandemic with a new online dashboard. Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says the department has been working with emergency management in designing the dashboard.It is hoped the new online information will be available starting sometime next week.

State Senator Andre Jacque  says he is concerned the state’s new Dairy Innovation Hub might not get all the funding that was intended. Jacque says there is no doubt the state will have to work on a budget repair bill because of the revenue lost to COVID-19 and the shutdown of the economy. He says Governor Tony Evers already called for spending reductions from state agencies.  The Dairy Innovation Hub was signed into law earlier this year providing nearly eight million dollars annually for dairy research through the University of Wisconsin’s Madison, River Falls, and Platteville campuses.

Contact tracing is turning out to be more difficult than expected during the coronavirus pandemic.  A spokesperson for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services says about 20 percent of the cases can be traced back to bars and restaurants.  Doctor Ryan Westergaard says there is “incomplete data” on the other 80 percent.  Westergaard says it’s likely those positive cases came when people picked up the virus at home.  He says there have been outbreaks at work and in long-term care facilities, but no one knows for sure just where people are catching the virus.

 The Democratic Party has told members of the U-S House and Senate not to attend next month’s national convention in Milwaukee.  The Democratic National Convention is scheduled to run August 17th through the 20th.  Delegates will vote remotely between August 3rd and the 15th.  They’ve been told not to attend the convention either.  An email from Chasseny Lewis, a senior advisor to the convention committee, was sent to congressional aides this week.  The presumed nominee, Joe Biden, is still planning to accept the party’s nomination in Milwaukee.  All caucus and council meetings will be held virtually.

The Wisconsin Department of Corrections reports the April escape at the state prison in Columbia has cost 11 guards their jobs.  Seven staff members were fired and four more resigned as the investigation was being conducted.  The workers affected were notified Thursday.  Most of the seven staff members fired and one who was suspended for five days have the right to appeal the decision in their cases.  Two were in their probationary period and can’t appeal.  Thomas Deering and James Newman escaped the Columbia Correctional Institution April 16th and were taken into custody in Rockford, Illinois the next day.

The A-T-F is offering another five-thousand-dollar reward for information about five people suspected in the firebombing of the City-County building in Madison.  Police say Marquon Clark was arrested and identified as a person of interest in the case.  A Molotov cocktail was thrown into the building on June 24th following a protest and an office caught fire.  Special Agent in Charge Jon Ortiz says they were thrilled with the amount of response the A-T-F received related to the previous reward.  Anyone with information about the five people is asked to contact Madison Area Crime Stoppers.

A legislative bill announced Wednesday at the Wisconsin Capitol would make defacing or destroying a statue a felony.  Democratic State Senator Tim Carpenter, who was physically attacked by protesters last month, is one of two sponsors.  Republican State Representative Rob Hutton is the other.  The two are introducing the measure after protesters tore down a statue of Wisconsin abolitionist Hans Christian Heg and another representing the state’s Forward motto.  The penalty for damaging or defacing a statue, painting, or monument on public property could include up to three-and-a-half years in prison and a 10-thousand-dollar fine.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers is granting 18 pardons this week -- the largest group so far.  The Governor's Pardon Advisory Board heard from the applicants virtually two weeks ago and sent its recommendations to the governor.  Evers said, "a pardon won’t fix the challenges facing our criminal justice system, but it can have a tremendous impact on a person’s life."  The governor says each of these people earned a pardon by serving their sentence and making positive contributions to society.  Evers has pardoned a total of 47 people following an eight-year hiatus under ex-Governor Scott Walker.  

 A big drop in Wisconsin's unemployment rate in June.  The Department of Workforce Development says the jobless rate fell from 12-point-one percent in May to eight-and-a-half percent last month.  It was 13-point-six percent in April due to major layoffs early in the COVID-19 pandemic.  Wisconsin added 104-thousand-600 non-farm and 99-thousand-300 private-sector jobs in June.  D-W-D Secretary Caleb Frostman said, "another month of strong job growth and a declining unemployment rate tells us that more Wisconsinites are getting back to work, driving our economic growth."

 The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is reversing course and decided to offer in-person hunter safety classes.  That means the state’s hunters will be able to get the training they need before heading out into the fields later this year.  The D-N-R had suspended the classes due to the coronavirus outbreak, but that brought on a lawsuit from Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty.  The firm argued the D-N-R didn’t have the power to continue the class cancellations after the governor's Safer at Home order was ended.

 Target is the latest company to require its customers to wear face coverings during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The new takes effect August 1st in Target stores.  The Minnesota-based retailer says it will provide masks to those who do not have one.  Target says around 80 percent of its stores already require masks under local and state health regulations.  Wisconsin-based Kohl's and Walmart are also mandating face coverings in their stores on Monday.

The Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley is re-opening next week.  The zoo says it will allow a limited number of guests starting next Friday.  The zoo will open for special previews for employees Sunday through Wednesday.  Tickets are available online and will need to be purchased in advance.

Local-Regional News July 16

The Pepin County Government Center will remain closed until at least September 1^st. During last nights county board meeting, members voted to move the re-opening of the building from August 1^st to September 1^st due to the spike in covid-19 cases in the county. When the building re-opens, the board also made mandatory the wearing of masks for all employees and those members of the public entering the building.

The upcoming school year will certainly look different than in past years. At last nights Durand-Arkansaw School Board meeting, members passed a preliminary plan to re-open school in the fall. The plan would include a hybrid of in person and virtual learning where the district would have buildings open for four days per week, Durand Arkansaw School Superintendent Greg Doverspike told members what ever decision is made there will be changes.  The District also approved an August Re-opening plan for the buildings, but that plan did not include any plan on fall sports.

Taking a step back, Pepin County is recommending gatherings be limited to 15 people or less indoors and 50 people or less outdoors. Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says the latest spread of covid 19 is happening in confined areas.  The new recommendations are a a decrease from the previous recommendation of 25 indoors and 100 outdoors.

Thirty people are displaced after an apartment fire in Chippewa Falls yesterday. According to the Chippewa Falls Fire Department, firefighters responded to a call of smoke filling a basement in an apartment building on East Park Avenue. Firefighters were able to locate the fire in the electrical distribution room and quickly put out the fire, but power to the building had to be cut due to extensive damage to the electrical system. Damage is estimated at $50,000 and no injuries were reported. The American Red Cross is assisting the residents while building repairs are being made.

Members of the Eau Claire City Council are discussing how voters can safely cast their ballots in elections this fall.  The primary election is next month and the presidential election is in November.  Council members met Tuesday night to decide on a plan for safe voting practices.  They are considering options like drive-through voting and mail-in ballots.

Milwaukee’s police chief is warning about the reality of defunding his department.  Chief Alfonso Morales says fewer officers will mean slower 9-1-1 response times and fewer extra services like game-day protection.  Morales wrote an open letter to the Journal-Sentinel newspaper about what might happen.  He says fewer officers will mean less help with traffic control, not as much help for disputes between neighbors, and less immediate help for those in need.  Morales says the proposed 10-percent cut in the police budget would eliminate 375 police officers.

 Mistakes made in late April by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development led to some people getting too much unemployment help – and others getting too little.  The errors were discovered by the Legislative Audit Bureau.  The state agency was processing additional federal aid for the recipients when the mistakes happened.  The Audit Bureau has given the D-W-D until August 14th to determine how many Wisconsin residents were sent incorrect amounts and how much they got.  Secretary Caleb Frostman says his department is implementing all of the recommendations.

A Republican Minnesota representative says he has sent letters to state and federal officials saying transportation funds to Minnesota should be held back if protesters keep blocking highways.  Cal Bahr of East Bethel says two of the state’s primary interstates were blocked in the last few months and state and local officials did little to stop it.  He says Washington should withhold highway money if those actions are allowed to continue.  Bahr owns a trucking company and works as a commercial driver when the Legislature isn’t in session.

Scientists at U-W Health in Madison are taking part in COVID-19 clinical trials.  More than 100 medical facilities are part of the research, testing treatment and preventative measures.  At this time there is no known treatment for the virus which has killed more than 130 thousand Americans.  The U-W School of Medicine and Public Health is also partnering with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals on the clinical trials.  The work started in April and has been focused on antibodies to this point.  The Wisconsin scientists will eventually be participating in vaccine trials, too.

An executive order signed by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz allows Minnesota landlords to evict tenants during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect public safety.  Housing providers can evict tenants for violating a lease by endangering the safety of others, engaging in certain illegal activities or significantly damaging property.  The new order updates a previous order calling for a moratorium on evictions during COVID-19 and takes effect on August 4th.  Landlords need to give residential tenants a seven-day notice of intent to file an eviction.

Add Bayfield and Ashland Counties to the places you'll need to wear a mask. Starting this Friday, anyone over the age of 5 who's inside a public building or in a public setting will need to wear a mask. County health officials say this includes businesses, standing in lines, and on public transport. Businesses will be making reasonable accommodations for people who can't wear masks like deliveries and curbside pickup.

 The Wisconsin Democratic Party reports it raised more money in April, May and June than it ever has in any three-month period.  Party leaders say their bank account is healthy five months before the November presidential election.  A spokesperson says the party raised 10 million dollars during the second quarter, leaving it with 12 million in cash for the remaining campaign.  Wisconsin’s electoral votes were decided by fewer than 23 thousand votes in 2016 and it’s likely going to be tight again this fall.

 A governor’s task force is being created to improve broadband access in Wisconsin. With so many school districts now depending on virtual learning during the coronavirus pandemic – and the possibility of starting the fall term online – access to high-speed internet is increasingly important to students. Governor Tony Evers says broadband access is also critical to Wisconsin’s economic recovery from the pandemic.

The Minnesota Department of Health is advising people and their pets to stay out of lakes with possible blue-green algae. Spokeswoman Stephanie Gretsch says algae can be harmful and there is no way to tell if a bloom is toxic or not or harmful to people or pets just by looking at it. She says if you see a bloom - stay away from it and don't swim in that water. The appearance and smell of blue-green algae typically keeps most people out of the water.

If you were planning a trip to New York state, you might want to re-think those plans.  You will be required to quarantine for 14 days when you get there.  Wisconsin was one of four states added to the list of people who will have to quarantine by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.  Minnesota, Ohio and New Mexico were also added to a list that now includes 22 states.  Cuomo says no one in his state wants to go back to what was being experienced three months ago.  Nearly 25 thousand patients have died of COVID-19 in New York.

Local-Regional News July 15

The Durand-Arkansaw School board is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include discussion of the survey results from parents on re-opening for the fall, discussion of the WI Education Forward Plan and discussion and possible action on preliminary plans for the fall and an August re-opening plan. Tonights meeting will be held in the gym at Durand High School starting at 6pm.

One person is dead after a tractor accident in the Town of Colfax on Monday. According to the Dunn County Sheriffs Department, a 72yr old male was found pinned under the tire of a small older tractor. He had been using the tractor and a rotary mower on his property. He was extricated from under the tractor and med-flighted to Mayo-Eau Claire. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. That accident remains under investigation.

No one was reported injured when severe storms moved through Eau Claire County yesterday afternoon. Heavy rain and high winds brought down trees and power lines in the Augusta area. Some area roads were also flooded as a quick 4 inches of rain fell. The front responsible for the storms has moved off to the east and pleasant weather is expected for the next few day.

 A Chippewa Falls man is scheduled to appear in court to answer charges he has sexually abused five children.  Timothy Boehnen denies the charges.  He is on leave from his position at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.  Boehnen is the school’s risk management director.  He spent last weekend in the Eau Claire County Jail.  One of his alleged victims is five years old.

 

A not guilty plea has been entered on behalf of a Minnesota man charged in last month’s fatal shooting in downtown La Crosse.  Thirty-one-year-old Timothy Young didn’t respond during a court hearing.  Prosecutors say surveillance video shows him returning to a bar where he had been denied entry and shooting 19-year-old Anthony Fimple.  Young reportedly had been involved in previous incidents at the bar before the June 27th shooting.  He ran away but was caught a short time later.

 A Winona County man is being extradited from La Crosse to southeastern Minnesota for the second-degree murder of his wife.  Seventy-nine-year-old Joseph Wright of Dakota is accused of fatally stabbing his wife last Friday.  The complaint says the 72-year-old woman suffered from dementia and that Wright attempted suicide by cutting his wrist after leaving a note that stated he could "not watch her suffer."  Deputies responded to their apartment after Wright called to report he had killed his wife.  Wright was transported to a hospital in La Crosse to be treated for the injuries.  He was in the La Crosse County Jail pending his transfer to Winona County.

The Wisconsin Collegiate Conference, which is made up of satellite campuses of the main UW Four-Year schools, will not hold varsity athletic competitions during the upcoming school year. Officials say there would be too many logistical hurdles to overcome like cleaning and disinfecting arenas, providing proper athletic training, and testing student-athletes. The schools do intent to re-start competition in the fall of 2021 in sports like basketball, volleyball, and golf. Campuses impacted by the decision include those in Wausau, Marshfield, Sheboygan, Fox Valley, Richland, and Barron.

The Madison Police Department is asking for help identifying persons of interest in the June 24th attack of state Senator Tim Carpenter.  The Democratic lawmaker says he was trying to take a picture of a group of protesters when he was assaulted a block from the Capitol.  Officers say three people rushed toward Carpenter and he fell to ground before being beaten, punched and kicked by about ten people.  The pictures released by police appear to show three women in face masks and two wearing bandannas.  Carpenter said he was expected to fully recover from his injuries following surgery.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz unveiled a 100-million-dollar statewide housing assistance program to help prevent evictions and homelessness caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  It's paid for with federal funds that Congress authorized for coronavirus relief.  Officials expect Minnesotans will be able to start applying for assistance through local grant administrators in the first part of August.  Governor Walz says the COVID-19 pandemic has hit families across the state hard -- and stable housing is the key to safety, health and well-being.

The government has been buying food boxes, restaurants have been reopening, and low cheese prices have driven up the export market.  Those are some of the main reasons wholesale milk prices have almost doubled in recent weeks – from a five-year low of 13 dollars-a-hundredweight to 24 dollars.  Wholesale cheese prices have tripled.  Policy analysts expect the soaring prices to moderate into the fall.  Farmers are being advised to use the growing return on their products to replenish cash reserves and pay off some debt.  Despite all of that going on in the background, customers aren’t expected to notice very much change in store prices.

Governor Tony Evers says that if we all keep ourselves safe, with practices such as wearing masks in public and practicing social distancing, K-12 schools in Wisconsin will be able to open safely.  Evers made the comments during a media conference call on Tuesday, as the Department of Health Services reported a single day record of 964 new confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) confirms that an invasive insect has been found in the state for the first time. The lily leaf beetle, which feeds on lilies and fritillaries, was spotted by a St. Paul resident. M-D-A staff then inspected the area and found an adult lily leaf beetle. Officials say the beetle is native to Europe and Asia and is currently also in Canada, the northeastern U-S and the states of Washington and Wisconsin. The beetles are a bright red color, and the eggs are reddish and laid in lines on the undersides of leaves.  Minnesotans can report suspected lily leaf beetles to M-D-A's "Arrest the Pest" line.

Wisconsin employers say an inability to find workers is their number one issue during the coronavirus pandemic.  Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce surveyed 150 business owners.  More than half say they can’t find enough people to fill their jobs and 40 percent say they have also had to make temporary or permanent staff reductions.  The same survey finds 23 percent of employers saying they expect to end the current year in the red.  Half believe they will show a profit, but less than last year.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's office says it reached a settlement with Frontier Communications for deceptive, misleading and fraudulent practices.  It requires Frontier to pay 750-thousand dollars in restitution for past harm to customers and to invest at least ten million dollars every four years to improve its broadband internet network.  Frontier must also clearly disclose internet prices and exact speeds and terms of service to its customers.  Frontier provides internet and telephone service to around 90-thousand customers mainly in Greater Minnesota.  Customers can submit a claim on the Minnesota Attorney General's website or by calling Ellison's office.

Emergency responders in Grant County were able to rescue a 71-year-old man trapped in a grain bin Monday in a rural area near Stitzer.  When crews arrived they found David Reiter buried up to his chest and unable to get out.  He had been trapped for about two hours.  Additional emergency crews were summoned and Reiter was eventually freed at about 10:20 a-m.  He was said to be conscious and alert as he was taken to a hospital in Madison.

Grocery store customers are in for a new experience.  When shopping at Pick ‘N Save or Metro Market stores in Wisconsin, customers will no longer be given coins as change.  When you pay with cash you will be asked to either round up your bill for a charitable cause – or the change you would have received will be applied to your loyalty card and you can use it the next time you come in to buy groceries.  There is apparently a nationwide coin shortage.  The U-S Treasury says the coronavirus pandemic has caused the problem.

Local-Regional News July 14

With the recent spike in positive covid-19 cases in Pepin County, there has been an increase in demand for the drive-thru testing at Advent Health in Durand. Hospital officials are urging those wanting a test to register for the test online at Advent Health Durand dot com. Angela Jacobson Director of Nursing for Advent Health says if everyone is calling by phone it delays the registration process.  If your having an issue with the website you still can call. In Wisconsin the percentage of new positive COVID-19 tests dropped Monday, and there were no new deaths reported for a second straight day.

With the spike in positive covid-19 cases in Pepin County, why are the business locations of those positive outbreaks not being publicly released? Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says while other counties are releasing locations its because they cannot identify all the close contacts. As of Monday, there were no new positive cases reported and the total number of current active Covid-19 cases in Pepin County was at 14.

One person is dead after a two vehicle accident in River Falls Township on Sunday. According to the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, 26yr old Justin Magie of Algoma was traveling eastbound on 690^th Ave near Hwy O when he failed to stop for a stop sign and his motorcycle was stuck by a vehicle driven by 27yr old Sean Sabelko of Oak Park Heights, IL that was traveling southbound on Hwy O. Magie was pronounced dead at the scene by the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office.

One person was injured in a single vehicle accident in Ettrick Township on Monday. According to the Trempealeau County Sheriffs Department, a 16yr old male was traveling northbound on Rogness Coulee Road when he lost control of the vehicle, over corrected, crossed the roadway into the opposite ditch, struck a bridge and rolled the vehicle into a creek. The driver needed to be extracated from the vehicle and was med flighted to Gunderson Hospital in La Crosse.

The mayor of La Crosse says it’s time to remove the Hiawatha statue that has been standing in Riverside Park for the last 60 years.  The family of the artist who created the statue has requested its return.  Mayor Tim Kabat says the city has been talking to Anthony Zimmerhakl’s family about returning the statue for the last two years.  Kabat asked the La Crosse Board of Park Commissioners are the removal Monday.  He wants the statue to be stored at the city’s Municipal Service Center.

An Adams County man is under arrest and facing charges after patrons at a bar disarmed him over the weekend. Deputies say 49-year-old Karl Spencer allegedly pulled a gun at Mo's Bar and Grill in Preston, when patrons subdued him and got the gun away from him. Spencer was taken to the hospital and then charged with multiple counts, including recklessly endangering safety and possessing a firearm as a felon. Spencer was the only person injured in the incident.

The Chairman of the Oneida Nation, Tahassi Hill, says they have been fighting against stereotypes and disrespect for decades especially when it comes to sports' team names and mascots. Chairman Hill says the tribe supports the decision announced today (Monday)  by the Washington Redskins leadership that they will change their name and logo. The Oneida Nation and other tribes have long considered those symbols to be racist.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett says it's disappointing that the city isn't hosting the full-scale Democratic National Convention this week, but that next month's dramatically downsized event will still be an historic one. Monday would have been the first day of the convention at Fiserv Forum. It's now scheduled for August 17 through 20 at the smaller Wisconsin Center. Former Vice President Joe Biden is expected to accept the party's nomination for president, in person.

Officials at Onalaska High School say new rules for international college students from the U-S Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency won’t have an impact on their annual student exchange.  That’s because the uncertainties from the coronavirus pandemic led to its temporary halt already.  No applications are being accepted for the next school year.  Officials from several districts say they hope to resume their international studies program in the fall of 2021.  For now, no U-S students are headed to Europe due to the travel ban on people from this country.

If everyone wears masks, social distancing is practiced, and the curve starts to flatten, one U-W health official says fall sports could make a comeback.  Doctor Jeff Pothof is the chief quality officer for U-W Health.  He says following the rules would make it possible, but there are no guarantees.  Pothof says standardizing health safety measures throughout the Big Ten Conference and playing games only against conference opponents will help.

The Sauk County Sheriff’s Office says there was no lifeguard on duty when a seven-year-old girl died Friday at Chapparal Campground Splash Waterpark in La Valle.  Some other park visitors found her and performed C-P-R until emergency responders arrived.  She was airlifted to University of Wisconsin Hospital but died before doctors could help her.  The girl’s name hasn’t been released.  A sign was posted warning about the absence of a lifeguard.  The girl's name hasn't been released.

FEMA has denied the request from Governor Tim Walz for 16 million dollars in federal disaster aid.  Minnesota was seeking help for the damage caused by rioters and looters in the aftermath of the George Floyd shooting.  More than 15 hundred buildings were burned at least partially and some estimates approach a half-billion dollars in total damages.  The 16 million dollars would have helped local governments pay for clearing the debris, repairing and rebuilding.  Walz has 30 days to appeal the decision.

 A former owner of Wisconsin Dairy State Cheese Company in Rudolph is pleading guilty to stealing from more than 80 milk producers in Wood County.  Michael J. Moran was sentenced to one year of probation, 100 hours of community service and aruond ten-thousand dollars in fines and fees for felony theft.  Moran pre-paid more than 21-thousand dollars in restitution which will be distributed to his victims.  Attorney General Josh Kaul said, " this case has ensured that 83 farmers got the money they were owed and hopefully will deter future theft from Wisconsin dairy farmers."  The complaint alleged that Moran forged the names of farmers on underpayment checks and used the money for himself.

Minnesota households are filling out those U-S 2020 Census forms faster than anybody else.  A regional push starts this week, but Minnesota always serves as a national leader when it comes to getting this chore finished.  More than 71 percent of Minnesota households have filled out the forms and returned them.  That compares to a national response rate of just 62 percent.  This is the point when census workers will start going door-to-door looking for people who haven’t responded yet.  Minnesota is very close to losing one of its congressional seats, making this year’s count very important on a nationwide basis