Local-Regional News April 8

 

Patrick Milliren has been re-elected as Mayor of Durand. Unofficial results from yesterday’s election show Milliren defeating challenger Herb Schneider 331-221. Durand City Council members Hooker, Kavanaugh and Weisenbeck were all unopposed and re-elected to the council. The city had mailed 53 absentee ballots, and 44 of those were returned.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on amending Ordinance 535 which would allow ATV/UTV use of the Hwy 10 Bridge, repeal of the vacant building ordinance and approval of an agreement for timber sales with Dahlby Conservation Services. Tonights meeting begins at 6pm at Durand City Hall.

Among other races settled by voters on election day in Western Wisconsin was the contest for Eau Claire City Council president. Former District 3 representative Jeremy Gragert prevailed in that contest over Scott Rogers. In some of the other regional contests, voters in the Fall Creek School District and Eleva-Strum School District passed referendums. Matthew Crowe defeated incumbent Randy Knaack and will become Menomonie's next mayor.

Wisconsin voters on Tuesday selected Democratic-backed Chris Taylor to serve on the state Supreme Court. Unofficial results show Taylor beat her opponent Maria Lazar by 20 percentage points. In claiming victory, Taylor said that her win shows Wisconsin voters believe people should be at the center of government and the priority of the judiciary.

The Chippewa County Highway Department is notifying property owners and the public that agricultural activities and encroachments within county highway right-of-way areas are prohibited under Wisconsin law. Agricultural activities that were observed in the right of way in 2025 include plowing, cultivating, planting and the placement of crops, fences, equipment, or other materials. Those activities can obstruct drainage systems, hinder roadside visibility and compromise roadway safety. The highway department is asking for voluntary compliance to avoid the need for enforcement measures.

Wabasha County has announced a partnership with CredibleMind, expanding access to convenient and confidential mental wellbeing resources for community members. The partnership will offer digital content for county employees, health care providers and community organizations engagement and personalized mental health resources for all residents in Wabasha County. The resources will be available 24-7.

The Minnesota National Guard has been activated to provide emergency assistance in Winona County after a cyber attack . According to authorities, the attack happened on Monday and has impaired the county’s ability to deliver emergency and municipal services. The guard is providing cyber protection support to continue municipal operations. County officials have been working with with Minnesota Information Technology Services, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the League of Minnesota Cities, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and external cybersecurity experts.

Authorities are investigating after the recent discovery of a body in Rusk County. Stevens Point resident Jade Olson was found dead last Friday in a wooded area just north of Ladysmith. His vehicle was parked nearby. There has been no word on Olson's cause of death.

The president of Wisconsin's public university system is being expelled. The Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents voted last night to fire Jay Rothman following roughly 20 minutes of private discussion. A press release said Rothman's tenure will end immediately, and vice president of university relations Chris Patton will take over in the interim. Rothman was hired to the role in 2022, and previously served as CEO for a Milwaukee law firm. Regents are now tasked with finding a permanent successor to lead Wisconsin's 13-university system.

New data tracks losses in the teaching profession in Wisconsin. A report from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction shows just fifty‑two percent of new teachers are still in K-12 public school classrooms by their eighth year. Retention is even lower among special education teachers, at just forty‑three percent. The report also finds nearly thirty percent of newly trained educators never enter Wisconsin classrooms. State Superintendent Jill Underly says pay remains a key issue, noting mid‑career teacher compensation is more than twenty percent lower than in 2010, after inflation. Underly warns without stronger state investment, Wisconsin’s educator shortage will continue to grow.

The number of those filing for unemployment for the first time are increasing across Wisconsin. That's according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Labor, which shows that for the week ending March 28th, there were more than 44-hundred first time filings in the state. That is more than 800-more filings compared to the week before. Nationally, the number of filings decreased compared to the week prior.

Hospital costs in Wisconsin are rising far faster than family paychecks, according to a new report. Analysis from the University of Wisconsin’s Center for Research on the Wisconsin Economy finds hospital service costs have climbed nearly three times faster than the state’s median household income. The report also shows Wisconsin hospitals charge the fourth‑highest prices in the nation for family health insurance premiums. Researchers say greater price transparency could play a key role in slowing the growth of healthcare costs for patients.

Former Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan is losing another fight in court. A motion to overturn her conviction for obstructing federal immigration agents was denied by a judge yesterday. Dugan's legal team tried to claim what happened could be considered "part of a judge's job," but the judge rejected that, adding he made the same note in a motion to dismiss the case. A jury convicted Dugan of felony obstruction in December for helping a man in her courtroom evade an immigration arrest. Jurors cleared her of a separate misdemeanor charge tied to concealing someone from discovery and arrest.

A judge is siding with the Trump administration and is allowing it to withhold Medicaid funds from Minnesota. The state was requesting a judge to prevent the administration from withholding a quarter-billion dollars in Medicaid funding. However, the judge ruled on Monday that Minnesota hasn't shown the administration broke the law. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison argues that this is part of President Trump's reckoning and retribution against the state. Vice President J.D. Vance said the funds will be reinstated once Minnesota complies with a corrective action plan.

Wisconsin ranks among the top states for remote work. That's according to a new report from Wallethub. Electricity costs and access to broadband internet are credited with making putting Wisconsin at the 28th best place to work remotely. The state ranked fifth in having the most cyber crime per capita. Iowa ranked at the bottom of all the states for working from home.

Local-Regional News April 7

Crews began removing trees along Madison Street yesterday as the Madison Street Reconstruction project began. Durand City Administrator Tracy Carleson says the project will last through the summer. Crews also began blocking the intersections along Madison Street and will begin the staging of construction equipment for the project. The City of Durand has a webpage on its website with updates on the project.

Sexual assault and child abuse charges are being filed against an Eau Claire man in Buffalo County. Investigators say that 38-year-old Kyle Dean Vaughn abused three young people between December of 2017 and April of 2023 in Mondovi. Vaughn is in custody and is being held on a $25,000 cash bond and has a court appearance scheduled for tomorrow. If convicted of all the charges, Vaughn faces over 30yrs in prison.

Authorities are sharing more details in the shooting of a man in the Township of Washington this past Friday. Dakotah Blackcoon was shot at around 3 a.m. at a location on Mall Drive and sustained non life-threatening injuries. The suspect has been identified as Cameron Blackcoon -- the victim's son. Cameron Blackcoon was arrested following the incident.

A Whitehall man is facing charges in Jackson and Trempealeau counties. Seth Day is accused in a March 7th shooting incident in the Village of Taylor in which police say he was riding a skateboard and firing shots that damaged two vehicles. Meanwhile, in Trempealeau County, he faces half-a-dozen counts of bail-jumping.

A suspect accused of making threats against a St. Croix County church has now been charged. Leaders with the Faith Community Church in Hudson contacted authorities last Wednesday morning with word that the church had received a bomb threat. A subsequent search by police found no signs of an explosive device. Bryant Camp later surrendered to police in connection with the incident. Camp has now been charged with making terrorist threats and causing a bomb scare.

The search continues in the Mississippi River for an elderly woman who was last seen in Winona. The Winona County Sheriff's Office says 72-year-old Patricia Sweningson went missing in mid-March. Search crews surveyed the river on Saturday and they were not successful. Sweningson is described as five-foot six woman weighing 110 pounds. Anyone that knows her whereabouts is urged to contact the Winona Police.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has announced nearly $50 million in grants were awarded through the first round of Agricultural Roads Improvement Program (ARIP) funding that was a result of bipartisan budget negotiations and approved by the governor in the 2025-27 Biennial Budget. Here in Western Wisconsin, the Town of Naples in Buffalo County received a $389,000 grant to improve Gonty Road, the Town of Spring Brook received a $954,000 grant to improve 810^th Street, and the Town of Arcadia in Trempealeau County received a $2.3 Million grant to improve River Valley Road. The funding is focused on improving local rural roads used by farmers and producers to transport agricultural and forestry products that support Wisconsin’s more than $116 billion agricultural industry statewide.

As the annual winter moratorium on utility disconnections ends on April 15^th. Xcel Energy is reminding qualified customers that help is available through the company’s new Residential Arrears Assistance Program and other payment assistance options. Customers who remain past due after April 15 and do not have payment arrangements in place may be at risk of disconnection. Xcel Energy customers who need help paying their bills should call 1-800-895-4999, and customer representatives will help set up payment arrangements and refer them to the appropriate agencies to determine if they’re eligible for assistance.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is reminding you to be bear aware as black bears emerge from their winter dens. As warmer weather draws more people outdoors, the DNR says bear sightings and encounters increase across the state. Black bears, especially active in spring, are often drawn to neighborhoods by food smells. Officials urge people to secure trash, remove bird feeders, bring pet food inside, and clean grills. If you encounter a bear, stay calm, make loud noises, and give it a clear escape route. The DNR says prevention is the best protection against black bear encounters. More info can be found on the DNR's website.

PFAS funding is released as Governor Tony Evers signs a pair of bills. Following months of negotiations with Republican lawmakers, Evers on Monday signed the bills to facilitate release of $125 million from the PFAS Trust Fund to combat “forever chemicals” contamination statewide. The bipartisan Assembly Bill 130 and Assembly Bill 131 passed the state Senate unanimously last month. The $125 million was allocated as part of the 2023-24 state budget, but Evers vetoed the legislation, calling it "not good enough." The bills he signed will allocate some $80 million from the trust fund to a community grant program, and amend the state’s Spills Law so fire departments, farmers, landowners, and some business owners, will not be held liable for PFAS contamination they didn’t cause.

An 8-year-old Wisconsin girl who was the subject of an AMBER Alert over the weekend was found safe in Nebraska. The alert was posted Saturday after police in Wautoma learned that Betty Lentz had taken daughter Irene Lentz to meet 44-year-old Joseph Nicpon. Nicpon was released from prison on supervised release late last month after being convicted of child incest in 2017. Police said Nicpon is prohibited from having contact with Betty and Irene. After the Wisconsin Department of Corrections was notified that Nicpon removed his GPS tracking bracelet in Adams County, the Nebraska State Patrol located all three on Saturday afternoon near Omaha. Nicpon was taken into custody without incident, and Betty Lentz was taken into custody for questioning by Wisconsin authorities.

The hiring of an officer by a police department in Washington County is under scrutiny. The Kewaskum Village Board filed charges through its Police and Fire Commission against police Chief Thomas Bishop and Lieutenant Bryan Frank. That's after an investigation found what the board called negligence in the hiring of Officer Jeremy Haske, who was previously fired from the Juneau County Sheriff’s Office in 2010 over several allegations including mishandling evidence and fabricating information. The board’s investigation questions the vetting procedures in the hiring of Haske, who is currently on paid administrative leave. The Police and Fire Commission will next decide if any disciplinary action will be taken against Bishop and Frank

Governor Tony Evers is starting the process of issuing the state’s first commutations in more than 25 years. Evers announced Friday he’s creating a new advisory board to review cases and recommend sentence reductions. Unlike pardons issued for people who’ve already completed their sentences, commutations can shorten prison or supervision time. While Evers has granted a record-breaking 2,000 pardons, no commutations have occurred since 2001, when then Governor Tommy Thompson granted seven. Evers says the move is aimed at improving public safety, reducing repeat offenses, and easing overcrowded prisons. He’s also prioritizing people sentenced as minors, including those serving life sentences. Certain crimes, including sexual offenses and child abuse, will not be eligible.

A Wisconsin anti-ICE activist accused of interrupting an Easter service at a St. Paul church is no longer facing charges. Four misdemeanor counts were dismissed against Emily Heather Phillips, including committing offensive, noisy or obscene behavior and disturbing a religious service at the church. She was set free today after spending the night in jail. Phillips defense attorney said her client was on public property across the street from Cities Church yesterday while she was with several other protestors. The lawyer added that Phillips was using a blow horn and speaker before she was arrested.

As spring arrives, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is reminding people to keep their distance from young wild animals. Officials say animals that appear abandoned are often being cared for by a parent nearby. Interacting with them — or leaving human scent — can put them at risk by attracting predators or causing parents not to return. The DNR says well‑intentioned rescues often do more harm than good and remind you it’s illegal to rehabilitate wildlife without a license. More tips can be found on the DNR’s website. 

Local-Regional News April 6

 

The Madison Street reconstruction project begins today. Crews will begin removing trees and performing other work. Durand City Administrator Tracy Carleson says the city will have a webpage on the city website to provide the public updates on the project. The project is expected to be completed by this fall.

With the upcoming changes to the school day for Durand-Arkansaw middle and high school students District Superintendent Ryan Nelson says the biggest changes will be at the end of the day. The school board approved changing the middle-high school day to 8am-3:06pm for the upcoming school year.

The Wabasha Port Authority, City, State, Keller-Baartman Properties LLC, of Red Wing, and community partners gathered Thursday to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Alleghany apartments, a new 50-unit market rate property in downtown Wabasha. The project fills a gap for needed housing in the city, particularly residential rental that is new construction. The apartment building will be a four-story building, with studios, one, two, and three-bedroom units, an exercise room, a community room, and 38 underground parking stalls. Project completion is planned for February 2027.

Wisconsinites will be heading to the polls tomorrow for the spring election. The main statewide race this spring is for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, where Chris Taylor is taking on Maria Lazar. Locally there is a race for Mayor in the City of Durand between incumbant Patrick Milliren and Challenger Herb Schneider. More than 280-thousand Wisconsinites had already returned their ballots as of Friday afternoon.

Compeer Financial is warning customers of a current fraud attempt. On April 2, 2026, clients reported receiving phone calls that appeared to be from Compeer Financial. The caller identified themselves as a member of the Compeer Financial team and claimed they were verifying a transaction. In some situations, clients receive follow-up text messages.  Compeer says they do not ask clients to click on a link to confirm usernames, passwords, account numbers, transactions or Social Security numbers.  If someone claiming to be from Compeer Financial asks you to share personal information or financial details by phone, please hang up and call our Contact Center using the phone number at compeer.com/contact.

One person is in custody after a shooting in Eau Claire County. Local hospital staff contacted authorities regarding an adult who came in with a single gunshot wound just after 3 a.m. Friday. Eau Claire police say it's believed the incident occurred in the Town of Washington. The Sheriff's Office was contacted to continue investigating with the help of Eau Claire police. One person has been taken into custody, with the charges unknown at this time.

Drivers who regularly travel Highway 53 may notice some changes starting today. Crews will be starting work on a project to replace the Otter Creek Bridge. That effort will require the highway to be cut down to just one lane for possibly up to two months.

Wisconsin's most popular state park is getting bigger. Dave Hanson with Wisconsin State parks says 100 new acres of land at Devil's Lake State Park could help alleviate some of the crowds during the summer. "The trails can be really busy and in some cases overcrowded. So one of the goals through this master planning process is to be able to add some additional trails and trail systems to the park." The new property is in the north east corner of the park, which is mostly undeveloped at this point. Hanson says one standout feature will be a fantastic thirty-mile view from the high point of the new land. Hanson says actual development of the new property will depend on public input.

Olmsted County Sheriff's Office Captain Macey Tesmer is stepping down. She announced Thursday that she is retiring after serving nearly three decades in law enforcement. Tesmer joined the sheriff's office in 1997 as a detention deputy. She then served as a field training officer, training deputy, sergeant and was promoted to captain in 2010. Tesmer will leave office on April 17.

Wisconsin is joining a multi-state lawsuit against the Trump administration over an executive order affecting voting. The order would create voter eligibility lists and restrict mail-in ballots for people not included. The White House says the move is meant to prevent non-citizens from voting. Attorney General Josh Kaul says such cases are rare and current systems ensure election integrity. Kaul joined 22 other attorneys general and a governor in asking a court to block the policy, arguing that election authority belongs to the states.

Governor Evers is vetoing two bills that would eliminate state income taxes on tips and overtime pay. Evers says the measures would create unequal treatment among workers and rely on temporary tax policy instead of long-term relief. The proposals would have allowed deductions of up to 12-thousand-500-dollars in overtime pay and 25-thousand-dollars in tips. Researchers say the changes could have helped hundreds of thousands of workers. Similar legislation could be proposed as Evers' term nears its end.

Universities of Wisconsin System Jay Rothman says he’s not leaving. As first reported by the Associated Press on Thursday, Rothman has been told by the Board of Regents to either resign or be fired. In a March 26 letter to the Regents, Rothman said he’s been given no reason for the ultimatum and has no intention of stepping down. “I do not believe my resignation at this time is in the best interests of either the Universities of Wisconsin or the state of Wisconsin.” Rothman also sent a letter to Regent President Amy Bogost, who said “the Board is responsible for the leadership of the Universities of Wisconsin and is having discussions about its future.” She said the board does not comment on personnel matters.

There will be no trial for a discrimination lawsuit against the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Lawyers for former assistant professor Ahmed Mahmoud and the university told a judge a settlement was reached to avoid a trial, which was scheduled to begin this week. Mahmoud filed the lawsuit two years ago claiming he was discriminated against when he wasn't given tenure by the university, where he started working in 2017. His accusations were based on his ethnicity, with Mahmoud being Egyptian, Arab, and Muslim.  

Local-Regional News April 3

 

The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office has been notified by several people that they have received phone calls from someone claiming to be from the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, Jail Division asking for money for family members that are currently in jail. It appears the scammers are using the current jail roster to target family members. The Sheriffs Department reminds everyone that the jail will never call family members or friends of inmates to ask for money to pay for special programs or special housing. If you have any concerns about a call allegedly coming from the jail you are to hang up and call the jail back.

One person was injured in a two vehicle accident in Trimbelle Township on Tuesday. According to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, 57yr old Bruce Rix of Stillwater, MN was traveling westbound on Hwy 10 when he was struck by a vehicle driven by 68yr old Porter Thoms of Menomonie who was also traveling westbound on Hwy 10. 44yr old Cheryl Lawson of Maryville, TN, who was a passenger in Thoms’ vehicle was taken to River Falls Area Hospital.

A Comstock man charged in connection with a fire that destroyed an adult entertainment club in Elk Mound will not be going to prison. Colton Jansen faced arson charges stemming from the January 2025 fire at Shooters Showgirls. Jansen was found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect earlier this year. He has now been ordered to undergo 15 years of mental health treatment.

The Durand Fire Department is reminding city of Durand residents and property owners that the fire protection fee on water bills is not used for funding of Fire Department operations. The fee is used to support the municipal water system, fire hydrants and upsizing the water mains to provide fire protection to all properties in the city of Durand. The fire fee was included on water bills by the City last year.

Dunn County residents will have the chance to recycle old electronics for free. The county has partnered with Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations to offer free electronics recycling on May 7^th from 10am-6pm at the Dunn County Fairgrounds Small Animal Building. Household electronics, kitchen appliances and outdoor electronics will be accepted. Contact Dunn County Solid Waste for more information.

A jury trial is being ordered for Alvin Taylor. Taylor is the Eau Claire County man who previously admitted to the killings of four people between the years of 1985 and 1987 -- having said that he did so after receiving messages through the radio and television. In 1988, Taylor was found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect and he has been confined to treatment facilities ever since -- but now is asking to be released. No date has been set for the jury trial.

A Chippewa Falls man accused of sexually assaulting minors is taking a plea deal. Prosecutors say that 21-year-old Keegan Peterson victimized two children under the age of 13 between May 2021 and June 2023. Peterson was charged in December with repeated sexual assault of a child. He has pleaded no contest to amended charges and been sentenced to sixty days behind bars plus two years of probation.

Anyone who uses a private well can get their drinking water tested for nitrate, bacteria, and more at a discounted price at the Eau Claire County Health Department this April. You don’t need to live in Eau Claire County to have your water tested and the department has two different options available to private well owners. Those wanting a test are encouraged to pick up a water sample kit and return it to the Eau Claire County Health Department between April 13-23rd.

A bill to legalize online sports betting in Wisconsin is now awaiting action from Governor Tony Evers. The legislation would expand Wisconsin’s definition of a bet to allow online sports wagering. It would also let the governor renegotiate gaming compacts with tribal nations, as long as betting servers remain on tribal land. Last month, eight of Wisconsin’s eleven federally recognized tribes signed a letter supporting the bill, though the Menominee Indian Tribe, Oneida Nation and Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa did not sign on. Governor Evers says he wants all tribes included in the discussion. He has until next Thursday to sign the bill or veto it.

If you still haven't turned in your absentee ballot for the Spring Election, don't put it in the mail. The Wisconsin Elections Commission on Wednesday reminded voters that a ballot mailed on Thursday might not make it to your clerk's office in time to be counted next Tuesday. Instead, they recommend you take it to a ballot drop off point like a valid drop box or an early election site. In person early voting is available until Sunday in many municipalities. Find out more by logging on to My Vote dot W I dot Gov.

We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service want to raise residential electric bills again. The parent company of the utilities submitted its request to the Public Service Commission on Wednesday. Average residential bills for both companies would go up about 20 dollars per month by 2028. Much of the increase comes to pay for conversion from coal to cleaner energy systems, and an overall expansion to power proposed data centers. WEC Energy Group says it will shield residential customers from paying for power to data centers. The Public Service Commission would have to sign off on the rate hikes for them to go into effect.

Clean Wisconsin is suing the Trump administration over the rollback of pollution limits for coal plants. The suit targets the repeal of Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, which Clean Wisconsin says cut mercury pollution by more than 90 percent since 2015 and reduced risks of cancer, heart and lung disease. The lawsuit also challenges reduced emissions monitoring. In Wisconsin, mercury contamination has led to fish consumption advisories on more than 100 inland waters and both Great Lakes.

A Rochester woman is going to prison for her part in the federal Feeding Our Future fraud case. Zamzam Jama was sentenced yesterday to six months behind bars and one year on supervised release. The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering in February. She also has to pay over 491-thousand dollars in restitution. Prosecutors say Jama used a check of more than 31 thousand dollars to a auto dealership to buy a vehicle in August 2021. In October of that year, she also used a check worth 80 thousand dollars to put on a home in Rosemount. Jama has been ordered to surrender to the U.S. Marshal by June 2nd to begin her sentence.

Third-party candidate Mike Newcome is dropping out of the governor's race. The Forward Independence Party says his campaign is ending after Operation Metro Surge derailed his bid. Newcome is a Lake Elmo businessman who pitched himself as a middle-of-the-road candidate. He failed to meet his fundraising goal of 500-thousand dollars and only raised about half that sum. Newcome is the second candidate to leave the 2026 race for governor over the fallout of Operation Metro Surge.

April is National Donate Life Month, and UW Health is encouraging people to consider becoming organ, eye, and tissue donors. Doctors say most people are eligible, as age and medical history are no longer major barriers in many cases. There are roughly 1,500 people in Wisconsin currently waiting for an organ transplant, most of them in need of a kidney. UW Health also urges people to talk with loved ones about their wishes, saying those conversations can ease decisions during medical emergencies. More information is available on UW Health’s website.

Local-Regional News April 2

 

The City of Durand recently held a public test of its voting equipment. Durand City Administrator Tracy Carleson says the machines all are working correctly. Carleson says while the city uses Badger Books electronic polling system, the machines are not connected to the internet. Polls will open on Tuesday morning at 7am and a phone ID is required to vote.

The Durand-Arkansaw School District is leaving an 8 school group that shared teacher and support staff training. Durand Arkansaw School Superintendent Ryan Nelson says the consortium didn’t fit the specific needs of district staff. With the change, the district will save approximately $7000.

An Alma woman has received a $5000 grant through the Florida Sea Grant Guy Harvey Fellowship. Jessica Keller is one of 8 recipients and will use the money to continue her research at the University of Florida on the movement ecology of fish using acoustic telementry and satellite tracking to study different fish species. She previously served as an assistant research scientist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commisison.

Ruby's Pantry is abruptly ending its food shelf operation in Wisconsin and Minnesota. The nonprofit announced on Tuesday night that it would be immediately ending operations at 85 sites throughout the Upper Midwest. It has been distributing surplus food for more than 20 years. Now, other food pantries across the both states fear that the absence of Ruby's Pantry will force them to fill in the gaps of demand.

Eau Claire postal carriers are beginning to hit the streets in new vehicles. The new trucks are five feet longer, two feet taller and 10 inches wider than the old trucks. In comparison to the older vehicles, they also have air conditioning, improved heating and a 360-degree camera.

Jail time for a Barron County man accused of sexually assaulting a child. Prosecutors say that Steven Markegard assaulted the girl in 2017 when she was just eight-years-old. Markegard pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of child enticement and has now been sentenced to a year in jail.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation reminds drivers “Buckle Up, Phone Down.” April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and this year’s WisDOT campaign brings back public service announcements created in 2025 that feature the Schwartz family of Mayville. Casey Schwartz's wife, Casey Lynn, her son Gus and their unborn child were killed in a 2022 distracted driving crash. Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Kristina Boardman joined WisDOT staff and officials from West Bend this week to launch the anti-distracted driving campaign. According to WisDOT distracted driving is a factor in more than 9,000 crashes every year in Wisconsin. Boardman said stopping them is central to the agency’s safety mission of reaching zero preventable traffic deaths.

There were 13 fatalities in Wisconsin’s now concluded snowmobile season. That’s according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Fatal Crash Summaries for this year and 2025. The crashes occurred between December 13 in Winnebago County and the most recent on February 25 in Bayfield County. Crash victims were all males between the ages of 15 and 76. Only two, from Minnesota and Illinois, had completed a recommended safety certification although four others were listed as “pending.” Two of operators were not wearing helmets, and alcohol was involved in at least three crashes, with results pending on eight others. All snowmobile trails in the state are now closed.

A journalist from southern Wisconsin has been kidnapped in Iraq. 49-year-old Shelly Kittleson is from Mount Horeb and graduated from Darlington High School. She was taken Tuesday night in central Baghdad. Iraq's interior ministry said in a statement that security forces pursued the kidnapper's vehicle, which overturned as they fled. One suspect is in custody. Kittleson is a veteran reporter who has spent years covering war zones in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. Her family still lives in southern Wisconsin. Her mother, Barbara, telling a Milwaukee TV station that Shelly had messaged and sent her photo on Monday and that she was fine at that time.

A Wisconsin three-judge panel has thrown out a Democratic lawsuit to redraw the state's congressional maps ahead of the November midterms. The panel said only the Wisconsin Supreme Court can decide the issue, but any ruling likely wouldn't come in time for Election Day. A similar case is slated for trial in 2027. The decision preserves Republicans' advantage -- six of Wisconsin's eight House seats -- for now. Democrats argue the maps unfairly favor Republicans.

A state Senate Oversight Committee is recommending major changes to how Wisconsin’s Department of Justice handles legal work. Following an investigation, the committee wants DOJ to terminate all current contracts with outside attorneys, arguing only state employees should prosecute Wisconsin citizens. Republicans say the practice opens the door to activist influence, while Democrats counter the hearings were used to score political points. The panel is also urging new legislation to make the restriction clear.

Layoffs at a Jefferson County egg supplier are taking place this week. Daybreak Foods announced more than 80 employees would be losing their jobs due to an avian flu outbreak that forced the company to depopulate its birds. The layoffs include more than 50 in Palmyra and 30-plus in Whitewater. The company noted that because of a decrease in the bird population, there won't be enough work for the people it employs. The layoffs are expected to last up to seven months.

A suspect is arrested in a nearly 50-year-old Kenosha cold case homicide. In 1977, 48-year-old Ralph Ambrose Gianoli was found dead in his Kenosha home from blunt force trauma to the head and abdomen. Investigators exhausted all leads in the case which went unsolved until Kenosha Police reopened it in 2021. Working with state and federal agencies, advanced evidence-processing methods were used to identify 68-year-old James Terry Fowler as a suspect in 2024. Fowler was interviewed and arrested in Memphis, Tennessee on Monday and is charged with first-degree homicide.

Help protect Wisconsin's endangered species. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is seeking volunteers to help monitor rare and endangered species across the state in 2026. Community scientists of all skill levels can take part—surveying plants and animals and helping track threats like habitat loss, disease and climate change. Last year, volunteers collected data in nearly every Wisconsin county. Training and coordination are supported by the state’s Endangered Resources Fund. More details are available on the DNR’s website.