Local-Regional News Feb 16

No one was injured in a gas explosion in the town of Union last Tuesday. According to Township Fire, crews were dispatched to a fire on Anderson Road. Deputies on the scene advised there was no visible fire in the home but the kitchen was smokey and all occupants had evacuated. Firefighters determined a gas explosion had taken place and they ventilated the home and had the gas turned off. The home suffered minor damage. The source of the gas leak is still under investigation.

Compeer Financial is warning customers of scammer sending fake emails looking like they have come from Compeer. In the scheme, Compeer clients are sent an email using valid employee names and a fraudulent domain name. In this instance, the email domain was imitated by adding an ‘s’ to the end of our domain name. The email received then included modified copies of our wiring instructions. The fraudulent email address are cornpeer.com and cornpeers.com which can look similar to the legitimate website at first glance. If you have a question or concern regarding any communications you receive from Compeer you are advised to call your Compeer representative directly.

The City of Durand is working on establishing daily pool admission rates for the upcoming summer. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the city intends to have a full swim season this summer.

Milliren

The city hopes to have this admission rates set in the coming months.

ATV’s and UTV’s could be allowed to use the Hwy 10 Bridge soon. Last week the Assembly passed Assembly Bill 329 which would remove the 1000 foot limit for crossing bridges on highways. The bill now heads to Governer Ever’s desk for his approval.

Altoona Police are investigating after the Republican Party of Eau Claire County's headquarters was vandalized over the weekend. The building was egged and a message was spray-painted on the windows sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning. No arrests have been made.

The City of Wabasha is seeking applicants for the 2026 season at the Wabasha City Pool.  Positions available:  Lifeguards, Water Safety Instructors (WSI), and Front Desk Attendants.  Lifeguards must meet minimum age requirements and possess or obtain through provided training courses the American Red Cross Lifeguard/First Aid/CPR certifications. WSI Instructors must meet minimum age requirements and possess or obtain through provided training courses for certification.  Front desk attendants must be of legal age. Application deadline is March 15.

The Goodhue County Sheriffs Department is warning residents of scam calls from individuals posing as law enforcement and claiming residents have missed jury duty and in one case used a local Judge’s name to make the call sound legitimate. The department reminds residents they deputies will never call demanding payment over the phone. If you receive one of these calls you are to just hang up.

The Apostle Island caves are opening for the first time in over a decade. On Saturday, the National Park Service announced it is reopening the ice caves starting today. Visitors will have to walk about two to six miles across frozen Lake Superior from the Meyers Beach parking lot to reach the caves. For safety measures, the ice shelf must extend miles from the shore so it can protect the area's lake ice from the open-water waves. Admission fees will cost five dollars per person.

A judge is clearing the way for the moving of an oil pipeline in northern Wisconsin. Friday, the administrative law judge upheld state DNR permits that allow for the Enbridge Line 5 project to be rerouted. The Bad River Band opposed the project saying it would threaten the tribe's way of life and impact their water quality. The judge wrote in her ruling the Band failed to present evidence that would happen. Enbridge's Line 5 pipeline carries around 23-million gallons daily from Superior to Sarnia, Ontario.

Clark County authorities say they broke up a major drug ring last week, resulting in the arrest of four suspects and the seizure of several different drugs, including methamphetamines. One of the suspects -- 60-year-old Roy Pyka-- faces several charges, including manufacturing and distributing methamphetamines. The other three suspects were not identified.

The La Crosse City Council has voted down a proposal to add the position of city administrator to the city staff. The vote was close -- seven-to-six -- but the proposal needed a two-thirds majority to pass. After several hours of debate, most council members decided they needed more information, so the proposal was defeated..

The Mayo Clinic came out as victors after they were sued for retaliation. An Olmsted County jury ruled yesterday that the Rochester medical facility did not breach its anti-retaliation policy against Dr. Michael Joyner. The plaintiff filed a suit in 2023 claiming the clinic retaliated against him for comments he made during interviews. One conversation with the New York Times concerning transgender athletes. The other interview was with CNN when he criticized the National Institutes of Health on how they handled plasma to treat COVID-19. Mayo officials say Dr. Joyner had a previous disciplinary history before his civil suit started in November 2023.

UW-Madison is requiring students to share their vaccination status. An email from the school said students must upload their vaccination history by March 12th. The requirement is due to a recent confirmed case of measles on campus. UW wants students to also provide their immunity status for other diseases including mumps, rubella, tetanus and diphtheria. The university stresses that students are not being required to be vaccinated, but those who don't provide the information could be put on a registration hold.

US Senator Tammy Baldwin joined fellow Democrats Thursday to block passage of a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security. Baldwin says ICE has run roughshod on US residents for far too long and needs to follow the same procedures as other law enforcement agencies. "Just like local law enforcement, ICE should be required to have a judicial warrant before entering and searching homes and businesses, not a blank check to violate the Fourth Amendment." Baldwin says Republicans and the Trump Administration need to actually negotiate and offer real regulations on ICE before Democrats will be willing to sign a deal.

Eau Claire area ice rinks have been a popular place to visit this winter. The Eau Claire Parks and Recreation Division reports more than 46-hundred people have visited the area's four ice rinks so far this season. Officials say the rinks have been open for a total of 33 days this season -- which they say is a normal amount of time and has made for a great year so far. The season ends March first. 

Local-Regional News February 13

 

The preliminary utility work in the Madison Street Project is underway. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says We Energies is now working on moving the gas lines.  The main part of the Madison Street reconstruction project is expected to start in April.

No one was injured in a house fire in Menomonie on Thursday. According to Menomonie Fire, crews when crews arrived to the home the found it engulfed in flames. The fire collapsed the roof and created a gas leak. Xcel Energy was called to shut off the line. The cause of that fire is still under investigation.

Winter weather has created a nationwide blood shortage after storms forced the American Red Cross to cancel drives across the country. The Southwest Wisconsin chapter says the need for blood is especially critical for accident victims, medical emergencies, and surgeries. Executive director Kyle Kriegl reminds donors that giving blood is simple—just stay hydrated, eat a good meal, and get a full night’s rest. He adds that donations are sent wherever the need is greatest, and the Red Cross app will even tell you where your blood ends up helping patients. There will be an upcoming Blood Drive at the Durand United Methodist Church on March 1^st from Noon-6pm. Visit red cross blood dot org to schedule an appointment.

An Eau Claire man, missing since January has been found dead. The Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Department said that Kenneth Lewis’ body was found in a wooded area on Wednesday. Lewis was last seen on January 13^th and his vehicle was found on January 16 near Augusta. An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of his death.

Winona County has provided residents with an update on the recent ransomware attack that has affect the county’s computer network. The county administrator is warning residents that certain county services may face delays while systems are offline. Officials investigating the incident are being assisted by cybersecurity and data forensics experts, while also working with federal law enforcement. It is unknown at this time if any personal information of residents was impacted.

First time filings for unemployment are decreasing across Wisconsin. That's according to the U.S. Department of Labor, which says for the week ending February 7th, there were more than 49-hundred first time filings in the state. That number is more than 18-hundred filings less than the week prior. Nationally, there was a decrease in the number of initial filings for the week.

The Twins are planning to use beer as a lure to draw fans to some of their home games this season at Target Field. The team will offer two-dollar beers before weekend home games all season long. Fans will be able to buy the low-cost brew before the first pitch of every Friday and Saturday home game. Meanwhile, season ticket holders will be able to get two-dollar pregame beers before every home game throughout the season. Twins have another offer on Friday nights. It's a pregame happy hour deal with two-dollar beers, hot dogs and snacks. Also, new this year is free ice cream for kids 12 and under on Sundays.

Changes to the federal SNAP program could soon impact thousands of Wisconsinites who rely on FoodShare benefits. A coalition of organizations across Wisconsin could be unable to meet new federal requirements without an additional 69 million dollars in support for FoodShare. Rebekah Sweeney is with the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association says the state could face federal penalties. Coalition members argue that funding is critical to protecting Wisconsin families’ access to food assistance. The additional funding would require bipartisan support in the Wisconsin Legislature.

A measure defining "grooming" as a crime in Wisconsin is awaiting the governor's signature. The state Senate passed the bill yesterday with bipartisan support, following last month's overwhelming approval by the Assembly. The legislation makes it illegal to engage in a pattern of behavior intended to condition or entice a child for sexual purposes. State lawmakers say the measure was prompted by gaps in state law exposed in a former Kenosha teacher case. Governor Tony Evers is expected to sign the measure.

The University of Wisconsin - Madison is bringing on a new leader later this year. The school announced Dr. Eric Wilcots as the interim chancellor effective May 17th. Wilcots has been with UW-Madison since 1995 and is currently the dean of the College of Letters and Science. He has also been a deputy dean associate dean for research. Wilcots is taking over for Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin, who is leaving to become the president of Columbia University.

Legislation regulating wakesurfing on Wisconsin lakes is on the fast track at the Capitol. Introduced on Monday, Assembly Bill 1033 was advanced to the floor for a Thursday vote after an hours long public hearing on Wednesday. In a social media post, Wisconsin Wildlife Federation Executive Director Cody Kamrowski called it “totally inadequate,” and urged people to call their Assembly representatives and tell them not to support the measure. A coalition of nearly 90 groups representing a variety of stakeholders contend the bill endangers lake health with insufficient restrictions on wakesurfing and other enhanced-wake activities. The groups support proposed legislation from State Senators Rachael Cabral-Guevara and Andre Jacque and Representative Nate Gustafson to establish responsible regulation and protect Wisconsin’s lakes from “wake-enhanced boating.”

The company that owns Kraft and Oscar Meyer is no longer planning to break up. Kraft Heinz announced last year that it was planning to split off some of its brands into separate companies for sale, but worsening economic conditions have made that impossible. Kraft Heinz has been seeing reduced sales both from a struggling food sector grappling with inflation, but also from consumers looking for healthier options. The company's CEO says they'll be working on marketing themselves to more people and business development. The company has a number of Kraft and Oscar Meyer facilities in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin lawmakers are advancing a bill that would overhaul eligibility for race based higher education programs. The Republican-authored bill prohibits using race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or religion to determine eligibility, replacing them with a broader “disadvantaged” category based on economic or personal hardship. An Assembly committee approved the bill on a six‑to‑five vote Tuesday. If it becomes law, the changes would affect minority‑focused loans, grants, and enrollment programs across the UW System, technical colleges, and several private institutions. It needs to pass in the Republican controlled Assembly and Senate before heading to Democratic Governor Tony Evers’ desk.

As Valentine's Day is quickly approaching, Wisconsin is being ranked as one of the best states for singles. That's according to a new WalletHub study, which ranked which states are the best and worst for singles based off of factors such as the number of single adults in the state, the economics of those who are single, and the number of restaurants, attractions, and nightlife options which can be used for dates. Wisconsin ranked as the sixth best state for singles, scoring its best marks in the categories of dating opportunities, romance, and fun. West Virginia ranked as the worst state for singles, while Florida, New York and Texas took the top spots.

A judge is blocking the Trump administration from freezing funds for Minnesota child and family services. On Friday, a preliminary injunction was granted to pause any attempts to freeze funding. The U.S. Administration for Children and Families froze all funds for Minnesota and four other states following fraud allegations. On Wednesday, the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families said they were grateful for the decision that protects childcare and other essential services.

Wisconsin saw a jump in unidentified flying objects reports in 2025. The National UFO Reporting Center listed 74 reports of UFOs in Wisconsin last year for a 48% increase. Sightings range from a fast-moving star that disappeared suddenly and was marked as a potential satellite to a triangle of lights that appeared as large as a city block. The National UFO Reporting Center is one of multiple databases that tracks the self-reported observations of UFOs. The center, which is a private, non-profit organization founded in 1974, listed 50 reports of UFOs in Wisconsin in 2024.

Local-Regional News Feb 12

 

A bill that would allow the use of ATV’s and UTV’s to use the Hwy 10 Bridge has yet to be voted on in the Assembly. AB329 would change state law and allow ATV’s and UTV’s to use bridges that are 1000 feet or more and which would include the Hwy 10 Bridge in Durand. The bill was scheduled for floor time earlier this week but was not brought up for a vote. State Assemblyman Trig Pronschinske is working with Assembly leaders to have the bill brought to the floor next week.

As the City of Durand works on developing a comprehensive plan for the city, public input will be needed. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says there will be a number of ways the pubic can participate.  The city hopes to have surveys available sometime next month.

The Durand Fun-Fest Committee has announce the music entertainment for this year’s Fun Fest. The Johnny Holm Band will perform Friday Night, the Corey Wise Band Saturday night and the Bear Creek Band on Sunday Afternoon. Durand Fun-Fest will be June 5^th through the 7^th at Memorial Park in Durand.

University of Wisconsin-Stout will work closely with Wisconsin businesses to ensure a recently announced $2 million federal grant will provide hundreds of workers with the skills needed to fill the state’s most in-demand jobs. Over the next four years, UW-Stout FUSE (Fast Upskilling for Skills and Employment) will give adult learners, displaced and underemployed workers, and other students the skills needed to succeed through six new short-term programs serving high-demand sectors aligned with Wisconsin’s Hot Jobs, which may include health care and behavioral support, manufacturing and logistics, IT support and cybersecurity, meeting and event planning, and child care.

The Family Fare store in Chippewa Falls is closing its doors. SpartanNash, which owns Family Fare, says its Bay Street store will begin making layoffs in April, affecting 57 employees. A closure date and a reason for the closure have not been released. This comes after the Family Fare store in Lake Wissota closed in March of last year.

The Olmsted County Attorney will not bring criminal charges following a probe into Byron Public School's finances. Last fall, the Minnesota Auditor spotted several of the district's spending patterns that led to thousands of dollars in credit card purchases without receipts and gift card purchases. The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office conducted an independent investigation. County Attorney Michael Walters called the district's spending concerning, but there was no evidence that district employees stole or embezzled BPS funds.

Respiratory illnesses are beginning to trend downward across Wisconsin. The latest data from the CDC says that while respiratory illness activity is still "moderate" across the state, emergency room visits for COVID and the flu are beginning to decrease. COVID rates are currently higher than flu or RSV rates in the state.

A food corporation is planning to shut down operations at a Milwaukee facility. Cargill announced the protein processing plant in Menomonee Valley will close by the end of May, resulting in more than 200 people losing their jobs. Production at the plant is expected to start winding down soon and come to an end around the middle of April. This is the latest Cargill facility to be shut down over the last 12 years, with the last taking place on Carmen Avenue in 2021. Cargill's website shows just one other location in Wisconsin, and that's a grain elevator in La Crosse.

Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate propose using part of the state surplus on one-time payments to taxpayers. Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (LEMA-hue) said Wednesday that he had not talked with Governor Tony Evers or Assembly leadership about the plan. Senator Patrick Testin of Stevens Point and 15 other Republicans have proposed sending $500 refund checks to individual taxpayers and $1,000 dollars to married couples who file a joint return. In a statement, Testin said the proposal would go a long way to "reduce the tax burden on residents," as the state surplus grows to nearly $8 billion. It's unclear how much support the measure has in the Assembly, or with Governor Tony Evers. The proposed refund bill is up for a committee hearing Thursday.

First time filings for unemployment are increasing across Wisconsin. That's according to the U.S. Department of Labor, which says for the week ending January 31st, there were more than 68-hundred first time filings in the state. That number is more than 19-hundred filings higher than the week prior. Nationally, there was an increase in the number of initial filings for the week.

Tuesday’s annual State of the Tribes address included pointed requests for lawmakers. Red Cliff Chippewa Chair Nicole Boyd says estimates suggests Wisconsin residents are spending hundreds of millions of dollars via unlawful and unregulated sports betting platforms located outside the state. Boyd called on lawmakers to pass legislation to allow tribes to offer mobile sport betting. She also asked the state to finally legalize medical marijuana and hemp products containing THC. She said "Wisconsinites are beyond ready and growing more impatient with lawmakers every day on this topic.” Boyd also asked for action to address gun violence and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. And she thanked Governor Tony Evers' for his advocacy on behalf of Wisconsin's tribal communities.

The state is finding no violations were committed by the Madison group home Morgan Geyser escaped from last November. Records show the Wisconsin Department of Health Services found the home had proper supervision in place at the time of Geyser's escape. An investigation that included an inspection and interviews with staff was completed following a complaint by the Bureau of Community Forensics. Previously, the Department of Corrections fired one staffer and two others were suspended following an investigation into Geyser's disappearance.

Two Philadelphia men accused of fraud are admitting to traveling to Minneapolis to set up phony businesses. Anthony Jefferson and Lester Brown pleaded guilty Monday to wire fraud in federal court. Prosecutors say the defendants create fake LLCs to take more than three million dollars from the state's Housing Stabilization Services program. Jefferson faces up to six-point-five years in prison and Brown could spend four years behind bars. Sentencing for both will be set at a later date.

The Mall of America is now offering airport parking. Travelers flying out of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport can now leave their cars overnight and for multi-day trips. The mall will charge 12 dollars a night, tax included. More than 900 spaces have been reserved for travelers on the seventh floor of the East Side ramp. The area is equipped with cameras, emergency call boxes, and around-the-clock security.

The University of Wisconsin - Madison is being recognized by a major publication. The school says Time Magazine ranked it as the 20th best university out of 500 institutions worldwide. It also placed as the second best public university in the United States, with only the University of Michigan receiving a better score among those schools. Among the items looked at by the magazine include academic capacity, performance, and global engagement. 

Local-Regional News Feb 11

 

Authorities and rescue crews from Buffalo, Pepin and Wabasha Counties responded to a report of a plane crash in Tiffany Bottoms Tuesday afternoon. According to the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department, 911 received a call from an individual who reported observing a low-flying airplane. The caller stated that he lost sight of the aircraft and believed it may have crashed in the Tiffany Bottoms area, south of State Highway 35, between STH 35 and the Mississippi River, near the Village of Nelson. At the same time, several additional reports were received regarding a low-flying plane in the area. Search resources included coordinated ground crews, drone operations, airboats, the Mayo 1 helicopter, and a Wisconsin State Patrol fixed-wing aircraft. A thorough search of the reported area was conducted. At the conclusion of the operation, no aircraft was located, and no crash site was discovered. Based on the information gathered, it is believed that a pilot was flying at a low altitude and the reporting party subsequently lost sight of the aircraft, prompting the 911 call.

A Mondovi man is in custody and facing a list of drug and weapons charges. Search warrants were executed earlier this month after the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department received reports of gunfire within the City of Mondovi. The search uncovered illegal drugs and firearms including a modified fully automatic pistol and two short-barreled shotguns. During the investigation,, 27 yr old Patrick Fox admitted that in late October he had been using a significant amount of Xanax and discharged a fully automatic handgun multiple times in a neighborhood near North Creek Lane in the City of Mondovi. He further admitted to firing a round inside the residence he shared with his girlfriend, resulting in a bullet hole in a bedroom wall while he was under the influence. Fox -- who is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a previous conviction -- was arrested and faces reckless endangerment, drug and possession of firearms charges.

The Wisconsin Public Service Commission unanimously approved Dairyland Power Cooperative's 345 kV Alma-Blair Transmission Project. The 33-mile transmission line will span from the Alma Substation near the Mississippi River to the Tremval Substation near Blair. he project aims to relieve grid congestion, support renewable energy resources and ensure reliable electricity delivery to western Wisconsin. Construction of the line is expected to start this summer with a target in-service date of summer 2028.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on the Water Filtration Plant Project Bid, discussion of the 2026 Farmers Market Season and update on the Revolving Loan Fund Loans. There will also be reports from the mayor and city department heads. Tonights meeting begins at 6pm at Durand City Hall and will be live-streamed on the WRDN website.

The Wabasha County Sheriff’s Department is warning residents of scam emails being sent out after the City of Kellogg’s email was hacked. The emails ask victims to submit a proposal to the city for a project. If the link is clicked then the victims email and personal accounts are also hacked. The sheriff’s department is advising residents to not click on any links in any email you don’t know to be 100% legitimate.

A now former Hudson High School coach is pleading guilty to charges. Chase Madison was taken into custody last year after a 23-year-old woman reported that she had been in a sexual relationship with Wayne when she was 16-years-old. Madison has pled guilty to a single count of child enticement in exchange for having other charges dropped. Sentencing is scheduled for April.

In Barron County, a defendant charged in a child pornography cases is accepting a plea deal. Authorities report they received a tip from Snapchat that spawned an investigation leading to Tyler Sprague's arrest last year. Investigators say they found child pornography on Sprague's electronic devices. The defendant pleaded guilty this week to two counts of child porn possession and will be sentenced at a later date.

What’s next for Eddie Bauer? The outdoor apparel retailer has officially filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Eddie Bauer LLC is a division of Catalyst Brands, formed just last year when JCPenney merged with its parent company and several others. Manufacturing, wholesale and online sales will continue. There are 8 Eddie Bauer locations in Wisconsin including one in Eau Claire. USA TODAY reports stores will remain open for the immediate future, but if the company cannot ‌find a buyer for ‍its U.S. and Canada stores, all of approximately 180 locations will close.

Governor Tony Evers is criticizing the Trump administration after Wisconsin was once again denied disaster relief. Evers said Monday the decision to reject FEMA assistance for several areas, including Grant County, is "ridiculous" and needs to be reversed. This latest denial was an appeal made by the state after the original request was denied last year. Parts of Wisconsin were negatively impacted by storms and flooding last August, which caused damage to public infrastructure. Evers had declared a state of emergency in response to the storms.

The Wisconsin Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection unveils the top consumer complaints of 2025. Housing disputes once again garnered the largest number of complaints. Landlord-tenant issues were the number one complaint of 2025 with 2,620. Problems including mold, infestations and security deposit returns have made landlord-tenant issues the top complaint category for Wisconsin consumers since 2022. Telemarketing complaints were the second most reported with 1,283, followed by 641 home improvement complaints. You can file a complaint by visiting DATCP's website or calling the consumer hotline.

Something smells in southeast Wisconsin. People in Kenosha County have noticed a strange odor described as similar to a chemical, vinegar or electrical burning. The fire department in Pleasant Prairie received enough calls Monday to issue an advisory about it. Reports of the smell have been widespread, covering an area from central Illinois and Indiana to as far north as Milwaukee County. No illness or injuries have been reported from the smell, which officials say has been originating from a source to the south of the area. Authorities in Wisconsin and Illinois are investigating.

Minnesota flag sales are soaring amid ICE Operation Metro Surge. Some residents are using them to show their state pride and opposition to the wave of federal immigration officers. Lee Harold, owner of Herold Flags in Rochester, said the sale of Minnesota flags has gone up 75 percent since the start of the surge. The owner of Alamo Flags sold out of non-handheld Minnesota flags and had to place another order with distributors on Monday. Activists want the thousands of agents involved in ICE's unprecedented enforcement sweep to leave Minnesota.

The Wisconsin Beef Council (WBC) is excited to announce the kickoff of the 3rd Annual Wisconsin’s Best Burger Contest starting this Friday. Through March 15 you can nominate your favorite beef burger from any Wisconsin restaurant (one nomination per person) on the Wisconsin Beef Council website. In late March, Wisconsin Beef Council will reveal the Elite Eight restaurants with the most nominations. A secret panel of judges will then embark on a delicious journey to taste and evaluate these top contenders. The winner will be announced on April 24.

Just how do you move a dinosaur skeleton? Very carefully. The Milwaukee Public Museum started closing exhibits Monday to prepare to move to its new location next year, and that includes its prized Torosaurus fossil. The Museum is working with Toronto-based Research Casting International, which is packing up the dinosaur, taking it to be cleaned, and then getting it ready for its new home. Over 4 million items in total will have to be moved a few blocks down the road to the new Nature and Culture Museum of Wisconsin which is set to open next spring.

Local-Regional News Feb 10

 

Authorities are sharing the name of the person who died following in a weekend crash in Jackson County. According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, a tractor-trailer went off of I-94 near Black River Falls Saturday afternoon and struck a number of trees. The truck's driver -- 58-year-old Mondovi resident Russell Back -- died at the scene.

After hitting a lift tower at Welch Village, a skier has died. Twenty-five-year-old Walker Nelson of Minneapolis, "died as he lived, doing what he loved," his obituary read. The Red Wing Fire Department said Nelson struck a lift tower at around 8:30 p.m. on February 1st. Nelson attended Minneapolis South High School and graduated from the University of Oregon before becoming the marketing director for the Skyway Theater in downtown Minneapolis.

The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include and update on the July 4^th celebration, and reports from the mayor and city department heads. Tonights meeting begins at 5:30 at the Marten Center in Mondovi.

Investigators have uncovered the source of carbon monoxide that caused two people to fall ill recently in the Town of Pleasant Valley. Crews initially responded to a home on Balsam Road January 30th with a reported of someone having trouble breathing. Two people were taken to the hospital for treatment with both found to have a high level of carbon monoxide in their blood. Investigators say the carbon monoxide poisoning was caused by an ice blockage in a pipe.

A former Rusk County teacher accused of sending a topless photo of herself to a teenager is pleading not guilty to charges. Investigators say that Kayla Vavra -- who was working as a second-grade teacher in the Ladysmith School District -- added herself to a teenager's Snapchat account. On the app, Vavra reportedly described her own sexual experiences to the teen and sent the topless image. Vavra was arrested Thursday on charges including Exposing a Child to Harmful Material and Intimidation of a victim.

Probation for a former La Crosse postal worker who prosecutors say stole money and gift cards out of the mail. According to investigators, Straub was employed as a mail carrier and in February of last year, stole gift cards and 350-dollars in cash from that was meant for delivery. She has been sentenced to a year of probation and ordered to make restitution plus pay a five-hundred-dollar fine.

In an annual report published on Monday, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office released data of seized drugs from 2023 through 2025. The agency said it seized 150,347 dosage units of methamphetamine last year a 70% decrease from 2024. The downward trend is also true for fentanyl. In 2025, Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office confiscated 216,536 dosage units—an approximately 30% decrease from the previous year. The department seized 20,488 cocaine dosage units last year, which is a 33% increase from 2024.

A lucky lottery player who recently purchased a Powerball ticket in Chippewa County has hit for 50-thousand dollars. The ticket sold 401 South Broadway Street Express Mart in Stanley matched four of the five white balls announced in this past Saturday's drawing. The winner has 180 days to come forward and claim their prize.

The City of Menomonie is asking residents to vote to name a city snowplow. The city received 212 submissions for names and have narrowed the list down to three. The top three are Plow Bunyan, Blizzard Wizzard and Clearopathra. Residents can cast their votes by Friday, and visit the city of Menonomie Website for more information. The winning vote will be added to the snowplow.

Plenty of people are buying those new throwback Wisconsin license plates. The Wisconsin D M V reports over 94-hundred people have bought the new blackout license plate, and another 12-hundred have purchased the yellow plate. Both of those plates were released in January as part of an effort to raise money for road repairs. That's a total of around 428-thousand dollars in revenue. State officials are hoping to raise a total of 25 million dollars with sales of the plates.

Wisconsin tribal leaders will gather at the state Capitol in Madison today for the 22nd annual State of the Tribes address. The address will be delivered at 11 a.m. in the Assembly Chamber by Nicole Boyd, chairwoman of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, on behalf of the Great Lakes Intertribal Council which represents Wisconsin’s 11 federally recognized tribes. The annual address is intended to inform lawmakers on tribal priorities, and the role tribal governments play in the state. The Chairwoman told Tribal Business News that her remarks will reflect both progress and ongoing challenges facing the state’s tribal nations as they head into the 2026 legislative session.

Another case of measles in Wisconsin. The Department of Health Services confirmed the case in a person who traveled on a January 29th Southwest flight from Phoenix to Milwaukee, then made their way to Walworth County. The case is linked to another confirmed case in a different state. DHS says they also detected measles in untreated wastewater collected in Walworth County. The latest measles case is not connected to the confirmed cases in Dane and Waukesha counties. Health officials are working to identify and notify those possibly exposed to the virus and will contact individuals who may have encountered the individual.

You may love AI, but legislation in Wisconsin is looking to keep people from marrying it. Before you say that's ridiculous, consider this...Nearly one-third of U.S. adults report having had an “intimate or romantic” relationship with an AI system. A public hearing was held Wednesday at the Capitol on legislation to ban marriages between humans and artificial intelligence. AI would also be prohibited from marrying other AI systems. Backers of the bill say it spells out that AI is not human and the bill would also ban artificial intelligence from owning property or running a corporation.

A Stevens Point man is found guilty in a road rage crash that killed a Northwoods League umpire. A Waushara County jury on Friday convicted 70-year-old Michael W. Bartz of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle and reckless driving causing great bodily harm following a three-day trial. According to online court records, Bartz is due to be sentenced on April 13. 29-year-old Conor McKenzie was thrown from an SUV on Interstate 39 in July of 2023. The SUV driver, 34-year-old Andrew L. Thomas, is scheduled to go to trial on the same charges two days after Bartz is sentenced. Thomas, McKenzie and a surviving passenger in the SUV were on their way to Madison after umpiring a Northwoods League game in Wausau. That passenger told police that Bartz and McKenzie passed each other multiple times at speeds approaching 90 miles an hour before Bartz slammed on the brakes causing Thomas to lose control and crash.

A woman is going to prison for a year after she defrauded the SNAP program out of more than 325-thousand dollars. LaTasha Thomas was also sentenced to a year of supervised released and has been ordered to pay restitution to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Federal prosecutors say the defendant, along with her daughter and another relative created temporary driver's licenses using phony names and then submitted them to Hennepin County to apply for Electronic Benefit Transfer or EBT cards. The cards were sent to the Roseville home of a codefendant, who lived under a fake name. They mentioned in their applications that they were experiencing high risk pregnancy and created fake doctor's notes.

A department of natural resources program lets frequent library goers check out state parks for free. The “Check Out Wisconsin State Parks at Your Library” program lets library cardholders check out free day passes to state parks, forests and recreation areas. More than 160 library systems with over 200 locations participate in the program, which launched in 2022. The initiative has expanded to include specialized libraries, with UW–Madison and UW–Superior among the first to join. Along with the free day pass, visitors may receive maps, stickers, accessibility information and more to help plan their trip. Details are available on the DNR’s website.