Local-Regional News March 9

Two large Wisconsin Co-Ops are exploring the possibility of a merger. Countryside Co-Op of Durand and Landmark Services Cooperative of Cottage Grove have entered into an agreement to explore the possibility of merging. In an announcement online, both Co-Ops Board of Directors unanimously supported the exploration process. During this time, both co-ops will determine whether joining the resources of the co-ops will build competitive advantages and increase value for members and employees.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is labeling Eau Claire an “opioid area of concern.”  The state says the number of opioid-connected deaths is an issue.  The Eau Claire is said to be among the worst in Wisconsin when it comes to opioid-related ambulance runs, overdose hospitalizations, deaths and hepatitis-C cases in people between the ages of 15 and 39.  Eau Claire County Sheriff Ron Cramer confirms the state’s numbers do reflect the reality of what he sees on a daily basis.

La Crosse County prosecutors are accusing a 41-year-old West Salem man of using a G-P-S device to track the movements of his former girlfriend.  The victim found the device in the spare tire compartment when she searched her vehicle.  She told investigators Matthew Robinson started sending messages to her about her location and showed up at a friend’s house last week when he had no other way of knowing where she was.  Robinson is charged with stalking, misuse of a G-P-S device, criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct.

The leader of the Catholic Church in western Wisconsin is telling church leaders to keep people's health in mind as they head to services this weekend.  La Crosse Bishop William Callahan issued a letter saying people are worried about the coronavirus, and that's okay.  Callahan is asking priests and ministers to use sanitizer and other good-hygiene practices.  Bishop Callahan said priests can also avoid touching worshipers if they'd like.  He says common sense and good health should be top of mind.  Other Catholic dioceses in Wisconsin have issued similar directives.

The U-S Army Corps of Engineers says water levels on the Great Lakes will remain high into spring.  Four of the five lakes – Erie, Huron, Michigan and Superior – set new monthly records during February.  Lake Michigan’s level during the month topped the previous record by six inches and was 17 inches higher than last February.  The water levels in lakes Michigan and Huron are projected to set new records every month through August.  The records being broken are all more than 30 years old.

A cruise ship quarantined because of coronavirus concerns is expected to dock sometime Monday after sailing in limbo off the California coast. State and local officials cleared the ship, operated by Princess Cruises, to dock in Oakland. 40 Minnesotans are among the 35-hundred passengers on the ship. So far 21 cases of the virus were confirmed on the ship. 19 are crew members, and two are passengers.

Brown Deer police are working with the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association to investigate a fight last week after a high school basketball playoff game.  A 55-year-old Greenfield man was arrested after he pushed a 16-year-old girl, but no serious injuries have been reported.  Pius X-I defeated Milwaukee School of Languages and there was extra security present when the winning school played Pewaukee at Cudahy High School Saturday.  Police say they found several people arguing in the parking as their units arrived but tensions were quickly eased.

By 5:00 P-M Sunday the air temperature hit 60 degrees at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. This is the first time the temperature hit 60 since October 20th, 141 days ago. Last year the airport didn't see a 60 degree high until March 27th.

U-S Senator Ron Johnson says Congress is making sure the country has the supplies it needs to handle the coronavirus outbreak.  The Wisconsin Republican chaired a hearing Thursday after more than eight-billion dollars was approved in federal funding.  Johnson calls this an “all hands on deck” situation.  The C-D-C has just shipped 75 thousand coronavirus test kits to health departments across the country.  Johnson says that number will grow to one-point-two million in the coming weeks.  Wisconsin has had one confirmed case of COVID-19.  Minnesota reported its first positive coronavirus case Friday.

A man convicted of soliciting his wife to kill police has had an appeal in the case tossed out by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.  Kelly Closs was found guilty in 2017 of solicitation of reckless injury for telling his wife to shoot any cops who came to the door.  Police had tape of him calling from jail and telling his wife "let them have it," "blow them away," "shoot right through the door right into the cop."  An appeals court previously upheld the convictions after Kloss claimed solicitation of reckless injury was not a crime in Wisconsin.  The Supreme Court heard arguments in the case last year, but decided today (Friday) to dismiss the appeal.  Five of the seven justices agreed that the Supreme Court should not have taken up the case in the first place.

A presidential candidate no more, businessman Michael Bloomberg is still a player in the Democratic race.  Bloomberg says he will fund an anti-Trump operation in six battleground states, including Wisconsin.  Bloomberg says he will pay for field offices for former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign.  It will be conducted through a committee that won’t coordinate with any campaign, but legal details are still being worked out.  Bloomberg left the race Wednesday after weak performances in 14 Super Tuesday states.  Once he made that decision, he immediately endorsed Biden.

A spokesman for Molson Coors says some of the things people are saying about last week’s shooting are true – but some aren’t.  The company is pushing back against rumors concerning the incident which left six people dead, including the shooter.  Spokesman Adam Collins confirms a report the company found a noose in accused shooter Anthony Ferrill’s locker five years ago.  Despite that, investigators with the Milwaukee police say they don’t have any evidence which suggests racism in the workplace led to the shooting.

Minnesota lawmakers plan to provide state funding to prepare for a coronavirus outbreak.  Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says the House and Senate will convene Monday to pass nearly 21-million dollars in funding for the Public Health Response Contingency Account.  He says they are working to move the bill quickly to provide care for those who need it.  Governor Tim Walz told reporters he's confident Minnesota is prepared for this.

A deputy in the Rock County Sheriff’s Department talked to a scammer who was claiming to be a detective in the same department this week.  A number was left on a potential victim’s voice mail and the deputy called it.  He says he wound up talking very briefly to a person identified as “Officer Scott,” but that person hung up.  A day later the phone number – with a 608 area code – had been disconnected.  Authorities say they don’t call people who are named in arrest warrants and they don’t collect fines by making phone calls.