Local-Regional News August 31

A Durand resident has been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a child. 32yr old Branden Linhart was charged Thursday in Dunn County Court after a girl told authorities that Linhart sexually assaulting her at Eau Galle Lake Park on August 22 and 23^rd. Investigators say Linhart admitted to touching the girl inappropriately but denied having sex with her. He has been charged with six felonies and was being held on a $25,000 cash bond. Linharts next court date is Wednesday.

The City of Mondovi will begin a reconstruction project of Valley Estates road. The City approved moving forward with the project this fall that will included resurfacing and widening of the road in certain locations. The City also approved installing a crossing walk signal at the intersection of Washington and East Main Street.

Authorities in western Wisconsin say one teenager is dead and three are injured after a utility vehicle crash near Cumberland.  The Barron County Sheriff's Department says four kids between the ages of 11 and 14 were riding in a U-T-V Thursday afternoon when the driver lost control and the machine overturned.  All four occupants were thrown from the U-T-V.  Deputies say 13-year-old girl from Cumberland died at the scene.  A 12-year-old from Superior was airlifted to a St. Paul hospital in critical condition and an 11- and 14-year-old-boy from Rice Lake were treated and released.  The accident remains under investigation.

Pepin and Wabasha Counties completed the tower project in Wabasha County. The new tower is owned by Pepin County but the land is rented from Wabasha County. The tower is part of the communications project for Pepin County. Wabasha County is also using the tower for their communications. Wabasha County just had to pay for the tower extension costing around $75,000. Pepin County spent closer to $300,000 on the project but didn’t have to purchase land.

A voter assistance program with the League of Woman Voters will be held in Pepin County in September The programs will be from 4-6:30pm on September 10ths at Memorial Park in Durand, September 15^th at Cucna Ceci in Pepin and September 17 at the Calvary Covenant Church in Stockholm.

 A Wisconsin woman has almost 60 days to collect 700 thousand signatures on recall petitions aimed at Governor Tony Evers.  Misty Polewczynaski of Burlington launched the effort Friday.  Polewczynski says Wisconsin citizens feel unsafe and are unwilling to stand by and watch their cities burn.  She also filed paperwork to recall Democratic Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes.  The Wisconsin Democratic Party has called the effort irresponsible and absurd, pointing to Evers’ 57-percent job approval rating in a poll earlier this month.

 Rapper Kanye West is suing the Wisconsin election officials, demanding his name be place on the November presidential ballot.  The lawsuit was filed in Brown County Circuit Court Friday.  West announced he was running for president last month.  Democrats claim Republicans are backing his candidacy in swing states like Wisconsin to take Black votes away from Joe Biden.  The state Elections Commission decided West had missed the deadline for filing his nomination signatures by just a few minutes on August 4th.

 Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon is urging voters to vote by mail in the upcoming November election. This year any ballot postmarked by election day can be valid as long as it arrives within seven days. Simon says that is unprecedented in Minnesota. Critics worry a seven-day fusion for votes to arrive could lead to not only heavily delayed results but also potential fraud. Simon says his push for voting by mail is in reaction to COVID-19.

After touring parts of Minnesota this weekend Dr. Deborah Birx, a member of the White House's COVID-19 task force, said there "needs to be improvement" of precautions to slow the spread of the virus in Greater Minnesota. Birx says she was "pleased" by measures implemented in the Twin Cities. She has been traveling to several states over the past week to see how the virus is being handled on a local level. As of Sunday fewer than 36-percent of the reported cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota had occurred outside of the seven-county metro area, with more than 30-percent of all cases reported in Hennepin County alone.

The Wisconsin Senate plans to convene Monday for a special session to discuss police reform.  Governor Tony Evers on Monday ordered lawmakers in both chambers back to Madison, following the shooting of Jacob Blake in the back Sunday by a Kenosha police officer.  Evers wants lawmakers to work on a package of police reform bills which he first introduced in June.  Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said they'll do that, as well as consider other legislation by G-O-P Senator Van Wangaard.  Fitzgerald's office said it is not a full floor session, but a procedural move to “open up” the session.  Evers' spokeswoman Britt Cudaback said, "This moment demands more than task forces or empty procedural gestures."  She also notes that "on Monday, it will be 138 days since the legislature passed a bill."

The extradition hearing for the Illinois teen accused of fatally shooting two protesters and wounding a third in Kenosha is being postponed for a month.  A judge pushed back the decision on bringing Kyle Rittenhouse back to Wisconsin until September 25th.  Seventeen-year-old Rittenhouse is charged with first-degree intentional homicide in the shooting deaths of 36-year-old Joseph Rosenbaum of Kenosha and 26-year-old Anthony Huber 26 of Silver Lake.  He faces a total of five felony charges.  An attorney for Rittenhouse claims that the teenager was acting in self-defense.

 People living in five homes near the former Badger Army Ammunition site had to be evacuated Wednesday after a controlled burn spread underground.  No injuries were reported.  The flames at the Sauk Prairie Recreation Area ignited what officials are calling an “unknown substance” underground.  A hazmat team decided the let the fire burn itself out.  That recreation area was closed to the public while the Department of Natural Resources monitored the underground fire.

More than 400 hospitality workers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport will lose their jobs permanently October 15th.  With fewer travelers and fewer planes passing through the previously busy airport since March, the move by H-M-S Host wasn’t unexpected.  Many had already been furloughed for weeks and only about 150 of the usual 11 hundred workers have been on the job.  In its news release, H-M-S Host referred to the COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating effect on the travel and restaurant industries.

Xcel Energy sent 250 employees to help with recovery in areas hard hit by Hurricane or Tropical Storm Laura.  The Minnesota-based utility says line workers support and safety staff are in Louisiana helping to restore power to 670-thousand customers without electricity.  Xcel workers from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Colorado, Texas and New Mexico responded to the call for mutual assistance.  There is extensive storm damage and crews are expected to be in the area a couple weeks.

Summerfest planners say their event will look different in 2021.  They’re hoping to sign bigger national acts and move to a three-weekend format.  Summerfest C-E-O Don Smiley says the coronavirus pandemic canceling this year’s event gave them the perfect opportunity to restructure things.  Next year, Summerfest will be held on the Milwaukee lakefront June 24th through the 26th, July 1st through the 3rd, and July 8th through the 10th.

Local-Regional News August 28

The Mondovi City Council Tuesday postponed a proposal to extend Monroe Street to connect to an existing business. The Owner of Poeschel Transport wanted to have the opportunity to extend Monroe Street so his employees and customers could access his business. Only personal vehicles would be allowed, but residents were concerned with the possible increase in traffic. Monroe Street had existed at one time to the property but the segment has not existed since the late 80's. So far the city has not been able to find any record of abandonment of the road right of way but will look at some additional records before proceeding any further.

Pepin County buildings will begin the re-opening process starting September 1^st. While all buildings will be open, the public is still encouraged to call ahead for an appointment, or to do business over the phone or via email. Face masks will be required inside of the buildings. In person court will begin on September 7ths, while public meetings will still be held online and county employees will still have travel restrictions in place.

The Eau Claire City Attorney is commenting on the City-County Health Departments covid-19 health order in regards to fall sports. A group of parents had considered a lawsuit against the Department to allow for fall sports to be played. However, the city attorney said as long as the requirements and recommendations in the order are put in place, the Health order would not prevent fall sports from being played in Eau Claire County. The attorney also said it would up to each school's administration to determine if fall sports should be played.

A barn is a total loss after a fire on Thursday. Black River Falls Firefighters responded to the blaze on West Road and found the barn engulfed in flames and heavy smoke. The owner of the barn was able to evacuate cattle from the building and no injuries were reported. The cause of that blaze is still under investigation.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction reports the state has nearly 30 percent fewer new teachers than it had 10 years ago.  Recent stories have focused on the difficulty districts having in finding substitutes, but full-time teachers are in short supply, too.  A D-P-I spokesperson says the problems are caused by how hard it is to become a teacher and the relatively low pay for some new teachers.  Wisconsin’s numbers are actually similar to bordering states Illinois and Michigan, where new teacher numbers are down almost 60 percent over the same 10-year period.

A federal judge has blocked a rule that would have diverted pandemic relief aid from K-through-12 schools to private schools.  Wisconsin and seven other states signed off on the lawsuit.  Judge James Donato made his ruling in San Francisco Wednesday.  Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel had argued the money was meant to help public schools that were most in need of financial support.  Nessel told the court the policy by U-S Education Secretary Betsy DeVos “does exactly the opposite.”  In addition to the eight states and the District of Columbia, school systems in Chicago, Cleveland, New York City and San Francisco were part of the legal action.

Kenosha police say they arrested nine people Wednesday night as they filled gasoline cans which officers think they were going to use at the protests.  Police had been tipped about suspicious vehicles with out-of-state plates who were meeting in a remote parking lot.  U-S Marshals joined the police as they followed a black school bus, a bread truck and a minivan to a gasoline station, then moved in as the occupants began filling the gas cans.  Investigators say those vehicles included equipment like helmets, gas masks, protective vests, illegal fireworks and suspected controlled substances.  The names of the people taken into custody haven’t been released.

Minnesota officials are stepping up COVID-19 compliance checks at Minnesota bars and restaurants starting today. The Departments of Public Safety, Health, and Labor and Industry sent a letter to the state's hospitality industry explaining the increased enforcement.    The letter says in part, "most establishments are following federal and state guidelines, but it makes it difficult for them to compete or to explain to their customers when other establishments are not in compliance.”  Investigators will be making sure workers wear masks, following social distance guidelines, and employee health screening procedures.  Officials will also be checking for 50-percent capacity.

 Because he thought he heard some gunshots at about 4:00 a-m, a Madison resident decided to check his security system Wednesday morning.  What he saw on surveillance video appeared to be a rolling gunfight between two cars.  The resident reported to Madison police he could see multiple rounds being shot.  When officers followed up, they found eight shell casings in the street outside the man’s home.  No injuries have been reported that were connected to the incident.  The person who reported it hasn’t been identified.

A study conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh finds remote learning will have an impact on state workers.  More than 40 percent of business owners contacted say local schools that limit teaching to online presentations will result in keeping workers from returning to their jobs.  It will be hard for parents to go back to work full time when their kids are learning at home.  The researchers say childcare issues are always a problem, but usually a much-smaller problem than they are this year.

Dane County prosecutors say surveillance video shows protest leader Jordan King using a sledgehammer to damage the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial outside the state Capitol earlier this week.  King was released from jail Wednesday after a court hearing in Madison.  Nearly 100 people had rallied, demanding that he be set free.  Investigators say he caused 20 thousand dollars in damages by breaking windows at a downtown Madison restaurant.  He’s free on a signature bond, facing charges of criminal damage to property and carrying a concealed weapon.  Protesters were responding to the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha.

 The Minnesota National Guard was called in to enforce a curfew put in place after civil unrest erupted in Minneapolis Wednesday night.  Police released a video of a suspect shooting himself after rumors of police involvement led to angry crowds gathering.  The body was found in a downtown parking ramp.  The man’s name hasn’t been released, but he was suspect in a fatal shooting a few minutes earlier.  Police say they released the video to stop the rumors.

A Sauk County judge has ordered a competency examination for a man accused of trying to abduct a two-year-old girl last year. James Sellers is charged with abduction of a child, burglary and recklessly causing physical harm to a child. His attorney says Sellers doesn’t have any understanding of what is going on. The incident happened in Lake Delton in May of last year. Police were called when the child was discovered missing and she was found outside. She had suffered minor injuries. Sellers was arrested three months later based on D-N-A evidence and finger and palm prints found at the scene.

 One-hundred-million dollars is available to help pay rent and mortgages for those impacted by COVID-19 in Minnesota.  State officials say the money is supported by the CARES Act through the  Housing Assistance Program . Officials say the funding can also be used for back paying utility bills.  Income must sit below 300-percent of poverty guidelines and expenses following March 1st.  A moratorium is in place and is designed to protect people from evictions.  That will expire September 11th.  More than five-thousand have applied for the program.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for the new Grain Storage Facility Safety Cost-Share program.    It is aimed at making grain bin safety more affordable and was prompted by the death of 18-year-old Landon Gran near Norseland last year.   The program reimburses farmers up to 75 percent of the cost to purchase, ship and install safety equipment for grain bins or silos.  Minnesota lawmakers put 50-thousand dollars into the program earlier this year.

After spending weeks cramped up inside by the threat of the coronavirus pandemic, Wisconsin residents are taking every opportunity for outdoor recreation.  The Department of Natural Resources reports six-point-four million people have visited Wisconsin state parks.  Fishing license sales are up by 14 percent and hunters have purchased 10 percent more turkey licenses.  Parks give users the chance to enjoy the great outdoors while offering plenty of space for social distancing.

Local-Regional News August 27

Students in the Durand-Arkansaw School District are back in the building today. Superintendent Greg Doverspike says the next few days will be orientation for the students and staff.  Doverspike is asking parents to be flexible and have patience this year as things for the district could change daily or even weekly due to the pandemic.

As orientation for students in the Durand Arkansaw School District begin today, the district along with other districts will be working with county health departments to prevent the spread of covid 19. Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says the local health officers developed a plan called tools for schools.   The tools will also include prevention forms for parents along with a check list of symptoms parents can use to monitor their children and a list of frequently asked questions regarding covid 19 and school.

A 10yr old boy was injured in a bicycle vs vehicle accident in Spring Valley Tuesday. According to the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, 47yr old Joel Debrozzo was traveling northbound on Newman Avenue when his vehicle was struck by a 10 yr old on a bike who suddenly entered the intersection. The boy was taken to May Hospital in Menomonie with undetermined injures.

A Chippewa County woman is accused of stabbing her husband during an argument, then barricading herself in their home and refusing to surrender.  Deputies say Karen Christenson showed them the knife through a window when she was asked to come out Monday.  Her husband was found outside, taken to a hospital and treated and released for a stab wound to his chest.  His name hasn’t been released.  Deputies obtained a warrant, entered the home and took the woman into custody.

A man from Savage pleaded guilty to federal arson charges for setting a fire at a Dakota County government building in Apple Valley. The U-S Attorney's Office says say 32-year-old Fornandous Henderson and a co-defendant broke multiple windows with baseball bats and threw in Molotov cocktails, some of which ignited.  Henderson's sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date.

The Illinois teenager accused of shooting two people to death and injuring a third in Kenosha Tuesday night has an extradition hearing Friday. He will appear in a Lake County, Illinois courtroom.  Seventeen-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse apparently thought of himself as a militia member protecting life and property – according to interviews and social media posts.  Wednesday night’s protests were reportedly peaceful after three nights of violence following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed in federal court against an Appleton police officer who shot two men to death during an incident at a bar three years ago.  Jimmy Sanders was killed by Lieutenant Jay Steinke and Sanders was just a bystander.  Steinke was responding to a call about a man in the bar who had fired a gunshot.  That shooter was also killed.  Sanders hadn’t been involved with the original complaint.  The shooting happened in Jack’s Apple Pub in May 2017.

More than 70 firefighters from Minnesota are in California and five other western states helping in the battle against late-summer wildfires.   The fires are doing major damage and threatening many areas.    Leanne Langeberg  with the Interagency Fire Center in Grand Rapids says the Minnesota crews  can be doing a variety of efforts out there, from actually being on the ground wildland firefighters to those that are supporting incident management teams."  Langeberg says Minnesota's response is "pretty typical" for this time of year.  She says if there were drier conditions here, they'd be holding firefighters back, to be available in Minnesota if needed.

A 32-year-old Gays Mills man will serve six-and-a-half years in federal prison for possession of meth.  Travis Johnson was sentenced Tuesday in U-S District Court in Madison.  Johnson was caught last November when a Crawford County deputy spotted an S-U-V driving erratically.  Although Johnson walked away, the deputy found him hiding in the patio of a nearby home.  When Johnson’s car and the patio were searched, authorities found 162 grams of meth.

 For the first time in ten years, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture surveyed the state’s dairy producers to get a current look at one of Wisconsin’s most important industries. The survey was developed in partnership with the University of Wisconsin’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, where Dr. Mark Stephenson is the Director of Dairy Policy Analysis.  One of the biggest differences in this year’s survey compared to ten years ago is an expanding interest in robotic dairies.  The surveys went out in March just before COVID-19 hit, and Stephenson feels the impact wouldn’t have changed many answers to the survey questions. They were more worried about getting enough responses to get an accurate picture of the Wisconsin dairy industry

The mother of two students attending a private school in Madison is questioning an order from Public Health Madison and Dane County requiring classes for grades three-through-12 to be entirely online.  The Wisconsin Supreme Court has ordered the director of the public health agency to file a response by Friday at 4:00 p-m.  Order number nine went into effect Monday and it applied to all schools in the county.  The petition filed with the state Supreme Court argues such an order can’t be applied to private schools.  The children of Sara Lindsey James, the mother who filed the petition, are enrolled at Our Redeemer Lutheran School – which reopened with in-person classes last week.

 Minnesota state officials say an agreement worth nearly 15 million dollars will double the state’s coronavirus testing capacity.  The governor’s office says the partnership will be formed with a New Jersey-based national distributor of a rapid saliva test.  The state also plans to establish a new laboratory to process the results.  Minnesota officials say the new lab will add 30 thousand daily tests to the state’s current capacity of 20 thousand per day.  It’s hoped the new facility will be operating in Oakdale by October.

Former Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton is recovering at home after a fall in his kitchen earlier this month.  Dayton said on Facebook that he fell and hit his head August 4th and underwent surgery to relieve pressure from internal bleeding.  Dayton said the prompt of action of medical professionals "saved my life and prevented any lasting damage. They have my deepest gratitude."  Dayton returned home Tuesday following two weeks at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Center.  He expects several more months of outpatient rehabilitation.

The coronavirus pandemic has slowed production at lumber mills, creating a growing demand and much higher prices.  The owner of Wausau-based Modern Builders and Suppliers says his crews are working 60-to-65 hours-a-week and can’t keep up with the demand.  A second Wausau company says it orders the plywood or O-S-B and the product never hits the ground, taken off by a buyer before it’s stacked inside the business.

Local-Regional News August 26

One person was injured in an UTV accident in Oak Grove Township on Saturday. According to the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, 43yr old Joshua Trebil of Ellsworth was operating the UTV on private property when he lost control. The UTV over turned and Trebil was ejected. He was med flighted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul with undetermined injuries.

The Merger between Landmark Services Cooperative and Countryside Cooperative has been approved by Countryside members. The new cooperative will serve more than 26,000 members, employ over 800 people and generate annual sales in excess of $600 million. While the new cooperative will be headquartered in Cottage Grove, it will maintain operations and staff in multiple locations. The merger will go into effect March 1^st of 2021.

Some good financial news for the City of Mondovi. During last nights council meeting, the 2019 annual audit was presented to members. While the audit showed a general fund decrease of over $126,000, the city was able to pay down some long term debt and end up with an unassigned fund balance of over $227,000, this compares to a negative unassigned fund balance of $1.2 million in 2018. The city also increased its available Debt margin to $5.7 million.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include a presentation on the 2019 annual audit and financial condition of the city, discussion on possible updates to the vacant building ordinance and reports from the Mayor and Department Heads. Tonight's meeting begins at 630 at Durand City Hall.

The city of Durand will begin the annual chip sealing of streets starting tomorrow. Streets that will be seald include 2^nd Avenue east from Prospect to Main, 3^rd Avenue West from Prospect to Main and 7^th and 8^th Avenues West from Prospect to Madison. During this time, no parking will be allowed on those streets. The chip seal will sit 14 days before the city will sweep up the loose gravel.

Motorists who travel to Menomonie via Hwy 25 should expect delays next week. The Pepin County Sheriffs Department reports that Hwy 25 will be closed from Hwy D in Pepin County to Hwy 72 in Dunn County from August 31^st to September 2^nd. The closure is part of the re-surfacing and installation of new culverts project . An alternate detour will be marked during the closure.

The Buffalo County Departments of Emergency Management, Economic Development and Health Services are inviting local businesses to Work Together Against Covid-19. Partners in the effort can take the pledge to be safer while inspiring employee and customer confidence locally. Those businesses that take implement the effort will be listed on the Buffalo County Website. The effort was originally developed in La Crosse County as the “Check the Spread” Campaign. The Departments will also be holding a zoom meeting with county businesses tonight at 6pm to discuss the Work Together effort and the county's response to Covid-19. Contact Dave Rynders at Buffalo County if you have not received an invitation for tonight's meeting.

St. Croix Falls police say a 45-year-old man was holding a knife in “an aggressive manner” before he was shot to death August 8th.  The officer-involved shooting happened at a motel.  Terry Treleven’s girlfriend had called 9-1-1 saying she needed help from a boyfriend who had a knife.  Officers say Treleven had the knife in his hand when he opened the door to the motel room and he refused to drop it, even though he was ordered to do so multiple times.  The girlfriend is recovering from several stab wounds at a St. Paul hospital.

The final music in the park in tonight in Durand. The Whitesidewalls will be performing and there will be Durand restaurants serving food with taste of Durand. Social Distancing practices will be encourage during the evening and food can be picked up curbside. The music will be live streamed on the WRDN Facebook page and You Tube Channel starting at 6pm.

 Voters will be able to deposit their absentee ballots in drop boxes in Milwaukee and Madison, then check an online portal the next day to make sure those ballots were received.  Milwaukee election officials say they are installing 15 drop boxes.  That’s three times the number of drop boxes available in April.  Madison election officials are going to have 14 drop box locations around the city.  The aim is to shorten the time it takes to return absentee ballots.  State officials are expecting votes submitted by mail will set new records this November.

 A St. Paul man is one four suspects indicted Tuesday for setting fire to the Minneapolis Police Department's Third Precinct on May 28th.   The U-S Attorney's Office says 22-year-old Davon De-Andre Turner is facing one count of conspiracy to commit arson.   Bryce Williams of Staples, Dylan Robinson of Brainerd and Branden Wolfe of St. Paul were all indicted for conspiracy to commit arson.  Robinson and Wolfe were previously charged with aiding and abetting arson.  All four are accused of entering the Third Precinct as the crowd chanted "burn it down!"   The complaint says Robinson lit a device that someone else threw at the building, Williams and Turner lit a Molotov cocktail, and Wolfe pushed a barrel into a fire at the entrance.

Authorities in La Crosse County say a man has admitted to accidentally starting an apartment fire while trying to make methamphetamine.  Onalaska police say Matt Onsrud turned himself in Monday night.  Firefighters responded to his apartment Saturday for a fire that caused minor damage.  A hazmat team removed meth lab materials from his residence.  Onsrud told investigators the fire started as he attempted to make meth.  He was charged with manufacturing/delivery of methamphetamine and released on bond.  Onsrud was also evaluated at a local hospital.

Governor Tony Evers declares a State of Emergency for Wisconsin Evers' action follows two consecutive nights of rioting and looting in Madison and in Kenosha. That's where police shot a Black man, Jacob Blake, on Saturday. Evers urged protesters to gather "peacefully and safely," and while that was the case in most communities, it didn't happen in either Madison or Kenosha. Evers said up to 250 National Guard personnel will be deployed to the latter, but it's unclear whether any will go to Madison, where police, including some on horseback, deployed tear gas and pepper spray Monday night.

Three western Wisconsin residents are suing to overturn Governor Tony Evers' statewide face mask mandate.  The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty filed the lawsuit in Polk County on behalf of the plaintiffs.  WILL claims Evers violated state law by declaring a second public health emergency without legislative approval during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Evers spokesman Britt Cudaback claims "Republicans and their allies have tried at every turn to prevent the governor from keeping Wisconsinites healthy and safe."  He added, "we know requiring masks and face coverings will help us save lives, and Governor Evers will continue listening to science and public health experts in making the best decisions for the people of our state."  Thirty-four states require face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Wisconsin’s attorney general promises a swift investigation of the police-involved shooting Sunday in Kenosha.  Josh Kaul says his department’s Division of Criminal Investigation will protect the integrity of the case.  Jacob Blake was shot multiple times by officers responding to a report of a domestic disturbance.  A video shows him opening the door of his vehicle while officers had their weapons drawn.  The sounds of seven shots being fired are heard.  Blake is reported to be in critical condition at a local hospital.

 Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is forming a task force to address issues like racial disparities and public safety.  The Wisconsin Republican announced the move Monday after a Kenosha man had been shot in the back by a police officer the night before.  Vos said shooting victim Jacob Blake and his family “are in my prayers and I hope for his recovery.”  He said we shouldn’t pass judgment on the incident before we find out if the “shocking 20-second video clip shared with the media tells the whole story.”

The Minnesota Vikings are confirming that there will be no fans at U-S Bank Stadium for at least the first two games.  The Vikings host the rival Green Bay Packers in the season opener September 13th and the Tennessee Titans September 27th.  The team issued a statement today, saying, "based on our conversations and the current Minnesota Department of Health guidelines that specify an indoor venue capacity of 250, we have determined it is not the right time to welcome fans back to U-S Bank Stadium."  The Vikings say they will continue to work on plans with the hope of bringing fans back in a safe manner later this season.  Green Bay will also play its first two games at Lambeau Field without fans.

Local-Regional News August 25

The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include discussion on a crossing walk signal at Washington and East Main Streets, a Mirror Lake Alge Control or remedy opportunity, and discussion and possible action on a weight restriction for city roads. Tonights meeting begins at 6pm at the Marten Center.

The Durand-Arkansaw School District has approved the purchase of the Tarrant Park Softball Field from the City of Durand. Superintendent Greg Doverspike says the bids for the first part of the project came in below budget.  The District will wait till fall to bid out the concession stand and dugouts until later this fall in the hopes of lower lumber prices.

Students from 7 school districts were in Eau Claire yesterday voicing concerns that the Eau Claire City-County Health Department is preventing them from playing fall sports. Currently the Department has a public health order discouraging gatherings in groups of 50 or more people and prohibits groups of more than 100 indoors and 250 people outdoors. The Eau Claire School District moved fall sports to the spring, While Eau Claire Regis has not decided on fall sports. Students from Regis , Eau Claire, Altoona, Fall Creek, Osseo-Fairchild, Elk Mound, Mondovi and Bloomer were part of the protest. Meanwhile, Menomonie, Hudson, River Falls and Rice Lake have all approved fall sports.

First-degree reckless homicide charges have been filed against two New Richmond men in the shooting death of a 53-year-old victim last Thursday.  Witnesses tell police Richard Rose rushed out of an apartment door saying, “They shot me,” before entering his own apartment.  Police applied a tourniquet to his leg wound and he was taken to Westfields Hospital, but he died.  The charges were filed in St. Croix County Circuit Court Monday against 36-year-old Joshua Cameron and 28-year-old Andrew Helmueller, who is sometimes called by the name Sovereignty Sovereign.  Officers say Cameron repeatedly spit at officers after they used a taser on him while taking him into custody.

 Owners of Wisconsin gun shops say they are being impacted by a nationwide shortage of ammunition.  Marc-On Shooting in Lake Hallie is limiting purchases of ammunition for handguns and rifles.  Many other Wisconsin shops say they have run out of stock for some weapons.  Sales during the pandemic have tripled while production has been slowed.  Many factories have shut down worldwide.  Stocks of ammo aren’t expected to return to normal until sometime next year.

Some Madison-area elected officials raise eleventh hour concerns, with the University of Wisconsin's reopening plan. Move-in to campus dorms begins today. A letter sent Monday to Chancellor Rebecca Blank and Public Health Madison and Dane County Director Janel Heinrich raises concerns of an "inevitable outbreak" among students, and requests that nearly all classes move online, that most residence halls remain empty, and for public disclosure of what metrics would lead the university to cancel in-person instruction. Signing the letter; more than a third of the 37 Dane County supervisors, nearly half of the 20 member Madison Common Council, and three of the Madison School Board's seven members

 The Minnesota D-N-R is adding three chronic wasting disease management areas this fall for hunters to drop off deer samples for testing.  They are in Pope and Douglas, Pine and Dakota counties.   C-W-D sampling is voluntary this year due to COVID-19 and social distancing guidelines.  The D-N-R's Michelle Carstensen says "all self-service sampling stations, so basically... we collect it, either daily or every other day depending on the season, and extract the samples."  C-W-D management areas remain active in southeastern Minnesota and the Brainerd area, but no longer in Meeker County.

The U-of-M Board of Regents today voted to push back the move in date for students living on campus at least two weeks. The vote in favor of the delay was eight-to-three. President Joan Gable came up with the plan in reaction to COVID-19 cases reported at universities around the country. The plan would apply to students on the Twin Cities, Duluth and Rochester campuses, but *not* Crookston or Morris. Under the approved plan, classes would start on time but would be totally on-line for at least the first two weeks of fall semester.

The St. Paul Bomb Squad was called to defuse a small bomb found in Prescott, Wisconsin Sunday morning.  The suspicious package was reported shortly before 10:00 a-m.  The area was evacuated to keep the public safe.  The bomb squad arrived at about 1:20 p-m, made sure it was safe, and collected the device for evidence.  People were allowed to return later in the afternoon, but a part of the area remained blocked off while crime scene techs were working.

The job opening for a Milwaukee police chief was posted a week-and-a-half ago – and nobody has applied.  Milwaukee’s Fire and Police Commission said Friday it hasn’t received even one application in its nationwide search for a permanent police chief.  Police union president Dale Borman says chiefs who have a job they like aren’t going to take the risk of coming to Milwaukee and “being booted out within a month or two.”  The application process is scheduled to close September 11th.  City leaders say there’s no reason to worry about filling the position yet.

Two hospitals in the Twin Cities metro area have been fined by the state for problems with the way they have protected their workers during the coronavirus pandemic.  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has reportedly made unannounced visits to seven hospitals in the region since May 5th.  The Star Tribune has reported North Memorial Health in Robbinsdale and United Hospital in St. Paul have been fined 21 hundred dollars.  Employees at the hospital had complained about inadequate safety equipment.

State auditors say Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction got it *almost* right with its back-to-school guidance. The Legislative Audit Bureau last week said the D-P-I failed to tell Wisconsin schools to see if they need to bargain with teachers’ unions over the change to online classes. The auditors also say D-P-I needed to be more clear about teacher and student absences during online learning. Many schools in Wisconsin are starting the year entirely online on September 1st.

The leader of the Catholic Church in south-central Wisconsin is asking Madison Catholic school families to push-back on an order to force them to start the school year online. Madison Bishop Donald Hying says the order from Public Health Madison & Dane County throws the start of the school year into disarray. Madison's Catholic schools were planning for in-person classes, many of them were going to start this week. Dane County's public health officials say the coronavirus is forcing all schools to start remotely.

The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay held a special “drive-thru” commencement ceremony for seniors Saturday.  School administrators had hoped to hold a traditional ceremony on campus this fall, but the coronavirus pandemic left too many uncertainties to plan such an event.  About 200 students took part in the parade, receiving their diploma and having the opportunity to take a photo in their can-and-gown next to Chancellor Michael Alexander.  Fall classes at U-W-G-B start in about two weeks, with most offerings online and reduced sizes for in-person classes.

Local-Regional News August 24

Two people were injured in a one vehicle accident in the town of Ettrick on Saturday. According to the Trempeealeau County Sheriffs Department, a vehicle was traveling northbound on Hwy CC when the driver lost control, crossed the center-line and went into the southbound ditch. The vehicle then went airborne and rolled into a cornfield. The front seat passenger was ejected from the vehicle and the driver was partially ejected out the front windshield. The driver had to be extricated from the vehicle and both subjects were med flighted from the scene. The names of the victims are not being released until notification of family.

One person was injured in a motorcycle accident in the Village of Modena on Thursday. According to the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department, 51yr old Steven Zastrow of Buffalo City was traveling southbound on Hwy 37, when he crossed the center-line and began to lose control of the motorcycle. Zastrow entered into a skid and was thrown from the bike. Zastrow sustained life threatening injuries and was air lifted to the hospital.

No one was injured when a semi truck rolled over in Dunn County on Thursday. According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, the truck was traveling westbound on I-94 near Elk Mound when it rolled over blocking both lanes of traffic. A heavy wrecker was brought in to pull the truck onto the right shoulder. Crews needed about 90 minutes to upright and remove the truck. That accident is still under investigation.

The Buffalo County Board is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on adding a question about ATV/UTV Road use on the November election ballot, a resolution to designate additional funding for broadband expansion in the county and a resolution to extend the public health emergency declaration. Tonights meeting begins at 7pm at the board room in Alma.

When authorities stopped a Cadott man for a hit-and-run crash in Chippewa County, deputies say he asked, “What crash?”  Forty-one-year-old Joseph Walters had a measured blood-alcohol concentration of point-33, about four times the legal limit when tested.  He faces the hit-and-run charge, his fifth operating while intoxicated offense, and at least three additional felonies.  Investigators say a witness followed Walters after the crash in July and called 9-1-1.  People in the other car were hurt.  A large portion of their vehicle’s rear window was still sitting on Walters’ windshield when police questioned him.

A Rusk County man convicted of killing Robert Pettit in Conrath in 2018 has been sentenced. Preston Kraft was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Friday. The sentence came after Kraft disrupted the court and his microphone had to be muted. Kraft was also ordered to pay over $27,000 in restitution.

A Jackson County Sheriff's deputy has minor injuries Saturday after a car struck a squad car on County Road K. The driver was traveling west on Old Highway 54 when they failed to stop at County Road K. They drove straight into the squad car which was traveling with traffic and did not have any emergency lighting on. The squad car was forced off the road and airbags were deployed. The deputy was treated for minor injuries. The squad car is considered a total loss. The Wisconsin State Patrol is investigating the crash.

Two people are in custody in western Wisconsin following a shooting that left one man dead in New Richmond.  Officers called to a shooting Thursday night found a 52-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound.  Deputies say Richard Rose was taken to an area hospital where he later died.  Two suspects fled the scene and were later arrested.  The names of the suspects have yet to be released.

The Dane County Sheriff’s Office says one of its deputies – 61-year-old Richard “Rick” Treadwell -- has died from the coronavirus.  Treadwell had worked for the department for 25 years, most recently as a recruiter and trainer.  A release from Sheriff David Mahoney says the evidence indicates Treadwell contracted the virus while he was on duty.  It is believed he is the first Wisconsin law enforcement officer to die from COVID-19 which he contracted while on duty.  Treadwell is survived by a wife and three adult children.

Minnesota Health officials are urging those who went to the big motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota to self-quarantine for 14 days.  That's after 15 Minnesotans tested positive with one hospitalized, and more cases are expected.  Kris Ehresmann with the Minnesota Department of Health says "If you are feeling ill after returning from the event, please get tested and self-isolate while you wait for the test results."  One Minnesotan reportedly contracted COVID after working at a temporary bar during the Sturgis rally.   Ehresmann expects see additional cases linked to motorcycle rally in South Dakota.

University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel is proposing a two-week delay for student move-in on the Twin Cities, Duluth and Rochester campuses.  The U of M Board of Regents will meet for an emergency meeting Monday morning to consider pushing back the move-in dates.  Gabel said the delay could give additional time to evaluate new and emerging COVID testing guidance and to further evaluate efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus.  Undergraduate courses would go on as scheduled, but would be online only for at least the first two weeks.  No changes are proposed for move-ins at the UM-Crookston and Morris campuses.

U-S Postmaster General Louis DeJoy says his office won’t be reinstalling 12 mail sorting machines that were removed in Wisconsin.  During a Senate committee hearing chaired by Republican Senator Ron Johnson, Dejoy said the machines will not be returned to service, despite comments earlier this week that he’d be putting a stop to proposed changes at the Postal Service.  The Washington Post reports that of over 600 sorting machines removed nationwide, six were in Milwaukee, three in Madison, two in Green Bay and one was in Wausau.  Also Friday, Johnson claimed that recent complaints about mail delays were “being ginned up . . . to extract a political advantage.”

 Governor Tony Evers says he's happy to talk with interim U-W System President Tommy Thompson about a possible increase in the bubdget next year.  Evers says talks are only just starting and they have a lot of details to work out.  The governor added, "we had a good conversation and we both promised to continue having consultations going forward."  Thompson is asking for 95 million dollars a year in extra general funding, and one-point-three billion dollars for capital spending to renovate buildings across the U-W campuses.

The man accused of a fire bombing at Madison's City County Building is now charged with tearing down statues outside the State Capitol.  Twenty-six-year-old Marquan Clark is facing two felony counts of criminal damage to property as party to a crime.  Protesters tore down the Wisconsin "Lady Forward" statue and one of Colonel Hans Christina Heg on June 23rd.  Police say they identified Clark as one of the suspects involving in tearing down the statues from city cameras on State, King and Pinckney Streets. Officers say Clark can be seen pulling on a cable wrapped around the Lady Forward statue and wrapping a cable around the head of the Heg statue before attempting to pull it down.  Detectives also identified Clark as the man who threw a Molotov cocktail in the City County Building later that night on surveillance footage.

No utility services will be cut off in Wisconsin through at least October 1st.  The Public Service Commission extended its utility disconnection moratorium Thursday.  It had been issued back in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.  P-S-C chair Rebecca Cameron Valcq explained the move saying, “The high incidence of COVID-19 has not diminished.”  She said the move was made to support public health and safety.  Any state residents who can’t pay their utility bills are being encouraged to reach out to the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program.

A new study confirms what many up north residents know: more of their neighbors now live out of state. Marquette Law School professor John Johnson says isn't a trend that's going to go away.  Johnson says that it's a double edged change. Communities up north have fewer long term residents than before as an aging population continues to decline, but people are still paying taxes on those properties.

Local-Regional News August 21

Residents along Auth Street will be waiting a bit longer until the street is repaired after a water leak this summer. Crews had to replace a large about of fill and crushed rock and Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says that has to settle first before it can be blacktopped.  The city usually works with Pepin County to have the blacktop installed and that should happen by the end of September.

Three Organizations are teaming up for a milk and cheese distribution today in Durand starting at 3. The distribution will be in front of the Durand Food Pantry.

Dunn County is partnering with the Boyceville Community School District and the Wisconsin National Guard to host a free community COVID-19 drive-thru testing site in Boyceville, WI on Monday August 24th, 2020. The testing site will be at Tiffany Creek Elementary School, 161 East St, Boyceville, WI. The event will run from 1:00pm - 7:00pm or until testing kits run out. The event is open to any Wisconsin Resident 5yrs or older that is experiencing Covid-19 symptoms. For more information regarding this event please call the Dunn County Health Department at 715-232-2388.

River Falls is among four finalists in the running to be named Hockeyville U-S-A.  The winner gets 150 thousand dollars to pay for ice rink improvements from the Kraft Hockeyville U-S-A contest.  The runner-up city gets 30 thousand dollars and the other two finalists get 10 thousand apiece.  The N-H-L Players Union is going to donate 10 thousand dollars worth of new hockey equipment to each of the contenders.  River Falls is competing with El Paso, Texas, East Grand Forks, Minnesota, and Wichita, Kansas.

Wisconsin has hit a new record high in the number of homes sold in the month of July. According to the Wisconsin Realtors Association, nearly 10,000 homes were sold this July which is the largest number collected in this specific month since 2005, when data was first collected. Here in Western Wisconsin Buffalo County reported 13 homes sold, Pepin County 18, Trempealeau County 25, Pierce County 34 and Dunn County reported 68 homes sold. Median Price of a home sold here in Pepin County for July was $161,000.

The taproom at Lift Bridge Brewing in Stillwater is closed due to an employee testing positive for COVID.  It closed Wednesday and is expected to re-open Friday.  Lift Bridge says the worker developed symptoms outside the taproom.  Other employees are being tested and they're deep cleaning the building.  Customers who visited the taproom between August 13th and 19th should monitor for possible coronavirus symptoms.

Wisconsin's unemployment rate continues to decline after a peaking at 14-point-one percent in April due to COVID-related layoffs.  The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development says the state's jobless rate fell from eight-point-six percent in June to seven percent in July.  Employers added 25-thousand-500 private sector jobs last month.  Workforce Development Secretary Caleb Frostman said, "we welcome the good news that Wisconsin continues to add jobs month over month, but Wisconsin is currently down over 216-thousand private-sector jobs over the year, with the vast majority of those declines occurring in the service providing sector."  The unemployment rate was three-point-four percent in July of 2019.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has decided representatives for Kanye West failed to file nominating paperwork in time to get his name on the state’s ballot in November.  They arrived at the Madison office 14 seconds after the 5:00 p-m deadline, then were delayed further when more information was needed.  Thursday’s vote was five-to-one, with commissioner Robert Spindell says the 5:00 p-m deadline should be clarified.  Another commissioner pointed out that other candidates have been kept off the ballot because they were short by one signature.  West will be listed on ballots in other states, including Colorado, Oklahoma, Utah and Vermont.

Former Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales is suing the city for breach of contract and damages, for denial of due process, and for loss of reputation.  Morales’ lawyer filed the claim Thursday afternoon seeking 625 thousand dollars.  He was demoted 15 days ago – a little more than two weeks after the Fire and Police Commission handed down 18 directives with the threat of termination or discipline if he failed to comply.  The former chief’s lawyer says he intends to file for a judicial review of the actions in Milwaukee County Circuit Court.  All seven commissioners signed a two-paragraph document last December confirming Morales would hold the chief’s position for a four-year term.

The U-S Department of Justice says Operation LeGend is already having an impact on Milwaukee crime.  Many city leaders didn’t want the federal agents to come.  Wednesday, the visitors announced their efforts have removed 28 weapons from the streets and resulted in 11 people now facing charges.  Eight of the people are felons who were arrested when they were caught in possession of illegal guns.  So far there has been no reaction from City Hall about the charges and weapon seizures.

 Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett says his city will “leave the lights on” for Democrats in four years.  He’s hoping to get a rain check for the Democratic National Convention since the coronavirus pandemic destroyed the plans this time.  The C-E-O of the convention committee, Joe Solmonese, says the conversation has already started about Milwaukee getting a “rain check.”  Solomonese says a lot of people are talking about Milwaukee for 2024.  Barrett says Milwaukee’s effort to get ready was outstanding – and he’d welcome Republicans, too.  Barrett is a former Democratic Congressman.

 Incoming students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will be getting a “welcome to campus” gift package.  The safety kit will include two U-W-branded face coverings, hand sanitizer, and health and safety information about COVID-19.  The products will be handed over in a reusable Bucky bag.  Students living in campus dorms will get their safety kits when they move in.  Other students can get a kit at the University Book Store on State Street.  They will have to show an I-D to get one of the kits.

Additional federal child pornography charges, for a former teacher at Madison East High School. Thirty-eight-year David Kruchten (CRUTCH-en) is now charged with 14 counts of attempting to produce child pornography through use of hidden recording devices, as well as one count of transporting a minor across state lines with intent to produce child porn. Kruchten had been previously charged with seven counts from an October 2018 incident. The new charges stem from a trip to the Twin Cities last December in which Kruchten chaperoned the school's business club. Hidden cameras were found in students' hotel rooms. Kruchten entered a not guilty plea in January.

Yesterday was day one of the Minnesota State Fair drive-thru food parade. Tickets for the first-ever event sold out right away.  State Fair spokeswoman Danielle Dullinger says guests who were able to get a ticket and will go through 16 different vendors and purchase State Fair food.  Participating vendors include Turkey to Go, Tom Thumb Donuts, Mouth Trap Cheese Curds, Pronto Pups and Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar.  Dullinger says this is something completely new, so hopefully it's fun and safe and not too long of an experience to get people through that route.  The parade runs today through August 23rd, the 27th through the 30th, and September 3rd through 7th 

Local-Regional News August 20

 An update on the new Pepin County Highway shop project. During last nights Pepin County Board meeting, a timeline of the project was given. On August 14, Kwik Trip deposited $1 million into an escrow account for the current highway shop property and the county will have until October 31, 2010 to vacate the old shop. The closing on the property for the new shop should be completed by August 31 and construction should begin shortly after that. Today at 2:30 at the government center, their will be a bid opening for the project. You will be able to watch the bid opening on the county's zoom meeting site.

The Durand Arkansaw School Board met last night. During the meeting, Superintendent Doverspike gave members an update on a recent survey sent out to parents regarding the upcoming school year. According to the Survey 86% of parents want their children in the building for in person learning, 10% want remote learning and 3% want virtual learing.   Other survey results found 80% of students plan to eat school lunch while only 33% iof students plan to eat school breakfast.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services released guidance to re-open schools and hold fall sports yesterday. The guidance basically said for schools to work with their local health officers. Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stetwart says many local officers were waiting to match local guidance to the DHS guidance, but now the local officers will work together to formulate guidance on a regional basis.  Many district have already decided how they will proceed for the upcoming school year.

A Rochester man accused of driving drunk rear-ended the wrong vehicle on Tuesday night.  Officers say 45-year-old Eduardo Garcia-Gutierrez crashed into the rear of an Olmsted County sheriff's patrol car and a Rochester Public Transit bus.  Police say the deputy was stopped at a red light near the Law Enforcement Center when Garcia-Gutierrez hit the squad car.  He was stopped a few blocks away and arrested on suspicion of D-W-I and other charges.  The deputy was not injured.  A breath test showed Garcia-Gutierrez's blood alcohol concentration was point-two-one - more than twice the legal limit.

Mable Tainter has a new director. Lucas Chase was named the new director of operations for the non profit facility. Chase is a graduate from Luther College in decorah, and was the programming chair and a board member since 2018. Chase started in the new position on Monday and is working with the outgoing director Jeff McSweeney through this Friday.

Charges have been filed against two Milwaukee men for the incident earlier this month outside Wauwatosa Police Officer Joseph Mensah’s home.  Twenty-eight-year-old Ronald Bell and 23-year-old William Lofton are charged with recklessly endangering safety with a dangerous weapon and battery to a law enforcement officer.  Bell has admitted firing a shotgun during a confrontation.  If convicted, Bell and Lofton could spend up to 10 years in prison.  They are scheduled to return to Milwaukee County Circuit Court for a hearing Monday.

The Minnesota Senate Republican leader is blasting Governor Tim Walz for another court challenge to the Enbridge Line 3 pipeline project.  Analysts predict the GOP-controlled Senate could oust Commerce Commissioner Steve Kelley in retaliation.  Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says the Line 3 court appeal is a "huge disappointment" for northern Minnesotans.  Gazelka said, "about 65-hundred jobs, of which 42-hundred are construction jobs, are on delay.  ...over five years of permitting, and we still are not doing this pipeline."  Representative Frank Hornstein (HORN-steen) from Minneapolis claims "the project is not needed and has many, many risks for the climate.  There's violations of Indigenous treaty rights."  He says Republicans should pass a bonding bill to create construction jobs.

Wisconsin Elections Commission staff says rapper Kanye West should not appear on the November ballot.  W-E-C officials say West's representatives missed the deadline to file nomination papers by 14 seconds.  West is trying to get on Wisconsin's ballot as a third-party presidential candidate.  Democrats allege that Republicans are pushing West's candidacy in several states to siphon black votes away from Joe Biden.  Trump campaign attorney Lane Ruhland turned in the nomination papers for West.  The commission is set to vote on the recommendation Thursday.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission reports state voters have requested more than 800 thousand absentee ballots.  Still more than two-and-a-half months before the November 3rd General Election, that number is expected to top a million.  Commission members have told municipal clerks that last week’s primary election was good practice for them.  Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe said Tuesday there are still some issues to work out – like how to count all of the absentee ballots in a system not designed to handle those numbers.

Department of Workforce Development Secretary Caleb Frostman says he knows there are some unemployed Wisconsin workers still waiting, but his agency will get to them.  Frostman says D-W-D has paid almost a half-million people about three-and-a-half billion dollars in benefits since March 15th.  He says claims are still being processed as rapidly as possible – from the oldest to the newest.  Frostman says, on average, it takes about three weeks.  Determining whether a worker quit the job or was laid off is just one of the many things that factors into a delay.

 With tuition frozen for the last seven years and the coronavirus pandemic having a major impact, the U-W System is needing more money.  Interim System President Tommy Thompson says he is going to the governor to ask for an increase in state aid of almost 96 million dollars in the next two-year budget.  Thompson says the three-and-a-half percent budget bump is needed to expand Bucky’s Tuition Promise and fund other initiatives.  The former Republican governor says he needs the money to make the University of Wisconsin System more relevant and relatable.

Target Corporation is reporting big second-quarter earnings as consumers shopped close to home during the COVID pandemic.  The Minnesota-based retailer says comparable sales growth rose more than 24 percent - the strongest ever.  In-store comparable sales increased nearly 11 percent and digital sales were up 195 percent.  Same-day services - which includes pick-up, drive-up and Shipt - jumped by 273 percent in the second quarter.  Target C-E-O Brian Cornell said, "we remain steadfast in our focus on investing in a safe and convenient shopping experience for our guests, and their trust has resulted in market share gains of five-billion dollars in the first six months of the year."

The Windy City is putting out the “welcome” mat for Wisconsin residents again after three weeks.  Wisconsin was removed from Chicago’s travel advisory Tuesday.  It required travelers into the city from the Badger State to quarantine for 14 days after they arrived.  To get off the list the state had to have a COVID-19 case rate less than 15 new cases-per-100 thousand population, per day, over a seven-day rolling average.  Wisconsin had been on the list since July 28th.  Iowa and Kansas were added Tuesday.