Local-Regional News September 30

A missing Bay City woman has been found. According to the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, 50yr old Diane Peterson was reported missing by her husband on Monday. Deputies arrived on scene of the residence and a search was conducted. Peterson was found in a nearby wooded area deceased. There is no suspicion of foul play in this incident and it remains under investigation by the Pierce County Sheriffs Department.

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board approved the purchase of a new cooling tower at Caddie-Woodlaw school. The tower is used to store water for the schools heat pumps. Durand Arkansaw School Superintendent says the inside of the tower is beginning to rust.  The new tower is expected to last 40yrs.

The City of Durand is working on a way to finance the reconstruction of Laneville Ave from Drier Street to Country Lane. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says there some issues that needs to be addressed.  Milliren says the city could use revenue bonds from the water and sewer departments, along with assistance from Pepin County as the county is responsible for the middle 22ft of the road.

A man from Eau Claire will spend ten years in federal prison for dealing methamphetamine and heroin in western Wisconsin.  Forty-year-old Travis Hanson was sentenced for conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams.  Prosecutors say Hanson sold heroin to an informant in February and investigators later tracked him to St. Paul where he met his drug source.  Hanson and his girlfriend and their drug source were arrested when they returned to Menominee.  The bust led to the seizure of 236 grams of meth, 11 grams of heroin, small amounts of crack and a digital scale.

A federal prisoner from Chippewa Falls will be sentenced in January for the November 2017 drug overdose deaths of two men.  Shane Paul Johnson pleaded no contest Monday to reckless homicide and recklessly endangering safety.  Johnson was initially charged in the fatal overdose of Samuel Ott and four days later the O-D death of Nicholas Buck.  He's already serving a 20-year sentence for selling large amounts of methamphetamine.

Congressmen Ron Kind and Tom Tiffany are sponsoring legislation to rename the New Richmond post office after two brothers killed in World War II. Their bill would name it the "Captain Robert C. Harmon and Private John R. Peirson Post Office." Captain Harmon was shot down over France a week before the D-Day invasion. Private Peirson was killed during the Easter Day assault on the island of Okinawa. The effort is supported by the American Legion Post 80, St. Croix V-F-W and New Richmond Chamber of Commerce.

A federal court is upholding an extension for returning absentee ballots in Wisconsin. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the decision by Judge William Conley that extends the amount of time that clerk's offices will have to count absentee ballots. While ballots still have to be postmarked by Election Day, clerk's offices will be required to count them if they arrive up to six days later. Republicans have attempted to block the move and are likely to ask the U-S Supreme Court to take up the case.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday in a case that could remove about 130-thousand people from the state’s voter rolls. A conservative law firm is asking the Supreme Court to overturn a state appeals court's ruling that stopped the purging of the voters who had been identified as potentially having moved. Democrats argue that the lawsuit is meant to lower turnout. Republicans counter it’s about reducing voter fraud. It may not affect the presidential election five weeks from now. Lawyers for both sides say they don't expect a decision until sometime after November 3rd.

Senator Ron Johnson wants ballot-counting changed on Election Day. Johnson says Wisconsin lawmakers should pass a bill to allow counting absentee ballots *before* Election Day in anticipation of record mail-in votes. A bill to that effect has already passed the State Assembly, but has yet to be taken up by the Senate. Wisconsin law states that absentee ballots cannot be unsealed until the polls open on Election Day.

U-S Environmental Protection (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler a farm in Stanchfield where they announced a 642-thousand dollar grant to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to continue the implementation of the state’s pesticide program. Wheeler says farmers and the ag industry are some of E-P-A's strongest allies in the effort to protect America’s environment. He says: "From E-15 to Dicamba and the pesticide program, the agency is listening to the needs of farmers and ranchers and making improvements in the way we regulate.”

The University of Wisconsin's unsuccessful search for a new president cost more than 216-thousand dollars.  The U-W System is expected to pay at least that amount for its new presidential search.  Efforts to find the next president ended in June when University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen withdrew from consideration on the day the Board of Regents was meeting to make a recommendation.  The public spoke out against the search last fall when no faculty or staff were named to the search committee.  Former Governor Tommy Thompson was named interim System president in July and will serve for at least a year.

Wisconsin currently ranks third in the nation (after North and South Dakota) in growth of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people. Dr. Jeff Pothoff with UW Health in Madison suggests that won't change until people here change behaviors.   More than half of Wisconsin counties show an increasing trend in cases. Ozaukee, Price and Lafayette counties are the top three.

You're being reminded to get your flu shots early this year. That's because hospitals don't want to be dealing with two different sorts of chest infections. Doctor James Conway from UW-Health says the problem is that at the onset, both the coronavirus and influenza start off pretty much the same.  Dr. Conway says the more they can eliminate the flu from the equation, the more they can focus on people who need help recovering from COVID-19

  It looks like Spirit Mountain ski and snowboard area in Duluth will open for the 2020 season.  The Duluth City Council voted unanimously Monday night to give 300-thousand dollars to Spirit Mountain.  Council members decided to help out the resort because it was not eligible for federal relief funding.  Spirit Mountain did not open its bike trails, adventure park and other activities for the summer season.  The ski and snowboard hill brings millions of dollars in the Duluth area  economy.

Local-Regional News September 28

Two people were injured in a one vehicle accident in the town of Tiffany on Friday. According to the Dunn County Sheriffs Department a truck with two males was traveling east on Hwy 170 when the vehicle crossed the centerline, went onto the left shoulder then the driver over corrected and entered the right ditch. Upon entering the ditch the truck rolled several times and one occupant was ejected. That person was med flighted to the hospital with life threatening injuries. The other occupant was taken to the hospital with unknown injuries. Preliminary investigation shows that speed and alcohol are factors in the accident.

A man died after he crashed a motorcycle Saturday afternoon in Wabasha County. The Minnesota State Patrol says a 61yr old Kevin Vandewalker of Wanamingo was headed westbound on Highway 60 in West Albany Township when the rider lost control and left the road. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, alcohol was a factor in the accident.

Enrollment at in the Durand-Arkansaw School District is up Schools across the state report their enrollment from the third Friday of the month attendance. Durand-Arkansaw Superintendent Greg Doverspike says the Wisconsin DPI gave districts flexibility in counting attendance due to the covid-19 pandemic.  Preliminary numbers indicate enrollment increased by 10 students.

Students are opting to head home after a precautionary quarantine was put in place at a dormitory on Marquette's campus. The University implemented the quarantine after a cluster of positive COVID-19 cases inside Cobeen Hall. Marquette officials are urging students who live in Cobeen Hall to stay put, but are not discouraging them from going home. Many students opting to leave have told local media they plan on returning when the quarantine is lifted.

 University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank has been appointed to a four-year term on the N-C-A-A Board of Governors.  Blank said she looks forward to working with her colleagues "to address the many important issues affecting our student athletes and our athletic programs."  She called it a time of "great complexity and challenge for colleges and universities."  Blank will represent the Big Ten Conference.  Fall football will return in late October.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources plans to begin updating the state's 1998 walleye management plan. The D-N-R will be hosting regional meetings and doing surveys of Wisconsin anglers. Fisheries supervisor Mike Vogelsang says the current plan is more than 20 years old and needs updating to reflect current science and technology for managing walleye. Officials will seek public input on stocking priorities, regulations and agency resource allocation. The first regional virtual meeting for Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland and Iron counties is set for October 13th.

A new Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) survey shows Minnesota businesses continue to feel the deepening impacts of COVID-19.  Nearly 70-percent of Minnesota small businesses indicate the pandemic had a negative effect on their businesses to some extent.  Forty-one percent expect to go back to normal operations in more than six months.  And 72 percent say they received assistance from the U-S Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), far surpassing any other financial assistance programs in the state

A federal court has put a hold on a judge's extension of the window by which absentee ballots will be accepted in Wisconsin. In a Sunday meeting of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, a judge's panel put a stay on a ruling by Judge William Conley that would have lengthened the amount of time absentee ballots would have been accepted until November 9. That's so that either the 7th Circuit or the US Supreme Court can issue a proper ruling in the case. Democrats want the state to have more time to handle what's expected to be a record number of absentee ballots.

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The Rochester man accused of killing his pregnant girlfriend and two-year-old daughter is now in the Olmsted County jail.  Twenty-six-year-old Renard Carter was extradited back to Minnesota Thursday from South Carolina.  Police say Carter left Rochester after the September 13th murders were discovered in an apartment where he had been living with the victims.  He reportedly went to South Carolina to kill a former girlfriend.  He was shot by police in Columbia when he refused to drop a gun.  Carter faces three counts of second-degree murder.

The National Transportation Safety Board has released its final report for a fatal helicopter crash in Hazelhurst more than two years ago. Three people died in the crash - thirty-four-year-old pilot Rico Caruso of Hazelhurst, and medical personnel, 43-year-old Gregory Rosenthal pf Mosinee and 30-year-old Klint Mitchell of Watersmeet, Michigan. The NTSB determined the probable cause to be pilot fatigue. The crew of the Ascension Spirit Air Helicopter had dropped off a patient in Madison around 9:00 the night of April 26, 2018. Just before 10:45 p.m. the in-helicopter camera shows Caruso slumped to the left. Rosenthal and Mitchell shouted at him but got no response. The crash happened shortly after that.

If you're suddenly working from home or your child is doing remote learning, and you lack the internet connection you need, the Wisconsin Public Service Commission wants to help.  State consumer protection administrator Lara Sutherlin says the new Internet and Phone Helpline is there to connect people with the broadband access they need.  It includes a list of providers in various areas around Wisconsin.  Sutherlin says that's especially important in rural communities where traditional broadband access is limited. I f you need help with establishing broadband service, call the P-S-C at 608-267-3595.

 The mayor of Stevens Point is using the words "recommending against" instead of "banning" when it comes to trick-or-treating this Halloween.  Mayor Mike Wiza said it's just too risky to have kids going house-to-house for candy this year.  Instead, Wiza is suggesting that parents share pictures of their kids in costume, or pictures of their decorated houses with the city.  Both the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the C-D-C are also recommending against trick-or-treating this year.

 A newly released video shows a man doing 40-thousand dollars worth of vandalism to Miller Park in June.  Investigators say Keyon Lambert drove a tractor across the ball field and used the scoop to dig holes in the turf.  Lambert told police he was going to write his name with the tractor tires but it moved too slow.  He's facing criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct charges.

Tickets for the fall Minnesota State Fair food parade are sold out.  The fall edition of the food parade takes place at the State Fairgrounds in Saint Paul October 1st through the 4th and 8th through the 11th.  People who have tickets can drive through the fairgrounds and buy food from 16 different vendors.

Local-Regional News September 25

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board has approved a Covid 19 Facility Use Plan for community events. Durand Arkansaw Superintendent Greg Doverspike says the plans will be similar to high school sports. The plan is for the upcoming winter and Doverspike says those plans could change due to what happens with Covid-19.

With Halloween about a month away, many are wondering if trick or treating and other Halloween events will be held due to Covid-19. Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart has been working with the Durand Improvement Group on idea's to safely hold the annual Trunk or Treat.  The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has recommended that traditional trick-or-treating not be held this year.

Bond is set at one-million dollars for a western Wisconsin man accused of killing his wife's new boyfriend in Barron County. Prosecutors say 25-year-old Andrew Brunette of Rice Lake is charged in the first-degree homicide of 23-year-old Garret Macone from Chetek. Macone's mother found her son dead of a gunshot wound to the head on her patio September 20th. Detectives say Brunette admitted to shooting Macone twice while he was sleeping in bed. Macone was in a relationship with Brunette's wife after they separated. His first court appearance is Monday.

A man suspected of sexual assault in Rochester is dead after two-vehicle crash Wednesday near Kasson.  The Minnesota State Patrol says a car driven by 39-year-old Anthony V. Mitchell intentionally crossed the center line on on Highway 57 and collided head-on with a pickup.  Mitchell died at the scene.  The truck driver - 83-year-old Kay Zelinske of Mantorville - was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.  Troopers say Mitchell ran a stop sign and was leading patrol cars on a chase.  Authorities say they were looking for Mitchell as part of a sexual assault investigation.

There will be a special election next February in Minnesota's Second Congressional District following the death of one of the candidates.  Legal Marijuana Now Party nominee Adam Weeks was found dead in his Red Wing home Tuesday.  State law says a special election must be scheduled if a major party candidates dies within 79 days of Election Day.  The contest is set for February 9th.  Democratic Congresswoman Angie Craig is the incumbent and Tyler Kistner is the Republican challenger.  Both expressed their condolences to the Weeks family.

An Elgin man is the victim of a deadly farm accident in Olmsted County.  Sheriff's deputies say 36-year-old Nathan Holtegaard was working on the front end of a corn picker Wednesday night when it fell on him.  A relative found Holtegaard in a shed, used a fork lift to remove the corn picker and called 9-1-1.  Paramedics attempted life-saving measures but he died at the scene.

Around 150 National Guard soldiers are back in Wisconsin after a year-long deployment to the Middle East and Afghanistan. Members of the 829th Engineering Company returned home Thursday. The unit based in Spooner and Ashland mobilized last October on a construction mission and took assignments on 21 bases in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. There wasn't a traditional homecoming ceremony due to COVID-19 restrictions. The troops were greeted by family and friends at National Guard armories in Mauston, Tomah and Spooner.

Governor Tony Evers says eight-point-three-million dollars will support COVID-19 testing at Wisconsin's private, nonprofit and tribal colleges and universities.  The state is seeing a big spike in positive cases among 18 to 24-year olds.  Evers said, “No campus exists in a bubble, so it is critical that we all work together to stop the spread of this virus for the health and safety of not only those on our college campuses, but for Wisconsinites in every corner of our state, and testing is a key step in doing just that.”  Evers says this CARES Act funding follows an investment of more than ten-million dollars in general COVID support for the schools this summer.

A federal judge has delayed a ruling over what sorts of IDs college students need to vote in Wisconsin. Judge James Peterson said that for this November's election, students will need to have an id that conforms to the state standards in order to vote. Common Cause of Wisconsin had filed a lawsuit, saying that the state's Voter ID regulations are an undue burden on students, but Peterson said that making a ruling now, just six weeks before the election would put too much chaos on the voting process.

All of the bars and taverns in the Ashland area are closing on Friday for more than two weeks to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. The Ashland County Public Health Officer imposed the temporary closure that will continue through Sunday October 11th. The order notes that the majority of new COVID-19 cases in Ashland County are "directly related to spontaneous gatherings in bars and/or tavern type establishments with no less than seven establishments identified as sources of exposure." The order does not cover restaurants that sell alcohol as long as alcohol sales account for 50-percent or less of their revenue. Violations could result in fines of 200 to 500 dollars.

Authorities in southeastern Minnesota are investigating an apparent drowning on Lake Winona.  The Winona County Sheriff's Office says a caller reported that a man on a paddle board fell off Wednesday afternoon.  They said that he resurfaced and started to swim to another boat but went underwater again.  Divers and search boats recovered the man's body about two-and-a-half hours later.  The victim hasn't been identified.

Two suspicious items shut down traffic Wednesday night in Superior.  Police say a six-inch plastic cylinder with wires extending from it was found on a sidewalk.  Officers also located a four-by-two inch metal box with copper wiring in a street.  Authorities blocked traffic to Hammond avenue due to the uncertainty of the items.  A tactical technology team later determined the items were components used in high-powered sodium lights.

Two suspects are under arrest for the alleged arson of two buildings in downtown Madison during civil unrest last month.  The U-S Attorney's Office says 45-year-old Willie Johnson and 27-year-old Anessa Fierro are charged with attempting to damage and destroy by means of fire.  The criminal complaint says they broke glass windows and doors in each building and poured liquid from a gasoline container into them while attempting to ignite the fluid.  They successfully started a fire at one building and were trying to do the same to the other when Madison police arrived.  Officers said the second building contained seven residential apartments, with three of them being occupied during the attempted arson.  A-T-F agents identified Johnson and Fierro through surveillance video.

Harvest is ramping up across Minnesota and officials are urging drivers to use caution around large farm equipment.  State Patrol Sergeant Troy Christianson says motorists need to start to reduce speed once they start to see the flashing lights of the tractors, combines, wagons, or whatever you might see on the road.  Christianson says those big tractors travel at a slow speed and you need to be extremely careful when passing them.

 A Wisconsin soldier who died at Fort Jackson in South Carolina is back in his home state.  The body of Private Michael Wise was returned to Wisconsin Wednesday.  Twenty-nine-year-old Wise was found dead in his barracks September 12th.  Army officials say his cause of death is still investigation, but it was unrelated to COVID-19 or training.  Wise re-enlisted and was in basic training at the Columbia base.  He was a 2009 graduate of Kewaskum High School and previously served in the Air Force.  Wise leaves behind a pregnant wife and two-year-old daughter.

Local-Regional News September 24

The Durand Improvement Group gave a presentation on the Trunk or Treat event to the Durand City Council last night. While the council didn't make a decision, Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the group is working with the health department to find a way to have the event. The State Division of Health is recommending no traditional trick or treating this year due to the covid 19 pandemic.

One person was injured in a motorcycle vs SUV accident in Buffalo Township on Tuesday. According tot he Buffalo County Sheriffs Department, 46yr old Joshua Cichy of Red Wing was traveling northbound on Hwy M and met 42 yr old Yobahn Barragan-Soteol of Fountain City traveling southbound. The two met on a hill and curve in the roadway when the two collided causing Cichy to go airborne off the motorcycle and into the north ditch. Cinchy was air lifted to Gunderson Lutheran Hospital with undetermined injuries.

The former Eau Clarie County Humane Association accountant who has been convicted of embezzlement is facing new charges. Nicolle Wilson was charged Wednesday for with forgery, wire fraud and money laundering. According to authorities, Wilson applied for loans through the Federal Paycheck Protection Program under a clients name. She will be in court to face the new charges on September 30 and will be sentenced on October 30 for the embezzlement of $600,000 from the Humane Association.

A review board at UW-Eau Claire has cleared five students accused of making racists posts on Snapchat. The post in question from last November showed members of the K K K burning crosses, and made references to the campus's Black Male Empowerment group. The panel, composed of faculty, staff, and students, decided that students who made the posts did not violate the Wisconsin Administrative Code. That being said, Chancellor Jim Schmidt says that racist behavior is unacceptable and does not belong on campus.

 Legislative Republicans are appealing a federal court ruling that extends the window for Wisconsin to accept absentee ballots.  The G-O-P appeal comes just a few days after Judge William Conley ruled that clerks will be allowed to accept ballots that have been postmarked by Election Day, even if they come in later.  The same ruling also extended the window for requesting an absentee ballot.  Experts are expecting the ruling to head all the way up to the U-S Supreme Court.

The Minnesota State Lottery is reporting record sales for the third year in a row.  Lottery officials say 2020 sales hit 668-point-six million dollars, with 156 million going back to the state.  Players claimed nearly 424-million dollars last fiscal year.  The lottery has generated around three-point-three-billion dollars for programs in Minnesota since 1990--much of that going toward restoration and protection of the state's environment and natural resources.

Governor Tony Evers say more than five-million dollars from the CARES Act will be used to expand high-speed broadband internet in the state.  The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin will award grants to applicants from 2020 that did not receive funding and can connect customers by the end of the year.  Evers said, "This pandemic further illustrates the need for additional funding to expand broadband."  The grants are expected to be awarded by the P-S-C next month.

Wisconsin's Better Business Bureau is warning of an increase in political scam calls as the election approaches. BBB officials say the scammers often impersonate pollsters looking to collect personal information through surveys, fundraisers asking to donate to a campaign and sometimes candidates asking for special contributions. They recommend donating directly to campaigns online if you decide to do so, and most importantly, do not give out personal information, such as bank information or social security numbers to callers.

After two manure leaks in the last three years, people living near Wild Rose Dairy in Vernon County are concerned about expansion plans.  The big dairy farm wants to add almost one thousand animals and triple its waste storage facility.  It would then hold 30 million gallons of waste.  About two thousand fish died when manure was spilled at the farm near La Farge in 2017 and 2019.  The state is still investigating.  Neighbors say they are worried about environmental and social problems that could be caused by the changes.

The Wisconsin National Guard has hit a milestone in its testing efforts during the coronavirus pandemic.  Guard commanders reported Tuesday that its teams have topped a half-million coronavirus tests during the pandemic.  Their participation in the testing started in March and isn’t expected to end anytime soon.  The National Guard has tested people in 60 of the state’s 72 counties, but does most of its work in Milwaukee and Madison.  Hundreds of citizen soldiers have helped.

 A survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association finds one in three Wisconsin restaurants are unlikely to be in business six months from now.  The survey of 35 hundred restaurants was conducted August 26th through September 1st.  It determined consumer spending is well below normal and overall sales are off by an average of 36 percent.  Only 10 percent of restaurant operators in Wisconsin say August business conditions improved from July.  Staffing levels at Wisconsin restaurants are about 29 percent lower than they would normally be.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has declined to hear a lawsuit filed by Republican lawmakers against Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul.  The suit was filed in August of last year.  Republicans accused Kaul of failing to comply with laws they passed during a 2018 lame-duck legislative session.  They said he was failing to get permission from them before settling lawsuits.  Tuesday’s ruling came on a six-to-one vote.  The lame-duck laws were upheld on a July vote, but the justices offered no comment on that ruling.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has ordered state agencies to find ways to cut 300 million dollars from their expenditures.  Evers said the cuts are necessary due to falling state revenue during the coronavirus pandemic.  The University of Wisconsin System will absorb 45 million dollars of the reductions.  Evers had called on those agencies to cut 250 million in July.  All the cuts come in addition to 70 million dollars in cuts the governor made during the previous budget year.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says he's optimistic about the return of Minnesota high school football and volleyball this fall.  He says it will go well as long as school districts continue to follow state guidelines.  Walz noted that schools placed in hybrid learning because of high COVID numbers won't be playing inner school athletics.  The governor says he'd like to get more extracurricular activities started as well whether it's speech and debate or concert band.  Governor Walz made stops at schools in St. Cloud and Moorhead Tuesday.

Local-Regional News September 23

Dunn County authorities have released the name of a victim of a one vehicle accident in the town of Knapp on September 17^th. 25Yr old Alysha Hellekson of Menomonie was killed when her truck failed to stop at the intersection of Hwy 12 and Q, entered the ditch, struck a tree and then entered the Mattison construction property and struck a pile of new guard rails. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

The Durand-Arkansaw School board is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include information on the 2020 preliminary enrollment, discussion of the Pepin County and Western Region of WI Metrics for school instruction in regards to covid-19 and action on new revised staff and board policies. Tonight's meeting begins at 6pm and will be available on zoom.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include reports from the mayor city administrator and department heads, discussion and possible action on allowing main street to be closed for the Durand Improvement Group Trunk or Treet event. Tonight's meeting is at 6:30 and will be available on our live stream at our website and on our you tube channel at Durand Broadcasting WRDN.

Authorities in western Wisconsin are looking for the suspects in an S-U-V who stole an A-T-M from the Ashley Furniture plant in Arcadia.  The Trempealeau County Sheriff's Office posted pictures of the light blue 2002 to 2009 Kia Sorento on their Facebook page.  Investigators say the suspects entered the plant 4 cafeteria Monday morning and one person loaded an A-T-M on a dolly and took it to the vehicle.  Witnesses were unable to take down the license plate of the suspect vehicle.  Anyone with information is asked to contact Arcadia police or the Trempealeau County sheriff.

UW-La Crosse has issued a new plan to resume in person classes on October 5^th. The plan includes testing all 1500 students who stayed on campus during the shelter-in-place quarantine. For those that left campus, they will begin to return next week, but they will have to have been tested in the last 48hrs or be tested and have a negative covid 19 result. Any student testing positive will need to isolate. Students living off campus are encouraged to get tested this week.

A Monroe County judge has ruled the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources violated state law when it granted a wetlands permit to a frac sand operation three years ago.  Judge Todd Ziegler refused to reinstate the permit in court Monday.  Georgia-based Meteor Timber had sued last year when an administrative law judge revoked the permit.  The Ho-Chunk Nation, Midwest Environmental Advocates and Clean Wisconsin had challenged the permit in 2018.  They argued the D-N-R hadn’t collected enough information to grant it – and the administrative law judge agreed.

t happened in July – it’s happened again.  Wisconsin has been added to the Chicago travel order.  Anyone going to the Windy City from the Badger State needs to self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival.  That includes Chicago residents returning home from Wisconsin.  This state was placed on that list for the first time in July.  It joins 18 other states and Puerto Rico because there has been a steady increase in coronavirus cases.

The one-and-a-half billion-dollar city budget presented to the Common Council Tuesday by Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett cuts spending on the police department.  Barrett’s plan reduces police spending by 430 thousand dollars, eliminating 120 positions in the department.  Barrett says the reduction would be accomplished through attrition.  Sixty sworn police jobs were already removed from the current budget.  Barrett’s spending plan follows nationwide calls to defund police while thousands march for racial justice.

Wisconsin residents have been getting bombarded with calls purporting to be from voting rights groups saying that they're not registered to vote. State consumer protection administrator Lara Sutherlin says many of these calls are either inaccurate or scams attempting to add you to a list somewhere. If you get calls asking you for money to help you register, or random calls for donations to a candidate, hang up, and find a source on your own.

Governor Tony Evers is declaring a new public health emergency and issuing a new mask order due to a recent surge in COVID-19 cases among young people.  Evers said, "We need folks to start taking this seriously, and young people especially—please stay home as much as you are able, skip heading to the bars, and wear a mask whenever you go out."  Republican Senator Chris Kapenga of Delafield is calling on G-O-P leaders to repeal the order and claims "there is not a scientific consensus that using face coverings have been proven to stop the spread of COVID."  But UW-Health said wearing a mask has proven to be one of the best means of protection society has against COVID-19.  Both orders will expire after 60 days.

Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcom says there are a lot of risks with allowing high school football and volleyball this fall in Minnesota.  Malcom says we expect they will be taking all the safety measures that they can to ensure the student-athletes can compete, "but that they can also go to school, which again means extra vigilance on everybody's part -- players, coaches spectators, fans."  Malcolm says this includes wearing masks, social distancing, and limiting the number of spectators.  Both seasons will begin on September 28th.  Three-hundred-51 Minnesota schools have reported COVID-19 cases so far this year.

After being shut down for more than a year, Flambeau River Papers is in operation again with 51 workers returning to the job.  The plant closed in June 2019.  To this point only one of the three paper-making machines is online, but the workforce is eventually expected to triple in size.  It had looked like the mill equipment in northern Wisconsin might be sold for scrap, but a new investment group from New Jersey save the day.

Authorities in southern Minnesota say a drug bust in Albert Lea netted more than ten pounds of methamphetamine.  Officers from the South Central Drug Investigation Unit and several other agencies searched a home last Friday.  Agents say they seized ten-and-a-half pounds of meth and about four-thousand dollars in cash.  No word on any arrests or suspects.  The investigation is ongoing.

Researchers with the Department of Natural Resources are asking Wisconsin deer hunters to share their behaviors over a three-day period.  The D-N-R says it wants to better understand the choices those 130 thousand hunters make while they are in the field.  Technology like trail cameras are helping them track wildlife and that has changed things.  The survey is being sent to all license holders, but participation is still voluntary.

The Department of Natural Resources is asking Wisconsin’s governor to renew its land stewardship program for another 10 years.  As it stands now, the program is scheduled to end in mid-2022.  The D-N-R is asking Governor Evers to increase its borrowing authority from 33 million dollars-a-year to 50 million – and to extend the program through mid-2032.  The request actually involves only a three-tenths of one percent increase in the total funding for the D-N-R. 

Local-Regional News September 22

One person was injured in a motorcycle accident in Lincoln township on Sunday. According to the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department, 59yr old Robert Sumner of Altoona was traveling northbound on Highway 88 when he lost control on a curve near Hwy U and went into the ditch, causing him to crash. Sumner was med flighted to the hospital with undetermined injuries.

Pepin County Board members, community representatives and construction officials a meet for a groundbreaking ceremony yesterday at the location of the new Pepin County Highways Shop. In remarks to the crowd County Board Chairman Tom Milliren felt the county board had done its due diligence in the decision and planning of the new highway shop. The shop is expected to be open by the fall of 2021.

Chippewa County Authorities have released the name of the man killed in a motorcycle accident on Saturday. 63Yr old David Prestebak of Menomonie was killed when an SUV driven by 35yr old Justin Blekachek of Chippewa Falls crossed the centerline of Hwy 64 and struck Prestebaks bike. That accident is still being investigated for possible charges.

A Rice Lake man has been arrested on possible homicide charges. According to the Barron County Sheriffs Department, authorities were called on Sunday after noon by a woman reporting her son was outside and not breathing outside her Chetek home. Upon arrival, deputies found 23yr old Garret Macone of Chetek dead. After an investigation, 25yr old Andrew Burnette was arrested and held on suspicion of 1^st degree intentional homicide. Formal charges are expected in the next few days.

The Mayo Clinic is rewarding its employees for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.   The Rochester-based health care system will give all full- and part-time staff a payment of one-thousand dollars on October 23rd.  Mayo employees who had wage reductions due to the coronavirus will be repaid for eight weeks through an additional payment.  A letter to employees says top administrators are not eligible for the one-thousand-dollar payment.  Mayo's financial outlook improved sooner than projected and also benefited from federal CARES Act funding.

Minnesota authorities have charged a New Richmond Man with OWI, 19^th offense. 58Yr old Daniel Hanson was arrested just south of Duluth in August by Minnesota State Troopers after he was driving the wrong way on I-35. When he was pulled over, troopers found a bottle of vodka in the vehicle and his alcohol level was more that twice the legal limit.

A federal judge has ruled Wisconsin’s absentee ballots can be counted up to six days after the November 3rd presidential election.  U-S District Judge William Conley’s ruling issued Monday included a preliminary injunction that could be appealed all the way to the U-S Supreme Court.  Under current state law, the deadline for returning your absentee ballot and having it counted is 8:00 p-m on Election Day.  Democrats had sued, asking the deadline to be extended.  Conley’s ruling is on hold for seven days, giving opponents a chance to pursue an emergency appeal.

As farm equipment starts to get out on the roads this fall, be sure you're driving safely around them. Farm Bureau member Shane Goplin says that there's never a good reason to pass a vehicle in a no passing zone, even if it's a slow moving vehicle. Goplin says he and other farmers will make room for you if you need to go around them, but just give them the time to do so safely.

U-S Senator Tammy Baldwin is joining a bipartisan effort to make sure the Coast Guard is ready to break the ice of the Great Lakes this winter. Baldwin backs legislation increasing the number of larger icebreaking ships on the lakes, instead of having just one for all five lakes. The Wisconsin Democrat says a billion dollars in revenue were lost when icebreaking was slow during the last winter.

We may not know the final totals from the November 3rd presidential election by the following morning.  Clerks from across Wisconsin are saying they have concerns about handling and counting of the more than one million absentee ballots expected.  Milwaukee Election Commission director Claire Woodall-Vogg says her office will work all night and she hopes to have the results tabulated by the time the sun comes up.  Other election officials in the state are also anticipating similar long nights following the November 3rd vote.

U-S Senator Tammy Baldwin says here is no need for a rush to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  The 87-year-old justice died Friday of complications from pancreatic cancer.  Baldwin says the presidential election is less than 50 days off and naming a new person to the U-S Supreme Court can wait until that election is over.  The Wisconsin Democrat says voters need to have their voices heard before a president makes a nomination.  President Trump has already said he wants to complete the process of replacing Ginsburg quickly.

Minnesota Congressman Tom Emmer is part of a push to get federal assistance for turkey farmers struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.   Emmer, Congressman Jim Hagedorn, and two Missouri Republicans wrote U-S-D-A Secretary Sonny Perdue requesting that independent turkey producers be eligible for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.   It provided 19-billion dollars in direct payments to farmers and ranchers, but turkey producers are currently excluded from the program.   Emmer says Minnesota turkey growers "have supported our grocery stores and kept food on our plates for months – now we owe them our support."   Hagedorn added "it is essential that U-S-D-A include the turkey industry in any expansion of CFAP."

The Department of Health Services has posted guidance to the COVID-19 Staying Safe in Your Community page with recommendations on how to have a safe and healthy Halloween. 

DHS recommends avoiding the following types of events:

• Large outdoor gatherings such as parties, festivals, and parades

• In-person indoor parties and celebrations

• Happy hours or socializing at bars

• Traditional trick-or-treating from neighbor to neighbor

The guidance provides ideas for alternative celebrations, such as:

• Virtual costume contests and parties

• Increasing celebrations at home through decorations and family activities

• Drive-through haunted houses

If your community plans to host trick-or-treating this year, it is recommended that individual grab bags be placed outside for children to take for a contact-free experience.

Minneapolis and St. Paul are using U-S Department of Energy money to add 70 electric vehicle charging stations over the next two years.  The Twin Cities Electric Vehicle Mobility Network is getting six-point-seven million dollars from the feds.  The money will be used to build public charging locations, develop a new one-way electric car sharing service, and work with local organizations to educate the public about electric vehicles.  The 139-million-dollar program will fund 55 projects across the country supporting innovative vehicle technology.

The threat of COVID-19 isn’t stopping North Shore visitors looking for beautiful fall colors.  Locals say the wooded areas around Grand Marais and Finland were filled with hikers Sunday.  Resorts were near capacity when social distancing is observed.  Colors there are peaking right now – on the first day of Fall 2020.  The area is known for its rocky cliffs, rough beaches, forested areas, and wilderness.  The trees draw visitors from thousands of miles away, in some cases, to enjoy the coastline from Duluth to the Canadian border.

Local-Regional News September 21

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls is suspending in-person classes two weeks due to a spike in COVID cases on campus. Classes will be online-only and a shelter-in-place policy is in place to limit the spread and protect the community. U-W System President Tommy Thompson said" moving to online course delivery for a two-week period while sheltering in place can be an effective tactic, as we have seen elsewhere." The Pierce County Public Health Department has been working with UW-River Falls on testing and protocols.

As girls volleyball and other fall sports return, boys football is next this week with the first game on Friday. Durand-Arkansaw School Superintendent Greg Doverspike says district administrators are already working on winter sports.  Doverspike reminds parents and fans to have patience as fall sports plans could change rapidly. Durand will be at Neillsville this Friday and you will be able to hear that game on WRDN and online at our website.

One person is dead after a motorcycle vs SUV accident in Chippewa County Saturday. According to the Chippewa County Sheriff's Department, the SUV was eastbound on Hwy 64 in the township of Cleveland and crossed the centerline while negotiating a curve. The SUV struck a westbound motorcycle. The driver of the motorcycle was ejected from the bike and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the SUV was treated and released. The accident remains under investigation and the names of the drivers have not been released.

 Twelve-year-old J-J Heine remembered the lessons he learned while attending the “Survive Alive House” fire safety program last year, saving his own life by climbing out onto his roof when his home caught on fire.  He was the only member of his family on the second floor when the fire broke out Friday morning.  His mother says she tried to get upstairs to J-J, but couldn’t get through the smoke.  She says she thought her son was dead until she went outside and saw him on the roof.  He had crawled out a window and started yelling for help.  When firefighters arrived they used a ladder to bring him down to safety.

U-S Senator Ron Johnson says he's now fine, with a vote to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court. That's seemingly a reversal of the Republican's stance in 2016, when President Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland to fill the seat of the late Antonin Scalia. At the time, Johnson was on board as Republicans blocked the nomination, despite the fact Obama still had ten months remaining in his second term. This time, Johnson says he supports a vote on President Donald Trump's nominee to succeed the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Johnson says there's precedent for such an appointment when the Senate majority and the presidency are both held by the same party.

The state of Wisconsin has surpassed 100 thousand positive test results for COVID-19.  Public health officials report 16-hundred-65 new cases Sunday – the first time in four days the state didn’t top two thousand.  The record was set Friday when the total was adjusted to two-thousand-626.  One death was recorded Sunday, putting the toll at one-thousand-242.  Dane County Executive Joe Parisi has renewed his call for the University of Wisconsin-Madison to take action.  Parisi says the surge is fueled mostly by the system’s decision to return to in-person classes -- something set to resume after Friday.

The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) announced Friday it has suspended all winter sports competitions through the end of 2020. The decision was a unanimous one by the conference's council of chancellors. It came after several meetings to discuss COVID-19 risks and safety protocols. The suspension includes men's and women's basketball, women's gymnastics, men's and women's ice hockey, men's and women's indoor track & field, men's and women's swimming & diving, and wrestling.

More drivers have been cited for D-W-I in 2020 than in 2019. The Minnesota State Patrol says there have been 300 more arrests for D-W-I than last year at this time. Public safety officials say that is concerning especially since bars and restaurants were closed for most of the summer.

Governor Tony Evers' Secretary of Workforce Development has resigned. The departure of Caleb Frostman from leadership of the department comes at the request of the Democratic governor, as DWD continues to work on a significant backlog of unemployment claims. While blaming legislative Republicans for a system unprepared to handle unprecedented claims during the COVID-19 pandemic, Evers said extended waits for families to receive needed benefits are unacceptable. Deputy Corrections Secretary Amy Pechacek will serve as interim DWD Secretary.

More people are returning to work in Wisconsin. The latest numbers from the state’s Department of Workforce Development show unemployment fell in Wisconsin last month, down to six-point-two percent. That's still twice what the state's jobless rate was before the coronavirus pandemic, but less than half the unemployment rate from April.

Madison Police have released two videos showing fireworks being shot at its officers while they rode in squad cars.  The incidents happened in the early morning hours of August 26th during the unrest that broke out following widespread protests.  Police say the fireworks were commercial-grade.  In one incident, they landed close to the cruiser and the flash from the blast enveloped the squad car.  A dashcam recorded a firework exploding right in front of the second squad car.  Police say nearby officers were trying to stop criminal activity at the same time.  Nobody was injured in either case.

School district officials in the Dallas area are investigating a writing assignment handed out by a high school English teacher.  The teacher asked students to write about a modern-day hero – and listed 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse as one possible option.  Rittenhouse is accused of killing two people and wounding a third during the Kenosha protests following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.  The teacher also suggested Joseph Rosenbaum as a possibility.  He’s one of the protesters Rittenhouse is accused of killing.  Other possibilities were Mahatma Gandhi, Cesar Chavez, Malcolm X, and George Floyd.

 A former Wisconsin high school principal faces up to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to child sex charges.  Forty-year-old David Hay was a principal in Tomah from 2011-to-2014 and had also served as an administrator at Kettle Moraine High School.  He admitted exchanging sexually explicit digital images and videos with a 15-year-old boy, while also sending sexually explicit images of himself to the victim.  Hay will be sentenced December 18th in Green Bay.  He pleaded guilty to federal charges of child enticement and possession of child pornography.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office says the body of a third plane crash victim on Grey Cloud Island has been recovered.  The small plane with three occupants onboard went down Sunday evening near the Mississippi River in the Cottage Grove area.  A dive team found the wreckage in a water-filled quarry and the bodies of 60-year-old Larry Schlicting of Eagan and 24-year-old Lucas Knight of North Mankato earlier this week.  The Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office will identify the third victim.  The F-A-A is investigating the crash.

Wisconsin hunters are being asked to turn in deer heads as the Department of Natural Resources tries to track chronic wasting disease. The deer heads can be dropped off at sampling stations, self-service kiosks, or by contacting a D-N-R biologist. State officials say the heads will be collected for testing during the archery, crossbow, and gun hunting seasons. Scientists say they need a “robust sample size” to find out where the disease is located in Wisconsin. The focus is heightened in northeastern Wisconsin.

Local-Regional News September 18

 Police in Wabasha are investigating a grain bin accident that left a man dead.  Officers were called to Gerken's Feed and Grain Monday night for an employee who was possibly missing.  The man was identified as 67-year-old John Evers of Wabasha.  Rescue crews and firefighters cut open the bin and later found Evers inside.  He died at the scene.

One person was injured in a one vehicle accident in the town of Knapp on Thursday. According to the Dunn County Sheriffs Department, a 25yr old female was traveling northbound on Hwy Q when she failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection of Hwy Q and Hwy 12. The vehicle continued northbound across Hwy 12 and entered the ditch, struck a tree and entered the Mattison Construction property where it struck a pile of new guard rail sections. The driver had to be extricated from the vehicle and was med flighted to Mayo Eau Claire with life threatening injuries. Speed appears to be a factor in the accident. The drivers name has not been released pending notification of family.

One person was injured in a one vehicle accident in Nelson Township on Wednesday. According to the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department, 61ry old Terresa Hoyt was traveling southbound on Hwy 35 when she lost control and left the southbound shoulder. The vehicle then rolled several times, causing Hoyt to become trapped when the vehicle came to rest on its roof. Hoyt was taken to a local hospital with non life threating injures..

One person is dead after a one vehicle accident in Fountain City on Wednesday. According to the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department, 32yr old William Daubs of Fountain City was traveling southbound on Hwy 35, left the roadway and attempted to re-enter the roadway. The vehicle then rolled n an end to end manner coming to a rest on its roof. Daubs was partially ejected from the vehicle with the vehicle landing on top of him. Speed and alcohol are believed to be a factor in the crash and that accident remains under investigation.

A man convicted of child trafficking and sexual assault was sentenced yesterday. Richard Bye was sentenced to 4yrs in prison after being convicted of intentionally contributing to the delinquency of a child. Bye and William Hargrove were both charged with assaulting a 15yr old girl and Hargrove is currently serving a 10yr sentence.

One person is dead and another in custody after a truck vs pedestrian accident in Chippewas County on Wednesday. According to the Chippewa County Sheriffs Department, 24yr old Trevor Plemon was driving the truck westbound on Hwy 64 when he struck 63yr old Christine Prueher of Greenfield who was walking on the side of the road. Prueher was med flighted to the hospital but later died. Plemon has been arrested and charged with causing injury or death while operating under the influence of an intoxicant 2^nd offense, possession of THC and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held on a $10,000 cash bond.

Four elderly people were wounded in a mass shooting in Mayville, in Dodge County. Two of the four were airlifted from the Spring Glen Elderly Housing facility to trauma centers and they are in critical condition. One of the critical patients is said to be the shooter. No names have been released. The incident was reported by a 9-1-1 caller shortly before 7:30 p-m. The sheriff’s office, Mayville Police, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice are investigating.

Even though he isn’t experiencing any symptoms, U-S Senator Ron Johnson wasn’t at President Trump’s appearance in Mosinee Thursday.  The Wisconsin Republican was told he had been exposed to someone with COVID-19.  Johnson will voluntarily quarantine until next Tuesday, even though he has tested negative since he was notified.  The veteran senator had been scheduled to travel with the president to the Thursday campaign stop.  Political observers say the president is working to boost enthusiasm among rural Wisconsin voters so he can win the state’s electoral college votes again.

Beloit College is testing all of its students for COVID-19 weekly. The College has partnered with Abbott Laboratories in Chicago to provide weekly on-campus COVID-19 testing for all of its roughly 1400 undergraduates. The College will cover the costs of inner nasal swab tests which produce results in 20 minutes or less. According to a press release the College will also hire up to eight certified nursing assistants or emergency medicine technicians to staff the new testing center. Since resuming in-person classes, Beloit's policy has included cloth face coverings, physical distancing, frequent hand-washing and completing daily wellness checks on an app.

G-E Healthcare has big plans for southeast Wisconsin. The company's latest proposal includes a 50-million-dollar factory in West Milwaukee to make C-T scanners. Hundreds of jobs would be shifted from Waukesha. G-E says the hope is to eventually have 12-hundred workers in the new plant. GE already owns the facility in West Milwaukee, but is not saying when it could start production there or when the Waukesha jobs would be moved.

 The Wisconsin Elections Commission is telling voters they can ignore the texts, calls, and postcards they may be getting about re-registering before the November election.  The commission says those reminders aren’t coming from it.  Director Meagan Wolfe says third-party groups are calling and texting voters, telling them they could be left off the voter rolls.  Wolfe says that’s usually not true.  She says the calls aren’t illegal, but many voters aren’t happy about getting them.

 Absentee balloting for 2020 election begins in Minnesota today.  Secretary of State Steve Simon is encouraging voting by mail and says you can track your ballot just like you would a package.   Simon says the earlier you send in the ballot - the better.  Many counties are reporting a record number of absentee ballot requests during the COVID-19 pandemic.    Minnesotans can also vote in-person beginning today at a county clerk or city office.   Early absentee voting locations are open 46 days prior to Election Day.

The state Public Service Commission has voted to extend a moratorium on disconnecting utilities of customers who are behind on their bills The moratorium put in place on March 24 in response to the coronavirus pandemic was set to expire October 1. On a 2-1 vote Thursday, commissioners extended it to November 1. That's the date on which the annual moratorium on cutoffs for electric and gas customers takes effect. The winter moratorium runs to April 15. The PSC will require any water utility to get its approval to disconnect service. Organizations ranging from the Wisconsin Council of Churches to the Sierra Club asked the PSC to extend the moratorium.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is reporting a big spike in fatal off-highway vehicle crashes.   Conservation officers say 19 people have died in O-H-V accidents through early September  - compared with the ten-year annual average of 18 fatalities.     D-N-R coordinator Jon Paurus says for the most part people are taking the proper precautions and riding safely.   The most common safety issues are people riding too fast,  riding where they're not supposed to, and failing to obey traffic signs.  The numbers of registered all-terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles, and off-road vehicles topped 329-thousand in 2019 and there have been 24-thousand new registrations in 2020.

 A change of venue has been granted in the case against a Missouri man accused of killing two Shawano County brothers over a business debt.  The first-degree murder trial for Garland “Joey” Nelson was moved from Caldwell County, Missouri to Johnson County Tuesday – the day after the brothers’ remains were returned to the family in Wisconsin.  Prosecutors have said they intend to seek the death penalty against Nelson.  He is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Nick and Justin Diemel in July of last year.

 Racine police say the medical examiner has determined that a brain found on the city's lakefront is not from a human.  It came from animal but there is no word on what species it came from.  The brain was found Tuesday in Samuel Myers Park wrapped in aluminum foil and a rubber band.  There was also flowers and foreign cash inside the foil.