Local-Regional News November 19

The Durand City Council has passed a new budget. According to Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren, taxpayers will see a slight decrease in the mill rate for the city.  The total tax levy dropped by 1.3% and the mill rate dropped to $7.22 per $1,000 of assessed value.

The Pepin County Health Department will no longer provide contract tracing to every covid-19 case. Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says the department was approved to begin crisis standards of practice for health investigation.  As the cases of covid-19 continue to rise, health department workers became overwhelmed in attempting to contact trace those who may have been exposed.

Two school Districts in Northwest Wisconsin have decided to go all virtual until January. The Bloomer school district will go all virtual from November 30^th through January 4^th, while the New Auburn district will continue its virtual learning through January 3^rd. The Bloomer district will re-evalulate the situation on December 23.

A Red Wing man received 15 years in prison for his 21st birthday  Wednesday.   Michael Reyes was sentenced for the June 2019 shooting death of 28-year-old D'andre Hicks of Tampa Bay, Florida.  Reyes pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for shooting Hicks in the head in downtown Red Wing.  Hicks died in a Rochester hospital the next day.  Reyes left town and was later arrested at a Twin Cities hotel.  He will get credit for the 514 days he's already served.

 More than 900 staff members at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last two weeks.  Mayo Clinic Practice Doctor Amy Williams says she's concerned with staff shortages as employees get exposed to the virus.  The 905 new infections brings Mayo Clinic's total to two-thousand-981 employees who have tested positive since the beginning of the pandemic.

Wisconsin’s governor says he will re-issue a State of Emergency due to the pandemic effective Saturday.  That’s when the current State of Emergency expires.  Governor Tony Evers is “it’s clear we can’t afford to stop.”  His action will extend the public health emergency until January.  The move also extends the statewide mask mandate.  The Wisconsin Supreme Court heard arguments earlier this week about whether Evers is exceeding his authority with moves like that.  No ruling from the high court is expected for several weeks.

Minnesota bars, restaurants, fitness centers, bowling alleys and other establishments will have to close for in-person business at 11:59 p-m Friday.  Governor Tim Walz announced what he calls a "four-week dial back"  to control the spread of COVID-19 last night (Wednesday). The order also calls for a four-week "pause" on youth and adult sports,  wedding receptions and other social gatherings.  Governor Walz said no one thinks these restrictions are "easy" or "fair."  Retail businesses, salons, and places of worship may continue to operate with precautions in place.  The new restrictions are set to run through December 18th.  Minnesota had a record number of COVID deaths and hospitalizations Wednesday.

The Wisconsin man accused of being a part of the plot against Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has been arrested a second time.  Brian Higgins was free on bail when Whitmer and Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers submitted paperwork for his extradition.  Higgins has been charged with providing material support for terrorist acts – a federal felony that could result in a 20-year prison sentence.  He has been accused of traveling to western Michigan to meet with a militia group called the Wolverine Watchmen.  They were reportedly working on a plot to kidnap Whitmer.

The Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles says one of its investigators has uncovered millions of dollars in fraudulent vehicle titles.  The Field Investigation Unit’s Joel Ingebrigston took the case last year to look into counterfeit replacement titles.  He found 16 worth more than a half-million dollars, but he also found 100 more fake documents tied to four-million dollars worth of vehicles.  For his good work, Ingebrigston has won a national award.  His boss says the state investigator’s methods for identifying title and odometer fraud have been picked up by agencies in other states.

 Five police officers in Marinette County have been cleared in the fatal shooting of a suspect in Goodman.  The district attorney’s office says no criminal charges will be filed.  Sixty-two-year-old John Lipski of Milwaukee was shot to death October 23rd.  He had been identified as a suspect in the fatal shooting of 62-year-old Richard Gibbs.  Deputies followed Lipski and when he pointed a gun at pursuing officers he was shot to death.  The Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation handled the case.

A western Wisconsin man is now charged in a police chase and exchange of gunfire in central Minnesota.  That state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says 20-year-old Bradley Olsen of Dresser is jailed for use of deadly force against an officer, felony discharge of a firearm and fleeing a police officer.   Agents say Olsen refused to pull over Saturday and fired shots at an Anoka County sheriff's deputy, who returned fire.  Olsen wasn't shot but suffered minor injuries when he crashed his car.

 Governor Tony Evers and Wisconsin Republicans say they need to meet to talk about COVID relief.  Nothing is scheduled yet.  Evers released details of a 541-million-dollar package Tuesday and he wants the Legislature to consider the 19 bills this fall.  Assembly Speaker Robin Vos held a news conference shortly after the Democratic governor revealed his plans.  The Republican Vos presented a set of ideas focusing on contact tracers and rapid testing.  He says a meeting with Evers will have to be conducted before a relief package can be finalized.  The governor has suggested meeting Friday.

Governors from states in the Upper Midwest have agreed to start working together to slow the spread of COVID-19.  Minnesota health experts say neighboring states like Iowa and Wisconsin are contributing to the growth of cases here.  Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says new case rates are growing faster in the upper Midwest than any other place on the planet during the pandemic.  He and other governors will coordinator, share information and try to work together to slow the spread.  Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has already issued that state’s first mask mandate.  The executive director of the Iowa Public Health Association calls the situation “a disaster.”

Target corporation is reporting results from a strong third quarter during the COVID pandemic.  The Minnesota-based retailer says comparable sales grew by 20-point-seven percent and online sales rose by 155 percent.  Same-day services such as order pick up, drive up and Shipt rose by 217 percent in August, September and October.  Target's total revenue was up more than 21 percent and operating income increased 93 percent to one-point-nine billion dollars.