Local-Regional News November 2

One person is dead after a one vehicle accident in Pepin County Friday. According to the Pepin County Sheriffs Department, 46yr old Melody Eva Renk-Mason of rural Ellsworth was traveling northbound on Hwy 35 near Hwy JJ when she lost control of her vehicle, struck a guardrail, causing the vehicle to catch fire. Renk-Mason was pulled from the vehicle by passerbys and transported to Rochester and was pronounced dead at the hospital. Speed and inattentive driving appear to be contributing factors in the accident.

Because of the covid-19 pandemic, the Durand-Regis football game scheduled for this Friday has been cancelled. Durand-Arkansaw School Superintendent Greg Doverspike says the district is looking to find a replacement game.  Doversplike says its possible that the replacement game wont be announced until Tuesday or Wednesday.

Tomorrow is election day and the City of Durand is ready for voters. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the city will do everything it can to keep people safe for in person voting.  Polls open tomorrow morning at 7am and close at 8pm.

With the recent spike in covid-19 cases here in Western Wisconsin, some people may be forced to quarantine in their homes. Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says that if you need some help getting household items, home heating issues or other issues to reach out to the Health Department or Human Services.  Stewart also recommends calling 2-1-1 and they can direct you to organizations and agencies that can help.

Police in Rochester are investigating a shooting early Friday that left one man dead and another in critical condition.  Officers discovered an 18-year-old and 20-year-old victim in an apartment hallway.  Both victims were taken to the hospital where the 18-year-old died.  The other victim was listed as critical.  Investigators say it appears that the victims and suspects knew each other.  No arrests have been made.

 A St. Paul man died Friday night in a rollover crash in St. Croix County, Wisconsin. The Wisconsin State Patrol says the crash happened on I-94 near Roberts. The initial investigation indicated the car was traveling at a high rate of speed when the driver lost control, entered the median, and rolled several times.

The Illinois teen charged in the shooting deaths of two Black Lives Matter protesters in Kenosha is now in Wisconsin police custody.  A Lake County judge ordered the extradition of 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse to an adult prison in Wisconsin late Friday afternoon.  Authorities confirmed that Rittenhouse was in Kenosha Friday night.  He faces two counts of first-degree intentional homicide and attempted intentional homicide for the wounding of a third protester.  His attorneys claim Rittenhouse was acting in self-defense.  His next court hearing is November 6th.

A weekend farm equipment accident in Milton has taken the life of a 69-year-old man.  Deputies with the Rock County Sheriff’s Office say the victim was operating a tractor pulling a corn picker across an old concrete bridge when the picker started to go off the edge.  The man stopped and called his son for help.  While waiting, he tried to back the tractor off the bridge, but a section of concrete gave way.  The tractor flipped and pinned the victim against a tree.  His name hasn’t been released.  An autopsy is pending in Madison.

Foxconn is challenging the state's decision to not deliver tax breaks. Foxconn attorney Robert Berry says that the company has serious concerns that the state won't deliver those cuts as agreed to by former Governor Scott Walker. THe Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation says Foxconn has reneged on their side of that contract by failing to hire enough full time workers, and by scaling back the plans that were originally agreed to. WEDC wants the company to come in and negotiate a new contract. Under the old plans, Foxconn was supposed to build a full scale LCD plant in southeastern Wisconsin, hire 13,000 people, and invest 10 billion dollars into the state. So far it has fallen far short of all of those requirements.

Just a reminder, you can’t offer voters free food or free drinks in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Elections Commission says offering freebies for anyone wearing an “I Voted” sticker is technically a bribe. Commission director Meagan Wolfe says most people or businesses make the offers with good intentions, but that it’s illegal nonetheless. She’s also warning against offering free food or drinks to voters standing in line at the polls.

Governor Tony Evers is asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court for a quick decision on his crowd limit order.  The governor’s office says the order involves immediate, life-threatening public health conditions.  It puts a limit of 25 percent of a room’s capacity on Wisconsin bars and restaurants.  Evers asked the court to quickly hear the challenge to the order Thursday.  There has been no formal response from the court.

 Authorities in Monroe County are investigating additional reports of sexual assaults by a 74-year-old suspect.  Jerome Leuck of Cashton was taken into custody October 14th.  He faces several sexual assault charges dating back as far as nine years.  The sheriff’s office says four other people came forward after he was arrested saying Leuck sexually assaulted them.  They say the assaults happened when they were children.  Leuck is free on bail with a hearing scheduled for November 23rd.

 The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says 20 percent of the state’s hospitals are short-staffed during the coronavirus pandemic.  They need doctors, nurses and support staff.  The D-H-S calls that a critical staffing shortage – and the shortage means the doctors and nurses who are on the job are having to put in many more hours than normal.  D-H-S Deputy Secretary Julie Williams Van Dijk says some hospitals are looking to bring in personnel from out of state.

 Parents and students say bullying is a problem in the Thorp School District.  About 70 people carried signs at a protest in the parking lot Thursday.  One mother says her son was bullied by football players and she says the punishments weren’t harsh enough.  Elizabeth Winger posted the story about her son’s experiences while a member of the middle school football team on social media.  The Winger family pulled four children out of the school district because of the situation.  District officials held a special meeting Thursday night to discuss the situation.  Some members of the football team joined the protesters.

 Four hundred Wisconsin National Guard troops will be activated to help make sure Election Day goes smoothly next week.  Governor Tony Evers announced the pending move Thursday.  Troops will be there to fill any shortages at the polls and offer assistance to voters and election officials.  Wisconsin Elections Commission head Meagan Wolfe says there is still a shortage of about 200 poll workers.  Wolf says that is actually “fantastic news” and credit is due to the hard work of local officials who solicited volunteers and people to serve as backups.  About 30 thousand poll workers will be on the job Tuesday.