Local-Regional News November 6

City of Mondovi residents may notice some discoloration of the water. The city reports that the discoloration is due to construction of the wastewater treatment plant and city crews are flushing the water lines to try and alleviate the issue. The city also recommends running your tap may also help with clearing up your water.

Due to the recent spike in COVID 19 cases in Pierce County and current staffing levels, the Plum City School District has decided to transition to distance learning for the next two weeks. Students were given materials to take home Thursday and distance learning starts today through November 20th. November 23-27 is Thanksgiving week students already have those days off. The District will resume in-person learning on November 30th.

Members of the Pepin County Administrative Committee met yesterday to approve the upcoming budget and tax levy. The county will have a total tax levy just over $4.7 million dollars. The approval of the tax levy and budget now move on to the entire county board for approval at its next monthly meeting on November 18. The committee also approved a loan of $245,800 from SFB for capital equipment purchases in 2021.

According to Dunn County authorities, a Durand man paid a $1397 fine after receiving a traffic ticket for running a stop sign that resulted in an accident on Hwy 85 in February. Dale Bauer was issued the ticket after sheriff's deputies said Bauer ran a stop sign at Hwy O and Hwy 85 and hit a car driven by Willam Girard of Eau Claire. Girard was killed in the accident.

Free Covid-19 testing will be offered starting today at UW-Stout in Menomonie. The tests will be offered to anyone in the community five years or older and will be part of the UW Systems use of a new antigen test that offers results in as little as 15 minutes. Any positive tests would require a follow up PCR test to confirm the results. The free tests will be offered from 8am-5pm on Monday-Wednesdays-and Fridays and from 11am-7pm Tuesdays and Thursdays at the UW-Stout West Gym.

A River Falls man is the victim of a deadly motorcycle crash on State Highway 35 in western Wisconsin.  The St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office says 27-year-old Anthony Oellrich was riding early Thursday near Houlton when he lost control on a roundabout and crashed into a yield sign.  Deputies say paramedics attempted life-saving measures but Oellrich died at the scene.  He was not wearing a helmet.  The crash is still under investigation.

Congresswoman Angie Craig will return to the U-S House for a second term representing Minnesota's Second District.  The race was officially called today (Thursday) and Republican challenger Tyler Kistner conceded to Craig.  Kistner says he called and congratulated her on her victory today.  Kistner also said he was humbled and honored by all the support he received from Minnesotans across the district.  Craig had a 94-hundred vote lead over Kistner.  She defeated former Republican Congressman Jason Lewis two years ago.

The state’s chief health officer will leave her position effectively next Wednesday.  D-H-S Interim Division of Public Health Administrator Stephanie Smiley has submitted her resignation.  Smiley says she has accepted a position outside the state government so she can focus on her own health.  She cited the difficulty of handling the job during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The virus was a factor in 38 more deaths Thursday.  Several doctors have called the situation a crisis with no end in sight.

 Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate have named a new caucus head.  Devin LeMahieu of Oostburg has served in the Senate since 2014.  He will succeed Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald who won Tuesday’s election for Wisconsin’s 5th Congressional District seat.  LeMahieu beat former Senate President Roger Roth of Appleton for the powerful position in a closed-caucus vote Thursday afternoon.  Senator Chris Kapenga of Delafield was chosen Senate president over Senator Alberta Darling.  Senate leaders will have to do battle with Democratic Governor Tony Evers during an upcoming budget cycle facing difficult spending challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 University of Wisconsin System President Tommy Thompson says the new Abbot BinaxNOW test will be offered on all campuses.  The quick-result test can determine whether a person is positive for COVID-19 in as little as 15 minutes.  Thompson says the testing will be available at all U-W campuses, but won’t be limited to students or university employees.  The hope is to get a better and faster test to the community – to better help control the spread of the virus.

Enrollment is down nearly two percent at the University of Wisconsin System campuses for fall semester.  A total of 164-thousand-494 students are enrolled at the 13 universities.  The data show three-thousand-194 fewer students in the U-W System compared to fall of 2019.  Enrollment for first-year students is down six percent at U-W and 16 percent nationally.  U-W officials say enrollment of students of color is up two percent.

The trial of four ex-Minneapolis police officers charged in the George Floyd murder case will be live-streamed.  A Hennepin County judge issued the historic and unprecedented order Thursday, citing immense global interest, limited courthouse space, and restricted public movements due to COVID.   Judge Peter Cahill (KAY'-hill) said the “only way to vindicate the defendants’ constitutional right to a public trial and the media’s and public’s constitutional rights of access to criminal trials is to allow audio and video coverage of the trial.”  He also ruled that all four officers will be tried together and denied a defense motion for a change of venue.

As Wisconsin continues to set records for the number of people testing positive for COVID-19, public health officials are getting a clearer picture of who is being affected.  The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reports people between the ages of 10-and-30 make up about one-third of those infected but account for just 13 of the deaths.  Three-fourths of the state’s more than two-thousand deaths have been people over the age of 70 – despite the fact they make up less than 10-percent of all of the cases.

A preliminary hearing for an accused killer in Oshkosh has been delayed for three weeks.  Investigators say Andrew Clerk killed his wife, then killed a witness to the murder.  He’s charged with two counts of intentional homicide.  Thirty-six-year-old Melissa Clark and 40-year-old Lavar Wallace were found dead in the Clark home in Omro October 21st.  Authorities have also charged Michael Draine with trying to help Clark cover up the murders by setting the bodies on fire.

Wisconsin’s top elections official is pushing back against anyone questioning the integrity of the state’s voting process.  Meagan Wolfe says there is no opportunity for fraudulent votes to be somehow “added.”  Wolfe calls tabulating the votes a deliberate, meticulous process.  Her comments came at the same time the Trump campaign announced Wednesday it will ask for a recount of Wisconsin’s votes.  Preliminary results show Democrat Joe Biden defeating the president by 20-thousand-535 votes.

Authorities in central Wisconsin say an electrical shock has left a worker in critical condition.  The accident happened Wednesday morning as two people were installing a sprinkler system at a home in Rothschild.  As a pipe was being inserted into the ground it made contact with nearby powerlines.  One of the workers was unresponsive when emergency crews arrived, but he was revived and transported to Aspirus Wausau Hospital for treatment.  The victim’s name hasn’t been released.

About 73-percent of Wisconsin voters cast a ballot on Tuesday. The Wisconsin Elections Commission says nearly three-point-three million people voted November 3rd. Democrats say Joe Biden got more votes for president than any other candidate in Wisconsin history.

Plan on watching the Packers from home all season long. The Packers say they’re not going to let fans back in Lambeau Field until the coronavirus is under control. And that will likely mean no fans in the stands for the rest of the year. Packers President Mark Murphy says it’s critical that the Packers do what they can to slow the spread of COVID-19. Murphy says he had hoped to bring fans back this month, but he says there must be “significant improvement” in Wisconsin’s coronavirus numbers before that can happen.

The countdown to Minnesota's firearms deer hunting season is here.  The D-N-R is urging hunters to check with their local meat lockers to make sure they're accepting and processing deer.  DNR Wildlife Manager Angela Aarhus-Ward (ARE'-hoos ward) says "every deer, even if it’s destined for the processor, must be properly tagged and field dressed. Be aware of any carcass transportation restrictions in your hunting area as well."  The firearms deer season opens Saturday.