The Durand-Arkansaw School Board has approved extending the contract with the City of Durand for a School Resource Officer. Durand-Arkansaw School Superintendent Greg Doverspike says the City and School District have seen positives from having the officer. The school board voted unanimously to approve extending the contract. The city of Durand will also have to approve the extension.
The Construction of the Pepin County Highway Shop is continuing to move forward. County Board members received an update on the construction. Crews have installed temporary heat to work on the inside of the building and also are completing other outside work. The project continues to be on schedule to be completed later this year.
Authorities in Buffalo County say a 62-year-old man died of a medical issue after escaping an apartment fire in Fountain City Wednesday morning. The victim’s name hasn’t been released. The Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office says two people who had been in the structure were outside and appeared to be fine as deputies arrived. A short time later, the man from Kenosha collapsed and died. The other person who had been inside the burning building – a 25-year-old Fountain City man – wasn’t hurt. Investigators say the fire doesn’t appear to be suspicious.
People living in Wisconsin will be able to go online to a D-H-S website to find out when and where they can get vaccinated starting next month. The Department of Health Services is launching the Wisconsin COVID-19 Vaccine Registry. State health officials say the site won’t be a comprehensive list of all vaccination options, but it will help fill the information gaps. Health systems, pharmacies like Walgreens, and local health departments may already be using different scheduling software. Governor Tony Evers says the website will make it easier for people to get vaccinated. Evers cautions that the vaccine supply from the federal government is still very limited. You can also sign up on the Pepin County Health Department Website, or through Advent Health and Heike Pharmacy.
Rochester Mayor Kim Norton is officially welcoming Google to her community. The software giant is opening its first non-virtual office in Minnesota, the result of a year-and-a-half collaboration with Mayo Clinic. The two organizations are working on artificial intelligence projects they say will improve medical diagnosis, personalize care and speed it up. Mayo chief information officer Cris Ross said, "this partnership will affirm Rochester as well as Minnesota as a global center for the highest quality medical care and medical innovation." Google's Chris Mueller says he's "really happy" to be putting down roots in the state.
A Rochester couple wanted for setting fires during the riots following George Floyd's death is now in custody. The U-S Attorney's Office says 34-year-old Jose Felan, Junior, and 22-year-old Mena Yousif were detained in Mexico for immigration violations after U-S marshals located them. Felan faces three counts of arson for fires May 28th at a St. Paul Goodwill store, Gordon Parks High School, and 7 Mile Sportswear. Yousif is charged with being an accessory after the fact. The A-T-F was offering a five-thousand-dollar reward for information about their whereabouts in June. Felan and Yousif made their first court appearances today Thursday in Southern California.
A bill signed into law by Governor Tony Evers Thursday will provide tax relief to Wisconsin businesses that received Paycheck Protection Program loans. Evers says the measure will cut taxes by 450-million dollars to businesses and provides 30-million dollars in relief to low-income families. The governor said in a statement, "we know business and families across Wisconsin need help now, so I’m proud to be able to deliver 480 million dollars in tax relief for folks across our state." The move will trim 540-million dollars from the state's tax revenue over the next three years.
A judge is throwing out all felony charges against Marshfield Police Chief Rick Gramza. The visiting Portage County judge handling the case says there’s not enough evidence to bring three counts of misconduct in public office with the use of excessive authority against Gramza. That leaves a misdemeanor count of fourth-degree sexual assault and disorderly conduct on the docket. Gramza will return to court on those charges on March 22nd. He has entered a not guilty plea. A female member of the Marshfield P-D claims Gramza made unwanted sexual contact dating back six years. Gramza claims it was consensual.
University of Wisconsin System President Tommy Thompson says the time has come to resume as much of a normal campus experience as possible. Thompson says he wants 75-percent of all classes in the system to be taught in-person this fall. He says he has directed all campuses in the system to make sure students will have what he is calling “as classic a U-W campus experience as possible.” Thompson points out that aggressive testing protocols, social distancing, and masks have effectively kept COVID-19 infection rates low. UW-Stout, Eau Claire, and River Falls are all planning on being fully back to in-person learning for the fall semester.
Officials with W-E-C Energy Group say their 310-megawatt solar and battery storage project in Kenosha County would be the biggest in the state when it is completed. The Paris Solar-Battery Park will feature 200-megawatts of solar generation and 110-megawatts of battery storage. The news release says that would provide customers with “sunshine after sunset.” Company officials say they plan to invest two-billion dollars in new solar, wind, and battery storage projects by 2025. They say building the facilities in Wisconsin will mean "green" jobs that will drive the Badger State economy.
A Wood County man has been sentenced to five years in prison after his conviction on charges he moved, hid, or buried the corpse of his child. Allen Rice and the child’s mother, Marylinn Feher, were charged in 2019 after their newborn baby was found tied up inside a blanket and plastic bag. The child was discovered in the parking lot at the Marshfield Medical Center. Feher was convicted of killing her newborn and was given a life sentence, with the possibility of parole.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission reports the voter turnout for Tuesday’s primary election was seven-point-two-percent. That’s basically one-tenth of the turnout three months ago for the November presidential election when 72-percent of eligible voters cast ballots. There was only one statewide race on the ballot this time – the competition between seven candidates for Wisconsin superintendent of schools. Election officials say they weren’t surprised by the low turnout. Just under 325-thousand people voted. More voters are expected to cast their ballots in the April 6th general election, but nothing like the number of voters last fall.
Seventh District Congressman Tom Tiffany wants a go-slow approach, on marijuana legalization. Governor Evers has proposed the legalization of both recreational and medical marijuana. Tiffany, a former state legislator, said he expects the Biden administration to also make some proposals. He commented during a listening session in Marshfield this week.
Wisconsin's municipal clerks are asking to be vaccinated for COVID-19 before the spring election. Wisconsin's Municipal Clerks Association is lobbying to have clerks and poll workers added to the current vaccination group ahead of the April 6th election- saying it makes sense to protect those who may be exposed to a large number of people at once in a public setting. This after clerks navigated as many as five elections last year- oftentimes with inadequate PPE and without many veteran poll workers who chose not to put themselves in harm's way. Clerks were deemed essential last year as part of Governor Ever's Safer at Home order.
Minnesota-based Toro is recalling close to 67-hundred snowblowers. There have been reports of the auger continuing to spin even after the control lever is deactivated. The U-S Consumer Product Safety Commission is asking anyone who owns a 2021 Toro Power Max 826 snowblower to stop using the machine. They should also contact their nearest Toro-authorized dealer for free repairs. The model number is 3-7-8-0-2.
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