Local-Regional News April 30

 The Durand City and Rural Fire Departments are exploring replacing a 30yr old fire truck in the next few years.  With the recent fire downtown that required assistance from the Menomonie Fire Departments Ladder Truck, it has been discussed that is what should be purchased for Durand.    Fire Chief Jamie King is to make a presentation to the council, and Mayor Milliren says the presentation will talk about where a ladder truck might be used. A new fire truck would cost about $850,000 while a ladder truck would cost about $1.2 million.

The Buffalo County Health Department is working on getting to covid 19 vaccines out to more residents.  The Health Department is asking for businesses and community organizations to host vaccination clinics.  Sarah Schlaefer says those interested should contact the health department.  The number of people receiving the vaccine has plateaued in many counties here in Western Wisconsin.

The Mondovi City Council has delayed moving forward with a proposed pickleball court development.  During this weeks meeting Mayor Weiss told council members of the decision to delay discussion on the proposal as organizers were still talking with the Mondovi School District on possible options for a court.  The Mayor hopes to have more information in May.

Charges have been filed in Eau Claire County Circuit Court against a Fall Creek woman accused of stealing 60-thousand dollars from a developmentally disabled victim.  Forty-four-year-old Michelle Eisold of Fall Creek faces a charge of felony theft, false representation.  It was filed Tuesday in Eau Claire.  A county Human Service social worker reported the theft, telling detectives the victim received a 90-thousand-dollar life insurance payout after her mother died.  Eisold told the detectives a 46-thousand-dollar check she got from the victim was a gift.  Prosecutors say there were additional large cash withdrawals over a three-month period last year.

The reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for killing 15 cats in rural Dunn County has been raised.   The Dunn County Humane Society says that donations have raised the reward from $500 to $3000.  The Human Society says that 18 other cats were found alive in the incident and are recovering but are not available for adoption at this time.

Wisconsin’s Democratic governor and Republican lawmakers are still at odds over the governor’s 91-billion-dollar state budget proposal.  Governor Tony Evers says he’s not meeting with the lawmakers because he’s listening to what the people of Wisconsin want.  Evers says Republicans in the Legislature should do the same thing.  Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says his party is listening to the people.  The G-O-P controls the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee where members are expected to remove many of the governor’s priorities when they meet – possibly as soon as next week.

Republicans in Minnesota's congressional delegation are urging Governor Walz to forgive the state tax on Pay Protection Program loans to small businesses.   Representatives Tom Emmer, Jim Hagedorn, Michelle Fischbach, and Pete Stauber wrote the governor requesting the federal funding be tax-exempt.  Congressman Stauber said, "Minnesota’s businesses required these P-P-P loans through no fault of their own, and it is unacceptable for the Governor to punish them again by taxing this much-needed relief." Walz didn't implement any special tax on the P-P-P loans.  Tax conformity is part of bipartisan legislation passed by the Minnesota Senate.

 A Wisconsin Dells man will give up his extradition fight and go to Michigan to face charges over his role in a plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer.  Brian Higgins dropped his appeal last week.  Michigan prosecutors say he helped with surveillance in the case and offered his night vision goggles to the men involved.  The F-B-I says members of a Michigan-based militia planned to kidnap Whitmer and possibly put her on trial for the coronavirus restrictions she put in place during the pandemic.

A Dane County judge says Republican legislative leaders cannot pre-emptively spend taxpayer money on private lawyers ahead of a possible fight on redistricting.  The ruling means that Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu have to get back the money they paid to the firms.  One of those contracts could have cost taxpayers almost a million dollars, and G-O-P leaders have been paying the lawyers 30-thousand dollars a month since December.

Some conservationists are calling Wisconsin’s wolf hunt politically motivated and harmful.  A group called "Wisconsin’s Green Fire" says hunters took too many alpha males and bred female wolves, and that could eliminate pup production in 60-percent of Wisconsin’s wolf packs.  Green Fire’s report also says the hunt damaged relations with the Ojibwe tribes and exposed a gap between regulators at the Department of Natural Resources and state lawmakers.  Hunters in Wisconsin killed 218 wolves during what turned out to be just a three-day season in February.

A prominent Minnesota House Republican is joining the push by Governor Tim Walz and Democrats for additional police reforms this legislative session.  Representative Tim Miller from Prinsburg says Philando Castile's mother, Valerie, ultimately changed his mind.  Miller says Valerie made a comment saying she doesn't understand how a Christian person cannot listen to what's going on and doing something about it - and he first thought it was offensive.  But he says "God checked my spirit and said you need to listen to what she's saying."  Miller has not indicated which police reforms he'd support but says he wants to work on passing legislation.  Cambridge Republican Brian Johnson accuses Democrats of listening to their liberal activist base and pushing "partisan proposals... without input or support from law enforcement organizations."

Wisconsin public health officials say so-called “breakthrough cases” are very rare.  Those are instances where people who have been fully vaccinated go on to test positive for COVID-19.  Health officials report just three one-hundredths-of-a-percent have had that experience.  That’s basically one in every three thousand.  Wisconsin’s number of breakthrough cases is said to be about four times higher than the national rate reported by the U-S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It ought to be a fantastic weekend for the fishing opener, according to the Department of Natural Resources. Fisheries supervisor David Rowe says that, unlike other years, the northern and southern halves of the state are in about the same position timewise when it comes to the fish spawning cycles. License sales were up last year thanks to the pandemic and Rowe is expecting big sales this year as well. You can get your license and more online with the GoWild app or get one at your local bait and sports shop. 

Local-Regional News April 29

 The Tarrant Park Pool passed its first test for the 2021 season.  Durand Public Works Superintendent Matt Gills reported to the city council that the pool was filled and the circulation system tested and everything was working properly.  Gillis said the boiler and the rest of the water system for the bathhouse will be tested in late May.  So far the city has hired 3 bath house employees and 2 certified lifeguards.  There are 5 other candidates for lifeguard that will need to pass the lifeguard class before being hired.  The pool is expected to open in June.

The Mondovi City Council has approved a proposal from the Mondovi Business Association to bring a circus to the fairgrounds this summer.  The circus will be held on July 23rd and the Business Association will continue to work with the City and Buffalo County Health Department to follow any covid guidance for a safe event.  The cost of the circus is $12 for adults and $7 for children.

A new executive director for the Farm Service Agency.  The Wisconsin Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that Liz Hilts was selected as County Executive Director (CED), effective March 14, 2021. Liz Hilts will supervise and administer commodity, price support, disaster, and conservation programs for the Buffalo, Pepin & Pierce County USDA Service Centers.   FSA provides a strong safety net of programs to assist producers when market prices decline and disasters strike. The agency also provides conservation programs to assist in conserving natural resources.

The Dunn County Sheriffs Department is asking for the public's help after 15 cats were found shot to death near the Dunnville Bottoms in the town of Spring Brook.  According to the Humane Society, someone abandoned the casts on the side of the road next to a pile of food and 15 of the cats were killed.  A $500 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible.  Anyone with information is to contact the Dunn County Sheriffs Department.

A La Crosse man has been found guilty of homicide by intoxicated driving and other charges in connection with the death of Scot Miller the owner of the Whitetail Golf Course in Colfax and Dave Howe owner of Menomonie Transportation in 2018.  According to authorities, Albert Shores struck the SUV Miller and Howe were traveling in on I94 near Wisconsin Dells, causing the SUV to go into the ditch and roll.  Shores was drunk at the time and also had cocaine in his system.  He will be sentenced in September.

 Rochester police say the girl struck by a school bus Monday afternoon will survive her injuries.  Officers say the 14-year-old suffered a broken femur, road rash, and a cut on her foot.  She was walking her bike in a crosswalk when she was hit by a Rochester Public Schools bus.  The 86-year-old driver is cooperating with the investigation.

 Some Wisconsin school districts say almost a full year of virtual learning has left them searching for students who just disappeared.  Information from the state reveals there are 27-thousand fewer students enrolled in Wisconsin schools now than there were last year.  It’s not just public schools.  The Department of Public Instruction says the state’s parochial schools are reporting about 10-thousand fewer students in class.  The D-P-I says 96-hundred students are being homeschooled, but there are still thousands unaccounted for.  Social workers are handling the difficult job of tracking them down.

More than 36-thousand Wisconsin utility customers are said to be struggling to pay their overdue utility bills.  The state is planning to use 21-million dollars in federal funding to help them.  The money for the initiative comes from the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program and will be distributed by the state.  The Wisconsin Public Service Commission voted unanimously last month to let the statewide moratorium on utility disconnections expire on April 15th.  Earlier this month, the governor signed a bill to fund the Citizens Utility Board as it helps lower utility costs in Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin State Fair is returning to West Allis from August 5th through 15th.  Chairman John Yingling said, "In January, the Wisconsin State Fair Park Board approved a goal to have a fair this August and we are pleased to confirm we are well on our way to meeting that goal."  The State Fair is still more than three months away and health and safety protocols will be determined closer to the event.  There is already increased sanitization throughout the 200-acre fair park.  The 2020 Wisconsin State Fair was canceled due to the COVID pandemic.

Republicans who control the Legislature's budget committee claim work on the next two-year state budget is being complicated, because Governor Tony Evers hasn't detailed how he'll allocate all of the 3-point-2 billion dollars of federal coronavirus relief the state is getting. Senator Jon Erpenbach is a Democrat on the Joint Finance Committee said "So here's the deal. Obviously, we want to know where the money's going to go. But the federal money doesn't really have anything to do with the state budget. This is one-time federal funding, and it's up to the governor to get it out the door as quickly as he possibly can, which he can do without going through the legislative process." Evers has already announced he'll spend some of the federal money on small business and tourism support, infrastructure and broadband access, and pandemic response measures, but has provided little detail.

We can expect another large drop in the number of Wisconsin residents getting a COVID-19 shot this week.   The Department of Health Services reported a little more than 31-thousand vaccine doses were administered this week, as of Tuesday afternoon. Some of that is because it’s early, but some of it is because fewer people want the shot. State health officials say doctors and nurses gave 292-thousand doses last week, that’s down from a peak of almost 420 thousand doses during the first week of the month.

A man from Ohio is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Winona while she was having a medical emergency.   The victim told police that she had a seizure Sunday afternoon and when she was coming to a man she knew was sexually assaulting her.  The woman said she yelled, pushed him off her, and called the police.   Twenty-four-year-old Brantley Longacre from Troy, Ohio was arrested for third-degree criminal sexual conduct.  Investigators say Longacre admitted to trying to have sex with the woman but claimed that she was asking for it.

After years of trailing peer universities, U-W Madison faculty are getting paid better over the past several years.   Last year, average salaries for full professors ranked 5th out of 12, up from 10th place the previous year among a longstanding peer group. Before that, average salaries for full professors had been in the last place since 2004. The average pay for associate and assistant professors also improved. UW Madison's average salaries for full professors now rank 17th out of 36 public research universities nationwide.

Four Midwest dairy groups are backing a Federal Milk Marketing proposal to help farmers recovery.  The Dairy Business Association, Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, Minnesota Milk, and the Nebraska State Dairy Association say the “Class Three Plus” proposal is aimed at long-term stability in the industry – and helping cover the losses by dairy farmers due to the coronavirus pandemic.  The groups say the up-and-down of dairy product prices also affects customers.  The proposal would lock in milk prices and help farmers be able to afford contracts.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul is launching a review of sexual abuse allegations against clergy.  Survivors of alleged abuse by Catholic priests are praising the state investigation into instances of sex abuse and allegations of cover-ups.  Kaul says it is important that survivors reach out to his office.  He says the state review is long overdue and it won’t focus only on the Catholic Church.  Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm is part of the effort.  The Milwaukee Archdiocese released a statement pointing out that Kaul is talking about a review of historical cases and not any new reports or cases. 

An advisor at Middleton Travel says the availability of COVID-19 vaccines has people thinking about vacation travel again.  That change is welcome after a year of canceled flights and refunds for trips not taken.  Mary Miller says the Spring of 2021 is like night-and-day when compared to 2020.  Miller says one customer was in her office looking at brochures when she stopped and said, “I don’t care where I go.”  A Triple-A survey finds 46-percent of Wisconsin residents feel comfortable traveling and 62-percent expect to take a trip this year.  A Triple-A spokesman says people are still exhibiting caution, with outdoor destinations leading the list of places people want to go.

Local-Regional News April 28

 The Mondovi City Council has approved applying for a CDBG grant for the reconstruction of North Eau Claire Street.  During last night's council meeting, members discussed the grant application and the project the grant should be applied to.  Members decided on the North Eau Claire street project which would replace the street, sewer, and water lines, and install sidewalks.  No information on when that project would be started if the grant was approved.

The Duran d City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda including an update on the Tarrant Park Pool, discussion of the concerns on the curb and gutter portion of the Drier Street project, and discussion and possible action on rezoning 502 2nd Avenue East from General Business to residential.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall and will be live-streamed on the WRDN YouTube Channel at Durand Broadcasting WRDN.

A Dunn County man was in court on charges of 1st-degree reckless homicide in the death of his infant son.  Authorities accuse 28yr old Jonathon Lucas of killing his son who died of multiple brain and head injuries and bone fractures.  Dunn County Judge Rod Smeltzer declined to lower or modify the $30,000 cash bond and Lucas will have his next court date on May 20th.

A Chippewa Falls man was arrested after leading authorities on a high-speed chase on Monday.  According to the Chippewa Falls Sheriffs Department, deputies tried to pull over 56yr old Gregory Knitter of Cornell for driving over the center line near Hwy X and XX.  Knitter, who had a warrant out for his arrest did not stop and went onto highway 29 and reached speeds of up to 100mph.  After his tires were deflated, Knitter crashed into a ditch and attempted to run away.  He was arrested.  There were two children in the car aged 15 and 13 and one of the children were injured in the crash.  

Authorities in Monroe County say a highway worker was injured Monday when a semi-trailer truck slammed into a county work truck in a construction zone.  The accident happened at about 11:00 a-m on Highway 71.  The worker had been sitting in the county truck that was hit from behind.  The victim’s name hasn’t been released, but he was taken to a hospital for treatment.  His medical condition is unknown.  The Wisconsin State Patrol is investigating the case.  Work Zone Awareness Week started Monday.

The State of Wisconsin has reached a 242-thousand dollar settlement over a pair of manure spills in Vernon and La Crosse counties.  The agreements with K-and-D Manure Handling were brokered earlier this month and announced Monday.  The spills happened in 2017 and 2019, causing fish kills both times in Otter Creek in Vernon County and Bostwick Creek in La Crosse County.  Although Republican lawmakers passed a lame-duck law three years ago requiring Attorney General Josh Kaul to get their approval before signing off on settlements, the Department of Justice says the law wasn’t applied here because the settlements were reached before lawsuits were filed.

Wisconsin’s governor promises he will announce how he’s going to spend all of the three-point-two-billion dollars of federal coronavirus relief funding in a few weeks.  State law gives Governor Tony Evers, a Democrat, control over the way that money is used.  He doesn’t have to accept any input from Republicans, who control the Wisconsin Legislature.  Bills have been passed ordering that the money is used to cut property taxes, pay for local road projects, and on other things – but Evers vetoed each measure.  Evers has said talking with Republicans about his plans for spending the money isn’t a “top priority.”

Wisconsin drivers may find their gas station doesn’t have any fuel this summer.  It’s not a lack of crude oil or refined product – there’s a shortage of truck drivers.  The National Tank Truck Carriers Association says up to 25-percent of tank trucks are parked right now due to a lack of qualified drivers.  Tanker truck drivers require special certification and several weeks of specialized training.  Many drivers left the business last year when the pandemic caused the demand for gasoline to drop sharply.  At the same time, many driver schools closed their doors and they still aren’t meeting the demand.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is expected to loosen some COVID-19 restrictions on large gatherings next week.   The governor mentioned the possibility of easing capacity limits on sporting events during a visit to a mobile vaccine site Tuesday.  Outdoor venues in Minnesota are currently allowed to have 25-percent capacity or ten thousand fans while indoor arenas can have up to 15 percent or three thousand spectators.   The C-D-C just announced that people who have been fully vaccinated no longer have to wear masks outside.   Capacity is still limited to 50 percent at fitness centers and gyms and 75 percent in Minnesota restaurants.

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The conservative Wisconsin Institute for Liberty and Law has warned Madison schools that a lawsuit might be filed over an email sent to some parents.  The message from Madison West High School invited the parents to virtual discussions on police behavior.  The problem, according to the Institute is, the families were directed to separate virtual rooms for the discussion – based on their race.  The letter to Madison Metropolitan School District Superintendent Carlton Jenkins says the “justifications for racial segregation are indistinguishable from the segregationists of the 1950s.”  The district defended the email Monday saying it was “poorly worded.”

A bill signed into law by Governor Tony Evers  Tuesday will allow worker's compensation benefits for law enforcement officers and firefighters diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Evers said, "we know the toll post-traumatic stress can take on our first responders might otherwise go unseen, but today we're going to help make sure it doesn't go unheard."  The governor signed the legislation at Madison Fire Station 14.  The law limits the liability for treatment and claims to no more than 32 weeks after the injury is first reported.

Those most at risk from coronavirus are the most vaccinated in Wisconsin.   The Department of Health Services says 80-percent of people 65 and older have gotten one dose of the vaccine. Nearly 60-percent of people between 55 and 64 have gotten a shot as well. The vaccine numbers go down among younger Wisconsinites. State health officials say two point-four million people in Wisconsin have gotten one dose of the vaccine, another one-point-eight million have gotten both doses. 

The Republican-controlled Senate is advancing a bill that would change same-day voter registration in Minnesota.  Those registering to vote on Election Day would fill out a provisional ballot that would be counted only if it's verified they're eligible.  G-O-P Senator Carla Nelson of Rochester said "election integrity is...just as important as voter turnout."  Burnsville Democrat Lindsey Port argued processes are already in place to audit elections, particularly very close ones.  Port said, "this bill does not deter fraud. It deters people's votes from being counted."  She warned that voters in Greater Minnesota might have to travel long distances to address problems with their provisional ballots.

Police in Rochester are investigating a school bus crash that injured a 14-year-old girl.  Officers say the teen was walking her bike in a crosswalk Monday afternoon when she was struck by a Rochester Public Schools bus.  She was taken to the hospital with lower-body injuries and possibly a head injury.  Investigators say the 86-year-old bus driver stopped right away and said he didn't see the girl crossing the street.  No citations were issued at the scene.

The U-S Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says the deadline for REAL ID travel requirement enforcement will be delayed to May 2023. The previous deadline was October 1st, 2021. D-H-S said the postponement was due to "circumstances resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic." Last month, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety said only 22-percent of residents with a state I-D have a REAL ID. Beginning May 3rd, 2023, U-S travelers will need a REAL ID, enhanced driver’s license, passport, or other acceptable documentation to board a flight.

A Missouri man is in trouble with the law for attempting to get on a plane in Madison with a loaded gun. Dane County sheriff's deputies arrested 31-year-old Quadricous Sanford of St. Louis Monday night after the weapon was found in his luggage a security checkpoint. Officers say Sanford does not have a carry and conceal permit. He's the second Missouri man busted with a loaded gun at Dane County Regional Airport this month. Forty-two-year-old Brandon Winslow of Fulton was also jailed for carrying a concealed weapon on April 9th.

Local-Regional News April 27

 The City of Durand's citywide clean-up is underway.  Residents are encouraged to pile leaves, and branches 2 inches in diameter or smaller next to the curb, and city crews will be picking them up over the next few weeks.  The clean-up continues through May 9th and any resident that has questions is encouraged to call city hall.

The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include a presentation from the Mondovi Business Association on a Summer Circus Event at the fairgrounds in July,  along with public comments and the mayor's report.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at the Marten Center.

Durand City Council meetings will be open to the public starting in May.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the council chambers will be set up to allow the public to attend the meetings but if people have concerns to discuss they can still contact the council in advance.  The Council meeting will continue to be live-streamed on the WRDN YouTube Channel at Durand Broadcasting WRDN.

The Catholic Diocese of La Crosse says it is working privately on issues with one of its priests.  The Reverend James Altman has apparently been telling his parishioners the COVID-19 vaccines are useless and he has been ignoring safety guidelines.  A photo of the priest presiding overcrowded Easter services at St. James the Lesser Catholic Church shows many in the congregation not wearing masks and about 170 walking up to receive communion.  The La Crosse Tribune says it obtained part of a church bulletin calling the vaccines experimental and “damnable.”

Gas prices in Wisconsin stayed stagnant last week.  According to GasBuddy, the average price in Wisconsin was $2.74 a gallon.  Here in Western Wisconsin gas prices ranged from 2.60 to 2.79 a gallon.   Patrick De Hann from GasBuddy says there may be a trend of small prices as the summer months close in as the nation has finished the transition to EPA-mandated summer blends.  DeHann also says while prices are up over $1 compared to last year, they are about the same as they were in 2019.

The first numbers released by the U-S Census Bureau reveal Wisconsin will retain all eight seats in its congressional delegation.  Monday’s announcement shows the Badger State has an official population of five million, 893-thousand, 718 residents – ranking 20th in the country.  The total population for the U-S has topped 331-million, with states in the south and west growing over the last 10 years and states in the northeast stagnant or losing population.  Wisconsin gained almost 207-thousand people since the 2010 census.

Minnesota by an extremely narrow margin is hanging onto all eight seats in the U-S House of Representatives.  That's based on new U-S Census population numbers.  Acting Director Ron Jarmin said if New York's population count had been only 89 higher, that state would have kept one additional House seat and Minnesota would have lost one.  Hamline University analyst David Schultz predicts a court challenge, even though it's very difficult for a state to win a lawsuit against the U-S Census Bureau.  Schultz says "losing a seat means losing representation in Congress...and it impacts billions of dollars in terms of federal aid."   Minnesota's population grew at a seven-point-four percent rate - just above the national average of seven-point-one percent.

 Minnesota and U-S flags are flying at half-staff across the state today (Tuesday) in honor and remembrance of Olmsted County Deputy Mark Anderson. Fifty-two-year-old Anderson was found unresponsive in the Adult Detention Center in Rochester on April 15th.    Governor Tim Walz's proclamation says, "Detention Deputy Anderson was a gentle giant of a man who was respected greatly by his colleagues and by detainees."  Anderson had served as Olmsted County detention deputy since 2010.  Minnesota homes, businesses, and organizations are invited to lower their flags to honor him.

An Elroy woman is suing Kraft Foods because she says the cheese in her Bagel Bites isn't real cheese.  Kailyn Huber says that Kraft Heinz is committing fraud by using the Real Cheese logo on packages of cheese Bagel Bites, calling the practice "false, deceptive, and misleading." She wants a court to grant her case class-action so other like-minded cheese lovers can pursue damages against the food conglomerate for allegedly not using top-quality mozzarella cheese.

Saturday is the opening of the general fishing season in Wisconsin, and the Department of Natural Resources is reminding anglers to keep things safe for everyone. Fisheries supervisor David Rowe reminds anglers that they need to keep their gear clean to prevent spreading invasive species.  You can get your current fishing license and find out this year's changes to the regulation from the DNR's GoWild app, or pick up a copy and a license from your local bait or sports shop. 

After a missed season due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Experimental Aircraft Association is anticipating big crowds for its AirVenture this summer.  E-A-A officials say they had been planning to host 30 percent fewer visitors than they saw in 2019, but that’s going to be low.  Now, they think the crowds will be even bigger than two years ago.  The AirVenture runs July 26th through August 1st in Oshkosh.  It’s not clear how many international visitors will show up, but usually, those numbers are in the thousands.  One difference – indoor gatherings like the Monday night concert won’t be offered this time.

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The Federal Communications Commission wants callers to start dialing all 10 numbers – even when making local calls.  The federal officials are wanting Wisconsin callers to get used to the change before it becomes official on October 24th.  After that date, seven-digit calls may not go through and callers will hear a recording.  The change is being made as part of the effort to establish 9-8-8 as a new, nationwide crisis hotline number.  It would be used to connect people to suicide prevention and mental health crisis counselors.  Right now, that hotline is slated for launch on July 16th, 2022.

 Wisconsin drivers over the age of 60 will have to renew their expired licenses next month.  The state’s extension for older drivers during the coronavirus pandemic is coming to an end.  The Department of Motor Vehicles extension of the deadline to renew expires May 21st.  The D-M-V says many drivers will be able to renew their licenses online, but others will have to appear for an in-person renewal.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services hasn’t said anything about resuming the use of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.  Over the weekend, neighboring states like Illinois and Iowa announced they were adding J-and-J shots to their coronavirus vaccine supplies.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had paused the use of that vaccine to examine some blood-clotting problems.  About 15 patients among the eight million who had the single-dose shot suffered the bad side effects and one person died.  The C-D-C cleared the Johnson and Johnson vaccine for use Friday.

Some state and federal lawmakers are hoping to change the legal principle of qualified immunity. The practice largely protects police officers from most civil lawsuits. Representative Jonathan Brostoff (BROSS-toff) is a Milwaukee Democrat behind the proposal. He believes this step would result in a reduction of physical encounters and use of force incidents. The proposal is similar to what New York City did last month, becoming the first city in the U-S to eliminate qualified immunity for police.

The Good Samaritan who rushed to help a shooting victim Sunday afternoon outside a restaurant says he’s not a hero.  The drive-by shooting reportedly happened at about 4:00 p-m.  Police say the victim was hit in the leg, arm, and hip.  A witness says a person living nearby didn’t hesitate, ran up and tied off the victim’s wounds, and called 9-1-1.  The man has asked to remain anonymous.  He says he hopes someone would do the same for him.  He says the shooting outside Magnolia’s Restaurant is another example of the rising crime in the area.  He says he’s putting his house up for sale and moving his family away.

A Minnesota Senate committee heard from youth sports leaders Monday about the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on kids and sports. This comes as the group Let Them Play Minnesota updated a lawsuit against the Walz administration alleging they have provided no evidence to back up claims that youth sports have been linked to rising COVID-19 case counts either now or in the fall. Health officials continue to point to youth spots as a source of community spread.

Local-Regional News April 26

 The 3rd Avenue East, Drier Street, Lanville  Avenue project is beginning today.  A-1 Excavating is starting to stage equipment on 3rd Avenue East and installing erosion control measures, removing trees, and removing asphalt.  Traffic on 3rd avenue east will be affected and eventually, 3rd avenue east will be closed.    Skid Steer Guy will also begin to remove trees around Drier Street and Laneville Avenue this week.    The complete project is expected to be completed in October.

Motorists traveling from Durand to Eau Claire via Hwy 85 will have a longer travel time starting in May.  The Department of Transportation announced that starting May 3 the bridge and dam over Rock Creek in the Town of Rock Falls will be replaced.  While there will be a construction zone initially, Hwy 85 will be closed to traffic starting on May 17th.  Motorists will be detoured on Hwy 10 to Hwy 37 in Mondovi and then to Eau Claire.  That project is expected to be completed in September.

A Menomonie man has been arrested for OWI 4th offense.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, troopers pulled over 50yr old Kenneth Porter of Menomonie on Hwy 29 Saturday night after a domestic incident in St. Croix County.  The troopers detected signs of impairment and conducted field sobriety tests and Porter was arrested.  A woman and a 5yr old child were in the car at the time of the arrest and both the St. Croix County and Dunn County Sheriffs Departments are investigating the domestic incident.

A Rochester man is pleading not guilty to killing his pregnant girlfriend and her two-year-old daughter.   Thirty-year-old Renard Carter is facing two counts of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree murder. The bodies of 23-year-old Keona Foote and Miyona Miller were found in an apartment last September.  Carter fled to South Carolina and was arrested in that state after threatening to kill police while streaming on Facebook.  No trial date has been set in Olmsted County.

The Augusta Fire Department responded to three fires over the weekend.  According to the department, firefighters were called to a house fire on Madison street where the first floor was damaged.  While at that fire another structure fire broke out on Warner Road, and then the department was called to a grass fire.  The department received assistance from Fall Creek, Osseo, and Fairchild Fire Departments.  No injuries in any of the fires were reported.

 Federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act is headed to Minnesota to help build three veterans' homes. The 32-million dollars will fund the construction of homes in Montevideo, Bemidji, and Preston. The Minnesota Department of Veteran Affairs plans to start construction on the homes this fall. Another 80-million dollars in federal funding will also go towards helping the homes purchase P-P-E, vaccinate residents, and pay overtime costs to staff built up over the past year.

 Two people picking up trash along Highway 53 in Onalaska Sunday morning reported finding what they thought could be a dead body.  Police confirmed the discovery of human remains, saying it appeared that the body had been there for some time.  Authorities say it could take several weeks to identify the remains.  Highway 53 was shut down to traffic for several hours while evidence was collected.  State investigators are helping with the case.

Veterans Honor Flights participants will initially be required to have proof of COVID-19 vaccination:  According to local Never Forgotten Honor Flight leaders the requirement comes from the national Honor Flight organization in the name of safety for both the Veterans and Guardians on each flight. Should a Veteran not have proof of vaccination, or if they can't be vaccinated, they'll remain on the waiting list for future flights- but they won't be scheduled until the requirement is lifted. Honor Flights have been on hold since last spring when the COVID-19 pandemic set in.  Current plans are to restart flights by August 15th, but that is subject to change- again based on guidance from the National Honor Flight organization.

 Governor Tony Evers vetoed another pair of bills restricting how health officials can handle the fight against COVID-19.  The legislation would have prevented health officers from requiring people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and also from closing places of worship due to the pandemic.  Evers says that he remains committed to following the science in the fight against the pandemic and giving health officials all the tools they need.  Republicans say that health departments are stifling freedom of religion and the right to choose their own medical treatments.

A new report finds that federal pandemic relief coming to Wisconsin and its local governments totals 20 billion dollars.   The report, by the non-partisan Wisconsin Policy Forum, provides the most accurate accounting yet of the nearly 20-billion dollars to Wisconsin from Washington. The report also notes that figure probably understates how much Wisconsin will ultimately get and that the influx of money from D-C means "communities in the state may be able to address some of their most longstanding needs."

Several lawmakers want the University of Wisconsin-Madison to allow parents to attend next month’s in-person graduation ceremony.  State Senator Andre Jacque is the sponsor of a bill that would require U-W System campuses to let mom, dad, or guardians attend any and all in-person graduations this year.  Fifteen lawmakers have signed on to the plan.  A spokesperson for the system said Thursday it would love to have families back in the crowd, but social distancing requirements and coronavirus safety measures make it impossible.  Even Camp Randall Stadium isn’t big enough.

 Rapper Cardi-B is responding quickly to a Wisconsin congressman’s comment about her performance during the televised Grammy Awards last month.  Republican Glenn Grothman said he received complaints about her performance.  Grothman said “millions of Americans would view” the performance as “inconsistent with basic decency.”  The artist responded by saying Grothman is ignoring more important issues like police brutality.  Wisconsin Congressman Mark Pocan, a Democrat, chimed in by re-tweeting Cardi-B’s post and saying she is “100-percent right.”

Students on the UW System’s two largest campuses will not need a coronavirus shot to return to class this fall.   The chancellors at Madison and Milwaukee say vaccinations will not be mandatory. Madison’s Rebecca Blank says students who don’t get the shot will be required to get tested. Milwaukee’s Mark Mone says about 75-percent of his faculty, and 20-percent of U-W-M students are vaccinated.

A Madison man will spend more than three years in federal prison for his guilty pleas in two separate fraud cases.  The U-S Attorney's Office says 49-year-old Ahmad Kanan was awaiting trial in an access device fraud case when he applied for two Paycheck Protection Program loans last year.  He applied for a 72-thousand-dollar CARES Act loan on behalf of Alkin Labs, Inc., but the bank noticed he spelled his name incorrectly and did not award funding.  He did receive a 47-thousand-dollar P-P-P loan from a bank in New Jersey while under federal indictment.  Kanan was indicted for using routing and account numbers from the Embassy of Libya to pay Wisconsin taxes, interest, and penalties.  The Libyan Embassy did not give him permission to use their bank account to make 191-thousand dollars in payments.

 Minnesota tourism is dealing with a black eye – a bad look – the state has gotten from the Chauvin trial, followed by the Daunte Wright killing.  Both made international headlines.  A Colorado woman who visited Minnehaha Falls during her first-ever visit to the state says her family questioned her vacation destination.  Kelly Foster says her father told her not to go to Minnesota, saying, “It’s really dangerous right now.”  Foster says she’ll be back.  She says she doesn’t think of the situation as a Minnesota problem, but instead as a country problem.

Local-Regional News April 23

 Some Durand property owners on Drier Street have some concerns over the upcoming reconstruction project.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says there were two areas of concern.  The Public Works Department will be holding a meeting on Monday to discuss the issues with the curb and gutter.

UW Stout was host to a public meeting on the Governor's proposed budget yesterday.  Residents and leaders from Western Wisconsin discussed budget issues important to them including spending for improvements to UW System Campus, public school spending, and shared revenue for cities.   Another public meeting will be held virtually on April 28th.

Chippewa Falls police are accusing a 65-year-old suspect of taking cash from the rectory at the Notre Dame Church Sunday night.  Alvin Coffman is charged with burglary and criminal damage to property.  The priest says he had gone into the office and noticed a window had been smashed out and money was missing.  It’s not clear how much cash was taken.  Investigators say the suspect from Chippewa Falls has been arrested three times in the past for burglaries involving Holy Ghost Parish.

When local, county and state authorities executed a search warrant at the home where a convicted felon was living Wednesday they discovered nearly 50 firearms.  Forty-seven-year-old Leonard Peil was taken into custody and formal charges are pending.  Bloomer police, the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Department, and the Wisconsin State Patrol knocked on Peil’s door at 9:00 a-m.  A search of the property turned up 49 guns, more than a thousand rounds of ammunition, and more than 30-thousand dollars in cash.  He faces multiple counts of being a felon in possession of firearms.  Peil appeared in Chippewa County Court Thursday.

Reckless homicide charges have been filed against a truck driver who caused a crash that left a three-year-old girl dead.  The victim was a passenger in a van that slammed into a guard rail along Interstate 94 in St. Croix County, then was hit by an S-U-V.  Investigators say Michael Duvik of Kentucky was driving a tractor-trailer truck and was switching lanes back and forth while speeding.  The driver of the van said Duvik was passing her on the right side when he came into her lane and forced her to hit the guardrail.  The accident happened in October 2019.  When she honked at him, one of her children said Duvik made an obscene gesture.  Another truck driver was operating a dashcam and submitted the video to authorities.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says the 28-year-old Hixton woman charged with driving while her license was revoked last year had been charged with the same offense at least six previous times.  This time a passenger, Michael Greengrass, was ejected from the vehicle and died.  Autumn Holbach was charged Wednesday with knowingly operating a motor vehicle while revoked, causing the death of another.  The accident happened last December in Jackson County when Holbach lost control.  She told investigators she had reached down to pick up a cigarette when the car went out of control.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice is launching an investigation into clergy abuse at Wisconsin's Catholic Dioceses.   The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel obtained a letter from Attorney General Josh Kaul that was sent to the state's five dioceses laying out his intent to do a full investigation and determine the scope of the abuse. The letter goes on to request a meeting with the leaders of the state's five dioceses next Monday to discuss the investigation and requests that Catholic leadership preserve all documents and information. The Church has previously released lists of priests and other clergy known to have abused people but never listed out who the victims might be or how many of them there are

Authorities in southeastern Minnesota report two people are okay after a plane crash near the Faribault Airport Thursday afternoon.  The Rice County Sheriff's Office says the single-engine fixed-wing aircraft went down in a plowed field a half-mile south of the runway.  The plane had just taken off.   Deputies identified the pilot as 25-year-old Skyler Hackett of Prior Lake and his passenger was 33-year-old Todd Guyette from Osceola, Wisconsin.    There were both uninjured.  The cause of the crash is under investigation.

An Earth Day executive order signed by Governor Evers calls for planting 75 million trees by 2030 and conserving 125-thousand acres of forest land.  The governor's office says the pledge will result in 28-point-eight million metric tons of carbon dioxide stored over the next 50 years.  Evers says sustainably managing Wisconsin forests will not only generate climate change mitigation benefits but also contributes 24-point-four billion annually to Wisconsin’s economy, supports the health of our citizens, and helps maintain the high quality of life that defines our state.

Spring is here, which means one thing for farmers: It’s time to hit the fields.   Road travel with agricultural implements is an increased hazard, and often a dreaded part of farming. Sharing the road means farmers need to have their vehicles meeting legal requirements as well as operating in a safe manner for road travel.  According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, 34 people have been killed and 684 injured since 2010 in crashes involving agricultural equipment in Wisconsin.  Motorists are reminded that it is illegal to pass farm machinery in a no-passing zone.

Governor Tony Evers on Thursday vetoed a package of Republican legislation that would have directed how the state should allocate more than three billion dollars in federal COVID-19 relief money. The Democratic governor also announced some 420 million dollars of the federal money coming to Wisconsin will fund a grant program* to assist small businesses.   The governor said about 84-thousand businesses with annual gross revenues between ten thousand dollars and seven million dollars could qualify for awards of five thousand dollars. More information will come after the U.S. Treasury provides more details about how the money is to be used.

 A review of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation finds the state agency is improving, but still lacking in some areas.  The report from the Legislative Audit Bureau finds that the W-E-D-C mostly complied with state law during the last fiscal year.  It apparently didn’t always award tax credits for wages paid as required by law.  Auditors say it also sometimes waited more than a year to revoke credits for businesses that failed to live up to their contracts with the state.  In the 10 years since the W-E-D-C was formed, only about one-third of businesses getting tax credit actually created the promised number of jobs.

A public safety budget bill passed in the Minnesota House Wednesday night includes police reform measures that have little chance in the Republican-controlled Senate.  Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says last July the legislature passed "the most comprehensive police accountability bill" he can remember, and in Derek Chauvin trial "I don't think anybody can say that justice wasn't served."  Democratic Representative Cedrick Frazier from New Hope responds the community sees the Chauvin verdict as "rarely-found accountability, but not lasting justice. "

 When a thief got away from authorities during a pursuit, he may have thought he was free and clear.  He was wrong.  Deputies with the Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office say they used G-M’s On-Star service to track the 2016 Chevrolet pick up and take Shawn Wheeler into custody.  He was arrested in the parking lot of an A-and-W restaurant in Waupun.  Deputies had started looking for Wheeler Monday night when a 9-1-1 caller asked for a welfare check.  When a deputy found him in the Village of Kingston, Wheeler allegedly refused to stop.  He got away by driving through a field, but the truck’s owner contacted On-Star and had the vehicle shut down.

Local-Regional News April 22

 The National Weather Service is warning against burning today.  The weather services say that very low humidity values along with winds between 10-20 today will result in elevated fire conditions.  Those considering any burning are advised to check for any burning restrictions.  Caution is also advised in using outdoor equipment that could create a spark and start a fire.  The DNR says fire danger is high across the WRDN Listening area.

The demand for the Covid-19 vaccine continues to drop in Western Wisconsin.  While the state average is 40% of the population has received at least one dose of the vaccine, only Buffalo County is above that average at 41%.  Dunn County reports 32% of its residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, Pierce County is at 35% and Pepin County is at 36%.  Some local health departments are concerned that they will not be able to fill available appointments for vaccination clinics.  In Chippewa County, a clinic at Jacob's Well Church will allow walk-in visits without an appointment starting today.

The Durand Fire Department responded to a brush fire in the town of Peru yesterday.  A controlled burn near 650th Street and 50th Avenue got out of control.  Firefighters were called when the blaze reached over an acre in size.  No buildings were involved and no injuries were reported.

A local event to celebrate June Dairy Month is returning but as a drive-through event.  Organizers of the annual Breakfast in the Valley announced they will hold the event on June 11.  Breakfast in the Valley boxes will be available by pre-order only and will contain food items from local farms.  Orders must be paid in advance and to order, call the Eau Claire Chamber at 715-834-1204.

Eau Claire Firefighters responded to a fire at Oakridge Hall at UW-Eau Claire last night.  The fire was located in the basement trash area.  Firefighters extinguished the fire quickly and contained it to the trash chute.  Smoke was throughout the building and after it was ventilated, students were allowed back inside.  The cause of the fire is under investigation and damage is estimated at $1000.  No injuries were reported.

Authorities in Minnesota are identifying the western Wisconsin man shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire with police. The Hennepin County medical examiner says 30-year-old Bradley M. Olsen from Dresser died of gunshot wounds to the chest Sunday. Investigators say Olsen carjacked a woman in Burnsville and then fired at police and crashed the stolen vehicle. Olsen was taken to a hospital where he died. Four Burnsville police officers involved in the shootout are on leave.

A Wisconsin man charged with killing his daughter in southeastern Minnesota pleaded guilty to fatally shooting the girl's mother in Milwaukee.  Thirty-seven-year-old Dariaz Higgins admitted to the March 2019 intentional homicide of Sierra Robinson.   A few days later the body of two-year-old Noelani Robinson was found wrapped in a blanket in Steele County.  Investigators say Higgins shot Noelani in an Austin motel room before dumping her body in a ditch.  He will be sentenced on July 26th for the Milwaukee murder.  He still faces a second-degree murder charge for his daughter's killing in Mower County, Minnesota.

Governor Tony Evers has issued an executive order on police policies.  Evers' order requires state police agencies, including the State Patrol, Capitol Police, and Department of Natural Resources, to update use-of-force policies to bar chokeholds or blocking a person's airway except in situations where deadly force is allowed. The order also requires officers to take "reasonable action" to prevent another officer from using excessive force. Evers' order was issued Wednesday, the same day as a set of recommendations from a legislative task force on racial disparities.

A bill introduced in the U-S Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Wednesday would provide more benefits and relief to Wisconsin farmers.  U-S Senator Tammy Baldwin was among the backers of the so-called “P-P-P Flexibility for Farmers, Ranchers, and the Self-Employed Act.”  Badger State farmers can apply even if they already received a P-P-P loan and had it forgiven.  The Wisconsin Democrat says she made a change to the existing law that gives farmers the opportunity to receive a bigger benefit with more generous loans.

A group of small Wisconsin newspapers has filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against online giants Google and Facebook.  The papers argue the monopoly the two have will have a negative effect on American democracy.  They say the control held by Google and Facebook of digital advertising threatens the existence of the papers.  An attorney representing the Wisconsin papers says about a dozen similar complaints have been filed in other states.

Wisconsin’s juvenile prisons have made a “vast improvement” in meeting court-ordered changes and the overall atmosphere since December.  That was in the report filed Tuesday by monitor Teresa Abreau.  She visited the Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls in Irma last month. Her previous report in December included details of conditions that were getting worse.  Abreau says continuing concerns include programming, use of force, restraints, and some other issues.  The reports are filed as part of a 2018 federal lawsuit settlement.

A report from the Speakers' Task Force on Racial Disparities includes a recommendation on police use of chokeholds.   The report includes 18 recommendations, developed by the panel's Subcommittee on Law Enforcement Policies and Standards. Those include a statewide prohibition against chokeholds, except in life-threatening situations or self-defense. The task force’s Republican co-chair is Representative Jim Steineke. He says he’s optimistic many recommendations will become law. Democrat Shelia Stubbs says this is just the beginning of police reform.

The U-S Department of Justice is opening a civil investigation to determine whether the Minneapolis Police Department engages in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional or unlawful policing.  Attorney General Merrick Garland made the announcement this morning (Wednesday).  Garland said, "yesterday's verdict in the state criminal trial does not address potentially systemic policing issues in Minneapolis."  Garland says if wrongdoing is discovered it's likely to bring a civil suit and a potential order from the D-O-J for the Minneapolis P-D to change its policies in a variety of areas, including use of force.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wants to help you keep black bears away from your property. Black bears are most common in northern Wisconsin, but they’ve been slowly making their way south. Outdoor grilling, bird feeders, pet food left outside, and unsecured trash cans can all attract bears. D-N-R wildlife officials say to make sure all those things are inaccessible, especially in spring. That’s when bears' natural food sources are limited. If a bear finds food on your property, it will likely return.

 University of Minnesota researchers have developed a new field test for chronic wasting disease.  The team reported its findings in southeast Minnesota last month, making them the first-ever scientists to successfully deploy a C-W-D field test.  Researchers say the test is cheaper and produces quicker results.  The U of M scientists are investigating several new approaches with the hopes of obstructing the disease's spread to deer in the state.

Local-Regional News April 21

 The amendments to the vacant building ordinance in Durand were passed last week by the Durand City Council.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren Says there were two changes to the original ordinance.  That accelerated fee schedule would charge $1000 per year and increase $1000 each year until reaching a maximum of $5000 by year 6.  

Representative Ron Kind recently introduced the bipartisan Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program Enhancement Act. The legislation will help address veterinarian shortages by lifting overly burdensome taxes on programs that encourage veterinarians to practice in rural communities. The Wisconsin Democrat says access to veterinarians in rural areas is critical.  The Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program is subject to a burdensome 37 percent federal withholding tax, which Kind says limits the number of awards for qualifying veterinarians.

If you have any expired or unwanted medications in your home, you can safely get rid of them on Saturday with Drug Take-Back Day.   That's the statewide program to get unused and unwanted medications out of people's homes and safely disposed of.  Do not dispose of unwanted drugs in the trash or down the drain as that will allow those chemicals to pollute the groundwater, where traces of medications are already being found.  There will be drop-off locations at the Buffalo, Dunn, Pepin, and Pierce County Sheriff's Departments, the Mondovi Police Department, the Village of Pepin Hall, and at Heike Pharmacy in Durand. 

The sentence is five-and-a-half years in prison for a Chippewa Falls woman who hired someone to kill the father of her child.  Melanie Schrader pleaded guilty to solicitation of first-degree intentional homicide last month.  Authorities say Schrader met with an undercover officer and paid a 200-dollar down payment and agreed to give the alleged hitman ten-thousand dollars to kill her daughter's father.  She was given credit for 587 days already served.

An Eau Claire County judge has found probable cause to move forward with a human trafficking case.  A total of 34 charges have been filed against 57-year-old Mark Scoville Senior from Humbird and 45-year-old Catherine Ottinger from Eau Claire.  Investigators say Ottinger tried to sell a child under the age of 13 for sexual activity.  The two were arrested earlier this month.  Scoville was taken into custody at the tent where the two were living.  He’s being held in the Eau Claire County Jail on a 25-thousand-dollar cash bond.  Ottinger was released on a smaller bond.

The Mayo Clinic is part of a nationwide campaign encouraging Americans to get the COVID-19 vaccine.   Sixty hospitals and health care providers are involved in the effort to reassure the public that vaccines are safe, effective, and necessary to achieve herd immunity and return to normal activities.  Mayo Clinic president and C-E-O Gianrico Farrugia said, "the vaccine is our strongest asset to end the pandemic."  The campaign will target adults who are hesitant to get vaccinated.

The Evers' administration had announced details, of the state's renegotiated contract with Foxconn.  Foxconn could qualify for 80 million dollars in state assistance if it creates 1,454 jobs and invests 672 million dollars in its Mount Pleasant facility by 2026.  The original deal, negotiated by the Walker administration, called for Foxconn to get up to three billion from the state in return for creating 13,000 jobs and investing 10 billion. Governor Tony Evers' office also said the new contract will not include specific requirements as to what Foxconn produces. The company's frequently revised that, with critics noting its thus far manufactured nothing. 

Wisconsin officials are saying they hope some good can come out of the guilty verdict for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.  He was convicted Tuesday of one manslaughter and two murder charges.  Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes says he hopes the verdict means the community can heal and grow together.  Other state officials say the decision can become the first step toward the dismantling of systemic racism.  Chief Barnes says, “Justice has prevailed,” – adding, “This moment matters.”  The death of George Floyd last May started a nationwide examination of racism and policing in America.

The two-year Wisconsin budget proposed by Governor Tony Evers would reportedly increase property taxes at a slower rate than current law would.  The Legislative Fiscal Bureau released its report Monday.  Under the governor’s plan, the owner of a median-valued home would see his property taxes go up 22 dollars the first year and 63 dollars the second year.  Under the current law, those taxes would rise by an additional 12 dollars.  The effect of the budget was included in a report issued as the Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee considers the governor’s proposed spending plan.

Wisconsin is getting more than 175-million dollars from the U-S Department of Health and Human Services to develop a COVID testing program for schools.  Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake said "this funding will allow D-H-S to implement a COVID testing program for schools that support the safety and well-being of teachers, staff members and students throughout the state."  Timberlake says testing has been and will continue to be a critical part of Wisconsin's COVID response.

 A worker at ConAgra Foods in Walworth County says his employer didn’t enforce its own COVID-19 policy.  Rigoberto Ruiz is suing, saying he contracted the virus at work and infected his wife – who died.  Ruiz says supervisors at the Darien food plant didn’t take corrective action when employees failed to wear masks on the job.  Martha Amador De Ruiz died of COVID-19 complications last May.  ConAgra says it has taken many preventive measures to keep its workers safe at the plant.

Fewer people in Wisconsin got vaccinated against the coronavirus last week.   The Department of Health Services reports a little more than 325-thousand doses were administered last week. That’s more than 93-thousand fewer than the week before. State health officials say demand for vaccines has plateaued. About 40-percent of Wisconsinites 16 and older have had one dose of the vaccine; A little more than 27-percent have had both doses.

A warden with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has entered a not guilty plea to charges he obstructed an investigation into illegal sturgeon caviar bartering.  Thirty-six-year-old Ryan Koenigs made Monday’s court appearance virtually because the charge is a misdemeanor.  He returns to court next month.  Koenigs has entered another not guilty plea to a more serious theft charge in Winnebago County.  He’s accused of taking eggs from storage and giving them to a processor.  He’s scheduled to go on trial in that case in mid-June.  Koenigs was accused of being one of several D-N-R employees who collected eggs from sturgeon spearers, saying they were for research projects, then having them processed for sale.  He is accused of accepting about 20-thousand dollars’ worth of caviar by illegal bartering.

Republican Tyler Kistner plans to challenge 2nd District Congresswoman Angie Craig again in 2022.  Kistner lost the November election by two percentage points to D-F-L incumbent Craig.  The Marine veteran from Burnsville called the 2020 race one of the closest in the country.  Kistner accused Craig and President Biden of increased government spending and proposing massive tax increases on the middle class and American families.

Local-Regional News April 20

 One person was injured in a two-vehicle accident in Trenton Township on Saturday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, 24yr old Dillon Schuler of Cannon Falls, MN was traveling southbound on Hwy 63 when he lost control of the vehicle, crossed the centerline, and struck a northbound vehicle driven by 51yr old Michael Quiding of Hager City.  Quiding was taken to the hospital by personal vehicle with undetermined injuries.

Some changes coming to the Plum City School District.  During last night's school board meeting it was announced that Superintendent Amy Vesperman and Principle Jeremy Kerg were both leaving the district at the end of the school year on June 30th.  The district will begin a search to fill both positions immediately.  

ATV Riders in Buffalo County are reminded that ATV use on County roads is prohibited unless the county road has been signed that it's open for ATV/UTV use.   While the County Board of Supervisors has passed an ordinance to allow the operation of ATV/UTV’s on county roads, they are not open until the roads are properly signed.   The Buffalo County Trail Riders are responsible for the cost of the signs and will be working with the Buffalo County Highway Department on the installation.   Town roads are under the jurisdiction of each Town and you should direct questions regarding usage on town roads with your local board.

University of Wisconsin System President Tommy Thompson today announced five finalists for the position of chancellor at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls.  The 5 candidates are Constance Foser the current UWRF interim Chancellor, Maria Gallo of Delaware Valley University, Satasha Green-Stephen, Vice-Chancellor Student Affairs at Minnesota State College and University System,  Michael Laliberte President State University of New York, Delhi, and Al S. Thompson, Jr, Vice-Chancellor at UW Stevens Point.  Next week, the candidates will participate in separate public forums, offering opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and community members to interact directly with them.

The State of Wisconsin has approved a $400,000 grant to 24-7 Telcom and Tri-County Communications Cooperative to expand fiber to the home broadband internet to 278 locations in the town of Drammen in Eau Claire County.  The Board of Commissioners approved the funds yesterday and both 24-7 and Tri-County hope to have the new network online in late 2022 or 2023.

Despite gasoline demand mostly increasing this month, the national gas price average has seen little movement, fluctuating up or down by only a penny to $2.86 or $2.87.  Here in Western Wisconsin gas prices ranged from $2.63 to 2.75 last week.  Compared to a year ago, prices are nearly $1.53 higer, but that was during the quarantine.  Gas prices are similar to the prices paid in April of 2019, before the pandemic.

A college student has been arrested and charged with arson for allegedly starting a residence hall fire at Viterbo University in La Crosse.  School officials say everyone was able to get out of Marian Hall safely when alarms began to sound shortly after 2:00 a-m Sunday.  The fire had been started in a trash container in a lounge on the second floor.  Fire department investigators, police, and Viterbo officials used surveillance video to identify the suspect.  No names have been released.  A university spokesperson says they’re checking to determine if the incident is connected to a series of racial incidents on the campus recently.

 The passenger in the car driven by Colten Treu when it hit and killed three Girl Scouts and a mother has pleaded no contest to a charge connected to the case.  Treu is serving 54 years.  A Chippewa County Judge found John Stender Junior guilty of harboring or aiding a felon after the plea was entered Monday.  The Girl Scouts and the adult supervisor were picking up trash along a county road in Lake Hallie almost three years ago when they were killed.  Stender told investigators he and Treu were huffing a can of air duster when the car went into the ditch where the girls were working.  Stender will be sentenced in July.

It’s a dry and dangerous spring for much of Wisconsin.  The Department of Natural Resources over the weekend said the fire danger for all of Wisconsin remains high. DNR says 161 fires this year have burned over one thousand acres across the state so far this spring. Forecasters say dry brush and grass, paired with strong winds make for perfect fire conditions in many counties across Wisconsin. 

Family, friends, and the state of Minnesota are mourning the loss of former Vice President Walter Mondale.   His family said Mondale died Monday at age 93.   Mondale served as vice president under President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1981.  The Ceylon, Minnesota native ran for president in 1984 and named Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro his running mate,  the first female V-P candidate in U-S history.  Mondale lost in a landslide to Ronald Reagan, winning only his home state and Washington, D-C.   Senator Amy Klobuchar said Mondale was a tireless public servant for the people of Minnesota and our country.  The Minnesota Democrat said, "Our world would be a better place if all followed his example, and he will be sorely, sorely missed.”

Everyone age 16 and up is now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, and eventually, younger children will be vaccinated as well. In the meantime, Dr. Jim Conway, professor of pediatrics at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, says mitigation remains essential  Pfizer and Moderna are both undertaking pediatric clinical trials of their COVID-19 vaccines.

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Wisconsin and Foxconn are on the brink of a new agreement.   Governor Evers Monday announced an agreement with the Taiwanese firm. Evers did not provide details on the deal, which the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors is expected to approve. Foxconn has failed to produce anything at its Racine County facility, built under a three billion deal struck with former Republican Governor Scott Walker and the company four years ago. 

A group of about 50 Wisconsin National Guard soldiers were ejected from the Saint Paul Labor Center last week.  They had been invited by one union head to use the facility while staging for their next operation.  Several other unions that also control the building decided they weren’t comfortable with an armed military presence there.  The head of the Minnesota A-F-L-C-I-O, Bill McCarthy, says he was disappointed in the way the guard members were treated.  Protesters were at the door of the center, chanting things like, “Go home, never come back,” as the soldiers were escorted out.  Governor Tim Walz called the behavior of the protesters “unacceptable.”

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says he backs a ban on transgender athletes taking part in girls’ and women’s sports.  The Republican leader says a hearing will be held on the legislation.  Vos says he thinks it’s something that is supported by the public.  His comments were made during a Sunday appearance on the "UPFRONT" program on W-I-S-N Television.  Vos says people should have a right to compete, but they shouldn’t “have an unfair advantage because of a choice they’re making.”  Governor Tony Evers would be expected to veto the measure if it passes.

The 115th Fighter Wing of the Wisconsin Air National Guard has awarded the first construction contract as it gets ready for F-35 fighter jets to be hosted in Madison.  A 19-thousand square-foot simulator facility will be built at Truax Field by a Madison construction company.  The 18-month project is to start next month.  The first F-35s are to arrive at Truax in 2023.  There will be 19 contracts to be awarded and completed before the planes arrive.  Those deals are expected to be worth about 100-million dollars.

A U-W Madison political science professor is running for state attorney general.   Ryan Owens is the second Republican to oppose Democratic incumbent Josh Kaul. Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney announced earlier this month. In an interview with the Journal Sentinel, Owens said state government's response to the coronavirus pandemic and destruction during protests last year prompted him to run. He said Wisconsin has "a leadership deficit" that has turned into "a freedom deficit."

 A federal judge has issued a restraining order barring the arrest or use of force against reporters covering protests in Minnesota.  Some reporters say police fired rubber bullets at them even though they were exempt from the curfew that was in effect.  The restraining order was filed against Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington and Minnesota State Patrol Colonel Matthew Langer.  It’s focused mostly on the treatment of reporters during the protests over the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright by a Brooklyn Center police officer.

You can’t get high-quality, old-growth mahogany wood anymore.  It has protected international conservation status.  That’s why the three-thousand-pound stack of wood sent from the U-S Department of Agriculture’s Forest Products Laboratory in Madison is considered to be priceless.  It’s been stored there for more than a century.  Now, it will be used to repair the damage caused at the U-S Capitol during the rioting and destruction on January 6th.  The 78 mahogany boards one-foot-by-12-feet were shipped by truck in February.  It will be installed in the Capitol building in June.

Local-Regional News April 19

 Lifeguards were still needed for the summer swimming season at the Tarrant Park Pool.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren Says that because of the pool being closed last year due to the pandemic, the city is facing a gap in lifeguards.  As of last week, only 2 lifeguards had been hired when 7 are needed for full operation of the pool.  

Rural Hospitals and clinics could be receiving some assistance after the house and senate passed the Rural and Underserves Small Protections Act.  Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind says the act will fix some language in last year's CARES act.  That bill is now headed to President Biden.

Planning for the Independence Day celebrations continues in Mondovi.  At last week's city council meeting, the council was told the Past in the Park will be held on July 3rd and will feature a celebration on the 76th anniversary of the end of World War 2.  The community band will be playing music from the era.  On the 4th the Parade will be at 1pm and all Mondovi World War 2 Vets will be the grand marshals of the parade.  Fireworks will follow that night.

Health officials continue to watch the spread of new variants of Covid 19.  Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says the variants of the virus can make it easier to spread.  Health officials continue to urge people eligible for the vaccine to receive it along with continued social distancing, washing of hands, and wearing of masks.

The sentence is ten years in prison for a western Wisconsin man charged with providing the drugs in two fatal overdoses. Shane Johnson of Chippewa Falls pleaded no contest to selling the meth and heroin that led to the 2017 deaths of Samuel Ott and Nicholas Buck. Johnson is already serving a 20-year sentence for what authorities called the biggest drug bust in Chippewa Falls history.

The Wabasha County Board is meeting tomorrow.  Items on the agenda include presentations from the Sheriff's Department on the 2020 recap, and from the South Country Health Alliance.  The board is also expected to approve an MOA with the University of Minnesota Extension.  The board will also go into a closed session to discuss the pending zoning and highway lawsuits with the county attorney.  Tomorrow's meeting begins at 9am at the Wabasha County Government Center.

While firefighters from New London were setting up their equipment and calling for backup help from seven other departments, the explosions started.  A propane tank exploded, then several others went up Friday afternoon.  Four campers, two sheds, and a pickup truck were damaged or destroyed and the heat from the flames damaged two more campers.  No injuries were reported.  The first call from the Huckleberry Acres Campground six miles south of New London was received at about 12:30 p-m.  The New London Fire Department is investigating to determine how the fire started.  Crews from Bear Creek, Dale, Fremont, Hortonville, Manawa, and Weyauwega offered mutual aid.

A driver on Interstate 90 says he was near mile marker 146 when the windows on his car were “shot out.”  Two more drivers reported their cars has been damaged by bullets Saturday at about 2:15 p-m.  Deputies canvassed the area and tracked down three men who had been shooting at targets – but apparently missed more than once.  The interstate highway was a few hundred yards directly behind those targets.  Bryan Spangler of Cottage Grove, John Zimmerman of Oak Creek, and Jeffery Zimmerman of Wabasha was taken into custody.  The men will be charged with second-degree recklessly endangering safety.

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 The Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District says a high school teacher has been placed on administrative leave over a video that has gone public.  The teacher’s name hasn’t been released.  A news statement from the district describes the comments on the video as including language that was racist at times, and offensive, “and inappropriate throughout.”  The video was recorded two years ago but just came to the attention of the district Thursday.  A formal investigation has been launched.

The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office is mourning the loss of one of its deputies.  Sheriff Kevin Torgerson says Deputy Mark Anderson was found unresponsive in the staff locker room Thursday at the Adult Detention Center.  Life-saving measures were performed at the scene before Anderson was taken to St. Mary's Hospital where he died.  The sheriff said it appears 52-year-old Anderson died of a medical issue.  He had been a detention deputy since March 2010.  Anderson was the first Olmsted County sheriff's deputy to die on duty since Deputy Jack Werner was fatally shot in May of 1977.

Two Wisconsin Republicans in the U-S House voted "no" this week on a plan to create a study committee on reparations.  Congressmen Tom Tiffany and Scott Fitzgerald voted with the Republican minority on the House Judiciary Committee to oppose a decades-long effort to consider reparations for descendants of slaves.  Their offices did not issue any statements regarding the votes.  It's the first time the committee has acted on the measure, first introduced by Michigan Congressman John Conyers in 1989.  The bill advanced to the House floor on a 25-to-17 vote.

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett are among several mayors backing an Amtrak plan for expanded passenger rail service.  The mayors of the two Wisconsin cities plus Chicago, Minneapolis, and St. Paul wrote a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg Thursday saying there’s a potential for passenger rail to bring opportunity to the Midwest region, connecting cities nationwide “in a more sustainable manner.”  Amtrak first revealed plans earlier this month about what it would do if the Biden administration’s two-point-three-trillion-dollar infrastructure package is passed.  The Amtrak plan includes a new route extending from Duluth, Minnesota to Milwaukee, joining the busy Hiawatha service to Chicago.

The Minnesota Department of Health is sounding the alarm after four Minnesotans who traveled to Mexico tested positive for a COVID-19 variant. Officials say the cases of the Brazilian strain were confirmed in different families that stayed at the Grand Moon Palace in Cancun between March 12th and 23rd. State deputy epidemiologist Doctor Richard Danilla says anyone who has traveled internationally should get tested three to five days after returning home to Minnesota.

Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Devin Lemahieu says there is a real learning curve associated with the political position and he got off to what he calls “maybe a rocky start.”  The Republican leader was interviewed by WisPolitics-dot-com President Jeff Mayers Thursday.  LeMahieu told Mayers he worked with Democratic Governor Tony Evers on a COVID-19 relief bill because he thought it was important to get something done.  Assembly Republicans advanced their own bill and the Wisconsin Senate eventually approved that version – only to have Evers veto it.

Local-Regional News April 16

 Five people have been arrested in Durand and are facing multiple drug charges.  Durand Police, Pepin County Sheriffs Deputies, and the West Central Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at 516 7th Avenue West on April 13th and recovered methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a stolen bicycle.  Arrested were Tricia L. Pawlowski, Dustin T Pawlowski, Eric W Soreson, Adam T Hays, and Katie E Bundie.  Tricia Pawlowski and Eric Soreson were each charged with 2 counts of manufacture/deliver amphetamine, possession with intent to deliver amphetamines, and maintaining a drug trafficking place.  The charges for the other three are pending at this time.

The Durand City Council Finance Committee and City Council have upheld an invoice to the Durand Swim Club.  The invoice was originally for $4800 but according to Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren, a donation came in to help offset most of that amount.  The invoice was for reimbursement for swimming lessons that the club had provided vouchers for back in 2019.

Advent Health of Durand will be receiving 200 doses of the Moderna Vaccine next week.  Angela Jacobson, Director of Emergency Preparedness for Advent Health says those wanting the vaccine should call either clinic to set up an appointment.  Anyone over the age of 18 is eligible for the Moderna Vaccine.  When you receive your first dose, an appointment will be automatically made for the second dose.

The Mondovi City Council is looking at the possibility of developing a pickleball court.  A group of citizens presented a possible proposal during this week's city council meeting.  The group is asking the city to design the court near Farrington Field.  Pickleball is a game similar to tennis but uses a smaller court and lower net and is popular with senior citizens.  The council will discuss the request at a future city council meeting.

Officials at Viterbo University in La Crosse say they have installed additional security cameras, added security personnel, held campus listening sessions, and undertaken additional initiatives.  The moves come in response to the discovery of threatening and racist messages written on the door of a women’s restroom.  A student reported finding the messages early Monday morning inside a residence hall.  The university says it is working with La Crosse police and a forensic handwriting expert to figure out who did it.

A Barron County judge has sentenced a Chetek man to four years in prison for sexual assault.  Cazz Johnson had pleaded guilty to the charge last December and the sentence was handed down Monday.  The victim told police she was getting a ride home from Johnson after drinking when he pulled over to urinate.  When he returned to the pickup, she says he pulled off her pants and shoes and sexually assaulted her.  The attack happened in 2019.  Johnson will have to register as a sex offender when he gets out of prison.

No change in Wisconsin's three-point-eight percent unemployment rate for a second straight month.  The Department of Workforce Development says total non-farm jobs increased by 12-thousand-900 in March and private sector jobs were up 11-thousand-100.  Neighboring Minnesota had an unemployment rate of four-two-point percent in March and the national rate was six percent last month.

 Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu says not enough members of his Republican party support the legalization of marijuana.  That means it won’t happen in Wisconsin any time soon.  LeMahieu points out that marijuana is still illegal under federal law.  Governor Tony Evers had indicated he would include a plan for legalizing the drug for recreational or medicinal use in his upcoming biennial budget plan.  Evers says his plan would be similar to laws in border states Illinois and Michigan.  He estimates taxes on marijuana could generate about 165-million dollars a year.  The Senate leader reportedly told WisPolitics-dot-com discussions about legalization should happen on the federal level.

New numbers suggest the COVID pandemic may have fueled an increase in deaths from alcohol use in Minnesota.  Preliminary data show 992 Minnesotans died from fully alcohol-attributable causes in 2020 - compared with 821 in 2019.   The number of alcohol-related deaths started to accelerate in June.  State Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said, "sadly, the pandemic has amplified some of the root causes of substance use and substance use disorders, such as social isolation, job loss and lack of access to treatment."  The report does not include "partially" alcohol-attributable causes of death which suggest the numbers are even higher.

State Representative Alex Dallman of Green Lake is a co-sponsor of legislation that proponents claim could decrease incidents of harassment, aimed towards high school sports officials.  Assembly Judiciary Committee member, Shae Sortwell of Manitiwoc, expressed some reservations about making such harassment a misdemeanor.  According to the WIAA, harassment has made it difficult to recruit and retain high school referees and umpires. 

A new tracking system will let Wisconsin sexual assault victims get information about the evidence kits associated with their cases.  The Wisconsin Department of Justice will use a 327-thousand-dollar federal grant to pay for the system.  It will be set up to monitor how long those kits spend at different points as they are processed.  The Wisconsin Senate passed a bill last month requiring the state agency to create a database allowing victims to track their kits.  That bill hasn'y had an Assembly hearing yet.

Paper-making giant Kimberly-Clark has announced plans to move 250 of its jobs from Neenah To Chicago.  The company’s manufacturing sites won’t be affected by the change.  Positions in sales, marketing, executive management, and other commercial functions are going.  The company says the positions will be relocated during the first quarter of 2022.  At the same time as Wednesday’s announcement, there was a switchover at the top of the company.  Kim Underhill is the group president of Kimberly-Clark’s North American business.  She is leaving the company after 33 years.

The U-S Department of Labor reports Wisconsin is one of seven states chosen to participate in a new initiative aimed at improving employment outcomes for people with mental health conditions.  The initiative provides Wisconsin with tailored and targeted assistance like expertise to help create and implement a plan encompassing multiple systems – like mental and behavioral health, Medicaid, vocal rehabilitation, workforce, and education.  The federal Advancing State Policy Integration for Recovery and Employment goes by the acronym ASPIRE.  Minnesota is also participating in the initiative.

 Legislation that will allow motor racetracks in Wisconsin to sell alcohol led a couple of state Senators to address our state's drinking culture on Wednesday. This is Ashland Democrat Janet Bewley. Milwaukee Democrat Lena Taylor said she supports the bill, but that the state also needs additional AODA resources. The measure passed on a voice vote and is now ready for Assembly consideration.

Changes are coming to Kohl’s, but maybe not as many as first thought.   The company is announcing a deal with a group of investors who were pushing for a takeover. The investor’s group will add two of its people to Kohl’s board of directors. The agreement ends the takeover bid that would have seen Kohl’s change many of its business strategies and could have resulted in closing more stores.

The state of Minnesota says more than 605-thousand vehicles are running on state roads with expired registration.  There’s no way to determine if all the vehicles are still operating.  This list includes passenger cars, trailers, off-road vehicles, R-Vs, trucks, and others.  The number could include a vehicle with a Minnesota title with a lien, but the owner has moved to another state and registered his vehicle there.  Twenty-year-old Daunte Wright was pulled over for expired tabs when he was shot last weekend.

Local-Regional News April 15

 Firefighters from Durand, Plum City, and Menomonie responded to an apartment fire above the Flying Dutchman store in Downtown Durand Wednesday.  The call came in at about 10:30 Wednesday morning.  When firefighters arrived they found smoke coming from an apartment and what appeared to be the roof of the building.  Residents and employees of Sundstrom and Company and the Courrier Wedge were evacuated.  No injuries were reported.  Damages are estimated at $100,000 and 6 residents of the building are working with the American Red Cross for living arrangements while repairs are made.  The cause of the fire is believed to be electrical and is still under investigation.

The Durand City Council has approved changes to the Vacant Building Ordinance.  At last night's council meeting, members approved changing section 4 of the ordinance to increase the fees for commercial properties to $2000 for year two, and then increase an additional $1000 per year up to a maximum of $5000 per year.  Section 5 was changed to allow for an exemption to the fees if the vacant building is being used for storage to support a business located within the city of Durand.  Those changes take effect upon publication of the ordinance.

While area health departments have put on hold the use of the Johnson and Johnson Covid-19 vaccine, the Pepin County Health Department will be having multiple clinics this week using the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.  Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says that here in Pepin County 34.6% or just over 2500 people have been vaccinated for Covid-19.  over 72% of the 65 and older residents in the county have been vaccinated.

Congressman Ron Kind is joining with over 20 other lawmakers to put PFAS chemical regulations and standards into the Clean Water Act. Kind says it should be obvious that the chemical needs regulation, but that at this point it's been up to individual states to handle things.  The designation would not only allow the government to regulate the substances but also provide funding to clean up places that have been contaminated by repeated use. 

 The latest strategy used by scientists in Minnesota and Wisconsin to capture and remove invasive carp involves using huge nets in the Mississippi River.  Underwater sonar and electricity are being used to drive the carp into those nets near La Crosse.  The Departments of Natural Resources in both states are working with the U-S Fish and Wildlife Service and the U-S Geological Survey on the project that started last week.  The work is being done on a section of the river where the carp have been increasing in numbers.

The Wisconsin Senate has approved four significant Republican-sponsored changes to state election rules.  Four bills passed Wednesday would allow the Wisconsin Elections Commission to order city clerks to follow state law, would let observers watch recount workers from three feet away, would determine where election law violators go to trial and would prohibit election officials or local governments from getting private grants to pay for administering an election.  Republicans have said there were issues with the 2020 general election that need to be corrected.

The official who ran Wisconsin’s Department of Health and Human Services for almost two years is now up for a position with the Biden administration.  The U-S Senate Finance Committee is considering Andrea Palm as the next Deputy Secretary for Health and Human Services.  Palm was nominated by President Joe Biden in January.  She has already served in three capacities for the federal agency between 2011 and 2017.  The Senate committee will discuss her candidacy this week.

A Cheteck man charged with felony making terrorist threats has reached a plea settlement.  In March, Chad Boese was arrested after threatening to kill Marshfield Hospital-Eau Claire employees and threatening to drive his truck into the building and start shooting after the Hospital would not allow him to visit his wife who was a patient in the hospital because of the Covid-19 protocols.  The felony charges were dropped and Boese pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was fined $443.

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A proposal from Republican legislators will require the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to work with the state Department of Agriculture to increase agricultural exports by 2026. The bill requires WEDC to spend five million dollars on increasing the value of dairy, meat, and crop exports. A similar but more limited program was included in Governor Evers’ budget proposal. 

Officials with WE Energies say the natural gas odor people in Cudahy were smelling Tuesday night came from a food processing plant.  Workers were evacuated from the Smithfield Foods Patrick Cudahy plant shortly after 8:00 p-m.  Emergency crews responded to several businesses and a couple of homes when the calls first started coming in.  The plant was evacuated and the workers were eventually sent home for the night.  The Cudahy Fire Department says there were seven reports of gas leaks starting at about 6:30 p-m.  No injuries were reported.  Crews from several area fire departments joined hazmat teams in the effort.  WE Energies said the situation wasn’t a public safety issue after the source was determined.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says he does not expect to re-tighten COVID restrictions anytime soon, despite the increase in cases and hospitalizations in Minnesota.  But the governor is also extending his emergency powers another 30 days -- certain to create more friction with Republicans as lawmakers try to agree on a new state budget before the mid-May deadline.  Some Democrats are also pushing Republicans for additional police reforms in the wake of the officer killing of Daunte Wright.  Senate Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka responds the budget is a huge priority and warned Democrats, "don't threaten that we can't get our budgets done if we don't get police accountability."

The Wisconsin Conservation Congress spring hearings are letting the public vote on things like fishing adjustments, bag limits, and size limits.  For the second straight year, the hearings are virtual due to the coronavirus pandemic.  There are 57 advisory questions on the agenda and people have 72 hours to make their wishes known online.  New walleye regulations are being considered.  The virtual hearings have been surprisingly popular with record numbers of overall participation.  The Conservation Congress will go over the voting results, then send its recommendations to the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board for approval.  The virtual meeting runs through 7:00 p-m Thursday.

State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski (god-LOO-ski) is the latest Democrat to announce a run for U.S. Senate.  Godlewski joins Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson, Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry, and Marshfield radiologist Gillian Battino as candidates for 2022. The winner of a Democratic primary may face incumbent Ron Johnson, although the Oshkosh Republican has yet to make up his mind about seeking a third term. Godlewski was elected treasurer in 2018. She worked for Hillary Clinton's 2008 and 2016 presidential campaigns.

It’s mostly back to normal at Wisconsin’s state parks.  The Department of Natural Resources says all outdoor spaces in state parks can return to 100-percent capacity. Indoor spaces, like concession stands, are still limited to 50-percent capacity for now. The D-N-R saw record crowds last year because of the coronavirus, and expects large crowds once again this year.