The closure of the bridge on Hwy 85 in Rock Falls begins today. Crews are removing the dam and replacing the bridge over Rock Creek and Hwy 85 will be closed through the summer. The marked detour route is to take Hwy 10 to Hwy 37 then to Eau Claire. Pepin County Sheriff Joel Wener reminds those using Hwy 85, the speed limit is still 55. The Pepin and Dunn County Sheriffs Departments still plan on patrolling Hwy 85 to ensure all traffic rules continue to be followed.
The City of Durand is reviewing the rules on how the city will be allowed to spend the money received from the federal government as part of the covid-19 aid package. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the city can use the money to recoup lost revenue and infrastructure. The city will also explore other ways it can use the money. As part of the American Rescue Plan, Durand received approximately $178,000 and has until 2024 to use that money.
The Buffalo County Health Department has announced that 80% of Buffalo County Residents aged 65 and older have received at least their first dose of the Covid-19 Vaccine. The department says that is an important milestone to help protect the highest risk category of individuals. The department continues to vaccinate residents and if you would like to be vaccinated, call the Buffalo County Health Department.
The City of Elmwood has begun its street projects for the summer. On Friday work began on Wilson Avenue and will continue through the summer. Elmwood residents are advised to drive with extra caution in or near the construction zone with all of the heavy equipment and construction equipment traffic.
The Wabasha County Board is meeting tomorrow. Items on the agenda included accepting a quote to purchase a replacement truck for the highway department, approve authorization of two federal grants for boating safety patrol and boating safety equipment from the MN DNR. The board will also go into a closed session to discuss pending litigation with the county attorney. Tomorrow's meeting begins at 9am at Wabasha County Courthouse.
A Dresser woman has been arrested by the Wisconsin State Patrol for OWI. According to the State Patrol, troopers received a call from a father, requesting a welfare check on her 12yr old daughter who was in a vehicle with her friend and her friend's family on their way to WI Dells. The daughter didn't want to be in the car any longer as the parents were smoking drugs while driving eastbound on I-94. The daughter was texting her father from the backseat, relaying the mileposts as the vehicle passed them. Tropper was able to pull the vehicle over near Hixton, and after an investigation arrested 31yr old Michelle Thibodeau and charged her with operating a motor vehicle under the influence, 2nd offense, with 5 children in the vehicle under the age of 16.
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin says about a half-million residents will benefit from an F-C-C initiative backing internet service. The Emergency Broadband Benefit could mean 50-dollars-a-month to people living in the state’s rural areas. The pandemic amplified broadband issues in underserved areas of Wisconsin. A commission spokesperson says it gets a lot of calls from people who are struggling to pay their internet bill – or who have run out of data for the month. People in tribal areas are actually eligible for up to 75-dollars off their bill. The program is called a step in the right direction, but just a temporary fix to an existing problem. Funding will stop six months after federal health officials declare the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is rejecting a request to take up a redistricting case before it's filed. The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty had asked the court to change its rules to make it the original court for any disputes over how legislative districts would be redrawn once census information comes in later this year. The state's high court held hearings and public discussion and ultimately decided that it would deny the request. The court pointed out that once a case is filed, they might consider it, but not before one even makes it into the justice system.
Cleanup continued Sunday after 28 train cars derailed in a wreck in Albert Lea Saturday. Union Pacific says 14 cars carrying mixed commodities had already been removed and heavy machinery was used to work and clear the other cars. It was discovered two cars were leaking hydrochloric acid, but officials say there was no risk to the public. The cause of the wreck near Goose Lake is still under investigation.
--
Supporters are praising the Minnesota House passage of a bill that would legalize the use of recreational cannabis for adults. The measure was approved late Thursday night on a 72-61 vote after five hours of debate. G-O-P Representative Nolan West of Blaine says Republicans loved to talk about border security and states that have legalized marijuana have seen border seizures go way because American businesses are profiting instead of drug cartels. The legislation would expunge the criminal records of non-violent marijuana offenders. House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler says two-thirds of Minnesotans support cannabis legislation. But Senate G-O-P Majority Leader Paul Gazelka said the bill is "not going to happen" in the Senate.
Wisconsin could be in line for another large drop in coronavirus vaccine doses. The Department of Health Services reported about 69-thousand doses have been administered this week as of Thursday. That number will increase as the statewide count comes in over the next few days, but it's clear demand for the coronavirus vaccine is lower. Wisconsin vaccinations peaked in early April, and have fallen since.
Teenagers in Wisconsin may only have to worry about the written drivers’ test in the future. The Division of Motor Vehicles says it wants to permanently do away with the driving test. The Department of Transportation waived driving tests last year because of the coronavirus pandemic, and now wants to end them for good. Instead, parents would have to sign a waiver that states their teens have had enough time behind the wheel. The D-M-V says about 85-percent of 16- and 17-year-olds typically pass their driving test on the first try.
Some Minnesota health officials have concerns about Governor Walz ending the statewide mask mandate Friday. Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcom says she has "really mixed feelings" about lifting the order. Malcom said, ""My ambivalence about this or my concern about this is that there are still an awful lot of people in Minnesota who are not vaccinated. We're making great progress -- we're at 61 percent... of the 16-plus population -- but 61 percent is not nearly enough to keep this virus suppressed." Malcolm worries that eliminating the mask mandate gets rid of the sense of urgency, and makes it easier for people to say the pandemic is over and not be vaccinated.
G-O-P members of Wisconsin's congressional delegation are calling on Governor Tony Evers to end federal unemployment benefits. Laid-off workers currently receive a 300-dollar weekly payment through Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program. Congressman Bryan Steil said, "we need to get workers back to work by ending inefficient and wasteful incentives. I call on Governor Evers to immediately take action and help Wisconsin workers get back to work." Sixteen Republican governors are ending federal unemployment benefits for out-of-work residents in their states.
Target will stop selling trading, after a violent dispute outside one of its Milwaukee-area locations. A spokesman said in a statement that Target will stop selling MLB, NFL, NBA, and Pokémon cards in stores "out of an abundance of caution," although they'll still be available online. The company declined further comment. According to a report on May 7 in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a disagreement over trading cards led to a fight in the parking lot of a Brookfield Target. The 35-year-old victim had a concealed carry permit and brandished his handgun. Four men were later arrested on battery and other charges.
The Department of Natural Resources is looking at new regulations that would prohibit hunting wolves at night. After wolves were removed from the endangered species list in January, a Wisconsin hunt was held the next month after a judge’s order. When state-licensed hunters killed more than double the quota, the D-N-R decided to rework wolf hunting rules. A vote will be taken May 26th. Among the new regulations could be tighter deadlines for registering kills.
No comments:
Post a Comment