As a result of a nearly three-month-long distribution of methamphetamine investigation, which included the serving of five search warrants throughout Dunn County, 58yr old Richard Lee Skramstad, was arrested on drug charges. Authorities found nearly 270 grams of methamphetamine, 3.6 grams of cocaine, and 1.5 grams of psilocybin mushrooms along with a firearm. Skramstad is facing charges including maintaining a Drug Trafficking Place, manufacture and delivery of cocaine and methamphetamine. He is being held on a $20,000 cash bond at the Dunn County Jail.
One person was injured in a two-vehicle accident in the Town of Caledonia on Monday morning. According to the Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department, 22yr old Lauren Jaskowski of Eleva was traveling northbound on Hwy 35 and rear-ended a northbound vehicle driven by 22yr old Shyanne Herman of Trempealeau. Herman was taken to the hospital with undetermined injuries. Jaskowski was cited for inattentive driving.
The Durand Lion's Club Matching Fund Challenge for the Durand Area Food Pantry was a success. The Lions Club matched the maximum amount of the challenge--$1000. The money will be used to assist the Durand Area Food Pantry in the purchasing of food for those in need in our area. The Food Pantry wants to thank the Durand Lions and everyone who donated to the April Challenge.
Advocates for non-partisan redistricting rallied at the Capitol on Monday. State Senator Jeff Smith, an Eau Claire Democrat, says the current partisan process gives politicians way too much power over the process. Republicans who ran the process ten years have little incentive to support non-partisan reform. Redistricting occurs every ten years following the census, and Republicans who hold majorities in the legislature will once again draw the maps.
Following the recent recommendations from the CDC and announcement by Minnesota Governor Walz outlining the scaling back of Covid-19 restrictions in Minnesota, the National Eagle Center will ll no longer require masks or pre-registration by visitors beginning May 28 - the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend. It is also expanding its schedule to a six-day week. National Eagle Center Marketing Manager Ed Hahn says the center is excited to be returning to business a usual and the staff is looking forward to getting back to a sense of normalcy especially during the busy summer tourist season. The Center will be open to visitors weekly Tuesday through Sunday. Hours will be 10am to 4pm daily, and 10am to 5pm on Saturday. The Center will be closed on Mondays. The Center respects the choice of guests to wear masks if they choose for their own health and wellness.
City officials in Albert Lea say 40-thousand gallons of hydrochloric acid spilled in a weekend train derailment. Twenty-eight cars from a Union Pacific train went off the track Saturday afternoon near Goose Lake. Investigators said three filled tanker cars were breached and one was completely emptied while the other two were half gone. The remaining hydrochloric acid has been transferred to a storage tanker. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is working to mitigate the spill and contaminated soil and wetlands.
Healthcare providers and public health officers in Western Wisconsin are urging those not vaccinated for covid 19 to get the shot. The groups issued a joint statement yesterday on the safety of the vaccine and how it can help protect yourself and your family. Heidi Stewart from the Pepin County Health Department says if you have concerns you should talk to a medical provider you trust. The current target of 80% of the population vaccinated is in question as many counties in Western Wisconsin have not vaccinated at least 50% of their total population. The vaccine is now available for anyone 12yrs of age and older.
The Wisconsin Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee will meet Thursday to discuss expanding grant programs to help the homeless. More than 12-million dollars would be added to the Department of Administration’s Shelter for Homeless and Housing Grants program in the two-year state budget. About 10-million would pay for housing and services for the homeless – distributed by local governments and organizations. It’s estimated the additional money would be enough to help another 16-thousand-500 people in Wisconsin.
Members of the Wisconsin Assembly are going to hear four plans for police reform Tuesday. The suggestions will be coming from the Speaker’s Task Force and they include changes to use-of-force policies and a ban on chokeholds. Governor Tony Evers hasn’t given his response to the suggestions. To this point it’s not clear how many proposals will make it through the Assembly – or, how many will become law.
A Republican budget leader is asking Wisconsin’s governor to support limits on broadband grants to communities where there is a real need. State Senator Howard Marklein would like to focus on places that are ready to start work immediately – at first. Marklein says he wants to refocus Wisconsin’s internet expansion efforts. He’s also asking Governor Tony Evers to share his plans for the state’s two-and-a-half-billion dollars in federal COVID-19 relief fund money. Evers has discussed using some of it for internet projects. Marklein says he wants to know the governor’s plans for the stimulus funding so Wisconsin doesn’t double-up – or leave someone out.
Wood County officials are saying they need to spend 56-million dollars on a new jail to save money. Twenty years ago a new jail would have cost 20-million – now, the price tag has almost tripled. Sheriff Sean Becker points out that lack of space is forcing Wood County to spend one-point-three-million dollars a year to keep 90 of its inmates in other jails. A new corrections facility would be one of the biggest investments the county has made in years. The project would add 87 beds bringing the jail’s capacity to two hundred twenty-five. A public meeting on the issue will be held on May 26th at Wisconsin Rapids Area Middle School. If approved, work could start next year.
About a billion dollars in tax relief, including businesses who got loans under the Paycheck Protection Program, plus federal unemployment benefits. Those are two major features of a Minnesota state budget deal announced today A special session is still needed to finalize the budget, likely coming on June 14th. As a part of the deal, the Governor will decide how to spend 500-million dollars of federal COVID aid, with the remaining two-plus billion used with input from the legislature.
Wisconsin Republicans are joining a multi-state lawsuit over the use of federal COVID-19 relief funds. A group of attorneys general filed the lawsuit in March. It asks a federal court to rule the money can be used to pay for tax cuts. Republican legislative leaders passed a resolution last month directing Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul to join that suit, but he refused. A legislative committee voted last week to join the lawsuit and divide the legal costs between the Assembly and Senate.
Nearly 40 percent of Wisconsin is fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The Department of Health Services says about 39-percent of eligible people in Wisconsin are fully vaccinated as of Sunday. About 45-percent have had at least one dose. While the number of people getting their second dose is going up, the number of people getting the first dose is falling; about 150-thousand doses last week, about 40-thousand fewer than the week before.
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