Local-Regional News July 30

 Those attending the Buffalo County Fair this weekend in Mondovi are reminded that if you go downtown, the city will be enforcing the no open container law.   The 4-H and FFA Livestock Auction is tonight along with the truck and tractor pull.

Spring Valley and New Richmond continue to clean up after severe storms moved through Western Wisconsin on Wednesday night.  Crews and residents continue to clean up downed trees and damaged buildings.  The Spring Valley Middle School and High School lost sections of roofing and Crystal Cave reported damage.  The National Weather Service has said an EF1 tornado touched down near New Richmond but cannot confirm if a tornado or straight-line winds were responsible for the damage in Spring Valley.  St. Croix County has issued a state of emergency following the storms.

The Dunn County Aging and Disability Resource Center is announcing that Home Repair Financing is available from USDA Rural Development.  As the last quarter of the funding cycle approaches, USDA has $455,000 in loan funds and $440,000 in grant funds allocated to Wisconsin.  The Home Repair and Grant Program can provide up to $7500 in grant assistance to elderly households and $20000 in loan assistance to very low-income households for repairs to your home before winter.  For more information on the program, contact your county Aging and Disability Resource Center.

The Mondovi City Water Utility will be flushing out fire hydrants and water mains in the month of August.  During the work, residents may experience possible discoloration of their water.  The utility recommends running the cold water for a few minutes to clear the discoloration.    The flushing should be completed by the end of August.

Starting Monday those coming into Durand on Hwy F will need to use an alternate route.  Constructions crews will begin repacing the sanitary sewer at the intersection of Country Land and Hwy F.  This means the intersection will be closed to all traffic.  Those using Hwy F to come into Durand will have to go to Hwy FF, then to Hwy PP to come into Durand.

La Crosse County Sheriff Jeff Wolf says three men were killed last week near West Salem over a 600-dollar debt. Authorities arrested Nya Thao and Khamthanet Rattanasack at two different locations in the shooting deaths of Peng Lor, Nemo Yang, and Trevor Maloney. Thao and Rattanasack were booked on charges including first-degree homicide and will appear in court Friday afternoon. Sheriff Wolf said a witness came forward who said she was there when the men were killed. The woman told investigators Rattanasack ordered the three victims to kneel on the ground and Thao shot them multiple times. One of the people interviewed said Rattanasack believed that Yang or Lor may have stolen some credit cards totaling around 600 dollars.

Proposed state legislation would allow more nurses to see more patients in Wisconsin.  A Senate committee listened to hours of testimony Wednesday on a bill to give advanced practice nurses more freedom and more authority. The idea is to allow A-P-R-N’s to work without the direct supervision of a doctor. The bill also proposes letting A-P-R-N’s prescribe medicine. Nurses say it would give people more healthcare options. Doctor’s groups worry it might push physicians aside. 

Now that the cleanup is underway following this week's severe storms, be sure to document everything that happened. Wisconsin Emergency Management spokesman Andrew Beckett says pictures and descriptions of the damage to your home or business are vital to local governments.   Beckett reminds people to be safe and never clean up downed branches or trees if there's power line damage in the area. Make sure you get the all-clear before getting out there to work. 

 Minnesota is joining the White House initiative in providing 100 dollars to everyone in the state who gets a COVID shot by mid-August.   Governor Tim Walz says Minnesota is ready to join the effort with the delta variant pushing up cases and kids going back to school.  The governor said, "getting paid 100 dollars to keep your family safe is a pretty good deal – all you have to do is roll up your sleeves.”    Walz says he will authorize up to two-and-a-half-million dollars in COVID relief funds for the program.

A G-O-P legislator wants to prevent the University of Wisconsin System from implementing COVID testing, masking, and vaccine requirements on its campuses. The proposal from Senator Steve Nass of Whitewater would require that health and safety measures implemented by the U-W system be subject to approval from the Joint Committee on Review of Administration Rules that he chairs. President Tommy Thompson said in a statement, "Given my experience as a former United States Health and Human Services Secretary, I know the biggest threat to in-person classes this fall would be actions that strip the U-W System of the tools it has so successfully used to date to address outbreaks and reduce the spread of COVID-19. " Nass says the committee will consider his proposal next week.

Ascension Health is the latest Wisconsin health care provider requiring employees to get the coronavirus vaccine.  Ascension employees will be required to show proof of vaccination, even if they work remotely. The new mandate covers frontline healthcare workers, but also includes non-medical staff, and even vendors who do business with Ascension.

Setting a vacant home on fire will result in a Fond du Lac man spending two-and-a-half years in prison.  Sixty-year-old Merlin Jolin was sentenced Tuesday.  He had been convicted on an arson charge for the fire in Fond du Lac in December 2019.  Witnesses told investigators about seeing Jolin leaving the home shortly after the flames appeared.  He was taken into custody about a block from the scene of the fire.  Jolin admitted setting it, saying he was trying to get warm.

A special working group that will recommend 250-million dollars in COVID bonuses to frontline workers is hearing from Minnesotans who have worked in high-risk settings during the pandemic.  Minnesota Nurses Association President Mary Turner told lawmakers she was in an I-C-U for 45 minutes one night, "holding this tube together as the COVID germs are flying all over the room, and I'm wearing the same mask as I have now worn for my eighth shift."  House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler says with 250 million dollars available "we have to decide if we're going to spread it out more thinly, or if we're going to narrow the scope, or make some effort to add additional funds. Those are kind of our choices."  The goal is to have a special session in mid-September.

With 14 Minnesota counties listed in severe drought conditions, the state is taking steps to help.  Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has signed an executive order to waive trucking regulations.  That’s aimed at helping livestock producers who need to access hay and other forage during the drought.  Conditions statewide have resulted in a reduction of about 10 thousand acres of harvestable hay.  Farmers and livestock producers are having to travel greater distances to get the hay and forage they need to feed their animals.

 After a little more than two years on the job, the chairman of the Wisconsin State Republican Party is stepping down.  Andrew Hitt says he will stay on until a successor is elected.  That should happen by early September.  Hitt is a member of an Appleton law firm.  He says he is leaving to focus on his family and his career in the private sector.  Hitt worked hard while he was on the job, collaborating with party activists, insiders, and officeholders, raising money, and serving as the public face of the party for the media.

Local-Regional News July 29

 Severe Storms moved through the WRDN Listening area last night.  The National Weather Service reported 60mph winds in Durand, a gas station sign was blown down in Nelson due to the winds,  part of the sign at Family Dollar in Osseo was blown off, a barn and garage were blown down near Hammond and there are reports of corn flattened in St. Croix County.  Much quieter and cooler weather is expected for the rest of the week and into the weekend.

The City of Durand has approved the sale of $2.9 million in bonds for the 3rd Ave East project.  During last night's council meeting the city was told by Ehlers and Associates that the city's bond rating remained at AA-, which is very good for a community the size of Durand.  Because of the high rating, the city received a very low interest rate of 1.58%  The bonds were purchased by FHN Financial Capital Market of Memphis, TN.

Mondovi is continuing to work on reducing or removing the algae from Mirror Lake.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says he and other volunteers are working to keep the dam inlets open to keep the water flowing to reduce the algae floating on the lake's surface.  The city is also working with the Department of Natural Resources on receiving permits to remove the algae from the lake using other methods.

Covid cases are again on the rise in Pepin County and Wisconsin.  Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says everyone has to remember basic prevention measures.  Stewart says that anyone who would like to be vaccinated can receive the vaccine by just calling the Pepin County Health Department.

An Arcadia man was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident Tuesday in the Town of Arcadia.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department, 24yr old Bret Aspenson of Acradia was traveling eastbound on Hickory Hill Road when he left the roadway and overturned in a driveway.  Aspenson was airlifted with serious injuries to the hospital.

An Eau Claire man is bound over for trial in the shooting death of a 14-year-old boy.  Twenty-six-year-old Austin Vang is charged with the first-degree reckless homicide of Marwin Washington last Tuesday.  Vang told investigators he thought the gun was unloaded when he pointed it at Washington and pulled the trigger.  He claimed he was just horsing around with the gun.  Police say Vang is dating Washington's older sister and the three live together.  He has a plea hearing next month.

A Dunn County woman who nearly starved her dog to death will avoid having to eat jail food.  It took a jury just two hours to find 30-year-old Anne Iehl guilty of the severe mistreatment of her pet.  Iehl had dropped off a severely malnourished dog named Gabriel at the Dunn County Humane Society in November 2019.  She claimed to have found him, but it was later determined that Iehl was the owner.  A judge sentenced her to two years probation Tuesday.  The dog weighed just 23 pounds when he was turned in.  Iehl said she wasn’t financially stable enough to take care of him on her own.  Gabriel has found a new home and the Humane Society says he is doing well.

The Buffalo County Fair gets underway today.   The carnival opens up tonight at 5pm, and the garden tractor pull is at 6:30 tonight.  The Tri-State Tractor Pull is tomorrow night and the Demo Derby is Saturday.  We will have live streaming coverage of the Swine Show tonight at 5, the Beef Show tomorrow at 9am and the Dairy Show on Saturday at 9am on our YouTube Channel at Durand Broadcasting WRDN.   The 4-H and FFA Livestock Auction is set for Friday night at 7pm.

The Wisconsin National Guard says it is still waiting on 10 million dollars in reimbursement for deploying trips to Washington, D-C, earlier this year.  The lack of reimbursement from the feds means the Guard Bureau hasn’t sent Wisconsin the money earmarked for paychecks through the end of September.  Wisconsin commanders say they’re not sure what will happen.  Right now, they are looking at areas where they can make cuts due to the lack of money.  Republican Congressman Bryan Steil says Congress needs to make paying the troops a priority.  Following the insurrection at the U-S Capitol, there was a massive troop build-up for the inauguration of incoming President Joe Biden.

A former township clerk in Dakota County will spend more than two years in federal prison for taking more than 650-thousand dollars in public funds.  Seventy-year-old Maryann Stoffel of Hastings was sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud.  Stoffel admitted to forging the signatures of the Vermillion Township treasurer and board chair on checks from December 2012 through last October.  Investigators say Stoffel transferred funds to her own bank account and concealed her fraud from the annual township report. She was ordered to pay 652-thousand dollars in restitution.

The state Elections Commission's chair says a Republican lawmaker's allegation of "ghost voters" in Wisconsin is "factually incorrect."  Commission chair Ann Jacobs, who's a Democrat, called Representative Janel Brandtjen's claim, "unfortunate," and said the Menominee Falls Republican "should stop spreading these wild conspiracy theories." Brandtjen alleged that "tens of thousands of new registrations and votes cast by individuals whose driver’s license number, name, and date of birth did not match and were subsequently removed from the state system after their votes were recorded."    The elections commission said voter data mismatches happen about five percent of the time but are minor typos corrected by the clerk or voter. Voters are not removed from the statewide voter database.

The Wisconsin Court of Appeals is denying another appeal from Steven Avery.  He's serving a life prison sentence for the 2005 murder of photographer Teresa Halbach.  The appeals court wrote, "We hold that Avery’s motions are insufficient on their face to entitle him to a hearing and that the circuit court did not erroneously exercise its discretion in denying the motions to vacate and for reconsideration. Accordingly, we affirm.”  Avery claims he did not kill Halbach and lost every appeal in the case.

The parents and legal guardians of the boy who was thrown over a railing on the third floor of the Mall of America in 2019 are suing the M-O-A.  The family's lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages from the mall and its ownership.  Attorneys say the boy--who was five at the time of the incident--is doing well, but his family has incurred around one-point-seven-million dollars in medical expenses.  The man who pleaded guilty to throwing the boy over the balcony was sentenced to 19 years in prison for attempted murder.

  U-S Senator Ron Johnson says health officials need to stop issuing recommendations to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  The Wisconsin Republican says it’s time to let Americans – not federal agencies – make decisions for themselves and their children.  Johnson says it’s “time to reclaim liberty and end this state of fear.  His comments come in response to Tuesday recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the use of face masks.  Johnson questions the recommendations and questions whether masks work and if they may do more harm than good.

The Department of Natural Resources is teaming up with the Department of Health Services to boost protection and education on safe water in Wisconsin. DNR secretary Preston Cole says that means getting PFAS and heavy metals out of drinking water but also stepping up enforcement on nitrates from farms getting into groundwater.   Those nitrates have become a major problem in northeast Wisconsin where ag runoff has infiltrated the groundwater and made it into municipal and rural water systems. 

Local-Regional News July 28

 The WRDN listening area is under a moderate threat for severe weather today.  A strong front will pass through the upper midwest today and will bring a round of severe storms.  The Weather Services says there is the possibility of widespread significant wind damage along with large hail.  The greatest threat for severe weather will be this evening between 5-9pm.

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board has approved a plan for re-opening this fall.  All buildings will be open for students to attend in person. Remote learning will be available for students in grades 4-12.  District Administration believes that in order for students in grades Pre-K-3 to learn best they need to be in the building learning from the teacher and interacting with their peers.  Parent(s) who prefer to have their children in a remote learning environment, will be required to meet certain criteria for their child to participate in the remote learning environment.  Masks will be optional this year, and students and staff will socially distance when possible, hand sanitizers will be located in buildings and electrostatic sprayers will be used daily to disinfect each classroom.

The city of Mondovi has approved a new funding package from USDA for the wastewater treatment plant.  USDA increased the loan amount to $16.4 million dollars and the grant to $10.6 million dollars.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the new funding package is good news for the city.  The council is expected to formally award the project to a contractor at the next council meeting.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and approval of issuing $3.075 million in bonds for the 3rd Ave East project, reports from the mayor, administrator, and department heads, and the council will go into closed session to discuss the sale of city property on Auth Street and to also have an employment review of the city administrator.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30pm at Durand City Hall.

The Wisconsin State Patrol will be conducting speed enforcement in Western Wisconsin this week.  The Patrol will have aircraft over Trempealeau County today, Eau Claire County Thursday, and Dunn County on Saturday.  They will be focusing on I-94 each day.  When pilots detected speeders, aggressive or reckless drivers, they contact troopers on the ground to make a traffic stop.  

The La Crosse Sheriff’s Office has identified two suspects in last week’s shooting that left three men dead.  Authorities are searching for 41-year-old Khamthanet Rattanasack and 33-year-old Nya Thao.  Both men reportedly have lengthy criminal records.  Investigators say they have found the car used by the suspects when they killed Peng Lor, Trevor Maloney, and Nemo Yang near the entrance to the Milestone Minerals quarry.  The shooting happened last Friday in the town of Hamilton.

 More than two dozen Wisconsin cities will share 22 million dollars in community development block grant funding for public infrastructure projects.  The grant money will be used for the repair and maintenance of streets, drainage systems, water and sewer systems, and sidewalks.  Local governments in low to moderate-income areas will be getting the funding.  The federal money is sourced from the U-S Department of Housing and Urban Development.  Here in Western Wisconsin Mondovi is one of the communities to receive a CDBG grant.

 This time the special session lasted a reported 30 seconds.  Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers had called lawmakers back to Capitol Tuesday to add funding for education.  After Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and State Representative Tyler August met and quickly ended the special session, Evers said, “kids deserve better.”  The Republican lawmakers who were co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee -- State Representative Mark Born and State Senator Howard Marklein – say they stand by their budget decisions.  They accused the governor of “political posturing.”

Minnesota health officials have no plans to require face masks following the latest C-D-C guidance on indoor masking.   Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm says they strongly encourage people to follow C-D-C recommendations, "but at the present time, those are not in the context of mandates."  Fourteen Minnesota counties fall under the new C-D-C guidelines that recommend children and even vaccinated people wear masks indoors where COVID cases are surging.    Malcolm says they plan to talk about health guidance for Minnesota schools in the coming days.

Republicans failed in their attempt to overturn Governor Evers' veto of a bill that would have ended federal unemployment benefits in Wisconsin. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says it's unfair that businesses have to compete with the federal government. Vos said, "if you pay people over 17 dollars an hour tax-free to stay home and not work there are going to be fewer people working it's not rocket science." Minority leader Gordon Hintz says the numbers that Republicans and business leaders are quoting just don't make sense. Hintz says unemployment numbers continue to do go down and fewer people are filing for unemployment. Wisconsin's jobless rate is three-point-nine percent and well below the national average of five-point-nine percent.

Wisconsin Assembly Republicans will expand their investigation into last November’s election. State Representative Janel Brandtjen says she wants a full forensic audit of the vote count, how counties collected ballots, and how election officials used the internet to handle votes both last fall and last April. Brandtjen says the forensic audit is the next step in her investigation in how the 2020 elections were managed. She says the probe is meant to restore faith in Wisconsin’s electoral process, and not to change the outcome.

A St. Paul woman accused of driving an S-U-V on the Minnesota State Capitol sidewalk and lawn may face criminal charges.  The incident happened Monday morning during a news conference by embattled state Representative John Thompson.  The suspect drove across the Capitol grounds while waving a Trump 2020 flag from the window.  The case is headed to the St. Paul City Attorney's office for possible charges, including reckless driving.

There are more signs that the coronavirus pandemic is far from over in Wisconsin. Public health authorities say the best way to stem the spread of COVID-19 is still to get more people vaccinated and to resume wearing facemasks in public spaces. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett made that recommendation during a Tuesday briefing on the status of the virus in his city. And - in another breakthrough case of someone who's fully vaccinated - the Milwaukee Brewers announced they've placed outfielder Christian Yelich COVID-related injury list due to a positive test. Brewer's second baseman Jace Peterson is also on the COVID-IL because of contact tracing protocol.

The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office will be providing security during the Minnesota State Fair next month. The move comes after the State Fair Police Department was disbanded earlier this year, leaving fair organizers hunting for law enforcement options. The Ramsey County Board approved the move  Tuesday morning, but officials made it clear the county's involvement is just a temporary fix.

Madison efforts to control the city’s goose population is getting some pushback. Opponents say the Madison Parks and Recreation Department killed about 70 geese at the Yahara Golf Course and Esther Beach this summer. Alliance for Animals says there should be an updated waterfowl management plan in place reflecting today’s health and science. Members of that group protested outside City Hall Monday. They say the focus should be on non-lethal methods of control like fences, strobe lights, and decoy predators.

 A Bonduel police officer is being praised for pulling a driver from a burning truck Monday morning.  Police were called to the scene of a crash at an intersection with Highway 117 a little after 11:00 a-m.  When Officer Drake Feriancek arrived, a passerby named Todd Yancy was smashing out a window in the burning vehicle.  Feriancek managed to pull the driver out just before it became engulfed in flames.  Several emergency responders helped pull the driver a safe distance away, then he was taken to a hospital.  The driver hasn’t been identified yet and his medical condition isn’t known.

Local-Regional News July 27

 One person was injured in a motorcycle accident in the Town of Buffalo on Sunday.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, 22yr old Dylan Meng of Buffalo City was traveling on Hwy P when he failed to negotiate a corner and left the roadway.  Meng was transported to a local hospital.  Speed and alcohol are suspected contributing factors in the accident.

One person was injured in a one-vehicle accident on Hwy 65 in Ellsworth Township on Monday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 56yr old Benjamin Kelln of Ellsworth was traveling southbound on Hwy 65 when he left the roadway, went through the west ditch, and struck a field driveway before stopping at the edge of a cornfield.   Kelln was transported to Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

The Durand Public Works Department will be replacing a 40-foot Rotating Biological Contactor at the Sewer plant this week.  Durand Public Works Director Matt Gillis says after a large crane lifts the RBC off of the semi-trailer, crews then have to install it.  The RBC is the primary treatment for wastewater.  Depending on the weather that work could start as early as today.

The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include an update on the algae removal on Mirror Lake, discussion and approval of new sewer utility rates, and a discussion on allowing golf carts on city roadways.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at the Marten Center.

Mayo Clinic Health System Eau Claire has announced it will require employees to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by September 17.  Mayo will allow op-outs to the vaccine including medical, religious, or philosophical reasons.  Employees will receive an explanation on what philosophical reasons mean, and those who opt-out will be required to wear masks and socially distance on Mayo property.  According to Mayo, 75-85% of staff across the entire system are vaccinated.  Meanwhile, the Department of Veterans Affairs on Monday announced it will require all VA Health care workers to be fully vaccinated.

Chippewa Falls police say 35-year-old Cory G. Gudmanson is suspected of trying to kidnap three women last week.  Gudmanson was arrested and is being held in the Chippewa County Jail.  The incidents happened between 11:00 a-m and noon Friday.  All three women were able to escape.  One of the women kicked the suspect in the chest when he grabbed her and trying to pull her out of a car.  Her father took down a temporary license plate from his vehicle as he drove away.  Authorities have cited him for false imprisonment, reckless endangerment, battery, and two counts of disorderly conduct.

A Criminal Justice Coordinating Council has been established in Marathon County to work on the issue of a big backlog of cases. Delays in dozens of trials have returned misdemeanor offenders to the streets. Marathon County Judge Michael Moran says the COVID-19 has been the biggest factor contributing to the backlog. He’s hopeful the pilot program can help things get back to normal. Judge Moran says the Marathon County court system is trying to get more creative when it schedules court dates. Cases that could put the public at risk are being prioritized and more judges and prosecutors are being added.

Minnesota is the 15th state, the first in the Midwest, to adopt what activists dubbed "clean car" standards. The effort is aimed at reducing emissions and also dictates to private auto dealers that they must stock more electric car inventory. The rules don't take effect until January 1st of 2024 for 2025 models, but Governor Tim Walz says the move will create jobs across the state, give Minnesotans more choices, save people money, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Republican state Representative Josh Heintzeman from Nisswa warns car prices will go up a thousand dollars or more, and if Walz were to let the market work, dealers would stock more electric vehicles if consumers want them.

 Wisconsin legislators return to the Capitol today to deal with two items.  It’s possible nothing will come of this.  Republicans want to override the governor’s veto of a bill that would have stopped supplemental federal unemployment benefits.  They can’t accomplish that without Democratic help, so the effort is expected to fall short.  Also today, Governor Evers has directed the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate to convene for a special session to talk about adding more money to the state’s education system.  It is possible the Republican-controlled Legislature will gavel in the special session, then end it quickly – just like it has previously.

A Winona County judge has sentenced an 80-year-old man to 10 years in prison for killing his wife.  Joseph Bailly Wright had entered a guilty plea to one count of second-degree murder in April.  Wright called 9-1-1 to report the killing on July 10th of last year.  He told a dispatcher he tried to kill himself after killing his wife.  She had dementia.  Deputies found her in a chair with at least one apparent stab wound to her stomach.  A note was found, apparently from the husband, saying he couldn’t take it anymore, he couldn’t watch his wife suffer, and he was also going to kill himself.

Wisconsin’s coronavirus vaccination rate has slowed to a crawl.   State health officials say people in Wisconsin got about 26-thousand doses of COVID-19 vaccine last week, but that number should go up. Wisconsin’s been averaging about 37-thousand doses a week for the past three weeks. The Department of Health Services says about 51-percent of people in the state have had at least one dose of the vaccine. That’s about where the state has been for the past few months. 

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has joined four other governors calling for an effort to clean up chemicals in the U-S.  Central to the question are “forever chemicals” known as PFAS (PEE foss), used in firefighting foam and the manufacture of kitchenware.  Evers joined the governors of Minnesota, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York in signing a letter of support for the PFAS Action Act.  It calls for the federal government to push for the mitigation of PFAS chemicals that have leaked into the environment.  The Act passed the U-S House of Representatives last week and is going to be considered by the Senate.

A Mount Pleasant business owner says after he refused to sell his property, the village forced him to close and has ruled the property is blighted.  Erickson Trucks-N-Parts sits inside the Foxconn construction zone.  Jack and Collen Erickson say they have done business at the location next to Interstate 94 for 22 years.  Now, they can’t even access the property because barricades have been up  Jack Erickson says they agreed to sell almost two acres of land to Mount Pleasant for a frontage road, but negotiations fell apart for the rest of the property because the offer was too low.  The Erickson say they will sue the village for allegedly using illegal methods to take their land.

The latest campaign finance reports show Wisconsin Democrats have a big money-in-the-bank advantage heading into the mid-term elections.  The fundraising lead over Republicans is almost six-to-one.  For Democrats, most of the money is dedicated to federal races and most of that funding is targeted on the U-S Senate race.  At the end of June, Democrats reported having almost six-point-eight million dollars on hand.  At the same time, Wisconsin Republicans reported about one-point-two million dollars in the bank.

 Members of eight groups have written letters to Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul about the head of the state’s Natural Resources Board who has refused to step down.  Fred Prehn’s six-year term expired May 1st.  Prehn cites a state law that allows him to remain on the job until the Wisconsin Senate confirms his replacement.  He says his decision to stay isn’t political and he has questioned the motivation behind the complaint from the Humane Society of Wisconsin.  That group is against the scheduling of another wolf hunt during the August meeting.  The Senate hasn’t scheduled a confirmation hearing for Prehn’s successor yet.

Local-Regional News July 26

 One person is dead after a one-vehicle accident in the Town of Dover on Friday.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, a 17yr old male from Gilmanton was traveling on Hwy 121 near Fisken Valley Road when he lost control of the vehicle.  When emergency responders arrived, they found the male partially pinned underneath the vehicle.  Live saving measures were attempted but did not succeed.  The name of the victim is being withheld pending notification of family members.

Durand Police has taken multiple reports of vehicle break-ins during the early hours of Friday morning.  If you had items stolen or know of someone who did, you are to contact the Durand Police Department or the Pepin County Dispatch.  In all of the cases, the vehicles were left unlocked.  The Durand Police are reminding all residents to lock their vehicles if parked outside.

A record-setting year for the Dunn County Livestock Auction.  This year the auction raised nearly $260,000.   A record price for a hog at $43 per pound was raised.   This year 62 4-H and FFA exhibitors sold their livestock projects at the Dunn County Fair.  This week the Buffalo County Fair returns Thursday through Sunday.  

A local church is conducting a food drive this week to help the Durand Area Food Pantry.  Members of Faith Lutheran Church in Durand distributed 75 grocery bags to area residents yesterday.  Next week the members will pick up the full bags from the residents and donate the food to the Durand Area Food Pantry.  If you would like to participate, just give Faith Lutheran Church in Durand a call.

Free Books, Family Fun, and fantastic programs are coming to Pierce and Pepin Counties on August 7th.  The Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services is bringing Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to Pierce and Pepin Counties.  Open to all children from birth to 5, registered children will receive an age-appropriate book each month free of charge.  There will be a launch party from 10-Noon August 7th in Ellsworth at the Pierce-Pepin Headquarters and then from 2-4 at the city park in Pepin.

An Eau Claire County judge has tossed out the deferred acceptance of a guilty plea agreement.  Forty-one-year-old Renelle Laffe established the Hope in the Valley charity to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer.  She was charged with theft two years ago.  During a Thursday plea hearing, Judge John Manydeeds told attorneys for both sides to work toward a different resolution.  They will return to court in November.

 Authorities in La Crosse County have identified three homicide victims found last Friday morning.  The bodies were discovered at the entrance gate to a quarry owned by Milestone Materials in the Town of Hamilton.  Evidence suggests the three were killed where their bodies were discovered.  Investigators identify the three as 24-year-old Peng Lor, 24-year-old Nemo Yang, and 23-year-old Trevor Maloney – all from the La Crosse area, though Lor and Yang had no permanent address.  It is believed the three men knew their killers.

Congressman Ron Kind hopes that more action will be happening on the proposed infrastructure bill coming from the White House. Kind says there's been more bipartisan discussion on the plan, and that he's hopeful something can get worked out. There are two different bills in Congress right now, and Republicans seem to be balking at the price tag on the House bill, with Senator Ron Johnson calling it reckless and wasteful. 

Officials with the University of Wisconsin System say almost a half-million dollars in scholarship money will be offered to students who are vaccinated.  At system campuses where at least 70 percent of the student body is vaccinated a drawing will be held.  A total of 70 winners will each receive a seven-thousand-dollar scholarship.  System President Tommy Thompson says he’s backing the plan because reached 70 percent would mean “we’re going to have a very safe year.”  The Madison campus isn’t a part of the program because U-W Chancellor Rebecca Blank is working on her own incentive program.

You see a home advertised for sale – and it’s gone before you can drive by. The Wisconsin Realtor Association reports homes in the state are selling at the fastest pace since it began tracking the number of days spent on the market.  The June report finds homes sell in an average of 69 days.  In June last year, that same average was 96 days.  W-R-A board chair Mary Duff says buyers are also more aggressive in their bidding.  It is normal now to see multiple offers when a home goes on sale.  The median home price is up by more than 15 percent over the same time in 2020.

A physical assault on a transgender couple has La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds saying Wisconsin’s hate crime statutes should be expanded.  Suspect Travis D. Crawford is charged with substantial battery and felony bail jumping.  The attack happened Tuesday in Copeland Park.  The couple says Crawford confronted them, accused them of stealing his bike, then called them derogatory names.  When he was told to leave, Crawford punched one person in the face, then kicked them in the face while they were on the ground.  Reynolds says changes need to be made because the current hate crime law doesn’t include protections for transgender victims.

 Life jackets can be a matter of life or death on Wisconsin waters.  It’s peak boating season, and the Wisconsin D-N-R is reminding boaters that wearing a life jacket or personal flotation device could save lives.  Sixteen people have died in boating incidents so far this year in Wisconsin.  The leading cause of death is drowning.  Most who drown know how to swim, but are injured or unconscious, exhausted or weighed down by wet clothing.   Conservation officers say it's important to make sure the life jacket fits properly and the buckles are fastened.

Workers' compensation insurance rates in Wisconsin will decrease in October.  The state Office of the Commissioner of Insurance says rates will drop by five-point-44 percent overall.  Insurance Commissioner Mark Afable said in a statement that businesses could save more than 90-million dollars.   According to O-C-I, this marks the sixth year in a row that workers comp rates have decreased.  Rate decreases will differ slightly between the five major industry groups that pay different rates.

Eviction prevention efforts are helping Wisconsinites behind on their rent stay in their homes. The Department of Administration reports a steady decline in eviction judgments for the first half of this year. State-wide evictions have declined for four straight months. June evictions are at their lowest since May 2020. Evictions for the first half of 2021 are down 14 percent compared to the same period last year. Several COVID19-relief programs have used federal money to provide eligible households up to 15 months of help with existing or overdue rent and utility bills, including internet costs.

A Rochester man is pleading guilty to federal charges for his role in the arson of a Minneapolis pawnshop following the death of George Floyd.   Twenty-six-year-old Montez Lee admitted that he and others broke into the Max It Pawn Shop on May 28th, 2020.  Surveillance video footage shows Lee pouring a fire accelerant around the pawnshop and lighting it on fire.  The fire destroyed the building.    The body of a Burnsville man was recovered from the rubble and debris nearly two months later.

Wisconsin State Parks Director Steve Schmelzer says the number of park visitors is expected to top 20 million this year.  Schmelzer says camping reservations are 50 percent higher than last year at the time.  A Triple-A survey finds 76 percent of the people it contacted feel more comfortable traveling now – and they’re driving to national and state parks.  The number of comfortable travelers is nearly double the number who said that was the case when questioned in January.

Local-Regional News July 23

 One person was injured in a motorcycle accident on Hwy SS at Elk Creek Road in Pepin County on Thursday.  According to the Pepin County Sheriff's Department, 51yr old Bradley Leonard of Maple Grove, MN was turning from Hwy SS onto Elk Creek Road when he lost control on loose gravel.  His passenger, 59yr old Laura Leonard was ejected from the bike.  She was taken to an Eau Claire Hospital.  

One person is dead after a one vehicle accident in Barron County on Wednesday.  According to the Barron County Sheriff's Department, a 77yr old man from Eik Mound was traveling southbound on Hwy 53 when he left the roadway and struck a tree.  The man was pronounced dead at the scene.  His name is being withheld pending notification of family members.

Wisconsin Farm Technology days wrapped up yesterday at Huntzinger Farms in Eau Claire County.  The three-day even event, which had been canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, attracted approximately 52,000 people.    The show featured 520 exhibitors from 26 states showcasing the latest development in production agriculture.  The 67th Wisconsin Farm Technology Days will be July 12-14 in Clark County.  

House Democrats including Congressman Ron Kind are now introducing a plan that would sidestep state legislatures on Medicaid expansion. Kind says that also helps Wisconsin get bonus funding from the new stimulus plans.   The bill will allow Wisconsinites who are currently eligible for Medicaid under federal guidelines to take that money directly, rather than have to get it through Badgercare. Kind says the package will be part of the upcoming federal budget.

Eau Claire police have released more information on an accidental shooting that left a  14yr old boy dead.  Officers were called to the location on the city’s northside.  Police say that they have arrested Austin Vang in connection with the shooting of Marwan Washington.  Police say Vang lived with Washington and the shooting is being investigated as reckless.  

A Menards employee is dead after a forklift accident Thursday at the Golden Valley store.   A caller reported that the worker was pinned under a forklift.    Police say the employee was operating the forklift when a piece of lumber fell on the machine.  The man was unconscious and died at the scene.   Menards said in a statement, “we are a small family here at Golden Valley and we are all in shock. Our thoughts and prayers are with our teammate and his family.”   OSHA will be investigating the workplace incident.

Authorities in Sauk County say no one was injured in the crash of a small plane near Baraboo-Wisconsin Dells Regional Airport.  The plane hit the ground and flipped on its top shortly after 7:00 p-m Thursday.  The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified.  Workers removed the 1940s-era biplane from a field after the accident just north of the runway.  No names have been released.  The cause of the crash is being investigated.

About 100 private aircraft will take off from French Island this weekend on the way to the E-A-A AirVenture in Oshkosh.  It’s being called the world’s largest formation of civilian Aircraft at La Crosse Regional Airport.  The planes are planning to take off at about 11:30 a-m Saturday.  People are being told the best place to watch will be the cell phone lot south of the airport terminal.  Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend the AirVenture starting Monday.

The Pepin County Historical Society will be holding a night at the museum on July 29th at the Old Courthouse Museum in Durand.   The featured presentation, starting at 7pm, will be a Readers’ Theater performance of events surrounding Susan B. Anthony’s delivery of her famous speech “Women Want Bread, Not the Ballot” in the upstairs courtroom of Pepin County Courthouse on February 6, 1878.  In 1878, Anthony was in Pepin County speaking at the Courthouse while on a speaking tour of the Upper Midwest.   Night at the Museum will be from 6-8pm and admission is free.

 The mayflies visit Wisconsin annually, but not like this.  Millions of them took over a Nekoosa gas station this week.  They piled on top of each other on the pumps and the store.  One store employee said they were six inches thick on the windows, likely attracted by the bright lights of the business at night.  Many customers were afraid to use the pumps.  One nightside an employee said she watched at least six vehicles pull in the parking lot, then right back out without buying gas.  One expert, Jamee Hubbard, a biology professor at U-W-Stevens Point, says the number of mayflies is larger than normal because there weren’t enough parasites to each them when they emerged from the water.

Public health officials confirm it – the vast majority of Wisconsin’s new COVID-19 cases come from people who are not fully vaccinated.  Department of Health Services communicable disease specialist Doctor Ryan Westergaard says more than 98 percent of the new cases involve people who didn’t take the important step.  Of more than 148 thousand cases, less than 24 hundred are so-called breakthrough cases involving those who are fully vaccinated, then test positive.  As of Thursday afternoon, just under 49 percent of Wisconsin’s population has been fully vaccinated.

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Some Wisconsin orchards say they are experiencing a “Honeycrisp crisis.”  Door Creek Orchard manager Liz Griffith says she and her staff are outside every day checking things out.  The orchard’s Honeycrisp trees are looking pretty bare.  No flower buds were emerging like they usually do in late April and May – and when there are flowers showing, that means no fruit.  One horticulture associate professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Amaya Atucha, thinks last year’s drought is to blame.  A spring frost also may have damaged the plants.  Griffith is estimating her trees will only produce about 20 pounds of fruit this season.  Normally, that production would be in the thousands of pounds.

 Attorney General Josh Kaul is urging the survivors of clergy abuse to contact his office. Kaul says that would help the Wisconsin Department of Justice conduct its statewide investigation. About three months into the project, Kaul says his office has received more than 100 reports of abuse and complaints about the way some religious organizations handled the cases. Kaul says all reports are a critical part of the review of clergy and faith leader abuse. The Department of Justice says cooperation from religious organizations has been “uneven.”

US Senator Tammy Baldwin has introduced a bill allowing time off for certain pregnancies and unexpected events with fertility. The Wisconsin Democrat is proposing leave for people impacted by a lost pregnancy, a failed adoption, or the diagnosis or event that impacts pregnancy or fertility. U-S Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois is a co-sponsor. The bill was introduced earlier this week to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Wisconsin lawmakers are to consider a new bill that would offer more protections to sexual assault survivors.  State Representative Barb Dittrich introduced Kayleigh’s Law at the Capitol Wednesday.  The legislation would open the door for victims of sexual assault – particularly children – to get lifetime orders of protection.  Those orders are capped at four years for adult victims now and two years for children.  Arizona became the first state to implement the law this year and Dittrich says Wisconsin needs to be next.

 A national resettlement agency says it wants to bring 75 African refugees to Wausau.  The Ethiopian Community Development Council will work with local leaders to open an office and begin resettling refugees as early as October.  A funding proposal has been submitted to the U-S Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.  Federal approval is needed before the process can start.  A spokesperson for the development council said it was encouraging to see the amount of local support the idea has received.

Students are returning to the classroom this fall in Wisconsin and school buses will have to get them there.   School bus operator Lamers Bus Lines says it needs to hire about 250 school, bus drivers, before the fall term starts.  When kids went to virtual class last year all of those idled school bus drivers found other jobs.  It’s going to be a strain to get them to return.  The Bay Area Workforce Development Board says it’s seeing fewer people entering the transportation industry these days.  That board spends about 400 thousand dollars a year training people for their commercial driver’s license.

  St. Paul Regional Water Services is asking its customers to voluntarily conserve water.  A spokesperson says he doesn’t anticipate any service interruptions, but widespread drought conditions are stressing the system.  That water utility serves St. Paul, about a dozen suburbs, and the University of Minnesota.  Fifty-two percent of the state is experiencing severe drought right now.  Water conservation approaches can range from letting the grass grow a little higher on your lawn to turning the tap off while brushing your teeth.

Local-Regional News July 22

 A Pepin County man is facing federal child porn charges.  A grand jury indicted 40yr old Levi Robb of Durand with five counts of producing child pornography.  According to the inditement, Robb used a cell phone to take explicit pictures of a minor between November of 2015 and September of 2017.  Robb is facing up to 150yrs in prison if convicted.

The former CEO of Turtle Lake Casino has been charged with embezzlement.  According to a federal grand jury inditement, 59yr old Leva Oustigoff embezzled approximately $72,000 from the casino.  Oustigoff is also accused of underreporting his income.  He is facing eight counts of embezzlement and four counts of filing a false income tax return.    If convicted on all charges he faces a maximum of 172yrs in prison.

A Dunn County man is facing federal drug charges.  A federal grand jury has indicted 41yr old Adam Beliveau of Downing, WI with two counts of attempting to possess 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.  The inditement alleges that in September of 2020 he attempted to possess 500 grams of meth to distribute and then in November he attempted to possess 50 grams of meth for distribution.  If convicted, Beliveau faces 20yrs in prison.

The Pepin County Health Department is reporting 4 new cases of Covid-19.  According to the Department's Social Media Page, three of the new cases in Pepin County are linked to Pierce and Dunn Counties cases.  There are no know hospitalizations related to the new cases and all are working with the medical providers.

Attorneys representing the city of Eau Claire and a man shot by one of its police officers have filed motions just ahead of next month’s civil trial.  Tyler Holte filed a federal lawsuit in March.  He was shot by Eau Claire Police Officer Hunter Braatz after a vehicle chase six years ago.  The case will be heard in U-S District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin in Madison.  His lawyers say Holte piled up more than 235 thousand dollars in medical bills while recovering from his injuries.  Jury selection is on the calendar for August 16th.

The Barron County Sherff Deputy who shot a man on July 14th has been identified.  Deputy Anthony Weigand was responding to a wellness check in Mikana when a man barricaded himself in a room with a gun.  During the standoff, the man raised his gun toward Deputy Weigand, who then fired in response.  The man is still in critical but stable condition.  The Wisconsin Department of Justice and State Patrol continue to investigate the incident.  Deputy Weigan is currently on Administrative leave.

Wisconsin’s share of the national opioid settlement is expected to be about 400 million dollars.  The three largest drug distribution companies and drugmaker Johnson and Johnson agreed Wednesday to a settlement worth a total of 26 billion dollars.  Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul says the money will improve the state’s ability to address the opioid epidemic.  As part of the agreement, Johnson and Johnson will stop selling opioids.  Minnesota could receive $337 million in the settlement.

 A jury convicted embattled Minnesota state Representative John Thompson of misdemeanor obstruction for a 2019 incident at North Memorial hospital.   Johnson received a stayed 30-day sentence Wednesday and was ordered to pay 278 dollars in fines and fees.  Robbinsdale police said Thompson was interfering with officers near the emergency room during a disturbance involving several people.  The St. Paul Democrat told the court he was just trying to get information about a friend's suicide.  Members of both parties are calling for Johnson's resignation in response to past domestic abuse allegations.  There are also questions about his residency after he had a Wisconsin driver's license during a traffic stop.

Congressman Mike Gallagher wants to make changes in the way students are taught in public schools.  The Wisconsin Republican is suggesting eight changes – including increasing school choice and a return to basic reading and writing.  Gallagher released a report of schools Tuesday called “Wisconsin 2030:  The Education Path To Prosperity Within The Decade.”  He says by fixing Wisconsin schools the state can fix all of its other problems quickly.

The U-S Army Corps of Engineers continues to monitor water levels on the Upper Mississippi River as drought conditions persist.  Officials say the lower water is not affecting shipping conditions on the river so far - and navigation continues.  District water manager Dan Fasching says "low flow is exactly the conditions for which the locks were built. Combined with dredging efforts, the locks are used to maintain navigable depths in the main channel."  The lowest flow recorded at Lock and Dam 2 in Hastings was in 1976 when the flow fell to only 500 cubic feet per second.  The current flow at Lock and Dam 2 is around three thousand c-f-s.

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill  that would combat contamination by PFAS, the so-called "forever chemicals."  The measure passed 241-182. Twenty-three Republicans, including Mike Gallagher of Green Bay, joined Democrats to approve it. PFAS have been found in the drinking water of over 50 cities across Wisconsin, with the highest levels detected in Marinette and Peshtigo. La Crosse Democrat Ron Kind said it hits close to home, with contamination on French Island in La Crosse and in Eau Claire forcing the shutdown of municipal wells. Second District Democrat Mark Pocan said the PFAS Action Act will introduce stricter protections against PFAS pollution, and hold polluters accountable. 

 

A Catholic priest from Wisconsin resigned from his national leadership post amid reports of improper behavior.  Monsignor Jeffrey Burrill is no longer the top administrator of the U-S Conference of Catholic Bishops.  The National Catholic Reporter says it’s acquired cellphone data that appears to show Burill was a regular user of the gay dating app Grindr, and went to gay bars.  It’s unclear who had collected that information.  Burrill was a parish priest for the Diocese of La Crosse and a professor in western Wisconsin before joining the staff of the U-S-C-C-B in 2016.  The Marshfield native had been general secretary since November.

 Marshfield police are trying to slow down the rumors about an attempted abduction.  Police say the story being passed around on social media is just that – a rumor.  The original post was made last weekend.  A woman went online to say a man tried to abduct her outside a department store.  Marshfield police say that isn’t what happened.  The man in the story was actually asking for money in what police call a “mildly persistent manner.”  They say there is no evidence he had a knife, although he may have touched the woman.  He apparently left peacefully when asked to do so by store employees.

 Officials with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services say home visits will be made to raise awareness about lead poisoning in children.  Lead-based paint can be a major source of poisoning in homes built before 1978.  Scientists say there is “no safe blood lead level” for children to have.  More than 31 hundred children under six years old in Wisconsin met the definition of being lead poisoned in 2019.  Families living outside of Milwaukee and Racine where the lead abatement program is active should have their children tested if they meet certain conditions related to risk.  Representatives of the D-H-S will be making stops between now and October.

 Milwaukee police say three people were wounded during a pair of shooting incidents in the downtown area Wednesday as people were celebrating the Bucks winning the N-B-A Championship.  Both happened shortly after 12:40 a-m near Water Street.  A suspect is in custody for the shooting of a 22-year-old man who is expected to recover.  One person was arrested and other suspects are being sought for the shooting that left a 19-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man wounded.  They are also expected to recover.  No names have been released.

Local-Regional News July 21

 Three people were injured in a two-vehicle accident in Nelson on Monday.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department 70yr, old Aleeta Hetrick of Stockholm was traveling southbound on Hwy 25 when she struck a northbound vehicle head-on driven by Ilene Kallstrom of Pepin.  Both drivers and a passenger of Hetrick's vehicle were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.  Portions of Hwy 35 and Hwy 25 were shut down for brief periods due to the accident.

A helicopter pilot from Texas is dead after a crash Monday afternoon near Elgin in southeastern Minnesota.  The Wabasha County Sheriff's Office says the Robinson R-44 helicopter crashed in a field.  Deputies say the pilot - 40-year-old Corey Adcock of Victoria County, Texas - died in the crash.  The Federal Aviation Agency and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

The Durand-Arkansaw School District is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on a district opening plan, remote learning guidelines and the board will go into a closed session to discuss a possible purchase of district property.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:00pm in the board room at Durand High School.

The Pepin County Board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include reports from the Board of Health, and County Clerk, discussion of the opioid lawsuit and settlement update, and authorizing a loan from SFB for the sandpit property purchase.  Tonight's meeting begins at 7pm at the board room at the Pepin County Government Center and will also be available on zoom via the county website.

Heavy smoke from Canadian wildfires has officially reached Western Wisconsin and Southeastern Minnesota.  The traveling smoke led the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to issue an Air Quality Advisory for all Wisconsin counties for Tuesday.  The National Weather Service says the upper-level winds should move the smoke out of our area over the next few days.

Governor Tony Evers was in Western Wisconsin yesterday to help kick off day one of Farm Technology Days at Huntzinger Farms.    After the opening ceremony, Evers met with reporters and discussed the recently passed state budget.     Evers discussed the supply chain issues during the pandemic and the importance of local and regional processors in the state.  He also said. “We obviously put more money in the budget for farmer mental health and also the ag export business that we are working on.”  Evers also stressed his goal to help farms and smaller communities get connected to the Internet.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice is continuing its investigation into clergy abuse in Wisconsin and is still looking for tips.  Attorney General Josh Kaul says the task force has received over 100 reports from survivors since it started, and that his office wants people to know their information is safe.  Kaul said, "I hear you and we know how important this review is and the Wisconsin Department of Justice is committed to pursuing accountability and to working to prevent future cases of abuse."  The Milwaukee Archdiocese has refused to turn over records in the case, saying they've been sealed because of a bankruptcy investigation.  Kaul says he has not seen any cooperation from the rest of the dioceses either.

Minnesota Congressman Tom Emmer is co-sponsoring a bill aimed at addressing the physician shortage facing rural communities.  The Grant Residency for Additional Doctors (GRAD) Act would make it easier for foreign doctors to fill positions in hospitals and clinics.  It would speed up the J-1 visa application process during times of increased demand, allowing foreign doctors to carry out their residencies in the U-S.   Emmer says the Grad Act is a "nonpartisan way to keep our hospitals staffed while addressing bureaucratic delays in the J-1 program."

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A former police chief in Marshfield will go on trial in Wood County District Court in December.  Rick Gramza is charged with sexual assault and disorderly conduct.  Prosecutors say he assaulted a department employee on several occasions.  The victim says she contacted the city’s H-R department about the unwanted touching but nothing was ever done.  She said she feared she would lose her job after Gramza became chief.  Eau Claire police investigated the case.  Gramza acknowledged the contact but said it was consensual.  He resigned in March.  An effort to get the trial moved out of Wood County was denied by a judge.

  A Minnesota man has pleaded guilty to charges he killed his pregnant girlfriend, her daughter, and her unborn child.  Twenty-three-year-old Keona Foote, her two-year-old daughter Miyona Miller, and her unborn child were killed last September.  Foote is a native of La Crosse.  Renard Carter of Rochester, Minnesota pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree murder.  A sentencing date hasn’t been set.  He had initially entered a not guilty plea last April.  Rochester police thanked the residents of the apartment complex where the victims were killed, plus the family and friends of the victims, for their help solving the case.

 

Minnesota's s worsening drought conditions have Minnesota livestock producers seeking alternatives for grazing.  About half of the Gopher State is suffering from severe drought and four percent is experiencing extreme drought.  That spurred a warning late last week from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.  Some livestock producers are asking for emergency waives so they can graze their cattle on conservation land.  The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is closed to the public by wildfires that are burning just across the border in Canada.  Some officials are saying more lawn watering bans are likely.

Wisconsin’s lieutenant governor is running for U-S Senate.  Mandela Barnes made it official with a Tuesday morning tweet. He says, and this is a quote, "Hard-working families deserve every opportunity, but politicians like Senator Ron Johnson aren’t delivering. " Governor Evers put out a statement supporting Barnes' decision. Seven other Democrats are running, with an eighth who’s formed an exploratory committee. Incumbent Republican has not announced whether he’s running for re-election, but has one-point-seven million dollars in his campaign fund; more than any announced candidate

 It has been two years since a major wind storm knocked down millions of trees in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.  The clean-up is still going on and the landscape is still scarred.  Officials say 130 thousand acres of trees were flattened.  On Highway 32-64 south of Mountain, the aftermath of that 2019 storm is still obvious.  U-S Forest Service Timber Management assistant Adrian Ackley says there was a healthy stand of red pine there that had been planted by the C-C-C in the 1930s.  More than three-fourths of the trees were blown down.  The U-S Forest Service has coordinated more than 100 salvage timber sales in the last two years.  A logging crew was cutting timber there Monday.  Forestry officials say they expect the cleanup to continue for at least another year.

 The National Weather Service says the haze in the air in Wisconsin’s Northwoods is coming from Canadian wildfires.  Thousands of acres are burning just across the border.  Some of the smoke in the air may be coming from as far as the wildfires burning the western United States.  Government forecasters say people living in northern and parts of central Wisconsin are seeing the impact of those fires.  Anyone who is sensitive to particulates in the air should consider taking some precautions over the next several days.

Local-Regional News July 20

 After a delay of nearly 4 months, the Durand Police Departments' new Squad Truck has been delivered.  The delay was caused by the chip shortage.  Durand Police Chief Stan Ridgeway says the pickup truck helps the department haul larger items.  The pickup was approximately $2000 cheaper than the traditional SUV Squads the department has purchased in the past.

Blues on the Chippewa will return for 2021.  On Friday night of Blues, Main Street will be closed at 3rd Avenue West.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says event organizers plan to have a band downtown. Blues on the Chippewa will be August 6-7.

A Menomonie man has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to charges of first-degree sexual assault of a child under 12, child sexual exploitation, and possession of child pornography.  Judge Rod Smeltzer sentenced 25yr old Daniel Brooks to 33yrs in prison followed by 15yrs extended supervision.  Brooks will also have to register as a lifetime sex offender when he is released from prison.  Brooks was charged with 11 felonies last summer.

After a year off, the Wisconsin Farm Technology Days event returns to a farm field in Eau Claire County starting today.  More than 500 exhibits are planned for the three-day event.  Organizers say it took more than two thousand volunteers to make Farm Tech Days a reality.  It’s being held at Huntsinger Farms just outside Eau Claire.  Opening ceremonies will begin this morning (Tuesday) at 9:30 a-m.  It’s called the largest agricultural show in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin's average of new daily COVID-19 cases has increased for 13 consecutive days   That's according to Department of Health Services data. The seven-day average of daily cases increased to 156 Monday, up 64 cases from a month ago. Hospitalizations were at 98 as of Monday, including 28 patients in intensive care, that's down 26 patients from a month ago. Public Health authorities continue to stress the importance of getting vaccinated. Among adults ages 18 and older, just over 59 percent are fully vaccinated, and nearly 62 percent have received one dose.

A second person in Wisconsin now faces fraud charges from last November’s presidential election.  Four felonies were filed last month against a man who cast two absentee ballots.  Twenty-seven cases have been referred by Wisconsin election officials to prosecutors out of the more than three million votes cast.  District attorneys have announced they are not pursuing charges in 18 cases.  The voter’s name and where he cast the absentee ballots haven’t been announced.  Former President Donald Trump has alleged there was widespread fraud in Wisconsin after President Joe Biden won by just 21 thousand votes.

 U-S Senator Tammy Baldwin is one of four sponsors of the Volunteer First Responder Act. The Wisconsin Democrat calls it bipartisan legislation that would give potential volunteers a greater incentive to step forward. The bill would provide financial housing assistance through the U-S-D-A single-family housing guaranteed loan program. It’s aimed at helping those volunteers take time off work to complete more than 60 hours of training. Often they find themselves having to leave work to fight a fire or serve as an emergency medical technician. The National Fire Protection Association reports 67 percent of all firefighters nationwide are volunteers.

The University of Minnesota is seeing a surge in freshmen enrollment for the upcoming fall semester after the pandemic forced more classes to go online for more than a year. The U of M reports freshman confirmations are up 14-percent at the Twin Cities campus, with in-state commitment up by ten percent. Administrators say a big reason for the larger freshman class is because many students deferred last year due to the pandemic, choosing to take a year off.

A federal jury has ruled for a Walmart sales associate who had sued the retail giant after losing her job.  The case was brought to federal court by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of Marlo Spaeth.  She has Down syndrome and lawyers alleged that schedule changes complicated attendance problems that led to her being fired.  The jury awarded her 125 million dollars, but federal law will limit that to 300 thousand.  The jury also awarded Spaeth 150 thousand in compensatory damages when it ruled last Thursday.  Walmart hasn’t said whether it will appeal yet.

Democrats in Congress are said to be working on ways to push states to expand voting access as a part of the infrastructure bill being considered.  U-S Senator Amy Klobuchar chairs the Senate Rules Committee.  The Minnesota Democrat says the priority continues to be passing the For the People Act, but her party could use a process called reconciliation to offer states financial incentives to adopt some voting reforms.  Klobuchar and other Democrats say election systems are part of the nation’s infrastructure.

 Wisconsin’s attorney general says money from the OxyContin settlement would be used to fight opioid addiction.  Democrat Josh Kaul says Wisconsin could receive 65 million dollars from the nationwide settlement.  Wisconsin is one of 45 states that sued Purdue Pharma, saying the company downplayed the risks of the drug.  Kaul says the money will be sent to Wisconsin communities to help them fight the epidemic, funding treatment, prevention, and recovery efforts.  A judge still has to approve the agreement.

Governor Tony Evers plan to use grants to get Wisconsin back to work won’t be activated any time soon.  Evers says he doesn’t expect the biggest part of the 130 million dollar workforce initiative to be ready until the fall.  He says it is expected to take that long to find partners for the grants.  The governor is offering grants and subsidies to companies that are looking to hire people in Wisconsin.  Business groups say Evers could get people back to work much sooner by canceling the 300 dollars a week in enhanced federal employment benefits.

Weekend hours of operation for the Dane County Fair were curtailed, following Friday night fights.  The Dane County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were called to stop several verbal and physical altercations between 7:00 and 10:00 p-m.  At about 9:40, reinforcements of police officers from Madison and the Town of Madison were called in to help the seven deputies on the scene.  Officials at the Alliant Energy Center decided to close the gates, the midway, and ticket sales at 7:30 p-m for the rest of the fair.  All fair activities were wrapped up Sunday.

The family of former Stillwater prison corrections officer Joseph B. Gomm has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the state.  The suit argues Gomm’s murder could have been avoided if the Minnesota Department of Corrections had responded to warnings about staff shortages and threats made by the inmate who was involved.  Gomm was attacked by inmate Edward Muhammad Johnson in the prison workshop in 2018.  He was working alone because the prison was short-staffed.  His family is suing MINNCOR Industries, operators of the prison workshop.

Local-Regional News July 19

 Firefighters from Durand and 6 other departments were called to a large fire on L. Poeschel road on Saturday morning.  When firefighters arrived they found two of three connected buildings on fire.  EMS units from Durand, Mondovi, and Eau Claire were also called to the scene.  117 firefighters were on the scene for approximately 7hrs  and were able to save one shed and half of another.  One firefighter was transported to Advent Health in Durand with non-life-threatening injuries.  That fire is still under investigation.

The Wisconsin State Patrol will be using aircraft for traffic enforcement in four counties this week.  The aerial speed enforcement will be today in Pierce and Kenosha counties and Thursday in Portage and Dane.  Troopers say it's much easier to spot speeders or those driving aggressively from the air.  The pilots then relay the information to patrol cars on the ground so they can make a traffic stop.

The Wabasha County Board is meeting tomorrow.  Items on the agenda included approval of a revised job description for the Public Health Supervisor, approve of an agreement between the county and MN  Dot, and Approval for purchases to update the county's computer network firewall.  Tomorrow's meeting begins at 9am at the Wabasha County Government Center.

Motorists traveling to and from Eau Clare should expect traffic delays this week.  The Wisconsin Farm Technology Days begins tomorrow at Huntzinger Farms off of Hwy 37.    Organizers are expecting between 50,000-60,000 people for the three-day event.  Law enforcement agencies will be controlling traffic each morning from 7am-11am and authorities say to expect travel delays on Hwy 37 between Hwy 85 and I-94.  

U-S Senator Ron Johnson hasn’t made a formal decision whether he will run for re-election, but lack of money from supporters isn’t a problem.  The Wisconsin Republican has raised more money than all of the announced Democratic candidates who want his job in the last three months.  The latest campaign finance figures show Johnson collected one-point-two million dollars over the last three months.  He has one-point-seven million cash on hand.  Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry leads the field of Democrats with one million dollars collected between April and June.  State treasurer Sarah Godlewski put a little over a half-million dollars in the bank during the period.

There could be fewer C-130 cargo planes in the fleet of the Minnesota Air National Guard. The decision comes down to funding at the federal level. Minnesota Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Dan Gabrielli told K-S-T-P-T-V the C-130s are "extremely important" to the operations of the Guard. State Representative Tom Emmer said the goal should be to upgrade the C-130 fleet, not downsize it.

The 2021 Wisconsin State Fair is still ready to go according to organizers. That's despite a lack of workers to run events at the fair. State Fair CEO Kathleen O'Leary tells WISN's Upfront that they're working to ensure that everything goes off smoothly. O'Leary says the fair is also doing alright on budget, despite the fact that last year's event was canceled. They're hoping to have a good year to get their books back in order. 

It's a great time to take a trip and find a rental for your vacation, but be sure you're not being scammed by fake listings. State consumer protection administrator Lara Sutherlin says that people should stick with trusted sources for rental listings, and then stick with it, even if someone says you can get it cheaper by paying in cash or some other method. Vacation sites like VRBO and AirBNB offer protections against scammers, and if you do run into trouble, contact your bank to see if you can get charges reversed.

Authorities in northwest Wisconsin say an otter attack sent a girl and her father to the hospital. The D-N-R says it happened Monday on Black Dan Lake in Sawyer County. Conservation officers say the otter approached a 12-year-old girl and starting biting and scratching her head. Her father pulled the animal off of her and it started attacking him. The two were taken to a hospital for treatment. Otter attacks are uncommon but it is recommended the father and daughter be treated for rabies. Trappers are trying to catch the otter. D-N-R officials say to keep your distance from otters in the water.

Wisconsin lawmakers say they are considering changes to the laws on how to do business in the state.  They want to get Wisconsin on the same page as nearly two dozen other states.  A hearing was held at the state Capitol earlier this week on how to update those rules.  State Representative Ron Tusler says doing that would make it easier for companies to come to Wisconsin.  Tusler says it would improve the state’s business climate.  This is not totally new.  Discussion of the overhaul started about five years ago.

 City leaders in Merrill are offering an incentive for those who are looking to build a new home... come live with us, and we'll give you ten thousand dollars. City Administrator David Johnson says that goes for anyone building within a tax increment district or within a half-mile of one, a program that has been successful with contractors but is now available to residents.  He says the money is coming out of the TID, and a limited number of homes outside those areas will also qualify for a ten thousand dollar credit out of the city's general fund next year

Minnesota agencies are taking extra steps now that the state has entered the "drought warning" phase, with 52 percent of Minnesota in "severe drought" and four percent rated "extreme." The D-N-R is notifying those with water-use permits that they should follow conservation measures such as reducing landscape irrigation, using more efficient equipment, and repairing leaks. Public water suppliers are being told that it's now time to implement water use reduction measures -- and residents and landowners should keep an eye out for notices. D-N-R officials say they take the drought seriously and have a robust plan in place, but note that government agencies manage only a relatively small number of lakes and rivers and the rest are subject to natural fluctuations.

Republicans drawing Wisconsin’s next political map are allowed to keep working with their own lawyers, for now.   The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled this week that lawmakers don’t have to cut ties with the lawyers they’ve hired to help with redistricting. Two lower-court judges said Republicans don’t have the power to hire outside attorneys for the remap. The high-court ruling is temporary. Justices say they’ll make a final decision in a couple of months.

Wisconsin meat processors are thinking about expansion after hearing of 500 million dollars becoming available through the U-S Department of Agriculture.  The money from Washington will be in the form of grants and loans for small businesses.  They say that will help them compete with the much larger meat processors.  The program is currently being set up, so there are a lot of questions about what it will look like.  University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Jeffrey Sindelar says the COVID-19 pandemic exposed some weaknesses in the industry.

Local-Regional News July 16

 The City of Durand received no bids on a lot across from Caddie Woodlawn School.  The city owns two lots on Auth Street and is working on having possibly combining both lots and having a small portion of land that would remain with the city as an easement for the water utility.  The Finance committee will take up the issue and report back to the council on how the city should proceed with the sale of the lots, either by sealed bid or listing it with a realtor.

The city of Mondovi will do a  review of the wastewater treatment plant after the bids for the project came in over budget.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the city will be meeting with USDA, CBS Squared, and Contractors.  Construction and material costs have been the reason for the increase in the project.  The current wastewater treatment plant is over 80yrs old and is operating under a variance from the DNR.

The Menomonie Police are asking for the public's help after a rash of thefts from vehicles reported in the Fryklund/Harvey Drive area Wednesday night.  Two residents reported items were stolen from their vehicles and a third victim had the tires from his Toyota Camery stolen.  The incidents occurred between 7:30pm and 6am on Wednesday.  If anyone observed any suspicious activity they are to call the Menomonie Police or the Dunn County Crimestoppers.  Residents are also reminded to lock their vehicles and homes and night.

A longtime worker for the city of Eau Claire has lost his job for spending rebate cards at Menards.  A second worker could also lose his job and both men face possible criminal charges.  They spent a few hundred dollars at the home improvement store using rebate cards that should have gone to the city.  John Roscoe worked for Eau Claire for 30 years and gave up his job as parks superintendent last month.  Jason Palmer is on unpaid leave until the criminal case against him is resolved.  He has worked for the city for 15 years.  The charge against both is misdemeanor theft.

 Authorities in southeast Minnesota say a woman is dead after a house fire Thursday morning in Oronoco.  Olmsted County Sheriff's deputies say the fire was reported just before 2:30 a-m.  Firefighters found the home engulfed in flames and later located the 82-year-old victim inside a bedroom.  Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the fire.

A Rochester man is agreeing to a deal with prosecutors for the deaths of his pregnant girlfriend and her daughter last fall.    Thirty-year-old Renard Carter entered guilty pleas to three counts of second-degree murder Thursday.   The criminal complaint alleges Carter strangled 23-year-old Kiona Foote, which also resulted in the death of her unborn child, and her two-year-old daughter, Miyona Miller.  Their bodies were found in a Rochester apartment on September 13th and Carter was arrested that day in South Carolina.    No sentencing date has been scheduled.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has agreed to review a judge’s ruling that Republican lawmakers illegally hired private attorneys using taxpayer money.  Those attorneys were hired by Republican leaders as they anticipated legal challenges over redistricting.  Dane County Judge Stephen Ehlke voided the million-dollar contracts in April.  Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu asked the state’s high court to take the case – even before a decision from a state appeals court.  LeMahieu and Vos say the state Constitution gives them implied powers to retain legal counsel.

  Flags will be flying at half-staff Saturday across Wisconsin in honor of Airman 2nd Class Edward J. Miller of Evansville, who died serving in the Korean War.  Airman Miller and 51 other military members on November 22nd, 1952 when their transport plane crashed into a mountain during a blizzard near Anchorage, Alaska.  Airman Miller's remains were identified in 2019 following a multi-year search by a joint Army and Air Force recovery team.  Governor Tony Evers said in his order that "Airman 2nd Class Edward J. Miller gave the ultimate sacrifice, and we honor and remember his bravery and service as he returns home to his final resting place."  Miller will be laid to rest with full military honors at Maple Hill Cemetery in Evansville on Saturday.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice is investigating a shooting by a Barron County sheriff's deputy that left a man in critically injured.  Deputies say the man threatened a neighbor in the Village of Mikana and then barricaded himself in a room with a gun.  The suspect was reportedly shot after raising his gun at a deputy.  The suspect was airlifted to a hospital in critical but stable condition.  No one else was hurt and the deputy was placed on administrative leave.  The suspect's name hasn't been released.

The Department of Workforce Development reports Wisconsin's unemployment rate was three-point-nine percent for the third straight month in June.  Employers added ten-thousand-700 total non-farm and 84-hundred private sector jobs last month.  The state's labor force grew by ten thousand in June.  D-W-D Secretary-designee Amy Pechacek said, "Wisconsin's June job numbers are another welcome sign of Wisconsin's economic recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as vaccination rates rise."  The U-S jobless rate was two points higher than Wisconsin at five-point-nine percent in June.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is expecting a housing crunch when students return to campus this fall.  Housing officials say they are expecting more students wanting to live on campus.  Most will be incoming freshmen.  A university spokesperson says work is being done to make room for them because demand is high.  Two years ago there were about eight thousand students living on campus.  About 85 hundred requests are expected this time.  Space could be opened at the Lowell Center and plans are to place more students in many dorm rooms.

The Asian carp is getting a new name.   The Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee will pick a new name for the fish next month. Some Asian-Americans say the name is racist. Asian carp got their name because they came to the United States in the hulls of ships from China. Over the years, they’ve invaded and disrupted the Mississippi River and other waterways. Great Lakes states have been working for years to contain them.

 The Fox River Navigational System Authority says the Kaukauna Locks System is open to boat traffic for the first time since the mid-1980s – more than three decades.  After years of restoration and repairs to the Veterans Memorial Bridge, boaters can now travel up and down the river – all the way to Menasha.  The locks were built more than 170 years ago in 1848.  That is also the only fully-restored locks system in the nation that is hand-operated.  Officials say there are about 25 miles of river that people will be able to navigate.  A one-mile trail system is being added alongside the locks.  It should open next spring.

 Details haven’t been “fleshed out” yet, but organizers say they’re working with Milwaukee police on the city’s first-ever nude bike ride.  The event is tentatively scheduled for September 11th.  Spokesman John Jankowski confirms that naked bicycle riding is against the law, but he’s working with police to make sure the event can happen safely.  Backers say the ride is a “peaceful protest” and a push for “body acceptance.”  Jankowski had hoped the naked ride would be held last month, but he says he had to push it back due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Local-Regional News July 14

The Mondovi City Council discussed the ongoing algae problem on Mirror Lake last night.  Earlier this month, Mayor Weiss decided to have a resident with a boat go on the lake to try and break up the algae and send it over the dam.  That caused complaints to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources which then informed the city that the city needed to have permits to use the boat to break up the algae.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the algae prevents the use of the lake.  The council approved allowing the Mayor to spend up to $3000 to apply for DNR Permits or find other ways to break up the algae.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on accepting bids for a $465000 note to refinance the outstanding debt of the current TID District, a request for street closures and open container for the upcoming Blues on the Chippewa, and the council will go into closed session to discuss employment at the Durand Police Department.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall.  The meeting will also be live-streamed on our YouTube Channel at Durand Broadcasting WRDN.

Residents of Lake City may notice a discoloration of their water the week of July 26th through July 30th.  The Lake City Utilities announced they will be adding chlorine to the water that week to disinfect the water supply.  The addition of chlorine to the water can react with iron and or manganese creating a black or reddish discoloration but does not cause a health concern.  Residents are advised to run the water a few minutes to flush faucets before using it for cooking or laundry.  The presence of chlorine will remain a few days following the treatment period.  

The former Altoona School Superintendent has reached a plea deal in child pornography and sex trafficking case.  According to the US Attorneys Office, Daniel Peggs has agreed to plead guilty to one count of possessing child pornography in return for the other charges to be dropped.  Peggs could face a maximum of 10yrs in prison, but prosecutors agreed to recommend to the Judge,  Peggs receive the maximum available reduction in his sentence for his acceptance of his responsibility.  Peggs would be bound by the agreement if the judge decides to hand down the maximum sentence.  A plea hearing is now scheduled for July 20th.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has announced he will end the investigation into outgoing Eau Claire County District Attorney Gary King, after King announced he would resign effective August 14th.  King had been under investigation after complaints of sexual harassment and drinking on the job were announced.  Evers has announced he will now begin accepting applications for a new District Attorney and the application deadline is August 4th.

 

A 35-thousand-dollar state grant will help the city of Bloomer clean up a site so it can be developed.  The money from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will help cover the cost of removal of contamination from the site of a former agricultural cooperative.  It was located there for 30 years.  Bloomer city officials say removing the contamination could open the door to development there.  The grant comes from the D-N-R Wisconsin Assessment Monies program which is funded through the federal E-P-A.

 The Wisconsin Supreme Court has suspended a Winnebago County Circuit Court judge for violating rules of conduct.  Judge Scott Woldt’s discipline will begin on August 2nd.  The Wisconsin Judicial Commission informed the high court that Woldt violated the rules while presiding over six different cases in 2009, 2015, and 2016.  Woldt allegedly berated at least one woman in a domestic violence case, interrupted an attorney during cross-examination and used profanity in a child custody case, and displayed a handgun in court on at least two occasions.  The high court ruled Woldt committed “serious violations of a judge’s ethical duties.”

U-S Senator Amy Klobuchar is co-sponsoring a bipartisan bill that would streamline that funding process and remove barriers for expanding high-speed internet to rural areas.    The Assisting Broadband Connectivity Act will make changes to U-S-D-A programs so areas aren’t automatically ineligible for federal funding because the project previously received state funding.    Klobuchar says the legislation will help bridge the digital divide by ensuring states are able to access the funding they need to provide broadband service in rural and low-income communities.  Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa said broadband will help boost economic development and job creation in rural areas.

A Jackson County man is facing charges related to the January 6 riot at the US Capitol.  According to a press release, Joshua Munn of Melrose was arrested on Tuesday, after a tip, the FBI received about five members of the Munn family at the Capitol on January 6, as shown by social media posts on several platforms. The FBI also confirmed Munn was in the Capitol during the insurrection by using cellular records obtained via a search warrant.  Munn appeared in US District Court in Madison Tuesday and received a conditional release. His next court appearance is set for July 21. The four other family members are facing the same charges, but not being charged in Madison.

The Wisconsin Department of Corrections says a longtime prison inmate hasn't met any of the requirements to be released on parole.  Terry Caspersen is serving a life sentence for a 1964 murder and he has been in prison for 56 years.  Caspersen was found guilty of stabbing 18-year-old Eleanor Kaatz to death.  Old news reports quote officials as saying Kaatz had been stabbed almost 50 times.  She was found alive near the Wisconsin River but died two days later.

Congressman Tom Emmer is sponsoring a bill that he says will give Americans a better understanding of how the federal government spends tax dollars.  The measure would require the House Appropriations Committee to create a publicly accessible database that can be used to download, search and sort through spending allocations to each department, agency, and program.  The Minnesota Republican said, "I hope this legislation will give the American people another tool to better understand where their money is going in an effort to help change the current fiscal course of the nation. "

A state lawmaker who warned the University of Wisconsin System about a possible tuition spike says he likes what he’s seeing from the system.   State Senator Dale Kooyenga says the Board of Regents’ decision not to raise tuition shows system leaders understand affordable education is important to state lawmakers. Kooyenga warned regents the legislature would step in if the university raised tuition. Kooyenga says system President Tommy Thompson deserves a lot of credit for keeping costs low. 

The preliminary investigation by the Ashland Fire Department indicates a child started a house fire last week that left three people dead.  The July 5th fire claimed the lives of 36-year-old Jordan Chowning, 14-year-old Alyssa Chowning and 17-year-old Michelle Hathaway.  The autopsy found they all died from smoke inhalation, but toxicology reports and the final autopsy are pending.  The Wisconsin State Marshal's office is helping local investigators determine the official cause.  A GoFundMe page has been established to help the Chowning family.

 Four people are now charged in connection with the murder of a 55-year-old man near Northfield earlier this month.  Dakota County prosecutors say 22-year-old Ryann Smith of White Bear Lake is charged with second-degree murder and 29-year-old Nicholas Taylor of St. Paul is charged with second-degree murder and first-degree burglary in the June 2nd death of Chris Lafontaine in Greenvale Township.  Smith and Taylor fled Minnesota and were arrested in Montana.  A Welch woman and South St. Paul man have both been charged with aiding an offender and first-degree burglary for their roles in Lafontaine's death.

There's been some fishy damage reported to a city vehicle in Neenah.   One of Neenah's building inspectors found major damage to the hood of his parked car on Monday, some fish-shaped damage that matched a random carp found nearby. It's thought that an eagle or another large bird dropped that carp on the hood of the car causing the damage. There's no word on if the eagle found another meal to replace its fish.