Local-Regional News August 31

 One person was injured in a motorcycle accident in Lincoln Township on Sunday.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, 56yr old Julio Castillo of South Saint Paul was traveling on Hwy 88 when he lost control of the motorcycle and was ejected into the northbound ditch.  Castillo was med-flighted to Mayo of Rochester with severe injuries.  Speed and inexperience operating a motorcycle were contributing factors in the accident.

One person injured in a motorcycle accident in Gilmanton Township on August 18th has died.  74yr old James Ruecker was found lying in the roadway on Hwy 37 near the intersection of Steiner Road on August 18th.  Ruecker had entered a sharp curve too fast and struck a guardrail.  The Buffalo County Sheriff's Department reports that Ruecker died on Sunday as a result of his injuries from that accident.  

The Mondovi City Council has approved a contract with CBS Squared for engineering services for the North Eau Claire Street Project.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the company helped the city receive a CDBG Grant for the project.  The cost of the contract was $379,160 and Weiss says the large cost of that contract was an "eye-opener" for himself and council members.

As the school year gets underway, school districts are monitoring for possible covid 19 outbreaks.  Durand-Arkansaw School District Greg Doverspike says the district will monitor the situation inside the schools and work with Pepin County on any possible outbreaks.  Doverspike says Pepin County will be in charge of any contact tracing and the current back-to-school plan is required to be reviewed every 6 months.

A Fort McCoy spokesperson reports Afghan refugees from 27 flights arrived at the Wisconsin military installation over the weekend.  Before Monday, a total of 44 flights carrying refugees had landed at Volk Field as part of Operation Allies Refuge.  The U-S completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan late Monday, ending the nation’s longest war.  President Joe Biden has said he will address the nation this (Tuesday) afternoon to explain his decision not to extend the August 31st deadline to get the country out of Afghanistan.  The U-S military says it is working to expand its capacity for refugees to 50 thousand by the middle of September.

The chairman of the Natural Resources Board apparently consulted with leading Republicans on his decision to stay on the panel after his six-year term expired.  The Journal-Sentinel is reporting Fred Prehn sought advice from Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, Congressman Tom Tiffany, and former University of Wisconsin Regent Gerald Whitburn.  Prehn’s term ended in May and Democratic Governor Tony Evers appointed Sandra Naas to fill the position.  Prehn has refused to step down before the Wisconsin Senate confirms Naas and there has been no move toward a vote in that chamber.

 Ho-Chunk Gaming-Wisconsin Dells is back open this afternoon for the first time since late last week. What was called a "system issue" shut down the casino early Friday morning. Other Ho-Chunk casinos in Madison, Black River Falls, Nekoosa, Wittenberg, and Tomah aren’t affected. Executive Manager John Phillipp in a statement thanked the I-T management team for working "tirelessly" to fix the issue. He also said during the closure they took the time to "deep clean the entire property."

 The University of Wisconsin-Madison is scoring high marks with the Washington Monthly's Annual College Guide and Rankings. U-W ranks fourth overall among national universities behind only Stanford, M-I-T, and Duke. Wisconsin is listed as the number one ranking National Public University. U-W is ranked in the top ten at number eight for Best Bang-for-the-Buck rankings in the Midwest. Milwaukee School of Engineering ranks sixth in that category.

The number of traffic deaths in Minnesota reached 300 this year on the earliest date since 2007.   The state Department of Public Safety reported the 300th fatal crash on August 28th - compared to 240 on the same day in 2020.  The preliminary figures show 103 of the 303 traffic fatalities were speed-related crashes, 74 were alcohol-related and distracted driving is blamed for eight deaths. Sixty-four of the victims were not buckled up.     State Traffic Safety director Mike Hanson said Minnesotans had been making progress changing their driving behaviors, but recently motorists are falling into bad habits, ignoring the law, and it's costing lives.

A former high school teacher from northwest Wisconsin is facing federal child pornography charges.   Thirty-four-year-old McKenzie Johnson is accused of producing child pornography when he was still a teacher at Ladysmith High School earlier this year. According to court documents, his victim is a 13-year-old girl from  California, and Johnson used a false name in emails and video chats with the girl. A heavily-redacted screen capture from one of the videos, taken from Johnson’s iPad, was used to help identify the child. Johnson is currently being held in Rusk County Jail awaiting bond and a date for his initial hearing in U.S. District Court in Madison.

  A former airline pilot from Kenosha has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for what is being called “sextortion.”  Twenty-nine-year-old Devery Moses had been accused of threatening to share sexually explicit photographs and videos he had been sent if they didn’t have sex with him.  Some of his victims were as young as 12 years old and they were located all across the U-S, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  Prosecutors say many of his victims suffered significant, ongoing emotional damage – including one who reported have serious thoughts about committing suicide.  The federal sentence will run concurrently will a state sentence for a child porn conviction.

Tony Evers is critical of Republicans who've questioned the screening process for thousands of Afghan refugees. On Monday, the Democratic governor said they're "vastly uninformed" or want to raise the specter of terrorism.  Evers and called such comments "dog whistle crap."

Interim University of Wisconsin System President Tommy Thompson continues to defend his decision to implement campus COVID-19 protocols, without first getting approval from Republican legislators. Thompson spoke to WisPolitics on Thursday, the same day that Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steinke indicated in a tweet that lawmakers would be unlikely to sue the UW System over its pandemic response.

Video shot by a drone shows what is being called a “collapsed” bean field in rural Polk County.  A big section of the farm reportedly fell an estimated 25 feet creating a ravine a quarter-mile in length.  The daughter of the farm owner posted on social media saying a crack in that field was noticed earlier in the summer.  University of North Dakota geologists think dry weather, a drop in levels on the nearby Red River, and recent rains caused the section of land to fall away.

The World Naked Bike Ride made its return to Madison after a year off due to the pandemic. The 11th annual ride promotes body image positivity and alternatives to fossil fuels. Dozens of mostly bare cyclists rode across Downtown on a hot, humid Saturday, including up State Street and around Capitol Square. Milwaukee is a bit behind Madison on this event -- that city's first-ever World Naked Bike Ride is scheduled for Saturday, September 11.

Local-Regional News August 30

 One person was injured in a single-vehicle accident in Belvidere township on Thursday.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department, 28yr old Angel Ginez of Osseo was traveling on Hwy E near Blank Hill Road, when he failed to negotiate a curve, left the roadway, and struck a driveway embankment.  A passenger of the vehicle was taken to the hospital with serious injures.  Ginez was arrested for OWI Causing Injury, Operating After Revocation, and on an Eau Claire County Warrant.

The Durand City Council will begin work on the 2022 budget in September.  Durand Mayor Patrick Millren says oversite committees will begin going through department budgets.  The city's equalized value did increase this year which means the city would have the ability to increase the tax levy if need be.

Governor Tony Evers is appointing Peter Rindal as the new Eau Claire County district attorney.  Rindal fills the vacancy created by the resignation of ex-District Attorney Gary King, who was accused of sexual harassment and being drunk at work.  Rindal grew up on an Eau Claire County dairy farm near Fall Creek and has been with the Eau Claire County District Attorney's office since 2013.  Evers' office says then-Deputy District Attorney Rindal handled a full caseload of felonies while managing a team of nine prosecutors.  The governor said he's confident Rindal will be an excellent district attorney for the people of Eau Clair County.

One person is dead after a two-vehicle accident Friday in St. Croix County.  According to the St. Croix County Sheriffs Department, 25yr old Jenna Achterhof of Wilson was driving northbound on Hwy 63 when her vehicle struck a vehicle driven by 82yr old Douglas Last of Spring Valley after Last had pulled out in front of Achterhof's vehicle.  Last was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, while Achterhof suffered minor injuries.  That accident remains under investigation.

The Eau Claire Fire Department responded to an overturned kayak in the Eau Claire River on Sunday after it was reported the kayaker was in distress.  The incident happened near the Dewey Stree Bridge.  Rescuers had to rig a rope system to rescue the victim and the victim was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.   Residents are reminded of the higher water levels and faster currents on the Chippewa and Eau Claire Rivers to be extra cautious when out on the river. 

An outside law enforcement agency will investigate the death of an inmate in the Jackson County Jail.  The 33-year-old man was found in his cell Thursday.  Life-saving measures were attempted by jail staff members, deputies, and the Black River Falls E-M-S, but the inmate died before he could be taken to a hospital.  A release from the sheriff’s department indicates an autopsy is pending and investigators will review in-hour surveillance camera footage.

The Winona City Council is rescinding the mask order issued by Mayor Scott Sherman.  Council members voted 4-3 in an emergency meeting Friday to end the 30-day mask requirement Sherman signed Wednesday.  It called for face coverings inside bars, restaurants, gyms and other businesses.  Health officials told the council the pandemic isn't over and masks help reduce the spread of COVID in the community.  Council members who voted down the order said the people of Winona are smart and know when and where to wear a mask.

 Authorities searching for a missing teenager in Wood County say she could be heading to Utah.  Family members say Elexa Cooley has been gone since last week.  They say she could be traveling with a person they identify as Roby Parker.  Madison investigators have been able to confirm that Parker visited a business there last weekend, but they haven’t said if Cooley was with him.  She recently moved back to Wisconsin from Utah, but it is thought she and Parker may be headed to that state.  Authorities are asking the public to be on the lookout for a green Acura M-D-X with Utah plates.  If you spot it, please call the Wood County Sheriff’s Office.

Hundreds of people gathered on the lawn of the Minnesota State Capitol Saturday to show opposition to COVID-19 shot mandates that have popped up from state and local governments, schools, and businesses. The gathering was dubbed the "Medical Freedom Rally." Former state senator and current candidate for governor, Dr. Scott Jensen spoke at the rally. He estimated many in the crowd had taken the shot, but they remain concerned personal choice is being taken out of the equation and setting a dangerous precedent.

A report from the U-S Department of Veterans Affairs says doctors and nurses at the Tomah V-A mismanaged the care of a patient – leading to their death.  The 30-year-old patient died two years ago.  The name and gender of the victim haven’t been released.  The report indicates the veteran walked into the Tomah V-A urgent care department and reported having a seizure.  The patient was admitted, then transferred to two other facilities over the next month.  They finally died in a V-A hospice unit.  The Office of Inspector General found the V-A treatment decisions inadequate at several points during the treatment.

Interim President Tommy Thompson says the University of Wisconsin System should establish a distance learning system, stop duplicating courses at different campuses, and figure out a better way to deliver degrees.  Thompson wants Governor Tony Evers to work with the Legislature to set up a task force to re-examine every area of Wisconsin’s higher education.  During a WisPolitics-dot-com interview, he said the system keeps repeating the same approach, creating more student debt, more buildings, and more classrooms.

Wisconsin’s Democratic governor says Republicans are going to have to answer for spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a review of the 2020 presidential election.  Comments from Tony Evers Thursday came in response to former Wisconsin Republican Party chairman Reince Priebus saying the review could cost nearly 700 thousand dollars.  Evers says spending that much money on “something that has already been decided” is wrong.  Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says said he thinks the investigation will be wrapped up by early November.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court will not block the latest mask mandate in Dane County.  The state's high court rejected a motion for an injunction by the Wisconsin Institute Law and Liberty on Friday in a 4-3 decision.  WILL argued that another decision blocking Public Health Madison and Dane County’s ability to close schools also stripped its authority to issue another mask mandate.  Conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn cast the deciding vote.

Minnesota education officials say the COVID pandemic contributed to a drop in Minnesota students' statewide assessment results last school year.  Reading scores were down seven percent, math scores fell 11 percent and science scores were off by eight percent compared to 2019.  Department of Education Commissioner Heather Mueller says the assessment results affirm what we already knew, that the COVID 19 pandemic has disrupted our students' learning and they need our help to recover.  The dip is resulting in a new statewide system--called COMPASS--aimed at supporting learning recovery as students head into another school year.  Many students had in-person, hybrid and-or in-person learning last year.

The board of supervisors in Wood County approved bonding for a proposed jail expansion.  Board Chairman Lance Pliml says the project is a needed upgrade.  He says the county was in a position where it could either spend more to maintain the current facility or spend less to build a new jail.  Pliml says the project is likely several years overdue.  He says a more modern facility will be safer for everyone.  The plan approved calls for Wood County to bond 61-and-a-half million dollars – including three-and-a-half million for other county projects.

 The Madison Police Department says a man from Baraboo claimed a fanny pack containing ten thousand dollars that was found last month.  A police spokeswoman says an I-D inside belonged to the Baraboo man and he was able to describe the unique fanny pack before seeing it.  There was also a bank slip that matched the man's account.  Detectives said the pack fell off the man while he was bicycling in the area.  He told police he didn't think anyone would turn it in.  The woman who found the cash said didn't want any reward.

Local-Regional News August 27

 A Wabasha County man could face life in prison for the killing of his father in March. Forty-five-year-old James Riley of Zumbro Falls was arraigned Wednesday after being indicted by a grand jury on a first-degree murder charge. Riley had been charged with second-degree murder in the death of 73-year-old Edward Riley. Investigators say Riley admitted to hitting his dad with a hammer and stabbing him before using a tractor to put his body in the trunk of a car. The criminal complaint says Riley was upset that his father didn't name him as an heir to the family farm.

At this week's Mondovi City Council meeting, council members discussed Airbnb rentals in the city.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the safety of the rentals was one of the main topics of discussion.  Mondovi along with Durand and Wabasha has no ordinances regarding Airbnb rentals, and the Mondovi City Council is taking a wait-and-see approach.

An area facility serving veterans that are homeless or experiencing mental health issues has received a grant.  Klien Hall in Chippewa Falls was awarded a $2.4 million dollar grant from the US Department of Veterans Affairs.  The plan is to use the money to either renovate or build a new facility.  The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs would prefer a new facility that would have 48 private beds instead of the 48 communal living spaces the current building has.    The hope is to have the new or renovated facility open by the fall of 2023.

Military officials say up to 10-thousand refugees from Afghanistan could pass through Fort McCoy over the coming weeks.  The Wisconsin military installation west of Tomah is one of three nationwide used to process people who have been evacuated from the Middle Eastern nation.  U-S Senator Ron Johnson and five Republican state lawmakers visited the base Wednesday.  Democratic Governor Tony Evers also made a Wednesday visit.  About one thousand refugees are current at the base.  Two more flights arrived at Volk Field Wednesday, running the number of arriving flights this week to 10.

Residents of a La Crosse area community whose wells are contaminated by PFAS will continue to receive drinking water.  The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will continue providing drinking water to French Island after the completion of a review of PFAS testing results. The agency announced Thursday the extension of the health advisory declared earlier this year, which allows them to provide water to impacted families free of charge. The contamination from the so-called "forever chemicals" originated from La Crosse Regional Airport, located on the island.

Legal action between the legislature and UW System is looking less likely.  Earlier this week, Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules co-chair, state Senator Steve Nass, said he'd ask legislative leaders to begin legal action if the UW System failed to submit it's COVID-19 protocols for the committee's review by September 2nd. Interim UW System President Tommy Thompson made it clear that wasn't going to happen. And on Thursday, Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steinke said in a tweet that "a lawsuit from the legislature would only add more confusion during an already stressful time. We’ll continue to monitor the decisions made by System, and stand ready to respond if future actions warrant it."        

Nearly 700 thousand dollars will be spent on a Republican investigation of the presidential election in Wisconsin.   Former state Republican Party director Reince Priebus revealed the figure on Steve Bannon's podcast this week.   Ann Jacobs, a Democrat who serves as chair of the bipartisan state Elections Commission, tells the Journal Sentinel that Republicans are engaging in unfortunate efforts that sow distrust in an election that courts have repeatedly upheld. Jacobs adds it's also at the expense of taxpayers.

Minnesota Republicans are expected to elect a new state party chair next month.  The G-O-P State Central Committee will have a special meeting on October 2nd.  Ex-Chair Jennifer Carnahan resigned this month and deputy chair Carleton Crawford is currently leading the Minnesota Republican Party.  Crawford says the party will move forward with transparency and look to help Republicans get elected across the state in 2022.  A forum of G-O-P candidates for governor previously scheduled for the State Fair has been called off.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says he's grateful that Minnesotans are able to get together at the State Fair -- even as COVID continues.  The governor admits it's been a challenging year.  Walz said "from the pandemic to civil unrest to drought to wildfires, and it feels like society's a little strained at times, this is so good for the soul."  Walz says he's particularly grateful for the Minnesota farmers and agriculture workers who kept the food supply going at the height of the pandemic.

Milwaukee’s Democratic Mayor Tom Barrett has been nominated to become the U-S ambassador to Luxembourg.  The Senate will need to confirm the nomination by President Biden.  The White House made the announcement Wednesday.  A news release quoted Barrett as saying he’s proud to be nominated.  He will remain as mayor of Wisconsin’s largest city until he is confirmed.  Barrett has held that position for 17 years.  Before that, he was a Democratic member of the U-S House of Representatives for five terms.  Barrett is also a former Wisconsin state lawmaker.

Wisconsin tribal leaders say they have filed a brief in support of lawsuits seeking the return of federal protections for gray wolves.  Voigt Intertribal Task Force chairman John Johnson says it seems like their voices are never heard.  He says the tribes are supposed to have a 50-percent say over resources in the Ceded Territory, but that has never happened.  The D-N-R board has set a quota of 300 wolves to be killed in the fall hunt – even though the state agency’s own scientists recommended a quota of 130.  The gray wolf plays an important role in Ojibwe culture.

The attorney for accused killer Kyle Rittenhouse says he can’t say who donated to his client’s defense because he doesn’t know.  Kenosha County prosecutors filed a motion last week seeking a list of people who donated money to help the teenager’s defense.  Rittenhouse is accused of shooting three men last summer during the Kenosha riots, killing two.  Conservatives see the Illinois teen as an American patriot and they have contributed millions of dollars to his legal defense fund.  Prosecutors say they want to make sure none of those donors wind up on the jury.

The battleground state of Wisconsin is going to be right in the middle of a battle over a new voting rights bill backed by Democrats in the U-S Senate.  A roundtable discussion was held in Madison Wednesday.  U-S Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota told those attending the federal law is needed to head off efforts by Republicans that Democrats say are aimed at making it harder to vote.  Klobuchar said the bill will pass even though it has an uncertain future based on Republican opposition.  She and other Democrats are trying to build public support for the federal voting bill.

Twin Cities hospital officials say they are full on the wards, full in intensive care, and full in the emergency room.  Long wait times are the norm.  An estimated 97 percent of beds in metro hospitals are occupied right now.  Chief Medical Officer Dr. Bret Haake at Regions Hospital in St. Paul compares it to a game of musical chairs.  He says staff members at his hospital are pulling overtime and working extra shifts to make it all come together.  Some patients have had to wait up to seven hours to be seen in emergency rooms.

Minnesota agriculture officials are encouraging Minnesota farmers to take part in an annual pesticide and fertilizer survey. This year's survey focuses on best management practices for corn and soybean producers. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is mailing the survey to 76-hundred farmers in the state this week. Farmers who do not return their questionnaires by mail will be contacted by phone in mid-September. M-D-A says the information gathered from this survey is critical for research and educational purposes.

Local-Regional News August 26

 One person was injured in a single-vehicle accident in the Town of Gilman Wednesday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department 23yr old Hunter Schoengarth of Ellsworth was traveling eastbound on 650th Avenue when his vehicle left the roadway, entered the north ditch, and vaulted over 410th Street striking a power pole.  Shoengarth was med-flighted to Regions Hospital.

During last night's Durand City Council Meeting, Fire Chief Jamie King had a presentation on the possible purchase of a new ladder truck for the Fire Department.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the department has a 30yr old truck that is in need of replacement.  The City will be negotiating with the Rural Fire Department on the cost-sharing for the purchase of a new truck.

The Pepin County Health Department is notifying the public of the potential for COVID-19 exposure at an event on Saturday, August 21st. A laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19 was present at the Rolling Greens Golf Course for the Veteran’s Golf Tournament between 9 am – 5 pm during the infectious period. Due to the length of time and a large number of people in attendance, the Health Department is unable to determine all close contacts. Anyone who was at the event Saturday should consider themselves at risk for COVID-19, should monitor for signs and symptoms, and take extra precautions for 14 days from the date. Anyone experiencing signs or symptoms should contact their primary provider to arrange for testing.

The insurance carrier for the city of Eau Claire has settled a federal civil rights lawsuit with a man shot by police six years ago.  Officers said 31-year-old Tyler Holte resisted arrested when he was shot twice in April 2015.  The settlement means Holte will be paid 725 thousand dollars.  His attorney had sued the city and Officer Hunter Braatz earlier this year, saying Holte had amassed more than 235 thousand dollars in medical bills.  Eau Claire’s interim City Manager calls it a “business decision” – and the city isn’t admitting any wrongdoing.

The Dunn County Sheriff's Department has identified the man killed by a lightning strike on Tuesday.  Authorities say 60yr old Richard Nelson was killed while working at a construction site in the Town of Menomonie.  Nelson and another worker were on ladders working on a pole shed when the lightning struck.  Nelson was pronounced dead at the scene by the Dunn County Medical Examiners officer, the other worker was transported to Mayo Eau Claire Hospital.

Mayo Clinic Health System is updating its visitor restrictions due to a rise in COVID cases in the region.   All hospitals and clinics will only allow one designated visitor per patient started Wednesday.   The visitor limit will affect hospitals Albert Lea, Austin, Cannon Falls, Lake City, and Red Wing, Minnesota, as well as all Mayo Clinic Health System clinics in the region.  Doctor Robert Albright, Junior said 15 to 20 percent of COVID tests in southeast Minnesota counties outside of Rochester are coming back positive.  Officials say the increasing cases are largely due to the delta variants.

A village in western Wisconsin is getting federal help as it deals with a persistent flooding problem.  A 250-thousand-dollar Community Facilities Disaster grant will be used by the Village of Viola to reallocate streets and utilities located in a floodplain.  This grant includes another million dollars in leveraged funding through a tax increment district.  Local officials say the Kickapoo River has flooded six times between 2007 and 2019.  They will work toward community development away from the floodplain location.

 Delta Air Lines Wednesday announced it will charge employees on the company health plan 200 dollars a month if they fail to get vaccinated against COVID-19.  Delta officials say the move is necessary because the average hospital stay for the virus costs the airline 40-thousand dollars.  The company will also require unvaccinated workers to be tested weekly beginning September 12th.  Delta acquired Minnesota-based Northwest Airlines and many pilots and employees still live here.

Governor Tony Evers visited Fort McCoy Wednesday to learn about the arrival of Afghan refugees in western Wisconsin.  The governor received an update on planning, medical processing, and Operation Allies Refuge, and met with people from Afghanistan staying at the Army base.  Evers said, "Wisconsin will continue to extend our support and assistance to these individuals who bravely contributed to our country’s efforts over the past two decades."  The Evers administration is providing supplies of clothing, diapers, and other personal items for Afghans and families.  U-S Senator Ron Johnson and several Republican lawmakers were also at Fort McCoy this morning.

 A former high school teacher in Ladysmith has resigned and been taken into custody on charges of child pornography possession and sexual exploitation of a child.  McKenzie Johnson was arrested Tuesday after a search warrant had been executed at his home.  Johnson was taken into custody at Ladysmith High School and booked into the Rusk County Jail.

The U-S Department of Veterans Affairs is sending four-point-two million dollars to Wisconsin for capital improvements.  The money was announced Tuesday.  It will be shared by three Wisconsin V-A Housing Centers that currently provide services for almost 80 vets.  The Veterans Housing and Recovery programs in Chippewa Falls, Green Bay, and Union Grove will use the funding to transition shared rooms into private rooms with private restrooms.

The Minnesota Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal by opponents trying to shut down Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 oil pipeline.  The court’s order issued Tuesday basically affirms a June ruling by the Minnesota Court of Appeals.  The appeals court declared the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission correctly granted a certificate of need and route permit for the 337-mile segment of the pipeline inside this state’s boundaries.  Opponents have argued the pipeline violates treaties and offers a major threat to waters where wild rice grows.

 

Two grant programs aimed at helping Wisconsin communities build long-term economic recovery will be funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act – known as ARPA (AR puh).  Two hundred million dollars will be available through the Neighborhood Investment Fund grant program.  Local and tribal governments can use the money to deliver what is being called innovative public services.  Another 50 million will come from the Healthcare Infrastructure Capital Investment grant program.  That money will be used to support access to healthcare for low-income, uninsured, and underserved communities.

 Minnesota health officials are sounding the alarm about the spread of the delta variant with the State Fair here and school starting soon.    State Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm says all regions of Minnesota are now in the "high risk" category for COVID cases, and the number of hospitalizations also continues to go up.  Malcolm said Tuesday it's up to 547 people currently in hospital beds for COVID, up from 434 a week ago.  She notes that it was only probably four weeks ago or so that we were under 100. Ninety-eight percent of Minnesota counties fall in the C-D-C's "high transmission" category.

Scientists say the recent hot, rainy weather is to blame for millions of “floodwater mosquitoes” annoying Wisconsin residents.  A spokesman for the Mosquito Squad of Northeast Wisconsin says a massive hatch of the pests has happened in the last week or so.  Andrew Ratka says a female can lay up to a billion eggs in a month if conditions are ideal.  Ratka says it’s important to control standing water on your property.  Based on current weather conditions, he says he expects the mosquito population to remain high for at least a couple more weeks – or until the temperatures drop into the 50s or 60s.  The first hard frost will bring the end of the mosquito season.

A Minnesota State Fair tradition continued yesterday when the D-N-R stocked the outdoor fish pond.  They added about a dozen species of Minnesota fish, ranging from sunfish to sturgeon.  The paddlefish found in the St. Croix River has been one of the most popular fish in the State Fair pond.   The lake sturgeon is the largest at 50-plus inches.   The D-N-R's indoor building and fish tanks will not be open this year due to COVID concerns.    There is a long list of interactive nature and outdoor exhibits, live animals, music, and entertainment at State Fair D-N-R Park.

Local-Regional News August 25

 Strong to severe storms moved through the area early Tuesday morning.  Trees were reported down in parts of Pierce and Pepin Counties, near Elk Mound, Lake Halle, and Eau Claire.  In Eau Claire the storms are believed to be the cause of a house fire on 4th Street where firefighters found smoke and fire in the basement.  A firefighter had minor injuries.  Quiet weather is expected for today with more storms possible later in the week.

The City of Mondovi has received a grant from FEMA to replace a fire truck.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the money will be used to replace a 40yr old Tender that was in need of replacement. The grant from FEMA was for $319,783 and the city will have to contribute $15,000 toward the new truck.  Weiss says that the grant would not have been possible had it not been for the hard work of city staff searching and applying for the grant.

One person is dead and another injured after a lightning strike at a construction site in the town of Menomonie Tuesday morning.  According to the Dunn County Sheriffs Department, a construction crew was working on a pole shed under a partial roof.  The two employees were on ladders when lightning struck in the area.  Both were knocked off their ladders.  The crew had stopped working due to weather and when the weather broke they started working again.  Shortly after starting work, the lightning struck.  A 60-yr old male was pronounced dead at the scene by the Dunn County Medical Examiner's office.  A 20yr old male was transported to Mayo Eau Claire with serious injuries.  The names of the victims have not been released.

The  Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include reports from the Mayor, City Administrator, and Department heads.  Fire Chief Jamie King will give a presentation on the proposed ladder truck for the fire department.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall.  You can watch that meeting on our YouTube Channel at Durand Broadcasting WRDN.

The body found in a truck in Sawyer County has been identified as Arcadia-Glencoe Fire Chief Jeff Halvorsen.  The Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department says the Sawyer County Corner John Fromel had positively identified the body.  Halvorsen was reported missing last Thursday and his truck was located in a remote wooded area in Hawyard on Sunday.  A ruling on the cause of death is pending and may take several weeks.  Foul play is not suspected.

A female staff member working at the Prairie du Chien Memorial Library is talking about a loud encounter with a Republican congressional candidate earlier this year.  Kerrigan Trautsch says it happened June 17th when Derrick Van Orden complained about a display of books in the library children’s section that dealt with homosexuality.  Trautsch says Van Orden threatened and intimidated her over the gay pride display honoring Pride Month.  She says Van Orden said the books offended him and he demanded to know who created the display so he could teach them a lesson.  She says he took out a library card and checked out every book from the display – except one being read by a library patron.

Wisconsin 3rd District Congressman Ron Kind joined congressmen from Iowa, Illinois, Alabama, and Nebraska to introduce the Keep Physicians Serving Patients Act to improve Medicare reimbursement formulas that hurt rural health care providers.  The bill would adjust the geographic practice cost index to accurately reflect the cost of labor and practice expenses in rural areas.  The current formula underestimates labor and practice costs in rural areas and results in lower Medicare payments to rural physicians compared to their urban counterparts.

A three-day evidentiary hearing is being held this week in La Crosse County Circuit Court for a man who was found guilty of killing his wife.  Todd Kendhammer is appealing the verdict in the hearing that started Monday.  A jury determined that Kendhammer tried to cover up the murder of his wife Barbara by saying she died when a pipe fell off a passing truck and crashed through their car’s windshield.  The guilty verdict was handed down in 2017.  La Crosse County Circuit Court Judge Todd Bjerke is hearing the arguments.

A man employed by the Bloomer School District as a middle school special education paraprofessional is accused of sexually assaulting a student.  Investigators say the victim told authorities about engaging in sexual activities with 22-year-old Noah R. Lane last month.  The victim admitted the interactions were consensual.  Authorities say the person was too young to give legal consent.  The superintendent of schools in Bloomer says Lane is currently on unpaid leave while the case is investigated.

 U-W System President Tommy Thompson says the universities will not follow rules set by the Republican-controlled legislature on COVID-19 protocols and restrictions.  The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules voted along party lines earlier this month to require the U-W System to seek its permission to implement measures including mandatory COVID testing and masks on campus.  In a statement Tuesday, Thompson said that the effort to block the U-W System's authority is both wrong on the law and wrong as a matter of public policy.  The former Republican governor and U-S Health and Human Services secretary also said, " Had this happened last academic year, the University might never have been able to set up community testing and vaccination sites, or even isolate sick students. It would have been a disaster."

 U-S Senator Ron Johnson and five Republican state lawmakers will visit Fort McCoy today to hear about plans for housing Afghan refugees.  Two military veterans who served in Afghanistan will accompany the politicians.  A briefing by the 88th Readiness Division is expected.  Fort McCoy officials say Afghans with special immigrant visa applicants, their families, and other people at risk began arriving at Volk Field Sunday.  So far, it’s not clear how many refugees the military installation will host – or how long they will stay.

The health status of a state legislator remains unclear. State Senator Andre Jacque’s office declined again Tuesday to provide the Associated Press with an update on his condition. Last week, the DePere Republican was hospitalized with COVID-induced pneumonia. State Representative Shae Sortwell said Friday that Jacque was in "serious need of…prayers."

Best Buy's stock is on the rise after beating expectations in its latest quarterly earnings.  The Minnesota-based company's revenue was just over 11-point-eight billion dollars.  Analysts were looking for 11-and-a-half billion.  Earnings per share also exceeded expectations by more than one dollar as sales in its fiscal second-quarter jumped nearly 20-percent.  C-E-O Corie Barry said the company is better positioned for the future than it thought two years ago.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office says a 39-year-old man from Black River Falls committed suicide during a traffic stop Saturday night.  A deputy pulled Robert R. Goodbear over for speeding, driving without headlights, and failing to stop at a stop sign in the town of Brockway at about 10:00 p-m.  The deputy says they were waiting for a second deputy to conduct a roadside sobriety test when Goodbear got out of his vehicle holding a gun.  He shot himself while walking toward the deputy, then died Sunday in a hospital.

A second federal lawsuit has been filed over redistricting in Wisconsin.   Black Leaders Organizing for Communities, Voces de la Frontera, the Wisconsin League of Women Voters, and several voters argue another redistricting impasse is likely and notes that Republican lawmakers have already retained private legal counsel in anticipation of a redistricting suit. They're seeking an order from 7th Circuit Chief Judge Diane Sykes, a former state Supreme Court justice, to create a three-judge panel to hear the suit. Sykes has already created a three-judge panel in a federal suit filed by Democrats earlier this month.

K-12 students are returning to class across Wisconsin, with some districts requiring masks in school buildings, but others merely recommending them. Chief Medical Officer with the state Department of Health Services. Dr. Ryan Westergaard says the former is preferred.  Many of the state's largest school districts, including Milwaukee, Madison, Racine, and Green Bay, will require masks indoors for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors.

The University of Minnesota is requiring COVID vaccines for students following the F-D-A's full approval of the Pfizer shot.  U of M President Joan Gabel announced the new mandate Monday afternoon in a letter.  It says students systemwide will receive an email to confirm their vaccination status this week.  Gabel said, "receiving a vaccine is a testament not only to your own health, but the health and safety of your family, colleagues, and our entire University community."  The Board of Regents had approved a mask requirement for students on all five campuses pending F-D-A approval earlier this month.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says mandatory chronic wasting disease testing will resume in some areas during this year’s deer hunting seasons.  Staff members will man sampling stations during the opening weekends November 6th and 7th and November 20th and 21st.  State officials say any permit area that was in a C-W-D zone last year will remain the same.  Several more permit areas have been added.

Local-Regional News August 24

 On Saturday, three people were injured in a two-vehicle accident at the Hwy 25-35 intersection in Nelson Township.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, 28yr old Kylie Barningham of Pepin was traveling eastbound on Hwy 35 and attempting to turn north onto Hwy 25 when she failed to yield and was struck by a westbound vehicle driven by 43yr old Christina Gbejewoh of Woodbury, MN. Barningham, Gbejewoh, and a minor child were all taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion on the Main Street Bounce Back Program, approval of CBS Squared to administer the CDBG Grant for the North Eau Claire Street project for a fee of $20,000, and discussion of Airbnb rentals in the city.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at the Marten Center in Mondovi.

Business owners have a new grant program from the state of Wisconsin.  The Main Street Bounceback grant will provide up to $10,000 to new or existing businesses and non-profit organizations moving into vacant properties in the downtown or commercial corridors.  The fund can be sued to pay leases or mortgages, operational expenses, and other business costs related to the newly opened location.  Grant funds are part of the American Recovery Plan Act and will be distributed by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation's regional partners.  For more information visit the WEDC website.

A local bank is expanding.  Security Financial Bank announced yesterday it has completed its merger with Jackson County Bank.  The combined entity, which will operate as Security Financial Bank, now has about $850 million in assets and 150 employees.  “We are pleased to announce the completion of our merger with Jackson County Bank,” said Paul Rudersdorf, SFB president and CEO. “We welcome our new employees and clients to Security Financial Bank and look forward to being part of the local community.”    Established in 1934 in Durand, Security Financial Bank is a locally-owned financial institution now with offices in Alma Center, Black River Falls, Bloomer, Durand, Eau Claire, Ladysmith, and River Falls. 

 

The extreme drought conditions in the Upper Midwest are putting honey production at risk in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  Beekeeper Eske Bennetsen at River Road Honey Farm in Prescott, Wisconsin says the three-point-six million bees on his farm usually produce 85 pounds of honey per hive.  This year, Bennetsen says the average is only 50 pounds per hive and he blames the dry conditions.  Wildflowers aren’t blooming when it is so dry.  The drought is causing plants to produce fewer flowers, which means less nectar and pollen for the bees.  The dropoff comes on the heels of a record-setting year in 2020.  Minnesota and Wisconsin are two of the top-producing states for honey.

 

A Facebook post from Fort McCoy reports the first Afghan refugees started arriving over the weekend.  Special immigrant visa applicants, their families, and other individuals at risk are included in the group arriving at the military facility near Tomah.  Afghan citizens have been flying into Volk Field Air National Guard base, then being transported to Fort McCoy.  The Pentagon had approved a request from the Army to house and support the refugees at the base.  About one thousand service members from the U-S Army and U-S Army Reserve will provide support to Operations Allies Refuge.

Cardinal Raymond Burke has been taken off the ventilator and returned to a regular hospital room in Wisconsin.  Burke was hospitalized after he tested positive for COVID-19 while visiting the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse.  The 73-year-old Burke is one of the Roman Catholic Church’s most outspoken conservatives and a vaccine skeptic.  He served as bishop in the Diocese of La Crosse before becoming archbishop in St. Louis.  He left Missouri in 2008 to oversee the Vatican Supreme Court, becoming the first American to hold that position.  Burke was moved out of the court in 2014 and he has been a critic of the Pope since returning to the U-S.

The State of Wisconsin offers a 100-dollar payout to anyone who gets their first COVID-19 shot between now and Labor Day. The money comes in the form of a VISA gift card. The incentive offer was announced the same day one of the three available shots received the stamp of approval from the F-D-A. Neighboring Minnesota just wrapped up a similar program after nearly 80-thousand people applied for the reward.

A conservative group wants the state Supreme Court to take jurisdiction over redistricting in Wisconsin.   The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty is suing to have the court step in, if Governor Evers and Legislature fail to agree on new congressional district maps. WILL is also asking the justices to redistrict "making the least number of changes to the existing maps as are necessary." The existing maps were drawn by Republican lawmakers in 2011. The lawsuit comes after Democrats sued in federal court, asking a three-judge panel to redraw Wisconsin's political maps.

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A Missouri man who rescued two children Sunday afternoon has died after he was pulled out of the water.  The incident happened in Lake Michigan at about 3:00 p-m.  The man jumped into the water to help two children who were in distress near the North Pier.  After helped them to safety, he never emerged from the water.  The man was found about an hour later and he was taken to a hospital, but doctors weren’t able to save him.  His name hasn’t been released.

The executive committee of the Wisconsin Republican Party has elected a new state leader.  Paul Farrow will replace Andrew Hitt as party chairman.  Hitt recently gave up the position after two years.  As state party chairman, Farrow will oversee party strategy and fundraising in preparation for the 2022 election cycle.  Hitt will continue his role on the executive committee as immediate past chairman.  Farrow plans to continue his work as Waukesha County executive.  He previously served terms in the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate.

More than two dozen people have died so far this year in ATV/UTV crashes in Wisconsin.  The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says most of those 26 crash victims were not wearing helmets or seatbelts, which are two things the agency recommends for the safe operation of offroad vehicles. Alcohol was also a factor in a number of fatal crashes. Lieutenant Martin Stone, DNR Off-Highway Vehicle Administrator, said nearly half of this year's fatalities were due to rollover crashes, and that monitoring speed and using caution on rough terrain is critical. He said some terrain in Wisconsin is too steep for ATVs and UTVs.

Two months after former President Donald Trump harshly criticized Wisconsin’s Assembly Speaker over election fraud, the two politicians rode a private plane to a rally in Alabama Saturday.  Republican State Representative Robin Vos says he spent the day explaining his plans to restore integrity and trust in Wisconsin elections.  Vos says Republicans have doubled down on their top-to-bottom investigation led by special counsel Michael Gableman.  Trump had accused Vos in June of working to help cover up the fraud that he insists did happen during the 2020 presidential election.  Vos says he will keep the former president updated on the investigation.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is trying to put a halt to a lawsuit in tribal court over the Enbridge Line 3 pipeline project.  The D-N-R filed its legal action in federal court last week.  The White Earth Band of Ojibwe had sued the D-N-R claimed the state agency had taken actions on the pipeline that threatened the protection of tribal land.  The replacement pipeline runs from Alberta, Canada to the Enbridge terminal in Superior, Wisconsin.  In its federal suit, the state agency claims no part of Line 3 crosses any part of the White Earth Reservation – meaning the tribal court doesn’t have jurisdiction.

Late summer is the time to "fight the bite" of illness-bearing mosquitoes in Wisconsin.  On average, 44 human cases of illnesses spread by mosquitoes - Eastern equine encephalitis and West Nile Virus - are reported to public health agencies in Wisconsin each year, with many more mild infections going undiagnosed. Eastern equine encephalitis is spread through the bite of a mosquito carrying the virus, which mosquitoes can get after biting an infected bird. It can cause severe symptoms up to and including death. The state Department of Health Services recommends eliminating mosquito breeding habitat on your property, and wearing repellent and protective clothing when outdoors.

Local-Regional News August 23

 The first day of school today for Durand-Arkansaw School District Students.  As part of the back to School Plan, masks will be optional for students according to Superintendent Greg Doverspike.  As part of the federal covid relief money, the district was also required to included teaching students proper hygiene to prevent the spread of germs, something Doverspike says the district has been doing for decades.

One of three suspects in the death of a Hayward man has reached a plea deal with Dunn County Prosecutors.   Ashley Gunder pleaded no contest to being party to reckless homicide on Friday in Dunn County Court.  Gunder told investigators that Ryan Steinhoff and Chad Turgeson beat Bruce McGuigan for hours and that after McGuigan died, Turgeson told her to clean up the scene.    She will be sentenced in December while Turgeson returns to court in September and Steinhoff in October.

The truck of the missing fire chief of the Arcadia-Glencoe Fire Department has been found.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department, the department received a call from Sawyer County Sheriff's Department that they had found the truck belonging to Jeff Halvorsen in a wooded area near Hayward.  Sawyer County reported there was a deceased body in the truck.  The investigation is ongoing to determine the identity of the deceased person, and at this point, there is nothing that leads authorities to believe that foul play is suspected.

Treasure Island Resort and Casino near Red Wing  is now requiring all guests to mask up indoors.  The company says everyone will have to wear one regardless of vaccination status starting today (Friday).  The measures are being introduced as Goodhue County faces high transmission of COVID-19 and the Delta variant.  Barriers, sanitizing stations, and reduced hotel capacity are also being implemented at Treasure Island.

Former Altoona superintendent Daniel Peggs is pleading guilty to one count of possession of child pornography as part of a deal with federal prosecutors.  U-S District Judge James Peterson conditionally agreed to the deal Friday but won't officially approve it until sentencing in November.  Peggs is looking at ten years in federal prison and a possible 250-thousand-dollar fine.  The plea agreement dismisses the more serious charges Peggs faced including sex trafficking a minor and production of child pornography.  Peggs initially claimed he thought the girl was age 19 and cut off contact with her after learning she was only 17.  Prosecutors say he did admit to keeping an explicit photo of her on his phone.

One person is dead and two others injured after a single-vehicle accident involving high speed in Taylor County on Saturday.  According to authorities, the driver of the vehicle was traveling on Hwy M in the town of Grover at speeds of 100mph when he lost control on a turn and the car flipped into the ditch.  The driver and another passenger were taken to the hospital, while a second passenger, 20yr old Hunter Ried of Medford died in the crash.  Authorities say speed and negligent operation of the car appears to be the cause of the accident.    Charges against the driver a possible.

American Family Insurance will require vaccinations for employees working in-office.   The Madison-based company plans to reopen its offices on September 13, and employees who want to return to office work will need to get vaccinated before doing so. The company said in a statement that the vaccination requirement will be in place "for the foreseeable future." Employees who currently work onsite because of job responsibilities will have extra time to get vaccinated if needed. The policy doesn’t apply to American Family agency owners, who are independent contractors.

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A Q-Anon supporter has admitted he shot paintballs at Army Reserve members in Pewaukee.  Ian Olson of Nashotah pleaded guilty to one count of an attack on U-S servicemen Wednesday.  Witnesses say Olson pointed what appeared to be a rifle at the servicemen last March, saying, “This is for America.”  That weapon turned out to be a paintball gun that jammed before the service members subdued him.  He will be sentenced in Waukesha County Court on November 18th.

A closed company in Merrill has agreed to pay its former employees 650 thousand dollars.  Semling-Menke Company failed to give legal notice of its shutdown in December 2019.  A spokesperson for the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters, Luke Kramer, calls the settlement a “win for blue-collar workers” in Wisconsin.  The 130 employees got a letter telling them the window-and-door company was ceasing operations the very next day.  Wisconsin law requires employees to be given 60 days’ notice.  Attorney General Josh Kaul says the checks went out to those employees last week.

Jennifer Carnahan is getting more than 30-thousand dollars for stepping down as chair of the Minnesota Republican Party.  Some G-O-P members aren't happy that Carnahan will receive three months' pay.  Carnahan reportedly cast the tying-breaking vote at Thursday night's executive committee meeting to approve the 38-thousand-150-dollar severance package.  Members say she initially called for eight months of annual salary.  Carnahan insists she did nothing wrong and didn't know about the alleged child sex trafficking by G-O-P donor and campaign manager Anton Lazzaro.  She was also accused of running a “morally bankrupt” operation that was rife with verbal abuse, intimidation, and sexual harassment.  Deputy Chair Carleton Crawford is now the acting chair of the state Republican Party until a new leader is elected.

The number of Wisconsin households receiving food assistance has increased during the coronavirus pandemic.  Enrollment in the FoodShare program in Wisconsin has risen 30-percent since 2019. Food stamp spending jumped 33- percent in the same two years, to well over a billion dollars. Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services says more people are getting the maximum amount of benefits. In all, more than 792-thousand people are on FoodShare in Wisconsin. 

Meteorologists say it would take about 18 inches of rain over the next three months to end the drought in the Boundary Waters area.  That is currently the driest part of Minnesota.  National Weather Service forecaster Brent Hewett says a lot of the rivers in western and northern Minnesota are at less than 10 percent of their average or normal flow.  It’s dry in the Twin Cities metro, but it is worse the farther north you go in Minnesota.  Many streams and rivers are said to be hitting a critical stage.  Getting a lot of rain over the next three months isn’t likely because Minnesota only averages 10-to-14 inches of precipitation total between September and March.

Employees at Cedar Creek Marketplace in Appleton know their jobs are going away in a week.  The store that has been doing business there for 50 years is permanently closing.  A sign has been posted inside asking customers to quit questioning workers.  They are already sad about losing their positions and their uncertain futures.  Store manager Maggie Spierings says everyone keeps asking what’s going on.  Since some of the employees have been working at Cedar Creek Marketplace for more than a decade, the questions are painful.  The sign says, “Please don’t question our staff,” but, so far, the questions haven’t stopped.  The store closes a week from Saturday.

Some rainy weather and COVID-19 hangover can be blamed for lower attendance figures at the 2021 Wisconsin State Fair.  Officials report over the 11-day run a little over 841 thousand people walked through the gates.  Wisconsin State Fair Park C-E-O Kathleen O’Leary says seeing smiling faces come in after 724 days “was a tremendous accomplishment.”  More than eight thousand animals were entered in competitions and seven thousand competitive exhibit entries were judged.  Twenty-five hundred exhibitors took part in livestock shows, horticulture, textiles, crafts, culinary, cheese, meat, wine, and other competitions.

Local-Regional News August 13

 One person was injured in a one-vehicle accident in Salem Township Wednesday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 53yr old Martin Wright of Maiden Rock was traveling westbound on Hwy 10 when he lost control of his vehicle on a curve, crossed the centerline, and entered the ditch.  Wright was taken to Mayo Hospital in Red Wing.

Two people were injured in a two-vehicle accident in Oak Grove Township on Wednesday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, 82yr old Dianna Ristow was traveling eastbound on Hwy 10 and attempted to pass another vehicle near the intersection of Hwy 10 and Hwy QQ when she collided with a vehicle driven by 70yr old Dwight Nelson of River Falls that had turned off of Hwy QQ onto Hwy 10 westbound.  Nelson did not see Ristow making the passing maneuver and hit Ristow's vehicle on the driver's side.  Ristow and Nelson were both taken to Regions Hospital.

A Menomonie man will spend 81 months in federal prison for his conviction on gun and drug offenses.  The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin says 34-year-old David Hartwig tried to run from undercover officers when they approached him last year.  While he was trying to get away he showed a pistol to his pursuers.  When they caught him they also found heroin packaged for sale and a small amount of meth.  At the time, Hartwig was on community supervision for previous convictions.

A former Eau Claire County treasurer has been told to hire an attorney before his petition for early release from prison can be considered.  Larry Lokken appeared by Zoom Thursday from Thompson Correctional Center in Deerfield.  Lokken is serving a nine-a-half-year prison sentence for stealing 625 thousand dollars from taxpayers in Eau Claire County.  He is scheduled for release in 2025.  He told the court his attorney could no longer represent him during Thursday’s virtual hearing in Eau Claire County Circuit Court.  Judge Jon Theisen told him he has to have an attorney representing him before another hearing will be scheduled.

A 42-year-old La Crosse man was arrested Wednesday for an attack in March that put a man in the hospital. Cory W. Tharpe was charged in April with substantial battery, disorderly conduct, and felony bail jumping. The victim suffered a broken arm, a cracked skull, bleeding in the brain, and cuts on his face. A 9-1-1 caller told police a man was lying in the street and another man was kicking him. When officers arrived, Tharpe gave them a false name and address.

The release of detailed numbers from the 2020 Census will start the Wisconsin battle over political district boundaries.  The state population grew by about four percent meaning it keeps its eight congressional districts.  The final local numbers are expected to show losses in rural areas and a growing diverse population in urban areas.  New district lines will be drawn for the congressional districts, 99 Assembly seats, and 33 Senate seats.  Republicans are in charge of the process, but Democratic Governor Tony Evers will be able to veto their maps if he doesn’t like them.  Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says he’s confident his party will draw a map that Evers will sign.

The effort by a Republican chairwoman of an Assembly committee to force local election clerks to turn over ballots is running into some obstacles.  State Representative Janel Brandtjen is investigating the 2020 election results in Wisconsin.  She issued subpoenas last week to clerks in Brown and Milwaukee counties, citing two state laws supporting her action.  For a second time, attorneys for the Wisconsin Legislative Council have said only Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Chief Clerk Ted Blazel can authorize those subpoenas.  Vos isn’t a supporter of Brandtjen’s investigation.

Election officials in Clark County are defending themselves against claims by the "My Pillow" man that their voting machines were hacked last fall.   The county clerk says voting machines are not connected to the internet, and therefore, can’t be hacked. Entrepreneur and Trump supporter Mike Lindell has claimed the machines could be hacked after the fact. Republicans in Clark County say they want a full accounting of their votes, just to make sure. Local Democrats say there isn’t any evidence of election tampering. 

 The Pepin County Sheriffs Department, Land Conservation, and Durand Fire are working together to purchase some drones.  The drones would be used by the Sheriff and Fire Departments in search and rescue, tracking criminals trying to flee, and will be equipped with a thermal imaging camera.  Land Conservation would use drones for mapping the county.  Its hoped the drones will be in service after the first of the year.

The number of COVID-19 cases continues to grow rapidly, meaning a decision on a vaccinate mandate for Wisconsin state workers could come as soon as next week.  Governor Tony Evers announced Thursday his administration is still considering the imposition of a mandate.  Evers say all options are being considered.  During the news conference, he and officials with the Department of Health Services emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated and wearing masks while indoors.  The seven-day rolling average for new cases as of Thursday was 11 times higher than at this point in July.

UW-Health is taking part in a study on how to safely administer the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to children. Dr. William Hartman says the important question is safety and effectiveness.  The trial will be split up into three groups depending on the age of the children involved, from 12 years old down to six months. Hartman says the project is vital seeing as newer variants of COVID-19 seem to be more contagious in children.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety reporting 294 agencies across wrote 17-thousand-205 speeding citations during the month of July extra patrols and awareness efforts. That's up more than one thousand from last year's campaign at the same time. During the campaign, 55 agencies reported issuing citations for speeds of 100-miles-an-hour more compared with 40 agencies during last year’s campaign.

The latest Marquette University Law School poll finds a majority of Wisconsin residents think government – state and national – is broken.  The poll released Wednesday discovers lower approval ratings for Republican U-S Senator Ron Johnson and steady ratings for Democratic Governor Tony Evers.  Those responding to the poll give President Biden a 49-percent approval rating, Evers gets 50 percent, Johnson 35 percent, and Democratic U-S Senator Tammy Baldwin 40 percent.  Poll takers say people who responded showed a growing feeling that Wisconsin is on the wrong track.

U-S Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has visited a farm in Cannon Falls to see the effects of drought on Minnesota.  Vilsack was joined Thursday by U-S Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, plus Congresswoman Angie Craig.  A Callister Farms south of the Twin Cities visitors say dust is plentiful and rain is well short of normal.  Farmer Chip Callister says he thinks, as bad as it is, you can find areas that are a lot worse.  He says his hay supply this year is one-seventh what it has been on this date in the past.  Vilsack says the federal government is ready to help.

The fiscal outlook for state government is getting better. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau says Wisconsin is on pace to end the current budget cycle with a record one-point-seven billion-dollar surplus. That’s the largest surplus in Wisconsin history. The fiscal bureau says the budget will also end with one-point-five billion dollars in the state’s “rainy day” fund.

Local-Regional News August 12

 The Durand City Council has approved a resolution to begin the process of a special assessment for property owners on Drier Street and Laneville Road.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says this is the first step in the process to have the special assessment and Cedar Corp will be out measuring properties before notifications are sent to owners.  The resolution passed on a 3-2 vote with one abstention.  During the debate council members opposed to proceeding felt it was unfair to special asses because some property owners on the 3rd Ave East portion of the project were not subject to a special assessment due to the CBDG Grant.

Mondovi residents will be seeing an increase in their sewer rates.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the rate increase was something that was not unexpected due to the new wastewater treatment plant.  New residential rates will be $120 per quarter in 2022 with a usage rate of 9.65 per 1000 gallons with an increase to $135 a quarter with a usage rate of $10 per 1000 gallons in 2023.  Commercial and industrial rates will also be increasing in 2022 and 2023

This week Pepin County Health issued a health alert after someone was at three establishments last weekend came down with Covid 19.  Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says the recent spike in covid cases was why the alert was issued.  Stewart says so far there have been no deaths due to the spike and she reminds everyone that if you need to get tested, you are to call your provider or Advent Health in Durand to schedule a test.

For six straight days, strong storms have hit at least some areas of Wisconsin.  Trees and powerlines were knocked down overnight into Wednesday, interrupting electric service to about 180 thousand customers in southeastern Wisconsin.  Weather observers confirmed two tornadoes touched down in west-central and northeastern parts of the state.  One destroyed the Norwalk Sportsman’s Club building with winds in excess of 100 miles an hour.  Tornado warnings were issued for Juneau, Monroe, Iowa, Dane, and Marathon counties.  Weather problems last night were limited to hail and some flooding.  No serious injuries have been reported, but a lot of damage was done.

Not everybody is happy about plans for a million-square-foot warehouse near Interstate 94 in western Wisconsin.  Many people living in Roberts, a village in St. Croix County, have voiced their opposition.  They say Project Mallard will create traffic congestion, but village officials say the big structure will also create about 800 jobs.  Roberts has just over 16 hundred residents.  Village leaders haven’t said what company wants to build the warehouse.  If it is approved at a meeting later this month, the ground could be broken in the fall, and the building would be open late in the summer of 2022.

A Jackson County man who used a child as a shield during a standoff is going to serve 11 months in jail.  The sentence for Juan Aguilar is for a separate bail-jumping conviction.  Aguilar is on four years’ probation for recklessly endangering safety in the case involving the child during the standoff.  Deputies were executing a search warrant in 2018 when they say Aguilar pointed a gun at them and made threats.  He later came out of the house while holding the child in front of him – before eventually surrendering.  Deputies had been looking for a stolen car.

A quota has been set for this fall’s wolf hunt in Wisconsin.   The Natural Resources Board voted 5-2 Wednesday to set aside a Department of Natural Resources recommendation to cap fall wolf hunting kills at 130, and set the quota instead at 300. However, Wisconsin’s Chippewa tribes are entitled by treaty to claim up to half of the quota but do not hunt the animal which they consider to be sacred. That could mean only about 150 wolves for state-licensed hunters to kill. In February, a court-ordered season was capped at 119 kills, but hunters and trappers killed 218 wolves before it was shut down.

The Sawyer County Sheriff’s Office says four golfers were injured when they were struck by lightning while out on a golf course.  Deputies responded to a report Tuesday of multiple golfers being injured at the Big Fish Golf Course in the Town of Hayward.  No names have been released.  The four victims were found alert and conscious.  They were taken to a local hospital, but their medical conditions aren’t known.

Several Wisconsin lawmakers have traveled with the crowd across the state line to Illinois as part of a new push to legalize marijuana.  They say they want to stop millions of dollars from leaving the Badger State.  Democratic State Senator Melissa Agard of Madison says she knows Wisconsin is ready for legalization.  Agard and Milwaukee State Representative David Bowen held a news conference in a South Beloit dispensary parking lot filled with vehicles bearing Wisconsin license plates.  They estimate legal sales of marijuana could bring Wisconsin 165 million dollars or more in annual tax revenue.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services report reveals that opioid overdoses are much higher since the coronavirus pandemic started.  The rate of overdose incidents has nearly doubled, from about seven per 100 thousand people in January 2019 to about 13 per hundred thousand in March.  The number rose even higher in May.  Researchers say stress from the pandemic, a statewide stay-at-home order, increased access to drugs, and social isolation may have led to more dangerous behavior.  Officials say the recent trend shows overdoses headed higher again.

Seven hundred thousand dollars may be all the University of Wisconsin ever receives from Foxconn Technology Group.  Chancellor Rebecca Blank says she isn’t expecting the Taiwan-based tech giant to honor the 100-million-dollar pledge it made to the school three years ago.  At the time, it was promoted as the biggest research partnership in the university’s history.  The pledge was made as part of the multi-billion dollar agreement that Foxconn would build a huge factory near Mount Pleasant.  That project has been dramatically scaled back.

An Illinois man has been sentenced to 105 months in prison for setting a business fire during last year’s riots following the death of George Floyd.  Twenty-nine-year-old Matthew Lee Rupert entered guilty pleas to federal charges of causing civil disorder, rioting, and possession of unregistered explosive devices.  The federal prosecutor told the court Rupert drove more than 400 miles from his home “to engage in violence and destruction.”  He went on Facebook Live showing his actions, saying he came “to riot.”  The video showed Rupert handing out artillery-shell fireworks, encouraging violence against law enforcement officers, and urging others to damage property.

The U-S Department of Agriculture reports honeybee colonies are making a comeback in Wisconsin.  The 25 thousand operations in the state containing five or more colonies are up by 56 percent over last year.  That figure was as of January 1st.  Wisconsin producers brought the number of colonies up to 37 thousand by the end of March.  While the overall number was growing, an estimated 25 hundred colonies were lost in the first quarter of 2021.  Scientists say Varroa mites were the top stressors in Wisconsin.

 A special Minnesota legislative session could be called for September to determine which front-line workers would share 250 million dollars.  A special legislative commission is preparing recommendations for those payments.  The head of the AFSCME (AFFS me) union says all essential workers play a highly significant role in fighting the pandemic.  Deb Pavlica says clinical nursing staff, health care providers, dental assistants, laboratory technicians, admissions clerks, and many others deserve consideration.

Governor Tim Walz announced Wednesday that employees of all state government agencies will be required to show proof of receiving one of the emergency use authorized COVID-19 shots this fall or face regular testing. In a statement, the governor urged other employers to take similar steps. Those workers who exercise their right not to be vaccinated will be required to receive a negative COVID-19 test at least once a week in order to work on-site. Republican Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka called a vaccine requirement divisive and unproductive. The deadline for workers to show proof of vaccination is September 8th.

 The U-S Postal Service is starting a big hiring campaign before the holiday season starts.  The post office needs more people to handle the expected increase in mail.  Last year, it hired 100 thousand people, but officials say the number of retirements is forcing them to recruit new bodies like they never have had before.  The application process is completed online.  Starting pay is almost 19 dollars an hour, with increases after you’ve been on the job for a year and a half.

Local-Regional News August 11

 The City of Mondovi has approved the contract for the new Wastewater Treatment Plant.  At last night's council meeting, members approved hiring C.D. Smith of Fond Du Lac as the lead contractor in the project.  C.D. Smith is the 4th largest contractor in the state and plans on using local tradesmen and subcontractors from around the area to construct the plant.  At peak construction, 30-40 workers will be on site.  The cost of the new plant is approximately $17 million and a ground groundbreaking ceremony is planned for sometime after Labor Day.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda included discussion and possible action on a special assessment levy on property owners on Drier Street and Laneville Road, and reports from the Mayor, City Administrator, and Department Heads.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall and can be watched on our YouTube Channel at Durand Broadcasting WRDN.

Saying he's "out of gas" Congressman Ron Kind of La Crosse announces he won't seek reelection at the end of his current term  Kind's decision not to run again comes a year away from the 2022 primaries and sets up a wide-open race in the state's most competitive congressional district.

The Pepin County Health Department is notifying the public of the potential for Covid-19 exposure at local establishments August 6-8th.  A person with a confirmed case of covid was present at The Garden Pub in Pepin on August 6th from 5-9pm, at the Barn Again Lodge in Mondovi on August 7th from 3-9pm, and at the Durand Masonic Lodge Sunday from 12-3pm.  Anyone who was at those locations during those times should consider themselves at risk and should monitor for signs and symptoms of Covid.  Anyone experiencing symptoms should contact their primary care provider to arrange for testing.

One person was injured in a plane crash in Osceola Monday.  According to the Polk County Sheriff's Department, the pilot crash-landed at the airport in Osceola and was taken to Regions Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.  The crash is being investigated by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board.  There were no other passengers on the plane at the time of the accident.

 The Clark County Sheriff’s Office reports a 57-year-old highway worker has been killed and another worker injured when they were hit by a suspected drunk driver.  The fatal accident happened early Saturday while the men were removing a tree that had fallen across a county road at about midnight.  Authorities say 28-year-old Cory D. Neumueller hit both the workers and the tree at about 1:20 a-m.  Russell J. Opelt died before emergency responders arrived.  Sixty-year-old David L. Murphy was injured, but he’s the one who called 9-1-1 for help.  Neumueller was taken into custody for homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and causing injury through intoxicated use of a vehicle.

Wisconsin's U-S Senators split their votes Tuesday on President Joe Biden's roughly one trillion-dollar infrastructure investment plan. Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Oshkosh voted against the plan. On "Fox Business" Tuesday morning, Johnson called the bill "disastrous," and said he had "no idea why Republicans would want to have any of their fingerprints" on it. Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin said "the Senate has finally turned the ‘Infrastructure Week’ talk of the past into real action. Nineteen Republicans voted with Democrats to approve the bill and send it to the House for consideration.

A local gun owners' group is suing the Minnesota State Fair and Ramsey County, asking that permit holders be allowed to carry handguns on the grounds during the fair. The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus is arguing that the State Fair's ban on weapons violates the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. In a statement, State Fair officials say they don't  comment on pending litigation, they add "we will maintain our time-honored Minnesota tradition of peaceful, family-friendly fairs by protecting the safety and security of our guests."

New Wisconsin Parks Director Steven Schmelzer says he wants to add tech services at state parks, including G-P-S mapping on all state-owned properties and expanded WiFi service.  Schmelzer says he wants to improve the experience for people visiting Wisconsin state parks.  He’s taking over at a time people are using the parks at record rates.  There have been more than nine-and-a-half million visits this year alone, an 18 percent increase over 2020.  Schmelzer is in charge of 49 Wisconsin state parks, more than 500 boat launches, 15 state forests, 44 state biking trails, and more than five thousand campsites.  He assumed his new duties on July 19th.

A Republican state lawmaker says he wants to change the Wisconsin Constitution to give the Legislature more control over how federal money is spent.  State Senator Dale Kooyenga wants to introduce a constitutional amendment.  Kooyenga says they already decide how state money is spent.  He thinks lawmakers should decide how billions of federal dollars are spent as well.  The Republican-controlled Legislature has disagreed with the Democratic governor several times since he took office over how the money coming from Washington should be distributed.  Kooyenga says if the amendment is approved before January, then again next year, it would put the question before voters next spring.

Democrat Governor Tony Evers has vetoed a package of Republican-authored elections bills that would have addressed complaints made by the former Trump Administration after President Joe Biden's win in 2020. At Tuesday's press conference, Evers said Wisconsin has a fair and open election system already. The bills included one that would have prohibited local elections clerks from filling in missing information on absentee ballot envelopes. Another would have authorized the use of ballot drop boxes while placing various restrictions on their use. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says Evers is protecting the status quo on elections. 

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is planning a trade mission later this year to England and Finland. The governor's office says he will bring a delegation of about 30 people from state agencies representing medical, agriculture, environmental, and education sectors. The trip is scheduled for November 12th through the 19th. The mission is aimed to increase exports and urge companies to expand in Minnesota.

Coronavirus case numbers are spiking in Wisconsin, but the coronavirus death toll is flat.  State health officials reported more than a thousand new cases of the virus Monday, bringing the state’s seven-day positivity rate to over seven percent. But while more people are testing positive, they’re almost all recovering. The Department of Health Services says Wisconsin is reporting an average of just one coronavirus death a week. Doctors say the vaccine is lessening the virus’ impact, and they say treatments are much better than they were last year. 

A proposed industrial park site near Two Rivers is becoming a wetlands restoration site instead.  The old silo and barn owned by the Henry family are located on the 80-acre property.  A wetlands scientist says the location had been a farm field since the 1930s and the industrial park was proposed in the 1990s.  The Henry family wanted to see the land preserved and donated it to The Woodland Dunes Nature Center four years ago.  After two years of monitoring to determine how the wetlands could be restored, the project moved forward.  The D-N-R is overseeing the process.

Americans headed for Canada created a huge traffic jam at the border in International Falls Monday.  The Canadian government began allowing vaccinated Americans to enter after months of a closed border.  Pictures of vehicles backed up for miles were tweeted.  One family said it had to wait seven hours to get across.  The border had been closed since March of last year.  One Canadian business owner said about 99 percent of his business comes from the U-S.  People wanting to cross the border must also test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of the time they want to travel.

Local-Regional News August 10

 One person is dead after having a medical emergency on the fishing float near Alma on Sunday.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department, 38yr old Willam Korn from Chippewa Falls collapsed on the float and became unresponsive.  Witnesses began CPR and contacted emergency services.   Law enforcement and EMS also provided life-saving measures but were unsuccessful.

The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion of the Schmidtknecht Road Construction for the new Wastewater Treatment plant, grant funding for playground equipment at city parks, approval of the new Wastwater Utility Rates for the city, and approve a joint meeting with the Mondovi School Board on September 15th.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at the Marten Center in Mondovi.

The man that led authorities on a high-speed chase through Pierce, Pepin, Buffalo, and other counties made his first court appearance on Monday.   22yr old Timothy Chambers was charged in Wood County with Bail Jumping and Resisting arrest after the August 4th pursuit that led to $11,000 in damage to a Pepin County Squad Car.  Charges have also been filed in Buffalo, and Pierce County in relation to the pursuit.  He is being held on a $50,000 cash bond.

Today is the final day for residents in Martell, Trimbelle, Trenton, Ellsworth, Heartland, Diamond Bluff, and Isabelle townships to register for well-testing kits from the Pierce County Health Department.  Test kits will be mailed to those registered and then can be dropped off on August 30th.  Kits are $35 and for more information, you are to contact the Pierce County Health Department.

Masks will be optional this year for students and staff in the Menomonie School District.  At last night's board meeting the board voted 5-4 after a 3hr debate on the topic.  Those opposed to mandatory requirements felt it was the parent's decision and not the district on whether or not students should wear a mask.  The district will not require vaccination among students or staff but is strongly recommending it.

The Wisconsin State Patrol will conduct aerial enforcement of speed and traffic laws this Thursday in Eau Claire County and on Saturday in Dunn County.  The patrol will be conducting the enforcement over I-94 in both counties.  The State Patrol says the goal of the enforcement is voluntary compliance of the traffic laws.  In a social media post, the patrol said during aerial enforcement over I-43 in Walworth County, they cited one driver for speeding at 105 mph.

The chairperson of the committee conducting one of three election reviews in Wisconsin is defending the validity of the subpoenas her group has issued.  The Legislative Counsel said only Assembly Speaker Robin Vos had the authority to issue subpoenas to compel testimony or produce records or documents.  State Representative Janel Brandtjen says she didn’t use Chapter 13.  The Republican says Chapter 885 spelled out how the subpoenas should be made out,  Officials in Milwaukee and Brown counties have been ordered to appear before her committee next month.  Those officials haven’t said if they will comply.

University of Minnesota officials say they will require students to be vaccinated against COVID once the vaccine receives full F-D-A approval which is expected in the coming weeks.  President Joan Gabel  says it will give the University the best chance for normal campus activity this fall and uninterrupted in-person, on-campus instruction.   Faculty and staff must either be vaccinated or regularly tested for COVID-19.  And Minnesota State Fair General Manager Jerry Hammer said Monday that, although no decision has been made, masks could be required at indoor attractions.   The State Fair opens on August 26th and runs for 12 days.

The National Weather Service says the tornado that hit the Boscobel area last weekend was the strongest storm in Wisconsin since 2008.  Survey teams increased their estimate of the top wind speeds to 160 miles an hour after examining the damage.  More than a dozen homes and more than two dozen outbuildings were destroyed by the E-F-3 tornado.  The storm was on the ground for 10-and-a-half miles and its path was up to 11-hundred yards wide.  The last tornado that strong touched down in Kenosha.  Starting Sunday and lasting through Monday, hundreds of neighbors worked together on the clean-up.

Demolition on some old buildings will start in a couple of weeks at the Port of Milwaukee.  That will clear some space for construction on a new agriculture export terminal.  Port officials say the 35-million-dollar project will create a facility for products like dried distillers' goods, grain, corn, and soybeans.  Port Milwaukee Director Adam Tindall-Schlicht says when it is in operation it will increase the activity by 300 to 500 metric tons of product each year.  Backers hope to have it going by April 2023.

The president of the Wisconsin Senate is urging health care workers to take action against vaccine mandates if they’re opposed.  The stance by Senate President Chris Kapenga is alarming some health care officials who are dealing with a surge of new infections.  The Republican Kapenga said he wanted to encourage the groups that are forming to stick to their principles and “don’t give in.”  Kapenga told reporters he wasn’t suggesting that health care workers should go on strike, but just be persistent in their beliefs.

A Milwaukee man has been sentenced to 46 years in prison for a home invasion and sexual assault.  Prosecutors told the court 22-year-old Bobby A Clayton and some accomplices broke into the home in January 2018.  Clayton is accused of sexually assaulting the 76-year-old woman who was living there.  He was arrested in Juneau County after he crashed the vehicle he had stolen from the victim.  Clayton was sentenced in Monroe County Circuit Court last week by Judge Mark Goodman.

Environmental protesters in Green Bay maintain that there has never been a pipeline that doesn’t leak.  A group showed up at the City Deck Saturday to demand construction on two pipelines that run through Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan be stopped.  Organizers say work on the pipelines violates treaties signed with Native Americans.  They say the oil companies are destroying wild rice fields.  Enbridge Energy says its construction permits include conditions specifically to protect wide rice waters.  They say the two pipelines have co-existed there for more than seven decades with no major problems.

 The Wisconsin hotel industry is getting a boost from money from the American Rescue Plan Act. Governor Evers says grants of two million dollars were released this weekend to nearly 900 lodging businesses around the state to help them offset some of the losses they incurred during the pandemic. The tourism industry supports more than 157-thousand jobs in Wisconsin and had an economic impact last year of more than 17 billion dollars.

Amid a surge in new COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin, state Superintendent Jill Underly is strongly recommending that Wisconsin school district require masks when students return to in-person classes this fall.  The recommendation is similar to that made last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The state's largest districts, Milwaukee and Madison, are requiring masks, but many rural and suburban districts are not.

Crews broke ground on a new Minnesota Veterans Home in Preston Monday. Governor Tim Walz was on hand and said helping veterans is something everyone can rally behind. The administration plans to highlight the state's commitment to veterans over the next several days including efforts around suicide prevention and ending veteran homelessness.

No rain means no standing water and that’s good for mosquito control.  Officials with the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District in the Twin Cities say the drought is why there are so few of the pests buzzing around this summer.  The numbers are way down, well below the 10-year average.  Scientists say the mosquito numbers have been four to eight times lower than a normal year at some points.  Some areas got rain last weekend, but it’s too late.  Most mosquito species in Minnesota have already gone through their life cycles.  This could also affect next summer.

Local-Regional News August 9

 As the fall harvest approaches, a reminder that passing farm implements in a no-passing zone is illegal. Pepin County Sheriff Joel Wener says not only is it against the law, but it's extremely dangerous.  Farmers will try and pull over to let traffic pass, but many times it is safer and easier for them to drive to the field they are working on.

At the Wisconsin State Fair, some area farmers in Western Wisconsin will be recognized for having their farm and home in the same family for 100-150yrs The 2021 century and Sesquicentennial Farm and Home Awards will be awarded Tuesday.  Here in Western Wisconsin,  Janice Graner Trust in Nelson,  Becky and Steve Odegard, Mondovi, Cheryl and Glenn Aderson of Hagar City, Dianne, Larry and Chad Madson of Spring Valley,  Peterson's Dunnville Acres Farm, Menomonie and JoAnn and James Utphall of Boyceville will be among those honored for the continuous family ownership of their property.  The Century Farm and Home Program began in 1948 in conjunction with the state centennial celebration.

The district attorney’s office in La Crosse County has added a hate crime modifier to the substantial battery charge against a man.  Forty-year-old Travis Crawford is accused of attacking a transgender couple in Copeland Park on July 20th.  Investigators say Crawford punched a 17-year-old transgender boy in the face.  A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for next Thursday.  Witnesses say he called both teenagers a slur for gay men.  The boy he hit suffered a serious injury.

The western Wisconsin man accused of a deadly ax attack is pleading not guilty to five felonies in Monroe County.  Deputies say 36-year-old Thomas Aspseter of Sparta killed 87-year-old Bernard Waite and injured 76-year-old Michael Waite and 73-year-old Margaret Waite on June 6th.  Aspseter entered not guilty pleas to charges including first-degree intentional homicide, attempted homicide and aggravated battery causing great bodily harm.  His next court hearing is October 4th.

Tomah police say a 36-year-old man involved in a standoff told officers he was armed and he threatened to kill them if they tried to take him into custody.  Police were called when Russell Clausen refused to leave his hotel room.  When he did finally come out, he barricaded himself in a second-floor stairwell.  Negotiators talked with him for more than an hour before he was finally arrested.  During those negotiations, the hotel was evacuated and police blocked off nearby business parking lots.  Clausen was booked into the Monroe County Jail.  He could face three charges, including two felonies.

A La Crosse man has been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to armed robbery and possing a firearm in a crime of violence.  32yr old Kenneth Lawson was sentenced to 9yrs in federal prison followed by 3yrs of supervised release.  In June of 2020, Lawson and a female associate robbed the occupants of a La Crosse apartment at gunpoint.   At the time of the robbery, Lawson was on Minnesota state supervision and had multiple prior felony convictions, and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.  

Most of Wisconsin's major health systems in Wisconsin have a vaccine requirement in place for staff.   The deadlines for employees to get vaccinated vary, but most will be required to do so by mid to late fall. 13 healthcare systems have requirements in place, including UW Health, Marshfield Clinic Health System, Prevea Health, and Mayo Clinic. Several others have yet to announce vaccination requirements, although of those have indicated it's being considered.

Officials with Grant County Emergency Management report no injuries from Saturday storms that destroyed six homes in Boscobel.  There were multiple sightings of possible tornadoes.  One tornado was officially confirmed to have touched down west of Boscobel Saturday at about 4:38 p-m.  In addition to the destroyed homes, as were at least a dozen outbuildings like barns, sheds, and silos.  A damage survey was conducted Sunday.  Several Grant County roads were reported to be impassable due to downed power lines.  At least 300 customers lost power as the storms passed through that part of southwestern Wisconsin.

The state of Wisconsin is sitting on millions of dollars that will help people avoid eviction.  In Milwaukee, the Social Development Commission says it has helped about 85 hundred families so far.  The federal government has given the state almost 700 million dollars, with a big chunk of it going to Madison and Milwaukee.  Officials estimate there are about 445 million dollars in the bank for people who fill out applications.  In the case of the S-D-C, that organization says it takes about a week-and-a-half to process an application.  If you qualify, you can get as much as 15 months of rental help.

A bill signed into law by Governor Tony Evers says Wisconsin law enforcement officers should only use deadly force as a last resort.  Evers said, “I am glad to sign this bipartisan bill today that provides clear use of force standards and clear requirements for reporting and intervening in non-compliant use of force incidents.”  The Democratic governor also vetoed a measure Friday that would have reduced state aid to communities that decrease police funding.  Evers cited what he called "onerous restrictions" on local governments setting their budgets.

A 70-ton boulder will be removed from the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus because minority students view it as a symbol of racism.  Chamberlin Rock is located at the top of Observatory Hill.  It is named in honor of Thomas Crowder Chamberlin, a geologist and former president of the university.  Chancellor Rebecca Blank approved the removal of the rock in January, but that action had to be approved by the Wisconsin Historical Society.  

The field of Wisconsin Democrats running for the 2022 U-S Senate nomination continues to grow.  Wisconsin Emergency Management administrator Darrell Williams is the latest candidate to join the race.  Williams was appointed by Governor Evers in 2019 and has a military background and served as an educator in Beloit and Milwaukee.  Republican Senator Ron Johnson hasn't officially announced if he'll seek a third term next year.  The list of Democrats hoping to win Johnson's seat includes Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski, Bucks executive Alex Lasry, Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson, and Milwaukee Alderwoman Chantia Lewis.

A threat to blow up the Houston County Courthouse and shoot people prompted a short lockdown in Caledonia Friday.  The Houston County Sheriff's Office says a man called a court employee and said he was going to shoot someone in the Houston County Attorney's Office and blow up the building.  Sheriff's deputies say they were able to identify the caller.  They say he also made threats of violence to a pair of local businesses and another county office.  Investigators say felony charges are expected against the suspect.  No other information was released.

 A suspected drunk driver has been arrested on suspicion of his 12th operating while intoxicated offense.  Fifty-nine-year-old Gregg Scotto of Clintonville told Waupaca police he planned to shop at the grocery store where he had parked his vehicle.  That store had been closed for more than an hour.  A check revealed Scotto was driving on a revoked license.  Officers say he was losing his balance as he talked to an officer, then said he would fail a breath test if he took it.  Scotto has a court appearance scheduled for next Tuesday.  If he is convicted, he faces a minimum of four years in prison.