Last night, the Pepin County Board of Supervisors sent amendments to the ATV/UTV Ordinance back to the Highway Committee. The amendments to the ordinance would open all county roads to ATV-UTV's and allow children aged 12-15 who have taken and passed an ATV certification course to drive on the roads under the supervision of parents. The measure had to be sent back to the committee for revisions so it would comply with state law.
The Mondovi School Board passed the 2021-2022 school budget. The budget will see a lower mill rate of $10.03 down from $10.41 from last year as property valuations have increased in the district. The general fund 10 balance for the year will have an approximately $230,000 deficit. The board also passed a resolution to authorize temporary borrowing in the amount not to exceed $1.4 million for operational expenses.
One person was injured in a two-vehicle accident involving a police squad in the Village of Trempealeau on Monday. According to Trempealeau police, an officer with the department was driving a marked squad car and failed to yield the right of way at a stop sign at the intersection of 3rd and Fremont. One person was injured in the accident and the officer was ticketed for failure to yield.
A Chetek real estate agent, who is already in the Barron County Jail for selling meth, has been charged again – for the same crime. Fifty-seven-year-old Quinlan Thomas was arrested for being part of a meth distribution ring four years ago when he was the owner of Chetek Realty. He was sentenced to probation Tuesday for possession of the drug and drug paraphernalia. Thomas was handed a one-year sentence last August for a similar charge.
A bill passed Wednesday by the GOP-controlled Wisconsin Senate would allow businesses to schedule employees under age 16 to work later hours. Kids would be able to work until 11 p-m on weekends and during the summer and 9:30 on weeknights. Democrat Bob Wirch of Kenosha says it sends the wrong message to children and parents. Wirch warns there's going to be curfew violations if kids under 16 work until 11 o'clock at night. The bill is also opposed by Wisconsin labor organizations. No word on when the Assembly will vote on it.
Minnesota health officials say a recent multi-state salmonella outbreak included 23 Minnesotans. The Minnesota Department of Health reports they fell ill between August 8th and September 18th and four needed hospitalization. There were no deaths. The age of the Minnesota cases ranged from seven to 77. Investigators believe contaminated onions distributed from a growing region in Mexico were the source of the outbreak.
U-W police say a Madison man they arrested on the campus Tuesday was carrying 13 thousand dollars in counterfeit money in his backpack. Twenty-six-year-old Ishmael Riley spent the fake cash at least three times. When one employee challenged him, Riley reportedly became argumentative with a pair of scissors in his hand and threatened staff members. Investigators with U-W-P-D used security cameras to identify him and take Riley into custody. The case has been referred to the U-S Secret Service. The suspect has no connection to U-W-Madison.
Senator Ron Johnson is holding up a US Attorney nomination because he's not getting his questions about the January 6th insurrection answered. Senator Johnson announced on Wednesday that he's holding up a Senate confirmation vote on the US Attorney position for Washington DC because the Department of Justice hasn't adequately answered his questions about people arrested in the wake of the insurrection at the US Capitol. Johnson says those arrested are being treated worse than people arrested in the summer protests in 2020 in the wake of the George Floyd murder. The US Attorney for Washington DC is expected to be handling many of the cases against the January 6th rioters, as well as a possible contempt case against Trump associate Steve Bannon.
A package of anti-abortion bills approved Wednesday by Senate Republicans will most likely be vetoed by Governor Tony Evers. One of the measures would prohibit abortion providers from participating in Medicaid except in cases of sexual assault, incest or if the woman's life is in danger. G-O-P Senator Duey Stroebel of Saukville says the bills are aimed at protecting human life and ensuring that taxpayer dollars do not subsidize abortion clinics. Democratic Senator Kelda Roys of Madison said the Senate passed yet another round of "extreme anti-choice bills aimed at exerting further control of people's bodies and reducing reproductive options."
A warning from protesters that an emergency valve would be opened led Enbridge Energy to shut down its Line 5 Tuesday. That pipeline section moves about 23 million gallons of oil and natural gas liquids each day between Superior and Sarnia, Ontario – passing through portions of northern Michigan and Wisconsin. The protesters were inside a fenced area in Tuscola County in Michigan’s “thumb.” It isn’t known if protesters followed through on the threat, but there have been no reports of a discharge.
Milwaukee police now say three-year-old Major Harris hasn’t been seen since October 9th. That’s a full week longer than police first said. Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffery Norman is asking for the public’s help with finding the child. Police found Major’s mother dead last week, and the man who may have killed her has killed himself. Major’s father is Carlton Harris, Junior, who says he simply wants his son back. Investigators say they found blood in the S-U-V that belongs to Major’s mother, but they’re not saying whose blood it is.
The vice president of the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association says the COVID-19 pandemic has made the state’s truck driver shortage even worse. Dan Johnson says the problem has actually been going on for 10 years and maybe even longer. Johnson says the trucking workforce is “graying,” with many older drivers retiring and not enough young people entering the field. At the same time, there has been an increase in the amount of freight that is being moved. Johnson says Wisconsin trucking firms have improved compensation packages in an effort to attract and retain drivers.
When the Verso paper mill in Wisconsin Rapids closed last year, it had a ripple effect on the logging industry in the region. Professional loggers say they are dealing with the most challenging times the timber industry has ever faced. Mills – like Verso – that bought pulp have closed and that has created an oversupply sending prices lower. Wisconsin Public Radio reports many loggers who have worked in the industry for years have been forced to pick up side jobs in construction or related fields. The Verso paper mill was bought last month, but the buyer may decide to liquidate it. Verso had been a major buyer of timber for decades.
An environmental advocacy group filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Natural Resources Board chair Frederick Prehn, in an effort to access text messages as a part of a records request. Midwest Environmental Advocates attorney Rob Lee. The suit filed in Dane County Circuit Court requests that Prehn turn over text messages sent and received about his term on the board. Prehn has remained on the board which sets policy for the DNR, respite his term having expired in May.
A Madison protestor is found not guilty in the attack on a state senator. A jury Tuesday acquitted Kerida O’Reilly on all charges related to the attack on Milwaukee state Senator Tim Carpenter at the State Capitol last summer. Police say she led the crowd that beat and kicked Carpenter after he took a photo of the riot at the Capitol square. The jury deliberated for about three hours. Samantha Hamer was also charged in the attack on Carpenter. She pleaded to a lesser charge.
The Wisconsin State Fair Board has announced Shari Black as the interim C-E-O and Executive Director. Black takes over at the end of this month. A committee is being formed to conduct a search for the next permanent C-E-O and Executive Director. Black has worked in the fair industry for 20 years and served as the Waukesha County Fair’s executive director for more than 15 years. She came on board at the Wisconsin State Fair in 2016 as senior director of event services.
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