Local-Regional News November 26

 Authorities in north-central Wisconsin believe drugs and distracted driving are factors in a crash involving an Amish buggy that left nine people injured.  The Taylor County Sheriff's Office says a car driven by 35-year-old Sklyer Opelt of Medford rear-ended the buggy Wednesday afternoon in the town of Little Black.  Deputies say nine of the ten occupants in the buggy were taken to the hospital with significant injuries.  Investigators say Opelt is expected to be charged with operating under the influence and inattentive driving.

A long-time Durand Business has been sold.  Bauer's Gas and Appliance was started in 1953 as a bulk lp gas company.  Current owner Dan Bauer said he started working with his father to haul and deliver LP gas when he was 10 and has worked there ever since.  Bauer said his father added appliances as a way to increase the consumption of LP gas.  This past Monday, Alciva Co-Op took over control of the company.  All the current employees will stay with Alciva and Bauer says he will continue to work at the store in Downtown Durand for the next month before finally retiring after nearly 63 years working at the store.

Covid-19 cases in Dunn County are at their highest levels so far this year.  According to the Dunn County Health Department, as of Wednesday, there were 508 active cases of Covid-19 with a 7 day average of 48 new cases per day.  The health department says it will no longer be able to follow up with everyone who is positive with Covid-19 and their close contacts and has gone into a crisis model for notifying positive cases.

One person was arrested during an hour-long standoff at a mobile home park in Eau Claire yesterday.  According to Eau Claire Police, officers responded to an incident involving a weapon at the Villa Diann Mobile Home Park at 10am.  A perimeter around one of the homes was set up and after communication with someone inside the home one person was arrested.  No one was injured.

The 2021 navigation season is officially over on the Upper Mississippi River.  The Army Corps of Engineers reports the last tow departed Tuesday from the lock in St. Paul.  The Motor Vessel Johnathon Erickson was pushing five barges with scrap metal, soybeans, and grain.   The last tow usually leaves the last week of November or the first week of December.    The shipping season started on March 19th.

The Fall Creek School District has filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against the district regarding their covid-19 mitigation measures.  The lawsuit, filed in October accuses the district and school board of failing to implement reasonable covid-19 mitigation measures, which recklessly endangered the health and safety of students.    The district is asking the lawsuit be thrown out because contracting covid-19 does not violate a student's constitutional rights and that any student attending public schools have an inherent risk of contracting covid regardless of what the district's mitigation strategies are.  A pretrial hearing is scheduled for December 29th.

Firefighters from the town of Wheaton, Tilden, Elk Mound, and Howard responded to a house fire in Chippewa County near Hwy T and 60th Avenue on Wednesday afternoon.  The two occupants inside the home were able to get out of the house and no injuries were reported.  Firefighters believe the fire was caused by a heater in the garage.  The home is considered a total loss.

Wisconsin's unemployment rate in October dropped to 3.2% compared to 3.4% in September.  According to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development  Wisconsin added 2000 private-sector jobs in the month of October.    In Western Wisconsin, Pepin County had a 1.8% unemployment rate, Pierce County 1.9%, Dunn County 2% and Buffalo County had a 2.3% unemployment rate.  

 State health officials say nearly one million people in Wisconsin have gotten their coronavirus booster shot.  The Department of Health Services reports more than 915-thousand residents had the extra COVID vaccine dose as of Tuesday.  Three-point-four-million people in Wisconsin have gotten at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine

A southern Minnesota man is pleading guilty to barricading himself inside a home and making a bomb threat to an Albert Lea school.  Anthony Woodraska of Walters also admitted to felony theft and offering a forged check.  Investigators say someone called in a bomb threat to Lakeview School on October 7th while officers were negotiating with Woodraska.  He was later taken into custody and admitted to calling in the threat.  Woodraska will be sentenced in February.

A Madison Police officer on leave since being involved in an alleged on-duty sexual encounter will resign.    Police Chief Shon Barnes confirmed that Lieutenant Reginald Patterson has submitted his resignation. That follows an internal investigation that stemmed from a bystander video showing Patterson engaged in sexual activity inside an MPD vehicle. That video was posted to social media in mid-September, and Patterson had been on administrative leave since then. The investigation found Patterson, who’s been with MPD for 15 years, violated multiple department policies. He has apologized for his behavior, according to the statement from Barnes.

 A Florida man affiliated with the far-right militia group Oath Keepers has been arrested in Milwaukee.  Forty-nine-year-old James Beeks was taken into custody Tuesday for his actions during the riot at the U-S Capitol on January 6th.  Beeks was charged Tuesday with one felony count of obstruction of Congress and a misdemeanor count of unlawfully entering a restricted building or grounds.  Beeks joined a group protesting Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory over former President Donald Trump.  Five people died.

Hopes that the Park Falls paper mill will operate again have finally died.  Parts of the idled mill were sold during an auction last week.  The winning bidders began picking up their parts this week.  The mill shut down operations last May.  An effort to provide state funding for it and the Verso paper mill in Wisconsin Rapids was ended when Governor Tony Evers vetoed a bill using COVID-19 relief money for loans.  At its peak, almost 800 people work at the mill.  When it closed earlier this year about 60-to-80 were still on the job.

A group of homeowners in La Crosse will be able to cancel their flood insurance next March.  That will save about 121 homeowners some money following the completion of the Ebner Coulee Floodplain Analysis Project.  The study determined that existing premiums should be reduced and new policy purchases shouldn’t be required.  Those homeowners will likely be required to wait until the end of a 90-day appeal period before the change goes into effect.

A constitutional amendment on bail reform has been introduced in response to the Waukesha Christmas Parade incident that has left six people dead.  State Representative Cindi Duchow says her amendment would remove restrictions Wisconsin judges face now when they set bail.  The state constitution mandates that every suspect is eligible for bail.  It stops judges from considering how dangerous they might be – or the violence the defendant has shown – when the bail amount is being determined.  The suspect in Waukesha, Darrell Brooks Junior, was released on a thousand-dollar bail for a domestic violence charge less than a week before he drove an S-U-V through the parade crowd.

Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Mark Afable has announced he is leaving the position next month.  Governor Tony Evers appointed Afable to lead the state agency three years ago.  Afable had previously worked for American Family Insurance, serving as its chief legal officer.  Evers says he has made a “huge difference.”  Deputy Commission Nathan Houdek will take his place, serving as interim commissioner after Afable leaves.

The 20-year-old Kenosha man who bought the rifle used by Kyle Rittenhouse is asking that the charges against him be thrown out.  Dominick Black faces two counts of providing a firearm to a minor, resulting in death.  He bought the A-R-15-style rifle that Rittenhouse used to shoot three men during last year’s riots, killing two.  A jury decided last week that Rittenhouse had acted in self-defense.  Attorneys for Black say if the Illinois teenager could legally possess the rifle he used it wasn’t a crime for Black to give it to him.  Instead, Kenosha County Judge Bruce Schroeder has said he will set a new hearing date in January for Black.

An Edgerton doctor is going to prison for defrauding the Medicaid program.  Doctor Ravi Murali is sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for his role in a multi-million-dollar billing scam. Prosecutors say Murali wrote thousands of fake orders for 26-million dollars’ worth of medical equipment. Medicaid paid for half. Murali pleaded guilty in March.

Local-Regional News November 24

A Minnesota man will spend five years in federal prison for dealing methamphetamine in western Wisconsin.   Twenty-five-year-old Zakaree Stelzer was pulled over last December in Buffalo County and deputies found a toolbox in the trunk that contained more than a pound of meth. Stelzer and his passenger - Doua Moa- were both wanted on arrest warrants.  Investigators say they admitted to buying the drugs in the Twin Cities and planned to sell the meth in the Wisconsin Rapids area.   The judge said that Stelzer’s possession of a “staggering amount” of methamphetamine was troubling.  Moua was sentenced to six years last month.

Some area health providers will be receiving a portion of $28 million in American Rescue Plan funding from the US Department of Health and Human Services.    The payments are being distributed to providers and suppliers who serve rural Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Medicare beneficiaries. These payments will help provide relief to rural providers who have faced significant financial pressure during the COVID-19 pandemic.   Advent Health in Durand is receiving $3100,000, Elmwood Ambulance Service,$3614 and the Elmwood Nursing Home is receiving a payment of $48,505.

Chippewa Falls police are seeking a funding source to pay for the purchase of a new, high-tech drone.  Police Chief Matthew Kelm told city council members the drone, its camera, and battery would cost about 75-hundred dollars.  When he brought up the idea last summer Kelm said the drone would help document crime scenes and vehicle collisions, helping eliminate risks by remotely checking hidden areas and blind spots.  It would also be used in search and rescue assignments.  The Chippewa Falls Police Department Alumni Association is trying to raise enough money to buy the drone – then, the department hopes the city would be able to cover the cost of maintenance and training for operators.

Authorities in southeastern Minnesota are investigating the shooting death of a dog near Rochester.  The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office says the Alaskan Malamute went missing Saturday and was found dead Sunday morning by its owners on a neighbor's property.   The owners live in the Douglas Township area.   Deputies say the dog was apparently shot by someone hunting on the neighboring property and was dragged to a ravine.    The Minnesota D-N-R is helping with the case.

Wisconsin's deer harvest on opening weekend of the firearms season is down compared to last year.  The Department of Natural Resources say hunters took 85-thousand-860 deer last weekend - which is about 14-thousand fewer than the 99-thousand-832 harvested in 2020.  Wisconsin hunters shot 47-thousand-529 bucks or about seven percent fewer than opening weekend last fall.  The D-N-R says the Northern Forest Zone saw one-thousand-339 more deer harvested this year than on opening weekend than in 2020.  There was a nearly four-percent increase in out-of-state hunters on opening weekend.

Wisconsin Department of Corrections Secretary Kevin Carr says the state’s juvenile prisons for boys and girls in Irma can’t close for at least four years – and possibly much longer.  Carr says the delay is caused by the Legislature’s failure to provide funding to build new facilities.  He told the Journal Sentinel the lack of money means dozens of juvenile offenders will continue to be held at the Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls for the foreseeable future.  Lawmakers said they would close the facilities by July of this year, but no plan to accomplish that goal has ever been approved.  Recent reports by a monitor indicate the atmosphere is much-improved at Lincoln Hills after reports of abuse and numerous lawsuits.

 A spokesperson for Triple-A Wisconsin says it remains to be seen if the release of 50-million barrels of oil from the country’s strategic oil reserves has the intended effect.  The Biden administration authorized the release Tuesday.  Triple-A’s Nick Jarmusz says we won’t really know what the effect will be for another week or so.  The average price for a gallon of regular gas was three dollars, 11-cents Tuesday in Wisconsin.  The national average was three-40 a gallon. 

 The Minnesota State Fair is holding a flash sale today on 2022 admission tickets.  They are 12 dollars each for all visitors age five and older.  There is a limit of eight tickets per person.  Regular gate admission will cost 16 dollars next summer.  The 2022 Minnesota State Fair runs August 25th through September 5th.

La Crosse school officials say Logan High School is safe but a “concerning Snapchat message” is still being investigated.  In the message, a student threatened to shoot other students and staff members after the Thanksgiving break.  The district is telling families it is working with law enforcement to identify the sender of the threat.  The email from the district indicates it has information that it expects to help lead investigators to the person.  The message promised eight students and two teachers would be killed after the holiday break.

The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office now wants to know why the bail was so low for the man accused of driving an S-U-V into the Waukesha Christmas Parade Sunday, killing five people.  Darrell Brooks had been released five days before the incident on a one-thousand-dollar bail – despite being charged with two felonies and three misdemeanors.  Prosecutors asked for that “inappropriately low” amount while Brooks was already out on bail from a previous arrest for serious charges like recklessly endangering safety.  A statement from D-A John Chisholm is critical of his office’s low bail recommendation.  Brooks is expected to face five counts of first-degree intentional homicide for the Sunday incident.

The social media manager for the Democratic Party of DuPage County, Illinois has been fired for what are being called “callous and reprehensible” tweets.  Mary Lemanski compared the driver who’s accused of killing five people and injuring 48 at the Waukesha Christmas Parade to Kyle Rittenhouse.  Lemanski speculated, “It was probably just self-defense.”  A Wisconsin jury found that Rittenhouse acted in self-defense when he shot and killed two men and wounded a third during last year’s rioting in Kenosha.  Lemanski also tweeted she believes in karma and suggested it came around quickly on the citizens of Wisconsin.

The Grant County Sheriff’s Office is sharing more information about last week’s fatal shooting.  A Monday news release says deputies responded to the area in the Village of Potosi when dispatchers got a 9-1-1 call and they could hear what sounded like an argument.  Deputies spent some time trying to find the home where the call originated, then they heard a gunshot and a woman’s scream, followed by a second shot.  Investigators say 47-year-old Aaron Osthoff of Dubuque, Iowa forced his way into the home at about 3:30 a-m, shot the woman, then shot himself to death.  Her name hasn’t been released.  The woman is listed in stable condition at a hospital and Osthoff is dead.

Minnesota researchers are evaluating the results of major work done over the last decade on restoring trout streams.  Countering erosion is the core aim of most projects.  Scientists are checking to see if the trout have returned, but the state also needs to know if realigning creeks has upset their natural connection with groundwater sources or has accidentally made some of the problems worse.  The job isn’t done.  More streams will be realigned in the years to come as they wash away land near homes, roads, bridges, and businesses.

 Students at the University of Wisconsin-Stout can learn how to find an off-campus apartment, handle their own simple car maintenance, and be responsible for their own financial health.  An instructional program called “Adulting 101” is designed to help them develop skills they may need outside of school.  The series was created by the university’s Involvement Center about five years ago.  The next lesson is scheduled for December 1st at the Memorial Student Center.  It will include information on household basics and useful items to keep in a home.

Local-Regional News November 23

 Three people were injured in a two-vehicle accident in Hay River Township Monday afternoon.  According to the Dunn County Sheriff's Department,  a vehicle with two occupants was eastbound on 980th avenue when they collied head-on with a westbound vehicle.  The two occupants were freed from the burning vehicle by Sheriff's Deputies and med-flighted to an area hospital with serious injuries.  The other driver was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.   That accident is under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriff's Department and Wisconsin State Patrol.

A longtime leader of the Pierce County Fair is retiring.  Ann Webb has been manager of the fair for 23yrs and announced she will be retiring as fair manager effective January 3.  Webb says while she will miss the fair, she is looking forward to traveling, gardening, golfing, and volunteering.  The fair board will begin a search for a new fair manager that is expected to be hired in early 2022.  

A man who was just driving by is being given credit for saving the life of a 78-year-old woman by dragging her out of her burning home.  Authorities say the incident happened at about 10:00 p-m in a rural area near New Richmond.  Lee Bottem says he was driving to his cabin when he saw the flames.  Bottem forced his way inside, grabbed the woman named Bernice, and carried her out through the rubble, flames, and heavy smoke.  The Deer Park Fire Department says the woman’s bedroom was on the opposite side from the home’s garage – where the fire started.

A man accused of the sexual assault of a child is getting a new judge.  La Crosse County Judge Todd Bjerke was listed Friday as the responsible official, replacing Judge Elliott Levine.  Joseph Poterucha is facing three counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child under the age of 13.  Those charges were filed last month against the 40-year-old La Crosse pediatrician.  The Mayo Clinic Health System says Poterucha has been placed on administrative leave.

Target has announced that its stores will be closed for Thanksgiving, and that's probably good in multiple ways. Madison College marketing professor Steve Noll says it's a sound business practice, and not just for the feel-good reasons.   Noll says Target has easily been able to make up the difference thanks to improvements and their online shopping system, and that the general model of Black Friday as a whole is slowly starting to fall out of favor.

A Lewiston man is recovering from injuries suffered in a deer hunting accident in southeastern Minnesota.   The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office says the man was accidentally shot in the leg while hunting with a group Saturday near Viola Township.  Deputies say some of them were driving deer towards the victim and others when several hunters opened fire.  Investigators were told 48 shots were fired and one round struck the victim in the calf.  It is unknown which hunter hit the victim.

AAA and Wisconsin State Patrol predict that Thanksgiving travel this year could be bouncing back to pre-pandemic levels.   According to AAA more than 53.5 million people are expected to travel nationwide.   It's estimated that about 1 million Wisconsinites will travel for Thanksgiving, up almost 13% from 2020's numbers.   Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday following will be the two busiest travel days.

The political tug-of-war between Republican lawmakers and Madison city officials is finally over.  Auditors from the Legislature were able to spend about eight hours Thursday reviewing election records at Madison City Hall.  A report issued last week didn’t question the final results of the November election, but it was pointed out that Madison didn’t let those auditors handle the ballots.  Republican leaders issued a subpoena demanding access and City clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl opened the door to last week’s session.

Around 400 Minnesota National Guard members are being activated to support long-term care facilities experiencing staffing shortages due to COVID-19.   Governor Tim Walz says the Guard is forming skilled nursing "response teams" to assist the state's health care industry.  Walz is also proposing to provide 50-million dollars in federal funding to nursing homes to help with the hiring and retention of staff. The Minnesota soldiers will start training as certified nursing assistants and as temporary nursing aides over the next week.    There are about 23-thousand job openings in Minnesota for long-term caregiver

A La Crosse man accused of threatening his former employer is scheduled to return to court in December.  West Salem police say Travis Householder was taken into custody on November 2nd.  He had recently been fired and was accused of sending threatening messages to a person working at the company.  The victim says Householder threatened to murder his family and make him watch.  Householder is also accused of threatening two other employees at the company.  He’s being held in the La Crosse County Jail.

Plans to build a new 145-million-dollar wastewater treatment plant in Hastings could open the door to new development along the city’s downtown riverfront.  The new plant could be in operation by 2027.  City officials say having the current plant at its location isn’t optimal.  It’s been there for 66 years.  The new site would allow for future expansion and will startup with more than four times the current capacity.  When the current site goes offline, that riverfront property could be home to new apartments and businesses.

Deer hunters are being asked to help in the search of dozens of missing people in Wisconsin. Wisconsin Missing Persons Advocacy is asking hunters to be on the look-out for human remains out in the fields and woods. The traditional nine-day gun deer season is underway. Missing Persons says 46 people are listed as missing in Wisconsin, they want their remains found to give their families closure. 

Be careful before you buy those gifts on Black Friday. That's the message from state Consumer Protection. Director Michael Domke says you need to be aware of a store's guidelines on returns and gifting.  As ever, Domke says it's buyer beware once you're leaving established websites or stores. Also be aware of fake items being listed on places like Amazon, eBay or Walmart. Take a look at the seller and check reviews before putting down your cash.

An elk was killed during the opening weekend of the gun deer season.   It happened in Columbia County. Department of Natural Resources wardens say they’re looking for who did it. It’s illegal to kill an elk outside of elk season. Whoever pulled the trigger will be fined, and could face misdemeanor criminal charges. 

Some Milwaukee Bucks fans have a piece of the championship court.  The Bucks gave away pieces of last year’s floor at Saturday night’s game. Each piece comes with documentation that says where it came from. While some Bucks fans say they will cherish their piece of the championship, others wasted no time were selling theirs. Pieces of the floor were already selling on eBay for as much as 100 dollars by halftime.

Local-Regional News November 22

 The City of Mondovi is expected to close on the purchase of property from Schmidtknect Farms in early December.  Last week the council approved amending the purchase agreement to have the closing in December as the certified survey map of the property was not completed until last week.  The property purchase is part of the wastewater treatment plant project.

The Pepin County Sheriff’s Office will be hosting an open house next week for Pepin County elected officials and important decision-makers to come and experience a MILO M-STATS (Mobile-Situational Awareness Training System) simulator. The simulator is an evidence-based interactive learning solution that helps teach law enforcement officers how to navigate through the use of force continuum options safely and effectively. The system uses a system of computers, cameras, and display screens that allow for participants to utilize realistic pepper spray, taser, handguns, and rifles.

 

A one-and-a-half-million dollar purchase agreement has been reached for development in Eau Claire’s Cannery District.  Plans call for the construction of 260 units in two apartment buildings.  Rents for those apartments will range from 900 dollars to three thousand dollars a month.  Acknowledging a need for affordable housing, 10 of the units will be priced at 60-percent of the median family income in Eau Claire County – or 900 dollars.  The next step for the project is a vote by the Eau Claire City Council on the use of five-million dollars in tax increment financing next Tuesday.  The developer hopes to start construction next summer.

The group Stepping Stones of Dunn County is working on plans for the construction of a new homeless shelter on property owned by the organization.  The 5800 square foot building could house up to 20 people in single-bed rooms, and there would be a laundry room, secure storage, and a small kitchen and dining area.  The building would also house a community resource office and staff offices.  The cost of the project is $1.5 million and if the money can be raised construction would begin next year with the facility opening in 2023.

More than a thousand acres of wetlands are in the middle of the city, but Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh President Chuck Lee says that used to be much more extensive.  La Crosse is said to be investing time and effort to restore the river marsh.  Lee says the marsh has changed dramatically over the last 150 years.  He says that has been caused by the intrusion of the growing city, but also due to climate change.  The La Crosse Parks Department is working on a plan to restore the area to a more natural environment.  Officials say that will hopefully slow the changes to the area.  No timeline has been offered yet.  It will depend on securing additional funding from outside sources.

Rep. Ron Kind announced that he joined over 50 of his colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) urging the agency to take immediate action to enable U.S. civilian airports to use PFAS-free firefighting foam.   The 2018 FAA Reauthorization bill made it so that as of October 4, 2021, FAA could no longer require that civilian airports use firefighting foams containing toxic PFAS chemicals. However, because FAA has not authorized the use of any alternative PFAS-free foams, airports are not currently able to make the switch. The letter clarifies that Congress’ original intent of Section 332 was to trigger actions by the FAA so airports would have the option to begin using PFAS-free firefighting foam by October 4, 2021.  

There's a lot of talk about pain at the gas pump right now, but the average price is down two cents a gallon in Wisconsin this week.  Triple-A said Friday the cost of regular unleaded is three-dollars-and-12-cents.  The national average is 29 cents higher at three-41 a gallon.  Drivers are paying three-12 a gallon in Milwaukee, three-oh-eight in Madison and Green Bay, and three-15 in Racine.  The price at the pump is three-oh-two in Oshkosh, three-14 in Eau Claire, and three-18 in La Crosse.

A Jefferson County judge says the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources violated the law by not immediately scheduling a wolf hunt when federal protections were removed.  An injunction was issued last week by Jefferson County Judge Bennett Brantmeier.  He ruled the state has to hold a hunt immediately any time the federal protections are lifted during the statutory hunting season that runs from November through February.  Brantmeier’s ruling comes from a lawsuit filed by Kansas-based Hunter Nation.  For now, wolf hunting in Wisconsin has been paused while a Dane County judge considers another suit filed by wildlife advocacy groups last summer.

The House voted on the two trillion dollar bill after Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s eight-hour delaying speech. Wisconsin Republican Mike Gallagher says “the war on common sense has reached a new low with this crazy bill.” He cites a Congressional Budget Office report that Build Back Better will add more than 360 billion to the deficit. Democrat Ron Kind promised it will create millions of good-paying jobs, lower costs for working families, and rebuild the middle-class backbone of our nation – all without adding to the deficit.

Wisconsin’s largest business group says workers will quit if they’re required to get a coronavirus shot.   Nearly 90-percent of businesses polled by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce say they’ll lose workers if President Biden’s vaccine mandate for large private employers is enforced. W-M-C says workers tell them they’ll either quit, retire, or find a job at a smaller business not covered by the mandate. W-M-C says the mandate will make Wisconsin’s worker shortage worse. Federal workplace safety regulators say they’re holding off on enforcing the mandate for now. 

Minnesota House Democrats are outlining their plan to redraw legislative district boundaries based on the 2020 census.  Representative Mary Murphy from Hermantown says we have to take the full population of the state of Minnesota and turn it into 134 House districts that are compact and fair.  Republicans have much different ideas about how districts should be drawn.  Analysts say because control of the legislature is split between the two parties, a final decision will likely be left to the Minnesota courts

 Republican state Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt is accusing the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction of fudging the numbers on the report card for schools.  Thiesfeldt is chairman of the Assembly Committee on Education.  He says the D-P-I altered the accountability rating categories to make it easier for schools to earn a higher rating.  Thiesfeldt accuses Superintendent Jill Underly and the agency of manipulating the numbers and misleading Wisconsin parents and taxpayers.  In a news release, he says, “Students are best served when parents are told the truth.”

Wisconsin’s economy is doing a little bit better than first thought.  The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development’s revised numbers show unemployment in the state fell to three-point-four percent in September, and three-point-two percent in October. D-W-D originally put the unemployment rate at three-point-nine percent, which is where Wisconsin had been for months. D-W-D says a mix-up at the federal level based on numbers from Michigan caused Wisconsin’s jobless numbers to be off. September was the first month when enhanced unemployment benefits expired. 

The 13th annual "Give to the Max" Day Thursday in Minnesota set a record for more than 64-hundred non-profits and schools around the state.  The 24-hour online campaign raised over 34-point-three million dollars.  Give M-N Executive Director Jake Blumberg says every year we are just blown away by the generosity of donors, not just across every county in the state of Minnesota, but every state and thousands of countries worldwide to support Minnesota causes.  This is the sixth year in a row for record contributions.

One of the songwriters for Schoolhouse Rock is dead.  The New York Times confirmed that St. Paul native Dave Frishberg died Wednesday at the age of 88.  The cause of death is unknown at this time.  Frishberg attended St. Paul Central High School and the University of Minnesota before making a name for himself on the Twin Cities jazz scene.  His most famous works were the tune he contributed for Schoolhouse Rock, including the popular song "I'm Just A Bill."

The 2021 “State of Lung Cancer” report shows that Minnesota ranks fourth in the nation for the five-year survival rate after initially being diagnosed.  The American Lung Association in Minnesota's Pat McKone says we are definitely making strides, but this is a marathon, and we can speed up the pace.  Lung cancer kills more men and women than any other type of cancer.  The five-year survival rate increased 14-and-a-half percent nationally to 23-point-seven percent yet remains significantly lower among communities of color.  Only Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York have a better five-year survival rate than Minnesota.

 The U-S Navy has approved changes to the littoral combat ships built by Fincantieri Marinette Marine.  The changes were made after problems were discovered with gears in the ships’ propulsion systems.  That is leading to a Navy decision to delay the commissioning of the U-S-S Minneapolis-St. Paul which was launched in 2019.  Five more of the shallow-water ships are still under construction.

Local-Regional News November 17

 The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include a public hearing on the 2022 City Budget, which the council will discuss and take action on after the hearing.  Other items on the agenda include the mayor's and city department head reports and the council will discuss a plan to reconstruct the Tarrant Park Pool.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall.

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion of the 2021-2022 State Report Card, discussion and possible action on out-of-state travel for the district, and updates from Superintendent Doverspike and school administrators.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6pm in the board room at Durand High School.

The Mondovi City Council has approved the 2022 city budget.  The budget includes an increase of $5481 in the city tax levy to $923,966.  For city taxpayers, the city portion of your property tax bill is 27%.  For the coming year, Buffalo County increased city property taxes by 13,675 and is 24% of the tax bill, The Mondovi School District increased city property taxes by $34,625 which is 45% of the tax bill, and CVTC decreased city property taxes by $6619 and is 4% of a city resident's total property tax bill.  

A West Allis person was arrested last Friday in Dunn County for operating a motor vehicle under the influence, 5th offense.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, troopers pulled over 47yr old Rene Sosa for traveling 89 in a 70mph zone on I-94 eastbound near milepost 32.  After conducting field sobriety tests, Sosa was arrested and taken to the Dunn County Jail.

Wisconsin Democrats say their “Forward on Climate” package of bills will create jobs, reduce inequality, and fight climate change.  Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes was present Monday as the package was unveiled.  State Representative Greta Neubauer and state Senator Jeff Smith are co-sponsors of the 22-bill package.  Neubauer says climate change “is a crisis,” but she says “it’s also an opportunity for Wisconsin.”  Barnes spoke in support of the legislation, saying action on climate change is important.

 It could be weeks – or even months – before the Wisconsin Supreme Court makes a ruling on the sales tax collected in Brown County.  The justices debated its legality Tuesday and the ruling could have statewide implications on how county boards spend those revenues.  Sixty-eight of Wisconsin’s 72 counties have a county sales tax.  Brown County’s half-cent tax was implemented three years ago to fund the new Resch Expo Center, road and infrastructure improvements, the county jail, museum, libraries, and parks.  The Brown County Taxpayers Association has challenged the tax, arguing it is illegal because Wisconsin state law doesn’t allow taxes to be collected for new spending.

Bipartisan legislation being offered at the Capitol would establish a statewide penalty for possessing up to 14 grams of cannabis to a one hundred dollar civil forfeiture.   Possession of between half an ounce and an ounce of marijuana would be a misdemeanor, while possession of over an ounce would see no change. The bill also ends the repeat offense enhancement for possession of less than a half-ounce.

Wisconsin star-gazers will be outside early Friday morning searching the skies for a partial lunar eclipse.  It will begin at 1:20 a-m and peak moon coverage will be visible at 3:03 a-m.  A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth’s shadow blocks the sun’s light on the moon.  Astronomers say the event will be more than 99-percent visible in the state and sky conditions are going to be clear for the duration.  This will be the longest partial lunar eclipse in more than 580 years.  The eclipse will end at 4:00 a-m.

Monday’s meeting of the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education was focused on safety.  It’s been a challenging fall semester for students and staff at the city’s East High School.  Students walked out of class last month for a girl who was sexually assaulted at a party.  Then, last week, more than a dozen Madison police officers responded to a call about a lunchtime fight.  Some parents are calling for the return of school resource officers.  The S-R-O program was ended last year.  The district says its new safety plan includes having more staff present at East High School.

A candidate for governor is suing the Wisconsin Elections Commission.  Rebecca Kleefisch is asking the court to suspend the guidance the commission gave to local election officials during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Kleefisch argues the W-E-C violated the law last year when it allowed those clerks to consolidate polling places for the spring election.  Several cities made major reductions in the number of polling locations due to public health concerns over the COVID-19 virus and a lack of poll workers.  The Legislative Audit Bureau has issued a report finding no evidence of election fraud, but it did make recommendations for improvements.

October home sales in Minnesota were 16 percent lower than the same month in 2020, which was part of a "banner" fall-into-winter season for real estate.  But despite the return to a more typical seasonal slowdown, Chris Galler  with Minnesota Realtors says even through the winter months we're anticipating that there'll be brisk sales, compared to what we would usually have at this time of the year.  Galler says there are still problems because the inventory of homes on the market can't meet buyer demand.  He says employment is strong and wages are up -- but the "big wild card" is whether the Federal Reserve will increase interest rates in a time of inflation.

Deer hunters are being urged to bring a face mask with them this season.   Hunting guidelines from the Department of Health Services include a warning about the coronavirus. D-H-S says hunters should wear a face mask while processing deer to cut down any chance of spreading the virus. There are reports of the coronavirus in some deer across the Midwest, although there’s no evidence of any deer-to-human transmission.

The clock is running on redistricting bills passed by the Wisconsin Legislature last week. Governor Evers says he wants Republican legislative leaders to forward him the bills, which redraw Wisconsin’s legislative and congressional districts. The Democratic governor will have seven days to act once he receives them. Evers has already pledged to veto the Republican maps, which will throw redistricting to either a federal court or the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

A three-year-old child has been returned home safely after wandering off after seeing emergency lights and hearing sirens.  The child apparently became disoriented while walking toward the fire trucks and other emergency responders.  Beaver Dam police located the child just after midnight Monday and reunited it with its family.  Several agencies and community members worked together to resolve the situation.

Local-Regional News November 16

 Equipment failure at the Rock Elm Substation was the cause of yesterday's power outage.  Xcel Energy said the outage affected 3700 customers for just over an hour across portions of Pepin, Pierce, and Dunn Counties.    The outage caused area schools to delay the start of school for 2hrs.

The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include the annual budget meeting and discussion and approval of the 2022 budget,  discussion and possible action on the sale of industrial park lot 5 to Randall Graese Transport, and approval of the certified survey map for Schmidtknecht road.  Tonight's meeting including the Public Hearing on the budget starts at 5:30 at the Marten Center in Mondovi.

The West Central Wisconsin Workforce Development Board which serves Pepin, Pierce, Dunn, and Eau Claire Counties has received a $2 million grant to provide on-the-job training with higher wage subsidies than currently offered by previous programs, as well as the academy style training, Manufacturing Works and Healthcare Works. Targeted participants will include justice-involved individuals, non-custodial parents, long-term unemployed, tribal members, individuals with disabilities, retired individuals, and individuals unable to enter/reenter the workforce due to limited childcare options. The focus will be on jobs leading to economic self-sufficiency and sustainable wages.  The grant is part of $20 million in grants awarded by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in partnership with neighboring state and federal agencies will take further action to reduce the number of invasive carp in the Mississippi River.  Additional actions include increasing commercial netting operations, tracking tagged carp and ongoing use of the innovative Modified Unified Method (MUM), a tactic that involves driving fish towards a series of smaller and smaller areas until they are netted out of the water.  Continued efforts follow a successful second invasive carp removal effort on Oct. 25-29 in Pool 8 of the Mississippi River near La Crosse.

 A registered sex offender is accused of more sex crimes against children in Eau Claire County.  Michael Steindl was convicted for the first time in 1994 and has been on the sex offender registration list for nearly 20 years.  He was charged Monday with five counts of possessing child pornography.  Eau Claire police got a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that child porn images had been associated with a phone number belonging to Steindl.  He told officers they likely came from malware and ads.  Steindl has a follow-up hearing set for December 28th

Wisconsin stands to receive five-point-two-billion dollars as part of the federal infrastructure bill signed by the president Monday.  Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Craig Thompson says improvement work on the state’s bridges and highways is long overdue.  Thompson says Wisconsin went for a generation without increasing funding for transportation projects.  He says the construction work will also create jobs for Wisconsin workers.  This state has 979 bridges and nearly two thousand miles of highway rated in poor condition.

A Minneapolis man is accused of threatening to kill a T-S-A employee at M-S-P Airport and trying to assault the worker and law enforcement. Forty-four-year-old Frank Towers is charged with fourth-degree assault on a peace officer and threats of violence.  Police say Towers was yelling in the Skyway checkpoint area of the airport Friday that he was going to kill a T-S-A   employee. Officers say Towers was swinging a stanchion line post before throwing it at the employee.   The camera shows him headbutting T-V screens and removing his clothing. When asked to stop, Towers replied he "did not have to stop... it's a free country."

The Oregon School District says it is working with local police and the Department of Justice on the investigation of some “obscene” social media posts.  A website using pictures from students’ social media profiles is accused of creating “threatening” posts.  The district sent an email to families last September about the problem.  Oregon police investigated and found they were unable to shut the website down or remove the pictures.  The site’s server is in a foreign country.  More photos have been added since then.  Local officials say they are working with the Justice Department.

U-S Justice Department attorneys will have to defend the ending of federal protections for gray wolves in front of a California judge.  The first hearing was held Friday.  In the closing days of the Trump administration, federal protections for those wolves were lifted.  In response, Republican-led states like Wisconsin started efforts to reduce the number of wolves through aggressive hunting and trapping.  Wildlife advocates say those hunts could reverse the gray wolf’s recovery in the West and Midwest.  They asked that the protections be restored under the Endangered Species Act.

The U-S Department of Housing and Urban Development is presenting 74-million dollars in block grants for tribal communities.  Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman says the federal agency worked closely with leaders in 68 tribal communities on the COVID relief plan.  The funds can be used to help protect the health and safety of the tribes, particularly low and moderate-income individuals and families – helping with access to housing, a suitable living environment, and economic opportunities.  Minnesota’s share of the block grants hasn’t been specified.

Democrats on the state Assembly Elections Committee say Michael Gableman is seeking to meet with them privately, to discuss his investigation of the 2020 election. Representative Mark Spreitzer of Beloit says that’s not happening.  Gableman declined to say who's working for him during his testimony last week before the committee.

 The International Institute of Minnesota says about 250 Afghan refugees will arrive in the state over the next three weeks.  Those Afghans arrived at U-S military bases in September and they have now completed health and security clearances.  Now there is a rush of refugees being resettled.  The Institute has already resettled 250 Afghans, but this latest group will have to be situated much more quickly – in less than a month.  The agency says it needs financial donations to pay for the extra support staff, plus new housing, furnishings, and funding for case management.

After Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison made it official he will seek a second term, his top Republican challenger was quick to criticize the conduct of Ellison throughout his first term. Doug Wardlow, the Republican candidate for Minnesota Attorney General, says Ellison's tenure as Attorney General has "been a disaster for all Minnesotans." Wardlow also accused Ellison of fostering a "climate of lawlessness" that he says has led to a spike in crime statewide. Wardlow lost to Ellison in his first bid for A-G during the 2018 election.

 The Packers will offer 300-thousand shares of stock starting at 8:00 A-M tomorrow. Fans can check out the details on the Packers website. Each share will cost 300-dollars plus a handling fee. The public ownership of the team is unique in the N-F-L. The stock offer is available only to people in the United States and its territories with a limit of 200 shares.

Local-Regional News November 12

 The Plum City School District is looking for district residents interested in participating in a strategic planning committee for the district.    The committee will work on developing a strategic plan for the district.  Those interested in volunteering should contact Brian Nadeau at 715-317-7002.

Two Pepin County Organizations have received grants from the state's tourism grant program.   Pepin County Economic Development received a grant of $7785, while the Stockholm Area Merchants Association received a $5552 grant from the DMO program recently announced by the state.  The grants will be used to advertise to surrounding communities not only to visit but also to find employment in Pepin County.   An employment page will be added to the Pepin County Website where job listings in the county can be posted.

Residents receiving a text message about limited t-shirts for sale representing the Eau Claire Fire Department is a scam.  Eau Claire  Deputy Fire Chief says the department has nothing to do with the messages and you should not click the link included in the message.    Other departments in Western Wisconsin have also been included in the spam messages.

 A La Crosse County jury has found a 29-year-old man guilty of first-degree intentional homicide.  The jury issued its verdict Wednesday in the 2019 killing of 18-year-old Javier Hall.  Shavonte Thompson was arrested in Peoria, Illinois last year.  A pre-sentencing investigation will be completed before Thompson is sentenced in La Crosse County Circuit Court in early January.  He is being held on a one-million-dollar cash bond.

The State Capitol Holiday/Christmas tree is set to return to the rotunda this year.  Governor Evers’ office says the tree will return, and the theme will be “Hometown for the Holidays.” There was no tree in the rotunda last year because the capitol building was closed to the public at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. A pair of state lawmakers tried putting up their own trees, which led to a bit of a controversy. While the governor calls the evergreen a “holiday tree,” Republican lawmakers passed a resolution in 2019 officially declaring it a “Christmas tree.”

 The Wisconsin Legislature has given its final approval to Republican redistricting maps.  The Assembly voted 60-to-38 along party lines Thursday.  Democratic Governor Tony Evers has promised to veto the maps that were approved this week.  That means the issue of political district boundaries will be sent to the courts.  Democrats and other groups opposed to the Republican-drawn maps want lawmakers to consider the ones from the People’s Maps Commission, but 17 of the 38 Democrats in the Wisconsin Assembly say they don’t like those maps either.

Officials with the Spooner School District confirm that 44 people received medical treatment after a chemical odor forced the evacuation of the middle school Wednesday.  Witnesses say it smelled like epoxy.  Students and teachers reported they started feeling sick that morning.  Twenty-four students and 20 staff members were transported to hospitals for help.  Classes were canceled while the source of the odor is sought.  District officials say the middle school will be reopened when it is safe to do that.

A bill authorizing millions of dollars in state loans to keep a pair of closed paper mills viable has passed the Wisconsin Assembly.  The bill would provide a one million dollar grant to the Verso mill in Wisconsin Rapids, and a 15 million dollar loan guarantee for the Park Falls Pulp and Papermill. The bill will still have to pass the state Senate and get signed by Governor Tony Evers.

 A Lake Mills police dog has led searchers to two missing children.  They were reported missing at about 3:00 p-m Wednesday when temperatures were in the low 50s.  Authorities were told the children, ages four and seven weren’t wearing clothes the last time they were seen.  The police dog named Truman and his handler found them near an empty trailer after tracking them through backyards, over the Glacier Drumlin Trail, and into the trailer park.  The kids were said to be “very cold,” but safe, and they were reunited with their family.

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Authorities in eastern Minnesota are searching for a missing Wisconsin mother of four children.  Thirty-three-year-old Ashley Miller of Grantsburg was last seen with her boyfriend on tribal land in Pine County almost two months ago.  Her car was found near Hinckley, Minnesota.  The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has joined the search.  A 20-thousand-dollar reward is being offered for information on where she might be.  The boyfriend is being held in jail in Burnett County on an unrelated probation violation charge.

 An Amtrak train slammed into an Amazon delivery truck at a crossing in Ixonia Tuesday afternoon.  No injuries were reported.  The Empire Building train was en route from Seattle and Portland to Milwaukee and Chicago.  The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reports the delivery truck was hit while it tried to cross the tracks on River Valley Road at about 1:30 p-m.  The truck driver was taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution.  The 129 train passengers and 12 crew members reported feeling a “jolt,” but say they “didn’t think much of it.”  One passenger told W-I-S-N Television the train “kind of rolled to a stop.”  After the train and track were inspected, it continued its route to Chicago.

A prisoner managed to get away from a private contractor at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport on Tuesday   Robert Johnson Junior was being transported from Laredo, Texas to Rock County. Johnson has an extensive criminal record and is currently facing charges of aggravated assault and burglary.  Anyone who sees the fugitive is urged to call 9-1-1 immediately. The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office hasn’t said how Johnson managed to get free during the transport.

A continuing spike in cases of COVID-19 could have an impact on how we spend the upcoming holiday season.  The state Health Department's Kris Ehresmann says we are encouraging all Minnesotans to think carefully about their holiday plans, C-D-C recently updated their holiday guidance to reflect the changing landscape that we find ourselves in.  Ehresmann says the delta variant is driving Minnesota's COVID case numbers to an "alarmingly high level."  And she says hospitals remain crowded and there are still many Minnesotans who do not have vaccine protection.  More than 51-hundred new COVID cases were reported today (Thursday) in Minnesota.

A former Waukesha County Board member is charged with a felony.  An investigation finds former Waukesha County supervisor Kathleen Cummings didn’t live in the district she represented for nearly a decade.  Investigators say while she owned a home in her district, she didn’t live there.  Prosecutors Wednesday filed five charges of what’s called “false swearing” against Cummings.  She resigned from her seats on the Waukesha County Board and the Waukesha City Council earlier this week.

Harvest numbers are down in Minnesota heading into the second full weekend of the firearms deer season.  The D-N-R's Todd Froberg says it's somewhat surprising because license sales were only down one percent ... pretty consistent with last year for license sales, but the harvest was a little bit disappointing.  Froberg says perhaps more people were able to hunt last year due to the COVID pandemic.  He remains optimistic that those harvest numbers will rebound this weekend

Local-Regional News November 11

 A Rochester man, accused of killing his roommate and hiding the body has reached a plea bargain with Buffalo County prosecutors.  Randall Merrick, pleaded guilty to reckless homicide in Buffalo County Court on Tuesday.  Merrick was accused of killing Beth Johnson in Nelson in December of 2016 and then hiding the body in Blaine, Minnesota.    Merrick will be sentenced at a later date.

A federal judge has sentenced an Eau Claire man to 15 years in prison for his second child porn conviction.  Forty-nine-year-old Jay Liestman has already served three years in state prison for a 2014 child porn conviction.  In this latest case, Liestman was found guilty of sending the illegal product over the internet.  The U-S Attorney’s Office says he forwarded a link to hundreds of videos to an undercover agent.  Liestman entered a guilty plea to the charges last April.

A Barron County man, accused of killing his passenger in a vehicle crash during a high-speed chase has fled the country.  Mohamed Shire, was due in court on Tuesday but his attorney said he left the country.  In August Shire was pulled over for suspected drunk driving and he allegedly struggled with the sheriff's deputy, got back in the car, and fled.  He crashed a short time later and the passenger in his car was killed.

The Northern Wisconsin State Fair is expanding.    The fair association has launched a $5.2 million campaign to build five new buildings, including two cattle barns, a small animal barn, a coliseum for animal shows and includes showers, restrooms, and a FEMA designed safe room to be used during severe weather.    If the money can be raised, construction would begin next spring.

The remains found at Ft. McCoy has been identified.  The Monroe County Sheriff's Department says the remains are that of 45yr old Christopher Doeslaere.  According to the department, Doeslaere was involved in a high-speed chase with Sparta Police on September 10, and officers ended the pursuit on the west side of the city due to the reckless operation of  Doeslaere's motorcycle.   His remains were found November 6 by hunters at the fort in a remote area of the base outside of the gate or controlled access areas. 

The former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice investigating the 2020 presidential election has given state lawmakers an update.  Michael Gableman said his investigation is expanding and he accused some people of trying to obstruct his efforts.  Gableman says the investigation will now include the allegations last month from Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling.  Gableman says he’s going to look into electronic voting machines and the way the Wisconsin Elections Commission handled the November vote.  No official timetable for completion of the investigation was given, but Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has said it could be done by the end of this year.

Governor Tony Evers says the state is awarding 15-million dollars in grants to Destination Marketing Organizations across the state. E vers says Wisconsin tourism was one of the hardest-hit industries during the COVID pandemic, "but local folks at D-M-Os statewide have been innovative, and resilient, and "it's because of them that this industry is bouncing back and better."  A total of 120 organizations have received D-M-O grants ranging from two thousand to one-million dollars based on expenses incurred by eligible tourism promotion and tourism development organizations.

 Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce confirms that the growing demand for energy is going to drive heating prices higher this winter.  Speakers from the organization say the demand for energy since the pandemic is continuing to rise.  American Petroleum Institute V-P of Natural Gas Markets Dustin Meyer says demand peaks in winter.  That’s why there is so much concern about the November prices.  While the market is pushing those increases, the current inflation rate of five percent is also having an impact.

The Wisconsin Public Service Commission will award 100-million dollars in grants for the expansion of broadband internet service in the state.  The Wisconsin two-year budget plan approved in July set aside 129-million dollars for extending the service to underserved areas.  Governor Tony Evers says the COVID-19 pandemic deepened the digital divide across the state.  Evers says high-speed internet is essential to ensuring that families, communities, and the state bounce back from the pandemic.  Over the seven years since the State Broadband Expansion Grant Program started, 268 grants have been handed out to connect more than 20-thousand businesses and 296-thousand homes to high-speed internet.

Students walked out of class Tuesday at the Milwaukee High School of the Arts saying they don’t feel safe.  The students tell W-I-S-N Television they felt walking out was the only way to get the attention of school leaders.  They say nobody seems to be listening to their safety concerns.  Police have been called to the school 20 times in the last two months.  The school district discontinued its school resource officer program through the Milwaukee Police Department last year.  One student says there have been multiple shooting threats without anything being done.

The Department of Natural Resources says prices on recycled materials are up and that's a good thing for local municipalities. DNR recycling coordinator Jennifer Semrau says prices on the open market have rebounded thanks to increased demand and the current disruption in shipping.  Semrau says that's good news for local recycling plants which are getting more money from the materials they collect and sort from Wisconsin homes. 

Police in Texas reports the victim in a 1980 cold case murder is a teenage girl from Stillwater.  The Walker County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday that 14-year-old Sherri Ann Jarvis was murdered in Huntsville, Texas and her body was found on the side of a highway in November 1980.  Detectives say they were able to figure out Jarvis' identity with the help of D-N-A analysis.  In a statement, the Jarvis family thanked law enforcement in Texas for not giving up.  Sherri's killer has not been found.

Coronavirus activity in Wisconsin appears to be diminishing.   As of Monday, state health officials say only four counties have what’s called “critically high” COVID-19 activity. That number was closer to 20 just last month. Most of the rest of Wisconsin is considered to have “very high” coronavirus activity. That’s been the case for months. The counties with the lowest COVID-19 activity are Dane, Rock, and Milwaukee Counties, which the Department of Health Services considers to have “high” activity.

A trail camera in West Bend has captured the latest image of a cougar inside a populated area.  Twenty-year-old Matt Geldnich says he got a text alert to his cell phone Sunday during dinner with a picture taken by that camera.  Researchers at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources have confirmed that the animal is a cougar.  State officials say cougars have also been sighted in Waupaca County and Fond du Lac.  Cougars are protected species in Wisconsin and the D-N-R says people should stay away from one if they spot it.

Local-Regional News November 10

 Residents in the City of Durand will have a chance to speak on the proposed 2022 City Budget next week.  The Durand City Council is not meeting this week and instead will have their monthly meeting and budget meeting on November 17th.   Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the proposed budget will have about a 4% levy increase.  The meeting next week will be at 6:30 at Durand City Hall.    Meanwhile, residents in Mondovi will also have a chance to speak on their city's proposed budget on Tuesday, November 16th starting at 6:30 at the Marten Center in Mondovi.

As fuel costs continue to rise, the Durand Arkansaw School District is working to lock in fuel prices for heating this winter.  Superintendent Greg Doverspike says the district works with an independent contractor to lock in prices.  Experts are warning that heating costs could be 30-40% higher this winter.

Embezzlement charges have been dismissed in the case against the founder of an Eau Claire non-profit called Hope in the Valley.  Renelle Laffe was also co-director of the annual Dragon Boat Festival.  Laffe was accused of taking thousands of dollars.  Prosecutors made the motion and the cases were dismissed without prejudice Monday – meaning the charges could be refiled in the future.  Eau Claire police had accused Laffe of using donation money for her personal use.  Hope in the Valley raises funds and awareness for breast cancer.

A Democrat whose father once held the seat is running for Congress in western Wisconsin. Deb McGrath used to work in the State Department. She also served in the CIA and U.S. Army. She’s the fourth Democrat to enter the 3rd Congressional District race. The others are Brad Pfaff, Rebecca Cooke, and Brett Knudsen. McGrath's father was Al Baldus, who served three terms in Congress, mostly in the 1970s. Derrick Van Orden is the only Republican running so far. He lost a close race against outgoing Democrat Ron Kind last year. 

Authorities say 30-year-old LeKenneth Q. Miller is the man who was shot to death by Eau Claire police last week.  Officers were responding to a 9-1-1 call about a suspect breaking into a home last Wednesday afternoon.  Miller is accused of stabbing a woman who was inside the home.  A second woman managed to escape before the police arrived.  The officers say they entered the structure, saw Miller holding a knife, and shot him.  Life-saving efforts were unsuccessful and Miller died before he could be taken to a hospital.  The two officers involved have been identified as Officer Kristopher O’Neill with 24 years in law enforcement and Officer Jason Kaveney with 19 years of experience.  Both have been placed on administrative leave.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) confirm that a white-tailed deer from an Eau Claire County hunt ranch has tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD). Positive samples from a 3-year-old buck were confirmed by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa.  The herd of approximately 15 deer is under quarantine while an epidemiological investigation is conducted by DATCP and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) veterinarians and staff. The ranch was confirmed to have received the deer from a Waukesha County deer farm, which also has been placed under quarantine.

The Wisconsin Air National Guard is demoting the commander of the Volk Field Air Base.  Brigadier General David May removed Colonel Leslie Zyzda-Martin of her duties Monday, citing “lost confidence in her ability to command.”  Officials say investigations revealed issues with the command climate and allegations of misconduct, but they didn’t provide details.  General May said in a statement, "This is a very difficult decision, but it is the right thing to do in the best interest of Volk Field.”  Zyzda-Martin was named commander of the base in Juneau County in August of 2020.  Vice Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Tom Bauer, will lead the base until a new commander is named.

 U-S Senator Ron Johnson says he will decide about running for re-election over the “next couple of weeks.”  The Wisconsin Republican was responding to a question Tuesday during a town hall at Elkhorn Area High School.  That student was asking Johnson about his 2016 promise to retire from the Senate after he served two terms.  Johnson pointed to what he called the “dangerous and embarrassing surrender from Afghanistan” and an “administration that is showing weakness across the world” as reasons for him to run.

Triple-A estimates almost a million travelers from Wisconsin will go somewhere for Thanksgiving.  Experts are estimating that holiday travel will rebound to near pre-pandemic levels this year.  An increase of 13-percent is being projected.  About 95-thousand of the 954-thousand Wisconsin travelers will be flying.  Drivers are being told to expect gas prices to be much higher than last year.  The average price of a gallon of gas in Wisconsin was three dollars, 15-cents Monday.  During the Thanksgiving holiday last year, the average was just under two dollars.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is issuing an advisory to farmers who have conducted business with Fridley-based Pipeline Foods.  The company announced in July that it was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.  The M-D-A is encouraging anyone who has not received payment for grain or who had grain stored at any of Pipeline Foods’ facilities located in Minnesota to submit a bond claim with the department.  The deadline for claims is January 4th, 2022.  For more information visit mda-dot-state-dot-mn-dot-us-slash-grain.

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Elections officials from across the country are defending Wisconsin’s chief elections officer. Republican state lawmakers are calling for Meagan Wolfe to resign as administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission. They claim she mishandled aspects of the 2020 election and may have broken the law when the WEC voted to keep elections deputies out of nursing homes due to the coronavirus pandemic. A letter signed by 50 elections officials from around the country defends Wolfe. Elections officials from other states say efforts to force her out will weaken nonpartisan election administration in Wisconsin.

The executive director of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority is leaving state government for a position in the Biden administration.  Governor Tony Evers’ office made the announcement Monday.  Evers says Joaquin Altoro has been a tireless advocate for affordable housing in every zip code in the state.  Altoro has served in the position for the last two years.  WHEDA will operate under an internal transition team until a new C-E-O is appointed.

Wisconsin Transportation Secretary Craig Thompson says nearly half of Wisconsin’s almost one-thousand structurally deficient bridges are in Milwaukee County.  Thompson says the state has improved more than a thousand miles of roads and hundreds of bridges, but he says there’s still “a long way to go.”  Studies suggest roads and bridges in the state are so bad they are costing drivers money.  A federal report includes an estimate of 550-dollars-a-year when it comes to what the bad roads are costing in damage to cars.  Under the new federal infrastructure bill, Wisconsin would get about 225-million dollars for bridgework.

There's a first court appearance today (Tuesday 1:30 p-m) for a Minneapolis police officer accused of killing an innocent driver during a stolen vehicle chase.  Officer Brian Cummings is facing second-degree manslaughter and criminal vehicular homicide in the death of 40-year-old Leneal Frazier of St. Paul.  Investigators say Officer Cummings was going nearly 80 miles per hour when he slammed into Frazier's Jeep on July 6th.  Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Cummings' action deviated from his oath and his negligence caused the death of Frazier.

The Department of Workforce Development will use a three-million-dollar grant to upgrade and modernize its system at the Job Center of Wisconsin.  The grant was announced Monday.  The state agency says the money will be used to make major improvements in the internal case management system that helps job seekers find employment opportunities.  Wisconsin officials have pointed to the outdated, 50-year-old computer system as the cause for the slow response rate as applications were pouring in during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The upgrades are expected to be in place by late 2023.

Minnesota farmers can now apply for grants to help prevent wolf attacks on their livestock.    The Minnesota Department of Agriculture says a total of 60-thousand dollars in new funding will be awarded.  The grants provide reimbursement of costs for approved ways to prevent wolf-livestock conflicts.  The list includes the purchase of guard animals, installation of wolf barriers, calving or lambing shelter, and the installing of wolf-deterring lights and alarms.   The application deadline is January 24th.

Local-Regional News November 9

 One person was injured in a motorcycle accident in Maiden Rock Township Saturday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 27yr old Alexander Jackson of Zumbrota was traveling westbound on Hwy H at Hwy S when his rear tire locked up, causing Jackson to lose control of the motorcycle and overturn.  Jackson was med flighted to St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester.

One person was injured in a motorcycle accident in Diamond Bluff Township Saturday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 67yr old Michael Lenz of Cottage Grove was traveling northbound on Hwy 35 near Hwy O when he struck a deer, entered the north ditch, and was ejected from the motorcycle.  Lenz was taken to Red Wing Hospital.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Monday announced the Village of Elmwood is an applicant for funding through the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program to address deficiencies in its public drinking water system.  The project includes the replacement of lead service lines in the Village of Elmwood.   The SDWLP has determined that the project will not result in significant adverse environmental effects, and no further environmental review or analysis is needed before proceeding with funding the project.   The public is encouraged to submit comments regarding this decision and the potential environmental impacts of this project by November 22nd to the Wisconsin DNR.

 The family of Madalyn Zwiefelhofer has filed a suit against the driver convicted of causing a fatal 2018 crash in Lake Hallie.  The civil suit was filed last month in Chippewa County court.  It lists as defendants Colten Treu and two insurance companies.  Treu is serving a prison sentence for causing the accident that left four people dead.  Zwiefelhofer survived, but her family says she has permanent injuries that are “disabling” and “debilitating,” causing the family emotional distress.  Treu is serving a 54-year prison term for his conviction on four counts of homicide by intoxication.

The Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation, Inc. (WisTAF)  announced $3.3 million in civil legal aid grant awards that will be used by 19 nonprofit organizations in all regions of Wisconsin to protect people’s safety, livelihood, housing, and independence in the face of legal challenges.  Catholic Charities of the Dioceses of La Crosse is receiving a $15,000 grant from the foundation to serve Western Wisconsin.  That grant will be distributed in 2022.  WisTAF, a nonprofit organization established by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, is the state’s channel for general civil legal aid funding. In 2020, providers used WisTAF grants to assist more than 10,000 clients spread across every county in the state.

The sentence is 15 years in prison for a Cannon Falls who shot and killed his father in August of 2020.  Twenty-two-year-old Cole DeGroot pleaded guilty to murdering 56-year-old Terry DeGroot following an argument over a skid loader that got stuck in a creek on a farm where they were working. Investigators say the younger DeGroot rode a bike to his family's property, got a gun, and killed his father while he was sitting in the cab of the skid loader.   Deputies say the son called 9-1-1, saying he was "going to do something stupid" and shoot his dad.

 A Rochester man faces D-W-I and assault charges after authorities say he sideswiped a parked car, hit a stop sign and a fire hydrant, then crashed into the front of a Rochester house Saturday night. Authorities say 43-year-old Joshua Laber was still in the car when the occupants came out. He was arrested only after he attempted to run then kicked one of the officers in the knee. In 2020 Laber, a former police officer was charged with criminal sexual conduct for alleged inappropriate touching of a juvenile. He was charged with witness tampering in relation to that case after he tried to get the victim to change her story.

Both federal and state authorities are investigating the discovery of human remains at Fort McCoy.  The F-B-I is leading the investigation.  A spokesperson says there is no reason to believe the case is connected to any of the Afghan refugees or active duty personnel now living at the facility.  The Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office is conducting an autopsy to come up with positive identification of the remains.  They were found in a remote area of the military base Saturday.

Beginning early next year, United Airlines will no longer serve Central Wisconsin Airport. CWA Director Brian Grefe says one reason will be familiar – the worker shortage. Grefe says if you’re planning to fly out of CWA in January, you should be booking with an airline other than United. 

A missing woman has been found safe in Dodge County. Authorities say Amanda Bahr had disappeared earlier Sunday morning. The sheriff’s office reports it has taken Jesse Lafferty into custody. Lafferty had been a person of interest in Bahr’s disappearance. She went missing after a domestic incident in the Town of Lebanon. Officials were told the 32-year-old woman was potentially in danger. They say the case remains under investigation and it is expected that charges will be filed against Lafferty.

Governor Tony Evers is calling the Racine County sheriff’s demand for criminal charges against members of the Wisconsin Elections Commission an example of “bold partisanship.”  Sheriff Christopher Schmaling’s investigation focused on allegations from the families of eight nursing home residents.  They said their relatives cast ballots but didn’t have the mental capacity to do that knowingly.  Appearing on W-K-O-W Television’s “Capital City Sunday,” Evers said the sheriff’s support for former President Donald Trump is behind his decision to recommend the criminal charges be filed against five commission members.

Charges have been filed against a woman who pointed a fake gun at a Minnesota State Patrol trooper Saturday night.  The incident caused traffic to be shut down on Interstate 94.  It started when the trooper saw a driver leave a parking lot and turn the wrong way on a one-way street.  That same driver corrected her direction but drove erratically until she entered a closed construction zone.  When she finally stopped, he got out of her car and walked toward the trooper, pointing what looked like a handgun at the trooper.  She then got back in the car and drove away.  The woman in her 70s was finally taken into custody.  Her name hasn’t been released.

There's no data on missing and murdered indigenous women in Wisconsin.  That, says Oneida National Councilwoman Jennifer Webster, is why the crimes against those victims go unsolved.  Webster says it has been a problem for years.  She sits on a task force created by Attorney General Josh Kaul.  The task force has existed for more than a year and has conducted several meetings.  Despite that, there is no timetable for recommendations to be issued.  The federal government calls this a crisis.  Two laws have been passed but the Government Accountability Office says the U-S Department of Justice and the Department of Interior have failed to implement them.

The Green Bay area health care organization Prevea Health has terminated its partnership with Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.   The end of that relationship is effective immediately.   Rodgers served as a spokesperson at Prevea Health since 2012.  Prevea Health did not list a specific reason for ending the partnership with Rodgers, but it follows a week of controversy regarding Rodger's vaccine status and comments about the COVID-19 treatment.  

Wisconsin families will soon have a better idea of how their local public school district is spending taxpayer money.   A new state law signed Friday instructs school districts and the state to create a website that clearly shows how much money each district in Wisconsin gets, and how that money is spent. That information is already available, but it’s not necessarily easy to find or decipher. 

A Minnesota man says he was sitting down for lunch during his Cancun vacation when he found himself in the middle of a gun battle.  It happened last Thursday.  Ethan Forney says more than a dozen people started running up the beach yelling, “Run!”  Forney says he saw a man holding an assault rifle and he wound up locked in a storage room for more than an hour with hotel employees and other guests.  Mexican authorities say a group of drug gang gunmen executed two rival drug dealers on the beach.  One of the victims ran into a hotel before he died.

Local-Regional News November 8

 The Durand-Arkansaw School District is investing in a new software program that will monitor student use of the internet.  Superintendent Greg Doverspike says the new software will notify the administration if students search using certain keywords while using their chrome books at school.  The new software should be installed in the coming weeks.

Pepin County has closed on the sale of the old highway facility to Kwik Trip.   In August of 2020, the county and Kwik Trip closed in Escrow, but the county had to build the new facility, remove fuel tanks from the former site, obtain DNR release, and vacate the site by October 31, 2021.  Pepin County met the date and all documents and funds were released from Escrow on Friday, October 29th.  Thus, the sale “closed” on October 31, 2021, and ownership of the site has now been transferred to Kwik Trip.  The company will begin demolition of the old highway shop this month and is expected to open a new store by December 1 of 2022.

No one was injured in a fire at a hotel in Black River Falls yesterday.  According to the Black River Falls Fire Department, firefighters crews responded to a fire alarm at the Surestay Plus Hotel by Best Western near the interchange for Interstate 94 and Highway 54 east of Black River Falls in the Town of Brockway.  When they arrived staff was evacuating guests and smoke was reported in the basement where firefighters found a dryer had started on fire.  Damage was limited to the dryer and the area around the dryer.

A large search party spent much of the day Sunday searching once again for Ashley Miller Carlson, the missing Wisconsin woman last seen in late September near Hinckley. Carlson's vehicle was found on September 24th in Graces Lake. There was no sign of her seen around the lake. The 33-year-old mother of four had last been seen in the Lake Lena community in Pine County.

Pierce Pepin Cares, the charitable foundation of Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services (PPCS), recently awarded a $1000 grant to the local non-profit St. Croix Valley Sexual Assault Resource Team (SART). Pierce Pepin Cares is funded by PPCS members who round up their monthly bills to the nearest dollar through Operation Round Up®, as well as direct donations. St. Croix Valley SART received the grant to assist with general administration. SART provides medical exams, forensic evidence collection, education, and advocacy for survivors of all ages of interpersonal violence, human trafficking, and sexual exploitation. They serve five counties and partner with 11 hospitals.

Pepin County 4-H and Pepin School Family Resource Committee are teaming up to offer a Cultural Holiday Baking Camp. The baking camp will be through ZOOM, and will be baking together virtually.  There will be 4 sessions, every Tuesday from 6:30-7:30 p.m, from November 30th through December 21st.  You can attend one or all four.   For more information, contact Pepin Area Schools or Pepin County Extension Service.

Wisconsin Congressman Bryan Steil says he will continue voting against “wasteful spending.”  The Wisconsin Republican voted against the president’s one-trillion dollar infrastructure bill Friday night, saying it isn’t paid for and would fund what he calls “Green New Deal subsidies.”  Congressman Mark Pocan says the bill will give the U-S economy the jump-start it needs and put America back to work.  The Wisconsin Democrat voted for the measure that invests in public transit and expands access to broadband internet service.  Wisconsin 3rd District Congressman Ron Kind also voted in favor of the bill.   A few members of Congress jumped across party lines – with 13 House Republicans voting for it and six Democrats voting against.

The Wisconsin Senate is scheduled to vote on new legislative and congressional district maps today (Monday).  The Assembly vote is coming up Thursday.  The maps drawn by Republicans are said to be very similar to the political boundaries established after the 2010 U-S Census.  Democratic Governor Tony Evers is expected to veto the maps – meaning the final version will likely be drawn up by a federal court or the Wisconsin Supreme Court.  Democratic state Senator Kelda Roys calls them a 10-year-old gerrymander, not deserving “the kind of deference they’re being given by Republicans.”

Governor Tony Evers struck down a bill Friday that would have changed how Wisconsin schools address young students struggling to read.  The legislation required schools to do additional literacy testing and create personalized reading plans.  Opponents noted the bill provided no additional funding.  Evers said that he objected to “fundamentally overhauling” literacy instruction without evidence that more testing is the best approach in his veto message.  Senate Education Committee chair Alberta Darling said Evers' veto, "offers no solutions, no plan, and no help to improve reading scores in our state.”

 A Dane County judge is ordering Assembly Speaker Robin Vos to turn over records in the partisan probe into Wisconsin’s 2020 presidential election.  Judge Valerie Bailey-Rihn ruled that Vos submit all election records created between May and late August within ten days.  Vos’ attorney said it will be up to the speaker to decide whether to appeal.  The taxpayer-financed Republican investigation has been overseen by former state Supreme Court justice Mike Gableman, and not much information has been released about its specifics.

 The Wisconsin Builders’ Association says home prices are rising so fast in the state that some potential buyers are deciding to wait. The W-B-A is reporting a significant slowdown in the number of new home building applications. Rapidly rising material costs and supply chain delays are called major factors. Two-thousand-450 permits were issued between July and September. That compares to four-thousand-382 in the previous quarter. Prices for building materials have jumped up by about 30-percent.

 A school superintendent in southeastern Minnesota is accused of domestic assault in Houston County.  La Crescent-Hokah School Superintendent Eric Martinez was arrested early Friday for misdemeanor domestic assault and disorderly conduct.  He made his first court appearance and was released without bond under some conditions.  The city attorney said the other person in the incident declined to request a restraining order.  Martinez became superintendent for the La Crescent-Hokah School District in July.

 A lawsuit has been filed by a Wisconsin manufacturer in an effort to block the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates for private-sector workers.  The conservative law firm Wisconsin Institute of Law and Liberty filed the suit with the U-S 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago.  It’s filed on behalf of Darien-based Tankcraft Corporation and Plasticraft Corporation.  The new OSHA rule requires any business with 100 or more employees to make sure they are fully vaccinated – or, undergo weekly testing for COVID-19.  Failing to do so could bring on large fines.

 Flags will be flying at half-staff in Wisconsin today in honor of a Navy sailor killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor.  Navy Hospital Apprentice 1st Class Keefe Connolly was aboard the U-S-S Oklahoma when it was hit by Japanese torpedoes and capsized on December 7th, 1941.  Connolly's remains were identified and accounted for in February of this year.  Governor Evers in his order thanked the folks who worked to ensure Connolly was able to return home after all these years so he can be laid to rest in his home state.  The funeral for Navy Hospital Apprentice 1st Class Connolly is Monday at Memorial Cemetery in his hometown of Markesan.

Local-Regional News November 5

 Two people suffered minor injuries in a one-vehicle rollover accident in Pepin County Wednesday.  According to the Pepin County Sheriffs Department, 68yr old Nolan Andre of Durand was traveling southbound on Hwy 85 when the vehicle left the roadway, struck a guard rail, and overturned.  Both Andre and 66yr old Sharon Andre were treated at the scene for minor injuries and released.

Caddie-Woodlawn Elementary School has been named one of the top elementary schools in Wisconsin according to US News and World Report.    The school was ranked 223 out of 1030 elementary schools in Wisconsin.    At Caddie Woodlawn Elementary, 62% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math, and 47% scored at or above that level for reading.  Caddie Woodlawn Elementary did better in math and better in reading in this metric compared with students across the state. In Wisconsin, 41% of students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 44% tested at or above that level for math.

The Wisconsin D-C-I is investigating the fatal shooting of a suspect by an Eau Claire police officer Wednesday afternoon.  Two officers responded to a home where someone reported that a man broke in and stabbed a woman.  They encountered the alleged intruder and one officer fired, striking the man.  The 30-year-old Eau Claire man died at the scene.  The woman was airlifted to a regional hospital with serious wounds.  The man shot and killed hasn't been identified.  The D-C-I says it will turn over its investigative reports to the Eau Claire County district attorney.

An August jury trial has been scheduled for a Chippewa Falls man accused in a fatal hit-and-run accident.  Thirty-eight-year-old Christopher Peterson is charged with homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle and hit-and-run resulting in death.  He has pleaded not guilty on all counts.  Deputies were called to a location in Lake Hallie last May.  The victim was identified as 60-year-old Dennis Mohr.

A Rice Lake man has been found guilty of murder in Barron County.  A jury found Andrew Brunette guilty of the first-degree murder of Garrett Macone, and that while Brunette did have a mental disease or defect at the time of the murder, the jury said he had the capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of his conduct and to obey the law.  Brunette faces life in prison and will be sentenced on January 3.

Authorities in La Crosse accuse a 38-year-old man of threatening to “eviscerate” the family of the boss who fired him.  During a Thursday court appearance, Travis J. Householder was formally charged with stalking and telephone harassment, both as a repeat offender.  Householder was fired Tuesday and he is accused of starting to call his former employer in West Salem that afternoon.  Investigators say he texted threatening messages to the human resources director.  When the victim called him, Householder repeated the threats.  While he was being taken into custody Wednesday, a Wisconsin State Patrol trooper stunned him with a Taser and a La Crosse police officer hit him with a beanbag round.

The final headcount shows enrollment in U-W System schools dropped by one-point-one percent from last fall.  That’s a reflection of what all colleges are seeing nationwide.  The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reports fall enrollment at U-S colleges and universities is down by two-point-three percent this year.  The numbers in the University of Wisconsin System may be rebounding.  School officials are reporting the number of new freshmen is up by six percent.  Interim U-W System president Tommy Thompson says the pandemic affected enrollment figures, but he’s pleased by the growing freshman increase.

Spending on tourism in Wisconsin increased in September - the first time that’s happened in more than a year.   Governor Evers' office says monthly tourism spending grew in September for the first time since a record-setting year in 2019. Evers credits much of the bounce-back to more than 200-million dollars in federal recovery funding. Tourism spending plummeted more than 20-percent during the COVID-19 pandemic last year. The Department of Tourism still expects this year’s revenues to be lower compared to 2019, but there are signs of future growth.

Minnesota Congressman Tom Emmer is calling for reforms to federal appraiser regulations in response to backlogs in the home-buying process.  The Minnesota Republican sent a letter to Federal Housing Finance Agency director Sandra Thompson urging her to take action.  Emmer says there's been a 20 to 25 percent decline in the number of registered appraisers over the past 12 years,  causing homebuyers to face increasing wait times and inflated prices.  He wants the F-H-F-A to update regulations and standards to encourage more people to enter the profession.

Mondovi residents are reminded that alternate side parking rules are now in effect for the city.   The rules will continue until April 30th and there is no parking in the downtown area from 2-6am.  

Days after she said she wouldn’t resign, more accusations have been aimed at the administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission.  Republican State Representative Janel Brandtjen led one of the investigations into the 2020 presidential election in Wisconsin.  Brandtjen says Meagan Wolfe told lawmakers in August that the commission had conducted audits to weed-out felons and dead people who shouldn’t be on the voter rolls.  Brandtjen says she has found out the audits were incomplete or were never finished.  She says Wolfe either intentionally misled lawmakers – or is incompetent.

Firefighters from more than a dozen departments were on the scene of a corn dryer fire for about three hours in Kiel Tuesday afternoon.  The emergency crews had been dispatched to the location at about 1:30 p-m.  The height of the corn dryer made it necessary for ladder trucks from Kiel and New Holstein to be used.  No injuries were reported.  The first crews to arrive found heavy smoke at the rear of the Country Visions Co-op.  Investigators will try to determine how the fire started.

Kenosha County Judge Bruce Schroeder has dismissed a juror in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, for telling a joke about the police shooting of Jacob Blake.   The juror was dismissed Thursday morning after telling a deputy the joke earlier this week. Rittenhouse is on trial for fatally shooting two men and wounding a third during a night of protest and rioting following the August 2020 shooting of Blake.    The remaining jurors - 11 women and 8 men - will be narrowed to 12 once deliberations begin.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for licenses to grow and process hemp in 2022.    There will be some changes to Minnesota's hemp program.   The M-D-A will begin inspecting processor locations for the first time, the T-H-C testing fee has been reduced from 125 to 100 dollars for each growing sample,  and processor license fees will remain 250 dollars for each location but require a minimum license cost of 500.   There were 424 applicants and 347 growers in 2021.  They planted more than 24-hundred acres of outdoor hemp and 350-thousand-square feet of indoor hemp last year.

 Minnesota’s governor has signed an executive order to help the state’s livestock producers.  Many are struggling to access the feed they need following this year’s drought.  Governor Tim Walz says his order makes it easier for those producers to get high-quality feed by waiving some trucking regulations.  Due to the drought, some farmers have already depleted the hay they reserved for winter.  Those drought conditions have improved in the last few weeks.  The governor announced details of a 10-million-dollar drought relief package for Minnesota farmers in September.