The city of Durand is charging Skid Steer Guy over $74000 in liquidated damages for the late finish to the Lanville Road Project. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says what happens with that money depends on the special assessment vote. The city is scheduled to revisit the special assessment vote during its December 29th meeting.
The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on issuing $3.085 million in General Obligation bonds for the Wastewater Treatment Plant project, amendments to the snowmobile ordinance that would define hours of operation, and how residents can access trails, and an update on the Eau Claire Street Project planning. Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at the marten center in Mondovi.
The Buffalo County Sheriffs Department is warning residents that ice conditions on area lakes are not ready for ice fishing. In a post on their social media page, the department reported that two people had fell through the ice in the Alma area and asked people to stay off the ice until colder weather sets in. That colder weather is expected later this week.
The Republican head of the Wisconsin Senate Elections Committee says she wants the review of the November 2020 election to be ended. State Senator Kathy Bernier of Lake Hallie says the work is stirring up people who don’t understand how elections work. Bernier says when former state Supreme Court justice Michael Gableman holds a meeting in her county she will attend along with her concealed carry permit because those reviews keep firing up people who don’t know what they’re talking about. She says the investigation contains “made-up” information that is meant to play to the Republican base. Republicans and Democrats called the review a baseless exercise Monday that will needlessly damage faith in democracy.
Sixteen-year-old Ben Truax of Rochester is the second person to win a 100-thousand-dollar college scholarship in Governor Tim Walz's "Kids Deserve a Shot" campaign. Truax says he got the COVID vaccine because his mother works in the hospital and his family lost several close friends who weren't vaccinated. During the campaign, all Minnesotans 12- to 17-years-old who completed their COVID vaccine series had a chance to win a 100-thousand-dollar scholarship. Monday was the last day to enter for the final drawing.
Baraboo’s S-S-M Health St. Clare Hospital blames “extremely high patient volumes” for its decision to temporarily shut down its urgent care service. The hospital says that decision will be re-evaluated at the end of the month. Its emergency department will still be open 24-7. Patients needing urgent care services are being pointed to the S-S-M Health facility in Lake Delton about 10 miles away. The health system is encouraging people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and the flu. It has already suspended non-urgent medical procedures at its Monroe hospital.
New bipartisan legislation would give the University of Wisconsin System authority over tuition reciprocity with Minnesota. Current agreements between the states date back almost 50 years. They are currently negotiated by the Higher Education Aids Board. The new deal would let the individual U-W System campuses keep the additional revenue. Right now, that money is deposited into the state budget. Previously, System Interim President Tommy Thompson has said he favors this change.
Authorities in Wood County are reporting some details of a major drug seizure in the Town of Saratoga. A woman was taken into custody but her name hasn’t been released. The county sheriff’s department says it seized more than 132-thousand dollars’ worth of illicit drugs as the result of a long-term investigation in partnership with state officials. Drug agents say they found fentanyl, cocaine, and ecstasy, along with marijuana, 16 thousand dollars in cash, and valuable jewelry.
Everyone escaped injury after an explosion at a Waupaca apartment building on Sunday. Investigators say a snowplow hit a gas meter, causing the natural gas explosion a little after 9:00 a-m. A private citizen helped emergency responders get residents out of the burning building before the explosion. Authorities say the building is unlivable, for now, but an adult daycare center across the street opened its doors and space to the displaced residents. Local officials are now looking for temporary housing for the victims.
A ruling next year by the U-S Supreme Court could make Minnesota into an “abortion island” in the Upper Midwest. All surrounding states have laws on the books that would quickly outlaw the procedures if the justices uphold the Mississippi law being contested. It prohibits abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy – except in the case of a medical emergency or a severe fetal abnormality. States like North and South Dakota have what are called “trigger” laws that would outlaw abortions within 30 days if Roe-V-Wade is struck down. If that happens, Minnesota would become the only state in the region where abortion would still be legal and accessible.
A player for the University of Wisconsin Badger Men's Basketball team is asking for help after a tornado devastated his hometown in Kentucky. Chris Vogt grew up in Mayfield, Kentucky. He tweeted over the weekend to ask for help raising money. Mayfield is in western Kentucky. It took a direct hit from a tornado late Friday night. In addition to donations, Vogt is asked for prayers.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will hold a meeting Tuesday on the state’s response to chronic wasting disease. The Response Plan committee includes members from conservation, business, hunting organizations, and tribal governments. Wisconsin is 10 years into a 15-year plan for dealing with the brain disease that mostly affects deer. The D-N-R holds meetings every five years for an update.
The State Supreme Court has rejected hearing a complaint from a conservative group over being excluded from Governor Tony Evers press briefings. The MacIver Insitute argued that being excluded from the briefings was a violation of its First Amendment rights of freedom of the press. The Supreme Court rejected that complaint on Monday without comment. That means that previous rulings against MacIver will remain in place. Last year, a federal court ruled that the group could still report on the Governor without being present at conferences.
Non-profits are having the same struggles as for-profit companies when it comes to finding workers. Recruiters have filled just 35 percent of the 170 AmeriCorps assignments in Minnesota that are to start in early 2022. AmeriCorps members must be between the ages of 18 and 25, they will receive health care coverage, a monthly stipend, and more than 63-hundred dollars to cover student loan debt or pay college tuition.
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