The American Legion Post 181 is asking the city of Durand to help with flag replacement at the Veteran Memorial at Riverside Park. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the flags have been ordered and the Legion's request will be taken up by the finance committee. The Post is asking for $500 from the city to go toward the cost of the flags.
While households across the country are now eligible for free at-home covid19 tests, outside testing is still available at Advent Health in Durand. Angela Jacobson, director of emergency preparedness with Advent Health says you need to call ahead before going to the hospital for a test. Jacobson says the hospital has seen a rise in the number of people coming in for testing over the last two months.
A longtime music festival is moving out of Eau Claire County and into Chippewa County. Country Jam announced they have purchased 160 acres of land in the town of Wheaton just off of Hwy T and 20th avenue. The event will build permanent facilities on the land, including 1000 campsites and will use the facility year-round for other events. The move is expected to be completed for the 2023 festival.
The Dunn County Community Foundation is asking for donations to help replace the bricks at the Dunn County Veterans Memorial in downtown Menomonie. The memorial honors military veterans from any branch of services and there is no residency requirement to honor a veteran. Bricks cost $250 each and donations are needed before March 15th. For more information call 715-232-8019. The new bricks will be dedicated on Flag day.
An Edgar woman was found guilty of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle in Chippewa County Court yesterday. The two-day trial of 23yr old Miranda Miller ended yesterday with the jury finding Miller guilty of the charges after the July 2017 accident where she ran a stop sign and ran into the vehicle of 46yr old Jeremy Goodwin of Chippewa Falls. Miller is facing 10yrs in prison and will be sentenced in March.
Several federal lawsuits are on hold while the Wisconsin Supreme Court considers redistricting maps for the state. The high court listened to six hours of arguments Wednesday. Republicans in the Legislature and Democratic Governor Tony Evers weren’t able to agree on political boundaries last year and that’s why redistricting wound up before the state Supreme Court. The Journal-Sentinel reports the justices are considering proposals from Republican lawmakers, Evers, and a mix of maps from the two parties and independent groups. The court hasn’t said when it might release its findings.
A snowman standing 40 feet tall is drawing impressed visitors to a village in northwestern Wisconsin. The exhibit has arms made out of actual trees, a smile made of saw blades, and a pipe that used to be a five-gallon bucket. The giant snowman was actually born two years ago when Milltown challenged businesses to a decorating contest for Christmas. Craig Carlson and his business, Carlson Construction, locked down first place with a 19-foot snowman. The next year he was 32 feet tall. Carlson says he got permission to collect and use the snow plowed off nearby parking lots, then used construction equipment to put the big guy together. The snow is braced by a plywood frame. It’s located on Highway 35 in Polk County.
Voting is underway in MnDOT's 2022 "name a snowplow" contest. More than 11-thousand names were submitted in December and the list has been narrowed to 50 finalists. Eight winning names will be announced in February for a snowplow in each of the eight MnDOT districts in the state. This year's finalists include "Betty Whiteout," "Coldy Gopher," "Dontcha Snow" and "Plowin' in the Wind." Some of the 2021 runners-up made the top 50. The public can vote on the MnDOT website through January 26th.
The talk about the need for bail reform has returned to the Wisconsin Legislature after last week’s shooting of an off-duty police officer. Three teenagers have been charged in what started as an attempted carjacking. Republican State Representative Janel Brandtjen says the low bails set for offenders in Milwaukee County make the whole state less safe. State Senator Van Wanggaard will host a Thursday hearing on legislation that would set a mandatory minimum bail amount for certain crimes. The suspects accused of shooting the officer were free on bail amounts of less than one thousand dollars connected to felony offenses.
Milwaukee apparently has no plans to enforce its newest mask mandate. The Common Council reinstated the requirement Tuesday for all city businesses until March 1st. Milwaukee Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson says the city doesn’t have enough people to make sure its businesses are requiring everyone to wear a face covering. A letter would be added to the business’ file if the city receives enough complaints. It isn’t apparent what that would mean for the business.
A Minnesota woman and six co-conspirators have entered guilty pleas to charges alleging they defrauded the state’s Medicaid program out of more than 860 thousand dollars. Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office reports Trenea Deshawn Davis pleaded guilty to five counts of aiding and abetting theft by swindle. She also admitted to operating the fraud ring. Several of her co-conspirators are family members. She will be sentenced next month.
Wisconsin’s never-used high-speed trains are headed to the African nation of Nigeria. The Spanish firm Talgo has reached a deal with Nigeria’s Lago State for the trains, which were built in Milwaukee 11 years ago. Former Republican Governor Scott Walker blocked construction of high-speed rail between Madison and Milwaukee, and the trains have been in storage ever since.
A new website set up by the University of Wisconsin-Madison will offer information about the search for the school’s next chancellor. Details about the search and screen committee will be posted. W-M-T-V Television reports listening session will be conducted the rest of this month to allow students and the campus community to give input. The search committee leader has said it’s hoped that the chancellor to succeed Rebecca Blank will be chosen by May.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says more than 100 nurses will start arriving immediately at health care facilities around the state. Walz last week directed 40-million dollars in American Rescue Plan funding to hire emergency staff to provide care at certain hospitals dealing with staff shortages during the current COVID-19 case surge. The nurses will work up to 60 hours per week for 60 days to provide care for patients. The first round of nursing teams will arrive at 23 hospitals this week. Another wave of an additional 100 nurses will arrive in Minnesota in the days ahead to support even more health care facilities.
The Coulee Region Humane Society says an eagle is expected to survive after riding 80 miles stuck to the front of a train. Rehabilitators were called when the conductor reported the incident. The eagle was treated for pain management and is expected to soon be transferred to the Raptor Education Group in Antigo. Miraculously, the eagle didn’t suffer any broken bones or serious injuries. W-X-O-W Television reports the eagle is recovering and able to fly short distances.
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