The Boyceville Community Ambulance District is looking for solutions as it battles continuing staffing shortages. For 13 hours last month, the service was unavailable and for nearly two-thirds of the time, it had only one person covering a shift. E-M-S Chief Wayne Dow says that impacts the efforts to give patients adequate care. Dow tells W-E-A-U Television he’s looking at a possible merger with the Colfax Ambulance Rescue Squad. Colfax is about 17 miles away. Things have improved slightly this month with two people available to cover shifts about 65 percent of the time. Dow says he’s working to get people hired and trained, but it’s a challenge. Low pay, the time commitment needed, and worries about COVID-19 are barriers to making things better in northwest Dunn County.
A Republican lawmaker questions whether there’s anything to be done, to stop the coronavirus. Representative Treig Pronschinske from Mondovi was asked about his party’s plans to combat COVID-19, during a legislative hearing at the Capitol on Wednesday. Pronschinske testified in favor of legislation prohibiting businesses and government agencies from requiring proof of vaccination status. The hearing took place in a crowded room at the Capitol in Madison, with few people wearing masks. Medical professionals say vaccinations and masks are critical to slowing the spread of COVID-19, and preventing severe infections and hospitalizations.
One person is dead after a two-vehicle crash in St. Croix County early Thursday. According to the St. Croix County Sheriffs Department, 39yr old Daniel Blietz of Hudson was traveling southbound on Hwy 35 when he collided with a northbound vehicle driven by 34yr old Bridget Clifton of Houlton. Clifton was pronounced dead at the hospital as a result of her injuries, while Blietz was arrested after showing signs of impairment during an initial investigation with sheriff's deputies. He is being held at the St. Croix County Jail.
A southwest Wisconsin man is dead after a hovercraft crash on the Mississippi River. The Grant County Sheriff's Office says 77-year-old Gary Kaiser of Potosi was operating his vessel on the frozen waters of the river Wednesday morning when he is believed to have suffered a medical event. Deputies say Kaiser struck a tree on an island and died at the scene. Investigators are still looking into the incident.
Governor Tony Evers says Wisconsin National Guard soldiers will support hospitals and nursing homes facing staffing shortages due to COVID. The Guard members are being trained as certified nursing assistants by Madison College. Around 50 troops were deployed to six nursing homes this week. Another 80 will be assigned at the end of the month and a group of about 80 will begin training in early February. Evers issued a statement saying, "as we continue to see COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations surge, we are pursuing every available option to bring needed staffing support to Wisconsin’s health systems.”
The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce is applauding the U-S Supreme Court ruling Thursday that blocks the COVID vaccine mandate and testing for large employers. Chamber V-P Vicki Stute (STEW'-tee) says they're pleased with the high court's decision "and continue to believe that employers across Minnesota know best how to manage their workplaces and keep their employees and their customers safe." The nation's high court did not block enforcement of vaccine mandates for health care workers in facilities that receive federal funding. Republican state Representative Steve Drazkowski from Mazeppa says over 700 Mayo Clinic employees were fired because of the mandate and calls the high court's ruling "selective constitutionality."
Legislation being proposed at the Capitol would have Wisconsin school districts offering classes on how to interact with police. The bill, which had a public hearing before the Assembly Education Committee this week would require a fifth- through 12th-grade course on how to interact with law enforcement “with mutual cooperation and respect.” School districts could opt out of offering the curriculum. While several law enforcement groups are in support of the bill from Republican state Senator Andre Jacques of DePere, several education groups oppose it.
The legal dispute over where absentee ballot drop boxes can be located is expected to wind up before the Wisconsin Supreme Court. A judge sided with conservatives Thursday by ruling they can’t be located anywhere other than at the clerk’s office – and no one other than the voter can return the absentee ballot. If the ruling stands, it means those drop boxes can’t be used in the spring primary election next month. There are currently three lawsuits filed on the contentious issue and Thursday’s ruling is certain to be appealed. The Wisconsin Supreme Court could make the final decision on the legality of using those drop boxes to make it easier for people to vote absentee.
The Department of Natural Resources is hosting their winter Free Fishing Weekend starting on Saturday. Fisheries Coordinator Theresa Stabo says this is a fantastic chance to get outside and get some fresh air and maybe catch a fish or two. If you don't have ice fishing equipment, you can borrow some from your local D N R office, or Stabo says this is a great time to make some new friends out on the ice. You can find out more online at D N R dot W I dot GOV.
A Wisconsin Senate committee is hearing a proposal that supporters say could save many lives. Dillon’s Law was passed four years ago. It allows anyone with proper training to carry epinephrine injections which can be used during severe allergic reactions. Currently, a prescription is needed to get one. The bill that is in committee this week removes the need for a prescription. Dillon Mueller died eight years ago after he was stung by a bee and went into anaphylactic shock. No one had an “Epi Pen,” not even first responders. The new bill includes free training and access to the epinephrine auto-injectors.
Federal officials say nearly half of all the people caught crossing the border with Mexico have failed to self-report. They were told to check in with immigration officials in Texas but more than 47 thousand haven’t followed through. Texas Republican Congressman Mike McCaul says it’s a huge problem and a national security threat. The report from the Department of Homeland Security came in response to a request from U-S Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin. Johnson is the ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee.
Authorities in North Dakota are waiting for a murder suspect to be delivered, but he faces charges in Waukesha County first. Nathanael Benton is accused of throwing bodily fluids on a corrections officer inside the Waukesha County Jail where he is being held. Benton is charged with assault. He was originally arrested on charges connected to the shooting of a Fargo man and two Wisconsin police officers. Authorities say he will be tried in Waukesha County before he is extradited back to North Dakota to face the murder charges.
A conservative legal group is claiming racism over the way a state housing assistance program conducts its business. The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty says the state’s Help for Homeowners program gives more help to non-white families. The group says state aid is based on the recipients’ race. Under the program guidelines, minority families can have an annual income of about 50 thousand dollars more than white families and still qualify. A spokesperson says it is unconstitutional for the government to distribute aid based on race.
Congressman Tom Emmer is sponsoring legislation to create a bipartisan congressional working group to identify the causes of and propose solutions to the recent inflation. Emmer says skyrocketing prices are the single most common concern he hears from my constituents as they pay more for from the grocery store to the gas pump. The 6th District Republican says, "I believe one of the major causes of the inflation that we have been seeing is runaway government spending." He says we owe it to the American people to identify the root cause and begin to address the problem.
Snowplow drivers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport have given formal notice of their intent to strike. Contract negotiations with the Metropolitan Airports Commission have stalled. Both sides will return to mediation during the mandatory 10-day cooling-off period. Teamsters Local 320 represents the 94 snowplow drivers. The dispute centers on pay raises and severance days. The Commission says the full-time snowplow drivers early about 90 thousand dollars during an average season – meaning they are among the best-paid snowplow drivers in the area.
Older drivers in Wisconsin are getting another extension on their driver’s licenses. The Division of Motor Vehicles says drivers who are 60 and older, with licenses expiring in January, February, or March, now have until the end of March to get them renewed. Many local D-M-V offices are still closed due to COVID-19 precautions, and the state is pushing people to renew their licenses online. Older drivers who want to renew their licenses in person can make an appointment on the D-M-V’s website.
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