Because of the delay in the completion of the Laneville road project, the city of Durand has reduced the payment to the contractor by approximately $68,000. The project will also come in about $20,000 under budget. So what happens with that money, Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says that money can only be used on projects. The contractor still has the right to appeal the city's decision to not pay the $68,000 in liquidated damages.
Rep. Ron Kind announced that the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport is set to receive $3,165,815 in federal funding. This grant will help reconstruct the existing aircraft rescue and firefighting building. Kind said, “This funding will help the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport make necessary infrastructure upgrades and continue to provide all visitors with a safe and successful travel experience.". This grant is being funded as part of the supplemental funding provided under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020 and through the CARES Act.
Many disgruntled Wisconsin residents are sharing their frustration over high heating bills online this winter. Utility officials say the rising cost of natural gas is causing the problem. Production of natural gas dropped off during the early parts of the pandemic because demand was off with many businesses shut down. A lack of supply this winter is pushing those prices higher than ever. People are advised to set their thermostat lower and put on a sweater or a blanket. If you can’t pay your bill you can apply for energy assistance through the Home Energy Plus Program.
Minnesota's Republican and Democratic parties have their precinct caucuses tonight. On the D-F-L side, it is more than likely the state convention this summer will end with an endorsement of current Governor Tim Walz to run for the office again. Meanwhile, the field of Republican hopefuls is large and could get larger. Minnesota G-O-P Deputy Chair Donna Bergstrom says the winner of tomorrow night's straw poll will be "really telling." and the candidates are anxious to see where they land. D-F-L Party Chair Ken Martin says in statewide races the caucusing process and the months leading to the convention will give them a solid idea of who they will be up against in the general election.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission will not be changing the way they recommend clerks handle mistakes on absentee ballot envelopes. Republicans on the commission wanted to require clerks contact voters whose envelopes have errors to confirm changes in order to prevent fraud. Commission Chair Ann Jacobs said that was trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist. The vote means that the Commission will send the current guidance to correct changes when possible to the legislature's joint rules committee for a review. Republicans on that committee are likely to object.
Prices continue to rise at the grocery store with inflation, supply chain issues, and the impact of the omicron variant driving up the cost of food. Overall prices are up 9% from a year ago. Kraft Heinz is the latest to announce price hikes on things like Velveeta, Oscar Mayer meats, coffee, and Kool-Aid. The company joins other big brands like General Mills, Campbell Soup, and Proctor and Gamble which are raising the price of products. The entire food supply chain is facing surging costs, congestion, and a labor shortage, which have hardly improved. The number of cargo ships parked off the California coast hit a record high in January. More than 100 are still waiting, even after the ports unloaded 13% more containers than ever before in 2021.
Wisconsin high school students could soon be required to take a class on personal finance. A bill would make a lesson in financial literacy a requirement for high school graduation in Wisconsin. The class would cover things like balancing checkbooks and responsibly managing credit cards. Many schools already teach financial literacy, but supporters of the bill want to make it mandatory statewide.
Organized thefts are increasing at Wisconsin’s retail stores and state lawmakers are trying to take action to help. W-I-S-C reports De Pere State Senator Andre Jacque wants to reduce the threshold for a Class-One felony theft charge. His bill would cut that from 25 hundred dollars to one thousand dollars. Passage would mean any stolen property valued at more than one thousand dollars would open the door to a felony charge – and that could mean fines up to 10 thousand dollars and three-and-a-half years in prison.
The leader of the Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe in Shawano County is scheduled to give this year’s State of the Tribes address to Wisconsin lawmakers. W-L-U-K reports Shannon Holsey will give the speech at 1:00 p-m February 22nd. The Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council selected Holsey for the task. The address has been given at the Capitol since 2005. It is an opportunity to give the 11 federally recognized Native American tribes in Wisconsin a chance to discuss issues with the Legislature. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has called the annual event “an important tradition.”
A marijuana advocate says the latest medical marijuana bill offered by Republican legislators falls far short of what Wisconsin needs. Gary Storck of Madison heads the group Is My Medicine Legal Yet? The new legislation would keep medical marijuana tightly regulation and it would only allow doctors to recommend non-smokable forms of the drug to their patients. Storck says the vast majority of patients find the best benefits by smoking or inhaling the vapors. He points out that most states do allow that.
Federal government scientists predict Lake Superior is looking at its third straight year of low ice cover. It is projected to be 52 percent covered at its peak -- about 10 percent below average. Most ice forms in February. As of last week, the lake was about 12 percent covered with ice. That’s actually double the amount of Lake Superior that was covered at this time last year. Data on how much of the Great Lakes are covered by ice has been collected since 1973. The high mark was in 1979 when almost 95 percent of all of the Great Lakes were ice-covered.
It’s a good thing to have money in the bank when you show up for work. As Minnesota legislators returned to the Capitol Monday for the first day of the regular session the state has a surplus estimated at seven-point-seven billion dollars. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say crime will be a major issue this session. All work will be done under the pressure of an election year. Senate Republicans say they want to give some of the huge surplus back to taxpayers as permanent tax cuts. The regular session is scheduled to end in late May.
COVID-19 hospitalizations and case activity continue to decline in Wisconsin. The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients as of Thursday was 1,774, as that key indicator continues a steady decline from its high of 2,278 earlier this month. All 72 Wisconsin counties continue to report “critically high” COVID-19 case activity, but according to the state Department of Health Services, that is declining in the majority of counties. There have been 10,997 deaths attributed to COVID-19 in Wisconsin, since the start of the global pandemic.
Hopeful young sledders who find themselves without equipment in Stevens Point will now have a chance to ride the hills. Thanks to an anonymous donation of sleds, residents now have access to one of the winter staples through what Mayor Mike Wiza (WEE-za) is calling the "sled library"- a display set up at Iverson Park that allows users to grab a sled if they need one to enjoy the hill- no strings attached, just return it when you're done. The program cost the city next to nothing- just some time and effort by city workers to make the sign and the storage rack. Wiza says if you have some sleds that you aren't using, you're free to donate them as well, just drop them off in the display. Sleds will be available any time the hill is open.
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