The Durand City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include reports from the Mayor and Department heads, an update on the Madison Street LRIP Grant, and an update on the Tarrent Park Pool design. Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall and will be live-streamed on our website at reelcountry1430.com
The Mondovi City Council is going to review the city ordinance regarding the reservation system for the Marten Center. At last night's council meeting, Administrator Martin told council members that city employees have a difficult time deciding whom to charge for the center. The current ordinance says only 501c3 non-profit groups should not be charged for use of the center. In 2021 only 23 reservations paid a fee for the use of the center and the city lost approximately $10,000 last year. Administrator Martin will present some proposals on how to change the reservation system at the next council meeting.
A scam surrounding the Durand Fire Department Youth Raffle has been reported. The Durand Fire Department on its Facebook Page reported that there are Facebook Accounts claiming to have raffle tickets available. The accounts are fake accounts and are trying to scam people. The only way to purchase tickets for the raffle is directly from fire department members or local businesses. For a list of businesses, visit the Durand Fire Department Facebook Page.
The reward is growing, for information about the shooting of a bald eagle in Chippewa County. The Raptor Education Group in Antigo said in a Facebook post that they are “cautiously optimistic” about the female eagle’s progress in recovering from being shot two weeks ago. The eagle is on the second round of treatment for lead poisoning. The reward for information about the shooting is now over 18-thousand dollars according to the group. The bird was found near Colfax the weekend of October 3rd and appeared to have been shot in flight, with injuries from more than 20 shotgun pellets.
A Colfax man has been accused of causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to his employer's equipment. WQOW reports Oscar Hernandez II of Colfax was charged with destroying and modifying computer data, and theft of trade secrets. In January officials at American Structures alleged Hernandez deleted thousands of blueprints from their laser cutters, then walked off the job. He is also accused of changing the adjustment mirrors of a laser which could have caused the operator of the laser to be injured. Hernandez's next court appearance is May 10.
No charges will be filed in the fatal police shooting at an Austin gas station in December. The B-C-A said 28-year-old Kokou Fiafonou had a knife when he was shot and killed by Officer Zachary Gast. Olmsted County Attorney Mark Ostrem says after a thorough review of the events, reports, and recordings, his office concluded that the evidence does not support criminal charges against any of the officers involved, including Gast. Ostrem stated that police officers in Minnesota are justified in using deadly force in the line of duty when it is necessary to protect the officer or another person from apparent death or great bodily harm.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says a Dakota County judge has granted his request for court supervision over the finances and operations of Feeding Our Future, as that embattled organization dissolves. Ellison says court oversight will allow greater transparency. The F-B-I alleges Feeding Our Future stole more than 40 million dollars from two federally-funded programs that provide feel meals to needy children. Investigators say the organization inflated and even invented reimbursement claims at dozens of meals sites across Minnesota. Feeding Our Future executive director Aimee Bock has denied wrongdoing.
A new survey finds more Wisconsin households are recycling or re-using old electronics instead of storing them. The survey by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources shows Wisconsin households are hanging onto about 18-percent fewer old T-V’s, computers, and cell phones than they did the last time the survey was done in 2018. While state officials say they’re pleased to see recycling is on the rise, there’s room for improvement. Of the estimated 25-million devices in Wisconsin households, more than seven-and-a-half million old devices were sitting in drawers, closets, and basements
A federal economic development official joined members of the Wisconsin Paper Council Monday for a discussion about grants that are available to boost the already-strong industry. W-S-A-W / T-V reports Administrative Assistant Secretary Alejandra Castillo discussed the “Build Back Better Regional Challenge.” The Biden administration will choose 20-to-30 applicants nationwide to get up to 100-million dollars in funding. The paper council met with Castillo Monday at Mid-State’s Wisconsin Rapids campus. If Wisconsin gets the grant the money will help support eight paper industry projects.
Former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman accuses two Republicans on the Wisconsin Elections Commission of acting like Democrats. Gableman is overseeing the Republican review of Wisconsin’s 2020 presidential election. On the conservative podcast, Bannon’s War Room, he said the commission had helped steal the presidential election from Donald Trump. He also blamed two judges that he says have held up his work – Waukesha County Circuit Judge Ralph Ramirez and Dane County Circuit Judge Rhonda Landford. He says they are responsible for the delays in his review which was supposed to be completed months ago. He said Republicans Marge Bostelmann and Dean Knudson are, effectively, Democrats.
A Madison soccer coach reportedly told investigators he knew it was wrong when he sent explicit messages to a teenager. W-M-T-V reports that 34-year-old Jamie Lieberman faces a charge of exposing a child to harmful descriptions. The victim getting the messages told Lieberman she had just turned 17. The messages were reported by a guidance counselor at McFarland High School after the teen shared the messages. The incident started with Lieberman contacting the victim because he wanted her to play for his indoor soccer team. If he is convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of three-and-a-half years in prison.
Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce has sued the Village of Pewaukee over its “transportation user fee.” The suit was filed last Thursday. W-M-C calls the fee unlawful and invalid, saying it disproportionately raises costs for local businesses there. All utility accounts are charged a base fee of 15 dollars, 74 cents, then an additional usage fee. W-M-C calls that an illegal tax under the Wisconsin State Constitution uniformity clause. The suit was filed in Waukesha County Court.
Negotiations between the Minnesota House and Senate on a drought relief package for farmers are “paused” until lawmakers return next week from their Passover/Easter break. Amber Glaeser (GLAY-zer) with Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation says for most of the general public, the drought is long past -- however, it’s “very needed” for livestock producers and specialty crop farmers “that didn’t have that safety net in place.” Elbow Lake Senator Torrey Westrom said before the break that one holdup is a provision in the House bill to help the D-N-R restore tree seedling supplies damaged by drought. But House sponsor, Esko Democrat Mike Sundin, has signaled he’s willing to temporarily set that aside so the drought and avian flu package can move forward.
A Wednesday public hearing could reveal more about plans to expand broadband in Wisconsin. The Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access is looking at ways to spend millions of dollars to bring faster internet connections to small, rural communities across Wisconsin. A lack of access to powerful, high-speed Internet is a challenge for economic health and growth in remote Wisconsin areas. State and federal grants are available to bring broadband to underserved areas of the state. Tuesday’s hearing is the first update on the plans for the spring.
J-B-S, which runs a large pork-processing plant in Worthington in southwest Minnesota, is facing lawsuits at two of its facilities in central Iowa -- in Waterloo and Marshalltown -- after five workers died during COVID outbreaks. Jose Andrade-Garcia died after contracting COVID while working at the J-B-S U-S-A meatpacking plant in Marshalltown. Andrade-Garcia was one of 27-hundred workers at the plant when the virus spread. A spokesman says J-B-S does not comment on pending litigation. At least two deaths have been traced to the company’s plant in Worthington, including a man in his 60’s with underlying conditions, but there are no reports of Minnesota lawsuits.
Springtime brings warmer temperatures and blooming trees. But, for many, it also brings annoying seasonal allergies. Mayo Clinic allergist Doctor Alexi Gonzalez Estrada says there are steps you can take to protect yourself. He says the telltale signs of allergies are easy to spot, “itchy, watery eyes; itchy, watery nose; and nasal congestion.” And pollen is the most common culprit, as the tiny particles are inhaled through your nose and affect your upper airway. Doctor Estrada says there are over-the-counter and prescription medicines you can take to treat allergies, as well as getting allergy shots in more extreme cases. But the easiest thing to do, he says, is avoid or limit exposure.
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