The recent murder of 10-year-old Lily Peters in Chippewa Falls has state legislators working on a way to better notify the public about missing children. Amber Alerts have certain criteria usually for children that have been abducted. Lily’s case didn’t meet it. State Representatives Jesse James says a missing or injured child is one of the hardest things for a law enforcement officer or first responder to deal with. James says there will be a lot of stakeholders in the process of creating the legislation. Any bill would need to be introduced in the next session since the legislature has already adjourned for this year.
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) plans to treat 17 western Wisconsin counties for spongy moth, formerly known as gypsy moth, starting in mid to late May. Small, yellow planes will be treating for invasive spongy moth caterpillars. These non-native pests defoliate many kinds of trees and plants during their caterpillar stage, causing tree stress and potentially tree death. In an attempt to slow their spread, treatment efforts will be focused in western Wisconsin, where spongy moth populations are low or beginning to build. Residents can expect to see and hear loud, low-flying planes as early as sunrise. The following counties are scheduled to receive aerial treatments: Barron, Buffalo, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, and Trempealeau.
The City of Durand has announced the sign-up for summer swimming lessons at Tarrant Park Pool. Registration for swimming lessons will be online beginning on Monday at 8am. No registrations will be accepted before Monday. The first session of lessons will be June 13-24 and will have two-morning classes and two evening classes. The cost is $25 per child and for more information contact the city hall or the City of Durand Facebook Page.
Security Financial Bank has a new Chief Operating Officer. Mark Oldenberg, president & CEO of Security Financial Bank (SFB), is pleased to announce that Julie Sabelko has been promoted to chief operations officer (COO). Sabelko has been with SFB for 34 years in multiple roles, most recently serving as the director of quality control. As COO, Sabelko will oversee bank operations and ensure full integration with all risk management components.
Disappointed Sparta residents who are losing their school say a misinformation campaign is responsible. W-K-B-T / T-V reports when voters rejected a two-point-one-million dollar operating referendum the school district decided it would have to shut down Cataract Elementary School. Residents who had students attending class there say their lives are changing due to misinformation. Sparta Citizens for Real Progress claimed the referendum would raise taxes and it spent 21-thousand dollars to get that information out. The Sparta Board of Education says taxes wouldn’t have been raised if the referendum had passed.
The Vernon County Sheriff’s Office knew it had found the suspect it was looking for when 18 road signs were found inside a home in the Town of Jefferson. W-E-A-U / T-V reports that 19-year-old Bretton Anderson of rural Viroqua was taken into custody Friday. Investigators had been looking for the person who had been stealing the road signs from various areas in Vernon County. The sheriff’s office is recommending charges of theft, criminal damage to property, and possession of stolen property. Anderson was released and is scheduled to return to court in June.
A new report on a looming Supreme Court decision could mean the end of legalized abortions in Wisconsin. Politico published what it claimed was a draft report of a coming Supreme Court decision that will strike down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that enshrined the right to an abortion in the United States. The ruling stems from the challenge of a Mississippi abortion law. Wisconsin is one of five states with such laws still on the books that are unenforceable because of the Roe decision.
He just entered the race and the newest Republican candidate for Wisconsin governor is already being targeted. Opponents are questioning where construction executive Tim Michels lives. The conservative website Wisconsin Right Now reports Michels owns homes in New York and Connecticut, and his children have all attended and graduated from schools on the East Coast. Michels responds by saying he paid taxes and voted in Wisconsin. In the same released statement, he blames “Madison special interests” for the allegations.
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People at a Saturday rally at the Wisconsin State Capitol were chanting “toss Vos” over the Republican-led investigation of the 2020 presidential election. They weren’t opposed to the review by former State Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman. They were angered because Republican leaders in the Assembly have killed an effort to decertify the Wisconsin results of that election. Gableman and Republican candidate for governor Tim Ramthun spoke at the rally. Ramthun said he has refiled his resolution so it could be brought back up if leaders like Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos have a change of heart. Gableman pointed to the Capitol while speaking, saying there needs to be changes in “that building.”
Three weeks remain in the Minnesota legislative session. Although Democrats and Republicans hammered out a belated compromise on COVID hero pay and Unemployment Insurance, many question whether two sides very far apart on other major issues can get a deal by May 23rd. House Speaker, Democrat Melissa Hortman says she thinks, after “lots more communication” with Senate Republican Leader Jeremy Miller, that “the Senate is really interested in passing budget bills and a tax bill.” But a wide gap separates the D-F-L and G-O-P on tax cuts, education spending, and public safety -- and because it’s not a regular budget year, state government won’t shut down July 1st if there’s no agreement.
The Minnesota Board of Animal Health is extending its temporary statewide ban on poultry events until June First. The state and federal response to highly pathogenic avian influenza in Minnesota has been underway for more than a month since the virus was first confirmed on March 26th. The temporary ban was enacted last month for all poultry swaps, fairs, exhibitions, and other events where live poultry and susceptible birds are brought together and then disperse. Officials are stressing that this temporary ban only applies to events where birds congregate and do not apply to poultry products. There is no food safety concern for consumers.
There’ve now been 12 confirmed avian influenza outbreaks in nine Wisconsin counties. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture added Fond du Lac and Oconto counties to the places where the flu has been confirmed on Friday. Barron County has seen three cases, including one farm where the state says more than 100-thousand birds had to be euthanized. In addition to farm-raised and backyard chickens, the Ag department says it found bird flu in wild birds in several areas. According to DATCP, four of the outbreaks have been in commercial operations, the rest in private flocks. All have been depopulated.
A farm in Kewaunee County is suing the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources over changes to its wastewater permit. Kinnard Farms filed the suit in Kewaunee County Circuit Court seeking changes in the permit terms. That concentrated animal feeding operation is one of the largest in the state. The county in northeastern Wisconsin has been struggling with contaminants that have been detected in private drinking water wells.
Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule protections for the past winter season are over for now. But Michael Schmitz, director of the Minnesota Energy Assistance Program at the Department of Commerce says it’s still not too late to ask for help. The deadline to apply for energy assistance is May 31st, and Schmitz is encouraging people to apply “as soon as possible.” Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule protects residential utility customers from having electric or natural gas service shut off between October 1st and April 30th. For more information on energy assistance, visit M-N-Dot-Gov-forward-slash-energy-assistance.
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