Local-Regional News June 30th

 Landmark Conservancy has purchased a 364-acre Meridean Barrens property from Xcel Energy, protecting important habitats in Dunn County. The area is part of the unincorporated community of Tyrone that existed along the Lower Chippewa River.  In the 1970’s the land was acquired by Xcel Energy’s subsidiary, Northern States Power, as a potential nuclear power plant site.  The majority of the funding for the purchase was secured through a North American Wetland Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant with additional support from the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund administered by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The Menomonie Police Department is asking the public for help in finding more information about an attempted break-in at a car dealership in Menomonie.   The department posted on its Facebook page that officers responded to an alarm at a car dealership on June 15 and found a door damaged.  After reviewing security video they saw a black sedan drive around the building before backing into the door.  The vehicle appears to be a 2013 BMW Series 5.  If anyone has any information they are to call Menomonie Police or Dunn County Crime Stoppers. 

 

A driver who was involved in a police chase that left an officer injured has been sentenced to four years in prison.  The incident started when the officer spotted a car that had been reported stolen out of Minnesota.  W-Q-O-W/T-V reports that 49-year-old John Martin of Eau Claire was sitting in the vehicle.  Police say he refused to obey commands and ran into the Regency Inn, slamming a door on the officer’s arm.  Martin managed to get back to the stolen car and drove off, going the wrong way on Interstate 94.  He pleaded guilty to three counts in Eau Claire County Court and was sentenced Tuesday.

 Firefighters from the town of Campbell were able to rescue four people from a stalled houseboat on the Mississippi River Tuesday night.  No injuries were reported.  A person on the boat told W-K-B-T/T-V that the propeller failed and the boat started drifting with the current.  The houseboat was stranded on the river for more than an hour.  No injuries were reported and the boat will be repaired.

A potential power shortage may be a concern in Wisconsin this summer.   Wisconsin Public Service Commission member Ellen Nowak tells Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce this week that the possibility of blackouts should be a wake-up call. Demand for energy is expected to be high, and the operators of the Midwest’s power grid have been warning that there aren’t enough reliable replacements for fossil-fuel power plants that are being taken offline. The power grid is also impacted by planned maintenance and forced outages.

The Minnesota  Department of Employment and Economic Development is awarding more than four million dollars in grants to ten Minnesota communities for the cleanup of contaminated sites.  The state funding is expected to leverage 368 million dollars in private investment.  DEED officials say the investments will create 326 new jobs, retain 448 jobs, and add over a thousand housing units.  The grants cover up to 75 percent of cleanup costs.   The awards went to Faribault, Golden Valley, Hibbing, Hopkins,  Mankato, Minneapolis, St. Louis Park, St. Paul, Willmar, and Winona.

A Tomah man found guilty of beating a 3-year-old child to death in Tomah in 2019 is sentenced.  Monroe County Judge Mark Goodman called 37yr old Marcus Anderson a violent and unstable man and sentenced Anderson to life in prison without the possibility of parole.  In May of  2019 Tomah Police responded to a home where they found 3yr old Kyson Rice in need of life-saving care.  Rice died at Tomah Memorial Hospital.  An autopsy revealed that Rice had suffered multiple blunt force trauma injuries which resulted in death.  An investigation led to Anderson being arrested and charged with the child's death.

A video shows Wisconsin Congressman Mike Gallagher urging the president to stop the riot at the Capitol last year.  Members of the House January 6th Committee viewed that video Tuesday.  It shows Gallagher telling Donald Trump he is the only one who can stop the riot.  He urged Trump to “call it off,” saying “the election is over.”  The video was an add-on to the testimony from former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson who quoted the president as saying “they’re not here to hurt me” when he was told some of the people at his rally that day were carrying weapons.  Trump had said he wanted Secret Service metal detectors to be removed.

 Sheboygan County District Attorney Joel Urmanski says he would prosecute abortion providers who break the law.  Urmanski says he prosecutes laws based on how they are written and he plans to do that when it comes to violations of Wisconsin’s abortion laws.  The comment follows last week’s decision by the U-S Supreme Court to overturn the landmark Roe-V-Wade ruling on abortions.  W-T-M-J/T-V reports dozens of prosecutors have assured abortion doctors they won’t wind up in court for performing an abortion.  There are four abortion clinics in Wisconsin – including a Planned Parenthood office in Sheboygan.

The suspect of last year’s Waukesha Christmas parade attack is changing his plea to not guilty by reason of mental defect.   If three psychiatrists uphold the assertion by Derrell Brooks, Junior’s defense team, his lawyers would then need to prove their client didn’t know right from wrong the day he drove an S-U-V through a parade crowd, killing six people and injuring dozens more. The determination from the doctors is due in August. Brooks’ trial is set to start in October.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is reporting a large fish die-off in the Fox River and lower Green Bay.  Scientists say the reason for the die-off isn’t known and water quality samples have been normal.  W-B-A-Y/T-V reports the main species affected are channel catfish, carp, and sheepshead.  Authorities say the dead fish have been found near the De Pere Dam and in the bay.  Some were also found in southern Door County.  A catfish collected Sunday is being tested but the information gathered may not help solve the mystery.

 There’s now a second confirmed case of monkeypox in Minnesota. The latest case, like the first, is in the Twin Cities area, and both people are believed to have contracted it while traveling overseas. The C-D-C says monkeypox is similar to smallpox, but is milder and rarely fatal, and can be contracted through prolonged close contact. Symptoms include a rash resembling pimples, fever, headaches, aches and pains, chills, exhaustion, and swollen lymph nodes.

The state Supreme Court rules a member of the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board doesn’t have to relinquish his seat, even though his term expired last year.   Fred Prehn of Wausau was appointed to the board by former governor Scott Walker. His term ended in May of last year. But in a 4-to-3 decision, the justices are upholding a Dane County judge’s ruling that Prehn may keep serving until a successor is confirmed by the state Senate. But so far, Republican leaders have declined to schedule a confirmation hearing for Governor Evers’ appointee. The board sets policy for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.    

 Registration is now open for the 2022 Minnesota State Fair Amateur Talent Contest. Nearly 20 thousand dollars in prize money will be awarded to amateur musicians, dancers, jugglers, ventriloquists, and other talented folks. Auditions run from July 25th through July 31st at the Lenie Lodge Bandshell. Semifinalists will be picked to perform during the first ten days of the State Fair and those winners will advance to the finals on September Fourth on the Grandstand.

Local-Regional News June 29

 The Pepin County Highway Department will be replacing the pavement on the right turn lane at Hwy 10 and 25 by Tractor Central today.  Flaggers will be present to assist with traffic.  Some traffic delays can be expected.  That replacement is expected to be done by today or early tomorrow.

Some construction projects here in Western Wisconsin will be causing traffic delays.  Starting next week, crews will begin replacing culverts on Hwy 64 in the town of Wilson.  While the highway will remain open, it will be reduced to one lane.  That project is expected to be completed in September.   Starting on July 11, Hwy 35/54 in Buffalo and Trempealeau County will be closed to thru traffic for the railroad crossing, culvert replacement, and highway work.  Traffic will be detoured from Hwy93 to Hwy 95 then back to Hwy 35.  That detour is expected to remain in effect until July 25.

A Mondovi man has been charged with theft for stealing thousands of dollars from the Gilmanton Sportsmans Club.  WEAU-TV reports that 46yr old Ronnie Killian was arrested and charged after officers received information that between $28000-$30000 was missing from the sportsman club account.  After an investigation, officers were able to review a video showing Killian making the cash withdrawals.    At first, Killian denied taking the money but later admitted to stealing money from the account.  He said he was using the money to support his daily living habits.  His next court appearance is set for August 3.

  

A report from the U-S Geological Survey finds high water and longer-lasting flooding are changing the habitat along the Upper Mississippi River.  Nearly 30 years of data has been analyzed.  The report shows conditions have become increasingly wetter over the past few decades.  The trend caused by climate change and land-use practices is expected to continue.  A 2020 report card issued by America’s Watershed Initiative awarded a C-minus grade for the health of the entire basin, citing environmental pollution, runoff from farmland, and ongoing funding needs for aging locks, dams, and ports.

A Barron County woman has been sentenced to 30 days in jail for attempting to traffic a child.  Amanda Eyman of Cameron pleaded guilty to charges of child neglect in April after investigators learned that Eyman had been in contact with Paul Osterman and discussed trading a child under the age of ten to Osterman for sex acts in exchange for money and drugs.   Along with the 30 days in jail, Eyman was placed on 3yrs probation and must maintain absolute sobriety and get counseling or treatment ordered by her probation officer.

Wisconsin’s governor has directed Attorney General Josh Kaul to challenge the state’s 1849 abortion law.  The 173-year-old ban was triggered last week when the U-S Supreme Court overturned the Roe-V-Wade decision.  Governor Tony Evers announced the legal action in Milwaukee Tuesday.  Kaul has said he will make two arguments in an effort to block the 19th-Century law.  He will argue the state passed a series of laws to regulate legal abortions that are inconsistent with the ban.  Also, laws can be declared obsolete when they have not been used for decades.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz wants to spend the remaining American Rescue Plan funding on public safety and health and human services. Four million dollars goes to the State Patrol and D-N-R, nearly five million to ease staffing shortages at the state Corrections Department, plus the state will provide free cable gun locks at the State Fair and other community events across Minnesota. The governor is sending seven million dollars to the Child Care Assistance program, a like amount for school-based mental health resources, over five million for food shelves, food banks, and meal programs, plus nearly eight million for emergency shelters in Hennepin and Ramsey counties.

A fourth lawsuit has been filed against the former state Supreme Court justice who was hired to investigate Wisconsin’s 2020 presidential election.  The watchdog group American Oversight filed the suit Tuesday to stop Michael Gableman and his Office of Special Counsel from deleting more public records.  While offering testimony in Dane County Court last week Gableman admitted he had deleted records and deactivated an email account he had used early in the investigation.  He said he deleted records that he didn’t find useful to his review of the election.

A top Minnesota analyst says it’s too early to tell which side -- liberal or conservative -- will be more politically energized by the U-S Supreme Court overturning Roe-V-Wade. Hamline University Professor David Schultz says the pro-choice side staged “significant demonstrations across the country, but demonstrations versus showing up to vote are two different things.” Schultz says the High Court’s ruling could galvanize conservatives, or it might cause a backlash. He points to when a gay marriage constitutional amendment failed in Minnesota, propelling Democrats into control of the legislature. The following spring, they passed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage and Democratic Governor Mark Dayton signed it into law.

 A Woodmen’s Market in Waukesha has been hauled into court because competing businesses say its gas prices are too low.  The competitors say Woodman’s is breaking state law.  W-I-S-N/T-V reports its pump price of 4-59 a gallon Monday was more than 25 cents lower than the Milwaukee metro area average.  A Shell station across the street says it simply can’t compete.  Two gas station owners have taken Woodman’s to court claiming the business is violating Wisconsin’s minimum markup law.  Woodman’s has asked the Waukesha County judge to throw out the lawsuit.

A 34-year-old man from Indiana is accused of releasing four animals from the zoo in Baraboo earlier this month.  Baraboo police say Aaron Hovis of West Lafayette is not in custody.  Investigators say Hovis damaged locks and enclosures at the Oschner Park Zoo.  Charges of criminal damage to property have been forwarded to the Sauk County district attorney’s office.  Authorities say additional charges could be added.  Three of the four animals have been rounded up and returned to the zoo.  A Great Horned Owl named Linda is still missing.

Congresswoman Angie Craig is sponsoring legislation that would rename the South St. Paul Post Office in honor of a fallen police officer. Leo Pavlak was killed in 1933 during a robbery by the Barker/Karpis gang and is South St. Paul’s only officer killed in the line of duty. Craig said by renaming it the Officer Leo Pavlak Post Office, “we remember and honor the dedication and sacrifice of Officer Pavlak and his entire family.” Two of Pavlak’s grandsons became police officers, and his great-grandson is enrolled in a law enforcement program. Minnesota’s entire congressional delegation is supporting the bill.

The school superintendent in Sparta is on leave after an outside investigation found complaints.   More than a dozen teachers and other district employees told the investigation of threats, intimidation, and aggressive behavior. They claim Amy Van Deuren is quick to anger, pounded on tables, pushed into people’s personal space, and even tried to break into a teacher meeting about her alleged conduct. Van Deuren says they’re just telling one side of the story, and is denying the accusations against her. The school board in Sparta is now looking to launch an internal investigation.

The country duo Florida Georgia Line has been announced as the final Grandstand show for the 2022 Minnesota State Fair. Tickets for the August 31st show go on sale Thursday, June 30th at Ten A-M. Tickets are still available for other Grandstand acts, including Alice in Chains, Counting Crows, R-E-O Speedwagon, Styx, and more.

Local-Regional News June 28

 Dollar General is proposing a new location in Durand.  The store would be located on Hwy 85 in the old McMahon Motors Parking Lot.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the proposed building would need a zoning ordinance variance.   If approved, it's not known when construction on the new store would begin.

Two people were injured in separate motorcycle accidents in Pierce County on Sunday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 53yr old Jeffrey Schmidt of Spring Valley was traveling on Hwy A near Maiden Rock when he lost control and entered the east ditch.  Schmidt was transported to Mayo Hospital in Red Wing.  While 63yr old Richard Esquivel of Eden Prairie, MN was traveling southbound on Hwy 35 in Diamond Bluff Township when a wild turkey entered the roadway and struck the motorcycle.  Esquivel attempted to stop and lost control, crashing in the roadway.  Esquivel was transported to Mayo Hospital in Red Wing.

One person was injured in a motorcycle accident in Trenton Township on Saturday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 48yr old Tina Stubbs-Sow of Hudson was traveling southbound on Hwy 35 when she lost control, crossed the center line, and drove into the north ditch.  Stubbs-Sow was transported to Mayo Hospital, Red Wing.

The family of the Neillsville man killed by police in 2019 has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the officers involved, the city of Augusta, and Eau Claire County.  WQOW reports Tyler Meier was shot and killed by law enforcement in March of 2019 between Augusta and Fairchild.  The family is seeking unspecified damages related to the loss of their dad, and say in court documents police deliberately provoked their dad into a physical confrontation.

One person was injured in a motorcycle accident in Preston Township on Sunday.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriffs Department, the motorcycle driver lost control of the bike while traveling southbound on Schransberg Road, ran off the road, went into the southbound ditch, and hit an embankment, and was ejected from the bike.  The driver was med-flighted to Gunderson Hospital in La Crosse with serious injuries.  

 Two Boy Scout troops from Appleton were riding on the Amtrak train that derailed in rural Missouri Monday.  Three people were killed and at least 50 were injured when the train hit a dump truck at an uncontrolled railroad crossing.  Boy Scouts of American spokesperson Scott Armstrong says 16 youths and eight adults from Wisconsin were returning home from a week-long backpacking trip at a wilderness camp in New Mexico.  W-B-A-Y/T-V reports the scouts were able to help victims and provide aid to people who needed it.  One  Appleton scout reportedly provided comfort to the dump truck driver until the driver died.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court is to rule Wednesday on a lawsuit that seeks to force Frederick Prehn off the Natural Resources Board.  Former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker appointed Prehn to the seat on the board.  His term ended in May 2021, but the Wausau dentist has refused to step aside.  He points to a precedent that lets appointees continue serving until the state Senate confirms a successor.  The Wisconsin Senate has never taken action on the person nominated to take Prehn’s place on the board that sets policy for the D-N-R.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says the number of deaths from COVID-19 in the state appears to be leveling out.  No death reports were received from local health departments last weekend.  That hadn’t happened in four weeks.  The D-H-S says Wisconsin is still averaging about three deaths per day.  Last week’s total of 18 marks the first time in more than a month the state had fewer than 40 deaths in a seven-day period.  As of Monday, the Wisconsin Hospital Association reports 386 people hospitalized for treatment for the virus – 52 in intensive care.

If you go swimming you might get sick.  That’s the warning from the Waupaca Parks and Recreation Department.  A posting on its Facebook page tells people they should swim at their own risk in Shadow Lake and South Park beach.  The city says it has received several complaints of people reporting illness after swimming at South Park Beach.  W-L-U-K/T-V reports several people replied to the post saying they or loved ones became sick after swimming there.  They say they were vomiting, became dehydrated, or suffered headaches.

 Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers says he will grant clemency to any abortion providers who are convicted under the state’s 1849 ban on the procedure.  Last week’s overturning of Roe-V-Wade made the law enforceable again.  Evers says he expects it to be challenged in court at some point.  He says he expects attorney general Josh Kaul to go to court to keep abortion legal in the state.  Wisconsin is one of 22 states where the procedure to end a pregnancy is illegal – or at least more strictly limited.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison promises that no one coming to Minnesota for a legal abortion will be prosecuted -- nor will doctors coming here to perform one. He says he has “a duty and obligation to defend their right to travel to Minnesota.” But what if a prosecutor in one of Minnesota’s counties decides to pursue such a case?  Ellison says the governor can intervene, and he adds that any county that tries to prosecute someone “wouldn’t have any legal basis or jurisdiction to do so.”

More than 700 flights within, into, or out of the United States had been canceled Monday, for various reasons. That comes after 868 flights were canceled nationwide on Sunday, according to the website Flight-Aware-dot-com. As of 10:30 A-M today, eight flights scheduled to depart Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport had been canceled, and 13 inbound flights to M-S-P had been canceled. On Sunday, Eleven arriving and 13 departing flights at M-S-P were canceled.

A nine-point-eight-million dollar state grant is aimed at relieving Wisconsin’s shortage of welders.  The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation gave the money to Northwood Technical College to be used for housing projects and training equipment.  Northwood Technical President John Will says the application process was a competitive one.  K-B-J-R/T-V reports the grant money will fund housing projects in Ashland, Bayfield, Douglas, and Sawyer counties.

A symbolic victory for the front-runner in the Democratic primary for U-S Senate from Wisconsin.  Mandela Barnes won the unscientific U-S Senate straw poll by just two votes at this weekend’s Wisconsin Democratic Party convention in La Crosse. Barnes got 121 votes among party activists, and Sara Godlewski got 119. That’s about 32 percent for each candidate. Alex Lasry came in third, with just 15 percent

A new national study from the University of Illinois shows that 51 percent of surveyed nurses considered leaving the profession within the next year. Mary Turner with the Minnesota Nurses Association (M-N-A) calls the results “extremely alarming.” She says short staffing and moral distress are among the top reasons given for nurses wanting to leave. The study of 22 hundred registered nurses working in hospitals, conducted last fall, found 95 percent had experienced moral distress -- largely due to the pandemic. Only 15 percent of nurses surveyed felt staffing levels in their workplace were safe.

Local-Regional News June 27

One person was injured in a one-vehicle rollover accident in Ellsworth Township on Thursday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 75yr old Gerald Pieper from Ellsworth was traveling northbound on Hwy 65 when he attempted to turn eastbound on Hwy J, when his truck rolled onto its side.   Pieper was taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

One person was injured in a single-vehicle accident in Trimbell Township on Thursday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 42yr old Stacey Radunz of Hudson was traveling on 810th Street when he lost control and entered the west ditch.  Radunz was taken to Mayo Hospital in Red Wing.

The Wabasha County Board is meeting tomorrow.  Items on the agenda include approval of the quote for the Highway Shop Concrete Work, approval of the County Highway 81 Funding Exchange Agreement, and approval of the sale of tax-forfeited land.  Tomorrow's meeting begins at 9am at the Wabasha County Government Center.

While some area pools are closed due to a lack of staff, Durand is not one of them.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says we are lucky to have the staff we have.  The second session of swimming lessons will be starting soon.

A September preliminary hearing has been scheduled for the accused killer of 10-year-old Iliana “Lily” Peters.  An eighth-grade relative identified only by the initials C-P-B is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree sexual assault resulting in great bodily harm, and first-degree sexual assault of a child under the age of 13.  The defense attorney has asked the judge to issue a gag order.  Michael Cohen referred to a YouTube video containing drone video, photos, police communications, 9-1-1 calls, and information about the case.  The teenage suspect is being held in the Eau Claire County Jail on a one-million-dollar cash bond.

A survey shows little support for an Eau Claire school referendum. The school board is asking taxpayers for an increase in property taxes. Just over half of the people who participated in the survey said they support the idea of ending Wisconsin revenue caps to raise seven-and-a-half-million dollars for the local school system. Only 21 percent of the people said they would vote for the tax hike. School leaders could take steps to keep the increase low or move the referendum away from the fall election while working to build more support.

A House Democrat questions Republican U.S. Senator Ron Johnson’s explanation, of his role in an effort by his staff to get fake presidential elector documents to Vice President Mike Pence, just prior to the Senate vote to confirm Joe Biden’s 2020 election win.  La Crosse Congressman Ron Kind (on WKOW’s “Capitol City Sunday”) said Johnson has some more explaining to do.  Kind said the U.S. Department of Justice may need to investigate Johnson’s involvement in the matter.

With Friday’s action by the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe versus Wade, Wisconsin’s 1849 criminal abortion law is back in effect. Governor Tony Evers responded to that, at the state Democratic Party Convention in La Crosse over the weekend Evers is up for reelection in November along with Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, who has said he won’t use state DOJ resources to prosecute violations of that law.     

The superintendent of the Sparta Area School District could face some form of discipline after the conclusion of an independent investigation.  W-K-B-T/T-V reports Doctor Amy Van Deuren was found to have repeatedly violated the district’s anti-harassment and anti-bullying policies while creating a hostile work environment.  The investigator found that Van Deuren engaged in harassing and threatening behavior.  Some employees said they were concerned for their physical safety based on her actions and communications.  The investigator says Van Deuren denied the allegations but the school board has placed her on administrative leave.  An evidentiary hearing will be scheduled.

Republican members of the Wisconsin congressional delegation didn’t give their support last week to a package of gun reforms.  President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bills into law.  They provide funding for mental health services and school security programs, expand criminal background checks for some gun buyers, prohibit a larger group of domestic-violence offenders from buying guns, and provide funding for so-called “red flag” programs that allow the courts to seize guns from troubled individuals.  No Republicans from Wisconsin voted for the package of bills.

The Waukesha County Circuit judge handling the case has issued an order that three doctors should evaluate the Slender Man defendant who is seeking a release from a mental institution.  Twenty-year-old Morgan Geyser says she no longer offers a threat.  Geyser and Anissa Weier admitted to police they attacked classmate Payton Leutner in 2014, stabbing her 19 times.  They said they were trying to please the fictional internet horror character Slender Man.  Leutner survived and Geyser was sentenced to 40 years of mental health supervision.  She has been living at the secure Winnebago Mental Health Institute in Oshkosh.  A follow-up hearing is set for September.

An executive order issued by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz aims to protect reproductive health care services in Minnesota. Abortion remains legal here but last week’s U-S Supreme Court ruling effectively overturning Roe-V-Wade severely restricts the procedure in Wisconsin and other neighboring states. Governor Walz said in his order, "our administration is doing everything we can to protect individuals’ right to make their own health care decisions.” It also says the governor will decline to honor requests to extradite individuals who are accused of committing acts related to reproductive health care that are not criminal offenses in Minnesota.

Despite higher fuel prices, the Minnesota Trucking Association does NOT support President Biden’s proposed gas tax holiday.  Trucking Association President John Hauslauden says all it would do is “take money away from roads” or possibly even “increase deficit spending.” The current federal gas tax is around 18 cents per gallon, and the current federal diesel tax is around 24 cents per gallon. These taxes have been in place for almost three decades. Revenue from the gas tax goes toward the Highway Trust Fund.

A rash of scam emails and texts claiming to be from a big lottery winner looking to share some of their winnings with people. State Consumer Protection director Michael Domke says the scammers are just trying to trick you into giving them something.  If it sounds too good to be true, and this really is too good to be true, just delete the message or block the email 

Local-Regional News June 24

 A convicted sex offender who tampered with his GPS Unit has been located and arrested.  The Pepin County Sheriff's Department reports that on Thursday afternoon, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections reported that Allan D Owens had tampered with his GPS monitoring device.  Sheriff's deputies and Durand police searched the area and could not locate Owens.  Pepin County Communications staff used technology to locate the cell phone believed to be in Owens's possession.  The phone was located near Truax Lane and Hwy 312 in the town of Union.  Eau Claire police found Owens at a Days Inn and arrested him.  He is being held in the Eau Claire County Jail.

One person was injured on a motorcycle in near Spring Valley on Wednesday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 17yr old Quinten Berhow of New Richmond was traveling northbound on Hwy 128 when he lost control on a curve and slid into a guardrail.  He was med-flighted to Regions Hospital.  

One person is dead after a two-vehicle accident in Chippewa County yesterday.  According to the Chippewa County Sheriff's Department, 48yr old Michael Krieg of Sheldon was traveling north on Hwy 178 when he crossed the centerline and hit a fuel truck.  Krieg died at the scene while the driver of the fuel truck was uninjured.  Controlled substances may have been a contributing factor in the accident.

A Prescott man, missing since Sunday on Red Cedar Lake has been found.  According to the Barron County Sheriff's Department, the body of 55yr old Mitchell Farrel of Prescott was found by law enforcement and members of Bruce's Legacy.  Farrell was the only person aboard a See-Doo which was found on the shores of Red Cedar Lake on Monday.  The  Midwest Medical Examiner's Office and Barron County Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy.

A Cumberland man, who pleaded guilty to felony murder was sentenced in Barron County Court on Thursday.  In February 22yr old Clayton Lauristen pleaded guilty to the charges in connection to the December 2020 shooting death of 45yr old Lauritz Robertson.  Lauristen was sentenced to 15yrs in prison along with 10yrs of extended supervision.

The union representing workers at the Eau Claire Nestle facility has announced a settlement of a grievance over pay.  The deal prevents workers at the plant from having to repay 160 thousand dollars to the company due to errors made by Nestle in its payroll.  W-E-A-U/T-V reports the incident happened after the company’s timekeeping service, Kronos, suffered a cyberattack.  Shortly after that manual tracking of work hours resulted in both under- and over-payments at the plant.

Wisconsin residents are once again getting misleading or incorrect voter information from third parties. The Wisconsin Elections Commission says third-party groups are once again sending out voter registration forms and absentee ballot request forms to Wisconsinites. In some cases, these people may be ineligible to vote or have already registered to vote. Some of those forms also incorrectly explain the way to vote absentee. WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe says your official sources of information should be your local clerk's office or online at My Vote dot W I dot Gov.

A Dane County Circuit judge has decided not to penalize Assembly Speaker Robin Vos for contempt.  Judge Valeria Bailey-Rihn said she will decide later whether Vos should face penalties for the way he handled open records requests from the liberal watchdog group American Oversight.  Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman was on the witness stand for 90 minutes Thursday.  He told the court he routinely deleted records and deactivated a personal email account after he had received open records requests.  The next hearing is set for July 28th.  American Oversight has filed three open records lawsuits.

Wisconsin's largest utilities will delay the retirement of three large coal plants  We Energies and Alliant Energy released separate statements, explaining a decision based on global supply chain and economic challenges, as well as a potential energy shortage next summer. According to the utilities, the plants –  in Oak Creek, Sheboygan, and Portage - will be used largely during days of highest customer demand. Retirement of the plants will now occur from May 2023 for the oldest units at Oak Creek, to June 2026 for the two remaining units in Portage.

 Former Minneapolis police officer Mohammed Noor is scheduled for release next Monday.  Noor shot Justine Ruszczyk Damond five years ago after she had called 9-1-1 to report a possible rape.  He was initially sentenced to 12-and-a-half years in prison then the Minnesota Supreme Court reversed one of the two counts he was convicted of – third-degree murder.  He was resentenced last year on the second-degree manslaughter conviction and has served the typical two-thirds of his sentence at the Oak Park Heights Correctional Facility.

The discovery of a woman’s body on a farm near Rochester is being investigated as a possible homicide. The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office says a man mowing grass made the discovery last Friday after seeing an arm sticking out from under a tarp. Deputies say the body was so decomposed it could not be identified, but a fingerprint revealed it was the body of 28-year-old Tia Arlerth. Her mother reported her missing to Rochester police on June 12th. Investigators believe her body was brought to the remote site after she died.

We’re getting a better picture of just *how* bad last week’s storms were in Wisconsin.  The National Weather Service says the storms produced 11 tornadoes. Three tornadoes touched down in Monroe, Vernon, and Juneau counties. Eight other tornadoes touched down in eastern and northeastern Wisconsin, including four tornadoes in Marinette County. Nearly ten thousand homes and businesses lost power at some point because of downed trees and power lines. 

Authorities in Vernon County have identified the two shooting victims who were found in the Town of Coon Sunday as 47-year-old Tina Schermerhorn and 48-year-old Rick Schermerhorn.  Deputies responded to a 9-1-1 call at 8:47 p-m about a possible suicide.  W-E-A-U/T-V reports when they arrived, they found Tina Schermerhorn dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.  Shortly after, they found her husband dead of multiple gunshot wounds.  The apparent murder-suicide is being investigated by the sheriff’s office and the Vernon County Coroner’s Office.

 A 53-year-old Oshkosh man who has called himself the “next mass shooter” now faces federal firearms charges.  It was illegal for Whittier P. Ives to possess a firearm after a court-ordered mental health commitment in April.  He had also been convicted on felony charges in California.  W-L-U-K/T-V reports that after receiving a tip, Omro police conducted a traffic stop on June 4th and took Ives into custody.  Officers found boxes of ammunition and numerous magazines, plus a semi-automatic rifle.

Governor Tim Walz has doubled his proposal for rebate checks and wants to call a special session, but it’s unclear whether fellow Democrats in the Minnesota House would abandon their spending proposals that contributed to the meltdown at the end of the regular session one month ago. House Speaker Melissa Hortman says she supports the governor’s plan but adds that she sees no reason they couldn’t come back and do “the entire deal, plus provide some immediate assistance to Minnesota families.” Hortman contends investments in education and other programs are necessary to move the state forward.  Republicans resist any additional spending, arguing it’s not a budget year.

An eight-million dollar grant will be used by the U-W-Stevens Point forestry education department to complete Wisconsin’s first start-to-finish wood mill products training center.  Wisconsin Forestry Center director Les Werner says the money will also pay for the creation of a mobile training center that can be brought to high schools.  Werner says the forestry industry is one of the pillars of the state’s economy.  The grant money is coming from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

Local-Regional News June 23

 The Durand City Council's Public Welfare Committee held a meeting last night to discuss the proposed dog park that would be located at the O.R. Hanson FFA Park in Durand.  According to Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren, the city can only use the land for a park and nothing more.  Residents near the land have come out opposed to the site being used for a dog park citing traffic and other concerns.  Milliren says the city council is set to decide whether or not the dog park will be located at that site during its next meeting on July 13th.

Pepin County has received a $14,000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to allow the county to set up two permanent electronic recycling sites in the county.   The sites will be located at the Waubeek and Pepin Solid Waste Collection Sites.  There will still be a charge to recycle electronics and the county hopes to have the sites up and running by the fall.  Money for the grants comes from fees electronics manufacturers pay under E-Cycle Wisconsin to ensure the proper collection and recycling of used electronics. Devices covered include computers, monitors, TVs, printers, DVD players, VCRs, and computer accessories.

The Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Office has identified last week’s homicide victim and the man suspected of shooting him to death.  The body of 46-year-old Eddie L. Banks was found in a ditch near the St. Raymond Parish church in the town of Clear Creek Thursday.  Investigators say they are looking for 36-year-old Philip R. Novak as the suspect.  W-E-A-U/T-V reports they think Novak has left the area and may be headed for northern Wisconsin or Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  Local, state, and federal authorities are working together on the search.

Four men have been charged in Dunn County Court for the illegal killing of a black bear near a daycare center last year.  WQOW-TV reports Brandon Guthrie and Cody Shafer are charged with illegal bear hunting and lying to wardens. Hunter Strenke is accused of shooting the bear without a license, and Adam Millermon is also charged with illegal bear hunting.  According to DNR Wardens, the Daycare owner hear hounds in the woods and brought the children into the daycare when she heard a gunshot.  Wardens say the four men did not have permission to hunt on the adjacent land and they killed a 325-pound bear.  

Barron County authorities say the body of a missing 55-year-old boater has been found in Red Cedar Lake.  The man’s name hasn’t been released.  Investigators say he apparently drowned.  W-A-O-W/T-V reports the boater was on the lake Sunday evening and his boat was found empty Monday morning.  The search was conducted with help from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, and the Shell Lake Fire Department.  Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald says at one point there were nine boats on the lake searching for the missing man.

The Trempealeau County Sheriffs Department is asking for the public's help in locating a missing person.  According to the department's Facebook page, Derek Stawarz has been missing since June 14, when he was last seen in Lassek Court in Seymour Township in Eau Claire County.  Stawarz was last seen wearing blue jeans, and a red/orange t-shirt, and is 5'11" 165lbs with brown hair and blue eyes.  The vehicle he was driving was found abandoned in Eau Clarie County.    If you have any information about where Stawarz may be, you are asked to contact the Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Office at 715-538-4351.

One of the two attackers in the Slender Man case says she would pose no risk if she was released from the mental institution where she’s been treated for the last four years.  Morgan Geyser was committed in 2018 for joining her friend Anissa Weier in a stabbing attack on a classmate.  She was supposed to be confined for 40 years. W-I-S-N/T-V reports Geyser and Weier were 12 years old at the time.  They told police they stabbed sixth-grader Payton Leutner 19 times to please the horror character, Slender Man.  They said they were convinced he was real.  Weier was granted conditional release last September to live with her father while wearing a G-P-S monitor.  Geyser has a Waukesha County hearing this (Thursday) afternoon.

A lawsuit filed against the Wausau Police Department alleges it hasn’t released relevant information sought through an open records request.  The Wisconsin Transparency Project says much of the information released about the internal investigation into Lieutenant Adam Hartwig three years ago was redacted.  Hartwig was investigated over allegations of sexual misconduct and he later resigned.  W-A-O-W/T-V reports the group wants to know what Hartwig did.  Its founder, Tom Kamenick, says it is important to see if investigations like that one are thorough and fair to both the accuser and the accused.

The U-S Senate is advancing a gun safety bill aimed at preventing mass shootings. Minnesota Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith both voted for the final debate on the bipartisan legislation. It would enhance background checks for gun buyers under age 21, provide state funding for “red flag” laws, and billions of dollars for mental health programs and school security. The N-R-A opposes the measure.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is doubling down on his proposal to issue rebate checks to Minnesotans.  Walz says he agrees with the message from legislative Republicans from last November – that the state’s budget surplus should be returned to the people.  The Democrat wants lawmakers to return to the Capitol for a special session to authorize rebate checks of two-thousand dollars for every couple.  Senate Republicans are questioning his plan.  They passed an eight-billion-dollar tax cut during this year’s legislative session but Democrats in the House never brought it up for a vote.

A judge has dismissed the six felony false imprisonment charges that had been filed against Suring Superintendent Kelly Casper.  Brown County Circuit Judge Marc Hammer was presiding over the Oconto County trial.  Hammer ruled the state had failed to meet a probability standard for sustaining the charges.  W-B-A-Y/T-V reports Casper was accused of strip-searching students earlier this year after they were suspected of vaping in a school restroom.  Casper has submitted her resignation which is effective June 30th.  The district attorney could still file other charges for the incident.

The Madison Forward Fund will provide 500 dollars a month to local families in need.  Mayor Satya Rhodes Conway launched the pilot program Tuesday.  W-M-T-V reports the application process will be open until July 3rd or until 155 households are signed up.  Backers say the program is meant to be a supplement, not a replacement for the money needed to buy essentials like food, transportation, utilities, and rent.  The mayor says many pandemic programs have ended but the families are still being hurt by high inflation and a shortage of childcare.

Planned Parenthood North Central States C-E-O Sarah Stoesz  predicts an influx of women to Minnesota from surrounding states, which will have abortion bans or tougher restrictions if the U-S Supreme Court overturns Roe-V-Wade. She says if “federal protection falls, it is on us to make sure that we are good neighbors and that we are able to welcome women into our state so that they can be cared for.” Scott Fischbach with Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life disagrees. He says Minnesota also has “a very strong network of care centers that are willing to help women with alternatives so that they don’t have to go ahead with that abortion.” Fischbach also notes that Minnesota has an abortion waiting period, and informed consent. and parental involvement laws.

The U-S Department of Agriculture is sending 20-million dollars to the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research at UW-Madison.  The Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives is being awarded a total of 80 million from the American Rescue Plan Act.  A news release says D-B-I initiatives provide technical assistance and sub-grants to dairy farmers and businesses.  The money is aimed at helping the businesses with plan development, marketing, and branding, as well as providing increased access to innovative techniques in dairy production of processing.  U-S Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin made the announcement Monday.

 The recent spike in interest rates doesn't seem to be influencing homebuyers. Chris Galler president of Minnesota Realtors says they’re being told that “buyers are still in the market. While interest rates have gone up, he says “they're still historically at a good rate, but over the last few years they've been very very low. Galler points out another bright spot -- home inventory is improving.  He says there are more houses on the market this year compared to last.

Local-Regional News June 22

 The proposed dog park will be the topic of the Durand Public Welfare Committee today.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says it will be an opportunity for those for and against the location of the park to speak to committee members.  That meeting begins at 5:30 at Durand City Hall and will be live-streamed on the WRDN YouTube Channel.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and approval of the construction and bid documents for the pool, approval to ask for bids for construction of the pool, and reports from the mayor and department heads.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall and will be live-streamed on our YouTube Channel.

Motorists traveling on I-94 in Dunn County can expect traffic delays again today.  The Dunn County Highway Department is repairing parts of the interstate that buckled over the last few days.  Yesterday crews repaired an eastbound section of the interstate near Hwy K and are expected to continue repairs in the same area today.

Construction crews are beginning a resurfacing and safety improvement project for Hwy 12-29 from 6th Street to 21st Street in Menomonie..  According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, crews will mill down the existing pavement and overlay it with asphalt,  add a shared left turn lane and add a bike lane and close the 5th Avenue East intersection.  The road will remain open and the project is expected to be completed in September.

The application window is open for Minnesota livestock and specialty crop producers to apply for drought relief grants.  State Agriculture Commission Tom Peterson says only four counties – Goodhue, Rice, Wabasha, and Winona – aren’t eligible for the grants aimed at covering losses from last year’s severe drought.  The grants worth up to 75 hundred dollars are available on a first-come, first-served basis until July 6th.

A Rochester man faces child endangerment and other charges for leaving his infant in a car after fleeing police. Twenty-nine-year-old Sean Blass was pulled over Monday night, got out, and walked toward the squad car but ran off when told to return to his vehicle. Officers say they found his seven-month-old son in the car which they described as “very warm.” The high temperature was 96 degrees. Blass was arrested a few blocks away and the boy was checked out by paramedics before being picked up by his mother.

Teachers in the La Crosse School District say the two-percent raise being offered to them isn’t in line with the rising rate of inflation.  The La Crosse Education Association is seeking a cost-of-living increase.  The district says declining enrollment and a lack of state funding has an effect on how much money it can pay the teachers.  Superintendent Aaron Engel says anything above the two percent that is being offered would result in a reduction in student programs.  The teachers are asking for four-point-seven percent.

An investigator for the January 6th Commission of the U-S House of Representatives gave testimony about U-S Senator Ron Johnson’s involvement during Tuesday’s hearing.  Investigative counsel Casey Lucier told committee members one of Johnson’s staff members texted a staffer for Vice President Pence saying Johnson wanted to hand-deliver the fake elector votes from Michigan and Wisconsin to Pence.  The staff member for the Wisconsin Republican was told not to do that.  A spokesperson for Johnson has tweeted that he had no involvement in the creation of an alternate slate of electors and no foreknowledge that it was going to be delivered to his office.

The U-S Navy is awarding Marinette Marine the contract to build a new warship. The 536-million-dollar Constellation-class frigate is part of a five-and-a-half billion-dollar ship-building contract for the Navy. Marinette Marine says the new order will mean thousands of jobs in northeastern Wisconsin for years to come.

Online scammers have turned to trying to get people's personal data through phony job listings. IRS Spokesman Christopher Miller says the scammers will get you to fill out a phony job form that asks for personal banking info and other items that can be used to open up accounts in your name. 

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Nurses held informational pickets Tuesday at Essentia-Saint Mary’s and Saint Luke’s hospitals in Duluth, and at the Allina hospital in Hastings, demanding new contracts that put patients and health care workers before corporate profits. Chris Rubesch is a nurse at Essentia-Duluth and the first vice president of the Minnesota Nurses Association. He says a central issue is adequate staffing and adds that it’s “unfortunate” that they had to resort to a picket line to try and get their message across to management. Essentia says in a statement that their “top priority…is to continue providing our patients with the kind of expert care they expect and deserve.” Essentia says nurses are “valued members of our care teams...and we look forward to reaching a mutually beneficial agreement.”

Governor Evers is issuing an emergency order banning price-gouging of gasoline and diesel fuel in Wisconsin.   The average price of a gallon of regular fuel in Wisconsin was about four dollars, 83 cents on Tuesday. The national average is four-97. Increasing demand for oil, limited global supply, and low refinery capacity all account for the recent spike in fuel prices. The governor’s order urges consumers who suspect price gouging to file a complaint with the Wisconsin Bureau of Consumer Protection. Evers’ order will expire on December 1st. 

The deaths of two people are being investigated by the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office.  A news release from the office says a call was received Sunday at 8:47 p-m about a suspicious death.  Emergency responders found the bodies of two adults in the home in a rural area near Coon Valley when they arrived.  No names have been released and investigators haven’t said how the victims died.  The Vernon County Coroner’s Office is assisting.

 A woman accused of the sexual assault of a 17-year-old Tomah High School student has made a court appearance.  Kaitlyn Sankey appeared by phone in Juneau County Circuit Court Monday.  WK-B-T/T-V reports Sankey faces four criminal counts, including sexual assault of a child by a person who works or volunteers with children.  She is accused of having sexual contact with the victim.  Monday’s hearing was held so the judge could amend the no-contact orders that are in force against her.

A win for prosecutors and the family of George Floyd, as a judge has agreed to move up the trial date for two former police officers charged with aiding and abetting Floyd’s death. Tou Thao and J. Alexander Keung will now stand trial on October 24th, just over four months from now, instead of January Fifth of next year. The two former Minneapolis police officers are accused of not intervening when fellow cop Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes. Chauvin was convicted of second and third-degree murder. A third officer, Thomas Lane, pleaded guilty to state charges and will serve three years.

Surveillance video shows a bear entering a home in Crivitz through a kitchen window Sunday night.  The same video shows a warden with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources using a catchpole to remove the unwelcome visitor.  The intruder reportedly snuck in while most of the family was asleep.  One family member was able to lock it in a bathroom.  The D-N-R estimates there were 23-thousand black bears in Wisconsin last fall.  There are more encounters with bears this time of year as the adults go in search of a mate and the cubs are left on their own to find food.

Local-Regional News June 21

 One person was injured in an ATV accident in Ellsworth Township on Saturday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 53yr old Jeffrey Conley of Beldenville was traveling northbound on 670th Street and overturned the ATV while turning eastbound onto 610th Avenue.  Conley was med flighted to Regions Hospital.  

 Residents in the Red Wing area will likely see lots of patrol cars, ambulances, and emergency vehicles today. The state Department of Public Safety says agencies from Minnesota and Wisconsin are taking part in a simulated emergency at the Prairie Island Nuclear Plant. Officials say it will test the capabilities of federal, state, and local authorities to work together in the event of a real incident at the generating plant. The field activities are in Dakota and Goodhue counties in Minnesota and Pierce County, Wisconsin.

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board has approved the preliminary budget for the district.  The district's financial year runs from July 1 through June 30th of each year so a preliminary budget must be approved even though state aid for the upcoming year has not yet been determined.  While the preliminary budget has a $70,000 deficit, the district administration is confident that the final district budget will be in balance.

 The discovery of a 46-year-old man’s body in a rural Eau Claire County ditch is now being labeled a homicide investigation.  The victim’s name hasn’t been released.  W-E-A-U/T-V reports the body was found last Thursday shortly after 11:00 a-m in a ditch east of the St. Raymond Parish church in the Town of Clear Creek.  Investigators say the evidence at the scene makes it appear to be a targeted attack.  The sheriff’s office hopes anyone who knows anything about the death will come forward with that information.

 Police say the official cause of death for the three people who died in a house fire in Barron last month was smoke inhalation.  That confirms the results of a preliminary autopsy of the father and his two children.  The Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation is handling the case.  Police Chief Joe Vierkandt says the victims had no injuries unrelated to the fire and toxicology test results are pending.  Vierkandt says it could be weeks before the official cause of the fire is determined.  A woman who was in the house at the time survived.  No names have been released.

If the experience in Wausau is any indication, eliminating PFAs from drinking water will be an expensive proposition. Water Works Commissioner John Robinson says even with a new treatment plant coming on line, a new granular activated carbon filtration system will be needed.   The projected cost of that filtration system – 16 million dollars – is in addition to the 120 million investment in the treatment plant.  PFAS has been found in wells in Eau Claire and La Crosse.

A Nevada real estate company has reportedly agreed to buy the former We Energies Pleasant Prairie power plant for 226 million dollars.  W-T-M-J/T-V reports Dermody Properties wants to create an industrial park area with about two-point-two-million square feet of business space.  The redevelopment plan could include the additional purchase of another 417 acres in the area.  The plant was retired just over four years ago.  Dermody is a national industrial real estate company based in Reno.  It would convert the property into a build-ready business park.  Final approval could come from village leaders in September, with working starting in the fall.

State officials say a Langlade County deer farm that tested positive for chronic wasting disease last year has been depopulated.  W-I-S-N/T-V reports the six-acre farm had been under quarantine since last August.  The U-S-D-A destroyed the remaining 47 animals last month.  The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection say the farm owner will receive federal indemnity for the lost animals.  It won’t be allowed to hold deer for the next five years and it has to maintain its fences and have routine inspections during that time.

A La Crosse man is facing four felony charges for an incident last week, including strangulation and sexual assault.  Police took 25-year-old Corey Spencer into custody.  W-K-B-T/T-V reports he is accused of pushing in an air conditioning unit and entering his former girlfriend’s bedroom through the window last Thursday.  She says Spencer assaulted her while holding a hair trimmer against her neck as if it was a weapon.  She told investigators he also strangled her on June 11th, causing her to lose consciousness.  Spencer was arrested at his job.  He is free on bond after a Friday hearing in La Crosse County Circuit Court.

A Minnesota Congresswoman is calling for a moratorium on state and federal fuel taxes to help ease the burden of rising gas and diesel prices. Democrat Angie Craig says a fuel tax “holiday” would save nearly 50 cents a gallon at the pump. She says she “fundamentally” believes that Congress should be “completely focused” on using “every tool at our disposal to lower costs for working families. Fuel, food, and healthcare are areas of the budget that she says need to be focused on the most.

The head of the Republican partisan elections investigation is expected to be back in court on Thursday.   Former State Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman has been subpoenaed as a witness in an ongoing open records lawsuit. A Dane County judge found Gableman and his office in contempt last week after he angrily refused to answer questions on the stand and belittled the judge and attorneys from the open record group who filed the lawsuit. He is being fined 2-thousand dollars a day until he complies with orders to turn over records to watchdog group American Oversight.

The body of a missing 26-year-old man from Royalton has been found not far from his home.  Brandon Colligan was reported missing on June 10th.  Witnesses told authorities Colligan met a friend for coffee in Stevens Point that day and hadn’t been seen since.  The friend told investigators the missing man left the coffee shop to get something and never returned.  Colligan’s car was found near a family member’s home and his wallet and phone had been left inside the vehicle.  The Waupaca County Sheriff’s Office hasn’t said how he died – or, if foul play is suspected.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is pushing to give Minnesotans an even larger tax rebate than the 500-dollar checks he proposed during the legislative session. State lawmakers left the Capitol without passing tax cuts, despite a record budget surplus. Walz called for one-thousand-dollar rebate checks on W-C-C-O T-V’s Sunday Morning, saying “Minnesotans need it” due to the impact of inflation on food and gas. Republicans opposed the so-called “Walz checks” and wanted permanent tax relief. Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller has said he’s not interested in a special session.

A Cottage Grove firefighter is being credited with saving a family from an apartment fire.  Fire crews were dispatched to the apartment Friday just before 5:30 p-m.  The off-duty firefighter lived near the burning apartment and made entry to check on the residents.  The fire caused by unattended cooking on a stove was quickly put out.  One adult was treated for burn injuries and two children were examined for smoke inhalation.  Authorities say if the firefighter hadn’t moved so quickly the outcome could have been much worse.  Her name hasn’t been released.

Local-Regional News June 20

 One person was killed in a semi vs car accident on I-94 near Knapp early Saturday morning.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol,  55yr old Eric More from Wisconsin was traveling eastbound on I-94 when he struck a deer and stopped on the right shoulder of I 94.  He then went in reverse into the left lane and was struck by an eastbound semi driven by 51yr old Jenie Barnes of Minnesota.  A passenger in the vehicle, 57yr old Rufus Morre was killed in the accident while the driver of the car received minor injuries.  The Wisconsin State Patrol is investigating the accident.  

Hot weather can be expected over the next few days.  A heat advisory is in effect for the WRDN Listening area as the National Weather Service is expecting temperatures in the upper 90s with heat indexes over 102.  Cooler weather is expected by midweek.

The Mann Valley Research Farm at UW-River Falls was the host of this year's Pierce County Dairy Breakfast on Saturday.  93rd Assemblyman Warren Petryk says he is looking forward to representing the school in the assembly. Because of the redistricting, the 93rd now includes River Falls and the university.

The collaboration between CVTC and the UW System is expanding.  UW-River Falls Chancellor Maria Gallow says River Falls along with UW-Stout and Eau Claire has signed an agreement with CVTC. Gallow hopes the new agreement will also make it easier for the student to continue their educations at UW.

A Milwaukee pastry business has issued a recall for products sold statewide. The Class One recall notice is for Reynold’s Northern Pastries’ one-pound package with an expiration date of June 23rd. The product includes an establishment number of 734. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection say the pastries were produced without being inspected by state officials. No sicknesses have been reported.

A new study finds tighter budgets for Wisconsin town governments. Wisconsin Policy Forum Research Director Jason Stein says towns' reliance on local property taxes has grown in recent decades as state aid has slowed.   But Stein says the share of towns' overall budgets that go to roads has diminished over time, as spending on items like debt payments has risen

The Wisconsin Department of Justice says its Office of School Safety is in the midst of training 12 Critical Incident Response Teams.  The state is working to make sure all school districts have access to regional support teams in a critical incident happens.  W-K-B-T/T-V reports critical incidents would include acts of violence, natural disasters, serious injuries to students or staff, suicide, community turmoil, intruders, an AMBER Alert, or hate crimes.  The D-O-J says its program should be fully implemented by this fall.

Starting Saturday Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin says it will direct patients to out-of-state facilities for abortions or work with them to find alternative care.  The organization has stopped scheduling abortions past June 25th in anticipation of a U-S Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe-V-Wade.  A spokesperson says the decision could come Monday, June 27th.  A Wisconsin statute dating back to 1849 means abortion providers will have immediately suspend those serves on the same day the high court makes its decision.  For now, there are just four health care providers who offer abortion procedures in Wisconsin.  Planned Parenthood hasn’t said if it might resume abortion appointments if the Supreme Court doesn’t make its ruling on the landmark case.

The media wasn’t welcome at the first stop for the Wisconsin Republicans’ statewide “election integrity” tour.  The first of nine stops was in Onalaska Wednesday.  Republican party officials say the tour is about recruiting volunteers and poll workers.  When W-K-B-T/T-V tried to gain access to the event its reporters were turned away.  Some Democrats think the tour is about repeating allegations of election fraud in the 2020 presidential vote.  Republican leaders say they are just focused on having a fair midterm election.

Embattled special counsel Michael Gableman is being called back to the witness stand. Gableman refused to answer questions when he took the stand in a combative hearing last week. His office is being sued for lack of compliance with open records requests. The judge in the case found Gableman in contempt of court, and is fining him two-thousand dollars a day until he turns the records over to a liberal watchdog group called American Oversight. Republicans hired Gableman to lead a review of the 2020 election at the urging of former president Donald Trump. Gableman's ongoing review has so far cost Wisconsin taxpayers roughly 900-thousand dollars.

Three Milwaukee men are sentenced for their roles in the 2020 assault on former Wauwatosa police officer Joseph Mensah. Ronald Bell is going to prison for two years; Niles McKee is credited with three days spent in the Milwaukee County jail; and William Lofton is paying a 750-dollar fine. Bell, McKee, and Lofton were among about 60 people who converged on the home where Mensah was staying to confront him about the death of 17-year-old Alvin Cole, one of three men Mensah killed in the line of duty over five years. Mensah was exonerated in all three cases. Mensah has since become a Waukesha County sheriffs deputy.

The Wisconsin Citizen Utility Board reports this state is one of the slowest states at getting power restored after storms – like the ones that hit the Badger State this week.  The Electric Utility Performance report shows Wisconsin utilities average taking five hours to get the lights back on after a major storm event.  That ranks Wisconsin 43rd among the 50 states.  W-T-M-J/T-V reports the low ranking is being released at the same time WE Energies is asking for a 700-million-dollar rate hike.  The money would be used to strengthen the power grid against outages during future storms.  The average customers would pay an extra six-dollars a month.  The Public Service Commission is considering the request.

More and more time outside as kids are out of school and the weather is warm, also means more and more interaction with bugs. Alex Carlson with the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District says along with mosquitos, ticks are out in force. He says, “June is peak month for Lyme disease transmission in Minnesota.” Carlson advises anyone who’s going to be out hiking in long grass or wooded areas “to check themselves, check their pets, check their kids, because ticks are very prevalent this time of year.” He also says tick numbers will dwindle in the middle of the summer and peak again in the fall.

The Science Museum of Minnesota’s summer-long emphasis on space is well underway. Karilyn Robinson with the museum says two of the most popular components so far have been the interactive “Sun, Earth, Space” and “Journey to Space” exhibits. She says, “there are different engineering skills and scientific concepts that you can test and see what they look like and then you’re learning about the way that impacts our ability to thrive and work in space. Robinson also says the exhibits have so far been a hit with kids and adults alike. The “Journey to Space” exhibition will run at the Science Museum through September Fifth.

Local-Regional News June 17

 The Durand-Arkansaw School District saw an increase in high-cost transportation aid from the State of Wisconsin last year.  The district received just over $239,000 which was $40,000 more than budgeted for.  The aid is given to districts that have higher transportation costs due to the larger area of their school district. 

The Mondovi City Council has approved the reconstruction of the sidewalks in the downtown as part of the Hwy 37 project.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says it just made sense to replace them when Hwy 37 is reconstructed.  The city is also exploring making the sidewalk narrower to help improve site lines for motorists trying to cross Hwy 37.

The City of Durand has submitted a grant application to reconstruct Main Street in the Downtown.  The grant would help cover the non-sewer and water replacement costs for Main street.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says once the city finds out if the grant is approved, the council will then look at the overall downtown infrastructure.  The city should know by the end of August or early September if the grant was approved.  The city has already received a similar grant for Madison Street.

The Eau Claire County Sheriff's Department is investigating a death in the town of Clear Creek.  Deputies were called to the scene yesterday at 11 by someone who saw the body in the ditch on Mallard Road.  The department believes the public is not in danger and it was an isolated targeted incident.  The name of the victim has not been released.

The Post Office, stock and agriculture markets, and other businesses will be closed on Mondy to celebrate the newest Federal Holiday Juneteenth.  The holiday commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and is celebrated on June 19th.  Because the 19th falls on a Sunday it will be officially observed on Monday.

The National Weather Service confirms that six tornadoes touched down in Wisconsin during the severe storms Wednesday.  The strongest tornado was rated E-F-2 near Wyeville in Monroe County.  Its peak winds were 115 miles per hour and it was on the ground for almost 21 miles.  Tornadoes rated E-F-1 touched down in La Farge, Mauston, Seymour, and West Bloomfield.  The strength of a sixth twister near Silver Cliff hasn’t been rated.  The storm system did considerable damage in the state but no serious injuries have been reported.  Mauston Mayor Dennis Nielsen issued a disaster declaration, saying the city will be requesting county and state assistance.

U-S Senator Tammy Baldwin says a vote on stricter gun laws could be imminent – maybe as early as this week.  The Wisconsin Democrat says “the people of the United States are demanding action.”  Baldwin says she stands on the side of taking action.  The current push for new gun legislation comes after deadly mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas.  A framework of gun control measures was cobbled together by a bipartisan group of senators last week and they are now being written into legislation so lawmakers can vote on them.

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development reports Minnesota gained 66 hundred jobs in May. DEED Commissioner Steve Grove says that makes eight straight months of job growth. At the same time, the state’s unemployment rate took a dive to two percent -- another all-time low. Grove says the numbers are a sign of an economy that is working again. He says Minnesota is on course to continue adding jobs -- if employers can find the workers to fill them. The state labor force is still more than 75 thousand workers below the level seen before the pandemic began.

The nation’s largest ag cooperative says it will begin construction this summer on a state-of-the-art grain facility in northwest Minnesota. C-H-S plans to build a one-point-25-million-bushel shuttle elevator in Erskine, bringing total capacity at the location to four-point-55 million bushels. Executive vice president of C-H-S ag retail operations Rick Dusek says this is a key location in the flow of grain from the Upper Midwest to export terminals in the Pacific Northwest. The facility is slated to be operational in the fall of 2023.

A farmer is confronting high input costs head-on. Sam Ziegler grows corn and soybeans near Good Thunder in south-central Minnesota. He says he’s been “more aggressive on marketing for next year” than he’s been in the past. He also says, “if you can lock in five-and-a-half dollar corn and other things for over a year out, I think history has taught us what goes up must come down.” Ziegler is trying to price diesel and fertilizer for next year and the quotes he’s seeing aren’t very “attractive” right now. He says risk management is crucial with production costs at historic levels.

Some Minnesotans are asking, “does Governor Tim Walz really have a lake cabin in South Dakota?” Twitter activity ramped up when former Minnesota Viking Matt Birk, lieutenant governor running mate of Walz’s Republican challenger Scott Jensen, tweeted “Here’s a guy from Nebraska, who just bought a lake place in South Dakota, aiming to turn us into California, lecturing us about OUR Minnesota values.” But Walz’ campaign manager says neither the governor nor the First Lady own any property, let alone one in South Dakota -- adding that kind of dishonesty doesn’t belong in the governor’s office.  Walz sold his Mankato home before moving into the Governor’s Residence. Property records and the governor’s most recent economic disclosure seem to support his no-real-estate status.

 Alliant Energy says it is ready to begin construction on six new solar projects that will add nearly 414 megawatts of solar energy generation.  W-M-T-V reports the newly-approved projects are part of Alliant’s Clean Energy Blueprint program.  The utility says it is looking to add about 11 hundred megawatts of solar energy to Wisconsin’s power grid.  A spokesperson says the six solar projects should be completed by late next year.  Alliant Energy projects that the total of 12 projects overall will create more than two-thousand local construction jobs, provide an estimated 130 million dollars in local tax revenues over the next 30 years, and help customers avoid more than one-point-six-billion dollars in long-term costs.

With inflation and rising gas prices, Minnesotans may be more concerned with saving money. Kimberly Palmer from Nerd Wallet says managing money starts with your emotions and there are ways to keep these in check. One is called a “body check-in.” She uses real estate shopping as an example, saying someone “might have a physical reaction where you suddenly feel so stressed out, and you’re not really sure exactly why.” She recommends in that moment to take a break and maybe “go for a walk (to) get a different perspective.” Studies show eighty-five to 90 percent of our money decisions are based on our emotions.

Local-Regional News June 16

 The Pepin County Board has approved a resolution supporting the creation of the Northern Grain Belt Port Statistical Area.  Bob Gollinick with the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission says the area covers 150 miles of the Mississippi River and includes 11 counties on both sides of the river from Prarie Du Chien to Red Wing.  With 30 different river terminals, Gollnick says combining all of their imports and exports would make are region a top 50 port.  The creation of the statistical area will not cost Pepin County any money or time.

Durand Middle-High School Principal Nic Gillis is retiring.  During last night's school board meeting, members approved the retirement.  Gillis, who has been with the district for only a year was a former administrator in Plum City and had replaced longtime principal Bill Clouse.  The District will now begin a search for a new principal.

An area hunter safety program has been recognized by the Wisconsin DNR.  Last night the DNR presented the Durand Hunter Safety program as the Hunter Safety Program of the Year for the state of Wisconsin.  The program teaches gun safety to area youth for safe and successful hunting.

The Nelson Handy Mart was robbed yesterday.  In a social media post, the store posted pictures of the man who robbed the store.  The man had a beard and mustache and was wearing a black baseball cap and a grey hoodie-type sweatshirt.  He was driving a blue SUV.  If anyone has any information on the identity of the man, they are to contact the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department.  

Dunn County Motorists are reminded to watch and follow the posted speed limits.  The Dunn County Sheriff's Department along with Boyceville, Colfax, and Elk Mound Police are having extra patrols to work weekly speed enforcement details.  The extra enforcement will run through the rest of the summer.

A California company has withdrawn its proposal for a water bottling facility in Eau Claire.  The decision from Niagara Bottling came just prior to Tuesday night's City Council meeting, where council members voted 11-0 to postpone the proposal indefinitely. While some were excited at the prospect of jobs and tax revenues, opponents raised concerns about water quality, climate change, and plastic waste. Opponents rallied outside city hall on Monday ahead of a public hearing. Niagara had projected employing 58 people at the facility, which would have used about nine percent of the city’s water plant output.  According to Eau Claire City Officials, the company plans to resubmit a plan within the next year.

The National Weather Service has confirmed tornado touchdowns near Tomah and Mauston, with power, knocked out to more than 70 thousand customers Wednesday evening.  W-I-S-C/T-V reports damage was done to the Mile Bluff Medical Center in Mauston with trees and powerlines known down near the hospital.  In the middle of the severe storm, a crash on Interstate 90-94 closed eastbound traffic at about 4:30 p-m.  State Highway 21 was also closed to traffic in both directions by a crash.  City officials in Green Bay were asking people to stay away due to extensive damage from storms.  Authorities have provided no injury reports yet.  

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is investigating a fatal jet ski accident on the Mississippi River.  W-K-B-T/T-V reports rescue crews were called to the river Tuesday at about 1:30 p-m.  Investigators say a freshman at West Salem High School was killed in an accident involving two personal watercraft and the four people who were riding.  No information was provided about the medical conditions of the three people who survived.  The West Salem School District says the victim was a member of the cross-country and soccer teams at the high school.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled you can be charged with operating while intoxicated while you are in your own driveway.  The court decided a judge didn’t make a mistake when issuing a warrant for a blood draw for Valiant Green after he was arrested in 2019.  The request for a warrant was a preprinted form and Green’s attorney had argued police had no cause to search him because they couldn’t assume Green had driven on a public road.  The Supreme Court justices disagreed with a six-to-one vote.  Green was charged with O-W-I-fourth offense and resisting arrest.

A Dane County judge has fined special counsel Michael Gableman two thousand dollars a day for ignoring open records requests from a liberal watchdog group.  Judge Frank Remington found Gableman in contempt last week after the former state Supreme Court justice refused to answer questions.  Gableman was heard making sarcastic comments about the judge and inappropriate comments about an attorney for American Oversight, the group seeking the records.  Judge Remington ordered a transcript for the hearing to be forwarded to the Office of Lawyer Regulation for what he called “appropriate disciplinary action.”  Gableman could face discipline for his comments.  He has been overseeing the review of Wisconsin’s 2020 presidential election.

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The U-S Army Corps of Engineers has released a draft of where it plans to deposit sand dredged from the Mississippi River near Winona -- and they’re now asking for public comment. The Corps' dredged material manager Paul Machajewski says, “next summer we’d be living under the draft plan as proposed unless there are some significant modifications that are needed.” The draft plan no longer uses the large Winona Harbor expansion site due to input received in 2020. It adds two possible opportunities for dredged-sand placement, plus a transfer site next to the Minnesota Maritime Art Museum. An informational meeting is scheduled for June 22nd at the Winona Historical Society.

The Wisconsin Republican Party has launched what it calls its “election integrity” tour just before the August primary.  The events kicked off Wednesday in La Crosse and Madison.  The tour will focus on Wisconsin’s most liberal cities.  Republican organizers say they are working in battleground states like Wisconsin to connect staff and volunteers, to recruit poll workers, observers, and voting deputies.  Similar tours are scheduled in 16 states.  Democrats say the events are intended to spread lies about the 2020 presidential election that was won by President Joe Biden.  They plan to protest.  The tour stops will include Wausau, Green Bay, Appleton, Eau Claire, Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha.

The Brown County Sheriff’s Office reports a nine-year-old girl died in Suamico Tuesday when she was hit by an S-U-V driven by her mother.  No names have been released.  Investigators say the mother is cooperating with them.  W-B-A-Y/T-V reports deputies responded to the emergency call just before 7:40 a-m.  They say the vehicle was driving south on a road with the child running alongside.  When she fell, she was hit and severely injured.  Authorities say they don’t believe alcohol or drugs were a factor.

Fisheries teams in northern Wisconsin are working to reduce the population of bullhead fish. That's because the bottom-dwelling fish crowd out and outgrow more popular fish like walleyes and perch. Mole Lake Fisheries technician Clint Soulier tells W J F W that they're using shock nets to stun and remove the fish.  The fisheries team has pulled out over 15 thousand bullheads in the past year. Local groups sponsor contests to scoop up bullhead minnows by the buckets full to keep the fish from coming back.

A cruise ship is set to make history in Green Bay today.  The Ocean Navigator would be the first Great Lakes cruise ship ever to drop anchor in Green Bay. The ship will dock at Leicht Park and passengers can tour the Neville Museum, Lambeau Field, and other local attractions like the National Railroad Museum and the Automobile Gallery. The Ocean Navigator is on a ten-day tour. Another cruise ship is scheduled to dock in Green Bay at the end of the month.

A Minneapolis restaurant that opened last July has been named the best new restaurant in the United States. Owamni snagged the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant during a Monday night ceremony in Chicago. Its full name, Owamni by the Sioux Chef, specialized in Native American cuisine and buys ingredients from indigenous producers. The restaurant advertises that it does NOT use “colonial ingredients” in its dishes, meaning no “wheat, dairy, cane sugar, pork, or chicken.”

Local-Regional News June 15

 Dogs will no longer be allowed on the Farrington and Lindsey ball fields in Mondovi.  At last night's city council meeting, members approved the ordinance change that will now prohibit dogs on either ball field.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the council had a few concerns with dogs being allowed on the fields.  Weiss says the city will continue to explore possible locations within the city that could host a dog park.

With the recent school shoot shooting in Texas, many are concerned about safety at school and the response of local police to an active shooter.  Durand Police Chief Stan Ridgeway says the department routinely trains with school staff and other law enforcement on active shooter situations.  The Durand Police will be training on active shooter situations with the Pepin and Buffalo County Sheriffs Departments this summer.

The Durand Arkansaw School Board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include an update on the 2022-2023 budget, reports from the superintendent and building administrators, and a discussion of the 2022-23 board meeting schedule.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6pm in the board room at Durand High School.

A Wisconsin congressman says oil companies are reaping the benefits of high gasoline prices. La Crosse Democrat Ron Kind says those same companies elected not to build more refinery capacity when prices were lower.   Republicans are also pinning gas prices on the president, but Kind says Russia’s war in Ukraine has also had a major impact on global energy markets.       

Authorities say a Colfax man threatened to bring an assault rifle into the Mayo Clinic in Menomonie earlier this month.  Maurice Knutson faces charges of threatening bodily harm to a worker in a health care facility and telephone harassment.  W-Q-O-W/T-V reports Knutson is accused of making the threat while talking with a dietician who was treating him.  He reportedly discussed beating up a physician he didn’t like and asking the dietician:  “Do I have to come in with an A-K 47?”  The dietician hung up, security locked down the hospital and clinic, and Knutson was arrested.  He told officers he acted out of frustration and never meant to follow through on the threats.  He returns to Dunn County Court in September.

People who don’t want a new bottled water plant in Eau Claire are making themselves heard. A few dozen people turned out for a protest Monday night ahead of Tuesday night’s city council vote on a new Niagara Waters bottling plant. Many fear the plant will use too much of Eau Claire’s water. City officials say there’s plenty of water to go around. The Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce says turning down the 100-million-dollar investment would hurt Eau Claire’s chances for future economic development.

M-N-sure C-E-O Nate Clark is among those calling on Congress to extend American Rescue Plan subsidies for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Clark says Minnesota’s record-low uninsured rate of just over four percent is at risk if subsidies don’t continue past the end of this year. He warns that without congressional action, more than 70 thousand Minnesotans will pay more for health insurance in 2023, with premiums increasing 30 to 40 percent. Clark says those nearing retirement age will be most affected.

Country superstar Toby Keith won’t be performing at this year’s Wisconsin State Fair.  Keith recently announced he had been diagnosed with stomach cancer last fall and had been going through a treatment routine for the last six months.  W-D-J-T/T-V reports he has canceled several concerts.  Fair officials say refunds will be issued to people who bought tickets for the performance.  For now, the State Fair is trying to book another act for August 4th.

The Pine Haven Care Center in southeastern Minnesota’s Pine Island is now under the control of the state Department of Health. The move comes amid concerns that unpaid bills threatened services for residents. The Ramsey County court granted the temporary order on Friday allowing regulators to protect residents’ safety while operations and management issues are addressed. Pathway Health, a professional management organization, is serving as the facility’s managing agent during the receivership. The M-D-H says the unpaid bills and inability to meet payroll threatened staffing levels, critical services, and medications for residents.

Sparta police say speed, alcohol, and being unfamiliar with the area were all factors in a crash at a roundabout early Sunday morning.  W-E-A-U/T-V reports two people were hurt when they lost control of their motorcycles while trying to get away at about 1:05 a-m.  A Sparta officer had tried to stop them for traffic violations but the two motorcyclists took off.  The officer didn’t pursue them for safety reasons.  A minute later, a 9-1-1 caller reported the crash.  Both suspects were taken to Gundersen Hospital in La Crosse for treatment of minor injuries.

A 32-year-old Sparta man has been arrested in a woman’s death and blamed on domestic violence.  Officers responded to a call about an unresponsive woman on May 10th.  When they arrived they found the body of 32-year-old Sara Latimer.  WK-B-T/T-V reports that prosecutors have charged Shawn Hock with first-degree intentional homicide, two counts of disorderly conduct with a domestic abuse enhancer, and two counts of aggravated battery with a domestic abuse enhancer.  Hocke also faces drug charges.  He was scheduled to make his first appearance in Monroe County Court Monday.

Up to 70 firefighters from multiple departments were at the scene of a food processing plant fire for up to nine hours Monday.  Frozen pizzas are made at the Festive Foods plant.  Officials with the Waupaca Fire Department say the problem started at about 9:00 a-m when plant employees thought they had put out a small fire in an air compressor area.  However, the flames spread to the roof and quickly got out of control.  W-S-A-W/T-V reports the heat and smoke forced crews to back out and use a defensive strategy all day.  At one point there were concerns that chlorine was escaping.  Fire Chief Jerry Deuman says no injuries were reported and the situation was resolved safely.

The price of gasoline in Wisconsin is down – slightly.   As of Monday morning, the statewide average for a gallon of gas is down about a penny, at four dollars and 91 cents. Triple-A says gas is above five dollars a gallon in southeastern Wisconsin, and just about five bucks per gallon in the northern part of the state. The cheapest gas in Wisconsin is in the southwest. 

When the temperatures soar, so does your risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The Mayo Clinic’s Doctor Luke Wood says, “when people are either overdressed for the conditions or if they’re not drinking enough water, they are especially prone to developing symptoms related to heat stroke.” Symptoms of heat exhaustion include headache, dizziness, and profuse sweating. And heat stroke symptoms include confusion or altered mental status and clammy skin -- and you might stop sweating. If symptoms develop, get the person out of the sun, find shade, get them to drink cool water, and seek medical help if you suspect heat stroke.

Cost-saving tips from Xcel Energy for the heatwave: Spokesman John Marshall suggests a programmable and remotely-controllable “smart” thermostat, and make sure your air conditioner is operating efficiently. He says there’s currently a lot of “cottonwood” and other particles in the air that can clog up an A-C unit’s coils, and suggests using a leaf blower to clean the outside off. Marshall also says be sure doors are fully shut, close blinds during the day, and if you have ceiling fans, make sure they’re running counter-clockwise to circulate cooler air.

Local-Regional News June 14

 The Pepin County Sheriff's Department is asking for the public's help in locating a missing person.  Colleen M. Flynn was last seen June 10th around noon driving her white 2012 Nissan Juke, Wisconsin License Plate 930-KEP.  Her direction of travel and clothing description is unknown.  She is 5' 08" and 150 pounds.  Outside of living in the Stockholm area, she also has ties to several areas of Minnesota.  If anyone has any information related to her disappearance, please call the Pepin County Dispatch Center at 715-672-5944.

The 11yr old girl that was injured in an accident in Chippewa County on Friday has died.  The Chippewa County Sheriff's Department confirmed that Tara LeMay the daughter of Sara LeMay died from her injuries on Monday.    On Friday Sara LeMay was traveling on Hwy 64 west of Cornell when she lost control of the vehicle and it overturned and ended up in the water.    Sara LeMay was also killed in that accident which remains under investigation.

One person was injured in a single-vehicle accident in Clifton Township Sunday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, 38yr old Amanda Hildebrandt of River Falls was traveling southbound on Hwy F when she lost control of the vehicle, entered the west ditch, went airborne,e and rolled over.  Hildebrandt was taken to River Falls Area Hospital.

One person was injured when an ATV struck a parked car in Hager City on Friday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 30yr Mataya Kloos of Hagar City was traveling southbound on 825th Street when she struck a parked vehicle owned by 26yr old Kaitlin Draganowski of Almena.  ATV Passenger 35yr old Christina Durnbach of Spring Valley was taken to Red Wing Hospital.

A Lake City man was arrested after a standoff on Saturday night.  According to the Lake City Police Department, officers were called to the 1200 block of Peters Street on a report of a male acting erratic and out of control.  Officers found a female that had been assaulted and that 25yr old Tyler Ruiz had retreated into a home.  Ruiz had no weapons so officers cleared the scene after several attempts to get Ruiz to surrender.  Later Ruiz was reported to be in the street shouting obscenities and threats and this time officers responded with a K-9 unit and Ruiz was taken into custody early Sunday morning.  He is in the Wabasha County Jail on three counts of making terroristic threats, and one count of domestic assault.  

The Wabasha County Board is meeting today.  Items on the agenda include approval of the purchase of new work stations, setting the solar decommissioning rate, and discussion of highway costs.  Today's meeting begins at 4pm at the Government Center in Wabasha.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) plans to treat 32 sites across 15 western Wisconsin counties, including Buffalo, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, and Pepin Counties for the spongy moth, formerly known as gypsy moth, starting in late June. Residents can expect to see and hear loud, low-flying planes as early as sunrise.  From late June to mid-July, planes will spray an organic, biodegradable mating disruptor containing spongy moth pheromone, which inhibits the adult male spongy moth's ability to locate females. This mating disruptor is not harmful to humans, animals, birds, or other insects. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there is no health risk to humans, and no adverse effects have been reported in the two decades that this pheromone has been used for spongy moth control.

A Clark County jury has found a 42-year-old Mosinee man guilty of killing a woman and hiding her body.  W-S-A-W/T-V reports Jesus Contreras Perez was convicted Friday at the end of a five-day trial.  No sentencing date has been set.  Twenty-seven-year-old Cassandra Ayon was last seen on October 3rd, 2020.  Authorities say her body and her vehicle have never been found and there has been no activity on her financial accounts.  Investigators say Perez’s Google search history a search for “how to make a homemade silencer.”

The Wisconsin Department of Public Health says the state has had its first monkeypox exposure.  A person who has the virus visited Oconto County last week.  Public health managers say the exposure to the virus was “limited” and they are asking people not to panic.  Monkeypox isn’t easily passed from person to person.  The D-H-S says you have to have “close, sustained contact” with an infected person to get the virus.

Republicans who control the Wisconsin legislature will not object to new state standards for “forever chemicals” in drinking water.  The standards were suggested by the Natural Resources Board earlier this year, and with no objections from Republicans, they'll be sent to the State Department of Natural Resources for implementation. These rules will set the DNR action standard for two of the most well-researched compounds in the PFAs family. The manmade chemicals are used in a variety of applications including firefighting foam nonstick cookware and packaging. The chemicals have been linked to a variety of cancers and enter the human body largely through drinking water. Though lawmakers are allowing the rules to move forward, they could still object to how the DNR handles their implementation of them. 

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has chosen Republican Don Millis to be its next chairman.  Friday’s vote to confirm Millis was five-to-one over another Republican member who tied to cast an Electoral College vote for Donald Trump last year.  Millis will replace Democrat Ann Jacobs as the group’s leader after winning the vote against Republican Bob Spindell.  Assembly Speaker Robin Vos appointed Millis to the commission last Wednesday after the resignation of Dean Knudson in May.

Supply chain delays have settled down somewhat since the peak of the pandemic, but some of us are still noticing some in-demand items are still not finding their way to the shelves. Minnesota Grocers Association President Jamie Pfuhl says consumers “may not always find the brands or the sizes that they’re looking for,” and there may be some “package changes” and “different brands” of products than the ones customers are used to. Pfuhl says things are looking to improve as the supply chain is working its way back up to capacity. In the meantime, consumers may have to experiment with other brands until supply chain delays catch up to demand.

The U-S Senate is about to pass one of the biggest improvements to veterans’ health benefits. Minnesota Senator Tina Smith says the bill will ensure that “millions of veterans…exposed to toxic burn pits in the Middle East or Agent Orange or radiation will be able to get the health care that they have earned without going through a bunch of red tape.” The bill also extends health care benefits to service members exposed to toxic substances while serving in the Marshall Islands. Smith says many of those veterans later developed cancer after having to “clean up radiation” while wearing “shorts and rubber boots.”

For the first time, the president and vice president of the UW System Board of Regents are women.   Karen Walsh was selected as Regents president, and Amy Bogenfeld Bogost as vice-president, at the Regents meeting in Milwaukee on Friday. Both were uncontested. Walsh is the third woman to lead the Board of Regents since the UW System was established in 1974. She and Bogost were both appointed Regents by Governor Tony Evers. 

 Even though the worst of the coronavirus pandemic seems to be behind us, an infectious disease expert from Wisconsin says older and at-risk people should consider wearing a mask in some situations.  Doctor Jim Conway of U-W Health says higher-risk populations should be more cautious in circumstances like big sporting events held indoors, where people are yelling and screaming with their masks off.  Conway says it’s different for a relatively healthy 67-year-old and a person of the same age who has blood pressure and cardiac issues, or diabetes, or other conditions.

 It’s a bit more advanced than a scavenger hunt at your cabin. A group of Saint Cloud State University students, working in 10-centimeter layers, is excavating the remains of a cabin that would have stood just west of Royalton in the 1840’s. Archeology Professor Robb Mann says after three weeks’ work, they have enough evidence to feel comfortable they’ve found it. Any objects they find go to the Minnesota Historical Society with a significant exception -- they have an agreement with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe to replace anything that predates the arrival of Europeans.