The Durand Public Works Department is asking for the public's help. Over the last few months, there has been vandalism inside the public bathrooms at memorial park. Public Works Director Matt Gillis says the vandalism has been happening over the last few years causing damage to the bathrooms. Gillis says that if anyone sees anything suspicious call the police. If the vandalism continues the city will be forced to keep the bathrooms locked.
Busy weekend in store for Western Wisconsin. Today is the first day of Durand Fun Fest. The Fun Fest Car Show will be later today along First Avenue West along with the carnival opening up. There will be food, music, and fun through Sunday in Memorial Park and throughout the city. On Sunday the parade will be at 2pm led by Parade Grand Marshals Char and Lee Anderson. Also this weekend the Pepin County Dairy Breakfast will be Saturday from 6:30-11 at Auth Farms in Arkansaw and the Dunn County Dairy Breakfast will be at Breezy Haven Farms in Bloomer.
A 40-year-old Chippewa Falls man has pleaded no contest to a charge of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle. Christopher Peterson was first charged two years ago following a fatal hit-and-run crash. Deputies were called to the scene of the crash in Lake Hallie. The victim, 60-year-old Dennis Mohr, had reportedly been pulling a yellow wagon loaded with personal items. W-E-A-U/T-V reports deputies identified a missing part of a vehicle that was found to belong to Peterson. They say that’s when he admitted he had hit “something yellow.” Peterson will be sentenced August 1st.
A Cumberland man will be sentenced in August for killing another driver while he was passing a vehicle two years ago. Twenty-nine-year-old Cody Hase has pleaded guilty in Barron County Court. Investigators say Hase was trying to pass another vehicle on Highway 48 in Stanfold Township in September of 2020 when he hit a van head-on. Seventy-two-year-old Leroy Allan Odden of Rice Lake was killed. W-E-A-U/T-V reports Hase could face up to 10 years in prison when he returns to court.
It was a big haul for La Crosse police. They say a drug bust earlier this week resulted in the seizure of five guns, thousands of dollars in cash, and more than 100 pounds of drugs. W-K-B-T/T-V reports the street value of the drugs is estimated at more than a million dollars. Police say 26-year-old Jade Deeny was taken into custody Monday as part of an ongoing investigation. Search warrants were executed at a La Crosse address and at a storage unit rented in Deeny’s name. Police say Deeny is a convicted felon who has already spent time in a North Carolina prison for drug and gun convictions. He has a La Crosse County court hearing set for Friday.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz continues to try to convince Republicans in the Legislature of the need for a special session. He has been holding a virtual meeting with top Republicans this afternoon. Walz’s goal is to reach an agreement on using Minnesota’s budget surplus. To entice lawmakers to return to St. Paul he points out that the largest tax cut in state history is waiting for their approval. The governor says this is the work the Legislature is supposed to have been doing since January. Some analysts suggest that Republicans may be waiting in anticipation of securing control of the entire Legislature and the governor’s office after the November election.
Minnesotans behind on their mortgage are encouraged to apply for up to 35-thousand dollars in assistance through the home-help-M-N program. State Housing Commissioner Jennifer Ho says they have extended the deadline to apply for two full months -- June 17th at Five P-M. She says eligible expenses include home mortgage payments and a “contract for deed or a manufactured home loan.” Also, related expenses like property taxes, insurance, lot rent, homeowner association fees or a tribal land-lease payment are also eligible. Ho says even if you think you don't qualify to go ahead and apply. For more information and to apply head to home-help-m-n-dot-org.
After two pandemic-induced years off, the Midwest Renewable Energy Association announce that The Energy Fair will be returning, June 24-through-26. Organizers say this year’s event will bring over 11,500 fairgoers from across the Midwest to Portage County. In addition to demonstrations and hundreds of educational workshops, this year’s fair will take on an increased focus on social and environmental justice through its theme, “Powering the Just Energy Transition.” Find out more at energy fair dot org.
U-S Senator Tammy Baldwin says she wants congressional action to address gun violence, but the Wisconsin Democrat isn’t hopeful for sweeping changes. Baldwin asks rhetorically how many children “have to have their lives taken away by gun violence until the Congress acts and acts boldly?” She favors red flag laws to take guns away from people deemed to be a danger to themselves and others. She also wants to see stricter background checks on weapons purchases. The problem is, Baldwin says, she expects the new measures to be watered down before they are ever voted on.
COVID front-line workers are flooding Minnesota’s online portal to apply for “hero bonuses.” Officials say as of early Wednesday afternoon, over 78-thousand-500 Minnesotans have applied online for the bonuses. Labor and Industry Deputy Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach (BLISS-en-bock) indicates there have been a few “hiccups” during the online portal’s launch, but nothing that slowed things down significantly. State officials stress that “hero bonuses” are NOT first-come, first-served. After the application window closes and the appeals process runs its course, officials will divide the 500 million dollars the legislature authorized equally among all qualified applicants, with each check not to exceed 15-hundred dollars.
As the number of teacher resignations starts to mount in Waukesha some parents are growing concerned about who is going to teach their children. The parent group Alliance for Education in Waukesha says the local school district has been notified about 54 resignations so far. Parent Sara Harrison tells W-I-T-I/T-V the district had about half that many at this time last year. The parent group says student success is directly related to good teachers. Harrison says she believes the teachers are leaving the job due to politics and pay. Waukesha teachers will be getting a two-and-a-half-percent cost of living increase for next year. That is less than other districts are offering.
As inflation and supply chain delays persist, many of us are hearing about “shrinkflation.” University of Minnesota Professor George John says, “the idea is to keep the price the same while cutting back on the quantity.” He gives cereal as an example: “if you go look at Honey Bunches of Oats right now, you’ll see that the package is that wee bit narrower and the amount of stuff in it has gone down by an ounce (or) a couple of ounces.” John says in most cases it works because most of us as consumers practice what academics call “rational inattention” when we’re shopping. That is, we pay closer attention to the price than to the weight of the package.
You will notice they run more quietly and the diesel smell will be missing. Electric buses start running routes in La Crosse next Monday. Local officials say they have been trying to integrate electric buses into the Municipal Transit Utility for the last five years. M-T-U Director Adam Lorentz tells W-K-B-T/T-V that the new buses will not only offer a smoother and more quiet ride for passengers, but their upkeep will also be cheaper. The mayor says they will also be good for the city’s environment.
This weekend, Minnesotans can take children 15 or younger fishing -- without licenses. The D-N-R’s Benji Kohn says it’s their annual “Take a Kid Fishing” weekend. He says it’s designed “to encourage people with grandkids, nieces, nephews, or neighborhood kids that “want to learn a little bit about fishing to take them outside and fish.” If you are new to fishing and don’t have the gear, keep in mind -- most Minnesota state parks do have equipment you can borrow. Kohn recommends calling your state park ahead of time to double-check.
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