Monday, July 11, 2022

Local-Regional News July 11

 Now being part of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls 1 year ago in July 2021, Chancellor Maria Gallo is appreciative of the opportunities students are part of on-campus.  While the success rate is increasing, the adaptability and flexibility of a program is also critical for students.   The university is also finding more ways for collaboration between universities, to strengthen the talent amongst students.  Many colleges, including technical colleges around the area at UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stout, are seeking similar ways to adapt to students' needs and build a pipeline of talent to fill roles in the workforce. UW-River Falls will continue to build with an optimistic Chancellor Gallo, celebrating 1 year since starting in the new role.


The former General Manager of St. Croix Casino in Turtle Lake is going to Federal Prison.  Leva Oustigoff Jr., from Cumberland, was convicted of stealing more than $72000 from the casino between 2015-2018.  He was sentenced to a year and a half in prison and ordered to pay more than $40,000 in restitution.


Not everyone supports the new law allowing edibles and beverages containing T-H-C to be sold in Minnesota. Willmar State Representative Dave Baker says a lot of the members of his caucus were caught "flat-footed" about the measure. Baker says the language was included in a large health and human services bill that came up very late in the session.   House Democratic Majority Leader Ryan Winkler said earlier in the week that his party "absolutely did this on purpose. It was an intentional step" toward making legal recreational marijuana a reality in Minnesota.   The law has led to increased sales at Southeastern Minnesota retail locations from not only Minnesota Residents but Wisconsin Residents crossing the border.


A newly released study finds Wisconsin’s K-12 school funding has continued to decline relative to other states, along with its tax burden. Wisconsin Policy Forum researcher Sarah Shaw says per-pupil spending ranked 25th in 2020. In 2002, Wisconsin had the fifth-highest tax burden in the country and had dropped to 23rd by 2019.


A Cornell man who led authorities on a high-speed chase has been sentenced to a year in jail.  In 2021, Chippewa County Sheriffs Deputies attempted to pull over Gregory Knitter for a traffic violation, but he refused to pull over.   The chase reached speeds of up to 100mph and ended after stop sticks were deployed.  There were three children in the car and deputies also found methamphetamine and marijuana in the vehicle.


Wisconsin Farm Technology Days begin tomorrow in Clark County.  The event will be held at Roel acres near Loyal Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  To get to Farm Tech Days from the Durand Area, take Hwy 10 to Hwy 73 North in Neillsville.  Follow Hwy 78 to Hwy 98 eastbound into Loyal.  Then Take Hwy K to the Farm Tech Days Grounds.  Farm Tech Days will be held 9-4 each day.


A political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison says the president’s executive order won’t change abortion in this state.  Biden signed the order Friday that provides some protection for emergency medical care access to women who seek abortions in states that ban it.  Ryan Owens says the president doesn’t have the power to legalize abortion and the order doesn’t undo the U-S Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe-V-Wade.


Search and rescue teams from White Sands National Park in New Mexico have found the body of a missing Wausau man.  K-T-T-C/T-V reports 27-year-old Brad Utegaar was last seen July 3rd and his car was found two days later at the Alkali Flats Trail parking lot.  New Mexico State Police say Utegaar had a backpack and water bottles with him.  Foul play isn’t suspected.  The Wisconsin man’s family says he was making a cross-country trip alone.


Tim Michels has picked up another endorsement in his campaign for Wisconsin governor. Former Republican governor Tommy Thompson has endorsed the pipeline construction company executive, who already has the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. Republican candidate Rebecca Kleefisch has the endorsement of former Governor Scott Walker, in whose administration she served as lieutenant governor, as well as Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. Michaels and Kleefisch will face off in the August Republican primary, along with State Representative Timothy Ranthum. The winner advances to the November general election to face incumbent Democratic Governor Tony Evers.


The Supreme Court ruled on Friday that local health officers have the right to issue public health orders without consulting with elected officials.  In a 4-3 decision, Justice Brian Hagedorn sides with the court's liberal justices in deciding that Dane County health officer Janel Heinrich was correctly issuing public health orders to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and that the county board did not have to sign off to allow enforcement. Writing for the majority, Justice Jill Karofsky says that health officers have had those powers dating back to Wisconsin's territorial days and that nothing in state law has preempted those powers.


A Wisconsin couple has filed a lawsuit against TikTok after their daughter died while doing the “Blackout Challenge.”  An attorney for the Social Media Victims Loss Center says TikTok knew – or should have known – “that its algorithm was leading children down this horrible path and didn’t do anything about it.”  Nine-year-old Arriani Arroyo died leading to the suit filed last Friday.  A TikTok spokesperson says the challenge “long predates the company’s platform and has never been a TikTok trend.”


A 28-year-old Madison man who admitted helping tear down two statues outside the Wisconsin Capitol has been sentenced to three years probation.  Jacob Caps and others were protesting over racial injustice.  As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Capps admitted pulling down the “Forward” statue on June 23rd, 2020.  A second felony charge was read at his sentencing Wednesday and dismissed.  The night the statues were knocked down Capps and others were protesting the arrest of local activist Devonere Johnson.


A handful of airports across Minnesota have received nearly 25 million dollars in federal funding to upgrade their terminals as part of a broader one-billion-dollar effort by the federal government to improve airports nationwide. Airports in Glencoe, Preston, Bemidji, and Minneapolis-St Paul International will receive funding under President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law. The purpose of the program is to expand capacity at airports, increase energy efficiency, promote competition, and provide greater accessibility for individuals with disabilities. The biggest chunk of money coming to Minnesota -- 21-point-three million -- is going to M-S-P to upgrade its main terminal.


The August primary is just over a month away and local election officials say now is the time to be thinking about it.  Voters need to figure out where their polling location is and learn what will be on the ballot.  The partisan primary determines who will be running in November – including statewide races for governor and U-S Senate.  During a partisan primary, you are only allowed to vote for candidates of one political party.  You choose the party.  Voters are reminded to check because their polling location may have changed since the last time they cast a ballot.

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