Local-Regional News Oct 31

 Motorists should be on the lookout this evening for children trick or treating this Halloween Monday.  Durand and Eleva trick or treat times are from 4-7pm, while Elk Mound, Ellsworth and Mondovi will hold trick-or-treating from 5-7pm.  Parents are encouraged to be with their younger children, and older children should go in groups and consider having reflective tape on their costumes to increase visibility to drivers.   Over the weekend, the Durand Truck or Treat was held in downtown Durand and organizers estimate nearly 1000 kids and their parents attended.

Three people were injured in a two vehicle accident on I-94 near Knapp in Dunn County on Friday afternoon.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, Dunn County Deputies reported a BMW had left the scene of an accident on I-94 and had attempted to stop the vehicle when a high speed pursuit with speeds reaching up to 100mph ensued.  Pursuing officers lost sight of the vehicle but Eau Claire Officers located the vehicle on Hwy 37 near Craig Road and two suspects fled on foot.  Officers arrested 27yr old Davontae Little and 28yr old Marcella Benson.  Both were treated for minor injuries and will be transferred to the Dunn County Jail.   32yr old Zium Yang suffered minor injuries in the initial accident.

One person is dead and 5 others are injured after an accident on I-94 in St. Croix County.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol,  31yr old Amber Pospisil of Alexandria, MN was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-94 near milepost 4 when she struck a westbound vehicle driven by 54yr old Mark Filbrandt of Robbinsdale, MN.   When Troopers arrived, they found Filbrandt dead and 5 others injured.  After an investigation and field sobriety tests, they arrested Pospisil for OWI.  She is currently being held at the St. Croix County Jail.  That accident remains under investigation.

A Chippewa Falls man has been arrested by the Wisconsin State Patrol for OWI 5th offense.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, troopers pulled over 46yr old Lorenzo Christopher on I-94 near milepost 19 on Friday Afternoon for a speed and equipment violation.  After an investigation, Christopher was arrested and is being charged with OWI 5th offense, operating after revocation, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of open intoxicants in the vehicle.  

A Strum man was arrested by the Wisconsin State Patrol for OWI 5th offense on Saturday morning.  According to authorities, troopers pulled over 38yr old Justin Bjorgo at milepost 46 near Menomonie for a speed violation.   Upon contact, troopers noticed signs of impairment and after an investigation, Bjorgo was arrested.  He is being charged with OWI 5th offense, possession of THC and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The Eau Claire Police Department is filing homicide charges against two men involved in a shooting last month near Mount Tom Park.  Police say after reviewing surveillance video and interviewing nearby residents, charges have been filed against 32-year-old Michael Purnell and 34-year-old Xavier Thompson.  The charges include intentional homicide, discharging a firearm from a vehicle and fleeing an officer.

Some Chippewa Valley Girl Scout parents continue to be upset about the sale of Camp Nawakwa.  The local Girl Scouts have decided to sell the camp in Cornell and buy something a bit closer to the Chippewa Valley. Terri Wojcik -- a Girl Scout mother -- says the plans to build a new camp on a new, man-made lake are a 'pipe dream.'  She's not happy about who made the decision to sell the camp.  The Girl Scouts say next summer will be their last at the camp.

Wisconsin's coronavirus hospitalization numbers are inching back up.  The state's Hospital Association on Friday said 514 people are in the hospital with the virus.  That includes 68 in the ICU.  The number of hospitalizations is up 50 from the start of last week.  Wisconsin spent most of September with about 400 people in the hospital with the virus.

A man's seriously hurt after hitting a raccoon with his motorcycle, causing him to lose control and crash into a guy-wire in Dodge County.  The sheriff's office says the 32-year-old man was trying to pass a semi truck on a curve on County Highway E in Burnett this morning when he hit a raccoon and crashed.  He was taken to a trauma center with life threatening injuries.

The Chief of General Pediatrics at Children's Minnesota is warning about an uptick in RSV cases.  Dr. Gigi Chawla told KARE 11 that the number of children getting RSV seems to increase every day.  Last week, more than five-hundred kids tested positive for the illness.  That's up from nearly four-hundred the prior week.  Dr. Chawla added that clinics and urgent cares are already overwhelmed, and the situation could get worse as flu season kicks off.  Wisconsin is seeing hundreds of RSV cases each week.  In Wisconsin,  the Department of Health Services said the state is averaging 800 cases each week.   DHS says a number of hospitals across the state say they are almost out of ICU beds for kids. RSV cases usually peak in January, so an October outbreak is concerning.

Many communities across Wisconsin will be holding trick-or-treating hours tonight. Madison police spokesman Hunter Lisko says if you have younger kids, traveling in groups with other families is the best bet. Lisko also reminds parents to check their kids' candy for food allergies and mishandled candy before they start eating it. Older trick-or-treaters should be traveling in groups and make sure that their guardians know where they're going to be and keep a cell phone on them for safety. 

Fitchburg Police are warning the community about a series of scam calls targeting seniors and others.  The warning notice that went out Friday follows calls from scammers claiming to be authority figures saying a member of the person's family has been arrested.  The caller then demands large amounts of money for a cash bond to set the relative free.  First, the State of Wisconsin does not use bail bondsmen in any case.  Second, local authorities including police, judges, and lawyers will never contact people asking for money.  They recommend hanging up immediately.

The top-selling female country artist of all time is coming to Minnesota.  Shania Twain recently announced a North American tour in support of her forthcoming album "Queen of Me."  The "You're Still The One" singer will perform at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul in May.  This is Twain's first show in the state since 2018.  Tickets go on sale next Friday. 

A Minnesota meteorologist is gearing up to compete in Jeopardy's Tournament of Champions.  Eric Ahasic of the Twin Cities won six straight games over the summer, earning over 160-thousand dollars.  The tournament's quarterfinals start on Monday, and Ahasic's round airs on Thursday.

Local-Regional News October 28

 The Durand Arkansaw School District is working with the Pepin School District and Pepin County to create a school-based social worker position.  Durand Arkansaw School Superintendent Greg Doverspike says the need for mental health services for students has increased since the covid pandemic.  While the district has some ways to provide mental health services, this new position would provide additional services to students.  Pepin County would cover 50% of the costs with the school districts covering the rest.

FFA Students from across the country are in Indianapolis this week for the National FFA Convention.  Ben Styer from the Menomonie FFA and former President of the Wisconsin FFA is one of 20 candidates for National FFA Officer.  Styer says he wants to continue to give back to the FFA.  Candidates will find out on Saturday if they have been elected as a National FFA Officer.

There are charges in Chippewa County for last month's high-speed chase that ended with a crash.  Prosecutors yesterday filed endangering safety and hit-and-run charges against 20-year-old Chad Myszka.  He was arrested in September in Marathon County after a chase that stretched from Marathon County into Chippewa County.  He's due back in court next week to face the charges.

The city of Eau Claire is waiting to see if it will be getting more money before deciding on next year's budget.  The city council last night agreed to hold off on its second public budget hearing until after the election.  There was supposed to be a hearing on Monday, November 7th.  But that's one day before voters will decide on the city's nearly one-and-a-half million-dollar per-year tax increase.  City Manager Stephanie Hirsch says if that referendum fails the next city budget will have to be smaller.

The Eau Claire County Humane Association says it's seeing a lot of people give up their pets. The Association's Addie Erdmann said yesterday that there's usually a two-to-three-week wait to surrender a pet, but now that window is more than a month long.  She says the earliest someone would be able to give their pet away is December.  Erdmann says no one is sure what is driving the spike in surrenders but says there is help available for animals to make sure they are taken care of.

Northwestern Wisconsin continues to be the only part of the state with coronavirus worries.  The latest numbers from the CDC show six counties in the far northwestern corner of the state all have high coronavirus activity levels.  Most of the rest of the state is rated as having low levels.   No one is saying why the northwestern counties are seeing elevated coronavirus numbers, though it could be because of their small populations.  The CDC and the state use the coronavirus level numbers to gauge things like mask requirements.

Police say the woman who crashed into a Wisconsin state senator last summer was driving 100 miles per hour.  The Wisconsin State Patrol yesterday said Alyssa Ortman was speeding down Highway 2 in Ashland last July when she smashed into Senator Janet Bewley's car.  Ortman's five-year-old daughter died in the crash, she died later at the hospital.  Bewley wasn't seriously hurt.  Troopers say the speed limit on that stretch of road is 45 miles per hour.  Ortman's ex has filed a wrongful death lawsuit because of the crash.

Another snapshot of voters in Wisconsin will be released next week.  Marquette Law School will release a poll next Wednesday that will show how voters feel about the state heading into the election.  Pollsters say the new poll will provide insight on whether voters think the state is on the right track and will show how they feel about the candidates for governor and U.S. Senate.

The Durand Trunk or Treat is tomorrow in Downtown Durand from 3-5pm.  Motorists are reminded that Main Street will be closed at first avenue west during the event.  Durand police Chief Stan Ridgeway says the regular trick or treating in the City of Durand will be on Monday from 4-7pm.

A new study shows Wisconsin voters' votes aren't very powerful.  WalletHub says it calculates how powerful each state's voters are by determining how many elected officials each state has in Washington, DC compared to that state's population.  Based on that calculation WalletHub says Wisconsin voters are the fourth-least powerful in America, just ahead of Arizona, Ohio, and California.  Wisconsin voters are most powerful when it comes to U.S. Senate elections, ranking 19th.

A man accused of killing a University of Wisconsin-Madison student back in 2008 pleads guilty in the case.  David Kahl pleaded guilty this morning to first-degree intentional homicide.  He's accused of killing Brittany Zimmerman at an apartment on West Doty Street.  Kahl has a plea agreement with the state that will allow him to petition for supervised release after 20 years in prison.  That decision will be made at a later date.

A Marinette man will not be getting his sentence reduced after pleading guilty to child abuse charges.  Troy Thiry pleaded guilty back in April to a charge of physical abuse of a child causing injury. At sentencing, Thiry was listed as a repeat offender, increasing the time he would be sentenced to 6 years in prison. Thiry tried to contest that, saying the state hadn't argued that he was a repeat offender. The appeals court disagreed, and on Thursday the state supreme court declined to take his case.

 Seven family members from Portage are looking for a new place to stay after their house was damaged by a fire.  The fire broke out at a home on New Pinery Road late last night and took nearly three hours to put out.  No one's hurt but the Red Cross is helping all seven family members with a place to stay.

Minnesota and Wisconsin are two of six states hit by a multi-million dollar theft ring targeting frozen meat.  An investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security revealed 45 instances in which thieves stole semi-trailer loads of meat from beef and pork packaging plants in Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.  Three suspects were arrested in Florida last week.  Investigators say the arrests are part of a larger organized crime enterprise based in Miami. 

Ramsey County officials want a teenager accused of assaulting his family and killing his grandmother to stand trial as an adult.  The 17-year-old boy was arrested on Tuesday after attacking five of his family members with a baseball bat in their Roseville home.  His 88-year-old grandmother was pronounced dead at the scene, and his 55-year-old mother remains hospitalized due to blunt-force trauma.  County prosecutors are filing a juvenile petition against the teen. 

Four lion cubs are finding a new home in Minnesota after escaping the war in Ukraine.  The International Fund for Animal Welfare says the cubs were surrendered to animal rescue organizations because "they face increasingly grim outcomes" as Russia continues to wage war against the country.  The Wildcat Sanctuary in Sandstone will take in the cubs, all of which are younger than four-months-old.

Local-Regional News October 27

 Durand City Council members saw the preliminary budget during last night's council meeting.  The proposed budget would have a 3% increase in the total tax levy to $776,389.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the budget doesn't have any big projects next year.  The mill rate is projected to increase by 2.5% to $7.68 per $1000 of assessed value.

The City of Mondovi is looking for a new police chief.  Current Chief Collin Severson will be returning to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department as Chief Deputy.    Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the goal is to have a new chief in place by January 1.  Buffalo County agreed to allow Severson to serve as Mondovi Chief on a part-time basis while the city finds a permanent replacement.

Prosecutors are dropping the threat charges against a man who said he was going to shoot-up Carson Park last Fourth of July.  The Eau Claire County District Attorney's Office yesterday said pursuing a terroristic threat case against Joshua Cheek would not be "in the interest of justice."  Cheek made threats against Carson Park's celebration and against the group home where he lives during an episode over the summer.  The D.A. says he is instead focusing on the criminal damage to property charges that stemmed from that incident.

Voters in one Barron County township are being asked to decide if they want to go wet.  The Town of Stanfold is asking voters whether they want to allow for alcohol to be sold inside the town's limits.  Stanfold is one of the few remaining dry towns in Wisconsin.  The owners of a local orchard, Licks Orchard, Music, and Gifts, want to open a tasting room for their wine.  Some neighbors don't want to allow for alcohol sales because they don't want to see more traffic.  The wet question is advisory only, which means town leaders will have to vote on any changes regardless of what voters have to say.

Rescuers in La Crosse had to use their ropes and their know-how to get an injured man off of a bluff yesterday.  The man fell while riding his bike on a trail in Hixon Forest.  Crews had to rappel down the bluff yesterday evening. The man was taken to a local clinic to be checked-out. La Crosse firefighters say it took about 12 rescuers to get the man off the bluff.

There's a lot of talk about justice and about the victims of the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack after yesterday's guilty verdict. State and local leaders all said it is important for Waukesha to move forward now that Darrell Brooks Jr. will be heading to prison for the rest of his life. Governor Evers said he won't forget the lives that were lost in the attack. His opponent, Tim Michels, said the verdict is important for justice. Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly said the verdict will help the community take the next steps forward and continue the healing process.

A man responsible for the theft of the head of the statute of Hans Christian Heg during protests in Madison in 2020 has received probation.   36-year-old Rodney Clendening of Beloit pleaded guilty to theft on Wednesday. Dane County DA Ismael Ozanne says Clendening avoided the full charges in the case because he returned the head to the state. He's also been fined 1 thousand dollars in restitution. The statue itself has since been repaired, restored, and rededicated. Both the Heg statue and the Forward statue were torn down during those protests.

A new report says Wisconsin shouldn't have to pay 240 million-dollars if a new casino opens in Kenosha.  The report from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau says the "'financial risk to the state" is not as big under the latest gambling compact with the Forest County Potawatomi as it was under the last.  The old agreement with the tribe could have cost Wisconsin 243 million-dollars in compensation if a new casino opened within 50 miles of the tribe's Milwaukee casino.  The report says the new deal "significantly reduces" that cost, but it doesn't have a price tag.  State Senator Van Wanggaard said new casinos in Illinois and Indiana also lower the future costs to Wisconsin because it will be tough to show that a new Kenosha casino is the only one taking business away from the casino in Milwaukee.

 A one-million dollar-winning Powerball ticket is sold in Milwaukee County.  The Wisconsin Lottery says the ticket was sold at a Citgo station in Cudahy last week.  Another one-million-dollar Powerball ticket was sold in Mauston back on October 1st.

A judge declines to issue a temporary injection allowing Wisconsin clerks to accept absentee ballots with missing information for witnesses.   According to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, a ballot witness address must include a street name, street number, and municipality. The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin sued, seeking a ruling that an address can only be considered missing when the entire field is blank. A Dane County judge on Wednesday rejected the league’s request to allow ballots with incomplete addresses to be counted. Judge Nia Trammell said she feared that would cause confusion. As of Wednesday, more than 300,00 ballots had been received by clerks, according to the elections commission.

A 17-year-old is behind bars for allegedly killing one family member and injuring four others in Roseville.  Police say the teenager attacked his relatives with an unknown weapon at a home on the eleven-hundred block of Ryan Avenue yesterday.  The suspect was taken into custody following a widespread shelter-in-place alert that accidentally went out to thousands of people in the Twin Cities metro area.  Police said the alert was only meant for residents in a small section of Roseville. 

The couple responsible for a company that promised COVID-19 testing but didn't deliver is facing fines from the state. State consumer protection director Michael Domke says Aleya Siyaj and Akbar Syed, the co-owners of the Center for Covid Control closed up in January of this year after multiple investigations showed they failed to provide services.  Siyaj and Syed will have to pay Wisconsin over 22 thousand dollars in civil forfeiture. Multiple other states have lawsuits pending against the couple.

Suspects are sought for vandalism on the University of Wisconsin campus.  UW Madison police have identified two people as suspects in the graffiti vandalism outside Memorial Union and Alumni Park earlier this week. Spokesperson Mark Lovicott said it took place around 4:00 AM Monday as suspects spray painted multiple walls, signs boats, displays, memorials, and art, all apparently targeted toward conservative commentator Matt Walsh, who spoke on campus Monday amid protests. According to Lovicott cost of the damage and cleanup is at least 30-thousand dollars.   

In a Fox News interview on Tuesday, former House Speaker Paul Ryan of Janesville said "anybody not named Trump" could win the White House for Republicans in 2024. Ryan said the new swing voter in American politics is the suburban voter, and it's really clear the suburban voter doesn't like former President Donald Trump. The Wisconsin Republican blamed Trump for his party losing the White House and both houses of Congress. Trump for his part has suggested he may run for president again in two years.   

Milwaukee is one of the top cities in America for baseball fans.  That's according to WalletHub, which ranks Milwaukee 15th out of the country's 332 largest cities.  WalletHub says the top city for baseball fans is New York.

Local-Regional News Oct 26

 Taxpayers in the city of Mondovi may see an increase in the city portion of their property taxes.  During last night's city council meeting, the preliminary budget would include a $68 increase for the city portion of taxes on a $200,000 home.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says while the increase is not too large, he would like the council to look into the budget to find areas to cut or reduce to lower that increase.  The final budget and city tax levy will be approved at the November council meeting on November 14th.

The City of Durand is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include a discussion on the Dollar General Site plan, a budget update, and reports from the Mayor and City Department Heads.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall and will be live-streamed on our YouTube Channel at Durand Broadcasting WRDN.

One person is dead after a car vs pedestrian accident in Red Wing.  According to Red Wing Police, the accident happened on the 400 block of West 3rd Street when an 81yr old female driver from Hager City hit 55yr old Marianne Dohnalek.  Dohnalek received significant injuries and was med-flighted to St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester but died of her injuries.  Alcohol and drug were not believed to be a factor and the accident remains under investigation.

Area Law Enforcement Agencies are participating in Wisconsin's next drug takeback day is this weekend.  The Wisconsin Department of Justice says there will be over 140 drug takeback locations open statewide Saturday including the Buffalo and Pepin County Sheriff's Departments.  A full list of locations is available online at D-H-S-dot-Wisconsin-dot-gov.

Menomonie Police are reminding residents to keep vehicles locked and take any valuables from their vehicles after a number of thefts from vehicles on the city's south side.    Residents should also keep vehicles locked anytime they are parked outside even if in your driveway.  Authorities are asking the public to report any suspicious activity by calling 715-232-1283.

Police in Eau Claire is sharing a video of what they are calling a terrifying drunk-driving crash to make a point.  The crash, which saw a car speed through an intersection, jumps a curb, and demolish an SUV before coming to rest in a parking lot, happened over a week ago.  A young man, 22-year-old Nicholas Ives is facing felony charges and prison time for the wreck.  Eau Claire Police say they are going public with the video to let people know that drunk driving is not just a problem for late nights.  The crash happened at 9:30 in the morning.

Eau Claire's election managers expect ten-thousand early or absentee ballots in the next two weeks.  Yesterday was the first day for early in-person voting.  Eau Claire City Clerk Nicholas Koerner said he expects a much busier early-voting and absentee voting period this year.  There are two high-profile races on the ballot this year, Wisconsin's races for U.S. Senate and governor, as well as a couple of local tax increase questions.  To make his point, Koerner said over 160 people voted in the first three hours of early voting yesterday.

Xcel Energy is announcing they have recently become aware of a potential scam.  The company says those looking to complete common transactions including starting a new utility service may find a phone number online that connects them to a scammer instead of the company.  The scammer then asks the victim to pay money upfront to complete the transaction and may also try to get the victims information.   Xcel Energy says the company does not charge customers upfront to complete transactions. Any fees associated with transactions like starting service will appear on a customer’s next bill. If you are asked to pay upfront to complete a transaction, hang up and contact Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-4999.

Local governments across Wisconsin are, once again, pressing for more state money.  The League of Wisconsin Municipalities yesterday said many cities in the state are looking at local funding shortfalls.  The League says if lawmakers don't increase the state's shared revenue, they will be forced to ask voters for local tax increases.  The League's president said Wisconsin has a 'broken system of funding local government.' State lawmakers have opposed giving cities and counties more state money, saying many communities don't spend what they have responsibly.

This week marks National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services is urging people to help prevent and detect childhood lead exposure. DHS is encouraging getting kids tested for lead exposure and checking homes for lead hazards. Childhood lead poisoning is primarily caused by swallowing or breathing in dust from deteriorating lead-based paint. DHS said there are about 350,000 homes in Wisconsin with lead-based paint hazards. These homes are likely to have been built before 1978.

 A man from Fond Du Lac is accused of voting twice in the 2020 election.  Edward Malnar is charged with casting absentee ballots in both Wisconsin and Michigan and voting in-person on Election Day in Wisconsin.  A criminal complaint was filed Monday and Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney filed charges against Malnar today.  He faces three-and-a-half years in prison.

A University of Minnesota Regent is resigning after suggesting the Morris campus is "too diverse."  Steve Sviggum is immediately stepping down from his position as vice chair of the Board of Regents and will only continue his service as a regent until his term expires in 2023.  Sviggum faced major backlash after questioning if declining enrollment at Morris was due to the campus becoming "too diverse."  In his resignation letter, he said the vice chair position should go to his "my colleagues who have shown disapproval" of his actions.  

A murder trial decades in the making is underway in Wood County. John Sarver faces murder charges for the death of 73 year old Elanore Roberts back in 1984. He was interviewed numerous times in the years that followed the crime and often told conflicting stories about where he was that night that never checked out. Investigators were unable to conclusively tie him to the crime until recent advances in forensic technology confirmed his DNA on a ski mask and handprint. County Sheriff Shawn Becker announced his arrest in 2020, and Sarver's been held on a one million dollar bond since. 

Misko also says that a fire accelerant was found inside the apartment, but stopped short of saying Connor started that fire or shot the others in the home. 34-year-old Connor, his 33-year-old wife Jessica, and their four children ages 14 to 3 were all found dead in the home. Three other families were displaced by the fire.

The Wisconsin State Patrol is thanking a trooper for protecting an injured bald eagle.  The State Patrol says a trooper was patrolling U.S. 12 in Monroe County recently when they saw the eagle and noticed it was hurt.  The State Patrol says the trooper protected the eagle with their cruiser until the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources could get there.

It is the first of what will likely be several acts of kindness for the young people burned in this month's bonfire explosion in Shawano County. The Pulaski FFA yesterday said it raised three thousand-dollars at its haunted trail fundraiser to help some of the young people burned in that explosion. The sheriff's office says someone tossed a drum of diesel-fuel into the bonfire. As many as 40 people were hurt in the explosion

Local-Regional News October 25

 The Durand-Arkansaw School Board approved the 2022-23 budget last night.  The balanced, $13 million budget has a total tax levy of just under $4.5 million, which is down $457,000 from last year.  Because property values in the district were up by over 12%, and equalized aids rose, the mill rate dropped 1.49% to $6.26 per $1000 of property value.  

The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include a review of the 2023 property tax levy and budget, discussion and possible action on the cable tv franchise agreement with Ntec, and repeal and recreating chapter 24 of the city of Mondovi Municipal code.  Tonight's meeting begins at 5:30 at the Marten Center in Mondovi.

One person was injured in a one-vehicle accident in Trenton Township on Sunday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 28yr old Kevin Lorusso of Red Wing was traveling northbound on Hwy 63, when he lost control of the vehicle and entered the east ditch.  Lorusso was taken to Mayo Hospital in Red Wing.

There are now felony charges against a UW-Eau Claire student who said there was a bomb in Towers Hall.  Prosecutors yesterday charged 19-year-old Mason Waymire with making terroristic threats. Investigators say Waymire made the threat on Yik Yak back in September. Campus police say there was never a bomb, and no one was in any real danger. Police say Waymire told them his friends dared him to make the post, and he didn't think it would be taken seriously.

It's been six months since Lily Peters was murdered. Yesterday was the six-month anniversary of her death in Chippewa Falls. She was 10, and the 14-year-old suspect in her death is still waiting for trial. He's not due back in court until next August. Altoona state Rep. Jesse James pushed for a new Lily Alert law in Wisconsin for cases that don't quite rise to the level of an Amber Alert. He says he shelved that plan after speaking with the state's Department of Justice and realizing there's already an alert system that can be used in similar cases.

A priest who worked in both Wausau and Chippewa Falls has resigned after accusations of sexual misconduct. Father Mark Pierce resigned from two churches in Wausau over the weekend. He is facing claims that he had sexual contact with an underage boy decades ago. Pierce worked at both St. Michael and Resurrection Parishes in Wausau. He was also a priest at Notre Dame Parish in Chippewa Falls.

 Wisconsin's elite search and rescue team is back. Members of Task Force One held their first training exercise in nearly four years this month. The task force disbanded back in 2018 because of contractual issues, those had to be settled by lawmakers back in the spring. Task Force One has about 90 members who are trained in search and rescue and emergency response. They can be deployed anywhere in the state or the country, usually within a matter of days.

Wisconsin's latest test scores show kids in the state are falling further behind. The results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, better known as the National Report Card, came out yesterday. Wisconsin saw its scores for fourth graders dip a tiny bit, but the scores for eighth graders fell by several points. Wisconsin's state superintendent of schools blames the poor test scores on the coronavirus and is once again asking for more money for public schools. Education reformers say the scores were the worst among schools that were closed the longest, and say teachers' unions should share the blame. The test results also show Wisconsin has the largest gap between white and black students in the country.

A 48-year-old man will serve jail time after pleading guilty to being drunk while transporting a high school team.  Shawn Zelazny entered a guilty plea yesterday to second-degree drunken driving.  Zelazny was driving the coach bus in December back to Duluth from a basketball tournament when an adult convicted him to pull over while 911 was called.  His blood alcohol was determined to be more than two-and-a-half times the legal limit for driving in Minnesota.  He will serve 60 days in jail on weekends spread out over the next two years, along with two years' probation.

Today is the first-day local clerks in Wisconsin can offer in-person absentee voting.  To find out if your municipality offers in-person absentee voting, the location, and hours, visit the MyVote Wisconsin website. There you can also register to vote, see what's on your ballot, and find your polling place and what you’ll need to bring. In-person absentee voting ends two days before election day on November 8. Statewide races on the ballot include governor, U.S. Senator, and attorney general.

An investigation's underway after the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus is vandalized ahead of a visit by a conservative political commentator.  Several areas on campus have been targeted with spray paint including the Memorial Union Terrace sign and several of the Bucky Badger statues.  The vandalism comes as conservative political commentator Matt Walsh is set to visit the campus for a screening of his movie "What's a Woman?" and answer questions.

A Minneapolis man accused of killing an activist after driving into a crowd of protestors is changing his plea to guilty.  Nicholas Kraus was allegedly drunk when he fatally struck Deona Marie and injured three others protesting the police-shooting death of Winston Smith in June of 2021.  Kraus initially plead not guilty to charges of intentional second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.  However, court records indicate that he will change his plea to guilty during a hearing Monday. 

Police say speed and alcohol likely played a role in a car crashing into a house in Adams County.  Police in Rome say a car slammed into a house on 14th Drive overnight one night this weekend.  No one was home and the driver isn't hurt, however, the home's steps are destroyed.

The State Justice Department is investigating after a Dane County deputy shot and killed a person on Sunday. Police claim that a person wanted for weapons violations lead officers on a foot chase in the village of Oregon when a Dane County deputy shot and killed that person. Police say they found a weapon near the shooting. The deceased person has not been identified. The Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation of the shooting.  

With winter driving season fast approaching, it’s a good idea to have an emergency kit in your vehicle if you plan to travel any distance. Also says Andrew Beckett with Wisconsin Emergency Management, know before you go and log onto the state 511 website.  Beckett says you can also check traffic cameras for conditions and adjust your route accordingly if you need to.      

Minnesota is seeing a dramatic uptick in fentanyl use.  A new report from Millennium Health analyzed drug tests from substance use disorder treatment practices, comparing data from the first half of 2022 to data from 2019.  The report found that fentanyl positivity in Minnesota drug tests went up by 400-percent so far this year. 

Wisconsin residents are invited to honor troops by donating ornaments to the executive residence’s tree this holiday season. Each year, the governor’s residence in Maple Bluff continues the tradition of the Tribute to our Troops Tree, where ornaments are hung to honor veterans. The tribute tradition began in 2005 by Governor Jim Doyle. Wisconsinites can send ornaments to honor veterans who are currently serving or who have served here or abroad. The ornaments can be seen as part of the executive residence’s holiday tours in December. Families of service personnel are invited to send ornaments by November 22.

Local-Regional News Oct 24

 The Durand-Arkansaw School Board is meeting tonight.  At 6pm the board will hold its budget presentation and public hearing on the 2022-23 budget.  Then at 6:30, the regular meeting of the board will take place.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on the Fund 46 project list, accepting bids for lawnmowing, and snowplowing, and reports from the District Administrator and department heads.  Both meetings will be held in the board room at the high school.

The Buffalo County Board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on an initial resolution to borrow $1.7 million for the county's 2023-24 road improvement program, a resolution to establish the reclamation plan review fee and annual fees for nonmetallic mines in the county, and a review of the 2023 draft budget.  Tonight's meeting begins at 7pm at the county board room in Alma.

One person was injured in a construction accident at the new Dollar General in Pigeon Falls on Saturday.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department, a 26yr old construction worker became trapped when a concrete wall collapsed.  The worker was pinned from the torso down and was eventually freed.  He was med-flighted to the hospital with unknown injuries.  The collapse of the concrete wall remains under investigation.

Fire investigators don't think there's anything suspicious about the fire above Every Buddy's Bar in downtown Chippewa Falls on Saturday. Four people were living in the apartments above the bar when the fire broke out, they all made it out okay. Firefighters say they rescued a cat from one of the apartments. Investigators are looking for a cause. No one is guessing how long the bar will be closed because of the fire damage.

There was less training at Fort McCoy, but commanders say that was because there were more people on the base. The fort's latest training report says just over 77 thousand troops were trained at the fort in the fiscal year 2022. For 2021, that number was over 116 thousand troops. Commanders say the training schedule was impacted by the thousands of Afghan refugees who spent months at the base. Fort McCoy expects to see its training numbers rebound next year.

No one was injured after shots were fired outside of the Prairie Inn and Suites in Holman on Saturday night.  According to the Holmen Police Department, officers responded to the call at the hotel and found Chanda Vande Slunt of Holmen admitting to firing several rounds from a handgun.  Officers said she appeared intoxicated.  Police are recommending charges of recklessly endangering safety and operating a firearm while intoxicated.  

Despite adding more than 14,000 jobs, Wisconsin’s unemployment rate increased slightly last month.   The latest data from the Department of Workforce Development show Wisconsin continues to fare better than the U.S. as a whole in terms of unemployment and labor force participation. It also shows that Wisconsin has added jobs in eight of the last nine months. The state added more than 14,400 private sector jobs last month. Still, the unemployment rate increased from 3.1 percent in August to 3.2 percent in September as summer hospitality jobs wound down. For comparison, the national unemployment rate was 3.5 percent in September.

Teamsters Local 320 won't strike after reaching a deal with the University of Minnesota.  The union shared the update on Facebook, going on to say that the three-year contract includes an at least 12-percent wage increase and extended health insurance. Had a deal not been reached, the union that represents around 15-hundred university service workers would have gone on strike on campus in Minneapolis and St. Paul Wednesday.

A Southeast Wisconsin healthcare system says millions of patients' information may have been leaked to outside companies.   Advocate Aurora Health says that data may have been transmitted to Google and Facebook parent company Meta thanks to tracking programs on Aurora's websites. Those programs may have been sending the companies information on who someone's doctor is, what appointments they have, and the types of procedures they're getting. Aurora says no financial or social security data was sent and that they've started an investigation.

Riot-damaged corridors in Minneapolis will get 10 million dollars in grants to help rebuild after the 2020 uprising connected to George Floyd's murder.  The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development is providing the Main Street revitalization grants to help 20 small businesses and nonprofits complete redevelopment projects.  The funding will be followed by another 19-point-5 million dollars worth of grants in 2023 for Minneapolis and corridors in Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park.

A new report says Governor Evers' push to be carbon-free by 2050 comes with a 250 billion-dollar price tag. The Center of the American Experiment released its report this week. The study looks at the cost associated with closing coal and natural gas power plants, as well as the cost to build new solar farms and wind turbines. The report notes that 65 percent of Wisconsin's power currently comes from coal or natural gas. Just two-and-a-half percent comes from wind. The report also says utilities are going to have to charge customers thousands-more per-year to pay for the transition.

Fifteen vehicles are destroyed after a fire sweeps through a parking lot in Portage.  The Portage Fire Department says the fire was discovered at about 7:30 Saturday morning in the rear parking lot of Insurance Auto Auction off Highway 16.  In a Facebook post, the department said vehicles were exploding in the parking lot when crews arrived, and 15 cars on fire.  The crews were able to contain the fire, and no injuries were reported.  It's uncertain what started the blaze.

Wisconsin health officials counted more than a thousand new COVID-19 cases over the past week.  The Department of Health Services reported one-thousand-21 new cases and ten deaths in Friday's update.  Four-hundred-56 COVID-19 patients were being treated in Wisconsin hospitals, including 63 in intensive care.  DHS reports 65-point-five percent of the state's population have gotten at least one vaccine dose and just under 62-percent are fully vaccinated.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is working to get kids outside.  The department's No Child Left Inside grants will be used to help boost outdoor programs around the state.  The grants will also benefit communities with limited opportunities to get outside.  The DNR began accepting applications last week  for small grants of less than five-thousand dollars and larger grants of up to 25-thousand dollars.

University of Wisconsin Police says dozens of fans were kicked out of the Badgers Homecoming game last night.  Wisconsin defeated Purdue 35-24 at Camp Randall Stadium, and university police say 23 citations were handed out during the game, mostly for underage drinking.  Police say 43 people were ejected from the game, mostly students in possession of alcohol or for being intoxicated, and 20 people were arrested. 

Local-Regional News Oct 21

 A recent report from the March of Dimes said that Pepin County is lacking in maternity care and classified the county as a maternity care desert.  Angela Jacobson, Director of Emergency Preparedness with Advent Health of Durand says the hospital was surprised to learn of the finding because of the services the Hospital already provides.  Because the hospital is a critical care hospital, all nursing staff is also trained in preparedness to help deliver babies in case of emergency.  Jacobson says Advent Administration is working to find out how the March of Dimes came to its conclusion with Pepin County.

The bone found in a Dunn County creek is human, but it is not new. Scientists at the state crime lab say the jawbone found in the creek in Menomonie is from an ancient Native American. There's no exact date as to just how old the bone is. A pair of fishermen found the bone back in July. The state crime lab says it was likely only found because the water levels were so low at the time.

Area law enforcement agencies will again be participating in the Drive Sober or get pulled over enhanced enforcement.  The goal is to prevent impaired drivers from getting behind the wheel and asking for a ride home.  Area agencies participating in the program this fall include the Pepin and Buffalo County Sheriffs Department, Mondovi, and Fountain City Police Department.

The family-owned Red Wing Shoe Company is getting a new leader.  The company announced yesterday that fourth-generation family member Allison Gettings is taking over as president and CEO starting in January.  Gettings has been with the company for 14 years and is currently the president.  She will follow CEO Mark Urdahl, who is retiring at the end of the year after six years at the helm.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has released its Influenza Vaccine Update and launched a new online flu vaccine data dashboard.   A DHS release says together, the report and data dashboard provides a look at previous and current flu vaccine rates statewide and highlight communities and areas of the state more vulnerable to the seasonal flu. As of October 18, only Pierce County in Western Wisconsin has over 1% of the county population who have received an influenza vaccination for the current season.  

The tax rate for Chippewa Valley Technical College is going down.    This week, the CVTC board approved setting the tax rate at 71 cents, down from 81 cents from the past fiscal year. They say an increase in technical college property tax relief is what lead to the decrease.   The change means a person with a $150,000 home will pay $106.50 in property taxes for the year to support the college, down from $121.63.

Two teenagers were injured in a one-vehicle accident in Barron County Wednesday night.  According to the Barron County Sheriffs Department, two Rice Lake 18yr olds were traveling on Hwy U, just south of Dallas when the vehicle left the road, hit a driveway, and landed upside down.  Both teens had to be extricated from the vehicle and med-flighted to the hospital.   Investigators believe alcohol appeared to be a factor in the crash and possible charges will be forwarded to the Barron County District Attorney.

The newest tree in Eau Claire's Boyd Park doesn't produce oxygen, it produces electricity. The city yesterday unveiled its new 'E-Cacia' tree. The tree is a solar panel that will produce up to 20 kilowatt-hours per day of electricity for the city's electric grid. Eau Claire's Solar Forma Design came-up with the design and installed the new tree. It will produce power on sunny days.

The sheriff in Shawano County believes that someone threw a 55 gallon drum of diesel-fuel mix into that bonfire that exploded last weekend.  Investigators yesterday updated their look into the bonfire explosion in Maple Grove that injured as many as 40 young people.  Deputies say someone tossed the drum, which was about a quarter full, into the fire last Friday night. Investigators say they've spoken with 20-or-so people who were at the bonfire, and they are looking to speak with dozens more.  The sheriff's office says it is not looking to punish any of the high school students who were drinking at the bonfire, they say they have a 'much larger issue' that they need to investigate.

University of Minnesota officials say they are working on options that would allow all graduates to walk the stage and receive their diplomas.  Several colleges sent emails to students this week indicating that a joint spring semester ceremony would be held at Huntington Bank Stadium, shutting down the opportunity for seniors to be individually recognized.  Officials are reversing course after a student-led petition protesting the move received more than six thousand signatures.  Most graduations are usually held at 3M Arena in Mariucci, which is closed for renovations.

The Minnesota Veterans Home in Hastings is reporting a COVID-19 outbreak has infected over 80 residents and staff.  This is the home's first outbreak since the start of the pandemic.  Officials say most of the cases have been mild.  However, one person has died.  A representative with the Minnesota Department of Veteran Affairs told KARE 11 that "all necessary infection prevention precautions have been and continue to be in place" and case counts are decreasing daily.  

The FBI says it received a number of school threats Thursday including multiple in Wisconsin but says the threats aren't credible.  An FBI spokesperson in Milwaukee says some of the calls were swatting calls, where a person calls in a fake shooting report to cause a large police presence.  Madison police say a school shooter was called in at Madison East High School this morning but the threat wasn't credible.

A judge is not continuing the temporary restraining orders against Baraboo High School's athletic director. The mothers of three Baraboo students got restraining orders last week after their kids were pulled out of a car after what may have been a homecoming prank. All three students are athletes, and Baraboo athletic director James Langkamp says he was only involved to de-escalate the situation. One man involved in the case had a flame thrower. Langkamp remains on leave from the school district as school leaders investigate just what happened.

An Arizona man has been sentenced for his role in distributing a large amount of meth in Central Wisconsin.  Levi Bagne, who investigators called the "undisputed leader" of a syndicate responsible for shipping more than 20 pounds of the drug into Wisconsin, will serve 16 years in federal prison. Investigators say he would send packages through the mail to co-conspirators, who would then distribute the meth throughout the region. Many of those people are also serving federal prison terms after pleading guilty, at least one more has yet to be sentenced.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to benefit the family of a 5-year-old girl fatally shot in Green Bay this week. The fundraiser has a $10,000 goal. Police have identified the girl as Skyé Bleu Evans-Cowley. Officers found her at an east side residence just before 5 p.m. Monday. She died at the hospital. As of Wednesday, police were still looking for 35-year-old Jordan J. Leavy-Carter as a “person of interest.”

Authorities in Maple Grove are ruling that a fire was set intentionally at a local historic building.  The blaze took place Tuesday night at the Village Hall in Lakeview Knolls Park.  Detectives say video footage shows a white Chevy Equinox with dark rims and a black antenna on the roof that was in the area before the fire. 

Local-Regional News Oct 20

 The City of Durand is getting closer to finalizing the budget for next year.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says wages and health insurance will be two big factors in the budget.  Most city departments have already submitted their budget request for next year.

There is a child abuse investigation into a daycare in Altoona, and charges for one of the workers. Police arrested 30-year-old Mercedes Bergeron on two counts of abuse for an incident back in August. Other workers at the Hand in Hand Daycare in Banbury Place say she threw a child about two feet across the room. The child's parents went to the police after finding bumps, bruises, scratches, and cuts on at least ten different occasions. Bergeron is due back in court next month.

The days of Girl Scouts roughing it at Camp Nawakwa are coming to an end. The Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes yesterday said they are going to sell the camp in Lac De Flambeau. The Scouts'  Patty Shafto-Carlson says they want to find something new and closer to Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls. Next summer will be the last summer at the camp. Some Girl Scout parents in the Chippewa Valley are not happy about the change.

Two  Rice Lake families are dealing with scammers setting up fake Instagram accounts soliciting donations for the families.  The families of 14yr old Evah Garcia and 15yr old Winter Brouillard set up a Go Fund Me page after the two teens were killed in a car crash recently.  Soon after, scammers started setting up fake accounts on Instagram.   Both families had to set up new accounts after the scammers struck.  The FBI warns that if a charity or organization asks you to donate through cash, gift card, virtual currency, or wire transfer, it’s probably a scam.

The Northwoods' congressman says Wisconsin is moving too fast to get to a carbon-free energy grid in the next 28 years. Congressman Tom Tiffany says getting rid of all coal fired or natural gas fired power plants by 2050 will cost too much, and likely leave Wisconsin without enough power. Governor Evers announced the carbon free goal back in 2019. Tiffany says rushing to make the switch will only drive-up energy prices, which will then make inflation worse.

This may be the best weekend to do a little leaf-looking in western Wisconsin. Forecasters say the fall colors are peaking this week. Further north the colors have already hit their peak. Travel Wisconsin says the trees from Eau Claire all the way down to Prairie du Chein are at their most beautiful.

Wisconsin's challenge to President Biden's student loan cancellation program could be going to the Supreme Court. The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty yesterday asked the high court to take up the case. WILL says President Biden overstepped his power when he announced plans to cancel up to 20 thousand-dollars in student loan debt for some people. WILL also said the president went too far by injecting a racial motive into the program, WILL says that breaks federal laws on discrimination. A federal judge already rejected WILL's lawsuit saying the group doesn't have the standing to sue over the loan forgiveness program.

More than 200 jobs will be lost next year when Eastbay closes a Wausau distribution center. Parent company Foot Locker says they're cutting the Wausau center in the name of streamlining their distribution process for customers nationwide. 160 jobs will be lost by the end of the year, the remaining 48 jobs will go away when the building goes dark for good by May of 20-23. Eastbay has been a staple in Central Wisconsin since 1980, though the company has gone through several changes including a sale to Foot Locker in 19-97, and just last summer the Team Sales Division was purchased by Dallas-based BSN Sports.

We have a winner in the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest.  The winner of this year's Coolest Thing competition announced Wednesday by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and Johnson Financial Group is the Volterra electric fire truck made by Appleton based Pierce manufacturing. Their Voltera pumper is the first zero emission electric fire truck and service in North America. Nearly 150 products were nominated for this year's contest. October is celebrated as Manufacturing Month in Wisconsin, where manufacturing employs nearly one in six workers.

Wisconsin is getting 140-million dollars from the federal government to improve its water and wastewater infrastructure.  The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says the money will go toward the State Revolving Loan Fund, replacing lead service lines, and addressing PFAS chemical contamination.

A Minneapolis family is dealing with scammers trying to profit off their loved one's death.  Gabriel "Dino" Mendoza was shot to death while working as a security guard at a restaurant in Minneapolis' Uptown neighborhood.  The 23-year-old's family set up a GoFundMe page to cover funeral arrangements and help them seek legal justice.  However, Mendoza's sister told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that someone created a spoof Facebook account to solicit donations shortly after they published their page.  She said this adds to her family's trauma.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is trying to get library card holders interested in visiting the state's parks.  The DNR says next month it will give one-thousand Wisconsin library card holders a free day pass to any park, forest, or recreation area in the state that requires admission.  The DNR says the passes will be given to 20 libraries across Wisconsin to give to library card holders.  The list of libraries is available on the DNR's website.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is preparing for an extremely busy weekend.  Minnesotans are expected to flock to the Twin Cities airfield during the annual fall break for teacher conferences. The Minnesota Educator Academy break means school kids across the state have Thursday and Friday off.  It also allows several families to take a mini vacation before the holidays.

It's been 20 years of planning, but a new Wood County jail is now under construction.   WAOW in Wausau reports that the plan has been in the works since 2001. Sheriff Shawn Becker says the 90 million dollar project will improve inmate safety and increase capacity at the facility. Right now, Wood County has to transfer residents to other facilities at a cost of about 1.4 million dollars a year. The new facility will increase the county's jail capacity to 225 people. They're hoping to be complete with the jail by 2025.

Sun Prairie has officially ended the law against snowball fights. The city council last night voted to roll-back its decades-old ordinance that included snowballs in the list of things that you cannot throw. Alderman Brent Eisberner discovered the snowball ban last year while re-reading the city's ordinances. He said there are a number of old laws that Sun Prairie needs to revisit. To date, it doesn't appear that anyone was ever arrested or ticketed for throwing snowballs in Sun Prairie.

Local-Regional News Oct 18

 The City of Durand has decided to sell another city lot on Auth Street.    According to Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren, because of interest from the public, the city will try and sell the lot again. For more information on the lot, contact Durand City Hall.

Two people were injured in a two vehicle accident in Trimbelle Township on Friday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 19yr old Carson Stockwell of Ellsworth was traveling eastbound on Hwy 10 near Hwy J when he went to pass another vehicle.  Stockwell struck a westbound vehicle driven by 32yr old Michael Baier of Prescott.  Both Stockwell and Baier were transported to River Falls Area Hospital.

A Trempealeau man has been charged with three counts of possession of child pornography, resisting an officer, and failing to update his sex offender information.  Stephen Jenkins was arrested after authorities received a tip about Jenkins and searched his electronics and found multiple child pornography videos.  Jenkins is currently listed as non-compliant with no location in Utah where he was convicted of sex crimes in 2005 and 2006.    He is being held in the Trempealeau County Jail on a $100,000 cash bond and will return to court on Thursday.

There are charges coming after a weekend standoff with an armed suspect in Barron County.  The sheriff's office had to call in its Emergency Response Team to arrest 27-year-old Devin Baldwin Sunday evening.  He was drunk when police say he holed-up in his home in Cumberland.  It took tear gas and some beanbag rounds to finally get Baldwin under control.  Baldwin was on probation for a similar situation in 2020 when he threatened to kill officers and fired a gun.  Baldwin is in jail and waiting for formal charges.

Those who heat their homes with natural gas can expect higher bills this winter.  Xcel Energy says natural gas will cost about 23% more this winter.  Officials say the cost increase is not just a local issue as natural gas prices are at all time highs across the country.    For the average household, Xcel estimates it will cost about $225 more this winter than last year.

A flock of backyard chickens in St. Croix County is Wisconsin's latest bird flu case.  The state's Department of Agriculture confirmed an outbreak last week.  Wisconsin saw nearly three million-birds put down after a bird flu outbreak in the spring.  The case in St. Croix County is the third in the past two months.  The other two were at commercial bird operations in Dunn and Racine counties.

No playoffs for the Amherst football team after a judge tossed their appeal of a WIAA decision to forfeit their wins. The school and the Association met in a Portage County courtroom on Monday where a judge sided with the WIAA, who said the school didn't do enough to investigate the eligibility of a player who started his football career with another school in 20-18 while he was home schooled. That timeline means his last year of eligibility would have been last year. The school said there is no way they would have known about the issue, the Association said they could have asked the student's parents or the student himself.

A statewide program has kicked off, to dispose of firefighting foams containing hazardous “forever chemicals.” Many departments have switched to firefighting foams that do not contain PFAS. The chemicals can contaminate groundwater and have been linked to numerous negative health outcomes. Disposing of PFAS containing foams can be costly, so fire departments have been storing them. Wisconsin based North Shore Environmental Construction will be collecting and disposing of at least 25,000 gallons of PFAS-containing firefighting foam waste from throughout the state. The most recent two-year state budget provided one million dollars for the DNR and DATCP to administer the program.  

Wisconsin has set another record with its budget surplus.  The state's Department of Administration on Friday said the state ended its last fiscal year, which ended in June, with a four-point-three billion-dollar surplus.  The DOA also says the state finished the year with a one-point-seven billion-dollar rainy day fund.  The big surplus numbers were driven in part by record high tax collections.  Those jumped five percent last year, which was one-and-a-half billion-dollars over expectations.

Friday's televised campaign debate between incumbent Democratic Governor Tony Evers and his Republican challenger, business executive Tim Michels, was the first and only time voters will see the candidates face to face. They exchanged views on a variety of topics including abortion, gun violence, climate change, and how to attract more young people to Wisconsin. The most recent Marquette Poll indicates a close race.

George Floyd's family is considering suing Kanye West after he claimed Floyd died from fentanyl.  During a Drink Champs podcast, Ye claimed Floyd didn't die from officer Derek Chauvin's knee on his neck.  While there were traces of fentanyl in Floyd's system,  medical experts came to the conclusion Floyd died from a lack of oxygen.  Lawyer Lee Merritt says while one cannot defame the dead, the family can sue for false statements about the manner of his death.

If you still need a photo ID to vote next month you can get one for free.  The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says you can go to any Wisconsin DMV and get help getting an ID for free.  All you need is a birth certificate or passport, proof of identity, proof of U.S. and Wisconsin residency, and your social security number.  Election Day is November 8th.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is trying to cut down on distracted driving.  The D-O-T says today is Buckle Up, Phone Down Day, where drivers are urged to buckle their seatbelts and stay off their phones.  The D-O-T says 40 people died in distracted driving crashes in Wisconsin last year, a 54 percent increase from 2019.

The real police don't call you about court dates, and the real police don't ask for money over the phone.  Madison Police are warning about a phone scam after getting a call from someone who got a call from a scammer pretending to be a Madison police officer.  The scammer says you missed a court date and now have a warrant, but offers to take care of it for a fee.  Madison Police say if you get a call, simply hang-up.

Local-Regional News Oct 17

 A hiker who became lost on Thursday is ok.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, deputies were called after 75yr old Charles Brion of Nelson did not return from his walk in the Tiffany Wildlife area.    Buffalo and Pepin County Deputies using a drone along with a K-9 unit searched for Brion who was found approximately 6miles from his vehicle at 12:49am on Friday morning.  

The City of Durand will be shutting off some of the lights along Hwy 10 from the bridge to the travel mart.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says there are 62 lights along that stretch of Hwy 10.  The city will leave the lights on at intersections and when replacing the lights use the newer LED lights.

The Wabasha County Sheriff's Department is asking for the public's help in locating a hit-and-run driver.  According to the department, an SUV, possibly a Chevrolet Blazer struck a young child in Downtown Wabasha under the bridge on Saturday afternoon.  The female driver left the scene of the accident after seeing the girl did not sustain life-threatening injuries.  The driver is described as in her 60s, shoulder-length dark hair and a heavier build.  If anyone has any information they are to contact the Wabasha County Sheriff's Department.

Three people are looking at nearly two dozen felony counts for stealing guns, bullets, and rocket launchers from an Eau Claire County home. Prosecutors filed the charges on Friday. Two of the suspects are accused of stealing the guns, and the third is accused of buying them. The Sheriff's Office says 15 guns, five thousand rounds of ammunition, and military-grade rocket launchers were taken from a home in the town of Drammen last weekend. Investigators say they found some of the guns, but it's not clear if they recovered the rocket launchers and ammunition.

A postal worker in Barron County faces federal mail tampering charges for allegedly intercepting Menards rebate checks   Residents in the Rice Lake and Cumberland area who were looking to save big money with the popular 11 percent rebate credit checks instead may have been swindled by 37-year-old Joshua Copas- who investigators say took the checks out of the mail before they could be delivered. The indictment alleges that the scheme occurred between April and May of this year, investigators haven't said if Copas kept them for himself or others.

The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train is returning to Wisconsin and Minnesota after a two-year hiatus.  It'll make six Wisconsin stops, Watertown, Columbus, Portage, Wisconsin Dells, Mauston, and Tomah on December 9th and 10th.  The train will make stops in Winona, Wabasha, and Hasting on December 11.  The holiday train raises money for local food banks but has been unable to operate for the last two years because of the coronavirus pandemic.

There is a warning about a serial Culver's robber in southeastern Wisconsin.  Police in Lake Mills say they are looking for a man driving a maroon Jeep who robbed their Culver's drive-through last month.  Investigators say he is also suspected of robbing Culver's Mequon and Janesville.  No one is saying why the man is targeting Culver's.  His pictures are online, and police are asking anyone who knows anything to please come forward.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is no longer installing its smart warning system at rural intersections.  The system uses a flashing beacon to alert drivers to oncoming traffic.  MnDOT traffic engineers say the Rural Intersection Conflict Warning System didn't "significantly" reduce crashes in the state.  The Minnesota Department of Public Safety says nearly two-thirds of crashes leading to serious injury or death in the state happen at rural intersections. 

There's a new report that Republicans say shows that Wisconsin is spending more money than ever on public schools. The report from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau came out last week and shows the state spent over seven-and-a-half billion-dollars on state aid for public schools last year. That's up from seven-point-three billion in 2020, and seven-point-three billion in 2019. The report also comes as the state's Department of Public Instruction gets ready to release its state aid numbers for this year. Those will come out later today. Republican State Senator Duey Stroebel says the numbers burst the myth that Republican lawmakers have underfunded public schools in Wisconsin. 

The Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating a deadly officer-involved shooting in Windsor.  The Wisconsin Department of Justice says a Dane County sheriff's deputy shot and killed a person at the Super 8 hotel on Lake Circle last night.  It's still unclear what circumstances led up to the shooting.  The deputy is on leave pending an investigation into the shooting.

Democratic incumbent Angie Craig and Republican challenger Tyler Kistner are displaying a deep policy divide after the first and only debate.  It was held at Dakota County Technical College in Rosemount on Thursday.  Up until now, much of the Minnesota 2nd District congressional race has been playing out in negative TV ads, many being paid for by organizations from outside of Minnesota.  The two were quick to offer competing views of abortion and the role of the federal government as inflation came up repeatedly during the hour-long, heated discussion.  This is the second election cycle where Craig and Kistner are facing off as Craig won in 2020 and is seeking a third term this year. 

 Three of the 49 people charged in an alleged quarter-billion-dollar scheme to defraud government meal programs are pleading guilty.  Bekam Addissu Merdassa and Hanna Marekegn, and Hadith Yusuf Ahmed entered pleas at the federal courthouse in Minneapolis on Thursday, in the case linked to the nonprofit Feeding Our Future.  Prosecutors charged them with criminal information, rather than through a grand jury indictment, so guilty pleas were expected.  Authorities say the Twin Cities-based nonprofit stood at the center of a network of shell companies controlled by people who used federal child nutrition money to buy cars, luxury goods, jewelry, and property in the United States, Kenya, and Turkey.

A three-thousand-year-old canoe may not be the only artifact sitting just below the waters of Lake Mendota.  State archaeologists say there could be an entire village waiting to be discovered.  Researchers and historians pulled the canoe out of the lake last month.  It is the oldest canoe ever found in the area.  State Archaeologist Dr. James Skibo says his team is now going to see what else they can find, with the expectation that they will find something. 

Twenty years ago, if you'd asked where the nearest “TYME Machine” was on the streets of New York City or Atlanta, all you'd likely get would be a funny look. But the Take Your Money Everywhere ATMs were once ubiquitous here in the Upper Midwest. The brand was created as a partnership between four Milwaukee banks in the 1970s and had more than 27,000 ATMs in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota. The brand disappeared in 2004 but it’s now being revived by Landmark Credit Union as part of the marketing strategy for its new line of advanced ATMs.

Local-Regional News Oct 14

 The City of Durand did not receive a grant from the Wisconsin DOT for the Main Street reconstruction project.   Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says, according to the city engineer, there will be additional DOT grant opportunities for the city.  The city did receive a grant for Madison Street in the downtown earlier this year.

The City of Mondovi is working on the 2023 city budget.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the new citywide re-assessment will play a factor in the levy.  The city will have a levy authorization of $938,946 in 2023.

 

Two teens are dead, and a teenage driver is facing intoxicated driving charges from a crash in northwest Wisconsin   A second girl died as a result of a rollover crash on Monday. She was one of four Rice Lake area teens in the car. Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said early Thursday that a 15-year-old girl died at a hospital in Minnesota. A 14-year-old girl passed away earlier this week and another 14-year-old girl remained in the hospital with a severe arm injury as of Wednesday. A 16-year-old boy, the driver in the crash, was in custody in Eau Claire, on suspicion of driving while intoxicated-causing injury.

The sheriff in Rusk County says a man is dead after hitting a deer while riding his ATV. It happened Sunday morning in Big Bend township. Deputies say the man was tossed from his ATV in the crash. He was not wearing a helmet, and authorities say he suffered serious head injuries. 

Wisconsin's latest coronavirus map is a sea of green. The CDC says most of the state is seeing low coronavirus levels. Milwaukee and the WOW counties are seeing medium levels, but just two counties are seeing high levels. Rusk and Barron counties in western Wisconsin are the only areas of the state in the orange, but that may be because of their low population and not because of a spike in new coronavirus cases. 

Offensive social media posts have led to the resignation of a College Republican leader.  UW La Crosse College Republicans chair Megan Pauly resigned hours after anti-Semitic and racist chalk messages on campus sidewalks were posted to social media. The posts were deleted but were shared on social media by College Democrats and the state Democratic Party. In her resignation statement, Pauly said she wouldn't stand by while others are ostracized, and that anti-Semitism and hate speech have no place in the College Republicans. 

La Crosse's ban on conversion therapy is now part of a federal lawsuit. The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty yesterday filed a lawsuit to end the city's recently approved ban. Advocates and some city leaders say conversion therapy, where a therapist talks to people about their sexuality, is harmful to the LGBTQ+ community. WILL said the city doesn't get to punish doctors for expressing unpopular ideas. La Crosse first approved the ordinance back in June, but it was flagged a month later because of free speech concerns

Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin are getting angrier and angrier with the people in charge of professional licenses in the state. State Senator Rob Stafsholt on Wednesday blasted the state's Department of Safety and Professional Services for ignoring them. Stafsholt says lawmakers asked five simple questions in August about Wisconsin's months-long licensing backlog, but he says DSPS has ignored them. Stafsholt said someone needs to explain not only why everyone from dental assistants to engineers are waiting so long to get their license, but also why the Evers' Administration is freezing-out the legislature. 

Inflation tops the list of voter concerns in the latest Marquette Law School Poll.   Since August of last year, respondents have been asked to rate how concerned they are with a variety of issues. In the latest poll released Wednesday, 68 percent were very concerned with inflation. Sixty percent were very concerned with public schools and gun violence, 56 percent with abortion policy and crime, 52 percent with an accurate vote count, 47 percent with taxes, 40 percent with illegal immigration, and just 13 percent were very concerned about the Coronavirus.

Now is a good time to check the apps on your phone and make sure they're still doing what you want.  Michelle Reinen with the Wisconsin Division of Consumer Protection says your phone carries a lot of data about you that you might not even realize you're sharing with companies. Many apps share data between themselves and can create a profile of you that can be sold to advertisers and others. If you don't need an app on your phone, it's best to get rid of it.

 Vandals smashed in the front and rear windows of Beth Isreal Sinai late Sunday night and early Monday morning. Synagogue treasurer David Lee tells the Racine Journal Times that the larger Jewish community in the United States has been dealing with a rise of concerted attacks over the last several years. The last vandalism was in 2019 when someone spraypainted a swastika on the outside of the temple.

 Madison has sent its first 500 dollar guaranteed income checks.  Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway yesterday said 150 low income families are going to get 500 dollars each month for the next year.  The money has no strings attached, so people can spend it on whatever they want.  Rhodes-Conway says the idea is to help low income families by giving them some flexibility.  The guaranteed income program will cost Madison nearly a million-dollars over the next 12 months. 

A Minnesota based window and door manufacturer is settling a discrimination claim.  Andersen Corporation was accused of withdrawing a job offer after learning of an applicant's disability.  The company will pay the man 41 thousand dollars.  Anderson will also follow several stipulations designed to build a more inclusive workplace for people with disabilities.

Over 66-hundred more small businesses and non-profits across Wisconsin are getting Main Street Bounceback grants from the state government.  Today Governor Tony Evers  [[  EE-vurz  ]]  announced the grants will go to businesses and non-profits in all 72 Wisconsin counties.  Evers says he plans to invest 100-million dollars into the program and help ten-thousand organizations.

 Free fentanyl test strips are now available across Wisconsin.  The Wisconsin Department of Health Services now has a tool on its website where you can search places to find the test strips.  The department says drugs mixed with fentanyl are the leading cause of overdose deaths in Wisconsin.

Local-Regional News Oct 13

 The bids for the Tarrant Park Pool project were allowed to expire, which means they are no longer valid.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the city will now try to re-organize the pool project.  If the project can be reorganized, construction would begin in 2024.

The city of Mondovi will complete the Schmidtknick road project to Hwy A next year as part of the new wastewater treatment plant project.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the city wants to take advantage of the grant dollars available and have multiple access to the plant.  Construction should begin in spring.

More details on the fire in Alma on Tuesday.   According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, firefighters from 8 departments were called to the Alma Hotel at 1:20 Tuesday afternoon after a report of black smoke coming out of the building.  When crews arrived, they found a fire in the kitchen wall behind the stove.  Firefighters were able to contain the fire and no injuries were reported.  The cause of the fire is still under investigation. 

There are now federal charges against the Tennessee man accused of driving to Chippewa County to kidnap a 15-year-old girl.  The U.S. Attorney's Office filed child pornography charges this week against 22-year-old Trevor Blackburn. He's already facing state charges of kidnapping and sexual assault.  The sheriff in Chippewa County says Blackburn kidnapped the girl from her home in Holcombe at the beginning of the month because she stopped talking to him online. 

One person was injured in a one-vehicle accident in Trenton Township on Tuesday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 37yr old Noah Reimer of Shoreview, MN was traveling southbound on Hwy 35 when he lost control of his vehicle on a sharp curve, entered the south ditch, and struck some trees.  Reimer was taken to Mayo Hospital in Red Wing.  

Gov. Tony Evers, together with Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Secretary Randy Romanski, today announced 91 meat processors have been selected to receive a total of $10 million through the governor’s Meat and Poultry Supply Chain Resiliency Grants.  Funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Wisconsin meat processors will receive funding for grant projects of up to $150,000. Grants are awarded through a competitive selection process and selected processors must provide a match of 100 percent of the grant amount.   Here in our area, Durand Smokehouse, Gunderson Foods in Mondovi, and JM Watkins all received a grant.

Two large regional health systems are considering a merger:  Marshfield Clinic Health System and Essenta Health have signed a memorandum of understanding which states they may join forces to form a multi-state regional health system covering more than two million people from North Dakota to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan- covering mostly rural and small-urban areas. None of the big details such as what the new system would be called or how its leadership would be structured have been announced, but both sides have stated that they are excited for what the prospects of a combined health system could bring.

Minnesota is making a bid for hosting the 2027 World's Fair.  Leaders of the organization that puts together the Specialised Expo are in the Twin Cities this week considering Bloomington as the proposed 2027 host site.  The Expo brings in an estimated 14 million visitors and focuses on innovations from around the globe.  Minnesota's theme would center on Healthy People, Healthy Planet.  Governor Walz said yesterday that Minnesota is "Expo-ready."  The proposal has been in the works for about ten years.

Wisconsin's race for U.S. Senate is becoming lopsided while the race for governor is essentially tied according to the latest Marquette Law School Poll. The poll, released yesterday, gives Republican U.S.Senator Ron Johnson a six-point lead over Democrat Mandela Barnes. Last month that was a one-point lead. The poll gives Governor Evers a one-point lead over Republican Tim Michels, but that lead is well within the poll's margin of error. Pollsters say independent voters in Wisconsin are breaking toward the Republican candidates, and that's what is tipping the scales. Voters will cast their ballots in about three weeks. 

Add this to the growing list of scam warnings.  The Better Business Bureau in Wisconsin is warning of Election Day scams.  The B-B-B says scammers will try anything they can to steal money.  During election season that sometimes means posing as candidates and stealing donations.  The Better Business Bureau's Lisa Schiller says always check emails and websites to make sure they are real and never give money to people who contact you out of the blue. 

Minnesota is ranked number one in the country when it comes to health for women and children.  The report was done by the Minnetonka-based United Health Foundation.  The downside is that the state is experiencing an increase in stress, racial disparities, and somewhat of a drinking problem.  United Health Foundation is starting a three-million-dollar pilot program for programs in Minnesota middle schools to address increases in childhood depression and anxiety.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources released its annual Air Quality Trends Report on Tuesday. The report includes monitoring data through 2021 for pollutants regulated under the Clean Air Act. Those include ground-level ozone, particle pollution, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide. Highlights include reductions of sulfur dioxide in an area near Rhinelander due to new emissions control measures, and that reduction means the entire state now meets the EPA sulfur dioxide standard. New this year the DNR has an interactive story map that illustrates air quality trends for each pollutant over the last 20 years.

The state of Minnesota is set to receive nearly one hundred million dollars in funding.  The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced the funding of eleven state plans yesterday under the State Small Business Credit Initiative.  Minnesota's funds will go toward operating six programs that provide loans and equity to small businesses and start-ups.  The Treasury has approved 31 state plans overall so far under the SSBCI program, costing approximately four-point-eight billion dollars.

Former Packers wide receiver Davante Adams is charged with misdemeanor assault after being caught on video shoving a cameraman after this week's Monday Night Football game.  The criminal complaint accuses Adams of an intentional act causing bodily injury.  It also says Adams caused the cameraman whiplash, a headache, and possible minor concussion.  The charges were filed this morning and Adams is scheduled to appear in court next month.

The state's Department of Natural Resources is asking for help from experienced hunters in the state.  The state yesterday said it is looking for older hunters who can act as mentors for young hunters.  The DNR says hunting involves skills that are not always easy to teach and said building a relationship with an older hunter is sometimes the best way for younger folks to learn and learn to love the outdoors.  You can find out more about the mentor program, as well as other opportunities to help at the DNR's website. 

A group of Wisconsin dairy farmers wants the federal government to issue more visas for migrant workers.   A proposal to increase the number of visas available to migrant workers has stalled out in the US Senate after disagreements on how many workers should be allowed in the new program. Dairy farmers in Wisconsin say the government should uncap that number to allow more workers on farms across the country, but especially in Wisconsin, where some farms are being forced to close due to lack of help. Opponents of the plan are calling it amnesty for undocumented residents.

Local-Regional News Oct 12

Firefighters from Alma,  Durand, Mondovi, Nelson, Tri-Community, Waumandee, and Wabasha responded to a fire at the Alma Hotel in Downtown Alma yesterday afternoon.    Firefighters were on the scene for over 2hours but were able to get the fire contained.  Hwy 35 in Alma was closed during the fire, and there are currently no reports of injuries.  Damage estimates and the cause of the fire have not been released.

Strong odors coming from the SBF pet food plant in Mondovi have residents concerned.  At last night's Mondovi City Council a resident that lives near the plant told the council the odor is so strong it is nearly unbearable.  Another resident said while the plant is good for jobs and the economy, he has considered moving away because of the odor.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the city has been receiving complaints and will consider fines against the company.  The city has also asked the company to restart air quality testing in and around the plant to determine if the filtering equipment is still working properly.

A report from the March of Dimes released on Tuesday says that Pepin County is a maternity care desert.  A maternity care desert is defined as any county without a hospital or birth center offering obstetric care and without any obstetric providers such as obstetricians, gynecologists, and certified midwives or nurse midwives. The report says that Pierce and Trempealeau Counties have moderate access to maternity care, while Buffalo and Dunn have full access.  The report does not include the ending of maternity care in Menomonie at the end of the year.   Between the 2020 report and today, 5% of U.S. counties shifted to lower access to maternity care, and 3% of counties shifted to higher access of care.

The Wabasha County Sheriff's Department is reporting a rash of break-ins and thefts in the City of Elgin.  The department is reminding residents to remove valuables from vehicles and lock the car and garage doors.  If anyone has any information on the person or persons responsible for the thefts, they are to contact the Wabasha County Sheriff's Department or Minnesota Crime Stoppers.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include a discussion on the site plan for the proposed Dollar General along with reports from the Mayor, Administrator, and City Department Heads.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall and will be live-streamed on the WRDN YouTube Channel.

One person was injured in a single-vehicle accident in Oak Grove Township on Tuesday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 22yr old Tucker Thoen of Ellsworth was traveling westbound on Hwy 10 and was turning south onto Hwy E when the vehicle left the roadway, overturned, and came to rest on the east side of Hwy E.  Thoen was med flighted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul.  That accident remains under investigation.

 One of the teenage girls involved in this week's rollover crash in Barron County has died.  The sheriff's office says one of the 14-year-olds who was seriously hurt in Monday night's wreck passed away yesterday.  She was flown to the hospital in St. Paul because of her injuries.  Two other teenage girls were also severely hurt in the crash.  Deputies arrested the 16-year-old boy who was driving for being under the influence. 

 The same people who helped with the designs for the Cannery District are going to take a look at the future of the Oakwood Mall.  The city of Eau Claire has hired a consultant to brainstorm some ideas for what to do with the mall, its empty stores, and the parking lot.  Community development director Scott Allen said the planning is in the very early stages.  He says AMC's decision to close its movie theater at the mall sparked Eau Claire's decision to act. 

Governor Evers says he wouldn't sign a law allowing for abortion exemptions because it doesn't go far enough.  The governor told a crowd in Milwaukee yesterday that he doesn't want exemptions for abortion, he wants abortion to be fully legal in the state.  Wisconsin is one of about two dozen states that saw a near-total ban on abortion go into effect when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade.  The governor says he wants Roe to become the law of the state.  His opponent, Republican Tim Michels, said last month that he would sign an exemption law if lawmakers sent it to him. 

You're going to have to spend some more time at home with the family this Thanksgiving.  Kohl's yesterday said it will be closed on Thanksgiving.  Kohl's first closed on Thanksgiving in 2020 because of the coronavirus but has decided to keep the new tradition going.  Other big stores are doing the same.  Target says it will be closed on Thanksgiving this year as well. 

Before you decide to buy bitcoins or invest in an NFT or other cryptocurrency, be careful. Michelle Reinen with DATCP says cryptocurrencies are often the preferred method of trading value between criminals. Risks also include artificially inflated prices due to 'wash trades', where a single entity is both the buyer and the seller. So there can be money laundering involved, pump and dump, and pyramid schemes. Reinen says that you shouldn't ever invest more money than you're willing to lose and realize that cryptocurrency has been steadily losing value across all markets since the start of the year. 

Mayo Clinic is getting a 100-million-dollar gift to expand its radiation treatment facility in Rochester.  The donation came from the Fred and Katherine Andersen Foundation.  The gift will allow Mayor to almost double appointments for the treatment of cancer patients.  The expansion will include a new building with two floors below ground, and construction is expected to start next year.

The freshman class at UW-Madison is a record-breaker. The university yesterday said there are eight thousand-628 freshmen on campus this fall. Nearly 60 percent of the freshmen class at UW-Madison is from outside of Wisconsin. Madison is one of just two UW campuses that saw enrollment increase this year. All others were either flat or lost students. 

The rules for poll watchers in Wisconsin are not changing. The state's Elections Commission was deadlocked yesterday on a plan to clarify the rules for where election observers can stand on Election Day. Republican Commission chairman Don Millis said he wanted to give some guidance to local election clerks who may be nervous about next month's elections. The Democrats on the Commission blocked his ideas. That means local election managers across the state could interpret the state's laws differently when voters head to the polls in less than a month. 

There are calls for a restraining order and a federal investigation after police in Baraboo say some adults used a flamethrower to angrily stop a car full of teenagers. It happened last week. Police say the adults were angry because one of their homes was TP'd. One of the adults is Baraboo High School athletic director James Langkamp. He says he tried to defuse the situation. Some of the kids in the car are students of colors. Their moms now want a restraining order against Langkamp, saying they no longer feel safe. The Ho-Chunk Nation wants a federal investigation to see if race played a role. Police say the man with the flamethrower was arrested. 

It's cybersecurity awareness month and state consumer protection officials want you to keep your computers and devices up to date. Michelle Reinen with DATCP says that is vital to keeping your data safe from the latest emerging bugs and hacks.  If you're not sure if your device has auto updates, check with the manufacturer and see what needs to be done to get it up to date. You should also make sure that your passwords are long and hard to guess. Consider using pass phrases that are easy to remember, or get a password manager to generate strong passwords for you. 

A Canadian mining company has submitted a request to the DNR, to drill inside Chequamegon Nicolet National Forest.  The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that GreenLight Metals is looking to do some exploratory drilling in Taylor County, inside the national park. The plan is similar to the one that's being attempted in Marathon County. State legislators voted to lift the moratorium on metallic mining in 2017 after another company expressed interest in mining in the state. Those plans never reached the drilling phase. 

A horticulture teacher from Minnesota is the new U.S. record holder for heaviest pumpkin.  Travis Gienger of Anoka drove the gourd 35 hours to yesterday's 49th World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, California, south of San Francisco.  He took over the U.S. record with a gargantuan pumpkin weighing 25-hundred-60 pounds.  Gienger said it was "like winning the Tour de France on a big wheel" in that it's very difficult in Minnesota to raise such a large gourd.  An Italian grower holds the world record, with a squash weighing 27-hundred-two pounds in 2021.