Monday, October 31, 2022

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.

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