Thursday, December 22, 2022

Local-Regional News Dec 22

 There's no need to worry about school til after the New Year. Schools in Durand, Mondovi, Wabasha, and most other Chippewa Valley communities have canceled classes for today. Many were headed for winter break tomorrow, and others said they didn't want to or couldn't fight the snow. Many other places are also closed across the area, so you may want to check to see what's open before heading out.


One person is dead after a vehicle vs pedestrian accident on Hwy 35 in Oak Grove Township on Tuesday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriffs Department,  42yr old Leila Koehnen of Harris, MN was traveling northbound on Hwy 35 and approaching 1240th Street when she struck 73yr old Lynda Hudak of Prescott, who was crossing the road.  Hudak was pronounced dead at the scene by the Pierce County Medical Examiner.  Koehnen was taken to River Falls Area Hospital with undetermined injuries.


The snow is being blamed for a crash on I-94 that killed a woman. It happened about 7 p.m. last night near mile marker 66 in Eau Claire County. State troopers say it looks like a truck was traveling eastbound, lost control, and rolled into the westbound lanes. The State Patrol says the woman who was driving was tossed from the truck and died at the scene. Troopers found a baby in a car seat, in the truck and uninjured. The crash closed 94 for about an hour.


The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is asking drivers to be very cautious during their holiday travel this week.  The D-O-T says travel may not be possible in some parts of the state Friday because of the potential for blizzard conditions.  The D-O-T also says driving conditions may become too treacherous for tow trucks to help stranded drivers.  Twenty-four-hour road conditions are available online at 5-1-1-W-I-dot-gov.


The Durand-Arkansaw School Board has agreed to a partnership with the Pepin County Human Services Department and the Pepin Area School District to hire a school-based social worker.  The social worker would assist students and staff in the building and perform community outreach.  The social worker would have a 2yr contract and the program would be reviewed at the end of that contract.


With all of the recent snow, snowmobile trails in Western Wisconsin are starting to open up.  Trails in Pepin and Dunn Counties are open with good conditions and are partially open in Buffalo and Pierce Counties.  Visit the travel Wisconsin website for the latest snowmobile trail conditions.


A Fall Creek woman is accused of stealing more than $40,000 from her employers.  On Tuesday in Eau Claire County Court, Jeanie Frederiksen wass charged with theft of a business setting, after her employer, The Shed in Altoon contacted authorities and said Frederiksen had been stealing from them for the last 5 years.  If convicted, Frederiksen faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $25,000 fine.  Her next court appearance is on January 5th.


A Jackson County man who killed his father back in 2013 is getting out of the state mental hospital. A judge yesterday ordered that 29-year-old  Lars Helgeson be released from state custody. Helgeson served just five-and-a-half years of what could have been a life sentence for killing his father. Prosecutors say Helgeson shot his father in the head, burned, then buried his body on their property. Helgeson's lawyers say he suffered from untreated schizophrenia. Helgeson will be out of the hospital by the summer.


Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is filling out his cabinet, appointing six new commissioners yesterday.  Former St. Cloud school district Superintendent Willie Jett was named education commissioner.  Assistant commissioner of the Health Department's Health Equity Bureau Brooke Cunningham is taking over as health commissioner.  Law enforcement veteran Bob Jacobson will head up the Department of Public Safety.  Former DFL state Representative Paul Marquart will be the new revenue commissioner. Nicole Blissenbach will permanently lead the Department of Labor and Industry after serving as temporary commissioner. Ida Rukavina was named commissioner of the Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation.


Governor Tony Evers says he’s "leery" about dedicating part of the state's sales tax revenues to local governments.  The Democratic governor and Republican-controlled legislature are expected to have a budget surplus of nearly $6.6 billion at the end of the fiscal year on June 30. Evers told WisPolitics.com that he would prefer an approach that would provide municipalities a more stable increase each year. Evers also said he opposes calls to lower the top income tax rate of 7.65 percent, though he stopped short when asked if he'd veto a budget that included such a Republican plan.


Governor Tony Evers says he’ll again propose medical marijuana in his next state budget.  In an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio, the Democratic governor said he'll reintroduce a plan to legalize marijuana for recreational use as part of the budget he presents to the Republican-controlled legislature next year. Republican leaders oppose recreational cannabis. Recreational marijuana is already legal in Illinois and Michigan. Evers also said he’d sign medicinal marijuana legislation if the legislature passes it. 


No charges will be filed against two Minneapolis police snipers involved in the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old Black man over the summer.  The Hennepin County Attorney's Office announced they believe the use of deadly force was justified following an hours-long standoff with Andrew "Tekle" Sundberg.  He allegedly fired shots inside an apartment building, one of which went through a neighbor's wall.  The Sundberg family attorney told CBS News that he was suffering a mental health crisis and called the shooting "tragic."  Body camera footage captured the snipers saying "gun" before one of them shot and killed him. 


A 34-year-old Union Grove man faces several charges following a reckless driving incident Monday night. The Racine County Sheriff's Office reports an off-duty sheriff's sergeant driving in Union Grove spotted a gray pickup truck driving recklessly and nearly driving the sergeant off the road. The sergeant followed the truck to an apartment complex where the driver identified as Joshua Karasti fled into one of the units. Karasti allegedly refused to obey deputies' commands. He was taken into custody at Taser point while allegedly shouting racist and homophobic slurs, and threatening to take a deputy’s firearm and use it against the officer.


The Natural Resources Board has approved new ski runs and a new master plan for Rib Mountain State Park.  The board approved the plan at its meeting last week. 128 new acres of ski runs are approved for construction, something that the operators of the Granite Peak ski park said was needed to keep the ski hill viable. Along with the new ski trails, other additions to the park include a new network of biking and hiking trails, a new nature center, and new campgrounds. 


The dates are out for the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.  The Republican National Committee says the convention will run from July 15th to the 18th, 2024.  Republicans will spend the week selecting their nominee for the 2024 presidential election.

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