Local-Regional News Dec 29

 One person is in custody after a pursuit in Dunn County on Thursday.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, Ramsay County, MN Sheriff's Department was tracking a vehicle on I-94 Eastbound in Dunn County that was carjacked in St. Paul.  A State Trooper located the vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver failed to stop and a pursuit ensued.  A State Patrol Inspector performed a pursuit intervention technique on the vehicle at milepost 59 in Eau Claire County.  The driver was taken into custody and transported to the Dunn County Jail.

The Pepin County Health Department has awarded nearly $150000 in grants to area organizations.  Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says the department had to put a pause on community improvement goals due to the COVID pandemic. Stewart says the money came from ARPA funding. Stewart said over 30 applications for nearly $500,000 in grants were received and the applications were approved through a selection process.

With its recently renewed designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, the University of Wisconsin-Stout has reached a standard that only about 4% of schools in the United States earn.  The designation, through the 2028 academic year, is an extension of the university’s 2017-2022 designation, from the National Security Agency. UW-Stout was the first four-year university in the state to receive it in 2017.  The designation broadens opportunities for research, grants, and collaboration. 

A Menomine man was arrested for OWI on Tuesday.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, troopers were dispatched to an accident near mile marker 26 on I-94 Westbound in St. Croix County.  When heading to the scene, troopers were informed of 2 subjects fleeing the scene south across the interstate.  The two suspects were later detained by the St. Croix County Sheriff's Department on 50th Avenue south of the accident.   After an investigation, the passenger was released while the driver, 39yr old David Andrle of Menomonie was arrested for OWI 5th offense, possession of THC and drug paraphernalia, and operating after revocation.  Andrle also had a felony warrant for his arrest.

Residents of Wisconsin and Minnesota will enjoy looking at their utility bill as it has been one of the warmest Decembers recorded.  Xcel Energy says heating bills have decreased about 15 percent in Wisconsin and Minnesota this year.  That is about 22 dollars residents were able to save.  

The now-former chancellor at UW-La Crosse says he was stunned to be fired over his porn videos. Joe Gow said in a series of interviews yesterday that he did not expect to lose his job over the videos that he and his wife filmed, produced, and then distributed online. Gow said the videos had been up for about two months. He's not sure just how university regents found out about them. The UW board fired Gow on Wednesday. Gow continues to frame his porn career as an issue of free speech and free expression. The UW's president said Gow's behavior was abhorrent.

Keep New Years Eve safe if you plan to ring it in at your favorite tavern, by using the Safe Ride program. Scott from the Tavern League of Wisconsin. Safe Ride has more than 1700 participating establishments around Wisconsin.  Local law enforcement will have enhanced patrols over the holiday weekend as part of the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.

A bill circulating at the state Capitol would cover school supply expenses covered by teachers.  The proposal would have the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction reimburse teachers for as much as $250 on out-of-pocket purchases of school supplies for their classrooms. Teachers who qualify must work full-time in either a public or private school and would need to send the state a receipt with the signature of the principal where the teacher works. The proposal was based on laws in seven other states that give teachers money for classroom supplies. The bill could receive a public hearing as early as January. 

President Biden is among those remembering Herb Kohl. The White House yesterday issued a statement that called Kohl one of Wisconsin's greatest-ever advocates. The president said Kohl was 'a kind and principled man of integrity and character.' Kohl served alongside President Biden in the U.S. Senate for 24 years. Kohl died Wednesday after a brief illness. 

A central Wisconsin Republican announces a long-shot campaign for US Senate in 2024. Private investigator Kyle Corrigan of Mosinee acknowledges he’s a political novice who attended his first Republican event just recently.  Stevens Point Republican Rejani Raveendran has also announced she’s running. Democrat Tammy Baldwin is seeking a third term next year. No big-name Republicans have announced yet, although businessmen Eric Hovde and Scott Mayor are said to be considering it.

 Flags will be at half-staff in Wisconsin starting today (Thurs) until former US Senator Herb Kohl's burial. Governor Tony Evers says Kohl was a born and raised Milwaukeean who dedicated his life and career to the state of Wisconsin. Kohl was the founder of Kohl's department store and the former owner of the Milwaukee Bucks as well as a politician. He died yesterday at 88-years-old after what the Herb Kohl Foundation says was a short illness. Kohl's funeral services will be held in January.

An effort to keep former president Donald Trump off the 2024 Wisconsin ballot is underway. Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kirk Bangstad announced Wednesday will file a petition with the Wisconsin Elections Commission Thursday to bar Trump from the Wisconsin Republican presidential primary ballot. Bangstad says his filing with the commission is the first step in a process to bar Trump from the state's ballot which he expects to end up in the court system. Bangstad’s announcement comes after the Michigan Supreme Court ruled Trump will be allowed to remain on the 2024 Michigan GOP primary ballot.

Wisconsin has been ranked the state with the second-most car crashes caused by animals. A new study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows 14-percent of fatal crashes in Wisconsin since 2017 involved live animals. Montana was the highest-ranking state at 23-percent. Wisconsin personal injury attorney John Foy tells WKOW 27 News many animals that cause car accidents are nocturnal, so using brighter lights at night when possible is safest. Foy also says it's best to stay calm and brake if safe when an animal is in front of a moving car - not to swerve away from it. 

The commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says the agency made significant progress on state goals for conservation and outdoor recreation in 2023.  The agency released a list of its major accomplishments yesterday, outlining how each action met goals like connecting people to the outdoors and expanding diversity and inclusion.  Achievements listed include expanding the all-terrain track chair program, creating an office of tribal relations, and updating wildlife area master plans.  In a statement, Commissioner Sarah Strommen said she was proud of what the agency accomplished in 2023 because it benefits the health, environment, and economy of Minnesota.

Two Madison-area hospitals have released their top baby names of 2023. SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital-Madison and UnityPoint Health-Meriter say there were seven-thousand babies born between the two. The top names for the two-thousand babies born at St. Mary's were Hudson and Ava. For UnityPoint-Meriter's five-thousand babies, Theodore and Emma were at the top of the list. 

Local-Regional News Dec 28

 Durand residents are reminded that the city does not pick up Christmas trees curbside.  According to Public Works Superintendent Matt Gills, it is the homeowner's responsibility to find proper disposal.  Tress can be taken to the Pepin County Recycling Center for a $5 fee.

Pepin County has seen a rise in respiratory illnesses.  Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says the increase in cases has happened in the last few weeks.  Stewart reminds residents to wash their hands, cover their coughs, and stay home if they're not feeling well.

A Trempealeau County man has been arrested for possession of child pornography.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department, the department received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.  The Department, along with the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, executed a search warrant at 20393 W. Gale Ave. in Galesville and then conducted an investigation.  Yesterday, 22yr old Clayton Solberg was taken into custody.

The University of Wisconsin has fired the chancellor at UW-La Crosse because of his porn videos. UW regents yesterday terminated Chancellor Joe Gow's contract. Gow had been the longest-serving chancellor at any UW school. He and his wife filmed and distributed dozens of videos on several websites under the name 'Sexy Happy Couple.' Gow said he never used any university time, money, equipment, or office space to make the videos. UW President Jay Rothman says Gow was fired because 'his actions were abhorrent.' Gow told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he and his wife also wrote two books that talk about sex, and they have a YouTube channel where they cook healthy dishes with professional porn actors. Gow had already announced plans to step down as La Crosse chancellor. He was supposed to transition back to being a professor, but that may not happen now that he's been fired. 

There are new questions about the integrity of the sheriff in Chippewa County. The DA in Chippewa Falls says he has questions about Sheriff Travis Hakes after the sheriff made a list of questionable officers a few years back. Hakes was added to a so-called Brady List while he was a police officer in Chetek. A Brady List is a list of officers who have issues with lying or stretching the truth and may not be reliable in court. Chippewa County DA Wade Newell said being on the list could cause problems for any new case in Chippewa County that the sheriff is directly involved in. The questions about the sheriff's credibility come after an inter-county investigation into how he worked with a female 911 dispatcher, and whether his other job has interfered with his duties as sheriff. 

A Sparta teenager is being charged in adult court after allegedly starting a fire inside a Walmart on Tuesday morning.  17-year-old Emma Smith faces arson, endangering safety and property damage charges. Images posted to social media show a fire inside the Sparta store spreading across multiple aisles, and smoke filling the building. Prosecutors say the fire caused over 7 million dollars in damage to the building. Smith is being held on a 5-thousand dollar cash bond.

This winter's unusually warm temperatures may incentivize southeastern Minnesota anglers to get to their local trout streams.  Winter trout fishing begins Monday at all designated trout streams in Dodge, Fillmore, Olmsted, Houston, Mower, Goodhue, Wabasha, and Winona counties.  The season is catch-and-release only until it ends on April 14th.  More information about the winter trout season is available on the DNR website.

The sheriff in Rusk County is warning that the ice is still too thin in some places. The sheriff's office yesterday said someone fell through the ice while fishing on Fireside Lake yesterday morning. People who live on the lake pulled the man out of the water before deputies were able to get there. He was taken to the hospital in Rice Lake as a precaution. The sheriff's office says the warm winter has left the ice on many local lakes too thin. Deputies say it's best to wait till colder weather can settle-in. 

Kind words are pouring in after the death of former Wisconsin Senator Herb Kohl. Kohl served four terms as a Democratic senator before deciding not to run again in 2012. Before that he made millions running grocery stores and department stores, and owning the Milwaukee Bucks. He bought the team in 1985 to keep them in Milwaukee. Governor Evers said Kohl dedicated his life to serving the people of Wisconsin. Senator Tammy Baldwin, who replaced Kohl on Capitol Hill, yesterday said Kohl was her role model. Kohl was 88-years-old. 

The top Republican in the Wisconsin Assembly says lawmakers will try to draw a new political map for the state. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos yesterday once again said the Constitution gives the power to draw political maps to the legislature, and said he plans to use that power. Vos says there's a good chance Governor Evers will veto those maps, and kick the process for drawing new boundaries for state lawmakers to outside experts selected by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The court on Friday tossed-out the state's maps, saying they were too gerrymandered for Republicans. Vos said the only way Democrats can take control of the legislature is if the court's experts gerrymander the maps to favor Democrats. 

A warmer-than-normal winter in Wisconsin means a pest to pets and people is hanging around. Weather experts are warning you to look out for ticks on yourself and your pets. Though ticks are usually most active in the spring and summer, veterinarians say they’re still around due to the warmer weather. Ticks generally enter a hibernation-like period in the winter, but they can be active anytime it's above freezing, even if there's snow on the ground. Vets encourage pet owners to check your pet and yourself after walking through wooded and grassy areas.

Scammers know people are getting a lot of packages this season, and they're using that to try to get at your data and money. Wisconsin Division of Consumer Protection administrator Michelle Reinen says the scam may sound familiar to anyone who's expecting mail.  That's a good way to lose access to your accounts or have your money stolen. If you are expecting a package, instead use trusted contacts to talk with the delivery service yourself, rather than trusting random links in your inbox.

The new year brings a big change for Wisconsin’s high school driver’s education students. The road test waiver for 16 and 17-year-olds planning to get a driver’s license will end in the state when 2023 ends. Data from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation shows a total of 169,000 students bypassed the test since May of 2020. Though follow-up data from the DOT found that those who waived the test ended up getting slightly fewer citations and caused slightly fewer crashes than those who took the test, the Wisconsin Legislature moved to end the waiver at the end of the year. The transportation department says they’ve been expecting an increased demand in road tests with the end of the waiver, so there’s no backlog in the scheduling of road tests over the coming weeks.

Minnesota saw a drop in crashes over the Christmas holiday weekend.  Numbers released by the Minnesota State Patrol show there were 518 crashes between December 20th and 25th.  Sixty-six crash injuries were reported, with five deaths.  Nearly a thousand crashes were reported during the Christmas holiday season last year.

 Minnesota farms are taking a major hit.  The state lost 58 dairy farm permits last month.  The head of the Minnesota Milk Producers Association Lucas Sjostrom says the numbers underscore the financial margins for dairy farmers under a crush of economic pressures.  He added that at least farmers aren't going bankrupt due to safety-net programs like Minnesota's Dairy Assistance, Investment and Relief Initiative.

Local-Regional News December 27

 A western Wisconsin sex offender will not go to trial for having videos of him having sex with children. Stephen Jenkins, who lives in Trempealeau, pleaded guilty to child pornography charges back in July, but a federal judge this week found Jenkins unfit for trial. That means he won't face any new punishment. Instead, the court will monitor his status, and prosecutors could file charges again. Jenkins has two sex crime convictions on his record from both 2005 and 2006 in Utah. 

A Minnesota woman is being accused of stealing millions of dollars from her employer and sending it to an online scammer.  Sharon Schmalzriedt of Wabasha was charged with felony theft last week.  The 61-year-old told investigators that she began an online relationship in 2019 with a man who claimed to need money to access funds he was owed for work overseas.  She was fired earlier this year after an audit by her employer found that just under four-million dollars had been stolen.  She also admitted to taking thousands of dollars from a vulnerable adult and giving it to the scammer.

The Christmas Day fire on Eau Claire's west side was the first of the holiday season this year. The city's fire department yesterday said the holiday season is usually one of its busiest times of the year. That's why the fire department started the Keep the Wreath Green campaign, to remind people about fire safety. Firefighters add a red light to the wreath for each fire between Thanksgiving and the end of the year. Yesterday, firefighters added the first red light to that wreath. Fire Lieutenant Jeff Dahl says the warm weather may be one reason for a slow fire season. The wreath will hang outside the city's main fire station through next week. 

 A 17-year-old is in custody after police say they started a fire at the Walmart in Sparta. Video shows a stream of flames shooting up to the ceiling from the store's fabric section yesterday. The fire sent customers running out of the store, and did about seven million-dollars in damage. Sparta Police are not yet naming the 17-year-old, but say they're being held in the Monroe County Jail on arson charges. No one was hurt in the fire, and there is no information on when the Walmart in Sparta will reopen. 

The end of the year is a good time to dispose of unwanted medications. Keeping unused and expired medications around the home can be dangerous, so make it a habit to safely dispose of medications you no longer need. It’s never a good idea to flush them or place them in household trash. Permanent drug drop boxes are open year-round in communities all over Wisconsin.  In Buffalo County Drop Boxes are available at Mondovi Police Department and at Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, in Pepin County drop boxes are at Heike Pharmacy, Pepin Police and the Pepin County Sheriffs Department, there are also drop boxes at the Dunn and Pierce County Sheriff Departments.

 One person is dead and another is fighting for their life after a wreck near Auburndale in Wood County. The sheriff's office says an SUV smashed into another car, head-on, while driving the wrong way down Highway 10. The driver of the car died on the scene, deputies say the driver of the SUV was rushed to the hospital in Marshfield in critical condition. 

Wisconsin's governor is ending the year with a victory lap. Governor Tony Evers yesterday released a long list of everything he says he accomplished this year, and during his time in office. Evers says he once again delivered for public schools and taxpayers across the state. The governor also took credit for Wisconsin's near-record seven billion-dollar budget surplus. He also patted himself on the back for signing the deal that will keep the Brewers in Milwaukee. Republican lawmakers say they are the ones who should get credit for the state's financial success, and say the governor is standing in the way of giving that record budget surplus back to the people. 

The New Year will bring scrutiny of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs within state government. That’s the stated goal of Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who wants the legislature's Joint Audit Committee to have an audit of every DEI program in the state. The Republican leader, who succeeded in getting DEI programs dialed back in the UW System, said more needs to be learned. Vos expects the process by the Legislature’s audit committee to take about a year.

A southern Minnesota police department is encouraging drivers to check their lug nuts.  Police in Fairmont say they've heard a lot of loose lugnuts on wheels in the area.  The department says they don't suspect criminal activity, but consider the amount of loose lugs to be unusual.  They are encouraging drivers to check their tires ahead of any holiday trips.

There's no downtime in the effort to redraw Wisconsin's political maps. The state Supreme Court on Friday tossed out the old maps, and ordered new ones drawn. Yesterday, experts started talking to Republicans, Democrats, and advocates about just what information they need to create new maps. The legislature is supposed to have new maps for the state's senators and representatives drawn by January 12th. The liberal-majority Supreme Court said Wisconsin's old maps favor Republicans too much, and found pieces of those maps unacceptable.

Tis the season for gift returns, but before you head to the store, be sure you've got your documentation in order. Wisconsin Division of Consumer Protection administrator Michelle Reinen says you should make sure you know the store's return policies before you head out. That helpline is at (800) 422-7128. Reinen reminds everyone to be patient in line at the gift return and take it easy this week while in the store.

Records requests have been filed in six Wisconsin school districts that have restricted student access to books. The Wisconsin ACLU's Legal Director, Tim Muth [ MOOTH ], tells WKOW News they hope to find out who is submitting requests to certain titles out of school libraries and classrooms. Muth also says they want to see how districts decide which books are removed from school shelves once they get a complaint. The ACLU has filed requests in Menomonee Falls, Elkhorn Area, Waukesha, and three other school districts. 

The Wisconsin Legislature plans to try to limit abortion again once state lawmakers return to the State Capitol from their holiday break.  A new bill will look at reducing the limit on abortions in Wisconsin from 20 weeks to twelve or 14-weeks. The bill would be put on the April ballot for the voters to give approval. Lawmakers say they will also try for a limited medical marijuana bill, along with tax cut proposals.

A magnet created by a professor at the University of Minnesota has been named one of Time magazine's best inventions of 2023.  The Clean Earth Magnet is made at Niron Magnetics, the company the professor founded in 2014 after developing the magnet at the university.  The professor says the magnet is better for the Earth because it's made from two common elements, iron, and nitrogen.  He hopes it will become widely used in products like electric vehicles and electronic components, reducing the need for rare earth minerals used in most other magnets.

Christmas break for the kids in Pulaski High School's marching band will be a bit different this year. The Red Raider Marching Band is spending the week in California, preparing for the Rose Parade. The band is one of just 15 high school bands across the county to be tapped to march in the parade on New Year's Day. It's the fourth time in the past 20 years that Pulaski High has been to the Rose Parade. Band director Tom Busch says they were told last year that they would be in the 2024 parade.  

Local-Regional News Dec 26

 Two people were arrested after a pursuit in Buffalo, Wabasha,, and Pepin Counties on Thursday.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, deputies attempted to pull over 32yr old Jonathon Olson of Ellsworth on Hwy 25 in the town of Nelson Thursday night when Olson failed to stop.  Olson Continued into Minnesota.  He then came back to Wisconsin when a Pepin County Sheriff's Deputy was able to deploy spike strips and disable the vehicle near the intersection of Hwy V and Johnson Hill Road.  Olson fled but was apprehended an hour later near Spring Creek Road in the town of Maxville.  A passenger in the vehicle, 26yr old Christina Fetzner of Nelson was arrested and has had charges of obstructing law enforcement officers during the search for Olson.  He has been charged with fleeing an officer, possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, possession of thc, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving after revocation.

A Lake Hallie woman is looking at attempted homicide charges after police say they found her boyfriend covered in blood in her shower. Police in Lake Hallie say they got a call about noon on Christmas Eve, and found a 56-year-old man who said he's been stabbed in the eye and beaten with a baseball bat. Officers arrested his girlfriend, 55-year-old Laura Feala. Police say the man had been stabbed at least 15 times. He was rushed to the hospital in critical, but stable condition.

The first child death from RSV in Wisconsin this season is confirmed.   The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says the virus is spreading rapidly among children under five, and influenza is spreading rapidly among school-age children right now.  Covid is also spreading in Wisconsin with a 47-percent increase in hospitalizations in the Madison area this past week according to the Centers for Disease Control.  There's no increase in the Eau Claire region and a drop in hospitalizations in the La Crosse and Milwaukee regions. 

One person is dead after a one-vehicle accident in St. Croix County on Saturday.  According to the St. Croix County Sheriff's Department, 58yr old Lavonne Hampton of Baldwin was traveling westbound on 90th Avenue Saturday night, when she lost control of the vehicle, entered the ditch and rolled over.  Hampton was pronounced dead at the scene.  

 An Eau Claire firefighter is expected to be okay after a house fire yesterday. The fire department says the firefighter was slightly injured while fighting the fire at a house on Arlene Place. The firefighter was not taken to the hospital. No one else was injured, but the house was damaged. The cause of the fire is under investigation 

Shane Helmbrecht will have to wait til February to see if he will go to trial. A judge last week ordered Helmbrecht's latest competency hearing be pushed back. Helmbrecht was originally found unfit for trial in the 2016 death of his neighbor. He was sentenced to a state mental hospital, but then left a halfway house earlier this year and fled to Mexico. He's back in Eau Claire, and prosecutors are considering filing charges once again. 

Firefighters in Sparta say a house fire on Saturday killed two dogs and three cats. The fire happened Saturday afternoon. The people who own the home came home to find the fire and they called 911. Fire investigators say the fire started in the kitchen, but they don't know how it started. No people were hurt in the fire. 

 It's prison time for a former Metropolis Resort employee on child pornography charges. A judge on Thursday sentenced Brent Nicole to three years in prison after investigators found nearly 12 hundred child pornography images on his computer. They also found hundreds of images of women's butts that Nicolet took at local shopping centers and some that he took of his co-workers at Metropolis. After his prison stint, Nicolet will spend three years on probation and have to register as a sex offender. 

The lack of snow means more than just a non-white Christmas. Wisconsin's snowmobile trails have yet to open because of a lack of snow across the state. Trail organizers say they need several inches of snow to safely open. Forecasters say most of the state will be too warm for significant amounts of snow for at least the next week or so. 

Santa didn't leave any winning Powerball tickets in anyone's stockings this year. The lottery says no one won last night's 638 million-dollar grand prize. That means the jackpot will grow to at least 685 million for Wednesday's drawing. Someone in California, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania did win a million-dollars from last night's drawing. The winning numbers, in case you won something,  were 5, 12, 20, 24 and 29 with a Powerball number of 4.

Olmsted County is taking steps to enhance health and mental well-being through a new online platform.  The recently launched site is run as part of a partnership with CredibleMind, which identifies local resources and provides content on health-related subjects.  The new platform is being funded by money allocated to the county as part of a nationwide settlement related to the opioid crisis.  The site can be viewed at olmsted-county-dot-credible-mind-dot-com.

The Salvation Army is thanking the Rochester community for helping their final push to meet this year's fundraising goal.  The organization had asked the community to donate during the last two days of this year's Red Kettle Campaign because the Mayo Clinic planned to match all donations up to 100-thousand dollars.  The Salvation Army announced Saturday night that the public had donated more than 139-thousand dollars on Friday and Saturday.  That will increase to over 239-thousand with the Mayo Clinic's matching funds.  The organization called the generosity of the community "inspiring" in a statement, saying the money donated will go to programs that help families in need in the area.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court is ruling the state's legislative maps are unconstitutional.  The current maps were drawn up by Republicans and are criticized as being among the most gerrymandered in the US.  Democratic attorneys argued the layout violates the state's requirement that districts be contiguous.  On Friday, the court ordered lawmakers to draw new maps for the 2024 elections.  

Minnesota's attorney general is banning a charity from operating in the state. Attorney General Keith Ellison says his office filed an assurance of discontinuance against Kids Wish Network, preventing the organization from soliciting donations in the state for the next five years.  The Florida-based organization says its mission is to grant wishes to children who are ill, but CNN reported that most of the money the organization spends goes towards companies that are hired to drum up more donations.  Ellison alleges that Kids Wish Network violated Minnesota law by claiming the funds went towards granting wishes. 

A proposal at the state capitol would ban anyone 75-years-old or older from becoming a state judge or state supreme court justice.  Senate Bill 569 would apply both to judges running for election as well as judicial appointments.  A companion bill already passed in the Wisconsin State Assembly.  The law would not affect federal judges.

 Minnesota is continuing to see job growth.  The state's Department of Employment and Economic Development says Minnesota gained more than nine-thousand jobs from October to November, and the unemployment rate dropped a tenth of a percentage point.  The sectors that gained the most jobs include education and health services and trade, transportation and utilities.  This is the fifth month in a row that the state has seen job growth. 

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is giving tips about properly disposing of holiday greenery.  The agency says holiday trees, plants, and wreaths shouldn't be used for compost, as they could spread disease and invasive species.  Trees should left at the curbside for collection or taken to a designated drop-off site.  Wreaths and other decorative items can be dropped in the trash.  The agency says some items can be burned, but that it should only be done as a last resort.

Local-Regional News Dec 22

 One person was injured in a UTV accident in Maiden Rock Township on Wednesday.  According to the Pierce County Sherrif's Department, 65yr old Pauline Biederman of Plum City was traveling on private property when she lost control of the UTV and was ejected from it.  Biederman was med-flighted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul.  Three juvenile passengers on the vehicle were not injured.

A new report states Wisconsin's home prices are increasing even as sales decline moderately in November.   According to the report, 6 homes were sold in Pepin County, 8 in Buffalo, 9 in Trempealeau, 13 in Peirce and 31 in Dunn County.    While home sales are down compared to November of 2022, the median price of a home in Western Wisconsin jumped 6% year over year to $277,000.

The Durand-Arkansaw School District is still accepting bids for the Hanson Park Property.  At this weeks board meeting, Superintendent Doverspike said he had not been contacted by anyone regarding the property, but that the those interested in the property have until January 8th at 4:30 to submit a bid.  The property was returned to the school district this year after the City of Durand decided it was not going to build a park on the property.

Law enforcement officials throughout western Wisconsin are focused on safety the next several days.  Extra police patrols will be out on  the highways trying to keep impaired drivers and speeders from getting behind the wheel.   Authorities remide travelers to buckle up, slow down and be paitent this holiday season as traffic is expected to pick up today.

 A Steven's Point, Wisconsin man will be sentenced in March for scamming a woman for 400-thousand dollars' worth of gold bars. Gourav Patel was charged in July for scamming the Prescott woman. The victim says she got a notification on her iPad that her identity had been stolen. When she called the number provided, she was instructed to invest in gold bars. She says someone then picked up gold bars from her house three times after they were delivered. Patel pleaded guilty yesterday to felony theft, and is facing up to 12 and a half years in prison. 

A Rice Lake teen will be sentenced in February after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors in connection  with a vehicle crash that killed two Rice Lake High School Students.  Troy Huehn Junior plead guilty to homicide by negligent driving and reckless driving causing great bodily harm on Thursday.  Authorities say that last year,Huen was going 70mph when he hit train track and lost control of the vehicle and crashed killing  14yr old Evah Garcia and 15yr old Winter Broulliard.  Another teen was seriously hurt.

The future of marijuana in Wisconsin is being discussed in Madison.  While speaking with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel this week, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said GOP state lawmakers plan to reintroduce a medical marijuana bill next month.  Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu says a fellow Republican in the state Senate has been working on a measure and has been consulting with Vos, so, the bill could potentially make it through both houses of the legislature.  Wisconsin remains a cannabis prohibition hold-out in the region, with Minnesota joining Michigan and Illinois in legalizing recreational marijuana over the summer.

Wisconsin DNR is reminding deer hunters they still have some time to get their freezers filled this season.  The special antlerless Holiday Hunt begins this Sunday, Christmas Eve, and runs through New Year's Day.  Only antlerless deer can be taken in select farmland zone counties including Pierce, Buffalo and Eau Clarie Counties, and, all weapon types are permitted.  To find a map of all the participating counties search D-N-R-dot-Wisconsin-dot-gov.

State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says Wisconsin's budget surplus means residents should be getting a tax cut.  The GOP lawmaker told WISC-TV a proposal coming in January will offer up a tax bill break focused on citizens of retirement age.  A tax relief plan for individuals making up to roughly 300-thousand dollars per year was included in the latest budget proposal, but the breaks were vetoed by Governor Evers.  Prior to the budget proposal, the governor said he would be in favor of cuts for people making less than 100-thousand dollars annually.

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A Wisconsin attorney is filing a federal lawsuit against the state bar association over a diversity program for law students.  In the litigation, plaintiff Daniel Suhr argues the bar association is violating his right to free speech by requiring him to pay dues that fund a discriminatory clerkship program.  The summer employment initiative is open to Maquette and UW law students who have "backgrounds that have been historically excluded from the legal field".  Suhr is being represented by Attorney Skylar Croy with the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission again rejects a complaint against fake electors in the 2020 presidential election.   In March of last year, the bipartisan board previously rejected the complaint against the electors who attempted to cast the state’s 2020 presidential ballots for Donald Trump. But a Dane County judge ordered the commission in May to review the complaint again after one of the Republican members of the commission, Bob Spindell, served as one of the fake electors. Wednesday, the commission unanimously rejected the complaint which asked them to investigate the actions of the fake electors and assert that they broke the law.

Wisconsin will have a record six-point-seven-billion dollar positive balance in the state's 2022-2023 general fund for the fourth year in a row. Governor Tony Evers says the state got this positive balance using the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. The GAAP balance increased 40-percent from the four-point-six-billion dollar balance from the 2021-2022 fiscal year. Evers says Wisconsin's long-term debt also decreased by 175-million in the past year - meaning the state paid off more debt than it accrued. 

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is not issuing any citations for UW Health following a survey and review.  State health officials began looking into operations at the hospital system after nurses complained that patient safety was in jeopardy due to high staff turnover.  UW Health CEO Doctor Alan Kaplan says DHS conducted a three-day survey earlier this month, reviewing close to ten-thousand documents and interviewing a number of staff members.  Kaplan says he has received a DHS report stating the nurses claims were "not substantiated".  A spokesperson for the UW Health nurses' union says they have not yet reviewed the report but they are certain that their patient safety concerns have not been addressed.

 Minnesota is looking to add more electric vehicle charging stations to the state.  The Minnesota Department of Transportation and the federal government want to add 18 charging stations along Interstates 35 and 94.  The stations need to be open to the public at all times and can't be located within 50 miles from another station or Alternative Fuel Corridor.  Private and public entities are being encouraged to apply to the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program to receive federal funds for electric vehicle charging stations. 

 Minnesota voters would support a state constitutional amendment to protect abortion and reproductive rights.  An online MinnPost-Embold Research poll of more than 15-hundred Minnesotans shows 53-percent would support such an amendment.  About 34-percent of those asked said they would oppose such a measure, with 13-percent saying they were unsure.  The poll also shows Minnesotans are in favor of an amendment to guarantee equality of rights under the state constitution, with 60-percent supporting such a measure.  State lawmakers have previously considered both proposals and are expected to do so again during the next session of the legislature.

The 2024 Minnesota Ice Festival has been canceled due to warmer winter weather. Organizers say warmer temperatures affect the stability of the ice structures and create safety concerns.  Meteorologists predict that temperatures will be well above the average for the next week or so.  Anyone who purchased tickets for the festival will be automatically refunded. 

Local-Regional News Dec 21

 No one was injured in a shed fire in Naples Township yesterday.  Firefighters from Mondovi, Township Fire, and Eleva responded to the blaze at S77 Hwy 37 mid-morning to find the shed fully engulfed with the roof caved in.  The fire started near the end of the shed that contained two manure trucks with full fuel tanks, several bales of hay, and corn stocks.  No animals were injured in the fire.  The shed is a complete loss.

One person was injured in a two-vehicle accident in Plum City Monday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 79yr old Jean Vance of Menomonie was traveling southbound on first street when she crossed Hwy 10 and stuck an eastbound vehicle driven by 25yr old Jacob Hendricks of Druand.  Vance was trapped in her vehicle and had to be extricated from it and was transported to Advent Health Durand.  Hendricks was not injured.

The Durand-Arkansaw School District has entered into a cooperative sports agreement with Assumption Catholic Schools for middle school sports.  The board approved the agreement last night for all 7th-8th grade sports will be together.  The agreement will also give the district access to Assumption's gym for events and team practices.

Gov. Tony Evers yesterday announced his appointment of Mary Malloy to serve as Buffalo County Register of Deeds. Malloy has been a resident of Buffalo County for over 12 years and has served as the county’s deputy register of deeds since 2018.  The appointment fills a vacancy created by the resignation of Carol Burmeister, effective Jan. 2, 2024. Malloy will serve for the remainder of the unexpired term ending Jan. 5, 2025.

Thousands of local residents will soon be paying more for their utilities.  Xcel Energy has announced a rate increase for 2024.  Customers will see about a dollar increase per month for electricity and a little under three dollars more per month for natural gas.  Officials say the increase will allow them to make upgrades in the future.

The City of Menomonie will collect live Christmas trees from residents.  The goal is to recycle the trees after the holiday season.  Residents should place the trees at their curb before sunrise on January 8th.  Drop-off locations will be available as early as next Tuesday at Wakanda Park and the Elmwood Park Parking Lot.

A local man has been found guilty of murder and arson charges.  It happened during the summer of 2022 when Scott Vanigan set his Chippewa Falls home on fire.  Turns out he also murdered a woman moments before the arson.  WEAU reports there was an altercation before the deadly incident.

A Menomonie man convicted of sexually assaulting two children has been sentenced.  Thomas Bartels was sentenced to 26yr in prison yesterday by Judge James Peterson who ordered him to register as a sex offender.  A Dunn County Jury convicted Bartels of five felonies including repeated sexual assault of a child.

Ground has been broken in the Village of Lake Hallie for the largest pickleball complex in the region. The Chippewa Valley Pickleball Club president tells WQOW-TV the 18-courts will make up the largest complex in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, or Minnesota. There will also be a stadium court, which will fit about 500 audience members. The project will cost about 350-thousand dollars, funded by the Village and pickleball club. The goal is for the courts to be open to the public on July 1.

An Eau Claire man was sentenced for stealing more than 179-thousand dollars from an armored truck facility. Ari Beck, a former employee at the local armored truck company, was charged last year with stealing full bank deposit bags. The bags came from Kwik Trip stores and cash he was meant to refill ATMs with. Beck says he spent part of the money on bills, poker tournaments, and guns. A Chippewa County Circuit Court Judge sentenced him to a year in prison and restitution payments. 

 Several Wisconsin residents are likely getting compensation out of a recent Google settlement.  Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul says the 700-million-dollar settlement stems from "anti-competitive practices" involved with the Google Play store.  The tech giant has not admitted to any unlawful business practices, but, they have agreed to some changes to the digital app and content purchasing platform, including allowing users to install apps from outside the Google Play store.  AG Kaul says consumers will not have to submit a claim form to receive compensation and additional details on restitution payments will be coming soon.

A federal judge is blocking a law that would have kept corporations with foreign ownership from engaging in campaign activities in Minnesota.  State lawmakers approved a measure earlier this year that would have barred donations and other political spending by some companies.  The law set a limit on individual foreign ownership at one-percent and total foreign ownership at five-percent.  The judge's ruling yesterday will block the law from taking effect while a lawsuit makes its way through the court system.  He said the new law could be problematic because it could restrict free speech.

 A Wisconsin grocery store chain will soon offer paid parental leave to its employees. Starting on January 1, all part-time and full-time Festival Foods workers will have three weeks of paid leave following the birth of their child. The company says the benefit also includes leave for an employee who has a child placed with them for adoption or foster care. Festival Foods currently has more than eight-thousand people on staff across 41 Wisconsin locations.

Four Wisconsinites have tested positive for high levels of lead in their blood after consuming applesauce pouches. The Centers for Disease Control says they're investigating 205 reported cases in 33 U-S states. Symptoms of lead exposure include abdominal pain, fatigue, and neurological symptoms like seizures. The Wisconsin Health Department says cinnamon applesauce pouches from the brands WanaBana [ WAH-nuh BAH-nuh], Schnucks, or Weis should be thrown away if produced after November 2022.

A Weyauwega family that lost four members in head-on crash is getting community support. The family of four children killed in an alleged drunk driving crash in Waupaca County is receiving an outpouring of support from the community. GoFundMe pages for the Gonzalez children have brought in more than 135-thousand dollars. Daniel, Fabian, Lilian, and Daniella Gonzalez died when their S-U-V was struck by a wrong-way driver along Highway 10 Saturday night. ]The alleged drunk driver--Scott Farmer of Neenah--is charged with four counts of Homicide by Intoxicated Use of a Vehicle and 5th Offense O-W-I.

A sawmill where a teen died in an industrial accident this year will pay over a million dollars in fines.  A 16-year-old died at Florence Hardwoods in June of this year while unjamming a machine. Acting US Secretary of Labor Julie Su says there was no excuse for that teen even being in the facility. Labor investigators say Florence repeatedly violated safety regulations and regularly put both teens and adults to work without safety training. On top of the 1 point 4 million dollars in fines, Florence will also have to pay nearly 200 thousand dollars to resolve its child labor violations.

A record number of people are seeking private health plans in Minnesota. MNsure says more than 132-thousand people have signed up for coverage in 2024 through the state's official health insurance marketplace from November 1 to December 15th.  The CEO of MNsure says more people in the state have access to health care and financial protection from unexpected illness or injury than ever before.  MNsure reported that private health plan sign-ups increased by eleven-percent, compared to the same time last year. 

 Minnesota is unveiling a new design for its state flag.  The decision comes after several months of research and public meetings.  The State Emblems Redesign Commission voted yesterday to approve the final design, which includes a solid light blue color to represent the Mississippi River, a white eight-point star, and a deep blue Minnesota-style shape.  Pending a decision from the Minnesota Legislature, the new flag will start flying on May 11.

An online betting sites has named Lambeau Field the highest-rated stadium in the NFL.  The rating by the site called JeffBet comes from data from websites such as TripAdvisor and Google that looked at the average number of five-star ratings for every NFL stadium.  Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis is runner-up to Lambeau Field in the survey.  Last place goes to FedEx Field, home to the Washington Commanders.   

Local-Regional News Dec 20

 The Dunn County Health Department has released the results of a community health survey.  According to KT Gallagher, the director of the Dunn County Health Department, the survey results show that Dunn County respondents feel affordable housing, childcare, and substance abuse are the most pressing concerns.  The health department is planning in-person events to review the results with the public and get feedback on the survey.

Durand homeowners may be getting a visit from the public works department in the coming weeks.  During last week's council meeting, public works superintendent Matt Gillis reported that members of the public works department would be visiting homes to conduct cross-connection inspections and to review any lead service lines that might be in homes.  The Wisconsin DNR is requiring municipalities to conduct an inventory report of the number of homes that have lead service water lines.

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on a cooperative sports agreement with Assumption Catholic Schools for Middle School Sports, a contract with Pioneer Roofing for a roofing project at the middle and high school building, and reports from the district administration.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6pm in the board room at Durand-Arkansaw High School.

A resolution before the Eau Claire County Board surrounding the resettlement of refugees in the Chippewa Valley has failed by a vote of 18-9.  During last nights county board meeting a resolution was offered recommending that prior to the relocation of the refugees, Word Relief, the organization organizing the resettlement, arrange an independent economic study regarding costs to taxpayers, which would then be reviewed by the County Board.  World Relief has been working to bring 75 refugees to the area, and while the move has drawn criticism, the agency says it will bring diversity to the Chippewa Valley and provide people in need with housing, medical care, and employment.

A local school leader is asking his school board for an operational referendum.  Jeff Holmes, Superintendent of the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District, discussed the matter at a board meeting last night.  Holmes asked board members to consider a 3-year operational referendum that would total more than two million dollars each year.  It would equal out to about an additional ten-dollars per year in property taxes.

A Clark County man charged in the drug overdose death of a man has been sentenced.  Jacob Faude, from Owen, will spend six years in prison for delivering Fentanyl.  A charge of reckless homicide was dismissed in October in exchange for his no-contest plea to the drug charge.  The victim was found unresponsive in a van stuck in a ditch last winter, and an investigation into the death led authorities to Faude.

Pay raises are moving forward for roughly 35-thousand UW employees, but, Republican state lawmakers say their fight against diversity employment initiatives is not over.  University workers are getting a four-percent pay increase that is retroactive to July first of this year, then, another two percent beginning next month.  The wage hikes were blocked by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who has taken issue with diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring practices at universities and in other state agencies.  Yesterday, Vos said he and other GOP legislators plan to push for a larger review of the DEI initiatives.  Wisconsin Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein says the programs should have "never been used as a bargaining chip" in the UW wage talks.

 Minnesota senators are questioning why mail delivery is delayed and unreliable  U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar are asking the U.S. Inspector General to audit the Minnesota-North Dakota Postal Service District. The Inspector General already began an audit on four south Twin Cities Metro locations, including Apple Valley and Eagan, the New Brighton Carrier Annex, and the Saint Paul Processing and Distribution Center, areas where customers have been complaining.

Minnesota's attorney general says the state should receive just over a million dollars as part of a multi-state settlement reached with Google.  Minnesota joined a lawsuit against that company in 2021, claiming the company engaged in anticompetitive practices through the Google Play Store app.  The settlement announced this week will refund 630-million dollars to consumers, along with another 70-million dollars in penalties that will be divided by the states.  Google will also be required to make changes to its policies to allow app developers more options for distribution and in-app payment processing.

Two southwest Wisconsin locations have been chosen as historic landmarks within the state. The State Register of Historic Places will list the Daniel and Catherine Welty Barn in the Lafayette County town of Wiota as one of the spots. Built in 1850, the threshing barn is the only one in the state that’s known as a Grundscheier or ground barn. The Wisconsin Historical Society explains that the barn is a symbol of the period when the state focused more on grain farming than dairy farming. The second location is Wyoming’s Spring Green Restaurant, which is now the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center for Taliesin. The restaurant was designed by Wright and opened in 1953.

A Neenah man involved in a fatal Saturday night crash in Waupaca County has been charged with his fifth OWI offense.  In addition to that charge, Scott C. Farmer faces counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle following the crash on Highway 10 in Weyauwega that killed four siblings ranging in age from 25 to nine. Police say Farmer’s pickup was traveling westbound in the eastbound lane when it collided head-on with the SUV carrying the four siblings who emigrated from Ecuador seven years ago. Three of them died at the scene, while the driver of the SUV died at a hospital from their injuries. The 47-year-old Farmer, who was taken to a local hospital following the crash with critical injuries, made his initial court appearance by video from the jail Monday.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is gearing up for the year's final holiday rush.  Heading into the final weeks of the year, the airport's activity is around 90-percent of its 2019 levels, which is when it served an all-time record of thirty-nine-point-five-million passengers.  Officials say Thursday and Friday will be the busiest travel days at the airport before Christmas, with nearly 36-thousand people projected to clear security checkpoints on Friday.  The airport is advising travelers to arrive two hours before their domestic flights depart and for anyone parking at the airport to pre-book a spot.

A virus that sickens dogs is responsible for killing nearly a dozen raccoons in Columbia County.   The DNR has detected an outbreak of canine distemper in the village of Rio. Wildlife disease experts say most animals that contract the virus do not survive, including dogs, particularly if they are unvaccinated. DNR officials are urging area residents to avoid leaving out garbage and pet food that could attract sick wildlife. They are also encouraging dog owners to get their pets vaccinated for distemper if they have not done so already.

A handful of new laws go into effect in Minnesota at the start of the new year.  That includes the new statewide earned sick and safe time law, which makes all workers eligible for paid time off.  Employees will get one hour of sick time for every 30 hours put in.  Workers can use paid time off if they're sick, taking care of a family member, or getting help for domestic abuse, stalking, or sexual assault.  Another law aimed at helping workers makes it so employers can't ask applicants about their past or current pay in the hiring process.  There's also a so-called red flag law going in place, which makes it so certain individuals can be barred from owning a gun.  Minimum wage will also go up, and schools will be required to provide free menstrual products. 

An Olmsted County deputy is being praised after showing off a hidden talent over the weekend.  The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office posted a video to Facebook yesterday showing one of their deputies lassoing a runaway goat in a Rochester yard.  The goat was turned over to the Rochester Animal Shelter and was reunited with its owner on Sunday.  The sheriff's office praised Deputy Heiden for his efforts and called the successful capture a win-win for both the deputy and the goat.

Local-Regional News Dec 19

 Starting next year, Wabasha County will drop from 9 mail-in voting precincts to 7.   This is a result of grassroots efforts made by residents who petitioned to abolish mail-in voting and return to in-person.  79 percent of people who voted in the last election in Elgin township signed petitions to return to in-person voting, and 63 percent in Hyde Park township.  To save money, Hyde Park Township will now join with Zumbro Township and share a polling location and the election costs, while Elgin Township will share polling with the city of Elgin.

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) and the University of Wisconsin-Stout (UW-Stout) are partnering on a first-of-its-kind program in Wisconsin to combine instruction at a four-year college with a Registered Apprenticeship program. The new Workforce Development Specialist Certificate program, also known as the Train the Trainer apprenticeship, started this fall to teach students about employment and training solutions that meet the needs of businesses and workers.  UW-Stout is the first four-year university collaborating with Wisconsin Apprenticeship since apprenticeship began in 1911 to offer classes that fulfill instruction requirements for a Registered Apprenticeship and could be credited toward an undergraduate or graduate degree program. 

Over 680 UW Eau Claire students are celebrating a milestone in their lives and a key accomplishment in their education.  Two commencement ceremonies were held over the weekend for the fall graduating class.  Several Eau Claire alumni were also recognized for their accomplishments after graduation.

Eau Claire's Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee will meet this evening.  The group is set to inform the City Council about practices that are relevant to the city.  Today's meeting will begin at 6 p.m.

The competency evaluation ordered for accused murderer Shane Helmbrecht might not be ready this week as previously ordered.   The doctor has requested a 30-day extension to complete the evaluation.   Helmbrecht returned to Eau Claire County after being arrested in Mexico last month. He is accused of killing his neighbor Jenn Ward in 2016. He was found not competent at that time, but recently prosecutors have been seeking to try him on the homicide charge. 

Currently, over a third of Minnesota's workers are not granted any paid sick time.  However, starting next year, a new law will change that.  The new statewide earned sick and safe time law will mandate employers to give paid sick time to nearly a million workers in the state.  Employees will get one hour of sick time for every 30 hours put in.  People can utilize their sick time to recover themselves or to help sick family members.  

Kwik Trip announces a 150-million-dollar expansion project.   The company announced on Monday it will be making improvements at its central bakery and dairy in La Crosse, building a new facility in Onalaska, and creating a new satellite distribution center. Company president Scott Zeitlow says expansion for Kwik Trip is good for the communities it serves. Kwik Trip will be getting 15 million dollars in grants from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation as part of the expansion.

One person is dead after a UTV accident in the town of Amery Sunday.  According to the Polk County Sheriff's Department, deputies were called on a report of a missing man.  After a search, deputies found the man dead and say it appears he lost control of the UTV, and struck some trees.    That accident remains under investigation.

A federal lawsuit has been filed against the Universities of Wisconsin, UW-Eau Claire, its chancellor, and its Affirmative Action director.  Rochelle Hoffman, a white woman, who is alleging racial discrimination in employment and retaliation claimed in the lawsuit that after she was appointed as interim director of the new Office of Multicultural Student Services in 2022 she was met with criticism from students and faculty on why a white woman was given the job.    The federal complaint goes on to say UW-Eau Claire did nothing to help her retain her job and did not provide her a work environment free of racial harassment.   In November 2022, WPR reports Hoffman filed a complaint with the State of Wisconsin Equal Rights Division after a university investigation did not find supporting evidence for her claims.

The Wisconsin Department of Revenue is encouraging homeowners to file for the lottery and gaming property tax credit.  State residents who owned a home and used it as their primary place of residence on January 1 of this year can qualify.  To receive the credit, a property owner must fill out an application and submit it to their county treasurer.  Applications are available to download at revenue-dot-W-I-dot-gov.

More money will be paid out by a Wisconsin company after a fatal explosion.  The U.S. Labor Department said Thursday Didion Milling agreed to pay another $1.8 million in penalties as a result of the 2017 corn dust explosion at their Cambria plant that killed five workers and injured several others. The company also agreed in a settlement to implement safety upgrades after an investigation by OSHA. In September, the company accepted a plea deal in federal court which required them to pay over ten million dollars to the families of victims of the blast, and a million dollar fine. Didion was indicted by a federal grand jury last year on nine counts, including falsifying records, fraud, and conspiracy.

Officials are providing more space at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport for rideshare drivers.  The pickup zone has been moved down one level to the Terminal 1 Ground Transportation Center.   The new location for Uber and Lyft drivers will allow space for close to 50 vehicles, which is double the amount from the previous location.  The Metropolitan Airports Commission, which runs and operates the airport, did not make any rideshare changes at Terminal 2, home of Sun Country Airlines.

Wisconsin will be getting more than five-million dollars in grant money for transportation accessibility improvements. Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation say they'll give the five-point-two million dollars to services for seniors and people with disabilities. Evers says these services help people find a way to get to work, the grocery store, or a doctor's appointment. He says the program has helped pay for more than 2,000 vehicles since the mid-70s

Johnson has joined 15 other GOP Senators who want to wait until the second week of 2024 to join White House and Senate Democrats to discuss making the southern border more secure. At a Friday event in Oshkosh, Johnson said the openness of the border has led to the increase of fentanyl in Wisconsin.  President Biden has said he wants more money for the border as part of a larger package that also includes aid to Israel and Ukraine.

Over two dozen people are rescued from a huge ice floe [[ flow ]] in northwestern Minnesota.  Authorities say the sheet of ice broke free from the shoreline of Upper Red Lake yesterday due to strong winds  Twenty-seven anglers were stranded for three hours.  There were no injuries and no one went into the water.

A state senator from Winona has given a group of wrestling fans a chance to see some of their favorite WWE stars up close.  State Senator Jeremy Miller organized a weekend trip to Rochester so clients of Home and Community Options could see the WWE Live Holiday tour event at the Mayo Civic Center.  Miller says he often sees wrestling posters when he tours the homes of those served by the organization, which provides support to those with developmental disabilities.  About 40 people were part of yesterday's trip.  

Local-Regional News Dec 18

 Owners of empty commercial buildings in Durand will be receiving letters from the city reminding them of the extra fee they are required to pay.  During last week's council meeting the mayor also said that the owners are also invited to work with the Economic Development Committee and that the city is also willing to work with them to find new business tenants or potential new owners for the buildings.  

Homeowners with wood stoves and fireplaces are reminded to make sure the chimneys have been cleaned.  Durand Fire Chief Jamie King says creosote buildup can cause a chimney fire and require the fire department to come out to your home. Last week the department responded to a chimey fire in the town of Albany.

The Durand Improvement Group will be holding a small business empowerment event at Club 10 in January.  The group announced the event last week on social media and Mark Tallman from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation will discuss grants, programs and other ways small businesses or those thinking of starting a small business can enhance the downtown.  For more information visit the Durand Improvement Group website or Facebook page.

 A former Eau Claire County District Attorney has had his license suspended. The Wisconsin Supreme Court decided today that Gary King will not be allowed to practice law in the state for the next year. He will also have to pay nearly six-thousand dollars for his court costs. King is accused of misconduct starting in 2018 for sexual harassment, a short temper, and being under the influence at work. King resigned as DA in August 2021.

One person is dead after a farming accident in La Crosse County.  According to the La Crosse County Sheriff's Department, firefighters and first responders responded to the accident on Knudsen Road in the town of Onalaska on Wednesday and found 78yr old Raymond Lee injured.  He was med-flighted to the hospital but died from his injuries. 

Wisconsin lawmakers are considering a ban on life sentences for minors.  Republican State Senator Jesse James is co-authoring Senate Bill 801 and a companion measure in the Wisconsin Assembly, getting bipartisan support from more than 30 members.  In addition to barring sentences of life without parole for offenders under 18, the legislation would also allow anyone who is currently serving such a sentence to qualify for a review after 15 years for non-homicide crimes and after 20 years for those convicted of homicide.  The Senate bill was sent for discussion in the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety last week.

The makers of some popular air fryer models are recalling more than 300-thousand units over a risk of burns.  Late last week, Empower Brands announced a safety advisory for their Power XL Dual Basket air fryers.  The company says a plastic U-channel that allows owners to use the two baskets together can break, and, the issue has caused at least three reported burns, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.  The appliances were sold nationwide at retailers including Walmart, Target, and Kohl's.  Those who have purchased the air fryers can contact the company for a full refund.

Minnesota will fund dozens of projects to increase the amount of affordable housing in the state.  Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan announced 348-million dollars in funding for the projects on Friday.  The money will help build or preserve nearly 15-hundred rental units, while building or rehabilitating just over 13-hundred homes.  Some money will also go toward improvements to manufactured home communities and increasing homeownership opportunities statewide.  The state estimates the new projects will create seven thousand jobs.

More prison time for state inmate who made a bomb threat against former Governor Scott Walker   The State Department of Justice on Friday announced a three-year sentence along with two years of extended supervision for 53-year-old Terrence Grissom, for the 2018 bomb scare threat against the governor. Grissom pled guilty to bomb scare as a habitual criminal. He was a state prison inmate on April 9 2018, when a letter was delivered to the Dane County District Attorney's office. It stated there was a bomb in the governor's office that would go off at the push of a button. A bomb-sniffing canine was brought in and it was determined there was no threat.

The ACLU of Wisconsin wants answers about the requests to ban books in a half-dozen school districts across the state. The ACLU Thursday filed an open records request with schools Menomonee Falls, Howard-Suamico, Waukesha, Elmbrook, Elkhorn, and Kenosha, asking to see who wants certain books pulled off the shelves. The ACLU also wants to know how the school districts are handling the requests. Schools have been busy this year with requests from parents to pull what they call 'objectionable' materials from school libraries. But in some school districts that 'objectionable' material includes books like SlaughterHouse Five and The Grapes of Wrath. The ACLU says 'extremist parents' are driving the book ban efforts. 

COVID-19 cases are going up in Wisconsin.  The state health department says the coronavirus is sending more people to the emergency room, especially those 65 and older, and they're also seeing a rise in RSV and flu cases.  They add, however, that vaccination rates are down in Wisconsin.  The state's chief medical officer says only 12-percent of eligible adults in Wisconsin received the updated COVID vaccine.

Upgrades to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation website are finished. The DOT launched its site redesign last week, including an improved mobile phone layout and more ADA accessibility. Wisconsinites can use the website to read about road conditions and renew their registration and driver's license. The DOT says more than two-million people renewed their plates using the website last year.

Overtime and bonuses would be tax-free in Wisconsin under proposed legislation at the Capitol.  The Republican-backed idea would make wages on hourly earnings beyond 40 hours a week and employer bonuses up to $2,500 per year exempt from the state income tax. Proponents of the bill say it would help workers deal with inflation while also spurring people to pick up extra hours at their in shorthanded workplace. The sponsors of the bill say Wisconsin workers would save about $320 per year if it were approved. The legislation is currently being circulated for co-sponsorship by other legislators.

 A Wisconsin father and daughter are getting the credit for discovering what's thought to be a 150-year-old shipwreck in Lake Michigan.  Tim Wollak and his six-year-old daughter, Henley, were out fishing near Green Bay back in August when the sonar detector picked up an unusual ping.  He posted the pics to social media, where it caught the attention of the Wisconsin Historical Society.  The society says it's a wooden three-masted sailing ship and while it hasn't been confirmed, it seems likely its the George L. Newman.  That ship was lost in 1871 carrying a load of lumber while trying to make its way through thick smoke from a wildfire.  A search is planned of the site next year.

Local-Regional News Dec 15

 The reconstruction of Madison Street next year will be altered to accommodate Fun Fest.  During this week's city council meeting, Public Works Superintendent Matt Gills told the council that the project would be split into three different work zones, each with a different period.  For the part of Madison Street by Memorial Park, construction wouldn't begin until after Fun Fest.  Gills said they will also try to keep that portion of Madison Street paved until after Fun Fest, so organizers can use Madison street for events.

An Eau Claire man could be sentenced to over 400 years in prison following a federal indictment.   The U.S. Department of Justice says Robert Carter is facing 25 charges stemming from a scheme where he allegedly defrauded financial institutions and other businesses. Carter is accused of obtaining over a half-million dollars through credit cards and loans by making false statements and giving false documents to various business owners and investors from 2016 through 2021. The 43-year-old also allegedly used the identity of another person. If convicted, Carter would face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each of 17 wire fraud charges, and up to 20 years on money laundering charges.

 A jury didn't buy a Barron County man's insanity defense in his child pornography case. Derek Salewski pleaded guilty earlier this week to child sexual exploitation, but also claimed to be insane. The jury yesterday said Salewski did not have a mental defect when he downloaded pictures or videos showing young children being sexually assaulted. He's looking at 40 years in prison when he's sentenced in March. 

The plan from Wisconsin's northwoods' congressman to protect chocolate milk in school is moving ahead on Capitol Hill. Congressman Tom Tiffany yesterday said his milk protection act was included in a House resolution this week. Tiffany's plan would stop the Biden Administration from banning chocolate milk from the nation's school lunch program. The USDA is considering a ban on chocolate and other flavored milks to keep kids from having too much sugar. Tiffany says banning chocolate milk would likely end with fewer kids drinking any milk. 

The effort to dredge Lake Altoona is showing some signs of success. Crews expect to take 60 thousand cubic-yards of sediment out of the lake during this latest dredge. That's enough dirt and sand to fill a three-story building. That's also twice what crews would normally take. Lake Altoona district secretary Margaret Higley says the lake has gotten deeper, and Eau Claire continues to be protected from flooding because of the dredging effort. This latest round should wrap-up in a month or so. 

There are charges for a Tomah man in an overdose death back in February. Prosecutors in Monroe County filed the charges this week against Nicholas Hage. Investigators say he sold meth and fentanyl to a man who overdosed earlier this year. A judge ordered Hage held on 20 thousand-dollars cash bond. He's due back in court at the end of next month. 

There will be more Wisconsin troopers on the road starting today until New Year's Day. State Patrol says it puts more law enforcement on the road during the holiday season since they see more impaired driving. They reported 470 crashes involving drunk drivers in the last two weeks of 2022. State Patrol says these accidents killed five people and injured 178. They encourage finding designated sober drivers or other rideshare methods if celebrating with alcohol over the holidays.

Free tele-health services for COVID-19 treatment have been extended through April 10 of next year. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says an expected continued increase in COVID cases was a factor in the decision. Wisconsin DHS introduced the service in November of last year and says they completed more than 6-thousand consults since. Nearly half of those patients reported being age 60 and older. After free COVID tele-health resources expire, those without insurance will still have free or low-cost health clinics available.  

 The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is charging Xcel Energy for surpassing its storage tank capacity without a permit and for cleaning up radioactive water that slipped into the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant a year ago.  Xcel Energy said on Thursday they estimated between 750 thousand and 900 thousand gallons of water leaked.  As the company attempted to clean, they used more tanks without informing MPCA for a permit.  Xcel was fined 14 thousand dollars for the incident.  

 Democrats at the Wisconsin Capitol want the state to be more open about lockdowns and conditions in the state's prisons. A handful of lawmakers yesterday introduced a proposal that would require more transparency about when, and how inmates are being confined to their cells. Madison State Senator Kelda Roys says the idea is to make sure Wisconsin's prisons are treating inmates in the most humane way possible. Lockdowns have been an issue in Wisconsin prisons. Inmates in both Green Bay and Waupun have been under lockdowns for months because of staffing and safety issues. 

A new plan at the Wisconsin Capitol would make unauthorized homeless camps a crime. Much of the plan, Senate Bill 669, deals with allowing cities and counties to set-up spaces in parks or other public lands to allow homeless camps. But the legislation also has punishments for homeless people who stay somewhere else. Those include a 500 dollar fine, and up to 30 days in jail. Lawmakers held a hearing on the plan last week. It will likely come-up for a vote at the statehouse after the first of the year. 

 Wisconsin's governor isn't happy that UW regents have reversed course, and accepted the DEI deal from Republican lawmakers. Governor Tony Evers said after Wednesday's vote to swap 40 diversity, equity, and inclusion jobs for nearly a billion-dollars in pay raises for UW workers and other university needs, that Republicans overreached and forced UW regents to bend to their political will. Evers says the university needs to be independent and autonomous. He slammed the Republican offer as a 'tantrum.' Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said the regents' second vote gets 'real reforms enacted,' and slammed the governor for lobbying against the vote.

Former House Speaker Paul Ryan is calling Donald Trump an "authoritarian narcissist."  The Wisconsin Republican spoke Wednesday at a virtual event and defended former Republicans Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for speaking out against Trump.  Ryan said they called him out because he's "not a conservative" but "an authoritarian narcissist," and claimed all of Trump's "tendencies are basically where narcissism takes him, which is whatever makes him popular" and "makes him feel good in any given moment."  Trump's campaign spokesperson responded by calling Ryan "a loser who left Congress in disgrace."

An Indiana-based flag company is memorializing some rejected Minnesota state flag designs.  Flags For Good is selling a limited batch of " best, funniest, and most iconic" designs that didn't make the cut.  Over two thousand designs were submitted to Minnesota's Emblems Redesign Commission, and now the field has been narrowed down to just three.  Flags For Good will bring six of the rejected flags to life, including the North Star flag, the Menacing Loon flag, and the Great Lakes Pride flag. 

Five men now face criminal charges for attempting to steal a bank ATM in Roseville.  Four Texans and Dekorius Durham of St. Paul have been charged with theft and property damage.  Police say the suspects targeted an ATM on Tuesday by placing a chain around it that was connected to an SUV.  They tried to pull it but the ATM fell over and never left the bank property.  All five defendants are behind bars on 50 thousand dollars bail and are expected to appear in court sometime today.

 It's a sad end to the story of Wisconsin's lonely elk. The state's Department of Natural Resources yesterday said the young elk, known officially as Bull 357, died after being hit by a car in Illinois. The elk was spotted wandering around Wisconsin. He was seen near Wausau and in McFarland. The DNR says the elk was likely looking to mate, but couldn't find a partner. The DNR says the elk died after being hit near Joliet, which is 40 miles south of Chicago. 

Local-Regional News Dec 14

The Tarrant Park Pool project will move forward.  Last night, the Durand City Council voted to accept the bid from Durand Builders to build the pool with 6 of the 7 amenities for a total cost of $4,124,284.  The council decided to exclude building a concession stand with the pool due to concerns from area businesses, and state licensing requirements for a concession stand.  Construction is slated to begin in 2024 with the new pool opening in 2025.

One person was injured in a three-vehicle accident in Ellsworth Township last Friday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 73yr old Barbara Olson of Durand was stopped at the stop sign at Hwy DD and Hwy 72 and started to cross Hwy 72 when she collided with an eastbound vehicle driven by 48yr old Antohny Mader of Elmwood.  Mader then colled with a westbound dump truck operated by 21yr old Andrew Grant of Downing.  Mader was taken to Western Wisconsin Health, while Olson and Grant were not injured.

The village of Alma and the City of Ellsworth have both received grants to improve their municipal wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.  Alma is receiving $829,000 to replace lift station 4 while Elllsworth is receiving $3.1 million to rehabilitate the sanitary sewer lines on Grant, Piety, Woodworth and Strickland Streets.  The money is coming from the Wisconsin Clean Water Fund Program.

Heritage Hall at UW-Stout has been approved for construction to make a new unified home for all the programs within the College of Arts and Human Services.  The project will provide greater space efficiencies, utilization and opportunity for collaboration and informal learning.  The project was one of $589 million in projects that was approved by the Wisconsin State Building Commission.

Police in Chippewa Falls say a woman is in custody after she drove through parts of the Christmas Village in Irvine Park. It happened yesterday morning. Officers say they got a call about someone running down Christmas decorations with a van about 7:45 a.m. When they arrived, police say parks department crews were trying to pen the woman's van in. Eventually, officers were able to stop the rampage and arrested 32-year-old Ebony Hudson of Loudon, Tennessee. Chippewa Falls Police say Hudson wasn't drunk or high, they say she intentionally ran over the Christmas displays. The damage was cleaned up, and the Christmas Village reopened last night. 

All of Wisconsin's Republican congressmen voted for the impeachment inquiry into President Biden. In fact, every Republican on Capitol Hill voted for the inquiry yesterday. Western Wisconsin Congressman Derrick Van Orden says Congress has a 'Constitutional duty' to ensure the president is acting honestly and morally. Northwoods Congressman Tom Tiffany says the American people deserve some transparency as to whether the president benefited from his son's foreign business dealings. The impeachment inquiry vote simply extends the House investigation into President Biden, it doesn't impeach him or remove him from office. 

Eight Wisconsin communities will get eleven million dollars for building safer roads. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says the City Madison will get more than six-point-two-million, the City of Milwaukee will get four million, and Chippewa County will get 200-thousand dollars. The federal grant money is meant to create infrastructure and traffic safety programs to prevent road injuries and deaths. One-point-one billion dollars will be given out nationally through the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program. 

There's a new billboard, and a new county resolution opposing the resettlement of refugees in Eau Claire. The billboard is up along Truax Boulevard, on the city's north side, and claims that tax dollars are being spent to help traffic Somali refugees to Eau Claire County. It is the latest public opposition to move 75 refugees to the area, though it's not known just where those refugees will come from. The billboard is not the only opposition, though. Five county board supervisors have written a resolution that asks to see the feasibility data for the proposed refugee move. The group World Relief is working to resettle the refugees in the Eau Claire area, but has yet to answer questions about who the refugees are, where they will live, or what they will do for jobs once they arrive. 

 People who work for the University of Wisconsin will get their pay raises, and Republican lawmakers will get a small victory over diversity, equity, and inclusion spending. UW regents yesterday changed their mind and voted to accept the agreement that swapped 800 million dollars for raises, a new engineering building at the Madison campus, and millions more for other needs in exchange for repurposing just over 40 DEI administrators. Three regents changed their minds. Yesterday's vote came after regents voted down the same deal on Saturday. 

Wisconsin's Supreme Court won't hear the challenge to school choice in the state, at least not yet. The new liberal-majority court yesterday said the challenge, which is being paid for by the progressive owner of the Minocqua Brewing Company, needs to go through the lower courts first. Kirk Bangstad, the owner of the Minocqua Brewing Company, claims that school choice is unconstitutional and hurts Wisconsin's public schools. School choice supporters say ending school choice would hurt over 50 thousand kids in the state. School choice supporters yesterday celebrated the Supreme Court's announcement. The court rejected the case without comment. 

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul yesterday refused to say if he is investigating, or planning to bring charges against Wisconsin's alternate electors. Prosecutors in Michigan have filed charges against Trump electors there, and there are investigations in Arizona and Nevada. Kaul has been silent for months on an investigation here. Last week Wisconsin's Trump electors settled a lawsuit over their plans, without admitting any wrongdoing. 

 It's been six months since a Sauk County boy allegedly walked into Devils Lake State Park on some sort of survival mission. The sheriff's office yesterday said there are no new updates in the search for James Yoblonski. He's been missing since mid-June when his dad said he took-off for the woods. Investigators say they have not gotten a report of a sighting in months, though they say their investigation remains open. Yoblonski's father says he believes his son is alive. The sheriff's office says they gave the dad a lie detector test, and are confident he didn't have anything to do with his son's disappearance. 

A research boat that a UW-Madison doctoral student reported missing over a month ago has been found.  Chelsea Volpano said she was collecting data about coastal erosion along the shore of Lake Michigan in Grafton, when the small orange boat she was using to gather the data drifted away. Tuesday, Volpano said the vessel was found more than 100 miles across the lake in the northwest Michigan city of Frankfort. It’s not clear if the data collected by the boat remained intact. If it was lost, it would put Volpano back a year from finishing her degree in geoscience.

 A new Wisconsin program will give nearly 42-million dollars to reduce homelessness and expand affordable housing statewide. Governor Tony Evers says the HOME-American Rescue Plan will also support programs aiming to help low-income and housing-insecure families. The federal program was created in response to the COVID pandemic and is giving out five-billion nationally. Applicants looking to develop rental units and provide support services can apply for funding on the State of Wisconsin's website.

Unseasonably warm, dry weather has increased the risk of wildfires across Minnesota.  The Department of Natural Resources says the lack of snow and unusually dry conditions for December are to blame.  Wildfire prevention specialists say its risky to burn dead vegetation right now, especially with windy conditions and temperature increases forecasted for next week.  Vegetative debris could catch fire easily, and the blaze could quickly spread.  Experts expect there will be an increased wildfire risk until at least three inches of snow covers the ground this winter.  

It's a safe bet that the racing sausages aren't going anywhere anytime soon. The owners of Johnsonville Brats have bought a piece of the Milwaukee Brewers. The team yesterday said that Ralph and Shelly Stayer, the owners of Johnsonville, bought a minority stake. No one is saying just how much the Stayers paid, or how much of the team they bought. The Stayers have been lifelong baseball fans, and Johnsonville has been the Brewers' official sausage since 2018.  

Local-Regional News Dec 13

 A truck driver is hurt after colliding with a train in Dunn County.  According to Elk Mound Police, a 27yr old Colfax man was traveling eastbound on Hwy 12 hauling corn when he turned left onto 970th street and stopped less than 15ft from the railroad crossing and was struck by a westbound Union Pacific train.  The truck overturned and spilled the corn.  There was no derailment or other issues with the train and UPRR staff were able to remove the train from the scene. UPRR staff are fully cooperating with the Elk Mound Police investigation.  970th Street was closed for several hours during the initial investigation and cleanup.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on issuing a notice to award the project bid for the Tarrant Park Pool, along with reports from the Mayor and Department Heads.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall and will be live streamed on the Video Streaming Page of our Website.

The Wabasha City Council will approve its final budget on December 19th, 2023.  The 2024 $3,961,705 budget and reflects an 6.0% levy increase and is expected to maintain current services from the city.    The budget has an overall 15.7% operating costs increase but the impact on taxpayers remained lower due to an overall 16% increase in revenues like additional local aid from the State, and increases in fees like ambulance revenues.  Wages saw the highest increase in the budget.  Employees received a 3% general wage increase and qualifying non-union employees received a 2% step increase.

Youth in grades 5K-12 are invited to participate in the fourth annual Art-U art education program. Grades 5K-6 will attend virtual sessions, while Grades 7 and up are invited to participate on the UW-Stout Campus. This program is put on in cooperation with Dunn, Eau Claire, and Chippewa County 4-H, UW-Stout art education students, and Arts Integration Menomonie (AIM). Everyone is welcome to attend. Youth do not need to be in 4-H to participate.The program is offered on Monday nights for five weeks starting on January 29th. There will be an in-person art show on March 4th. The cost is $5 for 4-H members and $10 for any other youth.  Registration Deadline is January 3rd.  Visit the Dunn County 4-H Website for more information.

One of the lawsuits surrounding a 2019 officer-involved shooting that left an Eau Claire County man dead has been dismissed. A federal judge yesterday tossed the excessive force lawsuit connected to Tyler Meier's death. Police say he attacked an Augusta police officer, and the officer shot and killed him in self-defense. Meier's family claimed excessive force. Meier's family continues to move ahead with a wrongful death suit in Eau Claire County court. 

 The legal battle between Eau Claire and the Town of Washington is over, and it clears the way for new homes to be built in the Orchard Hills area. The city council last night voted to drop its lawsuits against both the town and the DNR. The agreement to end the lawsuits comes with a new directive for developers who want to build houses in the Orchard Hills area. Developers must build homes and will pay the town of Washington 300 thousand-dollars over the next three years for road development. There's no word when we could see some development begin. 

 Eau Claire County is ready to move forward with its jail renovation project. The county approved three million-dollars for the jail project earlier this year, and now the county is ready to get started. County Board Chair Nancy Coffey says the plan is to remove two of the jail's three group cells and replace them with 12 individual cells. The work is ready, but Coffey says the county needs to figure out which account it will use to pay for the work. Originally the plan was to borrow the money, but Eau Claire County has some leftover coronavirus stimulus cash, and Coffey is considering using that. 

 Property taxes will be higher this year, despite local governments having a lot more money.  That's according to a new a report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum, that says property taxes are expected to jump about 4-point-7 percent across the state. It also says that will be 'cushioned' by two state tax credits. The new state budget added just over 250 million to the school tax levy credit and boosted the lottery tax credit by 16 million. Those two tax credits mean the nearly five percent property tax increase most people will see on their new bills will be closer to two or three percent.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is fining Bloomington-based Holiday Stationstores and parent company Circle K.  They will have to pay 200-thousand-dollars after being found guilty of failing to address equipment issues at five locations between 2019 and 2022.  That includes stores in Northfield, Owatonna, Pine City, Rochester, and Walker. They will also have to spend millions of dollars to upgrade the equipment.  

Lawmakers in Madison will talk about keeping girls' sports for biological girls only today. A Senate panel will hold hearings on two plans, one to ban trans athletes from college sports, and another to ban them from high school sports in the state. Supporters say the idea is to make sure that biological girls continue to have opportunities to play sports and to protect them from injuries or harm. LGBTQ advocates say the plans are based on hate. They say Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin continue to push an anti-LGBTQ agenda. 

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Wisconsin's secretary of state is calling for a Republican elections commissioner to be fired after he settled the lawsuit over Wisconsin's 2020 Trump electors. Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski yesterday asked the Wisconsin Senate to remove Republican commissioner Bob Spindell. He is one of ten Republicans who last week settled a lawsuit over the role as alternative electors in 2020. Spindell and the others admitted their strategy of signing up as Trump electors was used to try and challenge the 2020 election, but the Republicans themselves didn't admit to any wrongdoing in the settlement. Godlewski said that voters cannot trust Spindell to manage elections in the state. Spindell has said he has no plans to step down. 

State leaders are reminding Minnesotans about available aid to help them cope with winter energy bills.  Governor Walz joined Department of Commerce Commissioner Grace Arnold yesterday to talk about the programs that work to help renters and homeowners during cold weather.  Arnold said the state's Energy Assistance Program works with low-income Minnesotans, helping pay energy bills and replace broken furnaces.  The state's weatherization program helps pay for upgrades that make homes more energy efficient.  Information on both programs is available on the Minnesota Department of Commerce website.

A lawsuit filed by Rhinelander against 3M and the Rhinelander Paper Mill over PFAS contamination will stay in Wisconsin.  WJFW reports a federal judicial panel decided that it was not necessary to move that case out of state to South Carolina. Attorneys for 3M argued the case matched other cases they were handling regarding PFAS. The cases in South Carolina are dealing with firefighting foam contamination, while the case in Rhinelander comes from improper handling of paper mill waste. Lawyers for the city tell WJFW the ruling means the case can get underway sooner.

A Northwoods lawmaker is criticizing the Lac du Flambeau tribe over its handling of private roads on tribal lands.  WXPR in Rhinelander reports that Tomahawk Republican Mary Felzkowski told the tribe that "Good actors don’t give their neighbors 24 hours’ notice that they are barricading them in their homes." Felzkowski made that statement in reply to a complaint from the Tribe over denial of their share of the state's revenue from Tribal gaming. The Lac du Flambeau tribe and the town of Lac du Flambeau have been in a year-long dispute over those roads, which the tribe briefly blocked off last winter. The Tribe is demanding 10 million dollars in payments to keep the roads open to cover past trespassing on its land.

Several Minnesota lawmakers are demanding answers from the U.S. Postal Service after complaints about delivery delays and staffing shortages.  Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith and Congresswoman Angie Craig have all asked the Postmaster General to explain what's causing the complaints and what he plans to do about it.  Craig says four post offices in the Twin Cities area are now being audited by the postal service after receiving complaints.  Senator Smith says she's also heard complaints from parts of northern Minnesota, where postal service workers have allegedly been told to emphasize Amazon packages over regular mail.  Smith says she's also directed questions to the postal service but has received unsatisfactory answers.

 A water rescue team saved a dog that fell into Lake Superior Monday, and was struggling to swim in the extremely cold water and eight-foot waves.  The Duluth Fire Department Water Rescue team went out in their inflatable rescue boat, crews put on their ice rescue suits, and got into the water to get the dog who was starting to go under. Crew members say it was difficult to get the 14-foot boat back to shore as it was being pulled out toward open water by strong currents.  They and the dog made it back, and the dog was treated for exposure, but is fine.