A Wisconsin State Trooper was injured in an accident in Dunn County yesterday. According to the Dunn County Sheriff's Department, the trooper was outside of his vehicle standing by a pickup truck on the right shoulder of I-94 westbound near mile marker 33 when a westbound sedan slid into the pickup truck and struck the trooper. The trooper was taken to the hospital with non life threatening injuries. The roads were snow-covered and slippery at the time of the accident.
Prosecutors in Dunn County have cleared three officers in a deadly shooting from back in January. The D.A. yesterday said a Dunn County deputy and two Menomonie police officers were justified when they shot and killed 45-year-old Nicholas Ciccarelli after a traffic stop. Police were looking for Ciccarelli after a reported home invasion. Prosecutors say Ciccarelli pointed his gun at one of the officers before they shot him. The D.A. says the officers didn't have a choice and said Ciccarelli was high on meth at the time.
Eau Claire leaders continue to sell a wheel tax as the best way to fix the city's streets. There was another public meeting last night. City Engineer David Solberg says a 30-dollar wheel tax will mean one-and-a-half million dollars a year for road repairs. There are some folks who don't like the idea of paying more to own a car in the city, but city leaders continue to push forward. Eau Claire County has had a wheel tax for years. The city is set to vote on its tax next week.
A man is pleading guilty in connection to a prostitution sting in Rochester. Forty-four-year-old Thomas Klees was one of three people arrested in November. He's received a one-year probation sentence for engaging in prostitution. Klees must also pay court fines and fees and take a class on the effects of human trafficking.
Strep throat is making its way across Wisconsin. The state's Department of Health Services this week said there's been an uptick in the number of cases turning up in doctor's offices and hospitals. As usual, most of the cases are in kids and their parents. Doctors say you should get tested if you have a fever and a sore throat before strep becomes something worse.
Wisconsin's unemployment rate is below three percent, but the state isn't back to pre-pandemic job levels yet. The latest report from the Department of Workforce Development puts the state's jobless rate at two-point-nine percent. That's down from three percent at the end of last year. The labor participation rate, however, continues to lag. DWD says 64-and-a-half percent of people in Wisconsin are working. That's about two points lower than the labor participation rate just before the coronavirus outbreak in 2020.
Two state lawmakers want to give local governments more say over wind turbine projects. Citing public health concerns, Senator Andre Jacque and Representative Ty Boden seek co-sponsors on a bill to restore the ability of towns and counties to impose restrictions on new turbine projects, that are more restrictive than Public Service Commission rules. A sponsorship memo cites the January collapse of a wind turbine in Dodge County and notes turbine projects may potentially not be a good fit in some areas given the density of rural homes.
The Wisconsin Conservation Congress and Department of Natural Resources invite the public to attend an open house the week of April 3-6 . The open houses precede the annual Spring Hearings. Location details for each county are available on the WCC/DNR Open Houses webpage. DNR staff and Conservation Congress delegates will be on hand to discuss local issues of importance, answer questions and dialogue about areas of interest and concern. The Conservation Congress will also hold delegate elections at each open house, with two of the five seats up for election in each county.
Wisconsin lawmakers have once again blocked a new meningitis vaccine requirement. The legislature's rules committee yesterday voted to suspend the vaccine rules from the state's Department of Health Services. Many parents were upset at the scope of the new rules, and lawmakers say DHS went too far and acted on its own. The rules would have created a new meningitis vaccine requirement for 7th graders, and changed the rules for chickenpox in Wisconsin. State Senator Steve Nass says the vote is a victory for parents and for the rule of law.
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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers doesn't want the FDA to allow non-dairy products to be marketed as milk. Today Evers wrote a letter to the FDA asking it to reconsider its recommendation that products like those that come from nuts and plants can be considered milk. Evers says that the decision could hurt Wisconsin dairy farmers that take time and effort to produce quality dairy products.
Two anti-reckless driving plans have cleared their first hurdle at the Wisconsin Capitol. An Assembly panel on Tuesday approved the proposal to increase fines and jail time for reckless drivers, as well as another plan that would make it easier for police to impound the cars of people, caught driving recklessly. Milwaukee state Rep. Bob Donovan says the pieces of legislation are not a cure-all for reckless driving, but he says they're a start. Both plans face several more votes at the statehouse, but there is an expectation that Governor Evers may sign them if they make it to his desk.
With the state girls’ basketball tournament underway in Green Bay, the WIAA reminds fans they're still struggling with a shortage of game officials – due in part to bad fan behavior. There’s a new PSA campaign focusing on that The Bench Bad Behavior program is part of a national effort to address the ref shortage and encourage good sportsmanship. Resources available to schools include public address messages and a player-parent contract calling for good behavior.
The Humane Society in Fond du Lac says it's done taking care of the city's responsibilities for stray cats. The Humane Society this week announced it will no longer care for stray cats, saying it simply doesn't have the money to cover the costs for 24/7 service. Instead, the Humane Society says the city of Fond du Lac needs to step up and deal with its feral cat problem. The Humane Society says it took in 977 animals last year, including 823 from the city. Fond du Lac's city manager says they are working on a plan to deal with strays and looking to rely on other animal rescue operations going forward.
Six prison guards are recovering after being attacked by inmates in Minnesota this week. Three officers were assaulted while trying to break up a fight at a state prison in Stillwater on Monday. Then on Tuesday, three officers were attacked by inmates at a facility in Oak Park Heights. All six officers were taken to local hospitals and later released. The Department of Corrections is investigating both incidents. The inmates who were allegedly involved could face criminal charges.
A traffic stop in western Wisconsin leads to a cannabis haul. It happened February 28th when a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy pulled over Justin Kamrowski for speeding on state Highway 27. The deputy detected the odor of marijuana, and the 31-year-old Minnesota resident reportedly stated that he had a small amount inside the vehicle. A search allegedly found 3 ½ pounds of cannabis and $9,000 cash. Kamrowski is due in court later this month on charges including felony possession of marijuana with intent to deliver.
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