Local-Regional News May 31

 The Barron County Sheriff’s Office has released additional information regarding a two-vehicle crash on Monday that left two people dead and twelve others hurt. The collision at an intersection on State Highway 25 involved a van carrying ten people and a car carrying four teenagers. A 54-year-old man died in the crash. He was a passenger in the van and the father to the additional passengers in the van, all from the Spooner area. The 54-year-old driver of the van, a man from the Rice Lake area, was airlifted in critical condition. Other passengers in the van range in age from 8-54. A 13-year-old male passenger in the car died in the crash. The 17-year-old driver of the car was taken to a hospital in serious condition. Two other 17-year-old passengers in the car were airlifted to hospitals in critical condition. All four teens in the car were related family members from the Elmwood area.

Wisconsin's public school managers are reminding people about summer breakfasts and lunches. The Department of Public Instruction is signing people up for its summer meal programs. DPI says it serves about two-and-a-half million meals to kids each summer. Communities qualify if there are enough low-income families, and some adults with disabilities can also qualify for meals. DPI says you can get more information online, or by calling 211.  The Mondovi School District is participating in the program and will have a meal site in the Elementary School Cafeteria.  

There's a warning about wildfires for most of the week for most of the state of Wisconsin. The Department of Natural Resources yesterday issued a warning about the high and extremely high dangers for fires. The warning covers everyone except for Pepin, Buffalo, Pierce, and Dunn Counties where there is a moderate risk of fire.  The extremely high danger is limited to three counties that border the UP. The rest of the state, DNR says, needs to be careful when around a fire, and shouldn't burn any brush piles until Wisconsin sees a good soaking rain.

 There are no answers as to why Eau Claire County's Department of Human Services spent 18-hundred dollars on a swimming pool, or 650 dollars on a tricycle, or 800 dollars on mahogany highchairs. Eau Claire County's Sheriff's Office released its investigation into DHS yesterday, and the report is full of unanswered questions. The report says DHS employees either lied to investigators or tried to obstruct their investigation.  DHS told investigators it would not provide receipts because accounting for all of the spending would be a HIPPA violation. The sheriff's office looked into DHS after years of over-spending. The Eau Claire County D.A.'s Office said back in March that no one at DHS would be charged with any crimes.

Altoona has new rules for people who want to water their lawns. The city ordered a partial water ban in order to save water for drinking and fighting fires. People are now only allowed to water their lawns before 8 a.m. or after 7 p.m.. Odd-numbered houses can only water their lawns on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and even-numbered houses get Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. No one is allowed to water their lawns on Sundays. Anyone who breaks the rules could be fined up to 500 dollars.

Emergency crews responded to the scene of a house explosion in Eyota. Crews were called to County Road 142 on Tuesday due to reports of an explosion on the back side of a house. Officials say that nobody was home at the time of the explosion, and nobody was injured. The cause of the explosion is currently being investigated.

Minnesota 2nd District Congresswoman Angie Craig is recovering after an accident at her home on Monday.  According to her office, Craig fractured her ankle and will have surgery to repair the ankle on Thursday.  Due to the surgery, Craig has been advised not to fly and as a result, she will miss votes in Congres this week related to the Budget Agreement.  Her office says she looks forward to getting back into the office as soon as possible.

A Rochester man was arrested Friday after fleeing from deputies into a River in Oronoco.  According to the Omstead County Sheriffs Department, deputies went to the Oronoco Self Storage Units and attempted to arrest 47yr old Frankie Hanson on a warrant. Hanson saw the deputies and ran from the property and then jumped into the river in an attempt to get away.  He was eventually arrested and is now facing charges of obstruction of justice, fleeing officers, and threats of violence.

Wisconsin's governor is getting ready to send back some of the state's unspent coronavirus stimulus money.  Governor Tony Evers told reporters yesterday that his office is preparing for the claw-back included in the new federal debt ceiling deal.  The governor isn't saying how much the state will have to return to Washington or where it will come from.  As of the last count in March, Wisconsin has just under 450-million dollars in unallocated stimulus money.  The governor says his agencies are working to see what will become of that money.

Someone who bought a lotto ticket at a Kwik Trip in Eau Claire is a million dollars richer.  The Wisconsin Lottery yesterday said the Kwik Trip on Otter Road in Eau Claire sold a winning Megabucks ticket worth one-point-three million dollars. The ticket was for Saturday's drawing.  The winner has not come forward, at least not yet.

Watch for buckling pavement as temperatures rise this week.   The state transportation department says drivers need to be careful of pavement buckling over the next several days. Forecasted hot temperatures will increase the chances of damage to the pavement. It's difficult to predict if, or where, pavement buckling may occur, but drivers can check 511 wi dot gov for the latest incidents or delays. You can also get live traffic feeds from cameras posted along major highways.

The Department of Tourism says this should be a good summer for Wisconsin.   Tourism secretary Anne Sayers tells WXPR in Rhinelander that a number of major events this year should bring lots of travel to Wisconsin. That includes the US PGA Senior Open in Stevens Point and the 100th anniversary of Harley Davidson. The Senior Open itself is expected to bring in 75-thousand people and over 20 million dollars to Central Wisconsin. However, many businesses and tourism locations are asking people to be patient as short staffing continues to be an issue.

Jail time for a man who helped damage a hero’s statue in Madison.    A man who drove the car that helped pull down a statue outside of the Wisconsin state Capitol in Madison during riots in June 2020 has been sentenced to six months in jail. The Wisconsin State Journal reported that 33-year-old Kelsey D. Nelson was sentenced for his role in damaging the Hans Christian Heg statue, as well as looting a nearby jewelry store about a month earlier. The statue of the Civil War hero was toppled and beheaded during a protest against police brutality following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.

Expect to see more spongy moth caterpillars this year.   The Department of Natural Resources says that weather conditions this spring were both favorable for the moths and unfavorable for the DNR's preferred pesticide, a fungus that specifically targets the moths. That could mean a population explosion over the next two years. Forestry experts say people should be aware that many trees and shrubs could be stripped of leaves this year, and that people shouldn't cut down bare trees because the leaves can grow back. Lumber production may also be down because of the stress on trees.

The Packers' CEO is hopeful the state will help pay for the NFL Draft to come to Green Bay. CEO Mark Murphy was on UPFRONT over the weekend. He said hosting the NFL Draft is going to be a boom for the entire state. He expects hundreds of thousands of people to attend, and he expects them to spend millions of dollars while they are here. Two Green Bay lawmakers are asking for two million-dollars to help offset the Packers' costs. Murphy says it will cost seven-and-a-half million-dollars to host the draft in 2025. One million-dollars of that will come from the team, the rest will have to come from either the state or donations.

A group of magnet fishermen spends Memorial Day Weekend cleaning up the Rock River.  They took to Beloit to fish and raise money but also spent some time gathering items from the river to be recycled.  Over two days the group says it raised over six-thousand dollars through recyclables.

Local-Regional News May 30

 It is not a buyer's market in western Wisconsin. The latest report from the Wisconsin Realtors shows home sales in the western part of the state are down 38 percent from this point last year. Sales are down nearly 40 percent in Eau Claire County, and down over 55 percent in Chippewa County. In the first quarter of this year, 16 homes were sold in Pepin County, 21 in Buffalo 52 in Pierce, and 72 homes were sold in Dunn County.  The Realtors blame a lack of homes for sale, high prices, and high-interest rates for the drop in sales.

Two people are dead, and three others are fighting for their lives after a crash in Barron County. The Barron County Sheriff's Office says it happened yesterday afternoon on Highway 25, north of Ridgeland. The sheriff says a van with 10 people inside was hit by a car with four teens inside. A passenger in the van and a 13-year-old passenger in the car both died. The van's driver and two 17-year-olds from the car are fighting for their lives in the hospital. Deputies say everyone else in the van and the car were taken to the hospital for minor injuries. The crash remains under investigation.

One person is dead after a two-vehicle accident in Eau Claire on Friday.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol,  30yr old Brandon Nabak of Eau Clarie was traveling southbound on Hwy 93, approaching the intersection of the westbound on-ramp for I-94, when a northbound vehicle driven by 64yr old Ellen Didion of Elk Mound began to make a left turn onto the westbound on-ramp.  Both vehicles collided and Nabak was pronounced dead at the scene.  Didion was not injured.  That accident remains under investigation.

A Red Wing man was arrested on Thursday following an infant’s death.  According to the Goodhue County Sheriff's Department, deputies and emergency personnel, responded to a call of a 2-month-old baby not breathing in the 500 block of Maple Street in Red Wing last Tuesday.  When deputies arrived they found the infant unresponsive.  Life-Saving measures were utilized but the infant died.    After an investigation, 27yr old Hunter McCutchen was arrested and charged with 2 counts of first-degree manslaughter, and two additional counts of 2nd-degree manslaughter.  He is currently being held in the Goodhue County Detention Center.

A student from Alma scored a perfect 36 on the ACT.  Claire Goeldner and her siblings are enrolled in the Rural Virtual Academy Charter School.  Goeldner is graduating from high school with a two-year degree in software development.  She is considering pursuing a four-year degree in computer sciences and cyber security.  Her perfect score is getting noticed by Harvard, Yale, and MIT.

A crash in Barron County sent one person to the hospital in a helicopter. The State Patrol says 37-year-old Matthew O'Donnell drifted off the side of the road and rolled his car into a ditch near Haugen yesterday afternoon. Troopers say it looks like O'Donnell was drunk at the time. He was flown to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

A western Wisconsin non-profit is expanding on an imitative supporting mental health. Joining Our Neighbors Advancing Hope, better known as JONAH, is launching the Chippewa Valley Green Bandana Project.  Lynn Buske, a community organizer with JONAH, told WEAU News that the initiative started on UW campuses but she wanted to expand it.  Individuals are invited to wear or carry a lime green bandana as an easy way to show their support to those dealing with a mental health condition. Bandannas are available at locations in Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, and Menomonie.       

A Hudson man is charged with first-degree attempted homicide after allegedly stabbing his estranged wife in Willow River State Park.  Dominik Serpico is also charged with mayhem, aggravated battery and disorderly conduct.  According to authorities,  on May 22nd police were called to the park and found Serpico on top of the victim applying pressure to her neck and the victim had multiple stab wounds on her neck, torso, hands, and face.  She told police she had met Serpico to talk about their children, and when Serpico saw messages from another man, on her phone he began stabbing her.   He is being held on a $100,000 cash bond and is in court later today.

One of Wisconsin's largest dairy groups says the Waters of the United States ruling is a win for all farmers. The Venture Dairy Cooperative says the ruling puts a check on 'unelected bureaucrats in Washington' who 'have run amok.' The unanimous ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court struck down an Obama-era regulation that gave the EPA broad power over any place that could hold water, including wetlands and some farm fields that regularly flooded. Farm groups complained for years that those federal regulations not only went too far but took power away from states to regulate farms how they saw fit. The Venture Co-op says farmers will now be free from 'punishing' federal regulations.

 Minnesota State Governor Tim Walz is expected to sign a bill Tuesday that will legalize recreational marijuana. The bill passed the state senate earlier this month after making its way through thirteen committees, numerous hearings, and a conference committee. Legislators agreed on a ten-percent tax rate on cannabis products sold in the state. Governor Walz is scheduled to attend a bill-signing ceremony at noon and is to be joined by former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura. The law will go into effect August 1st.

Hunters in Wisconsin have today and tomorrow to apply for an elk hunting permit. The Department of Natural Resources says the application period closes at the end of the day tomorrow. Elk hunting season is scheduled for October, then again in December. Only four people will be given an elk hunting permit, four others will go to the Ojibwa Tribes. The drawing for those lucky four licenses will be held in early June according to the DNR.

Many Wisconsin households could pay more on utilities next year.  Wisconsin utilities, including Madison Gas and Electric and Alliant Energy, are proposing increases.   MG and E's rate hike request is 3-point 8 percent, while Alliant is looking at a nearly 8-and-a-half percent boost.  WE Energies, is also looking for at a 3 percent increase in residential rates, following last year's hike of 11-point 3 percent. The proposals need to be approved by the Public Service Commission. 

A Wisconsin public access channel will be getting a state grant to continue operation.  The legislature's joint finance committee voted on Thursday to offer 10 million dollars in grants to Wisconsin EYE. The channel broadcasts legislative sessions, public hearings, and other notable state interest programs. WisEye would have to match each dollar it requests from the grant in its own fundraising, and drop its paid access archive. WisEye currently relies mostly on private fundraising. 

The Milwaukee County Board rejects a tax levy for ballpark repairs.  In a rare unanimous vote Thursday, supervisors rejected using a long-term tax levy to fund American Family Field repairs and renovations. The Milwaukee Brewers current lease of the 22-year-old ballpark expires in 2030. Thursday's resolution called for the renovation-focused tax levy to help secure a lease extension. In a separate action on Thursday, the stadium district board approved $6.4 million for a new main scoreboard at the ballpark. 

A 14-year-old boy is in custody for the murder of a man last month in Minneapolis' Stevens Square neighborhood.  The teen was charged by warrant on April 27 with third-degree murder and three counts of second-degree assault.  Police say the juvenile shot and killed 32-year-old Chris Bennet on April 18.  The teen suspect was arrested on Monday and remains behind bars at the Juvenile Detention Center in Minneapolis.

The state of Minnesota is welcoming a new commissioner in the Department of Employment and Economic Development.  Governor Tim Walz selected Matt Varilek to fill the position left vacant by Steve Grove, who is now publisher of the Star Tribune.  The new DEED commissioner currently heads the Litle Falls-based Initiative Foundation and previously was the COO for the U. S. Small Business Administration.  Varilek starts his new job on June 20.

A male zebra died Thursday in what the the Milwaukee County Zoo referred to as  a "tragic accident." In a post on the zoo's Facebook page, officials said the zebra named Stuart "was exploring, running, and chasing the impalas in their habitat when Stuart inadvertently came in contact with the wire containment fencing surrounding the yard. Despite immediate response from the veterinary team, he did not survive his injuries." There was no further explanation or any word on whether an investigation will be conducted.  

Local-Regional News May 26

 There will be plenty of kids for swimming lessons this summer at the Tarrant Park Pool.  Durand Public Works Superintendent Matt Gills says there were 180 kids signed up for the first round of lessons in June.  Lessons begin on June 12 and Gillis says another sign-up for the second round of swimming lessons will begin in mid June.  The Tarrant Park pool will open on June 1st with open swim, and the morning swim will begin on June 5th. 

The American Legion Post 181 will be holding Memorial Day Services on Monday at 10 and 10:30am.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says there will be two services on Memorial Day.  If you can't attend on Monday, your asked to take a moment to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country at 3pm on Monday.

UW-Stout and UW-La Crosse are among the few UW campuses that won't be losing money by the end of next year according to a new report. UW President Jay Rothman yesterday said a new report shows every campus but Madison, Stout, and La Crosse will be in the red next year. Rothman continues to push lawmakers for more money for the UW System. Regents already raised tuition, and now Rothman wants an eight-percent increase in the next state budget. Rothman didn't rule out closing some campuses if things don't turn around.

Police in Chippewa Falls say they knew something was wrong the minute Abraham Sanchez-Galicia walked into the police station last Saturday. Prosecutors yesterday filed attempted homicide charges against him after he walked into the police station covered in blood. Chippewa Falls Police say it took a minute to figure out what was going on because of the language barrier, but eventually realized Sanchez-Galicia had been in a fight. That's when they went to a nearby home and found a man lying in a pool of blood. The man says Sanchez-Galicia attacked him, but Sanchez-Galicia says he was the one who was attacked. A judge ordered Sanchez-Galicia held on 50 thousand-dollars bond.

Eau Claire's newest meter maid is automated. The city's police department says it is using its license plate readers to issue parking tickets. Parking Administrator Todd Bohrer says they are using the readers to make sure everyone pays at city parking garages and parking lots. If you don't pay within 10 minutes, the parking lot readers ping the police, and they come and can write you a ticket. Bohrer says the idea is to use technology to replace the old stop arms, and to make sure everyone pays what they should when they park in Eau Claire.

There's a push from a Republican lawmaker to increase the amount of money Wisconsin pays for each kid in public school. Waukesha state Rep. Scott Allen yesterday introduced a plan that would add 300 dollars in each year of the new, two-year state budget to Wisconsin's per-pupil revenue limit. The state currently sets the base revenue limit for public schools at 10 thousand-dollars per-child. Local schools can then spend more local money on kids, but not every school spends the same amount. Allen says boosting the state minimum will help schools across the state get to a more equal level going forward.

Wisconsin's PFAS grant program is taking its next step at the Capitol. The plan, which would send money to local governments for PFAS testing and treatment costs, was assigned to a statehouse committee yesterday. Green Bay state Senator Eric Wimberger says communities across the state have been waiting for years for help with their local water supplies. This grant program is in addition to the 125-million-dollar grant program for future PFAS work that is being added to the new state budget.

Minnesota Governor Walz has vetoed a bill that would have required pay increases and offered legal protections for rideshare drivers in the state.  The governor says he supports fair wages and safe working conditions but he argues this bill was not the right solution.  He also signed an executive order to set up a commission made up of drivers, riders, and rideshare companies.  The commission is charged with studying the issue and providing recommendations for another rideshare bill in the next legislative session.  Only hours earlier, Uber had threatened to stop serving outside the metro Twin Cities area if Walz signed the bill.

Triple-A says Wisconsin will see more travelers this Memorial Day weekend than in the past three years. Triple-A expects about 800 thousand people to head out in the state over the long holiday weekend. That'd be the most since 830 thousand people hit the roads in Wisconsin over Memorial Day before the coronavirus outbreak back in 2019. Ninety percent of those people are expected to drive. Nationally, Triple-A expects just over 42 million people to make a trip between Friday and Monday. Today is expected to be the busiest day for travel of the long holiday weekend.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has some tips for keeping black bears away.  The DNR recommends keeping food cleaned up including grills, bird feeders, and trash.  The DNR says a lot of times when bears find food they'll return to that location.

An 18-year-old Waukesha man is charged after prosecutors say he was armed with a rifle a block from Waukesha North High School last month. Asahel Ali, who was 17 at the time, is charged with second-degree recklessly endangering safety and other counts from the April 14 incident. Ali was found in the backyard of his home near the school armed with a rifle. He surrendered without incident and the gun and a 30-round magazine were recovered. The criminal complaint states a bullet hole was found in the living room of Ali's home, and he had the spent casing in his pocket.

A gut punch for Milwaukee’s economy. Master Lock will close its plant in the city by March of next year. A Master Lock statement says the company will transition work from Milwaukee to other North American and global locations. The closure will impact some 300 workers. Mayor Cavalier Johnson called that “a slap in the face” to those employees. Master Lock has operated in the city since 1921.

 Dane County judge has set a trial date for the lawsuit against a group of false electors for the 2020 presidential election just ahead of the 2024 election.  Judge Frank Remington will hear arguments in the case in September of next year. Two of Wisconsin's Democrat electors sued a group of 10 Republicans who falsely cast electoral college ballots for Donald Trump in 2020 after the race had been called for Joe Biden at both the circuit courts and the state Supreme Court. The Republican plan was to have those votes in place if Trump was later declared the winner. Current Wisconsin Elections Commission member Bob Spindell is one of the electors who cast ballots for Trump.

A woman has died following a fire in Reedsburg.   The fire broke out before 4 a.m. on Tuesday at a home on West 2nd Street in Reedsburg. Firefighters had to smash out a window to reach a woman trapped on the 2nd floor of the home.  She was taken to the hospital but died of her injuries. The fire is not considered suspicious, but the cause remains under investigation.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' camera that captures the lives of a family of peregrine falcons has revealed two additions to the family. Two of the four eggs that were laid this year have hatched.  The live-camera feed of the nest originates from the video camera that has been mounted on the 26th floor of the Town Square Tower in downtown St. Paul for more than a decade.  A DNR official sys the eggs hatched Friday and the chicks will grow fairly quickly.  They're expected to take flight and leave the nest within 35 to 45 days. 

Local-Regional News May 25

 The City of Durand will be spraying for mosquitoes tonight.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the spraying will begin at about 7pm.  The spray lasts for about 24hrs and it costs the city approximately $1000 each time they spray.  The city will have 3 more sprays remaining, and the plan is to use the next spray before Durand Fun Fest.

We now know who was killed in the fire in northern Dunn County back in March. The Dunn County Sheriff's Office yesterday said they used DNA to identify Dennis Miller, Sr. as the man who died in the fire. He was trapped in his house in the Township of New Haven when it caught fire. The home burned to the ground. No one is saying what caused that fire.

The Pierce Pepin Cares board approved a $1,500 grant for the Durand Fire Relief Association.  The Durand Fire Relief Association requested a grant to purchase a new Tender (water truck) to replace its 1990 GMC Topkick tender.  Pierce Pepin Cares grants are awarded quarterly by the Pierce Pepin Cares board of directors.  The next application deadline is June 15.

Altoona is going to pay more for EMS service from Eau Claire. Eau Claire's city council on Tuesday agreed to charge Altoona 15 dollars per person for ambulance service for the next four years. Back in 2018, the two cities agreed to a deal that charged Altoona 12-dollars per-person. The new deal ends talk of Altoona striking out on its own for EMS service. Eau Claire's city attorney says the city needs to charge more because Altoona is using more of Eau Claire's EMS crews. Forty-three percent of EMS calls outside of Eau Claire came from Altoona last year.

We're going to have to wait for an updated plea in La Crosse's triple murder from back in 2021. Khamthaneth Rattanasack was in court yesterday for a scheduled plea hearing, but the judge put that on hold because of a disagreement over a DNA test for his co-defendant. The two are accused of shooting three people in a rock quarry in the Town of Hamilton in July of 2021. Investigators say the shooting came after a fight over stolen credit cards. While Rattanasack's plea is on hold, the other man charged in the case Nya Thao, is scheduled to go on trial next month.

Wisconsin's governor is going around the state to look for potholes. Governor Tony Evers yesterday launched what his office is calling the Pothole Patrol for 2023. The idea is to highlight Wisconsin's roads. The governor is also using the tour as a way to criticize Republican lawmakers who have dismissed his budget plan that looked to spend hundreds of millions of dollars from Wisconsin's surplus on new roads. The governor ran for office back in 2018 by promising to 'fix the damn roads.'

Wisconsin lawmakers are taking another look at new rules for licenses to work in the state. A Senate panel today will hold a hearing on five different plans to study how Wisconsin's professional licensing system is working, and what can be done to make it better. Republican lawmakers have been demanding answers from the state's Department of Safety and Professional Services for over a year about the months-long delay people face when trying to get or renew their license to work. One of the plans up for a hearing today will take a look at how other states handle their professional licenses, and whether Wisconsin can copy their ideas.

Minnesota Governor Walz has signed into law a ban on the collection of wild turtles in the state.  Nonprofit researchers say each year,  for-profit trappers collect thousands of turtles from Minnesota's waterways.  A study has shown that turtle populations are lower in lakes where commercial trapping had occurred.  Researchers say, unlike wild game such as deer, wild turtles take many years to mature and reproduce.

At least a half-million dollars in coronavirus grants went out the door in Wisconsin without any proof that the money was needed.  A new audit blames Wisconsin's Department of Health Services for mismanaging COVID grants and the state's ventilator program.  About a third of the grants the auditors reviewed didn't have any documentation 'to support their applicants or the amounts requested.'  Auditors also found that DHS didn't track many of the 15-hundred ventilators the state bought for 39-million dollars during the early days of the outbreak.  Six of those ventilators are missing.

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Minneapolis-based Target is removing products from its stores that celebrate the upcoming Pride Month as well as the LGBTQ community.  The national retailer is responding to threats directed at workers.  Some of the merchandise includes a rainbow-colored, tuck-friendly swimsuit made for transgenders as well as drag queen shirts.  In recent days, there have been reports of some customers trashing the Pride sections at Target stores and being aggressive with store workers.  The retailer also received threatening phone calls on its customer phone line.

A national report indicates Wisconsin has a higher percentage of prisoners incarcerated for crimes committed as youth than any state except Louisiana.   The new report from the nonprofit organization Human Rights For Kids shows more than 7% of adult prison inmates committed crimes when they were 17 or younger. That's more than double the percentage nationwide. Wisconsin also has the fourth highest racial disparity among prisoners incarcerated for crimes committed as youth. Blacks make up just less than 8% of the state's population, but 60% of offenders are held for crimes committed when they were young.

Ashwaubenon wants fewer short-term rentals around Lambeau Field.  The village board voted on Tuesday to require all short-term rentals to rent out their homes for six nights, at a minimum. Village officials say they get countless complaints that the rentals through VRBO or AirBNB are ruining neighborhoods. The village says 7 percent of the properties around Lambeau Field are now short-term rentals as compared to the 1 percent in the rest of the village. The owners of the properties say this will put them out of business.

Wausau will be suing PFAS manufacturers to recoup the costs of cleanup.  Wausau's city council voted unanimously on Tuesday night to join a lawsuit against the companies that make the forever chemicals that are contaminating the city's water supply. Mayor Katie Rosenberg said that the goal of the lawsuit is to fight for the residents of Wausau and help the city pay for the costs affiliated with solving the problem. Companies including Tyco Fire Products, 3M, DuPont, Dow, and others have been sued by more than a dozen states due to PFAS contamination. 3M has a factory in Wausau.

An Oshkosh police officer has been cleared in a March shooting incident.  The Winnebago County District Attorney’s office says the man involved in the shooting incident was accused of making threats to a homeless woman.  When the suspect’s car was located in downtown Oshkosh, police made contact with the suspect.  The man then reportedly backed his car into one of the squad cars on the scene, then drove at one of the officers who fired at and hit the suspect, who survived the shooting and is currently incarcerated in Milwaukee.

St. Paul and Minneapolis are at the top of the list nationally for park systems.  St. Paul remains number two in the study conducted by the Trust for Public Land.  The Minneapolis park system rose to the number three spot after they were number five.  The top spot goes to Washington, D.C.  Some of the factors used to measure parklands were access, improvements, and racial equity

Local-Regional News May 24

 Western Wisconsin's congressman is wearing his ban from Russia with pride. Congressman Derrick Van Orden yesterday said it's a good thing that he is one of the 500 Americans on a new 'banned' list. Van Orden says it shows that Vladimir Putin and 'the group of criminals around him' understand that some people in Congress still oppose the invasion of Ukraine. Van Orden says he's not too worried about the ban, adding he wasn't planning on going to Russia anytime soon anyway.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include reports from the mayor, city administrator, and department heads and the council will also discuss and vote on a by-laws change to the Durand Ambulance Service to reflect the new officer team.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall and will be live-streamed on our YouTube Channel at Durand Broadcasting WRDN.

There's an expectation that Minnesota's legalization of marijuana will lead to more pot busts in western Wisconsin. Police in Eau Claire yesterday said with legal weed now just an hour-or-so away, more marijuana could find its way into the city. Minnesota became the 23rd state in the nation to legalize pot on Monday when the governor signed the new law. Eau Claire Police reminded everyone yesterday that marijuana possession is still illegal in Wisconsin.

Chippewa Falls police are asking for an end to illegal dumping at the city’s senior center.   In a Facebook post, the police department implores people to stop illegal dumping during the annual Chippewa Falls Area Senior Center scrap metal drive. The event raises between $7,000 and $9,000, but part of the funds will be used this year to install security cameras and haul away old furniture, appliances and garbage that have been left at the drop-off site. The post noted that the drive is intended to take items that are all metal — not TVs, computers or household appliances.

Another local community is having difficulty finding lifeguards for their pool.  Tactics Pine Island is using to attract possible hires include increased wages from $11 to $13 an hour and waiving certification fees, which could run anywhere from $200-$300.   The community also struggled to find lifeguards during the covid-19 pandemic.  The Pine Island Pool is set to open on June 6th.  The pool at Tarrant Park in Durand is set to open on June 1st.

A Monroe County deputy is out of a job after his K9 partner died from the heat earlier this month. The sheriff's office yesterday said Detective Alex Maas resigned from the department. He'd been on administrative leave since his K9 partner, Kolt, died from the heat last week. The dog was rushed to the vet on May 10th after being locked in a hot car, he never recovered. The Vernon County Sheriff's Office and Juneau County District Attorney's Office are helping with the investigation into the dog's death. That investigation, the sheriff says, is on-going.

A Jackson County man who was found not competent for killing his father nearly ten years ago will be released to live in Juneau County.  29yr old Lars Helgeson admitted to killing his father Brian at a family farm in Hixton in 2013. In 2017, he was found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect and was committed for life to the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services.  Helgeson had petitioned the court for release from the Mendota Health Institute and Jackson County Judge Mark Goodman ruled that Helgeson was no longer a danger to himself or others and could be released and live in Juneau County.  He will not be allowed to have any contact with the victim's families without consent.

Wisconsin is joining the lawsuit against a telemarketer accused of unleashing billions or robocalls. Attorney General Josh Kaul yesterday said the state is looking to hold Avid Telecom and its owner accountable. Kaul says Avid sent or transmitted more than seven-and-a-half billion robocalls to people on the Do Not Call List between December 2018 and January of this year. Every state in the nation except for Alaska is part of the suit as well.

Wisconsin lawmakers are demanding an outside investigation into the state's veterans' homes. The budget-writing Joint Finance Committee yesterday ordered the Department of Veterans Affairs to bring someone in, and look at the staffing shortages and lack of care at both the King and Union Grove Veterans homes. Vets and their families have complained for years about poor quality care, and nurses at the homes have complained for just as long about the lack of support and people to cover shifts. The VA has said King and Union Grove are among the most problematic in the country. State Rep. Mark Born yesterday blamed Governor Evers for a 'failure of leadership' for the troubles at the homes.

A pair of lawmakers from Green Bay are selling the idea of state help for the NFL Draft as an investment. State Rep. David Steffen and State Senator Rob Cowles yesterday asked for two-million dollars to help pay for the draft, which is set to come to Green Bay in 2025. The two say the draft will have a 94-million-dollar economic impact on Green Bay, and bring hundreds of thousands of people to the city. The pair say that compared to that, two-million dollars from the state is money well spent.

The city of Madison is still going to sue Kia and Hyundai over their easy-to-steal cars. The two car companies last week announced a 200-million-dollar settlement for people who've had their cars stolen over the past couple of years. Madison City Attorney Michael Haas says that's not stopping the city's case. Haas says Kia and Hyundai's settlement applies to individual people, Madison's lawsuit he says applies to the city. Madison wants the two carmakers to pay for the 270-percent spike in stolen Kias and Hyundais over the past year or so.

Wisconsin lawmakers are considering a plan to add Narcan to first aid kits in the state's schools. A Senate panel will hold a hearing on the proposal later this morning. Schools are already required to have first aid kits, and schools are already allowed to distribute anti-opioid medicine like Narcan. This new plan would combine the two ideas, and require Narcan in first aid kits for public and private schools across the state.

Sun Country Airlines flight attendants are rejecting a recent contract offer.  Ninety-six percent of the more than 600 union members of the Minneapolis-based carrier voted yesterday against the proposed deal.  Flight attendants want Sun Country to increase wages and reward staffers for the voluntary furloughs that several took during the pandemic.  The International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 120 and the airline reached a tentative agreement this March following an informational picket at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Minnesota is seeing an increase in the number of ATV-related injuries and deaths.  The State Department of Natural Resources is warning riders to be properly trained and prepared before operating ATVs.  A training officer with the department told KARE11 that there were 22 deadly ATV crashes last year, and "and none of them had ATV safety."  Information on safety courses is available on the department's website.

If you're looking for a vacation rental this summer, make sure you're not getting scammed. State Consumer Protection's Michelle Reinen says you should do some research to make sure that VRBO or AirBNB is real.  If you're looking at more traditional rentals, be sure to read your rental agreement closely, and look for reliable reviews of the property before you make a reservation.

Get your vehicle or trail pass before visiting one of the state's many outdoor recreation areas. Wisconsin has 50 state parks, 15 state forests and 44 state bike trails. If you're headed to one this weekend, you'll need a daily or annual admission sticker for your vehicle. The annual pass is $28 for Wisconsin residents. If you're headed to a state trail, make sure you have a state trail pass, as wardens will be out checking passes this weekend. Annual passes are $25, and daily passes are $5. The Department of Natural Resources says you can save time by buying these stickers and passes online at DNR dot Wisconsin dot gov.

Local-Regional News May 23

 Boaters on the Mississippi River in Wabasha need to be aware the no-wake zone buoys have not been placed due to the high water.  The Wabasha County Sheriff's Department reported on social media that because of the high water, the buoys can float away and so Wabasha City Crews will be placing them as soon as they can.  The Sherrif's Department water patrol will be out this weekend and the department is urging a safe boating season.

An Alma man is in custody on suspicion of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence -7th offense.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department,  on Saturday night, deputies on patrol saw  40yr old Chad Abramczk speeding.  The Deputies caught up to Abramczk as he turned into a driveway at 320 North hwy 35 in the city of Alma.  As the deputy got out of his vehicle he noticed  Abramczk exited the driver's seat and threw an open beer can to the ground and ran to the back of the home.  He was arrested and will be back in court on May 31st.  

Expect to see additional law enforcement out and about this weekend enforcing seat belt laws.  The national click or tick it program is designed to get voluntary compliance with wearing seat belts.  The Buffalo County Sheriff's Department announced they will have extra patrols on Saturday from 6pm-4am Sunday on Hwy 35 from Alma to the Trempealeau County Line and on Sunday from 4pm-Midnight on Hwy 10 from the Trempealeau County Line to the Pepin County Line.  

A western Wisconsin man is headed for a new trial after withdrawing his guilty plea in a 2017 double murder. An Eau Claire County judge yesterday allowed Wayne Price to change his plea. He initially pleaded guilty to killing his sister and her boyfriend six years ago, but he now says his lawyers didn't advise him of all of his options. Price is serving a 30-year sentence as part of that original plea deal. He will now be re-charged, and held on a million-dollars bond until prosecutors can set a trial date.

The decade-long search for a wanted suspect in Chippewa County has ended. Randy Cain appeared in court last Friday to answer charges that he sexually touched a 16-year-old boy back in 2013. Prosecutors charged him at the time, but Cain then fled to Puerto Rico. He was arrested this spring in the Dominican Republic. Prosecutors say he visited the US Embassy there. Cain is being held on 200 thousand dollars bond and is due back in court in Chippewa Falls next month.

Wisconsin's DNR says the state's elk population continues to grow. Wildlife managers say the elk herd in the state should top 500 by this summer. Wisconsin re-introduced elk to the state back in 1995 with 25 elk in. Wisconsin added 150 more in 2014, and the numbers have only grown since then. The DNR says the population is healthy enough to sustain an elk hunting season that began back in 2018.

Senator Tammy Baldwin visited New Richmond yesterday to talk with Saint Croix County-area veterans about veterans' benefits and the recently passed PACT Act.  The PACT Act greatly expands VA Healthcare coverage for veterans who were exposed to toxic waste from open-air burn pits.  Veterans gathered to share stories of their service with Baldwin — as well as their health issues and how the PACT Act changed their struggle to be treated. County Veterans Service Officers were also present to explain how the bill made efforts to connect veterans to much-deserved benefits easier and simpler.

The State Supreme Court is set to decide if one of Wisconsin's largest service organizations is exempt from paying unemployment tax.  Catholic Charities Bureau is challenging an appellate court ruling that it must pay into Wisconins's unemployment system rather than a separate program run by Catholic dioceses. The court agreed with a ruling from the Labor and Industry Review Commission that Catholic Charities provides mainly secular services and isn't a ministerial group despite being a branch of the church. Catholic Charites says the ruling violates long-standing religious exemptions for the Church. 

We should get a better sense of the split between Republicans at the Wisconsin Capitol over shared revenue today. The State Senate is holding its first hearing on its proposal. Republicans in both the Senate and the Assembly want to use some of the state's sales tax dollars to send more money to local governments, but there's a disagreement over a proposed Milwaukee sales tax increase. Assembly Republicans want voters to have a say, while Senate Republicans want to allow Milwaukee and Milwaukee County leaders to vote instead. The split is threatening to derail the plan to share more than 500 million-dollars in state money with local governments across the state.

The NFL world is coming to Green Bay in the spring of 2025. The league yesterday announced that Green Bay will host the draft in two years. It's part of the NFL's new approach to move the Draft to different cities, and expand the celebration. Green Bay leaders are expecting hundreds of thousands of people to turn out for the Draft. Kansas City hosted the draft this year, and leaders there say over 300 thousand people turned-out over the Draft's three days. Green Bay only has 160 thousand people in-all. Green Bay can also see snow in April.

A  plane landed in a Cross Plains field Saturday.  The Dane County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the emergency landing in that field by a a single-engine Cessna 172 flying from Minnesota to Illinois.  The Federal Aviation Administration says the pilot described having engine trouble from a suspected oil leak, necessitating the landing. The pilot and passenger in the plane were uninjured.    The FAA said it is investigating the situation.

Two Central Wisconsin teens are dead following a Saturday car crash.  An email sent to parents from the D.C. Everest School District says said the Everest High School students, identified as senior Emily Lewerenz and junior Danny Johnson, died in the crash.  The school plans to have a formal announcement on Monday morning to make sure all students are made aware. The D.C. district says they will provide additional counseling resources in response to the deaths.  The district’s email provided no further details about the crash.

A substantial fish kill is reported in Shawano County.  The Wisconsin DNR says they have been taking samples of the waters from the North Branch of the Embarrass River after they first received reports about the dead fish in the river Tuesday evening, The agency has not confirmed what is killing off the fish as they continue to investigate what contaminated the water there.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is asking the public to assist turtles during their nesting season.   Wisconsin's 11 turtle species are active from May to late June as they emerge to lay eggs. Their nesting migration often puts them in danger by crossing roads and traveling through residential areas. According to the DNR, female turtles being hit by vehicles is a leading cause of the state's declining turtle population. In addition, turtle nests are highly susceptible to predators and some people steal eggs from them. The public can protect turtle nests on their property with nest cages, and by driving carefully near lakes, rivers, and wetlands.

The Minnesota Legislature has approved a huge bill that benefits those who fish and hunt.  The bill will send 308 million dollars to the Department of Natural Resources.  Funding will cover the cost of rebuilding the Waterville fish hatchery.  Thirty-five million dollars will be used for new gravel, docks, bathroom facilities, and other improvements to boat access infrastructure on lakes and rivers.  The measure also calls for a moratorium against establishing new deer farms to offset the spread of chronic wasting disease.

Minnesota has the worst pothole problem in the nation.  That's according to QuoteWizard.  The online insurance services platform analyzed Google searches for pothole-related complaints this year and found that the Land of Ten-Thousand Lakes ranked number-one, followed by California and Washington.  They also ranked U.S. cities, and Minneapolis came in second-place.  Duluth came in seventh.

Local-Regional News May 22

 A Mondovi man is being held on a $750,000 cash bond after causing a fatal accident in Eau Clarir last week.  On Friday, 40yr old Kenneth Van Meter was charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, and first-degree recklessly endangering safety in Eau Claire County Court.  According to the criminal complaint, witnesses saw Van Meter driving at a high rate of speed before colliding with a vehicle driven by  56yr old Tammy Jarecki of Eau Claire.  When police talked to Van Meter they said his speech was slow and slurred.  His next court appearance is June 13.

 Sunshine and seasonal to seasonably warm temperatures are in store for the week ahead. However, smoke and haze from the wildfires in Canada are expected to return to Western Wisconsin and East Central Minnesota today as upper-level winds shift out of the north. This could create some issues with air quality levels locally.  The smoke and haze can be expected for the first part of the week.

The man who shot and killed two Barron County police officers last month was a known threat who had a 'declining mental status.' A new report into Glenn Perry, the man who police say shot and killed officers Emily Breidenbach and Hunter Scheel, describes him as angry and armed. The report, which was released Friday, says Perry's father warned police about him. That warning came after Perry's daughter said he hated cops. Investigators say Perry used a rifle that he legally bought to shoot and kill the two officers. The report says Officer Scheel shot Perry in the leg, which caused him to bleed out. The report also says by killing Perry, the officers prevented Perry from possibly killing other people.

Two people were injured in a single-vehicle accident in Trempealeau Township on Thursday night.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriffs Department, a vehicle was traveling northbound on Hwy 35, when the driver lost control, entered the ditch, and overturned, causing both the driver and passenger to be ejected.  Both were taken to the hospital with serious injuries.  The driver was cited for OWI.  Alcohol is believed to be a factor in that accident.

Those traveling along Hwy 93 near Arcadia will have to find an alternate route on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Construction crews will be replacing a culver near German Coulee Road and Hwy 93 will be closed.  The designated detour will be Hwy F and motorists are advised to give themselves extra time as Hwy F is a narrow road and there will be more traffic on it due to the closure of Hwy 93.

Wisconsin gas prices jumped four cents on Friday.  According to Triple-A, the Badger State average for regular rose to three-45 a gallon yesterday, eight cents higher than last Friday, but seven cents lower than this time last month.   Here is Western Wisconsin gas was costing anywhere from 3.36 to 3.59 a gallon as of early this morning.   The national average was up a penny, to three-54 a gallon.

The top Democrat in the Wisconsin Assembly wants to see more changes to the shared revenue plan being forwarded by Assembly Republicans. Minority Leader Greta Neubauer was on Capital City Sunday yesterday. She said the plan from Assembly Republicans goes too far with some of its spending restrictions. Her biggest criticism is that the plan 'micromanages' the city of Milwaukee. Neubauer and the Democrats at the State Capitol have been very clear about their opposition to the plan, but they don't have the votes to stop it.

Kids going into high school next year could have to take a class on credit, investing, insurance, and money management in order to graduate. A State senate panel will hold a hearing this week on a plan to require a financial literacy class. The idea, supporters say, is to make sure young people have the proper financial mindset when they are done with high school. Schools across the state don't have a problem with the idea of teaching financial literacy, but they do oppose another mandate from the state legislature.

An 18-year-old from Madison is looking at federal charges after investigators say he hacked thousands of sports betting accounts. Federal prosecutors last week charged Joseph Garrison with computer and wire fraud charges. They say he stole 600-thousand dollars from people who'd signed-up for online gambling websites. Investigators say he used stolen usernames and passwords to access 60-thousand accounts. If convicted on all charges, Garrison could spend nearly 60 years in prison.

A bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Minnesota is awaiting Governor Walz's signature.  On Saturday, the state Senate gave its final stamp of approval on legislation that would allow adults over 21 to carry up to two ounces of weed in public and possess two pounds at home.  The measure allows Minnesotans 21 and older to buy up to two ounces of cannabis flower, eight grams of concentrate, and 800 milligrams worth of edible products at a time.  The legislation will also automatically expunge low-level cannabis convictions. 

Wisconsin hits another record low for unemployment.   The state’s latest jobs report from the Department of Workforce Development shows a drop of a tenth of a point in the unemployment rate in April, bringing the number to 2.4 percent.  That’s the third straight month the jobless rate has fallen to a record number.  The report also notes that Wisconsin added 3,800 jobs over the month and over 50,000 jobs over the past 12 months.  Wisconsin’s unemployment number now sits a full percentage point under the national rate.

Hundreds of workers at a Madison-based insurance company are going on strike.  Around 450 CUNA Mutual Group employees headed to picket lines Friday in their first ever strike in the union's 80-year history. The announcement from Local 39, a union made up of office and professional employees, follows a year of failed negotiations on benefits, pensions, and outsourcing at the company. Last month, Local 39 voted to authorize a strike lasting up to a week, with 92% of ballots in favor of allowing the strike.

As expected, the Wisconsin State Senate is not on board with the shared revenue bill passed by the Assembly this week. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has said negotiations on the legislation to provide additional state revenue to local governments are over. But Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu on Thursday said a Senate version would delete a requirement for Milwaukee city and county voters to approve sales tax increases. The Oostburg Republican called Vos' decision to end negotiations "disappointing," and said his goal is to pass a bill Governor Tony Evers will sign. A spokesperson for  Tony Evers said the governor agrees with LeMahieu and appreciates the majority leader’s willingness to continue negotiations. 

There are new questions at the Henry Vilas Zoo as the UW Veterinary School prepares to end its contract with the zoo. UW will cut ties with the zoo at the end of June. The decision was made back in December, the school says the zoo needed more time from veterinary students than the school could afford. But the end of the relationship comes as a former zoo employee claims the heavy reliance on veterinary students left some Henry Vilas animals with insufficient care. Zoo managers and UW officials both dispute the former worker's claims. The complaint is the latest trouble for the zoo, and follows a series of investigations into the zoo manager and working conditions at the zoo.

Police in the Grant County community of Boscobel report a father and son are dead after an apparent murder-suicide. Police Chief Jaden McCullick said officers sent to a home in the city around 7 a.m. Thursday found the bodies of a 58-year-old man and a 32-year old man later determined to be father and son. McCullick said both men died after being shot.

Local-Regional News May 19

 Dunn County leaders are asking for the state to help renovate one of UW-Stout's oldest buildings. The county wants lawmakers to include Heritage Hall in the new state budget. Heritage is over 50 years old, and the university says it needs about 140-million dollars worth of work. A 2020 feasibility study said the needs are pressing. The Dunn County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday approved a resolution formally asking for the money.

The Mondovi City Council approved ordering new decorative street lights for the downtown.  During the last council meeting members discussed ordering street lights now for the South Eau Claire Street project even though the current project is north eau claire street.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the council wanted both North and South Eau Claire Street to look the same.  Crews are currently working on a rebuild of North Eau Claire Street to the city limits.

With the Tarrent Park pool most likely in its last year of use, the city of Durand is still planning for a new pool.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the council will be deciding some issues over the next few meetings.  The last time bids were submitted for a new pool they came in over budget by 33 percent.

 Wisconsin is looking to set aside 125-million dollars for PFAS contamination across the state. The budget-writing Joint Finance Committee yesterday agreed to create a trust fund to help local communities deal with PFAS in their local water supplies. State Rep. Mark Born says Wisconsin needs to take some time and figure out the best strategy for dealing with PFAS contamination, but he said setting 125-million dollars aside now will guarantee there will be money in the future to address the state's needs. Democrats at the Capitol are happy with the trust fund, but want the Republican-controlled legislature to do more about water quality right away.

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance for information regarding the drive-by shooting of an occupied residence in Clark County.  According to the sheriff's department, the shooting occurred on November 6th 2022 at approximately 7:35pm. The suspect vehicle fired multiple rounds while traveling eastbound on Granton Road striking a residence.  Anyone with information is to contact the Clark County Sheriff's Department.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has released new studies on birth outcomes in the state.   Data shows the state's overall stillbirth rate has been decreasing over the last ten years and is now lower than the national rate. The report shows the stillbirth rate was 4.9 per 1,000 live births and fetal deaths in 2021. But Dr. Jasmine Zapata, DHS Chief Medical Officer for Maternal Health, said significant disparities in infant deaths are a continued health crisis that will take a comprehensive approach to resolve.

Minnesota legislators are moving forward with an exemption for Mayo Clinic hospitals from nurse-staffing legislation.  A conference committee amended the "Keep Nurses at the Bedside Act" Thursday to exclude all Mayo Clinics in the state from the bill's requirements.  The measure aims to create staffing committees to determine staffing levels for hospitals.  The amended version still needs approval from the House and Senate.

Minnesota lawmakers are making a deal on a three-billion dollar plan for one-time tax rebate checks.  The proposal calls for single Minnesota residents who make up to 75-thousand dollars a year to get a one-time refundable tax credit of 260-dollars, and married residents who make up to 150-thousand dollars would get 520-dollars.  There will also be an increased credit for families with children- offering 260-dollars more per child for up to three children.  The deal still needs approval from the House and Senator before heading to Governor Walz to be signed.

Upper Iowa University is closing its regional education centers in Wisconsin.  According to the Cedar Rapids Gazete, 22 people who work on Upper Iowa's campus in Fayette are losing their jobs. All six of Upper Iowa's regional centers in Wisconsin and its only regional center in Illinois will close, and 15 employees who work at those sites will be laid off. The newspaper reports the university is refocusing on areas with the highest enrollment. Upper Iowa's first regional education center opened in Madison, Wisconsin in 1981. That center is among the seven being closed.

Nearly all of Wollersheim Winery's red grape crop will be lost this year after an unusual stretch of hot weather in April caused most of the vines to bloom prematurely.  The Sauk City area winery's red grape crop makes up the majority of vines on site and contributes to the making of several "estate wines."  Winemaker Philippe Coquard says it's the worst year he's had in his nearly 40 years of winemaking in Wisconsin. 

The Wisconsin Supreme Court says a woman who was sexually assaulted by a basketball coach when she was 13 waited too long to sue the league where she played.  The court yesterday rejected the woman's lawsuit against the AAU.  She sued the league under  Wisconsin's law that allows for civil suits in abuse cases until someone is 35-years-old.  She got her suit filed not long before her 35th birthday, but the court said because the law only applies to churches and religious orders, or the abusers themselves, the woman missed the deadline.  The abuse happened in the 1990s.  The man who abused her was convicted, and sentenced n 2016 to 13 years in prison.

The leader of the Wisconsin state Senate wants changes to a shared revenue bill. Assembly Speaker Robin said Wednesday that negotiations on the bill are done “We feel like six months worth of time was enough negotiations now it's time to act we want to get this across the finish line because we have the rest of the budget to do.” But state Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu told the Associated Press on Thursday his caucus would likely strip out a provision that would require approval from voters in Milwaukee to raise local sales taxes. Vos said could kill the bill that the Assembly passed.

A federal judge won't issue an immediate shutdown of an oil pipeline that runs through a Native American reservation.  Judge William Conley says the request from the Bad River Tribe of Lake Superior Chippewa to shut down portions of an Enbridge oil pipeline isn't something he can do. The Bad River Tribe successfully won a fight to get the pipeline removed after easements for the line expired in 2013 and were never renewed. But the Tribe and Enbridge have been at odds about what to do with the existing pipe while Enbridge works out a reroute around tribal lands. The Tribe says the existing line is failing and needs to be shut down immediately, Enbridge says tribal leadership won't let the company come repair the line.

The annual Cows on the Concourse returns to downtown Madison.  The event which will get National Dairy Month festivities going is themed “Who Let the Cows Out.”   The June 3rd happening will give Madisonians the opportunity to meet up with Wisconsin dairy cows and dairy farmers. The free event running from 8 A.M.’til 1 P.M. will also include a scavenger hunt and grilled cheese sandwiches.  You can find out more by clicking the link on the homepage at “Dane County Dairy dot com”.

One of Wisconsin's congressmen is the fastest man in Congress, again. Congressman Mike Gallagher won the ACLI Capital Challenge Wednesday. It's a 5k race for members of Congress and others at the Capitol. This is the sixth straight year that Gallagher has won the race. He completed the race in just over 20 minutes. The race is held each year in support of Junior Achievement USA. Gallagher has not lost a race since 2017.

Local-Regional News May 18

 As the shared revenue plan moves through the Wisconsin Legislature, what will it mean for cities like Durand and Mondovi.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the one question city leaders have is will the new money have to be dedicated to something.  The state assembly passed the plan last night, it now moves on to the state senate.

The Durand Police Department has a new summer intern.  Joslyn Carothers was named the intern for the summer.  Durand Police Chief Stan Ridgeway says Carothers will be helping out the department with National Night Out and other events. The department is gearing up for a busy summer season with all the events that happen in Durand during the summer.

The building of Cedar Corp, the engineering firm for the City of Durand has been damaged.  According to city of Menomonie authorities, workers found the building damaged on Tuesday morning after an interior beam fell and collapsed onto the first floor.  The building was evacuated and Wilson Avenue was closed around the building.  No one was hurt in that incident and crews will assess if the building can be repaired and used again.

Eau Claire's health department is asking for help in finding a dog that bit a woman.  It happened Tuesday evening at the intersection of Speros Lane and Meadow Lane.  The health department says the dog took off after biting the woman.  Public health managers say they need to find the dog to see if it has rabies.  The dog is described as a medium to large mixed breed, mostly brown in color.  The dog's ears were pointed and had a small amount of black.  Anyone who knows about the dog should call the health department.

The sheriff in Monroe County says one of their police dogs died from the heat.  The K9, Kolt, was rushed to the vet last Wednesday, but never recovered and died on Monday.  Forecasters say it was about 80 degrees on Wednesday in Monroe County.  The sheriff's office isn't saying just how hot it was in the car where Kolt was riding, or how the dog was left in the heat.  The sheriff's office says they are investigating, and said one of their deputies has been placed on leave until the investigation is over.

The game of chicken over the plan from Wisconsin Republicans to send a half-billion dollars more to local governments has begun.  Republicans in the State Assembly last night approved their shared revenue plan, despite the fact the Senate Republicans and  Governor Tony Evers are not fully on-board.  Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said he's done negotiating on the plan.  The governor said earlier in the day that he was 'optimistic' about the negotiations.  The plan approved by the Assembly last night made a few changes, including increasing the amount of money for local governments, changing some of the requirements for local advisory referendum questions, and giving local public health managers a bit more power in emergency situations.  The plan could change some more once state senators take it up next.

Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin has joined other senators to introduce the AM for every vehicle act.  If passed, the bill would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue a rule that requires automakers to maintain AM broadcast radio in their vehicles without a separate or additional payment, fee, or surcharge. The Government Accountability Office would also be required to study whether alternative communication systems could fully replicate the reach and effectiveness of AM broadcast radio for alerting the public to emergencies. 

Minnesota is set to receive tens of millions of dollars in a youth vaping settlement.  The Attorney General's Office filed a lawsuit against e-cigarette makers JUUL and Altria.  It accused them of marketing products to a younger audience.  The settlement will bring 60.5-million dollars into Minnesota- Attorney General Keith Ellison says it will be spent on fighting vaping, smoking, and tobacco use.

 Two of Wisconsin's biggest companies are in a court squabble over a parking lot in Eau Claire.  Festival Foods filed a lawsuit earlier this month against Menards to try and recoup the costs of repaving the parking lot at their store on Mall Drive in Eau Claire.  Menards is the landlord for the property.  Festival says it paid three-hundred-eight thousand dollars to repave the parking lot, and now it wants that amount taken off of its rent.  That would be a 40 percent discount according to Festival.  Menards isn't talking about the suit.

Wisconsin collected the most drugs of any state during the most recent drug take-back day.  The Wisconsin Department of Justice says nearly 55-thousand-500 pounds of unwanted medication were surrendered this spring.  That's the most of any state and over a thousand pounds more than what Wisconsin received in the fall.  Since drug take-back days started in 2010 Wisconsin has received the third-most drugs of any state.

No charges will be filed in the death of a Grant County man who went missing for three months. That’s the determination of the county’s sheriff, Nate Dreckman in the case of Ronald Henry, who went missing from a farmhouse near Lancaster and was later found dead near the home.   An autopsy showed that Henry died from hypothermia with methamphetamine being a "contributing factor."  Last week, Dreckman mentioned he’d meet with the Grant County District Attorney to discuss possible charges against whoever supplied Henry with the meth, but Dreckman announced no charges would be filed after the meeting happened.

A Minnesota man is being charged for stealing the famous ruby red slippers worn by Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz."  A Minnesota grand jury indicted 76-year-old Terry J. Martin in the 2005 theft of the slippers from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids.  The slippers were recovered by police during a sting operation in Minneapolis in 2018.  They are one of just four known surviving pairs from the 1939 movie and are currently valued at three-and-a-half-million dollars.

The value of Wisconsin farmland is increasing.  A report from University of Wisconsin Madison's Division of Extension says the average price of agricultural land sold in Wisconsin last year was $5,551 per acre. That's an increase of just over 11% from 2021, and 23-and-a-half percent from 2020.  A representative from Extension says the increase in cost in likely caused by farmers looking to retire.

Green Bay is getting a lot of attention as U.S. News & World Report's new number one best place to live.  The magazine came out with its rankings yesterday.  Green Bay gets high marks for affordability, quality of life, and the job market.  U.S. News says it is the home to the Packers, but also a 'thriving entertainment and arts scene, revitalized downtown, and two college campuses.'  Madison is ranked 11th on U.S. News' list.  The other Top Five cities include Huntsville, Alabama, Raleigh & Durham, North Carolina, Boulder, Colorado, Sarasota, Florida.

Local-Regional News May 17

 The Durand-Arkansaw School Board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include the setting of the Summer School Course offerings and staff, setting breakfast and lunch prices for next year,  and reports from the district superintendent and building administrators.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6pm in the board room at Durand-Arkansaw High School.

The Durand City Rural Fire Departments Spring Dinner and Dance is this Saturday from Noon-10pm at the fire hall.  According to firefighter Matt Gillis this year's goal is to raise money for a new tender truck.  Chicken Dinners will be served from Noon-7pm with music from 40 Fingers from 1-5 and the Whitesidewalls from 6:30-9:30.  

The Mondovi City Council has approved accepting bids for a new library.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the community support has made the project possible.  The plans will still have to receive state approval, but it is hoped to have bids received sometime in June or July.

There is a person in custody for last Friday's deadly wreck in Eau Claire. Officers say Kenneth Van Meter was drunk and speeding when he crashed into a car last Friday night. Eau Claire Police say they are recommending homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle charges in the case. The D.A.'s office has not said just when formal charges could be filed.

If you are speeding in Wisconsin, you could get clocked for your next ticket from the sky. The State Patrol is continuing with its aerial enforcement this week. Troopers will be in Eau Claire County tomorrow patroling I-94.  The State Patrol says it's telling people about the flights in the hope that people will slow down on Wisconsin's interstates.

Eau Claire's health department is reminding people that this is the last call for free COVID tests. Starting next month, people will have to pay to get at-home testing kits. The health department took to Facebook yesterday to suggest people order their tests now, just in case. The end of the federal coronavirus emergency has brought an end to most free coronavirus care.

The tuition freeze at the University of Wisconsin has ended, but state lawmakers still want some say over how high the price of a UW degree can go. A Senate panel is set to vote tomorrow on a plan that would tie any future UW tuition increases to the consumer price index. The idea is to stop UW Regents from raising tuition too high or too quickly. The plan comes after lawmakers froze tuition at UW campuses for nearly a decade, and comes after UW Regents approved a four percent tuition increase earlier this year.

Glazers and dunkers reign supreme, again.  USA Today yesterday named Kwik Trip as the best gas station in America.  The paper ranked gas stations across the country based on clean bathrooms, fresh coffee, snack options, and of course the availability of gas.  Kwik Trip has been USA Today's top gas station for four-years-running.  The rest of the top five includes Hy-Vee, at number two.  RaceTrac at number three, Royal Farms at number four, and Maverik at number five.  Kwik Trip's Illinois rival Quick Trip came in at ninth on the USA Today's list.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys in Wisconsin are going to get a raise in the new state budget.  The budget-writing Joint Finance Committee yesterday agreed to spend more money on D.A.'s and defense attorneys.  The starting salary in Wisconsin will now be 75 thousand dollars a year.  The pay hike comes after years of complaints from D.A.'s and judges that low pay was squeezing lawyers out of prosecution and defense work.  Dodge County lost all of its prosecutors earlier this year because they all got better-paying jobs somewhere else.  The State Bar of Wisconsin says the pay raises will help stave off a constitutional crisis in the state's court system.

State Senator Jeff Smith will be meeting with constituents throughout Wisconsin’s 31st Senate District for a presentation and discussion of the proposed 2023-25 state budget.   Smith will hold a session in Durand, on May 31st  at Durand-Arkansaw High School from 6-7:30pm.

Marsy's Law is being allowed to stand.  Yesterday the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled the wording of the law is constitutional and was properly written on ballots.  The law passed in 2020 and expands the rights of the victims of crimes.  That year a judge in Dane County ruled the law was improperly enacted, but today's decision by the Supreme Court overturns that ruling.

It could be a crowded holiday weekend over Memorial Day. Triple-A expects 800-thousand people to travel over the weekend. That'd be the most since the all-time high back in 2018. Triple-A's Debbie Haas says despite the creeping prices under inflation, people still want to travel. Nationally, Triple-A expects about 42-and-a-half million people will head for a trip on Memorial Day. Most of those people are expected to drive.

A teacher is expected to appear in court today for allegedly bringing loaded guns to a Minneapolis elementary school.  A student at Loring Community School discovered the two loaded handguns in Derrick Lind's bag last month, according to a criminal complaint.  The complaint also states Lind got mad and "trashed a room" after police collected the handguns and he was asked to leave the school.  Lind is currently being held at the Hennepin County Jail.

The president of the UW System is defending both a tuition hike and a proposed budget increase, even though enrollment is down. UW President Jay Rothman yesterday told WisPolitics that the university needs more in order to prepare young people for the coming 'war for talent.' He says that means paying professors more, as well as improving classrooms and other buildings on UW campuses. The university is raising tuition four-percent starting next fall, and Rothman is asking for a four-percent budget increase in each year of the new two-year state budget. Without it, he says, the University of Wisconsin will fall behind.

A bill in the state legislature would increase the penalties for drivers who don't stop for a school bus.  The bill would bump up the minimum fine for drivers who fail to stop when a bus is flashing its red warning lights from $30 to $300.  The maximum fine would climb from $300 to $1,000.  The proposal is being introduced by Representatives William Penterman of Columbus and Scott Johnson of Jefferson, as well as State Senator Jesse James of Altoona.  It’ll be circulated for co-sponsors through Friday.

Lawmakers are considering exemptions from nurse staffing legislation for the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.  Mayo threatened to move their billion-dollar expansion outside of the state, causing negotiations in a measure that would require committees to agree on nurse staffing levels in their units.  Mayo says it has an automated system that can determine staffing needs faster than a committee could, and they argue they should be able to opt-out because of this.  Now legislators are considering a change to the plan that would allow Mayo in Rochester to be exempt from the staffing bill.

 It was a busy Mother's Day for new moms at Eau Claire's Sacred Heart Hospital. Five babies were born on Mothers' Day. The first arrived about 6:40 a.m, and the last was born at about 11 p.m. Doctors say all of the moms and their babies are doing fine. HSHS Sacred Heart says five babies in one Mother's Day is a record.

Local-Regional News May 16

 City of Durand residents may notice their water a rusty color as city crews will begin flushing the water mains.  Durand Public Works Superintendent Matt Gills says the flushing of the mains may loosen up minerals and cause the water to look a rusty color.  If that happens, just run your cold water for about 5 minutes.  The water main flushing is expected to continue into June.

Eau Galle Cheese Factory is one of 21 Wisconsin dairy companies that will receive a Dairy Processor Grant in 2023 from the Wisconsin Department on Agriculture.  The purpose of these grants is to help foster innovation, improve profitability, and sustain the long-term viability of Wisconsin’s dairy processing facilities.  Eau Galle Cheese will use the grant to invest in a wastewater treatment plant.  A total of $400,000 was available for this year’s Dairy Processor Grants, with a maximum of $50,000 allowed for each project. Grant recipients are required to provide a match of at least 20 percent of the grant amount.

The United Way of Dunn County (UWDC), the Local United Way serving Dunn and Pepin counties, announced yesterday that Jennifer Thatcher has stepped down after three years as Executive Director.  UWDC Board Chair, Tim Bartels, thanked Thatcher for her service, “We are grateful for Jennifer’s service and are working towards a smooth transition to ensure continuity to meet the needs of our community members, partner organizations, and donors.”

It's 101-years in prison for the Minnesota man who dumped four dead bodies in Dunn County back in 2021. A judge in St. Paul yesterday sentenced Antoine Suggs to just over a century behind bars for the murders of the four. Police never gave a motive, but witnesses told investigators that Suggs says he snapped and shot four people. The four bodies were found in an SUV in the town of Sheridan. Police later said they were killed in Minnesota, which is why Suggs was tried in St. Paul.

There is a warning about high or very high fire danger for just about everyone north of Highway 29. Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources yesterday issued a fire weather watch yesterday for the northern third of the state. DNR says warm temperatures, dry brush, and some winds all made for a dangerous combination. The DNR asked people not to burn brush and suspended all prescribed burns until next week. Wisconsin has seen nearly 300 wildfires so far this year.

Five people were injured in a two-vehicle accident in Galesville last Wednesday.  According to Galesville Police, 52yr old Ted Suchla of Coon Valley was traveling on Hwy 54-93 when he rear-ended another vehicle waiting to make a left-hand turn onto Wolfe Run Lane.  The four people in the 2nd vehicle went to the hospital for unknown injuries while Suchla suffered minor injuries.  Suchla was arrested for OWI 6th offense and several drug charges.

A former Western Wisconsin Republican lawmaker says there's a statewide benefit to saving the Brewers' ballpark. Former state Senator Dan Kapanke of La Crosse wrote an op-ed yesterday that said keeping the Brewers in Wisconsin will help with the state's tax base, as well as provide baseball memories for everyone who enjoys the game. The Brewers are looking to state lawmakers to help pay for at least 300-million dollars in renovations and maintenance at American Family Field. There is some support at the Capitol, but many lawmakers outside of the Milwaukee-metro aren't too keen to send state dollars to a stadium that doesn't help their folks back home. Kapanke says losing the Brewers, and being stuck with an aging American Family Field is not just a Milwaukee problem. He said it's a 'Wisconsin problem.'

Wisconsin is going to have slightly less money to spend over the next two years.  The Legislative Fiscal Bureau yesterday said tax revenue is expected to dip by 755 millions-dollars over the next two years, taking Wisconsin's record budget surplus to just under seven billion-dollars.  Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said the news is not surprising. He blamed President Biden's policies and inflation for the downturn in Wisconsin.  Still, LeMahieu said, Wisconsin is in better financial shape than many other states.  Wisconsin lawmakers are writing a new state budget, and deciding just how to spend that record budget surplus.

Students and staff at Webb Middle School in Reedsburg are honoring a student that lost their life last week.  Thirteen-year-old Evelyn Gurney was hit and killed by a truck while getting on the bus last Friday morning.  Today her classmates and teachers are wearing blue in her honor.  They're also placing memorial items in the school's trophy case that will be displayed until the end of the school year.  A GoFundMe has been created to support her family and it's raised over 75-thousand dollars.

A Portage recycling center is a total loss after a Sunday evening fire there.   Officials say the blaze at the Columbia County Recycling and Waste Processing Facility likely started from something in the garbage.  The fire then spread throughout the building, with firefighters moving the garbage outside and away from the building to prevent a further spread of the blaze. The Portage Fire Department says the development of hotspots is likely and could have to be put out again Monday morning.

Police in Grafton arrested a seventh-grade teacher.    The department there says the unidentified John Long Middle School teacher is accused of making threatening statements toward students after finding swastikas in his classroom.  A news release from Grafton Police says the teacher, who is Jewish, said he would 'send his daughter to their homes with a baseball bat,' 'go scorched earth on them,' and 'wished pain upon the students and their families.’ The teacher was arrested for terrorist threats and exposing a child to harmful material, descriptions, or narrations, which are felonies.  Police took the teacher to the Ozaukee County Jail.

Wisconsin lawmakers may be ready to add something to the new state budget this week. The budget-writing Joint Finance Committee is set to meet tomorrow to talk about the costs for the court system in the state. That includes the budget for prosecutors and public defenders. Both D.A.'s and defense lawyers in Wisconsin say they need more money to be able to properly deal with a growing backlog of cases. Some communities in Wisconsin have seen their D.A. offices shrink because lawyers can make more money elsewhere, and defense attorneys say there are so few of them that Wisconsin is looking at a constitutional crisis. The Joint Finance Committee's meeting earlier this month was focused on paring down the governor's proposed budget.  A new budget is due on Governor Evers' desk by the end of next month.

The ex-wife of the former Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd is pleading guilty to tax evasion.   Kellie Chauvin was accused of not reporting more than 400-thousand dollars of income over a six-year period. The former spouse of Derek Chauvin was ordered by a Washington County judge to serve 20 days in jail and be placed on supervised probation for three years.  The Chauvins owe the state of Minnesota close to 38-thousand dollars.

You might need to replant some of your veggies. Dane County Extension horticulture expert Lisa Johnson says the false spring we had earlier this month could have damaged your plants.  You'll want to get that done soon, to have your peppers and tomatoes ready for the end of the season as well. You can start planting things like eggplants, beans, and root plants at the end of May. 

Local-Regional News May 15

 Members of the Lake Eau Galle Association held their semi-annual meeting on Saturday in Eau Galle.  The association is working on receiving a WI DNR grant to help dredge the lake.  As part of the grant, the association has sent out surveys to land owners and members on the public use of the lake.  The surveys are due back by June 10 and if you would like a survey and have not received one, visit lake eau galle dot org.

With the probability of this being the last year of use of the current Tarrent Park Pool, city leaders are trying to find a way to replace the pool.  Durand Mayor Patrick Millren says the city council will be setting the new construction and bid schedule in the next few weeks.  The first bids for the pool were 33 percent over budget which has led to the delay in the replacement of the pool.

Eight people were injured when an SUV struck a horse and buggy in the town of Pigeon on Thursday.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriffs Department, an SUV was traveling southbound on Hwy 53 when it struck the rear of the horse and buggy that was waiting to make a left turn onto a private driveway.    There were 8 people in the buggy all of whom suffered a range of minor to severe injuries.  One of the injured was med flighted to UW-Madison.    The driver of the Jeep was not injured.  That accident remains under investigation.

Two people were injured in a motorcycle accident in the Town of Dodge on Saturday.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriffs Department, 30yr old Christopher Balko and 32yr old Ashley Renne, both of Winona were traveling southbound on Hwy G when Balko failed to negotiate a curve, entered the gravel shoulder, and lost control of the motorcycle.  Both Balko and Renne were ejected from the motorcycle.  Balko was med flighted to the hospital with severe injuries, while Renne was treated at the scene.

One person was killed in an accident in  Eau Claire on Friday night.  According to Eau Claire Police, officers responded to an accident on Clairemont Avenue and Fairfax Street and found the driver of one vehicles had been killed.  The second driver was arrested and officers believe speed and alcohol were factors in the crash.

A Plainview milk cooperative has been fined nearly $18000 for allowing milk-laden wastewater to drain from its facility and into a nearby creek twice in 2022.  According to a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) enforcement investigation, Plainview Milk Products Cooperative failed to immediately report these releases to the Minnesota Duty Officer and the MPCA as required in its permit. The investigation also confirmed that the company had an inadequate system to monitor its wastewater flows, and between 2019 and 2022, more than 20% of its required monthly discharge monitoring reports were submitted late.

An Eau Claire man has been arrested after a pursuit in Eau Claire and Chippewa Counties.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, troopers attempted to pull over 61yr old Paul Smith of Eau Claire after driving through a stop sign on Hastings Way near Hwy 94.  Smith refused to pull over and fled.  Troopers ended the pursuit, but Smith was found on I-94 Westbound where he exited onto Hwy 29 and drove east in the Westbound Lanes.  Again troopers attempted to pull Smith over.  Smith was finally stopped when the Lake Hallie Police used tire deflation devices.  Smith was arrested in Chippewa County on OWI 5th offense.

The funeral for fallen deputy Kaitie Leising was held Friday afternoon.  Family, friends, and co-workers gathered in the Hudson High School gym, alongside hundreds of law enforcement officers, to pay final respects to Leising, the 29-year-old St. Croix County sheriff's deputy killed in the line of duty on May 6. Sheriff Scott Knudson remembered her dedication to serving the community and the positive impact she had on everyone she met.  The funeral concluded with taps, a 21-gun salute, an end-of-watch dispatch call, and an hour-long procession of police vehicles.

There's a report that a British firm wants to open a battery plant in Chippewa Falls.  The Leader-Telegram says Collaborative Engineering Services are eyeing the old EOG Resources sand plant for the new facility.  It'll cost between 12 and 15 million-dollars to revamp the old sand plant and buy new equipment.  Company managers say they like the Chippewa Falls site because it is large, it is ready to be put to use, and there's a rail line.  There's no word just when we could see work start at the plant.

Minnesota Lawmakers are reaching an agreement on increased funding for education.  Minnesota House and Senate legislators met on Friday to discuss the education finance bill.  In a deal, they agreed to spend two-point-two-billion dollars on education over the next two fiscal years, as well as an additional 300-million dollars in funding for special education.  The House and Senate floors must now vote on the plan.

A Reedsburg School District student dies while trying to get on the school bus Friday morning.  The Sauk County Sheriff's Office says the student and the bus were hit by a truck on Wisconsin Highway 33 near the city around 7:30.  The student died at the scene and the truck driver suffered minor injuries.  No one on the bus was hurt.

A Wisconsin U.S. Senator wants to alter a federal agency’s decision on labeling to protect Wisconsin dairy producers.  Senator Tammy Baldwin asks the Food and Drug Administration to reconsider their decision on labeling certain non-dairy products as "milk”.  Baldwin co-sponsored the Fair Dairy Act earlier this year to crack down on products like almond milk and soy milk using the word “milk” on their labels.  Since she says the agency hasn’t been enforcing what the measure calls for, Baldwin says she sent a bipartisan letter Thursday asking the FDA’s head to take such action.  She adds if the FDA doesn't change their policy, Congress will move to enact the Fair Dairy Act into law.

Police officers involved in the shooting of a man in Stevens Point last month have been cleared.  A release from the Portage District Attorney's Office Thursday says an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice - Division of Criminal Investigation finds the use of deadly force was necessary when the officers shot in response to gunfire from Nicholas Meyer.  No police were injured in the exchange of gunshots.  Meyer, who surrendered after being shot by one of the responding officers, faces three felonies, including two first-degree attempted homicide charges.

There won't be an inspector general coming to the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Lawmakers last week stripped the plan out of the new state budget. WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe says it's disappointing because she wanted an inspector general to handle voting and ballot complaints, and be a watchdog for elections in Wisconsin. Republican state Rep. Scott Krug says lawmakers would rather spend money on local election officials, and deal with any issues at the local level.

Yesterday was Hmong-Lao Veterans Day in Wisconsin and Governor Tony Evers ordered flags to be lowered. In his proclamation, Evers says the story of Hmong-Lao veterans and their service is integral to the story of Wisconsin. Hmong fought alongside the US in the Vietnam War, and thousands settled in Wisconsin after the war ended. Wisconsin is home to the third largest population of Hmong in the US.

Minnesota authorities say more than 34-hundred drivers received tickets for violating the state's hands-free law last month.  The violation comes with a fine of 120 dollars for the first offense and more than 300 dollars for frequent violators.  The law bans motorists from holding their phones or other devices in their hands while driving.  St. Paul Police issued the most tickets for distracted driving last month with 571.

A Wisconsin brewery earns an international award.  New Glarus Brewing takes away a gold medal at the 2023 World Beer Cup for its brew called Vintage 22.  The beverage is a spontaneously fermented traditional Belgian Lambic sour ale combining young beer and beer that's been aging for over four years.  That mix then ferments a second time in the bottle.  The prize-winning beer is available only at the brewery’s Beer Depot in New Glarus.