Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Local-Regional News June 6

Two people were injured in a one vehicle accident in Spring Lake Township on Sunday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 66yr old Michael Zopp of Elmwood was traveling southbound on Hwy B when he lost control, entered the ditch, and struck a tree.  Zopp and passenger 63yre old Jeanette Zopp were taken to Mayo Hospital in Menomonie.


Another child from Elmwood has died as a result of a two vehicle accident on Memorial Day in Barron County.  According to the Barron County Sheriff's Department,  the 14yr old died on Friday.  The Sheriff’s Department says the crash happened on the afternoon of May 29, around 5:52 p.m. on Highway 25 at County Road A, north of Ridgeland between a van with 10 people inside and a car with four teenagers inside. A 54-year-old man from Spooner who was in the van died as well as a 13-year-old boy from Elmwood who was in the car.  The 14-year-old who died Friday was a passenger in the car.


A Barron County man is in jail after his mother called police to say he stabbed her in the neck. It happened yesterday in Cameron. The 54-year-old woman called 911 just before 9 a.m. yesterday morning to say she'd been stabbed. The Barron County Sheriff's Department and the State Patrol rushed to the house. That's when they arrested the woman's son, 30-year-old Michael Townsend, without incident. The woman was flown to the hospital in Eau Claire in serious condition.


 A former Chippewa Valley lawmaker is leading an election integrity effort in the state. Kathy Bernier served as both a state senator and Chippewa County's clerk, she is now leading the Keep Our Republic group in the state. The group's goal is to keep people informed about elections and keep people aware of election misinformation. Bernier was a critic of the investigations in Wisconsin into the 2020 election. Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan are all part of the effort.


An Air Quality Alert for Wabasha, Goodhue, and Olmstead Counties will continue through Tuesday evening. Wind blowing from the east is carrying smoke from wildfires in Quebec, Canada into the state. The rain that was expected didn't materialize, and the smoke remains in the area. Smoke particles can cause health issues, especially for people who have pre-existing lung conditions.


A man killed in a weekend standoff in western Wisconsin has been identified as a Minnesota corrections officer. On Monday, the Minnesota Department of Corrections released a statement on Saturday night’s death of 42-year-old Tyler Abel, calling it "tragic and troubling." Abel was hired as a corrections officer in April 2022 and worked at the state prison in Stillwater. Officers responded to Abel's house in the Town of Star Prairie on a domestic disturbance call. According to the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office, Abel was shot and killed when he exited the home and confronted officers with a rifle. The sheriff’s deputy and New Richmond police officer who fired their guns are on administrative leave.


Wisconsin's new driver's licenses have some new security features. The Department of Transportation unveiled the new design yesterday. In addition to a picture and all your information, the new licenses have some artwork that is supposed to make it harder to counterfeit a driver's license. There are both regular and Real ID license options. DOT says people will be issued the new licenses as they need to replace their old one.


A Dane County judge has ordered the state to keep the records from the Gableman investigation. Judge Jacob Frost said the failed investigation into the 2020 election falls under Wisconsin's open records laws, and the information gathered as part of the probe is public information. A number of liberal-leaning groups have sued Gableman, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, and the state legislature over the Gabelman investigation. Yesterday's ruling is just the latest to go against Gableman. Speaker Vos shut down Gableman's investigation in April of 2022 when it became obvious that the investigation wasn't moving forward, or uncovering any new evidence.


The latest plan to send state money to American Family Field would put the ballpark on an installment plan. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahiu told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that lawmakers are considering yearly payments for the ballpark, as opposed to a one-time lump sum. The Brewers say American Family Field needs 400 million-dollars for ongoing maintenance and improvements. LeMahieu didn't say how much the state is willing to pay for the work, but did say he wants to lock in a number now so the price doesn't increase in the years to come.


Wisconsin's attorney general is going to ask for more state crime lab workers today. A-G Josh Kaul has a news conference scheduled for today to ask for 16 new people, and millions of dollars more for the crime lab. Among the new hires would be 10 new DNA analysts. Kaul says he needs to beef up the number of people working at the crime lab to keep up with the caseload. Lawmakers have been reluctant to give Kaul more people, saying his office has plenty of money already.


A fire has caused major damage to an apartment in Rochester. Firefighters were called to the Gates Apartments Monday afternoon, where they found smoke pouring from a second floor unit. Fire crews extinguished the flames, which reportedly started in the kitchen. The fire reportedly caused about ten-thousand dollars in damage, though nobody was injured.


The approach of summer brings more motorcyclists onto the roads.  With this in mind, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation reminds auto drivers to keep an eye out for increased motorcycle traffic.  The agency says there are nearly 2,000 motorcycle crashes in Wisconsin annually while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration adds that motorcyclists are 27 times more likely to die in a crash compared to other travelers.  The state transportation department advises drivers to double-check for motorcycles, pointing out that many motorcycle crashes result from drivers pulling out from a stop sign, turning left or changing lanes. Drivers are also reminded to keep a safe following distance from motorcycles due to their shorter stopping distance.


The date for the first Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee is announced. Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel says the event will be held on August 23rd.  She added that if enough candidates qualify, a second August 24th debate will be added.    McDaniel also announced the criteria to qualify for the debate will include candidate status, polling, fundraising, and candidate pledging.


Wisconsin's oldest Chinese restaurant has won a 40-thousand dollar grant.  The Cozy Inn Restaurant in Janesville is one of 25 restaurants in the U.S. honored with a Backing Historic Small Restaurants Grant through the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  The grants are aimed at helping to improve businesses and positively impact communities.  The Cozy Inn opened in 1922 and celebrated its 100th anniversary last November.  The owners plan to use the grant to restore the iconic neon sign of the front of its building.


A West Allis man was sentenced to a decade in federal prison for sex trafficking minors in the Philippines.  The U.S. Department of Justice says Donald A. Stenson traveled to the Philippines several times beginning in 2007 and lured five minor victims between the ages of 11 and 17 into commercial sex arrangements and engaged in sexual activity with the victims from 2016 to 2019.  A search of electronic devices belonging to the 67-year-old Stenson found several images and videos of the victims and sexually explicit messages.


A man in Antigo is arrested following a Saturday night standoff with law enforcement.  Antigo Police say their response to a domestic disturbance lead to a 41-year-old man barricading himself in a home with two children and allegedly threatening to shoot officers.  After a perimeter was set up, tactical units were able to rescue the children from the home safely.  The man was eventually taken into custody Sunday morning and is being held pending formal charging for ‘numerous crimes.’


You can vote on the name of a new camel at the Milwaukee County Zoo.  A female Bactrian camel was born at the zoo last month, and they’re asking on the homepage of the zoo’s website for the public's help in naming the baby.  The name options have been narrowed to three: Leani, which heavenly flower; Padma, which means lotus; and Neoma, which means new moon.  The voting ends June 11th at midnight.  The website is “Milwaukee zoo dot org.” 

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