Local-Regional News Sept 29

 Representatives from Buffalo and Pepin Counties met on Monday to talk about a possible joint jail for both counties.  While both county jails are still passing inspections, it is getting harder to separate inmates who are high-risk or have other issues.  Pepin County Sheriff Joel Wener says it is something that needs to be looked at in the future.  The Pepin County Law Enforcement Committee will be discussing this at its next meeting on October 2nd at 8:30am. 

Attorney General Josh Kaul announced Wednesday that the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) has obtained a civil judgment against Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery (ECC) requiring it to pay a $250,000 penalty and install additional pollution control equipment for alleged violations of its wastewater discharge permit at ECC’s Ellsworth, Wisconsin cheesemaking facility.   The State alleged that between October 2017 and August 2022, Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery repeatedly violated its permit by exceeding the permit’s effluent limitations for biological oxygen demand, total suspended solids, ammonia, dissolved oxygen, phosphorus, and temperature  The state alleged that the violations caused a fish kill in Isabelle Creek in August of 2022.

A western Wisconsin man has been found not guilty in the death of his seven-week-old child. A jury yesterday acquitted Paul Marshall on all charges. He was charged in February of last year with reckless homicide after police found his seven-week-old child badly bruised, and not breathing. The baby died a few days later in the hospital. Doctors say the baby died from a brain bleed. Marshall's lawyers say he wasn't the only suspect in the case, saying the baby's mother and a babysitter were also alone with the baby not long before its death. Hudson police are not saying if they expect to charge anyone else in the case.

The Eau Claire County Meals on Wheels program is working out of the county highway facility.  Aging and Disability Resource Center Director Linda Struck yesterday said the Meals on Wheels program is doing well in its new home in the highway building. Meals on Wheels used to rent a kitchen in Fall Creek, but they moved to the highway building over the summer. Struck says the move gives them a new commercial kitchen with plenty of room to cook and prep over 600 meals each day. Last year Meals on Wheels served over 97 thousand meals in Eau Claire County, they expect to top 100 thousand this year. 

There's a big weekend on tap in La Crosse.   The 62nd annual Oktoberfest is already underway and 1000s of people are expected to fill the Oktoberfest grounds this weekend. La Crosse Police advise everyone that while they're having fun, they also need to stay safe and that includes keeping mindful of how much alcohol they're consuming. Everyone will also have to go through a security screening when they enter the Oktoberfest grounds. The celebration ends on Sunday.

The House and Senate are taking different approaches to funding the government past September as a possible government shutdown approaches. Wisconsin Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany says three-quarters of the budget is ready to go and hopes a continuing resolution will be passed.  Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin says the Senate is working on a temporary solution to fund the government until November. The current budget will run out on Saturday. The government has begun notifying federal employees of a pending shutdown.

All the recent rain is having a major impact on drought conditions in our region.  Heavy and widespread rainfall over the last week has brought much-needed moisture to the driest with two to six inches of rain falling.  The latest drought monitor shows a growing area of no drought conditions for most of St. Croix, Dunn, Central Eau Claire, and Northern Pierce Counties.  The rest of the WRDN Listening area is still under drought conditions.  It's the largest improvement in drought conditions we've seen this year. 

The state of Wisconsin is asking hunters to test their deer for CWD before eating them. The state yesterday encouraged hunters to either drop off deer heads at remote sites, have their butcher or taxidermist save parts of the deer, or make an appointment with the DNR to have the deer tested. There have been no confirmed cases of CWD in people, but there are plenty of cases of CWD and deer in Wisconsin. Bow hunting season is open in Wisconsin, and more deer hunting seasons open next month. The DNR says hunters can help them track, and hopefully stop the spread of CWD across the state.

A milling company has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges that employees at a Wisconsin corn plant falsified records in the years leading up to a fatal corn dust explosion.  The plea deal calls for Didion Milling Inc. to pay a $1 million fine and $10.25 million to the estates of the five workers who were killed in the blast at the company’s Cambria mill in May 2017, according to federal court documents.  The company also has agreed to a five-year “organizational probation” and must allow federal inspectors to visit the mill without advance notice up to twice a year.

A suit to stop state legislators from impeaching state Supreme Court Judge Janet Protasiewicz has been turned down.  The Wisconsin Supreme Court rejected the suit Tuesday, which named the Wisconsin State Assembly and its Speaker, Robin Vos, as defendants.  The legal action asked the court for a temporary emergency restraining order preventing the legislature from impeaching Protasiewicz, saying the action was unconstitutional and would nullify the vote of Wisconsinites.  Republican lawmakers are examining the possibility of impeaching Protasiewicz if she doesn't recuse herself from a case on the state's voting maps.  Protasiewicz recused herself from the suit after it was filed.

No one is saying when Travis King will be back in the United States, or when he may come home to Racine. The Pentagon yesterday said North Korea returned King to U.S. custody. He'd been in North Korea since he ran across the border back in July. The Pentagon says it's secured King's return, but isn't offering any details as to just how. The Army says King was facing discipline after his time in a South Korean jail just before he ran across the border into North Korea. North Korea's news agency said he fled to North Korea because of racism in the American army. King's family in Racine isn't saying anything about his possible return.

Marathon County supervisors voted this week on a resolution opposing future public health-related mandates or lockdowns. Supervisor Chris Dickenson doesn't want people forced to isolate or go home by their employer for showing up to work somewhat ill, and said there should be no forced testing, masking or isolation requirements.  Supervisor Tony Sherfinski said people are still free to mask up or get vaccinated, but the board will not accept an unconstitutional state mandate. The resolution, which has no tangible action other than to express the county board’s stance, is being forwarded to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and area lawmakers in Madison.  

A new study puts Minnesota as the best state for millennials.  The study done by Scholaroo looked at factors such as politics and social environment, employment, affordability, quality of life, health, safety, and personal finance.  Minnesota ranked third in affordability and second in personal finance, with a top ten position in health.  Alabama came in last.  

The State Veteran's Museum helped collect hundreds of birthday cards for one of Wisconsin's oldest veterans. Retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Harry Baker is set to turn 103 next month. The Museum and the Department of Veterans Affairs collected over 600 cards from around the world, from as far away as the Netherlands. Baker served as an artillery spotter in France and Germany during World War II. Baker's daughter says she's happy so many people took the time out of their day to send cards and that it will make his day even more special.

The winner of this year's coolest thing made in Wisconsin will be decided March Madness style. Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce yesterday introduced a bracket system for the Coolest Thing Made In Wisconsin contest. There are 16 different things this year Ranging from applewood smoked bacon, to skee-ball machines, to Jolly Good Soda. Voters across the state will decide which product moves forward in the competition. The voting opens today and runs through October 3rd. This is the 8th year for the Coolest Thing Made In Wisconsin contest.

Local-Regional News Sept 28

 The bids are in for the Tarrant Park Pool Project.  During last night's city council meeting, Public Works Superintendent Matt Gills presented the three bids.  The lowest bid from Durand Builders for a base pool was approximately $3.9 million.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says now the city and Swim Club will try to get the rest of the funding for the pool. Approximately $1 million is needed in donations to complete funding for a base pool.  The city has until December 13 to decide whether or not to move forward with the project.  

The Dunn County Health Department is giving residents free disposal bins to collect medical waste.  The Health Department is able to give the bins away because of a $1,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Dunn County.  The Health Department hopes the disposal bins will reduce the spread of bloodborne diseases and keep waste handlers safe.   Dunn County Residents can visit the health department to pick up the bins for free.

A local non-profit agency is looking for teens help to reduce the number of underage tobacco sales in Dunn County.  Arbor Place Incorporated is looking for 16, 17, and 18-year-old volunteers to help complete tobacco compliance checks at businesses that sell tobacco within Dunn County.    Arbor Place for more information on the program.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host a public meeting to discuss potential trout stream regulation changes on several streams in Pierce and St. Croix counties.  The purpose of this meeting is to inform and gather input from the public on the potential changes to the current trout stream fishing regulations on the Rush River and its tributaries: Plum Creek, Isabelle Creek, Trimbelle River, Big River, and Kinnickinnic River and its tributaries in Pierce and St. Croix counties.   The meeting will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the River Falls Public Library Community Room, located at 140 Union Street in River Falls. Those wishing to attend virtually can join via Zoom or by phone.

 Eau Claire County officials yesterday announced that it is expanding its plastics recycling program. Plastic Number Five will now be accepted. Most cities only accept Plastics Number One And Two, but some companies take more. Reagan Watts with the county says there's a market for Plastic Number Five so companies are now accepting that. If you're not sure just what Plastic Number Five is, Watts says there's always a number on whatever it is that you're looking to recycle, or you can look for a list online.

A Western Wisconsin high school student goes perfect on the A-C-T Exam.  Eau Claire Memorial High School Senior William Sylvester scored 36 on his first try.  He wants to attend Washington State or the University of Chicago to major in Political Science or Economics. In Wisconsin, the average A-C-T score is 19-point-four. The national average is 20-point-six.

There is a national manhunt for a Rusk County man who simply didn't show up at his sentencing on child abuse charges. The Rusk County Sheriff's Office yesterday took to social media to try to find Tylar Swanson. He didn't show up back in June to be sentenced on child abuse charges, now there's a national warrant for his arrest. The Rusk County Sheriff's Office put his pictures out online and says anyone who knows where he is should reach out.

  A Sparta man is looking at felony charges after federal prosecutors say he was inside the Capitol during the January 6th riot. The Department of Justice announced charges against 37-year-old Charles Walters yesterday. Prosecutors say he destroyed some fencing, climbed onto the inaugural stage risers, and went inside the Capitol on January 6th. Court documents say Walters was identified from video of the day. There are no allegations that he did any damage, or hurt anyone once inside the building.

The new rules that make it clear school administrators cannot strip students down to their underwear is back at the Wisconsin Capitol.  An Assembly panel will hold a hearing today on the legislation that follows up a strip search in a northeastern Wisconsin school district. The administrator in Suring schools had six high school students strip down to their underwear in an attempt to find a vape cartridge. Prosecutors initially filed charges but had to drop them because Wisconsin law doesn't consider underwear to be part of a strip search. The new legislation makes it clear that it is and makes it clear that school administrators shouldn't be strip-searching students.

There is legislation at the Wisconsin Capitol that would stop doctors from operating on or giving drugs to kids in an effort to change their gender. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and a number of other Republicans yesterday introduced the plan. It would ban any surgery that results in sterilization, a mastectomy, puberty-blocking drugs, and other hormone treatments for children. Vos says 'our kids are not experiments,' and said parents shouldn't be 'scared or pressured' into having their kids get non-medically necessary treatments. The Assembly's LGBTQ+ Caucus yesterday said the proposal is objectively cruel and seeks to insert lawmakers into decisions that are best left for parents, children, and doctors.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul has joined the Federal Trade Commission and 16 state attorneys general in suing Amazon.   The suit alleges that the online retail and technology company is a monopolist that uses a set of interlocking anticompetitive and unfair strategies to illegally maintain its monopoly power. The complaint alleges that Amazon violates the law not because it is big, but because it engages in a course of exclusionary conduct that prevents current competitors from growing and new competitors from emerging.

A woman is dead following a single-vehicle crash Tuesday in central Wisconsin.  The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office says deputies found three people were ejected from the vehicle that crashed in the town of Medford.  The woman who was determined to be a passenger in the vehicle died at the scene, while two men at the crash site were flown to a hospital by helicopter for their injuries.  A preliminary investigation found that the vehicle was traveling over 100 miles per hour when the man driving the vehicle lost control while crossing a bridge.  The vehicle then went off the road and flipped several times causing the ejections.  Those involved in the crash were not identified.  Speed and drugs are believed to be contributing factors.

Former U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan believes a federal government shutdown is imminent.  In a Tuesday night conversation at UW-Madison's La Follette School of Public Affairs, Ryan shared his thoughts on several topics in the political and policy realm, including his perception that several current Republican House members are pushing for a government shutdown.  The federal government shut down twice in 2018 while Ryan served as Speaker.  The longtime Wisconsin congressman is not in favor of a shutdown.

The Transportation Security Administration intercepted guns at the Milwaukee and Madison airports this week.  According to the TSA, an officer at Dane County Regional Airport spotted a handgun during routine X-ray screening early Monday morning. A Dane County Sheriff's deputy responded to take the loaded gun. Also early Monday at Milwaukee Mitchell, a TSA agent spotted a handgun, again during X-ray screening. A sheriff’s deputy took possession of that gun, which was not loaded. These were the third and 16th guns detected at the respective airports so far this year.

 A vice president at Minnesota State University-Mankato will soon be leaving for a new job in Wisconsin.  Lynn Akey has been named chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.  Akey has been responsible for strategic planning at the Mankato College for the past decade and is credited with increasing student retention and graduation rates.  She'll begin her new job on January 2nd.

A Minnesota art gallery is asking a hefty price for the first painting ever done by Bob Ross on his long-running PBS show.  The Modern Artifact Gallery in Minneapolis wants just under ten-million dollars for the painting, which is called "A Walk in the Woods."  The painting was created more than 40 years ago on the first episode of "The Joy of Painting."  It was the first of more than a thousand paintings done by Ross during the show's run.

Local-Regional News Sept 27

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action regarding bids for the Tarran Park Swiming Pool and reports from the mayor, city administrator, and department heads.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall and will be livestreamed on our Livestreaming Video Page of our website at reelcountry 1430 dot com.

Western Wisconsin has received more rain in the last 5 days than in the previous two months.  According to the National Weather Services, anywhere from 3-6 inches of rain has fallen here in Western Wisconsin and Southeastern Minnesota.  That compares to less than three inches since the middle of June.  Warmer weather is expected for the weekend and there could be some additional chances for rain.  The weather service will update the drought monitor later this week, but the rain should help see an easing of drought conditions.

A baiting and feeding ban is posted in some Western Wisconsin counties after a deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources ban goes into effect on October 5 for Washburn, Barron, Rusk, and Sawyer Counties.   There is also a baiting and feeding ban in place for Pepin, Buffalo, Dunn, Eau Claire, Chippewa, and Trempealeau Counties.

Eau Claire County's sheriff is going to spend their latest opioid money on medication drop boxes and education for jail guards.  The sheriff's office yesterday said it got a 350-thousand-dollar grant from the state's Department of Health Services. The sheriff says the money will help the county with a peer-to-peer support network that will help get people help, instead of sending them to jail.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is using $2.5 million in federal funding to build a roundabout at the intersection of Highway 58 and County Road 9 in Goodhue County between Zumbrota and Red Wing.    According to MNDOT, a roundabout would decrease the likelihood of accidents taking place at this intersection. Records show 18 accidents occurred at this intersection from 2017-2021, one of which was fatal.  MNDOT says mid-April 2024 is when the project should start, and the roundabout should be up and running in early July.

 A Black River Falls woman who stabbed her boyfriend to death two years ago is headed to prison for 10 years. A judge yesterday sentenced Kelly Schmidt to a decade in prison, followed by a decade of parole. She pleaded no contest to reckless homicide charges earlier this year. Jackson County deputies say she stabbed her boyfriend in the arm with a filet knife, and he died hours later.

An investigation into last spring’s wildfire near Fort McCoy is inconclusive. The April 12  fire consumed 3,000 acres of woodland in Jackson and Monroe Counties. A release from the Fort McCoy Public Affairs Officer says Department of Defense investigators concluded that an April 12  prescribed burn did not cause the fire, and investigators could not determine if a prescribed burn the previous day played a role.  According to the investigation, the April 12 prescribed burn was over a mile and half away from the wildfire’s origin. The wildfire’s cause remains undetermined due to evidence possibly being washed away by heavy rain and snowfall in the following days.

 Election managers in the state like the idea of being able to count absentee ballots before the polls close on Election Day. Lawmakers are considering a plan that would allow Wisconsin's election clerks to count absentee ballots early. Milwaukee Election Commission director Claire Woodall-Vogg said allowing clerks more time to count absentee ballots will avoid the middle-of-the-night 'ballot dumps.' Some Republican lawmakers say being more open about absentee ballot numbers will help Inspire more faith in the state's electoral process.

The Mayo Clinic has removed a page from its website after a former Trump Administration official spotlighted it in a social media post.  The website contained a page in its prescription medication section that discussed hydroxychloroquine, which is commonly used to treat malaria.  The page also said the drug could be used to treat COVID-19 in "certain hospitalized patients."  Former Trump official Peter Navarro called the clinic's description of the drug "a grudging admission" that hydroxychloroquine could be used for COVID treatment in a social media post last weekend.  The clinic removed the page on Monday, saying the drug's description would be updated to say that it should not be used to treat COVID-19 and that the Mayo Clinic does not endorse using it for such treatment.

An Eau Claire man is asking the city to help keep cats inside to protect birds. Steve Betchkal is an ornithologist. He spoke at Monday night's city council meeting about his petition to keep cats indoors. Betchkal wants some of the money that the city spends with the Eau Claire County Humane Association to go towards educating people about the effects that outdoor cats have on wildlife. He also wants a ban on barn cat adoption in Eau Claire County. Managers at the Humane Association, however, say there's already plenty of information about the effects that wild cats have on birds. They say a ban on barn cat adoption would force them to put cats down. They consider themselves a no-kill shelter. Betchkal's petition has just a few signatures.

Wisconsin has received money to update the state’s unemployment insurance system.  The federal government has awarded the state’s Department of Workforce Development more than $11 million in funds for the upgrade.  Wisconsin is one of 18 states to obtain grants for modernizing and redesigning UI programs, improving fraud prevention in them, and enhancing the systems’ reliability and accessibility for users. The agency says it looks forward to using the funds to update its decades-old unemployment insurance infrastructure and benefits delivery system.

The Chief Clerk of the Wisconsin Senate resigns.  Michael Queensland, who was placed on leave last month amid an investigation, resigned effective Friday. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (LEMA-hue) did not provide details. In a short statement, LeMahieu said that Queensland has denied all allegations. The Department of Administration cut off Queensland's access to state buildings a month ago at the request of the Senate sergeant at arms. Sources told WisPolitics that during a Senate Republican caucus earlier this month, members were told not to talk about the situation or ask questions. 

IndyCar racing will return to the historic Milwaukee Mile next Labor Day Weekend. A release from IndyCar says the legendary track at Wisconsin State Fair Park will host the inaugural Milwaukee NTT IndyCar Series Doubleheader Weekend August 30th through September 1st 2024. The one-mile oval had previously hosted a total of 114 IndyCar races over nine decades and has hosted various types of auto racing since 1903.  The last time the track hosted an IndyCar race was in 2015.

A Janesville man has been found guilty of a homicide at a Wisconsin Dells hotel. Jeremy Mondy was convicted in the February 2021 death of Kally Elliot.   A criminal complaint states a housekeeper at the Vue hotel found the 34-year-old Mondy passed out on a bed and the victim in the bathroom.  Mondy told investigators he and Elliot were fighting over a gun in the bathroom when it went off, but a complaint says Mondy later changed his statement and stated that he had purposefully pulled the trigger to defend himself.  In addition to the first-degree homicide conviction, Mondy was also found guilty of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and felony and misdemeanor bail jumping charges.

 The Minnesota  Department of Natural Resources says more deer hunters are using crossbows in Minnesota.  Deer archery season opened on September 16th and the agency is polling hunters about their choice of weapon when they bring in their kills.  About 40-percent of the deer brought in so far have been taken with crossbows.  This is the first year the state has allowed all hunters a chance to use crossbows, and D-N-R officials say the new rules could lead to a higher deer harvest during archery season.

Culver's yesterday said it is bringing back its Curder Burger. That's the burger with a giant cheese curd on top. The Curder Burger started out as an April Fool's joke, but became so popular the Culver's actually made one and put it on the menu. This year the Curder Burger will be available for a limited time starting October 2nd, which means it will be available on National Cheese Curd Day, which is October 15th.  

Local-Regional News Sept 26

 Two people were injured in a two-vehicle accident in Ettrick Township on Sunday.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriffs Department, a pickup was traveling westbound on Hwy C, entered the eastbound lane, and struck a jeep traveling eastbound.  Both drivers received non-life threatening injuries and were transported to local hospitals.  Alcohol is believed to be a contributing factor in the accident.  The names of the injured drivers were not released.

The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include an update on the North Eau Claire Street Project, a discussion of a proposal for excavation for the new playground equipment for Mirror Lake Park, and a discussion and possible action on paving considerations for Columbia Avenue.  Tonight's meeting begins at 5:30 at the Marten Center in Mondovi.

Xcel energy customers who use natural gas to heat their homes may see lower prices this year.  Xcel says the price of wholesale gas is currently down 8%  compared to last year and if that continues the saving would be passed on to customers.  After being at a 15yr high natural gas prices are coming down due to decreased demand and increased supply.  Xcel is estimating that bills to heat homes will be anywhere from $126-$140 a month this winter.

They're hiring at Eau Claire's fire department. Chief Robert Haller says they need to replace some firefighters who retired and replace some who just left. Eau Claire's recent tax increase allows the city to hire six firefighters, but a grant from the Department of Homeland Security will allow them to hire six more. In all, the chief says the 12 new hires should keep Eau Claire's fire department at around 96 firefighters. The chief says it'll be better to hire more firefighters, he says the city spent over $700,000 in overtime last year alone.

Deputies in Eau Claire County continue to look for an armed and dangerous man who's been on the run for a couple of days. Authorities began their search for 28-year-old Mitchell Henke Saturday night,  but as of last night, he had not yet been found. Eau Claire County called out the SWAT team after they say Henke attacked a woman and her child Saturday night. The Sheriff's Office thought he was holed up in his home, but it turned out he was not. Henke's pictures are online, and the Sheriff's Office says he should be considered armed and dangerous.

A La Crosse woman is hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after a vehicle accident near Dover on Monday.  According to the Minnesota State Patrol, 83yr old Joan Yeatman was eastbound on I-90 near milepost 228, when she lost control of her vehicle and it rolled into the median.  She was taken to Mayo Clinic.  That accident is still under investigation.

A western Wisconsin deputy is facing domestic battery charges after an incident last week. The Sawyer County Sheriff's Office says Deputy Ryan Schick is looking at domestic battery, false imprisonment, strangulation, and stalking charges. The Polk County Sheriff's Office is handling the investigation because Schick works for Sawyer County. As of yesterday, Schick was in the county jail, no one is saying just when he'll appear before a judge.

Voters across Wisconsin could soon have a better idea as to just how much they will be paying for a new school or a new tax increase. A State Senate panel today will hold a hearing on a plan that would require school districts to include information about the interest costs, and interest rates of any school referendum question. Currently, schools have to tell voters just how much they're asking for, but they don't have to include the price of interest. Republican lawmakers say the idea is to make sure voters know just how much money they're being asked to spend.

Minnesotans are being warned of a new scam targeting those who are no longer eligible for the state's Medicaid program.  The Minnesota Department of Commerce and MNsure say scammers are trying to trick consumers into signing up for something that sounds like comprehensive health insurance but really isn't.  Some state residents have already become victims by paying money to the scammers after being contacted by phone.  State officials say Minnesotans seeking health insurance plans should go online to MNsure-dot-org rather than rely on anyone who calls seeking money and personal information.  

 Minnesota is unlikely to get as much snow this winter as it did last winter.  That's the verdict of the National Weather Service, which has released its forecast for December, January and February.  The weather service says the northern half of the state is likely to get less precipitation than normal, while the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota have a better chance to remain near normal levels of rain and snow.  The Twin Cities and the northeast portion of the state are also likely to see higher-than-normal temperatures during those months.

The woman accused of admitting to food stamp fraud while on Judge Judy's new TV show is headed for trial in Milwaukee. A judge on Friday said there's enough evidence against 41-year-old Katrina Weems that prosecutors can move ahead with a case. She's being charged with selling her FoodShare benefits, after she admitted doing so on the 'Judy Justice' TV show. Weems and her friend Java'la Elam were on the show as part of another case, when they mentioned that they sold their food stamps. State investigators picked up on the case, and both women are facing felony charges, Elam skipped her court date last month, there's now a felony warrant out for her arrest.

 There is another pitch to make marijuana legal in Wisconsin. The top Democrat in the Wisconsin Senate, Melissa Agard, on Friday introduced legislation to legalize cannabis for responsible adult use. Agard has been a big supporter of legal marijuana in Wisconsin for years, but has failed to find support at the state capitol. She says with marijuana legal in Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota, it's time for Wisconsin to fall in line. Agard says 69 percent of people in Wisconsin want to see marijuana legal, including a majority of Republicans in the state. Republican lawmakers have suggested they may be open to a medical marijuana program in Wisconsin, but they are not quite ready to fully legalize pot in the state.

Threats to three Southwest Wisconsin high schools are traced back to a Madison man.  The Grant County Sheriff’s Office says 19-year-old Jonah Riley was arrested Friday morning in Dane County after allegedly making threats targeting specific people at Cassville, Potosi, and River Ridge high schools.  After deputies immediately took steps to ping the suspect’s phone, a statewide alert was sent to locate the suspect, who was identified as Riley.  The sheriff’s office says Riley was located in a vehicle and arrested in Dane County, then transported to Iowa County where a Grant County deputy took him into custody.  The incident is still under investigation.

A southern Minnesota company is laying off dozens of employees in St. Peter.  Alumacraft has told the state Department of Employment and Economic Development that it plans to permanently lay off 68 employees.  The company has been making aluminum fishing boats in St. Peter since the early 1970s.  The company is still working with state officials to determine when the layoffs will begin. 

Employees at a Central Wisconsin business will work remotely this week.  That’s the word from Sentry Insurance after a threat against the company was found in one of the bathrooms at its Stevens Point headquarters on Wednesday.  Stevens Point Police sent a message to Sentry employees Saturday saying their investigation of the incident won’t be done Monday. With that in mind, the company will continue to have employees work from home, with a small number of them working at the Sentry facilities under increased security.  Investigators haven’t yet revealed what the threat was or how it was received.

 The University of Minnesota is introducing a new kind of apple to the world.  It has a crisp, juicy texture sort of like a Honeycrisp but with tropical overtones. The apple breeding program at U of M has been around for more than a century.  This is their 29th variety of apple MN33, and it will be available to consumers under the brand name Kudos in the next few years.  The program's most famous apple, the Honeycrisp, was developed in 1960.

Local-Regional News Sept 25

  One man is dead after a weekend crash in St Croix County. The Sheriff's Office says it happened about 5:30 p.m. Saturday near the Town Of Glenwood. According to Investigators, Andreas Aristidou of Maple Grove, MN failed to yield to a vehicle driven by 54-year-old Robert Krings of Plum City at the intersection on Hwy D and DD.  Both vehicles went off the road and into the ditch.   The sheriff's office says Krings died at the scene.  Deputies say the Minnesota man was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A Fairchild teenager is dead after a semi vs. car accident in Dunn County on Saturday.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, the 17-year-old was driving eastbound in the westbound lanes on Hwy 29 near Elk Mound when she struck a westbound semi driven by 35-year-old Bishar Osman of Minneapolis.  Osman was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.  The teen driver's name has not been released.

There is a search in Eau Claire County for an armed and dangerous man. The sheriff's department says they're looking for 28-year-old Mitchell Henke. Deputies say he's the accused of beating, pistol-whipping, and threatening to kill a woman and her two-year-old child. The sheriff's office called in the SWAT team Saturday night, but Henke was not home when they arrived. Henke's pictures are online. The Sheriff's Office says anyone with the information about where he is should call 911 immediately.

 A registered sex offender in Chippewa Falls is back in custody after police say he cut off his ankle bracelet on Friday. Police rushed to an apartment complex on Pearl Street after they say Todd Leary snipped his ankle monitor bracelet Friday afternoon. The apartments aren't far from the St. Charles Borromeo schools. Chippewa Falls Public Schools were also called as a precaution. Police found Leary, and said later there's no indication that he tried to approach the schools. He's now back behind bars.

The Pepin County Historical Society (PCHS) is changing the name of the museum in Durand.  The “Pepin County Heritage Center” will be the new name for the Old Courthouse Museum.  The name change comes after the PCHS board met several times over the last nine months with representatives of Studio MLM, a marketing firm from Menomonie, to develop a marketing plan to build museum attendance and to provide the historical society with a sense of direction for the future. This planning process led to a revitalized mission statement, a new name for the museum, a new logo design, and a new website at Pepin county heritage center.com

Fans of singer Luke Bryan are disappointed after he was forced to cancel a weekend concert in southern Minnesota.  Bryan was scheduled to perform in Eyota on Saturday as part of his Farm Tour, but severe weather led to the cancellation of the concert.  The sheriff of Olmsted County says Bryan's team was concerned about the safety of ticket holders given the conditions at the concert site.  Fans voiced their disappointment on social media but praised Bryan and his team for the decision to put safety first.

There are no plans to rescue the flamingos that found themselves in Port Washington last week. The State's Department of Natural Resources says it is rare for flamingos to end up this far north, but there won't be an effort to collect the birds and send them back south. Researchers figure that the birds which are usually in the southern part of the country were diverted by Hurricane Idalia. Twelve states have now reported seeing flamingos with Wisconsin being the furthest north. The DNR says when the weather up here starts to turn colder the birds will most likely just fly home.

Republican lawmakers at the Wisconsin Capitol are looking at another round of election reforms. A senate panel will hold a hearing tomorrow on plans that would deal with whistleblower protection for election officials in the state who report election fraud, as well as clear up the timeline for sending presidential primary ballots, and deal with absentee ballots and how to request and return them. Republicans have said they want to close any lingering loopholes in the state's electoral process. As with election reform attempts in the past, it remains to be seen if Governor Evers will sign any of the Republican plans.

Wisconsin lawmakers are going to put human trafficking under the microscope this week. The Speaker's Task Force On Human Trafficking is scheduled to have its first meeting Wednesday. Both the state's Department of Justice and the state's Department of Public Instruction are expected to testify and talk about the human trafficking challenges that they see. Lawmakers hope to use the task force to see if there are any laws that Wisconsin needs to fight human trafficking in the state.

The Minnesota governor says law enforcement agencies should soon be returning their resource officers to Minnesota schools. Governor Walz said Saturday that an opinion issued by Attorney General Keith Ellison should be enough to get resource officers back into schools that want them.  Ellison announced Wednesday that Minnesota law does not limit the types of reasonable force that staffers can use to prevent bodily harm or death in state schools.  The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association called the ruling a temporary solution but also agreed that resource officers should soon be back in local schools.  Walz plans additional work to permanently clarify the law, saying everyone agrees that the goal is to keep students safe.

--

An Arpin man has pled not guilty to homicide charges connected with an alleged plot to kill two Wood County Correctional Officers:  Jesse Hansen-Schumann is accused of trying to get another inmate in on the plan, which investigators say stemmed from Hansen-Schumann's dislike for the two guards. Court documents show the 32-year-old had filed more than 40 grievances against them, saying they were making up lies about him. According to the inmate Hansen-Schumann confided in, the plan involved jumping the officers in an area of the jail that didn't have security camera coverage. The unnamed inmate said he didn't want anything to do with the plot and didn't want to be involved if Hansen-Schumann were to carry out the plot. He's being held on a one hundred thousand dollar bond and will return to court in late November. 

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is releasing a list of a task force that is responsible for providing recommendations on the future of the University of Minnesota's health system.  The group will be led by former state health commissioner Jan Malcolm.  Among those selected were onetime Allina Health CEO, Penny Wheeler, Essentia Health chief executive David Herman, and U of M dean of the medical school Jakub Tolar.  The task force is expected to come up with a final report in mid-January.

A deer farm in Rock County is under quarantine after the state says one of the deer there tested positive for chronic wasting disease. The State's Department of Agriculture is not saying just which farm, or just where in Rock County. The state is also not saying when the test was conducted. It's unclear how many deer may have to be put down because of the CWD case. The state says there have also been positive CWD tests at farms in Washburn Sauk and Dodge counties this year.

Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources hopes to have its wolf management plan finalized by the end of next month, and hunters groups hope that will include a specific number of wolves for the state.  The DNR yesterday announced two more open houses on the wolf plan.  Both will happen next month, one in Ashland, and the other in Marshfield.  The DNR board is expected to vote on the plan on October 25th Meanwhile hunter's groups like The International Order of T Roosevelt continue to push for a specific wolf population number.  The group says that will both help hunters and help the state track the health of the state's wolf population.

A bill to legalize a controversial herbal supplement in Wisconsin is reintroduced.   Ledgeview Assemblyman John Macco is one of the authors of the bill that would permit Kratom in the state.  The supplement is used to self-treat conditions like pain, anxiety, and opioid-use disorders.  Macco points out Kratom is legal in most other states, but possession of it is a misdemeanor in Wisconsin.  Republican lawmakers tried legalizing it last year but held off on a vote amid criticism from law enforcement, who point out the substance is linked to psychotic episodes, overdose, and intoxicated driving deaths. Both the FDA and DEA have issued warnings about using Kratom.

The folks at the Chippewa Valley Wildlife Rehabilitation Center are taking acorns early this year. Usually, the center waits till October to start collecting acorns to feed the squirrels that are being rehabilitated there,  but managers said they want to get an early start this year. For the next couple of weeks, you'll be able to rake up the acorns in your yard and drop them off at a collection trailer at the rehab center. There are currently 27 squirrels getting care at the rehab center. October is Squirrel Awareness Month here in Wisconsin.

Local-Regional News Sept 22

 The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has awarded grants to Buffalo and the Eau Claire County Sheriff Departments to support their work addressing the opioid epidemic.  The Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office is receiving $4,950 for community drug disposal programs, while The Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Office is receiving $350,000 for community drug disposal programs, programs to keep people with an opioid use disorder out of jail and to train staff on medication-assisted treatment for an opioid use disorder.  The one-year grants are funded by the state’s share of the National Prescription Opiate Litigation settlement received last year. 

Residents needing child care here in Western Wisconsin could see a sharp increase in childcare costs.   A program that helped with those costs, Child Care Counts is coming to an end and the State of Wisconsin is not funding the program.   According to Western Dairyland, an organization that assists families, childcare costs could rise as much as 20-40 percent. Western Dairyland told WQOW that staffing issues and the lack of child care in rural areas are two factors in the reasons for the costs.  Earlier this month, the Durand-Arkansaw School Board allowed the district superintendet to continue to explore the development of an early learning center that would also provide child care services., however, that project would be years away.

 The village of Cadott is considering buying the old Marshfield Clinic building. Cadott police department and the village board will hold two public listening sessions on a potential purchase. The idea is to use the old Marshfield Clinic building on Highway 27 for a new village clerk and police department office building. There's also talk of adding a new library to the old clinic.  The old Marshfield Clinic building is for sale for just under 900-thousand dollars, Cadott's police chief says they don't know how much it would cost to renovate it but he says the village's current building is it least 60 years old.

Add another state to the map for Kwik Trip. The company yesterday opened its first store in South Dakota. The new store is in Brandon, in the southeast corner of South Dakota. Kwik Trip says it plans to open five more stores in South Dakota over the next several months. South Dakota now makes it six states to be home to either a Kwik Trip or a Kwik Star. 

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved Xcel Energy’s expansion of the Sherco Solar project, which will soon become one of the biggest solar projects in the country. The unanimous vote paves the way for 710 megawatts of solar generation near the existing Sherco coal plant in Becker, Minnesota, by adding a 250-megawatt array to the 460 megawatts currently under construction. All phases of the project are expected to be complete by the end of 2025, replacing the capacity of the Sherco plant’s first coal unit that is scheduled to retire later this year.    The project also includes a plan to purchase power from the 100-megawatt Apple River solar project in northwestern Wisconsin, which will be one of the largest solar projects in Wisconsin.

 New details are coming out about a massive data breach at the University of Minnesota.  Last month, the U of M announced it was investigating claims that a hacker accessed sensitive information on students and employees in 2021.  Yesterday the university confirmed that personal information dating as far back as 1989 may have been compromised in the breach.  They say the hacker may have access to people's names, addresses, social security numbers, employment information, and much more.  Those potentially affected will receive a notice from the school.  

There is now a complaint over the group of former Wisconsin Supreme Court justices who are offering the state's assembly speaker advice on impeachment. The liberal-leaning group American Oversight filed a complaint With Dane County's district attorney asking him to void any action that comes from the panel. American Oversight says Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is breaking the state's open meetings rules by asking the former justices for their advice on how to possibly move forward with an impeachment against Justice Janet Protasiewicz [[ pro-tuh-SAY-wits ]].  Vos last week said he was reaching out to former justices to get a sense of how the state could move forward with an impeachment proceeding. Vos has not said just which justices he has reached out to, American Oversight says Wisconsin's open meeting laws require that he make that information public

A 10-year-old girl who took part in Madison's Naked Bike Ride became part of the Congressional inquiry into the Attorney General Wednesday. Northwoods' Congressman Tom Tiffany pressed Attorney General Merrick Garland as to why he never heard back on a letter he sent a couple of months ago about the girl who was spotted during the Naked Bike Ride in June. Tiffany wants charges for bike ride organizers, and maybe even the girl's parents. Garland said the question is probably best for local law enforcement. Authorities in Madison refused to press charges, saying there was nothing pornographic about the young girl's nudity, or the pictures that were taken of her while she was on her bike without any clothes.

Kraft is recalling American cheese slices over a potential choking hazard.  The company says nearly 84-thousand individually wrapped singles were affected when one of their wrapping machines malfunctioned, making it possible that a thin strip of film could stick to the slice.  Kraft Heinz got several complaints from customers, including six who said they choked or gagged. Customers can return or exchange singles where they were purchased.

A pair of Republican lawmakers want to protect Wisconsin's voter ID law in the state's Constitution. State Senator Van Wanggaard and Representative Pat Snyder yesterday introduced a plan that would have a constitutional amendment requiring voter ID for people to vote in Wisconsin. Wisconsin has had a voter ID law on the books for years, but Wanggaard says he wants to make sure it stays on the books going forward. Some Republicans are worried that the new liberal majority Supreme Court May roll back the state's voter ID requirements.

Democrats at the Wisconsin Capitol say they want to see a lot more money from the Brewers' owner before they agree to spend any taxpayer dollars on American Family Field. Team executives met with Democratic lawmakers at the Capitol yesterday, just days after statehouse Republicans unveiled a plan that would spend 600-million in taxpayer money to pay for work needed at the Brewers' ballpark Milwaukee Democratic State Senator Tim Carpenter, whose District includes American Family Field, says he wants to see 200-million dollars from the Brewers owner. The current plan calls for just 100-million dollars from the Brewers. Other Democrats say the current plan asks too much from both Milwaukee and Milwaukee County.  The proposal would have the city and county pay about 200-million toward the future of the ballpark.

The issue of whether former President Donald Trump can appear on the ballot in Minnesota next year will go before the state Supreme Court.  Oral arguments in the constitutional challenge of Trump's 2024 ballot status will take place on November 2nd.  Earlier this month a group filed a lawsuit looking to block Trump from appearing on the 2024 ballot in Minnesota.  They point to the 14th Amendment which bans those who engage in insurrection against America from running for president.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is no longer in the top spot in a customer satisfaction survey.  The J.D. Power 2023 North America Airport Satisfaction Study shows that Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is ranked number one.  MSP is now ranked second followed by Harry Reid International Airport near Las Vegas.  The survey measured areas like terminal facilities, airport arrival and departures, baggage claim, security check, and food, beverage and retail.

Local-Regional News Sept 21

 A Durand man was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday. 34-year-old Jesse Turnmire is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.  The indictment alleges that on July 7, 2023, Turnmire possessed a .22 caliber revolver and ammunition.  The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.    If convicted, Turnmire faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. 

The City of Mondovi is having an independent engineering firm do an audit of the North Eau Claire Street Project.  The audit is a result of a dispute between the city, residents along North Eau Claire Street, and the project engineering firm CBS Squared.  If the audit shows problems with the engineering and design of the project, Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss expects some type of legal process for liquidated damages.  The city and residents were concerned about how the new design of the project lowered the street level and the grade of the street to the extent that some residents now have no access to the street from the front of their homes.

As Congress heads toward a Sept 30th deadline to continue to fund the government, Wisconsin 3rd District Congressman Derrick Van Orden says he is opposed to shutting down the government. The continuing resolution in the house appears to be dead as some members of the Freedom Caucus have come out in opposition to it.

The City of Wabasha Public Works Department has just finished planting 200 trees of 6 different varieties, with over 500 more trees to go.   The City of Wabasha received a $33,343 grant from the DNR to plant trees in order to replace the 950 ash trees that had to be removed due to the Emerald Ash Borer Disease.   The Public Works Department is on pace to plant 50 to 100 trees per week later this fall and next year depending on the weather conditions.

Police in Eau Claire are warning that someone is calling and pretending to be them. Eau Claire's Police Department took to social media yesterday to warn that someone is calling around and faking the number from Eau Claire's Communication Center. They are telling people that they owe a fine, or else they'll be going to jail. The scammers demand to be paid, oftentimes with gift cards. The real police say they never do that, and say if you get a call you should just hang up.

Chippewa County's sheriff says he didn't do anything wrong, and says he's shocked to learn that someone in his office thinks he did. Sheriff Travis Hakes yesterday said county supervisors have created a false narrative against him, and he thinks they're trying to push him out of office. Supervisors met earlier this week, behind closed doors, to talk about the allegations from someone in the sheriff's department of a hostile workplace. Supervisors have another meeting scheduled for next month as well. Hakes ran for election by promising to be more open as sheriff, and yesterday said he stands by what he said. Hakes was elected as sheriff back in November. 

Gov. Tony Evers announced on May 31, 2023, that he is seeking applicants for the Barron County Circuit Court – Branch 2 and subsequently extended the application deadline. The governor announced today he is accepting applications on a rolling basis until the vacancy is filled. The appointment will fill the vacancy created by Judge J. M. Bitney’s retirement, effective Sept. 15, 2023. The new judge will complete a term ending July 31, 2024.

An expected outcome at the Capitol, Republican legislative leaders in the state Senate and Assembly gaveled in and out of session on Wednesday, after signaling they’d take no action on a special session from Democratic Governor Tony Evers almost as soon as he called it more than a month ago. Evers wanted lawmakers to take up a $1 billion workforce development package, including $365 million to support hard-pressed childcare providers. In a statement, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu faulted Evers for twice vetoing a bill that would have imposed work-search requirements on welfare recipients.

A new study from a non-partisan research group details childcare costs for Wisconsin families.  The report from Forward Analytics titled (“Priced Out: The Steep Cost of Childcare in Wisconsin”) found the average annual cost of infant childcare in Wisconsin in 2021 was $13,572. That’s more than the $10,766 annual tuition at UW-Madison.

A Northwoods developer building affordable housing for workers says the economy will break without a place for employees to live.  Bob Odhe is working on his fifth affordable housing development, this time in St. Germain. He tells WJFW-TV that even building these properties is getting extremely expensive. Over the last five years, he says costs have risen from 9 million to 15 million dollars to build the same set of apartments. The Northwoods has seen a housing crisis as available houses are snapped up by private owners to be used as short-term rentals, forcing local workers to drive long distances to get to and from their jobs. 

State Senate Republicans are responding to Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin scheduling abortion services by introducing bills aimed at regulating abortion care.  Those bills got a public hearing in the Senate's Licensing and Federalism Committee on Tuesday. The bills clarify that lifesaving procedures on the behalf of a mother are not considered abortions under state law, but also prohibit state employees from promoting or making referrals for abortions.  Other bills would allow expectant parents to make tax deductions, and require the state to provide 1 million dollars a year to Choose Life Wisconsin, a pro-life advocacy group.

 The top Democrat in the Wisconsin Senate says Republicans are holding UW employees hostage for political games. Senator Melissa Agard yesterday said Republicans should not threaten to withhold pay raises from University of Wisconsin employees in the battle over diversity, equity, and inclusion. The top Republican in Wisconsin assembly, Speaker Robin Vos, last week said he would not approve pay raises unless and until the University of Wisconsin cut 32-million dollars in DEI programs. Vos wants the UW to spend that money instead on in-demand jobs and other academic programs. Agard says Vos and other Republicans would rather score political points than do what's right for the university and the state. 

 Several environmental groups in Minnesota are taking legal action against the EPA.  They are suing the federal agency to reform national water pollution permits for large livestock operations.  The plaintiffs claim the waste from the mega-farms is contributing to a national clean-water crisis.  The groups that are suing include Dodge County Concerned Citizens, Land Stewardship Project, and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

The Packers are reminding fans that the new season means a new update for their Packers app. The team yesterday told ticket holders to make sure to be up to date before they show up at Lambeau Field on Sunday. The latest version of the Packers mobile app has a critical update that helps with the tickets. Because of that update, fans are going to have to update their app before they arrive at Lambeau Field in order to get into the stadium. The Packers play their home opener against the Saints this Sunday.

You can now have a pig as a pet in the city of Madison. The Common Council last night approved a plan that will allow people to have one pig per home so long as it's under 24 inches tall at the shoulder and doesn't weigh any more than 300 pounds. Madison's old rules banned pigs in the city, but the new rules were adopted after a number of people were told that they had to get rid of their pigs. Not everyone is happy. Some folks turned out at last night's meeting to complain saying Madison first allowed chickens, now the city is allowing pigs, and they wondered if goats or other barnyard animals are next.

Local-Regional News Sept 20

 The Pepin County Board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include annual reports from Pepin and Durand Libraries, the Land Conservation Department, and the Extension Office.   The board will also go into closed session to confer with legal counsel on possible litigation.  Tonight's meeting begins at 7pm in the board room at the Government Center in Durand.

Representatives from the Eau Claire School District were in Durand recently meeting with Durand-Arkansaw School District Staff to talk about the Bauer Built Sports Complex.  Durand-Arkansaw Superintendent Greg Doverspike says the Eau Claire District wanted to know more about how the complex was built.  The Eau Claire School District is looking at a possible new sports field to replace the city-owned Carson Park complex.

The City of Mondovi Continues to work on installing new playground equipment at Mirror Lake Park.  Mayor Brady Weiss says the new equipment is much larger than the old equipment.  The city also hopes to repurpose the old playground equipment at another park in the city.

No one is saying just what Chippewa County's new sheriff did, but the allegations against him are enough to have another hearing scheduled for his future as sheriff. The Chippewa County Board met for four hours last night behind closed doors to talk about the future of Sheriff Travis Hakes. Supervisors didn't make any final decisions, in fact, they've scheduled another conversation about the sheriff's future for next month. The board met after they got a complaint from an employee about the sheriff's workplace behavior. However, no one is saying just what that involves. Hakes was elected as sheriff last fall.

Wisconsin and Minnesota might get some much-needed wet relief this weekend.  The National Weather Service says a massive fall storm is forming in the region and could begin on Friday night and continue until Sunday morning.  As it appears right now, forecasters believe the strong storm will bring much-needed rain over both states.  

Lawmakers at the Wisconsin Capitol want to make sure that you can grow a garden in your backyard. An Assembly panel will hold a vote later today on a plan that would make it clear local governments cannot stop you from planting a garden on your own property. The proposal would prohibit a city, county, or township from requiring people to get a permit before they could plant tomatoes, strawberries, herbs, or other vegetables. The plan would also make sure that you don't need a permit to plant flowers in your yard. Local governments, however, would still be able to require people to mow their lawns and/or regulate water and fertilizer use. 

The Wisconsin State Senate is changing a bill that would raise fines for reckless driving in school zones. Right now, failing to stop for a school bus will result in a maximum fine of 300 dollars. An amendment to the proposal increases fines for the violation to between 300 and 1-thousand dollars. The amended bill needs approval from the Assembly before going to the Governor's desk.

A Wisconsin Company is at the center of a beef recall.   American Food Group, LLC is warning about possible E. coli contamination in 58,000 pounds of its ground beef.  Consumers best know the company’s product as Green Bay Dressed Beef.  The recall comes after a sample batch of beef tested positive for E. coli.  The raw ground beef items were produced on Aug. 14 and shipped to distributors in Georgia, Michigan and Ohio  According to the US Department of Agriculture, there have not been any reports of illness related to anyone eating the recalled products.

Republican lawmakers at the Wisconsin Capitol want to use the state constitution to make sure that there's never a repeat of the Zuckerbucks scandal. A handful of Republicans yesterday introduced what they're calling an election transparency constitutional amendment. It would ban the use of outside political groups to deal with absentee ballots, as well as paying for any sort of primary, election, or referendum in the state. The amendment also makes it clear that only election officials may handle Wisconsin's electoral process. 

A $614 million Republican plan to fund American Family Field improvements is greeted cautiously by Democrats. In a statement, a spokesperson for Governor Tony Evers said it’s unfortunate Republicans rejected a proposal Evers’ made earlier this year, to spend $290 million in state money to fund Brewers ballpark renovations. Evers looks forward to reviewing the Republican proposal and continuing conversations. Assembly Democratic Leader Greta Neubauer of Racine and Assistant Leader Kalan Haywood of Milwaukee said the Republican proposal falls short of recognizing the regional benefit of AmFam Field and places too great of a financial burden on the city and county of Milwaukee. 

A missing man from Wautoma was found dead in a lake Sunday.  Patrick Morehead was reported missing a week ago after he was believed to have driven a vehicle off a roadway and into a tree in Waushara County.  The area where the vehicle crashed was searched but nothing was found. Sunday morning, the Waushara County Sheriff’s Office received word of a suspicious object in Meilke Lake in the town of Dakota.  Officials confirmed it was Morehead’s body.   An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of the man’s death.

State Ag officials are seeking the public's help in tracking a new invasive species threat. Adult spotted lanternflies are active and laying egg masses in September and October. While it has not yet been found in Wisconsin, the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is asking for help to monitor for the pest. Adults are about one inch long and feature tan outer wings with black spots. The inner wings contain a mix of white, black, and red markings. They can be found feeding on hardwoods such as maple, cherry, willow, and apple. If you think you spot SLF in Wisconsin, report it right away at the DATCP website.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is again asking people not to bait or feed deer this fall. DNR Deer Herd Health Specialist Erin Larson says doing so can help prevent the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease.  There are currently baiting and feeding regulations in place for 55 of the state’s 72 counties. For the rest of the state, the DNR recommendation is to forgo the practice altogether. 

Some high school students in Minnesota will no longer see police officers on campus regularly.  The Maple Grove Police Department told parents Monday it was removing school resource officers from Maple Grove Senior High School.  Those officers are being reassigned within the department.  The move comes after Brooklyn Park Police pulled its student resource officers from a school in the area.  Several law enforcement agencies around Minnesota have taken similar steps in recent days in response to new legislation that could open up school police to potential lawsuits over the holds they are allowed to put students in should they need to.

 A Green Bay woman says a recent car problem is not one she was prepared for.  Ellen Chaudoir recently opened her vehicle's hood to find a giant snake slithering inside.  Lori Bankson with Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary says the serpent turned out to be a seven-foot-long Jungle Carpet Python, an animal that is native to Australia that was likely being kept as a pet before escaping.  Chaudoir says she was able to make the four-mile drive to the nearby animal sanctuary with the snake in the engine bay without it being harmed.  The python is now being cared for by the Wisconsin Humane Society as they work to find it a permanent home.

Local-Regional News Sept 19

 The City of Durand is continuing to encourage low to moderate-income homeowners to take advantage of the Community Development Block Grant loan program for home improvements.  Durand Mayor Patrick Millren says the program allows homeowners to get a no-interest, no-payment loan for home improvements.  Currently, the city has over $150,000 available.  The program is confidential, call city hall for more information.

One person was injured in a motorcycle accident in Diamond Bluff Township on Saturday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 51-year-old Jon Kruse of Pine City, MN was traveling northbound on Hwy O, when he swerved to miss a deer, lost control, and entered the ditch.  Kruse was med-flighted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

One person was injured in a single-vehicle accident in Clifton Township on Friday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 51-year-old Neonta Kocher of Hammond was traveling southbound on Hwy F, when she lost control of the vehicle and struck a guardrail.  She was transported to River Falls Area Hospital.

 The University of Wisconsin-River Falls has once again been named one of the best regional public universities in the Midwest by the U.S. News & World Report 2024 Best Colleges ranking.  The acclaimed ranking lists UW-River Falls as the No. 14-ranked regional university among public schools in the Midwest in its 2024 Best Colleges list. The university also is ranked 60th among regional universities in the Midwest.   The U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings are calculated using up to 19 measures of academic quality, with the intent of helping students and their families identify colleges that best fit their needs. The report evaluates 1,500 colleges and universities nationally. 

 Farmers in Western Wisconsin are dealing with drought conditions as they begin their fall harvest. Moderate to severe droughts are still in the area and farmers are expecting average yields to be under historical norms. The prices will also be impacted due to the dry weather, with Strey Farms owner Steve Strey expecting corn quality to be "really poor." 

Visit Eau Claire officials are expecting the ten-percent increase in tourism from last summer to continue into the fall. Executive director Benny Anderson says they are hoping the ad for fall colors generates interest and says they know people are "super interested" in it. The fall colors in the area are expected to peak in the second or third week of next month. 

Wisconsin Congressman Mark Pocan is urging Congressman Derrick Van Orden to issue an apology for yelling at teenage U.S. Senate pages this summer. Pocan issued a statement after watching security video from July where Orden yelled at the teens as they laid on the U.S. Capitol rotunda floor to take pictures. He says the video showed behavior that was "unbecoming of a Member of Congress." Pocan says it is not behavior "a sober or sane person would do."

 A 700 million dollars proposal would keep the Brewers in Milwaukee until at least 2050. The bill by Wisconsin lawmakers would keep the club at American Family Field using state and local funds. Around 200 million dollars would come from the city and county of Milwaukee, 100 million from the Brewers, and the rest from the state. The proposal would give the team more than 60 million dollars next year and 20 million dollars annually after that through the deal's end.

Holcombe residents are being notified that a sex offender will be released tomorrow and will live in the community. The Chippewa County Sheriff's Office says Roland Staves will live at 26614 County Highway M and has to register for the rest of his life as a sex offender. Staves had male and female victims who were all minors.

Teachers across Minnesota are being urged to get training in a new suicide prevention program.  The state departments of Health and Education want teachers to take the training to help support students' mental and emotional well-being.  The virtual training lets teachers have real-life conversations about teenage mental health and how they can best support it.  Training will be provided for free to all educational staffers through June of next year.

A Racine man was in court Friday after his involvement in a high-speed police chase Thursday.  Racine Police say they pulled over a car driven by Jordan Laycock-Barber, who had warrants out for his arrest.  As an officer approached the vehicle, Laycock-Barber sped off and led police on a pursuit.  A criminal complaint states Laycock-Barber ran stop signs "without braking" and went through an alley.  The complaint then says Laycock-Barber pulled his car over and ran off.  After officers eventually took Laycock-Barber into custody, they learned that he left two children, ages four and seven, in the car.  Officers also found loose marijuana and two empty handgun boxes in the vehicle.  Laycock-Barber is charged with multiple felonies and a misdemeanor.

The latest in a controversial class of US Navy ship is named for the Wisconsin city where it was built. The USS Marinette was commissioned at a ceremony in Menomonee Michigan on Saturday morning, nearly three years after being launched. The Marinette is the first US Navy warship to be named after the city where it was built. The Freedom class Littoral Combat Ship was launched in October 2020 and immediately needed repairs to its gear system after being christened the following November. The Marinette joins the fleet less just a week after the USS Milwaukee, from the same class of Littoral Combat Ships, was decommissioned after just seven years of service. The Navy announced plans last year to decommission nine of the Freedom class ships.

If you've been interested in trying out deer hunting, the Department of Natural Resources wants to help you. State deer program specialist Jeff Pritzl says the Mentored Hunting Program is not just for children anymore. He says many adults are taking up hunting later in life. Mentored hunts not only help new hunters have access to equipment, but also the life experience you need to find and hunt deer. You can find a learn to hunt program and a mentor online at D N R dot W I dot Gov. Just search for "Learn To Hunt".

Severe weather has again led to a nationwide blood shortage. Jennifer Warren with the American Red Cross of Wisconsin says that’s due in part to Hurricane Idalia last month.  You can make an appointment to donate at redcrossblood.org  

Wisconsin Rapids is close to allowing ATVs and UTVs on city streets. Mayor Shane Blaser says the ordinance is molded after what's worked in other communities, if they find one item doesn't work or needs to be tweaked they can always come back to it later. Blaser says adding city streets to travel maps will allow people to more easily cross the Wisconsin River, allowing for more tourism in the city.

Students at a high school in Rochester got to spend some time with a basketball icon recently.  LeBron James showed up for a rally last Friday at Lourdes High School.  The multi-time NBA MVP thanked the school for being so nice and generous to him and his family while they were in town the past week.  James' son Bronny was getting treatment at the Mayo Clinic last week after going into cardiac arrest earlier this summer playing basketball in Southern California.  LeBron says Lourdes High's staff let him use the weight room and other facilities to train while in town and he's eternally grateful.

Local-Regional News Sept 18

 One person was killed in an ATV accident in River Falls Township last Wednesday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 55-year-old Douglas Green was operating an ATV on Private Property when the ATV rolled down an embankment, trapping Greene underneath the machine.   Greene was pronounced dead at the scene by the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office.  

The Durand-Arkansaw School District will continue to explore the possibility of developing an early learning center.  The center would provide not only early learning services but also daycare services.  Duurand-Arkansaw School Superintendent Greg Doverspike says the project won't be happening anytime soon.  Another factor in the project will be community interest.  Doverspike says he expects the district to send out surveys to residents asking for their input and interest.

One person was arrested after returning to the scene of a hit-and-run accident in Independence on Saturday.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department, deputies were called to the Welcome Bar in Independences after a male driver fled the scene of a hit and run.  While units were responding additional calls came in that the driver had returned and had a firearm.  He was arrested and no firearm was found.  Two people were injured in the incident and that case is still under investigation.

Dunn County has transferred a popular park to the town of Sand Creek.  The park has been in operation for nearly 50yrs and the town had been turned the park over to Dunn County in 1973 to have it developed into a serviceable park.  The park now includes more than 50 campsites and has been maintained since 2005 by the town of Sand Creek.    The resolution transferring the park back to Sand Creek includes a stipulation that it will remain a park.  The official name of the park is now Myron Park.

The conduct of a Chippewa County employee will be the subject of a county board meeting tomorrow night.  The Leader-Telegram reports officials will be in a closed session to go over personal or other histories of the employee and involves concerns brought forward "by a specific county employee."  Leaders noted it's unclear if an investigation into the matter will come to an end during the meeting.  The employee at the heart of tomorrow's meeting was also the subject of another meeting in June.  The newspaper also reported Chippewa County is using the same law firm Eau Claire County used for a recent investigation.

An Interstate 90 rest area in Olmsted County that was scheduled to reopen last Friday will be closed for another week.  The Minnesota Department of Transportation says exterior improvements at the Marion Rest Area are still being finished.  The rest area is about three miles west of the Highway 42 exit to Eyota.  Work should be finished by this Friday.

An escapee from a Wisconsin prison has been recaptured in Virginia. Alexandria police say 38-year-old Dustin Bone was taken into custody Friday while behind the wheel of a stolen car. Officers used License Plate Reader (LPR) Technology to locate the vehicle. Bone was serving a seven-year prison term for armed robbery when he broke out of the Sanger B. Powers Correctional Center in Oneida last Monday. He is being held, pending extradition.  The city of Mondovi is considering installing two cameras with License Plate Reader Technology.

 It's unclear if anybody was hurt after a tanker truck rolled over in Eau Claire County.  It happened yesterday north of Fairchild in the area of County Road H and Oak Road.  The Sheriff's Office says the tanker truck rolled onto its side, leading to a spill of diesel fuel.  Crews were called out to clean up the mess, while sheriff's officials noted the area would be closed for "an extended period of time."  A Facebook post didn't provide any indication of when the area would reopen.

State lawmakers are considering a measure aimed at increasing enrollment in driver's education courses.  A proposed bill would devote six million dollars to covering the course fees for students who get free and reduced lunch.  Officials say the costs of classes lead many young people to wait until they are 18 years old to get their licenses when they are no longer required to take formal training.  The legislation is co-sponsored by Republican State Representative Bob Donovan and some Democrat lawmakers.

Northern Lights may be visible in Minnesota tonight.  The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, said on social media that a geomagnetic storm on Monday and Tuesday is increasing the possibility of Northern Lights.  The best time to watch will be from 10 p.m. today till 4 a.m. tomorrow.  

--

A one-time nurse at a Janesville hospital was sentenced to prison Thursday.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Dawn Drum withdrew fentanyl from vials of the opioid in an automated dispensing system at the hospital where she worked.  Drum then replaced the fentanyl in those vials with saline before resealing the vial stopper with what appeared to be superglue and returning the tampered vials into the dispenser for use with other patients. The federal office adds that when the 54-year-old Drum was confronted by hospital management and asked to take a drug test, Drum resigned from her position.  Drum was sentenced to 15 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of product tampering. 

Minnesota utility regulators are standing by their earlier decision to approve a smaller electricity rate increase than Xcel Energy requested.  The state Public Utilities Commission voted five-0 against reconsidering the June decision, without allowing any comments by Xcel or other parties.  Xcel had been asking for a hike of 440 million dollars but regulators a proposing a 306 million dollar increase.  The next case for Xcel, if it chooses to continue to fight the PUC ruling, is to take its case to the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said Thursday afternoon that the University of Wisconsin System “will never get another nickel out of the Legislature” unless it cuts diversity, equity, and inclusion programming. Vos responded in a statement to the Daily Cardinal after the paper reported that UW-Madison Vice Chancellor for student affairs Lori Reesor confirmed DEI positions would not be cut during a Wednesday meeting with student government.  Republicans on the Legislature’s budget committee cut $32 million from the UW System’s 2023-25 state budget and tied that to the elimination of 188 DEI positions. Democratic Governor Tony Evers used a partial veto to let UW officials absorb the cut as they see fit.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture says two new invasive insect species have been spotted in Minnesota.  The agency announced yesterday that the elm seed bug and the Asiatic garden beetle were seen by homeowners in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area last month.  The elm seed bug is described as a nuisance insect much like the box elder bug.  The Asiatic garden beetle can be more damaging, as it is known to feed on more than 100 kinds of plants.  Anyone who spots the insects is asked to contact the Department of Agriculture so they can monitor the spread of the two species.

Waukesha’s switch from groundwater to Lake Michigan water has been delayed.   That transition, which was supposed to begin this week, has been delayed to October 9th.  The Waukesha Water Utility says the hold-up is due to a programming issue with new water pumps during startup testing.  The utility also chose to completely drain and re-fill their above-ground reservoirs to lessen the chance of having any strange colors or smells in the water after the switchover.  The city of Waukesha needed to move away from its groundwater-based water system due to its elevated levels of contaminants.

A sunken ship was recently found off the coast of Lake Michigan in northeast Wisconsin.   Back in July, researchers found the 19th century schooner, the Trinidad, about 250 feet below the surface of the lake about 10 miles off the coast of Algoma.  The 140-foot-long ship was built in 1867 to haul grain, coal, and iron between the Midwest and the Northeast. The boat sank in 1881, but the Wisconsin Underwater Archeology Association reports that shipwreck hunters found the ship "remarkably intact."  

Local-Regional News Sept 15

 The City of Durand is applying for a $10,000 Urban Forestry Grant from the state of Wisconsin. The grant can be used to help the city remove the ash trees in city parks and boulevards.    According to Durand Mayor Patrick Millren the city will have to match the grant amount. The city still has about 50 ash trees remaining in city parks, the city cemetery, and boulevards.

Motorists using Hwy 25 between Nelson and Wabasha should expect significant delays over the weekend.  Traffic is expected to be heavier because of the 58th annual Flood Run set for Saturday.   Hwy 25 is currently down to one lane as construction crews remove and replace the pavement on the Northbound Lanes.  Once crews are done with the northbound side, they will begin with the southbound lanes.  That project is set to be completed in October.

The 2023-24 academic year at the University of Wisconsin-Stout has kicked off with positive news — more first-year and international students and increased financial support for all students.  The university has seen an important increase in first-year students and a double-digit increase in international students, the latter for the second straight year. Nearly 250 international students from 43 countries are enrolled.   First-day enrollment figures across the UW System were announced Sept. 14. With the second week of classes underway, UW-Stout's incoming student numbers and current enrollment continue to rise.

Enrollment is down at UW-Eau Claire this fall. The university released its Fall 2023 enrollment numbers yesterday, and Eau Claire lost 153 students compared to last fall. The drop brings Eau Claire's total enrollment under 10 thousand students. Overall, enrollment across the UW System is up by 540 students, though most of that is at the Madison campus. UW officials say they are focused on bringing-on new students, and winning the war for talent. 

The Minnesota fire marshal is assisting local investigators who are looking into the cause of a fire at a historic creamery in Hastings.  Fire tore through the building late Wednesday night, leading to warnings about smoke getting into nearby homes through heating and air conditioning systems.  Highway 61 near the creamery was reopened yesterday after being closed for several hours due to the fire.  The creamery had been serving the area for more than 100 years, but it closed last month after being denied access to the local sewer system. 

 We're waiting to see what the new mascot will be at CVTC. The school yesterday said it will unveil its new mascot at a ceremony that will also introduce the college's new president. It will either be a river otter or a tiger. CVTC used to be known as the Tech Tigers when the school had some sports teams back in the 70s and 80s. 

The Drought in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin Continues to expand.  According to the latest drought monitor, most of the WRDN Listening area is either under drought or severe drought conditions.  Some rain is expected at times today, but it won't be enough to break the drought.  Only far northern Pierce County and a small portion of Western Dunn County are experiencing pre-de-drought conditions.

 Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin will offer abortion services again next week. The organization stopped the service after Roe v. Wade was overturned last summer. Planned Parenthood says the ban isn't enforceable, and abortion services will resume at the Water Street Health Center in Milwaukee and Madison East Health Center starting Monday. Patients can start scheduling appointments today.

As expected, legal action quickly followed a vote on the status of Wisconsin’s elections administrator.  The Wisconsin state Senate voted 22-11 along partisan lines Thursday to not accept the appointment of Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Megan Wolfe – with Republicans effectively attempting to fire her from the position. Democrats argued the action was not properly before the chamber and that Wolfe may remain in the post. Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul agrees - he’s already filed a lawsuit declaring that Wolfe “is lawfully holding” her position and the Senate has “no power to reject her.”  

The Wisconsin Senate is looking to cut taxes, once again. Republicans in the Senate yesterday overrode Governor Tony Evers' vetoes that cut a three-and-a-half billion-dollar tax cut out of the new state budget. Republicans also voted to scuttle the governor's veto that ordered a 400-year school funding increase. The override votes don't really matter though. Republicans in the Wisconsin Assembly don't have enough votes to do the same. The governor yesterday accused Republicans of wanting to take money away from public schools, and of wanting to give tax cuts to millionaires. 

A shake-up within the Portage Police Department.   2 officers and an administrative assistant have now been fired over alleged inappropriate and threatening comments in a video posted on social media.   The post showed the officers making the remarks about someone who had filed a temporary restraining order.  Officers Craig Crary and Ben Oetzman(oats-man)  were fired, as was Administrative Assistant Casey Crary.  The Crarys were both arrested and charged with violating a restraining order while Oetzman faces a charge of disorderly conduct.

Milwaukee County supervisors say the costs to fix the Mitchell Park Domes are frightening. The county got an update on just how much it will cost to deal with the Domes moving forward. The most expensive option is a 67-million-dollar total restoration for the domes. But the county could also spend about 50-million to restore one dome and build something new. There's also a 22-million-dollar option to simply repair the Domes, and there's a five-million-dollar option to tear them down. Supervisor Sheldon Wasserman says the high cost of repairing or rebuilding each dome could mean they will likely just be torn down. 

Minnesota's Supreme Court says the smell of marijuana is not enough to allow law enforcement officers to search a vehicle.  An opinion issued yesterday examined a case from 2021 where an officer in Litchfield conducted a search based on the smell of marijuana in a vehicle.  Attorneys for the state maintained that the smell was enough to establish probable cause for the search.  However, the court found that previous cases where the smell of alcohol wasn't enough to justify a search also applied to cases involving marijuana.  A state law allowing possession of certain amounts of recreational marijuana went into effect last month.

It is the latest sign of fall. Archery and crossbow season open across Wisconsin on Saturday. The Department of Natural Resources is reminding hunters to be safe, and to be sure to register any deer they take by 5 p.m. the next day. The DNR says there are bonus antlerless deer permits available in many counties. While bow season begins this weekend, gun season in the state is still a few months away. 

 Lufthansa will launch its first-ever service in Minnesota next summer.  The German airline will provide year-round nonstop flights between Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Frankfurt, Germany starting on June 4.  Lufthansa will operate the flights five days a week.

Who has the best-tasting tap water in Wisconsin?  A statewide panel of judges says Janesville takes that honor.  On Wednesday, the city’s Water Utility announced its first-place finish in the Wisconsin Section American Water Works Association Water Taste Test Competition. Organizers required the water from each Wisconsin city to be at room temperature when being judged so the temperature does not mask the flavor.  Last year’s champion for tap water taste in the state, Menasha, came in second.  Janesville will now move on to Anaheim, California next June to compete for the title of North America’s Best Tasting Tap.

Local-Regional News Sept 14

 6 people were hurt after a 5 vehicle accident just north of Fountain City on Wednesday.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, a vehicle traveling southbound on Hwy 35 just north of Fountain City, crossed the center line and struck a northbound vehicle head-on, causing three other vehicles to crash.  Two people had to be airlifted to area hospitals and the remaining injured were transported by ambulance.  Hwy 35 was closed in both directions for over 4 hours.  The cause of that accident remains under investigation.

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board has approved selling the OC Hansen Park land to a developer.  At last night's board meeting, the Durand FFA had a proposal to turn the vacant land into an orchard, but the board felt that the project would not be feasible.  The district will now sell the land to a developer and its hoped 4 multi-family homes can be built on the property.  The land was returned to the school district by the city of Durand after the proposed dog park was turned down and the city decided not to have any sort of park on the property.

Businesses and residents that live on Madison Street between 8th Avenue West to 2nd Avenue East are encouraged to attend an informational meeting on the reconstruction of Madison Street on October 2nd.  The informal meeting will answer questions and explain the general project and engineers will be available to talk with individuals.   That meeting will be from 4:30-6:30 at Durand City Hall on October 2nd.

Eau Claire Schools are once again looking for subs. The school district yesterday said it has a shortage of substitute teachers. This is nothing new, Eau Claire Schools have had the same shortage for years. Last year the district gave subs a raise, up to 160 dollars per-day to fill-in. Still, the district says there are not enough subs to cover all of their empty classrooms. 

A Minnesota city will return land that contains 11 burial mounds to a local indigenous community.  Lake City leaders voted earlier this week to return three acres of land inside the city limits to the Prairie Island Indian Community.  The effort began nearly a year ago and required approvals from the tribal council, the planning commission, and the city council.  The city attorney will now prepare a deed to transfer the land to the Prairie Island community.

With the upcoming bow deer season this weekend, the DNR is reminding residents and landowners in Pepin, Buffalo, Dunn, Trempealeau, and Eau Claire Counties that a feeding ban remains in place.   The bans are part of the DNR's attempt to slow and stop the spread of CWD in the state Deer Heard.   Meanwhile, the DNR did confirm deer in Washburn County tested positive for Chronic Waste Disease. This means there will be a baiting and feeding ban in Sawyer, Barron, and Rusk counties.  Visit the DNR website for a complete list of counties under a feeding ban.

Gas prices in Minnesota are expected to start dropping soon after an unexpected spike over the last week.  Gas price website GasBuddy says unexpected refinery shutdowns led to a jump of 30 to 40 cents per gallon around the state.  Regulations that allow the sale of winter-blend gasoline will go into effect this weekend.  Analysts say that will help push gas prices lower, as petroleum companies already have winter-blend gasoline in stock and ready to deliver.

Two people are dead and three others are recovering after a crash in Polk County. The State Patrol says the crash happened yesterday afternoon on Highway 8, near Turtle Lake. Troopers say three cars were involved. The dead are identified as a 92-year-old woman from Texas and a 66-year-old man from Deer Park. Troopers say the cause of the crash remains under investigation. 

 Democrats at the Wisconsin Capitol say Republicans cannot be trusted to draw the state's new political maps.  Yesterday in Eau Claire, the top Democrat in the Wisconsin Senate, Melissa Agard, said Democrats in the state would welcome a commission to draw the next electoral map for the state, but she says that commission has to be fair.  Democrats oppose the part of the plan that would have republican legislators select the commission members and then any maps drawn would have to be approved by the legislature. Agard said Republicans cannot be trusted to be fair with the state's maps.  The top Republican in the Wisconsin Assembly on Tuesday suggested a commission draw the next map, as a way to avoid a legal fight and possible impeachment of the state's newest Supreme Court justice. Republicans will vote on that commission plan later today. 

There are charges for a Burnett County teen accused of shooting and killing his step-brother. The D.A. in Meenon yesterday filed reckless homicide charges against Ashton Heier of Siren. Investigators say he shot his stepbrother in the chest earlier this month. Heier says he fired in self defense after his step-brother came after him with a baseball bat. A judge ordered Heier held on 50-thousand dollars cash bond. He's due back in court next month. 

An attorney from Reedsburg was sentenced to prison after stealing over a million dollars from a client.   The U.S. Attorney’s Office says their investigation showed in June of 2019, Kristin Lein allegedly began transferring money from accounts belonging to the client’s trust accounts to her own personal bank account.  The amount taken from the accounts was reported to total over $1.6 million.  Officials say Lein, who pleaded guilty in June to multiple charges including wire fraud and money laundering, used the funds to pay personal expenses.  The 61-year-old Lein was sentenced for 45 months in prison. 

State hunters can help the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources with a study on deer density.   The agency says the study will explore several processes for assessing small-scale deer density, using such data sources as trail cameras and GPS-collared deer.  DNR officials say that all licensed gun hunters can apply to participate in a two-day gun deer hunt connected to the study.  It’ll happen December 9th and 10th at the Sandhill Wildlife Area in Babcock.  The deadline for applications is October 13th.  More details on what the DNR calls a “unique gun deer hunting opportunity” can be found by clicking the “News” tab on the DNR website.

One of the women convicted in the 2014 Slender Man stabbing case will be losing her GPS monitor.   A Waukesha County Circuit Court judge Monday signed an order to have the device that Anissa Weier was required to wear since 2021 removed.  Weier joined Morgan Geyser in luring Payton Leutner to a Waukesha park where Leutner was stabbed 19 times by Geyser while Weier urged her on. Weier was sent to a psychiatric facility after pleading guilty for her participation in the incident but was granted conditional release to live with her father and ordered to wear a GPS monitor in 2021.   Geyser, who was sentenced to 40 years in a mental institution for her part in the stabbing, is expected to file a petition for conditional release next year.

Minnesota's attorney general is looking into medical billing practices after complaints that healthcare providers are putting profits ahead of patients.  Attorney General Keith Ellison was in Rochester yesterday as part of his investigation into the billing practices of Allina Health System and the Mayo Clinic.  Some speakers at yesterday's listening session criticized insurers and providers for denying treatment and services to lower-income patients.  Ellison said that there are costs associated with medical services, but that life-and-death treatment shouldn't depend on whether a patient owes money to a medical provider.

A non-partisan organization is filing a petition in the Minnesota Supreme Court to keep Former President Trump off the ballot. Massachusetts non-profit Free Speech for People is arguing that Trump is constitutionally ineligible under Section three of the Fourteenth Amendment. The amendment disqualifies from public office any individual who has taken an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution but then engages in insurrection or rebellion against the United States. The argument is being made based on the January 6th Capitol riot. 

 Falls are a leading cause of injury and death in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services finds emergency medical services responded to more than 130-thousand falls statewide last year--the top injury responded to. That's a 22-percent increase since 2019. The state health department says putting grab bars in the bathroom and clearing trip hazards in walkways are easy ways to reduce the chance of a fatal fall.