Tuesday, September 19, 2023

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.

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