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.
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