Local-Regional News Feb 29

 One person was injured in a two vehicle accident in Gilman Township on Tuesday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 72yr old Duinia Kurrelmeyer of Maiden Rock was traveling westbound on Hwy 29 near 1090th Street when she stuck a parked vehicle with a trailer that was partially on the roadway.  Kurrelmeyer was taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

 Republican lawmakers in the Chippewa Valley say the governor changed their plan to help make sure emergency rooms don't suffer when two hospitals close in about a month. Governor Evers yesterday signed the plan that will send 15 million-dollars to hospitals in and around Eau Claire, but he changed the law so the money doesn't have to go only to emergency rooms.  The money can be used for urgent care and OBGYN services, along with any other service needs in the area. State Representative Rob Summerfield and others say that change will allow hospitals to spend the money elsewhere. The Chippewa Valley will lose about a third of its care options when HSHS closes its hospitals in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls in April.

120 leaders from Western Wisconisn were in Madison yesterday meeting with state lawmakers.  The 30th annual Chippewa Valley Rally included members of the Menomonie, Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls Chamber of Commerce  and the met with state legislators to discuss how the state government helped grow the Chippewa Valley's economy.   They also talked about the HSHS and Prevea Closing and how that will impact the area.  While the short-term funding that was approved will help, they believe that long-term reforms in the healthcare industry may need to happen.

 Eau Claire City Council will discuss plans for the downtown fire station over the next year. Deputy Fire Chief Robert Haller tells WQOW-TV News 18 the building has been standing for more than 75 years, about 25 years older than the average lifespan of a fire station. Haller says Station Two is connected to City Hall, which makes it a hub for emergency response. The City Council will be considering whether or not the station should be renovated or rebuilt.  

We'll have to wait to see what happens to the woman who drove through the Irvine Park Christmas display last December. A judge was supposed to decide on Ebony Hudson's competency yesterday, but she objected to the report before the judge had a chance to rule on it. Police claim Hudson intentionally drove through the Christmas lights in Chippewa Falls last year. Hudson is due back in court in mid-April for another hearing. 

Firefighters in Tomah have called-in an outside expert to look at the explosion involved in last Friday's fire downtown. The city's fire chief, Tim Adler, says the explosion came before the fire that burned the Sassy Girl Aroma shop to the ground. No one was hurt in the explosion or the fire, though two firefighters suffered minor injuries while fighting the fire. The chief says they've ruled-out a natural gas leak, but he's not saying what else may have caused the explosion. The fire at Sassy Girl came just a few months after another fire gutted the Chinese restaurant in downtown Tomah. 

 It's the end of an era for a longtime archery business in Rochester. Archery Headquarters will close its doors at the end of the week after 47 years in business. The owner, Marty Stubstad told KIMT 3 News, his decision to close the business was based on several factors including health problems and changes in the economy. He said he received an offer from Priority Construction to sell his building. Archery Headquarters' last day of business will be on Friday.

Great Lakes tribes want the Biden Administration to oppose a pipeline.  In a letter, leaders of 30 tribes including 9 of 11 federally recognized tribes in Wisconsin, ask the administration to support the Bad River Chippewa in its dispute with Canadian pipeline firm Enbridge. Last June, a federal district court ordered Enbridge to stop operating Line 5 on the Bad River reservation by 2026. Enbridge took the case to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals which requested federal input last December. The leaders’ letter presses the federal government to support tribal sovereignty in the dispute.

A historic site from Kenosha’s past looks to brighten and enhance the city’s future. Governor Tony Evers joined several elected officials and invited guests as groundbreaking took place Tuesday for the $23.5 million Kenosha Innovation Center. The new development is a part of the billion-dollar Kenosha Innovation Neighborhood project at the site of the old American Motors engine plant. The project will turn a portion of 107 acres of vacant land in the heart of Kenosha into a three-story, 64,000-square-foot mixed-use project with commercial, residential and recreational space, as well as an event and meeting space open for community use.  Construction of the center is expected to be completed by the summertime of 2025.

It'll cost more to see the Green Bay Packers play at Lambeau Field next season.   The Packers announced Tuesday a price increase on stadium bowl tickets for 2024, with the cost of regular-season tickets jumping from $4 to $10 per game, depending on location. Preseason ticket prices will also rise between $2 and $5 per game. Due to the NFL’s 17-game schedule, the 2024 season will be the first that Lambeau Field hosts a ninth home game. The extra game will be included for gold package season ticket holders, with a ninth Lambeau game in 2025 added for green package holders.

 Uber and Lyft are again threatening to leave Minneapolis over a new driver wage plan.  The City Council has brought back a proposal to raise wages and expand rights for ride share drivers.  Uber and Lyft plan to leave town if the plan moves forward.  The ordinance would pay drivers a minimum of a dollar-and 40 cents per mile and 51 cents per minute while transporting riders within city limits.  Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed a similar plan last year.

The feds are investigating UnitedHealth Group.  The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an antitrust investigation of the Minnetonka-based health system.  The Wall Street Journal reports that investigators have asked about certain relationships between the company's insurance business and its Optum division for health care services.

 Bart Starr's wife, Cherry, has passed away at age 89. Her family yesterday said Cherry Starr died peacefully at her home in Birmingham, surrounded by her family. Cherry Starr was a life-long advocate for young people, even starting a ranch for children with disabilities. She made her last appearance in Green Bay back in 2021, when the city renamed one of its bridges in honor of her husband. 

A new campaign to promote tourism in Minnesota is underway. Yesterday, Governor Tim Walz and Explore Minnesota launched the "Star of the North" campaign. The campaign seeks to attract not only visitors, but also for people to relocate to Minnesota. Ads for the campaign will run in 22 states.

Local-Regional News Feb 28

 Two people were injured in single vehicle accident in Oak Grove Township on Saturday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 61yr old Michael Fronsee of Green Bay was traveling northbound on Hwy OO when he lost control and entered the ditch.  He was taken to Regions Hospital along with passenger 61yr old Ann Massey of Green Bay.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on the purchase of a new generator for the fire hall, reports from the mayor and city administrator and department heads.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall.

A judge is not going to stop HSHS Sacred Heart and St Joe's hospitals from closing in April. Chippewa Valley Orthopedics and Sports Medicine asked the judge to stop the two hospitals from closing until at least July. The judge dismissed that request yesterday. HSHS announced back in January that it will be closing its hospitals because of costs and other 'industry trends.' Chippewa Valley Orthopedics and Sports Medicine says they filed the lawsuit to try and get more time for patients in the Chippewa Valley who may be left without care once the hospitals are closed. 

 Parents in Chippewa Falls continue to be upset that they weren't told about a school threat last fall. Dozens of parents turned-out at last night's school board meeting to demand answers. They want to know what no one told them about a student who, in October of last year, was allegedly looking-up how to make bombs and had what authorities have called a journal with specific threats. Parents didn't find out about the threat til earlier this month. Many parents last night said they want more answers, not just about this threat, but about all other threats as well. Chippewa Falls school leaders say they didn't notify parents because of privacy laws, and because the police were already handling the case.

Teachers in Lake City Public Schools have a new contract. The school district and union teachers approved a two-year contract. Under the new contract, base pay for teachers will increase by five-percent in the first year of the agreement and three-percent in the second. Teachers with twenty years or more of experience will receive an annual salary stipend. The contract also includes additional compensation for staff working beyond the expected school day. 

A New Richmond woman was sentenced to 12yrs in prison yesterday for the death of her fiance.  Marian Smith plead guilty to reckless homicide last fall after an incident in 2022 that had led to the death of Shaun Lewis.  Along with the 12yr prison sentence, Smith will be on 10yrs of extended supervision.

A large crowd turned out last night for a public memorial in Rochester for fallen Burnsville Firefighter Adam Finseth. Among those who spoke on Finseth's legacy included community leaders, members of the Burnsville Fire Department, and friends of the Finseth family. The service included a tribute from the Rochester Fire Department Honor Guard and a bell ceremony. Finseth is a Rochester native and a graduate of John Marshall High School. He along with Burnsville Police Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge were killed on February 18 while responding to a domestic disturbance.

Wisconsin's governor wants 125 million-dollars to deal with PFAS contamination across the state, even though he doesn't want the new law that goes along with the money. Governor Evers yesterday promised to veto the PFAS plan from Republican lawmakers. That plan would spend 125 million-dollars on grants to local communities so they can clean-up their drinking water. The governor likes that part of the law, but doesn't like the piece that would hold landowners harmless if PFAS chemicals simply pass through their land. The governor wants to give the DNR the power to go after those landowners. The governor said lawmakers should give him the money as a compromise instead.

There is another request to fast-track Wisconsin's pending abortion case. Attorney General Josh Kaul yesterday asked the state supreme court to take up the challenge to Wisconsin's 1849 abortion law. That law bans almost all abortions, but it's on hold because a Dane County judge ruled that the law doesn't really apply to abortions. Kaul says the sooner the Wisconsin Supreme Court settles the case, the better. Sheboygan County's D.A. has also asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to fast track the case. He's the only prosecutor in the state looking to enforce the 1849 law.  

 The FBI is now offering a reward for information about that missing Manitowoc County boy. The FBI yesterday announced a 15 thousand-dollar reward for any information about Elijah Vue's whereabouts. He's been missing since last Tuesday. His mom and her boyfriend are facing child neglect charges, but they have not said anything about where the little boy is. Manitowoc County's Crime Stoppers is offering a thousand-dollar reward in the case as well. 

Officials with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources say they've culled 83 invasive carp from the Mississippi River near Winona.  The 82 silver carp and one bigheaded carp were caught on February 13th and 14th.  The DNR says it's part of their ongoing effort to control the population of the destructive fish.  They say the project is taking on more urgency, as more and more of the invasive carp are being caught upstream.

 A Wisconsin sustainability office is being considered for federal funding consideration to modernize electricity generation facilities. Governor Tony Evers says the Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy was selected to possibly get money from the federal rural energy improvement program. The office was one of seventeen selected nationally, and could be eligible for part of one billion dollars. If it gets the money, solar power, battery storage, and electric vehicle charging stations would be a priority.

 Deputies in Sauk County are warning residents of a phone scam. The Sheriff's Office says it's gotten reports of people saying they've gotten calls from people pretending to be a Sauk County Sergeant or Lieutenant. The callers then asked for payments on outstanding warrants. The Sheriff's Office says they don't call citizens and ask for payments over the phone and these are scam calls.  

The Iowa Department of Transportation has closed the Mississippi River Bridge connecting Lansing, Iowa to Wisconsin.  A social media post Monday by the D-O-T says they confirmed the bridge has moved and engineers from the D-O-T and other agencies are investigating to see exactly what is happening. That includes determining if the construction of the new bridge played a part in the movement. There were monitors placed on the bridge before construction started and data from those monitors is part of the investigation. The Iowa D-O-T says they do not have a timeline for when the bridge might re-open.

A progressive voter group is urging Minnesota Democrats not to vote for President Biden in the upcoming election.  The organization, Abandon Biden Campaign, is encouraging state primary voters to check the uncommitted option on their ballot on March 5.  They also hope a large number of voters will do the same in today's primary in Michigan.  The group is demanding the president to call for a cease-fire in Gaza. 

The University of Minnesota is welcoming a new leader.  The Board of Regents selected Rebecca Cunningham yesterday as the university president.  The vote cleared the way for contract talks with the University of Michigan vice president for research and innovation.  Cunningham is expected to begin her new job on July 1.

Local-Regional News Feb 27

 One person was injured in a single vehicle accident in Maiden Rock Township on Sunday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 24yr old Morgan Traynor of Maiden Rock was traveling eastbound on Hwy CC, approaching 150th Avenue when he lost control of the vehicle, entered the ditch and overturned.  Traynor was taken to Advent Health in Durand with undetermined injuries.

Durand and the Chippewa Valley saw warmth yesterday, now we are waiting for the cold. The National Weather Service is predicting falling temperatures today, and possibly even some snow for the drive home. Forecasters say it will get much colder tonight, with overnight lows as low as zero. Things start to warm-up after that, and the Weather Service says the Chippewa Valley could see new record high temperatures over the weekend. 

UW-Eau Claire is asking that a racial discrimination lawsuit be dismissed. The university responded yesterday to the lawsuit from its former interim director of the Office of Multicultural Student Services. Rochelle Hoffman, who is white, says she was moved from her job at the new MSS office in early 2022 because she is white. Hoffman says she was told she was being reassigned for her personal and professional safety. UW-Eau Claire denies that ever happened. The university does say Hoffman was stripped of her classes, but that was only because she was no longer with the MSS office. Hoffman says in her lawsuit that she faced a 'racially hostile and abusive work environment because she identified as white.'

Eau Claire County's health department says the Chippewa Valley will lose about a third of its healthcare capacity when Sacred Heart and St. Joe's close in April. Public health managers yesterday shared the numbers of what the HSHS closings will mean. Sacred Heart and St. Joe's handle anywhere from just under, to just over a third of hospitalizations, inpatient surgeries, and ER visits. Mayo Health in Eau Claire handles the majority of all care in the area, with the Marshfield Clinics coming-in a close third. Losing Sacred Heart will mean losing more than 100 hospital beds, and will leave many people on Wisconsin's BadgerCare looking for a new hospital. HSHS and Prevea announced they are closing due to economic pressures and industry trends. They are set to close their doors in mid-April. 

Chippewa County leaders are spelling out why they no longer trust Sheriff Travis Hakes. County Administrator Randy Scholz and Board Chair Dean Gullickson issued a joint statement yesterday saying they have zero confidence in Hakes based on how he talked to a female 911 dispatcher, what he said about his outside jobs, the dim view that the county's D.A. has of Hakes' credibility, and his damaging the credibility of the sheriff's department. The full county board took a no-confidence vote in Hakes about two weeks ago. Sheriff Hakes continues to say the county's displeasure, and the continuing investigations, are being prompted by his political opponents.

 It is February and there's already a wildfire warning across large parts of Wisconsin. The DNR yesterday warned people about the lack of snow cover and the growing fire danger. The DNR says this year has seen an abnormally warm winter, and that is leaving a lot of dry brush across the state. High winds are not helping either. The DNR says it has already responded to over 50 fires that burned 160 acres. There are burn bans in place in 25 Wisconsin counties.

The redistricting experts brought-in by the Wisconsin Supreme Court are getting a six figure payday for not drawing the state's new political maps. The experts submitted their 128 thousand-dollar bill on Sunday. About half of that will come from taxpayers, the other half will come from the people and groups involved in the state's redistricting battle. The experts ruled that none of the seven proposals to replace Wisconsin's old political maps were good enough. The experts offered to draw their own maps, but lawmakers cut that process short by approving Governor Evers' maps. He signed those maps last week. 

An elderly Rochester woman was scammed out of 18-thousand-dollars. Police say the 87-year-old victim received a call last week from a person who claimed to be her son, stating he was involved in a car accident. The man claiming to be her son then told her to call his attorney. The woman complied and the so-called attorney said her son was in jail as a result of the accident and needed 18-thousand-dollars for bond. Police say the woman withdrew the money from the bank and a man later came to her door to collect the money on the attorney's behalf. She later contacted her son and learned he hadn't been in a car accident or arrested.   

Hundreds of Wisconsin employers and students will participate in new youth apprenticeship programs this year.  Governor Tony Evers says more than 400 students signed up for the business administration and education programs. Both career fields were added to the Youth Apprenticeship Program last September. Participants take one or two years to take classes about their chosen field while working outside of the classroom. Evers says more than eight-thousand students signed up statewide last school year. 

There is a call for criminal charges against a Republican lawmaker, and the man who wanted to unseat the Assembly Speaker in 2022. The state's Ethics Commission on Friday asked local prosecutors to look into State Representative Janel Brandtjen and Adam Steen, who ran against and lost to Speaker Robin Vos two years ago. The Ethics Commission says the two were part of a scheme to skirt campaign donation limits by funneling money through the Langlade County Republican Party. That money was then funneled to Steen's failed primary bid against Vos. In all, the Ethics Commission says, the two were able to move 40 thousand-dollars to Steen's campaign. 

Ticks aren't something you typically worry about in February but a warm winter means otherwise. UW - Whitewater Biology Professor Tom Klubertanz says besides more opportunities to contract Lyme disease, a longer tick season brings the threat of southern tick species migrating north.  Klubertanz says even when it still feels like winter, ticks are active and you should still be wearing light-colored clothing and wearing repellent just as you would in the summer.

A Minnesota native is the winner of the 50th Annual American Birkebeiner--the largest cross-country skiing race in North America. Olympic gold medalist Jessie Diggins from Afton, Minnesota, won the 50-kilometer event this weekend.

The search continued and expanded over the weekend for a missing 3-year-old boy in Two Rivers. Police there say search efforts for Elijah Vue are taking place "on land and water," with boats, dive teams, drones and K-9s joining in. The search for the toddler, who was last seen Tuesday morning, has now extended to Wisconsin Dells, which is the home of the boy’s mother, Katrina Baur. Two Rivers authorities say the 31-year-old Baur handed her son over to 33-year-old Jesse Vang for discipline. Both Baur and Vang are accused of child neglect.

The new annual fishing licenses are on sale with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The 2024-25 variety goes into effect on March first. There's a wide variety of available options. Some of the most popular are an angling pass for one person and a combination permit for married couples. More information is available online at dnr.state.mn.us

Local-Regional News Feb 26

 A Boyceville man is dead after a two-vehicle head-on collision in Dunn County Sunday.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol,  a 56yr old Chetek woman was traveling southbound in a pickup truck on Hwy 25 near Northline Road, when she pulled out into the northbound lane to pass and hit a passenger car driven by a 57yr old Boyceville man.  The man was killed in the accident while while the woman was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.  The Wisconsin State Patrol continues to investigate that accident.

 

Eau Claire and the Chippewa Valley are looking at an up-and-down week of weather. Forecasters say folks will see highs in the 60s today and tomorrow, followed by a dip into the 20s on Wednesday. Temperatures then rebound, and forecasters say the Chippewa Valley will be back above 60 by Saturday. Wednesday's cold snap could mean some snow or a wintry mix for western Wisconsin. The same weather system will mean rain and thunderstorms for folks in southern Wisconsin. 

Firefighters from Wheaton responded to a brush fire just off of Hwy F and Hwy 29 on Saturday.  When firefighters arrived they found the fire burning across a field and wooded area with a barn and outbuilding nearby.  Approximately 10 acres burned in the fire, and no one was injured.   Fire officials say the fire started when the property owner started a brush pile on fire.  Both buildings were not damaged by the blaze.

Home sales in Western Wisconsin were nearly 8% lower in January compared to last year.  According to the Wisconsin Realtors Association, home sales in Pepin County in January were 3, Pierce County 9, Buffalo County 10, and Dunn County had 32 homes sold.   The median price for a home in Western Wisconsin in January was $265000.  Meanwhile, statewide home sales were up by nearly 10 % compared to last year.  Experts say the lead cause is baby boomers putting their house on the market and millennials looking to move in.  

The Wisconsin Crime Alert Network is issuing an alert for a scam involving two men attempting to sell candy bars in Western Wisconsin.  The two men were recently seen attempting to sell $10 candy bars to help the Boys and Girls Club in Chicago and the Building Brighter Futures organization.  Both groups say they do not know of either man, one of whom was identified as Chriss Jefferson of Illinois.   

There is another gaping hole in downtown Tomah. Firefighters say a Friday night fire destroyed a candle shop in the city's downtown. No one was hurt in the fire at the Sassy Girl Aroma store, but the fire did destroy the building. Firefighters from Tomah,  Oakdale, Fort McCoy, and Volk Field and 8 other departments were all called-in to fight the fire.  It took 88 firefighters and 9 hours to contain the blaze.  No one is guessing at a cause as of yet. The fire at the Sassy Girl store comes just three months after another fire destroyed a Chinese restaurant in downtown Tomah. 

La Crosse is losing one of its Mississippi riverboats. The American Queen last week announced that it is closing, and ending all operations. La Crosse was one of the destinations for the Queen, and tourism officials say the boat will be missed. A.J. Frels with Explore La Crosse says the boats brought a lot of visitors, and he said there will be a ripple effect. No one is saying just why the Queen shut down. No one is saying what will happen with the boat, or with anyone who may have booked reservations for next summer. 

The plans to get tougher on human trafficking in Wisconsin will take another step forward this week. A senate committee is set to vote on the proposals from The Speaker's Task Force on Human Trafficking. Those include more training for everyone from teachers to hotel workers on how to spot the signs of human trafficking. There's also a plan to create a new Human Trafficking Council for Wisconsin. The State Assembly already approved the plans.

Authorities are continuing to search for a missing Manitowoc County boy who hasn't been seen since last Tuesday. No one is willing to give up on the search for three-year-old Elijah Vue. His mother and her boyfriend were in court on Friday, they were ordered held on child neglect charges. Prosecutors have not filed any other charges at this point. Last week, the FBI joined the search and was spotted searching through a nearby landfill. Elijah's pictures are online, and searchers are asking anyone who may know anything to please speak up. 

This is National Flood Safety Awareness Week, and Wisconsin Emergency Management wants you to be sure you're prepared for a flood. Spokesperson Andrew Beckett says you can find out if your home is at risk with information from FEMA. Beckett reminds you that most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flooding, so it's important to get that separately if your home is in a flood-prone area.  The National Weather Service is not expecting widespread spring flooding this year in Western Wisconsin due to the lack of snow cover.

 In an agreement to settle a lawsuit, Assembly leaders have admitted former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman violated public records laws while probing the 2020 election.  Liberal watchdog American Oversight filed the lawsuit after Gableman said he would routinely delete records during a different hearing.  Gableman cost taxpayers two-and-a-half-million dollars during the investigation.  He threatened to jail election and city officials who refused to be interviewed.  He did however allegedly refuse to cave in when pressure came from President Trump and state allies to decertify the election results.  No evidence was discovered that would put President Biden's victory into question.

 

A man from Minnesota is found guilty of a 2005 sexual assault on a Madison bike path. Addison Yang of Eagan, Minnesota, was found guilty on three counts tied to the assault. He assaulted the victim after using a knife to threaten her. Yang was found as a suspect through DNA collected on the victim's sexual assault examination kit. 

 An ethics commission in Wisconsin is recommending felony charges against one of Donald Trump's fundraising committees and several local Republicans.  The Wisconsin Ethics Commission says there's probable cause Trump's Save America committee and several state and local Republican officials schemed to evade campaign finance limits in the 2022 primary race between Trump ally Adam Steen and Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos.  The commission recommended local district attorneys investigate and bring charges against those involved.  

UnitedHealth Group officials say one of their subsidiaries was hit this week by a cyberattack.  The healthcare company said it isolated the affected information technology systems and contained and remedied the problem.  UnitedHealth Group did not mention the functions of the affected systems.  But Rhode Island-based CVS Health said some of its business operations were affected by the network interruption.  CVS Health officials say there was no sign that its systems had been compromised

The number of Wisconsin residents who have received speeding tickets is nearly double the national average.   A new report from the insurance comparison shopping website Insurify reports that the Badger State and Ohio each have 7.8% of its drivers reporting at least one speeding violation on their record. Both states are surpassed by only North Dakota at 8.7%. The national average is 4.1%. The website adds that the Wisconsin State Patrol issued 1,100 speeding tickets in 2022 for going more than 100 miles per hour, up from 583 in 2019.

The Wisconsin Beef Council is accepting nominations for their inaugural Wisconsin’s Best Burger Contest. The contest is designed to seek out and promote 100% beef burgers prepared in Wisconsin restaurants.  Individuals may nominate their favorite beef burger from a Wisconsin restaurant (one nomination per person) on the Wisconsin Beef Council website at https://www.beeftips.com/events/best-burger-contest. Nominations will be accepted beginning Monday, February 26 through midnight on Sunday, March 24, 2024.

Local-Regional News Feb 23

Two people are in custody after a pursuit on I-94 in Dunn County.  According to the Dunn County Sheriff's Department, a man tried to cash an altered check at People's State Bank in Menomonie on Thursday morning.  Police were contacted and received a vehicle description and spotted the vehicle on Hwy 12.  A pursuit started and the vehicle was stopped on I-94 westbound near Roberts.  The two were arrested.  

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls has appointed longtime faculty member and administrator Wes Chapin as interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.   Chapin will begin in that position March 11. He will fill the position being vacated by current Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs David Travis, who has been named the next president of Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Travis will start in that position this summer.  Since 2013, Chapin has worked as associate vice chancellor for academic affairs and graduate studies.

Governor Evers will now decide if emergency rooms in the Chippewa Valley will get 15 million-dollars in state aid. The State Assembly approved the plan yesterday. The idea is to repurpose money that was earmarked for Eau Claire's hospital. That hospital, along with the hospital in Chippewa Falls, and several other clinics throughout the area are set to close in April. Lawmakers say the 15 million will be sent to the remaining emergency rooms in and around Eau Claire as a stopgap until a permanent solution is found. The governor is expected to sign the plan into law.

Oakleaf Medical Network has announced an expansion in Western Wisconsin.    Yesterday the network announced it would expand its urgent care and lab hours at clinic locations in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls next month.  Oakleaf is also developing plans to handle an increase in births and is looking at options to add access to alcohol and chemical dependency programs.  The expansion is in response to the closure of HSHS and Prevea Health in April.

Wabasha is holding its 31st "Grumpy Old Men" festival this weekend.  The event celebrates the 1993 film starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, which is set in Wabasha.  The warm weather has led to a change in the ice fishing contest, which will now take place on the docks rather than on the ice.  The event kicks off tonight and will continue tomorrow. 

The teenager who killed two people and hurt a third in a crash near Rice Lake two years ago will only spend eight months in jail. A judge in Barron County yesterday sentenced Troy Huehn Jr. to 12 years probation, which includes an eight-month jail stint. Huehn was 16-years-old and didn't have a driver's license at the time of the wreck. He pleaded guilty to homicide by negligent driving. Prosecutors dismissed more serious reckless homicide charges. The parents of the teens he killed spoke at his hearing, and say that Huehn ruined their lives.

Residents of Wisconsin communities would be able to voice concerns about refugee resettlements under a bill that’s passed the legislature.  It would require local governments to allow the public to voice concerns about any proposed resettlements. City officials in Whitewater have raised concerns about their ability to provide services for hundreds of recently arrived Central American refugees, while the city council in Eau Claire last month reaffirmed its support of a plan by a Christian non-profit to resettle 75 refugees there. The measure would also require county refugee placement committees to make recommendations on whether local governments should pass resolutions on proposed refugee placements. 

The plan to protect the deer population in northern Wisconsin by pausing the doe hunt is on its way at the State Capitol. The Assembly yesterday approved a four-year pause on antlerless deer hunting in the Northern Forest Zone. Supporters say Wisconsin needs to do something to help the deer herd grow. Doe hunt numbers from last fall show a 15 percent drop. Hunters say they've seen fewer and fewer deer over the past several years. The plan now heads to the Wisconsin Senate. 

Voters will get their say this summer on just how much money Wisconsin's governor can spend on his own. The State Assembly yesterday approved a constitutional amendment that would give the legislature oversight into how the governor can spend federal dollars. Right now, the governor has almost total control over how money from Washington, D.C. is spent. Lawmakers say that's led to reckless spending over the past several years. Voters will see a question on the ballots in August. The move to take the question to the voters cuts the governor out of the process and prevents him from vetoing the plan. 

 Wisconsin lawmakers have signed-off on a new alert for missing children in the state. The State Assembly yesterday approved the Prince Alert. It's named after five-year-old Prince McCree from Milwaukee who was killed last year. Milwaukee Police didn't issue an Amber Alert in the case because Prince's disappearance didn't meet the criteria. The new Prince Alert will alert neighbors about a missing child even if there isn't any information about a suspect. Prince's family says they hope the new alert will help find more missing kids before something tragic happens. 

Two adults are in custody in connection with the disappearance of 3-year-old Elijah Vue in Two Rivers/Manitowoc County.  Bail hearings for 39-year-old Jesse Vang and 31-year-old Katrina Bauer, Elijah’s mother were taken off the list Thursday and the Manitowoc County Clerk of Courts office was provided no specific reason or reasons why, other than to say they have been rescheduled for Friday afternoon at 12:45 .Vang was arrested late Tuesday night on a charge of child neglect, while Baur was taken into custody early Wednesday morning on a charge of child neglect party to the crime. None of the charges are official pending a court appearance, and the search for Elijah continues by law enforcement and many concerned citizens.

Legislation designed to help clean up PFAS chemical contamination is ready for action by Governor Tony Evers.  And the Democratic governor has already signaled that action will be a veto, over concerns that it fails to provide the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources with authority to enforce clean-ups of the so-called “forever chemicals.” It passed on a party line vote Thursday in the state Assembly, where Republicans argued that the contamination grants called for in the bill are necessary to make remediation a reality, particularly for owners of private wells.

Minnesota State lawmakers are pushing new gun safety bills following a deadly shooting in Burnsville last weekend.  DFL lawmakers talked about the bills yesterday during an event sponsored by the group Protect Minnesota.  One bill would require gun owners to report a firearm missing or stolen within 48 hours or face a possible misdemeanor charge.  Another bill would require guns and ammunition to be kept separately in locked storage containers, while a third would invest federal funds in violence prevention in Minnesota communities.  Some Republican lawmakers are reportedly skeptical, saying the state should enforce laws already on the books before making new ones.

Governor Tony Evers Awards $16 Million in Community Development Block Grant Housing Rehabilitation Grants.  The awards for critical housing rehabilitation projects for low- and moderate-income households span seven counties across the state including Douglas, Langlade, Juneau, Columbia, Brown, La Crosse, and Chippewa. These regional housing programs provide zero percent interest and deferred payment loans to low- and moderate-income homeowners to perform essential home repairs. Eligible households may also receive funds for down payment assistance when purchasing a home. La Crosse County received the most of the funds with $3.5 million, while Langlade followed them with an award of $3 million.

A Rochester judge delayed the seating of a jury in a criminal case because the defendant was wearing something inappropriate in court.  Chase Johnston is facing three felony charges after he allegedly lured a man to an apartment complex last year and then refused to let him leave.  Johnston had reportedly told the man he was underage in an attempt to catch him acting like a pedophile.  The jury pool for the upcoming trial was dismissed yesterday after jurors saw Johnston wearing something the judge found inappropriate.  A new jury pool will be brought in tomorrow.

Here's your chance to have a huggable police dog in your bed. Eau Claire Police are selling plushie versions of their K9 officers. Stuffed K-9's Murphy, Manso, and Bolt will go on sale next week. The idea is to use the money raised to help outfit and care for the city's police dogs. The plushies cost 20 bucks each,  and will be available February 26th through March 1st at the front desk of the Eau Claire Law Enforcement Center.  

Local Regional News Feb 22

 A petition from a Rock Creek family to move from the Durand-Arkansaw School District to the Eau Claire School District was denied last night by the Durand-Arkansaw School Board.  Margo and Bryce Purgett live in the Rock Creek area and have open enrolled into the Eau Claire school district for years, but they hope to make their placement in the district permanent.  While the Eau Claire District approved the move, Durand-Arkansaw did not.  The family said they will appeal to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

A police officer killed in the line of duty in Burnsville was remembered last night in Wabasha. Hundreds of residents attended a candlelight vigil for Officer Matthew Ruge held beneath the Wabasha-Nelson Bridge.  Family members, friends, and community members attended the vigil.  Ruge graduated from the Wabasha-Kellogg School District in 2015 and went on to receive a degree from MSU-Mankato in 2018.

Voters in Menomonie have said No to a four million-dollar tax hike for the city's schools. Election managers say 59 percent of people who voted on Tuesday voted against the operating referendum. Menomonie Schools want the extra money to keep up with the cost of inflation. District administrator Joe Zydowsky warned before the vote that without the new money, they'd have to make deep cuts, or even close some schools. Meanwhile, voters in the Cumberland area approved a 32 million-dollar tax hike that will be used to expand and update their school buildings.  

Former Hayfield High school Principal Grant Klennert will be sentenced on Friday in Wabasha County Circut Court.  Last month, he pleaded guilty to three criminal sexual conduct charges stemming from when Klennert was a minor, according to court documents. An investigation found three victims claimed to have been sexually assaulted by Klennert from 1998 to 2003.  The sentencing is scheduled for Friday afternoon at 1:15.

A months-long investigation into a western Wisconsin drug ring has ended with six arrests. Police in Eau Claire arrested the six yesterday. Investigators started looking into the suspects after the Post Office in Minneapolis flagged a number of packages of drugs that were headed to various places in Eau Claire. Investigators say the ring was moving meth, fentanyl, and other drugs through the area. Eau Claire Police say they seized at least a quarter-million dollars in drugs. Two of the suspects are expected to face federal charges in the case.

August firefighters responded to a fire Wednesday at an Amish resale store.  According to Augusta Fire, the fire was called in on Wednesday afternoon at the business on Hwy RR.  The fire damaged everything inside and caused an estimated $50,000 in damages.  No word on what caused the blaze and no one was hurt. 

Wisconsin lawmakers have approved a plan that would hold kids back if they miss too many school days. The State Assembly yesterday approved the proposal that would keep kids in their grade if they miss more than 30 days in a single school year. Supporters say the idea is to make sure that kids are actually ready to move to the next grade. Wisconsin's state superintendent of schools says the proposal is cruel and has already come out against it. 

Wisconsin lawmakers are looking to move forward with deer hunting restrictions in the northern part of the state. The State Assembly is set to vote today on a ban on antlerless deer hunting in the Northern Forest Zone. The legislation specifically stops the DNR from opening an antlerless hunting season and bans hunters from taking antlerless deer for four years. Supporters say the idea is to protect the deer herd and rebuild the numbers after a few lean years for deer in the northern part of Wisconsin. 

Governor Evers doesn't appear ready to sign the PFAS plan from state lawmakers. The governor yesterday said in a letter to the Republican-controlled legislature that he wants lawmakers to get serious about tackling PFAS contamination across the state. Specifically, the governor doesn't like the limits that Republicans have placed on the state's Department of Natural Resources for PFAS enforcement. Lawmakers say their goal is to provide money and assistance to communities that are dealing with high levels of PFAS, not to make it easier for the state to sue companies over PFAS contamination. 

New home construction was up three percent in 2023, but the head of the Wisconsin Homebuilder's Association says that's not enough. Executive Director Brad Boycks says more workforce housing and rentals are needed to keep people housed at fair prices. Boycks says that may require changes to local zoning, and for local leaders to approve higher-density home construction.

The Wisconsin Lottery announces couple of six-figure winners in the state over the weekend. The Lottery says a winning $350,000 SuperCash ticket from Sunday’s drawing was purchased at Wittlin's Complete Car Care Food Mart in Menomonee Falls, while Saturday’s Powerball drawing yielded a winning ticket that matched four numbers and the Powerball to earn $150,000. That ticket was sold at a Kwik Trip in Tomah. 

A new law in Wisconsin is making it easier for first responders to identify electric vehicles involved in emergencies. The statute requires Wisconsin residents who drive EV’s to put a sticker in the top right corner of their license plates. While first responders can tell whether a regular vehicle is running or not by listening to the engine running, EV’s run silently and can move if the emergency personnel aren’t aware that the vehicle is running. The EV sticker will remind first responders to make sure that the engine is shut off to prevent that. The state Department of Motor Vehicles will send stickers out to EV drivers over the coming months, with all expected to be delivered by the end of summer.

State lawmakers want to create more affordable housing in Minnesota.  A bipartisan group of lawmakers announced the Minnesotans for More Homes Initiative yesterday in St. Paul.  The proposed measure would create incentives for housing that falls in between apartments and single-family homes, such as duplexes.  It would also ease restrictions on multi-family, mixed-income housing.  

Wisconsin will get 24-million dollars from cigarette manufacturers after a review by former judges. State Attorney General Josh Kaul says Phillips Morris USA, RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company, and others will be paying. He says the payment is related to missed annual payments between 2005 and 2007. The agreement was determined through arbitration. The 24-million will go toward the Wisconsin Medical Assistance Trust Fund.

An act that would expand missing person alerts has passed through the Wisconsin Senate. The bill would allow missing children alerts to be distributed even if the case doesn't qualify for an AMBER Alert. For an AMBER Alert to be issued, the missing child has to be in danger of bodily harm or death. The proposed alert system, which would either be called the Prince Alert or Purple Alert, would be a new system comparable to the Silver Alert for seniors. It is now headed to the Wisconsin Assembly for approval

A Minnesota seventh-grader is headed back to the national spelling bee.  Roberto Villasboas won the Southeast Minnesota Final Spelling Bee Tuesday, punching his ticket for a return trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee at the end of May.  Villasboas won by correctly spelling the word "discomfiture."  It was the seventh-grader's second consecutive win in the event. 

Local-Regional News Feb 21

The Pepin County Health Department is announcing a nitrate mitigation reverse osmosis project. This project provides funding to eligible landowners or renters to install mitigation systems that remove nitrate from the private well water supply by using a reverse osmosis treatment process.  For more information visit the Pepin County Health Department Website.

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include a closed session to discuss a request by Margo and Bryce Purgett to detach a small parcel of land from the Durand-Arkansaw School District to the Eau Claire School District, the board will also go into a closed session to discuss the sale of the Hanson Park Property and will have reports from the District Administrator and Building Administrators.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6pm in the Board Room at Durand-Arkansaw High School.

Businesses in Pepin, Pierce, Dunn, and Buffalo Counties are now eligible for a federal disaster loan program if they have suffered losses due to this year’s unusually mild winter, which lacked Wisconsin’s typical snowfall in many areas of the state. The SBA has confirmed that they will consider business loss from recent low snowfalls over the winter months to be related to the drought and eligible for assistance. The lack of snow has impacted travel and recreation businesses that depend on it for activities such as downhill and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.  Application deadlines are April 29th for Buffalo County, and May 6 for Pepin, Pierce, and Dunn Counties.  Businesses may submit applications and find additional disaster assistance information at https://lending.sba.gov. 

The investigation into Chippewa County's sheriff is over, and the county says it has no confidence in him going forward. The county board last night issued a vote of "no confidence" in Sheriff Travis Hakes. The board also voted to send the 500-page investigation into his behavior to the D,A.'s office. Hakes reportedly refused to cooperate with the investigation, he called it a political smear job. Investigators looked into how Hakes behaved toward a female dispatcher, as well as his side jobs. Hales has not been charged with any crimes and has claimed he is innocent throughout. 

Crashes are down twenty-percent in Chippewa County, according to new 2023 traffic statistics.   Sheriff Travis Hakes credits the drop to safe-driving campaigns and programs that help lower the number of repeat drunk drivers.  Crashes involving impaired drivers are down 33-percent last year in Chippewa County.

Wisconsin lawmakers have okayed 15 million-dollars for emergency rooms in the Chippewa Valley. The State Senate yesterday approved the emergency funding package. The money was earmarked for HSHS hospital but is being redirected now that HSHS has said it will be closing its hospitals in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls in April. Altoona Senator Jesse James says the money is a 'short term bridge' for folks in the Chippewa Valley. State Senator Jeff Smith says because the money can only be used for emergency room capital improvements and not other issues like mental health services, the bill would actually make things worse.  The State Assembly will vote on the plan next. 

More people will be coming into the La Crosse Airport.  In a Facebook post, the airport announced American Airlines is adding another daily flight from Chicago to La Crosse this week. The airline will also be increasing the size of planes coming into La Crosse to make it easier to handle increased traffic. The move comes after Delta Airlines pulled service from the airport last summer. Airport officials say they're happy to see more flights and more connectivity for western Wisconsin. 

Chippewa County's suitcase murder suspect is headed to trial, but no one is saying when. A judge yesterday said there is enough evidence to take Jose Dominguez-Garcia to trial for the murder of his girlfriend back in 2020. Investigators say the girlfriend, 25-year-old Rosaly Rodriguez, went missing in July of 2020. Her body was found in a suitcase in October of 2020 on an abandoned farm along County Highway T in the Town of Wheaton. While Dominguez-Garcia is headed to trial, the court has yet to schedule a date, or the date of his next hearing.

Lawmakers at the Capitol in Madison are set to vote on a cursive requirement later today. The State Assembly has included the plan on its agenda. Supporters say kids need to know how to read and write cursive in order to better understand U.S. history and to be able to do something as simple as sign their names. If approved and signed by Governor Evers, kids in Wisconsin would have to be able to both read and write cursive by the end of fifth grade. 

Governor Evers will have to decide about the latest tax cut plan from Republican lawmakers. The Wisconsin Senate yesterday approved a two billion-dollar tax cut that means families making under 150 thousand-dollars would pay less. The plan also includes tax credits for married couples, child care, and retirees. Republicans say retirement would essentially be tax-free for most people in Wisconsin. There is worry though, Republicans aren't sure that Governor Evers will sign the plan. He's scuttled the last couple of tax cut packages as too generous to millionaires. 

There's now a state law that guarantees a spot at the University of Wisconsin for Wisconsin's best high schoolers.  Governor Tony Evers signed the law yesterday, guaranteeing kids who graduate in the top five-percent of their class a spot at UW-Madison.  Those who fall in the top ten-percent can be admitted at any other UW campus.  The governor says this should keep Wisconsin's best and brightest in the state.  The new law is part of the agreement that saw the UW get money for pay raises and university buildings, but also agree to limit some of its diversity efforts. 

An official fund has been set up to help the families of two fallen Burnsville police officers and a paramedic.  Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, and firefighter-paramedic Adam Finseth were gunned down Sunday after responding to a domestic call at an area home.  Authorities previously warned that scam artists were using fake funds to make money in the victims' names.  Anyone donating to the account set up by Law Enforcement Labor Services can be assured that the money raised will be delivered directly to the families.  For more information go to lels.org. 

A former Winona high school teacher and track coach is accused of having sex with three women when they were teenage students.  Eric Birth is charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct using coercion and third-degree criminal sexual conduct while in a prohibited occupational relationship.  The 29-year-old defendant was placed on administrative leave on January 3.  Birth is back in court on February 22 and if convicted of both charges he could face up to 30 years in prison.

Republican Eric Hovde is announcing a run for the U.S Senate in 2024, challenging Democrat Tammy Baldwin.  According to Hovde's website, his top campaign issues include the cost of living, immigration, foreign policy, and healthcare.  Hovde is the CEO of Sunwest Bank, Hovde Capital and Private Equity, and CEO and co-owner of Hovde Properties. There are four other candidates running for the Wisconsin U.S. Senate seat, including Baldwin who has served in the U.S. Senate since 2013. 

 A plan to demolish the Mifflin Arcade off Capitol Square is being developed as the Wisconsin Historical Society looks to build a state historical center. A demolition proposal to raze the Mifflin Arcade is expected at the Madison Planning Commission meeting next week.  A development company has applied for a permit to demolish the five one-story buildings on the property.  If approved, the demolition would be done this spring, making room for the new historical center, plus retail and residential development. 

Though ice fishing conditions have been iffy around Wisconsin this winter, the Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers about deadlines for removing permanent ice shanties. The agency says the deadlines depend on the region between now and St. Patrick’s Day, or March 17th. DNR officials also note that though permanent ice shanties must be removed by a prescribed date, anglers can continue to use portable ice shanties as long as they are removed from the ice when not actively in use and at the end of each day. Full information can be found by hitting the “NEWS” tab on the DNR website.

The Lake Superior Railroad Museum is planning to offer rides on a restored steam engine several times this year.  The Duluth, Misable, and Iron Range steam engine made successful test runs in November.  That has led the museum to schedule another test run on May 11th.  Round trips to Palmers are scheduled for June 8th and 9th, while a fall color run on the North Shore Scenic Railroad is set for September 26th and 27th.  Another round trip to Palmers is set for October 26th and 27th.  Tickets for the June, September and October trips are available online at duluth-trains-dot-com. 

Local-Regional News Feb 20

 The Pepin School District has a new Superintendent.  The school board recently approved a contract to Craig Anderson-Ruskin as the new Superintendent effective July 1.  Anderson-Ruskin has been the principal at Neillsville High School for the past 13yrs.  He takes over for current Superintendent Bruce Quinton.

A Menomonie man has been sentenced to 25yrs in prison after being found guilty on multiple counts of child sexual abuse between July of 2012 to March of 2013.  According to Dunn County District Attorney Andrea Nodolf, Dunn County Circut Court Judge Luke Wagner sentenced Kory Cockeram to prison sentence followed by 7yrs of extended supervision.  Cockeram was convicted by a jury in October.

The Town of Mondovi and the Buffalo County Zoning Department have issued a raze order to the owner of a structure located at S950 County Road J.  The raze order was sent to James Passe and in the order, the zoning department found the building meets the definition of an abandoned building as defined in the Buffalo County Zoning Ordinance.  Passe has until April 15 to have the building torn down, or the county will tear it down at Passe's expense.

The City of Wabasha is now hiring summer staff for Lifeguards, Water Safety Instructors (WSI), and Front Desk Attendants for the 2024 pool season at the Wabasha City Pool.  Lifeguards must meet minimum age requirements and possess or obtain American Red Cross Lifeguard/First Aid/CPR Certifications, WSI Instructors must meet minimum age requirements and possess or obtain WSI certification.   For more information or to pick up an application, contact Wabasha City Hall

A judge's pending leave could push the Lily Peters murder trial in Chippewa County back til next year. Judge James Isaacson last week announced that he is taking a leave of absence. He said he hopes to be back in eight to 10 weeks. That will leave just two judges in Chippewa County. Court administrators say there will be delays at the courthouse. That may include Peters' murder trial. She was killed in April of 2022. The suspect in her death has been sitting in jail ever since. 

Police in Lake Hallie say the man who crashed into a squad car and eventually ran down the road with a machete in one hand, and a knife in the other was drunk. Officers finally arrested Chad Nylen after a crash, a car chase, and then a foot chase down Highway 53. Officers say Nylen hit a squad car then sped away. At one point they say he jumped out of the car and showed the officer a machete and his knife. Nylen is accused of then driving some more before he abandoned his car and started running down the highway. Nylen was taken to jail on a slew of charges, including his third OWI, felony bail jumping, and disorderly conduct. 

Eau Claire County is looking for feedback on its climate action plan. The county held an open house last night and will hold another one tonight on the plan to reduce emissions and focus on sustainability. The county's action plan is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2030. There is also a community survey to get ideas. You can read the county's entire community action plan on the county's website. 

 It will be a hectic day at the Wisconsin Capitol today.  Both the state Assembly and the state Senate will be in session.  Lawmakers are looking to wrap up for the spring.  Today's agenda is full, with the Senate voting on the two billion-dollar tax cut package from Republicans, and the Assembly voting on a proposed constitutional amendment that would stop the governor from raising taxes or fees on his own. Lawmakers are supposed to be done with their business for the year by Thursday. 

 A bill that would put 120-million dollars toward funding rural emergency medical services is being considered in the Minnesota Legislature.  The bill introduced yesterday would help rural EMS providers who are struggling because of partial reimbursements from Medicaid and Medicare.  State lawmakers say additional funding will be needed in the future to help hire more staff and narrow reimbursement gaps.  The bill has been assigned to the Senate Taxes Committee for further discussion.

 Wisconsin’s legislative maps saga reaches a conclusion. Democratic Governor Tony Evers on Monday signed the maps he submitted, which were passed last week by the Republican-controlled legislature. Evers noted many Democrats wanted maps drawn by the liberal majority on the state Supreme Court.  The maps will be in place for the fall elections and are likely to weaken the gerrymandered legislative majorities Republicans have enjoyed for more than a decade.

A bill headed to the Wisconsin Governor's desk would eliminate the work permit requirement for 14- and 15-year-olds. The bill has already been approved by both the state Senate and Assembly. If approved, 14- and 15-year-olds would be able to get jobs without their parents' consent.  No changes would be made to the hours they'd be able to work.

Green Bay's superintendent has resigned following a dust-up over what he said during a radio interview.  Claude Tiller, Jr. resigned on Saturday.  Green Bay's school board held a special meeting over the weekend to accept his resignation.  Tiller started in Green Bay in July, but he was placed on administrative leave last week after comments that he made during an interview with an Atlanta radio station went viral.  Tiller apparently called a Green Bay administrator a witch, and worse insulted the city's teachers.   

The Fillmore County Sheriff's Office and the Minnesota State Patrol are investigating a hit-and-run crash involving an Amish buggy.  The sheriff's office says the crash happened Friday night on County Road One in Spring Valley.   Nine people were in the buggy, and six of them were transported to the hospital for evaluation after the crash.  Investigators say the vehicle and driver who left the scene have been located, but no further information has been released.  Another buggy crash on the same road in Fillmore County killed two children last September.

Two Wisconsin cities have ranked in the U.S. News & World Report list of the "Best Places to Live for Quality of Life in the U.S. in 2023-2024."  Green Bay and Madison both ranked in the top ten based on factors like resident well being, housing affordability, job market index and more. Green Bay ranked seventh and Madison finished in third, respectively.

Local-Regional News Feb 19

 Two Minnesota police officers and a paramedic are dead after being fatally shot during a domestic incident early Sunday south of Minneapolis.  Burnsville police say an armed man barricaded himself and family members, including seven children, inside a home.  The city says the situation escalated into a shootout with first responders, killing officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, both 27 years old, and 40-year-old Adam Finseth, a firefighter-paramedic.  The suspect is also dead, and several others are recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.    Ruge is a graduate of Wabasha-Kellogg High School.  The governor has ordered flags to be at half-staff today in honor of the first responders.  The city of Burnsville is warning of scammers setting up fake donation pages for victims of the shooting.   They say an official page will be set up soon.

Pepin County will be updating the floodplain ordinance.  According to the Land Conservation Department, there will be new floodplain maps and elevations along the Chippewa River from the City of Durand to Dead Lake, it will remove the 50% improvement limit provisions for pre-existing structures that meet FEMA's minimum standards.  Permits will still be needed for building modifications or fill inside the floodplain.  A public hearing on the proposals will be held after the Wisconsin DNR approves the draft ordinance.

The Buffalo County Sheriff's Department has received a donation of a search and rescue drone from Lisa Stamm and family.  The department says the equipment will greatly expand the abilities to search large areas for missing persons, and assist in accident and fire investigations and criminal apprehension.  The department is currently working on getting two trained operators to utilize the drone system.

Trempealeau County's Humane Society is asking for help in dealing with a mystery illness.  Rescuers with the Humane Society say two dogs have already died from the illness, and several others are sick.  They are looking for more volunteers and more foster families to help with healthy animals during this outbreak.  If you're interested, the Humane Society is asking that you please reach out. 

Western Wisconsin's congressman is promising to get answers about faulty equipment at the Tomah VA.  Congressman Derrick Van Orden on Friday said he was just made aware of PT/INR lab equipment that wasn't working properly.  Van Orden, who is a former Navy SEAL, said all veterans deserve top-notch care at the VA, and said that faulty equipment is life-threatening and can't be tolerated. 

The Wabasha County board is meeting tomorrow.  Items on the agenda include authorizing the county engineer to advertise for bids for the summer highway projects,  discussion of the end-of-year financial reports, and reports from committee chairs and department heads.  Tomorrow's meeting begins at 9am in the board room at the Wabasha County Government Center.

 A Minnesota high school teacher is accused of having sexual relationships with three students. Court documents say three Winona Senior High School students, between 16 and 18 years old, confided in 29-year-old Eric Birth while struggling with personal issues.  The sexual encounters span from 2016 to at least 2023.  Court records say law enforcement asked a student about their relationship with Birth, a PE teacher and track coach at the school.  The student first denied it, but in January 2024, told officers she lied.  Birth is on administrative leave and is still listed in the staff directory as of this morning.

 A La Crosse man is under arrest for last November's fentanyl overdose that killed a Sparta woman. The Monroe County Sheriff's Office last week said deputies arrested 18-year-old Malik Guerra for first-degree reckless homicide. Investigators say he sold the drugs that killed a 41-year-old woman from Sparta. Guerra is being held on 10 thousand-dollars cash bail.

It's going to be a busy week at the Wisconsin Capitol.  Both the Wisconsin Assembly and the State Senate will take their final votes of the session this week, then head home for the election season.  There are several plans that have yet to get a vote and several others that need a final vote before they can go to the governor.  This year's election season is going to be different because lawmakers will be running in newly drawn districts.  Those districts could also be finalized this week if Governor Evers signs new political maps into law. 

Wisconsin Soybean farmers will be allowed to use the weed killer with Dicamba despite a court ruling last week banning the substance.  The EPA is allowing already packaged goods with Dicamba to be sent out nationwide.  In Wisconsin sale and distribution will continue until the end of May with use allowed until the end of June. 

The plan to send reckless drivers who kill someone to prison in Wisconsin is a big step closer to becoming law.  The Wisconsin Assembly approved the plan from state Rep. Bob Donovan yesterday to create a mandatory-minimum sentence for certain drivers in deadly crashes.  Donovan says reckless driving has become a problem that can no longer be ignored in Wisconsin, but especially in and around Milwaukee. 

Owners of electric and hybrid cars will be receiving a new plate sticker.  It is required by law to add the stickers to the car and they will arrive in the mail by June.  The stickers are needed as a way to help first responders deal with electric vehicles in emergency situations.

Two senior employees at a Cambria corn plant, the site of a deadly explosion, have been sentenced to prison. 50- year-old Derrick Clark of Waunakee and 45-year-old Shawn Mesner of Readstown were each given 2 years in prison when sentenced in federal court this week. Clark was Didion Milling's VP of operations while Mesner was the company's food safety superintendent. Both were convicted last October on multiple safety, environmental and fraud charges. The 2017 explosion killed five people at the company’s corn mill in Cambria.

The Arrowhead Superintendent has commented on the false high school threat that resulted in over a hundred students calling out absent last week.  Superintendent Conrad Farner said that too many parents and students were spreading the false threat without reporting it to the district or the police.  Farner also said that he and his staff have been reviewing what could have been done differently on their end and that communication all around should have been better.  There will also be a new text service set up between schools and parents if the contract is approved by the school board. 

Some Minnesota lawmakers are considering adding penalties to a new state law that bans deepfake video and audio in political campaigns.  The original legislation calls for up to five years in prison and a ten thousand dollar fine.  The new proposal adds a conviction of disseminated deepfakes that can disqualify candidates from holding various positions.  The bill would also call for someone already in office to lose their position.

 The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is getting 20 million dollars in federal funds to help expand Terminal 2. The money from the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Terminals Program will help MSP Airport's 240 million dollar project, adding two gates to Terminal 2's north side. Construction is expected to start this spring and be complete in 2027.

 

 Cream puffs are coming back to the Wisconsin State Fairgrounds.  The fair yesterday said it will offer cream puffs for St. Patrick's Day.  Two flavors will be available over the holiday weekend  -- Irish cream and mint chocolate cream.  Three-packs are 17-dollars, and six-packs are 25-dollars, but there's a three-dollar discount for pre-ordering before March 10th. 

Local-Regional News Feb 16

 With the Madison Street reconstruction project on hold the City of Durand will now look at the 6th Avenue East project.  The council approved advertising for bids for the project this summer, and Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says if the bids come in over budget, the council will have to discuss how future projects will move forward.  The mayor is hopeful that the bids will come in at or under budget because its a smaller project and doesn't include the replacement of underground utilities.

One person was injured in a single vehicle accident in River Falls Township on Saturday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 32yr old Nicholas Olson of Ellsworth was traveling southbound on Hwy O, lost control and entered the ditch.  Olson was transported to River Falls Area Hospital.

A shoe seller based in Wisconsin has been sold to a national chain of shoe stores.  Rogan's Shoes has been purchased by Shoe Carnival for $45 million. Rogan's, which started as a family shoe store in Racine in 1971, grew to 28 locations across Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois. A Tuesday news release from Shoe Carnival said the acquisition of Rogan’s positions them “…as the market leader in Wisconsin, and it establishes a store base in Minnesota, creating additional expansion opportunities." Shoe Carnival's website says the company operates 429 stores in 36 states and Puerto Rico.

Representative Clint Moses of Menomonie is reacting to the Crisis Urgent Care and Observation Centers Bill unanimously passing the Assembly. This bill establishes five regional facilities across Wisconsin to ensure individuals have nearby resources. The facilities will be designed to be a “one-stop shop” for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis and will accept both voluntary and involuntary individuals for short-term stays (5 days or less). Individuals can be dropped off by a friend, family member, EMS, or law enforcement. There will not be a medical clearance requirement before admission, which will allow law enforcement to leave the facility upon drop-off.   “This is a step in the right direction to help people in a crisis. These centers will be located closer to home, especially for residents in Western Wisconsin who need support and services during a mental health crisis,” Moses said.

Three more healthcare providers in western Wisconsin are expanding their operations. Pivotal Health, the NorthLakes Community Clinics, and Remedy Mental Health announced that they will expand their services once HSHS and Prevea close their doors later this spring. All three have been planning to move into the Chippewa Valley for a while, and say they sped-up those expansion plans once the two hospitals announced their closing. Remedy says it's already hired 95 percent of the people who work at Prevea's mental health clinics. 

Feed My People food bank in Eau Claire is warning residents of a scam email being circulated pretending to be them. They claim to be from the organization saying they're looking for food trucks for the upcoming Empty Bowls event, and requesting advanced payment to reserve a spot.  While Feed My People is looking for food trucks for the event, they are not requiring payment in advance.  It is suggested to just delete the email and call Feed My People food bank directly.

Country Signer Lee Brice will perform at this year's Northern Wisconsin State Fair.  The fair announced that Brice will be performing on Thursday, July 11 and tickets are going on sale today.  Brice is one of four acts for this year's Northern Wisconsin State Fair which will be July 10-14 in Chippewa Falls.

The Salvation Army didn't hit the mark with its Red Kettles in the Chippewa Valley last year.  The Salvation Army yesterday said it fell 15-thousand-dollars short of its 90-thousand-dollar goal.  The Salvation Army's Karen Frederick says this is the sixth year they've fallen short.  She says this means less help for the 400 families that rely on the Salvation Army each month. 

 A Minnesota man out on bond for allegedly threatening to shoot up the Chippewa County Courthouse is accused of making more threats.  Prosecutors this week filed new charges against Harley Alcala, saying he threatened to kill the lawyer working on his case.  He was arrested last year after police said he made threats on social media the night before a hearing.  He was released on 20 thousand-dollars bond and now lives in Texas.  It's unclear when he will be brought back to Wisconsin to face the new charges. 

Wisconsin's race for the U.S. Senate is about to get more crowded and competitive. Republican Eric Hovde is reportedly going to announce his campaign next week. Hovde has been on the short list of possible candidates and has been rumored for months to be getting in. Baldwin is looking for her third term in office. Hovde ran for U.S. Senate back in 2012, and finished second in the Republican primary. Democrats in the state are already jumping on him as an out of state millionaire looking to grab an office in Wisconsin. 

Medical marijuana is not happening in the current session of the Wisconsin Legislature. Speaker Robin Vos says a bill from Assembly Republicans faces too much opposition. The Assembly bill calls for the establishment of five state-run medical cannabis dispensaries. Senate Republicans oppose that, with some in opposition to legalizing marijuana in any form.

A southeast Wisconsin university is facing financial hard times.  Fox 6 Milwaukee reports Concordia University Wisconsin sent an email to its students this week stating that the school will face a significant reduction in operations and cutbacks at its Mequon campus, including staff reductions. The university told the Milwaukee TV station that a partner Concordia campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan will face greater cutbacks, including staff reductions and dispersal of property, facilities, and equipment. Following a meeting of Concordia's Board of Regents, a financial plan will be announced within the next few weeks. The situation has arisen despite growth in enrollment at the school.

American Girl is set to close its corporate offices in Wisconsin.  W I S C reports the office in Middleton is set to close, with employees being let go as soon as Friday. 30 people are affected, though a source tells the TV station that some of the corporate work will be able to be completed remotely. The company's warehouse in DeForest will remain open. American Girl and Fisher-Price are owned by Mattel. An investment group recently requested the company to sell off the two brands to shore up stock prices.

Community organizations focused on addressing young people vaping will get 830-thousand dollars from a settlement. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says thirteen grants were given out, using money from a settlement with the vaping company JUUL. The state is getting 14-point-seven-million total within the next nine years. Some organizations getting part of the money include the American Lung Association, the Elkhorn Area School District, and several local health departments. DHS says it used data collected from statewide listening sessions to find ways to use settlement money. 

If you haven't cashed your one-time rebate check from the state of Minnesota, you're getting another chance.  Officials with the Department of Revenue announced that they are re-issuing more than 128-thousand of the checks that have yet to be cashed.  The new checks will begin going out next week, and the process should be complete by mid-March.  Each check is worth between 260 and 13-hundred dollars, depending on the number of dependents.

Local-Regional News Feb 15

Firefighters from Durand, Rock Creek, Mondovi, and 5 other departments responded to a structure fire on Tuesday night.  According to the Durand Fire Department, firefighters were called to a wood shed on fire at N1074 Hwy O in the town of Peru.  By the time firefighters arrived, the house and two outbuildings were fully engulfed.  The two outbuildings collapsed shortly after firefighters arrived and after a long battle, the house had to be torn down due to the structural integrity of the interior floors and walls.  No one was injured in the fire and the cause of the blaze is still under investigation.

The Durand City Council made it official last night and delayed the Madison Street Reconstruction project.  The low bid of $3.2 million came from McCabe Construction but that bid and two others were rejected at last night's council meeting.  The council had been expecting the project to cost approximately $2.5 million so it was decided to reject the bids and delay the project for one year.  The city will now review the project with Cedar Corporation to find ways to bring it back to the $2.5 million budget.

Aspirus Health says it's adding hospital beds to make-up for some of what western Wisconsin is losing with HSHS and Prevea. Aspirus yesterday said it is adding six beds at its hospital in Stanley, adding eight beds in Medford, working to expand its services in Wausau, and looking to hire more people. Aspirus also says it's working on an affiliation with St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth. Aspirus CEO Matthew Heywood says they understand the need in the Chippewa Valley and are working to meet it.

Lawmakers are taking steps to try and provide for the Chippewa Valley when two of its hospitals close later this spring.  Both the State Assembly and the State Senate held hearings yesterday on 15-million dollars that lawmakers want to send to Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls once HSHS and Prevea close their doors in April.  State Senator Jesse James of Altoona says the closing will mean the loss of over 100 hospital beds, 28 ICU beds, and all of Prevea's urgent care clinics.  The 15 million was originally earmarked for HSHS's hospitals in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls, but will now be reallocated to other healthcare providers once those hospitals close. 

Dunn County is looking to hire healthcare workers.  The county yesterday said it will host a job fair next week, and another one in March.  Both will welcome walk-in interviews.  The county says it is looking to hire registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, licensed therapists, as well as social workers, and a number of other people as well.  Both job fairs will be in the central building at the Neighbors of Dunn County. 

A Wisconsin business owner accused of sexual assault will face additional charges after another two potential victims are discovered. Chris Delvin, the owner of a non-surgical cosmetic center in Eau Claire, is accused of touching patients inappropriately, taking non-consensual photos, and exposing himself during appointments. The first charges were filed after police spoke with four victims, but additional charges came after a fifth victim spoke with police. Officers also say there's photo evidence of a sixth victim. Delvin will be in court again in March.

The recently passed legislative maps would have some changes for Western Wisconsin.  In the assembly, Pepin and Pierce Counties would move from the 93rd Assembly District represented by Warren Petryk and Buffalo and Trempealeau Counties would move from the 92nd District represented by Trig Pronschniske to the 29th District which will be moved from Dunn County, while in the state senate, Pepin and Pierce, and Buffalo Counties would move from the 31st State Senate District and become part of the 10th District represented by Senator Rob Stafsholt.  

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is investigating the death of hundreds of fish in the Mississippi River.  The agency says dead fish were found in the river in Lake City on February 3rd and in Wabasha on February 8th.  The DNR says about a thousand fish died in all.  The agency says the die-offs were caused by thermal stress related to recent high temperatures and that analysts are still looking at data collected from both locations.

Democrats at the Wisconsin Capitol want a massive expansion of paid family leave in the state.  Wisconsin law currently gives people up to two weeks of paid leave to take care of a sick child, spouse, or parent.  The pitch from state Rep. Francesca Hong and others would expand that to 14 weeks, and add all manner of other reasons for someone to take time off. Hong also wants to remove the exemption for small businesses in the state.  She said the expansion gives working families in Wisconsin the support that they need.

More than 100 people will lose their jobs in Madison when a printing plant ceases operations.  CJK Group, the parent company of Sheridan Wisconsin, formerly known as Webcrafters, sent a layoff notice to the state Department of Workforce Development and city officials, citing a “significant downturn in business” at the plant. The company said layoffs of 116 workers will begin in April and continue until the plant fully closes in late June. CJK, with operations in six countries, purchased the plant in 2017. 

The USDA Census of Agriculture shows Wisconsin farms are still struggling to get Internet access. USDA statistician Greg Bussler says a higher percentage of farms had access to the Internet in 2022 compared to 2017. That’s compared to seventy-six percent of Wisconsin farms with Internet access in 2017. But, Bussler says the actual number of Wisconsin farms with Internet access fell by 3,221. 59% of Wisconsin farmers responding to the 2022 Census of Agriculture are getting their Internet from a mobile provider, while 53% have access to broadband.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals has turned down a challenge to a state court decision that ended restrictions on abortion in 2022.  The decision announced this week stops an attempt by an anti-abortion group to get a new hearing in the Doe v. Minnesota case.  The case was originally filed in 2019 by groups that argued restrictions on abortion care harmed patients and clients.  The court overseeing the case ruled several abortion restrictions were unconstitutional and permanently blocked their enforcement.  Minnesota lawmakers repealed most of those anti-abortion laws last year. 

The Green Bay Area Public School District Board of Education has placed district Superintendent Dr. Claude Tiller Jr. on paid administrative leave as it conducts a review of comments he made during a radio interview.  The comments were allegedly made during a commercial break when a mic had been left on, and the show was still streaming on social media. Attorney Geoffrey Lacy released a statement from the school board Tuesday saying that while there is speculation about why the radio livestream is no longer available online, the Board did not request the broadcast be removed. As for the records request regarding the public release of the video, board counsel is working through the legal process required for such requests. Tiller was a guest Feb. 6 on WAOK-AM in Atlanta with the topic listed as "Navigating Educational Leadership: Insights from the First Black Superintendent of Green Bay Public Schools." It also promoted the segment as "Prepare to be inspired by his journey, insights, and how he's making a lasting impact in the education system."

A bill that would adjust a state law regarding the use of force in Minnesota schools is advancing in the state legislature.  The bill passed its first test in the House Education Policy Committee on Monday and was approved by the Public Safety Policy and Finance Committee yesterday.  The bill would offer modifications to last year's law to ease concerns that school resource officers could be held liable for using certain types of force against students.  Lawmakers expect the bill to get to the House floor next week.

A Minnesota brewery worker has become a viral video star after his company posted some surveillance footage on social media.  The video shows the worker getting blasted by a stream of beer from a fermentation tank and winding up on the ground.  Back Channel Brewing Company says the video was recorded on January 23rd and that the employee was unhurt.  The brewery also says the beer that shot from the tank was appropriate for the situation since it was named "Blow Back." 

Local-Regional News Feb 14

 The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on the bids for the Madison Street Project, reports from the mayor, city administrator, and department heads and the council will go into closed session to discuss the use of public funds to help in the process of hiring a new city administrator with the expected retirement of the current administrator this summer.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall and will be livestreamed on the WRDN website.

Wintery weather is expected here in Western Wisconsin tonight.  The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather advisory for the area tonight through early Thursday morning.    After a mild day, a cold front will bring rain that will change to snow later tonight.  2-4 inches of snow is expected.  The snow won't last long as temperatures in the 40's are expected by next Monday.

A Western Wisconsin community organization is looking to purchase a home in Buffalo County to help out the homeless.  The group used to rent a home in Mondovi but after the home was sold, the group is struggling to find a place to rent that falls under federal guidelines.  Western Dairyland hopes to raise $500,000 to purchase a home that could be used as a shelter for families with children.   The money would also be used for maintenance, staffing, and other expenses for the home.

A Dunn County woman, charged with possession of child pornography had her first court appearance yesterday.  According to authorities, in December, they received a cybertip regarding two videos and two photos of suspected child porn associated with a snapchat account connected to 33yr old Shelly Horn of Colfax.  After an investigation and a search of Horn's phone, they found what they believed to be the same images associated with the cybertip.  Horn was released yesterday on a $1000 signature bond and will return to court on Friday.

Wisconsin's Democratic U.S. Senator is asking for a delay in western Wisconsin's hospital closures. Senator Tammy Baldwin yesterday asked HSHS and Prevea to not close their hospitals and clinics in and around Eau Claire this spring. Baldwin says she doesn't want patients to be left without healthcare options. She said she expects HSHS to 'consider in good faith' any offers to buy Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire and St. Joseph's in Chippewa Falls. HSHS and Prevea announced they are closing sometime in April because of workforce issues, the lingering effect of the coronavirus, and other industry trends. 

Chippewa County leaders are officially on the record against the move to resettle 75 refugee families in the Chippewa Valley. The county board last night approved a resolution that asks for an immediate pause in World Relief's plans to move the refugees to Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls sometime this year. County leaders say they want to see the proof that the refugees have been vetted, and are cleared to come to this country. World Relief has never said where the refugees will be coming from, or what they will do once they arrive in the Chippewa Valley. Eau Claire County's board rejected a similar resolution last month. 

It's probation for the two people who faked an armed robbery at Ace Hardware in Rice Lake. A judge yesterday sentenced Jesus Miera from Chippewa Falls, and Krista Buckwalter from Rice Lake for the robbery at Jacobson's Ace Hardware back in 2022. Buckwalter worked at the store, and police say she and Miera cooked-up a scheme where he would come in and rob her. Investigators say they found a flurry of phone calls between the two just before the robbery. In addition to their probation, the judge ordered Buckwater and Miera to repay the 14-hundred dollars they stole. 

Wisconsin lawmakers have signed-off on a plan to guarantee admission to the UW for top students in the state. Both the State Assembly and the State Senate approved the plan yesterday. It guarantees students in the top five percent of their class a spot at UW-Madison, and guarantees students in the top 10 percent of their class a spot at any other UW campus. Supporters say the idea is to keep Wisconsin's best and brightest in Wisconsin. The plan is part of the agreement between lawmakers and the UW System that also included those pay raises and a pause on DEI hiring. The guarantee now heads to the governor's desk for his signature.

Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin have signed-off on the Democratic governor's proposed political maps, but it remains to be seen if he will sign them. Both the State Assembly and State Senate yesterday approved the maps that the governor drew. Those maps could give Democrats control of the legislature for the first time in more than a decade. Republican Senator Duey Stroebel said Republicans have a 'gun to their head,' and are approving the maps to try and head-off a worse set from the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Democrats say the vote was rushed, and say they want to see what the Supreme Court does. Governor Evers yesterday said he'd sign the maps if lawmakers approved them without changes. 

A new bill is being proposed in Minnesota that will fine anyone up to a thousand dollars that interferes with a youth athletic activity.  Republican John Huot, a former referee, is proposing the bill after he says colleagues claim they have been followed home, have food thrown at them, and one had their whistle ripped off.  Thousands of refs, umpires, and officials reported in a survey, with 70 percent saying sportsmanship is worsening, and about 50 percent say they fear for their safety.  The bill will also create a special revenue fund, where all fines will be allocated to hire and train more referees, have new clinics, and pay off administrative fees. 

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has set the rules for absentee ballot witness addresses this year. The Commission on Friday sent a note to the state's election clerks, explaining what legally passes for an address on an absentee ballot witness slip. The Commission says any address that includes a house number and a street name should be counted, even if the city, state, and zip code are missing. A Dane County judge last month ordered new guidance on absentee ballots after he struck down the state law that dealt with witness addresses. The judge said that law was inconsistent. Republican lawmakers say the new rules from the Commission open-up a possibility for voter fraud. 

We have another damage count from last week's tornado in Rock County. Emergency managers yesterday said the tornado that touched-down near Evansville damaged 31 homes. Crews say three homes were destroyed, 10 suffered major damage, 11 others had minor damage, and seven others were touched in some way. Just one person was hurt by the storm, though neighbors say a couple of cows were killed. Rock County officials say they'll have another update for folks in Evansville tomorrow evening. 

The Minnesota legislative session is underway.  Policy issues on the agenda include gun control, abortion rights, and whether to make Minnesota a sanctuary state for immigrants.  The majority of the work in this session will be developing a package of construction projects in a bonding bill.  The first topic addressed yesterday was a bill passed last year banning school resource officers from using restraints on students.  Under a proposed fix, officers who work in schools would need special training but they would be exempt from rules that regulate how and when teachers may restrain students.

A federal program connecting thousands of Wisconsinites to the internet is scheduled to run out of funding soon.   The Affordable Connectivity Program provides free or low-cost internet to low-income households. In Wisconsin, nearly 420,000 people are enrolled in the program which offers discounts of $30 to $75 a month on Internet. However, the state’s Public Service Commission says the program is likely to run out of money by this April, and there’s no additional funding in sight. The program stopped accepting applications last Thursday. Those who may lose internet service with the end of the funding are advised to connect with internet services provided by many public libraries to find another program that can keep you connected to the internet.

The Wisconsin State Assembly has approved a bill eliminating work permit requirements for more teenagers. Former Republican Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill in 2017 that eliminated work permit requirements for 16- and 17-year-olds. The bill the Assembly approved Tuesday eliminates permit requirements for 14- and 15-year-olds. It doesn't change any state laws limiting the hours minors can work. Supporters say the bill would help businesses hire much-needed workers faster. The Senate passed the measure in October. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers will likely veto the proposal, however. He nixed a bill in 2022 that would have allowed 14- and 15-year-olds to work longer summer hours.

 Rescuers with the Eau Claire Humane Association are asking for help to get a dog into surgery. The Humane Association yesterday said it needs to raise about 18 hundred-dollars for bladder surgery for Miska, a Husky mix that came in as a stray. The Humane Association says Miska can't pass her bladder stones on own and needs to have a rather invasive surgery. You can donate at the Humane Association's website.