Local-Regional News Sept 30

Two people are dead after a truck vs 3 motorcycle accident in Nelson Township on Friday morning.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, a pickup was traveling northbound on Hwy 35 when it crossed the centerline and struck three motorcycles traveling southbound.  Two of the motorcycle drivers died of their injuries while a third was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.  The driver of the truck was not injured.  The names of the victims were not released.

A Menomonie man is looking at charges after police say he killed a woman's dog during a fight. Prosecutors in Chippewa Falls filed the charges Friday. Officers say 41-year-old Jason Hoyt killed the dog during a domestic violence disturbance. Officers say Hoyt threatened to run over his girlfriend in a UTV last week at their home in Howard. Investigators say he chased her in the UTV, but flipped. That wreck killed the woman's dog. Hoyt is looking at both domestic violence and animal cruelty charges, both are felonies. 

 

Eau Claire's McKinley Road bike path is on the state's latest list of road projects. Governor Evers' office on Friday said there will be 921-thousand-dollars available for the new path at McKinley and Birch Street. The path will connect two trails, and give kids at the McKinley Charter School and Northwoods Elementary a way to walk to school. There's no word when work is expected to begin.

The leader of a Western Wisconsin drug trafficking organization is going to prison.  Hector Jimenez-Sosa of Eau Claire was sentenced in U-S District Court for distributing meth.  The federal investigation says he was the head of a meth, fentanyl, and cocaine ring, getting the drugs via mail from California.  After his sentence is finished, he'll have four years of supervised release.

A single student is believed to be responsible for a series of threats made to western Wisconsin Schools. Staff from Chippewa Falls school district and the Wisconsin Department of Justice say a series of threats made last week through the official online reporting app Speak Up Speak Out came from one student. Those threats forced the closure of schools in Altoona, Augusta, Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls and Elk Mound. The unidentified student will be facing legal and school-related consequences, though it is unclear if they have been arrested.

A man is facing a misdemeanor charge after allegedly committing an act of vandalism at a Donald Trump-themed store in Red Wing.  The 31-year-old man was cited for property damage last Tuesday after allegedly screaming and yelling at staff members and damaging a Trump flag.  Police say the man is also suspected of stealing political signs.  Red Wing's police chief issued a statement urging Minnesotans to respect each other no matter what political party they support.

An injured person is recovering after a helicopter rescue in Winona County.  The county sheriff's office was notified about a missing person on Saturday afternoon.  The unidentified individual was reportedly repairing a fence at a farm in Pleasant Valley and failed to return.  A Minnesota State Patrol helicopter was used to fly the person out of a remote area that most rescue vehicles could not access.  The sheriff's office says the person had serious injuries but should recover. 

The Northwoods' congressman continues to push his questions about Madison's duplicate ballots. Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany last week asked for an independent investigation of how 22-hundred voters in ten Madison wards were sent two ballots. Tiffany said he's not satisfied with the answers he's gotten from Madison's clerk. He also said there are some inconsistencies in the clerk's explanation. Madison Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl says a mistake led to the duplicate ballots and has insisted that no one in Madison will be able to vote twice in November. 

University of Minnesota faculty are pushing for an updated economic impact study to assess the institution's influence on the state economy. The last study, conducted in 2017, estimated the economic impact at eight-billion dollars. Faculty members argue that changes in tuition and enrollment since then may have altered this figure significantly. The updated study aims to provide clearer insights into the university's contributions to the community and statewide economy.

 Multiple agencies are investigating after a suspicious package was sent to the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office in St. Paul.  The office was evacuated Friday after the package from the "United States Traitor Elimination Army" was received.  A substance inside the package was tested and found to be non-hazardous.  The FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Minnesota State Patrol are working to determine who may have sent the package.

Robert F. Kennedy Junior will remain on Wisconsin's presidential ballot.  The state's Supreme Court issued the ruling Friday, unanimously rejecting the lawsuit to have his name removed.  Justices called Kennedy's legal briefs "inadequate."  Earlier Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Kennedy's appeal to be placed on the New York ballot.

The University of Wisconsin regents are unanimously voting to fire former UW-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow.  The Board voted Friday morning to terminate Gow's employment.  Gow has been on paid leave since last winter, after he and his wife were found to have been posting porn videos online.  Gow says posting the videos was a form of free speech and self-expression. 

Wisconsin is getting 32-million dollars for non-motorized transportation projects over the next four years.  The Department of Transportation says 56 projects will benefit from the federal funding over the next four years.  Approved projects include pedestrian paths, bike trails, and safer routes to school for students.  One-point-four million will go to Rice Lake for a multi-use trail, and Waupaca gets almost a million dollars for an ADA-compliant pedestrian bridge.

The most recent poll shows Vice President Harris with a two-point lead over former President Trump in Wisconsin.  The New York Times/Siena College Poll has Harris ahead 49-percent to 47-percent.  The poll surveyed 680 "likely voters" between September 21st to the 26th.  The result is well within the plus-or-minus four-percent margin of error.

State health officials say a Minnesota resident who had contact with a bat in July has died of rabies.  The exposure happened in western Minnesota and the patient was over 65-years-old.  The CDC confirmed the rabies diagnosis at its lab in Atlanta on September 20th.  In a Friday news release, the Minnesota Department of Health said it's working to determine if anyone else may have been exposed to the disease, but added there's no ongoing risk to the public.  Public health veterinarian Dr. Stacey Holzbauer recommended rabies immunizations for pets and livestock. 

Nearly half of Americans say they feel lonely at least sometimes, but Wisconsin is among the states with the lowest rate of loneliness.  That's according to the U.S. Census Bureau's latest Household Pulse Survey, which looks at Americans' financial and economic well-being, among other topics.  The survey says 40-point-three-percent of U.S. adults reported experiencing feelings of loneliness at least sometimes.  Wisconsin had the third-lowest rate at 37-percent, behind Iowa and Delaware.  Alaska had the highest rate of loneliness at just under 46-percent.  

Monopoly is set to release a St. Paul edition of its classic board game.  Famous game makers invite the public to suggest local businesses and landmarks to be included. Submissions can be sent via email.  This will be the first Minnesota-themed Monopoly game in nearly three decades, and will be released on June 18th next year.   

Local-Regional News Sept 27

Durand residents will be allowed to have chickens after the city council passed an ordinance this week.  The council passed the ordinance after realizing there was no ordinance allowing the housing of chickens in town.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the ordinance allows up to 4 chickens per homeowner.  Homeowners will have to have any chickens processed at a butcher or outside of city limits.

Add this to the list of amenities on the UW-Stout campus. The school says it is building a brand new ESports arena. The UW-Stout Foundation and Alumni Association donated a million-dollars to help make it happen. Currently, Stout's ESports teams play in a retrofitted classroom, but because there's not enough room some students play from home. The new arena will be built on the first floor of the library, and have more than enough room for Stout's 50 athletes. There will be 34 computers, a team area, and even a place for spectators to watch the matches broadcast on TV. The hope is to start work next March, and wrap-up by the fall of 2025. 

Nonprofits in Pepin and Dunn counties are eligible to apply for a grant of up to $2,500 through the United Way.  Yesterday The United Way St. Croix and Red Cedar Valleys announced the availability of grants for area nonprofits.  The United Way said grants will be given to organizations whose work aligns with their goal of increasing individual and family well-being.  Nonprofits have until October 18 to apply for the Community Impact Grants, and grant awards will be announced on November 20th.

OSHA is fining the company who's diver died while cleaning Blair's water tank back in March. Regulators slapped the Liquid Engineering Corporation with seven serious violations, and are asking for an 85-thousand-dollar fine. Carlos Medina, from Texas, drowned in Blair's water tank. He was cleaning it at the time, and passed out from the cold. OSHA does not recommend any fines or citations against the city. 

Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services dedicated the Trenton Solar at Truttmann Field solar array on Sept 19th . The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the official launch of this innovative project, developed in partnership with the National Association of State Energy Officials, the Office of Energy Innovation through the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC), and WEST CAP.  The project is expected to generate two megawatts of power, enough to supply over 500 homes with electricity annually.

Eau Claire is talking about that new report on trash.  Deputy City Manager Dave Solberg says neighbors were at yesterday's meeting to confirm the details of the Wisconsin Policy Forum's report on Eau Claire's trash costs. The report says Eau Claire is paying more for trash and recycling services because it allows four different companies to compete for clients. The report, however, said switching to city-owned trash collection would also cost more. The report said changing the current program could put two of Eau Claire's trash haulers out of business. Solberg said it would take a while before anything changes. He says there are both environmental and budgetary concerns to deal with. 

A judge is ordering former Minnesota state trooper Shane Roper to report for booking in Olmsted County.  Roper was arraigned last month on charges connected to a deadly May crash in Rochester.  The judge noted in yesterday's order that the court failed to order Roper to report for booking after the August 29th hearing.  Roper pled not guilty to the nine charges, including second-degree manslaughter and criminal vehicular homicide. Roper has been given two weeks to comply with the court's order.

 A teen from Reedsburg is under arrest and accused of making terroristic threats online. City Police say they got a report about the threats yesterday morning. Officers say they took a seventeen-year-old into custody before school started, after investigating the post. The School District of Reedsburg was also notified and sent out a notice to parents.  

Wisconsin's largest business group says the overwhelming majority of businesses in the state are suffering because of higher healthcare costs. Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce yesterday released the results from its latest survey. Forty-four percent of businesses in the state reported their healthcare costs increased more than ten-percent over the last year, while another 41-percent say their costs jumped up to ten-percent. WMC's Rachel Ver Velde says over 50 percent of companies in the state say their healthcare costs are higher here than in other states. Overall, 69 percent of businesses in Wisconsin say they've been affected by higher healthcare costs. 

There's a new report that suggests Wisconsin could bring-in billions of dollars more by expanding healthcare coverage to more low income people. The Wisconsin Policy Forum released its look at Medicaid expansion yesterday. The report says Wisconsin could bring back nearly two billion-dollars from Washington, D.C. by adding more people to the state's healthcare rolls. The report does caution that adding more people will mean more costs down the road, and could mean more crowded hospitals. Republican lawmakers have resisted expanding Medicaid in the state for years, saying there's simply not a need to do it in Wisconsin. 

A new state program can assist owners of older homes in Wisconsin.  The More Like Home Repair and Renew Loan program can help pay for critical repairs and improvements that increase energy efficiency, safety, and security. It provides low-interest loans between $5,000 and $50,000 to owners of houses more than 40 years old. Loans can be used for structural repairs and updates to things like roofing, insulation, plumbing, electrical, and heating and air conditioning. This new program is the fourth and final program to emerge from the $525 million housing legislation signed into law by Governor Tony Evers last year.

There are a lot of requests for more in Governor Tony Evers' new state budget. The Institute for Reforming Government took a look at Evers proposed two-year spending plan and found billions of dollars in new requests. The largest, four billion-dollars, comes from the state's Department of Health Services.  That money is tied to a proposed Medicaid expansion that the governor's office says would bring in billions-more from Washington. D.C. The University of Wisconsin is asking for nearly a billion-dollars more from the state, and IRG says the Department of Corrections wants a half-a-billion more. The governor has requested billions of dollars more in each of his previous state budgets, only to have Republican lawmakers deny his requests. 

A study by the Better Business Bureau shows investment scams are on the rise once again. Wisconsin B B B spokeswoman Lisa Schiller says those scams have overtaken online shopping scams in complaints filed. Schiller says victims can lose large sums of money because they're hoping to win big. Anyone trying to offer you a fantastic chance to get in on a new business or a new sure thing for your portfolio is likely trying to scam you. If it sounds too good to be true, as ever, it usually is.

Wausau's mayor says the city's ballot drop box is safe, but not available. Mayor Doug Diny on Sunday removed the city's ballot drop box from in front of city hall. Yesterday, Diny said he didn't do anything wrong because he is the mayor, and he's allowed to move the drop box. It remains to be seen if that's the case, but Diny is defending his decision. He says he's a member of the city staff, and his decision to move the ballot drop box is now different than if a maintenance man moved it. Wisconsin's Supreme Court earlier this year said ballot drop boxes can be used in the November election, but did not require them to be used. It's not clear if Diny acted on his own, or if he has support from Wausau's city council. Wausau's city clerk, who is in charge of the ballot drop box, has not yet said anything about the mayor's decision. 

Minnesota's attorney general is suing a Florida real estate company for allegedly taking advantage of homeowners with unfair and confusing contracts.  Attorney General Keith Ellison says MV Realty violated Minnesota consumer protection laws over 500 times since 2020.  The company allegedly promised homeowners cash payments in advance in exchange for a promise to use MV Realty if they sold their home.  The attorney general said the company disguised the unfair terms in the contract and regularly sued homeowners for early termination fees that are illegal under state law.

A homeowner in Wisconsin is finding out that sometimes, people just gotta have their pasta.  A woman was arrested late Monday in Madison for allegedly breaking into a home and cooking herself a shrimp and pasta dinner.  The homeowner called police saying she was startled seeing someone walking around inside her house.  The suspect, identified as Joanna Lee, answered the door when officers knocked and claimed to have permission to be in the house.  The homeowner says she never met the woman before.  Lee is in jail facing a burglary charge.   

Local-Regional News Sept 26

 Finances for the city of Durand are looking good.  During last night's council meeting, representatives from Ehler and Associates updated the city on its finances.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the council learned there may be a way to fund the remaining portion of the Madison Street Project using the current TIF District.  Milliren says the city will first close out all of the current projects and look at all of the possible options for the Madison Street Project which is scheduled for 2026.

Police in Chippewa Falls say the latest school threat was, once again, not credible. Officers say they will step-up patrols at the city's middle school for the next couple of days out of an abundance of caution, but they don't expect any problems. Chippewa Falls Schools are not saying just what the latest threat entailed. Wisconsin has seen a wave of school threats over the past two weeks. The attorney general's office says nearly 150 school threats have come-in to schools across the state since the middle of the month. 

An area hospital has a new administrator.  Daniel Coenen has been named as the new administrator for Tri-County Hospital and Clinics on October 1st.    Coenen earned an associate degree in Applied Science from Western Technical College and a bachelor’s degree in Radiology Science from Adventist University of Health Sciences in Orlando, Florida. Dan also has a master’s degree in Business Administration from Viterbo University.  Coenen takes over for Joni Olson who is retiring after 46yrs with Gundersen Health System.

A pastor who resigned his positions at two Wabasha County churches before returning to India is under investigation for allegedly stealing from parishioners.  Law enforcement requested a search warrant for a bank account owned by Father Prince Raja on September 16th.  Members of churches in Winona and Kellogg say Raja requested money from them that was never repaid and left the country owing them more than 70-thousand dollars.  The Diocese of Winona-Rochester says Raja resigned and returned to India for personal reasons at the end of June.  The diocese also says no parish funds were affected by Raja's actions and that it is cooperating with local law enforcement.

The Chippewa County Sheriff's Department is warning residents of a scam.  The department posted on social media that a resident was called and told they missed jury duty and had to pay a $5000 fine as there were now two warrants for their arrest.  The Sheriff's Department says their phone number was spoofed.  The department reminds residents that they will not call and demand money over the phone to just hang up if they receive one of these calls.

A 16-year-old is the prime suspect in a series of thefts in Lake Hallie. Police say they arrested the teen Saturday. Investigators say the teenager was on house arrest because of a previous arrest and stole at least two cars. They say the teen also stole at least one gun. Lake Hallie Police say the case is another reminder to lock your car, and make sure your valuables are secured. 

Police are asking questions after they say a four-year-old was shot in Neillsville. It happened yesterday morning at a home on West 7th Street.  Police say the four-year-old was rushed to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Investigators say an underage relative shot the little girl. They are not calling the shooting an accident, yet, and police are not saying how old the relative is. 

The Justice Department is suing two rural Rusk County communities over their decision to scrap their electronic voting machines. The Biden Administration filed its lawsuit last week against Thornapple and Lawrence townships. Both communities voted last year to stop using their electronic voting machines. The DOJ complaint says federal law requires at least one electronic voting machine at each polling place so that disabled voters have an option. Lawrence Township leaders say they've already settled with the Justice Department and will bring their electronic machine back. Thornapple Township is fighting the case.

Wisconsin is giving out 125-thousand dollars in grants for hunting recruitment and retention. The state Department of Natural Resources says it'll give out the money to projects that encourage young people to learn how to hunt in Wisconsin, and increase the total number of hunters in the state. Past projects that benefited from Hunter R-Three grants include expos for new hunters, archery ranges for after-school clubs, and purchasing outdoor wheelchairs for public use. Applications will be accepted until October fifteenth. 

A longtime frozen food delivery service will shut down its operations in Wisconsin.  Cygnus Home Service let the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development know that in November, it will close eight facilities around the state for Yelloh, formerly known as Schwan’s Home Delivery. A total of 79 workers will be laid off due to the closures. The company cited pandemic-driven staffing shortages and supply chain disruptions as reasons for the closures. Schwan’s began its home delivery business in 1952.

Less than half of UW-Madison's new record-breaking freshman class is from Wisconsin. The university released its 2024 freshman enrollment numbers on Monday. There are 85 hundred freshmen this year, a seven percent increase from last year. But just 38 hundred of those kids are from Wisconsin. The rest are from across the country. UW-Madison continues to be a very popular school. The university said nearly 66 thousand would-be freshmen applied to UW-Madison, nearly 80 percent of them were rejected. 

Wausau's absentee ballot dropbox appeared and disappeared outside City Hall last weekend. Mayor Doug Diny admits to wheeling the box into his office after noticing it wasn't bolted down and secured. Diny told WSAU he was “dumbfounded” and that the unsecured box “could have been thrown in a river.” Diny said he was caught off guard and would like more input from the city council and the public, although the Wisconsin Supreme Court recently gave authority over the boxes to local clerks. The mayor said he’ll respect any decision to have the dropbox placed and secured outside City Hall if the Clerk chooses. A photo of Diny wheeling the box into city hall drew sharp backlash from some on the city council including Council President Lisa Rasmussen who questioned the legality and ethics of the move. It’s not clear that any laws were broken.

A Minnesota man will be honored for saving an 85-year-old man's life last year.  The Carnegie Hero Fund plans to award the Carnegie Medal to 25-year-old Dalton Grose of Waterville.  Grose was working on a boat in Albert Lea last September when he and a coworker saw a truck go over a retaining wall and into Fountain Lake.  Grose took the boat to the crash scene and dived into the lake, pulling Dwight Weise out of the truck and carrying him to shore.  Weise and Grose were both uninjured.  Grose is one of 18 people who will receive the medal this year.

Minnesota hunters will kick off the fall turkey season this weekend.  Turkey hunting will begin on Saturday and continue through October 27th.  Bows, crossbows, and shotguns can be used, with a limit of one bird of either sex during the season.  More information on hunting licenses and other requirements is available on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website.

Only eight products are still in the running to be named the Coolest Thing Made in Minnesota.  Online voting has narrowed the field to a list that includes American Crystal Sugar, 3M Scotch-brand Magic Tape, Arctic Cat's ZR-858 snowmobile and Red Wing Shoes' Beckman Boot.  Voting in the quarterfinal round will conclude on Sunday.  Products receiving the most votes in each quarterfinal matchup will move on to next week's semi-finals. 

Local-Regional News Sept 25

 The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action regarding the chicken ordinance and discussion regarding handgun replacement purchase for the police.  The council will also go into closed session to discuss the possible purchase of property from Xcel Energy.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall.

The City of Mondovi will be helping out on the repavement project at Linse Field.  Representatives from the Softball/Baseball Association asked the council last night if the city could provide some sand to be used as a base for the new concrete that is to be installed at the park.  The council agreed to the request.  That project is expected to be done in the coming weeks.

 

An Eau Claire man is dead after falling while climbing Devils Tower in Wyoming. The National Parks Service says officers found 21-year-old Stewart Porter's body Sunday near the El Cracko Diablo portion of the tower. Investigators say he and a climbing partner were rappelling the second pitch when he fell. His partner was trapped on the tower until Park Service crews could rescue them. 

UW-Eau Claire is once again on the list of best colleges in the Midwest. The latest U.S. News and World Report's annual ranking is out, and the Eau Claire campus is ranked fourth in the Midwest for best colleges.  UW-EC is also ranked 20th out of 165 public and private regional schools in the Midwest. That's up one spot from last year. Chancellor James Schmidt says the rankings are recognition of the quality education at the UW, particularly at the Eau Claire campus.

No students were injured in a bus crash yesterday.  According to the Chippewa Fall School District, a bus carrying the soccer team was traveling to Menomonie when another vehicle ran a stop sign and collided with the bus. None of the students were injured in the accident and another bus was dispatched to take the team to the game in Menomonie.

 Election officials in Wabasha County are working with the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office to correct a ballot error affecting voters in Zumbro Falls.  The county administrator says the wrong state House race appears on ballots sent to voters in the city.  The ballots included the House District 20-A race, but should have had the District 20-B race printed on them.  The county is working to have new ballots sent out and will discard any completed ballots containing the wrong information. 

The Minnesota Department of Health says two people became ill after being exposed to pigs at the Minnesota State Fair.  The report indicates that two fairgoers under the age of 18 sought treatment earlier this month.  Testing found they had been sickened by H3-N2-v, a strain of the influenza A virus.  The report shows that one person had direct contact with the pigs while the other did not.  The Department of Health does not expect any further spread of the illness. 

There's been an arrest in a 40-year-old cold case out of Tomah. Officials from Monroe County, Vernon County and La Crosse County yesterday said they've finally arrested a suspect in the 1985 murder of a UW-La Crosse student. Terry Dolowy's body was headless and burned when officials found it back in February of 1985, and her death went unsolved until earlier this year when investigators say they got a DNA match to a suspect still living in Tomah. The Monroe County Sheriff's Office says deputies arrested 60-year-old Michael Popp in the crime. He was 21-years-old at the time, and worked as a truck driver. Investigators say they have more evidence than just the DNA link, but they're not saying what they have. Popp is currently in jail, and being held on a million-dollars bond. 

One of Wisconsin's Republican congressmen says Madison's clerk needs to offer a better explanation as to how some voters got two ballots in the mail. Northwoods Congressman Tom Tiffany said the clerk's office needs to answer a number of questions, including how they can guarantee that some voters won't be able to vote twice.  Madison's clerk said a mistake sent nearly two thousand voters duplicate ballots. The clerk's office says barcodes will stop people from voting twice.  But Tiffany said that's not good enough. He wants to know if the mistake was incompetence, or something criminal. 

Some small Wisconsin communities are getting 460-thousand dollars to improve water systems. The Department of Natural Resources says the money will be used to take PFAs and manganese out of water systems for services like schools, day cares, and apartment complexes. Funding is coming from the federal government. The DNR says it expects to distribute five-million-dollars in the second grant cycle, which will open applications on October first. 

 Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin want to avoid another fight to get off the ballot. State Rep. Scott Krug, who oversees the Assembly's elections committee, said on UpFront over the weekend that he wants to change the state law that forces people to run for office. Krug said there's no victory in forcing a candidate to continue with their campaign. RFK Jr. is fighting to get off the November ballot in Wisconsin. His case is now before the Wisconsin Supreme Court, but the justices have not yet issued a ruling. 

Wisconsin's governor expects to once again disagree with Republican lawmakers on how much money to spend in the next state budget. Governor Evers told the Wisconsin Counties Association yesterday that he expects to have the same budget arguments as years past. Evers says his priorities for the next state budget are finding a way to fix child care in the state, and of course send more money to the University of Wisconsin. Republicans have either modified or completely re-written each one of the governor's previous three budgets. They expect to do the same next year as well.  

Burn local, buy local.  That’s the message about firewood from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. October is National Firewood Awareness Month, and the DNR says if you intend to burn firewood during a camping trip, purchase the wood on-site rather than bringing it from home or picking it up along the way. Purchasing the firewood on-site prevents the spread of invasive pests and harmful insects that could harm trees around the state. The agency also recommends that campers leave any unused firewood behind.

Mental health aid for underprivileged Wisconsinites is on the way.   $4.7 million from the Health Resources and Services Administration will expand mental health services at eight community health centers statewide next year. A release says the funds are meant for services for those who are uninsured, underinsured or enrolled in Medicaid. The money distributed through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will also help expand access to care and support combating the opioid crisis in the U.S.

A Minnesota man has found audio recordings of President Nixon on Marijuana. He stated that marijuana is "not addictive and dangerous," contrary to his public stance during the War on Drugs. The tapes were recorded in 1973. Historians suggest his policies were politically motivated, responding to public opinion rather than his actual beliefs. This revelation may impact future discussions, as the DEA plans a hearing to consider reclassifying marijuana to Schedule III.  

Wisconsin's State Law Library will be named after a trailblazing lawyer.  The Wisconsin Supreme Court and the Director of State Courts Office announced the library will be named in honor of Lavinia Goodell, Wisconsin's first woman lawyer. On June 17, 1874, Goodell became the first woman to practice law in Wisconsin, overcoming significant barriers and advocating for legislative changes that opened doors for future women to follow in her footsteps. Justice Ann Walsh Bradley says naming the State Law Library in Goodell's honor is an opportunity to recognize her legacy and inspire the next generation of women in Wisconsin.

Local-Regional News Sept 24

A public health alert is active for bratwursts made in Western Wisconsin due to an undeclared allergen. The state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection issued the warning about two kinds of brats from Maloney's Baloney in Durand. The Wild Rice and Cheddar Cheese and Wild Rice and Cranberry brats both contain wheat, which wasn't written on the product labels. All affected bratwursts were sold before September 17th.  No illnesses have been reported.  Anyone with questions is to call Maloney's Baloney. 

A deer hunter has died while hunting.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, the body of 73yr old Bruce Bang of Red Wing was found on private land near Trenton Township.  Bang was out bowhunting and was located by a friend after not returning when expected.  Bang was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Pierce County Medical Examiner.

Two people were injured in a motorcycle accident in Oak Grove Township on Sunday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department,  62yr old Matthew Crosby and his passenger 61yr old Carole Crosby were traveling northbound on Hwy CC when the struck a deer.   Both were airlifted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include reports from the mayor, and city department heads and the council will also go into closed session to discuss the deputy clerk position.  Tonight's meeting begins at 5:30 at the Marten Center in Mondovi.

A River Falls man is dead after a motorcycle accident last Thursday.  According to the St. Croix County Sheriff's Department, 56yr old Anthony Tibbits of River Falls lost control of his motorcycle on the onramp for I-94 from Hwy 35 near Hudson.  He was taken to the hospital but died from his injuries on Sunday.  The accident remains under investigation.

Regulators are ordering Xcel Energy to issue a multi-million dollar refund to customers.  The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission's decision was made after the utility workers accidentally cut underground cables that shut down the Prairie Island nuclear plant for months.   Xcel initially wanted customers to pick up the tab for buying alternate power while the facility was being repaired.  The PUC disagreed and instead placed the cost on Xcel shareholders.  The exact refund amount has yet to be determined.  An administrative law judge will add up the cost of the outage and replacement power.

The fourth and final suspect in an Eau Claire murder case is getting a plea deal. Jamon Sullivan was in the car when an Altoona man was shot and killed in September of 2022. He pleaded no contest to a charge of recklessly endangering safety charge earlier this morning. A judge accepted the plea and he was found guilty. Three other charges were dismissed as part of the deal, and his sentencing is scheduled for December.

Eau Claire Schools are preparing their pitch for the tax hike on the November ballot. The city's school district is asking voters for a 72 million-dollar tax increase to cover day-to-day expenses. There will be a series of meetings to answer questions and give the district's view on the referendum. The first meeting will be next Monday at North High School. There will then be another meeting at Memorial High School, as well as one at DeLong Middle School.

A Winona man has been reported missing in Yellowstone National Park.  Austin King hasn't been heard from since last week when he called his family from the top of a peak in the park's southeastern corner.  King was reported overdue when he failed to pick up a boat on Friday, and searchers have been combing the area since Saturday morning.  The 22-year-old is a Winona native who worked at the park as a concession employee.

Most of the University of Wisconsin's two-year campuses have fewer students this fall. The university released the preliminary numbers for its branch campuses, and five of the nine campuses that are open this fall saw enrollment drop.  UW-Eau Claire Barron County, UW-Green Bay Manitowoc, UW-Green Bay Sheboygan, UW-Whitewater Rock County all saw enrollment jump, but in some cases it was by just five students. The UW has told branch campuses they must increase enrollment or face being closed. 

A northwestern Wisconsin man is looking at his 17th drunk driving charge. Police in Rice Lake arrested 71-year-old Mark Johnson Friday night after they say he was swerving while driving, and almost hit another car. Officers say Johnson told them he drank two 16-ounce beers while he was driving home. They say his blood alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit. Court records show that Johnson has 16 prior 'suspensions, revocations, and other convictions.'

There's an opening for a new sheriff in Clark County. Governor Tony Evers says he's looking for someone to fill the position, left open after Sheriff Scott Haines retirement. The new sheriff will serve a term that starting on December 31, and ending January 2027. Applications are available on Evers-dot-W-I-dot-gov, and are open until October eleventh.

A new report from the F B I shows Americans lost a shocking 5 billion dollars to scams involving cryptocurrency in 2023. Wisconsin Consumer Protection director Michelle Reinen says that's because scammers have moved to use crypto like bitcoin to steal your money. Reinen says there's really no legitimate reason to own cryptocurrency other than as a fun amusement, where you are unlikely to get your money back.

Wisconsin's new Department of Transportation Secretary is excited to get to work. Kristina Boardman says she wants to continue to share WisDOT's story so the public understands the work it does. Boardman says she wants to continue to maximize the federal funding opportunities to bring needed resources to Wisconsin. Boardman has nearly three decades of state government service, including 10 years as a legislative aide for the Wisconsin State Assembly, before transitioning to WisDOT in 2005.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is extending the application deadline for disaster relief in Minnesota.  Applications must now be turned into FEMA by October 27th.  The agency is offering monetary help to individuals and businesses in 21 counties affected by severe storms and flooding in June and July.  That includes reimbursement for expenses such as temporary housing, home repairs and other disaster-related costs.

A pig on the loose for days in Door County was shot and killed on Friday evening.  The sheriff’s office there said they were concerned about the pig, which was around 300 pounds, walking into traffic on two of the county’s major highways. After responding to several complaints and capture attempts, a release from the sheriff’s office says deputies “euthanized” the animal as it approached a highway. It’s not known where the pig came from or who the owner is. The sheriff's office said it will review reports of the shooting incident following "several" complaints.  

 The Preston Historical Society is working to establish a new museum.  An effort is underway to turn the former Preston Dairy and Farm building into the Preston Depot Museum and Riverfront Center.  The organization is trying to raise 400-thousand dollars for the project.  In addition to the museum, the new facility will also house an events center and the historical society offices. 

Local-Regional News Sept 23

 No one was injured in a fire in a workshop at W2181 Mike Varenick Road in Nelson Township on Thursday night.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, a passing motorist reported the fire and when firefighters arrived the workshop was fully engulfed.  Firefighters were able to prevent the fire from spreading.  The workshop was a total loss and the cause of that fire is still under investigation.

Preliminary enrollment numbers for the Durand-Arkansaw School District are expected to be lower this year.  District Superintendent Ryan Nelson says it wasn't a big surprise. The official 3rd Friday of the month count should be released in the coming weeks.

Durand Firefighters celebrated the arrival of the new ladder truck yesterday at the fire hall.  The department held a "push in" ceremony to officially dedicate and put into service the new truck.  The department also recently received a donation from We Energies, Blacks Valley Ag, and CHS for some new thermal imaging cameras.  The cameras have been ordered and should be in service in the coming weeks.

Motorists in Menomonie may experience delays starting tomorrow as Bongey Drive between 24 Avenue West and 28th Avenue West will be resurfaced.  The milling and paving project will reduce Bongey Drive down to one lane and no parking will be in effect for the street.  The project is expected to be done by October 4th.

Former UW-La Crosse chancellor Joe Gow says he may sue if the University of Wisconsin fires him for making porn videos. Joe Gow told reporters he may sue to try and keep his job as a professor. Gow had a hearing before UW regents on Friday, but said it did not go well. He says not a single regent asked him a single question. UW-La Crosse fired him as chancellor last year when his porn movies came to light. They are trying to fire him from his teaching job. Gow continues to argue he has a First Amendment right to make porn movies with his wife. The university's lawyer on Friday told regents that 'Dr. Joe has got to go.'

 Police in Rice Lake say last week's backfiring car caused a 'panic' at the local middle school football game. Officers rushed all over town last Thursday because of reports of gunshots. One of those reports came from Rice Lake Middle School, where there was a football game at the time. Officers say coaches dove on players, while parents rushed other kids off the field. No one was hurt, and there never was a gun. Police eventually found two men who were driving the car that backfired. They're now looking at disorderly conduct charges. 

A pair of high schoolers from Eau Claire are headed to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Memorial High School 's Micah Zwiefelhofer and North High School's Max Westom made the cut to play with the Great American Band. The Great American Band is made up of single players from schools across the country. Micah and Max are the only two from Eau Claire who made it this year. The two said they've been playing for years, but the parade will be the first time they get to play together. The two will also travel out to New York City together. You'll be able to see them on Thanksgiving Day when the parade marches through New York and live on TV. 

Environmental groups in Wisconsin are worried about Microsoft's new data center in southeast Wisconsin. The Sierra Club and about a dozen others wrote a letter to Microsoft last week saying the plan to use methane gas powered power plants to feed the data center's energy needs is a step backwards. The letter says using gas to power the data center will push their goal of reducing the state's carbon footprint out of reach. The environmental groups want Microsoft to instead use solar or wind power to meet their needs. Microsoft is working in the center, and hopes to open it sometime next year

 Wisconsin is looking at another AI project. The state's economic development arm, the WEDC, is putting together a concept paper for a new manufacturing AI effort. The National Institute of Standards and Technology is driving the project. WEDC boss Missy Hughes says if Wisconsin is chosen, it could mean tens of millions of dollars in investment into the state. UW-Milwaukee, Rockwell, Milwaukee Tool, and Husco International are all involved in the project as well. There's no word as to just when the NIST will make its decision, or when Wisconsin will learn if it makes the cut. 

 The Wisconsin Supreme Court will decide whether the state Elections Commission administrator is lawfully appointed. Meagan Wolfe's term expired last summer, but a vote for her re-appointment is deadlocked. The WEC says she should keep the job until they take a new vote. The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Senate voted to remove her. A Dane County judge ruled Wolfe is lawfully in the position. Now the state Supreme Court will decide.

 An 18-year-old from India is being held on a half-million-dollar cash bond in Dodge County after trying to scam a resident out of more than 80-thousand-dollars.  The Dodge County Sheriff's Office says Laxit Devendra Patel is facing conspiracy charges to commit money laundering and to commit theft by false representation.  The Sheriff's Office used an undercover officer after someone saying they're with the Federal Trade Commission called a 61-year-old Lowell resident and said they need to withdraw all of their money because their bank accounts and social security number had been compromised.  The undercover officer transferred the money to Patel and then the Sheriff's Office arrested the suspect.

 Nine staff members at a prison are recovering after they were exposed to a synthetic drug in Stillwater.  The incident happened yesterday at the Minnesota Correctional Facility. The staffers were treated and released after they felt lightheaded and queasy with increased heart rates.  It all reportedly started when a staffer responded to a report of an incarcerated man smoking an unknown substance in his cell.  In a separate instance, another inmate threw a container of an unknown substance that landed near three staffers, who then began feeling ill.

Tony Evers thinks the UW System’s new viewpoint neutral policy is confusing. At UW Madison this week, the governor was asked about the policy requiring leaders to maintain viewpoint neutrality whenever referencing any political or social controversy. Evers said the policy “would have a chilling effect” on him if he were on the UW faculty. Under the new policy, Universities of WIsconsin leaders can issue public statements only on matters that directly affect operations and their core mission. It applies to positions from president down to department chairs.

New figures show 14-thousand-400 jobs were added in Minnesota last month.  The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development reports that's the largest monthly increase since July of 2022.  With a national unemployment rate of four-point-two percent, Minnesota's unemployment rate stands at three-point-three percent.

Wisconsin is one of the top ten financially healthy states in the U.S. A new report by Market-Watch Guides looked at average salaries, retirement savings, and disposable incomes by state. Wisconsin was ranked the sixth most financially healthy, with Pennsylvania and Ohio topping the list.

Local-Regional News Sept 20

  A missing hunter has been found safe after a search in Buffalo County. 74-year-old Julia Vue didn't show-up at a meeting spot near the Tiffany Wildlife Area Wednesday afternoon. The Buffalo County Sheriff's Office quickly organized a search but had to call it off because of the dark Wednesday night. The DNR says it used a plane to find Vue yesterday morning. He was okay. He told the DNR he simply got lost, and his cell phone died. 

The Durand-Arkansaw School District is projecting a balanced budget for the school year.  District Superintendent Ryan Nelson says the district will have a balanced budget even with the loss of the federal COVID money.  The final budget numbers will be released in October after the state aid is announced.

There's a plea deal in the naked picture case against an Eau Claire spa owner that doesn't include any jail time. Chris Devlin yesterday pleaded no contest to two counts of capturing an intimate representation and bond jumping. Prosecutors dismissed eleven other charges in the case. Devlin owned Renew Aesthetics. Police say it was while he was working there that he sexually assaulted at least four women. Two other women told police he took unnecessary pictures of them while they were naked. The judge gave Devlin three years of probation and banned him from spa work during that time. 

 People in Eau Claire are paying more for trash service than some other communities, but changing that may not be cheap or easy. The Wisconsin Policy Forum delivered its report to the city yesterday. It says Eau Claire is the only city of its size that uses a free market method for picking-up trash and recycling. That means trash bills are about 30-percent higher than in other Wisconsin cities. But the report warns that switching to city-owned trash collection would mean a huge number of up-front costs, and picking just one trash hauler could put Trash on Trucks and Earthbound out of business. City leaders say they're going to study the report before making any decisions. 

Two large engineering labs and one of the busiest building corridors at University of Wisconsin-Stout have fresh, new looks this fall with students back on campus.  Phase one of a two-year $7.4 million lab renovation project was completed this summer in Jarvis Hall Technology Wing. The Engineering Technology Research and Development Lab, and Plastics Engineering Lab were completely revamped, along with the hallway between the labs.  Phase two of the project will take place in the summer of 2025. Adjacent and to the north of the engineering labs, the Construction Lab for construction management majors and the interdisciplinary Research and Development Prototyping Lab will be renovated.

A Winona company is out tens-of-thousands of dollars following a phishing scam.  Authorities say administrators at Behrens Manufacturing sent roughly 53-thousand dollars to a bank account set up by a fraudster that they thought was legitimate.  The issue started when criminals sent an email to the business that claimed one of their regular vendors needed to update the account information.  The money was transferred in a single payment before managers became suspicious and recognized the scam.

 Police in Rice Lake say the reports of gunshots in the city last night were because a driver modified their car to sound like gunfire. Officers rushed to the local Walmart after getting reports on an active shooter. That sent both Rice Lake's middle school and high school into lockdown. Officers later found the car, and arrested two people. Neither one of them had a gun. Prosecutors are now reviewing the case for possible charges. 

Wisconsin's election managers want the state supreme court to decide if Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will stay on the November ballot.  The state's Elections Commission yesterday asked for a ruling from the high court.  Kennedy wants to get off the November ballot because he ended his campaign. He's trying a technical challenge. The Elections Commission already said that Kennedy qualified for the ballot, and state law doesn't allow him to simply drop-off. The case is time sensitive. Local election clerks started mailing absentee ballots yesterday.

Whooping cough cases are significantly increasing in Wisconsin. The Department of Health Service says 625 cases are confirmed statewide so far this year, compared to 51 total cases reported last year. Almost half of all cases are in Wisconsinites aged eleven to eighteen years old. DHS says it encourages people in the state to make sure children are up to date on their pertussis vaccines. 

Wisconsin's governor continues to say the University of Wisconsin needs more money. Governor Tony Evers yesterday said lawmakers cannot continue to 'nickel and dime' the university every year. The UW wants 855-million-more in the next state budget. Evers yesterday said the increase in this fall's enrollment shows a need. But Republican lawmakers say the small increases in enrollment don't mean the university is automatically entitled to that much more money. Budget chief, state Rep. Mark Born, said the university needs to right-size its operations before lawmakers are ready to talk about almost a billion-dollars more in state funding. 

Wisconsin hunter education classes are still available now, but could fill fast this time of year. The Department of Natural Resources says the classes are run and scheduled by volunteers who may decide to go hunting themselves as seasons kick off, and won't be teaching as often. Anyone born in or after 1973 is required to have Hunter Education certification to buy a hunting license in the state. Classes are offered in person, online, or as a hybrid of both. 

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is urging motorists and farm operators to share the roads safely. Harvest season is beginning. Between 2021 and 2023, there were 446 crashes involving farm equipment, resulting in eight deaths. MnDOT advises drivers to slow down, use headlights, and wait for safe passing opportunities. Farmers are reminded to use lights and slow-moving vehicle emblems for visibility.

A former Milwaukee public works employee will serve prison time for an embezzlement scheme. 47-year-old Kelly Whitmore Behling was sentenced Tuesday to a year in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. The US Department of Justice says in 2022, Whitmore-Behling and a co-worker sold old and broken-down vehicles and equipment the Milwaukee Department of Public Works no longer needed, pocketing some of the money from the sales. The scheme came to light after the department conducted a thorough equipment audit.

Kopp's is almost a top-ten burger. Yelp released its list of best burgers in the country yesterday, and Kopp's made the list at number eleven. Kopp's is the only Wisconsin restaurant on Yelp's list. The rankings are based on total sales, and customer reviews. Yelp didn't say which Kopp's got the best reviews. You can grab a burger of your own at either their Brookfield, Greenfield, or Greendale locations. 

Local-Regional News Sept 19

  At least three people are fighting for their lives after a wagon flipped during a school field trip to the apple orchard in Chippewa Falls. The cart at the Bushel and a Peck Apple Orchard fell onto its side yesterday morning.  Dozens of kindergarteners from  St. Mark Lutheran School in Eau Claire were at the orchard at the time for a field trip. It's not clear how many of the 25 people who were hurt in the wreck are children. Sheriff Travis Hakes says the tractor that was pulling the cart over-corrected and spilled the kids and adults out onto the gravel road. The sheriff says three people were rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, five more were seriously hurt, and nine others were taken to the hospital in ambulances. 

The school year is off to a smooth start for the Durand-Arkansaw School District.  District Superintendent Ryan Nelson says its a positive start for the school year.  Preliminary enrollment numbers indicated there are 970 students this year, down 27 from last year.  The official 3rd Friday of the year count will be tomorrow.

The Pepin County Board has approved funding for both the Durand and Pepin Public Libraries.  During last night's board meeting, both libraries gave their annual reports and the board approved funding both libraries at 98% of their funding request or the same amount that was funded last year, whichever amount was greater.

Trempealeau County authorities have released the name of the person killed in a motorcycle accident last Thursday.  71yr old Mark Sebranek of Whitehall was traveling northbound on Hwy 53 near Hwy TTT, when he hit an object in the road, lost control of the motorcycle and was ejected.  Sebranek was taken to a La Crosse Hospital where he later died from his injuries.

The Town of Washington, just south of Eau Claire, has filed to make part of its town into a Village. The Town says 625 residents signed the petition, though only  50 signatures were required to file. The town started looking into incorporating a village after recent annexations by Eau Claire and Altoona, including Orchard Hills. The Village would include more than five-thousand people, and the new Town would have a population of about 25-hundred. The process could take up to two years. 

An Eau Claire man who was facing 32 sexual assault charges has agreed to a plea deal. Jonathan Rowan has agreed to plead guilty to just two charges in the case. Investigators say he abused two girls for years, starting when they were eight-years-old and nine-years-old. He was looking at 32 counts of sexual assault, possession of child porn, and child enticement.  His plea deal drops all but two sexual assault charges. Still, he's looking at 120-years in prison when he's sentenced in February. 

An Eau Claire man who beat his wife to death is heading to prison for eight years. A judge yesterday sentenced 82-year-old John Berthold to eight years in prison, and another eight years of probation. Police say he beat his wife to death last summer with a wine bottle. He also tried to kill himself. He pleaded guilty to second-degree homicide charges back in May. 

A western Wisconsin boy is being called a hero after shooting the bear that was mauling his father. The Minnesota Star Tribune has the story about how Owen Beierman shot the black bear that was attacking his dad. The dad, Ryan Beierman, says the bear attack happened earlier this month while the two were on a hunt. Ryan says they were tracking the bear when it attacked. He was fighting for his life when he said his son shot and killed the bear. The dad ended-up with dozens of stitches from the attack, and is happy his son was there to help. 

There are new challenges to Governor Evers' 400-year school funding increase. Both the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty and the Institute for Reforming Government filed amicus briefs yesterday with the Wisconsin Supreme Court, challenging the governor's veto power. Evers changed a line in the current state budget to change a two-year school funding increase into a 400-year increase. Attorney Skylar Croy said it's both 'dangerous and unconstitutional.' He said no single person in state government should have the kind of power that can change state law, and bind taxpayers to increases for the next four centuries. 

The latest snapshot of the presidential race in Wisconsin shows a tighter race. AARP released a poll yesterday that gives Kamala Harris a three-point lead over former president Donald Trump. Harris leaders 48-45. The border and the economy are the top issues for most voters, though the poll says older Democrats in Wisconsin are most interested in abortion and the 'threat to democracy."

Wisconsin’s infrastructure ranks among the best in the nation. But the letter grade in a new report from the American Society of Civil Engineers is not an A. During a Tuesday press conference at the Capitol in Madison, Zoey Meyers with Dane County based JT Engineering said Wisconsin received a C+. That’s a one step improvement over the 2020 Wisconsin grade report card, and a two step higher increase over the 2021 national report card. Wisconsin is one of only three states with the grade of A C plus and it's currently the highest cumulative GPA grade a state has received. The report card evaluates 17 infrastructure categories. Ken Mika director of the ASCE Wisconsin Society, said that includes broadband, which is now running many critical infrastructure systems such as street lights, wastewater systems, and drinking water systems. The report card evaluates 17 infrastructure categories. Railways and ports were among the highest scoring in the state, while transit and wastewater scored lowest, each with a D-plus.

A judge says Wisconsin's stricter rules for cash bail will be allowed to continue. A judge yesterday ruled against a handful of prison reform advocates who wanted last spring's constitutional amendments set aside. The groups made a technical argument, that lawmakers didn't follow the proper steps to get the amendments on the ballot. But the judge said any technical mistake doesn't override the overwhelming will of the people who approved the questions. One amendment allows judges in the state to consider past crimes when setting bail for suspects, while the other allows judges to consider a suspect's danger to the community. Nearly 70 percent of voters in the state voted for the two amendments. 

The Miss Wisconsin organization announced that the Miss Wisconsin and Miss Wisconsin Teen competitions are moving to New Berlin, in southeastern Wisconsin. The competitions, held at Oshkosh West High School for 61 years, will take place at New Berlin West High School’s Performing Arts Center June 18-21 of next year. No reason for the move was given. Four past Miss Wisconsin winners have come from or represented New Berlin.

A Watertown animal feed producer has been fined for workplace safety violations.   The OSHA office in Madison announced last week that Strauss Feeds faces over $160,000 in penalties. A February inspection of the Strauss plant found 24 safety violations including dust concentrations in the facility that could ignite and cause explosions or fires that endanger workers. The company produces milk replacer for calves and young animals.

The Rochester School Board says some buildings could end up closed if their proposed levy does not pass.  Members reviewed some potential budget cuts during a meeting yesterday.  Superintendent Kent Pekel told the board over 16-and-a-half-million dollars would need to be stripped from district's spending plan if voters don't support the tax referendum in November.  Some proposed cuts include closing three elementary schools, eliminating some programs and classes, and getting rid of various central office and non-instructional positions.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International is topping a national list when it comes to customer service.  JD Power has placed the facility at number one in the nation in its annual North America Airport Satisfaction Study.  They looked at "mega airports" across the country in its rankings.  Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport ranked second, followed by Phoenix Sky Harbor International.

The Milwaukee Brewers get fans ready for the playoffs.  The team announced that tickets for the first round of postseason play go on sale Friday at 10 A.M. There will also be a Drive-Thru Postseason Prep Rally from six ‘til nine A.M. that morning at American Family Field. Attendees will receive a free Brewers car flag and can gain early access to playoff tickets. Brewers Manager Pat Murphy, Hall of Famer Robin Yount and Packers great Donald Driver will be there to greet fans.

Local-Regional News Sept 18

 All of the kids are ok after a school bus crash in Menomonie. It happened yesterday on County Road B near 3M Drive. State troopers say a pickup and an SUV were stopped at a stop light, and the bus driver didn't stop in enough time. The school bus rear-ended that pickup, which then hit the SUV. Menomonie Schools say 45 kids were on the bus when it happened. None of them were injured. The bus driver, however, was taken to the hospital for minor injuries. Another bus came and picked-up the kids. 

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include introductions of new staff, discussion and possible action on an out of state travel request and an update on preliminary enrollment numbers for the school year.  Tonights meeting begins at 6 in the board room at Durand-Arkansaw High School.

The Pepin County Board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include annual reports from the Treasurer's office and the Durand and Pepin Public Libraries, discussion and possible action on County Aid for Town Bridges and Culverts for the Town of Pepin, and reports from department heads and committee chairs.  Tonight's meeting begins at 7pm in the board room at the Government Center in Durand.

The Eau Claire man accused of killing his neighbor back in 2016 has been found competent enough for trial. A judge yesterday said Shane Helmbrecht can go to trial for the shooting death of his neighbor. Helmbrecht was initially found mentally unfit for trial and sent to a state hospital for treatment. He eventually ended up in a halfway house but ran away last year. He was arrested after a long search and brought back to Eau Claire. Doctors say Helmbrecht's problems have been treated, and he is now able to participate in his own defense. He's due back in court next month.

UW-La Crosse's former porn star chancellor continues to frame the fight over his job as a First Amendment battle.  Joe Gow has a hearing Friday before the UW Board of Regents' Personnel Matters Review Committee.  He is trying to save his job as a tenured professor at La Crosse.  He was fired back in December after the university discovered the porn movies that he and his wife made and shared on the internet. UW-La Crosse leaders fired Gow because they say he harmed the university's reputation. They are offering the same explanation in their attempt to fire him as a professor. Gow yesterday said in an interview that his case is not about embarrassment, but whether the university can fire him for his 'free expression.'  

The state of Minnesota has announced funding aimed at helping a number of Minnesota communities with their transitions away from fossil fuels.  The six communities called out in this week's announcement each have power plants that have already closed or are scheduled to do so.  Among the grants announced by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development are one million dollars for the city of Red Wing.

Olmstead County has a new administrator. Yesterday, the Olmsted County Board approved the selection of Travis Gransee as the new administrator. Gransee has been with the county for over 20 years and has been part of the county's executive management team. He takes over for former administrator Heidi Welsch, who retired in July 2024.

 A western Wisconsin man will not go to jail for lighting a raccoon on fire.  A judge in Clark County yesterday sentenced Hayden Weiler from Owen to probation and community service. The DNR arrested Weiler after a video made the rounds on social media that showed Weiler pouring gas on a raccoon, and then setting it on fire. In addition to the community service, Weiler has to write an essay on animal cruelty. If he completes all that, the case will be dismissed in three years. 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr, is not giving up in his bid to get off the Wisconsin ballot. Yesterday, Kennedy appealed a Dane County judge's decision that kept him on the November ballot. Kennedy is trying to make the case that Wisconsin's ballot access law treats Republicans and Democrats differently than independent candidates. But the judge in the case said the law is clear, once you are on the Wisconsin ballot, you stay on the ballot. Kennedy is running out of time to get off the ballot, clerks in the state can start printing and mailing ballots tomorrow. 

One person is dead and another person is hurt after a crash along I-90, in Western Wisconsin.  It happened late last night near Tomah.  Authorities say both drivers were trapped in their vehicles, and one of them died.  The second victim is expected to be okay.  An investigation is ongoing. 

Four people are facing charges following an undercover child prostitution sting conducted by the Rochester Police Department.   Officers posed as juveniles online to chat with the suspects prior to their arrests this past Friday.  Christian Alexander, Rojay Smith, and Joseph Swain were taken into custody by Rochester PD, accused of agreeing to hire a minor to engage in prostitution.  Another man, Benjamin Leslie, was arrested on similar charges by the Pope County Sheriff's Office.

A surge in new daily voter registrations in Wisconsin last week.   The Wisconsin Elections Commission says between August 27th and September 10th, the day of the presidential debate, the average number of new daily voter registrations in Wisconsin was just over 2,100. For September 11th and 12th, the average was close to 8,000. Was the debate a factor, or Taylor Swift's endorsement of Kamala Harris?? The public information officer for the commission says it's impossible to know. The number of new daily registrations does not just count first-time voters, it also includes voters who have re-registered after moving.

Two Wisconsin insurance providers strike an acquisition deal.  Stevens Point-based Sentry Insurance has agreed to a one billion dollar deal to purchase The General from Madison-based American Family Insurance Company. The General will be folded into Sentry's Dairyland brand, both of which provide non-standard auto insurance for those who have difficulty getting traditional coverage. According to a release from Sentry the deal is expected to close by the end of this year. The General will continue to be based in Nashville, and none of their 15 hundred employees will lose their jobs.

An Appleton woman accused of stabbing her boyfriend makes her initial court appearance Monday. 39-year-old Samantha Krebs is charged with first-degree intentional homicide for the July 18 death of the 35-year-old man at his apartment. A criminal complaint filed in Outagamie County Court says Krebs allegedly told other friends who arrived at her boyfriend’s apartment to tell police the victim stabbed himself. A $1 million cash bond was set for Krebs, who returns to court in October for a scheduling conference.

 Here's your chance to save some money and help Wisconsin's wildlife. The DNR is offering a 25 dollar rebate on the price of endangered species license plates. The Department of Natural Resources says the offer is valid through the end of year. Part of the proceeds from every endangered species license plate goes toward conservation efforts in the state. You can find out more at the DNR's website, or at the DMV when you renew your license plate stickers. 

Local-Regional News Sept 17

 Police in Menomonie are investigating after a teen posted a picture of themselves holding a gun outside the city's high school. Police first saw the picture Saturday night. They say the teen in the picture did have a BB gun at school last week, but police took that from them. It's not clear just how old the teen is, or even if they're a student at Menomonie High School. Prosecutors are reviewing the case, but no one is saying anything about possible charges. 

The City of Durand will update the city website.  Last week the council approved working with Catalis to update the site.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the goal is to make the site nicer and easier to use. The company works with Pepin County on their website.  The new site should be completed in about 6 months.

Eau Claire is waiting for the results of its trash study next week. The city spent 20-thousand-dollars to study how other communities collect their trash. Eau Claire uses private companies to collect garbage, and city managers say there've been a number of complaints about trash service over the past few years. The study is being done by the Wisconsin Policy Forum. It's due to be published and presented at a public meeting next Thursday. 

There are about 20 more students on campus at UW-Eau Claire this fall. Yesterday, the university released the preliminary enrollment numbers for this fall. Overall, enrollment is up by about a thousand students. In Eau Claire, the UW says there are now nine-thousand-969 students. That's about 20 more than last fall. The university says there were also enrollment jumps in La Crosse and River Falls. UW-Madison continues to be the biggest campus with over 51-thousand students this fall. 

The Goodhue County Sheriff's Department is warning of scammers claiming to be deputies with the department.  In a social media post, the department says scammers are calling residents claiming to be with the department demanding payment over the phone to settle outstanding warrants.  The department reminds residents deputies will never call you over the phone asking for money and if you receive this type of call you are to hang up.

A Minnesota City man was injured and taken to the hospital after a two-vehicle crash on Highway 14 last night in Dover.  According to the Minnesota State Patrol, William Perry, 33, of Minnesota City, was driving eastbound on Highway 14 while Juan Bocardo, 22, of Winona, was traveling westbound when both vehicles collided near County Road 10 Southeast.  Perry suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to Mayo Clinic Saint Marys. Bocardo was not hurt.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will stay on the Wisconsin ballot. A Dane County judge yesterday ruled that Kennedy cannot take his name off the ballot without causing a 'logistical nightmare.' Kennedy asked the judge to remove him, saying Wisconsin's ballot access law creates two different timelines for Republicans and Democrats, and independent candidates. The judge said Wisconsin law is clear that once you are on the ballot, you stay on the ballot. The judge said Kennedy has no one but himself to blame for being on the ballot at this point. 

Minneapolis-based Target is looking for seasonal help.  The retailer announced yesterday that it plans to bring on 100-thousand seasonal employees this year to fill positions in its stores and warehouses.  Target's application window for seasonal help opens September 25th. 

The state of Minnesota wants to provide funding for new farmers looking to purchase equipment and grow their businesses.  Governor Walz announced the Beginning Farmer Equipment and Infrastructure Grant program yesterday.  The program will provide approved applicants with up to 20-thousand dollars to reimburse costs associated with equipment purchases and infrastructure development.  Applications for the program will be taken starting September 24th.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul wants to put warning labels on social media platforms.  He's one of over 40 attorneys general who've written to the U.S. Surgeon General, urging warnings on platforms that use algorithms.  The AG's cite research that links social media to anxiety and depression.  They also note that features, like "infinite scrolling," keep kids hooked to their devices.

A new survey finds Wisconsin’s childcare industry is significantly understaffed.   The state Department of Children and Families' Child Care Supply and Demand Survey shows nearly 60% of providers have unutilized capacity, such as closed classrooms, due to staff shortages. Providers would be able to serve up to 33,000 more kids if operating at full capacity. DCF Secretary Jeff Pertl says payment cuts through the state’s Child Care Counts Program have had a ripple effect on the childcare work force. Governor Tony Evers included Child Care Counts funding to make the program permanent as part of his most recent budget proposal, but Republicans in the State Legislature cut that. The DCF survey also found annual salaries for childcare workers fall well below the "recommended" wage based on the median Wisconsin wages for workers with similar levels of education.

Grocery prices in Minnesota have significantly increased since 2020, with notable rises reported at major stores like Cub Foods, Target, and Hy-Vee. Cub Foods saw the largest hike, with prices up substantially; Target and Hy-Vee also experienced notable increases. While some items, like soups, have become cheaper, the overall trend shows higher costs driven by inflation and "shrinkflation." Experts recommend comparing store brands, substituting products, and shopping around to save money.

Wisconsin's Legislative Study Committee on Artificial Intelligence continues its work. The panel met in Wausau last week, where committee chair, State Senator Julian Bradley, explained some of the challenges surrounding the rapidly emerging technology. Bradley said those include guarding against government overreach and protecting privacy and data. The bipartisan committee includes lawmakers and stakeholders and has held several meetings focused on different areas of AI. Additional meetings will be scheduled.

The University of Wisconsin is telling school leaders they cannot pick sides in political debates. The university on Friday said it has a new viewpoint-neutral policy at all of its campuses. The change comes after last spring's campus protests over the war in Gaza, and accusations that the chancellor at UW-Milwaukee sided with protesters against Jewish students. A UW spokesperson says the new policy is intended to create an opportunity for more people to speak their minds on UW campuses. UW-Madison's chancellor said when school leaders pick a side, no matter how well intended, they can crowd out other points of view. 

The film and television industry is beginning to regain traction in Minnesota.  More productions are moving into the North Star State since lawmakers approved annual tax credits up to 25-million dollars for producers in 2021.  Melodie Bahan with Explore Minnesota says, right now, there is an indie film shooting in the southern portion of the state, another project getting started in Duluth, and a couple more indie movies that will go into production later on this year.  Georgia casting director Bill Marinella says he is setting up a Minnesota agency in preparation for some more projects that are on the way in 2025.

The final pieces are in place, and the mural in Owen Park is complete. Crews finished the mural that is supposed to look like a river last week. It was a joint project with the Public Painting Project. The triple-P says over 120 people helped design and paint the new mural. The mural is designed to recognize Eau Claire's sister city, Lismore, Australia.  

Local-Regional News Sept 16

 The construction of the new Tarrant Park Pool continues.  Durand Mayor Patrick Miliren was able to tour the site last week and says crews hope to have the building completed by the end of the month. The pool is still scheduled to be completed by June 1 of next year.

One person is dead after a motorcycle crash in the Town of Gale on Thursday evening.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department,  the motorcycle was traveling northbound on Hwy 53 near Hwy TTT, and hit an object in the road.  The driver lost control tipped the motorcycle onto its side and was ejected from the motorcycle.  He was taken to a La Crosse Hospital where he later died.  The man's name has not been released.

The sheriff in Trempealeau County says a missing teenager from Green Bay has been found safe. Deputies say they found 17-year-old Braelynn Mueller on Saturday. She'd been missing from her home in Green Bay since early July. The sheriff's office says she was spotted several times in Trempealeau County, and last week reached-out for help in finding her.

 A Rochester woman has been identified as the person killed over the weekend in a Goodhue County vehicle collision.  An SUV and a Jeep collided with each other just after 1 a.m. Saturday on Highway 52 just outside of Zumbrota.  The SUV's driver, 60-year-old Larae Post, was killed.  The other driver, a woman from California, suffered life-threatening injuries in the crash which remains under investigation.

 A group home worker from Fall Creek is facing charges after investigators say she had sex with one of her patients. Prosecutors filed the charges last week against  29-year-old Alicia Vogler of Elk Mound. Fall Creek Police say Vogler had sex with a man who was living at the Palmer Place group home under a protective order. Authorities were called after several coworkers said the two were too close, and after managers say they found several sexually explicit text messages. Vogler is charged with four counts of second-degree sexual assault. She'd be forced to register as a sex offender if convicted. 

There's no word on the conditions of a La Crosse police officer and a male suspect after they were reportedly run over by another officer.  News 8 is reporting that an officer had wrestled an individual to the ground Friday night shortly after 8 p.m. in the parking lot of the All Abilities Trane Park.  Another police vehicle arrived in the parking lot and ran over both the officer and the suspect.  Police did not release the identities of the officers or the suspect and did not provide details regarding the suspect's arrest.

Nearly $30 million in federal American Rescue Plan funding is allocated for projects to increase internet access in Wisconsin. Eleven projects are being funded through the state Public Service Commission’s Digital Connectivity and Navigators Program. That will allow more than 50,000 households to receive a loaned device, and over 30,000 to access free wi-fi. The largest recipient, United Way of Wisconsin, will get just under $16.5 million to distribute devices. Governor Tony Evers' office says since launching in 2019, the program has assisted more 410,000 households and businesses.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources stresses hunters know their target this deer bow hunting season. Elk Zone Biologist Christina Kizewski says elk are typically quite a bit larger than adult deer. Elk are about one to two feet taller than adult deer at that shoulder height. An elk calf would be at this time of year about the same size as an adult white tailed doe but displays different coloration. Visit the DNR's website for a species identification tool and other hunting tips.

We could get an update on any rules charges for the next deer season later today. The Department of Natural Resource's Deer Advisory Committee meets today in Madison. The agenda includes new boundaries for the state's deer management units. Any changes would be for 2025, as deer season in Wisconsin for this year is already open. 

Police in Two Rivers are confirming the human remains found last weekend are of missing child Elijah Vue.  A deer hunter found the remains on private property last Saturday in the town off the Lake Michigan coast, about 40 miles southeast of Green Bay.  Elijah was three years old when he was reported missing in February.  His birthday was in August.  Elijah's mother Katrina Baur and her boyfriend Jesse Vang were both charged with chronic neglect of a child back in February.  No charges have been made regarding Elijah's disappearance.

There's a lack of optimism about where Wisconsin is headed. The latest Marquette Law School Poll says most people in the state continue to say we're on the wrong track. Fifty-three percent of people according to the new poll say Wisconsin is headed in the wrong direction. Pollsters say 46-percent of people think we're headed in the right direction, but the poll also shows more than half the people in Wisconsin think their finances are worse-off than a few years ago. Still, voters don't seem to blame Governor Evers too much. His approval rating in the latest Marquette Poll remains at 51-percent. The highest of any elected official in the state. 

 A new report finds that a majority of counties in the state have less jobs now than before the pandemic.  A Wisconsin Policy Forum report released today found that while the state set a record for total jobs in 2023, 42 of the state's 72 counties actually averaged fewer jobs in 2023 than in 2019.  Milwaukee County lost the most jobs in the five year span followed by Brown and Wood counties.  Meanwhile, Dane and Kenosha counties added the most total jobs.

Wisconsin's seventh case of the West Nile Virus this year has been confirmed.  State health officials confirmed a case in a Rock County resident today.  It marks the first human case in Rock County so far this year.  The health department notes that most people who get West Nile Virus don't get sick from it, but urge people to take precautions including reducing their exposure to mosquitos.  Less than one-percent of people who contract West Nile Virus develop serious symptoms.

 A state senator is being banned from Tribal Lands by the Lac du Flambeau Tribe.  The Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians announced today that a resolution banning State Senator Mary Felzkowski was passed earlier this week.  The tribe said the ban is for what they called "inappropriate remarks" at a town meeting in Woodruff last month.  According to the tribe, she compared them to "terrorists" while discussing travel on roads on tribal lands.  Felzkowsi is currently the co-chair of the Special Committee on state Tribal Relations.

A decision may be nearer regarding a contested pipeline project in northern Wisconsin. One week ago the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources released its final Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed Enbridge Line 5 Segment Relocation Project. The existing pipeline between Superior and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is 71 years old and a portion runs through reservation lands of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. The proposed relocation would reroute the line. A coalition of business, agriculture and labor groups support the project, while the tribe and environmental groups want Line 5 shut down. Enbridge will need to secure permits from the DNR and Army Corps of Engineers before work can commence on the project.

 Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is extending its MSP RESERVE program to Terminal 1. This will be starting September 17th, 2024. The free program allows passengers to reserve a time slot for security screening to reduce wait times. Travelers can book reservations online up to a week in advance and will use a designated lane at the North Checkpoint. The program, which initially launched at Terminal Two in May 2023, aims to enhance efficiency and traveler experience.

Local-Regional News Sept 13

 The man who threatened to bring his rifle to the Mayo Clinic in Menomonie is getting off with a fine. A judge this week gave Maurice Knutson a 463 dollar fine for threatening to bring his AK to the clinic back in 2022. He was angry with a doctor who was treating him. Knutson pleaded no contest to  threatening bodily harm to a health care worker. He told police after his arrest that he never meant to harm anyone. The judge also gave Knudson probation for his unrelated fifth OWI. 

 The sheriff in Trempealeau County says a missing teenager from Green Bay could be in western Wisconsin. The sheriff's office yesterday asked for help in finding 17-year-old Braelynn Mueller. Her friends and family last saw her in Green Bay back in July. The sheriff's office says she's been spotted in the county several times. They are asking anyone with any information about her whereabouts to please come forward. 

The Village of Eleva is looking for a new police chief.  The search comes eight months after its former chief was cited for intoxicated driving, while on duty.  Chief Patrick McKillip was charged with operating while intoxicated after an accident in January and was convicted of the charges in April.  The city posted the open position on its social media page yesterday.

Goodhue County recently approved new rates for the five communities contracting law enforcement through the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office after facing push-back over the original price hike.  Originally the county wanted to charge $87 an hour for policing services, but after months of negotiations, the Goodhue County Board of Commissioners and the contracting cities were able to come to an agreement of $71 an hour, with increases spread out over three years to ease the burden on taxpayers.  The cities now need to approve the new contracts to start in 2025. If a city chooses not to renew, it will receive law enforcement services for emergencies, but regular community patrols will no longer be part of the deal.  Pine Island, Wanamingo, Goodhue, Bellechester and Dennison all contract with the sheriff's department for policing services.

A former Minnesota State Trooper is now charged with manslaughter. Shane Roper has been terminated after an investigation into a deadly crash in Rochester that claimed the life of an 18-year-old woman back in May. Authorities cited Roper's alleged "reckless" driving and failure to follow protocol, including not using emergency lights and not wearing a seatbelt. The internal investigation revealed Roper's excessive speeding and poor judgment. 

 Police are investigating a threat made against a southern Minnesota school yesterday.  The threat to Kasson-Mantorville Middle School was sent to a student through Snapchat.  Police were notified around 2 p.m. and officers were dispatched to provide additional security.  Investigators believe the threat may be related to a wave of school threats reported around the U.S. this week. 

Wisconsin's Elections Commission wants to create an Office of Election Transparency. Commissioners approved the plan this week. The idea is to open-up an office inside the Elections Commission to deal exclusively with election complaints, open records requests, and to restore some faith in Wisconsin's electoral system. Commissioners say Wisconsin continues to deal with election doubts after the 2020 election. The new office would cost about two million-dollars, and Republican lawmakers would have to agree to include it in next year's new state budget. 

Department of Health Services Epidemiologist Tom Haupt says the Centers for Disease Control forecasts a milder season than last year, but that could vary depending on how many people get vaccinated. Immunization Program Manager Stephanie Schauer says DHS hopes to improve on last year's numbers, when about 35% of Wisconsinites got the influenza vaccine and 19% got the COVID vaccine. Visit vaccines.gov for more information on how and where you can get vaccinated.

 It is time to once again pick the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin. The annual contest from the state's largest business group, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, looks to find the coolest thing built or created in the state. There are over 130 different things to vote on this year, including string cheese, a lithium power pack, and an autonomous forklift. You can find the full list, and cast your vote at WMC's website. 

The latest Marquette Law School Poll gives Vice President Kamala Harris a bigger lead. The new poll which came out yesterday gives Vice President Kamala Harris a 52-48 lead over former President Donald Trump. That's higher than the one point lead she had last month. Voters in Wisconsin continue to say the economy is their number one issue, though the poll says Democrats in the state continue to say abortion is their top issue for the November election. The Marquette Poll showed either a tied race, or a slight Trump lead before President Biden dropped-out of the race in July. 

Wisconsin's race for U.S. Senate is a four-point contest. The latest Marquette Law School Poll gives Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin a 52-48 lead over Republican challenger Eric Hovde. The poll says less than half of Wisconsin voters have a favorable opinion of Baldwin, but barely a third of voters have a favorable opinion of Hovde. Just over 20 percent of voters say they still don't know enough about him. 

There is another warning about another trend from TikTok. Police in Franklin yesterday warned people not to kick people's door's in the middle of the night. The trend has teenagers, often in masks, aggressively kick people's doors in the middle of the night, scaring the people inside. Franklin police officer Gary Wallace says it happened a couple of times over the summer, and has happened at least once this month. He says kicking someone's door in the middle of the night could end with serious consequences. 

 It's going to be a summer-like start to the deer season in Wisconsin this weekend. Saturday is the first day of archery season in the state. The Department of Natural Resources yesterday said the warm weather could mean more bugs, and could mean fewer deer if it gets too hot. The DNR says deer tend to move less when it's over 80 degrees, and that could mean fewer deer out and about at dusk. 

The Minnesota  Chamber of Commerce wants the public to vote for the "Coolest Thing Made in Minnesota."  The organization announced Monday that 32 products have made it through the first round of the bracket-style competition.  Votes for the second round of the competition will be accepted through Sunday.  Products making it to the second round include SPAM Classic, Red Wing Shoes' Beckman Boot and 3M's Scotch-brand Magic Tape.  More information on the contest is available on the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce website.

Who has Wisconsin’s best tasting tap water?   Utilities from across the state decided that during the fall conference of the Wisconsin American Water Works Association in Madison. The winner was Appleton, which sources its water from Lake Winnebago. Judging Criteria included the water’s taste, odor, and texture. The Appleton Water Utility’s winning water will represent the state at the association’s national tap water competition next summer in Denver.

Local-Regional News Sept 12

No one was injured after a house fire east of Durand at W4088 Hwy B in the Town of Lima yesterday.  According to Durand Fire, firefighters were called to the home at 10am and found the home had already collapsed.  No one was in the home when the fire broke out and the cause of that blaze is under investigation.

The City of Durand Poll workers will be getting a raise this year.  During last night's city council meeting, the council approved a $2 per hour raise to bring poll workers in the city to the average other poll workers in Pepin County receive.  A look at poll worker wages shows a low of $9 per hour in Stockholm to a high of $16 an hour in the Town of Frankfort.  Durand's poll workers will now be at $12.10 per hour.

Authorities in Wabasha County are investigating a threat made against a school building in Plainview.  Police went to the PEM 7-8 building yesterday after the threat was posted on a Snapchat account.  Students and staff were searched before they were allowed to enter the building while officers also looked for any suspicious items or people on the school grounds.  The threat is being investigated by Plainview police and the FBI.

The co-owner of Midwest Gratus Southridge Assisted Living in Menomonie has settled charges of failing to report the sexual assault of a resident.  Marilyn Matula pleaded no contest to report abuse of an adult at risk and negligent abuse or neglect of a patient as part of a plea agreement after a female resident told the facility's case manager in 2021 that another resident had sexually assaulted her.  Matula believed the contact was consensual, but employees disputed that.  Skyler Edquist is a suspect in the assault and had been admitted to the facility even though he was a registered sex offender.  The charges against Matula will be dismissed in three years if Matula doesn't break any more laws and does not own or manage any company that works with vulnerable adults.

Police in Eau Claire say yesterday's threat at North High School wasn't credible. Officers say North was one of several high schools across the country, and in Wisconsin to get a report about a 'threat of violence' on social media yesterday. The school district sent a note home to parents that said officers quickly realized there was no real danger, and the school carried on with the day. No one is saying just who is responsible for the threat, or if they are even inside the U.S. 

SkyWest is coming back to the Chippewa Valley Airport. The federal government yesterday chose SkyWest to fly out of the airport in Eau Claire for at least the next two years. SkyWest used to serve the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport, but left back in 2022. They are promising daily flights to Chicago, starting in December. Anyone with tickets for Sun Country flights should check with their airline, but Sun Country is promising to continue its flights to Florida from January through April of next year.

Bloomer police are warning residents after two vehicles were stolen overnight Tuesday.  According to Bloomer Police, both vehicles had their keys left in the vehicle when they were stolen.  The police is asking any residents with outdoor cameras to check them for any suspicious activity during the overnight hours on Tuesday and if they have any information to contact the Chippewa County Sheriff's Department.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is offering grants to help increase the number of trees in urban and community areas.  The agency is offering up to 100-thousand dollars to eligible nonprofits through the grant program.  No matching funds are required, and applications must be turned in by October 28th.  The DNR will hold an information session in  Rochester to discuss the grants.  More information is available on the agency's website. 

Wisconsin's Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case against the state's election chief and decide whether she can continue to keep her job. Yesterday, the liberal-majority court agreed to hear the case from the legislature that challenged Megan Wolfe's lack of appointment with the Elections Commission. Commissioners refused to formally re-appoint Wolfe last year as a way to avoid a doomed confirmation vote in the State Senate. A Dane County judge said that means Wolfe can continue to serve as election administrator. The legislature immediately asked the Supreme Court to take-up the case, and yesterday the court agreed. The justices, however, did not set a hearing date. That means it's likely they won't decide the case til sometime next year, after both the November election and the chance for a power shift in the Wisconsin legislature. 

One state lawmaker is questioning why the UW has added thousands of administrators over the past 30 years. State Representative David Steffen yesterday said the University of Wisconsin has added over six thousand administrators since the 1992-1993 school year, all while enrollment has remained essentially the same. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau released the numbers as part of its look into the UW System. Steffen said UW leaders are asking for nearly a billion-dollars more in the next state budget, but have so far refused to answer questions about how and where they are spending their current money. Steffen said only in government can you add employees without adding any more customers. 

A visit to a northern Wisconsin high school by Governor Tony Evers is cancelled Tuesday. A release from the Hurley School District said as Governor Evers was on the way to Hurley High School for a visit, an administrator learned of what was called a “concerning social media post”. After the governor’s security team and the Wisconsin State Patrol reviewed the post, it was decided to cancel the school stop out of an abundance of caution. Local law enforcement verified there was no threat to the school, staff, students, or the governor. The district added the school was never placed in a lockdown, as several police officers were there anticipating the governor’s arrival.

State schools Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly is running for re-election.  Underly taught high school social studies in Indiana for several years before coming to Wisconsin. She previously worked with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction as an education consultant and assistant director from 2009 to 2014. Underly was named principal of Pecatonica Elementary School in 2014, and was appointed as School District Administrator of the Pecatonica Area School District in 2015, a role she held until her election as State Superintendent in 2021. Underly will be on the ballot in next April's election.

September is Hunger Action Month in Wisconsin. Governor Tony Evers signed that proclamation Tuesday to endorse the efforts of the six Feeding Wisconsin member food banks serving the state. The goal of Feeding Wisconsin is to help their partners fight hunger, improve health and strengthen local communities to provide Wisconsinites food and benefits they need. The organization says over 600,000 people in the state don’t have enough nutritious food to eat and don’t where their next meal is coming from. There’s more information at “Feeding W-I dot org.”

The Mayo Clinic is getting a 50-million-dollar donation to help enhance cancer care.  The healthcare organization announced the donation from Stephen and Barbara Slaggie yesterday.  The money will be used to expand the Mayo Clinic's Cancer Beyond Walls program to Wisconsin, Minnesota and other areas.  Cancer Beyond Walls helps deliver chemotherapy infusions to patients' homes while funding national clinical trials to determine the safety and effectiveness of that type of treatment.

 A small business in Wisconsin is recognized as one of the best in the nation by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.  Sky High Marketing in Waukesha is among 100 small businesses that the Chamber considers the "best and brightest in America."  More than half of those businesses generated over one-million dollars in revenue last year.  The businesses were recognized for excellence in categories, such as innovative growth, commitment to community, and customer service, among others.