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.
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