Local-Regional News Oct 17

 Most of Wisconsin is in moderate fire danger this afternoon. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says most of the western two-thirds of the state, and the northeastern corner of the state is under moderate fire danger. A burn ban will also started in Dunn County yesterday. The Menomonie Fire Department says the ban will be in effect until conditions improve.  Meanwhile, Wabasha and Goodhue Counties are under red flag warnings today due to the fire danger.  Fire officials are asking that all burning be delayed until conditions improve.

Fiber optic internet is coming to the City of Mondovi.  After two years of planning and applying for grants, Ntec says its ready to install the fiber optic in the city.  Laura Gullickson says Ntec is asking for Mondovi residents to contact the company for input on where the fiber optic lines can be installed. Permission forms are available at Mondovi City Hall or by calling Ntec. Construction is expected to start in the spring.

The Elk Mound Police Department is warning people about fake cash in the area. The department posted a copy of the fake bills of social media this morning (Wed). The fake cash has the words For Motion Picture Use Only printed on the right side. Elk Mound Police encourage people to look over cash before they accept it. Police in Chetek warned people about similar fake bills two weeks ago.

The City of Menomonie will be holding a fall clean-up on the next four Mondays starting on October 21st.  The city will pick up yard waste from the curb on those Mondays and residents are asked to put out yard waste no earlier than a day before and no later than 7 a.m. on pickup day.  Leaves, grass clipping, and garden waste need to be in compostable paper bags.  Any branches must be tied up and no longer than four feet.  For more information, contact Menomonie City Hall.

Wisconsin's Democratic U.S. Senator wants the federal government to do something for the farmers who were left with thousands of chickens when Pure Prairie Poultry closed. Senator Tammy Baldwin sent a letter to the USDA this week, asking if there is anything that can be done to help the  Wisconsin farmers who were left with over 400,000 chickens, and were forced to sell them to the public for as little as $1 per bird. Baldwin said in addition to money, she's looking for potential new legislation that would help with what she's calling a 'farmgate emergency.' Pure Prairie Poultry recently closed, and left farmers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa holding the bag for over 2.3 million chickens between the three states.

Eau Claire County says its next budget will almost certainly have less money for local non-profits. County administrator Kathryn Schauf says they are looking at a five million-dollar budget deficit next year, and cutting support for non-profits is one of the ways to close that gap. That will likely mean 50 percent less money for places like the Bolton Refuge House, the  Sojourner House homeless shelter, Family Resource Center, the library, and the Chippewa Valley Museum. Schauf says the county has had to change its priorities since Sacred Heart Hospital closed. She said there's not enough money to pay for everything. 

An Eau Claire man has been accused of distributing methamphetamine.  According to the US Attorney for Western Wisconsin,  31-year-old Xa Xiong of Eau Claire, Wis., is charged with distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and attempting to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.  The indictment alleges that Xiong distributed methamphetamine on July 26, 2024, and attempted to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 1, 2024.  If convicted, Xiong faces up to life in prison.

One of Wisconsin's budget reform groups has some questions for the state's superintendent. The Institute for Reforming Government came out yesterday with a list of ten questions for Superintendent Jill Underly about the recent change to state standardized test scores. Those changes led to huge jumps in Wisconsin reading and math scores but also led to huge jumps in the learning gap between white and black students, as well as rich and poor students. IRG wants to know more about Underly's decision to change the test scores, who she spoke to about the changes, and whether she ever told Governor Evers or state lawmakers that she planned to change the scores. Undelry has said she made the changes to better reflect what Wisconsin school kids are actually learning.  

The first trapping seasons of the year in Wisconsin will open this weekend. Coyote, fox, and raccoon trapping seasons will start on Saturday and run until February fifteenth. The Wisconsin DNR says traps may be on public lands throughout the season. The department recommends staying on trails and preventing pets from straying off to avoid injuries.

Before you send donations to help hurricane relief efforts, consider a monetary gift instead. Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin spokesperson Lisa Schiller says it can be hard to send physical gifts and supplies to groups in hurricane-affected areas. Instead, those monetary gifts can help an organization buy exactly the aid they need in a place they can use it. Also, watch out for anyone soliciting for charity or donations on social media. Scammers are known to copy the identity of reputable groups in order to steal charity donations. Schiller says you can find their list of reputable groups helping the southeast US recover online at Give dot Org.

Minnesota is sending more resources to help in recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene.  Governor Tim Walz yesterday said that the state will be sending additional personnel and supplies to hard-hit areas of South Carolina.  That will include chainsaws, trucks, trailers and communications equipment.  

Two high school football teams suffer for a Milwaukee Public Schools clerical error. Teams at Pulaski and Bay View high schools will forfeit all games this season and be banned from the playoffs for two years after MPS didn’t report conference changes to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. In the Milwaukee City League the lowest team in one division of the conference and the top team in the other swap division spots. That swap, seen as a conference change by the WIAA, requires an official notification which MPS didn’t provide. The coaches of the two teams hope the WIAA can work out an alternative outcome.

The City of Green Bay is not exactly leaping to extend the Packers Lambeau Field lease, so the team is asking the Green Bay Professional Football Stadium District to step in.  On Wednesday the team released letters it sent both to Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich and to the stadium district board. The Packers’ lease for Lambeau Field with Green Bay and the stadium district ends in 2032. There are options to extend it 10 additional years, but the Packers recently tried extending it by 30 years, until about 2063. The team says Genrich has not met with its officials since January, and that Genrich requested that any further discussions be preceded by a meeting with Packers president/CEO Mark Murphy. The Packers say the two met in May, but Genrich canceled a follow-up meeting in September, and has not rescheduled.

A mouse problem at some Door County campsites. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says the campgrounds at Rock Island State Park were closed four days early after the mouse population increased there. The DNR plans to let natural predators reduce the mouse population, and a good winter should bring the number of the rodents under control. The rest of park remains open.

A new record for the heaviest pumpkin in Wisconsin. Jim Ford grew the 2,551 pound pumpkin near Fond du Lac. Ford’s huge pumpkin is now listed in the top 10 in the world for the heaviest pumpkins grown this year. You won't be able to see this great pumpkin in person - It’s being held on private property in Kenosha County and can’t be visited. Wisconsinites consistently grow what are among the heaviest pumpkins in the nation every year.

Local-Regional News Oct 16

 A St. Paul man was sentenced to two years in prison yesterday in connection with a high-speed pursuit in Dunn County in December of 2023.  John Richard Hill received the sentence along with four years of supervision.  According to authorities, Wisconsin State troopers tried to pull over Hill after learning the SUV he was driving may have been involved in a Minnesota carjacking.  Hill led troopers and Dunn County deputies on a 35 minute chase, driving recklessly and exceeding 110 miles an hour, and even running through the city of Menomonie.

 Dunn Energy Cooperative sent out a load of humanitarian supplies to South Carolina, including thousands of dollars in water and generators.  The donations were made on behalf of Wisconsin Electric Cooperatives and made possible through the Federated Youth Foundation, the Walmart distribution center (DC) in Menomonie, and Sam's Club in Eau Claire.  These supplies will benefit the members of Aiken Electric Cooperative, INC in South Carolina.  This is where two of Dunn's linemen spent nearly two weeks helping rebuild the electrical system.

The City of Mondovi will be holding the fall clean-up on Friday.  GFL will conduct curbside pick up of furniture items.  Each residence is allowed up to two items, the items must be able to be lifed by hand and not exceed 75lbs, and items must be placed curbside before 6am on Friday.  Items not allowed include mattresses and box springs, tires, computers, appliances, dehumidifiers, televisions, grills, hide-a-bed or sofa recliners, construction or demolition waste (anything that was permanently attached to your house), and anything that contains or is of hazardous material.  For more information, contact Mondovi City Hall.

An area legislator is speaking out after Pure Prairie Poultry abandoned its farmers and left over 160,000 chickens without feed in western Wisconsin.  92nd Assemblyman Trig Pronschniski, whose district is in the center of the issue wishes the state Department of agriculture would have at least come forward with a plan.  Pronschniski said he has been in contact with the Chairman of the Assembly Ag Committee to begin the process of legislation to prevent this from happening again.

The Eau Claire County Board is holding two meetings for public comment on the proposed 2025 budget. The board of supervisors says its looking for feedback during a meeting at seven P-M. on November sixth. The hearing will be in the county board room in the Eau Claire Government Center on Oxford Avenue. Written feedback can be submitted on EauClaireCounty-dot-gov. 

Wisconsin's budget surplus is over four and a half billion dollars. The state's Department of Revenue released its latest figure yesterday. The final numbers show Wisconsin has four-point-six billion-dollars more than it spent. The state also has nearly two billion-dollars in its rainy day fund. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers said the extra money should be reinvested in his next budget. Republican lawmakers, however, have said in the past that they want to give the money back to the people of Wisconsin. 

Most of Wisconsin's public schools will see more money from the state this year. The Department of Public Instruction released the general state aid figures yesterday. Two-thirds of schools will get more money, while about a third will get less. In all, Wisconsin is sending just over five-and-a-half billion-dollars to local schools.

A crew from Minnesota is continuing to help restore power in the aftermath of hurricanes Helene and Milton.  Linemen from Dakota County arrived in the Tampa area last week.  Kyle Ryman tells KARE-TV the team has been working 16-hour days to help get the lights back on to hundreds of thousands of people who remain in the dark.  He says the Minnesotans are feeling the love from Floridians, who bring them meals in the field and even buy them dinner at area restaurants. 

The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin is asking both state and federal investigators to look into texts that warn young voters about voting in the wrong state. The League joined the group Free Speech for People yesterday in asking the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin's attorney general to investigate. The text warns voters that voting in a state where they are not eligible is a crime, and could result in a ten-thousand-dollar fine and up to three-and-a-half years in prison. The League said that warning may intimidate some young voters here in Wisconsin. No one is saying who sent the text, or how they got the list of young voters here in Wisconsin. 

Voters in Wisconsin will finally be able to see the candidates running for U.S. Senate on the same stage at the same time. The Wisconsin Broadcasters Association's debate is set for this Friday. It will be the first and only time that Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin and Republican challenger Eric Hovde will answer questions together. The debate will be Friday night in Madison, but it will be broadcast across the state. The latest Marquette Law School Poll gave Baldwin a seven-point lead in the race, but Baldwin later said her own internal polling shows the race much closer than that. 

 Two winning Mega Millions tickets worth thirty-thousand dollars each come from the same Kwik Trip location in Lake Geneva. Both of the tickets sold at the gas station on South Wells Street match four of the five winning numbers and the Mega Ball number. It's still unknown whether one person bought both tickets or if there are two winners, since the tickets haven't been validated at the Lottery Office. The same gas station also saw two winning scratch tickets worth 75-thousand and 30-thousand dollars last year, along with a 32-thousand Badger Five jackpot. 

As growers for Pure Prairie Poultry contine to deal with being abandoned by the company, there are calls for changes to USDA policies.  While the states of Iowa and Minnesota had some type of plan in place to feed or euthanize the birds, Wisconsin and even USDA did not. Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin say USDA may not have the authority to take over the flocks when a company walks away, and maybe that should be changed.  Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, a member of the Senate Ag Committe says there is an opportunity to add some type of safety net for poultry producers in the farm bill.  In 2022, Pure Prairie Poultry received a $6.9 million grant and a $39 million dollar guaranteed loan to re-open a plant in Charles City Iowa.  Klobuchar said a Senate Investigation into what happened to the money needs to be done.  Because no feed was available and no help came from the state of Wisconsin or anywhere else, the affected farmers were forced to try and sell over 160,000 chickens to the general public for $1 each before the birds starved to death.

The trial for a Greenfield man accused of killing his seven-week-old daughter almost 35 years ago is underway. Opening statements in Ronald Schroeder's trial started this morning. Prosecutors say the 55-year-old man killed his daughter, Catherine, in 1991. Prosecutors say the events from the night she died suggest a pattern of abuse toward several woman and other infants by Schroeder. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner reviewed Catherine's autopsy in 2021 and ruled her death a homicide. Schroeder, her father, was charged two months later. His trial is scheduled to run into next week. 

The first headliner for Summerfest 2025 is announced. Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson will play the American Family Insurance Amphitheater on Thursday, June 26th. Tickets for the show go on sale Friday morning. The 2025 edition of the annual music festival will happen Thursday thru Saturday on the last two weekends of June and the first weekend of July along Milwaukee’s lakefront.

Local-Regional News Oct 15

 Voters in the Plum City School District will be voting on a $7.9 million referendum this fall.  The money would allow the district to exceed the revenue limits over the next four years.  Plum City School Superintendent Chris Kamrath says the money will be used for operational and maintenance expenses.  This district will be having an informational meeting on the referendum on Thursday at 7pm at Molly's on Main in Plum City.

Wisconsin  Senator Tammy Baldwin is reacting to the recent closure of Pure Prairie Poultry that left its growers in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa abandoned.  During a campaign stop in Osseo yesterday Baldwin said closure of the company and abandonment of its growers with millions of chickens is unacceptable.  The Senator said while USDA can take over flocks of poultry due to a natural disaster or disease, it lacks authority in this case.  She believes that Congress may have to give USDA that authority.

The Durand Fire Department is looking for more members.  The department is looking for 4-6 people to join the department.  The department will have training classes this winter.  Applications are available at Durand City Hall. the City of Durand Website or talk with a member of the fire department.

Residents in Mondovi are encouraged to attend an informational meeting Wednesday evening  on the installation of fiber optic phone and internet service.  The City of Mondovi and Ntec are hosting the meeting at the Roger Marten Community Center starting at 6:30 to answer residents' questions on how the installation process will proceed across the city.  

The Eau Claire school bus driver who crashed on the way to a field trip in the Twin Cities is no longer facing charges. Prosecutors in St, Croix County dismissed the misdemeanor charges in the case. The D.A. originally charged the bus driver after he drove into the back of a tanker truck on I-91 back in April. Eight people, including six students, were hurt in the wreck. Police gave the driver a ticket, and the D.A. filed charges because he didn't think the driver had the proper license. Turns out the driver did, so the charges were dropped. 

Wisconsin's attorney general is reminding people that it is a crime to threaten poll workers. A-G Josh Kaul yesterday made an announcement about election security ahead of next month's election. Kaul said his office is once again dedicated to protecting people's right to vote in Wisconsin, and said the state will have a fair and free election. Kaul said his Department of Justice will be monitoring for threats on Election Day next month. He is reminding people that threatening voters or election workers, as well as any kind of intimidation is a crime in Wisconsin.

Jury selection for the Adam Fravel murder trial is nearly complete.  Two jurors were selected yesterday, bringing the total number of jurors seated to 13.  Four additional alternate jurors need to be picked before opening arguments can be presented in the case.  Fravel is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend Madeline Kingsbury.  Her body was found in Fillmore County last year, a few weeks after she was reported missing from Winona.  Fravel's trial was moved to Mankato after a judge ruled that pre-trial publicity might make it hard to seat an unbiased jury.

A new fall event in Durand is this Saturday.  The Blues of the Chippewa present Brews on the Chippewa at Veterans Memorial Park starting at 2.  The event will feature music from 5 bands and feature beers from 4 area local brewers including Durand Brewing Company.  There is no admission to attend the event.

More than twenty dogs affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton are in Eau Claire County and Greene County shelters. The Greene County Humane Society says volunteers picked up a dozen dogs from shelters in Tennessee and North Carolina to make room for dogs that are misplaced after the hurricanes. Three dogs and four cats were also brought to the Eau Claire County Humane Society. Other shelters statewide are also accepting animals brought in as part of hurricane relief. 

There's a recall of nearly five-thousand Halloween Projector Flashlights online and at Target stores across the nation.  NPW, which sells the flashlights, says it's gotten nine reports of flashlights overheating, including smoke and minor burn injuries.  The flashlights, which are powered by two AA batteries, sell for about three-dollars.  They're orange with white stripes, a black end piece and three Halloween covers including skulls, ghosts and pumpkins.  Customers are being told to remove the batteries and return them to any Target store for a full refund.  Target has stores in all 50 states plus Washington, DC.

Thirteen Wisconsin counties are under a special fire order due starting tomorrow. The state Department of Natural Resources says people looking to burn in the southern and central Wisconsin counties will have to get a permit from the department, unless the ground is completely covered with snow. The DNR says dry conditions and a lack of rain have increased the likelihood of fires. The burn permit requirement will be in place until drought conditions improve.

The woman accused in the Slender Man attack again seeks release from a psychiatric hospital. Friday's request marks the fourth time Morgan Geyser has asked to be released from Winnebago Mental Health Institute. Geyser and Anissa Weier were 12 years old in 2014 old when they lured Payton Leutner to a Waukesha park. Geyser allegedly stabbed Leutner 19 times with Weier’s encouragement. Leutner survived. Geyser and Weier said they attacked Leutner to please the fictional character Slender Man. Weier was released from a hospital in 2021. Geyser's hearing is set for November 1st.

A weekend standoff with a man with a sword in the Fox Valley. Menasha police arrived at business Sunday morning to find broken glass and a man inside armed with a ‘large sword’. Other agencies, including a SWAT Team, were on scene as the 34-year-old man with the sword moved around the business and allegedly destroyed property. A K9 Unit was sent in several hours later to take the man into custody. He faces several charges.

Wisconsin’s Elk hunting season is officially underway. Department of Natural Resources Elk Zone Biologist Cristina Kizewski says this is the first time the central zone has been included in the hunt. Per treaty rights, the Ojibwe tribe will get the rights to half of the elks harvested during the hunt. The DNR received more than 25,000 applicants for elk bull tags, and just eight were selected for the 2024 season.

Local-Regional News Oct 14

 Over the weekend, some Western Wisconsin poultry farmers contracted to grow chickens for Pure Prairie Poultry were selling the chickens for $1 after the company walked away.   Pure Prairie Poultry closed its processing plant in Charles City last week and stopped paying for feed for more than a million chickens in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa.  Some of the flocks have not been fed for over 9 days and while Minnesota and Iowa have procedures in place to take over the flocks, Wisconsin does not.  Wisconsin 3rd District  Congressman Derrick Van Orden says he plans on reaching out to Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers on the need for a state safety net.  In a statement to WRDN, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Spokesperson Sam Go said  "The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection does not have the statutory authority to assume control of the birds unless it is related to an animal disease response." 

As the construction for the new Tarrant Park Pool moves forward, the city is starting to look for staff, including a pool director.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says if anyone is interested they should contact the city administrator. The new pool is expected to open in June of 2025.

The Eau Claire Police Department is warning the public of fraud cases.  An Anoka County missing persons case led Eau Claire Police officers to solve a fraud case.  Officers found the missing person in a Eau Claire hotel who was there to pay who they believed to be an FBI agent 32-thousand-dollars.  The fraud suspect entered the hotel as police spoke with hotel staff and was identified as 40-year-old Chetankumar Patel.  Police  recovered  32-thousand-dollars.

Some kids in Chippewa Falls could be going to different schools in the not-too-distant future. The city's school district says it is looking to redraw the elementary school boundaries. The school board said they are looking at new boundaries for all six elementary schools. The hope is to have a new map for the city's school's by the start of the next school year. 

Wisconsin's next AI meeting will hear from both big tech and local news managers. The Study Committee on the Regulation of Artificial Intelligence will meet tomorrow at UW-Stout in Menomonie. Representatives from both Google and Microsoft are scheduled to speak to lawmakers. So are local news managers out of La Crosse. The panel is trying to find ways where Wisconsin can regulate artificial intelligence, and find out where AI's biggest threats are. The hope is to have something for lawmakers to vote on sometime next year. 

A new report says Wisconsin is second in the nation in the number of dam failures. The Wisconsin Policy Forum says since 2000, 34 dams in Wisconsin have failed. Only South Carolina has seen more failures. The report says 28 of those 34 dams have failed since 2018. The report says it's a sign of aging, and failing infrastructure. The report also blames climate charge for a string of wet years across the country that left Wisconsin dealing with more rain than in the past. 

Wisconsin's attorney general says he's ready to defend the results of the November election. A-G Josh Kaul said on UpFront yesterday that he has the utmost confidence in Wisconsin's electoral system. Kaul said Wisconsin's elections are 'safe and secure,' and have been tested 'over and over again.' Some voters have lingering questions about the 2020 election in Wisconsin. Kaul said those election results, however, stood-up to several legal challenges. He says his office defended the last election and is ready to do the same again this year. 

The murder trial of Adam Fravel is expected to get underway in Mankato later this week.  Eleven of the 12 jurors needed to start the trial have been picked as of Friday.  Five alternates will also have to be selected before the trial begins.  Fravel is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend Madeline Kingsbury, who was found dead in Fillmore County last year.  Opening arguments in the case are now expected to begin on Thursday.

It's the first sign of the holiday season. The Canadian Pacific Railroad says the Holiday Train will make stops in Western Wisconsin and Souteast Minnesota on December 10th.  The Train will be in La Crosse on December 10th at 2:15, Winona at 3:45, Wabasha at 5:45 and Hastings at 8:15.  The train will eventually make its way all the way to Canada's west coast a few days before Christmas. 

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Foxconn says it's expanding its factory in Mexico. The company this week said it's building the largest GB200 production facility on the planet' at its factory in Guadalajara, Mexico. Foxconn is doing work for Nvidia, which is a new technology company. Foxconn already has a huge presence in Mexico, with over 30-thousand employees and seven campuses. No one is saying just how many new jobs will be connected to the new expansion. Many people in southeast Wisconsin are still sour that Foxconn's promised campus in Pleasant Prairie never panned-out. There's no word just when the factory will be finished in Mexico. 

A candidate in the  Minnesota Second Congressional District race is pulling out.  Third-party candidate Thomas Bowman says he suspended his campaign because he felt that he was tricked by a group called the Patriots Run Project to enter the race.  He believes that he was recruited by Democrats for the sole purpose of hurting Republican challenger Joe Teirab in the race against incumbent Congresswoman Angie Craig.  The organization reportedly reached out to Bowman on Facebook and provided him 20 thousand dollars worth of in-kind donations by collecting the one thousand signatures he needed to get on the ballot.  He now is endorsing Teirab, who is a former assistant federal prosecutor

The United States Department of Agriculture is making a $93 million investment in rural Wisconsin. Rural Development State Director Julie Lassa says $1.3 going to the Rural Energy for America program, which will help 21 solar, wind or geothermal or small scale hydropower projects. The other $91 million is going to solar array projects in La Crosse and Dane counties.

A massive deer poaching ring has been exposed following a months-long investigation.  Fond Du Lac County Sheriff's Office and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources believe over 100 deer were illegally killed between Spring 2023 and July 2024.  The crimes took place in an area covering the counties of Fond Du Lac, Washington and Dodge.  Four suspects have been identified all from Campbellsport, three 16-year-old males and one 36-year-old female.  

 Madison hospitals are responding to the national saline shortage.  The nation's largest IV supplier shut down after Hurricane Helene devastated North Carolina.  The shutdown is affecting hospitals in Madison and nationwide.   Hospitals in Madison have not seen a major decline. They are carefully tracking saline usage to make sure supplies last.

Local-Regional News Oct 11

 Some poultry famers in Western Wisconsin have been left with huge feed bills and thousands of chickens after Pure Prairie Poultry abandonded its poultry producers.    Joe Bragger Wisconsin Farm Bureau Vice President says the started back in April.  Some of the farmers have been spending $20,000 or more each week of their own money to keep the flocks fed.   While Minnesota and Iowa have state programs to help those farmers, Wisconsin does not and some of the farms are now giving away the chickens in the hope that the birds will not go to waste and have to be euthanized.

 Local governments across Wisconsin are getting hundreds of millions of dollars more from the state. The state's Department of Revenue says it is sending over one-and-a-half billion-dollars in shared revenue to cities, towns, counties, and townships in this year's budget.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the increase from last year was used to hire a full time police officer.  The City is currently working on its 2025 budget and is expected to have that approved in November.

 

A garage fire in Eau Claire caused 80-thousand dollars in damage. The fire department says it responded to the fire on Chauncey Street Wednesday night at about eight P-M. Responders say the flames were under control within minutes. The property owners say they were home at the time, and neighbors told them the garage was on fire. No injuries are reported and investigators are still determining a cause.

 Xcel Energy's crews are on the move again. The company yesterday said that some of the linemen it sent to help with Hurricane Helene are now headed to Florida to help with Hurricane Milton. Xcel said 15 crewmen from the Chippewa Valley are heading from Georgia to the Tampa-area. That's the part of Florida that took the brunt of Milton when it came ashore earlier this week. In all, Xcel said it has about 100 crewmen from across the country working to help the victims on this month's two hurricanes. 

A Jackson County 13-year-old is dead after what the sheriff's office is calling a farming accident. The sheriff's office says it happened last week in the Town of Manchester. Deputies say the teenager was 'submerged by crops,' and had to be rescued. The 13-year-old later died. The sheriff's office says it is investigating and has not said just how the teenager fell into the grain pile where he was found. 

Add Tomah Schools to the long list of school districts in Wisconsin that are asking taxpayers for more money. The Tomah Area School District has a 177-million dollar referendum on next month's ballot. The money would go toward building a new high school. Tomah's superintendent says the plan is to build a new high school, then move the middle schoolers into the high school building, and move elementary school kids into the old middle school. There's a public meeting next Tuesday to answer some questions about the tax hike plan. More than 100 Wisconsin school districts are also asking their taxpayers to pay more, either for new schools or for day-to-day funding, this November. 

Winona State University is planning a new program to promote civic engagement and ethical leadership.  The Department of Defense announced Wednesday that it is sending one-point-one-million dollars to the university to fund the program for two years.  The program will be called Civic Center and will feature programming put together by WSU's Department of Political Science, Public Administration and Ethnic Studies.  The program will also engage the surrounding community, holding events to promote civil discourse.

 Minnesota is experiencing a significant rise in cases of whooping cough and measles. Hospitals are on high alert. As of 2024, 826 cases of whooping cough have been reported, the highest in years. Health officials attribute the increasing infection rates to declining vaccination levels, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. Pediatricians emphasize the importance of awareness and vaccination to protect vulnerable populations, including young children and those with weakened immune systems.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court hears a challenge to the governor’s creative use of the partial veto. Wednesday’s arguments centered on Tony Evers’ deletion of digits to extend a school funding increase by 400 years. Plaintiff’s attorney Scott Rosenow said a governor may not use the partial veto power to extend a duration, and that the justices should hold that Evers' 400 year veto is unconstitutional. Liberal justice Jill Karofasky expressed concerns over Evers’ use of the most powerful partial veto in the nation, saying that "it does feel like the sky is the limit. the stratosphere is the limit." Conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley pushed back on the argument from Evers' attorney Colin Roth, that the court's previous rulings set the stage for Evers' action. Bradley said "the governor is becoming the most powerful person in this state, arguably, to just make the law whatever he declares.” The court, is expected to take some time before issuing a ruling.

Donations of used books to Wisconsin prisons have stopped.   The Department of Corrections made the decision because secondhand books are used to get drugs into prisons. Opponents of the move, including the Madison-based nonprofit Wisconsin Books to Prisoners, say the agency is limiting inmates’ access to information as it fails to pinpoint other entry points for drugs, including prison staff. The non-profit has provided used books to prisoners for nearly 20 years. The ACLU of Wisconsin has begun investigating the matter.

A UW-Madison business professor says we'll likely see work from home jobs becoming standard into the future. Professor Jirs (Ye-RIS) Meuris says many customer service businesses have already divested themselves of business property to cut down on leases and overhead.  Meuris says studies over the last several years have largely dispelled the idea that workers need to be in a physical office to be productive. Meuris says that will mean a readjustment for the rest of businesses that relied on those officer workers making the commute every day.

Delays are being reported as jury selection continues in the Adam Fravel trial in Mankato. According to KIMT-TV, as of this afternoon six jurors have been selected.  Due to long juror interviews, the judge now says opening arguments will likely happen October 16th, whereas they were originally expected on the 14th.  Fravel is facing multiple charges of murder connected to the disappearance and death of Madeline Kingsbury last year.  

Lucy, a 16-year-old tiger from the Mendoza Zoo in Argentina, has arrived at the Minnesota Wildcat Sanctuary. The sanctuary is in Sandstone, she arrived after a 72-hundred-mile journey. Advocates sought to rescue her due to the zoo's closure and her poor living conditions. Following her arrival, Lucy is now enjoying improved habitat features, including grassy areas and comfortable bedding. The move took several years to organize and involved extensive travel logistics.

A contest to decide the Coolest Thing Made in Minnesota has crowned a champion.  The bracket-style competition began last month with 64 products, with the field cut in half each week based on online votes.  The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce announced this week that 3M Scotch-brand Magic Tape received the most votes.  Magic Tape has been around since 1961 and is made at 3M's plant in Hutchinson.

Local-Regional News Oct 10

 The establishment of a fire district to replace the Durand City and Rural Fire Departments is closer to completion.  During last nights council meeting the mayor reported that the meeting with the rural fire have moved forward.  Mayor Milliren says the agreement for the fire district is being sent to all the municipalities for their approval.  If the agreement is approved the new district would begin in 2025.

The City of Mondovi will spend $1900 to install new signs for the engine braking and parking rules at the town's entrance on Hwy 37 and Hwy 10. Currently, no signs for either rule are posted, as the old signs were not in compliance with state DOT rules. The new signs will be larger and reworded to comply with the state rules. It hopes to have those signs installed as soon as possible.

Eau Claire Police say an erratic visitor at North High School yesterday prompted a security hold. No one is saying who the visitor was, or just what they did. Officers say they were called to the school's office and arrested the visitor. North sent a note home to parents yesterday about the visitor, but that note didn't have any specifics in it either. 

Chippewa County's sheriff may have to pay his own legal bills from the corruption investigation into his office. The county board last night voted not to pay Sheriff Travis Hakes' 27 thousand-dollar legal bill. Hakes said the county should pay because he was not allowed to use a county lawyer to defend himself during the investigation. But county board members say they never signed-off on Hakes' lawyer, and therefore are not responsible for the bill.  Chippewa County investigated Hakes for his outside job, his conduct while as an officer, and accusations that he sexually harassed a 9-1-1 dispatcher. That investigation ended with a no-confidence vote in Hakes, but since he is an elected official, he kept his job. 

There are attempted homicide charges for a man in Sparta who was out on bond for another attack from back in June. Prosecutors filed charges yesterday against 39-year-old Andrew Nauman. Police say he attacked a woman on Sunday. She was found in the street, and flown to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Prosecutors say Nauman was on bond from an attack in June where police say he strangled another person. He's now being held on a million-dollars cash bond. 

Next week will be a busy one for Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources. The DNR Board will meet next week to vote on new rules for deer hunting, and new standards for PFAS contamination in the state's water supplies. Both have been major issues for the DNR for years. The water standards are expected to update the new rules, and set lower limits for how many of the so-called forever chemicals can be considered safe in the drinking water across the state. 

The Red Cross in Wisconsin says it's 'all hands on deck' to respond to Hurricane Milton. The Red Cross yesterday said they are gearing-up, grabbing supplies and people to head to Florida after Milton made landfall late last night. The Red Cross' Julie Zimmerman says there are 60 team members who are either ready to go to Florida, or already in the field because of Hurricane Helene. The Red Cross is, as always, asking for donations to help those who lost everything because of the storms. 

It's time to get your annual flu and COVID shots. Dr. Jim Conway from UW-Health says especially with COVID, it's not enough to have a previous vaccine or illness. He says the viruses keep mutating into different variants, so you have to be ready for the new versions off the illnesses. Dr. Conway says this year's flu shot will only cover three strains of the flu, since one entire strain of influenza was eradicated while people stayed home during COVID-19.

Higher egg prices this season are due to a number of issues, according to a UW-Madison economist. Professor Andrew Stevens says one factor is higher demand in the fall and winter. Stevens also says this summer's bird flu outbreak wiped out a large number of laying hens, which are just now starting to repopulate to ease the loss of production.

New state shared revenue estimates show over $1.5 billion for local governments.  Wisconsin’s shared revenue includes programs that provide state aid to counties, municipalities, tax increment districts, schools, technical colleges, and special districts. Governor Tony Evers says he’s excited to see how the increased shared revenue will benefit communities and families. In 2023, Evers signed Wisconsin Act 12, which provided increased state funding to local communities. Most of the funding can be used for any activity approved by the local governing body. An extra $23.6 million from adjusted sales tax revenue will go to specific purposes such as law enforcement, fire protection, and emergency medical services.

Farmers in Wisconsin and across the country will likely face a loss this year.   The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s September 2024 Farm Income Forecast shows a decrease of almost five percent. Reasons for the shortfall include a drop in demand for household produce, a wet early summer making plant growth difficult, and challenges in finding farm workers. Those income projections may lead a $6.5 billion loss for farmers across the country and will likely cause many to tighten spending until next spring.

A large number of Minnesota voters are asking for absentee ballots ahead of the November election.  The Minnesota Secretary of State's Office says more than 520-thousand registered voters have asked for and received absentee ballots so far.  More than 100-thousand of those have already been returned.  About one-point-four-million Minnesotans had requested absentee ballots by this point in the 2020 election cycle.  Absentee ballots have to be received by 8 p.m. on November 5th to count in the election.

 A new special license plate is now available in Wisconsin, with proceeds going to the International Crane Foundation. The  Department of Transportation says the plates will cost a one-time fifteen-dollar issuance fee along with a 25-dollar donation to the foundation. The donation may be tax deductible. Money going to the ICF will support efforts to conserve crane populations and their ecosystems.

 Semi-finalists for the Coolest Thing Made In Wisconsin contest are announced. Military Medals and Insignia made by Medalcraft Mint in Green Bay will face off against Krier Foods Jolly Good Soda, made in Random Lake. On the other side of the bracket, the Revo ice fishing sensor made by Vulture Systems in Menomonee Falls will compete against a John Deere lawn tractor, made in Horicon. The four products were narrowed down from 130 nominees. The public can vote for the two finalists starting tomorrow and until next Thursday.

Local-Regional News Oct 9

 The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include an update on the budget, reports from the mayor and department heads, and the council will go into closed session to discuss an economic development revolving loan for Little Beginnings Child Care.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall and will be live-streamed on the video streaming page of the WRDN Website.

Two Mondovi Homeowners are concerned about the erosion of the shoreline of Mirror Lake.  During last night's city council meeting, Jennifer Bargmann and Cindy Brenner told the council how the shoreline of their properties has eroded over the last few years.  Joe Krumrie of Buffalo County Land Conservation had a presentation on the possible reasons for the erosion that included the possibility of the dredging of the lake back in 2021.  To fix the issue Krumrie suggested the shoreline be rip-rapped and soil be brought in for restoration.  Bargmann told the council that the erosion is so severe if the rip-rap is not installed this fall she would lose her home to the lake.  The council is sending out engineers to look at the issue.

  

The Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board recently delivered a new soybean-based firefighting foam to the Durand and Mondovi Fire Departments.  Justin Bauer of the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board says the biggest benefit to the new firefighting foam is that it has no PFAS chemicals.  The Soybean Marketing Board delivered the new foam to sixteen departments across Wisconsin.

A proposed Dunn County budget would improve more roads. The Highway Commissioner says the department is asking to fix about 18-point-five miles of roads in 2025. That's about fifty percent more than this year. If approved, the county and the Department of Transportation would spend about nine-million dollars on highways. The county board will approve or deny the budget on November 12. 

The Wisconsin State Building Commission has approved three UW System projects under the Instructional Space and Technology Projects Program, targeting essential upgrades to instructional spaces across multiple campuses. Projects include renovations at the UW-Eau Claire Haas Fine Arts Center, the UW-La Crosse Wing Technology Center, and the UW-River Falls Agricultural Engineering and Agricultural Science Laboratories. These improvements are designed to enhance modern teaching and research capabilities, aligning with the growing demands of academic programs.

There's a new warning about a deer disease in western Wisconsin. The state's Department of Natural Resources yesterday said they've confirmed cases of EHD in deer in Chippewa and Jackson counties. EHD is deadly for deer, but it cannot be passed on to humans. The dead deer in Chippewa and Jackson counties were both found near ponds on private lands. The DNR says hunters need to be on the look-out for sick or dead deer. Before these cases, Wisconsin hadn't seen an EHD case since 2021. 

Eau Claire's election managers say they have a 'great' need for poll workers next month. Interim Deputy City Clerk Nicholas Koerner says they don't quite yet have the 500 poll workers that they are hoping for. Koerner says that's because they 've had some retirements, and some people just haven't come back. He figures the city is about 100 poll workers short. There's still time to sign-up, in fact there's a training session next Tuesday. 

There are finally charges in the death of a UW-La Crosse student from back in 1985. Prosecutors in Vernon County yesterday filed charges against Michael Popp for Terry Dolowy's murder 39-years-ago. He was arrested back in September after a DNA match on evidence from her death. Popp is being held on a million-dollars bond, and faces life in prison if convicted. 

A former Minnesota state trooper has been booked into Olmsted County Jail.  Shane Roper is facing manslaughter charges in connection with a crash that happened in Rochester back in May, claiming the life of a teen.  He's accused of driving 83 in a 40-mile-an-hour zone while pursuing a vehicle for a minor traffic violation. Roper has a court appearance next month and is set to go to trial in March of next year. 

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has officially designated a new wildlife management area. It is a 1,820-acre area in Washington County as, named Keystone Woods. This site, previously a cattle ranch, is one of the largest remaining undeveloped tracts near the Twin Cities. Located in May Township, Keystone Woods will provide opportunities for activities such as hunting, hiking, and fishing. The DNR plans to solicit public input on future uses of the area starting in November.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will remain on the ballot in Wisconsin.  Last month the Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s ruling that candidates can only be removed from the ballot if they die. On Monday the court denied a motion from Kennedy’s attorney to reconsider that ruling. Kennedy, who in August suspended his campaign and endorsed Donald Trump, filed a lawsuit to be removed from the ballot. He argued state law requiring independent candidates to withdraw up to a full month before Republicans and Democrats was unconstitutional. The latest Marquette Poll showed that three percent of respondents said they’d vote for Kennedy.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has released the latest Forward Exam scores. Interim Communications Director Chris Bucher says they're the first scores since the state made changes to the test design.  Under the old standards from the 2022-23 school year, roughly 39% performed at proficient or advanced levels in English language arts, and 41% scored at the same levels in math. The conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty argues the changes to the exam now make year-to-year comparisons of student achievement and school progress more challenging.

The Rochester International Airport is getting federal funding to help improve runways and other necessary infrastructure.  U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar announced over 15-million dollars in federal funding for the airport yesterday.  The money will go toward rebuilding and extending one existing runway while adding a safety area for another runway.  The airport also plans to build more than two miles of service road and install 15-thousand-feet of wildlife fencing.

 Minnesota Congresswoman Angie Craig and her Republican challenger Joe Teirab are coming off their second debate in four days.  The 2nd Congressional District candidates met at an event hosted by the Lakeville Chamber of Commerce.  Some of the issues discussed during the debate were inflation and abortion.  Tierab said that the country can't engage in "reckless spending bill after reckless spending bill" like the Biden administration's economic agenda that Craig voted for. Craig responded by doubling down on her votes

A suspect is in custody following a homicide in northwest Wisconsin.  Superior police responding to a Sunday night call about a man walking around the caller's garage and shining a flashlight into windows arrived at the scene to hear several gunshots. Officers found a wounded man who later died from his injuries. The suspect fled and was later apprehended in Iron River without incident.

The City of Duluth is holding its first-ever snowplow naming contest.  The city is asking residents to submit their favorite snowplow names by October 21st.  City staffers will select ten finalists to be voted on beginning October 28th.  The top vote-getter will be announced on November 11th.  The newly-named snowplow will be unveiled during the Christmas City of the North parade on November 22nd.

Local-Regional News Oct 8

 The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include a discussion with the police chief on adoption of golf cart fines, sign and ordinance updates, and the Tourist Park Ordinance amendment and establishing fines.  There will also be reports from the mayor and department heads.  Tonight's meeting begins at 5:30 at the Marten Center.

The Durand Police Department has a new part time police officer.  Josline Carothers began her duties with the department over the weekend after graduation from the CVTC Law Enforcement Academy.  Carothers has been a part of the department starting with her attendance in the La Enforcement Explorers Program while attending Durand-Arkansaw High School.  She was also an intern with the department while attending CVTC.

The merger of two United Way organizations in western Wisconsin means the popular Day of Caring is returning to Dunn County, and volunteers and projects are needed to make it successful.  The event is an annual day of action connecting teams of corporate and government volunteers with nonprofits from across Dunn and Pepin counties. Volunteer teams complete half-day projects at local nonprofits.   Announcing the return of the Day of Caring in Dunn and Pepin on Oct. 10 was one of the first major initiatives of the merged organization, said Steven McCarthy, the group’s Executive Director.   For details about the inaugural Day of Caring, including how to become a sponsor, register a team, or submit a project, visit https://www.uwvalleys.org/dayofcaring 

The Minnesota Housing Commission approved a $2,950,000 Workforce Housing Development grant to the City of Wabasha for a 50-unit market-rate apartment building in downtown Wabasha. The City of Wabasha and its Port Authority selected Keller-Baartman Properties LLC, of Red Wing, to be its development partner on a city-owned site. The site is located at the intersection of Alleghany Avenue and Second Street.  The apartment building will be a four-story building, with studios, one, two, and three-bedroom units, an exercise room, a community room, and 38 underground parking stalls.  The project will be under construction next year, with apartments expected to begin leasing at the end of 2026.

It's nine years in prison for a St. Croix County man from a Fourth of July road rage incident last year.  A judge yesterday sentenced Thaddeus Smith to prison after he rammed a car, and then ran over two women at the boat launch in Hudson on July 2nd of last year.  Prosecutors say he was angry after a fight at the boat launch. Smith pleaded guilty to being drunk and hitting the two women. After his prison term, he'll spend the next ten years on probation. 

 A handful of UW-Eau Claire students marked yesterday's anniversary of the attack on Israel with a protest.  About a half-dozen students took to campus yesterday to talk about Gaza and the impact of the war on the people of Gaza. Yesterday was the one-year anniversary of the attack that killed over a thousand Israelis, and touched-off a war that has raged since. 

Eau Claire's new budget looks to spend more on city workers. The city unveiled its proposed 2025 budget last night. The spending plan tops 190-million-dollars for the first time. That'd be about a six percent increase from the current budget. Just over 40-percent of that money is for city workers' paychecks and benefits, the rest is for everything from fire trucks to new roads. City Manager Stephanie Hirsch says Eau Claire is looking to invest in core city services. That includes a big bump for Eau Claire's Neighborhood Services Division which looks to recoup its money with more fines through stricter code enforcement. 

Wisconsin's election managers say they are ready for the November election. Yesterday, the Wisconsin Elections Commission said their preparations are in place for next month's Election Day. That includes a new round of training for local election clerks, updates to the state's voter registration database, and new security measures. WEC says they want to make sure voters know how much work they've put into this year's presidential race. WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe says they started getting ready after the 2020 election, and have spent the past four years leading-up to this day. 

 Dozens of people in Wisconsin have gotten sick from eating bad eggs in the state. The CDC yesterday said the egg recall based at a farm in Bonduel [[ bon-du-EL ]] has sickened 42 people in Wisconsin, and another 23 across the rest of the country. The CDC has upgraded the recall to a Class One, which means people can get seriously ill and even die from eating the bad eggs. No one has died yet, but public health managers say two dozen people have had to go to the hospital. The eggs were sold under the brand names of Milo's Poultry Farms, M&E Family Farms, and Tony's Fresh Market. Duck eggs from Happy Quackers Farm are also included in the recall. 

 It will soon cost a lot more to play Mega Millions in Wisconsin. Lottery managers say Mega Millions tickets will jump from their current two dollar price tag to five dollars, starting next year. The promise is that the more expensive tickets will lead to larger jackpots. This will be just the second time since 2002 that Mega Millions prices have gone-up. The new five dollar price tag begins in April. Lottery managers say there are no plans to change the price for Powerball tickets.

Wisconsin is getting 115-million dollars to bring internet access to public libraries and community centers. The state Department of Administration says 35 communities will benefit from the federal funding.  The Alma Public Library will receive $4.25 Million to  assist with the construction of a new public library and community facility.  The new library and community center will feature three computer labs, three telemedicine rooms, and a large multi-purpose community space with a kitchenette. Additionally, the project will include the installation of high-speed internet with digitally equipped rooms for work, education, and healthcare monitoring, which will help address the shortage of healthcare professionals in Buffalo County.

Voters will have their only chance to see Wisconsin's two candidates for U.S. Senate this week. Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin and her Republican challenger Eric Hovde will face-off in their only debate Friday night. The latest Marquette Law School Poll has Baldwin up in the race by seven points, but other polls suggest it may be a closer race than that. Hovde is trying to unseat Baldwin after her two terms in the U.S. Senate. The debate kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday night. 

A six-point-five-acre wildfire at a Wisconsin state park is under control.  The Department of Natural Resources says a fire started at the top of the Roche-A-Cri stairway 3:30 p.m. yesterday.  Ten local fire departments are helping the DNR contain the fire.  The department and local crews will continue to check for additional smoke and flames.  Lack of precipitation and gusty winds have increased fire danger in Wisconsin, which the DNR says will continue this week. 

School threats are increasing across Minnesota.  KSTP-TV obtained records from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.  They show a jump in the number of threats for the first few weeks of the 2024 school year.  The BCA stats show 14 threats reported this year.   That's compared to three threats for the same time period as last year. 

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has reached a settlement with a dairy accused of underpaying its workers.  Ellison accused the owners of Evergreen Acres Dairy of keeping three-million dollars in pay owed to workers in a lawsuit filed earlier this year.  The attorney general also accused the dairy of forcing workers to live in unsafe and unsanitary housing while being forced to pay rent.  The settlement announced this week will force Evergreen Acres to pay 250-thousand dollars in back pay to workers while improving living conditions for workers who stay in housing owned by the company.

We now know the site of one of Minnesota's favorite winter traditions.  Officials say Ice Castles will take place at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds for the 2024-2025 season.  The event has been held at several locations over the years, most recently in Maple Grove.  Plans include a one-acre winter playground made of ice, featuring slides, caves and fountains.  Tickets will go on sale November 26th.

Local-Regional News Oct 7

Two people were injured in a motorcycle accident in Mondovi Township on Saturday.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, 63yr old Lonnie Averbeck of Winona was traveling northbound on Hwy 88 when he lost control of the motorcycle on a curve.  The cycle exited the roadway and Averbeck and passenger 63yr old Karen Palencia of Winona were both ejected. Both were transported to the hospital with significant injuries.

One man was arrested after a truck crashed into some homes in the town of Caledonia Friday night.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriffs Department,  31 yr old Hunter Bordman of Galesville was traveling northbound on Hwy K when he drove off the road, struck a tree, and rolled several times.  The truck then hit a cement building at Country Road Estes Trailer Court.  Two vehicles and two residences in the trailer court were also damaged.  Bordman suffered minor injuries and was arrested for driving while intoxicated.  Excessive speed and impaired driving were believed to be contributing factors in the accident.

Fire conditions remain high across the WRDN Listening area due to the dry and windy weather.  The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has over half of Wisconsin under high fire danger.  While the winds will die down today, dry weather is expected for the week in our weather forecast, fire officials are asking people to refrain from burning at this time.

Expect traffic delays on I-94 in Dunn County starting today.  Construction crews will start repairing concrete on I-94 between Hwy 25 and Hwy B and drivers can expect lane closures, ramp closures and the rest area will also be closed this week.  With the dry weather expected this week expect the projects to be worked on week, with the repairs expected to be completed by Thursday.

A Rochester man has died after a motorcycle crash in Winona County.  The county sheriff's office says the man was riding north on Highway 74 near Park Road when his motorcycle ran off the road around 6 p.m. yesterday.  The man was later identified as 61-year-old Ross Stensrud.  The sheriff's office says alcohol may have been a factor in the crash.

Some folks in the Chippewa Valley are woke-up to their first frost of the season. The National Weather Service issued a Frost Advisory for  Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, and St. Croix Counties overnight. Forecasters say temperatures dipped low enough overnight to leave frost behind. The forecast is supposed to warm-up a bit this week, ahead of a cool down for the weekend. 

Jury selection is set to begin today in the trial of a man accused of killing a Winona County woman.  Adam Fravel was arrested last year after the body of Madeline Kingsbury was found in a field in Fillmore County.  He's been charged with multiple counts of murder following the investigation into Kingsbury's death.  The trial was moved to Mankato after Fravel's lawyer convinced a judge that his client could not receive a fair trial in Winona County.  Jury selection is expected to last three to four days.

This week, the Wisconsin Supreme Court will hear arguments about just how far a governor can go with his veto powers. The liberal majority court is set to hear the challenge to Governor Tony Evers' 400 year school funding veto. The governor used his veto powers to erase some numbers in the current budget and turn a two-year school funding increase into a 400-year school funding increase. The Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce legal fund is arguing that Evers went way beyond what the law allows. The governor's office has defended the move as just part of Wisconsin's board amendatory veto powers. 

A new report says Wisconsin's election managers have less wiggle room than election officials in other states. The report from the group Informing Democracy says Wisconsin law sets pretty strict limits on what the state's 18-hundred local election managers can do. That, according to the report, is  a safeguard against election vulnerabilities. The report does say about 20-percent of Wisconsin's county clerks have resigned or retired since the 2020 election, but those numbers are not out of line with what other states have seen. 

The newest candidate for state superintendent in Wisconsin says he has the backing of the state's largest teachers' union. Jeff Wright, who is the superintendent of Sauk Prairie Schools, on Friday announced that he is running against current State Superintendent Jill Underly. Wright says he has the backing of the Wisconsin Education Association Council Political Action Committee. WEAC is Wisconsin's largest teachers union. Wright says they want to see new leadership for the state's public schools. Wright is Underly's first challenger in the race. Voters will have their say next spring 

The Food and Drug Administration is revising a previous egg recall that affects consumers in Wisconsin.  The CDC announced the original recall September 6th, but it's now been revised to a class one recall, a commodity that "will cause serious adverse health consequences or death."   The first recall issued said 65 people in nine states were sick with salmonella connected to eggs supplied by Milo's Poultry Farms LLC from May 23rd to August 10th.  There have been no deaths reported but 24 individuals were hospitalized, according to the CDC.  The recalled eggs were delivered to vendors in Wisconsin, as well as Illinois and Michigan.

A judge says Milwaukee's Archdiocese does not have to give Wisconsin's attorney general its abuse settlement records. The judge yesterday denied A-G Josh Kaul's request to examine the records as part of his church sex abuse investigation. The judge said unsealing those records could expose abuse victims, and said the attorney general didn't provide enough 'justification' to open them up. Kaul has been investigating past claims of abuse in the Catholic Church for years. Milwaukee's Archdiocese has said Kaul is targeting them specifically, and the church has not cooperated with the investigation.

 A Wisconsin rescue team is back home from North Carolina after helping with recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene.  Sixteen members of Wisconsin Task Force One arrived at Volk Field Air National Guard Base on Saturday.  The team brought supplies for victims, such as inflatable boats, life jackets, and protective gear.  The team manager said if needed, they'll return to North Carolina.  According to the last report, the death toll from the storm is 227.

 A former band director in Walworth County is charged with a ninth child sexual assault. John Rash worked at East Troy Middle School for 20 years and resigned in 2022. Prosecutors charged him after eight former students say he sexually assaulted them. A ninth former student, now 33-years-old, is also coming forward. Rash is currently out of jail after posting a thousand-dollar bond. He'll be in court on October 21 for the new charge. The trial for the other eight charges starts in December. 

Picking up and dropping off air travelers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is getting a bit easier.  The Metropolitan Airports Commission announced yesterday that the new location for doing so is in the Terminal Two Express Lane.  It's on the second level of the Airport's Purple Ramp.  The news comes as MSP is experiencing an increase in travel demand, including a record of more than 711 thousand passengers in March. 

Local-Regional News Oct 4

 The City of Mondovi is reminding residents to keep their dogs on a leash after receiving calls regarding dogs running at large, as well as reports of dog attacks. In the City of Mondovi Code of Ordinances Chapter 14, it states that dogs must be on a leash or under the control of the owner.  The city is reminding residents to follow the Animal Control Ordinance. 

The Pierce County Sheriff's Department has announced the release of a sex offender back into Pierce County. Dustin Larsen is scheduled to be released on Oct 8 and is listed as homeless.  He will be under supervision and is not allowed to have unsupervised contact with minors of the victim, will be under electronic monitoring and report weekly, and have face-to-face contact with law enforcement.

The Pepin County Zoning Department is reminding property owners that if their fire number sign is missing, damaged or faded new signs are available for $25.  The county re-designed the signs to be double-sided with larger numbers, and are easier to view about 5yrs ago.  Property owners are allowed to use the old signs as long as they are legible and visible from a public roadway.  Property owners are encouraged to call the Pepin County Zoning Department for more information.

Four people charged with stealing from cars in Altoona last month are facing new, more severe charges in Dunn County.   Ethan Beebe, 17, of Eau Claire; Kylia Nordlof, 19, of Colfax; Rubi Solis, 18, of Eau Claire; and Trapper Tate, 20, of Phillips are all charged with nine counts of theft of movable property as a party to a crime.  Two of the nine counts are felonies.   According to Dunn County Authorities, the four stole money and guns from 10 different vehicles in or near the Village of Colfax and gave the guns to a man from Minnesota in exchange for Percocet or Fetanyl.  The four were in Eau Claire County Court on theft charges yesterday.

Police in Chippewa Falls say they've found the body of a man who went missing after a weekend motorcycle crash. Officers say they found Matthew Harshman's body Wednesday near East Park Avenue. He was last seen Sunday night, and his family reported him missing after he didn't show-up for work on Monday. Officers say they found his body in the woods near the scene of a motorcycle crash. Investigators say it appears that speed was a factor in that crash. 

Wisconsin's attorney general says his office is investigating Wausau's mayor and the city's ballot drop box. Attorney General Josh Kaul yesterday said his office is looking into Mayor Doug Duny and his decision to remove Wausau's ballot drop box two-weeks-ago. Diny says he did nothing wrong, and was only trying to secure the unsecured ballot drop box. Kaul's office is not saying just what the investigation is focusing on. Wisconsin law is silent about ballot drop boxes, even though the Wisconsin Supreme Court has ordered that they can be used in the November election. Wausau's city clerk reinstalled the city's ballot drop box this week.

Walmart has signed a deal with the Mayo Clinic to offer employees more options for cancer screening and treatment.  The retailer announced yesterday that Walmart employees with health insurance coverage who are diagnosed with most types of cancer can now get a second opinion from the Mayo Clinic.  Those employees will also have the option to get treatment at Mayo Clinic locations.  The only cancers not covered under the new arrangement are three types of skin cancer that can usually be treated at a local doctor's office

 Wisconsin's school leaders want to take the burden of cyber security off of local schools. State Superintendent Jill Underly yesterday said there needs to be a focus on helping local schools deal with everything from phishing attacks to ransomware. She was part of a roundtable on cyber security yesterday. Harry Coker, Jr. with the White House National Cyber Security office said the federal government needs to help lift the burden of cyber security off the shoulders of local school districts. He said local schools need to look at the federal government as a partner in their efforts. 

 We're getting a better sense of voter fraud in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Elections Commission is out with a report that says there were 30 cases of suspected voter fraud or voter irregularities over the past year. More than half of those were cases where people voted twice, and there were a half-dozen cases where felons were caught voting. Election managers in Wisconsin continue to say voter fraud cases are very rare. But critics say it's more about the opportunity for voter fraud or voter irregularities than the number of people caught voting twice.

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The latest tax cut plan at the Wisconsin Capitol is aimed at the state's older workers. A number of Republicans yesterday introduced their plan for tax-free retirements in Wisconsin. State Senator Rachael Cabral-Guevara and others introduced an updated version of their plan to make the first 75 thousand-dollars of retirement income tax-free. That amount would jump to 125 thousand-dollars for retired couples. Lawmakers passed a similar plan last year, but Governor Evers vetoed it as a tax break for the rich. Cabral-Guevara says they've included some changes this time that they hope sway the governor. 

A call for help for victims of extreme disasters.  The American Red Cross of Wisconsin is issuing an urgent appeal for volunteers willing to travel this fall to aid in major national disaster relief efforts such as Hurricane Helene. Those who choose to help will go through necessary training and and must commit to a two-week deployment. If you're interested, sign up today at “Red Cross dot org, slash volunteer”.

Workers at Milwaukee’s Miller Brewery are on strike.  The work stoppage began Wednesday after members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers voted to reject the final offer by owner Molson Coors. Issues driving the strike include wages that aren’t keeping up with inflation, and work-life balance. A Molson Coors statement says the multinational brewer believes the offer put forward was competitive and the company hopes for a beneficial resolution.

Wisconsin has two of the best small cities in the country. WalletHub is out with a new ranking for the best cities with between 25 thousand and 100 thousand people. Brookfield is second on the list. WalletHub says Brookfield has low unemployment and low poverty levels, it also has a strong work-life balance according to the people who live there. Appleton is fifth-best on WalletHub's list. Appleton scores well for its quality of life and low cost of living. WalletHub says Carmel, Indiana is the best small city in America this year. 

Holding a dresser on top of a moving car is not smart.  A picture posted to the Wisconsin State Patrol's Facebook page shows a car driving on Madison’s Beltline with a passenger holding a dresser on the roof. The driver was cited for a moving violation, and a few items were readjusted in the car’s trunk allowing the dresser to fit inside. The State Patrol says unsecured items on top of vehicles can be dangerous to everyone on the road.

 A Minnesota couple may be facing a big repair bill after a mishap at Lake Minnetonka earlier this week.  The state Department of Natural Resources says the couple was trying to launch their boat on Monday but somehow left their vehicle in neutral on the boat ramp.  The vehicle, trailer and boat rolled backward into the water before anyone could react.  Pictures showed the vehicle fully submerged before it was towed out of the lake.

Local-Regional News Oct 3

   Xcel Energy crews are on their way to the hurricane zone. A team of linemen left Eau Claire yesterday, they are on their way to Georgia. Xcel says the Eau Claire crew will join about 200 others who are already on the ground in Georgia, dealing with the damage from Hurricane Helene. Xcel said it expects the crews to be gone for two weeks. Yesterday's crews are heading to Augusta, where 100-thousand people don't have power. 

Windy conditions, dry vegetation, and leaves falling off of trees are creating a perfect storm for elevated to near-critical fire weather conditions.   The WRDN Listening area is under a high risk or greater for fires. Due to the increased danger, the Wisconsin DNR has issued a ban on any type of burning for all areas under their jurisdiction.  Yesterday the Durand Fire Department responded to a grass fire.  It is recommended that all burning be delayed until the dry, windy weather comes to an end.

There's a warning about fake 20 dollar bills in Chetek. Police yesterday said someone turned in 'several' fake 20 dollar bills. Officers say they found some others in the street. The money is clearly fake, it's labeled Copy Money on the front. Police are telling local businesses to be on the lookout for the fake bills, but there haven't yet been any reports of anyone trying to use it. 

UW-Eau Claire's McIntyre Library is the state's library of the year. The Wisconsin Library Association announced the honor yesterday. The Library Association says the McIntyre Library earned the award for its 'distinguished achievement.' UW-Eau Claire Chancellor Jim Schmidt says the library has shown its worth by spending years 'helping our students, and the campus and greater Eau Claire communities.'

Officials at Yellowstone National Park say their search for a missing Winona native is moving into a new phase.  The park's superintendent says the search for Austin King has shifted to a recovery effort as attempts to determine his location have not been successful.  King has not been heard from since September 17th, when he called his family from the top of a peak in the southwest corner of the park.  In an online post yesterday, King's father said he hasn't given up on finding his son alive.

 Kwik Trip is seventh on the list of best gas stations/convenience stores in America. The American Customer Satisfaction Index is out with a new customer survey that puts Kwik Trip in the top 10, but behind its Midwestern rival Casey's. Wawa is the top gas station/convenience store on the Customer Satisfaction list followed by QuikTrip out of Oklahoma, and Buc-ee's out of Texas. Wawa got an 82 out of 100 to grab the top spot, Kwik Trip scored a 78 out of 100. This is the first year for the Customer Satisfaction list. 

Firefighters spent roughly 21 hours fighting a fire at a La Crosse area business Tuesday into Wednesday. Town of Campbell Fire Chief Nate Melby says high winds made the fire even more difficult to fight. Melby says the fire at the Omaha Track railroad tie recycling yard on French Island is the largest industrial fire in the communities history. There were no injuries or fatalities as a result of the fire. No damage estimates are available yet, and an investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

Wisconsin's race for the U.S. Senate is starting to widen. The latest Marquette Law School Poll gives Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin a seven-point lead over Republican challenger Eric Hovde. The poll has her up 53-46. That's a larger lead than last month's Marquette Poll. It's also a larger lead than Vice President Kamala Harris has in the state. Baldwin is looking for her third term in the U.S. Senate. Hovde is making his second run at the same seat. 

The first of what could be several shipments of pets from the hurricane zone has arrived in Wisconsin. The Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha County says 81 dogs and 44 cats from the storm-ravaged parts of South Carolina arrived in Milwaukee yesterday. The animals will be sent to shelters throughout the state in an effort to clear the shelters in South Carolina. Animal rescuers in Dane County, and Eau Claire are on the list to get some of the animals.

 The Minnesota National Guard is dispatching two cargo helicopters to assist with Hurricane Helene relief efforts. Eleven soldiers will be activated for the mission, expected to begin this Friday and last for one week, with the possibility of an extension. This deployment follows a request for aid from North Carolina officials through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, approved by Governor Tim Walz. 

Three family members are under arrest in Jackson County and accused of sexually assaulting a girl. Fred Hill and his wife, Sara Hill, are charged along with their 18-year-old son, Levi Moore. Investigators say an eight-year-old girl reported numerous sexual assaults by each of the three suspects. They'll all be in court on October 21. 

We Energies has big plans for renewable energy.  The utility has filed plans with the Public Service Commission to build five new large-scale renewable energy projects across the state. The projects would be eligible for federal tax credits and power about 250,000 homes. They would also include plenty of new battery storage to provide customers with what We Energies calls "sunshine after sunset." The proposed projects would be jointly owned by We Energies, Wisconsin Public Service and Madison Gas & Electric if approved.

The reward for information leading to locating a missing Dakota County woman has increased.  The previous reward of five-thousand dollars increased to 45-thousand dollars after a recent donation.  Fifty-six-year-old Nicole Anderson went missing on July sixth from her Randolph Township home.  She is described as a five-foot-ten white woman who weighs 135 pounds.  She has short blonde hair and brown eyes.

A measles outbreak in Minnesota is prompting new guidelines.   The state Department of Health is now allowing for the second dose of the vaccine to be given as soon as 28 days after the first dose. So far there have been 51 confirmed cases this year, primarily among unvaccinated children, with the majority located in Hennepin County.   Anyone who hasn't been vaccinated for measles is urged to do so as soon as possible.

Four people are accused of stealing close to 500-thousand dollars from ATMs in the Twin Cities.  Cornelius McDade, who was arrested in Wisconsin, has been charged with conspiracy, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.  Three co-defendants have yet to be captured.  Prosecutors say McDade and the three alleged offenders deposited phony checks and then made cash withdrawals at teller machines.  The scheme reportedly targeted Wings Financial Credit Union branches in Edina, St. Paul, and Maple Grove.

Local-Regional News Oct 2

  There are new charges for a registered sex offender in Dunn County. Prosecutors yesterday filed the charges against 40-year-old Nicholas Titus.  Investigators say he invited a 14-year-old neighbor girl over to help him move. Then, they say, he pushed her on to a bed, pulled down her pants, started taking pictures of her, and touched her. Titus is a registered sex offender with past convictions in Minnesota. A judge set his bond at five-thousand-dollars.

Public managers say they found a rabid bat crawling last week in Eau Claire.  The City-County Health Department says the bat was found near La Salle and Peterson Streets. It couldn't fly. The health department is now asking anyone who may have come into contact with the bat to get to the doctor immediately. There are no reports that the bat bit or scratched anyone, but the health department says rabid animals always pose some risk. 

ATV/UTV owners can now drive them on some city streets in Menomonie.  ATV/UTV's can only be used from the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m on approved streets. They must be ridden in a single file line and obey posted speed limits. All UTVs must have headlights, taillights, brake lights and turn signals. Operators also need to have a valid driver's license and carry proof of insurance.   The new rules took effect yesterday and for a map of approved streets, contact Menomonie City Hall.

Threats received by Menomonie Schools on Monday and Tuesday were deemed not credible.  According to Menomonie police, the department received multiple reports of a snapchat message indicating a possible threat of a school shooting at the Menomonie Middle School on Monday.  Authorities investigated and the threat was deemed not credible.     Then on Tuesday, authorities received a report of an additional, unrelated, threat to a different school. That threat was also determined to not be credible. Police are encouraging parents to talk with their children about responsible device use, internet safety, and the importance of protecting login credentials.

We don't have many answers about the massive fire at a railroad tie plant in La Crosse County. The fire at the Omaha Track plant on French Island burned almost all day yesterday. It took crews from a half-dozen fire departments to contain, then put-out the blaze. Police told neighbors yesterday that there were no worries about toxic smoke from the fire. The same plant saw a similar fire back in 2015, that fire did prompt warnings about toxic smoke. No one is saying how yesterday's fire began, or just how much was burned. 

Eau Claire is getting 400-thousand dollars to fund healthy trees in lower income neighborhoods. The urban forestry grant is coming from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Through the program, residents will be reimbursed for planting new trees or replacing dead, dying, and diseased trees. This includes trees dying due to Emerald Ash Borers. Applications will be available early next year.

Deaf inmates in Wisconsin prison are going to get hearing aids and some other accommodations. The state's Department of Corrections yesterday announced a settlement with the Justice Department that will have Wisconsin pay for hearing aids for deaf and hard-of-hearing inmates. Deaf inmates will also be allowed to use their hands for sign language, even when they are shackled. The settlement comes after three deaf inmates sued the state for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. The three inmates will also get 15 thousand-dollars each as part of the settlement. 

 The Internal Revenue Service is giving Minnesota farmers and ranchers some additional help to recover from the most recent stretch of drought.  The agency has agreed to extend the normal window farmers have to replace livestock sold or exchanged due to drought conditions.  Farmers normally have two years to replace livestock before they have to declare capital gains on their taxes.  The extension will give farmers and ranchers an additional two years.

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Wausau's ballot drop box is back in front of city hall. The city's clerk yesterday had the box reinstalled, and bolted to the ground. Wausau Mayor Doug Diny removed the ballot drop box two weeks ago, he says to protect voter integrity. The whole thing remains under investigation. The Marathon County Sheriff's Office has an open investigation, and Wausau's clerk has asked the state's Department of Justice to look into the mayor as well. Diny continues to claim he did nothing wrong. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ordered ballot drop boxes be allowed for this November's election, but there is no state law that covers their use, security, or even possible removal. Wausau's clerk says voters can use the drop box to cast their early votes as they see fit.

Add Wisconsin's best first responders to the list of people on the ground in the hurricane zone.  The state's Task Force One is working in Western North Carolina, where Hurricane Helene did some of its worst damage.  The task force, which is made up of first responders from across the state, left Saturday.  Task Force One is trained in both search and recovery, and team leaders say they are doing both in North Carolina this week.  More than 100 people are dead, and thousands are missing after Helene caused widespread flash flooding in the mountains. Some towns are essentially cut-off, while others are all but wiped away. 

The City of Rochester is looking for some help collecting unpaid parking tickets.  Officials say the city is owed about 870-thousand dollars in unpaid tickets dating back to 2018.  Rochester is working with its parking system vendor to give those with unpaid fines a chance to pay up.  Fines still unpaid by January 1st will be sent to collections.

 A southern Minnesota woman arrested after a crash involving a horse-drawn buggy plans to plead not guilty to the charges against her.  Brittany Edgar was in court in Fillmore County yesterday for an omnibus hearing on charges including a felony count of criminal vehicular operation.  Investigators say she was driving near Spring Valley on February 16th when she hit the buggy, injuring six people.  She allegedly left the scene of the crash and later told investigators that she hit a deer before admitting she hit the buggy.  Her lawyer told the judge yesterday that he has been unable to reach an agreement with prosecutors to resolve the case.  Another hearing is scheduled for November 5th.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will restart the process to change PFAS regulations for drinking water. The Natural Resources Board approved a request for public hearings on the subject at its meeting last week. The D N R wants to set regulations to meet federal guidelines, but the change must go through a full round of hearings and meetings. If the change goes through, DNR staff say 90 water systems will have to be remediated statewide. Legislative Republicans prevented a previous alteration of the standards after the agency used emergency rulings to push for remediation in several parts of the state. 

The Coolest Thing Made in Minnesota competition is down to its final week.  The contest's four remaining products were announced yesterday, with online voting open until Friday at 4 p.m.  The finalists include 3M Scotch-brand Magic Tape, the Red Wing Shoe Company's Beckman Boot, Action Manufacturing's Action Trackchair and Midwest Floating Island's Innovative National Aquarium Wetland.  The winner of the competition will be announced next week at the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Manufacturer's Summit.

Local-Regional News Oct 1

 Two people were injured in a three-vehicle accident in Milton Township on Saturday night.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department, 36yr old Luis Alberto Jerez Vasquez was traveling on Hwy 35, crossed the center line and struck a vehicle driven by 83yr old Fred Prudoehl of Winona.  A third vehicle driven by 38yr old Matthew Prieur of Fountain City tried to avoid the crash but struck Prodoehl's vehicle. Prieur and his passenger 36yr old Brittany Prieur were both taken to the hospital, while Vasquez and Prudoehl refused treatment at the scene.  Vasquez admitted to drinking before the accident and was arrested on multiple charges including causing injury while operating while intoxicated.

The man charged with the death of Jessica Bignell pleaded guilty to homicide by negligent driving on Monday.  Bradley Holtz pleaded guilty to the charges stemming from the UTV accident that killed Bignell in June of 2023.  According to the criminal complaint, Holz was part of a convoy of five UTV's that drove past several 'road closed' signs and traveled on County Highway 'Z', which was closed for construction. Holz crashed, killing Bignell, his passenger.  Bignell's family called the incident a tragic accident and asked for leniency.  Holz was sentenced to nine months in jail and four years probation, during which time he is not allowed to consume alcohol.

A Durand man has been arrested in Buffalo County on OWI 8th offense charges.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department , Deputies pulled over 57yr old Danny Standifer for speeding on Hwy 25 on Friday night.  Deputies smelled a strong odor of intoxicants and Standifer admitted to drinking two beers.    A breathalyzer test showed Standifer's blood alcohol content at .128.  He was released on a $2500 signature bond and will appear in court on November 6th.

Two people are arrested in a northwest Wisconsin shooting.  Eau Claire County Sheriff’s deputies responded to an armed suspect outside a home in Fairchild Sunday evening. An armed suspect threatened to kill someone inside. Officers found several people involved in the incident and two firearms. One of the weapons was fired, but no one was hurt. The two persons taken into custody are expected to face several charges including possession of a firearm by felon and endangering safety while armed and intoxicated.

Former UW La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow promises to challenge the latest decision by the UW Board of Regents to strip him of his tenured faculty position. The Regents, meeting at UW-Parkside in Kenosha on Friday, voted unanimously to strip him of his tenured faculty position on the La Crosse campus. It’s the latest setback for Gow, who was fired as chancellor after revelations that he and his wife produced pornographic material. Gow has maintained that wasn’t in his capacity as a UW System employee and that the Regents actions violated his right to free speech. Gow called the Regents “a board of hypocrites,” and said he and his wife Carmen Wilson seek not only to protect their own rights, “but to protect free speech and expression for all Americans.”

Eau Claire is losing its Big Lots. Big Lots yesterday posted on its website that the store on Hamilton Avenue is among those that are closing. Big Lots recently announced that it is filing for bankruptcy and will be closing its stores. There's no word yet just how many people will lose their jobs when the Eau Claire store closes its doors. 

Kwik Trip says electric charges are coming soon to some of their stations across Wisconsin. Kwik Trip yesterday said it will offer Kwik Chargers that can charge as many as four electric vehicles at a time. There's no word just how many stations will get the new electric charges, or when they will be available. Kwik Trip says the first two, in Ashland and West Salem, should be ready by the end of the month.

There's an increased chance of fire danger in Wisconsin this week. The Department of Natural Resources says fires are more likely with dry weather and low chances of precipitation as fall weather starts up. The department says debris burning is the number one cause of wildfires in the state, and burning brush and leaf piles also bring an increased risk this time of year. Debris burning is discouraged until the ground is completely covered with snow.  As of this morning, the fire danger is listed as moderate for the entire WRDN Listening Area.

One person is dead after a crash between a motorcycle and car in Barron County.  The Sheriff's Office says the crash happened yesterday afternoon, closing County Road W and 19th Street for hours. The driver of the car was treated and released while the cyclist was declared dead at the scene. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. 

  Wisconsin lawmakers will hear from experts as they continue to try and figure out what to do about the state's Sandhill Cranes. The Legislative Council Study Committee on Sandhill Cranes will hold its latest meeting today in Madison. The committee will hear from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, two people with the University of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association. The committee wants to spend the next couple of months looking at the issue surrounding the cranes, then come-up with some proposals for lawmakers to vote on next year. 

If you're locked out of your car or home, be sure you're not going to get scammed by a locksmith. Better Business Bureau Wisconsin spokeswoman Lisa Schiller says one common scam is to increase the price once a technician shows up. Schiller says you should scrutinize any locksmith ad you find online, since scammers have been spamming phony ads on Google or other services. If you're unsure, check online at B B B dot org, or try calling your local police non-emergency line for a recommendation.

39-year-old Jesse Vang, the last person to see Elijah Vue alive, is getting another status conference in court.  The new status date for Vang was set for November 6th. Manitowoc County District Attorney Jacalyn LeBre asked for the new conference with the lawyers representing Vang agreeing to the November date. Vang is still only facing chronic child neglect charges for incidents that happened before Elijah Vue was reported missing back in February. Vue’s remains were found earlier this month on a hunter’s property, three miles northwest of where Vang reported the toddler missing. Elijah’s mother Katrina Baur, who’s also facing chronic child neglect charges, has another court date set for October 22nd.

Deer hunting season is underway, and the Department of Natural Resources reminds hunters to have deer tested for chronic wasting disease. Deer Herd Specialist Erin Larson says don't fret if a deer you harvested tests positive. Replacement authorizations would be issued to a Go Wild account within two to four days.

Wisconsin's State Superintendent of Public Instruction is asking the state Legislature to double its reimbursement of special education costs to local school districts. Jill Underly says the current reimbursement rate of 31.5% is not enough.  Underly made the request during her annual State of Education Address at the Capitol in Madison Thursday.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is the target of a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme.  Authorities say the Eagan-based healthcare company was lured into wrongly wiring close to eight million dollars to bank accounts that were represented as belonging to Minneapolis-based Fairview Health Services.  A pair of unidentified health insurers in the Twin Cities also wired about three million and one-point-five million dollars.  Two Nigerian nationals have been indicted in the case and are fugitives.

 Wisconsin has a new record for the largest pumpkin. Jim Ford grew a pumpkin that weighed-in at two thousand-551 pounds at Saturday's Ginormous Pumpkin Festival in Altoona. Ford's pumpkin was one of five that weighed more than two-thousand pounds. The Chippewa Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers hosted the festival to promote the Chippewa Valley's pumpkin producing prominence.