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.
No comments:
Post a Comment