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.
No comments:
Post a Comment