Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Local-Regional News Dec 4

 Strong winds ahead of an approaching cold front will be the rule today across the WRDN Listening area.  A wind advisory is in effect until Thursday for winds up to 50mph.  The gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.  Wind chills in the -10 to -15 range are expected by tomorrow morning.


Wisconsin Farmers Union is celebrating the opening of Market on River in Chippewa Falls.  The celebration will be on Thursday with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3:00 pm and an open house from 4:00 to 6:00 pm.  Market on River provides Chippewa Falls with a food hall, event venue, residential and community gathering space, and headquarters office for the Wisconsin Farmers Union. This building is designed to support local businesses, connect with local farmers, and serve as an educational space. 


A Chippwea Falls Woman is headed to prison after a stabbing incident last Christmas Eve.  Laura Feala was charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide, aggravated battery, and use of a dangerous weapon after the incident.  In July, Feala pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide as part of a plea deal. The other charges were dismissed but read in at her sentencing.  Tuesday, Feala was sentenced to 16 years in prison, followed by four years of extended supervision. 


 The search for a missing Clark County woman is over. The state's Department of Justice yesterday said it found Cassandra Ayon's remains near the Town of Brighton in Marathon County. Ayon went missing back in 2020. A jury convicted her boyfriend, Jesus Contreras-Perez, of her murder back in 2022. He's serving a life sentence. Clark County's D.A, said she hopes that the discovery of her remains brings the family some closure. There's no word how Ayon died, or just what led investigators to her remains. 


Two more candidates are vying for at-large Eau Claire City Council seats. Both Nate Otto and Charlie Johnson are seeking re-election. Otto, a middle school teacher and council member since 2021, says he's focused on sustainability and education. Johnson, who's served on the City Council since 2022, says he's advocating for accessible housing and more economic opportunities. There will be five at-large seats open for election in April of next year.


Police are still investigating a deadly weekend shooting in Rochester.  The shooting was reported early Saturday morning at a home on Manor Woods Drive.  Twenty-eight-year-old Demetrious Antonio Tankhamvang  died at the scene.  A 911 call indicated that Tankhamvang entered the home and assaulted someone inside, causing the shooting.  Police initially detained the 911 caller but released him after questioning.


More deer have been harvested this year than there were during last year's gun deer season. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says almost 190-thousand deer were harvested, most of which were antlerless. That's more than a five-percent increase from 2023. There were also slightly more licensed hunters this year. Harvest numbers by region and other additional information is available on the DNR's website. 


A special program aimed at helping Wisconsin residents caring for loved ones hits an important milestone. The Wisconsin Wayfinder program has helped over 22-hundred families and nearly 670 caregivers since it started last year. The program, backed by the Department of Health Services, connects caregivers of children with special needs with resources and experts. It's designed to help caregivers stay up to date on local services and navigate the healthcare system. If you need support caring for a loved one, find out more online at D H S dot W I dot Gov Slash Wisc Way.


Several Midwest states, including Wisconsin, are at Elevated Risk of power shortages in case of extreme weather conditions this winter.  The North American Electric Reliability Corporation says there are two main reasons.  First, more power is being used because of the switch to electric heat, electric cars and trucks, and large data centers.  Second, traditional power plants are being retired and replaced by solar and wind power, which are less reliable in extreme weather.  Other states at Elevated Risk include Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Illinois. 


A Minnesota company has announced a big cut in its global workforce.  Wayzata-based Cargill has announced that it will cut five-percent of its employees worldwide.  About eight-thousand people are expected to lose their jobs.  The company saw a ten-percent drop in revenue last year due to low commodity prices and a global agricultural surplus.  According to Forbes magazine, Cargill is the largest private company in the U.S.


California health officials warn against drinking raw milk from a batch linked to bird flu. The virus was found in whole raw milk from Raw Farm LLC, leading to a voluntary recall of lot code 20241119 with a "best by" date of December 7th. No illnesses from the milk have been reported. This follows a previous recall for a lot with a "best by" date of November 27th. Raw milk hasn't been pasteurized, which means harmful germs and viruses could still be present. Health officials note that drinking raw milk can be risky, especially for vulnerable people. Since October, there have been 29 human cases of bird flu in California, with 28 of them linked to infected dairy cows.


A woman charged in a multi-county deer poaching scheme appears in court.  A Washington County judge entered not guilty pleas Monday for 36-year-old Jessica Kroening, the adult charged with three 16-year-olds for allegedly poaching more than 100 deer. Kroening faces three misdemeanor counts in Washington County, while three juveniles are also charged in the case in Fon du Lac County. A criminal complaint alleges Kroening and the juveniles would drive around with a spotlight shining fields and would fire at the deer from the vehicle. If a deer was shot, they would identify the sex of the deer and some were left to rot where they lay, while the heads of some bucks were removed. Kroening returns to court December 30th.


The Governor's office is encouraging you to complete applications for student aid before the year is done.  December is National FAFSA Filing month and Governor Tony Evers is asking high school counselors, principals, parent groups, and local organizations to help students and families in completing their financial aid applications for higher education. Through mid-November, just under 34,500 high school students have completed a FAFSA application, an 8.5% decrease compared to the last academic year. The 2025-26 FAFSA application is available now, visit student aid dot gov for more information and to apply

No comments:

Post a Comment