Two people are in custody after a home burglary in the town of Milton. According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, deputies responded to the home and after an investigation identified two suspects. Last Wednesday deputies executed a search warrant at a Black River Falls residence and found several stolen items along with methamphetamine and firearms. 43yr old Harland Hunter and 52yr old Rachel Lyngen both of Black River Falls were taken into custody and transported back to Buffalo County on charges of Burglary and Theft. At the time of the burglary, Hunter was under state supervision for felony bail jumping and Lyngen was out on bond from Winona County for drug charges.
High school teachers in western Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota will learn the latest advancements in computer science, thanks to a $550,786 National Science Foundation grant received by the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stout. Grant funding will allow the consortium to provide training to high school teachers for the next three summers. Teachers will spend four weeks at either UWRF or UW-Eau Claire to learn computer science research from faculty at the schools. They will then spend three weeks at UW-Stout to develop curriculum models and conduct educational research.
The Western Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission is conducting a survey on the outdoor needs and preferences of Western Wisconsin residents and visitors. Its hoped the survey will identify popular outdoor activities and destinations, challenges that limit outdoor recreation access, and opportunities for improving recreation facilities and programs. For more information on the survey, contact the Pepin, Buffalo, Eau Claire or Dunn County Health Departments.
One person is dead after a one-vehicle accident in Barron County on Sunday. According to the Barron County Sheriff's Department, a 44yr old woman from Downing was traveling westbound on 2 3/4 Ave when she lost control of the vehicle and it rolled and she was ejected. She was flown to Regions Hospital in St. Paul where she was pronounced dead. That accident remains under investigation.
Public health managers in Eau Claire say most of the people in the county continue to skip the flu shot. The city/county health department yesterday said just 28 percent of people have gotten the flu vaccine so far this year. That's down from last year's mark, which was 34 percent. The health department's Kristy Polden says people might just be putting off getting the shot. She says some people wait til the flu season is in full effect. Flu season starts in the fall, and usually peaks in the winter months when more people are inside.
There aren't a lot of details about a deadly weekend stabbing in Hudson. Police yesterday say the stabbing happened Sunday at a house on Orange Street. There's no word about who was stabbed, or why. Hudson Police simply said the suspect, Jimmy Harriman Jr. was taken into custody and is now facing homicide charges. Hudson Police say the investigation remains on-going.
The latest multi-billion-dollar ask from state lawmakers comes from child care advocates in Wisconsin. The group Wisconsin Early Childhood Action Needed yesterday joined with a number of other advocacy groups to ask Governor Evers for two billion-dollars for child care in the next state budget. Evers has said for years that he wants to pump more money into Wisconsin's child care system. He says without it, many child care centers will close. The advocate said essentially the same thing yesterday. Republican lawmakers say they want to help Wisconsin's parents find good, affordable child care options as well. But they want to open more spots at more centers, rather than simply spending more money on what's already available.
Ascension says its computer hack exposed the information for over five-and-a-half million people. The hospital last week said the hack from back in May affected as many as five-point-six million people. Ascension and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, however, say just 500 people have reported that their information has been compromised or used. Ascension was hit by a ransomware attack back in May, and it crippled their network for weeks. A report from last week said cybercriminals stole information about both patients and employees. The report says that information includes social security numbers, birthdays, driver's license numbers, and home addresses.
After a year-long search, the DNR has a new secretary. Governor Tony Evers chose Dr. Karen Hyun to fill the position. Hyun has more than ten years of experience in policy and environmental work, including staffing the US House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources. She will fill the vacancy left by Adam Payne, who stepped down from the position in November 2023.
The Sheriff's Office in Clark County is looking for a missing man. The County Sheriff says Brandon Langreck was last seen in mid-September in the Marshfield area. He's not believed to be a harm to himself or any other people, but family members are concerned about his safety and want to locate him. Those with information about the disappearance are asked to contact the Clark County Sheriff.
Wisconsin's frozen road law went into effect over the weekend. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation said the area affected includes numbered state and federal highways north of and including US Highway 10 near Stevens Point. The law allows trucks hauling abrasives or salt for winter highway maintenance and certain forest products to increase their maximum gross weight. The seasonal weight restriction program is designed to help protect Wisconsin roads during the winter months. DOT determines frozen road conditions for other parts of the state when necessary.
Republicans are celebrating a district court ruling that gives the party an advantage in the battle to control the Minnesota House. A Ramsey County judge ruled last week that the DFL candidate in the District 40-B House race may not be sworn in next month because he violated residency requirements. The ruling could lead to a special election in the district, though further court action is expected in the case. The ruling gives Republicans a 67-66 edge in the House, and GOP leaders say they no longer plan to honor a power-sharing agreement made with the DFL following last month's election.
Minnesota's unemployment rate increased slightly last month. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development announced last week that November's jobless rate was three-point-five percent. That's up a tenth of a point from October, but is still much lower than the national unemployment rate of four-point-two percent. DEED officials say the uptick in the unemployment rate shows that there are more job openings than available workers in the state.
Funeral services for the teacher killed in a school shooting in Madison. Monday’s service at Doxa Church in Fitchburg for 42-year-old Erin West came one week after she and a student were slain at Abundant Life Christian School. West had worked for four years as the substitute coordinator at the K-12 school where 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow opened fire with a handgun, killing West and 14-year-old Abundant Life freshman Rubi Vergara, whose funeral was Saturday. Six others were wounded before Rupnow turned the gun on herself. Investigators are still piecing together a motive for her actions.
Christmas traveling in Wisconsin will be easier on your wallet this year. The price-tracking website GasBuddy says nationwide gas prices will be at their lowest point on Christmas Day since 2020. Triple-A says the average for a gallon of regular gas in Wisconsin is around $2.82, with per gallon prices as low as $2.68 in Eau Claire and Buffalo counties in western Wisconsin and as high as nearly three dollars in southwest Wisconsin. Nearly two-and-a-half million Wisconsinites are predicted to travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday season, with around 90-percent driving to their destination.
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