Local-Regional News June 27

 The new Tarrant Park pool is closer to opening. On Thursday, the pool was inspected by the State of Wisconsin. During a tour of the pool, Durand Public Works Director Matt Gillis said there were a few questions the inspector needed to get answered first, and then he has to send out the approval letter to Pepin County.  A license from Pepin County could be issued next week, and then the pool would be allowed to open. Once the pool is open, the first 800 people to use the pool will receive free admission thanks to a donation by Advent Health.

The City of Mondovi is beginning the early planning for the Hwy 10 reconstruction project. This week, the city signed a financial agreement with the Wisconsin DOT to cover the city’s portion of the project. Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says there is a lot of infrastructure underneath the road that will need to be replaced.  The state is planning on reconstructing Hwy 10 through Mondovi in 2030 and 2031.

The Durand-Arkansaw School District is asking families to take a survey about a proposed Before and After School Care Program Starting this fall. The program would be located at Caddie Woodlawn Elementary and run from 6:30am-7:45am and from 3:15-5:30pm. Morning care would be $8-10 a day while afternoon care would be $12-$14 a day and would include an afternoon snack. Input will help staff determine the level of interest, and plan staffing, space and programming. You can find a link to the survey at the Durand-Arkansaw School District Facebook Page.

A portion of the Flyway Trail in the Town of Buffalo will be closed for construction starting July 7^th. Buffalo County says the trail will be closed from the east side of the bridge that crosses the BNSF Tracks to the Buffalo Town Hall. The section of trail will be closed for a few weeks as crews prep for the construction. The project will have the trail be paved between the town hall and the Trempealeau County Line.

A Wabasha County family is cleaning up after a possible tornado tore through their farm Wednesday night, northeast of Zumbro Falls.   According to Katie Bartels, her family’s property consists of her trailer home and her parents’ trailer home, along with several other farm buildings. Several buildings were damaged, including Bartels’ house. She said it’s a total loss and she fears insurance won’t be enough to rebuild. She also said the farm has been in her family since the 1920s. The storm hit the farm just after 6pm on Wednesday night and also destroyed several other buildings on a neighbor's farm.

The 53^rd Lake City Water Ski Days is this weekend. The festival features live music, arts and craft fair, water ski shows on Lake Pepin, car show and parade. The festival celebrates Lake City as the birthplace of water skiing, invented by Ralph Samuelson in 1922 on Lake Pepin.

The suspect charged in an officer-involved shooting in Eau Claire will go on trial in September. Thomas Burback has pled not guilty to four charges, including intentionally pointing a gun at law enforcement. The 54-year-old was shot by an Eau Claire officer on May 25, 2024 when the officer was responding to a disturbance call.

The Wisconsin National Guard is showing appreciation for the state's teachers by giving them an experience that many don't get. A guard chopper crew was in Green Bay yesterday to take teachers for 30-minutes rides on a Blackhawk helicopter. Educators who participated got a bird's eye view of the city, including a flyover of Lambeau Field. Guard members were in Madison, Chippewa Falls, and West Bend earlier this month to take teachers on flights around those communities as well.

It looks like over half of the voters in Wisconsin do not want Governor Evers to run for a third term. That is according to a new poll released by Marquette Law School yesterday. The pollsters surveyed more than 870 registered voters in the state, finding that 55 percent believe the governor should not run for re-election while 42 percent think he should. When looked at by party affiliation, half of independent respondents said they do not want Evers running again, siding with 15 percent of Democrats and 93 percent of Republicans.

A negative approval rating for President Donald Trump in Wisconsin. The latest Marquette Law School Poll released Wednesday shows a sharp partisan divide in supporting the president, with 90% of Republicans approving of Trump's work, while 98% of Democrats and 59% of Independents disapproving. Poll director Charles Franklin says “People are still very skeptical of tariffs, and think deficits will go up, there are several policy challenges for President Trump.” Franklin adds that the poll’s findings show the biggest concern about the Trump presidency is inflation, with 55% of those surveyed believing that Trump’s policy proposals will cause price hikes.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is warning residents about a tickborne illness that has recently taken a life. Officials say three people across the state have been hospitalized with Powassan virus and one of those patients has died. The virus is spread by the blacklegged tick, a deer tick that also carries Lyme disease and other illnesses. Experts say Powassan virus infections are rare but Wisconsin did see 12 cases last year, the second-most of any U.S. state. It can cause mild illness or neurological disease and is especially risky for older adults, young kids, and people with weakened immune systems, according to the health department.

A former attorney of President Trump is being disbarred in New York. A panel of judges on New York's midlevel appeals court ruled that Kenneth Chesebro, who helped devise President Trump's alternate electors strategy in 2020, should be disbarred due to his guilty plea in Georgia's probe of the matter. The judges say Chesebro's actions qualify as a "serious crime," a finding that should bring disciplinary action. His New York law license was suspended last fall, and he still faces criminal charges in Wisconsin over his role there in the scheme.

The Department of Public Instruction launches a new public school finance reporting portal. DPI says the public will be able to download, sort, search, and access information through the portal at no cost. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jill Underly says that will increase fiscal transparency and help Wisconsinites understand how their local districts and schools operate financially. Through the portal, you can access data on school district referenda, tax levies, and the status of required education agency reports. You can access the portal by visiting the DPI website.

A squad car in Walworth County gets rear ended by a woman allegedly eating fast food while driving. The Sheriff’s Office says it happened late Tuesday night in the Town of Darien when a deputy patrolling I-43 saw a vehicle approaching his squad from behind at a high rate of speed. Though the deputy accelerated to avoid a crash, the vehicle rear-ended his car. The 41-year-old Town of Geneva woman driving the striking vehicle claimed she wasn't paying attention while eating her food from Taco Bell. She had no signs of impairment. The squad car suffered extensive damage, and the deputy was hospitalized for minor injuries. The crash is under investigation.

Local-Regional News June 26

 

Severe weather moved through portions of Southeast Minnesota yesterday. Tornadoes were reported in Goodhue, Olmstead, Fillmore, and Houston Counties. No injuries were reported as the storms moved east into Western Wisconsin, and they decreased in intensity. More storms are expected today, some with heavy rain.

The City of Mondovi continues to work on reducing the phosphate levels from the new wastewater treatment plant. Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the city is making some new adjustments to the wastewater treatment to reduce the levels. He says even with the higher phosphate levels, the plant is working well.  The city will monitor the new adjustments at the plant over the next few months to determine if the phosphate levels are declining.

The City of Durand is reminding residents of a public meeting on Monday to discuss the water utility rate increase. The Wisconsin Public Service Commission will be holding the meeting at 11am at Durand City Hall. The meeting will also be available via zoom and by phone. The Public Service Commission has determined the city could raise water utility rates by approximately 56%. If approved, the rate increase would go into effect later this year.

The Friends of the Durand Public Library is seeking crafters, artists, and others for their creative contest. The contest will take place throughout the entire month of July and will have two age groups: middle/high school and adult. Entries will be viewed and judged over July, and entries can be entered into a silent auction. Funds raised from the contest will go towards the digitization of the newspaper project. Entries are due by next Tuesday. Contact the Durand Public Library for more information.

Two Eau Claire men are facing charges for child sexual assault and are being held on bond. Prosecutors say 54-year-old James Barbey and 82-year-old Robert Karstensen are both accused of committing sex crimes against multiple victims for several years. The two men, who were neighbors, are both facing multiple charges including first-degree sexual assault of children under 13-years-old. Yesterday a judge determined Karstensen will be held on one-million dollars bond, and Barbey will be held on a 250-thousand-dollar bond. They'll be back in court July 8th. Anyone with information is asked to call the Eau Claire Police Department's non-emergency line.

Authorities in Western Wisconsin are putting out the warning against illegal fireworks as we approach the Fourth of July holiday. They say fireworks have caused problems for people with PTSD, dementia, and autism. No one is allowed to use fireworks in Wisconsin that explode or leave the ground without a permit. The department responded to about 200 calls for fireworks during the Independence Day holiday in 2024.

Governor Tony Evers took part in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Dr. Moon Memorial Library expansion project in Stanley. He announced a grant last October of over four-point-one-million-dollars for the library to expand. He says ADA accessibility will be expanded, dedicated spaces for kids and teens will be added, and the library will "serve more folks and families while preserving its beloved historic charm."

The Wisconsin Supreme Court is rejecting a bid to reconsider congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. In Wednesday's ruling, the liberal-controlled court blocked an attempt to redraw the battleground state's congressional districts. This is the second time in two years a Democrat-led movement to change the maps has been rejected by the court. Republicans currently hold six of Wisconsin's eight House seats.

Legislation would allow Wisconsin schools to use virtual reality to teach math. Weston Republican Representative Pat Snyder says a pilot program would be launched where an urban, suburban-urban, and a rural school would all be selected by the Department of Public Instruction to use the VR goggles. Snyder says teachers would still be an important part of student learning and would be taught how to be interactive with students while they use the goggles. Snyder says the bill has a lot of interest on both sides of the aisle. The legislation is currently working its way through the committee.

The debate over the Wisconsin state budget continues. If legislators don't come to an agreement in time, the state will continue operating under the previous budget. Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate and Assembly have been in budget negotiations with Democratic Governor Tony Evers, who will ultimately approve the budget once it passes through the legislature. A Joint Finance Committee executive session was canceled last Thursday, minutes before it was set to start. The deadline is next Monday.

A man is dead after a silo collapsed in Manitowoc County. Authorities say silos on a farm in the town of Meeme were being dismantled Tuesday morning as part of a scheduled project. One of the silos collapsed in the wrong direction and hit a nearby building on the farm. A farm employee who was inside the building became trapped underneath the debris before being pronounced dead at the scene.

A Green Lake County man admits to lying in an attempt to get into Wisconsin's deer hunting record books. 62-year-old Richard Waters of Markesan registered a 49-point antler rack with the state in 2024, saying he shot and killed it during the muzzleloader season. That would have easily broken the state record, but there were immediate questions about the legitimacy of Waters' claim. D N R wardens investigated, and found that the antlers instead came from a buck that died on a game farm several years ago. Waters admitted to buying the rack and trying to pass it off as legitimate. He had to turn over the rack and pay a fine, and his hunting privileges have been revoked for a year.

A unanimous state Supreme Court rejection of a controversial Tony Evers veto. The court’s liberals and conservatives found the legislature’s Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee acted appropriately last year in refusing to release nearly $50 million from the Department of Public Instruction, part of an overall package designed to improve reading by Wisconsin K-12 students. The court found Democratic Governor Tony Evers exceeded his authority by partially vetoing the bill even though it didn’t include an appropriation, that is, a source of funding. The committee declined to release the money, arguing Evers’ partial veto was improper. Governors can only veto legislation which includes an appropriation. In a statement, Evers urged lawmakers to now release the funding.

The Rochester International Airport is preparing for phase 5 of a seven-year reconstruction project. Executive Director of RST John Reed says the total cost of the construction is over 80 million dollars. He adds that the work will focus on replacing surfacing on Runway 3 and Taxiway B. Groundbreaking is set for late fall or the spring of 2025.

Wisconsin is one of the most independent states in the country. A new report from WalletHub compares all 50 states based on residents' credit scores, median household incomes, and unemployment rates. Wisconsin ranks ninth for being the most independent, with Utah and Colorado at the top of the list. Louisiana and Kentucky rank least independent.

Local-Regional News June 25

 A Lake City man is dead after a tire explosion. According to the Wabasha County Sheriff’s Department, deputies and emergency responders were sent to a rural Lake City address on a call of a tire exploding while being worked on. 34Yr old Joshua Moeching Jr was pronounced dead at the scene, while his father Joshua Moeching SR was transported to St. Mary’s with injuries to his face.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on the contract with the Arkansaw Sanitary District, possible action on having Cedar Corp update cemetery data and mapping, and reports from the mayor and department heads. Tonight's meeting begins at 6pm at Durand City Hall and will be live-streamed on the WRDN Website.

The City of Mondovi received an update on its K-9 program. The program had been on hold after the last K-9 was euthanized due to a medical condition. K-9 Officer Sundeen approached the city about having his German Shepard Chewy put into the K-9 program. Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss said the city decided to look into adding Chewy to the department.  Officer Sundeen is looking to hold a fundraiser for some newer equipment for Chewy in the near future.

Motorists violating traffic laws this week may have to worry about the long arm of the law coming at them from above. Wisconsin State Patrol says they will be taking to the skies this week to monitor roadways for traffic violations. The Patrol's Air Support Unit will be flying high above Walworth County today, Brown County and Eau Claire County tomorrow and Douglas County on Friday.

A court date is being set for a lawsuit filed by former UW-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow against the university. Gow claims his termination last year was a violation of his First Amendment rights. Gow was fired after it came to light that he and his wife had been creating porn videos and posting them online. He says that posting the videos was a form of free speech and self-expression. The trial date has been set for June 22nd of next year.

Prison is being ordered for a man convicted of setting of wildfires in Jackson County. Those fires burned on county and private lands back in 2023. Defendant Daniel Johnson previously pleaded guilty to charges of intentionally setting fire to another's land. Johnson was ordered yesterday to serve four-and-a-half years behind bars and also to write letters of apologies the owners of the land where the fires were started in addition to Wisconsin DNR and the Black River Falls Fire Department.

Charges are being filed against a driver pulled over this past weekend in Holmen. Twenty-eight-year-old Mayking Murillo-Palacios was stopped Saturday, and police are reporting drugs were found in his vehicle during a search. They say they found an estimated 170 grams of suspected cocaine in the vehicle. The suspect -- who was already free on ten separate bonds -- is now facing a charge of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, along with five felony counts of bail jumping and five misdemeanor counts of bail jumping.

Heavy rain is expected over the next few days. The National Weather Service says a stalled frontal system will produce showers and thunderstorms today and tomorrow. Most locations will see 1-3 inches, with some areas receiving 4 inches of rain. The weather service says the heavy rain could also produce localized flooding. Warmer weather and another chance of rain is expected for the weekend.

State lawmakers pass a bill that would allow delivery and rideshare drivers to receive benefits. The bill from Republicans, Senator Julian Bradley and Representative Alex Dallman, passed along party lines in the Assembly and Senate. The authors say if signed into law it would make Wisconsin the first state in the nation to allow those drivers to receive benefits like retirement accounts, health insurance and occupational accident insurance. Some Democrats have opposed the legislation, calling it "anti-worker.” The bill is now ready for Democratic Governor Tony Evers consideration, and it’s unclear whether he'll sign it into law.

The Senate Majority Leader says lawmakers in his chamber will stay in the nation's capitol until they pass President Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill." On Monday in a Fox News op-ed, John Thune said he's confident the Senate will get the bill across the finish line. It comes as Republican holdouts remain opposed to the bill as the self-imposed July 4th deadline approaches. Wisconsin Republican Ron Johnson has said the bill will add trillions to national deficits, while the White House said it's imperative to pass the legislation for the American people.

A win for environmentalists and the Evers administration in the Wisconsin Supreme Court. In a 5-2 decision released Monday, the court affirmed the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ authority to enforce reporting and clean up for contaminants such as PFAS. The court upheld the state Spills Law, which regulates parties responsible for discharging harmful substances and requires discharges to be reported and the environment to be restored to minimize harmful effects. Conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn joined the court’s liberals in overturning lower court decisions supporting a challenge to DNR authority by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce. In a statement, Evers called the decision a historic victory for the people of Wisconsin and his administration’s fight against PFAS and other harmful contaminants.

Multiple new straw purchases of firearms are being linked back to Fleet Farm locations in Minnesota. Federal prosecutors say William Burton bought almost ten of the firearms from Fleet Farm, which is being sued by the State of Minnesota for not doing enough to stop straw purchasing from its stores. Burton is charged with making dozens of straw purchases, including several firearms that turned up at crime scenes. The company has denied doing anything wrong.

Thousands of nurses in Minnesota are getting closer to a strike. Members of the Minnesota Nurses Association voted to authorize a walkout. The vote results mean the union would have to give a 10-day notice to the 13 hospitals that the strike would affect before walking off the job. MNA officials say their grievance is not about a staffing issue but rather a staffing crisis throughout the region.  

Local-Regional News June 24

The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include the annual Maintenance Report for the new wastewater report, discussion of a state and municipal financial agreement for the Hwy 10 project and reports from the mayor and department heads. Tonights meeting begins at 5:30 at the Marten Center in Mondovi.

One person was injured in a motorcycle accident in the town of Gale on Saturday. According to the Trempealeau County Sheriffs Department, a female was traveling on McKeeth Drive when she encountered loose gravel on the road, lost control of the motorcycle and went into the ditch. The driver suffered minor injures and was treated at the scene.

The Dunn County Health Department will be providing lead screening tests for children. The screening is a simple blood test to see if there is lead in a child’s blood due to lead exposure. According to Dunn County Health Director KT Gallagher, almost half of the homes in Dunn County were built before lead-based paint was banned. She said there is no safe exposure to lead and that a blood test is the only way to know if a child has been exposed. Lead exposure has been linked to learning and behavior issues. For more information or to schedule a test, contact the Dunn County Health Department.

Dunn County has a new county manager. Dan Dunbar, was selected by the county board last week to become the new county manager. Dunbar has been the assistant manager and played a key rold in the county-wide budget planning, and advancing broadband access. He replaces Kris Korpela who has served the county for 24 years. Dunbar will officially be working with Korpela on the transition starting on July 7 and will take over on August 8.

The Buffalo County Highway Department is reminding residents Hwy C will be closed at the junction of Hwy 95 on Wednesday from 7am-6pm. The road will be closed while crews replace the culvert. There is rain in the forecast and if needed Thursday would be a make up date. The highway department is asking for motorists patience and plan accordingly.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers visited Eau Claire on Monday as part of a continued push for state investments in childcare centers. Evers spent time with children and staffers at the Kiddie Patch Early Learning Center on London Road. The governor says it is important for childcare centers to be supported because if such places close, someone is going to have to stay home with the kids and that will take a person out of the workforce.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled today for a man convicted of setting of wildfires in Jackson County. Those fires burned on county and private lands back in 2023. Defendant Daniel Johnson pleaded guilty earlier this month to three counts of intentionally setting fire to another's land.

A Stanley man is being identified as the person found dead inside a truck that was located Sunday in the Chippewa River. Authorities responded to the scene in Rusk County with reports that a truck had been spotted upside down in the water. A man found inside the vehicle has been identified as 71-year-old Thomas Wadzinski. Authorities say it appears the truck entered the water without any attempt on the part of the driver to apply the brakes or make any evasive steering maneuvers.

State Senator Chris Kapenga says he's not a definite no vote on the proposed state budget, but he wants changes made. The Delafield Republican tells WISN's UPFRONT the Legislature doesn't need to pass a budget by the end of the fiscal year, so he's not in a hurry. He says current state law will allow the budget that's already in place to roll over and add any needed funds to keep essential programs running. Kapenga posted on social media last week about his displeasure with both the Governor's budget and the one being drafted by Republicans in the Joint Finance Committee. He says letting the budget roll over prevents a partial veto from Evers and keeps spending increases low.

Wausau Mayor Doug Diny may work himself out of a job by proposing a move to a Manager-Council form of government. Diny says other municipalities of a similar size to Wausau, such as Eau Claire and Oshkosh, have operated successfully with that style of government. Diny introduced the proposal in a letter to the editor last week and plans to assemble a task force to examine the change before presenting details to the city council. He said the change could be made with or without a voter referendum.

Willow Newell is the Miss Wisconsin 2025. Newell represented Miss Racine at Saturday's event and competed against 29 other contestants. She won in several categories including top vocalist and earning scholarships and awards. She majored in Musical Theatre from Carthage College and graduated this year. She advances to the Miss America 2026 competition in September in Orlando.

The Sparta Area Fire District says it helped free a horse that got trapped in a manure pit on Sunday. Crews used tow straps to lift the horse out of the pit in Monroe County. It got stuck after fencing was blown down and the horse veered into the pit. The horse seems to be okay, but and its owners plan to have it checked by a veterinarian.

In Vernon County, a woman free on parole was arrested Friday in connection with a burglary. Items including power tools had been reported missing from a building last week and investigating officers say their case led them to suspect Jourdan Womack. Womack was taken into custody on charges including burglary and parole violation.

Quite a surprise for Milwaukee firefighters over the weekend. Crews knocked down a two-alarm fire Saturday afternoon at a home in the Walker’s Point neighborhood. Surveying the building after the fire was extinguished confirmed no one was inside - but they spotted an approximately three-foot alligator in the basement of the burned home. Animal Control was called to remove the female gator, which was uninjured. No people were hurt either. 

Local-Regional News June 23

 

The Pepin County Emergency Management is warning residents who suffered hail damage from last week's storms that there are storm chasers in the area. Emergency Management recommends that those needing home repairs use trusted local contractors or those contractors trusted by your insurance company. Residents are also reminded to get all proposed repairs and costs in writing and to not pay for repairs in advance.

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board has approved the AGR Contract with the State of WI. The 5yr contract will give the district additional state aid in exchange for smaller elementary school class sizes and the district will also provide additional support for elementary students that need it. This past year the district received an additional $300,000 in aid because of the program.

A New Richmond man is facing charges after what records say is his fifth arrest for OWI. Fifty-year-old Frankie Gus Paschke was pulled over Sunday morning in Dunn County. A Wisconsin State Patrol officer reportedly observed the smell of alcohol on the suspect's breath and administered field sobriety tests -- after which Paschke was taken into custody.

One person was injured in a motorcycle accident in the town of Lincoln on Saturday. According to the Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Department, 36 yr old Cody Morse of Blair was traveling northbound on Hwy 53 when he passed two vehicle at a high rate of speed. When he re-entered the northbound lane, the motorcycle went off the roadway, into gravel and struck a guardrail. Morse was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Traffic on I-94 eastbound in Dunn County had to be rerouted yesterday after the pavement buckled. The incident happened just east of exit 41 in two separate spots. Due to safety concerns, it was decided to close the interstate so crews could make repairs.

The family of 37-year-old Melissa Hunt who died on Wednesday has created a GoFundMe for funeral expenses. Hunt's family says they want to give her a beautiful memorial and burial, and their goal is to raise 11 thousand dollars to cover the costs. Hunt died from injuries suffered in a beating on Wednesday. Police have Rochester resident Craig Hameister in custody, charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree manslaughter.

Wisconsin lawmakers are among those reacting to the U.S. bombing of Iran nuclear sites over the weekend. In an address to the nation Saturday night, President Trump called the strikes a spectacular military success saying the bombings has obliterated Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities. Wisconsin 3^rd District Congressman Derrick Van Orden says he fully supports President Trump's actions to defend Israel and to send a clear message to America's adversaries that the U.S. does not tolerate nuclear intimidation. Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin has issued a statement saying that President Trump's bombing of Iran without Congressional approval ignores the Constitution, puts American men and women in uniform at grave risk, and puts the country on the verge of an all-out war.

A Wisconsin man is being identified as the person who died following a vehicle crash in western Minnesota. The accident happened at around 7 a.m. Friday in Chisago County when 50-year-old Matthew Hudec of St. Croix Falls went left of center on Highway 95 and hit another vehicle head-on. Hudec died at the scene while the other driver survived with non-life-threatening injuries. Alcohol use is not considered to be a factor in the crash.

The seasonally-adjusted Wisconsin unemployment rate held steady in May. The Department of Workforce Development says preliminary numbers show a three-point-three-percent unemployment rate, the same as the month before and point-nine-percent lower than the national average. Data shows Wisconsin's labor force decreased by 77-hundred over the month.

The University of Wisconsin is accusing the University of Miami of illegally tampering with a student-athlete. The University claims Miami offered money to lure "Student Athlete A" away and enter the NCAA Transfer Portal last December. This came after the student athlete signed a two-year contract with Wisconsin. Details in the filing appear to line up with the recent transfer of freshman defensive back Xavier Lucas. Wisconsin says the lawsuit aims to uphold integrity in college athletics through legal accountability.

A boyfriend and girlfriend are facing charges including attempted murder. Officials say 43-year-old Paul VanDuyne Junior and 41-year-old Andrea Whitaker attempted to poison two women the man had previously matched with on a dating app. One woman was unknowingly fed thallium, which is often used to kill rodents. The other had water bottles filled with hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas, left in her vehicle. Both victims say they had gone on a handful of dates with VanDuyne before telling him neither was interested. Both VanDuyne and Whitaker, who willingly helped in the attempted murders, are set to appear in court this week.

A former Hormel employee is accused of stealing the company's top-secret sausage recipes and market information before getting a job with the competition. The Austin-based maker of breakfast sausage says Johnsonville and two former Hormel workers conspired to unlawfully get Hormel's trade secrets. Hormel officials are seeking the return and deletion of confidential data as well as unspecified monetary damages.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is leaning toward banning people from carrying firearms at the State Capitol. He told the media yesterday that it's inappropriate that we carry firearms, and the idea has to be reassessed. State law requires Minnesotans with a permit to carry a gun inside the Capitol. The governor's views surfaced several days after two Minnesota legislators and their spouses were shot. Walz is planning a memorial service and hopes to have House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband lie in state at the Capitol.

Five of the peregrine falcons born at We Energies facilities across Wisconsin have taken their first flights. The chicks, named Scott, Atlanta, Eclipse, Leopold, and Breezer, were born earlier this year. They'll be spending the next few weeks learning how to fly. The nests are being live streamed on We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service YouTube page. More than 460 peregrine falcons have been born since the We Energies Falcon Program started in 1992 in an effort to reduce the extinction for the species.

Local-Regional News June 20

 

One person is dead and another is arrested after an incident in Wabasha County on Wednesday. According to the Wabasha County Sheriff’s Department, deputies were called to the West Newton area for a woman severely injured. Deputies found 36yr old Melissa Hunt injured but she later died at St. Elizabeth’s Heath Care. The suspect, 44yr old Craig Hameister of Rochester was later arrested by Olmsted County Sheriff’s Deputies in the Chester Woods Area and Is being held in the Wabasha County Jail while the investigation into Hunt’s death continues.

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board has approved a preliminary budget for the 2025-2026 school year. The budget is expected to be balanced due to savings from new hires, and expenses are expected to be the same. The district is also expecting a slight increase in state funding, specifically for special education. The final budget will be approved in October during the annual meeting.

Severe storms moved through Western Wisconsin last night. There were reports of golf ball-sized hail near Exile in Pepin County. Other reports of damage to crops and trees due to the hail were also reported. The weekend is expected to bring heat with temperatures in the 90’s and heat indices above 100. An excessive heat warning is in effect for the entire WRDN listening area for the weekend.

The Pepin County Board has approved camping rates at the Holden Park Campground. Supervisors approved the rates this week. The nightly rate for the standard campsites will be $20 a night, the 4 premium sites $25 a night. A new monthly rate was established at $500 a month, and for special events, the entire campground can be rented for $300 a night. Supervisors also approved a $25 cleaning fee if a campsite is left and is not cleaned up.

Menomonie is celebrating the opening of a new overlook near downtown. A ribbon cutting was held Thursday at the Hydro Dam and Tainter Gate Historic Overlook Plaza. Xcel Energy began the project in 2023 to stabilize the dam and protect the embankment from erosion. The new overlook offers views of the dam, the lake and the river.

Internet provider CenturyLink will be paying Wisconsin 450-thousand dollars to settle allegations of price misrepresentation. The state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection alleges the internet provider committed 240 violations of a Wisconsin law. CenturyLink didn't admit to misrepresenting prices but agreed to pay the civil forfeiture and investigative costs. Customers in Wisconsin were notified of their eligibility to file a claim following a 2020 class-action lawsuit in Minnesota.

New child sexual assault charges are filed for a Trempealeau County man already on the sex offender registry. Prosecutors say 57-year-old James Devenport was charged earlier this week, facing ten counts of sexual assault of a child. Police say a now 36-year-old victim told them Devenport assaulted her hundreds of times before she turned 13, causing permanent physical damage. The victim says the assaults only stopped when he was in prison for another sexual assault case. Devenport is currently incarcerated and is due in court for the new charges in September.

While home sales fell across WI in May they were up here in Western Wisconsin by 2.4%.  According to the WI Realtors Association, Pepin County had 15 homes sold in May, Buffalo 17, Trempealeau 22, Pierce 33 and Dunn County had 54 homes sold. The median price of a home sold in Western Wisconsin was $310,000. Statewide, home sales fell 2.1%.

A LaCrosse man is accused of possessing child pornography. Arresting documents says Daniel Oyer was taken into custody Wednesday during a traffic stop. This is after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip earlier this month. The 35-year-old is facing two counts of possession of child pornography. He's been released on bond and has a pre-trial hearing set for next Wednesday.

Wisconsin DOT is advising drivers to stay alert for cracks in the pavement. Temperatures in the state are expected to hit the 90s which the department says can cause pavement to buckle. Drivers are asked to drive carefully around highway crews. Serious pavement issues should be reported by calling 911.

Minnesota's battle against the spongy moth will hit southeastern parts of the state next month. The Department of Agriculture says it will spray seven sites from July 1st through 3rd. The affected counties include Fillmore, Winona and Houston. Low-flying planes will spray a non-toxic waxy substance that contains pheromones. These are supposed to confuse the male moths and reduce mating.

A Rochester prison worker is pleading guilty to using a co-worker's photo in a child solicitation case. Joseph Solak was arrested in an undercover sting late last year. He is still listed as a human resources employee at the Rochester Federal Medical Center. Solak pleaded guilty yesterday to stalking by false impersonation after using a co-worker's photo to conduct sexual photos with children online. He has agreed to serve 15 days in the Olmsted County Jail on work release and spend five years on probation. Solak's sentencing date is set for September 8th.

Governor Tony Evers is awarding the city of Green Bay grant funding that will offset costs from hosting the NFL Draft this year. Evers says the nearly two-million-dollar grant will support Green Bay, Brown County and the Ashwaubenon village in covering security costs incurred from hosting. The event brought in 600-thousand attendees for the three-day event. Last week lawmakers voted against reimbursing the city for public safety spending ahead of the draft.

The trial of a Milwaukee County judge accused of helping an illegal immigrant evade ICE agents is delayed. A Federal District Court Judge pushed Hannah Dugan's trial back since the court still needs to consider Dugan's motion to dismiss. Her lawyers are arguing she should have judicial immunity. Prosecutors say Dugan was overseeing the case of a man in the US illegally, learned that ICE agents were in the courthouse, and led the men out of the building through a private exit. Dugan's trial was initially scheduled to start July 21. A new date hasn't been announced.

Republicans propose an $87 million cut to the Universities of Wisconsin. Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer of Racine calls that “completely unacceptable,” and said Wednesday "that would have serious consequences for economies across Wisconsin. A cut like that could mean closed campuses.” That propsed cut is a far cry from the UW System’s requested $856 million budget increase, but something Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says his Republican caucus supports . Vos said "it's not about cutting money. What it is about getting some kind of reforms to the broken process that we currently have.” Vos referenced “too much political correctness on campus,” and hate directed at Jewish students, without explaining how cutting the budget would address those issues. Any budget containing that large a cut to the system could face a veto from Democratic Governor Tony Evers.

Authorities are charging two people in connection with an attempted cyanide poisoning in Wisconsin. Paul Van Duyne and Andrea Whitaker are accused of plotting to poison Van Duyne's ex-girlfriends. A month ago, one woman told authorities someone had broken into her car, and her water tasted strange after she returned to the vehicle. The water bottle was submitted to a lab and investigators found cyanide in the water. Authorities exercised search warrants at the suspects' homes earlier this week in raids that required hazmat teams. Van Duyne is now charged with attempted homicide and Whitaker is accused of aiding a felon.

Two Minnesota campgrounds are rated among the best in the Midwest. The camping app The Dyrt ranks Split Rock Lighthouse State Park number two in the region, while Superior National Forest Fall Lake is ranked fourth. Ohio's Sandy Springs Campground gets the number-one ranking in the Midwest. Wisconsin's Copper Falls State Park and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Backcountry Sites in Michigan round out the top five.

The Department of Natural Resources is encouraging you to help out pollinators. It's Pollinator Week and the DNR says you can help year-round with a few simple lawn care habits, volunteering and supporting the Endangered Resources Fund. Most of Wisconsin's pollinators are bees, butterflies, and moths; but pollinators also include hummingbirds and some beetles and flies. You can help them by planting native plants and trees, adding host plants for butterfly larvae, and maintaining a yard free from pesticides and herbicides. More pollinator tips can be found on the DNR's website.