A Pepin County man has been charged with possession of child pornography. According to the Pepin County Sheriff’s Department, investigators with the department along with assistance from the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the Mid-States Organized Crimes Information Center (MOCIC) has completed an extensive investigation that has resulted in criminal charges against 62yr Steven P. Eidem, from rural Durand, WI. He has been charged with 10 counts of child pornography.
Blair-Taylor and Whitehall firefighters responded to a fire at the Dollar General Store on Wednesday morning. According to authorities, the manager of the store heard a crash and saw smoke when opening the store. Firefighters says the cause of the fire is unknown but no foul play is suspected. The building has moderate damage and the merchandise inside was a total loss.
Wabasha County said Wednesday that the west and south parking lane of the Grant Boulevard Bridge will be closed due to the condition of the timber piles supporting it. The county described the timber piles as “deteriorating” and that it plans to replace the bridge as soon as possible.
School officials in Eau Claire are outlining their protocols when it comes to government agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In a letter to families and staff, Superintendent Mike Johnson outlined the guidelines as changes have been made to immigration policies at the federal level. He said if an administrative ICE warrant was presented, the district isn't obligated to let them conduct that warrant on school grounds, adding that it's a different case if the warrant is judicial. The letter comes as recent Executive Orders removed schools and other community locations as "sensitive areas" or "protected areas."
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has authorized emergency assistance for Olmsted County after severe thunderstorms and flooding last summer. Olmsted and Dakota Counties are receiving assistance to help cover the damage to public infrastructure caused by severe flooding between June 16 and July 4. “I’m grateful for Minnesota’s emergency management team for coordinating closely with counties to assess damage and help communities recover from severe weather events,” said Governor Walz
A Chippewa Falls man is being charged for allegedly distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl, among other crimes. According to the indictment, Jason Barnard allegedly distributed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and that he had over 500 grams of that and over 40 grams of fentanyl in his possession that he also intended to distribute. If he's convicted of the first charge, involving 50 grams or more of meth or fentanyl, he could face between five to 40 years in prison. If convicted of the charge involving 500 grams of meth, he could face between ten years to life in prison. The charges against the 39-year-old come after an investigation by the West Central Drug Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
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Chippewa Falls woman is being charged with a felony after she was
recorded taking out a knife and waving it at another woman during a
domestic dispute. On Tuesday, Mary Foley was charged with recklessly
endangering safety, and disorderly conduct via use of a dangerous
weapon. According to a criminal complaint, officers arrived at a
home for a call of domestic abuse and the victim said the argument
with Foley led to her grabbing a knife and swiping it at her. The
victim grabbed her phone to record the incident and showed it to
police. Foley will return to court on February 11th.
A group of experts says a painting bought at a Minnesota yard sale several years ago may be the work of Vincent van Gogh. Art-News-dot-com reported yesterday that a panel of about 20 experts examined the painting, comparing it to other works by van Gogh and testing the canvas and paint. They now believe the painting was created between 1889 and 1890 while the famous artist was staying at a mental institution in France. The painting was bought for about 50 dollars at the yard sale, but the experts say it could be worth as much as 15-million.
New projections show Wisconsin’s state surplus now stands at $4.3 billion. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau projects the state will now finish the 2023-25 budget with that surplus. It projects tax revenues to be $894.3 million higher than what the Evers administration had expected in November, mainly due to revised estimates for sales tax collections through midyear. The LFB attributes the increased revenues to new forecasts that incorporate President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs, which are “expected to increase inflation and nominal consumer spending.” The Republican co-chairs of the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee, Senator Howard Marklein and Representative Mark Born, say Governor Evers has refused to support meaningful tax relief, and they remain committed to returning the surplus to taxpayers.
Wisconsin Democrats react to President Trump’s pause on federal grants and loans. Congressman Mark Pocan calls the order “blatantly unconstitutional” and says it will have a “devastating impact” on communities. Congresswoman Gwen Moore said the president “doesn’t care about hardworking families and children in need.” Senator Tammy Baldwin said it will “hurt Wisconsin families and businesses.” Attorney General Josh Kaul and Governor Tony Evers have signed on to a multi-state lawsuit seeking to block implementation of the freeze, which a federal judge has temporarily blocked. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that the administration was trying to be “good stewards” of public money by making sure that there was “no more funding for transgenderism and wokeness.”
Wisconsin business leaders support updating the U.S. guest worker program. The same Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce survey which found support for tariffs on China also has respondents overwhelmingly supporting expanded guest worker visas. Ninety-six percent support increasing the current 85,000-person cap on H-1B visas, which allow foreign workers with specialized skills to work in the U.S. There’s also strong support for creating new visa options for high-demand workers to address Wisconsin’s labor shortage. WMC president/CEO Kurt Bauer said demographic trends show Wisconsin needs workers, and foreign workers must be part of the solution, or the state will lose jobs and the economic activity that goes with them.
Another private college in Wisconsin is grappling with financial troubles. Administrators at St. Norbert College in DePere revealed at a Tuesday night town hall meeting they’re considering "reimagining" four majors and eliminating 13 others. Students in the fields of study affected would be able to finish their degrees. The college says the possible trimming of majors is simply a recommendation to shore up its finances. A final decision could come by March or April. The cuts would also impact St. Norbert’s faculty. The school says affected instructors would be given 10 months' notice or paid the equivalent severance.
A 66-year-old Portage County man is in jail - accused of a 12th OWI. Police say Eugene Volk was drunk and driving outside of his allowed hours when they pulled him over on January 18th. Volk initially refused to stop, then pulled into a residential driveway and told officers there was no probable cause to stop him. Volk reportedly admitted to having one drink before driving. A search of his vehicle turned up three beer cans. The 66-year-old, whose first OWI offense came in 1990, refused to take a field sobriety test. Officers then took him into custody. A judge set his bond at $8,500 on Monday. His next court appearance is February 3rd.
Minnesota health officials say starting next month milk from state cow farms will be tested for bird flu. Milk haulers already collect samples for routine testing while loading tankers at dairy farms. Some of the raw milk samples will go to the Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Lab for H5N1 tests. State officials have not reported a human case of bird flu.
The Freemasons of Wisconsin are raising money for the Wisconsin State Patrol with a gala. It's happening on Saturday, February 8th at the Eau Claire Masonic Ballroom in downtown Eau Claire. Bryce Fransway, the District Two Deputy of Wisconsin Freemasonry, said the Freemasons are raising money to supply the Wisconsin State Patrol with "Emergency Jump Bags." They'll include a Fire Suppression Tool and one AED defibrillator. More information about the gala can be found on Eventbrite under the title "Masonic Acts of Kindness Gala Fundraiser."
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