The Pepin County Sheriff’s Department has been awarded a Traffic Safety Grant from the WI Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to allow for extra patrols focusing on seatbelt violations, speeding, distracted driving and driving under the influence. The goal is to reduce accidents and save lives. The grant runs through September.
Expect a challenging commute home this evening as another storm system brings snow to the WRDN Listening area. The National Weather Service says the snow will begins later this afternoon and be heavy at times. 3-5 inches are expected with higher amounts to the south. The entire WRDN Listening Area from this afternoon until early Saturday morning.
The Durand Public Library wants your imput. The Library Board is conducting a survey on how the library is used. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the library wants to hear from those that use or don’t use the library. The survey is part of the library’s long term planning for the future.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is asking for the public’s feedback on a construction project on I-94 in Menomonie. The planned project in 2027 will repair I-94 from the Red Cedar River bridge to the bridge over Wilson Creek just outside of Menomonie. The plans include concrete repairs and repaving in both directions, repairs to the Exit 41 ramps, and work on the Broadway Street and Wilson Street bridges over the interstate. It also includes repairs to the rest areas. Public comments are welcome through the end of March and can be made at the Wisconsin DOT Website.
An Eau Claire man is scheduled to be arraigned next month for a murder charge. Shane Helmbrecht was in court for a motion hearing on Wednesday. According to online court records, the court is standing on its previous finding that the 53-year-old is competent to proceed. No new competency examination was ordered. Helmbrecht is charged with intentional homicide for the shooting and killing of his neighbor Jenn Ward in 2016. He was found incompetent to stand trial and ordered to live in a mental facility.
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is introducing new majors. Starting fall 2025, students will be able to choose from two different Artificial-Intelligence majors. One is STEM focused and the other is geared towards non-STEM majors. The Computer Science Department Chair and professor of mathematics Alex Smith said these majors will address the ethics and proper implementation of AI-generated software has faced backlash for replacing jobs.
Two Wisconsin-based companies are ranked among the best large employers of 2025. Forbes says results of the Best Large Employers list are based on responses from employees about compensation, opportunities for advancement, and workplace well-being. La Crosse-based Kwik Trip ranked fifth in the nation in the retail and wholesale sector. Janesville-based Blain's Farm and Fleet was the second-highest ranking Wisconsin company at 23rd.
Officials in La Crosse County say they are making progress with their Pathways Home plan. The five-year initiative is focused on getting homeless families into permanent housing. One-hundred families have now been placed into homes a little over a year into the effort, according to project leader Jim Drees. He says the housing has come from a variety of sources including city public units and privately owned rentals.
At
the Capitol, a bipartisan bill would expand Medical Assistance
coverage for postpartum women. The bill would extend Medicaid
coverage for mothers from 60 days to a full year after childbirth.
Co-author Republican Senator Jesse James says it doesn’t make any
changes to eligibility requirements for Medical Assistance or the
income threshold. The bill passed in the state Senate last session,
but Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has criticized it as
expanding welfare. Officials from Democratic Governor Tony Evers’
Department of Health Services spoke in support of the legislation
during a recent hearing before the Senate Health Committee.
Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan will run for U.S. Senate. Flanagan says she will make a formal announcement later this month, but confirmed her intention to seek the higher office in a social media post yesterday. She said that she plans to continue to serve the people of Minnesota from D.C. Flanagan's declaration comes on the heels of U.S. Senator Tina Smith's announcement that she will not seek reelection in 2026.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz rejected calls to recuse herself from a case challenging Act 10, the law that curtailed public workers' bargaining rights. Republicans cited her past opposition, but she insisted she can rule impartially. The court sent the case to a Waukesha appeals court first, delaying a Supreme Court ruling. A Dane County judge previously found Act 10 unconstitutional, but that decision remains on hold pending appeal.
Lawmakers in Madison are considering a measure that would make buying a gun safe in the state a little more affordable. The safes would be sales and use tax-exempt under Senate Bill 12. Republican state Senator Van Wanggard has introduced the legislation with support from several other senate members, including a handful of Democrats. The bill will be reviewed in a public hearing before officials decide whether to move it through the legislature.
The Wisconsin DNR has 2-year-old oak seedlings from four species available to purchase - swamp white oak, bur oak, white oak and red oak. The seedlings are available because of a high-quality acorn crop and harvest in 2022. The seedlings are ideal for reforesting a property, enhancing habitat or starting an oak grove. The minimum order is 300 seedlings. More information is available on the DNR's website.
The case against the mother of Elijah Vue could take some time to reach resolution. Katrina Bauer faces several charges in the disappearance and death of her son. The three-year-old was reported missing in Two Rivers last February and found dead in September. During a Wednesday scheduling conference in Manitowoc County Court, Bauer's lawyer and Manitowoc County District Attorney Jaclyn LaBre said the large amount of discovery in the case will take time to go through. The judge granted a request for another scheduling conference in mid-June. Bauer's partner Jesse Vang is also charged and has a scheduling conference scheduled for next month.
A date is set for the 2025 University of Wisconsin homecoming. Wisconsin will square off against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Camp Randall Stadium in the 117th Homecoming Game on October 11th. The two teams will be battling for the Heartland Trophy. A full slate of Homecoming activities will be planned for the week of October 6th, including a Block Party and Pep Rally.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation has announced the winners in this year's Name a Snowplow contest. Among the winners announced yesterday are "Plowabunga," "Anthony Sledwards," and "We're Off to See the Blizzard." Each Mn-DOT district will have a snowplow that uses one of the winning names.
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