Nonprofit organizations in Dunn and Pepin counties have been added to a major fundraising effort by the United Way of the St. Croix and Red Cedar Valleys: Give Big Valleys, which takes place Tuesday, April 29. Steve McCarthy, Executive Director of the United Way of the St. Croix and Red Cedar Valleys, said Give Big Valleys is a 24-hour intensive fundraising effort that his organization sponsors and gives all 501(c)(3) organizations the tools needed to connect with donors during that period. McCarthy said it is important for all nonprofit organizations in Dunn and Pepin counties to sign up to participate in Give Big Valleys. Nonprofits can sign up at https://www.givebigvalleys.org/
The City of Wabasha is now hiring summer staff for Lifeguards, Water Safety Instructors (WSI), and Front Desk Attendants for the 2025 pool season at the Wabasha City Pool. Lifeguards must meet minimum age requirements and possess or obtain through provided training courses the American Red Cross Lifeguard/First Aid/CPR certifications. WSI Instructors must meet minimum age requirements and possess or obtain through provided training courses the WSI certification. Front desk attendants must be of legal age. All returning staff must re-apply and for more information contact the Wabasha City Hall.
The City of Durand’s new website is now online. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the goal of the revamped site is the make it easier to use for residents and visitors. The new site is at durand-wi.com.
Irvine Park Zoo officials are hoping to make some changes and updates to three large animal exhibits. Right now the zoo has a bear, and hyena exhibits, and the third one sits empty. The windows are fogging up and the interior are falling apart. They also want to make the areas as close as possible to the animals natural habitat. The zoo is funded by donations, and it will have to fundraise to fix these areas. If these areas can get fixed, the zoo would love to bring in some new animals.
A former pastor from Sparta has pleaded no contest to sex crimes. Travis Becknell appeared in court yesterday after being accused of sexual exploitation by a therapist and 4th degree sexual assault. The accusations stem back to 2023 when victim said he touched her inappropriately. Since pleading no contest, the former pastor will have to do community service and faces up to 30 months in prison. He will have a hearing later this summer.
St. Paul officials and the Minnesota Wild want the state to cover half the cost of renovating Xcel Energy Center. The 769-million-dollar project calls for overhauling the NHL arena along with the neighboring Roy Wilkins Auditorium and St. Paul River Centre. The proposal calls for Wild owner Craig Leipold would contribute close to 216 million dollars. St. Paul and Ramsey County intend to cover about 159 million dollars. Mayor Melvin Carter is expected to make the pitch later today at the Minnesota House Capital Investment Committee.
Legislation that would change how the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction measures standardized test scores is headed to the desk of Tony Evers. State Senate author, Watertown Republican John Jagler, said Tuesday that he anticipates the Democratic governor will veto the bill. Evers initially said the new standards adopted by DPI last year should have been publicly vetted, but that he’d likely veto the bill because the Legislature was injecting itself in the DPI process.
The two co-defendants in a federal trial have been found guilty on all charges in the Feeding Our Future meal fraud scheme. Aimee Bock along with Salim Said were both found conspiring to spend 250 million dollars in taxpayer dollars through the Federal Child Nutrition Program. Bock was found guilty on seven counts and Said was found guilty on 21 counts. They both will face prison time on wire fraud, federal programs bribery, money laundering and conspiracy to commit those crimes.
A Dane County farm could face criminal charges. Law enforcement is launching a criminal and disciplinary investigation into Ridglan Farms. The farm houses more than three-thousand dogs which are used in -- or sold for -- scientific experiments. Ridglan Farms has been operating since 1966, breeding beagles for animal research. The state veterinary examining board has voted to restrict surgical procedures at the farm while considering a license suspension for Ridglan's lead vet.
A Milwaukee man accused of throwing a one-year-old from a second story balcony is being held on a 15-thousand-dollar bond. Officers responded to an apartment building after the child's mother reported she got into an argument with her mother's husband, 31-year-old Jaimann Eiland. She said he threatened her life while holding a knife before dropping her child from the second-floor balcony. The one-year-old was taken to the hospital and is expected to be okay. Eiland walked to the Milwaukee Police for an interview, when he said the fight went too far. If convicted, Eiland faces 16 years behind bars. He'll be back in court next week.
A pair of Minnesota senators are calling for a federal bird flu strategy for the turkey industry. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar took part in a roundtable event yesterday at a Willmar farm. Both lawmakers, who are on the agriculture committee, agree that the government should send more federal dollars to turkey farmers who have been impacted by two separate viruses, including H5N1. The senate delegation also heard concerns from farmers who said biosecurity audits of barns are too burdensome.
A southeast Wisconsin city is a step closer to gaining a huge convenience store. The Oak Creek common council has signed off on zoning changes for a proposed Buc-ee's location with 120 gas pumps just off I-94. Several Oak Creek residents opposed the project at a public meeting, citing the impact on their home values from issues like increased traffic and light pollution. The 73,000-square-foot store is projected to open in early 2027. Texas-based Buc-ee’s is also planning a huge location in the Dane County Village of DeForest.
Bloomington-based Dairy Queen is welcoming a new boss. The fast-food giant hired Art D'Elia as chief operating officer for the U.S. and Canada. He is currently the chief marketing officer for Domino's Pizza. D'Elia will oversee 275 employees in operations, training, and marketing. He succeeds Dan Kropp, who is now a supply chain and development officer.
The economic impact of cruises on the Great Lakes is expected to increase by 15-percent this year. Leaders say they expect more than 22-thousand passengers this year, which is also more than last year. Pearl Seas, Viking, St. Lawrence Lines, and Victory are lines expected to operate on the Great Lakes this year.
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