Local-Regional News April 4

Parents of students of the Durand-Arkansaw School District will be paying more for breakfast and lunch next school year. Durand-Arkansaw School Superintendent Ryan Nelson says increased food and labor costs necessitated the change.  Elementary breakfast will be $1.75 and lunch $2.50. For the Middle-High School, breakfast will be $2 and lunch $3.

The Durand City Council approved the bid for the 7^th Avenue West project. Because the bids came in lower than expected, the road and both sidewalks will be replaced this year. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the city will ask the contractor to keep the sidewalks open until school ends for the summer.  American Express had the lowest bid of $108,000. Crews are expected to start on the project next month.

Runners gathered in Eau Claire to remember one of their own who was killed by a hit-and-run driver. The runners were seen wearing red shirts yesterday. Ann Seidl was killed while running in Dunn County by a drunk driver who drove away from the scene. Seidl was highly active in the Eau Claire community and gave a lot of her time for the Eau Claire marathon. Community members that came out were asked to wear red shirts in her honor as it was her sons favorite color.

A man is arrested and accused of leading police on a high speed chase in Eau Claire. Police say they responded to reports of a man driving on a bike trail just before 7 a.m Thursday morning. After officers started a chase, but stopped for safety reasons; the suspect almost hit a pedestrian, drove into oncoming traffic, and ignored stop signs. After police stopped the driver, sustaining damage to 7 squad cars, they used non-lethal force to get the suspect into custody. Three officers are recovering from non-life threatening injuries.

Tuesday’s statewide election in Wisconsin was one for the record books. Roughly 52%, or 2.3 million Wisconsinites of voting age, cast ballots compared to 1.8 million in the state’s 2023 off-year election. Turnout was driven by the high-profile Supreme Court race in which Dane County Judge Susan Crawford defeated Waukesha County Judge and former attorney general Brad Schimel. Crawford received the most votes ever for a Supreme Court candidate and Schimel received the second most. Tuesday's turnout was more indicative of the roughly 2.7 million votes cast for governor in Wisconsin’s 2018 and 2022 midterms. The City of Durand reported a 54% voter turnout on Tuesday.

A Portage man is going to federal prison for his role in a statewide drug trafficking organization. Angel Flores was sentenced to 12 years after pleading guilty to attempting to possess more than 500 grams of cocaine for distribution. Prosecutors say in late 2022, the DEA and FBI began investigating a large cocaine and meth trafficking organization operating in the Western District of Wisconsin. Investigators determined that Flores was receiving cocaine and meth from a California supplier and selling it throughout Western Wisconsin, including in Madison, Portage, and La Crosse.

A small liberal arts college in northern Wisconsin announces its closing date. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development says 112 employees of Northland College will be laid off when the Ashland school permanently closes on May 31st. Northland’s original February announcement of its impending closure cited financial insufficiency and declining enrollment, with the chair of the college’s board of trustees describing the school’s lack of “…the resources needed to navigate economic and demographic storms.” Northland College was founded in 1892.

Senator Ron Johnson has concerns about President Trump’s new tariffs. In interviews with The Hill and NPR, the Wisconsin Republican said the U.S. has offshored at lot of critical manufacturing and has not been fairly treated by many trade partners. But Johnson said the tariffs are “reasonably high risk,” and could make Wisconsin manufacturers less competitive when they try to export. Wisconsin employs 19 percent of its workforce in manufacturing, twice the national average. Johnson said he also wants constituents to keep him “totally informed” about how tariffs are affecting them.

New numbers show almost 22-hundred crashes reported in Wisconsin work zones last year. That's an average of about one crash every three hours. State Patrol says there were almost 800 injuries and ten fatalities as a result of those crashes. Wisconsin's April law of the month focuses on work zone safety.

Republican lawmakers want Wisconsin state employees to return to the office full-time. Pleasant Prairie Representative Amanda Nedweski  authors the legislation and says taxpayers deserve to know if employees of the state are doing their job well and with the maximum output. Verona Democratic Representative Mike Bare says working from home was born out of a crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic, but has been a success. The Assembly Committee on State Affairs heard testimony on the bill Wednesday. Democratic Governor Tony Evers has already indicated he'd likely veto the legislation.

Leaders of the Legislature’s budget committee say they’re willing to compromise on efforts to close Wisconsin’s aging Green Bay prison. In Kaukauna on Wednesday, Joint Finance Committee co-chairs commented prior to taking public testimony on the state budget. Representative Mark Born said there are some good things in the Corrections proposal from Governor Tony Evers, including closing Green Bay Correctional. Senator Howard Marklein said there's always room for compromise between the two chambers of the Legislature or with the governor's office. But But Marklein said lawmakers need a ruling from the state Supreme Court on Evers' "400 year" veto before moving ahead on any budget provisions. One area where Republicans are unlikely to compromise is Evers’ proposal to increase early release for some inmates. Wisconsin currently incarcerates over 23,000 people in a system designed to hold fewer than 18,000.

Wisconsin residents are being warned by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation about a toll phishing scam. The scam comes through text messages saying that you owe money for unpaid tolls. They attach links to the messages that lead you to fill out personal information, including credit card information. WisDOT warns people to never share personal information in unsolicited text messages. If you do receive one of these messages, you should delete it. The WisDOT reminds people that the state of Wisconsin does not have any toll roads.

Minnesota State University officials say five international students have had their visas terminated. University President Edward Inch says neither the school nor the students were informed of the termination of their records by Homeland Security. The changes were only spotted after the university ran a status check. The students have not been detained by ICE. Instead, they have been asked to self-deport within 60 days.

A resolution created by Minnesota U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, designed to undo President Trump's 25 percent tariff on most imports from Canada, is advancing. The measure narrowly passed last night out of the upper chamber with support from four Republican senators. Klobuchar said any tariff on Canada would hurt Minnesota by driving up prices and eliminating jobs. It's not clear what is next for the resolution and if it will make it to the Republican-controlled U.S. House floor for a vote.

One of the otters that escaped from a Wisconsin zoo is back home. Green Bay’s NEW Zoo & Adventure Park reported that the river otter named Ophelia was captured Friday night. The zoo kept her return quiet until Tuesday while she was held for observation. After a health check, a veterinarian permitted Ophelia to return to her enclosure. She and fellow otter Louie escaped through a hole in a fence during a snowstorm two weeks ago. Louie is still on the loose, but it’s unlikely Louie has wondered too far away from the zoo. 

Local-Regional News April 3

 Economic Development was a topic during a meeting last night at Durand City Hall. Members of the city council and city residents discussed topics on business development, empty and underutilized buildings in the downtown, and tourism. Mark Tallman from the WEDC talked about some of the programs that are available. According to Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren, before the city or businesses can access the WEDC Programs, the city must complete a comprehensive plan.  Any Comprehensive plan will take 9-12 months to complete.  The City Council’s Economic Development Committee is expected to meet to move forward with the start of having a comprehensive plan completed.

The Pepin County Health Department has received a $10,000 grant from the Northwoods Coalition of Marshfield Clinic. Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says the grant will be used to reduce harm in Pepin County.  The health department is planning on educational promotions to highlight the services the department offers to help increase harm reduction in the county.

Xcel Energy is proposing to increase prices over the next two years .The plan involves a 61-cent daily increase for residential electric customers in 2026, followed by an additional 36-cents in 2027. For natural gas, the average daily increase would be 31-cents next year, with 4-cents added on in 2027. These hikes aim to fund infrastructure updates. The Wisconsin Public Service Commission is reviewing the proposal is will make a decision later this year.

A Western Wisconsin teen is accused of a fatal hit and run while driving drunk. Prosecutors say the 17-year-old girl hit and killed Ann Seidl while she was on a run in Dunn County. The suspect's mother found the deceased woman and called 9-1-1. She told investigators her daughter refused to stop smoking weed and drinking. Investigators allege the suspect admitted to drinking before driving, didn't know what she hit, and didn't care. The teen's court date is scheduled for later this afternoon.

A lawsuit filed against the Eau Claire Police Department by a man shot by officers is being dropped. Police responded to Clayton Livingston's home in 2022 after a neighbor accused him of pointing a gun at his house. Responding officers say Livingston also pointed a gun at them. Two officers shot and injured him, and now Livingston's lawsuit is being dismissed. He'll have a jury trial next year for charges related to the accusations that caused the police response.

A home is Red Wing was destroyed by a fire yesterday. According to the Red Wing Fire Department firefighters were called to Pioneer Road around 3:30 a.m. and found heavy smoke coming from a home. The sole occupant of the residence was outside by the time firefighters arrived and no injuries were reported. The home was called a total loss and the cause of that fire is still under investigation.

Emplify Health has declared its intentions to introduce a new behavioral health unit at its La Crosse campus. This new unit will be addressing a big void of mental health care in the region. The new unit will be called "EmPATH" and will give a different approach to patients who come to the emergency room during a mental health crisis. In the new unit patients can be evaluated first in a calm environment before being taken to the new facility, where they can receive treatment up to 23 hours. The new EmPATH unit will be the first of its kind in Wisconsin.

The lawyer for the teen accused of killing Lily Peters in Chippewa County is asking for a change of venue. The teen's lawyer says media coverage and public commentary won't allow the suspect to have a fair trial in the county. Lily Peters was murdered at ten years old almost three years ago. The boy accused of killing her is 17-years-old now but was 14 at the time. He's facing multiple charges, including homicide and sexual assault. A hearing on the motion asking for a venue change will be held in June.

Several people facing charges after being accused of creating disruptions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. University police say they were called to the Memorial Union after multiple people interrupted an authorized event. Three people were arrested at about 7:30 p.m. after multiple warnings. At the same time, the driver of a Tesla Cybertruck drove onto Library Mall at another authorized event. The driver, a man from Stevens Point, was arrested.

Elon Musk is downplaying the results in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, saying he "expected to lose." That's what he wrote in response to a user addressing him on his social media platform X. Democratic-backed candidate Susan Crawford won against Republican-backed candidate Brad Schimel for the seat on the court. Musk and President Trump both endorsed Schimel. The tech billionaire's super PAC spent over 12-million-dollars to support Schimel in the race, and Musk traveled to Wisconsin the weekend ahead of the election.

Wisconsin joins a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over billions in grant cuts. Attorney General Josh Kaul is part of a coalition of 23 state attorneys general demanding HHS halt termination of roughly $11 billion in federal public health grants that support projects across the country. Wisconsin faces a loss of six grant awards totaling over $225 million that would have helped pay for mental and behavioral health services, preventing and responding to the opioid epidemic, and strengthening local emergency medical services. The lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order to stop the grant terminations.

The Universities of Wisconsin System is asking Governor Tony Evers to provide it with an additional $855 million in his next budget. UW System President Jay Rothman went before the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee on Tuesday and says for the last decade they haven't been funded at a level that met inflation. The additional funding would cover an 8% across the board salary increase for faculty and staff and expand the Wisconsin Tuition Promise. Wisconsin currently ranks 43rd out of 50 states when it comes to funding its four-year, public universities. Republicans on the committee are expected to reject most of Democratic Governor Tony Evers proposed budget.

Honeybee colonies are critical for agricultural pollination, and scientists at Washington State University predict up to a 70% decline in honeybee colonies this year. Drew Kaiser with Kaiserson Bee Company of Eau Claire expects the effects to be felt in Wisconsin.   You can help bees on your own property by with pollinator friendly native plants and by minimizing the use of chemicals. Kaiser was a guest on the Larry Meiller Show on Wisconsin Public Radio.

Meals at Minnesota Schools have been free for almost two years. Lawmakers are now looking into changing who would qualify for these meals. State Representative Andrew Myers is proposing a bill that would only allow families whose income is below 500 percent of the federal poverty level the free meals. The House Education Finance Committee laid over Myers' bill where lawmakers can bring it up again if they wish.

Explore Wisconsin’s natural beauty on DNR field trips. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources teams up with the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin to offer over 250 expert-led excursions. The trips offer a behind-the-scenes perspective of nature through such activities as bird watching, paddle boarding, foraging and much more. Descriptions of the outings detail their location, length, difficulty, terrain and more, with 20 of them being ADA accessible. Full information can be found at wisconservation.org. 

Local-Regional News April 2

The City of Durand is holding an open meeting tonight to discuss economic development. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the meeting will start with Mark Tallman from WHEDA and then be open to the public.  Tonight's meeting begins at 5:30 at Durand City Hall.

Western Wisconsin Poultry farmers who were abandoned by Pure Prairie Poultry last fall are still waiting for payments for claims made under the Packers and Stockyards Act. The Company is still going through federal bankruptcy and is under receivership. Terry Filla a poultry farmer who was abandoned by the company says he has been informed that he may receive 30% of his claim.  In its bankruptcy, Pure Prairie Poultry listed 937 creditors owing between $100 million and $500 million and having assets between $50 million and $100 million.

Yesterday was election day in Wisconsin. In Western Wisconsin incumbants Rachel Henderson, Abe Smith and Dominique Stewart were all re-elected to the Menomonie School Board, Jen Plemon was elected to the Elk Mound School Board, and Heather Logslett was elected to the Colfax School Board.

An invasive insect has been found in La Crosse County. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection says tracking data shows the spongy moth in La Crosse County. The invasive moth feeds on the leaves of hundreds of tree species, leaving them weak and susceptible to disease. As a result, plant nurseries like Christmas tree farms, loggers, and sawmills will have to prove their trees don't have spongy moths before transporting them into non-infected areas. Spongy moth has also been found in Eau County here in West Central Wisconsin.

Parts of the Chippewa River Trail are closed in Eau Claire as the Chippewa River is at an elevated level. Recent rain, snow, and snowmelt has elevated the river, making it unsafe. That's because the currents are stronger, and the river is unpredictable when the water levels are high.  According to the National Weather Service, the river has crested, and it will gradually fall over the next few days. 

A Rice Lake man accused of a fatal hit and run is being sentenced to just over a year in jail. Prosecutors say 33-year-old Tyler Baker was one of two motorcyclists who crashed on County Highway M in 2023. The other cyclist, Charles Kee, died. Baker will get work release while he's in jail, and eight years of probation after his sentence is complete. Four other people are also facing charges after leaving the scene of the crash before responders got there.

Fire officials are investigating how a fire started at the La Crosse State Street post office. The fire took place yesterday afternoon. Fire officials said the fire was located outside and was a small fire not connected with the building. No injuries were reported, and the fire did not interfere with the post office operations.

Winona County Authorities are warning residents of incidents of attempted burglaries. The Winona County Sheriffs Department says there have been multiple incidents across Winona, and Wabasha Counties where a suspect drives to a victim’s home in rural areas, and knocking on the door. If no one answers the suspect enters the home. The suspects vehicle is a light blue Chrysler Town and Country van with Minnesota plates, driven by a 69yr old black male, 215lbs, 5’10 with brown eyes and black hair. If anyone has any information on the suspect they are to contact law enforcement.

Governor Tony Evers has declared a state of emergency for northern Wisconsin. The state of emergency stems from the winter storms that hit the area over this last weekend. This will help efforts in clearing debris, get warming shelters open and keeping the community safe during this time. More severe weather is on the way with high winds and snow on the way to the area. Crews are still working around the clock to restore power to the area. Over 130 thousand people lost power in northern Wisconsin.

Advocates fear how cuts to federal Medicaid spending will hit Wisconsin’s unpaid family caregivers. Congress is considering at least $880 billion in Medicaid cuts as part of a bill to extend existing tax cuts. Janet Zander with Wisconsin Aging Advocacy Network says impacts of Wisconsin’s aging population are already being felt, with many people leaving the workforce to care for relatives. Zander says Medicaid-funded programs like Family Care, IRIS, and CLTS help people remain in their homes - and are the reason why many family members can continue working. The extent of the cuts is unclear, but Zander says people should be contacting their Congress members

Wisconsin is joining a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over the termination of about eleven-billion dollars in public health grants nationwide. Attorney General Josh Kaul is joining 22 other states in the suit. The lawsuit argues the grant terminations were sudden and disrupted state health agency operations. HHS says the grants were provided through COVID legislation, and are no longer necessary. Wisconsin could lose as much as 235-million dollars from the cancellations.

The Universities of Wisconsin have stayed in-house selecting the next leader for the Milwaukee campus. UW Stevens Point Chancellor Thomas Gibson has been unanimously approved to take over as UW M Chancellor this summer. Gibson came to the Stevens Point campus in 20-21 and has helped secure millions of dollars in donations for academic programs including a ten million dollar gift from Sentry Insurance to help create the Sentry School of Business and economics, and a partnership with Milwaukee Tools that helps outfit forestry students with the latest in protective equipment and tools. Gibson was one of four finalists for the job, Regents will announce an interim Chancellor and search procedures for the Stevens Point campus in the near future.

Minnesota U.S. Senate candidate Royce White is defending his campaign finance report. The most recent report he filed showed over one million dollars of donor money went toward credit card fees. The fund amounts to 70 percent of his operating expenses in the 2024 campaign against Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar. He told KSTP-TV that the business that bundles his donations keeps 85 percent of the money donated to his campaign, and he gets the remaining 15 percent. White is running again in 2026 for the U.S. Senate Seat now held by Tina Smith, who is not seeking re-election.

Some Minnesota legislators want to do away with the proposed Northern Lights Express passenger train service between the Twin Cities and Duluth. Plans call for the federal government to cover 80 percent of the 719 million dollars to build the project. GOP lawmakers question whether the Trump White House will support the plan. Minnesota Republicans now are in favor of moving the nearly 200 million dollars set aside by the state for the Northern Lights project should be diverted to the Minnesota Department of Transportation to maintain state highways. Supporters of the proposed initiative say it would be transformative, considering Amtrak service between the Twin Cities and Duluth was discontinued 40 years ago.

Two Wisconsin middle schoolers will head to Washington, D.C to complete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Sixth grader Jacob Martonito and seventh grader Ethan Robert came in first and second place, respectively, at this weekend's Badger State Spelling bee held at Madison College. Martonito is from Classical Charter School in Appleton and Robert is from Eisenhower Middle School in New Berlin. The two middle schoolers actually tied for third place last year. This year's Badger State Spelling Bee featured 54 contestants grades four through eight from all over Wisconsin. The Scripps National Spelling Bee will be held in Washington, D.C at the end of May. 

Local-Regional News April 1

 Authorities are identifying the woman killed in a hit and run over the weekend in Dunn County. Ann Seidl of Eau Claire was found lying along the roadway Saturday morning after being hit by a vehicle on County Highway Y in the Town of Dunn. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials identified 17-year-old Addison Bowell as the driver of the vehicle who hit the victim and drove off. She was arrested on multiple charges, including OWI, Hit and Run Causing Death, and Homicide by Intoxicated Use of a Motor Vehicle.

The spring grass fire season is here and Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren reminds residents that burning barrels is prohibited.  Burning leaves inside the city limits is also illegal. Those outside of the city limits are also reminded that burning permits from the town chairman are needed.

Pepin County is holding an open house on Thursday to discuss outdoor recreation. The meeting will focus on discovering the recreation needs and preferences of residents, businesses, and visitors to Pepin County. It will be from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Board Room at the Government Center in Durand and will also be live-streamed on the county Zoom account.

The City of Durand is still looking for vendors for the new farmers market. The farmers market will be held at Memorial Park in Durand on Mondays from 2-6pm starting on June 16^th and feature local vendors featuring fresh vegetables, honey, maple syrup, baked goods and more along with area food trucks. Vendors can apply through the City of Durand Website or visit city hall.

Charges are dropped against a former Eau Claire athletic director and teacher accused of sexually assaulting a child. Court records show the case against Jonathan Jarocki was dismissed after the state prosecutor filed a motion last Friday. Jarocki worked at Regis Catholic Schools. He was arrested in November of 2023 after a teenage girl claim he assaulted her multiple times in 2018 when she was in sixth grade. Jarocki has repeatedly denied the allegations.

One of the two million-dollar checks billionaire Elon Musk gave during a weekend stop in Green Bay went to the chair of the Wisconsin College Republicans. Nicholas Jacobs is a student at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. His million-dollar check -- which Musk gave away to promote turnout for today's elections -- sparked backlash on social media that the giveaway was rigged. Musk says residents who receive the checks would become spokespeople for his petition to oppose activist judges.

An investigation is underway after a visitor at the Wisconsin State Capitol told an officer that they had a bomb. The Department of Administration Communications says the person appeared to have Nerf darts taped to their belt area inside the building yesterday. The person was detained and taken to the Dane County Jail for further questioning. No explosives were found in the Capitol. The initial investigation determined the incident was a mental health related crisis.

Minnesota lawmakers are considering a bipartisan plan to let teachers retire earlier with full pensions, aiming to combat rising turnover. One proposal would allow full retirement at age 60, costing taxpayers an estimated 240-million dollars annually. Two cheaper alternatives would either lower the full pension age to 62 or allow partial pensions at 60. Supporters say the move could save money long-term by replacing higher-paid retirees with younger educators. Teachers unions back the earliest retirement option, but funding remains a key hurdle.

About 9% of Wisconsin hospital jobs are vacant. That’s according to a newly released report by the Wisconsin Hospital Association. Job vacancies are down from nearly 10% a year ago, but Wisconsin’s workforce shortage remains a challenge as Baby Boomers retire and increase the demand for health care. The report recommends expanded health care career pathway programs, more flexible reimbursement models and technology support for telehealth monitoring and home care. Similar steps were recommended last year by a task force appointed by Governor Tony Evers. Of 18 job categories assessed, certified registered nurse anesthetists have the highest vacancy rate, at 13.8% followed by surgical technicians, respiratory therapists, advance practice nurses and certified nursing assistants, all with vacancy rates of 11.2% or more. The vacancy rate for registered nurses, who make up about half of the hospital workforce, is 9.1%

The Wisconsin state supreme court election is turning into a national political battle. Both parties are looking at today’s election over one seat as a referendum the direction of the country since Donald Trump's election victory. The outcome will tilt the court either liberal or conservative, impacting state congressional district maps. Elon Musk gave out two one-million dollar checks to two attendees at a town hall in Green Bay on Sunday while campaigning for the Republican candidate. The contest has already become the most expensive judicial race in American history -- expected to surpass 100-million-dollars.

A domed stadium is compromised during this weekend’s major winter storm in northern Wisconsin. The School District of Rhinelander announced that the Hodag Dome is temporarily closed after a power outage caused the structure’s roof to deflate, which led to several tears in the roof. A power generator also failed to operate, contributing to the roof’s sagging. The manufacturer of the structure will assess the damage to the dome and set plans for its repair. Upcoming events planned there have been cancelled or relocated. That includes its serving as a voting site for Tuesday’s election.

A recent University of Iowa study finds nearly half of all parents don’t monitor or restrict their teens’ internet and social media use. Sarah Long, a La Crosse based psychologist at Gundersen Health System, says parents need to be aware of what their kids are doing online.  Long says parents should set guidelines before allowing their kids to launch social media accounts and be up front about how they'll much they'll supervise.

You’ll need a new license to fish in Wisconsin this season. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers that effective April 1st all residents and nonresidents over 16 must possess a valid 2025-2026 general fishing license to fish in Wisconsin's inland waters. Along with the new licenses, the new fishing regulations are now available. Annual resident licenses cost $20 each, or purchase a spousal license for $31. All fishing licenses and stamps can be purchased online via Go Wild, at a registered sales location or at DNR Service Centers.

Bob Uecker will be honored during the Lombardi Golf Classic in June. The Lombardi Cancer Foundation says the golf competition will include a panel discussion about good memories of Uecker. Speakers will include Milwaukee Brewers greats Scott Karl and Geoff Jenkins. The Lombardi Memorial Golf Classic raises funds for cancer treatment and research to honor the memory of late Green Bay head coach Vince Lombardi.