Local-Regional News May 30

A busy day is expected today in Durand as the Durand-Arkansaw School District is hosing a WIAA Sectional Track meet at the Bauer Built Sports Complex. Durand Arkansaw Superintendent Ryan Nelson says the event is good for students and the community.  Organizers are expecting upwards of 5,000 people to attend today. Expect increased traffic near the sports complex and along Prospect Street as the district will be running shuttle buses between the High School, Caddie Woodlawn Elementary, and the Bauer Built Sports Complex.

The City of Durand is still intending to have swimming lessons this summer. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says pool staff is working on becoming certified instructors and the hope is to have lessons in late July.  The pool is expected to be open in the last half of June.

Construction is set to begin Monday on Hwy C in Glencoe Township. Crews will be working on Hwy C from Hwy 95 to Konkel Valley Road for culvert replacement and milling, and replacement of the asphalt. While Hwy C will be open, expect traffic delays

Construction crews will begin work on a pavement improvement project on Hwy 53 from Golf Road in Eau Claire to 40^th Avenue in Lake Hallie starting Monday. The $10 million project will make repairs or remove and replace segments of concrete, overlay the southbound lanes, replace guardrails and signage and place new pavement markings. Hwy 53 will be down to one lane at times, and the project is expected to be completed in October.

A man charged in connection with a recent shooting in La Crosse is now in custody. Twenty-eight-year-old Diontae Booth is accused of shooting a 20-year-old woman May 15th at a residence on Fifth Avenue South. Booth is charged with first-degree intentional homicide and was taken into custody on Thursday.

Authorities are sharing the name of a woman who lost her life in an accident on Lake Wissota. Two watercraft collided on the lake last Friday night, resulting in the death of 24-year-old Elle Jo Kramschuster. The accident remains under investigation.

The Community Foundation of Dunn County awarded the Dunn County Health Department $1,000 to purchase children’s learning and development books in a variety of languages. This funding comes from the Susan Thurin Resettlement Fund. The Health Department contracts with many programs that provide learning and development books to children who use our services, but the books provided are printed in English. With this grant, the department will purchase books in languages like Spanish, Hmong, and other languages spoken in our region that are not English.

Officials across a large swath of the country are warning about smoke due to wildfires in Canada. Parts of Canada are under a state of emergency due to raging wildfires, and the smoke is heading to the central U.S. The smoke is expected in parts of Western Wisconsin and Eastern Minnesota It could continue across the country into the Carolinas by tomorrow. Experts say residents with respiratory conditions, older adults, and children should be mindful of poor air quality in their area. If residents see or smell smoke, they should stay inside or limit strenuous outdoor activity.

Minnesota-based Hormel Foods is recalling over 250-thousand pounds of canned beef stew. According to federal health officials, the nationwide recall was issued due to potential contamination with wood fragments. The recalled products have a "FEB 2028" best by date" printed on the 20-ounce cans containing "Dinty Moore Beef Stew." There have been no confirmed reports of injury, however, consumers who have the product at home are encouraged to throw it away or return it to the place of purchase.

A Cumberland Police K9 named Kilo helped officers find almost 500 grams of meth during a traffic stop, leading to the arrest of one suspect. Driver Jeffery Snider was arrested after Kilo alerted to the drugs and police found meth and weed in the car. The street value of the drugs is estimated at about 25-thousand-dollars. This is Kilo's third successful narcotics deployment since finishing training one week ago.

Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin toured the Peck Family Farm in Chippewa Falls Wednesday to talk with farmers about how trade and tariff uncertainties are affecting their operation. Baldwin says not only are farmers' input prices uncertain, but so are farmers' export markets.  Some in Congress believe that only Congress and impose tariffs and that congress should re-assert its control over the executive branch. Baldwin says the Senate did pass a resolution revoking the emergency declaration on which the Canadian Tariffs were based, but it was not brought up for a vote in the House.  Trade agreements are usually ratified by Congress, but because the President does not have Trade Promotion Authority, if any of those agreements are brought before Congress, they could be subject to amendments by any member, thus endangering the agreement. Baldwin believes that the current trade agreement between the US and UK is not a formal agreement but rather a handshake agreement.

U.S. Senator Ron Johnson says the House passed Big Beautiful Bill budget reconciliation contains unacceptable spending, and he’ll continue to dig his heels in to oppose it. During an appearance at the Milwaukee Press Club on Wednesday, the Wisconsin Republican said he'll put pressure on House and Senate leadership and President Trump " to get serious about reducing spending because you don't defeat the deep state deep state by continuing to fund it at President Biden’s levels.” Johnson said he doesn't talk about cuts, but about returning to "reasonable pre-pandemic levels" of baseline spending using the same expenditures that President's Clinton, Obama and Trump in his first term laid out. He said "that's just returning to a reasonable spending level.” Johnson and fellow Republicans Rand Paul and Ted Cruz are opposed to the House bill, and Johnson said he believes more Republican Senators are opposed as well.

As warmer weather approaches, make sure to pay close attention to the health of you and your loved ones. The Department of Health Services is urging you to be aware of the heat this summer and know the signs of exhaustion or heat stroke. Those include confusion, rapid breathing and heartbeat, body temperature above 104 degrees, or nausea and vomiting. You can beat the heat by remaining inside air-conditioned buildings during the hottest part of the day and drinking plenty of fluids. And never leave a child or pet unattended inside a car. More than 668 Wisconsinites visited emergency rooms for heat-related illnesses last year. More tips can be found on the DHS website.

A group of wake boat owners sues a northwest Wisconsin town over its ban on the activity. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports plaintiffs from Texas and Florida claim the Burnett County Town of Scott is depriving them of use of their wake boats by not allowing their use on four lakes with the majority of their shoreline within the town. The wake boat owners have property on one of those lakes. It's the first challenge against local wake boating ordinances in Wisconsin, which have been enacted after repeated attempts to regulate them failed at the Capitol. Wake boats carry powerful motors and ballast tanks, producing waves large enough to allow a surfer to follow behind without a tow rope. Critics say the heavy waves damage shorelines and lake bottoms.

The Green Bay Packers are announcing the date for their annual family night this year. It is planned for Saturday, August 2nd at Lambeau Field. The event is an introduction to the new football season and consists of a full practice and game-like atmosphere at the stadium. Tickers are ten dollars each and go on sale at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, June 16th through Ticketmaster-dot-com. 

Local-Regional News May 29

 

Construction on the Tarrant Park Pool continues to move forward. The building is mostly complete and according to Mayor Patrick Milliren, crews will be working on the pool decking next week.  If all goes well the pool could be open by the third or 4^th week of June.

The Mondovi City Council has passed a resolution adopting NIMS as part of emergency management for Mondovi. The resolution was needed as Buffalo County had updated their emergency management plan that included NIMS as part of the plan to notify residents of emergencies.

One person was injured in a single vehicle accident in Ellsworth Township last Thursday. According to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, 21yr old Autumn Hendon of Ellsworth was traveling southbound on Hwy C when she lost control of the vehicle and entered the ditch. Hendon was taken to River Falls Area Hospital.

A Dunn County man accused of starting a fire at Shooters Showgirls on Jan. 18 entered a not guilty plea on last Thursday. Colton W. Jansen, of Comstock, was charged in January in Dunn County Court with arson of a building, burglary, and possession of burglary tools; all three charges are felonies. Jansen appeared in court via video on Thursday, where he entered the not guilty pleas to all counts. Defense attorney Aaron Nelson said he is still waiting for all discovery documents to be given to him. Jansen posted a $25,000 cash bond and remains free at this time. His next court appearance is Aug 5^th.

A new scam to report in Western Wisconsin. Eau Claire County is warning residents and businesses of a scam that tricks victims into believing they have an outstanding invoice from the Eau Claire County Planning and Development Department. According to county officials, the emails are sent under the name Matt Michels and he falsely claims he is with the Planning Department. The email includes an invoice for payment for fabricated services. If you receive one of these emails, contact the planning department and do not respond to it.

Last Friday, the Wisconsin Farmers Union gathered in Osseo to spotlight Senate Bill 148, better known as the Right to Repair bill—legislation that would give farmers and independent mechanics the legal right to repair equipment. WFU President says its important to work together so the bill passes.  Under the bill, manufacturers would be required to provide access to repair documentation, diagnostic data, software, firmware, parts, and tools—all at a fair price and on fair terms.

An Eau Claire man is facing 23 charges after being the center of a manhunt on Friday. Prosecutors say 47-year-old Leo Lacy threatened someone with a gun at Smokehouse Tobacco last Thursday. Police say he crashed his car during a police pursuit the next day in East Side Hill before running away. Schools in the area were put on lockdown while law enforcement tried to locate Lacy, who was found in a storage area above an open garage. Lacy is facing charges including a hit-and-run, recklessly endangering safety, and possession of cocaine.

State Representative Christian Phelps is looking to maintain the limit on state funding for private schools. The Eau Claire Democrat has introduced a measure that would extend the current cap, which is ten-percent of a school district's membership. That limit will expire at the end of next school year without additional legislation.

An Eau Claire tattoo artist is free on bond as he faces charges of sexual assault. Forty-four-year-old Christopher Ardoin is accused of inappropriately touching three women including two clients and a coworker. Ardoin -- who appeared in court yesterday -- was a tattoo artist at Skin Prints Studio and was fired from his position after a victim made the shop aware of their story.

Sun Country Airlines plans to continue operations out of Chippewa Valley Regional Airport. A spokesperson for the airport says that Sun Country will continue to offer nonstop seasonal service to Fort Myers. Those flights will resume on January 30th of next year

A bill at the state Capitol would give food delivery and ride share drivers an option to access benefits. The proposal, which received a hearing Tuesday, would create a portal for drivers working for companies like Uber, Lyft and DoorDash to contribute 4% of their quarterly earnings toward personal health care and retirement savings accounts. Companies employing the drivers would not be required to contribute and the individual drivers could choose to allocate additional funds to their accounts. The bill specifies that drivers participating in the plan are independent contractors and not employees.

A new focus group session made up of Wisconsin swing voters is showing general support for President Trump's actions in office so far. Research firm Engagious put together a group of ten independents and two Republicans who voted for Joe Biden in 2020 and Trump in 2024 and asked them their opinions on the president's start to his second term. Nine out of the 12 said they approve of Trump's actions and none said they would vote for Vice President Kamala Harris if they could vote in the election again. Trump won Wisconsin by about 30-thousand votes in the latest election, the smallest margin in any of the swing states he carried.

The Department of Natural Resources asks anglers to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. Wisconsin law requires draining livewells, motors and containers before leaving a boat launch or fishing spot to prevent transport of diseases and invasive species from one waterbody to the next. The DNR says you can help by inspecting all fishing equipment for attached aquatic plants, animals or mud. If anything is attached, make sure you remove it before heading to a new body of water. You should also dispose of unwanted bait in the trash and never move live fish away from a waterbody. More information is available on the DNR's website.

The latest update from Cellcom says service is slowly returning to normal. The carrier says voice and data service is "performing well" for most customers though they are still working to stabilize the network following a cyber incident, which began on May 14th and led to a widespread outage that took down service for nearly all customers for more than a week. Customers may still see occasional outages as the network continues to recover, and anyone who is still experiencing lengthy outages should restart their devices before calling customer service. Customers who stayed with Cellcom through the outage will receive a bill credit.

A suspect in the Feeding the Future fraud case is accused of trying to flee the country. Hibo Daar was arrested over the weekend at a Twin Cities airport. He appeared in federal court yesterday in Minneapolis on a charge of wire fraud. Prosecutors say the defendant from Eden Prairie used federal funds to buy luxury homes, cars, and other items. Daar is the head of the Northside Wellness Center, and he claimed to have served hundreds of thousands of meals to children. She remains behind bars without bond before her court hearing on Friday.

The Irvine Park Zoo in Chippewa Falls is announcing the arrival of new residents. The zoo reports they've recently taken in a pair of eight-week-old red foxes and a pair of eleven-month-old porcupines in addition to hissing cockroaches and a tarantula. The zoo is open daily from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m..

Local-Regional News May 28

 

The Mondovi City Council has approved changes to hours at City Hall. At last night's council meeting, City Administrator Loken requested the change in hours, citing a lack of residents using city hall on Friday’s. Loken requested the new hours be from 7am-4pm Monday through Thursday, and from 7-Noon on Fridays. Residents needing services after noon on Fridays could also make an appointment. The council approved the proposal pending approval by Mayor Weiss.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on contracting with HeyGov to process online forms and payments, and a possible time change to the start time of council meetings. Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall and will also be live streamed on the WRDN Website.

The Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railroad will begin night work on the rail corridor in Wabasha County, along Highway 61, in the coming weeks. Crews will replace railroad ties and reinstall grade crossings on roads that intersect the line. County residents living near the tracks should expect track maintenance machines to generate noise and light during overnight hours. The maintenance is expected to last into mid-July.

The case against a man who allegedly led Eau Claire Police in a destructive pursuit continues. Reports say that 41-year-old Nathan Stevens led officers in the April chase that resulted in damage to seven police vehicles. Charges against Stevens include recklessly endangering safety. In court Tuesday, the defendant stated that he has been unable to acquire an attorney. A new court date has been set for June 10th.

The Chippewa County Sheriff's Office is investigating a hit-and-run crash near Bloomer. Security cameras show a driver crashing into the Val's Place bar near highways 64 and 124 a little after 12 a.m. Tuesday and then driving off. No one was hurt, but the business is closed for now.

Farmers in Western Wisconsin and around the state may be eligible for financial help through the state's Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Applications for Specialty Crop Block grants are now being accepted. Grants ranging in value from ten-thousand dollars to 100-thousand dollars are available for folks who are eligible. More details can be found at datcp.wi.gov.

The Winona County Sheriff’s Office and Crime Stoppers is offering a monetary reward for anyone with information on a drive-by shooting that occurred on Saturday. According to the Sheriff’s Department, the shooting happened around 11:30pm on Main Street in Rollingstone when someone in a passing vehicle fired shots at a house. Two other homes on Main Street were also struck by gunfire as well as another home on Speltz’s Drive. The suspect vehicle is described as a darker colored SUV. The Sheriff’s Office is seeking information on the incident, and Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of $500 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person(s) involved in the incident.

One Republican senator says there's enough opposition to stop President Trump's so-called "big, beautiful bill" unless changes are made. Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin told CNN Sunday that the bill needs deeper spending cuts and should make a serious effort to reduce the deficit. Any changes in the massive bill would send it back to the House, where it narrowly passed by one vote last week. House Speaker Mike Johnson is urging senators not to make too many changes lest it disrupt the delicate balance they've reached.

Wisconsin’s Republican U.S. Senator wants members of former President Joe Biden’s administration to voluntarily testify before a subcommittee he chairs. Senator Ron Johnson sent letters to 28 Biden aides and cabinet members seeking an appearance before the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations by June 6. Johnson cites “Original Sin,” a book by journalists Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, noting it includes references to members of the administration who were alarmed by Biden’s health. Johnson wrote that’s at odds with cabinet members who described Biden publicly as healthy and mentally sharp. He said “the public deserves full and complete transparency about what was known and when” regarding Biden’s health.

A search for a missing boater on a Madison led to the discovery of another body. The body of a man was recovered from Lake Monona Friday night during recovery efforts for the boater who's been missing since a sailboat capsized on the lake earlier this month. The Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office will perform additional testing to confirm the man's identity while the search for the missing boater continues.

An emergency rule set in January to try and combat lead poisoning is now permanent in Wisconsin. The rule lowers the lead poisoning threshold. The Department of Health Services says that change will make more families and children eligible for lead poisoning and intervention services, including screening and follow-up. The Centers for Disease Control says even a small amount of lead exposure can reduce a child's learning capacity and ability to pay attention. Several Milwaukee Public Schools facilities were closed earlier this year due to high lead levels.

Time is running out for an amendment to fix Minnesota's new anti-lead law, which is the toughest in the nation. It reduces allowable lead levels to point-oh-nine-percent, which would make door and car keys illegal in the state. It's included in Minnesota's new environmental law, and would limit toxic heavy metals like lead and cadmium to protect children. A bill introduced in the Minnesota State House would exempt keys from the new lead restriction, but the bill hasn't been up for a vote yet. The new lead law goes into effect July 1st.

Mandatory milk testing is now underway in Wisconsin. State agriculture officials launched the program last week in an effort to monitor bird flu and the potential impact on diary cattle. Experts are planning to collect one milk sample from each of the state's dairy farms every month. There have not been any avian flu infections in Wisconsin cattle reported so far.

A Rochester teen accused of shooting a 17-year-old girl in the face is expected to appear in court in July. Jayden Scott has been charged with assault, terroristic threats, and carrying a weapon in a public place. Police say the 18-year-old defendant shot the victim on Saturday at Silver Lake Park. The girl survived the shooting. Scott is free on bail with conditions that include no assault or threatening behavior. His next hearing is on July 9th.

The Milwaukee County War Memorial Center is looking to secure state dollars to make up for an upcoming funding cut. Trustees with the center say 20 percent of their current budget is paid by the county but that agreement will be expiring in 2033. The facility's operators have successfully lobbied state lawmakers to introduce a bill that would provide them with nine million dollars from the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs. That funding would be matched by private donations, giving the War Memorial Center a total of 18 million for their preservation fund.

Local-Regional News May 23

 

The Durand-American Legion Post 181 will be holding Memorial Day Services to honor members of the US Military who died while serving their country. Services begin Monday morning at 8am at the Lima Cemetery, 8:40 at the St. Josephs-Arkansaw Cemetery, 9am at Arkansaw Cemetery, 9:15 at French Cemetery, 9:45 at the Pepin County Veteran Memorial, 10:30 at Memorial Park in Durand, 11:10am at Forest Hill Cemetery and the St. Mary’s Memorial Day Service is at 11:30.

Investigators say they believe a fire that tore through Menomonie's downtown area this week was electrical in nature. No final determination has been made on the cause of the Tuesday night blaze that left many properties in ruins. Clean-up in the area continues. No injuries have been reported.

Rural Dunn County residents will soon be able to take advantage of rides to Menomonie. Dunn County Transit will be offering scheduled pickups on Tuesdays from each of four rider zones. The Tuesday pickups will rotate between the four zones. Normal fares will be fifteen dollars per ride but will be free this summer as Dunn County ADRC is covering the cost. Those needing a rid will have to call Dunn County Transit 24hr in advance. Dunncountywi.gov has more info.

The City of Durand has written off noncollectible ambulance service bills from prior to 2018. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the write-offs were requested by the city auditors since the debt is over six years old and can’t be collected. Milliren says the city is now working on getting unpaid bills collected after 2018.

There has been no word yet on the cause of a Thursday afternoon fire in Chippewa County. Crews dispatched to a barn fire in Edson say they arrived to find a number of large hay bales on fire. Firefighters put the fire out and used skid steers to pull the hay bales out of the barn. All animals were able to escape the flames and the barn remains standing.

Two defendant charged in connection with a shooting in Fairchild are entering pleas. Mark Dickinsen and Aaron Walker were charged following a shooting in September of last year at a location on Park Street. Dickinsen has pleaded no contest to charges including intimidation of a victim and OWI. Walker has pleaded not guilty to similar charges and his case remains pending.

Eighteen Wisconsin school districts are getting almost one-million-dollars to pay for new advanced manufacturing and technical education equipment. The Department of Workforce Development says the funding will benefit more than 42-hundred students across the state. The department says the money will go toward addressing the state's skilled labor shortage through programs that help prepare students for those careers. Here in Western Wisconsin, Eleva Strum, Ellsworth and Osseo-Fairchild School Districts all received grants. Supported projects include new welding labs, dental and biomedical lab equipment, and materials needed to start new programs like industrial robotics.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is urging state residents to stay safe this Memorial Day weekend. DNR officials say anyone planning to hit the state's UTV and ATV trails should wear a helmet, and riders under 18 are required to use one by law. The department adds that those going out on the water should wear a life jacket and avoid using alcohol while operating a boat.

A fundraiser has been established to help the family of one of the victims in a deadly shooting at UW-Platteville. A GoFundMe has been set up in the memory of 22-year-old Kelsie Martin of Beloit who was shot and killed on Monday. Martin just graduated with a psychology degree a few days before the shooting. Police say she was shot in a campus residence hall by 22-year old Hallie Helms who then fatally shot herself. The motive for the shooting is still under investigation.

The Goodhue County Sheriff's Office is emphasizing boating safety as the Memorial Day weekend nears. Sergeant Jordan Winberg says checking the weather conditions is critical. He adds that a life jacket is the most important piece of equipment. Winberg says children under ten years old should wear one at all times. He also mentioned that most boat crashes are related to alcohol use. Violators could face a fine, jail time, or even a loss of license.

At the Capitol, legislation requiring child sexual abuse prevention programming in Wisconsin K-12 schools advances. The bill was approved Wednesday by the Assembly Committee on Children and Families, where Appleton Democrat Lee Snodgrass noted it would not apply to private schools. She said it should include all children in the state of Wisconsin. Oconomowoc Republican Barb Dittrich didn’t disagree while citing the recent case of a school bus driver accused of sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl on his bus. Dittrich said it's critical to teach kids safety at an appropriate age and called the bill the start of something very positive. The bill requires school boards to provide at least one instructional session to pupils in 4K through grade 12, specifies what that program must cover, and requires that parents be notified and given the option to exempt their students.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court won't hear another appeal from Steven Avery. Avery is serving a life sentence for the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach in Manitowoc County and has submitted numerous appeals throughout his time in prison. The latest attempt from Avery's attorneys said there was evidence an alternate suspect committed the murder, but that was rejected by both the circuit and appeals courts. The Supreme Court's denial is just one sentence long and unsigned. Avery, now 62 years old, is incarcerated at Fox Lake Correctional Institution in Dodge County.

At the Capitol, a Republican bill to increase penalties for rioting in Wisconsin is paused for now. The legislation received significant opposition earlier this month in the state Assembly's Judiciary Committee and was not given a committee vote on Wednesday. Democrats Ryan Clancy of Milwaukee and Andrew Hysell of Sun Prairie were pleased, calling the bill legal overreach that could be used against legitimate protests. The bill's author, Two Rivers Republican Shae Sortwell, accused them of falsely claiming the bill was “pulled” from Wednesday’s agenda when a vote hadn’t officially been scheduled. Committee chair Representative Ron Tusler told WisPolitics in a statement that the bill in its current form has “constitutional, common-sense, and enforcement issues” and will not receive a vote until those are addressed.

A Minneapolis woman who pleaded guilty in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme is going to prison. Sahra Nur has been sentenced to four years behind bars and has been ordered to pay millions in restitution. She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in 2023. Nur confessed in court that her business, S&S Catering, claimed to have provided over one million meals to children from September 2020 through April 2021. Prosecutors say she served only a fraction of that number despite receiving federal reimbursement.

The Chippewa Area History Center will play host this weekend to a group of World War II reenactors. The group will stage an interactive wartime encampment complete with authentic uniforms, vehicles and more. Folks can check out the encampment reenactment Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Local-Regional News May 22

 

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board has approved a new policy for outdoor graduation ceremonies. At last nights board meeting, the board approved the new policy that the forecasted temperature must be at least 60, winds under 10mph, and no rain or lightning. The final decision on having graduation indoor or outdoor will be made by noon on Wednesday before graduation.

Clean-up efforts continue in Menomonie today after a destructive Tuesday night fire. Firefighters were called to Town and Country Antiques at East 3^rd and Main and found a lagre fire from the business and the apartments above it. The historic building and apartments are a total loss. There have been no reports of injuries and no word on the cause of the fire. The American Red Cross is assisting those displaced by the fire.

The Durand City Council has approved changing the hours city hall is open to the public during the week. The new hours will give city employees time to finish work at the beginning and end of the day. Those needing to see city staff outside of public hours will be able to make an appointment.

No one was hurt when a semi caught fire in Dunn County Wednesday morning. According to authorities, a semi had its brakes overheat and start on fire near the intersection of Hwy 12 and 29. The fire spread to the trailer, which was carrying cinder blocks. Firefighters were able to quickly put out the blaze, and no one was hurt.

Weather permitting today, residents along Hwy 35 north of Pepin may notice large yellow low-flying planes today as the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture will be spraying for spongy moth. The planes will be spraying an organic chemical that prevents the moths from mating and does not harm people, bees, pets, or other animals. People with severe allergies may wish to stay indoors during nearby treatment applications.

The Lake City Public Works Department has announced that season passes and swimming lesson registrations will be available online starting on Tuesday. Due to a donation from the Peters Memorial Foundation, individual and family season passes will be offered 50% off while funds last on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information on swimming lessons and passes, visit the Lake City Website and select O’Neil Pool under the Community Programs Tab.

Wisconsin's Department of Children and Families Secretary Jeff Pertl paid a visit to Eau Claire on Wednesday. Pertl made an appearance at the Eau Clair Children's Museum where he took part in a discussion with child care providers about the expectation of cuts to Gov. Tony Evers' proposed state budget. An estimated 480-million dollars is being pulled out of the Child Care Counts program by the Republican-led Joint Committee on Finance. Pertl says the investments made in public education and vouchers for private schools compared to child care subsidies for working families of children ages zero to five are simply not even.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is reminding hunters that the deadline for elk hunting licenses is coming up soon. The last day to apply is May 31st. Applicants will need to choose between the Clam Lake Elk Range or Black River Elk Range when entering the drawing. Applications can be purchased through the Go Wild website or in-person at the state's license agents.

The CEO of Wisconsin based mobile carrier Cellcom confirms a cyber attack took down its voice and data services last week. CEO Bridget Rirden made the announcement in an unscripted YouTube video on Tuesday. She says there is no evidence to show that personal customer data like payment cards, bank account information, or Social Security numbers have been compromised. Rirden says tech crews have been brought in from around the country but there’s no timeline for when service will be completely restored. Most Cellcom customers have been without voice and data service since last Thursday, leaving them to rely on web-based messengers to connect with family and friends. Some services were restored on Monday including voice calls between Cellcom Customers.

At the Capitol on Tuesday, a committee hearing for a bill to provide a tax credit for companies filming movies and tv in Wisconsin. Milwaukee Based film producer Jeffrey Kurz says productions are currently bypassing Wisconsin, and the tax credit would a tremendous economic and branding opportunity for the state. Rachel Harrison is a stunt performer born and raised in Wisconsin and says attracting productions would create thousands of jobs and the opportunity for Wisconsin to get involved in the multi billion dollar film industry. The bill would allow companies to apply for a 30% credit equal to costs of salary or wages for Wisconsin residents working on productions. It would also create a state film office to implement the tax credits.

The Oak Creek Common Council is approving a permit for Buc-ees to build a gas station in Oak Creek. The permit would allow a 120-pump gas station to be built near South 27th and West Elm. Buc-ees says it expects more than ten-thousand vehicles to visit the gas station every day. A dozen people, mostly residents who live near the new station's construction site, came to the common council meeting to oppose the new station. They raised concerns about property taxes, light pollution, and the environment. The council approve the permit four-to-one.

A 10-year-old dies in a Richland County UTV crash. It happened Saturday on private property in the township of Dayton. Investigation by the Department of Natural Resources determined that the boy and a passenger were riding on private property when the driver took a quick turn, causing the small UTV to tip over on the driver's side. The DNR is still determining safety certifications and helmet use. The boy’s death marks the 13th ATV/UTV related fatality in Wisconsin already this year. There were 40 such fatal crashes last year.

Target says price hikes will be a 'very last resort' for offsetting tariffs. The comment comes despite the retailer reporting weaker-than-expected sales in its first quarter. According to Target's CEO, the company has "many levers to use in mitigating the impact of tariffs." Major retailers appear to be treading cautiously around the question of price hikes after Trump slammed Walmart for warning that shoppers could pay more due to tariffs.