No one was injured in a semi vs train accident on Hwy 25 in Nelson Wednesday morning. According to the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Department, witnesses said a 65yr old male from Durand was driving a semi fully loaded with fertilizer, crossed the railroad tracks while the crossing arms were down and the trailer was struck by a BNSF Train. The impact caused an estimated 24,000 pounds of fertilizer to spill across the scene. Due to the nature of the material , two separate cleanup crews were dispatched to clear the area and remove the debris from the truck. The semi driver was not injured and the BNSF Train conductor was assessed by EMS on the scene. Hwy 25 was closed for nearly 6 hours.
Construction of the Tarrant Park Pool is moving forward. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says residents will notice many changes in the next week. It is hoped the pool will be open in mid-June.
Severe weather is possible across the WRDN Listening area this afternoon. The National Weather Service says the storms could develop late this afternoon and early evening as a cold front moves through the region. The main threat wold be large hail and damaging winds. Rain is also expected tomorrow with much cooler temperatures for the weekend.
There's a new public boat dock in downtown Menomonie. The newly completed dock opened yesterday along Lake Menomin near the intersection of Crescent Street and Sixth Avenue. The city's Community Services Department repurposed a dock that was at Lakeside Park and cleared an overgrown walking trail for easy access. The dock can accommodate two boats at a time for a maximum of two hours.
The Tainter Lake Rehabilitation District is offering fisherman $2 for every common carp they catch regardless of size. To reduce the population on Tainter Lake, the rehabilitation district is asking people to catch as many as they can in two upcoming weekends: May 30 - June 1, and June 6-8 from 6 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Sunday. People wanting to participate will need to check in at the Elk Point station before competing. There is no entrance fee. Money will not be paid out for any other kind of fish. The district is hoping anglers catch 1500 fish.
Investigators say no human remains were found in a search of a home in Chippewa Falls. Investigators received a tip through CrimeStoppers that human remains were buried on the property of a home, but police haven't disclosed the location of the home. Yesterday, investigators dug up the yard of the home and used technology in an attempt to locate human remains, but nothing was found.
Surveys for invasive spongy moths are set to begin here in Western Wisconsin. From mid-May through early July, the Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection will be setting approximately 8,000 traps for spongy moths across 36 counties including Pepin, Dunn, Pierce, Buffalo and Eau Claire. Most traps will be set along public roads, but some will require placement on private property. DATCP asks that if you come across a spongy moth trap, which are small green boxes stapled or tied to trees, to leave it be. The data collected from the traps is crucial to helping limit the spread of the invasive species. More info on spongy moth trapping can be found on DATCP's website.
Expect
multiple high profile cases before the Wisconsin Supreme Court to get
rulings soon. Liberal Justice Ann Walsh Bradley is set to end her
30th year in the court next month and that means the court will have
to deliver opinions in a number of cases. That includes a full ruling
on Wisconsin's current abortion laws, rulings on Wisconsin Act 10
which restricts collective bargaining for public unions, a ruling on
W I A A actions against student athletes, and a ruling on PFAS
regulations. There's also a challenge from Governor Tony Evers
against the legislative committee that handles how state agencies are
allowed to create rules which has consistently blocked actions by
Evers' office. Bradley's last day is June 30th.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is reminding ATV/UTV drivers to complete an approved safety course. The DNR said this is an effort to prevent crashes. Forty-five people died in ATV/UTV crashes in Wisconsin last year. More information about safety courses is available online at dnr-dot-wisconsin-dot-gov.
The state Assembly approves a bipartisan bill allowing pharmacists in Wisconsin to prescribe and dispense birth control to those 18 years or older. The bill’s author, Republican Representative Joel Kitchens of Sturgeon Bay, said nearly half of the pregnancies in Wisconsin are unplanned each year, and the highest rate is among young women in poverty. More than two-thirds of unplanned deliveries are paid for by Medicaid. The bill applies to oral hormonal contraceptives and patches. It passed on an 87-10 vote Tuesday – but whether it can pass in the Senate is another matter - Kitchens noted similar legislation has the Assembly three times previously without gaining a Senate vote.
A Former State Supreme Court Justice won't argue misconduct charges but objects to how they were delivered. The state Office of Lawyer Regulation is requesting that Michael Gableman’s law license be suspended for three years. The Wisconsin State Journal reports that O L R called Gableman's failed review of the 2020 presidential election "selfish" and that he held a "personal desire to overturn" the results of the election. Gableman says he cannot defend against the allegations against him, but maintains that "reality is more nuanced" and that O L R's claims he was selfish are overblown. An independent magistrate will make a ruling on the case, and the State Supreme court will have to sign off on any punishment.
State
lawmakers are not likely to require sprinkler systems to be
retrofitted to older apartment buildings in Wisconsin. Assembly
Speaker Robin Vos was asked about that in the wake of a deadly
Mother’s Day fire in Milwaukee. The Republican leader who is
himself a landlord said any such requirement would make it more
expensive to rent an apartment, because landlords would pass costs on
to tenants. Sunday’s fire engulfed the four-story Milwaukee
apartment building built in 1968. Five people died. Many Wisconsin
residential buildings constructed before 1974 are not required to
have sprinklers.
There's a change in leadership at Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth Group. In a statement, the company announced on Tuesday that Andrew Witty is stepping down as CEO for "personal reasons." Witty had been with UnitedHealth Group since 2018 and had served as CEO for a little over four years. Former CEO Stephen J. Hemsley was appointed to replace Witty "effective immediately" according to the statement. Hemsley, who will continue to serve as chair of UnitedHealth Group's Board of Directors, was CEO from 2006-to-2017. Witty will remain with United as a "senior adviser." UnitedHealth Group is the largest insurer in the U.S.
An investigation is underway after weekend explosions and fires extensively damaged a manufacturing plant in central Wisconsin. Marshfield firefighters responded to blasts and 30-foot flames at Forte Opening Solutions Sunday morning. A sprinkler system prevented the spread of the fire as crews worked for four hours to extinguish the flames. Many of the fires around the plant were hard to access, with the firefighters slowed due to the risk of further dust explosions. One firefighter was treated at the scene for a heat-related injury. The total damage from the fire, estimated at $75,000, may increase as an investigation proceeds.
Registration is underway for the all-new girls' flag football leagues in Chippewa Valley. Leagues are forming for second through sixth grade girls, along with leagues for middle school and high school girls if there's enough interest. Practices will be on Tuesday and Thursday evenings until the season starts in August. Registration and more information are available online at cvyouthfootball-dot-org
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