Local-Regional News May 20

 

Property owners in Durand will see a reassessment of their property in 2026. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the city was notified of the reassessment requirement recently.  Mondovi went through a reassessment of the city last year.

Residents in the city of Mondovi are being reminded to keep their yards mowed. The City has an ordinance requiring property owners to mow their lawns. The city is now hanging 24-hour notices for residents in violation of this ordinance. Property owners who do not mow their yards will have the city mow their yard, and the property owner will be responsible for the cost of mowing.

The Dunn County Sheriff’s Department is seeking the public’s help in identifying those responsible for damaging the restrooms a Ridgeland Park. In a social media post, the department shows pictures of a sink filled with rocks and damage to a urinal. Anyone with information is to contact the Sheriff’s Department or Dunn County Crimestoppers.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced Monday that the Tank Creek Bridge on the Great River State Trail is currently closed until further notice due to damage from a fire on Thursday evening. There were no injuries reported, but the bridge is a total loss. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Due to the location of the bridge, there is no current reroute in place. A timeline and budget for replacement have not yet been established. The bridge was originally built in 1957 as a railroad bridge for the abandoned Chicago-Northwestern railroad line and is over 200 feet long and located approximately three miles east of Trempealeau.

A Hudson man charged in connection with the killing of his wife has been found competent to stand trial. Police performing a welfare check at a home on Namekagon Street back in March found the victim dead at the scene. Fifty-four-year-old Chad Haworth has been charged with intentional homicide in the case. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for later this week.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul is looking into the challenges that are coming as a result of federal funding cuts for victim services. The AG visited Eau Claire yesterday to hear from victim advocates and others who have been impacted by crime. Kaul says the Trump Administration has slashed funding related to Wisconsin's Victims of Crime Act from 44-million dollars per year down to 13-million. A number of state programs have been reduced and staff members have been laid off because of the cutbacks, according to the attorney general.

Authorities in Altoona are reminding folks about ordinances pertaining to the placement of signs in the community. City leaders say they have seen a number of signs show up recently promoting businesses that engage in hail damage repair. The activity coincides with a recent hailstorm that impacted a number of residents and businesses. The City of Altoona and Altoona Police remind folks that those sorts of temporary signs can only be placed at locations where such work is currently being performed. Police say that signs that do not abide by the law will be removed.

Details are limited on an incident that led to a shelter-in-place order at UW-Platteville yesterday afternoon. Campus safety officials sent out the alert shortly before 4:30 p.m. The order was lifted a short time later and the Grant County coroner was called to a student residence hall. Since then, university leaders have cancelled final exams for the week and have offered counseling services for students. Campus Police Chief Joe Hallman has said one person was transported from a residence hall to a nearby hospital and no one is in custody but no other information has been made available so far.

A Rochester man is in custody after he was accused of leading police on a pursuit through Olmsted County. The incident happened Saturday afternoon when officers attempted to stop the suspect for allegedly speeding. The man then sped off and attempted to flee from deputies on his motorcycle. He reportedly was going 90 miles per hour in a 55-mph zone. The man was later arrested on suspicion of fleeing from police, reckless driving, and speeding.

Wisconsin’s higher ed funding takes another drop. According to the latest analysis from a national organization of state higher education executives, the Universities of Wisconsin ranked 44th out of 50 states in public funding in 2024 — a drop of one spot from 2023. That’s behind Illinois and Michigan, which ranked 1st and 2nd, as well as below neighboring Iowa and Minnesota. Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman said more public investment is urgent. Just 18 percent of the UW System’s current two-year budget of $13.7 billion comes from state taxpayers. Governor Tony Evers’ budget proposal included the largest increase ever for the UW system - $856 million, a number unlikely to survive budget deliberations in the Republican controlled legislature.

“It’s fake.” That’s the message U.S. Senator Ron Johnson delivered to delegates at the weekend’s state Republican Party Convention in Rothschild, regarding the House deficit reduction bill. Johnson said "the big, beautiful bill isn't what it's advertised to be" and will actually be increasing the federal budget deficit by a total of about $4 trillion over the next 10 years. Johnson told delegates he’s “digging his heels in” even as other Senate Republicans oppose the House bill due to its cuts to Medicaid, arguing that will harm working Americans.

Minnesota legislators are defunding the proposed Northern Lights Express project. Both the House and Senate approved a measure to redirect 77 million dollars of approved state funding for the passenger rail service designed to connect the Twin Cities and Duluth. The plan now heads to Governor Tim Walz for his signature. The funds will then go toward covering unemployment insurance costs for seasonal school workers. House Republican Transportation Chair Representative Jon Koznick says the move means the Northern Lights Express train is effectively dead.

The Department of Natural Resources has funding available for organizations to promote ATV/UTV safety. Off-Highway Vehicle Administrator Jacob Holsclaw says it's a great avenue for the DNR to be able to connect with local organizations that will spread the word on how to enjoy ATVs and UTVs safely. Organizations are encouraged to apply for this two-year program by the end of May for up to $316,464 in funding annually. Visit the DNR's website for more information on how to apply for funding.

The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum has released its Pope Leo 14th bobblehead. During its release week two-thousand Pope Leo bobbleheads were sold to customers across 47 states. The museum said the bobbleheads have been popular in Chicago where the Pope was born and raised and in Philadelphia where he went to college. The eight-inch bobblehead is on presale with an anticipated November shipping date. Each costs 30-dollars plus shipping and tax.