Local-Regional News July 2

 

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board has approved plans to move forward with construction of a district-owned Early Learning Center. The new Early Learning Center will serve children as young as six weeks old through age 12, offering comprehensive care and early learning experiences in a safe, nurturing, and developmentally appropriate environment. The facility will be large enough to accommodate up to 125 children, supporting the district’s mission of empowering all to learn, grow, and succeed from their earliest years. Construction of the Early Learning Center is anticipated to begin later this fall, with plans to open its doors to children and families by August 2026.

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department is reminding residents that the main entrance to the Sheriff’s Office will be closed during the construction of the new government center. The department is asking residents to not drive through the construction zone, and if you have to contact the department for non-emergencies, to use the non-emergency number.

Authorities are advising weekend boaters and kayakers to avoid the Red Cedar River from 22 Mile Ford Park to past Colfax. The river’s high and fast-moving water, along with debris, is making the river dangerous for water activities. Rescue crews were called to the river to rescue 6 kayakers over the weekend. Rivers in Western Wisconsin will remain high over the Fourth of July weekend.

Xcel Energy is encouraging boaters and fishermen to steer clear of the area surrounding the Dells Hydro Dam in Eau Claire. The company says the area could be dangerous with a dam safety barrier having been washed out. A spokesperson for Xcel Energy says that boating, canoeing or kayaking above the Dells hydro dam is not recommended until they can safely reinstall the boat barrier.

The Wisconsin Joint Finance Committee approved two funding items to support mental health treatment in Chippewa Falls. The two provisions to the state budget authored by Sen. Jesse James (R-Thorp) and Rep. Clint Moses (R-Menomonie) grant $10 million to Rogers Behavioral Health to establish a behavioral health hospital and $1 million to Lutheran Social Services to re-open the L.E. Phillips Libertas Treatment Center. The proposed behavioral health hospital in Chippewa Falls would offer crisis stabilization, residential treatment, and adult and youth outpatient services.

The Chippewa County Health Cooperative reports it is now the new owner of the former St. Joseph's Hospital. St. Joseph's has been shuttered for more than 16 months but the Health Cooperative says they plan to reopen the facility under a new name -- Chippewa Valley Cooperative Hospital. A reopening planned for this fall will have the facility offering wound care and cancer services with additional services added over time.

Wisconsin's new budget has 110-million dollars set aside for direct payments to child care providers. Governor Tony Evers let Republican state lawmakers know that he would veto the spending plan if those funds were not provided. There is also over 120-million earmarked to help subsidize daycare for working families that have trouble affording the service. The Wisconsin Legislature is expected to take a final vote on the budget bill today.

Nearly one-and-a-half-million Wisconsin residents are expected to hit the road for this Fourth of July weekend. Triple A is estimating record-breaking highway travel for the holiday. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation expects today, Thursday, Friday, and this coming Sunday to be the busiest days on the road. Officials are asking motorists to be courteous and patient and watch for construction and emergency workers while driving around the Badger State.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has a new Chief Justice starting today. Justice Jill Karofsky will serve as Chief Justice until her term ends in April 2027. She was first elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2020 and previously served as a Dane County Circuit Court Judge and with the DOJ's Office of Crime Victim Services. Previous Chief Justice Ann Walsh Bradley's term ended yesterday.

The Universities of Wisconsin System responds to the budget agreement between Governor Tony Evers and Republicans in the State Legislature. UW System President Jay Rothman says the roughly $240 million increase in the system budget marks the largest overall increase in over two decades. Rothman says with the new investments, UW schools can do more to provide the educational opportunities students deserve and parents expect. The deal between the governor and Republicans imposes a minimum faculty workload requirement. The UW System had initially asked for a $855 million overall increase, and Republicans had discussed the possibility of cutting the system's budget by $87 million.

You can help prevent the spread of the invasive Jumping Worms in Wisconsin. The state Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection says the invasive species native to eastern Asia first popped up in Wisconsin in 2013. Jumping worms alter the soil and create a challenging environment for growing plants and trees and establishing lawns. You can help prevent the spread of jumping worms by cleaning your equipment when moving from one site to another, inspecting plant materials before installing, and ensuring wood chips and mulch are sourced from responsible suppliers. More information can be found on DATCP's website.

A Rochester man accused of firing at a vehicle during a botched drug deal is pleading not guilty. Katavion Leggins was arrested on June 17th. He was on probation when the incident took place. The defendant has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, reckless discharge of a firearm, and possession of a firearm as a felon. Leggins is scheduled to face trial on April 28th.

A new motorcycle law took effect yesterday. Both "lane splitting" and "lane filtering" are now legal in Minnesota, under certain scenarios. Lane splitting for motorcyclists will be allowed when two or more lanes of traffic are moving in the same direction. This allows a motorcycle to pass another vehicle going in the same direction, and in the same lane, but not over 25 miles an hour. Lane filtering is when a motorcycle moves between lanes of traffic when other vehicle aren't moving, and is now allowed at nothing over 15 miles per hour over the speed of traffic.

The Wisconsin State Patrol is entering a vehicle in this year's Best Looking Cruiser contest. The annual competition is sponsored by the American Association of State Troopers. Voters have until July eleventh to look through photos of police cars and trucks from across the nation and select their favorite. The top 13 cruisers will be featured in next year's AAST calendar, with the winner placed on the cover. A link to vote is posted on the AAST webpage at state-troopers-dot-org.

Local-Regional News July 1

 

A Mondovi man was injured and arrested after a one-vehicle accident Sunday in the Town of Gilmanton. According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, rescue crews were sent to the scene on Hwy 88 near Lieberman Road and found a vehicle driven by 58-year-old Edward Stiner of Mondovi off the road. Stiner was taken to Mayo Clinic in Eau Claire, and after an investigation of the accident, deputies determined alcohol was likely a factor. Stiner was arrested for OWI 3^rd offense.

Compeer Financial is warning its customers of scam phone calls that appear to be coming from a Compeer Financial number. The caller identifies themselves as a member of the Compeer Fraud Team and is requesting confidential information related to clients' accounts. Compeer is reminding customers that they will never call, email, or text you asking for account passwords, usernames, social security numbers, or other personal information. If you receive a call like this, you are to hang up and call Compeer directly to report it.

Arcadia Police say more arrests may be coming following a large-scale weekend fight. According to reports, a fight involving 20 to 30 people broke out just after 1 a.m. Sunday at the Memorial Park Pavilion. Four people were taken to a local hospital for treatment of non life-threatening injuries. A suspect who police say was armed with a machete during the fight was later arrested.

Charges are being filed against a woman accused of stealing funds from an Eau Claire non profit. According to reports, Kayla Szydel stole thousands from the Wellness Shack mental health center. Charges against the suspect include theft in a business setting. Szydel is expected to appear in court tomorrow.

The National Weather Service says another tornado was confirmed in Wabasha County last Wednesday. The Tornado was and EF-0, with maximum winds of 50mph, and went approximately 2.7 miles just south of Lake City. This is the second tornado confirmed on the ground in Wabasha County from last week’s storms. The first was an EF-1 with 100mph winds and destroyed a home northeast of Zumbro Falls.

Many Wisconsin drivers are noticing a decrease in prices at the pump this week as the July 4^th holiday weekend approaches. Triple-A says the average price of regular fuel in Eau Claire -- for example -- is now two-93 per gallon. That's a drop of eight-cents per gallon from last week. The average cost of a gallon of regular fuel in the Badger State is two-96 per gallon.

The deadline to lock in Wisconsin's biennial budget has now passed. State lawmakers failed to approve the two-year spending plan before yesterday, meaning the budget has not been delivered on time for the first time in eight years. Republicans and Governor Evers did reach an agreement overnight on funding for things like childcare, public schools, and tax cuts. The state's Joint Finance Committee will be meeting this morning to put finishing touches on the spending plan, meaning the full Assembly and Senate could vote on it as early as tomorrow.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is asking residents and visitors to take extra precautions out on the water this Fourth of July weekend. Officials say the state's rivers and lakes are high right now because of recent heavy rainfall. Recreation Warden Joseph Mulrooney warns that rising water can make rivers unpredictable by changing currents and carrying more debris. DNR officials will also be joining the nationwide Operation Dry Water initiative this weekend, an effort to crack down on boating under the influence.

Victim service providers and advocates are calling on the Wisconsin State Legislature to fully fund the Department of Justice's victim services budget request. Late Friday, the Legislature's Joint Committee on Finance approved $20 million to go towards victim services. DOJ had requested nearly $68 million over two years. Bryan took part in a Monday media conference with Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul.

Flags will fly at half-staff across Wisconsin for a slain police officer. Governor Tony Evers issued the order Monday in honor of Milwaukee Police Department Officer Kendall Corder, who was killed in the line of duty at the age of 32. Corder and another officer, 29-year-old Christopher McCray, were ambushed while responding to a call last Thursday night. Corder died Sunday after being taken off life support at his family’s request. McCray was released from the hospital on Saturday. A 22-year-old man was arrested in connection to the shooting. Flags will remain at half-staff until sunset on Tuesday and again on the date of Officer Corder’s interment, which is yet to be announced.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have developed an AI tool that helps identify brain activity patterns tied to nine types of dementia. The tool, StateViewer helped researchers find the dementia type in 88-percent of cases using a single scan. The AI tool also helped clinicians interpret scans twice as fast with three times more accuracy than standard. Researchers trained and tested the AI on over 36-hundred scans, including images from patients with dementia and people with cognitive impairment. The AI tool helped identify the disease early which is a key challenge in dementia care.

Authorities say a man is in custody after a standoff with police early Sunday morning in Rochester. Police say officers were sent to a home Saturday night where a man was armed with a knife during a domestic dispute. The suspect left the scene before police arrived and drove to a different residence in southwest Rochester. The man left the vehicle with a rifle, and an officer discharged their weapon before the suspect ran into a residence. The defendant eventually surrendered after a SWAT team and the Crisis Negotiation Unit arrived. He was taken into custody without incident.

A total of thirty five people were ejected from two Morgan Wallen concerts over the weekend at Camp Randall Stadium. The Wisconsin State Journal reports Saturday's concert saw twenty-three ejections, followed by twelve on Sunday. There were technically ten arrests Sunday because one person was arrested a second time after reentering the stadium following his first arrest. UW - Madison Police spokesperson Marc Lovicott says the majority of ejections and citations were related to disorderly behavior due to alcohol consumption. The concerts over the weekend were the first live shows at Camp Randall in twenty-eight years.

A legendary Wisconsin Dells attraction is turning 80 years old. The Wisconsin State Journal reports the Dells Army Ducks started in 1946 when Milwaukee native Melvin Flath bought two of the amphibious assault vehicles and brought them to the Dells. Since then, the Flath family has bought more than 150 of the vintage vehicles. The Ducks tour the Lower Dells and the Wisconsin River, letting visitors see the canyons carved by the river. A special celebration is set for the 4th of July including a cookout and fireworks.