Local-Regional News July 4

 

The Tarrant Park Pool opens Monday. The City of Durand has received a final approval from the State of Wisconsin for the pool to open. The pools will be open Monday-Friday from 6am=8am for lap swim and from 1-3:30pm for open swim through July 18. After the 18^th open swim will be everyday from Noon-6pm. Swimming lessons will also begin on Monday. Becuse of a donation from Advent Health, the first 800 people to visit the pool will receive free admission.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation will be closing Hwy 12 from Heller Road to Hwy 25 on Monday for the construction of the concrete median. The closure is expected to be in place through August 4^th. A detour via Oak Avenue and Hwy 25 North will be in place. Construction of the median is part of the resurfacing project of US 12 between I-94 and Hwy 25.

The Durand-Arkansaw School District is exploring before and after school programming for elementary school students. Durand-Arkansaw Superintendent Ryan Nelson says the district is working on starting that program this fall.  Nelson said a recent survey of district families showed approximately 50-60 children would use the program.

The City of Mondovi is planning on having a fireworks show this Friday night. Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says there is a backup date in case of inclement weather on Friday and the city needs someone to take over the fireworks shoot for 2026.  There will also be a fireworks display on Friday night over Lake Eau Galle starting at 10pm.

The Buffalo County Sheriff’s Department will have additional traffic enforcement on Hwy 35 from Nelson to Fountain City on Friday and Saturday from 3pm-11pm. Deputies will be on the lookout for those speeding and driving under the influence. The Department says its committed to ensuring the safety of Buffalo County Roads and citizens over the holiday weekend.

The Dunn County Highways Department will be conducting seal coating of county roads starting on Monday. Roads will remain open during seal coating but traffic will be slowed by flaggers and pilot cars as roads will be down to one lane. Motorists can also expect loose gravel for 24-48 hours. The Highway Department will then sweep the roads to remove any loose gravel that remains on the road.

Wisconsin has a new state budget. Early Thursday morning Governor Tony Evers signed the budget agreement for the biennial budget. Along with a tax cut for most Wisconsin residents, the budget will have $1.4 Billion for K-12 schools, $360 million for child care costs, continued funding for agricultural road improvement program, and an increase in funding for the UW System. The budget agreement was reached between republican legislative leaders and the governor earlier this week.

A former FBI special agent is being named as the acting top federal prosecutor in the Western District of Wisconsin. Chadwick Elgersma has been named acting U.S. Attorney. Elgersma says his primary objective will be to keep Wisconsin residents safe through the vigorous enforcement of Federal law. The Western District of Wisconsin encompasses a 44-county jurisdiction including Pepin, Buffalo, Dunn and Pierce Counties.

A Vernon County woman faces charges of child sexual assault in a school setting. Police arrested 33-year-old Ashley Ann Benson on Monday and charged her with sexual assault of a child, sexual assault by school staff and sex with a child 16 or older. Prosecutors accuse Benson of engaging in sexual contact with multiple victims at multiple locations. Benson had been employed at both a public and private school in the Viroqua area prior to her arrest. She was released on a signature bond, and has been ordered not to have contact with anyone under the age of 18.

Attorney General Josh Kaul says the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s ruling on the state’s abortion law leaves room for action by the state Legislature. The court ruled Wednesday on a suit originally brought by Kaul and Governor Tony Evers, regarding Wisconsin’s 1849 law which criminalized most abortions. Justices ruled that the 1849 law has been superseded by several other state laws, and by a previous ruling from the Court that the law only applied to assault which resulted in death of an unborn child, not elective abortions. The ruling makes way for a return to the state's previous status allowing regulated abortions. Speaking at a Wednesday press conference, Kaul said "we can do better through state legislation and establishing protections for continuing access to safe and legal abortion and ensuring that our laws are updated.”

Both pro-life and pro-choice advocates are sharing their reactions to the Wisconsin Supreme Court's ruling on the state's abortion law yesterday. In a four-to-three decision, the court found that a ban on killing an unborn child initially passed in Wisconsin in the mid-1800's is no longer enforceable. Matt Sande with Pro-Life Wisconsin say he and his organization are disappointed in the ruling and they remain committed to banning abortion without exception. Planned Parenthood Wisconsin spokesperson Michelle Velasquez says members of the organization are "relieved and grateful" that the court is recognizing what patients and providers always known about reproductive rights.

A project to renovate and restore Milwaukee's Mitchell Park Domes may receive funding from the county. County Parks staff are requesting 30 million dollars for the Domes project, and to turn over operations to the group spearheading the restoration. The request from Parks Director Guy Smith acknowledges that the proposal would take other capital projects for the Parks Department off the table for the budget cycle. The Milwaukee Domes Alliance is fundraising a total of around 133 million dollars to fully renovate the site. The county parks committee will take up the proposal next week. The Domes were constructed between 1959 and 1967 at an original cost of four point five million dollars.

The pheasant population is growing in Wisconsin. The Department of Natural Resources says data collected during its Spring 2025 Survey show pheasant numbers growing for the second year in a row. Results of the ruffed grouse survey show a slight decrease from 2024, but the population is still higher than the five-year-average. Pheasant and ruffed grouse hunting seasons start in September and October.

Governor Tony Evers signs bills to bolster nuclear power in Wisconsin. One bill provides the state Public Service Commission with two million dollars to evaluate existing nuclear energy opportunities and identify sites for possible nuclear power development. Evers says Wisconsin must continue efforts to lower energy costs and improve energy independence by reducing reliance on out-of-state energy sources. He also signed a bill creating a Nuclear Power Summit Board to host a summit in Madison in 2028. Both bills passed the Legislature with bipartisan support.

Submissions are being accepted for the Packers' "Give Us A Sign" contest again this year. Fans can suggest jokes, phrases, and one-liners to be considered for the competition. Selected messages will go head-to-head in tournament style online voting to determine a winner. The suggestion that comes out on top will be printed on signs for fans at Lambeau Field during the upcoming NFL season. The person who submits the winning message will win game tickets and travel accommodations to Green Bay. Submissions can be made at packers-everywhere-dot-com now through July 23rd.