Local-Regional News Aug 21

 

A Durand man has been arrested after a vehicle vr pedestrian accident in the city on Tuesday. According to Durand Police, the accident happened at 4^th Ave East and East Wells Street on Tuesday evening. After an investigation, officers arrested 45yr old William Albertson of Durand and charged him with Operating While Intoxicated Causing Injury, 2^nd offense. The pedestrian that was injured is a minor and was not identified.

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board has approved borrowing up to $1.3 million for the new early learning center. Durand-Arkansaw Superintendent Ryan Nelson says the borrowing is part of the overall funding package for the learning center.  Groundbreaking for the new center is expected in early October.

A Chippewa Falls educator is being recognized as the 2025 Wisconsin History Teacher of the Year. Alisha Neinfeldt teaches at Chippewa Falls Middle School and will receive a one-thousand dollar honorarium along with the distinction announced by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Neinfeldt is now in the running to be named National History Teacher of the Year. That winner will be announced later this year.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has hired Braun Intertec, with assistance from Traut Companies, to drill and test various sites throughout the City of Wabasha. The samples collected from these locations will help determine if the city can identify the source of PFAS that were detected in well #3. Funding for this testing is being provided by the state. Once the city receives the test results, they will be able to look at ensuring they continue to meet all water standards. The City was notified of the PFAS in well #3 in April and the well has not been used since then.

Charges have been filed against two La Crosse men accused of torturing a 3-year-old boy in Minnesota. Jalil Wilson and Atzavesta Raymon Williams each face a child torture charge in Winona County Minnesota. Prosecutors say both men were seen in videos of a child being tortured. 20-year-old Winona resident Joseline Puente Gundersen was arrested for the same incident, which police became aware of after Gundersen's coworkers reported she had shown them the videos. In the videos, the child's wrists and ankles were bound together and his mouth was covered by duct tape. It's alleged that Williams put the duct tape on the child and Wilson scared the child while wearing a blanket and clown mask.

A Wisconsin congressman wants to force the Lac du Flambeau tribe to pay back money collected during a standoff over road access. 7th District Republican Tom Tiffany sent a letter to US Attorney General Pam Bondi this week calling for the Department of Justice to secure reimbursement for the Town of Lac Du Flambeau. The tribe cut off access to a group of private properties on tribal land in 2023 by blockading roads and demanding restitution after an easement for the roads expired. This month a federal judge sided with the Town in the dispute, saying the tribal roads were listed as public in the federal register. Tiffany calls the 600-thousand dollars the tribe collected an "illegal shakedown." Lac du Flambeau leaders say they're considering their option to defend their treaty rights.

Governor Tony Evers is moving to implement new state rules without having to deal with a Republican controlled legislative committee. Wispolitics reports Evers sent a letter to his cabinet secretaries last week citing a ruling from the state Supreme Court that the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules could no longer put a hold on any proposed regulations from the Governor. J C R A R had long stopped any rulesmaking process on proposals from state agencies, indefinitely putting any discussion of the rules on hold. Now, the committee will have 60 days to review and take action on a proposed rule. The Legislative Reference Bureau is looking over 28 rules that have been delayed to see if they are ready to be implemented.

Homeowners affected by recent severe storms and flooding need to be careful of phony contractors. Wisconsin Consumer Protection administrator Michelle Reinen says this is a common scam following severe weather. Any contractors working in Wisconsin have to be vetted and licensed by the state, so be sure to verify and investigate anyone who is offering services. Reinen says the best contact for getting your home inspected and repaired is your insurance agency, and that you should go through them to make sure you won't lose your coverage.

Attorneys for the father of a Madison school shooter want the charges against him dropped. Jeffery Rupnow is accused of providing a dangerous weapon to a person under 18 resulting in death. Rupnow's teenage daughter fatally shot a student and a teacher at Abundant Life Christian School last December before taking her own life. The father's lawyers argue he did not give his daughter access to his gun and that there's no probable cause he committed felonies. Rupnow's attorney's have filed a motion to have the criminal complaint against him dismissed.

The current Wisconsin Secretary of State is announcing her run for lieutenant governor. Sarah Godlewski, a Democrat, announced her campaign today at the Madison Labor Temple. She previously served as the State treasurer. Current Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez is running for Governor.

A Wisconsin man accused of faking his own death and fleeing the country is set to enter a plea next week. Prosecutors say Ryan Borgwardt staged his own disappearance using an overturned kayak on Big Green Lake in Green Lake County, made his way to Canada, flew to Asia, and eventually started living in the Republic of Georgia. Investigators say he moved to be with a woman he met on a dating app, leaving his wife and children behind in Wisconsin. Borgwardt willingly turned himself in almost a year ago. He'll be in court next Tuesday, August 26.

Safety measures at the Minnesota State Capitol continue to be a hot topic. The Advisory Committee on Capitol Security met this morning to discuss the matter. It was the first session since the June attacks that killed Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband and injured Senator John Hoffman and his wife. The panel is considering whether to implement security upgrades to protect lawmakers, Capitol staff, and the public. Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Geiger says that 88 troopers and security guards are assigned to protect the Capitol, and 19 more security officers can be added. The committee is expected to continue to meet over the coming months.

The newest class of recruits of the Rochester Police Department mostly consists of women. Six of the group of eight are female. All of the recruits went through an interview, psychological and physical exams, before they went through 12 weeks of training in the academy. Up next, they will train one-on-one with veteran officers out in the field for 12 weeks.

A 200-pound fiberglass cow is back where it should be. WDJT-TV in Milwaukee reports that Jefferson County Fair events manager Abby Schopen noticed that Clarabelle Dee Bovine was missing last week after standing near one of the fairgrounds’ gates since the 1960’s. Schopen says the cow was unbolted from the base of a trailer she was attached to. Jefferson Police investigate the matter as a felony theft, with the estimated cost of the cow at $2600. Tuesday morning, fairgrounds officials said the mayor of Jefferson found Clarabelle leaning against a fence there with a few scratches on one side.

Local-Regional News Aug 20

 

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on a resolution authorizing borrowing of $1.3 million and the issuance and sale of general obligation promissory notes, the consideration of a facilities preventive maintenance contract, and approval of the fall 2025 dual credit requests. Tonight's meeting begins at 6pm in the board room at Durand-Arkansaw High School.

The final Music in the Park for the 2025 Summer is tonight. The Whitesidewalls will be performing from 6-9pm. It is also the Taste of Durand, featuring food from area restaurants. The Durand Improvement Group is asking those attending to bring a food item for the Durand Food Pantry. There will also be a special presentation tonight to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the Bandshell at Memorial Park.

The City of Durand has announced that, due to donations, admission at the Tarrant Park Pool will be free for the rest of the week. Today is the Mayor’s Free Day, where the first 100 guests to the pool during open swim will receive free admission. Other donations are providing free admission on Thursday to the first 100 guests and on Friday for the first 150 guests. The pool is set to end the season this weekend.

Members of the Durand Fire Department recently attended training in Menomonie on grain rescue situations. Firefighters trained on using equipment used in pulling someone out of a grain bin. The training was put on by the National Education for Agricultural Safety and sponsored by Alcivia and the Wisconsin Farm Bureau.

Congressman Derrick Van Orden is being credited for his role in saving the life of a child over the weekend. The representative from Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district was driving with his wife Saturday on I-35 in southern Iowa when he heard the sound of an accident. The couple doubled back and Van Orden -- a former combat medic -- ran to the scene and applied makeshift tourniquets to an injured eleven-year-old boy. The child is hospitalized now and recovering.

Whitehall police are informing the public of a sex offender that is set to be released from prison. 45-year-old Shaun Weaver is set to be released from prison on Aug. 26, 2025, on his sentence for 1st degree sexual assault of a child. Weaver is set to live in Whitehall, and will be under the supervision of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.

Emergency personnel will stage a full-scale exercise tomorrow at Chippewa Valley Regional Airport. The airport is advising folks not to be alarmed if they see emergency vehicles in the area and hear radio communications that may seem out of the ordinary. It will all be part of the drill.

Authorities report they've identified a human skull found nearly 23 years ago in St. Croix County. The remains were found inside a plastic bag and in a wooded area of Houlton by a group of Boy Scouts in October of 2002. DNA evidence has helped investigators to identify the skull as belonging to 92-year-old Alyce Peterson who had died of natural causes in Minnesota in 2001. There is no word on how her skull found its way to St. Croix County.

Charges are being filed against a La Crosse man accused of strangulation and false imprisonment. Thirty-one-year-old Trenton Russell called police on Monday saying that someone had come into his home without consent and that he had forcibly thrown the man out. With officers on the way to the scene, that other man -- Ryan Freeman -- called police to say he had been attacked by Russell. Freeman says that he had been staying at the home for nearly a month, and that Russell blocked his path when he tried to leave and choked him for about thirty seconds. Russell was arrested at the scene.

State health officials are warning about possible measles exposure at two travel centers. People may have been exposed to the virus at the Pilot Travel Center on Milwaukee Road in Beloit and the Flying J Travel Center on 70th Avenue in Roberts. This would have happened August 4th between the hours of 7:15 a.m. and 10 a.m. at the Flying J -- and between 11:45 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. at the Pilot in Beloit. The Department of Health Services says anyone who may have been there during those times should check their immunization status for the MMR vaccine.

Tony Haase is facing a wrongful death lawsuit after being acquitted of murder last week. Richard Togstad filed a lawsuit alleging Haase killed Tanna Togstad and Timothy Mumbrue with a knife in 1992. He was charged for both murder but acquitted by Waupaca County jury on August 11th. The suit is seeking 17 million dollars: Five million for compensatory and psychological damage, two million for Togstad's pain and suffering and ten million in punitive damages.

Provincial officials in Canada say wildfires there could continue through the fall. Reuters reports natural resources teams from British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta say conditions that contribute to wildfires are expected to remain into autumn. Continued drought and warmer than normal temperatures have not abated. More than 61 million acres of Canadian land have burned since 2023. Those fires have not only blanketed Wisconsin in smoke, they've also forced the evacuation of residents. About 13,000 First Nations peoples are still without homes.

The first round of funding from Wisconsin's Child Care Bridge Payments Program are going out. $8.7 million will go to more than 3,100 childcare providers. Governor Tony Evers says the funds will provide the financial stability providers need to stay open, recruit and retain qualified staff, and continue providing high-quality care for Wisconsin’s kids. According to Evers' office, this round of payments will help care for over 126,000 Wisconsin kids and help retain more than 25,000 childcare workers. The program was established as part of the Democratic governor’s 2025-27 budget compromise with Republican lawmakers, and will provide a total of $110 million to childcare providers through next June.

More than five-million barrels of cranberries are expected to be harvested this season in Wisconsin. The state has led the country in cranberry production for more than 30 years, with almost two-thirds of cranberries grown in the country harvested in Wisconsin. The crop brings in about one-billion-dollars in economic revenue, and creates more than four-thousand jobs annually.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is accusing TikTok of harming children. He plans to sue the social media giant, claiming it creates addictive behavior for young people and fails to follow state commerce laws. A Minnesota middle school teacher attended today's media gathering and said he's seen a spike in mental health issues related to TikTok in recent years. He added that the specific issues include a decrease in student attention span, students taking part in dangerous challenges, sleep deprivation, and depression.

The Wisconsin Art of Cheese Festival is back next month. Organizers announced Monday that this year's event would take place from September 25th to the 28th. Attendees will get the chance to look at the behind-the-scenes action of legendary creameries and attend other unique excursions. There will also be a cheese fair happening alongside the Dane County Farmers' Market. Twenty-nine exclusive ticketed events are being offered. 

Local-Regional News August 19

 

The Pepin County Human Services and Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the Buffalo County Health and Human Services and Sheriff’s Office, are partnering with the Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of Buffalo and Pepin Counties to implement the File of Life project. The Adult Protective Services is also an integral partner for this initiative. This initiative aims to enhance emergency response capabilities and improve safety for residents across both counties. Participants receive a free, standardized magnetic pouch to store vital details such as medical conditions, medications, allergies, and emergency contacts. The pouch is placed on the refrigerator, with a sticker on the front door alerting emergency personnel to its presence, ensuring quick access to life-saving information. Pouches are available through the Buffalo and Pepin County ADRC Offices and are free.

One person was injured in a four vehicle accident, Thursday in Pierce County. According to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, 22yr old Kellen Spooner of Elmwood was traveling eastbound on Hwy 10, when he collided with another eastbound vehicle driven by 33yr old Casey Wilcox of Ellsworth. Wilcox’s car was hit by another vehicle driven by 23yr old Jenna Hewitt of Alma, and then Wilcox’s car hit a car making a left turn in to a private driveway, which was driven by 55yr old Robbin Kozlowski of Prescott. Spooner was the only person hurt in the accident.

The Town of Albany has adopted the Pepin County Highway Setback Ordinance. The town board adopted the ordinance on August 11. Land use permits will now be required from Pepin County before any structure is built, moved or altered to make sure it meets the ordinance standards. Town of Albany residents that have questions are to contact the Pepin County Zoning office.

Prison time is being ordered for an Eau Claire woman convicted on federal charges. Forty-two-year-old May Kong was caught in possession of methamphetamine and prohibited firearm on July 4th of last year. She pleaded guilty to charges earlier this year and has now been ordered to serve seven-and-a-half years in prison.

The second of two women who accused Eau Claire Police of brutality after an arrest last year has accepted a plea deal in her case. Makayla Patterson pleaded no contest Friday to charges of disorderly conduct and resisting an officer. Defendant Keyana Robinson previously pleaded no contest to charges in the case. The plea brings to a close a situation that began in July of last year when the women were arrested at a Water Street bar. Video of the incident reportedly contradicted the women's claims of police brutality.

A second fifth-grade teacher in Hudson is now charged with child sex crimes. 24Yr old Abigail Faust, is charged with four felonies: failure to protect a child, causing mental harm to a child, child enticement, and sexual misconduct by school staff.  Faust is accused of keeping one of her students after class, pushing him against the wall, and kissing him on the cheek. Faust's charges come more than a year after another fifth-grade teacher, Madison Bergmann, was charged with having an inappropriate relationship with one of her 11yr old students.

A sergeant in Jackson County is now facing charges after a shooting that critically injured a teenage suspect. The Sheriff's Office says the sergeant was part of a police chase led with a 17-year-old who took his mother's car without permission. The teen stopped the car in Hixton, where Sergeant Stan Edington shot into the car 22 times. The suspect sustained a spinal cord injury, which could lead to permanent paralysis. Edington is now facing a charge of second degree reckless injury, which comes with a maximum sentence of twelve years and 25-thousand-dollar fine.

Two Western Wisconsin state legislators are proposing a tax holiday during back-to-school shopping. Democrats Brad Pfaff and Jenna Jacobson's legislation wants a three-day August sales tax holiday to lower the amount of money families spend on school supplies. Seventeen states provide similar tax relief efforts including Iowa and Massachusetts. The legislators reported that parents of schoolchildren are spending an average of 144 dollars on school supplies for the new year.

The American Red Cross needs Wisconsin disaster volunteers. Recent flooding in southeast Wisconsin highlights the need, but Regional Communications Manager Laura McGuire says the Red Cross responds to 65,000 disasters every year. You can volunteer for a variety of roles and training is available for flexible opportunities with no age limitations. McGuire says these are people that are really the first to respond to things such as home fires and floods. The Red Cross also has a need for trained responders who are working at shelters, and the skill set of health or mental health. McGuire says there is a particular need for Red Cross volunteers in northwest Wisconsin. Learn more at redcross.org.

A group of boy scouts from Wisconsin is hoping to get home soon after dealing with Hurricane Erin's effects. The troop from Plymouth landed in the Virgin Islands with the intention of testing their sailing and snorkeling skills. Their plans were cut short by heavy rains and winds from the hurricane. The troop leader tells CBS 58 they cannot fly out of the islands until Friday and Saturday. A GoFundMe supporting Troop 851's expenses has been launched.

Food truck vendors are being targeted by criminals trying to get them to pay to work at sporting events that don't exist. Wisconsin Consumer Protection Administrator Michelle Reinen says the scam is to sell a permit to the vendor, and then pocket the cash and vanish. Reinen says the messages are targeting known vendors using multiple different GMail accounts to try and bypass spam filters.

Five former Wisconsin women’s basketball players file a lawsuit in federal court against their one-time coach. The Wisconsin State Journal reports that the players accuse Marisa Moseley of inflicting psychological abuse on them. Also named as defendants in the suit filed Friday are the Wisconsin Board of Regents and former Wisconsin associate athletic director for external communications Justin Doherty. The complaint has the players accusing the university of responding to the situation with "a policy of laissez-faire inaction." Moseley announced her resignation as coach earlier this year for personal reasons after going 47-75 in four seasons with the team.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission orders Madison to implement elections related changes following an investigation into uncounted ballots. After 193 ballots weren’t counted following last November’s election, the investigation found the former city clerk responsible. Commissioner Mark Thomsen was the lone no vote on Friday, noting that the spring 2025 election went well and that former Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl is gone. Thomsen said "the order just seems spiteful.” Commission chair Ann Jacobs said the action is necessary. Jacobs said while it's "great" that the spring election was better run, she's seen nothing to indicate that the necessary changes within the administration of that clerk's office have been fixed. The city is ordered to comply by the start of next year, but can appeal the commission’s decision to Dane County Circuit Court.

As more and more municipalities open their roads to ATVs and UTVs, fatalities involving the vehicles continue to rise. Department of Natural Resources Lt. Jacob Holsclaw briefed the Natural Resources Board last week and says about 69% of crashes occur on public highways and road routes. Holsclaw says there's also thirty times more public road routes than trails. There are now 65,000 miles of public roads and highways across the state that allow ATV and UTV usage. Wisconsin has had 25 ATV/UTV fatalities already this year. There were 40 in all of 2024.

Antlerless harvest season authorizations are now available for purchase. The Department of Natural Resources says the authorizations will be valid for northern and central forest zones. Central farmland zone authorizations will be on sale starting tomorrow, with the southern farmland zone following on Wednesday. Authorizations for all zones will be available on Thursday. More information is available on GoWild-dot-Wisconsin-dot-Gov.

Local-Regional News Aug 18

 

One Person is dead after a motorcycle accident in El Paso Township on Sunday. According to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, 67yr old Dale Johnson of Glenwood City was traveling eastbound on 650^th Ave when he lost control of the motorcycle and went into the ditch. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene.

Clean up continues in Buffalo County after severe weather on Friday night. Sheriff’s deputies and firefighters responded to trees and power lines down in the Modena area. Other damage was reported in Mondvi with reported trees down. After some storms today, the weather should quiet down for the rest of the week.

The criminal case against an Alma man faces charges in relation to a deadly vehicle crash in Buffalo County is moving forward. Thirty-five-year-old Luke Larson is charged with homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle and second-degree recklessly endangering safety. Prosecutors say on September 27th of last year, Larson was driving his pickup truck along State Highway 35 near Markey Bluff Road in Nelson when he allegedly crossed the centerline, hitting two motorcyclists. Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Larson waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Thursday. The case is being set for trial.

One person was injured in a single vehicle accident in Clifton Township on Friday. According to the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, 17yr old Scarleth Cardenas of Houlton, WI was traveling northbound on Hwy F when she lost control of the vehicle, and struck a guardrail. She was taken to River Falls Area Hospital.

The Dunn County Highway Department will be closing the Hwy BB-Cedar Falls Bridge starting tomorrow for bridge inspection. Due to weight restrictions the bridge will be shut down for all vehicles during the inspection process. Motorists are advised there will not be a signed detour and should make necessary travel adjustments. The bridge will be closed for a few days and once reopened will continue to have a 20 ton weight restriction.

The Wabasha County Board of Supervisors is meeting tomorrow morning. Items on the agenda include approval of a 3yr contract with ClearGov to accept payments, approval of a purchase of a new county truck and reports from committee and department heads. Tomorrow’s meeting begins at 9am at the Old Courthouse Annex in Wabasha.

Bond is being set at ten thousand dollars for a man charged in an Eau Claire homicide. Nineteen-year-old Du'Marion Stogner is accused in the January 25th shooting death of 21-year-old Andre Simmons. New charges were filed against Stogner in recent days after a review of his phone videos and social media accounts. One video reportedly showed him and another man involved in an attack on a homeless man on a bridge. Stogner pleaded not guilty yesterday to the new charge of substantial battery.

Four people were left hurt after a Saturday night collision in Eau Claire County. The accident happened at around 8 p.m. near Hwy 27 and County Road N in Ludington. One person suffered serious injuries in the crash. The Eau Claire County Sheriff's Office reports a suspect has been charged with OWI.

One additional charge is filed against a man accused of sexually assaulting children in Barron County. Prosecutors say five victims have reported abuse at the hands of 82-year-old Robert Karstensen. He was initially charged in Eau Claire County in June, but an additional charge of repeated sexual assault of the same child was filed in Barron County yesterday. The new charge comes after a now-36-year-old victim described abuse be Karstensen at the Chetek River Campground when she was six or seven. The suspect is currently housed at the Eau Claire County jail, but will be in Barron County court later this month for the new charge.

The History Center of Olmsted County campus is expected to get a major facelift. The center officials say the main building has experienced leaking and water damage. Phase one of the project includes the restoration of all three of the George Stoppel Farmstead's historical buildings. New landscaping and walking paths will also be added.. The center is also looking to raise more than seven million dollars to complete the project.

It's been one year since Wisconsin’s Missing Child Alerts went into effect. Established through bipartisan legislation, Attorney General Josh Kaul said Thursday in Milwaukee that the first alert went out last August. The Prince Act was signed into law by Governor Tony Evers and named after 5-year-old Prince McCree who went missing in Milwaukee – and also recognizes 10-year-old Lily Peters, who went missing in Chippewa Falls. Kaul said there have been cases that would not have met the Amber Alert criteria where alerts have been able to go out and information has been provided to people nearby where, where missing kids are located. Kaul said there have been 17 alerts issued involving 14 different children in just over a year.

Governor Tony Evers is urging the Trump administration to restore funding for Wisconsin's unemployment system. The Democratic governor is asking the administration to reconsider its decision to cut $29 million from the state's unemployment insurance system modernization project. Evers says the funding was crucial to improving the system to prevent fraud and abuse. Developed in the 1970s, Wisconsin's unemployment insurance system faced significant challenges during the COVID pandemic when there was a surge in unemployment claims. Evers says without the $29 million, support for projects like fraud detection and cybersecurity improvement won't be possible.

Little brown bats are recovering in Wisconsin. A social media post from the Department of Natural Resources reports that the species, once decimated by white-nose syndrome, has growing numbers for the third consecutive year at summer roost sites. Last month, volunteers across Wisconsin participated in the annual Great Wisconsin Bat Count and observed nearly 25,000 bats as they emerged from their daytime roosts, up from 22,600 counted in July 2024. These efforts help DNR biologists better understand the status of Wisconsin’s bat populations. The species still has a long way to go, but multiple years of increasing numbers give hope for recovery. Bats are important for agriculture and forestry. It is estimated that bats in Wisconsin save farmers up to $658 million every year in the form of pest control.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is reportedly wavering on whether he'll seek another term in office. The DFL lawmaker has pushed back deadlines to announce his plans from early summer to after Labor Day. Some party activists and officials say the odds of Walz running again at 50-50. The governor's campaign staff is preparing as if he's going to run. The Star Tribune reports that if Walz does not run, party insiders believe that Secretary of State Steve Simon and Attorney General Keith Ellison could enter the race.

More than 892-thousand people went to the 2025 Wisconsin State Fair. The fair says a record-breaking 81-thousand dollars was raised during the Governor's Products Auction, and more than 330-thousand cream puffs were served. The fair ended early this year due to historic flooding in the Milwaukee area last weekend. Next year's fair is scheduled for August 6th through August 16th.

Registration is now open for the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin's Adopt a Cow program. Community Programs Manager Erika Schade says it's geared toward educators working with Wisconsin's youth. Participating classrooms will be matched with a calf and receive regular photo and video updates on it over the course of the school year. Schade says it's a great way to teach young Wisconsinites about the dairy industry. Last year the program reached roughly 55,000 students across 1,500 classrooms. 

Local-Regional News Aug 13

 

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on the sale of the parking lot at 2^nd Ave West/Madison Street, connect communities agreement for 2026 and discussion on long range comprehensive plan along with an update on the protestors at the corner of E. Prospect Street and Hwy 10. Tonights meeting begins at 6pm at Durand City Hall.

A Chippewa County Jail inmate is scheduled to appear in court today on accusations that he attacked multiple officers. Twenty-five-year-old Trevor Blackburn faces two counts of battery by prisoners and four other counts of battery to a law enforcement officer stemming from an incident from May of this year. A cash bond has been set of ten thousand dollars.

Additional charges are being brought against a man already charged in an Eau Claire homicide. Nineteen-year-old Du'Marion Stogner is already in custody and accused in the January 25th shooting death of 21-year-old Andre Simmons. A review of Stogner's phone videos and social media accounts has led to new charges against him and another man in connection with an attack on a homeless man on a bridge. The new charges include substantial battery.

The village of Fall Creek was the scene of a Monday afternoon house fire. Crews were dispatched to an address on Victory Street around 4 p.m. and found smoke coming from the front of a home. Reports say the fire began in the home's kitchen. There are no reports of injuries.

Two men charged in connection with an incident that initiated fear last year in Rice Lake are taking plea deals. Prosecutors say that Dante Smith and Alexander Wuorenma were riding in a car last September that had been intentionally modified to make it sound like gunshots. The men and the vehicle set off a panic at a Walmart store and at a local middle school that was hosting a football game. The defendants were sentenced to probation and community service on disorderly conduct convictions.

Charges are being filed against a Jackson County man in connection with a robbery in Holmen. Police say that 56-year-old William Brink of Melrose robbed a BP gas station this past Thursday and then led law enforcement in a high-speed chase. Police eventually caught up to Brink who faces charges including robbery with use of force and battery.

The United States Department of Ag has updated eligibility requirements for free and reduced school meals. Under the new guidelines, students who live in a household of four people with a combined yearly income of $41,795 or less qualify for free meals. If a household of four has a combined yearly income between $41,795.01 and $59,478, students can qualify for reduced-price meals. The guidelines also include reimbursement for meals served in child and adult day care centers and family child care homes. More information can be found on the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction website.

A government agency is urging a south-central Wisconsin company to follow recommendations following a deadly explosion. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board says Didion Milling in Cambria has not implemented any of its safety recommendations following a deadly explosion in 2017. Five employees were killed and 14 others were seriously injured. The safety board issued nine recommendations focused on dust management and emergency planning, but says Didion has yet to follow any of them. The agency does not issue citations or fines, only recommendations. OSHA does issue fines and slapped Didion with a 1 point 8 million dollar fine. Didion was also charged with criminal violations and was ordered to pay over 10 million dollars in restitution.

The woman who stabbed her friend years ago in an effort to summon the fictional "Slenderman" will remain behind bars for at least a little while longer. Morgan Geyser was 12 when she and another friend lured fellow 12-year-old Payton Leutner [[ Light-ner ]] into the Wisconsin woods in 2014, stabbing her 19 times. Leutner survived and Geyser, now 23, was sent to a mental institution. Earlier this year, a judge approved a conditional release plan for Geyser. That's now been thrown into question as Geyser's attorney says the group home where she was planning to stay has changed its mind over an earlier decision to let her live there. Other residents apparently launched a protest, arguing Geyser should not be allowed at the Sun Prairie facility. No word yet on what happens now.

More details are coming out about a recent cyberattack in the city of St. Paul. City Press Secretary Jennifer Lo announced that the attack on July 25th was ransomware. Ransomware is a malware that restricts access to files and computer operations unless a specified amount of money is paid to the attacker. Lo says that the city has not paid any amount to the suspected hackers. Currently, more than 35 hundred St. Paul city employees are going through a process of resetting passwords. The breach crippled the city's online services and internal systems, shut down internet access in government buildings, and put the security of government employees' data at risk.

It could be some time before we know how much damage was done in Southeast Wisconsin by this weekend's flash flooding. Wisconsin Emergency Management says local teams from Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties are in the process of assessing damage after over 14 inches of rain fell in some places Saturday afternoon through Sunday. Roads and bridges were washed out, homes were flooded and power was knocked out across the Milwaukee Metro. The city has opened up disposal drop off sites for free while cleanup continues. They're asking anyone who spots damaged or stalled out cars to report them so they can be moved from roads for safety.

Attorney General Josh Kaul sends warning letter to telecom companies to crack down on robocalls. Kaul announced Monday that Wisconsin will join a multi-state effort aimed at illegal robocalls. The Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force warned 37 telecom companies that they must act now to stop alleged illegal robocalls from being routed through their networks. According to Kaul's office, the task force also sent letters to 99 downstream providers that accept call traffic from these companies. The task force was created in 2022 and is made up of 51 attorneys general.

A bill named after an injured K-9 officer became a memorial to the dog on the day it was signed into law. In 2021, Kenosha County Sheriff's Office K-9 Riggs was shot in the head while responding to a double homicide in Bristol. He eventually returned to duty and earned several honors until retiring last year. Riggs' injury led two state legislators to author the "K-9 Riggs Act", which elevates penalties for intentionally harming or killing law enforcement animals. On Friday, the day Governor Tony Evers signed the bill into law, the sheriff’s office announced the death of K-9 Riggs, calling it a "poignant coincidence" and a "bittersweet moment for our agency and the entire community."

A call to Digger's Hotline before you start a project on your property could save your life. Spokesman Chad Kruger says calling 8 1 1 could also save you from a very expensive mistake. Not only are there power and gas lines underground, but also phone and data lines. Those are very expensive to replace and if you didn't call to get your property marked, you could be liable for damage. Kruger expects many utilities to be very busy with cleanup in Southeast Wisconsin, and anyone who's planning on doing yard work to prevent flooding in the future should especially be calling ahead. Just be sure to give a few days notice so crews can mark your yard.

Local-Regional News Aug 12

 

Officers with the Buffalo County Sheriff's Office were called into action Sunday morning on the Mississippi River. A call came in just before 9 a.m. regarding a 75-year-old man experiencing cardiac arrest on an island. First responders reached the island by boat and took the man to a hospital for care. There has been no update on his status.

The Mondovi City Counil is meeting tonight. Items on the agena incclude authorization to apply for a DNR Urban Forestry Grant, along with reports from the mayor and department heads. Tonights meeting begins at 5:30 at the Marten Center in Mondovi.

A Chippewa Falls man is being indicted on federal weapons charges. Forty-two-year-old Michael Raskie Jr is accused of prohibited possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and possessing silencers that were not registered to him. The Chippewa County Sheriff's Office participated in the investigation that led to the charges.

Potential business owners can apply for Olmsted County's cannabis retail business registration lottery today. The upcoming lottery will focus only on retail business registrations. Applicants must submit their applications and pay the 100 dollar lottery fee by August 22nd. Other requirements include completing a background check through the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management and providing proof of a pending state-level retail business application.

Weekend flash flooding in the Milwaukee area canceled Sunday’s final day of the Wisconsin State Fair. Debris and mulch were found scattered across the fairgrounds in West Allis after flood waters receded. People who held tickets for Sunday can exchange them for vouchers for the 2026 fair. That includes admission tickets and cream puff and bargain book vouchers, as well as ticket packs and wristband vouchers for the midway. Full exchange details will be announced next month. Those who purchased parking passes or concert tickets through Etix will have their purchases automatically refunded over the coming days.

A new challenger is entering the race for the seat of outgoing U.S. Minnesota Senator Tina Smith. Navy vet Tom Weiler announced his candidacy over the weekend. The Republican posted on social media that he's ready to lead with integrity, dedication, and commitment to the people of Minnesota. Weiler ran as a Republican against Democratic Congressman Dean Phillips in 2022 and lost by a 19-point margin. Democrats seeking the Senate seat are Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan and Congresswoman Angie Craig. On the Republican side are Royce White, Adam Schwarze, Alycia Gruenhagen, Raymond Peterson, and Mike Ruoho.

Wisconsin is one of the best states to live in. A new report by WalletHub ranks all 50 states based on metrics like housing costs, education rates, and quality of hospitals. Wisconsin ranks fourth best, with the study citing better quality of life and health and education scores than most other states. Massachusetts, Idaho, and New Jersey are in the top three, with New Mexico and Louisiana at the bottom.

A Wisconsin man was found not guilty of killing two people more than 30 years ago. A jury acquitted Tony Haase  this morning after deliberating for four days. Prosecutors accused him of murdering Tanna Togstad and Tim Mumbrue in their Royalton home in 1992. The defense says a recorded confession during an interrogation before Haase's arrest was coerced, and that the decades-old DNA evidence was not reliable. He is acquitted of two first-degree intentional homicide charges.

Authorities are investigating a Saturday afternoon accident in Clark County that left one person dead. A horse-drawn buggy was struck by a van from behind just before 3 p.m. on County Trunk Highway K near Loyal. An adult passenger from the buggy died at the scene while a 12-year-old child survived with serious injuries. The van's driver was not hurt.

Governor Tony Evers signs bills into law, vetoes others. 17 bills were signed into law Friday by the Democratic governor, including one that would allow specially qualified nurses to establish private practices. Advocates say that will improve healthcare access in rural Wisconsin. Other bills signed into law include expansion of eligibility for caregivers supporting family members with Alzheimer’s disease and harsher penalties for harming police dogs. Evers vetoed five bills, including one that would have created a portable benefits program for many gig workers and another that could have sent thousands of formerly incarcerated people back to prison for violating release conditions.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers is approving National Guard assistance for Milwaukee County following historic flooding in the region. Milwaukee saw 14 inches of rain at Timmerman Airport over the weekend. Evers says his office is monitoring flooding and keeping up with local officials to offer state assistance. Reports have come in of extensive damage to homes and cars submerged in floodwater.

Two hikers at Kettle Moraine State Forest lost consciousness after a lightning strike Saturday. Palmyra Fire rescue received reports of a man not breathing around 4:14 p.m. Crews were able to find the man and another woman who was also affected by a lightning strike. Both hikers were safely taken from the scene. Officials determined the couple was standing by a tree struck by lightning, and felt the effects through a ground current.

A 4-year-old in south central Wisconsin died in an accident involving farm equipment. According to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the child fell from a piece of equipment Wednesday evening at a farm in the Town of Marcellon. The child was already dead from severe injuries by the time first responders arrived. A statement from the sheriff’s office called the accident “…a tragic incident for all involved.”

Back to school shopping can be daunting task for parents and students alike. Marquette University marketing professor Alex Milovic says it’s important for families to keep cost in mind and spread out your shopping instead of doing it all at once. Milovic says don't be afraid to check and see if there are any leftover school supplies from last year you can re-use. The National Retail Federation estimates families will spend an average of $858 for the upcoming school supplies year.