Local-Regional News Aug 27

 

The Village of Plum City has received a $442,000 grant from the state of Wisconsin for street and utilities infrastructure improvements. Governor Evers announced the grant yesterday as part of over $18 million in grants to support community improvement projects in 21 communities, including projects improving or repairing local roads, drainage systems, water and sewer systems, sidewalks, and other public facilities.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on a contract with Chimney Rock Appraisal for reassessment and maintenance of tax assessments, proposal for the long-range comprehensive plan and reports from the mayor and city department heads. Tonights meeting begins at 6pm at Durand City Hall and will be live-streamed on the WRDN website.

Motorists in Western Wisconsin are reminded to slow down and be on the lookout for children as schools re-open. Motorists should be prepared to stop for school busses picking up and dropping off children during the mornings and afternoons, and be prepared to stop for children crossing the streets walking to and from school. Today is the first day of school for the Durand-Arkansaw School District.

One man is dead after a semi accident in Wabasha County on Tuesday. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, 52yr old Craig Goring of North Branch, MI was traveling northbound on Hwy 42, when he lost control, drove off the road and rolled the semi. Hwy 42 was closed for most of the day while emergency crews responded to the accident.

Eau Claire City Council is giving its okay to a pair of proposed ordinances. Council on Tuesday approved the return of paid parking to the city's downtown area with a one dollar fee for the Barstow corridor between Lake and Madison Streets between 1 p.m. and 11 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Parking spaces in the surrounding area will be fifty cents. Council has also approved a speed limit of 15 miles per hour for e-bikes and scooters on city trails and sidewalks.

A Wisconsin man is in custody in connection with a child solicitation investigation. An undercover detective exchanged texts with Jamey Scott Ralph Strand of River Falls, who thought he was texting a 14-year-old girl. Authorities learned that Strand would be driving through Minnesota on August 24th. Mankato police arrested him after identifying his car. Strand could face up to five years in prison and a ten-thousand dollar fine if convicted.

A Barron County ice cream shop won big at the 2025 World Dairy Expo. Judges named Kurschner's Premium Ice Cream out of Chetek, Wisconsin, the grand champion in this year's ice cream competition for it's peanut butter chocolate. The ice cream shop also took second place for it's lemon poppy seed ice cream in the flavored category. Kurschner's also earned first place in the regular vanilla ice cream competition.

Funeral services are being held this week for Barron Police Department Officer Ben Smith. Smith died unexpectedly while off-duty last week at the age of 26, and had just joined the department last year. Visitation hours are from 4 to 6 p.m. today at Red Cedar Church in Rice Lake with a Celebration of Life and Honors tomorrow beginning at 11 a.m.

Vice President JD Vance will be in Wisconsin this week. The vice president is scheduled to visit a steel fabrication facility in La Crosse on Thursday According to a White House press release, Vance will promote President Donald Trump's tax cuts and their impact on working families and businesses. The release did not provide a specific location. The tax cuts passed the U.S. House and Senate earlier this year without the support of any Wisconsin Democrats.

A lottery ticket sold in Chippewa County for Monday night's Powerball drawing has hit for big money. The ticket sold at a Cornell BP matched four of the five numbers drawn plus the Powerball. The ticket also included a three-X multiplier meaning a 150-thousand-dollar win for its holder.

More law enforcement will patrol Wisconsin trails this Labor Day weekend to look for unsafe ATV and UTV driving. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says more wardens and county recreation deputies will be on trails starting Friday. The campaign will end on Sunday, August 31st. So far this year almost 30 people have died on ATVs and UTVs. The DNR says alcohol use, speeding, and lack of seatbelt or helmet use contributed to most of the fatalities.

The National Transportation Safety Board says pilot error is to blame for a fatal 2023 crash at E A A Airventure. The plane crashed into Lake Winnebago and killed 30 year old Devyn Reiley and 20 year old Zach Colliemoreno. They were in a North American AT-6D airplane. The report says "the pilot likely failed to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering and exceeded the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an inadvertent aerodynamic stall/spin." The airplane broke into pieces and came to rest at the bottom of the lake in about 20 ft of water.

The Alice in Dairyland Finals are coming to Marathon County next year. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection announced Friday that the 79th edition of the annual event would take place from May 14th to the 16th. The position of "Alice in Dairyland" involves educating the public about agriculture in Wisconsin. Marathon County was chosen to host because of its rich history and rolling hills.

A Madison priest is accused of child enticement after being arrested over the weekend. Police allege 37-year-old Andrew Showers drove to Clintonville to meet up with a 14-year-old girl for sex on Sunday. Authorities say they received information about Showers' plans and arrested him around 7:32 p.m. Showers was booked into Waupaca County Jail on charges of child enticement and attempted second-degree sexual assault of a child. The District Attorney's Office will make a decision on charges soon.

Applications are being accepted for Wisconsin's Driver Education Grant Program. The initiative provides tuition compensation to income-eligible students for 30 hours of classroom coursework, six hours of observation, and six hours of behind-the-wheel training. Requirements include qualification for free or reduced school lunch for students between the ages of 14-and-a-half and 19. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation will reimburse the costs of the training, with the students having their choice of driver training school. $6 million in grants have been given to over 10,000 students since the program began in 2023.

A woman seen in a viral video calling a Black child a racial slur is now facing criminal charges. The incident happened April 28th at Soldiers Field Veterans Memorial Park in Rochester. Shiloh Hendrix can be heard calling the boy the n-word after he reportedly took an applesauce pouch from her bag. Authorities in Olmsted County today announced that she's been charged with two misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct in connection with the case.

Nominations are now open for the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest. Since its inception in 2016, over 1.5 million votes have been cast for over one thousand products. Winning products have included iconic soda, high-tech beverage dispensers, firetrucks, cranes, motorcycles, military vehicles, robotic carts, rifles, and even kringle. The competition, which is sponsored by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, enters its tenth year and highlights the importance of manufacturing in Wisconsin’s economy. Following the nomination period from now until September 12, a popular vote will determine the top sixteen products that will be placed in a bracket-style tournament. More info can be found at MadeInWis.com.