The Wisconsin Army National Guard welcomed home more than 250 Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry Regiment, on Saturday at the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport. The unit, based in Eau Claire, recently returned from a nearly year-long deployment to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations in support of Operation Spartan Shield. While headquartered at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, the battalion also supported follow-on missions in several other countries across the region.
The Wuethrich Family/Grassland Dairy Center of Excellence at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls will now be able to produce even more dairy foods, thanks to the donation of a milk-hauling truck by a regional automotive dealer, Cernohous Chevrolet of Prescott. The Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD will haul a milk tank filled to its 8,600-pound capacity from Mann Valley Farm to the dairy pilot plant on campus, tripling the plant’s daily production capacity. “The truck will make a significant impact, allowing us to operate more efficiently and take advantage of our production center’s full capabilities,” said Rueben Nilsson, plant manager. The ability to expand production is important as the dairy pilot plant seeks to increase wholesale distribution of cheese and ice cream, Nilsson said. Those products, marketed under the Falcon Creamery name, are being sold at more and more regional locations.
The Universities of Wisconsin System is paying $265,000 to settle a discrimination lawsuit. UW-Eau Claire employee Rochelle Hoffman filed a federal lawsuit back in 2023, claiming she was demoted from her diversity position because she is white. She alleged the chancellor at the time, Jim Schmidt, and the UW Board of Regents subjected her to a ‘racially hostile and abusive work environment.’ Hoffman and the UW settled the lawsuit in July.
Three Eau Claire men are facing nearly 20 charges following a Thursday morning drug bust in the 500-block of Chippewa Street in Eau Claire. According to Eau Claire Police officers observed high traffic in and out of the 500 block of Chippewa Street. From there, they decided to surveil the suspected house. During their investigation, traffic stops on cars leaving the house resulted in finding illegal drugs. When officers searched the house, they found several pounds of marijuana and THC products, ketamine, cocaine, and MDMA. They also found a handgun and a business ledger. Dillon Linn and Antonio Cantu were charged with maintaining a drug trafficking place, felon in possession of a firearm, and intent to deliver drugs like marijuana and cocaine. Vincent Archuleta was charged with two possession misdemeanors.
A Menomonie Man was not injured in a plane crash in Nebraska yesterday. According to Nebraska Authorities Issac Weix of Menomonie left the Norfork, NE Regional Airport and was at 5,000 feet when his aircraft experienced engine trouble. Weix attempted to return to the airport but was unable to make it back and landed the plane in a soybean field just east of Norfork, NE. The FAA is investigating the cause of the engine failure.
The Buffalo County Sheriff’s Department and the City of Alma are asking the public to please use the posted detour through the city of Alma when traveling on Hwy 35 or Hwy E. Both roads are currently closed and detours are in place. Commercial trucks, those pulling campers or any form of trailer are advised to use the detour for Truck traffic as the semis and those with trailers will not be able to navigate the street options in Alma. Motorists with passenger cars and passenger trucks can use the detour in the city and visit the local businesses.
Construction on Highway 93 in Eau Claire County is set to finish ahead of schedule. The highway, which has been closed since mid-May, will reopen Monday, Aug. 11. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced the reopening and noted that there will still be some lane closures for final paving but travelers will be able to pass through. Work was being done from Cedar Road to the Trempealeau County line.
The
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture has issued a public health alert
for a Western
Wisconsin Meat Locker. The department issued the
alert for Cured and Smoked Teriyaki Beef produced by Holmen Locker &
Meat Market in Holmen. This alert is due to the product being
misbranded and containing undeclared allergens. The
product contains soy and wheat, known food allergens which were not
declared on the product’s label. The product was sold at Holmen
Locker & Meat Market on or before August 1, 2025. No illnesses
have been reported as a result of consuming this product. Anyone with
signs or symptoms of a foodborne illness or allergic reactions
should contact their doctor. Consumers who have this product can
discard it.
A Black River Falls teen is being identified as the person who died following a crash in Jackson County. The accident happened just before 6:30 Wednesday morning in Franklin. Authorities say that 19-year-old Aurora Olson suffered fatal injuries when they lost control of their vehicle on a curve and rolled over on County Road C. No one else was hurt.
Governor Evers is signing legislation granting advanced practice registered nurses independent practice authority. The new 2025 Wisconsin Act 17 allows nurse practitioners and midwives to practice independently after supervised training. The bipartisan deal has medical groups neutral and nursing organizations, including the Wisconsin Nurses Association, celebrating. Under the law, healthcare access is expected to improve, especially in rural and underserved communities.
NASA astronaut and former Milwaukee native Jim Lovell is dead at age 97. The commander of NASA's Apollo 13 mission died on Thursday in Lake Forest, Illinois. Lovell helped lead the Apollo 13 mission's return to Earth after the spacecraft's oxygen tank exploded. Tributes have poured in from Wisconsin organizations like the Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh, reflecting the state's strong connection to his legacy. Lovell attended Juneau High School and carried a Milwaukee Boy Scout patch into space on Apollo 8.
The former clerk of the rural Marathon County Town of Bergen pleads guilty to stealing thousands of dollars in public funds. Gloriann Doyle pled guilty to stealing public funds, forgery, and misconduct in public office on Thursday, with five additional counts then dismissed as part of the deal. The 65-year-old used her position as the Clerk to writer herself a handful of checks, totaling more than one hundred thousand dollars, saying she had fallen behind on bills including her mortgage. She now faces more than 35 years in prison at sentencing, which will be scheduled for this fall. The most serious charge against her carries a maximum sentence of 12 and a half years.
A northern Wisconsin tribe will have to stop barricading roads to private homes on its reservation. Federal judge William Conley ruled this week that the Lac du Flambeau tribe did not have justification to prevent residents of a number of homes from using 4 roads. Those blockades started in 2023 after the original easements to those properties expired, and the tribe wanted the town of Lac du Flambeau to pay for their upkeep. Judge Conley ruled that the roads are currently listed as public roads under federal funding programs and the 20 million dollar fee the tribe was demanding was exorbitant. Tribal leaders say they're weighing their future options, while the homeowners and the town expressed relief in statements to the media. Republican State Senator Mary Felzkowski of Tomahawk praised the ruling, and said the Lac du Flambeau tribe was "immature" in its dealings with the town and state.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is doubling down on his decision to do away with the Housing Stabilization program. The agency was started in 2020 and has recently faced allegations of fraud. Walz says shutting down the HSS program instead of repairing it is because the problem is too widespread. The governor added that the state is reviewing all Medicaid-involved programs for possible fraud. Walz adds that his message to fraudsters is that when they are caught, they're going to prison
The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association is launching a new foundation. The WIAA Foundation is to be an organization aimed at advancing Wisconsin high school athletics through charitable support. Executive Director Stephanie Hauser says this represents a significant milestone in the WIAA’s commitment to Wisconsin's high school athletes. The foundation will focus on three areas, athletic programs, risk minimization the development of officials for athletic events. Wisconsin's high school athletic community features more than 510 schools and 185,000 student-athletes.
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