Local-Regional News Oct 13

 

The City of Durand has approved the site plan for the new Durand-Arkansaw School District Early Learning Center. Durand Mayor Patrick Miliren says the project met the city zoning ordinances.  Groundbreaking for the new center is expected this month and construction would be completed in time for the 2026 school year.

A bill being considered at the Capitol would bar health insurance companies from requiring providers to accept virtual credit card payments. Chiropractor and state Representative Clint Moses of Menomonee is the bill’s author. At a recent public hearing he said this payment method has a pitfall for providers - sticking them with a the fee that they end up having to absorb and basically pass on to their other patients. Patrick Tepe, a dentist and legislative advocacy chair of the Wisconsin Dental Association, compared virtual credit card payment requirements to deductions on your paycheck that you didn’t authorize. He said the payment method is not only not transparent, but is not fair business practice. The bill wouldn’t prohibit health care providers from accepting virtual credit card payments, but insurance companies would have to make any extra associated costs clear in contracts with providers.

Firefighters were dispatched to the scene of a blaze Sunday morning in Eau Claire. Flames ignited in the attached garage of a home on Shorewood Heights Parkway. Five people live at the home and all were able to evacuate without injury. There has been no word on the cause of the fire.

Trial dates have been set in the homicide case of 10-year-old Lily Peters. The case involves 17-year-old Carson Peters-Berger, who was 14 at the time of the crime. The trial is scheduled to begin November 2, 2026, and is expected to last ten days. Jury selection is set for later this month. Due to budget discussions, the trial may use an outside jury or be moved to a different Wisconsin county.

La Crosse City Council is giving its approval to a 719-thousand dollar contract for renovations at a local fire station. The station number three firehouse on the city's south side will see improvements including an update to crew quarters and upgrades to the building's electrical and plumbing systems. Work is expected to begin next month.

A new painting was unveiled at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Friday. Native American artist Christopher Sweet's new painting is inspired by Council Oak, a meeting ground for Indigenous nations on campus. Sweet was also inspired by his mother's journey as a student at the university, as she was the first Native American to graduate from there. The unveiling ceremony featured poetry read by his cousin and former Wisconsin Poet Laureate Dee Sweet.

A new report says Kwik Trip is one of the best at making customers happy. The American Customer Satisfaction Index ranked the Wisconsin convenience store brand at number one in customer satisfaction. It earned a score of 84, two points higher than Wawa and Sheetz, who tied with a score of 82. The report says Kwik Trip's commitment to building a positive culture and catering to a wide range of preferences brought its score up.

Minnesota is suspending the statewide use of alcohol breath machines in suspected DWIs. On Friday, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension ordered law enforcement to stop using the DataMaster tests. According to the BCA, nearly 20 cases in Hennepin County could be affected, and over 100 in Olmsted. The Aitkin County Attorney's Office dismissed charges for at least one of the case already. While in Winona County, the machine resulted in about 45 compromised tests and charges filed with the faulty data will also be dismissed.

An arrest has been made in connection with a series of arson fires in one northern Wisconsin county. At least six fires were reported over a ten-day period last November in the Radisson, Exeland, and Birchwood areas of Sawyer County. Sawyer County Sheriff Doug Mrotek announced Friday that a 30-year-old Birchwood man was arrested in connection with multiple business and residential fires. The arrest follows a nearly year-long joint investigation between the sheriff’s department and state Division of Criminal investigation.

Wisconsin Democrats unveiled two new bills that would inject 80 million-dollars into higher education. The first bill would put 40 million-dollars towards a Tuition Promise Grant Program. The money would go toward students' tuition in the UW System for families with a household income of under 71-thousand-dollars. The second bill would provide 40-million for student success and retention for the UW System and technical colleges. Both pieces of legislation require Republican support to pass.

A federal trial is set for April involving an ex-high school dean charged with producing and possessing child sexual abuse materials. Records show former Sun Prairie West dean Robert Gilkey-Meisegeier allegedly had sexual contact with students and used cameras to photograph them. He also faces Dane County charges for child sexual exploitation and possession of sexual abuse materials. The Sun Prairie Area School District made personnel changes, including removing the principal and placing staff on leave. The district then hired an investigator and faced a no-confidence vote in Superintendent Brad Saron.

Farmers and immigrant communities across northeast Wisconsin are expressing concern over recent federal immigration raids. This follows the confirmed arrests of 24 people by ICE in Manitowoc County. DHS officials say the operation was tied to suspected human and drug trafficking rings. Among those arrested, six reportedly had prior criminal convictions, while others' immigration status is still under review. Agricultural leaders are warning of serious labor shortages and economic strain across Wisconsin's dairy industry.

There is now a plan to ensure safe and sufficient drinking water in the state. The Minnesota Drinking Water Action Plan was introduced yesterday. It's a ten-year plan to protect sources of drinking water, establish a drinking water infrastructure, ensure safe tap water, anticipate and manage emerging risks. The state Department of Health notes threats to drinking water include arsenic, lead, nitrate and PFAS, known as forever chemicals.

An ammonia leak at a Kenosha County meat processing facility. Fire crews arriving on the scene encountered a strong smell of ammonia inside the plant in Pleasant Prairie Thursday morning. The leak was located, isolated, and ventilated by a hazardous materials team. The building was deemed safe for re-entry about an hour later, and no other hazards were found. No injuries or illnesses were reported.

A West De Pere High School teacher was surprised with 50-thousand-dollars for his work in helping students build future careers. Industrial tech teacher Chris Glinski is one of 25 national winners of the 2025 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. Glinski and his school was presented with a 50-thousand-dollar check at a surprise ceremony today. West De Pere High School's high school trades program will receive 35-thousand-dollars and Glinski will receive 15-thousand-dollars. Glinski was nationally recognized for helping close the gap on a shortfall of over 93-thousand skilled- trades workers in Wisconsin.