Local-Regional News Nov 19

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on joining the Durand Fire District, the Madison Street bids and a new PTO Policy. There will also be reports from the mayor and department heads. Tonights meeting begins at 6pm at Durand City Hall.

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on the start college now and early college credit program approvals for Spring of 2026, reports from administration, and the board will go into closed session to discuss the joint library agreement with the City of Durand. Tonights meeting begins at 6pm in the board room at Durand-Arkansaw High School.

The Buffalo County Sheriff’s Department is warning of a phone scam. According to a post on the department's social media page, Waumandee State Bank has received reports of a man named Collin calling residents asking for access to their online banking information. This is a scam and the department reminds residents to not share any account information or personal information over the phone.

Travelers flying out of La Crosse Regional Airport now have another carrier to consider. Allegiant Airlines is launching nonstop flights in and out of La Crosse to two destinations next year -- Mesa, Arizona and Sanford, Florida. Flights to Mesa will begin February 6th and flights to Sanford will start May 21st.

Western Wisconsin residents and folks across the state could see an increase in influenza in the coming weeks. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reports that only about 23 percent of the Badger State population has received a flu shot for the season. Health officials say that statistic -- combined with an increase in travel during the holidays -- could add up to a rise in flu levels across the state.

The City of Eau Claire is seeking applicants interested in serving on its Landmarks Commission. The commission designates landmarks, landmark sites and historic districts inside of city limits. The commission positions are volunteer roles. More details are available at eauclairewi-dot-gov.


The Rusk County Aging & Disability Resource Center reports they have recently received a donation of nearly 300 life-saving fire suppression tools. The gift comes from the Ladysmith Freemasons Lodge in partnership with the Wisconsin Masonic Foundation. Rusk County Health and Human Services says those tools will be distributed to community members in the days to come.

A sports betting bill is on the fast track at the Capitol in Madison, with the Assembly set to take it up on Wednesday. It would require online operators give at least 60% of revenues to tribal partners under a “hub-and-spoke” model, with bets placed off-site routed through servers located at tribal casinos. Governor Tony Evers said that’s necessary if he’s to sign the bill. Evers also told WISN’s “UpFront” that he’s not concerned about opposition to the bill by major operators including DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Fanatics. State Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said his Republican caucus is still discussing whether they can support the legislation.

If you're heading out into the woods this weekend, be sure to wear something visible. Wisconsin DNR warden Jeff Mulroney says blaze orange and hunter pink outdoors wear is inexpensive and widely available. While non-hunters are recommended to wear that clothing, all hunters are required to wear high visibility gear on at least 50 percent of their body and on their head. The nine-day gun deer season opens on Saturday. More info is online at D N R dot WI dot Gov.

A bill to stop SNAP recipients from buying soft drinks, candy, and energy drinks is up for a vote. The Republican-backed measure will be discussed tomorrow in the Wisconsin Assembly. It would need the state's Department of Health Services to apply for a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture if approved. Officials estimate the department would spend around six-million-dollars to create a database of the restricted products.

Legislation introduced at the Capitol would require Wisconsin school districts to serve real butter in school meal programs. State Senator Howard Marklein (MARK’ line) is Senate author of the bill and says the bill was drafted after meeting with farmers at a local Farm Bureau chapter meeting. A student brought home the margarine packets from school lunch. The state already requires real butter in other government-supported meal programs, including at state prisons. Marklein says requiring real butter only makes sense, especially in rural areas where dairy farmers are a big supporter of school districts.

More than 282-million-dollars is being allocated to 74 municipalities to improve water infrastructure. Governor Evers and the state's Department of Natural Resources say the funds come from the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program. Key projects include arsenic-contaminated sediment cleanup and grants for counties to implement land and water resource management programs. Officials say the funding continues the state's long-term efforts to provide residents with safe drinking water.

Financially-strapped UCare plans to shut down next year. The Minneapolis-based nonprofit insurer announced yesterday that close to 300 thousand people receiving Medicaid and Affordable Care Act benefits will be shifted to Medica. UCare has already announced the end of its Medicare Advantage plans for next year. There is no word yet on what will happen to the more than 14 hundred who work at UCare, even though Medica said it will need more employees to handle the expected enrollment numbers.

Minnesota organizations are saying cuts to federal housing grants will cause a spike in homelessness. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced plans to limit the amount of money eligible for permanent supportive housing. CEO of Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative has called these funds the backbone of the nation's response to ending homelessness. Alliance House in Minneapolis said without these subsidies, rent will become unaffordable, and more people will be back to living on the street. According to a federal report, more than nine-thousand Minnesotans experienced homelessness during a single night in 2024.

Before you get into the holiday spirit, there's something you should know about decorating your car. Driving with Christmas lights is illegal on Wisconsin roads. State law restricts car lighting to white or amber in the front and red in the rear. If you don't comply, you could face a fine of up to 200 dollars. You are allowed to have decorations on your car as long as they are secured down and don't block your view.