Mondovi schools were placed on lockdown for a time on Tuesday with reports of a possibly armed teenager walking through the city's downtown area. Police located the 16-year-old and determined that they were unarmed and posed no threat. Buffalo County Sheriff Mike Osmond reminds folks to play it safe and that if they see something that doesn't seem right, they should say something.
The Durand City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on the construction contracts with Cedar Corporation for the Madison Street and Water Filtration Projects, possible action on the American Legion donation of picnic tables and benches at Veterans Park and reports from the Mayor and Department Heads. Tonights meeting begins at 6pm at Durand City Hall.
A proposed solar farm in Dunn County is awaiting a final decision from the Wisconsin Public Service Commission. The proposed solar farm would be on 2000 acres in Spring Brook Township with over 700,000 solar panels generating 322 megawatts of electricity. The farm would also have a five acre battery storage system. The public comment period for the proposed project has closed, and if approved by the PSC construction could begin in 2027.
A Comstock man charged in connection with a fire that destroyed Shooters Showgirls in Elk Mound is pleading guilty. Colton Jansen faced arson charges stemming from the January 2025 fire. Despite Jansen's plea on Tuesday, he was found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for a later date.
Advocates are asking the Altoona Police Department to end local cooperation with federal immigration agents. Demonstrators went to the Altoona Police Department after the recent arrests of four community members. Protestors say local police should focus on protecting residents and not assisting ICE. The group is demanding the release of body camera footage, an apology from the sheriff's office and the permanent removal of ICE agents from Eau Claire County. APD said they appreciated that protestors "felt comfortable exercising their 1st Amendment right to free speech."
An Eau Claire County judge is being asked to consider releasing a serial killer. Alvin Taylor admits to the killings of four people between the years of 1985 and 1987 -- having said previously that he did so after receiving messages through the radio and television. In court, Taylor was found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect and he has confined to treatment facilities ever since. A psychiatric exam is now being ordered as the 79-year-old Taylor is petitioning for release.
No people are hurt after a duplex fire in Eau Claire. The city's fire department responded to the fire around 7:24 p.m. Tuesday on the city's north side. Black smoke came from the front side of the residential duplex, with crews working to contain the fire into the kitchen area. No people were injured, but one pet cat was found dead when crews arrived. The occupants are being temporarily relocated while the damage is being assessed.
Reports of norovirus are on the rise in Eau Clair County. Health experts say the most common symptoms of norovirus include vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Folks are encouraged to use soap and water when washing their hands before preparing food and after using the restroom.
A
Sparta educator is facing allegations that she hit a five-year-old
child. According to the report, special-ed teacher Melanie Hinz
struck the child in an October incident at the Southside Early
Learning Center. She pleaded not guilty yesterday to a charge of
child abuse - recklessly causing harm.
Legislation that will benefit Wisconsin agriculture is ready for the governor’s consideration. The Assembly last week passed three bills that have already cleared the state Senate and now head to Governor Tony Evers. Senate Bill 474 allows soy-based firefighting foam to qualify for DNR fire suppression grants. That expands market opportunities for growers and provides a PFAS-free product to firefighters. SB 501 creates a veterinary loan repayment program for new vets who commit to large animal practices in rural communities. SB 783 provides commercial driver’s license training grants to help businesses offset the costs of employee training. Several Assembly bills are awaiting Senate action including measures to prohibit Wisconsin schools from serving margarine in place of butter and establishing a program to help facilitate farm transitions from retiring farmers to the next generation.
Wisconsin’s Bad River Chippewa Band is requesting a judicial review, after a judge upheld DNR permits for the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline reroute project. An administrative law judge upheld the permits earlier this month but did order Enbridge to make four changes to its wetlands permit, including added monitoring after construction. Attorneys for the tribe contend the decision threatens vital public resources. Earthjustice lawyer John Petoskey argues the area’s significance “cannot be overstated” and says rulings like this weaken environmental protections. The Bad River Band has filed for judicial review and is seeking to halt pipeline construction, while Enbridge maintains the judge’s decision confirms the DNR’s review was thorough.
A weekend swatting incident at UW-Parkside. A Saturday morning alert from university administrators closed the Kenosha County campus following a report of a potential threat, advising people to either evacuate or shelter in place. An indoor track meet on campus was shut down, men's and women's basketball games were delayed and a scheduled event at Parkside by candidate for Wisconsin governor Francesca Hong was moved to a nearby library. The campus reopened by early afternoon after law-enforcement determined the threat was a swatting incident. Police presence on campus was increased throughout the rest of the day.
Google is planning to build a data center near Rochester. The tech giant says the facility will be in Pine Island. Google also announced that it will be paying for a large amount of new wind, solar, and battery power as part of a contract with Xcel Energy. The project is a second attempt at a Minnesota data center for Google, which abandoned a 600-million-dollar Sherburne County project with Xcel in 2022.
A southern Minnesota man is going to prison for producing child sexual abuse material. Hunter Geidl has been sentenced to 16 years behind bars to be followed by ten years of supervised release. The Hastings man pleaded guilty last June to one count of production of child pornography. Prosecutors say Geidl solicited sexually explicit images from at least a dozen minor girls; the youngest was 13 years old. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota says there may be other victims related to this case. Anyone who believes their child had contact with Geidl is asked to contact the FBI.
Wisconsin’s dairy industry continues to dominate on the world stage. Alice in Dairyland, Sarah Hagenow, says Wisconsin cheese makers have earned more than 7,600 medals since 1995 — more than any other state or country. She credits the state’s 1,200 licensed cheese makers and 5,200 dairy farm families for their years of expertise and dedication. If you want to be sure you’re buying local, Hagenow says to look for the “Proudly Wisconsin” badge or the number 55 on dairy packaging. Wisconsin’s dairy industry now contributes more than $52 billion a year to the state’s economy.
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