Longtime local attorney and business owner Roger Hillestad has passed away. In a social media post on Sunday, the Durand Brewing Company, which Hillestad founded announced the passing. Funeral arragements are still pending.
Alcivia Co-Op has sold off more of its Agronomy Division United Cooperative in Beaver Dam announced on Friday that it has purchased the south region agronomy business from Alcivia. Recently Alcivia sold its northern agronomy division, including the Durand location to Ag Partners of Goodhue, MN.
Some changes in Downtown Durand over the weekend. On Sunday, crews began the demolition of the former Our Own Hardware Building at 2nd Ave West and Madison Streets. The building was recently sold and plans for the property are unknown at this time. Madison street at 2nd Ave West may be closed at times today as crews continue to remove the debris.
The Buffalo County Health and Human Services department is reminding county residents in need of rental and housing assistance is available. The Foundation for Rural Housing is offering programs to help those with unexpected expenses or a short term reduction in income pay past due rent, and help those stay in their homes to prevent homelessness. For more information on the program, contact the Buffalo County Health and Human Services Department.
Wisconsin's
Department of Workforce Development reports Cave Enterprises LLC
operating more than 100 Burger King restaurants in the state has more
than sixteen-hundred violations of child labor and wage payment laws.
The department is ordering the company make things right with
regards to unpaid regular wages, overtime wages, and penalty wages to
affected workers and come into compliance with the violated laws. Of
the Burger King restaurants operated by Cave, five are in Eau Claire,
two in Chippewa Falls, one in Menomonie, one in Onalaska, one in
Holmen and two are in La Crosse.
Prison for an Eau Claire man convicted on sex crimes charges involving a child victim. Chippewa County prosecutors say that Spartacus Bruschuk began sexually assaulting the victim when she was between five- and seven-years-of-age and that the assaults continued until she was thirteen. Bruschuk pleaded guilty to charges including third-degree sexual assault and has been sentenced to five years in prison.
Winona County Emergency Management Director and Goodview Mayor Ben Klinger has announced his candidacy for Winona County Sheriff. He has also reportedly served as a part-time patrol officer since 2003, serving with the Lewiston and Goodview Police Departments. Klinger said he will bring his 25 years of experience in law enforcement, emergency management and local government leadership to the race.
Three people are dead after a Saturday morning fire in Burnett County. Crews responding to a house fire in the Township of Anderson just before 5 a.m. found an intense fire at the scene. The cause of the fire has not been determined and the names of the victims have not been released.
The St. Paul City Council is passing a resolution to study a potential passenger rail route to Kansas City. After the success of the Borealis route to Chicago, state planners would like to keep up the momentum. The Federal Railroad Administration will open a new round of grant applications, and the city council is calling on the state Transportation Department to apply. It would also connect existing Minnesota Amtrak routes to Denver, San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles. The city council resolution also said freight railroads would benefit from the increased capital investment that would accompany the expansion.
Three-year bachelor’s degrees may be coming to the UW System. The Universities of Wisconsin System Board of Regents on Friday reviewed revisions to a policy which would allow campuses to develop reduced credit degrees, which commonly require 90 credits rather than a minimum 120. The State Journal reports that Regent Joan Prince said the Regents will vote on the shortened degree policy at a future board meeting. Three-year bachelor's degree programs are on the rise nationwide. Mount Mary University in Milwaukee launched reduced credit programs in January and is so far the only four-year university in Wisconsin to do so.
Governor Evers said Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development found over 16-thousand Violations of the states child labor and wage payment laws. The Violations are linked to Cave Enterprise Operations LLC, which operates 105 Burger King franchises in Wisconsin. The violations happened over a two year span ending in January 2025. The Evers administration says this is the largest determination of child labor and wage payment violations in modern Wisconsin history. The Department of Workforce Development says Cave Enterprises must pay missed wages, including overtime and regular wages, to impacted workers, which includes over 600 kids.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation said highways statewide are frozen. Meaning Wisconsin's "Frozen Road Law" is in effect for the entire state. The DOT activated the Frozen Road Law for Northeast Wisconsin in December. The seasonal weight restrictions allow vehicles hauling salt or abrasives for highway winter maintenance and certain forest products to carry more weight. The Wisconsin DOT website has an interactive map on season weight restrictions and information about overweight vehicle permits.
Now is the time to start preparing for spring and summer storms with flood insurance. Wisconsin just experienced its wettest decade on record, and with flooding the state’s most common natural hazard, officials are urging residents to review their flood risk. Standard homeowner and renter policies don’t cover flood damage — you need a separate flood insurance policy, and most federal plans include a 30‑day waiting period. Flood insurance is available both inside and outside FEMA flood zones. Residents can check their address on FEMA’s Map Service Center and talk with local insurance agents about coverage options.
A family that runs a popular hotel chain is donating 100 million dollars to support the Mayo Clinic expansion in Rochester. The gift comes from the Marriot charitable foundation. The funds will also be used to invest in clinical space and technologies. Mayo in 2023 unveiled its five-billion-dollar project to improve convenience and care for patients traveling worldwide to the Rochester campus. A two-story welcome center is being named the Marriot Family Atrium in recognition of the gift. The full project is exapted to be completed in 2030.
Governor Tony Evers says he'll focus on using the state surplus to lower property taxes on before leaving office. He says no framework for property tax relief is in place but he hopes the legislature can prioritize that before they adjourn. Evers commented during an affordability roundtable in Wausau last week.
The Wisconsin State Patrol is reminding drivers to turn on their headlights. Superintendent Tim Carnahan says reduced visibility gives drivers less time to react, and headlights help everyone stay safe. State law requires headlights during hours of darkness, when you can’t see 500 feet ahead, and in fog, rain, or snow. Drivers should also make sure lights are clean, aimed correctly, and working—and dim high beams within 500 feet of other vehicles. The State Patrol urges extra caution for motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians, who rely on lights and reflective gear to stay visible.
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