Police arrest a man who is accused of killing a woman in her camper at Wabasha County Campground. The 69-year-old suspect, Stanley Alan Munstermann, was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree manslaughter. Munstermann's charges are in connection with the death of 66-year-old Barbara McBride-Law of Lakeville. She was found dead in her camper in southeastern Minnesota in August at Mac's Park Place in Mazeppa near Lake Zumbro.
The Mondovi Fire Department is reminding residents that the spring fire season is hear. The Department along with the Waumandee-Montana-Lincoln Fire Department responded to a wildfire over the weekend. The fire burned over a half acre. The dry conditions and strong winds present a recipe for potential large fires. No one was injured in the blaze.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is asking for public comment on planned repairs to two bridges on Highway 79 in Dunn County. The bridges are located in the Town of Tiffany and the Village of Boyceville. Both structures — one spanning the South Fork Hay River and one spanning Tiffany Creek — were built in the 1940s and 1950s and are showing signs of deterioration. The project will include replacing the bridge decks, repairing concrete and laying new asphalt. A public meeting is scheduled for tomorrow starting at 4:30 at the Boyceville Village Hall.
The Independence School Board President is facing charges after a January 22nd incident at Colby Pharmacy in Whitehall. According to authorities, 58yr old Joe Bragger is charged with threats to injure, telephone harassment and disorderly conduct after the pharmacy and Mayo Clinic refused to pre-authorize a prescription. The felony charges carry a maximum of 6yr in prison and a $10,000 fine. An initial court appearance is set for March 17.
Aspirus Health says its new hospital in the Chippewa Valley is on pace for completion by September. The new facility in Chippewa Falls will be across the street from Fire Station #1 on Chippewa Crossing Boulevard. The hospital will feature an emergency department along with ten treatment rooms and ten inpatient beds.
Wisconsin DNR says they are collecting water samples for analysis after a manure spill in Trempealeau County. The spill was discovered Monday -- coming from farm fields into the Town of Gale and impacting a pair of Beaver Creek tributaries. Dead fish have been spotted in the water. Officials have not said when results on the water samples will be available.
A duplex fire in the 2100 block of Julie Avenue in Sparta killed one person and displaced another Saturday evening. According to the Sparta Area Fire District, the fire was reported around 6:48 p.m. When Chief Mike Arnold arrived, the front of the structure was fully engulfed with heavy fire. During a search of the home on person was found inside. Paramedics performed life-saving efforts, but they were unsuccessful. The home on the other side of the duplex sustained fire and smoke damage. The cause of that fire is under investigation.
More witnesses are testifying as the homicide trial of Zachary Fritz continues. Fritz is accused of killing his wife in June 2024 and claims he was mentally ill at the time. A clinical psychiatrist testified he evaluated Fritz three times and believes he did not lack substantial capacity to conform his conduct to the law. The psychiatrist also said Fritz appeared mentally stable for years, despite the defense noting other experts diagnosed him with bipolar one disorder. Fritz's trial is set to continue on March 9th.
Wisconsin is part of a group of ten states reaching a 100-million dollar settlement agreement with Walmart. The retailer was the subject of a multi-state lawsuit alleging that customers and drivers who took part in the company's Spark Driver Program were deceived. The suit alleged that drivers who worked through the company's home delivery program were misled on how much they would be paid and that customers were led to believe that 100-percent of tips would be passed on to delivery drivers when that wasn't always so.
Work to reconstruct WIS 35 in La Crosse is set to continue Monday. WisDOT said construction is taking place between the La Crosse/Vernon County line and Sunnyside Drive in La Crosse. Improvements include culvert replacements and bridge deck replacement of the Mormon Creek bridge. Drivers can expect to come across flagging operations and single lane closures with temporary traffic signals during box culvert replacement. Access to businesses and residences will be provided and maintained during construction.
State aid is on the way to prevent flooding around Wisconsin. Governor Tony Evers announced Thursday that the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs will provide $2.0 million in Pre-Disaster Flood Resilience Grants to 15 communities impacted by flooding in past years. The grant program created by Evers in 2024 helps implement strategies like reconnecting streams and floodplains and mitigating erosion hazards to prevent frequent flooding. Wisconsin Emergency Management administers the program and received 21 grant applications totaling over $2.6 million.
$250,000 in grant funding will help bolster Wisconsin's commercial driver workforce. The money comes through the state’s Commercial Driver Training Grant program and will help about 190 trainees earn their CDL—supporting high‑demand jobs like school bus, truck, and delivery drivers. The program, administered by the Department of Workforce Development, reimburses up to half of training costs and was renewed in the latest state budget through 2027. DWD leaders say the grants help meet ongoing demand, with more than 500 CDL‑required positions currently posted statewide.
A Central Wisconsin paper mill’s workforce is being downsized. Ahlstrom says after careful consideration and discussions, they will close the pulp mill at their Mosinee facility and idle their M2 and M3 machines, a move that could cost up to 200 jobs at the mill- which has been in use since the early 19 hundreds. Officials said the move does not reflect the quality of work from the facility, and they will be working with the impacted employees through the transition. Ahlstrom does plant to upgrade the two remaining lines at the facility, creating a more "agile and sustainable" mill for the future. The company's mill in the Fox Valley is not impacted.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is announcing changes to the 2026 elk hunting season. The DNR says the state will move to one continuous season from mid-October to mid-December. The Central Elk Management Zone quota rises to six bull and six antlerless elk. The Northern Zone quota is eight bull elk pending tribal declaration. Applications open March 1st and close at the end of May with more licenses available in parts of the state. Hunters can apply for one bull and one antlerless license.
Ice shanty's will need to be removed within the next few weeks. A natural resources representative says portable ones are still o.k. as long as they're removed when not in use. As the weather warms up -- ice becomes thin and will not be able to support the structures. For more details visit their website.
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