Pierce County Residents can expect traffic detours due to the reconstruction of Hwy 65 north of Ellsworth starting next week. Traffic will be detoured via Highways 10, 63, 29, and 35 as the Wisconsin DOT reconstructs Hwy 65 and replaces 2 culverts over Goose Creek and the Kinnickinnic River. That project is expected to last through most of the summer.
The reconstruction of Madison Street in Durand is expected to begin on April 6th. The City will keep the public updated on the progress of the project weekly on the City of Durand Website. The scheduled work is subject to change due to weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances. That project is expected to be completed by this fall.
In Chippewa County, all members of the Bloomer High School baseball team survived a Tuesday night crash involving their travel bus. The Chippewa County Sheriff's Office says the bus's driver suffered a medical incident while driving on Highway 53 near Tilden. The bus went off the roadway into a ditch and then struck a sign. No injuries were reported. There has been no word on the condition of the bus driver.
Early in-person voting is now open in Durand and across Wisconsin. In-person absentee voting is available in Durand Monday through Thursday from 9-3 and Fridays from 9-11 at Durand City Hall. In person early voting in Durand is available through April 3rd. The top statewide race on the spring ballot is the State Supreme Court race between liberal judge Chris Taylor and conservative judge Maria Lazar. Local municipalities will have races for school boards and city and town alders. There are also over 70 local school district funding referendum questions. Find early voting availability in your area online at My Vote dot W I dot Gov or by calling your clerk's office.
The City of Wabasha has closed part of the dog park. The large dog section of the park has been closed for the next 2 months as city crews plant new grass in the area. The closure is to allow the new grass to take hold and grow. The other section of the dog park will remain open.
Prison time for a man who was the subject of a brief manhunt in Eau Claire back in May of last year. Authorities say that Leo Lacey pulled a firearm on another individual at the Smokeclaire Tobacco shop. The incident was reported to police and a search for the suspect began. Lacey was arrested a day later. Lacey has been sentenced to five years and four months in federal prison after being convicted on weapons charges while still facing charges in Eau Claire County.
A former funeral director is pleading guilty to charges in St. Croix County. Benjamin Hanson had worked for a funeral home that handled arrangements for 92-year-old Minnesota resident Alyce Peterson back in 2001. Her skull was found by Boy Scouts in the town of St. Joseph in 2002 eventually leading to charges last year against Hanson. He has now pleaded guilty to a charge of hiding a corpse and will be sentenced at a later date.
Charges are being filed against a man arrested in La Crosse this week. Police say they witnessed 42-year-old Andrew Austin taking part in a drug deal on Monday. Austin was later taken into custody after officers stopped him and found more than twelve grams in his vehicle. Police say they later found suspected fentanyl in his underwear when he was searched at the La Crosse County Jail.
Minnesota is suing the Trump administration for withholding evidence. The lawsuit alleges the government refused to share evidence in the cases of federal agents shooting Twin Cities' residents. This includes the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti as well as the shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis. The lawsuit claims this is being done to shield the agents from the consequences of their actions. This is the latest legal maneuver by Minnesota officials to hold federal agents accountable for their actions in the state this winter.
Governor Tony Evers is signing a new bill into law that aims to ease overcrowding in hospitals. The "Next of Kin" bill will let immediate family members approve transfers from hospitals to rehab centers for incapacitated patients without getting court-appointment guardianship. Officials with Emplify Health by Gunderson say they've been wanting for this bill to pass because it would help ease crowd issues at hospitals. Officials say the bill passing is helping the hospital's goal of caring for the entire community.
New state grants are intended to prevent violence in Wisconsin. Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention on Monday announced nearly $15 million in grants will be awarded to help prevent crime and violence. According to a press release, the new program saw overwhelming interest with some 460 applications. Due to the high level of interest an additional $5 million in federal funding was added to $10 million in state funding to expand the grants. School districts, law enforcement agencies, nonprofits, firearm dealers, and government agencies in five categories will receive 73 separate grants ranging from approximately $5,000 to a maximum of $1.5 million. A list of recipients is available on the Office of Violence Prevention webpage.
The trial of a man accused of election fraud and identity theft began in Racine County Court Monday. The Wisconsin Department of Justice charged Harry Wait in 2022 after he allegedly used other people's identities to request absentee ballots in the names of Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Racine Mayor Cory Mason. Prosecutors say Wait knowingly broke the law. His defense attorney Joseph Bugni argues Wait was exposing flaws in the voting system, claiming that Wait contacted Vos, Mason and the Racine County district attorney and sheriff after requesting the ballots. Both Vos and Mason were among the witnesses that testified Monday.
No one is injured after a fire at a Rock County solar farm burned through about ten acres of grass. Lakeside Fire and Rescue arrived just after 12:30 p.m. Monday to North Rock Solar Farm and found grass burning underneath the solar panels. LFR said the location of the fire and strong winds prompted them to call for backup. Crews fought the fire for about two hours and got it under control to keep it from spreading. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Minnesota residents are facing sticker shock over the renewal of car tags. If your car is less than five years old, you might even see tab prices go up year over year. The new formula means the average driver paid 178 dollars in registration taxes this year, a 20 percent increase. However, the state says tabs for older cars are going down, and that many Minnesota drivers will pay less. A bill to roll back these changes has been approved by the GOP-controlled House, but it has stalled in the state Senate.
Three Wisconsin cities are in the running for being "Strongest Town" in America. The competition by the foundation, "Strong Towns," started with 16 locations and is now down to the Final Four, which includes West Allis, Sheboygan, and Madison. The last city isn't far away in Chicago. The foundation says the 2026 contest is "about progress, not perfection," adding these towns "embody that spirit." Voting for the Final Four ends this Friday evening.
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