Local-Regional News March 9

Due to construction in Wabasha,  the public parking lot across from the Library will be closed as well as sections of parking stalls along Alleghany Avenue and 2nd Street West starting today. The parking lot and stalls will be closed until the construction project is completed. 

Gas prices are now over three-dollars per gallon across the state. UW-La Crosse economics professor Hugo Vaca Pereira Rocha tells WKOW airlines will eventually pass on costs to consumers leading to increased ticket prices. This is in response to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli attacks in Iran.

Two people are hurt after an ATV Crash in Anson Township Sunday afternoon. According to the Chippewa County Sheriffs Department, A 64yr old man with a 6yr old and 4yr old boys as passengers was traveling on 188^th Street and lost control of the ATV, causing it to roll over. The man was taken to the hospital with serious injuries while one of the boys was taken to the hospital. That accident is still under investigation.

The Durand-Arkansaw School District is paying off some debt early. The board approved a resolution to redeem some bonds that were due in two years. Durand-Arkansaw School Superintendent Ryan Nelson says the early payment will save the district approximately $10,000. The resolution was needed as the first step in paying off the debt.

A man accused of sexually assaulting children in northwestern Wisconsin will spend the rest of his life in prison. Eau Claire County Judge Jon Theisen on Friday sentenced Robert Kartsenson to 40 years, followed by 20 years extended supervision. That’s tantamount to a life term for the 83-year-old charged with sexually assaulting six young victims in Eau Claire and Barron Counties over a period of years dating back to the mid-1990s. Karstenson admitted to the assaults when arrested by Eau Claire police in June of last year. Karstenson’s neighbor, 55-year-old James Barbey is also charged with multiple counts of child sexual assault. A scheduling conference in Barbey’s case is today (Monday) in Eau Claire County Court.

A western Wisconsin school district is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Education. The Department’s Office for Civil Rights announced the investigation of the New Richmond School District in a Thursday press release. The probe “based on reports that the District is allowing biological men to use female bathrooms,” will determine whether the St. Croix County district’s restroom policy violates federal Title IX protections for female students and athletes. The action follows a January school board meeting at which parents and conservative activist group Moms for Liberty demanded the district stop allowing biological males into girls’ bathrooms.

In Sawyer County, a woman convicted in connection with the death of her four-year-old daughter is learning her fate. The child suffered from severe cerebral palsy and was on a feeding tube. At the time of her death, the child -- who died of died of ethanol toxicity -- was found to have a blood alcohol level of more than seven times the legal driving limit for an adult. Samantha Smith was sentenced Friday to a term of 15 years in prison.

UW Extension will be holding a workshop titled Emotion Regulation in Action in May that is designed for teachers and daycare providers. Attendees will learn simple, sicence-based tools to help kids stay calm, build confidence, and navigate “big emotions” throughout the day. The workshop will be May 16^th from 9-3pm at CVTC in Eau Claire. For more information contact UW-Extension.

Wisconsin’s public universities can soon offer faster more affordable paths to a bachelor’s degree. The UW Board of Regents has approved a new policy allowing campuses to create three‑year degree programs. Requiring 90 credits instead of the traditional 120 effectively cuts a full year off the typical four‑year timeline. Supporters say this could reduce costs for students thousands of dollars, eliminating a year of tuition, housing, and fees. Universities can now begin developing the new three‑year options, bringing Wisconsin in line with dozens of institutions nationwide exploring alternative degree pathways.

Wisconsin’s high school graduation rate has climbed again. New data from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction shows 92 percent of high school students graduated on time in the 2024–25 school year, the highest since the state began using the four‑year adjusted cohort in 2010. Overall attendance rose to 92.6 percent, while chronic absenteeism fell to 17.3 percent, both better than last year. The information is part of new data released Thursday on the DPI’s WISEdash Public Portal, which includes multi‑year enrollment, graduation, and attendance trends for every public school district in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin appears to be falling behind when it comes to the best states to drive in. Finance website WalletHub recently ranked every state based on concerns of the road, including traffic, road conditions, and more. The states were then ranked into categories and given an overall score. The Badger State was ranked 32nd overall, and received its highest ranking of 22nd in the traffic and infrastructure category. Wisconsin did not fare well in the safety category, where it was ranked 42nd.

Governor Evers is signing several bills into law aimed at strengthening protections for children. One measure makes child grooming a felony offense, giving law enforcement clearer authority to prosecute offenders. This follows a report documenting hundreds of alleged cases of teacher sexual misconduct and grooming. Another law expands the state's Missing Child Alert program to include children ages ten and eleven. State officials say the changes are intended to improve responses when children go missing and increase safeguards for students.

A Texas man is going to prison for a drive-by shooting nearly four years ago in Rochester. Exavier Porter was sentenced Thursday to 18 years in prison. He was convicted of attempted murder and drive-by shooting charges last November. Prosecutors say Porter was driving on Avenue Northwest in October 2022 when he spotted the ex-boyfriend of his female passenger driving down the same street. The suspect got out of his vehicle and opened fire at the victim, who was not injured.

The man who served as the Green Bay Packers’ president for nearly two decades has died. Bob Harlan joined the team in 1971 and worked in several executive positions until he was named team president and CEO in 1989. Harlan’s tenure leading the Packers culminated in the team winning its first Super Bowl title since the Lombardi era. He also oversaw the nearly $300 million redevelopment of Lambeau Field, which was funded in part by a successful 1997 stock sale. Harlan retired in 2008. His son Kevin and granddaughter Olivia have served as announcers on NFL game broadcasts. Bob Harlan was 89 years old.

The Wisconsin State Patrol is encouraging e-bike and e-scooter safety. The department is reminding folks this month to stay alert and share the road safely in the interest of safety for riders and motorists alike. There were 64 e-bikes and e-scooters involved in motor vehicle crashes in the state last year.