Summer swimming lessons at Tarrant Park in Durand will have 260 students this year. This is the first year the lessons were organized by the Durand-Arkansaw School District instead of the City of Durand. Durand-Arkansaw Superintendent Ryan Nelson says the idea to have the district run the lessons came from conversations with the city. The swimming lessons will be in June and July.
Motorists who use Dorwins Mill Road between Hwy 10 and 85 will need to use an alternate route this summer as crews replace a bridge over Baier Creek. Pepin County Highway Administrator Chris Bates says the county helped the Town of Durand get funding for the replacement of the bridge. That project should be completed by the end of July.
Farmers Market vouchers for seniors in Buffalo and Pepin County will be available on June 1st. The $25 vouchers are for those 60yrs and older to obtain fresh fruits and vegetables sold at farmers markets. There is some income restrictions and vouchers will be available on a first come first served basis. Contact Buffalo-Pepin County ADRC for more information.
One person was injured when their vehicle crashed into a home in Burnside Township. According to the Trempealeau County Sheriffs Department, a vehicle traveling eastbound on Hwy X failed to negotiate a curve, left the roadway, went into the ditch and struck a home. The driver of the vehicle was trapped and had to be extricated from the vehicle and med-flighted to Mayo Eau Claire. Speed and alcohol are believed to be contributing factors to the accident. The name of the driver was not released.
La Crosse Mayor Shaundel Washington-Spivey is addressing concerns around public safety in the city's parks and downtown area. He warned residents that negative behavior will not be tolerated and encouraged positive use of public safety. Washington-Spivey noted there will be an increased presence of Neighborhood Resource Officers in and around the parks. The announcement comes after Burns and Cameron Parks were closed last September following safety issues. City officials added that both sheltered and unsheltered individuals have contributed to safety issues.
A new scam is targeting apartment hunters with fake application fees. The Wisconsin Division of Trade and Consumer Protection say scammers pose as landlords and direct people to pay to fill out a fake application before they could "even tour the property." Officials say future renters should verify the listing by looking at rental companies' official websites, satellite or street-view maps and look up property records. The FTC says between 2020 and 2025, 65-million dollars was lost to rental scams, with young renters hit the hardest.
Governor Tony Evers has formally requested a federal disaster declaration in response to severe April storms and destructive flooding. A Wisconsin Emergency Management and FEMA joint preliminary damage assessment determined more than $27 million in damages. Evers request to President Donald Truump includes FEMA Individual Assistance in 19 counties and the Onedia Nation, and Public Assistance in 14 counties and the Oneida Nation, as well as FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to help reduce the impact of future disasters statewide. In a press release, Evers noted that the latest request for federal support comes as the Trump has yet to justify denial of Public Assistance following severe weather and flooding which caused over $27 million in damage across the state last summer. Evers also cited reports indicating that it’s harder for Democratic-led states to get disaster funding under the Trump Administration than Republican-led states, with FEMA rejecting disaster aid for Democratic-led states at the highest rate in its history.
Home prices in Wisconsin are continuing to rise. A report from the Wisconsin Realtors Association shows the median price of homes increased six-point-three percent year over year in April, with a typical home costing 340-thousand dollars. Home sales were still up seven-point-four percent during the same time period due to a slightly lower mortgage rate. Here in Western Wisconsin, Dunn County had 34 homes sold, Pierce County 19, Buffalo and Pepin County had 7 homes sold. The median price of a home in Western Wisconsin was $313,000. Experts say available housing needs to increase 62-percent to reach a balanced market.
Analysis finds last week's failed surplus deal would've sent Wisconsin's budget into the red. A memo from the Legislature’s Fiscal Bureau shows the proposed deal — brokered by Governor Tony Evers and Republican leaders — would have added roughly three‑and‑a‑half billion dollars in spending over four years. Combined with existing commitments, the state would have faced an estimated $2.95 billion deficit, assuming no changes in revenue. The $1.8 billion package included tax rebate checks, more general state aid for schools, increased special education funding, and eliminating income tax on overtime and tips. The deal collapsed in the Senate last week, with Democrats — and some Republicans — warning it cost too much. Policy analysts say the impact would have made the next budget significantly tougher to balance, though not impossible. Backers argue rising tax revenues could have offset the hit.
Some Wisconsin high school students could see a change in their spring ACT scores. The Wisconsin State Journal reports that ACT found a scoring problem affecting students who took the online exam during school-day testing. The company began pulling affected scores May 13th and plans to reissue updated results by June second. Officials say scores will either stay the same or increase slightly — but won’t go down. State Superintendent Jill Underly says the test still plays a key role in college admissions and school accountability.
New federal funding will assist Wisconsin communities to replace lead water service lines. Wisconsin will receive $94.3 million through the EPA’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by Congress in 2021. It’s part of a larger $2.9 billion initiative by the Trump Administration and EPA to address approximately 4 million lead service lines across the country. Lead is a neurotoxin that is especially harmful to children. Roughly half of the funding for Wisconsin will be allocated to disadvantaged communities as grants or principal forgiveness loans. As of 2023, EPA projected there are more than 343,000 lead service lines in the state.
A new effort to protect a historic Wisconsin natural resource. Wild rice is known as manoomin by the Ojibwe people who harvest on northern Wisconsin waterways. Governor Tony Evers has appointed 24 people to the Wild Rice Stewardship Council, which he established through an Executive Order on Indigenous Peoples' Day last October. The group is charged with preserving wild rice stewardship and supporting Tribal treaty rights. Council members include representatives from Wisconsin’s 11 federally recognized Tribes, the DNR, DATCP, the Office of Environmental Justice and Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission. The executive order designates the first week of September as "Wild Rice Week" to raise awareness for and appreciation of wild rice.
There will likely be no hunting season for sharp-tailed grouse this year. The Wisconsin State Journal reports a Department of Natural Resources report shows a 22 percent decline in the grouse population over last year. Last year was the first hunt for the grouse since 2010, with a total of five birds harvested. Wildlife experts say poor weather and an unsuccessful nesting season are likely to blame. Fish and game services across the Midwest are reporting a decline in sharp-tailed grouse in general.
The Wisconsin State Fair is adding a new attraction to mark its 175th year. The America 250 Wheel will debut in the Midwest during this summer's fair in West Allis. The 230-foot portable observation wheel will give riders a view from above while featuring a theme tied to U.S. history and national parks.
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