Firefighters from Durand and 15 other departments responded to a large multiple structure fire south of Ella yesterday. The first call came in that a barn was on fire at the Allen Anderson Farm on Hwy N. Firefighters found a barn fully engulfed and spreading to other structures. One person was taken to the hospital. The cause of that fire is still under investigation.
The City of Durand approved four new lots on the CSM maps that were requested by Xcel Energy. The company is in the process of selling off the old railroad right of way through the city. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the land is usually sold to an adjacent property owner. Milliren says the company can do four lots at a time when adding them to the certified survey maps.
Mondovi City leaders recently met with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to discuss the upcoming Hwy 37 reconstruction project. The city is wanting to limit how long the downtown area is closed off to traffic during the project. Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the city is also concerned about access for emergency services. The Hwy 37 project is expected to begin in spring of 2027.
A Menomonie teen charged in connection with a deadly Dunn County hit and run is again pleading guilty. The body of 54-year-old Ann Seidl was found lying in a ditch along County Highway Y on March 29th of last year. Authorities say that then-17-year-old Addison Bowell was the driver of the vehicle that hit Seidl and failed to stop. Bowell pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges including homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle. Thursday, she pleaded guilty in the case to charges that include hit and run involving death. She will be sentenced at a later date.
With fire danger at Critical levels across Northern and Western Wisconsin, the Department of Natural Resources asks the public to avoid outdoor burning through Saturday evening. DNR burning permits are suspended in 31 counties with additional suspensions possible with worsening conditions forecast heading into the weekend. Find updated information on DNR burning permit suspensions on the DNR's WisBurn tool. Fire risk is increased by ongoing dry vegetation, low humidity, warming temperatures and gusty winds forecast heading into the weekend, with Very High fire danger anticipated in areas where vegetation has not fully greened up. The DNR has responded to nearly 500 wildfires thus far in 2026, with 45% of those caused by debris burning. Fire danger is high in Pepin, Pierce, Buffalo and Dunn Counties and very high in Eau Claire and Chippewa Counties.
Jurors in La Crosse County are deliberating in the trial of Josie Dikeman. Dikeman is charged in the 2023 death of her boyfriend's six-year-old son A.J. In the trial, Dikeman took the stand in her own defense -- denying that she committed abuse that led to the boy's death. In closing arguments yesterday, her attorney called the matter a case of how innocent people get convicted of murder.
La
Crosse city leaders this week are saying it isn't their fault that
the community's fire and police departments have gone over budget for
three consecutive years. The departments have gone over budget by
nearly 250-thousand dollars each year. Council Member Erin Goggin
says overtime is to blame but that its not a matter of waste but of
necessity. She says when officers work OT, it's out of concerns for
public safety.
No one is injured after a semi caught on fire on I-94 in Jackson County. Authorities were called Wednesday evening and found the semi tractor was fully engulfed and had started a wild fire. Crews arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. The flames extended into a trailer that was carrying soup cans.
Governor Tony Evers is issuing new rules to protect public trust in state government. Evers signed an executive order that bans Wisconsin state employees from using or sharing nonpublic insider information they learn on the job to make money. It also prevents losses in prediction markets or other betting. The order covers helping themselves, a spouse or family members profit from bets tied to government actions, elections or other events. Evers said there's no known cases in Wisconsin, but cited growing national concerns and similar moves in other states and the U.S. Senate.
A conservative law firm is suing to block Wisconsin’s ban on conversion therapy. A state administrative rule prohibits “employing or promoting any intervention or method that has the purpose of attempting to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.” The lawsuit was filed in federal court by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty on behalf of licensed counselors Terri Koschnick and Joy Buchman, who offer clients Christian counseling. WILL Deputy Counsel, Rebecca Furdek, said Wisconsin’s rule is materially indistinguishable from a Colorado statute held to be “viewpoint discrimination” by the U.S. Supreme Court, and that Wisconsin counselors have every right to provide Christ-centered talk therapy to clients who seek them out.
Police in Superior address recent officer-involved shootings. A Tuesday press conference addressed two officer-involved shootings in the past five weeks. According to Northern News Now, the most recent occurred Sunday night after Superior officers responded to a report of a person armed with a knife. A police officer fired, hitting the person with the knife and another adult. Both are expected to recover. Police also released body camera footage of a fatal officer-involved shooting from April, showing a struggle between officer Ibrahim Carson and 42-year-old David Menton, whose family members are demanding answers in his death. A DCI investigation into the Menton shooting is now in the hands of the Douglas County District Attorney.
Allegiant is buying Minnesota's Sun Country Airlines for one-point-five billion dollars. The deal was finalized on Wednesday, ending Sun Country's 43-year run as a local airline. The outcome was expected after shareholders from both airlines approved the deal last week. Executives say the two will continue to fly under separate banners for at least several months while waiting for final federal approval. The plan is to eventually drop the Sun Country name and operate as Allegiant.
A black bear cub is recovering after being rescued in Marathon County. The sheriff's department says officers and wildlife experts responded last week after the cub was spotted on Highway 29 west of Wausau. Deputies say the cub's mother was struck and killed by a vehicle. The cub is now at a Rhinelander area rehab facility and is reportedly doing well. You are reminded to leave young wildlife alone, even if you think the animal is in distress. Be sure to contact your local police or sheriff's office and they'll be able to assess the situation and send someone qualified to assist.
Wisconsin residents have a chance to help protect an endangered butterfly this summer. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is seeking volunteers to survey the Karner blue butterfly starting in July in select counties. The effort pairs the public with scientists to track sightings of the endangered species—data that helps monitor population trends and guide recovery efforts. The DNR says Wisconsin is home to the largest remaining population of Karner blues. The information collected supports a federal plan aimed at eventually removing the butterfly from the endangered species list. More info is available on the DNR's website.
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