Local-Regional News July 10

The city of Durand is not planning on spraying for mosquitoes this year. Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says unless there is a large outbreak of mosquitoes, the city will not spray this year.  In years past the city has sprayed before funfest, the music in the park events and Blues on the Chippewa.

Hazmat crews spent most of the day yesterday cleaning up after a truck hauling 26,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate, 300 gallons of diesel fuel and an unknown amount of dynamite rolled over on Hwy 53 near I-94 Thursday morning. Approximately 8,000 pound of the nitrate spilled onto hwy 53 along with diesel fuel. Businesses and Homes in the Gatehouse Drive and House Road areas had to be evacuated for most of the day and Hwy 53 was closed in both directions. That accident was finally cleared by Thursday evening.

The Dunn County Health Department is alerting the public of potential COVID-19 exposure at one event within Dunn County. A person who has tested positive for COVID-19 attended the Knapp Valley Riders 4 th of July event while experiencing symptoms. Anyone who was at this event on July 4^th from 10:30am-4:30 pm and from 9:30pm-10:30pm are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should contact their provider to be tested. COVID-19 symptoms include cough, fever, sore throat, headache, body or muscle aches, chills, fatigue, vomiting, or new loss of taste or smell.

The sentence is 94 months in prison for a Rochester man accused of causing the death of a newborn.  Twenty-three-year-old Chaz Moore was convicted of manslaughter and assault in Olmsted County in March.  Prosecutors say Moore caused his ex-girlfriend to undergo an emergency C-section after she said he pushed her hard onto a bed in 2017.  Police say the woman sustained a 95-percent tear of her placenta and the baby eventually suffered from a loss of oxygen and later died.  The woman was 26 weeks pregnant.  Moore was the father of the baby.  He will get credit for 674 days already served.

People in Mankato and Winona are required to wear face coverings beginning today (Friday).  Mankato City Councilman Mike Laven says most people are already wearing masks and now it is just asking those who aren't to wear one.  There are exceptions in Mankato for children under 12 and fitness facilities.  Winona Mayor Mark Peterson says the order will protect the health of local residents and help keep businesses and schools open.

Interim University of Wisconsin System President Tommy Thompson has asked the governor for 110 million dollars so all 26 campuses can open safely this fall.  The money would pay for COVID-19 tests, contact tracing and personal protective equipment.  Thompson told Board of Regents members about his request at a Thursday meeting.  Regents also adopted a mandatory face mask policy for all campus buildings statewide.  Thompson had urged the board to support the policy.  It encourages the wearing of those masks outside while on campus when social distancing isn’t possible.

Governor Tony Evers said this week that his administration's pandemic response was hamstrung, by the state Supreme Court ruling that overturned his Safer at Home order. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos doesn't see it that way.  Vos says he's fine with local governments issuing mask orders, but doesn't see the need for a statewide mandate.

Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson is eliminating 700 jobs as part of the company’s rebuild called “The Rewire.”  The motorcycle-maker says 200 of the 700 positions are already vacant.  The rest of the employees should be laid off by the end of the year.  Harley-Davidson is making “significant changes,” including the departure of Chief Financial Officer John Olin.  Harley has six thous and employees worldwide.  About one thousand workers are at its Menomonee Falls plant.

Minnesota officials say they've awarded nearly 600-million dollars in federal COVID aid to local governments.  It can be used for local government services as well as grants to businesses, hospitals and individuals impacted by COVID-19.  Minnesota Revenue Commissioner Cynthia Bauerly says the state was able to distribute over 70 percent of the funds in less than two weeks and will ensure that, as more local governments apply, they'll receive aid in a timely manner.

The Wisconsin State Capitol building will remain closed to the public as the coronavirus pandemic continues.  The Wednesday announcement from Governor Tony Evers’ administration also revealed that state employees will have to wear masks at all times while they are inside state facilities starting Monday.  The Capitol has been closed since March.  It was supposed to reopen next week but the escalating number of coronavirus cases put that on hold.

While the mosquitoes are out in full force, the good news is no cases of West Nile virus have been reported in Minnesota.  Alex Carlson with the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District says they've tested 152 samples of mosquitoes they thought could potentially hold the virus, and all have come back negative.  Carlson says cases of West Nile virus are likely as we head deeper into summer.  He says the disease typically shows up in August or early September.  The pests contract the virus by feeding on infected birds.

Wisconsin leads the nation in coronavirus transmission. That's according to The COVID Tracking Project from The Atlantic. The magazine's data shows that for two weeks straight - the last week of June and first week of July - Wisconsin has had the fastest rate of transmission of the novel coronavirus. Not only is Wisconsin worst in the nation in terms of the spread of the virus: it is also worst in the region. According to The COVID Tracking Project's data, every other Midwest state is middle of the road. Illinois leads the region, ranking 11th for the slowest spread of the virus.

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development says it has more than tripled its staff while trying to deal with record numbers of unemployment applications. When the coronavirus pandemic first hit the state agency had about 500 workers available to handle claims – now, that number tops 17 hundred. Additional staff members have allowed the state to process claims more quickly. Despite that, 141 thousand workers out of a job are still waiting for their benefits to kick in. Republican lawmakers point to that figure while they demand the D-W-D to operate more efficiently.

A majority of Minnesota parents appear ready to send their kids back to school this fall. A Department of Education informal survey found 64 percent of respondents said they would feel comfortable sending students back to the classroom. The survey also finds 52 percent of parents found distance learning the COVID-19 pandemic to be a bad or very bad experience. Education Minnesota released a statement downplaying the survey, taking issue with how the data was collected. The teachers union says there is still work to be done to determine what the best plan is for the fall.

The new statue in Sun Prairie’s downtown area will depict a firefighter holding Captain Cory Barr’s helmet.  Barr was killed in the explosion July 10th, 2018.  The statue will be unveiled to the public Friday at 5:30 p-m.  Masks will be required for anyone who decides to attend the memorial ceremony, but a big crowd isn’t expected.  The event will be live-streamed on the Sun Prairie Fire Department’s Facebook page.  Angell Street between Bristol and Columbus will be renamed “Barr Street.”

Local-Regional News July 9

The Pepin County Health Department reports three more positive covid-19 cases in the county. Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says the three new cases are unrelated to the positive case from earlier this week.  Stewart says they are working with all of the individuals to contact trace anyone they may have been with over the last week.

The hot dry weather is causing an increase in water usage in the city of Durand. Public Works Superintendent Matt Gillis says city crews will continue to monitor the usage.  Gillis expects the leak detection unit to be in town all next week with results sent to the city a week after that.

A federal grand jury has indicted two Wisconsin men – including a former school superintendent – on child sex charges.  Thirty-three-year-old Daniel Peggs is charged with sex trafficking a minor, producing child porn, receiving child porn and possessing it – six federal felonies.  Peggs is the former superintendent of the Altoona School District.  Also indicted Wednesday was 36-year-old Alan Liphart of Darlington, a previously-convicted sex offender, on child porn charges.

The Hastings man who held authorities off in a 15-hour standoff last week has been charged with multiple felonies.  Thirty-six-year-old Gerald Edward Bolster could get a maximum sentence of 22 years in prison if found guilty on all counts.  Bolster is charged with three counts of threats of violence, two counts of child endangerment and one count of violating a restraining order.  The incident started last Thursday morning when officers responded to a domestic disturbance report.  For much of the time Bolster was blockaded inside, he had 13-year-old and four-year-old children with him.

Republicans are calling on Governor Tony Evers to approve a proposal for bridge loans to Wisconsin residents waiting for a decision on their unemployment applications.  93^rd Assemblyman Warren Petryk says his office is receiving calls from many unemployed workers still waiting for benefits.  The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development confirms more than 141 thousand people are still awaiting judgment on their applications. 

 Reps. Ron Kind (D-WI), Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), Josh Harder (D-CA), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) and 46 of their colleagues sent a bipartisan letter to United States Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer and United States Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue urging their offices to work swiftly on a comprehensive Phase Two trade agreement with Japan. While the recent Phase One agreement with Japan made progress on several issues of importance, our farmers and processors still remain at a disadvantage to our competitors due to the preferential access granted by the Japan-European Union and Comprehensive Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership agreements. That’s why Rep. Kind and his colleagues are urging USTR Lighthizer and USDA Secretary Perdue to maximize opportunities for dairy farmers by addressing these remaining gaps and inequalities in market access in a Phase Two agreement.

 The Minnesota Vikings' home field is getting some national praise.  A poll conducted by The Athletic finds that U-S Bank Stadium is the best venue in the N-F-L.  Twenty-three of the 32 beat writers cast first-place votes for the glass-covered stadium in downtown Minneapolis.  U-S Bank Stadium beat out Lambeau Field, Century Link Field in Seattle, A-T-and-T Stadium in Dallas, and Arrowhead in Kansas City.

Wisconsin is among five states and the District of Columbia suing U-S Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.  The group of attorneys general is challenging the guidelines from DeVos on the way CARES Act funds would be distributed.  They are trying to keep a significant portion of that federal funding from going to private schools.  They argue that the money is supposed to only benefit low-income students, but that’s not the way DeVos sees it.  Joining Wisconsin and the District of Columbia as plaintiffs are California, Maine and New Mexico.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers says the state Supreme Court ruling that ended his Safer at Home order “cost lives.”  The order forced some businesses to close and many people to stay at home.  The justices overturned it in May.  Evers maintains that decision cost some Wisconsin residents their lives.  While the number of COVID-19 cases has risen sharply in the state, the governor says he doesn’t have the authority to issue any statewide orders aimed at slowing the spread.  If he mandated the use of face masks, Evers says there is a 100-percent chance it would be tossed out by the high court.

A Waseca County sheriff's deputy critically injured responding to crash last fall is back on the job.  Deputy Josh Langr returned to service on modified duty until he is fully recovered.  Langr was at the scene of a fatal accident in October when he made contact with downed powerline and suffered electric shock.  His family says doctors concluded "miraculously" there was no significant lasting internal damage.  The Waseca County Sheriff’s Office says Langr has remained positive throughout the whole process and is excited to return to patrol duty.

Governor Tony Evers says the Wisconsin Department of Transportation will seek federal approval to resume the I-94 East-West corridor project in Milwaukee County. Evers said moving forward with the project will help create between six- and ten-thousand jobs, save lives, reduce travel times and help businesses across the state. The current East-West corridor was designed and built more 60 years ago, intended for significantly less traffic than its current use. WisDOT Secretary-designee Craig Thompson says the economic benefit of improving the East-West corridor would be felt statewide by impacting daily commuters, recreational travel and tourism, agricultural products, and other freight.

Staying six feet apart would be less of a challenge if Milwaukee voters were casting their ballots at Miller Park.  Milwaukee Election Commissioner Claire Woodall-Vogg says she is working with the Brewers baseball team to turn the stadium parking lots into a drive-thru polling location.  She hasn’t offered any specifics on how that might work.  Woodall-Vogg does hope to have all 160 of the city’s polling places open this fall – eliminating the long lines seen during the April election.

It doesn't make a lot of sense. That's what Education Minnesota President Denise Specht (speck) says in response to President Donald Trump's tweet today that he "may cut funding" if schools don't re-open in the fall. Specht said, "we know that in order to re-open our schools safely and thinking about the health of our students and staff, we know that actually takes funding to make that happen." Trump repeated his claim that Democrats want to keep schools closed for political reasons and not because of any risks associated with the coronavirus. State officials are expected to announce their plan for the new school year later this month.

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development says people will be able to maintain social distancing while looking for a job next week. The state agency has set up 16 drive-thru job fairs around Wisconsin a week from today (Wednesday). Each vehicle will get a list of the jobs that are available in that particular region. The locations are posted on the agency’s website. The job fairs July 15 will start at noon and run until 4:00 p-m.

Local-Regional News July 8

The former Durand Library Director has been sentenced. Patricia Blount pleaded guilty to theft in a business setting greater than $10,000. Blount was sentenced to four years probation, and as a condition of her probation she must spend 120 days in jail or home arrest and was ordered to pay $29,000 in restitution, provide a written apology to the Library Board and pay court costs.

Pepin County reports a second confirmed case of Covid-19. Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says the case involves an individual in the western part of the county who had been traveling out of state.  Pepin County has also identified 25 close contacts, but none of the close contacts are connected to the new positive case, but are linked to confirmed cases outside of Pepin County.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight. Items on the agenda include reports from the Mayor, City Administrator and Department Heads, and the council will go into closed session for the annual review of the City Administrator and to discuss the softball field at Tarrant Park. Tonights meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall and will be live streamed on the WRDN Facebook Page.

An order signed by Winona Mayor Mark Peterson requires people to wear masks in public.  Winona's policy comes after Mankato and Rochester approved similar orders.  Face coverings will be required in Winona starting Friday inside public buildings and anywhere social distancing is difficult.  Peterson said the order will help keep our businesses open, allow our schools and universities to open this fall, and most importantly protect the health and safety of all Winona residents."

Two Wisconsin men will spend more than seven years in federal prison for dragging a Minnesota state trooper along Interstate 90.  Thirty-year-old Montrell Smith and 31-year-old Anthony Enriquez - both from Milwaukee - pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and felony drug charges in connection with the December 2018 incident.  They were pulled over for suspicion of transporting drugs and drove off with a state trooper partially inside their vehicle.  Investigators say Trooper Doug Rauenhorst was dragged along I-90 and suffered significant injuries.  Smith and Enriquez were later arrested at a bar in Albert Lea.

The state of Wisconsin is shipping millions of cloth face masks and other types of personal protective equipment to schools, food processors and businesses.  Wisconsin Emergency Management is providing 42 hundred infrared thermometers to public, charter and private schools.  The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is sending another 60 thousand face masks to local food processors and other businesses.  When the Evers administration asked last month if Wisconsin schools were interested in the equipment, more than a thousand said yes.

  U-S Senator Ron Johnson thinks the country closed too much of its economy when the coronavirus outbreak started.  The Wisconsin Republican tells the online news publication Axios the country “overreacted” at first.  Johnson says we should have isolated the sick and protected the vulnerable.  He says the federal government needs to come up with additional plans to help businesses that are suffering.  Johnson says those businesses shouldn’t be blamed for a downturn in performance.  He calls the pandemic “an act of God.”

 

People in Dane County will have to wear a face mask indoors starting Monday to prevent the spread of coronavirus.  Public Health Madison and Dane County issued the emergency order today (Tuesday) requiring everyone over age five to wear a face covering in an enclosed building.  Director of Public Health Janel Heinrich said, "given the current number of COVID-19 infections in our county, we need to all be wearing face coverings every time we leave the house." The mask must cover a person's nose and mouth in public.  Dane County closed bars for indoor service and restricted the size of gatherings as confirmed cases among younger residents rose.

The Rochester Honkers are suspending their baseball season for a week after a player tested positive for COVID-19.    The Honkers game Tuesday night at Mankato was postponed when the case was confirmed. The team says the infected player is asymptomatic, feels well and is in isolation.   The Honkers will be off until July 14th.   The team is awaiting additional guidance from Northwoods League and health officials.

 The Baraboo Police Department reports the body of a missing ten-year-old girl has been located.  A statewide Amber Alert was issued for Kodie Dutcher Monday night.  Officers say Kodie was found dead late this morning (Tuesday) near County Highway T.  Investigators say she left behind a note that said, "Mom, I love you, but I can’t do it. Bye."  Kodie is suspected to have taken an unknown amount of pills and had threatened to harm herself.   Kodie left behind her cellphone and shoes.

Like many before it, the Central Wisconsin State Fair is cancelled, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  During a special meeting Monday, the Fair Board of Directors voted 9-2 to cancel this year's fair, scheduled for August 25-30.

The Minnesota College Athletic Conference is cancelling its football, volleyball and women's soccer seasons this fall due to COVID-19.  The presidents say they are committed to protecting the health of student athletes.  They say they considered recommendations from the C-D-C and  Minnesota Department of Health when making the decision.  Fall sports will be limited to low-risk activities such as clay targets and golf.  The Minnesota College Athletic Conference consists of 24 two-year colleges in Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin.

A Catholic school in Richfield is getting a second hearing on possible state aid following a Supreme Court decision.  The court ruled St. Augustine School gets a new hearing for its challenge to Wisconsin’s law that allows state money to go to only one private school per school district.  The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty is helping the Richfield school, saying the case is about fairness.  The high court quotes a recent ruling in Montana which changes things about the way public money can be spent on religious schools.

 The governor has given the University of Wisconsin System his approval to draft new sexual misconduct policies.  Governor Evers rejected a scope statement last month to bring the system into compliance with revisions made to Title Nine by U-S Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.  The Board of Regents has been told four new scope statements were submitted to Evers June 19th – and he signed off on them four days after rejecting the initial statements.  The policies being changed concern the rights of defendants accused of sexual misconduct.

 A property owner tells deputies with the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office he was trying to shoot a woodchuck Monday morning when he missed.  The bullet ricocheted, then hit a golfer on The Golf Club at Camelot.  The accident happened at about 11:00 a-m in the Township of Lomira.  The 80-year-old golfer from Fond du Lac is expected to be fine.  No names have been released.  Investigators say the errant bullet struck a tree first, then the unfortunate golfer.

Local-Regional News July 7

 Authorities in Chippewa County say a Monday morning house explosion has left one person dead and another injured.  The blast destroyed a home near Eau Claire, but just across the county line.  The names of the two victims haven’t been released.  The injured person is being treated at an Eau Claire hospital.  Chippewa County Sheriff Jim Kowalczyk says he believes the explosion was caused by propane.  The state Department of Criminal Investigation is helping with the case.

One person was injured in a one vehicle accident in Spring Lake Township on Friday. According to the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, 28yr old Daniel Kirby of Elmwood was traveling southbound on Hwy 128 when he lost control on the gravel shoulder. Kirby crossed into the northbound lane and entered the east ditch. Kirby's vehicle rolled multiple times before coming to a rest on the roof in a wooded area. Kirby was transported to Western Wisconsin Health in Baldwin and then air lifted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

The two men charged with killing an Eau Claire Man were in court on Monday. Attorneys for Joe Moya and Juan Olivarez requested more time to examine the evidence including flash drives, cd's and binders. Moya and Olivarez are charged in the shooting death of Edwin Garcia-Smith in March. The next court hearing will be August. 10.

 A western Wisconsin rider who wrecked his motorcycle has been cited for operating while intoxicated, sixth offense. The accident happened last weekend. Eau Claire County deputies say the motorcycle went over the median, then up an embankment. The rider was thrown off his bike along Highway 53 Sunday evening. His name hasn’t been released. Deputies believe he was drunk.

Two people are dead after a head on collision in the town of Osceola on Thursday. According to the Polk County Sheriffs Department, two truck were traveling in opposite directions on Hwy 35 north of 90^th avenue when the collided head on. 48Yr old Scott Brust and 53yr old Lisa Swanson both from Cushing were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the other truck was taken to the hospital.

 A combined six-point-three million dollars in grant money will fund an initiative called the “Wisconsin Safe Voting Plan.”  The money from the Chicago-based nonpartisan Center for Tech and Civic Life will be used to make polling places safer on Election Day during the coronavirus pandemic.  The money will be shared by officials in Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Racine and Kenosha.  City leaders plan to use the grant money to secure voting sites, set up drive-thru and drop-box locations, recruit and train poll workers, and make sure they have personal protective equipment.

 The Minnesota Department of Transportation does not want to see political signs along the highways this election season.  MnDOT is reminding candidates that state law prohibits the placement of private signs on the highway right-of-way.   You could face a misdemeanor and civil penalty if the campaign sign contributes to a car running off the road or an injury crash.  Road crews will take down signs on highway right-of-way and public utility poles and take them to local MnDOT truck station.

A group of Milwaukee business owners who want the city to require face masks is taking their case to the internet. A new public service announcement asks Milwaukee to be "safer and smarter than Florida." Several dozen businesses last week signed a letter to the mayor and the city council president, asking them to impose a mask order in order to "level the playing field" for businesses who don’t require masks on their own. The business group says masks are needed to stay safe, and the city needs to order people to wear them

If you're hoping to help out other people suffering during the COVID-19 pandemic, make sure you're doing so responsibly. Tiffany Schultz with the Better Business Bureau says some people will be making phony fundraising pages, so make sure you investigate them. She says it's best to either give money to a known charity, or to donate to causes you can verify and trust.

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association says it hasn’t considered moving fall sports like football to next spring, despite the coronavirus pandemic.  A change like that would need the approval of the W-I-A-A Board of Control.  A spokesperson says there have been many informal discussions during the pandemic, but no serious staff time or discussion on flipping the seasons.  The Board of Control isn’t scheduled to meet in July.  Guidelines for fall sports are being worked out and schedules will be submitted later this month.

A 20-year-old La Crosse man is charged with 17 counts for alleged beatings of his girlfriend.  Investigators say the attacks occurred over the last three months.  Christian Bouquet is charged with sexual assault, strangulation, false imprisonment, reckless endangerment and multiple additional counts.  Police say they have responded to many fights between the two since April.  The girlfriend’s name hasn’t been released.  She told the judge she is scared for her life.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says it has closed four natural areas in the state because they are so small it would be hard for visitors to maintain social distancing.  The problem is, people keep sneaking in – even though the entrances are blocked.  A D-N-R spokesperson says the longer that kind of activity continues, the longer the natural areas will remain officially closed.  Going in could earn a person a citation and a fine – and, if you get hurt in there, the area isn’t monitored and emergency responders might have a difficult time finding you.

U-S Senators Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and James Lankford of Oklahoma are backing away from their idea to replace Columbus Day with Juneteenth Day as a federal holiday.  The two Republicans had filed an amendment to a bill last Wednesday to make the change.  They withdrew the proposed amendment Friday.  The two say they were trying to slow down the passage of a new paid day off for federal workers, estimating the new holiday would wind up costing taxpayers about 600 million dollars.  Johnson says he wasn’t deprecating the achievements of Christopher Columbus or expressing any value judgment on his place in history.

Most faculty members at the University of Wisconsin in Madison say they don't think students should be back on campus this fall. The Association of American University Professors survyed its members last week about how they feel about teaching in-person classes. About 60-percent said they 'd rather teach online. Faculty members say they don't believe classes can be safely taught during a pandemic. Meanwhile, U-W's orientation weekend will be virtual this fall. The school normally provides incoming freshmen and their families a two-day campus experience, but this year that will be done from home.

New voter registrations in Minnesota have been stopped cold by the coronavirus pandemic.  Minnesota election officials say more than 25 thousand new voters signed up to cast ballots during March.  Then, the pandemic hit and registrations fell by 86 percent – to just 35 hundred in June.  The March numbers could be inflated by the fact Minnesota was holding its first presidential primary in 64 years that month.  With the arrival of the pandemic, nobody was going door-to-door to get people registered and there were no more get-out-the-vote events being held.  Other states say they are having the same experience.

Madison is banning vehicles on State Street in the downtown area during weekends.  The change called “Streatery” just started and will continue through August 23rd.  The idea is to let restaurants use the extra space to expand their outdoor seating on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays beginning at 6:45 p-m.

Local-Regional News July 6

As the pandemic continues, home sales are struggling to keep up in Wisconsin. David Clark with the Wisconsin Realtors Association says that while Virtual Tours and home sales continue to increase, that's not had an effect on the current numbers from May. Here in Western Wisconsin, Pepin County had 11 home sales in May, Buffalo County 13, Trempealeau County 28, Pierce County 34 and Dunn County had 55 home sales in May. The Median Price of a home in Western Wisconsin for May was $215,000. Clark says there might also be more homes entering the market that are usually rented out to vacationers through apps like AirBNB.

Authorities are investigating after a woman died late Saturday night near Zumbro Falls. Just before 11 P-M Saturday officials found the 34-year-old woman unresponsive and suffering from a gunshot wound. Life-savings efforts at the scene were unsuccessful. The Minnesota B-C-A is assisting the investigation.

The Wabasha County Board will be meeting tomorrow. Items on the agenda include discussion and action on repealing the Feedlot Ordinance, appointment of a replacement for Driver''s License Duties for the County and reports from board members. Tomorrows meeting begins at 9am at the Wabasha County Government Center.

A Chippewa County man is facing first-degree reckless homicide charges for providing the methamphetamine that led to a fatal overdose.  A criminal complaint says 27-year-old Dylan Henderson of Bloomer sold meth to Zachary Dietrich in March 2019 and he used the drugs with Carissa Kasmeirski  - who died of an overdose.  Investigators say Henderson's D-N-A was on the bag of meth sold to Dietrich.  He's also charged with reckless homicide in the case.  Henderson is due in court July 28th.

Four school districts in western Wisconsin say they are working together to offer parents and students a new option.  Officials in Holmen, La Crosse, Onalaska and West Salem are partnering on the Coulee Region Virtual Academy.  The academy is being called an addition to the options already available as the fall term approaches.  The districts say they have worked together on many projects in the past, but this is the most ambitious one.  The four La Crosse County school districts took a survey recently, with almost 10 percent of families saying they are interested and another 20 percent asking for more information.  More meetings are on the schedule and enrollment could begin by the end of this month.  There is no additional cost for the online option.

Sunday was a second straight day of no new COVID-19 deaths in Wisconsin. However the 10.4 percent positive tests was the second straight day of positive test rates above 10 percent. The Department of Health Services reported 522 of 4,996 new test results were positive. Saturday saw 738 of 6,822 new test results come back positive. That was 10.8 percent and also broke the previous single day record for positive cases. DHS also reported 31 additional hospitalizations over the weekend.

A legal firm has filed a request in federal court to block COVID-19 emergency orders in Dane County and Milwaukee. Veterans Liberty Law filed for an immediate injunction Friday against Public Health Madison-Dane County director Janelle Heinrich and City of Milwaukee commissioner of health Jeanette Kowalik. The plaintiffs want to stop orders that took effect last week that limit private gatherings. Dane County's emergency order took effect July 2, limiting gatherings inside to a maximum of 10 people and limiting outdoor gatherings to 25 people. In the filing, Veterans Liberty Law claims the order goes far beyond what the law allows.

Sunday marked the ten-year anniversary of Wisconsin's Smoke-Free Indoor Air Law. Cigarette smoking rates have dropped since Wisconsin's since the law went into into effect. In 2008, before the law passed, 20 percent of Wisconsin adults smoked cigarettes. By 2018, the rate had dropped to 16 percent, according to the state Department of Health Services. Dona Wininsky with the American Lung Association said the law has not only benefited customers bars and restaurants, but employees as well.

 A standoff lasting more than 14 hours came to peaceful end early Friday morning in Hastings.  Police say the suspect was taken into custody and two children are safe.  Authorities responded to the mobile home park for a man wanted for a restraining order and he barricaded himself inside with two kids.  A 13-year-old child was rescued around 10 p-m Thursday.  Officers and crisis negotiators worked to get the man out and release a four-year-old before a SWAT team made entry.  Thirty-six-year-old Gerald Bolster was arrested around 2:30 a-m.  Several officers suffered heat exhaustion and three were sent to the hospital.

A report from the Wisconsin Economic Development Council says many service sector jobs won’t be back after the pandemic is over.  The W-E-D-C sent that report to lawmakers earlier this week.  It projects the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.  The report finds tourism and the service sector as the areas of the Wisconsin economy which have been hit the hardest.  The council didn’t give a projection, but it says many restaurant and retail jobs are likely permanently lost.  The workers who do get their jobs back will need to be retrained.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office is investigating the apparent drowning of a ten-year-old boy in the St. Croix River.  Deputies, firefighters, a water rescue team and D-N-R officers were called to William O'Brien State Park in Scandia Friday afternoon.  The boy was pulled from the water and paramedics attempted life-saving measures but he died at Regions Hospital.  The victim hasn't been identified.  No other information has been released.

Delta Air Lines points to a growing travel demand for its decision to add a flight and use bigger planes to service the Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport.  Despite the coronavirus pandemic, demand is high at that northern Wisconsin airport this summer.  Delta is adding a second flight to the Twin Cities this week.  The bigger aircraft will make it easier to maintain social distancing protocols.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office is investigating a head-on collision near the Wisconsin-Minnesota border that left two people dead.  Deputies say a truck traveling south on Highway 35 collided with a northbound pickup around 11:30 Thursday night in Osceola.  The man driving northbound pickup and his female passenger died at the scene.  The driver of the truck was extricated and airlifted to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.  His current condition is unknown.  The victims' names haven't been released.

Department of Workforce Development Secretary Caleb Frostman says he wants the federal government to extend its 600 dollar-a-week coronavirus unemployment sweetener.  Frostman makes the request at the same time his state agency is struggling to meet the needs of Wisconsin residents who are out of a job.  He said that extra money – on top of the state check – makes a big difference.  Frostman still doesn’t have an answer about when Wisconsin’s unemployed workers will get the needed help from his office.  He blames computer problems for a big backlog.

Wisconsin’s attorney general has launched the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Task Force.  Members will spearhead an effort to fight the abduction, homicide and trafficking of Native American women and girls in the state.  The task force is to examine the factors which contribute to missing and murdered Indigenous woman.  It will work with the Wisconsin Department of Justice and Native American communities on data collections and reporting methods.

Local-regional news July 2

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation is released a report on the economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the Momentum West region which includes (Eau Claire, Chippewa, Dunn, St. Croix, Pierce, Polk, Barron) – Hardest hit were the family businesses. Universities and large employers furloughed employees. Medical device manufacturers increased production but reported finding it difficult to hire new employees. Homeless shelters and rehabilitation and mental health facilities were short on beds due to social distancing. For the 7 Rivers Alliance (Buffalo, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Pepin, Trempealeau, Vernon) – Manufactures reduced capacity are staying at reduced productivity. New automation required highly skilled workers, and the number of those highly skilled workers will not keep pace with need. Commercial property owners “report that there will be a glut of vacant office and commercial space, as people continue to work from home and businesses shed overhead. According to a June Business Impact Survey, businesses in Wisconsin lost over $22.2 million in income .

One Person in dead after a motorcycle vs SUV crash in Wilson Township Wednesday. According to the Eau Claire County Sheriffs Department, an 18yr old Thorp man was traveling southbound on Hwy H and was slowing and beginning to make a left hand turn off of Hwy H when the SUV was struck by a motorcycle traveling northbound on Hwy H driven by a 26yr old Fairchild man. The 26yr old was thrown from the motorcycle and died from his injuries. That accident remains under investigation.

The 3 day Independence Holiday weekend is here and Heidi Stewart from the Pepin County Health Department is reminding everyone to be safe.   Stewart also reminds residents to remember the ticks are out in full force and to make sure if your out in the woods to use a repellent and to check for ticks when you return home.

More charges are filed against an Eau Claire shooting suspect.  Twenty-two-year-old Kyler Baker was already being held in the Chippewa County Jail for a shooting last month on Eau Claire’s north side.  Tuesday, fraud and forgery charges were filed against him in Eau Claire County.  Prosecutors say he opened a checking account in April, deposited five bad checks in May, and then withdrew 10 thousand dollars.  Baker is scheduled to return to court July 14th for a hearing about the forgery case.

A Rochester woman is pleading not guilty to trying to kill her five children.  Thirty-three-year-old Farhio Abdullahi is demanding a jury trial for first-degree premeditated attempted murder.  Abdullahi is accused of putting her kids in her car last October and filling it with exhaust fumes until some became ill.  She was treated for mental illness last winter and found competent to stand trial two months later. No trial date has been set during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 The Democratic-controlled U-S House passed an infrastructure package aimed at improving infrastructure, roads and bridges and creating millions of jobs. Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind voted for the bill saying “Especially during these difficult times, we need to support the spirit of American ingenuity and give Wisconsin workers, families, and communities the tools they need to succeed,” But Minnesota Congressman Collin Peterson voted against the Moving Forward Act Wednesday.  Peterson complains that it was bogged down by unrelated spending we cannot afford.  The Seventh District Democrat  said he's "disappointed partisan politics and a one-sided process have stalled out a desperately needed infrastructure package." He says he's hopeful Senate negotiations will yield a more balanced approach.

 A 22-and-a-half million-dollar federal grant will be used by scientists at the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute while it works with the C-D-C on COVID-19 studies.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta is conducting studies as it anticipates the return of SARS next winter.  That could complicate the already-difficult situation with the coronavirus pandemic.  Scientists will try to establish an effective means of assessing virus infections, develop testing procedures and improve diagnostics.

Friday will see the start of Operation Dry Water. It's a statewide effort to encourage sober boating.  DNR wardens are also part of the stepped up effort over the July 4th Holiday weekend.

 The Madison activist charged with extortion has made his first federal court appearance.  Prosecutors say Devonere Johnson threatened two businesses on State Street with destruction if they didn’t give him and his fellow protesters free food and drinks.  Witnesses say he entered Cooper’s Tavern last month using a bullhorn to speak loudly to customers while he was also holding a baseball bat.  Johnson’s case is on hold while the court waits for a federal grand jury indictment.

Two people from Chicago have been arrested in Trempealeau County on Drug Charges. According to the Trempealeau County Sheriffs Department, deputies pulled over a vehicle on I-94 near mile marker 88 for a traffic violation. During the traffic stop, Canine Luke was brought in and alerted deputies to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. A search revealed 388 grams of Heroin and 88 grams of crack cocaine with a street value of $60,000. 40yr old Jessie Brown and 40yr old Toraus Eason both of Chicago were arrested and taken to the Trempealeau County Jail.

U-S Senator Ron Johnson is co-sponsoring an amendment to replace Columbus Day with a Juneteenth federal holiday.  The Wisconsin Republican said, "we support celebrating emancipation with a federal holiday, but believe we should eliminate a current holiday in exchange."  Johnson says they chose to scrap Columbus Day so another day off for federal workers "does not put us further in debt."  Juneteenth is celebrated on June 19th as the day slavery ended in the U-S.  Supporters call it a "second independence day."

The Wisconsin Supreme Court says it won’t hear arguments in the controversial voter purge case until September.  That seems to indicate that questions about which names remain on the state’s voter rolls won’t be answered until after the November presidential election.  The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty filed suit to force the Wisconsin Elections Commission to remove about 130 thousand people from the list of eligible voters.  Most have moved or failed to answer questions about their addresses that are on the record.  The justices say a ruling on the case likely won’t be handed down before next year.

Minnesota Senator Tina Smith is touting the U-S-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement (USMCA) that went into effect today (Wednesday).  Smith says it adds much-needed trade certainty for Minnesota farmers, businesses, and consumers who have weathered years of uncertain trade policies and are facing a challenging coronavirus pandemic.  She says export markets are extremely important to jobs in Minnesota, and "thousands and thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of economic activity come because of international trade that our Minnesota businesses engage in."  She says the U-S-M-C-A also provides important stability and market access for Minnesota agriculture and other Minnesota products.

A new law taking effect today sends 100-thousand dollars to farm safety efforts in Minnesota.  Representative Jeff Brand from Saint Peter points to a number of fatal accidents in the last half of 2019 involving grain bins or carbon monoxide.  He says, "Landon Gran passed away about a year ago now. He should be celebrating his graduation from high school, but unfortunately he met his end in mid-August to a grain bin sweep auger."  Fifty thousand dollars goes for grants to farmers for safety measures and retrofitting, including modifications to prevent older tractors from rolling over.  And there’s 50-thousand dollars for awareness and education.  That includes designing a digital app that lets someone remotely power-off a grain storage facility and call for help.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wants its students to sign a coronavirus safety pledge when they return to campus in August.  Chancellor Dwight Watson said the school wants those students to pledge they will wear a face mask and follow its coronavirus safety plan.  Watson admits the university can’t control what students do while they are off-campus, but he says the pledge will apply to on-campus classes and residential buildings.  All campuses in the U-W System are welcoming students back this fall.

HealthPartners is permanently closing five clinics in the Twin Cities, plus one in the Saint Cloud area, one in New Richmond Wisconsin and a drug-and-alcohol treatment program in Saint Paul.  It comes as patients seek less care from brick-and-mortar facilities amid the COVID pandemic.  HealthPartners says it is expanding video visits and other digital capabilities and although some jobs will probably be eliminated, most workers at closed clinics will shift to other locations.

Local-Regional News July 1

Two People were injured in a two vehicle accident Monday in Hagar City. According to the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, 36yr old Steven Vititoe of Bay City was stopped on the east shoulder of Hwy 63 and attempted a U-Turn and was struck by a southbound vehicle driven by 65yr old Leon Amorelli of River Falls. Both vehicles came to rest in the west ditch. Both drivers were taken to Mayo Red Wing Hospital with undetermined injuries.

Somebody is going to great lengths to slow down Eau Claire drivers on some city streets.  Police say they want to know who has been putting homemade spike strips on those streets.  The illegal objects are basically two-by-fours with a couple of dozen nails sticking out.  Police have found them at three different intersections so far.  They are asking the public to help them find the people doing this.

A Colfax man is facing up to 260yrs in prison after he was charged with five felonies including first degree sexual assault. Tuesday, 44yr old Jeffry McCulloch was charged after a woman came forward earlier this month and told authorities that McCulloch sexually assaulted her dozens of times during her childhood. McCulloch will make an appearance in Dunn County Court later today.

Business owners, communities and organizations affected by the covid-19 pandemic are encouraged to visit the Wisconsin Rural Partners Website and click on the Road to Rural Recovery Link. Steve Peterson with Wisconsin Rural Partners says the link was developed as a one stop shop for businesses and others looking for information on covid-19 recovery efforts.  Visit the Wisconsin Rural Partners Website for more information.

 State Senator Tim Carpenter calls his Tuesday surgery “successful” after he was attacked near the Capitol last week.  The Milwaukee Democrat says he was attacked while taking a photo of demonstrators tearing down two statues.  Carpenter says eight-or-10 people punched and kicked him in the head, neck and ribs.  He says he is confident he will make a full recovery after his surgery at St. Francis Hospital.

There will no longer be police officers inside the four main high schools in Madison.  The Madison Metropolitan School Board voted unanimously Monday to terminate the district's contract with the Madison Police Department for school resource officers.  Board member Ananda Mirilli said the action sends the message that "the bodies of black and brown students will no longer be criminalized."  Police and supporters say S-R-Os have specific training that makes them better suited to dealing with issues that arise at schools.  Acting Police Chief Vic Wahl said in a statement that S-R-Os "have played an instrumental role in maintaining a safe learning environment" in the high schools.  Security plans for the district’s high schools have yet to be determined.  The board spends more than 370-thousand dollars a year on school resource officers.

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty supports mask wearing in public.  Pawlenty tweeted today that "wearing masks indoors/close quarters clearly helps prevent virus spread. In our sadly divided country, let’s at least show we care enough about each other to wear our masks in crowded places."  Governor Tim Walz said a statewide mask wearing mandate was "on the table" amid COVID-19.

 A tentative March 8th trial date is set for the four former Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd.  Derek Chauvin, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tau Thao appeared in Hennepin County Circuit Court Monday.  Attorneys for Kueng and Lane, both rookie officers, say their clients tried to get Chauvin to stop kneeling on Floyd’s neck.  Although Judge Peter Cahill ruled against cameras in the courtroom for the pre-trial proceedings, he said Monday televising or streaming of the trial could still happen.  Cahill does expect comments by public officials about the case will force it to be tried somewhere outside Hennepin County.  A motions hearing is scheduled for September.

 Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes says face masks should be mandatory as the state fights the coronavirus pandemic.  It’s not likely to happen.  Wisconsin lawmakers would have to agree and Republican Senator Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald has already said he doesn’t support the idea.  States like California and North Carolina have already made wearing face masks in public mandatory.  The 33-year-old Barnes is urging his fellow millennials to mask up, warning they might not get sick – but they could infect others.

An Outagamie County will determine the competency of a man accused of killing his grandparents before he goes to trial.  Eighteen-year-old Alexander Kraus has entered a plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.  Kraus had been living with his grandparents in Grand Chute last year when he called 9-1-1 and told a dispatcher he had killed them.  A police officer found who responded found a red folder containing the teenager’s plan to kill Dennis and Letha Kraus using a shotgun.

The Minnesota Medical Association is encouraging families to practice good health through routine vaccinations.  M-M-A President Doctor Keith Stelter says 70 to 80 percent of Minnesota’s children have delayed physician visits and important vaccinations due to the coronavirus pandemic.  Stelter says particularly in vaccines like the M-M-R - or the measles, mumps, rubella - which is a very contagious disease.  Stelter says providers and clinics are trying to ensure a safe environment and some administer the vaccine in a special room away from other patients.

A Stillwater woman says she and her four-year-old daughter were eating a meal Saturday night when members of a biker gang came in and intimidated her.  Sophia Rashid says she is Muslim and was wearing a hijab when men wearing motorcycle vests with the words “Aryan Cowboys” on them locked eyes with her, made gestures and intimidating comments.  Three teenager servers in the restaurant scooped up the child and accompanied Rashid across the street to a hotel where police were called.  She filed a harassment complaint.