Local-Regional News January 13

 Pepin County has charged a  Durand man with sexually assaulting three girls over the last five years.   Pepin county filed the three charges yesterday against Branden Linhart.  Linhart is already charged with sexually assaulting a child in Dunn County and two in Eau Claire County.  No court date has been set.

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include a discussion on the space availability cap for 2021-2022 open enrollment, an update on the 2021-2022 budget, and an update on vaccine distribution for district employees.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6pm at the board room at Durand High School and is available on zoom through the district website.

A Wisconsin man is scheduled for his initial appearance in federal court this afternoon after his arrest in Eau Claire.  Kevin Daniel Loftus will be charged with illegally entering either house of Congress, or adjacent areas, and disorderly conduct on the grounds of the Capitol.  His appearance in U-S District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin is at 3:00 p-m.  Loftus had posted on Facebook he was among the people wanted for entering the U-S Capitol during last week’s riot.  Pictures on social media show him holding an American flag and smiling in the halls of Congress.  Federal authorities have arrested people in Arizona, Florida, and Iowa for similar actions.

The House of Representatives passed a non-binding resolution calling on Vice President Mike Pence to use his powers under the 25th Amendment to remove President Trump From Office.  In a statement, Wisconsin 3rd District Congressman Ron Kind said  "Given his actions and his rhetoric, President Trump poses a clear and present danger to our Republic. If President Trump has any decency left, he should resign, otherwise, Vice President Pence should put country before self and immediately invoke the 25th Amendment to ensure a peaceful transfer of power. If he does not, we will have no choice left but to impeach President Trump."  The nonbinding resolution pass on a vote of 223-205.

Has your family farm or home had continuous family ownership for 100 years or more? You could be eligible to be recognized as a Century Farm/Home or Sesquicentennial Farm/Home at this year’s Pierce County Fair and Wisconsin State Fair if it has.  The farm or home (in whole or part) must have been in continuous family ownership. Title of the Century or Sesquicentennial property today must reside in a blood relative of the original owner, or a legally adopted child of a descendant. Continuous residence in the state or on the property is not required, but the title to the property must be continuous. An abstract of title is the best evidence of continuous family ownership.  For more information, contact Ann Webb, Pierce County Fair Manager at 715-273-6874.  Farms or homes with 100 or 150 years of continuous ownership through the year 2021 will be recognized at a special breakfast program during the Wisconsin State Fair set for Tuesday, August10th, and then again at the Pierce County Fair on Sunday, August 15th.

 Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has called on lawmakers to update the state’s unemployment payment system and expand broadband access.  The Democratic governor made those requests while delivering his annual State of the State address virtually Tuesday.  Evers wants Wisconsin to spend 200-million dollars expanding access to high-speed internet.  He announced he is calling a special legislative session so the Legislature can come up with improvements for the troubled unemployment system.  Republicans have criticized the governor for its failures, leaving applicants waiting for a decision for weeks and – in some cases – months.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says he'll call up the Minnesota National Guard amid potential threats against the State Capitol prior to the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.  Walz says they want to make sure both our Capitol and our citizens are safe.  The governor said "you will see a presence of folks protecting folks' First Amendment rights to peacefully assemble and protest. I would make the case that you gotta pretty weak argument if you need to bring a gun to do it, but that's some of what it sounds like will happen."  Walz says some people are posting state lawmakers' names and addresses on-line and threatening to go to their houses.

The Minnesota man accused of shooting a 19-year-old doorman outside a La Crosse bar last year has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors. Surveillance video showed Timothy Young shoot Anthony Fimple  June 27th outside the La Crosse Bierhaus. Young had been in the bar, left, and Fimple wouldn’t let him re-enter a few hours later. Prosecutors aren’t revealing the specifics of the agreement and haven’t said how much prison time Young will serve. Members of the victim’s family say they want Young to have to appear in court in person to officially enter his guilty plea.

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 A southeastern Minnesota man will spend nearly two years in federal prison for making and dealing explosives. The U-S Attorney's Office says 58-year-old Kenneth Miller of Brownsville was sentenced to 22 months after pleading guilty last fall. Prosecutors say from 2013 to March 3, 2020, Miller manufactured and sold smoke generating devices containing electric igniters and a chlorate explosive mixture to customers across the country. Miller did not have a license and is prohibited from possessing weapons because he's a felon.

Governor Tony Evers is calling the coronavirus relief package passed in the Wisconsin Senate today (Tuesday) a 'good start" in the state's response to the pandemic. Evers said, "I’ve been grateful to work together with Republican Majority Leader LeMahieu to find common ground and pass a bill on COVID-19 that reflects a good faith effort in compromise and bipartisanship." The governor says the Assembly should pass A-B 1 as it was amended today and "send it to my desk for my signature without delay." LeMahieu said the measure builds on previous negotiations and addresses the critically-important needs of school districts, non-profit organizations, and small employers. Democrats wanted it to include funding for community testing, support for vaccine distribution, rental assistance and hazard pay for health care workers.

The Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin says its members are ready to help administer COVID-19 vaccinations.  The Society has sent a letter saying some pharmacies are already doing that.  The letter asks the D-H-S to use pharmacies to expand the distribution to more people – especially in rural communities.  The Society wants the state of Wisconsin to enter Phase 1-B of COVID-19 vaccination, which includes people 75 and older and frontline essential workers.  The state isn’t ready to move to Phase 1-B yet, saying it doesn’t have enough doses of the vaccine for everyone who is eligible.

Getting everybody vaccinated isn’t going to be a quick job.  Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers says it could be summertime before the general public can be vaccinated.  Evers says he doesn’t think the shots against COVID-19 will be widely available until June.  Wisconsin has been slow to distribute its supply of the vaccine and the governor has put the blame on the federal government.  Last weekend, Wisconsin Congressman Bryan Steil said Evers deserves the blame for mismanaging the vaccine effort from the very beginning.

A former electrician is pleading guilty to stealing copper wire from contractors at Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport. Sixty-year-old Kip Baldwin of Bloomington admitted to selling the scrap copper for more than 125-thousand dollars. Baldwin also entered a guilty plea for filing fraudulent tax returns and failing to reported the income from selling copper wire from 2014 through 2019. The Hennepin County Attorney's office says Baldwin will be on probation for five years as part of a plea agreement, faces 270 days of home monitoring and must pay restitution to Hunt Electric and the Metropolitan Airports Commission.

Best Buy is among the companies ending donations to members of Congress that objected to the presidential election results. The Minnesota-based retailer said it is suspending contributions to the 147 Republicans in the U-S House and Senate who voted against certifying the Electoral College votes. The claims of widespread voter fraud by President Trump played a role in his supporters storming the U-S Capitol building. G-O-P Representatives Jim Hagedorn and Michelle Fischbach were the only members of Minnesota's delegation to oppose election results. Other companies suspending donations include Amazon, American Express, AT & T, Comcast, General Electric, American Express and Blue Cross Blue Shield

Local-Regional News January 12

 The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on increasing the assessment for the Mondovi Ambulance Service, increasing the city's revolving loan line of credit for optional use in processing payments for the Waste Water Treatment Plant, and reports from the mayor, administrator, and department heads.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at the Marten Center.

The reconstruction of 3rd Avenue East and Laneville Road in Durand is scheduled for 2021.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says once the weather warms up the work will begin.  The city will be holding public hearings on the project and also the special assessment for property owners on Laneville Road in the coming weeks.

Eau Claire County investigators say a woman who has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors had written checks to herself, failed to deposit fundraiser money, and even had run tabs in bars on the victims’ accounts.  Christine Busse has pleaded guilty to two of the three charges she faced.  Busse took the money while serving as treasurer of the Sam Davey Elementary School P-T-A and Eau Claire Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops.  Busse told investigators she planned to pay it all back when she was confronted, but she admitted the situation got out of hand.  She will have to do nine weeks of community service, pay the money back at one-thousand dollars-a-month, and can’t serve as treasurer of any more organizations.

A Dunn County Taxi Cab driver has been found guilty in a sexual assault case.  Edward Woodberry was driving a cab in Menomonie in 2017 when he picked up an intoxicated passenger and assaulted her multiple times.  Woodberry was found guilty on two counts of sexual assault and could receive 80yrs in prison.  DNA evidence also ties Woodberry to unsolved sexual assaults in Green Bay and Chicago.

A cut fiber optic line in the Green Bay area is caused 911 outages in WI.  The Pierce County Sheriffs Department on their Facebook page notified residents of the outages last night.  As of early this morning, the service has not been restored or was intermittent.  If you need law enforcement in Pierce County and 911 is not working you are to call 715-273-5051.

The St. Croix County Republican Party is facing criticism for using violent rhetoric on their website following the events of last week's attack on the US Capitol.  On Monday, the homepage for the GOP office told Republicans to prepare for war, and that Republicans need to remove "leftist tyrants from all local and county positions" in the April elections. County chairman John Kraft was unapologetic in a message to the Journal Sentinel and said that Democrats were making "twisted inferences" in the language.

The F-B-I is warning of plans for armed protests at all 50 state capitols and in Washington, D-C, prior to the inauguration of Democrat Joe Biden.  Federal investigators are saying the protests are most likely between Saturday and January 20th.  They believe some of the people will be members of extremist groups.  Governor Tony Evers has activated the Wisconsin National Guard to protect the Capitol building in Madison and ordered ground-floor windows to be boarded up.  The troops involved are part of the state’s National Guard Reaction Force, which is made up of members who have had special training.  The Wisconsin Department of Justice says that the state office is “monitoring” the situation.

 The latest version of a COVID-19 relief bill goes before the full Wisconsin Senate today (Tuesday).  The new legislation serves as something of a compromise between the bill Democratic Governor Tony Evers backs and legislation passed by the Assembly last week.  Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu says he and other Republicans liked the Assembly bill, but changes had to be made to come up with something the governor might sign.  To accomplish that, the bill gets rid of limitations on local health departments and school boards and it removes a section to stops employers from requiring their workers get vaccinated.  There are still some Senate Democrats not on board with this version.

At least five Minnesotans have tested positive for the new, more contagious variant of COVID-19.  The first confirmed cases were in the Twin Cities but health officials warn it is not confined to the metro counties.   The Minnesota Department of Health's Sarah Vetter says they expected it would arrive here eventually.   Vetter says "while it is thought to be more easily spread from one person to another, it has not been found to cause more serious disease."  Health officials say the COVID-19 vaccine has shown to be effective against the new strain.

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Wisconsin small businesses have received 240-million dollars through the state’s “We’re All In” program.   The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation says the grants helped almost 55-thousand small businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. WEDC says it’s the largest direct-aid program for small businesses in the agency’s history. Funding comes from the federal CARES Act, and the money was distributed to small businesses in three phases.

The U.S. Supreme Court refused today/Monday to fast-track challenges to Wisconsin's presidential election from President Trump and his allies.  The cases the court declined to expedite challenged the results here in Wisconsin, as well as Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. The rejections came without comment or noted dissent. President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn on January 20, and the cases presumably will become moot after that.

Governor Tony Evers is pushing the federal government to send more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.  Evers and some other Democratic governors say they want some of the thousands of doses that are being held in reserve.  The request was made last week even though Wisconsin hasn’t used half of the doses it has already received.  The Department of Health Services reports that – as of last Friday – Wisconsin doctors have administered 123-thousand of the 266-thousand doses already sent to the state.  Wisconsin has been allocated 420-thousand doses, but not all of them have been delivered.

Mount Pleasant police say accused Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse wasn’t violating his bond agreement when he was seen in a bar last week.  Rittenhouse is free on bond, waiting for his trial for shooting and killing two men during last year’s protests.  A woman contacted police saying she was concerned the 18-year-old wasn’t supposed to be in Pudgy’s Pub in Mount Pleasant last Tuesday.  He’s free on a two-million-dollar bond right now.  It was legal for him to be in the pub because he was in the company of a parent that afternoon.  

Congressman Scott Fitzgerald says the storming on the U-S Capitol last week by Trump supporters was “a tragic event.”  The Wisconsin Republican says he was inside the House chamber when protesters broke in and he calls it “a very scary time.”  Fitzgerald was interviewed by T-M-J-4 Television in Milwaukee.  He says he wants to know why there was a breakdown in security, but he also holds the president accountable for the violent incident.  Fitzgerald says the language used by the president and Rudy Giuliani was “unacceptable” because it encouraged people to march to the Capitol and take that kind of action.  Fitzgerald says he doesn’t regret his vote to toss out Joe Biden’s election victory in Arizona and Pennsylvania – even though the effort had no chance of succeeding.  He opposes the impeachment of the president.

 The annual rankings of the safest cities in the U-S have Green Bay right at the top.  U-S News and World Report rank the northeast Wisconsin city number one in the country.  Police Chief Andrew Smith calls the ranking “great news,” saying it’s good for the business community, the local residents, and his department.  The report compiled data from the F-B-I on murder and property crime rates per one-thousand people.  Homicides actually doubled in the city last year, from three to six.  Smith points out that every homicide case in the last five years has been solved.

Local-Regional News January 11

 Students in the Mondovi School District are returning to in-person classes today.  The students had be learning virtually since the Thanksgiving Break due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Motorists are reminded to be on the lookout for children walking to and from school and to stop for school buses when their red lights are flashing.

The Pepin County Sheriffs Office is reminding anglers and recreationalists of unpredictable ice conditions on Lake Pepin. Please be aware that ice thickness varies throughout the lake. The department has received multiple reports of ATV/UTV's falling through the ice this weekend. Do your homework on current lake conditions and follow DNR rules and guidelines pertaining to your equipment weight. 

Property owners on Laneville Drive will be receiving letters from the city of Durand asking them if they want sidewalk installed when Laneville is reconstructed this summer.  Because Laneville was not part of the CBDG grant, property owners will have a special assessment on their property to help cover the costs of the project.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the if sidewalk is installed the costs would rise considerably.  Without the sidewalk, property owners would be charged $42 per linear foot of frontage, and if the sidewalk was installed, an additional $38 per linear foot would be charged back to the property owner. 

The Chippewa Falls police department is warning of a scam asking residents for donations for bulletproof vests.   According to a post on their Facebook page, someone received a letter from what appeared to be the Chippewa Falls Police Department asking for donations for the bulletproof vests. The department said they are not requesting any donations at this time.  If you received a letter, phone call, or e-mail, notify the Chippewa Falls Police Department.

The Pierce County Sheriff's Department is reporting another scam.  The Sheriff's Office has received a report of someone calling Pierce County residents indicating that there's a warrant out for their arrest and need to pay money to satisfy the warrant.  THIS IS A SCAM!  The Sheriff's Office never calls people to satisfy a warrant.  If you receive a call like this please contact the Sheriff's Department.

House Democrats plan to pass a resolution calling on Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet to remove Donald Trump from office, under provisions of the 25th Amendment. LaCrosse Democrat Ron Kind thinks it's unlikely the 25 Amendment will be invoked but holds out the possibility of Trump resigning.  Kind was on WISN's "UpFront" program on Sunday.

Wisconsin Congressman Glenn Grothman now says President Donald Trump shares blame for this week’s mob violence at the U-S Capitol.  The Sixth District Republican initially criticized Rudy Giuliani and Donald Trump, Junior for inciting protesters.  Grothman said in a radio interview Friday, "I think the president did gin up this day to be more than it should have been. And some of my colleagues did as well."  He also said the idea of saying no to Wisconsin's election results is a "very dangerous precedent" and completely opposite of what's in the Constitution.

 A Milwaukee newspaper is blasting two Wisconsin congressmen for saying they would have voted to overturn Joe Biden's victory in Wisconsin.  Republicans Tom Tiffany and Scott Fitzgerald were the state's only House members who objected to Biden's Electoral College wins in Arizona and Pennsylvania.  Both said in interviews Thursday that they'd have voted to overturn Biden's Wisconsin win too, had it been subject to a vote.  That didn't happen because Senator Ron Johnson backed off on his promise to object to the state's electoral votes after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol.  Now, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Editorial Board is calling for all three men to either resign or be removed from office.

The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an incident where a 15-year-old girl had to be rescued from a bridge over the Rib River.  A Wisconsin State Patrol trooper saw the girl hanging onto the bridge railing with one arm Friday afternoon.  The trooper stopped his squad car and ran to the girl, reaching over and grabbing her arm.  With the help of another driver who had stopped, the teenager was pulled to safety, then taken to a nearby hospital for a medical evaluation.  Authorities haven’t said how the girl got into that situation and her name hasn’t been released.

 U-S Senator Ron Johnson says he hasn’t made a final decision on a campaign for reelection yet.  The Wisconsin Republican is facing mounting calls for him to step aside – mostly from political opponents who don’t like his consistent support of the president.  Johnson’s seat will be on the ballot in November 2022.  He could decide to run for a third term, run for Wisconsin governor, or step down from the Senate and leave politics.  There will be a domino effect because many Republicans are waiting to see what he does before they decide what office they will or won’t campaign for.  When he won reelection four years ago, Johnson said he wouldn’t serve more than two terms.

There is a much larger police presence at the Minnesota State Capitol in the early days of the regular legislative session.  Dozens of additional officers were sent to the building Wednesday after thousands of protesters stormed the U-S Capitol building in Washington, D-C.  Legislative leaders like Republican Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka and D-F-L House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler says they welcome the increased protection.  Gazelka says lawmakers feel safe, but it is smart to take precautions.  Winkler agrees, saying Minnesota has learned the hard way that not being prepared can result in the destruction of property and loss of life.

Republicans leaders of the legislature's finance committee say they will pay out the money owed to Milwaukee and Dane Counties for the presidential recall.   The Joint Committee on Finance has released funds to both counties, but leaders say they still have concerns over the costs of the recount. Both recounts came in under budget, but Co-Chair Howard Marklein says the counties shouldn't have rented expensive buildings and may have overpaid workers. The move comes over a month since the recounts were completed.

 A coronavirus response bill just passed by Republicans in the Wisconsin Assembly seems to have a bleak future.  Republicans in the Senate don’t like it.  And, even if the legislation managed to get legislative approval, Democratic Governor Tony Evers would be expected to veto it.  The governor and Democratic lawmakers have their own package of bills that Republicans won’t support.  The Wisconsin Legislature hasn’t passed anything addressing the coronavirus pandemic since April and recent talks between the governor and Republican leadership didn’t produce any agreement.  Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says he is still hopeful the Senate will take up his legislation which earned approval Thursday.

Convicted felons in Wisconsin can't own guns, even if they weren't convicted of a violent crime.  The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a Milwaukee man with a felony conviction for not paying his child support should not get special dispensation because his crime was not violent.  The high court’s 5-to-2 majority says it’s not going to create a "hierarchy of felonies."  Justice Brian Hagedorn disagrees.  He writes that "people who are convicted of violent misdemeanors don’t lose their gun right, so why should non-violent felons?"

 The annual Prairie du Sac eagle-watching event is going virtual in 2021.  Programming will be streamed online for the next two months.  The president of the Ferry Bluff Eagle Council, Jeb Barzen, says virtual programming will include the release of a rehabilitated bald eagle to the wild, a live raptor show, and many more of the favorite events and presentations offered every year at this time.  The live-steaming starts the afternoon of January 16th at 1:00 p-m.  This will be the 34th year of Bald Eagle Watching Days.  The population has grown from 108 occupied nests in 1973 to almost 17-hundred in 2019.

Green Bay police say the bank robber they were looking for was standing in a hotel lobby waiting for a ride Thursday morning.  The suspect had presented a note to a teller demanding money at the Chase Bank location across the street from Green Bay Police Headquarters.  When they tracked the man down he was standing in the lobby of the Quality Inn and Suites, about a block away.  He was found to be carrying more than 20-thousand dollars.  Police say they don’t think the robber realized he was so close to the police station.  He’s being held on bank robbery charges in the Brown County Jail.  His name hasn’t been released.

Local-Regional News January 8

 Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind accuses his opponent in the November election of siding with protesters during the takeover of the U.S. Capitol, by a mob of Trump supporters.  Kind cited social media posts from Derric  Van Orden that were from the protests along with a request from Van Orden to meet with Kind personally as evidence of Van Orden's attendance at the protest.   There is no evidence that Van Orden was inside the capitol building during the riot that ensued.  The Third District Democrat was on a ZOOM call with reporters during Wednesday's Capitol lockdown.

The City of Durand and Pepin County have reached an agreement on the 3rd Ave East/Laneville road project.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says because 3rd Avenue East is also County Hwy F, the county is responsible for the middle 22ft of road.  Milliren says the agreement will help both the city and county.  With the agreement, the county will mill down and repave Laneville from curb to curb instead of just the middle 22 feet and will reimburse the city $103,000 for the middle portion of 3rd Ave East up to Laneville.

State Representative Warren Petryk says the passage of the bill for Covid-19 will help the economy and help fight the virus.  In a statement, Petryk says,  “This legislation ensures that people will have access to needed medications and testing while helping our local rural hospitals grapple with unexpected surges by providing help with their current workforce challenges.”   Assembly Bill 1 also increases the pool of available vaccinators by allowing pharmacy students and dentists to use their current training to help distribute the vaccine.  Also, the legislation will provide relief to taxpayers by allowing local tax districts the ability to waive interest and penalty charges for late property tax payments.

Don’t want to wait in long lines to be tested?  The Eau Claire City-County Health Department says free at-home COVID-19 saliva test kids are now available.  You can get them through Wisconsin health care providers.  Public health officials say community testing sites are still an option for more immediate testing needs.  Once complete, the saliva tests can be dropped off at United Parcel Service.  Results should be returned within 72 hours.

Add Senator Tammy Baldwin to the list of lawmakers calling for the ouster of President Trump.  Baldwin has joined the call for Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment, which would immediately remove President Trump from office on the grounds that he's unfit to serve. Baldwin's comments join hundreds of lawmakers in the Capitol that are calling for either impeachment or removal of the President. It's unclear if either effort would work fast enough to get the President out of office before Joe Biden is sworn in in two weeks.

A bar and restaurant in Lakeville is facing a three-thousand-dollar fine for each day it opened for indoor dining in violation of COVID emergency orders.  Dakota County District Court found  Alibi Drinkery in contempt of court for violating a December 31st temporary injunction requiring it to close. Alibi’s owner admitted in open court that it continued to provide on-premises dining through the New Year’s weekend.  In imposing the three-thousand-dollar fine, the court wrote that “a minimal fine would not lead to compliance with the injunction and would likely result in further spread of Covid-19.”  Restaurants can open at 50 percent capacity on Monday.

The Wisconsin Assembly has condemned political violence by a unanimous vote.  A resolution to that effect was approved Thursday, the day after mobs of people stormed the U-S Capitol building.  Assembly Resolution 4 says political violence in any form “should never be tolerated.”  Assembly Speaker Robin Vos called the violence in the nation’s capital “disgusting,” saying that’s the only word that came to mind.  Vos says he still has concerns about the way the November election was conducted, but he agrees that “Joe Biden is now our president.”  The Republican leader also condemned the violence in Kenosha last summer after the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

Governor Tony Evers is joining six other governors in asking federal health officials to send more COVID-19 vaccine to the states.   They're requesting the Department of Health and Human Services distribute  "upwards of 50 percent of the currently produced vaccines held by back by the administration for reasons unknown."    The letter says "our states are ready to work around the clock to ramp up distribution, get more shots in arms, and save more American lives."  It was signed by the governors of Michigan, California, Kansas, Illinois, New York, Washington, and Minnesota. The State Department of Health has administered nearly 100-thousand doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Police in Winona say one person is under arrest in connection with a shooting Wednesday afternoon.  Officers say a shotgun was fired outside a home and someone in a car was hit.  The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries and another home had damage.  Investigators say there is no further threat in the neighborhood.  No names have been released.

People who have recovered from COVID-19 are being told how they can help during the pandemic.  Doctors at U-W Health say there is a “critical need” for convalescent plasma.  It is a form of treatment doctors use to help patients currently hospitalized with the virus.  They say the need is now, while it will be several months before the approved vaccines are widely available.  Donating the plasma after a patient recovers from COVID-19 can help reduce the impact of the virus on others.  A U-W Health spokesman says there is a critical shortage of convalescent plasma currently in the Midwest.

 Wisconsin’s U-S Senators voted against the objections to electoral votes for Arizona and Pennsylvania late Wednesday night.  The dramatic roll call vote came several hours after thousands of Trump supporters stormed the U-S Capitol trying to prevent it.  Democrat Tammy Baldwin and Republican Ron Johnson voted against the motions to reject Joe Biden’s victories in the two states.  In the House of Representatives, Republican Congressmen Tom Tiffany and Scott Fitzgerald voted to overturn the presidential votes in Arizona and Pennsylvania.  Glenn Grothman, Bryan Steil, and Mike Gallagher voted against the objections, which failed.  Members of Congress returned to the Capitol after the rioters had left.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection says helicopters will be flying over northeastern Wisconsin this month as part of a project measuring the depth of bedrock in the region.  State officials say the information gathered will be used to protect groundwater from pollutants.  The choppers will be using airborne electromagnetic technology to take the measurements.  The data will be shared with the U-S Geological Survey, the Wisconsin D-N-R, and the state Geological and Natural History Survey.  The low-flying helicopters will be seen over Brown, Calumet, Door, Fond du Lac, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, and Sheboygan counties.

Some Minnesota restaurants won’t be reopening immediately, despite the announcement by Governor Walz Wednesday.  COVID restrictions are being lifted next week.  One restaurant owner says he’s not ready to welcome customers inside.  Ronaldo Diaz of Marna’s Eatery and Lounge in Robbinsdale says the dining area has to be sanitized, the menu reconfigured and furniture organized.  Other owners say they, too, need more time.  One plans to wait until February.  Basically, Minnesota restaurants have been told they have five days to change their business model again.

A company in Fond du Lac is going green.  Mercury Marine has announced plans to install an array of photovoltaic solar panels at its world headquarters campus.  The 300 panels will go on the warehouse roof.  Company officials say they will generate enough electricity to light its warehouse operation there for the next 30 years.  The parent Brunswick Corporation has a goal to source at least half of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030.

Local-Regional News January 7

Wisconsin political leaders are offering harsh criticism of the violence at the U-S Capitol Wednesday which forced the evacuation of Congress and left four people dead.  The Wisconsin Senate Republican caucus condemned it as “unacceptable and un-American.”  Democratic State Senator Chris Larson said the incident was “nothing short of treason.”  Republican State Senator Steve Nass says people who broke into the Capitol building must be met with swift and immediate justice.  State Representative Francesca Hong interpreted the violence as the “inevitable consequence of an unhinged Trumpism,” pointing at the leaders of the Republican Party.  State Representative Robyn Vining said the public can be confident in the results of the November 3rd presidential election.

Case numbers of Covid-19 continue to fall in Pepin County.  Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says so far in 2021 case numbers have dropped to 5 per day. Currently, 2 people are hospitalized with Covid-19 while 6 people have died.  Stewart is encouraging residents to continue to wear masks, social distance, and avoid large gatherings with outside members of your family.

Two of the three seats up for election on the Durand-Arkansaw School Board will be contested.  In District 2, Ashley Urness will face Bethany Walker,  while in District 5 a primary will be held February 16 as incumbent Audrey Martin will face Traci Nelson and Frank Schneider.  In District 3 TJ Poeschel is running unopposed.    Meanwhile, for the Durand City Council,  Steve Schofield in Ward 1, Mark Gilles in Ward 2, and Matt Roesler in Ward 3 are all unopposed.

An Eau Claire County woman will be on probation for three years after she admitted faking text message threats from a former boyfriend.  Brittany Frane reached a plea agreement Monday.  If she doesn’t break any laws the felony terrorist threat charge will be reduced to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct and an identity theft charge will be dismissed.  Frane used an app that allowed her to send messages threatening to kill her and her family and attack the school district.  Classes were put on hold.  The app made it appear the former boyfriend sent the texts.  Frane will have to do community service, write letters of apology to her victims, and have no other contact with them.

 An estimated 20-million, 600-thousand people visits Wisconsin State Park System properties last year.  The coronavirus pandemic that has been so hard on so many facets of Badger State life has actually given the parks a boost.  The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says park attendance was up by three-million visitors in 2020.  Sales of annual passes jumped by 40-percent.  Camping was up six-percent even though campsites were actually closed for several months.  The park system is self-funding, so it gets to spend the extra money brought in.  Leaders say the parks have a lot of needs, including infrastructure repairs.  The D-N-R says it’s already seeing yet another increase in reservations for 2021.

The head of the Minnesota  Republican Party is suggesting Governor Tim Walz should resign over his COVID restrictions on bars, restaurants, and other businesses. Walz announced that in-person dining can resume at 50-percent capacity Monday and movie theaters and events centers can re-open at 25 percent capacity.   Minnesota G-O-P chair Jennifer Carnahan said, "Governor Walz is completely out of touch with the challenges we face to support our families and live our lives. A resignation before causing more harm is certainly in order.”  Senate Republican Leader Paul Gazelka said he was glad Governor Walz loosened the restrictions on businesses.  He also suggests Walz "manage a faster vaccination process, so we don't have to go through this again."

A special investigator has determined the shooting of Jacob Blake last summer was “justified.”  Former Madison police chief Noble Wray released his 25-page report on the incident the same day that Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley announced he wasn’t filing criminal charges against Police Officer Rusten Sheskey.  Wray says it was clear to Sheskey that letting Blake – who was armed with a  knife – get into a vehicle would be “dangerous for the public” and for the child who was inside.  Wray says he found the amount of force used by the officer was within the acceptable range.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says construction of a new “flex lane” on Madison’s Beltline will help ease traffic congestion.  Work should start in March.  It’s part of a 45-million-dollar project that includes repairs to the deteriorating pavement, drainage improvements, and replacement of the median barrier wall.  The flex lane will be open during peak travel periods like morning and afternoon rush hours.  The work should be complete by December.  Wis-DOT says the flex lane is a first for Wisconsin, but 17 other states have similar part-time travel lanes in place.

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Wisconsin gun dealers say they can’t keep firearms or ammunition in stock in some cases.  The increase in demand for weapons driven by the coronavirus pandemic is still going, full steam ahead.  Ten months after the first cases of COVID-19 appeared in Wisconsin, people still want to buy weapons.  Superior Shooters Supply has been forced to ration ammunition to one box per customer due to the panic demand.  Demand is even high for air rifles and pepper spray – and there is rarely a day when customer traffic lets up.

 Dane County is setting aside another four-million dollars in grants for struggling small businesses.  County Executive Joe Parisi announced the program Tuesday.  The organization Dane Buy Local will allocate the 50-thousand-dollars grants, focusing on businesses that have been the hardest-hit by the coronavirus pandemic.  Retail stores, restaurants and fitness centers are expected to be at the top of the list.  The move comes eight months after Dane County handed out 10-million dollars in grants to help those same small business owners.  Some of them say the first grants were a life-saver and the new money is a step in the right direction.

The Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the state Restaurant Association, and the state Grocers Association are giving their support to the COVID-19 relief bill being fast-tracked by Republican lawmakers.  Not liking the bill at all are public health officials and Democrats in the Wisconsin Legislature.  The Public Health Association and the Association of Local Health Departments and Boards say the Republican-backed bill would limit their ability to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.  Both the Wisconsin Senate and Assembly could pass it by Thursday.  If they do, Democratic Governor Tony Evers is likely to veto it.

There are still more legal questions to be answered in the Jacob Blake shooting, even though Kenosha County won’t be filing criminal charges.  The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin is still conducting a civil rights investigation.  The F-B-I is working with the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation on the case.  Federal prosecutors in Milwaukee and Washington, D-C will make the final charging decision whether Blake’s civil rights were violated when he was shot last August.  There has been no indication when the federal charging decision might be announced.

Officials with H-and-R Block are acknowledging a mistake after processing millions of federal stimulus payments for people.  Now, those who used H-and-R Block or Turbo Tax are being told there may be a delay in receiving the 600-dollar payment.  In many cases, the money was deposited in a different account.  Block says customers who chose the “Refund Transfer” option may have had their money set to a temporary account.  The company is assuring its customers they will get the stimulus payment by direct deposit by the end of business today (Wednesday), or by snail mail at a later date.

The head of the University of Wisconsin System is turning to one of Wisconsin’s funniest guys to try and get more people to get tested for the coronavirus.  Acting system president Tommy Thompson is out with a video with comedian Charlie Berens encouraging people to smash the virus. The two smash all sorts of things, from pumpkins to cream puffs to try to get some laughs -- and get people tested. Thompson says it’s important for people to keep getting tested -- to see just where the virus is in Wisconsin. 

Local-Regional News January 6

 Advent Health continues to distribute the Moderna Covid-19 Vaccine to group 1A which includes Health Care personnel and residents of Long Term Care Facilities.  Angela Jacobson, Director of Emergency Preparedness for Advent Health Durand says the facility is the primary vaccinator for Pepin and Buffalo Counties. Once phase 1A is completed, the next phase will include essential front line workers and those aged 75 and over.

The City of Durand has received nearly $30000 in grants from the state of Wisconsin to assist in covering expenses related to Covid-19.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the money will help the city nearly cover all of its expenses.   The City also received $18000 in grants that the towns of Durand, Frankfort, and Waterville wanted to be directed to the Ambulance and Fire Services.  

The University of Wisconsin System's surge testing for COVID-19 will be ending in just a few weeks, and until then, UW System officials have their sights set on administering between 80,000 to 100,000 more tests.  Since November, residents have been able to receive tests at UW Campuses including Stout, River Falls, and Eau Claire.  UW-System Interim President Tommy Thompson urges all Wisconsinites to utilize this program and get a test, especially if you've spent time outside of your small circle this holiday season.  Those testing sites are open through Jan. 23. 

A man from northwestern Wisconsin faces a charge of first-degree intentional homicide.  Clayton Lauritsen is accused of shooting another man to death on December 28th during a likely road rage incident.  Investigators say Lauritsen admitted he shot 45-year-old Lauritz Robertson to death.  Robertson died before he could be taken to a hospital.  Barron County prosecutors filed the charges against the Cumberland man last week.  His cash bond was set at 75-thousand dollars.

Congressman Mark Pocan says he won’t run for the U-S Senate in the 2022 election.  The Wisconsin Democrat made the formal announcement Monday.  He would be seeking to replace Republican Ron Johnson – who hasn’t formally made an announcement about his future but has said in the past that he didn’t plan to run for re-election.  Pocan says he would be less effective if he gave up his seniority in the House to move to the Senate.  He’s currently a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee and Pocan says his seniority means he can deliver results there.

Prosecutors in Kenosha County will not charge the Kenosha police officer who shot Jacob Blake in the back seven times.  District Attorney Michael Gravely said, "no Kenosha police officer, in this case, will be charged with any criminal offense based on the facts and the laws."  Officer Rusten Sheskey shot Blake as he tried to enter his S-U-V.  Blake's three sons were in the car at the time.  Witnesses say Blake was trying to break up a fight between two women when officers approached him.  Wisconsin state officials called out the National Guard in case there are protests over the decision not to charge Sheskey.  Gravely also announced that no charges will be filed against Jacob Blake.

 Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature are fast-tracking a COVID-19 relief bill opposed by Governor Tony Evers.  The Assembly could vote on its as soon as Thursday, but the Senate following soon after.  It would become the first piece of legislation passed this session.  Evers is expected to veto because it isn’t the compromise he and other Democrats were seeking.  They don’t like a provision giving the Legislature control over future federal COVID-19 funding and a second provision stopping local officials from closing businesses due to a spike in cases for longer than two weeks at a time.

 The state’s public health officials are asking for patience while they are criticized for a rollout of the coronavirus vaccine that isn’t as organized or fast as it could be.  Governor Tony Evers and officials with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services are defending the process so far.  Effective Monday, more than 266-thousand doses of the vaccine had been shipped to Wisconsin and fewer than 86-thousand had been administered.  Republican state Senator Alberta Darling says she wants to know what’s is causing the delay.  She says Wisconsin’s Democratic governor is “on the verge of yet another disaster.”

 Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says the Wisconsin State Capitol is the “People’s House,” again.  The Capitol building has been closed to the public since March 25th due to the coronavirus pandemic.  The Department of Administration made that move.  Lawmakers passed a joint resolution Monday, on the first day of the legislative session, re-opening the building to everyone.  Vos says Democratic Governor Tony Evers can handle access to his office any way he wants, but the Legislature is “committed to public access and the safe re-opening of our state.”  Capitol tours were canceled last March.  Monday’s news release says nothing about when those tours might resume.

The  Illinois teen accused in the deadly shootings of two Black Lives Matter protesters in Kenosha is pleading not guilty to all charges.  Eighteen-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse made a virtual court appearance today (Tuesday) where he entered not guilty pleas to the homicides of Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum and the attempted homicide of volunteer medic Gaige Grosskreutz.  The defense claims Rittenhouse was acting in self-defense when he shot the men protesting the Kenosha police shooting of Jacob Blake in late August.  The final pretrial hearing for Rittenhouse is March 10th and jury selection is scheduled to begin  March 29th.

Minnesota Farm Bureau president Kevin Paap says one of the things he's learned during the COVID-19 pandemic is the importance of reliable broadband, especially in rural areas of the state.  Paap says "it was important before, but when you've got one, two parents working from home, you've got multiple children many times learning from home, we really understood the importance of high speed having that width in broadband." More than 150-thousand Minnesota households still don’t have access to high-speed broadband internet.  Paap says we need to work together at the local, state and national levels to make sure everyone who needs it can get it. 

 There's a disagreement between Republicans and Democrats on whether the state should provide additional aid to workers and businesses affected by the pandemic.  This is day one of Minnesota's 2021 legislative session.  Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka said, "I don't know that I expect another extension of unemployment benefits. We passed legislation in December to do that."  Gazelka also said more help for businesses will be difficult due to a billion-dollar deficit.  House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler says it's "pretty callous to think that we can just step back and do nothing because we think that our budget deficit will get in the way. We have to help people when they need it."

A half-million-dollar state grant will cover the cost of moving some coal piles located at the Port of Green Bay.  Brown County is in the process of buying the former W-P-S Pulliam Plant property where the coal is located.  The county wants to move the coal piles away from the downtown area as it works to expand the port’s economic activity.  The W-P-S plant went off-line four years ago.  The 40-acre parcel of land is located at the mouth of the Fox River.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says there will be two management zones for gray wolves in the state.  The wolves were delisted as an endangered species Monday.  The northeastern part of Minnesota will have more protections for the wolves, while the southern two-thirds will have more flexibility.  State law allows anyone to kill a wolf that is threatening human life.  Minnesota reportedly has the largest gray wolf population among the lower 48 states – about 27-hundred living across 40-thousand square miles in northern and central Minnesota.

Local-Regional News January 4

 One person is dead after a one-vehicle accident in Menomonie township Sunday morning.  According to the Dunn County Sheriffs Department, a 24yr old male from Elk Mound was traveling southbound on 390th street and failed to stop for a stop sign at Hwy 12.   The vehicle crossed Hwy 12 onto Hwy BB and then left the roadway and struck a large tree.  The driver was pronounced dead at the scene by the Dunn County Medical Examiner.  That accident remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriffs Department. 

Police in Eau Claire say one person is hospitalized and another is in custody after a stabbing on New Year's Day.  Officers report a man was stabbed during a fight outside the Brickhouse Pub and Grub around 4 a-m.  The victim was transported to the hospital by a friend.  Investigators say an alleged suspect was arrested a short distance away.  The victim is in stable condition and expected to survive.  Eau Claire police are asking witnesses to provide more information about the incident.

Authorities in southeastern Minnesota are investigating the discovery of a body in a burned up vehicle near Kenyon.  The Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office says the human remains were found in a car parked outside a residence after a fire was reported on New Year’s Eve.  Deputies say the homeowners and other residents have been accounted for.  The Southern Minnesota Medical Examiner’s Office is doing an autopsy to identify the body and determine the cause of death.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.

A break in a sanitary sewer main has the city asking residents to avoid contact with the water in the La Crosse River.  The sewer overflow was reported Saturday shortly after noon.  The problem was located on the north bank where the La Crosse River meets the Mississippi near River Side Park.  Officials estimate 42-thousand gallons of sewage spilled into the river at that location.  The leak has been contained and the city will start work on a permanent fix today 

 The Mayo Clinic is apparently trying to expand its presence in Rochester.  Mayo reports it purchased the former Days Inn property in downtown Rochester for ten-million dollars, and the deal includes a three-point-seven-million dollar charitable contribution from developer Matt Kramer.  Facilities and supportive services chair Doug Holtan said, "while there isn’t a planned use for the site at this moment, Mayo Clinic feels the proximity of this site to Mayo Clinic Hospital-Rochester, Methodist Campus, and the Downtown campus provides an opportunity for future expansion and growth to support Mayo Clinic’s mission."

It’s time for Wisconsin lawmakers to get back to work.  The inauguration of the state Assembly is scheduled today .  Sixteen new members will be sworn-in along with 82 who are back for another term.  Republicans hold a 60-to-38 majority.  Members of the Wisconsin Senate will also be sworn-in.  Members of the Assembly and Senate are expected to pass a package of COVID-19 response bills and address the way state elections are run.  Their main job will be approving a two-year state budget.  Democratic Governor Tony Evers and the Republican-controlled Legislature will try to find some common ground on the big issues – a job that has been a challenge in the past.

Senator Ron Johnson is being condemned by Wisconsin politicians of both parties.  Former House Speaker Paul Ryan, though not mentioning Johnson by name, called objecting to certifying Electoral College results "anti-democratic and anti-conservative." Republican congressman Mike Gallagher of Green Bay joined six other House Republicans who, despite concerns about fraud, object to the attempt to challenge the final results certifying Joe Biden as the winner. Democrats were more critical. Senator Tammy called allegations about results in Wisconsin "false and dishonest. Governor Tony Evers in a weekend tweet said, "this is disgraceful behavior by Senator Johnson."

Wisconsin distilleries won't be on the hook for a federal fee for retooling their businesses to make hand sanitizer.  Last week, those distilleries found out that the FDA could charge them all over 14-thousand dollars for registering to produce sanitizer when the country was facing a massive shortage at the start of the pandemic. The FDA announced on Thursday that they won't be issuing that fee, after all. Health and Human Services chief of staff Brian Harrison wished everyone a Happy New Year and said that no one would be charged a surprise, arbitrary fee.

 The Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office reports the body of a 35-year-old woman has been recovered from the Fox River.  The woman’s name hasn’t been released.  She had been painting an outdoor scene near the river Saturday afternoon when she and two dogs went missing.  Her hat was found on the ice at the river’s edge.  The woman’s body was found about two hours later, three-quarters of a mile downstream.  The person who reported her missing located one of the dogs, but the other is still missing.

More information is coming out about the pharmacist accused of deliberately tampering with more than 500 doses of COVID-19 vaccine at Aurora Medical Center in Grafton.  Police did not release his name, but the Journal Sentinel reports 46-year-old Steven Brandenburg of Grafton was booked in the Ozaukee County Jail on suspicion of criminal damage to property and second-degree recklessly endangering safety.  State records showed Brandenburg is a licensed pharmacist.  Grafton police said the pharmacist removed 57 vials from a refrigerator and left them out overnight, knowing this would render them "useless," and make recipients believe they were vaccinated when they were not.

 Wisconsin's two U-S senators came together to override President Trump's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act.  Democrat Tammy Baldwin and Republican Ron Johnson were among the 81 "yes" votes on New Year's Day.  The 740-billion-dollar defense policy bill includes a three-percent pay raise for members of the U-S military and improvements in child care and military housing.  Trump called the first veto override of his presidency "pathetic."

 U-S Senator Ron Johnson is talking about his opposition to President Trump's call for increasing the 600-dollar stimulus checks to two-thousand.  The Wisconsin Republican tells C-N-B-C, "we just had to lard out another 900 billion dollars, and now people are talking about another 464 billion like this is Monopoly money. It’s not. This is a mortgaging of our children’s future."  Johnson claimed that " many, many, many of those individuals [receiving checks] have been working, they’ve been getting a paycheck, they’re not financially struggling."  He warns there's going to be a debt crisis and "it's not going to be pretty."

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is hinting that he might ease some COVID-19 restrictions on Minnesota bars and restaurants.  Walz said during a W-C-C-O radio interview Friday that the data on case positivity in Minnesota is "incredibly encouraging right now" and lower hospitalization numbers are "a huge factor in determining what's next."  The governor said hopefully by Tuesday or Wednesday of next "we'll try to get that guidance out."  The executive order banning indoor dining expires January 11th.  Senate Republicans urged Walz to let bars and restaurants know by Monday about whether he'll allow to re-open at reduced capacity so they have time to prepare.

The flu season in Minnesota continues to be a mild one.  The State Health Department's latest update shows there have only been 19 flu-related hospitalizations and zero deaths.  Officials report two flu outbreaks in Minnesota's long-term care facilities and three in schools.  The common strain in the state is influenza B.  Flu activity was very high at this time last before the COVID pandemic.  Some doctors say precautions to stop the spread of coronavirus are also slowing the flu.

After more than two months of treatment for coronavirus, a Wisconsin woman is out of the hospital.  Sandra Ebben received a standing ovation from the staff at UnityPoint Health Meriter in Madison as she was finally discharged from the hospital after a 65-day stay for COVID-19, which included a month in the I-C-U.  Ebben will continue her recovery at a rehabilitation facility.  UnityPoint Health - Meriter says more than 650 patients have been discharged after treatment for COVID-19.