Local-Regional News August 11

 The City of Mondovi has approved the contract for the new Wastewater Treatment Plant.  At last night's council meeting, members approved hiring C.D. Smith of Fond Du Lac as the lead contractor in the project.  C.D. Smith is the 4th largest contractor in the state and plans on using local tradesmen and subcontractors from around the area to construct the plant.  At peak construction, 30-40 workers will be on site.  The cost of the new plant is approximately $17 million and a ground groundbreaking ceremony is planned for sometime after Labor Day.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda included discussion and possible action on a special assessment levy on property owners on Drier Street and Laneville Road, and reports from the Mayor, City Administrator, and Department Heads.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall and can be watched on our YouTube Channel at Durand Broadcasting WRDN.

Saying he's "out of gas" Congressman Ron Kind of La Crosse announces he won't seek reelection at the end of his current term  Kind's decision not to run again comes a year away from the 2022 primaries and sets up a wide-open race in the state's most competitive congressional district.

The Pepin County Health Department is notifying the public of the potential for Covid-19 exposure at local establishments August 6-8th.  A person with a confirmed case of covid was present at The Garden Pub in Pepin on August 6th from 5-9pm, at the Barn Again Lodge in Mondovi on August 7th from 3-9pm, and at the Durand Masonic Lodge Sunday from 12-3pm.  Anyone who was at those locations during those times should consider themselves at risk and should monitor for signs and symptoms of Covid.  Anyone experiencing symptoms should contact their primary care provider to arrange for testing.

One person was injured in a plane crash in Osceola Monday.  According to the Polk County Sheriff's Department, the pilot crash-landed at the airport in Osceola and was taken to Regions Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.  The crash is being investigated by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board.  There were no other passengers on the plane at the time of the accident.

 The Clark County Sheriff’s Office reports a 57-year-old highway worker has been killed and another worker injured when they were hit by a suspected drunk driver.  The fatal accident happened early Saturday while the men were removing a tree that had fallen across a county road at about midnight.  Authorities say 28-year-old Cory D. Neumueller hit both the workers and the tree at about 1:20 a-m.  Russell J. Opelt died before emergency responders arrived.  Sixty-year-old David L. Murphy was injured, but he’s the one who called 9-1-1 for help.  Neumueller was taken into custody for homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and causing injury through intoxicated use of a vehicle.

Wisconsin's U-S Senators split their votes Tuesday on President Joe Biden's roughly one trillion-dollar infrastructure investment plan. Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Oshkosh voted against the plan. On "Fox Business" Tuesday morning, Johnson called the bill "disastrous," and said he had "no idea why Republicans would want to have any of their fingerprints" on it. Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin said "the Senate has finally turned the ‘Infrastructure Week’ talk of the past into real action. Nineteen Republicans voted with Democrats to approve the bill and send it to the House for consideration.

A local gun owners' group is suing the Minnesota State Fair and Ramsey County, asking that permit holders be allowed to carry handguns on the grounds during the fair. The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus is arguing that the State Fair's ban on weapons violates the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. In a statement, State Fair officials say they don't  comment on pending litigation, they add "we will maintain our time-honored Minnesota tradition of peaceful, family-friendly fairs by protecting the safety and security of our guests."

New Wisconsin Parks Director Steven Schmelzer says he wants to add tech services at state parks, including G-P-S mapping on all state-owned properties and expanded WiFi service.  Schmelzer says he wants to improve the experience for people visiting Wisconsin state parks.  He’s taking over at a time people are using the parks at record rates.  There have been more than nine-and-a-half million visits this year alone, an 18 percent increase over 2020.  Schmelzer is in charge of 49 Wisconsin state parks, more than 500 boat launches, 15 state forests, 44 state biking trails, and more than five thousand campsites.  He assumed his new duties on July 19th.

A Republican state lawmaker says he wants to change the Wisconsin Constitution to give the Legislature more control over how federal money is spent.  State Senator Dale Kooyenga wants to introduce a constitutional amendment.  Kooyenga says they already decide how state money is spent.  He thinks lawmakers should decide how billions of federal dollars are spent as well.  The Republican-controlled Legislature has disagreed with the Democratic governor several times since he took office over how the money coming from Washington should be distributed.  Kooyenga says if the amendment is approved before January, then again next year, it would put the question before voters next spring.

Democrat Governor Tony Evers has vetoed a package of Republican-authored elections bills that would have addressed complaints made by the former Trump Administration after President Joe Biden's win in 2020. At Tuesday's press conference, Evers said Wisconsin has a fair and open election system already. The bills included one that would have prohibited local elections clerks from filling in missing information on absentee ballot envelopes. Another would have authorized the use of ballot drop boxes while placing various restrictions on their use. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says Evers is protecting the status quo on elections. 

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is planning a trade mission later this year to England and Finland. The governor's office says he will bring a delegation of about 30 people from state agencies representing medical, agriculture, environmental, and education sectors. The trip is scheduled for November 12th through the 19th. The mission is aimed to increase exports and urge companies to expand in Minnesota.

Coronavirus case numbers are spiking in Wisconsin, but the coronavirus death toll is flat.  State health officials reported more than a thousand new cases of the virus Monday, bringing the state’s seven-day positivity rate to over seven percent. But while more people are testing positive, they’re almost all recovering. The Department of Health Services says Wisconsin is reporting an average of just one coronavirus death a week. Doctors say the vaccine is lessening the virus’ impact, and they say treatments are much better than they were last year. 

A proposed industrial park site near Two Rivers is becoming a wetlands restoration site instead.  The old silo and barn owned by the Henry family are located on the 80-acre property.  A wetlands scientist says the location had been a farm field since the 1930s and the industrial park was proposed in the 1990s.  The Henry family wanted to see the land preserved and donated it to The Woodland Dunes Nature Center four years ago.  After two years of monitoring to determine how the wetlands could be restored, the project moved forward.  The D-N-R is overseeing the process.

Americans headed for Canada created a huge traffic jam at the border in International Falls Monday.  The Canadian government began allowing vaccinated Americans to enter after months of a closed border.  Pictures of vehicles backed up for miles were tweeted.  One family said it had to wait seven hours to get across.  The border had been closed since March of last year.  One Canadian business owner said about 99 percent of his business comes from the U-S.  People wanting to cross the border must also test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of the time they want to travel.

Local-Regional News August 10

 One person is dead after having a medical emergency on the fishing float near Alma on Sunday.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department, 38yr old Willam Korn from Chippewa Falls collapsed on the float and became unresponsive.  Witnesses began CPR and contacted emergency services.   Law enforcement and EMS also provided life-saving measures but were unsuccessful.

The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion of the Schmidtknecht Road Construction for the new Wastewater Treatment plant, grant funding for playground equipment at city parks, approval of the new Wastwater Utility Rates for the city, and approve a joint meeting with the Mondovi School Board on September 15th.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at the Marten Center in Mondovi.

The man that led authorities on a high-speed chase through Pierce, Pepin, Buffalo, and other counties made his first court appearance on Monday.   22yr old Timothy Chambers was charged in Wood County with Bail Jumping and Resisting arrest after the August 4th pursuit that led to $11,000 in damage to a Pepin County Squad Car.  Charges have also been filed in Buffalo, and Pierce County in relation to the pursuit.  He is being held on a $50,000 cash bond.

Today is the final day for residents in Martell, Trimbelle, Trenton, Ellsworth, Heartland, Diamond Bluff, and Isabelle townships to register for well-testing kits from the Pierce County Health Department.  Test kits will be mailed to those registered and then can be dropped off on August 30th.  Kits are $35 and for more information, you are to contact the Pierce County Health Department.

Masks will be optional this year for students and staff in the Menomonie School District.  At last night's board meeting the board voted 5-4 after a 3hr debate on the topic.  Those opposed to mandatory requirements felt it was the parent's decision and not the district on whether or not students should wear a mask.  The district will not require vaccination among students or staff but is strongly recommending it.

The Wisconsin State Patrol will conduct aerial enforcement of speed and traffic laws this Thursday in Eau Claire County and on Saturday in Dunn County.  The patrol will be conducting the enforcement over I-94 in both counties.  The State Patrol says the goal of the enforcement is voluntary compliance of the traffic laws.  In a social media post, the patrol said during aerial enforcement over I-43 in Walworth County, they cited one driver for speeding at 105 mph.

The chairperson of the committee conducting one of three election reviews in Wisconsin is defending the validity of the subpoenas her group has issued.  The Legislative Counsel said only Assembly Speaker Robin Vos had the authority to issue subpoenas to compel testimony or produce records or documents.  State Representative Janel Brandtjen says she didn’t use Chapter 13.  The Republican says Chapter 885 spelled out how the subpoenas should be made out,  Officials in Milwaukee and Brown counties have been ordered to appear before her committee next month.  Those officials haven’t said if they will comply.

University of Minnesota officials say they will require students to be vaccinated against COVID once the vaccine receives full F-D-A approval which is expected in the coming weeks.  President Joan Gabel  says it will give the University the best chance for normal campus activity this fall and uninterrupted in-person, on-campus instruction.   Faculty and staff must either be vaccinated or regularly tested for COVID-19.  And Minnesota State Fair General Manager Jerry Hammer said Monday that, although no decision has been made, masks could be required at indoor attractions.   The State Fair opens on August 26th and runs for 12 days.

The National Weather Service says the tornado that hit the Boscobel area last weekend was the strongest storm in Wisconsin since 2008.  Survey teams increased their estimate of the top wind speeds to 160 miles an hour after examining the damage.  More than a dozen homes and more than two dozen outbuildings were destroyed by the E-F-3 tornado.  The storm was on the ground for 10-and-a-half miles and its path was up to 11-hundred yards wide.  The last tornado that strong touched down in Kenosha.  Starting Sunday and lasting through Monday, hundreds of neighbors worked together on the clean-up.

Demolition on some old buildings will start in a couple of weeks at the Port of Milwaukee.  That will clear some space for construction on a new agriculture export terminal.  Port officials say the 35-million-dollar project will create a facility for products like dried distillers' goods, grain, corn, and soybeans.  Port Milwaukee Director Adam Tindall-Schlicht says when it is in operation it will increase the activity by 300 to 500 metric tons of product each year.  Backers hope to have it going by April 2023.

The president of the Wisconsin Senate is urging health care workers to take action against vaccine mandates if they’re opposed.  The stance by Senate President Chris Kapenga is alarming some health care officials who are dealing with a surge of new infections.  The Republican Kapenga said he wanted to encourage the groups that are forming to stick to their principles and “don’t give in.”  Kapenga told reporters he wasn’t suggesting that health care workers should go on strike, but just be persistent in their beliefs.

A Milwaukee man has been sentenced to 46 years in prison for a home invasion and sexual assault.  Prosecutors told the court 22-year-old Bobby A Clayton and some accomplices broke into the home in January 2018.  Clayton is accused of sexually assaulting the 76-year-old woman who was living there.  He was arrested in Juneau County after he crashed the vehicle he had stolen from the victim.  Clayton was sentenced in Monroe County Circuit Court last week by Judge Mark Goodman.

Environmental protesters in Green Bay maintain that there has never been a pipeline that doesn’t leak.  A group showed up at the City Deck Saturday to demand construction on two pipelines that run through Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan be stopped.  Organizers say work on the pipelines violates treaties signed with Native Americans.  They say the oil companies are destroying wild rice fields.  Enbridge Energy says its construction permits include conditions specifically to protect wide rice waters.  They say the two pipelines have co-existed there for more than seven decades with no major problems.

 The Wisconsin hotel industry is getting a boost from money from the American Rescue Plan Act. Governor Evers says grants of two million dollars were released this weekend to nearly 900 lodging businesses around the state to help them offset some of the losses they incurred during the pandemic. The tourism industry supports more than 157-thousand jobs in Wisconsin and had an economic impact last year of more than 17 billion dollars.

Amid a surge in new COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin, state Superintendent Jill Underly is strongly recommending that Wisconsin school district require masks when students return to in-person classes this fall.  The recommendation is similar to that made last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The state's largest districts, Milwaukee and Madison, are requiring masks, but many rural and suburban districts are not.

Crews broke ground on a new Minnesota Veterans Home in Preston Monday. Governor Tim Walz was on hand and said helping veterans is something everyone can rally behind. The administration plans to highlight the state's commitment to veterans over the next several days including efforts around suicide prevention and ending veteran homelessness.

No rain means no standing water and that’s good for mosquito control.  Officials with the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District in the Twin Cities say the drought is why there are so few of the pests buzzing around this summer.  The numbers are way down, well below the 10-year average.  Scientists say the mosquito numbers have been four to eight times lower than a normal year at some points.  Some areas got rain last weekend, but it’s too late.  Most mosquito species in Minnesota have already gone through their life cycles.  This could also affect next summer.

Local-Regional News August 9

 As the fall harvest approaches, a reminder that passing farm implements in a no-passing zone is illegal. Pepin County Sheriff Joel Wener says not only is it against the law, but it's extremely dangerous.  Farmers will try and pull over to let traffic pass, but many times it is safer and easier for them to drive to the field they are working on.

At the Wisconsin State Fair, some area farmers in Western Wisconsin will be recognized for having their farm and home in the same family for 100-150yrs The 2021 century and Sesquicentennial Farm and Home Awards will be awarded Tuesday.  Here in Western Wisconsin,  Janice Graner Trust in Nelson,  Becky and Steve Odegard, Mondovi, Cheryl and Glenn Aderson of Hagar City, Dianne, Larry and Chad Madson of Spring Valley,  Peterson's Dunnville Acres Farm, Menomonie and JoAnn and James Utphall of Boyceville will be among those honored for the continuous family ownership of their property.  The Century Farm and Home Program began in 1948 in conjunction with the state centennial celebration.

The district attorney’s office in La Crosse County has added a hate crime modifier to the substantial battery charge against a man.  Forty-year-old Travis Crawford is accused of attacking a transgender couple in Copeland Park on July 20th.  Investigators say Crawford punched a 17-year-old transgender boy in the face.  A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for next Thursday.  Witnesses say he called both teenagers a slur for gay men.  The boy he hit suffered a serious injury.

The western Wisconsin man accused of a deadly ax attack is pleading not guilty to five felonies in Monroe County.  Deputies say 36-year-old Thomas Aspseter of Sparta killed 87-year-old Bernard Waite and injured 76-year-old Michael Waite and 73-year-old Margaret Waite on June 6th.  Aspseter entered not guilty pleas to charges including first-degree intentional homicide, attempted homicide and aggravated battery causing great bodily harm.  His next court hearing is October 4th.

Tomah police say a 36-year-old man involved in a standoff told officers he was armed and he threatened to kill them if they tried to take him into custody.  Police were called when Russell Clausen refused to leave his hotel room.  When he did finally come out, he barricaded himself in a second-floor stairwell.  Negotiators talked with him for more than an hour before he was finally arrested.  During those negotiations, the hotel was evacuated and police blocked off nearby business parking lots.  Clausen was booked into the Monroe County Jail.  He could face three charges, including two felonies.

A La Crosse man has been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to armed robbery and possing a firearm in a crime of violence.  32yr old Kenneth Lawson was sentenced to 9yrs in federal prison followed by 3yrs of supervised release.  In June of 2020, Lawson and a female associate robbed the occupants of a La Crosse apartment at gunpoint.   At the time of the robbery, Lawson was on Minnesota state supervision and had multiple prior felony convictions, and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.  

Most of Wisconsin's major health systems in Wisconsin have a vaccine requirement in place for staff.   The deadlines for employees to get vaccinated vary, but most will be required to do so by mid to late fall. 13 healthcare systems have requirements in place, including UW Health, Marshfield Clinic Health System, Prevea Health, and Mayo Clinic. Several others have yet to announce vaccination requirements, although of those have indicated it's being considered.

Officials with Grant County Emergency Management report no injuries from Saturday storms that destroyed six homes in Boscobel.  There were multiple sightings of possible tornadoes.  One tornado was officially confirmed to have touched down west of Boscobel Saturday at about 4:38 p-m.  In addition to the destroyed homes, as were at least a dozen outbuildings like barns, sheds, and silos.  A damage survey was conducted Sunday.  Several Grant County roads were reported to be impassable due to downed power lines.  At least 300 customers lost power as the storms passed through that part of southwestern Wisconsin.

The state of Wisconsin is sitting on millions of dollars that will help people avoid eviction.  In Milwaukee, the Social Development Commission says it has helped about 85 hundred families so far.  The federal government has given the state almost 700 million dollars, with a big chunk of it going to Madison and Milwaukee.  Officials estimate there are about 445 million dollars in the bank for people who fill out applications.  In the case of the S-D-C, that organization says it takes about a week-and-a-half to process an application.  If you qualify, you can get as much as 15 months of rental help.

A bill signed into law by Governor Tony Evers says Wisconsin law enforcement officers should only use deadly force as a last resort.  Evers said, “I am glad to sign this bipartisan bill today that provides clear use of force standards and clear requirements for reporting and intervening in non-compliant use of force incidents.”  The Democratic governor also vetoed a measure Friday that would have reduced state aid to communities that decrease police funding.  Evers cited what he called "onerous restrictions" on local governments setting their budgets.

A 70-ton boulder will be removed from the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus because minority students view it as a symbol of racism.  Chamberlin Rock is located at the top of Observatory Hill.  It is named in honor of Thomas Crowder Chamberlin, a geologist and former president of the university.  Chancellor Rebecca Blank approved the removal of the rock in January, but that action had to be approved by the Wisconsin Historical Society.  

The field of Wisconsin Democrats running for the 2022 U-S Senate nomination continues to grow.  Wisconsin Emergency Management administrator Darrell Williams is the latest candidate to join the race.  Williams was appointed by Governor Evers in 2019 and has a military background and served as an educator in Beloit and Milwaukee.  Republican Senator Ron Johnson hasn't officially announced if he'll seek a third term next year.  The list of Democrats hoping to win Johnson's seat includes Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski, Bucks executive Alex Lasry, Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson, and Milwaukee Alderwoman Chantia Lewis.

A threat to blow up the Houston County Courthouse and shoot people prompted a short lockdown in Caledonia Friday.  The Houston County Sheriff's Office says a man called a court employee and said he was going to shoot someone in the Houston County Attorney's Office and blow up the building.  Sheriff's deputies say they were able to identify the caller.  They say he also made threats of violence to a pair of local businesses and another county office.  Investigators say felony charges are expected against the suspect.  No other information was released.

 A suspected drunk driver has been arrested on suspicion of his 12th operating while intoxicated offense.  Fifty-nine-year-old Gregg Scotto of Clintonville told Waupaca police he planned to shop at the grocery store where he had parked his vehicle.  That store had been closed for more than an hour.  A check revealed Scotto was driving on a revoked license.  Officers say he was losing his balance as he talked to an officer, then said he would fail a breath test if he took it.  Scotto has a court appearance scheduled for next Tuesday.  If he is convicted, he faces a minimum of four years in prison.

Local-Regional News August 6

 A high-speed pursuit that began in Pierce County early Wednesday morning has led to damage to a Pepin County Sheriff's Department Squad.  The pursuit began when deputies tried to stop the suspect who was driving a stolen truck and trailer.  The suspect refused to stop and entered Pepin County on Hwy 10 and Pepin County Deputies attempted to deploy spike strips.  As the suspect approached they struck the squad car, heavily damaging it.  The suspect vehicle continued east through Pepin, Buffalo, Trempealeau Jackson, Eau Claire, Clark, and Wood Counties before crashing near Marshfield.  No one was injured during the pursuit and the driver was arrested in Wood County and will face multiple charges in Pierce, Pepin, and Wood Counites.  The crash caused over $11,000 of damage to the squad car.

One person was injured in a motorcycle accident in Salem Township on Wednesday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 73yr old Terry Herring of Farmington was traveling westbound on 370th  Avenue when he lost control on a curve, left the roadway, and entered the north ditch where he overturned and was ejected.  Herring was taken to Mayo Hospital in Red Wing.

Ten people are homeless after a fire near Tilden in Chippewa County.   According to fire officials, firefighters were called to the home on 120th Avenue at 6:30 Wednesday evening and found a lean-to near the home destroyed by the blaze.  The home had severe smoke damage and 10 people including 8 kids were displaced due to the smoke damage and no power to the home because of damage to the electric meter.  No cause of the blaze has been determined.  The Red Cross is helping the displaced family.

University of Wisconsin System campuses in western Wisconsin are expecting students, staff, and visitors to mask up in on-campus indoor spaces   With several counties in the region showing substantial or high levels of COVID-19 transmission, UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stout are encouraging the use of masks indoors starting on Monday. According to releases by both schools, the expectation would apply to everyone indoors on campus, including vehicles regardless of vaccination status. UW La Crosse made a similar request effective on Wednesday. At UW Madison, all students, employees, and visitors to campus are being required to wear masks when inside campus buildings. 

A cashier in a Chippewa Falls convenience store is being credited with stopping the scam of an elderly woman.  Store leader Jenn Engaldo says she knew something was wrong when the woman tried to buy two thousand dollars in Apple gift cards at her Kwik Trip store.  After some discussion, Engaldo and the police helped the woman realize she was falling for a fake arrest-warrant scam.  Investigators say the clerk’s quick thinking helped save the would-be victim’s bank account.  Chippewa Falls police are reminding people that the court never accepts gift cards as a way to satisfy a warrant.

With a new school year on the horizon, Minnesota parents and caregivers are reminded to save their receipts on school supply purchases.  Two tax benefits can help Minnesota families pay expenses related to their child’s education: the refundable K-12 Education Credit and the K-12 Education Subtraction.  The programs reduce the tax parents pay and could deliver a larger refund when filing a state income tax return next year. To qualify, the purchases must be for educational services or required classroom materials. The child must be attending kindergarten through 12th grade at a public, private, or home school and meet other qualifications.  Last year, more than 33-thousand families received the K-12 Education Credit and saved an average of 250 dollars. Nearly 190 thousand got the K-12 Education Subtraction.

Two people are in custody after authorities issued an Amber Alert for a two-month-old child from Wisconsin Rapids with a medical condition.  The Wisconsin Rapids Police Department says it was investigating a possible neglect/abuse case Wednesday afternoon and attempted to check the well-being of Dorian Giesen.  Officers say they tried to contact his mother, 28-year-old Haley Pelot, and she led them on a vehicle chase.  Investigators say the pursuit ended when Pelot threatened to harm Dorian.  He requires medication several times a day and it is believed that his mother does not have his pills.    The Wisconsin Rapids Police Department says they arrested two people and Dorian was recovered and is safe.

The lack of rain over the past week is making drought conditions even worse in Minnesota.  The latest U-S Drought Monitor shows 35 percent of the state is now in "extreme" drought.  That's up from 22 percent since last week and the highest since 2007.  Nearly 79 percent of Minnesota is in "severe" drought, up from 75-point-one percent the previous week.  There is rain in the forecast for the parts of the state this weekend.

The 2021 Wisconsin State Fair is officially underway.  The gates opened  Thursday for the first time in two years.  There are some COVID-19 protocols in place, but face masks are not required on the fairgrounds.  Face coverings are recommended inside buildings and there are a lot of sanitizing stations.  Governor Evers and other dignitaries attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly renovated Central Mall. The State Fair runs through August 15th.

The coronavirus pandemic has made recruiting police officers even more challenging and the nationwide shortages are showing up in Wisconsin.  Monona police are now paying to send new hires to the police academy, which has created a larger pool of candidates.  A Beloit Police captain says the force will be down eight officer positions by the end of August.  Captain Daniel Molland says the pandemic, police reform, and upcoming retirements can be blamed.  The story isn’t the same for all departments.  Two large recruiting efforts have resulted in nine new officers just joining the Janesville Police Department last month.  That effort was needed.  Police Chief David Moore says the department used to receive 300-to-400 applicants when starting a new class – now, only about 40 show up to take the written test each time.

Some Republican lawmakers are questioning why Wisconsin’s governor hasn’t spent more of the state’s federal stimulus money.  The state Department of Public Instruction reports Wisconsin has spent only 17 percent of the three billion dollars it has received.  State Senator Dale Kooyenga of suburban Milwaukee says that means 83 percent of the money is still just sitting in the bank.  Another Republican Senator, Duey Stroebel of Cedarburg, says that is par for the course for Governor Evers.  Stroebel says the Democrat has been “disorganized and inefficient” in handling the stimulus money sent to Wisconsin from Washington, D-C.

 U-S Senator Tammy Baldwin says the trillion-dollar infrastructure plan passed by a committee Wednesday “delivers support from Washington to Wisconsin.”  Baldwin is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.  The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes money for roads, bridges, water pipes, cybersecurity, and rural broadband service.  The Wisconsin Democrat says all of those improvements are things that Wisconsin sorely needs.  She says the U-S Senate will likely vote on the bill in just a matter of days.

The first time he tried, it didn’t go very far, but Governor Tony Evers is giving it a shot again.  He’s trying to bring back his plan to lower the cost of prescription drugs in Wisconsin.  Evers says it’s time for “bold solutions” to lower the out-of-pocket costs for consumers.  The legislation faces an uncertain future since Republicans already removed it from the state budget.  The plan was introduced again Wednesday.  It would create a review board to establish prescription drug spending targets for the public sector and limit prices, increase funding for free clinics, cap co-payments on insulin at 50 dollars, and create a new office to oversee the drug supply chain.

 Minnesota-based Target is offering its 340-thousand U-S workers debt-free education assistance to earn a degree.  Starting this fall, Target says it will cover the cost of tuition, fees, and textbooks for part and full-time employees who pursue a qualifying degree at more than 40 schools.  Target will also pay up to 10-thousand dollars annually for master’s degree programs.   The company plans to invest 200-million dollars in the education assistance program over the next four years.

  Molson Coors has announced plans to discontinue at least 11 of its national and regional brands of beer as it focuses on higher-end products.  Miller High Life Light is among the brands the company will retire.  A spokesman says the money will improve supply chain flexibility for the company’s more profitable priority brands.  Some of the other beers that will no longer be on store shelves include Hamm’s Special Light, Icehouse Edge, Keystone Ice, and Milwaukee’s Best Premium.  The move also clears the way for Molson Coors to invest more resources into its “hard-seltzer” portfolio.

Local-Regional News August 4

 A Mindoro Man is in custody after a high-speed chase that lasted for 28 miles through  Pepin and Buffalo Counties.  According to the Pepin County Sheriffs Department, 23yr old Frederick Clements was pulled over by deputies near Hwy 35 and Bogus road on Tuesday afternoon.  After initially stopping he fled and at times reached speeds of 110 mph.  The pursuit was terminated in the Village of Pepin for safety reasons.  Clements was then spotted traveling south on Hwy 35 and the pursuit was re-initiated and went into Buffalo County where Buffalo County Sheriffs Deputies and Wabasha Police joined the pursuit.   Clements entered Alma where the pursuit was terminated until he was spotted south of Alma and authorities used stop sticks and deflated three of Clements tires.    He was then boxed in and pulled over.  He is facing felony charges in Pepin and Buffalo Counties.

One person was injured in a motorcycle vs deer accident in Mondovi Township on Monday.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, 28yr old David Warn, III of Milton was traveling northbound on Hwy 37 when a deer ran out onto the road and the motorcycle struck the deer.   Warn was taken to an Eau Claire Hospital with head injuries.  

One person was injured in a motorcycle accident in Maiden Rock Township Sunday afternoon.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 53yr old Christiana Maxson of Mantorville, MN was traveling southbound on Hwy UU when she lost control on a curve, left the roadway, and overturned.    She was transported to Mayo Hospital in Red Wing.

According to the CDC, three counties in Western Wisconsin are experiencing high rates of Covid-19.  The latest CDC tracker website shows Pepin, Eau Claire, and Chippewa counties listed in the high category of covid-19 rates.  During an interview with WRDN last Wednesday,  Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart the increase in cases started in Mid July.  Stewart recommends people continue to use basic prevention methods like washing hands, social distancing, staying home if you dont feel well, and wear a mask if you are at indoor events.

The state is setting aside $10 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds for tourism support. Governor Tony Evers made the announcement during a stop in Ashwaubenon on Tuesday.  Evers is asking people to continue to get vaccinated and to use their masks as they travel, in order to keep Wisconsin's tourism season open. 

A man who shot paintballs at members of the U-S Army Reserve will enter a guilty plea.  Ian Olson of Nashotah is described as a Q-Anon supporter.  He was arrested in March.  Witnesses say he got out of his car in Pewaukee, pointed what appeared to be a rifle at the service members, and said, “This is for America!”  After two or three shots the paintball gun jammed.  Two servicemen tackled him to the ground and held him until police arrived.  Olson will be sentenced on the charge of attacking U-S servicemen at a date that hasn’t been set.  Authorities haven’t said what the sentence might be.

Minnesota is now receiving applications for potential cases of wrongful convictions.  Attorney General Keith Ellison launched the state's Conviction Review Unit Tuesday through a partnership with the Minnesota Innocence Project.  Ellison says "every criminal case has room for error because the criminal justice system is run by human beings...it's important to understand when we do not hit the mark of justice and to correct those occasions when that happens."   The unit is funded by a two-year, 300-thousand-dollar grant and will be the first of its kind in Minnesota to review cases of people imprisoned for crimes they may not have committed.

National Night Out was held across Western Wisconsin Last night.  Good crowds were reported at the events and here in Durand many residents came out to the Bauer Built Sports Complex to view the new squad car and other equipment from Durand Police, Fire and Ambulance Service., and meet members of all three services.  The police had a kickball game against the kids and after the event the movie Trolls, World Tour was show compliments of the Durand-Arkansaw School District.

University of Wisconsin System leaders will have to get permission from a Republican-controlled legislative committee for any COVID-related regulations at its schools. The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules voted 6-4 along party lines today (Tuesday) to require the U-W System to issue an emergency order within 30 days to enact pandemic protocols, including mandatory testing and masks on campus. U-W System spokesman Mark Pitsch said in a statement, "today's action feels like a political statement; our focus is to ensure we are doing what needs to be done now to safely open for in-person teaching this fall." Committee co-chair, Senator Steve Nass of Whitewater said, "today, the legislature through JCRAR has told the UW System they can no longer ignore state law with regards to Covid-19 mandates impacting students and campus visitors." UW-Madison is planning to require weekly testing of unvaccinated students on campus this fall.

 Target is reinstating its face mask mandate for its employees as COVID-19 makes a resurgence across the country.  The Minnesota-based retail giant is not requiring masks for its customers, although it is strongly encouraging shoppers to wear masks in areas where transmission is considered "substantial" or "high" risk.  The new policy takes effect Tuesday.  Walmart and many other retailers are also again requiring workers to wear face masks.

Almost 50 million dollars in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan will be used in Wisconsin to address mental health and substance abuse needs.  The Department of Health Services made the announcement Monday.  Over the next four years, 22 million dollars will be dedicated to substance abuse services and another 24-point-six million will go to mental health.  State officials have called access to affordable mental and behavioral health care a critical need in Wisconsin.  The coronavirus pandemic has made the situation worse.

State Senator Chris Larson is dropping out of the U-S Senate race and endorsing Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes. Larson entered the crowded Democratic primary field in May. He would have had to give up his Milwaukee state Senate seat if he had stayed in the race. Larson said in a statement that Barnes, one of eight remaining Democratic candidates, is "best positioned to defeat Ron Johnson." The Oshkosh Republican has yet to announce whether he'll seek a third term.

A southwest Wisconsin woman is jailed for the weekend shooting death of her boyfriend. The Richland County Sheriff's Department says Lori Miller and Benjamin Brewer of Muscoda got into a fight Saturday night and Brewer was shot. Deputies say he died at the scene before paramedics got there. Miller was taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries. She was booked on suspicion of second-degree reckless homicide. The incident remains under investigation.

The congressional delegations from Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota are working together to put through legislation that would help ranchers during future droughts. Conservation Reserve Program Flexibility Act would make it possible for the U-S Department of Agriculture to allow emergency haying on C-R-P lands before August 1st during certain conditions. Early haying is typically not allowed to protects birds' primary nesting season.

Local-Regional News August 3

 The Department of Natural Resources says the air quality index in northern Wisconsin is “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”  The air quality advisory issued Monday is set to last through noon today.  The people who could be harmed include children, the elderly, individuals with health risks like respiratory and cardiac problems, and anybody who exercises strenuously outside for an extended period of time.  D-N-R officials say fine particles from the smoke caused by the Canadian wildfires are polluting the air.  The advisory covers 39 counties.

National Night Out is tonight in Durand and other communities in Western Wisconsin.  In Durand, National Night Out will be held at the Bauer Built Sports Complex starting at 5 and the Durand  Police, Fire, Ambulance will be there, a kickball game between the Police and Kids will be played, and according to Durand Police Chief Stan Ridgeway there will be food and other door prizes. After National Night out everyone is invited to stay and watch the movie Trolls, World Tour with the Durand-Arkansaw School District. 

The Village of Elmwood is reminding residents to take their keys and lock their vehicles and belongings.  Thefts from vehicles have been reported in the village and the Pierce County Sheriff's Department continues to investigate numerous thefts from vehicles throughout the county.

The Dunn County Sheriff's Department is asking for the public's help in identifying two individuals involved in a theft at a gas station in Wheeler.  The Departments Facebook page has a picture of the man and woman the department would like to question about the thefts.  The couple was driving a silver SUV with Minnesota Plates.  Anyone with information on the couple is to contact the Dunn County Sheriff's Department. 

If you have old electronics around the house, you can dispose of them on Thursday during an Electronic Recycling Event at Durand High School.   There will be a $20 charge for television and computer monitors and credit or debit cards will only be accepted.  Other electronic items can be disposed of free of charge.  That event is Thursday from 10-3 at Durand High School.

Authorities in southeastern Minnesota continue to investigate the fatal shooting of a woman in Austin.  Officers say 20-year-old Tyesha Tahne Gills was shot inside a home early Saturday and died at the Mayo Clinic Health System Hospital.  Investigators have not reported any arrests in the case but said there is not any ongoing danger to the public.    The Minnesota B-C-A is assisting local authorities.

Authorities in Adams County report a 41-year-old father and his 13-year-old daughter have drowned in Petenwell Lake.  Witnesses told deputies several children had been swimming when they began to struggle.  The father and daughter jumped in to help them, but they apparently didn’t resurface.  Bystanders were able to get some of the children out of the water, but Aurora and Andrew Nett were still missing.  Search and rescue crews responded just before 6:00 p-m and kept looking for the two missing people until 11:00.  The search resumed Monday morning and the bodies were recovered.

Counterfeit $100 bills have been found in Rusk County.  According to the Rusk County Sheriff's Department's Facebook Page, several of the bills were located by officers or turned in by citizens.  The bills have an additional fake serial number in the lower left-hand corner of the bill.  If you come across one of these bills you are to call your local law enforcement agency.

The Democratic National Committee is inviting Milwaukee to submit another bid – this one for the 2024 Democratic National Convention.  Milwaukee was supposed to host the event last year but it transitioned to a mostly virtual convention due to the coronavirus pandemic.  Wisconsin’s largest city was ready for 50 thousand visitors after beating out Houston and Miami.  There was sentiment to simply schedule the next convention in Milwaukee, but that isn’t the case right now.  Similar invitation letters inviting bids were mailed to a list of more than 20 cities.  Bids can be submitted until October 1st with the final decision expected in the spring of 2023.

A long-time Wisconsin broadcaster has died.  Wisconsin Public Media has announced that Gene Purcell, director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison division that provides statewide access to public media through Wisconsin Public Radio and PBS Wisconsin, died Saturday from injuries suffered last week in a traffic crash in Madison. Purcell had led WPM since 2018, steering its transition to UW-Madison from the UW-Extension, and leading public media through the COVID-19 pandemic. Gene Purcell was 61.

A crop duster pilot is expected to survive the injuries he suffered Saturday when his helicopter crashed near Randolph Township.  The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office says the chopper went down in a cornfield while the pilot was trying to fly under some high power lines.  The emergency call came in Saturday at about 10:15 a-m.  The pilot was airlifted to a hospital.  No names have been released and the extent of the pilot’s injuries hasn’t been reported.  The F-A-A is working with the sheriff’s office on the investigation.

This year’s wolf hunt in Wisconsin will likely be brief.   The Department of Natural Resources has set a limit of 130 wolves killed this year. Hunters and trapped bagged 218 wolves in about three days earlier this year. That’s a number that wildlife managers and animal rights advocates both found unacceptably high. Wisconsin’s wolf hunt is scheduled to start on November 6th. 

The committee planning the Oneida Pow Wow acknowledges that people will be disappointed that it is being canceled.  The event was called off last year, too.  Organizers blame growing numbers of COVID-19 cases in the community for the decision to call things off for the last weekend of this month.  It's possible a virtual Pow Wow will be held.  Between eight and 10 thousand people were expected to attend the event.  With less than half of the Oneida community vaccinated, there were concerns about the possible spread of the virus.

The University of Minnesota is requiring that masks be worn indoors on all campuses, in lockstep with the most recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The school sent out a letter with the news Monday to all students and staff. The guidance goes into effect on campus as of Tuesday.

More than three dozen Wisconsin parent groups have written a letter calling forced masking and new lockdowns or restrictions to their kids “objectively cruel.” The letters were sent to Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and President Joe Biden. The parents say their children do not belong to the government. The Department of Health Services says it is simply following C-D-C guidelines that say, everyone – including those who have been vaccinated – should wear masks to slow the spread of the delta variant. The parents say they will disobey any new mask orders.

All Minnesota assisted living and memory care facilities have to be licensed by the state for the first time.  The new rules went into effect Sunday.  They were included in a sweeping overhaul of long-term care consumer protections that were signed into law following investigations of neglect and abuse.  The Minnesota Department of Health says it has received more than two thousand license applications from providers serving nearly 58 thousand residents.

Local-Regional News August 2

 A program aimed at finding lost or wandering individuals is received a donation from the Durand Lions Club.  Project Lifesaver provides a program to help law enforcement a program to protect and when necessary quickly locate individuals with cognitive disorders who may wander off.  The Lions are donating $1100 to the program through the Pepin County Sheriff's Department, a Project Lifesaver member.

An area business is looking at expanding.  During last week's Durand City Council Meeting, Administrator Rassmuesson talked about a possible expansion of Marron Foods.  The company is wanting to make sure it will still have proper access to Hwy 10 when the new Kwik Trip is constructed.  The administrator also told council members of a possible grant to help with the infrastructure of the new Kwik Trip that would come from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources asks for the public's help with Operation Deer Watch this month.  The DNR is asking volunteers to report deer sightings including bucks, does, and fawns between now and September 1st and report the sightings on the DNR Website.  The DNR and County Deer Advisory Councils use the data from the survey to develop a deer season framework, harvest quotas, and permit level recommendations.  For more information visit the DNR website.

A Menomonie teen has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors in a sexual assault case.  17yr old John Stai, pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor counts of exposing himself to a child.  The charges stem from an incident where a girl told authorities the contact started when she was in kindergarten and continued until the 6th grade.  Stai admitted to doing inappropriate things with the girl when he was 8yrs old and into his teens.    The charges will be dropped in four years if Stai does community service, does not break any laws, and receives a psychosexual evaluation.

The Wabasha County Board is meeting Tuesday.  Items on the agenda include discussion and approval of maintenance agreements with cities in the county, an American Rescue Plan Consulting Services Agreement, and a review of the quarterly financial reports.  Tomorrow's meeting begins at 9am at the Wabasha County Government Center.

Nearly 14 thousand people living in Wisconsin have every reason to worry they will be evicted over the next two months.  Members of Congress have left Washington for the six-week August recess without extending the federal freeze on evictions.  Nationwide, three-point-six million Americans are at risk.  Madison-based Feeding the Youth reports it has seen requests for rental help more than triple in the last week.  C-E-O Jazzman Brown says her organization normally gets five-to-10 requests each month.  Most of the 48 requests for help received recently came in during the last week of July.

A new report finds Wisconsin and other states failed to meet federal rules for clearing unemployment appeals.   The Legislative Audit Bureau has found that the state Department of Workforce Development failed to comply with federal regulations regarding unemployment appeals between June 2020 and May 2021, as the coronavirus pandemic swept the state and nation. That means that less than 80 percent of appeals were resolved in 45 days, and the average age of appeals filed that are awaiting a hearing is 58 days. That's nearly two weeks more than the number of days allowed by federal regulations. The LAB also compared Wisconsin's appeals data with four surrounding states and found none were in compliance with the federal guidance, either. Wisconsin ranked third out of the five states studied. 

Family members of a Wisconsin Marine killed in a training accident last year have filed a lawsuit.  Nineteen-year-old Evan Bath of Oak Creek and eight other service members died when the amphibious assault vehicle sank during an exercise in California.  They were trapped inside by a defective cargo hatch door.  The Bath family is suing B-A-E Systems, the maker of the assault vehicle.  They claim the company knew about the problem for years and never took steps to correct it.  Federal law prevents families from suing the U-S military.  The family is asking the Marines to stop using the A-A-V.

Bond is set at one million dollars cash for the La Cross County triple homicide suspects. Forty-one-year-old Khamthaneth Rattanasack and 33-year-old Nya Thao made their first court appearances Friday afternoon.    They're accused of killing 24-year-olds Peng Lor and Nemo Yang and 23-year-old Trevor Maloney in the Town of Hamilton. A witness said Rattanasack ordered the three victims to kneel on the ground and Thao shot them multiple times.  Investigators said a possible cause was a dispute over a 600-dollar debt.  Rattanasack and Thao could face life prison sentences if convicted of three counts of first-degree intentional homicide.

 Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says he's expanding a taxpayer-funded review of the 2020 presidential election.   The Republican leader said Friday that former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman will be named "special counsel," with authority to hire full-time investigators.   In a statement, Vos said, “It has become clear that a top-to-bottom investigation will take longer than initially anticipated and will require more manpower to complete." Vos has already agreed to pay Gabelman 44-thousand dollars through October and hired two retired police detectives to review the election.    It's not immediately clear how much additional tax money will be needed.   President Joe Biden won the state by more than 20-thousand votes.

Wisconsin’s governor and Assembly speaker agree that the state needs to help people back to work at struggling businesses, but they don’t agree on how to do it.  Governor Tony Evers and Speaker Robin Vos have starkly different ideas.  Evers wants Wisconsin lawmakers to spend an additional 550 million dollars on schools to help with the state’s worker shortage.  Vos is demanding Wisconsin put an end to enhanced unemployment benefits so he says people will return to work more quickly.  Wisconsin businesses have repeatedly said they can’t find qualified people to apply for their openings.

The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the death of one of its police dogs.  Officials say K9 Deputy Rajko died at 11:30 a-m today (Friday) surrounded by his handler, Sergeant Ryan Mangan, and those who loved him.  The sheriff's office said in a statement, "Rajko’s medical condition deteriorated due to cancer that was discovered earlier this week and there simply was no other option but to save Rajko from further pain.”  He served for eight years and won several awards at national, state, and regional K-9 trials.  Deputies are asking everyone to "please keep Rajko, Ryan, and their family in hearts as Rajko runs freely across The Rainbow Bridge.”

State and local officials are trying to convince a company in southeast Minnesota not to move dozens of jobs to China.  A recent announcement indicated the Miken Sports plant in Caledonia would be phased out over the next two years.  Some of the work would be moved to Missouri.  The change means at least 80 workers will lose their jobs.  The Rawlings company has said it will save at least four million dollars by moving production jobs out of the plant.  It has been operating there since 1999.  U-S Senator Tina Smith’s office says she will get involved.  Miken Sports makes equipment for Major League Baseball

The Wisconsin State Patrol is welcoming 42 new state troopers.  The 66th Recruiting Class was officially sworn into duty at a graduation ceremony Friday in La Crosse.   The 42 officers just completed 26 weeks of training in traffic and criminal laws, emergency vehicle operations, firearms proficiency, communications, crisis management, and lifesaving skills.   After graduating from the State Patrol Academy at Ft. McCoy, new officers are assigned to one of the State Patrol’s seven regional posts.   Governor Tony Evers joined the ceremony and thanked and congratulated the latest State Patrol recruiting class.