Local-Regional News September 2

 Durand residents in the Laneville Street Construction project will be experiencing water disruptions today.  From 8-Noon this morning water will be turned off on Lee Street to connect the new Laneville water main to the existing Lee Stree Watermain.  Then from Noon-4 water will be turned off on South Street to connect the South Street water main to the Lee Street water main and on Friday water will be turned off on Country Lane from 8am-4pm to connect the Country Lane water main to the Laneville Water main.  The City apologizes for any inconvenience, and those affected should plan on filling containers for drinking or cooking water before the water is turned off.

The man accused of beating two men near Urne in Februray of 2002 is going to prison.  On Wednesday, a sentencing hearing for  Erick Tepole of Durand was held in Buffalo County Court.  Tepole was sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted of using a baseball bat and attacking two men near Urne.  Both victims were airlifted to hospitals with severe injuries as a result of the attack.  

A school district in Western Wisconsin is changing its mask policy due to an increase in Covid-19 cases.  The Melrose-Mindoro School District announced on its social media page the change in the policy yesterday.  Students in grades 7-12 will be required to wear masks during the school day.  The District said the policy change was needed due to a significant number of Covid cases that required the district to contact trace and quarantine students.  The district hopes the change will keep the school open and limit the number of students that need to be sent home.

The Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department responded to a report of a suicidal person with a handgun shooting the gun inside a home in Eleva on Tuesday.  Law Enforcement secured the area outside of the home and after several attempts, was able to contact the person via telephone.  The person was provided assistance with mental health professionals and no one was injured as a result of the discharged handgun nor was the public in danger.

 A World War II sailor killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor is returning to Minnesota today (Thursday 2:20 p-m).   Nineteen-year-old Navy Seaman 2nd Class Lloyd Todd Timm of Kellogg was among the 429 sailors aboard the U-S-S Oklahoma who died on December 7th, 1941.    Timm will receive plane side military honors when his remains arrive at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.   Timm's remains were unidentified for nearly 80 years at the National Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.   Scientists from the Defense P-O-W/M-I-A Accounting Agency and Armed Forces Medical Examiner used dental and anthropological analysis to identify his remains in June of 2015.  Timm's funeral is Monday in his hometown of Kellogg.

A man from La Crosse County is pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge for his role in the January 6th U-S Capitol riot.  Twenty-four-year-old Abram Markofski entered a guilty plea to parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.  The National Guard member was initially charged with four counts in May.  The plea agreement will allow law enforcement to review his social media accounts and interview him before sentencing on December 3rd.  Federal prosecutors say Markofski traveled to Washington, D-C with Brandon Nelson of Dane County.  The F-B-I said it did not uncover any evidence that Markofksi engaged in any violent or destructive behavior.  He agreed to pay 500 dollars in restitution and could face up to six months in prison at sentencing.

Rebecca Kleefisch is taking the next step toward running for Wisconsin governor.  The former lieutenant governor has filed the paperwork to officially run for governor next year. Kleefisch has not formally launched her campaign, but that could be coming soon. Bill McCoshen and Kevin Nicholson are said to be two other Republicans who might also step up to challenge Democratic incumbent Tony Evers in 2022.

Demand for the coronavirus vaccine in Wisconsin is ramping up.   State health officials say 68-thousand doses were administered in Wisconsin last week. That’s about 12- thousand more than the week before; and breaks the average of just over 50-thousand doses-a-week in Wisconsin since July. The Department of Health Services says nearly 55- percent of eligible people in Wisconsin have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. 

U-S Senator Ron Johnson told a liberal activist who posed as a conservative that there was "nothing obviously skewed," about former President Donald Trump's election loss in Wisconsin   The Wisconsin Republican is seen making the admission in a video released Tuesday. Johnson, at a weekend event in Wauwatosa, acknowledged that the only reason Trump lost the state to Joe Biden was because he underperformed compared with state Republicans on the ballot. Biden won Wisconsin by nearly 21,000 votes. In a statement to The Washington Post, Johnson denounced the undercover recording and said he has previously “acknowledged that . . . in Wisconsin, there is nothing obviously wrong with the statewide results.” He does support a review of the election which Republicans in the legislature approved funding for this week.

Labor Day is a big boating weekend, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wants you to wear a life jacket on the water.   Nineteen people have died in boating accidents in Wisconsin in 2021. Another 22 died in 2020. Operator inexperience, inattention, recklessness, and speeding are the four leading causes of watercraft crashes, and the leading cause of death is drowning. The majority of people who drown in boating accidents know how to swim but become incapacitated in the water because they're injured or unconscious, exhausted, or weighed down by clothing.

State ag officials say a deer at Langlade County deer farm has tested positive for chronic wasting disease. State veterinarian Dr. Darlene Konkle says that the farm was already being tested for CWD after receiving deer from another farm that tested positive.    Dr. Konkle says it's too early to say if the entire herd on the farm will need to be depopulated, but that DATCP and the DNR are working together on the next steps for the herd. 

Authorities in southeast Minnesota are investigating an apparent drowning near Rochester. The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office says deputies called a home in Marion Township Tuesday evening found a woman doing C-P-R on her husband. She said he was discovered on the bottom of their swimming pool after not responding to her calls. Officers and paramedics took over C-P-R but they could not revive the man. Investigators say it's unknown how long the man was underwater. The victim hasn't been identified.

Several animal rights groups say they have formed a coalition and are filing a lawsuit aimed at stopping this fall’s wolf hunt in Wisconsin.  They’re taking that step in response to the Department of Natural Resource decision to set the quota for the hunt at 300.  The state agency ignored input from several groups calling for the cancellation of the season.  During the first wolf hunt in February, hunters killed 218 animals, even though the kill limit had been set at 119.  Those groups say a quota of 300 is too high.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is trying to put a stop to carjacking rumors that have gone viral online.  The rumors have spread about crime in the community near Fort McCoy where two thousand Afghan refugees are being housed.  White House officials say all Afghan refugees are thoroughly vetted before they arrive at the U-S.  For now, they are being encouraged to stay on the base at Fort McCoy as they finish the necessary immigration processing steps.  Sheriff Wes Revels says he wants to dispel the rumors.  That’s why his office has posted information on its Facebook page.

A member of the Waukesha School Board is questioning what the Wisconsin Department of Justice is doing about the threats she has received.  Kelly Piacsek says she has been doxed, threatened, and harassed over the board’s decision on accepting federal funding for a free school lunch program  Piacsek says her children’s pictures were shared online with the clear intent to threaten her over her vote on the contentious issue.  The attorney general’s office has been looking into the situation.  Piacsek says it’s “not about food anymore.”  She says if nothing is done school board members will have to consult with the Washington Post, Twitter and Facebook before making decisions. She says due to a story in the Post, she got many threats from outside Waukesha.

Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says he's stepping down. The Republican from the Brainerd lakes area said today (Wednesday) that he looks forward to letting someone else take over serving as a leader while he pursues the next chapter in his political life. That next chapter is a likely run for the G-O-P nomination for governor in 2022. Gazelka said "I intentionally did not put that in there, obviously, I've been contemplating running for governor I just want to get through the State Fair to decide if that's the next step, but that's what the conversation's been about." Gazelka says leading the caucus has been one of the most rewarding experiences of his life.

  It's too soon to project whether gas prices will climb over the long Labor Day weekend.   Meredith Mitts is with Triple-A Minnesota says we were actually seeing a bit of a decrease before Hurricane Ida hit and came through.  She says the power has been out for about a million people in Louisiana and Mississippi and took roughly 13-percent of the US refining capacity offline.     Mitts say it's uncertain what the full impact of the hurricane will be on gas prices in Minnesota for the last travel weekend of summer.

Local-Regional News September 1

 Pepin County Economic Development has created a Facebook group for Pepin County Business Owners.  The purpose of the group is to allow the  Economic Development Team to communicate with Business Owners about opportunities the team is working on or to alert business owners of future opportunities.  Currently, the Economic Development team is working on a $15 million dollar grant that was announced to try and create more marketing for employment in Pepin County and increase tourism.  Business owners should watch their social media accounts for an invitation to join the group.

The City of Mondovi is preparing for a groundbreaking ceremony for the new wastewater treatment plant.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says they hope to have the ceremony in mid-September. Construction is expected to last over the winter and it's hoped the new plant will be operational sometime in late 2022.

Xcel Energy customers can expect to pay more on their electric bills.    Xcel Energy is requesting raises over the next two years.    The proposed rate increase would result in an average monthly electric bill increase by $5.50 in 2022 and then an additional $4.25 per month in 2023.    Natural gas rates would rise by $4.65 in 2022 and $1.20 in 2023.    The rate increase is subject to approval by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission.  

Five months after an English teacher in the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District was placed on administrative leave it has been determined her comments weren’t racist after all.  The district had previously said the teacher used language that was offensive and inappropriate.  The incident had been recorded by a student during class two years ago.  It just went public in April.  Interviews of the teacher and students who were in the classroom at the time showed the teacher had made statements as part of an anti-racism lesson while studying the book, To Kill a Mockingbird.  The video took the comments out of context.  The teacher’s name hasn’t been released.

Roman Catholic Cardinal Raymond Burke says he will begin rehabilitation after contracting COVID-19.  Burke tweeted three weeks ago that he had tested positive.  One of the church’s most outspoken conservatives was sedated and placed on a ventilator.  His staff tweeted the tube had been removed last week and he had been moved out of intensive care and into a hospital room.  Burke tweeted Saturday thanking God for his healing and saying he is about to begin what he called “intensive rehabilitation.”  After that, he said he will go through an extended convalescence and that means he won’t be able to respond to those who wish him well.

 The sentence is life in prison without parole for the man convicted of a deadly April 2020 shooting in South St. Paul.   A Dakota County judge found 20-year-old Marcelino Santiago Lopez guilty of the first-degree murder of 20-year-old Brandon Nieves and the second-degree attempted murder of a 16-year-old boy.   Prosecutors say Lopez arranged a fight with Nieves because he was in a romantic relationship with his ex-girlfriend.  The criminal complaint says he fired his shotgun at people getting out and struck Nieves and the other victim.  Nieves died at the scene and the teen was hospitalized in critical condition.

A member of Wisconsin Natural Resources Board whose term has expired continues to maintain he can stay on.  In a recent court filing, attorneys for Fred Prehn of Wausau argue state law and past Supreme Court rulings support his contention that he can continue serving until a successor is confirmed by the state Senate.  Prehn is asking a Dane County court to declare he can remain until that occurs, and that he's legally in the post.  Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul has filed a lawsuit seeking to force out the appointee of former Governor Scott Walker - either through court order or a declaration that Governor Tony Evers has authority to remove him for his own appointee.

A federal panel of judges has granted a Republican request to let lawmakers intervene in a suit over redistricting.  A second request to intervene by voting advocacy groups is still pending.  The court wants to consolidate the suits and has given all parties until next Tuesday to show reasons why that shouldn’t happen.  The lawsuit over redistricting was brought by Democrats last month.  They want the federal court to draw the next set of political maps for Wisconsin.  They argue state lawmakers and Governor Tony Evers aren’t likely to reach a timely consensus.

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Republican legislators have approved former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman to oversee an election investigation.  There was no public hearing prior to Monday's 5-3 vote in committee. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has ordered the review, and Gableman is authorized to spend some 680-thousand dollars to assist the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections. He can also hire private investigators and other staff, if necessary. Governor Tony Evers called the probe "outrageous"  and a waste of money on Monday.   In a weekend newsletter, Vos stated that "a cyber forensic audit is necessary to ensure issues did not happen in 2020."

The wife of Wisconsin State Senator Andre Jacque is asking people who are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to “please consider placing their trust in the medical professionals who recommend it.”  Her husband is hospitalized and on a ventilator just days after being diagnosed with the virus.  A Republican colleague went public on August 20th saying Jacque was in “serious need of your prayers.”  He went on the ventilator on August 23rd and his condition was listed as stable.  Jacque has been a strong opponent of face mask mandates and the conservative was criticized for not wearing one while speaking at a hearing in a packed conference room at the Capitol a few weeks ago.

A Wisconsin man pleads guilty to being inside the U.S. Capitol on January 6th.   David Mish becomes the latest January 6th defendant to plead guilty to a misdemeanor.  Mish faces up to six months in prison when sentenced in November - although those who’ve pleaded guilty to the same charge have been getting no prison time. The West Allis man acknowledged calling DC police on January 7 to report that he had information about the shooting of Ashli Babbitt. Federal prosecutors alleged Mish was in close proximity to where Babbitt was shot, while unlawfully in Capitol. 

The Red Cross continues to deal with a blood shortage, even as public drives at the UW-Systems restart. Spokeswoman Laura McGuire says that continued disasters around the country, combined with COVID have shortened the blood supply.   Log on to Red Cross Blood dot Org to find a local blood center or blood drive near you. 

If you're planning to make a charitable donation for victims of Hurricane Ida, Susan Bach with the Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin suggests doing some research.  Bach says donating money is the quickest way to help and provides charities the flexibility to channel resources to impacted areas.

A new survey shows the summer tourism season was strong across Minnesota.  Explore Minnesota interim director Leann Kispert says the majority of Minnesota businesses reported growing or stable financial health.  But Kispert says that story is mixed as only about 34-percent of businesses reported to be at pre-pandemic levels.   Kispert says they are also projecting a strong fall tourism season.

Local-Regional News August 31

 One person was injured in a motorcycle accident in Lincoln Township on Sunday.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, 56yr old Julio Castillo of South Saint Paul was traveling on Hwy 88 when he lost control of the motorcycle and was ejected into the northbound ditch.  Castillo was med-flighted to Mayo of Rochester with severe injuries.  Speed and inexperience operating a motorcycle were contributing factors in the accident.

One person injured in a motorcycle accident in Gilmanton Township on August 18th has died.  74yr old James Ruecker was found lying in the roadway on Hwy 37 near the intersection of Steiner Road on August 18th.  Ruecker had entered a sharp curve too fast and struck a guardrail.  The Buffalo County Sheriff's Department reports that Ruecker died on Sunday as a result of his injuries from that accident.  

The Mondovi City Council has approved a contract with CBS Squared for engineering services for the North Eau Claire Street Project.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the company helped the city receive a CDBG Grant for the project.  The cost of the contract was $379,160 and Weiss says the large cost of that contract was an "eye-opener" for himself and council members.

As the school year gets underway, school districts are monitoring for possible covid 19 outbreaks.  Durand-Arkansaw School District Greg Doverspike says the district will monitor the situation inside the schools and work with Pepin County on any possible outbreaks.  Doverspike says Pepin County will be in charge of any contact tracing and the current back-to-school plan is required to be reviewed every 6 months.

A Fort McCoy spokesperson reports Afghan refugees from 27 flights arrived at the Wisconsin military installation over the weekend.  Before Monday, a total of 44 flights carrying refugees had landed at Volk Field as part of Operation Allies Refuge.  The U-S completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan late Monday, ending the nation’s longest war.  President Joe Biden has said he will address the nation this (Tuesday) afternoon to explain his decision not to extend the August 31st deadline to get the country out of Afghanistan.  The U-S military says it is working to expand its capacity for refugees to 50 thousand by the middle of September.

The chairman of the Natural Resources Board apparently consulted with leading Republicans on his decision to stay on the panel after his six-year term expired.  The Journal-Sentinel is reporting Fred Prehn sought advice from Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, Congressman Tom Tiffany, and former University of Wisconsin Regent Gerald Whitburn.  Prehn’s term ended in May and Democratic Governor Tony Evers appointed Sandra Naas to fill the position.  Prehn has refused to step down before the Wisconsin Senate confirms Naas and there has been no move toward a vote in that chamber.

 Ho-Chunk Gaming-Wisconsin Dells is back open this afternoon for the first time since late last week. What was called a "system issue" shut down the casino early Friday morning. Other Ho-Chunk casinos in Madison, Black River Falls, Nekoosa, Wittenberg, and Tomah aren’t affected. Executive Manager John Phillipp in a statement thanked the I-T management team for working "tirelessly" to fix the issue. He also said during the closure they took the time to "deep clean the entire property."

 The University of Wisconsin-Madison is scoring high marks with the Washington Monthly's Annual College Guide and Rankings. U-W ranks fourth overall among national universities behind only Stanford, M-I-T, and Duke. Wisconsin is listed as the number one ranking National Public University. U-W is ranked in the top ten at number eight for Best Bang-for-the-Buck rankings in the Midwest. Milwaukee School of Engineering ranks sixth in that category.

The number of traffic deaths in Minnesota reached 300 this year on the earliest date since 2007.   The state Department of Public Safety reported the 300th fatal crash on August 28th - compared to 240 on the same day in 2020.  The preliminary figures show 103 of the 303 traffic fatalities were speed-related crashes, 74 were alcohol-related and distracted driving is blamed for eight deaths. Sixty-four of the victims were not buckled up.     State Traffic Safety director Mike Hanson said Minnesotans had been making progress changing their driving behaviors, but recently motorists are falling into bad habits, ignoring the law, and it's costing lives.

A former high school teacher from northwest Wisconsin is facing federal child pornography charges.   Thirty-four-year-old McKenzie Johnson is accused of producing child pornography when he was still a teacher at Ladysmith High School earlier this year. According to court documents, his victim is a 13-year-old girl from  California, and Johnson used a false name in emails and video chats with the girl. A heavily-redacted screen capture from one of the videos, taken from Johnson’s iPad, was used to help identify the child. Johnson is currently being held in Rusk County Jail awaiting bond and a date for his initial hearing in U.S. District Court in Madison.

  A former airline pilot from Kenosha has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for what is being called “sextortion.”  Twenty-nine-year-old Devery Moses had been accused of threatening to share sexually explicit photographs and videos he had been sent if they didn’t have sex with him.  Some of his victims were as young as 12 years old and they were located all across the U-S, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  Prosecutors say many of his victims suffered significant, ongoing emotional damage – including one who reported have serious thoughts about committing suicide.  The federal sentence will run concurrently will a state sentence for a child porn conviction.

Tony Evers is critical of Republicans who've questioned the screening process for thousands of Afghan refugees. On Monday, the Democratic governor said they're "vastly uninformed" or want to raise the specter of terrorism.  Evers and called such comments "dog whistle crap."

Interim University of Wisconsin System President Tommy Thompson continues to defend his decision to implement campus COVID-19 protocols, without first getting approval from Republican legislators. Thompson spoke to WisPolitics on Thursday, the same day that Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steinke indicated in a tweet that lawmakers would be unlikely to sue the UW System over its pandemic response.

Video shot by a drone shows what is being called a “collapsed” bean field in rural Polk County.  A big section of the farm reportedly fell an estimated 25 feet creating a ravine a quarter-mile in length.  The daughter of the farm owner posted on social media saying a crack in that field was noticed earlier in the summer.  University of North Dakota geologists think dry weather, a drop in levels on the nearby Red River, and recent rains caused the section of land to fall away.

The World Naked Bike Ride made its return to Madison after a year off due to the pandemic. The 11th annual ride promotes body image positivity and alternatives to fossil fuels. Dozens of mostly bare cyclists rode across Downtown on a hot, humid Saturday, including up State Street and around Capitol Square. Milwaukee is a bit behind Madison on this event -- that city's first-ever World Naked Bike Ride is scheduled for Saturday, September 11.

Local-Regional News August 30

 One person was injured in a single-vehicle accident in Belvidere township on Thursday.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department, 28yr old Angel Ginez of Osseo was traveling on Hwy E near Blank Hill Road, when he failed to negotiate a curve, left the roadway, and struck a driveway embankment.  A passenger of the vehicle was taken to the hospital with serious injures.  Ginez was arrested for OWI Causing Injury, Operating After Revocation, and on an Eau Claire County Warrant.

The Durand City Council will begin work on the 2022 budget in September.  Durand Mayor Patrick Millren says oversite committees will begin going through department budgets.  The city's equalized value did increase this year which means the city would have the ability to increase the tax levy if need be.

Governor Tony Evers is appointing Peter Rindal as the new Eau Claire County district attorney.  Rindal fills the vacancy created by the resignation of ex-District Attorney Gary King, who was accused of sexual harassment and being drunk at work.  Rindal grew up on an Eau Claire County dairy farm near Fall Creek and has been with the Eau Claire County District Attorney's office since 2013.  Evers' office says then-Deputy District Attorney Rindal handled a full caseload of felonies while managing a team of nine prosecutors.  The governor said he's confident Rindal will be an excellent district attorney for the people of Eau Clair County.

One person is dead after a two-vehicle accident Friday in St. Croix County.  According to the St. Croix County Sheriffs Department, 25yr old Jenna Achterhof of Wilson was driving northbound on Hwy 63 when her vehicle struck a vehicle driven by 82yr old Douglas Last of Spring Valley after Last had pulled out in front of Achterhof's vehicle.  Last was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, while Achterhof suffered minor injuries.  That accident remains under investigation.

The Eau Claire Fire Department responded to an overturned kayak in the Eau Claire River on Sunday after it was reported the kayaker was in distress.  The incident happened near the Dewey Stree Bridge.  Rescuers had to rig a rope system to rescue the victim and the victim was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.   Residents are reminded of the higher water levels and faster currents on the Chippewa and Eau Claire Rivers to be extra cautious when out on the river. 

An outside law enforcement agency will investigate the death of an inmate in the Jackson County Jail.  The 33-year-old man was found in his cell Thursday.  Life-saving measures were attempted by jail staff members, deputies, and the Black River Falls E-M-S, but the inmate died before he could be taken to a hospital.  A release from the sheriff’s department indicates an autopsy is pending and investigators will review in-hour surveillance camera footage.

The Winona City Council is rescinding the mask order issued by Mayor Scott Sherman.  Council members voted 4-3 in an emergency meeting Friday to end the 30-day mask requirement Sherman signed Wednesday.  It called for face coverings inside bars, restaurants, gyms and other businesses.  Health officials told the council the pandemic isn't over and masks help reduce the spread of COVID in the community.  Council members who voted down the order said the people of Winona are smart and know when and where to wear a mask.

 Authorities searching for a missing teenager in Wood County say she could be heading to Utah.  Family members say Elexa Cooley has been gone since last week.  They say she could be traveling with a person they identify as Roby Parker.  Madison investigators have been able to confirm that Parker visited a business there last weekend, but they haven’t said if Cooley was with him.  She recently moved back to Wisconsin from Utah, but it is thought she and Parker may be headed to that state.  Authorities are asking the public to be on the lookout for a green Acura M-D-X with Utah plates.  If you spot it, please call the Wood County Sheriff’s Office.

Hundreds of people gathered on the lawn of the Minnesota State Capitol Saturday to show opposition to COVID-19 shot mandates that have popped up from state and local governments, schools, and businesses. The gathering was dubbed the "Medical Freedom Rally." Former state senator and current candidate for governor, Dr. Scott Jensen spoke at the rally. He estimated many in the crowd had taken the shot, but they remain concerned personal choice is being taken out of the equation and setting a dangerous precedent.

A report from the U-S Department of Veterans Affairs says doctors and nurses at the Tomah V-A mismanaged the care of a patient – leading to their death.  The 30-year-old patient died two years ago.  The name and gender of the victim haven’t been released.  The report indicates the veteran walked into the Tomah V-A urgent care department and reported having a seizure.  The patient was admitted, then transferred to two other facilities over the next month.  They finally died in a V-A hospice unit.  The Office of Inspector General found the V-A treatment decisions inadequate at several points during the treatment.

Interim President Tommy Thompson says the University of Wisconsin System should establish a distance learning system, stop duplicating courses at different campuses, and figure out a better way to deliver degrees.  Thompson wants Governor Tony Evers to work with the Legislature to set up a task force to re-examine every area of Wisconsin’s higher education.  During a WisPolitics-dot-com interview, he said the system keeps repeating the same approach, creating more student debt, more buildings, and more classrooms.

Wisconsin’s Democratic governor says Republicans are going to have to answer for spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a review of the 2020 presidential election.  Comments from Tony Evers Thursday came in response to former Wisconsin Republican Party chairman Reince Priebus saying the review could cost nearly 700 thousand dollars.  Evers says spending that much money on “something that has already been decided” is wrong.  Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says said he thinks the investigation will be wrapped up by early November.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court will not block the latest mask mandate in Dane County.  The state's high court rejected a motion for an injunction by the Wisconsin Institute Law and Liberty on Friday in a 4-3 decision.  WILL argued that another decision blocking Public Health Madison and Dane County’s ability to close schools also stripped its authority to issue another mask mandate.  Conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn cast the deciding vote.

Minnesota education officials say the COVID pandemic contributed to a drop in Minnesota students' statewide assessment results last school year.  Reading scores were down seven percent, math scores fell 11 percent and science scores were off by eight percent compared to 2019.  Department of Education Commissioner Heather Mueller says the assessment results affirm what we already knew, that the COVID 19 pandemic has disrupted our students' learning and they need our help to recover.  The dip is resulting in a new statewide system--called COMPASS--aimed at supporting learning recovery as students head into another school year.  Many students had in-person, hybrid and-or in-person learning last year.

The board of supervisors in Wood County approved bonding for a proposed jail expansion.  Board Chairman Lance Pliml says the project is a needed upgrade.  He says the county was in a position where it could either spend more to maintain the current facility or spend less to build a new jail.  Pliml says the project is likely several years overdue.  He says a more modern facility will be safer for everyone.  The plan approved calls for Wood County to bond 61-and-a-half million dollars – including three-and-a-half million for other county projects.

 The Madison Police Department says a man from Baraboo claimed a fanny pack containing ten thousand dollars that was found last month.  A police spokeswoman says an I-D inside belonged to the Baraboo man and he was able to describe the unique fanny pack before seeing it.  There was also a bank slip that matched the man's account.  Detectives said the pack fell off the man while he was bicycling in the area.  He told police he didn't think anyone would turn it in.  The woman who found the cash said didn't want any reward.

Local-Regional News August 27

 A Wabasha County man could face life in prison for the killing of his father in March. Forty-five-year-old James Riley of Zumbro Falls was arraigned Wednesday after being indicted by a grand jury on a first-degree murder charge. Riley had been charged with second-degree murder in the death of 73-year-old Edward Riley. Investigators say Riley admitted to hitting his dad with a hammer and stabbing him before using a tractor to put his body in the trunk of a car. The criminal complaint says Riley was upset that his father didn't name him as an heir to the family farm.

At this week's Mondovi City Council meeting, council members discussed Airbnb rentals in the city.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the safety of the rentals was one of the main topics of discussion.  Mondovi along with Durand and Wabasha has no ordinances regarding Airbnb rentals, and the Mondovi City Council is taking a wait-and-see approach.

An area facility serving veterans that are homeless or experiencing mental health issues has received a grant.  Klien Hall in Chippewa Falls was awarded a $2.4 million dollar grant from the US Department of Veterans Affairs.  The plan is to use the money to either renovate or build a new facility.  The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs would prefer a new facility that would have 48 private beds instead of the 48 communal living spaces the current building has.    The hope is to have the new or renovated facility open by the fall of 2023.

Military officials say up to 10-thousand refugees from Afghanistan could pass through Fort McCoy over the coming weeks.  The Wisconsin military installation west of Tomah is one of three nationwide used to process people who have been evacuated from the Middle Eastern nation.  U-S Senator Ron Johnson and five Republican state lawmakers visited the base Wednesday.  Democratic Governor Tony Evers also made a Wednesday visit.  About one thousand refugees are current at the base.  Two more flights arrived at Volk Field Wednesday, running the number of arriving flights this week to 10.

Residents of a La Crosse area community whose wells are contaminated by PFAS will continue to receive drinking water.  The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will continue providing drinking water to French Island after the completion of a review of PFAS testing results. The agency announced Thursday the extension of the health advisory declared earlier this year, which allows them to provide water to impacted families free of charge. The contamination from the so-called "forever chemicals" originated from La Crosse Regional Airport, located on the island.

Legal action between the legislature and UW System is looking less likely.  Earlier this week, Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules co-chair, state Senator Steve Nass, said he'd ask legislative leaders to begin legal action if the UW System failed to submit it's COVID-19 protocols for the committee's review by September 2nd. Interim UW System President Tommy Thompson made it clear that wasn't going to happen. And on Thursday, Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steinke said in a tweet that "a lawsuit from the legislature would only add more confusion during an already stressful time. We’ll continue to monitor the decisions made by System, and stand ready to respond if future actions warrant it."        

Nearly 700 thousand dollars will be spent on a Republican investigation of the presidential election in Wisconsin.   Former state Republican Party director Reince Priebus revealed the figure on Steve Bannon's podcast this week.   Ann Jacobs, a Democrat who serves as chair of the bipartisan state Elections Commission, tells the Journal Sentinel that Republicans are engaging in unfortunate efforts that sow distrust in an election that courts have repeatedly upheld. Jacobs adds it's also at the expense of taxpayers.

Minnesota Republicans are expected to elect a new state party chair next month.  The G-O-P State Central Committee will have a special meeting on October 2nd.  Ex-Chair Jennifer Carnahan resigned this month and deputy chair Carleton Crawford is currently leading the Minnesota Republican Party.  Crawford says the party will move forward with transparency and look to help Republicans get elected across the state in 2022.  A forum of G-O-P candidates for governor previously scheduled for the State Fair has been called off.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says he's grateful that Minnesotans are able to get together at the State Fair -- even as COVID continues.  The governor admits it's been a challenging year.  Walz said "from the pandemic to civil unrest to drought to wildfires, and it feels like society's a little strained at times, this is so good for the soul."  Walz says he's particularly grateful for the Minnesota farmers and agriculture workers who kept the food supply going at the height of the pandemic.

Milwaukee’s Democratic Mayor Tom Barrett has been nominated to become the U-S ambassador to Luxembourg.  The Senate will need to confirm the nomination by President Biden.  The White House made the announcement Wednesday.  A news release quoted Barrett as saying he’s proud to be nominated.  He will remain as mayor of Wisconsin’s largest city until he is confirmed.  Barrett has held that position for 17 years.  Before that, he was a Democratic member of the U-S House of Representatives for five terms.  Barrett is also a former Wisconsin state lawmaker.

Wisconsin tribal leaders say they have filed a brief in support of lawsuits seeking the return of federal protections for gray wolves.  Voigt Intertribal Task Force chairman John Johnson says it seems like their voices are never heard.  He says the tribes are supposed to have a 50-percent say over resources in the Ceded Territory, but that has never happened.  The D-N-R board has set a quota of 300 wolves to be killed in the fall hunt – even though the state agency’s own scientists recommended a quota of 130.  The gray wolf plays an important role in Ojibwe culture.

The attorney for accused killer Kyle Rittenhouse says he can’t say who donated to his client’s defense because he doesn’t know.  Kenosha County prosecutors filed a motion last week seeking a list of people who donated money to help the teenager’s defense.  Rittenhouse is accused of shooting three men last summer during the Kenosha riots, killing two.  Conservatives see the Illinois teen as an American patriot and they have contributed millions of dollars to his legal defense fund.  Prosecutors say they want to make sure none of those donors wind up on the jury.

The battleground state of Wisconsin is going to be right in the middle of a battle over a new voting rights bill backed by Democrats in the U-S Senate.  A roundtable discussion was held in Madison Wednesday.  U-S Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota told those attending the federal law is needed to head off efforts by Republicans that Democrats say are aimed at making it harder to vote.  Klobuchar said the bill will pass even though it has an uncertain future based on Republican opposition.  She and other Democrats are trying to build public support for the federal voting bill.

Twin Cities hospital officials say they are full on the wards, full in intensive care, and full in the emergency room.  Long wait times are the norm.  An estimated 97 percent of beds in metro hospitals are occupied right now.  Chief Medical Officer Dr. Bret Haake at Regions Hospital in St. Paul compares it to a game of musical chairs.  He says staff members at his hospital are pulling overtime and working extra shifts to make it all come together.  Some patients have had to wait up to seven hours to be seen in emergency rooms.

Minnesota agriculture officials are encouraging Minnesota farmers to take part in an annual pesticide and fertilizer survey. This year's survey focuses on best management practices for corn and soybean producers. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is mailing the survey to 76-hundred farmers in the state this week. Farmers who do not return their questionnaires by mail will be contacted by phone in mid-September. M-D-A says the information gathered from this survey is critical for research and educational purposes.

Local-Regional News August 26

 One person was injured in a single-vehicle accident in the Town of Gilman Wednesday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department 23yr old Hunter Schoengarth of Ellsworth was traveling eastbound on 650th Avenue when his vehicle left the roadway, entered the north ditch, and vaulted over 410th Street striking a power pole.  Shoengarth was med-flighted to Regions Hospital.

During last night's Durand City Council Meeting, Fire Chief Jamie King had a presentation on the possible purchase of a new ladder truck for the Fire Department.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the department has a 30yr old truck that is in need of replacement.  The City will be negotiating with the Rural Fire Department on the cost-sharing for the purchase of a new truck.

The Pepin County Health Department is notifying the public of the potential for COVID-19 exposure at an event on Saturday, August 21st. A laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19 was present at the Rolling Greens Golf Course for the Veteran’s Golf Tournament between 9 am – 5 pm during the infectious period. Due to the length of time and a large number of people in attendance, the Health Department is unable to determine all close contacts. Anyone who was at the event Saturday should consider themselves at risk for COVID-19, should monitor for signs and symptoms, and take extra precautions for 14 days from the date. Anyone experiencing signs or symptoms should contact their primary provider to arrange for testing.

The insurance carrier for the city of Eau Claire has settled a federal civil rights lawsuit with a man shot by police six years ago.  Officers said 31-year-old Tyler Holte resisted arrested when he was shot twice in April 2015.  The settlement means Holte will be paid 725 thousand dollars.  His attorney had sued the city and Officer Hunter Braatz earlier this year, saying Holte had amassed more than 235 thousand dollars in medical bills.  Eau Claire’s interim City Manager calls it a “business decision” – and the city isn’t admitting any wrongdoing.

The Dunn County Sheriff's Department has identified the man killed by a lightning strike on Tuesday.  Authorities say 60yr old Richard Nelson was killed while working at a construction site in the Town of Menomonie.  Nelson and another worker were on ladders working on a pole shed when the lightning struck.  Nelson was pronounced dead at the scene by the Dunn County Medical Examiners officer, the other worker was transported to Mayo Eau Claire Hospital.

Mayo Clinic Health System is updating its visitor restrictions due to a rise in COVID cases in the region.   All hospitals and clinics will only allow one designated visitor per patient started Wednesday.   The visitor limit will affect hospitals Albert Lea, Austin, Cannon Falls, Lake City, and Red Wing, Minnesota, as well as all Mayo Clinic Health System clinics in the region.  Doctor Robert Albright, Junior said 15 to 20 percent of COVID tests in southeast Minnesota counties outside of Rochester are coming back positive.  Officials say the increasing cases are largely due to the delta variants.

A village in western Wisconsin is getting federal help as it deals with a persistent flooding problem.  A 250-thousand-dollar Community Facilities Disaster grant will be used by the Village of Viola to reallocate streets and utilities located in a floodplain.  This grant includes another million dollars in leveraged funding through a tax increment district.  Local officials say the Kickapoo River has flooded six times between 2007 and 2019.  They will work toward community development away from the floodplain location.

 Delta Air Lines Wednesday announced it will charge employees on the company health plan 200 dollars a month if they fail to get vaccinated against COVID-19.  Delta officials say the move is necessary because the average hospital stay for the virus costs the airline 40-thousand dollars.  The company will also require unvaccinated workers to be tested weekly beginning September 12th.  Delta acquired Minnesota-based Northwest Airlines and many pilots and employees still live here.

Governor Tony Evers visited Fort McCoy Wednesday to learn about the arrival of Afghan refugees in western Wisconsin.  The governor received an update on planning, medical processing, and Operation Allies Refuge, and met with people from Afghanistan staying at the Army base.  Evers said, "Wisconsin will continue to extend our support and assistance to these individuals who bravely contributed to our country’s efforts over the past two decades."  The Evers administration is providing supplies of clothing, diapers, and other personal items for Afghans and families.  U-S Senator Ron Johnson and several Republican lawmakers were also at Fort McCoy this morning.

 A former high school teacher in Ladysmith has resigned and been taken into custody on charges of child pornography possession and sexual exploitation of a child.  McKenzie Johnson was arrested Tuesday after a search warrant had been executed at his home.  Johnson was taken into custody at Ladysmith High School and booked into the Rusk County Jail.

The U-S Department of Veterans Affairs is sending four-point-two million dollars to Wisconsin for capital improvements.  The money was announced Tuesday.  It will be shared by three Wisconsin V-A Housing Centers that currently provide services for almost 80 vets.  The Veterans Housing and Recovery programs in Chippewa Falls, Green Bay, and Union Grove will use the funding to transition shared rooms into private rooms with private restrooms.

The Minnesota Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal by opponents trying to shut down Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 oil pipeline.  The court’s order issued Tuesday basically affirms a June ruling by the Minnesota Court of Appeals.  The appeals court declared the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission correctly granted a certificate of need and route permit for the 337-mile segment of the pipeline inside this state’s boundaries.  Opponents have argued the pipeline violates treaties and offers a major threat to waters where wild rice grows.

 

Two grant programs aimed at helping Wisconsin communities build long-term economic recovery will be funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act – known as ARPA (AR puh).  Two hundred million dollars will be available through the Neighborhood Investment Fund grant program.  Local and tribal governments can use the money to deliver what is being called innovative public services.  Another 50 million will come from the Healthcare Infrastructure Capital Investment grant program.  That money will be used to support access to healthcare for low-income, uninsured, and underserved communities.

 Minnesota health officials are sounding the alarm about the spread of the delta variant with the State Fair here and school starting soon.    State Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm says all regions of Minnesota are now in the "high risk" category for COVID cases, and the number of hospitalizations also continues to go up.  Malcolm said Tuesday it's up to 547 people currently in hospital beds for COVID, up from 434 a week ago.  She notes that it was only probably four weeks ago or so that we were under 100. Ninety-eight percent of Minnesota counties fall in the C-D-C's "high transmission" category.

Scientists say the recent hot, rainy weather is to blame for millions of “floodwater mosquitoes” annoying Wisconsin residents.  A spokesman for the Mosquito Squad of Northeast Wisconsin says a massive hatch of the pests has happened in the last week or so.  Andrew Ratka says a female can lay up to a billion eggs in a month if conditions are ideal.  Ratka says it’s important to control standing water on your property.  Based on current weather conditions, he says he expects the mosquito population to remain high for at least a couple more weeks – or until the temperatures drop into the 50s or 60s.  The first hard frost will bring the end of the mosquito season.

A Minnesota State Fair tradition continued yesterday when the D-N-R stocked the outdoor fish pond.  They added about a dozen species of Minnesota fish, ranging from sunfish to sturgeon.  The paddlefish found in the St. Croix River has been one of the most popular fish in the State Fair pond.   The lake sturgeon is the largest at 50-plus inches.   The D-N-R's indoor building and fish tanks will not be open this year due to COVID concerns.    There is a long list of interactive nature and outdoor exhibits, live animals, music, and entertainment at State Fair D-N-R Park.

Local-Regional News August 25

 Strong to severe storms moved through the area early Tuesday morning.  Trees were reported down in parts of Pierce and Pepin Counties, near Elk Mound, Lake Halle, and Eau Claire.  In Eau Claire the storms are believed to be the cause of a house fire on 4th Street where firefighters found smoke and fire in the basement.  A firefighter had minor injuries.  Quiet weather is expected for today with more storms possible later in the week.

The City of Mondovi has received a grant from FEMA to replace a fire truck.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the money will be used to replace a 40yr old Tender that was in need of replacement. The grant from FEMA was for $319,783 and the city will have to contribute $15,000 toward the new truck.  Weiss says that the grant would not have been possible had it not been for the hard work of city staff searching and applying for the grant.

One person is dead and another injured after a lightning strike at a construction site in the town of Menomonie Tuesday morning.  According to the Dunn County Sheriffs Department, a construction crew was working on a pole shed under a partial roof.  The two employees were on ladders when lightning struck in the area.  Both were knocked off their ladders.  The crew had stopped working due to weather and when the weather broke they started working again.  Shortly after starting work, the lightning struck.  A 60-yr old male was pronounced dead at the scene by the Dunn County Medical Examiner's office.  A 20yr old male was transported to Mayo Eau Claire with serious injuries.  The names of the victims have not been released.

The  Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include reports from the Mayor, City Administrator, and Department heads.  Fire Chief Jamie King will give a presentation on the proposed ladder truck for the fire department.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall.  You can watch that meeting on our YouTube Channel at Durand Broadcasting WRDN.

The body found in a truck in Sawyer County has been identified as Arcadia-Glencoe Fire Chief Jeff Halvorsen.  The Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department says the Sawyer County Corner John Fromel had positively identified the body.  Halvorsen was reported missing last Thursday and his truck was located in a remote wooded area in Hawyard on Sunday.  A ruling on the cause of death is pending and may take several weeks.  Foul play is not suspected.

A female staff member working at the Prairie du Chien Memorial Library is talking about a loud encounter with a Republican congressional candidate earlier this year.  Kerrigan Trautsch says it happened June 17th when Derrick Van Orden complained about a display of books in the library children’s section that dealt with homosexuality.  Trautsch says Van Orden threatened and intimidated her over the gay pride display honoring Pride Month.  She says Van Orden said the books offended him and he demanded to know who created the display so he could teach them a lesson.  She says he took out a library card and checked out every book from the display – except one being read by a library patron.

Wisconsin 3rd District Congressman Ron Kind joined congressmen from Iowa, Illinois, Alabama, and Nebraska to introduce the Keep Physicians Serving Patients Act to improve Medicare reimbursement formulas that hurt rural health care providers.  The bill would adjust the geographic practice cost index to accurately reflect the cost of labor and practice expenses in rural areas.  The current formula underestimates labor and practice costs in rural areas and results in lower Medicare payments to rural physicians compared to their urban counterparts.

A three-day evidentiary hearing is being held this week in La Crosse County Circuit Court for a man who was found guilty of killing his wife.  Todd Kendhammer is appealing the verdict in the hearing that started Monday.  A jury determined that Kendhammer tried to cover up the murder of his wife Barbara by saying she died when a pipe fell off a passing truck and crashed through their car’s windshield.  The guilty verdict was handed down in 2017.  La Crosse County Circuit Court Judge Todd Bjerke is hearing the arguments.

A man employed by the Bloomer School District as a middle school special education paraprofessional is accused of sexually assaulting a student.  Investigators say the victim told authorities about engaging in sexual activities with 22-year-old Noah R. Lane last month.  The victim admitted the interactions were consensual.  Authorities say the person was too young to give legal consent.  The superintendent of schools in Bloomer says Lane is currently on unpaid leave while the case is investigated.

 U-W System President Tommy Thompson says the universities will not follow rules set by the Republican-controlled legislature on COVID-19 protocols and restrictions.  The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules voted along party lines earlier this month to require the U-W System to seek its permission to implement measures including mandatory COVID testing and masks on campus.  In a statement Tuesday, Thompson said that the effort to block the U-W System's authority is both wrong on the law and wrong as a matter of public policy.  The former Republican governor and U-S Health and Human Services secretary also said, " Had this happened last academic year, the University might never have been able to set up community testing and vaccination sites, or even isolate sick students. It would have been a disaster."

 U-S Senator Ron Johnson and five Republican state lawmakers will visit Fort McCoy today to hear about plans for housing Afghan refugees.  Two military veterans who served in Afghanistan will accompany the politicians.  A briefing by the 88th Readiness Division is expected.  Fort McCoy officials say Afghans with special immigrant visa applicants, their families, and other people at risk began arriving at Volk Field Sunday.  So far, it’s not clear how many refugees the military installation will host – or how long they will stay.

The health status of a state legislator remains unclear. State Senator Andre Jacque’s office declined again Tuesday to provide the Associated Press with an update on his condition. Last week, the DePere Republican was hospitalized with COVID-induced pneumonia. State Representative Shae Sortwell said Friday that Jacque was in "serious need of…prayers."

Best Buy's stock is on the rise after beating expectations in its latest quarterly earnings.  The Minnesota-based company's revenue was just over 11-point-eight billion dollars.  Analysts were looking for 11-and-a-half billion.  Earnings per share also exceeded expectations by more than one dollar as sales in its fiscal second-quarter jumped nearly 20-percent.  C-E-O Corie Barry said the company is better positioned for the future than it thought two years ago.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office says a 39-year-old man from Black River Falls committed suicide during a traffic stop Saturday night.  A deputy pulled Robert R. Goodbear over for speeding, driving without headlights, and failing to stop at a stop sign in the town of Brockway at about 10:00 p-m.  The deputy says they were waiting for a second deputy to conduct a roadside sobriety test when Goodbear got out of his vehicle holding a gun.  He shot himself while walking toward the deputy, then died Sunday in a hospital.

A second federal lawsuit has been filed over redistricting in Wisconsin.   Black Leaders Organizing for Communities, Voces de la Frontera, the Wisconsin League of Women Voters, and several voters argue another redistricting impasse is likely and notes that Republican lawmakers have already retained private legal counsel in anticipation of a redistricting suit. They're seeking an order from 7th Circuit Chief Judge Diane Sykes, a former state Supreme Court justice, to create a three-judge panel to hear the suit. Sykes has already created a three-judge panel in a federal suit filed by Democrats earlier this month.

K-12 students are returning to class across Wisconsin, with some districts requiring masks in school buildings, but others merely recommending them. Chief Medical Officer with the state Department of Health Services. Dr. Ryan Westergaard says the former is preferred.  Many of the state's largest school districts, including Milwaukee, Madison, Racine, and Green Bay, will require masks indoors for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors.

The University of Minnesota is requiring COVID vaccines for students following the F-D-A's full approval of the Pfizer shot.  U of M President Joan Gabel announced the new mandate Monday afternoon in a letter.  It says students systemwide will receive an email to confirm their vaccination status this week.  Gabel said, "receiving a vaccine is a testament not only to your own health, but the health and safety of your family, colleagues, and our entire University community."  The Board of Regents had approved a mask requirement for students on all five campuses pending F-D-A approval earlier this month.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says mandatory chronic wasting disease testing will resume in some areas during this year’s deer hunting seasons.  Staff members will man sampling stations during the opening weekends November 6th and 7th and November 20th and 21st.  State officials say any permit area that was in a C-W-D zone last year will remain the same.  Several more permit areas have been added.