Local-Regional News Sept 15

 Dunn County Sherriff Kevin Bygd says there doesn't appear to be any local connection, to the four people whose bodies were discovered in an SUV left in a cornfield last weekend.   The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office has identified them as 26-year-old Matthew Pettus, 30-year-old Jasmine Sturm, and 35-year-old Loyace Foreman III, all of St. Paul, and 30-year-old Nitosha Lee Flug-Presley of Stillwater.  Investigators say all four had been shot. The bodies were found Sunday by deputies responding to a 911 call. The area is about an hour east of the Twin Cities. 

One person was injured when a semi rolled over on Hwy 10 near Rustad Road east of Durand yesterday.  According to the Pepin County Sheriff's Department, 68yr old George Greenlee of Kirkland, Il was traveling eastbound on Hwy 10 when he lost control and rolled into the eastbound ditch.  Greenlee was initially trapped in the semi and was transported to an area hospital.    The semi was transporting frozen foods and spilled the load throughout the ditch.  Hwy 10 was reduced to one land or completely closed for about 4 hours as crews cleared the scene.      

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and action on revised policies for employees and students in the district, reports from the superintendent and school administration and then the board will go into closed session to discuss offers received for district property.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6pm at the board room at Durand High School.

Menomonie Police are asking for the public's help in identifying three suspects in  the break-in of the DNR office in Menomonie and the theft of a 2006 Grey Ford F250.  The thefts happened over the weekend of September 11th and the police department posted a picture of the three on its Facebook page.  If anyone has any information on the identity of the suspects, they are to call Dunn County Crimestoppers or the Menomonie Police Department.

U.S. News & World Report has again named the University of Wisconsin-River Falls a Best Regional University, a Top Public University, and a Top Performer on Social Mobility.  In the survey, UW-River Falls was recognized for its focus on social mobility, supporting economically disadvantaged students who are less likely than others to finish college.  Student-to-faculty ratios and smaller class sizes were also acknowledged, both of which provide better access to instructors and support a student-centered learning environment. The U.S. News & World Report rankings evaluate more than 1,400 colleges and universities on up to 17 measures of academic quality.

A plea bargain in the case of a Durand man charged with sexually assaulting four young girls has been reached.  Branden Linhart pleaded guilty to two charges of first-degree sexual assault in Dunn County Court yesterday.  In exchange, other sexual assault charges in Pepin, Eau Claire, and Chippewa counties will be dismissed.    Linhart will be sentenced on December 3 and faces up to 120yrs in prison.

A Rochester man is under arrest in connection with a deadly shooting in Moorhead.   Rochester police say 26-year-old Idris Haji-Mohamed was taken into custody during a traffic stop for the alleged shooting death of 32-year-old Abdi Abdi of Fargo on Friday night.    Haji-Mohamed is awaiting transfer from the Olmsted County jail to Clay County where he faces a second-degree murder charge.  Investigators say they don't know much about the relationship between Haji-Mohamed and Adbi.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul is warning people about an increase in the number of ransomware threats.  Kaul says the F-B-I has received 41 reports from Wisconsin about an activity like that.  That’s a significant increase from the 30 reports received all of last year.  Ransomware is malicious software that can block users’ access to their systems or data.  It is usually accompanied by a demand for some kind of payment.  Kaul says the way to minimize the threat is by not clicking on links or attachments from unverified sources, using unique, complex passwords, and keeping your computer updated.

A spokesman for the family of stabbing victim Payton Leutner says they are nervous about what might happen next.  One of the two classmates who attacked Leutner seven years ago has been released by Waukesha County Judge Michael Bohren.  He ruled last Friday that Anissa Weier could leave the mental health facility where she has spent the last four years.  She did that Monday.  Weier was found guilty of helping Morgan Geyser stab Leutner in 2014 in an effort to win the favor of the fictional horror character Slender Man.  All three girls were 12 years old at the time.  The judge was convinced the treatment for Weier has been successful.

 U-S Senator Amy Klobuchar is sponsoring legislation that would give Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices.   The Minnesota Democrat says it would not only help seniors, but the impact would trickle down to prescription drug users of all ages.  She says nearly 20 percent of older adults report not taking their medicines as prescribed because of the cost.   She points to the price of asthma/C-O-P-D drug Symbicort that has risen from 58- to 85-hundred dollars in five years.   Klobuchar is working to get her measure in a larger reconciliation bill in Congress.

One of the Afghan refugees housed at Fort McCoy says he has gone hungry four or five times over the last two weeks.  His name hasn’t been released.  He says if you’re a little bit late going to the chow hall they are either out of food or only have something like boiled carrots or a little bit of rice.  He says he is still grateful to be in the U-S.  Other refugees say they are wearing the same clothes they had on when they left Afghanistan.  They say when they reach out to officials at the military installation they are told Fort McCoy hadn’t been expecting them to come so soon – or at such big numbers.

A Madison suspect who removed his G-P-S monitoring bracelet was finally caught Monday after an armed robbery.  Authorities had said 29-year-old Rondino Fleming cut off the device Saturday while he was out on pre-trial release for several charges.  Madison police call to a bank during the noon hour Monday for a robbery.  Officers, detectives, and other units managed to track down the fugitive and arrest him on the city’s west side.  One of the charges Rondino was facing when he took off was first-degree sexual assault with a weapon.

Authorities in Minnesota say a 39-year-old southern Wisconsin man died in a fall from some rocks in Interstate State Park last weekend.  The Chisago County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victim as Nathan Darval of Hanover, a small community west of Janesville.  Darval was apparently off the trail in a rocky portion of the park in Taylors Falls when he fell to his death Saturday night.  Deputies say he was taken to a hospital in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, but doctors weren’t able to save his life.  The apparent accident is still under investigation.

A 49-year-old Iowa man has been sentenced to three years in prison for his role in a fatal accident last year in northwestern Wisconsin.  Investigators say Michael Barkema of Klemme had a blood alcohol content of three-and-a-half times the legal limit, according to a breath test.  Barkema pleaded guilty to a charge of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle.  He had told law enforcement he’d had only one beer before the crash.  Barkema was driving a truck on a county highway last year when he hit a vehicle driven by 54-year-old Dawn Richter of New Richmond.  Richter died before she could be taken to a hospital.

Minnesota lawmakers planned on a special session in mid-September to distribute 250-million dollars in COVID bonuses to Minnesota front-line workers, but those discussions have stalled. A working group charged with making recommendations to the legislature has not announced an agreement, although some top lawmakers have said the panel is close. The issue is which front-line workers would be eligible for bonuses. Democrats have been pushing for a broad group, arguing medical workers are not the only ones who have to report to work and be exposed to the risk of COVID. Republicans respond with 250 million dollars available bonuses to be meaningful should go only to front-line workers at highest risk. Democrats respond the legislature should appropriate more money. Some Senate G-O-P members have threatened to oust Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm and Governor Tim Walz is reportedly reluctant to call a special session without assurances that they'll leave Malcolm alone.

A Silver Lake six-year-old is in a medically-induced coma after a Monday accident.  Authorities say a landscaper was mowing a median on a nearby street while Alex Hook was playing during recess.  The mower apparently hit a piece of rebar in the grass, throwing it several feet to hit the victim in the back of his head.  The accident at Riverview Elementary School happened last Friday.  The boy remains in critical condition in a Kenosha County hospital.  Doctors say the child suffered a fractured skull and brain bleeding.  He was airlifted to Children’s Wisconsin hospital in Milwaukee where he had emergency brain surgery.

Local-Regional News Sept 14

 The Dunn County Sheriff's Department is asking for the public's help in a 4 victim homicide.  .  Deputies responded to the deaths in the Town of Sheridan on Sunday afternoon.  The victims do not appear to have any connection to the area and were found in an abandoned black SUV that was driven into a standing cornfield off a rural road.   The department is requesting any information related to the incident or may have seen a black SUV with Minnesota plates in that area.  There may have been a second dark-colored SUV traveling with the black SUV that may be related.  The department does not believe there to be a present danger to the public in the area.  

The Mondovi City Council is meeting in a joint session with the Mondovi School Board.  Items on the agenda included discussion of Jackson Street Flooding concerns, discussion on the contract for snow pile removal services, and discussion and possible action on an $850,000 loan disbursement from the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands to execute the option to purchase the Schmidtknecht option property.   Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at the Mondovi School District offices.

One of three men arrested in December 2020 on drug charges was sentenced in Pepin County Court on Monday.  Anthony Nelson of Arkansaw was sentenced to 5yrs probation and must submit to random drug testing.  Nelson along with Chad Marson of Arkansaw and Matthew Schumacher of Menomonie was arrested after a year-long investigation.  Schumacher will be back in court next week and Marson has an October court appearance.

The Pepin County Sheriff  Department's K-9 officer is now on duty.  According to Pepin County Sheriff Joel Wener, the last piece of the puzzle, the K-9 squad was delivered last week.  K-9 officer Jack and his handler Deputy Darrin Lowenhagen will now be on duty during the evening hours.  Yesterday, the Pepin County Law Enforcement Committee met Jack for the first time during the committee's meeting.

Authorities in Jackson County say one person is dead and a second one is injured after an incident last week.  Deputies responded to a Thursday night call about a man needing emergency medical treatment.  Lifesaving measures were performed until Black River Falls E-M-S arrived.  While deputies were trying to find out how the man got hurt, they found a woman there who also needed emergency medical treatment.  No names have been released.  The man was airlifted to Marshfield Hospital where he died later Thursday night.  The woman was taken to Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire.  Her medical condition hasn’t been reported.

State health officials say the COVID-19 delta variant has reached every corner of Wisconsin. The Department of Health Services says 56 counties are reporting very high coronavirus activity. The other 16 are reporting high levels. D-H-S reported 936 new cases on Friday. Hospitalizations are also on the rise.

More than 46-thousand Minnesota students ages 12-17 have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine since the launch of the  ‘Vax to School’ campaign.  Governor Tim Walz says the percentage of Minnesotans 12-15 years old with at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose has increased from 42 percent to nearly 55-percent since late July.  And for 16-17-year-olds, the rate has increased from 54-point-two percent to 60-and-a-half percent. Walz says Minnesota is leading the Midwest in reported student vaccinations.

A new study shows college students reported record high marijuana use, and record low drinking in 2020.  According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, alcohol use among college students dipped from 62 percent in 2019 to 56 percent. The percentages reporting being drunk in the past month and reporting binge drinking also declined. Also according to the report, 44 percent of college students reported using marijuana in 2020, an increase from 38 percent in 2015. Researchers are unsure whether the pandemic may have driven the record in cannabis consumption. Eighteen states have legalized recreational marijuana, 37 states have legalized it for medical purposes. Wisconsin allows neither.

Wisconsin health officials are warning people not to make or buy fake COVID-19 vaccination cards.   The Department of Health Services says people who make fake cards could be charged in federal court. Health officials and federal prosecutors are also warning people not to post their vaccination card on social media, where information could be copied or stolen. 

The Air National Guard in Madison got a hero’s send-off Saturday.  About 300 airmen from the 115th Fighter Wing will spend three months in Southwest Asia. Governor Evers, guard commanders, and the airmen’s families all gathered on Saturday to say goodbye. No one is saying just where the 115th is going, or just what it will be doing.

Worries about the structural integrity have led to the closing of a building in downtown Madison.  The city says it has been monitoring the situation, but the work to shore up the building hasn’t been completed.  It houses Paisan’s Restaurant which posted on its Facebook page that it would be closed immediately and would likely stay that way for 15 days.  The city of Madison says it will remain closed until its engineers determine if it is stable – or until the issues are corrected.  The building in question is located on West Wilson Street near the Monona Terrace.

A small Oneida County town is about to lose both of its banks – unless a deal can be worked out.  Officials in Three Lakes have been told B-M-O Harris and Nicolet National Bank plan to close their locations in the next few months.  Anybody living there will have to drive to Eagle River or Rhinelander to conduct banking business.  Members of the town board are hoping they can recruit a new bank to fill the void – or, convince the two banks already there to stay.  B-M-O Harris says it will close its branch in early October while the Nicolet Bank will shut its doors in December.

Governor Tony Evers has signaled he wants to be involved in a redistricting case. Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul asked a federal court Monday to allow the Governor to intervene in a lawsuit filed last month by fellow Democrats that asks a federal court to draw the state's next set of electoral maps. The governor’s motion contends state law recognizes a joint role for both the governor and the Legislature in the redistricting process. The motion further argues the governor should be allowed to provide input in the litigation. Evers said he plans to submit maps drawn by a commission he created for the consideration of both the Legislature and the federal court.

Officials with the U-W System are offering more incentives to increase campus vaccine rates. As a part of its “70 For 70 Campaign,” the system is going to be giving away 70 scholarships for seven thousand dollars to vaccinated students on any U-W campus. The Madison campus isn’t included, and the campaign includes a stipulation. Those vaccinated students will only be entered for a chance at one of the scholarships if their campus reaches a 70-percent vaccination rate. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus officials haven’t said what their vaccination rate is, but they say it is certainly not 70 percent yet.

Canadian Pacific has taken the first step toward a 31-billion-dollar purchase of Kansas City Southern.  The Missouri company decided that was the best of two offers it had received.  The rival bidder was Canadian National.  The deal hasn’t been completed yet.  Canadian National still has five days to make its offer better.  Alberta-based Canadian Pacific has its U-S headquarters in Minneapolis and significant portions of its operations located in St. Paul.  The company says if the merger goes through it will move its headquarters to Missouri.

Local-Regional News Sept 13

 One person was injured in a truck accident in Nelson Township on Thursday.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, 75yr old Stephen Brenner of Arkansaw was hauling corn silage in a truck northbound on Center Creek Road negotiating a curve when the truck traveled into the northbound ditch and flipped on its side.  As the truck flipped onto its side, Brenner struck the windshield and dash of the truck causing non-life-threatening injuries.  He was taken to St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester.

Due to a shortage of testing supplies, the results of covid-19 tests are being delayed.  Angela Jacobson, Director of Emergency Preparedness at Advent Health says the shortage has been happening for the last few weeks.  She says Advent Health has about a 3-5 day wait for test results.  If you need a covid 19 test, your asked to call ahead to Advent Health and schedule an appointment for the morning hours so your test can be sent in that day.  Tests are free.

 The COVID-19 pandemic is being blamed for a shortage of volunteer firefighters at the Chippewa Fire District Station 3. The fire district’s Town of Lafayette location has 36 members and – depending on the call – could have as many as 25 responding to a fire. Lately, that location has struggled to get as many as six at the scene. Deputy Chief Corey Jeffers says about one-fourth of the staff has quit due to the pandemic. Jeffers says some don’t want to be exposed, others don’t have time due to illness, or family illness, or quarantines. He points out that volunteer firefighters can earn anywhere from five-to-25 thousand dollars a year depending on availability and how many calls they can respond to.

On Friday in La Crosse County Court, two men charged with the killing of 3 people in La Crosse County in July have pleaded not guilty.  Khamthaneth Rattanasack and Nya Thao bother have been charged with the shooting of Peng Lor, Nemo Yang, and Trevor Maloney on July 23 at the Romskog Quarry near West Salem.  Authorities say the 3 men were killed over a $600 debt.    

A man is under arrest after firing a shot in a University of Wisconsin campus parking lot.  The UW-Madison Police Department received a report of a man with a gun around 9 a-m Friday in the Waisman Center lot.  Officers responded and arrested the man right away.  They say 32-year-old Danion ODell of Madison fired a shot into the ground as he attempted to unload his firearm.  No one was hurt. I investigators say ODell does not have a connection to U-W Madison.  Police say he is believed be the subject of an impaired driver complaint earlier this morning.  Odell was booked for possession of a firearm by a felon, endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon and O-W-I.

A Dane County judge has ordered three reporters to testify about the attack on a Wisconsin lawmaker.  Democratic State Senator Tim Carpenter suffered a concussion last June when protesters beat him while he was shooting video outside the state Capitol.  Television reporter Lance Veeser of W-K-O-W, Isthmus reporter Dylan Brogan, and radio reporter Chali Pittman were subpoenaed Thursday after a hearing.  An attorney for the journalists says an appeal is possible.  Assistant Dane County District Attorney Paul Humphrey says the reporters are his only eyewitnesses to the attack.  Protesters Samantha Hamer and Kerida O’Reilly are scheduled to go on trial for their actions next month.  Veeser helped Carpenter after the attack and got help by calling 9-1-1.

 A licensed athletic trainer from Minnesota saved the life of a veteran who collapsed on the sideline of a high school football game Friday night. The man was part of a presentation involving military veterans who joined members of the Hutchinson Tigers football team as they took the field. Athletic trainer Amy Rogotzke was nearby, initiated C-P-R and the man came to. On Twitter Hutchinson High School called Rogotzke a "lifesaver."

 Former Minnesota Viking Mick Tingelhoff died Saturday. The N-F-L Hall of Fame and Vikings Ring of Honor inductee was 81 years old. Tingelhoff spent his entire 17-year career with Minnesota. He was selected to the Pro Bowl six times, earned First-Team All-Pro honors five times, and appeared in four Super Bowls with the Vikings. He started 240 games at center, the longest ever at his position. His number 53 was retired in 2001 and entered the Hall of Fame in 2015.

 COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations in Wisconsin last week are the highest they've been since early in the year. The state Department of Health Services reported a new seven-day average of 11 daily deaths Friday - the highest since mid-February. Just over a month ago, the daily average was one death. D-H-S reported 37 deaths in July, the lowest since vaccines became available. In August, the total increased to 199. The Wisconsin Hospital Association on reported more than a thousand COVID-19 patients, the highest since early January. The numbers are being driven up due to the more contagious delta variant. Just over 52 percent of the state is fully vaccinated.

The former state Supreme Court justice who is leading the investigation into the 2020 presidential election in Wisconsin is asking that those records be preserved.  Mike Gableman also wants to know about any evidence that has been destroyed.  He sent a letter to the Wisconsin Elections Commission Thursday asking that local clerks be told to preserve any and all records and evidence.  Gableman says he also wants to know about any intentional or unintentional destruction of election records.  After receiving Gableman’s letter, the commission voted to stop the election software company E-S-and-S from selling its upgrade to any clerks using the current system – to ensure no data is deleted.

 Members of the policy board for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources decided they wouldn’t attend that board’s September meeting.  It has been canceled.  Chairman Fred Prehn’s term expired in May, but he has refused to step aside because his replacement – named by Democratic Governor Tony Evers – hasn’t been confirmed by the Wisconsin Senate.  Attorney General Josh Kaul has sued to remove Prehn.  The members of the policy board decided not to take part in the September 22nd meeting while the partisan fight is going on.  A spokeswoman for the D-N-R says the recommendation to cancel the meeting from Deputy Secretary Todd Ambs was based only on a lack of agenda items.

 A report from Fort McCoy indicates there is one case of measles and about two dozen COVID-19 cases among the thousands of Afghan refugees who are being housed there.  A fort spokesperson says the patients infected with measles or COVID-19 have been quarantined.  All refugees from Afghanistan are tested for COVID-19 before they arrive at the Wisconsin military base.  They are given a medical screening and are offered a free vaccination.  The people at the base who were at risk of being exposed to the highly contagious measles were also quarantined in another area and given post-exposure shots.

One of the two women being held in mental health facilities for their roles in the Slender Man stabbing is being released.  A ruled on Friday that 19-year-old Anissa Weier will be released from Winnebago Mental Health Institute on Monday. Then 12-year-old Weier and her friend Morgan Geyser lured the victim into the woods during a sleepover in 2014, and stabbed her in an attempt to please the fictional horror character Slender Man. Morgan Geyser is currently serving a 40-year sentence in the case.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety reports 167 people died on roads in the state between Memorial Day and Labor Day.  Preliminary reports show the highest number of fatalities, 47, were related to speeding.  Another 35 deaths were alcohol-related and D-P-S says unbelted motorists accounted for 29 more deaths.  The total number of deaths on Minnesota roads this year is now 321.  That is a 25-percent increase over last year at this same time and a 30-percent jump from 2019.

There’s a good chance nobody will show up to claim a package being held at the Town of Geneva Police Department.  A picture of three bags of marijuana that were found inside an undelivered U-P-S package was posted online Wednesday.  The post reads that police hope to find “the rightful owner.”  In the first 24 hours that Facebook post received more than 500 likes and nearly 800 shares.  The package was originally delivered to the wrong address and had a bogus return address.  The U-P-S agent turned it into authorities after noticing a familiar aroma.  One person did show up at police headquarters, but that was just an attempt at humor.

Local-Regional News September 10

 The Pepin County Sheriff's Department along with Durand Fire and Pepin County Land Conservation have acquired 3 drones.  Pepin County Chief Deputy Matt Roesler says the drone purchase for the sheriff's department was made possible by a large donation from an anonymous doner.  Roesler says each department has a drone to fit their needs.  Each department will have multiple people trained in the operation of the drones.

The Construction project on 3rd Avenue East and Lanville road continues to progress.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says sidewalks should start to be installed next week on 3rd Avenue East.  The first layer of blacktop is scheduled to be installed on Drier Street sometime next week.

The Barron County Sheriff’s Office reports a 21-year-old Amish woman was injured when a truck hit her buggy Tuesday evening.  The accident happened on a county road in the Town of Prairie Lake just before 7:00 p-m.  Deputies say the woman is expected to recover after receiving treatment at Mayo Hospital in Barron.  Her name hasn’t been released.  The horse that was pulling the buggy ran off, but it has been found and authorities say it wasn’t injured.  Investigators say the setting sun was a factor.

 Winona Republican Jeremy Miller is the new majority leader in the Minnesota Senate.  Senate G-O-P members elected Miller Wednesday night to succeed Paul Gazelka who resigned last week.  Miller said it was an honor and a privilege to be elected by his peers as majority leader.  He was first elected to the Minnesota Senate in 2010 and has been president of the chamber since 2019.  Miller was a founder of the bi-partisan Purple Caucus with former D-F-L Senator Roger Reinert of Duluth in 2013.  He's the chief financial officer of his family's scrap metal business in Winona.

Interim UW President Tommy Thompson will be visiting UW-Eau Claire on Monday.   According to UW-Eau Claire, the visit is part of a systemwide effort to achieve a 70% vaccination rate on all UW Campuses.   Thompson will encourage students who have not yet been vaccinated to take advantage of a pop-up vaccine clinic that will be offered that day.  The visit will be from 10am-1pm on the campus mall.

A husband is pleading guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide charges for shooting his wife in Black River Falls.  Thirty-six-year-old Johnathan Heller had faced a total of five serious charges before reaching a plea agreement.  Authorities say a woman called 9-1-1 May 5th saying her husband had shot her and she had left the home, but a small child was still there.  When deputies found Heller in the town of Manchester, he was carrying the toddler.  He handed the child to the deputies and was taken into custody.  Heller is scheduled for sentencing in Jackson County Court next month.

A House Ethics Committee investigation into Congressman Jim Hagedorn office is called a waste of taxpayer money.  The Minnesota Republican’s attorney says the issue was self-reported last year.  The committee’s report will be released next month.  Published reports indicated Hagedorn’s office used 100 thousand dollars in taxpayer funds for campaign mailings from a company partly owned by a staff member in that office.  Then, last fall it was reported the First District congressman’s office hadn’t paid rent for a space owned by a donor that it used as headquarters in Mankato.

Flags will be flying at half-staff Saturday in Wisconsin to honor three brothers from New London killed in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.  Navy Fireman 1st Class Malcom Barber, Fireman 1st Class Leroy Barber and Fireman 2nd Class Randolph Barber all died aboard the U-S-S Oklahoma on December 7th, 1941 in Hawaii.  Their remains were accounted for last June.  The Barber brothers will be laid to rest with full military honors Saturday in New London.  Governor Tony Evers is also expected to order flags at half-staff Saturday on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.  He said it was specifically important to honor the Barbers and their return.

The Minnesota Board of Animal Health is confirming two different equine diseases in horses in two counties.  The disease was detected after they were euthanized following deteriorating conditions.  An Itasca County mare was confirmed to have Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), which is spread to horses by mosquitoes.  A Washington County mare tested positive for Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1), which is easily spread between horses and can remain inactive for long periods of time.  The Board of Animal Health encourages all horse owners to work with their veterinarians to get their horses vaccinated and booster vaccines regularly, especially in an area where the disease has been confirmed.

Ho-Chunk Nation President Marlon Whiteeagle says safeguards have been added to prevent computer issues like the ones that forced gaming centers to close two weeks ago.  The nation’s I-T team locked down the network immediately so workarounds could be found.  The statement released Thursday says “no one specific individual was targeted,” but very little additional information is being released.  Five of the nation’s six gaming centers were closed Thursday, August 26th, and reopened the following Monday, August 30th.  The Madison location remained open, but it, too, had some computer issues.

At least two Republican former officeholders are saying the Wisconsin election investigation is flawed and will undermine Americans’ confidence in their elections.  Former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman and former Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson – both Republicans – say the investigation led by their party lacks credibility, transparency and raises security risks.  President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump by more than 20 thousand votes in the state.  Party officials have raised questions about the November vote, but have failed to produce any evidence of widespread fraud.

The first Republican candidate has officially announced she's running for governor.  Rebecca Kleefisch formally launched her campaign on Thursday, with a video in which she alleged that Democrat Tony Evers time in office has been "marked by failure and weakness." The former lieutenant governor is the first high-profile Republican to announce plans to challenge Evers in 2022. Others who have been considering a bid include lobbyist Bill McCoshen, state Representative John Macco, and former U.S Senate candidate Kevin Nicholson.

 Two Republican lawmakers have introduced plans they say will protect First Amendment rights on social media platforms.  State Representative Shae Sortwell and state Senator Roger Roth say social media companies could be sued for censoring online postings.  The changes aren’t expected to ever become law in Wisconsin.  One would let people sue if their posts are removed or if they have been “shadow-banned” from social media platforms like Facebook.  A second would give journalists more freedom to post and the third would create a penalty structure for any government officials who try to fight or remove online posts.  Sortwell and Roth say their plans push back against big tech’s growing influence on free speech.

U-S Senator Amy Klobuchar is revealing that she is a breast cancer survivor.  Klobuchar says Mayo Clinic doctors found white spots during a routine mammogram in February.  The senator said she had the cancer removed.  Klobuchar says she also underwent radiation in May and that the treatment went well.  Klobuchar says doctors believe that her chances of developing cancer again are no greater than the average person.  In a social media post, Klobuchar says she has immense gratitude for her family, friends, colleagues, and the people of Minnesota, and "I know that each day is a gift."

Authorities in Waukesha County have charged a 29-year-old man with threatening to blow up a bank.  An employee of the bank hailed a police officer last Friday saying a man approached her as she was leaving work, asked if she worked at the bank, then said it was “dangerous” because the bank was “going to be robbed, and shot up, and blown up.”  The woman had taken a picture of Joshua LePak and she showed it to the officer.  LePak is charged with terrorist threats and a bomb scare.  He made an initial court appearance Tuesday and has a preliminary hearing set for next week.

A farmer in Minnesota is showcasing a different kind of maze.  WCCO-TV reports Hemp Maze Minnesota at Willow's Keep Farm is exactly how it sounds.  The two-acre field puzzle is made entirely of the plant and is situated in Zumbrota which is around an hour south of the Twin Cities.  The owner and operator of the maze says it was constructed to educate those interested in learning about hemp and what the plant provides in everyday goods.  He said he believes it's the only hemp maze in the state and possibly the country.

Local-Regional News September 9

 One person is dead after a motorcycle accident in Oak Grove Township on Saturday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 59yr old Ronald Bithell of Minneapolis was traveling northbound on Hwy 35 when he lost control of his motorcycle, crossed the centerline and entered into the west ditch, and was ejected from the motorcycle.  Deputies attempted life-saving measures with no success.  Bithell was pronounced dead at the scene.

Pepin County held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house for the new highway shop in Arkansaw on Wednesday.  Pepin County Board Chairman Tom Milliren says the shop was placed nearly in the exact center of the county to make it more efficient for crews working throughout the county.  The county will now begin the process of tearing down and cleaning up the old shop in Durand to make way for a new Kwik Trip location.

An area business is expanding.  Eau Galle Cheese Factory will begin operating the factory seven days a week.  Eau Galle Cheese President and CEO Steve Bechel says the expansion was necessary because of the increase in retail food sales.   Because of the seven-day-a-week operation of the plant, Bechel says Eau Galle Cheese will be needing approximately 1.5 million pounds of milk a week which is about 30 tanker loads.  The company hopes to begin the 7 days a week operation in October.

The Durand City Council met last night.  Mayor Patrick Milliren told the council of a meeting with members of the community to talk about some improvements to Memorial Park.  Milliren says the improvements include changes to the bandshell and a Pavillion.  The suggestions are going to be sent to committee for discussion.  Milliren says there are some limitations to improvements to the park including the park size and the creek that runs underneath the park.  

Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind says officials at Fort McCoy are on top of a case of measles detected among Afghan refugees being housed there.  Kind says "one person was detected with measles. And so they had to quarantine the immediate people around them. But so far all we know is just one measles case, and they're being monitored very closely."  He was part of a delegation briefed at Fort McCoy on Tuesday.  They also reported a handful of COVID cases among evacuees at the base and high rates of vaccination.

A 15-year-old boy is in trouble with the law for punching a Rochester police officer.  Officers were called to a large fight near John Marshall High School Tuesday night and saw several juveniles running from the scene.  Investigators say a 15-year-old punched a female officer in the face and was arrested on suspicion of fourth-degree assault on an officer, third-degree riot, and disorderly conduct.  Four other teens were taken into custody pending rioting charges.

 The head of Minnesota’s Department of Agriculture believes stigmas attached to mental health are fading.  Commissioner Thom Petersen says farmer suicides are down in Minnesota while relationship issues are rising.  Petersen says "I think we are making progress and)the stigma is slowly coming down that it’s okay to talk about mental health. "  Peterson says farmers continue to face many stressors, but the state has some of the best resources in the country to handle and help them with mental health issues.

Authorities in northwest Wisconsin say they've recovered the body of a missing man from a lake near Siren.  The Burnett County Sheriff's Office says crews located 49-year-old Jason Gilbertson of Hammond Wednesday.  Deputies say Gilbertson went swimming in the Clam Lake Sunday afternoon and hadn't been seen since.  The Burnett County Medical Examiner’s Office assisted with the recovery effort.

 Wisconsin already has a nationwide reputation for drinking.  The numbers suggest we’re buying even more booze as the COVID-19 pandemic won’t seem to end.  State revenue from excise taxes on alcohol during the last fiscal year was up nearly 17 percent, falling just short of 74 million dollars.  If confirmed by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, that will be the largest percentage increase seen here in nearly five decades.  Liquor store owners say people were buying alcohol in large volumes over the last year.  Bottles were flying off the shelves – hard liquor, beer, and wine.

A conservative Republican congressman from Ohio says pictures of the crowd at last weekend’s Wisconsin Badgers football game show that Americans are ready to move on from COVID-19 safety protocols.  Congressman Jim Jordan re-tweeted a video from Barstool Sports showing the home crowd during “Jump Around” with very few face coverings visible.  In less than two hours, the congressman’s tweet was re-tweeted almost a thousand times and liked by five thousand people who saw it.  The original tweet from Barstool Sports wasn’t about politics or the coronavirus.  The university did have restrictions in place, but many of the 76 thousand football fans ignored the recommendations.

 A Wisconsin law states people receiving Social Security disability payments can’t get state unemployment benefits at the same time.  That’s at the center of a class-action lawsuit filed Tuesday.  The suit alleges the Wisconsin unemployment system discriminates against people who are disabled.  The end of federal unemployment assistance last weekend means more than 150 thousand Wisconsin workers who get S-S-D-I payments are automatically disqualified from receiving state benefits.  The claim is that Wisconsin’s current practice is in violation of the federal Americans With Disabilities Act.  When the law was passed eight years ago lawmakers said they were trying to stop fraud and “double-dippers.”

The chairperson of a legislative committee investigating last November’s presidential election in Wisconsin is calling for voting machine data to be saved.  Republican State Representative Janel Brandtjen of Menomonee Falls urged members of the Wisconsin Elections Commission to stop the voting machine company E-S-and-S from updating the state’s voting machines.  Brantjen claims the update could erase voting information.  She and other Republicans want that data secured so they can check it for any evidence of voter fraud or election irregularities.

Former Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka is officially running for the Republican nomination for Minnesota governor.  The G-O-P senator from the Brainerd lakes area criticized current Governor Tim Walz for his handling of the COVID pandemic.  Gazelka said, "Tim Walz irresponsible shutdown, based on his lack of understanding of the scientific data closed hundreds of restaurants and small businesses across the state bankrupting many of them."  D-F-L chair Ken Martin says "Gazelka's decision to hold a maskless superspreader event led to a COVID-19 outbreak among lawmakers and Senator Jerry Relph of St. Cloud died."   Walz has not announced whether he will run for re-election in 2022.

Wisconsin’s 2021 cranberry crop is expected to be about average by the time the harvest kicks off in a month.  The Wisconsin Cranberry Growers Association is estimating a total production of about five-and-a-half million barrels for this year’s crop.  That’s slightly higher than the almost five million barrels projected by the U-S Cranberry Marketing Committee in its forecast issued last month.  The head of the state association, Tom Lochner, says the continued warm weather in the weeks remaining before harvest could help with some additional growth.

Total attendance for the 2021 Minnesota State Fair is just over one-point-three million, substantially less than the record two-point-one million visitors in 2019.  But General Manager Jerry Hammer it's an unfair comparison because 2019 was "like just the Everest of fairs, just so over-the-top. It was perfect every day."  He called this year's fair during the pandemic "really extraordinary."  Hammer says everyone involved did amazing work pulling everything together in a very short time under difficult and changing circumstances.  Officials say a stormy opening weekend, more rain later in the fair, a labor shortage, and supply chain issues did not dampen the spirit of exhibitors, vendors, agriculturists, performers, volunteers, and the State Fair's one-point-three million guests.

Local-Regional News September 8

 The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on a request to close Main Street on the evening of October 30th for the annual Trunk or Treat, reports from the Mayor and Department Heads, and the council will go into closed session to discuss an economic development loan for Rolling Greens Golf Course.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30pm at Durand City Hall and will be live-streamed on our YouTube Channel at Durand Broadcasting WRDN.

One person was injured in a UTV accident on Sunday in the town of Montana.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, 59yr old George Salwey of Montana was traveling down a farm road when it struck a large hole in the pasture causing the UTV to crash into a barbed wire fence and pinning Salwey.  Emergency crews had to use extrication tools to remove Salwey and he was med flighted to an area hospital.

The old grotto at the Pepin County  Government Center has been torn down.  Crews removed the grotto earlier this week after the group attempting to raise money to move the grotto missed a July 31st deadline.  The grotto was originally built when the building was the hospital.  

The Fall Flu Season is just around the corner.  Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says the Wisconsin Department of Health Services should be shipping flu vaccines soon and the county health department will be developing a strategy to distribute both the flu and covid vaccines.  Stewart says people will be able to receive both the flu and covid vaccines at the same time and that if any residents have questions to contact the health department via the department's Facebook page.

A delegation of Wisconsin Democrats was briefed at Fort McCoy on Tuesday. La Crosse Congressman Ron Kind said he's confident of the vetting process Afghan refugees are undergoing.  U-S Senator Tammy Baldwin said none of the refugees being housed at Fort McCoy have "any red flags." Congressman Mark Pocan and several state lawmakers were also part of the delegation.

A public meeting on the La Crosse flood mitigation plan is going to be held Wednesday afternoon.  That will give people living in the city a chance to share their thoughts on what should be included.  The city of La Crosse, members of a consulting firm, and the U-S Army Corps of Engineers will attend so questions from the public will be answered.  The public meeting will start at 4:00 p-m at the Black River Beach Neighborhood Center.  People attending are recommended to wear face coverings.

A Wisconsin state senator is asking legislative leaders to file a suit against the University of Wisconsin System.  Republican Steve Nass of Whitewater wants it to be determined if system leaders have to get legislative approval to enact COVID-19 restrictions.  Nass sent a letter asking for the lawsuit to Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos Tuesday.  U-W System President Tommy Thompson has rejected the idea that lawmakers must approve the restrictions before they can go into effect.  There has been no indication from LeMahieu or Vos whether they might file the suit.

A Rochester man is facing a federal prison sentence on child pornography charges.   The U-S Attorney's Office says 26-year-old Arkady Pichurin pleaded guilty to producing sexually explicit images and videos of a minor.     Court documents say Pichurin sexually exploited a minor between the ages of nine and ten between November of 2020 and last January.  Pichurin admitted to using social media to contact the minor and lying about his age.   Prosecutors say he used similar tactics to sexually exploit and produce pornographic images and videos of more than 20 children.    Pichurin will be sentenced in January.

A state lawmaker says the Afghan refugees located at the base won’t be staying in Wisconsin.  Republican Senator Howard Marklein says the eight thousand refugees are receiving health care and being kept in quarantine at the military installation for two weeks.  After that, Marklein says the Department of Homeland Security will relocate the refugees to one of 19 cities on a list.  None of those cities are in west-central Wisconsin.  The number of refugees staying at Fort McCoy could go higher.  Officials there say they have room for 13 thousand.  However, no more planes will be arriving from the Middle East.  Evacuees are being offered the COVID-19 vaccine at Fort McCoy.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission is scheduled to meet Thursday in Madison to discuss redistricting.  This would be the first move toward drawing a new political map for the state.  Updated political district boundaries will be drawn based on the 2020 U-S Census.  The numbers were published last month.  Lawmakers are supposed to finalize the new map in time for next spring’s general elections, but a political court fight is anticipated over the process.

A Milwaukee Democrat running for U.S. Senate is accused of misuse of campaign funds and false travel reimbursements from the city of Milwaukee.   Milwaukee Alderwoman Chantia Lewis is charged with five criminal counts, accused of using money from her campaign account to attend a Florida worship conference, pay tuition for classes at a Bible college and go on a family trip to the Wisconsin Dells. According to the criminal complaint, Lewis defrauded the City of Milwaukee and her campaign, collectively, of more than 21-thousand dollars. Her attorney told the Journal Sentinel he would be filing a motion to dismiss the charges and believes the issues are better categorized as accounting errors. 

Minnesota G-O-P donor and former campaign manager Anton "Tony" Lazzaro is now the defendant in a federal civil lawsuit.  Attorney Jeff Anderson represents the minor and her family who brought about today's (Tuesday) lawsuit.  Anderson alleges Lazarro had been enticing and engaging and conspiring to engage youth in his sex trafficking enterprise for some time.  The suit claims Lazzaro attempted to silence the minor plaintiff and her parents to prevent them from reporting Lazzaro’s conduct to law enforcement.  Lazarro is already charged with ten federal sex trafficking crimes for allegedly recruiting six minors to engage in commercial sex acts.   His arrest led to the resignation of close friend and State Republican Party chair Jennifer Carnahan.

The Park Falls paper mill has a new owner, but local officials say that doesn’t mean it will reopen soon.  The deal was completed August 31st.  The new buyers are described by Park Falls Mayor Michael Bablick as “industrial liquidators.”  The historic mill on the banks of the Flambeau River is currently in what is called “warm idle mode.”  That means basic maintenance is being done to keep the plant ready to resume production, but without a follow-up sale, the mayor cautions the new owners likely wouldn’t keep the plant heated this winter.  That could cause the pipes to burst and such an event would end any chance the mill would be back in operation.  With the expiration of state unemployment benefits and the 300-dollar extra federal unemployment, many of the former workers won’t be able to wait to see if it resumes operations.

 Congressman Scott Fitzgerald is supporting a new federal plan that would require all school districts to show parents what is being taught in the local classrooms.  The Wisconsin Republican signed on to the Curriculum Review of Teachings Transparency Act last week.  Supporters say they want to make sure parents know if their local school is teaching critical race theory.  The C-R-T Act backed by Republicans would give parents a closer look at the lesson plans, textbooks, and other articles their children are being told to read.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers says he has granted another 71 pardons.  Evers' office says that brings the governor’s total number of granted pardons to 263 since the Governor’s Pardon Advisory Board was announced in 2019.  Former Republican Governor Scott Walker granted zero pardons during eight years in office.  Evers' is on target to pardon more people in his first term than any governor in contemporary history.  Evers also signed an executive order today (Tuesday), expanding and expediting the pardon process.

Stillwater Area Public Schools is taking legal action against the company that provides its bus service.  Metropolitan Transportation is accused of breach of contract, while they are faced with a bus driver shortage.  The bus company recently announced that it will cut service to 15 routes as pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade students start in-person classes.  The Stillwater School Board will hold an emergency meeting later today to address the transportation issue.

Local-Regional News September 3

 The training for the Pepin County K-9 unit is completing today.  Pepin County Sheriff Joel Wener says handler Deputy Darrin Lowenhagen and K-9 officer Jack complete training today and have a national certification test tomorrow.   If all goes well with the certifications and the installation of equipment for the k-9 squad, K-9 Officer Jack should be on duty in the county in late September.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the new Pepin County Highway Shop is planned for next Wednesday.  The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be at 3pm with an open house from 3:30-7pm at the new facility on Hwy N in Arkansaw.  The new shop is a 42,000 square foot facility consisting of a buildout of a new office, repair garage, parking bay, vehicle wash area, cold storage, and salt-sand storage buildings.  The public is invited to attend. 

Due to the large rise in Covid-19 cases, the Pepin County Health Department has implemented crisis standards of care with includes changes to contact tracing.  Confirmed Covid-19 cases will be provided with free resources to notify their own close contacts and forward instructions about testing and quarantine. Resources will also be provided to large organizations or events that will be responsible for contact tracing and Public notifications will be used when unable to identify all close contacts.  The change in standards of care will allow the Health Department to prioritize the individuals and groups who are at their highest risk of disease transmission. 

Wabasha-Kellogg Schools in southeastern Minnesota is mourning the loss of a student.  Wabasha police say 16-year-old Arianna Simon was skateboarding Tuesday night when she was struck and killed by a vehicle.  Officers say the driver fled the scene but later returned and is reportedly cooperating.  Classes don't start until Tuesday, but the school has counselors available to classmates and families.  A GoFundMe campaign has been established to help cover funeral expenses for Simon's family.

 Officials at Fort McCoy have increased the facility’s capacity to house Afghan refugees as the arrivals continue.  The latest report finds seven thousand refugees staying at the Wisconsin military installation.  Work has been done to increase Fort McCoy’s capacity from 10 thousand to 13 thousand.  The Department of Defense says it is increasing capacity at all of the U-S bases involved in the resettlement program.  Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers says organizations trying to help the Afghan refugees prefer new items like clothing and shoes be donated – to ensure the health of everyone staying at Fort McCoy.

Governor Tony Evers says there are several ways to provide donations to Afghan evacuees at Fort McCoy.  New clothing and shoes are among the most needed supplies because many of them were unable to bring luggage or personal items.  Evers says Wisconsinites have a proud tradition of rolling up our sleeves to help our neighbors when times are tough, and since learning folks leaving Afghanistan would be coming through Wisconsin, people have been asking what they can do to help.  Catholic Charities of La Crosse is already collecting donations of new items and setting up a way for people to provide supplies by shopping online.  Donations of money will also be accepted to purchase items in need.  The state plans to open more donation locations in the coming weeks.

 A two-year-old child is hospitalized after being pulled from the Chippewa River in western Wisconsin.  The Eau Claire Police Department says it received a report of a missing child around 6 p-m Wednesday near a boat landing.  Officers were able to rescue the toddler and take the child to the hospital.  No word on the child's current condition.  The incident is still under investigation.

Wisconsin officials say texts about unemployment benefits are coming from scam artists.  The Wisconsin Division of Consumer Protection says there’s been a spike in reports of fake text messages that claim there’s a problem with people’s unemployment benefits. Consumer Protection says Wisconsin’s unemployment office doesn’t text people about their benefits, and would never ask anyone to reset their passwords or account information over the phone. The state says if you get one of these texts, don’t open it.

A second Republican lawmaker has said he won’t support a suit against the U-W System.  State Senator Robert Cowles says the suggested lawsuit isn’t in the best interests of local communities or businesses.  Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke tweeted last week that such a lawsuit would only add more confusion during an already stressful time.  Shortly after President Tommy Thompson said the system has the right to manage itself when it comes to COVID-19 protocols, the co-chair of the Legislature’s rules committee threatened the suit.  State Senator Steve Nass wants system officials to submit their plans to his committee for approval.

The chief elections clerk for Milwaukee County isn’t going to cooperate with the subpoena issued for ballots and voting machines connected to the November presidential election.  Clerk George Christenson points to concerns expressed by legislative attorneys about the validity of those subpoenas.  Based on that, Christenson told reporters Thursday, “One can guess our response.”  Assembly Elections Commission chairperson and State Representative Janel Brandtjen order election clerks in Milwaukee and Brown counties to appear before the committee next Tuesday with the requested materials.

 Republicans and Democrats are both looking for new leaders in the Minnesota Senate.  D-F-L Minority Leader Susan Kent announced late Thursday she's stepping down from that position and will not run for re-election next year.  Kent, who's served in the Senate for 10 years, says she needs to focus more on her family, particularly her mother who needs her attention and support at this time in her life.  Senate Democrats will meet September 13th to elect a new leader.  Kent's resignation came the day after Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka stepped down.   Senator Mark Johnson of East Grand Forks was elected interim majority leader until the G-O-P elects a permanent leader.

A Rochester woman is pleading guilty to federal charges in connection with St. Paul arson fires during the May 2020 civil unrest.  Twenty-three-year-old Mena Yousif admitted to being an accessory after the fact to arson.  Prosecutors say Yousif and her husband, Jose Felan Junior,  set fire to a Goodwill store, Gordon Parks High school, and 7 Mile Sportswear. Court documents say Yousif aided and abetted Felan as he fled from Minnesota to Texas and into Mexico by destroying evidence and providing false information to law enforcement.  They were both arrested in Mexico in February.

Olmsted County authorities are identifying the man who died after being pulled from a residential pool.  Sheriff's deputies say 60-year-old James Sackett was found by his wife in the bottom of the pool Tuesday night.  She started C-P-R before paramedics arrived and they were unable to revive Sackett.  Investigators say his death is not believed to be suspicious.

Authorities in Jackson County say two burglary suspects were arrested Tuesday after a standoff in the Village of Alma Center.  Deputies were called to a home Monday where the suspects were interrupted in the burglary by the homeowner.  He was hit in the head.  When deputies tried to contact 26-year-old Aaron T. Lowe and 33-year-old Jolene L. Lowe of Alma Center the next day, the two barricaded themselves in a home and refused to come out. After more than four hours of negotiation, chemical agents were deployed, the two came outside and were taken into custody.  Charges including burglary and battery with a dangerous weapon have been referred to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.

 Defense attorneys for former Minneapolis police officers Thomas Lane and J-Kueng have changed their minds.  They have now asked Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill to ban live streaming of their March trial.  Originally, the attorneys were in favor of a broadcast.  Lane, Kueng, and Tou Thao are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd last year.  Former officer Derek Chauvin was convicted in April.  Those proceedings were the first in Minnesota history where a criminal trial was live-streamed in its entirety.  A hearing will be held today (Thursday) to deal with those and other pre-trial issues.

The U-S Department of Justice reports a former vice president of Mercyhealth and an Illinois marketing agency owner have pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges.  Federal prosecutors say 57-year-old Barbara Bortner and 46-year-old Ryan Weckerly were involved in the kickback scheme.  Weckerly owned Illinois-based marketing company Morningstar Media Group and Bortner was a hospital official based in Janesville.  Investigators say Weckerly began submitting inflated weekly invoices for his marketing work for the hospital starting in February of 2015.  The two were accused of getting away with more than three million dollars between then and June of last year.

The latest F-B-I hate crime report shows those incidents were up by 44 percent last year in Wisconsin.  That continues an upward trend.  The data collected by the federal agency is often criticized as an under-reported number.  In many cases, crimes charged under the hate crime statute by Wisconsin prosecutors weren’t officially recorded by police as hate crimes.  Almost 400 Wisconsin police departments haven’t reported a single hate crime in at least five years.  Protests following George Floyd’s 2020 murder pushed anti-Black hate crimes higher by 43 percent nationwide.  That number more than doubled in Wisconsin.  The F-B-I counts only one anti-Asian hate crime last year.

There is no prize for this milestone and the only thing the driver gets is an O-W-I charge.  The Racine County Sheriff’s Office says the arrest of a Burlington woman Wednesday morning marked the 350th time an impaired driver has been charged this year.  Katrena Rudolph was involved in a single-vehicle accident shortly after 7:30 a-m.  When deputies observed Rudolph showing signs of impairment she took and failed a set of field sobriety tests.  She was arrested for O-W-I fourth offense after failing.  Deputies say she eventually admitted consuming marijuana and different pills before driving.