Local-Regional News Feb 18

 The Durand-Arkansaw School District is expecting a balanced budget for the 22-23 school year.  Durand-Arkansaw Superintendent Greg Doverspike says there are a few factors that will affect the budget including health insurance and staffing levels.  Another factor that will affect the budget is the student population count and how that will affect state aid.

The recent rash of thefts of catalytic converters has law enforcement trying to find different ways to deter the thefts.  Durand Police Chief Stan Ridgeway says one of the problems is the scrap yards accepting the converters without asking for proper identification.  Recently, the Eau Claire Police Department held an event where people could have their catalytic converter painted to help deter the thefts.  Ridgeway says he is planning on asking Eau Claire Police if the event helped in reducing the thefts and looking at the possibility of holding something similar in Durand.

 

People’s Energy Cooperative is warning its customers after receiving reports of numerous scams.  According to Co-op, one member reported being told that he overpaid on his bill and the company was refunding his money, but they needed his bank account information first. Other people reported being told that they would receive a $50 discount if they also gave out their bank account information.   People’s Energy Cooperative said it will never request bank or payment information over the phone.  All payments go through a secure online management system.

A Hudson man faces several charges including first-degree reckless homicide in a child's death.  Thirty-seven-year-old Paul Marshall is accused of killing his infant two weeks ago.  Emergency responders were called to a home on February 4th to help a seven-week-old child suffering cardiac arrest.  A news release indicates the infant was revived and taken to Children’s Hospital in St. Paul.  The victim died three days later.  Doctors told police the cardiac arrest was caused by injuries to the child’s head.  There were also several fractures, including skull fractures, and the child no longer had any brain activity.  Marshall was arrested Tuesday and made a court appearance Wednesday.

 Minnesota Congresswoman Angie Craig is sponsoring legislation that would lower federal taxes for small businesses.   The Small Business Tax Relief Act lowers the corporate income tax rate from 21 to 18 percent on the first 400-thousand dollars in taxable income for businesses earning less than five million dollars annually.  Craig says in a statement," for nearly two years, small business owners have grappled with a struggling economy, ever-changing regulations and tax burdens far higher than that of many Fortune 500 corporations."   She says it's long past time that we re-centered our economy around the businesses that make up 93 percent of employers in Minnesota's 2nd District.

People who applied to hunt wolves in Wisconsin will be getting a refund.  The Department of Natural Resources will refund the ten-dollar permit application fee following a ruling which put wolves back on the Endangered Species List. That federal court action means Wisconsin does not have the authority to start a wolf harvest season. The DNR will refund all application checks via mail, which should take 4-to-6 weeks. The court ruling also invalidates permits to private landowners, for use of lethal force against wolves, and prohibits the DNR from using "lethal control" methods. Also, dog hunters will no longer be allowed to pursue wolves to train hunting dogs.

Milwaukee already had the infrastructure and planning figured out – then the Democrats didn’t come two years ago.  That work may be the biggest selling point for Cream City.  T-M-J-4 reports the Republican National Committee isn’t promising anything yet, but the fact Wisconsin’s biggest city is almost “turn-key” is a major selling point for it to host the 2024 Republican National Convention.  Former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus says the locals did an outstanding job of selling when the national Republican delegation spent Wednesday in Milwaukee.  The delegation visits Nashville next.

Sales of Wisconsin dairy products were up nearly 15-percent last year and meat products jumped by 10-percent.  Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection Secretary Randy Romansky says the state broke the old record for ag exports in 2021.  Not all crops were up.  Ginseng producers say there’s a chance they might be forced out of business.  The tariff battle with China resulted in a 41-percent tax and tariff on Wisconsin products sold there.

The Republican leader of the Wisconsin Senate blames the governor’s use of vetoes for problems like the state's worker shortage and finances continuing to “fester.”  Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu says strong leaders are needed during times of crisis.  W-M-T-V reports LeMahieu refers to leaders who cast a “bold vision” and “deliver on that vision.”  He says that’s where Democratic Governor Tony Evers has failed.  LeMahieu says his Republican party has provided the strong leadership the state needed on the budget – and the governor just followed.  His comments were the party’s response to Evers’ State of the State address Tuesday.

Allina Health is relaxing visitor rules as COVID-19 case counts continue to fall in the state. The Minneapolis-based hospital and clinic system says they will now allow one visitor per day in both inpatient and outpatient care settings. That change comes as Allina moves its caution level from “red” to “yellow.” Visitors will still be required to wear a mask and in some instances other protective gear. Visitors may also be asked to wait outside if there are too many people in the waiting room at one time. As of Tuesday, the number of people in the hospital with a case of COVID-19 dropped below 900, the lowest mark since last November.

Menomonee Falls-based Kohl’s plans to add Sephora beauty shops to 400 of its locations this year. T-M-J-4 is reporting 16 of the new shops will be in Wisconsin. Kohl’s reportedly already has Sephora's in 200 of its stores and the goal is to have 850 by next year. Sephora shops are called a 25-hundred square-foot store-within-a-store. A Kohl’s spokesperson says the shops have brought in a new, younger, and more diverse group of customers, while increasing sales.

Another candidate has entered the Republican primary for lieutenant governor.  State Senator Roger Roth of Appleton joins a primary field that includes state Senator Patrick Testin of Stevens Point. Other Republican candidates include Ben Voelkel, former communications director for U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, Lancaster Mayor David Varnam, and Will Martin, a Milwaukee business owner who served in the administrations of former governors Scott Walker and Tommy Thompson.  Roth has been in the Senate since 2015 and was Senate President from 2017 to 2021. He previously served in the Assembly from 2007 to 2011. Incumbent Democrat, Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes is running for U.S. Senate.

Three Milwaukee police officers are accused of carrying fake COVID-19 vaccination cards. Milwaukee police officers aren’t required to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, but there are rules for officers who want to travel as part of the job. The officers in question claimed they got their shots in order to take a work-related trip in December. They’re now under investigation.

All signs are pointing to a pretty normal spring flooding season. Craig Schmidt is a hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Chanhassen. He says soil moisture is pretty close to normal, and frost depth is two-to-three feet in the north and about a foot in the south -- which is also pretty normal this time of year. The snowpack is also very close to normal -- a little dryer in the southwest part of the state and a little more than normal in the north. Schmidt says the only threat of major flooding is along the Red River. He says the snowpack is high in this area and soil moisture is back above normal.

Local-Regional News Feb 17

 The student population for the Durand-Arkansaw School District remains stable.  During last night's school board meeting, District Superintendent Greg Doverspike told the board the 2nd Friday in January Pupil Count was the same as in September.  Doverspike also told board members that the early projected enrollment for the 22-23 school year showed a drop of only 6 students.  Doverspike said the early projection will surely change before the beginning of the 22-23 school year.

The Pepin County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution asking the state government to address the Badger Care Egilibilty Cliff.   Pepin County Human Services Director Paula Winter says people have lost their eligibility for Badger care after receiving a small wage increase.   One possible solution is if a person receives a wage increase, they would be allowed to keep Badger Care but would have to participate in cost-sharing.  

One person is dead and two injured after a two-vehicle accident in the town of Knapp on Wednesday.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, a 57yr old female from Elmwood was killed when one of the vehicles failed to negotiate a curve on Hwy Q near Hwy N.  The driver overcorrected and entered the opposite lane striking the other vehicle.  The names of the victim and those injured have not been released.  That accident remains under investigation by the Wisconsin State Patrol.

A Boyceville woman has been arrested for OWI 5th offense.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol,  a State Trooper pulled over 51yr old Beth Mittelstadt for an equipment violation on 920th avenue just west of Hwy 25 in Dunn County early Wednesday morning.  The trooper noticed signs of impairment and conducted field sobriety tests.  Middelstadt was arrested for OWI and taken to a local hospital for an evidentiary blood test.  She is also been charged with improper display of a License Plate and a Driver's License Restriction Violation.  

Charges of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle have been filed against a 28-year-old driver in Taylor County.  Paul Schmeiser of Curtiss is accused of being the driver in a fatal hit-and-run crash last October.  W-E-A-U T-V reports the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office received a report just after 6:00 a-m October 31st about a person lying in the road in a pool of blood in the Township of Holway.  An autopsy showed 27-year-old Titus Kottke of Athens had been hit by a vehicle.  Schmeiser was arrested.  His next court appearance is scheduled for March 3rd.

 A Minnesota man will spend ten years in federal prison for dealing heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl in northwestern Wisconsin. Twenty-nine-year-old David Stone the Third of St. Paul pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute drugs in 2019 and 2020. Prosecutors say Stone was orchestrating a large-scale drug trafficking operation while he was jailed for an unrelated matter. Investigators listened to more than three thousand hours of phone calls Stone made from jail. They say he would call his drug source in Minnesota to arrange the sales and co-conspirators in Wisconsin would pick up the meth and fentanyl.

The governor wants to cut you a check for 150 dollars.  Republican lawmakers are thinking of tax cuts.  At the center of the discussion is what to do with an estimated three-point-eight-billion-dollar budget surplus.  W-M-T-V Television reports Governor Tony Evers signed an executive order Wednesday morning calling for a special session of the Legislature focused on what Wisconsin should do with the extra money.  Republicans say Evers’ idea will be dead on arrival.  Previous special sessions called by the Democratic governor have lasted just a minute or so.

The subpoena against a Milwaukee-area immigrant rights group has been dropped.  Voces de la Frontera Action director Christine Neumann-Ortiz calls Wednesday’s move an “unconditional surrender” by Republicans.  They hired special investigator Michael Gableman to review the November 2020 presidential election in Wisconsin.  The immigrant rights group had filed a lawsuit against Gableman.  Attorneys for Gableman’s investigation called the subpoena “moot” Wednesday and said they would no longer seek those records.

U-S Senator Tammy Baldwin is co-sponsor of a resolution opposing Canadian plans to locate a nuclear waste storage site near the Great Lakes Basin.  The location would be at South Bruce, Ontario – about 30 miles from Lake Huron.  The Wisconsin Democrat says preventing nuclear waste from being stored near the Great Lakes Basin is not just an enviroønmental goal, but an economic necessity.  More than 40-million people in the U-S and Canada get their drinking water from the Great Lakes.  The senators want President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to reach out to Canada and stop the project.

The University of Wisconsin System is moving to end campus mask requirements.   Interim UW System President Tommy Thompson is working with campus chancellors to begin removing current mandatory mask requirements, with the intent to withdraw them as soon as March 1 and no later than spring break. Thompson said widespread vaccination on UW campuses and the rapidly decreasing prevalence of COVID-19 across the state present favorable conditions to lift existing indoor mask requirements. Vaccines and tests will still be available on campus, and students and employees can opt to wear masks if they wish.

Wisconsin Elections Commission technology director Robert Kehoe refuted numerous claims of elections fraud at a hearing of the Assembly Elections Committee on Wednesday. Kehoe says that a claim said that multiple people with similar names were registered to vote at the same address is easily explained.  Kehoe says many of the claims made by supporters of former President Donald Trump about the 2020 election are misinformed and baseless and could be easily answered if brought to elections officials.

Minnesota lawmakers are working on a plan to bring sports betting to the state.  All states bordering Minnesota already have it and 30 of the 50 states have some form of sports betting.  Any plan would need to have the support of the state’s casinos, but tribal governments have indicated they are more open to the idea now.  State Representative Zack Stephenson of Coon Rapids is leading the effort in the House of Representatives.  He says Minnesota needs to allow bets inside casinos as well as wagers through mobile apps.

Two state lawmakers were speaking at a Capitol rally calling for the overturning of the 2020 presidential election results in Wisconsin Tuesday.  State Representatives Timothy Ramthun and Janel Brandtjen – both Republicans – were two of the featured speakers.  Brandtjen told the people in the crowd, “You’re not crazy,” for wanting to reverse the results – although there is no legal way to do that.  Ramthun also spoke after announcing Saturday he’s running for governor.  Leaders of his own Republican party have refused to take up a resolution he wrote to pull back the state’s 10 electoral votes.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has withdrawn its guidance on ballot drop boxes. Wednesday’s unanimous vote by the six-member commission was in response to last week’s 4-3 decision by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The court’s conservative majority ruled drop boxes cannot be used for the April election, and that voters may not give their absentee ballot to someone else to return for them. The court will decide later whether absentee ballot drop boxes can be used for the August and November elections.

 A Clark County judge has sentenced a man to three years in state prison and nine months in county jail for using his phone to record restroom videos. W-E-A-U T-V reports 21-year-old Moises Cuautle of Dorchester had been charged with invasion of privacy for two incidents at the Clark County Health Care Center. The first was in October 2020 and the second time was in April of last year. Witnesses told of seeing Cuautle holding a cellphone that looked like the one that was found taped inside a toilet bowl.

Wisconsin doctors say the omicron surge may have actually helped the state during its flu season. W-I-S-C T-V reports flu cases were increasing in late fall, but that’s when omicron began its surge. Those flu cases dropped in the New Year and have stayed low in number since then. Doctors at U-W Health say as COVID cases rose, people started taking more precautions -- and that had an impact on the flu. Last year’s flu season was “essentially non-existent,” says Doctor Dan Shirley. There have been more cases this winter, but still well below the usual number.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism industry has been one of the hardest-hit sectors, losing billions in revenue. Explore Minnesota Tourism Director Lauren Bennett-McGinty says she's optimistic more Minnesotans will hit the road in 2022. With the Omicron variant having hit its peak and sort of coming down at this point, she’s hopeful they’ll see travel start to go back up. Bennett-McGinty says, though, she doesn't expect to see a full recovery until late 2023 or early 2024. Over the past two years, the tourism industry has lost nearly 12 billion dollars as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Families in need of temporary housing no longer have to give up their cats, dogs, or other pets, thanks to a new program. W-C-C-O T-V says a 125-thousand-dollar grant from PetSmart Charities to the Animal Humane Society will provide up to 60 days of free housing for pets of displaced families, along with and preventative care such as sterilizations and vaccines. The A-H-S’s Anne Gass says folks need their support systems in crisis situations, which for many includes pets. Families who take part will receive regular updates on their pet’s health and wellness until they can be reunited. The program also provides pet food, litter and other aid for displaced pet owners whose pets are staying with a family member or friend.

Local-Regional News Feb 16

 The Durand-Arkansaw School Board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include public input on the ESSER III funding expenditures, updates on the 2nd Friday, January Pupil count and the 2022-2023 projected enrollment, and administrative reports.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6pm in the board room at Durand High School.

The Pepin County Board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on a Lake Pepin Habitat Restoration Project Funding, a resolution to eliminate the Badge Care Eligibility Cliff, and adoption of the outdoor recreation plan for 2022-2027.  Tonight's meeting begins at 7pm at the County Board Room at the Government Center in Durand and will also be live-streamed via zoom on the Pepin County Website.

Local EMS  and Ambulance services could benefit under a funding plan proposed by Governor Evers.  During his State of the State Address last night,  Evers announced a plan to support and stabilize Wisconsin’s emergency medical services (EMS) system across the state with a nearly $30 million investment. The governor’s plan includes efforts to supplement the Funding Assistance Program (FAP), which provides annual grants to all public ambulance service providers, including volunteer fire departments, nonprofits, and counties and municipalities, create a new grant program to help those providers who are not eligible for FAP, and fund a 16 percent reimbursement rate increase for private and municipal ambulance providers for emergency medical transportation.

Prosecutors in La Crosse County have added a charge against the suspect in a drive-by shooting.  W-K-B-T Television reports 22-year-old Julius Lloyd of La Crosse was already charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide connected to the incident last April.  During a hearing, Monday morning the La Crosse County District Attorney’s Office added a fifth felony charge for discharging a firearm.

The two candidates for Holmen School Board whose pictures appeared on Reddit next to a racist message have condemned the post.  W-K-B-T Television reports candidates Josh Neumann and Chad Updike are pictured on what appears to be a flyer containing the message: “Keep Holmen Schools White and Christian.”  Neumann and Updike say they are the victims of a “disgusting and vile fake political ad” and they have urged the other candidates to join them in calling for an investigation by the La Crosse County District Attorney.

The last Afghan refugees departed from Fort McCoy on Tuesday.  The Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday that all refugees from Afghanistan that were temporarily housed at Fort McCoy are now resettled. According to a DHS release, the Wisconsin base is the seventh of eight Department of Defense locations housing Afghans that has completed operations. There were 12,600 evacuees temporarily housed at Fort McCoy, part of over 76,000 refugees who came to the U.S. as part of Operation Allies Welcome.

Minnesota courts are ordering new legislative and congressional district boundaries because state lawmakers could not agree. As expected, changes to the 2nd Congressional District appear to be potentially the most significant politically. That district, which extends from the southeast suburbs of the Twin Cities along the Mississippi River, is represented by Democrat Angie Craig and is on the national list of most hotly contested races. Wabasha and Goodhue counties will no longer be in the 2nd District -- they'll become part of the 1st District, which extends across southern Minnesota. The new 2nd District will now extend west to Le Sueur County, just north of Mankato.

A bill that would help spread fiber broadband into rural areas passed the State Senate on Tuesday. Bill author Senator Howard Marklein says the Broadband Expansion Grant Program needs more guidance to get into low population areas.   A similar bill in the state assembly would also spend some of the Biden Instructructure Bill on wireless broadband in those areas. 

There was a smoke-filled room at the Wisconsin Capitol building Tuesday, but this wasn’t a bunch of politicians puffing on cigars while negotiating bills.  Capitol police evacuated the building after fire alarms went off and the smoke was filling the media room.  Reporters said they smelled something like burnt rubber Tuesday morning.  The alarms began sounding shortly before the Wisconsin Senate was about to convene for a floor session.  No injuries were reported and officials haven’t said what caused the problem.

Concordia University in Mequon is doing what it can to help with the current shortage of teachers.  The university received approval from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction to offer a three-year bachelor’s degree in elementary education.  Students can take the courses online.  Concordia offers programs for secondary social studies and English and it is working on putting together programs for math and special education teachers.  Officials at the school say they get phone calls from local school districts every day asking for help filling teaching positions.

Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce is reporting one-third of the state’s businesses are planning to raise wages by more than four percent this year. The news release says just six months ago only one-fourth of businesses were planning raises that big. W-M-C spokesman Nick Novak says the good news is that workers are likely to see a pretty significant raise. Novak says the unfortunate thing is that companies are doing this because there is a lack of workers. Nearly 90-percent of companies in the state say they are having trouble filling open positions.

A package of bills aimed at limiting UW-System interactions with China and Chinese institutions was approved in the State Senate on Tuesday. Republicans say the bills will limit Chinese intellectual theft and propaganda, but State Senator Bill Wirch says it's only trying to rile up fears.  Another provision in the bills would limit cultural exchanges with Chinese nationals and require the UW-System to find out if potential incoming students were members of the People's Liberation Army.

The Minnesota Senate is voting to use one million dollars for a marketing and advertising campaign to publicly promote the importance of peace officers. Roseville Democrat John Marty says, "it's really insensitive at this time to be talking about using taxpayer money to run an advertising campaign," following the Minneapolis police killing of Amir Locke. Fairmont Republican Julie Rosen says Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told her M-P-D is down over 300 officers and he requested some kind of promotional campaign.  There's also a million dollars to increase funding for the "Pathways to Policing" program that backers say helps candidates from non-traditional backgrounds enter law enforcement.

Members of the Minnesota Special Redistricting Panel have released state maps just ahead of the deadline.  The Legislature and the governor had until today (Tuesday) to produce maps including new political district boundaries based on the 2020 Census.  The state Supreme Court established the panel last June.  The new maps have been posted on the Minnesota Judicial Branch website on the “Special Redistricting Page.”  People who lack internet access can find the information on computer terminals in county courthouses across the state no later than February 21st.

A postal worker delivering mail in Madison has been arrested for driving drunk. W-M-T-V reports the incident happened Thursday afternoon near the Atwood Festival venue when Michael Weerts was on his mail route. Police say his head was slumped over when they pulled him over, and that he had slurred speech and smelled of alcohol. Authorities also say Weerts failed field sobriety tests and said, “it’s because I’m intoxicated” after failing one of them. Witnesses also told police they saw him stumbling and falling outside an apartment building.

Local-Regional News Feb 15

 Two people were injured in a one-vehicle accident in Oak Grove Township on Sunday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 16yr old Fletcher Wheadon of River Falls was traveling westbound on Hwy 29, when he lost control of the vehicle, entered the north ditch, and rolled over.    Wheadon and passenger 16yr old Davis Wheadon were taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

A Mondovi man has been sentenced to prison after being convicted of sexual assault charges.  In October, a Buffalo County jury found Rex Bigger guilty of sexually assaulting a girl numerous times between 2011-2013.   Bigger was sentenced to 35yrs in prison Monday in Buffalo County Court.

The Durand City council is still reviewing possible projects for the ARPA funds that were received last year.  City Administrator Rassmuesson told council members that clarification of the rules for the funding has been released by the Treasury Department.  The city could use the funds for a capital project like sewer or water line replacement or even a revenue loss adjustment.  The city received just under $180,000.  

Beginning today face masks will no longer be required but instead recommended inside Eau Claire High Schools and Middle Schools.  School officials said with a lowering COVID-19 case rate, availability of testing, and vaccine availability for students, they are now leaving the decision to wear a mask up to families.   Elementary schools will have the changes begin next Monday.   Masks will still be required on school busses and those that return to school between days 6 and 10 after a positive Covid-19 test or exposure.

Three people died in snowmobile crashes over the weekend, including a 71-year-old man has in Polk County. It happened Saturday in St. Croix Falls Township when an unidentified man lost control while driving his snowmobile along a marked trail. The Wisconsin DNR  reports the man was ejected from his snowmobile and suffered fatal injuries. The Polk County Sheriff's Office is investigating whether alcohol played a role in the fatal crash.    DNR Wardens are reminding everyone to obey speed limits, wear their helmets and get safety training.

The Evers administration is offering grants for K-12 teacher training and recruitment.  The will state offer one million dollars through the Teacher Training and Recruitment Grant program. That’s according to a Monday announcement from the office of Governor Tony Evers. Nonprofit organizations can apply for funding to recruit, train and license teachers, to meet state Department of Public Instruction guidelines for serving low-income or urban area school districts. The grants were made available through the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

 State Representative David Steffen has suspended his effort to do away with the Stadium District in Green Bay.  Fox-11 Television reports the decision comes after Steffen met last week with Stadium District Chairman Chuck Lamine and executive director Pat Webb.  The Republican Steffen says they agreed the Stadium District should expand and enhance the transparency and financial oversight of Lambeau Field expenses covered by taxpayers.  He has proposed late last year to dissolve the Stadium District.  The Green Bay Packers had threatened legal action if that happened.

Thirty-two schools and bus companies in Minnesota are getting state grants to install stop-arm camera systems. The state Office of Traffic Safety is awarding more than three-and-a-half million dollars as part of a joint school bus safety effort with the Minnesota State Patrol. Traffic Safety director Mike Hanson says the camera grant project is a significant effort to keep kids safe, hold selfish or inattentive drivers accountable, and change dangerous driving choices.” Law enforcement in Minnesota cited 769 drivers for stop-arm violations in 2021.

U-S Senator Ron Johnson says it is unfortunate that Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to isolate himself from the West.  The Wisconsin Republican spoke Saturday night at the Eau Claire County Lincoln Day Dinner.  Johnson says the best way to lead in a situation like this is through strength, but he doesn’t feel President Joe Biden is doing that effectively.  He says things wouldn’t go easy for Putin if he decides to invade Ukraine.  Johnson says Russia would pay a very high price.  He doesn’t expect American troops to be sent to Ukraine if Russia does invade.  Johnson would expect major sanctions to be put in place against the invaders.

The family of plane crash victim Deb Velleman says credit for the recovery of her body should go only to Keith Cormican, a diver from Black River Falls.  Velleman and another woman went missing when their plane crashed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Panama last month.  Velleman’s husband, the pilot, and another passenger were rescued – but two bodies were still missing.  Cormican is the founder of Bruce’s Legacy, a nonprofit dive organization.  He flew down and – despite some Panamanian government interference – was able to recover the two bodies.

Governor Tony Evers wants to release a list of bars, restaurants, and other businesses that had coronavirus cases. The Wisconsin Supreme Court will decide if that can move forward. The high court heard arguments from the governor’s people and Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce Monday. W-M-C sued the governor last year after he announced plans to release the list as part of his push to keep people safe from the virus. W-M-C and other business groups say releasing the names would scare customers away; creating a huge disadvantage for many businesses in Wisconsin. 

Dane County’s indoor mask mandate is set to end.  Public Health Madison Dane County announced Monday that the mask mandate will end on March 1st. Public Health Director Janel Heinrich said the decision “signals that we have made it through the Omicron surge and are entering a new stage of the pandemic.” Vaccinations, she says, have proven highly effective in protecting against severe illness, hospitalization, or death due to COVID-19. The Dane County mandate was put in place last August when the delta variant of COVID-19 was the dominant strain causing an uptick in cases. The final extension went into effect on February 1.

Some Minnesota home buyers are having a hard time finding homes to buy.  Minnesota Realtors C-E-O Chris Gallen says lack of inventory is a problem right now.  Home sales in the state were down by almost 10 percent in January when compared to last year.  Gallen says if there was a better inventory supply sales numbers would be significantly higher.  The median home sales price in the state rose eight-and-a-half percent to 295-thousand dollars.  Gallen says when you have more buyers than sellers it drives up the price.

The Thorp Police Department got a welcome phone call late last week when the U-S Marshals Service said it had taken a fugitive into custody.  Forty-year-old Glen Fifer was wanted on several charges including child sexual assault, resisting or obstructing an officer, O-W-I, operating while revoked, and failure to install an ignition interlock device.  The U-S Marshals say Fifer was living under a fake name 75 miles away in Warrens at a property owned by a family member.

Local-Regional News Feb 14

 During last week's city council meeting council members were reminded that it is election season and that the city cannot control the content of political signs or flags.  Durand Police Chief Stan Ridgeway says it's a first amendment right for those political signs regardless of the content, the only thing the police can enforce is where the sign is placed.  It is illegal to place any type of sign-on city right of way.  Ridgeway says the best way to avoid city right of way is to place the sign between your home and the sidewalk, not between the sideway and street.

The Durand City and Rural Fire Department released their annual report last week.  The City Fire Department responded to 52 incidents in 2021 with a total estimated loss of $226,500, while the Durand Rural Fire Department responded to 74 incidents with total estimated losses over just over $1.5 million dollars.

Wisconsinites in need of assistance for broadband internet service are reminded that the Affordable Connectivity Program is open for applications. This program - created through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,  provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for qualifying households on qualifying Tribal lands. The benefit also provides up to a $100 per household discount toward a one-time purchase of a computer, laptop, or tablet through a participating broadband provider.    Eligible households are encouraged to contact their broadband provider to find out if they qualify for the program.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled against the use of ballot drop boxes during the April general election.  Conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn joined the three liberal justices in a previous ruling that allowed the drop boxes to be used in the February primary.  There were concerns that voters would be confused by changing procedures on short notice.  Friday, Hagedorn and his fellow conservatives ruled out the ballot drop boxes for the April 5th general election.  The majority opinion said the Wisconsin Elections Commission would have adequate time to educate voters about the change.

Governor Tony Evers signed bills to finalize new contracts for state workers including state troopers, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and bricklayers. The legislation calls for raises ranging from one-point-two percent to one-point-eight percent. The University of Wisconsin-Madison and the U-W system also finalized deals that would result in raises for the same group of professionals.

 Wisconsin D-N-R officials are reviewing a ruling by a U-S District Judge in California that puts gray wolves back on the federal Endangered Species List. U-S District Judge Jeffrey White reversed a November 2020 decision that removed the gray wolf from federal protections. White agreed with environmental groups in ruling that the U-S Fish and Wildlife Service improperly relied on inadequate and outdated state plans for wolf management when deciding to remove protections for wolves in Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

The Minnesota Senate is scheduled to vote today on spending two-point-seven billion dollars to replenish the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. The fund was depleted by impacts to employment from the reaction to COVID-19. Backers say if the legislature doesn't step in, businesses will be required to back-fill the unemployment fund by paying higher taxes. House Democrats have signaled they'd approve one billion dollars if Republicans in return agree to a billion dollars for COVID bonuses for front-line workers.

As discussions continue to swirl around a batch of fake Electoral College votes cast by members of the Republican Party after the 2020 elections, the Chairman of the state party says he wouldn't have stopped them. Paul Farrow tells WISN's UPFRONT that he approves of the effort.  Farrow was not the Republican chairman at that time. A number of elected Democrats, including Attorney General Josh Kaul and US Congressman Mark Pocan, are calling for legal action against the ten fake Electors.

 Racine County District Attorney Patricia Hanson is declining the sheriff’s request to prosecute members of the Wisconsin Elections Commission.  Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling had asked for charges against the five commission members last year for allowing changes to voting in nursing homes.  Hanson says she can’t charge them with crimes because they are out of her jurisdiction.  She also declined to bring charges against nursing home workers who helped residents cast absentee ballots.  The sheriff accuses the elections commission of enabling election fraud.  He has tried to make his case in front of several legislative committees.

There are concerns about fertilizer shortages for Minnesota farmers once spring fieldwork picks up. University of Minnesota Extension educator Brad Carlson says fertilizer is being produced on a broad scale, so there is a good supply. But, the high price of the product could have an impact. Carlson encourages farmers to plan for local availability issues by having a strategy and ordering exactly what they need ahead of time. He also says producers can save some money by not over-applying fertilizer on their fields.

At the Capitol, Republican lawmakers have introduced a parental bill of rights legislation.  The bill would establish parents’ and guardians’ rights over a child's religion, medical care and records, and education. In addition, it lays out a case for legal action in the form of lawsuits, in the event those rights are violated by government organizations or officials. Other parental rights included in the measure include determining the pronouns used for a child at school, opting their children out of a class if they don't like the subject matter, as well as the right to request when certain subjects will be taught or discussed.

The University of Wisconsin in Madison’s outgoing leader says politics is the biggest threat to the university.  Chancellor Rebecca Blank says Wisconsin’s political divide is a threat to the university’s support. In her final report to the Board of Regents Thursday, she said politicians are using the university in their partisan “wars,” and calls that an existential threat to the U-W Madison. Blank has been chancellor at U-W Madison since 2013. She’s leaving Wisconsin at the end of the academic year. She’ll take over as president of Northwestern University this fall.

Many observers say Minnesota could have an even larger budget surplus than the record seven-point-seven billion dollars when an updated economic forecast comes out in a few weeks. Bolstering that opinion is the latest monthly report showing Minnesota tax collections 25 percent higher than expected in January.  Corporate tax collections comprised the vast majority of it, at 642 million dollars, but individual income tax revenues were 42 million dollars less than expected. State budget officials as standard procedure urge caution in drawing conclusions from monthly numbers, noting there can be wide variations from month to month. House Republicans say there's a possibility the next forecast could show a surplus over 10 billion dollars -- around one-fifth of the state budget -- which would make the tax-versus-spend debate even more heated at the Capitol.

 Colby cheese is one step closer to becoming Wisconsin's state cheese. A bill naming Colby as the state's official cheese was approved in a Senate committee on Friday. The bill's authors, Representative Kathy Bernier and Senator Donna Rozar both say that Wisconsin should be honoring an original cheese invention, with a unique history for the state. The Colby cheese process was invented in Colby in 1885, and it is now one of the most popular cheese varieties in the country.

Local-Regional News Feb 11

 The City of Durand met with members of the Durand Swim Club recently to get an update on the fundraising for the Tarrant Park Pool Project.  The Swim Club continues to work toward its goal of raising an additional 100,000 before March 1st.  If the goals are met, the city would move forward with the project with planning beginning in March, demolition of the old pool, and construction of the new pool beginning in August of this year with the new pool opening in June of 2023.  

The Pepin County Sheriff's Department is asking businesses and property owners that have a security camera installed to contact the department.  Authorities are asking to know where the cameras are and how to get ahold of the owner so that it would save them time in solving crimes.  If you own a security camera you are asked to contact the Pepin County Sheriffs Department to answer a few questions.  Your answers will remain private and will only be used by the Pepin County Sheriffs Department, Durand Police, Pepin Police, and Wisconsin State Patrol.

Drivers are hoping the High Bridge in downtown Eau Claire will be opened to traffic soon.  WQOW-TV reports the contractor is scheduled to have all repairs completed by the end of the month.  City engineers say that means the bridge that has been closed for more than six months could be opened up sometime in March.  Structural damage in the form of a significant crack in the structure’s third limestone pier caused the shutdown last June.  When it’s done the total cost of the project should approach three million dollars.  Some design changes pushed the price higher.

Local officials say Valley View Mall in La Crosse will remain open as it goes through the foreclosure process.  The mall has been open for more than 40 years.  W-K-B-T reports the next step is a sale set for March 8th.  Mall manager Jeff Odom has sent a letter to tenants telling them it will be business as usual as the sale moves forward.  Construction on a Hy-Vee store is continuing with an opening expected in late summer or early fall.

A woman from southeast Minnesota has told members of Congress about the importance of high-speed internet access.  Michelle Schroeder of rural Welch testified Wednesday during a U-S House committee hearing.  Schroeder said she feels rural Minnesota has been left behind.  She says failing to have a good internet connection can cause problems when meetings are held on ZOOM.  She told lawmakers she hopes the new infrastructure law will bring faster broadband service to her part of Minnesota.  She was invited to speak by Congresswoman Angie Craig.

 California judge has placed gray wolves back on the federal Endangered Species List.  U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White Thursday reversed a November 2020 decision that removed the gray wolf from federal protections. White agreed with environmental groups, in ruling that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service improperly relied on inadequate and outdated state plans for wolf management when deciding to remove protections for wolves in Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is reviewing the ruling.

Wisconsin Democrat Senator Tammy Baldwin wants to move forward on reforming the filibuster. At the very least, Baldwin says that the Senate should do away with anonymous holds on bills and require anyone wanting to filibuster to come to the floor.   This is the so-called "speaking filibuster" and Baldwin says it will give anyone who has issues with a bill a chance to speak their mind, answer questions and then allow the entire Senate to vote on the measure. 

Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Tony says his office is charging five people with voter fraud.  WBAY-TV reports they are accused of illegally registering to vote by using a P-O Box for a residence address from a U-P-S store in Fond du Lac.  Three of the five people voted in the November 2020 presidential election and at least one voted for former President Donald Trump.  The five facing felony charges have been identified as Markeis Carter, Sam Wells, Jamie Marie Wells, Jeffrey Testroete, and Lawrence Klug.

A state legislator appears poised to enter the Republican primary for governor.  State Representative Tim Ramthun has an event scheduled for Saturday in Kewaskum, where he’s expected to announce his campaign. A “Ramthun for Governor” website went live Wednesday night but was quickly taken down. Rebecca Kleefisch and Kevin Nicholson are already in the race. Ramthun was in the news recently for demanding an audit of Wisconsin’s voting machines, accusing Assembly Speaker Robin Vos of colluding with Hillary Clinton on ballot drop boxes, and losing his one capitol staffer as a result.

The driver accused in a fatal hit-and-run that left a La Follette High School student dead has entered a not guilty plea.  W-I-S-C reports Sadarius Goodall is charged with two felonies in the January 15th incident.  The not guilty plea was entered on his behalf Wednesday afternoon and he was bound over for trial.  Fourteen-year-old student Jeremiah Broomfield was the victim.  A woman who was in the car with Goodall originally said she was the driver, but she changed her story when inconsistencies were pointed out during an interview.

The Barron County Sheriff’s Department reports two people were arrested after a four-hour standoff in neighboring Polk County Monday morning.  W-E-A-U reports 58-year-old Todd Hillman and 37-year-old Ruby Edwards were taken into custody.  Deputies were responding to a domestic incident.  They were told shots had been fired at a car and a home.  Hillman finally came out after four hours of negotiations.  He told deputies no one else was inside, but a police dog found Edwards hiding in an attic crawl space.  She was named on an arrest warrant for failing to appear in court.

Months after Minnesota lawmakers reached a deal to pay the state’s frontline workers a bonus, those payments still haven’t gone out. The D-F-L got its latest proposal through a committee Wednesday. The bill would increase the 250 million dollars set aside to four times that amount. Supporters point to the state’s anticipated budget surplus of nearly eight billion dollars. Lawmakers admit the bonus checks are long overdue. Senate Republicans have indicated they don’t want to quadruple the original amount. The plan approved Wednesday would pay 667-thousand frontline workers 15-hundred dollars apiece.

The man who led Milwaukee authorities to the body of a three-year-old boy had been granted immunity by prosecutors.  W-I-S-N reports 21-year-old Robert Williams was told he wouldn’t be prosecuted if he led investigators to Major Harris’ body.  The boy had been the subject of an Amber Alert and a region-wide search for several days before he was found.  His mother, Mallery Muezenberger, had been found dead and the man accused of killing her, Jaheem Clark, apparently committed suicide.  Four days later police were led to the dead boy.

Minnesota’s tourism industry has been one of the hardest hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a nearly 12-billion dollar loss since January of 2020. But visitors are starting to return in greater numbers. Explore Minnesota Tourism Director Lauren Bennett-McGinty says auto travel is big, and as a result, they’re seeing a lot of cabins and resorts getting decent numbers. She added that outdoor recreation is also driving much of the comeback. Another promising sign -- venues are again booking conventions, sporting events, and concerts.

Local-Regional News Feb 10

 The Durand City Council has lent its support to a group wanting to have a dog park in Durand.  At last night's council meeting, members approved a resolution supporting the Durand Dog Park group's effort to apply for grants and other fundraising for the park.  The proposed park would be located on 2 acres of the O.C. Hansen park, which is land off of Marilyn Avenue that was donated to the city by the Hansen family for the construction of a city park.

The Durand Police Department is reminding residents to keep their vehicles locked.  Chief Stan Ridgeway reported that there was a vehicle theft earlier this month in the city.  The chief also reported a second theft of a catalytic converter.  The Buffalo County Sheriff's Department reported that a catalytic converter was stolen during the daytime from a vehicle that was parked on Hwy 25 between Nelson and Wabasha.  The owner of the vehicle was ice fishing at the time of the theft and discovered the theft when they returned to their vehicle and started it.  

The U-S Army Corps of Engineers will begin its annual ice measurements on Lake Pepin next week.  Hydrographic survey chief Al VanGuilder says what they find will signal when shipping might begin on the Upper Mississippi River this spring. He says the towing industry has used the first tow of the season to break through the ice and they want to do that with the least amount of ice possible. VanGuilder says the tows want around 12 to 14 inches and that’s typically the ice thickness in the middle of March time frame. Crews will measure the ice weekly as conditions can change rapidly this time of year.

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has approved a plan by Xcel Energy to close all of its coal plants in the next eight years.  Tuesday’s vote was unanimous.  The utility giant proposed its “alternative plan” last summer calling for the addition of more than 46 hundred megawatts of renewable energy sources over the next decade.  Two transmission lines would be built connecting western Wisconsin to the existing grid.  Carbon-free resources would be used for 81 percent of the electricity Xcel generates by 2032.  At that point, the utility’s carbon emissions would be reduced by 86 percent compared to 2005 levels.

The Wisconsin Department is reporting one Wisconsin resident has died from listeria that was traced back to packaged salads from Dole.  The department is urging anyone that may still have the packaged salads with a best if used by date from 11/30/21-1/9/22  with the product lot codes beginning with the letter 'B', 'N', 'W', or 'Y'. to not eat them and return them to where they were purchased.    The products were also sold under the names Ahold, Dole, HEB, Kroger, Lidl, Little Salad Bar, Marketside, Naturally Better, Nature's Promise, President's Choice, and Simply Nature. 

The state legislature's joint finance committee has approved spending nearly 200 million dollars on child care in Wisconsin. Committee Cochair Representative Mark Born says those federal funds were already earmarked, but they needed to sign off on the plan from the Department of Children and Families.   Other items that got approved on Wednesday include funding for state agriculture grants and boosts to nursing training.

Two thousand employees of American Family Insurance will be getting a substantial raise next summer.  W-I-S-C reports the Madison-based company announced Wednesday it will be raising its minimum wage to 23 dollars an hour in July.  Workers in the call center and claims area will be getting the boost.  Company officials say this is part of their effort to draw in talent, then retain them.  American Family had announced in January 2020 that it was raising its minimum wage to 20 dollars an hour.

 A Minnesota man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly aiming a laser beam at an aircraft last October.  Forty-two-year-old Nicholas James Link’s first federal court appearance hasn’t been scheduled yet.  The indictment was unsealed Tuesday.  The U-S Attorney for Wisconsin’s Western District accuses Link of aiming the beam of a laser pointer at a Delta Airlines jet and a Minnesota State Patrol aircraft October 29th, 2021.  He was in Wisconsin at the time.  If convicted he could be sentenced to five years in federal prison.

A plan to hire more campus police officers is one of the new safety measures coming to Marquette University.  President Michael R. Lovell noted that Milwaukee is experiencing “higher than usual” rates of crime – leading to the decision to enhance security.  T-M-J-4 reports several recent incidents affecting the campus were cited.  Lovell calls a “safe campus community” paramount.  Four officers will be added, then deployed to the areas where most crime takes place.  A President’s Task Force on Community Safety is being launched.

There’s more money available for local communities to look for so-called “forever chemicals” in their water.   Governor Evers’ office says Wisconsin will use 600- thousand dollars in federal money to pay for local water testing. PFAS testing has been a priority of the Evers administration. It’s not known yet which communities will share the money. 

Prosecutors would need a judge’s permission to dismiss some gun charges under a proposal from a Republican state legislator.  Republican state Senator Van Wanggaard says he doesn’t want prosecutors tossing out weapons charges as part of plea deals, or to avoid lengthy trials. Wanggaard says too many felons are getting away with carrying guns in Wisconsin. Democrat Lena Taylor counters Wisconsin cannot, quote, “mass-incarcerate” its way out of violent crime. She warns that putting limits on prosecutors will mean more people in jail, and longer waits for trials.

The University of Minnesota will not extend its temporary COVID-19 vaccine mandate or proof of negative test requirement. The order issued on January 6th expired Wednesday. The policy was put in place as the omicron variant was spreading rapidly. There is still a face mask requirement for all indoor Gopher athletics events on campus.

Wauwatosa police are releasing more details about the incident at a George Webb restaurant last month that resulted in a server being shot in the face.  W-I-S-N reports twin sisters Breanta and Bryanna Johnson have been charged with one count each of attempted first-degree intentional homicide.  Investigators say the sisters were part of a group of four women who argued with two servers because they didn’t feel they were getting the food they ordered fast enough.  The 26-year-old victim is expected to survive.

A driver who was going 112 miles an hour on a freeway in Eau Claire County is going to lose his license for 15 days.  The Wisconsin State Patrol issued a citation earlier this month.  When he was stopped, the driver told troopers he was “running late for a party” – according to a post on the Patrol’s Facebook page.  The speed limit where he was going so fast was 70 miles an hour.  The driver’s name hasn’t been released.  The social media post says, “The party will always be there.  Please slow down and arrive alive.”