Local-Regional News March 22

 Over a dozen fire departments from Buffalo, Dunn, Pepin, Trempealeau, and Wabasha Counties responded to a barn fire Sunday morning in rural Buffalo County.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department, firefighters were called to the barn fire on Hwy N in the Town of Lincoln early Sunday morning.  When firefighters arrived they found the barn fully engulfed.    Crews were on the scene for nearly five hours, but the barn and nearby buildings could not be saved.  Over 100 head of cattle were killed in the blaze.  The cause of that fire is still under investigation.

The 2022 shipping season is now officially underway on the Upper Mississippi River. Melanie Peterson with the Army Corps of Engineers says the motor vessel “W-Red Harris” broke through the ice Monday at Lake Pepin. She says it’s the very first sign of spring and they’re excited to see ships and barges and tows going through our locks and dams. The Red Harris came from St. Louis and was pushing nine barges carrying fertilizer. The average opening date of the Upper Mississippi navigation season is March 20th.

Minnesota Congresswoman Angie Craig is co-sponsoring a bill aimed at replacing Russian oil with American biofuels. The Home Front Energy Independence Act would expand production, make E-15 available year-round, establish an E-15 tax credit, and help retailers get equipment to offer renewable fuels. Craig says in a statement, “as we work to lessen our dependence on foreign energy producers and hold Russia accountable for its unjustified invasion of Ukraine, our bipartisan legislation to prioritize home-grown domestic biofuels should be taken up without delay.” The bill would also codify into law full restrictions on U-S purchases of Russian oil.

Democrat Mark Lindquist of Moorhead says he’s suspending his campaign for U-S House in Minnesota’s 7th Congressional District so he can do humanitarian work at Poland’s border with Ukraine. Lindquist says, “if they eventually let me in the Territorial Defense, that’s where I’ll take my orders from.” The Air Force veteran says he’s also raising money for a vehicle to shuttle Ukrainian refugees to Poland. Lindquist says he feels like this is where he’s needed most and hasn’t decided whether he’ll eventually resume his campaign for Congress. He planned to challenge freshman Republican Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach in November.

Another mining group from Canada wants to take a shot at opening sulfide mining operations in northern and central Wisconsin. Green Light Metals says it’s ready to explore a pair of metal mining deposits near Wausau and the Chequomaegon Nicolet National Forest. The company bought out those rights last year from Aquila Resources of Toronto for seven million dollars. Republicans led an effort to change Wisconsin laws to allow for metal mining in 2017, but Aquila never actually went through with the plan to open up either mining site. The Department of Natural Resources says Green Light will have to go through the entire permitting process all over again.

The city of Rhinelander will use more than one-point-five million dollars in federal funds to help clean up PFAS contamination in municipal water wells. City Administration Zach Vruwink tells W-A-O-W T-V the money arrives at just the right time. Rhinelander has been dealing with PFAS contamination for the last two years and is one of dozens of areas statewide looking to remove the so-called "forever chemicals" from their water.

Three of the country's largest credit reporting agencies are removing nearly 70% of medical debt from consumer credit reports, the companies announced in a joint statement Friday. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion will eliminate billions of dollars from the accounts of consumers who faced unexpected medical bills that they were unable to pay.   The announcement follows research from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau showing that Americans had racked up $88 billion in medical debt on consumer credit records as of June 2021. It's the most common debt collection credit account on credit records, the CFPB said.  Starting July 1, paid medical collection debt will no longer be included on consumer credit reports. Millions of Americans had credit scores previously lowered because debts paid after being sent to collections could appear on credit reports for up to seven years.

Groups pushing discredited election fraud theories will be making their case at the State Capitol. The group “True the Vote” is scheduled to speak before the Wisconsin Assembly’s elections committee on Thursday -- and a group calling itself “Grandpa and Grandma” says it plans to block Madison traffic with recreational vehicles in May to protest alleged voter fraud. Last week, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos met with people who want to decertify Wisconsin’s 2020 electors -- something lawmakers and experts maintain can’t be done.

Authorities have arrested a 48-year-old man in Monroe County after allegedly fleeing from officers and driving at speeds of over 110 miles per hour. W-X-O-W Television reports that the suspect was spotted in La Crosse County driving a Black Chevy Equinox with the headlights turned off, which sparked the two-county chase on Highway 27. The chase ended when Monroe County deputies used spike strips to stop the driver, who then struck a guardrail. The suspect, Chad Raymond Weaver, is charged with Operating Under the Influence for the sixth time. He’s also charged with felony fleeing an officer, felony bail jumping, and second-degree recklessly endangering safety.

Milwaukee officials are scheduled to make their official bid tomorrow (Tuesday) to host the Republican National Convention in 2024. W-I-S-N Television reports that R-N-C chairwoman Ronna McDaniel spent last week visiting with city officials and confirmed that Milwaukee and Nashville are the final two contenders. A final decision is due sometime this summer. Milwaukee hosted a downsized Democratic National Convention in 2020 with several events held remotely and live-streamed due to the pandemic. The city has never hosted the G-O-P convention.

 A legislative auditor’s report finds the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development is falling short on detecting fraud in Minnesota’s Unemployment Insurance program, either by impostors or through identity theft. Republican Representative Rod Hamilton from Mountain Lake says the report’s very first recommendation was having the legislature “require DEED to report on a regular basis about fraud in the U-I program.” DEED officials say a drastic increase in U-I applications during the pandemic strained their ability to perform standard fraud prevention and detection processes. Hamilton says there needs to be “more transparency,” and that the department should have the necessary tools and resources to fight fraud.

A new report from the Wisconsin Hospital Association shows unprecedented vacancy rates in health care professions. Ann Zenk with the W-H-A notes it’s been a developing concern for years. She says their workforce can’t grow fast enough to keep up with the demands of an aging population, as more and more of Wisconsin’s population retires -- which took an even bigger jump during the pandemic. The combined factors resulted in an increase in vacancies in 13 of 17 professions tracked in W-H-A’s Health Care Workforce Report. Registered nurse vacancy rates were the highest they’ve been since 2005.

It’s pothole season in Minnesota. M-N-DOT’s Anne Meyer says people need to be mindful of where potholes may be forming and to not drive over them too fast, which can do some potential damage. She says crews are out patching potholes now until more permanent fixes can be applied in the summer and fall. If you see or hit, a pothole on a highway, you can report it at D-O-T-Dot-State-dot-M-N-dot-U-S, then look for the “Report a pothole” link on the home page.

Local-Regional News March 21

 Two Barron County Sheriff's Deputies fell through the ice rescuing a snowmobiler on Saturday.  According to the Barron County Sheriff's Department, deputies arrived on the scene early Saturday morning at Prairie Lake and made their way on the ice to find the man who had fallen into the water.  While attempting to rescue the man the ice gave way and the two deputies fell into the water.  One deputy held onto the snowmobiler while firefighters rescued all three.  One deputy and the snowmobiler were taken to the hospital, the other deputy suffered minor injures but remained on scene.

A woman who sued the Fall Creek School District over its COVID-19 policies has dismissed her lawsuit.  Gina Kildahl filed the lawsuit last year after she claimed her children contracted Covid-19 at the school and accused the district and school board of failure to implement reasonable safety measures.  Her attorney said they dropped the lawsuit as the issue is now moot given that the coronavirus level in the area is now low.

U.S. Rep. Angie Craig is officially announcing she will run for reelection this fall.  Craig issued a statement Sunday saying enthusiasm for her campaign is strong. Craig was first elected to Congress in 2018.  She represents Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District, which includes the Twin Cities’ far southeastern suburbs and rural parts of southeastern Minnesota including Wabasha and Goodhue Counties.  Republican Tyler Kistner is running for the seat. Craig narrowly defeated him in 2020.

Tommy Thompson’s time as University of Wisconsin System president is over.  Thompson stepped down Thursday. Wisconsin’s former long-time governor took over as interim system president in 2020, and announced plans to retire earlier this year. Milwaukee lawyer Jay Rothman will take over as System president on June 1st. Thompson might run for governor again. He served four terms in the 80s and 90s. He says he will make his decision in April. 

A Las Vegas man faces extradition back to Wisconsin for allegedly running from police in a stolen U-haul full of marijuana. Police are accusing 26-year-old Demandre Andrew-Tyshann Fraizer of fleeing from officers in a stolen U-Haul truck. The incident happened on Wednesday in Viroqua when police tried to talk to Fraizer about the stolen van. He fled from police and made it as far as Winona County in Minnesota before he was stopped by the police there. A large amount of marijuana was found inside the rental when police searched it. Frazier now faces several felonies including evading police and recklessly endangering safety.

Wisconsin Congressman Glenn Grothman is one of just a few lawmakers who voted against ending trade relations with Russia. Grothman joined 7 other lawmakers as the sole no votes on a bill that would curtail Russia's trade status. The bill allows the President to increase tariffs with Russia and neighboring Belarus. Grothman tells the Journal Sentinel that he opposes an expansion of the Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which allows the US and other countries to issue sanctions against individual people for contributing to human rights abuses. He claims it could be used against people who have Christian beliefs.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce Solar for Schools Program will award about seven-point-five-million dollars in grants for up to 80 schools in 45 school districts in Greater Minnesota. The Commerce Department's Mo Schriner says the program hopes to provide savings and learning opportunities. Grants will cover up to 95-percent of costs for the schools, based on their financial need, allowing schools to install solar panels on school rooftops or school grounds.

As mobile carriers phase out their 3-G networks to make room for more advanced services like 5-G, customers need to be aware the transition could impact devices other than phones. Madison College Professor Steve Noll says there are a lot of other devices that may still use older 3-G technology -- they include medical alert necklaces and bracelets, smartwatches, older tablets, and crash alert systems in cars. Some of those have already been turned off -- A-T-and-T has already shut down its 3-G network, and other carriers are set to do so later this year. Noll says if you’re unsure, check directly with your provider.

Sunday the Gloria De Lutheran Church in Duluth celebrated 80 years of broadcasting weekly services on the radio. Pastor David Carlson told K-D-A-L the church began the broadcasts in 1942 and is believed to be the longest continuing broadcast of church services in the country. He says the broadcast began with the straightforward purpose of giving more people a chance to participate in services each week.

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A Wisconsin man has been arrested for his part in the riot at the U-S Capitol last year. Twenty-three-year-old Riley Kasper of Pulaski faces felonies in the case, including assaulting police and civil disorder. Prosecutors say Kasper sprayed Capitol Police with pepper spray and forced his way into the Capitol building. They also say Kasper bragged about the attack on Facebook, saying “I pepper-sprayed three cops so bad they got undressed and went home,” and that the event was like “the most real version of paintball ever.”

 Wisconsin Secretary of State Doug LaFollette announces he’s seeking a 12th term in office. The Democrat says he opposes Republican proposals to give the partisan office oversight of elections. He says two years ago he might have made a different decision, “but now with the integrity of this office at risk,” many people have urged him to run for reelection. LaFollette says in his entire 44 years in office, the Secretary of State has never been involved in election supervision. There are four Republican candidates for secretary of state, including state Representative Amy Loudenbeck, and all have said the office should oversee elections.

Governor Tony Evers says he will not endorse a candidate in the Democratic primary for U-S Senate.   Evers says all the candidates in the crowded field are good people, and that as the highest-ranking elected Democrat in Wisconsin, it would be wrong to pick just one. That’s even though the widely-perceived frontrunner is his own lieutenant governor, Mandela Barnes. Eleven Democrats are running in the August primary for a chance to unseat incumbent Republican Ron Johnson.

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar is continuing a push to lower prescription drug costs -- especially for seniors. Klobuchar is advocating for legislation that requires Medicare to negotiate for less expensive drugs from drug companies. She says people “would be shocked to know that Medicare is banned from negotiating right now, whereas the Veterans Administration DOES negotiate” with drug companies, resulting in lower costs for veterans. Klobuchar says U-S consumers pay the highest drug prices in the world. She and fellow Minnesota Senator Tina Smith today (Friday) join leaders of A-A-R-P to discuss progress being made in trying to lower costs.

More than half of rural Minnesota counties lack hospital-based birthing services. The Rural MOMS Act was co-sponsored by Minnesota Senator Tina Smith and has now been signed into law. Smith says the legislation will provide grants to connect patients to needed care, expand telehealth, and provide training for clinicians to practice in rural community-based settings. With shortages of health care providers and a challenging payer mix, rural hospitals are more likely to close their labor and delivery units in order to make ends meet. Smith says the point was driven home to her when she heard that some women were making 200-mile round trips to get to their doctors.

Now that Winter’s over, be sure you trust where you’re storing your snowmobile or other winter equipment. State Consumer Protection director Michael Domke says that D-A-T-C-P has a list of trusted storage facilities. He says if something goes wrong or they find out they failed to fulfill their obligations or are operating a little bit outside the law -- there is protection for the consumer to potentially recoup some of their losses.” You can find that list online at D-A-T-C-P-dot-W-I-dot-U-S.

Local-Regional News March 18

 With nice weather expected this weekend, the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department is reminding residents that travel on designated roadways in Buffalo County for ATVs and UTVs are closed until April 1st. The department also is reminding residents that all ATVs and UTVs need to be registered before they can operate on the designated routes whether is for farm use or not.  For more information, contact the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department.

Rep. Ron Kind cosponsored and voted for bipartisan legislation to suspend normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus.  This legislation provides additional provisions to expand the United States’ trade tools to stop Russia’s unprovoked and unjust war on Ukraine and to hold Belarus accountable for its complicity.  If passed, the bill would allow the President time-limited authority to increase tariffs on products from Russia and Belarus until Jan 1st of 2024.

A bill prompted by the sex trafficking case of former Altoona Superintendent Dan Peggs was signed into law by Governor Tony Evers Thursday.  The bill, authored by local state Rep. Jesse James, allows one parent to petition a court to change the name of a child under 14, if the other parent has been convicted of certain homicide or sex crimes.  James wrote the bill due to the case of Peggs' ex-wife Ashley, who wants to change their children's last name, but learned that under state law, the court may require the consent of the other parent. Dan Peggs is serving an eight-year prison sentence for possessing child pornography.

The body of a missing UW-La Crosse Student has been found.  According to La Crosse Police, firefighters found the body of 25yr old Hamud Faal in the Mississippi River near the Division Street landing on Thursday.  Faal was last seen early in the morning on February 20th walking on Front Street.  He was found in 25ft of water and an investigation into the cause of death is underway.

A Minnesota native is believed to be one of the first U-S citizens to die in Russia’s war on Ukraine. The Ukrainian government confirms 67-year-old Jimmy Hill of Mahtomedi (mah-toe-MEE'-die) was killed Wednesday in Chernihiv, a city about 80 miles from Kyiv that has been suffering “heavy artillery” attacks. Cheryl Hill Gordon posted on Facebook that her brother was killed while “waiting in a bread line with several other people when they were gunned down by Russian military snipers. His body was found in the street by local police." Hill reportedly was gathering food for hospital patients. His longtime partner, a native of Ukraine, was hospitalized with multiple sclerosis and too sick to leave, as were the other remaining patients.

Congresswoman Angie Craig has introduced bipartisan legislation to stop improper payments to deceased Americans.  The Minnesota Democrat is teaming with Michigan Republican Congressman Peter Meijer.  The bill introduced this week would order the Social Security Administration to share its death data with the federal government’s “Do Not Pay” system.  The Government Accountability Office estimates improper payments throughout the federal government totaled an estimated 175-billion dollars in the most recent year the information is available – 2019.

Milwaukee is reportedly one of two finalist cities to host the Republican National Convention.  Two people close to the decision tell C-N-N the list of potential locations has been narrowed to Milwaukee and Nashville.  R-N-C Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel was in Milwaukee Wednesday for an official site visit.  Wisconsin’s largest city was supposed to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention but almost all events went “virtual” during the coronavirus pandemic.  Picking Milwaukee would put the Republican nominating convention in a key swing state.  Donald Trump won Wisconsin in 2016 but lost it in 2020.

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Officials with Georgia-Pacific say they will close the Day Street Mill in Green Bay in stages over the next 18 months.  Parts of the mill are closing at different times.  The company says tissue manufacturing will end in mid-May while other products will be shut down in September.  The mill will continue to make napkins until the fall of 2023.  About 190 jobs are affected by the decision to close.  Those employees will be given the opportunity to apply for open positions at other Georgia-Pacific locations.  The company blames changing customer demand, bath tissue upgrades, and investments at other company facilities for the move.

  A Wisconsin state representative who is running for governor says he was kicked out of a Wednesday meeting at the Capitol by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos.  Republican Timothy Ramthun was part of a heated discussion that went on during two meetings about election integrity.  Ramthun wants the results of the November 2020 presidential election in Wisconsin overturned.  Vos has repeatedly said such a move can’t be made legally by the Legislature.  Both Ramthun and Vos are Republicans.  Vos says he wants to focus on electing Republicans to be the state’s new governor and attorney general.  Ramthun says he wants further investigations and he says he plans to keep pushing for decertification of the election results.

 A Minnesota man living in Ukraine is unaccounted for after Russian soldiers took him off a bus headed for the Turkish border. Twenty-eight-year-old Tyler Jacob moved to Ukraine in January to live with his wife and teach English. His mother, Tina Hauser, told K-M-S-P Television that she hasn’t heard from her son since Saturday and doesn’t know if he’s alive, or if he’s eaten or slept. A video of him has surfaced showing him being interviewed on Russian T-V, but otherwise, she’s heard nothing about her son. The U-S Embassy in Moscow and Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office have both been in contact with Hauser, telling her that they’re trying to find Jacob.

The Kenosha police officer caught putting his knee on a student’s neck has left the school district.  The Kenosha school district says the officer resigned. The officer was caught on a cellphone video using his knee to control a 12-year-old girl after breaking-up a fight at school earlier this month. Her family says it wants a full investigation and wants the officer fired from the Kenosha police department. Kenosha police say they’re aware of the video, and are asking the public for patience during the internal investigation. 

Minnesota’s hospitality industry faces a years-long recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts project that the state’s hospitality and tourism industry lost over 15 billion dollars in revenue in a roughly two-year period. Hospitality Minnesota’s Ben Wogsland indicates times will likely remain tough – he says the industry is “facing inflation issues, supply chain challenges, and a workforce shortage like never before.” The hospitality field, which includes hotels and restaurants, has lost 32-thousand jobs since the pandemic began. Wogsland hopes lawmakers focus on workforce development and trying to find some relief -- either through direct assistance for those in need or through tax relief.

Local-Regional News March 16

 The Pepin County Sheriff's Department's K-9 unit assisted in finding a lost person last Friday.  According to the Sheriff's Department, deputies responded to a report of someone lost along Hwy P between Durand and Arkansaw.  K-9 Officer Jack was deployed to find the person and a short time later a female in distress was found.  The Sheriff's Department's drone was also used to help navigate the victim and responders back to safety.  At the time of the call, the temperatures were in the single digits.  The female was medically assessed by Durand Ambulance.

The City of River Falls is receiving $1.6 million in federal funding to improve the West Central Wisconsin Biosolids Facility.  The wastewater recycling facility serves 21 communities in Wisconsin and Minnesota.  The improvements to the facility would address end-product handling issues related to storage and improve product marketability, and upgrade infrastructure in need of repairs.  The money is coming from the Community Project Funding Request that was included in the recently approved Appropriations Package.

A 36-year-old Chippewa Falls man has been jailed for leading authorities on a chase through two counties.  Daniel Zelms faces multiple drug charges as well as reckless driving-endangering safety, and speeding.  W-E-A-U Television reports Lake Hallie police started the chase Sunday just before noon when officers say they saw Zelms speed through a red light.  He was finally stopped in Eau Claire but then refused to leave his vehicle.  After he was forcefully removed police found containers of meth and marijuana in the car.

An Eau Claire man who was involved in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, has received his sentence in federal court on Tuesday.   WQOW reports  Kevin Loftus was given three years probation, and he must pay $500 in restitution.   The sentence handed down by Judge Dabney L. Friedrich comes five months after Loftus pleaded guilty to parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building. He was arrested a week after the Capitol riot occurred. 

 Neillsville police report they have taken four people into custody for stealing gas from cars at Gross Motors earlier this month.  W-E-A-U Television reports the suspects are 18-year-old Alexander Drinka of rural Neillsville and three juveniles.  The dealership posted a Facebook notice last week that someone had drilled holes into the gas tank of a used vehicle on its lot and drained about 20-dollars’ worth of fuel.  Another vehicle at a second location in Neillsville had also had its gas tank drained.  Police say the suspects admitted stealing the gas.  Drinka reportedly said he and a 15-year-old boy used a cordless drill to puncture the gas tanks, then put the stolen fuel into empty bottles.

Classes were held as usual on Tuesday in Chippewa Falls after a threat was received Monday evening.  According to a letter sent to district families, someone overheard a gun threat towards the middle school during the last class of the day on Tuesday.  That was reported to the school resource officer and an investigation was conducted and students interviewed students Monday night at their homes.  After the investigation, it was determined the threat was not credible and classes would be held as normal on Tuesday with an increased law enforcement presence.  One student has been suspended until further notice.

The bi-annual requirement to change clocks across much of the United States got one step closer to ending.   The U.S. Senate passed legislation on Tuesday that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent. If the bill becomes law, clocks wouldn't change for Spring Forward or Fall Back every year.    The U.S. House still has to approve the Sunshine Protection Act bill before it would go to President Joe Biden for his consideration.

The Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Promotion Board is seeking staff to work at the Real Wisconsin Cheese Grill and the Dairyland Shake Shop during the 2022 Wisconsin State Fair, August 4 - 14, 2022.   The Real Wisconsin Cheese Grill is located in the Wisconsin Products Pavilion. Grilled cheese sandwiches are the featured item, but specialty cheese products such as fresh cheese curds, cheese sticks and cheese whips are also sold from the grill. Staff would be responsible for assisting with all aspects of making grilled cheese sandwiches and supporting sales of all cheese products.   The Dairyland Shake Shop is located adjacent to the Real Wisconsin Cheese Grill. Staff will be responsible for assisting with all aspects of pouring and selling shakes.   Interested applicants must be at least 16 years old, able to lift 50 pounds and stand for extended periods. Two different shifts are available each day, and preference will be given to applicants that can commit to working a minimum of six shifts during the fair.  Visit the Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Promotions Board for more information.

Congressman Mark Pocan is calling U-S Senator Ron Johnson a homophobe because the Republican has pulled his support from Pocan’s brother for a U-S District Court seat in Green Bay.  The Journal Sentinel reports Johnson initially supported Judge William Pocan – then blocked his nomination last month.  Both Pocan brothers are gay.  The senator’s office cited concerns over the low bail Pocan set in a case for a violent felon in Milwaukee County.  The Democratic congressman says he has been trying to get Johnson on the phone but the senator won’t take his calls.  Over the last year, Pocan has issued several dozen negative tweets about Johnson.

A former second-grade teacher in Green Bay has been ordered to stand trial for the alleged sexual assault of two students.  Investigators say the incidents happened in 2015 and 2016 at Baird Elementary.  W-L-U-K Television reports David Villareal is accused of touching the victims inappropriately.  Villareal has denied the accusations.  He is charged with two counts of first-degree child sex assault and one count of repeated sexual assault of the same child.  Villareal has resigned.

A warning for people on FoodShare in Wisconsin.  The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says it’s actively investigating reports of compromised FoodShare cards. The agency says anyone enrolled in the program needs to check their balances, check in with the agency that issues the cards, and change passwords and PINs. Health Services says people also need to report lost or stolen FoodShare cards immediately. 

Fewer and fewer people are in the hospital with the coronavirus in Wisconsin.  The Wisconsin Hospital Association says there were only 248 people with COVID-19 in Wisconsin hospitals late Monday. Only 53 were in intensive care units. Those numbers haven’t been that low since the end of last July.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is reminding anglers that fish houses on lakes in northern Minnesota need to be off the ice by Monday, March 21st. With warmer temperatures in the forecast, conservation officers are urging people to begin the process of removing permanent shelters early and taking their fishing gear and trash with them. As the use of wheelhouses has increased, there also have been additional instances of people dumping their sewage atop the ice. If shelters aren’t removed by the deadline, owners can be prosecuted, and structures may be confiscated and removed by a conservation officer. The removal deadline for Minnesota/Canada border waters is March 31st.

 A Minnesota native has won this year’s Iditarod Dog Sled Race in Alaska. Brent Sass crossed the finish line in Nome at 5:38 this morning, Alaska Time, or 8:38 A-M here in Minnesota. It’s his first Iditarod win, after finishing in third place last year. He took the lead about halfway through the race and told Alaska Public Media last night that he was “a little shocked” to be in the lead. Sass, who now lives in Eureka, Alaska, was born in Excelsior and raised in the Twin Cities.

Local-Regional News March 15

 A man convicted of hiding a corpse, maintaining a drug trafficking house and delivery of narcotics in connection with the death of Gilmanton native Toby Cleasby has been sentenced.  Eau Claire County Judge John Manydeeds sentenced Roger Minck to 12yrs in prison plus 10yrs of supervised release yesterday.    In 2109, Cleasby went to Minck's house to buy drugs and died of a drug overdose.  Minck then hid Cleasby's body in his brother's house.

 Security Financial Bank is hosting three free shredding events this spring in Bloomer, Black River Falls, and Durand for all community members to attend. Securely disposing of your outdated and confidential documents is encouraged to reduce the risk of fraud and identity theft.  The event in Durand will be on May 7th from 9-11am.  Confidential Records will shred documents onsite at SFB during the event.   There is no cost to this event; however, there is a limit of three boxes or bags per person. Only paper items will be accepted. The following items cannot be shredded: black butterfly clips, hanging file folders, three-ring binders, hard drives, magnetic tapes, and any plastic items.

The investigation into Wisconsin's 2020 election made national news on 60 Minutes this Sunday.   60 Minutes covered the continued efforts to either investigate or overturn Wisconsin's 2020 elections. Reporter Bill Whitaker talked with Secretary of State Doug Laafollate, Republican State Senator Kathy Bernier and Wisconsin Elections Commission director Meghan Wolfe on the topics, and all three shared similar views that the Republican-led investigation needs to end. Neither Assembly Speaker Robin Vos who ordered the investigation nor Mike Gableman who heads the investigation agreed to speak with CBS.

A state Democratic lawmaker says Republicans are to blame for local city governments taking private money to help run their elections. Representative Jodi Emerson from Eau Claire tells Capital City Sunday that Republican lawmakers have continually resisted increasing local aid to cities and counties. Over 200 governments in Wisconsin took money from a group backed by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg ahead of the 2020 presidential election.

The Chippewa Valley Regional Airport is losing its lone airline.  Skywest announced last week that it had filed a notice with the US Department of Transportation that it would be ending service to 29 regional airports, including Chippewa Valley Regional.  No flights have been canceled and Skywest said it would continue service until a new carrier is found.  There is no timeline as to when a new carrier would be found.

Wisconsin Democrats are planning to hold their first in-person state convention since 2019 in La Crosse.  W-K-B-T Television reports the event will be held at the La Crosse Center on June 25th and 26th.  If there are battleground states, then Western Wisconsin is something of a battleground region.  Voters in the 3rd Congressional District voted for Democratic Congressman Ron Kind while also voting for Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump in 2020.  Democrats like Governor Tony Evers and U-S Senator Tammy Baldwin also received majority support in that part of the state in 2018.

Wisconsin has its first case of highly pathogenic avian influenza since 2015.  The disease was found in a Jefferson County laying hen facility.  Labs are still working to narrow down which strain of the virus infected the Wisconsin flock. Commercial and backyard flock owners are being urged to do what they can to tighten biosecurity measures.

Starting this week, Wisconsin correctional officers and other state security officers are getting a pay increase of three dollars an hour.  W-B-A-Y reports the hike went into effect Sunday.  The state is pumping up the paycheck at a time the Wisconsin Department of Corrections and Department of Health Services are severely short-staffed.  State employees affected include correctional officers, sergeants, psychiatric care technicians, youth counselors, and supervisors.  More than five-thousand Wisconsin state employees will see bigger paychecks.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul is suing two companies for failing to address PFAS contamination.  Kaul says the complaint against Johnson Controls and Tyco Fire Products alleges the elevated levels were first observed in 2013 but it was years before the companies notified the D-N-R.  Tyco has told WisPolitics-dot-com it plans to “vigorously defend this lawsuit.”  The Department of Justice acknowledges the companies have taken steps to resolve the issue by working with residents and communicating with state agencies.  The contamination comes from testing firefighting foam at a location near Marinette.

Global food giant Cargill is reducing its business in Russia as a response to the attack on Ukraine. The Minnesota-based company issued a statement saying that the people of Ukraine are living an unthinkable and horrifying reality since their country was invaded.  Cargill says it has a long history in Russia, but in a time like no other, is scaling back business activities there and has stopped investment.  It will continue to operate essential food and feed facilities in Russia, calling food " a basic human right"  that should never be used as a weapon.  Cargill says it is sending profits from its operations to Ukrainian humanitarian efforts and food programs.

U-S Senator Tina Smith says Minnesota will be getting 130-million dollars in federal funding to support several projects across the state. The include 500-thousand dollars for St. Paul College for a program aimed at supporting Native American student success. Smith says the federal money will help pay for more than 70 projects, including increasing access to workforce development, funding law enforcement training, and expanding broadband access.

For a limited time, the American Red Cross has resumed testing all blood, platelet, and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies.  Plasma from routine donations that have high levels of COVID-19 antibodies may be used as convalescent plasma to help meet the needs of COVID-19 patients with a weakened immune system. At the same time, the Red Cross blood supply remains vulnerable, and individuals are urged to schedule a blood or platelet donation. To make an appointment, use the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Almost four months after three members and a volunteer with the Dancing Grannies were killed, the popular group made its comeback in Saturday’s Milwaukee St. Patrick’s Day parade.  The deaths came last November during the Waukesha Christmas Parade.  Darrell Books Junior is accused of killing six people and injuring 60 more by driving an S-U-V through the crowd.  The surviving members of the Dancing Grannies say they have brought on 20 new “Grannies in Training.”  They were met with plenty of support from the crowd.

Minnesota’s ethanol industry wants to help bring record-high fuel prices down. Tim Rudnicki of the Minnesota Biofuels Association says the state has incredible production capacity with 19 ethanol plants in the state. Minnesota’s ethanol production capacity as of 2021 is at just over one-point-two billion gallons. Rudnicki says the government could provide some regulatory relief to make 15-percent ethanol -- or E-15 -- more widely available. The ban on Russian oil represents about eight percent of U-S oil imports.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is now accepting artwork entries for the 2023 Wisconsin State Park and Forest vehicle admission sticker design contest. The annual DNR-sponsored contest is open to all high school-age students in Wisconsin. Artwork entries should focus on animals, plants, or outdoor activities in Wisconsin. Rules, submission guidelines, tips for a winning design, and past sticker design winners are available on the DNR's website.

Local-Regional News March 14

 A Durand Firefighter has been honored by the Wisconsin State Firefighters Association.  Durand  2nd Assistant Chief James Sedlmayr was named the 2021 Wisconsin State Firefighter's Association Firefighter of the Year during the association's annual convention this weekend.  Other Durand Firefighters to receive the Firefighter of the year award includes Pit Plumer, Roger Osegard, and Norm Smith.

No one was injured in a train derailment in Wabasha County on Saturday.  According to Canadian Pacific, 10 cars all empty derailed around 6am Saturday near Minnesika.  CP said no one was injured in the derailment and there was no threat to public safety.  CP is still investigating the cause of the derailment.

One person was injured in a UTV accident in Trenton Township.  According to the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, 33yr old Jesse Cox of Red Wing was operating the UTV on private property when he lost control on ice and rolled the UTV on its side.  Cox was taken to Mayo Hospital in Red Wing.

The Wabasha County Board is meeting tomorrow.  Items on the agenda include approving the County Highway 5 agreement, authorizing the Sheriff's Department to purchase a new squad, and reports from the county commissioners.  Tomorrow's meeting begins at 9am at the Wabasha County Government Center.

Pepin County will now be allowed to post speed limits for ATVs and UTVs.  Last week, Governor Evers signed Wisconsin Act 164 that will allow counties, cities, towns, and villages to post speed limits that are applicable only to ATVs and UTVs for all roads under the local government's jurisdiction.    Act 164 fills a loophole in the DNR rules that didn't allow local governments to post speed limits for ATVs and UTVs.

An Eau Clarie man is in custody after firing multiple shots from a rifle near the 2600 Block of Boardwalk Circle.  According to Eau Claire Police, officers responded to shots being fired just after 10am on Saturday.  Officers arrested Aaron Jones and alleged Jones fired multiple shots into neighbors' homes.  No one was hurt.  Jones has been charged with felony first-degree recklessly endangering safety.

Federal prosecutors accuse a La Crosse man of exploiting Children. He was arrested last week after a federal grand jury indicted him. Forty-five-year-old Harry L. Euler faces two counts of producing child pornography, two counts of receiving child pornography, and one count of distributing it. If he is convicted on all charges, Euler could face a sentence of 35-to-120 years in federal prison. He is being held in federal custody pending a trial set for July.

 A group of people struggling with homelessness in La Crosse will get to stay at a local motel for another month. The La Crosse city council agreed Thursday night to continue the city’s arrangement with the Econo Lodge in La Crosse. The plan was for the city to pay for three more months of rooms, but the council cut that back to a one-month extension. Supporters of the arrangement say they need some time to figure out what to do for the homeless motel guests after the end of April.

A Goodhue County Teenager was injured after the teen left an attempted traffic stop on Friday night.  According to the Goodhue County Sheriff's Department, deputies attempted to pull the teen over on Hwy 56 in Kenyon.  The teen left the stop southbound on Hwy 56 and hit an unoccupied squad car.  The driver was taken to Cannon Falls Hospital.

The state of Wisconsin is going to spend about 300-thousand dollars on making improvements to forest roads. W-M-T-V reports Governor Tony Evers made the announcement Thursday. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says the money will help two dozen counties maintain and improve public roads in forested areas. Juneau County officials will receive almost two thousand dollars to fix up five miles of road. Over the last three years, state officials say they have improved more than 17-hundred-70 miles of highways and more than 12-hundred-50 bridges.

 Election investigator Michael Gableman will have the money for some expenses deducted from future payments as he continues to look into the 2020 presidential election in Wisconsin.  W-K-O-W television reports the office of Assembly Speaker Robin Vos hasn’t released a total amount of money to be withheld.  Gabelman billed taxpayers for visits to observe a Republican-ordered audit in Arizona, to attend a symposium held by-election conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell, and to deliver a December speech to Chippewa County Republicans.  Expense reports obtained by the liberal group American Oversight included charges for dining and “groceries.”

The Juneau County Sheriff’s Office reports a juvenile has been arrested in Mauston.  The suspect is accused of making threats aimed at Mauston High School.  The report was received at 3:00 p-m Thursday and the juvenile was found at home in a rural area of the county.  The news release from the Sheriff’s Office says the arrest was made at about 3:35 p-m.  Authorities say the young suspect is being held in secure detention.  They didn’t confirm if the juvenile was a student at the high school – or if charges will be filed.

Mercury Marine joins a growing number of Wisconsin companies halting business with Russia. Mercury parent company Brunswick says it’s stopping shipments from all of its brands to Russia and Belarus. Many companies, including Starbucks and McDonald’s, are boycotting Russia for waging war against Ukraine. Other Wisconsin companies include Johnson Controls, S-C Johnson, and Harley-Davidson.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has heard arguments on a case that could set a precedent for whether people appointed to government boards can stay past the end of their terms.  W-I-S-C Television reports Dr. Fred Prehn refused to give up his seat on the Natural Resources Board when his term ended and the state Senate didn’t confirm his replacement.  Prehn has pointed to a 1964 state Supreme Court ruling that seems to support his stance.  His term expired nearly a year ago.

 Lower inventory and higher prices pushed closed home sales down in Minnesota last month. The key housing indicator was down nearly 13 percent from February 2021. Industry group Minnesota Realtors reports new listings were down eight-and-a-half percent compared to last year while the average home price climbed over 350-thousand, a more than ten percent jump from last year.

The Minnesota House has passed a drought-relief package for farmers and other ag producers with five million dollars to provide grants up to 10 thousand dollars -- plus five million dollars for loans. The sponsor, Esko Democrat Mike Sundin, says his bill will provide “a much-needed lifeline to those who provide our most basic need -- food.” But Starbuck Republican Paul Anderson pointed out neighboring Wisconsin’s drought-relief package is 100 million dollars -- ten times more -- and the bill passed last night “just isn’t enough.” The House and Senate will likely have to negotiate a compromise before any bill goes to the governor.

You can tell how fast the price of gas is rising.  W-E-A-U Television reports thieves in Neillsville have decided it's worth stealing.  The owner of Gross Auto Group, Mike Gross, says someone drilled holes into the fuel tank on a used Jeep Patriot in his downtown lot Tuesday night.  Gross tells reporters dealing with theft isn’t new to him – but this type of theft is new.  He says people have stolen wheels, cars, and catalytic converters.  This time the thief got away with about 20-dollars’ worth of gas, but they caused about 15-hundred dollars in damage.

Local-Regional News March 11

   La Crosse-based Dairyland Power Cooperative is considering the addition of nuclear energy back to its mix of power sources.  W-E-A-U T-V reports Dairyland is working with Oregon-based NuScale Power to use its smaller-scale nuclear generating technology.  The Wisconsin utility has more than a half-million customers in four states.  Xcel Energy entered into a similar arrangement with NuScale last year.  Dairyland has been investing in sources like wind and solar, but the utility says there are winter days when 50-to-75-percent of its energy still comes from coal or natural gas.

Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services (PPCS) is bringing a traveling exhibit from the Wisconsin Veterans Museum to Ellsworth. The exhibit Wisconsin Remembers: A Face for Every Name is a tribute to lost life and lost potential. The exhibit was created by Wisconsin Veterans Museum in conjunction with Wisconsin Public Radio and Wisconsin Public Television and includes photos for each of the 1,161 Wisconsinites officially listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. It also includes additional photos for names that are listed on The Highground Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Neillsville, WI.  PPCS members will be the first to see the exhibit as part of the PPCS 85th annual meeting on Tuesday, April 5. Following the annual meeting, the exhibit will be available to the public at the PPCS office located at the intersection of Highways 10 and 63 west of Ellsworth. The exhibit will be available for viewing from noon to 8:00 PM on Wednesday, April 6; 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM on Thursday, April 7; and 8:00 AM to noon on Friday, April 8.

Gov. Tony Evers today announced more than $17.2 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Housing awards were provided to regional housing authorities across the state. These funds will help low- and moderate-income families in Wisconsin purchase a home or make critical repairs to their homes.   Awards were made across the state including $2.5 million in La Crosse County in the Southwest Housing Region; and  $2.5 million in Chippewa County in the West Central Housing Region.  Wisconsin receives CDBG funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and distributes the funds toward public facilities, housing, and economic development projects that benefit people with low to moderate incomes. 

 A Texas company says it plans to re-open a helicopter manufacturing plant in Menominee.  MidTex Aviation says it has reached an agreement to buy the assets of Enstrom Helicopter Corporation.  Enstrom announced it was closing in January.  MidTex says it is buying the buildings, aircraft, parts, tools, materials, intellectual property, drawings, and assuming the airport lease.  W-B-A-Y T-V reports former Enstrom President Matt Francour calls this “the best possible outcome.”  Most former employees are expected to get job offers from the new owner.

A 27-year-old Minnesota man has died after being hit by a vehicle in St. Croix County.  W-E-A-U Television reports the accident happened at 2:10 a-m last Sunday in Troy Township and Joshua Thesing of Ramsey, Minnesota died Wednesday.  Deputies responding to a 9-1-1 call say they found Thesing lying in the roadway on Highway 35 suffering serious injuries.  He was taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul.  Crash scene investigators say the weather, reduced visibility, and road conditions could also have been a factor.  No information was released on the driver or vehicle that was involved.

A wholesale fish dealer has been convicted in Wisconsin’s first-ever invasive carp case.  Ping Li, co-owner and sole operator of Li Fish Farm, LLC in rural Platteville, was convicted in Grant and Dane county circuit courts of two misdemeanors and 17 forfeiture violations under a plea deal. Li was ordered to pay more than 13-thousand dollars in penalties. The types of carp involved in this case  are highly invasive fish that can destroy habitats of native state fish

 The next Wisconsin legislative session will bring a lot of new faces to the state Capitol.  At least six state senators and 14 state representatives aren’t running for re-election.  Republican Senator Jerry Petrowski announced Thursday he will step aside after 24 years.  Democratic Senator Janis Ringhand of Evansville isn’t running again.  She was first elected in 2014 and has served as Assistant Minority Leader.  Republican Senator Dale Kooyenga has decided not to run for re-election if the district boundaries approved by the Wisconsin Supreme Court are allowed to stand.  He was moved into the district already represented by fellow Republican Alberta Darling for almost 30 years.

 Members of the Wisconsin congressional delegation split along party lines Thursday when voting on a package of bills to keep the federal government operating.  The one-and-a-half-trillion-dollar package includes 14-billion in aid for Ukraine and other countries in eastern Europe.  House Armed Services Committee member Mike Gallagher, a Republican, praised funding for the Pentagon and for the U-S defense posture in Europe, but he criticized Democrats for failing to include provisions for increased domestic oil production.  Democrat Gwen Moore praised the bill for directing resources to things like health care, education, child hunger, and climate change – but she said some areas got less than they deserved.

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  A former Wausau babysitter has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for killing a two-month-old boy who was in her care.  W-S-A-W Television reports 31-year-old Marissa M. Tietsort was charged with child abuse for causing the boy’s death and the injuries to an 11-month-old girl.  Marathon County Judge LaMont Jacobson said the families of the two victims were justified if they considered Tietsort a monster, adding what she did to the families was “depraved.”  Prosecutors said she killed the boy named Benson, put him in his snowsuit and cap, and gave him back to his mother in 2018 without saying anything to her.

Minnesota's unemployment rate ticked down to two-point-nine percent in January from three in December.  Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Steve Grove says the state economy brought in 10-thousand-200 new jobs when rates for COVID were quite high in the state. The leisure and hospitality sector continues to grow with 18-hundred new jobs last month.   The U-S unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a point to four percent.

 NATO countries would only get involved militarily in Ukraine if there was some sort of “unprecedented mistake” that led to a Russian response on NATO. That’s the assessment of Carleton College analyst Steven Schier. He says “Western powers are going to continue to bring arms and material support into the Ukrainian government as long as they can, in order to make the Russian invasion as lengthy and costly as possible for President Vladimir Putin. But Schier suggests that some sort of mistake or misunderstanding could occur as western governments provide aid, triggering a military strike by Russia against NATO.

The Wisconsin National Guard is stepping up to help staff health care facilities.  Governor Tony Evers and the state Department of Health Services have announced a total of 154 Wisconsin National Guard members have completed certified nursing assistant training since early January. It’s a collaborative effort intended to bring needed short-term staffing support to Wisconsin’s hospitals and nursing homes. The goal was to open 200 or more beds by the end of February. As of March 7, 226 beds have been opened at 17 nursing homes and more beds will open as 56 more Guard personnel are placed at six nursing homes across the state.

 The U-S Department of Education is signaling that federal student loan payments may not restart in May. Servicers were set to send out reminders at the end of this month but have been instructed not to do so. This may mean the Biden Administration is thinking of extending the payment pause for federal student loan borrowers again. It’s unclear how long the freeze would be extended. Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic two years ago, federal student loan holders have been given the option to not pay their monthly bill and interest has been frozen in the meantime.

The state tournament isn’t over for the Saint Thomas More boys’ basketball team in Milwaukee.  A judge Wednesday issued a temporary restraining order, effectively overturning a forfeit ruling against the Cavaliers. It all started after a bench-clearing brawl after a game last Friday. The school sued, and the judge ruled the W-I-A-A and the game referees weren’t clear about which players should be suspended, or why. The W-I-A-A maintains its rules don’t allow for post-game appeals.