Local-Regional News June 22

 The proposed dog park will be the topic of the Durand Public Welfare Committee today.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says it will be an opportunity for those for and against the location of the park to speak to committee members.  That meeting begins at 5:30 at Durand City Hall and will be live-streamed on the WRDN YouTube Channel.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and approval of the construction and bid documents for the pool, approval to ask for bids for construction of the pool, and reports from the mayor and department heads.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall and will be live-streamed on our YouTube Channel.

Motorists traveling on I-94 in Dunn County can expect traffic delays again today.  The Dunn County Highway Department is repairing parts of the interstate that buckled over the last few days.  Yesterday crews repaired an eastbound section of the interstate near Hwy K and are expected to continue repairs in the same area today.

Construction crews are beginning a resurfacing and safety improvement project for Hwy 12-29 from 6th Street to 21st Street in Menomonie..  According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, crews will mill down the existing pavement and overlay it with asphalt,  add a shared left turn lane and add a bike lane and close the 5th Avenue East intersection.  The road will remain open and the project is expected to be completed in September.

The application window is open for Minnesota livestock and specialty crop producers to apply for drought relief grants.  State Agriculture Commission Tom Peterson says only four counties – Goodhue, Rice, Wabasha, and Winona – aren’t eligible for the grants aimed at covering losses from last year’s severe drought.  The grants worth up to 75 hundred dollars are available on a first-come, first-served basis until July 6th.

A Rochester man faces child endangerment and other charges for leaving his infant in a car after fleeing police. Twenty-nine-year-old Sean Blass was pulled over Monday night, got out, and walked toward the squad car but ran off when told to return to his vehicle. Officers say they found his seven-month-old son in the car which they described as “very warm.” The high temperature was 96 degrees. Blass was arrested a few blocks away and the boy was checked out by paramedics before being picked up by his mother.

Teachers in the La Crosse School District say the two-percent raise being offered to them isn’t in line with the rising rate of inflation.  The La Crosse Education Association is seeking a cost-of-living increase.  The district says declining enrollment and a lack of state funding has an effect on how much money it can pay the teachers.  Superintendent Aaron Engel says anything above the two percent that is being offered would result in a reduction in student programs.  The teachers are asking for four-point-seven percent.

An investigator for the January 6th Commission of the U-S House of Representatives gave testimony about U-S Senator Ron Johnson’s involvement during Tuesday’s hearing.  Investigative counsel Casey Lucier told committee members one of Johnson’s staff members texted a staffer for Vice President Pence saying Johnson wanted to hand-deliver the fake elector votes from Michigan and Wisconsin to Pence.  The staff member for the Wisconsin Republican was told not to do that.  A spokesperson for Johnson has tweeted that he had no involvement in the creation of an alternate slate of electors and no foreknowledge that it was going to be delivered to his office.

The U-S Navy is awarding Marinette Marine the contract to build a new warship. The 536-million-dollar Constellation-class frigate is part of a five-and-a-half billion-dollar ship-building contract for the Navy. Marinette Marine says the new order will mean thousands of jobs in northeastern Wisconsin for years to come.

Online scammers have turned to trying to get people's personal data through phony job listings. IRS Spokesman Christopher Miller says the scammers will get you to fill out a phony job form that asks for personal banking info and other items that can be used to open up accounts in your name. 

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Nurses held informational pickets Tuesday at Essentia-Saint Mary’s and Saint Luke’s hospitals in Duluth, and at the Allina hospital in Hastings, demanding new contracts that put patients and health care workers before corporate profits. Chris Rubesch is a nurse at Essentia-Duluth and the first vice president of the Minnesota Nurses Association. He says a central issue is adequate staffing and adds that it’s “unfortunate” that they had to resort to a picket line to try and get their message across to management. Essentia says in a statement that their “top priority…is to continue providing our patients with the kind of expert care they expect and deserve.” Essentia says nurses are “valued members of our care teams...and we look forward to reaching a mutually beneficial agreement.”

Governor Evers is issuing an emergency order banning price-gouging of gasoline and diesel fuel in Wisconsin.   The average price of a gallon of regular fuel in Wisconsin was about four dollars, 83 cents on Tuesday. The national average is four-97. Increasing demand for oil, limited global supply, and low refinery capacity all account for the recent spike in fuel prices. The governor’s order urges consumers who suspect price gouging to file a complaint with the Wisconsin Bureau of Consumer Protection. Evers’ order will expire on December 1st. 

The deaths of two people are being investigated by the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office.  A news release from the office says a call was received Sunday at 8:47 p-m about a suspicious death.  Emergency responders found the bodies of two adults in the home in a rural area near Coon Valley when they arrived.  No names have been released and investigators haven’t said how the victims died.  The Vernon County Coroner’s Office is assisting.

 A woman accused of the sexual assault of a 17-year-old Tomah High School student has made a court appearance.  Kaitlyn Sankey appeared by phone in Juneau County Circuit Court Monday.  WK-B-T/T-V reports Sankey faces four criminal counts, including sexual assault of a child by a person who works or volunteers with children.  She is accused of having sexual contact with the victim.  Monday’s hearing was held so the judge could amend the no-contact orders that are in force against her.

A win for prosecutors and the family of George Floyd, as a judge has agreed to move up the trial date for two former police officers charged with aiding and abetting Floyd’s death. Tou Thao and J. Alexander Keung will now stand trial on October 24th, just over four months from now, instead of January Fifth of next year. The two former Minneapolis police officers are accused of not intervening when fellow cop Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes. Chauvin was convicted of second and third-degree murder. A third officer, Thomas Lane, pleaded guilty to state charges and will serve three years.

Surveillance video shows a bear entering a home in Crivitz through a kitchen window Sunday night.  The same video shows a warden with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources using a catchpole to remove the unwelcome visitor.  The intruder reportedly snuck in while most of the family was asleep.  One family member was able to lock it in a bathroom.  The D-N-R estimates there were 23-thousand black bears in Wisconsin last fall.  There are more encounters with bears this time of year as the adults go in search of a mate and the cubs are left on their own to find food.

Local-Regional News June 21

 One person was injured in an ATV accident in Ellsworth Township on Saturday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 53yr old Jeffrey Conley of Beldenville was traveling northbound on 670th Street and overturned the ATV while turning eastbound onto 610th Avenue.  Conley was med flighted to Regions Hospital.  

 Residents in the Red Wing area will likely see lots of patrol cars, ambulances, and emergency vehicles today. The state Department of Public Safety says agencies from Minnesota and Wisconsin are taking part in a simulated emergency at the Prairie Island Nuclear Plant. Officials say it will test the capabilities of federal, state, and local authorities to work together in the event of a real incident at the generating plant. The field activities are in Dakota and Goodhue counties in Minnesota and Pierce County, Wisconsin.

The Durand-Arkansaw School Board has approved the preliminary budget for the district.  The district's financial year runs from July 1 through June 30th of each year so a preliminary budget must be approved even though state aid for the upcoming year has not yet been determined.  While the preliminary budget has a $70,000 deficit, the district administration is confident that the final district budget will be in balance.

 The discovery of a 46-year-old man’s body in a rural Eau Claire County ditch is now being labeled a homicide investigation.  The victim’s name hasn’t been released.  W-E-A-U/T-V reports the body was found last Thursday shortly after 11:00 a-m in a ditch east of the St. Raymond Parish church in the Town of Clear Creek.  Investigators say the evidence at the scene makes it appear to be a targeted attack.  The sheriff’s office hopes anyone who knows anything about the death will come forward with that information.

 Police say the official cause of death for the three people who died in a house fire in Barron last month was smoke inhalation.  That confirms the results of a preliminary autopsy of the father and his two children.  The Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation is handling the case.  Police Chief Joe Vierkandt says the victims had no injuries unrelated to the fire and toxicology test results are pending.  Vierkandt says it could be weeks before the official cause of the fire is determined.  A woman who was in the house at the time survived.  No names have been released.

If the experience in Wausau is any indication, eliminating PFAs from drinking water will be an expensive proposition. Water Works Commissioner John Robinson says even with a new treatment plant coming on line, a new granular activated carbon filtration system will be needed.   The projected cost of that filtration system – 16 million dollars – is in addition to the 120 million investment in the treatment plant.  PFAS has been found in wells in Eau Claire and La Crosse.

A Nevada real estate company has reportedly agreed to buy the former We Energies Pleasant Prairie power plant for 226 million dollars.  W-T-M-J/T-V reports Dermody Properties wants to create an industrial park area with about two-point-two-million square feet of business space.  The redevelopment plan could include the additional purchase of another 417 acres in the area.  The plant was retired just over four years ago.  Dermody is a national industrial real estate company based in Reno.  It would convert the property into a build-ready business park.  Final approval could come from village leaders in September, with working starting in the fall.

State officials say a Langlade County deer farm that tested positive for chronic wasting disease last year has been depopulated.  W-I-S-N/T-V reports the six-acre farm had been under quarantine since last August.  The U-S-D-A destroyed the remaining 47 animals last month.  The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection say the farm owner will receive federal indemnity for the lost animals.  It won’t be allowed to hold deer for the next five years and it has to maintain its fences and have routine inspections during that time.

A La Crosse man is facing four felony charges for an incident last week, including strangulation and sexual assault.  Police took 25-year-old Corey Spencer into custody.  W-K-B-T/T-V reports he is accused of pushing in an air conditioning unit and entering his former girlfriend’s bedroom through the window last Thursday.  She says Spencer assaulted her while holding a hair trimmer against her neck as if it was a weapon.  She told investigators he also strangled her on June 11th, causing her to lose consciousness.  Spencer was arrested at his job.  He is free on bond after a Friday hearing in La Crosse County Circuit Court.

A Minnesota Congresswoman is calling for a moratorium on state and federal fuel taxes to help ease the burden of rising gas and diesel prices. Democrat Angie Craig says a fuel tax “holiday” would save nearly 50 cents a gallon at the pump. She says she “fundamentally” believes that Congress should be “completely focused” on using “every tool at our disposal to lower costs for working families. Fuel, food, and healthcare are areas of the budget that she says need to be focused on the most.

The head of the Republican partisan elections investigation is expected to be back in court on Thursday.   Former State Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman has been subpoenaed as a witness in an ongoing open records lawsuit. A Dane County judge found Gableman and his office in contempt last week after he angrily refused to answer questions on the stand and belittled the judge and attorneys from the open record group who filed the lawsuit. He is being fined 2-thousand dollars a day until he complies with orders to turn over records to watchdog group American Oversight.

The body of a missing 26-year-old man from Royalton has been found not far from his home.  Brandon Colligan was reported missing on June 10th.  Witnesses told authorities Colligan met a friend for coffee in Stevens Point that day and hadn’t been seen since.  The friend told investigators the missing man left the coffee shop to get something and never returned.  Colligan’s car was found near a family member’s home and his wallet and phone had been left inside the vehicle.  The Waupaca County Sheriff’s Office hasn’t said how he died – or, if foul play is suspected.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is pushing to give Minnesotans an even larger tax rebate than the 500-dollar checks he proposed during the legislative session. State lawmakers left the Capitol without passing tax cuts, despite a record budget surplus. Walz called for one-thousand-dollar rebate checks on W-C-C-O T-V’s Sunday Morning, saying “Minnesotans need it” due to the impact of inflation on food and gas. Republicans opposed the so-called “Walz checks” and wanted permanent tax relief. Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller has said he’s not interested in a special session.

A Cottage Grove firefighter is being credited with saving a family from an apartment fire.  Fire crews were dispatched to the apartment Friday just before 5:30 p-m.  The off-duty firefighter lived near the burning apartment and made entry to check on the residents.  The fire caused by unattended cooking on a stove was quickly put out.  One adult was treated for burn injuries and two children were examined for smoke inhalation.  Authorities say if the firefighter hadn’t moved so quickly the outcome could have been much worse.  Her name hasn’t been released.

Local-Regional News June 20

 One person was killed in a semi vs car accident on I-94 near Knapp early Saturday morning.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol,  55yr old Eric More from Wisconsin was traveling eastbound on I-94 when he struck a deer and stopped on the right shoulder of I 94.  He then went in reverse into the left lane and was struck by an eastbound semi driven by 51yr old Jenie Barnes of Minnesota.  A passenger in the vehicle, 57yr old Rufus Morre was killed in the accident while the driver of the car received minor injuries.  The Wisconsin State Patrol is investigating the accident.  

Hot weather can be expected over the next few days.  A heat advisory is in effect for the WRDN Listening area as the National Weather Service is expecting temperatures in the upper 90s with heat indexes over 102.  Cooler weather is expected by midweek.

The Mann Valley Research Farm at UW-River Falls was the host of this year's Pierce County Dairy Breakfast on Saturday.  93rd Assemblyman Warren Petryk says he is looking forward to representing the school in the assembly. Because of the redistricting, the 93rd now includes River Falls and the university.

The collaboration between CVTC and the UW System is expanding.  UW-River Falls Chancellor Maria Gallow says River Falls along with UW-Stout and Eau Claire has signed an agreement with CVTC. Gallow hopes the new agreement will also make it easier for the student to continue their educations at UW.

A Milwaukee pastry business has issued a recall for products sold statewide. The Class One recall notice is for Reynold’s Northern Pastries’ one-pound package with an expiration date of June 23rd. The product includes an establishment number of 734. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection say the pastries were produced without being inspected by state officials. No sicknesses have been reported.

A new study finds tighter budgets for Wisconsin town governments. Wisconsin Policy Forum Research Director Jason Stein says towns' reliance on local property taxes has grown in recent decades as state aid has slowed.   But Stein says the share of towns' overall budgets that go to roads has diminished over time, as spending on items like debt payments has risen

The Wisconsin Department of Justice says its Office of School Safety is in the midst of training 12 Critical Incident Response Teams.  The state is working to make sure all school districts have access to regional support teams in a critical incident happens.  W-K-B-T/T-V reports critical incidents would include acts of violence, natural disasters, serious injuries to students or staff, suicide, community turmoil, intruders, an AMBER Alert, or hate crimes.  The D-O-J says its program should be fully implemented by this fall.

Starting Saturday Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin says it will direct patients to out-of-state facilities for abortions or work with them to find alternative care.  The organization has stopped scheduling abortions past June 25th in anticipation of a U-S Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe-V-Wade.  A spokesperson says the decision could come Monday, June 27th.  A Wisconsin statute dating back to 1849 means abortion providers will have immediately suspend those serves on the same day the high court makes its decision.  For now, there are just four health care providers who offer abortion procedures in Wisconsin.  Planned Parenthood hasn’t said if it might resume abortion appointments if the Supreme Court doesn’t make its ruling on the landmark case.

The media wasn’t welcome at the first stop for the Wisconsin Republicans’ statewide “election integrity” tour.  The first of nine stops was in Onalaska Wednesday.  Republican party officials say the tour is about recruiting volunteers and poll workers.  When W-K-B-T/T-V tried to gain access to the event its reporters were turned away.  Some Democrats think the tour is about repeating allegations of election fraud in the 2020 presidential vote.  Republican leaders say they are just focused on having a fair midterm election.

Embattled special counsel Michael Gableman is being called back to the witness stand. Gableman refused to answer questions when he took the stand in a combative hearing last week. His office is being sued for lack of compliance with open records requests. The judge in the case found Gableman in contempt of court, and is fining him two-thousand dollars a day until he turns the records over to a liberal watchdog group called American Oversight. Republicans hired Gableman to lead a review of the 2020 election at the urging of former president Donald Trump. Gableman's ongoing review has so far cost Wisconsin taxpayers roughly 900-thousand dollars.

Three Milwaukee men are sentenced for their roles in the 2020 assault on former Wauwatosa police officer Joseph Mensah. Ronald Bell is going to prison for two years; Niles McKee is credited with three days spent in the Milwaukee County jail; and William Lofton is paying a 750-dollar fine. Bell, McKee, and Lofton were among about 60 people who converged on the home where Mensah was staying to confront him about the death of 17-year-old Alvin Cole, one of three men Mensah killed in the line of duty over five years. Mensah was exonerated in all three cases. Mensah has since become a Waukesha County sheriffs deputy.

The Wisconsin Citizen Utility Board reports this state is one of the slowest states at getting power restored after storms – like the ones that hit the Badger State this week.  The Electric Utility Performance report shows Wisconsin utilities average taking five hours to get the lights back on after a major storm event.  That ranks Wisconsin 43rd among the 50 states.  W-T-M-J/T-V reports the low ranking is being released at the same time WE Energies is asking for a 700-million-dollar rate hike.  The money would be used to strengthen the power grid against outages during future storms.  The average customers would pay an extra six-dollars a month.  The Public Service Commission is considering the request.

More and more time outside as kids are out of school and the weather is warm, also means more and more interaction with bugs. Alex Carlson with the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District says along with mosquitos, ticks are out in force. He says, “June is peak month for Lyme disease transmission in Minnesota.” Carlson advises anyone who’s going to be out hiking in long grass or wooded areas “to check themselves, check their pets, check their kids, because ticks are very prevalent this time of year.” He also says tick numbers will dwindle in the middle of the summer and peak again in the fall.

The Science Museum of Minnesota’s summer-long emphasis on space is well underway. Karilyn Robinson with the museum says two of the most popular components so far have been the interactive “Sun, Earth, Space” and “Journey to Space” exhibits. She says, “there are different engineering skills and scientific concepts that you can test and see what they look like and then you’re learning about the way that impacts our ability to thrive and work in space. Robinson also says the exhibits have so far been a hit with kids and adults alike. The “Journey to Space” exhibition will run at the Science Museum through September Fifth.

Local-Regional News June 17

 The Durand-Arkansaw School District saw an increase in high-cost transportation aid from the State of Wisconsin last year.  The district received just over $239,000 which was $40,000 more than budgeted for.  The aid is given to districts that have higher transportation costs due to the larger area of their school district. 

The Mondovi City Council has approved the reconstruction of the sidewalks in the downtown as part of the Hwy 37 project.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says it just made sense to replace them when Hwy 37 is reconstructed.  The city is also exploring making the sidewalk narrower to help improve site lines for motorists trying to cross Hwy 37.

The City of Durand has submitted a grant application to reconstruct Main Street in the Downtown.  The grant would help cover the non-sewer and water replacement costs for Main street.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says once the city finds out if the grant is approved, the council will then look at the overall downtown infrastructure.  The city should know by the end of August or early September if the grant was approved.  The city has already received a similar grant for Madison Street.

The Eau Claire County Sheriff's Department is investigating a death in the town of Clear Creek.  Deputies were called to the scene yesterday at 11 by someone who saw the body in the ditch on Mallard Road.  The department believes the public is not in danger and it was an isolated targeted incident.  The name of the victim has not been released.

The Post Office, stock and agriculture markets, and other businesses will be closed on Mondy to celebrate the newest Federal Holiday Juneteenth.  The holiday commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and is celebrated on June 19th.  Because the 19th falls on a Sunday it will be officially observed on Monday.

The National Weather Service confirms that six tornadoes touched down in Wisconsin during the severe storms Wednesday.  The strongest tornado was rated E-F-2 near Wyeville in Monroe County.  Its peak winds were 115 miles per hour and it was on the ground for almost 21 miles.  Tornadoes rated E-F-1 touched down in La Farge, Mauston, Seymour, and West Bloomfield.  The strength of a sixth twister near Silver Cliff hasn’t been rated.  The storm system did considerable damage in the state but no serious injuries have been reported.  Mauston Mayor Dennis Nielsen issued a disaster declaration, saying the city will be requesting county and state assistance.

U-S Senator Tammy Baldwin says a vote on stricter gun laws could be imminent – maybe as early as this week.  The Wisconsin Democrat says “the people of the United States are demanding action.”  Baldwin says she stands on the side of taking action.  The current push for new gun legislation comes after deadly mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas.  A framework of gun control measures was cobbled together by a bipartisan group of senators last week and they are now being written into legislation so lawmakers can vote on them.

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development reports Minnesota gained 66 hundred jobs in May. DEED Commissioner Steve Grove says that makes eight straight months of job growth. At the same time, the state’s unemployment rate took a dive to two percent -- another all-time low. Grove says the numbers are a sign of an economy that is working again. He says Minnesota is on course to continue adding jobs -- if employers can find the workers to fill them. The state labor force is still more than 75 thousand workers below the level seen before the pandemic began.

The nation’s largest ag cooperative says it will begin construction this summer on a state-of-the-art grain facility in northwest Minnesota. C-H-S plans to build a one-point-25-million-bushel shuttle elevator in Erskine, bringing total capacity at the location to four-point-55 million bushels. Executive vice president of C-H-S ag retail operations Rick Dusek says this is a key location in the flow of grain from the Upper Midwest to export terminals in the Pacific Northwest. The facility is slated to be operational in the fall of 2023.

A farmer is confronting high input costs head-on. Sam Ziegler grows corn and soybeans near Good Thunder in south-central Minnesota. He says he’s been “more aggressive on marketing for next year” than he’s been in the past. He also says, “if you can lock in five-and-a-half dollar corn and other things for over a year out, I think history has taught us what goes up must come down.” Ziegler is trying to price diesel and fertilizer for next year and the quotes he’s seeing aren’t very “attractive” right now. He says risk management is crucial with production costs at historic levels.

Some Minnesotans are asking, “does Governor Tim Walz really have a lake cabin in South Dakota?” Twitter activity ramped up when former Minnesota Viking Matt Birk, lieutenant governor running mate of Walz’s Republican challenger Scott Jensen, tweeted “Here’s a guy from Nebraska, who just bought a lake place in South Dakota, aiming to turn us into California, lecturing us about OUR Minnesota values.” But Walz’ campaign manager says neither the governor nor the First Lady own any property, let alone one in South Dakota -- adding that kind of dishonesty doesn’t belong in the governor’s office.  Walz sold his Mankato home before moving into the Governor’s Residence. Property records and the governor’s most recent economic disclosure seem to support his no-real-estate status.

 Alliant Energy says it is ready to begin construction on six new solar projects that will add nearly 414 megawatts of solar energy generation.  W-M-T-V reports the newly-approved projects are part of Alliant’s Clean Energy Blueprint program.  The utility says it is looking to add about 11 hundred megawatts of solar energy to Wisconsin’s power grid.  A spokesperson says the six solar projects should be completed by late next year.  Alliant Energy projects that the total of 12 projects overall will create more than two-thousand local construction jobs, provide an estimated 130 million dollars in local tax revenues over the next 30 years, and help customers avoid more than one-point-six-billion dollars in long-term costs.

With inflation and rising gas prices, Minnesotans may be more concerned with saving money. Kimberly Palmer from Nerd Wallet says managing money starts with your emotions and there are ways to keep these in check. One is called a “body check-in.” She uses real estate shopping as an example, saying someone “might have a physical reaction where you suddenly feel so stressed out, and you’re not really sure exactly why.” She recommends in that moment to take a break and maybe “go for a walk (to) get a different perspective.” Studies show eighty-five to 90 percent of our money decisions are based on our emotions.

Local-Regional News June 16

 The Pepin County Board has approved a resolution supporting the creation of the Northern Grain Belt Port Statistical Area.  Bob Gollinick with the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission says the area covers 150 miles of the Mississippi River and includes 11 counties on both sides of the river from Prarie Du Chien to Red Wing.  With 30 different river terminals, Gollnick says combining all of their imports and exports would make are region a top 50 port.  The creation of the statistical area will not cost Pepin County any money or time.

Durand Middle-High School Principal Nic Gillis is retiring.  During last night's school board meeting, members approved the retirement.  Gillis, who has been with the district for only a year was a former administrator in Plum City and had replaced longtime principal Bill Clouse.  The District will now begin a search for a new principal.

An area hunter safety program has been recognized by the Wisconsin DNR.  Last night the DNR presented the Durand Hunter Safety program as the Hunter Safety Program of the Year for the state of Wisconsin.  The program teaches gun safety to area youth for safe and successful hunting.

The Nelson Handy Mart was robbed yesterday.  In a social media post, the store posted pictures of the man who robbed the store.  The man had a beard and mustache and was wearing a black baseball cap and a grey hoodie-type sweatshirt.  He was driving a blue SUV.  If anyone has any information on the identity of the man, they are to contact the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department.  

Dunn County Motorists are reminded to watch and follow the posted speed limits.  The Dunn County Sheriff's Department along with Boyceville, Colfax, and Elk Mound Police are having extra patrols to work weekly speed enforcement details.  The extra enforcement will run through the rest of the summer.

A California company has withdrawn its proposal for a water bottling facility in Eau Claire.  The decision from Niagara Bottling came just prior to Tuesday night's City Council meeting, where council members voted 11-0 to postpone the proposal indefinitely. While some were excited at the prospect of jobs and tax revenues, opponents raised concerns about water quality, climate change, and plastic waste. Opponents rallied outside city hall on Monday ahead of a public hearing. Niagara had projected employing 58 people at the facility, which would have used about nine percent of the city’s water plant output.  According to Eau Claire City Officials, the company plans to resubmit a plan within the next year.

The National Weather Service has confirmed tornado touchdowns near Tomah and Mauston, with power, knocked out to more than 70 thousand customers Wednesday evening.  W-I-S-C/T-V reports damage was done to the Mile Bluff Medical Center in Mauston with trees and powerlines known down near the hospital.  In the middle of the severe storm, a crash on Interstate 90-94 closed eastbound traffic at about 4:30 p-m.  State Highway 21 was also closed to traffic in both directions by a crash.  City officials in Green Bay were asking people to stay away due to extensive damage from storms.  Authorities have provided no injury reports yet.  

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is investigating a fatal jet ski accident on the Mississippi River.  W-K-B-T/T-V reports rescue crews were called to the river Tuesday at about 1:30 p-m.  Investigators say a freshman at West Salem High School was killed in an accident involving two personal watercraft and the four people who were riding.  No information was provided about the medical conditions of the three people who survived.  The West Salem School District says the victim was a member of the cross-country and soccer teams at the high school.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled you can be charged with operating while intoxicated while you are in your own driveway.  The court decided a judge didn’t make a mistake when issuing a warrant for a blood draw for Valiant Green after he was arrested in 2019.  The request for a warrant was a preprinted form and Green’s attorney had argued police had no cause to search him because they couldn’t assume Green had driven on a public road.  The Supreme Court justices disagreed with a six-to-one vote.  Green was charged with O-W-I-fourth offense and resisting arrest.

A Dane County judge has fined special counsel Michael Gableman two thousand dollars a day for ignoring open records requests from a liberal watchdog group.  Judge Frank Remington found Gableman in contempt last week after the former state Supreme Court justice refused to answer questions.  Gableman was heard making sarcastic comments about the judge and inappropriate comments about an attorney for American Oversight, the group seeking the records.  Judge Remington ordered a transcript for the hearing to be forwarded to the Office of Lawyer Regulation for what he called “appropriate disciplinary action.”  Gableman could face discipline for his comments.  He has been overseeing the review of Wisconsin’s 2020 presidential election.

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The U-S Army Corps of Engineers has released a draft of where it plans to deposit sand dredged from the Mississippi River near Winona -- and they’re now asking for public comment. The Corps' dredged material manager Paul Machajewski says, “next summer we’d be living under the draft plan as proposed unless there are some significant modifications that are needed.” The draft plan no longer uses the large Winona Harbor expansion site due to input received in 2020. It adds two possible opportunities for dredged-sand placement, plus a transfer site next to the Minnesota Maritime Art Museum. An informational meeting is scheduled for June 22nd at the Winona Historical Society.

The Wisconsin Republican Party has launched what it calls its “election integrity” tour just before the August primary.  The events kicked off Wednesday in La Crosse and Madison.  The tour will focus on Wisconsin’s most liberal cities.  Republican organizers say they are working in battleground states like Wisconsin to connect staff and volunteers, to recruit poll workers, observers, and voting deputies.  Similar tours are scheduled in 16 states.  Democrats say the events are intended to spread lies about the 2020 presidential election that was won by President Joe Biden.  They plan to protest.  The tour stops will include Wausau, Green Bay, Appleton, Eau Claire, Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha.

The Brown County Sheriff’s Office reports a nine-year-old girl died in Suamico Tuesday when she was hit by an S-U-V driven by her mother.  No names have been released.  Investigators say the mother is cooperating with them.  W-B-A-Y/T-V reports deputies responded to the emergency call just before 7:40 a-m.  They say the vehicle was driving south on a road with the child running alongside.  When she fell, she was hit and severely injured.  Authorities say they don’t believe alcohol or drugs were a factor.

Fisheries teams in northern Wisconsin are working to reduce the population of bullhead fish. That's because the bottom-dwelling fish crowd out and outgrow more popular fish like walleyes and perch. Mole Lake Fisheries technician Clint Soulier tells W J F W that they're using shock nets to stun and remove the fish.  The fisheries team has pulled out over 15 thousand bullheads in the past year. Local groups sponsor contests to scoop up bullhead minnows by the buckets full to keep the fish from coming back.

A cruise ship is set to make history in Green Bay today.  The Ocean Navigator would be the first Great Lakes cruise ship ever to drop anchor in Green Bay. The ship will dock at Leicht Park and passengers can tour the Neville Museum, Lambeau Field, and other local attractions like the National Railroad Museum and the Automobile Gallery. The Ocean Navigator is on a ten-day tour. Another cruise ship is scheduled to dock in Green Bay at the end of the month.

A Minneapolis restaurant that opened last July has been named the best new restaurant in the United States. Owamni snagged the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant during a Monday night ceremony in Chicago. Its full name, Owamni by the Sioux Chef, specialized in Native American cuisine and buys ingredients from indigenous producers. The restaurant advertises that it does NOT use “colonial ingredients” in its dishes, meaning no “wheat, dairy, cane sugar, pork, or chicken.”

Local-Regional News June 15

 Dogs will no longer be allowed on the Farrington and Lindsey ball fields in Mondovi.  At last night's city council meeting, members approved the ordinance change that will now prohibit dogs on either ball field.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the council had a few concerns with dogs being allowed on the fields.  Weiss says the city will continue to explore possible locations within the city that could host a dog park.

With the recent school shoot shooting in Texas, many are concerned about safety at school and the response of local police to an active shooter.  Durand Police Chief Stan Ridgeway says the department routinely trains with school staff and other law enforcement on active shooter situations.  The Durand Police will be training on active shooter situations with the Pepin and Buffalo County Sheriffs Departments this summer.

The Durand Arkansaw School Board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include an update on the 2022-2023 budget, reports from the superintendent and building administrators, and a discussion of the 2022-23 board meeting schedule.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6pm in the board room at Durand High School.

A Wisconsin congressman says oil companies are reaping the benefits of high gasoline prices. La Crosse Democrat Ron Kind says those same companies elected not to build more refinery capacity when prices were lower.   Republicans are also pinning gas prices on the president, but Kind says Russia’s war in Ukraine has also had a major impact on global energy markets.       

Authorities say a Colfax man threatened to bring an assault rifle into the Mayo Clinic in Menomonie earlier this month.  Maurice Knutson faces charges of threatening bodily harm to a worker in a health care facility and telephone harassment.  W-Q-O-W/T-V reports Knutson is accused of making the threat while talking with a dietician who was treating him.  He reportedly discussed beating up a physician he didn’t like and asking the dietician:  “Do I have to come in with an A-K 47?”  The dietician hung up, security locked down the hospital and clinic, and Knutson was arrested.  He told officers he acted out of frustration and never meant to follow through on the threats.  He returns to Dunn County Court in September.

People who don’t want a new bottled water plant in Eau Claire are making themselves heard. A few dozen people turned out for a protest Monday night ahead of Tuesday night’s city council vote on a new Niagara Waters bottling plant. Many fear the plant will use too much of Eau Claire’s water. City officials say there’s plenty of water to go around. The Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce says turning down the 100-million-dollar investment would hurt Eau Claire’s chances for future economic development.

M-N-sure C-E-O Nate Clark is among those calling on Congress to extend American Rescue Plan subsidies for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Clark says Minnesota’s record-low uninsured rate of just over four percent is at risk if subsidies don’t continue past the end of this year. He warns that without congressional action, more than 70 thousand Minnesotans will pay more for health insurance in 2023, with premiums increasing 30 to 40 percent. Clark says those nearing retirement age will be most affected.

Country superstar Toby Keith won’t be performing at this year’s Wisconsin State Fair.  Keith recently announced he had been diagnosed with stomach cancer last fall and had been going through a treatment routine for the last six months.  W-D-J-T/T-V reports he has canceled several concerts.  Fair officials say refunds will be issued to people who bought tickets for the performance.  For now, the State Fair is trying to book another act for August 4th.

The Pine Haven Care Center in southeastern Minnesota’s Pine Island is now under the control of the state Department of Health. The move comes amid concerns that unpaid bills threatened services for residents. The Ramsey County court granted the temporary order on Friday allowing regulators to protect residents’ safety while operations and management issues are addressed. Pathway Health, a professional management organization, is serving as the facility’s managing agent during the receivership. The M-D-H says the unpaid bills and inability to meet payroll threatened staffing levels, critical services, and medications for residents.

Sparta police say speed, alcohol, and being unfamiliar with the area were all factors in a crash at a roundabout early Sunday morning.  W-E-A-U/T-V reports two people were hurt when they lost control of their motorcycles while trying to get away at about 1:05 a-m.  A Sparta officer had tried to stop them for traffic violations but the two motorcyclists took off.  The officer didn’t pursue them for safety reasons.  A minute later, a 9-1-1 caller reported the crash.  Both suspects were taken to Gundersen Hospital in La Crosse for treatment of minor injuries.

A 32-year-old Sparta man has been arrested in a woman’s death and blamed on domestic violence.  Officers responded to a call about an unresponsive woman on May 10th.  When they arrived they found the body of 32-year-old Sara Latimer.  WK-B-T/T-V reports that prosecutors have charged Shawn Hock with first-degree intentional homicide, two counts of disorderly conduct with a domestic abuse enhancer, and two counts of aggravated battery with a domestic abuse enhancer.  Hocke also faces drug charges.  He was scheduled to make his first appearance in Monroe County Court Monday.

Up to 70 firefighters from multiple departments were at the scene of a food processing plant fire for up to nine hours Monday.  Frozen pizzas are made at the Festive Foods plant.  Officials with the Waupaca Fire Department say the problem started at about 9:00 a-m when plant employees thought they had put out a small fire in an air compressor area.  However, the flames spread to the roof and quickly got out of control.  W-S-A-W/T-V reports the heat and smoke forced crews to back out and use a defensive strategy all day.  At one point there were concerns that chlorine was escaping.  Fire Chief Jerry Deuman says no injuries were reported and the situation was resolved safely.

The price of gasoline in Wisconsin is down – slightly.   As of Monday morning, the statewide average for a gallon of gas is down about a penny, at four dollars and 91 cents. Triple-A says gas is above five dollars a gallon in southeastern Wisconsin, and just about five bucks per gallon in the northern part of the state. The cheapest gas in Wisconsin is in the southwest. 

When the temperatures soar, so does your risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The Mayo Clinic’s Doctor Luke Wood says, “when people are either overdressed for the conditions or if they’re not drinking enough water, they are especially prone to developing symptoms related to heat stroke.” Symptoms of heat exhaustion include headache, dizziness, and profuse sweating. And heat stroke symptoms include confusion or altered mental status and clammy skin -- and you might stop sweating. If symptoms develop, get the person out of the sun, find shade, get them to drink cool water, and seek medical help if you suspect heat stroke.

Cost-saving tips from Xcel Energy for the heatwave: Spokesman John Marshall suggests a programmable and remotely-controllable “smart” thermostat, and make sure your air conditioner is operating efficiently. He says there’s currently a lot of “cottonwood” and other particles in the air that can clog up an A-C unit’s coils, and suggests using a leaf blower to clean the outside off. Marshall also says be sure doors are fully shut, close blinds during the day, and if you have ceiling fans, make sure they’re running counter-clockwise to circulate cooler air.

Local-Regional News June 14

 The Pepin County Sheriff's Department is asking for the public's help in locating a missing person.  Colleen M. Flynn was last seen June 10th around noon driving her white 2012 Nissan Juke, Wisconsin License Plate 930-KEP.  Her direction of travel and clothing description is unknown.  She is 5' 08" and 150 pounds.  Outside of living in the Stockholm area, she also has ties to several areas of Minnesota.  If anyone has any information related to her disappearance, please call the Pepin County Dispatch Center at 715-672-5944.

The 11yr old girl that was injured in an accident in Chippewa County on Friday has died.  The Chippewa County Sheriff's Department confirmed that Tara LeMay the daughter of Sara LeMay died from her injuries on Monday.    On Friday Sara LeMay was traveling on Hwy 64 west of Cornell when she lost control of the vehicle and it overturned and ended up in the water.    Sara LeMay was also killed in that accident which remains under investigation.

One person was injured in a single-vehicle accident in Clifton Township Sunday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, 38yr old Amanda Hildebrandt of River Falls was traveling southbound on Hwy F when she lost control of the vehicle, entered the west ditch, went airborne,e and rolled over.  Hildebrandt was taken to River Falls Area Hospital.

One person was injured when an ATV struck a parked car in Hager City on Friday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 30yr Mataya Kloos of Hagar City was traveling southbound on 825th Street when she struck a parked vehicle owned by 26yr old Kaitlin Draganowski of Almena.  ATV Passenger 35yr old Christina Durnbach of Spring Valley was taken to Red Wing Hospital.

A Lake City man was arrested after a standoff on Saturday night.  According to the Lake City Police Department, officers were called to the 1200 block of Peters Street on a report of a male acting erratic and out of control.  Officers found a female that had been assaulted and that 25yr old Tyler Ruiz had retreated into a home.  Ruiz had no weapons so officers cleared the scene after several attempts to get Ruiz to surrender.  Later Ruiz was reported to be in the street shouting obscenities and threats and this time officers responded with a K-9 unit and Ruiz was taken into custody early Sunday morning.  He is in the Wabasha County Jail on three counts of making terroristic threats, and one count of domestic assault.  

The Wabasha County Board is meeting today.  Items on the agenda include approval of the purchase of new work stations, setting the solar decommissioning rate, and discussion of highway costs.  Today's meeting begins at 4pm at the Government Center in Wabasha.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) plans to treat 32 sites across 15 western Wisconsin counties, including Buffalo, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, and Pepin Counties for the spongy moth, formerly known as gypsy moth, starting in late June. Residents can expect to see and hear loud, low-flying planes as early as sunrise.  From late June to mid-July, planes will spray an organic, biodegradable mating disruptor containing spongy moth pheromone, which inhibits the adult male spongy moth's ability to locate females. This mating disruptor is not harmful to humans, animals, birds, or other insects. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there is no health risk to humans, and no adverse effects have been reported in the two decades that this pheromone has been used for spongy moth control.

A Clark County jury has found a 42-year-old Mosinee man guilty of killing a woman and hiding her body.  W-S-A-W/T-V reports Jesus Contreras Perez was convicted Friday at the end of a five-day trial.  No sentencing date has been set.  Twenty-seven-year-old Cassandra Ayon was last seen on October 3rd, 2020.  Authorities say her body and her vehicle have never been found and there has been no activity on her financial accounts.  Investigators say Perez’s Google search history a search for “how to make a homemade silencer.”

The Wisconsin Department of Public Health says the state has had its first monkeypox exposure.  A person who has the virus visited Oconto County last week.  Public health managers say the exposure to the virus was “limited” and they are asking people not to panic.  Monkeypox isn’t easily passed from person to person.  The D-H-S says you have to have “close, sustained contact” with an infected person to get the virus.

Republicans who control the Wisconsin legislature will not object to new state standards for “forever chemicals” in drinking water.  The standards were suggested by the Natural Resources Board earlier this year, and with no objections from Republicans, they'll be sent to the State Department of Natural Resources for implementation. These rules will set the DNR action standard for two of the most well-researched compounds in the PFAs family. The manmade chemicals are used in a variety of applications including firefighting foam nonstick cookware and packaging. The chemicals have been linked to a variety of cancers and enter the human body largely through drinking water. Though lawmakers are allowing the rules to move forward, they could still object to how the DNR handles their implementation of them. 

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has chosen Republican Don Millis to be its next chairman.  Friday’s vote to confirm Millis was five-to-one over another Republican member who tied to cast an Electoral College vote for Donald Trump last year.  Millis will replace Democrat Ann Jacobs as the group’s leader after winning the vote against Republican Bob Spindell.  Assembly Speaker Robin Vos appointed Millis to the commission last Wednesday after the resignation of Dean Knudson in May.

Supply chain delays have settled down somewhat since the peak of the pandemic, but some of us are still noticing some in-demand items are still not finding their way to the shelves. Minnesota Grocers Association President Jamie Pfuhl says consumers “may not always find the brands or the sizes that they’re looking for,” and there may be some “package changes” and “different brands” of products than the ones customers are used to. Pfuhl says things are looking to improve as the supply chain is working its way back up to capacity. In the meantime, consumers may have to experiment with other brands until supply chain delays catch up to demand.

The U-S Senate is about to pass one of the biggest improvements to veterans’ health benefits. Minnesota Senator Tina Smith says the bill will ensure that “millions of veterans…exposed to toxic burn pits in the Middle East or Agent Orange or radiation will be able to get the health care that they have earned without going through a bunch of red tape.” The bill also extends health care benefits to service members exposed to toxic substances while serving in the Marshall Islands. Smith says many of those veterans later developed cancer after having to “clean up radiation” while wearing “shorts and rubber boots.”

For the first time, the president and vice president of the UW System Board of Regents are women.   Karen Walsh was selected as Regents president, and Amy Bogenfeld Bogost as vice-president, at the Regents meeting in Milwaukee on Friday. Both were uncontested. Walsh is the third woman to lead the Board of Regents since the UW System was established in 1974. She and Bogost were both appointed Regents by Governor Tony Evers. 

 Even though the worst of the coronavirus pandemic seems to be behind us, an infectious disease expert from Wisconsin says older and at-risk people should consider wearing a mask in some situations.  Doctor Jim Conway of U-W Health says higher-risk populations should be more cautious in circumstances like big sporting events held indoors, where people are yelling and screaming with their masks off.  Conway says it’s different for a relatively healthy 67-year-old and a person of the same age who has blood pressure and cardiac issues, or diabetes, or other conditions.

 It’s a bit more advanced than a scavenger hunt at your cabin. A group of Saint Cloud State University students, working in 10-centimeter layers, is excavating the remains of a cabin that would have stood just west of Royalton in the 1840’s. Archeology Professor Robb Mann says after three weeks’ work, they have enough evidence to feel comfortable they’ve found it. Any objects they find go to the Minnesota Historical Society with a significant exception -- they have an agreement with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe to replace anything that predates the arrival of Europeans.