Local-Regional News November 1

 The future of the Durand Royalty Program will be discussed tonight during an organizational meeting at Durand City Hall.  Durand Improvement Group President Josie Perkovitch says in order to keep the program going, volunteers and a coordinator are needed.  The Royalty Program has been on hold for the past few years due to the covid pandemic and lack of volunteers.  If no coordinator or volunteers are found tonight, the royalty program will be officially ended.  Tonight's meeting begins at 5:30 at Durand City Hall.

The Durand City Council has approved the site plan for the new Dollar General Store in Durand.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the company still has to get the building plan approved by the state of Wisconsin, but once that was done, construction could begin in December. The new store will be located next to the current Family Dollar in the old McMahon Motors lot on Prospect Street.

The City of Mondovi has renewed the franchise agreement with Ntec for cable tv services in the city.  The agreement is for 5yrs and will be reviewed annually instead of a 15yr agreement as before.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the council felt it was better to have a shorter agreement with the annual review in case there is new technology or services that could be available to city residents. Weiss says the city is very happy with the service Ntec has provided and looks forward to continuing to work with them.

The sheriff in Barron County is giving the all-clear after a gas leak yesterday at the local Jennie-O plant. The sheriff got a 911 call about 9:30 yesterday morning after someone at the plant accidentally mixed Anatox and Lysine, causing a poisonous gas. Two workers went to the hospital to be checked out. The sheriff's office closed Highway 8 for a while, but later opened the highway and said there was no longer a danger to the public.

UW-La Crosse is the latest UW System school to place Narcan on its campus.   Boxes containing Narcan, which can reverse an opioid overdose, were installed last week at locations including the university's 10 residence halls. The Nalox-Zone boxes are equipped with sensors that will tell a sponsoring group when the containers have been opened, so they can be refilled quickly. Campus police officers also carry Narcan with them, but the boxes give people a more immediate chance to halt an overdose.

Wisconsin's local government associations are airing ads about election security heading into next week's election. The League of Wisconsin Municipalities, the Wisconsin Counties Association, and the Wisconsin Towns Association released the new ads yesterday. The idea is to reassure voters that local election managers are taking election security and election integrity very seriously. The League of Wisconsin Municipalities' Jerry Deschane says local election managers are our neighbors and friends and are doing the best they can with what he calls a "rigorous process."

Wisconsin has its first-ever conviction under its invasive species law. The state's Department of Natural Resources yesterday said a judge ordered the Louisiana Crawfish Company to pay over 34 thousand dollars in fines for shipping and selling red swamp crayfish. The crayfish are banned in Wisconsin because of the damage they may do to the state's waterways. The case started in 2020 when neighbors in Ozaukee County spotted a crayfish acting 'aggressively.' It apparently escaped from a crayfish boil at a nearby house. That touched off an investigation that ended with a guilty plea and a 34 thousand-dollar fine.

The legal back and forth over Milwaukee's old Northridge Mall isn't ending.  Lawyers for the mall's owners yesterday appealed an order that cleared the way for demolition.  Black Spruce Enterprises continues to fight efforts to raise the old mall, the company has said in the past that it plans to redevelop the site.  Milwaukee, however, says the old mall is a hazard.  The city's fire chief said someone could die because of the fires and other dangers inside the building.

Unionized food workers have reached a tentative agreement with Morrison Healthcare, which operates services at Mayo Clinic locations across the state.  The deal concludes six months of negotiations for about 600 members of three separate unions.  The union groups voted last week to ratify the contract, which would include a twelve-and-a-half percent raise for some.  Union officials say the results of the vote will be released early this week.

Don't throw your Jack-O-Lanterns in the trash. Eau Claire County is asking people not to throw out their pumpkins after Halloween. County Recycling and Sustainability Coordinator Regan Watts said keeping pumpkins out of landfills is good for the environment. She says you can cook with un-carved pumpkins, and you can compost carved ones. Or, she said, you can toss them in the woods to give animals a Halloween treat of their own.

We Energies wants to expand its solar power program.  The company recently switched on a plant in Sheboygan County that brought their total capacity up to 27 megawatts. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that WEC Energy Group, We Energies' parent company, is asking the Public Service Commission for permission to expand out to 60 megawatts of power. They're also hoping to include Wisconsin Public Service in the program to install another 20 megawatts.

An agreement to annex the Town of Madison was finalized yesterday.  The dissolution of the Town of Madison merges the remaining 1.5 square miles of land with the neighboring Cities of Madison and Fitchburg. The agreement put into place in 2003 was reached to end boundary disputes between the three municipalities. Fitchburg adds roughly 1,400 residents, and Madison has about 5,000 new residents.

Grow it Forward in Manitowoc is the recipient of an Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production grant through the USDA. Executive Director Amber Daugs says the grant allowed Grow It Forward to add 24 new stand-alone hydroponic farms to their current 267 farm operation.  They bought the farms from Fork Farms in Green Bay, which actually sold Grow it Forward their first hydroponic tower in 2020. 

Senator Ron Johnson says, if he's reelected and Republicans regain control of the U.S. Senate, he’ll be in line to chair the permanent subcommittee on investigations – and he’d be busy. On WISNS's "UpFront," the Wisconsin Republican said he'd "be like a mosquito in a nudist colony" were he to chair the permanent subcommittee on investigations. Johnson, who's seeking a third term in his race against Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, mentioned the nation's COVID response, the FBI, and the U.S. Department of Justice as areas for a possible investigation.

Green Bay Police report a teenager from Milwaukee was killed in a Sunday night traffic crash. Officers were dispatched at approximately 7:40 p.m. on a report of a collision involving at least three vehicles. Occupants of one of the involved vehicles had fled the scene when police arrived. A 17-year-old passenger was killed as a result of the crash. Initial reports indicate excessive speed to have been a factor.    

A new study says Madison is one of the top cities in the country for veterans.  WalletHub ranks Madison fourth for veterans compared to the 100 largest cities in the country.  WalletHub says Madison also ranks in the top ten in two categories, veteran economy, and veteran employment.  Madison's worst category is veteran health, ranking 25th.  Milwaukee is much further down the list at 76th. 

Local-Regional News Oct 31

 Motorists should be on the lookout this evening for children trick or treating this Halloween Monday.  Durand and Eleva trick or treat times are from 4-7pm, while Elk Mound, Ellsworth and Mondovi will hold trick-or-treating from 5-7pm.  Parents are encouraged to be with their younger children, and older children should go in groups and consider having reflective tape on their costumes to increase visibility to drivers.   Over the weekend, the Durand Truck or Treat was held in downtown Durand and organizers estimate nearly 1000 kids and their parents attended.

Three people were injured in a two vehicle accident on I-94 near Knapp in Dunn County on Friday afternoon.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, Dunn County Deputies reported a BMW had left the scene of an accident on I-94 and had attempted to stop the vehicle when a high speed pursuit with speeds reaching up to 100mph ensued.  Pursuing officers lost sight of the vehicle but Eau Claire Officers located the vehicle on Hwy 37 near Craig Road and two suspects fled on foot.  Officers arrested 27yr old Davontae Little and 28yr old Marcella Benson.  Both were treated for minor injuries and will be transferred to the Dunn County Jail.   32yr old Zium Yang suffered minor injuries in the initial accident.

One person is dead and 5 others are injured after an accident on I-94 in St. Croix County.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol,  31yr old Amber Pospisil of Alexandria, MN was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-94 near milepost 4 when she struck a westbound vehicle driven by 54yr old Mark Filbrandt of Robbinsdale, MN.   When Troopers arrived, they found Filbrandt dead and 5 others injured.  After an investigation and field sobriety tests, they arrested Pospisil for OWI.  She is currently being held at the St. Croix County Jail.  That accident remains under investigation.

A Chippewa Falls man has been arrested by the Wisconsin State Patrol for OWI 5th offense.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, troopers pulled over 46yr old Lorenzo Christopher on I-94 near milepost 19 on Friday Afternoon for a speed and equipment violation.  After an investigation, Christopher was arrested and is being charged with OWI 5th offense, operating after revocation, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of open intoxicants in the vehicle.  

A Strum man was arrested by the Wisconsin State Patrol for OWI 5th offense on Saturday morning.  According to authorities, troopers pulled over 38yr old Justin Bjorgo at milepost 46 near Menomonie for a speed violation.   Upon contact, troopers noticed signs of impairment and after an investigation, Bjorgo was arrested.  He is being charged with OWI 5th offense, possession of THC and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The Eau Claire Police Department is filing homicide charges against two men involved in a shooting last month near Mount Tom Park.  Police say after reviewing surveillance video and interviewing nearby residents, charges have been filed against 32-year-old Michael Purnell and 34-year-old Xavier Thompson.  The charges include intentional homicide, discharging a firearm from a vehicle and fleeing an officer.

Some Chippewa Valley Girl Scout parents continue to be upset about the sale of Camp Nawakwa.  The local Girl Scouts have decided to sell the camp in Cornell and buy something a bit closer to the Chippewa Valley. Terri Wojcik -- a Girl Scout mother -- says the plans to build a new camp on a new, man-made lake are a 'pipe dream.'  She's not happy about who made the decision to sell the camp.  The Girl Scouts say next summer will be their last at the camp.

Wisconsin's coronavirus hospitalization numbers are inching back up.  The state's Hospital Association on Friday said 514 people are in the hospital with the virus.  That includes 68 in the ICU.  The number of hospitalizations is up 50 from the start of last week.  Wisconsin spent most of September with about 400 people in the hospital with the virus.

A man's seriously hurt after hitting a raccoon with his motorcycle, causing him to lose control and crash into a guy-wire in Dodge County.  The sheriff's office says the 32-year-old man was trying to pass a semi truck on a curve on County Highway E in Burnett this morning when he hit a raccoon and crashed.  He was taken to a trauma center with life threatening injuries.

The Chief of General Pediatrics at Children's Minnesota is warning about an uptick in RSV cases.  Dr. Gigi Chawla told KARE 11 that the number of children getting RSV seems to increase every day.  Last week, more than five-hundred kids tested positive for the illness.  That's up from nearly four-hundred the prior week.  Dr. Chawla added that clinics and urgent cares are already overwhelmed, and the situation could get worse as flu season kicks off.  Wisconsin is seeing hundreds of RSV cases each week.  In Wisconsin,  the Department of Health Services said the state is averaging 800 cases each week.   DHS says a number of hospitals across the state say they are almost out of ICU beds for kids. RSV cases usually peak in January, so an October outbreak is concerning.

Many communities across Wisconsin will be holding trick-or-treating hours tonight. Madison police spokesman Hunter Lisko says if you have younger kids, traveling in groups with other families is the best bet. Lisko also reminds parents to check their kids' candy for food allergies and mishandled candy before they start eating it. Older trick-or-treaters should be traveling in groups and make sure that their guardians know where they're going to be and keep a cell phone on them for safety. 

Fitchburg Police are warning the community about a series of scam calls targeting seniors and others.  The warning notice that went out Friday follows calls from scammers claiming to be authority figures saying a member of the person's family has been arrested.  The caller then demands large amounts of money for a cash bond to set the relative free.  First, the State of Wisconsin does not use bail bondsmen in any case.  Second, local authorities including police, judges, and lawyers will never contact people asking for money.  They recommend hanging up immediately.

The top-selling female country artist of all time is coming to Minnesota.  Shania Twain recently announced a North American tour in support of her forthcoming album "Queen of Me."  The "You're Still The One" singer will perform at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul in May.  This is Twain's first show in the state since 2018.  Tickets go on sale next Friday. 

A Minnesota meteorologist is gearing up to compete in Jeopardy's Tournament of Champions.  Eric Ahasic of the Twin Cities won six straight games over the summer, earning over 160-thousand dollars.  The tournament's quarterfinals start on Monday, and Ahasic's round airs on Thursday.

Local-Regional News October 28

 The Durand Arkansaw School District is working with the Pepin School District and Pepin County to create a school-based social worker position.  Durand Arkansaw School Superintendent Greg Doverspike says the need for mental health services for students has increased since the covid pandemic.  While the district has some ways to provide mental health services, this new position would provide additional services to students.  Pepin County would cover 50% of the costs with the school districts covering the rest.

FFA Students from across the country are in Indianapolis this week for the National FFA Convention.  Ben Styer from the Menomonie FFA and former President of the Wisconsin FFA is one of 20 candidates for National FFA Officer.  Styer says he wants to continue to give back to the FFA.  Candidates will find out on Saturday if they have been elected as a National FFA Officer.

There are charges in Chippewa County for last month's high-speed chase that ended with a crash.  Prosecutors yesterday filed endangering safety and hit-and-run charges against 20-year-old Chad Myszka.  He was arrested in September in Marathon County after a chase that stretched from Marathon County into Chippewa County.  He's due back in court next week to face the charges.

The city of Eau Claire is waiting to see if it will be getting more money before deciding on next year's budget.  The city council last night agreed to hold off on its second public budget hearing until after the election.  There was supposed to be a hearing on Monday, November 7th.  But that's one day before voters will decide on the city's nearly one-and-a-half million-dollar per-year tax increase.  City Manager Stephanie Hirsch says if that referendum fails the next city budget will have to be smaller.

The Eau Claire County Humane Association says it's seeing a lot of people give up their pets. The Association's Addie Erdmann said yesterday that there's usually a two-to-three-week wait to surrender a pet, but now that window is more than a month long.  She says the earliest someone would be able to give their pet away is December.  Erdmann says no one is sure what is driving the spike in surrenders but says there is help available for animals to make sure they are taken care of.

Northwestern Wisconsin continues to be the only part of the state with coronavirus worries.  The latest numbers from the CDC show six counties in the far northwestern corner of the state all have high coronavirus activity levels.  Most of the rest of the state is rated as having low levels.   No one is saying why the northwestern counties are seeing elevated coronavirus numbers, though it could be because of their small populations.  The CDC and the state use the coronavirus level numbers to gauge things like mask requirements.

Police say the woman who crashed into a Wisconsin state senator last summer was driving 100 miles per hour.  The Wisconsin State Patrol yesterday said Alyssa Ortman was speeding down Highway 2 in Ashland last July when she smashed into Senator Janet Bewley's car.  Ortman's five-year-old daughter died in the crash, she died later at the hospital.  Bewley wasn't seriously hurt.  Troopers say the speed limit on that stretch of road is 45 miles per hour.  Ortman's ex has filed a wrongful death lawsuit because of the crash.

Another snapshot of voters in Wisconsin will be released next week.  Marquette Law School will release a poll next Wednesday that will show how voters feel about the state heading into the election.  Pollsters say the new poll will provide insight on whether voters think the state is on the right track and will show how they feel about the candidates for governor and U.S. Senate.

The Durand Trunk or Treat is tomorrow in Downtown Durand from 3-5pm.  Motorists are reminded that Main Street will be closed at first avenue west during the event.  Durand police Chief Stan Ridgeway says the regular trick or treating in the City of Durand will be on Monday from 4-7pm.

A new study shows Wisconsin voters' votes aren't very powerful.  WalletHub says it calculates how powerful each state's voters are by determining how many elected officials each state has in Washington, DC compared to that state's population.  Based on that calculation WalletHub says Wisconsin voters are the fourth-least powerful in America, just ahead of Arizona, Ohio, and California.  Wisconsin voters are most powerful when it comes to U.S. Senate elections, ranking 19th.

A man accused of killing a University of Wisconsin-Madison student back in 2008 pleads guilty in the case.  David Kahl pleaded guilty this morning to first-degree intentional homicide.  He's accused of killing Brittany Zimmerman at an apartment on West Doty Street.  Kahl has a plea agreement with the state that will allow him to petition for supervised release after 20 years in prison.  That decision will be made at a later date.

A Marinette man will not be getting his sentence reduced after pleading guilty to child abuse charges.  Troy Thiry pleaded guilty back in April to a charge of physical abuse of a child causing injury. At sentencing, Thiry was listed as a repeat offender, increasing the time he would be sentenced to 6 years in prison. Thiry tried to contest that, saying the state hadn't argued that he was a repeat offender. The appeals court disagreed, and on Thursday the state supreme court declined to take his case.

 Seven family members from Portage are looking for a new place to stay after their house was damaged by a fire.  The fire broke out at a home on New Pinery Road late last night and took nearly three hours to put out.  No one's hurt but the Red Cross is helping all seven family members with a place to stay.

Minnesota and Wisconsin are two of six states hit by a multi-million dollar theft ring targeting frozen meat.  An investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security revealed 45 instances in which thieves stole semi-trailer loads of meat from beef and pork packaging plants in Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.  Three suspects were arrested in Florida last week.  Investigators say the arrests are part of a larger organized crime enterprise based in Miami. 

Ramsey County officials want a teenager accused of assaulting his family and killing his grandmother to stand trial as an adult.  The 17-year-old boy was arrested on Tuesday after attacking five of his family members with a baseball bat in their Roseville home.  His 88-year-old grandmother was pronounced dead at the scene, and his 55-year-old mother remains hospitalized due to blunt-force trauma.  County prosecutors are filing a juvenile petition against the teen. 

Four lion cubs are finding a new home in Minnesota after escaping the war in Ukraine.  The International Fund for Animal Welfare says the cubs were surrendered to animal rescue organizations because "they face increasingly grim outcomes" as Russia continues to wage war against the country.  The Wildcat Sanctuary in Sandstone will take in the cubs, all of which are younger than four-months-old.

Local-Regional News October 27

 Durand City Council members saw the preliminary budget during last night's council meeting.  The proposed budget would have a 3% increase in the total tax levy to $776,389.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the budget doesn't have any big projects next year.  The mill rate is projected to increase by 2.5% to $7.68 per $1000 of assessed value.

The City of Mondovi is looking for a new police chief.  Current Chief Collin Severson will be returning to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department as Chief Deputy.    Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says the goal is to have a new chief in place by January 1.  Buffalo County agreed to allow Severson to serve as Mondovi Chief on a part-time basis while the city finds a permanent replacement.

Prosecutors are dropping the threat charges against a man who said he was going to shoot-up Carson Park last Fourth of July.  The Eau Claire County District Attorney's Office yesterday said pursuing a terroristic threat case against Joshua Cheek would not be "in the interest of justice."  Cheek made threats against Carson Park's celebration and against the group home where he lives during an episode over the summer.  The D.A. says he is instead focusing on the criminal damage to property charges that stemmed from that incident.

Voters in one Barron County township are being asked to decide if they want to go wet.  The Town of Stanfold is asking voters whether they want to allow for alcohol to be sold inside the town's limits.  Stanfold is one of the few remaining dry towns in Wisconsin.  The owners of a local orchard, Licks Orchard, Music, and Gifts, want to open a tasting room for their wine.  Some neighbors don't want to allow for alcohol sales because they don't want to see more traffic.  The wet question is advisory only, which means town leaders will have to vote on any changes regardless of what voters have to say.

Rescuers in La Crosse had to use their ropes and their know-how to get an injured man off of a bluff yesterday.  The man fell while riding his bike on a trail in Hixon Forest.  Crews had to rappel down the bluff yesterday evening. The man was taken to a local clinic to be checked-out. La Crosse firefighters say it took about 12 rescuers to get the man off the bluff.

There's a lot of talk about justice and about the victims of the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack after yesterday's guilty verdict. State and local leaders all said it is important for Waukesha to move forward now that Darrell Brooks Jr. will be heading to prison for the rest of his life. Governor Evers said he won't forget the lives that were lost in the attack. His opponent, Tim Michels, said the verdict is important for justice. Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly said the verdict will help the community take the next steps forward and continue the healing process.

A man responsible for the theft of the head of the statute of Hans Christian Heg during protests in Madison in 2020 has received probation.   36-year-old Rodney Clendening of Beloit pleaded guilty to theft on Wednesday. Dane County DA Ismael Ozanne says Clendening avoided the full charges in the case because he returned the head to the state. He's also been fined 1 thousand dollars in restitution. The statue itself has since been repaired, restored, and rededicated. Both the Heg statue and the Forward statue were torn down during those protests.

A new report says Wisconsin shouldn't have to pay 240 million-dollars if a new casino opens in Kenosha.  The report from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau says the "'financial risk to the state" is not as big under the latest gambling compact with the Forest County Potawatomi as it was under the last.  The old agreement with the tribe could have cost Wisconsin 243 million-dollars in compensation if a new casino opened within 50 miles of the tribe's Milwaukee casino.  The report says the new deal "significantly reduces" that cost, but it doesn't have a price tag.  State Senator Van Wanggaard said new casinos in Illinois and Indiana also lower the future costs to Wisconsin because it will be tough to show that a new Kenosha casino is the only one taking business away from the casino in Milwaukee.

 A one-million dollar-winning Powerball ticket is sold in Milwaukee County.  The Wisconsin Lottery says the ticket was sold at a Citgo station in Cudahy last week.  Another one-million-dollar Powerball ticket was sold in Mauston back on October 1st.

A judge declines to issue a temporary injection allowing Wisconsin clerks to accept absentee ballots with missing information for witnesses.   According to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, a ballot witness address must include a street name, street number, and municipality. The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin sued, seeking a ruling that an address can only be considered missing when the entire field is blank. A Dane County judge on Wednesday rejected the league’s request to allow ballots with incomplete addresses to be counted. Judge Nia Trammell said she feared that would cause confusion. As of Wednesday, more than 300,00 ballots had been received by clerks, according to the elections commission.

A 17-year-old is behind bars for allegedly killing one family member and injuring four others in Roseville.  Police say the teenager attacked his relatives with an unknown weapon at a home on the eleven-hundred block of Ryan Avenue yesterday.  The suspect was taken into custody following a widespread shelter-in-place alert that accidentally went out to thousands of people in the Twin Cities metro area.  Police said the alert was only meant for residents in a small section of Roseville. 

The couple responsible for a company that promised COVID-19 testing but didn't deliver is facing fines from the state. State consumer protection director Michael Domke says Aleya Siyaj and Akbar Syed, the co-owners of the Center for Covid Control closed up in January of this year after multiple investigations showed they failed to provide services.  Siyaj and Syed will have to pay Wisconsin over 22 thousand dollars in civil forfeiture. Multiple other states have lawsuits pending against the couple.

Suspects are sought for vandalism on the University of Wisconsin campus.  UW Madison police have identified two people as suspects in the graffiti vandalism outside Memorial Union and Alumni Park earlier this week. Spokesperson Mark Lovicott said it took place around 4:00 AM Monday as suspects spray painted multiple walls, signs boats, displays, memorials, and art, all apparently targeted toward conservative commentator Matt Walsh, who spoke on campus Monday amid protests. According to Lovicott cost of the damage and cleanup is at least 30-thousand dollars.   

In a Fox News interview on Tuesday, former House Speaker Paul Ryan of Janesville said "anybody not named Trump" could win the White House for Republicans in 2024. Ryan said the new swing voter in American politics is the suburban voter, and it's really clear the suburban voter doesn't like former President Donald Trump. The Wisconsin Republican blamed Trump for his party losing the White House and both houses of Congress. Trump for his part has suggested he may run for president again in two years.   

Milwaukee is one of the top cities in America for baseball fans.  That's according to WalletHub, which ranks Milwaukee 15th out of the country's 332 largest cities.  WalletHub says the top city for baseball fans is New York.

Local-Regional News Oct 26

 Taxpayers in the city of Mondovi may see an increase in the city portion of their property taxes.  During last night's city council meeting, the preliminary budget would include a $68 increase for the city portion of taxes on a $200,000 home.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says while the increase is not too large, he would like the council to look into the budget to find areas to cut or reduce to lower that increase.  The final budget and city tax levy will be approved at the November council meeting on November 14th.

The City of Durand is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include a discussion on the Dollar General Site plan, a budget update, and reports from the Mayor and City Department Heads.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall and will be live-streamed on our YouTube Channel at Durand Broadcasting WRDN.

One person is dead after a car vs pedestrian accident in Red Wing.  According to Red Wing Police, the accident happened on the 400 block of West 3rd Street when an 81yr old female driver from Hager City hit 55yr old Marianne Dohnalek.  Dohnalek received significant injuries and was med-flighted to St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester but died of her injuries.  Alcohol and drug were not believed to be a factor and the accident remains under investigation.

Area Law Enforcement Agencies are participating in Wisconsin's next drug takeback day is this weekend.  The Wisconsin Department of Justice says there will be over 140 drug takeback locations open statewide Saturday including the Buffalo and Pepin County Sheriff's Departments.  A full list of locations is available online at D-H-S-dot-Wisconsin-dot-gov.

Menomonie Police are reminding residents to keep vehicles locked and take any valuables from their vehicles after a number of thefts from vehicles on the city's south side.    Residents should also keep vehicles locked anytime they are parked outside even if in your driveway.  Authorities are asking the public to report any suspicious activity by calling 715-232-1283.

Police in Eau Claire is sharing a video of what they are calling a terrifying drunk-driving crash to make a point.  The crash, which saw a car speed through an intersection, jumps a curb, and demolish an SUV before coming to rest in a parking lot, happened over a week ago.  A young man, 22-year-old Nicholas Ives is facing felony charges and prison time for the wreck.  Eau Claire Police say they are going public with the video to let people know that drunk driving is not just a problem for late nights.  The crash happened at 9:30 in the morning.

Eau Claire's election managers expect ten-thousand early or absentee ballots in the next two weeks.  Yesterday was the first day for early in-person voting.  Eau Claire City Clerk Nicholas Koerner said he expects a much busier early-voting and absentee voting period this year.  There are two high-profile races on the ballot this year, Wisconsin's races for U.S. Senate and governor, as well as a couple of local tax increase questions.  To make his point, Koerner said over 160 people voted in the first three hours of early voting yesterday.

Xcel Energy is announcing they have recently become aware of a potential scam.  The company says those looking to complete common transactions including starting a new utility service may find a phone number online that connects them to a scammer instead of the company.  The scammer then asks the victim to pay money upfront to complete the transaction and may also try to get the victims information.   Xcel Energy says the company does not charge customers upfront to complete transactions. Any fees associated with transactions like starting service will appear on a customer’s next bill. If you are asked to pay upfront to complete a transaction, hang up and contact Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-4999.

Local governments across Wisconsin are, once again, pressing for more state money.  The League of Wisconsin Municipalities yesterday said many cities in the state are looking at local funding shortfalls.  The League says if lawmakers don't increase the state's shared revenue, they will be forced to ask voters for local tax increases.  The League's president said Wisconsin has a 'broken system of funding local government.' State lawmakers have opposed giving cities and counties more state money, saying many communities don't spend what they have responsibly.

This week marks National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services is urging people to help prevent and detect childhood lead exposure. DHS is encouraging getting kids tested for lead exposure and checking homes for lead hazards. Childhood lead poisoning is primarily caused by swallowing or breathing in dust from deteriorating lead-based paint. DHS said there are about 350,000 homes in Wisconsin with lead-based paint hazards. These homes are likely to have been built before 1978.

 A man from Fond Du Lac is accused of voting twice in the 2020 election.  Edward Malnar is charged with casting absentee ballots in both Wisconsin and Michigan and voting in-person on Election Day in Wisconsin.  A criminal complaint was filed Monday and Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney filed charges against Malnar today.  He faces three-and-a-half years in prison.

A University of Minnesota Regent is resigning after suggesting the Morris campus is "too diverse."  Steve Sviggum is immediately stepping down from his position as vice chair of the Board of Regents and will only continue his service as a regent until his term expires in 2023.  Sviggum faced major backlash after questioning if declining enrollment at Morris was due to the campus becoming "too diverse."  In his resignation letter, he said the vice chair position should go to his "my colleagues who have shown disapproval" of his actions.  

A murder trial decades in the making is underway in Wood County. John Sarver faces murder charges for the death of 73 year old Elanore Roberts back in 1984. He was interviewed numerous times in the years that followed the crime and often told conflicting stories about where he was that night that never checked out. Investigators were unable to conclusively tie him to the crime until recent advances in forensic technology confirmed his DNA on a ski mask and handprint. County Sheriff Shawn Becker announced his arrest in 2020, and Sarver's been held on a one million dollar bond since. 

Misko also says that a fire accelerant was found inside the apartment, but stopped short of saying Connor started that fire or shot the others in the home. 34-year-old Connor, his 33-year-old wife Jessica, and their four children ages 14 to 3 were all found dead in the home. Three other families were displaced by the fire.

The Wisconsin State Patrol is thanking a trooper for protecting an injured bald eagle.  The State Patrol says a trooper was patrolling U.S. 12 in Monroe County recently when they saw the eagle and noticed it was hurt.  The State Patrol says the trooper protected the eagle with their cruiser until the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources could get there.

It is the first of what will likely be several acts of kindness for the young people burned in this month's bonfire explosion in Shawano County. The Pulaski FFA yesterday said it raised three thousand-dollars at its haunted trail fundraiser to help some of the young people burned in that explosion. The sheriff's office says someone tossed a drum of diesel-fuel into the bonfire. As many as 40 people were hurt in the explosion

Local-Regional News October 25

 The Durand-Arkansaw School Board approved the 2022-23 budget last night.  The balanced, $13 million budget has a total tax levy of just under $4.5 million, which is down $457,000 from last year.  Because property values in the district were up by over 12%, and equalized aids rose, the mill rate dropped 1.49% to $6.26 per $1000 of property value.  

The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include a review of the 2023 property tax levy and budget, discussion and possible action on the cable tv franchise agreement with Ntec, and repeal and recreating chapter 24 of the city of Mondovi Municipal code.  Tonight's meeting begins at 5:30 at the Marten Center in Mondovi.

One person was injured in a one-vehicle accident in Trenton Township on Sunday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 28yr old Kevin Lorusso of Red Wing was traveling northbound on Hwy 63, when he lost control of the vehicle and entered the east ditch.  Lorusso was taken to Mayo Hospital in Red Wing.

There are now felony charges against a UW-Eau Claire student who said there was a bomb in Towers Hall.  Prosecutors yesterday charged 19-year-old Mason Waymire with making terroristic threats. Investigators say Waymire made the threat on Yik Yak back in September. Campus police say there was never a bomb, and no one was in any real danger. Police say Waymire told them his friends dared him to make the post, and he didn't think it would be taken seriously.

It's been six months since Lily Peters was murdered. Yesterday was the six-month anniversary of her death in Chippewa Falls. She was 10, and the 14-year-old suspect in her death is still waiting for trial. He's not due back in court until next August. Altoona state Rep. Jesse James pushed for a new Lily Alert law in Wisconsin for cases that don't quite rise to the level of an Amber Alert. He says he shelved that plan after speaking with the state's Department of Justice and realizing there's already an alert system that can be used in similar cases.

A priest who worked in both Wausau and Chippewa Falls has resigned after accusations of sexual misconduct. Father Mark Pierce resigned from two churches in Wausau over the weekend. He is facing claims that he had sexual contact with an underage boy decades ago. Pierce worked at both St. Michael and Resurrection Parishes in Wausau. He was also a priest at Notre Dame Parish in Chippewa Falls.

 Wisconsin's elite search and rescue team is back. Members of Task Force One held their first training exercise in nearly four years this month. The task force disbanded back in 2018 because of contractual issues, those had to be settled by lawmakers back in the spring. Task Force One has about 90 members who are trained in search and rescue and emergency response. They can be deployed anywhere in the state or the country, usually within a matter of days.

Wisconsin's latest test scores show kids in the state are falling further behind. The results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, better known as the National Report Card, came out yesterday. Wisconsin saw its scores for fourth graders dip a tiny bit, but the scores for eighth graders fell by several points. Wisconsin's state superintendent of schools blames the poor test scores on the coronavirus and is once again asking for more money for public schools. Education reformers say the scores were the worst among schools that were closed the longest, and say teachers' unions should share the blame. The test results also show Wisconsin has the largest gap between white and black students in the country.

A 48-year-old man will serve jail time after pleading guilty to being drunk while transporting a high school team.  Shawn Zelazny entered a guilty plea yesterday to second-degree drunken driving.  Zelazny was driving the coach bus in December back to Duluth from a basketball tournament when an adult convicted him to pull over while 911 was called.  His blood alcohol was determined to be more than two-and-a-half times the legal limit for driving in Minnesota.  He will serve 60 days in jail on weekends spread out over the next two years, along with two years' probation.

Today is the first-day local clerks in Wisconsin can offer in-person absentee voting.  To find out if your municipality offers in-person absentee voting, the location, and hours, visit the MyVote Wisconsin website. There you can also register to vote, see what's on your ballot, and find your polling place and what you’ll need to bring. In-person absentee voting ends two days before election day on November 8. Statewide races on the ballot include governor, U.S. Senator, and attorney general.

An investigation's underway after the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus is vandalized ahead of a visit by a conservative political commentator.  Several areas on campus have been targeted with spray paint including the Memorial Union Terrace sign and several of the Bucky Badger statues.  The vandalism comes as conservative political commentator Matt Walsh is set to visit the campus for a screening of his movie "What's a Woman?" and answer questions.

A Minneapolis man accused of killing an activist after driving into a crowd of protestors is changing his plea to guilty.  Nicholas Kraus was allegedly drunk when he fatally struck Deona Marie and injured three others protesting the police-shooting death of Winston Smith in June of 2021.  Kraus initially plead not guilty to charges of intentional second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.  However, court records indicate that he will change his plea to guilty during a hearing Monday. 

Police say speed and alcohol likely played a role in a car crashing into a house in Adams County.  Police in Rome say a car slammed into a house on 14th Drive overnight one night this weekend.  No one was home and the driver isn't hurt, however, the home's steps are destroyed.

The State Justice Department is investigating after a Dane County deputy shot and killed a person on Sunday. Police claim that a person wanted for weapons violations lead officers on a foot chase in the village of Oregon when a Dane County deputy shot and killed that person. Police say they found a weapon near the shooting. The deceased person has not been identified. The Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation of the shooting.  

With winter driving season fast approaching, it’s a good idea to have an emergency kit in your vehicle if you plan to travel any distance. Also says Andrew Beckett with Wisconsin Emergency Management, know before you go and log onto the state 511 website.  Beckett says you can also check traffic cameras for conditions and adjust your route accordingly if you need to.      

Minnesota is seeing a dramatic uptick in fentanyl use.  A new report from Millennium Health analyzed drug tests from substance use disorder treatment practices, comparing data from the first half of 2022 to data from 2019.  The report found that fentanyl positivity in Minnesota drug tests went up by 400-percent so far this year. 

Wisconsin residents are invited to honor troops by donating ornaments to the executive residence’s tree this holiday season. Each year, the governor’s residence in Maple Bluff continues the tradition of the Tribute to our Troops Tree, where ornaments are hung to honor veterans. The tribute tradition began in 2005 by Governor Jim Doyle. Wisconsinites can send ornaments to honor veterans who are currently serving or who have served here or abroad. The ornaments can be seen as part of the executive residence’s holiday tours in December. Families of service personnel are invited to send ornaments by November 22.

Local-Regional News Oct 24

 The Durand-Arkansaw School Board is meeting tonight.  At 6pm the board will hold its budget presentation and public hearing on the 2022-23 budget.  Then at 6:30, the regular meeting of the board will take place.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on the Fund 46 project list, accepting bids for lawnmowing, and snowplowing, and reports from the District Administrator and department heads.  Both meetings will be held in the board room at the high school.

The Buffalo County Board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on an initial resolution to borrow $1.7 million for the county's 2023-24 road improvement program, a resolution to establish the reclamation plan review fee and annual fees for nonmetallic mines in the county, and a review of the 2023 draft budget.  Tonight's meeting begins at 7pm at the county board room in Alma.

One person was injured in a construction accident at the new Dollar General in Pigeon Falls on Saturday.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department, a 26yr old construction worker became trapped when a concrete wall collapsed.  The worker was pinned from the torso down and was eventually freed.  He was med-flighted to the hospital with unknown injuries.  The collapse of the concrete wall remains under investigation.

Fire investigators don't think there's anything suspicious about the fire above Every Buddy's Bar in downtown Chippewa Falls on Saturday. Four people were living in the apartments above the bar when the fire broke out, they all made it out okay. Firefighters say they rescued a cat from one of the apartments. Investigators are looking for a cause. No one is guessing how long the bar will be closed because of the fire damage.

There was less training at Fort McCoy, but commanders say that was because there were more people on the base. The fort's latest training report says just over 77 thousand troops were trained at the fort in the fiscal year 2022. For 2021, that number was over 116 thousand troops. Commanders say the training schedule was impacted by the thousands of Afghan refugees who spent months at the base. Fort McCoy expects to see its training numbers rebound next year.

No one was injured after shots were fired outside of the Prairie Inn and Suites in Holman on Saturday night.  According to the Holmen Police Department, officers responded to the call at the hotel and found Chanda Vande Slunt of Holmen admitting to firing several rounds from a handgun.  Officers said she appeared intoxicated.  Police are recommending charges of recklessly endangering safety and operating a firearm while intoxicated.  

Despite adding more than 14,000 jobs, Wisconsin’s unemployment rate increased slightly last month.   The latest data from the Department of Workforce Development show Wisconsin continues to fare better than the U.S. as a whole in terms of unemployment and labor force participation. It also shows that Wisconsin has added jobs in eight of the last nine months. The state added more than 14,400 private sector jobs last month. Still, the unemployment rate increased from 3.1 percent in August to 3.2 percent in September as summer hospitality jobs wound down. For comparison, the national unemployment rate was 3.5 percent in September.

Teamsters Local 320 won't strike after reaching a deal with the University of Minnesota.  The union shared the update on Facebook, going on to say that the three-year contract includes an at least 12-percent wage increase and extended health insurance. Had a deal not been reached, the union that represents around 15-hundred university service workers would have gone on strike on campus in Minneapolis and St. Paul Wednesday.

A Southeast Wisconsin healthcare system says millions of patients' information may have been leaked to outside companies.   Advocate Aurora Health says that data may have been transmitted to Google and Facebook parent company Meta thanks to tracking programs on Aurora's websites. Those programs may have been sending the companies information on who someone's doctor is, what appointments they have, and the types of procedures they're getting. Aurora says no financial or social security data was sent and that they've started an investigation.

Riot-damaged corridors in Minneapolis will get 10 million dollars in grants to help rebuild after the 2020 uprising connected to George Floyd's murder.  The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development is providing the Main Street revitalization grants to help 20 small businesses and nonprofits complete redevelopment projects.  The funding will be followed by another 19-point-5 million dollars worth of grants in 2023 for Minneapolis and corridors in Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park.

A new report says Governor Evers' push to be carbon-free by 2050 comes with a 250 billion-dollar price tag. The Center of the American Experiment released its report this week. The study looks at the cost associated with closing coal and natural gas power plants, as well as the cost to build new solar farms and wind turbines. The report notes that 65 percent of Wisconsin's power currently comes from coal or natural gas. Just two-and-a-half percent comes from wind. The report also says utilities are going to have to charge customers thousands-more per-year to pay for the transition.

Fifteen vehicles are destroyed after a fire sweeps through a parking lot in Portage.  The Portage Fire Department says the fire was discovered at about 7:30 Saturday morning in the rear parking lot of Insurance Auto Auction off Highway 16.  In a Facebook post, the department said vehicles were exploding in the parking lot when crews arrived, and 15 cars on fire.  The crews were able to contain the fire, and no injuries were reported.  It's uncertain what started the blaze.

Wisconsin health officials counted more than a thousand new COVID-19 cases over the past week.  The Department of Health Services reported one-thousand-21 new cases and ten deaths in Friday's update.  Four-hundred-56 COVID-19 patients were being treated in Wisconsin hospitals, including 63 in intensive care.  DHS reports 65-point-five percent of the state's population have gotten at least one vaccine dose and just under 62-percent are fully vaccinated.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is working to get kids outside.  The department's No Child Left Inside grants will be used to help boost outdoor programs around the state.  The grants will also benefit communities with limited opportunities to get outside.  The DNR began accepting applications last week  for small grants of less than five-thousand dollars and larger grants of up to 25-thousand dollars.

University of Wisconsin Police says dozens of fans were kicked out of the Badgers Homecoming game last night.  Wisconsin defeated Purdue 35-24 at Camp Randall Stadium, and university police say 23 citations were handed out during the game, mostly for underage drinking.  Police say 43 people were ejected from the game, mostly students in possession of alcohol or for being intoxicated, and 20 people were arrested.