Local-Regional News December 12

 Three people were injured in a two-vehicle accident in Hartland Township on Friday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriffs Department, 83yr old Yvonne Manore of Bay City was traveling southbound on 690th Street, crossing Hwy V when the vehicle was struck by a vehicle traveling westbound on Hwy V driven by 54yr old Paul Sabaska of Durand.  Both Paul and passenger 49yr old Jean Sabaska was taken to Regions Hospital while Manore was taken to Mayo Hospital in Red Wing.

A Wisconsin State Patrol K-9 has died unexpectedly after eight years of service.  A Facebook post on Saturday says Roni the German Shepherd passed away Thursday at age nine.  The post says Roni joined the state patrol in 2014, working mostly out of Eau Claire, and has been responsible for seizing a large amount of contraband in his career.  The Patrol said, "We salute K-9 Roni for his dedicated service," and "he will be deeply missed."

 

A drunken night of destruction has led to a 23 thousand-dollar bill for a UW-Eau Claire student. A judge yesterday accepted a deferred prosecution agreement for 21-year-old Zachary Cunningham. Police say he broke into the basement of a campus dorm back in February and destroyed a number of rooms, including a music room. Cunningham told police he'd been drinking that night, but didn't offer a reason for the destruction. He's already paid back about 19 thousand dollars.

One Eau Claire County supervisor is talking about legal pot. Supervisor Judy Gatlin says 69 percent of voters in the county agreed with her advisory referendum that pot should be legal in the state. She says the next step is to get lawmakers to agree. Gatlin says the overwhelming show of support from voters could make that easier. Wisconsin lawmakers have repeatedly turned-down offers to legalize marijuana in the state. That's not expected to change next year.

A firefighter is recovering after being hurt while fighting a house fire in Holeman. La Crosse fire officials say the firefighter was working the scene when he was hurt. No one was hurt in the fire itself, including the people who were inside when the fire started. La Crosse firefighters say it took several hours to get the flames completely out. Investigators are now looking for a cause.

A Wood County man arrested as part of a large drug bust has been arrested again on similar charges a second time in eight weeks   42-year-old John Brogen was initially arrested in early October but a family member posted bond for him. Shortly after he was released, officers say they caught wind that he was likely using and distributing again- but were unable to reach him to offer treatment options and support. Brogen was then pulled over early Friday morning during a routine traffic stop, where officers found THC on him. After a search of his home, he's now facing several more drug-related charges and bail jumping, court action against him is pending.

The Wisconsin congressman in charge of a committee on China says his plans go beyond just a ban on TikTok. Congressman Mike Gallagher will lead the Select Committee on China in the next Congress. He wants to use his post to restore supply chains, and 'end critical economic dependencies' on China. He also wants to strengthen the U.S. military, and of course, he wants to ban TikTok in the U.S.  Gallagher has said for months that China's control over the data created by TikTok is a threat to national security.

Wisconsin needs a new public health boss. Governor Evers on Friday said Health Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake is leaving the administration. Timberlake stepped-up after Wisconsin's previous health boss, Andrea Palm, left for the Biden Administration. Timberlake never took over the job officially, she was never confirmed by the state Senate. There's no word yet on who will be replacing her. The governor's office says Timberlake's last day will be January 2nd.

Foxconn is getting paid once again. The state on Friday said Foxconn has qualified for eight-point-six million dollars in tax credits and subsidies.  The Evers administration says Foxconn has created just under 770 jobs and invested just over 77 million dollars into its plant in Racine County.  Governor Tony Evers rewrote the Foxconn deal in April of last year after the company failed to deliver on the 13 thousand jobs and 10 billion-dollar factory that it once promised.  Under the new deal, Foxconn is now promising just over 14 hundred jobs and a 670 million-dollar plant.  This is the second time that Foxconn is getting state money under the new deal.

Madison Gas and Electric will be buying more solar energy and battery storage.  The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin on Friday gave MGE approval to buy solar energy and battery storage from the Darien Solar Energy Center.  MGE will own 25 megawatts of solar energy and seven-point-five megawatts of battery storage from the facility being built in Walworth County.  MGE's share of the center's energy generation will power about 75 hundred homes when the facility is up and running by the end of 2024

One of the Republican lawmakers in charge of the state's next budget says decreasing Wisconsinites' tax burden is a top priority. State Rep. Mark Born used the Republicans' weekly radio address to say Wisconsin's six billion-dollar surplus is proof that the state is collecting too much money in taxes. He says Republicans want to find a way to give some of that money back to hard-working families, while also finding ways to invest in roads, schools, and healthcare.

Several workers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is demanding better health care.  About 200 employees at MSP staged a rally Thursday calling for affordable health care benefits.  Most of the workers are a part of SEIU Local 26, which represents 400 employees including wheelchair attendants and airplane cabin cleaners.  The rally, held at Terminal Two, was one of many held at airports nationwide.

The state of Minnesota is investing heavily into creating extended broadband access.  Governor Walz announced Thursday that internet providers will receive nearly 100 million dollars to expand broadband coverage across the state.  The is the largest single investment in broadband infrastructure in state history.  Over 60 broadband expansion projects around the state will be supported by grants funded through the Border-to-Border Broadband program.  The program is administered by the Department of Employment and Economic Development's Office of Broadband Development.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice says they've settled a case with a Missouri company that was selling phony extended warranties for cars. Attorney General Josh Kaul says that US Automotive Protection Services was sending out mailers to people at random, trying to get victims' money.  The company will have to pay 75 thousand dollars in fines and stop sending those letters. If they don't, they could be facing harsher penalties in the future.

 Minnesota is continuing to face a massive worker shortage.  The state is among the top in the nation for tight labor markets.  Many employers are worried about how the shortage could affect Minnesota's economy in the future.  State demographer Susan Brewer said at a recent Minnesota Chamber of Commerce women in the business event that the state lost about 90 thousand workers during the pandemic.  Minnesota currently has around 215-thousand job openings statewide.

Manitowoc’s Wilson Middle School is closed today (Friday) after a student and a staff member were bitten by spiders  According to an email sent to families, a yellow sac spider caused a student's arm to become itchy and swollen. A teacher was also bitten and needed medical attention, which led to an investigation by the Manitowoc public school district's building and grounds staff. More than 30 spiders were found in several classrooms. Wilson principal Cory Erlandsson said in an email that yellow sac spiders are not lethal, but they can be very painful at the outset and resemble an allergic reaction. At this time. No other students or staff have reported being bit.

Local-Regional News Dec 8

 The Dollar General in Mondovi was forced to shutdown for several days after failing to comply with the fire code.  According to Mondovi fire officials, tThe store didnt have proper access for customers or firefighters  to leave the building in case of fire.   The store was given a month to become compliant with code after the alarm was raised by concerned citizens this fall.  The store then failed inspection on December 2 and was shutdown until this past Sunday once  it became  compliant again.   the city will continue to monitor the store for code compliance.

The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train will be making stops across Wisconsin this week. CP Rail spokesman Andy Cummings says the train is on a mission to raise money for local food banks with holiday music concerts at each stop.  The Train will be making stops in La Crosse on Saturday, and in Wabasha Sunday at 5:30pm, and in Hastings at 8pm.

Chippewa Falls is looking to charge more for parking tickets. The city's police chief wants to raise the fines in Chippewa Falls to match those in Eau Claire Altoona and Rice Lake. The biggest increase would be for parking in a handicapped space. That's currently a 50-dollar fine, the chief wants to raise that to 150 dollars. A parking ticket in a two-hour zone is currently six dollars, the city wants to take that to nine dollars.

No one is reported to be hurt after the La Crosse Fire Department responded to a structure fire at a hotel in La Crosse Wednesday.  According to the La Crosse Fire Department, firefighters responded to America's Best Value Inn on Rose Street early Wednesday morning after receiving a report of a fire in the entryway of the hotel.  Upon arrival, crews found heavy smoke coming from the front of the building near the entryway. Crews then began to attack the fire. The hotel was partially evacuated. All guests and staff were safe and not reported to be hurt.  The fire damage was limited to the area of origin on the exterior of the building. Smoke was cleared from the building and the hotel remains open for business with no occupants or staff displaced.

A new state survey shows half of Wisconsin school kids say they're anxious, and a third say they're depressed. The state's Department of Public Instruction released the results yesterday. They show that about 52 percent of students self-reported 'significant problems with anxiety.' The survey also says about 34 percent of students reported feeling sad or hopeless almost every day for more than two weeks in a row. That's up five percent from the last time the survey asked kids about their feelings before the coronavirus. DPI says the numbers for LGBTQ students are even higher.

It'll either be a little bit of snow or a lot of snow for southern Wisconsin, forecasters aren't sure yet. The National Weather Service is tracking a storm that will arrive Friday. If it tracks north, there will be a lot of snow. If the center of the system tracks to the south, then southern Wisconsin will have less snow. There is quite a bit of difference. The some-snow track could mean two-and-a-half inches of snow for the Madison area. The lots-of-snow track could mean as much as six inches of snow.

The FBI is now involved in tracking down a suspect in a series of Culver's drive-thru robberies in southern Wisconsin.  The suspect's spree began in September, with a series of hold-ups and attempted hold-ups at Culver's drive-thru's locations in Janesville, Beloit,  Lake Mills and Mequon. The suspect drives a reddish Jeep Wrangler and he's not just partial to Culver's. Police in Janesville say this same guy is the suspect in an armed robbery at a Best Buy earlier this week. In this heist, he pulled a gun while in the prior hold-ups he implies he has a weapon. 

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is reminding Wisconsinites to recycle this holiday season.  The DNR recommends being conscientious about what's going in recycling and what's going in the trash.  The DNR also recommends recycling your wrapping paper at Christmas.

Federal investigators have some questions for the clerks in Milwaukee and Madison. The Justice Department subpoenaed Milwaukee and Dane counties' clerks about two weeks ago as part of the new investigation into former President Trump's behavior after he lost the 2020 election. The Justice Department wants copies of any emails or calls from the Trump campaign, Trump himself, or a handful of Trump-connected lawyers and political players here in Wisconsin. The Justice Department sent similar subpoenas to election managers in Arizona and Michigan as well.

There are charges for three people in a manure-spreading conspiracy in Kewaunee County. State prosecutors say the three under-reported the amount of manure spread on their fields. A-G Josh Kaul says that led to a flood of E. Coli washing into Lake Michigan, Kaul says the manure even closed a lake beach. Prosecutors say the farm under-reported about two million-gallons of manure. The three are all due in Kewaunee County court in January.

A town clerk in Marathon County has received a withheld sentence for altering a poll book during the 2020 presidential election. Mary Beth Gebert will pay a one thousand dollar fine and has been ordered to have no further involvement in the administration or polling of any further election after she entered a guilty plea to one count of destroying a poll list. Investigators found that Gebert had faked a signature for a voter who didn't cast a ballot in the town of Bergen during that election to balance the books. Investigators would later discover that woman had actually cast a ballot at her current address and under her married name, leading them to believe she had voted twice.  Gebert admitted the incident to investigators, calling it an error in judgment. She is still listed as the town clerk in Bergen.

Water rates in the city of Wausau are poised to become among the highest in the state. Water Works Commissioner Jim Force says a proposed increase of over 60 percent will be a burden on low-income households.   The water works commission will propose that 65 percent increase and a five percent hike in sewer rates to cover operational costs, including the instillation of a new granular activated carbon filtration system for PFA

A big electric truck order for one of the nation’s largest freight haulers.  Green Bay-based Schneider National is ordering 92 Freightliner e-Cascadia trucks from Daimler Truck North America. The company says that will make them the operator of one of the largest electric truck fleets in North America. The battery-electric vehicles are being manufactured in Portland, Oregon. Schneider says electric trucks are crucial in meeting its future sustainability goals.

Minneapolis is one of the most generous cities in the country.  That's according to GoFundMe's end-of-the-year report, which ranks Minneapolis tenth in the nation for fundraising this year.  The crowdfunding platform found the top three most-charitable cities were Marietta, Georgia, Spring, Texas, and Silver Spring, Maryland.

Local-Regional News Dec 7

 The Durand nurse accused of amputating a dying man's foot is being let out of custody on a 150-thousand-dollar signature bond.  Mary Brown appeared in court this morning where she was released on the condition she has no contact with the victim's family or Spring Valley Senior Living and doesn't work as a caregiver.  Brown is charged with physical abuse of an elder person, accused of cutting off a frostbitten man's foot in Pierce County back in March.  Investigators say she didn't have a doctor's order to amputate the man's foot.  She'll be back in court next week.

 Eau Claire Schools are not dropping Hmong and Japanese language classes. The city's school board made that decision last night. Originally, the superintendent proposed dropping the language classes to streamline the school's offerings. Some community members complained that dropping Hmong and Japanese sent the wrong message. The superintendent last night said nothing will change next year, but left the door open to possible changes starting the year after that.

The UW-Eau Claire community is mourning the loss of Larry Schnack. Schnack, who served as chancellor between 1984 and 1998 died Monday. Schnack is being remembered for helping modernize and enhance undergrad programs at UW-Eau Claire. His work led to several regional and national accolades for academic excellence. There will be a memorial service this Saturday.

A former teacher's aide in Bloomer will spend just three months in jail for having sex with a 16-year-old student. A judge in Chippewa Falls yesterday sentenced Noah Lane to three years in jail and two years probation. He was charged with having sex with a teenager who he met at school. In addition to his jail time, Lane will have to register as a sex offender and won't be allowed to work near young people again.

A new report says Wisconsin's 2022 election saw more outside money than ever before. The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign released its report yesterday. The numbers show that outside groups spent just over 90 million dollars on the race for governor, U.S. Senate, Congress and Wisconsin's statewide races. That's 30 million dollars more than was spent four years ago. The report says outside groups spent a little more on Republicans, some 48 million dollars, compared to the 44 million spent on Democrats.

It looks like a major nurses' strike in Minnesota is over before it got started.  A tentative agreement has been reached with several hospitals in the Twin Cities and Duluth areas.  The deals come less than a week after the Minnesota Nurses Association notified 16 hospitals of walkouts by as many as 15 thousand nurses later this month.  A strike date was set for December 11th through the 31st.  Nurses now must vote on the tentative agreements reached by their union and hospital negotiators.

The state of Mississippi says Brett Favre repaid the million dollars he was wrongfully paid back in 2017, but now they want the other five million in welfare money that he should not have received. Mississippi's Department of Human Service yesterday asked Favre to repay the five million dollars that he helped guide to the University of Southern Mississippi. The state says Favre 'orchestrated' the five-million-dollar payment from TANF funds to the school to help build a volleyball court. Favre has not been charged with a crime in the case and has asked that he be dropped from the case going forward.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services will launch a new Independent Living Support Pilot program in July. According to DHS, the program will assist aging and disabled Wisconsinites in an effort for them to keep their independence and ease the burden on long-term care systems. The program will grant eligible participants access to short-term, flexible, limited services and supports worth up to $7,200. Funding for the pilot program came from the American Rescue Plan Act. Assistance to enroll in the pilot program can be obtained from local aging and disability resource centers (ADRCs) and tribal aging and disability resource specialists (ADRS).

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Attorney General Josh Kaul and a coalition of law enforcement led by Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is warning of a recent flurry of scams targeting Wisconsin seniors.  Seniors receive a phone call from someone pretending to be law enforcement or an attorney. That caller falsely claims a family member has been involved in a car accident, was arrested, and requests thousands of dollars in cash for bond payment. A purported “bond agent” then picks up the cash payment. Over $100,000 has been lost by Wisconsin seniors in recent weeks. If contacted by someone claiming to be law enforcement or an attorney, do not provide payment without independently verifying their identity and the validity of the claims. Call law enforcement if you or someone you know has been targeted by a similar scam.

Wisconsin Republicans are asking Governor Tony Evers to ban the social media app TikTok from government devices.  Today U.S. Representatives Mike Gallagher, Scott Fitzgerald, Glenn Grothman, Bryan Steil, and Tom Tiffany along with Senator Ron Johnson sent Evers a letter criticizing TikTok and asking him to delete the app.  A spokesperson from Evers says his office will defer to law enforcement and cybersecurity experts in regard to the issue.  The spokesperson also says Evers doesn't have TikTok on any of his devices.

Minnesota's history of sizable surpluses continues.  The state's projected surplus is 17-point-six-billion dollars.  Minnesota budget officials say that strong tax collections and a large leftover surplus from the spring have left a record-high level of resources available to lawmakers through June of 2025.  Governor Tim Walz has indicated that he wants to use the funds to provide more funding for classrooms and spending on new public safety initiatives.

A man convicted in random burglary/homicide in Columbia County 3 years ago has been sentenced to life in prison.   45 year old Jason Kijewski, formerly of West Allis, was convicted of first-degree intentional homicide in the death of Keith Wolf. The judge did set a parole eligibility date after 30 years for  Kijewski.  According to the criminal complaint, Kijewski shot Wolf in the head while burglarizing Wolf’s Town of Leeds home. Kijewski claimed that he had randomly chosen Wolf’s home to burglarize because he needed money, and that he’d never met Wolf or been to Columbia County prior to that night.  Kijewski was arrested after being connected to the crime through DNA taken from the mask he was wearing during a police interview.

Madison is one of the least sinful cities in America.  That's according to WalletHub, which ranks Madison the 12th-least sinful city compared to the 182 largest cities in the country.  Madison is dragged down by one category though.  WalletHub says Madison has the highest rate of excessive drinking U.S.  WalletHub says the least sinful city is Port St. Lucie, Florida while the most sinful city is Las Vegas.

Local-Regional News Dec 6

 Another member of Pepin County Extension is retiring.  Ag Agent Mike Travis has announced he will retire from Extension this month.  Travis has worked on many farmer-led groups including the farmers for health watershed group and is hoping to continue working with them as a volunteer.  Travis' last day with extension will be Friday, December 16th.

The Durand-Arkansaw School District is in search of a new district auditor.  During last month's school board meeting, members were informed that Bauman and Associates had decided to end during school district auditing and would only complete the audit for this year and then exit the business.  The company was in the first year of a three-year contract with the district.  The district is now working on finding a replacement auditing company.

Area law enforcement and fire departments are reminding residents to keep fire hydrants clear from ice and snow.  Residents that have a fire hydrant on their property or near their home are encouraged to remove snow from a wide enough area, at least three feet around the fire hydrant. Residents are also encouraged to clear a path from the hydrant to the street for easy access in case there is a fire.

Wisconsin's largest farm group is supporting the sale of raw milk. During the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting, delegates approved a resolution supporting the sale of raw milk from farms that meet Grad A requirements and Raw Milk Institute Standards.  Supports of the resolution say it would be a safe direct to consumers from farm marketing opportunities for farmers and that 26 other states including Minnesota have raw milk sales.  Opponents were concerned about safety and standards and pointed to the 2014 incident where nearly 40 Durand High School Football Players and football staff were sickened from raw milk that was served during a team dinner contaminated with Campylobacter.

Most Wisconsin drivers are paying less than the national average for a gallon of gas.  The national average pump price for a gallon of gas dropped 14 cents in the past week to $3.40 - 39 cents less than a month ago and 5 cents more than a year ago, according to AAA. Monday’s statewide average in Wisconsin was even lower, at just over $3 a gallon, but there’s a wide range in prices. Motorists in Ashland and Bayfield Counties are paying $3.41 a gallon. Here is Western Wisconsin, the average price is $2.95 to as low as 2.65.     

The Minnesota Board of Pharmacy is suing THC edibles manufacturers and retailers for allegedly violating the state's cannabis laws.  The agency announced its lawsuit against Northland Vapor Moorhead, Northland Vapor Bemidj, and Wonky Confections today.  In court documents, the board accuses the three companies of selling edibles that have "50 times the allowable levels" of THC.  The companies are also accused of selling edibles that are shaped like products marketed to children. 

One of Madison's lawmakers is once again pushing for more state money for local governments. State Senator Melissa Agard used the Democrats' weekly radio address last week to push for more shared revenue. The state sends about a billion-dollars to local governments across the state, but it's been about a billion-dollars for years now. Agard, and many other Democrats, say local governments are struggling because they are not getting more support from the State Capitol. The Republicans who control the legislature say local governments can always raise local taxes if they need more.

With state government projecting a record budget surplus, local elected officials are hoping for an increase in shared revenues from the Republican-controlled legislature. Wausau Mayor says she remains "cautiously optimistic."   Rosenberg says one of the issues both sides must work through is an understanding of how city budgets work. The state surplus is projected to hit $6.6 billion for 2022-23. Governor Tony Evers has said increasing shared revenue will be a key component of his proposed state budget. 

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A church in Cambridge is turning guns into garden tools.   The Oakland-Cambridge Presbyterian Church hosted a gun-buyback event over the weekend called Guns to Gardens.  All the unwanted guns brought to the event are being dismantled and turned into garden tools by local blacksmiths.  The pastor says the event is the church's response to mass shootings in the U.S., and "a way of turning our thoughts and prayers into action." 

The Mall of America and the family of a boy who was seriously hurt when he was thrown from a third-floor balcony are reaching a settlement.  Attorneys representing the youngster are confirming that a confidential deal has been reached this morning.  The boy suffered several injuries after Emmanuel Aranda threw him off the balcony near the RainForest Cafe in April 2019.   The suspect is serving 19 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to first-degree premeditated attempted murder.

Madison police are searching for a suspect, wielding a small axe.   Early Sunday morning at a Motel 6 on the East Side, Madison police say a 54-year-old man was hit in the head by a suspect with a small axe.  The suspect initially grabbed the man and demanded his wallet and then followed him to the motel where he attacked the guy. The victim was hospitalized but is expected to be ok.  No arrests have been made.  

Menomonee Falls state representative Janel Brandtjen says she’s running for the Wisconsin state senate.  Brandtjen was voted out of the Assembly GOP caucus after Republicans in the chamber said they lost trust in her after she pushed election conspiracy theories.  Brandtjen is one of three Republicans running to serve the final two years of the term of retired Senator Albert Darling.  Brandtjen, who is chair of the Assembly elections committee, led calls to decertify former President Donald Trump's 2020 loss in Wisconsin.   She has had her differences with Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and other party leaders.

AARP is reporting that few Minnesota seniors are taking advantage of driving classes that could reduce their insurance rates and improve their safety.  AARP offers the Smart Driver classes weekly as a way to help ensure that seniors are safe on the roads.  Minnesota has more than one-point-five million licensed drivers 55 and older, but only a quarter have taken a class.  National Older Driver Safety Awareness Week begins today.

It's that time of year again in Minnesota.  The Department of Transportation is bringing back its "Name a Snowplow" contest for a third year.  Residents are invited to submit a name suggestion through December 16th, and eight winners will be announced in January.  Past winners include The Big Leplowski, Edward Blizzardhands, Scoop Dogg, Control Salt Delete, and Ope, and Just Gonna Plow Right Past Ya. 

Local-Regional News Dec 5

 An Eau Claire man is in custody after a pursuit through Chippewa, Dunn, and Eau Claire Counties.  According to authorities, the pursuit began around 11:30 last night when an Eau Claire County Sheriff's Deputy approached 57yr old Eric Paquette in a parking lot in the Town of Union.  Parquette fled and deputies pursued him into Chippewa and Dunn Counties.  Parquette lost control of his vehicle and went into the ditch on 690th avenue in Dunn County when police used a pursuit intervention technique.  He is being charged with fleeing an officer, felony bail jumping, operating after revocation, possession of drug paraphernalia, and violating parole.

Eau Claire's school board may change its mind about dropping Japanese and Hmong language classes. The school board will meet tonight and will discuss the plan to drop the classes. Some people have been upset since the decision was announced last week. Eau Claire's superintendent says the idea was to streamline foreign language offerings. Some in the community worry about the message it sends.

Eau Claire County is seeing a spike in RSV cases. The city/county health department says they've noticed an uptick in RSV and cases of the flu. Both usually peak later in the winter. The health department says 13 people have been hospitalized with the flu so far this season. Public health managers are urging people to get a flu shot and stay at home if they are sick.

Investigators continue to try to determine the cause of the weekend house fire in Tomah. Firefighters say the home suffered major damage because of the fire on Saturday afternoon. No one was hurt, though seven people were inside at the time. Firefighters say it took several hours to put the fire out.

Doctors are telling parents that they don't need to rush out and get their kids tested for RSV.  UW Health's Dr. Gregory DeMuri says most kids can get over a case of RSV at home, with just over-the-counter medication.  He says doctors weren't testing kids for RSV before the coronavirus, and doesn't think most kids need to be tested now.  Doctors and public health officials say they are seeing a spike in RSV cases this year.  Usually, the peak comes after the holidays.

A Mayo Clinic professor is stepping down to become the next president and CEO of Kwik Trip.  Dr. Scott Zietlow will retire from his role as Professor of Surgery in the Trauma, Critical Care and General Surgery Division of Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN to assume his new responsibilities at Kwik Trip.  Zietlow's father, Donald P. Zietlow, will be retiring at the end of 2022 after 22 years as Kwik Trip’s president and CEO.  As part of the new leadership team, Tom Reinhart has been appointed Chief Operating Officer.  Jeff Wrobel will continue his role as Chief Financial Officer.

On Friday, La Crosse County conducted a required audit of the voting equipment.  According to the La Crosse County Clerk, reporting units were randomly selected by WEC.  The reporting units audited were the Town of Barre, Town of Burns, Village of Rockland, City of Onalaska District 2 – Wards 6-10, and the City of La Crosse Wards 4, 6, and 25. The audit showed no discrepancies or deficiencies with the voting equipment. The results were 100% accurate, according to the La Crosse County Clerk.

Winona County Emergency Response Team (WCERT) arrested one man Friday on a probation violation warrant out of Mower County for drug possession and aggravated robbery with a weapon.  Authorities conducted a search warrant at a home on the 250th block of Siouix Street in Winona on Friday and arrested 24yr old Antoine Davis of Winona.  Authorities seized three firearms, drugs, and cash.  

Waukesha's Christmas Parade was a celebration. Not just a celebration of the season, but a celebration that the community has healed over the past year. Last night's parade saw a big crowd and lots of marchers. The parade comes after a man sped through the parade last year, killing six and injuring 60 others. Just about everyone said it was important to have the parade again this year. The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies and the Xtreme Dance Team, which both lost people in last year's parade massacre, were both back in the parade this year.

Ukrainian soldiers are getting fitted for prosthetics in Minnesota and then going back to war.   FOX 9 reports that a nonprofit founded by a Ukrainian-born local prosthetist has fitting 22 soldiers since May.  Speaking through a translator, one soldier told the news outlet that his main goal is to be helpful in his homeland even though he may not be able to get back on the frontlines. 

Starting next year Lacrosse will be an official high school sport in Wisconsin.  Today the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Board of Control unanimously approved sanctioning boys and girls lacrosse starting in the 2023-2024 school year.  The WIAA says it will release more details in the future.

Fired Milwaukee Election Commission deputy director Kimberly Zapata made her initial appearance in Milwaukee County Court on Friday.  Prosecutors charged Zapata in early November with misconduct in public office and three counts of making a false statement to obtain an absentee ballot. They say Zapata admitted to making up names and ordering military ballots that were then sent to a state lawmaker's home in hopes of exposing vulnerabilities with the state's online MyVote system. If convicted, she could be sentenced to up to five years in prison.  Zapata is due back in court on December 9 for a preliminary hearing.  

A Milwaukee man is facing charges of impersonating a police officer.   Glendale police say that 35-year-old Daniel Nelson drives around a vehicle marked like a police cruiser and shows up to emergency scenes. Fox 6 News reports that Nelson was arrested this week after he was driving with his lights and sirens running on his car. Nelson claims that he is an "emergency minister" and that police are violating his First Amendment rights to administer religious services. The vehicle is unregistered as well, and Nelson does not have a driver's license. He tells Fox 6 he got too many tickets, and that he doesn't need a license because he's a minister. 

Residential customers of We Energies will see increases in their electric bills next year. The Public Service Commission on Thursday agreed to a rate increase of 10.9%. Commissioners adopted a staff recommendation that was lower than the 13% increase sought by We Energies, but higher than the amount sought by consumer advocates. We Energies estimates the increase will add about $11 to the average residential customer's monthly electric bill. The PSC received more than 1,200 public comments following We Energies’ request for the rate hike in October. Most were critical of the proposal to increase residential electric rates while dropping the proposed rate increase by 50% for its largest industrial customers. There will also be a smaller increase in residential natural gas bills. 

Minneapolis is one of the best U.S. for finding love.  That's according to a new WalletHub report that compared over 180 cities across nearly 40 factors, including percentage of single people, online dating opportunities, and the number of nightlife options.  Minneapolis ranked sixth overall.  St. Paul wasn't too far behind at 37th place. 

Local-Regional News Dec 2

 The western Wisconsin man who threatened to kill people in order to get his child back is looking at charges. Prosecutors in Buffalo County yesterday said charges will be coming against Samuel Holmes. He's the man arrested on Wednesday after the sheriff's office says he threatened employees of Buffalo County Health and Human Service, and after he called Lutheran Social Services in Eau Claire. His threat to kill people prompted LSS to evacuate its South Barstow Street office.

Strong winds are expected to move through our area today.  The National Weather Service says Strong winds are expected late this afternoon through tonight with gusts of 40 to 50 mph. This will be accompanied by a brief burst of snow that will result in a half to one inch of new snow, which could lead to patchy blowing snow. Wind chills early Saturday morning will drop to 10 below to 20 below zero.  A wind advisory is in effect for the entire WRDN Listening area from 6pm this evening until 3am tomorrow morning.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has identified the man injured during a use-of-force incident on Nov. 22 in Red Wing.  Steve Sutton-Brown was identified as the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office deputy who shot and injured Fernando Javier Carbajal, 24, while responding to a crash on November 22.   The call came in at 1pm and Deputy Sutton-Brown who was in training nearby responded first.  He was not in his standard uniform but had a sweatshirt that identified him as a sheriff's deputy.  Witnesses say Carbajal charged the deputy as he approached and the two engaged in a physical altercation.  Once the investigation is complete, the BCA will present its findings without recommendation to the Goodhue County Attorney’s Office for review.

Two Lake City men were arrested last week on drug charges.  According to the Wabasha County Sheriff's Department, sheriff's deputies, in conjunction with Lake City Police and the SE Minnesota Narcotics Task Force conducted search warrants in Lake City on November 23 and found over 30 pounds of marijuana, nearly five pounds of psychedelic mushrooms, marijuana wax and other drug products.  Authorities arrested 30yr old Zach Bleimeyer and 23yr old Noah Gernes.

Four dogs were killed in a house fire in Jackson County Thursday morning.   Hixton Fire & Rescue responded to a structure fire on Winger Rd and found a two-story home engulfed in flames.  he home is a total loss.  Fire officials said winds cause the fire to spread rapidly. Nobody was home at the time and there were no human injuries. However, four dogs were killed.  The American Red Cross is assisting the family.

Wisconsin’s US Senators voted Thursday for a measure to avert a nationwide rail strike. Democrat Tammy Baldwin and Republican Ron Johnson voted ‘yes’ to send the measure to President Biden’s desk. The agreement will give rail workers a roughly 24 percent pay increase by 2024 and more sick time flexibility.  It does not include any new paid sick leave, the sticking point that could have resulted in a disruptive rail strike by the end of next week. In a statement, Johnson said the ‘cooling off’ period should have been extended to force railroads and unions back to the negotiating table while keeping trains rolling. But he said a shutdown would have harmed people and the economy.

Wisconsin's governor is looking to take the first step toward setting regulations for the so-called forever chemicals. Governor Tony Evers is expected to ask the Department of Natural Resources Board for permission to create standards for PFAS pollution. There are currently no state regulations at all because the conservatives who control the DNR board scuttled a proposal to set those limits earlier this year. DNR is hoping for better luck this time because the federal EPA recently set its own PFAS guidelines.

The D.A.s in Milwaukee, Madison, and Sheboygan want a judge to dismiss Attorney General Josh Kaul's lawsuit against Wisconsin's abortion law. The three prosecutors yesterday asked a judge to toss the case, saying Kaul doesn't belong in the case. Sheboygan County D.A. Joel Urmanski said in his argument that Kaul should be asking lawmakers to change the 1849 law, not the court. The other two D.A.s say Kaul has not been 'injured' by the old law. Kaul filed his lawsuit not long after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, and allowed Wisconsin's near-total abortion ban to go back into effect.

Madison Police say the suspect in Monday's shooting on Capitol Square should be considered armed and dangerous.  The city's police chief yesterday identified the suspect as 40-year-old Lamar Jefferson.  He has a lengthy criminal history in both Milwaukee and Madison, court records show he was cited by Madison Police earlier this week.  No one is saying what led up to the shooting.  The victim was rushed to the hospital and is recovering.

Wisconsin's election managers are waiting to see if a lawmaker is replaced before giving her information on the state's voter database. The state's Elections Commission yesterday voted to postpone any consideration of state Rep. Janel Brandtjen's request until after the new legislature starts. There's a thought that Brandtjen will no longer be in charge of the Assembly's Committee on Campaigns and Elections next year. WEC commissioners have called her request for a copy of the state's voter list, and any documentation regarding changing to the list 'insane.' Brandtjen led one of Wisconsin's two investigations into the Elections Commission and the 2020 election.

Add a Starbucks in Green Bay to the list of stores that have elected to join a union.  Workers at the Auto Plaza Way at Main Street store voted to unionize Wednesday. The eastside Green Bay store is the latest to make the move as workers across the country are trying to organize at Starbucks for more money and different hours. Starbucks has not yet sat down with any of its unionized stores, and it remains to be seen what the vote in Green Bay will mean for workers.

Nurses in the Twin Cities and Duluth are going on strike.  Members of the Minnesota Nurses Association voted Wednesday to authorize a walkout.  If there is no new contract in the next ten days, a strike will take place on December 11th and last until December 31st.  Nurses at St. Luke's hospitals in Duluth and Two Harbors opted for an open-ended walkout until a deal is reached.  The union's sticking points are improving staffing and better pay.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is extending a free training program to increase the number of certified nursing assistants in Minnesota.  The cost-free program will now run through February, giving more people the opportunity to train for open positions across the state.  The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development says CNAs are among the highest in-demand workers across the state. 

A cat in Waukesha pulled a gator's head out of the lake, and the DNR thinks it's real. It happened this week at Wendy Wiesehuegel's house. She says her cat, Toast, came up with something in its mouth. At first she thought it was a fish, but it turned out to be the head of an alligator. She called the DNR which said the head is real, and not some discarded souvenir. Wiesehuegel says that means there was a gator in the lake, likely over the summer. DNR says there have been a handful of reports of gators sighted in Wisconsin lakes, pretty much all of them used to be pets that people released or that escaped.

Local-Regional News Dec 1

 The Pepin County Government Center will be changing office hours on a trial basis starting in January.  According to Pepin County, the change is an effort to attract and retain employees with flexible schedules.  Starting January 3rd the Government Center will be open from 8-Noon and 12:30-5 Monday through Thursday, and from 8-11:30 on Fridays with additional hours by appointment.    Sheriff's Office, Judicial Offices and Courts, Federal and State Offices within the Government Center, and the Recycling Collection Site hours will all remain unchanged.  

Hwy 35 south of Nelson was closed yesterday afternoon and evening due to a man making terroristic threats.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriff's Department Facebook page, the situation required the Eau Claire County Emergency Response team to be called in to assist at a home near Hwy 35, and the highway had to be closed while units responded.  Just before 10pm the individual was taken into custody and taken to a hospital for evaluation.  No one was injured in that incident.

Investigators say Eau Claire County's former sheriff killed himself.  The current sheriff yesterday said Sheriff Ron Cramer took his own life back in September.  Authorities say he shot himself in the woods in the Town of Seymour.  Cramer was sheriff for 26 years and had recently announced plans to retire.  No one is saying why he took his own life. Investigators say the case is now closed.

 A Menomonie man accused of playing a role in a drug deal that ended with the overdose death of a woman is going to prison.  Dunn County Judge James Peterson sentenced Randy Johnson to five and half years in prison in connection to the overdose death of Tricia Chapeck.  Johnson was convicted of being party to making and delivering the methamphetamine that ended up killing Chapeck.

One person was injured after a pursuit on I-94 yesterday.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department, the pursuit began in Jackson County as Deon Dobbs of Hobart, IN was traveling westbound on I-94 refusing to pull over for Wisconsin State Patrol Troopers.  The pursuit reached speeds exceeding 120mph.  Spike strips were deployed at the Jackson-Trempealeau County Line and Dobbs' vehicle was disabled, entered the ditch, and struck a tree near mile marker 88.  A passenger was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

It's the end of an era as the last United Express flight took off from the Chippewa Valley Airport yesterday.  United Express will no longer serve the Chippewa Valley, instead Sun Country will take over.  There will be a ceremony later today to mark the change.  Sun Country is offering four flights per week to Minneapolis-St. Paul and at least two flights per-week to places like Florida or Las Vegas.

The top Republican in the Wisconsin Assembly isn't saying much about his trip to Washington, D.C. to speak with the January 6th Committee.  Assembly Speaker Robin Vos yesterday said he met with committee members and answered the questions.  He said his appearance before the committee was brief.  Vos reiterated that he had nothing to do with the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, and has said in the past his conversations with former President Trump were limited to the election results here in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin's Republican U.S. Senator wants to see a vote to end the military's vaccine requirement.  Senator Ron Johnson yesterday joined 12 other Republicans in calling for a vote in the Senate.  Johnson says the military is discharging too many men and women because they don't want to get the shot.  His request likely isn't going anywhere.  Republicans do not have control of the Senate, and won't have control next year either.

The judge who oversaw the Waukesha Christmas Parade trial says she is running for the Wisconsin Supreme Court as a judicial conservative. Judge Jennifer Dorow officially entered the race yesterday. She will face fellow conservative, and former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly in the February primary. Dorow shot to fame during the Christmas Parade trial but says she's been working for years on the bench to improve the court system in the state. The spring election is expected to be expensive and hotly contested.

Mower County Sheriff Steve Sandvik says he is stepping back from his duties to deal with medical issues.  Sandvik announced the move yesterday on his re-election campaign's Facebook page.  The decision comes as a workplace investigation ramps up, looking into a concern raised earlier this month about his conduct.  Sandvik was elected to a second term in November.

A police search forced Badgers fans to stay in the Kohls Center past the end of Tuesday night's basketball game.  That's because UW-Madison police were searching for a shooting suspect from an incident on State Street earlier in the day. Spokesman Marc Lovicutt says there was never any danger to fans, but police didn't want their search disrupted by thousands of fans leaving the game. The stadium was opened back up at around 10:40 pm. 

Minnesota is introducing a new 12-point-5 million dollar program to help small to mid-sized companies in Minnesota buy machinery, equipment, and software to increase productivity and automation.  The new loan initiative is aimed at filling in the financing gaps for manufacturing, distribution, technology, and warehousing firms with less than 500 workers.  Companies can get loans up to 500 thousand dollars that will come with a low-interest rate of about one percent.   It is the latest in a series of programs that the Department of Employment and Economic Development has launched in recent weeks. 

A Naval recruiter in Janesville is looking at charges for having sex with high schoolers. Prosecutors yesterday filed charges against 25-year-old Bryan Bradley-Hubbard. They say he met teenage girls through his job as a recruiter, and would then contact them outside of school. Investigators say he had sexual contact with at least two underage girls. He's facing child enticement and child sexual abuse charges. The Navy is also investigating and may add charges of its own.

Darrell Brooks Junior is appealing his conviction in the Waukesha Christmas Parade case.  Brooks filed a notice of appeal Tuesday, asking for help from the public defender's office.  In his trial Brooks defended himself.  In his note, Brooks said he didn't want to cause controversy, but mentioned "clear issues of the law and the legal facts" in the case.

The City of Madison is looking at ways to make the city more pedestrian friendly.  Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and three Madison alders are proposing a plan that would promote what they call transit-oriented development.  They say that involves building more retail, office space, and housing near transit stations.  The Madison Transportation Policy and Planning Board will look at the plan next week, followed by the Madison Planning Board on December 12th.

Madison is ranked as one of the top cities in the country for single people.  That's according to a new study from WalletHub, which ranks Madison second overall among the nation's 182 largest cities.  Milwaukee ranks 98th. In breaking down the rankings by category WalletHub says Madison ranks first for dating opportunities and 29th for fun and recreation.  According to WalletHub the top city for singles is Seattle, Washington.