Local-Regional News Aug 20

Durand Police is hosting a community wellness event today.  Buffalo County Sheriff Osmond will have a presentation on current drug trends and Pepin County Health will have a mock bedroom showcasing various products commonly seen with vaping and or drug use.  Durand Police Chief Stan Ridgeway says there will also be presentations on mental health and internet safety. The event is free and begins today at 5 at Durand Middle School.

Work on W. Riverside Avenue in Mondovi is underway to connect the sanitary sewer to the new wastewater treatment plant.  Work will be primarily on the north side of W. Riverside Avenue from Schmidtknecht Road going west.  Motorists should expect possible traffic delays during construction.  The anticipated completion date is September 27, 2024.

Menomonie is turning hunters loose on its goose problem. Last night, the city council approved goose hunts in four city parks. City officials say the geese are becoming a problem in local parks, and there are worries they could be too much for the local airport. Menomonie's police department will handle the hunt, and the DNR will regulate it. The city says anyone who lives near one of the parks will be notified when there will be a hunt. 

Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services has been named as a Tree Line USA Utility for the 20th straight year by the Arbor Day Foundation.  The program recognizes public and private utilities demonstrating best practices in protecting and nurturing America’s tree canopy.  By achieving this recognition, PPCS has demonstrated its dedication to maintaining healthy community forests while delivering safe and reliable electricity to its customers.

 

Eau Claire says Kamala Harris has paid her bill. The city yesterday said Harris' campaign paid the 16 thousand-dollar bill for police protection from her last week. Eau Claire is now working under a new set of rules that require private venues, like the one Harris used for her rally, to charge for police protection up front. Eau Claire says there wasn't a cost for JD Vance's visit last week because he used a smaller venue that didn't require any extra police protection. 

There are new charges for the Eau Claire aesthetics clinic owner charged with sexual assault. Prosecutors yesterday charged Chris Devlin after they said he and his assistant took pictures of a client's breasts and vagina during an exam for 'scar tissue.' Devlin is accused of sexually assaulting at least six victims who came in for treatments at his Renew Aesthetics spa. He's due back in court to face his charges next month. 

A northwestern Wisconsin man is headed to prison for at least 20 years for killing the mother of his child. David Edaburn Jr. pleaded no contest in a Burnett County courtroom yesterday. He told the judge he was high and drunk last September when he stabbed his ex, 32-year-old Brittany Hollan, to death. The medical examiner said she had so many cuts that they couldn't be counted. Edaburn never gave a reason for her murder. He's due to be sentenced in November. 

The latest proposal for Wisconsin's healthcare workforce would have the state spend a lot more money. The Governor's Task Force on the Healthcare Workforce released its final report yesterday. The 75-page report doesn't include a specific price tag, but it asks for more money for new nurses, nurses who are already on the job, apprenticeships, healthcare education, and frontline staffers. There are some recommendations to deregulate Wisconsin's healthcare rules, but most of the focus of the report is finding a way for the state to support more training, more education, and more workforce goals. Governor Evers says he supports the proposal, but he's not saying where he plans to find the new money. 

A southern Minnesota teen is being charged with underage drinking and driving after crashing into an Olmsted County home.  The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office says the crash happened Sunday morning in Dover.  The unidentified 17-year-old was taken to the hospital for evaluation after deputies determined the driver was under the influence of alcohol.  The house sustained minor damage and no other injuries were reported.

The latest data from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension shows a decrease in reported violent crimes in Minnesota last year. The metro area is experiencing an eight-point-two-percent drop and Greater Minnesota seeing a three-point-four-percent decrease. Carjackings declined by nearly 38 percent, while bias crimes increased slightly. The city of Minneapolis reported 41 homicides so far this year, the same as in 2023, with fewer shots fired calls, and gunshot wounds. Law enforcement officers also saw a slight rise in assaults.

Scammers are using people's social media videos to copy their voices. Wisconsin Better Business Bureau president Jim Temmer says it only takes a few seconds of your voice to make a reasonable copy with a computer. They could then use your voice along with your phone number to try and trick your loved ones into handing over money or personal information. Temmer says the best way to prevent this is to only share your videos with your friends and family, and keep a close eye on friend requests to make sure they're not from phony accounts.

Pre-application for six-million dollars in surface water improvement grants is now open in Wisconsin. The Department of Natural Resources says funding is available for projects including surface water education programs, lake and river management planning, and habitat restoration. Pre-applications must be submitted by September 15 to compete for a grant in November. 

A woman convicted of killing the man who trafficked her will be heading to prison.  24-year old Chrystul Kizer of Milwaukee was sentenced in Kenosha County Court on Monday to 11 years in prison for the 2017 killing 34-year-old Randall Volar III. She pleaded guilty earlier this year to reckless homicide. Volar, who was White, had been filming his sexual abuse of Kizer, who is Black, for more than a year before she shot him. The case drew national attention on what sort of leniency was available for victims of sex trafficking who strike back at their captors. Kizer was the first to use that defense in a Wisconsin court. Kizer will get a year and a half credit for time served, and spend 5 years on extended supervision after her release.

Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman proposes a two-year budget.  Rothman says his 2025-2027 budget proposal would allow the UW System to shed its ranking of 43rd among 50 states in public funding and reach the national median. Rothman says it will take an additional $457 million annually to achieve that. Features of the proposed budget include extending the Wisconsin Tuition Program to students from families earning up to $71,000 annually, five and three percent general wage increases for faculty and staff and emphasizing talent development. Rothman said he would not recommend tuition increases over the period covered by the biennial budget.

Nominations for the 2024 Coolest Thing Made In Wisconsin contest are accepted starting today. Contest hosts Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and Johnson Financial Group say any product manufactured in Wisconsin qualifies. Sixteen nominees will be chosen, and the public will vote in a bracket-style tournament called Manufacturing Madness. Past contenders include military vehicles, beverage dispensers, and pastries. Nominations will be accepted until September 6th on Made-In-W-I-S-dot-com, and the winner will be announced in October.  

Local-Regional News Aug 19

 A Menomonie man is in custody after a pursuit in Pepin County on Thursday.  According to the Pepin County Sheriff's Department,  Buffalo County Sheriff's Deputies attempted to pull over 36yr old Matthew Smith on Hwy 25 near Nelson.  Smith refused to pull over and turned off his lights in an attempt to elude the deputies.  The pursuit was ended due to safety reasons.  Smith was spotted on Hwy 25 a short time later by Pepin County deputies and a pursuit with speeds of up to 100mph.  Smith's vehicle was disabled when a Durand Police Officer used spike strips to deflate the tires.  Smith fled on foot, stole a bike, and was spotted near some businesses on the Northeast side of Durand.  He was taken into custody and is expected to be charged in Pepin and Buffalo Counties with drug possession with intent to deliver, eluding an officer, resisting an officer, and other charges.

 

The Buffalo County Sheriff's Office is investigating a single-vehicle crash in Arcadia that claimed the life of a 16-year-old.  The crash happened Thursday afternoon on Boland Valley Road between Arcadia and the Township of Glencoe.  Authorities say the teenage driver lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the side of a bridge after going into a ditch.  The driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene.  Speed is considered a factor in the accident.

Two people were injured in a two-vehicle accident Wednesday evening in Gilman Township.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 36yr old Aaron Place of Spring Valley was traveling eastbound on Hwy 29 when he struck a westbound vehicle driven by 66yr old Nancy Sukowatey of Ellsworth.  Both Nancy and passenger Gary Sukowatey were injured and taken to River Falls Area Hospital.

 A bike ride that features military veterans who were wounded in battle is underway in Minnesota.  The Project Hero Great Lakes Challenge is an annual event that travels from the Twin Cities to Madison, Wisconsin.  Organizers say the purpose of the ride is to raise awareness of PTSD while helping veterans and first responders bond and build confidence.  The event is also a fundraiser for Project Hero, the nonprofit that sponsors the ride.  Riders will travel from the Twin Cities to Red Wing today, then move on to Rochester tomorrow.  The riders will head from Rochester to La Crosse, Wisconsin on Wednesday.

The Wabasha County Board is meeting tomorrow.  Items on the agenda include action on the County Lease Agreement with the Minnesota Department of Corrections, discussion of the Cannabis Ordinance, and discussion on the No Net Gain Policy.  Tomorrow's meeting begins at 9 in the old courthouse annex in Wabasha.

One person is reported injured following a chemical fire in Chippewa Falls.  The fire happened Saturday around noon at TTM Technologies and Chippewa Falls Police say all employees were evacuated.  Area roads were closed for about two hours due to the risk of hazardous chemicals.  No chemical leaks were found after inspections by emergency services,   A post on the police department's Facebook page at around 2 p.m. said roads were reopened.

A woman is dead after a weekend house fire in Rusk County. Firefighters say it took them about an hour-and-a-half to put out the fire at the home in Ladysmith. That's when they found a 35-year-old woman dead inside. Five other people who lived in the home managed to get out, though two of them suffered minor burns. Firefighters are not saying what started the fire. 

 Dispersed camping will not be allowed at Eau Claire County Forest for the next two months.  Eau Claire County Parks and Forest Josh Pedersen said numerous instances of trespassing, damage, and littering are the main reasons for the ban.  Activities such as hiking, fishing, and hunting are still permitted, and campers can purchase ten-dollar permits and camp anywhere in the 50-thousand acre forest.  Dispersed camping will be allowed again starting on October 15th.

A park that honors Peace Corps volunteers is scheduled for construction in southeastern Minnesota.  Several groups associated with the Peace Corps are planning to build a National Service Park near Rochester in 2026.  The "Peace Corps Plaza" in Plainview will include bricks with the names of volunteers, the countries where they served, and the dates they were there.  The groups organizing the construction hope the park will inspire more people to volunteer for national service.   The groups are currently raising money for the project and have yet to announce an overall timeline for construction.

 We are waiting to see what comes from UW regents this week. The regents have a meeting on Thursday and Friday in Madison. Regents are being asked to both approve campus closures and layoffs, and hold-off from closing any more branch campuses. Regents approved a tuition increase at their last meeting. The meeting will be the last before University of Wisconsin campuses welcome students back to campuses across the state.

An estimated 100 Wisconsin protestors are headed to Chicago to march during this week's Democratic National Convention.  Among the protestors will be some who marched during last month's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.  A number of pro-Palestinian protestors marched in Milwaukee on Saturday.  The Democratic National Convention starts on Monday.  Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz are scheduled to be at a rally in Milwaukee on Tuesday.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is getting a new secretary. Current secretary Craig Thompson's last day will be September 11th of this year and is taking a job at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Governor Tony Evers says Kristina Boardman will take over the position and will be the first woman to do so. She's currently the deputy secretary with the Wisconsin DOT and previously worked as an administrator at the state Division of Motor Vehicles. 

The Minnesota Department of Health is warning residents about a surge in pertussis cases across the state.  Patients range from one month to 86-years-old.  The increase is particularly notable among adolescents.  As of Thursday, there have been 516 reported cases, with Hennepin County leading with 178 cases.  The MDH advises testing for pertussis in patients with a persistent cough lasting more than seven days or with close contact to a known case.

A man shot by police in Fitchburg earlier this week has died.  The Wisconsin Department of Justice says the 28-year-old man died Thursday afternoon. Police in the Madison suburb were called to an apartment building on Monday morning on a report of a couple fighting. Officers encountered the man armed with a knife. Fitchburg Police Chief Alfonso Morales said the man approached officers after refusing repeated commands to drop the knife. At that point, one officer shot him. The man's name has not been publicly released. The officer who fired his weapon is on administrative leave, and the Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation into the shooting.

Flight attendants working for Minneapolis-based Sun Country Airlines are authorizing a strike after five years of contract talks.  International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 120, which represents 560 flight attendants, says a majority of its members voted yes on the measure.  Union Bargaining Committee member Tanya DeVito says they voted to strike because they are fed up with Sun Country dragging their feet during negotiations.  Flight attendants have been working under a 2014 deal that was amended in 2016.  Sun Country officials say they are confident that they will reach an agreement with its flight attendants.

A Milwaukee area native welcomes a unique visitor to Wisconsin.  The general manager of the National Hockey League champion Florida Panthers, Bill Zito, gave the Stanley Cup a tour of Milwaukee. Stops Zito made with the Cup Wednesday included Fiserv Forum, the Brewers’ clubhouse at American Family Field, Froedert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin, Kopp’s Frozen Custard and his alma mater, University School of Milwaukee. One-day tours with the Stanley Cup are a longtime tradition in the NHL. Zito grew up in Whitefish Bay, just north of Milwaukee.

Local-Regional News Aug 16

 The City of Durand finally received all the necessary state permits for the Tarrant Park Pool.  Currently, crews are working on installing the main under drains for the pool and the pool walls along with the construction of the walls for the bathhouse.  Currently, the project is 8-9 weeks behind schedule due to the delays in getting the state permits and rain delays.  Crews are expected to work as late into fall as they can weather permitting.

Pepin County has a new 4-H program educator. Sky Holt began her duties with Pepin County in July during the fair and will be spending 50% of her time working on 4-H programs and the other 50% on Youth Development Programs. Holt came from St. Croix County where she was the 4-H Program Educator.  She has a past history working in the area when she helped implement the Buffalo-Pepin County Teen Court Program.

Eau Claire is not waiting to deal with the so-called forever chemicals in its water. The city yesterday broke ground on a new plant that is designed to remove PFAS chemicals from the city's water supply. The 20 million-dollar facility comes a year-and-a-half after the city closed about half of its wells because of high PFAS levels. There's no direct link between PFAS and health risks, but there are growing worries about the chemicals. Constriction is expected to take about a year-and-a-half. 

 A 16-year-old is looking at charges after a string of car break-ins and stolen cars in Lake Hallie. Police there yesterday said they arrested the teen this week. Lake Hallie Police say someone stole a half-dozen cars, and broke into several others. Investigators say the teenage suspect confessed to some of the crimes. Lake Hallie's police chief says almost all of the cars that were broken into or stolen were unlocked. 

A man is dead after a motorcycle wreck in Chippewa Falls earlier this week. Chippewa Falls Police say the wreck happened Tuesday near the new Kwik Trip on Chippewa Crossing Boulevard. Officers say it looks like the 31-year-old man was speeding and hit a light pole. Police aren't saying if alcohol played a role in the crash. The investigation is on-going. 

There aren't many answers about a small plane crash in Chetek on Wednesday. Police say the plane went down at the Municipal Airport on Wednesday. The pilot was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Eau Claire because of his injuries. Police are identifying the pilot as 34-year-old Travis Turner of Cameron, Wisconsin. Both local and federal investigators say they are looking into the crash.

 Land continues to get more valuable in Wisconsin. The state's Department of Revenue released its latest Equalized Values Report. It shows the total value of all the land in the state is sitting at 907 billion-dollars, an increase of 75 billion from last year. Residential land continues to be the most valuable, worth just over 667 billion, followed by Wisconsin's commercial properties. However, farmland and forest land saw the biggest jumps in their value. Both went up 11 percent last year. Oconto County saw the largest increase in land values at 16 percent, followed by Lafayette and Pepin both at 14 percent. 

Zumbrota could have a new public pool by 2026 if the community comes together to raise money for the construction.  Voters this week approved a referendum to replace the city's pool.  The project will get three-million dollars in funding from the city, but supporters will need to raise another one-point-three million before construction can start.  The city anticipates breaking ground next year if the money is raised in time.

Nine Minnesota clinics are starting to receive free insulin from drug manufacturer Eli Lilly under an agreement negotiated by the state's attorney general.  The Attorney General's Office sued the drug maker in 2018 over the price Minnesotans were paying for insulin.  A settlement with Eli Lilly reduced the price of insulin to 35-dollars per month and required the company to supply free insulin to 15 clinics statewide.  Six clinics in the Twin Cities are now receiving free insulin, and the rest is going to clinics in Red Wing, Cook and Duluth. 

Some of the hundreds of thousands of people who are expected to come to Green Bay for next spring's NFL Draft could be sleeping in a camper at EAA. EAA yesterday said they are looking to open-up their facility to draft-goers. Managers say they have one thousand spots available for campers. Dick Knapinski says Detroit used a number of campgrounds when it hosted the draft in April of this year, and he said there's no reason to think Green Bay can't do the same. There are still some details to be worked-out, like amenities and such. But EAA says there will be campsite reservations for the draft between April 19th and the 29th. 

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There is a push from national Democrats to keep the Green Party off the ballot in Wisconsin. A member of the Democratic National Committee filed a complaint yesterday with the Wisconsin Elections Commission that claims the Green Party cannot nominate a slate of electors, and therefore cannot run Jill Stein as their candidate. Wisconsin law requires an elected official to be a part of any presidential elector slate, and the Green Party doesn't have any of those. The Wisconsin Elections Commission kept the Green Party off the ballot in 2020 because of a paperwork issue. The Green Party did make the ballot in 2016, and Democrats say the party kept Hillary Clinton from winning the state that year.

Wisconsin's employment rates are at a record high for the third month in a row. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development says seasonally adjusted unemployment was at three-percent last month, one-point-three percent less than the national rate. The state's labor participation rate remained the same at 65-point-five percent. 

 A texting-based program designed to help young Wisconsinites quit vaping is expanding. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says it'll now allow people aged 18-through-26 to use the Live Vape Free Program. This age group will benefit from two weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy if they medically qualify. The department says this therapy doubles the chances of quitting entirely. The texting program is still available for teens aged 13 to 17.

There are hate crime charges for a Madison man who police say threatened some UW sorority sisters. Dane County prosecutors say 20-year-old Lukas Nowak burst into a classroom last November, threatened to kill at least one young woman, and made some racial remarks. He is also accused of making threats and racial comments at the Domain Apartments a couple of days earlier. Investigators say they found an AR-15 rifle in the car Nowak was riding around in. He told investigators that he was angry at Asian people because he was being sent to China, and that Chinese spies are all around.

The southeast Minnesota biotechnology company United Therapeutics plans to invest 100-million dollars into a research farm in Stewartville.  The Maryland-based business is known for engineering organs for the first-ever pig-to-human heart and kidney transplants.  They plan to expand their research at a site ten miles south of downtown Rochester.  All pigs will be born and harvested inside the tightly controlled facility, which is equipped with biosecurity measures regulating every aspect of their lives.  United hopes that human studies could start as early as next year. 

A historic document in Wisconsin sports is up for auction. It’s the Green Bay Packers NFL Membership Certificate from circa 1923. Heritage Auctions says the certificate first emerged over a decade ago from the estate of early NFL president Joe Carr. A slightly scaled-down color reproduction is on display at the Packers Hall of Fame. The original certificate is described as 13-and-a-half by 16 inches in size with some age-toning but no tearing, creasing or chipping common to similar collectible documents. Bids are expected to exceed $50,000.

Local-Regional News Aug 15

 The City of Durand will not be eligible for a CBDG grant for the Madison Street Project.  During last night's council meeting, the city engineer told the council that because there are not enough residents that have a Madison Street address, the project isn't considered a neighborhood project and therefore not eligible for a CBDG grant.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says while there are some other options the city might have, the city may have to scale down the project.  The City is looking at some DNR Water Quality Grants and possible low-interest loan programs.

The City of Mondovi is exploring the possibility of working with UW Stout to improve the water quality of Mirror Lake.  During this week's council meeting, Mayor Weiss told the council about a resident who had looked at Eau Claire's improvements to Half Moon Lake and how that could be done in Mondovi.  Weiss says there is some potential to improve the water quality of Mirror Lake. The council has directed the city administrator to look into the costs and requirements of working with UW-Stout on a water quality improvement project for the lake.

The last of the three people accused of sexually assaulting a cognitively impaired teenager in Trempealeau County is heading to prison. A judge yesterday sentenced Terry Loewenhagen to four years behind bars. He's accused of assaulting the teenager. Investigators say another woman helped in the assaults, and a second man helped organize them. The other two suspects are already serving their sentences. Loewenhagen will spend two years on probation when he's released. 

The pedestrian underpass on Menomonie Street in Eau Claire is going to have to wait. City engineering director Leah Ness yesterday said the city is waiting for the materials to build the underpass, so they are holding-off on construction for now. The city wanted to start work on the underpass as soon as the roundabout on Menomonie Street was finished. That project is now finished, but the underpass project will have to wait. The hope is to start work in the spring. 

 It will be a life sentence for one of the suspects in La Crosse County's triple murder from back in 2021. A jury on Tuesday convicted 36-year-old Nya Thao for the murders at the quarry in the Town of Hamilton in July of 2021. Prosecutors say Thao and another man killed the three over a 600 dollar debt. Investigators say there were some gang disputes as well. Thao is facing a mandatory life sentence in the case. His sentencing date has not yet been set. 

The old Mary Ann's Root Beer Stand in Chippewa Falls is gone. Crews took down the building yesterday. The stand closed in 1994, but new owners bought it two years ago. Those owners say there was no way to salvage the old building, so they had to tear it down. The owners say they have some plans for the land, but they are not saying what those plans are. 

Nearly one-in-four voters in Wisconsin cast a ballot in Tuesday's election. The state's Elections Commission yesterday said voter turnout was 26-percent. Voter numbers were higher in some communities, and lower in others. Election managers say the 26-percent number is the highest for a primary election in 60 years. Democratic leaders in the state say new legislative candidates and two constitutional amendments drove that turnout. 

 Some tweaks are coming to Wisconsin's elk hunting rules. The Department of Natural Resources Board yesterday approved the updated Elk Manager Plan for the state. It changes Wisconsin's elk hunting season into one continuous season between October 15th and December 15th, and splits the state into 15 different hunting units. The plan also states the goal to grow Wisconsin's elk population and minimize elk-human interactions. 

 A federal judge is dismissing a challenge to laws regulating Minnesota's deer farms.  State lawmakers approved several measures last year that tightened industry regulation to prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease.  The Minnesota Deer Farmers Association filed suit and asked for an injunction to keep the laws from going into effect.  A U.S. District Court judge dismissed the request yesterday, saying the state was not deliberately working to damage the deer farming industry.  Lawyers for the deer farmers say they will appeal the judge's decision.

Governor Tony Evers is pleased with Tuesday's rejection of two Republican-authored constitutional amendments. The Democratic governor says voter approval would have made it difficult to distribute federal funding when it's needed most. Evers says the result means a Republican governor would have the same powers as he did to disperse COVID-19 relief dollars.

More than seven-thousand Wisconsin businesses are getting refunds for a business certificate scam. State Attorney General Josh Kaul [ CALL ] says two Florida-based companies sent out tens of thousands of mailers that appeared to be from a government office, asking businesses to buy a certificate of status for 72-dollars. Businesses are not required to have certificates of status but could order one from a state agency for only ten dollars. The Florida companies and their owners are ordered to pay three-point-five million dollars, including 600-thousand in refunds to the scammed Wisconsin businesses. 

The University of Wisconsin is partnering with the Department of Natural Resources to track greensnake populations. UW-Madison student volunteers will work at select sites to complete population surveys. Greensnakes are considered a common species in Wisconsin, but are declining in numbers with a need for conservation regionally. The species is non-venomous. 

The University of Minnesota is using wastewater sampling to track the spread of COVID in the state.  According to the CDC, Minnesota is one of 27 states seeing "very high levels" of coronavirus right now.  The vice dean of the U of M Medical School says there's "no question" that a lot of COVID is spreading right now in the community and statewide.

UnitedHealth Group is sending letters to patients this week informing them that their personal information may have been accessed during a cyberattack early this year.  The information ranged from patient health conditions to Social Security numbers.  The Minnetonka-based health system has not said how many letters are being sent.  UnitedHealth Group officials say they have fixed and restored systems at Change Healthcare while improving security.  The company is offering free credit monitoring and identity theft protection for two years.

Police in Sturgeon Bay are looking for the owner of a bag of cash. Officers say someone turned-in the bank bag recently, and they are now looking for whoever lost it. The PD says they tried to take the money back to the bank, but without a name or account number the bank couldn't do anything. Sturgeon Bay Police are not saying which bank, or just how much money is inside. The idea is that the owner will know those things, and be able to ID their cash. 

Local-Regional News August 14

 The Mondovi City Council has approved a resolution asking communication companies to bury communication lines when possible.  Mondovi Mayor Brady Weiss says service interruptions are prevented when utilities are buried underground. N-Tec is currently upgrading to fiber optic in Mondovi.

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on purchasing tablets for city council members for emails and council packets along with reports from the mayor, city administrator, and department heads.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall.

A trial date was set Tuesday for the western Wisconsin nurse who allegedly cut off a dying man's foot.  Mary Brown of Durand is accused of caring for a patient with severe frostbite on his feet at Spring Valley Senior Living 2022 and amputating the man's foot without the man's or doctor's permission.  Tuesday in court, her trial on elder abuse and mayhem charges was set to begin on August 19th of 2025.  It is expected to last four days.

It's Rebecca Cooke heading forward in western Wisconsin's race for Congress. Cooke beat current state Rep. Katrina Shankland to grab the Democratic nomination for Congress. That race was, perhaps, the most heated in the state with allegations from all sides. She got about 49 percent of the vote in a three way race. In terms of raw votes, she beat Shankland by more than five thousand votes. Cooke will take-on incumbent Congressman Derrick Van Orden in November.

There was a shortage of paper ballots at some polls in Eau Claire yesterday. Deputy City Clerk Rebecca Draeger said a higher than expected voter turnout caused the shortages. No one was ever without a ballot, the clerk's office simply sent more to where they were needed. In all, about 33 percent of people turned out for yesterday's election. 

The days of free parking next to the Y Tennis Center are over. Eau Claire's city council last night voted to start charging for parking there. Starting later this month, drivers will have to pay one dollar per-hour to park in the lot. You'll have to use either an app or the lot's kiosk to pay. No one is saying why Eau Claire is making the change, or just how much money the city expects to see from the new fee. 

 A homeless man who set a series of fires in Eau Claire is headed to prison for a year-and-a-half. A judge yesterday gave Joshua Stromme an 18 month sentence for arson. Stromme admitted that he set a porta-potty, a couple of dumpsters, and a bus shelter on fire back in December of last year. Stromme told the judge he was angry that he was kicked out of the local homeless shelter. Stromme also told the judge he has mental health issues. 

Wisconsin voters said No to putting limits on the governor's spending powers. Voters yesterday rejected a pair of constitutional amendments that would have given lawmakers some say in how billions of dollars in federal money was spent. Democrats in the state framed the questions as a Republican power grab. Conservative groups in the state said there needs to be some oversight in how those dollars are spent. About 58 percent of voters rejected the amendments. 

There is now a First Amendment challenge to Wisconsin's personalized license plan restrictions. The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty is asking a judge to strike down the state law that allows the DMV to ban license plates that are deemed 'objectionable.' WILL lawyers say people have a First Amendment right to personalize their license plate. The case stems from a man who wanted a license plate that read RD RRAGE [[ road rage ]]. The DMV allowed him to get the plate back in 2003, but later denied his request. WILL's Lucas Vebber said Wisconsin's license plate law allows bureaucrats at the DMV to decide what speech is allowed, and what speech is objectionable. 

We could get an update on elk hunting in Wisconsin today. The Department of Natural Resources Board is set to meet in Madison, and the state's Elk Management Plan is on the agenda. Wisconsin expanded elk hunting to two regions last season, and hunters continue to show a strong interest in the hunt. No one is saying what, if any changes, the DNR Board may make to the Elk Management Plan.  

A western Wisconsin man accused of murder is being held on a million-dollar bond.  55-year-old John Stumlin is accused of killing Daniel Riordan and hiding his body behind a mobile home. La Crosse County deputies were called there for a death investigation last week and found Riordan's body concealed under some plants in the backyard. When they tried to get inside they found the home barricaded by Stumlin. Deputies eventually got inside and arrested Stumlin after finding blood. Prosecutors say Stumlin struck Riordan multiple times in the head and punctured his skull.

A Republican lawmaker who helped write the legislation is disappointed in the low number of applications for Wisconsin’s Agricultural Road Improvement Program. State Senator Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) said he's surprised, especially with the large number of town and county roads that need improvements to handle heavy agricultural and forestry traffic. Marklein said the program, established through a bipartisan legislative effort, may not be renewed in the next budget if there aren’t enough applications demonstrating a need for funding. The Agricultural Road Improvement Program has already distributed fifty million dollars this year, and the deadline for the second round of 100 million dollars is the end of September.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is looking for volunteers to find and monitor rare plants. The department says the volunteer program is the largest state resource for rare plant data. Last year there were 178 reports of rare plants, including more than 30 in locations they'd never been seen in before. Virtual training is available on the Wisconsin DNR website, and in-person training will be offered on August 24 in Madison. 

A search for a missing kayaker in northeast Wisconsin continues.  The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office contacted Green Lake County Monday after a 44-year-old man didn’t return home from a kayaking trip to Big Green Lake. Green Lake County deputies found an overturned, unoccupied kayak with a life jacket attached. The missing man's vehicle was found near Dodge Memorial Park.  

Some eagle-eyed Minnesotans may soon notice a difference in the logo used by the State Patrol.  The agency is debuting a new logo design this week.  The old logo featured the version of the Minnesota state seal that was retired earlier this year.  The new logo features the Mississippi River surrounded by Norway Pines under the North Star.  Officials estimate it will take six to nine months and four-million dollars to replace the current logo on all uniforms and equipment. 

The Minnesota Zoo is celebrating a new record.  The Apple Valley-based facility has drawn close to one-point-46 million people in the fiscal year 2024, which ended July 1.  That number exceeded the attendance record of one-point-37 million set in 2012.  Zoo officials credit the Treetop Trail for luring additional visitors.  It opened in July 2023.  Treetop Trail is an elevated walking trail that gives a clear view of ten different animal exhibits along with ponds and woods.

Local-Regional News Aug 13

 The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include a resolution allowing all utility companies to install underground utilities when possible, a resolution approving the clerk/treasurer job description, and reports from the mayor and city department heads.  Tonight's meeting begins at 5:30 at the Marten Center.

Voters will decide one-half of western Wisconsin's race for Congress today. The Democratic primary in the Third Congressional District is on the ballot for today's Election Day. The winner will go on to face Congressman Derrick Van Orden in November. Voters will also see two constitutional amendments that deal with giving lawmakers some say in how billions of dollars in federal money is spent. The polls are open today from 7 a.m. til 8 p.m. 

Dunn County's Narcan vending machine is now open. The county's health department is calling it a Harm Reduction Kiosk. In addition to Narcan, the vending machine has things like gun locks and hygiene kits. All of the items are free. You can find the machine in the basement of the government building, near the entrance.

The man who was charged last year with running down the highway in Lake Hallie with a machete is now looking at charges in a puppy's death. Prosecutors in Eau Claire charged Chad Nylen yesterday for the puppy's death at his home. Neighbors called the police after they heard the pup cry and whine. Nylen said he accidentally dropped a paving stone on the dog but also said the dog was "mind-controlled." Nylen is looking at three-and-a-half years in prison if convicted of killing the puppy. 

Farmers from around Wisconsin and even Minnesota will be in Western Wisconsin over the next few days.  Wisconsin Farm Technology Days begin today and run through Thursday at the Country Fest Grounds in Cadott. Farmers will get hands-on experiences and educational opportunities with some of the latest cutting-edge equipment and solutions in the farm industry.  The grounds are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  A tram system will be available to take visitors around the grounds.  Tickets are $15 per adult at the gate. 

Nearly 50 people are out of a job after a plant closing in Rice Lake. Besse Forest Products told the state of Wisconsin that 46 people were laid off in the move. Besse is a lumber company that says it offers premium hardwood and other lumber needs. The plant closed on August 1st, and everyone lost their job that same day. Besse said in its filing with the state that an industry downturn is to blame for the closing. 

We're going to get an update today on just how many guards Wisconsin needs at its juvenile prisons. Governor Evers' Juvenile Justice Commission is going to meet later today. In addition to a status update, the Department of Corrections is expected to update the commission on its staffing levels. Wisconsin's youth prisons are in the spotlight after a teenager at the Lincoln Hills facility attacked and killed a teacher there at the end of June. State Senator Van Wanggaard this week said the Department of Corrections has essentially lost control at Lincoln Hills. 

A 53-year-old man from Hastings died in a car crash on Highway 61 near Lower Afton Road in St. Paul. The driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt, went off the roadway and struck a tree. The crash occurred around 4:30 a.m., and no other vehicles were involved. Minnesota State Patrol is investigating the incident

The IRS is giving Minnesotans affected by June's severe storms and flooding a tax filing extension.  The agency will extend the filing deadline for individual and business returns in the 25 Minnesota counties covered by a federal disaster declaration.  The extension covers returns and tax payments that would normally be done in June and September of this year and January of next year.  The filing deadline for those returns and payments is now February 3rd.  

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Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicle locations will stay open later today due to the primary election. All locations will be open until six P-M so residents can get the right identification for voting. Valid I-D includes a Wisconsin driver's license or identification card, with or without a star in the corner, or a U-S passport. Voters can also get free I-D cards to vote at DMV locations. More information is available at the Wisconsin D-O-T website.

School is right around the corner and now's the time to start adjusting kids' sleep schedules. UW-Madison Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Casey Freymiller said the amount of sleep needed depends on a kids' age. A 3-year-old needs about 12 hours, a 10-year-old about 10 hours, and that number goes down as they get older. Freymiller said if kids don't get enough sleep, they can have slower response times, mental fogginess, heightened emotional responses, and trouble remembering things they learn. She said parents should start adjusting their kids to school schedules by mid-August.

 The latest snapshot shows people have a bit more faith in the U.S. Supreme Court, but a majority of voters across the country still disapprove of the court's conservative majority. The latest Marquette Law School Poll asked voters across the country about their view of the high court, and 43 percent said they approve of the job that the court is doing. However, 57 percent of voters disapprove of the high court. Those approval numbers are a bit higher than the 39 percent approval rating in Marquette's poll from May. The last time pollsters say more than 50 percent of voters across the country approved of the Supreme Court was back in March of 2022, before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. 

Keep an eye out for fake friend requests on your social media feeds. Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin president Jim Temmer says getting a message like that from someone who's already on your list is suspicious. Scammers are after the information you keep personal or locked to friends and family only. That can include your home address, phone number, a list of your friends, and the sorts of things a scammer might want to make them look more believable to other people. If you think a friend might have been hacked, contact them another way to let them know.

A Minnesota state representative candidate is accused of stealing hundreds of yard signs for events and politicians.   Judd Hoff of Alexandria has been charged with aiding and abetting theft and receiving stolen property.  His wife, Wendy, is also charged with theft. Alexandria police say they recovered over 240 signs that were stolen throughout several months.  DFLer Judd Hoff is running against Republican Marey Franson in District 12B.  The Douglas County DFL has rescinded its endorsement of Hoff after news of the recent charges.

A car stolen over three decades ago was found in the Wisconsin River. The Richland County Sheriff's Office says crews pulled the late ‘80’s Pontiac Grand Prix from the river near the Lone Rock Bridge. On Thursday the sheriff’s office located the car's owner and learned it was stolen out of Monroe County in 1990. It’s not known how long the car was in the river. Nothing suspicious was found in the car, and it appears no one was hurt when it went in.

Local-Regional News Aug 12

 One person suffered serious injuries in a two-vehicle accident in the town of Tremplealeau on Saturday.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department, an SUV was traveling eastbound on Hwy 54 when it rear-ended a truck slowing down to turn into a driveway.  The driver of the SUV had to be extricated from the vehicle and airlifted to the hospital with serious injuries.

There are charges against a Chippewa County man who deputies say shot a couple of rural Eau Claire County homes.  Prosecutors filed charges yesterday against Brandon Flanary of Bloomer.  The sheriff's office says he randomly fired shots back on July 14th along Town Hall Road, just west of Eau Claire.  His bullets hit two homes in the area. The sheriff's office says he later admitted that he was driving around drunk, and firing his gun.

Small Business Owners in the Durand area are invited to a Small Business Development Discussion with the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center from UW-Eau Claire this Wednesday.  Representatives from the SBDC will share a little bit about who they are, share success stories of clients that they have worked with, and then open the forum up to questions from attendees.  The event will start at 6pm Wednesday at Bohdi's Masonic Lodge.  Contact the Durand Improvement Group for more information.

Dunn County's Humane Society is looking for foster families and forever homes. The shelter in Menomonie says they have 80 cats and around 25 dogs that are ready for adoption right now. The Humane Society's Harvey Weidman says a lot of people are looking for pets, and he wants them to come to the shelter first. He says a lot of shelters are struggling with too many animals right now. You can find out more about the pets that are available, or find out how you can become a foster family by going to the Humane Society's website.

 Public health managers in Eau Claire are getting ready to ask people about their healthy food habits. The county's health department just received a nearly 50 thousand-dollar grant to study food security in rural, northwestern Wisconsin. The hope is to find a way to get more local, healthy fruits and vegetables on to people's tables. The health department's Janessa VandenBerge says they will likely start their survey next month, and look to have some answers perhaps by the end of the year. 

A new president for the Wisconsin Technical College System Layla Merrifield has been a fiscal analyst for the Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau and has also worked as a policy adviser for the tech colleges. Her new role includes overseeing the state's sixteen technical colleges. Merrifield also serves as executive director of the Wisconsin Technical College District Boards Association, which represents the trustees of the various technical college boards. Merrifield starts her new position on September 9th.

First responders in Winona are reminding hikers to be careful when visiting Sugar Loaf Park.  The fire department was called to the park after a hiker fell on Friday evening.  The hiker suffered multiple injuries after falling from the Sugar Loaf rock and was taken to the hospital.  It's the second time someone has been injured after a fall from the park's signature attraction in the last two weeks.

The sudden closure of a southeastern Minnesota daycare center has led upset parents to complain to city hall.  The Little Gnome daycare facility in Spring Grove announced Saturday that it was closing immediately due to financial problems.  Parents complained about the closure on social media, saying the owners should have notified them sooner so they could make other arrangements.  Some parents also called city officials to complain about the closure.  That led the city clerk to issue a statement on social media asking residents to stop calling city hall.

The DNR expects a better deer herd in northern Wisconsin this year. The Department of Natural Resources released its annual deer forecast last week. Analysts say last winter was mild, and that should help with the number of fawns who made it through the cold months. The DNR said that means there will likely be more young deer in the woods this fall, but the herd should be much better going forward. The DNR report says there are a lot of factors that will impact the northern deer herd, but the report doesn't say anything about wolves.

The State Building Commission has approved approximately $262 million for key projects across Wisconsin.  Approved projects include upgrades at several Department of Corrections facilities, including Lincoln Hills School and the Waupun Correctional Institute. Those upgrades include living unit locks and controls replacement at Lincoln Hills to enhance the safety of staff and youth, and camera upgrades at Waupun. The commission also approved spending $9 million to buy the downtown Madison building that houses the Wisconsin Veterans Museum, with plans to build a new five-story museum on the site. A number of Wisconsin colleges are getting funds for projects including the Cofrin Technology and Education Center at UW - Green Bay, renovations of the UW - Milwaukee and UW - River Falls heating plants, and elevator modernization at UW - Whitewater.

Wisconsin bonus antlerless harvest authorizations will be available for purchase starting Monday morning. The state Department of Natural Resources says the authorizations, formerly known as tags, will go on sale in daily phases based on management zones. Harvest opportunities also vary by management zone. More information is available on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website. 

Affordable housing for veterans is expanding in Madison, thanks to more than 68-thousand dollars in funding. The U-S Department of Housing and Urban Development says the money will go to the Madison Community Development Authority to help homeless veterans. The program will help them find a place to live, and give them vouchers to help pay for rent. HUD is giving out 20-million dollars nationally to address housing for veterans.

Fort Snelling State Park is reopened after being closed due to flooding on the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers.  Most hiking trails, the fishing pier, and the Picnic Island boat launch will be open.  Some areas like the Caspersen boat launch and certain hiking trails will remain closed for cleanup.  Regular park hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

A national discount retailer will close seven stores in Wisconsin. In a filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Big Lots disclosed that it’s closing up to 315 locations nationwide, including stores in Fond du Lac, La Crosse, Menomonee Falls, Mount Pleasant, Neenah, Sheboygan and West Bend. The Ohio-based chain blames plunging sales for the store shutdowns, with net sales decreasing by 10.2% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same time last year.

The cost of all-you-can-drink milk at the Minnesota State Fair is going up this year.  Midwest Dairy began offering all-you-can-drink milk at the fair in 1955, charging ten cents for the first cup and allowing unlimited refills.  The dairy will charge three dollars this year, an increase of a dollar over last year.  The dairy says an increase in labor costs led to the price hike.