Local-Regional News December 14

 The City of Durand has settled its claim with its insurance carrier over money that was stolen by the former Library Director from the Library Fund.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the money will be put back into the dontation accounts of the library that had money taken.  The city is receiving $28,000 from its insurance carrier.

A worker at the Ashley Furniture Industries facility in western Wisconsin has died.  The death was reported Wednesday, but the company hasn’t said how the person died.  No names have been released.  The company issued a statement acknowledging the death and indicating the victim was a longtime employee at the Arcadia location.  Authorities in Trempealeau County are conducting an investigation.

 Five Democratic legislators have signed a letter saying they have “heard enough” and won’t be participating in an Assembly hearing looking into claims of voter fraud.  About halfway through a Friday hearing by the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections the lawmakers wrote that they won’t take part in what they call a “sham hearing” any longer.  State representatives JoCasta Zamarripa, Lisa Subeck and Mark Spreitzer joined state senators Mark Miller and Jeff Smith in signing the critical letter.  They say the hearings will do nothing but “undermine our elections and election officials.”  Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says his party has heard “thousands” of complaints about irregularities in the November 3rd election.

The Durand Fire Department will once again hold its annual Santa Ride Along.   Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says this is an event that has grown over the  last few years. Santa will not be able to stop for pictures with the kids, and his ride along with the Fire Department will be on Sunday starting at 4:30.

The University of Wisconsin System has waved the 25-dollar electronic application fees at 10 of its 13 schools.  The intention is to provide students some economic relief during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The no-cost EApp will take effect at all schools except the Eau Claire, La Crosse and Madison campuses.  Students who meet financial hardship criteria could have the fees waived at all 13 campuses.  The system is estimating that the move to lead to more applications.  The Board of Regents approved the change Thursday.  That comes after several universities informally waived the fees this fall.

 The first shipments of a COVID-19 vaccine left a Michigan distribution center Monday – to start the biggest vaccination effort in American history.  The first shots will be given this week to health care workers and people living in nursing homes.  No precise date and time for the first shots have been established in Wisconsin.  About three-million doses were on the trucks leaving Kalamazoo.  All should arrive at their destinations no later than Wednesday.

As lawmakers on the state level debate how to provide relief to bars and restaurants impacted by COVID-19 related restrictions, the City of Rochester has a plan on a local scale. The plan would essentially result in the waiver of liquor license fees through the city's existing License Grant Program. If approved the plan would cost the city about 165-thousand dollars.

A new bill that's currently waiting for the President's signature will aim to patch a hole that scam artists use to try and trick people with student loans. Senator Tammy Baldwin says that they saw a recent upsurge in debt relief scams as discussions on student loan money circulated during the pandemic relief talks.  The bill would make it illegal to use official government records to try and find scam targets, which was up to this point not actually illegal. Baldwin says that with over a trillion dollars in student loans currently outstanding, it's crucial to protect people who are just trying to get by.


 The Wisconsin Policy Forum reports property taxes levied by school districts in the state are going to go up by three-point-three-percent.  That figure is smaller than 2019 but bigger than any other year in the last decade.  Those property tax bills will be mailed to Wisconsin homeowners this month.  They represent the single largest tax paid by state residents.  Property taxes are also the largest source of school funding, along with units of local government like police and fire.  The actual increase for homeowners will vary depending on where their property is located.

The chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission says she has been threatened that a “crowd of patriots” will show up at her house.  Ann Jacobs says that’s just one of the threatening messages she has received through social media.  She adds her children have been mentioned.  Jacobs tells reporters photos of her home were posted on Twitter.  She says she has alerted her neighbors and police about the “constant threats.”  Election officials in Michigan and Georgia say they have received similar threats after repeatedly concluding there is no evidence suggesting voter fraud during the November presidential election.

Elderly Wisconsin residents may have to get in line for the coronavirus vaccine next week.  Frontline health care workers will be getting the first shots.  The people they treat in long-term care facilities may have to wait until next month.  The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says the state is expected to get only 60-thousand doses of the vaccine, meaning some groups of people will have to wait.  Medical facilities are making plans right now to distribute the vaccine when it arrives.  The F-D-A’s Advisory Committee cleared the way for emergency approval of  the vaccine Thursday.

An attorney for former Minneapolis police officer Tou Thao is requesting a delay for the jury trial in the George Floyd case.  The trial is expected to begin in March.  Thao's attorney today (Friday) asked a judge to move the trial to July, arguing prosecutors have repeatedly failed to disclose evidence in a timely manner.  The defense says that has hurt their ability to prepare for the trial and could potentially get in the way of Thao having a fair trial.  Thao is one of four officers accused in Floyd's death.

Governor Tony Evers says Wisconsin will use 60-thousand dollars in federal grants to restore statues damaged at the State Capitol.  The money will help with the restoration of the "Forward" and Colonel Hans Christian Heg statues that were toppled in June.  The governor is also encouraging the State Capitol and Executive Residence Board to consider diversifying the statues by honoring Vel Phillips.  She was the first Black woman on the Milwaukee City Council and to become a judge in Wisconsin.  Evers said. "I look forward to not only getting Colonel Heg and Forward back up on their feet at the Capitol, but also exploring new options to make the Capitol grounds a more accurate reflection of our state’s diversity and history."

Local-Regional News December 11

 Property owners in the City of Durand should be receiving their property tax bills in the mail soon.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says if you want to pay your taxes in person at city hall you need to call ahead to make an appointment.  Taxpayers will see a reduction in the lottery and first home tax credits in this year's bills.

Pepin County has applied with the state to have another free covid-19 test day.  Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says there are discussions of having the site in Pepin.  The Wisconsin National Guard is conducting the free test sites.

Dunn County non-profits are splitting $20,000 in funding provided by The Dunn County Covid-19 response fund from the Community Foundation of Dunn County's Common Good and Healthy Future Funds.  Organizations receiving grants include The Bridge to Hope, United Way, West Cap, and The Dunn County Humane Society.  A total of $91,634 has been granted across 24 nonprofit organizations to help with COVID-19 relief so far this year.

Eau Claire police report the 37-year-old Indiana man who was stabbed on Thanksgiving has died.  Officials say the cause of death for Travis Smith is listed as a stab wound to the chest and the manner of death was a homicide.  Kelly Weiberg is being held in the Eau Claire County Jail.  Witnesses told police Weiberg was the one who stabbed Smith.  Investigators say he admitted to being intoxicated and using a knife against a man.

 Republican leaders in the Wisconsin Legislature accuse Governor Tony Evers of making too many unilateral decisions on the state’s response to COVID-19.  They want oversight of how Wisconsin spends the federal pandemic relief money it receives and how vaccines are distributed in the coming months.  Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and incoming Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu made the comments during a conference call with the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce Wednesday.  Vos and LeMahieu say legislative oversight would create more transparency.

 Authorities in Monroe County say a domestic abuse incident in a rural home near Norwalk led to a two-hour standoff starting early Wednesday.  Deputies were called to the location just after 6:00 a-m.  The information they received gave them probable cause to arrest 39-year-old Kenneth M. Sizemore.  Because he was reportedly armed, the Monroe County Tactical Unit was called in.  Authorities say Sizemore refused to communicate with them for almost two hours but eventually gave up just as they were about to deploy chemical agents.  He’s being held in the Monroe County Jail on charges of recklessly endangering safety, false imprisonment, child abuse and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

 A proposed 216-million-dollar Minnesota state aid package for COVID-closed restaurants, bars and other businesses is in jeopardy over unemployment benefits.   Republican Senator Eric Pratt of Prior Lake said, "we were too far apart.  We wanted to do something that was truly a gap.  They wanted to do something that was much broader, going out 'til June."  House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler says "we are not going to help businesses and then screw the very workers who got laid off from those businesses. He says the House will not pass the relief package without an unemployment benefits extension:   Lawmakers and the governor are trying to get a deal in time for Monday's special session.

 The risk of fires in your home goes up during the holidays -- making it an important time to check your smoke detectors. Wisconsin Emergency Management spokesman, Andrew Beckett, you should have smoke detectors on every level of your home. Be sure that they have fresh batteries and have been tested recently. Smoke detectors need to be replaced about every ten years. Find out more about holiday fire safety, at readywisconsin-dot-gov.

 Minnesota's Keith Ellison is among 23 attorneys general urging the U-S Supreme Court to reject a lawsuit by the Texas A-G seeking to overturn election results in four states.  President-elect Joe Biden won Wisconsin, Georgia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania by a total of 270-thousand votes - and recounts in Wisconsin and Georgia confirmed his victory.  Ellison said in a statement, "the attorney general of Texas is making a last-ditch, evidence-free effort to undemocratically throw out the votes in states where he just doesn’t like the result."  G-O-P Senator John Cornyn of Texas criticized the  lawsuit saying "he doesn't understand why Texas is seeking to dictate how other states run their elections.'

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One of several lawsuits against the election filed by a former Trump attorney has been tossed out of a federal court in Wisconsin.  That lawsuit, one of the so-called 'Kraken' cases filed by former Trump attorney Sidney Powell, was dismissed on Wednesday by federal Judge Pamela Pepper. In her order, Judge Pepper called the lawsuit quote - an extraordinary intrusion on state sovereignty from which a federal court should abstain - unquote. Judge Pepper further wondered why the private citizen Powell was representing even thought that they had standing to file the case, given that they were not a candidate in the election. That loss to the Trump campaign follows three other losses at the State Supreme Court.

Public health officials say they are concerned by the steep and steady decline in the number of people getting tested for COVID-19.  Wisconsin is said to be equipped to test far more people than the number who have been showing up at testing sites.  The Wisconsin Department of Health Services expected a drop-off during Thanksgiving week, but the trend has continued.  Secretary Andrea Palm says a few other states have also seen declines, but many more have actually seen an increase since the holiday.

Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm says it could take several weeks before all of Minnesota's health care workers and nursing home residents are vaccinated for COVID-19. She says they are a high priority for vaccination -- but the vaccine supply will be limited in the early weeks and months of distribution. There are an estimated 500-thousand people in the category of "health care workers and long-term care residents." The state is expecting enough doses by year's end to vaccine about 183 thousand.

Southwest Airlines says it is furloughing 144 workers at Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee.  The coronavirus pandemic has caused a drop in the number of travelers, costing the company billions of dollars.  Southwest says CARES Act funding has helped it stay afloat, but the program has ended for now and Congress is deadlocked.  With future help from the federal government uncertain, the airline decided to start cutting expenses this month.  Southwest revenue was off by about 70-percent in the third quarter of this fiscal year.

Senator Tammy Baldwin wants the FBI and Homeland Security to investigate the Q-Anon group and report back to Congress. Baldwin says the damage is already being done by the movement.  The House of Representatives has already passed a measure denouncing the movement, and Baldwin wants to make sure that federal agencies and law enforcement are giving Qanon the proper attention.

The University of Minnesota Board of Regents is expected to take up the idea of a tuition-free program for low-income students when it meets Friday.  The program would be limited to Minnesota families with an adjusted gross income of 50-thousand dollars-a-year or less.  The program could start as soon as next year.  The students would apply for other forms of financial aid, then the new program would cover the remaining costs.  The school leaders are also focusing on ways to reduce the average student debt to less than 25-thousand dollars for those who graduate.

Local-Regional News December 10

Durand Police are asking for the public's help in solving a rash of vandalism in the city.  Chief Ridgeway reported to the city council last night that on the night of December 2nd and 3rd and individual or individuals spray-painted graffiti on buildings, throughout the city including the Durand High School.  Police have been reviewing security camera footage, but are asking for any member of the public that may have seen any suspicious activity during the night.  If you have any information you are to contact the Durand Police Department.

Is Pepin County seeing a spike in Covid-19 due to the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend?  According to Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart, that answer remains unknown.  Some health experts are still concerned of a possible spike in cases due to Thanksgiving and the upcoming Christmas and New Year's holidays.

After 20yrs in Downtown Menomonie, the Menomonie Chamber of commerce is moving.  Chamber CEO Ashley DeMuth says the new offices will be in north Menomonie.  Demuth Says the new offices will have expanded parking, is closer to I-94 for tourists coming into town seeking information and there will be meeting rooms available for chamber members to use.

Long time Dunn County Circut Court Judge Rod W. Smeltzer is retiring.  Judge Smeltzer has been on the bench for 24yrs after being elected to his first term in August of 1997.    Before becoming Judge, Smeltzer spent eight years as an assistant prosecutor in the Dunn County District Attorney's Office.  Smeltzer will finish out his final term which ends on July 31, 2021.

Governor Tony Evers says the Department of Defense is sending 45 Army medical personnel to Wisconsin to help the state combat COVID-19.  Evers says Wisconsin's health care system is strained and frontline workers are doing amazing work under extraordinary circumstances and putting their health and safety on the line to take care of vulnerable patients.  The medics will support Marshfield Medical Center facilities in Marshfield, Eau Claire, Beaver Dam, and Rice Lake.  The Marshfield Clinic system has been utilizing volunteers from the Wisconsin Emergency Assistance Volunteer Registry (WEAVR), but the need for more staff to meet patient demand remains a challenge.

A Minnesota man is charged with being party to first-degree homicide and attempted first-degree homicide in a weekend stabbing outside a Hudson bar.  William Davidson of Blaine was in a group of people who became involved in a fight early Sunday morning.  Three victims were stabbed, with 26-year-old Cain Solheim of New Brighton dying from his injuries.  Witnesses tell investigators Davidson was involved, but he wasn’t the one who had the knife.  The suspects took off after the attack in a van with Minnesota license plates.  That led investigators to Davidson.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says he will convene a special session of the Minnesota Legislature beginning on Monday.  Walz says the goal is to provide much-needed relief to small businesses, workers, and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.  And Walz says as COVID-19 cases continue to surge, he intends to extend his COVID-19 peacetime emergency by 30 days "to ensure that the state can continue to quickly respond to the pandemic."

Wisconsin is joining 48 other states in a lawsuit accusing Facebook of anti-trust violations. Attorney General Josh Kaul says Facebook has long engaged in anti-competitive practices and has sought to either buy out or stamp out any competition using the weight of its position as the largest social media platform in the country. The lawsuit alleges that Facebook executives orchestrated the purchases of competitors WhatsApp and Instagram in order to prevent them from gaining market shares and that the company uses its massive user base to spy on people and violate their privacy in order to sell advertising.

The crash of a Wisconsin Air National Guard F-16 in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is being investigated.  The jet went down in an area of Delta and Schoolcraft counties last night.  The Guard says the fighter plane attached to the 115th Fighter Wing based in Madison crashed at about 8:00 p-m.  There is no word about the pilot or any injuries on the ground.  It isn’t clear why the plane went down.  The 115th Fighter Wing is conducting a series of night-time training flights this week.

Wisconsin health officials are warning that most state residents may not be vaccinated before next fall.  They say a COVID-19 vaccine is close.  The first patients in the United Kingdom got the approved vaccine by Pfizer Tuesday.  The same drug could be approved in the U-S by Thursday.  But, that doesn’t mean life is about to get back to normal.  It will be a big job to vaccine everyone.  Since the start of the pandemic, Wisconsin has tested about two-point-six-million people.  To vaccinate everyone would double that number – and a little more.

The final report of the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change is calling for a reduction of carbon emissions from Wisconsin utilities.   The report from the task force led by Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes calls for a net reduction of at least 60 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and 100 percent below 2005 levels by 2050, according to WisPolitics. The report states that the Public Service Commission projects utilities are on pace to reduce emissions to 44 percent below 2005 levels by 2026. That does not include the expected reductions from a coal plant retirement announced in May. In all, the report lists 46 top-tier recommendations from the task force, WisPolitics said.

State agencies have updated safe safe-eating guidelines for fish from Wisconsin waters.  The 2020-2021 Choose Wisely booklet, jointly produced by the Departments of Natural Resources and Health Services identifies Wisconsin water bodies with elevated levels of contaminants. The updated booklet outlines safe-eating guidelines for fish based on levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), mercury and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). Fish throughout Wisconsin were sampled from waters with suspected pollution and contamination along with popular angling areas.

The Wisconsin Transparency Project accuses Madison and Dane County public health managers of ignoring requests for information.  The project’s leader says they are trying to control the narrative around the coronavirus pandemic.  Tom Kamenick wrote a critical letter to Public Health Madison and Dane County this week accusing leaders there of ignoring the law, turning down requests from the public to see even basic data, and of being incredibly arrogant in the process.  Kamenick says if the information isn’t forthcoming he will sue.

The Minnesota D-N-R will have two special hunts in southeastern Minnesota to help limit the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD)  in wild deer.  The first is December 26th through 27th and the second is set for January 2nd and 3rd in the southeastern management zone and the south metro zone.   D-N-R program leader Barbara Keller says special hunts are an important tool in disease management, allowing the agency to focus on specific areas where the disease has been detected and reduce deer densities in targeted areas.   Hunters may purchase an unlimited number of disease management permits and those harvesting a deer must submit a sample for C-W-D testing.

Local-Regional News December 9

 The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on the vacant building appeals, approval of a $52,000 contract for design and engineering for the Drier Street Reconstruction project, and approval of a $220,000 contract for design and engineering for the Lanville Reconstruction project.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall.

UW-Stout has received a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Defence.  The 149,000 grant will be used to develop a smart and secure manufacturing pilot project.  The goal is to use computer technology including cloud computing, industrial robots, and artificial intelligence in the production of processes and products.    In addition to the grant, the University received a $55,000 federal grant for a student scholarship in the program.

Coronavirus surge testing will continue at University of Wisconsin campuses including UW-River Falls and UW-Stout for the rest of the month. The system says it will continue to offer testing at its campuses through the Christmas holiday. System campuses had originally planned to end their surge testing in the middle of the month, but officials say there’s a demand for tests. The tests at U-W campuses are the rapid tests which show results in as little as 15 minutes.

Eau Clarie Authorities are reporting that since September there have been 25 incidents where thieves have stolen catalytic converters off of vehicles.  Catalytic converters contain precious metals including platinum and palladium, which can bring in more than $500 each at a scrap yard.  Another round of thefts occurred Monday and the suspect's vehicle is believed to be a silver 2006 Volvo S-40 with Minnesota License plates.

Two people have been arrested in the Twin Cities for a weekend stabbing in Hudson, Wisconsin that left a man dead and two others injured.  A minivan seen nearby was traced to Blaine, Minnesota, a northern suburb of the Twin Cities.  A search warrant was executed Sunday afternoon and two people were taken into custody.  The stabbing happened in Hudson’s downtown area shortly after 1:00 a-m – just across the St. Croix River from the eastern edge of the Twin Cities metro.  Twenty-six-year-old Cain Solheim of New Brighton died.  Investigators say they think the stabbing victims were targeted.

 Governor Tony Evers is blasting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for his last-minute legal challenge of Wisconsin's and three other state's election results.  Evers says it's ironic because Paxton is the subject of an F-B-I investigation.  The governor added, "and he teams up with President Trump to try to take away the votes of the people of Wisconsin. It's irony, but it's not funny irony, it's extraordinarily sad."  Paxton is asking the U-S Supreme Court to block Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Georgia from voting in the Electoral College, which meets next Monday to formalize Democrat Joe Biden’s 306-232 electoral win.

A group of Minnesota state Republican lawmakers is pushing to move teachers toward the front of the line for the COVID-19 vaccine.  Representative Peggy Scott of Andover said, "I hear daily from our parents about the impact that the lack of in-person learning is having on their children and these stories are sad, and they are very real."  Scott says teachers and school personnel should be considered "essential" after health care workers and those in long-term care facilities.  State health officials expect to receive more than 180-thousand doses of the COVID vaccine this month and each patient will require two shots.

The Space Weather Prediction Center in Colorado says the northern lights could be visible in Wisconsin beginning tonight and continuing through Friday.  A powerful solar flare is causing the celestial show.  Scientists say the aurora borealis should be visible across the northern United States, from Washington to Maine, dipping as far south as Iowa.  The geomagnetic storm will peak late tonight into early Thursday.  The solar flare was recorded Monday.  Viewers should get away from city light pollution and weather could impact what you see.

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The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is reporting 67 stream segments and 24 lakes in the Des Moines River basin in southwest Minnesota are impaired for swimming and aquatic life.   Among problems found: phosphorus levels, E-coli and fecal coliform bacteria, and suspended solids. The agency recommends possible remedies including planting cover crops, changing tillage practices, using less fertilizer, diversifying crops, and better practices for applying manure to cropland.  The M-P-C-A is taking public comment on the reports through January 6th.

Authorities in Adams County accuse an Arkdale man of supplying the drugs that caused two fatal overdoses.  Thirty-eight-year-old Michael Subera is facing homicide charges.  Investigators say he delivered heroin to two people who died.  They also think he was part of the drug delivery change that contributed to three more deaths.  The charges are based on the 2019 deaths of Hans Pietrzak of Adams and Brett Severin of Hancock.  A second man also faces charges in the case.  Fifty-two-year-old Ronald Serles of Adams is accused of taking fentanyl from Subera and delivering it to two women who overdosed.

The Department of Administration said no, but Republican lawmakers went ahead and erected a Christmas tree in the Wisconsin Capitol rotunda.  The state normally has a tall evergreen there to celebrate the winter holidays, but Governor Tony Evers decided not to do it this year because the coronavirus pandemic has the building closed to the public.  Two Republican Assembly members asked the Department of Administration for a permit for a “historical display,” but were turned away.  Representatives Paul Tittl and Shae Sortwell put up a tree anyway.  There’s a sign on the tree saying it is theirs and no one should remove it.

 U-S Senator Tammy Baldwin is proposing an expansion of unemployment benefits that would guarantee people an extra 600-dollars-a-week until next October.  The Wisconsin Democrat says her Worker Holiday Relief Act would also cover gig workers and freelance workers.  Some of those receiving the benefits would continue to get the checks as long as the national unemployment rate averages five-and-a-half percent.  The current round of federal unemployment help is set to end the day after Christmas.

The University of Wisconsin System is asking for nearly 100 million-dollars more for pay raises in the next state budget.   The system is asking for two-percent pay increases next year, and two-and-a-half percent the year after that. U-W employees got a two-percent raise this year, and a four-percent raise last year. U-W Madison leaders, in particular, say they need to increase pay to keep-up with other Big Ten schools.

 Target Corporation is joining a growing list of retailers suing the country's largest chicken suppliers over accusations of inflating poultry prices.  The Minnesota-based retailer runs close to 19-hundred stores and is a direct buyer of broiler chickens.  A federal lawsuit filed in Illinois court has named companies such as Tyson Foods, Pilgrim's Pride, and Perdue Farms as defendants.  The suit accuses them of price-fixing their chicken.

Local-Regional News December 8

 A free Covid-19 testing site will be held in Durand today at the Pepin County Highway Shop.  Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart says you should receive your results in about three days through the testing site.  The site will be open today from 10am-6pm.

One person was injured in a one-vehicle accident in Trenton Township on Sunday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 25yr old Alex Weckerling of Goodhue, MN was traveling southbound on Hwy 63, when he swerved to miss a deer, lost control of his vehicle, entered the west ditch, and rolled over.  Weckerling was transported to River Falls Area Hospital and was subsequently arrested on suspicion of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on concerns from Buffalo County on the recycling center and possible renegotiation of funding assistance,  a proposal from the Bite Me Bat Shop to provide canoe or kayak rental and life jackets at Sharp's Point Park, and discussion and possible action on amending the 2020 Budget for the police department's acquisition of a new computer server.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30om at the Marten Center in Mondovi.

The Mondovi Business Association is holding a Christmas Spirit Challenge for anyone in the Mondovi School District.  Now through December 26 there will be a weekly challenge and each week 3 winners will be selected for a chance to win $100, $50, or $25.  For more information on the challenges, visit the Mondovi Business Association Facebook Page.

The attorney for the former superintendent of the Altoona School District says he needs more time to prepare for trial. Dan Peggs faces child pornography charges. His attorney says he has discovered other 120-thousand pages of evidence and he needs time to process it. Peggs is accused of trafficking an underage girl to make child porn. He’s also charged with child porn possession. His defense attorney is asking the court for another 90 days to review the new evidence.

The La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office is trying to determine how a bicycle rider was hit and killed at a train crossing late last week.  The victim’s name hasn’t been released.  Investigators say the accident happened in the Town of Shelby Friday at about 3:15 p-m.  The railroad crossing gates were functioning and active at the time of the accident.  The sheriff’s office is working with the B-N-S-F Railway on the investigation.  Deputies say the victim died before they could be taken to a hospital.

The La Crosse man who shot a police officer has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.  Allen Kruk will be on extended supervision for five years when he gets out.  Kruk told the person writing the pre-sentence report he was hallucinating when he shot Officer Dustin Darling.  The prosecutor acknowledges that Kruk was dealing with mental health and drug issues at the time.  Darling was shot in August of last year while he was trying to arrest Kruk during a domestic incident on the city’s south side.  The shot hit Darling’s protective vest; the officer returned fire and wounded Kruk.

 Family and friends are mourning the loss of two Minnesota college students killed in a crash in St. Croix County.  The Wisconsin State Patrol reports a car traveling on Interstate 94  Saturday went into the ditch and struck a tree near Woodville.  Troopers said the 20-year-old women from St. Michael and Albertville died at the scene.   They have been identified as Molly Young and Kyra (KEER'-uh) Winslow.   Winslow was a sophomore at the University of St. Thomas and Young was attending UW-Eau Claire.  They were reportedly on the way to Young's apartment.

 Officials with U-W Health say they have ultra-cold storage capabilities.  That’s a big reason the Madison facility is getting ready to serve as a central storage facility for the distribution of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.  It will partner with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services in the distribution of the vaccine to other health and long-term care facilities in the region.  Even though those at the top of the list could start getting the vaccine this month, it will still be several months before it’s available to the general public.

Three Democrats who serve on the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections claim a Friday hearing will wind up being “a forum for debunked conspiracies and outright lies.”  The committee is investigating alleged voter fraud and its chair, Republican Representative Ron Tusler will report his findings.  Speakers will be invited to offer testimony.  Democratic representatives JoCasta Zamarripa, Lisa Subeck, and Mark Spreitzer have issued a statement saying election officials have acted “with integrity and dedication at every step of the election process."  They say that means an investigation is pointless.  They say it’s time for Republicans to accept that President Trump lost Wisconsin and the presidential election.

The coronavirus pandemic is forcing some changes as Wisconsin ski slopes open for the season.  Users say skiing and snowboarding with social distancing is a safe activity for some outdoor fun.  The only problem so far is the colder weather hasn’t brought very much snow.  The people who showed up at Little Switzerland in Slinger last weekend didn’t miss it.  It was cold enough for snow-makers to work.  The owner of the facility says he is limiting the number of users to keep the slopes from getting too crowded.  All entrances and exits are one-way and masks are required indoors and anyplace outdoors where social distancing isn’t possible.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and top legislative leaders say they are optimistic they can reach an agreement on a new coronavirus relief package so it can be passed next week.  The latest special session of the Legislature is set to start next Monday.  Negotiations are continuing this week on what should go into that package of bills.  Businesses hit by the four-week partial closure ordered by Governor Tim Walz should get some help.  There is also support for extending unemployment benefits, but Republicans aren’t getting behind a Democrat proposal for 500-dollar, one-time payments to low-income families.

 Minnesota’s unusually mild weather is delayed winter sports activities in some regions.  Snowmobile trails opened December 1st, but they’re not ready yet.  The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recommends 12-to-15 inches of ice before you should drive a truck on it.  Some ice fishermen are already pursuing their sport, but they’re taking chances.  Operators at Hyland Hills Ski Area say the lack of snow isn’t a problem – as long as it is cold.  They can create the cover needed for skiers.  They say business is down a little bit, but the hills will open completely, seven-days-a-week, starting today.

If you're stringing lights this holiday season, Andrew Beckett with Wisconsin Emergency Management reminds you to do so safely.  He says putting lights on a timer is a good idea, as is unplugging them when you're asleep or away from home.

 Based on economics, fun, and dating opportunities, Madison has been declared the best city in the U-S for people who are single.  WalletHub-dot-com put Wisconsin’s Capitol City at the top of its list, edging out much-larger Atlanta.  Madison ranked second in dating opportunities, 12th in fun and recreation, and 76th in economics.  The next-highest Wisconsin city was Milwaukee in 58th.  Denver, Colorado was third.  The bottom three cities for singles were Pembroke Pines, Florida; Brownsville, Texas; and Glendale, California.

Local-Regional News December 7

 One person was killed in an ATV accident Saturday near Stockholm.  According to the Pepin County Sheriffs Department, 68yr old Clark Goodwin of rural Ellsworth was traveling east on Hwy K when he lost control of his ATV and crashed.  Goodwin suffered fatal wounds as a result of the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene.  Speed and no helmet appear to be contributing factors in the accident.

Four people were injured in a single-vehicle accident in rural Pepin County Sunday.  According to the Pepin County Sheriffs Department, a 16yr old male from Eau Claire was traveling on Albany C Street near the intersection of East County Line Road, when he lost control of the vehicle, left the roadway, and rolled multiple times.  The driver and a passenger were taken to an Eau Claire Hospital with serious injuries, while two other passengers were treated at the scene for minor injuries and released to their parents.  Speed and driver inexperience are believed to be factors in the accident.

The Pepin County Dairy Promotions Committee along with the Durand Food Pantry are holding a milk and cheese distribution today starting at 3:30 at the Food Pantry.  Over 400 gallons of milk will be available.  Residents are asked to start lining up after 3:15 to avoid traffic back ups onto Hwy 10.

One person was injured in a two-vehicle accident Saturday in Diamond Bluff Township.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 42yr old Mohamed Shambolia of Minneapolis was traveling northbound on Hwy 35, when he was struck by a southbound vehicle driven by 52yr old Richard Wadena of Newport, Mn after Wadena had drifted left of center and into the northbound lane.  Shambolia was transported to Mayo Hospital, while Waden was arrested on suspicion of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

The City of Red Wing will be increasing enforcement of COVID-19 mandates and is asking the public to report any violations they see. An announcement from the city said the Red Wing Police Department will shift from educating people about the state restrictions to writing citations when they find people gathered for any reason with those outside their households. The announcement also included information on where to report violations both to Red Wing P-D and the State of Minnesota.

A Chicago man has been arrested by the Wisconsin State Patrol for OWI first offense.  According to the State Patrol, troopers pulled over 28yr old Aaron Harris on Interstate 94 near milepost 27 for speeding.  Upon approaching the vehicle, the trooper detected the odor of marijuana.  Harris was tested and arrested for OWI.  Passengers in the vehicle included one adult female a 5yr old female and 2yr old male. 

Two people are dead after a one-vehicle accident in St. Croix County on Saturday.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol,  the crash occurred on I-94 near milepost 25.  The initial investigation indicates the vehicle entered the ditch and struck a tree, and a 20yr old female from St. Michael, MN, and 20yr old female from Albertiville, MN was pronounced dead at the scene.

  Authorities in western Wisconsin are searching for an unknown number of suspects for an early Sunday morning stabbing that left one man dead and two others injured.  Hudson police were called to the downtown area at about 1:05 a-m.  No names have been released.  Witnesses say the attackers left the area in a minivan with Minnesota license plates.  The three victims were stabbed at three different locations.  Police believe all three were targeted.  People were kept out of Hudson’s downtown area until midday Sunday while evidence was collected.

A conviction on a charge of drug possession with intent to distribute has resulted in a federal prison sentence of 10-and-a-half years for a La Crosse man. Thirty-seven-year-old James Dean was arrested by La Crosse police last February. They were following up on a tip. Officers say Dean tried to run away, but they caught him, then found 58 grams of meth in his pocket. Another 219 grams of meth was found in the car he was riding in. Police also found a loaded handgun.

The I R S is reminding people to be vigilant about fraudulent calls claiming that you owe back taxes. Spokesman Christopher Miller says that even as some of the call volumes for those scams are dying off, people are still falling victim to the crooks.   Many of the same crooks that were using the I R S name are now pretending to be other agencies, including Social Security, the F B I, local police departments, and more. Miller reminds people to be wary of automated messages saying you owe money, and remember that no legitimate agency is going to ask for payment directly over the phone. 

 A survey by the National Federation of Independent Business reveals Wisconsin managers say they can’t find qualified candidates for their job openings.  Nearly 90-percent of the state’s employers say they are hiring but can’t find anybody who can do the jobs.  Small business owners are struggling with a shortage of workers.  One-in-four says labor quality is their top business problem.  Nearly 25-percent of Wisconsin’s small businesses say they have already increased wages to keep their workers.  Another 20-percent say they plan to do that in the coming months.

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A federal judge appointed by President Trump called one of the president's election challenges in Wisconsin "bizarre." U-S District Judge Brett Ludwig on Friday questioned whether the case should even be before him. Ludwig told a Trump attorney he was asking for "pretty remarkable declaratory relief" by requesting that the Republican-led Legislature be able to decide Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes instead of voters. Attorney William Bock said the president needed the court to determine the election that Democrat Joe Biden won by about 21-thousand votes was flawed so that the issue could be handed off to lawmakers. Ludwig scheduled a hearing for Thursday, but his comments suggest Trump could be headed for another legal setback.

The Minnesota Supreme Court has thrown out a Republican lawsuit that attempted to stop certification of Minnesota's election results and order a full recount. Chief Justice Lorie Gildea (GIL-day) pointed to that request being filed just hours before the State Canvassing Board met November 24th to certify election results. Gildea also cited errors in how the case was brought. The ruling also said a full recount regardless of vote margins between candidates "would impose unacceptable burdens on voters and election officials alike."

Wisconsin's delegation voted along party lines as the U-S House passed a bill decriminalizing marijuana. Democrats Gwen Moore, Mark Pocan, and Ron Kind all voted "yes" - while Republicans Tom Tiffany, Glen Grothman, Mike Gallagher, and Bryan Steil were all "no" votes. The measure was approved 228-to-164, with only five Republicans joining the Democratic majority. The Republican-controlled Senate does not intend to take up the bill. All forms of marijuana remain illegal in Wisconsin, although some municipalities have lowered fines for possession of a small amount.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says a wolf hunting season will begin in November of 2021. Gray wolves will be removed from the endangered species list in January, returning management to the lower 48 states. Wisconsin law will allow hunting and trapping to resume next year. The most recent monitoring effort indicated a minimum of one-thousand-34 in Wisconsin, primarily across the northern third of the state and the Central Forest region. The D-N-R plans to create a new state wolf management plan and will create a Wolf Management Plan Committee.

Lodging operators in Wisconsin have received state grants to help them make it through the coronavirus pandemic. The 660 operators who qualified for the program received 350-dollars-per-eligible room. Governor Tony Evers announced the grants Thursday, with the funding coming from the federal CARES Act. The Wisconsin Hotel and Lodging Association recently released a survey that found almost half of the state’s hotels and motels will close within six months if they don’t get some kind of help. A total of 663 operators received grant money.

State officials are urging Minnesotans who are behind on rent, mortgage or utility payments to apply for the state's Housing Assistance Program. It's a last-minute appeal before any unused money -- 30 million dollars as of November 30th -- goes back into the state's general coffers Monday at midnight. Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan says "there is no shame in asking for help. You can go to 2-1-1UnitedWay-dot-org or you can call 2-1-1 from your phone to get connected to people who can help you out." Governor Tim Walz says the importance of stable housing has never been clearer than during the pandemic. Walz says  he'll ask the legislature for significant additional resources for housing and homelessness during the upcoming special session in mid-December.

Local-Regional News December 4

 Dreams of a week in Palm Springs, South Padre Island or Daytona Beach have been frozen for students at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.  An email from Provost Patricia Kleine this week informed them classes will be held the week of March 22dnd.  Kleine says “sending thousands of Blugolds off for a full week of travel is simply not wise given the widespread outbreak of the virus.”  The change means the spring semester will end a week earlier than scheduled, with all classes wrapped up by May 14th.  Study abroad and immersion programs for the semester are also on hold.

A Dunn County judge ruled there is enough evidence for a homicide case to move forward. The case involves 37-year-old Ryan Steinhoff, 37-year-old Chad Turgeson and 24-year-old Ashley Gunder. Each is charged in connection to a death last month in the Town of Dunn. Authorities allege they found a victim, later identified as 37-year-old Bruce McGuigan, lying dead on the floor with visible lacerations on his head. The three's next court appearance is December 11.

The UW-River Falls Chancellor Search and Screen Committee will take community feedback during listening sessions Monday, Dec. 7. The one-hour sessions will be held virtually starting 8:30 a.m. Chancellor Dean Van Galen resigned from the position earlier this year to take a new job as president of Missouri Southern State University. He was UWRF's chancellor for 11 years. For more information on the meeting schedule, visit the UW River Falls Website.

The former republican candidate for the 3^rd Congressional seat in Wisconsin has been dropped from a lawsuit challenging the election results in Wisconsin. The Associated Press is reporting that Derrick Van Orden's name as a plaintiff has been removed from the lawsuit after Van Orden said his name was included in the suit without his permission.

Toby Keith is coming to Arcadia next year. Ashly for the Arts has announced that Keith will perform on Friday August 13^th as part of the Ashley for the Arts which will be August 12-14^th at Memorial Park in Arcadia. Additional headliners are to be announced in the coming weeks, and for more information visit the Ashley for the Arts website or Facebook page.

 Governor Tony Evers says the state is providing 45-million dollars in assistance to Wisconsin restaurants and small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The funding will come from the "We're All In For Restaurants" program.  The Department of Revenue will identify and directly contact the grant recipients.  Businesses will not have to apply.  Evers says restaurants and other venues have been among the businesses hit hardest.  The governor said. "we greatly appreciate the changes they've made to prioritize the health and safety of our communities, but now with winter coming, we are glad to provide this support at a critical time."  Assembly Speaker Robin Vos thanked Evers for focusing on the hospitality industry.

The tough part of Wisconsin’s coronavirus vaccine plan will be to decide who gets one first.  The Department of Health Services says the Badger State is in-line to receive just under 50-thousand doses of the vaccine this month.  More doses will be received each week.  D-H-S says frontline health care workers and the people most at-risk will get the vaccine first.  Officials hope to start distributing the vaccine by the middle of this month.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has ordered that two suits by the Trump campaign should be combined, then heard by a judge in Racine County.  Chief Justice Patience Drake Roggensack told circuit courts in Dane and Milwaukee counties to consolidate the suits challenging election results.  Reserve Judge Stephen A. Simanek of Racine County would preside over the appeals.  The order was issued after the state’s high court declined to hear Trump’s lawsuit challenging the results.  The justices decided on a four-to-three vote that cases like that one must be filed in circuit court.

The Minnesota Fire Marshal's Office is investigating a barn fire near Blooming Prairie that killed around two-thousand pigs.   A worker noticed smoke coming from the building on Highway 30 Thursday morning and  35 to 40 firefighters arrived to battle the flames.   The Blooming Prairie fire chief said the owner of the barn was in the south end of the barn doing maintenance work and the pigs were in the north half.   He got out unharmed.

Authorities in Clark County are searching for the shooters who have been indiscriminately shooting deer.  They think the poaching is being done by groups of juveniles.  Conservation wardens started their investigation several weeks ago after getting reports about people finding dead deer who had been shot and left in fields to rot.  Between six-and-eight juveniles are blamed for killing about 40 deer and a horse in Clark County.  Case reports are being completed and then the information will be passed on to the Clark County district attorney’s office for possible criminal charges.

 Students are taking a more active role in the development of new COVID-19 safety measures at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Twelve students are part of a Coronavirus Student Task Force formed last month.  The step was taken after students challenged the way the university had handled the pandemic during the fall semester.  The task force exists to serve as a direct line of communication between students and university leaders.  The group is meeting and providing weekly feedback on the university’s plans.  Its efforts so far have been focused on developing new testing methods for students.

A coronavirus relief package from the Wisconsin Legislature will have to wait until next year. Incoming Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu says he doesn’t plan to bring the Senate back for an special session in December. Lawmakers are set to return to Madison in January. LeMahieu says he’s not yet reviewed the entire package of relief legislation from Assembly Republicans. Governor Evers says the next round of coronavirus aid needs to come from Congress.

Foxconn appears unlikely to earn state tax credits in the next three years. That projection came in the state Department of Administration's budget request for the fiscal years 2022 and 2023. DOA said the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation does not expect Foxconn to be in compliance with the state agreement, which could provide the company with up to 2 billion, 850 million dollars in tax credits. Foxconn also failed to earn tax credits in October, after WEDC determined Foxconn was out of compliance with its agreement.

The Minnesota State Patrol reports there were no injuries when a small plane was forced to make an emergency landing on Interstate 35-W Wednesday night.  The plane crashed into another vehicle as it was setting down at about 9:30 p-m.  The pilot was identified as 52-year-old Craig Gifford of Minneapolis.  Investigators are still trying to determine why the plane crash-landed.  Northbound traffic lanes on I-35-W were shut down for about six hours.

 Wausau is planning to hold a “reverse” Christmas parade Friday.  As part of an effort aimed at greater safety, the floats will line up and vehicles carrying parade watchers will drive down the street.  Antigo held its Christmas parade that way Wednesday.  Antigo and Langlade County Chamber of Commerce director Deena Grabowski tells W-A-O-W Television they thought it was a great way to kick off the holiday season.  The Wausau parade will take place at Marathon Park from 6:00 to 8:00 p-m.