Local-Regional News Dec 15

 The Durand-Arkansaw School board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda included a public hearing on a waiver request for the school start date, renewal of agreements with Alma, Plum City, and Pepin School Districts, and a report on the 2020-2021 audit.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6pm in the board room at Durand High School.

The Pepin County Board is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on changes to the ATV/UTV ordinance that would open up all county roads to ATV/UTV use, an American Rescue Plan funding request for a broadband project in the town of Albany, and authorizing the county to enter into an agreement with the Wisconsin Attorney General on the opioid settlement.  Tonight's meeting begins at 7pm at the Government Center in Durand and will also be live-streamed on the county website.

Possible severe weather is in the forecast for tonight.  The National Weather Service Says a very powerful low-pressure system will track through later today and this evening.  Damaging winds with gusts of 60 to 65 mph are likely across all of the Upper Mississippi River Valley tonight.  In addition, a line of severe thunderstorms will develop along a very fast-moving cold front early this evening. This line of thunderstorms could contain gusts in excess of 80 mph and some embedded tornadoes across southern and eastern Minnesota into western Wisconsin.  Much colder weather is expected for tomorrow.  

Two area colleges are receiving Workforce Innovation Grants from the State of Wisconsin.  UW-Eau Claire is receiving $9.4 million to be used to develop six new high-skill degrees related to public health and nursing as well as help educate and graduate 48 new nurses each year.  Chippewa Valley Technical College was awarded $10 million to help develop classes in metal fabrication and will develop a mobile lab and three multi-purpose training centers in rural areas.  The state awarded nearly $60 million total in grants to address workforce challenges across Wisconsin.

A plea agreement has been reached between a former Regis School Employee and prosecutors.  Wendy Cronin was charged with stealing more than $20,000 from Regis and pleaded guilty to charges of theft and lying to a police officer.  Two charges would be dropped if she pays restitution and surcharges of more than $25000 by December of 2026.  If she fails to pay the $20,000 in restitution, she will then be sentenced on all of the charges.

A day after State Senator Kathy Bernier called for an end to the investigation of the 2020 presidential election, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos goes in the opposite direction.  The Republican legislative leader says the review he ordered will last longer and cost more money.  Vos blames Democratic politicians who are fighting the subpoenas issued by lead investigator and former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman.  The contract signed earlier this year lasts through the end of December and carries a price tag of 680 thousand dollars.  Vos says legal fights will prolong the investigation into 2022 and any additional costs can be blamed on Democrats.

Advocates say Minnesota's record budget surplus is more than enough to give 15-hundred-dollar COVID bonuses to all 667-thousand essential workers in Minnesota.  Grocery store cashier Sandy Livingston from Baxter spoke during a Zoom news conference today (Tuesday) asking, "When are the front-line workers going to see this money in our pockets? We show up for work, day in and day out."  State Representative Cedrick Frazier from New Hope said, "It wasn't a tough decision for the D-F-L... to honor these heroes. It has only been tough for our Republican colleagues to agree to include all of these heroes."  The Senate G-O-P's spokespeople weren't immediately available to respond.

Shoppers showing up at the Dollar Tree store in St. Francis have been greeted with a sign saying the business is closed until further notice.  It reads, “All the workers quit and we must restaff.”  The door is locked, nobody is answering the phone, and W-I-S-N Television reports even the FedEx delivery driver wasn’t able to deliver a package.  The story emerged on the same day Wisconsin’s governor announced a 130-million-dollar partnership with technical schools and colleges to train workers and start businesses.  The program is aimed at helping young people get back on track, earn a diploma, and return to work.

A La Crosse County judge has delayed the homicide trial for a man who claims he acted in self-defense last year during a fatal confrontation in a Menard’s parking lot.  Fifty-one-year-old Matthew Kinstler faces a charge of first-degree reckless homicide.  Investigators say he pushed 79-year-old Russell Paulson to the ground causing fatal injuries.  The delay is aimed at giving the defense time to meet with the forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy on Paulson and with Paulson’s primary care physician.  One witness to the incident told authorities she thought Kinstler was the aggressor.

Visit Milwaukee has sent an application to serve as host for the Republican National Convention in 2024.  Wisconsin largest city suffered a bitter disappointment last year when it was awarded the Democratic National Convention but the event turned out to be mostly virtual.  That cost the region tens of millions of dollars in economic impact.  Republican leaders are expected to announce a list of possible host cities for the convention sometime next year.  This application reportedly contains many of the same selling points Milwaukee offered last time.

One of the first orders of business for Assembly Democrats next month will be electing a new minority leader.  State Representative Gordon Hintz of Oshkosh says he will be leaving the position January 10th.  In his announcement, Hintz said he wanted to have more time for his family and his legislative district.  He has two children under the age of five.  The Democratic Party has very little power in the Assembly while holding on 38 of the chamber’s 99 seats.  That does, however, keep Republicans from holding the two-thirds majority needed to override vetoes from Governor Tony Evers.

Judge Regina Chu is denying a state motion to question police officers in the Kim Potter trial about union membership as a way to determine bias. Prosecutor Matthew Frank argued that because Potter had been a union president "she had this additional role in defending them and providing services to them in that sense, they were more than just co-workers, it's a stronger potential bond." Judge Chu told the court that ex-officer Potter is no longer connected to the police union in any way so witnesses that are testifying couldn't possibly be biased to testify in her favor. The judge also ruled she would not exclude testimony last week from former Brooklyn Center Sergeant Mychal Johnson that Kim Potter would have had the right to use deadly force to prevent great bodily harm of other officers.

A conservative Wisconsin lawmaker who got sick with COVID-19 won’t say whether his view on the pandemic has changed.  Republican state Senator Andre Jacque of De Pere was hospitalized last August and placed on a ventilator.  Before he got sick, Jacque had been a vocal opponent of mask and vaccine mandates.  During a live appearance on Wisconsin Public Radio’s “The Morning Show” Monday Jacque said his recovery has gone well but he is still working to regain strength through physical therapy.  When asked, he said he didn’t want to comment on COVID-19, but he did gain some insights from his experience.

 Workers in Minnesota are in a position to receive pay raises. A survey conducted by employment benefits firm Mercer and the Conference Board predicts higher worker turnover if employers do not address pay issues. The job market already has led employers to raise the minimum wage or renegotiate the hourly pay of contract terms. Thirty-seven percent of the employers Mercer surveyed said they beefed up starting wages since March.

Local-Regional News Dec 14

 The city of Durand is charging Skid Steer Guy over $74000 in liquidated damages for the late finish to the Lanville Road Project.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says what happens with that money depends on the special assessment vote.  The city is scheduled to revisit the special assessment vote during its December 29th meeting.

The Mondovi City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on issuing $3.085 million in General Obligation bonds for the Wastewater Treatment Plant project, amendments to the snowmobile ordinance that would define hours of operation, and how residents can access trails, and an update on the Eau Claire Street Project planning.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at the marten center in Mondovi.

The Buffalo County Sheriffs Department is warning residents that ice conditions on area lakes are not ready for ice fishing.  In a post on their social media page, the department reported that two people had fell through the ice in the Alma area and asked people to stay off the ice until colder weather sets in.  That colder weather is expected later this week.

The Republican head of the Wisconsin Senate Elections Committee says she wants the review of the November 2020 election to be ended.  State Senator Kathy Bernier of Lake Hallie says the work is stirring up people who don’t understand how elections work.  Bernier says when former state Supreme Court justice Michael Gableman holds a meeting in her county she will attend along with her concealed carry permit because those reviews keep firing up people who don’t know what they’re talking about.  She says the investigation contains “made-up” information that is meant to play to the Republican base.  Republicans and Democrats called the review a baseless exercise Monday that will needlessly damage faith in democracy.

Sixteen-year-old Ben Truax of Rochester is the second person to win a 100-thousand-dollar college scholarship in Governor Tim Walz's "Kids Deserve a Shot" campaign.   Truax says he got the COVID vaccine because his mother works in the hospital and his family lost several close friends who weren't vaccinated.   During the campaign, all Minnesotans 12- to 17-years-old who completed their COVID vaccine series had a chance to win a 100-thousand-dollar scholarship. Monday was the last day to enter for the final drawing.

 Baraboo’s S-S-M Health St. Clare Hospital blames “extremely high patient volumes” for its decision to temporarily shut down its urgent care service.  The hospital says that decision will be re-evaluated at the end of the month.  Its emergency department will still be open 24-7.  Patients needing urgent care services are being pointed to the S-S-M Health facility in Lake Delton about 10 miles away.  The health system is encouraging people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and the flu.  It has already suspended non-urgent medical procedures at its Monroe hospital.

New bipartisan legislation would give the University of Wisconsin System authority over tuition reciprocity with Minnesota.  Current agreements between the states date back almost 50 years.  They are currently negotiated by the Higher Education Aids Board.  The new deal would let the individual U-W System campuses keep the additional revenue.  Right now, that money is deposited into the state budget.  Previously, System Interim President Tommy Thompson has said he favors this change.

 Authorities in Wood County are reporting some details of a major drug seizure in the Town of Saratoga.  A woman was taken into custody but her name hasn’t been released.  The county sheriff’s department says it seized more than 132-thousand dollars’ worth of illicit drugs as the result of a long-term investigation in partnership with state officials.  Drug agents say they found fentanyl, cocaine, and ecstasy, along with marijuana, 16 thousand dollars in cash, and valuable jewelry.

Everyone escaped injury after an explosion at a Waupaca apartment building on Sunday. Investigators say a snowplow hit a gas meter, causing the natural gas explosion a little after 9:00 a-m.  A private citizen helped emergency responders get residents out of the burning building before the explosion.  Authorities say the building is unlivable, for now, but an adult daycare center across the street opened its doors and space to the displaced residents.  Local officials are now looking for temporary housing for the victims.

A ruling next year by the U-S Supreme Court could make Minnesota into an “abortion island” in the Upper Midwest.  All surrounding states have laws on the books that would quickly outlaw the procedures if the justices uphold the Mississippi law being contested.  It prohibits abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy – except in the case of a medical emergency or a severe fetal abnormality.  States like North and South Dakota have what are called “trigger” laws that would outlaw abortions within 30 days if Roe-V-Wade is struck down.  If that happens, Minnesota would become the only state in the region where abortion would still be legal and accessible.

A player for the University of Wisconsin Badger Men's Basketball team is asking for help after a tornado devastated his hometown in Kentucky. Chris Vogt grew up in Mayfield, Kentucky. He tweeted over the weekend to ask for help raising money. Mayfield is in western Kentucky. It took a direct hit from a tornado late Friday night. In addition to donations, Vogt is asked for prayers.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will hold a meeting Tuesday on the state’s response to chronic wasting disease. The Response Plan committee includes members from conservation, business, hunting organizations, and tribal governments. Wisconsin is 10 years into a 15-year plan for dealing with the brain disease that mostly affects deer. The D-N-R holds meetings every five years for an update.

The State Supreme Court has rejected hearing a complaint from a conservative group over being excluded from Governor Tony Evers press briefings.  The MacIver Insitute argued that being excluded from the briefings was a violation of its First Amendment rights of freedom of the press. The Supreme Court rejected that complaint on Monday without comment. That means that previous rulings against MacIver will remain in place. Last year, a federal court ruled that the group could still report on the Governor without being present at conferences.

 Non-profits are having the same struggles as for-profit companies when it comes to finding workers. Recruiters have filled just 35 percent of the 170 AmeriCorps assignments in Minnesota that are to start in early 2022. AmeriCorps members must be between the ages of 18 and 25, they will receive health care coverage, a monthly stipend, and more than 63-hundred dollars to cover student loan debt or pay college tuition.

Local-Regional News Dec 13

 The Durand Public Works Department is working on a plan to rebuild the Tarrant Park Pool.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says if the private donations are raised by March 1st the process to rebuild the pool would begin. The swimming season would be held next year with construction beginning at the end of the season with completion expected by June of 2023.

The snow from the winter snowstorm that impacted Western Wisconsin Friday night and Saturday morning is already melting.  The storm brought a wide range of snow in western Wisconsin from 6-15 inches.  The Wisconsin State Patrol says they responded to 39 vehicle run-offs, 20 property damage crashes, 1 personal injury crash, and assisted 31 other motorists.  Warmer weather is expected the first half of this week with temperatures expected in the mid 50's on Wednesday.

Xcel Energy reminds customers to check their natural gas meter to make sure it is clear from snow and ice.   The company says, clearing snow and ice from natural gas meters is key to avoiding the potential for dangerous natural gas buildup indoors due to vents becoming sealed when covered in ice and snow. Xcel Energy strongly recommends keeping the entire meter assembly clear by gently removing snow or ice from the meter, associated piping, and the roofline above the meter.  Xcel Energy says to check often to ensure melting snow isn’t dripping on the meter from the roof or nearby trees. Use a shovel around a meter to move snow away; do not use a snow blower near a meter.

Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind has joined other congressional leaders in sending a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers urging the prioritization of funding for construction of the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) on the Upper Mississippi River System with the $2.5 billion for inland waterways provided in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.   Originally authorized in Title VIII of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007, NESP would modernize and expand certain outdated locks at the most congested lock locations along the Upper Mississippi as well as fund more than $1 billion in ecosystem restoration.  A 2019 study released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed that rebuilding NESP locks would inject $72 billion additional dollars into the nation’s GDP. 

 

A Rochester man is sentenced to nearly 90 years in prison for killing his pregnant girlfriend and her daughter.  Thirty-one-year-old Renard Carter pleaded guilty to the murders of Kiona Foote and her two-year-old daughter, Miyona Miller, and her unborn child.   They were found strangled to death in a Rochester apartment last September.   Carter fled the state and was arrested in South Carolina. He tried to withdraw his guilty pleas, but the judge denied his request.  He will serve the sentence at the St. Cloud state prison.

Last week’s decision by the U-S Supreme Court means Democrats will have a chance to continue their fight against redistricting maps drawn by Republicans.  Democrats want the federal courts to establish political district boundary lines in Wisconsin.  The Supreme Court refused to hear a lawsuit filed by Republicans who wanted the Democrats’ challenge to be thrown out.  A ruling from the Wisconsin Supreme Court is expected early next year, but Democrats will try to win their case in the federal courts.

Over 80 workers responsible for clearing and maintaining runways at airports in the Twin Cities Metro voted to strike on Sunday. The group includes workers at Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport. A reported 95-percent of the union workers approved the strike as they ask for higher wages and other concessions they say are in line with other airport union groups. The Metropolitan Airports Commission said it continues to negotiate with the workers in good faith. Mediation is scheduled to begin on December 28th.

Waukesha County Circuit Judge Ralph Ramirez has delayed his decision on whether the mayors of Madison and Green Bay should be jailed if they don’t sit for depositions in the ongoing 2020 election review.  Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman is spearheading the Republican-ordered investigation.  During a Friday hearing, Ramirez put off any action until next month.  He wants a Dane County judge to hear arguments in a separate case filed by Attorney General Josh Kaul fire.  A ruling, in that case, would affect the Gableman lawsuit against the two mayors.

The state of Wisconsin has updated its sovereignty agreements with 11 federally recognized tribes.  Governor Tony Evers attended a Thursday ceremony on the Oneida reservation Thursday to sign the agreements.  The aim is to update a collaboration between the Wisconsin state government and the Native Nations so they can have access to resources.  The agreements date back to 2004 when former Governor Jim Doyle first established them.  They hadn’t been renewed since that time.  A major part of the agreements centers on casino revenues which are shared with the state.  The partnership keeps part of it with the tribes so they can use it locally.

Minnesota regulators have trimmed Xcel Energy's requested electric and natural gas interim rate increase.  Public Utilities Commissioner Matthew Schuerger said "circumstances in Minnesota and the world today" necessitated it.  Residential customers of Xcel will see average interim rates increase five dollars and 54 cents per month instead of the roughly eight-50 the utility requested.  For natural gas, the average monthly rate increase is expected to be only about 60 cents.  The P-U-C lowered the monthly increase by extending the amount of time Xcel customers will pay for last winter's spike in natural gas prices.  The interim rate increases take effect on January 1st.

Federal Judge James Peterson has upheld voter I-D requirements for college students in Wisconsin.  Peterson ruled Thursday on a lawsuit filed by Common Cause two years ago.  The suit was an attempt to block some parts of Wisconsin’s voter I-D law as it related to what needs to be on a college I-D to make it valid for voting.  The plaintiffs weren’t trying to overturn the law itself.  The judge said college student IDs are no different than other forms of ID, and should not be held to a different standard.

 The five-thousand-664 COVID-19 cases reported in Wisconsin Friday is the most in a single day since November 23rd, 2020.  The Department of Health Services says the seven-day average is now three-thousand-183.  D-H-S also reported 21 new coronavirus deaths.  A total of one-thousand-634 COVID patients are being treated in Wisconsin hospitals and 436 are in intensive care units.  More than 64 percent of eligible residents in the state are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is criticizing the University of Wisconsin System for waiving A-C-T and S-A-T testing requirements for two more years.  UW officials allowed freshman applicants not to include their scores in 2020 due to COVID-19.  The Board of Regents voted today (Friday) to extend the exemption through the 2024-2025 school year.  Republican Vos said in a statement, "during the pandemic, students of every age have fallen woefully behind. Remedial class attendance numbers have been growing for years because high school students are unprepared for college as it is. Removing A-C-T/S-A-T requirements only exacerbates this."  Vos says educational institutions should be reinstating benchmarks, not removing them.

The U-S Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is set to vote on Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett’s nomination to become an ambassador this week.  Several of President Biden’s nominations will be taken up at the important Wednesday meeting.  If all goes well, the full vote in the Senate could have by the end of this year.  Barrett met with committee members in early November.  He was asked about working with Luxembourg on any issues that might come up with China and how he would deal with concerns about money laundering and tax evasion in Luxembourg.

A study by the D-N-R and state Pollution Control Agency finds since 1967, ice-in dates on Minnesota lakes have averaged about nine days later and ice-out has been four to five days earlier on average.  M-P-C-A Commissioner Katrina Kessler blames climate change and says in the last 50 years, you're seeing on average between 10 and 14 days fewer of ice cover.  Kessler says shorter lake-ice seasons are threatening some of Minnesota's most cherished traditions and hurting the recreational economy.  She says bold action is needed "to save winters as we know them in our state."

Local-Regional News December 10

 The Durand City Council has reached a consensus on moving forward with the Durand Rural Fire Department in purchasing a new ladder truck. According to Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren, the Rural Fire Department would lease the truck with the city making payments to the rural department at 30% of the cost.  The city and the rural department are expected to finalize the agreement in January.

 

The National Weather Service says we should expect low visibility, dangerous travel conditions, and heavy snow today in western Wisconsin.  Winter storm warnings will be in effect from noon until 6:00 a-m Saturday.  Authorities say travel isn’t advised if you don’t have to.  Areas in western to central Wisconsin could get from eight-to-12 inches of snow before the storm moves on eastward.  Travel should start to improve by midday Saturday and warmer temperatures mean the snow will melt away next week.

The public is being encouraged to offer state officials some input on the design and construction of A-T-V and U-T-V trails in Wisconsin.  The Department of Natural Resources wants to standardize all trails in the state.  Local governments, trail advocates, and advisory councils are being asked for input.  Public comments can be submitted by email to the D-N-R for the next two weeks.  The state agency says it will develop common guidelines for making trails sustainable and ensuring that users have a safe and enjoyable experience.  Pepin County is expected to discuss changes to the ATV/UTV ordinance during next week's county board meeting. 

The Dunn County Sheriff's Department is asking the public's help in identifying a suspect in a burglary of the Pioneer Bar and Grill on Wednesday.  The department posted images of the suspect on their social media page and says the incident occurred around 4:30 early Wednesday morning.  If anyone has information on the identity of the suspect they are to call the Dunn County Sheriff's Department or Dunn County Crimestoppers.

The Dunn County Sheriff's Department is reminding residents that with the holiday season there are plenty of scams circulating.  From receiving an email saying you ordered something to receiving a call that a grandchild is in jail and needs bail money, you're advised to just hang up or delete the email.  Many of these scams request gift cards as a form of payment which does not happen with companies or law enforcement.  The department says if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't.

U.S. Senator Ron Johnson’s latest recommendation on COVID-19 is raising eyebrows.  The Wisconsin Republican, who’s made numerous discredited claims regarding coronavirus treatments and vaccines, was at it again this week, suggesting during a town hall that gargling with mouthwash “has been proven to kill the coronavirus.” While gargling can partially kill off parts of the virus in the mouth, health experts say most infections occur through the nose. A website run by Listerine says that the product “is not intended to prevent or treat COVID-19 and should be used only as directed.”

The sentence is 15 years in federal prison for a Rochester man who pleaded guilty to dealing methamphetamine.  The U-S Attorney's Office says 36-year-old Tyler Batson was caught with about two pounds of meth driving from the Twin Cities to Rochester in March of 2020.  Court records show Baston was part of a group that sold meth in Rochester and other southeastern Minnesota communities last year.

The top Republican in the Wisconsin Assembly refuses to say claims that Joe Biden stole the 2020 presidential election are just conspiracy theories.  Speaker Robin Vos does say that Biden is president.  In an interview with Milwaukee television station W-D-J-T, Vos says many people legitimately believe the election was stolen from Donald Trump.  He hired former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman earlier this year to conduct an investigation.  Vos says Democrats are trying to smear Gableman but he’s not concerned about the way the investigation is being viewed by the public.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has rejected Republican claims and approved private grants.  The grant money was used last November to help cities run their elections in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Three courts have dismissed lawsuits centering on the grants.  At the core of the challenges is an eight-point-eight-million-dollar grant the Center for Tech and Civic Life gave to local election officials in Wisconsin’s five largest cities.  The Center is largely funded by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife.  Three courts and the commission have decided there is no evidence to suggest the grants were illegal.

The state of Wisconsin will receive almost 870 million dollars from the federal infrastructure bill passed last month.  The money spread over the next five years will be invested in providing safe drinking water for all state residents.  The legislation is being called the largest investment in water infrastructure in U-S history.  The Evers administration says three main safety concerns will be prioritized – PFAS (PEE foss), lead, and nitrates.  The Department of Natural Resources has already started the process of creating and enforcing standards for safe drinking water in Wisconsin.

Local governments in Minnesota are eyeing some of the state's whopping budget surplus that's approaching eight billion dollars.  Bradley Peterson with the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities says during the budget session earlier this year, his group did not ask for an increase of local government aid to cities knowing the state would have challenges with COVID.  Peterson said, "while those are still there, time has passed (and) inflation, as we all know, is becoming critical and it continues to put a pinch on local government budgets as well."  Peterson says it is an appropriate time to ask for an L-G-A increase.  Peterson suggests 90 million dollars as "a good starting point."

The Milwaukee County district attorney has ruled the police shooting of a woman in Wauwatosa last year was justified.  Tinesha Jarrett was accused of repeatedly striking a squad car with a wooden stake and cracking its windshield.  When she continued to be violent after being confronted by a police officer, the officer shot her.  She survived.  A review of the case determined that the use of force was necessary.  Jarrett encountered the Wauwatosa officer just after she had left the Milwaukee County mental health complex.

Schools in Wisconsin that stayed open during last year’s coronavirus shut-down are waiting for extra pandemic stimulus money.  The U-S Department of Education is pausing a scheduled 77-million-dollar payment to schools that were open for at least half the school year last year. Wisconsin lawmakers set aside the money as a reward. Republicans Howard Marklein and Mark Born say the feds, and Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction, are playing political games with the money.

 Nine teams from the Minnesota National Guard are ready to relieve caregivers at the state’s long-term care facilities.  They could be deployed by the end of this week.  In an effort to deal with staff shortages, the 400 Guard team members have trained as certified nursing assistants and trained nursing aides.  The first three teams started work earlier this week.  State officials say, so far, 42 locations, have requested the help.  One state official says most of the requests came from central and Northwestern Minnesota, along with the Twin Cities metro.

Local-Regional News December 9

 The Durand City Council will reconsider the special assessment of property owners on Drier Street and Laneville Road.  During last night's council meeting, Mayor Milliren told council members that since the preliminary vote to special asses was held, a council member had purchased property in the project area and that corporate counsel advised the Mayor the council should re-vote on the special assessment.  The council will reconsider the special assessment during its December 29th meeting.

 

People in western Wisconsin are being told they should try to complete any errands or activities on their schedule Friday morning, getting that work finished before a major winter storm arrives.  The National Weather Service has extended the winter storm watch to include all of the WRDN Listening area to be in effect from Friday afternoon until Saturday morning.    When it’s all over, meteorologists are saying up to a foot of snow could be on the ground in some areas.  The region between La Crosse and Eau Claire is expected to see the deepest accumulations.  Travel conditions should improve by Saturday afternoon.  The storm could actually mean rainfall in southeastern Wisconsin.

An Xcel Energy employee, was hurt while unloading barge equipment near the Wissota Hydro Power Plant in Chippewa Falls on Wednesday.  According to the company the employee was taken to a local hospital then airlifted to the Twin Cities.  Xcel says they are investigating the cause of the accident.

Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind says The Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act passed the House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support. This bill will help combat chronic wasting disease (CWD) by funding research into CWD prevention and supporting state and tribal efforts to develop and implement management strategies for the disease. The bill now awaits further consideration in the Senate. 

A Barron County man is facing charges of possession of child pornography.  According to authorities, an investigation of 71yr old Gregory Hammerel of Cameron began in September after they received a report from Google that a user had uploaded a video of potential child pornography.  During a search of Hammerel's home, he admitted he had uploaded child porn images.  Hammerel's next court appearance is December 22nd.

 Wisconsin drivers are being reminded not to use their cell phones when they are passing a crash site.  The Wisconsin State Patrol says the danger for troopers doesn’t end when they arrive.  As other drivers approach another collision is more likely.  Trooper Ashley Morales tells W-E-A-U Television she sees many drivers trying to take photos of the wreckage on their cell phones while passing by.  That is a major distraction, and it is banned under Wisconsin state laws.  Morales says right then is when drivers should be paying more attention.  The new law establishes what is called an “emergency or roadside response zone” within 500 feet of the scene.  You can’t use your cell phone there.  And, if you hurt someone, new penalties have been created.

The finance committee with the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will discuss tuition hikes for out-of-state undergraduate and graduate students at a meeting today (Thursday).  Tuition would go up by 743 dollars for out-of-state undergraduates at the Madison campus and that’s the biggest increase.  Those students at seven campuses would be affected – Madison, Eau Claire, Oshkosh, Platteville, River Falls, Stout, and Whitewater.  If the finance committee approves the hikes, the full Board of Regents will consider them Friday.

The man accused of damaging statues at the State Capitol during civil unrest in Madison is sentenced to two years in prison.  Twenty-seven-year-old Marquan Clark pleaded guilty to criminal damage to property Tuesday after entering a not guilty plea last fall.  Clark admitted to helping pull down the Forward and Hans Christian Heg statues on the Capitol square on June 23rd, 2020.  He also pleaded guilty in federal court to throwing a Molotov cocktail at the City-County Building.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says he's preparing the Minnesota National Guard to support local law enforcement if necessary, during the manslaughter trial of former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter.  She's accused in the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright.  The governor said Wednesday "mobilization to readiness" for the Guard follows a request from Brooklyn Center officials and Hennepin County.  Walz says he's taking those steps "out of an abundance of caution" -- but notes at this time National Guard members will not be proactively taking posts throughout the Twin Cities.

With Wisconsin hospitals inundated with COVID-19 patients, Health Services Secretary designee Karen Timberlake says they’re requesting five 20 person support teams from FEMA.  The request comes amid a critically low number of beds, and staffing challenges, as Wisconsin hospitals, deal with a wave of largely unvaccinated COVID patients.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says the election issues turned up by a just-completed review are so serious they have to be fixed.  That review was conducted by the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty.  Vos says the opportunity for fraud was found, but no actual fraud that would change the results of the 2020 presidential election in the state was found.  He says it confirms that legislative Republicans are right when they push for election reforms.  The top Republican in the Wisconsin Assembly says the issues raised are too large and too important for Democratic Governor Tony Evers to ignore them.

A woman from Howard who was convicted of neglecting her son so badly he died has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.  Twenty-six-year-old Sagal Hussein had entered a no-contest plea to give charges last October.  The body of her five-year-old son Josias Marquez was found in the trunk of her car last year.  Hussein had told authorities the boy was living with his father in Michigan, but that wasn’t true.  When the Brown County Sheriff’s Office found her vehicle parked at a friend’s home, it was taken to the Wisconsin Crime Lab, and the child’s decomposed remains were discovered in a duffel bag.

One Republican state lawmaker wants Wisconsin horses and buggies to be registered.  State Representative Alex Dallman is backing a plan to let counties set up their own registration process for animal-drawn vehicles.  The idea was proposed last year at the Capitol but didn’t get the needed support.  Dallman says there are many horse-drawn buggies or carts in Wisconsin’s rural areas.  He says registering them would make it easier for authorities to help when there has been an accident.  The registration would include a fee capped at 100 dollars.

Minnesota is one of three states where Native American tribes are working together to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.  Minnesota-based utility Native Sun Community Power Development says it will collaborate with Standing Rock Renewable Energy Authority and two dozen other partners on the project.  They plan to create a network of 120 electric vehicle charging stations in Minneapolis, South Dakota, and North Dakota.  A six-point-seven million-dollar federal grant will get the project started.  Backers say the Upper Midwest Inter-Tribal Electric Vehicle Charging Community Network will link tribal communities spread across nearly 500 miles in those states.

Work has been completed on the largest-ever L-N-G bunkering barge built in the United State.  Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding delivered the 340-foot “Clean Canaveral” to Polaris New Energy last week.  The barge has the capacity for more than three million gallons of liquified natural gas.  Bunkering barges can either transport the gas or can refuel other vessels which use L-N-G.  Fincantieri is contracted to build a sister articulated tug-barge of about half the size.

Local-Regional News Dec 8

 The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion on the special assessment for the Drier Street, Laneville Avenue project along with an update on the project.  Discussion of the possible purchase of a ladder truck for the fire department, and discussion and possible action on amending the snow parking ordiance.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30pm and will be live-streamed on the live streaming page of our website at reelcountry1430.com.

The first winter storm of the season is possible at the end of the week.  The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Friday afternoon until Saturday morning for Pepin, Buffalo, Wabasha, and Eau Claire Counties.  A storm system is expected to move up from the south on Friday bringing snow to the region with 4-6 inches of accumulation possible.

The district attorney in Chippewa County has decided the officer who fired a fatal shot during a traffic stop last October was acting in self-defense.  Sheriff’s Sergeant Martin Folczyk and his partner say Lance R. Stelzer was wearing several layers of clothing, a ski mask, and glasses when he was stopped.  He began spraying Folczyk and his partner with a chemical when they walked up to the vehicle’s door.  The sergeant said he didn’t think a Taser would be effective due to all the layers of clothing Stelzer was wearing, so he shot the man as he continued to approach them.  Several people later told investigators that Stelzer had talked about committing suicide by forcing a law enforcement officer to shoot him.

A 70-million-dollar donation will help fund the construction of a new arena in Eau Claire.  Called the Eau Claire County Materials Event and Recreation Complex, work is expected to start next spring and be completed in two years.  The donation from John and Carolyn Sonnentag is said to be the biggest gift in the history of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and among the largest gifts to any public university in the U-S.  The five-thousand-seat venue could be home to concerts, conventions, and youth sports activities.

Two people were injured in a truck vs buggy accident in Monroe County on Sunday night.  According to the Monroe County Sheriff's Department, the buggy was struck from behind by a truck driven by 34yr old Mike Breidenbach of Ontario while traveling westbound on Hwy 71 near Wilton.  Ida Yoder suffered life-threatening injuries in the accident while John Miller also in the buggy was taken to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries.  That accident remains under investigation.

A woman attending a La Crosse School Board meeting Monday criticized members for holding a moment of silence to honor the Ho-Chunk Nation and sacred indigenous lands.  Shannon McKinney called that illegal religious indoctrination.  McKinney spoke during the public comment period at the beginning of the meeting.  She said using the term “sacred” meant veneration of God, adding that’s discriminatory and can cause harm.  She then said her own prayer to “Jesus and Father God” seeking guidance for the board as it deliberated.

The University of Wisconsin System might give every high school student in the state a break on entrance exams.  System leaders want to keep the A-C-T and the S-A-T optional until at least the 2024-25 school year. The entrance tests became optional last year, during the height of coronavirus school closures. The extension would mean that high school sophomores and freshmen would not have to take the tests to be admitted to a U-W school. The Board of Regents is expected to vote on the idea this week. 

Governor Tony Evers is awarding more than 14-million dollars in grants to movie theaters, summer camps, and minor league sports teams in Wisconsin.  The governor said tourism-related businesses have been hit particularly hard by the ongoing pandemic and this investment will continue to help fuel the state's recovery.  The Movie Theater Assistance Grant Program provides about 15-thousand dollars per screen to 49 theater companies.  The Minor League Sports Teams Grant Program provides two-point-eight-million dollars to 17 minor league teams for about 200-thousand dollars to help recoup lost 2020 revenue.  The Summer Camp Assistance Grant Program will provide 50-thousand dollars each to 37 eligible summer camps.

Officials with the Medford School District say they aren’t turning off the heat on students and staff.  It’s just a rumor.  District administrator Pat Sullivan says all classrooms will keep the thermostat between 68 and 70 degrees.  What has changed is that teachers won’t be able to add a degree or two if they aren’t warm enough.  The district is encouraging them to bring a sweatshirt or a jacket.  Sullivan says the higher cost of heating fuel this winter has made that change necessary.  He says the district is paid up on all of its heating bills and the policy is nothing more than a precaution against getting a “surprise” bill this winter.

Opening statements are scheduled today in the trial of ex-Brooklyn Center officer Kim Potter.  She has pleaded not guilty to first- and second-degree manslaughter in the April shooting of 20-year-old Daunte Wright.   Potter's attorneys claim she mistakenly fired her service weapon instead of her Taser when she fatally shot Wright.   Her recent Taser training is expected to come up during opening arguments.    The defense indicated during the jury selection process that Potter will testify on her own behalf.   The Minnesota Attorney General's Office alleges that Potter acted recklessly in causing Wright's death.   Judge Regina Chu is expecting the trial to wrap up around Christmas.

A Rochester man is now charged with first-degree murder for a fatal shooting in Moorhead.   A Clay County jury indicted Idris Haji-Mohamed for the September shooting death of 32-year-old Abdi Abdi from Fargo.  Haji-Mohamed is accused of shooting Abdi five times at close range.  Another man - Ibrahim Isaac - is charged with aiding and abetting first-degree murder.  Bail is set at three million dollars for both defendants. Prosecutors say convictions would carry mandatory life prison sentences.

 Mercury Marine says it is making big changes to its Fond du Lac plant.  The distribution center will become a manufacturing facility.  The company says it has a growing need for ways to serve its global customers.  Mercury Marine says it will add 100 thousand square feet in two additions to its Fond du Lac foundry and one to its machining operation.  The distribution center is moving to Indiana.  The company says it plans to hire 300 new employees and the expanded facility should be up and running by next year.

Minnesota has a massive seven-point-seven-billion-dollar state budget surplus, the biggest in recent history by a large margin, according to the just-released economic forecast.  The huge surplus will trigger a flurry of lobbying by interest groups.  Democrats will likely push for a larger amount than 250 million dollars, to allow bigger COVID bonuses for a wider group of front-line workers -- something they and Republicans have been unable to agree on.  They'll also likely push for a big bonding bill for state public works projects, plus other state programs.  Business groups want lawmakers to ease their burden of replenishing the state's Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, which has been depleted by COVID.

 Pilots at Sun Country Airlines may soon get a significant boost in pay.  The Minnesota-based carrier and the Air Line Pilots Association recently reached an agreement.  If the deal is approved by union members, Sun Country will have some of the highest-paid pilots in the country.  A vote on the proposed contract is expected later this month

Charges have been filed against a La Follette High School student who is accused of bringing a loaded gun to the school.  Eighteen-year-old Marquan Webb seven counts, including possession of a firearm on school grounds and resisting an officer.  Webb was arrested last Thursday after school administrators say they got an anonymous tip that he was armed.  The gun found in one of his jacket pockets had been stolen.  A big cash bond was set because he has a lengthy juvenile criminal history.

The Minnesota D-N-R is certifying a muskie caught by a Plymouth man as a state record.    Nolan Sprengler reeled in a 55-pound, 14-point-eight-ounce muskie on Lake Mille Lacs on November 22nd.   The previous record was 54 pounds set in 1957 on Lake Winnibigoshish.    Sprengler first weighed his catch on a certified scale at a U-P-S store with witnesses before having it identified at a D-N-R Fisheries office.   A taxidermist is mounting the record muskie for him.

Local-Regional News Dec 7

 New Covid-19 cases continue to rise in Pepin County in November.  According to Pepin County Health Officer Heidi Stewart, says the county is at its highest peak since July.  As of the weekend, 3 people were hospitalized in Pepin County.

Gas prices are on the decline in Wisconsin. According to Triple-A, the average price for regular unleaded is three dollars and four cents per gallon. That's down over five cents from last week and down over ten cents from last month. The average price in Durand is 3.04 a gallon, and in Eau, Claire gas is averaging $2.89 a gallon also down significantly from last month.

A Chippewa Falls man is facing his 12th OWI Charge.  According to Altoona Police, officers pulled over Osburn Burkins on Hastings Way over the weekend for displaying false licenses plates.  Burkins admitted to drinking and being too impaired to drive and was arrested and is being held on a $25,000 cash bond.  His next court appearance is December 14.

The School District of Onalaska is canceling classes at its middle school today, as the district and law enforcement investigate a threat.  In a letter to parents, the district said administrators and the Onalaska Police were made aware of a serious threat directed toward the Middle School.  It was decided to cancel classes for Middle School Students today while authorities continue the investigation into the threat.

One person is dead after a roll-over accident in Polk County on Sunday.  According to the Polk County Sheriffs Department, a truck traveling on 220th street lost control on an incline, slid into the ditch, and rolled over twice stopping about 150 feet from the roadway.  The rollover caused severe damage to the driver's side of the roof of the truck and the driver died at the scene of the accident.  

According to Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind, Wisconsin is set to receive an investment of $142.7 million in water infrastructure funding for 2022 through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This funding will put be used to work rebuilding the state's water infrastructure and help communities address PFAS contamination, replace lead service lines, and provide clean drinking water for all.   This is the first-year allotment of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for water infrastructure. Funding will be distributed to Wisconsin over the next five years through the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) State Revolving Funds (SRF) program.  

A continued budget surplus is expected today when Minnesota Management and Budget releases the latest state economic forecast. The fiscal year 2021 revenues came in two-point-six-billion dollars over the February budget forecast in July.  Business groups want lawmakers to ease their burden of replenishing the state's COVID-delated Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund.   G-O-P Representative Rod Hamilton of Mountain Lake says that makes sense because Minnesota still has more than a billion dollars in federal American Rescue Plan funding.    D-F-L Representative Mohamud Noor of Minneapolis says they still need to distribute 250 million dollars in COVID bonuses to front-line workers.

 You may think it’s cool to have a stop sign nailed to your bedroom wall, but that could be a big mistake.  For one thing, it could cause a fatal accident.  For another, you could face fines and some jail time.  The Wisconsin Department of Transportation reports there have been 80 signs stolen in the Northwest Region alone this year.  Sign coordinator Steven Allard says that’s more than he has seen in any of his previous 25 years with the state agency.  Dunn County Sheriff Kevin Bygd tells W-E-A-U Television one of the most common targets is any sign bearing the numbers 4-20 – which is a reference to marijuana use.  Wis-DOT says there have been about 20 vehicle crashes this year in areas with missing traffic signs.

People in Hastings have rallied to show their support for the former chairperson for the local school board and her child.  Kelsey Waits failed to win re-election last November.  During the campaign, a social media account labeled “Concerned Parents of Hastings” revealed that Waits’ younger child is transgender.  Waits says she worried when the information was published that her child wasn’t ready.  She told reporters she was worried about the risk of suicide.  She says losing the election almost seemed like a relief.

Mauston police say everyone is disappointed that the city’s holiday parade has been canceled due to the pandemic again.  Juneau County has the worst COVID case counts in Wisconsin.  It’s warning some residents thinking about holding their own parade not to do it.  They have been talking about an impromptu event.  Instead of driving on city streets with no police escort, they decided to pass out candy in a parking lot.  Police say it’s about safety.  Normally, roads would be closed and traffic control would be in place for a parade.  Police aren’t threatening to pass out citations as long as all traffic rules are followed, but they say holding one in an “uncontrolled environment” could be risky.

A bill signed into law by Governor Evers aims to increase exports of Wisconsin agricultural products by 25 percent in five years.  The Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection will work with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation on a plan to increase the value of Wisconsin’s milk and dairy, meat, crops, and other products.  Five million dollars was allocated to the D-A-T-C-P's Center for International Agribusiness Marketing for the program.  Evers issued a statement saying, "We started this work to promote and increase Wisconsin’s product exports even before the pandemic to help support our farmers and our rural communities."

A conservative political group wants to strike down federal elections laws that require it to disclose its donors.   That lawsuit, filed on Thursday by Wisconsin Family Action, is asking a federal court to strike down regulation from the Federal Elections Commission that requires a political action committee to disclose any donor that contributes more than 200 dollars. Lawyers for the group say that is an illegal imposition on their member's right to freely associate with each other. Advocates for elections reform say it's an attempt to get dark money into elections.

 A Minneapolis woman says police staffing shortages became apparent to her after she was carjacked.  K-A-R-E Television reports a woman named Kristin says she was able to track the vehicle because it is equipped with G-P-S tracking.  When she called a dispatcher she was told officers were too busy responding to more serious crimes like shootings.  Kristin says at one point her S-U-V was showing up as stopped just four blocks from the M-P-D Fourth Police Precinct Headquarters.  She says she kept calling to report where the vehicle was and she was told each time that her report would be “adding to the file.”

The Green Bay Plan Commission has endorsed the construction of an upscale hotel to be located near Lambeau Field.  The 100-room Legacy Hotel would go up on the site of the former Brett Favre’s Steakhouse.  A conditional use permit was needed because the six-story hotel would be higher than the local limit of 45 feet.  Other city approvals are still needed and developers are hoping to get about five million dollars in city assistance from tax incentives.  The hotel could be operating two years from this month.