Local-Regional News June 13

 The Durand City Council approved a $2800 facade grant for the Happy Duck in Downtown Durand last week.   Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the grants are available for all businesses in the city to improve the fronts of their buildings.  For more information on the Facade Grant Program, contact Durand City Hall.

One person was killed and another injured in a one-vehicle crash in the Town of Cleveland on Friday.  According to the Chippewa County Sheriffs Department, 48yr old Sara Lemay was traveling eastbound on Hwy 64 when she lost control of her vehicle, entered the ditch, and overturned upside down in the water.  A passing motorist and other people were able to pull Lemay and an 11yr old child out of the water and began life-saving measures on both.  Lemay died due to her injuries and the 11yr old was med flighted to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.  That accident remains under investigation.

A successful weekend for area events in Pepin County.  While there was rain early Saturday morning large crowds were at the Pepin County Dairy Breakfast at the Auth Farms and large crowds were reported at Memorial Park for all three days of Fun Fest.  Saturday night's Fun Fest Concert by Chris Kroze was especially popular with large crowds reported.  After a break for a few weeks, Fun Fest organizers will begin planning for the 2023 Fun Fest.  This weekend the Pierce County and Plum City 4-H/FFA Dairy Breakfasts will be held.

A Dodge County man will spend more than 12 years in federal prison for dealing methamphetamine in southeastern Minnesota. Prosecutors say 48-year-old Matthew Lyman pleaded guilty to receiving shipments from Mexico between May 2020 and January 2021. Law enforcement watched two couriers leave Lyman’s home. They were later arrested with 119-thousand dollars cash, an ounce of meth, and a loaded gun. Investigators say they recorded one of Lyman’s jail calls in which he directed a friend to recover meth from his Rochester apartment and a search turned up nine pounds of the drug.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Friday announced that preliminary totals show Wisconsin turkey hunters registered 39,007 birds during the 2022 spring turkey hunting season, a 5% increase from the 37,266 birds registered in the spring 2021 season.  For the 2022 youth season, there were 2,482 birds registered, down nearly 25% from 3,308 in 2021. This is likely due to the late onset of spring across much of the state, resulting in poorer hunting conditions during the youth hunt.

 Friday, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Department of Health Services (DHS) announced a new PFAS-based consumption advisory for bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass and northern pike from Angelo Pond in Monroe County based on fish sampling.     People are advised to only have one meal a month of the affected fish.  Health risks may increase when fish with high levels of PFAS are consumed. These can include increased cholesterol levels, decreased immune response, and decreased fertility in women, among other health effects.

A tuition hike is coming to the University of Minnesota campuses. The Board of Regents approved increases system-wide on Friday. Tuition on the Twin Cities and Rochester campuses will go up by three-point-five percent. Duluth, Crookston, and Morris campuses will see an increase of one-point-seven-five percent. On the Twin Cities campus that is about 470 dollars extra per year for residents and a little over 11-hundred extra per year for non-residents.

"Watch For Deer" isn't just a parting sentiment this time of year. D O T spokesman Dave Pabst says deer are more active in the early summer as yearlings start to leave their mothers.  Pabst reminds people to put their phones down and watch the sides of the roads, especially at dawn and dusk, and if you see one deer crossing the road, there's probably more coming. 

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has voted to allow Republican candidate for governor Tim Michels’ name to remain on the primary ballot.  Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Michels’ campaign.  He will be opposed by three other Republicans in the August primary.  The Wisconsin Democratic Party had challenged his candidacy saying a wrong address on his nominating papers meant he only had 350 valid signatures.  He needed two thousand.  All of the petitions included his campaign’s post office box and the commission determined that was close enough.

New charges have been filed against a 17-year-old suspect accused of a fatal La Crosse shooting.  W-K-B-T/T-V reports an arrest warrant has been issued for Jackson Greengrass who is now charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide as a party to a crime.  Investigators say Greengrass was driving the vehicle May 22nd when passenger Storm Vondrashek was shot to death.  Greengrass was also shot.  Authorities say 18-year-old Sage Hicke was the shooter.  Hicke has turned himself in to La Crosse police.

A lawsuit filed in Dane County is seeking fines of two-thousand dollars each for the people who tried to declare President Trump the winner of the 2020 election.  Law Forward spokesperson Mel Barnes says while presidential electors were legitimately casting Wisconsin’s 10 votes for Joe Biden, the other group was meeting in secret.  W-I-S-C/T-V reports they were also inside the Wisconsin Capitol.  They are accused of putting together a nearly identical document that was sent to Congress in an effort to hijack the electoral voting process.  The suit names 12 people including Wisconsin Elections Commission Robert Spindell.  The commission decided not to take punitive action against group members in March.

The Minnesota Auto Dealers Association is suing the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for adopting California’s so-called “Clean Car” rules which encourage more Minnesotans to buy electric vehicles. Auto Dealers President Scott Lambert says dealers aren’t opposed to electric vehicles and are ready to sell them when consumers want to buy -- but under the California rules “up to 26 percent” of vehicles dealers are forced to buy from manufacturers have to be electric. Lambert says if demand isn’t that high, dealers are stuck with vehicles they can’t move. But State Pollution Control Agency officials say, “with gas at four dollars-64 cents per gallon, Minnesotans want more choices that are better for their pocketbooks and the environment.”

The University of Wisconsin System is keeping its tuition freeze in place for the coming year.  The Board of Regents made the announcement Thursday at its meeting in Milwaukee, saying continuing the freeze was recommended by new U-W System President Jay Rothman.  W-K-O-W/T-V reports undergraduate tuition hasn’t changed since the 2013-2014 fiscal year.  Rothman says, “Keeping our universities affordable and accessible is a priority.”  Officials say the level of funding from the state of Wisconsin makes the freeze possible.

A Northwoods man accused of making the threats that led to two school districts locking their doors is scheduled to appear in Oneida County Court this (Friday) afternoon.  Adam Bauman was bound over for trial Thursday and he has a hearing set for 1:15 p-m.  Bauman is charged with making terroristic threats against the Northland Pines and Three Lakes school district earlier this week.  The 18-year-old suspect was taken into custody Wednesday.  No information has been released about the reasons he made the threats.

The Minnesota Zoo’s Amur tiger, named Sundari, is now a mother. K-M-S-P/T-V reports she gave birth on Mother’s Day to four tiger cubs. One of them didn’t survive, but the other three are doing well and bonding with their mother. Zoo officials say there are only 500 Amur tigers left in the world.

Local-Regional News June 10

 The Durand Public Works Department is asking for the public's help.  Over the last few months, there has been vandalism inside the public bathrooms at memorial park.  Public Works Director Matt Gillis says the vandalism has been happening over the last few years causing damage to the bathrooms.  Gillis says that if anyone sees anything suspicious call the police.  If the vandalism continues the city will be forced to keep the bathrooms locked.

Busy weekend in store for Western Wisconsin.  Today is the first day of Durand Fun Fest.  The Fun Fest Car Show will be later today along First Avenue West along with the carnival opening up.  There will be food, music, and fun through Sunday in Memorial Park and throughout the city.  On Sunday the parade will be at 2pm led by Parade Grand Marshals Char and Lee Anderson.  Also this weekend the Pepin County Dairy Breakfast will be Saturday from 6:30-11 at Auth Farms in Arkansaw and the Dunn County Dairy Breakfast will be at Breezy Haven Farms in Bloomer.

A 40-year-old Chippewa Falls man has pleaded no contest to a charge of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle.  Christopher Peterson was first charged two years ago following a fatal hit-and-run crash.  Deputies were called to the scene of the crash in Lake Hallie.  The victim, 60-year-old Dennis Mohr, had reportedly been pulling a yellow wagon loaded with personal items.  W-E-A-U/T-V reports deputies identified a missing part of a vehicle that was found to belong to Peterson.  They say that’s when he admitted he had hit “something yellow.”  Peterson will be sentenced August 1st.

A Cumberland man will be sentenced in August for killing another driver while he was passing a vehicle two years ago.  Twenty-nine-year-old Cody Hase has pleaded guilty in Barron County Court.  Investigators say Hase was trying to pass another vehicle on Highway 48 in Stanfold Township in September of 2020 when he hit a van head-on.  Seventy-two-year-old Leroy Allan Odden of Rice Lake was killed.  W-E-A-U/T-V reports Hase could face up to 10 years in prison when he returns to court.

It was a big haul for La Crosse police.  They say a drug bust earlier this week resulted in the seizure of five guns, thousands of dollars in cash, and more than 100 pounds of drugs.  W-K-B-T/T-V reports the street value of the drugs is estimated at more than a million dollars.  Police say 26-year-old Jade Deeny was taken into custody Monday as part of an ongoing investigation.  Search warrants were executed at a La Crosse address and at a storage unit rented in Deeny’s name.  Police say Deeny is a convicted felon who has already spent time in a North Carolina prison for drug and gun convictions.  He has a La Crosse County court hearing set for Friday.

 Minnesota Governor Tim Walz continues to try to convince Republicans in the Legislature of the need for a special session.  He has been holding a virtual meeting with top Republicans this afternoon.  Walz’s goal is to reach an agreement on using Minnesota’s budget surplus.  To entice lawmakers to return to St. Paul he points out that the largest tax cut in state history is waiting for their approval.  The governor says this is the work the Legislature is supposed to have been doing since January.  Some analysts suggest that Republicans may be waiting in anticipation of securing control of the entire Legislature and the governor’s office after the November election.

Minnesotans behind on their mortgage are encouraged to apply for up to 35-thousand dollars in assistance through the home-help-M-N program.  State Housing Commissioner Jennifer Ho says they have extended the deadline to apply for two full months -- June 17th at Five P-M. She says eligible expenses include home mortgage payments and a “contract for deed or a manufactured home loan.” Also, related expenses like property taxes, insurance, lot rent, homeowner association fees or a tribal land-lease payment are also eligible. Ho says even if you think you don't qualify to go ahead and apply. For more information and to apply head to home-help-m-n-dot-org.

After two pandemic-induced years off, the Midwest Renewable Energy Association announce that The Energy Fair will be returning, June 24-through-26. Organizers say this year’s event will bring over 11,500 fairgoers from across the Midwest to Portage County. In addition to demonstrations and hundreds of educational workshops, this year’s fair will take on an increased focus on social and environmental justice through its theme, “Powering the Just Energy Transition.”  Find out more at energy fair dot org.

U-S Senator Tammy Baldwin says she wants congressional action to address gun violence, but the Wisconsin Democrat isn’t hopeful for sweeping changes.  Baldwin asks rhetorically how many children “have to have their lives taken away by gun violence until the Congress acts and acts boldly?”  She favors red flag laws to take guns away from people deemed to be a danger to themselves and others.  She also wants to see stricter background checks on weapons purchases.  The problem is, Baldwin says, she expects the new measures to be watered down before they are ever voted on.

COVID front-line workers are flooding Minnesota’s online portal to apply for “hero bonuses.” Officials say as of early Wednesday afternoon, over 78-thousand-500 Minnesotans have applied online for the bonuses. Labor and Industry Deputy Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach (BLISS-en-bock) indicates there have been a few “hiccups” during the online portal’s launch, but nothing that slowed things down significantly. State officials stress that “hero bonuses” are NOT first-come, first-served. After the application window closes and the appeals process runs its course, officials will divide the 500 million dollars the legislature authorized equally among all qualified applicants, with each check not to exceed 15-hundred dollars.

As the number of teacher resignations starts to mount in Waukesha some parents are growing concerned about who is going to teach their children.  The parent group Alliance for Education in Waukesha says the local school district has been notified about 54 resignations so far.  Parent Sara Harrison tells W-I-T-I/T-V the district had about half that many at this time last year.  The parent group says student success is directly related to good teachers.  Harrison says she believes the teachers are leaving the job due to politics and pay.  Waukesha teachers will be getting a two-and-a-half-percent cost of living increase for next year.  That is less than other districts are offering.

As inflation and supply chain delays persist, many of us are hearing about “shrinkflation.” University of Minnesota Professor George John says, “the idea is to keep the price the same while cutting back on the quantity.” He gives cereal as an example: “if you go look at Honey Bunches of Oats right now, you’ll see that the package is that wee bit narrower and the amount of stuff in it has gone down by an ounce (or) a couple of ounces.” John says in most cases it works because most of us as consumers practice what academics call “rational inattention” when we’re shopping. That is, we pay closer attention to the price than to the weight of the package.

You will notice they run more quietly and the diesel smell will be missing.  Electric buses start running routes in La Crosse next Monday.  Local officials say they have been trying to integrate electric buses into the Municipal Transit Utility for the last five years.  M-T-U Director Adam Lorentz tells W-K-B-T/T-V that the new buses will not only offer a smoother and more quiet ride for passengers, but their upkeep will also be cheaper.  The mayor says they will also be good for the city’s environment.

This weekend, Minnesotans can take children 15 or younger fishing -- without licenses. The D-N-R’s Benji Kohn says it’s their annual “Take a Kid Fishing” weekend. He says it’s designed “to encourage people with grandkids, nieces, nephews, or neighborhood kids that “want to learn a little bit about fishing to take them outside and fish.” If you are new to fishing and don’t have the gear, keep in mind -- most Minnesota state parks do have equipment you can borrow. Kohn recommends calling your state park ahead of time to double-check.

Local-Regional News June 9

 The City of Durand will be spraying for mosquitoes this evening.  The city plans to start on the south end of town at 7pm tonight and hopes to have the spraying done by approximately 10pm.   The city has also contracted out with Mosquitoe Hunters to do a treatment in Memorial park for Fun Fest this weekend.    The city budgets to spray for mosquitoes 4 times each summer.

One person was injured in a motorcycle vs car accident in Maiden Rock Township on Saturday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 31yr old Taylor Harmon of Menomonie was traveling westbound on Hwy U near 120th Street when he lost control of his motorcycle on a curve, drove left of center, and was struck by an eastbound Honda Civic driven by 22yr old Jace Groomes of Plum City.   Harmon was med flighted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

Tourism in western Wisconsin was up in 2021.  According to the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, spending increased by 34% in Pepin County to $8.3 million in 2021.  Buffalo County reported a 44% increase to $17 million, Dunn county had a 27% increase to $48 million and Pierce County saw a 29% increase in tourism spending in 2021 to $31 million.  Wisconsin tourism generated $20.9 billion in total economic impact for the year.

The Tarrant Park Pool is up and running for the summer season.  Public Works Superintendent Gills told city council members last night that everything seems to be working properly with the pool.  The boiler to heat the water is only working with one stage, and the warmer weather next week should help with the water temperature.  The pool will be closed this weekend for fun fest.  The bidding process for the new pool is to start later this month.

The La Crosse Regional Airport is announcing they are “one of 416 airports across the country to be awarded grants under the second round of the 2022  Airport Improvement Program.”  WEAU reports with the $765,000 grant award, the airport intends to purchase a new “Class 4, 1,500-gallon aircraft rescue fire-fighting vehicle.”  The grant will cover 90% of the cost with the rest split between the WI DOT and La Crosse Regional Airport.

A lawsuit seeking to bar three Wisconsin Republicans from the 2022 ballot will not move forward.  The case brought by 10 Wisconsin residents alleged U.S. Senator Ron Johnson and Representatives Scott Fitzgerald and Tom Tiffany “engaged in or assisted with an insurrection or rebellion against the United States” in their capacity as private citizens running for office. The plaintiffs (financially supported by the liberal Minocqua Brewing Company Super PAC) claimed the three fomented the January 6 attack on the Capitol by spreading lies about the November 2020 election being “rigged.” The Capitol Times reports that U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman dismissed the case last Friday, finding it to be “procedurally improper.”

Wisconsin lawmakers shouldn’t expect to do a lot of work when they return to the Capitol later this month for the special legislative session called by Governor Evers.  Gavel-in, gavel-out – just like several other special sessions the Democratic governor has called.  He and Republicans have a contentious relationship.  Evers wants lawmakers to repeal the 1849 statute on the books prohibiting abortions in Wisconsin.  Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, a Republican, says, “Killing innocent babies is not health care.”  He confirmed that the Senate will quickly gavel out what he calls a special session that is “blatantly political.”

A meatpacking plant in Green Bay will have to pay a fine after hundreds of employees caught COVID-19 at the start of the outbreak.   The Occupational Health and Safety Administration says JBS Foods in Green Bay failed to properly protect its workers from COVID-19 at the start of the outbreak, leading to a week-long closure of the meatpacking plant in the spring of 2020. The plant had over 350 COVID infections between April and August of 2020 and two employees died. JBS will have to pay over 14-thousand dollars in fines and implement new safety procedures.

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Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has filled a vacancy on the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission.  Tax attorney Don Millis of Sun Prairie will fill the vacancy caused by last month’s resignation of Republican Commissioner Dean Knudson. Knudson’s abrupt departure delayed a vote on the next WEC chair, who by law must be a Republican commissioner to succeed current chair Anne Jacobs, a Democrat. Millis previously served as one of the first members of WEC in 2016, following its’ creation by the Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature. The commission is scheduled to meet Friday to elect a new chair.

A Waukesha County judge says the state of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce need to reach a solution regarding the regulation of PFAS contamination.  Judge Michael Bohren issued a stay on a ruling Tuesday that could prevent the Department of Natural Resources from regulating the chemicals.  The business group argues the state can’t regular PFAS because the contaminants aren’t directly mentioned in Wisconsin statutes or D-N-R rules.  The D-N-R says the ruling that has been stayed could impact its ability to remediate any spills or brownfields.

 A new online dashboard by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) allows Minnesotans to find out if their system’s water has any level of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS. State Health Commissioner Jan Malcom says the “vast majority” of public water systems in Minnesota that have completed testing have “either no detections of PFAS or have levels below the current state levels of health concern.” The statewide testing effort has completed assessment in 401 of approximately 900 public systems in the state. Higher levels of exposure to PFAS are associated with a wide range of human health effects, including higher cholesterol, changes to liver function, reduced immune response. and thyroid disease.

The latest offer to buy Wisconsin-based Kohl’s department stores may be the one that succeeds.   Kohl’s says it’s entered into exclusive negotiations with the owners of The Vitamin Shoppe. The deal would be worth about eight-billion dollars, or 60-dollars a share. The latest offer comes after Kohl’s rejected an offer from activist investors earlier this spring.

City officials, county engineers, environmentalists, rural power companies, public works officials, and union leaders are telling Minnesota lawmakers to get back to Saint Paul and pass the bonding bill they didn’t finish during the regular session. Dan Olson with Laborers International Union of North America says NOT to finish “makes absolutely no sense.” It appeared the House and Senate were nearing a compromise on a bonding bill, but it “dropped off the edge” when Republicans and Democrats couldn’t agree on large spending bills for public schools, health and human services, and public safety.

 The Ramsey County Fair is officially called off.  The Ramsey County Fair Board set notification of the cancellation to county officials yesterday.  The board says there were "too many outstanding arrangements, statutory requirements and unknown financial challenges" that couldn't be resolved in time to put on a quality and safe fair.  The board is planning to bring the fair back in 2023.

Local-Regional News June 8

 Preparations for Durand Fun Fest are underway.  Yesterday 2nd avenue West and Madison Street between 1st and 3rd avenue west were closed as the carnival arrived in town.  The main tent will be arriving in Memorial Park and on Friday, 1st avenue west will also be closed for the car show.  Durand Fun fest is this Friday through Sunday.

An Ellsworth man has been sentenced for ramming a Pierce County Squad Car in 2019.  Luke Anderson was convicted of battery, disorderly conduct, and second-degree recklessly endangering safety.  In June of 2019, officers were called to a domestic incident and Anderson drove his vehicle into a Pierce County Squad Car, nearly hitting the deputy inside the squad.  Pierce County Judge Elizabeth Rohl sentenced Anderson to 45 months in prison along with three years of extended supervision.

One person was injured in a motorcycle accident in Burnside Township on Monday.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department, 24yr old  Steven Santiago of Independence was traveling westbound on Hwy 121 when he lost control of the motorcycle and was ejected from it.    Santiago was taken to the hospital with major injuries.  He was cited for not having a motorcycle endorsement on his driver's license.

Over $35 million in funds from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will go toward 40 projects to improve Wisconsin roads, state officials announced Tuesday.  Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation stated that this first round of local road funding will target rural areas and urban areas with fewer than 50,000 people. Projects in Western Wisconsin that were awarded funding included the City of Menomonie for 21st Avenue, Barron County for Hwy P, and Chippewa County for Hwy C.   The funding was awarded in four categories based on population, and WisDOT noted there were over 300 applicants.

Minnesota-based Xcel Energy says it is the first energy company in the U-S to add all-electric bucket trucks to its fleet. The trucks have one electric source for the drive train and one for the lift mechanism. Officials say they have a 135-mile driving range and the ability to operate the bucket for a full day on a single charge. C-E-O Bob Frenzel says Xcel’s goal is to provide 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2050.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is leading a group of Republican lawmakers calling on the E-P-A to lift the rule that requires reformulated gasoline to be sold in southeastern Wisconsin.  The request comes at a time the state is experiencing record pump prices.  W-I-S-C/T-V reports the Republicans have sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan asking for the change this summer.  They say it would provide “much-needed relief” to Wisconsin drivers buying gas.  The lawmakers say the reformulated product costs an average of 40-cents a gallon more than the prices seen in areas of Wisconsin where blended fuels aren’t required.

Wisconsinites turned in a lot of unwanted drugs this spring  The state Department of Justice announced Tuesday that Wisconsin ranked number one in the nation for most prescription medications collected during the spring 2022 Drug Take Back, with more than 59-thousand pounds of unwanted medications turned in. According to DOJ, Wisconsin has collected more than a million pounds of unwanted medications since Drug Take Back began in 2010 under the leadership of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, ranking third behind California and Texas.

A man who shot and killed a retired judge has died.   The Department of Justice says 56-year-old Douglas Uhde shot and killed retired Juneau County Judge John Roemer and then shot himself. Uhde was found alive but unresponsive at the scene and taken to a hospital where he was later declared brain dead. He was kept on life support to allow for organ transplants to occur. The D O J says Udhe had a list of targets he was planning to shoot alongside Judge Roemer.

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development is reporting a record number of job openings in the fourth quarter of 2021. DEED Commissioner Steve Grove says job openings topped 214-thousand even as employers continue to add jobs. The seven-county metro area had 127-thousand vacancies and Greater Minnesota had just over 87-thousand. Fourth-quarter vacancies were up 68 percent compared to the same period in 2020.

Low-interest U-S-D-A loans are now available to eligible ag producers in 60 Minnesota counties who have physical structure or livestock damage from this spring’s severe storms and/or flooding. But there’s no decision yet whether there will be an “ag disaster declaration” to cover crop loss.  Dan Mahoney with the U-S-D-A Farm Service Agency in Saint Paul says they “have to be able to assess (a) 30-percent loss” before the U-S-D-A can start talking about crops as an eligible expense or loan.

A Wisconsin man is turning an old Northwoods motel into much-needed housing in Laona.  As businesses in northern Wisconsin look for workers – especially seasonal workers – people wanting to take the jobs have struggled to find a place to live.  Tim Shimek says he noticed the closed motel on Highway 8 and bought it last year.  Now, it’s being renovated into low-income apartments.  Shimek says people snap them up as quick as he lists them.  W-A-O-W/T-V reports seven have already been rented and work is being done on three more.  He says he’s not accepting applications yet while he gets them ready for new residents.

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The Wisconsin Fire Inspectors Association says an alarming number of people have died in residential fires this year.  Thirty-three people have died so far this year.  W-B-A-Y/T-V reports that compares to 40 in all of last year.  Neenah-Menasha Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Adam Dorn says in all of the fires there was a constant – no working smoke detectors.  The Association is now involved in a campaign of educating people on the importance of having working smoke detectors on every level of every home, including the sleeping areas.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court rules that the state Department of Health Services can release data on COVID-19 infections at businesses  Tuesday’s 4-3 decision comes in an October 2020 suit filed by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce against DHS and the Evers administration. WMC was concerned that the release of information about positive COVID cases could be harmful to businesses. Liberal justices, Ann Walsh Bradley, Rebecca Dallet, and Jill Karofsky, and conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn, ruled that the information can be released in response to media open records requests. Conservatives argued personal health information could be inadvertently released.

The state Justice Department’s Division of Criminal Investigation is reportedly examining the social media accounts and the computer and phone owned by the 56-year-old suspect accused of killing a judge.  Authorities say retired Juneau County Judge John Roemer was targeted.  A hit list containing 13 names was found in Douglas Uhde’s car.  Investigators say they are tracing Uhd’s digital football to see if he had any ties to militia groups.  Among the names on the list were Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.  

Wisconsin’s new system for tracking sexual assault kits is reportedly getting positive feedback from victims.  The kits are tacked as they pass from hospital staff to law enforcement and crime lab testing.  Advocate Aurora Health spokesperson Sharain Horn says the victims like having the barcode, knowing how to track their information, and being able to follow it through the system.  They’re no longer just waiting for a contact from law enforcement and not knowing when that contact might be coming.  Crime victims are able to use the barcode to view the status of the sexual assault kit for their case as it progresses through the testing process.

A 29-year-old shooting suspect is being held in the Wood County Jail on a charge of attempted first-degree intentional homicide.  Jason Schultz was taken into custody after a shooting in the town of Richfield last week.  W-S-A-W/T-V reports authorities were called to the Marshfield Medical Center May 30th at 7:15 a-m for a 33-year-old man with a gunshot wound.  Witnesses say Schultz and the shooting victim had been arguing over an air compressor when the victim was shot.  His name hasn’t been released.  A June 14th hearing will determine if the case moves forward to trial.

The University of Minnesota is getting more than 66 million dollars to establish a new Antiviral Drug Discovery Center for Pathogens of Pandemic Concern. U-S Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith said the funding will be used for researching and developing coronavirus antivirals, especially those that can be taken at home or in an outpatient setting, and treatments targeting specific viruses with high potential to cause a future pandemic.  The U of M is one of nine schools across the nation selected and will be the only center in the Midwest. Medical School Dean, Doctor Jakub Tolar says their faculty, “rallied to respond to the COVID virus in early 2020 and this award recognizes their innovative efforts.”

Local-Regional News June 7

 An eyesore in downtown Durand is scheduled to be demolished soon.  Pepin County will demolish the old Bubba's bar later this month.   Albrightsons Construction has been hired to take the building down, and according to Jess McMahon from Pepin County Land Conservation, the company will start work after fun fest.  Pepin County received a community development block grant to pay for the demolition of the building.

A spokeswoman for the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office says a five-year-old boy was apparently underwater for 12 to 13 minutes after his family’s boat was hit by a barge Friday afternoon on the Mississippi River at Red Wing. At last check, Vincent Koenig was in critical condition at Mayo Clinic/Saint Mary’s in Rochester. Officials say 45-year-old Jeremy Koenig and three of his children were pulled from the water by other boaters, but it was only after the disabled craft was towed to a nearby marina that the five-year-old “was found under the boat (and) lifted to the dock, where C-P-R was started.” Rachel Koenig says her son was trapped under the capsized boat and “thank goodness he was wearing shoes with orange bottoms” which her husband spotted.

The Village of Pepin has approved a re codification project of all the village's ordinances.  The process includes re-organizing, clarifying, and updating the existing ordinances on the books and reviewing the ordinances to make sure they still follow state law.  The project is similar to one taken up by the City of Durand a few years ago.

A former Eau Claire County district attorney facing a federal labor complaint says he didn't sexually harass a coworker.   That lawsuit was filed in January against Former DA Gary King. Eau Claire County's victim-witness coordinator Jessica Bryan accuses King of sexual harassment in the office. In a response filed on Friday in federal court, King says he never sexually harassed Bryan but did admit to kissing her on the cheek. King vacated the office last year after multiple complaints against him surfaced, including misconduct in office, sexual harassment, and being drunk on the job.

A La Crosse County judge has sentenced a man who killed his victim in a 2020 fight to eight years in state prison.  Fifty-two-year-old Matthew Kinstler will spend six years on extended supervision when he gets out.  He was sentenced Friday after pleading no contest to a charge of first-degree reckless homicide.  Kinstler was accused of fighting with 79-year-old Russell Paulson in the parking lot outside a Menard’s big-box retail store.  They were arguing over a parking spot.  Paulson died in the Mayo Clinic Health System two days later.

Congresswoman Angie Craig is asking for nearly five million dollars in federal funding for the Veterans Memorial Greenway Project in Dakota County. The proposed five-mile greenway will commemorate and remember the service of all veterans from Dakota County and Minnesota. It will include five to seven memorials created by veterans, a large space for patriotic events, and enable pedestrians and cyclists to avoid crossings at Highways Three and 52.  Craig said, “residents of Dakota County have a long and proud history of service in the American Armed Forces -- and this project will serve to honor their sacrifices in defense of this great nation.”

The average price for a gallon of gas in Wisconsin has risen to four-dollars, 80-cents.   Triple-A says the $4.80-mark was reached Sunday. That’s a penny higher than Saturday, 39 cents higher than the previous Sunday, and 75 cents higher than last month. Triple-A says the most expensive gas in Wisconsin averages more than five dollars a gallon in and around Milwaukee. The cheapest gas, if you can call it that, is in west-central Wisconsin, at about $4.60 a gallon. 

The Better Business Bureau (B-B-B) of Minnesota and North Dakota is warning businesses and consumers about “imposter” scam emails claiming to be from the cyber security company Norton LifeLock -- and the B-B-B itself. Communications Vice President Bao Vang says they heard from a 70-year-old California woman who received an email claiming to be from Norton LifeLock, and when she called the number provided, “the scammer then answered and convinced her it was time to renew her membership and then he would help her by logging onto her computer.” Vang says the B-B-B never ask for passwords, information to access your personal device or personal information in an email. If you feel like you've been victimized by scammers, visit B-B-B-dot-org.

Motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson is reportedly ready to re-open its plant in Menomonee Falls.  That plant and one in Pennsylvania suspended operations May 19th to deal with some issues it was having with a supplier.  The company hasn’t named the supplier or reported what the regulatory complaint was.  When the shutdown was announced the company stock dropped almost nine percent.  The plants in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania will resume operations Monday.

Proposed enforcement guidelines for PFAS (PEE foss) contamination go before a Waukesha County Judge today (Tuesday).  Those guidelines are being challenged by the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce – the state’s largest business lobby.  W-M-C argues the state agency has no authority to force companies to clean up PFAS contamination without laws or rules backing it up.  Efforts to put the rules in place have been repeatedly held up by the Wisconsin Legislature.  Waukesha County Judge Mike Bohren has already ruled earlier this spring that the D-N-R had no authority to issue an emergency rule in this case.

A 27-year-old Wisconsin woman is being held in the St. Croix County Jail after her O-W-I arrest on Interstate 94.  The Wisconsin State Patrol says Khadijah Locke had four children ages two, four, six, and 10 in the vehicle with her when she was stopped by a trooper near Hammond.  W-E-A-U/T-V reports dispatchers had received a 9-1-1 call about an erratic driver on the interstate who almost hit another vehicle.  The incident happened Friday just before 8:30 p-m.

The chairman of the Wisconsin Senate Public Safety Committee says he doesn’t support the gun measures proposed by Democrats.  Van Wangaard of Racine is a former cop.  He says he’s not ready to expand background checks for gun purchases and he opposes a 48-hour waiting period to buy a gun.  Wangaarx appeared on W-K-O-W/T-V’s “Capital City Sunday” program.  He called the 48-hour waiting period “ridiculous” because officials are good at catching things without it.  Wangaard says he would support arming school teachers – provided they are willing and that they have adequate training.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice has identified the man accused of killing a retired Juneau County judge as 56-year-old Douglas K. Uhde.  He was found in the basement of former judge John Roemer’s home in the Town of Lisbon Friday.  Uhde is hospitalized for treatment of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.  Investigators say Uhde had been sentenced to serve a six-year prison term by Judge Roemer in 2005.  He reportedly was carrying a list of more than a dozen possible targets, including Governor Tony Evers, Michigan Governor Gretchen Witmer, and U-S Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

This Wednesday is the opening date for Minnesotans deemed front-line workers to apply for COVID bonus payouts approved by the state legislature. The application window will be open for 45 days. The total pot of 500 million dollars authorized by the legislature will be evenly divided, with each eligible applicant receiving an equal payment not to exceed 15-hundred dollars. If all of the estimated 667-thousand qualified workers apply for the bonus, each would receive a 750-dollar check. More information is available at front-line-pay-dot-m-n-dot-gov.

In the wake of this week’s news that at least one Minnesotan ate strawberries linked to hepatitis A illness, the state Health Department’s Jenny Grilli is reminding people there’s a vaccine for that. She says, “anyone who is 12 months of age or older can get vaccinated for Hepatitis A -- it’s now a routine childhood vaccine so kids are pretty well protected.” Grilli also says the Minnesota consumer became ill after eating strawberries purchased from Mississippi Market on March 21st. The purchase dates for the implicated strawberries are March 5th to April 25th from Fresh-Kampos and H-E-B brands.

Before you or your pets jump into your favorite pond or lake this summer, be sure the water is safe to swim in. That's because blue-green algae blooms can seriously sicken you or your dog.  Public Health Madison Dane County spokesperson Morgan Finke says you should always check with your local health department to see if warnings have been posted and be sure to report any algae blooms you spot while out on the water. 

Local-Regional News June 6

 On Sunday, one person was injured in a one-vehicle rollover accident in Pepin County.  According to the Pepin County Sheriffs Department, 63yr old Kay Halopka of Stetsonville was traveling southbound on Hwy 85 when her vehicle left the roadway near Hwy T and Weissinger road.  The vehicle struck a ditch embankment, causing the car to roll multiple times.  Halopka was med flighted to an Eau Claire Hospital with serious injuries.  Preliminary investigation indicates that Halopka fell asleep, causing the accident.

One person was injured in a semi vs SUV  accident in St. Croix County near Wilson on Friday.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, 55yr old David Searles of Eau Claire was traveling westbound on I-94 approaching a construction zone, when he ran into the back of a semi driven by 59yr old Sheryl Hackel of Chippewa Falls.   Searles had to be extricated from the vehicle and was med flighted to Mayo in Eau Claire with life-threatening injuries.  Speed and inattentive drive may be contributing causes to the accident.  The crash remains under investigation.

A convicted sex offender is expected to be released back to Pepin County, tomorrow.  According to the Pepin County Sheriff's Department, 54yr old Allan Owens will be living at W5433 Hwy V lot 46 in Durand.  According to Pepin County Sheriff Joel Wener, Owens will first meet with his Department of Corrections officer and Law Enforcement before being released.  Wener reminds citizens that citizen abuse of this information to threaten, intimidate or harass registered sex offenders will NOT be tolerated.

A chemical distribution company is expanding its operations in Chippewa Falls.  The expansion at ChemCeed will add office space and the warehouse will be enlarged next year.  A groundbreaking event was held Thursday in Chippewa Falls.  ChemCeed first opened in Chippewa Falls 10 years ago.  Company officials say the size of the warehouse could be increased by anywhere from three to 10-thousand square feet, depending on the need.  The work will be done in two phases with phase one work starting now.

La Crosse police say a second man has been arrested for the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old high school student last month.  W-E-A-U/T-V reports that 18-year-old Sage Hicke turned himself in last Friday.  Hicke and 17-year-old Jackson Greengrass are currently in custody.  They are suspected of shooting Storm Vondrashek to death May 22nd.  The victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds and he died before he could be rushed to a hospital.  La Crosse County prosecutors haven’t filed formal charges against Hicke and Greengrass yet.

 The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the Dollar General store in Baldwin for endangering the safety of their employees.  OSHA inspectors responded to a referral from local fire officials in December 2021 and found emergency exit doors closed and padlocked on the inside with a bike lock and a board. Boxes of merchandise blocked the exit. In an emergency, these conditions would prevent workers and others from exiting the store through these emergency exits.  OSHA determined that Dollar General allowed the door to remain in disrepair since September 2021. Fire officials inspected the store 11 times in 2021 and ordered the facility closed six times due to hazardous conditions.    OSHA issued four willful citations for blocking emergency routes, exits and fire extinguishers and failing to leave adequate space around electrical panels. The agency proposed penalties of $435,081.  The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with each of OSHA’s area directors, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Wisconsin Democrats say Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels shouldn’t have his name listed on the August primary ballot.  They claim Michels doesn’t have enough valid signatures on his nomination petitions.  The Democratic Party of Wisconsin is backing a challenge filed by a voter who says an error on the header of several pages of signatures means only 345 are valid.  Michels needs two thousand to be listed on the ballot.  The Michels campaign disputes the claims.  It has until Tuesday afternoon to file a formal response.  The Wisconsin Elections Commission is meeting Friday to certify the names that will appear on the August ballot.

 The price of gas in Minnesota jumped 35 cents over the last week, one of the largest week-over-week spikes in the country. The average price to start the week in Minnesota sits at four-59 per gallon according to Gas-Buddy-dot-com. Early last month drivers were paying just over four dollars per gallon on average. Gas prices have steadily risen nationwide since January of 2021 and in Minnesota are at their highest levels since 2013.

Four people have been sentenced for killing a Dakota County man in his home last year.  Thirty-year-old Nicholas Taylor of St. Paul will serve 21 years after pleading guilty to second-degree murder.  Authorities say 55-year-old Chris Lafontaine was found dead in the bathroom of his Greenvale Township home last July.  An autopsy showed he had been asphyxiated.  Thirty-six-year-old Timothy Tuit of South St. Paul, 23-year-old Ryann Smith of White Bear Lake, and 26-year-old Stephanie Peabody of Welch will also serve prison time for their roles in the killing.

Former President Donald Trump is making an endorsement in the Republican primary for Wisconsin governor.   Trump is endorsing Tim Michels over front-runner Rebecca Kleefisch, Kevin Nicholson, and others.  Michels says getting former President Donald Trump’s endorsement is a tremendous boost, but won’t change how he campaigns.  Rebecca Kleefisch says grassroots support is her path to victory. Kevin Nicholson says endorsements won’t win the race.

 

A man who caused a fatal crash by driving his car into the back of an Amish buggy has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors.  W-S-A-W/T-V reports 35-year-old Skyler Opelt entered a no-contest plea Thursday in Taylor County Court.  Opelt admitted taking drugs before getting behind the wheel last December and hitting the buggy, killing a 36-year-old mother and injuring several of her children.  Authorities say they had to use Narcan to revive Opelt at the accident scene.  He will be sentenced in August after his plea on a charge of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle and four counts of reckless driving.

A 72-year-old Taycheedah man is charged with a felony for allegedly threatening Wisconsin lawmakers.  W-B-A-Y/T-V reports authorities in Fond du Lac County say James R. Stearns sent two emails last month saying he would shoot lawmakers if they passed a bill allowing teachers to be armed with guns.  Stearns is accused of writing, “I am more than willing to go down in a blaze of glory.”  He’s charged with one count of terrorist threat-interruption of government operations.  In one of the emails, he told a lawmaker they would be dead within 60 days after passing the legislation.  Stearns signed the emails and included his address.

 Wisconsin’s Democratic lawmakers are demanding that their Republican counterparts act on gun safety.  They want measures like universal background checks and Red Flag orders passed.  State Senator LaTonya Johnson of Milwaukee says it’s time for her colleagues “to do their job.”  Madison Senator Melissa Agard calls it a “dereliction of duty” when elected officials fail to act.  The background checks and Red Flag orders were part of a special session called three years ago, but no bills were passed and the session was gaveled out in less than two minutes.

A spokesman for GasBuddy-dot-com says some stations in Wisconsin have pump prices higher than five dollars a gallon and he doesn’t expect them to come down anytime soon.  Patrick Dehaan points out that the wholesale price of gas is up 61-cents a gallon since last week in the Great Lakes region.  Dehaan says the price you’re paying keeps going up because the cost for retailers has skyrocketed.  Wisconsin is actually below the national average at four dollars, 64-cents a gallon – that’s compared to four-72 a gallon nationwide.  The expert says if supplies remain low and Americans keep driving and buying gas there won’t be any relief.

The National Eagle Center in Wabasha is reopened following seven months of renovations.  The center began welcoming daily visitors Friday after Phase One of a 27-million-dollar renovation has been completed.  Phase One upgrades include expanded eagle care facilities, updated exhibit spaces, and bigger spaces for public eagle displays.  Phase Two will include work on an outdoor amphitheater and other exterior expansions.  Work is expected to wrap up by fall.

Local-Regional News June 3

 The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), yesterday announced approximately $149 million in state funding for 342 local improvement projects to be completed across Wisconsin over the next five years.  Locally, Buffalo County received over $424000 for three county highway improvement projects, Pepin County $383000 for three projects, and Pierce County received $429000 for two highway improvement projects.  The funding comes from six components of the state-funded Local Roads Improvement Program (LRIP), administered by WisDOT.

One person was injured in a tractor accident in the Town of Albion yesterday.  According to the Trempealeau County Sheriff's Department, a tractor pulling a hay wagon was traveling southbound on Hwy Y when the tractor left the roadway and rolled over.  The driver was med flighted to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.  The name of the driver of the tractor has not been released.

Wisconsin lawmakers may consider creating a new statewide alert system to find missing children. A Lily Alert would cover local cases that don’t meet the criteria for a statewide Amber Alert.  Eric Henry of Chippewa Falls has collected more than 187-thousand petition signatures.   State Representative Jesse James has created a draft bill outlining the details of the Lily Alert.   Lily Peters is the ten-year-old girl who was murdered in Chippewa Falls in April. The bill from James would need to be introduced in the next legislative session.    

A convicted sex offender is being released back to Eau Claire County on June 7th.  According to Eau Claire  Police, 58yr old Mark Staffa will be living in a Department of Corrections monitored home on the 100 block of Randall Street.  Staffa will be monitored with GPS tracking, comply with all sex offender registrant rules, and have no contact with minors.  

The new head of the UW System wants to keep a tuition freeze in place.  Incoming president Jay Rothman talked with reporters on Thursday. He said that the administration is hoping to keep undergraduate tuitions in place and continue a spending freeze at the universities. Base tuition prices have remained the same for the past nine years. The System has the option of raising those tuitions, but legislative Republicans have warned against doing so in the last budget cycle.

An arrest warrant has been issued for a man accused of election fraud who skipped a Marathon County Court appearance.  Forty-five-year-old Timothy Hedstrom of Schofield allegedly lied on a voter registration form by saying he wasn’t a felon.  At the time he was on probation for a suspended sentence for felony theft – something that still makes him ineligible to vote.   If he is found guilty, Hedstrom could still be sentenced on both charges.  No further hearings were scheduled for Thursday

Northwoods businesses and developers are renovating vacant motels into apartments to increase the amount of housing in the area. A number of formerly vacant motels and hotels are being converted into housing so that businesses can hire workers. Rick Wilson owns Pukall Lumber in Minocqua and he tells W X P R that he lost several potential employees because they couldn't find a place to live. That's when he bought out the Little Arbor Vitae Motel and converted it into homes. Developers say apartments are being rented as soon as they've converted, simply because the demand for housing is so high. 

 Online retail giant Amazon is ramping up its criticism of an anti-trust bill co-authored by U-S Senators Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Amy Klobucar of Minnesota.  Amazon maintains its consumer business targeted by the bill is more like big-box retailers Walmart and Target than it is like Apple, Facebook, or Google.  The company is trying to distance itself from other tech giants that are being focused on.  Klobuchar’s legislation would limit giant tech firms from giving preferential treatment to their own products.

 The partisan investigation into the 2020 presidential election in Wisconsin is reported to be about 200-thousand dollars over its budget.  When Assembly Speaker Robin Vos first appointed former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman to conduct the review a budget of 676-thousand dollars was established.  A report this week reveals the state has spent a little over 896-thousand dollars on the review and five lawsuits connected to it.  The Journal Sentinel reported the figures after obtaining invoices under the state’s open records law.  The investigation was launched almost a year ago.

The lawsuit filed by former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman against the mayors of Madison and Green Bay has been postponed for a second time.  W-L-U-K/T-V reports Gableman is suing Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich for refusing to sit for depositions as he reviews the 2020 presidential election in Wisconsin.  Gableman’s attorney for another delay during a Wednesday hearing due to a scheduling conflict involving a member of his team.  Waukesha County Judge Ralph Ramirez rescheduled the hearing for August 30th.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court rules against 17 businesses trying to recoup their losses due to the coronavirus pandemic.   The business owners say the pandemic, and resulting precautions forced them to close their doors, costing them customers and profits. Their insurance company, Society Insurance, says their policies didn’t cover coronavirus losses. The high court ruled unanimously that the businesses’ policies covered things like fires that destroy a business, but not events like a virus outbreak. Wednesday’s ruling reverses a decision from a Milwaukee County judge.

The Racine Common Council has voted to put a two-million-dollar property tax increase on the August election ballot to pay for the hiring of 11 new police officers.  Council members debated the question for two hours Wednesday.  Approval would mean a property tax hike of about three-and-a-half percent.  Racine Mayor Cory Mason tells W-I-S-N/T-V he proposed the referendum in response to an alarming increase in violent crimes in the city.  If approved by voters, the higher taxes would go into effect next year.

 It’s under one week to the June Eighth opening date for Minnesota’s front-line workers to apply for COVID bonuses approved by the legislature after nearly a year of political wrangling. State Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Steve Grove says the application window will be open for 45 days beginning June Eighth. After that, the 500 million dollars authorized by the legislature will be evenly divided, with each eligible applicant receiving an equal payment not to exceed 15-hundred dollars. Grove advises those who may be eligible to visit frontline-pay-dot-m-n-dot-gov ahead of time to get questions answered.

Minnesota’s Rural Finance Authority is making zero-interest loans available to ag producers who suffered storm losses in May, after the latest round of severe weather left widespread damage across Minnesota on Memorial Day. State Agriculture Commissioner Thom  Petersen says low-interest loans will also likely be authorized by U-S-D-A to repair damaged buildings. He also says farmers will probably know in the next month whether they’re in what’s called a “prevent plant” situation due to cold and wet weather plus severe storms, which delayed spring planting. Such a situation could trigger compensation for farmers.