Local-Regional News Feb 10

 Mike Miller, the Directo of the Durand Ambulance Services is retiring.  Miller made the announcement at this week's Durand City Council Meeting.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says two other officers of the service will take over the director's duties for now.  Director Miller's last day with the ambulance service is February 28th.

The ground is broken for Menomonie's new homeless shelter. City leaders and volunteers turned over the first shovels full of dirt for what will become the new Stepping Stones shelter in Dunn County. Stepping Stones director Padraig Gallagher says there's a need for a shelter in Dunn County. A million-and-a-half dollar grant from the state is paying for the construction.

Expect to see more officers on patrol along Hwy 10 in Pepin and Buffalo Counties this Sunday.  The Buffalo County Sheriff's Department says there will be enhanced patrols from both the Pepin and Buffalo County and Wisconsin State Patrol will be on the lookout for impaired drivers from 6pm until midnight.  Authorities remind Superbowl Sunday fans to celebrate responsibly and have a designated driver.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture has announced Lotts-A-Meat in Bloomer, Wis., is issuing a voluntary Class I recall of packaged meats sold wholesale and at retail.  Products were sold at retail in Bloomer, Cadott, Fall Creek, and New Auburn. This is a Class I recall, initiated based on evidence collected during a routine inspection by state inspectors. Evidence shows that the products include undeclared allergens, and undeclared restricted ingredients, and were produced without the benefit of inspection.  No illnesses have been reported as a result of consuming these products. Anyone with signs or symptoms of a foodborne illness should contact their doctor. Consumers who have these products can discard them.

An Eau Claire man will not be going to prison for a 2021 stabbing that sent another person to the hospital. A judge yesterday sentenced 35-year-old James Sande to three years probation instead.  Eau Claire police say Sande stabbed someone at the Brickhouse Bar on New Year's Day back in 2021. He told police someone was trying to kill him, but others at the bar say Sande got into a fight.

An arrest has been made in the assault of Minnesota Congresswoman Angie Craig.  Police in Washington D.C. tweeted yesterday that the suspect is charged with simple assault.  The police did not provide a motive for the assault, but Craig's Chief of Staff said in a statement there was no evidence that it was politically motivated.  The statement said apart from some bruising, Craig is "physically okay" after being assaulted early yesterday morning in the elevator of her D.C. apartment.

 

A teacher's aide in Black River Falls schools is on leave after a student recorded what the district is calling a racially insensitive remark. No one is saying just what the aide said, and a link to the video on Facebook was taken down. The school district yesterday said the comment was directed at a native student. The district also said it is investigating, and will 'address the matter as appropriate.' Parents say they want the aide fired, and they want someone held accountable.

There won't be any charges connected to the crash in far northern Wisconsin involving a former state senator that left two people dead. Prosecutors in Ashland yesterday said they aren't charging anyone for the crash last July. Investigators say former state Senator Janet Bewley pulled into the path of a mom and her daughter who were speeding down Highway 2 just before the crash. The D.A.'s office says the mom was driving 100 miles per hour, and they found a vape pen with THC in her car. Bewley had just had eye surgery, but prosecutors say she was cleared to drive. The father of the little girl killed in the wreck is suing.

A new year-long statewide multimedia campaign will make people aware of Wisconsin’s 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Department of Health Services Crisis Services Coordinator Caroline Crehan Neumann says that includes groups at higher risk of suicide.  Anyone, anywhere in the state can call, text or chat 24/7 to reach a trained counselor.

A group of Democrats at the Wisconsin Capitol continue to press to have elections commissioner Bob Spindell replaced. They are still angry about his post-election comments that they say amount to voter suppression. Spindell wrote to Republican leaders explaining that he convinced some black voters in Milwaukee not to vote for Democrats last November. The Democrats say Spindell is a 'danger to democracy.' Spindell has refused to step down, and Republican leaders at the Capitol have so far refused to replace him.

There's a new case of CWD in northern Wisconsin. The state's Department of Natural Resources yesterday confirmed a case in wild deer in Langlade County. Specifically, the DNR says the deer was found within ten miles of the Menominee Reservation, Menominee County and Oconto County borders. The discovery means a change for deer hunters, there is now a three-year ban on baiting and feeding in Langlade County. This is the first time CWD has been found in Langlade County.

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Transportation Security Administration officers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is seeing an uptick in guns at security checkpoints.  MSP TSA agents confiscated two guns within the span of six hours on Tuesday.  Officials say both guns were detected by the same officer at the same security checkpoint.  The first firearm was found in a carry-on bag early in the morning, and the second gun was found six hours later in another passenger's bag.  Airport Police confiscated both weapons.

An effort discouraging the sale of tobacco and vape products to those under the age of 21 has been initiated by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.  The Tobacco 21 public education campaign is underway after a recent statewide survey shows the retailer violation rate for underage sale of tobacco and vape products last year was 11.9%.  That’s double the pre-pandemic rate of 5.5%.  The state health agency says around 7,900 Wisconsin residents die from preventable tobacco-related diseases annually, with Wisconsin DHS Deputy Secretary Deb Standridge pointing out that “Young people can become addicted before they are old enough to understand the risks” of tobacco and vape products.

Governor Tony Evers will propose investments in veterans’ health in his state budget.  The Democratic governor on Thursday released a summary of proposals for veterans in the state. Those include an additional $1 million in annual funding for veterans services offices, $500,000 in new funding for the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs to evaluate the needs of those who’ve served multiple deployments since 9/11, nearly $3 million to help UW System campuses provide services for veterans and military personnel; and $250,000 to help provide service dogs for veterans suffering from PTSD.

There's a new worry at UW-Milwaukee's satellite campuses.  The campuses in Waukesha and West Bend are just a shell of what they used to be, the latest enrollment numbers show just 340 students at UW-Washington County and just 800 students at UW-Waukesha.  The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel spoke to processors who worry they will be the next UW campuses to close.  The UW System is currently closing the campus in Richland Center because of low enrollment.  UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone says no one is talking about closing the campuses, in fact, he says there have been conversations about putting more money into the schools.

A Wisconsin non-profit providing services to spay and neuter pets has a specialty license plate available to view.  The Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles received the request for the plate from the organization called The Fix Is In, Incorporated.  Proceeds from the $25 donation added to the regular registration fee for the plates will support the group’s aim to reduce the number of cats and dogs in Wisconsin shelters and reduce the overpopulation problem for cats and dogs. The application for the request is available for public comment through March 10th.  You can Google “Wisconsin DMV the fix is in” to view the plate.

A community in Northwest Wisconsin will cheer on one of its own in the Super Bowl.   Rookie linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs, Leo Chenal, was drafted from the Badgers in 2022, following his junior year. But he was a powerhouse even before that, starting varsity football all four years at Grantsburg High School.  The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles play at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, in Glendale, Arizona.

Local-Regional News Feb 9

 Another issue for the Tarrant Park Pool.  At last night's Durand City Council meeting, council members were told that the water stand pipe in the building was frozen and there were nearly 4 inches of ice on the floor of the maintenance room.  Durand Mayor Patrick Milliren says the city will have to wait until the pipe thaws out to determine if there is any possible damage.  If the pipe is broken and the floor has to be dug up to repair it, the council would have to approve any repairs before they could begin.

One person was injured in a single-vehicle accident in the town of Mondovi on Tuesday.  According to the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department, 57yr old Thomas Franzini of Onalaska was traveling on Hwy 37 near Hwy TT when he lost control of his vehicle, left the roadway and entered the southbound ditch, and collided with a tree.  Franzini was transported to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries.    Speed was a factor in that accident.

One person was injured in a single-vehicle accident in Oak Grove Township on Tuesday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, 56yr old Susan Bargellini of River Falls was traveling westbound on Hwy 29 when she lost control, entered the ditch, and overturned the vehicle.  Bargellini was taken to Regina Hospital in Hastings.

Firefighters from Augusta, Osseo, Fall Creek, and Fairchild responded to a feed mill fire Wednesday morning.  When firefighters arrived they found the mill fully engulfed at the mill on Hwy M just south of Augusta.  Firefighters were on the scene for nearly 7 hours and damage is estimated at over $200000.  The cause of that fire is still under investigation.

Police in Chippewa Falls are looking into a spike in catalytic converter thefts. Investigators are looking into 12 catalytic converter thefts so far this year. That's a huge jump, last year Chippewa Falls Police reported just 19 stolen catalytic converters all year. Most of these thefts are happening in the East Hill area, and several happen on the same night. Police say five catalytic converters were stolen there earlier this week. Police are asking neighbors to say something if they see or hear something.

A western Wisconsin man has agreed to a plea deal in a string of sexual assault cases. Roger Hattamer Jr. yesterday pleaded no contest to repeated sexual assault of a child. Last month Hattemer pleaded guilty to similar sex charges in Clark and Chippewa counties. He was convicted in a similar case in Rusk County last month. Prosecutors say all of the cases involve the same child. Hattemer will be sentenced later this summer.

The Rice Lake teenager accused of killing two other teens in a wreck last October made his first appearance in Barron County court. Sixteen-year-old Troy Huehn Jr. is accused of rolling his car after hitting a railroad crossing while going 106 miles per hour. The two passengers in his car, 14-year-old Evah Garcia and 15-year-old Winter Broulliard, both died. Huehn is free on bond and due back in court in May.

Governor Evers wants to cut lawmakers out of some conservation programs in the state. The governor unveiled the latest part of his budget yesterday. In addition to asking for more money for conservation and stewardship programs, and looking to invest in what he calls the 'clean economy,' the governor wants to prevent lawmakers from stopping his conservation efforts. Specifically, he wants to remove legislative oversight over any project north of Highway 64, raise his free-spending limit on conservation to a half-million dollars per project, and name lawmakers who anonymously object to conservation projects. The governor will deliver his full budget to lawmakers next week.

 There could soon be an option for a lifetime fishing license in Wisconsin. State Senator Patrick Testin has a plan that would allow people to pay a fee once, and never have to renew their fishing license again. A lifetime fishing license would cost just under 600 dollars, Testin says that's what it would cost someone to renew their fishing license for 30 years. There would still be a requirement for certain fish stamps. Testin's plan has yet to see a vote at the Capitol.

Minnesota is the first state to test all newborns for CMV.  Officials announced the move yesterday, which follows a year of work to set up a state protocol for testing at birth for the virus.  The easily transmissible virus is the leading cause of infant hearing loss and congenital birth defects.  CMV is being added to the list of more than 60 conditions that newborns are screened for in Minnesota.

A winning 50 thousand dollar Powerball ticket has been sold in St. Charles, MN.  The winner has one year to claim their prize.  The ticket was sold Monday night at the Whitewater Travel Plaza. The winning numbers are 5, 11, 22, 23, 69,   and a Powerball of 7.

The UW Carbone Cancer Center joins two other American research institutions now participating in a breast cancer vaccine clinical trial.    The center announces Tuesday the trial will test a novel vaccine designed to prevent the recurrence of triple-negative breast cancer, which accounts for 10-15% of breast cancers diagnosed. Triple-negative breast cancer cells lack three features targeted by particular drugs that are currently available.  That circumstance results in fewer treatment options.  A release from the center says participants in the trial will be monitored regularly to see the effects of the vaccine. Johns Hopkins University and the University of Washington School of Medicine will partner with the Carbone Center in administering the trial.

A 48-year-old Illinois man appears in court in Sauk County Tuesday charged with assaulting and stalking a former girlfriend more than a decade ago.   According to the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office, the charges against Wendell Gist are connected to crimes between March 2011 and May 2012, with an additional stalking charge causing harm spanning nearly eight years.  A criminal complaint says the victim came forward to authorities in 2020, stating that Gist nearly drowned her in the bathtub of a West Baraboo motel, strangled her with a towel, and sexually assaulted her.  Court records state Gist also severely burned the woman with a hair straightener.   Those records also show the alleged victim was denied a restraining order against Gist when she failed to appear for a court hearing.   Gist, who was arrested on a warrant on Monday, had his bond set at $50,000.

Governor Evers is blaming the murder of a Milwaukee police officer on guns, while Republicans at the Wisconsin Capitol are blaming Milwaukee's approach to crime. The governor and lawmakers both weighed in on the murder of a Milwaukee police officer yesterday. The governor sent his thoughts and prayers, and said the killing is 'another tragic loss due to gun violence.' Racine state Senator Van Wanggaard said the officer's murder is part of Milwaukee's failed approach to holding criminals accountable. Thirty-seven-year-old Peter Jerving was the first Milwaukee police officer to be killed in the line of duty since 2019.

Food service workers from the Hastings school district are entering day two of a strike.  Members of SEIU Local 284 are seeking school administrators for a fair contract.  Workers say food service employees are paid a starting wage of less than $15 an hour.  The union and school leaders are continuing to meet at the bargaining table.

A Minneapolis non-profit is providing aid to the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.   Alight is teaming up with global humanitarian non-profit Questscope, which is providing fundraising and tech support.  Clothes, blankets, food, and water are desperately needed.

Local-Regional News February 8

 One person is dead and two children are injured after a 4 vehicle accident in Oak Grove Township on Monday.  According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department,  49yr old Douglas Whaley of Hager City was assisting in removing a vehicle in the ditch of Hwy 35 driven by 24yr old Brianna Cox of Prescott, when a northbound Box Truck driven by 44yr old Alim Abdullah of Dallas TX struck Whaleys vehicle.  The box truck then struck a vehicle driven by 24yr old Maunee Rasmusson-Waltman of Prescott.  Whaley was transported to Regions Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.  A 13yr old passenger of Whaleys truck was taken to Regions hospital, while a 3yr old passenger of Cox's vehicle was taken to Regina Hospital.  Road conditions were icy at the time of the accident. 

The Durand City Council is meeting tonight.  Items on the agenda include discussion and possible action on the Pepin County Hazardous Materials Mitigation Plan, purchasing a front-end loader that was part of the 2022 budget, and reports from the mayor and department heads.  Tonight's meeting begins at 6:30 at Durand City Hall.

There are more people living on the streets in Eau Claire. The Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council released the results of its homeless count last night. The WDEOC says there are 30 homeless people in Eau Claire. That's up from 26 last January and just seven homeless people in January of 2021. No one is saying why there are so many more homeless people now than two years ago. Advocates say the count shows the need for more homeless resources.

The missing Tomah woman who was found dead last month froze to death. The Monroe County Sheriff's Office yesterday said Felicia Wanna died of hypothermia. She went missing just before New Year's, she was last seen at the Walmart in Tomah. Deputies found her body about a half-mile from that store nearly three weeks later.

The City of Durand and other local governments would get more money from the state under a new proposal.  The governor's latest budget proposal would send a half-billion dollars to local governments, and let them raise taxes too. Governor Evers yesterday said he wants to increase so-called shared revenue to 20 percent of Wisconsin's sales taxes. That'd be about 575 million dollars in the new budget. The governor also wants lawmakers to allow counties to raise their local sales taxes. Milwaukee County would be able to add a full percent to its current half-a-percent sales tax. Other counties in Wisconsin could go as high as one percent. Republican lawmakers have been open to the idea of more money for local governments, but they didn't say anything about the governor's latest proposal.

The Republicans who control the state legislature want to know why it's taking so long for some people to get a professional license in Wisconsin. The Legislature's Joint Audit Committee yesterday ordered an audit of the Department of Safety and Professional Services. DSPS has been facing questions for months about the months-long backlog for some people to get the license they need to work in the state. Senator Eric Wimberger says lawmakers have asked for answers and gotten nothing in return. He says an audit should find what lawmakers are looking for.

100 people were set to speak Tuesday night during an online listening session on changes to the state's wolf management plans. The Department of Natural Resources is planning to expand buffer areas around tribal reservations to prevent inadvertent hunting on lands where wolf hunts are already banned, and would also be moving to an adaptive management plan for the wolf population, much like the one that's currently in use for deer management. Opponents of the plan say that stricter control needs to be kept on the wolf populations and that the DNR is allowing wolves to move farther south into more populated areas. Wolves are currently federally protected and cannot be hunted. 

The state of Minnesota is making a bold step toward cutting carbon emissions.  Governor Walz signed a bill yesterday that will require utilities in the state to transition to carbon-free electricity by 2040.  The bill aims to move utilities toward wind and solar power sources but allows them to use hydropower, biomass, hydrogen, and existing nuclear plants to reach carbon-free goals.  Minnesota's previous standard was set in 2007 and had the goal of reducing overall carbon emissions to at least 80 percent below 2005 levels by 2050. 

A Memorial grad can now add a Grammy to his resume. Jazz pianist, Geoffrey Keezer won the 2023 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Sunday night. Keezer graduated from Memorial High School, and his father is a former professor at UW-Eau Claire. Keezer won his Grammy for the song "Refuge" which is off his latest album "Playdate."

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources closes an investigation into a deadly 2019 boat collision on the Mississippi River.   The announcement Monday recounts the collision between a jon boat and a bass boat near La Crosse in August of 2019.   After interviewing both boat operators following the crash, the La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office said the jon boat driven by 41-year-old Scott Halvorson of La Crosse cut in front of the bass boat operated by 56-year-old Keith Matush of Dane.  However, a gathering of further evidence and a crash reconstruction by the DNR determine’s that Matush’s boat was overtaking Halvorson’s jon boat and should have yielded. The new details about the crash began to surface after Halvorson died two days later from injuries suffered in the crash.

Some travel impacts are possible later this week as more winter weather takes aim for Wisconsin.  The National Weather Service says a rain/snow mix will hit the southern half of Wisconsin overnight Wednesday into Thursday.  Come Thursday central Wisconsin could see accumulating snow, while southern Wisconsin will likely just get rain.  Another chance for snow showers will come Friday.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice is raising internet safety awareness for Safer Internet Day 2023.  The DOJ says its Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is getting more and more cyber tips, an increase of 740 percent over the last ten years.  The task force also arrested over 300 people last year.  For Safer Internet Day 2023 the task force has internet safety tips online on the Wisconsin Department of Justice website.

The state is seeing its first cases of toxic shock syndrome in over a decade.  The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says it's seen four cases since last July.  Wisconsin hasn't had any reported cases since 2011.  Toxic shock syndrome is described as a rare bacterial infection that can be caused by skin wounds, surgery, and the use of feminine products.  Symptoms include sudden fever, rash, vomiting, confusion, seizures, and headaches, among others.  Toxic shock syndrome can also be life-threatening.

An investor group wants to create a new neighborhood centered on low-cost housing, farming, racial justice, and wealth building.  It's a first for Madison and maybe the country.  The plan is being proposed for an area of mostly wetlands and open agricultural land on the Far East Side.  An anonymous group of investors, Bt Farms LLC, has engaged a team with local, national, and international experience to help forward the "agri-hood" proposal, which will be shaped through input from the community and those who hope to live there.  The group has already spent four-point-nine million dollars to buy three parcels totaling two-hundred-22 acres off East Buckeye Road, east of Interstate 39-90.

 An Eagle Lake woman faces multiple charges after police say she assaulted her boyfriend with a whole chicken.  Officers noted the victim had "chicken residue" in his hair.  She also has pending assault charges against the victim dating back to December 2021.

Local-Regional News Feb 7

 A Menomonie man has been arrested and accused of possession of child pornography.  According to authorities, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children notified police that suspected child pornography was found on an account used by 56yr old Alfred Scheidler.  Authorities seized several cell phones, a laptop, and a flash drive from Scheidler's home and found child porn images.  Scheidler was released on bond from the Dunn County Jail and will make his next court appearance in March.

It's 15 years behind bars for the Eau Claire man who set a house on fire with seven people inside. A judge handed Thomas Hicks his sentence yesterday. He pleaded guilty to lighting his house on fire back in January of 2022 because his wife accused him of cheating. Hicks says he left the house without waking anyone else up. All seven people were able to make it out alive, the fire gutted the home.

An Eau Claire man has been sentenced to prison after shooting a rifle in an Eau Clarie neighborhood and hitting some homes in March.  Judge John Manydeeds sentenced Aaron Jones to 7yrs in prison.  Jones was also convicted of battery, false imprisonment, and possessing meth with intent to sell.

Former western Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind's new job will keep him in Washington, D.C.. Kind yesterday said he's been hired as a senior policy advisor at the firm Arnold & Porter. Kind just ended a 26-year career in Congress, he chose not to run for re-election last fall. Kind says the new job will allow him to 'find solutions to complex policy and legal issues that affect us all.'

Food service workers in the Hastings school district are set to hit the picket lines today.  SEUI Local 284 union members rallied last night at Hastings City Hall ahead of the potential strike.  The local union's executive director says negotiations are at a standstill since bargaining began in June.  Hastings Superintendent Robert McDowell says pay increases and a retention payment are being offered as part of a two-year contract.  The union has not set an end date for the strike.

The Wisconsin National Guard is having trouble recruiting. The guard yesterday said it is 17 percent short of its goals for the year. Lt. Colonel Shannon Hellenbrand says it makes it harder on all soldiers when there are not enough new soldiers coming into the guard. Recruitment challenges are not new for the guard, Hellenbrand says they fell short last year as well. The Wisconsin National Guard wanted to recruit 950 new soldiers last year, but they ended up getting just 577. There are a number of recruitment challenges, commanders say, including worried about the pandemic and a lack of physically fit young people who can meet the minimum National Guard standards.

There's a renewed effort at the State Capitol to increase the mandatory fine for soliciting prostitutes. State Senator Andre Jacque of DePere says it's an effort to prevent human trafficking by limiting demand. The bill has bipartisan backing.  It would create an automatic 5-thousand dollar court fee for anyone convicted of paying for sex with a prostitute. Jacquie said he believes that's a significant enough amount to change behavior. 

A nurse at a Madison hospital is under investigation on allegations she removed her son's oxygen tube. An official at St Mary's contacted Madison police following an incident in January, where a man being treated in the ICU for a drug overdose had his oxygen tube disconnected in a way that wouldn't have happened accidentally, and the man told hospital staff that his mother tried to kill him.   The man's mother is a nurse at the hospital, and works in a different division but was visiting her son when the ventilator alarm went off.  A nurse responding to the alarm told police the mother was in a chair near her son's bed and appeared to be "faking" that she was asleep. 

A Waupaca County mom is heading to prison for her role in her son's murder back in 2019. A judge yesterday sentenced 37-year-old Tiffany Powell to 15 years in prison. Prosecutors say she helped her boyfriend track down her son after he stole the boyfriend's lizards and snakes. The video shows Powell pointing a double-barreled shotgun at her son as the boyfriend prepared to fight him. Prosecutors say the boyfriend actually pulled the trigger, but they say Powell was a part of the crime. The boyfriend, William Zelenski, is looking at homicide charges but has not yet gone to trial.

Two northern Wisconsin lawmakers are asking the governor to work out a deal between the Lac du Flambeau tribe and some of their neighbors. The tribe has closed the roads leading to the neighbor's houses and is demanding that the title company that built the roads pay the tribe some compensation. Tribal leaders say the roads were built without permission and amounts to trespassing. The neighbors say they could leave, but say they wouldn't be allowed back in. The tribe says it is helping with groceries and medicine. State Senator Mary Felzkowski and state Rep. Rob Swearingen yesterday both asked the governor to do what he can do. The governor reportedly visited the tribe over the weekend, but the standoff continues.

A 39-year-old Sparta man is charged with possession of meth after leading sheriff’s deputies on an eight-mile pursuit.   The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office reports in a release that deputies tried pulling over Vong Vang for an equipment violation the morning of January 16th at State Highway 95 in Hixton.  Following a chase, Vang reportedly pulled over on Highway 95 near the Trempealeau County line.  Deputies report spotting ‘shards of substance’ on the front of Vang’s sweatshirt and sweatpants which later tested positive for methamphetamine.  Deputies add that Vang apparently ingested a ‘substantial portion’ of meth while trying to throw more meth out of the driver’s side window.  Deputies recover around $2,500-$4,000 worth of meth from the vehicle. 

You can count Paul Ryan out if Donald Trump is the Republican presidential nominee in 2024. The former Speaker of the House told the Journal Sentinel that (quote) “everyone knows we’ll lose the election if we nominate this guy again.” The Republican from Janesville has been making that case against a Trump candidacy for months. Ryan, who retired from Congress in 2018, said the Republican Party should focus on ideas, such as reforms to Social Security and Medicare that he says will help avoid a debt crisis.

Governor Tony Evers has appointed Kirsten Johnson to lead the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.   Johnson’s appointment as DHS Secretary fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Karen Timberlake in December. Johnson, who served as Milwaukee Health Commissioner for two years until resigning last month, will be the third DHS Secretary for the Evers administration. Andrea Palm left in January 2021 to take a post in the Biden administration. Both Palm and Timberlake served as secretary-designee, as neither was confirmed by the Republican-controlled state Senate. Johnson will assume the role effective February 27th. Prior to her service in Milwaukee, Johnson led the Washington Ozaukee Public Health Department for more than a decade.      

A former employee of Stillwater's Zephyr Theater accuses his ex-employer of financial fraud and mismanagement within the theater.  Bil MacLeslie's federal lawsuit claims that the theater director Calyssa Han fired him when he brought the allegations to the board of trustees.   He also accuses her of running the enterprise for her own enrichment and without the involvement of the trustees who are legally obligated to oversee the nonprofit's finances.  MacLeslie has requested a jury trial and damages of at least 100-thousand dollars.

Homeowners in Minnesota should be wary of bogus warranty letters.  The Department of Commerce says fake warnings with names like "Home Warranty Direct" or "Home Warranty Solutions" can look legit, but these are just extortion attempts, usually from criminals living outside of the U.S.  State officials recommend anyone who receives an unsolicited warranty offer or notice should do their research and never give out their bank account information.     

Students at a Racine school try to break a world record for the longest cereal box domino chain.   A TikTok video from the Racine Unified School District shows the chain of boxes weaving through the hallways of Red Apple Elementary School before ending in the gymnasium.  The Guinness World Records people say the previous record was just over 6,000.  The school’s goal was to gather 6,500 boxes for the effort.  More than 7,000 boxes have been collected since the effort began last month.  The district says the boxes of cereal collected will be donated to people in need.  During the 2020-21 school year, the school collected 2,300 cereal boxes for a cereal box domino chain that ran through the school.

Local-Regional News Feb 6

 The Dunn County Board is meeting with area legislators today.   The meeting is open to the public and will include an introduction of area state legislators, a presentation of the 2023 Dunn County legislative Agenda, and comments from state legislators.  Tonight's meeting begins at 7pm at the Dunn County Government Center in Menomonie.

The Wabasha County Board is meeting tomorrow.  Items on he agenda include a discussion of a public hearing for a proposed zoning amendment of Chapter 13, consideration of the Ratz CUP Request, and approval of the county road and bridge improvement plan.  Tomorrow's meeting begins at 9am at the Wabasha County Government Center.

 A fire at Chippewa Valley Airport yesterday that burned a small plane is under investigation.  Eau Claire firefighters raced to the airport yesterday afternoon for a report of a plane on fire.  Crews found the single-engine plane engulfed.  Crews quickly put the fire out.  No one was hurt.

 A fire broke out late Saturday morning at Mississippi Welders Supply Co. in Winona.  According to the Goodview Fire Department, when firefighters arrived on the scene around 11:30 a.m., they found heavy fire on the backside of the building on a loading dock containing propane cylinders.  One employee was treated at the scene for a minor injury.  The cause of that fire is still under investigation.

Part of the Hillside Trail is closed because of falling rocks.  Eau Claire city leaders say there are no reports of any injuries, but they are closing the trail just in case.  The state of Wisconsin is actually planning to move the trail because of the threat of falling rocks.  The plan is to move the trail's path farther away from the Hillside and dig a trench to catch any rocks that may fall in the future.

There are no longer any deer at a Vernon County deer farm.  Wisconsin's Department of Agriculture on Friday said it 'depopulated' the farm because of a CWD outbreak.  In all, 32 animals were put down.  The state first quarantined the farm back in September after a buck tested positive.  DATCP says three others would also test positive.  The state will pay the farm owner for the deer, but the farm is also banned from having more deer for five years as part of a CWD safety plan.

It's the latest sign that a bargain may be in the works at the Wisconsin Capitol.  The state's revenue secretary, Peter Barca, on Wednesday said Governor Evers could be open to a deal that would give top earners in the state a tax break.  Republicans at the Capitol are talking about a three-and-a-quarter percent flat tax, but the governor has said that would give top earners too much of a tax break.  Barca isn't saying where the new tax rate would be, or just what the governor is willing to agree to.  Governor Evers will deliver his budget to lawmakers next week.

We're due for an update on Wisconsin's wolf hunting plan this week.  The state's Department of Natural Resources is holding a public hearing tomorrow afternoon to get feedback on the new plan.  DNR's updated wolf plan removes a specific number for the state's wolf population and would make other changes for hunting and trapping.  The plan must go before the public before it can go to the DNR Board for a vote.

Wisconsin lawmakers are going to spend some time this week getting answers about why some people are having a hard time getting a license to work in the state.  There's both a public hearing and a committee meeting this week to deal with the delays at the Department of Safety and Professional Services.  People from dozens of professions say they've been waiting weeks or months to get a license from the state.  Republican lawmakers have been asking questions about the delays since early last year.  DSPS is scheduled to make a presentation at an Assembly Committee meeting on Thursday.

Democratic leaders say their party's new primary schedule will help Wisconsin.  Democratic National Committee Secretary Jason Rae was on UPFRONT yesterday.  He said changing the order of state primaries should help voters pick candidates.  Wisconsin, Rae says, will now be in the middle of the primary schedule.  Democratic voters will make their choices in April of next year.  The DNC last week approved a new primary schedule that puts South Carolina at the head of the pack, as opposed to Iowa and New Hampshire.

 A bill to require Minnesota's electricity to be carbon-free by 2040 is heading to Governor Walz's desk.  The measure was passed by the Minnesota Senate late Thursday night.  This came after a 34 to 33 vote with all DFL members voting for the proposal.  The bill pushes up the timeline set by two of the biggest energy generators in the state- Xcel Energy and Minnesota Power- who had both previously pledged to eliminate their use of coal, natural gas, and fossil fuels by 2050.

President Biden is coming to Wisconsin this week.  The White House announced on Friday that Biden will be in the Madison area on Wednesday.  He'll make the case that his economic plan is creating good-paying, union jobs, and delivering and delivering what his administration calls "real results for the American people."  Biden will be in Madison the day after he delivers his State of the Union address, which is expected to tout job growth, rising wages, and what he'll describe as "record investments coming back to America."

A Vernon County man is arrested on animal abuse charges following the report of a dead horse at his home.  The Vernon County Sheriff’s Office says in a release a deputy found the dead horse at the Town of Webster residence of 27-year-old Kaden Hartje.  A second horse that was found in “extremely poor health” had to be euthanized.   The release says deputies weren’t able to find Hartje, who was reportedly out of state.  Authorities were later able to contact Hartje, who cooperated with the investigation.  The sheriff's office says “several” other animals at Hartje's property were rehomed.  When Hartje was arrested in Viroqua, deputies, and Viroqua Police found drugs, which led to the search of two vehicles. 

A former local government official in Sauk County is accused of depositing property tax payments in her personal checking account.  The Wisconsin Department of Revenue announced on Friday that Brittany Syvrud is charged with felony theft from a business and misconduct in public office.  The 36-year-old Syvrud allegedly put more than eight-thousand dollars in property tax payments into her own account while serving as treasurer for the Town of Excelsior.  She's also accused of manipulating town records to hide the theft.  If convicted, Syvrud could be sentenced to more than nine years in prison and/or fined 20 thousand dollars.

A 40-year-old Wisconsin Rapids man will spend 25 years in prison for producing child pornography.   The U.S. Department of Justice says in October of 2021, law enforcement began an investigation into Timothy McDowell after receiving information that McDowell was posting what appeared to be self-produced child pornography onto Kik.  A search of McDowell’s home found images and videos on his phone of him sexually assaulting two young children.  The judge in the case said a 25-year sentence was warranted due to the unsavory nature of McDowell’s conduct.

Work on a major road construction project will resume on Monday.  The Wisconsin Department of Transportation said construction on the I-39/90/94 and WIS 60 interchange in Lodi will start up again on Monday.  Crews are working to replace the bridges at the interchange and reconfigure the ramps and roundabouts.  WIS 60 will be reconstructed between Sunset Drive and Pine Hollow Road.  During construction, all northbound traffic on the interstate will be diverted to the southbound lanes, creating two lanes in each direction, separated by a concrete barrier.

Kohl's names a new head for the company.  The Menomonee Falls-based department store chain announces Thursday that acting CEO Tom Kingsbury has been named its permanent leader.  Kingsbury has served as Kohls’ interim CEO since early December, when Michelle Gass left the company to become president of jeans giant Levi Strauss & Company.  Kingsbury, who has 40 years of retail experience, joined the Kohl’s board in 2021 through an agreement between the company and activist investors pressing Kohl’s to make changes to boost its share price. 

Local-Regional News Feb 3

 We now know who was shot in the officer-involved shooting in Menomonie last month. The state's Department of Justice yesterday identified the man as 45-year-old Nicholas Ciccarelli. Investigators say two Menomonie police officers and a Dunn County deputy shot Ciccarelli after he started to point his gun at them. Ciccarelli is accused of breaking into a home on Bongey Drive back on January 21st, then stealing a car. It was during a traffic stop on that car when he was shot.

Add Dunn County to the list of local governments that want more for the state. The Dunn County Board of Supervisors says it will meet with local lawmakers to talk about how to get more so-called shared revenue. That's the state tax money shared with local governments across the state. Many cities, towns, and counties say they need more to keep up with the costs of basic services. Dunn County Manager Kristin Korpela says the county needs at least five million dollars more for child support services, nurses, and pay raises for assistant prosecutors. There will be a public meeting on Monday.

The person who left their dog at the Eau Claire County Humane Association came back to officially surrender it. The Humane Association found the dog tied to their front door yesterday morning. The person who had the dog simply drove off. Humane Association managers say the person came back after they shared the video yesterday, paid the surrender fee, and turned over the dog's medical records. The Humane Association says people need to call first and let someone know they will be surrendering any animals.

Governor Tim Walz has appointed a new judge for southeast Minnesota. Debra Groehler will be serving Minnesota’s Third Judicial District which includes Wabasha County.  Walz says of Groehler, “Her impressive background handling challenging legal matters for the Olmsted County Attorney’s Office, combined with her passion for serving her community, will make her a great addition to the Third Judicial District.”   Groehler will be chambered in Mantorville.

The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office is reporting that there is a scam call going around pretending to be the sheriff’s office. The Sheriff's department says the caller identifies themselves as Captain Wallace with Olmsted County, who is a real Patrol Captain within the sheriff’s office.  The scammers are using a real officer’s name and spoofing the number to make the scam seem legit.  The caller is telling people that they have a warrant out for their arrest and if they pay by phone, the sheriff’s office would be satisfied.  This is a scam as the department would never make that type of phone call to collect money by phone.

Expect a mad dash from schools across Wisconsin to spend the rest of their coronavirus stimulus money. The Institute for Reforming Government says two-thirds of Wisconsin's one-and-a-half billion dollars in ESSER money remains unspent or unallocated. The ESSER money is the money Congress sent the state to help schools recover from the coronavirus. IRG's Quinton Klabon says of the money that's been allocated, just over half has gone into classrooms. Schools have until the fall of 2024 to decide how to spend the money, but schools are making some of those decisions this spring. IRG this week launched a website that helps track where that money will go.

Wisconsin's voting machines worked like they should have in the November election. The state's Elections Commission yesterday said there were no voting machine errors in the vote last fall. Commissioners say an audit found a handful of 'human-forced errors,' but didn't find anything wrong with the machines themselves. Commissioner Bob Spindell says the results of the audit should give voters across the state confidence in Wisconsin's election systems, and in the people who run those elections.

The race for president comes through Wisconsin, twice. Republican National Committee planners yesterday said the city will see a Republican primary debate next year as well as the Republican National Convention. RNC boss Ronna McDaniel yesterday said Milwaukee can expect a debate, but she didn't say where the debate will fall in the campaign schedule. The Republican Convention is set for mid-July.

Wisconsin's new health and well-being plan doesn't talk a lot about health. The state's Department of Health Services instead is focusing on fairness, decision-making, and communities. DHS released the plan yesterday. It focuses on five areas to improve the health of the people in the state. Those include social and community conditions, physical, mental, and systemic safety, person- and community-centered healthcare, social connectedness and belonging, and mental and emotional health and well-being. DHS managers say everyone in Wisconsin deserves to live their best life.

The Minnesota House is advancing a bill aimed at restoring voting rights to formerly imprisoned individuals.  The bill would return voting rights to people convicted of a felony once they are released from prison.  The current law restores voting rights after felons have completed their sentence, including probation.  Opponents say the bill wouldn't stop someone who committed felony voter fraud from voting again.

The shortage of Emergency Medical Service providers is reaching a crisis stage across the state of Wisconsin.   The Wisconsin Office of Rural Health reports nearly 41% of EMS units in the state have a staff of six or less, and 21% have only two to three on hand.  41% of ambulance services also reported periods where they were unavailable to respond to a 911 call.  In addition to staffing, funding is also a challenge, with one-third of EMS services in the state projected to run out of money this year.  In addition, 78% of ambulance services were forced to call on neighboring communities’ EMS units for help because their community was understaffed.

The state of Wisconsin is trying to get unclaimed property back to its rightful owners faster.  On Wednesday, state officials announced legislative revisions to unclaimed property statutes, allowing the state to not only return property faster but also account for newer varieties of property, like cryptocurrency.  Officials estimate 1 in 7 Wisconsinites have unclaimed property, and Wisconsin Department of Revenue Secretary Peter Barca says his agency pays out between $33 and $37 million to Wisconsinites. There’s no cost to search or file a claim on the Unclaimed Property Database at the Wisconsin Department of Revenue website.

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office is searching for two men posing as law enforcement officers that broke into a home over the weekend.  Sheriff Dale Schmidt says the agency responded to a report of an armed home invasion in Hustisford Saturday morning.  According to the victim, two men came to his home and forced their way in, saying they were law enforcement looking for a homicide suspect.  One of the suspects reportedly stayed with the victim while the other searched the house and asked where the victim's valuables were.  The two, described as white males, with one possibly having a southern accent, then drove off.  Schmidt says his office has increased patrols in the area of the incident with marked and unmarked squad cars.

How would you like to work in the great outdoors this summer? The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is now hiring seasonal staff for Wisconsin’s state parks, forests, trails and recreation areas. Every year, the DNR recruits about 400 seasonal employees to work at state properties during the summer season. Positions are available across the state, from the forests of northern Wisconsin to the islands and shores of the Great Lakes. To apply, visit Wisc.Jobs and search "Parks."

 House Republicans are booting Congresswoman Ilhan Omar from a key committee.  The House voted in favor of ousting the Minnesota Democrat from the Foreign Affairs Committee as punishment for controversial comments she made about Israel.  Ahead of the vote, Omar said it was no surprise the new GOP majority was targeting her and her voice in Congress won't be diminished.  House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries called the move "political revenge."

Parts of Wisconsin received plenty of snow last weekend, but this week in Lake Geneva, snow will become works of art.  The city is currently hosting the annual U.S. Snow Sculpting Championship as a part of its Winterfest celebration now through Sunday.  Fifteen teams from across the country will do their sculpting at Riviera Plaza in front of Lake Geneva’s Riviera Ballroom, as well as Flat Iron Park in the city. 

Local-Regional News Feb 2

 No one was hurt in a house fire in Menomonie on Wednesday.  According to the Menomonie Fire Department, firefighters were called to the home at Birch Terrace early Wednesday morning and found smoke and flames from all sides of the home.  Four people were inside the home at the time of the fire but were able to evacuate safely.  The cause of the fire is still unknown, and damage is estimated at $100,000.

Public Comments are being sought by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for a resurfacing project on Hwy 10 in Trempealeau County.   The project would run from just west of Eleva to Osseo and would include resurfacing, widening paved shoulders and repairing or replacing culverts.  Hwy 10 would not be closed during the project but instead, be reduced to a single lane.  Comments are due by February 23.

Students at Cadott Elementary School had to be evacuated yesterday after a bomb threat was found on the wall in the girl's bathroom.  After an extensive search, nothing was found.  After an investigation, a juvenile student at the school admitted to writing the threat on the wall.    Students were able to return to the building in time for regular dismissal.

Wisconsin no longer leads the country in farm bankruptcies, according to federal data. Wisconsin only had 10 Chapter 12 bankruptcy cases during the 2022 fiscal year. Dr. Paul Mitchell, University of Wisconsin – Madison, says the last two years have helped.   Just a few years ago the third congressional district of Wisconsin led the nation in farm bankruptcies.  The number of Wisconsin farm bankruptcies in 2022 represents a 72 percent decline from 2021.

Chippewa Falls is looking to make more parts of town off-limits for sex offenders. The city attorney is working on an update to Chippewa Falls' sex offender ordinance that would keep sex offenders from living near daycares and schools. The update may also require sex offenders to tell their neighbors. Alderman Heather Martell says Chippewa Falls' current sex offender rules are 'great,' she says they just need to be updated.

Are you feeling a little sick after visiting the library in Eau Claire? You're not alone. The library yesterday said it's gotten a number of reports of people coming down with a stomach bug after a visit to the library. The library is not saying just what the stomach bug is, but the description sounds a lot like the norovirus. Library managers are promising more cleaning to try and get rid of whatever is making people sick.

There are new vaccine rules for Wisconsin schools and daycares. The state's Department of Health Services announced the requirements yesterday.  Starting this month, students must get a meningitis vaccine in the seventh grade, and get a booster by their senior year of high school.  DHS is also moving the whooping cough vaccine from sixth grade to age 11.  As for daycare centers, they can no longer take a parent's word about chicken pox cases and will need proof from a doctor or a vaccine.  DHS says it 'highly recommends' a COVID shot for kids, but it is not requiring them this year.

We're going to learn more about the 2022 election in Wisconsin today. The Wisconsin Elections Commission is set to meet this morning. Commissioners are expected to talk about the Voting Equipment Audit and the Election Accessibility Audit. WEC has already said there were far fewer complaints about last November's election than the 2020 election. The Elections Commission is also expected to talk about a redesign for the state's absentee ballot envelopes.

The president of the UW System is trying to put the best face on a new free speech survey that says most students are afraid to speak their mind. President Jay Rothman yesterday said the survey, which was released yesterday, 'provides a foundation' for the university to 'evaluate critically' speech on campus. The survey says more than half of students said they don't feel comfortable sharing their opinions on controversial topics, even if they want to. It also says about a third of students said the university should dis-invite speakers if some students find the message offensive.

One of the conservative justices running for the Wisconsin Supreme Court says he's not going to offer his support if he loses the primary.  Former Justice Dan Kelly said during a candidate forum this week that he can't endorse Judge Jennifer Dorow because he's not sure she's truly conservative.  Kelly said he was 'burned' by his endorsement of Justice Brian Hagedorn two years ago, and doesn't want to be tricked again.  Kelly and Dorow are running for the Supreme Court this spring.  They'll face off in the primary later this month, along with two liberal judges.  The top two vote-getters will then face off again in April.

A lot more people are going to buy Powerball tickets between now and Saturday night. Lottery officials say no one won last night's drawing, so the jackpot for Saturday will be at least 700 million dollars. The lump-sum cash option on that is 375 million. No one has won the Powerball jackpot since before Thanksgiving.

A new bill would require healthcare mergers to be approved by the Minnesota health commissioner.  The legislation was motivated by a proposed merger between Sanford and Fairview health systems.  Opponents of the merger say it would lead to an increase in healthcare costs or lead to the hospital or clinic closures.  The merger is set to close on March 31st.

A postal carrier is accused of swiping checks in Dane County.   The Dane County Sheriff's Department on Tuesday arrested 58-year-old Hans Hanson of Waunakee.   Police say he's accused of stealing over 10 thousand dollars worth of checks.  Hanson's paper route is in the same area where the sheriff's department has been receiving complaints from residents reporting checks being stolen from their mailboxes, in the northeastern portion of the county.  Hanson is jailed on  "numerous" counts of theft and forgery.

When January ended, so did opportunities to receive rent and utility assistance through the Wisconsin Emergency Rental Assistance Program.  Since its inception in 2021, the program paid out more than half-billion dollar, going toward everything from rent to water and utility bills.  The executive director of Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin, Amber Duddy tells WKOW-TV in Madison the initiative made a difference for a lot of renters.

The Department of Workforce Development is reminding people who received unemployment payments last year to get their tax forms for 2022.   D W D says those forms are now available online from the state's unemployment aid portal. Taxable income includes state benefits, but also federal pandemic payments as well. All of those will be wrapped up in the 1099 form you get. You can find out more online at D W D dot W I dot Gov

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is proposing increases in the costs consumers pay for fishing licenses, boat registrations, and park passes.  DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen says the extra money is needed to build and repair infrastructure.  The department is also requesting 265 million dollars out of the projected budget surplus to put toward infrastructure.  Governor Walz says he's including about 110 million in this year's budget for, but officials say more is needed to protect the state's wildlife.

A shoeless burglar busted in Madison.  Last weekend's dumping of snow helped Madison police track down a burglary suspect.  Police say the 29 year old man broke into a home early Sunday morning. The residents awoke and he ran off.  When cops got on the scene, they simply followed the tracks in the fresh snow, which led to the suspect...who, despite the snow and cold, wasn't wearing shoes.   Police later found his shoes, stuck in the snow,  near the scene of the crime.

Eau Claire has made one list of the best small towns in America.  The folks at Thrillist yesterday put Eau Claire on the list along with Bloomington, Indiana, Hot Springs Arkansas, Bozeman, Montana, and others. Thrillist gives Eau Claire high marks for the local music scene, the homegrown beer, and of course the city's riverfront. Thrillist says visitors to the city, in the summer, must take advantage of what's going-on along the river.