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A measure passed by the Wisconsin Senate this week would ban the purchase of some items through the state’s FoodShare program.  The legislation would exclude things like soda and candy from the federally-back food assistance initiative.  The bill gained wider support in Madison after Republicans agreed to add 72-million dollars in funding to help offset some of the federal cuts made under President Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill”.  Governor Evers will now decide whether to sign the legislation into law.

Spring arrives today. The vernal equinox, as it is properly known, is the moment when the center of the apparent disc of the sun crosses the celestial equator and moves from the southern hemisphere into the northern hemisphere of the sky. A lot of people refer to the annual vernal equinox as “equal night.” This means an equal amount of daylight and darkness, due to the sun’s position above the equator.

Governor Tony Evers is expanding access to breast cancer screenings in Wisconsin.  He signed Gail’s Law Thursday morning, which requires insurance companies to cover secondary breast cancer screenings for women with dense breast tissue.  The law was inspired by Gail Zeamer, a Neenah woman who advocated for the legislation before her death from breast cancer in 2024.  The expanded access will apply to plans starting January 1st, 2027. 

One person is dead following a single-vehicle crash in Barron County.  BCSD received a report of the crash at the intersection of County Road SS and 21st Street Wednesday night.  The investigation shows that the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing for it to exit the roadway and hit some trees.  The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.  The crash is under investigation. 

Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu is no longer seeking reelection.  LeMahieu said in a statement Thursday that it’s time for a new chapter in his life.  He says “serving in the State Senate has been the privilege of a lifetime, and I’m proud of our accomplishments.”  LeMahieu has served on the Wisconsin Senate since 2015 and as its majority leader since 2020. 

Sheriff Travis Hakes recently let us know about a scam that was stopped in our community. A resident of Chippewa County was told that their personal information had been breached through an online payment system. They were contacted over the phone by someone who claimed to be from the Federal Trade Commission. The scammers used a method of depositing a large sum of money into the victim’s bank account, requesting that the victim make an immediate withdraw in cash. Once

Charges are being filed against a Medford man in connection with a Clark County collision that left one person dead.  On August 9th of last year, a horse-drawn buggy was struck by a van from behind on County Trunk Highway K near the Town of Loyal.  An adult passenger from the buggy died at the scene while a 12-year-old child survived with serious injuries.  The van’s driver — 38-year-old Trevor Olson — now faces charges including homicide by negligent operation

A La Crosse man convicted of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old victim is being sentenced to prison.   Cody Tanke was to have been sentenced in September of last year but instead fled to Puerto Rico.  He was arrested there and returned to Wisconsin.  Tanke has now been sentenced to 20 years behind bars.

Sentencing is being ordered for an Eau Claire man convicted on federal drug charges.  Forty-one-year-old Nicholas Fisher was arrested in May of last year and was found to be in possession of close to three pounds of meth.  Fisher has now been sentenced to ten years in prison.

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Chris Weaver is announcing his campaign for sheriff.  Current sheriff Wes Revels is endorsing Weaver for the job.  Revels says Weaver understands the responsibilities of the office and has consistently demonstrated the sound judgment and dedication required to lead it.