Home

A northeastern Wisconsin lawmaker is out of the hospital, but not quite home, following a battle with the coronavirus. A spokesman yesterday said state Senator Andre Jacque was transferred from the hospital to a care facility to continue his rehab. Jacque got sick with the virus last month, was admitted to the hospital, and at one point was on a ventilator. The spokesman says Jacque is feeling better and looking forward to spending more time with his family.

More classes at the University of Wisconsin are in-person this year. The university yesterday said 85-percent of classes across the system are being held in classrooms with other people. University President Tommy Thompson set a goal of having 75-percent of classes in-person this year. A university spokesperson says they are trying to have as normal a year as possible.

The City of Minneapolis will start charging people for using disposable shopping bags soon.  Starting October 1st shoppers will be charged five cents per bag, whether it’s paper or plastic.  The city hopes this will help the environment and cut down on litter.

The Wausau School Board is keeping masks optional for the foreseeable future.  The board met for a special session last night to discuss different COVID protocols.  That led to a spirited debate about making masks mandatory.  It was ultimately decided to keep masks optional and not change any current protocols.

Two statues toppled during last summer’s demonstrations outside the State House have been restored and are standing again on the capitol grounds.  The renovation of the statues cost more than 80-thousand-dollars and took nearly a year to complete.  Crews today reinstalled the statue known as “Forward” as well as one of Civil War hero Hans Christian Heg who created the 15th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry.

Residents in Western Wisconsin are cleaning up storm damage.  Severe weather moved through Trempealeau County last night damaging an area along County Road D.  The National Weather Service determined an EF-1 tornado touched down near Strum.  There was minor damage to a couple of homes and downed trees and power lines but no injuries reported.

Packers running back Aaron Jones says the necklace containing his father’s ashes lost at last night’s game has been found.  Jones lost the keepsake in the end zone after scoring one of his four touchdowns in the Packers 35-17 win over the Detroit Lions.  The necklace was found by athletic trainer Brian Engel before he left the facility shortly before 2 a.m. this morning.

There’s one way to come out of a closet. Open the door and step out. Augustus “Gus” Hinton knows that. He’s done that. The gap between knowing what to do, however, and developing the inner strength to take that step — into the light — is a broad, dark expanse when you’re young and about to alter the course of your life. Hinton, a University of Wisconsin-Stout alum, lived in that shadow world throughout his teenage years in La Crosse.

The City of Eau Claire is asking for your input. They announced “Empower Eau Claire”, the first Participatory Budgeting program by a city in the state of Wisconsin. Participatory Budgeting is a democratic process that gives residents the power to directly decide how to spend part of the City’s budget on community projects that will impact their lives. Empower Eau Claire, the City of Eau Claire’s participatory budgeting program, will kick off with an event on Tuesday, October 5, 2021