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One of the most important measuring sticks for the coronavirus in Wisconsin continues to improve. The state’s Department of Health Services yesterday reported another large drop in the number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus in the state. DHS says just over 800 people are in the hospital with the virus. That number was closer to one thousand to begin the week. Wisconsin’s coronavirus numbers have been steadily falling since a peak in mid-November.

You can now sign-up to get the coronavirus vaccine in Eau Claire County. City-County health director Lieske Giese yesterday said the county is signing people up for shots in the future. The appointment page on the county’s website lets people know who is eligible, then lets those people get on a waiting list for when there is a dose available. Giese says a lot of people in and around Eau Claire are about to become eligible for the vaccine, so

Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate are taking the first step toward putting inmates toward the back of Wisconsin’s coronavirus vaccine list. A Senate panel yesterday heard from lawmakers who want to prioritize people who are at risk and not in prison or jail, before sending the vaccine to inmates. Senator Van Wanggaard said it’s ‘unconscionable’ to allow a 33-year-old murderer to get the shot before someone who is at risk from the virus. The head of Wisconsin’s Department of Corrections says inmates have a

Eau Claire’s public library is a big step toward starting its renovation and expansion. The L. E. Phillips Family Foundation this week gave the library a million-and-a-half dollar gift. Library managers say the money will help them renovate the building and add some new space. The library already has L.E. Phillips’ name on it. The million-and-a-half dollars is the largest gift in the library’s history.

The state of Wisconsin is no longer on the hook for the costs to keep the National Guard working on coronavirus testing. President Joe Biden yesterday restored full funding for states dealing with the coronavirus. Former President Trump cut funding to 75 percent for most states back in August. The White House figures the new decision will mean over 12 million-dollars more for the Wisconsin Guard’s coronavirus mission.

Menomonie Police have responded to a string of incidents involving post-it notes left on cars, below is their direct response. We have received several inquiries regarding suspicious activity at Dick’s Fresh Market. This activity is in the form of post-it notes being left on someone’s car stating that the vehicle had been hit and with a phone number at the bottom. The number, when called, is not in service. We are investigating this and working closely with Dick’s Fresh Market.

 Gov. Tony Evers pledged his support for the dairy community, pointing to an investment in rural broadband and support for farmers who are advancing conservation practices.  Speaking to viewers at the Dairy Business Association’s virtual Dairy Strong conference, Evers highlighted his focus on improving what he called “unacceptable” internet service in rural Wisconsin. “High-speed internet is a necessity these days and we have to make sure it is reliable, affordable and accessible for everyone,” he said.  CLICK HERE FOR MORE

The Wisconsin Department of Health reports nearly 22-hundred new COVID-19 cases. Today’s date also confirms 45 new deaths statewide.  The death toll in Wisconsin due to the coronavirus stands at five-thousand-607 residents.  There have been over 528-thousand cases since the beginning of the pandemic a year ago. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM DHS On the national level, Dr. Anthony Fauci calls the coronavirus outbreak an ongoing and very serious situation.  The NIH veteran told White House reporters that the outbreak may be “plateauing.”  He

 A new report from the Wisconsin DOJ indicates many police agencies do not use body or dashboard cameras.  The survey of over 430 police agencies found that about 63-percent, or 274 agencies, use some body cameras but 37-percent don’t.  Cost was the primary reason for not implementing the cameras.  Seventy-six-percent of agencies that use body cameras say they had enough for every officer to have a dedicated device. 

On Wednesday, January 20, 2021, at 4:36 p.m., the Barron County Sheriff’sDepartment received a call of a one vehicle crash near 2098 9 1⁄2 Avenue, Town of Prairie Lake. Initial investigation shows a truck driven by 38 year old Lisa Olson, of Chippewa Falls, was traveling north on 20th Street when she failed to negotiate a corner at 9 1⁄2 Avenue. The truck entered the ditch and struck a large tree. Olson received severe but non-life threatening injuries and was