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A Sparta family has their cat to thank for alerting them to a house fire early Wednesday morning.  About 5:30 a.m., Sparta Fire Department responded to the home on Kent Street in the city.  The fire had reportedly started on the porch, eventually spreading to the attic of the home.  The family says the smoke alarms went off, but it was the family cat that first notified them of danger.       

The local Chippewa County community is fighting drug abuse and addiction as the concern over methamphetamine continues to rise.  The group “Take a Stand Against Meth” recently held a fundraiser at Hanger 54 in Eau Claire, raising a little more than 12-hundred dollars for their cause.  The group focuses on education, assisting law enforcement, health, and more when fighting addiction in the Chippewa Valley.  Organizers say they will continue to come up with creative ways to raise money for their

The Wisconsin State Assembly has passed a bill that would require middle schools and high schools to teach students about the Holocaust.  The bill now heads to the state Senate.  The measure would require teaching students Wisconsin about the Holocaust and other genocides.  Oregon recently passed a similar bill.

A bill that would extend nighttime closing hours for bars and other nightspots during this summer’s Democratic National Convention is hitting headwinds in the state Senate.   GOP senators worry about drunken driving and voted against the proposal.  A similar measure may pass in the Assembly.  It would let municipalities ban the extended hours if they wish.

The Chippewa Valley LGBTQ Community Center is reopening at a new location next month.  After terminating their lease at The State Theatre and Community Center, the new facility will open March 1st at 505 Dewey Street South.  A representative for the community center says the support from the local community has allowed them to breathe new life into their efforts.  Organizers say the new space will allow them to continue to grow in the Chippewa Valley community.

A new local startup hub is open in downtown Eau Claire and looking to build on the ideas of local entrepreneurs.  VentureHome Eau Claire kicked off its partnership with UW-Eau Claire and CoLab with a party at the new location on South Barstow Street this week.  A spokesperson says they’re really looking to spotlight some of the great ideas and opportunities in the area, shedding light on the multitude of resources that already exist around Eau Claire.  The goal is

The Air Force has chosen Madison as its preferred alternative for a fleet of F-35 fighter jets, despite protests by residents living near Truax Field.  The decision came in the release yesterday of the Environmental Impact Statement, which is the final step before the Air Force issues its final decision late next month.  Eighteen F-35 jets would be based at the Air National Guard Base at Truax Field.

Wisconsin health officials say a third child has died from complications of the flu.  The child was reportedly in Milwaukee and it’s the first juvenile to die of the flu in the city this season.  Health clinicians say it is not too late to get vaccinated and the flu shot is the best way to stave off the virus or limit the impact of the illness.

Senator Tammy Baldwin says President Trump’s budget proposal will hurt maritime commerce on the Great Lakes.  The Wisconsin Democrat today says she has fought for funding with the other Great Lakes senators for a second heavy icebreaker to keep maritime traffic moving during the winter months.  She says the 2021 fiscal budget includes no funding for a new icebreaker.  Baldwin says inadequate ice-breaking capacity in the Great Lakes is costing thousands of American jobs and millions of dollars in lost business revenue.

A class ring has been returned to its owner after 43-years.  Alisa Zee has the story. SLIP ON THE DETAILS HERE.