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Wisconsin Rapids paper mill is closing indefinitely.  Verso Corporation announced yesterday that the COVID-19 pandemic caused a decline in demand for paper from several industries which really hit their bottom line.   The Wisconsin Rapids Mill will close by the end of next month with a skeleton crew remaining to maintain the building. 

Law enforcement in Rusk County are investigating the deaths of two individuals in the town of Sheldon. On June 7th the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a home in Sheldon after family visited the home and discovered the two residents deceased. The victims are a married couple who live at the home, 73 year old Robert Rosolowski and 70 year old Bonnie Mae Rosolowski. Investigators have ruled this case a double homicide, and law enforcement have arrested and booked

Heavy rainfall forecasted over a portion of western Wisconsin for this afternoon and evening, with localized rainfall amounts of 3-4 inches possible in Eau Claire, will likely result in increased levels on the Chippewa River in Eau Claire. At 10 a.m. the Chippewa River gauge at Grand Avenue read 760 feet, which is 13 feet below the flood stage reading of 773 feet.  The National Weather Service has projected the Chippewa River to rise to 766 feet later this week.  As the

Starting in late June the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection will begin another round of aerial treatments to control gypsy moth in 15 counties. Phase two targets adult male moths, whereas phase one earlier this spring targeted gypsy moth caterpillars. Residents in the following counties can expect loud, low-flying, yellow planes as early as 7 a.m. through mid-July: Bayfield, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Crawford, Douglas, Dunn, Grant, Green, Iowa, Lafayette, Polk, Rusk, Trempealeau, and Washburn.

Two deer at Brush Ranch Outfitters near Galesville are testing positive for chronic wasting disease. The disease is a neurological disease found commonly in deer, elk, and moose. Animals with the disease show symptoms through abnormal behavior and loss of body function. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture said the remaining 495 deer and 10 elk on the ranch have now been quarantined and veterinarians will investigate to see which animals have already been exposed.

An Eau Claire man is dead after a crash. The Eau Claire Police Department says 69-year-old Dennis Knudtson was riding his motorcycle Sunday when he crashed into another car near the Highway-53-crossing.  Police said he died in the hospital.

The L.E. Phillips Senior Center is open again after closing at the beginning of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  The center was closed for nearly three months and now, seniors are finally able to come in and socialize.  Executive Director Mary Pica-Anderson said staff is trying to find out what they can creatively bring in to help people feel safe.  For now, they’re moving tables six feet apart, no longer offering shared treats and coffee, and requiring all seniors to wear

The Children’s Museum will open next month. Executive Director Michael McHorney said the museum set a tentative opening date of July 1st. Common play areas will be sanitized regularly, and the museum will have limited attendance during each session. Members and general admission can be registered online. 

Two key measuring sticks in Wisconsin’s coronavirus fight are falling. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services yesterday reported 203 positive tests, and over seven thousand negative tests. The daily positive-test-rate remains under three percent. DHS reported no coronavirus deaths yesterday, that’s the first time that happened in nearly a month. There is also good news when it comes to the number of people being treated in the hospital. DHS says 322 people are being treated for the virus. That’s down from over 400

A man out of jail for another crime is facing new charges in a child sexual assault case. Prosecutors in Eau Claire filed charges yesterday against Gerardo Lugardo. Police say he assaulted a 12-year-old and a 13-year-old in Eau Claire. Lugardo was out on bond before his arrest. He’s now facing bond jumping charges.