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Officials representing the state’s eighth largest school district say they are “meeting expectations” per the latest school report cards released this week.  The Eau Claire Area School District is accrediting the latest overall score of 70.5 to more individualized plans for more than 11-thousand students across 20 schools.  There are challenges, though, including finding quality teachers to work in a district so large and balancing a budget.  In October, the local school board approved the first balanced budget in nearly

As the global recycling market continues to shift, Dunn County officials says they’re facing a crisis on the local level.  In the face of a nearly 300-thousand dollar recycling budget shortfall, Dunn County is considering options like reducing hours at collection stations and possible fee increases for residents.  A referendum to raise property taxes is on the table as well, in an effort to sustain the county’s recycling program long-term.

The FBI says hate crimes are on the rise across the state according to recent data.  Fifty-three hate crimes were committed in Wisconsin in 2018, seven more than the previous year.  Of those 53, fourteen were in the northwestern part of the state, including one in Eau Claire.  Hate crimes can include anything from slurs to written threats to violence motivated by a victim’s race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.

ive Memorial High School marching band students are heading to the Big Apple to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in a couple of weeks.  Earlier this year, the group of students submitted an audition tape to perform with the Macy’s Great American Marching Band.  In March they found out that they had been selected.  Now, they’ve set up a Go Fund Me page to help cover travel expenses.

Wisconsin farmers continue to struggle with the weather, and 2019 will likely go down as one of the top ten wettest years on record.  Last week, farmers had only four days that were available for fieldwork.  Annual precipitation through yesterday topped 43 inches.  Harvest has lagged behind schedule as a result. This year’s record snowfall is hitting county snowplow budgets hard, especially in Southern Wisconsin.  Officials in Green County say if much more snow falls this year, they’ll have to dip into

A man arrested in Dunn County on drug charges was sentenced. 46 year old Fred McGee, of Chicago was sentenced this month to 84 months in federal prison for possessing 100 grams or more of heroin with intent to distribute. McGee pleaded guilty to this charge in August. It was on January 31, 2018 when law enforcement officers recovered approximately 104 grams of fentanyl-laced heroin during a traffic stop of a vehicle in Dunn County. The vehicle was occupied by

Eau Claire County wants to hear from its residents and others that do business with the County as part of a project to improve the County’s communication efforts and processes. As part of the process, residents and others who interact with the County will have the opportunity to provide feedback through two surveys. The surveys will be available at the County website and through its social media accounts and is slated to end Nov. 23. The two surveys are focused

In cooperation with local businesses, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources staff will collect deer heads for chronic wasting disease surveillance testing during the 2019 archery, crossbow and gun hunting seasons. Chronic Wasting Disease has recently been detected in a wild deer from Eau Claire County. The CWD-positive deer was a mature buck harvested in October. This is the fourth CWD-positive wild deer detected in Eau Claire County since the fall of 2017. CWD sampling will continue to be a priority

On Thanksgiving Day the Black River Falls Fire Department will begin its annual “Keep The Wreath Green” holiday fire prevention campaign that will end on New Year’s Day. The wreath which will be hanging on the side of the fire station has all green lights. Any time there is a structure fire in the county during the fire prevention campaign a green light will be replaced with a red light to indicate a structure has occurred some where within the

Ski bums are getting ready to hit the slopes in the Badger State.  Cascade Mountain near Portage is opening early, adding more powder to its hills and expecting skiers and snowboarders this weekend.  Last year Cascade Mountain opened a week later.  Ten runs and two lifts will be running.  Tyrol Basin in the town of Vermont is already open with its tubing complex set to open next month.