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The now-former head of the library in Durand is looking at charges after prosecutors say some library money turned-up missing. Pepin County prosecutors filed charges on Tuesday against Patricia Blount. She left the library in October after an audit found some questions about library accounts. No one is saying how much they think she took or spent, but the charges cover theft between 10 thousand and 100 thousand-dollars.

County leaders in Chippewa Falls are going to need some state help to make their latest tax increase proposal a reality. County Administrator Randy Scholz on Tuesday suggested raising the sales tax by a half-a-percent in order to pay for road repairs. The only problem is that state law doesn’t allow counties to raise sales taxes for roads. Scholz says taking Chippewa County’s sales tax from five-and-a-half percent to six percent would bring-in more than five million-dollars more each year.

People needing mental health help or just someone to talk to could soon have a much easier number to call.  Wisconsin Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin yesterday said her plan to change the national suicide prevention hotline number to 988 took a step forward in the US Senate. Baldwin says changing the 1-800 number to 988 will make it easier for people in crisis to remember. She says about 45 thousand people take their own lives each year, including about six

The latest attempt to start a medical marijuana program in Wisconsin looks to be DOA. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald yesterday said he doesn’t support the plan from Republican state Rep. Mary Felzkowski Republican state Senator Kathy Bernier to legalize marijuana for some people as medicine. Fitzgerald says he doesn’t think Republicans in the state senate support the idea either. Felzkowski says she just wants a public hearing to see if she can change some minds.

The Green Bay Packers are once again putting out the call for strong backs and warm hearts. The team yesterday said it needs people to shovel Lambeau Field ahead of this weekend’s game against the Bears. The Packers say 600 helpers should do it. The pay is 12 dollars-an-hour, and the team will provide the shovels. The Packers say if you are interested, show-up at Lambeau at 8 o’clock tomorrow morning.

The holiday season means more police on the state roadways.  The Wisconsin State Patrol is kicking off its Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign on Friday.  The emphasis on drivers under the influence and distracted driving will continue through New Year’s Day.  In 2018, 160 people died and more than three-thousand were injured in alcohol-related crashes in the state.

There are just a couple of days left to enjoy a holiday tour of the Wisconsin Executive Residence.  The tours from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. are free, although parties of 20 or more are asked to call for a reservation.  The next available dates for tours are this Saturday, December 14th and the final day on Thursday, December 19th.

Menards is a familiar name in our area, and now the store brand movs to a local campus. The Menard family is donating $2.36 million to the Stout University Foundation to expand the Center for the Study of Institutions and Innovation, interim Chancellor Patrick Guilfoile announced today, Wednesday, Dec. 11. “I want to thank the Menard family for this very generous donation and for believing so strongly in the mission of this center,” Guilfoile said. “This support will allow the center

A Spooner man will go to prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting a child.  hof over the span of two years.  Police say Korthof admitted to the assaults.  He was sentenced Tuesday to ten years in prison.

A teenager is in custody in connection with stolen packages on Eau Claire’s west side.  Police say 17-year-old Aaron Jones was arrested this week after a neighbor saw him follow a delivery truck and steal a package off a front porch.  Jones is accused of stealing packages from neighborhoods near 8th, 9th, and Vine Streets.