Home

SNOW M.G! Crews are tackling large snowbanks along major roadways in Eau Claire County.  The county Highway Department says crews finally have a chance between storms to move the giant snow piles, especially at intersections on state roads.  Workers are also getting some breaks from working around the clock and are mostly back to a normal schedule. 

Eau Claire County health officials believe the number of flu cases could still peak.  Numbers usually spike between December and February, but officials say the height of the season could still be ahead.  The county has had 19 hospitalizations and one death due to influenza so far this season.

Regis Middle and High School students are working to provide comfort to victims of abuse and neglect.  Students from the sixth through tenth grade made tie blankets yesterday in coordination with the Chippewa Valley Child Advocacy Center.  The effort was funded by community donations and resulted in 100 blankets, 50 stuffed animals, and a thousand dollars worth of new books to be given to the center.     

Analysts in the flat-panel industry say Wisconsin may not get a Foxconn plant of any size.  The Taiwan-based electronics manufacturer originally agreed to a massive manufacturing campus capable of producing outsized flat-screen monitors used in large TVs and liquid-crystal displays.  Veterans in the industry are skeptical that Foxconn will build even a smaller scale plant in the state.  The chief executive of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation that negotiated the 2017 contract is confident of assurances by Foxconn that a plant will be built. 

Former Green Bay fullback and fan favorite John Kuhn will retire as a Packer.  The team announced Kuhn’s decision yesterday, saying in a statement that he had contributed to the team’s success for many years.  Kuhn played nine seasons for the Packers beginning in 2007, before moving on to the New Orleans Saints in 2016 and 2017.  He began his career with a one-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers.    

“Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek says he has been diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer.  In a YouTube announcement, the 78-year-old vowed to keep working as he fights the disease.  Despite the low survival statistics for pancreatic cancer, Trebek looked forward to eventually overcoming the disease.  He even made light of the situation, saying he needs to beat it because his contract requires him to host the game show for another three years.  Trebek has hosted “Jeopardy!” since 1984. 

Governor Evers wants to see expanding business at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.  The governor announced a 30-million-dollar investment towards the 90-million-dollar expansion.  Officials expect the improvements will encourage more business and industry to bring their events to the state.  The expansion partnership is expected to create nearly 650 new jobs, but the project will take several years to complete. 

Wisconsin ranks in the middle of the pack when it comes to distracted driving deaths in the country.  A recent survey by personal finance website ValuePenguin-dot-com, shows Wisconsin ranks 30th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.  The criteria of the survey included distracted driving laws in the state and the millions of miles driven.  Wisconsin’s rate is about five-times lower than Tennessee, which ranks first in distracted drivers deaths. 

Western Wisconsin’s Democratic congressman wants more incentives to get the state to add more people to government healthcare rolls.  Congressman Ron Kind yesterday announced a plan to sweeten the pot for Wisconsin and other states to expand Medicaid.  Kind says 80-thousand people could be added to the state’s healthcare plan.  Republican lawmakers in Madison say expanding Medicaid will cost taxpayers in the state more than a half-billion dollars.  

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers is defending the big paychecks that many of his top aides are getting.  The governor told reporters that he wants the best people in his administration, and that you have to pay more to get the best.  There are reports that show Evers’ picks to head state agencies are making substantially more than former Governor Walker’s picks to do the same jobs.