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A home near Sparta is completely destroyed after a fire.  The Sparta Area Fire District says the home on County Highway 6 caught on fire early Monday evening.  It was difficult to get to the house because of snow and it took over five hours to put the fire out.  One firefighter injured his leg but was treated at the scene. 

An Eau Claire Firefighter is no longer with the fire department.  If you were paging through a copy of The Leader Telegram, you likely saw the reports that Brian Mero was fired by the Police and Fire Commission yesterday on claims of misconduct, dishonesty, and false reporting.  According to the termination order, Mero claims that two of his supervisors were out to get him.  He filed charges of misconduct against them but the charges were dismissed. 

A popular Eau Claire restaurant is closing its doors for good soon.  Bug Eyed Betty’s recently posted on Facebook that it would no longer be open within the next week.  Its owners didn’t give a reason as to why the restaurant is closing-but they have a history of being involved in our community and a lot of people are bummed that they’re closing doors.

We’re going to have to wait and see just how much Governor Tony Evers wants to raise Wisconsin’s gas tax.  The governor yesterday said he’s just waiting for a final report from a state transportation committee before adding a gas tax increase to his budget proposal. Evers is due to deliver his budget to lawmakers at the end of the month.   TAX CUT FACING EVERS VETO:Republicans in Madison hope their tax cut proposal isn’t dead on arrival, but it likely is. 

Love isn’t the only thing in the air on this Valentine’s Day.  Consumer advocates warn that romance scams are soaring.  The Federal Trade Commission reports hoaxes shot up to more than 21-thousand last year, compared to just under 17-thousand in 2017.  Losses went from 88-million dollars in 2017 to 143-million last year.  The median loss to a romance scam last year was 26-hundred dollars. The FTC says that’s seven times more than any other type of consumer fraud.  Romance scammers

The Eau Claire School Board is set to discuss make-up days for cancellations due to inclement weather.  Board members will discuss proposals to schedule make-up days on February 22nd, 25th, and June 7th.  The Board may also consider options such as lengthening each school day or extending the school year past June 6th. 

Pop-up pantries in Eau Claire are helping those in need this winter.  Feed May People Food Bank is sponsoring the pantries, including one inside Banbury Building number two on Wisconsin Street.  Groceries and produce have been available to those affect by the government shutdown and the tough winter.  Extra funding has made the pantries possible. 

The community of Milwaukee is celebrating the life of fallen police officer Matthew Rittner.  Funeral services for Rittner were held yesterday at Oak Creek Assembly of God.  Rittner is the third officer to be killed in the line of duty in Milwaukee in the last eight months.  Thousands came to the service and participated in a procession to remember and honor Rittner. 

A proposed tax cut bill is facing a possible veto by Wisconsin’s Governor Tony Evers.  The Senate passed a GOP version of the tax cut yesterday, with all Republicans voting yes and all Democrats voting no.  The Assembly signed off on the measure Tuesday, so the plan now goes to the governor who opposes the deal. 

The University of Wisconsin athletic department is seeking approval for an-eleven percent increase in its 2019-2020 budget.  The Athletic Board’s Finance, Facilities, and Operations voted unanimously yesterday to move forward with a request for a nearly 160-million dollar budget to the full board on Friday.  The budget represents a nearly 55-million dollar increase from the department’s budget five years ago.