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Shopko is closing additional stores as company officials scramble to keep the doors open at remaining locations.  Additional closures announced yesterday include stores in Madison, Monona, Mauston, Beloit, Shawano, Marinette, De Pere and Waupaca.  The department store chain already announced plans to close more than 250 of its stores around the country, which will include over 40 in its home state of Wisconsin. 

Flu levels in Wisconsin are hovering at moderate levels.  The Department of Health Services says today Northeast Wisconsin has the fewest reported cases of influenza.  The flu has claimed the lives of six people in the state.  The season has not yet peaked and many health clinicians think the season could extend into late March. 

Lottery officials are still waiting for a million-dollar winner to step forward to claim their prize.  Saturday’s Powerball drawing produced a big winning ticket bought at a Kwik Trip in Superior.  One lucky player matched all five white ball numbers, but not the Powerball.  The winner has 180 days from the drawing date to claim their prize at the Lottery’s Madison office. 

North central and northwest Wisconsin are bracing for another snow storm today.  Light snow that fell overnight is picking up today as a huge system sweeps across the northern Midwest.  According to the National Weather Service, anywhere from for to eight inches of snow is expected in the Eau Claire area.  Temperatures should also dip below freezing overnight. 

Snow isn’t the only thing making travel difficult in northern Wisconsin.  Residents in Rice Lake are noticing corn cobs and kernels on area roads.  Drivers were asked to avoid South Main Street and East Orchard Beach Lane yesterday because the corn had been spilled onto those roadways.  The Rice Lake Police Department isn’t sure what caused the corn to be spilled but says to expect an increase in wildlife in the area. 

One listening session dealing with the future of Roosevelt Elementary in Eau Claire is in the books.  The school district and members of the public met at Delong Middle School last night to discuss repurposing Roosevelt into a 4-K school.  The district executive director of administration says they hope to have a vote on Roosevelt’s future by this spring.  There will be six more listening sessions on the proposal in the coming weeks. 

A record number of students of color are graduating from University of Wisconsin System schools.  UW-System data shows that number has increased by 74 percent over the last ten years with nearly five-thousand students of color graduating in the 2017-2018 school year.  The overall number of students graduating from UW schools is also increasing.  Over 35-hundred more students graduated last school year than did ten years ago. 

Multiple snowmobiling trails are open for the season in Dunn, Chippewa, and Eau Claire Counties.  Trails opened in Dunn and Chippewa last night at five o’clock.  The Associated Snowmobile Clubs of Eau Claire says Eau Claire trails are partially open and Corridor 33 is also open in Union. 

A winter storm is creating dangerous travel conditions in Eau Claire.  Lighter snow moved through last night and is expected to pick up significantly today along with high winds.  Visibility will be near zero at times, making driving conditions treacherous everywhere and nearly impossible in open areas. 

The case against the Wisconsin man accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Jayme Closs and killing her parents is moving forward.  Twenty-one-year-old Jake Patterson appeared in court yesterday to face kidnapping and murder charges.   Patterson waived his right to a preliminary examination, acknowledging that there is enough evidence against him for the case to proceed to trial.  Patterson has not yet entered a plea and the judge set his arraignment for March 27th.