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The winner of a new state-wide contest of everything cool is made right here in west-central Wisconsin.  The Big-Boy All Weather rifle manufactured in Rice Lake was recently named the Coolest Thing in Wisconsin.  The contest was put on by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and Johnson Financial Group.  The Big-Boy rifle got over 30-thousand of about 240-thousand total votes.

Jurors listening to the case against Ezra McCandless are not being spared the details. Dunn County prosecutors yesterday started their case by explaining the 16 times that they say McCandless stabbed Alexander Woodworth last year. Jurors heard about stab wounds to his head, neck, and groin. McCandless’ lawyers say she acted in self defense. Her trial continues today.

There will soon be more tiny houses in Chippewa Falls. The city council last night unanimously approved more of the little homes to go in at Notre Dame Catholic Church. The tiny homes are reserved for people who are living on the streets and trying to get help.

Eau Claire’s Little Red School House is a step closer to reopening. The school board last night finalized the sale of the empty school to Eau Claire’s Plumbers and teamfitters Union 434. The union plans to turn the building into an apprenticeship center.

More school kids across Wisconsin are leaving traditional public schools. The Department of Public Instruction yesterday released new numbers for charter and choice schools. The report shows a nearly nine-percent increase in choice school enrollment, to almost 44-thousand students.  That means that nearly 12-percent of kids in Wisconsin attend a choice school.

Lawmakers at the statehouse in Madison are looking to make the governor a little less powerful. The Republican-controlled legislature wants to limit how Governor Evers can use his veto pen. Wisconsin’s Constitution allows the governor to strike lines of law or the state budget, and move money to where the governor sees fit. Lawmakers say they want to make sure the governor can no longer use his veto powers to spend more than the state budget allows.

A survey by the American Association of Universities reveals over 25-percent of undergraduate women at the University of Wisconsin-Madison report being sexually assaulted.  The report released today says the assaults most commonly occurred in students’ residences and were disproportionately reported in Greek residences.  Alcohol was a common factor in 76-percent of the cases.  The survey findings are prompting the university to host three forums next month to talk about the results and strategies to increase safety.

A spooky night is on tap in downtown Wausau with the ghost tours getting underway.  The Wausau Paranormal Research Society is hosting its annual downtown ghost tours beginning Saturday at 6 p.m.  The tour covers over ten different sites claiming to be haunted like The Grand Theater, the Elks Lodge and the Yawkey House Museum.  The Wausau Paranormal Society helps people in Central Wisconsin deal with unwanted ghosts haunting their home.

The Haunted Hustle returns! The Owen Park event has grown to include friendly ghosts of all ages and it all goes to benefit three charitable organizations in our community. This year, the event will benefit three local non-profits: -The Epilepsy Foundation of Western Wisconsin -Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes -L.E. Phillips Career Development Center Participants in the run/walk will determine which organization ends up with the biggest donation andwill receive a token to cast a vote for their

An Altoona man is accused of sexually assaulting children.  Bryan Braughton was charged Monday with two counts of repeated child sexual assault and one count of causing mental harm to a child.  Police say Braughton admitted to assaulting a girl between the ages of six and 13 and assaulting another six-year-old girl about a dozen times.  Braughton is also suspected of assaulting kids while involved with kid’s ministries at two Eau Claire churches.  He’s being held on ten-thousand dollars bond.PHOTO