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Chippewa Valley Regional Airport is over budget because of expenses related to the harsh weather.  Officials say they expect to spend twice as much on ground maintenance over last year due to heavy snowfalls and icy runways.  Last year’s ground maintenance budget was 30-thousand dollars. 

More people are looking to escape the winter weather on vacations in warm locales, while others are hunkering down for the season.  Representatives from Eau Claire travel agencies say they’ve seen an increase in bookings for warmer destinations like Mexico and the Caribbean over the last month.  For other residents, the snowy weather is beautiful and offers excellent recreational activities.   

Steve Stricker is coming home in a big way.  The Wisconsin native was officially named U.S. Ryder Cup captain today for next year’s event at Whistling Straits in Sheboygan.  The 12-time PGA Tour winner is the first U.S. captain to have never captured a major and the first to also previously serve as Presidents Cup captain. 

Senator Tammy Baldwin is re-introducing legislation to boost the craft brewery industry.  The Wisconsin Democrat says today the ‘Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act’ will permanently cut taxes to provide more cash flow so brewers can reinvest in their business.  It would also modernize outdated regulations for brewers as well as for cider makers and distillers.  Baldwin says that would further promote job creation in each industry. 

A recent grant was awarded to boost local K-9 services. The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office was awarded a $1,000 grant by the National Police Dog Foundation. Owner and operator, Kevin Sheldahl, whom the handler and canine will be training with this spring, then matched the $1,000 grant. The funds will be used for the purchase of a canine, canine and handler training, and equipment needed for the canine.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers isn’t saying that the gas tax won’t go up.  But he is saying it won’t go up by a dollar.  The governor told a crowd in Milwaukee yesterday that there’s no way the state’s gas tax will go up by that much.  Though Evers says he does want to find a way to spend more on road construction across the state. 

Another round of snow brings another Snow Event: A Snow Event has been declared and will go into effect at 12-midnight Thursday, 2/21/19 and will end at 5 p.m. on 2/23/19. Alternate Side Parking rules will be enforced between 12-midnight and 5 p.m. each day of the Snow Event. ·         On odd-numbered dates vehicles should be parked on the side of the street having odd-numbered addresses. ·         On even-numbered dates vehicles should be parked on the side of the street having even-numbered

Heavy snow is bearing down on west central Wisconsin today.  Four to eight inches of accumulation is expected in and around Eau Claire with areas to the north expected to get even more.  A winter storm warning is in effect in Eau Claire until 9:00 tonight. 

The Rice Lake Fire Department is asking the city council to rethink cutting a full-time firefighter from its staff.  The city council claims that decision was made because of budget issues, but the fire department says it’s been short staffed for months.  Safety is also becoming a concern.  The fire chief says he’s having to schedule more overtime and is concerned about overworking his firefighters.  The fire department will present a proposal to fill a vacant position at next week’s

Wisconsin Representative Ron Kind is proposing to extend tax relief for craft breweries in the Badger State.  The Craft Beverage Act that has been previously enacted to give breweries tax relief is due to expire at the end of the year and Ron Kind was in our area at Lazy Monk to raise a pint to refreshing the measure.  Kind is hoping to renew the act, saying it will help breweries become more competitive domestically and nationally.