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The Wisconsin unemployment rate is down to a near-record low.  The Department of Workforce Development released its numbers today showing the state’s jobless rate dropping to two-point-nine-percent in February from the three-percent reported over the prior five months.  The record low for the state is two-point-eight-percent reached in April 2018. 

An employee with the City of La Crosse is charged with possessing child pornography.  Francis Devine is a La Crosse Division Fire Chief and he was charged yesterday.  A criminal complaint shows he was arrested over the weekend after a tip came in to the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children.  Devine has been working for the city for 19 years and has been put on administrative leave. 

A Fall Creek man convicted in a false imprisonment and child enticement case is facing new charges.  Ryan Zimmerman is now charged with nine counts connected to the sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl.  A criminal complaint says Zimmerman committed the assaults while he had been drinking.  He has a hearing scheduled for next week.

A Minnesota man is in custody after leading police on a car chase through La Crosse County.  The sheriff’s office says a deputy tried to pull over a car in West Salem yesterday for running a stop sign but it hit another car and drove off.  The suspect briefly got away from police after heading east on Highway 16 but he was spotted again in Hamilton.  A State Trooper deployed a spike strip that caused the car to crash into

The search is continuing for a Menomonie veteran last seen in Eau Claire four months ago.  UW-Stout student 28-year-old James Liedtka was last seen November 4th walking behind the Pickle Tavern on Water Street in the early morning headed toward the bike trail.  Police don’t believe foul play is involved in his disappearance. If you have any information you are asked to take that to authorities.

Republican lawmakers are rejecting all of Governor Tony Evers’ capital budget recommendations, including a new science hall at UWEC.  The statewide proposals were rejected yesterday, and also include funding for a cancer research center, a new veterans nursing home, and upgrades at other University of Wisconsin campuses.  Evers announced earlier this month that his was including funding for a replacement for Phillips Hall at UW-Eau Claire in the capital budget.  The future of the project is now in doubt.

The housing market in Eau Claire is continuing to do well despite the brutal winter.  According to the Realtor Association of Northwest Wisconsin, home sales in Eau Claire increased by 25 percent this February compared to last February.  However, since those statistics likely came from December and January home sales because of processing time the numbers for the next couple months are expected to drop. 

The Eau Claire Police Department says officers have been busy during the recent declared snow event.  A snow event was in effect for 27 days this winter, leading officers to issue over 26-hundred parking tickets.  Alternate side parking rules tripped up many people despite the display of temporary no parking signs.

Aspiring female entrepreneurs are receiving valuable financial information from Chippewa Valley business leaders.  The Red Letter Grant workshop held yesterday taught things like developing a business budget, working through tax season, and the cost breakdown of hiring employees.  The director of the organization says more workshops will be held in the near future.  

There is some financial flood relief for businesses in Northeast Wisconsin.  The Bay Lake Regional Planning Commission will make loans up to 15-thousand-dollars available to businesses affected by the flooding with a zero-percent interest up to two years.  Qualified applicants can use the loan to cleanup and repair damage, rent or mortgage temporary housing and for operating expenses.