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A State of Emergency throughout Wisconsin is being declared by Governor Evers in response to recent snow and the upcoming extreme cold.  High temperatures for Tuesday through Thursday are expected to dip to 14 below zero, not including the windchill.  The governor’s order directs all state agencies to help with any emergency response and recovery efforts related to the snowstorm and cold.  The order also allows Wisconsin’s Adjutant General to call soldiers and airmen from the Wisconsin National Guard to active duty to support local

Emergency crews are performing road rescues across Eau Claire after the first heavy snow of the season.  Tow truck crews stayed busy as the State Patrol reported just 17 crashes and 20 slide offs by early yesterday evening.  Eau Claire police are reporting 13 crashes around town.  The owner of Adams Automotive says most crashes are caused by drivers who are not able to see curbs covered by snow.      

The trial is underway for a woman accused of letting men sexually assault two children in exchange for money and drugs.  Michelle Mayer is facing six counts, including repeated sexual assault of a child and physical abuse of a child.  An Eau Claire district attorney pointed out in her opening statement that the jury would need to rely on victim testimony with no physical evidence available.  The defense says the lack of physical evidence proves Mayer is innocent. 

Governor Evers will be using private attorneys to defend his position in a lawsuit over lame-duck laws limiting his powers and those of Attorney General Josh Kaul.  Kaul has declined to represent Evers in the suit.  Republican lawmakers will also be hiring private attorneys for the legal fight.  Fees on both sides will be covered by taxpayer money.     

A state of emergency is in effect in Wisconsin.  Governor Tony Evers issued the order Monday as winter storm Beth rumbles across the state.  It’s already dumped several inches of snow and will be followed by extremely cold weather.  The governor’s order directs all state agencies to help any emergency response and recovery efforts and allows for the Wisconsin National Guard to be activated if necessary.  Communities across Wisconsin are opening warming centers as temperatures plummet.  Wind chills are expected well below zero and officials

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin wants federal workers affected by the government shutdown to receive full back pay plus any interest accrued.  Baldwin says today it’s only fair if the federal government can charge you interest for being late on your taxes, then it should be paying interest on late paychecks.  Baldwin says she’s calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring the “Back Pay Fairness Act” to the floor for the vote. 

A new addition to the local social scene is set to sink a hole soon. Skill Shot, a coffee & pinball lounge, will open on February 19.  The lounge, which is located at Artisan Forge Studios, (1106 Mondovi Rd) will offer hand-crafted coffee drinks, tea, craft beer, wine, healthy grab-and-go food, and a selection of pinball machines. Upon opening, the hours of Skill Shot will be from 7:00 am-7:00 pm Monday through Friday, and Saturday from 8:00 am-2:00 pm.

Most schools in the Chippewa Valley are closed today due to winter weather.  Several inches of snow fell across west central and northwest Wisconsin overnight and much of west central Wisconsin will still be under a winter storm warning until noon today.  A wind chill watch is also in effect while another one to three inches of snow is still possible.  Blowing and drifting snow is also a possibility.  The City of Eau Claire is announcing a snow event and alternate side parking rules

A person is dead and another is injured after a single-car crash in Polk County.  The county sheriff’s office says the driver of a mini van was northbound on Highway 63 early yesterday morning when it blew through a stop sign and hit some trees near the intersection of Highway 8.  The driver was pronounced dead at the scene and a passenger was taken to a hospital in the Twin Cities.  Neither of the victims have been identified. 

A Wisconsin Rapids teenager is dead after a crash over the weekend.  Police say a 19-year-old boy hit a utility pole in the 700 block of 17th Avenue South around 8:00 yesterday morning and was partially ejected from his car.  was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead later that evening.  Speed and alcohol are believed to have played a role in the crash.