Home

We open the door on a program to address homelessness in our area as advocates in Eau Claire say they are a quarter of the way to their goal.  The advocates and city leaders back in April said they want to find homes for about 80 of Eau Claire’s chronically homeless people.  To date, 16 people have been placed in homes.  Advocates say they hope to have more homes lined-up in the near future. 

A former public works employee in Cornell is looking at a 25-hundred dollar bill for stealing from the city.  A judge yesterday ordered Brandon Larson to repay the city 25-hundred dollars for stealing scrap metal and building a private road on his boss’ land with city materials.  Larson pleaded no contest to misconduct charges. 

The Scripps National Spelling Bee continues today with eight kids competing from Wisconsin.  Eleven-million spellers started the journey eight months ago with just over 500 competing for the Spelling Bee championship this week.  One Wisconsin student is home schooled in West Salem.  Kiernan McKinney competed in 2017 and tied for 41st and was 42nd last year. 

Congressman Mark Pocan is again calling for an impeachment inquiry regarding President Trump.  The Wisconsin Democrat’s comments come after special counsel Robert Mueller issued remarks today regarding his investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 elections.  Pocan says Mueller’s statements do not exonerate the president and it’s up to Congress to investigate whether the president obstructed justice or tried to influence the investigation in any way. 

A 23-year-old Mondovi man died in a May 24 single utility-terrain vehicle crash under investigation by the Wis. Department of Natural Resources’ Bureau of Law Enforcement. The crash occurred around 11 p.m. on private property just off state Highway 10 in the Town of Naples. There were two people aboard the UTV at the time of the crash. Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victim as Joshua Sandberg. The DNR is handling the crash investigation. No additional details are available

A man is in custody after a Memorial Day chase that started in Eau Claire County ended with gunfire in Jackson County.  Authorities say Quentin Labansky ran from sheriff’s deputies in Eau Claire County before heading south to Jackson and exchanging gunfire with the deputies there.  They say Labansky then crashed the stolen car he was driving in Black River Falls before taking off running into an apartment and firing a gun again.  Labansky continued to try to run into

One person is dead and four children are hurt after a utility terrain vehicle crash in Trempealeau County.  The sheriff’s office says five people were on the UTV Sunday afternoon in Albion when it crashed, killing James Fridell.  The injured kids are recovering in a Rochester hospital and their identities aren’t being released. 

A Pierce County man is in the hospital after falling off a tractor and getting run over by a wagon.  Reports say Patrick Bayer was on the back of a tractor in the middle of the night last Saturday when the driver hit a bump, he fell off, and was hit by the wagon the tractor was pulling.  Bayer was flown to a hospital in Saint Paul in unknown condition. 

Eau Claire will soon have a new dog park.  Reports say the city council recently approved the site plan to add the city’s third dog park at the end of Ferry Street near the wastewater treatment plant along the Chippewa River.  It will have 16 acres of land and a boat launch for canoes and kayaks.  City officials say they hope to break ground on the project sometime next year. 

The top man at the University of Wisconsin says nearly 80-million-dollars more in state aid in the next state budget is a kick in the shins.  UW System President Ray Cross said lawmakers in Madison let him down yesterday by not giving him the nearly one-hundred-50-million-dollars that he asked Governor Tony Evers for.  Republicans on the state’s budget writing panel said they’re giving the UW system 33-million more for raises, and at least another 45-million-dollars more to spend as they see fit.