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The Chippewa Falls Salvation Army Food Pantry is hosting its Holiday Food Drive Up.  Members of the public can drive non-perishable food items down to the pantry on North Bridge Street this afternoon and stop in front.  Chippewa Falls Women of the Moose Volunteers will unload the donations.    

The town of Barron is displaying a symbol of hope in the case of missing teen Jayme Closs. The Tree of Hope was lit last night in Jayme’s favorite color blue, and green for missing child awareness.  It is adorned with ornaments carrying messages of hope from Jayme’s classmates.  Lanterns were also released and a message from Barron native and The Voice finalist Chris Kroeze was relayed.  There have been no breaks in the case, but the investigation is continuing. 

Construction on State Trunk Highway 29 and County Highway VV is getting a big funding boost from the federal government.  U.S Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced over one-billion-dollars in appropriations yesterday, with nearly 20-million-dollars awarded to Wisconsin.  The project will create a new, full-access interchange at 29 and VV to include sidewalks,bicycle lanes and roundabouts.  

A Rhinelander woman will do 15-years in prison after being convicted of killing her 20-month-old step-son.  Thirty-year-old Ellen Tran received her sentence in Oneida County court yesterday on one count of first-degree reckless homicide after the child was found to have died of blunt force trauma in April of 2017.  The child was in the care of her and her husband at the time of its death.  *Photo Credit WEAU 13 News

The case of the ten-year-old girl who was arrested in connection with the death of an infant in Chippewa County is moving to a higher authority.  Officials with the county district attorney’s office say the case is being forwarded to the Wisconsin Department of Justice.  The girl is accused of causing injuries to a six-month-old that resulted in its death after it hit its head on a stool and started crying back in October.  She was supposed to appear in court yesterday,

A Bloomer man accused of sexually assaulting a five-year-old is going to prison.  Gary Gassen was sentenced to five years behind bars followed by five years of extended supervision earlier this week after allegedly admitting to inappropriately touching the child.  A criminal complaint also states that Gassen told the child something to th eeffect of not to tell anyone or he’d shoot himself. 

Some Altoona residents may see a lower property tax bill in the mail this month thanks to an increase in lottery ticket sales.  City officials say Wisconsin currently has the largest lottery credit in history and it’s putting more than 200-million-dollars towards property tax relief across the state.  The city finance director says most people with property valued under 200-thousand dollars will see a tax decrease while people with property valued above 300-thousand dollars will probably see an increase. 

An Eau Claire elementary school is raising money to help send local veterans to see memorials built in their honor.  WEAU reports Northwoods Elementary has raised almost 15-hundred dollars with the goal to send three veterans on a Freedom Honor Flight to Washington D.C.  The fundraiser ended last Friday, but a student also brought in 300-dollars on Monday.  One teacher says, if everyone in his class just brings another quarter, they will have met their goal. 

A judge says a man accused of punching the Chippewa County Sheriff is not competent to stand trial.  Ryan Denning was in the Chippewa County Jail on a number of charges in September 2017 when video shows he punched Sheriff Jim Kowalczyk several times during a prisoner transfer.  A judge has ordered him to be committed to an institution to receive treatment. 

Eau Claire’s new Economic Development Manager is on the job.  Aaron White was appointed to the position in November.  He has 17 years of experience and recently served as the executive director of the Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development in Kansas.  The department promotes growth and development for area businesses.