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Preston Kraft is being deemed not competent to stand trial in Chippewa County.  Kraft was already found not competent to face charges in Rusk County in connection with the death of Robert Petit.  In Chippewa County, Kraft faced multiple charges including second degree recklessly endangering safety for reportedly firing a gun toward Petit in a previous incident.   

Two executive orders are being issued by Governor Tony Evers.  Evers signed the orders on health care yesterday on his first full day in office.  One directs a state agency to put together a plan to expand Medicaid.  The other instructs state agencies to implement plans to ensure people with pre-existing conditions can get health insurance. 

Eau Claire community members are struggling to understand after the suicide of a 12-year-old boy.  Gage Wright committed suicide Sunday afternoon.  The Northstar Middle School seventh grader was a baseball standout and straight-A student who had received the Presidential Award for Academics.  The school’s principal sent a letter to parents that included signs they should watch for in their children and encourage the conversation in our communities.

The Eau Claire City Council is moving forward with updates at a local park.  The council approved active aging updates in McDonough Neighborhood Park.  New pickle ball courts are already planned and improvements could include new walking trails, a better view of Dells pond, a plaza area, and bocce ball.  The city and the Chippewa Valley Pickleball Club plan to work on fundraising and grant writing for the improvements. 

The Chippewa County Board is sending a message to lawmakers saying that more money is needed for child protective services statewide.  The board unanimously approved a resolution at their meeting last night to request an additional 30 million dollars from the legislature.  The money would be divided among the state’s 72 counties and be used to hire more social workers. 

Officials with the Packers say Matt LaFleur is the 15th head coach in team history.  President Mark Murphy officially announced the hire yesterday, saying LaFleur has the background and experience to get the team playing winning football.  LaFleur arrived at Lambeau Field with his family last night after spending last season as the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans.        

Josh Kaul says additional gun legislation is needed if protecting kids in school is to be a priority.  The new Wisconsin Attorney General addressed the gun issue during his inaugural speech yesterday.  He wants what is called a red-flag law that will allow police or family members to go before a judge and ensure that somebody who is a threat to themselves or others is temporarily disarmed.  Kaul also called for universal background checks for gun purchases. 

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.  Nearly 100 human trafficking cases were reported in Wisconsin in 2017 and that increased 20-percent in 2018.  In the United States, a child is bought or sold for sex every two minutes.  Officials say much of the  focus is on preventing the trafficking of children and adolescents, but trafficking can occur at any age.  Wisconsin has several anti-human trafficking initiatives with resources available on the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families website. 

An Eau Claire County man is accused of sexually assaulting a child over two years ago.  A criminal complaint filed yesterday claims 53-year-old Robert Schuster inappropriately touched a young boy back in 2016.  Another young child also claims Schuster inappropriately touched him just a couple months ago.  Schuster is free on ten-thousand dollars bond and is due back in court on February 18th. 

A student is in the hospital after a school bus rolled onto its side near Colfax.  The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office says only two 17-year-old students were on the bus when it rolled at a turn on 950th Street just before 7:30 yesterday morning.  Only one of the teens had minor injuries and was taken to the hospital as a precaution.  No citations were issued as a result of the crash.