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Kroger is announcing plans to phase out single-use plastic bags at its family of stores by 2025.  The country’s largest supermarket chain is the parent company of more than one-hundred stores in OUR STATE including Pick ‘n Save, Copps and Metro Market.  Some estimates suggest that one-hundred-billion single-use plastic bags are thrown away in the United States annually.

A man is facing charges in a homicide investigation in Chippewa County. Jesse Lloyd appeared in court yesterday afternoon in connection with the death of Kenneth Patterson. The 22-year-old is charged with first-degree intentional homicide in Patterson’s death. Investigators found Patterson’s body in March 2016 in a yard in the near Lake Wissota, in Eagle Point, after what they believe was a drug deal gone bad.

A car crashed into the Eau Claire Dollar General yesterday, and we know now that it was an accident that happened when an elderly driver was trying to park yesterday and hit the gas instead of the brake. Authorities say the airbags deployed and the driver was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

We talked about some recent changes to the Syverson Lutheran Home and that will affect The Chippewa Valley Free Clinic. They are continuing to search for a new location after being told in March that they would have to relocate from the Syverson Lutheran Home. The clinic serves uninsured and under-insured patients with the help of donations and volunteers. Local developers are looking to turn the building into nearly 50 units of upscale apartments.

You are warned about a utility scam making the rounds. Scammers are posing as a local utility company in order to demand money for supposed late payments or required upgrades.  We should be on the lookout for threatening calls about their gas or electric accounts and hang up on anyone who demands an immediate payment on behalf of the local utility provider. DATCP Consumer Protection Hotline has received more than two dozen reports in the last day about these phony

First-time unemployment claims are down.  The Labor Department reports that 210-thousand Americans filed initial claims for jobless benefits last week.  That’s two-thousand fewer than the previous week’s report.  The sharpest jumps in unemployment claims were in Georgia, Michigan, Connecticut, South Carolina, and here in Wisconsin.

You can show the ones you love some affection today because it’s National Hug Your Sweetheart Day.  It’s a newer holiday that was first celebrated in 2015.  Full-body hugs can lower stress and feelings of loneliness, and increase self-esteem.  More hugs also can also cause lower blood pressure.  Your sweetheart does not have to be the person you are dating, as it’s defined as someone who is lovable and pleasing to be around.

From pot holes to POT…A referendum question about legalizing marijuana is set to be on Eau Claire County’s November ballot. Voters will have the choices and those include: Making marijuana legal for medical and recreational purposes for those over 21, only legalizing it for medical purposes with a prescription, or keeping the drug illegal. If marijuana is legalized, board supervisors say money from taxes on the drug would be used for education, health care, and infrastructure.

Candidates are hitting the roads and TALKING roads. Democratic nominee for Governor Tony Evers was in our area yesterday to discuss his views on improving roads and bridges. Evers was in Eau Claire saying he’s disturbed that the state has downgraded its bridges, and blames Walker for the state of the infrastructure. Walker responded saying he’s put 24 billion into the transportation system.

Another anchor store in the Oakwood Mall will be out soon. Sears announced it will be closing by November, the Eau Claire mall location is one of 46 Sears or Kmart stores nationwide that will be shutting doors. The auto center is also planning to close, a little bit earlier than the store, likely late October.