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Health officials say 11 people at UW Hospital developed Legionnaires’ disease. The hospital’s hot water system is reportedly to blame for the outbreak. Four of the patients remain hospitalized and six have been discharged. One person died last week when the outbreak was first revealed.  The medical director of infection control at the hospital said the outbreak appears to be linked to a decision to reduce water flow during low demand times last month.  However, regular flow has been resumed following the outbreak. 

Toxic chemicals continue to flow within the state’s water supply and the government has reportedly done little to address it. The chemicals are fluorinated compounds more commonly referred to as PFAS (PEA- fass).  These chemicals which are contaminating the state’s drinking water and fish can apparently take years to leave the body and are spread through air and water.  High amounts of the chemical have been found in groundwater near at least six Wisconsin locations.  Infants and children are the most

A program designed to help Wisconsin seniors pay for their prescription drugs has been extended.  The Senior Care Prescription Drug Assistance Program was set to expire December 31st, but it has now been extended to January 31st.  The extension comes after the federal centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services gave Wisconsin an extra month to continue the program as they work on a long-term extension.  The federal officials are currently reviewing a 10-year extension request from the state Department of

The number of uninsured Wisconsin kids isn’t dropping,even with a healthy economy.  A report from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families says the problems are bigger than the Wisconsin economy.  From 2016 to 2017, the number of uninsured Wisconsin children under 19 increased from 50-thousand to 53-thousand.  The report says anti-immigrant rhetoric and news of potential cuts to the Affordable Care Act are possible reasons behind the increase in uninsured children in Wisconsin and around the nation.  

The Colorado man who admitted to killing his pregnant wife and two daughters and hiding them at a nearby oil plant is now at a prison in Wisconsin.  Thirty-three-year-old Christopher Watts pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the August case and is serving three consecutive life sentences, a 48-year sentence, and a 12-year sentence.  Online records for the Wisconsin Department of Corrections show Watts was transferred to one of its prisons earlier this week for safety reasons but it’s unclear which prison he’s

Top Democrats are expected in Milwaukee next week to see if the city could host the 2020 Democratic National Convention.  Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez is expected to name the host city early next year.  Milwaukee, Miami, and Houston are all on the short list.  Perez is expected in town on Monday to look at everything from a convention space to hotels and airport capacity. 

 If you’ve ever wondered how the White House got decorated for Christmas this year, you can trace it all the way back to the Badger State.  The Wisconsin State Journal says Baraboo resident Norma Spencer got to join hundreds of other volunteers in decorating the Blue Room the week after Thanksgiving after her daughter filled out an application for her online.  A TV special documenting the decorators’ experiences is set to air on HGTV this Sunday evening. 

Salt/Sand mixture for slippery sidewalks can be picked up free of charge at the Altoona Public Works Facility located at 2740 BauerStreet. The salt/sand mixture is kept outside and can be picked up anytime at your convenience.  Please bring your own container and a shovel.  If you have any questions, please feel free to email cityhall@ci.altoona.wi.us. 

Lace up your Elf shoes and get ready to be a sidekick for Santa! You can be part of the spirit of the season as our own FESTIVAL OF TOYS is underway. Just bring unwrapped toys to Festival stores. The Mall Drive location in our headquarters and you can drop of new, unwrapped toys, or cash to help families in our area this holiday season. All of the toys go to kids on our area and the help stays local

One of the best Christmas light shows in the country is in southeast Wisconsin for the next few days.  The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train pulled into Milwaukee last night.  The train is decked out for the holidays, and includes a band that sings Christmas classics.  The train will make several more stops across Wisconsin today and tomorrow as it makes its way toward Minneapolis.