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Wisconsin’s largest pumpkin is now in Eau Claire. Master Gardener Brian Mathiowetz says his pumpkin, Macie, weighed in at just over 24 hundred pounds last weekend. That makes his pumpkin the largest in Wisconsin history. Mathiowetz says he started growing giant pumpkins about five years ago, and has no plans to stop. The old record for largest pumpkin in Wisconsin was two-thousand-283 pounds, much smaller than Macie.

Add this to the list of things being mixed up at the Wisconsin Capitol. Lawmakers want to make the brandy Old Fashioned Wisconsin’s official cocktail. State Representative Jon Plumer and State Senator Cory Tomczyk are pushing the idea. Wisconsin is in love with the brandy Old Fashioned, in fact drinkers in Wisconsin buy more brandy than anyone else in the U.S.  The Old Fashioned would be the state’s official cocktail because milk is already the state’s official beverage. Lawmakers made

The Community Table is looking for donations for their Thanksgiving in a Box drive. The organization is collecting ingredients for Thanksgiving meals to give out to those in need during the holiday season. They are currently looking for mashed potatoes, stuffing, canned veggies, pie filling, and other items to give out. They also give out a Thanksgiving meal the evening of the holiday. Last year, The Community Table gave out 125 Thanksgiving boxes – this year their goal is 150. 

Wisconsin’s Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force will keep working for three more years. The group got a two million dollar grant from the U-S Department of Justice for Victims of Crime to fund additional victim service providers. The task force plans on adding social workers, law enforcement officers, and victim service providers in 2024. They say they will continue to work with communities to keep track of areas more prone to sex trafficking and train its partners throughout the state.

Katrina Phillips, associate professor of history at Macalester College, will present a free public lecture “‘The Land is the Only Thing’: Tracing the History of Ojibwe Activism in Northern Wisconsin,” on Tuesday, Nov. 7, at 4:30 p.m. in the Kinnickinnic Theater in the University Center at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. A reception begins at 4 p.m., with a Q&A session following the talk. The lecture is part of the Edward N. Peterson Lecture Series. Phillips, an enrolled member of

It’s almost time to take the treat hunting door to door for Halloween! Aside from the favorite houses in the neighborhood (full size candy bars versus pencils?) there are ways to see where the best places to trick-o-treat are in the country! Based on a comprehensive analysis of factors including pedestrian safety, child population, Google search trends, walkability scores, and predicted temperatures, folks have ranked and found the top ten states for trick-or-treating in 2023  The Badger State has a

A man is dead after an officer-involved shooting in Watertown. It happened yesterday morning not far from the Luther Preparatory School. State investigators say Watertown Police responded to a property damage call when the suspect took off, then turned toward officers with a gun in his hand. That’s when at least one officer shot and killed him. Luther Prep locked the school down, but school leaders say no children were hurt. The state’s Department of Criminal Investigations is now looking

The number of cars stolen from Milwaukee’s casino continues to rise. Milwaukee Police now say 14 cars have been stolen from the Potawatomi Casino since late last month. Most of the cars that have been stolen are Kias or Hyundais. Milwaukee Police have been dealing with a spike in stolen Kias and Hyundais for years. Potawatomi managers say they are trying to keep an eye on their parking garages. There are no reports of any arrests in the case.

The man who brought a pair of guns to the Wisconsin Capitol to see the governor went back yesterday. Capitol Police say Joshua Pleasnick went back to the statehouse yesterday to get his stuff. Officers arrested Pleasnick  twice on October 4th after he brought his dog and a pistol to the Capitol and demanded to see the governor. He bonded out of jail that afternoon and returned later with a rifle. Police arrested Pleasnick again on Tuesday of this week

Eau Claire’s former sheriff has been named one of the state’s First Responders of the Year. The State Assembly yesterday recognized late Sheriff Ron Cramer for his years of service to the community. His official proclamation at the Capitol recognized his 47 years in law enforcement. The sheriff’s wife accepted his honor in his place.