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A group of Republican lawmakers want to make sure the top high school graduates in the state have a seat at the University of Wisconsin’s biggest campus. State Rep. Jerry O’Connor and others are pitching a plan that would give automatic UW-Madison admission to anyone who graduates in the top five-percent of their class. O’Connor says the idea is to keep the state’s best and brightest within Wisconsin. The university yesterday said it shares the same goal, but didn’t say if the

 Xcel Energy announced today a $5,000 grant to The Community Table, an Eau Claire-based nonprofit, as part of the Xcel Energy Foundation’s 2023 Employee Choice Grant awards. The Community Table received the most votes from Xcel Energy employees in Wisconsin and Michigan. Each year, employees nominate nonprofits for the award. A panel of employees select finalists that align with the company’s values and Foundation’s focus areas, and employees statewide then vote for a single finalist. “We live and work in our

“Sometimes the abuse may not be as obvious as a bruise or broken bone…” Up to five million Americans ages 60 and above experience some form of abuse every year, according to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), however only one in 24 cases of abuse are reported to authorities. The organization also says most elder abuse victims are female, and often have physical disabilities, memory lapses or dementia, however all senior citizens are at risk. As part of June’s

A former University of Wisconsin football player is getting an opportunity to avoid criminal charges. Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne says 19-year-old Markus Allen has been placed into the deferred prosecution program.  Madison police arrested Allen in April after allegedly finding a stolen handgun in his backpack during the Mifflin Street Block Party.  The DA says he will not face prosecution if he completes the requirements assigned by the county.  The former Badgers wide receiver announced plans to enter the transfer

Police are releasing more information on a body found in the Mississippi River in La Crosse last week. Investigators say the remains had an initial examination at the Mayo Clinic. Initial indications are that the body had been in the river for approximately five years and it could have been someone who was hunting at the time they entered the river, either from a back water or a tributary. The remains will be further examined by a forensic anthropologist.

The statewide Air Quality Advisory issued by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is in place for much of this week.  Smoke from Canadian wildfires again moved into the region yesterday, particularly impacting the eastern half of the state.  Officials expect the heaviest particle counts from noon today to noon tomorrow, with an Air Quality Index rated at Very Unhealthy or Hazardous possible in some areas.  Outdoor activity should be limited for young children, older adults, and individuals who suffer from respiratory

The intersection of Brackett and Hastings is the most dangerous intersection in Eau Claire. That’s according to a recent traffic safety report by the Chippewa and Eau Claire Metropolitan Planning Organization, which showed the intersection showed the most traffic crashes in Eau Claire. There have been 128 crashes at this intersection within a five-year span from 2017 to 2021.

Wisconsin is getting a significant investment to increase access to high-speed internet.  More than one-billion dollars has been set aside for broadband expansion in the state through the one-point-two-trillion-dollar federal infrastructure bill that passed in 2021.  U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin says the dollars will help close the “digital divide” in Wisconsin, benefiting business and education.  Officials say 20 percent of the money will be distributed through subgrants, likely next summer, with state leaders placed in charge of investing the remainder into various

A record-breaking weekend on Wisconsin roads is likely coming up ahead of Independence Day.  Triple A expects more than one-million state residents to travel more than 50 miles from home between Friday and next Tuesday, July fourth.  The travel club says congested roads, fully-booked hotels, and packed attractions are likely across the state.  Experts say more than 50-million Americans are expected to take a trip over the holiday, with roughly 85 percent traveling by car.