Wisconsin

Wisconsin Tops 10,000 COVID-19 Deaths

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – COVID-19 has now claimed the lives of more than 10,000 Wisconsin residents. The Wisconsin State Journal reported that state health officials counted 34 deaths on Wednesday, bringing the death total since the pandemic began to 10,014. The state tracked 5,748 COVID-19 deaths last year and 4,266 so far in 2021. Nearly three-quarters of people who died…

Iron County Sheriff’s Deputies Respond to Domestic Disturbance Involving Alcohol, Fully-Loaded Rifle

Deputies repeatedly commanded the man to drop his weapon but he refused, and told them to "just shoot me."

OMA, Wis.- A late-night domestic disturbance call for the Iron County Sheriff’s Office in Wisconsin resulted in a man in custody pending charges including Endangering Safety by Use of a Dangerous Weapon While Intoxicated. According to a press release from the sheriff, around 11:30 Thursday night deputies responded to a call for a domestic disturbance in the town of Oma…

‘Miracle 11’ Makes New Donations To 6 Local Organizations

SUPERIOR, Wis. – It’s been eight years since 11 skydivers with Skydive Superior played with death after a mid-air collision of two planes over Superior. And once again, those skydivers continue to put that highly publicized moment to good use in the community. Miracle 11is a non-profit that donates money every year to local organizations. This year included $2,500 to…

Dozens Of Vehicles Involved In Western Wisconsin Crashes

Courtesy: WI Dept. of Transportation OSSEO, Wis. (AP) – Authorities in western Wisconsin are trying to sort out multiple crashes along Interstate 94. The State Patrol said in a statement that freezing rain early Thursday left the interstate between Menomonie and Black River Falls icy. About 5:45 a.m. a semi-trailer apparently slid in the median near Hixton and caught fire…

Mask Mandate To Be Lifted For Superior School District Jan. 3

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Superior School District is ditching its mask mandate after the holiday break, Supt. Amy Starzecki said in an email Tuesday evening to the Spartan community. Starting Monday, Jan. 3, students, staff and visitors can choose whether to wear a mask in any of the district’s buildings because Starzecki says COVID cases have been on the decrease…

Fairlawn Mansion Hosts Twinkling Evenings

DULUTH, Minn. –Fairlawn Mansion in Superior hosts Twinkling Evenings. Each room in the mansion is decorated with trees and other Christmas décor. Guests are welcome to treats and are challenged to find all the hidden snow globes throughout the mansion. Though the tour is self-guided, hosts are there to share the history and customs once held at Fairlawn. “Christmas was…

20-Member FEMA Headed To Overwhelmed Green Bay Hospital

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A 20-member team from the U.S. Navy is headed to Green Bay’s Bellin Hospital to help the overwhelmed facility treat patients with COVID-19. Gov. Tony Evers announced Tuesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency dispatched the team to assist. Wisconsin hospitals are struggling to keep up with a surge in COVID-19 patients while also dealing with…

Evers Signs Gambling Deal With St. Croix Chippewa

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ administration has signed a deal allowing gambling on sports and other events at St. Croix Chippewa tribal casinos. Evers’ administration announced Monday that it has amended the state’s gambling compact with the tribe to offer event wagering. The St. Croix Tribal Council approved the amendment on Nov. 30. The U.S. Department of…

Wisconsin Health Officials Concerned For COVID Surge Caused By Holidays, Omicron

96% of ICU beds and 98% of immediate care beds are full statewide.

WISCONSIN – State health officials in Wisconsin echo the desperate pleas of those regionally and across the country, declaring a public health advisory as they anticipate a surge in disease activity due to the Omicron variant. There were more than 13 hundred new COVID cases reported in the state yesterday, with 19 Omicron cases detected so far. Experts expect that…

Environmental Testing Finds Presence of Chemical Styrene at Spooner Middle School

SPOONER, Wis. – After a chemical exposure forced an evacuation of the Spooner Middle School, sickening several students and staff last month, district officials say in-person will resume tomorrow. Environmental testing, industrial hygiene, and occupational medicine reviews were conducted in the school, which indicated the presence of the chemical styrene. According to the school district, symptoms of styrene exposure include dizziness,…

Intertribal Agency Faults Wisconsin Review of Line 5 Reroute

SUPERIOR, Wis. – An intertribal agency says Wisconsin’s draft environmental review for a reroute of an oil and gas pipeline is incomplete and flawed. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources released its draft environmental impact statement last week for a roughly 40-mile reroute of Enbridge’s Line 5 in Ashland and Iron counties. The pipeline carries up to 23 million gallons…

Grad Walk Ceremony Celebrates UWS Fall Graduates

Around 50 students participated in the grad walk at the Yellowjacket Union.

SUPERIOR, Wis. — Saturday, dozens of UWS Yellowjackets walked in their cap and gowns to receive their diplomas in person for their fall graduation ceremony. 327 students graduated Saturday and even though the university is not back to traditional ceremonies just yet, they still wanted to recognize students in some way for their accomplishments. Around 50 students participated in the…

Wisconsin Unemployment Ties Monthly Low of 3%

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s unemployment rate tied a record low of 3% in November, a number last hit exactly three years ago, the state Department of Workforce Development reported Thursday. The state rate is below the national unemployment rate of 4.2% for November. The state rate was down from 3.2% in October. Wisconsin gained 12,300 private-sector jobs over the…

UWS Vaccine Clinic to Move to Northwood Technical College

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The COVID community-based vaccine clinic currently being held at UW-Superior will soon be moving to the conference center at Northwood Technical College’s Superior Campus, formerly WITC. “We are proud to have had our campus serve as the site for these services,” said University of Wisconsin-Superior Chancellor Renée Wachter. “Since the clinic opened on April 13, there have…

Milwaukee Submits Bid for Republican National Convention

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The City of Milwaukee has submitted its bid to host the Republican National Convention in 2024. The application, which includes more than 200 pages, highlights the city’s access to Lake Michigan, entertainment venues, festivals, the culinary scene, the Milwaukee Bucks’ championship, the Wisconsin Center expansion, Fiserv Forum, and more. Visit Milwaukee CEO Peggy Williams-Smith said it also…

Green Bay Man Gets 5 Years in Prison for 18th OWI Conviction

GREEN BAY, Wis. – A Green Bay man has been sentenced to five years in prison for his 18th drunken driving conviction. Seventy-four-year-old Wallace Bowers had a valid driver’s license when he was arrested last January after crashing into a power pole on Green Bay’s east side. Bowers pleaded no contest Friday to drunken driving, 10th or more offense. Two…

Wisconsin Men Get Probation In U.S. Capitol Breach

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A federal judge has sentenced two Wisconsin men to probation for joining in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The Wisconsin State Journal reports that 29-year-old Brandon Nelson of Madison and 24-year-old Abram Markofski of La Crosse pleaded guilty in September to a misdemeanor charge of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building….

Bill Allows UW System To Negotiate Tuition Reciprocity

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A bipartisan bill introduced in the state Assembly would give the University of Wisconsin System authority over tuition reciprocity with Minnesota. The legislation would also let UW campuses keep additional revenue from students paying Minnesota tuition rates, revenue that is currently deposited into Wisconsin’s state budget. The reciprocity agreements between Wisconsin and Minnesota have been in…

Christmas Goes to the Dogs at Earth Rider’s Pups & Pints Holiday Party

The pooches were invited to strut their stuff in a pup sweater contest and get a holiday photo with Santa, with proceeds benefitting Animal Allies.

SUPERIOR, Wis.- It was a “furry” Merry Christmas in Superior as Earth Rider Brewery hosted their first Pups & Pints Holiday Party. The pooches were invited to strut their stuff in a pup sweater contest and get a holiday photo with Santa, with proceeds benefitting Animal Allies. Organizers were happy to help get the community’s tails wagging for the holidays….

400 Gallons of Oil Spilled Into Menomonee River in Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Crews with Wisconsin manufacturing company Komatsu are working to clean up an oil spill on the Menomonee River in Milwaukee. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said in a statement that Komatsu, a company based in Japan, spilled 400 gallons of oil into a storm sewer drain at its facility in Milwaukee last week, the Milwaukee Journal…

Wisconsin Regent Panel OKs Out-of-State, Graduate Tuition Increase

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — University of Wisconsin System leaders signed off Thursday on tuition increases for out-of-state undergraduates and graduate students at seven campuses. The Board of Regents’ finance committee approved the plan during a meeting at UW-Madison, setting up a final vote before the full board on Friday. The proposal calls for increases at UW-Madison; UW-Eau Claire; UW-Oshkosh; UW-Platteville;…

COVID-19 Surge Stretches Wisconsin Hospitals to the Limit

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – With COVID-19 surging in Wisconsin, health care leaders say their hospitals across the state are at or near capacity. The seven-day average for new infections in Wisconsin is more than 3,500, which is the highest it’s been in a year. The CEO of Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, Eric Conley, puts it succinctly. “We are full. Period.”…

Superior Angel Fund Seeking Donations

SUPERIOR, Wisc. — The Superior Angel Fund is seeking donations to help local students facing financial barriers. The non-profit has been around since 2018 helping students who can’t afford field trips or ACT exams, for example. Right now, the Superior Angel Fund is seeking monetary donations which are needed now more than ever to assist families affected by the pandemic….

Bayfield County Health Department Reports Five COVID Deaths in November

BAYFIELD COUNTY, Wis. – The Bayfield County Health Department on Tuesday announced there had been five COVID-related deaths in the month of November. Health department officials say this brings the total number of deaths from COVID-19 in the county to 30. “Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of these five patients,” stated Sara Wartman, Health Officer for Bayfield…

11 Wisconsin Students Treated for Breathing Issues in Pool Malfunction

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Eleven students from a private Milwaukee school were taken to the hospital after a chlorine buildup in the pool area caused air quality to deteriorate. Fire officials say the children from St. Augustine Preparatory Academy were treated for breathing problems at Children’s Hospital Wisconsin Monday. Battalion Chief Andrew Hargarten says the students were participating in a swimming…

Superior Police Increasing Traffic Enforcement in an Effort to Reduce Crashes

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Superior Police Department says it is increasing traffic enforcement in an effort to prevent and reduce traffic crashes within the city. According to the police department, crashes are up approximately 25% in 2021 while nationwide data shows crashes have increased 18.4% in the first six months of 2021. “Studies have shown increasing enforcement of speeding, safety…

First Case of the Omicron Variant Identified in Wisconsin

The person with the Omicron variant is an adult male and is a Milwaukee County resident who recently returned from a trip to South Africa.

MADISON, Wis.- The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has detected the state’s first case of the Omicron variant, in a resident with recent travel history to South Africa. According to the DHS, the person with the Omicron variant is an adult male and is a Milwaukee County resident who recently returned from a trip to South Africa. The person…

Wisconsin COVID Patients Packing Hospitals, No Omicron Yet

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Patients with COVID-19, most of them unvaccinated, are packing Wisconsin hospitals at levels not seen for a year, a worrying development even before the new omicron variant has been detected in the state. Amid concerns about the new and little-understood omicron variant, Wisconsin health officials on Thursday urged people to get vaccinated and take other steps…

Prosecutors Add 6th Homicide Count in Wisconsin Parade Crash

(Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department via AP) WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) – Prosecutors have added a sixth homicide count against a Wisconsin man accused of driving his SUV through a Christmas parade in suburban Milwaukee. Investigators allege Darrell Brooks Jr. injured dozens of people and killed six when he turned his vehicle into the parade in Waukesha on Nov. 21. He was…

Children’s Wisconsin Treating 7 Victims From Parade Crash

MILWAUKEE (AP) – Children’s Wisconsin said seven patients injured in last weekend’s Christmas parade crash in suburban Milwaukee are still being treated at the hospital. The facility originally received 16 patients after the driver of a red SUV roared through the parade in Waukesha, killing six people and injuring more than 60. One Children’s Wisconsin patient was released on Sunday,…

Twin Ports Political Leaders, Activists Come Together For Native American Lives

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Native American Heritage Month is throughout November, and this weekend political leaders from the Twin Ports came together with proclamations and cultural awareness. The event was held at the Richard I. Bong Veterans Center in Superior to raise awareness around Native American lives, and some of the serious struggles they are facing like missing and murdered Indigenous…

Richard I Bong Center Holds Thanksgiving For Veterans

SUPERIOR, Wis. — Veterans are among those who deserve to be recognized especially during the holidays, and the Richard I Bong Center in Superior did what they could to give back Thursday. Multiple generous donations from community members and local businesses made this feast possible for for veterans, active military members, and their families. This is the fourth year they’ve…

Midday Update 11-25-21

Local News and Weather Making Headlines Thursday, November 25, 2021

Join FOX 21’s Natalie Noury and Meteorologist Rusty Mehlberg for a local look at news and weather making headlines Thursday, November 25, 2021. Categories: Minnesota, News, News – Latest News, Wisconsin Tags: midday update, Natalie Noury, News, Rusty Mehlberg, Thanksgiving, weather

Morning Update 11-25-21

Local News and Weather Making Headlines Thursday, November 25, 2021

Join FOX 21’s Natalie Noury and Meteorologist Rusty Mehlberg for a local look at news and weather making headlines Thursday, November 25, 2021. Categories: Minnesota, News, News – Latest News, Wisconsin Tags: morning update, Natalie Noury, News, Rusty Mehlberg, Thanksgiving, weather

Minnesota Man Dies in Apparent Hunting Accident in Wisconsin

SAXON, Wis. – Authorities say a Minnesota man was shot and killed in an apparent hunting accident in northwestern Wisconsin. The Iron County Sheriff’s Office says dispatchers received a call around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the town of Saxon. The caller reported an accidental discharge of a firearm, which left one man with serious injuries. When responders arrived on the…

Man Charged With 5 Homicide Counts in Deadly Waukesha Crash

(AP) – Prosecutors in Wisconsin have charged a man with intentional homicide in the deaths of five people who were killed when an SUV was driven into a Christmas parade. Prosecutors say a sixth person, a child, has died and additional charges are pending. Darrell Brooks Jr. was charged with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide in the crash Sunday…

Police: Parade-Crash Suspect Was in a Domestic Disturbance

WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — The man suspected of plowing his SUV into a Christmas parade in suburban Milwaukee, killing at least five people and injuring 48, had been in a domestic disturbance just minutes before, Waukesha’s police chief says. Police Chief Dan Thompson says there is no evidence the crash on Sunday was a terrorist attack. He says police are…

SUV Driver in Wisconsin Parade Crash May Have Been Fleeing a Crime

WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) – A person taken into custody after an SUV plowed into a crowd of holiday parade marchers in Wisconsin, killing at least five people, has been identified as 39-year-old Darrell Brooks. Police haven’t yet identified the “person of interest” they are holding. But two law enforcement officials briefed on the matter provided the identification to The Associated…