Wisconsin

Ashland County Bars and Taverns to Temporarily Close Following Uptick of COVID-19 Cases

ASHLAND COUNTY, Wis. – A public health order was put in place Wednesday by the Ashland County Public Health Department to temporarily close all bars and taverns in the city of Ashland and immediate surrounding areas. The order goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday and will be in place until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, October 11. The health department says…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Wednesday, September 23

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 92,100 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Wednesday morning and 6 new deaths bringing the death total to 1,985 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 1,873,867 tests have been completed to date. There are 83,507 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 7,303 patients have required hospitalization…

Two COVID-19 Cases Confirmed in Drummond School District, Students Move to Virtual Learning

DRUMMOND, Wis. – According to the Bayfield County Health Department, the Drummond School District has confirmed at least two cases of COVID-19 in the district. On Tuesday, the district announced that several students and staff members have been recommended to quarantine following the confirmed cases. As a result, the Drummond Area School District will be moving to a virtual learning…

Two Cases of COVID-19 Confirmed at Ashland High School, Students to Temporarily Move to Virtual Classes

ASHLAND, Wis. – The Ashland County Public Health Department announced Tuesday they are investigating COVID-19 exposure in the Ashland School District after one student and one staff member at Ashland High School tested positive for coronavirus. The Ashland school district says over twenty students and nine staff members are currently in a cautionary quarantine to help prevent additional exposures. So…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Tuesday, September 22

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 91,422 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Tuesday morning and 10 new deaths bringing the death total to 1,979 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 1,863,694 tests have been completed to date. There are 82,833 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 7,253 patients have required hospitalization…

Evers Extends Wisconsin Mask Mandate Until Nov. 21

(courtesy: WI Dept of Health Services via AP) MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Faced with soaring coronavirus cases across Wisconsin, particularly on college campuses, Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday extended a statewide mask mandate until Nov. 21. The order, which has been in effect since August, was scheduled to expire on Monday. Evers extended the order even as his authority to…

Wisconsin Health Officials Recommend Against Usual Trick-or-Treating

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — State health officials are recommending against trick-or-treating as usual this Halloween because of the coronavirus pandemic. Going house-to-house and having in-person contact is not a good idea, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. If individual communities decide to go ahead with traditional trick-or-treating, health officials recommend leaving individual treat bags on the porch for…

1 Killed, 1 Injured in Head-On Crash in Bayfield County

TOWN OF BARKSDALE, Wis. — One person is dead and another was hospitalized Monday after a reported erratic driver slammed into oncoming traffic — setting both vehicles on fire. The accident happened Monday just before 12:30 p.m. on Wedal Road in the Town of Barksdale, which is in Bayfield County. First responders and a bystander helped get the victims out…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Monday, September 21

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 90,942 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Monday morning and 4 new deaths bringing the death total to 1,969 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 1,855,308 tests have been completed to date. There are 82,174 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 7,199 patients have required hospitalization…

Biden Headed to Manitowoc for Second Wisconsin Visit

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Former Vice President Joe Biden plans to campaign Monday in northeast Wisconsin for his second visit to the battleground state this month. Biden’s campaign announced Sunday that the Democratic presidential nominee would be campaigning in Manitowoc, a city of about 32,000 that’s on the shores of Lake Michigan about 80 miles north of Milwaukee. Biden did…

Wisconsin Secretary Resigns Amid Unemployment Claim Backlog

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Department of Workforce Development’s top leader resigned Friday after failing to find a way to address a massive backlog of unprocessed unemployment benefit claims sparked by the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Tony Evers’ office said Caleb Frostman stepped down after the governor called for his resignation. Evers, a Democrat, has been taking intense criticism for…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Friday, September 18

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 87,807 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Friday morning and 8 new deaths bringing the death total to 1,950 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 1,791,680 tests have been completed to date. There are 80,221 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 7,091 patients have required hospitalization…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Thursday, September 17

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 86,722 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Thursday morning and 9 new deaths bringing the death total to 1,942 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 1,763,735 tests have been completed to date. There are 79,878 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 7,050 patients have required hospitalization…

Pence Returns to Upper Midwest After Trump, Biden Visits

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence returns to the upper Midwest next week following visits this week by President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden, the Trump campaign announced Thursday. Pence will start a bus tour next Thursday in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where he will speak at the building materials company Midwest Manufacturing Inc. before traveling…

Woman Sues Univ. of Wisconsin Over Cephus’ Reinstatement

(Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A woman who accused former Badgers football player Quintez Cephus of sexual assault in 2018 is suing the University of Wisconsin-Madison over its decision to reverse Cephus’ expulsion and allow him back on the football team. While a university investigation concluded Cephus “more likely than not” sexually assaulted the woman, he…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Wednesday, September 16

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 85,813 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Wednesday morning and 7 new deaths bringing the death total to 1,933 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 1,743,611 tests have been completed to date. There are 79,583 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 7,019 patients have required hospitalization…

Wisconsin Sees High COVID Infection Rate, Loss of FEMA Funding For PPE in Schools and Other Public Entities

MADISON, Wis. — Governor Tony Evers’ administration shared an update on Tuesday that Wisconsin is dealing with a high COVID-19 infection rate, while FEMA has pulled funding to help supply PPE to public entities like schools. During Tuesday’s update, the administration shared that Wisconsin hit a new record for the number of COVID-19 test results coming back positive in a…

Absentee Ballots In High Demand, Won’t Need to be Re-printed in Wisconsin

WISCONSIN — Absentee ballots, which are in high demand this election year, can continue to print the way they are in Wisconsin after Monday’s state Supreme Court ruling. The Wisconsin Supreme Court judges ruled that absentee ballots would not need to be re-printed to include Green Party presidential candidate Howie Hawkins. Before this decision was made, the high court put…

Wisconsin Election Clerks Rush to Mail Ballots After Delay

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Election clerks in Wisconsin are rushing to mail absentee ballots less than 24 hours after the state Supreme Court lifted its temporary freeze on sending them while it considered a legal challenge. The Town of Greenville clerk who also serves as president of the Wisconsin Municipal Clerks Association says clerks across the state are “busy.” More…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Tuesday, September 15

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 85,351 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Tuesday morning and 5 new deaths bringing the death total to 1,927 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 1,733,292 tests have been completed to date. There are 78,953 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 6,979 patients have required hospitalization…

Pence Highlights Law and Order During Wisconsin Visit

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence is emphasizing President Donald Trump’s commitment to “law and order” during a campaign stop in swing-state Wisconsin on Monday. Pence spoke Monday at a hotel in Janesville, about 70 miles from Kenosha where sometimes violent protests erupted following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Pence credited Trump with stopping the violence in…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Monday, September 14

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 84,949 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Monday morning and 3 new deaths bringing the death total to 1,922 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 1,724,779 tests have been completed to date. There are 78,238 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 6,954 patients have required hospitalization…

Faculty Senate Considers Dropping Spring Break at UW-Madison

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The University of Wisconsin-Madison is thinking about eliminating spring break next semester to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The university’s Faculty Senate is expected to vote on revising the 2021 spring calendar at a meeting Monday. Officials say dropping spring break would discourage students and staff from traveling long distances and bringing COVID-19 back to…

Award-Winning Author Discusses New Book, “Wisconsin’s Best Autumn Hikes”

As Fall Approaches, Author Rob Bignell Helps Leaf-Lookers Explore Best Hiking Spots in Wisconsin

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Wis. – With autumn-like temperatures blanketing much of the Northland, soon fall colors will pop throughout the many forests in northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. It can be daunting to know where the best trails are when on the search for fall foliage, but one Wisconsin author is looking to help. Award-winning author and editor Rob Bignell spent…

Vikings, Packers Start NFL Season With Border Battle, Northland Fans Excited

Fans were excited to get back to the gridiron after a canceled preseason.

DULUTH, Minn.- Football fans in Minnesota and Wisconsin were pumped up for the first Football Sunday of the 2020 NFL season — a border battle between the Vikings and the Packers. The Reef Bar in Duluth was filled with purple and yellow for the first time since last year. Fans were excited to get back to the gridiron after a…

Wisconsin Woman Dies in Head on Crash With School Bus

SAWYER COUNTY, Wis. – The Sawyer County Sheriff’s Office says a Wisconsin woman died in a head-on collision with a school bus Thursday evening. The two-vehicle crash happened around 6:30 p.m. at the intersection of State Highway 40 and State Highway 48 in the Town of Weirgor. Authorities say that a 2015 Bruce School District school bus was traveling north…

Wisconsin Supreme Court Action on Ballots Raises Questions

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision to halt the mailing of absentee ballots raised concerns about creating delays and confusion in the presidential battleground state. The court’s decision came Thursday, just 54 days before the Nov. 3 election. The halt is only temporary but it’s unclear when it will make a final ruling that will restart the…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Friday, September 11

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 82,716 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Friday morning and 13 new deaths bringing the death total to 1,897 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 1,665,328 tests have been completed to date. There are 75,757 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 6,863 patients have required hospitalization…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Thursday, September 10

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 82,249 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Thursday morning and 15 new deaths bringing the death total to 1,884 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 1,646,961 tests have been completed to date. There are 75,425 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 6,830 patients have required hospitalization…

Update: Douglas County Man Killed While Servicing Dump Truck

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Superior police have released more details about the industrial accident that killed a man Tuesday morning in Superior’s South End. According to a recent press release, officers responded to Kimmes Oil and Tire around 9:15 a.m. for a report of an accident. When officers and rescue personnel arrived at the scene they learned that a 21-year-old male…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Wednesday, September 9

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 81,868 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Wednesday morning and 7 new deaths bringing the death total to 1,869 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 1,621,174 tests have been completed to date. There are 75,055 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 6,792 patients have required hospitalization…

First Frost Of Season Could Be Concerning For Gardeners

Gardeners say frost can cause a plant's growth rate to decline immediately.

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Temperatures are starting to drop for the season and maybe creating frost concerns for local gardeners. Experts say when frost hits the vegetation will go into conservation mode and save nutrients down into the roots. The pores on leaves will also close to prevent the cold from coming in, which could cause the plant’s cells to freeze…

The EPA Awards Funding To Restore Environmental Areas Of Concern In Twin Ports

"When you clean up the water, remove the contamination, and restore the habitat, it is an immediate benefit for the environment and the community," said Kurt Thiede, Regional Administrator for the EPA.

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it will be providing nearly $14 million in funding to help rehabilitate environmental areas of concern along the St. Louis River and the Great Lakes. The financial support is part of the EPA’s five-year plan to restore environments within the great lakes. The St. Louis River in the Twin Ports has…

One Dead After ‘Industrial Accident’ in Superior

SUPERIOR, Wis. – Superior Police say one person has died in an ‘isolated industrial accident’ in Superior Tuesday morning. According to police, officers responded to reports of an accident at a business located in the South End around 9:15 a.m. Authorities say after arriving at the scene they learned that someone had an accident that involved a heavy piece of…

UW-Madison Restricts Student Movement Amid Coronavirus Spike

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is ordering undergraduate students to limit their movements for the next two weeks in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. Chancellor Rebecca Blank’s order comes as cases among students have been rising. From now through Sept. 21, all student gyms and recreational facilities will be closed, dining halls…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Tuesday, September 8

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 81,608 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Tuesday morning and 2 new deaths bringing the death total to 1,862 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 1,616,738 tests have been completed to date. There are 74,235 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 6,760 patients have required hospitalization…

Ruth House In Superior Needs Donations

Walking Ministries, which runs Ruth House, will soon open two new locations in Washburn and Burnett counties.

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Ruth House in Superior is preparing its warming centers before those cold nights hit the Northland, but they are asking for the community’s help. The local organization currently has warming centers in both Duluth and Superior. The group is looking for donations of cots, blankets and, sleeping bags. They are also hoping members of the community…

Kamala Harris, Mike Pence to Both Be in Wisconsin on Monday

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris is scheduled to make her first campaign appearance in battleground Wisconsin on Labor Day in Milwaukee, while Vice President Mike Pence was headed to western Wisconsin. The dual appearances by Pence and Harris come just days after President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden were in Kenosha two days…

Kanye West Lawsuit Over November Ballot Stays in State Court

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Rapper Kanye West’s lawsuit demanding election officials place him on Wisconsin’s presidential ballot in November will remain in state court. U.S. District Judge William Griesbach decided late Thursday to keep the matter in state court, rejecting the Wisconsin Elections Commission’s attempt to move it to federal court. Griesbach said the case should remain in state…

Updated COVID-19 Numbers: Friday, September 4

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota health officials reported 78,966 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state Friday morning and 10 new deaths bringing the death total to 1,847 in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, 1,558,831 tests have been completed to date. There are 70,537 patients who no longer require isolation. So far, 6,635 patients have required hospitalization…

Uw-Whitewater Chancellor on Leave, Complaint Investigated

(courtesy: UW System) MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater has been placed on paid leave while a complaint against him is investigated. A statement from UW System President Tommy Thompson did not disclose the nature of the complaint against Dwight Watson. Thompson said university officials will have no further comment on the personnel matter right…