Dunn County proposes reduced services, lower taxes

MENOMONIE — The Dunn County Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on its 2027 operating budget in the coming week, as the current proposal would lower the tax rate but see a reduction in services. The proposed budget comes in at roughly $117.4 million, dropping from their budget in 2026 that came in at $129.8 million. County Manager Dan Dunbar said that total includes the cost of benefits such as health insurance. One of the impacts of the proposed budget is a county tax levy increase of 1% to $25.36 million. However, equalized property value growth throughout the county would ultimately allow the county tax rate to decrease from $4.30 per $1,000 of equalized value in 2026 to $4.04 in 2027. A decreasing tax rate has been a trend for the county since 2020. Public budget discussions started in September when Dunn County recognized a budget gap of $1.4 million. Dunbar said the budget as presented is balanced, but changes had to be made to address the deficit. “Just like anybody, we have to buy fuel and buy other supplies, and the cost of inflation is going up. So in order to meet that and in order to live

Eau Claire council members propose changes to downtown paid parking hours, rates

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - Less than four months after the start of paid parking in downtown Eau Claire, changes in the rates and times are being proposed. Paid parking went into effect in downtown Eau Claire on August 1, 2026. It’s been met with criticism from the community and many business owners.

‘In the trenches’: Wisconsin’s struggling small businesses could turn a Trump ally’s district blue

After 18 years in business, Erin Klaus is closing her storefront, a handmade artisan market in downtown Eau Claire, Wisconsin, at the end of the year. She opened Tangled Up in Hue amid a recession, during a time when downtown was "kind of a ghost town", weathering construction and the pandemic. But the current economic crisis proved too much. She's seen a downward trend in sales for two years, and was dipping into her own pocket from her other job, as the executive director of business non-profit Downtown Eau Claire Inc, to pay staff.

Historic Eau Claire cemetery entered into state register

EAU CLAIRE — History is everywhere, according to UW-Eau Claire University Archivist Greg Kocken. It’s often just a matter of recognizing it. The State Historic Preservation Review Board has approved Forest Hill Cemetery to enter the State Register of Historic Places, a promising step into the location eventually being seen as an entrant in the national register, administered by the National Park Service (NPS). With Forest Hill Cemetery being a landscape, Kocken says those can be harder to see entered into the National Register of Historic Places compared to pieces of architecture — buildings often carry aesthetic markers of their respective eras, as well as encompassing famous figures or historic events that took place in the past. The university archivist argues that cemeteries as a whole have a place as important cultural landmarks though, and understanding their importance has become a noticeable trend in recent years. “Right now we’re starting to recognize that those cemeteries are important parts of our communities. They’re historic landscapes,” Kocken said. “They’re part of the cultural identity of a community. It’s more than just the memorials that are present there — it’s the cemetery itself as a part of the city, and recognizing that is

8 County Outdoor Recreation Project Event - November 9th

Join us as we celebrate the completion of two major outdoor recreation plans, reconnect with partners across the region, and look ahead to what's next for the 8-County Outdoor Recreation Project!. Monday, November 9, 2026. 2:00 - 4:00 PM. Roger Marten Center. 120 S Franklin St. Mondovi, WI 54755. Who...

Voters reject 34 Wisconsin school referendums, approve 45

EAU CLAIRE, Wis., (WLAX, WEUX) – Schools across Wisconsin face a major hurdle when it comes to funding after voters said ‘no’ to passing district referendums. State Superintendent Dr. Jill underly released a statement following the election saying there were 79 school referendum questions on the ballot. “The school funding formula is broken, and it […]

Chippewa Manor celebrates Veterans Day

CHIPPEWA FALLS — Lani Rethaber has seen the value that a service dog can bring to a veteran. Rethaber talks about veterans who had become withdrawn and avoid social activities with friends and family, and struggle to sleep. Rethaber is executive director of Wausau-based PatriotK9s of Wisconsin, which places between 11 and 25 dogs with veterans annually. The Chippewa Manor held its 18th annual Veterans Salute on Thursday, where the retirement community home presented Rethaber with a check for $57,100, collected over the past year. "I was overwhelmed," Rethaber said after the ceremony was over. "It's remarkable someone can raise that amount for us." Rethaber brought AISA, a K9 he described as one of their "ambassador dogs" for events like the one Thursday. He's a certified dog trainer, and he said the cost to acquire and train a service dog is now about $30,000. "Our work is about helping that person become independent again," Rethaber said. He told the crowd about the process they go through to find eligible veterans and connect them with the type of dog they need. Jill Gengler, Chippewa Manor campus president, said they started the "Paws For A Cause" fundraising campaign a year ago, with

WisDOT holding public involvement meeting on WIS 25 project - Nov. 9

Proposed work builds roundabouts at County BB West, County BB East. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is holding a public involvement meeting to share details about a proposed intersection improvement project on WIS 25 at County BB West and County BB East north of the Dunn County city of Menomonie.

Jeff Smith defeats challenger Michele Magadance Skinner in Wisconsin’s 31st Senate District race

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - Jeff Smith will be returning to Madison to represent Wisconsin’s 31st Senate District. He defeated challenger Michele Magadance Skinner who currently represents District 11 on the Eau Claire County Board of Supervisors. This will be Smith’s third term as senator in the state legislature....

Colfantastic Christmas in the Village - December 4th

Get ready for a magical evening in Colfax filled with Christmas cheer, community fun, and holiday traditions!. Join us for a MEAT RAFFLE, yummy treats, and holiday fun! The meat raffle drawing will take place right before the parade!. HOT COCOA. Warm up with delicious hot cocoa provided by Bethany...

Democrat Rebecca Cooke tops Derrick Van Orden, flipping seat blue

Democrat Rebecca Cooke took Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, flipping the seat from red to blue in a boost to Democrats’ projected majority in the U.S. House. Republican Derrick Van Orden conceded the race in the 10 p.m. hour, when Cooke had an 8-point lead with about 70 percent of the vote counted.

Wisconsin Deflection Initiative aims to keep people out of  the criminal justice system

School districts often identify students they call “at-risk” who might have a learning disability or low reading or math scores in order to  provide them additional resources and attention to help them keep pace with their classmates and avoid dropping out. In the Wisconsin Deflection Initiative, the “at-risk” people are in the community at large. […]

Local school districts weigh in on school funding outcomes

WINTER, Wis., (WLAX, WEUX)- Local school districts are weighing in on the current state of school funding following Tuesdays’ election. We previously shared voters rejected 34 Wisconsin school referendums and approved 45. The Winter School District is celebrating. Their doors will now remain open. Their operational referendum passed. Taxpayers voting to approve an additional $1.5 […]

Introducing the Care Ledger: Search central Wisconsin assisted living inspection records

A free new Wausau Pilot & Review tool lets families search every state inspection of central Wisconsin assisted living facilities since 2023, including records the state no longer shows. Wausau Pilot & Review designed the Care Ledger to make those public records easier for the community to find and use....

Eau Claire County to vote on budget next Tuesday

EAU CLAIRE — The Eau Claire County Board will vote Tuesday on a proposed $157.3 million 2027 operating budget, which would be a decline from this year’s $165.98 million budget. The property tax levy is $41,728,104, an increase of 1.2% increase from last year. It increased by $483,769. County Administrator Jon Johnson said when focusing on operations, some of the biggest areas are service programs and benefits. “80% of what we do is staffing,” he said. “Some of the things we looked at were compensation analysis and wages, trying to make sure we’re keeping up with the market and inflation. We’ve worked that into the budget that’s important to staff to make sure you know we value our staff and keep the benefits and wages as competitive as possible and the funding environment we’re in.” As costs are going up across the board, Johnson said they have balanced their budget largely through reducing contracted services and staffing. A lot of this work is based on prioritizing core services, which Johnson said they have asked the board to provide guidance on. In the proposed budget, some departments are seeing position changes. The District Attorney’s office, ADRC, Sheriff’s Department and Facilities Department

WisDOT seeks public input on plans to rebuild 5 miles of US 53 in La Crosse County

Freedom Honor Flight discontinues Veterans Day Breakfast

LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- Freedom Honor Flight announced on Thursday that they will be discontinuing the Veterans Day Breakfast hosted with the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Intercollegiate Athletics Department, according to a release .

Wisconsin Has 6 Old Taverns Where The Booths And Bar Date Back Over A Century

Wisconsin has a tavern on nearly every corner, but only a few can say their wooden bars and booths have been around for more than 100 years. These six spots stretch from a tiny Mississippi River town to busy Milwaukee neighborhoods, and each one still opens its doors for regulars and road trippers.

Gas prices fall in Wisconsin and La Crosse County

LA CROSSE COUNTY, Wis. (WKBT) -- Gas prices have dropped since the midterm elections, with regular unleaded averaging $4.10 per gallon in Wisconsin and $3.98 in La Crosse County.

New Mississippi River Bridge at Lansing opens Friday

LANSING, Iowa (WKBT) — The new Mississippi River Bridge at Lansing will open to the public Friday, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m., according to the Iowa and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation.