La Crosse judge orders North Side home closed after years of drug complaints

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — A La Crosse County judge signed an order Friday to immediately close a North Side home tied to years of drug complaints.

Western Wisconsin school districts face budget gaps after voters reject funding referendums

BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. (WKBT) — Voters in several local school districts rejected requests for more funding Tuesday, leaving districts with budget problems to solve.

Downtown Mainstreet shutdown brings change in La Crosse Center concessions

The disbanding of La Crosse’s Downtown Mainstreet, Inc. (DMI), may have a ripple effect on a few local businesses. That includes the La Crosse Center. DMI, which voted this week to disband at the end of the year, has provided concessions at Center events, but that will end on Dec. 1.

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...

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

St. Charles and Stewartville Hy-Vee Pharmacies closing at the end of November, city leaders pushing back

(ABC 6 News) – After the Hy-Vee Pharmacies in St. Charles and Stewartville announced they will close on Nov. 30 at 12:30 p.m., city leaders are pushing back on the plan. St. Charles city leaders said they requested an urgent meeting with Hy-Vee corporate representatives to explore options to keep the pharmacy open. City leaders […]

‘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.

Live music performance venue proposed for former downtown Micon theater

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - A live music performance venue is planning to open at the former downtown Micon Cinemas location. As WEAU 13 News reported in October, Micon Cinemas announced they were selling their downtown location. They cited extensive smoke damage and ongoing challenges related to parking as the reasons.

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

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.

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.

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 […]

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

‘It gives us a smile too,’ CVTC expands annual veterans healthcare event

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - With Veterans Day less than a week away, Chippewa Valley Technical College is expanding its free veterans healthcare event as it prepares for the 10th annual “Give Vets a Smile” coming up this Saturday, November 7th. This event will provide a full roster...

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.

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...

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. […]

Cooke speaks to media, thanks supporters for her victory

EAU CLAIRE — Rebecca Cooke thanked her supporters Friday after she defeated incumbent Derrick Van Orden (R-Prairie du Chien) in the Third Congressional District race Tuesday. Cooke addressed area media in a Zoom conference call, where she discussed her immediate next steps forward, from setting up her offices to her goals of her first 100 days after she's sworn in. "I'm really excited for our victory. I'm excited to be able to move the ball forward and work on the campaign promises I made," Cooke said. "Right now, people are hanging on by a thread, trying to pay for everyday things. I am focused on delivering felt results for people. We want to show people that when you vote for a Democrat, your life improves." As of Friday morning, Cooke had received 172,757 votes (52.4%), to Van Orden's 150,872 (45.8%). Two other candidates combined for another 1.7% of the vote. An estimated 99% of the vote has been counted. Cooke won only seven of the 19 counties across the district but she carried Eau Claire County, 31,706 (62.2%) to Van Orden's 18,489 (36.3%)."I was surprised by the margin," she said. "To have such a resounding victory is exciting for us,

Sheriff’s races appear on Tuesday’s ballots

Three county sheriff’s races went before voters on Tuesday. The most notable one was in Monroe County where Mike Krause won against current Sheriff Wes Revels, who was running as a write-in candidate. Revels’ endorsed candidate Chris Weaver lost to Krause in the August primary, prompting the sheriff to...

77% of La Crosse County registered voters cast ballots

LA CROSSE COUNTY, Wis. (WKBT) -- About 77% of registered voters in La Crosse County cast ballots in the election, roughly 3 percentage points below the county’s turnout in the previous midterm elections.