Marshfield, WI

<div><p class="exclude-from-newsgate"><em> Correction: Because of state-imposed caps on how much municipalities can increase property taxes, Marshfield found during its budget process toward the end of 2022 that its could only increase the tax levy by 0.554%. The percentage of the tax levy increase was incorrect in a previous version of this story. </em></p><p> MARSHFIELD − On April 4, the city will ask voters to consider a <a href="https://www.marshfieldnewsherald.com/story/news/local/2022/12/22/marshfield-council-leans-toward-referendum-to-add-police-firefighters/69731025007/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> referendum </a> approving increased property taxes to pay for needed staff in the Marshfield police and fire departments. </p><p> During the budget process toward the end of 2022, the city found state-imposed caps on how much municipalities can increase property taxes meant the city could only increase the tax levy by 0.554%. The limit, along with inflation, meant the city had to cut expenses to balance the budget. </p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p> "The city is in a tough spot," <a href="https://www.marshfieldnewsherald.com/story/news/local/2022/12/07/spring-referendum-could-ask-marshfield-residents-to-pay-higher-taxes-for-police-and-fire-services/69703285007/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Police Chief Jody Geurink told the Marshfield News-Herald in December </a> . </p><p> To balance the budget, the city had to cut 4% of each department's budget for 2023. Because of this, the police and fire departments indicated they'd have to make serious cuts to services. To counteract the budget shortfalls and prevent decreases in services, a public safety referendum was proposed asking voters to approve an estimated $1.1 million annual increase to the tax levy. </p><h2 class="presto-h2"> What will voters be asked to approve? </h2><p> If the referendum is approved, the extra money would pay for hiring nine firefighter/paramedics, one police officer, one police department records specialist and one administrative assistant whose time would be split between the two departments. </p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p> During the past decade, Marshfield Fire and Rescue's staffing has remained the same. During the same decade, the calls for service have increased by 55%, according to city information. About 25% of calls come in more than one at a time, making it difficult to respond to every call in a timely manner. If the referendum is approved, it will allow the fire department to fill three positions that were left vacant in 2022, plus add six new positions. </p><p> The fire department already had cut the three positions in 2022 because the Emergency Medical Services Enterprise Fund had come up short of projections. The fund is from payments made to the department for its services. </p><p> The previous administration had overestimated money coming into the fund and underestimated the delinquent payments, Marshfield Fire Chief Pete Fletty told the News-Herald in December. Medicaid and Medicare payments are not enough to cover the cost of responding to an ambulance call, Fletty said. </p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p> The budget cuts for 2023 in the Marshfield Police Department prevented the department from replacing positions caused by resignations in 2022. It has meant the department has less time to carry out non-emergency duties. </p><p> The loss of a retired records specialist is a problem for the department because the person in the position types up reports submitted to the Wood County District Attorney's Office so charges can be filed. </p><h2 class="presto-h2"> How much will the referendum cost taxpayers? </h2><p> The state limits the amount Marshfield can tax residents for 2024 at about $15.8 million. The city needs about $16.9 million to cover the needs of the fire and police departments, according to information provided by the city. The $1.1 million referendum would add an additional $78.45 per year in city taxes for someone who owns a home valued at $100,000, starting with the bills issued in December 2023. The increase would continue in subsequent years. </p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><h2 class="presto-h2"> What happens if the referendum fails? </h2><p> The issue isn't unique to Marshfield. Police and fire departments across the state are struggling to meet the needs of growing communities. The Marshfield departments have worked to meet the needs of the community by looking for areas to cut costs, collaborating with groups outside the departments and prioritizing services. </p><p> If the referendum fails, the city will have to make difficult decisions about how to deal with the growing need for public safety services, according to the city. It would have a negative effect on safety in Marshfield as calls for service outpace the number of available staff. </p><p> Both the fire and police departments have worked and will continue to work to get grants to help pay for the positions. </p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p></p><iframe height="314" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMarshfieldBroadcasting%2Fvideos%2F758999635640608%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="100%"></iframe><h2 class="presto-h2"> Where can I get more information about the referendum? </h2><p> The city is holding informational meetings at 6:30 p.m. March 15 at Hotel Marshfield and at 6:30 p.m. March 23 in the Campus Connector hallway (between the Science and STEM buildings) at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point at Marshfield Campus. </p><p> The city also has additional information available on its website at <a href="https://ci.marshfield.wi.us/community/public_safety_referendum.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> ci.marshfield.wi.us/referendum </a> . </p><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><p><strong> More: </strong><a href="https://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/story/news/local/2023/03/07/wood-county-restaurant-inspections-one-has-7-violations-seven-ace-reports/69964718007/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Wood County inspections: One restaurant has 7 violations and seven ace reports </a></p><p><strong> More: </strong><a href="https://www.marshfieldnewsherald.com/story/money/2023/03/02/five-below-confirms-marshfield-mall-location-opening-plans/69955605007/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> A third retailer announces opening plans for Marshfield Mall location </a></p><p><em> Contact Karen Madden at 715-345-2245 or <a href="mailto:kmadden@gannett.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> kmadden@gannett.com </a> . Follow her on Twitter @KMadden715, Instagram @kmadden715 or Facebook at </em><a href="http://www.facebook.com/karen.madden.33" rel="nofollow"> www.facebook.com/karen.madden.33 </a> . </p><p></p><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1rJzYj_0lIB7g2P00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1rJzYj_0lIB7g2P00" width="1728" height="1728" ><b> SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM: </b> Our subscribers make this coverage possible. Click to see the Marshfield News-Herald's special offers at <a href="https://cm.marshfieldnewsherald.com/specialoffer?gps-source=CPNEWS&amp;itm_medium=onsite&amp;itm_source=news&amp;itm_campaign=NEWSROOM&amp;itm_content=CPNEWS" rel="nofollow"> marshfieldnewsherald.com/subscribe </a> and download our app on the <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/marshfield-news-herald/id531372135" rel="nofollow"> App Store </a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gannett.local.library.news.marshfieldnewsherald&amp;hl=en_US" rel="nofollow"> Google Play. </a><p><em> This article originally appeared on Marshfield News-Herald: <a href="https://www.marshfieldnewsherald.com/story/news/politics/elections/2023/03/14/what-marshfield-voters-need-to-know-about-a-public-safety-referendum-april-4-election/69984824007/" rel="nofollow"> What Marshfield voters need to know about a $1.1M public safety referendum </a></em></p></div>

New Hampshire State

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Manchester, NH

InDepthNH.org

Concord, NH – Attorney General John M. Formella announces that John Santiago a.k.a. Freddy Muniz, age 46, has been sentenced for his conviction of (i) conspiracy to sell fentanyl; and (ii) possession with intent to sell approximately half a kilo of fentanyl. Mr. Santiago was found guilty after a jury trial in September of 2023.

Fentanyl Offender Receives 20 Years to Life Sentence in State Prison

Arizona State

Tucson, AZ

Lance R. Fletcher

Former Minneapolis, Minn. police officer Derek Chauvin was stabbed by another inmate at an Arizona federal prison, according to an Associated Press source. The former police officer convicted of the murder of George Floyd, has been incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tuscon, Ariz. The FCI is a medium-security prison recently plagued with staff shortages and security lapses. In January, the prison was placed on lockdown just months after an attempted shooting inside the facility.

Derek Chauvin stabbed in Tucson federal prison while serving sentence for murder of George Floyd

Texas State

Edinburg, TX

T. Ware

“We need a president who’s going to secure the border,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott said to the crowd before officially endorsing Donald J. Trump for president. “You’ll go back to normal governing. You won’t have to worry about the border anymore,” the former president told the governor.

Gov Greg Abbott "won’t have to worry about the border anymore”

El Paso, TX

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) statistics indicate more than 140,000 pounds of methamphetamine were confiscated in 2023. But there's a little more added to the pile, according to a release from the law enforcement agency.

Border Patrol says Mexican woman arrested in attempt to smuggle over 350 pounds of meth into Texas

Phoenix, AZ

Chandler, AZ

Greyson F

Another week, another restaurant performed poorly on its annual health inspection. Little is often done to these restaurants that do not score well on the once-a-year visit from the health inspector. Whether the business receives a poor grade or fails entirely, the restaurant will almost always remain open (it takes multiple failures stacked on top of each other for a food license to be pulled from an establishment). And while that is the case, it is important for the general public to know of the poorly performing restaurants, so they can make their own educational decisions on whether to return to the restaurant or not. This includes one metro Phoenix restaurant that scored a D on its most recent inspection.

Local Restaurant Gets D Health Grade After Seafood Cross-Contamination

New Jersey State

Concord, NH

CONCORD – A New York man was sentenced Monday in federal court in Concord for transporting stolen goods from Home Depot and Lowe’s across state lines, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.

NY Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing $200,000 in Goods from Lowe’s and Home Depot

Kansas State

Iola, KS

CJ Coombs

The Northrup House at 318 East Street in Iola, Kansas (Allen County) was constructed around 1895. This house is 128-years-old and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 12, 1997. It is privately owned.

128-year-old house in Iola, Kansas evolved into a bed and breakfast before it was sold

San Antonio, TX

Tom Handy

On Monday, there were over 19,100 illegal migrants in custody along the Texas border. The migrants caused a temporary closure of vehicles in the Eagle Pass area, just south of San Antonio.

19,100 Migrants Bound For Texas Stranded Due to Border Closure

Minneapolis, MN

Limitless Media

The northern lights might make another appearance across the northern portions of the United States over the next three days! This light show potential is thanks to three Coronal Mass Ejections, also known as CMEs, that were released from the Sun over the past two days. A smaller light show may occur Saturday evening, and a larger aurora event could be in store for Sunday!

Northern Lights Display Possible Across Parts of the Northern United States This Weekend

Salem, OR

Robbie Newport

The average person never thinks the bad things they read in the news will ever happen to them, that is, unless they have been a victim of crime themselves. This is a lesson a Salem, OR mom learned the hard way when she left her car running with her two children inside while she went into a convenience store in the early hours on Nov. 8.

Mom learns a lesson about leaving her car running with children inside while going into a store

Middlesex County, NJ

Perth Amboy, NJ

Morristown Minute

Damaris Valerio, 41, faces charges for allegedly misappropriating nearly $700,000 in government pandemic aid, highlighting a case of significant fraud in Middlesex County. Damaris Valerio, a 41-year-old woman from Perth Amboy, Middlesex County, New Jersey, has been arrested for allegedly obtaining over $694,000 through fraudulent means from COVID-19 emergency relief funds, including Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds.

NJ Woman Arrested in $700k Government Relief Fraud

Morris County, NJ

Roxbury Township, NJ

Lara Emanuele, a 46-year-old Morris County resident, was found in Roxbury Township; preliminary investigation suggests non-suspicious circumstances. Morristown, NJ – The prolonged search for Lara Emanuele, a 46-year-old Morris County teacher reported missing since June, reached a somber conclusion. Authorities announced the discovery of her remains in a secluded Roxbury Township area, bringing an end to a mystery that has gripped the local community.

Missing Morris County Teacher Found Deceased

Denver, CO

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journalist

David Heitz

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston was clear Saturday when someone asked during a House1000 town hall meeting what will happen to those who say no to free housing. He said taking 1,000 people off the streets with accepting an offer of free housing “allows us to focus much more rigorously on the enforcement of those who don’t (want the housing).” He said those in the grips of addiction will be offered “outpatient treatment and if not, we will get you inpatient treatment.” Johnston made his remarks during a town hall meeting at Evans School in Golden Triangle. The forum answered questions from neighbors of proposed micro community sites at 1199 N. Bannock and 1375 N. Elati.

Denver homeless encampment crackdowns will include mandated addiction treatment, mayor says

Wisconsin State

Illinois State

Standard, IL

Natalie Frank, Ph.D.

Small earthquake reported Wednesday morning near Standard, IL. In the early hours of Wednesday, a magnitude 3.6 earthquake sent shockwaves through northern Illinois and adjacent regions, stirring residents and triggering a surge of emergency calls to 911, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and local law enforcement.

Earthquake Tremors Jolt Northern Illinois, Beyond

Pasco, WA

Benton County, WA

Tim A Gruver

The former owner of Himalaya Adult Family Home is banned from working in long-term care ever again. A former Benton County nursing home owner has lost her license over allegations that she left elderly patients under her care to die, the Department of Health reports.

Nursing Home Owner Loses License: Allegedly Abandoning, Starving Patients

Hewitt, WI

Auburndale, WI

Spencer, WI

Chili, WI

Stratford, WI

Arpin, WI

Unity, WI

Milladore, WI

Granton, WI

Pittsville, WI

Loyal, WI

Vesper, WI

Edgar, WI

Colby, WI

Abbotsford, WI

Junction City, WI

Greenwood, WI

Rudolph, WI

Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Marshfield News Herald

Correction: Because of state-imposed caps on how much municipalities can increase property taxes, Marshfield found during its budget process toward the end of 2022 that its could only increase the tax levy by 0.554%. The percentage of the tax levy increase was incorrect in a previous version of this story.
                        MARSHFIELD − On April 4, the city will ask voters to consider a referendum approving increased property taxes to pay for needed staff in the Marshfield police...

What Marshfield voters need to know about a $1.1M public safety referendum

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