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This is your WFHR Daily News Roundup for locally grown radio 97.5 FM and 13.20 AM
and WISC country 105.5 FM WIRI in Wisconsin Rapids.
For WFHR and WIRI News, I'm Melissa K.
The Wisconsin Rapids City Council met last night to discuss passing the 2025 City Budget.
Older person Jake Katnaw spoke against passing the budget because no changes were made despite
conversations they had over issues within the budget.
There's one thing in this budget that you don't agree with, you should be voting no to it.
You should not pass a budget just to pass a budget and be done with it.
If there's something in there you don't agree with, we should be voting no and then working out that disagreement
and putting a budget forward to the people.
The council had previously discussed cutting the budget for animal control.
In the end, they chose to keep the original amount in but the contract with the Southwood County Humane Society has not yet been signed.
Older person Madeline Palmquist said she received many emails and phone calls in support of SWCHS.
Palmquist said she didn't think the city would be able to find another contractor before the current contract with SWCHS will expire.
To respect the wishes of our community and to provide the members of that community, the services in a timely fashion.
My motion is to refer this contract back to the property and finance committee to discuss and agree upon terms of the contract.
This motion passed with a seven to one vote.
The council had also discussed cutting the funding for McMillan Library.
Justin Pluis said he received many emails from constituents after that discussion.
One of those emails included a letter from a constituent in his district.
Ruby Marty asked Older person Pluis to share her letter at the meeting in support of the funding for the library.
Without the library, such a valuable resource, our community would be in great trouble as the programs offered through the McMillan Library are done.
So to help encourage the growth and success of the youth in society.
The Wisconsin Rapid City budget passed six to two last night.
Winter weather is knocking on our backdoor step and conveniently.
It's also timed out with Winter Weather Awareness Week.
Meteorologist Brittany Merlot explains.
Winter storms are a brewing.
Do you have the supplies ready at home and for on the road?
It's the basics of dressing warmly.
But having those extra layers in your vehicle too, they're ready to go in case you were to get stranded.
It's being smart and reminding young people.
That's Matt Friedlein with the National Weather Service.
Get a Winter Weather Emergency Kit ready and in your car today.
At home, stock up on additional supplies and have a plan for what to do if you lose power.
Do you have extra batteries or other alternative power sources like a power bank or a generator?
Making sure you know what to do if the furnace doesn't work.
Being able to dress warmly in blankets if it happens at night before you can have it serviced the next day for instance too.
And remember to check on the elderly, making sure that they're set for Winter's wrath as well.
A Wisconsin grocery store chain has to pay a million dollars for shorting customers on their products.
Here's Savannah Tome Olsen.
The Department of Agriculture trade and consumer protection does routine checks of what's available in stores.
Well, last December and this January, they were checking out Roundy's supermarket locations.
That's the parent company of Metro Market and Pick and Save.
And they found 1200 products whose labels were quote unreasonably inaccurate.
Officials say produce, baked goods, fish fillets, pre-made meals were way overpriced for their weight.
Meaning if you bought one of those things, you got much less than you paid for.
The average people were overcharged by $1.44 per item.
These inspections were done at Metro Market and Pick and Save across the state, including Steven's Point and Wassa.
That million dollars will go to the state of Wisconsin as a settlement.
President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday he will nominate former Wisconsin Congressman Sean Duffy to serve as the head of the US Department of Transportation.
Since leaving Congress, Duffy has co-hosted the bottom line on the Fox Business Network and has been a regular contributor on Fox News.
Duffy had represented Wisconsin's seventh congressional district for eight years.
He resigned in 2019 to help care for his newborn daughter.
Duffy will need to be confirmed by the US Senate after the new congressional term begins.
Don't be a victim of a holiday scam this season. Lisa Hale has more.
According to the AARP, 80% of Americans were targeted by at least one holiday scam last year.
Scams are so prevalent, they're a global business.
Says Grant Wheat, Vice President of Risk Management at Verva Credit Union.
This has become its own commerce, right?
Fraud scams is its own business now.
And the US alone last year was estimated $130 billion of American wealth transferred to scammers.
And globally we're looking at a over $3 trillion business across the globe when it comes to fraud and scams.
Wheat says to avoid being scammed, slow down, scrutinize every non-solicited email or text and reach out to someone you trust before sending any money, gift cards or Bitcoin.
There's a call for art in Stevens Point.
Artists ages 18 and up are invited to submit up to three works for a juried exhibition at the Riverfront Art Center.
The theme is Winter's Garden.
This is a botanical themed, open media show.
Submissions are due January 9th and 10th.
While they are seeking diverse interpretations, not all submissions may be selected to ensure a cohesive showcase.
Winter Weather is right around the corner.
Meteorologist Brittany Merlot reports, Wisconsin experiences an average of three to six winter storms during the season.
But last season was slow for snow.
In fact, tons of businesses suffered with the lack of it, especially in the north woods.
But things are changing in the weather pattern.
So a weaklining tends to be better for that to keep it snowing that in frequent systems.
The Alberta Clippers, as we say.
So a lot of nickel and dime snow opportunities, more frequent cold air intrusions too.
That's Matt Friedlein at the National Weather Service.
This week is Winter Weather Awareness Week in Wisconsin.
It is a reminder to have a plan and prep now for the worst winter weather scenarios.
Be one step ahead of the cold and snow this season.
I'm Meteorologist Brittany Merlot.
Wisconsin's food and agricultural sectors reached an economic impact totaling $116.3 billion in 2022,
according to a study by UW-Madison's Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics.
Here's Derek Tritz.
The sectors grew about 10.9 percent between 2017 and 2022,
and made up about 14.3 percent of the state's total economic output.
The study found the sectors provide 353,900 jobs,
which is about 9.5 percent of Wisconsin's workforce.
Our dairy industry contributes about $52.8 billion to the state's economy.
The growth of the state's agriculture industry is due in part to efforts by Governor Tony Evers and his administration,
like the Wisconsin Farm Support Act, which directed $100 million to support farmers in all 72 counties.
The 2023-25 Buy in Your Budget, signed by Governor Evers,
builds on these efforts with additional increases to funding aimed at the health of the industry and the health of the farmers who keep it growing.
I'm Alyssa K for WFHR and WIRI News.
Bucks basketball tonight.
Hi, I'm Mike Clemens with Sports.
The Milwaukee Bucks host the Chicago Bulls at Pfizer Form.
Both teams looking for a chance for back-to-back wins.
On Monday, the Bucks beat the Rockets.
The Bulls got past the struggling 76ers.
College basketball, number 15th ranked Mark Kett with an impressive win in Milwaukee last night,
over number 6 ranked Purdue.
The Golden Eagles 76 to 58 over the Boiler Makers.
At 17 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, and only the third triple double in Mark Kett history,
the last player to do so, Dwayne Wade back in 2003.
Baseball, the Bulls Pat Murphy, named the National League Manager of the Year,
who talked about the challenge of a club being from Milwaukee.
That's what this whole thing is about, you know,
like when you're thinking of a small-market team,
you're thinking of guys that have all been thrown away.
All guys that have been said, no, you're not good enough.
And that's, that's pleasurable to see, you know,
these guys then find an identity and find, you know,
find a way to be successful.
And it's a beautiful thing.
What else can you ask for?
It's, it's, it's special.
They know who they are, they know where they came from.
And they're just there to do their job as a teammate.
They'll do anything you ask and any role.
And, yeah, that's what makes it feel really, really special.
Makes you want to come to the ballpark every day when you have like that.
That's Brewers Manager Pat Murphy with Sports on Mike Clemens.
On your entertainment beat, I'm Pete Schwabba.
Hugh Grant is not a fan of his character in Notting Hill.
It took about 30 years, but the actor with the toothy grin admitted
his character had no guts.
He didn't like the way his character handled Julia Roberts'
character's fame or the paparazzi in the film.
Grant says the rumors that he hates all of his films are untrue
and that it's just that he hates his own characters,
adding that he has self-loathing issues.
That's our Hugh.
The Glickhead Weekend is fast approaching
in Gladiator 2 and Wicked have high hopes for a box office splash.
Wicked is expected to be the box office winner
with Universal Studios hoping for a $100 to $110 million opener.
Paramount is hoping Gladiator 2 pulls in about $65 million,
which would be a healthy start for a film that costs $250 million to make
and another $100 million to market.
Even those healthy estimates would have this two-some fall short
of barbenheimer's opening weekend, which pulled in $230 million.
Houston native Beyonce will perform at halftime of the Baltimore Ravens
used in Texas Game on Christmas Day.
The performance so far is being kept a secret
that it is expected the pop icon will welcome special guests
according to CNN.
The game will be broadcast as streaming giant Netflix's
first ever NFL broadcast.
How excited are fans?
Let's just say this could be the single greatest performance
interrupted by repeated buffering the world has ever seen.
So what do you do when you miss your celebrity ex-wife,
Chloe Kardashian?
If your former NBA hoops to Lamar Odom,
you buy a sex doll that looks just like her.
Yes, it's true.
Odom says he purchased the doll to use as a mental wellness tool.
I need a new medical plan.
On the We're Out of Time podcast, the former Laker said the best part
of sex with a doll who looks like a Kardashian is that it's not
an actual Kardashian.
Have you ever been in a relationship that's been so bad?
It's made you want to jump to your death?
If so, you have something in common with Cher.
The iconic performer and former wife of Sunny Bono says
that she was so miserable and lonely in her loveless marriage,
she considered jumping off a Vegas hotel balcony multiple times.
Let me rephrase.
On multiple occasions, as the kind of thing that would be
tough to do more than once,
the singer says instead of taking her own life,
she ultimately decided to leave her marriage.
Much better option, Cher.
Speaking of falling comedian and former Tonight Show host,
Jay Leno says he fell 60 feet down a rocky hill outside Pittsburgh
before one of his shows.
According to E-News, Leno suffered bruises on his face,
a swollen eye, and a broken wrist.
What does a 74-year-old man do after such an accident?
Check himself out in a restaurant bathroom
and then make his live performance on time.
Now that's a pro.
For more shows, it's fun to tune into Nightlight with me,
Peshwaba.
Weakness from 6-8pm on the Civic Media Radio Network.
Mostly cloudy today with a few scattered snow showers
possible at times, and it is going to get colder
with temperatures falling through the day
into the low 30s by late this afternoon.
Tonight breezy, low of 29 tomorrow,
Flurries windy with a high near 40.
I'm meteorologist Sean Cable.
Outside now, it's 35.
That's your WFHR and WIRI,
Daily News Roundup from Civic Media.
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