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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 Kaye.
One 16-year-old is dead and another injured after a one vehicle crash near Almond last night.
According to officials, it seems the 2008 Ford Ranger was traveling north on Harding Avenue in Portage County
a little after 9 PM when it left the roadway and struck a tree.
The 16-year-old male driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
The 16-year-old female passenger was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Names are not being released, but both teens are from Plainsfield.
If you have frozen chicken and cheese to keto products in your freezer from Aldi, you'll want to check the package.
There's a recall on quesa mamita, chicken and cheese to quitos produced on July 3rd and September 25th.
Over 24,000 pounds of to keto products are being recalled.
They have best by dates of 7, 3, 25 and 9, 25, 25 on the bottom panel.
A consumer found a piece of metal in the chicken and cheese to keto and another person reported a dental injury from the product.
If you have these in your freezer, you should throw them out or return them to the Aldi where you purchased them.
Gas prices fell 3.9 cents last week.
The average across the state is 297 today.
This is 0.8 cents higher than a month ago and 3.2 cents per gallon higher than this time last year.
Officials at gas buddies say it's been a relatively quiet week with little overall movement on the national average.
However, the cold temperatures could impact prices if refiners face disruptions.
Real prices have climbed to their highest level since October, which could soon lead to more noticeable increases in gas prices.
Once refinery maintenance season hits and refiners reduce gasoline production, motorists could see increases at the pump.
Prices in central Wisconsin today range from 260 to 279 per gallon.
If you see a sick or dying bird, you shouldn't touch it.
Marshfield City officials are reinforcing the DNR's advice to minimize contact with wildlife that looks sick because of avian influenza.
Several wild geese were found on the ice at Wildwood Park's upper and lower ponds in December.
These were not zoo animals and were removed after ice conditions were safe.
Soon after a barn owl and crow were also found dead.
The avian influenza tests on them are still pending.
The animals at Wildwood Zoo are being monitored and currently all animals in the zoo are free from illness.
If you keep backyard chickens, you should remain vigilant and practice good hygiene.
If you see sick or dying birds, you should report them to the DNR.
High school students can submit designs for next year's Wisconsin State Park and Forest Vehicle Admission Passes.
This is for all high school age students in Wisconsin.
The artwork should focus on outdoor recreation, animals, or plants in the state.
Steve Schmelzer is the Parks and Recreation Management Bureau Director.
He said this is a great opportunity for students to blend their artistic passion and interest in our natural resources.
The Vehicle Admission Passes provide access to more than 60 State Park Forest and Recreation Area properties across Wisconsin.
The design contest is open now through April 30th.
There are two workshops in Portage County this week to hear your feedback on making Portage County a more bicycle and pedestrian friendly place.
The County is updating their bicycle and pedestrian plan and they want your input on future infrastructure and programming.
The first workshop is on January 15th from 6 to 8 pm.
It will be at Midstate Technical College on Center Point Drive in Stevens Point.
The second workshop will be January 16th from 6 to 8 pm at the Jensen Community Center in Amherst.
Wisconsin dairy processors can apply for grants through January 17th.
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection is accepting applications for the next round of dairy processor grants.
As part of the biennial budget signed by Governor Evers, $200,000 in grant funds are available for licensed dairy processing plants in Wisconsin.
They must be engaged in pasteurizing processing or manufacturing melcordary products.
Grants will be awarded for projects up to $50,000 in two years' duration.
Processors must provide a match of 20% of the grant amount.
You can find more information at datcp.wi.gov. Applications must be submitted by 11.59 pm on Friday, January 17th.
The City of Marshfield will begin removing ash trees this month in Bram Park.
This is the fourth year of a five-year plan to remove a majority of the ash tree population in the park.
The proactive approach will remove the ash trees before they become hazardous after being infected with emerald ash borer.
The park will remain open, but please stay at least 300 feet away from equipment and personnel while they're working on the trees.
Sarah Merpark in Stevens Point receives the Wisconsin Park and Recreation Association Award for Outstanding Park Design.
The multi-year project had significant public participation.
Multiple groups and volunteers contributed to transforming the former Emerson School property into a vibrant neighborhood park to preserve the school's legacy and create space for recreation, leisure, and connection that will serve future generations.
Representatives from the City will receive the award at the 2025 WPRA Annual Conference and Trade Show Awards banquet on February 6th in Wisconsin Dells.
There are new grant funds available in Wood County for those looking to expand or start a regulated childcare program.
The Wood County Board of Supervisors approved $500,000 in ARPA funds to support childcare.
The Wood County Child Care Task Force members have been meeting regularly, gathering input from childcare providers and families, requesting funding to support a variety of strategies and keeping county board members and others informed of the childcare crisis over the past two years.
Funding available is intended for a one-time grant up to $10,000 for a newly regulated family childcare provider, up to $5,000 for certified family childcare providers to become licensed, and up to $100,000 for an existing regulated group childcare program for expansion, or up to $100,000 for a newly regulated group childcare program.
You can find more information at ChildCaring.org.
Beginning in early February, all vehicles will be required to have a sticker to use the transfer site in the town of Rome. This will take effect on February 12th.
The Mirror hangers will no longer be accepted for entry after the site closes for the day on February 9th.
The cost for a 2025 sticker is $20. Additional stickers will be $10 each. You need to show proof of residency and license plate numbers.
You can purchase the stickers at the Rome Town Hall Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Starting today, you can also purchase them at Rome Outdoors next to the Quicktrip on Highway 13.
They're open Monday through Saturday 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 6 a.m. to 3.
There's a blood drive this week at the Rome Town Hall on Wednesday, January 15th, you can donate with the Community Blood Center from 1 to 6 p.m.
I'm Melissa K for WFHR and W.I.R.I. News.
The Packers move to the Eagles, high out Mike Clemens with sports, the Packers fell behind early and lost to the Eagles 22 to 10 to bring Green Bay season to an end.
Had Coach Matlow Floor.
You can't start the way that we did and to foam a little opening kick and then turn it into a touchdown and beat set down 7-0 from the jump.
It was obviously too much to overcome but I appreciate the heck out of our guys in that locker room.
Those guys show up every day with a great attitude, great energy and compete and I thought our guys competed to the final whistle.
Quarterback Jordan loved through three interceptions in the game.
It was asked what happened to the Packers' offense and losses to Minnesota, Chicago, and now Philadelphia.
I'm not sure. I'm not sure. You know, it's something that we'll look at and figure out in the off season to clean up.
But, you know, I mean, it's pretty much just comes down to executing and making plays out there and just wasn't good enough.
NBA, the Bucks losing to the next 140-106, New York's Jalen Brunson with 41 points.
The Bucks host the Sacramento Kings tomorrow night at 7 o'clock. With sports, I'm Mike Clemens.
On your entertainment beat, I'm Peach Waba.
There have been many tragic stories about celebrities losing their homes in the Los Angeles wildfires.
One celebrity, Sharon Stone, is going above and beyond to help those who have nothing as a result of the catastrophe.
The Oscar-winning actress set up a co-op in her home where people can drop off clothes and food and has multiple friends and family who are homeless staying with her.
Stone is also setting up a shelter for evacuees. Nice story.
The film Better Man follows the life and adventures of a cocaine snorting and sex-addicted monkey.
The character is narrated by British pop sensation, Robbie Williams, because it's Williams who is being portrayed by the monkey.
Williams told the Associated Press that the CGI monkey was cast perfectly, because the film is full of his struggles with fame, addiction, and depression.
And Williams says his character is more sympathetic that way, as audiences care more for animals than humans.
That is brilliant, makes total sense, and is sad all at the same time.
Audrey Hepburn is considered one of the greatest movie stars of all time.
Ariana Grande is just getting started with her big screen career comparatively.
But there are rumors that she might play the iconic classic Hollywood Oscar winner in an upcoming biopic.
Nothing has been confirmed, but it sounds like the Wicked actress is really interested in such a role, telling Access Hollywood that she has always been enamored with old Hollywood.
Speaking of Grande, Wicked was just released on video on demand, and it's no surprise that one of the biggest movies of 2024 is seeing sales through the roof.
The film is now available to stream in the US and Canada.
Wicked pulled in 26 million on its first day of digital release, according to Variety, and ended up with 70 million after its first week.
The nice thing about watching Wicked at home is you will not have strangers standing up and singing along.
After meeting on the set of School of Rock over two decades ago, two students are tying the knot.
When they were just 10 years old, Angela Masagli also referred to as Tough Guy in the film, and Caitlin Hale, aka Blondie, met while auditioning for the Jack Black film.
The child actors connected again in 2018, by then they had both left acting behind.
Masagli is a lawyer, and Hale is now an OB-GYN sonographer, the paths we take.
Zombie and or Killian Murphy fans might be upset to know that the actor will not appear in the film 28 years later.
There was speculation Killian's character Jim might be in the new installment when a preview dropped with a zombie that had striking similarities to Murphy.
The Oscar-winning Oppenheimer star confirmed he is not in the new film, but is open to appearing in future 28 day films.
This third installment is actually the first film in a new trilogy.
28 years later opens in June of this year.
For more showbiz fun, tune in the night light with me, Peach Wabba, weeknights from 6 to 8 p.m. on the Civic Media Radio Network.
It's cold out there this morning with a windshield hovering 20 to 25 below, and we're going to keep that windshield well below zero all day today.
Partly cloudy for above this afternoon, back down to five below tonight.
Tomorrow sunshine, 10 above, we're back to the mid 20s by Wednesday.
I'm meteorologist Sean Cable outside now for below zero.
That's your WFHR and WIRI daily news roundup from Civic Media.
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