WFHR Tuesday News Roundup

Transcript

WFHR Tuesday News Roundup

WFHR News · Tue Mar 18, 2025

You're listening to Civic Media. You can tune into any of our live shows on any radio station across the state with the Civic Media app. Find us in your phone's app store and listen anytime, anywhere.

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 state has seen 68 wildfires in just the past week burning 937 acres and counting.

Meteorologist Brittany Merlot has more on the biggest blaze in the state in Green Lake County.

In the town of Senica, the big island fire has burned an estimated 745 acres.

Crews were dispatched to the White River Marsh State Wildlife Area right around 430 in the afternoon.

This is exactly when the winds were gusting up to 40 miles per hour, helping spread the fire which is currently being held on the south side of County Road D.

Two residents have been evacuated with six structures threatened.

The Wisconsin DNR also says that there have been no injuries and that the fire is under investigation. No DNR or private approved prescribed burn was in the area at the store to the fire.

The Department of Public Instruction has unveiled a site to track federal funding impacts.

Joanne Krulance has more info.

The page provides real-time updates, critical information and resources related to federal funding for public schools and libraries across Wisconsin.

Available tools also include real-time updates on current funding cuts at the federal level and an interactive map to view data specific to your school district.

Resources also include personalized flyers that highlight the effects of federal funding for each district.

More information is available on DPI's website.

The spring election is just two weeks away on Tuesday, April 1st.

A photo ID is required in order to cast your ballot.

If you don't have an approved photo ID such as a driver's license or state ID, you can get one at the Wisconsin DMV.

Start online at Wisconsin DMV.gov or call your local DMV during office hours.

Healthy People Wood County reminds us about the importance of national drug and alcohol fax week.

60% of high school seniors believe that occasional marijuana use is risky.

This is according to the 2023 Monitoring the Future Survey.

This is a notable shift in perception from youth compared to the previous year.

Underage marijuana use can interfere with brain development and increase the risk of mental health challenges.

It can also impair cognitive functions like memory, attention and decision making.

Using marijuana at a young age is associated with a higher likelihood of future substance use disorders.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services tells families and teachers to keep an eye on the mental health of their kids and students as they return from spring break.

Lisa Hale has more.

According to health officials, self-harm incidents with kids between the ages of 10 and 19 tend to increase following a return from a long school break or during transition periods.

They're reminding families and teachers to look out for signs that kids and students may be struggling with their mental health.

They're also reminding residents about the 98-8 mental health crisis hotline.

As the closely watched Wisconsin Supreme Court election approaches, the Democratic National Committee is expected to announce its earliest-ever new election cycle investment.

The early move comes as the race between liberal-backed Judge Susan Crawford and conservative-backed Judge Brad Schimmel sees record investment with more than $59 million already spent in the race.

The DNC plans to fund phone banks to connect with voters, assist ground operations and mobilize thousands of volunteers across the state.

There's a blood drive today in Wisconsin Rapids.

You can donate at the former East Junior High School from 10 to 3.

I'm Melissa K for WFHR and WIRI News.

A setback for the Bucks.

Hi, I'm Mike Clemens with Sports.

NBA, the Bucks Backup Center, Jericho Sims, will be out for at least a month.

Sims had surgery yesterday in New York after suffering torn ligaments in his right thumb.

It happened early Saturday night against the Pacers. Sims after the game is right hand all taped up.

I've been the first few seconds I was in. I called on another player when I was cutting them off.

Physical is just boxing out. I mean, that's something that we usually are good at, but it's certain teams within the struggle with.

The Bucks open a five-game road trip tonight against Golden State.

March Madness, the Wisconsin Badgers, had to Denver where their game Thursday afternoon against Montana,

Marquette will face New Mexico in Cleveland on Friday night.

Baseball the Brewers losing to the Padres, 14 to 8 out in Arizona.

Infielder, Bryce Tarrang, sitting out with a sore shoulder.

For now, it looks like Joey Ortiz will start a short stop on opening day.

With Sports, I'm Mike Clemens.

Conan O'Brien crushed it.

It seems he was the host of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences longed for when it comes to hosting the Oscars.

People have picked apart past hosts' performances, but reviews for Conan's MCing skills were overwhelmingly positive.

His reward?

Conan will host the 98th Annual Oscar Awards next March 15th.

The talk show host was asked about coming back and said the only reason he's returning next year is so he can hear Adrian Brody finish his speech.

He might have to extend that another year.

You got to love when someone makes a documentary about a controversy that hasn't even been decided yet, such as the case with the Blake Lively Justin Baldoni Legal Battle.

The documentary he said she said Blake Lively versus Justin Baldoni is available to watch in the UK on five channel, but those in the US who couldn't care less will have to wait until March 31st when it will drop on Max and Discovery Plus.

Despite some well-reviewed films, it was a pretty lackluster weekend of the box office.

The weekend proved to be the lowest grossing theater totals of the year so far with prognosticators surprised that a spring break weekend of the box office came in even lower than Super Bowl weekend by about a million bucks.

Novocaine led the way with a little more than 8 million at the gate, the film stars Jack Quaid as a man who does not feel pain while trying to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend.

Last week's champ Mickey 17 finished in second place with 7.5 million and 33 million for the two week total.

Steven Soderbergh's new spy thriller Black Bag finished with 7.5 million but on about 1100 less screens than Mickey 17.

Rounding out the top five are Captain America, Brave New World which pulled in over 5 million and the day the Earth blew up, the first Looney Tunes movie ever made for a theatrical release with a disappointing just over 3 million.

The late Gene Hackman did not mention his three children in his will but they might still end up with some of his $80 million worth of assets.

Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa passed away in late February under mysterious circumstances.

Late last week it was disclosed that Arakawa passed away from the Hanta virus a week before her Oscar-winning husband.

Authorities say Hackman suffered from Alzheimer's disease and couldn't take care of himself after his wife died and as a result passed away a week later.

In Betsy's will it was stated that she left her estate to various charities.

Hackman however named Betsy as the recipient of his assets essentially leaving his three now middle aged children out in the cold or so it would seem.

As it turns out due to Betsy's death Hackman has no secondary beneficiaries so it looks like his kids will be the recipient of their father's $80 million fortune after all.

From our show is fun tune into night light with me Peach Wabba week nights from 6 to 8 p.m. on Pacific Media Radio Network.

We are tracking a storm system that will bring rain tonight tomorrow with rain changing to snow tomorrow night and that could give us 2 to 3 maybe up to 4 inches of snow with heavier amounts to the northwest.

We'll keep an eye on that today. Mostly cloudy. We'll get to around 55 for a high this afternoon. I'm meteorologist Sean Cable right now. It's 39.

That's your W F H R and W I R I daily news round up from Civic Media. Subscribe to this podcast on Spotify Apple or wherever you find your podcasts.

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