This is your WFHR Daily News Roundup, for locally grown radio 97.5 FM and 1320 AM, and
WISC country 105.5 FM WIRI in Wisconsin Rapids.
4 WFHR in WIRI News, I'm Melissa Kaye.
Demolition continues on the Wisconsin Rapids Mill to clear the way for new development, while
several areas of the old Verso Mill are back up and running, officials say once the
craft mill was shut down, it could never have been restarted.
A strange calm fell over the craft mill site on Friday, as crews prepared to drop the
hard and softwood digesters.
With these two tall buildings gone, the skyline looking east from Highway 34 will be
very different.
Onlookers gathered outside the property and on the overpass to watch the first digester
come down around noon on Friday.
As the crew finished preparations, senior project manager James Conraddy talked through
the final steps, leaving up to the actual drop.
Conraddy held the final safety meeting, discussing the plan step by step, stressing safety
first, and expressing full confidence in his crew.
Set cuts already done on the digester legs in front, weakened the structure in preparation
to bring it down.
Despite the seriousness of the day, Conraddy managed to bring a bit of levity to the group.
A crew took up their positions and listened for the horn blast to call out the final sequence.
Everything went as planned, and the digester tipped gracefully, bringing an era crashing to
the ground.
Social security benefits are getting a cost of living increase.
The social security administration announced that social security benefits, including old
age, survivors, and disability insurance, and supplemental security income payments,
for 75 million Americans will increase 2.8% in 2026.
On average, social security retirement benefits will increase by about $56 per month starting
in January.
Over the last decade, the cost of living adjustment increase has averaged about 3.1%.
The COLA was 2.5% in 2025.
Nearly 71 million social security beneficiaries will see a 2.8% COLA beginning in January
2026.
Increased payments to nearly 7.5 million people, receiving SSI will begin on December 31,
2025.
Social security begins notifying people about their new benefit amount by mail, starting
in early December.
November is lung cancer awareness month, Isabella Nieto has more.
According to the American Lung Association, more than 35 million Americans live with lung
disease.
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in the United States, not counting skin cancer,
right behind breast cancer for women and prostate cancer for men.
Someone is diagnosed with lung cancer in the US about every 2 minutes, with around 360
deaths per day.
That means roughly 1 in 5 cancer deaths are due to lung cancer.
The US Preventative Services Task Force recommends yearly lung cancer screenings.
For anyone who is between 50 and 80 years old, has a 20-packed year or more smoking history
and smokes now or has quit within the past 15 years.
Autopsies are scheduled today for the 2 deaths that happened on Halloween in Wisconsin
Rapids.
Officers are still investigating what they say are unrelated incidents that occurred around
1 a.m. on Friday.
A 34-year-old man identified as Antony R. Quannonis was dropped off at a Spirus hospital with
life-threatening injuries.
Responders tried to save him, but he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The investigation found that Quannonis was possibly injured today earlier inside a residence
on 21st Avenue South.
While at the hospital investigating the incident, officers were called to a disturbance on 11th
Street South.
Once there, they found 56-year-old Randall E. Harris Senior, suffering from multiple
life-threatening injuries.
Harris died at the scene.
Investigators say they've arrested a suspect.
Officials say the incidents are being investigated separately.
The public hearing scheduled for today regarding the possible solar power plant on Whitrock
in 2-mile Avenue has been canceled.
Wisconsin Rapids Water Works and Lighting Commission is working on a plan to install a solar array
on land they own.
Mayor Matt Zachary said the city is still laying to make sure concerns are heard.
We didn't do a good enough jack communicating, which again I take responsibility for because
that is something that I want myself and the city to strive hard on making sure we get
that information out.
Mayor Zachary said the hearings now plan for next month.
Veterans at the Buckley Baldwin VFW Post 2534 have a busy month ahead.
Tuesday is the Allied Vets meeting at 6 p.m. at the post.
On Thursdays through November 28, Vets can get their flu shot at the VA from 830-330.
The VFW's spaghetti dinner is Monday, November 10th, from 430-7 p.m. at the post.
Veterans eat free.
I'm Melissa K for WFHR and WIRI News.
The Bucks in Indie, high on my Clemens with sports, NBA, the Bucks take on their rival,
the Pacers in Indiana tonight.
It's the first time Bucks Center Miles Turner will face his former team.
The next time we see you, we'll be in Indiana.
I'm going to go there.
There's a point.
Anything I say will again be using has been a court of law.
So I'm just looking forward to coming back to a place that I've been in for 10 years.
College Hoops, the Badgers at Home against Campbell University.
Next week we told you that Ford Elijah Gray, a transfer from Temple, was dropped from
the Wisconsin men's team.
ESPN reporting now Gray may be involved in that investigation regarding gambling by both
college and NBA players.
NFL, the Packers, lose to the Panthers, 16 to 13.
And they may have lost tight end Tucker Kraft to a seasoned ending knee injury.
It's Tucker's injury serious.
Yeah, it doesn't look good.
I need to overcome it.
That's going to be tough.
It is what it is.
It's football.
The other guys are going to have to step up.
That's Packers head coach Matt Luffler was sports on Mike Clemens.
It is going to be a bit breezy today with wind out of the West gusting to near 30.
That will lead to elevated grassland fire risk issues.
So keep that in mind.
Otherwise, sunny with a high in the mid fifties today.
Tonight, partly cloudy in the low to mid thirties tomorrow, partly cloudy, not as windy
in the mid fifties.
I'm mediaeorologist Sean Cable.