97.5 W F H R and 105.5 W I R I, your Wisconsin Rapids Home for locally grown radio.
Here's your Daily News Roundup.
4 W F H R and W I R I News, I'm Melissa K.
Wisconsin Democrats have introduced a bill that would lower utility costs at a time when
one in four Americans struggle to afford their energy bills.
Savannah Tome Olsen has the story.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, energy prices have jumped by 40 percent
just in the last five years.
In Wisconsin, residential energy customers are paying about 30 percent more than they
did in 2020.
That leads some families to make hard choices, like Jill Sexton and her husband, who live
in Wassau.
I'm in my 60s and so is my husband.
We've each raised a couple of kids.
He's on social security and I'm on disability.
Our house is heated by gas and we're on a fixed income.
We're doing everything we can yet we still cannot keep up.
I ended up taking a part-time job specifically to cover the increase in our electric and
heating bills.
Here's our reality, each month we choose between paying the electric bill and heat
bill or filling up our prescriptions.
I don't buy them medication, someone's we stretch food until the very last day.
Representative Darren Madison is from Milwaukee.
He's introducing a bill that would require Wisconsin's Public Service Commission create
a program that limits utility costs to 2 percent of a household's income.
When fully phased in, the 2 percent income payment program will be a fully universal and
automatic program, making it so that no one ever has to pay more than 2 percent of their
income on utilities again.
And that's something to clap about.
For this bill to pass, it would need Republican support, which is unlikely in the legislature.
For civic media news, I'm Savannah Tomay Olsen.
The WASA area, among New Year, brought thousands to Roth's child over the weekend, celebrating
their 50th year in the U.S., Isabella Nieto has the story.
The two-day celebration featured fashion shows, dance competitions and performances and
vendors at the convention and expo center.
Now Vong Tau spoke at the celebration.
He was among the first mong to arrive in WASA 50 years ago.
I'm grateful to see the 50 years, because like I said, we've come with 5 people and
3 gone already, and unfortunately to see the 50 years celebration, I'm very happy.
He says he's glad to see the whole mong community come together to celebrate the New Year,
and he has some hopes for the future.
I hope that we will have more educators, we will have more government official, and we will
be able to contribute back to the country.
The celebrations also featured a flu performance by Tongue Share Chong and remarks by Minnesota
State Representative Liz Lee.
For civic media news, I'm Isabella Nieto.
The Department of Natural Resources is reminding hunters to know their target before they
shoot and understand the difference between swans and other waterfowl this hunting season.
Maddie Schaefer has more.
All wild swans are protected in Wisconsin, and it is illegal to hunt native trumpeter swans,
tundra swans and non-native mute swans.
Other large birds, including the American white pelicans and whooping cranes, are also illegal
to hunt. Shooting a swan can lead to fines or even the loss of all hunting, fishing and trapping
privileges. For more information about swan identification and tips, visit the DNR Swans
in Wisconsin webpage.
Gun deer season opens in Wisconsin on November 22nd, and the DNR has some warnings for hunters.
They're reminding hunters that tree stand related incidents are among the leading causes of
hunting injuries each year. If you fall from over 10 feet, which is common with most tree stands,
that can result in more serious trauma. You should use tree straps and wear safety harnesses,
check your gear for any wear and tear, and use haul lines to lift equipment safely.
Lawmakers at the state capital are proposing a bill that would incentivize school district
consolidation. The bill would increase consolidation aid for the first year. Currently, consolidating
school districts are eligible to receive aid for seven school years after they consolidate.
They get $150 per pupil for the first five years. In year six, they receive 50 percent of the
fifth year's amount. In year seven, they receive 25 percent of that amount. The new bill would
increase the amount of aid in the first year to $2,000 per student. The remaining six years of
eligible aid would be the same as they are now. In Wisconsin Rapids, a survey is underway
inviting residents to give feedback on possible changes in the district. The survey includes
information and asks for responses on a possible referendum, consolidation of buildings, and more.
The Wisconsin Rapids Performing Arts Center will soon be celebrating their 25th anniversary.
They're commemorating the milestone tomorrow with an open house. It starts in the lobby at 4 p.m.
and at five guest speakers will share how the pack has impacted them and others. These events
are free and open to the public. Dinner begins at 5.30 in the Lincoln High School cafeteria
with music provided by LHS Orchestra Chamber players. The cost for dinner in the show is $25.
The show starts at 7 p.m. I'm Melissa K for WFHR and WIRI News.
Bucks Basketball tonight. Hi, I'm Mike Clemens with Sports. It's the Bucks in the Hornets.
An NBA Cup action at five serve form in Milwaukee. At just 23 years old, the Bucks Point Guard,
Ryan Rollins, is averaging just over 17 points per game, head coach Stock Rivers.
He's been great, learns every day, you know, he's still young, and he's probably the hardest
work on our team. He's got a lot going for. College football, Wisconsin's at number two ranked
Indiana tomorrow, kick off 11 a.m. The Packers play the Giants Sunday at noon, Lucas Van Ness,
Back at Practice, after missing a month with a foot injury, baseball brewers GM Matt Arnold
named the MOB Executive of the Year for a second year in a row. So what about the team's payroll
next season? We're going to have the resources that we need. We have support from our ownership
to put a quality product on the field. There are a lot of small market teams that can't say that
and we can. And then there are also a lot of teams to spend a lot of money that that didn't get
in, you know, and so I don't think it's just about the money. That's the brewers Matt Arnold
with Sports on Mike Clemens. It is going to be gorgeous day today, mostly sunny with just a light
breeze are high in the upper 50s to near 60 this afternoon. Tonight, mostly cloudy, we're going
to drop into the 40s tomorrow. Partly cloudy, cooler but still nice with a high in the mid to upper
50s. I'm meteorologist Sean Cable. That's your Wisconsin Rapids news roundup from WIRI and WFHR
locally grown radio. Find more news anytime at WFHR.com and WIRI.FM. Subscribe to this podcast on
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