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Here's your Daily News Roundup.
From the Wisconsin Rapids' local newsroom, I'm Melissa K.
Enrollment for healthcare through the marketplace ended this week.
And without action from Congress, millions across the country will see a spike in premium prices in 2026.
Premium tax credits through the Affordable Care Act help low and middle-income families pay for their health insurance.
Sue Smith is the Wood County Health Officer.
She said the response from the community, on concerns about rising healthcare costs, isn't what she anticipated.
I kind of expected our WIC program to see an increase in enrollment, which we really haven't seen that yet, especially with the concerned drought snap and food insecurity issues and things.
But it sounds like some of that's connected to people being worried about ice, you know, if they were to spend some of those programs.
While some of what she's hearing is anecdotal, Smith said she did hear directly from one person about losing their health insurance.
I did have an employee mentioning me that she and her family had lost their insurance coverage recently, so it sounds like it was happening.
Smith recommended people reach out to the health department if they're struggling to cover healthcare costs.
I guess the short answer is yes, it does sound like people are experiencing those issues.
And I guess I would suggest to that population, if they need help to reach out to human services, just to see what programming they might be eligible for, reach out to the health department and see if there's anything we can connect them to as well as far as safety nets.
The US Senate last week failed to advance two competing proposals aimed at addressing the coming laps and coverage.
The US House now takes up the issue, but both chambers are set to adjourn until January on Friday.
The monthly meeting of the Wood County Board of Supervisors began on Tuesday with an invocation from Supervisor Hookamp, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
There weren't enough chairs for everyone present to hear the acknowledgments and recognitions that followed.
Angela Nimsgren is the Regional Director of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
She attended to present the Wood County Health Department with the Level 3 Chapter 140 designation.
This is the highest level a health department can achieve that meets state requirements as well as the latest innovations to modernize the public health system.
I'm being sure that each jurisdiction across the state is living up to what's required.
We ensure strong health within our Christmas and communities.
Following the recognition of long-term employees, Chairperson Lance Plymmel opened the public comment period.
Ceciel Selser-Johnson, affectionately known as Frenchi by her former students in the Wisconsin Rapid School District, spoke about her parents living under German occupation in France.
Hates is a very powerful tool. We need to guard against that. The National Institute is uniquely vulnerable to it.
She drew comparisons to the present day.
Dear folks, we're here now. Dear board members, good people, sheriff, don't be a problem.
Don't let our chance be used for an endless, deadest time.
Also, at Tuesday's meeting, the Wood County Board passed multiple resolutions, including disbursement of funds for opioid remediation, increasing the cremation fee and death certificate signature fee for the coroner's office, and authorizing an agreement from the highway department to purchase property.
They closed the meeting with a moment of silence to honor former supervisor, Leroy Joston.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is working on a new initiative to reduce wrong-way vehicle crashes.
According to DOT officials, wrong-way crashes are not nearly as common as other crashes, but are often more severe.
They also say most wrong-way crashes occur late at night on freeways and divided highways, and often involve impaired drivers.
Through the initiative, the Department of Transportation installed 10 wrong-way driver alert systems across the state, which notify the DOT and law enforcement of wrong-way drivers for a faster response.
The Home Delivered Meals program is looking for volunteers to help deliver hot meals to people in the area who can't prepare meals for themselves.
The program is coordinated through a Spirits Wisconsin Rabbits Hospital and provides hot, nutritious, noon meals, five days a week.
They deliver to Wisconsin Rabbits, ported words, Nikusa, Kelner, and Grand Rapids.
Because of recent changes with the Federal-funded Meals on Wheels program, the demand for these home delivered meals has grown.
In addition, many long-time volunteers are retiring, leaving a pressing need for new drivers.
Virus is looking for volunteer drivers to deliver meals between 11 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Each route takes about an hour and involves 10 to 12 stops. If you're interested, you can call volunteer coordinator Anne Marie Ott at 715-421-7447.
Ruby's pantry is this Saturday in Wisconsin Rabbits. The Food Distribution Event takes place from 8 a.m. to 9.15 a.m. at Pitch Early Learning Center.
Food bundles are $25 cash and are approximately 70 pounds of food. If you already purchased your bundle online, be sure you follow the Express Pay lineup on 18th Street Self.
Local news at the top and bottom of every hour throughout the day or on demand any time at WFHR.com and WIRI.FM.
From the Wisconsin Rabbits local newsroom, I'm Melissa Kay.
On to the final four. Hi, I'm Mike Clemens with sports. Women's College volleyball. The Wisconsin Badgers in Kansas City.
For the NCAA final four, the tournament to decide the next national champion in volleyball, Mimi Collier nominated for Player of the Year.
On the team with a chance to win it all this weekend, after beating the number one C-Texas in the regionals, three sets to one.
Most unreal feeling. It still hasn't fully soaked in, but I for sure think that was most connective. We've been throughout a match.
Just keeping our heads up and even though we lost that third set, we stuck with it and came back even stronger the fourth set.
Wisconsin plays Kentucky APM tomorrow night, coverage on ESPN. NFL, the Packers on the Practice field, they play the Bears in Chicago Saturday night, still bruised and banged up after the Broncos game.
Running back Josh Jacobs, dealing with swelling in his left knee, that he injured last month in New York against the Giants.
He's battling through this guy's as tough as they come. I'll never count him out of the fight. I'll tell you that.
That's Packers head coach Matt LaFour with sports. I'm Mike Clemens.
Mostly sunny today with highs in the low 30s this afternoon. Tonight, mostly cloudy with a chance of a little bit of light freezing rain, some rain and some snow.
And then tomorrow, rain changing to snow with temperatures falling fast through much of the day. I'm a urologist on cable.
That's your Wisconsin Rapids News Roundup from WRI and WFHR, locally grown radio.
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