97.5 WFHR and 105.5 WIRI. Your Wisconsin Rapids Home for locally grown radio. Here's your Daily News Roundup.
From the Wisconsin Rapids Local Newsroom, I'm Melissa K.
The Wisconsin DNR is encouraging the public to report Black Bear Den locations to help with an ongoing study on Black Bear reproduction.
Maddie Schaefer has more.
The research team is accepting any den reports but is specifically looking for dens and bare management zones C, E, and F, which covers central and southern Wisconsin.
Bear cubs are typically born in late January and early February, and this time of year is often when people discover dens because they can hear cubs squeaking, grunting, or humming while nursing inside.
The Black Bear litter and diet survey will generate new estimates of Black Bear reproductive rates within each of the state's bare management zones, and the estimates will improve the accuracy of the population models in each zone.
The project was started in 2021 and is now going into its fifth year.
The purpose of the project is to place GPS callers on SOUs or female bears and track them over the years.
The data will let researchers understand litter, frequency, and cubs survival rates.
DNR research scientist Aaron Morrison says public assistance is essential to increasing their sample size.
Morrison adds that if someone reports a den that includes a SOU, they are invited to come out to the survey.
We're very appreciative of the public and their involvement in this project. It wouldn't be a success without them.
And so we like to be able to invite them out on those surveys as a way to kind of show them a part of the research that they're involved in.
Morrison says that individuals reporting dens should keep track of the GPS coordinate, take photos of the den, and give a description of the site and surrounding area, and make note of any bear activity.
To report the activity, visit the DNR's Black Bear Den submission form.
Paying sales tax on menstrual products could be a thing of the past if two Appleton lawmakers from opposite sides of the political aisle get their way.
Representative Lee Snodgrass, a Democrat, and Senator Rachel Cabral-Grovera, a Republican, are introducing legislation to eliminate the 5% sales tax on menstrual products.
There was a press conference on Tuesday with the Women's Fund and the Monthly's Project, where representatives Snodgrass called the tax regressive and discriminatory.
Quote the American Medical Association has deemed menstrual products essential for women's health and has called the tampon tax a regressive penalty that disproportionately burdens those who can least afford it.
The sales tax on menstrual products treats individuals differently based solely on their sex, and quote,
Snodgrass said 32 other states in the U.S. have introduced and passed legislation.
The Super Bowl is this weekend in Santa Clara, California, and one of Central Wisconsin's own will be a member of the 8 Aircraft Flyover Formation.
Lieutenant Darren Sanchez is a native from Weston. He will serve as a pilot of the F-35C, as part of the Warhawks of Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-97 representing the Navy.
The 8 Aircraft Flyover Formation will also include F-18EF Super Hornets from Naval Air Station Lundmore in California, F-15C Eagles from Fresno Air National Guard Base in California, and B-1B Lancers from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota.
Sanchez says the opportunity to participate in the flyover for the Super Bowl is an unbelievable feeling, and he wishes the Bears would have made it.
Sanchez graduated from DC Everest Senior High in 2015 and joined the Navy six years ago.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is encouraging Wisconsinites to learn about flood risks across the state and available flood insurance options this week during flood insurance awareness week.
According to the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts 2021 Assessment Report, the past decade was the wettest on record, because flooding has historically been the state's most common natural hazard.
Homeowners should prepare for the spring season and look into flood insurance.
Most national flood insurance program policies include a standard 30-day waiting period before coverage begins.
Property owners in special flood hazard areas who have mortgages from federally regulated lenders are required to carry flood insurance.
Those who are not required to have coverage may still want to review their individual flood risk.
You can contact your local zoning administrator or search for your address on FEMA's Map Service Center to learn about flood risk in your area.
Additional resources on flood insurance and flood risk mitigation are available on the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance's Flood Insurance and Disasters web pages.
The DOT's February Law of the Month is to see and be seen.
State Patrol Superintendent Tim Carnahan encourages drivers to check that their headlights are on and working properly when it's dark or when visibility is limited.
Headlights help keep everyone safe and be more visible to other drivers.
Remember that automatic light settings aren't always reliable, especially at dusk, and when it's foggy, snowing or raining.
Carnahan recommends checking your headlights for ice, snow, and other debris that can restrict visibility.
Headlights should also be amber or white without decorative covers.
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 Rapids Local Newsroom, I'm Melissa K.
Another Bucks game tonight, Hi, I'm Mike Clemens with Sports NBA.
The Bucks back at it again tonight in Milwaukee.
As they host the Norland's Pelicans, the Bucks able to snap a five game losing streak with a 131 to 115 win over the Chicago Bulls at 5 Sir Forum.
Kyle Kuzmo with 31 points asked if it's been tough sledding the past couple of weeks.
Yeah, it hasn't been easy for us, but you know, New Orleans is coming in.
We got to do the same thing. Play fast and play together.
NFL, the pro bowl games were last night. Packers Micah Parsons in attendance in a scooter.
I talked to Evan Williams about how much they miss Parsons after his knee injury.
It definitely is difficult when you have, you know, your all pro guy or just your disruptor.
My guy that's been a leader for you all year, it definitely hurts to, you know, have a guy like that go down.
But we all understood what the type of defense we were the year before we got Micah.
And we played some pretty good ball that whole year.
That's Packer Safety Evan Williams from Super Bowl 60 here in San Francisco with sports on Mike Clemens.
Mostly sunny today are high right around 22 this afternoon.
Tonight, mostly cloudy, a little bit of light snow.
Won't be much accumulation, but could make things a little slick out there.
Low tonight of eight above tomorrow, mostly cloudy, a little light snow in the morning with a high of 32.
I'm meteorologist Sean Cable.
That's your Wisconsin Rapids News Roundup from WRI and WFHR locally grown radio.
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