WFHR Thursday News Roundup

Transcript

WFHR Thursday News Roundup

WFHR News · Thu Feb 5, 2026

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.

For civic media news, I'm Melissa K. A Northern Wisconsin tribe is addressing growing concerns

over immigration enforcement and tribal sovereignty. Maddie Schaefer reports.

The Bad River Band of Lake Superior, Chippewa held a community forum Monday night after recent

reports of immigration and customs enforcement activity on the reservation. According to

the Wisconsin Examiner, tribal leaders have raised alarms after reports that Native Americans

were picked up or questioned by ICE during enforcement operations in the Twin Cities.

Tribal chairwoman Liz Arbuckle spoke about the stress the community is facing.

It's unnerving. We've seen Native people picked up in Minneapolis. We've heard those

stories. We've seen those stories. So we are unnerved. So a little extra preparedness,

thoughtfulness, kindness, it won't go amiss. That's for sure.

Leaders urged members to carry tribal enrollment ID along with a photo ID.

Arbuckle says that tribal IDs are free for enrolled bad river members and can be updated

if needed. Other tribes may also offer similar services. They also highlighted statewide

resources such as the Native American Rights Fund, the ACLU of Wisconsin and legal action

Wisconsin, which can help tribal members understand their rights and create personal

safety plans. State representative Angela Stroud of the 73rd Assembly District spoke

about ICE activity across the region.

You know, it's targeting urban areas, but it's not limited to urban areas. Real areas

are also being affected. And so it's not that we know they're going to come, but we need

to be prepared because it's happening throughout our region, even if it's focused on Minnesota

right now.

All tribes, including bad river, Lakota Rae, Onida and Ho Chunk, are notifying members

that agents cannot enter a home without a judiciously signed warrant. Wisconsin tribes

are issuing guidance on documenting encounters, accessing legal help and creating personal

safety plans. I'm Maddie Schaefer.

Democratic state lawmakers are proposing a constitutional amendment to solidify the

right to privacy for Wisconsin residents. Lisa Hale reports,

if it's adopted, the amendment to the state constitution would shift the legal burden

of proof in privacy violation cases from the individual to the government. Under that

adjustment, government agencies would be responsible for justifying how it had the authority

to violate an individual's privacy rights rather than the individual being required to

prove that a government agency violated those privacy rights.

Democratic state lawmakers have also introduced separate legislation that would allow residents

to file a lawsuit over privacy violations in state court, regardless of whether the subject

of that lawsuit is a state or federal government agency. That proposed bill is currently

being reviewed in committee. Democratic state lawmakers are hoping the proposed constitutional

amendment will gain bipartisan support. It must pass in both the state assembly and

Senate in two consecutive sessions before it appears on a statewide ballot for voters

to approve.

Former Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan is asking a federal judge to grant her an

acquittal or a new trial following her felony conviction. Dugan's defense team filed

the request last week claiming she acted within the law and that jurors received inconsistent

guidance during deliberations. A jury convicted Dugan of felony obstruction in December for

helping a man in her courtroom evade an immigration arrest. jurors cleared her of a separate

misdemeanor charge tied to concealing someone from discovery and arrest. Dugan resigned

from the bench earlier this year as the case continues through post trial motions.

Emily Sahale

With a 2026 election less than a year away, fundraising efforts and Wisconsin's third

congressional district race are kicking up. James Kelly reports.

According to campaign finance reports incumbent Republican Congressman Derek Van Orden led

2025 and campaign fundraising with over $4.3 million. Rebecca Cook pursuing a rematch

of 2024 with Congressman Van Orden raised over $4 million last year.

O'Claire City Council President Emily Berge will challenge Cook for the Democratic nomination

in August and raise nearly $400,000 last year. While Congressman Van Orden led the total

fundraising battle in 2025, Cook raised nearly double his fundraising total in last reporting

period of the year. From October through December, Congressman Van Orden raised a little

less than $670,000 while Cook brought in about $1.1 million. This is Cook's third run for

the third congressional district after falling short in the Democratic primary in 2022 and

narrowly losing to Congressman Van Orden in the 2024 election. Berge raised about $115,000

over that period.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is encouraging residents to learn more about

flood risks in their area and explore their flood insurance options in honor of flood

insurance awareness week. According to a press release, flood insurance awareness week

will run through Saturday, giving the agency a good opportunity to highlight the importance

of getting flood insurance. The DNR is also sharing tips on when residents could qualify

for federal flood insurance and what it means to own property in a federally designated

flood zone or special flood hazard area.

Agency officials say typical homeowner and renter insurance policies usually don't

cover flood damage. Federal flood insurance is available for properties both inside and

outside special flood hazard areas, but is only in communities that participate in the

National Flood Insurance Program. The DNR's floodplain program tracks community enrollment

in the National Flood Insurance Program, residents who own property in a special flood hazard

area and have a mortgage from a federally regulated lender are also required to have flood

insurance.

I'm James Kelly.

I'm Melissa K for Civic Media News.

For news anytime, visit our website at civicmedia.us

In the bucks make it three in a row. Hi, I'm Mike Clemens with sports NBA. The bucks

are at home again tomorrow night. They'll host the last place Indiana Pacers, the bucks

with a 141 to 137 overtime win over the Pelicans last night. Kevin Porter, Jr. with 18 points

back after missing six games with a strained oblique.

Yeah, I mean, I've been out. It's been a tricky year individually with my health. And

I've been on and off the court. So I've definitely just been finally get back and trying to stay

available for my guys so we can continue to build NFL. We're at Super Bowl 60 all week

here in San Francisco and I caught up with Jordan Love last night at a youth football

game. I asked Love if he wants more ownership, the offense heading into his fourth year as

the starting quarterback or ownership of the offense. I feel like I have a pretty good

grasp of the offense of what we do and definitely have a lot of say in what we do. And I think

me and Matt are on the same page with what we're trying to get done. I feel very comfortable

what we do as offense and I think we have a great system. That's the Packers Jordan Love

with sports. I'm Mike Clemens. A little more often on light snow this morning and then it

is going to be mostly cloudy here all day today. Our high right around 31 this afternoon.

Tonight mostly cloudy, a little more light snow with a low of 27 tomorrow, a little light

freezing drizzle, maybe a few flurries early, then partly to mostly cloudy. High of 35.

I'm meteorologist Sean Cable. That's your Wisconsin Rapids news roundup from WRI and WFHR

locally grown radio. Find more news anytime at WFHR.com and WRI.FM. Subscribe to this podcast

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