WFHR Thursday News Roundup

Transcript

WFHR Thursday News Roundup

WFHR News · Thu Mar 12, 2026

97.5 W F H R and 105.5 W I R I. Your Wisconsin Rapids Home or locally grown radio.

Here's your Daily News Roundup.

From the Wisconsin Rapids local newsroom, I'm Melissa K.

Wisconsin Farmers Union members travel to New Orleans in early March for the National Farmers Union 124th Anniversary Convention.

A local farmer received recognition during the event. Hans Bretton Mosher of Merrill Wisconsin received the Bruce Miller Membership Award,

which recognizes those who display a true passion for family farming and rural America while promoting the work of the Farmers Union.

WFU president Darren Von Ruden says Wisconsin members put a strong focus on dairy at last year's convention.

This year a special order of business on dairy policy reform was adopted nationally.

Von Ruden said this sends a clear signal that supporting family-scale dairy farms remains a national priority.

It's groundwater awareness week and it's a good time to know the quality of the water you drink by getting your well water tested.

Private wells can become contaminated if bacteria are not filtered out as the water soaks into the ground.

Insects or small rodents can also carry bacteria into wells that have inadequate caps or seals.

DNR and DHS recommend that people test their private wells at least once a year for bacteria and nitrates in any time they notice a change in how their well water looks, tastes, or smells.

Testing for nitrates is especially important for private wells servicing pregnant women or infants as it can cause harm if levels are too high.

The City of Wisconsin Rapids is holding their annual community tree sale.

You can order a tree for yourself or for the community. There's a list of available trees for purchase on the Parks Department website or the City's Facebook page.

You can also contact Sue Winch at sWinch9 at gmail.com or by calling the Parks Department at 715-421-8240.

I'm Melissa K for WFHR-WIRI News.

For Civic Media News, I'm Lisa Hale.

Governor Tony Evers sent a letter to Wisconsin's Congressional Delegation this week urging them to revise the new federal hemp law, which bans the sale of most hemp products in the United States starting in November of 2026.

It was passed as part of the plan to reopen the federal government last year after the longest federal government shutdown in US history.

According to Evers, the new federal hemp law is projected to jeopardize $700 million in economic impact for the state and nearly 3,500 jobs in Wisconsin.

The impacts of the new federal hemp bill will be further intensified in Wisconsin due to the fact that Wisconsin has not yet legalized medical or recreational marijuana.

The growing of hemp has become a strong diversification option for Wisconsin farmers and as of November 2025, Wisconsin had 470 federally licensed hemp producers.

Meanwhile, a bill that would allow Wisconsin law enforcement agencies to conduct roadside drug tests is on Governor Tony Evers' desk for consideration.

Civic Media's James Kelly reports,

The saliva test will be able to detect substances like marijuana, methamphetamines and certain opiates because the test would not be admissible evidence in court law enforcement authorities would also be required to dispose of the samples taken during their investigation.

Governor Evers has previously expressed his intent to sign the bill into law but it will still take some time for law enforcement authorities to train and test the new tool before it can be widely used.

For Civic Media News, I'm James Kelly.

13 people could face criminal charges tied to the failed recall of Wisconsin assembly speaker Robin Voss two years ago.

Officials say those who tried to oust Voss allegedly listed fake addresses on petition forms and other submitted signatures from people who didn't actually sign.

But the state's election commission ruled that there's not enough proof that organizer Matt Snorick or the recall committee violated the law.

The committee is recommending charges to the Racine County District Attorney's office which will decide whether to take the matter any further.

One of the partisan races coming up in November 2026 as a repeat the 2022 election.

In 2022, Attorney General Josh called narrowly defeated fondle at County District Attorney Eric Tony.

This year Tony seeks to unseat the two term incumbent again.

The latest Marquette law school poll finds that 10 months before the election voters view both candidates favorably.

Poll director Charles Franklin.

We love us some Attorney General candidates.

I exaggerate a little bit but not hugely.

Both Eric Tony and Josh call have slightly net positive favorability ratings. Both of them have a plus five.

Franklin says call is the better known of the candidates with 56% of poll respondents saying they had no opinion of him.

That's compared to 75% with no opinion of Tony.

The most recent Marquette poll was conducted between February 11th and February 19th with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3.

Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs have announced $2 million in grant funding to bolster flood resilience across the state.

Civic Media's James Kelly has the story.

According to a press release the funding through the pre-disaster flood resilience grant program is meant to help communities identify and mitigate flood vulnerabilities with strategies like reconnecting streams and flood planes or reducing erosion hazards.

Two types of grant funding were made available through the program, one for assessing vulnerabilities and one to implement the mitigation methods.

The goal is to naturally manage flooding before disasters like in Milwaukee, Washington and Waukeshaw counties last August strike.

The O'Night Nation received the largest funding award at $300,000 to create a covert inventory and study water flow and hydraulic structure.

The City of Madison, Ozaki County and City of Stevens Point also received significant funding awards of over $200,000.

For Civic Media News, I'm James Kelly.

How much will it cost to see the Packers play? Civic Media's County Filment has that answer.

The price to see the Packers play has gone up for this season. The team announced the new pricing on Friday.

Depending on where you sit in the bowl, you'll be paying between $4 and $22 more per ticket.

Packers president and CEO Ed policy said the ticket prices for a game at Lambo are around the middle of the NFL's pricing range.

With the new increases, base value prices for regular season tickets are between $143 and $196.

Pre-season tickets are cheaper, but tickets sold through a third-party ticket broker can be substantially higher.

Packers fans don't seem to be priced out, though, with more than 155,000 people on the waiting list to buy Packer Season tickets, most wait decades for their chance to buy that 18 inches of pure aluminum pleasure.

I'm Connie Feldman for Civic Media News.

For Civic Media News, I'm Lisa Hale.

For news anytime, visit our website at civicmedia.us.

Badgers basketball today.

Hi, I'm Mike Clemens with Sports.

The Wisconsin Badgers take on the Washington Huskies.

At the Big Ten tournament going on at the United Center in Chicago, the Badgers ranked 23rd in the nation.

The Huskies beat USC yesterday, 83 to 79, and over time to advance to today's game.

NBA, the Bucks in Miami tonight to play the Heat.

Yana Santedicupo played 30 minutes Tuesday night as he's trying to get to 100% as soon as possible.

I love the challenge, you know, obviously we have 18 games left and hopefully we can have fun and help the team keep on winning games.

Baseball, the Brewers play the Cleveland Guardians out in Arizona.

Jake Bowers having a good spring training at the plate, nine for 17, five walks and three home runs.

NFL, the Packers make a move in free agency.

As soon as the Vikings released nose tackle, Javan Hargrave for salary cap relief.

Green Bay signs him to a two-year deal worth $23 million.

Hockey, the Badger men's season is over.

They lost to Ohio State 701.

The Buckeyes jumping out to a five to nothing lead.

I'd say, you know, it didn't start good and it got worse.

You know, I mean, a lot of things that happened tonight on the negative were deserved.

That's the Badger's hockey coach Mike Hastings with sports on Mike Clemens.

A little sunshine this morning then becoming cloudy and windy with rain late this afternoon into tonight.

A little snow will mix in late tonight.

Our high today 46.

The wind will gust of between 30 and 40 through tonight.

The wind will gradually die down tomorrow with a high tomorrow near 42.

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.

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