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.
From the Wisconsin Rapids local newsroom, I'm Melissa K.
There's a winter storm watch in effect beginning Saturday evening and continuing through Monday afternoon.
Heavy snow is possible with accumulations of 12 to 18 inches with some areas possibly receiving 24 inches or more according to the National Weather Service in Green Bay.
Wind gusts as high as 45 miles per hour are expected during the storm. The strong winds and the weight of the snow on tree limbs may cause downed power lines.
This could result in sporadic power outages. White out and near blizzard conditions are possible making traveling treacherous and potentially life threatening.
Travelling could be very difficult to impossible with this combination of snow and wind. This storm is expected to impact the following counties moving from west to east.
Wood, Portage, Washera, Wapaka, Winnebego, Outagami, Calumet, Brown, Manitawak and Kiwani.
Any residents in Wasa who need smoke alarms installed in their home can have that done for free later this month.
The American Red Cross will offer free smoke alarm installations on March 24 for the Sound the Alarm event.
You'll need to sign up on redcross.org or by calling 888-376-4056.
The installation event will run from 11 a.m. to 130 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24.
Red Cross volunteers and community partners will go door to door in neighborhoods vulnerable to home fires, installing free smoke alarms and sharing information on the causes of home fires, what to do if a fire starts and how to create an escape plan.
If you'd like to volunteer to do installations, you can sign up at redcross.org slash Wisconsin.
I'm Melissa K. Find more news anytime at WFHR.com and WIRI.FM.
For civic media news, I'm Lisa Hale.
The conflict in Iran has Wisconsin connections. Members of the Wisconsin National Guard with troops from Oshkosh and Milwaukee have been deployed to Kuwait in Iraq since May of 2025.
The F-35 Jet Station with the Wisconsin Air Guard in Madison have not been activated as of this week.
One student was arrested for making threats that prompted a North East Wisconsin school to close this week.
The Nina School District was notified Tuesday about social media posts alleging a potential safety threat at Nina Middle School.
To protect student safety, classes at the middle school were held virtually on Wednesday. No other schools in the district were closed.
Nina Police Chief Aaron Olson said the student responsible has been arrested and the chief is recommending felony charges of making terrorist threats.
No details about the student had been released except that he is a male.
According to the latest Marquette law school poll conducted in mid-February, Wisconsin's registered voters have a negative opinion of how the immigration and customs enforcement or ICE has been enforcing immigration laws.
56% of those poll disapproved and only 44% approved. But poll director Charles Franklin said the divide really shows a split down party lines.
There's been a lot of talk that the events in Minneapolis would change the country's opinions. I think it probably does change independent some, but it's certainly not evaporating support for ICE among Republicans.
Among Republicans, 87% approve of how ICE is doing its job while 76% of independence and 97% of Democrats disapprove.
The latest Marquette poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3. I'm Lisa Hale civic media news.
There's a possible new name in the gubernatorial race on the Republican side.
Wapan Mayor Ron Bishop says he's considering a run because Republicans need a new message and quote someone who will cheerlead for Wisconsin like Tommy Thompson did.
Bishop has been critical of Congressman Tom Tiffany for rejecting the 2020 election results and says voters are tired of Washington politics.
Bishop plans to make a final decision after exploring if he can raise the funds for a statewide campaign.
Proposed legislation in the Wisconsin State Senate would restore some legal protections for individuals who provide aid to someone suffering from an overdose.
Civic media's James Kelly has that story.
The bill is currently being considered by the State Senate Committee on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention and Children and Families.
If passed into law, an individual who calls 911 for someone during an overdose would be immune from prosecution and a revocation of their parole, probation, or extended supervision for drug possession or drug related materials.
Those protections previously existed under Wisconsin Act 33, which was passed into law in 2017.
Act 33 also included the expanded protections for individuals who were on parole, probation, or extended supervision, but the expanded protections were temporary and expired in 2020.
This bill would restore those protections permanently.
Lawmakers say the goal is to encourage people to call for help immediately to save lives without fear of negative consequences.
For Civic Media News, I'm James Kelly.
A senator from Wisconsin says she's opposed to Brad Schimmel continuing as interim US Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin when his temporary appointment expires this month.
Tammy Baldwin said she's concerned about political partisans filling the justice system.
Now the US Attorney General positions require Senate approval, but President Trump appointed Schimmel to be the interim US Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Interim appointments are limited to only 120 days. Baldwin said, quote, sometimes it's hard, but getting the right person who will uphold the rule of law not pledge loyalty to the president is more important than ever.
End quote.
The final federal permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers clears the way for construction to start an Imbridge's Line 5 relocation project. Civic Media's Maddie Schaefer reports.
The new 41 mile segment will move the pipeline around the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa reservation.
In a statement, Enbridge says crews will employ more than 700 union workers and expects to spend millions on construction related projects in Ashland, Bayfield, and Iron Counties.
The company adds Line 5 supplies crude oil and propane to 10 refineries, serving millions across the Midwest and Great Lakes region.
Environmental groups argue the new route would cross roughly 185 waterways and impact more than 100 acres of wetlands.
They say those wetlands are critical to wild rice beds, fish habitat, and the broader Lake Superior watershed. For Civic Media News, I'm Maddie Schaefer.
A bill that could open Wisconsin highways to self-driving cars has cleared its first hurdle at the state capital.
The Senate Transportation Committee voted three to two to advance the plan. It would create a board to test and regulate the vehicles and to make sure companies are liable for any damage or injuries.
Supporters see it as a way to improve safety and mobility, motorcycle advocates warn it could lead to more crashes.
For Civic Media News, I'm Lisa Hale. For news anytime, visit our website at civicmedia.us.
A Packer's Running Back heads to Seattle. Hi, I'm Mike Clemens with Sports, NFL. The Packer's decided not to keep running back Emanuel Wilson after three years.
Within hours, Wilson signed a one-year contract worth $2.1 million with the Super Bowl champs, the Seattle Seahawks.
He asked Wilson at the end of last season how he was dealing with fewer opportunities to play in Green Bay.
I mean, I still got that confidence, you know, but they give me the ball a lot if they don't, hey, I'm still going to go out there and do what I do.
NBA, the Bucks head to Atlanta after losing last night to the heat in Miami.
112-105, they'll play the Hawks tomorrow afternoon at two o'clock. The Badgers continue in the big 10 tournament against the fighting a lion eye today after beating Washington.
85 to 82. Greg Gart says they made some mistakes that could have cost them that game.
We did a lot of things that we can't repeat, but we give Washington credit and they're obviously playing desperately, but we need to get rattled.
That's what's constant head coach. Greg Gart was sports on my Clemens.
Hi, meteorologist Brandon Bourmans. A few lights, no showers possible in the morning, but that will not be the main story today.
The main story is the wind. Wind advisory and effect today. Wind gusts as high as 45 miles per hour.
Highs in the upper 30s. It will fuel colder than that, though, when you factor in the wind.