Here's your daily news roundup from 97.9 WGBW.
From the 97.9 WGBW newsroom, I'm Connie Falman with this local news update.
Marquette police say they've stopped searching for a missing college student last
scene walking out onto the ice. 21-year-old northern Michigan student Trenton Massey has been missing
since early Sunday morning. More than a dozen agencies and countless volunteers have been
searching since then. Massey's cell phone was found on a path where surveillance cameras captured
him walking just before 3am Sunday morning. Authorities say Massey appeared disoriented and was
having difficulty walking. Shortly after 3am, police say Massey was seen walking out onto the ice
before disappearing from the camera view. The NMU campus was closed Monday due to a winter storm.
Authorities say they've searched on land in the water and from the air using specialized
equipment like a helicopter, airboat, hovercraft and so on are. Scuba divers have searched below
the ice and searchers have also used an underwater remote operated vehicle as well as a drone
and canines. They say volunteers are welcome to continue the search but caution them to stay
off the ice. If you drive through downtown Green Bay across the Main Street Bridge,
you'll need to add some extra time for a detour starting next week. City leaders say the
Main Street Bridge will be closed for maintenance starting at 6am Monday morning through 5pm on Wednesday,
March 4th. Traffic will be detoured across the Walnut Street Bridge downtown. Green Bay
Aldi shoppers could be affected by a nationwide recall of frozen meatballs. The products were
sold at Aldi's stores with the name Bremer Family Size Italian-style meatballs. Food safety
experts say a consumer complaint about finding metal fragments in the products prompted the recall.
The 32 ounce package contains about 64 meatballs. If you have any of these products,
you can take the package back to where you bought it or just throw it away. There are six Aldi
stores in the Green Bay area. Crypto scams are becoming a growing problem targeting some of Wisconsin's
most vulnerable. But as Civic Media's Melissa K tells us, state lawmakers are fighting back.
New legislation in Wisconsin is taking aim at scams involving crypto currency kiosks.
It is a statewide issue. That's Wood County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Quentin Ellis.
He said the scammers use a variety of scripts. They will call with any amount of different
scenarios. One was actually people were calling saying they were me. Me from the Wood County
Sheriff's Department needed you to put money in a cryptocurrency kiosk to avoid coming to jail.
Scammers using emotional manipulation to threaten their victims with arrest or jail if they don't
respond immediately. They target vulnerable populations, often elderly individuals,
and will pose as trusted authority figures. It's definitely a statewide problem. It's just
there hasn't been one telltale way to respond to it because of the lack of regulation of these
machines. Chief Deputy Ellis says several other states already have legislation in place to protect
against this type of scam. I'm very hopeful that this passing legislation will act as a major
deterrent to these companies and keep them from allowing this type of thing to happen to our
people in Wisconsin. The bill has broad bipartisan support and would protect both consumers and
operators. Everybody accept these major major corporations that are based wherever else in the
nation or in the world even. They're getting their money and everybody else here in Wisconsin
that that's falling to these is becoming a victim. I'm Melissa Kaye. Assembly Bill 968 passed the
assembly and will now go to the Senate with news at the top and bottom of the hour all day and
on demand anytime at wgbw.fm. I'm Connie Feldman 97.9 wgbw news.
For civic media news, I'm Lisa Hale. Vice President JD Vance visited Wisconsin yesterday
speaking at a machining facility in plover in Portage County as part of the post state of the
Union tour. This was his first visit to the Badger States since last August when he was in
La Crosse. Republicans saw the visit as a chance to talk up manufacturing and the economy
and to put a spotlight on third congressional district GOP congressman Derek Van
Orden. Democrats called the visit a political photo op. Meanwhile, the Wisconsin state assembly
has passed proposed legislation to reclassify the sand hill crane and establish a hunting
season for that bird. Civic media's James Kelly has the story. The bill introduced by state
representative Paul Tittle would classify the sand hill crane as a migratory game bird with
the reclassification the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources would need to authorize the
hunt, establish hunting zones and create a sand hill crane hunter education program. It now
moves to the state senate for consideration. Sand hill cranes have become troublesome for farmers
causing significant crop damage losses. The legislation would allow farmers to take advantage
of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife program called the Wildlife Damage Abatement Fund which can only be
accessed if the wildlife causing that crop loss is authorized for hunting. For civic media news,
I'm James Kelly. The International Crane Foundation argues that data shows a hunting season would
not significantly improve crop loss issues. The DNR is looking into setting certain bird seasons for
the next four years. Civic media's Maddie Schaefer reports. The Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources is asking for public input on migratory bird hunting season frameworks for 2026 through 2030.
In the past, waterfowl and other migratory bird seasons were set year by year, but with near
unanimous support from conservation groups and hunters, the DNR is moving to a multi-year
structure for the first time. Anyone interested in Wisconsin's migratory bird seasons can submit
comments through an online form on the DNR's Waterfowl Hunting webpage by email or at one of the four
public hearings. Three in-person hearings are set for March 2nd, 3rd and 5th with a virtual option
on March 4th. Comments will be accepted through March 6th. After that, a final season structure
will go before the natural resources board for approval. For civic media news, I'm Maddie Schaefer.
Wisconsin's top assembly leader, Robin Voss, is digging in his heels against a new lawsuit that
claims the state school funding system is unconstitutional and over funds the school choice program.
The suit was filed Monday and argues that kids are not getting equal shots at basic learning
that special education support isn't adequate and that $700 million in private choice programs
this year defies a Supreme Court limit. Voss called the suit a meritless activist
ploy to ruin the voucher program and take control away from the legislators.
Lawmakers are working on legislation to regulate cryptocurrency kiosks,
civic media's Melissa K reports. Many in Wisconsin are being targeted in crypto kiosks scams.
It's not unique to Wood County. It is a statewide issue.
That's Wood County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Quentin Ellis talking with WFHR. He said the scammers
use a variety of scripts. They will call with any amount of different scenarios. One was actually
people were calling saying they were me. Me from the Wood County Sheriff's Department needed you
to put money in a cryptocurrency kiosk to avoid coming to jail. Scammers use emotional manipulation
to threaten their victims with arrest or jail if they don't respond immediately.
They target vulnerable populations often elderly individuals and will pose as trusted authority
figures. It's definitely a statewide problem. It's just there hasn't been one
telltale way to respond to it because of the lack of regulation of these machines.
Chief Deputy Ellis says several other states already have legislation in place to protect
against this type of scam. I'm very hopeful that this passing legislation will act as a major
deterrent to these companies and keep them from allowing this type of thing to happen to our
people in Wisconsin. The bill has broad bipartisan support and would protect both consumers and
operators. Everybody accept these major major corporations that are based wherever else in
the nation or in the world even. They're getting their money and everybody else here in Wisconsin
that's falling to these is becoming a victim. I'm Melissa Kay Civic Media News.
Assembly Bill 968 passed with amendments. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.
As rising costs and falling prices take their toll more and more Wisconsin farmers are turning
to bankruptcy. A new report from the American Farm Bureau Federation shows farm bankruptcies
jumped 46% nationwide in 2025. Wisconsin saw 16 filings in 2025 compared to just two in both 2023
and 2024. A Madison bankruptcy attorney tells WPR that most farmers seek help too late.
An economist are saying that farmers are staying afloat by borrowing against their land.
For Civic Media News, I'm Lisa Hale. For news anytime, visit our website at civicmedia.us.
Another Bucks Home game tonight. Hi, I'm Mike Clemens with Sports NBA. The Milwaukee Bucks with
a great spot in the regular season schedule. Nine out of their current 10 games are at home at
five serve form and tonight it's the Bucks and the third place Knicks. Milwaukee coming off a
118 to 116 win over the Cavaliers. The Badgers play in Seattle 3 p.m. tomorrow afternoon against the
Washington Huskies. Wisconsin looking to bounce back after losing to the Oregon Ducks Wednesday night.
We're at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis where Wisconsin Badger linebacker Mason Reiger ran a 4.7
into 40 yard dash. I asked him about playing for the Badgers last season. Super blessed to have an
opportunity to surround it by great coaches and teammates alike and just really developing me or
pushing me to be a better person and player throughout this last year. You know, this is my last
chance to play college football and to have the opportunity to do it at Wisconsin. It was a great year.
That's Wisconsin's Mason Reiger with Sports. I'm Mike Clemens. It is going to be mostly sunny today
with a high in the mid to upper 40s this afternoon. Tonight partly cloudy. We have a big cold front
that's going to kick through. We're going to drop into the teams for an overnight low tomorrow.
Some off it on light snow and a lot colder with a high of only 21. I'm meteorologist Sean Cable.
That's your Green Bay News Roundup from 97.9 WGBW. Subscribe to this podcast on Spotify,
Apple or wherever you get your podcast and find more news anytime at wgbw.fm.