Here's your Daily News Roundup from 97.9 wgbw
From the 97.9 wgbw newsroom, I'm Connie Feldman with this local news update.
The parents of a man who disappeared in Wapaka County nearly six years ago spoke out last week,
one day after a woman was charged in connection with his death.
John Morgan Jr. was 22 when he was last seen alive in March of 2020.
His body has never been found. 31-year-old Desiree Osman was charged last week with first
degree reckless homicide and hiding a corpse among other counts. Osman is accused of providing
the heroin that led to Morgan's fatal overdose. Morgan's parents spoke to the judge at Osman's
court appearance, asking for a high bail amount and no bond be set. They say they respect that
the legal process must play out, but they say six years is a long time to go without closure.
Court records show Osman is due back in court on March 9th for preliminary hearing.
In O'Conto woman was convicted last week for providing the fentanyl that killed her boyfriend
on Christmas Day in 2022. Court records show 32-year-old Sarah Dahl pleaded no contest to first
degree reckless homicide. Dahl will be sentenced in May. If you believe the old proverb, we'd have to
say March is coming in more like a lamb. Chili, but sunny and seasonable. Looks like things will
quickly turn more lion-like, though, with a chance for a wintry mix tomorrow morning and a few
rounds of rain heading our way later in the week. Details coming up in the full forecast.
People in Northeast Wisconsin joined protesters around the country this weekend after the United
States and Israeli strikes in Iran on Saturday. Demonstrators gathered on the corner of
Maine and Webster with chance and signs opposing President Trump's actions in the Middle East.
A small group of protesters stood along college Avenue in Appleton as well.
Protesters say they think money could be better spent on food, education, and infrastructure
here in the U.S. rather than a war in the Middle East. One person was killed in a Bellevue house
fire early Sunday morning and another taken to the hospital. Green Bay firefighters say crews
found smoke billowing from the home on Scarlet Lane when they arrived. One person had gotten out,
but another was still inside. Firefighters found the second person in the house and got them
outside, but that person was pronounced dead at the scene. Fire marshals are still investigating
the cause of the fire. Northeast Wisconsin lost a beloved voice in the radio world over the weekend.
WAPL FM announced Rick McNeil of the familiar duo Rick and Len has died. McNeil retired in 2024
citing health reasons after nearly four decades with the rock music station. His longtime radio
partner Len Nelson recently posted on Facebook that McNeil had been hospitalized with sepsis
following an infection. Rick McNeil was 67. With news at the top and bottom of the hour
all day and on demand any time at WGBW. FM, I'm Connie Filman, 97.9 WGBW news.
For Civic Media News, I'm Lisa Hale. The minimum wage in Wisconsin is $7.25 an hour.
For tipped workers like restaurant servers, it's $2.33 an hour. Now some Wisconsin Democrats are
proposing raising the state's minimum wage to $20 an hour by 2030. State Senator Keldor Royes,
who's also running for governor, said in a press conference that at least a million workers can't
afford basic needs like housing, childcare, or health care. Sabrina Puchaska, who works in the
service industry, said her pay is $15.81 per hour, and it isn't enough, especially as the cost
of living and health care costs are rising. The proposed bill would increase the state minimum
wage to $15 an hour immediately. It would then increase $1.25 each year until 2030 when it would
reach $20 an hour. The measure is unlikely to advance during this legislative session.
Wisconsin is joining another multi-state lawsuit. This one is over federal changes to the childhood
vaccine schedule. Attorney General Josh Call joins the governor of Pennsylvania and attorneys
general from 14 other states in the suit that challenges the Trump administration's decision
to remove several vaccines, including rotavirus, hepatitis A and B and COVID-19.
State health leaders report responding to measles cases in 2025 and 2026, including 36 in late 2025.
Officials say all of those cases involved unvaccinated people. Speaking of the highly contagious
viral infection called measles, numerous Wisconsin health organizations are encouraging vaccination
after recent confirmed cases in the state. Civic Media's Joanne Croulott reports.
All individuals eligible for vaccination should confirm their vaccination status by reviewing their
records or by receiving the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine commonly called the MMR vaccine.
Cases have been increasing across North America recently, largely due to decrease in immunization
rates in children after the disease was considered eliminated for decades. It spreads through the air
when an infected person coughs or breeze and can linger for up to two hours. It is so contagious
that approximately nine and ten unvaccinated individuals exposed to the virus can be expected
to develop infection. While most people with measles experience high fever, cough, runny nose,
red eyes, and eventually a diffuse rash, it can lead to more serious issues like pneumonia,
brain swelling, and even death. Complications are more common in younger and older individuals,
as well as those with compromised immune systems. I'm Joanne Croulott's.
Wisconsin companies are going to court over tariffs tied to President Donald Trump's trade policies,
coals, Milwaukee Tool, and several manufacturers want refunds for import taxes they say were collected
illegally. The lawsuits don't give dollar figures, but companies argue the tariffs hurt business
and created uncertainty. One CEO says most firms just want clear, consistent trade rules.
The legal fight comes as new global tariffs are again being debated in Washington.
Colorado Congressman Jason Crowe visited Western Wisconsin on Wednesday seeking to
drum up support for the Democratic candidates who are challenging the incumbent Republican Derek van
Orden in the third congressional district. Civic media's James Kelly was there.
Congressman Crowe's town hall at the Chippewa Valley Museum covered a wide range of topics,
most notably issues like ensuring veterans are taken care of properly,
protecting access to health care, and the effects of tariffs.
Asked about some differences between the ways tariffs are affecting Wisconsin residents and
residents in his home district, Congressman Crowe highlighted soybean farmers.
The soybean farmers have been hit particularly hard by tariffs. You're talking with some of
their farm groups have told me that a lot of these farms haven't received orders in five months
or more, right, and orders are just starting to trickle in. People can't afford that. Family
farms simply cannot afford that and they're going under.
For civic media news, I'm James Kelly.
Traveling is set to get a little easier in Wisconsin as bus services scaled up.
The Department of Transportation and operators like Lamers and Greyhound
announced updates to the statewide routes, including new connections and more reliable schedules.
One of the biggest changes is the addition of a new route between LaCrosse and Green Bay.
A couple Midwest schools rank first and second among the public universities in the United
States in Time Magazine's list of the world's top universities of 2026. The University of Michigan
is ninth overall on the list and is the number one public university in the United States.
The number two public university in the US and 20th overall world wide is the University of
Wisconsin-Madison. The magazine looked at academic strength, economic impact,
innovation, and global engagement as it ranked the top 500 universities across the globe.
For civic media news, I'm Lisa Hale. For news anytime, visit our website at civicmedia.us.
It's the Bucks and the Celtics. Hi, I'm Mike Clemens with Sports NBA. The Bucks host
the Boston Celtics tonight. I've got the second best record in the Eastern conference just
behind Detroit. The Bucks was an embarrassing loss yesterday in Chicago. 120 to 97. The Bulls head
won a games in January and 11 game losing streak. Doc Rivers. I don't know if there's such a thing
as the basketball got, but if there is, he was alive tonight. When you approach the game and play
like that, you don't deserve to win. If we had won the game, I'd have been upset. I had taken the
win because we need it, but that is not how you play basketball. College hoops, Marquette,
losing at home to the DePaul Blue Demons 62 to 51. The Golden Eagles now 10 to 19 for the year.
Women's hockey in Madison over the weekend. The Wisconsin Badgers beat Bemidji State. In over time,
two to one, Leyla Edwards with the winning goal, sending the number one ranked Badgers to the WCHA
finals face-off that begins Thursday in St. Paul with sports on Mike Clemens.
It is going to be a sunny one today with a high in the upper 30s to low 40s this afternoon.
Tonight, to mostly cloudy, we're going to drop into the upper 20s to near 30 for a low. And then
tomorrow, a little off an on-light rain or snow early, then gradual clearing with a high in the low
40s. I mean, yourologist Sean Cable. That's your Green Bay News Roundup from 97.9 WGBW.
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