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. A missing
woman from Appleton was found dead over the weekend. Appleton police issued a missing
person alert for 64-year-old Maureen Van Ells in last Thursday. They say she'd been seen
leaving her home Monday morning, but her family told authorities they hadn't seen or heard
from her since. In an update Friday afternoon, officials confirmed Van Ellsin was located
deceased. Police have not released details about where her body was recovered.
Green Bay Firefighters spent hours Saturday night putting out a scrap metal fire on the city's
near West Side. Green Bay Metro Fire Department says Cruz had to break apart piles of mixed
scrap metal in order to battle the blaze in the 1300 block of Tomlin Street just off
Velp Avenue. It took them about three hours to fully put the fire out. No one was injured and the
cause is still under investigation. Getting your college degree in three years could be a
possibility in the UW system. University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents considered
revisions to a policy last week that would allow campuses to create bachelor's degrees that can
be completed in three years. These degrees would typically require 90 credits instead of the
standard 120. These three-year programs are on the rise nationwide. The State Journal reports
the Board of Regents will vote on the policy at a future meeting only one four-year university
in Wisconsin currently offers a reduced credit degree program. The Green Bay Area School District
has a new superintendent. The Board of Education voted Friday night to offer the position to
Michael Hernandez. Hernandez is currently the assistant superintendent in Appleton and has also
worked to oversee the Madison Metropolitan School District. Hernandez is a Harvard trained leader
in urban leadership and instructional rounds. Hernandez says he'll focus on school safety and the
budget. Are you still trying to catch up from losing an hour's sleep yesterday? Some experts say
there's a good reason for that and it's also why they say we should stop springing forward all
together. Fatal car crashes temporarily jump in the first few days after the springtime change
according to a study of U.S. traffic fatalities. The risk was highest in the morning and researchers
attributed that to sleep deprivation. The American Heart Association also says there's an increase
in heart attacks the Monday following the time change and in strokes for the following two days.
Before starting his second term, President Donald Trump promised to eliminate daylight saving time.
A bipartisan bill named the Sunshine Protection Act to make daylight saving time permanent has
repeatedly stalled in Congress. Some near-record-breaking warm temps can be enough to get you out of bed
in the morning. Local forecasters say we could see a high of 64 today which would break the
current record of 60 set just last year. Enjoy the brief taste of spring while you can, though,
we've got some wintry weather moving back in already starting tomorrow night. Details coming up
in the full forecast. With news at the top and bottom of the hour all day and on demand any time
at WGBW.FM, I'm Connie Feldman, 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
afford basic needs like housing, childcare, or health care. Sabrina Prachaska, 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 worldwide 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.
The Badgers head to the tournament. Hi, I'm I Clevans with sports men's college basketball
Wisconsin Badgers awarded the fifth seed in the Big Ten tournament. They'll play at the United
Center in Chicago when they face either Washington or USC this Thursday afternoon at 130.
Great guard proud of his team's 97-93 win at number 15th rank Purdue.
We got Purdue's best and I think Purdue got our best and obviously our ability to move the ball
offensively. Create 19 assists on 29 baskets when we're playing well together. We're really,
really good NBA. The Bucks get blown out at home by the magic 130 to 91. They'll host the
Suns tomorrow night NFL. The Packersign Center Sean Ryan to a three-year contract and trade for
Colts linebacker Zeyer Franklin who led the league and combined tackles in 2024. Honestly,
I was tired of being denied. Just a lot more work, a lot more hours put in to try to make that
next step to try to be one of the best in the game. That's the new Packers linebacker Zeyer Franklin
with sports on Mike Clemens. It is going to be another really nice day today, mostly sunny with a
high in the low to mid 60s here this afternoon. Tonight, partly cloudy will drop to 35 for a low
tomorrow, mostly cloudy with a little light rain by later afternoon or high 45 with rain and some
freezing rain tomorrow night into Wednesday. I'm your neurologist, 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.