Good evening everyone for WRCO News.
I'm Todd Copernall.
Church of Cash will perform tonight, starting at 7 o'clock at the Richland Center City Auditorium.
The tribute band will pay homage to the iconic Johnny Cash by celebrating the sound and soul of the man in black
with their heartfelt performance.
With soulful renditions of cash's timeless hits, like Folsom Prison Blues and Ring of Fire, the band captivates audiences with their authentic sound and genuine passion.
All ages are welcome to attend.
Tickets are $25.
To purchase tickets and for more information, go online to the City Auditorium website at thecityauditorium.com.
If you have any questions, you can also contact Mick Cosgrove at a mirror
The 95th Viola Horse and Colt show gets underway tonight and runs through tomorrow in Viola.
Along with the horse show being held all weekend, tonight will feature the annual truck and tractor pull at six o'clock.
Keith Durst is an organizer of the poll.
It's always exciting to do what I do with the horse and colt show committee.
I stick pretty close to the tractor pull and I feel really good about this year's
events with the tractor pole.
We got some good tractors coming in and not only do we have high level competition coming in from outside the area, but we have classes for the locals as well and they've supported us well throughout the years.
Also at 6 o'clock there will be a barnyard bash, midway carnival wristband night will be from 6 o'clock until 10 o'clock and high mileage will perform after the truck and tractor pull.
Tomorrow there will be more events and activities to enjoy.
Ashley Baker is vice chair of horse and colt show board.
We have a horse pulling contest on the 26th, so that's this coming Saturday, starting at 9 a.m.
at the Viola American Legion building, which is across from the truck and tractor pull area.
The Viola American Legion will also be serving charcoal chicken hot dogs and refreshments starting at 10 a.m.
We will have Carnival Rides and Food Stands, brought to you by the Sunny Hill Attractions.
So games, Carnival Rides, foods.
We also have our annual raffle drawing.
So we will have a ticket booth set up right beside the Viola Community Building.
And that will open on Friday at 6 p.m.
And the drawing winner will be announced 10 p.m.
on that Saturday night.
So stop and pick up your tickets.
We also will have our annual parade, which is at 1 p.m.
on Saturday the 26th.
And who doesn't love a parade?
So there's usually a big crowd and lots of candy and creative floats.
So definitely check that out.
Other events on Saturday include an arts and crafts fair starting at 8 o'clock.
At 10 o'clock will be a horse show and an antique tractor pole.
At 3 o'clock will be a truck and tractor pole and a country western dance with Mati Berger and the country gold band starts at 6 o'clock.
You can find more information at the Viola Horse and Colt Show website and on their Facebook evids page.
The 2026 Avoka Fire and EMS Festival will be held tomorrow at Avoka Lakeside Park.
Events include a car show and vendor market starting at 11 o'clock, a bags tournament at noon, kimchi pedal poles at 12.30, kids activities at 1 o'clock, kids water fights and fire truck rides at 3 o'clock, and a raffle drawing at 7 o'clock.
There will be live music, food, beverages and more throughout the day.
More information about the event and raffle drawing can be found online at the Evoca Fire and EMS Festival website.
and Facebook events page.
The 67th Gaze Mills Apple Festival continues through Sunday in Gaze Mills.
Tomorrow will be a run and walk at 7.30.
A horseshoe tournament at 10 o'clock and a three on three basketball tournament at 11.
Sunday at 1.30 will be the Apple Festival Parade.
Each day will feature arts and crafts, a mini carnival, music, visit the orchard, food and more.
More information can be found at GazeMills.gov.
The 2026 Hill and Valley Fall Exploration Tour continues tomorrow and Sunday.
Explore the beautiful hills and valleys, view the fall colors, shop the fall harvest at rural farms, restaurants and businesses, and learn about the vibrant small farm economy
in Northern Sock, Richland and Juneau counties.
Over 20 venues will be participating.
Don't forget to pack your boots and an extra sweater.
This is a rain or shine event for more information about the tour and for detailed information about each venue.
Visit explorehillandvalley.com
A Coon Valley man escaped injury after his vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree in the town of Verroqua, according to the Vernon County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff Roy Torgerson reported that 911 dispatchers received a call around 7.15 p.m.
September 15th regarding a single vehicle crash on Barstead Road near Tri-State Road, rural Westby.
Authorities identified the driver as 31-year-old Jack Allen Fortner.
Fortner was driving a northbound 2015 Ford F-150 when the vehicle veered off the right side of the road and hit a tree.
Seat belts and deploying airbags prevented injury and no medical transport was required.
Emergency crews responding to the scene included the Westby First responders, Verroqua Fire Department and Amplify Health Ambulance.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation by the Vernon County Sheriff's Office.
Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program
Southwest CAP is urging community members to spread the word about an upcoming visit from its pop-up food pantry truck.
The mobile food pantry is scheduled to bring essential groceries and support to residents in Rockbridge and Casanova Tuesday, September 29.
The food pantry truck will make its first stop in Rockbridge from 10.30 a.m.
to 11.30 a.m.
at the Rockbridge Town Hall.
Later that afternoon, the truck will head to Casanovia serving community members near Alibis Bar and Grill on East Main Street from 12.30 p.m.
to 1.30 p.m.
Residents from all surrounding areas are welcome to attend either location.
A local man faces multiple felony charges following a law enforcement response to reports of a disturbance and gunfire in Westby on Tuesday.
According to authorities, officers from the Westby, Verroqua, and Kaston police departments, along with the Vernon County Sheriff's Department, were dispatched to the area of Douglas Street around 2.29 p.m.
September 22.
At the scene, law enforcement made contact with 54-year-old Charles Erlinson of
Westby, investigators noted signs of impairment during their interaction with Erlinson.
A search of the residence was subsequently conducted, leading to the discovery and seizure of multiple firearms.
Erlinson was taken into custody on several felony charges and was later released on a $5,000 signature bond.
The Vernon County District Attorney's Office is reviewing the case for prosecution.
Authorities confirmed that the incident remains
under active investigation.
In her annual State of Education address delivered to the Wisconsin State Capitol, State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly issued an urgent call to action emphasizing the essential role public education plays in maintaining American democracy.
Speaking directly to students, educators and state leaders,
Dr. Underly highlighted the historical significance of public schooling, while cautioning that current funding models threaten its future stability across the state.
Addressing the ongoing challenges faced by local communities, Dr. Underly pointed to the state's school funding formula as a primary source of strain.
With over 90% of Wisconsin school districts relying on local referendums over the past nine years,
To maintain basic operations and retain staff, she urged lawmakers and citizens to unite behind long-term structural reforms rather than continuing to pass financial burdens on to taxpayers and local school boards.
Concluding her speech, Dr. Underly framed the decision ahead as a defining moment for Wisconsin's legacy.
She reminded leaders that past generations invested heavily in public institutions to ensure opportunity for all and called on current decision makers to make the same sustained commitment for future students and communities.
Governor Tony Evers announced that Monday, October 5th will be the final day to submit a pardon application to be eligible for consideration before the conclusion of his second and final term in January.
Anyone seeking a pardon prior to the end of the term must mail their application by 11.59 p.m.
October 5th.
Application forms, instructions and frequently asked questions are available on the governor's website.
Applicants unable to meet the deadline are encouraged to wait for the next gubernatorial administration as requirements and procedures may change.
Reinstating the pardon process has been one of the administration's primary efforts with over 2,000 pardons granted to date.
Under the Wisconsin Constitution, a pardon restores specific civil rights lost due to a felony conviction, such as serving on a jury or holding public office, though it does not expunge court records.
Eligible applicants must have completed their sentence at least five years ago with no pending criminal charges and cannot be on the sex offender registry.
An expedited review process is available for nonviolent offenses with longer periods since sentence completion.
Hardin Advisory Board will continue processing applications through the end of the governor's term.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice has joined a multi-state coalition in announcing a $2.3 million settlement with Laboratory Corporation of America, Lab Corp.
The agreement resolves an investigation into a 2019 data breach at LabCorp's .collector, Retrieval Masters Creditors Bureau, doing business as American Medical Collection Agency, AMCA.
The security incident compromised the personal information of over 27.5 million individuals nationwide, including 10.2 million LabCorp patients and 16,615 Wisconsin residents.
The multi-state coalition previously reached a settlement with AMCA in 2021 following the dismissal of the company's bankruptcy petition.
Although the breach occurred on AMCA's systems, the exposed records contained sensitive patient data belonging to Lab Corp.
While businesses frequently contract with third-party vendors and delegate operational tasks, maintaining robust data security remains an essential responsibility that cannot be transferred.
Under the terms of the agreement, Labcorp must enhance several core areas of its information security framework.
These updates include formalizing incident response plans to ensure internal reporting of vendor security events, minimizing data shared with external vendors, and expanding oversight programs with dedicated risk management teams and automated evaluation tools.
We have two new winners to announce in the St.
Anthony's Raffle they are on ticket 86, Cindy, Deidlhoff, and on ticket 122, Jean Klang.
Congratulations to two more $50 winners.