WRCO Morning News

Today is October 20th.

These are today's vital statistics.

Russell L. Bauer, 85 of Springgreen, died October 7th.

A funeral mass will be held today at 11 a.m.

at St.

John's Catholic Church in Springgreen with military honors conducted by the Springgreen American Legion post 253.

Visitation will be held at the church today from 9 a.m.

until the time of Mass at 11.

A private family burial will be held in the Helen Cemetery.

The Richardson Stafford Funeral Home is assisting the family.

Russell L. Bauer, 85 of Spring Green.

Diane Baumkamp, 85 of Muscaday, died Sunday, October 11th.

Graveside services will be held Friday, October 23rd at 1 p.m.

at St.

John's Catholic Cemetery.

The Pratt Funeral Incrimination Service is assisting the family with their arrangements.

Diane Baumkamp, 85 of Muscaday.

Martin C. Smiley Fortune, 84 of Viola, died Saturday, October 17 at Vernon Manor.

in Verroqua.

A funeral service for Smiley will be held at 11 a.m.

Saturday, October 24 at the Viola United Methodist Church.

Visitation will be held Friday, October 23 from 4 until 7 p.m.

at the Viola United Methodist Church.

Additional visitation will be held Saturday at the church from 10 a.m.

until the time of service.

A luncheon will immediately follow the service at the Viola Community Center.

Smiley will be

to rest at a later date at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery.

Martin C. Smiley Tune, 84, of Viola.

Caitlyn Elizabeth Fleishauer, 41, of Spring Green and Muscaday, died Sunday, October 18.

Funeral services will be held Monday, October 26th at 11 a.m.

at St.

John the Baptist Catholic Church in Muscaday with burial to follow in St.

John's Catholic Cemetery.

Visitation will be held Sunday, October 25th at St.

John's Gym from 12 noon until 3 p.m.

and again Monday

from 10 a.m.

until the procession to the church at 10.45.

The Pratt funeral and cremation service is assisting the family.

Caitlin Elizabeth Fleishauer, 41 of Spring Green and Muscaday.

Michael Allen Winstrup, 85 of Rich Len Center, died Friday, October 16th after a short battle with cancer.

Pratt

funeral and cremation is assisting the family.

Memorials may be made to a charity of your choice.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Michael Allen Winstrup, 85 of Richland Center.

Good morning, everyone, for WRCO News.

I'm Todd Copernall, 36 sunny degrees in Richland Center right now.

Forecast says another beautiful day, mostly sunny and mild, headed to a high of 68.

In the news this morning, the staff down at Los Amigos in Richland Center issued the following statement after the stabbing incident.

that happened in Richland Center on Sunday.

It says not all heroes wear capes.

Dear Richland Center and surrounding communities on Sunday, October 18th, one of our coworkers, Alexa, experienced a terrifying situation in which her life was in danger.

By the grace of God and the kindness of our community, she is now recovering.

We want to sincerely thank everyone who helped Alexa, including those who bravely tried to stop the attacker, the person who took her to the hospital, and everyone who stepped forward without hesitation.

A special thank you to the hospital staff for caring for Alexa and helping her recover, and to the Richland Center Police Department for their excellent work in apprehending the suspect and protecting our community.

This experience has reminded us that although Richland Center is a small town, it has a big heart.

We are also deeply grateful to our neighboring communities for showing their kindness, support, and compassion.

May God bless Alexa.

everyone who helped her, and all the wonderful people who remind us what it truly means to be a community.

Not all heroes wear capes.

Some are our neighbors, first responders, health care workers, and everyday people who choose to help when it matters most.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

The Friends of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway announced that loner life vests have been removed from riverside kiosks across the region for the season, with autumn conditions settling in.

Rivergoers and experienced boaters heading out on the water will need to bring their own personal flotation devices, flow strongly advices that cold water boating only be undertaken by experienced individuals equipped with proper gear due to the severe risks associated with cold water immersion.

Each season, a substantial number of life jackets must be replaced due to wear or loss.

Flow relies heavily on community donations to replenish its stock, particularly for adult sizes large and extra large.

Local residents with extra life vests to

to spare can drop them off during regular business hours at the Arcadia bookstore in Spring Green or contact Flow directly by emailing Wisconsin River Friends at gmail.com to arrange a handoff.

Community members are encouraged to help spread the word regarding the upcoming Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program pop-up food pantry truck schedule.

The pop-up pantry is open to everyone residing in the surrounding area.

The next stop for the pantry truck will be tomorrow in Boaz.

Distribution will take place from 11 a.m.

to 12 noon in the parking lot of the Boaz Community Building.

To receive food, Southwest Cap requires the collection of basic household details, including the full names, birthdays, and addresses of all household members.

as well as the total household size.

Attendees are asked to bring a slip of paper with each household member's name, address and birth date already written down to help speed up the distribution process.

The Richland County Board of Supervisors will convene for a meeting at six o'clock.

today in the County Boardroom in Richland Center.

A public hearing on the proposed 2027 Richland County budget will be held during the meeting, followed by a vote on a resolution to adopt the budget and establish the tax levy.

The Board will consider several key financial and operational resolutions, including awarding the sale of $3,500,000 in general obligation promissory notes and $2 million in taxable general obligation promissory notes.

Additional resolutions on the agenda address hiring and employment considerations, approval of the SEIU contract, and updated plan for Richland County EMS that rescins resolutions 26-22 and 26-34, the allocation of capital funds for the remaining roof project balance at Pine Valley, and awarding the plow truck body build.

Supervisors are also scheduled to vote on a revised recycling ordinance as well as a resolution appointing the Public Works Committee as the Liaison Committee to oversee facility improvements and authorizing associated spending.

Ordinance changes under consideration include measures relating to a land parcel, short-term rentals, and floodplain protection and control.

The Lone Rock Community Library is once again partnering with members of the Ithaca Lions Club to offer free eye screenings and hearing tests specifically for local homeschool families.

For four years this valuable collaboration has helped ensure area homeschool children have convenient access to essential health resources in a welcoming community focused setting.

The event will take place Thursday

October 29th, beginning at 11.30 AM at the Lone Rock Community Library.

All local homeschool children are welcome to participate in the screenings.

No advanced registration or signup is required to attend.

These annual screenings offer parents a simple and accessible opportunity to have their children's vision and hearing evaluated.

Community members with questions are encouraged to contact the Lone Rock Community Library for more information.

Families are also invited to share details about the event with local homeschool groups to help spread the word throughout the community.

Community members in need of food assistance will have an opportunity to receive support this week as the second Harvest Mobile Food distribution event comes to Bosquebell.

Today, the drive-thru event is scheduled to begin at 9.30 a.m.

and will be hosted in the parking lot of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.

Anyone seeking food support for themselves or their families is encouraged to take advantage of this community event.

The Richland Hospital and Clinics recently welcomed nearly 40 high school students from Richland Center, River Valley, Highland and Kickapoo for its annual Career Day.

Designed to introduce students to the wide array of opportunities in healthcare, the event showcased a unique local pathway into the medical field right here in Richland County.

At the heart of the event was TRHC's Youth Apprenticeship Program, the only hospital-based program of its kind in Wisconsin.

The initiative offers high schoolers hands-on experience, direct mentorship, and career exploration opportunities.

Originally established by former Chief Nursing Officer Cindy Hanold, who now serves as a volunteer with partners of the Richland Hospital, the program was dormant for several years before being restored and expanded.

Sarah Stibbe, Administrative Assistant and Volunteer Coordinator at TRHC, spearheaded the Revitalized Program in partnership with Tom Martin, Career and Life Ready Coordinator with CESA 3.

Career Day went beyond traditional clinical roles to highlight supporting healthcare professions.

Participating students explored careers in laboratory services, rehabilitation, pharmacy, information technology, nutrition, and hospital administration.

The program's innovative approach to workforce development has drawn attention beyond the region.

A career-focused lunch gave students the chance to network directly with staff regarding volunteering, job shadowing,

and future employment pathways.

The event also featured participation from Richland County EMS emphasizing the crucial collaboration between local health care providers, educational bodies, and emergency services in preparing future professionals.

The Richland Hospital and Clinics expressed sincere gratitude to all participating staff, presenters, Richland County EMS, CESA 3, regional school districts, and community partners whose efforts made Career Day a success.

The Avoka Blue River Muscaday Lions Club marked a milestone anniversary with a banquet and celebration held at events at Castle Rock near Muscaday.

Members, guests, and community leaders gathered to honor the organization's 60 years of dedicated local and global service since its chartering April 27, 1966.

Chartered under the sponsorship of the Richland Center and Lone Rock Lions Clubs, the club began under the leadership of its first president, B.J.

shingle.

Among the original 27 charter members, Dennis Froe of Lodi remains the sole leading surviving founder.

Froe addressed attendees at the event sharing memories of his father, Orville Froe, organizing local business owners and leaders to establish the chapter at the former Froes Steakhouse.

Keynote Speaker Andrea Yenter, Director of the Wisconsin Lions Camp, shared her personal journey from attending the camp as a hearing-impaired youth to completing her 23rd year as Camp Director.

Yenter highlighted the camp's mission of providing cost-free experiences for children with sight, hearing, cognitive, and medical needs across Wisconsin.

Following her address, Lions Club President Kevin Bartels presented Yenter with a special $500 contribution to support the camp's ongoing work.

It's Tuesday's Roundup!

Brought to you by added touch Floralinkiffs, Julie Karen State Farm, Richland Hospital, Cardinal Glass CG, and by Badgerland Florine.

And today is Quiz Day!

Hank is handing out the questions and Phil bravely, boldly, and often incorrectly taking the quiz!

Confidence?

Sky High!

Accuracy still under review.

Hanks got the answers, Phil's got the guesses, and somehow, we've got a show.

Play along and see if you can beat Phil, which, statistically speaking, you probably can.

Tuesday's Roundup where the questions are tough and Phil makes them tougher.

Hank is out and about, he's absent today.

So we brought in the barber's kid to fill in for him.

Todd Gobert, how are you doing?

Doing great.

Good morning, Phil.

Good morning.

Right.

Indeed.

Getting ready.

Now we know who the Brewers are going to play.

We do.

Milwaukee and Tampa, who were the best two teams, the best team in each league all year.

So it doesn't always work that way, but the team that won the most games in each league made it to the World Series.

And fastball

Freddie will be one of their opponents.

Isn't that some ironic stuff?

The best two pitchers on Tampa Bay, Freddie Peralta and Drew Rasmussen are former brewers.

Right.

And they're the key reason Tampa is where they are.

If they beat the brewers, those two guys are going to have a lot to do with that.

Yes, they will.

Well, we'll see what happens starting Friday night.

And we're almost there,

huh?

Suds versus Sons

series,

what they're calling it.

So remember that it was the Suds series when the Boers played the Cardinals in 82.

So

yeah, with the two beer cities.

Beer cities.

That's true.

I did.

There's people from this state buying tickets in Tampa Bay.

They're cheaper.

with the airfare in the hotel.

You

can fly down there, you can stay down there and then, yeah, isn't that sad?

That's crazy.

Uh, it's going to, I want to see when the games start, how many Brewer fans are in that place because for the last three, four days, people from here have been buying those tickets because they were so much less money.

And I thought, how could it be cheaper with a, you know, the, the plane tickets in the hotel and it is.

So.

crazy.

Yeah.

Expensive tickets.

Plus you, people don't even realize you add on the service charge.

Um, you know, you, you spend a couple of thousand dollars on a ticket, then there's another service charge on there and then parking and everything else.

Yeah.

That's crazy.

And it's just nuts.

It's just the supply and demand thing.

Honestly, people that put their tickets for sale.

frankly are trying to take advantage of Brewer's fans because we've waited so long.

I mean, when a ticket in Milwaukee is thousands of dollars more than the same thing in Tampa, and that's where the market is.

But I'm interested to see how many of those tickets are still sitting there when the games are about to start, how many people will pay

literally three thousand four five thousand dollars a ticket to go to a brewers play a world series game or and how many just won't yeah I wouldn't I can't know and they I mean I'm a huge brewers fan since I was seven years old me too and as soon as I saw the numbers I'm I didn't even consider it

right I mean if let's say that they found out that Elvis was still alive and he's gonna put on a concert I still wouldn't pay that much

no you wouldn't and I mean you know

Phil and I, we didn't come from money.

So as soon as I did it, I'd be going, oh, this is the year the furnace goes out.

I'd be worried about that, you know?

Yes.

I hear you.

Well,

you're filling in for Hank.

You've got his normal agenda today, I believe.

Thank goodness he typed it out because I can't read the man's handwriting.

You got to try to do that.

Read what?

Can he type?

Well, somebody did it.

Oh, did he get a voice activated?

Maybe

auto correct.

I

don't know a voice activation.

Oh, well.

Yeah, but he left the script, I guess you could call it for me yesterday, and it starts out with today's question.

Are you ready for that?

I think so.

Okay, it goes like this.

What's a smell you secretly love that most people probably don't?

That's a tough

one.

You know, it's weird, but sometimes there's certain manors that

Certain ones depends on yeah.

Well, yeah, you know got a kind of a

taste for it, not a taste for it, a smell for

it.

You're sort of cultured.

Yeah,

cultured.

Agriculture.

So what sort of manure?

I can't put my finger on it.

It's not chicken.

I hope not.

It's not chicken.

It's not sheep.

No,

no, okay.

No, definitely chicken.

Right.

No, not chicken.

So some sort of higher class manures.

Yeah,

exactly.

I should have thought about this a bit more.

Well,

you

weren't warned.

No, I wasn't.

When we hit your live on the air.

The chicken thing.

Yeah.

Henry actually bought a chicken to make sandwiches, but it doesn't.

It just poops on the floor.

Right.

Exactly.

Thank you.

Okay.

All right.

Well, we're going to change this up.

You know, Henry likes to say you might be from Pea Ridge, if you know, but he's from Arkansas and we're not.

No, no, no.

And I think pretty much everyone who works here grew up within 20 minutes of the studio.

So we're going to go, you might be from Sextonville.

Oh yeah, all

right.

You might be from Sextonville if your emergency roadside kit includes jumper cables, bailing wire, duct tape and bee jerky.

Well, what's wrong with

that?

Nothing at all.

That's the point.

It's very practical.

Shoot, that's the stuff grandpa taught

me.

You gotta have some fix-a-flat in there too.

You have fix-a-flat for darn sure.

Exactly.

And you gotta have the however many candle power spotlight thing too.

There you go.

And zip ties.

Zip ties.

Absolutely.

The beef jerky thing.

I mean, you don't want to get stranded.

You know, that's true.

Got to have the food.

They would say chocolate bar

in the winter.

They could do that.

That would fit.

Yeah.

All right.

All right.

And you have the cuisine poo as well.

I do.

I have a daily dilemma and I have a quiz.

Which one do you want first?

Well, I guess the daily dilemma.

Okay.

The daily dilemma.

Would you rather have a smoke detector that grades your cooking or a bathroom scale that calls a family meeting?

That's a tough question, too.

You know, I'm going with a smoke

alarm.

I'm definitely that.

Yeah, I believe so.

Definitely that.

We still tell stories about my grandmother's kitchen, you know, where you're waving the broom underneath a thing while she's making dinner.

That's

how you knew that the pizza was done,

too.

100%.

Oh, you visited my grandmother.

Right, right.

All right.

Here we go.

Question number one in the quiz.

Are you ready?

Yes.

Okay.

In 1985,

Alabama Gardener Charles H. Wilbur entered the Guinness Book of World Records with a backyard cherry tomato plant that grew 28 feet, seven inches tall.

Is that true or false?

All right.

That's one.

Question two.

Actor Jimmy Stewart rode the same horse named Pi in 17 Westerns.

But despite his efforts to buy that horse, the owner never sold

it.

All right.

You ready?

Here we go.

Let's see.

Question three, which president kept a pet alligator at the White House?

Is it A, John Quincy Adams, B, James Madison, C, Martin Van Buren, or D, Zachary Taylor?

All right.

Question four, which everyday product

was originally promoted partly as wallpaper cleaner.

Is it A, silly putty, B, Play-Doh, C, Crayola crayons, or D, Elmer's glue?

All right.

How are you doing, Phil?

Well, I think I got one right.

You

think you got

one?

All right.

We'll have to, we'll bring the Ewing family back down here and really quiz you.

I know how to do that.

Okay, five, which college football team is known as the Chanticleers?

Is

it Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, South Carolina, or Charleston Southern?

Oh boy.

Yeah, that's,

That's a tough one for Henry's looking this stuff on.

Okay.

Number six, with the popularity of streaming platforms, captioning has become mainstream.

What percentage of Americans report frequently using subtitles or closed captions while they watch TV?

Is it a 34% B 54% C 55% or D 77% All right.

All right.

7.

What major offensive weapon became legal in college football in 1906?

A. The field goal.

B. The forward pass.

C. The quarterback sneak or D. The lateral.

All right.

All right.

Number eight, which was a real product?

The Nicholas Cage sequined pillow.

The chicken purse with speakers.

or the denim shower curtain pants.

Wow.

I got cousins that might have bought them.

Yeah,

right.

Remember, Ronco made, uh, it was like a stud.

Yeah.

Like the sequins and rhinestones.

To put on your own jackets and stuff.

Take a

denim jacket and then you like press them up.

They're like rivets, you know, you put them all over your jacket.

That actually created.

Simpsons character the guy ran out of room.

He was trying to put disco stud on the back of his jacket ran out of room.

So he was disco stew Indeed all right got an answer there.

I hope so number nine what is a group of horses called is it a gallop be a stable see a team or D a harass

All right, last question.

Which animal was designated as Wisconsin's official state wildlife animal in 1957?

Is it the Badger, the Whitetail Deer, Black Bear, or North American

Beaver?

All

right,

you ready

over there?

Yeah, I hope, but I don't know.

I think I'm, I don't know if I'm going to be able to go out for recess today.

I had to study.

I had sex

wrong last time.

Did you really?

Yeah.

My grades kind of fallen

a little bit.

That's tough, man.

Let's see how you did.

Okay.

Question one, it was in 1985, Alabama gardener Charles H. Wilbur entered the Guinness Book of World Records with a backyard cherry tomato plant that grew to be 28 feet, seven inches tall.

And that is true.

It's true.

It is true.

And I'll just read you how I'm getting skunked.

Well, Henry's notes are filled.

That's not gardening.

That's tomato picking with a bucket truck.

Yeah.

28 feet up.

I guess it would be or a skid steer.

Yeah.

Right.

Try it with an ax.

Not that thing right now.

Yeah.

Okay.

Actor Jimmy Stewart rode the same horse named.

pie and 17 Westerns.

But despite his efforts to buy the horse, the owner refused to sell.

And that's true.

And that's true.

That is true.

Did you get that one?

Two for two, baby.

17 movies together.

Phil, he still couldn't buy the horse.

Apparently pie's agent was better than his.

That's

funny.

I love Jimmy Stewart.

Yeah.

I think

they're making a bio pic about him.

I think that it's coming out sometime soon.

That's one of, I think, the most well liked actors this country ever had.

I think so.

Who doesn't like Jimmy Stewart?

Right.

Right?

It's a

wonderful

life.

Yeah, man.

One of my favorites is the man who shot Liberty

Valance

with John Wayne and him and Lee Marvin.

Lee

Marvin was the bad

guy.

Yeah.

Classic.

Great.

And it's a, it's one where John Wayne is the hero, but no one knows it.

You know,

yeah.

Right.

Yeah.

Yeah.

But then of course the moral of the story is the Jimmy, the attorney, the rule of law in his books, he was right.

Yeah.

He was the, he was.

that he did it the right way and was proven to be right and with a long fruitful life.

Yeah man, he made a lot of great movies.

Rear window.

Yes.

A wonderful movie.

Oh yeah, that's a suspense movie.

Oh man.

Yeah, with Grace Kelly.

Great movie.

All right, here we go.

Number three, which president reportedly kept a pet alligator at the White House?

John Quincy Adams, James Madison, Martin Van Buren, Rosacri Taylor.

And that is John Quincy Adams.

Oh no, we got a loss here.

Man.

Welcome to the White House, the bathroom's down the hall.

Don't mind gear.

Imagine that.

Oh boy.

Okay.

Four, which everyday product was originally promoted partly as wallpaper cleaner, silly putty, Play-Doh, Crayola crayons, or Omer's glue.

It's Play-Doh.

It

is.

I

got that right.

Look at you.

Named after the famous philosopher Play-Doh.

Did you know

that?

I did not know that.

Are

you making that

up?

Yeah.

I'm making that up.

Then somebody handed it to the kids and discovered they'd rather make a purple snake with it.

Oh yeah, I know.

That's probably true.

I

know

it.

That's probably

true.

It smells so good, but it's so salty.

How do you know that?

There's

another smell, you know,

yeah.

Marty told you that.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Right.

Okay.

Five.

Which college football team is known as the Chanticleers, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, South Carolina, or Charleston Southern?

It's Coastal Carolina.

Was that, which one was

that?

A. Yeah, they got it right then.

That's what I thought.

Chanticleer is a proud rooster, which is a fancy way of saying the loudest guy in the barn.

That's true.

So Speckle Pete, my rooster was a Chanticleer.

I guess so.

I guess so.

He could have gone to whichever school that was to... Carolina.

Coastal Carolina.

Coastal

Carolina.

Alright, with the popularity of streaming platforms, captioning has become mainstream.

What percentage of Americans report frequently using subtitles or closed captions?

While watching television, A.

34%, B.

54%, C.

55% or D.

77% it is C.

That's a

lot.

That's a lot.

That's a lot more than I expect.

I wouldn't.

It must be the younger people.

I don't think our guys are doing it.

It kind of drives me crazy.

I'm not used to

it.

I don't do it.

No, I don't either.

Okay.

Surveys indicate that over half of Americans regularly use subtitles, often citing better comprehension, difficult audio mixing or quiet viewing environments.

Yeah.

Well,

people are loud around you.

You can watch it, but.

thing of it is, uh, sometimes you're focused on that more than you are what's happening in the movie.

You know, if it's a movie going on.

So it's, it's things have changed.

Everybody's got their own device with subtitles.

We had our dad going quiet and watching the show.

Exactly.

Things are different.

I want to watch this story.

Yeah.

That's right.

Okay.

Seven, one major offensive weapon became legal.

In college football in 1906, the field goal, the forward pass, the quarterback sneak or the lateral, the answer is B, the forward pass.

Got that one?

And somewhere an old coach immediately complained they were ruining football.

Yeah,

exactly.

Those purists.

Think, think what it would be if we didn't have it.

Oh man, may not have survived.

It wouldn't be the hit that it is now.

Can you know three yards in a cloud of dust or however they do that.

All right.

Number eight.

Which one was a real product?

A, the Nicholas Cage Sequin Pillow?

B, the chicken purse with speakers?

Or C, the denim shower curtain pants?

The answer is A, the Nicholas Cage Sequin Pillow.

See, I had that and I crossed

it.

You crossed it and you changed your answer.

I went

with the chicken.

So you didn't have the Nicholas Cage Sequin

Pillow?

No,

I didn't.

No, man.

Big money on eBay, I'll bet.

Now that it was on WRCM.

All right.

Okay, nine.

What is a group of horses called A, a gallop, B, a stable, C, a team, or D, a harass?

The answer is D, harass, H-A-R-R-A-S.

I learned something every day.

I've never

heard.

I did

not know that.

Henry says, sounds less like horses and more like a lawyer accidentally spelling harass wrong in an email.

Oh.

It's H-A-R-R-A-S.

I've never heard that.

Me either.

Oh, all right.

Number 10, which animal?

was designated as Wisconsin's official state wildlife animal in 1957, the American Badger, the Whitetail Deer, the Black Bear, or the North American Beaver, and the answer is B, the Whitetail Deer.

Oh man,

got it wrong.

I said

the

bear.

All right, Northern counties pushed hard for the deer due to its physical beauty and huge boost to the state's hunting economy, leaving the iconic Badger relegated to official state animal.

status.

Uh-huh, not wildlife.

Oh, tricky, Henry Bray.

Because why settle for one official mammal when you can have a separate one dedicated specifically to tourism, blaze orange jackets and venison jerky?

Trick question.

How'd you do?

Five right.

Five out of 10?

Yeah.

One, two, three, four.

Yep.

What are you gonna do about

this?

50%, I don't know.

Not gonna be able to go out for recess today, but I have to stay in and clean chalk erasers.

We're gonna have to throw you some softballs next time.

Yeah, I hope so.

It's just amazing.

How many Z's in ZZ Top?

Come on, classic rocker.

Cool, cool.

Very good.

All right, all right.

It's a one, that's one.

Ladies and gentlemen, the barber's kid, thank you very much.

All right.

He'll be back soon.

Welcome back to the news at noon.

Organizations from across Wisconsin will come together for the Community Connections Free Resource Fair Thursday, October 22 from three until seven o'clock at the Richland Center Community Center.

Janita Larson is the creator of the resource fair.

I'm an MSW student at Grand Canyon University and in that we have a couple internships we have to do.

My first one is with United Way 211 out of Dane County and in that internship I have access to a lot of different data of unmet needs in the Richland County area and surrounding counties and in that we saw that there was a pattern of unmet needs for transportation and housing employment.

mental health, autistic care, or intellectual disabilities.

And in doing my research for a lot of the internship required assignments through my college and looking at the data, I said that, you know, a lot of people don't know about 211.

A lot of people don't know about many of the resources that are out there.

So then I asked my supervisor about it.

What do you think about doing a resource fair?

Do you think that's something reasonable?

And she goes, that would be amazing if you actually wanted to take the time and invest all your time in doing this.

And I thought it was important because when you sit on the phone and you hear people calling in crisis or you hear people calling that are just broken and sad and lost, scared, you want to be able to help any way you can.

Community Connections will have a wide variety of resources available.

We would like to see people of all generations.

Really, there's going to be young entrepreneurs there.

There's going to be, I guess, programs that help with seniors, places that cover housing, employment, transportation, mental health, veterans, financial crisis, suicide prevention, you name it.

pretty much all inclusive.

It covers families, caregivers, veterans, seniors, just about anybody looking for some resources to help them out.

The event is free to attend when you arrive.

You will be assisted when you walk through the door.

You'll be greeted at the door.

You can let them know kind of what area you're looking for assistance in and they can guide you.

And it'll be kind of like a walk around situation where they'll be closer to the wall.

So you have some room to move around in the middle.

But yeah, they would guide you to if you need housing over to Southwest CAP or whatever else there may be.

And if you need transportation, MTM, and several organizations that could not be there in person because they had other things going on have sent digital resources that will be

printed and left on a resource table for people as well.

There will also be a designated quiet hour from three o'clock until four, which will provide a calmer environment for individuals and families who may benefit from a less crowded setting.

All are welcome to attend the Community Connections Free Resource Fair Thursday from three until seven at the Richland Center Community Center.

Not all heroes wear capes message from the crew at Los amigos too in Richland Center dear Richland Center and surrounding communities on Sunday October 18th one of our co-workers Alexa experienced a terrifying situation in which her life was in danger

by the grace of God and the kindness of our community.

She is now recovering.

We want to sincerely thank everyone who helped Alexa, including those who bravely tried to stop the attacker, the person who took her to the hospital and everyone who stepped forward without hesitation.

A special thank you to the hospital staff for caring for Alexa and helping her recover and to the Richland Center Police Department for their excellent work in apprehending the suspect and protecting our community.

This experience has reminded us that although Richland Center is a small town, it has a big heart.

We're also deeply grateful to our neighboring communities for showing their kindness, support, and compassion.

May God bless Alexa, everyone who helped her, and all of the wonderful people who remind us what it truly means to be a community.

Not all heroes wear capes, some are our neighbors.

First responders, health care workers, and everyday people who choose to help when it matters most.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

The Richland Center Parks and Recreation Department is excited to announce the return of a beloved seasonal tradition.

The fourth annual trick-or-treat trail will take place at Crosscut Park Friday, October 23rd from 4.30 until 6.00 p.m.

This community focused event invites residents of all ages to enjoy a festive evening of Halloween spirit and neighborhood connection.

Attendees can take a magical and slightly spooky stroll along the Rotary Lights path where they will find numerous city organizations and local businesses ready to fill bags with treats.

The festivities continue at the Veterans Memorial Pavilion where the Brewer Public Library will be hosting a variety of Halloween themed games for children

and families to enjoy.

Participation in the trail and games is entirely free for all guests.

In the spirit of giving, the event will also serve as a collection point for a local food pantry drive.

Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to help support those in need within the community.

Every donation is greatly appreciated and makes a meaningful difference for local families during the holiday season.

Convenient parking is available at two primary locations to accommodate the expected turnout.

Guests may park at the North Park lot located at 1341 Ellison Park Drive, which offers a short scenic walk across the bridge into the main event area.

Alternatively, parking is provided at the Richland Center Community Center at 1050 North

Orange Street.

Local businesses and organizations that wish to participate by handing out treats along the trail are encouraged to contact the Parks and Rec Department at 647-8108.

This is a wonderful opportunity for local entities to engage with the community and celebrate the season together.

The Richland County ad hoc jail committee will meet Thursday, October 22 at 4 p.m.

in the Richland County boardroom.

The committee's agenda includes regular procedural items, public comment, and a report presenting an overview of the current jail.

Key business will center on discussions and potential action regarding a potential jail remodel as well as the renovation of another space for jail facilities.

The Friends of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway announced that loner life vests have been removed from riverside kiosks across the region for the season.

With autumn conditions setting in, river goers and experienced boaters heading out on the water will need to bring their own personal flotation devices.

Flow strongly advises that cold water boating only be undertaken by experienced individuals equipped with proper gear due to the severe risks

associated with cold water immersion.

Each season, a substantial number of life jackets must be replaced due to wear or loss.

Flow relies heavily on community donations to replenish its stock, particularly for adult sizes large and extra large.

Local residents with extra life vests to spare can drop them off during regular business hours at the Arcadia bookstore in Spring Green or contact Flow directly by emailing wisconsinriverfriends at gmail.com to arrange a handoff.

Vernon County has awarded $10,000 grants to 15 local businesses through the 2026 Elevate Vernon Grant Program, supported by funds received from the Ho-Chunk Nation.

The initiative helps local entrepreneurs invest in their operations, strengthen their businesses, and pursue growth opportunities.

First launched in 2025, Elevate Vernon pairs grants of up to $10,000

with a required cash match or participation in business education and technical assistance.

The program saw strong demand in its initial year with 79 applications prompting the county to continue funding

in 2026.

Across its first two years, Elevate Vernon has distributed $300,000 to 31 local businesses.

Overall, the program has attracted 143 applications, requesting over $1.3 million in grant assistance, with funded projects generating more than $553,000 in total business investment.

The program forms part of Vernon County's broader commitment to community development alongside infrastructure improvements, technical assistance, training, and financing options like the Vernon County Economic Development Loan.

The 2026 grant recipients span a wide range of industries and communities throughout the county using the capital for essential upgrades, facilities expansion, and equipment acquisitions.

Wisconsin taxpayers are set to pay at least 80% more for comprehensive updates to the state's correctional system following delays in implementing reform initiatives.

The revised projections highlight growing fiscal and operational pressures on the Department of Corrections as facility modernization efforts remain stalled.

Originally estimated at $325 million with a target completion date of 2030, the multi-facility

The alignment plan is now projected to cost approximately $585 million, extending the timeline to late 2032 at the earliest.

The overhaul includes key infrastructure shifts such as closing outdated facilities, repurposing existing sites into specialized units, and expanding vocational training capacity.

At the center of the proposal is the closure of the 128-year-old Green Bay Correctional Institution and the transition of Wapan Correctional Institution into a medium security vocational village focused on workforce readiness.

Additional facility modifications encompass converting Stanley Correctional Institution to a flexible maximum security facility and reallocating capacity across minimum security centers

The project cost escalation coincides with rising incarceration expenses across Wisconsin institutions.

According to state estimates, the average annual cost to house an individual in state correctional facilities has increased by over $10,000 per person in the past five years amid record high facility populations.

While primary capital funding requests a waitful legislative authorization, initial planning efforts continue.

State administration officials are initiating a request for proposals to secure a construction management firm to oversee subsequent design and implementation phases for the realignment strategy.

Governor Tony Evers in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has announced two major grant initiatives aimed at addressing PFAS contamination across Wisconsin.

Supported by the $125 million PFAS Trust Fund, established in the 2023 through 25 state budget, the newly launched PFAS Community Grant Sampling Program and the Wisconsin PFAS Private Well Testing Program provide key financial assistance for testing

municipal water supplies, public facilities, and private wells.

Under these programs, local municipalities can secure funding to evaluate water safety and identify emerging contaminants, while eligible private well owners outside participating municipalities can request direct home testing kits through the Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene.

Together, these initiatives mark a significant milestone in state efforts to ensure clean, safe drinking water for all Wisconsin residents with additional funding programs planned to roll out in the coming years.

Now that fall is underway, many consumers try to complete outdoor projects before the cold and snowy weather sets in.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection

That cap warns consumers to be cautious of door-to-door home improvement crews.

Michelle Reinen is with That Cap.

It's that time of year when we're faced with those last opportunities to really finish that outdoor home improvement projects, and that could mean that we need to practice caution for those door-to-door crews that will come.

We see a great increase and have already received reports this year of the asphalt paving crews visiting consumers at their homes and they're offering to pour the new driveways for a low price.

Sometimes they claim that they have leftover material in their poor truck from another job and they'll lose out of its value unless they pour it soon.

But this is false urgency that they are using to try and convince consumers to make that immediate decision before they have all the facts and get all the chance to do that research.

We really push all the time.

There are several issues that could be encountered when paying for the services of door-to-door asphalt paving crews.

Any consumer who would pay this door-to-door crew for services could encounter problems.

And things we've seen in the past is that the crew might take the money and run, never completing the promised work, and then they're unable to be contacted or tracked down.

The crew could pour some of the asphalt, but then they have demanded more money to finish the job of some individuals.

And then some crews have completed some of the promised work, but it's been really poor quality.

that then requires replacement, which is a larger investment for the consumer than they had anticipated.

And then others, this is rare, but it happens, have offered a free inspection that's given access to the consumer's home, and then you run the risk that there could be damage to consumer's property or that they'll refuse to leave.

If you are approached by a door-to-door home improvement crew, DatCap says you should resist high pressure tactics and sales pitches.

Never let them into your home.

Document the make and model of their vehicle.

Get their license plate number and alert law enforcement.

If you are a victim of a scam, you can also contact DatCap's Consumer Protection Hotline by phone at 800-422.

7128 or by email at DATCP Hotline at WI.gov.

Wisconsin polls opened early today for in-person absentee voting.

Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Megan Wolfe says early returns on absentee ballots show more people may be coming in.

to vote in person.

Wolff says disruptions in mail delivery of absentee ballots and long lines on election day may be the cause.

WEC reports around 173,000 mail-in ballots have been received by clerks out of 365,000 requested.

That's down from the 2022 general election and Wolff says it may signal more voters making it to the polls.

Milwaukee's tourism board is expecting big business during the World Series.

The Milwaukee Brewers will be hosting at least two games in the series and Visit Milwaukee is expecting 40,000 fans to pack AmFam Field for each game.

That's not even counting the numerous fans making the trip to Wisconsin just to be here for the series.

While it doesn't have an exact estimate on how much business the World Series will bring,

Visit Milwaukee says each of the brewers post-season games brought in around $5 million in tourism.

President Trump and U.S.

Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, have announced an $8 billion harvest fuel relief program to support American farmers facing market disruptions and rising input costs.

This harvest season, administered by the Farm Service Agency through the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act,

The initiative provides simple, proportional one-time payments for the 2026 crop year calculated using planted acres, production cost estimates, and yield projections.

Commodity specific payment rates for Title I crops will be released in November, while non-Title I producers such as specialty crop growers and fishermen can submit fuel cost data directly to Harvest Fuel at USDA.gov to inform rate calculations.

Although crop insurance is not required, the USDA encourages farmers to utilize risk management options under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act.

To streamline the application process, eligible producers should create a login.gov account linked to the USDA to access pre-filled forms once the application period opens.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has formally requested that United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins reverse a sudden policy change requiring a 25% cost share match for the Dairy Business Innovation Initiative.

The newly introduced mandate applies to the fiscal year 2026 funding cycle and threatens to cut off vital financial and technical assistance to dairy producers, cheese makers and processors across Wisconsin and the nation.

In his letter, Governor Evers emphasized that the four regional DBH centers, which are managed by public universities, state agriculture agencies and nonprofit trade groups, lack the financial resources

to meet the new matching funds requirement.

He warned that unless the USDA withdraws the provision and reissues the funding opportunity, the centers will be forced to shut down their operations, depriving small dairy businesses of essential resources needed to diversify products, expand processing capacity, and enter new markets.

The governor highlighted that this administrative burden comes at a particularly challenging time

for agricultural producers who are already dealing with severe drought, elevated fuel costs, and broader market volatility.

Joining a coalition of 28 dairy industry organizations and U.S.

Senator Tammy Baldwin, Evers called on Secretary Rollins to align the department's actions with its stated support for American dairy farmers by swiftly removing the match rule.

Across Wisconsin, dedicated volunteers serve as the backbone of environmental conservation, devoting countless hours to protecting and restoring state natural areas.

These passionate individuals step forward to clear invasive species, gather native seeds and maintain trails, ensuring that unique ecosystems thrive for generations to come.

Through their hands-on efforts, local communities build a deeper bond with nature while actively safeguarding rare plants and wildlife.

Volunteering provides a vital opportunity for people of all backgrounds to make a direct and positive environmental impact, whether working independently or joining organization group workdays.

Participants share a common goal of stewardship and ecological restoration.

This community-driven dedication ensures that vital habitats remain healthy and vibrant, demonstrating how collective action can safeguard our shared natural heritage.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice has joined a coalition of state attorneys general in intervening in the bankruptcy proceedings of Charter Technologies Incorporated, the company behind the AI Chatbot platform, Character.ai.

State officials are raising major concerns regarding user privacy and safety, urging the court to implement strict consumer protections prior to any asset sale or business transfer.

Character.ai allows users to interact with customizable virtual personalities ranging from fictional figures and celebrities to synthetic therapists and medical advisors.

Through these interactions, the platform has gathered vast amounts of sensitive personal information, including private logs covering users' mental health, emotional state,

and personal relationships.

Investigative actions by state authorities intensified following a 2024 wrongful death lawsuit alleging that the platform engaged in sexually and emotionally exploitative interactions with a minor, encouraging suicidal ideation leading to the youth's death.

While character.ai implemented voluntary restrictions on minor accounts, attorneys general warned that these measures remain incomplete and could easily be undone by future owners without explicit court mandates.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Call emphasized that technology companies handling sensitive user data bear a fundamental duty to safeguard their users.

The coalition intends to actively participate throughout the bankruptcy process, reserving the right to block proposed sales that fail to adequately safeguard consumer personal information.

Today's vital statistics are sponsored by Krause Monument.

Krause Monument Company designs and produces granite headstones, gravestones, grave markers, monuments, and memorials.

Today is October 20th.

These are today's vital statistics.

Diane Baumkamp, 85 of Muscaday, died Sunday, October 11th.

Graveside services will be held Friday, October 23rd at 1 p.m.

at St.

John's Catholic Cemetery.

The Pratt Funeral Ancremation Service is assisting the family with their arrangements.

Diane is survived by her four children, Rebecca Pafford, Anthony and Sandy Baumkamp, Teresa and Mark Wants and Roger and Christine Baumkamp.

nine grandchildren, many great-grandchildren, brother Fred Gokenauer, many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends, Diane Baumkamp, 85 of Muscaday.

Martin C. Smiley Fortune.

84 of Viola died Saturday, October 17 at Vernon Manor in Verroqua.

A funeral service for Smiley will be held at 11 a.m.

Saturday, October 24 at the Viola United Methodist Church.

Visitation will be held Friday, October 23 from 4 until 7 p.m.

at the Viola United Methodist Church.

Additional visitation will be held

Saturday at the church from 10 am until the time of service at 11.

A luncheon will immediately follow the service at the Viola Community Center.

Smiley will be laid to rest at a later date at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery.

In memory of Smiley, donations are appreciated for an upcoming kidney surgery for his great-granddaughter.

Donations may be made to her savings account at the Lafarge State Bank.

She is surviving on one-third of her kidney.

The Vasateg Larson funeral home and crematory in Verroqua is serving the family.

Martin C. Smiley Fortune, 84 of Viola.

Connie Jean Mackelry, 77, formerly of Richland Center, died Sunday, October 4th.

A funeral mass will be held Saturday, October 24th at 11 a.m.

at St.

Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Richland Center with a visitation from 10 a.m.

until the time of mass at 11.

Friends and family are invited to join the family for a time of gathering and a meal immediately following mass.

The family asks that memorials be directed in Connie's memory to continue the movement to end Alzheimer's.

The Clary Memorial Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.

Connie is survived by her children Tracy McElrie, Emily and Jason Willoughby and Joel and Laura McElrie.

Six grandchildren, her brother Thomas and Nancy Hawks.

One niece and one nephew.

Connie Jean McElrie, 77, formerly of Richland Center.

Law enforcement authorities are asking for the public's help in locating Jesse Jansky, formerly of Richland Center and Avoka, who went missing April 17th, 2025.

In Taylor County, Jansky had recently moved to the village of Ogemol, Wisconsin just two weeks prior to his disappearance to live with his girlfriend.

According to a family member, the couple went out to a nearby bar that evening and got into an argument on the drive home.

Jansky exited the vehicle to take a walk and cool off, leaving both his phone and wallet inside the car.

Multiple witnesses reported seeing Yansky walking along Highway 13 later that evening.

A call to authorities also reported a man matching his description at the Highway 13 wayside near Westboro.

No one has heard from him since.

Family members say his prolonged absence is highly out of character.

His sister Brianna Jansky fondly described her brother as a complete mama's boy, emphasizing that he would never go more than a few days without contacting their mother.

If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Jesse Jansky, please contact law enforcement immediately.

The family has decided to hold a celebration of life

Saturday, October 24th at 1 p.m.

at the village of Avoka Municipal Building in Avoka.

Bring fun stories and a snack to share.

Refreshments will be provided.

This is a casual affair and if you have Jurassic Park attire, please feel free to wear it.

Jesse James Jansky, born March 6th, 1993.

Katelyn Elizabeth Fleishauer, 41, of Spring Green and Muscaday, died Sunday, October 18.

Funeral services will be held Monday, October 26 at 11 a.m.

at St.

John the Baptist Catholic Church in Muscaday.

Visitation will be held Sunday, October 25 at St.

John's Gym.

from 12 noon until 3 p.m.

and again Monday, October 26 from 10 a.m.

until the procession to the church at 10.45.

Memorials in Cate's name can be directed to Muscaday EMS 701 North Wisconsin Avenue, PO Box 323, Muscaday, Wisconsin 53573 or your local Humane Society, the Pratt

The funeral and cremation service is assisting the family with their arrangements.

Caitlyn Elizabeth Fleishauer, 41 of Spring Green and Muscaday.

Michael Allen Winstrup, 85 of Rich Lynn Center, died Friday, October 16th after a short battle with cancer.

Pratt the Pratt funeral and cremation service is assisting the family.

Memorials can be made to a charity of your choice.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Michael is survived by his wife Annie, his son Kevin, one grandson, many relatives, and friends.

Michael Allen Winstrup, 85, of Rich Lens Center.

Good evening, everyone.

For WRCO News, I'm Todd Copernall.

We have a fresh update from the Department of Transportation regarding the Highway 14 East Construction Project.

It says Bowman Drive is planned to be closed to westbound traffic beginning Thursday, October 22, for at least a week.

Eastbound traffic will still be able to use Bowman Drive in a write-in and write-out configuration.

Please be aware the concrete median being installed between the new lanes on US 14 needs at least five days of concrete cure time without traffic to achieve desired strengths.

Barrels and cones will be removed when the concrete median is ready for traffic.

Please stay off the new concrete.

As always, we appreciate your understanding and cooperation, and we look forward to completing the entire US-14 next month.

The universities of Wisconsin touched the lives of residents across the entire state, providing educational pathways to essential professionals, including teachers, nurses, engineers, and public servants.

These 13 public campuses power the workforce from Ashland to Racine and La Crosse to Marinette.

Moreover, world-class research originating from these institutions continues to advance discoveries in healthcare, agriculture, and technology.

Because these universities belong to the citizens of Wisconsin, selecting the system's next leader is a vital process.

The Presidential Surge Committee, composed of regents, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community representatives, has gathered feedback from across the region to identify a slate of finalists capable of guiding the university system into the future.

To ensure community perspectives help inform this decision, the public is invited to attend two upcoming candidate forums.

The first session will take place at UW Parkside Monday, October 26 from 8 a.m.

until 12 noon in the Bedford Concert Hall.

The second session will occur at UW Madison Tuesday, October 27 from 8 a.m.

until 12 noon in the Great Hall of Memorial Union.

Both events will offer public presentation components, Q&A opportunities, and live stream access for remote viewers.

Public feedback gathered during these sessions will directly assist the search committee.

Members of the community can review additional candidate info, view live stream links, and submit comments by visiting Wisconsin.edu forward slash about.

Organizations from across Wisconsin will come together for the Community Connections Free Resource Fair Thursday, October 22nd from 3 p.m.

until 7 p.m.

at the Richland Center Community Center.

Janita Larson is the creator of the Resource Fair.

I'm an MSW student through Grand Canyon University and in that we have a couple internships we have to do.

My first one is with United Way 211 out of Dane County and in that internship I have access to a lot of different data of unmet needs in the Richland County area and surrounding counties and in that we saw that there was a pattern of unmet needs for transportation and housing employment.

mental health, autistic care, or intellectual disabilities.

And in doing my research for a lot of the internship required assignments through my college and looking at the data, I said that, you know, a lot of people don't know about 211.

A lot of people don't know about many of the resources that are out there.

So then I asked my supervisor about it.

What do you think about doing a resource fair?

Do you think that's something reasonable?

And she goes, that would be amazing if you actually wanted to take the time and invest all your time in doing this.

And I thought it was important because when you sit on the phone and you hear people calling in crisis or you hear people calling that are just broken and sad and lost, scared, you want to be able to help anyway you can.

Community Connections will have a wide variety of resources available.

We would like to see people of all generations.

Really, there's going to be young entrepreneurs there.

There's going to be, I guess, programs that help with seniors, places that cover housing, employment, transportation, mental health, veterans, financial crisis, suicide prevention, you name it.

pretty much all inclusive.

It covers families, caregivers, veterans, seniors, just about anybody looking for some resources to help them out.