9/09/2025

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin legislator has left the state Assembly's Democratic caucus after being accused by fellow party members of threatening to kill three lawmakers. Assembly Democratic leaders said in a statement Saturday that they couldn't ignore Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez's remarks after former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were assassinated in June. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the Legislature's human resources office barred Ortiz-Velez from the state Capitol building last week. However, a spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says that move was a mistake and that Ortiz-Velez's access had been restored within a day.

9/09/2025

CENTRAL WISCONSIN – The First case of human West Nile virus has been discovered in Wood County in Central Wisconsin.  People contract West Nile is a virus through bites from infected mosquitoes. It is not spread from person to person. According to the health department, mosquitoes get the virus from feeding on infected birds.  Concerns for the virus will decrease as we head into fall.  A hard frost, with temperatures reaching below 28 degrees for at least four consecutive hours, will end the mosquitoes’ activity.

9/08/2025

IRONWOOD - Aspirus announced Friday afternoon that it is closing labor and delivery services at its Aspirus Ironwood hospital location.  Aspirus Health said in a press release that a new model will end labor and delivery services on December 31. The press release said the hospital will continue to offer high-quality prenatal and postnatal care for local Ironwood families.  Aspirus informed the OB nurses at the Ironwood hospital on Friday morning about the plan.  Aspirus says persistent national and regional OB/GYN shortages were a driving factor in the decision. Despite years of aggressive recruiting, Aspirus has been unable to secure a full maternal care team in Ironwood.