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Storms little help in dry areas

August 14, 2007 By

Severe weather hammered parts of Wisconsin Wisconsin overnight. Damage in St. Croix County was being assessed Tuesday, in a part of the state that has been suffering through weeks of dry weather. Jack Colvard is the county director of emergency management, and believes the damage was caused by straight lines winds from thunderstorms which rolled through the area. He says at least 24 barns are damaged or destroyed, with some loss of livestock. St. Croix County is among 52 Wisconsin counties for which Governor Jim Doyle is seeking a federal disaster declaration due to drought conditions.

 

AUDIO: Bob Hague reports (:60 MP3)

Filed Under: Weather

Meningococcal Disease likely in Fort McCoy death

August 14, 2007 By

Meningococcal Disease has apparently claimed the life of a soldier at Fort McCoy . The bacterial infection appears to have been the cause of death for the soldier, from a Virginia unit training at the fort. State epidemiologist Jim Kazmierczack with the state Division of Public Health, who says Meningococcal Disease can sometimes progress quite rapidly, leaving a victim dead the same day symptoms develop. The soldier died en route to a Rochester, Minnesota hospital for treatment. Twenty seven other soldiers from the same unit were treated as a precautionary measure: they were not showing symptoms. Kazmierczack says his agency and the Monroe County Department of Public Health are working with officials at Fort McCoy to investigate the soldier's death.

AUDIO: Bob Hague reports (:60 MP3)

Filed Under: Health & Medicine

Governor asks for Federal Disaster Declaration

August 14, 2007 By

The governor is asking the federal government to help drought stricken farmers in the north.

The governor is getting a first hand look at dried out crops as he continues his annual Up North Tour this week. His spokesperson, Carla Vigue, says it's bad enough for the governor to ask the feds to declare fifty two counties a federal disaster area.

If the Federal Department of Agriculture does make such a declaration farmers will be eligible for financial help usually in the form of low interest loans.

The governor has also issued a statewide executive order that will allow the DNR to expedite irrigation permits. That will make it easier for farmers to take water from rivers and streams to use on crops.

Similar statewide drought emergencies were also declared in 2005 and 2006.

AUDIO: Jim Dick reports ( :53 MP3 )

Filed Under: Agriculture, Top Story

New VHS testing requirements

August 14, 2007 By

The state raises its guard even higher in the battle against the deadly fish virus, VHS.

There haven't been any new VHS discoveries lately but the Department of Agriculture is taking steps to keep it that way. All fish stocked into state waterways must now be tested for VHS first.

State Fish Veterinarian, Dr. Myron Kebus says that will impact all private fish farms as well as the DNR hatcheries.

Dr. Kebus also says certain kinds of bait caught in the state will now face testing not just live bait shipped in from out of state.

Dr. Kebus admits the new requirements will drive up costs for fish farmers who already bear the brunt of testing expenses. He says some farmers are paying seven hundred dollars a species for VHS testing. Some total bills are running as high as twenty-thousand dollars.

But Dr. Kebus says it can't be helped. Fish have to be tested in order to stop the spread of VHS. 

AUDIO: Jim Dick reports ( 1:03 MP3 )

Filed Under: Agriculture

Brewers open big series at home tonight

August 14, 2007 By

The Milwaukee Brewers open a big 6-game homestand and a three game series against the St. Louis Cardinals tonight at Miller Park.

The Brewers send Chris Capuano to the mound against Kip Wells of the St. Louis Cardinals.  Capuano has lost 9-straight and the Brewers are 0-14 in his last 14 starts.

The Brewers have a slim 1 1/2 game lead on the Chicago Cubs, and a 5 1/2 game lead on the Cardinals.

 

Filed Under: Brewers
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