Chetek covers up Flock Safety cameras and ends contract with company (CHETEK)
Controversial automated license plate reader cameras in one Barron County community have been deactivated. The City of Chetek’s Common Council voted Friday to cover up and block the two Flock cameras in the city and break the 3-year contract with the company. The cameras were a point of contention for residents concerned about privacy and mass surveillance, the mayor and city council, and the city’s police chief, who purchased the devices without knowledge or approval from the city council. The blowback to the cameras culminated in threats against city officials, leading to the city deactivating its social media pages earlier this month. In the neighboring city of Rice Lake, police said one Flock camera was damaged in an arson attack over the weekend. No suspects have been arrested.
Two massive power plants proposed for NE Wisconsin (BRILLION)
Plans for a pair of natural gas plants in northeast Wisconsin. Chicago-based Invenergy has submitted engineering plans to state regulators to build the plants in the Calumet County Town of Brillion. Combined, the plants would generate nearly 2 gigawatts of power, or enough to power most of eastern Wisconsin. The company has not submitted any information on how much the facilities would cost to construct or if they’d be intended for potential AI data centers in the region. We Energies would buy the plants once they become operational in 2031. Invenergy is already proposing two more power plants near data centers in Mount Pleasant and Port Washington.
Menasha students adjust for first day of classes (MENASHA)
Adjusting on the first day of school in Menasha. Two Menasha elementary schools are educating students from three buildings. The Menasha school district closed Gegan (hard “G” GEE-gan) Elementary for the school year after July’s E F 3 tornado damaged the building. Gegan students are being split between two other schools. District officials report that every student has a place for the year in a classroom with a teacher.