Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Derrick Van Orden attends a meeting with local business health and energy representatives April 23 at Mid City Steel in La Crosse International tariffs were a big talking point for U.S during a visit to an Eau Claire manufacturing facility on Friday the Eau Claire-based business which primarily manufactures industrial fans for use in the agriculture industry has business that extends beyond the Chippewa Valley to international customers That is the case for many other businesses that operate out of the third congressional district as Van Orden said it is his job to go speak to his constituents and bring their concerns to Washington D.C in an effort to try to work out legislative solutions specific information about component parts that I can bring back… and see if we can tweak those to see if we can accomplish the goal of President Trump’s trade policies,” he said “which is a level playing field across the board for everybody and make sure that our small businesses aren’t hurt too bad during that process.” When asked about tariff impacts on local businesses What we are trying to do is rearrange the entire global trade network and it is an incredibly complicated thing.” 77 countries have come directly to the United States to do bilateral trade agreements Van Orden said the federal government does not want a trade war but rather wants a level playing field and respect for manufacturers and farmers While an argument for tariffs is that they function as a negotiation tool for trade one concern is that they would impact and raise the price on raw materials that manufacturers and local businesses use “I am concerned about all of this stuff,” Van Orden said “We manufacture a tremendous amount of goods here in the third congressional district that are sourced from multiple different countries One of my big concerns — I wrote a letter to the Secretary of Agriculture — is potash We need potash for our soil for agriculture purposes in the state of Wisconsin you can’t really have a reciprocal tariff on something that you don’t produce yourself I wrote a letter a couple of weeks ago trying to make sure that we understand that there are some critical things like potash for instance and in some cases electric motors… that we are just not making here.” there are concerns that the trade war regarding President Donald Trump’s tariffs is causing instability for Wisconsin farmers despite the talks of bringing down costs for them implementing sky-high tariffs on our biggest agricultural trade partners Donald Trump is playing games with farmers’ lives — and Derrick Van Orden is letting it happen,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Deputy Communications Director Haley McCoy said “It’s disgraceful that the so-called Cheese King of Congress would enable Donald Trump’s tariff wars and turn a blind eye as Wisconsin farmers suffer.” A tornado touched down in Eau Claire County Monday according to the National Weather Service who lost their daughter in a crash in November 2018 that killed four people The former Fall Creek head coach is eager to take over the Bloomer football program The body of a Chippewa Falls woman missing for nine years has been located according to the Chippewa Falls Police Department Slugging stars on the diamond and strong efforts on the track lead this week's nominees Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account James Johonnott | May 5 The Odyssey of the Mind team from the Pablo Center at the Confluence has qualified for the World Finals Established in 1979, Odyssey of the Mind (OM) is a worldwide extracurricular program for grade school students The network promotes creative problem-solving participating teams select a problem to address which requires the students to write and perform a brief presentation as well as overcome a technical challenge related to the scenario Speaking as a multi-year OM participant two decades later it combines the teamwork and competitive spirit of youth sports The extra curricular program embodies a challenge-based model that draws students together "This team of seven incredibly talented girls grades 4-6 from area schools and homeschool programs and problem-solving their way to this moment." on the odyssey of the mind team headed to world finals This division two Odyssey of the Mind (OM) team — coached by Tammy Schmitz and composed of young girls from local schools and homeschools — competed in the "classics" category “This team of seven incredibly talented girls grades 4–6 from area schools and homeschool programs and problem-solving their way to this moment,” the release noted The team’s challenge involved three distinct elements: devise a performance focused on a character from classic literature develop a gourmet meal inspired by that character Each part of the challenge drew inspiration from Winnie the Pooh leading them to secure first place in division two at a regional competition in Bangor The Eau Claire team will now head to the world finals in Michigan this May The world finals event often sees over 25,000 students from around the world in attendance a massive showcase of young creative talent OM is holding a fundraising campaign with a goal of $8,000 to cover travel costs “Pablo Center remains committed to providing hands-on innovative programs like Odyssey of the Mind to empower the next generation of creative thinkers we help shape a more imaginative and inspired tomorrow,” the release shared Support the team by donating online via the Pablo Center's Education Funds webpage. For further details or to inquire about other ways to contribute, please contact mary@pablocenter.org Subscribe to our Newsletters How to Contribute 20 Years of Volume One Thanks for visiting Game Recap: Baseball | 5/3/2025 5:39:00 PM Thanks for visiting Chippewa Valley Roller Derby welcomes the start of spring with its 3rd annual Spring Thaw Derby Brawl featuring two games of hard-hitting roller derby action Game 1: CVRD welcomes the Dirty Ores of Eveleth Game 2: Features CVRD’s 2 home teams - the Bad Axe Brawlers and the Sawdust City Rollers Buy Tickets » Storms that churned through Wisconsin’s skies Monday evening included a tornado which passed through southern Eau Claire County The tornado touched down northeast of Mondovi in Buffalo County a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Twin Cities office Its path through southern Eau Claire County ended east of Augusta Crews of NWS workers and local law enforcement were assessing damage from the tornado Tuesday sheds and farm buildings were damaged during the tornado He said falling trees and branches were the main cause of damage and that no injuries have been reported Dettmann said the tornado’s strength hasn’t been determined yet “Sometimes we can have a situation where a tornado touches down briefly lifts and then touches down in a different location just downstream,” the meteorologist said explaining that crews are trying to determine that today A video posted by FOX Weather on Facebook shows a funnel cloud forming near Augusta yesterday an NWS meteorologist in the La Crosse office said “a pretty long line of storms” moved through west-central Wisconsin on Monday night He said the storms produced “marginally severe hail,” but his office hasn’t received many reports of hail damage Hailstones in northern Iowa reached golf ball sizes “mainly around quarter-sized.” crews on Tuesday morning were assessing wind damage in Shawano County an NWS meteorologist in the Green Bay office He said they were still determining whether that wind was from a tornado — the NWS issued several tornado warnings last night for northeastern Wisconsin Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board The warning was in place for Chippewa and Eau Claire counties "The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area gusty winds are still possible with this thunderstorm A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 11 p.m for a portion of west central Wisconsin," says the National Weather Service understanding the distinction between a Tornado watch and a Tornado warning can be a matter of life and death • A Tornado watch serves as an early warning that conditions are conducive to tornado formation • It's your signal to review your emergency plans • While it doesn't mean a tornado is imminent it's a heads-up that you should be ready to act quickly if a Tornado warning is issued or if you suspect a tornado is approaching • Watches come from the Storm Prediction Center and often cover a large area potentially spanning multiple counties or even states • A Tornado warning signifies that a tornado has been spotted or detected by weather radar • This is the real deal – there's an immediate danger to life and property • Your response should be quick: seek shelter in an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building find the nearest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris • Warnings are issued by your local forecast office and pinpoint a much smaller area typically the size of a city or a small county either by radar or through reports from trained spotters and law enforcement Knowing the distinction between these two alerts is paramount for staying safe during tornado season Keep an eye on the weather forecast to stay informed about tornado risks Tune in to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio for updates on tornado watches and warnings Familiarize yourself with your community's warning systems while others rely on media and smartphone alerts for severe storm notifications Have a family plan that includes an emergency meeting place and related information If you live in a mobile home or home without a basement identify a nearby safe building you can get to quickly or an interior room on the lowest floor without windows Conduct a family severe thunderstorm drill regularly so everyone knows what to do if a tornado is approaching Make sure all members of your family know to go there when tornado warnings are issued Consider reinforcing your safe room for added protection You can find plans for fortifying an interior room on the Federal Emergency Management Agency website Encourage your loved ones to prepare for the possibility of tornadoes Take CPR training so you can help if someone is hurt taking swift action is crucial to ensuring your safety and minimizing potential harm Stay vigilant and stay informed by tuning in to local news broadcasts or using a NOAA Weather Radio to receive updates on tornado watches and warnings If you are at home and a tornado warning is issued Don't forget to ensure the safety of your pets if time allows adhere to tornado drill procedures and proceed promptly and calmly to your designated tornado shelter seek shelter inside a solid building immediately Being inside a vehicle during a tornado is highly unsafe Your best course of action is to drive to the nearest shelter either stay inside your car while covering your head or abandon the vehicle and seek safety in a low-lying area such as a ditch or ravine acting swiftly and following safety protocols are essential for your well-being when a tornado is imminent ​This warning was produced by United Robots using National Weather Service data Get the daily forecast and severe weather alerts in your inbox An updated severe thunderstorm warning was released by the National Weather Service on Monday at 7:47 p.m The National Weather Service issued a weather alert at 7:06 p.m on Monday for strong thunderstorms until 8:15 p.m The National Weather Service issued an updated tornado watch at 6:33 p.m Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInEAU CLAIRE (WEAU) - Eau Claire police say over 20 people were arrested following a search of a home in Eau Claire Friday authorities conducted a coordinated operation resulting in the arrest of 22 people involved in illegal drug activity at a known drug house located in the 1100 block of Barland Street in Eau Claire Eau Claire police say 19 people were brought to the Eau Claire County Jail and the others were ordered-in for future court appearances The people arrested are suspected of multiple offenses including maintaining a drug trafficking place Assisting agencies included the West Central Drug Task Force (WEAU) - We’re waiting to hear more about a large police presence near downtown Eau Claire Friday morning Our photographer there saw several people handcuffed and put into squad cars on Barland Street Eau Claire police officers and Eau Claire County sheriff’s deputies were on the scene A police spokesperson says they’re expecting to release more information Friday The National Weather Service plans to assess damage on April 29 the weather service said they were sending crews out to assess damage around the state and damage reports would not be ready until mid-afternoon on Tuesday The weather service issued multiple tornado warnings for western Wisconsin saying a tornado was radar confirmed just southeast of Eau Claire The weather service confirmed a radar-indicated touchdown at 8:13 p.m Tree damage is likely," the weather service said The worst of the storm moved eastward across northern Wisconsin prompting tornado warnings in various counties through 10:45 p.m According to Xcel Energy outage map about 80 customers in the Eau Claire area were without power as of 11:10 p.m. The Altoona Police Department shared a photo to social media of a rainbow that appeared after the storm passed through Eau Claire County Much of northern and central Wisconsin was under a tornado watch until 2 a.m the weather service said there were no tornado warnings in southern Wisconsin NWS said additional warnings were issued further west What should you do if you're driving during a tornado warning?If you're driving If you are driving in an area with a tornado warning you should look for ways to safely get off the road and out of your vehicle preferably by seeking refuge in a sturdy building ditch or culvert and cover your head with your arms What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning?A tornado warning is issued when a tornado is either sighted or indicated on radar meaning there is imminent danger to life and property If you are in the area of a tornado warning take cover immediately in the lowest floor of a sturdy building move to the closest sturdy shelter and take cover A tornado watch is issued when the environment is capable of producing tornadoes If you are located in the area of a tornado watch the NWS recommends having a plan in place in the event a tornado forms Be ready to act quickly if a tornado warning is issued Journal Sentinel reporter Claire Reid contributed to this report This story was updated to add new information (WXCO) – Northern Wisconsin was hit hard with severe thunderstorms A tornado touched down in southern Eau Claire county Monday night and reports from an emergency manager of structure damage The National Weather Service confirmed a radar-indicated touchdown just before 8:15 p.m Radar and reports show the path of the twister may stretch from Fall Creek east to Augusta Trees also caught fire when they tumbled onto power lines in Rothschild and Kronenwetter in Marathon county Winds were reported reaching 50mph in Wausau and 55mph in Rhinelander Quarter size hail was scattered in some of the storms across the state and nearly ping pong sized hail hit Sidney just outside of Marshfield in Clark county About 2,500 Wisconsinites are still without power Tuesday morning. The National Weather Service will be out surveying the damage over the coming days. Want More Local News?We've got you. Scan it to get it. News Ethics and Standards | Privacy Policy Game Recap: Softball | 5/4/2025 6:27:00 PM Thanks for visiting McKenna Scherer, photos by Andrea Paulseth | May 2 "I bought my first skate T-shirt on Water Street when I was in middle school," Ty Morse recalled For anyone who knows Morse – a longtime local skater and tattoo artist Eau Claire skate shop owner – it only makes sense He’s spent the better part of his life skateboarding; From finally nailing tricks as a new skater outside of Menomonie’s United Methodist Church to opening El Camino Skate Shop at the start of 2024 Barely one year since El Camino Skate Shop opened its doors over on Brackett Avenue the shop has evolved in more ways than one – the most obvious is its physical relocation to Water Street Morse has sushi to thank for that one.  The former Water Street sushi joint closed its doors a few months ago (no worries KD Sushi lovers: its Oakwood Mall location is still open) and opened a window of opportunity for El Camino Skate Shop THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT TATTOO SHOPS IN TOWN I want to build the best skate shop with the most inviting atmosphere we can “Downtown was definitely the goal,” Morse said “I didn’t think we’d be here this quick I saw this place up for rent.” Still If you’ve kept an eye on El Camino Skate Shop’s social media over the past several months it was clear the shop was not just on the move but hitting the ground running – hammer first the 301 Water Street building had a commercial kitchen built in; It’s safe to say the space has been carved out to make way for the dual skateboarding-tattoo shop While the shop has yet to host an official grand opening – stay tuned for that by keeping up with El Camino Skate Shop online – in the couple of months since opening up business changed for the better almost immediately the walking traffic has drastically changed for us,” Morse said “Kids ride their bikes down here all the time and people just stop by and that just didn’t happen at the other location.” Another point of growth for the small business is its expansion of services announced his plans to tattoo out of the new El Camino Skate Shop location In an effort to maximize his time and efforts with the skate shop but I can’t have burn-out from this stuff; I don’t want to be burned out from this,” Morse said of his intertwined passions I went over to pay my rent for a building that I sell skateboards out of only to be ridiculed for riding my skateboard there is why I want this place to be for everyone In housing both the skate shop and his own tattoo space in one place Morse acknowledged his continued dedication to the former: “There’s a lot of great tattoo shops in town El Camino is the only skate shop,” he said “I want to build the best skate shop with the most inviting atmosphere we can El Camino Skate Shop’s mission is the same as it was upon opening at its first location last year: stock up supplies for the local skate community the shop is at an even more accessible location has more room for boards and skater necessities and a bigger hangout area with a sweet video game setup While the skateboarding culture has shifted and its community continued to grow in the Chippewa Valley over the past couple of decades – especially so in recent years – there is still a certain kind of public perception and label put on skaters As a lifelong skater-turned-skate-shop-owner “It’s funny; The first month of rent I paid here and (the person at) the front desk made sure to tell me there was an ordinance against skateboarding is why I want this place to be for everyone.” Whether you’ve never stepped foot on a skateboard or are ready to dust off your board that is; the shop is open six days a week for sanity purposes) “You gotta find your role and try to fill that,” Morse said “I feel like I have three things to do as a skate shop owner: a third of it is curation of what I think is cool; and the rest is just listening Swing by El Camino Skate Shop (310 Water St., Eau Claire) Wednesday-Saturday from 11am-7pm and Sunday from 11am-5pm. Keep up with Eau Claire’s only skate shop on Instagram (@elcaminoskateshop) the College of Saint Benedict lacrosse team (10-5) earned the No 3 Wisconsin-Eau Claire (10-6) when they open WIAC Tournament play on Friday Benedict is one of four teams in the conference playoffs The top-seeded and regular season champion Colorado College (16-3) will face No The winners of the two semifinals games will play at 5:30 p.m on Saturday for the league championship and berth in the NCAA Division III tournament The WIAC playoffs will also include a third-place game between the two non-advancing teams at 3 p.m Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More WISCONSIN — Seven tornadoes touched down in Wisconsin Monday night the National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed.  Five of those tornadoes were confirmed in Eau Claire County; the other two were in Shawano County.  no injuries or fatalities were reported in connection to these storms especially when it doesn’t rise to the level of intensity that could have occurred All the conditions were there yesterday for a massive event Every time we have these events it gives us a chance to work with our emergency responders residents it gives us a chance to see how we could have been better prepared," Tyler Esh with Eau Claire County emergency management “It’s always kind of a big concern when you hear it’s an observed event That quickly makes things get pretty real pretty quick," Esh said.  Carson Akers captured this video of the tornado touching down near Augusta Monday:  Carson Akers captured this video of a tornado touching down last night in Augusta Police Chief of the the Town of Fairchild Police Department Chad Halvorson said he saw a lot of downed trees and property damage.  there was an area where large trees were taken down The large trees that I had seen were around 12 to 14 inches in diameter at one residence There were some that were down that were that size The majority of trees that I saw that were down were probably trunk size of eight inches or larger," he said.  NWS Green Bay confirmed two tornadoes in Shawano County on Monday night. Those tornadoes also left downed trees and structural damges behind.  An EF-0 tornado touched down in Mattoon A second EF-0 tornado touched down near Birnamwood Much of northern and central Wisconsin were under a Tornado Watch until 2 a.m Game Recap: Baseball | 4/30/2025 9:38:00 PM | Michael Abdella - Assistant AD for Strategic Communications Thanks for visiting Parker Reed, photos by Andrea Paulseth | April 16 a food truck is a mobile eatery: a vehicle (like a van etc.) equipped with kitchen facilities to cook and serve food — offering a variety of dishes to customers at just about any location area food trucks are serving some of the best grub in the area – and they deserve a spot of their own The Spot on Hastings is a newly renovated lot in Eau Claire that opened in late 2024 and hosts local food trucks every week Lee – now a part-time food truck business owner – said The Spot's goal is to give local foodies the chance to consistently experience a variety of food trucks "These types of businesses don’t always have a consistent spot to set up and connect with their customers," Lee said "The goal is for (The Spot) to help both the businesses in reaching their consumers as well as Eau Claire food fans to regularly get to enjoy food they may not always have easy access to.” As someone who lives on the north side of town and more foodie fare have pulled up to The Spot The Spot's Facebook page shares its weekly hours of operation and which food trucks will be available Lee tries to give customers as much notice as possible by booking food trucks at least one month in advance so they can plan their meals “Some of the best food I’ve ever had has some come from food trucks,” Lee said Keep up with The Spot on Hastings (3133 N. Hastings Way, Eau Claire) and see its schedule on Facebook Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInEAU CLAIRE COUNTY (WEAU) - Charges are now filed against more than a dozen people after a search of a home in Eau Claire A criminal complaint shows the following 19 people are charged: including possession of meth and drug paraphernalia The criminal complaint shows 58-year-old Georgia Eaton is charged with maintaining a drug trafficking place law enforcement searched a home at 1105 Barland Street in the City of Eau Claire 1105 Barland Street is a home known to law enforcement as a drug house authorities found numerous drugs and drug paraphernalia Garnett said that he and Wark had lived at the home together for a period of time Garnett said that he had seen at least six people at any given time using drugs in the house Garnett said that Georgia Eaton was aware of the drug use and that she would typically use drugs with the people in the house Garnett said that people in the house would sell drugs as well Squires said that he had lived at 1105 Barland Street while he was selling methamphetamine Squires said that there was frequent drug activity at the home including residents providing methamphetamine to the owner of the home Squires said that other persons at 1105 Barland Street were also actively selling drugs while he was staying there Game Recap: Baseball | 5/2/2025 6:36:00 PM Thanks for visiting