Extra deputies to patrol county

The Eau Claire County Sheriff's Department will have more deputies on patrol in "highly visible areas" starting today and continuing through the end of the year, according to a news release issued Monday.

The extra patrols will focus on speed, seat-belt violations, drunken driving and other dangerous driving behaviors, the release stated.

The highly visible areas include places where crashes and violations are historically high.

H1N1 clinics set for 24 and younger

Eau Claire health officials are complying with state recommendations to widen H1N1 influenza vaccine eligibility to all children and young adults.

The City-County Health Department announced Monday afternoon that all people 24 and younger will be allowed to get the vaccine at community swine flu clinics.

Upcoming clinics include:

n 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, at Peace Lutheran Church, 501 E. Fillmore Ave.

n 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 5, at Immaculate Conception School, 1703 Sherwin Ave.

n 4 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7, at Augusta High School.

n 3 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1314 E. Lexington Blvd.

Shots and nasal mist will be offered at no charge.

People ages 25 through 64 with chronic health problems still are encouraged to get a shot, along with all other risk groups including pregnant women, health care workers and day care providers.

Irvine Park to be illuminated

CHIPPEWA FALLS - The Christmas Village lights in Irvine Park will be turned on at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

The park will be closed from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday so people can walk through the Christmas Village. Cookies and hot chocolate will be available Friday at the Activity Building. Santa also will walk around greeting children on Friday.

The park will reopen to vehicle traffic at about 7 p.m. Friday.

Call 723-0051 with any questions.

River Falls contact site closed

RIVER FALLS - The federal Social Security Administration closed its contact site at River Falls Public Library on Friday, according to a news release.

The site offers face-to-face business interaction with Social Security personnel.

The River Falls site will resume its business in January 2010.

Until the site reopens, people are encouraged to visit www.socialsecurity.gov or call 800-772-1213 or the Eau Claire Social Security office at 715-836-6645.

Fire inspector impersonator sought

CADOTT - A man impersonating a fire inspector attempted to enter a rural Cadott home on Saturday, according to the Cadott Police Department.

The man knocked on the door and falsely identified himself as a fire inspector, according to Police Chief Louis Eslinger. The man said he wanted to enter the home to examine fire extinguishers and smoke detectors.

The resident became suspicious and did not allow the man, who did not have any identification, to enter the home.

The man then walked around the house looking into windows and left on foot.

Authorities described the suspect as a 5-foot-5-inch, 170-pound clean-shaven white male with no visible piercings or tattoos. He wore blue jeans and a white button-up shirt.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cadott Police Department at 715-289-4238 or the Chippewa County Sheriff's Department at 715-726-7701.

One arrested in stolen SUV case

One person was arrested and taken to the Trempealeau County Jail on Monday after allegedly stealing a sport utility vehicle in Juneau County.

The person's name has not been released.

According to a State Patrol spokesman, deputies received a call at 10:33 a.m. about a group of pedestrians standing around a disabled vehicle on Interstate 94 westbound near milepost 93 in Jackson County, near the border with Trempealeau County.

Deputies responded and found a Chevrolet TrailBlazer that had been reported stolen earlier in the day from the Lyndon Station area. The vehicle was out of gas.

No one was near the vehicle, but deputies found the five subjects at a truck stop in Osseo and took the one into custody.

Counselor-in-training's license pulled

MADISON - The state will not renew the certificate of an Eau Claire substance abuse counselor-in-training who had sexual relationships with two men who were on probation while she was counseling them, one of whom smoked marijuana with her and was allowed to live with her while there was a warrant for his arrest.

According to a news release from the state Department of Regulation and Licensing, Jacqueline J. Clifton of Eau Claire engaged in the relationships with the men while she was counseling them in her work for ATTIC Correctional Services in Wausau from 2004 to 2006. It said she also failed to obtain required drug tests from the man she smoked marijuana with because she believed he would fail the tests.

As a result of a plea agreement in May, Clifton was found guilty in Marathon County Circuit Court of a felony count of sexual exploitation by a therapist. A felony count of harboring/aiding a felon and a misdemeanor count of encouraging a parole/probation violation were dismissed but read into the record for sentencing. Clifton was sentenced to nine months in jail with work and child care release privileges, and was ordered to perform 50 hours of community service during each of the five years she is on probation.

Former Leader-Telegram reporter dies

Longtime Leader-Telegram news reporter William T. "Bill" Kelly died this week.

Kelly, 85, of Eau Claire, died Sunday at Luther Hospital.

He was a Marquette University graduate who was a reporter for 32 years at the Leader-Telegram. Kelly covered many beats during his years at the newspaper, including the Eau Claire County Board and Eau Claire school board.

Kelly's funeral will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at St. Olaf Catholic Church. Visitation will be an hour before the service at the church.

His obituary appears on Page 2B of today's paper.

Mail destruction brings probation

MADISON - A Boyceville woman was sentenced Tuesday to one year of probation for destroying mail while working for the U.S. Postal Service earlier this year.

Veronica Minor, 45, pleaded guilty in Sept. 23 to federal charges that she destroyed mail while working at the Baldwin Post Office. In January, Minor opened mail and took items, including a gift card she used at Wal-Mart, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release.

County, Altoona offices closed Friday

Most Eau Claire County services will be unavailable Friday for a furlough day, and Altoona City Hall will be closed.

Except for the Highway Department, emergency services, juvenile detention and the jail, the county workforce will be off for the entire day as a cost-cutting measure.

Altoona city offices traditionally have been closed on the Friday after Thanksgiving, and this year is no exception.

Almost all state government offices will be closed Friday. Emergency services and a few offices still will be open. For a complete list visit the state's Web site at www.wisconsin.gov.

From staff reports