Members of the Eau Claire County Board will choose a new leader on Tuesday following a decade of Gregg Moore as chairman. Moore, who represented District 17 on the board for the last 14 years, opted not to seek re-election so he could follow other pursuits in retirement. The 29 county supervisors will vote on a new chairperson during the 7 p.m. Tuesday meeting at the courthouse, 721 Oxford Ave. The chairperson’s primary duty is to conduct County Board meetings, but also help set the
Parting words from several Eau Claire County Board supervisors varied from succinct thanks to longer reflections on years of public service and lasting friendships. Last week marked the last meeting for eight supervisors — five who opted not to seek re-election and three who lost to challengers on April 3 — and they had a chance to give their final words as elected officials. Doug Kranig, who has represented District 3 since 2012 and opted not to run again, went out with a quip
Leader-Telegram staff will compile results from the April 3 election as they become available at leadertelegram.com/electionresults. Polls are open statewide from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Voters unsure of their polling place can look up that information here. Voters in the Chippewa Valley and elsewhere across Wisconsin will decide Tuesday a number of elected offices, ranging from an election for the state Supreme Court to local races for county court judges, city councils, school
Eau Claire County’s rising jail population is prompting the sheriff to ask for another position to staff the facility. The sheriff’s office is requesting to add a full-time correctional officer position at the cost of $78,037 this year, which would come out of the department’s existing budget. Adding the position is intended to cut down on overtime costs that have been incurred by calling in off-duty employees to cover shifts due to staff vacancies and officers who are on
The UW-Eau Claire Student Senate will host a local candidate forum at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Room 100 of Hibbard Hall on campus. Candidates for Eau Claire City Council, Eau Claire County Board and Eau Claire County judicial seats have committed to participate in the event, titled Cookies, Cocoa and Candidates. The Student Senate said in a news release the forum will include City Council candidates Terry Weld, Andrew Werthman, Kathy Mitchell, Jeremy Gragert and Zach Meives; County
I support Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth’s request to allow babies on the U.S. Senate floor. With a due date in April, she will be the first U.S. senator to give birth while serving in office. However, after she makes history, Senate rules of decorum will not permit her to bring her newborn onto the upper chamber’s floor. Duckworth has vowed to change those rules because they exclude nursing moms. I support her. Closer to home, on March 12 during an Eau Claire City Council meeting I
Candidates for Eau Claire County Board seats suggested a range of ways to pay for rural highway upkeep, including continuing the current course, lobbying for more state aid and, in some cases, suggesting consideration of a wheel tax — an increase to the annual state vehicle registration fee in the county to pay for road work. The 14 people running in seven competitive races in the Tuesday, April 3, elections to represent part of Eau Claire County for the next two years provided their
5 years ago — 2013 A Health First Wisconsin report finds that the state spends $6.8 billion annually on alcohol overconsumption through lost productivity, premature death, health care, the criminal justice system and motor vehicle crashes. 10 years ago — 2008 The Eau Claire County Board’s Administration Committee votes 4-0 to buy a building on First Avenue rented out to Just Local Food for a parking lot for a new jail. 20 years ago — 1998 A proposal to add the right
5 years ago — 2013 The Eau Claire County Board approves spending $320,000 to remodel the county Juvenile Detention Center. 10 years ago — 2008 The Eau Claire City Council will discuss a proposal to ban smoking in city bars and other businesses. 20 years ago — 1998 Eau Claire school officials consider closing Park and Lowes Creek schools. 35 years ago — 1983 The Reagan administration applauds Germany’s election of conservative Helmut Kohl.