Latest news with #ChippewaFalls
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Yahoo
CF man convicted of repeated child sexual assault
CHIPPEWA FALLS — A Chippewa Falls man accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting two children has now been convicted. Thomas E. Buetow, 35, 426 Woodward Ave., entered a no contest plea Wednesday in Chippewa County Court to one count of repeated sexual assault of a child. As part of a plea agreement, a mandatory minimum prison sentence was waived. The trial, which was set to begin Aug. 6, has been canceled. Judge James Isaacson ordered a pre-sentence investigation and set a sentencing date for Nov. 7. Defense attorney Matthew Krische indicated he will obtain an alternate PSI for his client. The pre-sentence investigation is a recommendation by the Department of Corrections on the type of discipline, including the length of incarceration, on a conviction. Buetow was originally held in the Chippewa County Jail on a $100,000 cash bond. On Jan. 30, Judge James Isaacson reduced the cash bond to $50,000, but Thomas Buetow has not yet posted bond and remains incarcerated in the Chippewa County Jail. He entered a not guilty plea in October. According to the criminal complaint, a man told police that his children, a boy (now age 9) and a girl (now age 12) told him last spring that Thomas Buetow had sexually assaulted them while they slept at the Buetows' home. The assaults occurred between January 2022 and September 2023. Specialists interviewed both children. The girl said the assaults began when she was nine or 10 years old, and 'disclosed that that the sexual abuse occurred almost every night of the week that she was with Mr. Buetow,' the complaint reads. She was able to describe the type of assault was with Thomas Buetow's fingers. Police interviewed Thomas Buetow days later, and he denied sexually assaulting the children. However, 'Mr. Buetow did state that in the last year that he did a lot of drinking, which led him to black out and not remember what he did the next morning.' Samantha L. Buetow, 31, was originally charged for not reporting a child sexual assault. In April, she entered a no contest plea to a misdemeanor-level charge of child neglect. Chippewa County Judge Benjamin Lane ordered Samantha Buetow to serve a minimum of 90 days in jail with Huber work release privileges; another six months in jail was imposed and stayed. The failure to act felony charge was read-in and dismissed. Buetow also was placed on probation for two years. So, if she violates terms of her probation, she could wind up serving the rest of the sentence. Samantha Buetow also must complete a parenting class. Online court records show Thomas Buetow was convicted of disorderly conduct and obstructing an officer in Eau Claire County Court in 2019.
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Yahoo
Cadott woman accused of theft from multiple organizations enters not guilty pleas
CHIPPEWA FALLS — A Cadott woman accused of stealing money from the Boy Scouts of America and two business organizations has entered not guilty pleas. Nicole R. Ruhe, 44, 27498 100th Ave., was charged in February in Chippewa County Court with three counts of theft in a business setting; all three counts are felonies. At her arraignment Wednesday, Ruhe entered not guilty pleas on all three charges. Judge Benjamin Lane ordered trial dates to be scheduled, but those have not yet been set. According to the criminal complaint, Ruhe has served for the Cadott Boys Basketball Association, the Cadott Community Association, and Boy Scout Troop 65 of Cadott. She is accused of accessing and taking funds from each organization. 'Nicole was interviewed multiple times and admitted to taking/using two of the three organizations' money and failing to return it,' the criminal complaint reads. 'Nicole only admitted to money that was able to be proven missing/unaccounted for with her responsibility as the treasurer.' The basketball organization found $5,159.00 unaccounted for. 'They also found bank ledgers that had been provided by Nicole that had been changed in an attempt to mislead the [basketball organization] on the actual amounts the CBBA had in their account during meetings,' the complaint reads. Investigators then learned Ruhe was active in the Boy Scouts. 'From reviewing the troop's bank account and known profitable activities, it was found $4,095.03 was unaccounted for and other fundraising profits had never been documented submitted into the troop's account,' the complaint reads. 'Nicole was questioned again on the missing money to which no specific reasoning or answers were given for much of the unaccounted-for money or other profits.' The CCA also suspected Ruhe, who was treasurer, was stealing money. 'The CCA suspected anywhere from $4,000-$9,000 was unaccounted for based on their knowledge and findings,' the complaint reads. 'From reviewing The CCA's account information and records there were similar behaviors observed in Nicole's record keeping and submission of funds to their bank that were also observed with the CBBO and BSAs. Nicole's records submitted to the CCA were found to differ $2,486.25 to $10,995.92 from 2022-2023 from that of the CCA's bank records showed.' The officers met with Ruhe and reviewed the ledgers she kept. 'Nicole indicated her using the money was [due to] falling on hard times and being out of work from her heart surgery for six months and only getting half her normal wage,' the complaint reads. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
CF veterans homeless shelter to close
CHIPPEWA FALLS — The Veteran Housing and Recovery Program located at Klein Hall in Chippewa Falls will close by Sept. 30, Gov. Tony Evers announced Monday. The two-floor, 30,400-square-foot Klein Hall increased its capacity from 40 homeless Veterans to 48 in 2020. Veterans have generally been allowed to stay in the transitional housing program for two years, with a few exceptions. The program seeks to provide homeless Veterans with the job training, education, counseling and rehabilitative services they need to help them find steady employment, affordable housing and the skills to sustain a productive lifestyle. Evers, a Democrat, sent out a press release announcing the closure of the Veterans campus in Chippewa Falls and another one in Green Bay. In the press release, Evers blamed the Republican-led Legislature for 'failing to approve his full biennial budget request to support Wisconsin's Veterans, which is now causing housing location closures.' Evers continued: 'Republican lawmakers who control the state's budget committee, the Joint Committee on Finance, refused to approve the governor's funding request, which included $1.9 million for the Veteran Housing and Recovery Program (VHRP). 'As the Legislature was deliberating the 2025-27 Biennial Budget, the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau noted for Republicans on the Joint Committee on Finance that, without additional funding, the Department [of Veterans Affairs] would not have sufficient resources to maintain the program's three sites,' the press release reads. 'Nevertheless, Republican lawmakers ultimately rejected Gov. Evers' request, instead approving $0 in new funding for the program, which will now cause two of the three VHRP locations to close. VHRP, overseen by the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA), provides housing and supportive services to military Veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless to help them obtain permanent housing.' Monday was the last day that applications were reviewed at the Chippewa Falls and Green Bay locations. Applications will continue to be accepted for the Union Grove location, which will remain open, Evers announced. 'We make a promise to our Veterans that when they return home to their civilian life, we will support and serve them just as they have supported and served us,' Evers said in the press release. 'Our Veterans should not have to worry about being able to afford to keep a roof over their heads. Period. I want to personally thank the wonderful folks at Lutheran Social Services who staff these locations for their tireless work on behalf of the Veterans who reside there. The bottom line is that there will now be fewer options for homeless Veterans as a result of the Legislature's irresponsible decision to reject the investments that I proposed. To our Wisconsin Veterans, make no mistake—we will not stop fighting for you. When the Legislature comes back to work this fall, providing more support for our Veterans must be a top priority. I will continue to urge Republican lawmakers to make the investments our Veterans deserve that they should have approved in our state budget.' Veterans currently residing at the Chippewa Falls and Green Bay facilities will be offered alternative placement options and will continue to receive assistance through supportive services. 'We have a duty to support Veterans, especially in their darkest times,' said WDVA Secretary James Bond. 'Even with these closures, we remain committed to assisting Veterans and connecting them to resources. VHRP has been integral in helping Veterans find stability and succeed in their communities, and along with our partners on the ground, we intend to still carry out that mission to the best of our ability.' Klein Hall opened on the campus of the Northern Wisconsin Center for the Developmentally Disabled in December 2007 in the Oak Grove building, 2820 E. Park Ave., which was officially renamed Klein Hall in honor of Bill Klein, who started the shelters for homeless Veterans. Klein died in 2003. In December 2006, the State Building Commission approved using the empty Oak Grove building for the Veterans campus. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs awarded a $116,000 grant in November 2006 to help the state open the shelter.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
GOP gubernatorial candidate Schoemann visits Northern Wisconsin State Fair
CHIPPEWA FALLS — Josh Schoemann believes his experience in managing Washington County has prepared him for the next step to become governor. "Being a county executive, the buck stops with me, and you need to lead by example," Schoemann said Friday during a visit to the Northern Wisconsin State Fair in Chippewa Falls. Schoemann, 43, has served as Washington County executive — an elected position — for the past five years. Previously, he was the county administrator for six years. He announced in early May his plan to run for the governor's seat as a Republican. Washington County is located in the suburban Milwaukee metro area. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, 73, has indicated he will announce in coming weeks if he will seek a third term. Schoemann is the second Republican to announce his candidacy for the seat. On Wednesday, Bill Berrien, 56, a suburban Milwaukee businessman and former Navy SEAL, also announced he will seek the position. So, a Republican primary will be held in August 2026, ahead of the November 2026 election. Schoemann said he started mulling a run for governor last fall, as he participated in eight bus tour campaign rallies for President Donald Trump, followed by working on the campaign for State Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel earlier this year. "I had so many people ask me to run for governor," he said. He is now focused on criss-crossing the state, shaking hands, meeting people, and hearing their concerns. "I've been to almost 40 counties now, in just two months," he said. The top issue he's hearing is frustration with the education system, whether it's people upset about the school funding formula, or angry parents who dislike some of the topics and "woke" discussions. His campaign announced Friday that they have raised about $420,000 in the two months since he announced his candidacy. Schoemann was critical of the 2025-27 biennial budget, which passed a week ago. "It's not good for the state of Wisconsin," Schoemann said. "It's not as bad as what the Governor had proposed. It will take us from a surplus to a deficit. It passed with a federal gun to the head." Schoemann vowed that as governor, the budget process would be done under a different approach and bring more people to the table. "We talk past each other, not with each other," he said. A state budget under Schoemann would mean "putting more money back in people's pockets," he said. Lowering the tax rate is vital because he has heard too many stories about people of all ages moving out of the state, sometimes for warmer climates but sometimes for lower taxes. "People are leaving for better opportunities, and not coming back," Schoemann said.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Yahoo
Rural CF man sentenced to prison for fifth drunk-driving offense
CHIPPEWA FALLS — A rural Chippewa Falls man who drove his car into a ditch in February 2022 was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison for his fifth drunk-driving offense. Robert A. Ratajczyk, 62, 8043 Highway 124, was convicted by a Chippewa County jury last Thursday of OWI-fifth offense. It was a one-day trial, and the jury returned with its verdict just 70 minutes after they left the courtroom to begin deliberations. Judge Steve Gibbs then sentenced Ratajczyk on Tuesday, ordering him to serve the 18-month prison sentence, followed by 18 months of extended supervision. While on extended supervision, Ratajczyk cannot consume alcohol, enter taverns, or drive. Ratajczyk must pay $1,704 in court costs and fines, and his driver's license was suspended for three years. He was given credit for two days already served. He also is eligible for a substance abuse program. According to the criminal complaint, a Wisconsin State Patrol trooper assisted at the scene of a one-vehicle crash on Feb. 9, 2022, on Highway S in the town of Eagle Point. The officer noted that roads were dry and free of ice. A wrecker had pulled the vehicle from the ditch as the officer was arriving. The officer spoke to the driver, Ratajczyk, and the officer observed signs of alcohol use. Ratajczyk failed field sobriety tests, and he tested for a .123 blood-alcohol level. He was arrested and taken to an area hospital. Court records show Ratajczyk was convicted of his fourth drunk-driving offense after a 2009 arrest in Eau Claire County.
