Latest news with #Leader-Telegram
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Motion hearing in Lily Peters murder case set for Monday
CHIPPEWA FALLS — When will the trial for Carson Peters-Berger take place, and where? Will the case be moved to a different county in the state, or will a jury be brought to Chippewa County? Those are the questions that will likely be resolved Monday at a motion hearing in the murder case. The hearing is expected to last the entire day. Peters-Berger, who turned 17 in March, is accused of killing and then sexually assaulting his 10-year-old cousin, Lily Peters, in April 2022. Peters-Berger is charged in Chippewa County Court as an adult with first-degree intentional homicide and two counts of sexual assault. He was 14 at the time. The motion hearing is set to begin at 8:15 a.m. Monday before Judge Steve Gibbs and could take the entire day. Because a trial is likely to go a week or more, and because all the witnesses and experts will need to clear their schedule, it is expected Gibbs will set a trial for some point in 2026. In May, Gibbs issued an order that precludes all media from live-streaming the proceedings, in any way, of all pretrial evidentiary hearings. Media also will be barred from recording any live testimony, and 'all media may not directly quote the testimony of the witnesses,' but may 'summarize the content of the testimony.' An offender will face contempt proceedings. A flurry of motions and letters have been filed with the court this week in advance of the hearing. Defense attorney Michael Cohen filed a motion to suppress Peters-Berger's interview with police, contending that Peters-Berger's 'statements were taken in violation of his Miranda rights, and the second claim being that the statements were involuntary.' Cohen contends that Peters-Berger believed he was not free to leave the interview. However, District Attorney Wade Newell countered that 'the only issue is whether the defendant was in custody,' and Newell contends that Peters-Berger was not formally arrested at the time of his questioning. 'No arrest-like restraints were placed on the defendant,' Newell wrote in a new court filing. 'He was not handcuffed; no weapons were drawn; the defendant was not frisked. He was simply shown the way to the interview room.' Newell added: 'The defendant was told that he was not being forced to be there, and could leave whenever he needed to. In fact, to make it clear to him, the investigator point blank told him that he was not under arrest.' Newell also stressed that all comments made by Peters-Berger to police were voluntary. Gibbs granted a request to seal the transcript of the interview recording with police and a flash drive that contains video of the interview. Cohen also has requested the trial be moved out of Chippewa County, citing news reports in the Leader-Telegram, WEAU and WQOW, among others. 'A jury in this matter will obviously be compromised, if kept within the county of Chippewa, of a significant portion of people that have friends, neighbors, co-workers, family members, etc., that have strong concerns and emotions and feelings and opinions about this case,' Cohen wrote. 'It is unfathomable and unrealistic to think that jurors can just set aside all of their own emotions, anxieties, concerns about being known within the public for being on the jury if the jury were to find in contrast to what public opinion thinks the verdict should be.' Newell also filed a new letter, arguing against a motion to have the trial moved to a different county. 'While the defense is correct that the defendant need not prove actual prejudice exists, vague allegations of improper and prejudicial publicity and inconclusive evidence thereof do not make a showing that the community was so infected with passion and prejudice as to make it likely that a fair trial could not be had,' Newell wrote. 'All we have at this point is speculation as to what effects the pretrial publicity or memorial activity will have on any potential jurors. The state still contends the best way to determine if the community has been so infected with passion and prejudice, is with a well-written jury questionnaire that will determine individual juror biases or prejudices. This will ensure that an impartial jury is impaneled.' Cohen countered with a new letter, saying he will be asking for a pretrial questionnaire, but that is 'separate and distinct' from any request for a change of venue. As the Leader-Telegram reported earlier this year, only two cases — both murders — have been moved out of Chippewa County in the past 25 years. Because of all the motions that will be discussed, Cohen has requested the hearing be split into two different days. Cohen had previously argued that the case should not be in adult court because Peters-Berger is a juvenile. However, Judge Gibbs ruled on Jan. 22, 2024, that the case would remain in adult court, rejecting the defense's petition to have it moved to a juvenile proceeding. The Court of Appeals later agreed with Gibbs. Gibbs has since unsealed the name of the suspect. Peters-Berger has been held in the Northwest Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Eau Claire on a $1 million cash bond since his arrest. Lily Peters was killed on April 24, 2022, in Chippewa Falls. Her body was discovered the next morning. When interviewed by investigators, Peters-Berger told police he punched Lily in the stomach, struck her on the head three times with a heavy stick, then strangled her until she was dead. He then had sex with her body. He went home and put his dirty clothes in the laundry, but later returned to the scene, dragged her body a few feet, and covered her body with leaves.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
A mother talks about the value of CLTS for her disabled son
EAU CLAIRE — At the last county board meeting, County Board Supervisor Michelle Skinner (R-Altoona) brought up her concerns that $68,000 had been spent on annual passes at Chaos Waterpark for disabled children via the county's CLTS program (Children's Long-Term Support). This was compounded with Skinner's concerns over the Human Services budget, which went over by $3.2 million for the year. These two factors contributed to her voting against a motion that would have allocated $30,000 to Sojourner House, Eau Claire County's only emergency homeless shelter. Skinner's reasons were quoted in a May 23 interview for the Leader-Telegram that covered funding for the Sojourner House resolution, which failed to pass by one vote. In the article in the June 5 edition of this newspaper, we attempted to cover some of what Skinner's concerns were — in particular, the funds that had been spent for local park passes. However, press deadlines limited how complete the article could be in this regard. While this article attempts to more completely address those concerns, once again only so much could be compiled at press time. PARENT PRAISES CLTSAmber Borton is a parent of Ryker, a young boy with severe developmental disabilities. Her son is a recipient of the CLTS Program which provides waivers for things not provided by the county. While her son is a recipient of CLTS, her son does not receive the annual passes to any parks, such as Chaos Waterpark or Action City. 'One of the biggest things that we use all the time is for transportation,' said Borton. 'CLTS has to fund the modification of our truck so that I can get his wheelchair into the truck. That's been extremely helpful just getting to and from places.' She also said that the program allowed the family to remodel their bedroom to put in a large bathtub and lift system to get Ryker from the bed to the tub. 'We are working right now on getting an elevator,' she said. 'CLTS is a Medicaid waiver program,' said CLTS Support and Service Coordinator with Eau Claire County Ashley Butcher. '[Its] services go above and beyond what Medicaid can fund. It is a statewide program. Each county has a CLTS program.' Borton explained that caring for her son is a full time responsibility. 'To be plain and clear, I'm a single mom,' said Borton. 'I don't work outside my house. I can't because he needs 24 hour medical care. I truly don't have an outside income that helps me — so, absolutely, this program is everything.' A fundraising website for Ryker can be found at
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Federal funding for Altoona mobile home community removed from bill
ALTOONA — Federal dollars to upgrade the municipal water system at a mobile home park in Altoona have fallen through, after a $2.25 million grant was recently removed from the final Congressional continuing resolution to operate the government. The Hillcrest Estates mobile home park has about 340 families living on the grounds on the east side of Altoona, totaling between 800 and 900 residents. However, there is just one fire hydrant in the entire park. The city is planning to upgrade the water system throughout the park, as most homes there report low water pressure. Altoona Fire Chief Mark Renderman also said the mobile home park was constructed at a time when state laws didn't require more hydrants. With just one hydrant, Renderman said a fire could be disastrous, especially since so many of the homes are in close proximity to others. Altoona City Administrator Mike Golat said the entire municipal project is estimated to cost about $15 million. U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Prairie du Chien, toured Hillcrest Estates last July, seeing a newly constructed home on the grounds, as well as seeing the site of a potential future emergency shelter. He also learned more about the municipal water needs of the community. Van Orden had submitted a request for $2.25 million in federal Community Project Funding grants as part of a budget bill to aid in a municipal water distribution project, which would have covered about 15% of the total costs. However, the money was stripped from the final version of the continuing resolution bill that was approved by Congress in March. Van Orden voted with all Republicans for the final bill. Van Orden's office said he is working on getting the measure included in future bills. 'Rep. Van Orden is having ongoing conversations with the Appropriations Committee about the status of CPFs in the (fiscal year 2026) appropriations process and will keep folks updated as we receive more information,' his office wrote to the Leader-Telegram. Golat said that if the federal money had come through, the work would have been done this year. Without the federal assistance, he is hopeful it can instead be done in summer 2026. 'Hillcrest is a key neighborhood for affordable housing,' Golat said. 'They are under an order from the (Department of Natural Resources) to address the water issues there. We were disappointed when the (continuing resolution) didn't include it in this year's budget. We did reapply for 2026 and we hope it will be selected.' Golat said one possibility is the city may need to obtain a loan to pay for the project. He added they are working with the DNR on timelines for when the work must be completed. Golat thanked Van Orden for touring the site and trying to obtain the money for them, even though it was ultimately not included in the final CR. 'Van Orden's office was great to work with,' Golat said. 'They recognized this is a significant need. They were as disappointed as we were (that) it didn't move forward.' Altoona Mayor Brendan Pratt said an overhaul of the water system at the park is needed. 'Most of the pipes are very old,' Pratt said during the tour last summer. 'We want to use this money to connect this (park) to the city water.' Pratt said there is city sewer to the mobile home park, but not water. Jae Cho, co-owner of Hillcrest Estates, gave Van Orden a tour of the park, showing off a newly-constructed home. He said the park has been growing, adding 120 families in just the past six years. Chippewa County morgue dollars also cutVan Orden had included more than $25 million in Community Funding Project dollars across the Third Congressional District that were later stripped from the final bill. The only other local project that was eliminated called for $600,000 for Chippewa County to 'reduce the financial burden currently being placed on the county for mortuary services and reduce the cost for law enforcement agencies in travel time when they meet with the coroner to examine a body.' The dollars were included because the morgue used by the Chippewa County coroner was located in HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital. Since the hospital closed in March 2024, the county has been using a funeral home in Altoona for performing morgue services.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scholz gives 'state of the county' address at his final board meeting
CHIPPEWA FALLS — Chippewa County Administrator Randy Scholz thanked the board Tuesday for his support and their collaborative efforts during his seven-year tenure leading the county. Scholz gave a 'state of the county' address in his final county board meeting before retiring next month. The three finalists to replace him will be interviewed next week. '(My future replacement will be) coming into a very dynamic and well-run county,' Scholz said. 'I'm proud to report that Chippewa County is in a strong fiscal position. There are some counties that are using short-term borrowing or general revenue funds.' Scholz, 56, praised the economic growth in the county. Among the items he's worked on in recent years is trying to create a new industrial park, and he said that work will continue with the next administrator. 'I'm just thankful for my team, and I'll miss the debates we had,' Scholz said. 'And the employees are the backbone of our success. Nothing happens without our employees.' One of the challenges Scholz said he faced was rising costs due to drug abuse and how that impacted the budget. Meth 'really hit Chippewa County hard,' and it led to a lot of out-of-home placements, he said. 'We blew through a million-dollar fund balance in about three years,' Scholz said. 'We sat down and talked about where the funding had to go.' However, out-of-home placements dropped drastically last year, and the county will show a surplus, he said. 'We also had the (HSHS St. Joseph's) hospital go away, and that was a big hit,' he said. 'But we've gotten good news about the Aspirus coming in, and the community hospital. This community has come together and run with it.' He said it has been a great honor to be administrator 'and the future here is bright.' The board gave him an ovation upon completing his statement. Scholz will retire March 7. However, he has taken a job as city manager in Ishpeming, Mich. He told the Leader-Telegram recently that he has family in that region and purchased land there. Scholz became county administrator in February 2018, replacing Frank Pascarella. Scholz is now the longest-serving county administrator in the county's history. Prior to being hired here, he served as Lincoln County administrative coordinator. He attended Mount Senario College, and he earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from UW-Eau Claire. Highway T funding approved The county board voted 14-6 Tuesday to approve its share of the Highway T expansion project, which will begin in Chippewa County, with work continuing south, essentially from Highway 29 to Clairemont Avenue. The entire project is estimated to cost about $17 million, with the county's share at $2.29 million. Eau Claire and the town of Wheaton also are paying for an equal share. Construction could begin in 2027 or 2028. Voting against the measure were supervisors Pamela Guthman, Duane Shoebridge, Joel Seidlitz, Joseph Roshell, David Kelly and Rocky Kempe. Former county board member Ken Schmitt spoke against the Highway T project before the vote. 'I don't see why the county board should facilitate annexation of the town of Wheaton into Eau Claire,' Schmitt told the board. Schmitt notes that his family often travels that corridor. 'There were no hold-ups. There are no complaints that there are backups, or traffic doesn't move,' Schmitt said. 'I just don't understand why we should do this at this time.'
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tiffany introduces bill to de-list wolves
CHIPPEWA FALLS — U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minoqua, has once again introduced a bill to delist wolves from the Endangered Species Act. While he introduced a similar measure last year, Tiffany told the Leader-Telegram last month that he's more confident it will pass this time around, now that Republicans control the House, Senate and presidency. The measure, dubbed 'The Pet and Livestock Protection Act,' is not subject to judicial review, and it would restore authority back to state lawmakers and state wildlife officials to control the gray wolf population. 'Scientific data, coupled with the rise in wolf attacks in Wisconsin, confirms that the gray wolf population has exceeded recovery goals,' Tiffany said in his announcement to reintroduce the bill. 'Yet, activist judges continue to disregard these facts, leaving livestock, pets, wildlife, and communities vulnerable to further harm. The Pet and Livestock Protection Act will restore management to those who understand local needs best — state wildlife officials — and ensure that out-of-state judges can no longer dictate how Wisconsin manages its wolf population.' Tiffany said he's supported delisting wolves in Wisconsin and the Great Lakes region since 2011, going back to when he was a state senator. Hunters have seen a notable drop in deer numbers, as wolves are culling them and reducing their numbers, Tiffany added. When Sen. Tammy Baldwin stopped at a Fall Creek-area farm before the election, she said she generally supports the delisting proposal. U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colorado, is a co-sponsor on the bill. 'Gray wolves are threatening the livelihoods of our ranchers and farmers with attacks on livestock because our agriculture community has their hands tied by out-of-date policies and progressive legal activism,' Boebert said. 'This bill enacts a common-sense solution shared by administrations of both parties and prioritizes the strength of our agriculture community over predators. 'I'm proud to join with Rep. Tiffany again on this important legislation for our farmers and ranchers and deliver a major victory for our country's agriculture community,' The Pet and Livestock Protection Act requires the Secretary of the Interior to reissue the 2020 Department of the Interior final rule that delisted gray wolves in the lower 48 United States. It also ensures this rule cannot be overturned through judicial review, preventing activist judges, like the California judge who vacated the rule in 2022, from relisting the gray wolf by judicial fiat, the press release states. With more than 6,000 wolves at the time of delisting, 'the gray wolf has been the latest Endangered Species Act (ESA) success story with significant population recoveries in the Rocky Mountains and western Great Lakes regions,' the press release reads. However, a California judge overturned the rule in 2022 and relisted the gray wolf. Meanwhile, the wolf population in Wisconsin has increased each of the past three years. There have been numerous gray wolf attacks in Wisconsin's Seventh District over the last few years, the press release states. A total of 30 House members are co-sponsors of the bill, including Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Prairie du Chien, and the other four Republican congressmen from Wisconsin. Supporters of the measure include the American Farm Bureau Federation, National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), Public Lands Council (PLC), National Rifle Association (NRA), Safari Club International (SCI), Hunter Nation, International Order of T. Roosevelt (IOTR), Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, Mule Deer Foundation, Blacktail Deer Foundation, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, Wisconsin Cattlemen's Association, and Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association. Last year, four Democrats joined 205 Republicans in voting for it, but the measure stalled in the Senate, which was under Democratic control at the time.
