News

MADISON – The Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) supports Wisconsin joining the coalition of states suing the Trump Administration to restore funding under the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA).

Of the 34,000 students enrolled in adult education at Wisconsin’s 16 technical colleges each year, over 17,000 depend on AEFLA funding to access these essential services, delivered through our colleges and community-based organizations. In the 2023–24 academic year alone, over 2,500 of these learners enrolled in postsecondary occupational programs at our colleges – programs that directly lead to career pathways and help meet the workforce needs of Wisconsin employers.

“On May 29, the U.S. Department of Education informed us that Congress had appropriated funding for adult education, with a scheduled release date of July 1,” said Layla Merrifield, president of the Wisconsin Technical College System. “However, on the evening of June 30, just hours before the funds were to be distributed, we were notified the grant was under review by the new administration, with no timeline provided for when the review would conclude.

Our System serves more than 34,000 students through adult education programs. I urge the Department of Education to honor Congress’s directive and release the funds as appropriated, so these vital educational opportunities can continue without disruption.”

More than 354,000 adults in Wisconsin lack a high school degree. WTCS is statutorily required to provide adult education, including English Language Learning and GED/HSED instruction, without charging tuition. The sudden withholding of this previously appropriated and approved federal funding jeopardizes our ability to fulfill this mandate. Without these critical resources, thousands of Wisconsin residents and the communities they live in stand to lose access to the education and training necessary for economic mobility and community vitality.

SHERIFF ROY TORGERSON REPORTS THE FOLLOWING ONGOING ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR AND NARRATIVE EXCERPTS FROM THE WEEK ENDING JULY 12, 2025.

7/6       Dispatch received an automated crash detection notification from a cell phone but was unable to make voice contact with anyone. A deputy went to the location and found a cell phone in the road. The owner was contacted to retrieve their phone.

7/6       Deputies responded to County Road O in the Town of Harmony for a motorcycle versus deer crash. The operator, Justin Lange, Friendship, WI was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash and sustained minor injuries. The motorcycle was later towed from the scene.

7/6       A vehicle came to rest at the bottom of an embankment on Old Highway 14 in the Town of Viroqua after technical difficulties with power steering. The driver and sole occupant reported no injuries and had a family member pull the vehicle out.

7/7       A sheriff’s deputy and a Westby Police officer responded to Main St in the City of Westby for a burglar alarm. The building was found secure and it was determined to be a false alarm.

7/7       A deputy responded to County Road F near Kraemer Road in the Town of Hillsboro after a vehicle struck a deer. The driver, Aiden Lemmons, Richland Center, reported no injuries. The deer was injured and dispatched.

7/9       A traffic stop was initiated and a speeding citation was issued to the driver of a vehicle found operating at 76 mph in a 55 mph zone on US Highway 14 in the Town of Franklin.

7/10    A deputy initiated a traffic stop in the 2100 block of State Highway 35 in the Town of Bergen. The driver received a citation for speeding 79 mph in a 55 mph zone.

7/10    A sheriff’s deputy initiated a traffic stop and officers with the Viroqua Police Department also responded to the scene at Chicago Avenue in the City of Viroqua. During the stop a K9 was deployed and gave a positive indication on the vehicle. A male party was processed for Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and transported to the Sheriff’s Office Detention Center.

7/11     Deputies initiated a traffic stop on State Highway 35 in the Village of Stoddard after fireworks were seen being thrown from the window of a vehicle.

7/12    A driver encountered a male laying on the side of the road on US Highway 14 near the 10-Mile Hill. The driver transported the male to a business in Coon Valley where they were met by sheriff’s deputies and officers from Coon Valley Police. It was later determined that the male had removed an ankle monitor so a probation hold was placed. The male was evaluated at a local hospital and then transported to the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center.

IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION ON AN ABOVE CRIME, OR ANY CRIME, CALL THE VERNON COUNTY CRIME STOPPERS AT 608-637-8477 OR 1-800-657-6868 OR SUBMIT AN ONLINE TIP AT WWW.P3TIPS.COM