Mauston, WI
News
Hillsboro Residents Involved in Weekend Crash
2 weeks
by WRJC WebMaster
in Local News
Vernon County Sheriff Roy Torgerson reports on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at approximately 7:15 PM, the Sheriff’s Office 911 Dispatch Center was notified of a single-vehicle crash on State Highway 131, near West River Road, rural Viola, WI, in the Town of Kickapoo.
Kierdan C. Koster, age 21, of Hillsboro was operating a 2007 Honda Accord and lost control while negotiating a curve. The vehicle went off the roadway, struck an embankment and overturned.
The operator and two passengers, an 18-year-old, and a 5-year-old, also of Hillsboro, were able to exit the vehicle on their own. Both passengers sustained minor injuries. All three occupants were transported to Readstown to keep warm and wait for a ride home.
Seatbelts were used. There was no airbag deployment.
Due to weather conditions, the roadway was slippery at the time of the crash.
Responding to the scene with the Sheriff’s Office were the Readstown Fire Department and Readstown Emergency Medical Service.
The crash remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office.
New Pastor at Saint Patricks Church in Mauston
3 weeks
by WRJC WebMaster
in Local News
IT’S OFFICIAL! The Most Reverend Gerard W. Battersby, D.D., Bishop of La Crosse, made the following announcement today!
“The Reverend Todd A. Mlsna, Parochial Administrator of St. Patrick Parish in Mauston, is appointed Pastor, effective January 20, 2026.”
Congratulations Fr. Mlsna! we are so happy to have you here!
Police Standoff at Tomah Kwik Trip Ends Peacefully
3 weeks
by WRJC WebMaster
in Local News
At approximately 7:37 a.m. on January 20, 2026, the Monroe County Communications Center received a call from a suicidal subject who was located inside a semi-truck parked behind Kwik Trip North (310 E McCoy Blvd).
Officers from the Tomah Police Department responded to the scene and observed the subject in possession of a pistol while seated in their semi. With the assistance of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin State Patrol, officers established a perimeter around the semi-truck and began aiding in the evacuation of innocent bystanders. The Tomah Area Ambulance Service and the Tomah Fire Department also responded, assisting with traffic control, securing the parking lot, and providing medical support.
Contact was ultimately made with the subject using personnel from an armored vehicle. The driver exited the semi-truck without any weapons and was taken into custody without incident.
Once in custody, the subject was transported to Tomah Health for medical clearance and a mental health evaluation. Criminal charges are pending.
The Tomah Police Department would like to thank the following agencies for their assistance:
• Tomah Fire Department
• Tomah Area Ambulance Service
• Monroe County Sheriff’s Office
• Wisconsin State Patrol
• Monroe County Communications Center
A special thank you is extended to Kwik Trip for their cooperation during this dangerous situation, for allowing officers to use their building as a warming center, and for providing warm beverages.
This was an isolated incident, and there is no ongoing threat to the public. We thank the community for their patience and understanding.
Meat Processor Infrastructure Grant Application Period OpenThrough February 23
3 weeks
by WRJC WebMaster
in State News
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
(DATCP) invites Wisconsin meat processors to apply for the Meat Processor Infrastructure
Grant through February 23, 2026. The meat processor grant program aims to grow Wisconsin’s
meat industry and improve the long-term viability of the state’s livestock sector.
“By creating the Meat Processor Infrastructure Grant program, Governor Evers and the
legislature have spurred investment in this important Wisconsin economic driver,” said
DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. “The grants have strengthened Wisconsin’s meat industry
by assisting processors in modernizing their establishments, improving capacity and
throughput, and improving employee retention.”
Eligible applicants must operate a meat processing establishment in Wisconsin licensed by
DATCP or the U.S. Department of Agriculture and be engaged in livestock harvest or meat
processing. Projects must increase harvest capacity or production, with a goal of increasing
harvest or production by 20 percent. Funding from these grants can be used for operating
expenses directly related to the grant project, including expenses for engineering, architectural
design, construction, food safety consultation, equipment, and equipment installation.
DATCP will award grants for up to $50,000 for projects that last up to two years and help
expand capacity or increase throughput. Processors must provide a match of 100% of the grant
amount. The selection process is competitive, and there is $700,000 available for the 2026
grant program.
Access the grant application and materials at
https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/AgDevelopment/MeatProcessorInfrastructureGrants.aspx.
Questions related to the grant application can be submitted to datcpdadgrants@wisconsin.gov.
Grant recipients will be announced in the coming months.
Tahoe vs Buggy Accident in Monroe County
4 weeks
by WRJC WebMaster
in Local News
One person was seriously injured in a traffic crash Thursday Morning when a vehicle struck a horse drawn
buggy on Highway 33 in the Town of Sheldon.
On January 15 th, 2026, at around 8:10am, a Chevy Tahoe traveling westbound on Hwy 33 near Opera Road,
struck an occupied horse drawn buggy as it turned into a driveway. The driver of the buggy was seriously
injured in the crash and taken by ambulance to a local hospital.
The initial investigation showed that vehicle was passing the buggy when the buggy turned in front of the
vehicle in an attempt to enter a driveway on the south side of the road.
The crash caused the highway to be closed for about an hour while emergency crews worked the scene.
Names of the vehicle operators are not being released at this time.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Monroe County 911 Communications Center, Vernon
County Sheriff’s Office, Ontario Ambulance, and the Ontario Fire Department.
