Around Town
VARSITY FOOTBALL: The Homecoming football game will be against South Beloit at 7 p.m.
STRATEGIC PLAN UNDERWAY: The Iola-Scandinavia School District Strategic Task Force held its second planning session to establish community investment priorities. District Administrator Chris Nelson detailed state funding hurdles and an upcoming four-year non-recurring operational referendum. A draft plan will be reviewed Oct. 28.
STATION IOLA – Earnify and the Pink N Save programs can now be entered at the pumps or inside when you purchase gas.
GREEN BAY PACKERS – Iola’s Kristian Welch has been signed to the active roster from the practice team due to an injury to a starting linebacker.
Around the County
NEW LONDON — The New London Board of Education approved a proposed 2026-27 district budget that projects a 3.75% tax levy increase and a 2.4% spike in total spending. The plan reduces the property tax mill rate from $5.57 to $5.35 and grants a 2.63% wage increase. (Source: WLUK)
WAUPACA — County officials are evaluating a new regional transit strategy to address a projected $3.2 million deficit facing Waupaca County in 2027. Local administrators plan to review transportation service models to lower costs while preserving public transit access. (Source: WBAY)
NEW LONDON — Industrial operations expanded as the Tyson Foods production facility celebrated its Ball Park Franks brand becoming the official hot dog of the Green Bay Packers. Plant managers hosted special guests and Packers players at the facility Tuesday. (Source: WFRV)
Around the Area
Around the State
Here are the top overnight news stories from across Wisconsin:
A MOTORCYCLIST died in Dane County after rear-ending an SUV, local authorities confirmed. The crash happened late Tuesday in a rural section of the county. Officials are still investigating what caused the collision, and they have not released the victim’s name. (Source: Channel 3000)
MADISON CITY Council District 2 Alder Will Ochowicz introduced a resolution Tuesday night to terminate the appointment of the city’s interim independent police monitor. The move came during a Common Council meeting where city budgets and police oversight were heavily debated. (Source: Channel 3000)
MILWAUKEE POLICE are searching for a boy who went critically missing Tuesday night near 27th Street and Capitol Drive. Authorities described the child as high risk and are asking community members to check their properties and call 911 immediately with any tips. (Source: FOX6)
MAIL-IN ABSENTEE voting has dropped significantly across Wisconsin compared to four years ago, according to state data released Wednesday. The decline is most pronounced in the Democratic strongholds of Milwaukee and Madison, where requested mail ballots fell nearly 20% and 30% respectively. (Source: WISN 12)
A MILWAUKEE police officer was booked into jail Tuesday after being charged with sexual assault and disorderly conduct. Internal affairs investigators arrested the officer following an expedited inquiry into a recent off-duty incident. The department has placed the officer on administrative suspension. (Source: FOX6)
STATE OFFICIALS issued a public warning Wednesday morning regarding fraudulent text messages targeting motorists. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation said scammers are sending fake notices about unpaid tolls and license suspensions to trick residents into revealing financial data. (Source: WSAW 7)
A MULTIVEHICLE incident caused early morning traffic delays on Interstate 43 near Oak Creek following a police pursuit. Law enforcement officials confirmed four suspects were arrested after a crash near Puetz Road overnight, while a fifth suspect remains at large. (Source: FOX6)
DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATORIAL candidate David Crowley announced a proposal Tuesday for a state constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights up to the time of birth in Wisconsin. The announcement draws a sharp contrast with political rivals ahead of upcoming elections, setting up a major legislative debate. (Source: WKOW)
Today in History
Here are notable moments from Today in History:
1763 — KING GEORGE III issued the Royal Proclamation of 1763 on this date, establishing a new administrative structure for Great Britain’s newly acquired North American territories following the Seven Years’ War. The decree closed lands west of the Appalachian Mountains to colonial settlement.
1849 — AMERICAN AUTHOR Edgar Allan Poe died in Baltimore at age 40. Renowned for his macabre tales, including “The Raven,” Poe had been found semi-conscious days earlier. The precise cause of his death remains a subject of historical speculation.
1913 — FORD MOTOR Co. introduced the first continuously moving assembly line for automobile chassis at its Highland Park, Michigan, plant. The industrial innovation reduced Model T production time from 12.5 hours to 93 minutes, revolutionizing global manufacturing.
1916 — GEORGIA TECH defeated Cumberland University 222-0 in Atlanta, setting the record for the most lopsided game in college football history. Coach John Heisman led the Engineers to score 32 touchdowns in a game played with 12-minute quarters.
1958 — NASA ADMINISTRATOR T. Keith Glennan formally approved Project Mercury, the first human spaceflight program of the United States. The decision initiated the American effort to put a human into Earth orbit, countering early Soviet achievements in space exploration.
1959 — SOVIET SPACECRAFT Luna 3 photographed the far side of the Moon for the first time. The automated probe transmitted 29 photographs back to Earth, revealing a mountainous terrain heavily cratered by impacts and vastly different from the visible lunar side.
1962 — THE FORD Mustang I concept car made its public debut at the United States Grand Prix in Watkins Glen, New York. Formula One driver Dan Gurney drove the mid-engine, aluminum-bodied sports car prototype for a non-competitive demonstration lap.
1980 — BRITISH ROCK band Queen reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with “Another One Bites the Dust.” Written by bassist John Deacon, the single spent three weeks at the top position, becoming one of the group’s best-selling tracks.
1989 — AMERICAN POP singer Janet Jackson began a four-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with her single “Miss You Much.” The track served as the lead single from her critically acclaimed fourth studio album, “Rhythm Nation 1814.”
2001 — THE UNITED States and Great Britain launched airstrikes in Afghanistan, initiating Operation Enduring Freedom. President George W. Bush announced the military campaign targeting Taliban forces and al-Qaida training camps following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
