Regional

The Department of Corrections is looking for an inmate who walked away from work at a restaurant.

According to the DOC, Kirstie Pienta, 34, who was held at the Milwaukee Women’s Correctional Center, left the unnamed restaurant at 11 a.m. last Thursday. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact law enforcement.

You may have received a check from the State’s Department of Revenue recently for unclaimed property.

The DOR announced that it has matched and returned nearly $9.9 million to its rightful owners.

The department also distributed 470 notice-of-unclaimed-property letters to those who were due to receive $2,000 or more in assets.

Winter water is as important as summer rain. Jerry Apps, with his book, “Never Curse the Rain,” makes a case for having summer rain even though it erodes soil, wets drying hay and grain, and gives crops and forests a drink. The same can be said for snow and other forms of winter moisture. 

Alliant Energy and its charitable foundation, along with employees and retirees, gave nearly $9.3 million for charitable efforts in 2024. It also volunteered more than 80,000 hours.

The coffee was brewing as I crumpled up some newspaper and carefully constructed the beginnings of a fire.

The Wisconsin Beef Council has opened submissions for its second Annual Wisconsin’s Best Burger Contest.

The goal is to recognize 100-percent beef burgers made at Wisconsin restaurants, bars and grills.

Nominations will be accepted through March 21.

Eastern bluebirds sometimes remain during winter is some parts of southern Wisconsin. Most fly south for the winter and return to nest in boxes and tree cavities. The best place to locate wintering bluebirds is visit small, natural spring or where heated bird baths are maintained.

CentralStar Cooperative will expand its services following a unanimous vote by Heart of America members to merge.

The merger will allow CentralStar to do more with Dairy Herd Information (DHI) and milk analysis.

Heart of America is based out of Lincoln, Nebraska, and the merger will take effect March 3.

Radon is an invisible, odorless, naturally occurring, radioactive gas that can seep through the ground and the foundation of buildings. It can be deadly at high levels. In Wisconsin, one in 10 homes has elevated levels.

The morning is gray and drab and nothing outside my window seems inspiring at the moment. After too many minutes of doom scrolling on social media, I realize that is not the answer.