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Wisconsin’s first public library continues its legacy

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Wisconsin’s first public library continues its legacy


BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. (WEAU) – Here’s something you may not know: Jackson County is home to Wisconsin’s first established public library. Now, more than 150 years later, the library continues its mission to serve its community.

The library was established in 1872 through Assembly Bill 87, which allowed cities and villages to create free libraries in their community. Black River Falls applied and was the first to be confirmed. Now, more than a century later, it’s still supporting its community.

Works from Stephen King, Agatha Christie and Nicholas Sparks fill the shelves of the Black River Falls Public Library.

“We have over 25,000 items including cake pans and senior connection kits,” Cara Hart, the Black River Falls Public Library Director, said.

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It’s a collection bound to grow, with such a long history. The library has been running for 152 years, providing a variety of books for enjoyment and information to learn from.

“We try very hard to meet our community needs, whatever they may be,” Hart said.

One way to do that is through a glimpse into the past.

“People still come and want to look at old newspapers,” Mary Woods, the Black River Falls Public Library Historian, said. “They want to look at those family histories that aren’t available anywhere else.”

Family history is what Jeffrey Jones came looking for.

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“I know that my family, my great grandparents moved here in 1868,” Jones said. “I’m here to try to find out more about what happened then where they lived, if their houses are still in existence.”

Jones lives in Sarasota, Florida, and came to Wisconsin to speak in Milwaukee. So, while he’s in the Badger state, he said he had to come to Black River Falls. The public library is no longer in the same building it started, but the impact of its presence and resources persist.

“This connection with my family roots, there’s an emotion involved that I don’t get anywhere else,” Jones said. “I just feel much more connected and that also gives me a greater sense of me.”

Hart said the library provides a variety of other resources to support the community from resume workshops to English language classes and information on the proper ways to clean gravestones. She said feel free to stop in, they’re never overbooked.

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Powerful storms move through SE Wisconsin

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Powerful storms move through SE Wisconsin


Severe storms move through southeast Wisconsin bringing damage and flooding.

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Powerful storms move through SE Wisconsin

Severe storms move through southeast Wisconsin bringing damage and flooding.

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>> FROM WEATHERWATCH 12. THIS IS A SEVERE WEATHER UPDATE. >> GOOD EVENING. AND WEATHERWATCH 12 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST MARK BADEN NEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING AND NEW FLASH FLOOD WARNING TO TALK ABOUT HERE ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN. SO WE STILL HAVE THIS LINE OF STORMS. THE NEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS PRETTY MUCH ALL OF WANT TO STOP THIS AND TALK ABOUT THE WARNINGS THAT WE DO HAVE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW. TALK ABOUT THE LATEST WARNING. THAT’S THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR WALWORTH COUNTY GOES ALL THE WAY UNTIL 9:00. THE STORMS ARE STILL OUT TO THE WEST. THAT’S GOING TO BRING WITH IT POSSIBLY SOME STRONGER WINDS AND SOME HAIL. THERE’S ALSO A NEW FLASH FLOOD WARNING THAT CONTINUES UNTIL 11:00. I’M GOING TO ZOOM IN ON THIS AREA BECAUSE IT LOOKS A LITTLE IT’S KIND OF HARD TO FIND WHERE THIS IS. LET’S TAKE YOU BACK INTO SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN AND WE’LL BRING YOU BACK IN TO THIS AREA THAT WE ARE SEEING HERE. IT’S SO WE’VE GOT THIS LITTLE AREA AND THAT’S ON TOP OF THIS OTHER FLASH FLOOD WARNING. BUT THIS IS THE NEWEST ONE. THIS INCLUDES DOWNTOWN MILWAUKEE. THIS INCLUDES WAUWATOSA AND WEST ALLIS, BROOKFIELD, ELM GROVE AND PEWAUKEE. WHY? BECAUSE WE KEEP GETTING THIS SAME RAIN OVER THE SAME PLACES, GETTING HIT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. ADD UP. WE’RE SEEING SOME FLOODING ISSUES. WE’VE HAD FLOODING ISSUES ALONG I-43 IN NORTHERN MILWAUKEE COUNTY. WE’VE HAD SOME FLOODING ISSUES IN MEQUON, AND I’M SURE WE’RE HAVING FLOODING ISSUES ALSO INTO PARTS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY EXTENDING BACK INTO DODGE COUNTY, WHERE WE CONTINUE TO SEE THIS SAME AREA. THEN THE NEXT PART OF THIS STORM, AGAIN, THIS AREA HASN’T HAD ANY RAIN AT ALL. SO YOU’RE STILL PRIMED FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF MORE SEVERE WEATHER. THAT’S WHAT THIS NEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS INTO PARTS OF WALWORTH COUNTY. AGAIN, THAT GOES UNTIL 9:00 TONIGHT. AND WE’LL CONTINUE TO SEE THIS HEAVY RAIN. WE NEED TO MAKE IT THROUGH ANOTHER HOUR OR TWO, AND THEN WE SHOULD START SEEING OURSELVES ON THE OTHER SIDE, AT LEAST OF THIS THREAT. BUT IT’S NOT DONE JUST YET. STAY WITH WEATHERWATCH 12. WE’LL CONTINUE TO HAVE UPDATES.

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Powerful storms move through SE Wisconsin

Severe storms move through southeast Wisconsin bringing damage and flooding.

Updated: 8:15 PM CDT Apr 14, 2026

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Severe storms move through southeast Wisconsin bringing damage and flooding.

Severe storms move through southeast Wisconsin bringing damage and flooding.

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`;
}

function refreshWeatherIframe(containerId) {
var iframeId = ‘weather-iframe-‘ + containerId;
var iframe = document.getElementById(iframeId);
if (iframe && iframe.src) {
var originalSrc = iframe.src;
iframe.src = originalSrc + (originalSrc.indexOf(‘?’) > -1 ? ‘&’ : ‘?’) + ‘t=” + Date.now();
}
}

function initializeWeatherBox(container) {
var containerId = container.getAttribute(“data-container-id’);
var isWeatherBoxV2 = containerId === ‘home-weather-v2’;

function switchWeatherTab(tabName, clickedElement) {
container.querySelectorAll(‘[data-tab-id]’).forEach(function(tab) {
tab.classList.remove(‘open’);
tab.setAttribute(‘aria-selected’, ‘false’);
});

clickedElement.classList.add(‘open’);
clickedElement.setAttribute(‘aria-selected’, ‘true’);

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container.querySelectorAll(‘[data-content-id]’).forEach(function(content) {
content.style.display = ‘none’;
content.setAttribute(‘hidden’, ‘true’);
});

var targetContent = container.querySelector(‘[data-content-id=”‘ + tabName + ‘”]’);
if (targetContent) {
targetContent.style.display = ‘block’;
targetContent.removeAttribute(‘hidden’);
}
}

function loadWeatherData() {
// If weather data is already being loaded, wait for it
if (window.weatherDataPromise) {
window.weatherDataPromise.then(function(data) {
if (data && data.data) {
var weatherContainer = container.closest(‘.weather-box-container’);
if (weatherContainer) {
weatherContainer.style.display = ‘flex’;
updateCurrentWeather(data.data);
updateForecastTabs(data.data);
updateWeatherAlertsBar(data.data);
}
}
});
return;
}

var location = { zip: window.DEFAULT_ZIPCODE };

try {
var storedLocations = localStorage.getItem(‘hrst.zip.history’);
if (storedLocations) {
var locations = JSON.parse(storedLocations);
if (locations && locations.length > 0) {
location = locations[0];
}
}
} catch (e) {}

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var apiUrl = (window.DEWY_HOSTNAME || ”) + ‘/api/v1/weather/full/’ + location.zip;

if (window.fetch) {
window.weatherDataPromise = fetch(apiUrl)
.then(function(response) { return response.json(); })
.then(function(data) {
if (data && data.data) {
var article = container.closest(‘.article–wrapper’);
var weatherContainer = container.closest(‘.weather-box-container’);
if (weatherContainer) {
weatherContainer.style.display = ‘flex’;
updateCurrentWeather(data.data);
updateForecastTabs(data.data);
updateWeatherAlertsBar(data.data);
}
return data;
}
})
.catch(function(error) {
console.error(‘Error loading weather:’, error);
// Reset to unknown background on error
updateWeatherBackground(‘unknown’);
});
}
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function updateWeatherAlertsBar(weatherData) {
var weatherWatchHeader = container.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-header’);
if (!weatherWatchHeader) return;

var weatherWatchText = weatherWatchHeader.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-text’);
var weatherWatchLink = weatherWatchHeader.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-link’);

if (weatherData.alerts_count > 0) {
weatherWatchHeader.className=”weather-watch-header has-alerts”;
if (weatherWatchText) {
weatherWatchText.textContent = `Weather Alerts (${weatherData.alerts_count})`;
}
if (weatherWatchLink) {
if (!weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-href’)) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘data-initial-href’, weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘href’));
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘data-initial-onclick’, weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘onclick’) || ”);
}
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘href’, “https://www.wisn.com/alerts”);
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘onclick’, “return handleWeatherLinkClick(event, ‘click_alerts’, ‘click’, ‘mobile-weather’, “https://www.wisn.com/alerts”);”);
}
} else {
weatherWatchHeader.className=”weather-watch-header”;
if (weatherWatchText) {
weatherWatchText.textContent = containerId === ‘home-weather-v2’ ? ‘Watch Latest Forecast’ : ‘Latest Forecast’;
}
if (weatherWatchLink) {
var initialHref = weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-href’);
var initialOnclick = weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-onclick’);
if (initialHref) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘href’, initialHref);
}
if (initialOnclick) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘onclick’, initialOnclick);
}
}
}
}

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function updateCurrentWeather(weatherData) {
if (weatherData.current) {
var tempValue = weatherData.current.temp_f || ”;
var skyValue = weatherData.current.sky || ”;
var feelsLikeValue = weatherData.current.feels_like_f || weatherData.current.temp_f || ”;

var tempEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–current-temp-value’);
if (tempEl) {
tempEl.textContent = tempValue;
tempEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, tempValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit’);
}

var iconEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–current-icon’);
if (iconEl && weatherData.current.icon_name) {
iconEl.className=”weather-grid–current-icon weather-current-icon icon icon-weather-” + weatherData.current.icon_name;
}

var skyEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–sky’);
if (skyEl) {
skyEl.textContent = skyValue;
skyEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, ‘Current condition: ‘ + skyValue);
}

var feelsEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–feels’);
if (feelsEl) {
feelsEl.textContent = feelsLikeValue + ‘°F’;
feelsEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, feelsLikeValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit’);
}

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var weatherContainer = container.querySelector(‘.weather-temp-container’);
if (weatherContainer) {
var summary = ‘Current temperature ‘ + tempValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit, ‘ +
skyValue + ‘, feels like ‘ + feelsLikeValue + ‘ degrees’;
weatherContainer.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, summary);
}

updateWeatherBackground(weatherData.current.icon_name);
}
}

function updateWeatherBackground(iconName) {
try {
var bgPath = weatherImages.backgrounds[iconName] || weatherImages.backgrounds.unknown;
container.style.backgroundImage=”url(” + bgPath + ‘)’;
} catch (e) {
console.log(‘Error updating weather background:’, e);
}
}

function updateForecastTabs(weatherData) {
var visibleItems = isWeatherBoxV2 ? 6 : 5;

if (weatherData.hourly) {
var hourlyContainer = container.querySelector(‘.weather-hourly-forecast’);
if (hourlyContainer) {
var html=””;
var maxHours = Math.min(visibleItems, weatherData.hourly.length);

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for (var i = 0; i 0 ? currentIndex – 1 : tabs.length – 1;
tabs[prevIndex].focus();
break;
case ‘ArrowRight’:
e.preventDefault();
var nextIndex = currentIndex

`;
}

function refreshWeatherIframe(containerId) {
var iframeId = ‘weather-iframe-‘ + containerId;
var iframe = document.getElementById(iframeId);
if (iframe && iframe.src) {
var originalSrc = iframe.src;
iframe.src = originalSrc + (originalSrc.indexOf(‘?’) > -1 ? ‘&’ : ‘?’) + ‘t=” + Date.now();
}
}

function initializeWeatherBox(container) {
var containerId = container.getAttribute(“data-container-id’);
var isWeatherBoxV2 = containerId === ‘home-weather-v2’;

function switchWeatherTab(tabName, clickedElement) {
container.querySelectorAll(‘[data-tab-id]’).forEach(function(tab) {
tab.classList.remove(‘open’);
tab.setAttribute(‘aria-selected’, ‘false’);
});

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clickedElement.classList.add(‘open’);
clickedElement.setAttribute(‘aria-selected’, ‘true’);

container.querySelectorAll(‘[data-content-id]’).forEach(function(content) {
content.style.display = ‘none’;
content.setAttribute(‘hidden’, ‘true’);
});

var targetContent = container.querySelector(‘[data-content-id=”‘ + tabName + ‘”]’);
if (targetContent) {
targetContent.style.display = ‘block’;
targetContent.removeAttribute(‘hidden’);
}
}

function loadWeatherData() {
// If weather data is already being loaded, wait for it
if (window.weatherDataPromise) {
window.weatherDataPromise.then(function(data) {
if (data && data.data) {
var weatherContainer = container.closest(‘.weather-box-container’);
if (weatherContainer) {
weatherContainer.style.display = ‘flex’;
updateCurrentWeather(data.data);
updateForecastTabs(data.data);
updateWeatherAlertsBar(data.data);
}
}
});
return;
}

var location = { zip: window.DEFAULT_ZIPCODE };

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try {
var storedLocations = localStorage.getItem(‘hrst.zip.history’);
if (storedLocations) {
var locations = JSON.parse(storedLocations);
if (locations && locations.length > 0) {
location = locations[0];
}
}
} catch (e) {}

var apiUrl = (window.DEWY_HOSTNAME || ”) + ‘/api/v1/weather/full/’ + location.zip;

if (window.fetch) {
window.weatherDataPromise = fetch(apiUrl)
.then(function(response) { return response.json(); })
.then(function(data) {
if (data && data.data) {
var article = container.closest(‘.article–wrapper’);
var weatherContainer = container.closest(‘.weather-box-container’);
if (weatherContainer) {
weatherContainer.style.display = ‘flex’;
updateCurrentWeather(data.data);
updateForecastTabs(data.data);
updateWeatherAlertsBar(data.data);
}
return data;
}
})
.catch(function(error) {
console.error(‘Error loading weather:’, error);
// Reset to unknown background on error
updateWeatherBackground(‘unknown’);
});
}
}

function updateWeatherAlertsBar(weatherData) {
var weatherWatchHeader = container.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-header’);
if (!weatherWatchHeader) return;

var weatherWatchText = weatherWatchHeader.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-text’);
var weatherWatchLink = weatherWatchHeader.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-link’);

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if (weatherData.alerts_count > 0) {
weatherWatchHeader.className=”weather-watch-header has-alerts”;
if (weatherWatchText) {
weatherWatchText.textContent = `Weather Alerts (${weatherData.alerts_count})`;
}
if (weatherWatchLink) {
if (!weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-href’)) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘data-initial-href’, weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘href’));
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘data-initial-onclick’, weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘onclick’) || ”);
}
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘href’, “https://www.wisn.com/alerts”);
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘onclick’, “return handleWeatherLinkClick(event, ‘click_alerts’, ‘click’, ‘sidelist-weather’, “https://www.wisn.com/alerts”);”);
}
} else {
weatherWatchHeader.className=”weather-watch-header”;
if (weatherWatchText) {
weatherWatchText.textContent = containerId === ‘home-weather-v2’ ? ‘Watch Latest Forecast’ : ‘Latest Forecast’;
}
if (weatherWatchLink) {
var initialHref = weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-href’);
var initialOnclick = weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-onclick’);
if (initialHref) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘href’, initialHref);
}
if (initialOnclick) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘onclick’, initialOnclick);
}
}
}
}

function updateCurrentWeather(weatherData) {
if (weatherData.current) {
var tempValue = weatherData.current.temp_f || ”;
var skyValue = weatherData.current.sky || ”;
var feelsLikeValue = weatherData.current.feels_like_f || weatherData.current.temp_f || ”;

var tempEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–current-temp-value’);
if (tempEl) {
tempEl.textContent = tempValue;
tempEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, tempValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit’);
}

var iconEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–current-icon’);
if (iconEl && weatherData.current.icon_name) {
iconEl.className=”weather-grid–current-icon weather-current-icon icon icon-weather-” + weatherData.current.icon_name;
}

var skyEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–sky’);
if (skyEl) {
skyEl.textContent = skyValue;
skyEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, ‘Current condition: ‘ + skyValue);
}

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var feelsEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–feels’);
if (feelsEl) {
feelsEl.textContent = feelsLikeValue + ‘°F’;
feelsEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, feelsLikeValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit’);
}

var weatherContainer = container.querySelector(‘.weather-temp-container’);
if (weatherContainer) {
var summary = ‘Current temperature ‘ + tempValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit, ‘ +
skyValue + ‘, feels like ‘ + feelsLikeValue + ‘ degrees’;
weatherContainer.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, summary);
}

updateWeatherBackground(weatherData.current.icon_name);
}
}

function updateWeatherBackground(iconName) {
try {
var bgPath = weatherImages.backgrounds[iconName] || weatherImages.backgrounds.unknown;
container.style.backgroundImage=”url(” + bgPath + ‘)’;
} catch (e) {
console.log(‘Error updating weather background:’, e);
}
}

function updateForecastTabs(weatherData) {
var visibleItems = isWeatherBoxV2 ? 6 : 5;

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if (weatherData.hourly) {
var hourlyContainer = container.querySelector(‘.weather-hourly-forecast’);
if (hourlyContainer) {
var html=””;
var maxHours = Math.min(visibleItems, weatherData.hourly.length);

for (var i = 0; i 0 ? currentIndex – 1 : tabs.length – 1;
tabs[prevIndex].focus();
break;
case ‘ArrowRight’:
e.preventDefault();
var nextIndex = currentIndex

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Wisconsin

A tornado touched down in Taylor County on April 13, NWS confirms

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A tornado touched down in Taylor County on April 13, NWS confirms


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The National Weather Service station in La Crosse confirmed a tornado touched down in Gilman, a town in Taylor County, Monday evening, April 13.

La Crosse station meteorologist Alex Ferguson said they have not received any potential damage reports yet, but are working with local authorities in the Taylor County to confirm more details about the tornado.

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Speed and severity are usually calculated after the fact based on potential damages, Ferguson said.

There is an enhanced risk of further severe thunderstorms in southwest and east central Wisconsin Tuesday evening, April 14, according to the NWS.



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Texas man charged for producing child pornography using 3 juveniles from Wisconsin

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Texas man charged for producing child pornography using 3 juveniles from Wisconsin


(WLUK) — A Texas man is accused of sex crimes involving Wisconsin minors.

Last week, a federal grand jury indicted 21-year-old Axis Williams from Aransas Pass, Texas, on two counts of production of child pornography.

Court records indicate Williams connected online with three juveniles, all from the Eastern District of Wisconsin. He allegedly coerced the trio to engage in sexually explicit conduct, record it and send him the videos.

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If convicted of either charge, Williams faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and up to 30 years behind bars.



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