School board to meet with consultant firm

The Chippewa Falls Board of Education will meet with Fox River Consultants on Monday to discuss filling the superintendent position.

Fox River Consultants is the firm that will be helping the district search for a replacement for Superintendent Mike Schoch, who is retiring at the end of the school year. The firm was also used in the district’s last superintendent search.

The district plans to interview candidates in March and fill the position in April. The new superintendent will start July 1.

The open meeting will be held at 4 p.m. Monday at the district’s administration building at 1130 Miles St.

Two snowmobile trails in county are open

Two snowmobile trails in Chippewa County are open, the Chippewa County Forest and Parks Department said Friday.

Trail 31 from the Eau Claire County line to Rusk County is open, as is part of Trail 18 from the Rough Rider Trail to the Taylor County line.

Remaining closed are:

n All trails west of Trail 31 and north of Trail 18. Those are closed because of a lack of snow.

n Trail 33 from the Eau Claire County line to New Auburn.

n And the Rainbow Trail from Pike Lake to County O.

Powerball changes rules as of today

Winning the Powerball jackpot is about to get tougher beginning today.

The lottery plans to increase the number of the game’s white balls by four for a total of 59, while decreasing the number of red Powerball numbers by three, to 39.

While it will increase the number of prize winners by 3 million a year, it will also decrease the odds of winning the jackpot from 1 in 146.1 million to 1 in 195.2 million.

Also, starting today, the starting jackpot will increase from $15 to $20 million.

The Associated Press is reporting the Powerball drawing is heading south for the winter — and staying there.

The Multi-State Lottery Association announced Friday that televised drawings will move to Orlando, Fla., after 16 years of being broadcast from studios in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Beginning Jan. 7, drawings will be conducted and broadcast live from the Universal Orlando Resort. Lottery officials say the move will improve production quality and allow greater exposure by linking up with Universal.

DOT seeks comment on transportation plan

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation wants public comments on its draft long-range transportation plan, Connections 2030.

One of the 10 public meetings is set for 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12 at the Sacred Heart Hospital Conference Center in Eau Claire.

Comments and questions are also welcome over the phone at (608) 266-8108, or on the Connections 2030 Web site at: www.wiconnections2030.gov. Comments will be received until Feb. 27.

Connections 2030 is a statewide plan that provides a vision for highways, local roads, air, water, rail, bicycle, pedestrian, and transit through the year 2030. The plan will guide transportation decisions over the next 20 years.