UW-Platteville is among the top 15 public universities in the Midwest, according to U.S. News and World Report rankings released Tuesday. The media company ranked nearly 1,500 colleges and universities using multiple metrics, including graduation rates, first-year retention rates, earnings by major, faculty salaries and student-to-faculty ratios. UW-Platteville and Minnesota State University-Mankato tied for the 12th-best public university in the Midwest. UW-Platteville tied Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, as the 55th-best public or private university in the Midwestern region. The university finished in a 16-way tie for the 55th best undergraduate engineering program in the country.  UW-Platteville also ranked 350th in computer science; 22nd among best colleges for veterans; and 137th in social mobility, calculated using graduation rates for Pell Grant recipients. 

The Dubuque City Council has enacted a six-month moratorium on hyperscale data centers during their regular council meeting last night. The moratorium was on a previous city council agenda, but there were concerns with the original wording. This updated moratorium, which passed unanimously will help protect the city from litigation. The council has also directed the City Attorney’s Office to develop a more long-term ordinance governing data center development, which will be presented at a future meeting. 

A 42-year-old Iowa man faces multiple charges after a freight train was forced to make an emergency stop when he was spotted on railroad tracks in Crawford County over the weekend. Ryan Troendle of Lansing, Iowa, was arrested Saturday after deputies responded to a report from BNSF Railway about a man on the tracks. Law enforcement found Troendle walking along Highway 35. During the encounter, deputies say he showed signs of drug impairment and refused to identify himself. Authorities said Troendle attempted to throw away drug paraphernalia that contained a crystal-like substance, which later tested positive for methamphetamine. Deputies discovered Troendle had multiple active warrants from Iowa related to assault and burglary. Troendle was taken to the Crawford County Jail on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine and obstructing an officer. He is also being held on the Iowa warrants. BNSF Railway issued him a citation for trespassing. 

A deadly shooting in Smelser that happened Saturday was a murder-suicide and the two who have died have been identified. Grant County Sheriff Cragi Reukauf identified the woman as 35-year-old Katie Kieffer of Darlington and the man as 40-year-old Ben Randecker. The two had a child together but their relationship had recently ended. The shooting was first reported at around 1:30 p.m. Saturday. A 911 caller found two people with gunshot wounds outside of a home in the town of Smelser. Law enforcement arrived to find Kieffer and Randecker on the ground near a vehicle. Kieffer was dead. Randecker was taken to Southwest Health Center in Platteville, then to another hospital in Madison where he later died. Last month, Randecker was arrested and charged with domestic battery, domestic disorderly conduct, criminal damage to property and stalking stemming from an incident in Darlington. Kieffer went to Randecker’s home on Saturday to drop off their child. When she got there and got out of her car, Randecker shot her then shot himself. An investigation into the shooting is ongoing. 

Dubuque County Conservation is asking anyone who goes hiking to use extra caution. In a social media post, the Dubuque County Conservation says many of their creeks have been swollen from the recent rain, causing some trail bridges to have moved and significant erosion on some of the trails. They are working to assess the damage and what needs to be repaired, but request hikers to use extra caution because many trails that are normally easy to navigate may not be easy right now. They also asked that hikers give the area some extra time to dry out before going hiking to help prevent additional damage. 

Pickle Barrell on Asbury Road is closed until further notice following an SUV crashing into the front of the building. According to a social media post by the sub shop, everyone involved is okay. KCRG reports one person who was ordering food was hurt and treated at the scene. The SUV crashed through the front of the building after they accidentally hit the gas while trying to park. The other two businesses in the building also had to close for the day while officials inspected the building. Pickle Barrell says they appreciate all the community support and would like to remind customers their Main Street location remains open. 

Silent Night Evergreens in Marquette County earned the opportunity to provide the 2026 Official White House Christmas Tree after being named the National Christmas Tree Association’s 2026 Grand Champion Grower. David and Leah Chapman are the 2026 Grand Champions of the National Tree Contest. Silent Night Evergreens is a family-owned Christmas tree farm in Endeavor. A member of the White House staff selected the tree on Monday. Each year, a champion tree is crowned and sent to the White House, where it is received by the first lady to be decorated and staged in the Blue Room. Silent Night Evergreens has previously won the competition in 1998, 2003 and 2017. This will be the fourth time they provide the tree. 

A tour bus focused on the impacts of data centers will be making a stop in Dubuque this week. The AI Data Center Bus Tour will stop in the Port of Dubuque on Thursday from 5-6 PM. The bus is from the Humans First organization which represents residents concerned about the rapid pace of AI infrastructure development. The organization is advocating for local voices on the topic of data centers to be heard. The bus is looking for community members who are willing to share their stories and speak out about data center development. More information about the organization and the bus’s tour schedule can be found at humansfirst.com/revolt 

A Wisconsin company makes a multibillion-dollar deal with Amazon. Shares of Generac surged last week after news the generator maker entered into a lucrative partnership with Amazon. The Waukesha-based power company made a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on September 16, reporting a deal worth up to $8 billion to provide backup power generators for Amazon data centers. Generac reported initial deliveries of backup power to Amazon in 2027 and 2028 are expected to be worth $2.4 billion. Generac CEO Aaron Jagdfeld said the agreement establishes Generac as a “long-term partner for the supply of industrial backup generators to Amazon” and demonstrates the industry’s growth. 

All Hy-Vee Pharmacy locations will host drive-thru flu vaccine clinics this month, with no appointment or prescription necessary. The drive-thru clinics will be held from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 22, and Tuesday, Sept. 29, outside every Hy-Vee Pharmacy location. Hy-Vee Pharmacy offers both regular- and high-dose flu shots, which are free with Medicare and most insurance plans. Those who receive a flu shot at Hy-Vee can also earn a 20-cent Fuel Saver reward. Appointments are not necessary, but can be scheduled in advance online. Individuals who cannot attend a drive-thru vaccine clinic can receive their flu shot at any other time this flu season.