Top Stories November 30th

6-10 Inches of Snow Expected by Monday Morning

11/30/08 - Get ready to break out your snow shovel again. The national weather service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for our entire listening area beginning at Noon today to 6 am tomorrow. They expect snow to begin later this morning and get heavier as the day progresses. Snow totals are expected to range from 6 to 10 inches and that will be only one of the problems for residents. Winds are expected to top 25-miles per hour which will obviously lead to blowing and drifting snow.

Hunter Shot in Washington County

11/30/08 - The Washington County Sheriff's Department reports the slug that hit a deer hunter apparently bounced off the ground before hitting him in the leg. Twenty-six-year-old Andrew King's injuries are not thought to be life-threatening. Investigators are calling the shoot of the Adell man an accident. King was shot just before noon Saturday in the Town of Farmington.

Brothers Die after Falling Through Ice

11/30/08 - Two brothers who fell through the ice covering the East Twin River Friday have died. The Manitowoc County coroner says 13-year-old Jimmy Yang and his 12-year-old brother Larry were in the river for more than 45 minutes. A third boy is reported in stable condition in a Milwaukee hospital. The brothers were pronounced dead late Friday after doctors couldn't revive them. The victims had been in Two Rivers for a family reunion. Investigators say the ice was less than a half-inch thick where the boys fell through.

Wisconsin Dells Officers Give Their Side

11/30/08 - Two Wisconsin Dells police officers say they didn't force Iraq war veterans Anthony Anderson and Robert Schiman to lick the ground and some leaves. The officers are being sued. At the time, they thought the moisture in question was urine. They had accused Sergeant Anderson and Specialist Schiman of urinating in public. Officers Wayne Thomas and Collin Jackson say they were arguing with the veterans when Schiman tore a leaf off a weed in the puddle -- to prove it wasn't his urine. Thomas and Jacobson say they did not force the soldiers to lick the items.

Governor’s to meet about Economy

11/30/08 - Governors will discuss the economy tomorrow and Tuesday with President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden. Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle will be a part of the meeting in Philadelphia. Doyle has already scheduled a conference call for Tuesday afternoon to tell reporters are the discussion of economic challenges facing the states. The Wisconsin governor was one of Obama's first supporters as he ran for the White House. In response to speculation, he has said he isn't interested in a position in the Obama administration.

Robson Pushes for Smoking Ban as a part of the Budget

11/30/08 - State Senator Judy Robson says including a smoking ban in the state budget is a good idea. The Democrat from Beloit says there is an urgent need to protect Wisconsin residents from second-hand smoke. Accomplishing that would help reduce costs from diseases which are associated with smoking. There is resistance by some lawmakers to including policy items in the budget planning. Robson says this is no different than including initiatives like SeniorCare in past budgets for Wisconsin.

Operation Homefront in Wisconsin

11/30/08 - Operation Homefront opens its Wisconsin state headquarters in Tomah. The national nonprofit organization helps the families of deployed and injured service members nationwide. The location was chosen for its strong base of volunteers and the proximity to Camp Douglas, Fort McCoy and Volk Field.

Theresa Boy Wins Award

11/30/08 - Three Wisconsin high school students, including one from Theresa, have been awarded for their entries in the iQ Academy’s “30 seconds of fame” national online talent contest. Theresa 10th-grader Phillip Alvarado earned a third place tie with his entry. The national contest sponsored by iQ Academy, a tuition-free online high school with programs in Wisconsin, Arizona, Kansas, Minnesota and Washington, was intended to highlight how the online learning environment provides an ideal setting for students to pursue their passions and hobbies while receiving a high quality education. Alvarado’s award is a $100 U.S. Savings Bond.

Top Stories November 29th

One Person Injured in Two Car Accident

11/29/08 - One injury was reported after a two-vehicle accident on North Spring Street in Beaver Dam. The call came in just before 12:30pm this afternoon to 1815 North Spring Street its the intersection with the main entrance to Fleet Farm. An 18-year-old female from Beaver Dam was transported to the Beaver Dam Community Hospital where she was treated for minor injuries. Both cars suffered front end damage. Traffic was initially detoured through the nearby parking lot but the scene was cleared in less than one hour.

No Injuries in Car vs. Pole

11/29/08 - No injuries were reported after the young driver of a car lost control and struck utility pole yesterday morning. According to the Dodge County Sheriffs Department, the accident occurred around 11:15am on County Road D and Owl Road, just outside Fall River. Adams Electric Coop was called to the scene to restore downed power lines. The car was totaled.

Fire In Fox Lake

11/29/08 - Fire destroyed a garage and part of a home in the Town of Westford yesterday. Authorities say the call came in to the Fox Lake Fire Department at 3:20pm after the family heard a popping noise in the garage only to find the garage engulfed in flames. Two cars were damaged; one inside the garage and one nearby. One firefighter was treated for exhaustion. The cause of the blaze is unknown at this time. Fire officials were on the scene for around 3 hours.

Lodi Students Stuck in Thailand

11/29/08 - A dozen students and staff members from Lodi High School are stuck in Thailand. Thousands of visitors were stranded this week, since anti-government protestors occupied the main airport on Tuesday and a smaller airport on Wednesday. Both were still shut down at last word. Lodi’s group included nine students and three staffers in an exchange program which started a year ago. They were supposed to leave yesterday, after spending three weeks studying in a town called Suphan Buri, about an hour-and-a-half from Bangkok. On a school blog, Max Love said the group hopes the airports will re-open soon – so they can fly back on Monday. Otherwise, they might try to make their way to another country, and fly home from there.

Illinois Wants Wisconsin Salt

11/29/08 - Illinois is among several states that are short on road salt for the winter – and some officials there are looking to Wisconsin, where most counties are sittin’ pretty. They have contracts under the state’s bidding system that were set a long time ago in the neighborhood of 50-dollars a ton. But Michael Sproul of the state D-O-T says some places are being quoted 250-dollars-a-ton – and they don’t want it at that price. Chris Kelley of Madison’s street department said he got a call from a Chicago area official who said he couldn’t afford the price quoted by Illinois’s bidding system. He wanted to buy a couple loads from Madison for cheap, but Kelley said no. However, not all Wisconsin counties bought into the state’s new contract. Dodge County paid 150-dollars-a-ton this – three times what some neighboring counties paid. And Highway Commissioner Brian Field says he’s only got enough salt to make it halfway through a typical winter. Dodge County used to profit from operating outside the state system, but not any more.

Two Injured in Two Rivers Fall Through Ice

11/29/08 - Two of three who broke through the ice in Two Rivers are reported to be in critical condition. The accident happened Friday afternoon in the East Twin River. One of the boys managed to hold on to the edge of the ice and was in the water for only about 10 minutes. The other two boys were in the cold water for an hour or more. The boys had been attending a family reunion. A witness told authorities he saw the boys crossing the river when one of them broke through the ice. When the other two boys tried to help him, they also broke through into the freezing river water below.


Weary Buyers Balk on Black Friday

11/29/08 - The crowds were there, but many kept their plastic in their pockets. Lines started forming for Friday's "door buster" sales by late Thursday. Many people reportedly walked into stores, looked around -- but walked away if the item or price they were looking for wasn't available. More shoppers admitted following a budget at the start of this Christmas shopping season. This weekend last year accounted for about 10-percent of the holiday sales. Even though shoppers were apparently more deliberate than they had been in the past, Friday's sales figures are still expected to be some of the year's biggest for Wisconsin retailers.

Unemployment Up

11/29/08 - The unemployment rate rose throughout the region from September to October. Dodge County went up a half-percent (.5%) over the two-month period to 4.9%, which is four-tenths (.4%) of a percent higher than last year. Jefferson County was a tenth of a percent (.1%) higher than the previous month at 4.2%, and two-tenths of a percent (.2%) higher than last year. Columbia County was at 4.6%, an increase of four-tenths (.4%) from the previous month and a half-percent (.5%) higher than the same time last year. Fond du Lac County is up two-tenths of a percent (.2%) to 4.3% while Washington County remained the same at 4%. The highest unemployment rate in the state remains in Menominee County at 8.7%, while Buffalo and Lafayette Counties share the lowest rate at 3.1%. Overall, unemployment decreased in nine of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, and remained unchanged in 18. Statewide, the jobless rate remained the same at 4.4%, which is up two-tenths of a percent (.2%) from last year. The national rate from September to October was 6.1%.

‘Do Not Call’ Sign-Ups End Sunday

11/29/08 - Wisconsin residents have until Sunday to get on the state’s do-not-call list for telemarketers, or to stay on it. The consumer protection agency requires folks to re-register every two years, so the list is as up-to-date as possible. About one-point-four million phone numbers are on the no-call list. That includes 92-thousand cell numbers which were added for the first time this year. Being on the list will stop most sellers from calling, but not everybody. Quite a few companies are caught violating the no-call order, despite the penalties. Also, the places where you’ve done business can call you. Non-profit groups are exempt. And as regular voters can tell you, candidates don’t have to follow the no-call list, either. To get on it, just go to NoCall-Dot-Wisconsin-Dot-Gov – and leave out the W-W-W. Or call toll-free 1-866-966-2255.

Wild Horses

11/29/08 - The Rhinelander tree-lighting ceremony was too much excitement for a horse hitched to a wagon. Authorities report the horses broke away, injuring the man and knocking a utility pole down. They took off when organizers of the community event lit the lights. The victim was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Top Stories November 28th

Initial BD TIF Meeting Held

11/28/08 - The city of Beaver Dam held their first meeting Wednesday with the various entities affected by the creation of a new TIF District. TIF #6 is proposed in the downtown area. Chuck Sulik with MSA Professional Services, says if approved, $16.5 million in TIF funds would be allocated to implement the proposed projects outlined in the plan, including acquisition, demolition and developer incentives. Of the $16.5 million, $2.9 million will be needed for upfront costs. Initial borrowing of $1.5 million would be used to acquire eleven downtown floodway properties at 100% of their assessed value, and their subsequent demolition. As proposed, the new TIF #6 would be “blended” with the current TIF #3. The TIF District is expected to generate $30 million is assessed value. The TIF would continue through 2036 with the payout coming in its final three years. The creation of the new TIF District is vital in making the proposed senior living and Weyco factory apartments a reality.

Lanting Gets Six Months

11/28/08 - An Oconomowoc man will spend six months in jail for striking a Dodge County Sheriffs Deputy and a variety of other charges. In September, Adam Lanting was pulled over just after 2am for driving too slow. Two passengers fled, but Lanting was tazed by deputies. Authorities say that was unsuccessful and an altercation ensued during which the 26-year-old struck the deputy at least once before he was taken into custody. The deputy and Lanting suffered minor injuries. Lanting had his license revoked but authorities arrested him again last month after he attempted to drive home from the courthouse. That charge was eventually dismissed on a prosecutor’s motion, along with misdemeanor charges of Obstruction and Bail Jumping and various traffic violations. Lanting entered a “not guilty” plea to a felony charge of Battery to Law Enforcement and misdemeanor OWI. In addition to six months in jail with Huber privileges, Lanting had his license revoked for 33 months.

Eauslin Back in Court on Newest Child Assault Charges

11/28/08 - A Lowell man entered a “not guilty” plea Wednesday to child molestation charges. Wayne Eauslin is accused of the repeated sexual assault of a girl in 2001. The victim is now a teenager. The 36-year-old Eauslin is currently facing a total of five felonies in three separate cases for allegedly molesting four different girls. In one of the other cases, he is accused of assaulting a preteen girl while she slept this past summer. In the third case, Eauslin allegedly assaulted an 8 and 10-year-old girl in a bathroom in the summer of 2007. In both of those cases he recently entered “not guilty” pleas. If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 150-years in prison. Eauslin will be back in court in January.

Black Friday

11/28/08 - It’s Black Friday – and some Wisconsin stores opened at four this morning, as bargain-hunters grabbed the first door-buster specials. There were lines outside every big business in Beaver Dam by 5 o’clock this morning as shoppers waited for doors to open at 6. Big screen T-V’s and other electronics are expected to be hot sellers, many with deep discounts. But for the first time, gift card sales are projected to drop from the previous year. Experts say consumers are worried that some stores will go bankrupt before the cards expire. But Milwaukee bankruptcy attorney Tim Nixon says there’s a risk but it’s not all that big. Bankruptcy judges often tell stores to honor gift cards – and Nixon says they’ve all been honored in the 20 years he’s been working with bankruptcies. Still, a poll by America’s Research Group shows that two-thirds of people who normally give cards will give cash instead.

B&E in Lowell

11/28/08 - For the first time in a number of weeks there was a breaking and entering in Dodge County, though it is not believed to be related to previous crimes. The Sheriff’s Department says a 33-year-old man reported some prescription medications had been taken from his residence in the Town of Lowell. Authorities say they do have a suspect and will continue to investigate the incident. Earlier this fall there were multiple break-in’s to businesses, churches, and homes around Dodge County. Authorities believe they have apprehended a large majority of the people believed to have been responsible.

Evictions Up Throughout Wisconsin

11/28/08 - It’s another sign of a faltering economy. More Wisconsinites are being evicted from their apartments. Almost 25-thousand-650 eviction cases have been filed this year in small-claims courts around the state. It’s approaching last year’s total of 27-thousand-600. Groups that help evicted residents say the case numbers have always been high, but the economy has made them even worse. Debbie Rongstad of Legal Action of Wisconsin says most people evicted are the working poor – holding multiple jobs as they juggle their rent, food, and utility bills. And for some, Rongstad says losing a job means deciding between paying the rent and putting food on the table.

Nomination Papers Available on Monday for Mayville City Council

11/28/08 - If you’d like to run for the city council in Mayville, Monday will be the first day to pick up nomination papers. There are three spots up for grabs in next April’s election. Those are in the first, third, and fifth wards. Alderperson are elected for a two-year term that will begin on Tuesday April 21st. The final day for filing nomination papers is 5pm on January 6th. For more information you can contact City Clerk Kathie Wild at City Hall.

Top Stories November 27th

BD Chamber Holds Annual Economic Development Luncheon

11/27/08 - The Beaver Dam Area Chamber of Commerce held this 5th Annual Economic Development Luncheon yesterday. Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy (left) offered his first state of the city address and said the city was fortunate this time around that it didn’t face the budgetary woe’s of some communities. While many municipalities are looking at lay-offs, Kennedy said the city will hire where needed in certain departments. Board of Supervisors Chairman Russ Kottke (right) said the county was able to weather the storm this year by taking $1.2 million from the general fund. Kottke also said the sales tax was a vital part of the budget. He said without it the county would have had to bond for road construction which does not fall under the revenue cap and would have increased property taxes.

Body IDed as Daniel Koch

11/27/08 - A decomposed body found by deer hunters in Dodge County has been identified as 56-year-old Daniel Koch . The former Brookfield man was living with his son in Iron Ridge. He was reported missing in September. The Dodge County Medical Examiner says Koch committed suicide. Iron Ridge Police Chief Charlie Young said Koch was apparently trying to run away from a host of financial-and-legal problems. His remains were discovered Sunday along a fence-line between two farm fields in the town of Hubbard, near the Iron Ridge village limits.

Hopper Getting Started

11/27/08 - The Senator elect from the 18th State Senate District began preparing for his role in state government even while a recount effort raged on. Fond du Lac businessman Randy Hopper says he had to begin preparing so if his victory over Oshkosh attorney Jessica King stood up he’d be ready for the seat in January. He says he has lined up most of his office staff. Hopper succeeds State Senator Carol Roessler who was appointed to another state office by the Governor.


Underwear Bandit Convicted

11/27/08 - The 28-year-old Hartford man known as the “Underwear Bandit” has been sentenced to seven years in prison and five years of extended supervision on a charge of robbery with the threat of force. Patrick J. Bishop entered the store in July with a toy gun, which he pulled out his coveralls when he demanded cash. After robbing the convenience store, Bishop shed most of his clothes and rode away on a bicycle with hundreds of dollars stuffed in his briefs. Bishop said he committed the crime to get cash to buy cocaine. During his hearing yesterday he told the judge he was sorry for the act.

Soldiers File Lawsuit Against Dells

11/27/08 - Two National Guard soldiers have filed a civil rights lawsuit against Wisconsin Dells. Sergeant Anthony Anderson of West Bend and Specialist Robert Schiman of Kaukauna accuse Dells police of making them lick the ground to prove they were not urinating in public. According to the lawsuit, officers Wayne Thomas and Collin Jacobson stopped the soldiers June first – pointed to a wet spot in an alley which they thought was urine – and told the two to lick the ground and the nearby mud if they wanted to get out a ticket. Schiman also said he was forced to eat a plant that was drenched. The soldiers – both of whom served in Iraq – said officer Scott Albrecht came by. And while they told him what happened, the men said they were threatened with burglary charges if they reported the incident to police higher-ups. They were apparently told nobody would believe them, but Schiman and Anderson complained anyway. Their lawsuit names all three officers as defendants, as well as the police chief and the city. Nobody on the city’s side would comment. The suit said officers Jacobson and Thomas were both suspended for two weeks, and Albrecht had a citation put in his record for not following police protocol.

Watch the Deep Fryer This Thanksgiving

11/27/08 - If you’re thinking about deep frying a turkey for your Thanksgiving Dinner make sure it’s thawed and isn’t wet. Fond du Lac Fire Lieutenant Todd Shippee says you should also do it outdoors and away from buildings. Shippee says you can see tragic examples of what can go wrong on the YouTube website. He says unfortunately people don’t always use common sense when they are preparing the holiday bird. Make sure you are also careful when preparing your turkey in the traditional way. According to the National Fire Protection Association Thanksgiving Day 2006 topped the charts as the peak day for home cooking fires.

Cost of Thanksgiving Dinner Goes Up

11/27/08 - The American Farm Bureau Federation estimates that this year’s Thanksgiving Dinner will cost $44.61 to prepare, but that doesn’t take into account how much it cost for energy to cook the dinner. Suffice it to say that Alliant Energy has figured out how much that would be for a 16-pound stuffed turkey and the trimmings to feed ten people. The electricity cost would be $1.48 versus 47 cents for natural gas.

Airport Gets Weather System Grant

11/27/08 - The Dodge County Airport will be getting an upgrade to their automated weather system. That’s after Governor Doyle approved the $90,000 price tag recently. The governor’s action released $2,250 in state funds for the project and Dodge County is contributing another $2,250. The Federal Aviation Administration is providing the rest. The project will upgrade the outdated automated weather observation system, which provides live conditions to pilots attempting to land at the airport.

BD Food Drive a Success

11/27/08 - The annual Beaver Dam High School food drive was able to feed more families this year than ever before. Organizer Bob Schwoch says B-D-H-S students and other volunteers delivered food baskets to 283 families on Tuesday, up from 125 a year ago. The increase was expected as the number of families eligible to receive the baskets more than doubled from last year. In total, the drive fed 1,330 people and raised around $4200, half of that coming in from students and teachers at the high school.

Top Stories November 26th

Body Found Near Iron Ridge Identified

11/26/08 - A decomposed body found by deer hunters in Dodge County has been identified as a former Brookfield man who killed himself. The 56-year-old man was living with his son in Iron Ridge at the time. He was reported missing in September. Police did not release the man’s name because family members had not been told about the identification yet. Police Chief Charlie Young said the man was apparently trying to run away from a host of financial-and-legal problems. His remains were discovered Sunday along a fence-line between two farm fields in the town of Hubbard, near the Iron Ridge village limits.

18th State Senate Recount Complete

11/26/08 - For all intents and purposes the recount in the 18th State Senate race is complete. The Fond du Lac County and Winnebago County Clerks’ offices finished their efforts yesterday, while Dodge County completed their recount last week. Fond du Lac businessman Randy Hopper maintained his victory over Oshkosh attorney Jessica King. King gained 18 votes during the recount, which reduced Hopper’s margin of victory to 164 votes. More than 83,600 votes were cast in the race. The state’s Government Accountability Board has to certify the results and King could still contest them in court. (KFIZ)

Columbus Approves Budget

11/26/08 - Many line items in the Columbus 2009 Budget were shifted into the Contingency Fund before final approval at last night’s Council meeting. The Council cut back proposed expenditures in almost every City Department. The Council called for the line item shifts saying Administration had not allowed them an opportunity to discuss and approve the expenditures during previous Budget talks. The proposed $4.8 million dollar Columbus Budget will have a “mil rate” decrease from $9.35 to approximately $8.00 per $1,000 dollars in 2009. The final adopted tax levy figure was $2,945,239.

Family Back in Town After Disastrous Vacation

11/26/08 - The Moyers have returned safe and sound from their disastrous trip to Florida. And, yes, Jack the kangaroo, Ed the goat and Terry “Spiderman” Crandall the co-worker are also back at their homes in Beaver Dam today. Larry and Diana Moyer left two weeks ago for a 2-month vacation but, on the way, their motor-home broke down three times and then fire completely destroyed the RV and all of their worldly possessions. Diana Moyer says there were able to scrape-up enough money to buy a small, used Volvo. She says the three of them, the goat and the kangaroo were all pretty squished on the way up but the important thing is that they made it home. The Moyers are asking for donations of blankets, jackets and sweaters. They can be dropped off at their Beaver Dam residence at 132 Vermont Street. If you wish to contact the Moyers you can do so at 920-218-6546.

Less People Traveling this Thanksgiving

11/26/08 - Gas prices may be down, but it’s not convincing more Wisconsinites to drive to their family’s pumpkin pie. The Triple-“A” says there will be one-percent less traffic in the Great Lakes Region this Thanksgiving compared to last year. The group says about six-point-two million people will drive at least 50 miles one way during the holiday. It’s the first projected drop in Thanksgiving traffic since 2002. Triple-“A” Wisconsin Regional president Tom Frymark says lots of people are feeling economic hardships, and it means they’re cutting back on travel, even though it has nothing to do with the price of gas, which remains at its lowest price in years. Wisconsingasprices.com says the statewide average today is $1.82 (as of 5pm Tue), four cents below the national average and $1.16 cheaper than one year ago. Beaver Dam - at $1.72 – has dropped 27 cents since breaking the $2 mark nine days ago.


Banks Still Eager to Lend

11/26/08 - The head of the Wisconsin Bankers Association says most banks have lots of capital and are still eager to lend – even though one-of-every-six lost money in the last quarter. The F-D-I-C said yesterday that 49 commercial and savings banks in Wisconsin did not turn a profit from June-through-September, compared to the same period a year ago. That’s up from 20 banks losing money in the third quarter of 2007. Kurt Bauer of the Bankers’ Association says it’s the biggest downturn of his banking career – but it’s not like everything has ground to a halt. Frederick Bertoldo, the Wisconsin head of Wells Fargo Bank, says many businesses are still doing well – and the bank has not changed its lending philosophy for what he calls “credible customers.” Wisconsin banks are better off than the rest of the country. Almost one-of-every-four U-S banks failed to turn a profit in the last quarter.

Deer Killed in Game Preserve after One Tests Positive for CWD

11/26/08 - Sixty-four deer have been killed at a central Wisconsin hunting preserve, after one of them tested positive for chronic wasting disease. It was a seven-year-old doe, shot in September at the Alligator Creek Whitetails game farm near Junction City in Portage County. State agriculture officials negotiated with the herd’s owner, who will get payments to cover part of the deer’s appraised value. The animals were shot November 12th-through-18th, as required by law. Their tissue samples were sent to a lab for testing. Agriculture officials announced the actions yesterday. The land is being monitored to make sure all the deer are gone. It must be fenced for at least five years, to keep wild deer away. The infected herd was the first of its kind to be found in Wisconsin in almost four years. Ninety-seven farm-raised deer have tested positive for C-W-D. All but 15 of those were from a farm in a different part of Portage County.

Top Stories November 25th

Watertown Man Dies in Crash

11/25/08 - A 21-year-old Watertown man was killed yesterday morning after running into the back of a snowplow on Highway 26. The State Patrol says 53-year-old snowplow driver Richard Dehnert was stopped at the intersection of 26 and River Road yesterday morning. Ryan J Kraus was southbound and was unable to stop crashing into the back of Dehnert’s snowplow. Krause was not wearing his seatbelt. The State Patrol is still investigating the crash.

Slippery Roads Again This Morning

11/25/08 - Yesterday’s moisture turned to ice overnight and is making roads extremely slippery this morning. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department reports there were numerous runoffs last night and through the early morning hours. City officials throughout the area are urging motorists to slow down, not only this morning but every time there is a snow event. Due to salt prices hitting record highs, supplies are being stretched to meet budget constraints. In Beaver Dam, the streets department will be stretching their supply by mixing the salt with sand. Officials say some “straight” salt will be on0hand for extreme hazard conditions, though salt becomes ineffective at temps below 15-degrees. Director of Facilities David Stoiser says main streets, curves, and hill will be targeted areas which will receive salting, whereas other areas will be treated with the blend.

New Redevelopment Plan for Beaver Dam

11/25/08 - Downtown Beaver Dam could become an area of deterioration and embarrassment if proper actions are not taken to address its many issues. That’s according to a new, large-scale redevelopment plan released to city aldermen and the media yesterday. The 3-page plan was written by Director of Administration John Somers and Area Development Corporation Executive Vice President Trent Campbell, and has already received unanimous support for the Development Corp board.

It states that the downtown will “change dramatically” in the near future and “significant levels of creativity and economic investment will be required to overcome the mounting challenges.” It recommends the city borrow $1.5 million in 2009 to fund a portion of the proposed redevelopment actions, delaying all future Capital Improvement Projects by one year. The plan itself calls for the removal of the Tower Parking Lot culvert system and construction of a clear channel river bed at a cost of $200,000.

The plan does not specifically detail the demolition of any downtown buildings, like its predecessor which offered to pay business owners in the floodway 65 cents on the dollar for their property. The new plan does identify that there are eleven buildings in the floodway but it notes the Wisconsin DNR has not offered a definitive timeline for their removal. It says that puts the city in a difficult situation because the properties targeted for demolition by the state are unlikely to be maintained. The plan says that if the city decides to wait out the clock until the DNR acts, it will result in “continued deterioration of an already blighted center of the downtown district.” The mayor has placed the plan on the December 1 council agenda for committee of the whole consideration.

Body Found in FDL Being Treated as a Homicide

11/25/08 - A woman’s body found partially-submerged in a frozen creek in Fond du Lac County is being treated as a homicide – but nobody knows for sure yet. Three deer hunters found the badly-decomposed body on Sunday in a wooded area near Campbellsport. The land recently changed hands, but the new owner told sheriff’s deputies he couldn’t see the partially-clothed body through a trail where he just put up a pole-building. The woman’s identity is a mystery. She’s called “Jane Doe” for now. Sheriff Mick Fink says no one has been reported missing in Fond du Lac or surrounding counties. And he doubts the body is that of Laurie Depies, a Menasha woman who vanished in 1992 and was never seen since. Fink said the medical examiner is looking at the remains – and hopes the findings will confirm something in the national crime investigative records. A detective was assigned yesterday to handle inquiries from other agencies looking to solve missing persons’ cases. Several departments called yesterday, including one from Minneapolis.

Decomposed Body Possibly Homeless Brookfield Man

11/25/08 - Meanwhile in Dodge County, authorities believe a badly decomposed body found by a hunter Sunday was that of a homeless man. The body was found shortly before 4:30 pm. Off County Highway AY and Madison Road near Iron Ridge. Iron Ridge Police Chief Charles Young says the body may be that of a 56-year-old Brookfield man who was reported missing in September. He says the man’s son reported him missing saying his father was suicidal and was living out of his car. Police may get a positive identification today.

Number of Deer Killed Down from Last Year

11/25/08 - Dodge County deer hunters shot nearly 19-percent fewer animals than a year ago on the opening weekend of the nine-day gun season. The D-N-R’s preliminary numbers show a harvest of 1,634 – way down from last year’s total of 2,051 in the season’s first two days. The numbers were also down nearly 6-percent in Columbia County. However, in Jefferson, kills were up 7-percent over last year. Statewide the number of deer taken on opening weekend was down 22-percent from last year’s total of 172,000. The numbers of hunters are up slightly, at 631-thousand. But D-N-R biologist Keith Warnke said they’ve seen fewer deer and taken fewer shots. The gun season runs through next Sunday.

One Death During First Three Day’s of Deer Hunt

11/25/08 - So far, one Wisconsin hunter has been shot-to-death. He was identified yesterday as 48-year-old Ronald Verhagen of Appleton. He was hit during a deer drive Sunday. Authorities were still investigating, but they believe it was an accident. At least four other hunters have been wounded in shooting mishaps. A 45-year-old Minnesota man was the latest victim yesterday in Washburn County. And in Monroe County, authorities are trying to determine if a deer hunter shot an endangered female gray wolf found near Fort McCoy. The D-N-R was not sure if it happened in the opening deer weekend.

DOT Looking at Improvement for Highway 26

11/25/08 - The Wisconsin Department of Transportation will hold a Public Informational Meeting next month to discuss planned improvements to Highway 26 in Dodge County. The state plans to widen Highway 26 from County Q to Highway 60 East from 2-lane to 4-lane divided highway. In addition, the project includes reconstruction of the current Highway 16/60 interchange. Construction is planned for 2014 and is expected to take two years to complete. DOT officials say the open house will include a variety of exhibits and maps available for review and representatives will be on hand to answer questions from the public. The meeting will be held in the Watertown High School Commons Area on Tuesday, December 2 from 5pm to 8pm with a slideshow presentation at 6pm. Written comments can be mailed to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. (Southwest Region Madison Office, 2101 Wright Street, Madison WI 53704).

Columbus Group Commends Officers

11/25/08 - The Columbus Connects community action team and the Columbus School Board have been asked to join the Portage School Board in thanking the County Sheriff’s Department and local police officials. The officers will be commended for their continuing work on providing community “Compliance Checks” in an effort to reduce under age drinking in the area. Lodi and Pardeeville School Boards will be joining the Portage Board in saluting police efforts to reduce under age drinking in Columbia County.

Top Stories November 24th

Area Gets Hit with First Big Snow

11/24/08 - The Dodge and Columbia county area is receiving its first extensive snow of the fall which is causing slick roads throughout our listening area. Heavy flakes started after midnight throughout the region and snow totals are expected to range from 1 to 3 inches. Despite the small accumulations the Highway Department says roads are slippery and residents need to be careful on their commutes. Patrol Superintendent Ken Stock says his department is also understaffed due to deer hunting season which means it will take a little bit longer for them to clear the roads. He says no one area of the county is being hit harder than another.

Weather Causes Numerous Accidents

11/24/08 - The hazardous conditions caused a number of accidents late last night and early this morning, including two on Highway 151. The Sheriff’s Department reports a 17-year-old girl lost control of her vehicle and struck a guardrail on 151 near Iron Road in Beaver Dam. About 3-hours later a 53-year-old man lost control of the semi he was driving on 151 near the County A off-ramp and hit the guardrail as well. The man was cited for too fast for conditions. There was also a one-vehicle rollover in the Town of Fox Lake on Mill Street. The 19-year-old man was also cited for too fast for conditions.

Dead Body Found in Town of Hubbard

11/24/08 - A hunter in Dodge County found a dead body yesterday afternoon in the Town of Hubbard. The Sheriff’s Department says the hunter came across the male body near County Road AY and Madison Road. The Iron Ridge Police along with the Sheriff’s Department are still investigating but officials say the body is possibly that of a person who committed suicide last September.

Hunters Find Body in Fond du Lac County

11/24/08 - Police are looking into the possibility of foul play in the death of a woman found by hunters in Fond du Lac County. That’s according to Sheriff Mick Fink, who says his department is looking at quote “suspicious death, if not a homicide.” Two hunters found the body near a creek in the Town of Ashford yesterday morning. No cause of death was apparent. The land was recently purchased by a Milwaukee man and there are a number of vacant buildings. Fink says it could be a lengthy investigation.

1 Dead and at least 3 Others Injured during Opening Weekend

11/24/08 - One deer hunter was shot to death, and at least three others were injured in the opening weekend of Wisconsin’s nine-day gun season. A 48-year-old Appleton man was shot in the chest late yesterday in near Shiocton in Outagamie County. Authorities did not suspect foul play in his death, but they did not have other details. In Shawano County, 24-year-old Fred Grunewald of Caroline was shot in the shoulder, when a deer ran between him and a member of his hunting party. He’s expected to survive. Also in Shawano County, a 13-year-old boy accidentally shot himself in the foot. And in Washington County, a man in his 40’s was shot in the leg during a deer-drive. The D-N-R said the shooter might have been in the same hunting party.

Number of Deer Killed Expected to be Down from Last Year

11/24/08 - We could find out later today how well Wisconsin’s deer hunters did on the opening weekend of the nine-day gun season. But if the Fox Valley is any indication, the numbers won’t be good. Doug Korth of Embarrass said his station reported 200 fewer deer than in last year’s opening weekend – when warm temperatures made hunting conditions less than ideal. This year, the calendar had the season beginning right after the animals’ normal mating season. And the D-N-R said it would slow down their movement, and maybe create a smaller harvest. Aaron Larson of the Waupaca Truck Stop simply said, quote, “There’s no deer out there.” The D-N-R said there were about one-point-seven million deer statewide as of earlier this year. Just over 631-thousand hunters have licenses for the gun season that runs through Sunday. That’s up slightly from last year.

Time Running Out for Medicare Enrollment

11/24/08 - Seniors have until the end of the year to enroll in new Medicare prescription drug plans – or sign up again for what they’ve got. Experts say to choose carefully, since monthly premiums for the most popular plans have increased significantly. Wisconsin seniors will have 53 plans to choose from, with premiums ranging from 14-to-103-dollars a month. Juliette Cubanski of the Kaiser Family Foundation urges all seniors to shop around – and to also consider things like co-pays to make sure they’re getting the best deal. Many Wisconsinites still find the state’s Senior-Care program to be the best for them. And officials are already lobbying President-elect Barack Obama to renew the waiver that lets Senior-Care continue.

Top Stories November 23rd

Local Meteorologist Charged With Incest

11/23/08 - The news director at Madison's WISC-TV says meteorologist Jeff Smith has been suspended while his case is being investigated. Smith faces charges of incest from an alleged case of sexual abuse involving his seven-year-old daughter. Smith and his wife were getting divorced when the accusations were made public. He is accused of putting his hand inside his daughter's pajama bottoms while she slept in the bed with Smith and his wife a year ago this month. The alleged incident happened in their Prairie du Sac home. Smith returns to court in January to face the felony charge.

Deer Season Off To Good Start

11/23/08 - Hundreds of thousands of Wisconsin deer hunter find conditions almost ideal for the start of the gun deer season. Locations that register deer for the state report slower than normal activity, but the Department of Natural Resources says that could be due to the cold temperatures. The cold preserves the meat and gives hunters more time to register their deer. The nine-day season opened yesterday. An estimated 1-point-7 million deer are waiting for the hunters. Those numbers are similar to last year's. A lack of snow for tracking is the only negative reported. Otherwise, the season got off to what hunters call a "great start."

Police Chiefs Son Charged With Theft

11/23/08 - The son of Madison Police Chief Noble Wray is accused of stealing thousands of dollars from the museum where he works. Brent Wray was arrested at the Betty Brim Children's Museum last week. He could be charged with felony theft. The head of the Milwaukee County district attorney's office public integrity unit says a decision about filing charges should be made within a month. The police report says the theft amounted to more than 10-thousand dollars. Wray reportedly serves as a visitor assistant at the Milwaukee museum.

Ripp Recount Could Be Challenged

11/23/08 - When Republican Keith Ripp defeated Democrat Trish O'Neil by just 28 votes, she asked for a recount. O'Neil gained five votes, but Ripp is still the winner in the race for the 47th Assembly District seat. State election officials say the recount of votes in Columbia, Dane and Sauk counties was completed Friday. Jim Smith, executive director of the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee, was quoted as saying Friday that the O'Neil campaign is questioning 51 ballots allowed district-wide during the recount and could take the decision to court. Another recount -- the 18th Senate District -- is still ongoing. Republican Randy Hopper defeated Democrat Jessica King by 180 votes. The Government Accountability Board says that recount could take more than another week to complete.

Dem’s Blame GOP For Deficit

11/23/08 - Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker blames the Bush administration for the state's estimated 5-point-4 billion dollar deficit. Decker is a Democrat. He says the Republican president and GOP members of Congress went on a spending spree, then cut taxes for big business -- especially big oil. Wisconsin's governor has told state agencies to slice their budgets, limit hiring and approve an assessment on hospitals. Decker says the assessment should have happened last session. He also thinks lawmakers will have to go to work in Madison in January to deal with a 344-million dollar shortfall in the current budget cycle.

‘Do Not Call’ List Sign-Up Underway

11/23/08 - If you signed up for Wisconsin's No Call List two years ago, it's time to do it again. The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection reports there are one-point-four million phone numbers on the state's list. Telemarketers are not allowed to call those numbers. Wisconsin residents have even put 92-thousand cell phone numbers on the list. You can sign up 24-7, by going online to nocall-dot-Wisconsin-dot-gov, or calling 866-966-2255. The deadline to renew is the end of November. You can still list your name after that, but it wouldn't become effective until April.

Hearing on Proposed Ballast Discharge Law

11/23/08 - The state of Wisconsin plans to hold a hearing on ideas for a new law that would regulate ballast water discharges. Releasing that water from big freight-carrying ships is blamed for introducing invasive species to the Great Lakes. A federal appeals court upheld a Michigan law with its ruling yesterday. Shipping companies had challenged its legality. Environmental groups say the process Wisconsin is considering doesn't go far enough to protect the Great Lakes. New York is working on a standard with much tougher restrictions, but Wisconsin officials don't think they could get a law like that one passed.

Top Stories November 22nd

Abducted Horicon Girl Found in Michigan

11/22/08 - The 5-year-old girl Horicon girl who was allegedly abducted by her non-custodial mother has been found. Authorities say they found Lily Grace Eberle around 8pm last night in Michigan. 43-year-old Lori M. Eberle was also found by Michigan State Police. There is no word on a motive for taking the child but Lori Eberle was wanted on felony charges for interference with custody of a child and violation of a court order.

Westford Teen Found in West Virginia

11/22/08 - A Town of Westford boy who ran away with his 14-year-old girlfriend yesterday has been found. The 17-year-old boy had been last seen at 8:30 yesterday morning before authorities in West Virginia located him just after 6:30. There is no word on what prompted the boy to run away.

Ripp Retains Seat in Recount

11/22/08 - The recount in the 47th Assembly District has concluded and Keith Ripp remains the winner. The final three-county tally wrapped-up yesterday and it put Ripp ahead by 23 votes over Democrat Trish O’Neill, who gained five votes from the election night total.

Beaver Dam Man Saved With Defibrillator

11/22/08 - A Beaver Dam man is counting his blessings this holiday season after police officers brought him back from the brink of death. William Sweetman was cleaning his car on November 13 following a pheasant hunting trip to South Dakota, when he collapsed into a friends arms. Beaver Dam officers Lisa Jones and Kevin Rhode responded immediately and used an automatic external defibrillator, or AED, to resuscitate Sweetman. Deputy Chief Dan Schubert credited Jones and Rhode for their hard work and also thanked the Beaver Dam Community Hospital for a donation that allowed all the squad cars to be stocked with some new AED’s. Sweetman, who has been battling heart disease for over two decades, says he doesn’t remember anything until that Sunday when the Packers beat the Bears. Two days later he had an internal defibrillator implanted. Sweetman says he is now looking forward to another holiday with his family and to thanking officers Jones and Rhode for their quick actions.

Dodge County Files Claim With Columbus Over Filming Detour

11/22/08 - Dodge County officials said they got robbed for real when Johnny Depp came to Columbus to play the famous robber John Dillinger. County Highway T collapsed after being used as a detour from Highway 60 during the filming of “Public Enemies” – and Dodge County officials are saying they should not have to be stuck with the 116-thousand-dollar repair bill. The state D-O-T says it’s not their department, either. Regional Director Joe Olson said Columbus signed an application allowing the detour – and the city accepted full responsibility for any road damage. Columbus Mayor Nancy Osterhaus (left) says that might be true – but she still hopes the state will pick up some of the tab. She said “Public Enemies” was ballyhooed as the first movie to get the state’s new filming tax credits – and she doesn’t want to make it a bad situation for anybody. Osterhaus says the film studio has said it might help pay the damages. But Dodge County officials say talk is not money – and they’ve filed a damage claim against the city of Columbus. If the city rejects it, Dodge County can sue for the money. Scott Robbe of the group Film Wisconsin says a 116-thousand-dollar road repair is a drop in the bucket, compared to the movie’s 100-million-dollar price-tag. But Dodge County says they’re the ones holding the bag and they’ve asked Assembly Republican Jeff Fitzgerald for help.

One Injured in SUV Vs. Semi

11/22/08 - One person was injured following a two-vehicle accident yesterday afternoon near Columbus. The Dodge County Sheriffs Department The driver of an SUV sustained significant but not life-threatening injuries after colliding with a semi-truck. He was transported to a Madison-area hospital by Flight-For-Life. The accident occurred around 2pm at the intersection of Highway 60 and Oxbow Road in the Town of Elba.

Accidents Aplenty on Yesterday

11/22/08 - There were a number of accidents that required citizens to seek medical attention at area hospitals. The first incident occurred around 3:30 in the Town of Lebanon. Flight-For-Life crews were called to a scene where someone had fallen out of a tree in the 3600 block of Highway MM. The patient was taken by helicopter to the hospital. Another accident took place on Highway 68 in the Town of Trenton. A 45-year-old man lost control of his vehicle near Jersey Road and rolled his vehicle. The man was taken to the Waupun Hospital and was also arrested for allegedly operating while intoxicated. There was also another rollover, this time in the Town of Herman. An 18-year-old woman attempted to miss a deer, lost control of her vehicle and rolled it. She was taken to the Hartford Hospital for treatment of her injuries.

Hanley Back In Court After Four Year Absence

11/22/08 - A Fox Lake man will finally face charges related to an alleged sexual assault that occurred more than four years ago. 30-year-old Shamus Hanley was 26 when he failed to appear for an initial hearing and had an arrest warrant issued. Hanley is charged with Second Degree Sexual Assault of a Child, Attempted Sexual Assault of a Child Under the Age of 16, and Causing a Child to View or Listen to Sexual Activity. All three charges are felonies. According to the criminal complaint, Hanley met the young teenage girl at the Beaver Dam Community Hospital in July of 2004 and took her to his home in Fox Lake. That night as the girl was attempting to go to sleep Hanley allegedly assaulted her. The next morning the complaint says he allegedly attempted to assault the girl again. Hanley had an initial appearance earlier this month and had cash bond set at $25,000.

Gas Drops Again

11/22/08 - The price of a gallon of unleaded regular in Beaver Dam has now dropped 20 cents since breaking the $2 mark on Monday. The cost at some city fueling stations is now $1.79. According to Wisconsingasprices.com the statewide average is $1.91, four cents below the national average, 90 cents lower than one month ago and $1.21 lower than one year ago. Oconomowoc and Watertown are averaging $1.92. Oshkosh is $1.91.Horicon, Juneau and Fond du Lac are at $1.89. Kenosha has the low price in the state at $1.75. Experts say it could be early next year before prices go up again as the worldwide economic downturn has reduced the demand for fuel.

Chamber Recipients Announced

11/22/08 - The Beaver Dam Area Chamber of Commerce has announced its selection of the Citizen, Business, and Non-Profit Organization of the Year. Executive Director Phil Fritsche says Patricia Coe will be honored as the 2009 Citizen of the Year for her volunteer work as well as being an advocate for the community. The Business of the Year award will be given to the Countryside GM Auto Group who was selected for their quote “commitment to excellence and a philosophy of giving back time, talent and treasure to the community.” The chamber will also hand out a new award this year: The Non-Profit Organization of the Year. The inaugural award will be given to the Women’s Affiliate of the Chamber, which is a separate and independent, but affiliated, organization to the Beaver Dam Chamber. The Women’s Affiliate has been around for more than 40-years having contributed over $325,000 in cash to non-profits and charitable organizations. The award winners were selected by past recipients. All three will be honored at the chamber’s annual dinner on January 28.

Top Stories November 21st

Honor Flight An Honor

11/21/01 - A Beaver Dam veteran who was aboard this weeks “Honor Flight” to the World War II Memorial in Washington DC said it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Leroy Klug (pictured), who served in the Army Air Corps in Italy from 1942 to 1945, said you just wouldn’t believe how beautiful the memorial is until you see it. Klug was one of 10 Dodge County veterans to participate in the “Honor Flight” program, which allows vets to fly to their memorial in the nation’s capital for free. He says when they arrived at the Memorial they were greeted by Senator’s Herb Kohl and Bob Dole. Klug left his Beaver Dam home at 1:30am Wednesday morning and was back at home 23 hours later. A bit tiring, but Klug says if someone said tomorrow he could go again (quote) “he’d be ready.” Funds are still being raised for a Spring 2009 flight. Information can be found at: Veterans Service Office, PO Box 994, Port Washington WI 53074-0994. Checks should be made out to “Stars and Stripes Honor Flight c/o the Flag Day Foundation.Or you can call Mark Grams at 386-3798.

State Budget Deficit Increases

11/21/08 - Wisconsin’s state government will tighten its belt some more. That’s after we learned yesterday that the current budget is now 346-million-dollars in the red – and the deficit in the next budget has grown again, to five-point-four billion dollars. Governor Jim Doyle announced immediate spending cuts. He wants 500 state vehicles sold – 30-million dollars in state grants canceled – and 28-hundred state jobs vacated, a quarter through retirements and such. Administration Secretary Michael Morgan calls the deficit in next year’s budget the largest in state history. It’s caused, of course, by a drop in state tax revenues resulting from the fact that we’re spending less and borrowing less. Doyle again promised to protect schools, but they won’t get all they want. He again called for new taxes on hospitals and oil profits, and kept vowing to hold the line on sales-and-income taxes.

Home Sales Down in Third Quarter

11/21/08 - Existing home sales in Dodge County were down nearly 29% in the third quarter of 2008, as compared to 2007. According to the Wisconsin Realtors Association, in the third quarter of this year there were 114 homes sold, compared to 160 homes the previous year. The median price of homes in Dodge County went down 4.9% to $129,100. Columbia County, meanwhile, experienced a 33% drop in overall home sales while the price of existing homes declined by 6.7%. In Jefferson County, there was a 32% decrease in overall sales while the price of existing homes went down 5.8%. Statewide, overall sales dropped nearly 17% in the third quarter, that’s compared to a 10.6% decrease throughout the rest of the Midwest region. The average home price in Wisconsin fell by 5.3% to $160,000 as compared to 2007. Nationally sales were down just 7.7% over the last year.

Juneau Passes Budget

11/21/08 - The City of Juneau’s mill rate for 2009 will stay exactly the same as this year’s. That’s after the common council passed the ’09 budget last night. According to Clerk-Treasurer Dennis Sheldon, the rate will be $7.56 per $1,000 of assessed value. Sheldon says keeping it at the same rate was a request from the Finance Committee and it forced him to make tough cuts, including a number from the capital improvements budget. The total tax levy this year will be around $1.15-million.

Buske Approved as Alderman in Juneau

11/21/08 - Juneau has a new alderman in Ward Three. That’s after the common council approved Mayor Ron Bosak’s appointment of Jason Buske last night. Buske will replace Dennis Druecke who resigned for personal reasons late last month. Buske will sit on a number of committees, including Public Works and Personnel. Buske will take over the seat from Druecke until next April when an election will be held to fill the seat permanently.

Fall River Fire Group Looking at Options for EMS

11/21/08 - The Fall River Fire Group will be working with Columbus area officials investigating possibilities to improve Ambulance services for local taxpayers. Officials from the Village of Fall River and the townships of Fountain Prairie, Hampden, and Ostego met this week to form two study groups. One group will be interviewing private sector Ambulance providers. The second will investigate the feasibility of developing an EMS District that would ensure each participating municipality to have a say in the operation.

Ehrke Sentenced

11/21/08 - A Columbus man was sentenced to 20 months in prison yesterday on sexual assault, false imprisonment and domestic abuse charges in two separate cases. In April, Jeremy Ehrke held a woman against her will at his residence; choking her, holding a knife to her throat and pointing a .22 caliber gun at her head. In the other case, the 19-year-old had charges that he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl dismissed but read into the record. As the Assistant District Attorney presented his case, Ehrke looked on with what Judge Andrew Bissonnette called a “smug look.” In a press release, Assistant DA James Sempf said, “I’m not surprised the judge sentenced such a young person to prison, given the seriousness of the crimes and the way he behaved in the courtroom.” Ehrke did not speak on his own behalf. In addition to prison time, Ehrke was sentenced to two years and four months of extended supervision.

Economy Not Slowing Down Deer Hunters

11/21/08 - Despite the poor economy, Wisconsin deer hunters are still finding enough in their stashes to go after that trophy buck. The D-N-R said almost 511-thousand licenses were sold as of midnight last night. And licensing administrator Diane Brookbank is confident that 120-thousand more will be sold before the nine-day gun opens on Saturday. License sales are up five-percent from last year, but Brookbank said a special four-day hunt in October artificially drove those numbers up. Still, she sees no evidence the economy is keeping hunters home. They’ll go after an estimated one-point-seven million deer – about the same numbers as a year ago.

New Regulations for Hunters

11/21/08 - A new regulation requires a use of a bit more blaze orange while you’re out deer hunting. If you have a ground blind on state land you’ll be required to mark it with about 12 inches of blaze orange. DNR Conservation Warden Doug Bilgo says the new requirement is because of the popularity of camouflage blinds. You have to be able to see the orange from all around. Bilgo says there is many ways to mark your blind including specially manufactured blaze orange hankies, but a hunting jacket or even an orange traffic cone will suffice while you’re in the blind. (KFIZ)

Top Stories November 20

Fox Lake Budget Passes

11/20/08 - Fox Lake residents will be paying slightly more in taxes next year than they did this year after the common council passed the 2009 budget last night. Fox Lake Administrator Bill Petrecek says the tax rate will jump from $7.15 per $1,000 of assessed value to $7.26 per $1,000 of assessed value. Petracek blamed the increase on a number of unforeseen expenses, including the replacement of Highway P after the floods washed out a culvert. The total tax levy for 2009 will be $547,740.

15-year-old Driver Responsible for Monday Evening Accident

11/20/08 - The driver who caused a two-vehicle accident Monday night that led to four people being taken to the hospital was only 15-years-old. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department says a car driven by 15-year-old Devin Fink of Lomira was unable to come to a stop at the intersection of Highway 28 and County Road W-T in the Town of Theresa. The driver of a vehicle going east on Highway 28, 39-year-old Leticia DeLaCruz, was unable to stop and struck Fink’s vehicle. Leticia DeLaCruz, 26-year-old Mario Lopez, an 11-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy were all transferred to the hospital for treatment of their injuries. Everyone involved was wearing a seatbelt expect the 11-year-old girl. Authorities are planning on citing Fink but because he is a juvenile those charges will not be released.

Court Upholds Prison Sentence for Former West Bend Funeral Director

11/20/08 - A former funeral home director in West Bend failed to get his prison sentence for sex crimes reduced yesterday. 70-year-old Curtis Schmidt tried to convince the Second District Appeals Court that his 15-year term was too long for what he did. He was convicted in 2006 of soliciting sex on the Internet with a 13-year-old boy, providing harmful materials to a child, and possessing child pornography. Schmidt said Ozaukee County Circuit Judge Paul Malloy never explained why long, consecutive sentences were necessary. And Schmidt said the judge improperly used his discretion by considering what he called unproven and inaccurate information in his sentencing. But the appeals court said Malloy acted within his discretion – and his reasoning was rational.

Recount Could Wrap-Up Today in 47th
11/20/08 - Its day four of the recount in the 47th Assembly District race between Republican Keith Ripp and Democrat Trish O’Neill, and the two biggest counties are still tallying votes. Officials in both Dane and Columbia Counties are now saying that the recount will continue through at least mid-day today (Th). Sauk County, where there is only a small portion of the district, was completed fairly quickly and O’Neill lost one vote and Ripp remained the same.

State Senate Recount Could Stretch Into Next Week

11/20/08 - It could be next week before the votes in the two biggest counties in the 18th State Senate race are counted. Fond du Lac businessman Randy Hopper won the race by 181 votes over Oshkosh attorney Jessica King. Officials in Winnebago County say the recount will go into next week “at a minimum.” King picked up six votes there at last word. In Fond du Lac County, one precinct has been completed by yesterday afternoon and King picked up one vote. In Dodge County, where the count concluded Tuesday afternoon, each candidate pick-up up one vote.

Proposed Downtown Development Gets Zoning Change Approval

11/20/08 - The Beaver Dam Plan Commission yesterday approved a request for a zoning change at the former Thomas Chevrolet property. Silverstone Partners of Middleton is proposing a 60-unit, multi-story independent senior living center, they are calling Madison Place. The Commission approved a change from Light Manufacturing to Commercial District. The change still requires council approval. Silverstone CEO Tom Sather says there are still a number of hurdles to clear before the $7 million dollar project becomes a reality, specifically the awarding of state tax credits. If all goes according to plan, ground could be broken next summer with completion in mid-2010. The completed project would add $2.1 million of taxable property value to the city’s tax rolls.

Lehner Sentenced For Causing Injury While Intoxicated

11/20/08 - A Beaver Dam man was sentencing to 280 days in jail for causing a traffic accident while intoxicated that injured three passengers. Michael Lehner pleaded “no contest” to a felony count of Injury By Intoxicated Use of a Vehicle and two misdemeanor counts of Causing Injury While Operating Under the Influence and had two other felony’s and four misdemeanors dismissed. The 22-year-old Lehner had a blood alcohol level of point-one-eight (.18) when rolled his pick-up last November and struck a culvert. His three passengers sustained injuries ranging a broken wrist to a broken neck. Lehner broke his collar bone. In addition to 280 days in jail with Huber, Lehner had his license revoked for six years.

Kreuziger Sentenced in Ballweg Burglary

11/20/08 - One of three Waupun men who stole equipment from Ballweg Implement entered a “no contest” plea yesterday in Dodge County court. 26-year-old Jeffrey Kreuziger was placed on deferred prosecution on a felony Theft charge and was found guilty on two misdemeanor Theft counts. Authorities say they staked out Ballweg Implement in Waupun in April of 2007 after a similar theft weeks earlier. Deputies witnessed co-conspirator’s Derick Schlagel and Jeremy Acheson load a John Deere Z Track on their pick-up and drive away. A subsequent traffic stop led to their arrest and further investigation led to the apprehension of Kreuziger, and the recovery of the equipment allegedly stolen over Easter. Acheson was previously sentenced to 75 days in jail while Schlagel was sentenced to 100 days. Kreuziger was sentenced yesterday to 100 days in jail and ordered to pay over $1000 in joint restitution.

Panawash Pleads “No Contest” For 7th OWI

11/20/08 - A Neosho man pleaded “no contest” to his seventh OWI yesterday in Dodge County court. Gregory Panawash had a second felony count was dismissed as part of the plea. The 48-year-old was arrested in August after he reportedly went to the Dodge County Economic Support Office at 8:45am in the morning with alcohol on his breath. Panawash was pulled over by Juneau Police for a loud exhaust and his blood-alcohol content was reported to be a point one-nine (.19), which is more than twice the legal limit. He repeatedly asked the arresting officer to let him off the hook, saying “I’ve never had an accident while I was drunk and I never killed anybody while I was driving drunk.” Panawash will have a sentencing hearing scheduled at a later date.


Honor Flight Lands

11/20/08 - Several Dodge County veterans are among those who participated in the “Honor Flight” yesterday. The program allows World War II veterans to fly – for free – to Washington DC to visit their Word War II Memorial. This trip was available to veterans within a 120-mile radius of Milwaukee and includes three vets from Beaver Dam, five from Watertown and two from Mayville. Donald Thompson, a Randolph veteran who flew out of Rochester, Minnesota this past Spring, says there were extremely well-received wherever they went. They had a crowd of well-wishers cheering and bands playing when they took-off and landed. Thompson says there were several people at the memorial that thanked them for their service and he, in turn, thanked all those who made the trip possible. Thompson says that after waiting 63 years it was an added bonus that they had nice weather that day. In the next couple days we hope to speak with some of the Dodge County veterans who are just returning from the flight. Meanwhile, Dodge County Veterans Service Officer Mark Grams says funds are being raised for a Spring 2009 flight. Information about Honor Flight or about making tax-deductible donations: Veterans Service Office, PO Box 994, Port Washington WI 53074-0994. Checks should be made out to “Stars and Stripes Honor Flight c/o the Flag Day Foundation. Ozaukee County CVSO Ken Brown is acting as the conduit for funds and applications. Or you can call Mark Grams at 386-3798.

Kangaroo Express

11/20/08 - A Columbus couple is making their way back to Wisconsin today after being stranded when their motor home was destroyed by fire. Larry and Diane Moyer left home a week-and-a-half ago for a 2 month vacation in Florida. The couple owns the exotic animal farm near Columbus and brought their pet goat and kangaroo with them. On the trip down the used motor-home broke down three times and when they arrived in Florida, Larry Moyer had a stroke. The day he was released from the hospital they went to the ocean and fire destroyed the RV. Diane Moyer tells us they were able to scrap-up enough money to buy a small, used car. The Moyer’s are returning to Wisconsin with one of their employees, plus the kangaroo and goat inside their newly-acquired, used Volvo.

Top Stories November 19th

Snags Hold Up Adoption of Columbus Budget

11/19/08 - The Columbus City Council delayed the approval of the 2009 Budget last night by claiming Administration had not provided enough discussion time for certain Budget line items. City Administrator Boyd Kraemer (left) responded to the Council’s eleventh hour questions by pointing out the proposed Budget was presented to them in October. Discussions focused on moving $36,000 dollars in line item expenditures to the City’s contingency fund. The Council delayed adoption of the 2009 Budget till the last minute questions were discussed by the Council. It’s possible the budget could be passed at next Tuesday’s Council of the Whole session.

New Alderman in Horicon

11/19/08 - Horicon has a new alderman in District Three. That’s after the common council approved Mayor Jim Griggs’ appointment of Ted Pyrek last night. A familiar face in Horicon city politics, Pyrek is currently the City Forester and also sits on the Police and Fire commission as well as the Tree Board. Pyrek was one of four people Grigg spoke with about replacing Don Butler, who resigned last month for personal reasons. Grigg says Pyrek’s experience on different boards and committees pushed him ahead of the other possible candidates. Pyrek will take over the seat from Butler until next April when an election will be held to fill the seat permanently.

Changes in Winter Parking Restrictions in Horicon

11/19/08 - Beginning December 1st there will be no parking on Horicon streets between 2am and 6am. That’s the result of an ordinance passed last night by the City Council. The new winter parking ordinance repeals the one previously on the books that stated motorists couldn’t park on the street between 2am to 5am during and 24-hours after a snow event. The reason for the change is an attempt by the city to use less gas and man hours to clear the streets of snow. They feel the snowplow drivers won’t have to make as many trips around the city if there are no cars on the streets. However, temporary parking for residents will still be available by calling the police department to receive a permit.

BD Room Tax Depleted

11/19/08 - The city of Beaver Dam has all but depleted its Diminishing Room Tax Fund. The fund was established to promote tourism and development in the city, and had traditionally supported marketing for draws like Lake Days and the Beaverland Must-Ski’s. In 2003, revenue for the Room Tax Fund began to dry-up after a contract change directed 90% of the hotel tax revenue to the Beaver Dam Area Development Corporation and the remaining 10% to the Chamber of Commerce. Less than $7400 was left in the account last night when the Community Development Committee approved funding requests by the Beaverland Must Skis, the Chamber for their Cream Cheese Competition and the Women’s Affiliate for their Arts and Crafts Show. A request by the Chamber for the Home and Business Expo was voted down because committee members felt the annual event was self-sustaining. The Lake Days Committee decided not to make a request this year. Committee President Aaron Holbrook says they didn’t want to compete with the other organizations; they finalized their 2009 budget last week without the usual $6000 city contribution. It was suggested during last night’s CDC meeting that the remaining $833 left in the Room Tax Fund be donated to Lake Days. The CDC will consider that, and other possible revenue sources to replenish the fund, at upcoming meetings early next year.

Waupun Teen Dies in Sauk County Wreck

11/19/08 - A Waupun teenager was killed in a two-vehicle accident in Sauk County Monday evening. According to the Sauk County Sheriffs Department, 19-year-old Amanda Gast (left) of Waupun died when the car she was a passenger in slid sideways into the path of an oncoming pickup truck. The driver of the car - 18-year-old Sara Bengsch of Waupun - and the driver of the pick-up truck - 33-year-old Bradley Doherty of Poynette - were treated for non-life-threatening injuries at St. Clare Hospital in Baraboo. The accident occurred just before 7pm Monday evening on Highway 33 in the Town of Greenfield. Icy road conditions appear to be a contributing factor in the accident.

Recount Continues in 47th

11/19/08 - The recount continues in the 47th Assembly District race between Republican Keith Ripp and Democrat Trish O’Neill. Of the three counties that comprise the district, only Sauk County is completed. According to Deputy Clerk Patricia Vanoosten, O’Neill lost one vote from the original canvass and wound up with 379 votes. Ripp maintained his Sauk County lead with 407. Independent Candidate Dennis Hruby stayed the same at 47. There was one write-in for both counts. The Board of Canvassers must still approve the Sauk County count before it becomes official. The recount continues in Dane and Columbia Counties. Officials there say they hope to have things wrapped up by midday Wednesday. O’Neil lost to Ripp by 28 votes out of 32-thousand cast.

18th State Senate Recount Underway

11/19/08 - The recount for the 18th State Senate race began yesterday. Fond du Lac businessman Randy Hopper won the race on November 4th by 181 votes over Oshkosh attorney Jessica King. However King petitioned the state’s Government Accountability Board last Friday for the recount. In Dodge County, where there were 2200 votes case, the count concluded yesterday afternoon. Clerk Karen Gibson says each candidate pick-up up one vote in the recount. It will take longer in the two other counties in the district. Fond du Lac County Clerk Joyce Buechel says it won’t be an easy task for her office, which had 37,000 ballots cast out of a total of 83,000. There were another 42,000 cast in Winnebago County. They have 13 more days to complete the recount.

Head of WI Fire-Fighters’ Union Resigns After Using Racial Slur

11/19/08 - The head of the state fire-fighters’ union has resigned over a controversial racial slur he made about Barack Obama. A union statement said Rick Gale of West Allis also left the state’s Retirement Board – which he chaired – and the State Fair Park Board. Reports said Gale used the “N”-word while having drinks with several union board members, as they were watching a T-V news account of Obama’s election as president. Gale was politically-connected to Governor Jim Doyle, as his wife has served as Doyle’s campaign treasurer. Gale himself worked on Obama’s Wisconsin campaign. Doyle spokesman Lee Sensenbrenner said Gale apologized to the governor last week. The resignation comes after seven chapters of the Professional Fire-Fighters of Wisconsin demanded on Monday night that Gale quit. He’s quoted in the union’s statement as saying the racial slur quote, “has no business in my vocabulary, and I should have not have used it – not even in private.”

WI Senators OK with Auto Maker Bailout

11/19/08 - Wisconsin’s two U-S senators say they can go along with a bailout of the auto industry – but only with strings that hold the automakers accountable. Democrat Russ Feingold says the proposed 25-billion-dollars should come directly from the 700-billion-dollars already allocated for the Wall Street bailout. That would be on top of the 25-billion in loans Congress approved in September to help the car companies build more fuel-efficient vehicles. Wisconsin Democrat Herb Kohl agrees with Feingold that a bailout must have protections for taxpayers – and there should be an expectation of big changes that revive the auto industry.

Father Shoots Son, Turns Gun on Himself

11/19/08 - A Middleton man shot-and-killed his 12-year-old son yesterday, and then shot-and-wounded himself. Kyle Dutter was found dead in an S-U-V near a park in Madison. His 36-year-old father Ryan was also in the vehicle. He was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, and was still alive at last word. Police did not say what the motive was. The Wisconsin State Journal said Ryan Dutter filed for bankruptcy last fall. And while he did not have a criminal record, he was sued numerous times in small claims court for bills he didn’t pay. He was divorced from Laura Dutter for almost a decade, and her father said there was no tension between the two. Their custody arrangement appeared to be okay. Young Kyle spent weekdays with his father, and weekends with his mother in Beloit. An anonymous person notified police about the shootings yesterday morning.

Top Stories November 18th

Nasty Weather Leads to Accidents

11/18/08 - There were several accidents reported yesterday afternoon after the temperatures dropped and flurries started falling. There was a single vehicle rollover on Highway 151 just north of the Highway A overpass at 3:15pm. There were no injuries. Just after 4pm, Beaver Dam EMS officials were called to the Highway B overpass for a multi-vehicle accident. A female was treated and transported to the Beaver Dam Community Hospital. Officials say roads remain slippery this morning so they are asking everyone to slow down and take their time during their commute.

Gas Under $2

11/18/08 - Well it finally happened yesterday. Gas dropped below two dollars in Beaver Dam to $1.99. That’s less than 3 months after the price topped 4 dollars a gallon. It’s also $1.99 in Horicon, Watertown, and Waterloo. The state average is right at 2.00. The average price hasn’t been under $2 consistently since late 2004. Meanwhile, the national average sits at 2.07. The low price reported this morning is 1.89 in the Milwaukee area, while some Wisconsin residents are still paying as much as 2.29.

BD Budget Adopted

11/18/08 - The Beaver Dam Common Council approved the 2009 city budget last night. The $12.8 million dollar budget has a levy of about $7.3 million dollars, which is a 3.2% increase over last year. The city mill rate will be $6.76 per $1000 of assessed value, down 20 cents from last year. Director of Finances John Somers (left) says because of growth in the city, the average homeowner will see a slight decrease in the city share of their taxes. The total budget came in $150,000 under the allowable levy limit.

Building Inspector Contract Changed

11/18/08 - The Beaver Dam Common Council approved a contract change with the city building inspector last night. Under the terms of the new, 4-year contract, the city will not pay anything and Wisconsin Building Inspectors will receive 100% of the revenue from permit fees up to $225,000. Anything above that will be split 50-50 with the city. This is not the first time the contract has been changed. Until the summer of 2005, Building Inspector Guy Burlingame was a city employee who then became an independent contractor as WBI, collecting 100% of the permit fees with no cap. The contract was changed in 2006, capping a percentage of the costs after $250,000. That change came after WBI earned over $600,000 in one abbreviated year, $290,000 of it from the Wal-Mart Distribution Center alone. WBI collected $281,000 in 2006 and just over $226,000 in 2007. Through September of this year, WBI took in just over $82,000. The new contract goes into effect on January 1 and voids the final year of a the current four-year contract.

Police In Neighborhoods

11/18/08 - The Beaver Dam Police Department is implementing a new program that will make citizen concerns a priority for cops on the street. Mayor Tom Kennedy read a proclamation announcing the Safety Pin program at last night’s council meeting. Safety Pin stands for Policing in Neighborhoods and will allow officers to focus on a new issue of concern every week. Issues brought to city officials like traffic enforcement, vandalism and loitering will be identified for officers to concentrate on during their routine patrol. Pictured Left to Right: PFC Chair Nancy Conley, Mayor Tom Kennedy, Police Chief Dale Boldt, Officer and PIN Administrator Rich Dahl.

Floodway Tavern To Reopen

11/18/08 - Nearly six months after being closed by the June floods, a Beaver Dam tavern will be opening its doors. Jay Hoeft, owner of “Emotional Rescue” at 203 Front Street, says he will reopen the establishment on November 27 under the name “The Fountain Inn,” which was the same name the business had when it first opened its doors in 1911. Hoeft also says his building is under consideration for inclusion on the state and federal historic registry. Before a liquor and dancing license were approved by the common council last night, the city attorney noted that Hoeft is aware the business is located in a flood zone and the DNR could order the building removed at anytime.

BD Looking to Build Detention Basin Near School

11/18/08 - The new Beaver Dam Stormwater Utility is looking for some help from the Beaver Dam School District. City Engineering Coordinator Ritchie Piltz asked the Beaver Dam School Board last night for permission to construct a stormwater detention basin near the Jefferson Elementary School next spring to improve stormwater flow in that area. The utility wants to build the basin near the corner of Stone Street and Roedl Court in an area that is sometimes used for youth soccer. The utility would pay for the construction and maintenance and, in return, the school district would receive a 33 percent credit on its stormwater bill for that property, or a savings of about $860 per year. Piltz said the basin would be designed to hold water no deeper than two and a half feet, and the water would drain in about an hour following a big storm. The school board will consider approval of the proposal next month.

Firefighter’s Want Gale Out after Racist Remark

11/18/08 - The head of a Wisconsin fire-fighters’ union is being urged to resign by members upset that he used a racial slur to describe Barack Obama. Media reports said Rick Gale was watching a T-V news report the day after the election, and he used the N-word in describing the president-elect. Last night, seven chapters of the Professional Fire-fighters of Wisconsin called for Gale’s resignation. The chapters’ spokesman, Patrick Kilbane, said the words do not reflect the feelings of the union as a whole – and if Gale doesn’t leave, he might face charges from the international fire-fighters’ union and a withdrawal of the southern Wisconsin chapters. Gale is also a member of the State Investment Board. He has not commented.

Columbus Budget Considered Tonight

11/18/08 - The 2009 City of Columbus Budget goes to the Council for approval tonight. The proposed $4.8 million dollar Budget will see the “mil rate” down from last year. Property owners will see a decrease from $9.35 to approximately $8.19 per $1,000 dollars of assessed evaluation in 2009. Questions about the Historic Landmarks and Preservation Commission budget and the City’s “Contingency” fund were raised by Councilperson Roger Sneath. Sneath convinced the Council to boost the H L P C budget by $1,450 dollars and he will be asking the Council to consider raising the Contingency fund from 2 per cent to 3 per cent in the budget’s final version. City Clerk Anne Donahue said that the proposed budget is likely to be approved tonight without any major changes. However, if the Council should move to increase the amount in the Contingency, there would be changes in the final version levy and mil rate figures.

Plank Bound Over

11/18/08 - An Iron Ridge man accused of molesting a young teenage girl was bound over for trial yesterday. Mark Plank is charged with a felony count of Sexual Assault of Child Under the Age of 16 related to offenses that allegedly occurred this past June. The 47-year-old Plank was convicted in 1994 on charges of First Degree Sexual Assault of a Child and was sentenced to 10 years probation. In 1999, Plank was ordered to serve an eight year prison sentence after his probation was revoked. He faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted on the most recent charges. An arraignment hearing is scheduled for December 10

Top Stories November 17

Two Teens Arrested Following High Speed Chase

11/17/08 - Two teens are in custody following a high speed chase that began in Horicon and ended in the Waupun High School parking lot. According to Horicon Police Chief Joe Adamson, officers attempted to stop a vehicle that ran a stop sign Sunday morning just before 2am. The suspects instead began a pursuit that spanned 20 miles and reached speeds in excess of 100mph. Adamson says the suspects also rammed a Horicon squad car and even managed to avoid road-spikes deployed by Dodge County Sheriffs Deputies. The chase continued into the outlaying areas of Waupun, through several fields, before Adamson says the vehicle succumbed to damages in the high school parking lot and both occupants fled on foot. The driver, a teenager from Jefferson, was tased by a Horicon Police officer after a couple hundred yards. The passenger, a teen from Chippewa Falls, was taken into custody a short time later by a sheriff’s deputy. There were no injuries. The vehicle was stolen from Waupaca County several hours earlier. The teens were walk-away’s from Rawhide Boys Ranch in New London and are being held in a juvenile detention facility pending felony and misdemeanor charges. Three squad cars were damaged; two from Horicon and one from the sheriff’s department. The Wisconsin State Patrol is investigating the crashes. The Horicon Police Department and Dodge County Human Services – Juvenile Division are investigating the crimes.

Kewaskum Man Identified

A 25-year-old Kewaskum man was killed in a two-car accident in Washington County Friday morning. Thirty-four year-old Jason Jacobs of Lomira failed to stop at a stop sign on Orchard Valley Road in his SUV and hit another car that was on County Highway H. Timothy McKee of Kewaskum was driving the other car. He died at the scene. Jacobs suffered minor injuries and refused medical transport. McKee was not wearing a seat belt. He was the 7th person to die from injuries suffered in a traffic accident on Washington County roads this year.

Husband Arrested Following Lengthy Search for Spouse

11/17/08 - A mother of two-year-old twins missing for eight days was found dead over the weekend – and her ex-husband is now in jail for allegedly killing her. Jackson County authorities said a key witness provided a new tip on what happened to 27-year-old Alicia Sidie of Hatfield. And on Saturday night, her ex-husband Doug led investigators through a heavily-wooded area, to the place where he allegedly dumped her body. He’s being held without bond on possible charges of first-degree intentional homicide, hiding a corpse, and obstructing police.

Sheriff Duane Waldera would not say what caused Alicia’s death, pending the results of an autopsy in Madison. Jackson County District Attorney Gerald Fox said all the pertinent evidence has been recovered – including a key item found by a searcher, and another item found by a sheriff’s diver.

The victim’s body was just east of a 12-hundred-acre search area where divers, pilots, officers and hundreds of volunteers spent almost a week looking for her. Her 39-year-old ex-husband reported her missing a week ago Saturday – one day after she left following an argument. There were reports the two were getting back together, and Doug Sidie told officers as recently as Wednesday he didn’t know where she had gone.

On Thursday, the searchers were all told to go home, as the investigation took a more criminal tone. At the time, we were told that the State Crime Lab was categorizing evidence inside the house.

Plank Prelim Continues This Afternoon

11/17/08 - A preliminary hearing resumes this afternoon for an Iron Ridge man accused of molesting a young teenage girl. Mark Plank is charged with a felony count of Sexual Assault of Child Under the Age of 16 related to offenses that allegedly occurred this past June. The 47-year-old was in Dodge County court late last week for a preliminary hearing, but technical difficulties in playing a video led to the delay. Plank was convicted in 1994 on charges of First Degree Sexual Assault of a Child and was sentenced to 10 years probation. In 1999, Plank was ordered to serve an eight year prison sentence after his probation was revoked. He faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted on the most recent charges.

Two Injured in BD Wreck

11/17/08 - A two-car accident in the city of Beaver Dam Saturday evening resulted in two injuries. Authorities say the wreck occurred at 6:20pm at the intersection of East Maple and North Spring Streets. One male and one female were transported from the scene by EMS to the Beaver Dam Community Hospital.

Recount Begins Today in 47th

11/17/08 -A recount begins today in the 47th State Assembly District. According to the Election Night tally, Democrat Trish O’Neil of Columbus lost to Town of Dane Republican Keith Ripp by 28 votes out of 32-thousand cast. The two were running for the Assembly seat given up by Republican Eugene Hahn of Cambria. The recount will take place in Dane, Sauk, and Columbia counties. It will not make a difference in the political make-up of the Assembly. Democrats would still have the majority if O’Neil wins. In her request for a recount, O’Neil claimed that vote-counting mistakes were made in every ward. Among other things, she said absentee ballots were improperly counted – and the voting machines didn’t have the right tallies. County clerks in Dane and Sauk counties said they weren’t aware of any problems, and the allegations were similar to those made in previous recount requests.

Voluntary Grad Requirements Increase Following Failed Legislative Attempt

11/17/08 - Some Wisconsin schools have raised their graduation requirements for science-and-math – following a proposed statewide proposal that never went anywhere. It was almost four years ago when Governor Jim Doyle urged lawmakers to take part in a national program called STEM. It focuses on science, technology, engineering, and math so the U-S can keep up with the economic booms in China and India. Oconomowoc, Greenfield, and Germantown are among the schools that now require three years of math-and-science to graduate. And Milwaukee is looking at doing the same. Eighty-five percent of Oconomowoc students were already meeting its three-year mandate before it took effect this fall. But some districts balked, saying it would take extra staff and more money. Oak Creek-Franklin Superintendent Sara Larsen said her officials worried about kids being left behind if they’re not planning on college, and are not good at math. For those kids, she said an extra year of math might take away from something they need for their particular futures.

Gundrum Back from Iraq

11/17/08 - A Wisconsin legislator is back home from Iraq. Assembly Republican Mark Gundrum of New Berlin spent nine months as a senior law adviser for the U-S Embassy and the Multi-national Corps. Gundrum helped Iraqi judicial officials fight corruption. And he taught members of the Iraqi parliament about things like open government, and drafting legislation. The 38-year-old Gundrum is a member of the Army Reserve’s 432nd Civil Affairs unit based in Green Bay. The unit returned home during the weekend. Gundrum returns to a job with a lot less power than when he left. He was the Assembly’s assistant majority leader before his party lost control of the house in this month’s elections.

Top Stories November 16th

Body Found Alongside Roadway

11/16/08 - The cause of death of a body found in a car Saturday morning in the Town of Elba has been determined to be suicide. That’s according to the Dodge County Sheriffs Department who tells us the 68-year-old woman died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The victim was discovered by a passerby in the ditch on Seitz Road, just after 7:30am.

Columbus PFC Continues Staffing Discussions

11/16/08 - The Columbus Council still has staffing questions about what kind of Fire Chief and what kind of clerical and administrative positions the Fire Department should have. Columbus Fire Department leaders requested a transition to a full time Chief back in July. The Police and Fire Commission cannot act on selecting a new Chief until City Council decisions on job descriptions and Department budget are made. Monday night’s PFC meeting will have a closed session to discuss the “acting fire Chief” situation and an open session discussing the Commission’s role in appointing a permanent Fire Chief.

Home Heating Costs May Dip

11/16/08 - Gas prices are down. Now, it's possible that the cost of heating your home this winter may be less. The federal energy information administration says the economic struggles are reducing the demand for natural gas. That is driving prices down. Energy experts say taking steps to make your home more energy efficient could cut those heating bills even more. No guarantees. A particularly severe winter could reverse the trend, increasing demand and prices.

Steps In Place to Prevent Repeat of Winter Interstate Debacle

11/16/08 - A special phone number, retractable barriers and highway cameras are some of the tools the state of Wisconsin will use to avoid a repeat of last winter's Interstate snow disaster. More than two-thousand cars were stranded by a heavy February snow for several hours. The retractable barriers will let officials close the interstate more effectively if the weather phenomenon is repeated. Drivers will be able to call 5-1-1 to make sure they have the latest weather information when it's needed. Road conditions, construction delays and incidents will be posted on an improved web site. A half-dozen cameras should be online in Rock County before winter hits southern Wisconsin with full force. Wisconsin transportation officials say their preparation will help avoid more cars being stranded overnight by a heavy snow fall.

BDACT Holds Auditions for Xmas Play

11/16/08 - The Beaver Dam Area Community Theater will be holding auditions tonight and tomorrow for their Olde Time Radio Christmas Play. The presentation, now in its ninth year, is done in conjunction with WBEV-WXRO and broadcast live the Friday before Christmas. Director Dan Bell says this year they’ve chosen two plays, “The Littlest Angel,” and “A Pint of Judgment.” Bell says they are looking for adults and especially kids age 9 and up. Auditions are Sunday and Monday from 6pm to 8pm at the Community Theater building on North Spring Street. The Christmas play will be broadcast live on WBEV on Friday, December 19 and will be rebroadcast on WXRO the following Sunday afternoon.

Wisconsin Film Festival Deadline Approaches

11/16/08 - If you want to enter your work into the Wisconsin Film Festival, the deadline is December 1 for filmmakers with Wisconsin ties, or general filmmakers. Students and state residents attending school in others state have until December 31. The four-day festival will be held next April in Madison. Last year, more than 30-thousand people watched 220 films at the festival. It's open to films from around the world. This will be the 11th festival. It was started by the University of Wisconsin Arts Institute in 1999.

UW Awaits Lab Results in Norovirus

11/16/08 - Health officials at the University of Wisconsin wait to see if lab test results confirm their suspicion that norovirus is making students sick. University officials confirm that 63 students in Sellery Hall in Madison have become sick since early November. Several dozens additional students have been sickened in sorority and fraternity houses. The students in this case suffering vomiting and diarrhea. The health officials say those symptoms last 24-to-48 hours. The school has e-mailed UW students, sending them information on how to limit the spread of the illness.

Man Charged Following Middle School Basketball Game

11/16/08 - A Sheboygan man could wind up spending nine months behind bars for head-butting an opponent in a pickup basketball game. The confrontation happened last Wednesday at Farnsworth Middle School in Sheboygan. Both men admit they were being physically aggressive during the game. At one point a player confronted Seth Dodge about the aggressive play. He says Dodge head-butted him, breaking his nose and leaving a cut that took five stitches to repair. The victim hasn't been named. Dodge is scheduled to make an appearance at a pretrial conference next week.

Small Packet Trees Available

11/16/08 - Trees are still available for the annual fall Small Packet Tree sales program in Dodge County. The Land Conservation Department is offering 13 species of trees for sale, including red and white Oak, White Cedar, Norway Spruce and American Cranberry Bush. The trees are sold in bundles of 25 for $23 per bundle. The deadline to place orders is January 30, but county officials say there are limited amounts of some species, so early orders are encouraged. For more information or to get an order form, contact the Dodge County Land Conservation Department or visit county website, www.co.dodge.wi.us.