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.