Top Stories January 31st

Stranc Sentenced to 90-Days for Attempted Abductions

1/31/09 - A Fox Lake man was sentenced to 90 days in jail Friday for the attempted abductions of two young girls. Daniel M. Stranc might only spend half of that time behind bars if he complies with all the conditions of his supervision. Judge Andrew Bissonnette also imposed and stayed a 2 and a half year prison sentence. The 36-year-old pleaded “no contest” to two felony counts of Attempted Child Enticement, and charges of drug possession and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor were dismissed but read in. Stranc made repeated contact with two juveniles during an 18-hour period last May. He drove by a girl on Spring Road in Fox Lake several times asking if she needed a ride. After turning around, Stranc tried to grab her and put her in his van. As part of that investigation it was learned that Stranc had recently offered preteen girls marijuana at a birthday party before being asked to leave. Stranc will also spend 10 years on probation and will have to register as a sex offender.

Unemployment Soars Throughout Region

1/31/09 - The unemployment rate jumped throughout the region from November to December. Dodge County went up .8% over the two-month period to 6.1%. Columbia County was at 6.2%, an increase of .7% from the previous month. Both were 1.2% higher than the same time last year. Jefferson County was a full point higher than the previous month at 5.9%, and 1.4% higher than last year. Fond du Lac County is up(.1% to 5.9% while Washington County was up .6 of a percent to 5.3%. The highest unemployment rate in the state was in Iron County at 10.7%, while Dane County has the lowest rate at 3.9%. Overall, unemployment increased in 70 of the states 72 counties. Statewide, the jobless rate was up a half-percent to 5.8%, which is up 1.2% from last year. The national rate from November to December was 7.1%.

Property Taxes Due Today

1/31/09 - Property taxes are due today at your local municipal treasurer’s office. However, most municipal offices are closed on weekends, which means you have until the post office closes to get that check in the mail. Taxpayers mailing after today’s deadline are subject to interest and a penalty of 1.5% of the total amount for the first month, and that increases by 1.5% percent for every month the tax remains unpaid. Also, if you are late the entire tax bill is due immediately. The second installment payments are due at the county treasurer’s office by July 31.

Corporate Tax Collection Way Down

1/31/09 - The Assembly Minority Leader says it's easy to see why corporate tax collections are way down in Wisconsin. The latest state figures project a 15-percent drop in tax collections over the next two years, which could widen the state budget hole to about 5-point-7 billion dollars. Assemblyman Jeff Fitzgerald says it's not hard to guess why, with businesses across the state closing up and jobs leaving Wisconsin. The Horicon Republican says there's evidence of the problems every day and cited the Home Depot store that opened in Beaver Dam just two years ago is now closed.

Milwaukee Teen Facing 10-Years for Knife Attack

1/31/09 - Teenager Brynner Harris could wind up spending 10 years in jail if he's convicted of a knife attack on a fellow student at South Milwaukee High School. A formal charge of second-degree reckless endangering safety while armed was filed against the 17-year-old Harris yesterday afternoon. He's accused of stabbing another student Thursday morning, just after the doors to the school had opened. A school official says the suspect is a junior with no history of bad behavior. The victim was a freshman who identified Harris as his attacker. Harris was arrested at his home. No motive for the crime has been offered.

Man Released from Prison after serving 23-Years for Crime He didn’t Commit

1/31/09 - Robert Stinson had shrimp at an Applebee's restaurant in Wisconsin Dells yesterday. You don't eat shrimp very often in prison. Stinson was released after serving 23 years for a crime DNA testing showed he didn't commit. He had been sentenced to life in prison for the killing of a woman in 1984. A group of University of Wisconsin-Madison law students and professors worked to get him freed. The efforts of the Wisconsin Innocence Project led to Stinson walking out of the New Lisbon Correctional Institution a little after noon. A judge had vacated Stinson's sentence after evidence like bite-mark analysis and DNA test results showed he hadn't committed the crime.

Hospital Won’t Make Profit on Abortions

1/31/09 - Trying to slow down some of the criticism of a new abortion program, the University of Wisconsin says it won't make a profit. Madison doctors are pushing a plan to offer second-trimester abortions at the Madison Surgery Center. The Associated Press is reporting a powerpoint presentation it dug up shows increased revenue as one of the benefits for the university. A spokeswoman says the powerpoint slide didn't refer to this case. Doctors at the surgery center anticipate doing about 100 abortions per year on patients they say will be young, poor, or in desperate situations. There is strong opposition among Right to Life groups.

Washington County Looking for Owner of Missing Cash

1/31/09 - Some people may be thinking it could be worth to make a guess. The Washington County Sheriff's Department is trying to find the owner of some money found last fall at the county's Fair Park. A good Samaritan found the cash and turned it over to the park's event coordinator. The search for the money's owner has turned up nothing so far. If you call the sheriff's office, you will be asked to identify the money. That basically means you need to know how much cash there is -- and possibly what denominations of currency are involved.
(Washington County Sheriff's Department phone is: 262-335-4420).

Friedel Taking Raines in Racine

1/31/09 - Racine alderman Tom Friedel will be filling in as the city's mayor until citizens elect a new one. Friedel says Racine has a strong city council, but the city also needs leadership. He says it’s important to keep city services functioning. The previous mayor, Gary Becker stepped down after being busted in an Internet sex sting, a story which focused national media attention on Racine. A special election for the mayor will happen in June possibly. Friedel says his decision to accept the appointment of acting mayor was a big one. He says he thought about running for the position last spring and decided not to, but he says the interim position suits him perfectly.

Top Stories January 30th

Petri Talks Social Security

1/30/09 - Congressman Tom Petri was back in the area a day after voting against the stimulus package for a series of Town Meetings and an appearance on Community Comment. The Fond du Lac Republican fielded a variety of questions from our listeners and several focused on Social Security and related taxes. Petri gave us his opinion on an issue that came up on last week’s Community Comment with Mike Silva from the Social Security Office in Fond du Lac. A listener questioned why someone that makes a million dollars a year is taxed the same in social security taxes as someone who makes $106,000, which is the current wage cap. Petri says for one it’s a fairness issue in that social security payout is skewed in favor of people who earn lower wages, and if the amount of the pay-in is increased, those people will have to get a bigger pension, unless you short change them. Petri also says the self employed could also easily convert their wages to company dividends, which are not subject to social security taxes.

Dodge County Sheriff’s Department Wrap-Up

1/30/09 - A 26-year-old man was arrested last night after allegedly steeling a computer from a town of Beaver Dam residence that he was babysitting at. That’s according to the Dodge County Sheriffs Department. A 20-year-old woman says Bradley Sprague came to baby-sit for her while she was at work. While at work the woman received a phone call from a friend telling her that Sprague had stolen her computer and left the child home alone. Authorities located Sprague and arrested him on charges of Theft, Bail Jumping, Carrying a Concealed Weapon and one other charge. The computer stolen from the residence is still missing.

1/30/09 - A 19-year-old man was found passed out behind the wheel of his vehicle just before midnight. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department says the man was parked in the middle of the road near the intersection of Highway 151 and Highway 33. When authorities attempted to awake the man he was unresponsive. Authorities took the man to the hospital for treatment and he was cited for OWI 1st Offense and released.

1/30/09 - Authorities are investigating a Breaking and Entering in the Village of Reeseville. The Dodge County Sheriffs Department reports a resident that lives on Jackson Street came home to find a number of drawers in the home opened and some pain medication missing. Authorities say the doors to the home were unlocked. The Sheriff’s Department and Reeseville Police Department are investigating.

Pineda Duque Sentenced

1/30/09 - A Mexican national was sentenced to nearly 4-years in prison yesterday for selling cocaine in the Watertown area. Perfecto Pineda Duque had previously pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to possess cocaine with intent to distribute. The Department of Justice conducted wiretaps between July of 2006 and June of last year and monitored hundreds of calls detailing drug transactions in Dodge and Jefferson Counties. On June 19, authorities seized over $100,000 in cash, multiple kilograms of cocaine and several automobiles. Three defendants have already been sentenced and two others will be sentenced next month. Three suspects remain at large. Pineda will be deported after he completes his sentence.

Three Years for School Break-In

1/30/09 - Three years in prison for one of three men who burglarized St. Matthews Lutheran School in Iron Ridge. Luke Hudak pleaded “no contest” to a felony charge of Burglary related to the March 2006 break-in at the school, in addition to burglaries at St. Matthews Catholic Church in Neosho and St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Woodlawn. The 23-year-old Hudak stole $2500 in items intended for a fundraiser at the Iron Ridge school, including a digital camera, $150 tennis shoes, assorted gift certificate cards and gasoline cards. Authorities tracked the group through the gas cards after viewing in-store camera’s at the gas stations where the trio fueled up. Hudak was also sentenced to four years of extended supervision and was ordered to split restitution costs with the other perpetrators.

Burglaries in Waupun

1/30/09 - Authorities in Waupun are urging the public to secure their homes and businesses. Chief Dale Heeringa says there has been a rash of minor business burglaries over the past few weeks. He says most have been crimes of opportunity. Both Homan Auto locations were recently broken into as was TNT Sports Bar & Grill. There have been no home break-ins but Heeringa urges both business owners and residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to authorities.

Middle School Student Strikes Teacher

1/30/09 - Charges of battery and disorderly conduct will be forwarded to the District Attorney’s office after a 14-year-old Waupun Middle School student allegedly hit a teacher in the face on Wednesday. That’s according to the Waupun Police Department, who says the girl was being taken to a “quiet area” in the classroom after flipping her desk over when she hit the staff member in the face. The student has also been referred to Dodge County Social Services.

Unemployment Up Throughout State

1/30/09 - Fond du Lac is the only metro area in Wisconsin that did not have record unemployment for December. All 12 of the state’s metros had higher jobless rates last month than in November. Fond du Lac was at five-point-nine percent, up one-tenth-of-a-point from the month before. Janesville had the state’s highest rate – eight-point-one percent, up three full points from the year before. It’s where last month’s shutdown of General Motors’ S-U-V production triggered a wave of other plant closings and layoffs. Madison continues to have the state’s lowest unemployment, at four-point-two percent. But it was the first time the Capital City ever surpassed four-percent for a December. Marc Levine of U-W Milwaukee says the numbers confirm the intensity of the recession – and no part of Wisconsin is immune.

State-Funded Health Care Sees 35-Percent Increase in Members

1/30/09 - The number of low-income Wisconsinites getting state-funded health care has jumped by 35-percent in the last six years. Almost 927-thousand people are now in Medicaid programs like Badger-Care-Plus. That’s about one-in-every-six state residents. And it’s up from 688-thousand at the start of 2003, when Governor Jim Doyle took office. Officials say more employees have stopped offering health insurance, forcing their workers to use government programs. And 100-thousand people signed up for Badger-Care-Plus last year after the state made it easier to enroll. Health services secretary Karen Timberlake says layoffs from the recession have not directly increased enrollments in Badger-Care-Plus yet. But Senate Democrat Bob Jauch of Poplar says it’s only a matter of time. And with Medicaid facing a one-point-four billion dollar deficit in the next two years, Jauch says it would be a mistake to cut funds meant for preventive care.

Jefferson County Ethanol Plant Files for Bankruptcy

1/30/09 - One of Wisconsin’s nine ethanol plants has filed for bankruptcy. The board of Renew Energy in Jefferson voted this week to seek Chapter-11 protections. Board chairman Paul Olsen blames it on lower revenues, and a bank’s refusal to renew its operating loan. But he tells the Wisconsin Ag Connection that Renew Energy will keep making ethanol, and ill continue its state-of-the-art dry-milling of corn. He also said the plant is still taking orders for farmers’ corn that’s used to make the fuel. Olsen also told the ag news Web site that at least three other ethanol plants in Wisconsin are in danger of closing down by March first. He did not name them.

Koschnick and Abrahamson Hold First Debate

1/30/09 - State Supreme Court candidate Randy Koschnick accuses his opponent of siding with criminal defendants more often than the other six justices. Koschnick and Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson held their first debate of the campaign yesterday in Green Bay. Koschnick – a circuit judge in Jefferson County – said Abrahamson agreed with defendant’s 60-percent of the time as they tried to go free, seek new trials, or reduce their sentences. Abrahamson said she had no idea if the 60-percent figure is correct. A campaign aide later it was based on 200 criminal appeals the court decided from 2000 through last year. Abrahamson said she considers each case on its individual merits – and she does not let her personal views influence her rulings.

Tree Deadline Extended

1/30/09 - The deadline to order from the Small Packet Tree sales program in Dodge County has been extended. The Land Conservation Department still has several species of trees for sale, including red and white Oak, White Cedar and Norway Spruce. The trees are sold in bundles of 25 for $23 per bundle. The deadline to place orders has been moved up to February 27. For more information or to get an order form, contact the Dodge County Land Conservation Department at 386-3660.

Top Stories January 29th

Doyle Delivers State of the State

1/29/09 - Governor Jim Doyle says the deficit for Wisconsin’s next budget will be even worse than the record five-point-four billion dollars projected in November. In his annual State-of-the-State address last night, Doyle warned that all of state government faces spending cuts – and that includes his top priorities of education, health care, and aid to local governments. Doyle renewed his calls for a statewide public indoor smoking ban, sobriety checkpoints to nab drunk drivers and making three-time O-W-I a felony. After last night’s speech, the G-O-P minority leaders of both houses said Doyle was setting us up for a tax increase. Senate leader Scott Fitzgerald called the speech “broad-brush doom-and-gloom.” His brother, Assembly leader Jeff Fitzgerald, said Doyle should have vowed not to raise taxes on hard-pressed families. Democratic Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan says it’s too early to say what might be cut, and everything’s still on the table. Doyle is scheduled to introduce his next budget February 10th.

Childs Retiring (Again) in 2010

1/29/09 - The Superintendent of the Beaver Dam School District says he will likely not be returning to the district when his current contract is up next year. Don Childs told us on WBEV’s Community Comment yesterday that the plan will be to find a replacement who will come in on a long-term basis. Childs came out of retirement to take an interim position with the district following the departure of Brian Busler in the spring of 2006.


BD Chamber Hands Out Community Service Awards

1/29/09 - The Beaver Dam Chamber of Commerce gave out its annual awards in front of a large crowd at the Old Hickory Golf Club in Beaver Dam last night. Countryside GM auto Group and co-owners Keith Gahnian and Dan Fox received the Business of the Year award. Pat Coe was named the chamber’s Citizen of the Year, while Brenda Kuhl of Mane Stage Hair Salon was named the Chamber’s Member of the Year. The Women’s Affiliate received the Chambers first ever award as Non Profit Organization of the Year.

Waupun to Increase Sewer Rates

1/29/09 - Waupun is looking to increase the city’s sewer rate by six-percent. The Common Council approved a recommendation to raise the rate based in part on a loss of revenue from trucking-in other municipalities waste. Waupun Utilities Manager Zak Bloom says the city lost a contract with Racine for trucking in their waste which resulted in a loss of around $221,000. With the loss of the revenue Bloom says a rate analysis showed the city would need to increase the rate to cover $112,000 in operational costs. If formally approved next month the average customer would see an increase of $1.31 per month.

Repair or Remove?

1/29/09 - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has put the City of Columbus on notice that the Udey Dam must be removed or repaired. The question argued at this week’s Council meeting was whether approved Dam “repair” should go ahead…or…should the question of “repair or removal” go to a voter referendum in the City’s April election? The Common Council voted in 2007 to repair the Dam, at a cost not to exceed $500 thousand dollars. However, the June 2008 floods in the City put repair planning on hold.

Council Member Darrell Augustine said that any further delay in action on the Udey Dam repair would cost the taxpayers more money. Repairing or removing the Udey Dam has been debated since 2004 when high waters of the Crawfish River caused officials to remove the flood gates. The City can no longer continue to do “nothing.” The State D N R has let Columbus officials know that a decision to repair or remove the Dam must be made soon. Council Member Roger Sneath told the Council that the voters needed to have a say in the controversy. The disagreement on a voter referendum will come to a vote on Tuesday, February 3rd when the Common Council holds their next regular meeting.

More Layoffs At National Rivet

1/29/09 - A Waupun company is blaming the current recession for the layoffs of a number of employees. National Rivet and Manufacturing informed an undisclosed number of employees last week of the layoffs. Executive Vice-President Bur Zeratsky says the layoffs are due to the (quote) “business conditions reflected in the country’s economic crises.” The layoffs are the second round of cuts over the past few weeks but Zeratsky says the company is hopeful that as business conditions change they would be able to bring those people back in. National Rivet is known for its production of fasteners.

House Members Reject Digital Changeover Delay

1/29/09 - Almost a quarter of Wisconsin households will have their T-V signals cut off February 17th – unless they buy cable, satellite, or a converter box now. The House said no yesterday to delaying the requirement that T-V stations go all-digital. President Obama sought a delay until June 12th, after six-and-a-half million American households missed out on government coupons which ran out for digital converter boxes. Democrats blamed the Bush administration for that, and said poor and rural residents are the biggest victims. The G-O-P line was that viewers would be confused by the delay, after being told for years that analog signals would end next month.

Man Arrested for 4th OWI with 3 Unrestrained Kids

1/29/09 - Dodge County Sheriffs deputies arrested a Reeseville man Tuesday afternoon for his 4th OWI. The 53-year-old was already on probation and allegedly had three small children between the ages of 4 and 8-year-old unrestrained in the front of his pick-up. A preliminary breath test showed the driver reportedly had a point-zero-seven (.07) blood alcohol level which would be just below the legal driving limit for most people, but because it was his fourth offense, he is prohibited from driving with more than a point-zero-two (.02). He was booked into the Dodge County jail and is being held on a parole violation.

Suspected Deer Killer Linked to Hit and Run

1/29/09 - One of the snowmobilers charged with running down five deer near Waupaca this month is also a suspect in a four-year-old hit-and-run traffic death. 24-year-old Rory Kuenzi of Weyauwega is in jail on numerous animal abuse charges. He and two others are charged in a brutal January ninth incident which had snowmobilers statewide defending the integrity of their hobby. Authorities said Kuenzi allegedly struck-and-killed 20-year-old Kevin McCoy with his pick-up truck west of Waupaca in October of 2004 – and he never stopped. Waupaca County Sheriff Brad Hardel said he just received a re-construction report on the crash scene. And it puts him one step closer to solving the case for certain. Hardel said the State Patrol recommended a visibility analysis of the scene – and that could take a few months. In the meantime, the sheriff says he’ll talk with prosecutors about the evidence he’s got. Kuenzi was never charged in the hit-and-run crash. He reportedly told officers he thought he hit a deer. Meanwhile, Kuenzi’s brother Robby and Nicholas Hermes are also charged in the deer killings. Yesterday, a judge ordered a preliminary hearing in Hermes’s case. But no date was set.

Reward Doubled In Duck Slaughter

1/29/09 - There’s now a five-thousand-dollar reward for information about the killings of 70 ducks on the Rock River in Fort Atkinson. The Humane Society of the U-S and its Wildlife Land Trust put up 25-hundred-dollars yesterday for information leading to an arrest-and-conviction. The Jefferson County Snowmobile Alliance had put up 25-hundred on Monday. Authorities said one or more snowmobiles were trying to skim across open water when the ducks were run over and killed. It happened between Friday and Sunday nights under the Main Street Bridge in Fort Atkinson where the ducks congregate. Three mallard hens were taken to a wildlife rehab center for treatment of their injuries. D-N-R Warden David Walz says a person who intentionally kills ducks-or-geese can go to jail for it.

Cambria PO Makes Changes

1/29/09 - The Cambria Post Office will be undergoing some changes at months end. Officials with the US Postal Service say two rural route carriers will move their operations from Cambria to the Randolph Post Office. Rural route customers may see a half hour difference in the time their mail is delivered. Zip codes will not change. The Cambria Post office will keep their same hours of operation and retain their postmaster. Declining mail volume and revenue are being cited as the reason for the move. The change goes into effect on Saturday. There are 10 other post offices around the state experiencing similar changes.

Petri Votes Against Stimulus Package

1/29/09 - The House of Representatives passed its stimulus bill Wednesday without the support of Congressman Tom Petri. The Republican from Fond du Lac says a stimulus bill is needed but he voted no because the proposed transportation spending -- which is about seven percent of the total stimulus package -- would create only half of the jobs originally anticipated from the stimulus. "Since seven percent of the bill would provide vastly more bang for the buck than the other 93 percent, it seems to me that we ought to spend more on crumbling infrastructure and actually get something lasting for the spending, and less on the other things in the bill, if creating jobs is what we are really trying to do. And that's what we need to do to stabilize the economy.”

Petri says some of the programs in the stimulus bill are worthy and some are not but a majority of them don’t belong in a stimulus bill. "The massive added spending that is contained in this bill will be with us for years to come, and we'll soon be confronted with votes for tax increases to stabilize the finances of our country as a result. It seems to me that we should be going through the normal committee and hearing process for this unnecessary part of the bill, and deciding whether this is something that is right or not, and if it's necessary, getting it right before passing it." The stimulus bill passed by a vote of 244 to 188.

Petri Hosts Town Meetings/ Appears on Community Comment

1/29/09 - US Congressman Tom Petri will be our guest on WBEV’s Community Comment this afternoon. We’ll be talking to Petri about the transition of to new administration, the economic stimulus plan and bill he is sponsoring that would modify the testing requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. Petri will join us beginning at 12:35pm on AM1430. Following the program, Petri will host a Town Meeting at Beaver Dam City Hall from 2pm to 3pm. The town meetings provide an opportunity for residents in his Sixth Congressional District to their share concerns in a group setting. Petri will also be at the Fond du Lac County City-County Government Center tomorrow from 1pm to 2pm. Childs Retiring (Again) in 2010

Top Stories January 28th

Wisconsin Legislators Disagree on Stimulus Package

1/28/09 - The U-S House is expected to approve the 825-billion-dollar federal economic stimulus package today. Wisconsin Democrats generally support the plan, which is said to create up to four-million jobs as soon as possible. House Appropriations Chairman David Obey of Wausau calls it an honest effort to keep the economy from falling further. But the state’s three Republicans don’t buy that – even after they met with President Obama yesterday. Menomonee Falls Republican Jim Sensenbrenner (left) says there’s no way he can support the bill – which the G-O-P says is loaded with lawmakers’ pet projects that won’t put people to work right away. Madison Democrat Tammy Baldwin says it will provide billions in much-needed funding for Wisconsin and all the other states. The state government expects around three-billion-dollars. They’ve created a special agency to speed up project approvals. There are also a host of tax cuts.

Crowds Flock to Goodwill Store for Driver Appearance

1/28/09 - Fans packed the new Goodwill Store in Beaver Dam last night for a chance to meet Packers receiver Donald Driver. Lines started to form around 1pm as fans, young and old, tried to be one of the first 300 people through the door so they could receive a free copy of Drivers new children’s book “Quickie Makes the Team.”. By 7pm a line continued to snake throughout the store as people waited to take a picture of Driver and have him sign their books. Driver told us the book was conceived out of his bedtime storytelling to his children and the lesson he hopes kids get from it is “don’t let someone tell you that you can’t do something.” The appearance and signing was the finishing touch to the Goodwill Store Grand Opening. Proceeds from last nights activities will benefit the Donald Driver Foundation and Goodwill Industries.

K9 Cop on Horicon Beat

1/28/09 - There’s a new cop on the beat in Horicon. Police Chief Joe Adamson says Officer Dusty is a one-year-old Golden Lab certified in narcotics detection. Dusty and his handler Robert Korth just completed training, went operational four-days ago and are on the streets in a new police vehicle specifically for canine operations. Dusty is the fourth canine officer in Dodge County. He will be certified in search and rescue this spring.

Panawash Sentenced for Seventh OWI

1/28/09 - A Neosho man was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for his seventh OWI yesterday in Dodge County court. Gregory Panawash had previously entered a “no contest” plea and had a second felony count was dismissed as part of the plea. The 48-year-old was arrested in August after he 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 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 was also sentenced to 60 months of extended supervision with absolutely sobriety and an ignition interlock
device for three years.

Five Watertown Teens Injured in Dead End Wreck

1/28/09 - Five Watertown teenagers were injured yesterday after their car drove through a guardrail at the end of a dead-end road. 18-year-old Kayla Peterson was traveling northbound on Overland Drive, when she drove through the dead-end sign and struck several trees before the vehicle came to rest on its roof. Peterson and her four passenger, who ranged in age from 15 to 19-years-old, were transported to area hospitals. The preliminary investigation shows that alcohol and speed may have played a role in the accident, which is under investigation by the Sheriff’s Major Accident Investigation Team.

Randolph Teacher on State Task Force

1/28/09 - A teacher from Randolph High School is among those appointed to an entrepreneurship task force established by the state school’s superintendent. The task force is comprised of business and community representatives, educational advocates and entrepreneurs from across the state. Agriculture teacher Keith Gundlach sits on the task force alongside Department of Commerce Secretary Richard Leinenkugel and Madison Times owner Ray Allen. James Morgan with Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and Rep. Sondy Pope-Roberts of Middleton serve as co-chairs. The Honorary Chair is Lorrie Keating Heinemann, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. State School Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster says she wants students to “know how to harness their creative and innovative capacities in an entrepreneurial spirit that supports economic growth and business vitality.” The group will meet this morning in Madison to discuss a framework that will guide district planning for entrepreneurial education across the state. The task force will make recommendations to Burmaster in May.

Wisconsin Under Air Quality Watch

1/28/09 - All of Wisconsin is under an Air Quality Watch until midnight tonight. The D-N-R says a stagnant air mass is trapping particles in the air from things like power plants, industrial smoke-stacks, and vehicle exhausts. And state officials say the air is unhealthy for kids, older adults, and folks with asthma and heart-and-lung problems.

Universal Health Care Plan to be Discussed

1/28/09 - We can expect state legislators to renew debate over a universal health care plan, despite public opposition – and opposition from Governor Doyle. George Lightbourn, president of the conservative-leaning Wisconsin Policy Research Institute, says the majority leader in the Senate has said he intends to reintroduce Healthy Wisconsin. Lightbourn's group is out with a study that claims Wisconsin would be a "magnet" for those with chronic illnesses from other states if the plan were enacted, and also claims it would cost state taxpayers more than a half-billion dollars a year.

Riding Snowmobiles to School?

1/28/09 - Some high school students in Dane County's Wisconsin Heights School District have ditched the bus and their cars for a different way to get to and from school -- they're riding their snowmobiles. Superintendent Mark Elworthy says there’s an organized club and a trail near the school. He approved the idea after studying similar programs in northern Wisconsin. The school board is looking to create a snowmobile parking area and a snowmobile use policy. Students would be required to park in one area, would not be allowed to carry passengers, and the sleds could only be used to go to and from school, according to Elworthy. Students would also need to pass a safety course and have the permission of their parents.

Herrera Vazquez Sentenced

1/28/09 - A Watertown area man was sentenced to close to 12-years in prison yesterday for selling cocaine in Jefferson and Dodge County. Servando Herrera Vazquez had previously pleaded guilty to charges of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. The Department of Justice conducted wiretaps between August of 2007 and June of last year and monitored hundreds of calls detailing drug transactions in the area. On June 19, authorities seized over $100,000 in cash, multiple kilograms of cocaine and several automobiles. Four other defendants face sentencing in the coming months, six have trials scheduled in March and three suspects remain at large.

Top Stories January 27th

Whitewater Woman Killed in 2-Vehicle Crash

1/27/09 - A 49-year-old Whitewater woman was killed in a two-vehicle accident Monday afternoon. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department says the woman was driving on Highway 26 near St. Ann Road when she crossed the centerline and crashed head-on into a semi. The woman was cut from her vehicle and taken to Beaver Dam Community Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The 49-year-old Illinois man driving the semi suffered minor injuries. The crash remains under investigation but Sheriff Todd Nehls says alcohol does not appear to be a factor. Names of those involved are expected to be released Tuesday morning.

BD Senior Center Considering Partnerships

1/27/09 - In the citywide facilities study, the Senior Center is listed as the city’s second priority, bolstered in part by a large donation. While the size of the donation has shrunk along with the stock market – from roughly $500,000 to around 300,000 – the resolve of the Senior Center Building Committee has only grown.

Director Evonne Koeppen outlined the past, present and future of the Senior Center in a presentation to the city’s Operations Committee last night. Koeppen says the future of a new facility may involve partnerships with other organizations like the Beaver Dam Area Community Theater, a county aging office, an adult day care center, or WMFB. Koeppen says the owners of the former WMFB property have made a preliminary proposal to sell as much land to the city as needed, erect a structure, hold the mortgage and sell it back to the city at a future date.

Operations Committee Chair Laine Meyer (left) says the presentation was insightful, but unfortunately the city couldn’t act on anything yet because there are too many irons in the fire. The Senior Center Building Committee has drawn up preliminary plans for a new facility. Ideally, the design concept calls for a 30,000 square foot facility on two to six acres with room for 140 parking places. The structure would be ADA complaint and house both the Senior Center and the Recreation Department. Koeppen says they hope to be in a new building by 2011.

Municipal Building Expansion Plan Plotted

1/27/09 - The city of Beaver Dam has mapped out their plans to renovate the municipal building. A citywide facilities study report approved in the fall lists Police Department expansion as the city’s number one priority. Under the plan, the police department and city administration would switch places within the municipal building. Director of Facilities David Stoiser outlined a four-phase approach to the project last night. The first phases involve architectural design and cost estimates, followed by the creation of an interim staging plan to detail how city administrative functions will continue during the construction. A contract will be awarded by the end of this year with construction beginning in January of 2010 and occupancy by November 1 of next year. The city has a March 6 deadline to receive RFP’s (Requests for Proposals) with a recommendation for the full council by March 20.

Sex Offender Moving into Town of Leroy

1/27/09 - A public notification meeting will be held next week to inform residents in the Mayville area about a convicted sex offender that will be released back into the community. David K. Schraufnagel will be released from prison on February 10 and plans to reside at N10317 Dairy Road in the Town of Leroy. The 49-year-old will be under 24-hour electronic monitoring. He is prohibited from having contact with his victims, or unsupervised contact with minors and cannot enter bars, taverns or liquor stores. Witnessed violations should be reported to the Dodge County Sheriffs Department. Officials remind the public that Schraufnagel has served his sentence, is not wanted by law enforcement and any attempts to threaten, intimidate or harass him will not be tolerated. Schraufnagel was sentenced to three and a half years in prison in 2004 on sexual assault charges for inappropriately touching two teenage girls while volunteering in the Mayville School District. The public notification meeting will be held next Wednesday, February 4 at Mayville City Hall.

Kienast Gets 14-Years for Molestation

1/27/09 - Fourteen years in prison for a Beaver Dam man who molested a young girl. Marvin Kienast pleaded “no contest” last September to charges of Repeated Sexual Assault of the Same Child and had a felony Bail Jumping charge dismissed but read into the record. The 61-year-old Kienast assaulted the young girl on four occasions between January of 2007 and January of 2008. In addition to 14 years in prison, Kienast was sentenced to 10 years of extended supervision.

Hole Gets Life

1/27/09 - An Illinois man who killed a real estate agent who was showing him a house in Jefferson County has been sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole. James Hole of suburban Chicago pleaded “no contest” in November to a homicide charge in connection with the death of 71-year-old Ann Nelson in March of last year. Hole admitted strangling-and-beating Nelson at a house in Cambridge, taking items from her purse, and starting the house on fire. Hole had completed a 10-year prison term in 2006 for an aggravated sexual assault in Illinois.

More Animals Killed by Snowmobilers

1/27/09 - Police in Fort Atkinson are looking for the snow mobilers who ran over and killed 60 ducks. Officials said a pair of incidents occurred between Friday night and Sunday when the machines raced across open water under a bridge on the Rock River. Four ducks survived, but were injured. Police said two riders were most likely involved. They said the snowmobiles move so rapidly in the dark, the ducks cannot get out of the way fast enough. Jefferson County snowmobile clubs and dealers have offered a two-thousand dollar reward for information leading to the riders’ arrests.

Resort Owners In Lake Delton Fretting

1/27/09 - Owners of some resorts on Lake Delton worry fresh water won't replace the weeds on the lake bed behind their properties in time for Memorial Day. Lake Delton is now about half full with village and state leaders saying they'll finish the refilling in the spring. But a few lakeside resort owners are concerned about when the rest of the restoration work will be complete. They say they’re not getting straight answers and they’re worried the lake won’t be full by Memorial Day.

Thieves Targeting Ice Shanties

1/27/09 - Lake Winnebago fishing clubs are telling their members not to leave valuable items in their ice-shanties. Thieves are said to be breaking into shanties, and stealing electronics, fishing gear, and more. Scott Engel of the Otter Street Fishing Club in Oshkosh says people are more desperate when times are tough – and nearly-perfect ice conditions make it easier for thieves to get around. Another club member says it’s easy for young people to drive on the lake in the middle of the night, and make trouble.

Top Stories January 26th

Citizen Action Meeting Tonight in Fox Lake

1/26/09 - A group of citizens in the Fox Lake area will be holding a meeting tonight to seek alternative ideas to closing a couple elementary schools if a referendum in the Waupun School District does not pass. A number of ideas have been floated to avoid closing Fox Lake and Alto Elementary including moving the 8th graders into the Waupun High School, filling the Middle School to capacity and closing Jefferson and or Washington Elementary. The meeting will be held at the Fox Lake Community Center beginning at 6:30pm.

Dodgeland School Board to Discuss Next Step

1/26/09 - The Dodgeland School Board will meet tonight to discuss the search for a new Superintendent. That’s after Ronald Vaughn requested an administrative leave of absence that will end with his resignation June 30, the same day his 2-year contract with the district ends. Officials are not saying why Vaughn is leaving, but the agenda for recent closed session meetings state the board was discussing allegations of harassment. Al Rosenthal is currently running the school district. He is a partner with Fox River Consultants and has previously served as an interim Superintendent while his firm was involved in the process of hiring Dodgeland’s last two superintendents.

Horicon Budget Issues Loom

1/26/09 - The Superintendent of the Horicon School District says he’s not sure the community would be ready, willing or able to support a referendum. Horicon is looking at a $600,000 deficit next year. Superintendent Gary Berger says when it comes to curriculum offerings that should be continued or added, a referendum would be the logical approach but realistically the district needs to look at whether the community can afford it. Proposed cuts would primarily target staff, resulting in an increase in class size.

Petri Sponsoring “Adaptive” Testing Bill

1/26/09 - Congressman Tom Petri is sponsoring a bill that would provide more accurate tests for elementary and middle school students. The bill, known as the Assessment Accuracy and Improvement Act, would allow states to use "adaptive" tests to fulfill their No Child Left Behind testing requirements. Currently, under the federal program, each state is required to test students in grades three through eight. Each state has its own tests, which must be approved by the Education Department. The tests are often done on paper and are identical for every student within the same grade in any given state. The Republican from Fond du Lac wants the Education Department to allow states to fulfill their federal testing requirement by using "adaptive" testing. Adaptive tests change the difficulty of questions based on the skill level of the student. Even though adaptive tests do not satisfy NCLB requirements, Petri says school districts nationally, and nearly a third of schools in his congressional district, are spending resources to use the tests because they provide information that the federally mandated assessment do not. We’ll talk with Petri more about this issue and others this Thursday when he is our guest on WBEV’s Community Comment program.

Illinois Man to be Sentenced in Killing of Cambridge Woman

1/26/09 - A suburban Chicago man is scheduled to be sentenced today for killing a real estate agent who was showing him a house in Cambridge. 35-year-old James Hole of Brookfield Illinois will get a mandatory life prison sentence. Jefferson County Circuit Judge Jacqueline Ervin will say if she’ll give Hole a chance at a release under extended supervision – and if so, when. Authorities said Hole strangled 71-year-old Ann Nelson of Cambridge last March. He was said to beat her with a fire-place poker, take valuables from her purse, and set the house on fire. Last November, Hole pleaded no contest to first-degree intentional homicide. Arson and burglary charges were dropped in a plea deal.

Feingold Will Introduce Amendment Regarding Special Elections

1/26/09 - U-S Senator Russ Feingold says he’ll introduce a constitutional amendment this week to require special elections to fill vacant Senate seats. The Wisconsin Democrat said the naming of Barack Obama’s replacement from Illinois was too much of a spectacle – and it was nothing like democracy. Governor Rod Blagojevich was indicted for trying to sell the Senate seat after Obama was elected president. And despite numerous calls for a special election, the governor named Roland Burris anyway. Critics say special elections cost too much as states face massive deficits. But Feingold says it’s wrong for one person to make such an important appointment – and if need be, a seat can be left vacant for awhile. There are a couple of ways to amend the U-S Constitution, as Feingold wants. Under the one used the most, Congress passes an amendment – and three-fourths of state legislatures then ratify it.

DNR: Three Counties Do Not Meet Soot Standards

1/26/09 - A state D-N-R official says three counties should be taken off the list of those not meeting the federal government’s new standards for soot in the air. Al Shea says his agency has just completed its air quality assurance testing for last year – and Brown County did not violate Washington’s soot standards. He says Columbia and Dane should be taken off the list, too – but he’s not sure about the other three counties on the federal list. Milwaukee, Waukesha, and Racine counties were also singled out by the E-P-A for having too much air soot for at least three years in a row.

Investigation into “Tragic Accident” Continues in Madison

1/26/09 - Authorities in Madison say the death of a monster truck show promoter at a performance Saturday night was a “tragic accident.” But federal safety officials will have the final word after they investigate. 41-year-old George Eisenhart of Chardon Ohio was announcing the event when he was crushed by a large blue pick-up truck near the end of the performance. One report said the trucks were returning to their parking areas after a demonstration. Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney said neither Eisenhart nor driver Daniel Patrick saw each other before the crash. Eisenhart had stepped out of a safety well the announcer was supposed to use – but nobody had any idea why. Eisenhart had just become the head of a national group that set out to create strong safety standards for the monster truck industry.

Top Stories January 25th

Wall Of Fame Deadline Nears

1/25/09 - The deadline is approaching for nominations for the Beaver Dam School District 2009 Wall of Fame Awards. Honors will be awarded in two categories: Friends of Education and Outstanding Alumni. Friends of Education are individuals or organizations who have given distinguished service to the district and its students. Outstanding Alumni are graduates of the High School recognized for their exceptional accomplishments, outstanding leadership, historical significance and prominence on the local, state, national or international stage. Last year, the award was presented to 1963 graduate Dr. Fred McFarlane, a San Diego State University professor whose revolutionary approach to rehabilitative counseling has effected positive, sweeping changes worldwide. The first recipient was film star Fred MacMurray. Nomination packets are available at all district school offices or on the district website at www.beaverdam.k12.wi.us. Nomination deadline is February 6. The district will honor the 2009 Wall of Fame award recipients at their 13th Annual Wall of Fame Banquet on Sunday, April 5.

No Damage in Town of Beaver Dam Chimney Fire

1/25/09 - There was no damage reported in a Town of Beaver Dam chimney fire last night. According to Fire Department Captain Matt Christian, the report came in at 5:40pm on Shaw Hill Road. Debris had collected in the chimney cap and ignited above the roof line. Christian says it was contained to the upper stack. The unit is back in operation. Firefighters were on the scene for just over an hour.

CFD Chaplin Attempts to Rallies Troops

1/25/09 - When Columbus Firefighters filled public meeting areas at City Hall earlier this past week, their presentations were not enough to spur the Common Council to take action.
Agenda items proposing the rescinding of two Council Resolutions outlining the Fire Chief hiring process was considered to be a way to speed up the process. Fire Department Chaplin Bruce Hennington asked the Council to “don their turnout gear and ACT” on getting the Fire Department a full time Chief. In a 4 to 3 decision, Mayor Nancy Osterhaus, Council President Ed Parpart and Council Members Darrell Augustine and Bill Bruns cast their votes to keep the hiring process resolutions in place. Parpart suggested that the Council and the Police and Fire Commission set up more meetings in order to ensure the selection of a Chief that was best for the City. The votes to rescind the resolutions by Council Members Jenny Perkins, Roger Sneath and Tyler Walker were not enough to initiate action toward the selection of a Fire Chief. The only “action” taken by the Council was to delay any Fire Chief recruitment process.

Badger State Could Get $4.3B Under House Bill

1/25/09 - The U.S. House version of an economic stimulus bill would send more than 4-point-3 billion dollars to the state of Wisconsin over the next two years. The biggest portion of the federal money would help Wisconsin balance its budget. More than a billion dollars would go to the Medicaid health program, a half-billion to build roads and bridges and 400 million dollars to public schools programs. Opponents doubt the effectiveness of this approach. Congressional leaders hope to have the package ready for the President's signature by February 13. The House votes next week. Details of the Senate version haven't been made public yet.

Momentum Grows For Smoking Ban

1/25/09 - It looks as if a statewide smoking ban may be a go this year -- but the devil is in the details. Smoking foes are increasingly confident a statewide ban will soon become law in Wisconsin, but they shouldn't be taking any bets. That’s what Dane County Tavern League President Barb Mercer says. Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan has said he favors some sort of transition to a statewide ban. Sheridan says there's "tremendous momentum" for a statewide smoking ban, but opponents say more than 40 bars have gone out of business in the Madison area due to local smoking bans over the past three and a half years.

Hopper Congratulates Hintz On Appointment

1/25/09 - State Senator Randy Hopper says the appointment of State Representative Gordon Hintz to the State Building Commission will keep the area well represented on the Commission. Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan appointed Hintz, who is from Oshkosh, to the Commission. Hopper, who is from Fond du Lac, says Hintz’s appointment is a big win for the U-W Oshkosh, making sure that it’s needs receive a fair hearing.

Sheboygan Man Gets Five Years For Sexual Assault

1/25/09 - A Sheboygan man will spend five years behind bars after being convicted of two counts of repeated sexual assault of a child. Two preteen girls told the police the inappropriate touching happened when Dwayne Davis was drunk -- and started in August 2006. He was arrested last August when the mother of one of the girls spotted him with his pants off. Seconds later she saw her daughter come out of a nearby restroom. Davis was sentenced Friday in Sheboygan County Court.

Inmate Enters “No Contest” Plea to Assault Charges

1/25/09 - One of the two Fond du Lac County jail inmates who beat up and sexually assaulted another inmate has pled no contest to several charges arising out of last June’s incident. Eighteen-year-old Otto Fountain of Oshkosh entered the pleas to amended charges of being party to battery by prisoners and theft. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for April 1st. Fountain and 32-year-old John Hall of Fond du Lac were accused of assaulting a convicted sex offender who was in the jail. Hall’s next court appearance on charges for his alleged role in the assault is for a pre-trial conference on March 11th.

Injury at Madison Monster Truck Show

1/25/09 - Another monster truck show -- and another injury. At the Dane County Coliseum in Madison Saturday night, a worker with the Motor Sports Monster Truck and Thrill show suffered an unspecified injury while working on the floor. He was taken to a hospital in an ambulance. His condition wasn't reported. The injury happened in the middle of the program, leading organizers to cancel the rest of the show. Just last weekend, a six-year-old boy was killed when a part flew off one of the monster trucks and hit him in the head. That accident happened in Tacoma, Washington.

Police Chief’s Son Charged With Felony Theft

1/25/09 - The son of Madison's Chief of Police has been charged with felony theft in Milwaukee County. A criminal complaint alleges that 25 year-old Brent Wray stole more than 28 thousand dollars from Milwaukee's Betty Brinn Children's Museum, apparently by entering fraudulent refunds and deleting payments at a cash register. Museum officials report they discovered in November that Wray had been taking cash, on a regular basis, in amounts as high as 900 dollars. The thefts date back to 2006. Wray was employed as an assistant manager at the museum. He’s the son of Noble Wray, a Milwaukee native who's been chief of the Madison Police Department since 2004.

Heroin Cases Grow At Border

1/25/09 - An increase in heroin cases in the state line area has police concerned. Four Illinois teens are awaiting extradition to Wisconsin in connection with a heroin-related death in Beloit. It's becoming a common trend, according to Beloit Police Captain Bill Tyler. There’s been an increase in heroin cases in the area between Rockford and Janesville. Tyler said it's hard to catch the problem early on, because family members don't want to turn relatives over to police, despite the crimes addiction can lead to. Tyler says many middle class families are affected.

Logging Halted in National Forest

1/25/09 - The U.S. Forest Services stops plans for a big logging project in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. The feds have decided more study and review is needed before letting the project move forward. The original plan allowed for harvesting of timber in a 52-hundred acre area northeast of Clam Lake. A supervisor with the Forest Service says she expects a final determination by the end of next month. The question might have to go before a federal judge before any timber can be cut. Environmental interests oppose the project.

Fond du Lac County Highway Project Gets Award

1/25/09 - A Black River Falls construction firm has been given an award for its work on bridge in Fond du Lac County. The state’s Department of Transportation gave Lunda Construction Company its Excellence in Small Structures Award for the work it did on the Highway 151 and County Highway D Interchange to Highway 175. The bridge spans an environmentally sensitive oxbow pond of the Fond du Lac River. The DOT Construction Awards were given out for various projects this past week.

Brother Phone Fire Rescue

1/25/09 - Kevin Walleser really was his brother's keeper. Early Friday morning, Walleser saw a bright light coming from his brother's house located a quarter-mile away in a rural area near DeSoto. It was just after midnight. Walleser called his brother, Buck, waking the family so they could get out before a fire burned the house to the ground. The Wheatland fire department says the fire started in the attic. Buck Walleser, his wife and their teenage son say they wouldn't have escaped alive without the warning phone call.

Top Stories January 24th

Wind Chill Advisory

1/24/09 - A wind chill advisory remains in effect until 9am this morning for our listening area as the National Weather Service says “bitterly cold artic blast” has moved into southern Wisconsin. Wind chill readings are 10 to 20 below zero. As far as the actual temperature, we could get as high as four degrees above this afternoon, but the thermometer will drop to five below again tonight with a wind chill as low as 15 below zero. The good news, temperatures will gradually increase over the next seven days and by the end of the week, could be hovering around the freezing point.

Vaughn Not Returning To Dodgeland

1/24/09 - Ronald Vaughn will not be returning as Superintendent of the Dodgeland School District. School Board President Jeff Caine has issued a press release stating that Vaughn has (quote) “requested an administrative leave of absence for career exploration and educational sabbatical that will end June 30.” That is the day his 2-year contract with the district officially ends and is now also the date his resignation will be effective. Caine is not saying why Vaughn is leaving, but there have been several closed session meetings with agendas that stated the board was discussing allegations of “harassment.” The release states that Vaughn “will make himself reasonable available” to Interim Administrator Al Rosenthal, who is “currently running the district.” Caine says they will be looking for Vaughn’s replacement “immediately.” The board will meet again Monday at which time they will decide what further action needs to be taken regarding day-to-day activities and the search for a new superintendent. Rosenthal, who is currently overseeing the districts day-to-day operations, is a partner with Fox River Consultants and has previously served as an interim Superintendent while his firm was involved in the process of hiring Dodgeland’s last two superintendents.

Referendum Not Likely in Horicon

1/24/09 - The Superintendent of the Horicon School District says given the current state of the economy, it would be a difficult time to go to referendum. The district is looking at a $600,000 deficit next year. Superintendent Gary Berger says he’s not sure if the community is ready, willing or able to support a referendum at this time. Berger says when it comes to curriculum offerings that should be continued or added, a referendum would be the logical approach but realistically the district needs to look at whether the community can afford to some it. Proposed cuts would primarily target staff, resulting in an increase in class size from the current 16 to 18 students to as much as 26 to 28 students per class.

Red Kettle Campaign Sees Green

1/24/09 - In spite of a weakening economy, the Salvation Army Kettle Campaign in Beaver Dam had a successful year. The Noon Kiwanis Club of Beaver Dam coordinated the effort. The groups Karl Nienhuis says the “ringing of the bells” raised $30,230, which was about $2000 more than last year. There were a total of 436 volunteer hours dedicated to this year’s bell ringing with volunteers bringing in an average of $69.34 per hour. All of the money raised goes to the Salvation Army. Eighty-six percent (86%) goes directly to those in need in Dodge County.

Alleged Deer Killers Waive Prelim

1/24/09 - A lawyer for one of the defendants says his client understands he did something wrong -- and says it's likely the case won't go to trial. Two brothers accused of running down and killing four deer with snowmobiles waived their right to preliminary hearings yesterday. A fifth deer was hurt so bad it had to be put down. Rory and Robby Kuenzi face charges of mistreatment of animals resulting in death. A third defendant in the case, Nicholas Hermes, has a court appearance scheduled next week. The three defendants are from Weyauwega.

Unemployment Calls Up

1/24/09 - More phone duty for employees of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. The slumping economy has increased the numbers of people trying to file for unemployment benefits. State workers say they are overwhelmed as they try to deal with all the calls. Last week alone more than a quarter-million calls were taken at the state's two centers in Madison and Milwaukee. One caller says she finally gave up after trying to get through for more than an hour. Federal funding will pay for an additional 83 temporary workers. That means the people assigned to the phone banks still would average more than a thousand calls a week to deal with.

Doyle Distances Himself From Blagojevich

1/24/09 - A spokesman for Governor Doyle says he has no comment about remarks from Rod Blagojevich. The Illinois governor brought up Doyle's name as one who could be a good witness in his defense. The Illinois Senate impeachment trial for Blagojevich will start next Monday in Springfield. Blagojevich said he had worked closely with Doyle and Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius. The spokesman for Doyle said Wisconsin's governor has no connection to what's happening in Illinois, so he has nothing to say.

Wolter To Dole Out Stimulus Cash

1/24/09 - Governor Jim Doyle names the chairman of Madison Gas and Electric Company to head a new state office handling economic stimulus money coming from Washington. Doyle says he expects Gary Wolter to step aside any time there is a potential conflict of interest. Much of the federal stimulus money is coming to Wisconsin for energy projects. Doyle says the new state office will focus on being quick and efficient in distributing the money coming from Washington. About 15 state employees will be assigned to work in the office. Anywhere from two and a half to four billions dollars in economic aid is said to be headed for the Badgers state. Wolter will be assisted by Alan Fisch, a vice chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Dane County Board Member Injured by Drunk Driver

1/24/09 - Dane County Board member Shelia Stubbs says she has never been in so much pain before in her life. Stubbs was released from a Madison hospital yesterday wearing a neck brace. She was treated for injuries after a drunken driver slammed into the back of her vehicle. Stubbs says she hopes the incident will bring new attention to recent efforts to crack down on drunken driving. She was hit while stopped at a red light January 15. At the moment it happened, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk was in a meeting with the governor, pitching several ideas to make Wisconsin's drunk driving laws tougher. Stubbs represents Madison's south side.

Top Stories January 23rd

Bitter Cold Returns

1/23/09 - It’s time to buddle up again for another extremely cold couple of days. We are under a Wind Chill Advisory beginning tonight through 10-am tomorrow with the National Weather Service predicting possible wind child values of between 20 and 25 below zero. Also, all of Wisconsin is under a rare winter Air Quality Watch until noon today. The D-N-R says a stagnant air mass prevents the spreading of particles from things like factories, power plants, vehicles, and small engines and light winds will keep the dispersing of those particles to a minimum at least until mid-day today. That’s considered unhealthy for young kids, older adults, and people with asthma and heart-or-lung disease.

Freezing Fog?

1/23/09 - Yesterdays freezing fog warning issued by the National Weather Service caught many people unaware of its meaning. Assistant State Climatologist Ed Hopkins says it’s actually quite common during the winter months. It happens when water droplets becoming super cooled and collide with the pavement and sidewalks leading to them freezing and causing slippery roads. According to Dodge County authorities yesterday morning’s fog did not lead to very many accidents.

Horicon Schools Seeing Red

1/23/09 - Officials in the Horicon School District are rolling up their sleeves to tackle a $600,000 projected deficit for next year. School Board President Doug Glamann says potential cuts have been identified in several areas to address the estimated red ink. That includes reduced staff and increased class sizes. Glamann says the deficit is the result of salary and benefits increases, rising energy costs and a decline in enrollment. He says the district wants to avoid dipping into the reserve fund as much as possible, which he says has been done too much in recent years.

Smoking Ban May Be Phased in for Taverns

1/23/09 - The new Speaker of the state Assembly is hinting that a transition period for bars may be needed in order to pass a statewide smoking ban. Speaker Mike Sheridan (D-Janesville) says there's "tremendous momentum" for a statewide smoking ban. However, he says lawmakers can't turn their backs on small businesses that would be impacted by such a measure. The Janesville Democrat says bars and taverns should be given some time to adapt to the massive changes a statewide ban would require. He says lawmakers need to be sensitive to those issues as they weigh the possibility of passing a ban in the upcoming months.

State Unemployment for December Highest Since ‘86

1/23/09 - Wisconsin’s new unemployment rate is the highest for a December since 1986. It was five-point-eight percent – up a half-point from November, and up one-point-two percent from the year before. It’s not a seasonally-adjusted rate. And it does not include those who’ve given up looking for jobs. The state said there were 36-thousand-400 fewer Wisconsinites working last month than in December of 2007. It was the 10th straight month of year-to-year job losses. Milwaukee business consultant Nicholas Hayes calls it a scary market. But even in this deep recession, he said southeast Wisconsin has a more diverse and resilient economy than a lot of other places. Mequon investment manager Gregory Pierce says the current recession is worse than in the early 1980’s – and it has not bottomed out yet. Pierce says some companies would rather lay off too many people and hire them later – and not under-estimate the need to downsize now. The state is expected to release local numbers in the next few days.

Huge Crowd for DNR Hearing in Ripon

1/23/09 - More than 700 people, including farmers, environmentalists, lobbyists and college students packed a public hearing for a Fond du Lac County dairy farm last night in Ripon. The D-N-R held the hearing to gather comments on the environmental impact statement and wastewater discharge permit for the Rosendale Dairy. The first phase of the dairy will including housing and milking up to 4,000 dairy cows and that could double during a second phase in a couple of years. Environmental groups have concern over the 46-million gallons of liquid waste that will produced by the farm but local officials say a lot of people contributed to a plan that would be as environmentally sound as possible. On top of that the farm would create 70 local jobs in a time when many are cutting back.

WP&L Customers to See Refund

1/23/09 - Electric customers in south central Wisconsin will soon get a break on their bills. The state Public Service Commission approved 18-million-dollars in refunds yesterday for customers of Wisconsin Power-and-Light. The panel said the utility’s fuel costs have been lower than projected. So the average W-P-and-L customer will get a 14-dollar refund on an upcoming bill.

Farm Tech Volunteers Needed

1/23/09 - Volunteers are needed for the 2009 Farm Technology Days in Dodge County. Farm Tech Executive Secretary Matt Hanson says volunteers are needed both throughout the course of the three-day event and prior to the opening in hospitality, admission, grounds services, field demonstrations, parking and in tent city. Volunteers will get free admission for the day or days of work and a free t-shirt. The 2009 Farm Technology Days will be held July 21 through the 23 at the Crave Brothers Farm near Waterloo.

McInnish Gets Probation on Reduced Charges

1/23/09 - A Watertown man who pushed a woman into a sharp table resulting in 15 stitches was placed on probation. Richard McInnish had a felony charge of Substantial Battery reduced to misdemeanor Obstruction. The woman sustained several other injuries including a fractured hand during an altercation last March. The 53-year-old was also required to get psychological and alcohol abuse treatment.

Kuhn Bound Over

1/23/09 - A Beaver Dam woman, accused of pawning over $10,000 in stolen jewelry, was bound over for trial yesterday in Dodge County court. Nicole Kuhn first told authorities she found the jewelry in a school parking lot, and then later changed her story to implicate a former boyfriend. The items were taken from a Town of Westford home in May. The 29-year-old is charged with Theft of Movable Property and Receiving Stolen Property – both felonies. If convicted, Kuhn could be sentenced to 7 years in prison, plus and additional 4 to 8 years because she is a repeat offender. Arraignment is scheduled for February 11.

Wehner Waives Prelim

1/23/09 - A Horicon teen accused of leading authorities on a high speed chase has waived his right to a preliminary hearing. 17-year-old Jonathan Wehner is charged with one felony count of Fleeing an Officer related to the November 8th incident. Authorities say they attempted to pullover a Dodge Interceptor on North Spring Street, but the suspect fled, leading authorities on a chase that reached speeds of 120mph on Highway 151. The pursuit was called off on Highway 73 as it entered the city of Columbus. Two hours later, officers in Horicon located the suspect vehicle. The 16-year-old female driver told authorities that Wehner, her boyfriend, had been driving and she was a passenger in the borrowed car. Wehner has a preliminary hearing on February 18.

Top Stories january 22nd

Hoeft States Case on Community Comment

1/22/09 - On Community Comment yesterday, the owner of the Fountain Inn Tavern in Beaver Dam criticized city officials for seeking to demolish his property after he spent $35,000 to reopen his business following the June floods. The city is seeking to acquire and demolish eleven downtown buildings located in a floodplain over the river. Jay Hoeft – the lone hold out - also said the city sacrificed the eleven buildings so the DNR would loosen improvement restrictions for the Weyco development, which is located in the flood fringe. He says it’s a matter of principal and while he “may wind up having to sell his building to the city, he would love to see the building stay” because it is a piece of history. Hoeft’s building was recently placed on the state Historic Registry. While that may not save him from DNR demolition orders, Hoeft contends he will no longer be held to a floodplain restriction that limits him to spending no more than 50% of the assessed value of his building on improvements.

Fox Lake Overhauling Garbage Pickup System

1/22/09 - Fox Lake residents could start seeing a garbage pickup charge on their water and sewer bill as early as this May. That’s after the Common Council discussed an ordinance that would abandon the current system which makes residents buy $1 dollar stickers and place them on every bag they want picked up. With the new system residents would pay five-dollars more on their water and sewer bill each month. The council is expected to vote on the new ordinance later this spring.

Call to Dispatchers Released

1/22/09 - Records and audio released by the Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Department confirm that a recent murder-suicide in the Town of Eldorado unfolded much too quickly for deputies to prevent. The tapes reveal an off-duty deputy got a call from another man about a text message he'd gotten from Julie Hinkley. Her husband, Kurt, was holding a gun on her and wouldn't let her leave their home. Shortly after, Kurt and Julie Hinkley wrestled inside the home before she was able to break away and get outside, but he was on her heels and fatally shot her and himself before deputies could do anything about it. The couple left behind a 3-year-old and an 8-year-old daughter.

Hron Goes to Prison for Speeding

1/22/09 - A Randolph man -- whose speeding six years ago caused a wreck that killed 16-year-old girl – is going back to prison for leading authorities on a high speed chase. Brian Hron had his extended supervision revoked for leading Columbia County authorities on a pursuit in September that reached speeds in excess of 120mph. The 24-year-old was arrested at least two other times since the fatal crash in 2002. He was sentenced to the maximum of three years in prison during a reconfinement hearing Tuesday. Hron is still facing charges in Columbia County for the chase and could have another four years added to his sentence.

Plank Arraigned

1/22/09 - An Iron Ridge man has entered a “not guilty” plea to charges that he molested a young teenage girl. Mark Plank was in Dodge County court yesterday on a felony count of Sexual Assault of Child Under the Age of 16 related to offenses that allegedly occurred last 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. A jury trial is scheduled for March 23.

Sussex Man Convicted of Negligent Homicide

1/22/09 - A driver from Sussex has been convicted in the death of a friend who was surfing on his car when it hit a tree. 18-year-old Michael Hollnagel pleaded no contest yesterday in Waukesha County to a charge of negligent homicide. He’s scheduled to be sentenced March 27th. Authorities said 19-year-old Brian Jackson of Menomonee Falls was riding on the hood when Hollnagel lost control of the car as he was passing a parked vehicle. Jackson was thrown when the car crossed a median and hit the tree. He died in a helicopter that was heading to a Milwaukee area hospital. The crash happened last June 19th.

Aerators On Lakes

1/22/09 - A third aeration system has been added to Beaver Dam Lake. Doug Sackett with the Beaver Dam Lake Improvement Association says there is now an aerator located on the south end of the lake near Skunk Island. Earlier this month, the association placed aeration units in the mid-lake at Minders Island and in the northwest portion at Rasmussen Point. Sackett says oxygen levels are still low and it could be a month or two before a benefit is seen. There is also an aerator on Fox Lake. Officials there tell us it was set up near Maple Point on Monday. There has been one at Lake Emily for the past couple weeks as well. The area around an aeration system is roped off with reflectors.

DNR Holding Meeting in Ripon on Proposed Mega-Dairy

1/22/09 - The state D-N-R will hold a public hearing in Ripon tonight on a proposed mega-dairy in the nearby town of Rosendale. The D-N-R is being asked to approve a waste-water discharge permit and an environmental impact statement. The proposed dairy would have up to four-thousand cows and 150 beef cattle. Under its current plans, the operation would generate about 46-million gallons of liquid waste – most of it manure. It would be stored on the site, and applied to over 56-hundred acres of croplands each year. A second phase of a similar size would be possible in the future. The D-N-R is taking written comments about the project through February fourth.

Wisconsin Loses Authority to Control Grey Wolves

1/22/09 - Wisconsin has again lost its authority to control grey wolves. The Interior Department restored that power last week. But President Obama has signed an executive order which gives his new administration time to review the last-minute decisions the Bush bureaucrats made just before they left. It means that Washington will control Wisconsin’s nearly 600 wolves under the Endangered Species Act. But Laura Ragan of the U-S Fish and Wildlife Service says it should only be temporary, while the new administration gets up to speed. The state’s management plan – which the federal courts struck down twice in recent years – gives farmers more control in killing wolves that destroy livestock and pets.

Leopold Honored with National Historic Landmark

1/22/09 - The Wisconsin place where Aldo Leopold was inspired to write “A Sand County Almanac” has just been named a National Historic Landmark. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne announced nine historic designations just before he left office on Tuesday. One was the humble shack and farm near Baraboo where Leopold – who’s considered the father of modern ecology – wrote his classic collection of essays. They called for a new land ethic to guide people in their dealings with nature. And they described his observations of nature as the seasons changed in southern Wisconsin. The shack is now maintained by the Leopold Foundation, which his children started 27 years ago to continue his legacy.

Coke Dealer to be Resentenced

1/22/09 - In an apparent first in Wisconsin, a cocaine dealer from Milwaukee will get a new sentencing, because of alleged racial remarks a judge made in his original sentencing. A state appeals court criticized what former Circuit Judge Joseph Wall said when he sentenced Landray Harris. Wall, who’s now a federal prosecutor, gave the black Harris two years in prison in August of 2007. Harris told the judge he stayed home with his two-year-old daughter, while the mother went to college and worked. And the white judge replied, “Where do you guys find these women?” Wall later said quote, “Mr. Harris sits at home, gets high while his baby-mama works and goes to school. I swear there’s a club where these women get together and congregate.” The 22-year-old Harris asked for a new sentence, saying Wall made sarcastic, stereotypical, and racially-offensive remarks. Circuit Judge Kevin Martens rejected a new sentence. He said the remarks were about Harris’s character, and not his race. Appeals’ Judge Joan Kessler said there’s no proof that Wall harbored a racial bias. But she said the phrases “baby mama,” “you guys” and “these women” were troubling – because it’s a step toward saying “you people,” which has been known to be a racial insult.

Unemployment Soaring

1/22/09 - The recession still has growing numbers of Wisconsinites filing for unemployment benefits. State officials say new jobless claims for the first three weeks of the New Year are up 62-percent from the same time a year ago. The workforce development agency said almost 82-thousand laid-off workers filed their first benefit claims through last Saturday. Last year, the total was just over 50-thousand. Continued benefit claims for the long-term unemployed are up 53-percent in 2009, from the first weeks of ’08.


MADD Scales Back

1/22/09 - Mothers Against Drunk Driving will cut its Wisconsin staff from three people to one by the end of January. A spokeswoman for the national group says state director Kari Kinnard will be leaving, along with MADD’s development director Michelle Puetz. That leaves victim assistance worker Lindsay Desormier as the only remaining Wisconsin staff member. The national group said the Badger State chapter does not bring in enough donations to cover its budget – even though contributions have risen lately. MADD has been very vocal about wanting to make first-time drunk driving a criminal offense in Wisconsin – the need for more ignition inter-locks for repeat offenders – and the approval for sobriety checkpoints. All those issues and others are expected to be considered in the new session of the state Legislature. But Assembly Democrat Tony Staskunas of West Allis says the timing of MADD’s cutbacks is unfortunate. The group is cutting staff in six other states besides Wisconsin.

Top Stories January 21st

Now the Tough Part Begins for Obama

1/21/09 - The real work begins today for President Barack Obama and his new administration. Governor Jim Doyle says people understand the “huge challenge” Obama has inherited, and it will take him time to get going. Last night, Doyle joined thousands from Wisconsin and the region at the official Midwest Inaugural Ball in Washington. Vice-president Joe Biden told the crowd that he and Obama will start making history today. Niel Ritchie, who owns a cabin in Hayward, called the gala event “perfect.” Governor Doyle said the most moving part of Obama’s inaugural speech was when he spoke directly to the world about America’s new leadership. Back in Wisconsin, newspapers printed extra copies for people to buy as keep-sakes. And while thousands attended special viewings, many paused to watch the inaugural from work, school, or home. Thirty Dane County jail inmates in Madison crowded around a T-V to listen to Obama – and a veteran guard said she never heard it any quieter. Pictured: President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama dance at the Midwest Inaugural Ball last night.

Petri Attends Inauguration

1/21/09 - Congressman Tom Petri called it an important day for Wisconsin and America. The Republican from Fond du Lac was on hand for the inaugural events in our nation’s capital yesterday. Petri says President Obama’s inaugural speech was both uplifting and inspiring and also far-reaching in its call for each of us to do our part.

College Students Comment on Obama

1/21/09 - The people we spoke with in Beaver Dam on Inauguration Day had high praise for the new president. UW-Milwaukee student Libby Budde of Beaver Dam said having a black president shows how far we’ve come as a country. Her friend Heidi Wedel, a UW-LaCrosse student who is also from Beaver Dam, said she hopes Obama can deliver on his promise of change because she’ll need a job after graduation.

Demerit Point System Considered for Beaver Dam Bars

1/21/09 - An ad hoc committee has been formed to study the feasibility of establishing a demerit point system for bars in Beaver Dam. Administration Committee Chair Don Neuert says the ad hoc committee will start by looking at point systems established for bars in other communities like Waupun, Fond du Lac and Randolph. Under the Waupun model, any establishment that receives between 150 and 199 demerit points within in a 12-month period, will have their license suspended for between 10 and 90 days. For points totaling 200 or more within an 18-month period, the license for the establishment will be revoked for at least six-months, and the license holder would be ineligible for another license for up to one year. An establishment could be assessed 150 demerit points for: failing to cooperate with public safety officials, violating nude dancing restrictions, or allowing employees to deal drugs…80 points for serving minors or selling to an intoxicated person…45 points for excessive noise or public consumption. The ad hoc committee looking at creating a point system for Beaver Dam will be comprised of Neuert, city attorney Mary Ann Schacht, Police Chief Dale Boldt, Director of Finance John Somers, and alderpersons Glen Link and Mary Flaherty. They plan to meet in the next couple days. After the preliminary groundwork is laid, the committee will invite tavern owners and the Tavern League of Wisconsin into the process.

City Atty: ‘DNR Supersedes Historical Designation’

1/21/09 - Inclusion of the Fountain Inn Tavern on the state Historical Registry means nothing to the DNR. That’s according to Beaver Dam City Attorney Mary Ann Schacht who says the Department of Natural Resources tells her they would still have the authority to order the downtown building removed, regardless of its status with the state Historical Registry. Jay Hoeft, owner of the tavern formerly known as “Emotional Rescue” at 203 Front Street, says he is going to try his best to stay in business because his building is a piece of Beaver Dam history. The DNR has indicated that buildings constructed over a river must eventually be removed, but they have not set a timeline, prompting city officials too act quickly before the targeted businesses suffer from neglect. The city has accepted offers-to-purchase from nine of eleven buildings in the floodway over the Beaver Dam River. Legal proceedings have begun against another building believed to be abandoned. That leaves only Hoeft, who will tell his side of the story on WBEV’s Community Comment Wednesday afternoon.

Interim Supt On The Job at Dodgeland

1/21/09 - There is an interim Superintendent in charge at the Dodgeland School District. Al Rosenthal is currently overseeing the districts day-to-day operations. Rosenthal is a partner with Fox River Consultants and has previously served as an interim Superintendent while his firm was involved in the process of hiring Dodgeland’s last two superintendents. Ron Vaughn (pictured left) has not been working as the Superintendent with Dodgeland since January 12. School board officials will only says that a statement will be made when the negotiations are resolved. Vaughn is operating under a two-year contract; he has been with the district for 18 months. If the board does not act to renew the contract by the end of the month, it will automatically be extended for one year. The Dodgeland school board voted on January 12 in closed session but refuse to disclose the details of the vote. The board will meet again Monday at which time they will decide what action needs to be taken regarding day-to-day activities and the search for a new superintendent.

Fox Lake Area Residents to Discuss Alternatives to Closing of Schools

1/21/09 - A discussion about possible alternatives to closing two elementary schools in the Waupun School District will be on the February 2nd school board agenda. That’s after a number of Fox Lake area residents, who identified themselves as “Citizens Concerned About the Education of All Students in the Waupun Area School District”, spoke during the public comments portion of a board meeting recently. Three referendum questions are on the primary ballot for February including one that would allow the district to exceed the revenue cap by a total of 4-million dollars over 3-years to keep operating a number of schools as they currently do. If that were to fail, District Administrator Randy Refsland has said he would recommend Fox Lake and Alto Elementary schools to close. The residents at the meeting handed out a sheet listing possible alternatives, including combining the high school and middle school or even closing the schools that need the most repair instead of Fox Lake. A few concerned parents have also started their own blog in an attempt to save the school, called Save Fox Lake and Alto Elementary Schools. There will also be a Citizen Action Meeting at the Fox Lake Community Center next Monday starting at 6:30pm.

Stimulus Package Could Cut State Budget Deficit

1/21/09 - The federal economic stimulus package that’s brewing in Congress could help Wisconsin wipe out more than half its budget deficit. State budget director David Schmiedicke says around two-and-a-half billion dollars in stimulus money could help pay for health care and education in the Badger State. And another 575-million may arrive in the form of transportation projects. But even if Washington provides three-billion, that still leaves a deficit of two-point-four billion to be closed with state spending cuts and tax increases. Legislative finance committee co-chair Mark Pocan of Madison said there are still more questions-than-answers about the federal aid the state might get. Pocan says his fellow legislators and Governor Jim Doyle are working on their own stimulus package that could be ready by early next month. Pocan, a Democrat, says it would loosen procedures to make it easier to spend the federal money. It would also boost job training programs and address tax fairness issues. Pocan didn’t say what those issues were, but some lawmakers have talked about clamping down on tax-sheltering practices by corporations.

Foreclosures Up Throughout our Area in ‘08

1/21/09 - The number of foreclosures in Dodge County for 2008 was up 22-percent over the previous year. According to the States Clerk of Courts, there were 409 foreclosures last year, 73 more than in ‘07. Most of the surrounding counties saw similar increases. Columbia County was up 24-percent to 300 for the year, while Jefferson checked in with 59 more foreclosures in ‘08, a 22-percent increase. Washington County saw a 20-percent increase to 418 foreclosures. Fond du Lac was the only county in our area that did not see a huge increase. They were up just 3-percent, but that put the total number of foreclosures at 334. Statewide foreclosures were up 21-percent, and only 4 counties saw a decrease last year. The biggest increase was seen in Adams County where there were 80-percent more foreclosures last year than 2007.

Lee Enterprises Posts Losses Again

1/21/09 - The company that owns the Beaver Dam Daily Citizen is reporting another financial loss. Lee Enterprises said its earnings for its fiscal first quarter dropped 69-percent – due mainly to a recession that has caused declines in both business-and-classified advertising. Lee’s biggest newspaper is the Saint Louis Post-Dispatch but it also owns the Racine Journal Times and the Herald in Chippewa Falls. In addition, Lee owns a 50-percent share of Capital Newspapers – publishers of the Madison Capital Times and the Wisconsin State Journal, and dailies in Portage and Baraboo, as well as Beaver Dam. Yesterday, the State Journal said the Madison papers would lay off 12 news reporters. Ad revenues dropped 15-percent, and total revenues went down 13-percent in the three months ending December 31st. Net income after dividends totaled 15-cents a share, down from 48-cents in the same quarter the year before.

Top Stories January 20th

Inauguration Day has Arrived

1/20/09 - Barack Obama becomes the nation’s 44th president this morning. And Senate Democrat Russ Feingold of Wisconsin says he’d love to see Obama renounce some of the executive powers used by President Bush in the name of fighting terror. But House Republican Jim Sensenbrenner of Menomonee Falls says Feingold should not hold his breath. Sensenbrenner says he’d be shocked to see much of a rollback in executive powers, if any. Feingold has long questioned the constitutionality of wire-tapping without warrants, detentions without trials, and rough military interrogations. Obama has promised to close the prison on Guantanamo Bay – and he has described the water-boarding interrogation technique as torture. But the Chicago Democrat has never said he would quote, “renounce the extreme claims of executive power” – the exact words Feingold says he’d love to hear.

There are some Wisconsin employees who will get paid today while watching Obama’s inauguration. Electronic Theatre Controls is giving all 575 of its Middleton workers a paid break to watch the inaugural ceremony at 11 this morning. C-E-O Fred Foster says he’ll serve 100 apple pies. And those who don’t want to watch the inauguration can still take the extra break and have a treat. Foster says he normally keeps politics out of his office. But as he puts it, “The politics of this is over. This is now about America.” The information technology company C-D-W will have open conference rooms where employees can take a minute to peek at the day-long coverage. Employees at Saint Mary’s Care Center in Madison will eat cake with residents, and talk about presidential elections of the past. Other firms plan pizza parties and pot-luck lunches. For many, it will be business-as-usual. But some employers – like the city of Madison – have flexible scheduling, in which employees who stop for the inauguration can make the time up later.

You can hear the inauguration ceremonies live on 1430 WBEV beginning at 10:55am.

Council Approves Redevelopment Company after Lengthy Debate

1/20/09 - The Beaver Dam Common Council last night approved the hiring of a construction company to oversee the remaining phases of the downtown revitalization plan. Under the plan approved last month, the city will acquire and demolish nine of eleven downtown buildings located over the Beaver Dam River that are in violation of state statute. On an 11 to 3 vote, the council approved hiring WDS Construction of Beaver Dam. Trent Campbell, with the Beaver Dam Area Development Corporation, says WDS will serve as an umbrella entity that will assemble a team to coordinate the various loose ends related to completing the redevelopment plan. That includes planning, demolition, partial site restoration, culvert removal and subsequent erosion control. Campbell was on the hot seat for over two hours in committee and on the council floor. The main points of contention, led by Alderman Mark Born, were the circumvention of the bidding process in selecting WDS, in addition to the lack of alternatives in selecting companies and the short notice in supplying the resolution. Campbell agreed that process is always important in any governmental activity or decision, but a variety of factors – out of his control – are forcing very real deadlines that have to be addressed immediately. The city last night authorized a $35,000 payment to WDS to conduct a study to determine the costs associated with the acquisition, demolition and restoration plan and ultimately provide a guaranteed maximum price for the work.

The Beaver Dam Common Council last night also approved an ordinance change that allows for one dog-friendly park in the city. Dogs will now be permitted on leashes in the northwest portion of Edgewater Park.

The council also approved an easement from the Beaver Dam School District to build a water retention basin. The basin will be used to maintain a storm water detention basin on the Jefferson Elementary school grounds. There will only be water in the basin temporarily after heavy rains and will filter impurities before flowing back into the storm sewer system.

Boy’s Swimming Proposed for Beaver Dam

1/20/09 - More than a dozen kids, parents, and coaches came to the Beaver Dam School Board’s meeting to speak on behalf of a proposal that would add boy’s swimming to the high schools sports lineup. The program would be self-sustaining in the first two years through fund raising and volunteer efforts. If the new program is successful in attracting students the athletic department would ask that the district provide funding on the same level as the girls program. Among the benefits that were talked about included the idea that the sport would create confidence and build character in the kids and possibly bring in more students to the district that may not have come to the school without swimming. The board will vote on the proposed plan next month. If passed the program would start during the 2009-2010 school year.

Peace Offerings Made Between Columbus PFC and Council

1/20/09 - The Columbus Police and Fire Commission and the City Council exchanged peace-making gestures at last night’s PFC meeting. For the first time since disagreements began the City Council Liaison was included as a line item on the PFC meeting agenda. Council President Ed Parpart returned a peace gesture inviting Commission Members to join in a Council Committee of the Whole discussion session on the Fire Chief’s job description. Two Fire Chief hiring “resolutions” that are part of the dispute between the City and the PFC will be on tonight’s Common Council meeting agenda.

Columbus Community Hospital Holds Annual Meeting

1/20/09 - Columbus Community Hospital’s Annual meeting heard CEO Ed Harding say that 2008 was a “difficult year fraught with many challenges.” A summary of statistics presented showed that there were slight reductions in the number of patients and outpatients. However, the number of surgery patients, urgent care visits, births and medical imaging tests all increased. Medical Chief of Staff, Dr. Tom Mitchell, said there were changes in 2008 that could improve the Hospital’s ability to serve the community. Mitchell also said Community Hospitals such as Columbus often have an advantage in providing more personal patient services.

Horicon Man Sentenced for Role in RV Fire

1/20/09 - A 53-year-old Horicon man who got his son-in-law to set a fire at Merz RV Center in Fond du Lac has been sentenced to 6 months in jail and five years of probation. Thomas Seiler was sentenced in Fond du Lac court last Friday for the June 11th, 2007 fire that destroyed his RV, another and damaged a pole shed. Seiler’s son-in-law, Jamie Schwartz, was previously sentenced to 1-½ years in prison, and his daughter Michele Schwartz to three years of probation for their roles in the fire. Seiler was hoping to collect an insurance settlement on his RV. (KFIZ)

Bank CEO’s say Economy in State is Getting Weaker

1/20/09 - Nine of every 10 Wisconsin bank executives say the state’s economy is getting weaker. That’s according to the latest survey by the Wisconsin Bankers Association. None of the 139 chief bank executives who responded said businesses in their markets would be hiring people in the next six months. And over half expect local firms to cut employees. Kurt Bauer, the head of the bankers’ association, calls it ominous, distressing, and a sign of the times. About half the Wisconsin bank C-E-O’s said they’ve tightened their lending standards to preserve their capital, or because of federal regulations. The main reason for denying business loans in the last six months was a reduction in cash flow by the prospective borrowers. The bankers said the housing-and-construction industries are the hardest hit by the recession. Non-restaurant food businesses and agriculture appear to have held up the best so far.

No Salmonella Issues with Girl Scout Peanut Butter Products

1/20/09 - It’s okay to buy Girl Scout cookies. The scouts of the Wisconsin River Valleys and Minnesota said yesterday that none of their varieties are affected by the peanut butter recalls spurred by a salmonella outbreak. Only the Do-Si-Do and Tag-a-long varieties have peanut butter. Local scouting groups were told yesterday that their cookie baker, Little Brownie, does not get any of its peanut butter from the company that’s being investigated. Yesterday, Kellogg’s confirmed that salmonella was found in a package of its peanut butter crackers – and General Mills and two large grocery chains pulled their peanut butter products. Kellogg recalled 16 products last week after learning about possible salmonella poisoning. Yesterday, the Michigan company said the F-D-A confirmed a contamination in a single pack of Austin Quality Foods Toasty Crackers with Peanut Butter. The salmonella outbreak has killed six people and sickened almost 500 others.

Kohler Makes More Layoffs

1/20/09 - The Kohler Company has completed its fourth round of layoffs since last October. Another 188 employees have been let go, bringing to 400 the number of workers who’ve been cut since last October. Spokeswoman Kristine Cristina cited a report from the Institute for Supply Management which said U-S manufacturing is at its lowest point in 28 years – and new factory orders are at their lowest since at least 1948. Cristina said 76 administrative employees at Kohler lost their jobs permanently on Friday – and 112 production workers may be recalled at some point in the future. Kohler is known world-wide for its high-end bathroom and kitchen fixtures. It’s Sheboygan County’s largest employer with around seven-thousand local workers. And Kohler is the fifth-largest private employer in Wisconsin.