Top Stories February 16th

Cambria Girl Killed in Lake Winnebago Accident

2/16/09 - One of those killed when a pick-up truck went through ice on Lake Winnebago Saturday was a 9-year-old girl from Cambria. Savannah Kleinhans and her 44-year-old father, Dan, were killed when the vehicle hit a crack in the ice and sank. A young friend of Savannah’s was taken to a Milwaukee hospital. Her condition was not immediately known. Strong winds and warm temperatures had melted much of the ice last Tuesday. The incident is still being investigated.

Walker Urges Republicans to Stay On Message

2/16/09 - The Dodge County Republican Party held their annual Lincoln Day Dinner last night in Beaver Dam. The guest speaker was former legislator and current Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, who was chosen for his efforts to pass a balanced county budget while holding the line on the tax levy. Walker told the crowd the current economic crisis cannot be won the backs of taxpayers. He says the best approach to addressing the budget shortfall is shrinking government’s size and costs and suggests taking a closer look at public employees who are looking at three or four percent annual increases at the same time people are worried about lay-offs. Walker says the key to Republican success in upcoming elections is to stay on message remain optimistic.

BD School Board Set to Vote on Boy’s Swimming

2/16/09 - The Beaver Dam School Board is expected to vote tonight on adding boy’s swimming to the high school 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 talked about last month when it was first proposed 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. If passed the program would start during the 2009-2010 school year.

Primary Election Tomorrow

2/16/09 - With just one statewide race on tomorrow’s primary ballot, that for State Superintendent, officials expect turnout to be low throughout Wisconsin. However, referendum questions and a number of primaries in our area will draw some people out to their polls. There are primaries for two Ashippun Town Board seats as well as one for the Fox Lake Town Board. There is also a primary for the multi-jurisdictional judge seat for the mid-Moraine Municipal Court. The biggest primary race comes in Columbus where four Mayoral candidates are fighting for three spots on the general election ballot in April. And in the Waupun School District, residents will find three referenda questions on their ballot, with the most expensive question being the first. It’s asking for $5-million-dollars over three years to keep operating a number of district schools as they currently do. If that were to fail District Administrator Randy Refsland has said he’d recommend closing Fox Lake and Alto Elementary to help close a $1-million-dollar budget shortfall for the next school year. Refsland will be our guest on Community Comment this afternoon beginning at 12:35.

Man Jailed for Spitting on Bartender

2/16/09 - A 27-year-old man was arrested after spitting on a bartender early this morning. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department says the bartender reported around 1:40 this morning, that while she was bartending at an establishment in Juneau, the man spit on her. Sheriff’s Deputies arrested the man and booked him at the county jail. The man is facing Disorderly Conduct charges for the incident.

Driver Hits Vehicle, Leaves Scene

2/16/09 - A 47-year-old man is possibly facing 2nd degree Reckless Endangering Safety charges after allegedly rear-ending a vehicle and leaving the scene. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department says a 24-year-old man reported he was rear-ended by a truck near the intersection of Highway 33 and Crystal Lake Road in the Town of Beaver Dam around 3:30 yesterday afternoon. The man says driver of the truck took off northbound but authorities were able to stop the truck at the intersection of Farwell Road and Prospect Road. There was minor damage to the vehicles. The Sheriff’s Department is requesting the reckless endangering charge.

Sendoff Ceremony for WI National Guard Tomorrow

2/16/09 - A noon ceremony is planned tomorrow in Madison for the 32-hundred Wisconsin troops getting ready to go to Iraq. Governor Jim Doyle will be among those at a state National Guard ceremony for members of the Red Arrow Brigade. They’ll report to Fort Bliss in Texas by March first, to get trained for at least a 10-month mission in Iraq. Legislators, mayors, and Guard officials will also take part in tomorrow’s ceremony at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. The U-W Madison marching band will join an Army band in providing the music.

Powerball Over $100-Million

2/16/09 - The Powerball jackpot is above 100-million-dollars for the first time since January 17th. It's at 105-million for the next drawing on Wednesday. Nobody won the jackpot Saturday night, and nobody from Wisconsin won the 200-thousand-dollar second prize. An Indiana player was the last jackpot winner -- 163-million-dollars almost a month ago. Wednesday night's cash option is just over 58-million-dollars for a single winner who takes the whole prize now, instead of in 30 annual installments.

February Is Prescription Drug Awareness Month

2/16/09 - Authorities in Dodge County are urging the public to properly dispose of their unused prescription drugs and to secure the narcotic drugs. February is prescription drug awareness month. Dodge County Sheriffs Detective Brian Drumm says leaving narcotic drugs like Vicodin, Valium and Codeine in your medicine cabinet can make you a drug supplier without your knowledge. Drumm says unused and expired drugs should no longer be thrown down the drain because they wind up in the water supply. A prescription drug drop-off will be held at the Heritage Village Mall in Beaver Dam on Saturday, February 28 from 9am until 12pm. Pictured: Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy presents Detective Drumm with a proclaimation stating that February is recognized as "Prescription Drug Awareness Month" in the city.