Top Stories February 23rd

Two Arrested after Chase

2/23/09 - More details are coming to light from a car chase early Sunday morning that resulted in two men being arrested and a Hartford police officer needing medical attention. According to Sheriff Todd Nehls, the Hartford officer saw a vehicle go up on a curb in the city around 2:30am and attempted to pull the vehicle. However, the driver of the vehicle, 25-year-old Joshua Neu did not stop and the chase continued into Dodge County eventually ending up on Highway 67. After a few miles the chase went off road just outside of Neosho. However, the subject’s vehicle got stuck, and in an effort to get away, the driver backed up and rammed the squad car repeatedly. The officer was able to get himself out of the car by shooting out the window, but his vehicle was un-drivable. The suspects escaped the scene, but Dodge County deputies found both men within ten minutes and arrested Neu and his 32-year-old passenger. The officer and passenger were taken to Aurora Medical Center in Hartford where they were treated for minor injuries. Nehls says the investigation into the incident continues between his department, the state patrol, and Hartford police. He expects a number of charges to be filed this week against Neu, including a citation for operating while intoxicated and felony fleeing. More charges could be forth coming.

Dolan New Archbishop in New York

2/23/09 - The Vatican confirmed this morning that Milwaukee Catholic Archbishop Tim Dolan is the new archbishop in New York. It’s been speculated for weeks, as Cardinal Edward Egan is about to retire. Numerous sources said yesterday that Pope Benedict had chosen the 59-year-old Dolan. We’re not sure yet when he’ll leave the 10-county Milwaukee archdiocese, where he has led 682-thousand Catholics since 2002. Dolan will join the nation’s best-known Catholic branch. It has two-and-a-half million members in three of New York City’s five boroughs – including Manhattan – and seven counties as far north as the Catskills. The New York Times called Dolan a “towering frame and a gregarious presence,” and “a genial enforcer of Rome’s conservative line.” About a-third of Dolan’s new territory is made up of Spanish-speaking residents. And while Dolan does not speak Spanish, he has received high marks for his service to Milwaukee’s Latinos.

Waupun School Board to Discuss Referendum Results

2/23/09 - The Waupun School Board will hold a special meeting tonight to discuss the failed referendums from last weeks election. All three questions on voters ballots last Tuesday were voted down, including one that would have allowed the district to exceed the revenue cap by a total of about $5-million dollars over three years to keep operating a number of buildings as they currently do. Prior to the election, District Administrator Randy Refsland had said if that question were to fail he would recommend closing Fox Lake and Alto Elementary so as to help the district close a $1-million-dollar budget deficit for the 2009-2010 school year. In an effort to keep their school open, a Fox Lake area citizens group has begun to raise funds to hire an attorney to help them sort out what their options may be going forward. No action is expected at tonight’s meeting.

Garcia Sentenced in Sexual Assault Case

2/23/09 - A Waupun man has been sentenced to 120-days of conditional jail time and five years probation for having sex with a 12-year-old girl. According to Fond du Lac Assistant District Attorney Scott Mortier, 20-year-old Brett Garcia, who was 18 at the time of incidents, did not use threats, force, alcohol or drugs when he had sex with the girl who he thought was 15. Along with the jail time and probation Garcia must register as a sex offender. Garcia had been charged with first-degree sexual assault for having sex with the girl between September and Halloween 2006. The girls mother wrote a statement to the court which said she was not angry with Garcia as he was not the first person the girl had sex with and she had hoped he would be kept of the sex offender registry.

Ban on Feeding Deer in Waupun?

2/23/09 - The city of Waupun will be discussing an ordinance this week that would ban the feeding of white-tailed deer. This will the second straight year the council will attempt to pass the ordinance which is designed to crack down on the deer that are taking their toll on trees and shrubs on the north side of the city. City Administrator Gary Rodgers says there are number of herds running around town and causing extensive amounts of damage. If passed the ordinance would ban residents from setting food plots in their yards. Residents have seen as many as 20 deer together walking down city streets and through yards. During last years discussion the DNR recommended the ban but it failed when voted on. The council will discuss the issue tomorrow night at their Committee of the Whole meeting.

Number of Legislators Giving Back Raise up to 12

2/23/09 - There are now 12-Wisconsin legislators who will be giving back their 5.3-percent raise in the face of a 5.9-billion-dollar state budget deficit. Representative Brett Davis from Oregon became the latest to hand back the raise joining four other Democrats and seven Republicans. He says after looking at the budget released by Governor Doyle last week, and seeing a proposed 0-percent pay increase for state employees, Davis felt it wasn’t right for other state employees to take a raise. None of the legislators that represent our area have given back their raise.

Fire Damages West Bend Home

2/23/09 - Fire caused more than $150,000 in damage to a home in the Town of West Bend early Sunday morning. Washington County Sheriff's officials say the fire began in a first story fireplace and spread to the basement and attic through the chimney chase. Five fires departments fought the blaze and were on scene for about 2 ½ hours. The home's occupants and their pets were able to get out of the house safely. Smoke detectors were activated. Michael and Carrie Leverance own the home at 4783 Jacob Road. (KFIZ)

Girl Rescued from Waters Last Week Still in Critical Condition

2/23/09 - The 7-year-old St. Nazianz girl rescued from a pickup truck that went through the ice of Lake Winnebago more than a week ago remains in critical condition. Tiffany Dombrowski is recovering from that tragic incident at Children's Hospital in Milwaukee. The accident ended up claiming the life of 44-year-old Dan Kleinhans and his 9-year-old daughter Savannah. Fond du LacCounty Sheriff's Sergeant Jeff Bonack works with the dive team that recovered Dan Kleinhans. He says everyone reacted as quickly as they could. (KFIZ)

Walker Not Running for Governor…Yet

2/23/09 - Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker appears to be doing everything but saying he’ll run for governor next year. The Republican has appeared at local G-O-P Lincoln Day dinners around the state. And today, Walker will be in the nation’s capital for a fund-raiser hosted by the state’s three Republican House members and former Governor Tommy Thompson. As of January first, Walker had 360-thousand dollars in campaign fund – about a million less than Democratic Governor Jim Doyle. Walker raised over 413-thousand in campaign donations last year, including 272-thousand late in the year from 128 people who gave a-thousand or more. Walker says he’ll make his official decision on running before the state Republican Convention in early May.

Wisconsin Governments to Receive $3.5-Billion from Stimulus

2/23/09 - It will be a long time before we really know how much Wisconsin gets from the federal economic stimulus package. Governor Jim Doyle says state-and-local governments will receive around three-and-a-half billion dollars. But that’s just part of the total. There are also tax cuts for workers, and tax breaks for people who buy homes-and-cars. Companies will compete for business grants under the package – and Wisconsin’s share will depend on how able-and-aggressive its firms are in winning those grants. Steve Baas of the Metro Milwaukee Association of Commerce says Wisconsin companies should do well. He and others cite the growing emphasis by state companies on energy efficiency, and the development of bio-fuels and other green technology. The Center for American Progress expects Wisconsin to get a total of nine-point-two-billion-dollars from the stimulus package when all is said-and-done. That would put the Badger State in the upper half in terms of economic output, but in the lower half in aid per person – at around 16-hundred-25 dollars.

WI Family Action: “Domestic Partner Protections Unconstitutional”

2/23/09 - A family rights’ group says the state can expect a lawsuit if it approves the domestic partner protections in Governor Jim Doyle’s new state budget. Julaine Appling of Wisconsin Family Action believes the courts would rule them unconstitutional, and her group has lawyers looking into it. Under Doyle’s plan, domestic couples would register in their home counties to get legal protections. They could get family-and-medical-leave to care for an ill partner. And they could make end-of-life decisions for their partners, so they’re not legally shut out by their partners’ families. Appling calls it a direct assault on the 2006 constitutional amendment that bans gay marriages and civil unions.

Powerball Jackpot Rises

2/23/09 - The Powerball jackpot is 150-million-dollars for Wednesday night. Nobody won the top prize on Saturday night. And nobody from Wisconsin won the second prize, either. The current jackpot is the second-highest of the year. An Indiana player won 163-million-dollars on January 17th. The cash option for Wednesday is just over 80-million-dollars for a single winner who chooses to take the entire prize now.