Top Stories February 28th

Outstanding Alumnus Named

2/28/09 - The Beaver Dam School District has announced their 2009 Wall of Fame Inductees. This year’s outstanding Alumnus is 1967 graduate Dr. Robert Ehlenfeldt, who was appointed State Veterinarian in 2003 and is responsible for overseeing the health of Wisconsin farm animals. Dr. Ehlenfeldt is widely regarded as an authority on matters of animal health and veterinary disease treatment. He will take his place on the wall alongside such notables as film star Fred MacMurray who was the first graduate to be recognized. Also, Robert Gartzke will be recognized as a “Friend of Education,” along with the Exchange Club of Beaver Dam. They will all be honored at the 13th Annual Wall of Fame Banquet, which will be held Sunday, April 5 at the Old Hickory Golf Club.

Four Arrested in Columbus

2/28/09 - Four people were arrested Friday morning in Columbus after authorities say they attacked police officers responding to a domestic dispute. According to Columbus Police Lieutenant Dennis Weiner, the officers were dispatched to a residence on South Ludington Street at 11:35am. During the course of their investigation, they were allegedly attacked by 34-year-old Denise Golden at the residence. Weiner says while they were attempting to take her into custody, two other adult males came after the officers. Tazers were used to subdue 25-Daniel Owens of Columbus and 23-year-old Michael Krueger of Beaver Dam, but Weiner says even then they continued to resist. A 15-year-old male also physically resisted and fought with officers. The four face charges of Disorderly Conduct and Resisting Arrest. Golden is additionally charged with Battery to a Police Officer. The tree adults were all booked into the Columbia County jail. One officer received minor injuries but did not seek medical attention. Authorities say all parties, including the 15-year-old, were intoxicated.

Gun Fire Leads Authorities to Finding Growing Operation

2/28/09 - A report of a gun shot being fired led authorities to finding an indoor growing operation at a Town of Rubicon home early this morning. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department says a woman called reporting that she heard a shotgun blast at her neighbor’s home on Pond Road. When she looked outside she saw a man running inside the home. Upon arrival, deputies made contact with five men ranging in age from 28 to 21 and a 21-year-old woman. While searching the subjects, drug paraphernalia was found on two of the men. After contacting the district attorney and judge a warrant was issued and when searching the home an indoor growing operation was found. There is no word on how big the operation was.

Two for the Price of One

2/28/09 - While arresting one man for driving intoxicated authorities were forced to chase the man’s passenger as well. The Sheriff Department is reporting that while taking a 21-year-old man into custody around 1:45 this morning in the Town of Lowell for OWI, the mans 22-year-old passenger jumped into the drivers seat and took off with the vehicle. Authorities were able to get the man to pullover. He was also arrested for driving under the influence, and while he was being handcuffed the man passed out. Both men were taken the Beaver Dam Hospital before being transported to the Dodge County Detention Facility. The men face a variety of charges stemming from the incident.

Car Stopped after Going 25MPH on Highway 41

2/28/09 - Know when to keep quiet. That’s a lesson a 39-year-old Illinois man possibly learned the hard way. The Sheriff’s Department says Washington County authorities alerted them to a vehicle driving 25-miles-per-hour on Highway 41 northbound just before midnight. Dodge County deputies found the vehicle at a northbound wayside in the Town of Theresa and arrested the 44-year-old female driver on suspicion of drunk driving. Authorities took the woman to jail for a 12-hour hold. The 39-year-old passenger was given a ride to the jail to wait for a ride. On the way there, the man allegedly got into a heated argument with officers and was booked on disorderly conduct charges. The driver of the car was cited for operating under the influence, first offense.

OWI’s Span All Ages

2/28/09 - A 79-year-old Horicon woman picked up her 3rd OWI Thursday. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department says deputies responded to a one-vehicle runoff around 3:45pm on Square Road in the Town of Hubbard. Suspecting that driver Anna Lee Bauer was impaired, the officers performed field sobriety tests. However, not all the tests could be performed because she requires the use of a walker. A breathalyzer showed Bauer had a blood alcohol level of .154, nearly twice the legal limit.

Walker: Prisoners Shouldn’t Get Early Release

2/28/09 - Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker wants authorities to join him in trying to kill Governor Jim Doyle’s budget measure that would give early release to some prisoners. It would shorten the sentences of up to three-thousand non-violent felons, according to how long they’ve been on good behavior. There is also a possibility that there would be a reduction in the number of prisoners who would be supervised following their release which is something that Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls says would concern him. Doyle spokesman Lee Sensenbrenner says prison guards believe inmates need some kind of incentive to behave behind bars.

No Charges Filed Against Panos

2/28/09 - No charges will be filed against former Badger lineman Joe Panos if he behaves himself. Panos was in trouble for using golf clubs to damage a car. That car belonged to the man dating Panos' estranged wife. Waukesha District Attorney Brad Schimel says the case doesn't meet the legal definition of domestic abuse. Panos' wife had filed for divorce three months ago. Panos played on the 1994 Rose Bowl champion Badger team, then played for seven years in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills.

Art Exhibit Causes Debate on Free Speech

2/28/09 - An art exhibit sparks a lively debate about free speech on the University of Wisconsin-Platteville campus. Student artist Michael Hannigan had lined up 25 stuffed teddy bears in the school's art building, each holding a kitchen knife in its lap. Hannigan said he wanted to juxtapose the innocence of teddy bears against the ferocity of real bears. The school had a problem with the knives being left unattended, especially on weekends. Campus police ordered them removed, but the artist said his display just looked "dumb" then. The knives were removed. Teachers say the situation has started discussion of censorship and the arts on the Platteville campus.

Ryan Warns of “Stag-flation”

2/28/09 - Warnings of "stag-flation" come from Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan. The Janesville Republican says all the spending and new taxes could have the effect of keeping economic output down and inflation up. Ryan spoke at Marquette University yesterday. He says unless Washington avoids growth-stopping policies, we're forcing a bad future on the next generation. Ryan points specifically to the president's higher taxes on investment growth and those who make a lot of money as approaches that could slow economic growth. He says President Obama is spending a lot of money in his budget plan. Ryan is the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee. Ryan will be the one to introduce a Republican alternative to the president's budget. That comes in early April.

Legislators Working on Biking Law

2/28/09 - Madison resident Linda Willsey was riding her bike past a parked car last summer, when the driver of the vehicle threw open their door and knocked the Madison woman off of her bike. Willsey was injured and also received a ticket, due to a little known state law that requires cyclists to pass parked vehicles by at least three feet. However, state lawmakers say that restriction is unrealistic and makes it so someone exiting a vehicle has no responsibility to check their surroundings first. Legislation at the Capitol would repeal that law and require the driver of a vehicle to watch out for passing bikes. State Senator Fred Risser is a sponsor of the measure. He says it would hold cyclists to the same standard currently applied to those driving any other type of vehicle.

DNR Says Lake Delton Ready to Go by Memorial Day

2/28/09 - The Department of Natural Resources expects Lake Delton to be fully restored by Memorial Day. Officials with the DNR say efforts to refill the lake are on schedule and they expect water levels to be back to normal in the coming months. Water has slowly been returning to the lake since December after work to reconstruct the portion of Highway A washed out by flooding last summer was completed. The highway was destroyed when Lake Delton breached its banks, draining the lake. The lake is only partially refilled at this point, but additional work will be done this spring that will allow the water to completely return. After the water is restored, the DNR and local groups plan to restock the lake with fish.

Woman Knits Teddy Bears for Kids Affected by HIV or AIDS

2/28/09 - She's never met these children. She likely never will. Phyllis Schmidt has never even visited the country where they live. Schmidt is 93 years old and she spends five to six hours nearly every day making teddy bears. She knits them. Every teddy bear goes to a child in Africa who is affected by HIV or AIDS. She knits those teddy bears as a participant in the Mother Bear Project based in Minneapolis. The nonprofit group has sent nearly 37 thousand bears to Africa. Schmidt says she hopes her bears bring some happiness to those kids. She says she hopes to knit another 100 bears next year.

Unclaimed Property Tour Coming to Dodge and Jefferson Counties

2/27/09 - The Unclaimed Property Outreach Tour is coming to Dodge and Jefferson County next week. State Treasurer Dawn Marie Sass says the database shows more than 10,000 Dodge County residents and nearly 11,000 Jefferson County residents with unclaimed property. Sass says typical items include the contents of safety deposit boxes, insurance premiums, forgotten paychecks, refund and rebate checks. Sass says there is still $1.38-million of unclaimed property in Dodge County and $1.41-million in Jefferson County. Statewide, over one million people and businesses have unclaimed property in Wisconsin totaling nearly $324-million. The tour will stop at the Beaver Dam Public Library from 12-1pm and at the Watertown Public Library from 2:30-3:30pm on Wednesday March 4th. You can also find out if you have unclaimed property by visiting. www.statetreasury.wisconsin.gov.