Top Stories May 11th and 12th

Update: Columbus Returning To Normal

5/12/09 - Authorities say that all residents in the Columbus-area are now allowed to return to their homes. Around 150 people were displaced after a series of explosions at Columbus Chemical Industries last night. In addition, power is being restored to all homes and businesses in the area, except the chemical plant. Orders for other residents in the area to “shelter-in-place” have been discontinued, meaning folks in Fall River can once again open their windows and doors without worry of a toxic cloud making them ill. The EPA and Public Health Department have also determined that air and water are safe outside the perimeter of the Columbus Chemical grounds. Authorities tell us that the EPA will continue to test wells in the area for the next few weeks to assure that the water remains safe. Highway 73 was opened to traffic at 4pm. Highway 151 was opened up around 11am this morning. Tomorrow morning, agents from the State Fire Marshal’s office will begin their investigation at the scene to determine the cause of the fire. They will be assisted by Department of Criminal Investigations, and the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department. Authorities also says that Columbus Chemical has hired a contractor - Northshore Environmental - to provide environmental clean-up. They will be assisted by BT Square who will provide quad-gas monitoring inside and outside the hot zone. Fire crews first arrived at Columbus Chemical Industries at about 8pm Monday night. They came in response to an alarm at the plant. After they arrived, a series of explosions made them fall back and let the facility burn until early this morning. Two minor injuries were reported to area firefighters.

Spokesperson Says Plant Receiving Regular Inspections

5/12/09 - Last night’s chemical fire and explosions was a shock to the fifty-five employees at Columbus Chemical. Company attorney, Tom Godar, offered background on the thirty year-old business located between highway 73 and the Crawfish River on Temkin Road. At the time of the fire no one was at work so there were no injuries. Godar said that the chemicals in the main building were primarily petroleum based and hydrochloric acid. The 55 employees have been notified they should stay away from the scene until emergency crews clear the area. Columbus Chemical had been receiving regular inspections and they recently became ISO certified as a safe work environment.

Less Than a Year After Floods Emergency Management Needed in Columbus Again

5/12/09 - The Columbus chemical fire and evacuation comes less than one year after the catastrophic floods. During those floods, disciplinary actions by then Mayor Nancy Osterhaus resulted in suspensions of Emergency Management Co-Directors Bob Zapotocny and Bill Kleutzman and the city hasn’t had a permanent replacement since. Two weeks ago, newly elected mayor Bob Link appointed former Police Chief Gerald Sallmann in an interim capacity until a permanent replacement can be found. Sallmann has experience in the position having served in the position while chief. Link says Sallmann has been invaluable since he assumed the interim position.

WI 2nd in Nation for H1N1 Flu Cases

5/12/09 - Wisconsin now has the nation’s second-highest number of cases of the H-1-N-1 flu virus. State health officials reported 414 confirmed cases yesterday, along with 35 probable ones. Only Illinois has more instances of the swine flu, with 487 confirmed. And by all indications, Wisconsin will soon have more flu cases. That’s because Milwaukee County – which keeps its own numbers – had 319 confirmed cases yesterday, while the state only recorded 231 for that location. The state and county release their numbers at different times – and that’s one major reason for the discrepancy. Nationally, there are over 25-hundred cases of what the World Health Organization calls Influenza-“A.” Three Americans have died from it. Still, there are no reported cases of the virus in Dodge County

Farmers Facing Animal Mistreatment Charges

5/12/09 - Two brothers in Lomira face felony Animal Mistreatment charges after authorities found what they described as an “appalling” and “abusive situation” at their seven acre farm. 40-year-old Harvey Buchholz and 35-year-old Heath Buchholz are each charged with four felony counts each of Mistreatment of Animals Causing Death. Authorities say they found dairy cows, calves, steer and sheep sick – bellowing with hunger -- with inadequate food, water and bedding. According to the criminal complaint, there were dead animal carcasses strewn all over the barnyard. The remaining animals were covered in mange, with open sores and visible bones and ribs. A veterinarian brought in to assess the conditions said he was “appalled by the total lack of husbandry… and disregard for the welfare of the animals.” The brothers were given several weeks to address the situation this January. They denied that financial troubles lead to the conditions. They now each face up to 14 years in prison if convicted on each count. The Buchholz brothers each had a signature bond set at $1000 and they will be back in court later this month.

Woman Gets Probation for Smuggling Marijuana into Prison

5/12/09 - A Milwaukee woman was placed on probation for two years for attempting to smuggle marijuana into the Waupun Correctional Institution inside a candy wrapper. Debi N. Sanders pleaded “no contest” to reduced obstruction and drug possession charges and was placed on deferred prosecution on a second felony count of Delivering Illegal Articles to Inmates. The 25-year-old told authorities in February that she found the candy at the bottom of a vending machine and thought her incarcerated brother would like it. Sanders also had her license suspended for six months.

Plank Found Innocent

5/11/09 - An Iron Ridge man charged with molesting a young teenage girl has been found innocent. 47-year-old Mark Plank, a prior sex offender, was found innocent by a Dodge County jury after a two-day trial last week. Plank had been accused of entering the room of his girlfriend’s daughter and touching her inappropriately last June. During his testimony, Plank stated that he had thought about touching the girl but was afraid that she would tell on him. Attorney Bob Barrington with the District Attorney’s office says they are disappointed with the outcome but they knew a conviction would difficult without the girl’s mother supporting her testimony. Plank was convicted in 1994 on charges of First Degree Sexual Assault of a Child and was sentenced to 10 years probation. In 1999, he was ordered to serve an eight year prison sentence after his probation was revoked.

Remediation Work Begins in Downtown BD

5/11/09 - Remediation work on the downtown Beaver Dam redevelopment project gets underway today. Mayor Tom Kennedy says the remediation activity will include the removal of asbestos, lead paint and other hazardous materials in the ten buildings that will be razed on South Center and Front Streets. The buildings are located in a flood zone over the Beaver Dam River. The remediation process, being contracted by A & A Environmental of Poynette, will last approximately two weeks. Industrial Service Company of Chicago will perform the demolition work, with initial work slated to begin May 18. The first to fall will be the Celestial building followed by the former Julie R Danceware during the week of May 25. From there demolition will progress to the 100 block of Front Street before finishing with the five buildings on the 200 block of Front Street. Kennedy says motorists and pedestrians can expect portions of the parking lanes and sidewalks adjacent to the project to be closed during the project. There will also be a 15-mph speed limit in the project zone. Work is expected to be finished by July 31st. A Downtown Redevelopment Opening Ceremony is scheduled for Friday, May 22 at 11am on the 100 block of South Center Street.

Fox Lake Sewer Rates To Increase $52 Over Eight Years

5/11/09 - The City of Fox Lake has requested DNR approval to begin work on court-mandated sewer system improvements. The 2007 Department of Justice court order was issued followed heavy flooding that occurred in April of 2004 resulting in wastewater bypassing the treatment plant and settling into surrounding wetlands. The city is planning to construct a wastewater storage basin and other sewer replacement or repair projects as part of the court order. The storage basin will be located on six acres in the southeast corner of the Industrial Park. The open earthen lagoon would have a storage capacity of seven million gallons. The city would also repair, replace or extend nearly 14,000 feet of sewer as part of a series of separate construction projects beginning next year. The improvements are needed to replace aging sewers and to eliminate existing sewer capacity and overflow problems. The total cost of the project is estimated at $1.8 million, paid for with federal grant funding and utility fee increases. Beginning in 2011, the typical residential utility customer in Fox Lake will see their rate increase from $79 to $131 by the year 2018. The estimate also includes an expected upgrade to the city’s wastewater treatment facility. The DNR is accepting written or oral comments on the project through May 22. Contact information: Tom Gilbert, Wastewater Facility Planning Coordinator, 101 South Webster Street, Madison. By phone at (608) 267-7628 or by email at tom.gilbert@wisconsin.gov.

Beaver Dam Citizens Police Academy Week 8: Fire and EMT Training

5/11/09 - The Beaver Dam Citizens Police Academy held a recent session 90 feet above the city. It was part of the Fire and EMT Training session of the 10-week course. The fourteen citizen cadets were able to don turnout gear, drive an ambulance, test fire hoses and ride the fire trucks ladder into the skies above Beaver Dam. Citizen Cadet Terri Heiling says the class has been a real learning experience. Heiling, the wife of a Beaver Dam firefighter, says she has gained new insight into the hard work of emergency responders. The Beaver Dam Citizens Police Academy will graduate its fifth class of citizen cadets on May 20. Pictured: Citizen Cadets Lisa Narr (left) and Terri Heiling (right) learn about the ladder from a Beaver Dam firefighter.

BDCH Nurses Raise $5K in 5K Race

5/11/09 - The nurses of the Beaver Dam Community Hospital raised over $5500 this weekend. The 5K Challenge Nurses Run-Walk-Roll had 120 participants Saturday morning. Hospital President Kim Miller says the money raised will benefit the Beaver Dam Hospital Foundation to fund scholarships for those entering the healthcare field. Donations are still being accepted through the Beaver Dam Hospital Foundation.

Confirmed Cases of H1N1 Virus Continue to Rise

5/11/09 - We could find out today if Wisconsin’s latest flu bug is leveling off. As of Friday, state officials have confirmed 298 cases of the H-1-N-1 virus – about 60 more than the previous day. The numbers rose faster after state labs started doing their own tests, instead of sending samples to national health officials in Atlanta. Milwaukee County continues to have more than half the state’s cases of swine flu – 159 as of Friday. Meanwhile, companies that make hygiene products have had a booming business lately. Kimberly-Clark, which employs four-thousand people in the Fox Valley, has been selling more face-masks – especially to health care providers. Companies have also had higher sales of latex gloves, hand sanitizers, and anti-bacterial soaps.

Legislators Will Look at Their Budget Too

5/11/09 - Wisconsin legislators don’t have to cut a dime from their budget. But their leaders are talking about it anyway, to help cover a deficit which has grown to around six-and-a-half billion dollars. Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan will wait until the official estimate of the new deficit comes out this week from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. But his spokeswoman Rebekah Sweeney is talking about “serious cutbacks” in the Assembly. Last week, Governor Jim Doyle said state employees would be furloughed for 16 days without pay during the next two years – up to 11-hundred workers would be laid off – and most others would have two-percent pay raises rescinded. Sweeney says lawmakers might get their daily expense budgets reduced. And for their staff members, there’s talk of layoffs, furloughs, and pay cuts.

BDUSD Announces Employees of the Year

5/11/09 - The Beaver Dam School District has announced its 2008-2009 Employees of the Year. Winning the Elementary School Teacher of the Year was Rose Paetzke, a kindergarten teacher at Washington, while six teachers earned the honor for the middle school. Those are Jessica Greatens, Jen Heffron, Aaryn Miller, Shelly Stelsel, and Kerry Stoehr. Meanwhile, English teacher Jena Berg earned the honor at the high school. Retiring Middle School Principal Rich Brouillard was named the Administrator of the Year, while Roaynne Moon was awarded as the Special Services Teacher of the Year for her work with literacy support and Title One at the middle school. Trenton Elementary Schools Terri Wilber was named the Secretary of the Year, while at Lincoln Elementary Sharon Stratton was honored as the Food Service Worker of the Year. Winning the Teaching Assistant/Tutor award was Kathy Laatsch who works as the ELL Tutor at the Trenton and Washington Elementary Schools. Middle School custodian Shawn Buchda was honored with the Custodial/Maintenance/Computer Technician of the Year award. All the winners will be recognized at the District’s Recognition Banquet to be held on May 17th.

Powerball Up to $129M

5/11/09 - Wednesday night's Powerball jackpot is 129-million-dollars. Nobody won the top prize on Saturday night. And nobody from Wisconsin won the second prize, either. The cash option on Wednesday is 65-million-dollars, which goes to a single winner who takes the whole prize now instead of in 30 annual installments.

Man Picks Up 7th OWI

5/11/09 - A man sentenced to 28-months in jail earlier this decade could be on his way back. That’s after 40-year-old Michael Bushke was picked up for his 7th OWI Saturday night. Authorities say a tip led them to 112 West Maple Street in Beaver Dam where they arrested Bushke on suspicion of drunk driving. Authorities also cited Bushke for operating on a revoked license. In 2004, Bushke was sent to prison on charges stemming from his 6th OWI.