Top Stories, May 31st

Demolition Progresses in Downtown Beaver Dam

5/31/09 - It will be the end of next week before demolition crews remove the five buildings on the 200 block of Front Street in downtown Beaver Dam. Three buildings have been removed so far, beginning with the former Julie R Danceware building on South Center Street last Thursday and, most recently, two of four buildings on the 100 block of Front Street. However, instead of removing Doc’s Corner first and moving east, as originally planned, crews removed 145 and 149 Front Street. That leaves Doc’s currently standing on the corner and the building at 151 Front Street an island surrounded by rubble. Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy says the reason for the change in plans was because Doc’s and 151 have concrete floor sand will be used as a landing zone for the rubble. Kennedy toured the site on Friday and says Brandenburg Industries has got their work cut out for them. The building at 203 Front Street, the Fountain Inn, will not be demolished as the owner never made an offer to sell his building to the city. The culvert removal in the Tower Parking lot will begin at mid-month.

Wisconsin Tops Swine Flu List

5/31/09 - The state of Wisconsin tops the list of swine flu cases nationwide with more than 14 hundred confirmed cases. Wisconsin health officials say the number simply shows that the Badger State is efficient at testing suspected cases. Nearly nine thousand confirmed cases have been reported nationwide. A spokesperson for the Department of Health Services says almost all the cases here have been relatively mild. Illinois is ranked third in the number of confirmed cases at a little over a thousand. Meanwhile, officials at Columbus High School say the possibility of school closure is not being considered. That’s after two students at the high school were kept at home Friday with flu-like symptoms. According to the updated district website, medical personnel are involved and the H1N1 virus has neither been confirmed nor ruled out and school closure would only be considered if a large number of students were to be absent.

One Dead/ Five Injured in Madison Crash

5/31/09 - A car crash in Madison killed a 14-year-old girl and put five teens in the hospital. A second 15-year-old girl is in critical condition with life-threatening injuries. A 15-year-old boy driving the car Friday night lost control and hit an SUV going the opposite direction. The driver of that SUV was arrested for drunken driving and tossed in jail.

Teen Injured in Fond du Lac Wreck

5/31/09 - A Fond du Lac teen was injured in a rollover accident last night in the Village of Oakfield. According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, the wreck occurred on County Highway B, a half-mile south of County Highway D. Allison Montsma and was traveling northbound on County B and was reportedly reaching for her cell phone while negotiating a curve when she lost control of the vehicle, entered the east ditch and rolled. Her vehicle came to rest on its roof. The 18-year-old was the lone occupant in the vehicle and she was transported to St. Agnes Hospital for non-life threatening injuries. She was wearing her seatbelt. Wisconsin State Patrol is investigating the crash and was assisted at the scene by Oakfield Fire Department and Brooks Ambulance.

Pot Plant Moving Violation

5/31/09 - A Milwaukee man faces felony drug cultivation charges after being arrested at a Dodge County wayside with two, four-foot marijuana plants in his vehicle. The Dodge County Sheriffs Department arrested Ronald A. Koschnik in the Town of Theresa last night around 9pm after acting on a tip from a citizen who was following the suspect’s vehicle on Highway 41. The 42-year-old Koschnik was booked into the Dodge County Jail on felony drug possession charges.

Duncan in Wisconsin This Week

5/31/09 - An Obama cabinet member will be in Wisconsin later this week. Education Secretary Arne Duncan makes visits to Milwaukee Area Technical College and Bay View High School Thursday morning. At MATC Duncan will tell students in the school's automotive program about recovery efforts aimed at people who depend on the auto industry for work. At Bay View he will spend a few minutes taking questions from members of the senior class. The trip to Milwaukee is not being billed as a part of Duncan's nationwide listening tour.

Burglars Nab Cop Guns in Break-Ins

5/31/09 - Burglars may have taken more than they expected during a series of break-ins in Grand Chute. They hit an unmarked police car at the home of an off-duty officer. The burglars got away with a semiautomatic rifle and ammunition which was being stored in the car's trunk. Police are asking for the public's help in finding the stolen weapon. The rifle was in a black nylon case. Two fully-loaded 30-round magazines for the gun were also taken.

Lake Superior Testing Begins

5/31/09 - Researchers will set up eight testing stations in Lake Superior starting next week. A million dollar grant from the National Science Foundation is paying for scientists from the University of Minnesota-Duluth to collect data. They will be trying to determine if the lake is changing. A similar study two years ago found surface temperatures had risen more than four degrees since 1979. The team will hit the water Tuesday on the start of a seven-day trip.

State Park Open House

5/31/09 - If you want to get closer to nature at a Wisconsin state park -- today's the day. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is holding a state park open house. You can get in free to all state parks, forests and trails today. Admission stickers for vehicles and trail passes for hikers, bicycle riders and horseback riders aren't necessary. It's also Free Fishing Weekend. No fishing licenses are needed to dip a line in a state lake or river until sunset today.