Top Stories Sunday, June 28th

Legislators Have Different Takes on Budget

6/28/09 - On time and balanced. That's how Democrats in the state Assembly describe the state budget bill passed Friday evening. But Republican Minority Leader Jeff Fitzgerald has two other words to describe the plan: jobs killer. Fitzgerald says we're not making it easy for working class families. The Republican says if the state continues on this course there will be no working families – because there will be no jobs. Fitzgerald says the increase in the capital gains tax included in the 62 billion dollar plan will hurt investors and small businesses. Madison Democrat Mark Pocan said the plan does what Democrats pledged they would do after gaining the majority in the Assembly -- deal with a record deficit, while protecting schools, public safety and health care, and shielding working families from big tax hikes.

BD Man Gets One Year in Prison

6/28/09 - A Beaver Dam man will spend one year in prison after authorities arrested him as he was reportedly looting cars in the city. Dylan Gramprie ran when authorities spotted him rifling through a parked vehicle last September. Authorities say he also dropped a pill bottle during the foot chase. He was eventually apprehended with the help of a Tazer gun but continued to kick at officers during his arrest. The 20-year-old pleaded “no contest “ to charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and had charges of theft and drug possession dismissed but read into the record. Gramprie was also sentenced to one year of extended supervision.

Mayville Business Owner Gets Jail Time for Battery

6/28/09 - A Mayville business owner will spend 120 days in jail for assaulting man who stole a bottle of vodka from his establishment. According to the criminal complaint, Thomas J. Bellino confronted the man at a Mayville tavern and convinced him to come back to his business, Spare Time Bowl. The man agreed, and the 45-year-old Bellino locked the door to his establishment when they walked inside. The man then admitted to taking the vodka, at which point Bellino knocked him off his barstool and repeatedly kicked him and punched him. Bellino was also sentenced to one year probation in connection with the misdemeanor battery conviction.

Oshkosh Museum Exhibit Has Public Enemies Theme

6/28/09 - An Oshkosh Public Museum exhibit looks at the circumstance around 1933 to 34 crime wave that inspired the film "Public Enemies." The movie stars Johnny Depp as John Dillinger as he knocks over banks throughout the Midwest. The exhibit will also take a look at the Wisconsin locations that were transformed into sets for the Depression-era gangster flick. Yesterday's grand opening featured a 1929 Packard Roadster and the Midwest Motorized Bandits performing holdups. "The Era of Public Enemies: A Wave of Crime in a Troubled Time" exhibit runs through October 18. The movie, which was filmed partially in Oshkosh, Columbus and Beaver Dam, opens nationwide on Wednesday.

BD-Natvie Rakes in $250K in Poker Tourney

6/28/09 - The final numbers are in and a Beaver Dam man has won about a quarter million dollars playing in the World Series of Poker. Eric Baldwin graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, played on the Warhawks' 2005 Division III national championship baseball team; he finished third in the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas last week. The 26-year-old grew up in Beaver Dam and moved to the Las Vegas area a year ago to focus on playing poker full time. His winnings this past week were 259 thousand, 534 dollars. The overall winner pocketed more than 633 thousand dollars.

Wisconsin Air National Guard Deployment

6/28/09 - Members of the Wisconsin Air National Guard will train for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. The 27 members of the 115th Fighter Wing left for Fort Bliss, Texas, Friday. The security forces squadron will be responsible for providing base defense when they serve their six months in the Middle East. A Wisconsin National Guard officer says the team will be located in the Central Command area for those two countries.

BBB Warms of Jacko Scams

6/28/09 - The Wisconsin Better Business Bureau is warning the public to be careful when buying music, videos or memorabilia of the late Michael Jackson. The Bureau says the sudden death of the King of Pop will likely produce price gouging, faked items and additional scams as people rush to buy products associated with Jackson. If you want to buy a CD of his music, you should be patient. Many retailers will likely be sold out in the next few days because of the rush. The Bureau reminds you to get a real certificate of authenticity if you buy a piece of autographed Jackson memorabilia.

Fond du Lac Needs More Time for Storm Water Control

6/28/09 - Fond du Lac may get some additional time to get in line with storm water pollution control standards. Originally municipalities were required to reduce their storm water pollution by 40 percent by 2013. However City Manager Tom Herre says state and federal officials seem to be backing off on that original date. He says they may be given quite a bit more time (up to 10 years) to complete the necessary work. The City has budgeted $2.7 million in 2010 alone for efforts to reduce storm water pollution. It is applying for federal grant monies for the Hass Circle and Sullivan Drive retention pond projects. If approved the federal grant would pay for $700,000 of the Sullivan Drive project.

Walker at DC Dairy Brunch

6/28/09 - Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker will make several appearances in the area today. Walker is running for the Republican nod in the Governor's race next year. He will be at the Dodge County Dairy Brunch from 9am until 10:45am this morning. The brunch this year is at the Broussard Farm on Basswood Road and continues through 12:30pm this afternoon. It features scrambled eggs with cheese and ham, pancakes, assorted cheeses, milk and ice-cream Sunday’s. Before that, he'll be at the Breakfast on the Farm at the Circle H Dairy in Fond du Lac from 8 to 9am. And later in the day will be at Royal Ridges in Ripon for the "Day with Tom Petri and Friends" fundraiser. Walker will be the featured speaker at the Petri reception and brunch. It runs from 11am to 1pm.

Obey Loses Temper on Floor

6/28/09 - Wausau Congressman Dave Obey lost his temper on the House floor Thursday night and reportedly pushed a fellow Democratic lawmaker. Reporter Jared Allen with the publication The Hill says he saw Obey and California Congresswoman Maxine Waters get into a shouting match over a million-dollar earmark for a public school employment training center she wants in her home district. Allen says the veteran Wisconsin congressman denied the earmark, based a new policy change from House Democrats banning what are called "monuments to me." Allen says Waters continued to press Obey on the earmark and the conversation turned physical. Observers say it wasn’t really pushing, but the two did touch each other, then part and start shouting. The reporter notes that Obey has a reputation for being very blunt. A spokesman for Obey says the congressman tried to end the confrontation, but Waters chose to make a scene. It is unclear whether Obey or Waters will be reprimanded.

Illinois Suspect Connected Wisconsin Burglaries

6/28/09 - Illinois police say they may have cleared 20 armed robberies with the arrest of a Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, man in Waukegan. Michael Boyle and four others are suspects in the string of armed robberies that started April 25 in Antioch. Cops think Boyle was the ring leader. Investigators say their suspects used replica guns during the robberies and no one was injured. Two of those accused of being Boyle's accomplices were also from Wisconsin, including a 16 year old juvenile from Silver Lake. The others were Illinois residents.

Fight Sparks Fatal Wreck

6/28/09 - A crash investigation of the fatal accident on U.S. Highway 45 Saturday reveals it was likely caused by a verbal argument between a Milwaukee woman and her husband. The 27 year old woman lost control of her car while they argued, hitting an SUV on the left, then swerving into a motorcycle on her right. The motorcycle exploded and the driver was tossed off the bridge and onto a street below. The 54 year old Milwaukee man was declared dead at an area hospital. The freeway north of Milwaukee was shut down for several hours. The husband and wife are in jail. Charges of inattentive driving are expected. That charge could escalate since a death was the result.

Lake Michigan Diver IDed

6/28/09 - The Ozaukee County Sheriff's Department identifies the victim of a Lake Michigan diving accident as 48 year old Phil Patz of Stone Park, Illinois. Patz was diving in about 300 feet of water in the lake Thursday when he failed to come up to the surface. He was down so deep, rescue crews couldn't reach him. Four hours after the emergency call was made, his body was recovered and he was declared to be dead. The diving accident happened about nine miles southeast of Port Washington.