Top Stories July 24th

Farm Tech Attendance Estimated at 80K

7/24/09 - It was a successful year for the 2009 Farm Technology Days. Dodge County Farm Tech Executive Committee Chair Dave Frohling says the early numbers indicate there were around 80,000 people through the gates during the three-day event. Last year, Brown County’s Farm Tech Days was cancelled halfway through because of severe weather. While rain did cause some headaches for organizers this year, Frohling says it could have been much worse. Farm tech Days 2010 will be held in Pierce County. The 2011 show will be held in Marathon County.

Lawton Touts SBA Loan Changes in Beaver Dam

7/24/09 - State officials are urging small business owners to take advantage of new options for borrowing money. Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton (left) was at Northwoods Paper Converting in Beaver Dam yesterday to discuss expanded Small Business Association programs that help company’s access capital immediately and at cheaper rates. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes the new appropriations to enhance existing SBA loan offerings. Changes include temporarily eliminating up-front fees on working capital loans; expanding funding for the SBA micro-loan program through September 2010; and increasing the surety bond guarantee program for large construction projects from a maximum of $2 million to $5 million. The ARC loans, which will be distributed directly by commercial lenders, are 100 percent guaranteed by the SBA and have no fees. Northwoods Paper Converting Chad Abel received a $987,000 SBA loan to expand his building operations, and $20,780 in fees was waived. Abel says they are hoping to add 10-30 new employees. Business Stabilization Loans are also available for financially-vulnerable businesses in need of temporary relief to keep their doors open. This temporary SBA program will provide deferred-payment, interest-free loans of up to $35,000 to viable small businesses that need help making payments on an existing loan for up to six months.

Minimum Wage Increases Today

7/24/09 - Wisconsin’s minimum wage is going up 75-cents-an-hour today. The federal wage is also going up – and they’ll both be at 7.25-an-hour. Until now, Wisconsin was among six states with a minimum wage below the national figure. The state was at 6.50, while the national wage was at 6.55. The U-S Labor Department says the average Wisconsinite who makes the minimum wage will get an extra 112-dollars-a-month. The Economic Policy Institute says about 100-thousand employees in the state will have their wages rise to the new minimum. And 96-thousand others who make close to the minimum will also get raises, as companies re-adjust their pay scales. But state business leaders say they expect at least some layoffs as companies must increase their payrolls. The government said just over two-million U-S hourly workers were paid the minimum wage last year, out of a total of 75-million. Seven-of-every-10 workers who get the minimum are in service jobs – mostly in food serving and preparation.

Brothers Free on Bond in Patrick Cudahy Fire Case

7/24/09 - Two brothers are free on signature bonds after appearing in court yesterday on charges connected with the July fifth blaze at the Patrick Cudahy meat plant. 25-year-old Kurtis Popp of Milwaukee and 23-year-old Joshua Popp of Twenty-nine Palms California are both charged with second-degree felony reckless endangerment. Authorities said a military-grade flare caused the blaze that took three days to put out. According to prosecutors, Joshua Popp took the military-grade flare while serving in the Marines a couple years ago. Kurtis Popp told investigators he thought the flare might have caused the blaze, but he didn’t want to believe it. And even after the cause was revealed, the brothers didn’t immediately come forward because they were afraid. Attorneys for both said they’re extremely sorry and remorseful.

Group Challenges Domestic Partner Registry

7/24/09 - An attorney for those hoping to strike down Wisconsin’s new legal protections for domestic partners says he hopes the Supreme Court will decide their request in a matter of weeks. But by then, gay couples will have already started registering at county courthouses for the benefits. Those sign-ups begin a week from Monday. Three members of the Wisconsin Family Action group asked the Supreme Court yesterday to declare the domestic partner registry unconstitutional. They say it violates the constitutional amendment against gay marriage and civil unions which group members helped pass in 2006. But a spokesman for Governor Jim Doyle – who included the registry in the new state budget – says it’s just a set of basic protections, and it has nothing to do with promoting gay marriage.

UW-Hospital Warns Patients Over Possible Contamination

7/24/09 - Fifty-three patients at U-W Hospital in Madison had surgery with instruments that might have been contaminated. That’s after a woman who had a brain operation June 11th was later found to have Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The woman died Tuesday. And U-W Hospital has told the 53 patients they have an extremely low risk of getting the rare-but-fatal brain disorder. Those patients had surgery after the woman did, but before she was diagnosed 40 days later with Creutzfeldt-Jakob. Those instruments went through a normal sterilization process after each operation – and the hospital plans to use them again once they undergo a more stringent cleaning process. The U-W says it will free consultations and counseling to the 53 patients. Other hospitals have had similar incidents, with no one else getting sick.

Life Expectancy for New Babies Just over 79-Years

7/24/09 - Wisconsin babies born from 2005-to-‘07 can expect to live until five months after their 79th birthdays. That’s according to new data from the state Department of Health Services. The state’s life expectancy of 79-point-four was the same as the last report a year ago – and it’s two years longer than what the state reported for newborns from 1989-through-’91. Women can expect to live longer than men. Female life expectancy is around 82 years, as opposed to 77 for males.

Home Sales Rise in Midwest

7/24/09 - Home sales in the Midwest rose by almost three-percent for the year ending in June. The National Association of Realtors says it’s the first year-to-year increase since last September. Median home prices fell nine-percent in the past year in the 12 Midwest states. The average price is now 157-thousand dollars. Experts say sellers have gotten more realistic about the current market, and home shoppers have been looking for bargains in the thousands of foreclosed homes. The A-P-Remax monthly survey showed that Milwaukee home sales rose eight-percent since last June, while the average price dropped 11-percent to 174-thosuand dollars. Waukesha real estate agent Sue Derby said about two-thirds of her clients are first-time home buyers taking advantage of a new federal tax credit.

Minor Injures in 2-Vehicle Wreck

7/24/09 - Four people suffered minor injuries in a two-car accident Thursday night in the Town of Theresa. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department says a vehicle driven by 27-year-old James Narr had stopped at the two-way stop sign at the intersection of County Road TW and AY. When he attempted to cross the intersection his vehicle was struck by a southbound vehicle. That car was driven by a 16-year-old boy. Three people in Narr’s vehicle were taken to the hospital as was the 16-year-old driver, though none of their injuries were considered serious. Authorities were expected to issue a number of citations to Narr, including Failure to Yield.

Waupun Looking into Counterfeit Bills

7/24/09 - Authorities in Waupun are investigating a report of a counterfeit bill that was discovered at the Fox Valley Savings and Loan Bank earlier this week. Waupun Police say officials at the bank reported the $10 bill after a local woman had deposited it. The woman told authorities she was unsure where she got the fake bill. Officials say the bill was missing the watermark and security thread. A number of counterfeit bills had been found in Fon du Lac County over the past two weeks but police are unsure if this bill came from the same group.

Immigrants Facing Deportation After Arrests

7/24/09 - Eleven Mexican immigrants in Waukesha face deportation, after being arrested for their connections to violent street gangs. The state Justice Department said it was part of national program called Operation Community Shield, which deals with safety threats caused by trans-national gangs. Federal, state, and local officers conducted the Waukesha investigation and made the arrests. All subjects were men. Officials said 10 gang members were in the U-S illegally, and one was a permanent resident whose criminal record allows him to be deported. All eleven had criminal records that included burglaries, aggravated batteries, drug possession, and theft. Among those arrested were members of the Latin Kings, La Raza, and three other gangs.

Bypass Won’t Cost Watertown Very Much

7/24/09 - The Highway 26 bypass around Watertown is not expected to cost the city very much. The common council approved a resolution earlier this week breaking down the costs of the project. More than $55 million in state and federal funding is available for the project. The city will be responsible for maintenance and electricity for about 18 lights along the business portion of Highway 26. If it accepts the responsibility of the lights at the interchange it will not have to pay the installation cost of $57,000. The total yearly cost for the city to take care of the lights would be $1,300. No cost participation will be required by the city for the construction of the Watertown section of the bypass and the project is 100 percent eligible for federal and state funding.

Columbus to Celebrate Public Enemies

7/24/09 - The movie stars may not be there, but the memories linger on. The “Public Enemies” Celebration in Columbus is slated for tomorrow (Saturday.) Planners have scheduled a whole day of events to commemorate the movie filming last year. The Cities population could swell to twice its size for the one-day event.

Hayrides with tours of Historic Columbus Sites will held throughout the day and a Jazz Band is scheduled between 3:30 and 6:30 in the afternoon.

Over 90 teams will be participating in the all-day-long “Xplosion” Softball Tournament at various diamonds throughout the City.

At 11 am there will be a special “picture car” parade. Visitors will also find Maxwell Street specials at outside locations in the downtown area, and there will be Children’s Games on Dickason Blvd. next to the City Hall from noon until 2 pm.

A Fireman’s motorcycle ride will be traveling through Columbus with about 500 cycles expected. That’s around 2:30 pm. Many Local taverns will be part of the celebration inviting folks to take a step back in time by taking part in the “Public Enemies” 1930s Costume Contest.

There are some other area events going on this weekend as well. In Fox Lake, the 8th annual Fox Lake Firefighters Classic Car Show and Swap Meet will be held at Fireman’s Park. If you pre-register it costs only $6-per entry while on the day of the show it’s $10. Gates open up at 8am and the event runs until 6pm. Tomorrow in Beaver Dam the Area Arts Association will lead a Secret Gardens Tour. The tour begins at 10 a.m. and you’ll be able to visit six to eight gardens around Beaver Dam. The price is $10 per person in advance and $12 at the door.