Downtown Development Agreements Going To Council
9/17/09 - A pair of developer’s agreements for two major downtown Beaver Dam projects passed through committee last night. With final approval by the common council, the city would act as a grant funding conduit for the developers of the recently sold Weyco Shoe factory. Wisconsin Redevelopment LLC recently obtained a $1.7 million Commerce grant for the $10 million project. The lakefront, Madison Street property is being converted into 34 loft-style apartments. A developer’s agreement for the former Thomas Chevrolet property, which is the private lot across from Weyco, was also approved yesterday. Beaver Dam would give Silverstone Partners a $90,000 grant that would be paid back with TIF funds. Silverstone plans to build a $7million senior-living facility, though purchase of the property has yet to be finalized. The agreements will be on Monday’s council agenda.
Old Milwaukee House Could Become New Custard Stand
9/17/09 - Private developers are seeking city funds to assist in razing two downtown Beaver Dam buildings. James Stricker has spent the past five years trying to do something with the Old Milwaukee House and adjacent Monarch Range storefront on South Center Street. There have been roadblocks, especially from building inspectors, and financial challenges, like the death of a business associate, but Stricker says things are starting to come together. Plans for renovation have been scrapped in favor of demolition and Stricker has drawn up blueprints for a brand new structure, which would house a custard stand with a variety of fast food items. Early estimates put the cost at demolition at around $30,000 and Stricker is hoping the city will offer a grant, similar to the Weyco and Silverstone projects, that could be paid back with TIF financing. Stricker’s business partner, Jim Knowles of JD Knowles and Associates, says they are hoping to secure funding so that demolition could take place before winter. The project still needs to clear a number of municipal and financing hurdles. If all goes according to plan, Stricker says the custard stand could be open by next summer.
Fox Lake Still Searching for Fixes to Sewer System
9/17/09 - In an effort to find less expensive options to deal with bypassing their water treatment plant during times of heavy rain the Fox Lake City Council tabled a motion that would have awarded a bid to build an equalization basin. The city is under a court order from the state to take care of the problem but they hope to reopen negotiations with the Department of Justice based on the current economic times. The council unanimously approved the motion to table the one-point-two-million-dollar bid. They expect to hold another meeting before October 1st, which when a grant application to help pay for the project is due.
Swanke Gets Jail Time
9/17/09 - A 22-year-old Beaver Dam man will spend six months in jail for his involvement in a high speed chase related to a “game” in which he and others used clubs to kill wild animals in Dodge and Columbia County. Christopher Swanke pled no contest to three counts of reckless endangering safety and to a charge of fleeing an officer. In addition to the jail time Swanke will also be on probation for three years. Authorities say Swanke led police and DNR officials on a 10-minute chase nearing speeds of 85-miles-per-hour while three teenagers were in the bed of his truck. Earlier this month Swanke plead no contest to 13 citations from the DNR relating to the “coon bashing” game in which a group of 15 people chased wild animals with spotlights and clubs. Points were awarded based on the type of animal. Swanke also faces more DNR and traffic citations in Columbia County.
12,000 Convict DNA Samples Missing from State Lab
9/17/09 - Law enforcement leaders around Wisconsin say it’s “disturbing” that 12-thousand D-N-A samples from convicted felons are missing from a state data-base. Attorney General J-B Van Hollen announced the missing samples yesterday, after it was learned that the state lost a sample submitted by alleged Milwaukee serial killer Walter Ellis when he was in prison for another offense in 2001. Prosecutors said it allowed Ellis to go free, and kill at least one other woman before he was arrested two weeks ago. He’s charged with killing seven prostitutes in Milwaukee since 1986. Van Hollen said his agency learned that an imposter provided Ellis’s D-N-A sample at the Oshkosh prison – and a Crime Lab analyst never told anyone after finding that something was amiss. Since 2000, all convicted felons have been required to leave D-N-A samples. It has provided evidence that not only solves crimes – but frees those who were wrongly convicted.
Feingold Not Supportive of Senate Health Care Plan
9/17/09 - Wisconsin Democrat Russ Feingold was sharply critical of the Senate Finance Committee chairman’s plan to overhaul the nation’s health care system. Feingold said the 856-billion-dollar plan meets none of his three major goals – having a strong government insurance option, reforming long-term care, and boosting Medicare reimbursements to health providers. The plan announced by Montana Democrat Max Baucus dropped the government option in favor of creating large health care cooperatives. It would raise taxes on insurers and make businesses offer health coverage to almost everyone. Baucus said he made compromises to try and win Senate passage. But Feingold says the Finance Committee needs to change the package so it’s not, quote, “health care reform in name only.” The panel expects to complete its work by the end of the month. Meanwhile, Wisconsin Democrat Herb Kohl said the Baucus plan has several items he’s been pushing for in the Senate’s Aging Committee. They include the disclosure to gifts to doctors from the makers of medical devices and medicines – training assistance for home care aides – and giving consumers more information about nursing homes and their track records.
Kindergarten to be Mandatory
9/17/09 - The state Assembly has voted to make Wisconsin school kids go to kindergarten. The bill was sent to the Senate yesterday on a vote of 53-to-44. Kindergarten is optional now. But last year, only about 120 first-graders throughout the state had not gone to kindergarten the year before. The bill’s supporters say it will ensure that kids attend class every day. Verona Democrat Sondy Pope-Roberts said some parents have used kindergartens as occasional day-care centers, and send their kids only when they feel like it. She said it causes disruptions for both teachers and their youngsters. Republicans said parents should decide whether to send their kids to kindergarten – and not the government.
Assembly Approves Standards for High-Tech Windmills
9/17/09 - The Wisconsin Assembly has approved a bill that orders statewide standards for locating high-tech wind-mills. The vote yesterday was 65-to-31 in favor, after the Senate had passed it Tuesday. The bill now goes to Governor Jim Doyle, whose office says he supports it. The Public Service Commission would draft the rules for locating new wind energy farms. There are already state rules for larger projects. But the bill’s supporters say it’s become impossible to build smaller wind farms, because local rules have made them too restrictive. Opponents say the bill ignores concerns about the health and quality-of-life of those living near wind farms – and they say the promises of new jobs with the additional wind farms are over-blown.
’09 Summer Will Be 7th Coldest on Record
9/17/09 - Wisconsin is about to end its seventh coldest summer in the last 115 years. That’s according to the National Climatic Data Center. Madison and some other cities had their coldest Julys ever with average temperatures of around 66 degrees. It’s also been one of the driest summers. Assistant state climatologist Edward Hopkins said only 20 summers have been drier since 1895 – and the southwest was the only part of the state with above-average precipitation. Hardly anybody has gotten wet this month, unless it’s in the shower or the swimming pool. La Crosse and Wausau are among the cities that broke records for the longest start to a September without measurable precipitation. It’s been dry for weeks in virtually all of the Badger State. And there’s no mention of rain in the forecast until Sunday night, when showers are possible in the southern half of Wisconsin. Fall officially begins next Tuesday.
Jackpot Back Over $100M
9/17/09 - The Powerball jackpot is above 100-million dollars for the second time in a month. Nobody won last night’s top prize, so it goes up to 111-million for Saturday’s drawing. Wisconsin players didn’t do very well last night. The most anybody won was 200-dollars, by matching either four regular numbers or three-plus-the-Powerball – and also getting the Power Play multiplier of two. Almost 22-thousand Wisconsin players won smaller prizes. The numbers were 17, 37, 40, 51, and 56. The Powerball was 25. The current jackpot has been building since August 19th, when a ticket in South Carolina won almost 260-million-dollars. Saturday night’s cash option is about 58-million. That goes to a single winner who takes the whole prize now, instead of in 30 annual installments.
9/17/09 - A pair of developer’s agreements for two major downtown Beaver Dam projects passed through committee last night. With final approval by the common council, the city would act as a grant funding conduit for the developers of the recently sold Weyco Shoe factory. Wisconsin Redevelopment LLC recently obtained a $1.7 million Commerce grant for the $10 million project. The lakefront, Madison Street property is being converted into 34 loft-style apartments. A developer’s agreement for the former Thomas Chevrolet property, which is the private lot across from Weyco, was also approved yesterday. Beaver Dam would give Silverstone Partners a $90,000 grant that would be paid back with TIF funds. Silverstone plans to build a $7million senior-living facility, though purchase of the property has yet to be finalized. The agreements will be on Monday’s council agenda.
Old Milwaukee House Could Become New Custard Stand
9/17/09 - Private developers are seeking city funds to assist in razing two downtown Beaver Dam buildings. James Stricker has spent the past five years trying to do something with the Old Milwaukee House and adjacent Monarch Range storefront on South Center Street. There have been roadblocks, especially from building inspectors, and financial challenges, like the death of a business associate, but Stricker says things are starting to come together. Plans for renovation have been scrapped in favor of demolition and Stricker has drawn up blueprints for a brand new structure, which would house a custard stand with a variety of fast food items. Early estimates put the cost at demolition at around $30,000 and Stricker is hoping the city will offer a grant, similar to the Weyco and Silverstone projects, that could be paid back with TIF financing. Stricker’s business partner, Jim Knowles of JD Knowles and Associates, says they are hoping to secure funding so that demolition could take place before winter. The project still needs to clear a number of municipal and financing hurdles. If all goes according to plan, Stricker says the custard stand could be open by next summer.
Fox Lake Still Searching for Fixes to Sewer System
9/17/09 - In an effort to find less expensive options to deal with bypassing their water treatment plant during times of heavy rain the Fox Lake City Council tabled a motion that would have awarded a bid to build an equalization basin. The city is under a court order from the state to take care of the problem but they hope to reopen negotiations with the Department of Justice based on the current economic times. The council unanimously approved the motion to table the one-point-two-million-dollar bid. They expect to hold another meeting before October 1st, which when a grant application to help pay for the project is due.
Swanke Gets Jail Time
9/17/09 - A 22-year-old Beaver Dam man will spend six months in jail for his involvement in a high speed chase related to a “game” in which he and others used clubs to kill wild animals in Dodge and Columbia County. Christopher Swanke pled no contest to three counts of reckless endangering safety and to a charge of fleeing an officer. In addition to the jail time Swanke will also be on probation for three years. Authorities say Swanke led police and DNR officials on a 10-minute chase nearing speeds of 85-miles-per-hour while three teenagers were in the bed of his truck. Earlier this month Swanke plead no contest to 13 citations from the DNR relating to the “coon bashing” game in which a group of 15 people chased wild animals with spotlights and clubs. Points were awarded based on the type of animal. Swanke also faces more DNR and traffic citations in Columbia County.
12,000 Convict DNA Samples Missing from State Lab
9/17/09 - Law enforcement leaders around Wisconsin say it’s “disturbing” that 12-thousand D-N-A samples from convicted felons are missing from a state data-base. Attorney General J-B Van Hollen announced the missing samples yesterday, after it was learned that the state lost a sample submitted by alleged Milwaukee serial killer Walter Ellis when he was in prison for another offense in 2001. Prosecutors said it allowed Ellis to go free, and kill at least one other woman before he was arrested two weeks ago. He’s charged with killing seven prostitutes in Milwaukee since 1986. Van Hollen said his agency learned that an imposter provided Ellis’s D-N-A sample at the Oshkosh prison – and a Crime Lab analyst never told anyone after finding that something was amiss. Since 2000, all convicted felons have been required to leave D-N-A samples. It has provided evidence that not only solves crimes – but frees those who were wrongly convicted.
Feingold Not Supportive of Senate Health Care Plan
9/17/09 - Wisconsin Democrat Russ Feingold was sharply critical of the Senate Finance Committee chairman’s plan to overhaul the nation’s health care system. Feingold said the 856-billion-dollar plan meets none of his three major goals – having a strong government insurance option, reforming long-term care, and boosting Medicare reimbursements to health providers. The plan announced by Montana Democrat Max Baucus dropped the government option in favor of creating large health care cooperatives. It would raise taxes on insurers and make businesses offer health coverage to almost everyone. Baucus said he made compromises to try and win Senate passage. But Feingold says the Finance Committee needs to change the package so it’s not, quote, “health care reform in name only.” The panel expects to complete its work by the end of the month. Meanwhile, Wisconsin Democrat Herb Kohl said the Baucus plan has several items he’s been pushing for in the Senate’s Aging Committee. They include the disclosure to gifts to doctors from the makers of medical devices and medicines – training assistance for home care aides – and giving consumers more information about nursing homes and their track records.
Kindergarten to be Mandatory
9/17/09 - The state Assembly has voted to make Wisconsin school kids go to kindergarten. The bill was sent to the Senate yesterday on a vote of 53-to-44. Kindergarten is optional now. But last year, only about 120 first-graders throughout the state had not gone to kindergarten the year before. The bill’s supporters say it will ensure that kids attend class every day. Verona Democrat Sondy Pope-Roberts said some parents have used kindergartens as occasional day-care centers, and send their kids only when they feel like it. She said it causes disruptions for both teachers and their youngsters. Republicans said parents should decide whether to send their kids to kindergarten – and not the government.
Assembly Approves Standards for High-Tech Windmills
9/17/09 - The Wisconsin Assembly has approved a bill that orders statewide standards for locating high-tech wind-mills. The vote yesterday was 65-to-31 in favor, after the Senate had passed it Tuesday. The bill now goes to Governor Jim Doyle, whose office says he supports it. The Public Service Commission would draft the rules for locating new wind energy farms. There are already state rules for larger projects. But the bill’s supporters say it’s become impossible to build smaller wind farms, because local rules have made them too restrictive. Opponents say the bill ignores concerns about the health and quality-of-life of those living near wind farms – and they say the promises of new jobs with the additional wind farms are over-blown.
’09 Summer Will Be 7th Coldest on Record
9/17/09 - Wisconsin is about to end its seventh coldest summer in the last 115 years. That’s according to the National Climatic Data Center. Madison and some other cities had their coldest Julys ever with average temperatures of around 66 degrees. It’s also been one of the driest summers. Assistant state climatologist Edward Hopkins said only 20 summers have been drier since 1895 – and the southwest was the only part of the state with above-average precipitation. Hardly anybody has gotten wet this month, unless it’s in the shower or the swimming pool. La Crosse and Wausau are among the cities that broke records for the longest start to a September without measurable precipitation. It’s been dry for weeks in virtually all of the Badger State. And there’s no mention of rain in the forecast until Sunday night, when showers are possible in the southern half of Wisconsin. Fall officially begins next Tuesday.
Jackpot Back Over $100M
9/17/09 - The Powerball jackpot is above 100-million dollars for the second time in a month. Nobody won last night’s top prize, so it goes up to 111-million for Saturday’s drawing. Wisconsin players didn’t do very well last night. The most anybody won was 200-dollars, by matching either four regular numbers or three-plus-the-Powerball – and also getting the Power Play multiplier of two. Almost 22-thousand Wisconsin players won smaller prizes. The numbers were 17, 37, 40, 51, and 56. The Powerball was 25. The current jackpot has been building since August 19th, when a ticket in South Carolina won almost 260-million-dollars. Saturday night’s cash option is about 58-million. That goes to a single winner who takes the whole prize now, instead of in 30 annual installments.
Defense Up In Browns Chicken Mass Murder Case
9/17/09 - The defense has started to make its case in the trial of a man accused of killing a Columbus man and six others at a suburban Chicago restaurant. 37-year-old James Degorski has been on trial for over a month. He and Juan Luna allegedly stormed into a Brown’s Chicken restaurant in 1993, and murdered restaurant owners Richard and Lynn Ehlenfeldt and five employees. Richard Ehlenfeldt of Columbus was an aide to former Wisconsin Acting Governor Martin Schreiber in the 1970’s. On Monday, the prosecution rested its case. Yesterday, investigator James Bell said he thought for years that the prime suspect was John Simonek, because he confessed during police interviews. Simonek later testified that he confessed only to get the police off his back. He was never charged. Luna later confessed and implicated Degorski. Luna was convicted of the slayings in 2007, and was sentenced to life in prison.
Niesen Sentencing Date Set
9/17/09 - The sentencing date has been set for a 54-year-old Ashwaubenon man found guilty earlier this month of a 33-year-old Fond du Lac murder. A Fond du Lac County jury returned a guilty verdict against Thomas Niesen on September 3rd. Niesen was suspected of killing 19-year-old Kathleen Leichtman in July of 1976. The young Milwaukee woman had traveled to Fond du Lac to dance at The Other Place strip club. DNA evidence linked Niesen to the murder, but other evidence and testimony persuaded the jury. His sentencing is scheduled for November 6th.
A Good Year For the Crave Brothers Farm
9/17/09 - Not only were they the host of the 2009 Farm Tech Days, but the Crave Brothers Farm near Waterloo also received a number of cheese-making accolades this year. George Crave, the President of Crave Farmstead Cheeses, says in the past seven years they’ve secured a solid place among the nation’s most elite cheese makers. The Crave Brothers recently won four awards at the 25th Annual American Cheese Society Competition in Austin, Texas. The local cheese maker took home the top two prizes in the Farmstead Cheese category for their original creation “Les Frères Reserve” and “Petite Frères Reserve.” The Craves mozzarella also took home second place trophies in the Fresh and Marinated Fresh Mozzarella categories. At the Wisconsin State Fair, the brothers also took home two first place awards for their mozzarella and rope string cheese, as well as a pair of third place prizes. And at the Dodge County Fair, the Crave’s Rope String Cheese was named the Grand Champion while their Mascarpone was awarded a blue ribbon. Crave says it was an honor to win the national competition but it was a special pleasure to win awards in their own back yard.
Piranha Found in Lake Winnebago
9/17/09 - A Fond du Lac man went fishing for bluegill recently, when he reeled up a potentially-dangerous piranha. Richard Pardee caught it last Friday on Lake Winnebago. It was a large gray creature, about 12-and-a-half inches long. And in 45 years of fishing, Pardee said he never saw anything like it. He iced it, took it to pet shop, and a sales associate confirmed it was either a piranha or a pacu – both of which are native to South America. Piranha have sharp teeth, and they can go after both people and animals. The state D-N-R is not sure how it got there. But when foreign species are released into Wisconsin waters, senior biologist Kendall Kamke says the potential for disease is a big concern.
9/17/09 - The defense has started to make its case in the trial of a man accused of killing a Columbus man and six others at a suburban Chicago restaurant. 37-year-old James Degorski has been on trial for over a month. He and Juan Luna allegedly stormed into a Brown’s Chicken restaurant in 1993, and murdered restaurant owners Richard and Lynn Ehlenfeldt and five employees. Richard Ehlenfeldt of Columbus was an aide to former Wisconsin Acting Governor Martin Schreiber in the 1970’s. On Monday, the prosecution rested its case. Yesterday, investigator James Bell said he thought for years that the prime suspect was John Simonek, because he confessed during police interviews. Simonek later testified that he confessed only to get the police off his back. He was never charged. Luna later confessed and implicated Degorski. Luna was convicted of the slayings in 2007, and was sentenced to life in prison.
Niesen Sentencing Date Set
9/17/09 - The sentencing date has been set for a 54-year-old Ashwaubenon man found guilty earlier this month of a 33-year-old Fond du Lac murder. A Fond du Lac County jury returned a guilty verdict against Thomas Niesen on September 3rd. Niesen was suspected of killing 19-year-old Kathleen Leichtman in July of 1976. The young Milwaukee woman had traveled to Fond du Lac to dance at The Other Place strip club. DNA evidence linked Niesen to the murder, but other evidence and testimony persuaded the jury. His sentencing is scheduled for November 6th.
A Good Year For the Crave Brothers Farm
9/17/09 - Not only were they the host of the 2009 Farm Tech Days, but the Crave Brothers Farm near Waterloo also received a number of cheese-making accolades this year. George Crave, the President of Crave Farmstead Cheeses, says in the past seven years they’ve secured a solid place among the nation’s most elite cheese makers. The Crave Brothers recently won four awards at the 25th Annual American Cheese Society Competition in Austin, Texas. The local cheese maker took home the top two prizes in the Farmstead Cheese category for their original creation “Les Frères Reserve” and “Petite Frères Reserve.” The Craves mozzarella also took home second place trophies in the Fresh and Marinated Fresh Mozzarella categories. At the Wisconsin State Fair, the brothers also took home two first place awards for their mozzarella and rope string cheese, as well as a pair of third place prizes. And at the Dodge County Fair, the Crave’s Rope String Cheese was named the Grand Champion while their Mascarpone was awarded a blue ribbon. Crave says it was an honor to win the national competition but it was a special pleasure to win awards in their own back yard.
Piranha Found in Lake Winnebago
9/17/09 - A Fond du Lac man went fishing for bluegill recently, when he reeled up a potentially-dangerous piranha. Richard Pardee caught it last Friday on Lake Winnebago. It was a large gray creature, about 12-and-a-half inches long. And in 45 years of fishing, Pardee said he never saw anything like it. He iced it, took it to pet shop, and a sales associate confirmed it was either a piranha or a pacu – both of which are native to South America. Piranha have sharp teeth, and they can go after both people and animals. The state D-N-R is not sure how it got there. But when foreign species are released into Wisconsin waters, senior biologist Kendall Kamke says the potential for disease is a big concern.
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