Top Stories September 4th

DA Klomberg Rescinds Controversial Policy


9/4/10 - Dodge County’s new District Attorney has rescinded a controversial policy enacted by his predecessor. As his first official act since being sworn in on Wednesday, Kurt Klomberg issued a memo to all Dodge County Law Enforcement Agencies that says his office will resume prosecuting small-quantity, first-time, adult drug offenses as well as some Disorderly Conduct and Operating After Revocation offenses. Former D-A Bill Bedker had implemented the policy change that shifted that responsibility from the circuit courts to the municipal courts. Bedker says the policy change stemmed from state-imposed furlough days that forced him to prioritize his case load. As a result, the city of Beaver Dam changed their ordinance to allow their municipal court to handle marijuana possession charges. The money from those fines, which could be in the thousands of dollars per offense, would stay in the municipality. As part of the memo, Klomberg did encourage law enforcement officials to exercise discretion and, if appropriate, continue writing municipal citations for minor offenses rather than referring those charges up to the circuit court level. The new policy is not retroactive and only applies to offenses committed on or after September 1.

Jefferson Co. Jury Would Be Used in Forbes Trial

9/4/10 - A jury from Jefferson County would hear the possible trial of a man accused of killing an 18-year-old woman in Columbus 30 years ago. A two-week trial is scheduled to begin November eighth in Columbia County for 52-year-old Curtis Forbes. He’s accused of beating, stabbing, and strangling Marilyn McIntyre in her Columbus apartment in March of 1980. Her husband Lane was working at the time. A motive was never determined. Forbes was said to be a friend of the victim’s family. He was arrested in March of last year, when authorities said they found his D-N-A in a bathroom sink at the victim’s home. He’s been jailed since then under a 450-thousand dollar bond. About 200 jurors will be sent questionnaires. Up to 110 of them would have to appear for a selection process involving attorneys on both sides. The pool will then be whittled down to 12 jurors and two alternates. The trial was supposed to begin at the end of April, with a jury from Wood County. But the judge decided to give prosecutors time whether to decide to appeal a ruling to suppress some of the D-N-A evidence. The state decided not to appeal, thus allowing the trial to be re-scheduled.

Bonney Sentenced

9/4/10 - A Grafton man will spend four years in prison for his seventh OWI. Michael Bonney crashed into a house in the Town of Hustisford in February. According to the police report, the 38-year-old was traveling northbound on County Highway E when his vehicle spun across the roadway and through the southbound lane striking several trees and a fence before smashing into the home. There was no one in the residence at the time. The jaws-of-life was used to cut the Bonney from the pick-up. He was seriously injured and, according to a breath test at the hospital 90 minutes after the accident, his blood alcohol level was over twice the legal limit. In addition to prison time, Bonney will lose his license for three years followed by another three years with an ignition interlock device on his vehicle.

Dells Ride Had No Mechanical Problems

9/4/10 - State officials said they found no mechanical problems on a Wisconsin Dells amusement park ride where a 12-year-old girl was seriously injured. A report released yesterday by the state Commerce Department said the operator of the Terminal Velocity ride did not follow proper protocol when Teagan Marti fell 100-feet to the ground on July 30th. The report said Teagan was dropped before her cage reached the top – and before a safety net was lifted to its proper position. The incident occurred at the Extreme World amusement park. The ride’s operator at the time, 33-year-old Charles Carnell of Lake Delton, faces a criminal charge of reckless injury. The ride is still closed. Marti was transferred this week from U-W Hospital in Madison to a Florida hospital close to her home. Doctors say she could be partially paralyzed.

Harley and Union Reach Tentative Deal

9/4/10 - Union workers still have to ratify the deal, but an agreement has been reached which could keep hundreds of jobs in Wisconsin. Workers are expected to vote on the contract a week from Monday. Harley-Davidson had said labor costs at its manufacturing operations in Milwaukee and Tomahawk were too high. The company said it might move that production to other plants if it didn't get concessions. Neither side is saying much about what is in the agreement terms. A company spokesman says the contract gives Harley the flexibility it needs to stay competitive, while maintaining competitive salaries for its workers.

Minimum Mark-up Law Ruling Reversed on Appeal

9/4/10 - Wisconsin’s minimum mark-up law for gasoline – which a federal judge struck down a year-and-a-half ago – was put back in place today. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago reversed a ruling from Judge Rudolph Randa, who said the mark-up requirement violates federal anti-trust laws and is therefore unconstitutional. The Wisconsin Petroleum Marketers-and-Convenience Store Association challenged that ruling, and it won its appeal. The group said mom-and-pop gas stations would be driven out of business by larger competitors who could afford to charge less. But critics say the law – which was first passed during the Great Depression – artificially raises gas prices in the Badger State. State Attorney General J-B Van Hollen had decided not to appeal Randa’s ruling, leaving the petroleum marketers as the only ones to do so.

Insurance Premiums Mostly on Workers Shoulders Now

9/4/10 - For the first time, an annual health survey shows workers are paying the bulk of health insurance premium increases. A national group which analyzes health trends speculates it's due to the recession, that companies are trying to avoid cutting jobs. The Kaiser Family Foundation has tracked health premiums for over a decade. During that time, health costs have routinely gone up by a greater percentage than wages. What's different about this year is who ends up paying most of the increased premiums, says Kaiser's CEO, Drew Altman. Premiums for family coverage increased on average 14-percent, while there was no increase for companies.

Dog to be Put Down Today

9/4/10 - The dog that attacked and killed a four-year-old Dodge County girl last month is to be put down this today. Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls says the five-year-old boxer is being euthanized at the owner’s request. Nehls says no charges will be brought against the owner. By all accounts, he says Rocky wasn’t vicious, but the dog was involved in the tragedy that led to Taylor Becker’s death. The girl was killed when she approached the dog in the backyard, while it was tied up. Nehls says the unfortunate attack last week serves as a reminder that, no matter how well behaved they appear, animals are unpredictable.

(KFIZ)