Top Stories June 6th

Report: GOP to Use “Fake” Democrats to Force Primaries

6/6/11 - Wisconsin Republicans are reportedly using some rare tactics to give at least two state senators more time to campaign in this summer’s recall elections. According to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel columnist Dan Bice, Republicans have lined up two fake Democrats to run against real Democrats in a July primary. That would give Republican senators Randy Hopper of Fond du Lac and Luther Olsen of Ripon an extra month to prepare, since a general election would be pushed back to August if there’s a primary in July. Dan Feyen, who chairs the Sixth District Republican Party, wrote a letter asking conservatives to get enough signatures to put the fake candidates on the ballot – and he told Bice that the State Republican Party is coordinating the whole thing. The state party has not commented. According to the paper, G-O-P contributor John Buckstaff would run against Democrat Jessica King in a primary for Hopper’s seat. Feyen said King’s getting an unfair head start on her campaign, since Hopper is busy voting on legislation – so Feyen says he doesn’t feel guilty at all about keeping King busy with a fake primary. Also, Bice says Republican donor Rol Church would run in a primary for Olsen’s seat. Church wouldn’t confirm his candidacy yesterday but he told Bice quote, “Stay tuned – it will all be announced soon.”

Man Facing Charges After Accident

6/6/11 - A 29-year-old man is facing possible felony charges after rolling his vehicle in Oak Grove last night while allegedly drunk. It happened at 10:15 p-m on South Grove Road near County Trunk S. Authorities say Nicholas Dambruch lost control of his vehicle and it flipped over. He was taken to Beaver Dam Community Hospital and later flown to UW-Hospital in Madison. His passenger was also taken to the hospital. Police say they expect Dambruch to be charged with OWI 2nd Offense Causing Injury. Meanwhile, a minor accident on Highway 151 just outside of Columbus resulted in no injuries but did shut down one northbound lane for about an hour.

Motorcycle Crashes Injure Two

6/6/11 - A pair of men suffered serious injuries after being involved in two separate motorcycle accidents Saturday afternoon. The first happened just after 4:30 p-m on Canada Island Road in the town of Fox Lake. Authorities say 48-year-old Stuart White of Randolph failed to negotiate a curve and was thrown from the bike. He was flown by Flight for Life to UW-Hospital in Madison. The second crash was reported around 5:30 p-m. 41-year-old Jason Stewart of Beaver Dam lost control of his bike on County Highway ME in the town of Hustisford and was thrown off as the motorcycle went into a ditch and overturned. He was flown to Froedert Hospital in Milwaukee. Authorities say neither man was wearing a helmet.

Semi Driver in Fatal Crash Facing Lawsuits

6/6/11 - The man driving a semi that crashed into the back of two other vehicle killing two people is facing wrongful death and personal injury civil lawsuits. 62-year-old Robert White was driving his semi southbound on Highway 41 near Allenton in December when he failed to stop and crashed into the back of an SUV, killing 57-year-old Ronald Brien. The semi then struck another SUV killing the driver of that vehicle, 58-year-old John Will of Fond du Lac. Three other people were seriously injured, including Annette Bath of Mayville. Brien’s wife, Glenda Brien, filed the wrongful death lawsuit, while two of the other people injured filed the personal injury lawsuit. Criminal charges are also possible, but authorities are awaiting the results from toxicology tests.

Work Begins on Highway 33 and A Intersection Today

6/6/11 - Beginning this morning traffic will be reduced to one lane at the intersection of Highways 33 and A. For the past month reconstruction of Highway A has closed it down from Oak Grove to Highway 33. Dodge County Highway Commissioner Brian Field says the intersection will be operated with stop and go lights with traffic from one direction getting a green light and the opposite direction a red light and then vice versa. He advises motorists to avoid the intersection if at all possible during the estimated two week project. He did say that the intersection of Highway A at County Roads W and F will be open to help with traffic flow.

Democrats Want Feingold to Run

6/6/11 - Wisconsin's Democratic insiders overwhelmingly prefer Russ Feingold to either return to the U-S Senate next year, or become the governor the next time that seat comes up. That's according to a straw poll at the State Democratic Convention in Milwaukee over the weekend. Almost 575 of the 22-hundred delegates responded to the poll from Wis-Politics-Dot-Com. In the governor's race, Feingold got 254 votes. And Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett was a distant second with 99. Barrett lost the governor's race to Scott Walker last fall. The seat would be up again next year if there are enough petitions to seek a planned recall of Walker. Otherwise, the job is up again in 2014. In the U-S Senate poll, Feingold was preferred by 271 Democratic delegates in the Wis-Politics poll, to 187 for House Democrat Tammy Baldwin of Madison. Feingold lost his former Senate seat to Republican Ron Johnson last November. But he could return in a year-and-a-half if he wins the state's other Senate seat to be given up Democrat Herb Kohl. Feingold says he'll announce by Labor Day if he'll make a Senate run.

Obey Criticizes Ryan, GOP

6/6/11 - Wisconsin Congressman Dave Obey has strong criticism for U.S. House Republicans and one his former colleagues. The former Seventh District Congressman took several shots at US Representative Paul Ryan’s budget plan, which was adopted earlier this year by House Republicans. Obey joked Ryan is leading the effort to “repeal the 20th Century” with a budget plan he described as radical. Obey criticized the plan for cutting financial aid to college students, along with shredding Medicare and Medicaid. The longtime Democratic Congressman says Republicans describe the proposal as saving the government money. However, he says that analysis fails to account for the fact that cutting back safety nets such as Medicare and Medicaid would take a serious toll on American citizens. Obey says Medicaid programs, such as BadgerCare in Wisconsin, are crucial for middle class families trying to make ends meet during tough times. Obey’s comments were made at this weekend’s Democratic Party convention in Milwaukee.

Man Poisons Neighbors Tree

6/6/11 - He never got off his own property, so 59 year old John Garver Junior told police he didn't think he'd done anything wrong. Garver got a citation for criminal damage to property after he allegedly poisoned his neighbor's tree in Madison. Garver's accused of drilling holes in a root of that tree, that had grown into his yard, and pouring in some Roundup weed killer. The owner of the tree reportedly called police last Wednesday saying the cottonwood tree she had planted 10 years ago was dying. She thought her neighbor, Garver, might be responsible.