Top Stories July 20th

Hottest Day of the Heat Wave Expected Today

7/20/11 - It’s Day-Four of Wisconsin’s heat wave – and it could be the hottest. The National Weather Service says temperatures will push at least into the mid-and-upper-90’s statewide this afternoon. Heat index readings will go well into the 100’s again. And some places could have their hottest day since the heat wave of 1995 – when 154 Wisconsinites died from various heat conditions. So far, at least, we have not heard of any deaths directly caused by the heat wave. Some Wisconsin electric utilities say they could break all-time usage records today due to the heavy use of air conditioning. The state’s largest electric transmission service also expects record energy flows today. The American Transmission Company says the system is in good shape. An excessive heat warning is in effect in our area until 9 pm tomorrow night.

Storms Roll Through

7/20/11 - The heat wave produced another round of severe thunderstorms last night, including some that hit our area. Green Lake County was hardest hit, as all of Berlin lost power for a time. Fallen tree branches caused numerous power outages in the Green Lake area. A few large branches fell onto roads in Beaver Dam as well as in Washington County. Earlier in the night in northwest Wisconsin, a funnel cloud was spotted at Turtle Lake. In Polk County, weather officials said numerous buildings were damaged at Pipe Lake – and boats were lifted and docks were destroyed near McKinley. Much of the northwest had scattered tree damage. In central Wisconsin, a funnel cloud was spotted near Veefkind in Clark County, as winds in the region hit 60-miles-an-hour last night. Abbotsford had three-and-a-half inches of rain, and roads near Colby had up to 10-inches of water. To the east, trees fell at Junction City. Plover got almost two-inches of rain in just 50 minutes. And Wausau set a new rainfall record for the date with one-point-five-seven inches.

Cause of Spring Isle Fire ‘Undetermined’

7/20/11 - The Beaver Dam Fire Department has ruled that the cause of a fire at the Spring Isle Apartments late Saturday night cannot be determined. Investigators say there were a number of factors that hindered their ability to conclusively find the direct cause of the blaze. The fire started around 10:30pm on a second floor balcony of the apartment at 1337 Wayland Street. There was significant damage to that unit along with three others. No one was injured. Insurance adjusters have been at the scene for the past couple days surveying damage and the estimates show a loss of over $200,000 dollars. Tenants who were affected by the fire are being relocated to others apartments within the Spring Isle complex.

Highway Department Tending To Road Failures

7/20/11 - The Dodge County Highway Department has seen some road failures on local highways as a result of the extreme heat we’ve been experiencing. Highway Commissioner Brian Field says the majority of the heat-related issues have been joint failures on concrete roadways like Highway 151 and Highway 41. Field says the heat causes the cement slabs to expand, push against each other and crumble. Even with all this heat, Field says his crews have been out paving asphalt streets but he says they are advised to be careful and drink plenty of water. Construction wrapped up last Thursday on the reconstruction of County Highway A between Highway 33 and Oak Grove.

Forbes Denied New Trial

7/20/11 - A Columbia County Judge this week denied a motion for a new trial by defense attorneys for Curtis Forbes. The 54-year-old Randolph man was sentenced in February of first-degree murder in the death of 18-year-old Marilyn McIntyre. She was beaten, stabbed, and strangled in March of 1980 at her apartment in Columbus. Her husband Lane was at work at the time, and their three-month-old son was in his crib. Forbes was a friend of the couple, dating back to their high school years. Judge Alan White said that Forbes convicted himself with his own words and while the evidence was circumstantial, he said it was sufficient for a guilty verdict.

Early Prison Release Program Rescinded

7/20/11 - State Assembly Majority Leader Scott Suder says Wisconsin is a safer place, after Governor Scott Walker signed the bill to end the early release of prisoners. Suder, a Republican from Abbotsford, was the main sponsor of the repeal – and the Republican Walker signed it Tuesday in Eau Claire. Democrats approved the early releases two years ago at the request of former Governor Jim Doyle. He said it would give non-violent offenders an incentive to behave behind bars – and it would save taxpayers’ money. About 500 prisoners were released early as a result of the program – and Republicans said some were drug dealers and other dangerous criminals. Democrats admitted it was hard to tell how much the program saved. Wisconsin spends about one-point-one billion dollars on its prisons each year.

Senate Approves New Legislative Districts

7/20/11 - Wisconsin senators voted 19-to-14 Tuesday to approve new congressional and state legislative districts that were drawn up by majority Republicans. Democrats again warned that the maps were unconstitutional. And they accused the G-O-P of scrambling to try and assure themselves a decade of power before next month’s recall elections – when Republicans could lose control of the Senate. Not a single Democrat voted for the new maps. And the same was true for measures to have the Supreme Court pick judges to rule on legal challenges to the new districts. Madison Democrat Fred Risser said no other court could hear appeals – and he wondered what would happen to those turned down by the justices. Risser said the maps might be legal, but they’re not fair. He said other groups and individuals besides G-O-P lawmakers should have had a say in what they look like. Democrats accused Republicans of stepping on toes by not following local government district lines that have already been drawn. The G-O-P passed a bill to make such discrepancies legal. The Assembly will take up the redistricting bills Wednesday.

Republican Governor Scott Walker says he wants to get a good look at the maps before deciding whether to sign them into law. A number of Democrats asked why districts that were previously so compact now have to be jettisoned out for dozens of miles – over 100 miles in a northwest Wisconsin Senate district. Senate G-O-P leader Scott Fitzgerald said he heard the same objections from some Republican colleagues. And he called it a challenging puzzle in which lines drawn in northwest Wisconsin affect people in the southeast. Democrat Bob Jauch of Poplar didn’t buy that. And he asked why the four major cities in central Wisconsin need two congressional representatives instead of one. The House maps move the Democratic cities of Wisconsin Rapids and Stevens Point to Democrat Ron Kind’s district in western Wisconsin – while Marshfield and Wausau remain under Republican Sean Duffy.

BDACT & BDMS Present ‘No Strings Attached’

7/20/11 - A modern twist on a classic Disney film will be on the stage of the Beaver Dam Area Community Theater for six performances beginning Wednesday. The Pinocchio-inspired story “No Strings Attached” features a cast of five dozen middle school students giving their take on classic characters like Jiminy Cricket and Geppetto along with new additions like Blues Fairy Mama and Tina Tuna. “No Strings Attached” runs through Friday with show times at 2pm and 7pm. Tickets are available at Rechek’s Food Pride or at the door.