Top Stories August 15th

Gas Prices Falling…For Now

8/15/11 - Wisconsin gas prices are falling – for now, at least. The state’s Triple-“A” says the average price is 3.61 this morning for a gallon of unleaded regular. That’s about the same as yesterday. And it’s eight-cents lower than week ago, and almost 13 cents lower than a month ago. Gas can be had for $3.50 in Beaver Dam this morning. The price of crude oil fell below 80-dollars a barrel last week for the first time in 2011 before rising to 85-dollars by Friday. Pam Moen of the state’s Triple-“A” said gas was running for just 2.78-a-gallon the last time crude oil hit the 80-dollar mark. And if he gets below 80, Moen says it’s possible we could see prices-at-the-pump fall below three-dollars. But analysts don’t agree what will happen next. Some experts say gas prices will soon go up again, because Saudi Arabia’s government apparently wants to drive up fuel prices to support the nation’s budget. But other experts say the European debt crisis and a weak U-S economy could keep gas prices from rising due to a weak demand.

Democratic Recall Elections Tomorrow

8/15/11 - The last of nine Wisconsin Senate recall elections will be held tomorrow. And while Democrats can no longer gain control of the chamber, Minority Leader Mark Miller says it’s still vital that his party’s two incumbents win their contests. Miller says it would give Democrats a much better chance to negotiate upcoming proposals in the Senate, because the G-O-P’s majority could be cut from five members to as little as one at 17-to-16. In northern Wisconsin, long-time legislator Jim Holperin of Conover is challenged by local Tea Party founder Kim Simac of Eagle River. In the Kenosha area, Democrat Bob Wirch – who has served at the Capitol for almost two decades – will face attorney Jonathan Steitz. Two Republicans were recalled last week, but Democrats needed to unseat three G-O-P senators to regain the majority it lost last November.

BDUSD Budget Hearing Tonight

8/15/11 - The Beaver Dam School Board will hold their annual budget hearing tonight. When it was presented to the board in June the budget for the 2011-2012 school year was projected at $47-million, which would be a decrease of more than $7-million from this past school year. At the time Business Service Director Andrew Sarnow projected a decrease of more than 7-percent in the district’s mill rate but cautioned that the numbers would likely change significantly when the property values and enrollment numbers are finalized sometime in October. The budget hearing will take place at 6pm at the Educational Service Center with the board’s regular meeting following at 6:30pm.

Recreation Park in Columbus Being Discussed

8/15/11 - A possible Recreation Park on the west side of Highway 151 in Columbus is being discussed by key “user groups.” School District officials from Columbus and Fall River have joined in the discussions of developing an athletic complex and other recreational facilities on the City-owned land. Initial plans for the recreation park were drafted after recent successes in hosting the XPlosion softball tournaments in Columbus. Concept plans include softball and soccer fields, a skate park, a nature area, a pavilion, playground and parking facilities located to the south of Maple Avenue adjacent to Highway 151.

Dam Project on Budget in Mayville

8/15/11 - Officials in Mayville say the Upper Rock River Dam project is expected to come in at budget. Since June 15th the river has been held up above the dam so repairs could be made to the concrete structure, its retaining wall and the gates. The total cost of project is $446,000 and officials believe it will come in around that number when it’s completed at the end of the month. It’s completion will also allow the river to go back to its normal levels. The structure hadn’t gone this extensive of a rehabilitation since 1946 when the original concrete structure was built. That replaced the wood, stone and dirt dam built in 1848.

Police Find Marijuana Growing in Lomira

8/15/11 - The Lomira Police Department says the recent discovery of marijuana plants growing near the villages wastewater treatment plant weren’t part of a growing operation. An officer found them near a catch basin during one of the departments periodic security checks of the area. After calling in the Dodge County Drug Task Force to confirm it was marijuana they got approval from the village board to dispose of it before it could grow enough to be smoked. The police department says the plants most likely came from the waste system through somebody flushing some of it down their toilet. They also say the plants did not affect the quality of the villages water and no one was adversely affected.

K-9 Unit to be Put to Work on Major Highways

8/15/11 - Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls says his department’s new K9’s will be used to sniff out drugs along the well-traveled local routes like highways 151, 33 and 41. Ziva and Paige are in training to be the sheriffs departments first-ever K9 unit though Nehls told us on WBEV’s Community Comment that deputies have borrowed K9’s from other departments in the county to conduct drug interdiction stops. That means deputies who conduct traffic stops and encounter suspicious behavior bring the dogs out. One shift earlier this month resulted in five narcotics arrests. Ziva and Paige will be sworn-in during the Dodge County Fair on Friday at the WBEV-WXRO Radio Park Stage.

CDC Still Looking for Passengers

8/15/11 - A spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control reports there are still 15 passengers from Delta flight 5121 they need to contact. Health officials want to make sure they are protected against rabies. The CDC says it has spoken with 35 of the 50 people who were on the August 5 flight from Madison to Atlanta and none have required any treatment. The plane was in the air when a bat started flying from one end of the cabin to another. It isn't known if the bat had rabies because it got away without being captured. The CDC says it just wants to make sure the passengers didn't have close contact with the bat, putting them at risk of rabies.

Hero Mom in Sheboygan

8/15/11 - Barbara Janke's family members say they aren't surprised by her actions. The 60 year old pushed her daughter and pregnant friend out of the way of a car August 6 and took the main force of the impact on herself. She went into a coma and died last Monday. The two women with Janke suffered relatively minor injuries. The incident happened outside the Brat Days Festival in Sheboygan. Prosecutors have charged the 19 year old driver of the car with five felonies. Kayla Mary Brower has a preliminary hearing scheduled for next Friday. She is accused of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle. Bower is being held on 100 thousand dollars bail.

BDACT Auditions this Week

8/15/11 - Auditions for the Beaver Dam Area Community Theater’s fall, main-stage production will be taking place tonight and tomorrow (Monday and Tuesday). “Noises Off” is a story about a third-rate theatre troupe’s ill-fated final rehearsal and features a modest cast of colorful characters. In addition to actors, the theater is also looking for backstage help with sound and light, hair and make-up, set building, painting, costumes and props. Those auditioning should be prepared to do a cold read from the script, which is available at the Beaver Dam Library. Actors are also allowed, but not required, to read from a prepared monologue. Auditions tonight and tomorrow are from 6pm to 8pm at the Community Theater building on North Spring Street; enter through the side entrance. “Noises Off” is on the stage for seven performances beginning October 21. Additional contact information is on our website. Director Chris Hughes at 920-219-1103 or e-mail cjhughes87@gmail.com or visit BDACT’s website at www.bdact.org and click on auditions.

Mayor to Hold Listening Sessions

8/15/11 - Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy has listening sessions scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday). Kennedy says city residents are invited to meet with him, one-on-one, without appointment on the first and third Tuesday of every month. He says it is important that constituents have the opportunity to speak with him the day after each regular meeting of the common council. The meetings are held in Room 109 on the first floor of City Hall from 10am until noon and again from 5pm to 6pm. Kennedy also makes himself available for private meetings by appointment by contacting the mayor office.