Top Stories August 1st

2 Suspects Arrested in Butschke Death

8/1/11 - Two suspects, including one from Watertown, have been arrested in the death of a man found in a Jefferson County storage facility after being missing for two weeks. According to the Janesville Gazette, 19-year-old James Richards of Oconomowoc went to the city’s police headquarters early yesterday looking for a place to stay. And officers knew that Jefferson County authorities were looking for him in connection with a homicide. Police said Richards confessed, and showed officers where they could find the other suspect – 51-year-old James Richardson of Watertown. Both were wanted in the death of 28-year-old Beau Butschke, whose body was found last week in a unit at the Ski Slide Storage facility in Ixonia. A truck involved in the incident was also found. Jefferson County authorities say they’re still investigating.

Hot Air Balloon Accident Injures 5

8/1/11 - Five people suffered what authorities are calling minor injuries after a hot air balloon accident in Beaver Dam early Saturday evening. It happened around 5:45 p-m at the Beaver Dam Conservationist Club during a fundraiser for Green Valley Enterprises, which included tethered hot air balloon rides. Dodge County Sheriff’s Deputy John Monahan says the balloon was on the ground when the wind changed directions and sent the balloon out of control. Officials say that was caused by a rope tethered to a pickup truck snapping. Injured in the incident was a 35-year-old Beaver Dam woman, who was taken to the hospital and had surgery yesterday afternoon to fix a broken arm. Three other spectators, a 51-year-old Beaver Dam woman, a 52-year-old Beaver Dam man and an 18-year-old Beaver Dam woman, were taken to the hospital. Also injured was the sole passenger in the balloon, a 65-year-old Burnett woman. The 51-year-old pilot was uninjured. The balloon ride was operated by Sundog Ballooning of Rhinelander, which donated their services for the Ham n’ Jam fundraiser. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Aviation Administration are still investigating.

Hot Weather Has Construction of New BDPD Behind Schedule

8/1/11 - The hot weather has put construction of the Beaver Dam Police Station behind schedule. Mayor Tom Kennedy told us on WBEV’s Community Comment on Friday that a humidity build-up has resulted in a delay in installing marble tile, which in turn will cause a delay in moving furniture in the $5.1 million dollar facility. The air conditioning was installed and turned on late last week and the process of drying out the moisture is underway. The project has been delayed by three weeks. Instead of occupancy by Labor Day, Kennedy says it will be closer to October 1.

Heat Causes Highway to Buckle

8/1/11 - Yesterday’s hot weather led to some road buckling again. Officials say just before noon a sheet of concrete on Highway 151 near Hemlock Road blew forcing authorities to close a portion of the highway while crews repaired it. Dodge County Highway Commissioner Brian Field says the heat causes the cement slabs to expand and push against each other up into the air causing them to fail. Field says the failures are time consuming and costly to fix. Each year the county sees about 15 instances of the road buckling, mostly on the state highway that are built with concrete.

Legislature Could Vote on Unemployment Benefits Today

8/1/11 - Wisconsin senators are scheduled to vote this afternoon on giving more 13 weeks of benefits to the state’s long-term unemployed. But Republican Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says he’s not sure if he has the votes to pass it. That’s because there’s a disagreement on whether the bill should include a one-week waiting period for the newly-unemployed to receive benefits once they apply. The waiting period was included in the new state budget to save up to 56-million-dollars a year. But senators eliminated the waiting period when they first approved the jobless benefits last month. And the Assembly voted the next day to put it back. The two houses must agree on the same measure before they can send it to the governor. And in the meantime, up to 40-thousand unemployed Wisconsinites are waiting for the longer benefits, after using up 73 weeks of payments earlier. The federal government has made up to 89-million-dollars of extended benefits available. Senate Democratic Leader Mark Miller is against the waiting period. He says Republicans would show a lack of “conviction and courage” if they restore it after voting to drop it. Senate G-O-P President Mike Ellis does not like the timing of today’s vote. He says Democrats will blame Republicans for delaying jobless benefits, just as six G-O-P senators face recall elections a week from tomorrow. As Ellis puts it, “They’ve got another week to run ads about how we hate the middle class.”

Ready Turns 93

8/1/11 - Wisconsin's longest-serving elected official turned 93 yesterday. Dodge County Supervisor Joe Ready of Watertown has been on his county board for 57 years. He also spent over two decades on the Watertown City Council. Ready is a life-long resident of Dodge County, except when he was born in 1918 at the Watertown hospital. That's barely on the other side of the Dodge-Jefferson county line. Ready was 89 when the Wisconsin Counties Association honored him in 2007 for his years of service. He says the key to his longevity is "dedication." Wisconsin Senate Democrat Fred Risser of Madison is often mentioned as the nation's longest-serving state lawmaker. But he's a relative pup compared to Ready. Risser is nine years younger at age 84 -- and he's now in his 55th year in the Legislature.

Change in the “National Night Out” in Columbus

8/1/11 - There will be a change in this year’s “National Night Out” in Columbus. Police Chief Dan Meister said Tuesday night will be more of a neighborhood night than last year. Last year public events were held at Fireman’s Park. This year Meister hopes residents will join their next door neighbors and roving police in talking about public safety. National Night Out was initially designed as a program promoting better relations between the public and local Police.

Police: Sheboygan Mayor the Aggressor in Fight

8/1/11 - A report from Elkhart Lake police says Sheboygan's mayor was the aggressor in a fight there last week. Mayor Bob Ryan was given a verbal warning by officers. The fight at the Brown Baer tavern happened about 1:30 a.m. last Monday. Ryan is an admitted alcoholic. He told Sheboygan radio station WHBL he had been on a three-day drinking binge, passing out at least once. Sheboygan City Council members have called for Ryan to resign, though he has said he won't do that. He says he will seek outpatient treatment.

Capitol Rotunda Net Coming Down

8/1/11 - The net in the state Capitol rotunda is coming down. State officials say it is ugly and it is obscuring the view for visitors. It went up last week during a controversy over the release of balloons there. State facilities director Jeff Plale says the net was only a test and it will be taken down before the building opens today. It was installed Friday, a day after police arrested a state worker accused of popping a protester's balloon. The same worker was accused of pushing a woman down. The balloons were banned because they could damage historic murals.