Top Stories August 3rd

BDPFC Approves High-Level Paramedic Training


8/3/11 - Beaver Dam residents have had paramedic-level service when they call 9-1-1 for an ambulance since June of 2009. Having ten paramedics on the roster has also helped the Fire Departments Interfacility Transports, that’s a revenue-generating program that transfers patients between hospitals, typically between Beaver Dam and Madison. The city spent thousands of dollars training emergency responders to be paramedics but Beaver Dam EMS Coordinator Paul Hartl told the city’s Police and Fire Commission last night that the state is now telling municipalities that it’s not enough. Hartl says in order to continue transporting patients that require “critical care” between hospitals, some paramedics would need another 80 hours of training. The state will let municipal EMS providers continue to work with their current level of paramedic service until January 1 of 2013. Then the department would need to have at least one “critical care” paramedic on a shift to transfer “critical care” patients between hospitals. Again, residents who call 9-1-1 will not be affected and non-critical care transports could still continue. The city’s Police and Fire Commission last night approved training for a half-dozen paramedics at a cost of $1000 each. Beaver Dam has transferred 1,202 patients between hospitals so far this year, down 28 from this same time last year…approximately three to four dozen each year are critical care. Chief Alan Mannel says the department generates enough revenue to cover about half of its total budget, and about one-third of that comes from Interfacility Transports.

Gas Prices on the Way Up

Beaver Dam has some of the lowest gas prices in the state this morning. That’s according to WisconsinGasPrices.com, which says a gallon of unleaded regular can be had for $3.63. The Triple-“A” reports a state average price of 3.75-point-seven this morning for a gallon of unleaded regular. That’s less than a penny more than yesterday – almost three-cents more than a week ago – and 12-cents more than a month ago. But Wisconsinites are still paying less than in neighboring Minnesota, which is traditionally cheaper. The Triple-“A” says drivers in the Gopher State are paying 3.77-point-five – almost two cents more than in the Badger State. But Minnesota Gas Prices-Dot-Com said prices rose by over a nickel-a-gallon overnight to 3.83 – 15-cents more than in Wisconsin. But no matter how you slice it, we’re still paying about a dollar more for gasoline than last summer. National analyst Trigby Lundberg recently blamed a jump in crude oil prices. Otherwise, he said gas prices would have fallen due to a weaker economy and continued high unemployment.

Beaver Dam Seeks To Become A Bird City

8/3/11 - A local organization is seeking to have Beaver Dam declared a “Bird City.” Teresa Hiles-Olson, a city alderperson, sits on the Bird City Committee, a group that is seeking the designation from Bird City Wisconsin. Hiles-Olson says the migratory bird population is important to tourism in both the state and the county, especially given our proximity to the Horicon Marsh. She says the designation is also important because it raises awareness for the problems facing our fine feathered friends. The city has already approved resolutions designating Beaver Dam as a “Tree City” and also declared October 1 as International Migratory Bird Day. A modest festival is planned for that day. Beaver Dam will find out if it will join Horicon and nineteen other communities as an official “Bird City” in November. More information is available at http://www.birdcitywisconsin.org/

16-Year-Old Ticketed In 111mph Taco Run

8/3/11 - A run for the border landed a Columbus man in hot water. The Dodge County Sheriffs Department ticketed a motorist for driving 46 miles-an-hour over the speed limit on Highway 151 yesterday morning. Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls says the deputy was stationed near County Road S and clocked a 2002 Mitsubishi traveling 111mph in the 65 mile-and-hour zone. The 16-year-old driver – who had three teenage passengers – told the deputy he was returning to his home in Columbus after a late-night run to Beaver Dam for taco’s and said he thought he was only doing 95mph. He is facing tickets totaling over $700 and up to nine points against his license. His parents also had to make a run for the border, or county line, at 3am to retrieve their son, his friends and the car. Nehls says “friends don’t let friends drive this recklessly” and in this case “it sure made for an expensive late-night snack.”

Man Faces Sexual Assault Charge

8/3/11 - A 68-year-old Waupun man is facing sexual assault charges after allegedly groping a convenience store clerk on Monday. It happened around 6pm at Holliday Food and Sport on Main Street in Waupun. The victim says the man, who was dressed in a sleeveless shirt and dirty jeans, walked into the store and allegedly grabbed her breast and buttocks. Authorities took the man into custody and took him to the Dodge County Jail. The District Attorney’s office is expected to charge the man with 4th degree sexual assault.

Authorities Seek 2nd Man Involved in Beating

8/3/11 - As of yesterday authorities in Waupun were still looking for a second person involved in a battery over the weekend. Police say it happened behind the Thirsty Marlin bar on Main Street. A 28-year-old Brandon man and 29-year-old Waupun man were standing in the smoking area outside when a 26-year-old Horicon man allegedly punched the first man in the face, knocking him out. Meanwhile, a black or Hispanic man began punching the Waupun man in the face. Both victims were taken to the hospital for treatment. The Horicon man was arrested and faces charges of substantial battery and disorderly conduct. Anyone with information about the 2nd assailant is asked to contact authorities.

Search for Bank Robber Continues in FDL

8/3/11 - Nine photos have been released of the man suspected of robbing Hometown Bank in Fond du Lac. The Fond du Lac Police Department released the photos taken by the bank’s cameras during Monday morning’s robbery. It shows the suspect, the clothing he was wearing and even the backpack he was carrying that he ditched on a front lawn just down the street from the bank. Police are hoping someone may recognize the man in the photos and give them information that will lead to the man’s arrest. Meanwhile, Fond du Lac Police Captain Mike Frank says the suspect may have picked the bank at random. He says the man made no attempt to disguise or conceal his appearance and no one in the bank recognized him. For that reason it’s believed the man did not case the bank ahead of time. Frank also says even though no weapon was displayed during the robbery the note the robber passed to the teller demanding money was threatening enough to warrant an armed robbery charge. (KFIZ, Fond du Lac)


State Not Meeting EPA Standards Regulating Water Pollution

8/3/11 - Wisconsin is not meeting dozens of federal requirements in the way it manages water pollution. The E-P-A has told the state that it found 75 omissions and deviations from federal laws in Wisconsin’s water permit system. And it wants the state to make dozens of changes – or prove why its laws comply with the national standards. State D-N-R attorney Robin Nyffeler says the notice should be kept in perspective. Nyffeler says Wisconsin has run its own water program for almost 40 years under the federal Clean Water Act – and in that time, there were bound to be some discrepancies. Among other things, the state requires at least five people to ask for a public hearing on a water pollution permit – but the federal government says only one person needs to make a request. The E-P-A also says Wisconsin’s legal authority to enforce water rules might have been weakened last year by a State Supreme Court ruling involving a dispute over a water permit given to Georgia-Pacific’s paper plant in Green Bay. Also, the E-P-A questioned some laws passed this year by the Republican-controlled Legislature and Governor Scott Walker. One requires the state to impose pollution limits or standards only if a specific law allows it. The E-P-A says the state Justice Department has some explaining to do on that one. Attorney Dennis Grzezinski of the Midwest Environmental Advocates in Green Bay says the E-P-A’s long list of concerns is quote, “amazingly alarming.” But Nyffler said state-and-federal officials have been talking about this since 2009 – and even more concerns have already been addressed.

Weather Shines On Wisconsin Crops

8/3/11 - The last week has been great for Wisconsin’s farm crops. For the first time this year, the state’s corn has caught up to its normal height, which is 78-inches at the moment. Officials say 81-percent of the Wisconsin corn is in good-to-excellent condition. Seventy-one percent of the soybeans are blooming, 16-percent more than a week ago. But that’s still four-points behind the current average. Eighty-one percent of that crop is good-to-excellent. Last week’s rainfall slowed down the second hay crop a little. 91-percent of it is in, six-percent more than a week ago. Soil moisture is not a problem in most parts of the Badger State. Seventy-five percent of fields have adequate moisture, and 12-percent have a surplus.

Ag Secretary Vilsack in Milwaukee

8/3/11 - The nation’s agriculture secretary will spend the next two days in Wisconsin. Tom Vilsack will appear at the Milwaukee Grain Exchange today, to show small-and-medium sized businesses how to export their food-and-farm products. Tomorrow, Vilsack will be a part of the opening day of the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis. He’ll hold a forum with farmers and business-and-community leaders on ways to create jobs and improve the farm economy. Wisconsin agriculture employs about 350-thousand people. On Monday, we learned that the state’s farm exports grew to a record two-point-four billion dollars last year – an increase of 36-percent from 2009.