Top Stories August 4th

Town of BD Man Arrested Following Gun Incident

8/4/11 - A Town of Beaver Dam man was arrested Tuesday following a gun incident at the North Hills Mobile Home Park. Police Chief John Kreuzinger says it started around 4pm while the suspect’s neighbor was mowing the lawn. 52-year-old Keith Nickels was allegedly taunting the woman, telling her not to blow lawn clippings on his property and calling her a series of expletives before threatening to shoot her in the head. The woman went inside to call police and her brother confronted Nickels. That’s when authorities say Nickels pulled a gun and told the man (quote) “do you want it now or later.” Police took Nickels into custody at gunpoint and executed a search warrant at his residence. An air-soft pellet gun was recovered. Chief Kreuzinger says it looked like a real gun and the callers obviously thought it was real. Nickels is formally charged with misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct and Displaying or Carrying a Facsimile Firearm. He had a signature bond set at $350 Wednesday.

Fondy Bank Robbery Suspect Apprehended

8/4/11 - A 22-year-old Milwaukee man has been taken into custody, suspected of robbing a bank in Fond du Lac Monday. Fond du Lac Police Captain Steve Klein says detectives worked around the clock after the robbery at Hometown Bank and traveled to the Milwaukee-area Tuesday. With the assistance of Milwaukee police, the man was taken into custody. He will be charged with Robbery of a Financial Institution. No one was hurt during the robbery and no weapon was displayed. The suspect made off with an undisclosed amount of cash. Klein says the man has been somewhat cooperative with investigators.

Extra Patrol Requested Around New Police Station

8/4/11 - The Beaver Dam Police Department has received a request to provide extra patrol around a new city building: the Beaver Dam Police Department. Contractors working on the new, $5.1 million dollar structure on Park Avenue report that skateboarders have been leaving grind marks on the front masonry work. Patrols are expected to be beefed up during the overnight hours. The new building should be open in early October after being delayed by three weeks because of humidity build-up that halted tile installation.

Beaver Dam Tavern Reports Theft of Cash

8/4/11 - The Beaver Dam Police Department is investigating the theft of money from one of the city’s newest taverns. Management with Dino’s Bar and Grill on South Center Street reported Tuesday morning that an undisclosed amount of cash was taken from the establishment during the overnight hours. Security camera footage is being reviewed. Anyone with information should contact the Beaver Dam Police Department.

Fox Lake Approves Garbage and Recycling Contract

8/4/11 - The Fox Lake City Council approved a five-year contract with Veolia ES Solid Waste Management last night for their garbage and recycling service. The biggest change residents will notice is a requirement to use a cart for their garbage. Currently you can put your trash out in a bag or cart but since Veolia is changing over to automated pickup service carts will now be required. Residents will also be getting new recycling carts. The process of dropping off the new carts and recycling bins will begin the week of September 19th. Veolia says they will give residents the new carts and bins and will take away the old ones.

Fox Lake City Council Accepts Donation

8/4/11 - The Fox Lake Historical Society will likely take over as the main tenant of the First Congregational United Church after the city council accepted the building as a donation last night. The church is closing this fall after serving the community for more than 150-years due to a dwindling number of members. However, because of its history the church wanted to keep the building as part of the community. The church will hold a special ceremony on October 23rd prior to its official closing the following week.

Lindner Returns to Animart

8/4/11 - The state’s 63rd Alice in Dairyland has hung up her crown and is back working at the company where she was employed before her yearlong stint as the state’s agriculture advocate. Dodge County-native Christine Lindner is Animart’s Director of Strategic Marketing, overseeing marketing and branding of the dairy and livestock division which provide animal health products, supplies and solutions to producers. She says her year of service as Alice in Dairyland – which wrapped up in June – was a great benefit her current position at Animart. Lindner gained a passion for promoting agriculture growing up on her family’s fourth-generation dairy farm near Beaver Dam and broadened her knowledge of the industry through internships, agriculture organizations and serving as a state FFA officer. She will continue to broaden her knowledge of the dairy industry when she joins us during the Annual Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Contest during this year’s Dodge County Fair.

Both Parties Accused Of Distorting Election Dates

8/4/11 - Both major political parties accuse the other of deceiving voters about the dates of this month’s Wisconsin Senate recall elections. And Government Accountability Board director Kevin Kennedy says voters should be extra cautious about getting the right information. The State Democratic Party asked the U-S Attorney in Milwaukee yesterday to investigate whether the conservative Americans for Prosperity tried to discourage voting by those who didn’t know that the recall elections against six Republican senators are next Tuesday. The group mailed absentee ballot applications, which said their votes would be counted if they’re received at local clerks’ offices by next Thursday. The Democrats accused the conservative group of trying to suppress Democratic votes. But Matt Seaholm of the Americans for Prosperity said the date was a typing error – and it’s not the conspiracy Democrats make it out to be. Seaholm said the August 11th date was meant for the mailings that are connected with the August 16th recall votes against two Democratic senators. The state accountability board has also been asked to investigate. Meanwhile, board officials said the Democratic National Committee promised to stop making automated calls saying that the recall votes against the G-O-P senators are August 16th instead of next Tuesday. The D-N-C has not commented. Kennedy says voters should rely on their local government clerks to get election dates and deadlines for getting absentee ballots. He says they should not count on the mailings and phone calls from special interest groups. The last day to seek an absentee ballot by mail is tomorrow for the recall votes against the Republican senators, and next Thursday for the elections against the Democratic senators.