Top Stories October 20th

Fox Lake Council Begins to Deal with Assessor’s Mistake

10/20/11 - The Fox Lake City Council started the process of dealing with a mistake by their assessor that is leaving them about $300,000 short during their budget planning for 2012. Last month, Assessor Art Kind informed the council that the report he filed with the state on the TIF District’s valuation was nearly $16-million less than it should have been. The error wont effect the amount of money they can collect for taxes, but does impact the amount it gets from the TIF District. Kind filed an amended report with the state, meaning they’ll eventually see the money lost. But it will leave them short for 2012. In response, Don Rahn from the city’s accounting firm of Baker Tilly came to the committee of the whole meeting last night and outlined several plans to deal with the mistake. And the council tentatively decided to go with option number two, which according to Mayor Tom Bednarek will see the city borrow money to keep residents tax bills from fluctuating too much. Bednarek says the city is also beginning the process of finding a new assessor as they plan to let Kind’s contract expire at the end of the year.

Sheehan Sentenced

10/20/11 - A Hustisford woman will spend a year in jail for leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in severe injuries to a passenger. Kim Sheehan entered a “no contest” plea to charges of felony Hit and Run. The 44-year-old told investigators that she was the designated driver so she only had a couple cans of beer before putting her car in a ditch in the Town of Hustisford in June last year. Both she and her passenger were unable to provide any details of the accident and she told investigators she has no idea how she wound up at home. Sheehan was also placed on probation for five years.

Former Bowling Center Owner Going to Prison

10/20/11 - The owner of a former bowling center in Fond du Lac will spend seven years in prison for burning it down. 47-year-old Lyle Huss will also spend 15 years under extended supervision once he’s no longer behind bars. And he must pay over 350-thousand in restitution. Prosecutors said Huss started a fire at the Last Stop Lanes in March of last year because it was becoming a financial burden. He originally blamed the fire on people he removed from the bowling center who might have had a vendetta against him. But Huss later confessed to burning the place himself. It has since been razed. Huss struck a plea deal in July, in which he pleaded guilty to a single felony charge of arson. Fourteen other arson counts were dropped.

Abstinence-Only Bill Introduced

10/20/11 - Wisconsin’s public schools could go back to teaching abstinence-only for sex education, under a Republican bill which had a public hearing yesterday. New Berlin Senator Mary Lazich’s bill would un-do what Democrats passed last year when they controlled state government. Under that law, schools do not have to offer sex-ed. But if they do, it must include age-appropriate instruction on birth control and preventing sexually-transmitted diseases. Lazich’s bill would also require sex-ed classes to promote marriage. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald of Juneau expects the new measure to pass in his house. Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald of Horicon says his members still have to talk about it. Lazich said her bill would let local communities decide for themselves what areas to cover and not cover. However, Democrats fear the bill would result in an increase in sexually-transmitted diseases. Milwaukee Senate Democrat Lena Taylor said the current comprehensive law quote, “helps us deal with the reality we’re in.” Lazich’s measure would require sex-ed classes to teach that abstinence is the preferred option for unmarried students – and it’s the only way to prevent pregnancy and sexual diseases.

Budget and Referendum Under Review in Fall River

10/20/11 - A full multimedia room is expected next week the Fall River School Board discusses the 2012 budget and a proposed referendum. The proposed $6.9 million dollar annual budget is 4.2 % lower than the 2011 budget. A $3.7 million dollar referendum proposal for April of 2012 will also be introduced. The proposal includes HVAC renovations, technology upgrades, maintenance, land acquisition and a football / track facility. The annual public meeting is scheduled for 7:00 pm on the 24th in the Fall River Schools multimedia room.

Obey a Possible Candidate for Governor

10/20/11 - Former U-S House Democrat David Obey re-affirmed yesterday that he might run for governor in a recall election next year if Tom Barrett and Herb Kohl don’t run. Obey, who left Washington in January after 42 years in Congress, said he’s convinced that Democrats will gather enough signatures to force a gubernatorial recall. He told the Journal Sentinel’s editorial board quote, “There is so much anger out there.” Kohl will retire in 2012 after 24 years in the U-S Senate – and a spokesman says he has no plans to run for governor. Barrett, the Milwaukee mayor who ran against Republican Scott Walker last year, appears to be leaving the door open for a possible recall run. But for now, he says he’s focusing on being re-elected mayor next spring.

Recall Elections Would Use Current Legislative Boundaries

10/20/11 - Wisconsin Republicans cannot use the new legislative boundaries they drew to try-and-gain an advantage in Senate recall elections early next year. The Government Accountability Board ruled yesterday that the old districts drawn a decade ago will be in place until the fall of 2012. And the new maps will take effect then, unless they’re thrown out in court beforehand. Democrats plan to start gathering signatures next month to recall G-O-P Governor Scott Walker, as well as an undetermined number of Republican senators. The Democrats say it behooves them to try-and-win back control of the Senate early next year – if only for a few months before the normal elections in the fall. Republicans say they’ll target Democratic senators, to try and increase their one-vote majority.

McNeer Claiming He was Insane

10/20/11 - A retired C-E-O of Wisconsin’s largest electric utility now claims he was insane, when he allegedly hit his wife in the head with a hammer numerous times. 85-year-old Charles McNeer pleaded innocent by reason of mental disease yesterday. He’s charged in Washington County with first-degree attempted homicide in the beating of his wife Ann McNeer in late June. After the attack, investigators said McNeer tried to kill himself with sleeping pills. He told officers his health was failing, and he tried to kill his wife because he thought she couldn’t live without him. McNeer moved into a house in Milwaukee this month, after he was released from the state’s Mendota Mental Health Institute – where he had been since the incident in late June. A mental exam found him competent to stand trial.

Environmental Pioneer Passes Away

10/20/11 - Wisconsin’s first environmental public intervener has died. 84-year-old Bob McConnell of Cambria died yesterday from complications of lung cancer. He was best known for leading the state’s legal battle against the insecticide D-D-T. The Legislature voted to ban the toxic chemical in 1970 – and a national ban came along two years later. Environmentalists said the D-D-T ban ultimately saved Wisconsin’s bald eagle population. McConnell started working for the state attorney general’s office in the early 1960’s. He was named the state’s first public intervener in 1967 – a watchdog who protected people’s interest in water regulations and other environmental matters. McConnell was raised in the Milwaukee area, but he lived in Cambria for 35 years. His funeral will be held Saturday in Pardeeville.