Top Stories October 27th

Jobless Rate Down Slightly

10/27/11 - The jobless rate in the region edged down slightly from August to September. Unemployment filings in Dodge County last month were down one-tenth of a point 7.5%, which is the same as it was last year at the same time. Also down one-tenth, Columbia County which was at 6.7% and Washington County at 6.4%. Jefferson County was down a half-percentage point to 7.3%. Green Lake County is down two-tenths to 7%. Pierce and St. Croix counties shared the lowest jobless rate in the state at 4.9%. Menominee County has the highest at 13.9%, but that is down nearly eight full percentage points from August. Of the 72 counties in the state, 67 had lower rates over the two-month period and three were unchanged. The statewide rate is down one-tenth to 7.8%, well below the national rate of 9.1%.

Finance Committee Meets on County Budget

10/27/11 - The Dodge County Finance Committee is recommending that a raise for county employees be a set 22-cents for everyone instead of the 1-percent across the board increase currently in the 2012 budget. That came during a three hour review of the budget last night that included board supervisors, department heads and employees. The change was suggested, in part, to help those at the lower end of the pay scale deal with the increased contributions to their health insurance and pension. County Administrator Jim Mielke says the change would add about $23,000 to the $390,000 set aside for pay increases in the 2012 budget. A second proposed amendment, unfreezing the wage step scale, was discussed but without knowing how much it would cost the committee said it would wait on a possible recommendation. The wage scale, which is a grid that lays out raises for employees based on longevity, has been frozen the past two years, and Mielke says they need to determine the financial impact and where they would get the money to pay for it before moving forward. The budget numbers themselves haven’t changed much since being introduced in August. Taxpayers in the county are looking at a 12-cent increase to their mill rate. Mielke says the budget would keep the tax levy the same as the 2011 budget, but due to a 2.2-percent decrease in county property values the mill rate would go up to $5.52 per $1,000 of assessed value. The public hearing on the budget is set for November 15th.

Fall River Schools Approve Budget, Look at Referendum

10/27/11 - Fall River School District residents approved the $6.9 million dollar 2012 Budget this week, but there was over two hours of debate on a proposed referendum. The referendum package would include $1.65 million for the replacement of a failing H-VAC system, $270 thousand dollars for technology upgrades, $285 thousand for building maintenance, $200 thousand dollars for land acquisition and $1.2 million for a track / football facility. The District becomes “debt free” in April of 2012 and a referendum is likely for the April elections.

Schools Closed for Cancelled Conference

10/27/11 - Many Wisconsin school districts are closed Thursday and Friday, to accommodate a teachers’ convention that will not be taking place. Many districts had already set their calendars for this fall before the state’s largest teachers’ union said in May it would scrap its annual fall convention. WEAC said it canceled the gathering because it is it not known how many teachers could attend following the new law which virtually ended collective bargaining. According to Superintendent Steve Vessey, the Beaver Dam School District’s contract with the education association, which is in place for the next two years, lists the next two days as non-work days. After the contract expires it will be up to school officials what will happen because teachers can no longer negotiate those days off.

Novak Enters Plea in Burglary Spree

10/27/11 - A former Mayville woman has entered a “no contest” plea to charges related to her role in a series of Dodge County tavern break-ins. Michelle Novak of Lyndon Station pleaded “no contest” to a felony count of Burglary back in June and had two other felonies dismissed but read into the record. The 33-year-old and two others broke into the Dockside Pub and Grille in the Town of Westford in January, Jumpers Bar in the Town of Beaver Dam in February and Chances Bar in the Town of Burnett in March. Thousands of dollars was stolen from poker machines, ATM’s and safes. 45-year-old Thomas Dahlgren of Mauston pleaded “no contest” to a pair of felonies in September and will be sentenced next month. Dahlgren was on probation for Attempted Homicide at the time of his arrest and is currently incarcerated at the Waupun Correctional Institution. Nicholas J. Etter of West Salem was sentenced last month to five years in prison and five years of extended supervision and ordered to pay $13,500 in restitution. According to the criminal complaint, Novak admitted to being the getaway driver and lookout. Etter admitted that he was involved but blamed Dahlgren for orchestrating the break-ins. Novak has a sentencing hearing scheduled in February.

BD Teen Pleads To Mayville Burglaries

10/27/11 - A Beaver Dam man entered a “no contest” plea yesterday to a pair of burglaries in Mayville. 19-year-old Devin Dutzle pled to felony Burglary and misdemeanor Theft and had two other felonies dismissed but read into the record. Dutzle stole cash, credit cards, knives and electronics in the two break-ins in May of 2010. A neighbor witnessed a suspicious vehicle in the area of the break-ins and jotted down the license plate. Authorities connected that to a juvenile accomplice who used a stolen credit card online. His 20-year-old brother Andrew Dutzle was sentenced to six months in jail for his role in the burglary. Devin Dutzle will be sentenced in December.

State Split Over Walker Recall

10/27/11 - A Democratic polling firm says Wisconsinites are split over whether Governor Scott Walker should be recalled next year. Public Policy Polling said 48-percent of the 11-hundred-70 voters it surveyed said the Republican Walker should be removed – and 49-percent said he should stay on. A poll two months ago by the same firm showed that 50-percent opposed Walker’s recall, and 47-percent favored it. Democrats and union supporters are trying to remove Walker because of his successful effort to virtually end collective bargaining by most public employee unions. The polling firm also asked whether voters if they would choose Walker or Democrat Tom Barrett in a recall election – and Walker had led 48-46. Barrett has said he’s focusing on being re-elected as Milwaukee’s mayor next year – which would most likely keep him out of the recall contest.

Concealed Weapons to be Allowed at the Capitol

10/27/11 - The Walker administration has apparently decided to let people carry concealed weapons in most parts of the State Capitol. Nothing’s official yet. But the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says guns will be banned in the State Supreme Court chamber. Legislators can decide for themselves whether to allow hidden weapons in their own offices. And the Assembly’s Organization Committee will meet today to decide whether to allow guns in the Assembly chamber during its sessions. The concealed weapons law takes effect Tuesday, when people can start getting state permits to carry hidden guns. The Journal Sentinel says one proposal would allow guns to be carried on the Assembly floor and in the viewing galleries – where 12 people were arrested Tuesday for carrying signs and video-taping a session in violation of Assembly rules. Racine County Republican Robin Vos said he did not see a contradiction in allowing guns in the gallery but not the use of live video-recorders.

WI Marine Injured During Protest in Oakland

10/27/11 - A La Crosse area Marine was in critical condition at last word, after he fractured his skull during an Occupy Wall Street protest in Oakland California. 24-year-old Scott Olsen of Onalaska was hit by an object when demonstrators and police officers clashed on Tuesday. It happened when the demonstrators tried to re-establish a presence at a protest camp in Oakland that was disbanded. Witnesses said Olsen was hit by either a police rubber bullet or a tear gas canister. Friends said he had brain swelling when he was taken to Oakland’s Highland Hospital, and he suffered a seizure there yesterday. Olsen was still in high school when he signed up for the Marines at age 17. He served two tours of duty in Iraq with the Marines’ Third Battalion unit. But his friend and fellow Marine Keith Shannon said Olsen didn’t agree with the war, and he wanted to do something else for a career. Olsen left the military last year. Shannon said both he and Olsen joined the Iraq Veterans Against the War – and they had taken part in Occupy Wall Street demonstrations in both San Francisco and Oakland.

Powerball Up to $203M

10/27/11 - The Powerball jackpot is at 203-million dollars for Saturday night. Nobody took the top prize last night, and nobody from Wisconsin won the second-or-third prizes. The most anybody won from the Badger State was 300-dollars, by having the Power Play multiplier of three and then matching four regular numbers or three-plus-the-Powerball. Just over 24-thousand Wisconsin players won something. Last night’s numbers were 1, 18, 21, 39, and 55. The Powerball was six. The current jackpot has been building since September 17th. It has rolled over 12 times. In Mega Millions, the top prize is at 67-million dollars for the next drawing tomorrow night.