Top Stories March 20th

Record Heat Expected Today

3/20/12 - The streak is now at six. That’s the number of straight days that the record high temperature at the airport in Juneau has been tied or broken. It hit 69-degrees yesterday, tying the record set in 1976. Today, we should smash the record high for the day of 71-degrees. Temperatures are expected to hit the low 80’s. There is also a possibility of some rain and thunderstorms.

Further Jump in Gas Prices Coming

3/20/12 - It’s been five days since gas prices in Beaver Dam went up but that could soon change. A gallon of unleaded regular could still be had for $3.85 this morning. That’s seven-cents less than the state average and the same price as last Friday. But officials say that could soon change as the switch over from winter gas to summer gas is made. Prices are expected to peak at the end of next month or early May.

Homes Sales and Prices Up in WI, Down in Dodge County

3/20/12 - Wisconsin home sales rose in February for the eighth month in a row. The state’s Realtors Association said today that over 31-hundred existing houses were sold throughout Wisconsin in February. That’s almost a 16-percent increase from the same month a year ago. Meanwhile, the average price kept falling. It was 115-thousand dollars last month, about two-thousand less than the year before. Dodge County was the only area county that saw both a drop in homes sold and price. Realtors sold 41-homes in February, down 29% from the same period last year. The price was down 12-percent to $96,500. Columbia County saw a 40-percent jump in homes sold to 38 and the median price was up 11-percent to $94,500. There was a 27-percent increase in homes sold in Jefferson County, while the price held steady at just more than $120,000. There were 54 homes sold in Fond du Lac County last month, a 38-percent increase over last year, while prices were down 2-percent to $107,500. And in Washington County, realtors sold 32-percent more homes while the price jumped 2.5-percent to $151,500. Overall, Rob Keefe, who chairs the Realtors’ board, said it was encouraging to see double-digit sales increases in much of the state over the past five months without the distortion of a federal incentive program.

More Students Getting Free or Reduced Priced Meals

3/20/12 - For an eighth year in a row, more students meet the income requirements to get a free or reduced-price meal in Wisconsin public schools. The state Department of Public Instruction reports 42-point-5 percent of school-aged children are eligible in the current school year. Locally, the Beaver Dam School District actually saw a drop in its numbers. Statistics show that 40-percent of the district’s students are eligible, down four-percent from last school year. Numbers were also down in several others districts, including Cambria-Friesland and Dodgeland. The biggest jump was in Fall River where five-percent more students are eligible, though they still have a modest overall rate of 37-percent. Slight increases were also seen in Horicon – Mayville – Watertown and Waupun. Statewide, more than 353 thousand students were identified, an increase of 71 hundred over last school year. The state superintendent says the figures show Wisconsin families are hurting economically.

Special Assessments Proposed for Prospect Avenue

3/20/12 - Property assessments as part of the reconstruction of Prospect Avenue in Beaver Dam were laid out by the Operations Committee last night. The project includes new curb and gutter, driveway aprons, street lighting and concrete sidewalk where none currently exists. The total assessments for those living along the stretch being reconstructed are a little more than $54,000. Engineering Coordinator Ritchie Piltz says property owners will have four payment options to pick from. The city is reconstructing Prospect at the same time the state is re-doing portions of Highway 151, including the bridge over Prospect Avenue. The proposed assessments now go to the full city council for approval.

Judge Position in BD Now a 4-Year Term

3/20/12 - The municipal judge position in Beaver Dam is now officially a four-year term. The city council approved an ordinance last night that brings the city into compliance with state statutes. Attorney Mary Ann Schacht told officials in committee last month that current Judge Ken Peters, who was elected to a two-year term in 2011, was actually elected to a four-year term. Schacht said the term extension was the result of a little-known law change that was approved in 2009 but did not go into effect until January 2011, three months before Peters was elected to a third term. Schacht says even though the term extension was not publicized during the election, there is no cause for concern. The ballot did not list the length of the term. Last night’s action changed the wording from two-year term to four-year term.

Liquor and Beer Can Now Be Sold Starting at 6am

3/20/12 - You can now buy alcohol two hours earlier after action by the Beaver Dam Common Council last night. Late last year the state legislature approved a law allowing grocery and liquor stores to start selling beer-and-booze at six in the morning, instead of eight. It was up to each municipality to determine whether they would allow the change. By a unanimous vote the council approved the change after a couple of gas stations in the city had requested to go to the new hours. The bill does not change the maximum retail closing times for alcohol and beer sales. That’s still 9pm in the city.

Neitzel Pleads ‘Not Guilty’

3/20/12 - A former Mayville man who was allegedly found inside the home of his ex-girlfriend pled not guilty late last week. 27-year-old Sean Neitzel is facing a felony burglary and misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct charges. According to the criminal complaint, authorities stepped up patrols in the area after the woman filed a report saying she started noticing footprints to and from her house in early December. On January 27, an officer patrolling the woman’s neighborhood found a vehicle parked on a back street with footprints leading to the residence. As the officer was speaking with the upstairs tenants he heard footsteps in the woman's home. He called for backup and authorities eventually took Neitzel into custody without incident. Neitzel has more court activity on the calendar for next month.

Officials Miffed By Mysterious Thunder Booms

3/20/12 - It’s happening again. Folks in Clintonville said mysterious thunder booms continued to rattle their homes during the night. Police dispatcher Karen Wegenke (weh-genn-kee) said about 100 calls came in during the night – mostly around 12:15, 1:20, 2:30, and 5:10 a-m. On Sunday night and Monday, about 150 people told authorities their homes were rattled by the booms-and-shakes. Some have said it sounds like a jack-hammer. Yesterday, officials in Clintonville and Waupaca County checked various utilities and a local landfill – and they found nothing that could have caused the ground to shake, such as a change in water pressure. Seismologists in Madison found nothing that could indicate an earthquake. We Energies found no problems with its gas lines. And officials remain at a loss to say what’s going on. So far, there have been no reports of damage or injuries. Clintonville’s city administrator has said that folks are concerned – but they’re not panicking.

Mitchell Announces Candidacy for Lt. Governor

3/20/12 - The head of Wisconsin’s fire-fighters union is running for lieutenant governor. Mahlon Mitchell of Madison said today he would run as a Democrat – making him the second such candidate to do so. Milwaukee private investigator Ira Robins said earlier that he would run. Mitchell, who’s 35, has worked for 15 years in the Madison Fire Department. And he’s now a lieutenant. Mitchell has been active in the efforts to recall both Republican Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch and Governor Scott Walker. State officials are still in the process of validating 843-thousand recall signatures that were filed in mid-January for the Kleefisch recall. Once the election is ordered, both Mitchell and Robins could start seeking nominating signatures. If both file, a primary would tentatively be held May eighth with a general election on June fifth.