Monday, April 30, 2012

Top Stories April 30th


Runaway Teen Found in Milwaukee

4/30/12 - A Beaver Dam runaway is back at home with her family. 15-year-old Meredion Emmrich was found Saturday night in Milwaukee, one day after police notified the media of the girl’s disappearance. Emmrich had not been seen since March 25 though there was some contact with the girl by text message early on.

Teacher Charged in Mayville

4/30/12 - A Mayville teacher is on administrative leave after being charged Friday with 12 felony charges stemming from a sexual relationship with a former student.  43-year-old Shannon Cardinal was released on a $5,000 cash bond after making her initial appearance on six counts of sexual assault of a student by school staff and another six counts of child enticement-sexual contact.  The criminal complaint states Cardinal struck up a nearly five-month relationship with a 17-year-old male student last December.  In that time, Cardinal and the student allegedly had several sexual encounters at her home in Oakfield, along with one time in Iowa.  The teen told authorities the relationship began after the two started exchanging text messages about homework related to a Spanish class Cardinal taught, and got more serious as the relationship evolved.  The boy says Cardinal would arrange to pick him up in Waupun, and he would tell his mother that he was staying with a friend.  The boy moved to Iowa last month, and the boy’s sister uncovered the relationship after catching the two having sex at the family’s home.  If convicted, she faces a maximum of 186 years in prison and fines in excess of $660,000.  She’s due back in court June 1st.

Man Didn’t Stop at Stop Sign Before Being Hit

4/30/12 - Authorities say the man seriously injured Friday afternoon when he was hit while riding his bike failed to stop at a stop sign.  34-year-old Jeremy Ward of Horicon was riding his bike on Decora Road in the town of Hubbard when he went through the County Highway T-W intersection and was hit by a Ford Mustang going north.  Ward was eventually taken to Froedert Hospital in Milwaukee by Flight for Life.  Neither the driver of the Mustang nor his passenger was injured. 

Two Hurt in Rollover Accident

4/30/12 - Two people were hurt when their vehicle rolled over early Saturday afternoon in the town of Lomira.  It happened on Water Road just west of Highway 41 around noon.  Authorities say the driver, 20-year-old Chrystal White was taken by Flight for Life to Theda Clark Regional Medical Center.  Her passenger was taken to the hospital as well. An investigation into the accident is ongoing. 

City and School Officials at Odds in Columbus

4/30/12 - City and Columbus Schools’ officials are struggling to find agreement on who pays for the ball fields kids play on. The city is proposing a fee schedule for school use of the fields that are owned by the city.  However, after discussions at their last meeting it was apparent the school board had no intention of accepting the fee schedule and board member Bill Braun called the fields being used by Columbus students “sub-standard.” The board will be awaiting May 21st results from a district-wide survey. The results will be used to decide whether or not the district should consider owning their own facilities.

Eau Claire Graduate Killed in Afghanistan

4/30/12 - A Navy lieutenant who graduated from high school in Eau Claire has been killed in Afghanistan. 28-year-old Christopher Mosko was born in Philadelphia, went to school in Eau Claire for about seven years, and graduated from Drexel University in Philly. He was one of three U-S troops killed by a bomb last Thursday in Ghanzi province in Afghanistan. Mosko graduated in 2002 from Eau Claire Memorial High School, where he took part in swimming, soccer, and the show choir. Acquaintances remembered him as a dedicated athlete who worked harder than his teammates and was a self-directed singer. His family moved from Eau Claire soon after Mosko graduated, and is currently living close to his base in San Diego. Mosko commanded a Navy explosive ordnance disposal unit, which was responsible to dealing with unexploded roadside bombs and other improvised explosives. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star awards.

Fiery Crash Under Investigation Near Stevens Point

4/30/12 - A coroner in central Wisconsin says it might take a few days to identify three people killed in a fiery truck crash west of Stevens Point. Portage County Coroner Scott Rifleman said none of the victims were of high school age. Several area schools held their proms in the hours before the crash occurred just after 2:30 yesterday morning at Highway 66 and Birchwood Lane in the town of Linwood. Sheriff’s deputies are still investigating, and they said alcohol might be a factor. Bruce Heath, who lives close by, told the Stevens Point Journal there were beer cans and golf clubs in his yard after the crash. A tool box knocked one of Heath’s small pine trees out of the ground. And his power was out for over two-and-a-half hours. Deputies said power lines were on the ground when they arrived, the vehicle was engulfed in flames, and one of the three victims was ejected.

Guthrie Recognized by National Guard and U.S. Army

4/30/12 - A Beaver Dam-native has been recognized by the National Guard and U.S. Army for earning a certification for Public Relations and Military Communication. Lieutenant Colonel Jackie Guthrie is the Director of Public Affairs for the Wisconsin National Guard and is one of only 19 accredited in the field worldwide. The 1987 Beaver Dam High School graduate is also the only actively serving member of the National Guard and U.S. Army to be certified. Guthrie successfully completed a 90-minute oral presentation and a three-hour computer-based exam that tested her knowledge, skills and abilities in public relations and military public affairs in joint operations to earn the certification that she's been working toward for more than a year. Major General Don Dunbar, Adjutant General of the Wisconsin Guard and Guthrie's supervisor says under her leadership, the state’s public affairs office has won numerous awards and shaped their social media strategy. Guthrie, who now resides in Sun Prairie, says when she joined, her Public Relations was about press conferences, press releases and pretty pictures. Now, she says, it's about the important role communications plays in military operations from planning through execution. Guthrie will be the speaker tomorrow (Tue) when the Beaver Dam Noon Kiwanis Club honors local veterans at a program at the Veterans Center.

Mega Millions Jackpot at $102M

4/30/12 - The Mega Millions' jackpot is above 100-million for the first time since last month's world record prize. Tomorrow night's jackpot is at 102-million, after nobody won the top prize on Friday night. Nobody from Wisconsin won the quarter-million-dollar second prize, either. The current jackpot has been building since March 30th, when players from Kansas, Illinois, and Maryland shared the world record lotto jackpot of 656-million-dollars. Tomorrow's cash option is just under 75-million-dollars for a single winner who takes the whole prize now instead of annual installments. In Powerball, the jackpot is at 50-million-dollars for Wednesday night.

Kennedy to Listening Sessions

4/30/12 - Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy has listening sessions scheduled on Tuesday (Tues). Kennedy says city residents are invited to meet with him, one-on-one, without appointment on the first and third Tuesday of every month. While Kennedy says it is important that constituents have the opportunity to speak with him the day after each regular meeting of the common council, which are typically held on the first and third Monday of the month. Elected officials will not be holding meetings tonight as it is a fourth Monday. The listening sessions are held in Room 158 on the first floor of City Hall from 10am until noon and again from 5pm to 6pm.  Kennedy also makes himself available for private meetings by appointment by contacting the mayor office. 

Bulk Garbage Pick-Up Starts in Beaver Dam

4/30/12 - Bulk garbage pick-up in Beaver Dam begins tomorrow (Tue). Director of Facilities David Stoiser has announced that bulk pick-up will continue through Monday, May 7 for residents who receive city-provided waste collection services from Veolia.  Stoiser says the collection regulations are the same as in the past.  Bulk waste can be placed on the curb no sooner than 24 hours prior to each collection and by 7am on the day of pick-up.  Bulk waste is defined as, but not limited to, furniture, wooden doors and windows and rolled carpet, not exceeding 4’ to 6’ in length.  No metal items like bed springs, doors, windows, electronics, appliances and pipes will be collected.  Also, they do not accept bundled or loose piles of lumber or building materials; those items must be broken down and placed in the weekly collection cart.  The next bulk pick-up will be the first waste collection day of November. 

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