Top Stories May 1st

A Knoble Cause: Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Fundraiser

5/1/12 - A Columbus woman is in the running to be the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s “Woman of the Year.” Five women and five men are nominated to the campaign each year and whoever raises the most money is given the designation of Man or Woman of the Year. Ashley Knoble of Columbus is affiliated with the Madison region but could compete on the national level if she wins. Her goal is to raise $40,000. Last years national winner pulled in $150,000 for the society. Knoble was inspired to accept the challenge because of her children’s babysitter. Jessica Breunig, a senior at Columbus High School, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma on March of 2011, not long after Knoble’s aunt died of cancer. The Madison-area Man and Woman of the Year will be announced at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Gala at the Concourse Hotel in Madison on June 1. Knoble has held a number of fundraisers and she still has several more planned, including a Dine and Donate night tonight at the Hydro Street Brewery in Columbus starting at 5pm. This Thursday, there will be a celebrity bachelor and bachelorette auction at Brocah in Madison. A pig roast is also planned in Lake Geneva on May 19. All donations are tax-deductible. Contact Knoble on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/CampaigningForaCureTeamAshley

Or e-mail:  aknoblephoto@gmail.com

Watertown Man Accused of Hospice Morphine Theft

5/1/12 - A Watertown man is accused of stealing morphine from his dying father-in-law. Marc Eichstaedt is charged with felony Theft and Possession of Narcotic Drugs which carry a maximum sentence of up to nine-and-a-half years in prison, upon conviction. According to the criminal complaint, police responded to a death investigation at his Town of Shields home in March. Eichstaedt’s father-in-law was in hospice at the residence and had been given 20 syringes of morphine; 14 were reported missing. While deputies were conducting their investigation, it reportedly took Eichstaedt 20 minutes to get out of bed and go to the bathroom. He then returned to his bedroom. Eichstaed’s wife retrieved him a second time; he reportedly sat on the couch unable to answer questions though he did ask for a cup of coffee. The 54-year-old also wrote a statement for investigators…in shorthand. Deputies say he appeared to be under the influence of drugs during questioning. He was asked the next day to submit to a drug test but said it would not be necessary and allegedly confessed to taking the syringes…and also stealing pills from his father-in-law…and also replacing all the rest of his morphine with water. A signature bond was set at $1000 yesterday and a judge will decide June 7 if there is enough evidence to order a trial.

Reeseville Man Faces Fleeing Charges

5/1/12 - A Reeseville man has been charged in connection with a weekend traffic pursuit in Beaver Dam. Jesse Nelson is charged with felony Fleeing an Officer. Police were on the lookout for Nelson’s vehicle early Saturday morning around 2:30am after receiving calls of a motorist swerving all over the road. Officers allegedly observed the suspects vehicle with expired tags cross the centerline multiple times before initiating a traffic stop. The 22-year-old reportedly failed to pull over, leading authorities on a low-speed pursuit that at times reached speeds of five miles per hour. After driving onto a curb, Nelson finally stopped his car as officers executed a high-risk traffic stop with guns drawn. If convicted, the charge carries a maximum sentence of three-and-a-half years in prison.

Van Beek Sentenced For Teen Assaults

5/1/12 -   A Fox Lake man who raped as many four teenage girls will spend seven years in prison. 22-year-old Derick Van Beek was also sentenced Monday to seven years of extended supervision and placed on probation for seven years. On March 6, Derick Van Beek pleaded “no contest” to two counts of Sexual Assault of a Child Under the Age of 16 and had four similar felonies dismissed but read into the record. The offenses are said to have occurred in the spring and summer of 2010 and involved four different girls who were between the ages of 13 and 15-years-old. In one case, the victim says she tried to push Van Beek off of her. In another incident, the criminal complaint states that the victim resisted but Van Beek pushed her down, held her with his hands so that she could not get up and forced himself on her. The 22-year-old was also said to be controlling, forcing the girls to delete all male contacts from their cell phones and delete their social networking profiles. Van Beek was out on a $5000 cash bond awaiting sentencing when he was pulled over on March 27 by a Dodge County Sheriffs Deputy on routine patrol. As a condition of bond, Van Beek is prohibited from having contact with females under the age of 18. Authorities say he was in the company of two girls, ages 13 and 14. The girls were allegedly friends of his adult male passenger who reportedly did not have a driver’s license and Van Beek was just doing them a favor by driving them to a friend’s house. He pleaded “not guilty” to those charges at arraignment last month. As for the charges settled yesterday, Van Beek was also ordered to attend sex offender counseling and register as a lifetime sex offender.

Beaver Dam Garage Destroyed By Fire

5/1/12 - Fire destroyed a one-car garage Monday morning in Beaver Dam.  It was called in around at 8am at 106 East Davis Street.  When firefighters arrived on scene the building was fully engulfed in smoke, and flames could be seen shooting out of the back.  They were able to get the fire knocked down within 10-minutes.  It’s believed some gardening tools and a lawnmower were inside the garage.  No one was injured. Fire crews were on scene for 75-minutes.  Investigators are still trying to determine how it started. 

Gas Prices Lower than a Year Ago

5/1/12 - On average gas prices in the state are more than 20-cents cheaper right now than they were a year ago at this time.  That’s according to wisconsingasprices.com, who says a gallon of unleaded regular can be had for $3.84 today, down from $4 last month and $4.07 from last year.  It’s even cheaper in Beaver Dam, where prices dropped to $3.69 yesterday. On May 2^nd of last year, gas was going for $3.99 in the city.  Also today, it’s $3.71 in Reeseville and $3.74 in Horicon, while Waupun is at $3.77.  Nationally, gas is at $3.80 on average. 

Walker Unveils Milwaukee Jobs Plan

5/1/12 - Governor Scott Walker said he will not use direct tax revenues to pay for a 100-million-dollar plan to bring jobs and new residents to Milwaukee’s poorest areas. The Republican Walker announced a five-point plan Monday to revive inner city areas – especially an industrial corridor where many industrial buildings have long been vacant. The main goals include adding two-thousand jobs to those areas, and getting people to move into many homes which are now vacant due to foreclosure. The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority would sell tax-exempt bonds to private investors, with the proceeds to provide things like business expansions, new apartments, and more transportation to the area. Buyers of those bonds would be exempt from state-and-local taxes. And the Journal Sentinel says it would let developers and business reduce their borrowing costs, thus making it a tax subsidy. Economic authority secretary Wyman Winston says the project has been in the works for a year. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett told a news conference today that he’s pleased the governor wants to work with the city on creating jobs. But he questioned the timing of Walker’s announcement, coming 36 days before he stands for a recall election. Barrett is a Democratic candidate for that election. He faces three other Democrats in next week’s primary.

Falk Calls For Replacement of DNR Secretary

5/1/12 - Democratic candidate for governor Kathleen Falk says Scott Walker should replace his D-N-R secretary. Falk said Cathy Stepp should leave, after the Wisconsin State Journal said the numbers of violations of state environmental permits last year dropped to a 12-year low. D-N-R officials blamed job vacancies in their agency – and a new emphasis on compliance rather than prosecutions. Stepp was quoted in the State Journal’s Sunday article as saying she wants the agency to focus on customer service. Falk is a former state Public Intervener, who represented the public’s interest in environmental lawsuits before the post was abolished a number of years ago. Falk said the Republican Walker has quote, “turned our environmental watchdog into a lapdog.” The Walker campaign and the D-N-R said they did not have immediate comments. Falk is one of four Democrats running in the Walker recall primary next Tuesday.

Cream Cheese Winners From Throughout Region

5/1/12 - Judging by the winners of this weekend’s Midwest Cream Cheese Competition, the event at the Beaver Dam Home and Business Expo drew participants from around the region. The Beaver Dam Chamber of Commerce-sponsored competition held in conjunction with Kraft Foods rewarded winners with a top prize of $250 in each of three categories. The winner in the Greatest Cream Cheese Dip category was Angela Rieger of Wisconsin Dells. First place for Ultimate Cheesecake went to David Doepke of Milwaukee.  Pauline Brennescholtz of Beaver Dam took home the top prize in the category of Best New Cream Cheese Recipe for her Krafty Chocolate Pie. Beaver Dam was well represented among second and third place finishers along with Columbus, Fall River and Milton. Winners and runners-up are included in a book comprised of recipes from the past eight years worth of cream cheese competitions.