Top Stories October 25th

State Set for Winter Weather

10/25/08 - Officials with the Wisconsin Bureau of Highway Operations say they expect to have all the salt supplies they need ready to go by mid-November. Last winter's record snowfalls led to a bigger effort toward preparation this year. The state ordered about 45-percent more salt than it did last year -- when many areas came close to running out, or actually did exhaust their supply. In Dodge County a lack of available salt has forced the county highway department to buy different types of deicers than they’ve used in the past. The cost for a ton of salt a year ago ran between $40 and $60. This year that number is closer to $160.

Nehls Agrees with Governor on Check-Points

10/25/08 - Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls says he’s happy to see Governor Jim Doyle has asked legislators to consider roadside police check-points, to catch drunk drivers. Nehls says the checkpoints wouldn’t be every night, but instead the department would concentrate on times that have a high probability of drunk drivers. Doyle says people are more likely to be hurt by drunk drivers than to have their homes broken into. And he said a limited, appropriate use of sobriety check-points would be useful. The governor said the courts have set criteria for those check-points, and Wisconsin must follow them to avoid discrimination in stopping drivers.

County Forms Child Death Review Team

10/25/08 - Earlier this week the Dodge County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution that will form a Child Death Review Team. Medical Examiner P.J. Schoebel, who will head up the team with Public Health Officer Jody Langfeldt, says the idea behind the team is to have a specialized group to review the deaths of children in the county to identify trends as well as put together prevention strategies to decrease the chances of further incidents. Schoebel and Langfeldt will be joined by staff from the Sheriff’s Department as well as members from various other county offices.

Is Spanking Child Abuse?

10/25/08 - A Columbia County jury will have to decide whether a pastor who paddled his son was committing child abuse. Barry Barnett Junior of Poynette was bound over for trial on the felony charge during a court appearance in Poynette this week. The charge alleges Barnett left bruises on the 12 year old boy when he spanked him twice. The boy told the court both he and his father cried during the spanking. A doctor told the court the paddling didn't amount to abuse. He was testifying for the defense.

Butler Resigns in Horicon

10/25/08 - Two-term Horicon alderman Don Butler has resigned his position. In a letter to city officials Butler stated that effective immediately he would give up his seat for personal reasons. A discussion of how to replace Butler in the Third District will be held at the next city council meeting. It’s possible that Mayor Jim Grigg could appoint someone to Butler’s seat or have a special election.

Dodge County Awarded Grants

10/25/08 - Dodge County has been awarded $500,000 in Community Development Block Grant Program funds and $160,000 from the newly-created Flood Recovery Small Business Loan Program. Both grants were awarded in response to the severe flooding the area experienced in June. Of the 13 counties that received money Dodge got the most. The CDBG will be used to assist low and moderate income residents restore their homes damaged by flooding. The FRSB funds will give accessible, low cost financing to those businesses with less than 50 employees that were structurally and financially affected by the floods.