Top Stories October 30th

B&E in the Town of Shields

10/30/08 - There was another daytime burglary in Dodge County yesterday, this time in the Town of Shields. Sheriff’s Department records show that a property owner in the 1200 block of Highway K reported his front door had been kicked in between 9:30 and 11:30 yesterday morning. The owner reported objects taken included tools, a generator and a number of other items. Earlier this week Dodge County authorities arrested three people after they allegedly burglarized Beaver Plumbing on Highway B in the Town of Beaver Dam. At the time Sheriff Todd Nehls said he believed they were still dealing with at least two separate groups of thieves.

Meeker in Court

10/30/08 - A Columbus woman accused of embezzling money from her employer and burning her house down to pay off debts, entered a “not guilty” plea yesterday (Wed) in Dodge County court. Krista Meeker is charged with one felony count each of Theft in a Business Setting and Arson of Building. According to the criminal complaint, the 34-year-old Meeker worked as a bookkeeper at All-Phase Electric in Beaver Dam and wrote 17 company checks to herself totaling $83,000. Meeker told authorities she had cashed the checks and gave all the money to the owner of the company, the late Wendell Vander Galien. Authorities say Meeker deposited most of the money into her bank account. Meeker is also charged in connection with an April 12th fire that destroyed her Town of Calamus home. She says a fire left burning in a kitchen is to blame but samples of wood from a cabinet in the kitchen reportedly tested positive for a fire accelerant.

3rd Offense Drunk Driver Injures Two

10/30/08 - A 24-year-old Watertown man was taken to jail Tuesday night for allegedly causing an accident that left two people hospitalized. Christopher J. Gilbertson was said to be intoxicated when blew through a stop sign at the intersection of Silver Creek Road and Highway 26 striking a southbound vehicle. Authorities say the two occupants of the vehicle were taken to Watertown Memorial Hospital for treatment of their injuries. Gilbertson was treated for a few scrapes at the scene. His blood alcohol level was (point) .2-0, more than twice the legal limit. Charges of O-W-I Third Offense, Causing Great Bodily Harm, have been forwarded to the District Attorney.

Fox Lake Budget Affected by Flooding

10/30/08 - Fox Lake City Administrator Bill Petracek presented his proposed budget last night to the city council. He says as it’s proposed the mill rate for the city would increase by 14-cents over this year to $7.29 per $1,000 of assessed value. That means if a property were valued at $150,000 the owner would pay a shade under $1100 for the city portion of their tax bill. The city will be holding their public hearing following the normal committee of the whole meeting next month.

Canine Unit Coming to Horicon

10/30/08 - The Horicon police department is starting a canine unit. The city council approved the implementation of the unit earlier this week. The new program will be funded initially by the more than $12,000 earned through a number of fund raisers over the past year. Police Chief Joe Adamson says they began researching the possibility last year and decided to get a dual-purpose dog meaning it can be used in rescue situations as well as drug dog. Adamson says while the dogs main purpose will be to serve the Horicon area, per request the dog will be available to other communities in Dodge County. He hopes to have the program up and running before Christmas.

Race for the 38th Assembly District

10/30/08 - Incumbent Republican Joel Kleefisch faces opposition for his 38th Assembly District seat from democratic challenger Dick Pas. Kleefisch, who is seeking a third term in the legislature, serves on the Committee of Children and Family Law and chairs the Committee on Criminal Justice. If reelected, Kleefisch says he will continue to strengthen child sex offender laws, work to make a third OWI a felony and free-up state money by trimming the budget to the Department of Natural Resources. Pas owns a mortgage banking firm in Oconomowoc. He is a graduate of UW Law School and previously served as counsel with the US Small Business Administration. Pas says he is dedicated to complete fiscal responsibility but would like to see more tourism dollars spend in promoting the state.

Last Yard Waste and Bulk Garbage Pick-Up Next Week in BD

10/30/08 - Beaver Dam residents have until next week to gather their yard waste and bulk garbage. The final bulk pick-up of the year begins Monday, November 3 and continues through Friday, November 7. 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 no 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 and pipes will be collected. No bundled or loose piles of building materials will be collected. Building materials like lumber must be broken down and placed in the weekly collection cart. The next bulk garbage pick-up will be the first waste collection day of May. Brush and shrubbery cuttings, meanwhile, will also be accepted for the last time this year during the same period. Loose tree limbs and shrubbery cuttings up to 7 inches in thickness and 8 feet in length should be placed at the street edge by 7am on the day of solid waste collection. Yard waste also cannot be placed out sooner than 24 hours prior to the scheduled pick-up. Both yard waste and bulk garbage can also be dropped off at the public works garage year round.