Top Stories March 12th

Beaver Dam Girl Killed in Crash

3/12/09 - Authorities have released the names of those involved in crash that took the life of a 17-year-old Beaver Dam girl yesterday afternoon. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department says Bethany Soboleski was driving south on Highway 26 about a ¼-mile from Highway 60/16, when she crossed the center line and hit a northbound vehicle head on. Soboleski was thrown from her car and was pronounced dead at the scene. 20-year-old Sarah Starr, also of Beaver Dam, was a passenger in the vehicle and was flown by Flight for Life to Froedert Hospital. The driver of the other car, 34-year-old Michael Manderfield of Saukville, was cut from his vehicle and flown to Froedert Hospital as well. The extent of their injuries is unknown at this time. A third vehicle was involved when it made minor contact with the girl’s car but the driver was uninjured. The crash is still under investigation.

Accident in Downtown BD

3/12/09 - A Beaver Dam woman was injured Wednesday afternoon in a one-vehicle wreck in downtown Beaver Dam. It happened just before 1:30pm and the woman wound up damaging a small portion of the Julie R Danceware building at 109 South Center Street. Beaver Dam Deputy Police Chief Dan Schubert says the woman appeared to have a medical issue that led to the crash. It is not currently known the direction of travel the woman was going when the accident occurred. Schubert says there was a witness that reported the incident but that person left the scene. Authorities are hoping to speak with that witness or any others. They should contact Officer Bill Linzenmeyer at the Beaver Dam Police department. The woman was not issued a citation and was transported to Beaver Dam Community Hospital. Her condition was not immediately available.

Strieff Arraigned

3/12/09 - A “not guilty” plea from a Waupun man accused of the repeated sexual assault of two young girls at their home in Fox Lake. Dean Strieff was in Dodge County court for an arraignment hearing Wednesday morning. According to the criminal complaint, the assaults occurred on several occasions between September of last year and the middle of January. The 41-year-old is being held on a $20,000 cash bond and has court activity scheduled on April 8. If convicted, Strieff faces up to 120 years in prison.

Choirs Who Care Overcomes Obstacles

3/12/09 - In spite of inclement weather, a broken organ and a sick organist, the Choirs Who Care fundraiser this past weekend in Waupun was able to raise over $11,000. The annual event at the First Reformed Church brings together church choirs from around the county who perform individually and then together for three mass choir hymns. Coordinator Eleanor Loomans says the fundraising event drew around 250 people and $6147 in love offerings. Thrivent Financial For Lutherans also matched donations up to $5000. The money collected will be given to Renee Gasner of Horicon and Tanya Mucciolo of Ripon to help defray medical expenses. Loomans says there were many people who expressed regret that they were unable to attend because of the weather so they decided to accept donations until Friday, March 20. Checks can be made payable to the First Reformed Church of Waupun with “Choirs Who Care 2009” written in the memo and sent to the church at 422 West Franklin Street in Waupun.

Twain Monologue at Local Theater

3/12/09 - Mark Twain once said, “Laughter which cannot be suppressed is catching.” Organizers with the Grace Presbyterian Church in Beaver Dam say that laughter will be just as contagious this weekend when they host the Mark Twain Laughing River Monologues. Musician Jim Post (pictured right) Galena, Illinois, who’s depicted the author and humorist up and down the Mississippi River for years, has two performances at the Beaver Dam Community Theater on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Organizer Becky Glewen says the all the money raised will benefit an upcoming Grace Presbyterian Church Youth Mission Trip. Post has written a number of original songs for his performances. Also worth noting, Tom Post is a member of the Rock-and-Roll Hall Of Fame as half of the husband-and-wife duo “Friend and Lover,” best known for their 1968 flower-child anthem, “Reach Out of the Darkness.”

Supreme Court Candidates Hold Debate in Milwaukee

3/12/09 - Wisconsin’s chief justice says she refuses to be labeled. At a debate in Milwaukee yesterday, Supreme Court challenger Randy Koschnick again tried to put the activist label on 33-year incumbent Shirley Abrahamson. Koschnick, a Jefferson County circuit judge, said Abrahamson has demonstrated many times that she legislates from the bench. She denied it, saying she never imposes her personal views instead of interpreting the law. Koschnick describes himself as a judicial conservative. Abrahamson asked him if that’s a promise he’ll rule on certain cases one way or another. The chief justice said she won’t do that and quote, “I’m not pro-or-anti anything.” Meanwhile, the public can submit questions for a Supreme Court debate planned for March 27th in Madison. We the People-Wisconsin is sponsoring the forum – and those interested in attending or asking questions can long onto WTPeople-Dot-Com-slash-2009.

Emerald Ash Borer Here to Stay

3/12/09 - It appears that the tree-killing emerald ash borer is in Wisconsin to stay – and officials now say their focus will be to slow the spread of it. The agriculture department says an infestation found last summer near Newburg in Washington and Ozaukee counties is too big to remove completely. Forty-four infestations of the ash beetle have been confirmed in the village of Newburg. Throughout the area, several hundred trees are known to be infected in seven-and-a-half square miles. Up to 50-thousand ash trees are at risk there. The Milwaukee River corridor is the hardest hit so far. But the ag department’s Melody Walker says surveyors are still trying to find the edge of the outbreak. Wisconsin is among 10 Midwest and eastern states with the emerald ash borer, along with Ontario and Quebec in Canada. A quarantine on firewood, ash nursery stock, and other as products remains in Washington, Ozaukee, Fond du Lac, and Sheboygan counties. Up to nine-thousand traps will be set up around the state this year, to see if the ash borer has taken hold elsewhere.

Wisconsin Elections Agency Supports Special Election for Vacant U.S. Senate Seats

3/12/09 - The head of Wisconsin’s elections agency testified yesterday in favor of holding special voting to fill vacant U-S Senate seats. Kevin Kennedy told a Senate panel it costs about three-million dollars to hold a special election in the Badger State. But he called it an “investment in democracy,” and said the added public confidence makes the process worth it. Feingold said he had nothing against the new senators who have been appointed by various governors since the last election. But he said the prospect of corruption emerged when Illinois’ former leader was indicted for allegedly selling his state’s open Senate seat to the highest bidder. Wisconsin is one of just five states in which the voters fill vacant Senate seats. Menomonee Falls House Republican Jim Sensenbrenner proposed the Feingold amendment in his chamber – and lawmakers from both parties joined watchdogs in supporting it yesterday. But Matthew Spaulding of the Heritage Foundation said a complex constitutional change is not necessary. There’s been a proposal to do it legislatively – by allowing appointments and then putting those people up for election in 90 days.

Gokey Makes it Through First Round of Finals on American Idol

3/12/09 - Wisconsin’s “American Idol” contestant survived his first week as a finalist. Danny Gokey of Milwaukee got enough votes from viewers to make it to the next round. Exact totals are never publicized, but host Ryan Seacrest said 33-million votes were cast after Tuesday night’s show on Fox – in which the finalists sang Michael Jackson songs. Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nunez were the first to be sent home after getting the lowest votes. One finalist will be sent home each week until late May. But in a new twist this year, the judges can vote to keep the lowest vote-getter around for another week. If that happens, two would be voted off the following week.