Sunday, July 19, 2009

Top Stories, July 19th

Suspected Porta-Bomber Waives Prelim

7/19/09 - One of the three Beaver Dam men suspected in a pair of mailbox and outhouse explosions was in court for a preliminary hearing last week. 20-year-old Kyle Livingston waived his right to the hearing and had an arraignment hearing scheduled for next month. Livingston, along with 19-year-old Stephen Peterson and 20-year-old Michael K. Peters, were identified with the use of in-store video surveillance after allegedly purchasing the explosive components at a Beaver Dam retailer. One of the suspects also returned to the scene of the crime to survey the damage. The men are accused of blowing up a mailbox in Burnett and a port-a-potty at Lost Lake Park in April. Investigators say they used a pipe bomb and, in the case of the porta-potty, also used liquefied gas. Livingston and Peters face up to 25 years in prison while Peterson, the purported ringleader, faces a total of 105 years in prison, if convicted. Peters has a preliminary hearing at the end of the month and Peterson has a prelim in August.

Burglary Suspect Pleads “Not Guilty”

7/19/09 - A Juneau man, who faces over 15 years in prison for a residential burglary last October, waived his right to a preliminary hearing last week and entered a plea of “not guilty.” Christopher Schuett is charged with a felony count of Burglary as a repeater and Criminal Damage to Property. The 20-year-old is accused of breaking into a residence and stealing cash, checkbooks and an iPod. Authorities found blood and fingerprints at the scene and tied it to Schuett, who has a scheduling conference scheduled for next month.

Prisoner Killed in Transport Van Rollover

7/19/09 - A van carrying state prison inmates rolls over, killing one and seriously injuring two others. The Kenosha County Sheriff's Office reports the accident happened Friday night in the town of Paris. Ten inmates were riding in the van, returning from a job site. The two seriously-injured inmates were airlifted to a hospital. Accident investigators say the driver veered off the road, then over-corrected before the vehicle rolled off to the side of State Highway 142. The driver may have been trying to avoid an animal in the roadway. The dead inmate has not been identified. Corrections officials say he was 24 years old and was from Oak Creek.

Another UWM Student Killed

7/19/09 - For the second time in less than two weeks, a UW-Milwaukee student has been killed in the Riverwest neighborhood. Nobody seems to know why 23 year old Jontae Ramone Woodley was shot to death. He was planning to return to the university this fall to major in human resources, according to his sister. Tiffany McMurray says Woodley wasn't involved in gangs and didn't wear fancy clothes, or call attention to himself. Woodley had no criminal record. He was fatally shot late Thursday night. Another UW-M student, Nathan Potter, was killed nearby July 6. Potter was entering his senior year at the school. He was also shot to death.

Sauk City Woman Loses Infant After OWI

7/19/09 - A Sauk City woman's two month old baby was taken into protective custody after she was arrested for what would be her third drunken driving charge. Police say the woman was doing 75 miles per hour in a 55 zone when she was stopped. The preliminary breath test put her blood alcohol level at more than twice the legal limit. Her son was secured in a safety seat, but his presence in the car would make the current charge a felony. The baby was released to his grandmother.

Wauwatosa Teacher Arrested for Advancements on Babysitter

7/19/09 - Wauwatosa police arrest a school teacher for sending inappropriate text messages to underage girls. He was turned in by his wife. One of the girls was the couple's babysitter. Neither attended school where the suspect worked. Court records indicate the babysitter told investigators the teacher had sent her flowers, kissed her and fondled her. Once, she said, he touched her forcefully -- until he heard his wife's car in the driveway.

Dane County Man Guilty of Stalking

7/19/09 - A Dane County jury finds a man guilty of eight counts of stalking. Brian Lawler could win up spending more than nine years in prison. He'll be sentenced in a couple of months -- after a psychological evaluation is completed. Over a seven year period, Lawler's neighbors say he harassed them. Some report he tossed bags of trash in their yards, or bags of dog excrement on their roofs. He reportedly followed some of the victims in their cars. He and his family were accused of staring and videotaping his victims. An assistant district attorney said Lawler bullied his neighbors -- and now it will stop. The sentence could be longer because one of his targets was a child.

Kind Votes With GOP in Opposing Health Care Reform

7/19/09 - Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind goes against his party, voting "no" on the Democratic-sponsored health care bill. Kind thinks health care reform is needed, but he says the current legislation doesn't go far enough to reform how providers are paid. Kind was one of three Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee to vote with Republicans against the bill. It passed any way, by a 23-18 vote. Wisconsin Republican Congressman Paul Ryan is on the same committee. His amendment, to strip the government insurance option from the bill, was rejected. Ryan quoted a study that indicated the health care reform bill would knock 122 million Americans off their private insurance plan.

Grothman Against Doyle Train Plan

7/19/09 - Not everyone is ready to climb on board Governor Jim Doyle's new 47 million dollar Spanish trains. State Senator Glenn Grothman calls the deal the “out of control spending that has our country in this financial mess in the first place.” The West Bend Republican serves on the Senate transportation committee. Grothman says he hears everywhere that taxes are too high in Wisconsin and that services have been cut. The trains will replace Amtrak's existing Hiawatha trains when high speed service begins on that route in 2011. Doyle announced the plan to buy them on Friday.

Kennedy Open Door Meeting on Tuesday

7/19/09 - Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy will hold another one of his regular open door meetings on Tuesday. Kennedy says city residents are invited to meet with him, one-on-one, without appointment on the first and third Tuesday of every month. Kennedy says he feels it is important that constituents have the opportunity to speak with him the day after each regular meeting of the common council. The meetings will be held in Room 109 on the first floor of City Hall from 10am until noon. Kennedy says he also make himself available for private meetings by appointment by contacting the mayor office.

Wisconsin Native Can See Sarah Palin From Her House

7/19/09 - A New Holstein native says she can see Sarah Palin from her backyard. Linda Klapperich is in Wisconsin visiting this week, but lives in Alaska where she taught for more than 20 years. She and the Alaskan Governor and one-time Vice Presidential candidate are neighbors. Klapperich says Palin has stuck to her convictions despite the trials and tribulations she's been through. She calls the Republican a wonderful, down-to-earth person who continues to speak from the heart. She says Palin just wants to do what’s best for Alaska, what’s best for the country – and what’s best for her family. The women met when Palin was running for mayor in Wasilla, Alaska. Klapperich says Palin has been the victim of some mean-spirited attacks. Reflecting on one famous statement Palin made in her campaign last year, Klapperich says she too can see Russia from her backyard -- with a strong pair of binoculars.

Wienermobile Crashes Into House

7/19/09 - It just isn't normal to have a big hot dog sticking out of your house. A homeowner in Mount Pleasant had that unusual experience Friday. The Oscar Meyer Wienermobile slammed into a house at about lunch time. Mount Pleasant police report the 22 year old female driver was turning the hot dog on wheels around in a driveway. She thought she was reversing, but instead went forward. No one was home and there were no injuries. A company spokesperson has apologized and promised that Oscar Meyer will work with insurance companies to fix the damage to the house.

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