Top Stories August 10th

1 Killed in Fiery Crash

8/10/09 - One person was killed and another seriously injured in a fiery crash in Jefferson County early yesterday morning. Sheriff Paul Milbrath says they received a call just before 1:30 reporting a fire near the intersection of Navan Road and River Bend Road in the Town of Milford. Once on scene deputies found a pick-up truck fully engulfed in flames. While checking the area, authorities found a boy who had been ejected from the vehicle. He was taken by Med-Flight to UW-Hospital in Madison with serious leg injuries. After putting the fire out a second person was found dead inside the vehicle. Milbrath says the crash is still under investigation.

Storms Hit Hard in Southern Wisconsin

8/10/09 - Southern Wisconsin got hit with at least three rounds of damaging thunderstorms yesterday and last night but the strongest storms missed a majority of our area. Shullsburg in Lafayette County had two inches of rain in the first storm, and three-quarters-of-an-inch in the next. Streets in Monroe had water up to two-and-a-half feet deep. In southeast Wisconsin, We Energies had 16-thousand customers without power yesterday afternoon. Racine County had heavy damage, as winds hit 70-miles-an-hour. A large tree fell onto a house near North Cape, and a tree crushed a car near Wind Lake. A 50-year-old tree in Wauwatosa split in half. The National Weather Service said more rain was possible today, with cooler temperatures in the 70’s-and-80’s. Clear skies are in the forecast tomorrow through Thursday.

Man Arrested After Chase

8/10/09 - A 19-year-old man was arrested Saturday night following a chase with authorities. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department says the pursuit started just before 8 a.m. after they attempted to pull over a motorcycle driven by Kodey Meredith. While attempting to get away Meredith crashed the motorcycle on Highway 33 near County Trunk B in the Town of Beaver. He was uninjured and taken into custody. He faces charges of Fleeing and bail jumping. Meredith had just gotten out of jail on August 3rd for misdemeanor battery charges and disorderly conduct. He also has a trial date in September for a separate incident.

Watertown Still Looking for Bank Robber

8/10/09 - Authorities in Watertown are still asking for the publics help in finding a man who robbed a local bank last Thursday afternoon. Officials say a man in his late 20’s to early 30’s entered the Associated Bank on Main Street around 5 p.m. The man demanded money by passing a note to the teller though it’s unknown if he was armed. Police are not releasing how much money was stolen. The suspect is described as a white male, 5'10" to 6' tall, medium build, with a full beard and mustache wearing a dark baseball hat, black pullover shirt, and blue jeans. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Watertown Police Department or the anonymous WE-Tip Line at 1-800-78-CRIME. Police are also offering a reward $1000 for information resulting in a conviction.
Cambria to Vote on Marshall Position

8/10/09 - Cambria has been without a police presence since last Monday but that could change tonight night when the village board meets in special session to vote on an ordinance creating the position of Marshall. Like last weeks vote to dissolve the police department, the agenda calls for waiving the first and second readings of the ordinance so the board can vote on adding the position in the same meeting its introduced. In last Monday’s meeting, the board cited budget concerns and complaints from residents about Chief Rick Nelson as reasons for dissolving the department. The board will also be meeting with representatives from the Cambria Fire Department, Columbia County Emergency Management, Didion Ethanol to discuss safety concerns and other issues at Didion. The meeting is slated to start at 7 p.m. in the Cambria Community room.

Boy Who Drowned Identified

8/10/09 - A four-year-old boy who drowned in a private pond in Washington County was identified yesterday as Jimmy Jaurez of Milwaukee. Authorities said he was found floating on Saturday in the town of Erin. Efforts were made to revive the youngster, but he was pronounced dead at a hospital in Hartford. Sheriff’s deputies are still investigating.

Refsland: “We Offer More Opportunities”

8/10/09 - Waupun Superintendent Randy Refsland says Fox Lake area residents who feel their kids would get a better education in the Randolph School District don’t know what their talking about. Refsland says while he respects Randolph, Waupun offers more classes, extra-curriculars, and sports. A citizens group, Concerned Area Residents for Education, or CARE, started a petition last week that would put the question of detachment to the voters. The group has until the 18th to get 10-percent of the registered voters in the Waupun district to sign the petition. They then have to submit the petition to the Waupun School Board by September 2nd. That would force Waupun and Randolph to have a referendum in November. You can catch the rest of our conversation with Refsland tomorrow on Community Comment, which airs weekdays on WBEV at 12:35.

Mayville Coach Steps Down before Coaching a Game

8/10/09 - The Mayville football team now has its 4th different head coach since 2001. Hired just two months ago John Woleske tendered his resignation early last week. Officials are not commenting on the reason for the sudden change. His assistant coach Jason Harder will fill the vacant spot when the Cardinals open practice tomorrow. Their first game is slated for August 28th at Brodhead/Juda.

Numbers in for 1st Week of Domestic Partner Registry

8/10/09 - At least 440 same-sex couples applied for Wisconsin’s new legal protections during the first week they were offered. That’s according to a survey answered by 58 of the state’s 72 counties. The state’s health services agency did the survey. It found that Dane County in Madison had the most applications by far for the domestic partner registry with 115. Milwaukee County had the next highest with 52. Dodge County had at least one couple register. Spokeswoman Stephanie Marquis said some counties did not get any applications. The registry is part of the new state budget. It gives gay couples about one-fifth of the legal benefits for married couples, including things like inheritance rights, joint health insurance, and end-of-life decisions. A leader of the Fair Wisconsin group expected many couples to wait until the hoopla dies down so they could apply quietly – perhaps waiting until special occasions like the anniversaries of their partnerships. Another group has filed a lawsuit claiming the registry violates the constitutional ban on gay marriage passed by voters in 2006.

Officials Preparing for Possible Swine Flu Outbreak this Fall

8/10/09 - Wisconsin schools, hospitals, and state-and-local governments are all planning for what might happen this fall – when the H-1-N-1 swine flu could return. State officials have drafted a 135-page plan that details how this fall’s mass vaccinations will take place. It also tells what might happen in the event of mass outbreaks – including the shutdowns of schools, farmers’ markets, and stores for community protection. It even mentions the cancellations of funerals and other public gatherings if certain things occur. Last week, federal officials said schools should close only in the event of mass outbreaks. And unlike last spring, one case won’t be enough to shut down classes for a week.

Hotels Want Exemption from Smoking Ban

8/10/09 - Managers of some Wisconsin hotels want an exemption to the statewide smoking ban before it takes effect next summer. The ban covers all workplaces, including bars, restaurants and hotels. That means an end to designated smoking rooms. Tom Ziarnik manages Doubletree Inns in Madison and Milwaukee. He wants to be able to set aside 25 percent of rooms for smoking. State Rep. Gary Sherman agrees. The Port Wing Democrat says without an exemption, tourists could take their business across state borders. Several lawmakers favored such an exemption when the ban was being debated. But they reversed their votes in a compromise to ensure the overall ban passed.

Powerball Up to $186M

8/10/09 - The Powerball jackpot is up to 186-million dollars for the next drawing Wednesday night after nobody took down the top prize Saturday night. The current jackpot is the biggest since May 27th, when a ticket in South Dakota won 232-million dollars. Wednesday's cash option is 91-and-a-half million dollars. It goes to a single winner who takes the whole prize now instead of in 30 annual installments.