Top Stories October 16th

Edwards Due in Court this Morning

10/16/09 - A Kentucky man is scheduled to enter pleas this morning to charges that he killed a pair of high school sweethearts in Jefferson County in 1980. 76-year-old Edward Edwards of Louisville has an 11 o'clock arraignment in Jefferson on two counts of first-degree murder. Authorities said he murdered Tim Hack and Kelly Drew, both 19, soon after they left a wedding reception in Sullivan. Edwards was arrested this summer after state justice agents found his D-N-A on Drew's body. Edwards has admitted committing numerous crimes around the country, but he denies killing Hack and Drew. He told police he had sex with Drew, but a group of other men stomped her and Hack to death.

September Unemployment Rate Drops

10/16/09 - Wisconsin’s new unemployment rate fell by seven-tenths of a percent from August. The unadjusted rate of seven-point-seven percent is the lowest of the year. Almost every part of the economy lost jobs in September. But with kids back in school, educational jobs grew. And so did the health services industry. Total employment was up by 56-hundred from August. But Wisconsin still lost 124-thousand jobs over the last year. The seasonally-adjusted jobless rate was eight-point-eight percent statewide. That’s down a half-point from August, but still almost double from a year ago. State labor economist Eric Grosso called the trend encouraging – but he says there’s a long way to go before a recovery begins.

Meanwhile, a new report suggests the recession is over in the Madison, Appleton, and Oshkosh areas. But the downturn continues in 12 other Wisconsin metros and the state as a whole. That’s according to an adversity index from Moody’s-Economy-Dot-Com and M-S-N-B-C. It’s based on employment, industrial production, home prices, and housing starts compared to a year ago. The latest numbers are from August – and they showed that 79 of the nation’s 384 metros are in a recovery mode, as well as 11 of the 50 states.

Flu Symptoms Most Likely H1N1 Virus

10/16/09 - If you are suffering from flu-like symptoms, it is likely the H1N1 flu virus. That’s according to Dodge County Public Health Officer Jody Langfeldt says there has been four confirmed cases in Dodge County, but the actual number of infections is difficult to determine. Langfeldt says the state considers all flu-like symptoms to be H1N1 flu because the seasonal flu doesn’t reach its peak until later in the year. She says the virus hasn’t changed much since the spring; it is moderate in severity, affecting young people ages two to 24 years-old the most. The Dodge County Public Health Department is working with emergency responders, hospitals and schools in organizing vaccine clinics. The general public is expected to get the vaccine early next month. Meanwhile, a second person has died in Wisconsin this season from the virus, bringing the statewide total for the year to ten. The latest victim was a 21-month-old girl from Monroe County. State officials say there have been over 500 cases of H-1-N-1 confirmed since September first, and more than two people have been hospitalized statewide. All but 20 of the state’s 72 counties have had at least one swine flu case this fall – and the Madison area has recorded just over one-fifth of all Wisconsin’s cases.

Brothers Sentenced on Animal Mistreatment Charges

10/16/09 - Two Lomira brothers were sentenced to 120 days in jail for mistreating animals on their seven-acre farm. Authorities found what they described as an “appalling” and “abusive situation” at the farm of 40-year-old Harvey Buchholz and 36-year-old Heath Buchholz. The two recently pleaded “no contest” to reduced misdemeanor charges of Mistreatment of Animals Causing Death. They also entered into a deferred prosecution agreement so if the Buchholz brothers stay out of trouble for two years, each will see their felony charge dropped. Authorities say they found dairy cows, calves, steer and sheep sick – bellowing with hunger -- with inadequate food, water and bedding. According to the criminal complaint, there were dead animal carcasses strewn all over the barnyard. The remaining animals were covered in mange, with open sores and visible bones and ribs. A veterinarian brought in to assess the conditions said he was “appalled by the total lack of husbandry… and disregard for the welfare of the animals.” The brothers were given several weeks to address the situation this January. They denied that financial troubles lead to the conditions. In addition to four months in jail with Huber privileges, the Buchholz were placed on probation for two years. They can continue to milk the remaining cows on their farm but cannot be involved in other farming activities without approval by their probation agent. The brothers are also subject to random visits from their probation agent or a veterinarian to check on their animal husbandry.

Jail Time / $11K Restitution for Hammer Beating

10/16/09 - A Waupun man will spend a month in jail for beating a man in the head with a hammer. Cody S. Brown pleaded “no contest” to reduced misdemeanor Battery charges and was also placed on probation for one year. In July, the 22-year-old was with two friends drinking in their garage when the victim confronted the trio and accused them of beating up his cousin. Brown says the victim threw the first punch so he picked up the hammer and struck him several times in the head and back. The victim sustained a skull fracture and a five inch laceration on his head. Brown was also ordered to pay $11,000 in restitution.

Murder-Suicide in West Bend

10/16/09 - A man in West Bend tried in vain to save his mother, just before her ex-husband shot-and-killed her and then killed himself. It happened just after midnight yesterday at the home of 52-year-old Alice Gill. Police said her 27-year-old son woke up, heard a car horn, and then heard screaming. Alice Gill and her 50-year-old ex-husband Jeffrey were fighting inside the S-U-V. And when her son came out to help her, the ex-husband started shooting. Both ran out of the vehicle. And Jeffrey shot his ex-wife several times while chasing her in the front yard. After she collapsed, Gill shot himself in the head. And while all that was happening, a pipe bomb exploded in the S-U-V. When police arrived, they found both bodies close to the vehicle, which was still running. A Milwaukee bomb squad and federal agents were then called to investigate the pipe bomb. Police said the Gills divorced two years ago. Officials said Jeffrey Gill had previous arrests for domestic abuse, illegal drug possession, and six drunken driving incidents.

Man Allegedly Drunk During Hit and Run

10/16/09 - A 24-year-old man was allegedly driving drunk when he hit a parked car and fled the scene in Juneau Wednesday night. Authorities say the man struck a car parked on Main Street around 11:45pm. The owner of that car called police and filed a complaint. The offending vehicle was found within a number of minutes parked in front of Mike’s Automotive on Main Street. The 24-year-old was still in the vehicle and authorities took him into custody. His preliminary blood alcohol content was .21, more than double the legal limit. He faces a number of charges, including OWI and Hit and Run.

DC Investigating BE in Town of Beaver Dam

10/16/09 - The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a Breaking and Entering at a Town of Beaver Dam business. Records show the owner of Wally’s Auto on Highway 33 reported that someone had entered the business without consent and stole a number of tools. The theft was reported late Wednesday morning. The investigation into the incident continues. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Dodge County Sheriffs Department or the anonymous We-Tip hotline at 800-78-CRIME.

White Gets 10 Years for Sheboygan Brat Days Incident

10/16/09 - A Manitowoc man will spend about 10 years in prison for driving drunk into a crowd at the Sheboygan Brat Days Parade last summer. 22-year-old Mario White pleaded no contest to 10 charges, and a dozen others were dropped in a plea bargain. Prosecutors said White was trying to flee Wisconsin to get out of an earlier drunk driving sentence, as he was being chased by authorities in August of ’08. The chase had ended before White broke through a police barrier and injured four people at the Sheboygan parade – and just missed dozens of others. Among those hit was a police supervisor who pulled two kids to safety just moments before the crash.

Liquor Tax Increase Still Possible

10/16/09 - Do they or don’t they? Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan and his office sent out mixed signals yesterday about whether he and Majority Democrats would support a higher liquor tax to get more drunk drivers off the road. Sheridan told reporters yesterday morning he would consider the 50-cent-per-liter tax on hard liquor endorsed last week by a Senate committee. But later in the day, Sheridan spokeswoman Rebekah Sweeney said Democrats are not inclined to raising the liquor tax – but they’re not ruling it out, either.

Man Takes Full Powerball Payment Now

10/16/09 - A Marinette man known for his wood sculptures cashed in his 31-million-dollar Powerball ticket yesterday. Doug Miron chose the cash option. He’s giving up a larger installment prize to take 11-point-two million dollars now, after taxes. State lottery spokesman Andrew Bohage said he was so happy when he learned he won, he pulled a leg muscle while jumping for joy. Miron is Wisconsin’s 15th jackpot winner since the game began in 1992 – and he’s claiming the state’s sixth-largest prize ever.

National Guard Mission Continues in Iraq

10/16/09 - The deployment of the Wisconsin National Guard continues and local troops are making a difference. As part of the 105th Calvary division, Watertown troops have been a little busier than usual during the past month. Their squadron has responded to a number of incidents in the troop’s area of operations both on and off the Victory Base Complex near the Baghdad airport. The patrols range from routine to actual threat responses. On the scheduled patrols soldiers bring candy with them to give to the local kids that they see along their way. It’s not all serious for the troops though. Football dominates sports in Wisconsin during the month of October. And just because guard members are thousands of miles away in Iraq it doesn’t mean they don’t have football fever too. Some of the Watertown troops took on Camp Cropper sailors on October 3rd in an impromptu Army-Navy flag football game. After a long hard battle the Army got the best of the match-up winning 40-38. There are just three months left in the 32nd Brigade’s mission in Iraq.

Wildlife Rehab and Research Center in Oconomowoc a Possibility

10/16/09 - A proposed new wildlife rehab-and-research center near Oconomowoc is one step closer to reality. Meeting in Eau Claire yesterday, a committee of the U-W Board of Regents endorsed the project and referred it to the State Building Commission. The non-profit Wildlife-in-Need group wants to build a new animal rehabilitation center and research lab at the Sherman Field Station owned by U-W Waukesha. The school would also have access to the facility, and campus dean Patrick Schmitt says it would expand the field station’s capabilities. The wildlife group has raised over 700-thousand dollars for the new facility. If all goes as planned, construction would begin next spring.