Top Stories November 12th

Veterans Share Experiences on WBEV Special

11/12/09 - There were stories of hope, loss, humor and selfless patriotism during our four-hour Tribute to Veterans yesterday afternoon on WBEV. We heard from Don Laabs, a Beaver Dam resident who was an observer during the Korean Peace talks in Pyongyang. We also heard war stories from Bill Fletcher, who served in the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the Coast Guard between 1939 and 1971, and who saw action in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Beaver Dam business-owner Wally Fishbach (left) also shared with us his pre-service experience as an American captured by Germans in Luxembourg before being sent concentration camps for over three years. After his negotiated return to the states, Fishbach joined the Coast Guard and the Merchant Marines. Co-host John Moser called the broadcast from the Beaver Dam American Legion a “moving and thought-provoking experience that reminds us all of the sacrifices made by our veterans.” There is already talk of a fourth annual Tribute to Veterans next year.

Senior Center Ad-Hoc Committee Holds Initial Meeting

11/12/09 - The first meeting of the Beaver Dam Community Center Ad-Hoc Planning Committee was held last night. The initial meeting allowed for an overview of the site selection process, the preferred time table and the possible funding sources for a new Senior Center. The Senior Center Building Committee recently selected the former Herberger’s department store in the Heritage Village Mall as their preferred location for a new facility, which is projected to cost roughly $4 and-a-half million. The committee is chaired by Aldermen John Litscher and also includes the chairs of the Administration and Operations committees, the city Finance Director, the chair of the Senior Center Building Committee and the head of the Community Activities and Service Department. A second meeting is planned for next month.

Dead Huber Inmate Identified

11/12/09 - The 34-year-old Huber inmate that died over the weekend has been identified as Walter J. Holcomb. He was found unconscious in his cell area at the Dodge County Detention facility around 2:15 Friday afternoon. Authorities say they attempted to revive him but he was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Officials say there appears to be no foul play involved at this time but an investigation into the cause of death continues. Holcomb had been sentenced to months in jail in July after his probation for having sex with a child 16 or older was revoked.

2nd H1N1 Flu Clinic Set for Dodge County

11/12/09 - A second H1N1 flu vaccine clinic in Dodge County has been set for next Tuesday. The clinic will be held at the Dodge County Office Building in Juneau from 3 to 6:30 p.m. or until the vaccine supply runs out. The county health department says this clinic is for certain people that are at more of a risk to get the virus. That includes pregnant women, healthcare and emergency medical personnel, people living with or caring for children six months or younger, any children between the ages of 6-months and 4-years of age, and anyone between the ages of 5 to 18 that have certain medical conditions. It's expected that the state will announce next week adding in all person aged 19 to 64 with certain medical conditions can get a shot. It's anticipated that there will be enough vaccine for any one who is interested in getting a shot to revive one, but the vaccine will not be available as soon as was originally predicted.

Officials Deny WI Budget Issues Comparable to CA

11/12/09 - State officials deny that Wisconsin's budget is in dire straits. And they take issue with a report from yesterday that Wisconsin and Illinois share the nation's ninth-worst budget crisis. The Pew Center on the States said Wisconsin is just as bad off as California, which is on the brink of insolvency. The report said Wisconsinites can expect even fewer social services, higher college tuition, and more state employee furloughs at the very least. And if Wisconsin and similar states resort to more tax increases or big spending cuts, it could threaten the nation's ability to climb out of the recession. But state administration secretary Michael Morgan said Wisconsin's no worse off than others and Bob Lang of the Legislative Fiscal Bureau says tax collections are meeting the budget, the state's paying its bills, and our situation is not as dire as California's. Still, a two-billion-dollar deficit looms in the next budget.

Secretary Gates in Oshkosh Today

11/12/09 - The nation's defense secretary visits Wisconsin today. Robert Gates will meet with employees at the Oshkosh Corporation, and thank them for making a more modern and safer truck for use in Afghanistan. Oshkosh won a major contract earlier this year to build the M-A-T-V. 62-hundred of them have been ordered so far, at a total cost of three-point-two billion dollars. The first ones arrived in Afghanistan last month. Officials say they're easier to maneuver than heavy trucks - and they do a better job of protecting troops than the old Humvees. The military placed its fifth order with Oshkosh this week for the M-A-T-V's. It's allowed the company to hire or recall about 14-hundred employees. Oshkosh C-E-O Robert Bohn says employees are excited about Gates' visit today. Bohn says they often double-check their work - because they know our troops' lives depend on it.

Officials: Plane Crash Really a Controlled Brush Fire

11/12/09 - A farmer thought he saw a plane crash in Fond du Lac County yesterday - but it was just a big puff of smoke from a burning pile of leaves. The farmer called 9-1-1 to say he saw a low-flying plane, followed by thick smoke just east of Highway 45 in the town of Osceola. Rescuers went to the area, along with the town of Eden Fire Department and a Flight-for-Life chopper. But they couldn't find a plane. As it turned out, there were two aircraft in the area at the time - and both were later accounted for. The heavy smoke came from a burning leaf pile that was doused with gasoline. Authorities called off their search for a plane crash after about 45 minutes.