Contreras Sentenced For Rape
11/24/09 - A Beaver Dam man who raped two young girls was sentenced yesterday to eight years in prison. Robert Contreras pleaded “no contest” to two felony counts of Third Degree Sexual Assault and had three related felonies and two misdemeanors dismissed but read into the record. The 36-year-old raped a preteen girl in March of 2008 and a teenage girl on several occasions beginning in May of 2006. The assaults stopped when Contreras was sent to prison in March of 2008 for his 5th OWI offense. In addition to eight years in prison, Contreras will was sentenced to ten years of extended supervision and register as a lifetime sex offender.
11/24/09 - A Beaver Dam man who raped two young girls was sentenced yesterday to eight years in prison. Robert Contreras pleaded “no contest” to two felony counts of Third Degree Sexual Assault and had three related felonies and two misdemeanors dismissed but read into the record. The 36-year-old raped a preteen girl in March of 2008 and a teenage girl on several occasions beginning in May of 2006. The assaults stopped when Contreras was sent to prison in March of 2008 for his 5th OWI offense. In addition to eight years in prison, Contreras will was sentenced to ten years of extended supervision and register as a lifetime sex offender.
Columbus Woman Facing Felony Charges for Child Abuse
11/24/09 - A Columbus woman has been charged with five-felonies for allegedly abusing her 5-year-old daughter. 30-year-old Heidi Duesing-Christensen made her initial appearance in Columbia County court yesterday and is free on $2,000 cash bail. Among other allegations, she’s accused of tying the girl’s hands and feet with rope, putting her in a closet with tape over her mouth, and over-medicating her with Benadryl to try and get her to sleep. Authorities arrested Duesing-Christensen after a two week investigation which started after the girl’s father noticed bruises and scabs all over her body. Duesing-Christensen’s boyfriend could also face charges for allegedly assisting in the abuse. She’s due back in court next month. The girl is now living with her father in Arizona.
Juneau Passes 2010 Budget
11/24/09 - The City of Juneau passed their 2010 budget last night. The $9.1-million document has a tax levy of 1.1-million-dollars, which results in a tax rate of $7.66 per 1,000 of assessed value. That’s a 10-cent jump from a year ago. That means the owner of a property valued at $150,000 would pay about $1150 for the city portion of their tax bill. That’s an increase of 16-dollars over this year.
Number of Deer Taken on Opening Weekend Down Dramatically
11/24/09 - For the second year in a row, the number of deer taken in the opening weekend of Wisconsin’s gun season was down dramatically from the year before. A preliminary report from the D-N-R showed that just over 100-thousand deer were shot Saturday and Sunday. That’s down 25-percent from last year, and 41-percent from 2007. Dodge County hunters took 939 deer, which was down nearly 44-percent from a year ago. In Columbia County hunters managed to bag nearly 2,200 deer but that number is down 38-percent from ‘08. Jefferson County was down 30-percent to 858 while Fond du Lac hunters killed 676 deer. That’s down 40-percent from last year. Officials expected a lower harvest because of a smaller estimate of the deer population, and the elimination of the rule that hunters must take does in certain places before they can shoot bucks. Also, fog made hunting difficult on Saturday. And warm weather and a large amount of standing corn also caused problems for hunters. The D-N-R’s Keith Warnke says lots of deer are still out there, and there’s a lot of hunting to go. The gun season ends on Sunday.
Sun Prairie Man Involved in Chase Could Face Charges
11/24/09 - The 18-year-old Sun Prairie man who led Fond du Lac County Sheriff's deputies on a chase driving the wrong way on Highway 151 is facing a number of traffic charges. No criminal charges have been filed yet, but Nicholas Paulson does face charges for driving the wrong way, operating left of center, having open alcohol and underage drinking for the early Sunday morning incident. He allegedly reached speeds of up to 100 miles an hour before stop sticks flattened his tires and ended the chase. No one was hurt during the incident, but several drivers had to evade Paulson as he drove in their direction. (KFIZ)
H1N1 Vaccine to Be Given Out in Columbus Schools Next Tuesday
11/24/09 - Columbus School District families will be receiving their H1N1 flu shot notification letters from the District over the next few days. The free shots will be available, but parents have the right to accept or decline vaccinations. According to Superintendent Mark Jansen, the use of schools to distribute the H1N1 vaccine will save local residents the trouble of driving between clinics, hospitals and schools to receive the shots. The date for Columbia County H1N1 shots at Columbus Schools will be next Tuesday, Dec. 1st
Pfitzinger to Discuss Change in Dealing with Juvenile Alcohol Offenders
11/24/09 - Penalties will be changing for juvenile alcohol offenders in Dodge County after the first of the year. Judge Brian Pfitzinger says the circuit court system will revoke the licenses of those under the age of 21 who consume or possess alcohol, an option that had already been in practice in municipal courts in Dodge County. However, Pfitzinger says a program will be available to juvenile alcohol offenders that might allow them to hold onto their licenses. He says it will be similar to a deferred prosecution agreement and if the offenders are able to complete the court-mandated program, the offender could get he charges dismissed. One of the court requirements for dismissal of the citation is that the defendant participate in eight hours of community service. Pfitzinger says to accomplish that, he needs the help of local community organizations. For more information, Pfitzinger asks that interested parties call his Judicial Assistant (Sandy Bird at 386-4014). There is also an educational component of the penalty, which consists of an online alcohol education program and test with a company called Third Millennium, at a cost of $60. The third component would be for the offender to write a one-page paper explaining what was learned in the program. We’ll find out more about the program from Judge Pfitzinger on our Community Comment program this afternoon beginning at 12:35.
Fundraising for 2010 Election at a Fever Pace
11/24/09 - Political candidates are filling their war-chests for next year's election. And a conservative think tank says the idea of public financing, with lower spending and less influence from special interests, is dead for next year. The Wisconsin Policy Research Institute says a lack of taxpayer support is one reason people shouldn't hold their breath about reform. Mike Nichols of the research group said 20-percent of taxpayers helped support public financing in 1977 – but that dropped to just five-percent last year. And Nichols does not expect the trend to be reversed, saying it hasn't happened around the country. But Mike McCabe of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign says neighboring Minnesota has found a way to get public financing to work. He said the Gopher State has a spending limit of two-and-a-half million dollars for candidates, and half comes from public financing. McCabe said the 2006 Wisconsin governor's race cost 32-million dollars. Nichols says any change in the current system hinges on the taxpayers' willingness to fund it.
DNR to Hold Public Hearing on Fond du Lac County Dairy Farm
11/24/09 - The state D-N-R will hold a public hearing December third on a plan to double the size of a large Fond du Lac County dairy farm. The owners of the Rosendale Dairy wants to expand their herd to eight-thousand dairy cows – and they’ll need a D-N-R permit to spread the manure on fields. If approved, the dairy would become the largest in Wisconsin. D-N-R staffers have recommended approval, and the agency needs to hear public comments before granting the permit. The hearing begins at five p-m on December third at the Royal Ridges in Ripon. The project is a 70-million-dollar investment, and the cows would produce a total of 92-million gallons of liquid waste each year.
Moisture Still an Issue for Farmers
11/24/09 - High moisture is still a problem with part of Wisconsin's corn crop. But as it gets colder, farmers cannot wait much longer for the crop to dry. Twenty-one percent of the year's corn-for-grain was harvested statewide last week, bringing the total to 59-percent. That's still well below the norm of 87-percent by this time. Low test-weights and mold have also been problems with some of the corn. The soybean crop is pretty much in. Ninety-four percent was harvested as of Sunday. Winter wheat planting is 92-percent finished. It's supposed to get colder in the next couple days, and light snow is expected statewide on Thanksgiving. But it will be short-lived, as dry weather with above-freezing temperatures are expected for the weekend.
Automobile Purchases Down in Wisconsin
11/24/09 - Sales of new cars and light trucks kept going down last month in Wisconsin – but industry analysts expect higher numbers for November. Just over 12-thousand-400 new vehicles registered in the Badger State in October. That was down nine-percent from September, and 47-percent from August – when “Cash for Clunkers” gave federal stimulus money to folks who agreed to trade their old junkers for more fuel-efficient vehicles. The October sales were 19-and-a-half percent below the same month a year ago. But Jim Tolkan of the Automobile Dealers Association of Mega Milwaukee still sees good times ahead. The industry expects a 10-percent increase in new vehicle sales nationally in 2010, after recession breaks and more people go back to work. For now, Tolkan says buyers can take advantage of new incentives, and holiday sales which have started earlier than normal.
Another Candidate Emerges in WI Lt. Governor’s Race
11/24/09 - A Madison executive is the latest candidate for Wisconsin’s lieutenant governor. Democrat Henry Sanders Junior says he’ll work to create jobs if he’s elected. Sanders founded the Madison Area Growth Network for young professionals, and he used to be the vice president of Madison’s Chamber-of-Commerce. He ran and lost to former State Representative David Travis in a 2006 Assembly primary. Other Democrats in the race are Milwaukee alderman Tony Zielinski and James Schneider of Gotham. And state Senate Democrat Spencer Coggs of Milwaukee is considering a bid. Republican candidates include Superior Mayor Dave Ross, State Representative Brett Davis of Oregon, and defense technology company manager Ben Collins of Lake Geneva. They all hope to replace Democrat Barbara Lawton, who’s stepping down at the end of next year.
11/24/09 - A Columbus woman has been charged with five-felonies for allegedly abusing her 5-year-old daughter. 30-year-old Heidi Duesing-Christensen made her initial appearance in Columbia County court yesterday and is free on $2,000 cash bail. Among other allegations, she’s accused of tying the girl’s hands and feet with rope, putting her in a closet with tape over her mouth, and over-medicating her with Benadryl to try and get her to sleep. Authorities arrested Duesing-Christensen after a two week investigation which started after the girl’s father noticed bruises and scabs all over her body. Duesing-Christensen’s boyfriend could also face charges for allegedly assisting in the abuse. She’s due back in court next month. The girl is now living with her father in Arizona.
Juneau Passes 2010 Budget
11/24/09 - The City of Juneau passed their 2010 budget last night. The $9.1-million document has a tax levy of 1.1-million-dollars, which results in a tax rate of $7.66 per 1,000 of assessed value. That’s a 10-cent jump from a year ago. That means the owner of a property valued at $150,000 would pay about $1150 for the city portion of their tax bill. That’s an increase of 16-dollars over this year.
Number of Deer Taken on Opening Weekend Down Dramatically
11/24/09 - For the second year in a row, the number of deer taken in the opening weekend of Wisconsin’s gun season was down dramatically from the year before. A preliminary report from the D-N-R showed that just over 100-thousand deer were shot Saturday and Sunday. That’s down 25-percent from last year, and 41-percent from 2007. Dodge County hunters took 939 deer, which was down nearly 44-percent from a year ago. In Columbia County hunters managed to bag nearly 2,200 deer but that number is down 38-percent from ‘08. Jefferson County was down 30-percent to 858 while Fond du Lac hunters killed 676 deer. That’s down 40-percent from last year. Officials expected a lower harvest because of a smaller estimate of the deer population, and the elimination of the rule that hunters must take does in certain places before they can shoot bucks. Also, fog made hunting difficult on Saturday. And warm weather and a large amount of standing corn also caused problems for hunters. The D-N-R’s Keith Warnke says lots of deer are still out there, and there’s a lot of hunting to go. The gun season ends on Sunday.
Sun Prairie Man Involved in Chase Could Face Charges
11/24/09 - The 18-year-old Sun Prairie man who led Fond du Lac County Sheriff's deputies on a chase driving the wrong way on Highway 151 is facing a number of traffic charges. No criminal charges have been filed yet, but Nicholas Paulson does face charges for driving the wrong way, operating left of center, having open alcohol and underage drinking for the early Sunday morning incident. He allegedly reached speeds of up to 100 miles an hour before stop sticks flattened his tires and ended the chase. No one was hurt during the incident, but several drivers had to evade Paulson as he drove in their direction. (KFIZ)
H1N1 Vaccine to Be Given Out in Columbus Schools Next Tuesday
11/24/09 - Columbus School District families will be receiving their H1N1 flu shot notification letters from the District over the next few days. The free shots will be available, but parents have the right to accept or decline vaccinations. According to Superintendent Mark Jansen, the use of schools to distribute the H1N1 vaccine will save local residents the trouble of driving between clinics, hospitals and schools to receive the shots. The date for Columbia County H1N1 shots at Columbus Schools will be next Tuesday, Dec. 1st
Pfitzinger to Discuss Change in Dealing with Juvenile Alcohol Offenders
11/24/09 - Penalties will be changing for juvenile alcohol offenders in Dodge County after the first of the year. Judge Brian Pfitzinger says the circuit court system will revoke the licenses of those under the age of 21 who consume or possess alcohol, an option that had already been in practice in municipal courts in Dodge County. However, Pfitzinger says a program will be available to juvenile alcohol offenders that might allow them to hold onto their licenses. He says it will be similar to a deferred prosecution agreement and if the offenders are able to complete the court-mandated program, the offender could get he charges dismissed. One of the court requirements for dismissal of the citation is that the defendant participate in eight hours of community service. Pfitzinger says to accomplish that, he needs the help of local community organizations. For more information, Pfitzinger asks that interested parties call his Judicial Assistant (Sandy Bird at 386-4014). There is also an educational component of the penalty, which consists of an online alcohol education program and test with a company called Third Millennium, at a cost of $60. The third component would be for the offender to write a one-page paper explaining what was learned in the program. We’ll find out more about the program from Judge Pfitzinger on our Community Comment program this afternoon beginning at 12:35.
Fundraising for 2010 Election at a Fever Pace
11/24/09 - Political candidates are filling their war-chests for next year's election. And a conservative think tank says the idea of public financing, with lower spending and less influence from special interests, is dead for next year. The Wisconsin Policy Research Institute says a lack of taxpayer support is one reason people shouldn't hold their breath about reform. Mike Nichols of the research group said 20-percent of taxpayers helped support public financing in 1977 – but that dropped to just five-percent last year. And Nichols does not expect the trend to be reversed, saying it hasn't happened around the country. But Mike McCabe of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign says neighboring Minnesota has found a way to get public financing to work. He said the Gopher State has a spending limit of two-and-a-half million dollars for candidates, and half comes from public financing. McCabe said the 2006 Wisconsin governor's race cost 32-million dollars. Nichols says any change in the current system hinges on the taxpayers' willingness to fund it.
DNR to Hold Public Hearing on Fond du Lac County Dairy Farm
11/24/09 - The state D-N-R will hold a public hearing December third on a plan to double the size of a large Fond du Lac County dairy farm. The owners of the Rosendale Dairy wants to expand their herd to eight-thousand dairy cows – and they’ll need a D-N-R permit to spread the manure on fields. If approved, the dairy would become the largest in Wisconsin. D-N-R staffers have recommended approval, and the agency needs to hear public comments before granting the permit. The hearing begins at five p-m on December third at the Royal Ridges in Ripon. The project is a 70-million-dollar investment, and the cows would produce a total of 92-million gallons of liquid waste each year.
Moisture Still an Issue for Farmers
11/24/09 - High moisture is still a problem with part of Wisconsin's corn crop. But as it gets colder, farmers cannot wait much longer for the crop to dry. Twenty-one percent of the year's corn-for-grain was harvested statewide last week, bringing the total to 59-percent. That's still well below the norm of 87-percent by this time. Low test-weights and mold have also been problems with some of the corn. The soybean crop is pretty much in. Ninety-four percent was harvested as of Sunday. Winter wheat planting is 92-percent finished. It's supposed to get colder in the next couple days, and light snow is expected statewide on Thanksgiving. But it will be short-lived, as dry weather with above-freezing temperatures are expected for the weekend.
Automobile Purchases Down in Wisconsin
11/24/09 - Sales of new cars and light trucks kept going down last month in Wisconsin – but industry analysts expect higher numbers for November. Just over 12-thousand-400 new vehicles registered in the Badger State in October. That was down nine-percent from September, and 47-percent from August – when “Cash for Clunkers” gave federal stimulus money to folks who agreed to trade their old junkers for more fuel-efficient vehicles. The October sales were 19-and-a-half percent below the same month a year ago. But Jim Tolkan of the Automobile Dealers Association of Mega Milwaukee still sees good times ahead. The industry expects a 10-percent increase in new vehicle sales nationally in 2010, after recession breaks and more people go back to work. For now, Tolkan says buyers can take advantage of new incentives, and holiday sales which have started earlier than normal.
Another Candidate Emerges in WI Lt. Governor’s Race
11/24/09 - A Madison executive is the latest candidate for Wisconsin’s lieutenant governor. Democrat Henry Sanders Junior says he’ll work to create jobs if he’s elected. Sanders founded the Madison Area Growth Network for young professionals, and he used to be the vice president of Madison’s Chamber-of-Commerce. He ran and lost to former State Representative David Travis in a 2006 Assembly primary. Other Democrats in the race are Milwaukee alderman Tony Zielinski and James Schneider of Gotham. And state Senate Democrat Spencer Coggs of Milwaukee is considering a bid. Republican candidates include Superior Mayor Dave Ross, State Representative Brett Davis of Oregon, and defense technology company manager Ben Collins of Lake Geneva. They all hope to replace Democrat Barbara Lawton, who’s stepping down at the end of next year.
Speed Limit Changes Forwarded
11/24/09 - The Beaver Dam Operations Committee discussed speed limit changes on area roadways. If approved by the common council, the speed limit on South Center Road from the southerly city limits to Cody Drive will be set at 45mph. The stretch is currently not posted so the speed limit is 55mph. Once posted the Town of Beaver Dam has agreed to post signage with the same speed limit. The committee agreed to three other speed limit changes resulting from recent annexations where the posted speed limit differs from what’s on the books. City ordinance automatically considers an annexed roadway at 25mph. In all cases the posted signage will remain the same. Another item forwarded to the full council will allow for city speed limits to immediately conform to county speed limits whenever a County Trunk Highway is annexed. The first reading on the ordinances will be held December 7.
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