Top Stories November 5th

DC Health Department Confirms 1st H1N1 Flu Related Death

11/5/09 - Dodge County suffered its first H1N1-flu related death. In a press release Public Health Officer Jody Langfeldt would only confirm the person who passed away was an adult. Langfeldt says for most people the H1N1 flu is not severe but they know the virus can be especially dangerous for children, individuals with compromised immune systems, and those with chronic health illnesses. Nearly all of the deaths in Wisconsin so far have been children or those with an underlying medical condition. There has been a nationwide shortage of the H1N1 vaccine but Langfeldt say they expect more to be available in coming weeks and recommends that those individuals who are at high risk to get vaccinated when it becomes available. Because of patient confidentiality laws, her office will not release any more information about the death. The H1N1-flu related death toll in Wisconsin is now at 18.

Wind Farm Hearings Draw Large Crowds

11/5/09 - It was a capacity crowd yesterday at a pair of public hearings on a proposal by We Energies to construct a 90-turbine wind farm in northeast Columbia County. Supporters of the plan to build the Glacier Hills Wind Park testified that the renewable energy project is good for the environment and good for the economy. One speaker with the Iron Workers union said the jobs created would pull us out of a recession by keeping jobs in Wisconsin that will otherwise go to neighboring states. Opponents cited noise and health concerns and say those issues will lower their property values. A Town of Arlington resident said the construction jobs would be temporary but she’ll have to live across from the turbines for the rest of her life because no one is going to want to buy her house and her property values will plummet. If approved by the Public Service Commission, the turbines would cover over 17,000 acres along the Highway 33 corridor in the Towns of Randolph and Scott. The wind farm would generate 167 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 45,000 homes. Town of Scott resident John Heil (left) testifies next to Administrative Judge Michael Newmark (right).

Registered Sex Offender Moves Back To BD

11/5/09 - A registered sex offender fresh out of prison has moved back into Beaver Dam. Deputy Police Chief Dan Schubert says as of yesterday, Michael H. Fink is residing on the 200 block of West Mill Street. Schubert says state statute requires the Department of Corrections notify the public when a sex offender of Fink’s caliber is released because his classification level reflects a potential to re-offend. Fink has twice been convicted of sexual assault, one involving a 13-year-old girl and the other a 90-year-old woman; his last sexual offense was in 1991. This most recent release from prison comes after Fink served time for writing bad checks.

Obama Talks Education in Madison

11/5/09 - President Obama told a Madison audience yesterday that Wisconsin and other states must reform education to guarantee a strong economic future. The president spoke to 250 students and others at Wright Middle School. On the first anniversary of his election, the Democrat Obama said one of his mandates was to invest in a stronger future. And he said his four-billion-dollar "Race to the Top" education grants are among those investments. States will compete for the money, and not all will get it. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Obama came to Wisconsin to highlight the state's opportunities, and to lobby for Governor Jim Doyle's education initiatives. The state Legislature is scheduled to vote today to let school administrators use test scores to help evaluate teachers - which the White House requires in order to qualify for some of the "Race to the Top" stimulus money.

Barrett Still Unsure Whether He'll Run for Governor

11/5/09 - Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett met with President Obama for a couple of minutes in Madison yesterday. And Barrett said they did not bring up the question of whether he'll run for governor next year. Barrett has not denied reports that the White House wants him to run - and the state Republican Party said the underlying goal of Obama's visit yesterday was to get Barrett going on a campaign. The mayor received loud applause from the audience when he took his seat for Obama's speech at Wright Middle School, and at least one person shouted "governor." Barrett says he's still working through family and political issues. He was expected to announce this month whether he'll run.

Fox Lake Official Asking for Refsland to be Reprimanded

11/5/09 - An official in Fox Lake is asking the Waupun School Board to reprimand Superintendent Randy Refsland for comments he recently made at a meeting. Council President Tom Bednarek says he believes the school board should take some type of disciplinary action against Refsland, who called a group of Fox Lake residents ignorant during a meeting on October 22nd. For his part Refsland issued an apology in the Fox Lake paper recently and told us he regretted using the term ignorant. He says he's hopeful fences can be mended between Waupun and Fox Lake as it would be the best thing for the district. A referendum that would have allowed the city and town of Fox Lake to detach from the Waupun School District and join the Randolph district failed on Tuesday.

Rohr is New Police Chief in Fox Lake

11/5/09 - A longtime Dodge County Sheriff's employee was sworn in as Police Chief in Fox Lake last night. James Rohr will replace Pat Lynch who retired earlier this year. Rohr had been with the Sheriff's Department for nearly 25 years before retiring in September. Rohr's base salary will be $50,000. The common council also thanked Rio Police Chief Randy Martin, who served as interim chief during the hiring process.

State Supreme Court Won't Hear Same-Sex Couples Case

11/5/09 - A pro-family group says it might start a new challenge to Wisconsin's legal benefits for same-sex couples. The State Supreme Court announced yesterday that it would not be the first to consider the case. The legal benefits took effect in early August. And the Wisconsin Family Action group was hoping to strike them down right away by having the Supreme Court review the case first, instead of dragging it through the lower courts. The justices did not say why they wouldn't take the case. But Family Action lawyers Michael Dean and Richard Esenberg say it probably has nothing to do with the merits. They admitted the Supreme Court rarely takes cases directly, and the group might file a new lawsuit at the circuit court level. The domestic partner benefits were approved in the new state budget.

Students Asking Politicians to Sign OWI Agreements

11/5/09 - Governor Jim Doyle says he never drives under the influence - but he won't sign a pledge to resign if he's caught driving drunk. Students at Schofield D-C Everest High School have asked state officials and legislators to sign agreements saying they'll quit if they're arrested for O-W-I. That came soon after the arrest of a Mosinee School Board member who allegedly drove drunk while causing a crash that killed his wife and daughter. So far, the only legislator to sign the anti-drunk driving pledge is Assembly Democrat Bob Ziegelbauer of Manitowoc. Doyle's office says everyone knows that governor doesn't drink-and-drive - but he believes democracy works best when voters have the say about whether an official stays-or-goes.

WI Widens Gap as Nation's Top Cheese-Maker

11/5/09 - Wisconsin continues to widen its lead as the nation's top cheese-maker. The Badger State was the only one of the top five to exceed the national growth of cheese production in September. Wisconsin made 224-million pounds, five-point-nine percent more than a year ago. The national increase was four-point-four percent. And the number-two cheese state - California - again had a decrease in production of four-tenths-of-one percent. Idaho, New York, and Minnesota are ranked third, fourth, and fifth - and they only made three-to-four percent more cheese in September. All told, U-S producers made 845-million pounds of cheese that month, and it was down a-half percent from August.

BDACT Sets 2010 Performance Schedule

11/5/09 - The Beaver Dam Area Community Theater has finalized its 2010 performance schedule. Managing Director David Saniter says the summer show will be the Rogers and Hammerstein musical "Carousel" with Earl Ritter in the director's chair for the second time in the theaters history. The spring show will be the murder mystery "Wait Until Dark" directed by Kim Doyle. The fall show will be the over-50 comedy "The Cemetery Club" directed by Tina Swain. Still on the schedule for this year: A Dog Hug Me Christmas Carol which runs December 3rd through the 12th and stars WXRO morning show personality Stefani Bishop, among others. On December 18, the annual Christmas Radio Show hits the stage and will also be broadcast live on WBEV, with a rebroadcast that following Sunday on WXRO.