Top Stories December 24th

Wintry Mix Hits Wisconsin

12/24/09 – Road conditions throughout the area are better than expected. With temperatures at or above freezing in many areas the rain falling has not frozen to the ground. Road crews were out in force earlier this morning and they say that most of the major roads in the area are clear of ice though secondary roads are most likely slippery and drivers need to take caution when traveling. And after responding to between 15 and 20 runoffs during the overnight hours the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department reports they were pleasantly surprised at the lack of incidents this morning. Lieutenant Trace Frost says there were about 12-runoffs from 6am until late this morning and no serious accidents. He credited the highway department for getting out and taking care of the roadways in addition to the above average temps.

Not all was good throughout the state though. Icicles hung from power lines in Whitewater – and Alliant Energy had 12-thousand customers without electricity this morning in Walworth, Rock, and Green counties. Interstate-43 in Sheboygan County re-opened about eight o’clock. It was closed for several hours when a semi-truck rolled over and another jack-knifed on the ice near Oostburg. In Clark County, two-inches of snow fell on top of a thin coating of ice, leaving drivers to guess how slick the roads were. Forecasters predict heavy rain for southeast Wisconsin this afternoon, with a possibility of river flooding later tonight. And more snow is expected to move in tonight and tomorrow. Almost two-feet are possible in parts of northwest Wisconsin by the time it all ends on Christmas night.

For us, the forecast calls for rain off and on for the rest of the day before turning to a mix of rain and sleet overnight.

Another Person Arrested in Columbus Abuse Case

12/24/09 - Authorities in Columbus have made a second arrest in a disturbing child abuse case. According to a press release, 37-year-old Kenneth Faria was arrested and is expected to be charged with felony physical abuse of a child and three counts of first degree sexual assault of a child. Faria and his girlfriend, 30-year-old Heidi Duesing-Christensen, are accused of abusing her 5-year-old daughter. Duesing Christensen was arrested last month. Police say the two allegedly bound the girl at the ankles and wrists with tape or rope, placed taped across her mouth and placed her in a closet when she would not be quiet. Further investigation reveled the child had been struck in the past by her mother and locked in her bedroom all day without food or adequate bathroom privileges. The charges against Faria follow an investigation completed by police in Arizona where the girl is now living with her father. Duessing-Christensen has been charged with five felonies, including child enticement, abuse, and neglect, reckless endangerment, and bail jumping.

Unemployment Rises Throughout Region

12/24/09 - Most of the counties in our area saw an increase in their unemployment rate for the month of November. The Department of Workforce Development reports between October and November, unemployment rose in 58 of the state's 72 counties, while either staying the same or falling in the remaining 14. Dodge County is up one-tenth of a percent to 8.8%, more than three full percentage points higher than at this same time a year ago. Jefferson County is also up one-tenth to 8.4%. Fond du Lac County is actually down three-tenths to 7.8%. Columbia County is up eight-tenths to 8.1%. Washington County saw an increase of two-tenths to 8.1%. Dane County continued to have the lowest rate at 5.2% while Menominee County suffered with the highest rate of unemployment at 12.2%. The statewide rate is up one-tenth to 7.8%.

No Timetable Set for Possible Community Center

12/24/09 - There has been no time frame set for the development of a new Community Center that may potentially be placed in the former Herberger’s department store. Members of a special ad-hoc committee met last night to discuss design and funding plans for the future Community Center. Dick Hedberg, representative of the mall property, said that there is no set timeline in terms of the design and financial elements of the property. He says that the future of the mall could be dictated by the incorporation of a new Community Center. One of the key things Hedberg mentioned was conducting a fundraising feasibility study. A fundraising feasibility study would answer the question of whether or not enough money could be raised for the project. If the project was to take place, it could cost at much as $4.2 million. Other members of the ad-hoc committee also discussed potential methods of fundraising. Community Activities and Services Department Administrator Evonne Koeppen spoke of the option of a low-interest loan. Koeppen also said that she feels a lot of progress has been made with this project even though representatives of The Renschler Company, who aid in the design and fundraising aspects of the project, were unable to attend. The next meeting for the ad-hoc committee is set for January 13th.

MS/HS Principal in Dodgeland Resigns

12/24/09 - The middle school/high school principal in the Dodgeland School District has resigned. Jeff Braun tendered his letter of resignation on the 15th of this month and the school board accepted it at their meeting on Monday. Superintendent Annette Thompson says Braun was looking to pursue new challenges in both his personal and professional life. Thompson says they will be meeting soon to decide how they plan to replace Braun. His resignation will take effect at the end of the school year and Thompson hopes to have someone in place before that.

Senate Passes Health Care Reform Package

12/24/09 - The U-S Senate voted 60-to-39 this morning to pass landmark health care reform. Wisconsin’s Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold joined 56 other Democrats and two independents in voting yes. Republicans unanimously voted no. It was the Senate’s first Christmas Eve vote since 1895, when they acted on the employment of former Confederate officers. The Senate health package extends coverage to 31-million Americans who don’t have it now. Among other things, it requires virtually everyone to buy insurance. And it bans certain insurance practices like denying benefits based on pre-existing conditions. The Senate bill must now be merged with a House package approved last month. Conference committee talks are expected to continue into February. Both Kohl and Feingold say the Senate package has plenty of good things for Wisconsin – including Medicare and Medicaid adjustments that expand health care in the state, give higher reimbursements to providers, and help taxpayers. Feingold was a strong supporter of the public option which senators scrapped earlier. He says it’s still possible to include it in the final version. Those talks are expected to run into early February. President Obama told P-B-S that he, too, would like a government option to compete with private plans – but he indicated he would sign the bill even if it didn’t have one.

WI Lags Behind in Population Growth

12/24/09 - Wisconsin has five-point-four percent more people than it did in 2000. That’s according to a new estimate released today by the U-S Census Bureau. It puts Wisconsin’s population about five-million, 650-thousand. That’s almost 300-thousand more than in last Census in 2000. Wisconsin’s increase is smaller than the national increase of nine-point-nine percent. Census officials said the U-S population was just over 307-million as of July first. Today’s estimate is the final one before the next official Census in the spring of next year.

Doyle Says 2009 was Toughest Year

12/24/09 - Governor Jim Doyle says the recession undoubtedly made 2009 his most challenging year in office. Doyle made the comment in one of his year-end interviews with the state’s major news media. He tells the A-P the hardest part of his job this year was meeting with those who lost their jobs through no fault of their own. Doyle made deep spending cuts, and raised taxes-and-fees, to help balance the new state budget after tax revenues fell short of spending by over six-billion dollars. The Democrat Doyle will step down next year after eight years in office. He called it a difficult decision – one he regrets on some days. The governor said he was proud of how the state responded to the recession. He highlighted the extensions of unemployment benefits, larger health care programs, and record enrollments in the U-W system.

Gift Cards that Don’t Expire?

12/24/09 - Wisconsin is among a minority of states that don’t protect people who receive this year’s hottest Christmas items – gift cards. Federal protections are due to take effect next August. And a Wisconsin lawmaker wants to cover what Washington doesn’t. Assembly Democrat Peggy Krusick of Milwaukee has tried for years to ban service fees for gift cards, and prohibit expiration dates. Now, the Federal Reserve is drawing up national rules to ban service fees for a year after a gift card is bought – and to wait at least five years before having a card expire. Krusick says she’ll re-introduce her bill, and add to the federal protections.