Dodge County Arrests Four On OWI Charges
1/1/10 - A Burnett man rang in the New Year in the back of a squad car after getting his eighth OWI just after midnight Friday morning. According to Dodge County Sheriffs Todd Nehls, deputies responded to Highway 33 and Dakota Road in the Town of Herman after receiving reports that a motorist needed assistance. 41-year-old Raymond M. Sabbatini was arrested for Operating While Intoxicated, Operating After Revocation and Resisting Arrest.
Earlier in the evening, a Fond du Lac man was arrested for his sixth OWI at a Village of Lomira gas station. A Sheriffs Department nightshift Sergeant was getting coffee at the convenience store when he noticed a motorist was staggering as he got into his vehicle. 37-year-old Brian Groll then allegedly fled on foot. Groll was apprehended a short time later and arrested for Operating While Intoxicated, Resisting Arrest and six outstanding warrants. The two OWI arrests were among four issued throughout the evening, which Nehls says is higher than normal for a New Years Eve.
Traffic Deaths At Record Low
1/1/10 - Wisconsin will end the year with its fewest traffic deaths since World War Two. As of Tuesday afternoon, 541 people were killed in state crashes in 2009. State Patrol Major Dan Lonsdorf expects the final statewide figure to be around 550 – which would be the fewest since 1944, when 526 people were killed on the highways. Numbers in Dodge County are also down from last year. Sixteen deaths were recorded on area roads this year, four less than in 2008. In 2007, there were only 14 fatalities in Dodge County. Officials say the recession is a big reason for the decline. Lonsdorf says people have driven about three-percent fewer miles in Wisconsin this year than last – and they’re also saving money by slowing down and conserving fuel. Also, Jason Bittner of the National Center for Freight and Infra-structure Research and Education says today’s cars are better designed for safety – and so are the roadways. In Wisconsin, he says median barriers have helped prevent head-on crashes – and roadside hazards like poles and trees have been removed from numerous rights-of-way. Bittner and Lonsdorf also say the recent crackdown on drunk driving should help make things safer in the future.
Purchase of Jefferson Ethanol Plant Delayed
1/1/10 - A Texas company has been ordered not to complete the purchase of an ethanol plant in Jefferson, until a court hearing can be held on a challenge to that purchase. Valero Energy of San Antonio won an auction on December 11th to buy the Renew Energy plant in Jefferson for 72-million-dollars. But one of the losing bidders, All Fuels of Iowa, said its bid was based on an improper discounting formula – and it really should have been five-million-dollars higher than Valero’s. All Fuels said yesterday that a bankruptcy judge ordered Valero not to close on the deal until at least January sixth, when a hearing will take place on another delay. A court proceeding on the challenge itself is set for January 14th in federal bankruptcy court.
SURE Sign-Ups Begin Monday
1/1/10 - Farmers in Dodge County, and across most of the state, can soon get extra help to cover losses from 2008’s heavy rains and floods. The Farm Service Agency will start signing up farmers on Monday under the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments’ program, or SURE. All but eight of Wisconsin’s 72 counties qualify for the new assistance. The ones not included are in the far north and western parts of the Badger State. More information is available at the Farm Service Agency’s Web site at FSA-Dot-USDA-Dot-Gov.
A-G Makes Child Sex Predators Top Priority
1/1/10 - Wisconsin’s attorney general has made it a top priority to arrest child sex predators. J-B Van Hollen says his agents have targeted pedophiles who use the Internet to find victims to molest, and to distribute child pornography. Since he took office three years ago, Van Hollen has partnered with over 100 law enforcement agencies statewide as part of the “Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.” That group has arrested over 100 people this past year on child porn charges. Van Hollen says it’s been an uphill battle to convince local police that Internet child enticement is a serious public safety issue. He says many local law enforcement leaders are not aware of how significant the problem is – and how much they can do to solve it. Van Hollen says local officers can use the Web to trap child pornographers, and he’s pushing to expand those types of investigations. The Justice Department has provided technical support in over 600 child porn investigations this year. Still, many child advocates say the majority of child sex abuse is committed by relatives – and not by predators surfing the ‘Net for victims.
Volunteers Search For Puppy Lost In Traffic Accident
1/1/10 - Wisconsin volunteers are trying to find a puppy which a Minnesota family lost in a traffic accident eight days ago. Kate and Jeremy Wenzel of Zimmerman Minnesota were heading to Milwaukee for Christmas, when their car rolled down an embankment three times off Interstate-90-94 in Sauk County. Their 15-month-old puppy Owen escaped. Jeremy Wenzel, his father, and Sauk County sheriff’s deputies all searched the area in the days after the crash, but the pet was nowhere to be seen. They’ve also put photos and descriptions of Owen on a Web site called FindToto-Dot-Com. Now, Madison area volunteer Angela Bubolz and others have put out fliers and contacted various media, in the hopes that someone has seen the puppy and turns him into a shelter. Both Wenzels are recovering from minor injuries in the crash. Bubolz says she’s never met the Wenzels, but she still had to do something to help.
Retail Sales Look Better
1/1/10 - Wisconsin retailers say they’re cautiously optimistic that their sales might have gone up this holiday season. Nationally, Master-card Advisors estimates a three-point-six percent increase in retail sales from a year ago – when sales were down as people were just starting to get a grip on how deep the recession was. David Storey of the Wisconsin Retail Council says this year’s increase is welcome news, considering the past few years. He said retailers had low expectations going into the season – and any upswing is welcome. Bill Smith, the state director of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, said there were a few bumps this year – but he remains hopeful for a good season. He said shopping was pretty good last week, but the weather dampened people’s ability to find bargains. There will be a clearer picture in January, after retailers start posting their final December sales figures.
Car/ Truck Sales Improve
1/1/10 - More cars and light trucks were sold in Wisconsin last month than in November of 2008. And it’s only the second such increase this year. According to the Louisville firm of Cross-Sell, 11-thousand-978 new vehicles were registered in the Badger State in November. That’s almost a-thousand more than in November of 2008. Mid-size cars, full-sized pick-ups, and compact S-U-V’s were the biggest sellers last month. The only other monthly increase was in August, and was that because of the federal Cash-for-Clunkers program. For the first 11 months of this year, vehicle sales were down 19-percent in Wisconsin. Almost 160-thousand new cars and trucks were registered in that period, 38-thousand fewer than the previous year.
Missing DNA Samples Increase
1/1/10 - The latest tally puts the number of missing DNA samples from Wisconsin felons at nearly 13 thousand. About 90 percent of those are no longer under state supervision. Those holes in Wisconsin's offender database will make it hard for law enforcement officials to solve violent crimes. It isn't clear if the state of Wisconsin has the authority to force those convicts to submit DNA samples. The issue is being reviewed by the state Justice Department. About 40 percent of the offenders getting a letter from the Department of Corrections, asking for a sample, have willingly complied.
Body of Altoona Woman Found
1/1/10 - A body found in rural Adams County is believed to be 43 year old Theresa Lynn Still. She is from Altoona and has been missing since Sunday evening. Still was last seen at a tavern in Altoona. He car was found Wednesday morning in Eau Claire. Firefighters had been searching large refuse containers in Eau Claire, while friends and family searched the wooded areas near Still's home. The cause of death is being investigated and an autopsy has been conducted.
St. Anna Firefighters Struggle With Fatality
1/1/10 - A small community in Calumet County is continuing to struggle with a firefighter’s death in the wake of an explosion at an industrial plant which also left nine members of the department injured and much of its equipment damaged. St. Anna Fire Department Captain Adam Schuh had a difficult time dealing with the death of 33 year old Steve “Peanut” Koeser during a Wednesday press conference. Schuh said an explosion occurred in a dumpster which was on fire at Bremer Manufacturing, a foundry located in the rural town northwest of Sheboygan. Schuh’s voice cracked and he fought back tears as he offered condolences to Koeser’s family. Schuh said Koeser had been a member of the volunteer department for 15 years. He said the death of Koeser and the injuries will make it hard for his 25 member department to move forward. He says they will take it one day at a time.
152-Year-Old Furniture Store Closes Doors
1/1/10 - The huge Porters furniture store in Racine is going out of business after 152 years. The high-end store took a big hit from the struggling economy and simply couldn't make it through until things improve. The Porters building is 80 thousand square feet of furniture on four floors. Closing will officially come after the first of the year.
Minnesota Support High Speed Rail
1/1/10 - Minnesota goes on the record in support of a high-speed rail line between the Twin Cities and Chicago. That project is expected to cost more than a billion dollars. Up to eight billion dollars in federal stimulus money has been earmarked for various rail projects nationwide. The Minnesota rail plan released yesterday didn't touch on the political implications of choosing a route through southeast Minnesota. The line would pass through southern Wisconsin, including Eau Claire, Madison and Milwaukee.
1/1/10 - A Burnett man rang in the New Year in the back of a squad car after getting his eighth OWI just after midnight Friday morning. According to Dodge County Sheriffs Todd Nehls, deputies responded to Highway 33 and Dakota Road in the Town of Herman after receiving reports that a motorist needed assistance. 41-year-old Raymond M. Sabbatini was arrested for Operating While Intoxicated, Operating After Revocation and Resisting Arrest.
Earlier in the evening, a Fond du Lac man was arrested for his sixth OWI at a Village of Lomira gas station. A Sheriffs Department nightshift Sergeant was getting coffee at the convenience store when he noticed a motorist was staggering as he got into his vehicle. 37-year-old Brian Groll then allegedly fled on foot. Groll was apprehended a short time later and arrested for Operating While Intoxicated, Resisting Arrest and six outstanding warrants. The two OWI arrests were among four issued throughout the evening, which Nehls says is higher than normal for a New Years Eve.
Traffic Deaths At Record Low
1/1/10 - Wisconsin will end the year with its fewest traffic deaths since World War Two. As of Tuesday afternoon, 541 people were killed in state crashes in 2009. State Patrol Major Dan Lonsdorf expects the final statewide figure to be around 550 – which would be the fewest since 1944, when 526 people were killed on the highways. Numbers in Dodge County are also down from last year. Sixteen deaths were recorded on area roads this year, four less than in 2008. In 2007, there were only 14 fatalities in Dodge County. Officials say the recession is a big reason for the decline. Lonsdorf says people have driven about three-percent fewer miles in Wisconsin this year than last – and they’re also saving money by slowing down and conserving fuel. Also, Jason Bittner of the National Center for Freight and Infra-structure Research and Education says today’s cars are better designed for safety – and so are the roadways. In Wisconsin, he says median barriers have helped prevent head-on crashes – and roadside hazards like poles and trees have been removed from numerous rights-of-way. Bittner and Lonsdorf also say the recent crackdown on drunk driving should help make things safer in the future.
Purchase of Jefferson Ethanol Plant Delayed
1/1/10 - A Texas company has been ordered not to complete the purchase of an ethanol plant in Jefferson, until a court hearing can be held on a challenge to that purchase. Valero Energy of San Antonio won an auction on December 11th to buy the Renew Energy plant in Jefferson for 72-million-dollars. But one of the losing bidders, All Fuels of Iowa, said its bid was based on an improper discounting formula – and it really should have been five-million-dollars higher than Valero’s. All Fuels said yesterday that a bankruptcy judge ordered Valero not to close on the deal until at least January sixth, when a hearing will take place on another delay. A court proceeding on the challenge itself is set for January 14th in federal bankruptcy court.
SURE Sign-Ups Begin Monday
1/1/10 - Farmers in Dodge County, and across most of the state, can soon get extra help to cover losses from 2008’s heavy rains and floods. The Farm Service Agency will start signing up farmers on Monday under the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments’ program, or SURE. All but eight of Wisconsin’s 72 counties qualify for the new assistance. The ones not included are in the far north and western parts of the Badger State. More information is available at the Farm Service Agency’s Web site at FSA-Dot-USDA-Dot-Gov.
A-G Makes Child Sex Predators Top Priority
1/1/10 - Wisconsin’s attorney general has made it a top priority to arrest child sex predators. J-B Van Hollen says his agents have targeted pedophiles who use the Internet to find victims to molest, and to distribute child pornography. Since he took office three years ago, Van Hollen has partnered with over 100 law enforcement agencies statewide as part of the “Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.” That group has arrested over 100 people this past year on child porn charges. Van Hollen says it’s been an uphill battle to convince local police that Internet child enticement is a serious public safety issue. He says many local law enforcement leaders are not aware of how significant the problem is – and how much they can do to solve it. Van Hollen says local officers can use the Web to trap child pornographers, and he’s pushing to expand those types of investigations. The Justice Department has provided technical support in over 600 child porn investigations this year. Still, many child advocates say the majority of child sex abuse is committed by relatives – and not by predators surfing the ‘Net for victims.
Volunteers Search For Puppy Lost In Traffic Accident
1/1/10 - Wisconsin volunteers are trying to find a puppy which a Minnesota family lost in a traffic accident eight days ago. Kate and Jeremy Wenzel of Zimmerman Minnesota were heading to Milwaukee for Christmas, when their car rolled down an embankment three times off Interstate-90-94 in Sauk County. Their 15-month-old puppy Owen escaped. Jeremy Wenzel, his father, and Sauk County sheriff’s deputies all searched the area in the days after the crash, but the pet was nowhere to be seen. They’ve also put photos and descriptions of Owen on a Web site called FindToto-Dot-Com. Now, Madison area volunteer Angela Bubolz and others have put out fliers and contacted various media, in the hopes that someone has seen the puppy and turns him into a shelter. Both Wenzels are recovering from minor injuries in the crash. Bubolz says she’s never met the Wenzels, but she still had to do something to help.
Retail Sales Look Better
1/1/10 - Wisconsin retailers say they’re cautiously optimistic that their sales might have gone up this holiday season. Nationally, Master-card Advisors estimates a three-point-six percent increase in retail sales from a year ago – when sales were down as people were just starting to get a grip on how deep the recession was. David Storey of the Wisconsin Retail Council says this year’s increase is welcome news, considering the past few years. He said retailers had low expectations going into the season – and any upswing is welcome. Bill Smith, the state director of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, said there were a few bumps this year – but he remains hopeful for a good season. He said shopping was pretty good last week, but the weather dampened people’s ability to find bargains. There will be a clearer picture in January, after retailers start posting their final December sales figures.
Car/ Truck Sales Improve
1/1/10 - More cars and light trucks were sold in Wisconsin last month than in November of 2008. And it’s only the second such increase this year. According to the Louisville firm of Cross-Sell, 11-thousand-978 new vehicles were registered in the Badger State in November. That’s almost a-thousand more than in November of 2008. Mid-size cars, full-sized pick-ups, and compact S-U-V’s were the biggest sellers last month. The only other monthly increase was in August, and was that because of the federal Cash-for-Clunkers program. For the first 11 months of this year, vehicle sales were down 19-percent in Wisconsin. Almost 160-thousand new cars and trucks were registered in that period, 38-thousand fewer than the previous year.
Missing DNA Samples Increase
1/1/10 - The latest tally puts the number of missing DNA samples from Wisconsin felons at nearly 13 thousand. About 90 percent of those are no longer under state supervision. Those holes in Wisconsin's offender database will make it hard for law enforcement officials to solve violent crimes. It isn't clear if the state of Wisconsin has the authority to force those convicts to submit DNA samples. The issue is being reviewed by the state Justice Department. About 40 percent of the offenders getting a letter from the Department of Corrections, asking for a sample, have willingly complied.
Body of Altoona Woman Found
1/1/10 - A body found in rural Adams County is believed to be 43 year old Theresa Lynn Still. She is from Altoona and has been missing since Sunday evening. Still was last seen at a tavern in Altoona. He car was found Wednesday morning in Eau Claire. Firefighters had been searching large refuse containers in Eau Claire, while friends and family searched the wooded areas near Still's home. The cause of death is being investigated and an autopsy has been conducted.
St. Anna Firefighters Struggle With Fatality
1/1/10 - A small community in Calumet County is continuing to struggle with a firefighter’s death in the wake of an explosion at an industrial plant which also left nine members of the department injured and much of its equipment damaged. St. Anna Fire Department Captain Adam Schuh had a difficult time dealing with the death of 33 year old Steve “Peanut” Koeser during a Wednesday press conference. Schuh said an explosion occurred in a dumpster which was on fire at Bremer Manufacturing, a foundry located in the rural town northwest of Sheboygan. Schuh’s voice cracked and he fought back tears as he offered condolences to Koeser’s family. Schuh said Koeser had been a member of the volunteer department for 15 years. He said the death of Koeser and the injuries will make it hard for his 25 member department to move forward. He says they will take it one day at a time.
152-Year-Old Furniture Store Closes Doors
1/1/10 - The huge Porters furniture store in Racine is going out of business after 152 years. The high-end store took a big hit from the struggling economy and simply couldn't make it through until things improve. The Porters building is 80 thousand square feet of furniture on four floors. Closing will officially come after the first of the year.
Minnesota Support High Speed Rail
1/1/10 - Minnesota goes on the record in support of a high-speed rail line between the Twin Cities and Chicago. That project is expected to cost more than a billion dollars. Up to eight billion dollars in federal stimulus money has been earmarked for various rail projects nationwide. The Minnesota rail plan released yesterday didn't touch on the political implications of choosing a route through southeast Minnesota. The line would pass through southern Wisconsin, including Eau Claire, Madison and Milwaukee.
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