Top Stories January 4th

Columbus Council to Hear Remodeling Plans

1/4/10 - The City of Columbus Administration and the Eastern Columbia County Municipal Court will be the only tenants in historic City Hall when the Police Department moves out later this month. The move will give the City opportunity to change existing offices, Court chambers and Council chambers into a more efficient public building. $120 thousand dollars was set aside for remodeling in the 2010 Capital Budget. If the Council approves, initial costs for architectural and engineering services would be $40,630 dollars. The Council will be asked to approve the initial City Hall remodeling design on Tuesday.

Rollover Sends Two to the Hospital

1/4/10 - Two people were injured in an early evening crash yesterday in the Town of Herman. Dodge County authorities say the two were involved in a rollover accident on Luedtke Lane around 7:15 p.m. EMS personnel responded and transported them to St. Josephs Hospital. An investigation into the crash is ongoing.

Man Arrested in ShopKo Thefts

1/4/10 - A Milwaukee man is under arrest for stealing merchandise at ShopKo stores from Green Bay to West Bend. The 30-year-old man was caught on Saturday in Fond du Lac. Police said he tried to lift 700-dollars in videos and clothing there. He managed to escape a back door, and police said he led them on a foot chase through an apartment complex. After about 20 minutes, he was finally nabbed near a Fond du Lac middle school. Police said he took items from a dozen ShopKo stores last year – and in many cases, he left his car running with a door open while doing his business. Police in several communities said they got into foot chases with the man – but he could never be captured until this past weekend. He’s now in the Fond du Lac County jail. Police said he was arrested six times in 2004 for retail theft incidents in Fond du Lac.

Chase Leads to 8 Charges

1/4/10 - Eight separate charges are being referred against a suspect pursued by a Fond du Lac County Sheriff's deputy Saturday afternoon. The suspect lost control of the vehicle while trying to turn onto County Highway K from Winnebago Drive and crashed into two parked vehicles then fled on foot. The deputy captured the suspect a short time later. Charges could include driving drunk, recklessly endangering safety, and attempting to elude an officer. (KFIZ)

Listecki to be Installed Today

1/4/10 - Almost 700-thousand Catholics in southeast Wisconsin will get a new leader today. Jerome Listecki will be installed at 1:30 this afternoon as the new Archbishop of Milwaukee. The 60-year-old Listecki has been the bishop in La Crosse since 2005. At a service yesterday, Listecki followed the church’s tradition of knocking three times on the front door of Milwaukee’s Cathedral of Saint John. Once he was let in, he presided over a Vespers’ service attended by friends, relatives, priests, deacons, and others. Listecki said he hopes his new members will find him to be a good citizen who works to make the community better. The archdiocese includes 10 counties in southeast Wisconsin, including Dodge. About 40 bishops and cardinals from throughout the country will attend today’s installation service – and about 200 priests in all will attend. Listecki replaces Tim Dolan, who left last April to become the Archbishop of New York.

Snowmobile Speed Limit Debate Heats Up

1/4/10 - A debate is underway on keeping Wisconsin’s night-time speed limit for snowmobiles, which expires this spring after a three-year experiment. A bill in the Legislature would make the current 55-mile-an-hour limit permanent. But D-N-R snowmobile coordinator Gary Eddy says he'd like it lowered to 45. He says snowmobiles still over-drive headlights at 55, and they don't have enough time to react to obstacles. But many snowmobilers say they want to abolish the night-time speed limit altogether. Eric Patterson of Stevens Point says 55 is not needed in open areas with nothing to be hit. Andy Meyer of Pittsville says it just gives officers an excuse to stop riders. The current speed limit was adopted after a one-year test in the winter of 2000. Snowmobile deaths in the state dropped that year from 39-to-26. Twenty-six riders were killed in Wisconsin last winter. At least six snowmobilers have been killed in crashes so far this season.

Aurora Health Care Being Sued

1/4/10 - One of Wisconsin’s largest health providers is being sued, for releasing private medical information of patients who file bankruptcy claims. Several patients of Aurora Health Care have filed state-and-federal class action suits, demanding that it remove personal treatment information from debtors’ court files. And they’re seeking 25-thousand dollars in damages for every Aurora patient whose medical data was disclosed in public bankruptcy court filings. Attorney Michael Watton represents the plaintiffs, who are all in Chapter-13 bankruptcy. He says even benign medical information – like a person’s bad back – may prevent them from getting a job from future employers who see those records. But Aurora spokesman Michael Brophy says the practice is both legal and proper – and it protects the company’s rights as a creditor. Watton says Aurora could file much more limited patient information to protect its claims, while following privacy laws. But the Wisconsin Hospital Association disagrees. It says in a legal brief there’s an exception which allows the release of patient data for billing and collection matters.

Medical Marijuana Bill May Not Make it to Legislature

1/4/10 - A bill allowing medical marijuana might not get to the floor of the Wisconsin Legislature. Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker says more work needs to be done on the measure. And Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan says lawmakers must be careful that it’s not a quote, “slippery slope” toward a full legalization of pot. Chronically ill-patients have tried for years to approve a controlled use of marijuana to deal with their pain. And they thought they finally had a chance once voters gave Democrats both houses of the Legislature 14 months ago. But Sheridan says he’ll need more information before he can take a position on the bill. The State Medical Society says more effective pain alternatives are already available. And state Attorney General J-B Van Hollen says the bill would be a nightmare for law enforcement in keeping pot away from those who are not sick.

Madison Ticket Wins $200,000

1/4/10 - The New Year’s first Powerball drawing was really lucky for a player in Madison. A ticket sold in the Capital City won the 200-thousand-dollar second prize on Saturday night. One Wisconsin player also won 30-thousand dollars by matching four regular numbers plus the Powerball, with the Power Play multiplier of three. Just over 17-thousand players in the Badger State won something. Saturday’s numbers were 3, 7, 23, 27, and 42. The Powerball was 37. A ticket sold in Arkansas won the jackpot of 25-million dollars. So the top prize goes back to 20-million for the next drawing on Wednesday.