Top Stories January 9th

No Injuries in Cambria Fire

1/9/10 - Authorities say no one was injured in a fire last night at the Didion Milling corn processing plant in Cambria. According to fire officials, a call came in around 8:40 p.m. reporting a grain dryer had caught on fire. Once on scene firefighters were able to empty the dryer and extinguish the fire within minutes.

Sjoerdsma Sentenced

1/9/10 - A Randolph woman, who embezzled $16,000 from the gas station she managed, will spend one month in the Dodge County Jail. Cheryl Sjoerdsma pleaded “no contest” last month to an amended felony count of Theft in a Business Setting. According to the criminal complaint, the 53-year-old wrote a letter of apology to her boss admitting the thefts, which occurred over a one year period beginning in May of 2008. The missing money was discovered during an annual audit. In addition to 30 days in jail with Huber privileges, Sjoerdsma paid $16,000 in restitution.

Livingston Gets Jail Time

1/9/10 - One of the three Beaver Dam men connected to a pair of area bombings has been sentenced to one year in jail. In October, Kyle Livingston pled “no contest” to two felony charges of being a Party To A Crime of Possessing Explosives For Unlawful Purposes. The 21-year-old was caught on film with two others at a Beaver Dam business buying the bomb making components. 20-year-old Stephen Peterson, the purported ringleader, faces over 100 years in prison when his case goes before a jury next month. 21-year-old Michael Peters was sentenced in November to seven months in jail. Authorities say the trio blew up a mailbox in Burnett and a port-a-potty at Lost Lake Park in the Town of Calamus last April. Pipe bombs were used but liquefied gas was also used to blow up the port-a-potty. In addition to one year in jail, Livingston was ordered to mow the lawn and Lost Lake for the next two years.

Budget Deficit Looms for WI

1/9/10 - A new report warns that Wisconsin could face a 2-point-2 billion deficit heading in the next state budget. The study conducted by former state Revenue Secretary Rick Chandler was based on estimates of the state seeing normal revenue growth of about 3-point-2 percent heading into the next budget. He says those reasonable levels would leave the state facing a deficit -- even if most agency budgets were frozen and education, medical assistance, and corrections only saw modest increases. Even if state revenue collections climb, which they often do coming out of a recession, Chandler says there would still be a deficit to deal with. Chandler says the findings show the state needs to consider new ways to balance the budget, other than just trimming funding from agencies. He says there needs to be some fundamental changes to how revenues are structured and services are delivered.

WI National Guard Officially Done in Iraq

1/9/10 - Soldiers in a large Wisconsin National Guard unit are officially done with their mission in Iraq. Members of the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team formally transferred power to their successors from the Texas National Guard earlier this week. Lieutenant Colonel Jackie Guthrie says now they all have to make their way to Kuwait, the staging area for troops to leave Iraq. The first unit from the 32nd arrived home in Wisconsin this week and Guthrie says the remaining 31 hundred troops will land at Volk Field throughout the month. The year-long deployment of the 32nd was the largest combat-related mission for the Wisconsin National Guard since World War Two.

Weather Causes Delays and Deaths

1/9/10 - Classes -- and more than a few offices -- delayed opening by several hours Friday, giving snowplow drivers time to clear roads from Sheboygan to Prairie du Chien and Kenosha. The work had gone on all night. A foot of snow and more fell in some communities. And although the snow was described as "light," not dense, at least three people shoveling snow in Milwaukee County Friday died. All apparently suffered heart failure. At least one of the victims had a history of heart problems. Meanwhile, the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department reported 74-weather related traffic incident from 6am Thursday until noon yesterday. That included three accidents with injuries though none were serious.

Gun Group Files Suit

1/9/10 - The gun rights group Wisconsin Carry has filed suit against the state of Wisconsin and two cities over a law prohibiting people from carrying firearms near a school. The suit was filed in federal court yesterday. It says the broad wording of the law basically wipes out the constitutional right to bear arms in a big portion of the state. The law restricts gun possession within a thousand feet of a school. David Bernson is one of the two plaintiffs. He was arrested near his home in May 2008 for possessing a gun too close to a school. Though he was released without being charged, the city has refused to return his gun. Bernson, Frank Hannan and Wisconsin Carry want the state law declared unconstitutional.

BDAAA Winter Exhibit Opening this Weekend

1/9/10 - The Beaver Dam Area Arts Association winter exhibit “Brothers In Art” opens this weekend. The exhibit features the work of 10 artists from as far away as St. Paul, Burlington and Evansville and as close to home as Mayville, Waupun, and Beaver Dam. “Brothers in Art” is a companion piece to an exhibit last year at this time entitled “Sisterhood of Art” and, like its predecessor, it is meant to highlight to talents and achievements of male artists from across the region. The featured artists for this exhibit include Frank Mittelstadt, Terrill Knaack, Roger Blatz and Dave Edwards. The exhibit opening for “Brothers In Art” is tomorrow (Sun) at the Seippel Homestead and Center for the Arts on North Spring Street in Beaver Dam. Mittelstadt will be among the artists who will be in attendance to discuss their pieces and answer questions.

Legislator Wants One-Day Fishing Licenses Available

1/9/10 - State Representative Joan Ballweg wants to allow would-be fishing enthusiasts to buy a one-day license. The Republican from Markesan says some business owners watch potential customers decide not to buy tackle and bait because of they only want to fish for one day, but a multi-day license is required. She says anglers who normally buy an annual license will continue to do so, but under this proposal their visiting friends can tag along and get their feet wet.