Top Stories, February 3rd

BD’s Demerit Point System Debate Revived

2/3/10 - The Beaver Dam Administrative Committee this week held more discussions on the recently implemented demerit point system. Under the ordinance, points can be given to bars for such violations as serving minors, excessive noise or failing to notify the police of a fight. Taverns that accumulate enough points could have their license suspended or revoked. Some city officials and local businessmen continue to question the policy and procedures outlined in the ordinance.

Alderman Robert Ballweg says he asked for the item to be included on the agenda because questions linger about who has the discretion to assess points. Police Chief Dale Boldt says the process begins with him and he gets input from his Deputy Chief and the city attorney. Beaver Dam business owner James Lebeau, who previously managed MVP’s Sports Bar, also questioned the Police Chief’s discretionary powers, saying they can be too biased. Lebeau cited four recent incidents where bars served to underage patrons or failed to call police following a fight and were not assessed points.

Boldt told the committee that two recent altercations did not rise to the level of needing points assessed. One was described as a mild skirmish at Johnny’s Lounge that was called in by the bartender. The other incident was at the Cellar, and Boldt says neither the bar owner nor the police department knew there were injuries until two days after the incident. Boldt tells us the bartender and owners were cooperative and his discretion also takes into account compliance. He says if that can be obtained without assessing points, that’s fine. Administrative Committee Chair Don Neuert, who helped author the demit point ordinance, echoed the comments of the city attorney in saying that the matter has been exhausted and does not need to be revisited.

PFC Commends Life-Saving Officers

2/3/10 - The Beaver Dam Police and Fire Commission last night recognized two officers who saved a man’s life last December. Officers Erik Smedema and Brian Linzenmeyer responded to a rescue call of a subject who wasn’t breathing. Once on scene, the officers began CPR and the subject was breathing before they had to use a defibrillator. Linzenmeyer and Smedema were both presented with Commendations for their actions.

Brown Sentenced To Nine Months

2/3/10 - A Beaver Dam woman who sparked a high speed chase in December will spend nine months in jail. Laura M. Brown pleaded “no contest” to a felony charge of Eluding an Officer and OWI Third and had two misdemeanors dismissed. The afternoon chase started in Horicon and ended near downtown Beaver Dam. According to the criminal complaint, a Horicon police officer initiated a traffic stop around 4pm after receiving a tip that the car driven by Brown was swerving on and off the road. 48-year-old Brown pulled over but when the officer went to speak with a witness she took off on Highway 33 toward Beaver Dam. Police say the chase reached speeds of 105-miles per hour. Beaver Dam police were able to slow the vehicle down with spike strips near the Highway 151 overpass. With her tires flattened Brown eventually stopped at a residence on Vita Street where she was taken into custody. Brown was also placed on probation for three years and had her license for revoked for six months.

Suspects In Crazy Glue Assault Given Probation

2/3/10 - One of the state’s most heavily-publicized court cases ended yesterday with four women getting one year of probation apiece. 48-year-old Therese Ziemann of Menasha, 44-year-old Wendy Sewell of Kaukauna, 43-year-old Michelle Belliveau of Neenah, and 31-year-old Tracy Hood-Davis of Fond du Lac were all sentenced in Calumet County by Circuit Judge Donald Poppy. They must also perform community service. Authorities said they lured Davis’s husband Donessa to a motel room in Stockbridge last July, where they tied the man to a bed and Ziemann used Krazy Glue to attach his sex organ to his stomach. The case made world-wide news. Prosecutors said the four acted out of revenge, after the man had romantic encounters with a couple of them. Ziemann said she wished it never happened, and it’s taken a toll on everyone involved. All the women except Hood-Davis apologized, saying they only meant to confront the man and things got out of control. Hood-Davis stayed silent. Her charges were dropped earlier. But prosecutors later re-filed a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct. The others struck plea deals convicting them of disorderly conduct. Ziemann also pleaded no contest to battery, after being charged earlier with sexual assault. All four were originally charged with felony false imprisonment, which was dropped in the plea bargains.

Harley Helps Haiti

2/3/10 - Wisconsin-based Harley-Davidson is shipping 28 motorcycles to help relief efforts in Haiti. The bikes will be sent to the Dominican Republic, where the company's dealer network will forward them to the United Nations Stabilization Mission in neighboring Haiti. Harley officials say their bikes can give a higher degree of maneuverability and access than other vehicles.

Wisconsin Legislators Target Questionable Colleges

2/3/10 - It could soon be a crime in Wisconsin to sell diplomas from fake universities. A bill to that effect will get a public hearing Wednesday before the state Assembly Colleges Committee. The measure would also punish those who use the names of false schools on their resumes, to make them look good. Former U-W Madison Chancellor John Wiley says phony academic credentials are a growing problem, both here and nationally. He said the so-called “diploma mills” hurt the credibility of real schools – and they help people who are not qualified become engineers or even doctors. Eleven states already make phony college credentials a crime – and a bill in Washington would do the same thing nationally. The state’s Educational Approval Board says the bill would make Wisconsin International University in Florida change its name. The proposed law would bar unauthorized schools from using the words “Wisconsin,” “state,” “college,” or “university” in their names.

Hunger Stats Startling

2/3/10 - A new report presents a bleak picture of hunger in Wisconsin. Feeding America, which used to be called the Second Harvest program, said it now gives emergency food to almost 574-thousand different Wisconsinites during the course of a year. About 43-percent have at least one person working in their homes. And yet, almost a third of the households with kids report having “very low food security.” That’s the government’s term for being hungry. Feeding America said the numbers are rising dramatically. In 16 southwest Wisconsin counties, those getting emergency food increased 83-percent since 2006, to around 141-thousand different people a year. Statewide, 44-percent of Feeding America’s clients said they had to choose between food and utilities – 35-percent had to choose between food and the mortgage – and 31-percent had to choose between food and buying their medicines. Vicki Escarra, the C-E-O of Feeding America, said it’s reprehensible that one-in-six Americans struggle to make choices between food and other basic necessities.