Top Stories, March 10th

Township Voice Displeasure over Repair of Dam

3/10/10 - Strong opposition to the repair of the Udey Dam in Columbus was heard at last night’s Council session. Representatives from the neighboring townships of Elba and Columbus asked the Council to rethink current plans to restore the Dam. According to township representatives, the DNR has designated the Udey Dam as a “high hazard” dam. In the past two years the Townships of Elba and Columbus have submitted resolutions to the city in opposition of repairing the dam, but have not gotten any response. Repair of the day is scheduled on the list of 2010 Capital Improvement Projects.

Waupun Moving Forward With City Administrator Search

3/10/10 - The Waupun City Council could hear from consulting firms later this month or next as they start their search for a new city administrator. The city has been led by an interim administrator, Ed Madere, since former administrator Gary Rodgers was removed from the post last summer. In a memo handed out to council members last night Madere broke down the process for hiring an administrator that will start with interviewing consultant firms that would handle the actual search. In the memo Madere said the cost of hiring a consultant firm would probably be in the $15,000 range plus expenses that would include, among other things, advertising and candidate travel expenses.

Rio Man Faces Traffic Violations

3/10/10 - A 24-year-old Rio man is facing a number of traffic charges after racing through Fond du Lac County to be at his girlfriend’s bedside while she gave birth. Instead Justin Schultz was taken into custody in the parking lot of St. Agnes Hospital on March 4th. Schultz nearly struck a Fond du Lac police officer when he went around the officer’s car after the officer had stopped him and gotten out of the squad car to speak with him. He also went through a number of red flashing signals. Schultz makes his initial appearance on Fond du Lac County traffic charges on March 22nd. (KFIZ)

Woman Still in Hospital After Being Bitten by Bear last Week

3/10/10 - A Manitowoc woman is still hospitalized in good condition, after a bear bit off her fingers at the city zoo. Police said 47-year-old Tracy Weiler and her boyfriend went past some barriers at a cage, and she tried to feed one of the two Asiatic black bears. Officials say they’ll decide soon whether to seek charges. Weiler lost an entire thumb and an index finger on one of her hands – and she lost parts of her middle-and-ring fingers. Her 51-year-old boyfriend was bit when he tried to get the bear’s mouth away from Weiler’s hand. He was treated at a hospital and released on the same day of the incident last Friday. Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels said alcohol was a factor. Police have not yet released the victims’ blood alcohol contents. Officials say the bears will not be euthanized.

4K Delayed In WSD

3/10/10 - The Waupun School District will push off creating a four-year-old kindergarten program until next year. Superintendent Randy Refsland says their current budget situation won’t allow for the program to start this fall but he’s optimistic that it could be up and running by the 2011-2012 school year. Refsland says around 80-percent of district statewide have a program and there are some legislators pushing for it to become mandatory. When the first discussions about a 4-K program took place in 2007 Refsland said the idea would be to collaborate with existing daycare facilities. However, that is no longer possible as there is just one registered daycare now in the district. Instead the program would most likely be run out of Rock River Intermediate School. More discussion is expected later this spring.

Huss Appears on Arson Charge

3/10/10 - The 46-year-old Fond du Lac man suspected of setting fire to Last Stop Bar and Lanes last Wednesday morning has been formally charged with two counts of Arson to Building. Lyle Huss had an initial appearance in Fond du Lac County Court Tuesday morning. He was released on a $5,000 signature bond. The blaze gutted the 90-year-old building. No one was hurt putting out the fire, which may have been set after the bar closed early that morning. Huss will be back in court for a preliminary hearing on April 8.

BDPD: Feb Stats

3/10/10 - The Beaver Dam Police Department has released crime statistics for the month of February. According to the activity report, there was one robbery and seven burglaries reported last month; none involved forced entry. One of the burglaries was residential; the other six were business-related. There were 27 general thefts reported. All of that resulted in a total of $11,459 in stolen property, of which $679 was recovered. Beaver Dam police officers issued 13 tickets for Operating While Intoxicated, and issued two citations for liquor law violations. There were 14 citations for Disorderly Conduct along with four domestic incidents, four child abuse offenses and five sex offenses reported. There were 62 adults arrested in February along with 28 minors. There were 43 traffic accidents in the city last month resulting in 9 injuries.

Chain Reax Crash Victims All Back Home

3/10/10 - All 15 people injured in last Friday’s chain-reaction crashes on a Fox Valley freeway are now home from the hospital. 52-year-old Richard Vanden-langenberg of Greenville was in serious condition after the mishaps. But he was sent home yesterday from the Appleton Medical Center. Thirty-eight vehicles collided in heavy fog on Highway 41 near Kaukauna. State Patrol Sergeant John Jones said it might take more than two months to analyze everything that happened. Trooper Mark Haessly, the lead investigator, said officers are trying to contact some of the drivers for a second round of interviews. Haessly said a single sequence caused three main pile-ups. The largest involved 18 vehicles near an overpass. Haessley said no decisions have been made yet on possible charges or citations.

Advanced Weather Spotter Class Tonight

3/10/10 - The National Weather Service is hosting a weather spotter training class tonight (Wed) in Beaver Dam. Dodge County Emergency Management Director Joe Meagher says the Weather Service hosts basic training programs throughout the state every year but this year chose Beaver Dam as the site for their advanced class. Meagher says while the class is open to anyone, those interested in becoming weather spotters should have attended a basic class first. He says those who have not attended the basic class may have a hard time keeping up with the advanced session. The class will be held in the Beaver Dam High School auditorium from 6:30pm to 8:30pm tonight. A basic class will be held March 24 in Jefferson.

Energy Bill Assistance Available

3/10/10 - Alliant Energy is reminding customers that energy assistance funds are still available for qualified individuals and families through the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP). The program provides dollars to moderate and low income level households to help pay a portion of their winter gas or electric bills. Payments depend upon household size, income level, and home energy costs. The program helps households with incomes at or below 60 percent of the state median income pay for home energy costs. For example, a family of four which earns approximately $45,000 annually or less, or a two-person family with earnings of about $30,600 or less, may qualify for energy assistance dollars. To find out if you qualify and how to apply you can visit Alliant Energy’s website or call 1-866-432-8947. Those wishing to apply have until May 15th.

State Health Care Changes Signed Into Law

3/10/10 - Wisconsin health care providers must disclose the average prices of their most popular treatments, under a bill signed into law Tuesday. Governor Jim Doyle says health care is the only product that folks are asked to buy before they know the price. And he says the new law will help Wisconsinites understand the costs before they decide on certain health services. Hospitals will have to release the average prices of 75 popular inpatient treatments, and 75 common out-patient services. Free-standing outpatient facilities would have to disclose prices for 25 procedures. The lower prices insurers pay would be figured into those averages – but what the insurers actually pay will remain confidential. Also, facilities will three or fewer doctors will be exempt from the new law.

Pre-Census Form Letters Mailed Out

3/10/10 - Wisconsinites have been getting letters from the U-S Census Bureau, reminding them to fill out their Census forms when they arrive in the mail next week. Officials say the economic downturn might make it harder to get everybody counted – especially homeless, college students, and non-citizens. Jim Accurso of the Chicago Regional Census Center says families who’ve been hurt by the economy might have moved or are living with relatives. He says his agency will make an effort to count those folks where they now live. Also, the Census is working to reach more homeless people and non-citizens by visiting soup kitchens and mobile food vans. Accurso says all immigrants should not hide from the Census, because all information is confidential. Individual data is not shared with any other government agency. At U-W La Crosse, residence life director Nick Nicklaus is working to make sure about nine-thousand students are counted – whether they live on-or-off campus. Census populations determine federal aid for a host of government programs. Forms will be mailed out next Monday.

Kids Can Still Drink With Mom and Dad

3/10/10 - Wisconsin kids can continue to drink a beer down at the local tavern, as long as they’re with mom and dad. State Senator Judy Robson was author of legislation to prohibit kids under age 18 from drinking in taverns with their parents -- something allowed under current law if the individual tavern allows it. Robson says she was optimistic because the bill had bipartisan support coming out of committee. She says Majority Leader Russ Decker didn’t like it, though, and won’t allow it for a floor vote.

Annual Well Testing Encouraged

3/10/10 - The latest numbers show nearly two-thirds of Wisconsin residents get their drinking water from private wells. Some questions are being raised after a recent UW study estimated only about 11-percent of well owners are testing on an annual basis. DNR drinking water program supervisor Steve Ales says that estimate is not a surprise at all, since many people don’t question the quality of their water until somebody gets sick or it stops flowing out of the tap. However, he says it is something to worry about, since wells can easily be contaminated with bacteria or have high nitrate levels that can be dangerous for pregnant women and young children. Ales says well owners should consider testing for bacteria at least once a year. If nitrate levels are consistently low, he says a test should be run about every five years.

Don’t Forget About The Shanty

3/10/10 - If you’ve got an ice fishing shanty sitting on a lake up nort, this coming Sunday is the deadline to have it removed. If you’re fishing down here, all shanties south of State Highway 64 were supposed to be removed by this past Sunday. If you didn't get your shanty off the lake by the deadline it can cost you $263. If it breaks through the ice and has to be recovered, the charge will be much higher.

Car Vs. Carp

3/10/10 - The Beaver Dam Police Department briefing yesterday included an entry that “kids were blowing up a car” near the dam. That entry caught the attention of Deputy Chief Dan Schubert who followed-up on the incident and was able to determine that dispatchers had actually misspelled the word “carp,” as in the fish, not the automobile. The fisherman agreed to call authorities if the suspects return and try to blow anything up.

Carp Debate Continues

3/10/10 - An expert says the best way to stop Asian Carp from coming to Lake Michigan is to develop a complete ecological separation between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. Currently there exists an electric barrier designed to block invasive species. Phil Moy, who advises the Army Corps of Engineers on the barrier, says despite DNA samples of the Asian Carp being detected in Lake Michigan, it has been effective in keeping the invasive fish out. Several states, including Wisconsin, have cited the DNA samples has a reason to completely shut down the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and have pursued legal action to do so. Illinois officials are opposed to the closure saying it would strike a severe blow to Chicago businesses.

Kohl Rep Scheduled For Dodge County

3/10/10 - A representative with U.S. Senator Herb Kohl’s office will be holding office hours in Dodge County later this month. Senator Kohl says if you are having a problem with a federal program or agency, or if you have an opinion on an issue before Congress, you can let him know by meeting with his Regional Representative, Darcy Luoma. Office hours are scheduled on Tuesday, March 23rd from 12:30pm to 1:30pm in Room F of the Dodge County Administration Building in Juneau.