Disappointing End to Great Season
3/26/10 - A hot start fizzled for the Beaver Dam girl's basketball team as they lost their Division 1 quarterfinal game to DePere 50-29 in Madison last night. The Beavers used defense and some quick baskets to get out to an 8-2 lead before the Redbirds fought back to take a two-point lead after the first quarter. The game was still close at half but DePere shot 52-percent in the second half and Beaver Dam couldn't overcome 20-turnovers in losing for just the 2nd time all season. Kaitlyn McIntyre led the Beavers with 14 points and 7 rebounds. DePere will play Wausau West in the semifinals tonight.
Two Injured in Separate Accidents
3/26/10 - One minor injury was reported after a four-vehicle accident in the Town of Beaver Dam Thursday morning. Dodge County Patrol Captain Molly Soblewski says the accident occurred on Highway 33 between Hemlock and Golf View Road at 10:13am. A county-owned highway grader was traveling southbound at approximately 5mph with a small passenger car following. A southbound pick-up truck rear-ended the passenger car. That car was then pushed into the northbound lanes where it was struck by a different southbound vehicle. The pick-up then rear-ended the grader. Soblewski says the driver of the pick-up, an 81-year-old Randolph man, will be cited. He sustained facial lacerations and was treated at a local hospital. The other drivers were wearing seatbelts and were not injured.
About an hour later another accident occurred, this time in the Town of Theresa. Officials say 64-year-old Ronald Norman was injured after rolling his vehicle on Highway H near Highway 28. There is no word on the severity of the injuries.
Congress Finishes Work on Health Care Reform
3/26/10 - All Wisconsin Democrats voted yes, and all state Republicans voted no as Congress finished its work on health care reform last night. A bill that fixes the sweeping package that was signed into law on Tuesday passed the House and Senate without a single G-O-P vote. House Republican Tom Petri of Fond du Lac refused to stray, even though the bill has something he's been seeking for 20 years - an end to privately-originated college student loans in favor of direct government lending. The new bill also adds 20-billion dollars in subsidies for low-and-middle-income people who will be required to buy health insurance. And there's another eight-billion for states with higher-than-average Medicaid benefits. President Obama is expected to sign the measure early next week.
Fitzgerald to Push for Lawsuit Vote
3/26/10 - Horicon legislator Jeff Fitzgerald says he'll try to force a vote to allow the state to sue Washington over the law that requires people to buy health insurance. That's after Wisconsin's majority Democrats quickly shot down a request from Republican Attorney General JB Van Hollen to join other states for a possible lawsuit. Governor Jim Doyle called it a "frivolous and political attempt to thwart the actions of Congress." And Doyle said Wisconsin would not quote, "enter into litigation intended to deny health care for tens-of-thousands of residents." Meanwhile, democratic leaders of both houses said they would not bring the request up for a vote. Still, Fitzgerald hopes to force the issue the next time the house meets, which could come as early as mid-April.
Horicon Approves Sale of Bonds
3/26/10 - The Horicon City Council has approved the sale of close to 4.6-million in bonds for various infrastructure projects. Just more than $2.4-million-dollars of General Obligation Purpose Bonds are to be used to finance the Maple Street improvement project, the Rice Street Lift Station, and refinancing part of the Highway 33 reconstruction project. Another $2.2-million-dollars of Water System Revenue Bonds will be used to construct additions, extensions and improvements to the city's water system, while also refinancing another part of the Highway 33 project. The bonds will be paid back over a 20-year period which officials say will lessen the tax burden for residents.
Third Man Charged In Pregnant Purse Snatching
3/26/10 - One of the men accused of beating up a pregnant woman in the Watertown High School parking lot and stealing her purse has waived his right to a preliminary hearing. 20-year-old Andrew Hoffman of Madison entered a “not guilty” plea at arraignment yesterday. Meanwhile, a third person has been charged in connection with the attack. 23-year-old Desmond Durow of Mukwonago is charged along with Hoffman and 22-year-old Brad Kiefer with felony Theft, Robbery with the Use of Force and a misdemeanor count of Battery related to the February 8 incident. The victim was attempting to get into her car around 9:30pm when Hoffman and Kiefer allegedly walked up behind her and knocked her to the ground and started kicking her. The victim was around four months pregnant at the time and she sustained cuts and scrapes. Approximately $1000 in student loan money was stolen from her purse. She was able to get a partial license plate and it turns out she knows her alleged attackers. According to the criminal complaint, the battery in her vehicle was manually disconnected. After the attack, she arrived at home to find her apartment had been broken into. Police were able to lift fingerprints from both the hood of her vehicle and the point of entry to her residence and connect it to her assailants, who are acquaintances. The suspects claim the victim had stolen $400 that they had collected to purchase illegal drugs and they were just trying to get their money back. An arrest warrant has been issued for Durow while Hoffman and Kiefer both have telephone conferences scheduled in coming weeks. Hoffman also had his cash bond reduced yesterday from $50,000 to $15,000.
Wood Drug Levels 8X Therapeutic Range
3/26/10 - A state lab report said Representative Jeff Wood had eight times the therapeutic range of a cough syrup ingredient when he was arrested last fall for driving erratically near Wausau. The independent lawmaker from Chippewa Falls told an Assembly committee that was considering his punishment on Tuesday that his level for the drug D-X-M was quote, “a little bit higher than normal.” The Wisconsin State Journal of Madison uncovered the lab report. The paper said the cough syrup ingredient is known as a poor man’s P-C-P – and its excessive use is called “Robo-tripping,” a phrase based on the cough syrup Robitussin. The Assembly panel deadlocked on a punishment for Wood, who was the subject of an expulsion petition for his three O-W-I arrests in the last 16 months, including one alcohol-related arrest in Columbia County. The full Assembly is expected to consider a punishment for Wood next month. The sponsor of the expulsion petition, Whitewater Republican Steve Nass, has issued a statement accusing Wood of misleading the special ethics panel. Wood and his lawyer did not immediately comment.
Hustisford-Area Candidates Differ On Board Size
3/26/10 - The candidates competing for the Dodge County Board’s Hustisford-area seat have differing opinions on how many seats should be eliminated from the 37-member board. District 18 incumbent Supervisor Larry Bischoff says the opinion that downsizing of the county board will save money is totally wrong. Bischoff says cutting the board just for the sake of cutting is wrong, but he says it could be reduced by around a half-dozen supervisors. Challenger Ted Engelbart says cutting down the board to at least 37 members would be his one and only priority if elected. Engelbart also says there are too many committee’s and he was surprised to learn that supervisors can attend up to three meetings a day at $40 each. Both candidates were our guests on WBEV’s Community Comment this week. We’ll look at the supervisor candidates in the remaining two contested districts next Thursday beginning at 12:35pm.
Lottery Winner Identified in Fond du Lac
3/26/10 - Lottery officials have identified the man who won a million-dollars off a ticket sold on Fond du Lac's "Miracle Mile". Ron Horton of Fond du Lac won the money in Wednesday night's Powerball drawing. He bought his ticket at Ma-and-Pa's Grocery Express - one of several stores on South Main Street which have sold a number of multi-million-dollar tickets over the last two decades. Horton said he felt numb once he learned he won.
Kennedy-Liverseed on Community Comment
3/26/10 - On Community Comment this afternoon we welcome incumbent Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy and his write-in challenger Joe Liverseed. Liverseed, a senior at Wayland Academy, fell one valid signature short of appearing on the April 6th ballot. We’ll ask the two their opinions on pressing city matters, and take questions from our listeners, beginning at 12:35pm this afternoon on WBEV.
News Organizations Could Lose Free Blue Book
3/26/10 - A Wisconsin legislative committee voted unanimously Thursday to stop giving each newspaper a free copy of the state government’s official almanac. The State Affairs Committee sent the measure to the full Assembly only a week after it was introduced. The bill’s sponsor, West Bend Republican Pat Strachota, said it doesn’t make sense to spend the money to give the 265 newspapers the Wisconsin Blue Book when everything in it is available on-line. The book is printed every two years. The Capitol sells them. Representatives get 350 copies to give to their constituents, and senators get 600 copies each.
Legislators Get $75K From Pay Day Loan Industry
3/26/10 - A watchdog group said pay-day loan companies gave 75-thousand-dollars in campaign cash to Wisconsin’s governor and legislators in 2009. The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign said it was a record amount given for a non-election year. A report said majority Democrats in both the Assembly and Senate received over 47-thousand dollars from the pay-day loan and auto title industries. Republicans in both houses got just over 18-thousand dollars for their campaign funds. And Governor Jim Doyle was given 81-hundred dollars. The loan companies were fighting a measure to put an interest limit on pay-day advance loans. The state Assembly passed a bill which did not include an interest cap – but it ban roll-overs and the use of auto titles as collateral. The Senate is still working on its own package.
Auto Minimum Wage Increase Bill Introduced
3/26/10 - State Representative Cory Mason of Racine is a sponsor of legislation which would automatically adjust the minimum wage each September, based on the rate of inflation. He says the move is needed to help low-earning workers survive as the cost of living goes up. The proposal is drawing concerns from business groups. Wisconsin Restaurant Association President Ed Lump warns that employers may not be able to keep up with the wage increases during tough economic times, when inflation is often at its highest. As a result, he says the indexing could force them to cut jobs they can no longer afford.
Health Bill Addresses Elder Abuse
3/26/10 - The new federal health reform law contains a major effort to reduce elder abuse and neglect. Madison House Democrat Tammy Baldwin says the package has Washington’s first significant response to elder abuse. It devotes hundreds-of-millions of dollars for protective services, pilot projects, training on spotting abuse, boosting the ombudsman program for long-term care, and more. Those in long-term care facilities will get federal protections for the first time. Incomplete state reports showed that suspected elder abuse cases rose almost three-percent in 2008 to almost 49-hundred incidents. More than two dozen cases involved deaths – and over 375 were considered to be life-threatening.
3/26/10 - A hot start fizzled for the Beaver Dam girl's basketball team as they lost their Division 1 quarterfinal game to DePere 50-29 in Madison last night. The Beavers used defense and some quick baskets to get out to an 8-2 lead before the Redbirds fought back to take a two-point lead after the first quarter. The game was still close at half but DePere shot 52-percent in the second half and Beaver Dam couldn't overcome 20-turnovers in losing for just the 2nd time all season. Kaitlyn McIntyre led the Beavers with 14 points and 7 rebounds. DePere will play Wausau West in the semifinals tonight.
Two Injured in Separate Accidents
3/26/10 - One minor injury was reported after a four-vehicle accident in the Town of Beaver Dam Thursday morning. Dodge County Patrol Captain Molly Soblewski says the accident occurred on Highway 33 between Hemlock and Golf View Road at 10:13am. A county-owned highway grader was traveling southbound at approximately 5mph with a small passenger car following. A southbound pick-up truck rear-ended the passenger car. That car was then pushed into the northbound lanes where it was struck by a different southbound vehicle. The pick-up then rear-ended the grader. Soblewski says the driver of the pick-up, an 81-year-old Randolph man, will be cited. He sustained facial lacerations and was treated at a local hospital. The other drivers were wearing seatbelts and were not injured.
About an hour later another accident occurred, this time in the Town of Theresa. Officials say 64-year-old Ronald Norman was injured after rolling his vehicle on Highway H near Highway 28. There is no word on the severity of the injuries.
Congress Finishes Work on Health Care Reform
3/26/10 - All Wisconsin Democrats voted yes, and all state Republicans voted no as Congress finished its work on health care reform last night. A bill that fixes the sweeping package that was signed into law on Tuesday passed the House and Senate without a single G-O-P vote. House Republican Tom Petri of Fond du Lac refused to stray, even though the bill has something he's been seeking for 20 years - an end to privately-originated college student loans in favor of direct government lending. The new bill also adds 20-billion dollars in subsidies for low-and-middle-income people who will be required to buy health insurance. And there's another eight-billion for states with higher-than-average Medicaid benefits. President Obama is expected to sign the measure early next week.
Fitzgerald to Push for Lawsuit Vote
3/26/10 - Horicon legislator Jeff Fitzgerald says he'll try to force a vote to allow the state to sue Washington over the law that requires people to buy health insurance. That's after Wisconsin's majority Democrats quickly shot down a request from Republican Attorney General JB Van Hollen to join other states for a possible lawsuit. Governor Jim Doyle called it a "frivolous and political attempt to thwart the actions of Congress." And Doyle said Wisconsin would not quote, "enter into litigation intended to deny health care for tens-of-thousands of residents." Meanwhile, democratic leaders of both houses said they would not bring the request up for a vote. Still, Fitzgerald hopes to force the issue the next time the house meets, which could come as early as mid-April.
Horicon Approves Sale of Bonds
3/26/10 - The Horicon City Council has approved the sale of close to 4.6-million in bonds for various infrastructure projects. Just more than $2.4-million-dollars of General Obligation Purpose Bonds are to be used to finance the Maple Street improvement project, the Rice Street Lift Station, and refinancing part of the Highway 33 reconstruction project. Another $2.2-million-dollars of Water System Revenue Bonds will be used to construct additions, extensions and improvements to the city's water system, while also refinancing another part of the Highway 33 project. The bonds will be paid back over a 20-year period which officials say will lessen the tax burden for residents.
Third Man Charged In Pregnant Purse Snatching
3/26/10 - One of the men accused of beating up a pregnant woman in the Watertown High School parking lot and stealing her purse has waived his right to a preliminary hearing. 20-year-old Andrew Hoffman of Madison entered a “not guilty” plea at arraignment yesterday. Meanwhile, a third person has been charged in connection with the attack. 23-year-old Desmond Durow of Mukwonago is charged along with Hoffman and 22-year-old Brad Kiefer with felony Theft, Robbery with the Use of Force and a misdemeanor count of Battery related to the February 8 incident. The victim was attempting to get into her car around 9:30pm when Hoffman and Kiefer allegedly walked up behind her and knocked her to the ground and started kicking her. The victim was around four months pregnant at the time and she sustained cuts and scrapes. Approximately $1000 in student loan money was stolen from her purse. She was able to get a partial license plate and it turns out she knows her alleged attackers. According to the criminal complaint, the battery in her vehicle was manually disconnected. After the attack, she arrived at home to find her apartment had been broken into. Police were able to lift fingerprints from both the hood of her vehicle and the point of entry to her residence and connect it to her assailants, who are acquaintances. The suspects claim the victim had stolen $400 that they had collected to purchase illegal drugs and they were just trying to get their money back. An arrest warrant has been issued for Durow while Hoffman and Kiefer both have telephone conferences scheduled in coming weeks. Hoffman also had his cash bond reduced yesterday from $50,000 to $15,000.
Wood Drug Levels 8X Therapeutic Range
3/26/10 - A state lab report said Representative Jeff Wood had eight times the therapeutic range of a cough syrup ingredient when he was arrested last fall for driving erratically near Wausau. The independent lawmaker from Chippewa Falls told an Assembly committee that was considering his punishment on Tuesday that his level for the drug D-X-M was quote, “a little bit higher than normal.” The Wisconsin State Journal of Madison uncovered the lab report. The paper said the cough syrup ingredient is known as a poor man’s P-C-P – and its excessive use is called “Robo-tripping,” a phrase based on the cough syrup Robitussin. The Assembly panel deadlocked on a punishment for Wood, who was the subject of an expulsion petition for his three O-W-I arrests in the last 16 months, including one alcohol-related arrest in Columbia County. The full Assembly is expected to consider a punishment for Wood next month. The sponsor of the expulsion petition, Whitewater Republican Steve Nass, has issued a statement accusing Wood of misleading the special ethics panel. Wood and his lawyer did not immediately comment.
Hustisford-Area Candidates Differ On Board Size
3/26/10 - The candidates competing for the Dodge County Board’s Hustisford-area seat have differing opinions on how many seats should be eliminated from the 37-member board. District 18 incumbent Supervisor Larry Bischoff says the opinion that downsizing of the county board will save money is totally wrong. Bischoff says cutting the board just for the sake of cutting is wrong, but he says it could be reduced by around a half-dozen supervisors. Challenger Ted Engelbart says cutting down the board to at least 37 members would be his one and only priority if elected. Engelbart also says there are too many committee’s and he was surprised to learn that supervisors can attend up to three meetings a day at $40 each. Both candidates were our guests on WBEV’s Community Comment this week. We’ll look at the supervisor candidates in the remaining two contested districts next Thursday beginning at 12:35pm.
Lottery Winner Identified in Fond du Lac
3/26/10 - Lottery officials have identified the man who won a million-dollars off a ticket sold on Fond du Lac's "Miracle Mile". Ron Horton of Fond du Lac won the money in Wednesday night's Powerball drawing. He bought his ticket at Ma-and-Pa's Grocery Express - one of several stores on South Main Street which have sold a number of multi-million-dollar tickets over the last two decades. Horton said he felt numb once he learned he won.
Kennedy-Liverseed on Community Comment
3/26/10 - On Community Comment this afternoon we welcome incumbent Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy and his write-in challenger Joe Liverseed. Liverseed, a senior at Wayland Academy, fell one valid signature short of appearing on the April 6th ballot. We’ll ask the two their opinions on pressing city matters, and take questions from our listeners, beginning at 12:35pm this afternoon on WBEV.
News Organizations Could Lose Free Blue Book
3/26/10 - A Wisconsin legislative committee voted unanimously Thursday to stop giving each newspaper a free copy of the state government’s official almanac. The State Affairs Committee sent the measure to the full Assembly only a week after it was introduced. The bill’s sponsor, West Bend Republican Pat Strachota, said it doesn’t make sense to spend the money to give the 265 newspapers the Wisconsin Blue Book when everything in it is available on-line. The book is printed every two years. The Capitol sells them. Representatives get 350 copies to give to their constituents, and senators get 600 copies each.
Legislators Get $75K From Pay Day Loan Industry
3/26/10 - A watchdog group said pay-day loan companies gave 75-thousand-dollars in campaign cash to Wisconsin’s governor and legislators in 2009. The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign said it was a record amount given for a non-election year. A report said majority Democrats in both the Assembly and Senate received over 47-thousand dollars from the pay-day loan and auto title industries. Republicans in both houses got just over 18-thousand dollars for their campaign funds. And Governor Jim Doyle was given 81-hundred dollars. The loan companies were fighting a measure to put an interest limit on pay-day advance loans. The state Assembly passed a bill which did not include an interest cap – but it ban roll-overs and the use of auto titles as collateral. The Senate is still working on its own package.
Auto Minimum Wage Increase Bill Introduced
3/26/10 - State Representative Cory Mason of Racine is a sponsor of legislation which would automatically adjust the minimum wage each September, based on the rate of inflation. He says the move is needed to help low-earning workers survive as the cost of living goes up. The proposal is drawing concerns from business groups. Wisconsin Restaurant Association President Ed Lump warns that employers may not be able to keep up with the wage increases during tough economic times, when inflation is often at its highest. As a result, he says the indexing could force them to cut jobs they can no longer afford.
Health Bill Addresses Elder Abuse
3/26/10 - The new federal health reform law contains a major effort to reduce elder abuse and neglect. Madison House Democrat Tammy Baldwin says the package has Washington’s first significant response to elder abuse. It devotes hundreds-of-millions of dollars for protective services, pilot projects, training on spotting abuse, boosting the ombudsman program for long-term care, and more. Those in long-term care facilities will get federal protections for the first time. Incomplete state reports showed that suspected elder abuse cases rose almost three-percent in 2008 to almost 49-hundred incidents. More than two dozen cases involved deaths – and over 375 were considered to be life-threatening.
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