Top Stories, April 19th

Firewood Quarantine Remains In Effect

4/19/10 - Firewood quarantines remain in effect in eleven Wisconsin counties as part of an effort to reduce the spread of the emerald ash borer. Dodge County is not on the list, but Washington and Fond du Lac counties are part of the quarantine. Around half of the tress in Beaver Dam are ash trees. Beaver Dam Parks and Forestry Supervisor John Neumann says there was extensive trimming and tree removal work done over the winter months. He says crews were on the lookout for the ash borer but have, so far, found nothing. There are 765 million ash trees in the state.

Henry Changes Plea

4/19/10 - Accused murderer Larry Henry changed his plea to guilty on Friday. The 47-year-old Waupun man accused of killing his wife last July initially pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. With the plea change the district attorney’s office must now convince a jury that Henry was mentally capable of killing 42-year-old Tammy Henry. Attorneys asked the court Friday to assign another doctor to make a final determination before the case proceeds. Larry Henry allegedly beat his wife to death with a metal rod before walking into the Waupun Police Department lobby and confessing to 911 operators.

Teen Charged With Assault

4/19/10 - A 19-year-old Beaver Dam man has been charged with Second Degree Sexual Assault of a Child for his alleged relationship with a young runaway. Christopher Bowers had cash bond set at $10,000 when he made his initial appearance in court late last week. The Beaver Dam Police Department also requested charges be filed against an 18-year-old man for sexual assault of child and a woman for interfering with child custody.

Ganz To Be Seated

4/19/10 - Waupun Alderman Pete Kaczmarski has decided not to appeal the April 6 election, which he lost by one vote. Kaczmarski said Friday that he will not challenge the numbers, clearing the way for Dan Ganz to be sworn-in tomorrow (Tu). Kaczmarski was considering the appeal after a two-vote discrepancy was discovered during an initial recount. However, City Clerk/Treasurer Kyle Clark says that discrepancy was cleared up by canvassers who found that poll workers had given those votes to the Second District by mistake. Kaczmarski and his lawyer looked for case law that may have led to a court order but were unsuccessful.

Feingold In BD Monday

4/19/10 - US Senator Russ Feingold will be in Dodge County this (Mo) morning. The Democrat is scheduled to hold a listening session in the Beaver Dam High School auditorium at 9am.