Top Stories May 15th

Bomb Squad Detonates Suspicious Item Near Waupun

5/15/10 - The Dane County Bomb Squad was called in to assist local authorities with what appeared to a pipe bomb on a roadway just outside of Waupun. According to the Dodge County Sheriff's Department, the Waupun Fire Department was called out to a car fire on Highway M near Yunto Road around 6:30 p.m. There were able to extinguish the fire but police also found a suspicious item in the roadway. The bomb squad responded to the scene and detonated the device but officials say its undetermined if it was an actual explosive device. The item was recovered and the investigation into the incident continues. Roads in the area were shutdown for close to 4-hours. Also on scene were officers from the Waupun Police Department and members of the Dodge County Emergency Response Team.

Henry Sentenced to 20-Years

5/15/10 - Twenty years in prison for a Waupun man convicted of First Degree Intentional Homicide for the murder of his wife. As part of the sentence handed down yesterday afternoon, Judge Andrew Bissonnette will allow Larry Henry to petition for extended supervision after serving the 20 years. It took a Dodge County jury just over two hours to conclude that Henry had the mental "capacity" at the time of the murder to "appreciate" that what he was doing was wrong. The 47-year-old struck his wife in the head with a metal pipe last July, and then placed plastic wrap over her face. 42-year-old Tammy Henry was found on a blood-soaked mattress in the couple's living room. Prior to the ruling Henry spoke for the first time and said about Tammy Henry, "I love her today, and I'll love her forever." Also speaking at the hearing were Tammy's sisters, who asked the judge to allow Larry to be eligible for extended supervision as early as possible. Henry will be 67 years old before he's eligible to be released.

Columbia County Hit-and-Run Victim Identified

5/15/10 - The victim in a hit and run fatality Thursday night in Columbia County has been identified as 47-year-old Shari Sampson of Portage. Sampson was found lying in the middle of Highway 16 after apparently being hit by two vehicles. Sheriff Dennis Richards says, at this time, it appears that the victim may have been struck by two separate vehicles within a short time span. One of the vehicles involved sustained lower front end body damage and had its transmission damaged causing a severe leak. A piece of the front spoiler along with some under carriage plastic parts were found at the scene of the accident. Richards says the vehicle pulled off to the side of the road a short distance beyond the victim. The vehicle then left the scene eastbound on Hwy 16 towards the city of Portage.

Fenner Waves Right to Preliminary Hearing

5/15/10 - A Hustisford man accused of raping a teenager has waived his right to a preliminary hearing. 26-year-old Jason Fenner is charged with Second Degree Sexual Assault of a Child related to the assault last October. The parents of the high-school age victim got authorities involved after the child became depressed and they read about the rape in a notebook. The felony charge carries a maximum prison sentence of up to 40 years in prison upon conviction. An arraignment hearing is set for next week.

Town of Oak Grove Break-In under Investigation

5/15/10 - Authorities are investigating a break-in at a home on Highway 26 in the Town of Oak Grove. The Sheriffs Department says the home owner reported the incident yesterday afternoon. Officials say they found pry marks located on the north entrance, which is apparently where the subjects gained entry. Items that were taken included a laptop, jewelry, and a small portable DVD player. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff's Department or the anonymous We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME.

Watertown Airport to Receive Funds

5/15/10 - The Watertown Airport will be getting close to $158,000 to develop a master planning report and update the Airport Layout Plan. In a press release, Governor Jim Doyle outlined the airport would receive about $4,000 each from the state and city of Watertown, while an additional $150,000 would come from the Federal Aviation Administration. According to Stacey Miller with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the funding is needed to meet the change in scope and magnitude of the planning process for FAA funding requirements and facilitate environmental coordination. The plan and report are scheduled to be completed by January of next year.
MPTC Looking for New President
5/15/10 - Moraine Park Technical College will be looking for a new president. That's after Gayle Hytrek announced recently she would be retiring at the end of the 2010-2011 academic year after seven years with the states technical college system. A national search for her replacement will be conducted by Moraine Park's human resources department. The college anticipates having a candidate selected by late spring of next year.
Rechek's Wins Family Business Award

5/15/10 - Seven family businesses, including a local one, were honored at the 7th Annual Wisconsin Family Business of the Year Award banquet held Thursday night in Madison. Rechek's Food Pride of Beaver Dam won the award titled "Food for Thought", which store owner Brett Rechek says was for their efforts in going above and beyond to support the community as a family business. He added that they make every attempt to support not only the youth of Beaver Dam but also many non-profit groups. Recheck credits the hard work of his employees, and an old-fashion approach to helping customers by putting "service above self", as reasons for their family business model working in a time when many smaller stores are closing up shop. Rechek's has been serving the area since 1985.

Bunny Berigan Jazz Jubilee in Fox Lake Today

5/15/10 - The Bunny Berigan Jazz Jubilee is being held this afternoon. The annual event pays tribute to the jazz trumpeter who grew up in Fox Lake. The Rev. Al Townsend, leader of the Bunny Berigan Memorial Band, says Berigan's name was right up there with the greats: Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and even Louie Armstrong who cited Bunny as his favorite trumpeter. This year the event has been streamlined from a three-day event at two venues to one single concert Saturday afternoon. Organizer Julie Fleming says they knew immediately after last year's jubilee that the stock market crash combined with the H1N1 flu hysteria would lead to a scaled back festival this year. She says they hope to expand the festival in the future. The band is made up of musicians from across the state and region, including Wisconsin Rapids, La Crosse, Chippewa Falls, Fond du Lac and even the state of Minnesota. The Bunny Berigan Jazz Jubilee will be held from 2pm to 5pm at the Fox Lake American Legion Hall. Tickets are $20 and doors open at 12:30pm.