Top Stories June 1st

Train and SUV Collide in Rubicon

6/1/10 - (Updated at 1pm) The warning lights were flashing and the bell was ringing at the intersection where a train collided with a pickup truck this morning in Rubicon. It happened just before 6:30 a.m. Authorities say 31-year-old Nathan Janz of Allenton was southbound on County Road P when, according to witnesses, he failed to stop at the crossing and was hit by the train. The pickup was dragged about a ¼ mile down the tracks before coming to rest in a field. Janz was the only person in the vehicle and was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Milwaukee. Authorities say weather and alcohol were not a factor in the accident. The injuries Janz suffered were not thought to be life threatening.

Beaver Dam Memorial Day 2010 Ceremony

6/1/10 - Several hundred people turned out for the Beaver Dam 2010 Memorial Day Ceremony yesterday at Oakwood Cemetery. World War II Veteran Roland “Rollie” Zuelsdorf was the featured guest speaker. The Horicon-native and longtime Beaver Dam resident recounted his participation in the Honor Flight program during his address. Honor Flight allows World War II veterans to fly – for free – to Washington DC to visit the Word War II Memorial. Zuelsdorf says the trip was a “life-altering experience.”

Stars and Stripes Honor Flight serves veterans in southeast Wisconsin, including the eastern half of Dodge County. Visit www.starsandstripeshonorflight.org and click on the “Donate Now” icon. Donors can also mail checks payable to “Stars and Stripes Honor Flight” to PO Box 636, Port Washington, WI 53074. Stars and Stripes Honor Flight is a registered 501(c) 3 charity, and all donations are tax deductible. The phone number is 262-238-7740.

Badger Honor Flight serves southwestern Wisconsin and the western half of Dodge County. Their website is www.badgerhonorflight.org. Donors can also mail checks payable to “Badger Honor Flight” to PO Box 258066, Madison WI 53725. Badger Honor Flight is a registered 501(c) 3 charity, and all donations are tax deductible. The phone number is (608) 835-8604.

One Killed, One Injured In Separate Weekend Accidents

6/1/10 - There was one person killed and one person seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents over the Memorial Day weekend. A 79-year-old Reeseville man was killed Friday in the Town of Lowell. Edward Hahn was driving a motorized vehicle similar to a golf cart on Highway G to get his mail when he was struck by a northbound Jeep. Hahn was pronounced dead at the scene. A Waupun man was injured in a rollover accident Sunday night in the Town of Chester. According to the Dodge County Sheriffs Department, Anthony J. Tibbits was injured on Milligan Road around 11pm. The 25-year-old was taken by Flight for Life to Froedtert Memorial Hospital.

Weyco Loan Approved

6/1/10 - Two major downtown housing developments in Beaver Dam are moving right along. Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy told us on WBEV’s Community Comment Friday that the Weyco Shoe Factory developers last week secured financing with National Equity and plan on closing on the loan within the next 30 days. Kennedy says construction should begin there in early July. Under the terms of the agreement with the city, the developers are required to incur $1 million dollars in construction costs by December 31, or they must forfeit $250,000. The structure at 222 Madison Street will be converted into 33 loft-style apartments. Meanwhile, across the street at the former Thomas Chevrolet property, Silverstone Partners of Middleton has made substantial progress in constructing a 62-unit, three-story independent senior living center. Kennedy says the developers have told him they’ve already received 45 applications. Madison Place is a mixed-income property providing both market-rate and affordable units. Once completed, it will add over $2 million of taxable property value to the city’s tax rolls.

Kennedy Recognizing Youth Achievement

6/1/10 - Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy has established a program that recognizes youth academic achievements. The first recipient was Marlana Warmbold, a Beaver Dam sixth grader and daughter of WBEV-WXRO News Director Craig Warmbold. The 12-year-old was one of the youngest people ever to win an “Excellence In Broadcasting Award” from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association for a news story she “voiced” about the Community Theater. Kennedy says it is the first of several proclamations he plans to award for youth achievement. He asks that the names and accomplishments of area children be directed to his office for consideration.

Detours Back In Place

6/1/10 - Portions of Madison Street in Beaver Dam will be closed beginning Tuesday. Ptaschinski Construction will be saw cutting existing pavement between Water Street and Mill Street to replace storm sewer piping. The project should take about one week. A daytime detour will take motorists to South Center Street, where they will encounter another detour. Crews are currently installing a new sanitary force main on South Center as part of the city’s treatment plant upgrade being done in conjunction with Kraft Foods. That detour takes drivers to First Street via West Mill and West South Street. The South Center Street project should be complete by next week. North University Avenue, meanwhile, will be closed for the next three-months for a reconstruction project getting underway this week.