Top Stories, September 1st

Klomberg Tabbed As New D-A

9/1/10 - Dodge County’s Assistant District Attorney Kurt Klomberg has been promoted. Governor Jim Doyle announced yesterday that Kurt Klomberg will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of former District Attorney Bill Bedker. He will begin serving immediately for a term set to expire on January 7, 2013. Klomberg has served as an assistant district attorney in Dodge County since 2006. Prior to that, he served as an assistant D-A in Marathon County and as a special prosecutor in Kenosha County. Doyle says Klomberg has shown that he is a dedicated prosecutor with the experience and commitment to the people of Dodge County that will make him an excellent District Attorney. Klomberg says he will do everything he can to (quote) “keep our children, schools and communities safe.”

Fitzgerald Critical of Nehls Absence

9/1/10 - After an eight year absence, Steve Fitzgerald is seeking to reclaim the post of Dodge County Sheriff. On Community Comment yesterday, the Republican from Hustisford told us that he didn’t initially plan on entering the race, but made the decision after being asked by constituents and employees of the sheriffs department. The former US Marshall says the incumbent had chosen not to be available for almost one year of his term and specifically cited the two semesters he spent in Washington DC attending War College. Fitzgerald didn’t have a problem with Sheriff Todd Nehls serving in Afghanistan during his first term, but he says War College was an elective and Nehls chose to leave his post. Fitzgerald says he was always available to the public during his 14-years as Sheriff, and would continue that relationship if elected back to the position. The Dodge County Sheriffs race will be decided during the September 14 primary as there are no democrats running for the office.

Nehls on Community Comment Today

9/1/10 - On WBEV’s Community Comment this afternoon we’ll talk to Sheriff Todd Nehls, who is seeking a third term. The incumbent Republican will join us on 1430AM beginning at 12:35pm. Both candidates will join us on Community Comment one week from today. The Beaver Dam Chamber of Commerce is also hosting a Candidates Forum next week dedicated solely to the Nehls-Fitzgerald race. The format will include six segments, including questions and answers between local media and the candidates, a structured debate between the candidates and a segment at the end where the public will have the opportunity to ask questions. The forum will be moderated by our own John Moser. The public is invited to attend the free event which will be held next Tuesday at the Bayside Supper Club in Beaver Dam from 7pm to 8pm. On election night, make sure you tune into WBEV 1430AM or WXRO 95.3FM for live updates beginning the minute the polls close.

BDUSD Lawsuit Deadline Extended

9/1/10 - A judge has given the Beaver Dam School District and attorney’s for Dan Grulke two more weeks to reach an agreement in an open records lawsuit. About ten days ago the district turned over 300 pages worth of documents requested by Grulke as part of the lawsuit filed in late July. In a letter to the court last week, Grulke’s attorneys wrote they did not believe Superintendent Steve Vessey and the district fully complied with the court order to produce all documents related to an investigation into conduct by former Superintendent Don Childs. The attorneys want to see the results of the investigation into Childs conduct after he was accused of retaliating against a district employee, who came forward with concerns about harassment and discrimination by former high school principal Don Patnode. An attorney for the district, Laurie Labinski, says the two sides are working toward a resolution. In a press release issued last week, the school board said (quote), “As a board, we are legally responsible to protect the privacy rights of our employees with regard to personal matters and we are striving to do so.” The court gave the two parties until September 13 to come to an agreement.

New PD Should Done in One Year

9/1/10 - The chair of the Beaver Dam Operations Committee says its “amazing” how quick the progress has been in constructing a new $5.1 million police station. Laine Meyer says intensive planning over the past 17 weeks is paying off. There have been setbacks with demolition of the former YMCA, where the new police station will be built, but Meyer says that should not affect the construction portion of the project much at all. Marty Sell with the architectural firm MSA Integrated Services told city officials this week that the initial bid packages are due back by mid-month, allowing preliminary construction to start as planned early next month. Excavation and concrete work is expected to begin in mid-October with the floor slab expected to be in place by the beginning of December. If all goes according to plan, the building is expected to be substantially completed by Friday, September 2, 2011. If the project were to be delayed at this point, the city would incur considerable costs associated with winterization of the work site.

Former Teachers Union Treasurer Sentenced for Embezzlement

9/1/10 - The former treasurer of the Hustisford Education Association will spend 70 days in jail. Melissa Klein was accused of embezzling over $6800 from the teachers union but pleaded to an amended felony charge yesterday that puts the total between $2500 and $5000. Klein served as treasurer of the Association for over three years. She tendered her resignation in March after an audit by the Wisconsin Education Association turned up the shortfall. The 40-year-old Hustisford woman removed the money from the account over a 22-month period and spent it on groceries, insurance and other personal items. Klein was also placed on probation for two years and will have a restitution hearing at a later date.

Top Stories, August 31st

Downtown Improvement Projects Move Forward

8/31/10 - With the Labor Day holiday forcing the cancellation of their regularly scheduled meeting, the Beaver Dam Common Council met in special session last night to act on several time-sensitive matters. The council unanimously approved the hiring of a construction company for a downtown storm sewer relief plan. Director of Facilities David Stoiser says the project should alleviate downtown flooding at the intersection of Spring and Front Street. S & L Underground & Trucking of Merrimac will perform the work at a cost of $558,000, which is $42,000 below engineering estimates. The council also awarded contracts to a masonry company and a fencing company for the installation of decorative fencing in the portion of the downtown area that saw the elimination of ten buildings last year. The combined cost for the fencing installation is just over $38,000.

Marshall Woman Accused of Conning Elderly Man

8/31/10 - A Marshall woman is accused of bilking an elderly man out of tens of thousands of dollars. Nicole Lueck is charged with felony Theft for allegedly taking the money from the Dodge County man over a five year period. According to the criminal complaint, the 22-year-old knew the man her whole life, and he thought of her as a daughter. Lueck reportedly exploited that relationship to get thousands of dollars in cash on a monthly basis, driving him to the bank to make the withdrawal. She allegedly made up stories and forged letters detailing a variety of medical issues, like brain tumors, to justify the need for the money. The victim was under the impression it would be paid back. Lueck did not deny receiving the cash but contends he gave it to her willingly. A signature bond was set at $1000 yesterday and a preliminary hearing will be held in October. If convicted on the felony charge, Lueck could spend up to ten years in prison.

Madison Cleaning Lady Charged With Felony Theft

8/31/10 - A Madison cleaning lady is accused of stealing thousands of dollars from a Dodge County customer. 24-year-old Erin Posthuma is charged with felony Theft for allegedly taking the money over several months in the winter of 2009. According to the criminal complaint, the man signed blank checks and Posthuma wrote in a higher amount than she should have been paid, sometimes as much as $1000 more on some occasions. A signature bond was set at $1000 yesterday and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 16. Posthuma could spend up to six years in prison if convicted.

Minnig Charged With OWI Injury

8/31/10 - A Beaver Dam man is accused of injuring himself and a passenger in a drunken driving accident. Dylan Minnig is charged with OWI Causing Injury for rolling his pick-up truck last month on County Road D in the Town of Calamus. According to the criminal complaint, the 21-year-old had a blood alcohol level over three times the legal driving limit at point-268. The passenger reportedly told investigators that the two had been out barhopping and Minnig was driving over 90mph when he lost control on a curve. Minnig was ejected and sustained serious injuries. The passenger suffered a compression fracture in his back, along with bumps, bruises and abrasions. A signature bond was set at $500 yesterday and Minnig will be back in court at the end of September. If convicted, he could spend up to two years in jail and have his license suspended for up to four years.

Burglary Suspect Apprehended

8/31/10 - The suspect in a day time burglary from last week has been apprehended. 38-year-old Chad Knoll of the Town of Fox Lake was taken into custody Monday at 12:45pm. A female suspect had already been arrested and both subjects are being held at the Dodge County Detention Facility. Deputies were called out to a burglary in progress at a residence in the Town of Calamus last Wednesday. A family friend pulled up to the home and saw a man and woman he did not know. They gave an excuse for being there but the friend called authorities anyway and provided a detailed description. Jewelry was taken from the home but most of it was later tracked down at a Milwaukee business and returned.

Infant Death Under Investigation

8/31/10 – The Dodge County Sheriffs Department is investigating the death of a one-week-old baby. Authorities say they were called to a home in the town of Shields early Monday morning with the report of an infant that did not have a pulse and was not breathing. C-P-R was performed by the parents but it was unsuccessful and the child was later pronounced dead. Nehls says the child was sleeping in the same bed as the parents but they have not ruled the case as a co-sleeping death.

Fatal Dog Attack Investigation Winding Down

8/31/10 - Authorities in Dodge County say there almost completely done with the investigation into the dog mauling death of a young girl last week. Four-year-old Taylor Becker was playing in the backyard of a family friend’s home when she was attacked and killed by a dog. Officials said at the time that charges would most likely not be filed. The dog, a boxer, is currently under a 10-day quarantine at the Dodge County Humane Society. Once the time is up a decision will be made whether to euthanize the animal. When talking with authorities the day after the incident the owner expressed his desire to have the dog put down.

New Faces in Columbus, Fall River Schools

8/31/10 - Students, parents and teachers in Columbus and Fall River Schools will be starting their new school year with new faces in key positions. Chet Bembenek of Sun Prairie has been selected as the Technology Manager for the Columbus School District. This new position was OK’d during the summer by the School Board. New District Superintendent Bryan Davis – who started July 1 – also joined the Board in approving a change in the High School’s Assistant Principal Position. The new position will be called Dean of Students / Activities Director. Jacob Ekers of Weyauwega / Freemont accepted the Dean/Director job Monday. Both Bembenek and Ekers have already started in their new jobs. Their positions are expected to be confirmed at the first September School Board meeting. Meanwhile, in the Fall River District, the new Superintendent of Schools, Jeffrey Tortomasi, has been on the job since the first of August and Dan Dowden has been on the job as the new K-12 Principal for the past two weeks.

Oshkosh Corp Union Rejects Contract

8/31/10 - A union at the Oshkosh Corporation, which is making thousands of vehicles for the military, has turned down a one-year contract extension. The company says that the deal included a three-and-a-half percent pay raise, a signing bonus of 750-dollars for new employees, better retirement benefits, and no increase in health insurance premiums. Perry Graves, the head of Local 578 of the United Auto Workers’ union, said the rejection vote was not about the quality of the contract – but about the way employees are treated. He said they have concerns about family-and-medical leave, the handling of grievances, and other issues in the work-place. The union has 27-hundred-50 members. Oshkosh said its offer was quote, “a very good overall package, especially in today’s economy.” A spokesman said the firm was disappointed over the union’s vote.

Top Stories, August 30th

In Session: Dodge County Alcohol Court

8/30/10 - A new alcohol court will be called into session this week in Dodge County. Judge Brian Pfitzinger has been working on starting an alcohol court since campaigning for his circuit court seat in 2008. Pfitzinger says a person who pleads guilty to a second or third OWI can choose to enroll in alcohol court as a condition of their probation. Instead of just having a typical 20-day prison sentence, Pfitzinger says probation agents, alcohol court coordinators and the court itself will monitor the offender’s sobriety throughout the 18 month probation. While offenders in alcohol court may see a lesser jail sentence, the court still has the option to increase those penalties if the offender chooses not to remain sober. Pfitzinger says the goal is to get the offender sober for their own good and for the good of the community. The plan was approved by the county’s judges earlier this month. The county board, however, refused to fund the program, but Pfitzinger says volunteers from the community stepped forward.

Investigation Continues Into Fatality

8/30/10 - Authorities continue their investigation into a fatal accident Friday morning in the town of Oak Grove. 61-year-old Sheila Fuller of Horicon was killed after rear-ending a stopped truck on Highway 33. The jaws-of-life were needed to remove Fuller from the vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the Beaver Dam Community Hospital. The driver of the truck, 50-year-old Russell Keel, was uninjured.

Madison Street Detoured This Week

8/30/10 - There will be a detour on Madison Street in Beaver Dam all week long for a resurfacing project. Milling is expected to begin this morning at Curie Street and proceed northerly to Rowell Street. Paving is scheduled for tomorrow and Wednesday with pavement markings painted by Thursday night. Madison Street should be opened to traffic by Friday.

Pedestrian Bridge In Place

8/30/10 - The pedestrian bridge in Beaver Dam’s Tower Parking Lot was installed on Friday but won’t be open for use until the end of next month. In the meantime, the city will be working on lot improvements, which include redesigned parking spaces, a pedestrian path and landscaping. The bridge is part of the city’s phase two downtown revitalization plan that began last year with the removal of ten buildings from the floodway over the Beaver Dam River.

Top Stories, August 30th

Operations Committee To Review Construction Projects

8/29/10 - The Beaver Dam Operations Committee will get an update on various projects currently under construction when they meet tomorrow night. Marty Sell will MSA Integrated Project Delivery will make a presentation on preliminary plans for the new $5.1 million police station and municipal court. That comes as the city begins the process of advertising for bids on the project. Meanwhile, demolition of the former YMCA on Park Avenue continues. That’s the site of the new station. Physical demolition of the exterior building began in the past week. The project itself is one month behind schedule and $52,000 over budget, due primarily to unforeseen environmental issues. Construction of the new station is slated to begin by early October. The Operations Committee is also expected to review the status of road construction projects, like North University Avenue and Stone Street, when they meet at 6:30pm tomorrow night in the Municipal Building.

Madison Street Resurfacing Begins Monday

8/29/10 - The detour route signage is in place for road work on Madison Street in Beaver Dam. Milling is expected to begin tomorrow beginning at Curie Street and proceeding northerly to Rowell Street. Madison Street will be repaved Tuesday afternoon and should be completed by this Wednesday. Pavement markings will be painted by Thursday night and the street should be opened back up to traffic by Friday.

Columbus LED Street Light Installation Stalled

8/29/10 - After three professional recommendations on how to proceed no action on LED Street Light installation in Columbus has been started. Taxpayers and rate payers could be saving money with the proposed LED Street Lights. The City has already received a $159 thousand dollar grant to replace 642 Sodium Vapor lights with new LEDs. However, the City and the Water & Light Utility cannot agree on ownership, installation and maintenance issues. Who will own street lights and poles still remains a question. Council member Roger Sneath said the City will be saving money whether the lights & poles were owned by the Water and Light Utility OR the City. Mayor Bob Link told the Council that he is frustrated that recommendations from Water and Light’s Ad Hoc Committee, Consultant Murray Sim and Advisors from Baker Tilley have not been accepted by the Utility. Alderman Sneath agreed that action on the project should begin soon. Meanwhile, Water & Light Superintendent John Andler said the Utility is “waiting for direction” from the City. The LED lights will come up again at the September 7th Council meeting.

Passenger Dies En Route To Milwaukee

8/29/10 - A passenger on a flight from Las Vegas to Milwaukee died of an apparent heart attack, forcing an emergency landing early Saturday. The victim was from New York. The AirTran Airways flight set down at Denver International Airport at about 2:50 a.m. The plane was met at the gate by an ambulance, but 64 year old passenger Stephen Enves was dead on arrival. The Elmhurst, New York, man was traveling with his wife. An airline spokesman says a passenger applied CPR and an automatic external defibrillator was used as those on board the plane tried to save his life. The flight continued to Milwaukee at about 6:30 a.m. Saturday.

Jefferson County Exception In Redistricting Study

8/29/10 - The U.S. Supreme Court has long held the concept of “a county” reflecting a community of interest, made up of similar people, according political scientist Mike Wagner. By this standard the Badger State ranks high with how our congressional districts are drawn. Wagner says Wisconsin does a much better job keeping counties intact. He cites exceptions like Jefferson County, which is split between Democrat Tammy Baldwin and Republicans Jim Sensenbrenner and Tom Petri. Wagner is co-authoring research in a first-of-its-kind national analysis of voting behavior. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor says political awareness can be affected in split areas. The study asserts that voters who had been carved into new districts that mainly covered areas outside their home counties knew far less about their new House candidates than voters who weren’t redistricted.

Consumer Protection Fields Telemarketing Texting Complaints

8/29/10 - The addition of cell phones to the state’s do not call list for telemarketers has made the service even more popular, but it also has some businesses changing tactics in how they reach out to consumers. Some have turned to text messaging and it can end up costing cell phone users money to see a message they didn’t necessarily ask for. State Division of Consumer Protection Administrator Janet Jenkins says, while the no call list stops telemarketers from talking to you, the law only applies to voice communications. As a result, it does not prevent businesses from sending you unwanted text messages. Jenkins says the agency has received complaints. However, she says they can’t do anything about them until there’s a change in state law to incorporate texting technology.

Unemployment Compensation Fund Debt Grows

8/29/10 - Wisconsin’s unemployment compensation fund continues to reflect a bad economy. The projected deficit is in the billions of dollars, and options range from more borrowing from the feds, decreasing benefits, or raising taxes on employers. Based on how the economy is fairing, state Senator Jon Erpenbach says the best option is likely going to be to continue borrowing for a while. He says it would be unwise to raise taxes on businesses, especially if cuts in benefits would also be necessary. At last count, the unemployment fund debt was nearly one and a half million dollars - and growing. The state has already borrowed more than a billion dollars from the federal government in order to continue paying unemployment claims.

Teacher Resigns Over Questionable Emails

8/29/10 - A fifth grade teacher in Chippewa Falls has resigned after an investigation found more than 34 hundred questionable e-mails. Teacher Beth McElhenny was suspended last February and she resigned last week. The investigation showed she wrote e-mails about her drug and alcohol use, sex, her misuse of sick time and comments about co-workers. McElhenny gave co-workers demeaning nicknames like "Dumpy," or "Bellowing Cow." She had taught fifth graders for seven years and was a district librarian for 14 years before that.

Impetigo Hits West Allis High School Athletes

8/29/10 - About a dozen Nathan Hall High School athletes have been hit with impetigo in West Allis. The health commissioner says he thinks the outbreak has been mostly contained. The skin infection usually appears as blisters, boils or sores on the face and hands, though it can appear anywhere on the body. The school district reports it sent a letter to parents last week. Sanitation measures taken appear to be working since no new cases have been reported recently.

Mukwonago Schools Mascot Complaint Filed

8/29/10 - The Mukwonago Indians will find out if they need to come up with a new team nickname in the next month and a half. An attorney for the school district says a complaint at a hearing Friday was, quoting here, "unfair, unjust and unfounded." The Wisconsin Indian Education Association has called the symbol used by Mukwonago a stereotype that promotes discrimination. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction must render its decision in the next 45 days. Wisconsin is the first state to put a law in place requiring school systems to change team names, logos and mascots. Mukwonago is the third school system to face a formal complaint.

‘Citizens For Chickens’ Hits The Airwaves

8/29/10 - They lost a city council vote last week, but advocates of backyard chickens in Medford aren’t giving up. Instead they’re turning to the airwaves, hoping the mayor or least one council member will reconsider their votes. “Citizens For Chickens” are pooling their money for an ad campaign on the local radio station. Joe Kohn, whose three chickens precipitated the council action, says he’s been given a month to get rid of his birds. His eight year-old son Zachary is heard on the commercial, urging chicken supporters to contact the mayor and council. The city council deadlocked 4-4 on August 17th, on a measure to prohibit keeping chickens in the city - and Mayor Mike Wellner voted in favor of the bird ban.

Top Stories August 28th

Woman Killed in Two-Vehicle Accident


8/28/10 - Authorities say 61-year-old Sheila Fuller of Horicon was killed yesterday morning in a two-vehicle accident on Highway 33. It happened just before 10 a-m near Grove Road the town of Oak Grove. The truck was stopped westbound on Highway 33 waiting to make a left turn when Fuller’s VW Bug struck it from behind. Fuller was extricated from the vehicle and taken to Beaver Dam Community Hospital where she was pronounced dead. The driver of the truck, 50-year-old Russell Keel, was uninjured. The investigation into the accident continues.

The Bridge is In

8/28/10 - The pedestrian bridge for the Tower Parking lot is now installed. Delayed by a couple days workers put the bridge in place yesterday morning. It will be another month before the bridge will be available for use as the city works on lot improvements, which will include redesigned parking spaces, a pedestrian path and landscaping. The bridge is part of the city’s phase two downtown revitalization plan that began last year with the removal of ten buildings from the floodway over the Beaver Dam River.

Waterloo Among Those Looking to become a stop for New Train

8/28/10 - Four Wisconsin cities, including Waterloo, say they’re interested in replacing Oconomowoc as a stop for the high-speed passenger train that’s planned from Milwaukee-to-Madison. The D-O-T’s Cari Anne Renlund says along with Waterloo three others, Sun Prairie, Hartland and Wauwatosa have all asked her agency about the possibility of hosting the rail station that was pulled from Oconomowoc last week. Renlund says her agency will listen – but it might be too late to make a change, since the D-O-T has a self-imposed deadline in September to get the stops all set. And because some of the daily runs would be non-stop, Renlund says the project does not need to add stations. The federal government has approved 810-million-dollars in stimulus money to build the train, which is scheduled to start operating in 2013. But both major Republican candidates for governor vow to scrap the project if they’re elected this fall. Scott Walker and Mark Neumann say the state can’t afford the cost of operating the train once it gets going, but Democrat Tom Barrett says it would be a boom to the state’s economy. D-O-T Secretary Frank Busalacchi said Oconomowoc lost its station because the city was no longer interested. But city officials said they were penalized for asking questions about local costs.

Roundup Nets 370 Illegal Aliens

8/28/10 - A roundup of criminal illegal aliens across the Midwest results in two dozen behind bars in Wisconsin. The state Department of Justice says 24 people were arrested in northeastern Wisconsin. Operation Cross Check Midwest was carried out by state law enforcement and federal immigration agents, with 370 people picked up. U.S. immigration officials say those targeted had been convicted of crimes ranging from theft to sexual assault and were from countries all around the world. Many could be deported, while some will face federal prosecution for illegally reentering the country.

WI Turned Down for Waiver on Voting law

8/28/10 - Wisconsin was turned down Friday in an effort to be exempt from a federal voting law. The law is designed to protect the voting rights of troops and other Americans overseas, by requiring states to send ballots to those people at least 45 days before an election. But that put Wisconsin in a pickle, because the deadline to send ballots for the November election is September 18th. And the state will not be finished certifying the results of the September 14th primaries by then. So Wisconsin joined nine other states and Washington D-C in getting waivers from the new federal law. Reid Magney of the state’s Government Accountability Board said its waiver request was rejected this morning by the U-S Defense Department.

BD to Partner with UW-Oshkosh

8/28/10 - The Beaver Dam School District is one of 20 districts in the state that will share $1.9 million to help teachers deepen their content knowledge in math and science, and strengthen their classroom instruction of those subjects. Beaver Dam will partner with the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in a mathematics partnership that Superintendent Steve Vessey says will allow them to provide staff development and also have the university show them through certain data points how they can improve. The grant is for nearly $272,000 over two years. Several other area schools, including Cambria-Friesland, Fall River, and Lomira are also part of partnerships with other universities as well.

Walker: “I misspoke”

8/28/10 - Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker has modified what he said about cutting back on Badger-Care-Plus if he’s elected. During a debate Wednesday night, Walker and his primary opponent Mark Neumann both said they would make reductions in the state’s health care program for the poor. Walker said he would put time limits on the program, and said Badger-Care was only meant to be a temporary step as people moved into permanent employment. But on Thursday, Walker said those comments referred only to the Badger-Care recipients in the state’s W-2 welfare-to-work program. Governor Jim Doyle increased the amount of time people can spend in that program, and Walker said he was concerned those people would also be on Badger-Care longer. He said he mis-spoke during the debate.

Funds to Help Reduce Effects of Future Flooding

8/28/10 - Wisconsin is getting a 15-million-dollar federal grant to help reduce the effects of future floods and other natural disasters. The Badger State is among 13 sharing a total of 312-million dollars from the Department of Housing-and-Urban Development for disaster mitigation programs. HUD’s Brian Sullivan says they include things ranging from home buy-outs and relocations, to retro-fitting homes so they’ll hold up better during severe weather. He said Wisconsin qualified for the new funding because of the way it spent over 100-million-dollars in HUD money in 2008 – when 30 Wisconsin counties became disaster areas due to heavy floods. The state spent part of that money on mitigation efforts – and Sullivan says the new funding will build on those efforts. The National Institute of Building Sciences says that for every dollar spent on disaster mitigation, four-dollars are saved in future disaster recovery costs.

State Warning Poultry Farmers

8/28/10 - Wisconsin poultry farmers are warned about the discovery of a virulent form of Newcastle disease on two islands of the Door County peninsula. The disease was discovered during routine testing of dead double-crested cormorants on Pilot and Spider islands. The virus only affects birds and is no threat to the human population. Wisconsin state veterinary officials say this form of Newcastle disease can be transmitted to domesticated poultry, though it has happened only once in the past. If it did occur, other nations could ban U.S. poultry and poultry products.

Top Stories August 27th

Dog Attack Victim Died from Blood Loss


8/27/10 - Dodge County Medical Examiner P.J. Schobel says the 4-year-old girl killed by a dog on Wednesday died due to a loss of blood. Schobel says Taylor Becker was bitten multiple times by a five-year-old boxer named Rocky. Meanwhile, Taylor’s father, Brian Becker, doesn’t blame the dog’s owner, Steve Beauprey. According to Sheriff Todd Nehls, Becker is good friends with Beauprey and doesn’t want the incident to be viewed as something that could have been avoided. The attack took place just before 1 p-m in the backyard of a home in the town of Hubbard. Nehls says their investigation into the incident continues but he doesn’t expect any charges to be filed. The dog, a boxer, is currently at the Dodge County Humane Society and will remain their on a 10-day quarantine while they perform certain tests. Nehls says the owner of the dog has told him that he would like the dog to be put down.

Robbery Suspect Dies from Gunshot Wound

8/27/10 - A Watertown man suspected in a weekend robbery died from a self-inflicted gun shot wound yesterday. 27-year-old Corey Kuehl was involved in a standoff with Waukesha police Wednesday night. Tactical officers surrounded the Extended Stay America, where Kuehl had barricaded himself in a room. Police said they had long negotiations with Kuehl before they shot tear-gas into the room. They then heard a gunshot, went in, and found Kuehl with a head wound. Kuehl was flown to Froedert Hospital where he died yesterday. Watertown Police said Kuehl was suspected of robbing the Aurora Pharmacy on Sunday. Officials say they also believe he was involved in another robbery on August sixth in Cross Plains west of Madison.

Columbia Co. Authorities Looking into Rumor

8/27/10 - Columbia County authorities are trying to find out if a man was pushed into the Wisconsin River, instead of jumping to his death on his own. Sheriff Dennis Richards said his investigators heard a rumor that 39-year-old Robert Kleist was pushed off the Highway 60 bridge at Prairie du Sac on Monday night. And officers are looking for evidence to see if that’s true. But Richards says there’s no evidence at the moment that the incident was anything more than a prank. Kleist’s body was found yesterday after an extensive search. A D-N-R warden found the body near a railroad bridge in Sauk City, about a mile-and-a-half downstream from where he went under. Kleist and two friends jumped 60 feet off the bridge. The other two made it out safely, but the sheriff said Kleist went in awkwardly and disappeared. Jennifer Leifer, one of the victim’s friends, told the Sauk-Prairie Eagle newspaper that five people had gotten together after a friend had visited from Pennsylvania. And the three men decided to jump off the bridge quote, “for old time’s sake.” She and another woman to decided to stay on the bridge. Leifer said Kleist landed on his stomach.

Unemployment Drops in July

8/27/10 - Local unemployment rates were down across the board last month. Dodge County dropped to 7.9 from 8.1% in June. Last year at this time it was at 10.4%. Fond du Lac County was down three-tenths of a percent to 7.6%. Jefferson County sits at 8.4% down from 8.6%, while Washington County dropped six-tenths to 7.3%. Columbia County was also down six-tenths of a percent to 6.9% giving it the lowest rate in the area. 63 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties saw their actual unemployment rates go down and eight saw double digit decreases from a year ago. Dane County continued to have the lowest rate at 5.5% while Menominee County has the highest rate at 18.7%. The statewide rate was 7.8-percent. That’s down three-tenths of a percent from June and more than a full percentage point lower than a year ago.

Grulke Attorney: BD Board “Deceptive and Misleading”

8/27/10 - The attorney for Cheryl Grulke says the Beaver Dam School District’s statement that settlement of two pending discrimination complaints would cost in excess of $200,000 is deceptive and misleading. Bob Shumaker says Grulke wants her job back as a high school secretary without having to interact with the people she alleges harassed her. But Shumaker says if the district wasn’t willing to do that they could also place her on paid leave until she retired, which he believes is where the board got their $200,000 figure. Grulke is alleging she was harassed and discriminated against by former high school principal Don Patnode and two others in the main office at the high school. In a press release earlier this week the district confirmed that while Grulke did file a complaint, the report about the investigation contained no evidence that supported the claims. The district says as part of the $200,000 settlement about $30,000 would have been in attorney’s fees.

Woman and Child Injured in Afternoon Accident

8/27/10 - A woman and one of her children were taken to the hospital Wednesday afternoon after being involved in a two-vehicle accident. It happened just after 2pm at the intersection of Shady Lane and Highway M near Juneau. Authorities say a truck driven by 22-year-old Matthew Mullin failed to yield the right away to an SUV driven by 32-year-old Sara Hendricks and the two collided. Hendricks suffered a leg injury and her 4-year-old son sustained some facial injuries. Both were taken to the hospital. Hendricks other child in the car, a baby less than a month old, was not injured. Mullin was citing for, among other charges, failing to yield causing great bodily harm.

Percentage of People Behind on Mortgages Goes Up

8/27/10 - Just over six-point-six percent of Wisconsin homeowners were behind on their mortgage payments in the second quarter of this year. That’s two-tenths of a percent higher than the first quarter – but it’s also two-tenths’ percent lower than at the same time a year ago. The figures come from the Mortgage Bankers Association, which says that about two-and-a-percent fewer Wisconsinites are behind on their mortgages than the national average of almost nine-point-four percent. Jay Brinkman of the mortgage bankers’ group says the numbers contain both good-and-bad news. The good news is that foreclosures are down, and the percentage of loans more than 90 days overdue has gone down. The bad news is that the number of mortgage loans at least 30 days overdue went up from the previous quarter – and that could lead to more foreclosures. Brinkman says the housing story is really an employment story – and the mortgage delinquency rate will improve only when there’s a consistent increase in jobs.

Frugal Wisconsinites

8/27/10 - Wisconsinites are legendary coupon clippers – and another survey confirms it. Scarborough Research says Milwaukee ranks first in the nation in the percentage of coupon use among major U-S cities. Forty-five percent of households in 10 Milwaukee area counties either clip or download coupons for groceries each week – well above the national average of 32-percent. Also, 20-percent of Milwaukee area people use non-grocery coupons at least once a week – again, much higher than the national average of 13-percent. Not surprisingly, Scarborough says the use of coupons has risen during the economic downturn.

Top Stories August 26th

Name Released in Dog Attack


8/26/10 - Authorities have released the name of the four-year-old Hustisford girl who was killed early yesterday afternoon when she was attacked by a dog in the town of Hubbard. Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls says it happened in the backyard of a home, owned by Steve and Stephanie Beauprey, on East Neda Road. A neighbor passing by around 12:45 p-m witnessed the end of the attack and alerted the adults inside the home, but it was too late. When emergency responders arrived they found Taylor Becker unresponsive with multiple wounds. She was taken to the Beaver Dam Hospital and later pronounced dead. Taylor and her family were visiting friends at the home where the attack took place. The Sheriff’s Department says it’s believed the dog slipped out of its collar during the incident but that was of no-consequence because the dog had free reign of the backyard even while on a leash. Authorities say the dog, a boxer, did not have any history of violence and it’s been taken to the Dodge County Humane Society while the investigation continues.

DC Sheriff’s Search for Burglary Suspects

8/26/10 - At nearly the exact same time as the dog attack, the sheriff’s department was contacted about a burglary in progress at a home in the Town of Calamus. Sheriff Todd Nehls says it happened at a home near the intersection of County Road D and Forest Road. A family friend had pulled up to the home and saw a man and woman he didn’t know. After giving him an excuse why they were in the home the friend called the Sheriff’s Department and they took off. Nehls says the caller gave them a good description of the vehicle, and the people, and they are currently working leads to find them. The only thing initially found to be missing from the home was some jewelry.

BD School Board: Kids Need Our Focus

8/26/10 - The Beaver Dam School Board is trying to set the record straight and move on at the same time. That was the message in a press release issued by the full board yesterday, which talks about its current personnel issues while at the same time stressing the need to put the kids first. In recent months allegations of harassment at the high school have surfaced. In the press release the district says there were two complaints filed alleging a hostile work environment, harassment, and discrimination. One complaint was investigated, and the allegations could not be substantiated. The second complaint was also investigated, but put on hold while the two parties tried unsuccessfully to resolve the matter. The district says both issues remain open as a possible settlement would have cost the district in excess of $200,000. Board President Bev Beal-Loeck says the board has spent a lot of time on personnel issues, and will continue to spend the time needed for that, but their focus also has to be on the kids in the district. Beal-Loeck went on to say the board has set three goals for itself and the district. Those include establishing better two-way communication with those in the community, increasing the academic achievement in all grade levels, and create an 18-month rolling action plan with a five-year vision to address facility needs. The board anticipates the two legal issues will result in litigation against the district. If it does, the district says it has litigation insurance that would cover the court costs minus a $5,000 deductible.

BD Man Facing Reckless Endangerment Charge

8/26/10 - A Beaver Dam man faces a number of charges after he allegedly injured a pregnant woman by dragging her with his vehicle. 23-year-old Jake Pankow was in Columbia County Court yesterday where he faces charges of first-degree reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, and two bail jumping charges. The alleged incident happened early Saturday night in Rio. In the criminal complaint, the woman, who is four months pregnant, got out of Pankow’s vehicle and when she reached in the window to get some of her belonging Pankow rolled up the window and drove off. The woman says she was dragged by the vehicle for about 10 to 15 feet before letting go. The woman suffered cuts and bruises from the incident and was taken to the hospital by an ambulance. If found guilty, Pankow could serve more than 19-years in prison.

Man Too Drunk for Jail

A8/26/10 - man with a warrant out for his arrest turned himself in early Wednesday morning at the Dodge County Jail. The only problem was that the man was so drunk they couldn’t keep him there. 31-year-old Benjamin Kalmus has had a warrant out for him since April when he failed to appear at a court hearing. Early this morning Kalmus went to the jail on West Center Street in Juneau to turn himself in. However, after taking him into custody authorities administered a preliminary breath test that registered .33, more than four times the legal limit to drive. Kalmus was taken to the Beaver Dam Hospital for medical clearance before being transferred to a facility in Madison that deals with those who may need drug or alcohol treatment.

Man Caught Red Handed by a Family Picture

8/26/10 - A 59-year-old man has pleaded innocent to misdemeanor theft, after he was seen stealing a family’s bag in one of their vacation photos. John and Katharine Myers of New Jersey and their two kids were at the State Capitol in Madison last Saturday, attending a wedding. Afterward, they posed for pictures outside the Capitol and forgot the bag when they left. A short time later, John Myers went back and looked at the pictures, to see if he could find any clues. And he saw a man rummaging through the bag behind the family. He then went back to the Capitol, and officers eventually tracked the man down on a nearby street. He still had the bag – and Myers’ wallet was among the items recovered. Police said the defendant, Glenn Lambright, frequented the Capitol grounds.

Top Stories August 25th

Authorities Looking for Witnesses of Fatal Accident


8/25/10 - The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the publics help with their investigation into a fatal motorcycle accident that killed a Beaver Dam man last Monday. 57-year-old Craig Conway of Beaver Dam died in the mishap, which occurred in the afternoon hours of August 16th on Highway 16 near Ixonia. According to their initial investigation authorities said a semi-truck made a “U”-turn in front of Conway’s motorcycle and the two collided. Now Sheriff Paul Milbrath is asking that vehicles following Conway’s bike and other witnesses come forward to help in their investigation. The driver of the truck, 39-year-old Jeremy Pearce of South Carolina, is charged with Homicide by Negligent Use of a Vehicle. He’s due in court for his preliminary hearing on Thursday.

Accountability at the Top of the List

8/25/10 - New Beaver Dam Superintendent Steve Vessey is touting accountability as he begins his first school year on the job. Vessey says first and foremost will be accountability in the classroom, where they’ve developed a data dashboard that will show the academic progress currently in the district, what the goals are, and a timeline to achieve those goals. That data will be published each year to show where the district is. He also says as Superintendent he intends to evaluate other administrators in the district every year, something that many say hasn’t been happening under former leadership. Vessey also intends to be accountable to the community and plans to do so by holding question and answer sessions at local establishments on a regular basis and doing a monthly radio program where the phone lines will be open to ask any questions the public may have. For more information on those events you can contact Vessey’s office. The first day of the new school year in Beaver Dam is next Wednesday.

Fox Lake Looking for Man Who Allegedly Assaulted Teens

8/25/10 - Authorities in Fox Lake are looking for a man that may have sexually assaulted numerous teenage girls. Police Chief Jim Rohr says they took a complaint about 10-days ago of a 13-year-old girl having been touched inappropriately by a 21-year-old man. Through their investigation it appears there may be other victims. Rohr says victims being targeted are girls between the age of 13 and 16. It’s believed the suspect is driving a blue or green Mustang. Anyone with information about the case or the suspect is asked to contact the Fox Lake Police Department.

Solutions Sought for Residents in Columbus

8/25/10 - Columbus residents along Second Ward Creek have lived with “high water” problems for years. Last night the City, and some of the home owners along the Creek, heard a report on a Storm Water Study underway to determine what can be done to prevent the wet basements, sandbagged yards, and property damage caused by heavy rains and flash flooding. The Columbus Council heard from City Engineer Jason Lietha who is conducting

a detailed topographical survey of Second Ward Creek and developing a hydrology model to find out causes of the frequent high water episodes. Property owners have attended Council meetings over the past two months with reports of property losses and theories on how to fix the high water problems. The process of talking to home owners along the Creek has already begun. The Council is hoping to receive a report on the Study in October. However, any major City and DNR fix is not likely to get underway till 2011.

Federal Funds for Stem Cell Research Withheld

8/25/10 - The federal government has withheld 70-million-dollars in upcoming grants for embryonic stem cell research in Wisconsin and elsewhere. That’s after Federal Judge Royce Lamberth ordered a halt to the funding on Monday. U-W Madison – the pioneer of embryonic research – gets about five-million federal dollars a year for its work. The Medical College of Wisconsin near Milwaukee gets up to three-million-dollars. Stephen Duncan of the Medical College says he has doctoral candidates working with embryonic stem cells that will have to be halted. And Duncan says some of Wisconsin’s top scientists could be stolen by states like California – where voters approved three-billion-dollars in state funds a couple years ago to become a worldwide leader in the field. Wisconsin Right-to-Life hailed the judge’s ruling, which the Justice Department says it will appeal.

Railroad Improvements in Dodge County

8/25/10 - The Union Pacific Railroad is improving 40-miles of tracks from Milwaukee to near Lebanon in Dodge County. The company said the first of two projects began last week, and will be finished in just over three months. The total cost is over nine-million dollars. Over 33-thousand new railroad ties are being installed. Almost 25 miles of rails are being replaced. And surfaces are being replaced at 57 crossings. The Union Pacific serves almost two dozen states in the western two-thirds of the U-S.

Credit Unions Struggle

8/25/10 - Six of the 10 largest credit unions in Wisconsin saw their net incomes go down in the first half of this year, compared to the same time in 2009. But all 10 finished in the black. And new state records show that some made money. The Royal Credit Union of Eau Claire had the biggest increase in net income on a percentage basis – 196-percent. The Community First Credit Union of Appleton had a 100-percent jump in its net income. The U-W Credit Union in Madison had the largest drop – from seven-point-eight million dollars the previous year to three-point-four-million for the last period. The Landmark Credit Union of New Berlin has regained its spot at the state’s largest facility, based on its total assets of over one-and-a-half billion dollars.

Fall River Among Schools Getting Funds

8/25/10 - The Fall River School District is among 48 public and private schools getting more than $750,000 in federal funds over the next two years for school breakfast programs. Grants range from $1,400 to $41,000 per school or district. Fall River will be getting over $19,000. St. Jerome School in Columbus is slated to receive $4500. Poynette will get just over $9300 while Waterloo is in line to receive $2500. Jon Janowski, Director of Advocacy for the Hunger Task Force, says the money is sorely needed as the economic downturn has more families qualifying for the reduced meal program. He says families that previously would not have considering taking part, are now signing up. Wisconsin still ranks near the bottom in terms of the number of qualified kids participating in school breakfast programs as well as the number of schools offering both school lunch and breakfast. However Janowski says the state has been “making gains” in the past ten years.

Mayville K9 Frankie Dies

8/25/10 - The Mayville Police Department has lost their K-9 dog. Frankie, who had been with the department since 2003, died on Saturday from an untreatable form of cancer that was diagnosed earlier this year. A visitation for Frankie is being held today from 11 a-m to 1 p-m at the Mayville Pavilion. Immediately following that a service will be held to honor Frankie’s service to the community. At the conclusion of the service, burial will take place at Rienzi Pet Cemetery in Fond du Lac. Officials say the public is invited to attend the visitation and ceremonies.

Mega Million Jackpot at $115M

8/25/10 - Nobody won the 115-million-dollar Mega Millions’ jackpot last night, so it goes up to 133-million for the next drawing on Friday night. No Wisconsin players won the quarter-million-dollar second prize, either. Friday night’s jackpot is the highest since April 20th. And it’s the 11th drawing for 100-million-dollars or more since the game started being played in Wisconsin in early February. Friday’s cash option is just over 92-million-dollars.

Top Stories August 24th

Referendum Set in Randolph


8/24/10 - The questions have been set for a referendum in the Randolph School District. In November, voters will see two options on their ballot. The first will ask them to approve a bond not to exceed $12.6 million to build an extension at the high school for grades six through eight, as well as a gym. A second option pushes that number up to $20.8 million, which would have the district building a pre-kindergarten through 8th grade addition at the high school. Officials say if the first option were to pass an owner whose property is valued at $150,000 would see an additional $369 per year added to their tax bill, while if the second option were to pass it would increase that to $624. Public forums to discuss the referendum will be held in October.

Bids Going Out for Flood Walls

8/24/10 - The Operations Committee last night authorized the city engineer to send out bids for the proposed flood walls along the Beaver Dam River. The walls would run on the north and south sides of the river between the Beaver Street and Center Street Bridges. Mike Laue with MSA Professionals said the original cost estimate for the project was $200,000, but that only considered the north side wall. When you add in the south side the project jumps to $450,000. Laue says Finance Director John Somers told him there is enough money left in TIF District #6 to cover the higher amount if it fact turns out to be that much. The plan, Laue says, is to bid the project in two parts. The hope is to begin construction of the wall this year to be able to take advantage of some Federal Emergency Management Agency funding.

Demolition Costs Increase for Former YMCA

8/24/10 - The demolition of the former YMCA in Beaver Dam is going to cost the city an additional $12,000. The Park Avenue property is the site of the planned $5.1 million police station. Officials say two block walls that needed to be taken down contained a material that had to be disposed of at a landfill. The money approved by the Operations Committee last night is addition to $40,000 approved earlier this month to deal with more lead and asbestos than what officials first thought was onsite. Construction of the police station is expected to start next month as planned.

Man Feared Dead After Jumping from Columbia Co. Bridge

8/24/10 - Rescuers are looking for a man who disappeared, after jumping 60-feet into the Wisconsin River at Prairie du Sac. He was one of three people who jumped last evening from the Highway 60 bridge. Columbia County Sheriff Dennis Richards said two people landed safely, but a man went under after landing awkwardly. He said the water was about 10-feet deep. Authorities were called about 7:30 last evening. Jennifer Leifer of Baraboo watched the three jump into the water. She told a reporter they were doing it quote, “for old time’s sake.” Leifer said she and the others were drinking since noon – and the sheriff said alcohol appeared to be a factor in the incident.

Beaver Dam Man Faces Gun Charge

8/24/10 - A 21-year-old Beaver Dam man is facing a felony charge after allegedly shooting off a gun early Saturday morning. It happened at an apartment complex in the 800 block of South Lincoln Avenue. James E Luck was taken into custody after witnesses reported him shooting the gun into the air. The felony charge is for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Additional charges include misdemeanor Endanger Safety and Disorderly Conduct. Luck was convicted of retail theft in 2007.

Higgins Back in Horicon

8/24/10 - Horicon Superintendent Gary Berger says high school Principal Jeff Higgins is back at work in a limited capacity after being put on administrative leave in early June when issues between he and his staff came to light. An independent investigation showed that Higgins had violated some terms of his contract, but nothing to the extent that would warrant his termination. Higgins served a five-day unpaid leave of absence earlier this month, and Berger says he is also completing a number of other requirements before being brought back full-time.

Train Spending Higher Than Expected

8/24/10 - State officials now say they’ll commit 300-million-dollars by the end of the year to the planned high-speed train from Milwaukee-to-Madison. That’s much more than 50-million originally estimated. And Republicans accuse Democrats of making it harder to cancel the project – which Scott Walker and Mark Neumann have both promised to do if they’re elected in November. The federal government has provided 810-million stimulus dollars for the rail line. And Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi recently told a media outlet yesterday that 300-million will have been spent this year. But a D-O-T spokesperson clarified that yesterday saying the state will have entered into contracts of that amount – but it will not necessarily have been spent. Walker, the Republicans’ endorsed candidate for governor, says the figure is probably just 100-million – and if he’s elected, the state would only pay for work that’s actually done. Renlund says the next Legislature would have to vote to cancel the project, but Walker says he could do it himself. Neumann, Walker’s primary opponent, says the state is quote, “burning through money on a poorly thought-out project that will be a burden to taxpayers.” Both Republicans say the money would be better spent on fixing roads-and-bridges. But Governor Jim Doyle says the federal grant can only be used on trains – and if Wisconsin doesn’t spend it, another state will. Busalacchi says the train would be a boom because it would connect Wisconsin with the Twin Cities and the rest of the Midwest. The main Democrat in the governor’s race, Tom Barrett, supports it.

Fake $100 Bill Passed in Beaver Dam

8/24/10 - Police in Beaver Dam are looking at another possible passing of fake currency in the city. Deputy Chief Dan Schubert says they took a report of a fake $100 bill being passed over the weekend at the Kwik Trip on North Spring Street. Schubert says they’ve turned the case over to the Secret Service. The department turned over a similar case to the federal government earlier this year when a number of fake $10 bills were passed at area businesses.

Top Stories August 23rd

Town of Elba Bomb Scare


8/23/10 - The Dane County Bomb Squad was called to a residence on Ninabuck Road in the Town of Elba Friday night after the homeowners reported a suspicious man. Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls says his department received a report just before 10pm that that the subject was acting odd and then fled the area but not before placing what appeared to be an improvised explosive device in the back of their van. It was soda bottle wrapped in tape but was determined not to be a danger. A couple hours later, just after midnight Saturday morning, deputies responded to reports of a naked man running around the Astico Park campground. Deputies took 29-year-old Seth Christian of Sullivan into custody and determined he was the same man suspected in the bomb scare earlier in the evening. Christian was taken into custody on charges of Lewd and Lascivious Behavior, Disorderly Conduct and felony Bail Jumping. Christian is also facing charges related to a three-county high-speed chase last month.

DC Sheriff’s Investigate Missing Money

8/23/10 - The Dodge County Sheriffs Department is investigating the theft of $4500 from a Reeseville man early Saturday morning. Authorities say the victim heard a noise outside of his residence on Lincoln Street just before 2:30am and when he went out to investigate, the cash was stolen from his front pants pocket. It is unknown why the victim was carrying that much money. Detectives have interviewed several suspects and the investigation is ongoing.

BDUSD Turns Over Documents

8/23/10 - The Beaver Dam School District has complied with a court order and turned over around 350 pages of documents requested by Dan Grulke that he contends will show the district did not properly deal with accusations of harassment and discrimination at the high school under previous administrators. Among the documents released are statements that show the district has paid about $100,000 since 2006 in legal fees, including $32,000 since last October when two employees came forward with their concerns about discrimination and harassment in the school. Grulke’s attorneys are still reviewing the documents, which also include personnel records of seven current and former employees.

New Bridge Going in at Tower Parking Lot

8/23/10 - The new pedestrian bridge for the Tower Parking Lot in Beaver Dam will be installed this week. Mayor Tom Kennedy says the contractor will deliver the bridge Wednesday and put in place the same day. It will take another month before the bridge will be available for use as the city works on lot improvements, which will include redesigned parking spaces, a pedestrian path and landscaping. The bridge is part of the city’s phase two downtown revitalization plan that began last year with the removal of ten buildings from the floodway over the Beaver Dam River. The city also removed culverts and opened a river channel in Tower Parking Lot. The installation of the pedestrian bridge over the river will reconnect the east and west sides of the parking lot. The Tower Lot will remain open during the bridge installation, but the west side will be closed for lot improvements.

West Bend Gets Power Restored

8/23/10 - Power was finally restored yesterday to the thousands who lost it during Friday night’s heavy thunderstorms in southeast Wisconsin. We Energies said the final customers got their electricity back late yesterday afternoon in West Bend. Over 36-thousand customers were without power at the peak of the storm. The West Bend, Richfield, and Trenton areas were the hardest hit. Winds of up to 60-miles-an-hour blew down power lines, utility poles, and trees. Meanwhile, folks in Milwaukee who had basement flooding twice in July were hit again. Whitefish Bay officials said 15 homeowners complained – and all of them had sewage backups last month. Village president Kathleen Pritchard said sewer repairs were underway, and the Village Board has hired an engineering firm to see what other flood-prevention measures should be taken. Meanwhile, a sunny day is in store for all of Wisconsin after some patchy fog clears this morning. Highs are expected to be in the 80’s. There a chance for more rain tonight in western areas.

Top Stories August 22nd

Man Faces 20-years in Prison for Animal Neglect


8/22/10 - A Portage man faces up to 20 charges of neglecting more than 170 cats. Allan Roach is accused of keeping dead kittens wrapped in foil in his refrigerator. Two years ago, when Roach lived in Fond du Lac, police say they entered his house, finding the smell of urine so strong it made their eyes water and made it hard to breathe. That was in 2008. Fond du Lac District Attorney Dan Kaminsky says it took so long to file the charges against Roach, in part, because of employee turnover in his office.

Beaver Dam Woman Sentenced

8/22/10 - A 24-year old woman was sentenced this week after being convicted as a repeat drug offender. According to prosecutors, Ashley Chapman of Beaver Dam sold a baggie of what turned out to be a gram of cocaine to a police informant back in March. The conviction comes nearly four years after Chapman was found guilty of the same manufacturing/delivering charge. Chapman was sentenced to three-years in prison, five years of extended supervision, and had her license revoked for six months. Another charge was dismissed but read into the record.

Columbia County Authorities Warn About Break-ins

8/22/10 - Authorities in Columbia County are looking for those responsible for a number of recent break-ins at residences and businesses in the Pardeeville-area, as well few thefts from unlocked vehicles. Sheriff Dennis Richards says at least one of the vehicle break-ins resulted in a handgun being stolen. Anybody with information about this or similar break-ins are asked to contact the Sheriff’s Department or the Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-800-293-8477.

Fall Victim’s Mother: “Worst Day of My Life”

8/22/10 - The mother of a 12-year-old Florida girl who plunged 100 feet to the ground on a free-fall ride at a Wisconsin Dells amusement park last month says watching her daughter fall was the "worst day of my life." Julie Marti spoke Friday at the Madison hospital where her daughter Teagan is being treated following the July 30 accident at Extreme World. Julie Marti says she immediately rushed to her daughter's side after the fall. She says she was bleeding from her ears, mouth and nose and she thought she was dead. Julie Marti says her daughter remains on a ventilator and is in stable but critical condition. The update came two days after the Terminal Velocity ride operator was charged with a felony count of first-degree reckless injury for releasing Marti too early.

Information Meeting Set on Future of Jefferson School in Waupun

8/22/10 - Officials in Waupun plan to hold a public information at the end of the month to discuss the possible future of the property on which the Jefferson Elementary stands. There has been talk about using the property to create a community recreational facility but that mostly stemmed from a resident applying for grant through a national program put on by Pepsi. The meeting is an attempt to separate the facts and rumors of the plan and also to hear feedback from representatives of the different groups that currently use the facility, including softball, baseball, and soccer. The meeting is slated for August 30th at 6pm in city hall.

Recovery from Recession Happening but Slowly

8/22/10 - A new economic forecast says there has been more hiring in 2010 than once expected, but employment won't return to pre-recession levels in Wisconsin until 2013. The quarterly Wisconsin Economic Outlook from the state revenue department was released Friday. It says the state had been forecast to add 20,150 jobs in 2010, but it has already added 24,500 since January. Manufacturing led the way with 10,900 jobs. More jobs should slowly be added in the coming months. The forecast calls for 1.7 percent employment growth in 2011 and 2.5 percent in 2012. Wages and salaries are expected to rebound with a 1.2 percent increase in 2010 after falling 4.5 percent in 2009. Personal income, a broader measure than wages and salaries, is predicted to grow by 2.5 percent in 2010 and 4.4 percent in 2011.

Health Care Will Be Hot Topic

8/22/10 - Wisconsin lawmakers will likely spend a lot of time talking about health care in the next year. They have to prepare for new federal health rules and how many people in the state should receive Medicaid. One of the first tough decisions of the newly-elected state legislature when it convenes next year has to do with health care for the poor, and how much Wisconsin can afford. Although federal health reform expands Medicaid, a provision allows states with deficits to scale back coverage by changing eligibility requirements. Funding the burgeoning Medicaid budget isn't the only challenge facing lawmakers as they get ready for health reform. Milwaukee Representative John Richards co-chairs a special committee which is discussing health reform implementation. The special committee will meet over the summer and into the fall to lay the groundwork needed for federal health reform. States have to show they are ready by 2013, with implementation the following year.

Large Disparity in ACT Scores of Blacks and Whites

8/22/10 - The latest ACT scores for Wisconsin show one of the highest disparities between black and white students ever recorded. The 2010 numbers show African-American students with an average ACT composite score of 16, compared to 23 for white students. In recent years, the difference has been just over five points. African-Americans in Wisconsin have also generally tested around 17 for an average ACT composite score. Thirty-one percent more African-Americans in Wisconsin took the ACT compared to last year. A spokesman for the state Department of Public Affairs says while a large achievement gap exists between white and black students, the DPI has adopted what’s called the Common Core State Standards for English, language arts, and math. The goal is to implement those standards in school districts, to boost student performance.

Another Marijuana Grow Operation Uncovered

8/22/10 - Marinette County officials have uncovered another marijuana grow operation and it may be connected to similar ones found last week in Menominee and Oconto Counties. Marinette County Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Jerry Sauve says more than 3,000 plants were located and eradicated this week at a grow site found in a wooded area. While they don’t know for sure, officials believe it is connected to a larger bust last week that uncovered thousands of pounds of marijuana. No arrests have been made. Sauve says they’ve suspected growing was going on in the County for some time, but it wasn’t until this week that a major effort was made to find it through a ground search. He says they suspect there may be others in the area, and anyone who finds marijuana growing in the woods should contact authorities.

Trade-in Mercury Thermometers at the Fair

8/22/10 - It’s not too late for attendees of the Dodge County Fair to trade-in their dangerous mercury thermometers for battery-operated digital thermometers at no cost. Mercury is a toxic substance that can harm both humans and wildlife, and has been blamed for illnesses ranging from mood swings and gum disease to paralysis, poisoning of the nervous system, and even death. When a mercury vapor thermometer breaks, the mercury can evaporate, creating a risk of dangerous exposures to mercury vapor in indoor air. The thermometers should be brought in their storage cases or a disposable rigid plastic container. The Dodge County Health Department is coordinating the exchange and they will have a booth in the Family Living Tent.

Top Stories, August 21st

Storms Knock Out Power, Down Trees

8/21/10 - Strong storms swept through several parts of Wisconsin last night. More than 20 thousand customers lost power for a time in southern and central Wisconsin, according to a spokesman for We Energies. Over two thousand Alliant Energy customers were without power in Dodge County as a result of last night’s storm. Spokesman Scott Reigstad says another 150 of their customers lost electricity in Columbia County. The bulk of the affected customers were in the Mayville area, but there were also outages reported in Beaver Dam, Horicon, Brownsville and Iron Ridge. Over a quarter of the homes had power restored within a few hours and most of the remaining customers were back online by midnight. Hail the size of golf balls was reported in Brown County. Mayor Gary Henke in New London declared a state of emergency and ordered people to stay off the flooded streets and sidewalks. Henke said downed power lines were creating life-threatening situations all over that town. In Outagamie County, flooding closed roads into the Village of Black Creek. The Washington County Sheriff's office said its radio transmissions were interrupted by the bad weather for about 90 minutes Friday afternoon. Wind gusts topping 70 miles per hour were reported in West Bend and New London.

Showers Fail To Dampen Fair Spirits

8/21/10 - And the band played on. Severe weather that swept through the area last night forced the cancellation of some activities at the Dodge County Fair, but “Tesla” took to the grandstand stage with only a 45 minute delay. The Fair Association’s Sharon Keil says the rock band wound up playing a full show to a large crowd in spite of the late start. Other events did not fair so well. The carnival midway never reopened after the pouring rains and high winds. Friday night’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Contest was also cancelled as was Saturday morning’s Horse Pull. Saturday afternoon’s Tractor Pull and Sunday’s Demolition Derby will take place as scheduled. Some souvenir vendors wound up closing shop early but most of the food and beer vendors stayed open. Part of the American Legion tent blew down but was back up a short time later. Power was knocked out briefly to the two big exhibitor tents but was restored within a few hours. There were no injuries on the fairgrounds. Keil says the weather “absolutely” put a dent in ticket sales last night, but the afternoon was packed and she says overall sales should be ok. It got pretty muddy out there and Keil says while the track got pretty beat-up the grounds shouldn’t be in too bad of shape for the weekend.

Saturday at the Fairgrounds

8/21/10 - There is a full schedule of activities today at the Dodge County Fair. Judging continues all day in the Youth Building and Farm Progress Arena. There is a small animal auction in the Farm Progress Arena from 4pm to 6pm. Three is free bingo in the Talent Tent all afternoon. There are pig races near the Youth Building at 2pm. The 4-H & FFA Dress an Animal Contest gets underway at 3pm in Radio Park. Geoff Landon is on the Radio Park stage at 5pm and 9:30pm. Eric Church is on the Grandstand Stage at 8pm.

Rollover Closes Northbound Lanes of 151

8/21/10 - The northbound lanes of Highway 151 through Beaver Dam were closed for over an hour Friday evening after a one-vehicle rollover accident. It happened on the Highway 33 overpass at 6:20pm. Traffic lanes were re-opened around 90 minutes later. The 39-year-old man Brodhead man driving the vehicle sustained minor injuries and was cited for drug possession.

Brummond Sentenced In Child Sexual Assault

8/21/10 - An elderly Mayville man will spend 12 years in prison for sexually assaulting an 8-year-old girl. In June, Kenneth W. Brummond pleaded “no contest” to a felony count of First Degree Child Sexual Assault for the incident last August. He was sentenced Friday morning. According to the criminal complaint, the 82-year-old admitted the offense and told authorities he wasn’t sure why he did it. Brummond was also sentenced to four years of extended supervision, must complete sex offender treatment, sign-up for the sex offender registry, provide a DNA sample and pay for the victims counseling.

Thrill Ride Operators Accused of Late Night Repairs

8/21/10 - Police caught workers making middle-of-the-night repairs to a Wisconsin Dells thrill ride, just hours before a state inspection was to take place. It happened at Extreme World, where a 12-year-old girl was critically injured the week before on the Terminal Velocity ride that was being fixed. The Wisconsin State Journal uncovered the police report. And state Commerce spokesman Tony Hozeny said the repairs did not violate any state rules because the agency has still not allowed the ride to operate. Teagan Marti of Florida is expected to be partially paralyzed after she fell 100-feet to the ground from the Terminal Velocity free fall ride. That was on July 30th. On August fifth, a park employee told police the control arms which guided a net that was supposed to catch Teagan had not been replaced in eight years. And he said they were rusted “beyond the ability to turn them.” The employee also told police that a state inspector was coming the next morning, and they needed to replace the arms before the inspection. Hozeny said he could not confirm that state inspectors were at the park August sixth. Extreme World owner Bill Anderson did not comment on the repairs. A man who operated the ride during the accident, 33-year-old Charles Carnell of Lake Delton, is charged with felony reckless injury.

Federal Aid Targets Lay-Offs in School Districts

8/21/10 - Wisconsin school districts are being told how much they’ll receive from the new federal aid package that’s designed to prevent public employee layoffs. The bill included 179-million dollars to Wisconsin schools to prevent teacher layoffs. The state Department of Public Instruction says its allocations are based on the general school aid formula. Beaver Dam is getting nearly $740,000, Watertown is slated for about 895,000, and Waupun will get almost $440,000. The state Administration Department says the allocations won’t change, and schools can start spending the money now to cover salary-and-fringe benefit costs from August 10th on. But many schools are not making promises to return laid-off teachers just yet. And Beaver Dam Business Services Director Andrew Sarnow says he’s not sure what impact the money will have because its unclear whether it’s part of the general aid the state gives each year or something separate.

UW Regents Seek $83 Million To Boost Enrollment

8/21/10 - The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents has approved a plan that would increase the UW's budget by more than 83 million dollars - to grow enrollment and restore employee raises that were cancelled a couple years ago. The University System says the increase would help it add almost 6,000 new students as well as new teaching and research jobs. About 66 million of the money would come from state tax dollars. But at least one University leader is worried that what the UW is promising in terms of enrollment growth may not be possible for this amount of money. UW-Madison Chancellor Biddy Martin says that's because the System's plan assumes it can educate each new student for three-quarters as much as it costs right now. Martin says that's not realistic. The U-W will also ask later this year for another budget increase of tens of millions of dollars to cover higher utility costs, fringe benefits and debt service. The proposals come as the state budget is already $2.5-billion dollars in the hole.

Feingold Pleased With Troop Drawdown

8/21/10 - U.S. Senator Russ Feingold says he’s pleased with the drawdown of U.S. troops in Iraq. The Wisconsin Democrat voted against the invasion and called for a timetable for withdrawing those troops five years ago. Feingold says it was a mistake to be there in the first place and it’s a mistake to remain in Afghanistan. Feingold says the longest war in the nation’s history is costing us 100 billion dollars a year. He says the real threat remains terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda, which only has a modest presence in Afghanistan. He says countries such as Pakistan and Yemen are where we need to be focusing efforts.

Walker Admits Mistake With Video

8/21/10 - Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker says his campaign aides made a mistake when they forwarded a music video that some people find offensive to African-Americans. Henry Sanders, an African-American Democrat running for lieutenant governor, is the latest to criticize Walker's staff for re-tweeting the video of black people dancing to a song about trains. Sanders says it was at best, insensitive, to pass along a blogger's joke that the video was President Obama’s reply to Walker's criticism of high speed rail. Following a campaign stop in Brookfield, Walker was asked about the staffers' forwarding of the video. He contends the controversy won't hurt his standing among African-American voters. Sanders and some other Democrats have asked Walker to apologize for his aides’ usage of the Internet to share the music video. The Democrats say the buck should stop with the candidate, namely Scott Walker.

Top Stories, August 20th

Friday Night At The Fair

8/20/10 - It is day three of the Dodge County Fair and Friday night as always is rock night with “Tesla” headlining on the Grandstand Stage. “My Idiot Brother” is playing on the Radio Park Stage afterwards. Today is also “Healthy Kids Day” at the fair and there will be plenty of kid’s games at Radio Park, along with music provided by local 4-H-ers. The Kiddie Pedal Pull is in front of the Grandstand at noon. The WXRO Barn Show Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Contest at Radio Park gets underway at 5pm. Among the participants this year: the Wisconsin Senate Minority Leader, mayors from Beaver Dam and Mayville, and your favorite local community theater actors. Three Fairests’ of the Fair will be competing against the Dodge County Fire Queen and the Wisconsin Honey Queen. In addition, nationally-acclaimed wildlife artist Frank Mittelstadt will compete as will Casey Carney from one the Barn Show’s favorite bands: Casey & The Moonshine Band. And finally, Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls will face his opponent in this September’s Republican primary: former Dodge County Sheriff Steve Fitzgerald. Our guest judges are Dodge County Circuit Court Judge Brian Pfitzinger and retired Judge Dan Klossner. The cost to enter the fair before 2pm is $6 and after 2pm its $10. Kids under age 9 are free. There is no additional charge for the grandstand acts, the cream puff contest or parking.

Opening Night Fair Attendance Higher Than ‘09

8/20/10 - Opening night attendance at the Dodge County Fair was up this year compared to 2009. Fair Association Treasurer Sharon Keil says there were 5794 single admission tickets sold on Wednesday, which is over 1400 more than last years 4367. The numbers do not include season ticket sales, which won’t be tabulated until tomorrow. Keil says the number of exhibitors was also higher this year.

Fair Implements Wristband System For Alcohol

8/20/10 - Fairgoers planning on drinking alcohol this year will have to get a wristband first. The Dodge County Fair Association Board approved a plan to charge one dollar to adults interested in drinking. The Fair Associations Sharon Keil says the hope is to reduce underage drinking while also raising money for charity. Proceeds will be donated to the Shop with a Cop program, The Dodge County Emergency Response Team, the Moraine Park Technical College Corrections Club and the Wisconsin State Troopers Association. Keil says the wristband idea will be revisited prior to next years fair.

Alcohol Court Added in Dodge County

8/20/10 - Undeterred by a rejection from the county board last year Judge Brian Pfitzinger has accomplished one of the goals he set forth when campaigning for circuit court judge in 2008. Last week the county’s judges approved the implementation of an Alcohol Court. And according to Pfitzinger it will cost the county next to nothing. He says a subject would plead guilty to 2nd or 3rd OWI and be placed on probation for 18-months. During that time the individual’s probation agent, the courts, and the department of corrections would work together to provide a unified front to help the person remain sober, including counseling. Pfitzinger says the enticement for the individual to participate would be less jail time up front while the benefits for the county include a more sober community and a county that isn’t forced to use limited resources to deal with the issues that come with alcoholism. The first participants in the program are scheduled to start September 1.

Burnett Home Destroyed By Fire

8/20/10 - Fire destroyed an unoccupied home in Burnett yesterday (Th) afternoon. Crews were called to N9393 South Tower Road just before 1:30pm after a neighbor reported the fire. The structure was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived on scene. There were no injuries and the cause of the fire has not been determined. A nearby shed sustained heat damage. The Burnett Fire Department had mutual assistance from Beaver Dam, Horicon and Waupun.

Tiegs Convicted in Stabbing

8/20/10 - It took a Dodge County jury yesterday two hours and 20 minutes to convict a Mayville woman of Aggravated Battery for stabbing a man in the chest. Beverly Jean Tiegs did have a penalty enhancer of being a repeat offender dropped, which could have added six years to her pending sentence. Authorities responded to a 9-1-1 hang-up call in April of last year and when they conducted a safety sweep of the residence they found the victim hiding in the closet. He said he went to the home to fix Tiegs window and she accused him of stealing cash so she stabbed him. According to the criminal complaint, the victim said the 44-year-old Tiegs was acting “crazy goofy” and had been drinking and taking prescription medications. A pre-sentencing investigation was ordered. Tiegs bond was revoked and she is being held without bail pending sentencing.

6500 Jobs Added In Wisconsin Last Month

8/20/10 - Wisconsin’s job picture is brighter than it was a month ago. State officials announced Thursday that 65-hundred private sector jobs were added last month on a seasonally-adjusted basis. That after a-thousand jobs had been cut the month before. The new statewide adjusted unemployment rate is seven-point-eight percent for July – down from seven-point-nine in June. And Wisconsin remains much lower than the national jobless rate of nine-and-a-half percent.

Shortfall In Tech College Aid

8/20/10 - Wisconsin’s technical colleges say up to 30-thousand students who apply for financial aid this year won’t get it, because there’s not enough money. Morna Foy of the tech system told a legislative panel there’s now a large gap between those who qualify for financial aid, and those who receive it. A couple years ago, six-to-seven thousand students who qualified for Higher Education Grants did not receive them. But last year, Foy said the number grew to 25-thousand – and it will be around 30-thousand this year. Students who don’t get state grants often apply for federal Pell grants. But Foy says they also use credit cards and higher-interest loans to get through tech school – and they’re saddled with higher levels of debt when they graduate and start contributing to their communities. The Higher Educational Aids Board says everyone from the U-W to tribal schools has the same problem. The technical college system plans to ask for an additional 23-million dollars in financial in the next state budget. But it might be hard to come by – because the state is projected to face a two-and-a-half billion dollar budget shortfall.

Corrections Official Commuting From Illinois

8/20/10 - If Wisconsin has a prison disturbance in the next five months, the man in charge of responding might have to drive in from Illinois. Bill Grosshans is about to retire in January as the Corrections Department’s administrator of adult institutions. And according to the Associated Press, he recently moved from Fort Atkinson to Galena Illinois. Instead of keeping his state-owned vehicle at home at night, as required by department policy, Grosshans is being allowed to park it at an elementary school lot in Hazel Green – still in Wisconsin but five miles from his house. Because of his impending retirement, Corrections Secretary Rick Raemisch approved an exemption of the policy regarding the home parking of state vehicles. Corrections’ spokeswoman Melissa Roberts told the A-P that Grosshans spends at least one night a week in Wisconsin anyway, as he travels to various lock-ups around the state. But even with the Hazel Green set-up, she said it would not affect the state’s overall response time to a disturbance. Grosshans does not get mileage reimbursement, since he drives a state vehicle. Recently, auditors said an attorney that oversees casino gambling got 26-thousand dollars in mileage the past three years for commuting to Madison from his home in Chicago.

Kuenzi Trial Moved Out of Waupaca County

8/20/10 - A jury from outside Waupaca County would hear the possible trial of a man charged in a drunken driving death. Judge Philip Kirk said it would be impossible for 26-year-old Rori Kuenzi to get a fair jury in his home county. That’s because of the hostility that still surrounds Kuenzi’s alleged involvement in the killings of six deer with a stolen snowmobile in January of last year. Kuenzi is one of three riders still facing charges for that incident. Judge Kirk said the hostility from that case was unlike anything he’s seen in his career. The drunken driving death occurred in 2004. Kuenzi is accused of hitting Kevin McCoy with his pick-up truck, then dumping his body in a ditch and leaving the scene. Kuenzi was not charged with that death until last year, after the state Justice Department took over the investigation. 24-year-old Walter Engel is charged with perjury in connection with the traffic death – and Judge Kirk allowed Engel and Kuenzi to be tried separately. Kuenzi is scheduled to go on trial November 15.