Top Stories, October 18th

Open Water Duck Hunting On BD Lake To Be Discussed

10/18/10 - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will hold an informational meeting next week on the possibility of allowing open water duck hunting on Beaver Dam Lake. DNR Migratory Game Bird Ecologist Kent Van Horn says it will not be a public hearing as there is no proposed rule. He says its part of a citizen-generated proposal currently focusing on 13 lakes in Wisconsin that are larger than 1000 acres. Open water duck hunting is currently limited to the Great Lakes, Lake Winnebago, Green Lake, Petenwell Flowage and some areas of the Mississippi River. The idea to expand open water hunting started in 2006 when a citizen submitted the idea during the annual Conservation Congress meetings held in each of the state’s 72 counties. In 2007, the Conservation Congress asked people attending those hearings if an ad hoc committee should be assembled to study the issue, and the questions received a positive vote in every county. A Committee was formed made up of duck hunters, DNR biologists, conservation wardens and representatives of lake associations that developed criteria and evaluated 130 of the largest lakes in Wisconsin. The committee also proposed a 1000 foot buffer, meaning it would have to be at least that distance from shore. Van Horn says these are “scoping” meetings to receive local input before reporting committee recommendations to the Natural Resources Board. The meeting will be held at the Beaver Dam Town Hall on County Highway W at 7pm.

Libertarian Gubernatorial Candidate In Beaver Dam

10/18/10 - The Libertarian candidate for Governor was in Beaver Dam on Friday. Terry Virgil is only on the ballot as Lt. Governor but is running for both seats because his running mate did not secure enough signatures to appear on the ballot. If elected to both seats, state law would permit him to appoint his own replacement for Lt. Governor. Virgil says he wants to stimulate the economy with tax cuts by getting rid of the property tax, real estate tax, income tax and death tax in favor of a flat tax. Virgil says he is a family values candidate and is pro-life. He is in favor of concealed carry and the Second Amendment and a supporter of the death penalty. Virgil is also against the proposed high speed rail line from Milwaukee to Madison.

BDPD Groundbreaking Ceremony Wednesday

10/18/10 - Ground will officially be broken this week on the site of a brand new police station and municipal court in Beaver Dam. Mayor Tom Kennedy says the public is invited to the ceremony marking the start of construction phase on the $5.1 million dollar facility. The groundbreaking will be held at 10:30am on Wednesday on the west side of the project site.

Winterization Efforts Getting Underway in BD

10/18/10 - City officials in Beaver Dam are getting ready for winter. The Parks and Forestry Department says city park piers will be removed from Beaver Dam Lake beginning this week, weather permitting. Two boat piers will remain at Tahoe Park and Waterworks Park until ice-up, or until the weather makes it necessary to remove them. Restrooms at city parks will also be winterized and closed for the season beginning this week.

UPDATE: Kennedy Listening Session CANCELLED

10/18/10 - Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy has cancelled his listening session schedueld for Tuesday morning. Kennedy says there has been a conflict with his schedule. The next listening session will be held on Tuesday, November 2 from 10am to noon.

Farm Tech Days Preview

10/18/10 - Central Wisconsin gets a first look at the site of next summer’s Farm Technology Days in Marathon County. Ken and Karen Seehafer hosted a “sneak peek” event at their farm just north of Marshfield. Marathon County officials have been planning for the show for about the past two years, but Ken Seehafer said he’s been preparing for a lifetime. He says it’s something he’s always wanted to do. The Seehafers milk about 250 cows and farm nearly 900 acres. Farm Technology Days runs July 12th through the 14th and it will be the third time Marathon County has hosted the show.

Columbus City Hall Open House Scheduled

10/18/10 - Columbus will be holding a City Hall “Open House” later this month. The City will be showing the results of four months of renovating the historic building. The new first floor 40 chair Council Chambers and public-friendly Administration offices will be heated and air conditioned by a new H-VAC system that replaces failing 45 year-old furnaces and fans. The City is also installing briefing and communications equipment to change the former City Hall Police Dispatch area into a City “Emergency Operations Center.” EOC activities were previously run from a second floor room in the Fire Station. The City Hall Open house is scheduled for Tuesday, October 26 between 5pm and 6:30pm right before the Council Committee of the Whole meeting.

Marian University Offers Homeland Security Institute

10/18/10 - The first of its kind in the state of Wisconsin; Marian University in Fond du Lac has launched an Institute for Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. Director Dan Zimmerman says part of their goal is to learn from local and state officials what needs to be addressed for disaster planning and training. Michelle Majewski, Dean of Marian’s School of Criminal Justice, says the Institute will prepare students for careers in homeland security and public service. She says once prepared students could find jobs at federal, state, and local levels. She says the Institute will be the first of its kind in the state, with the nearest being in Illinois. Next month the Institute will host the school’s 2nd annual Homeland Security Symposium. It’s slated for November 17th.

Oshkosh Corp Secures $459M Contract

10/18/10 - The Oshkosh Corporation will build another 12-hundred Army trucks. The company announced a 459-million-dollar order Friday. Most of the new vehicles will be designed to carry ammunition and other supplies – and they have a trailer system that reduces the Army’s need for fork-lift vehicles and other handling equipment. The trucks have been used extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan. Deliveries in the latest order are scheduled to be finished by August of 2012.