Monday, February 28, 2011

Top Stories, March 1

Walker Not Concerned About Unfair Labor Charge

3/1/11 - The state government’s largest public employee union filed an unfair labor practice charge Monday against Governor Scott Walker. The Wisconsin State Employees Union accused the Republican Walker of refusing to negotiate on a contract that was supposed to take effect almost two years ago. The union asked the state’s Employment Relations Commission to extend its previous contract – and to require the Walker administration to engage in collective bargaining. During a news conference in La Crosse this afternoon, Walker replied that the state is quote, “completely legal.” With deficits in the next two budgets, Walker said the state does not have the resources to bargain in good faith. In the governor’s words, “They can file suits but the law is on our side.” Walker canceled the union’s contract extensions as of March 13th. The union said it had a tentative agreement which the Assembly approved in December. But the Senate failed to ratify the deal on a tie vote. Walker has since asked lawmakers to pass an adjustment to the current state budget that wipes out most collective bargaining powers of public employee unions. The Assembly okayed the measure, but action is being held up in the Senate which 14 Democrats stay away to delay a vote.

Obama Supports Collective Bargaining

3/1/11 - President Obama told the nation’s governors Monday what he told a Milwaukee T-V reporter 12 days ago – that public employees should not have their bargaining powers infringed to help state governments cut their spending. The Democratic president told the National Governors Association in Washington that he understands the economic challenges facing deficit-ridden states. And he said everyone should be prepared to quote, “give something up.” But Obama said it should not mean that public employees should be quote, “vilified” during budget debates. He didn’t mention Wisconsin or Ohio by name, but he aimed his comments specifically at them, as Republican governors in both states push for bills for a virtual end to public union bargaining rights. Obama said the nation must attract its best-and-brightest to public service. Without mentioning public unions, Obama said the country would not attract the best teachers quote, “if they only make a fraction of what other professionals make.” And he said the nation might not be able to quote, “convince the bravest Americans to put their lives on the line as police officers or fire-fighters, if we don’t properly reward that bravery.”

PAVE Awaiting Budget Address Numbers

3/1/11 - Domestic violence advocates will be keeping a close eye on the governor’s budget address. Jamie Kratz-Gullickson is the Executive Director of PAVE, People Against Violent Environments in Beaver Dam. She says they get $120,000 a year for domestic violence services and even a ten percent reduction in that state aid could result in major changes to their operation. As a worst-case scenario, she says they might have to cut staffing and-or scale back their around-the-clock shelter for victims of domestic abuse. The tough economy is forcing belt-tightening on the state and federal-level, and Kratz-Gullickson says, unfortunately, those same budget problems result in increased domestic incidents. There has been a 450% increase in nights of shelter given at the Beaver Dam shelter since the economic downturn in 2007. PAVE also relies on fundraising to meet part of their budgetary needs and the non-profit is hosting their Second Annual “Sweet Thanks” fundraiser this Friday at the Beaver Dam Veterans Center. Our own Lezli Young is the Master of Ceremonies and auctioneer Julius Tempkin is in charge of the dessert auction. One hundred percent of the proceeds will directly benefit PAVE of Dodge County.

Horicon Man Charged In Pharmacy Break-In

3/1/11 - A Horicon man is accused of breaking into the Marshland Pharmacy and stealing thousands of dollars worth of drugs. Alexander Metzger is charged with felony burglary for allegedly smashing in the front glass doors to the pharmacy last September and taking over $3600 of Oxycontin. Police were tipped to the crime by an anonymous call. According to the criminal complaint, a hair found at the crime scene matched one obtained from Metzger. When he was questioned, authorities say the 22-year-old had a white, powdery substance crusted around his nostrils that turned out to be Oxycontin. Metzger could spend over 12 years in prison, if convicted. A signature bond was set at $1000 yesterday and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for later this month.

Accused Child Molester Waives Prelim

3/1/11 - A Watertown man accused of molesting a six-year-old waived his right to a preliminary hearing Monday in a Dodge County courtroom. Cory Hammond is charged with First Degree Sexual Assault of a Child Under the Age of 12 for a pair of alleged incidents that are said to have occurred between May and November of last year. According to the criminal complaint, the 19-year-old reportedly promised the girl several presents if she kept their secret. When questioned, Hammond admitted his actions to investigators saying they were isolated incidents. He faces up to 170 years in prison, if convicted. An arraignment hearing is scheduled for the end of the month. Hammond is being held on a $20,000 cash bond.

BDFD Reminds of CO Detector Law

3/1/11 - Local fire officials are reminding residents about the new Carbon Monoxide Detector law that went into effect last month. Beaver Dam Fire Captain Russ Johnson says all new and existing, single family and two-unit homes must install a CO detector on every floor, except the attic and garage. The alarms are only required in homes that have a fireplace, wood burning stove, attached garage or a fuel burning appliance like a stove, clothes dryer or water heater.

Columbus Paving Way For ‘Safe Routes’

3/1/11 - The first of the two contracts funding the “Safe Routes to School” project was recently approved by the Columbus Council. The City will be receiving a $250 thousand dollar federal grant to make the walk or bike ride to and from school safer for students. The $48 thousand dollar first phase is for public education and traffic enforcement improvements. The second contract for major sidewalk and bike path work will be taking place over the next two years.

Archdiocese Kicks Off Stewardship Appeal

3/1/11 - Just a month after it filed for bankruptcy, the Milwaukee Catholic Archdiocese has kicked off its annual Stewardship Appeal. Archbishop Jerome Listecki has encouraged Catholics to quote, “publicly demonstrate our belief in the church’s fundamental goodness and our confidence in her future.” The church filed for Chapter-11 bankruptcy in January. It says it doesn’t have the money to pay damages in a dozen pending lawsuits that accuse the church of hiding the activities of pedophile priests many years ago – thus allowing them to re-offend. The Archdiocese insists that its stewardship donations will go to church programs and cannot be used to pay for sex abuse claims. But the plaintiffs’ attorneys are expected to challenge that. And Marquette professor Ralph Anzivino says people might be reluctant to donate money for purposes they did not intend. But Milwaukee pastor Dave Cooper said he was surprised at the positive reaction he received, when he unveiled the stewardship campaign to his congregation on Sunday. He said parishioners are not happy. But he was expected to be “told off” and he wasn’t. The Milwaukee Archdiocese serves 600-thousand Catholics in 10 counties including Dodge County. Their stewardship goal is seven-point-seven million dollars, same as the previous three years. They exceeded the goal last year, but fell short in the recession-plagued 2009.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Top Stories, February 28th

Hoeft, Kennedy Clash On Community Comment

2/28/11 - Jay Hoeft says he is closing his controversial Fountain Inn Tavern on Tuesday. The century-old building was constructed over the Beaver Dam River and is in violation of modern state statutes. Hoeft balked at a city buy-out offer that led to the demolition of ten other buildings and is apparently in negotiations with the DNR. Tensions ran high on Friday after Hoeft leveled accusations against Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy during WBEV’s Community Comment program. Kennedy shot back saying that Hoeft has been trying to scare people for the past two years by “spouting off” that the city has not complied with orders to repair the dam. Kennedy says the city’s dam is in “perfect condition.”

While Hoeft cited public safety as a reason for closing his doors, he also criticized the city’s actions during the post-flood buy-out, which saw owners for ten of eleven properties get 100% of their pre-flood assessed value. Hoeft says the city threatened property owners with condemnation if they did not accept an initial offer for 65% of the assessed value. Kennedy says the city “did not threaten” anyone but he acknowledged that the DNR could order demolition of floodway properties. Hoeft told Kennedy he wished he would have known about the buy-out plan before he sunk money into re-opening his bar. Kennedy says he is glad to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel he just doesn’t know how far away the light is as an agreement between Hoeft and the DNR has not been finalized. The DNR’s Jim Congdon told us on Friday that the two sides are negotiating but he says the department’s policy is that any information concerning land negotiations is confidential until the transaction is complete.
Click Below To Listen To Community Comment Segment from 2/25/11:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWJcHcpUw9s



Top Stories, February 27th

Jumpers Burglarized

2/27/11 - Dodge County authorities are investigating a burglary at Jumpers Bar on Highway D. Sheriff Todd Nehls says the subjects forced their way into the Town of Beaver Dam bar during the overnight hours of Friday night into Saturday morning and stole an undetermined amount of money from the ATM and poker machines. He said it’s too early to know for sure, but it’s possible the perpetrators in this crime were the same ones who broke into the Dockside Pub and Grill recently. Nehls says their investigation continues but it’s clear the subjects are after the money in the poker machines. With that in mind he’s reminding bar owners to empty the cash out of each machine every night before closing. Anyone with information about the break-in is asked to contact the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department.

Slick Conditions Lead To Accidents

2/27/11 - Dodge County authorities had their hands full Saturday dealing with rollovers and runoffs resulting from slick driving conditions. Three separate accidents occurred near Highway 151 and Hemlock Road. A rollover just after 2pm resulted in one injury. Two more accidents were reported on the same stretch of road within the same hour. The driver refused treatment after rolling his car on County Trunk Z in the Town of Leroy just after 3:30pm. Three other accidents occurred on Highway 41 in the same timeframe; no injuries were reported.

Biggest Turnout Yet In Capitol Protests

2/27/11 - Madison police say Saturdays crowd at the Wisconsin state Capitol was the biggest yet in the ongoing protests against the governor's budget bill. That legislation would eliminate most collective bargaining rights for the state's public workers. A week ago there were an estimated 70 thousand people on the Capitol grounds in Madison. Police didn't have a firm estimate for yesterday, but they did say the numbers were much larger this time. Protesters marched in heavy snow and 15 degree temperatures. They heard speeches from union members and leaders, as well as actor and Wisconsin native Bradley Whitford and hero pilot Jeff Skiles, given credit for helping land a passenger jet safely in the Hudson River two years ago.

Miller Reaching Our To Fitzgerald

2/27/11 - Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller says he has been in contact with Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald. Miller says he and other Democrats, who went to Illinois to avoid a Senate void on the governor's budget bill, have reached out to Republicans like Fitzgerald on a daily basis. Republicans say the budget repair bill has to pass the Legislature by Tuesday if Wisconsin is to avoid the layoff of thousands of state workers in April. Miller says members of his party are still trying to reach some resolution to the impasse. One possible approach is for the Democrats to contact Republican legislators who might be willing to amend or soften the budget bill. Democratic Senator Jon Erpenbach says his party members are strong in their opposition to the current plan.

Rock River Basin Mapping Study Planned

2/27/11 - The Department of Natural Resources and Federal Emergency Management Agency along with civil engineers from south central Wisconsin communities will be conducting a new mapping study of the Rock River Basin. The detailed, three-year study will have a focus on local flooding problems along the Crawfish River. It has been over 30 years since a comprehensive flood map for the Columbus- Fall River area has been charted. Original plans call for a coordinated effort between the DNR, FEMA and municipal Engineers to complete the remapping.

Sheboygan River Cleanup To Start This Spring

2/27/11 - The Environmental Protection Agency reports the cleanup of the lower Sheboygan River, its shoreline and the harbor will start this spring. It's estimated that more than 50 thousand cubic yards of mud has to be dredged out of the lower river and the harbor. The main pollution problem is the present of cancer-causing PCBs. The chemicals were used in hydraulic fluids and lubricants in electrical equipment made prior to 1977. The former Tecumseh Product plant is thought to be the major source of PCBs in the river. A public meeting about the cleanup project will be held next Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Mead Public Library in Sheboygan.

DNR Curtails Helicopter Deer Tracking

2/27/11 - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has curtailed its helicopter-based program to track deer. The DNR says the helicopter had repeated mechanical problems and failed to capture half the expected number of deer. The program had called for firing nets from the helicopter while it flew, than tagging the animals before returning them to the wild. The chopper only managed to capture half the number expected.

Taycheedah Officer Guilty of Inmate Assault

2/27/11 - A former officer at Taycheedah Correctional Institution could be sentenced up to 240 years for having sexual contact with prisoners. Thirty-nine year old Jimmie Brown was found guilty last week. He was convicted on 16 counts of second-degree sexual assault of an inmate. Brown originally faced 21 charges, bu three were dismissed by prosecutors and the jury found Brown not guilty of two more. A sentencing date hasn't been set yet. He was originally accused of sexually assaulting one inmate at the women's prison in Fond du Lac and having consensual sex with others. Wisconsin law prohibits sexual contact by a correctional officer with an inmate, regardless of consent.

Nightclub Trial Delayed Until After NBA Season

2/27/11 - Because an NBA coach might be called to testify, the trial for Aaron Marheine has been delayed until June. It was to have started next week. Denver Nuggets coach George Karl could be called to the stand in Outagamie County. Marheine is facing charges of theft and criminal damage to property. He is the former owner of the Pulse nightclub in Appleton. Karl owns the building where it is alleged commercial appliances and other items were taken. Marheine says he was allowed to sell those items in exchange for money he spent making improvements on the facility. Prosecutors say property damage totaled more than 60 thousand dollars. The trial was to have started next Wednesday, but now it won't begin until June 25 -- after the NBA season.

Not Too Late For A Flu Shot

2/27/11 - With the flu putting more than 310 people in the hospital since December, state officials are stepping up the call for Wisconsin residents to get a flu shot. The cold and flu season is reaching its peak now. Health experts suggest the shots for all age groups, but especially people 50 years old and older. That's where the greatest numbers of hospitalizations come from.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Top Stories February 26th

Contract Agreements Pass Through Committee
2/26/11 - The Dodge County Human Resources and Labor Negotiations Committee approved tentative labor agreements yesterday (Fr) between the county and seven local unions that represent over 650 county employees. The vote was four to one. In a press release issued by Human Resources Director Joe Rains, it states that the terms of the settlement agreement were in line with the county’s previously approved 2011 budget, and consistent with the county’s bargaining objectives. The negotiations began last November for contracts that expired at the end of last year. This tentative one year contract would end on December 31, 2011, with no increase in wages and no step increases for a one year period. The Dodge County Board will consider the agreements at a meeting scheduled for March 8. If the contracts are ratified and the Budget Repair Bill is passed, non-represented county employees would begin paying 5.8% of their earnings toward their retirement account but union workers would wait until after the contract expires at the end of the year. The press release states that committee members felt it would be beneficial to have the agreements in place for the remainder of the year in order to focus on what changes, if any, would be needed to ensure quality services in the county in the months and years to come. The agreement covers the Dodge County Federation of Nurses and the six AFSCME locals, which include the Highway Employees Union, Professional Employees Union, Sheriff’s Department Sworn Employees Union, Sheriff’s Department Non-sworn Employees Union, Technical and Support Employees Union, and the Health Facilities Employees Union.

Assembly Vote May Have Been Illegal Say Democrats

Assembly Democrats suggest an early morning vote approving the budget repair bill may have been illegal. Republicans suddenly ended over 60 hours of debate Friday morning on the bill, which strips most public employees of their collective bargaining rights, while several lawmakers were still waiting to speak. Democrats say Assembly rules should have required a vote to end debate early. Minority Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) says that did not happen, and that could mean the vote was illegal. Barca says Democrats will be reviewing tapes of the final minutes of the session very closely and will explore every option available to them. The vote on the bill and adjournment of the session happened in less than a minute, and came as a surprise to many in the Assembly at the time. However, Republicans had been showing increasing frustrations with Democrats during the last few hours of the debate, offering some indication they could make a procedural move to end the marathon session.

Republican Who Voted Against the Budget Repair Bill Speaks Out

A Neenah lawmaker was one of four Republicans in the assembly to vote against Governor Walker’s plan to strip nearly all public employee unions of most of their collective bargaining rights. Representative Dean Kaufert said he supports requiring workers to pay more toward their pension and health insurance, but he thought the proposal went too far. Kaufert said there are a lot of hardworking people in his district, including public employees and union members. He said they were very vocal, and that part of his job is to listen.

Some Sleepovers at the Capital to End

Protesters will have to end sleepovers in offices and hearing rooms of the Wisconsin Capitol by tonight. That's the decision of the joint committee on legislative organization. Senate president Scott Fitzgerald says law enforcement officers have security concerns about legislative offices being used as dormitories. The teaching Assistants Association has been occupying a committee hearing room for more than a week now. A spokesman for the TAA says the group will move its protest coordination office off site. But protesters will still be allowed to sleep in the rotunda and in the hallways.

BDPD Releases Crime Statistics

2/26/11 - The Beaver Dam Police Department has released crime statistics for the month of January. According to the activity report, there were two burglaries reported last month; both were residential and none involved forced entry. There were 25 general thefts reported. All of that resulted in a total of $18,453 in stolen property, of which around $850 was recovered. Beaver Dam police officers issued eleven tickets for Operating While Intoxicated, and issued two citations for liquor law violations. There were six citations for Disorderly Conduct along with eight domestic incidents, one child abuse offense and two sex offenses reported. There were 76 adults arrested in January along with 33 minors. There were 47 traffic accidents in the city last month resulting in 13 injuries.

PSC Approves Pollution Controls Plan

2/26/11 - Wisconsin’s largest polluter of sulfur dioxide will be cleaned up in the next few years. The state Public Service Commission approved a plan yesterday to install pollution controls at the Columbia Energy Center, a large power plant just south of Portage. The 627-million-dollar project is designed to reduce the plant’s mercury emissions by 90-percent – and it’s got to be done by the start of 2015. Three large utilities co-own the plant, and their customers will pay varying amounts for the controls. The action comes amid lawsuits by the Sierra Club and the federal E-P-A over the pollution at the Columbia facility. The plaintiffs said the owners should have installed the controls a long time ago, when they made modifications to the plant. But Wisconsin Power-and-Light said the changes were routine, and were not enough to trigger required pollution control improvements.

No Refund for We Energies Customers

2/26/11 - Wisconsin utility regulators will not make the state’s largest electric utility give refunds to customers for making too much of a profit. The Public Service Commission voted 2-to-1 today against credits for customers of We Energies. Lauren Azar cast the only vote in favor of the refunds, saying the utility made more in profits than what the commission approved for 2008-and-’09. But panel members Eric Callisto and Mark Meyer said the panel doesn’t let utilities raise their rates when they don’t hit their expected profit levels – and so the reverse shouldn’t happen, either. One of the issues was whether bonuses for utility executives should be considered in a utility’s profit figures. Callisto says they’re not supposed to be considered – and commission staffers will look into recent bonuses to make sure the rules are being followed.

Foreclosed Homes are a Bargain

2/26/11 - A new report says 14-percent of the homes sold in Wisconsin last year were under some stage of foreclosure. And those buyers paid an average of 35-percent less than for homes that were not foreclosed. The firm of Realty-Trac said Wisconsin had 61-hundred foreclosure deals, and they were not nearly as prevalent as the nation as a whole. Just over a quarter of last year’s U-S home sales involved foreclosed properties. And the buyers got average discounts of 28-percent. Bill Malkasian, president of the Wisconsin Realtors Association, said distressed property sales hurt median sale prices for all homes. But he said an increasing number of cash deals for foreclosed homes is a good sign – because the increase in investors shows that the overall sales decline is hitting bottom.

Peek of Flu Season is Getting Close

2/26/11 - Wisconsin’s flu season is about to hit its peak, and state officials say it’s not too late to get immunized. Tom Haupt of the state’s Public Health division says the peak is coming one-to-two weeks later than normal. And it takes about two weeks for the vaccine to take effect – plenty of time to avoid deaths and larger numbers of hospitalizations. For the first time, Wisconsin hospitals are required to report their flu-related admissions. Haupt said the 50-and-older age group has had the most hospitalizations this winter – 146 since December first. Thirty-five of those people needed intensive care. The second-most common flu hospitalizations are for adults age 19-to-49, with 109 admissions. All told, 312 Wisconsinites have landed in a hospital since December first because of the flu – an average of 10-to-15 per day statewide. Haupt says H-1-N-1 is making a comeback, especially among younger people. This winter’s flu vaccine protects against both the seasonal flu and the H-1-N-1 virus.

Good Karma Broadcasting Honored

2/26/11 - The WBEV-WXRO Children’s Radiothon has been recognized by the Wisconsin Child Care Administration Association. The statewide organization supports quality early care and learning for children. At a luncheon in Wisconsin Dells Friday Good Karma Broadcasting CEO Craig Karmazin was presented with an award acknowledging the 13-year history of the Radiothon and welcoming Good Karma to their “Corporate Honor Roll.” The radio station was nominated by Renee Henning of Community Care Incorporated, one of seven organizations that has benefitted from Radiothon dollars. To date, the annual fundraiser has raised over one million dollars for local non-profit agencies that help children in the community.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Top Stories, February 25th

Fountain Inn To Close Its Doors

2/25/11 - Beaver Dam’s controversial Fountain Inn Tavern is closing its doors for good next week. The establishment formerly known as “Emotional Rescue” was the last remaining building constructed over the Beaver Dam River that remained standing after a city buy-out. The city purchased and demolished ten other century-old buildings in 2009 because their construction in a flood plain violated modern state statutes. Owner Jay Hoeft was the lone hold-out. Hoeft told us in a prepared statement that he has no other choice but to accept a DNR offer and he will close doors on March 1. He says its a public safety concern and cited the flood wall and other fill that the city used to narrow the flow of the river and also what he called “reckless dam” operation and a failure on the city’s part to fix the dam. Hoeft says that, combined with false statements and half-truths from the city and the DNR, limited the use of his property to the extent that the value was greatly reduced. Officials with the DNR did not immediately return our phone calls and the details of the agreement were not disclosed by Hoeft. Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy says he is surprised it took this long. We’ll hear more from Kennedy on the issue when he joins us Friday afternoon on WBEV’s Community Comment.

Scott Fitzgerald’s Wife Gets Layoff Notice

2/25/11 - The wife of state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald is getting a layoff notice from the school district where she works. Lisa Fitzgerald is a counselor in the Hustisford School District. And that School Board voted Thursday night to give preliminary layoff notices to all 34 of its teachers and staff – including counselors and librarians. Superintendent Jeremy Biehl said the board had no idea how the bills for the current state budget and the next one would affect their district – so they gave the required advance layoff notices to everyone, and will later reverse as many of them as possible. The Wisconsin Association of School Boards told local districts to decide on their staffing cuts by Monday – or face the risk that those actions would be challenged in court later. State law requires preliminary school layoff notices to go out at the beginning of March, and final notices by March 15th. Meanwhile, at least some other Wisconsin districts are doing what Hustisford did. The Campbellsport School Board in Fond du Lac County also decided to give preliminary non-renewal notices to its entire teaching staff.

Lautenschlager Accuses Walker of Ethics Violation

2/25/11 - A former Democratic attorney general says Governor Scott Walker might have broken ethics, labor, and election laws during the prank call with a blogger who claimed he was billionaire David Koch. The Madison Capital Times asked Peg Lautenschlager to review the audio of Tuesday’s call from blogger Ian Murphy. Walker – assuming he was talking to a big conservative financier – let loose with a number of comments. Walker said he told the blogger nothing he had not already said publicly. Among other things, Lautenschlager says the governor might have shown a willingness to commit an unfair labor practice by refusing to negotiate over his limits on public union bargaining. The former A-G said election officials should look into the legality of Walker talking to a special interest financier about buying ads for Republican lawmakers who are squeamish about voting for his measures. Lautenschlager also questioned Walker’s reply when Murphy asked him to talk about planting trouble-makers at the Capitol protests – and he decided against it so he wouldn’t lose political support. Lautenschlager said the governor has an obligation to preserve public safety. And comments that jeopardize safety quote, “simply amazes me.” The former attorney general also said ethics officials should look into Walker’s comment that it would be quote, “outstanding” if the caller flew him to California as a reward if the budget repair bill passes. Lautenschlager says that raises an ethics question of being offered something of value from outside interests.

Senate Committee Approves Voter ID Bill

2/25/11 - Wisconsin senators gave initial approval Thursday to the bill that requires voters to show photo I-D’s at the polls. The G-O-P majority did not give final approval to the mandate. That’s because it’s a fiscal bill -- and the 19 Republicans need at least one Democrat on hand to call that vote. All 14 Senate Democrats began their second week of a walk-out designed to delay a vote on the governor’s budget repair bill. And efforts by the State Patrol to round up at least one of those Democrats at their homes failed this morning. Democrats have long opposed the photo I-D requirement to vote. Earlier this week, Republicans talked about delaying the start of the law until 2012 so no money would be spent. But the G-O-P apparently decided against that. They’ve been hoping the photo I-D requirement could pass in time for this year’s general elections in April. The bill would spend just over two-million-dollars – in part to educate voters and poll workers on what’s required of them. The Senate approved an amendment this morning dealing with I-D requirements for voters who register on Election Day. They also voted to put the bill to the final step of passage. It was today’s only major action by the senators. They’re in recess until Friday or until the Democrats come back.

Governor Would Have Control Following UW Split

2/25/11 - Governor Scott Walker would have control of U-W Madison’s policy-setting body, under a plan to separate the campus from the rest of the U-W System. The university has released a summary of what the Republican Walker plans to propose in his next state budget. The state’s flagship campus would be run by a 21-member board, 11 of whom would be appointed by the governor. Various university groups would name the rest. Vice chancellor Darrell Bazzell says the school’s mission would stay the same, and it would still be a public institution with public funding – but its relationship with the government would change. Chancellor Biddy Martin has long advocated that Madison be freed of the state’s bureaucracy, and set its own guidelines for buildings, purchases, and tuition. System president Kevin Reilly called it a dismantling of the public university structure that will have consequences for all campus, the U-W Extension service, and all families who dream of having kids earn a U-W degree. The regents will discuss the plan in a special meeting Friday.

Identified Released In Off-Ramp Death

2/25/11 - Authorities have released the name of the 47-year-old Beaver Dam woman who was found near Highway 151 Wednesday morning. Shelley Kiekhaefer’s body was discovered on the side of the County Road G off-ramp just before 4am. Sheriff Todd Nehls says a passerby noticed the body. Foul play is not suspected but authorities are awaiting results of an autopsy in determining a cause of death.

Aasen Expected To Plead Out In Stand-Off

2/25/11 - A Neosho man accused of sparking a short stand-off with police earlier this month has reportedly entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors that would result in a felony charge being dropped. 59-year-old Dennis Aasen of Neosho was charged with a felony Intimidation of a Victim and misdemeanor counts of Operating a Firearm While Intoxicated, Obstruction and Disorderly Conduct. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department says they got a call from Aasen’s wife on February 10 saying she had barricaded herself and her young daughter in the bathroom after he allegedly threatened both of them while holding a rifle. Sheriff’s Deputies and the Special Weapons and Tactics Team surrounded the home and after 45-minutes Aasen reportedly came out unarmed and was taken into custody. During a preliminary hearing Thursday, Dodge County Judge Brian Pfitzinger recused himself because he is friends with the family. A computer program will assign the case to another branch. The public defender and prosecutors reportedly reached an agreement though that would dismiss the felony and Aasen would plead to a misdemeanor. A date has not yet been set for the plea hearing.

Felony Charges Reinstated In Deer Slaughter

2/25/11 - A state appeals court brought back felony animal mistreatment charges today against two Waupaca County brothers accused of killing deer with snowmobiles. The Fourth District Appellate Court in Madison said two circuit judges were wrong to drop mistreatment counts against Rory and Robbie Kuenzi of Weyauwega. They were dismissed after the D-N-R issued citations against both defendants, accusing them of breaking the state’s hunting laws. The Kuenzis used the citations to show that they were hunting, and not mistreating animals, when they allegedly ran down a half-dozen deer on a Waupaca County snowmobile trail in January of 2009. The judges agreed, saying the hunting laws exempt people from animal mistreatment charges. But the appellate court said the Legislature never intended such an exemption in this type of case. State Attorney General J-B Van Hollen praised the court’s ruling, saying it will be appreciated by all who love wildlife. A third defendant, Nicholas Hermes of Waupaca, was not included in today’s ruling. But his case has been on hold pending the Kuenzis’ appeal. Snowmobile groups throughout the state criticized the slayings of the deer when they happened, saying it hurt the public’s image of their sport. It forced other snowmobilers to go miles out of their way, after the owner of the trail closed public access where the incident occurred.

BDAAA Area High School Art Exhibit Opens Sunday

2/25/11 - The Beaver Dam Area Arts Association will be featuring the work of high school students at their new exhibit opening this weekend. March is Youth Art Month and, for the past 15 years, the Association has highlighted the talents of local teens by giving them their own exhibit. Executive Director Karla Jensen says over a dozen high schools are participating this year featuring hundreds of pieces. Jensen says the exhibit opening will include music, refreshments and an opportunity to meet the artists. The Association will also be awarding of $1000 in scholarships. The Area High School Art Exhibit opening is this Sunday from 1pm to 4pm. It runs through April 3 at the Seippel Homestead and Center for the Arts on North Spring Street in Beaver Dam.

Wisconsin Ag Sets New Record

2/25/11 - Wisconsin agriculture set two new records last year. Farmers produced just over 26-billion pounds of milk – the most ever, despite a slight decrease in the number of licensed dairy farms. And Wisconsin’s agricultural exports totaled a record two-point-four-one billion dollars in 2010. That’s up a whopping 36-percent from the previous year. Cereal grains were the biggest farm products to be exported, totaling almost 520-million-dollars. Dairy exports were next at over 213-million.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Top Stories, February 24th

County Reaches Tentative Agreement With AFSCME

2/24/11 - Dodge County and representatives of the six local AFSCME unions have reached tentative agreements for a one year contract with no increase in wages in 2011 and no step increases for a one-year period. AFSCME Staff Representative Lee Gierke says the Governor’s budget repair bill, that would take away most bargaining rights of public unions, expedited the negotiations. In past years, the contracts have been multi-year agreements but the uncertainty in Madison led to just a one-year deal. The next step in the process is for each union to ratify the agreements and then they would go in front of the full county board on March 8.

Dem’s Criticize Walker Prank Chat

2/24/11 - Democrats say Governor Scott Walker showed that he’s insensitive, out-of-touch, and out to make a name for himself during his talk with a blogger who posed as a conservative financial backer. Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca said that if Walker really talked about crushing the public unions like Ronald Reagan did, his intention is to make a name for himself instead of solving Wisconsin’s budget deficit. Senate Democrat Jon Erpenbach of Waunakee, who’s still in Illinois to avoid a vote on Walker’s budget package, said the real story is the “lack of compassion” Walker showed in his chat with blogger Ian Murphy from the “Buffalo Beast.” According to his publisher, Murphy figured he could talk to Walker if he quote, “had enough oomph behind him.” So Murphy chose to impersonate David Koch, a major financier for the conservative Americans for Prosperity. In his 20-minute talk – which was on the Buffalo Beast Web site Wednesday – Walker said he told his cabinet quote, “This is our time to change the course of history.” He discussed a plan to pass his limits on public union bargaining powers without the 14 Senate Democrats who fled to hold up the vote. Erpenbach said Walker was out of touch by calling the protestors a group of quote, “’60s liberals.” And the senator said Walker was being “delusional” by comparing himself to Reagan and the fall of the Berlin Wall. The governor’s spokesman said Walker took the same stands privately that he’s taken publicly.

Senate Approves Repeal of Racial Data Collection

2/24/11 - With no Democrats present, the Wisconsin Senate voted Wednesday to repeal the requirement that police collect racial data from the people they stop on the roads. The law took effect in January, after Democrats approved it in the last session. The officers’ data is supposed to be sent to a state office, to determine if racial profiling is taking place. But sheriffs in Racine and Kenosha counties stopped collecting the data just days after the law took effect, saying officers spent way too much time filling out reports in their squad cars – and collecting data about drivers that can be found elsewhere. The bill passed 19-to-nothing. Republicans were again the only ones present, as all 14 Senate Democrats remained in Illinois to delay a vote on the budget repair bill and its limits on public union bargaining power. The measure now goes to the Assembly. The Senate held a brief session for a second straight day without the Democrats. They also voted 19-nothing to praise the Wisconsin football team for its Rose Bowl season. Tomorrow, they’re expected to vote on a bill that Democrats have been fighting for years – the one that makes voters show photo I-D’s at the polls. A Senate committee endorsed that measure yesterday.

Special Assembly Election Set For May

2/24/11 - Special elections will be held May third for three open Wisconsin Assembly seats. Governor Scott Walker announced the date Wednesday. The Assembly posts were vacated when Republican Mark Gottlieb of Port Washington was named the transportation secretary – Mike Huebsch of West Salem was named Walker’s administration chief – and Scott Gunderson of Waterford was picked as the executive assistant in the D-N-R. Candidates for all three seats have until March eighth to file nomination papers with the state Government Accountability Board. And if more than two people run for any of the seats, a primary will be held April fifth, the same day as the spring general elections.

Forbes Gets Life

2/24/11 - Curtis Forbes was sentenced to life in prison for killing a young mother over 30 years ago. That sentence was handed down Wednesday in Portage by Columbia County Circuit Court Judge Alan White. In November, a jury picked in Jefferson County convicted the 53-year-old Randolph man of first-degree murder in the death of 18-year-old Marilyn McIntyre. She was beaten, stabbed, and strangled in March of 1980 at her apartment in Columbus. Her husband Lane was at work at the time, and their three-month-old son was in his crib. Forbes was a friend of the couple, dating back to their high school years. Authorities exhumed the victim’s body in 2008 to look for new evidence. And they arrested Forbes in March of ’09, saying that blood from both the killer and the victim were found in a sink at the apartment.

Foul Play Not Suspected In Off-Ramp Death

2/24/11 - Foul play is not suspected in the death of a Beaver Dam woman whose body found near Highway 151 Wednesday morning. The 47-year-old was discovered on the side of the County Road G off-ramp just before 4am. Sheriff Todd Nehls says a passerby noticed the body. Investigators are awaiting the results of an autopsy. The name will be released once the next of kin has been notified.

BDPD Investigating Craigslist Scam

2/24/11 - The Beaver Dam Police Department is investigating a scam that involves the online classified website craigslist. Deputy Chief Dan Schubert says the unknown suspect posted a picture of a house for rent on craigslist. The ad says potential renters should send money if they want to receive the keys to the residence. Schubert says the home was not up for rent. The picture is of a local home that is for sale and it was copied from a realtor’s website and placed in the phony craigslist ad. No one lost money in the attempted swindle and the matter is under investigation.

Behrle Gets Probation In Lottery Ticket Theft

2/24/11 - A Beaver Dam woman who stole lottery tickets from her neighbor’s house has been placed on probation. Michelle Behrle pleaded “no contest” to reduced misdemeanor charges of Criminal Trespass and Receiving Stolen Property. The victim told police that she accidentally left her door unlocked and when she returned home, she discovered her iPod missing and her laptop power cord gone. She also had $30 worth of winning lottery tickets taken from her coffee table. The victim noted that they were new Wisconsin State Lottery Green Bay Packer tickets, so new they were numbers #9 and #10. Authorities used that information to find out where the tickets were cashed and then reviewed video surveillance footage. According to the criminal complaint, Behrle says she found the lottery tickets in her backyard and blamed area kids. The 29-year-old also told investigators that when she learned her neighbor had her laptop power cord stolen, she gave the neighbor a spare. Detectives were able to determine based on the serial number that the spare power cord actually belonged to the victim. A psychological evaluation was also ordered for Behrle and she must pay $270 in restitution.

Former WBEV Announcer On Film Fest Circuit

2/24/11 - A former WBEV-WXRO radio announcer has a film entered in this weekend’s Green Bay Film Festival. Brenda Lau, whose maiden name is Schuett, grew-up in Ashippun and later attended junior high and high school in Oconomowoc. In 1976, she was the Dodge County Dairy Princess. After WBEV, Lau was a news reporter at WTMJ for a couple years before moving to Los Angeles where she is currently a senior writer and producer for ABC Entertainment. She’s the one behind the promotional segments on shows like Desperate Housewives, No Ordinary Family and Grey’s Anatomy. Her short movie “Deadbeat” is a psychological thriller about a woman whose teenage daughter runs away to her be with her father, who is a member of the Chinese Mafia. Lau says she has also made the movie into a feature-length script and television series. “Deadbeat” has already taken first place at the Vegas Cinefest and was an official selection of South Florida’s International Women’s Film Festival. In addition, if Lau is able to secure a win at the 35th Annual Cleveland International Film Festival, she can submit the short film to be considered for an Oscar. Lau will not be in attendance at the Green Bay Film Festival this weekend because she has a previous work commitment with the Academy Awards. One final note: when Lau first moved to Los Angeles, she got a behind-the-scene’s job in television along side Bill McCollum’s daughter but it was six months before the two connected the dots.

BDHS Increases Science, Math Requirements

2/24/11 - Students at the Beaver Dam High School will now be required to take more math and science credits to graduate. Currently students are only required to take two-credits in math and science but that will change to three starting with the incoming freshmen this fall. Superintendent Steve Vessey says between 80 and 85-percent of students already take three credits in both so it won’t be a huge change. The incoming freshmen will now also be required to take U.S. History as a freshman. Another course, American Problems, which is currently a full year course, will be broken into two segments. One will be about economics in the U.S. while the other will teach students about the nation’s government. Each would be a one-semester course. None of the changes would affect current students as officials say the new requirements would begin with this fall’s freshmen class.

Columbus Welcomes Train Upgrades

2/24/11 - Recent upgrades of the Amtrak “Empire Builder” route through Columbus have drawn the attention of Transportation and Rail officials. Even though Governor Walker has turned down the federal stimulus money for a Milwaukee to Madison high speed route, other routes are being considered. Last night the Columbus Council passed a resolution supporting “siting of the Chicago to Twin Cities High Speed Rail on the existing Amtrak ‘Empire Builder’ route and keeping Columbus as a boarding / alighting station.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Top Stories, February 23rd


Body Found Along Highway 151 Off Ramp

2/23/11 - Authorities are on the scene of where a body was found this morning in the town of Beaver Dam.  Sheriff Todd Nehls says a passerby noticed the body on the side of the road as they took the County Road G off-ramp from Highway 151 southbound.  He could not say whether the death was suspicious or a case of hit and run and they are working to identify the person. The southbound off-ramp is closed at this time and will be for most of the morning.  

Semi Strikes Railroad Bridge

2/23/11 - No one was injured after a semi struck a railroad bridge this morning in the town of Hubbard.  It happened just before 6 am at intersection of Highways 33 and 67.  Authorities say when the truck hit the bridge it lost its load and they were in the process of cleaning up this morning.

Watertown Priest Sentenced

2/23/11 - A former Catholic priest in Watertown has been sentenced to nine months in jail and seven years on probation for stealing thousands of dollars for an investment scheme. 66-year-old Reverend Thomas Marr was the pastor at Saint Bernard’s Catholic Church for 24 years. He pleaded guilty last December to two counts of felony theft. Authorities said he stole church funds and defrauded parishioners of as much as 613-thousand dollars. And he gave it all to a friend who said he was waiting for a big payday from a business venture in Nigeria. The friend reportedly promised a million-dollar donation to Marr’s church in exchange for his involvement. At his sentencing yesterday, Marr apologized and said he hurt people “terribly though totally unintentionally.” Some said Marr was duped, while others said he wasn’t so innocent. Marr’s lawyer said his client had no intention of committing a crime, and he had planned to pay everyone back. The judge ordered restitution of 134-thousand-dollars to 17 families who asked to be re-paid. Marr must also pay back the church. An amount is expected to be determined next month.

AFSCME Votes To Prepare for General Strike

2/23/11 - The Federation of Labor in south central Wisconsin has voted to prepare for a general strike if Governor Scott Walker gets his way on limiting public union powers. Carl Aniel of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees tells the Wisconsin State Journal that both union and non-union employees would have to stop working in governments, schools, and private businesses. But he said it does not mean that everyone would be out at a particular time. Some services could be shut down, but Aniel said critical life-and-death services would not be affected. Public employee strikes have been illegal in Wisconsin since the 1970’s, after a long and emotional walkout by school teachers in Hortonville.

Assembly Resolution Praises Police At Protests

2/23/11 - The state Assembly passed a resolution Tuesday praising law enforcement for keeping the peace during the eight days of protests on the budget repair bill. Lawmakers from both parties praised the Capitol Police, the State Patrol, and other agencies for maintaining a quote, “orderly and secure” environment for those working in the Capitol – while letting protestors have their rights. There were nine arrests as of last Friday, but officials said there have been no major incidents. Legislators said they were impressed by the professionalism of the police officers, sheriff’s deputies, state troopers, D-N-R wardens, and others who’ve worked the security detail.

Dems Cry Foul In Web Site Block

2/23/11 - Democrats howled after a pro-union Web site was shut down for a half-hour by state officials for what the governor’s office called a routine technical review. The site is DefendWisconsin-Dot-Com. It was started by U-W teaching assistants to provide information about the protests to the governor’s proposed limits on public union bargaining powers. Governor’s spokesman Cullen Werwie said the Web site is run through the Capitol’s system – and all new sites there are blocked until they’re run through a technical software approval program run by the Administration Department. But Democratic Party spokesman Graeme Zielinski took issue with that explanation. He said the pro-union site was up for a few days before it was blocked – and it was only unblocked after a reporter asked about it. He also said Werwie was not accurate in explaining how new sites are checked. Democrats also complained after the Legislature’s toll-free hotline was temporarily shut down due to a flood of calls. Werwie says the governor has repeatedly said that protestors have a right to be heard – and a debate is good for the state.

Forbes Sentencing Today

2/23/11 - The man convicted of killing 18-year-old Marilyn McIntyre more than 30-years ago will be sentenced Wednesday in Columbia County. 53-year-old Curtis Forbes of Randolph was found guilty in November of First Degree Murder and faces life in prison at sentencing. Authorities say McIntyre was beaten, stabbed, and strangled in March of 1980 at her apartment in Columbus. Her husband Lane was at work at the time and their three-month-old son was in his crib. Forbes was a friend of the couple, dating back to their high school years. Authorities exhumed the victim’s body in 2008 to look for new evidence. And they arrested Forbes in March of ’09, saying that blood from both the killer and the victim were found in a sink at the apartment.

Council Grants Two New Liquor Licenses

2/23/11 - Some Beaver Dam city officials voted against granting a liquor license in committee this week to apparently send a message to applicants to get more involved in the process. Alderman Glen Link said he voted against a license request for the Park Avenue Sports Café at 709 Park Avenue because the applicant did not find it necessary to attend Monday night’s Administrative Committee meeting. Link also said the owners “put the cart before the horse” in renovating the structure before obtaining a license. Alderman Jon Litscher disagreed saying a business that works to eliminate blight should get cooperation from the city. Alderwoman Lisa Davidson also voted against the license and expressed concerns that someone from outside of Beaver Dam, or in this case from Dane County, would be operating a tavern here. Litscher noted that plenty of applicants from Beaver Dam have attended committee meetings and lied to his face. The liquor license was eventually granted on the council floor without opposition.

The council this week also approved a liquor license for Brewski’s Ale Haus at 825 Madison Street, formerly known as Moonshiners. In voting against the license, Davidson cited an OWI pending against the applicant. Owner Josh Christian was present at this weeks meeting as were neighbors who voiced concerns about possible noise and trespassing issues. Christian said Brewski’s will be a bar and grill with more of a focus on food than live music. Litscher praised the dialogue as constructive. Litscher did, however, vote against the issuance of a Tavern Dance License for Brewski’s…but only because he thinks it’s a pointless license.

No Increase In Boat Launch Fees

2/23/11 - Boat launch fees in Beaver Dam will not be increased this year. That was the recommendation of the Lake Improvement Association and city officials this week signed-off on maintaining the $5 charge. The fee was increased last year by two dollars.

Cancer Walk Kick-Off Tonight

2/23/11 - The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Beaver Dam committee is holding their kick-off meetings Wednesday. Co-Chair Melissa DeVries says kickoff will cover everything new and returning teams need to know to prepare for this years event. The meeting will be held in the Beaver Dam Community Hospital first floor conference room. Returning teams will meet at 6pm while new teams and volunteers will meet at 7pm. The cancer walk will be at the high school track on June 24th and 25th. Last years Relay drew 30 teams and raised over $118,000.

Applebee’s Patrons Donate To Honor Flight Today

2/23/11 - If you eat at an Applebee’s restaurant today, a portion of your bill could be donated to Honor Flight, the nationwide program that fly’s World War II veterans to their memorial in Washington DC at no charge to them. Jim Bublitz, with the Dodge County wing of the Madison-based Honor Flight hub, says you have to bring a Honor Flight flyer with you to the restaurant. The flyer can be found at badgerhonorflight.org. Donations can be made to PO Box 258066 Madison, WI 53725.
































Monday, February 21, 2011

Top Stories, February 22nd

Assembly to Take Up Controversial Bill Today
2/22/11 - The Wisconsin Assembly is scheduled to begin its debate today on the budget repair bill that’s attracted thousands of protestors in Madison over the last week. Minority Democrats plan to offer more than 100 amendments. The Senate will also meet, even though 14 Democrats are still in Illinois to block a vote on the budget package in their house. G-O-P leader Scott Fitzgerald said he would not move the most controversial part of the package to another bill – the one that takes away bargaining rights for most state-and-local public unions. But Fitzgerald says the Senate can vote on other non-fiscal measures to try and lure the Democrats back – including one they strongly oppose which would make voters show photo I-D’s at the polls. That measure couldn’t come up any earlier than tomorrow, since it’s up for a committee vote today.

The budget package is meant to cover a deficit of 137-million-dollars in the current state budget that expires June 30th. Republican Governor Scott Walker says it’s needed to bring labor costs down – and to help state and local governments and schools deal with big drops in state aid in the next two years. But the unions say it’s a direct attack on them. National groups helped organize the protests, and have joined them. But Walker warned them yesterday that he’ll side with quote, “the hard-working taxpayers of Wisconsin” whom he says agree with him. Walker will further state his case directly to Wisconsinites tonight at six o’clock. It will be on the Wisconsin Eye cable channel. Among the amendments the Assembly will consider today would keep union rights for transit workers, after the U-S Labor Department said it might pull over 40-million-dollars in aid to local bus systems if they change their bargaining arrangements. But G-O-P finance chair Robin Vos calls that a “gray area.” And he’ll work to kill that change.

Bill Would Cost BDUSD Nearly $2.5M in State Aid

2/22/11 - The Beaver Dam School District would lose nearly $2.5-million in revenue if Governor Scott Walker’s budget repair bill were to pass as is. That’s according to Business Services Director Andrew Sarnow, who says the plan would mean a $500 reduction per student. He went on to say that some of the lost state aid would be partially offset by union members paying more into their health care and pension accounts. The district is running some scenarios right now to determine what that saving would be.

BD School Board Delays Vote on Retirements & Possible Punishment

2/22/11 - At the advice of district administrators, the Beaver Dam School Board delayed approving 16 submitted retirements by teachers and staff last night. Superintendent Steve Vessey says the number is much higher than in recent years and many submitted them shortly after Governor Walker’s budget repair bill was released. He says he wants to give those teachers a little more time so they can look at everything and make a well informed decision. The board also decided to wait on taking any action against the teachers who took unpaid leave last Thursday until they talk it over with their legal counsel. Both the retirements and any action against the teachers will be taken up during the board’s March meeting.

Group Looking into Doctors Giving Medical Excuses to Protestors

2/22/11 - The State Medical Society says it’s reviewing the doctors who gave out thousands of medical excuses to State Capitol protestors who skipped work. The conservative MacIver Institute broke the story after videotaping the doctors last Saturday from its offices across the street. The Medical Society said that if the reports are true, it does not condone the doctors’ actions under any circumstances. One of the doctors, Lou Sanner of U-W Health in Madison, said the protestors looked like they had a lot of stress – and excuses were not given on a “nod and a wink.” U-W Health said the doctors apparently acted on their own, and they’re investigating. The Madison School District says it’s getting the names of the doctors involved, and they’ll investigate all excuses presented by the teachers who called in sick for four days. Schools are re-opening in Madison today after being closed since last Wednesday. The Milwaukee Public Schools say their human resources department is checking each medical excuse carefully. Spokeswoman Rosanne Saint Aubin says there will be no “rubber stamp.” But Marquette law professor Paul Secunda says the teachers and others who received the notes should be on solid legal ground if they have doctors standing behind them.


LSD Encroachments To Be Addressed

2/22/11 - Beaver Dam residents living along Lake Shore Drive could see some of their trees or planters removed even though the city called-off plans to reconstruct the roadway this summer. The Operations Committee last night discussed the city’s role in addressing such encroachments. The City Engineering Coordinator reviews each encroachment as soon as it comes to his attention and if it is a traffic safety or visibility issue the property owner is given ten days to remove the obstruction. Alderman Robert Ballweg noted that the Lake Shore Drive controversy brought a number of encroachments to the attention of city officials. He says any safety hazards should be removed and any other encroachments should be noted so that current and future property owners are aware of them. Last month, the committee voted to move forward with completion of the street designs for Lake Shore, even though funding for the project was eliminated. The design plans were about 85% completed and the city would have only saved about $4000 of the $35,000 cost by scrapping the designs. Those designs will identify any trees, planters or retaining walls constructed in the city’s right-of-way.

Illinois Man Injured in Highway 151 Rollover

2/22/11 - An Illinois man was injured after rolling his vehicle on Highway 151 Monday morning. The driver lost control of his Pontiac minivan near Hemlock Road just before 10am. The vehicle rolled into the ditch, struck the cables in the median and came to rest on its wheels. The jaws-of-life were used to remove the driver. He was transported to the Beaver Dam Community Hospital with minor injuries.

Dolan Denies Moving Money

2/22/11 - Former Milwaukee Catholic Archbishop Tim Dolan says it’s “beyond ridiculous” that he moved 130-million-dollars off the church books, so it could not pay for settlements with victims of priest sexual abuse. An attorney for the victims, Jeff Anderson, raised the issue at a recent court hearing connected with the bankruptcy petition filed by the Milwaukee Archdiocese. Anderson questioned the transfers of 75-million-dollars from an investment account and 55-million from a cemetery account off the church’s books when Dolan was there. Dolan is now the Archbishop of New York, and one of his spokesmen would not comment when the matter was first raised. Dolan addressed the matter on the Milwaukee church website, calling the claim “groundless gossip.” Dolan also wrote about his record in support of priest abuse victims. He said he created a mediation process that involved settlements with 200 victims – and he called the process “virtuous and open.” Dolan said he has made mistakes, but hiding 130-million dollars is not among them. The Milwaukee Archdiocese serves Catholics in 10 southeastern Wisconsin counties, including Dodge County.

Existing Home Sales Up In January

2/22/11 - Sales of existing homes in Wisconsin went up by 16-percent in January, compared to the same month a year ago. But sellers got an average of four-point-one percent less. The Wisconsin Realtors Association said its members sold just over 25-hundred houses last month – about 250 more than the previous January. But the median sales price dropped from 135-thousand-dollars a year ago to 129-thousand-500 dollars in January. The head of the group’s board, John Hornung, said home sales rose for a second straight month – and unlike a year ago, it happened without the federal stimulus tax credits. The group said all regions of Wisconsin had higher home sales in January, and four of its six regions had increases of more than 10-percent.

BDAAA Annual Meeting Tonight

2/22/11 - The Beaver Dam Area Arts Association is holding their Annual Meeting tonight (Tues). The board will be outlining upcoming events, fundraisers, partnerships and exhibits. In addition, there will be a presentation featuring selections from last fall’s Short Film and Movie Course. The meeting, which is open to members, patrons and the general public, will be held at the Seippel Homestead and Center for the Arts on North Spring Street. The film course program begins at 7pm and the business portion of the meeting starts at 7:30pm.


















Sunday, February 20, 2011

Top Stories February 20th

Major Winter Storm Approaching
2/20/11 - Winter weather returns today for much of Wisconsin, including our listening area. We are under a Winter Storm Warning until 6 p-m tomorrow night. Meteorologist Jeff Smith says fluctuating temperatures could mean several different types of precipitation will be seen, from snow, to rain to freezing rain. He said we should expect 4 to 6 inches of snow by this evening and an additional 2 to 3-inches by early Monday morning. Compounding problems will be the wind with gusts of 25-miles per hour possible.

70,000 Show Up in Madison for Protests

2/20/11 - Madison police estimate the crowd converging on the Wisconsin state Capitol approached 70 thousand Saturday. Police say 60 thousand people were gathered on the Capitol grounds, with another eight thousand inside the building. Today is the sixth day of protests over Governor Scott Walker's plans to take most collective bargaining rights away from public employees. No arrests were made Saturday even though a smaller group of Tea Party supporters showed up to give support to Governor Walker's plan. Winter weather is expected to put a damper on the crowd at the Capitol today.

Walker Rejects Democratic Compromise

2/20/11 - Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has rejected an approach from a Democratic state Senator aimed at ending the standoff over a budget bill being considered. State Senator Jon Erpenbach said Saturday he had been told that state and public employees would agree to the financial portions of Walker's bill - if they could retain their collective bargaining rights. A spokesman for the Governor said Erpenbach and other Democrats should return and debate the bill in Madison. A spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Education Association Council confirmed Erpenbach's assertion that the workers would accept the concessions the Governor wants.

Fitzgerald Says He Tried to Reach Out to Democratic Senators

2/20/11 - Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says he has tried to reach out to the 14 Democratic senators that left the state to avoid having to vote on Governor Walker’s budget repair bill. But he has been unsuccessful. The Senate needs 20 legislators present to vote on a financial bill and Republicans are one short of that. The Democratic senators have said they won’t return until the Governor is willing to sit down and allow for negotiations on the bill. The Assembly also tried to take up the bill on Friday but passed on taking any action after Democrats said they needed more time to finish their proposed amendments. They’ll be back in session on Tuesday.

Tea Party Members Exploring Recalling of Missing Senators

2/20/11 - Members of the Tea Party are exploring options to recall the Democratic senators who left Wisconsin to avoid a vote on Governor Scott Walker's budget bill. At least two of the absent lawmakers have been targeted. Northwoods Patriots leader Kim Simac says the group will meet today to discuss an effort to recall state Senator Jim Holperin. Simac is a small business owner from Eagle River who says, it's embarrassing for the state of Wisconsin that half of the Senate has gone missing. A similar effort is reportedly underway in Kenosha where an exploratory committee plans to talk about recalling Senator Robert Wirch. An article in the Capital Times says the recall efforts would require the collection of 15 to 20 thousand signatures on petitions.

Palin Chimes in on Protests

2/20/11 - Former Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin says union members have to be willing to sacrifice during tough economic times. Palin says by choosing to challenge the Republican plan to balance the state's budget by cutting collective bargaining rights, they are taking up what she calls the wrong fight at the wrong time. Palin offered her input on the debate last Friday in a posting on her Facebook page, but she didn't say she would join weekend counter-protests by groups like Americans for Prosperity and the Tea Party Patriots. In her posting Palin said taxpayers shouldn't be asked to pay for benefits which aren't sustainable.

Finance Director Leaving Columbus

Columbus Finance Director Barbara Green will be leaving City Hall at the end of next week after 23 years of service. Green was born and raised in Columbus and had served as the City’s Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer. Green said that her new Accountant / Treasurer position in DeForest will begin on March 1st. Green said she will miss Columbus and thanks the City for her time there. The closing date for applications for the open position will close February 28th.

Hockey Player Bound Over for Trial

2/20/11 - One of two UW-Stout hockey players, accused in the death of a fellow student, will go on trial next October in Dunn County. Jedidiah Glasson of Menomonie faces felony murder charges in the death of 22 year old Bradley Simon last year. Authorities say the victim was shoved off his bicycle and into a wall in downtown Menomonie last September. He died of head injuries. Also charged in the death is McGlasson's teammate, Jaren Britton of St. Cloud, Minnesota. Police say the altercation that resulted in Simon's fatal injury came after a dispute in a nearby bar. Both defendants were kicked off the Stout hockey team.

Woman Facing 25 Years in Prison

2/20/11 - When she is sentenced in April, 21 year old Brandie Nelson could get up to 25 years behind bars. Nelson pleaded no contest to charges of felony negligence in the death of her 16 month old son. When police responded to a call from Prairie du Sac's VFW park last summer they found Nelson trying to revive her son. He was taken to Sauk Prairie Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Nelson said she had left Tanner in the trailer with the air conditioning on, checking on him every half-hour. Investigators found, even with the air conditioning running, the day was so hot the interior would have reached a temperature of more than 110 degrees. A prosecutor says he won't recommend prison time for the defendant.

Bike Maker Hoping to Go National

2/20/11 - A bike builder from Wisconsin tries to take his business to the next level by taking his wheeled products to a national show in Austin, Texas, next week. John Sotherland has been building Sotherland Custom Bicycles since 2006. His bikes can cost anywhere from four thousand to 10 thousand dollars, taking about 20 hours to complete. He builds about 10 bikes each year. Sotherland used to work for Schwinn. He says he doesn't want to make thousands of bikes a year any more. He'll seek more exposure for his product at the National Handbuilt Bicycle Show, which last year drew 150 exhibitors and around six thousand lookers and buyers. Sotherland and his wife live in a home south of Whitewater that includes a production space where he makes his bikes.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Top Stories, February 19th

Tea Party Protestors Expected At Capitol

2/19/11 - The largest crowds of the week rallied at the Wisconsin state Capitol Friday, but today's gathering could top that. State Department of Administration officials estimated 40 thousand pro-labor demonstrators were on the Capitol grounds. Five thousand people from the crowd were inside the building, protesting a bill back by the governor that would strip nearly all public employees of the right to collectively bargain on most issues. Governor Scott Walker has said the changes would save the state 30 million dollars by July. Tea Party activists are expected to rally at the Capitol today in support of Walker's bill. Many say they will stay there until next Tuesday when some lawmakers will return.

Democrats Still In Illinois

2/19/11 - Democrats dodging the vote at the Capitol could stay in hiding for weeks and that could paralyze state government. Their departure stopped action on the bill that would ease the state's budget problems by cutting the pay, benefits and collective bargaining rights of thousands of Wisconsin state government workers. Democrats who stayed in Madison got a taste of victory as well, forcing the Assembly to adjourn until at least next Tuesday before a vote is even possible. Democratic State Senator Jon Erpenbach told the Associated Press resolution is up to the governor. Erpenbach was speaking from a hotel in downtown Chicago. He says the decision to leave the Capitol came on the spur of the moment as Democrats were discussing strategy. Democrats in Texas tried a similar strategy eight years ago, but it eventually failed.

Judge Denies MSD Request To Order Teachers Back

2/19/11 - Calling the current work stoppage and illegal strike, the Madison School District went to court to try to force teachers to return to the classroom. The district filed for a temporary restraining order. Schools were closed by the absent teachers for three days last week. The judge refused to force the teachers to return to their classes, but the head of the teachers union says they will be back Tuesday. Monday is a federal holiday.

Walker Tells Obama To Worry About His Own Budget

2/19/11 - With the sounds of protesters outside clearly audible in his Capitol conference room, Governor Scott Walker took questions from reporters Friday afternoon. Walker was asked his reaction to President Barack Obama’s statement that his budget repair bill is an assault on unions, and that the DNC’s campaign arm, Organizing for America, is on the ground in Madison. “I think the President of the United States has his hands full balancing the federal budget deficit, they have big problems there. He should stick to balancing the federal budget,” said Walker. Walker’s office announced his state budget address, which had been scheduled for next Tuesday at a Madison business, would instead be delivered on Tuesday, March 1st at the Capitol. He blamed the missing Democratic members of the state Senate.

UW Workers Voting To Unionize

2/19/11 - Workers at UW-La Crosse will vote next week whether to unionize, regardless what the legislature does with the governor's budget proposal that would cut back collective bargaining. UW-La Crosse faculty and staff will vote whether to join the American Federation of Teachers. At a rally on UW-La Crosse’s campus, faculty and staff made it clear that they want the option to unionize, even if it is decided that state employees can no longer collectively bargain. Workers at UW-Stevens Point, Stout, and River Falls also have an upcoming vote on whether or not to join the AFT.

Neosho Woman Arrested Following Hit and Run

2/19/11 - A Neosho woman was arrested after the driver of the car she allegedly hit followed her back home. 31-year-old Amanda Drager reportedly struck the car from behind just after 6pm yesterday on Highway 60 in the Town of Rubicon. Officers say she had open alcohol in her vehicle and they charged her with her second Operating While Intoxicated. Additional citations are possible.

Teen Charged With Burglary

2/19/11 - A Beaver Dam teen is charged with burglarizing a friend’s house. Patrick Tratar is charged with a felony count of Burglary in addition to felony bail jumping for allegedly breaking into the residence last week and stealing $2300 worth of computer equipment. Tratar was charged with bail jumping because he is also facing charges related to the alleged sale of marijuana at the Beaver Dam High School last October. The 18-year-old was bound over for trial on those charges during a preliminary hearing Thursday. Tratar will be back in court for both of the cases next month.

BD Man Arraigned In Scrap Metal Theft

2/19/11 - One of the two Beaver Dam men facing felony Theft charges for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars worth of scrap metal was in court for an arraignment hearing this week. 22-year-old Joseph Evans entered a “not guilty” plea. His alleged accomplice, 34-year-old Jason Woodke, entered a “not guilty” plea last month and has a jury trial scheduled in March. The two are accused of stealing 50 stainless steel sheets weighing 50 pounds each from Supreme Manufacturing in Beaver Dam last May. They were apprehended after reportedly selling the scrap to a company in Washington County. According to the criminal complaint, Woodke admitted to selling the scrap and he faces up to ten years in prison if convicted. Evans reportedly admitted to being the driver and faces up to three-and-a-half years.

McCullough Pleads ‘Not Guilty’ in Thefts

2/19/11 - A Waupun man accused of rifling through vehicles and garages entered a “not guilty” plea at arraignment this week. Christopher McCullough allegedly broke into a garage in Waupun in September and stole electronic equipment, cash and gift certificates. The 32-year-old was arrested while walking the streets of Waupun at 4am and connected to the crime through stolen gift certificates said to be in his possession. McCullough denied taking them and told police they were given to him by the actual burglar. He faces over 13 years in prison, if convicted. McCullough was recently placed on probation in Fond du Lac County for writing bad checks.

Raney In Court For Stealing Stolen TV

2/19/11 - A Juneau man entered a “not guilty” plea at arraignment this week to charges of felony Burglary and misdemeanor Theft. Adam Raney is accused of selling a stolen television and then breaking into the buyer’s home and stealing it again. According to the criminal complaint, the 31-year-old stole the flat screen from an apartment that police had raided. He then sold the TV to his friends’ parents for $400. Raney is said to have borrowed that friend’s car a short time later, noticed that the house key was on the same key ring, and stole back the TV and traded it for cocaine. Raney faces over 13 years in prison, if convicted.

GOP Looks To Repeal Racial Data Mandate

2/19/11 - In 2009, the legislature approved spending more than $700,000 on data collection to find out whether state law enforcement agencies were using racial profiling in making traffic stops. About half the money has already been spent. The state has also given counties thousands of dollars in grants to install computers in squad cars to collect racial and ethnic data for each traffic stop. This week a committee chaired by Republican Sen. Van Wangaard held a hearing on repealing the bill. Wangaard called the data collection a waste of police time. But opponents of repealing the bill say the data-gathering will eventually save the state money and help reduce unwarranted police stops that may be occurring. Democratic Sen. Lena Taylor from Milwaukee sponsored the legislation that made the data collection mandatory. Taylor says 29 other state have mandatory racial and ethnic data collection statues already in place.