Top Stories April 11th

Dr. Gary Ebert Inducted Into Wall of Fame

4/11/11 - The Beaver Dam School District honored the 2011 Wall of Fame Outstanding Alumni and a new Friend of Education last night. Wal-Mart Distribution and Transportation was recognized as a Friend of Education for the volunteer hours they’ve given to the district as well as the financial contributions they’ve made to Beaver Dam’s technology and physical education programs. This year’s Outstanding Alumni is Dr. Gary Ebert, the Valedictorian of the Class of 1965, a renowned finite geometer and professor of mathematical sciences at the University of Delaware. Dr. Ebert has authored and co-authored more than 80 research articles that have been published in internationally acclaimed journals, has written an undergraduate textbook, produced six Ph.D. students and has had research funded by the National Security Agency almost continuously for 17 years. He was inducted by his high school friend Judd Knaup who says he was “amazed to read that [Ebert] is considered one of the top three finite geometers in the country.” Knaup was quick to admit though that he has no idea what a finite geometer does. In accepting the award, Dr. Ebert says the education he received in Beaver Dam laid the foundation for his success later in life. Dr. Ebert specifically thanked his teachers for his accomplishments, including past Friends of Education recipients Elaine Possin and the late Ethel Niejahr. Nominations are accepted year round for the Outstanding Alumni and Friends of Education.

Strong Storm Hit Wisconsin

4/11/11 - Wisconsin had its first major tornado-and-thunderstorm damage of the season last night. No deaths or major injuries were reported, as possible tornadoes ripped down trees, power lines, and at least some barns and houses in central and north central Wisconsin. Our area was largely unaffected as there were no immediate reports of damage, though winds at the airport in Juneau did gust to around 50-miles per hour at one point. Dodge County was never under any warnings, though we did have a Tornado watch for a little over two-hours. Other places were not as lucky as twisters were spotted at Gleason in Lincoln County, Little Chicago and Hamburg in Marathon County, and Arkdale and Cottonville in Adams County. There was also a possible tornado near Wautoma, where high winds took down a 100-year-old oak tree, and other fallen trees blocked Highway 73. At least several homes or barns were blown down at Fremont in Waupaca County, Stockbridge in Calumet County, Kaukauna in the Fox Valley, and Armstrong Creek in Forest County. La Crosse had tennis-ball-sized hail that damaged about 15 homes and several vehicles. Part of a roof was blown off a convenience store in Neenah. Osseo in Trempeleau County had numerous windows broken due to high winds. And Green Lake had minor street flooding. Funnel clouds were spotted at Denmark east of Green Bay, and at Dale west of Appleton, Necedah in Juneau County, and Oakdale in Monroe County. There was also a funnel cloud spotted at Winneconne near Oshkosh, where baseball-sized hail caused damage. Winds hit 70-miles-an-hour at Oshkosh, and parts of southern Wisconsin also had high winds and hail. There’s a chance of rain statewide today, with clearing skies tonight and partly cloudy conditions tomorrow.

“Major” Elections-Related Investigation to Be Announced

4/11/11 - We expect to learn more today about a major election-related investigation. The state’s Government Accountability Board and the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office will hold a news conference this afternoon in Madison to announce the probe. Neither agency would say much about what to expect. Board spokesman Reid Magney would only say that it’s separate from the Waukesha County problem from last week’s Supreme Court election. The county clerk failed to add 14-thousand votes from Brookfield on a tally that was given to the media on Election Night. And it gave incumbent Justice David Prosser a 75-hundred vote lead after challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg won the preliminary count by 204 votes.

Third Hearing on Budget is Today

4/11/11 - Wisconsin legislators will hear more public comments today on Governor Scott Walker’s proposed state budget for the next two years. The Joint Finance Committee will hold the third of its four official hearings on the budget from 10-to-6 at State Fair Park just west of Milwaukee. Extra security was on hand for last week’s two hearings in Stevens Point and Superior, with concerns about a possible repeat of the State Capitol demonstrations from February. It never materialized for the most part, but it could be a different story today. Several unions have events planned all day at the hearing site, and a late afternoon rally is planned. The budget hearings outside of Madison traditionally don’t run into the evening hours. But Democrats are still trying to score political points by saying the hearings don’t last late enough for working people to testify. Assembly Democrat Tamara Grigsby of Milwaukee told Journal Sentinel columnist Dan Bice that some lawmakers don’t want to be in the city after dark. But G-O-P finance chair Robin Vos of rural Racine County called that “stupid.” Vos said he and his wife had a good time in downtown Milwaukee on Saturday night – and besides, today’s hearing is in West Allis, not Milwaukee. Vos also said the panel’s leaders arranged to have the meeting hall for the evening hours if necessary – but he doesn’t want Democrats to arrange a citizen filibuster. Vos said the Democrats must realize they no longer control the Legislature. Democrats have been holding their own budget hearings around the state, as they accuse the G-O-P of not listening enough.

Gas Continues to Go Up

4/11/11 - Gas prices in Wisconsin are up nearly 13-cents over last week. The average price of a gallon of regular gas is $3.84 this morning. That’s 33-cents more than last month and 93-cents more than this time last year. Gas is $3.79 per gallon in Beaver Dam, Waupun and Watertown. The high price in the state is in Mukwonago at $4.01, while the lowest is $3.68 in Sheboygan. The national average is $3.74 per gallon, up almost 8-cents over last week and 87-cents from last year.

Tax Return Deadline Looms

4/11/11 - If you haven’t filed for your income tax returns yet, you only have a week to get them in the mail. The state Revenue Department says free help is available at 200 sites around the state. They’re run by trained volunteers from the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance group, and Tax Counseling for the Elderly. They help low-to-middle income seniors, veterans, the disabled, and others prepare their returns for free. Revenue officials also have informational videos online. You’ll find them at Revenue-Dot-WI-Dot-Gov.