Top Stories, April 8th

Beaver Dam Seeks To Re-Establish K9 Program

4/08/11 - The Beaver Dam Police Department has begun the process of re-establishing their K-9 program. The department has not had a police dog since Ali was put into retirement in February of last year. Then the program went into limbo as official’s anticipated new leadership. Now, a few short months into the job, Police Chief Ronald Smith tells the Police and Fire Commission it’s an important program and it’s time to move forward. Costs for acquisition, training and certification for the first year are estimated at $15,000. Annual costs are projected at $2500. Smith says there has already been an outpouring of support from the community to help in raising funds. Last night’s action allows officials to move forward with fundraising. If all goes according to plan, Beaver Dam could have a new police dog when their new police station opens.

Beaver Dam Woman Sentenced In Burglary

4/8/11 – A Beaver Dam woman has been sentenced to two years in prison for her role in a Town of Calamus burglary. 31-year-old Erica Plummer had a felony charge dismissed and pled to misdemeanor Theft. According to the criminal complaint, she drove alleged co-conspirator Chad Knoll to the home of one of his family members and served as lookout during the August 2010 break-in. Witnesses near the home identified the two as did owners of the resale shop where stolen jewelry was sold. Knoll told police repeatedly that he was out-of-town but was apprehended while mowing his lawn. He pleaded “not guilty” this week to a felony charge. Plummer, who was on probation at the time and was prohibited from seeing Knoll, will serve her two year prison sentence at the same time as a five year prison sentence for burglary that was imposed in February after her probation was revoked. She must also serve one year on extended supervision.

Accused Whiskey Burglar Arraigned

4/8/11 - A Lomira man has entered a “not guilty” plea to felony charges in a case where investigators say he left a key piece evidence at the crime scene: his drink. 51-year-old Thomas H. Brace is accused of breaking into the apartment of his neighbor, who was just moving into the unit at the time of the burglary on Halloween. An assortment of tools was among the items taken. After the victim noted that his neighbor was a heavy drinker and might be responsible, deputies attempted to make contact with Brace. According to the criminal complaint, a deputy saw the stolen contraband inside the suspect’s apartment. The deputy reportedly called Brace’s cell phone, heard it being turned off, and then saw Brace lying down in front of his closed door inside the apartment. The stolen tools were then allegedly moved out of site. When questioned about leaving a Green Bay Packers pint glass of whiskey with fresh ice cubes in the victim’s apartment, Brace reportedly said to investigators (quote) “Oh, that’s not good, I must have left that in there.” Brace faces a maximum sentence of over 13-years in prison if convicted on the felony Burglary and misdemeanor Theft charges.

Memorial Day Parade Theme Announced

4/8/11 - The theme of the Beaver Dam Memorial Day 2011 Parade has been announced. Lois Levenhagen with the Parade Committee says the theme this year is “Will You Remember Me? The Veteran.” Levenhagen says the theme was chosen to honor veterans past and present, who have served or are serving to preserve our country’s freedom. The parade will be held on Monday May 30 and will start at Front and Center Street and continue on to the Veterans Memorial at Oakwood Cemetery on Highway 33. The committee is asking service organizations, bands, schools, churches, and others to enter a float or marching group in the parade. Lois Levenhagen – 920 887- 0642 or Dave Noe 920-885-5324

Walker Seeks To Appoint Veterans Secretary

4/8/11 - Governor Scott Walker would appoint Wisconsin’s next veterans’ affairs secretary, and the agency’s board would be revamped under a new bill that’s been drafted. Assembly Republican Kevin Petersen of Waupaca is asking his colleagues to co-sponsor is measure. It would make the governor consult leaders of veterans’ organizations before appointing a department secretary. The Veterans’ Affairs Board would no longer hire the secretary – its membership would expand from seven members to nine – and their terms would be sliced from six years to three. Both the board and its last two secretaries were under fire for various things. In 2009, the board fired Secretary John Scocos soon after he returned from Iraq – and Scocos filed a federal lawsuit which demands his old job back. The latest secretary, Ken Black, resigned last Friday after three former department employees said they were illegally let go in an apparent effort by Black to purge the agency of older white workers. Black, an African-American, denied the allegations and said nothing else about them when he quit. The board’s chairman, Dan Naylor, has not commented on Petersen’s bill.

Assistant AG Accused of Helping Dems

4/8/11 - A Republican state lawmaker wants the attorney general to investigate one of his assistants, for reportedly offering personal legal help to the Senate Democrats who fled to Illinois. Whitewater Representative Steve Nass said Thomas Bellavia’s actions could sabotage the Justice Department’s defense of the Legislature. Justice officials are seeking to throw out a judge’s order that’s holding up the new limits on public employee union bargaining. And G-O-P lawmakers are trying to prove they did not break the Open Meeting Law in passing the measure. Nass said Bellavia was in on the department’s discussions of the matter. And at the very least, Nass said the assistant broke the attorney-client privilege when he later e-mailed Senate Democrats Mark Miller and Jon Erpenbach from his personal account – and said he supported their efforts regarding the union bill. Nass said it’s also possible that Bellavia broke Justice Department practices that require his dismissal. But in his letter to the attorney general, Nass said he also doubted his request for an investigation would be taken seriously. So he plans to ask the governor and Legislature to approve the hiring of an outside lawyer to defend the state in the court cases. Justice officials did not immediately comment on Nass’s request.