Top Stories May 21st

Man Killed in Motorcycle Accident

5/21/11 - Authorities say alcohol likely played a factor in a motorcycle accident that killed one person and seriously injured another. It happened yesterday afternoon at the intersection of Highways 16 and 60 in Columbus. Authorities say the 54-year-old man driving the motorcycle was killed after he was hit by a pickup truck. His passenger, a 24-year-old woman, was taken to Columbus Community Hospital and then Med-Flighted to UW Hospital in Madison. Neither was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The 48-year-old Brookfield man driving the pickup truck was not injured and is cooperating with investigators. Names are being withheld pending notification of family.

Woman Dies From Injuries Suffered in May 6th Accident

5/21/11 - A 42-year-old woman from Oconomowoc has died from injuries she suffered in May 6 car accident. The Lincoln County Sheriff's office says Jannette M. Kuhn was thrown from her car when it overturned near Tomahawk. She died in the intensive care unit of Ministry St. Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield on Thursday night. Authorities have determined that alcohol played a role in the crash.

No Foul Play Suspected in Waupun Deaths

5/21/11 - Waupun police are investigating the deaths of a 56-year-old woman and 58-year-old man who were discovered inside their home on South Division Street Thursday morning. They were found by a relative checking on their welfare, concerned about some apparent health issues. Someone had seen the woman outside the home on Wednesday and the couple’s dogs earlier in the week. The two Golden Retrievers were turned over to the Humane Society. Deputy Chief Mindy Hendricks says foul play is not suspected in the deaths. Autopsies were conducted yesterday (Fr) at the Medical Examiner’s Office in Fond du Lac. Those autopsies are considered to be inconclusive and the incident remains under investigation pending toxicology reports.

BD Home Demolished

5/21/11 - A house in Beaver Dam ravaged by fire in November of 2009 has been demolished. The structure was razed by the property owner who had lost an appeal earlier this month to lift a raze order issued against the dilapidated structure at 400 North Center Street. The city building inspector issued the raze order last year after improvements on the house stalled as Cristina Seremet haggled with her insurance company, which has not paid out on the damage. The city then secured a default judgment, meaning a judge signed off on the demolition without response from the property owners who were in foreclosure. The building was set for demolition when Seremet was notified by her bank that their lenders insurance would cover their costs. She then asked the judge to reverse the raze order so the new found money could be spent on refurbishing the existing structure. A judge denied that request on May 11 but gave Seremet ten days to tear it down on her own, or else the city would do it. Seremet is affiliated with a construction company but says she doesn’t plan on doing anything with the property in the near future except turning it into a grassy field.

Republican Convention Being Held this Weekend

5/21/11 - This weekend’s state convention of Wisconsin Republicans will play host to an expected crowd of 1,000 or more people. State GOP officials said the event will be the largest for an off-election year in 40 years. First priority concerns six Republican state Senators working to keep their seats in recall elections starting this summer. Then there is the U.S. Senate seat that will open when Democrat Herb Kohl vacates the spot in 2012. Wisconsin Republicans had the most successful sweep in the U.S. in the November 2010 election.

Supreme Court Recount Completed

5/21/11 - The last remaining precincts were tallied Friday afternoon in a statewide recount that started April 27th. The results showed Justice David Prosser defeated challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg to win another decade-long term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. State election officials will convene Monday to verify the results, and Kloppenburg then has five days to challenge the results in court. It was the first statewide recount held in more than 20 years. The Supreme Court recount—without all county reports yet in—cost at least $261,000, Wisconsin county clerks said.

State Nurse Made Nearly $105,000 in Overtime

5/21/11 - Sheryl Lee Fors, a 53-year-old nurse clinician at Southern Wisconsin Center, is the state worker who made the most money in overtime—for the second year in a row. With a base salary of $91,077 and $104,930 in overtime, her earnings for the year totaled $196,007. Nine state workers made more than $65,000 in overtime in 2010. Overtime costs are spurred by the need to staff 24-hour facilities, such as prisons and centers for the disabled and mentally ill. The state paid $69.7 million in overtime last year, according to a report released Thursday by the Legislative Audit Bureau.

Boy Faces Sexual Assault Charge

5/21/11 - Authorities said an alleged incident Thursday has a 13-year-old Manitowoc boy facing a charge of first degree sexual assault. A nine-year-old girl was involved. The two young people went to look at deer in a wooded area in the city’s northwest side. The girl told police the goy grabbed her and removed her clothes from the waist down. He allegedly threatened to kill her if she said anything, holding a pocketknife to her head. The girl was taken to the hospital for medical treatment. The case was referred to the Manitowoc County District Attorney’s office, officials said.

Bookkeeper Sentenced to 5-years in Prison

5/21/11 - A bookkeeper was given a five-year prison sentence Thursday for embezzling more than $600,000 from her employer, Wisconsin Kitchen Mart. Company owners said they treated the 47-year-old longtime bookkeeper more like family than an employee, doubling the betrayal of the systematic theft. According to Mary Radiske, of Thiensville, she used the stolen money to bankroll a high-standard lifestyle to keep her husband happy. When she was caught, he filed for divorce. Wisconsin Kitchen Mart is a 61-year-old family business that has been an anchor for the community.

State Program Could Lose Federal Funding

5/21/11 - If state officials don’t contain efforts to privatize Wisconsin’s food assistance program, it could lose previous federal funds and be cut off from new federal support. Federal officials warned in a letter the state FoodShare program already has violated federal rules because of privatization efforts by two governors. In 2010, the state received $20.5 million in federal money for administrative costs for FoodShare and another $2.3million in one-time federal stimulus money. FoodShare has more than 800,000 participants and provides more than $1billion a year to help low-income residents buy food.