Top Stories January 10th

Man in Custody After Home Invasion

A 26-year-old man is in custody after allegedly brandishing a knife during a home invasion outside of Waterloo last night. Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls says it happened at a home on County Trunk G around 6:30pm. The initial investigation shows that three people forced their way into the home and one person threatened the occupants with a knife. The residents fled into a bathroom and called 9-1-1. The suspects then started to allegedly remove valuables from the home and Nehls says that’s what they were doing when authorities arrived on scene. Nehls says the suspects knew the people in the home and the break-in wasn’t random but they were still investigating the reasons for the incident.

Body of Packers Joe Philbin Pulled from River

A body pulled from the Fox River in Oshkosh is believed to be that of Michael Philbin, son of Green Bay Packers' offensive coordinator Joe Philbin. The 21-year-old Ripon College student disappeared early Sunday after visiting with friends at U-W Oshkosh. Winnebago County sheriff's divers had been searching the river, after getting a report that somebody fell through the ice around 2:30 Sunday morning. Divers found the body about three yesterday afternoon, about 30 yards from the shore. A nearby security guard was alerted after hearing a cry for help on the river. Police said the body was a 20-to-25-year-old man, and he was later positively identified -- but police won't release the name until today after relatives are notified. Foul play is not suspected, but police are still investigating. The Packers canceled media interviews yesterday, and coach Mike McCarthy said before the body was found that coach Philbin went to Oshkosh to view the search effort. He said the team was supporting Joe Philbin and his family the best it can, as the Packers get ready for a second-round playoff game on Sunday against the New York Giants at Lambeau Field. Packer players put messages of support on Twitter. Guard T-J Lang, who lost his father last week, said a parent should "never have to say goodbye to his child." Defensive lineman B-J Raji tweeted "Life is too short. Live in the present."

Beaver Dam Officials Lay Out Borrowing Plan

1/10/12 - A joint meeting of Beaver Dam’s Administrative and Operations Committee’s was held last night to look at the city’s Capital Improvement Plan. The CIP lays out borrowing needs for the next five years for infrastructure improvement projects and major equipment purchases. In 2012, Beaver Dam is proposing to reconstruct Prospect Avenue from Keller Boulevard to Eilbes Avenue in conjunction with a state Highway 151 project. In addition, two stretches of North Crystal Lake Road may see mill and overlay work along with the city-owned, downtown Center Plaza parking lot. Projects on the wish list for 2013 are tied to the state’s reconstruction of Highway 33, including portions of Front Street and 33 that are not part of the state’s plan. In 2014, the city wants to reconstruct portions of East Davis Street and West Burnett while doing mill and overlay work on parts of Henry Street, Prospect Avenue, Beaver Street and Front Street. Officials in Beaver Dam are also proposing to borrow for a dump truck, minor upgrades to the library, handicap-accessible playground equipment, and state-mandated repairs to the dam, along with a new ambulance, rescue boat and pumper truck for the fire department. The fire department is also seeking $250,000 next year to remove asbestos from their section of the building and construct classrooms in the former police department. However, council President Jon Litscher wants to see that project moved to 2013 as part of his plan to keep borrowing levels at $1.6 million for the next three years. The joint committee is expected to reconvene to consider approval of the borrowing plan on January 30.

Alderman Critical of Lake Shore Drive Omission

1/10/12 - Alderman Robert Ballweg expressed concerns last night about the removal of the reconstruction of Lake Shore Drive from the city’s five-year projects plan. Ballweg says the Operations Committee should have direction to which projects appear on the CIP but Lake Shore was removed from the draft reviewed by the joint committee last night for what Ballweg calls political reasons; he says that prohibits discussion about a potentially serious safety issue.

Mayor Tom Kennedy says he “required that the Lake Shore Drive project be put in limbo” so that city officials can gain more public input and put a plan into place that looks at the “whole picture” of infrastructure needs in the city. He says a plan that addresses just that is headed to the Operations Committee. Engineering Coordinator Ritchie Piltz says he reassessed all the city streets this year and concluded that the other streets identified for reconstruction over the next five years are in greater need of repair than Lake Shore because they have a higher average daily traffic count and are deteriorating at a faster rate.

Ballweg says property owners on Lake Shore clearly do not want sidewalks, curb and gutter but they have expressed concerns to him over the condition of the street. He says he is worried that the street is being ignored because elected officials do not want to have the discussion. Alderwoman Lisa Davidson, who represents the bulk the residents who live along Lake Shore, says the issue has been tabled and residents along the scenic road have heard media reports that it was pulled from the CIP. Davidson says if her colleagues want to discuss the issue it’s important to provide adequate notice to the homeowners who would be intentionally impacted by the project. In turn, Ballweg apologized to all city residents who live on streets where reconstruction is planned over the next five years for not personally inviting them to last night’s meeting.

Beaver Dam Man Charged In Drunken Boat Crash

1/10/12 - A Beaver Dam man is accused of injuring himself and a passenger in a drunken boating accident. 47-year-old James Windorff is charged with two misdemeanor counts of Operating While Intoxicated, which carry a maximum of two years in the county jail if he is convicted. Authorities responded to an area north of McKinley Beach Road in the Town of Beaver Dam last September. According to the criminal complaint, a boat with four passengers was operating at a high rate of speed in the dense fog when it crashed into the shoreline near the Wisconsin & Southern railroad trestle. Windorff and a 38-year-old Beaver Dam woman were ejected and sustained severe but non-life-threatening injuries. An open bottle of beer was allegedly found near the driver seat. Windorff had a reported blood alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit for driving at point-one-five-four (0.154). A signature bond was set at $500 yesterday and a return date in the on the calendar next month.

Purse Snatcher Nabbed By GPS

1/10/12 - The suspect in several smash-and-grab purse snatchings in the Town of Beaver Dam last month was apprehended because of the GPS on a phone in one of the purses. That’s according to Town Police Chief John Kreuzinger who says seven cars were broken into at Old Hickory Golf Club in December and six had purses stolen. One of the purses had a phone enabled with a global positioning system. Employees were able to provide information on a suspicious green pick-up truck and that, combined with the GPS coordinates, allowed police to trace the suspect to the Neosho area. The truck matching the description was spotted outside a local bar, but the driver sped off when police arrived. The suspect was taken into custody following a traffic stop and he is facing a variety of charges. All the purses and their contents were returned to the victims.