Top Stories, January 2, 2012

Driver Killed In Columbia County Rollover

1/2/12 - One person was killed in a one-car accident early this morning in Columbia County. According to Sheriff Dennis Richards, dispatchers received a report at 12:30am of a 2005 Chevy Cavalier in a ditch on Highway 60 near Lodi. It appears the vehicle was eastbound on Highway 60 when it left the roadway, went airborne, entered the ditch and overturned, landing on the passenger side. The driver was not wearing a seatbelt, was the only occupant of the vehicle and was pronounced dead by a MedFlight physician. The name of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of family and the accident remains under investigation.

Body Recovered in Jefferson County

1/2/12 - Divers recovered the body of 33-year-old Tyler Prichard in the Rock River Saturday afternoon. Prichard had fallen off a State Highway 26 bridge last Thursday when he stopped to help a woman involved in a crash. The accident happened in the town of Aztalan. After checking to see if she was okay, Prichard suggested they get off the bridge for safety. He reportedly swung his leg over the side of the bridge and fell into the river. Investigators say its possible Prichard didn’t realize he was over the water at the time. His body was found around 3:30pm Saturday about 100 yards downstream from the bridge.

Teen In Custody In Double OWI Fatal

1/2/12 - Milwaukee police say they have suspect in custody in connection with a double-fatal car crash on New Year’s Day. Crash investigators say the two victims were stopped at a traffic signal when a speeding vehicle hit the median, went airborne and slammed into the victims’ car a little before 6 a.m. Those two were the only ones inside the car and they were dead at the scene. The 17 year old driver of the other vehicle ran away, but was caught later. The preliminary charge is homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle.

Funeral Set For Slain Minnesota Police Officer

1/2/12 - Funeral for Lake City, Minnesota, police officer Shawn Schneider will be held Saturday afternoon at 1:00 at First Lutheran Church. Schneider died last Friday at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, 11 days after he was shot in the head by a Wisconsin man. Schneider was responding to a domestic dispute call. Authorities say shooting suspect Alan Sylte then shot himself to death. Visitation will be held at the church Friday from 4-to-8 p.m. Burial will follow in Lakewood Cemetery.

BDPD Responds To ‘Large Fight’ At Bar

1/2/12 - The Beaver Dam Police Department responded to what was called a “large fight” at a local bar over the weekend. According to the police briefing, officers responded to Game On at 1102 Madison Street Sunday morning at 2:20am. The parties involved in the fight reportedly started to separate when officers entered the business. One person was injured but refused treatment. The briefing says several more fights occurred while officers were on scene. Also, officers were reportedly approached and told someone was coming back with a gun. Owners with Game On were warned by city officials in December that they could lose their liquor license if any more fights were reported. Last January, Game On was assessed 100 points under the demerit point system for alcohol-related violations for serving underage patrons. Another 40 points were assessed in December following a fight. Under the ordinance, suspension hearings are triggered after 150 points are assessed in a rolling 12-month period.

Weekend Fire Damages Madison Group Home

1/2/12 - A weekend fire caused 100 thousand dollars’ damage to a Madison group home, but all nine residents managed to get out safely. Firefighters report they arrived at the Goodwill Group Home at about 11:45 p.m. Saturday. Flames were already shooting from a first-floor window and crews could see heavy smoke coming from a door. Eight residents and a live-in counselor were in the building when the first started in the laundry room. Most of them were sleeping, so they were running outside in pajamas and bare feet or socks. A Madison Metro bus helped keep them warm and the American Red Cross provided blankets. Those residents have been moved to other Goodwill Group Homes.

Christmas Tree Pick-Up Starts Tuesday in Beaver Dam

1/2/12 - Beaver Dam residents who receive contracted solid waste collection services will be able to place Christmas trees and boughs street-side for collection by city crews beginning Tuesday. Director of Facilities David Stoiser says the special collection does not include other brush and shrubbery cuttings. Trees and boughs must be free of ornaments, lights and stands so they can be chipped. Crews will continue to pick-up trees through Friday, January 27. Wreaths and boughs containing roping or wire may also be placed in the Veolia non-recyclable cart for collection as garbage. City residents can also dispose of Christmas trees and boughs at the Public Works Garage Yard Waste Drop off Site on South Center Street, Monday through Friday. No waste of any kind is accepted from outside of the City or from any contractors.

BDUSD Accepting 2012 Wall of Fame Nominations

1/2/12 - The Beaver Dam School District is still accepting nominations for their 2012 Wall of Fame Awards. Honors will be given in two categories: Friends of Education and Outstanding Alumni. Friends of Education are individuals or organizations who have given distinguished service to the district and its students. Outstanding Alumni are graduates of the High School recognized for their exceptional accomplishments, outstanding leadership, historical significance and prominence on the local, state, national or international stage. Last year, the Outstanding Alumni was Dr. Gary Ebert, the Valedictorian of the Class of 1965, a renowned finite geometer and professor of mathematical sciences at the University of Delaware. The first recipient was film star Fred MacMurray. Nomination packets are available at all district school offices or on the district website at www.beaverdam.k12.wi.us. Nomination deadline is February 10, 2012. The district will honor the 2012 Wall of Fame recipients at their 16th Annual Wall of Fame Banquet in April. Award plaques will be permanently displayed at the high school.

Pearl Harbor Exhibit Opens This Month At DCHS

1/2/12 - The first exhibit of the New Year at the Dodge County Historical Society is all about Pearl Harbor. Historical Society President Glen Link says the traveling exhibit from the National World War II Museum is entitled “Infamy” and includes photographs and stories detailing that fateful day when the Japanese attacked the US naval base in Hawaii. More than twenty-four-hundred (2400) Americans were killed at Pearl Harbor and over eleven-hundred (1100) were wounded. The exhibit opens Wednesday, January 18 and will be on display for six weeks. The Doge County Historical Society is located at 105 Park Avenue in Beaver Dam, right next door to the new police station, and is open Wednesday through Saturday from 1pm to 4pm.

Kennedy Holding Listening Session on Tuesday

1/2/12 - Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy has listening sessions scheduled on Tuesday. He says city residents are invited to meet with him, one-on-one, without appointment on the first and third Tuesday of every month. While Kennedy says it is important that constituents have the opportunity to speak with him the day after each regular meeting of the common council, elected officials will not be holding meetings Monday night because of the holiday. The listening sessions are held in Room 109 on the first floor of City Hall from 10am until noon and again from 5pm to 6pm. Kennedy also makes himself available for private meetings by appointment by contacting the mayor office.

State Worker Medical Contributions Starting

1/2/12 - Wisconsin state workers and their families started paying more for their medical care starting yesterday. The changes in the state health plan require 183 thousand participants to contribute up to 10 percent of their bills for doctor visits, tests, surgeries and hospitalizations. Though the changes have been explained, plan administrators say they expect to get a lot of questions when those workers have to cover those additional expenses. The changes are part of a so-called budget repair bill that triggered weeks of huge demonstrations at the Capitol before it was passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Walker.

Wisconsin Dairy Industry Rebounding

1/2/12 - Wisconsin’s 27 billion dollar dairy industry is reported to be bouncing back. The state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection reports dairy farms are in recovery mode. Exports are helping drive the dairy industry’s growth. Farmers who got through 2009’s bad year for dairy have been rebuilding equity and paying down their debt this past year. Exports are growing as developing nations demand more meat and dairy products for their growing middle-class populations. Wisconsin also lost fewer dairy farms this year. As of the first week in December, Wisconsin had 11 thousand, 786 licensed milk cow herds, down 681 from the same month in 2010. That represents a decline, but a much-smaller decline than previous years when milk prices cratered and farmers had to shut down their operations.

Alpine Cheese Recall

1/2/12 - A Monroe company says it is voluntarily recalling some of the cheese it produces because of a possible contamination from listeria. Alpine Slicing and Cheese Conversion says testing by an independent laboratory found some products contained potentially fatal listeria. The company said no illnesses have been reported as the recall was announced yesterday. Recall products are “Brennan’s Cellars Shredded Premium Fondu Blend – Emmentaler Swiss & Gruyere Cheese,” “Bennan’s Cellars Shredded Mild Colored Cheddar Cheese,” and “Brennan’s Cellars Shredded Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese.” The company says it has contacted the FDA. The recalled products were sold in Brennan’s stores in Milwaukee, Dane and Green counties in this state.