Update 9 a.m. : Columbus Man Killed in Explosion At American Packaging
10/19/09 - Last night's explosion that killed a worker at American Packaging in Columbus was caused by sparks from a grinder being used by the victim. That's according to Columbus Fire Chief Randy Koehn. He says the explosion took place near a cleaning unit by dock door number eleven just before 6pm. Apparently the 47-year-old Columbus man was using a hand-held grinder to cut bolts out of the cement when sparks ignited some vapors. Columbus firefighters were able to put a minor fire out quickly. As they were searching the building they found the man and he was taken to the Columbus hospital where he was later pronounced dead. As a precaution a HazMat team was called in to conduct an air quality test but officials say the public was never in danger. The name of the worker killed is being withheld pending notification of family. The third shift was cancelled last night. In addition to Columbus Fire, other units responding included the Fall River and Beaver Dam Fire Departments, Fall River and Heartline Medix EMS, Columbus Police Department, Columbus Emergency Management, and the Portage Fire Hazmat Level B Unit.
Authorities Searching for West Bend Woman
10/19/09 - Authorities in Washington County were looking for a 39-year-old woman, after her car was found partially-submerged in the Milwaukee River. Officers and rescue divers were looking yesterday for Kathy Van Altena. She was last seen leaving a tavern in Fillmore about two yesterday morning. She placed a call on her cell phone about a half-hour later - and that was the last anyone heard from her. Officers said her car went off a two-lane bridge into the river. The keys were not left in the vehicle.
Weekend Accidents Injure Three
10/19/09 - Three injures were reported in three separate accidents on Dodge County roadways this weekend. A 17-year-old was transported to Hartford Hospital after a one-vehicle rollover accident just before noon Saturday on County Road AY in the Town of Theresa. A Beaver Dam man was injured after running off the roadway on County Road G in the Town of Beaver Dam just after 6pm Saturday. The 20-year-old was transported to the beaver Dam Community Hospital for treatment of injures and ticketed for his first OWI. A Madison man was arrested for his second OWI Friday night after a rollover accident on Highway 151 in the Town of Chester around 6:20pm. A 55-year-old Iowa woman sustained minor injuries and was transported to the Beaver Dam Community Hospital.
Dorn Sentenced in Embezzlement Case
10/19/09 - A Rio woman will spend one day in jail on federal bank embezzlement charges. Kari Dorn was also ordered to pay $32,000 in restitution after taking money from Forest Products Laboratory Credit Union in Madison. The 44-year-old served at the credit union's president in 2005 and 2006. Federal officials say Dorn manipulated credit union accounts to artificially inflate her own account balance and spent that money on personal expenses. The embezzlement was discovered in an audit conducted after Dorn left the bank in 2007.
Missing Person's Alert Still in Effect
10/19/09 - A missing person's alert remains in effect for a West Bend woman who hasn't been seen since reporting a domestic abuse incident involving her new husband. Stephanie Fischer was last seen on October 6 with Dennis Moe, who is considered armed and dangerous. Fischer is a 31-year-old Caucasian with blond hair, blue eyes, five-feet ten inches tall, 180lbs with a rose tattoo on her back. Moe drives a grey, 2006 Dodge Charger. Anyone with information is asked to contact the West Bend Police Department or the Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Persons at 800-The HOPE.
Small Businesses Still Having Problems Getting Credit
10/19/09 - Wisconsin's small businesses and their customers still find it hard to get credit, more than a year after the markets tumbled. U-S House Republican Paul Ryan of Janesville says it's the biggest problem in the economy right now. He says small-and-medium-sized businesses need bank loans to get the recovery started - but banks won't lend it to them until they see things get better. Marquette professor Joe Daniels calls it a chicken-and-egg problem for small firms which rely on bank financing. But Kurt Bauer of the Wisconsin Bankers Association says it's wrong to portray his members as the bad guys. He said banks used to have only a quarter of the nation's available credit. Many non-banking options have dried up, and Bauer says it's impossible for banks to fill the gap so quickly.
Troops and Families Watch Packer Game Together...Sort Of
10/19/09 - About 22-hundred people watched yesterday's Packer game in Madison - while they could see their loved ones in Iraq watching the game on a video hook-up. The volunteer group "Serving the 32nd" put on the event called "Tailgating with the Troops" for Wisconsin soldiers and their families back home. Over three-thousand members of the National Guard's 32nd Red Arrow Brigade are among the Wisconsin troops in Iraq. They watched the game from eight locations. The computer and video arrangements also offered private time for many of the troops and their relatives. The Wisconsin Badger marching band performed on Madison's end. And the Packers filmed a short video providing well-wishes to both the troops and their families. The Packers provided the happy ending for the day, as they crushed Detroit 26-to-nothing.
Windmills in Lake Michigan? It's a Possibility
10/19/09 - There's been talk about putting high-tech windmills in Lake Michigan - and now, a Michigan college will find out how well it works. The federal government gave one-point-four million dollars to Grand Valley State University of Allendale to do research into wind turbines. And by next fall, the school plans to install a platform on Lake Michigan to see how much electricity a turbine can generate. The idea has been discussed in Wisconsin, but not for awhile. Governor Jim Doyle's Task Force on Global Warming suggested wind turbines in Lake Michigan early last year to take advantage of the strong winds on the water. At the time, three private groups were said to be considering projects in which up to 600 turbines would be put into the big lake off Wisconsin shores.
Fall Colors Reach Their Peak in Our Area
10/19/09 - Fall colors are at their peak in much of our area. According to travelwisconsin.com, autumn is in full force in Columbia, Dane, Washington and Dodge Counties. Ashland, Sawyer and Price Counties are already past their peak. Meanwhile, fall colors are still a week or two away from peaking in Jefferson County and places south; it could be even longer in Kenosha County. The change is a bit later this year than normal, perhaps because of the year-long dry spell in much of the north.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Breaking News, October 18th
Fatal Explosion At American Packaging
10/18/09 - One person was killed in an explosion at a printing company in downtown Columbus Sunday evening. Columbus Fire Department Public Information Officer Jared Fox says crews responded to American Packaging at 850 West James Street just after 6pm. He says the employee was killed as a result of an explosion in a cleaning unit by dock door number eleven. Fox says there is no immediate threat to the public but the Portage Level B HazMat team was called in to conduct an air quality test as a precaution. Columbus also received assistance from Beaver Dam and Fall River. The third shift has been cancelled and employees are being asked not to come in to work this evening. We will have more for you on our morning newscasts on WXRO 95.3FM.
10/18/09 - One person was killed in an explosion at a printing company in downtown Columbus Sunday evening. Columbus Fire Department Public Information Officer Jared Fox says crews responded to American Packaging at 850 West James Street just after 6pm. He says the employee was killed as a result of an explosion in a cleaning unit by dock door number eleven. Fox says there is no immediate threat to the public but the Portage Level B HazMat team was called in to conduct an air quality test as a precaution. Columbus also received assistance from Beaver Dam and Fall River. The third shift has been cancelled and employees are being asked not to come in to work this evening. We will have more for you on our morning newscasts on WXRO 95.3FM.
Top Stories, October 18th
Portage Man Killed In Collision With Farm Machinery
10/18/09 - A Portage man was killed in a two vehicle accident in Columbia County yesterday morning. According to Sheriff Dennis Richards, the head-on collision occurred on Highway 33, just west of Interstate 39 in the Town of Caledonia. One of the vehicles was a piece of farm machinery used to harvest onions. The other was a minivan driven by 59-year-old William Heim of Portage. Heim was attempting to pass another vehicle when he struck the farm equipment and was pronounced dead at the scene. No charges are expected to be filed in connection with the incident which is under investigation by the Columbia County Sheriffs Department.
Armed Robbery at Dane County Citgo
10/18/09 - Dane County authorities are looking for a man who robbed a Citgo gas station located just off Interstate 90. Sheriff David Mahoney says his deputies and DeForest Police were dispatched to the Citgo located on County Highway V in the Town of Vienna. The employee says the suspect entered the store, displayed a hammer and demanded cash. The suspect is described as a while male, 5 feet, nine inches to six feet tall with a medium build, last seen wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and a blaze orange stocking mask. He fled the store in an unknown direction. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Dane County Sheriffs Department or the tip line at 608-284-6900.
Mass Man Arrested in Wisconsin Following Multi-State Test Drive
10/18/09 - Wisconsin authorities are holding a Massachusetts man accused of kidnapping a car salesman during a test drive, then driving the car more than a thousand miles. The salesman managed to jump out of the car when the suspect slowed at a toll booth near the Massachusetts state line. A Wisconsin state trooper pulled Aleh Kot over near Edgerton for speeding, reckless driving and operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent. It's expected Kot will be extradited back to Massachusetts where he will face additional charges of kidnapping, car theft and robbery. Kot took the car last Thursday, refusing to return it to the Honda dealership. He was arrested in southern Wisconsin Friday afternoon.
BD Council Considers MABAS Resolution
10/18/09 - The Beaver Dam Common Council will consider a resolution Monday night that would allow the Fire Department to enlist in a far-reaching mutual aid program that Chief Alan Mannel says will enhance public safety at little to no cost. Mannel says The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, or MABAS, could coordinate emergency responders, EMT’s, HazMat officials, technical rescue personnel and even general staff from across the Midwest under one umbrella program. Mannel says MABAS would replace the informal mutual aid agreements that local municipalities already have in place, eliminating multiple calls to various agencies during an emergency. All calls would instead be routed through Dodge County central dispatch. Mannel says his department was part of the MABAS program in northern Illinois, and while it is effective in small-scale local emergencies, he says it can be invaluable during large-scale catastrophic events. With Hurricane Katrina, a couple firefighters from hundreds of departments – including Mannel’s former fire station –assembled in a large contingent so as not to strip any one department. Mannel says the costs of the program would be limited to paperwork. The Beaver Dam Police and Fire Commission approved the MABAS resolution earlier this month and it goes to the full council for consideration at tomorrows regularly scheduled meeting at City Hall.
Legislation Would Outlaw Impersonating Firefighter
10/18/09 - Impersonating a police officer is already a crime under state law, but State Representative Scott Gunderson says there are no penalties if someone tries to present themselves as a firefighter or EMT at the scene of an emergency. When that happens, he says it can have dire consequences because that person may not have the training needed to handle the situation. Gunderson is sponsoring legislation that would make it a misdemeanor to impersonate a firefighter or EMT, mirroring the current law for those who lie about being a police officer. Violators could face jail time and fines of up to 10 thousand dollars. Wisconsin Fire Chiefs Association President Brad Liggett says the bill is not intended to go after those who offer their help to emergency responders. He says many valuable volunteers are out there, but they don’t pretend to be a fire fighter or EMT when they come out to help.
Bankruptcy Filings Up
10/18/09 - Bankruptcy filings in Wisconsin are reported up 31 percent in the first three quarters of 2009. The total approached 21 thousand as of the end of September. Most of the filings in Wisconsin are for Chapter-7 bankruptcy and the attorneys handling the cases say they are seeing more people 50 years old or older involved in the process. The numbers from Wisconsin closely resemble national bankruptcy rates during the economic downturn. One national agency projects up to 1-point-4 million bankruptcies nationwide will be seen by the end of the current year.
State-Owned Land at 16%
10/18/09 - The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance reports about 16 percent of the land in this state is publicly-owned. Those 5-point-7 million acres are mostly in the north, and mostly used for recreation or conservation. The report is based on findings dating back to 2006. It says the land in question is owned by federal, state and county governments. Menominee County is the only one of 72 counties not to have some public land. Bayfield County has more than 460 thousand acres.
Election Officials In Wisconsin Monday
10/18/09 - The head of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission visits Wisconsin starting tomorrow, trying to determine how money from the federal Help America Vote Act impacts local elections. Commission chairperson Gineen Beach meets with Governor Doyle and legislative leaders over the next two days. She will also speak before a statewide election advisory group. Over the last five years the Badger State has received 50 million dollars under the Help America Vote Act.
Harley Stock Trends Upward
10/18/09 - Even though a quarterly report shows Harley-Davidson profits are way off, the company's stock has increased in price for 10 straight days. It closed Friday at 27 dollars, 86 cents. Harley stock had jumped up five percent the day before when the company announced plans to save about 140 million dollars a year. That plan will cost 180 workers their jobs. Harley will end its Buell line and sell a unit in Italy. The latest report shows the motorcycle maker's quarterly earnings were off by 84 percent compared to last year.
Tellers Credited For Foiling Bank Robbery
10/18/09 - Two tellers at Sheboygan Bank Mutual are being given a lot of the credit for stopping a bank robbery attempt. A 25 year old woman from Elkhart Lake was arrested last Thursday after she allegedly handed the teller a note instructing her to stay calm and not call police. The original teller alerted another -- who did call police. Witnesses say the suspect got nervous and left the bank without getting any money. Officers searching the area spotted the suspect leaving an apartment located nearby.
From The Land Of Sky Blue Waters
10/18/09 - Shoppers in the Marketplace Foods store in Hayward got a shock Friday night. A 125-pound black bear wandered inside that store and headed right to the beer cooler. Witnesses say he climbed up onto a shelf, 12 feet off the floor, and sat there for about an hour while employees helped get customers out of the store. Wildlife officials from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources tranquilized the bear and removed it from the premises. Onlookers say the bear seemed content to sit in the cooler -- and they note that he didn't drink any of the beer.
Kennedy Opens Door
10/18/09 - Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy will hold another one of his regular open door meetings on Tuesday. Kennedy says city residents are invited to meet with him, one-on-one, without appointment on the first and third Tuesday of every month. Kennedy says he feels it is important that constituents have the opportunity to speak with him the day after each regular meeting of the common council. The meetings are held in Room 109 on the first floor of City Hall from 10am until noon. Kennedy says he also make himself available for private meetings by appointment by contacting the mayor office.
10/18/09 - A Portage man was killed in a two vehicle accident in Columbia County yesterday morning. According to Sheriff Dennis Richards, the head-on collision occurred on Highway 33, just west of Interstate 39 in the Town of Caledonia. One of the vehicles was a piece of farm machinery used to harvest onions. The other was a minivan driven by 59-year-old William Heim of Portage. Heim was attempting to pass another vehicle when he struck the farm equipment and was pronounced dead at the scene. No charges are expected to be filed in connection with the incident which is under investigation by the Columbia County Sheriffs Department.
Armed Robbery at Dane County Citgo
10/18/09 - Dane County authorities are looking for a man who robbed a Citgo gas station located just off Interstate 90. Sheriff David Mahoney says his deputies and DeForest Police were dispatched to the Citgo located on County Highway V in the Town of Vienna. The employee says the suspect entered the store, displayed a hammer and demanded cash. The suspect is described as a while male, 5 feet, nine inches to six feet tall with a medium build, last seen wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and a blaze orange stocking mask. He fled the store in an unknown direction. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Dane County Sheriffs Department or the tip line at 608-284-6900.
Mass Man Arrested in Wisconsin Following Multi-State Test Drive
10/18/09 - Wisconsin authorities are holding a Massachusetts man accused of kidnapping a car salesman during a test drive, then driving the car more than a thousand miles. The salesman managed to jump out of the car when the suspect slowed at a toll booth near the Massachusetts state line. A Wisconsin state trooper pulled Aleh Kot over near Edgerton for speeding, reckless driving and operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent. It's expected Kot will be extradited back to Massachusetts where he will face additional charges of kidnapping, car theft and robbery. Kot took the car last Thursday, refusing to return it to the Honda dealership. He was arrested in southern Wisconsin Friday afternoon.
BD Council Considers MABAS Resolution
10/18/09 - The Beaver Dam Common Council will consider a resolution Monday night that would allow the Fire Department to enlist in a far-reaching mutual aid program that Chief Alan Mannel says will enhance public safety at little to no cost. Mannel says The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, or MABAS, could coordinate emergency responders, EMT’s, HazMat officials, technical rescue personnel and even general staff from across the Midwest under one umbrella program. Mannel says MABAS would replace the informal mutual aid agreements that local municipalities already have in place, eliminating multiple calls to various agencies during an emergency. All calls would instead be routed through Dodge County central dispatch. Mannel says his department was part of the MABAS program in northern Illinois, and while it is effective in small-scale local emergencies, he says it can be invaluable during large-scale catastrophic events. With Hurricane Katrina, a couple firefighters from hundreds of departments – including Mannel’s former fire station –assembled in a large contingent so as not to strip any one department. Mannel says the costs of the program would be limited to paperwork. The Beaver Dam Police and Fire Commission approved the MABAS resolution earlier this month and it goes to the full council for consideration at tomorrows regularly scheduled meeting at City Hall.
Legislation Would Outlaw Impersonating Firefighter
10/18/09 - Impersonating a police officer is already a crime under state law, but State Representative Scott Gunderson says there are no penalties if someone tries to present themselves as a firefighter or EMT at the scene of an emergency. When that happens, he says it can have dire consequences because that person may not have the training needed to handle the situation. Gunderson is sponsoring legislation that would make it a misdemeanor to impersonate a firefighter or EMT, mirroring the current law for those who lie about being a police officer. Violators could face jail time and fines of up to 10 thousand dollars. Wisconsin Fire Chiefs Association President Brad Liggett says the bill is not intended to go after those who offer their help to emergency responders. He says many valuable volunteers are out there, but they don’t pretend to be a fire fighter or EMT when they come out to help.
Bankruptcy Filings Up
10/18/09 - Bankruptcy filings in Wisconsin are reported up 31 percent in the first three quarters of 2009. The total approached 21 thousand as of the end of September. Most of the filings in Wisconsin are for Chapter-7 bankruptcy and the attorneys handling the cases say they are seeing more people 50 years old or older involved in the process. The numbers from Wisconsin closely resemble national bankruptcy rates during the economic downturn. One national agency projects up to 1-point-4 million bankruptcies nationwide will be seen by the end of the current year.
State-Owned Land at 16%
10/18/09 - The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance reports about 16 percent of the land in this state is publicly-owned. Those 5-point-7 million acres are mostly in the north, and mostly used for recreation or conservation. The report is based on findings dating back to 2006. It says the land in question is owned by federal, state and county governments. Menominee County is the only one of 72 counties not to have some public land. Bayfield County has more than 460 thousand acres.
Election Officials In Wisconsin Monday
10/18/09 - The head of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission visits Wisconsin starting tomorrow, trying to determine how money from the federal Help America Vote Act impacts local elections. Commission chairperson Gineen Beach meets with Governor Doyle and legislative leaders over the next two days. She will also speak before a statewide election advisory group. Over the last five years the Badger State has received 50 million dollars under the Help America Vote Act.
Harley Stock Trends Upward
10/18/09 - Even though a quarterly report shows Harley-Davidson profits are way off, the company's stock has increased in price for 10 straight days. It closed Friday at 27 dollars, 86 cents. Harley stock had jumped up five percent the day before when the company announced plans to save about 140 million dollars a year. That plan will cost 180 workers their jobs. Harley will end its Buell line and sell a unit in Italy. The latest report shows the motorcycle maker's quarterly earnings were off by 84 percent compared to last year.
Tellers Credited For Foiling Bank Robbery
10/18/09 - Two tellers at Sheboygan Bank Mutual are being given a lot of the credit for stopping a bank robbery attempt. A 25 year old woman from Elkhart Lake was arrested last Thursday after she allegedly handed the teller a note instructing her to stay calm and not call police. The original teller alerted another -- who did call police. Witnesses say the suspect got nervous and left the bank without getting any money. Officers searching the area spotted the suspect leaving an apartment located nearby.
From The Land Of Sky Blue Waters
10/18/09 - Shoppers in the Marketplace Foods store in Hayward got a shock Friday night. A 125-pound black bear wandered inside that store and headed right to the beer cooler. Witnesses say he climbed up onto a shelf, 12 feet off the floor, and sat there for about an hour while employees helped get customers out of the store. Wildlife officials from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources tranquilized the bear and removed it from the premises. Onlookers say the bear seemed content to sit in the cooler -- and they note that he didn't drink any of the beer.
Kennedy Opens Door
10/18/09 - Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy will hold another one of his regular open door meetings on Tuesday. Kennedy says city residents are invited to meet with him, one-on-one, without appointment on the first and third Tuesday of every month. Kennedy says he feels it is important that constituents have the opportunity to speak with him the day after each regular meeting of the common council. The meetings are held in Room 109 on the first floor of City Hall from 10am until noon. Kennedy says he also make himself available for private meetings by appointment by contacting the mayor office.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Top Stories, October 17th
BDUSD State Aid Bucks Trend
10/17/09 - Many Wisconsin school districts officially got the bad news many were expecting Thursday. The state released the final school aid figures – and most districts are getting less than a year ago. However, that is not the case in Beaver Dam where the district is actually going to get about $520,000 more than a year ago. Business Services Director Andrew Sarnow says the district will receive close to 20.9-million-dollars in state aid, which is more than he was expecting. With the final numbers in Sarnow says they can now plug in a tax rate of $8.73 per $1,000 of assessed value, a 3.8-percent increase over a year ago. Not too many other districts were that lucky. During the summer it was estimated that one-of-every-five school systems would get 15-percent less, the maximum allowed by law. West Bend lost one-point-six million dollars in state aid, and they’re looking at cutting athletic programs starting next fall. Other districts are considering more program cuts, new property tax increases, or both. The state reduced its school aid by 147-million dollars this year, to make up for a drop in state revenues. But lawmakers did add 70-million dollars to a state credit that reduces local property tax bills. Those credits are especially targeted to communities with higher tax burdens.
Edwards Enters “Not Guilty” Plea
10/17/09 - Edward Edwards pleaded innocent yesterday to killing a pair of high school sweethearts in Jefferson County nearly three decades ago. The 76-year-old Edwards appeared for his arraignment via tele-conference. After his last court appearance in August, he was taken to an undisclosed facility due to his health problems. At that hearing, he sat in a wheelchair and breathed through an oxygen tube. Edwards is charged with two counts of first-degree murder. His next court date is October 28th, and a trial has tentatively been set for January 11th. Edwards was arrested in July in a cold-case investigation. State Justice agents say they found his D-N-A on the remains of 19-year-old Kelly Drew. She and 19-year-old Tim Hack were killed after they left a wedding reception at a hall near Sullivan in August of 1980. Edwards claimed he had sex with Drew that night, but other men actually killed the pair.
Contreras Gets Plea Deal in Molestations
10/17/09 - A Beaver Dam man who molested two young girls has entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors. Robert Contreras pleaded to amended charges of felony Third Degree Sexual Assault and had three other felony counts and two misdemeanors dismissed but read into the record. The 37-year-old raped a preteen girl in March of 2008 and a teenage girl on several occasions beginning in May of 2006. The assaults stopped when Contreras was sent to prison in March of last year for his fifth OWI offense. A presentencing investigation was ordered and a hearing is scheduled for November 23.
Teenage Milwaukee Murder Suspect Evaluation Ordered
10/17/09 - Defense attorneys for 14 year old Labrina Brown have a talked a Milwaukee County judge into approving tests on their client's brain. Brown will have a neurological psychological evaluation. She's the teenager accused of killing her step-grandfather when he poured her milk down a drain. Prosecution are charging her with first-degree intentional homicide, meaning a conviction could send her to prison for the rest of her life. She's accused of stabbing 48 year old Robert Moon to death last August. She returns to a Milwaukee County courtroom in December.
Superior Priest Suspended With Pay
10/17/09 -A Roman Catholic priest in the Superior Diocese has been suspended with pay. The Reverend Henry Willenborg fathered a child when he lived in Illinois. Now, it's been revealed he may have been involved with a minor in a separate relationship. The Survivors Network of those abused by Priests called for the suspension after a story appeared in the New York Times. Willenborg lives in Ashland. The church says he will step down from active ministry until the information in the newspaper article is clarified. The group is asking the church to offer additional help to the mother and her son. The son has terminal cancer. He's 22. A second woman told the paper she had been involved with Willenborg when she was a student in high school.
OWI Issued in Town of Chester Rollover
10/17/09 - A Madison man was arrested for his second OWI last night after a rollover accident on Highway 151 in the Town of Chester. The Wisconsin State Patrol is investigating the two car accident that occurred around 6:20pm. Authorities haven’t released many details, but 23-year-old Jeffrey Mondloch was taken to jail for Operating While Intoxicated, second offense. A 55-year-old Iowa woman sustained minor injuries and was transported to the Beaver Dam Community Hospital by Beaver Dam EMS. The investigation continues.
Highway 151 Back Open
10/17/09 - Highway 151 through Beaver Dam opened back up to traffic yesterday, a couple hours earlier than anticipated. DOT Regional Communications Manager Michael Bie says the weeklong closure was necessary to allow Wisconsin Southern Railroad to reconstruct the rail crossing over the highway. It had been scheduled to reopen at 4pm yesterday afternoon but Bie says they finished a couple hours ahead of schedule.
Veterans Affairs Extends Agent Orange Benefits
10/17/09 - The Department of Veterans Affairs is extending its "Agent Orange" benefits to Vietnam Veterans who are suffering from three specific illnesses associated with the herbicide. Vietnam War Veterans who suffer from Parkinson's disease, B cell leukemias, and ischemic heart disease are eligible for the benefits. Fond du Lac County Veterans Service Officer John Wertschnig says because those illnesses are considered "presumptive" veterans don't have to show an association to their service in Southeast Asia. He says Vietnam Veterans who served on the ground would be eligible for the benefits. He says unfortunately the benefits aren't retroactive. The VA only pays from the date you file the claim. Veterans can find out more through a VA website at www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange.
State Supreme Court Rift Emerges
10/17/09 - It's rare for justices on the State Supreme Court to argue in public, but it seems to be happening now in Wisconsin. Defense attorneys have requested that Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman be excluded from hearing oral arguments in a case. They say comments made by Gableman indicate a bias against criminal defendants. Three justices issued a statement last week saying those arguments should be delayed because of the challenge. Yesterday, three more justices issued a joint statement calling the first one "unprecedented." Friday's statement also said the public deserves more rapid action on the Gableman request. It was submitted six months ago.
Milwaukee Officials Revive Gun Debate
10/17/09 - A proposal by Milwaukee’s police chief and district attorney has reloaded the debate on carrying concealed guns in Wisconsin. Police Chief Ed Flynn and the DA John Chisholm told a Common Council panel they’d support concealed carry as compromise for tougher gun control laws. Currently carrying a concealed firearm is a misdemeanor, but they’ve proposed making it a mandatory felony for anyone who carries without a permit. Jim Fendry is Director of the Wisconsin Pro-Gun Movement. He supports a change in law allowing concealed carry but would only favor felonies for those unlicensed carriers if they use their weapon to commit a crime. The director of the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort Educational Fund, Jeri Bonavia, says Wisconsinites are not in support of the conceal carry -- as a Public Policy Forum poll a few years ago indicated more than 70 percent were opposed.
Bank Deposits Up
10/17/09 - Bank deposits in Wisconsin went up by nine-and-a-half percent during the year ending June 30th. The F-D-I-C says that Wisconsinites put 126-billion-dollars in their bank accounts during the past year – up from 115-billion the previous year. And Wisconsin’s increase in deposits was almost two-percent higher than the national jump of seven-point-six percent. But some experts said the report is not as rosy as it sounds – because many investors left a rapidly-falling stock market, and found their banks to much safer. According to the F-D-I-C, almost 19-percent of Wisconsin deposits went to M-and-I banks around the state. That’s down about a quarter-percent from the year before, but M-and-I still had the larger share by far. U-S Bank was second, getting 12-percent of all state deposits.
DC Directs Nut Funding To Wisconsin
10/17/09 - Washington has directed 33 thousand dollars to the Badger State to commercialize bush hazelnuts. That's just one part of a federal grant to specialty growers aimed at making their crops more competitive. The USDA is sending a total of three quarters of a million dollars to Wisconsin. It will be distributed through the state agriculture department. Crops to be helped include vegetables, fruits, tree nuts and nursery crops like flowers. A Friday press release indicates the aim of the program is to help Wisconsin residents eat better, make crop distribution more efficient and enhance food safety.
Warm Winter Possible
10/17/09 - The National Weather Service says it will be a little bit warmer-than-normal in Wisconsin this winter. Forecasters say they have a “high degree of confidence” that an El Nino will keep the water in the Pacific Ocean warmer – and that means slightly warmer temperatures should roll into the Upper Midwest. Meteorologists say the region will still have cold nights of zero-and-below – but there won’t be as many extremely cold nights down to minus-20.
10/17/09 - Many Wisconsin school districts officially got the bad news many were expecting Thursday. The state released the final school aid figures – and most districts are getting less than a year ago. However, that is not the case in Beaver Dam where the district is actually going to get about $520,000 more than a year ago. Business Services Director Andrew Sarnow says the district will receive close to 20.9-million-dollars in state aid, which is more than he was expecting. With the final numbers in Sarnow says they can now plug in a tax rate of $8.73 per $1,000 of assessed value, a 3.8-percent increase over a year ago. Not too many other districts were that lucky. During the summer it was estimated that one-of-every-five school systems would get 15-percent less, the maximum allowed by law. West Bend lost one-point-six million dollars in state aid, and they’re looking at cutting athletic programs starting next fall. Other districts are considering more program cuts, new property tax increases, or both. The state reduced its school aid by 147-million dollars this year, to make up for a drop in state revenues. But lawmakers did add 70-million dollars to a state credit that reduces local property tax bills. Those credits are especially targeted to communities with higher tax burdens.
Edwards Enters “Not Guilty” Plea
10/17/09 - Edward Edwards pleaded innocent yesterday to killing a pair of high school sweethearts in Jefferson County nearly three decades ago. The 76-year-old Edwards appeared for his arraignment via tele-conference. After his last court appearance in August, he was taken to an undisclosed facility due to his health problems. At that hearing, he sat in a wheelchair and breathed through an oxygen tube. Edwards is charged with two counts of first-degree murder. His next court date is October 28th, and a trial has tentatively been set for January 11th. Edwards was arrested in July in a cold-case investigation. State Justice agents say they found his D-N-A on the remains of 19-year-old Kelly Drew. She and 19-year-old Tim Hack were killed after they left a wedding reception at a hall near Sullivan in August of 1980. Edwards claimed he had sex with Drew that night, but other men actually killed the pair.
Contreras Gets Plea Deal in Molestations
10/17/09 - A Beaver Dam man who molested two young girls has entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors. Robert Contreras pleaded to amended charges of felony Third Degree Sexual Assault and had three other felony counts and two misdemeanors dismissed but read into the record. The 37-year-old raped a preteen girl in March of 2008 and a teenage girl on several occasions beginning in May of 2006. The assaults stopped when Contreras was sent to prison in March of last year for his fifth OWI offense. A presentencing investigation was ordered and a hearing is scheduled for November 23.
Teenage Milwaukee Murder Suspect Evaluation Ordered
10/17/09 - Defense attorneys for 14 year old Labrina Brown have a talked a Milwaukee County judge into approving tests on their client's brain. Brown will have a neurological psychological evaluation. She's the teenager accused of killing her step-grandfather when he poured her milk down a drain. Prosecution are charging her with first-degree intentional homicide, meaning a conviction could send her to prison for the rest of her life. She's accused of stabbing 48 year old Robert Moon to death last August. She returns to a Milwaukee County courtroom in December.
Superior Priest Suspended With Pay
10/17/09 -A Roman Catholic priest in the Superior Diocese has been suspended with pay. The Reverend Henry Willenborg fathered a child when he lived in Illinois. Now, it's been revealed he may have been involved with a minor in a separate relationship. The Survivors Network of those abused by Priests called for the suspension after a story appeared in the New York Times. Willenborg lives in Ashland. The church says he will step down from active ministry until the information in the newspaper article is clarified. The group is asking the church to offer additional help to the mother and her son. The son has terminal cancer. He's 22. A second woman told the paper she had been involved with Willenborg when she was a student in high school.
OWI Issued in Town of Chester Rollover
10/17/09 - A Madison man was arrested for his second OWI last night after a rollover accident on Highway 151 in the Town of Chester. The Wisconsin State Patrol is investigating the two car accident that occurred around 6:20pm. Authorities haven’t released many details, but 23-year-old Jeffrey Mondloch was taken to jail for Operating While Intoxicated, second offense. A 55-year-old Iowa woman sustained minor injuries and was transported to the Beaver Dam Community Hospital by Beaver Dam EMS. The investigation continues.
Highway 151 Back Open
10/17/09 - Highway 151 through Beaver Dam opened back up to traffic yesterday, a couple hours earlier than anticipated. DOT Regional Communications Manager Michael Bie says the weeklong closure was necessary to allow Wisconsin Southern Railroad to reconstruct the rail crossing over the highway. It had been scheduled to reopen at 4pm yesterday afternoon but Bie says they finished a couple hours ahead of schedule.
Veterans Affairs Extends Agent Orange Benefits
10/17/09 - The Department of Veterans Affairs is extending its "Agent Orange" benefits to Vietnam Veterans who are suffering from three specific illnesses associated with the herbicide. Vietnam War Veterans who suffer from Parkinson's disease, B cell leukemias, and ischemic heart disease are eligible for the benefits. Fond du Lac County Veterans Service Officer John Wertschnig says because those illnesses are considered "presumptive" veterans don't have to show an association to their service in Southeast Asia. He says Vietnam Veterans who served on the ground would be eligible for the benefits. He says unfortunately the benefits aren't retroactive. The VA only pays from the date you file the claim. Veterans can find out more through a VA website at www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange.
State Supreme Court Rift Emerges
10/17/09 - It's rare for justices on the State Supreme Court to argue in public, but it seems to be happening now in Wisconsin. Defense attorneys have requested that Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman be excluded from hearing oral arguments in a case. They say comments made by Gableman indicate a bias against criminal defendants. Three justices issued a statement last week saying those arguments should be delayed because of the challenge. Yesterday, three more justices issued a joint statement calling the first one "unprecedented." Friday's statement also said the public deserves more rapid action on the Gableman request. It was submitted six months ago.
Milwaukee Officials Revive Gun Debate
10/17/09 - A proposal by Milwaukee’s police chief and district attorney has reloaded the debate on carrying concealed guns in Wisconsin. Police Chief Ed Flynn and the DA John Chisholm told a Common Council panel they’d support concealed carry as compromise for tougher gun control laws. Currently carrying a concealed firearm is a misdemeanor, but they’ve proposed making it a mandatory felony for anyone who carries without a permit. Jim Fendry is Director of the Wisconsin Pro-Gun Movement. He supports a change in law allowing concealed carry but would only favor felonies for those unlicensed carriers if they use their weapon to commit a crime. The director of the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort Educational Fund, Jeri Bonavia, says Wisconsinites are not in support of the conceal carry -- as a Public Policy Forum poll a few years ago indicated more than 70 percent were opposed.
Bank Deposits Up
10/17/09 - Bank deposits in Wisconsin went up by nine-and-a-half percent during the year ending June 30th. The F-D-I-C says that Wisconsinites put 126-billion-dollars in their bank accounts during the past year – up from 115-billion the previous year. And Wisconsin’s increase in deposits was almost two-percent higher than the national jump of seven-point-six percent. But some experts said the report is not as rosy as it sounds – because many investors left a rapidly-falling stock market, and found their banks to much safer. According to the F-D-I-C, almost 19-percent of Wisconsin deposits went to M-and-I banks around the state. That’s down about a quarter-percent from the year before, but M-and-I still had the larger share by far. U-S Bank was second, getting 12-percent of all state deposits.
DC Directs Nut Funding To Wisconsin
10/17/09 - Washington has directed 33 thousand dollars to the Badger State to commercialize bush hazelnuts. That's just one part of a federal grant to specialty growers aimed at making their crops more competitive. The USDA is sending a total of three quarters of a million dollars to Wisconsin. It will be distributed through the state agriculture department. Crops to be helped include vegetables, fruits, tree nuts and nursery crops like flowers. A Friday press release indicates the aim of the program is to help Wisconsin residents eat better, make crop distribution more efficient and enhance food safety.
Warm Winter Possible
10/17/09 - The National Weather Service says it will be a little bit warmer-than-normal in Wisconsin this winter. Forecasters say they have a “high degree of confidence” that an El Nino will keep the water in the Pacific Ocean warmer – and that means slightly warmer temperatures should roll into the Upper Midwest. Meteorologists say the region will still have cold nights of zero-and-below – but there won’t be as many extremely cold nights down to minus-20.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Top Stories October 16th
Edwards Due in Court this Morning
10/16/09 - A Kentucky man is scheduled to enter pleas this morning to charges that he killed a pair of high school sweethearts in Jefferson County in 1980. 76-year-old Edward Edwards of Louisville has an 11 o'clock arraignment in Jefferson on two counts of first-degree murder. Authorities said he murdered Tim Hack and Kelly Drew, both 19, soon after they left a wedding reception in Sullivan. Edwards was arrested this summer after state justice agents found his D-N-A on Drew's body. Edwards has admitted committing numerous crimes around the country, but he denies killing Hack and Drew. He told police he had sex with Drew, but a group of other men stomped her and Hack to death.
September Unemployment Rate Drops
10/16/09 - Wisconsin’s new unemployment rate fell by seven-tenths of a percent from August. The unadjusted rate of seven-point-seven percent is the lowest of the year. Almost every part of the economy lost jobs in September. But with kids back in school, educational jobs grew. And so did the health services industry. Total employment was up by 56-hundred from August. But Wisconsin still lost 124-thousand jobs over the last year. The seasonally-adjusted jobless rate was eight-point-eight percent statewide. That’s down a half-point from August, but still almost double from a year ago. State labor economist Eric Grosso called the trend encouraging – but he says there’s a long way to go before a recovery begins.
Meanwhile, a new report suggests the recession is over in the Madison, Appleton, and Oshkosh areas. But the downturn continues in 12 other Wisconsin metros and the state as a whole. That’s according to an adversity index from Moody’s-Economy-Dot-Com and M-S-N-B-C. It’s based on employment, industrial production, home prices, and housing starts compared to a year ago. The latest numbers are from August – and they showed that 79 of the nation’s 384 metros are in a recovery mode, as well as 11 of the 50 states.
Flu Symptoms Most Likely H1N1 Virus
10/16/09 - If you are suffering from flu-like symptoms, it is likely the H1N1 flu virus. That’s according to Dodge County Public Health Officer Jody Langfeldt says there has been four confirmed cases in Dodge County, but the actual number of infections is difficult to determine. Langfeldt says the state considers all flu-like symptoms to be H1N1 flu because the seasonal flu doesn’t reach its peak until later in the year. She says the virus hasn’t changed much since the spring; it is moderate in severity, affecting young people ages two to 24 years-old the most. The Dodge County Public Health Department is working with emergency responders, hospitals and schools in organizing vaccine clinics. The general public is expected to get the vaccine early next month. Meanwhile, a second person has died in Wisconsin this season from the virus, bringing the statewide total for the year to ten. The latest victim was a 21-month-old girl from Monroe County. State officials say there have been over 500 cases of H-1-N-1 confirmed since September first, and more than two people have been hospitalized statewide. All but 20 of the state’s 72 counties have had at least one swine flu case this fall – and the Madison area has recorded just over one-fifth of all Wisconsin’s cases.
Brothers Sentenced on Animal Mistreatment Charges
10/16/09 - Two Lomira brothers were sentenced to 120 days in jail for mistreating animals on their seven-acre farm. Authorities found what they described as an “appalling” and “abusive situation” at the farm of 40-year-old Harvey Buchholz and 36-year-old Heath Buchholz. The two recently pleaded “no contest” to reduced misdemeanor charges of Mistreatment of Animals Causing Death. They also entered into a deferred prosecution agreement so if the Buchholz brothers stay out of trouble for two years, each will see their felony charge dropped. Authorities say they found dairy cows, calves, steer and sheep sick – bellowing with hunger -- with inadequate food, water and bedding. According to the criminal complaint, there were dead animal carcasses strewn all over the barnyard. The remaining animals were covered in mange, with open sores and visible bones and ribs. A veterinarian brought in to assess the conditions said he was “appalled by the total lack of husbandry… and disregard for the welfare of the animals.” The brothers were given several weeks to address the situation this January. They denied that financial troubles lead to the conditions. In addition to four months in jail with Huber privileges, the Buchholz were placed on probation for two years. They can continue to milk the remaining cows on their farm but cannot be involved in other farming activities without approval by their probation agent. The brothers are also subject to random visits from their probation agent or a veterinarian to check on their animal husbandry.
Jail Time / $11K Restitution for Hammer Beating
10/16/09 - A Waupun man will spend a month in jail for beating a man in the head with a hammer. Cody S. Brown pleaded “no contest” to reduced misdemeanor Battery charges and was also placed on probation for one year. In July, the 22-year-old was with two friends drinking in their garage when the victim confronted the trio and accused them of beating up his cousin. Brown says the victim threw the first punch so he picked up the hammer and struck him several times in the head and back. The victim sustained a skull fracture and a five inch laceration on his head. Brown was also ordered to pay $11,000 in restitution.
Murder-Suicide in West Bend
10/16/09 - A man in West Bend tried in vain to save his mother, just before her ex-husband shot-and-killed her and then killed himself. It happened just after midnight yesterday at the home of 52-year-old Alice Gill. Police said her 27-year-old son woke up, heard a car horn, and then heard screaming. Alice Gill and her 50-year-old ex-husband Jeffrey were fighting inside the S-U-V. And when her son came out to help her, the ex-husband started shooting. Both ran out of the vehicle. And Jeffrey shot his ex-wife several times while chasing her in the front yard. After she collapsed, Gill shot himself in the head. And while all that was happening, a pipe bomb exploded in the S-U-V. When police arrived, they found both bodies close to the vehicle, which was still running. A Milwaukee bomb squad and federal agents were then called to investigate the pipe bomb. Police said the Gills divorced two years ago. Officials said Jeffrey Gill had previous arrests for domestic abuse, illegal drug possession, and six drunken driving incidents.
Man Allegedly Drunk During Hit and Run
10/16/09 - A 24-year-old man was allegedly driving drunk when he hit a parked car and fled the scene in Juneau Wednesday night. Authorities say the man struck a car parked on Main Street around 11:45pm. The owner of that car called police and filed a complaint. The offending vehicle was found within a number of minutes parked in front of Mike’s Automotive on Main Street. The 24-year-old was still in the vehicle and authorities took him into custody. His preliminary blood alcohol content was .21, more than double the legal limit. He faces a number of charges, including OWI and Hit and Run.
DC Investigating BE in Town of Beaver Dam
10/16/09 - The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a Breaking and Entering at a Town of Beaver Dam business. Records show the owner of Wally’s Auto on Highway 33 reported that someone had entered the business without consent and stole a number of tools. The theft was reported late Wednesday morning. The investigation into the incident continues. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Dodge County Sheriffs Department or the anonymous We-Tip hotline at 800-78-CRIME.
White Gets 10 Years for Sheboygan Brat Days Incident
10/16/09 - A Manitowoc man will spend about 10 years in prison for driving drunk into a crowd at the Sheboygan Brat Days Parade last summer. 22-year-old Mario White pleaded no contest to 10 charges, and a dozen others were dropped in a plea bargain. Prosecutors said White was trying to flee Wisconsin to get out of an earlier drunk driving sentence, as he was being chased by authorities in August of ’08. The chase had ended before White broke through a police barrier and injured four people at the Sheboygan parade – and just missed dozens of others. Among those hit was a police supervisor who pulled two kids to safety just moments before the crash.
Liquor Tax Increase Still Possible
10/16/09 - Do they or don’t they? Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan and his office sent out mixed signals yesterday about whether he and Majority Democrats would support a higher liquor tax to get more drunk drivers off the road. Sheridan told reporters yesterday morning he would consider the 50-cent-per-liter tax on hard liquor endorsed last week by a Senate committee. But later in the day, Sheridan spokeswoman Rebekah Sweeney said Democrats are not inclined to raising the liquor tax – but they’re not ruling it out, either.
Man Takes Full Powerball Payment Now
10/16/09 - A Marinette man known for his wood sculptures cashed in his 31-million-dollar Powerball ticket yesterday. Doug Miron chose the cash option. He’s giving up a larger installment prize to take 11-point-two million dollars now, after taxes. State lottery spokesman Andrew Bohage said he was so happy when he learned he won, he pulled a leg muscle while jumping for joy. Miron is Wisconsin’s 15th jackpot winner since the game began in 1992 – and he’s claiming the state’s sixth-largest prize ever.
National Guard Mission Continues in Iraq
10/16/09 - The deployment of the Wisconsin National Guard continues and local troops are making a difference. As part of the 105th Calvary division, Watertown troops have been a little busier than usual during the past month. Their squadron has responded to a number of incidents in the troop’s area of operations both on and off the Victory Base Complex near the Baghdad airport. The patrols range from routine to actual threat responses. On the scheduled patrols soldiers bring candy with them to give to the local kids that they see along their way. It’s not all serious for the troops though. Football dominates sports in Wisconsin during the month of October. And just because guard members are thousands of miles away in Iraq it doesn’t mean they don’t have football fever too. Some of the Watertown troops took on Camp Cropper sailors on October 3rd in an impromptu Army-Navy flag football game. After a long hard battle the Army got the best of the match-up winning 40-38. There are just three months left in the 32nd Brigade’s mission in Iraq.
Wildlife Rehab and Research Center in Oconomowoc a Possibility
10/16/09 - A proposed new wildlife rehab-and-research center near Oconomowoc is one step closer to reality. Meeting in Eau Claire yesterday, a committee of the U-W Board of Regents endorsed the project and referred it to the State Building Commission. The non-profit Wildlife-in-Need group wants to build a new animal rehabilitation center and research lab at the Sherman Field Station owned by U-W Waukesha. The school would also have access to the facility, and campus dean Patrick Schmitt says it would expand the field station’s capabilities. The wildlife group has raised over 700-thousand dollars for the new facility. If all goes as planned, construction would begin next spring.
10/16/09 - A Kentucky man is scheduled to enter pleas this morning to charges that he killed a pair of high school sweethearts in Jefferson County in 1980. 76-year-old Edward Edwards of Louisville has an 11 o'clock arraignment in Jefferson on two counts of first-degree murder. Authorities said he murdered Tim Hack and Kelly Drew, both 19, soon after they left a wedding reception in Sullivan. Edwards was arrested this summer after state justice agents found his D-N-A on Drew's body. Edwards has admitted committing numerous crimes around the country, but he denies killing Hack and Drew. He told police he had sex with Drew, but a group of other men stomped her and Hack to death.
September Unemployment Rate Drops
10/16/09 - Wisconsin’s new unemployment rate fell by seven-tenths of a percent from August. The unadjusted rate of seven-point-seven percent is the lowest of the year. Almost every part of the economy lost jobs in September. But with kids back in school, educational jobs grew. And so did the health services industry. Total employment was up by 56-hundred from August. But Wisconsin still lost 124-thousand jobs over the last year. The seasonally-adjusted jobless rate was eight-point-eight percent statewide. That’s down a half-point from August, but still almost double from a year ago. State labor economist Eric Grosso called the trend encouraging – but he says there’s a long way to go before a recovery begins.
Meanwhile, a new report suggests the recession is over in the Madison, Appleton, and Oshkosh areas. But the downturn continues in 12 other Wisconsin metros and the state as a whole. That’s according to an adversity index from Moody’s-Economy-Dot-Com and M-S-N-B-C. It’s based on employment, industrial production, home prices, and housing starts compared to a year ago. The latest numbers are from August – and they showed that 79 of the nation’s 384 metros are in a recovery mode, as well as 11 of the 50 states.
Flu Symptoms Most Likely H1N1 Virus
10/16/09 - If you are suffering from flu-like symptoms, it is likely the H1N1 flu virus. That’s according to Dodge County Public Health Officer Jody Langfeldt says there has been four confirmed cases in Dodge County, but the actual number of infections is difficult to determine. Langfeldt says the state considers all flu-like symptoms to be H1N1 flu because the seasonal flu doesn’t reach its peak until later in the year. She says the virus hasn’t changed much since the spring; it is moderate in severity, affecting young people ages two to 24 years-old the most. The Dodge County Public Health Department is working with emergency responders, hospitals and schools in organizing vaccine clinics. The general public is expected to get the vaccine early next month. Meanwhile, a second person has died in Wisconsin this season from the virus, bringing the statewide total for the year to ten. The latest victim was a 21-month-old girl from Monroe County. State officials say there have been over 500 cases of H-1-N-1 confirmed since September first, and more than two people have been hospitalized statewide. All but 20 of the state’s 72 counties have had at least one swine flu case this fall – and the Madison area has recorded just over one-fifth of all Wisconsin’s cases.
Brothers Sentenced on Animal Mistreatment Charges
10/16/09 - Two Lomira brothers were sentenced to 120 days in jail for mistreating animals on their seven-acre farm. Authorities found what they described as an “appalling” and “abusive situation” at the farm of 40-year-old Harvey Buchholz and 36-year-old Heath Buchholz. The two recently pleaded “no contest” to reduced misdemeanor charges of Mistreatment of Animals Causing Death. They also entered into a deferred prosecution agreement so if the Buchholz brothers stay out of trouble for two years, each will see their felony charge dropped. Authorities say they found dairy cows, calves, steer and sheep sick – bellowing with hunger -- with inadequate food, water and bedding. According to the criminal complaint, there were dead animal carcasses strewn all over the barnyard. The remaining animals were covered in mange, with open sores and visible bones and ribs. A veterinarian brought in to assess the conditions said he was “appalled by the total lack of husbandry… and disregard for the welfare of the animals.” The brothers were given several weeks to address the situation this January. They denied that financial troubles lead to the conditions. In addition to four months in jail with Huber privileges, the Buchholz were placed on probation for two years. They can continue to milk the remaining cows on their farm but cannot be involved in other farming activities without approval by their probation agent. The brothers are also subject to random visits from their probation agent or a veterinarian to check on their animal husbandry.
Jail Time / $11K Restitution for Hammer Beating
10/16/09 - A Waupun man will spend a month in jail for beating a man in the head with a hammer. Cody S. Brown pleaded “no contest” to reduced misdemeanor Battery charges and was also placed on probation for one year. In July, the 22-year-old was with two friends drinking in their garage when the victim confronted the trio and accused them of beating up his cousin. Brown says the victim threw the first punch so he picked up the hammer and struck him several times in the head and back. The victim sustained a skull fracture and a five inch laceration on his head. Brown was also ordered to pay $11,000 in restitution.
Murder-Suicide in West Bend
10/16/09 - A man in West Bend tried in vain to save his mother, just before her ex-husband shot-and-killed her and then killed himself. It happened just after midnight yesterday at the home of 52-year-old Alice Gill. Police said her 27-year-old son woke up, heard a car horn, and then heard screaming. Alice Gill and her 50-year-old ex-husband Jeffrey were fighting inside the S-U-V. And when her son came out to help her, the ex-husband started shooting. Both ran out of the vehicle. And Jeffrey shot his ex-wife several times while chasing her in the front yard. After she collapsed, Gill shot himself in the head. And while all that was happening, a pipe bomb exploded in the S-U-V. When police arrived, they found both bodies close to the vehicle, which was still running. A Milwaukee bomb squad and federal agents were then called to investigate the pipe bomb. Police said the Gills divorced two years ago. Officials said Jeffrey Gill had previous arrests for domestic abuse, illegal drug possession, and six drunken driving incidents.
Man Allegedly Drunk During Hit and Run
10/16/09 - A 24-year-old man was allegedly driving drunk when he hit a parked car and fled the scene in Juneau Wednesday night. Authorities say the man struck a car parked on Main Street around 11:45pm. The owner of that car called police and filed a complaint. The offending vehicle was found within a number of minutes parked in front of Mike’s Automotive on Main Street. The 24-year-old was still in the vehicle and authorities took him into custody. His preliminary blood alcohol content was .21, more than double the legal limit. He faces a number of charges, including OWI and Hit and Run.
DC Investigating BE in Town of Beaver Dam
10/16/09 - The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a Breaking and Entering at a Town of Beaver Dam business. Records show the owner of Wally’s Auto on Highway 33 reported that someone had entered the business without consent and stole a number of tools. The theft was reported late Wednesday morning. The investigation into the incident continues. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Dodge County Sheriffs Department or the anonymous We-Tip hotline at 800-78-CRIME.
White Gets 10 Years for Sheboygan Brat Days Incident
10/16/09 - A Manitowoc man will spend about 10 years in prison for driving drunk into a crowd at the Sheboygan Brat Days Parade last summer. 22-year-old Mario White pleaded no contest to 10 charges, and a dozen others were dropped in a plea bargain. Prosecutors said White was trying to flee Wisconsin to get out of an earlier drunk driving sentence, as he was being chased by authorities in August of ’08. The chase had ended before White broke through a police barrier and injured four people at the Sheboygan parade – and just missed dozens of others. Among those hit was a police supervisor who pulled two kids to safety just moments before the crash.
Liquor Tax Increase Still Possible
10/16/09 - Do they or don’t they? Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan and his office sent out mixed signals yesterday about whether he and Majority Democrats would support a higher liquor tax to get more drunk drivers off the road. Sheridan told reporters yesterday morning he would consider the 50-cent-per-liter tax on hard liquor endorsed last week by a Senate committee. But later in the day, Sheridan spokeswoman Rebekah Sweeney said Democrats are not inclined to raising the liquor tax – but they’re not ruling it out, either.
Man Takes Full Powerball Payment Now
10/16/09 - A Marinette man known for his wood sculptures cashed in his 31-million-dollar Powerball ticket yesterday. Doug Miron chose the cash option. He’s giving up a larger installment prize to take 11-point-two million dollars now, after taxes. State lottery spokesman Andrew Bohage said he was so happy when he learned he won, he pulled a leg muscle while jumping for joy. Miron is Wisconsin’s 15th jackpot winner since the game began in 1992 – and he’s claiming the state’s sixth-largest prize ever.
National Guard Mission Continues in Iraq
10/16/09 - The deployment of the Wisconsin National Guard continues and local troops are making a difference. As part of the 105th Calvary division, Watertown troops have been a little busier than usual during the past month. Their squadron has responded to a number of incidents in the troop’s area of operations both on and off the Victory Base Complex near the Baghdad airport. The patrols range from routine to actual threat responses. On the scheduled patrols soldiers bring candy with them to give to the local kids that they see along their way. It’s not all serious for the troops though. Football dominates sports in Wisconsin during the month of October. And just because guard members are thousands of miles away in Iraq it doesn’t mean they don’t have football fever too. Some of the Watertown troops took on Camp Cropper sailors on October 3rd in an impromptu Army-Navy flag football game. After a long hard battle the Army got the best of the match-up winning 40-38. There are just three months left in the 32nd Brigade’s mission in Iraq.
Wildlife Rehab and Research Center in Oconomowoc a Possibility
10/16/09 - A proposed new wildlife rehab-and-research center near Oconomowoc is one step closer to reality. Meeting in Eau Claire yesterday, a committee of the U-W Board of Regents endorsed the project and referred it to the State Building Commission. The non-profit Wildlife-in-Need group wants to build a new animal rehabilitation center and research lab at the Sherman Field Station owned by U-W Waukesha. The school would also have access to the facility, and campus dean Patrick Schmitt says it would expand the field station’s capabilities. The wildlife group has raised over 700-thousand dollars for the new facility. If all goes as planned, construction would begin next spring.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Top Stories October 15th
Murder Suicide Being Investigated in West Bend
10/15/09 - A man shot-and-killed his ex-wife and then killed himself overnight in West Bend. It happened around midnight. Media reports said police found the bodies in the woman’s driveway next to an S-U-V that was still running. The U-S Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives was called in after police found a pipe bomb that was detonated inside the S-U-V. Police said the woman’s adult son was in her house at the time. She was 52. The victims’ names were not immediately released.
Missing Persons Alert
10/15/09 - Authorities have issued a missing persons alert for a woman in neighboring Washington County. Stephanie Fischer (left) of West Bend was last seen on October 6 after reporting a domestic abuse incident involving Dennis Moe. The two were married a few months ago and police say domestic violence incidents have been escalating. Moe is considered armed and dangerous. Fischer is a 31-year-old Caucasian with blond hair, blue eyes, five-feet ten inches tall and 180lbs. Fischer has a half-inch diagonal scar on her upper lip, a surgical scar on her abdomen and a rose tattoo on her back. Moe drives a grey, 2006 Dodge Charger (license plate # 272PXT). Anyone with information is asked to contact the West Bend Police Department or the Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Persons at 800-The HOPE.
Man Arrested at Gunpoint
10/15/09 - A 44-year-old Chippewa Falls man was taken into custody at gunpoint yesterday morning after a deputy attempted to pull him over for drunk driving in the Town of Clyman. Sheriff’s Department officials say they initiated a traffic stop on Highway 26 around 1am but the driver, David Leland, did not pull over. He eventually pulled into the Jungle Cat Paintball parking lot, drove through the grass, before turning and driving towards the pursuing deputy. The deputy pulled his gun and Leland stopped and was taken into custody. Authorities say his blood alcohol level was .2 more than double the legal limit. In addition to his 3rd OWI Leland was cited for speeding, operating while suspended, and failure to obey an officer.
White Cane Day
10/15/09 - Today is National White Cane Safety Awareness Day. October 15 was established in 1964 to raise awareness of the issues faced by blind and visually impaired Americans. On Community Comment this week, Waupun resident Eleanor Loomans encouraged the public to be more aware of the blind and visually impaired and pointed out that there is a White Cane Law, which prohibits a vehicle from being within 10 feet of a person with a red and white cane or a guide dog.
Lake Days Revenue Down
10/15/09 - Beaver Dam Lake Days had a nearly $15,000 drop in revenue this year. That’s according to Lake Days President Aaron Holbrook who attributes the decline to the loss of a ride vendor, coupled with lower sponsorship and concession sales and a lack of financial support from the city. The city had previously donated money from the room tax fund, which was established to promote tourism and development. In 2003, revenue started to dry-up after a contract change redirected the hotel tax revenue to the Beaver Dam Area Development Corporation and the Chamber. The Community Development Committee plans to discuss ways to replenish a tourism fund. But with budget deliberations underway right now, the Lake Days Committee is asking the city to consider a $7000 or $8000 donation to help fund the costs of the fireworks display next year, which typically costs upwards of $15,000. Holbrook says there could be some changes in store for next year’s Lake Days. The Administrative Committee continues its budget talks on Tuesday, October 27.
One Injured In Two-Vehicle Wreck
10/15/09 - One person was injured in a two-vehicle wreck Wednesday morning in Columbus. Authorities say a 32-year-old Columbus man was traveling westbound on Highway 16 when he was rear-ended by a vehicle driven by a 31-year-old Beaver Dam man. The Columbus man was transported to the Columbus Community Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities say his vehicle may have possibly had faulty rear lights; he was ticketed for Failure to Wear A Seatbelt. The Beaver Dam man was ticketed for following too closely. The accident occurred just after 7am and Highway 16 was reduced to one-lane for about a half-hour.
Crave Bros Gets International Recognition
10/15/09 - Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese was recently given a top prize in an international competition. The Waterloo-based cheese maker was awarded the Gold Medal for their Mascarpone in the World Cheese Awards in the Canary Islands, which is off the coast of northern Africa. The competition featured nearly 2500 entries from 34 counties from around the world competing in 140 categories. The Crave Brothers Farm was the site of the 2009 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days.
Concealed-Carry Gets another Look
10/15/09 - There’s a new effort to let Wisconsinites carry concealed weapons. But this time, Milwaukee’s police chief Ed Flynn and D-A John Chisholm are floating the idea, as part of a compromise to create tougher gun control laws. They want to require background checks for the buyers of all guns in Wisconsin – including those at gun shows. And if they have to cut a deal by allowing concealed carry, so be it. Right now, background checks are only required at federally-licensed gun shops – and carrying a concealed weapon is a misdemeanor. Flynn says there should be a tough process for granting concealed-carry permits – and those caught without permits should be slapped with felonies. Wisconsin is one of only two states that do not allow concealed weapons.
Police Eradicate Marijuana Plants in Shawano County
10/15/09 - About eight-thousand marijuana plants have been eradicated from a wildlife area in Shawano County. Almost 80 law enforcement officers from nine departments stamped out plants from a dozen growing sites in the Navarino Wildlife Area. Sheriff Randall Wright said the operation was abandoned a long time ago – and a large amount of pot was harvested before authorities ever knew about it. They were able to get some evidence by dismantling four work-and-camp sites. Federal, state, and local officers helped with the eradication. Officials called it one of the largest marijuana growing sites ever in Wisconsin.
Possible Furlough Loophole?
10/15/09 - The head of the state government’s largest employee union says he has no evidence that workers are trying to get around the unpaid furloughs they have to take. But the Associated Press says employees have talked about banking more unused vacation days so they can get cash for them when they leave – and there’s some talk of veteran workers cashing up to five days of vacation. Officials are not sure what the extent might be – but if it gets to be too much, agencies may have to cut spending elsewhere. State Employees’ Union director Marty Beil says there might be a small increase in the banking of vacation time as sabbatical time for this year. That’s mainly because many employees only had a few months this year to take the eight unpaid days they’re supposed to cover each year of the two-year budget that took effect in July.
Not Much Support for Beer Tax Increase in Upper Level of Legislature
10/15/09 - Supporters of an increase in the beer tax are frustrated by some high-level opposition. Paul Jenkins of Mequon recalled a meeting with state Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker during which Decker said there was “no way in hell” he’d increase the tax on beer. Jenkins’ pregnant stepdaughter and her 10 year old child were killed by a drunk driver a year-and-a-half ago. He says he believes “any tax that hasn’t been raised in forty years needs to be looked at.” An Assembly committee has held a public hearing on the legislation. The state’s tax on beer has not been increased since 1969.
10/15/09 - A man shot-and-killed his ex-wife and then killed himself overnight in West Bend. It happened around midnight. Media reports said police found the bodies in the woman’s driveway next to an S-U-V that was still running. The U-S Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives was called in after police found a pipe bomb that was detonated inside the S-U-V. Police said the woman’s adult son was in her house at the time. She was 52. The victims’ names were not immediately released.
Missing Persons Alert
10/15/09 - Authorities have issued a missing persons alert for a woman in neighboring Washington County. Stephanie Fischer (left) of West Bend was last seen on October 6 after reporting a domestic abuse incident involving Dennis Moe. The two were married a few months ago and police say domestic violence incidents have been escalating. Moe is considered armed and dangerous. Fischer is a 31-year-old Caucasian with blond hair, blue eyes, five-feet ten inches tall and 180lbs. Fischer has a half-inch diagonal scar on her upper lip, a surgical scar on her abdomen and a rose tattoo on her back. Moe drives a grey, 2006 Dodge Charger (license plate # 272PXT). Anyone with information is asked to contact the West Bend Police Department or the Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Persons at 800-The HOPE.
Man Arrested at Gunpoint
10/15/09 - A 44-year-old Chippewa Falls man was taken into custody at gunpoint yesterday morning after a deputy attempted to pull him over for drunk driving in the Town of Clyman. Sheriff’s Department officials say they initiated a traffic stop on Highway 26 around 1am but the driver, David Leland, did not pull over. He eventually pulled into the Jungle Cat Paintball parking lot, drove through the grass, before turning and driving towards the pursuing deputy. The deputy pulled his gun and Leland stopped and was taken into custody. Authorities say his blood alcohol level was .2 more than double the legal limit. In addition to his 3rd OWI Leland was cited for speeding, operating while suspended, and failure to obey an officer.
White Cane Day
10/15/09 - Today is National White Cane Safety Awareness Day. October 15 was established in 1964 to raise awareness of the issues faced by blind and visually impaired Americans. On Community Comment this week, Waupun resident Eleanor Loomans encouraged the public to be more aware of the blind and visually impaired and pointed out that there is a White Cane Law, which prohibits a vehicle from being within 10 feet of a person with a red and white cane or a guide dog.
Lake Days Revenue Down
10/15/09 - Beaver Dam Lake Days had a nearly $15,000 drop in revenue this year. That’s according to Lake Days President Aaron Holbrook who attributes the decline to the loss of a ride vendor, coupled with lower sponsorship and concession sales and a lack of financial support from the city. The city had previously donated money from the room tax fund, which was established to promote tourism and development. In 2003, revenue started to dry-up after a contract change redirected the hotel tax revenue to the Beaver Dam Area Development Corporation and the Chamber. The Community Development Committee plans to discuss ways to replenish a tourism fund. But with budget deliberations underway right now, the Lake Days Committee is asking the city to consider a $7000 or $8000 donation to help fund the costs of the fireworks display next year, which typically costs upwards of $15,000. Holbrook says there could be some changes in store for next year’s Lake Days. The Administrative Committee continues its budget talks on Tuesday, October 27.
One Injured In Two-Vehicle Wreck
10/15/09 - One person was injured in a two-vehicle wreck Wednesday morning in Columbus. Authorities say a 32-year-old Columbus man was traveling westbound on Highway 16 when he was rear-ended by a vehicle driven by a 31-year-old Beaver Dam man. The Columbus man was transported to the Columbus Community Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities say his vehicle may have possibly had faulty rear lights; he was ticketed for Failure to Wear A Seatbelt. The Beaver Dam man was ticketed for following too closely. The accident occurred just after 7am and Highway 16 was reduced to one-lane for about a half-hour.
Crave Bros Gets International Recognition
10/15/09 - Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese was recently given a top prize in an international competition. The Waterloo-based cheese maker was awarded the Gold Medal for their Mascarpone in the World Cheese Awards in the Canary Islands, which is off the coast of northern Africa. The competition featured nearly 2500 entries from 34 counties from around the world competing in 140 categories. The Crave Brothers Farm was the site of the 2009 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days.
Concealed-Carry Gets another Look
10/15/09 - There’s a new effort to let Wisconsinites carry concealed weapons. But this time, Milwaukee’s police chief Ed Flynn and D-A John Chisholm are floating the idea, as part of a compromise to create tougher gun control laws. They want to require background checks for the buyers of all guns in Wisconsin – including those at gun shows. And if they have to cut a deal by allowing concealed carry, so be it. Right now, background checks are only required at federally-licensed gun shops – and carrying a concealed weapon is a misdemeanor. Flynn says there should be a tough process for granting concealed-carry permits – and those caught without permits should be slapped with felonies. Wisconsin is one of only two states that do not allow concealed weapons.
Police Eradicate Marijuana Plants in Shawano County
10/15/09 - About eight-thousand marijuana plants have been eradicated from a wildlife area in Shawano County. Almost 80 law enforcement officers from nine departments stamped out plants from a dozen growing sites in the Navarino Wildlife Area. Sheriff Randall Wright said the operation was abandoned a long time ago – and a large amount of pot was harvested before authorities ever knew about it. They were able to get some evidence by dismantling four work-and-camp sites. Federal, state, and local officers helped with the eradication. Officials called it one of the largest marijuana growing sites ever in Wisconsin.
Possible Furlough Loophole?
10/15/09 - The head of the state government’s largest employee union says he has no evidence that workers are trying to get around the unpaid furloughs they have to take. But the Associated Press says employees have talked about banking more unused vacation days so they can get cash for them when they leave – and there’s some talk of veteran workers cashing up to five days of vacation. Officials are not sure what the extent might be – but if it gets to be too much, agencies may have to cut spending elsewhere. State Employees’ Union director Marty Beil says there might be a small increase in the banking of vacation time as sabbatical time for this year. That’s mainly because many employees only had a few months this year to take the eight unpaid days they’re supposed to cover each year of the two-year budget that took effect in July.
Not Much Support for Beer Tax Increase in Upper Level of Legislature
10/15/09 - Supporters of an increase in the beer tax are frustrated by some high-level opposition. Paul Jenkins of Mequon recalled a meeting with state Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker during which Decker said there was “no way in hell” he’d increase the tax on beer. Jenkins’ pregnant stepdaughter and her 10 year old child were killed by a drunk driver a year-and-a-half ago. He says he believes “any tax that hasn’t been raised in forty years needs to be looked at.” An Assembly committee has held a public hearing on the legislation. The state’s tax on beer has not been increased since 1969.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Top Stories August 14th
Fountain Inn on National Registry
10/14/09 - The Fountain Inn Tavern in Beaver Dam has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The business formerly known as Emotional Rescue had already been placed on the State Historic Registry last year. The registry entitles the property to the benefits and protections of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. The act allows for tax incentives, eligibility for matching grants and limited protection from encroachment by federal or state assisted development projects. That doesn’t mean the building would be protected from court ordered demolition orders, which is a possibility because the structure was built over the Beaver Dam River a century ago and is in violation of modern state statutes. Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Jim Draeger says the registry just establishes a process but does not dictate the outcome. The Fountain Inn was the only one of eleven buildings constructed over the Beaver Dam River that was not purchased and torn down this summer.
Attempted Child Enticement in Juneau
10/14/09 - The Juneau Police Department is looking for a man who they say tried to entice a young girl into his SUV by saying her father sent him to pick her up. Police Chief Ed Oestreich says the incident occurred on West Street Monday afternoon around 4:15pm. The suspect is described as a white male with black-grey curly hair and a moustache last seen driving a newer, white box-type Jeep or Chevy Tahoe-type SUV with black trim around the wheels. Oestreich says if you are approached by a similar type of person or vehicle, you should try to obtain a license plate number and call 9-1-1 or the Juneau Police Department at 386-4810.
Municipal Courts Could See Revenue Windfall
10/14/09 - Municipal courts in Dodge County are handling more and more petty offenses once prosecuted by the District Attorney’s office. Managing Attorney Bob Barrington says their staffing levels were already low when the state mandated that their Assistant DA’s take furlough days. He says the offenses being handled by the municipal courts are minor crimes like first time drug possession, operating after revocation and some disorderly conduct cases. Barrington says methamphetamine possession cases will still be handled by the DA’s office but they are debating how to handle cocaine possession charges. The change will remove the threat of jail time for some minor offenses but will likely increase the amount of money offenders pay in fines. During Beaver Dam’s budget deliberations this week, Municipal Court Judge Ken Peters said he expects a “substantial revenue increase” to come from his department. Judge Peters says without the option of jail time, he will be prescribing the “maximum forfeiture penalty.”
Lt Governor Candidate in BD
10/14/09 - A candidate for Lieutenant Governor will be speaking in Beaver Dam this evening (Wed). Tony Zielinski will address the Dodge County Democratic Party during their regularly scheduled meeting at the Beaver Dam Senior Center. He says if elected jobs will be his top priority. Zielinski has been in politics for over two decades, serving as a Milwaukee Alderman for the past six years and Milwaukee County Supervisor prior to that. The Democratic Party’s meeting begins at 7pm tonight.
Locating Company Off By 6ft in Juneau
10/14/09 - A private utility locating company mis-marked the Juneau gas line that was punctured last Friday by about six-feet. Juneau Utility President Dan Wegener says in his 30-plus years in construction he’s never seen a line mis-marked by that much. Wegener says all of the different cables and lines under cities sometimes makes it difficult to determine where lines are as there is a bleeding off effect that happens. Total costs of the nearly nine-hour event are still being calculated.
City Administrator Position Retained in Waupun
10/14/09 - Despite pleas from the public the Waupun Common Council voted to retain the position of City Administrator. At least six residents spoke in favor of eliminating the position which carries a yearly salary of more than $100,000. However, a number of council members were concerned that without the administrator the city could not be successful in its attempt to experience growth. Interim Administrator Ed Madere told the council he would stay on in his part-time role as long as possible within reason. With the passage of the resolution the council and Madere will start to prepare for the hiring process of the next administrator, something that is unlikely to happen before next April’s elections.
Koskinen: WI Economy Starting to Recover
10/14/09 - The state government’s chief economist says Wisconsin is starting to recover from the worst downturn since the Great Depression. John Koskinen of the state Revenue Department pointed to new growth in industrial output, a slight improvement in unemployment, and a recovery in financial equity markets. He told the state Assembly’s committee on jobs-and-the-economy that Wisconsin will equal or exceed the nation’s economic growth in 2010. But Koskinen said it would take years for the state’s economy to return to what it was in 2007. Meanwhile, Zach Brandon of the state Commerce Department told lawmakers that Wisconsin is now in a good position to keep companies from moving, while attracting new firms. He credits the new tax breaks and business incentives that were approved earlier this year.
Fire Destroys 2,000 Bushels of Corn in Columbus
10/14/09 - Around 2,000 bushels of corn were destroyed by a fire in the Town of Elba late Monday morning. Columbus Fire officials say they responded to a farm on Burr Oak Road around 10:45 to a report of a corn dryer on fire. Firefighters were able to get the actual fire under control rather quickly. However, because the fire started on the dryer floor firefighters were on scene until 3:30 cooling down and shoveling corn out of the machine. Most of the damage was limited to the dryer floor. Fire Chief Randy Koehn says it’s difficult to tell how or why the fire started. The owner of the farm is Brian Klubertanz.
Beer and Liquor Tax Not Likely to Increase
10/14/09 - Hundreds of people attended a public hearing yesterday on a bill to raise Wisconsin’s beer tax. But an Assembly leader says his colleagues are not likely to raise either beer or liquor taxes to pay for tougher drunk driving enforcement. Finance co-chairman Mark Pocan of Madison says majority Assembly Democrats generally don’t believe higher taxes are the way to go. Former Dane County prosecutor Judy Munaker begs to differ. She was injured by a drunk driver 35 years ago. Munaker told lawmakers that more money is desperately needed for alcohol treatment, and raising taxes on people who abuse the substance is the place to start. Madison Democrat Terese Berceau has been trying since 2005 to raise the beer tax – and until now, it’s fallen on deaf ears at the Capitol. She said it would only cost three cents more for a bottle of beer. But Capital Brewery president Carl Nolen said it would be more like three-dollars a case. And he and other brewers said it would put people out of work, and small beer-makers out of business.
10/14/09 - The Fountain Inn Tavern in Beaver Dam has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The business formerly known as Emotional Rescue had already been placed on the State Historic Registry last year. The registry entitles the property to the benefits and protections of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. The act allows for tax incentives, eligibility for matching grants and limited protection from encroachment by federal or state assisted development projects. That doesn’t mean the building would be protected from court ordered demolition orders, which is a possibility because the structure was built over the Beaver Dam River a century ago and is in violation of modern state statutes. Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Jim Draeger says the registry just establishes a process but does not dictate the outcome. The Fountain Inn was the only one of eleven buildings constructed over the Beaver Dam River that was not purchased and torn down this summer.
Attempted Child Enticement in Juneau
10/14/09 - The Juneau Police Department is looking for a man who they say tried to entice a young girl into his SUV by saying her father sent him to pick her up. Police Chief Ed Oestreich says the incident occurred on West Street Monday afternoon around 4:15pm. The suspect is described as a white male with black-grey curly hair and a moustache last seen driving a newer, white box-type Jeep or Chevy Tahoe-type SUV with black trim around the wheels. Oestreich says if you are approached by a similar type of person or vehicle, you should try to obtain a license plate number and call 9-1-1 or the Juneau Police Department at 386-4810.
Municipal Courts Could See Revenue Windfall
10/14/09 - Municipal courts in Dodge County are handling more and more petty offenses once prosecuted by the District Attorney’s office. Managing Attorney Bob Barrington says their staffing levels were already low when the state mandated that their Assistant DA’s take furlough days. He says the offenses being handled by the municipal courts are minor crimes like first time drug possession, operating after revocation and some disorderly conduct cases. Barrington says methamphetamine possession cases will still be handled by the DA’s office but they are debating how to handle cocaine possession charges. The change will remove the threat of jail time for some minor offenses but will likely increase the amount of money offenders pay in fines. During Beaver Dam’s budget deliberations this week, Municipal Court Judge Ken Peters said he expects a “substantial revenue increase” to come from his department. Judge Peters says without the option of jail time, he will be prescribing the “maximum forfeiture penalty.”
Lt Governor Candidate in BD
10/14/09 - A candidate for Lieutenant Governor will be speaking in Beaver Dam this evening (Wed). Tony Zielinski will address the Dodge County Democratic Party during their regularly scheduled meeting at the Beaver Dam Senior Center. He says if elected jobs will be his top priority. Zielinski has been in politics for over two decades, serving as a Milwaukee Alderman for the past six years and Milwaukee County Supervisor prior to that. The Democratic Party’s meeting begins at 7pm tonight.
Locating Company Off By 6ft in Juneau
10/14/09 - A private utility locating company mis-marked the Juneau gas line that was punctured last Friday by about six-feet. Juneau Utility President Dan Wegener says in his 30-plus years in construction he’s never seen a line mis-marked by that much. Wegener says all of the different cables and lines under cities sometimes makes it difficult to determine where lines are as there is a bleeding off effect that happens. Total costs of the nearly nine-hour event are still being calculated.
City Administrator Position Retained in Waupun
10/14/09 - Despite pleas from the public the Waupun Common Council voted to retain the position of City Administrator. At least six residents spoke in favor of eliminating the position which carries a yearly salary of more than $100,000. However, a number of council members were concerned that without the administrator the city could not be successful in its attempt to experience growth. Interim Administrator Ed Madere told the council he would stay on in his part-time role as long as possible within reason. With the passage of the resolution the council and Madere will start to prepare for the hiring process of the next administrator, something that is unlikely to happen before next April’s elections.
Koskinen: WI Economy Starting to Recover
10/14/09 - The state government’s chief economist says Wisconsin is starting to recover from the worst downturn since the Great Depression. John Koskinen of the state Revenue Department pointed to new growth in industrial output, a slight improvement in unemployment, and a recovery in financial equity markets. He told the state Assembly’s committee on jobs-and-the-economy that Wisconsin will equal or exceed the nation’s economic growth in 2010. But Koskinen said it would take years for the state’s economy to return to what it was in 2007. Meanwhile, Zach Brandon of the state Commerce Department told lawmakers that Wisconsin is now in a good position to keep companies from moving, while attracting new firms. He credits the new tax breaks and business incentives that were approved earlier this year.
Fire Destroys 2,000 Bushels of Corn in Columbus
10/14/09 - Around 2,000 bushels of corn were destroyed by a fire in the Town of Elba late Monday morning. Columbus Fire officials say they responded to a farm on Burr Oak Road around 10:45 to a report of a corn dryer on fire. Firefighters were able to get the actual fire under control rather quickly. However, because the fire started on the dryer floor firefighters were on scene until 3:30 cooling down and shoveling corn out of the machine. Most of the damage was limited to the dryer floor. Fire Chief Randy Koehn says it’s difficult to tell how or why the fire started. The owner of the farm is Brian Klubertanz.
Beer and Liquor Tax Not Likely to Increase
10/14/09 - Hundreds of people attended a public hearing yesterday on a bill to raise Wisconsin’s beer tax. But an Assembly leader says his colleagues are not likely to raise either beer or liquor taxes to pay for tougher drunk driving enforcement. Finance co-chairman Mark Pocan of Madison says majority Assembly Democrats generally don’t believe higher taxes are the way to go. Former Dane County prosecutor Judy Munaker begs to differ. She was injured by a drunk driver 35 years ago. Munaker told lawmakers that more money is desperately needed for alcohol treatment, and raising taxes on people who abuse the substance is the place to start. Madison Democrat Terese Berceau has been trying since 2005 to raise the beer tax – and until now, it’s fallen on deaf ears at the Capitol. She said it would only cost three cents more for a bottle of beer. But Capital Brewery president Carl Nolen said it would be more like three-dollars a case. And he and other brewers said it would put people out of work, and small beer-makers out of business.
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