Public Enemies Takes Over Beaver Dam
Take #4, 5:07pm Tuesday 5/13/08 Take #7, 7:23pm Tuesday 5/13/08
Jazz Jubilee Starts Today
5/16/08 - The Bunny Berigan Jazz Jubilee kicks off this afternoon in Fox Lake. The 3-day event begins with a free concert today from 4 to 6pm at Mullins Drive-In. There is a Dixieland Jazz Parade on Mill Street tomorrow at noon. Tickets are still available for the remaining events which continue all three days at the Community Center and the American Legion. Craig Warmbold has more from Fox Lake.
Doyle to Sign Budget Repair Bill
5/16/08 - We’ll find out this morning what Governor Jim Doyle will veto from the Legislature’s plan for wiping out the state’s budget deficit. Doyle has a 10 a-m ceremony planned at the Capitol. This week, lawmakers took several steps to close a revenue shortfall of more than a half-billion dollars. Doyle says he opposes three major parts of the plan – re-financing future payments from the tobacco lawsuit settlement, pushing school aid into the next budget, and taking driver license fee money that’s supposed to be used for the federal Real I-D program. Assembly Majority Representative Jeff Fitzgerald didn’t vote for the repair bill when it was in the House earlier this week because he felt raising taxes on business wasn’t the way to go. Fitzgerald says if he had his way he’d have put through the first bill the Assembly came up with, which includes a 250-million dollar cut in government spending. If Doyle does use his veto pen liberally Fitzgerald says there are plans to call for a veto override of the Governor. The Senate could do it only if the Assembly does – and Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker doubts the Assembly will have enough votes to muster the two-thirds majority needed for an override.
Wastewater Treatment Facilities Study in Columbus
5/16/08 - The City of Columbus is taking action on last October’s warning from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to develop a long range Wastewater Treatment facilities study and improvement plan. A panel of City officials and Utility engineers has recommended that Kaempfer and Associates, Inc. be awarded a $45,200 contract to complete the Wastewater Study. The Columbus Common Council will be voting on a approving the Consultant to complete the study and improvement plan at their next regular meeting on Tuesday.
Memorial Service Held in Madison for Crash Victims
5/16/08 - About 15-hundred people attended a memorial service last night for two of the three U-W Madison helicopter medics who were killed in a crash last weekend. Friends, relatives, and over 400 rescue personnel remembered surgeon Darren Bean and pilot Steve Lipperer. Patrick Tomko, who worked with Bean at the Madison Fire Department, told people to rely on each other in what he called a “time of disbelief-and-pain.” And he urged emergency service colleagues to re-dedicate themselves to saving lives. Bean, Lipperer, and nurse Mark Coyne were killed last Saturday night as their med-flight chopper was heading home from La Crosse, where they had just dropped off a patient. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
A memorial service for Coyne is planned for next week.
Woman Gets Five Days in Jail
5/16/08 - A former Beaver Dam resident will spend five days in jail for embezzling money from her bowling league teammates. Rachael Budde of Manitowoc was treasurer of the Five O’clock Bowling League team in the fall of 2007 when she stole $1942 in bowling fees, sanction fees and prize money. The 26-year-old Budde pleaded “no contest” to misdemeanor charges of Theft in a Business Setting. She had claimed the checks were lost in the mail following her departure from Beaver Dam. Budde was also sentenced to 1 year probation and ordered to pay full restitution.
Two Breaking and Entering Reports in BD
5/16/08 - The Beaver Dam Police Department responded to two breaking and entering reports early yesterday morning. The first call came in at 1:39am to the 100 block of West Third Street. The homeowner reported the residence had been broken into and prescription medications and video games were stolen. The second incident occurred just before 3am at Coyote Gas and Liquor at 1300 North Spring Street. Glass was broken on a rear door to gain entry; cigarettes and alcohol were taken. There have been no arrests. Authorities ask that any information be directed to the Beaver Dam Police Department or the We-TIP hotline at 800-78-CRIME.
Thompson Waives Prelim
5/16/08 - The Iron Ridge man accused of assaulting two deputies in a bar fight, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Thursday in Dodge County court. Westly R. Thompson faces felony charges of Battery of a Law Enforcement Official related to the March 9th incident. According to the criminal complaint, Dodge County Sheriffs Deputies responded to the Rock River Bar in Hustisford to question the 27-year-old Thompson about a domestic incident, and that’s when authorities say Thompson smashed a beer glass in the face of one deputy and bit another officer in the hand. Deputy John Monoghan sustained severe lacerations to the face and two broken teeth as a result of the attack. Thompson also waived his right to a preliminary hearing on misdemeanor battery charges related to a domestic incident earlier that day. He allegedly grabbed a woman by the throat, began punching her and then attempted to put a dog leash around her neck and ankles. And Thompson is also charged with multiple bail jumping counts because at the time of the incident he was already awaiting trial on a different felony battery charge, and Fleeing and Eluding charges, out of Washington County. Arraignment is scheduled in Dodge County court for June 4.
Reports Fowarded in Kinda Country Death
5/15/08 - Dodge County Authorities have forwarded their reports to the District Attorney’s office about the incident at the Kinda Country Tavern that took the life of 46-year-old Michael Zulhke last month. (Zil-key) D.A. Steve Bauer (left) says he has the reports in his office but will wait until the autopsy report is complete before deciding what charges, if any, will be filed. Bauer says the Medical Examiner is still waiting for toxicology reports to come back before he finishes his report. Deputies responded to reports of a physical altercation related to the theft of a motorcycle on April 27 around 2:15am at the Kinda Country Tavern. Zuhlke fell during the altercation and struck his head on a parked truck. He was transported to UW Hospital - Madison with spinal cord damage. He died two days later after being removed from life support.
Woodchuck Bites Woman
5/15/08 - A 20-year-old woman was bitten by woodchuck just before 6:30 last night. According to the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department, the mother of the Town of Shields woman called authorities to report the incident. The family was able to pacify the animal and they brought it into the Sheriff’s Department. Authorities say they will take the woodchuck to the vet, who will then forward it on to the state lab for testing to determine if the animal had any transmittable diseases.
Dodge County to Perform Election Audit
5/15/08 - Dodge County has volunteered to conduct an audit of its results in last month’s election. The Government Accountability Board asked counties to voluntarily conduct the audit and County Clerk Karen Gibson says it was something she wanted to participate in to verify the accuracy of the optical scan voting equipment in the county. The State randomly chose the Town of Hubbard and the Town of Oak Grove for the two municipalities to be audited. Gibson says she will start the audit with Hubbard on May 20th at 8:30 am and then will start at 1 pm the next day in Oak Grove. She says she doesn’t expect any discrepancies in the results unless they find improperly marked ballots by voters. Gibson says the audit will help to reassure county voters that the equipment being used accurately and correctly counts their votes. After the November election there will be a required audit.
Watertown Man Enters “Not Guilty” Plea
5/15/08 - A Watertown man, accused of driving drunk and causing an accident that injured a passenger, entered a “not guilty” plea yesterday morning in Dodge County court. Craig Koellen is charged with two felony counts of “Injury by Intoxicated Use of a Vehicle” related to the December 2007 accident. Authorities say the 42-year-old had a blood alcohol over twice the legal limit when entered a ditch on Welsh Road and struck a culvert, resulting in severe injuries to both himself and a passenger. Koellen faces 27 years in prison if convicted.
BD Police Asked to Increase Patrols
5/15/08 - Authorities in Beaver Dam were asked to increase patrols around schools after kids were offered candy on their way home earlier this week. The parent of a Beaver Dam elementary school student contacted authorities to report that the suspicious men made the offer as the kids were walking home from school near Burnett and DeClark. The suspects are described as two young males in a red or orange four-door vehicle.
Probation Revoked for Hans
5/15/08 - An Oshkosh teen, who robbed an 11-year-old boy of 20-dollars at his lemonade stand last summer, has had his probation revoked. Authorities said 18-year-old Anthony Hans hosted drinking parties after his sentencing – so Winnebago County Circuit Judge Karen Seifert put him in jail for six months. The probation was part of a plea deal when Hans was convicted of theft and disorderly conduct. He stole 20-dollars in change from 11-year-old Austin Cundy’s lemonade stand last July, in a case that made national news. Austin was raising the money to go camping with his grand-father, but Hans used the cash to buy cigarettes. Now, Judge Seifert said Hans showed poor judgment with drinking parties and drug violations. She told him, quote, “You just don’t get it.” She said the only solution was to put him in jail, where he can have time to think.
Measles Vaccine Suggest for Travelers Going Abroad
5/15/08 - State Heath officials are urging anyone who is planning on traveling abroad this summer to get the measles vaccine. State Health Officer Doctor Sheri Johnson says numerous cases have been identified in other parts of the world, including China, where the 2008 Summer Olympics will be held later this summer. Health officials say measles can be a serious, even fatal disease and they strongly recommend people getting the vaccine, which takes two or three weeks to take effect. Two doses normally provide lifelong immunity. Officials say children should received two doses in the first twelve to fifteen months of their lives and again between the ages of four and six. Most adults born before 1957 are probably immune to measles or rubella by having acquired the disease naturally. For adults born after 1957 officials recommend one dose. The first and best line of defense against disease is immunization.