News – June 30, 2020

(Beaver Dam) Around 75-percent of parents in the Beaver Dam School District say they would be comfortable sending their kids to school this fall with appropriate safety measures in place. That according to a survey which saw roughly 1400 responses. Superintendent Mark DiStefano says around 12-and-a-half-percent of parents said they are reluctant to send their children to school and the remaining are undecided. The states Education Forward plan released last week outlines scenarios for school boards to consider and implement. The Beaver Dam School Board will vote on the district’s plan at their July 13 meeting.

Juneau) Officials in Dodge County in a press release are stressing that they are no longer discussing a public health ordinance that sought clearer guidelines for health officials. After news that the Wisconsin Counties Association has established a committee to work on a state-wide county-level health order, the county postponed all discussions of the ordinance until a recommendation is reached. That means the ordinance will not be on the Human Services and Health Board meeting agenda tomorrow (July 1st) or the Executive Committee meeting agenda on July 6th for discussion. A health ordinance page is on the Dodge County website that will contain future drafts and updates to the proposed ordinance.

(Columbus) Citizens in Columbus will have an opportunity tonight to comment on a local resident’s petition to remove the Christopher Columbus statue. Nearly 2,000 people have signed Abbi Adams’ petition to have the statue located on Highway 16/60 and 151 taken down. A counter group has their own petition with over 400 signatures in support of the protection and maintenance of the statute. The public can attend tonight’s 6pm meeting at city hall but because of covid there are space limitations and it can also be streamed on the city’s website or on their cable access channel.

(Waupun) Additional coronavirus cases have been reported at Dodge Correctional according to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. The facility now has four inmates test positive while three employees have been confirmed to have COVID-19. With 227 inmates and 22 employees, nearby Waupun Correctional has had the most positive coronavirus tests among state prisons. Meanwhile, the Wisconsin National Guard will be conducting site-based testing today (Tuesday) and tomorrow (Wednesday) in Clyman. The state collected 75 specimens during testing operations in Clyman June 2nd.

(Dodge County) Wisconsin health officials are reporting 315 cases of COVID-19 in yesterday’s (Monday’s) daily update. There are 28,058 people now having tested positive. Five-point-three-percent (5.3%) of 5,600 tests administered came back positive Monday, compared to 7.1-percent Sunday. State health officials are reporting 777 deaths. Dodge County has five deaths on record and 456 cases, an increase of one from Sunday. Public health officials in Dodge County are actively monitoring 27 people while 197 have recovered.

(Watertown) A Watertown man was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison yesterday (Monday) for his role in a home invasion. Tommie Plummer entered the Watertown residence pointing a gun and demanding money and drugs in May of 2018. The 30-year-old initially denied involvement but later admitted that the victims sold him marijuana and shorted him in a deal. Plummer stole a bag of pot and $800 dollars in cash. At sentencing, Assistant District Attorney James Sempf said this crime is simply unacceptable in a county that values protection of the home as one of its founding principles. Plummer was also placed on extended supervision for four years.

(Oak Grove) A Beaver Dam man was found guilty yesterday (Monday) of having inappropriate contact with a minor. Matthew Hawley met up with a 14-year-old girl in October of 2018 and assaulted her at a Town of Oak Grove storage unit. DNA tests of the victim matched swabs taken from the suspect. The 38-year-old Hawley faces up to 40-years in prison. A pre-sentencing investigation was ordered and Hawley is due back in court on August 26th.

(Wisconsin) The U.S. Department of Justice says cards exempting folks from wearing facemasks are not legit. The D-O-J says cards claiming the holder is exempt from wearing a mask in public are fake. Many cities have made wearing masks mandatory in public as COVID-19 cases spike. The bogus cards are purportedly issued by the “Freedom to Breathe Agency.”