Tonight’s Congressional, Sheriffs Debate Broadcast Live
8/7/14 – Tonight’s debate in Beaver Dam, featuring candidates for US Congress and Dodge County Sheriff, will be broadcast live on AM1430 WBEV. The public is also invited to attend the forum at the Veterans Center on Beichl Avenue from 7pm to 8:30pm. State lawmakers Glenn Grothman, Joe Leibham, and Duey Strobel and businessman Tom Denow are competing in Tuesday’s primary. The winner will advance to face the democrat seeking the post in November. Dodge County Sheriff candidates Patricia Ninmann and Dale Schmidt are also on the panel. Unlike the Congressional candidates, there is no Democrat on the ballot in November for sheriff so, barring a successful write-in campaign, the next sheriff will be decided next Tuesday.
Narcotics Anonymous Available At Dodge County Jail
8/7/14 – Narcotics Anonymous is now available to female inmates at the Dodge County Detention Facility. N-A is a non-profit, international organization founded in 1953 to offer support to get-off and stay-off drugs. Supervisor Jason Polsin and Specialist Matt Marvin are coordinating the program. Alcoholics Anonymous has been available in jail for several years but the narcotics program is meant to address the widespread use of illegal opiates like heroin. The jail’s medical department already handled withdrawals and detox from drugs like heroin but officials say there was a need to offer short-term and long-term support for those wanting to be clean and sober. The first N-A meeting was held on Sunday; 15 female inmates attended, which is over half the current female population. Officials are currently lining-up volunteers for male inmates.
Teen Burglars Sentenced
8/6/14 – Two teenagers who burglarized several homes in Beaver Dam have been sentenced. 18-year-old Cody Anderson and 17-year-old William Simmons were apprehended last November after trying to break into a home on Lakeshore Drive. There were several reports of attempted entry to various homes in the same area. Simmons was apprehended that day following a traffic stop of a suspicious vehicle. Stolen items were recovered from his vehicle. The next day, as part of the follow-up investigation, Anderson was arrested. Anderson entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with prosecutors yesterday (Wed) on the felony Burglary charge. Simmons entered into a similar plea late last month. The two will avoid prison time if they stay out of trouble while on probation. Anderson will also spend 90 days in jail on unrelated Bail Jumping and Hit-and-Run charges.
Watertown Man Arraigned For Teen Pregnancy
8/7/14 – A former Montgomery, Alabama man entered a “not guilty” plea at arraignment yesterday to charges that he impregnated a teenager. Patrick Berry of Watertown is charged with Sexual Assault of a Child Under the Age of 16, which carries a maximum 40 year prison sentence if he is convicted. Prosecutors say the 36-year-old was staying with a “friend-of-a-friend” in Watertown in the summer of 2011 when he reportedly had consensual relations with a 15-year-old. Berry spoke with investigators by phone two years ago and reportedly admitted to the offense saying he would “do the right thing” by providing money and returning to Wisconsin when the victim reaches legal age for marriage. The defense was granted a request for a new judge and a status conference with the new judge will be scheduled at a later date.
Dodge County Public Health Issues E. Coli Advisory
8/7/14 – Dodge County Public Health is issuing an advisory after receiving reports of elevated bacterium levels in the Rock River from River Bend Park upstream to the Horicon Marsh in Horicon. Earlier this week, the DNR learned that two dogs that were in the river became very ill from elevated levels of E.Coli. Public Health Officer Jody Langfeldt urges the public to use extra caution when using the waters. Langfeldt advises people to shower, or at least rinse off and wash their hands before eating, after coming in contact with the water. She says it is just as important to rinse-off exposed animals. Water testing is done throughout the summer by the Lake Sinissippi District and all tests done this summer at River Bend showed slightly elevated levels of E. Coli. A follow-up response was conducted by the DNR and the E. Coli level was significantly higher than earlier tests. Langfeldt says the DNR will continue with the investigation to see where the bacterium is coming from.
Emerald Ash Borer In Three More Counties
8/7/14 – The tree-killing emerald ash borer continues to rear its head in new places throughout Wisconsin. State agriculture officials said Wednesday that the green beetle was discovered in Adams County for the first time, and at Merrick State Park along the Mississippi River near Fountain City. Officials said an adult beetle was found in a trap July 22nd along Lake Petenwell along the border between Adams and Juneau counties. In Buffalo County, the ash borer was spotted in a trap between a boat landing and the Merrick park nature center. Adams, Juneau, and Buffalo counties are being added to the quarantine list, bringing the total to 32 since the emerald ash borer was first confirmed in Wisconsin in 2008. Dodge, Columbia, Jefferson, Fond du Lac and Washington counties are also under quarantine. No one can move firewood from quarantined counties to those which are not quarantined. Ash products cannot be shipped to non-quarantined counties unless they’re certified by the state as being pest-free.
Fox Lake Utilities Implementing Customer Adjustment Policy
8/7/14 – In response to customer requests, Fox Lake Municipal Utilities has adopted a standard practice to follow – regarding sewage usage in the city. City Administrator Gary Rogers says the so-called “credit-standard practice policy” provides a formal way to make adjustments to a customer’s bill. Rogers says if a customer had a break or a problem with their residence and the water did not go down the sewer line, this policy provides for the city to make an adjustment to the customers billing, so they don’t have to pay for water and sewer twice. He says they understand people don’t want to be charged twice, after a problem had been fixed recently. The policy is also intended to make it easier for the utility to communicate with customers about a problem that has taken place. Rogers says customers can apply once every three years for a discount if the customer has had problems with water and sewage. Fox Lake Municipal Utilities is now tasked with implementing the guidelines outlined in the policy.
Dodge County Farms Recognized At State Fair
8/6/14 – There was a lot of history present at the 2014 Sesquicentennial Century Farms and Awards Program at the Wisconsin State Fair on Tuesday morning. Joining over 8,000 properties owners some Dodge County-area landowners were recognized in West Allis at the Wisconsin State Fair. On the list was Kavazanjian Farms owned by Nancy Kavazanjian and Charlie Hammer. Hammer says the preparation for this award was a long time coming. He says he had this in mind for the last 10 to 15 years and he finally took some initiative last winter to do some research and ended up relying on some of the title consultants out of Beaver Dam to do the research. He says it was quite an event to look at the history of how everything evolved from the beginning of the Hammer Family. Other Dodge County Century Farm recipients were from Beaver Dam, Iron Ridge, Oconomowoc, and Fox Lake.
BDCH Hosting Blood Drive on Friday
8/6/14 – The Beaver Dam Community Hospital will be holding a blood drive on Friday. The Blood Center of Wisconsin supplies all blood needed by patients at all Dodge County Hospitals. The event will run from 7am to 3pm in the BDCH’s first floor conference rooms. Appointments can be made by visiting www.bcw.edu/bdch or by calling (920) 887-5951. Walk-ins are welcomed and a light lunch will be served
