Fall Primary Election Day In Wisconsin
8/9/16 – It’s Election Day, but state officials expect only 16-percent of eligible voters to go to the polls. There’s at least one primary in six of the eight Wisconsin U-S House districts, and one contest has drawn national attention — the First District G-O-P primary between House Speaker Paul Ryan and Williams Bay businessman Paul Nehlen. Two Democrats are competing to challenge Congressman Glenn Grothman in November; Sarah Lloyd and W. Michael Slattery are vying for the Sixth Congressional District seat. U-S Senate Democratic candidate Russ Feingold has a primary challenge from Scott Harbach of Kenosha, as Feingold focuses on Republican incumbent Ron Johnson. There are also a number of state legislative primaries — including a highly fought contest in Milwaukee in which Senate Democrat Lena Taylor is challenged for her post by Assembly Democrat Mandela Barnes. Numerous county primaries are also on the ballot, plus school tax referenda in the Darlington and Gillett districts. There are no contested races of Dodge County offices today. Democrats and Republicans in State Senate District 18 will each have to choose between two candidates for the seat currently held by Rick Gudex. On the Republican ticket, Dan Feyen is facing Mark Elliott. Democrats are choosing between Mark Harris and John Lemberger. The 18th District stretches from Waupun to Omro and encompasses parts of Dodge, Fond du Lac and Winnebago counties.
Photo IDs Needed To Cast Ballot Today
8/9/16 – Virtually all Wisconsin voters will have to show acceptable photo I-Ds to cast ballots in today’s partisan primaries. The state Elections Commission says even some reporters have questions, despite the fact that Federal Judge James Peterson said a few weeks ago there would be no changes in the I-D law for today (Tuesday). He ruled on a lawsuit July 30th by ordering changes in photo I-D and other voting laws — but the state appealed that decision Monday, and Peterson earlier said the ruling would come too late to make changes for this day. Also, Federal Judge Lynn Adelman has ruled that voters don’t need to show I-Ds if they sign sworn affidavits about their identities — but he made it clear it would not take effect until November. The state expects 712-thousand people to vote today for a 16-percent turnout, and the polls are open until 8pm.
Name Of Man Killed In Beaver Dam Standoff Released
8/9/16 – The name of the man killed in Friday night’s standoff at Beaver Dam’s Spring Lake Apartment complex has been released. 59-year-old James Quealy of Beaver Dam died at 8:46pm when a sheriff’s deputy returned fire. Police arrived on the scene roughly two hours prior when they received a check welfare call about a man who was making suicidal comments and had access to a gun.
Probation Added To Sentence Of Waupun Man In OD Death
8/9/16 – A Fond du Lac County judge Monday added four-and-a-half years of probation to the sentence of a 29-year-old Waupun man for his role in a heroin overdose death. Three years ago, Joshua Mulder was sentenced after pleading no contest to a heroin trafficking charge stemming from the death of Devin Perry in October of 2012. Monday Mulder pled no contest to a charge of First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety. In 2013 he was sentenced to 315 days in jail, five years of probation and three years of extended supervision.
Beaver Dam School Board Adopts Key Performance Objectives
8/9/16 – The Beaver Dam School Board last night laid out the key performance objectives as part of the district’s four-year strategic plan. The plan has four core areas of focus: student achievement, staff effectiveness, facility needs and community involvement. Superintendent Steve Vessey says in the area of student achievement, the goal is to develop common assessments, examine the elementary day schedule and improve middle school course offerings. Under staff effectiveness, the district plans to continue technology and professional development as well as staff wellness initiatives. In the area of community engagement, the plan is to launch an electronic newsletter. Finally, in the area of facility needs, a five-year plan will be developed for the high school but that would be based on the outcome of a $48-million-dollar school funding referendum in November. Before the school year starts, the district has been outlining a new set of key performance objectives with the goal of completing the whole list by the following July.
Columbus Water Tower Repairs Being Investigated
8/9/16 – Further investigation into the condition of the historic Columbus Chapel Hill Water Tower was approved by the council last night. Most of the crowd spoke in favor of restoring rather than demolishing the 120-year-old structure. The tower was believed to have been hit by lightning in a recent storm. Bricks from the tower were blown onto city streets and neighboring homes. Tom Hermanson of Hermanson Concrete and Masonry had a look inside the structure after the storm damage. He said a large section of contaminated bricks had to be removed before restoration could be assured. The cost estimate to restore the historic Water Tower is between $69-and-89-thousand dollars.
Mayville Sewer Rates Will Not Increase In 2017
8/9/16 – Mayville residents will not see an increase in their sewer rates next year. Last month, the common council approved a four percent increase in 2017 with one percent increases each year from 2018 through 2021. Mayor Rob Boelk immediately vetoed the resolution, saying the rate increase is not necessary at this time. He feels it would hurt Mayville’s ability to attract new businesses since the city’s sewer rate is already in the middle ground of Dodge County municipalities while the water rate is on the high end of the county spectrum. Last night, a motion to override Boelk’s veto failed on a three-two vote. Alderman Dale Toellner was part of the minority vote and feels the rate increase is necessary since the utility has run a deficit the last two years. Toellner is worried that keeping the rate steady now will lead to a larger increase down the road. Alderman Bob Smith voted against overriding the veto. While he personally supports the increase, Smith says his constituents do not. Mayville’s current sewer rate is $4.86 per 100 cubic feet in addition to a flat $12.20 monthly service charge per meter. The last increase was eight years ago.
Commission Created To Oversee Mayville TAG Center
8/9/16 – A newly created commission will oversee Mayville’s fitness complex. The common council last night approved the creation of a TAG Center Advisory Commission. The six-member commission will consist of four citizens, the alderman who serves on the park board, and a TAG Center staff member. The group will assist in the center’s day-to-day operations and handle member complaints. An amendment that was approved last night struck a line that would have given the commission power in the TAG Center’s budgeting process. Mayor Rob Boelk is expected to appointment members to the commission later this year.
New Attorney Hired For City Of Mayville
8/9/16 – The City of Mayville has a new primary attorney. The council last night approved hiring Madden Vanderloop, who practices out of Mayville. Mayor Rob Boelk says Mayville could also still use the services of Attorney James Hammes, who worked with the city in establishing its sewer lateral ordinance earlier this year.
Mayville Council Awards Street Resurfacing Bid
8/9/16 – Mayville’s Common Council last night awarded a construction bid. Northeast Asphalt of Fond du Lac will get over $236,000 to resurface Slag Road from Highway V to Highway Y. The city will pick up $70,000 of the cost while the Town of Williamstown will pay $165,000. The project should be completed sometime next month.
WCI Inmate Accused Of Attacking Officer Has Bond Set
8/9/16 – A Waupun Correctional Institution inmate accused of attacking a corrections officer had bond set at $1,000 yesterday. Jermaine Lockhart is facing one felony count of Battery by Prisoner as a Repeat Offender. The 35-year-old allegedly beat the officer with a milk crate last October during a cell search. The officer was treated for an abrasion on the top of his head and a contusion to his left arm. Lockhart claims the officer had been mistreating him prior to the alleged incident. If he is convicted, Lockhart faces up to ten additional years in prison. His preliminary hearing is September 29.
Bond Set For Columbus Man Accused Of Driving Drunk
8/9/16 – Bond was set at $1,000 yesterday for a Columbus man accused of injuring a passenger in a drunken driving accident. Zachary Link allegedly missed a curve and put his car in a ditch in March in the Town of Elba. A passenger sustained a fractured jaw in the wreck. The 23-year-old Link reportedly had a blood alcohol level that was over two-times the legal limit for driving at point-one-seven-nine (.179). If convicted, Link could spend up to two years in jail and lose his license for up to four years. Because he was on bond at the time of the incident, Link faces an additional six years for felony Bail Jumping. His preliminary hearing is September 29.
Milwaukee Man Blames State Drinking Culture For OWI
8/9/16 – A 23-year-old suburban Milwaukee man blames the state and its drinking culture for his second drunk driving arrest. Washington County sheriff’s deputies say the Germantown man’s vehicle struck a utility pole about 3:25 Sunday morning on Highway 175 at Hubertus Road. Officers say he refused to take a breathalyzer test, so they obtained a search warrant to draw his blood. He was then sent to the county jail in West Bend. As he was being arrested, deputies say the man repeatedly blamed Wisconsin for both of his O-W-I arrests because as they put it, “The drinking culture in Wisconsin gives him no other choice but to drink.”
Beaver Dam Traffic Lanes To Be Closed For Street Repairs
8/9/16 – Portions of North Spring Street will see traffic control beginning today for repairs. The contractor, Zenith Tech Inc. of Waukesha will begin setting up barricades in the northbound and southbound left lanes between Stoddart and Wayland streets, which will be closed to all traffic. Deteriorated sections of the northbound left lane will be cut, removed, and replaced with new concrete pavement. All work is scheduled to be completed by August 23rd barring inclement weather. City officials are asking motorists to slow down and watch for construction crew personnel in the work zone.
DOJ Announces New Head Of Environmental Enforcement
8/9/16 – The Wisconsin Justice Department has replaced the head of its environmental enforcement unit. Attorney General Brad Schimel named one of his assistants, David Ross, to beef up a unit that’s been cut in recent years, as regulators asked the Justice agency to seek fewer penalties from air and water polluters. Ross replaces longtime unit director Tom Dawson, who also teaches environmental law at U-W Madison. Schimel noted that Ross’ new job will offer a different “management perspective,” and the state will benefit from his two decades of environmental consulting and litigation experience. Ross once served as a senior assistant attorney general in Wyoming’s water and natural resource division.
Ag Experts Say It’s A Perfect Growing Season
8/9/16 – Agricultural experts say Wisconsin in the midst of an nearly perfect growing season. The National Agricultural Statistics Service ranks Wisconsin’s corn and soybean crops tops among the nation’s corn and soybean-growing states for having the highest percentage in excellent condition. As of last week, 39 percent of the state’s corn and 35 percent of its soybeans were in excellent condition. Agricultural specialists credit an early start to the growing season, timely rain, seasonal temperatures and little disease.
New Documents On Lincoln Hills Released
8/9/16 – New documents show guards at Lincoln Hills allowed inmates to fight and one guard may have attacked an inmate himself. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the documents paint an even more disturbing picture of the correctional center in Wisconsin’s northwoods. The fighting claims come from a guard who apparently told state investigators he went to the kitchen instead of stopping the fight. The same guard is accused of telling the inmate to lie about his injuries afterward.
