Radig: ‘Elks Lodge More Than A Building’
12/10/15 – The Beaver Dam Elks Lodge is more than a building. That’s according to Post #1540’s local historian Rob Radig on the recent sale of the club that had been home to the civic organization for around four decades. He says the decision to move was not taken lightly and was considered over a number of years as the facility was too big for their current needs; ultimately he says “it was just time to move to something smaller.” Radig told us on WBEV’s Community Comment Wednesday that the building 126 South Spring Street has been around since the Elks were established in 1928. He noted that the structure once housed a mechanics garage, an A&P grocery store and several restaurants including City Center and The Village. Radig – who is also president-elect of the statewide Elks organization – says it’s not about a building it’s about the good the organization does in the community and its contributions to people in need, specifically veterans and the youth. The Elks will be conducting their biggest effort of the year on Christmas Eve when they put together over 500 food baskets, a tradition that goes back 64 years. The Elks had always welcomed volunteers back to their club for a free lunch. This year, the lunch will be held a few blocks down the road at the St Katherine Drexel Parish Center at 408 South Spring Street.
Watermark Furniture Budget Cuts Made
12/10/15 – Watermark officials have made deep cuts in the furniture budget for the new facility. The planned community and senior center on South Center Street in Beaver Dam is on target to be open after the first of the year. The Operations Committee last month capped the furniture budget $54-thousand. That was after much of the original $75-thousand dollar “furniture, fixtures and equipment budget” was directed to fixtures and equipment. Watermark Coordinator Evonne Boettge had initially identified $87-thousand dollars in furniture needs for things like office equipment, kitchen appliances and tables and chairs for the approximately 300-capacity meeting room. Boettge says she has since cut $34-thousand dollars from her original wish list. She says that was achieved by eliminating most of the new office furniture purchases; instead used office furniture was purchased from the Seippel Foundation. Furniture purchases were eliminated all-together from the pantry and lounge. A different style of table and chairs for the multi-purpose room also resulted in significant savings. Finally, the senior center woodshop is helping to construct a conference table. Even with all those cuts, Boettge says they are still slightly over the $54-thousand dollar cap. As a result she has held-off on purchasing some items, including a camera system that elected officials are requiring. The $2.1-million dollar Watermark was paid for largely through donations and with around $200-thousand dollars in taxpayer funds. At last word there was $70-thousand dollars left in a $100-thousand dollar contingency fund; anything left in that fund would be used to alleviate taxpayer burden.
Dodge County Considering Upgrading Fire Channel To Simulcast
12/10/15 – Dodge County is looking to use sales tax revenues to upgrade another emergency channel to simulcast capability in 2016. In the last three years, the county has upgraded its emergency paging and its two law enforcement channels. Now, the county is looking to improve its fire channel, which also handles many EMS calls. Emergency Management Director Amy Nehls says upgrading a channel to simulcast allows for better, more consistent radio communication throughout the county since the intended recipient can get the signal from more towers than was originally possible. Before getting simulcast capabilities, Nehls says the dispatcher needed to know which tower is the local tower for a given department so the message could be relayed off that tower. In situations such as tornado warnings, the dispatcher would have to take the time to send a page off each tower individually. After simulcast is set up, pages go off all county towers, instead of just one. The project still needs committee and county board approval. If approval is given, Nehls says it would take roughly four months to get up and running. $309,000 in half-a-percent sales tax funds were planned for this project in 2016, but the fire channel would only require $186,000. The remaining dollars could fund software consulting for the county’s IT Department. If the fire channel is upgraded, the two remaining channels, highway and alternate emergency, could get simulcast capabilities in 2017.
Fall River Adopts 2016 Budget
12/10/15 – Village of Fall River Trustees approved their 2016 general budget, tax levy and mill rate at Wednesday night’s public hearing and board meeting. The $1.15 million dollar budget ($1,149,028.48) is nearly $27 thousand dollars ($26,890.23) more than the 2015 general budget. The $696-thousand dollar ($696,322) village tax levy will result in a mill rate of $5.49 per thousand dollars of valuation.
Assembly Committee Approves Lifting Nuclear Moratorium
12/10/15 – A Wisconsin Assembly committee has given its unanimous endorsement to ending the state’s 32-year-old moratorium on new nuclear power plants. The Energy-and-Utilities Committee voted 13-to-nothing Wednesday to recommend the proposal to the full house. The bill would end requirements that new nuclear facilities have a federal waste site available, and prove that their projects would not hurt electric rate-payers. Those who favor ending the ban say it’s no longer needed due to the quality of today’s reactors. They also say clean nuclear power would help the state meet a proposed federal rule to lower carbon emissions. Those who still favor the moratorium say the state should look to wind, solar, and other renewable energy instead.
Lomira Woman Fails To Appear On Drug OD Charges
12/10/15 – A former Lomira woman who is facing felony drug charges related to her daughters overdose death failed to appear in a Dodge County courtroom for a status conference Wednesday. Judge John Storck authorized a warrant for the arrest Danielle Kalmus but stayed the warrant until her birthday December 22. Kalmus, who now lives in Fond du Lac, is facing one count of Possession of Narcotics, which carries a maximum fine of three-and-a-half years in prison if she is convicted. The two-year-old girl was found dead in July of last year at a Brownsville apartment. The 26-year-old Kalmus told investigators that she found the girl with an open pill bottle in the days prior to her death. Toxicology tests determined the child to have morphine in her system.
Eldorado Residents Plan Bus Trip To Sex Offender Hearing
12/10/15 – Residents in the Fond du Lac County Town of Eldorado will not be restricting their opposition to the placement of violent sex offender in their town to a letter writing campaign to a judge. A bus will be making a trip to Milwaukee next Wednesday for the hearing that will determine whether 51-year-old Clint Rhymes will be placed in Eldorado. Those who would like to reserve a spot on the bus can call Eldorado Town Chairman Gary Miller [at (920) 948-1390]. There is no charge, but seating is limited. The bus will leave the Eldorado Fire Station at 9am that morning.
Cash Bond Set For Horicon Man Accused Of Threatening To Kill Girlfriend
12/10/15 – Cash bond was set at $25,000 this week for a Horicon man accused of attacking his girlfriend. Michael Thomas Schmidt is facing felony Intimidation of a Victim and Strangulation and Suffocation charges along with two misdemeanors. According to the criminal complaint, the 43-year-old stopped his girlfriend from trying to leave his room at the Royal Oaks Motel. He allegedly threw her on the bed, choked her, and struck her in the face. Schmidt reportedly threatened to kill her multiple times, including while she was trying to call police. The woman left once Schmidt passed out from the alcohol and medications he had consumed. If he is found guilty on all counts, Schmidt faces over 16 years in prison. A preliminary hearing is set for December 17. Per stipulations of his bond, Schmidt must stay sober at all times and avoid contact with the victim.
Man Charged With Stealing From Quad Graphics
12/10/15 – A Fond du Lac man is accused of stealing thousands of dollars in product from his Lomira-based employer. Edward Drab Jr. is facing one felony Theft count. According to the criminal complaint, the 43-year-old stole over $6,000 worth of copper from Quad Graphics to support his narcotic drug addiction. If he is found guilty, Drab Jr. faces over six years in prison. An initial appearance is set for December 28.
Details Emerging In Neenah Hostage, Shooting Incident
12/10/15 – Prosecutors say a man fired a pistol in a friend’s house in Neenah before he went to a motorcycle shop where he staged a hostage incident over a claim that an employee stole his bike. Five felony charges were filed Wednesday against 45-year-old Brian Flatoff of Stevens Point. A Winnebago County judge set bond at a half-million dollars, and he’s due back in court Monday. Flatoff is accused of holding several people hostage last Saturday at Eagle Nation Cycles. Police shot-and-killed a man who was said to be one of the hostages. They say 60-year-old Michael Funk refused to drop a weapon as he was running out. Prosecutors say Flatoff spent the preceding night at his female friend’s house, where he was said to be drinking all night and stumbling. He apparently got upset when she wanted to call for an ambulance, and he shot a pistol toward a wall above her head. The woman says Flatoff then talked about going to the cycle shop, and she later noticed one of her handguns missing. Flatoff is charged with second-degree reckless endangerment, illegal firearm possession
