McHenry Cash Bond Set At Half-Million Dollars
12/30/14 – Cash bond was set at a half-million dollars Monday in a Dodge County courtroom for a Milwaukee woman accused of murdering a Randolph man. Kriscilla McHenry is charged with First Degree Intentional Homicide in the August death of 43-year-old Michael Soeller. According to the criminal complaint, an unidentified woman was seen in video surveillance with Soeller at the Beaver Dam Wal-Mart in the days before the killing. The image was sent out to the media and an anonymous tip, from a family member of the suspect, identified McHenry as the woman with the victim in the video. According to the criminal complaint, the anonymous caller quoted the suspects mother as saying that she could not believe that “Kriscilla had killed someone.” McHenry says Soeller raped her prior to the murder. If convicted, she faces a life prison sentence. A judge will decide next month if there is enough evidence to order a trial.
Columbus Man Enters Plea To Child Assault
12/30/14 – A Columbus-area child molester entered into a plea agreement with Columbia County prosecutors yesterday. Terry L. Brace pled to Repeated Sexual Assault of the Same Child and had a second felony dismissed. A three-month joint investigation with the Columbus Police Department and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Department came to a conclusion last December with the 73-year-old’s arrest. Brace abused one preteen girl hundreds of times between 1990 and 1994 and a second young girl repeatedly in 2000 and 2001. A presentencing investigation was ordered a hearing is scheduled in March. Brace faces up to 40 years in prison.
Motorist Arrested At Work After Injuring State Trooper
12/30/14 – A motorist who allegedly injured a Wisconsin State Patrol trooper in a weekend accident has been arrested. The accident happened Friday night around 11:30pm when the trooper attempted to apprehend a speeding vehicle on Interstate 94 near Lake Mills and pulled it over. The trooper asked the driver, a 32-year-old Milwaukee man, to perform field sobriety tests, then let him back in his car because of the weather. The driver put then put car into gear. The trooper tried to stop him but was dragged about 100 feet. The trooper drove to a hospital where he was treated and released. A Jefferson County deputy spotted the suspect’s car early Saturday. It crashed and the driver ran off. U.S. Marshalls with the Special Fugitive Task Force and Wisconsin Probation and Parole arrested the suspect Monday at his place of employment. John C. Dotson was taken into custody after attempting to flee on foot. Dotson was booked into the Milwaukee County Jail where he is being held for a parole violation hearing and for felony charges issued in Jefferson County.
‘Screech’ Makes Initial Appearance
12/30/14 – Actor Dustin Diamond made his initial court appearance yesterday on charges connected with a Christmas Night bar fight in Port Washington. His lawyer asked for a reduction in the 10-thousand dollar bond the 37-year-old Diamond posted on Friday. The character that played Screech on “Saved by the Bell” is due back in Ozaukee County Circuit Court on Monday for a preliminary hearing on his felony reckless endangerment charge. He’s also charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and carrying an illegal concealed weapon. Diamond told Port Washington he was defending his 27-year-old fiancée when the two got into a spat with two men and a woman at a bar last Thursday night. Diamond claimed he accidentally stabbed the armpit of one of the men with a switchblade. The victim was not seriously hurt.
More John Doe Documents Being Released Today
12/30/14 – More documents will be released today about the John Doe probe into Governor Scott Walker’s aides and associates when he was the Milwaukee County Executive. Another 227-thousand pages of e-mails and records will be made public. It’s the fifth release of documents connected with a probe that resulted in convictions against a half-dozen Walker associates on charges that ranged from misconduct for illegal campaigning to embezzlement. Last week, ex-Walker deputy chief-of-staff Tim Russell lost an appeal of his conviction for embezzling over 20-thousand dollars from a program that honored Wisconsin veterans.
Petri Ends Congressional Career On Wednesday
12/30/14 – Wisconsin’s only departing U-S House member says he’ll speak on college campuses, and keep pursuing his interest in political history. Fond du Lac Republican Tom Petri will end a 36-year career in Congress on Wednesday. He tells the Fond du Lac Reporter he’ll join retired House Democrat David Obey on the college-speaking circuit. State Senate Republican Glenn Grothman of Campbellsport will replace Petri when the next Congress officially convenes on Saturday.
At Least Two New Alderpersons Coming To Beaver Dam
12/30/14 – Beaver Dam Alderwoman Donna Fuhrman says after three terms in office it is time for new blood on the common council. The Ward One Alderwoman has filed her non-candidacy papers for this spring’s general election. Fuhrman says she is a supporter of term limits and six years is long enough for anyone. She also says new thoughts are needed and she wants to spend more time with family. Ward 13 Alderman Laine Meyer is the only other incumbent to file non-candidacy papers. Kevin Burnett has submitted the necessary paperwork for that open seat and currently faces no opposition. Meanwhile, there is shaping up to be a three-way race in Ward Three where incumbent Glen Link is being challenged by Jon Abfall and Shaun Hilliard. Link and Abfall have all of their paperwork submitted while Hilliard is still collecting signatures. The deadline to submit nomination papers is January 6. Beaver Dam Alderpersons in odd-numbered wards are running in April.
First Tax Payment Due Next Month
12/30/14 – The deadline for making one’s first tax payment for the year is approaching. That’s according to County Treasurer Patti Hilker. She says that first half installment payments are due to one’s local treasurer’s office by January 31 and the second amount is owed by July 31. Hilker says that Watertown is the one municipality in the county that has three installments, instead of the normal two. While she says that the county does not accept first installment payments, Hilker notes that people can pay the second installment to the county office anytime between February 1st and July 31st. Hilker says that some towns, cities, and villages in the county work with local banks in accepting payments. She advises checking with one’s town treasurer to see if that is the case in the given municipality. Anyone looking to use a payment on the 2014 income tax bill must make or postmark the payment by tomorrow. For those payments that haven’t been made in past years, Hilker says that the county is currently collecting on 2011, as they foreclose on unpaid properties after three years. The last day to make payments and avoid/delay foreclosure from the 2011 year is January 21. She says that the county will plan on petitioning the court for property ownership on those foreclosed grounds in either March or April. They will then appraise the locations and make plans to sell them.
Public Encouraged to Help with Highway Safety
12/30/14 – Dodge County Traffic Safety Commissioner Bob Sell encourages anyone who observes unsafe conditions on county or state roads to raise the concern to their local highway agency or law enforcement unit. He recommends that they describe the problem and suggest that it be discussed at the next commission meeting. Sell says that the problem of a missing highway sign should be immediately reported to the agency with jurisdiction over that highway, the county sheriff’s department, or state patrol. He encourages members of the public to attend the commission’s next meeting on Monday, January 12 at 9:30 a.m. at the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department training room which is located at 124 West Street in Juneau to learn more about related traffic matters.
Dodge County ATV Trail Open
12/30/14 – The ATV Trail along the Wild Goose State Trail is now open in Dodge County from Highway 60 to Highway 49. The trail has been determined to be sufficiently frozen. The 2 year trial for UTV’s or Utility Terrain Vehicles will continue for the 2014-2015 season. Registered UTVs will be permitted to use the County ATV trail on the Wild Goose State Trail subject to the current ATV Trail rules and restrictions. Snowmobile trails in Dodge County are closed.
Christmas Tree Collection Starts Monday in Beaver Dam
12/30/14 – City of Beaver Dam residents who receive contracted solid waste collection services will be able to place Christmas trees and boughs street-side for collection by city crews beginning next Monday (January 5). Trees and boughs must be free of ornaments, lights and stands so they can be chipped. Crews will continue to pick-up trees through Friday, January 30. Wreaths and boughs containing roping or wire may also be placed in the Advanced Disposal non-recyclable cart for collection as garbage. City residents can also dispose of Christmas trees and boughs at the Public Works Garage Yard Waste Drop off Site on South Center Street, Monday through Friday. The garage will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday this week for the New Year holiday. No waste of any kind is accepted from outside of the City or from any contractors.
