Snow Is On The Way
1/14/14 – Dodge, Columbia and Washington counties and counties to the north are under a Winter Storm Warning from 9am this morning through 6am tomorrow with three-to-five inches expected. Counties to the south, including Jefferson County, are under a Winter Weather Advisory from 9am until midnight with two-to-four inches possible.
Clothes for Kids Has New Locations
1/14/14 – Clothes for Kids has a new location. The non-profit was told in August that – after 18-years – they had to clear out of the basement of The Roger’s in downtown Beaver Dam by March 31. The community immediately responded to the threat of closing down and a steering committee was formed. The new location will be at 1019 South Spring Street in space that will be leased from Apache Stainless. A building campaign is underway to help raise money. The estimated cost of renovation is estimated at $25,000. The extra expense for the lease, maintenance and utilities will increase the current Clothes for Kids budget by 30%. Jodi Slowiak, Executive Director of Clothes for Kids says that this is the answer to many prayers. She says several people have reached out to help keep the mission of Clothes for Kids alive. Slowiak says she is 100-percent committed to this project and the challenge now is to find money in the budget to cover the lease expense. She is hoping they will not be forced to cut vital programs. In addition to providing clothes, shoes, hygiene products and school supplies to low-income families in the Dodge County area, in recent years Clothes For Kids expanded to include an Easter Basket Program and Warm Winter Wear Program. These programs serve over 1800 children each year. The move to the South Spring Street location is planned for late spring.
More information on plans and expenses can be requested by email at www.clothesforkids@outlook.com. Or stay up-to-date on our progress by following us on Facebook at Clothes for Kids, Beaver Dam. Clothes for Kids Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and has been in existence since 1988, providing year round, high-quality donated and purchased clothing, new shoes, coats, boots, diapers, grooming items, school supplies, toys and more free of charge for children throughout Dodge County and surrounding communities. The mission of Clothes for Kids is to assist not only low-income families, but to serve moderate level income families as well…the “working poor.” The organization is staffed entirely by volunteers. All of the funding that supports Clothes for Kids comes from within the communities served.
BDUSD Looking At $1 Million In Red Ink Next Year
1/14/14 – Worst case scenario, the Beaver Dam School District is looking at a one-million dollar deficit as they begin preparing for the 2014-2015 budget. The school board Monday night adopted the budget parameters and timeline. Director of Business Services Bob Avery says in preparing the $40 million dollar document, as always, he kept the revenue projections low and expenses high. The early numbers include a compensation increase of three-percent and a proposed benefits increase of over ten-percent. A slight decrease in enrollment is expected but that may be offset by a one-percent increase in levying power. Superintendent Steve Vessey says at this point in the process many of the variables are educated guesses and he does not anticipate sweeping cuts like staffing reductions. Vessey notes that in his years as superintendent, there has always been red ink at this point in the process. Last year at this time, the district was looking at a half-million dollar deficit. The board is expected to adopt a preliminary 2014-2015 budget by this June and a final budget by October. Vessey says he has no doubt it will be a balanced budget.
Trenton Elementary Sold To Harmony Baptist
1/14/14 – The Beaver Dam School Board Monday night approved the sale of the former Trenton Elementary School. The building was shuttered at the end of the last school year as a cost-saving move and its students now attend Prairie View Elementary. Harmony Baptist Church purchased the structure for the asking price of $65,000. Closing on the property is planned for today. A plan fell through last summer that would have seen the building traded to the Family Youth Interaction Community Services Group for $95,000 in services for at-risk students.
Milwaukee Woman Charged In Mayville-Area Burglaries
1/14/14 – A Milwaukee woman has been implicated in a string of Mayville-area burglaries. Ashley Pinkert told police she was out-of-work and needed to pay rent and put food on the table for her child. The 30-year-old is charged with three felony counts for break-ins last week at three separate residences. During one of the burglaries, the property owners came home, reportedly found Pinkert there and Pinkert immediately engaged them in conversation like she was supposed to be there and said she was looking for a friend. The victims managed to get her license plate and she was arrested a short time later. Among the items stolen: cash and prescription drugs. If convicted, the charges carry a maximum prison sentence of over 37-years.
Watertown Man Charged In Drunken Police Chase
1/14/14 – A Watertown man is accused of leading Dodge County Sheriffs Deputies on a drunken high-speed chase. Matthew Schroeder is charged with a felony count of Fleeing a Traffic Officer for the incident last June. The 22-year-old was reportedly speeding around 1:30am when a traffic stop was attempted. Schroeder allegedly fled at a high rate of speed before his car came to an abrupt stop in the front yard of a Town of Lebanon residence, four feet from the structure. Deputies drew their guns on him as he fumbled to get his keys out of the ignition. He apparently admitted to having seven beers and a shot at a nearby tavern and told the deputy he didn’t see him until the last minute. His blood-alcohol level was allegedly over twice the legal limit for driving at point-one-eight (.18). The felony Fleeing charge carries a maximum prison sentence of three-and-a-half years.
Most Snowmobile Trails Closed, For Now
1/14/14 – We’ll find out soon if today’s snowfall is enough to allow the state’s snowmobile trails to open. Travel Wisconsin-Dot-Com says trails are closed in most of the southern half of the state; that includes the entire Dodge County snowmobile system. In the northern half, most trails are good-to-excellent. Portage County lies in the middle — and those trails are now closed. Officials said about 20-inches of snow have fallen in central Wisconsin this winter — but most of it has been light-and-fluffy, and it does not last under the weight of high-powered sleds. Snowmobile clubs in Portage County are looking for another 4-to-6 inches. The closest open snowmobile trail for those in our listening area is in Winnebago County, where one trail is open.
Born, Grothman Push For Seven-Day Work Week
1/14/13 – Wisconsin’s retail and factory workers would no longer be required to get a day off each week, under a bill proposed by Republicans in both houses. West Bend Senator Glenn Grothman and Beaver Dam Republican Mark Born are seeking co-sponsors for the measure. They said the state’s largest business group first suggested the change, after noticing that federal law does not require what the state mandates — at least 24 hours off for each seven-day week. The bill’s authors say it would let employees volunteer for a seventh day each week, so they could make a little extra money and their companies can boost production. Democrats and labor leaders say bosses would pressure their workers into volunteering — and the employees might have to go along or get fired. Grothman says he’s never heard of that happening, and he wonders why Democrats want to hold back employees who want extra money. Racine Assembly Democrat Cory Mason says the required day off is a legal protection that exists for a reason. Mason calls the G-O-P measure a “slap in the face to ordinary working folks,” saying they’ve fought long-and-hard for 40-hour work-weeks and weekends off. Republican legislative leaders and Governor Scott Walker’s office have not said whether they back the measure.
Bus Driving Good Samaritan Going Back To Work
1/14/14 – A Milwaukee County bus route supervisor was given his old job back Monday, three months after he was fired for helping a woman who was being assaulted. 47-year-old William Bierman says he’ll return to work next week after a meeting between him, the managing director for Milwaukee Transport Services, and attorneys for both. He’ll also get an undetermined amount of back pay. The Journal Sentinel said Bierman was let go for helping a woman on a street who was attacked by a man who was apparently drunk. Bierman said he was trying to be a Good Samaritan, but transit officials said he could have exposed them to potential liability. The Transit System came under heavy criticism once the firing hit the news. County Executive Chris Abele watched videos which appeared to back up the supervisor’s story — and he asked agency officials to reconsider the termination. Bierman tells the Journal Sentinel he has mixed feelings about coming back. He said he missed the drivers he supervised and their passengers — but he believes he’ll have a target on his back.
Dodge County Human Services In New Location
1/14/14 – Officials with the Dodge County Human Services and Health Department are reminding the public that they are in a new location with a new mailing address. In November, the department moved out of the Dodge County Office Building on East Center Street in downtown Juneau. Human Serviced then took up residence in the newly-remodeled Clearview North Building that was vacated after residents in both the north and south building were consolidated into a new facility. The name of the new building is the Henry Dodge Office Building and it is located on County Road DF. The department includes Adult Protective Services; the Aging and Disability Resource Center; Child Protective Services; Mental Health and Addiction Treatment; Public Health; and economic support services like Food Share, BadgerCare, Child Care Support and the Women, Infants and Children Program. The full address is:
Dodge County Human Services & Health Department
Henry Dodge Office Building
199 County Road DF
Juneau, WI 53039-9512
