Memorial Day Ceremonies Planned
5/25/15 – Communities around the nation and right here in Dodge County are observing Memorial Day today with a variety of parade’s and ceremonies. You can find a list of local events on our website wbevradio.com. In Beaver Dam, the day begins with an 8:45am wreath laying ceremony in the Tower Parking lot to honor servicemen and women who perished at sea while defending our country. The parade follows at 9:15am. The theme this year is “Veterans-Defenders of Freedom.” Organizers say the theme was chosen to honor veterans past and present, who have served or are serving to preserve our country’s freedom. The parade will start in a different location this year, on South Spring Street one block east of the traditional starting point on South Center because of downtown reconstruction. The parade will continue on Highway 33 to the Veterans Memorial at Oakwood Cemetery, where the ceremony will begin at 10:15am and he broadcast live here on AM1430 WBEV. The guest speaker this morning is Retired Col. Michael Tobin is a recipient of Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal and Combat Action Badge. In the event of inclement weather, stay tuned to WBEV to find out if the parade will be cancelled or if the ceremony will be moved to the Veterans Center.
Kitchen Fire Damages Beaver Dam Home
5/25/15 – A structure fire in Beaver Dam Sunday caused $20-thousand dollars in damage. The fire was reported just before 1pm on the 11-hundred block of Hiawatha. Fire Chief Alan Mannel says smoke was visible from the outside of the single family home when crews arrived in the scene. The fire was contained to the kitchen. The first floor sustained significant smoke damage. The homeowner Elaine Bostwick was at home at the time. There were no injuries. The cause is under routine investigation.
Columbia County Searchers Looking For Missing Man
5/25/15 – Columbia County searchers have been using sonar in an effort to find a Chicago man who went under and never surfaced in the Wisconsin River Saturday. Witnesses say the 21-year-old disappeared as he was swimming to shore at about 7:15 p-m in the Lower Dells, just south of the dam. The man had been fishing on an island and appeared to get caught in the river’s current. Family members tried to rescue him. Divers went into the river Saturday night, then returned Sunday in an effort to find him.
Sex Offender Meeting Wednesday In Brownsville
5/25/15 – A meeting will be held Wednesday to give the public information about the release of two convicted sex offenders into Brownsville. Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt says court ordered release is no later than June 1. The meeting will provide detailed information on the history of the offense along with pictures of the sex offenders. 29-year-old Jonathan Miller and 57-year-old Robert Larson will be living at W2691 State Highway 48 in Brownsville after their release. The public information meeting will be held Wednesday at 6:30pm at the Brownsville Community Club on West Main.
Dodge County Officials Uncertain Of UW Extension Cut Impact
5/25/15 – If state lawmakers proceed with a proposed $300-million dollar cut to the UW-system, the UW-Extension could lose 65 to 80 positions at the county level. That would make for the Extension’s largest downsizing in three decades, and UW officials expect rural counties would see the biggest hits. Dodge County Administrator Jim Mielke notes the possible cuts would be spread throughout the state and says it is uncertain that Dodge County would feel any effects. He does say a cautious approach is being taken towards filling a vacancy for a Crops/Soils Agent that has been open since October 2013. Mielke says the county will wait to see the decision at the state level before continuing the recruitment process. The UW-Extension currently has 314 county level posts of which the counties share roughly 40-percent of the costs.
Grothman Targets School Lunch Program
5/25/15 – Congressman Glenn Grothman says the education committee he serves on is finding some common threads in testimony as they consider reauthorization of the free and reduced school lunch program. He says some of that testimony is contradictory. Grothman says the three problems they are consistently hearing about are there are too many hungry children, too many obese children, and too many children are throwing away their food. The federal lawmaker from Campbellsport says you learn early in school what should be included in a good lunch. He says the reason children are throwing away their lunches is because you have too many people at the national level telling them what should go into it. Grothman says the federal government should give the money to states and let them give it to school districts, who will find good food that children want to eat.
5/25/15 The Wisconsin Parents Association is offering some criticism for the way Wisconsin lawmakers have approved a motion letting private, home-schooled and online charter students take part in public school athletics and activities. WPA Executive Director Larry Kaseman says the late addition was made in what he calls a “sneaky” fashion, passing it without any discussion at 1:30 a-m. The bill’s sponsor, State Representative Bob Kulp, had reached out last February to see how the association would feel about the change. Kaseman told the Stratford Republican his group would oppose it because it could lead to increased government controls on home-schooled students, something those parents do not want. The change was passed anyway.
5/25/15 – For the first time since 1968, a member of the Beaver Dam Elks Lodge will serve as state president. Rob Radig of Elks Lodge 1540 was elected earlier this month as Wisconsin Elks Association State President Elect at the Elks state convention in Green Bay. Radig will become the Elks State President in May of 2016. Radig says he is honored to be chosen to lead a remarkable group of men and women who show their love of country and community by working to help others. As president he will lead the association with thousands of members contributing to building their communities through volunteer work and charitable donations. Radig – a former Beaver Dam alderman – has served as the Elk’s state vice president, state trustee and several other state officer positions. He has served on and chaired state committees including drug awareness and government relations. Locally, Radig has served as the Exalted Ruler of the Beaver Dam Lodge twice and filled numerous other officer positions. He chairs the annual Christmas food basket program, which annually delivers food to more than 500 families throughout Dodge County. Radig has represented Beaver Dam and the Wisconsin Elks at the national convention several times and will lead the Wisconsin delegation to the Grand Lodge Convention in July 2016 when he is state president.
Beaver Dam Must-Skis Kick Off 21st Season Tonight
5/25/15 – The Beaver Dam Must-Skis kick off their 2015 season tonight with a 6 pm show at Tahoe Park. The nationally ranked team that puts on free shows is entering its 21st season after finishing third at the state tournament in 2014. 18 shows are scheduled through Labor Day weekend, 16 of which will be held at Tahoe Park.