Prosecutors To Appeal John Doe Probe Decision
5/09/14 – Prosecutors have again asked a federal appeals court to keep alive the John Doe probe into the G-O-P’s recall election campaigns involving Governor Scott Walker among others. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that the probe should continue. But Milwaukee District Judge Rudolph Randa shut it down yesterday for the second time this week. This time, Randa said an appeal from prosecutors earlier in the case was frivolous. The judge said prosecutors had no business claiming they were immune from being sued. The John Doe probe has been looking into alleged illegal coordination between outside groups and Republican candidates in the 2011-and-’12 recall elections — including the governor. Democrats have used the case to slam Walker as he runs for re-election this fall. One of the main targets of the John Doe, the Wisconsin Club for Growth, filed the original lawsuit. It said the investigation violated its free speech rights — and Randa agreed on Tuesday. Randall Crocker, an attorney for the prosecutors, disagreed that his side’s claim of immunity was frivolous. Crocker said it will be up to a higher court to decide that. Meanwhile, the Club for Growth’s attorney plans to get depositions in the case soon. David Rivkin said prosecutors and perhaps some politicians might have to provide sworn testimony.
Senate Confirms Federal Judgeship
5/09/14 – The U-S Senate voted 70-to-24 to confirm Madison attorney James Peterson for a Wisconsin federal judgeship that’s been vacant for five years. Peterson will replace the late John Shabaz in a court that’s based in Madison and serves roughly the western half of the state which includes Columbia and Jefferson counties. All of yesterday’s no votes came from Republicans. President Obama nominated Peterson after he was recommended by a state selection panel formed by both Wisconsin senators. Republican Ron Johnson called it a successful bi-partisan process, and Democrat Tammy Baldwin called Peterson a well-qualified jurist who will serve the state and the nation well. The judgeship has been vacant since 2009, because Obama tried four times to get former State Supreme Court Justice Louis Butler to fill the post. Republicans on Capitol Hill kept casting Butler aside, noting that he lost a statewide election for the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2008.
Purdue Student Murder Suspect Gets Public Defender
5/09/14 – The man charged with killing a Purdue University student from Wisconsin will get a public defender for his upcoming trial. A judge in western Indiana agreed Thursday to let 23-year-old Cody Cousins drop his current defense lawyer, Robert Gevers. Both testified that they don’t trust each other. Prosecutors said Cousins shot and stabbed 21-year-old Andrew Boldt of West Bend to death in a classroom on the Purdue campus in January, while was Boldt was helping out during a class in the Electrical Engineering Building. Authorities have not said what the motive was. A trial that was scheduled for late April has been delayed.
DA Candidate Says First Time OWI Penalties Adequate
5/09/14 – One of three Democrats running for Wisconsin attorney general is not convinced it would be right to make first-time drunk driving a criminal offense. Jefferson County District Attorney Susan Happ says that one-time O-W-I convicts already get sanctions on their driver’s licenses and higher insurance premiums. She said that making it criminal would increase caseloads for D-A’s offices that already short-staffed — create more litigation — and cost the court system more money. Happ also noted that a first time drunk driver faces separate criminal charges when someone is hurt or killed in an O-W-I crash. Happ is running in the August primary against Dane County D-A Ismael Ozanne and state Assembly Democrat Jon Richards. That winner would face Republican D-A Brad Schimel of Waukesha County in November, for the right to replace incumbent J-B Van Hollen — who’s stepping down after this year.
High School Graduation Rates Increase
5/09/14 – Eighty-eight percent of Wisconsin public high school seniors graduated last May — about a half-percent more than the previous year. The state Department of Public Instruction released the numbers Thursday. Minorities have made gains over the past three years — but their graduation rates still lag behind white seniors. The report said over 92-percent of white students graduated from high school in 2013 — but only 74-percent of Hispanics earned their diplomas, as well as almost 65-percent of African-Americans. Still, the black graduation rate was over four-percent higher than in 2010, and about five-percent more Hispanics received diplomas in that time period.
Columbus Starts Reconstruction Planning
5/09/14 – Columbus has begun it’s part of planning for the major reconstruction of State Highways 16 and 60 through the city in 2017. The council approved a contract with Jim Schaefer Land Design to work with the “Streetscape Task Force.” The task force will be planning how the new James Street corridor should look. The task force plans to develop designs for street lights, trees, and pavement types. Schaefer said those plans would be added to the DOT plans for curb, gutter, roadbed and utilities along James Street. City Administrator Patrick Vander Sanden is coordinating the Task Force and working with Schaefer and the DOT on the project.
Mumps Cases Confirmed
5/09/14 – Wisconsin now has 27 confirmed cases of the mumps this spring. Milwaukee health officials confirmed four cases yesterday — two at U-W-M and two elsewhere in the state’s largest city. U-W Madison has also reported some new cases, bringing the total there to 12. It’s the first time in two years that the state has seen any cases of the mumps, a highly-contagious disease spread by kissing, sharing food or utensils, or even talking to another person. Officials said young adults brought the disease to Wisconsin in late March, from the trips they took on spring break. All 27 cases involve young people, and about half are college students. Officials said three-fourths of the infected people were fully vaccinated — but what was supposed to be lifetime immunity failed for some reason. Paul Biedrzycki (bid-zick-ee) of the Milwaukee Health Department fears that the mumps will spread once colleges finish their spring semesters soon. The disease incubates for up to three weeks before symptoms appear that include fever and body aches.
Festival To Highlight History of Beaver Dam Pepper
5/09/14 – You’re going to be hearing a lot more about the Beaver Dam Pepper in the incoming months. A festival is in the works to highlight its historical connection to Beaver Dam. Beaver Dam is looking to make the Beaver Dam Pepper a local heirloom. This sweet, mild vegetable- or technically fruit -originated in Hungary and its appearance in America dates back to 1912. Nobody knows its original name, but it came to be known across the country as the Beaver Dam Pepper. Diana Ogle, with the Park Village Shopping Center- the site of the planned Beaver Dam Pepper Festival – says it all started right here in Dodge County. Diana Ogle says, all these Hungarian immigrants that came over, landed in Ellis Island and migrated over here to Beaver Dam and brought these heirloom seeds with them and that’s how the whole thing started. The pepper is not like any other pepper. Local farmer Robert Tietz of Reeseville has grown these peppers for over 30 years. He says, they get the seeds and put them in the starting soil and if you heat the bottom of the soil to 72 degrees, they will germinate a lot faster. Tietz says he starts them in the middle of April and in May they are about 6-8inches tall and they sit outside are done growing by August. The pepper starts out green and turns red after it is fully grown and according to Tietz, the taste and flavor is one of its own. Tietz says, they vary in length and depending upon the weather, some will get big and round, some smaller, but they have a sweet mild taste, and are considered a thinned walled pepper. The Beaver Dam Pepper Festival is planned for the weekend of October 4th. You can find more information on their Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/BeaverDamPepperFestival
http://www.beaverdampepperfestival.net
DPW Warns Against Leaving Grass Clipings
5/09/14 – The Beaver Dam Department of Public Works is reminding residents and contractors that it is a violation of city ordinance to discharge grass clippings onto public streets. Director Jeremy Klug says the DNR mandates clean gutters because leaves and grass clippings contribute to the degradation of waterways and ultimately the lake. As the lawn debris decomposes, it affects water quality and also clogs storm pipes, which leads to flooding. When mowing near the roadway, Klug says you should direct the chute of the mower away from the road, containing clippings on the lawn. If clippings accidentally end up in the gutter, he says they should be swept up and disposed of. The city will hand out warning letters for the first offense; citations will be given to repeat offenders. Yard waste can be brought to the Department of Public Works during business hours, Monday through Friday 7am to 3:30pm and now on Saturdays 10am to 2pm.
