News – April 23, 2022

(Waupun) Fire caused roughly $15-to-20-thousand-dollars in damages to a garage in Waupun yesterday (Friday) afternoon. The Waupun Fire Department was dispatched to 520 Bly Street around 11:30am. Upon arrival, smoke was visible coming from the ridge vent and a service door. Fire Chief B.J. DeMaa says everyone was clear of the area when crews reached the scene. He says firefighters made entry into the garage through a service door and discovered a fire burning in a rear corner and extending to the roof. Crews initiated an interior fire attack and quickly knocked down the blaze before it extended to the nearby house and another garage. DeMaa says the fire investigation determined that debris from welding was the cause of the fire. He says the property is owned by John and Janice DeVries. No firefighters or civilians were injured during the incident. (Fox Lake) Inclement weather is stalling the search for a missing boater on Fox Lake. Multiple agencies conducted an extensive search of Fox Lake until sunset last (Thursday) night. The Dodge County Sheriff’s office says, unfortunately, the male subject has still not yet been located and is considered missing at this time.  The female subject was treated and released from the hospital yesterday (Thursday). Search operations continue, however, due to impending weather, and the safety of divers, a full-scale search is not possible today. Full search operations will resume as soon as it is deemed safe by dive teams. Dispatch received a 911 call yesterday around 12:30pm reporting that a canoe had capsized and two people were in the water, yelling for help, near the north shore of Fox Lake. The Town of Fox Lake boat launch on Blackhawk Trail is currently being used as a command post and staging area and public access to that landing is restricted. (Horicon) A Horicon man accused of showing his private parts to two minors on numerous occasions is heading to trial after waiving his right to a preliminary hearing this week. Kenneth Zawadzinksi allegedly touched himself inappropriately multiple times between December and January while naked at his window, in full view of two juvenile’s. When questioned, Zawadzinksi reportedly said that his goal was to give (quote) “spiritual love” and nothing physical. If convicted, the 57-year-old faces over 41 years behind bars. (Waupun) Waupun Police say they have been taking reports of residents falling victim to phone and computer scams. In the scams people receive calls from someone claiming to be from a reputable business, such as Amazon, and ask to remotely access the person’s computer. Police says you should never allow someone you do not know to remotely access your computer. There have also been reports of pop-ups claiming a virus has infected your computer and to follow the prompts to have the issue resolved. Do not trust the pop ups. If anyone has questions or feel you may have been a victim of a scam call your local police department. (Markesan) Police in Markesan have received complaints from several community members who got phone calls recently from scammers saying they are with Medicare and that they are calling to save them money. The scammer will tell the person that they can get the person money back off their Medicare premiums each month and can have it deposited into their bank account. The scammer will ask for personal information including bank account numbers. Markesan Police warn that Medicare isn’t calling around offering money back; it is a scammer trying to get access to your bank account. (Milwaukee) The newly-reinstated mask mandate for Milwaukee Public Schools will remain in place indefinitely. A mask mandate in place since last fall was lifted for one day this week, then quickly reinstated. Milwaukee Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson defends the move, saying not many school-kids are vaccinated. Coronavirus numbers are rising again in Milwaukee. Thirty-two public school students tested positive last week. – WRN (Beaver Dam) A company with ties to Beaver Dam had the honor of ringing the opening bell on the New York Stock Exchange yesterday (Friday). Evoqua Water Technologies, which is based in Pittsburg and has over 4000 employees globally, provides water and wastewater treatment solutions. A company in Beaver Dam that was owned by Chuck and Randy Neuman called Engineered Treatment Systems was sold to Neptune Benson which was acquired by Evoqua in 2017. The former Evoqua building in Beaver Dam was sold to the city and is being developed into a new Department of Public Works facility. Tina Pawicz (pah-vitch) of Beaver Dam was among those with Evoqua who were in New York for the bell ringing. Pawicz called the experience “exciting” saying they were treated to a history lesson on the tradition and a walkthrough of the wall bell ringers sign to mark the experience. (Beaver Dam) The public is invited to an upcoming banquet to help raise funds for improving and protecting Beaver Dam Lake. The Beaver Dam Lake Improvement Association is holding their 26th annual fundraising banquet on Monday (April 25th) at the Bayside Supper Club. WBEV’s very own Justin “Ninja” Wylesky will serve as MC. Tickets cost $50 dollars and can be ordered online at bdlia.org. More information can be found with this news story at DailyDodge.com. (Wisconsin) Many teachers in Wisconsin are getting their largest raise in years. Inflation has a lot to do with it. The Milwaukee school board this week approved a four-point-seven percent raise for teachers, the most that state law allows. Wisconsin’s Act 10 law ties teacher raises to inflation, and because inflation is skyrocketing this year, so is teacher pay. School boards in West Allis, Kenosha, Oshkosh, Green Bay, and Eau Claire are doing the same. – WRN (Beaver Dam) The Beaver Dam VFW Post 1163 recently announced several contest winners. Three area youth were presented awards for the VFW Post’s annual Patriot’s Pen contest. This year’s essay theme was “How Can I Be a Good American?” The contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences by drafting a 300-to-400 word essay. The winners were Kennedy Norris in first place, Jonah Brown in second place, and Ericka Reed in third place. Three Beaver Dam High School students were winners in the Post’s Voice of Democracy contest. Ellen Poels was the first place finisher, Gracie Halfman second place, and Kayla Wilson in third place. The National Association of Broadcasters started the Voice of Democracy Scholarship program in 1947. The VFW became a national sponsor in the late 1950s and assumed sole responsibility for the program in 1961. The competition was created to provide students grades 9-through-12 the opportunity to express their democratic ideas and principles. Around 40,000 students participate in the competition annually and VFW awards more than $2.1-million-dollars in scholarships every year.