News August 20, 2011

Motorcyclist Flighted Following Police Chase

8/20/11 – A motorcyclist apparently crashed his bike Friday night after running from authorities. According to the Dodge County Sheriffs Department, deputies attempted to pull over the motorcycle on County Highway G in the Town of Beaver Dam around 10:45pm but the subject fled. The 28-year-old Markesan man lost control, crashed a short time later and was taken by helicopter to the hospital. We’ll have more information for you as it becomes available.

Also last night, traffic on Highway 151 was snarled following a three car accident near County Road S in the Town of Calamus. One injury was reported. The incident was reported at 5:45pm and the scene was cleared about one hour later.

One Death Blamed On Possible Tornado in Marinette

8/20/11 – At least one death is blamed on an apparent tornado that hit Marinette County last night. The name of the man killed has not been released. Local officials say many trees and power lines were knocked down when the storm hit at about 5 p.m. Friday. The National Weather Service has confirmed the storm included hail nearly two inches in circumference. A damage survey team will check out the Marinette and Menomonie county areas today. At least two thousand customers were without power before Wisconsin Public Service crews started working to make repairs.

Appeals Court Orders Force Feeding of Waupun Inmate

8/20/11 – A state appeals court has ordered Waupun prison workers to resume force-feeding an inmate who’s been on a hunger strike since 2003. Warren Lilly Junior began his hunger strike soon after he began a 10-year sentence for armed battery. He stopped eating all solid food in 2004, saying he wanted to publicize what he thought were injustices in the court and prison systems. And the state Corrections’ Department soon began to force-feed Lilly under a doctor’s care. Five years later, officials got the okay to feed Lilly while he was restrained in a chair for up to 60-minutes once a day. But he responded by vomiting his food on purpose. A doctor told court officials he weight dropped from 230 pounds to 125 – and because he had a history of heart failure, Lilly would die in six month if the weight loss continued. Dodge County Circuit Judge Andrew Bissonnette ordered the feedings to end in 2009. But corrections’ officials appealed and the state’s appellate court allowed the feedings to resume, in a way that counteracts Lilly’s effort to vomit the food out of his system.

Fond du Lac City Engineer Has Bond Reduction Denied

8/20/11 – The Fond du Lac City official charged with having repeated sex with a young girl will remain in jail with a $150,000 cash bond. Fond du Lac County Judge Dale English Friday morning denied a motion to have bail reduced. District Attorney Dan Kaminsky says Richard Goding was then arraigned and he pled not guilty to the charges he’s facing. Goding is charged with 1st degree sexual assault of a child, Repeated 1st degree sexual assault of the same child, and causing harm to a child under 13 by causing them to view or listen to a sex act. The alleged sexual assaults occurred over five years ago. The victim, who is now 13-years-old, brought the alleged assaults to light during a church discussion on sexual relationships. Goding is the City Engineer in Fond du Lac. He’s been placed on administrative leave.

Sauk County Babysitter Charged In Infant Death

8/20/11 – A 24 year old babysitter is charged with killing a four-month girl she was supposed to be caring for. Jeanette Janusiak told investigators the girl was fine after she dropped her and became unresponsive later. A doctor disputed her version of events, saying due to the severity of her injuries, the infant would have become unresponsive immediately. A Reedsburg police officer was called to Janusiak’s home early Thursday. He performed CPR until paramedics arrived and

took her to the hospital. She was flown to a Madison hospital where she died. The girl reportedly had suffered three skull fractures and other injuries. Janusiak is scheduled to make an appearance in Sauk County Court Monday.

Milwaukee Crime Numbers Below Average

8/20/11 – Crime numbers in Milwaukee continue to go down. In the first half of this year, 12 percent fewer crimes were reported, compared to last year. Milwaukee police report total crime is down more than 26 percent since 2007, including a 33 and a half percent decrease in violent crime. Rape was up by 11 percent and the city did record one more homicide in the first six months of this year. High scrap metal prices are blamed for a significant jump in stolen cars, though property crime overall was down 13 percent.

Walker Mulling Action on Downed Trees

8/20/11 – Governor Scott Walker says the state of Wisconsin will do all it can to help salvage thousands of tree downed in the far northwestern corner of the state. It’s a balancing act — salvage the trees before they rot or catch fire, without upsetting the state’s 18 billion dollar a year timber industry. Storms last July knocked the trees down in six counties. The sheer volume of the trees could drive industry prices down. Walker joined local politicians and Wisconsin National Guard commanders in a Friday tour of the region by car and helicopter. He met with timber industry officials for about two hours in Siren, but left the meeting with no clear plan of action. Walker says it’s possible tax credits could be offered to private landowners to clear their property. And, the state could look overseas for possible markets for the timber.

New Bill Targets Special Election Timeframe

8/20/11 – When special elections are needed, a new bill would require they be held without delay. Current state law is silent on how much time can pass between a vacancy in the Wisconsin Legislature and when the governor can or should call an election to fill it. State Representative Mark Pocan and Senator-elect Jennifer Shilling think 60 days is enough. That way people living in the district don’t lose their voice in legislative matters for an excessive amount of time. Pocan says putting the limit at 30 days might give an unfair advantage to some potential candidates. Shilling’s vacant Assembly seat will have to be filled by a special election, after he recent recall victory over Republican Senator Dan Kapanke.

Celebrity Cream-Puff Contest Attracts Good Crowd

8/20/11 – There was a huge turnout for yesterday’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Contest at the Dodge County Fair. The event kicked off with a swearing-in of the Sheriffs Departments two new K9’s, Ziva and Page. While we couldn’t get the dogs to compete, Deputy K9 handler Chad Enright carried the momentum of the swearing-in into the Cream Puff Eating contest and defeated his fellow K9 Deputy along with local legislators Jeff and Scott Fitzgerald and former Green Bay Packer Dave Robinson, who’s in town promoting his new book “The Lombardi Legacy.” Dodge County Emergency Management Director Joe Meagher withstood a challenge from his fellow county officials to take home his first Cream Puff trophy, beating out the District Attorney, Treasurer, FSA Director, County Clerk and the County Administrator. Dr. Jay Wilkins, the Beaver Dam Area Community Theater Board President, beat out the theaters Managing Director David Saniter, screen actor Dan Bell of Mayville and Casey Carney of Casey and the Moonshine Band. The Fastest of the Fair trophy went to County Board Supervisor Jeff Schmidt who beat out Sheriff Todd Nehls, Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy, State Patrol Superintendent Steve Fitzgerald, and Ann Killian-Kahn, the Children’s Advocate with PAVE who was eating for two. The contest wrapped up with 2010 Dodge County Fairest of the Fair Danielle Hammer securing the Sweetest of the Fair trophy after beating out the Dodge-Jefferson Honey Queen and four-of-the-last-five Fairests’ of the Fair, plus a surprise appearance from the 2000 Fairest of the Fair Melanie Welles. In terms of overall attendance, Fair Board Secretary Sharon Keil says at least 11,000 people came through the gates on Thursday night when Luke Bryan performed, second only to Toby Keith’s 2001 concert that drew 18,000 fair goers. Wisconsin-native and American Idol finalist Danny Gokey is on the Grandstand Stage tonight followed by music from Geoff Landon in Radio Park.