News – August 24, 2022

(Beaver Dam) An agreement has been reached on a new five-year contract between the Beaver Dam Fire Department and the five townships that contract services with the city. The townships of Calamus, Lowell, Westford, Trenton, and Beaver Dam comprise the Beaver Dam Community Fire and Rescue Association. Fire Chief Michael Wesle says dialog that began in early 2021 resulted in a one year extension for service in 2022 however, all parties agreed to continue discussions for a long term contract. He says these continued negotiations resulted in a new deal that will run from 2023 through 2027.

(Brownsville) An Illinois man accused of running from Dodge County authorities has made his initial appearance in court. James Cochrane allegedly fled police Saturday August 20th until a tire deflation device disabled his vehicle. He allegedly told law enforcement that he wanted to make a (quote) “fiasco” and wanted to be the highlight of their day. If convicted, the 33-year-old faces up to three-and-a-half-years in prison. Cash bond was set at $1,000 and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 29th.

(Fond du Lac) An arrest has been made in connection to a weekend homicide in the city Fond du Lac. Police executed a search warrant Monday on West Cotton Street. A 32-year-old man was taken into custody and is currently being held at the Fond du Lac County jail. He is facing charges of First-Degree Intentional Homicide. Forty-year-old Brandon Johnson was found dead from an apparent gunshot wound Saturday August 20th in the 200 block of Marquette Street.

(Beaver Dam) A K-9 with the Beaver Dam Police Department lent his nose to the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office when they asked for assistance Sunday night tracking a suspect. The individual crashed a motorcycle and fled on foot into a nearby cornfield. K-9 Boomer tracked the person through the cornfield approximately three-quarters of a mile. That allowed deputes to set up a perimeter in the area. Eventually the suspect emerged from the cornfield and was spotted by deputies, who were able to take the suspect into custody without incident.

(Beaver Dam) Officials with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue visited the Beaver Dam Chamber of Commerce yesterday (Monday). The department’s Secretary Peter Barca and Chief Economist John Koskinen presented a report on recent initiatives impacting business on a statewide level and the affects COVID has had on the economy. Emily Camfield with the Department of Revenue’s Division of Research and Policy discussed regional data, with a focus on Dodge County. You can listen to the full presentation at DailyDodge.com.

(Beaver Dam) The Dodge County Fair saw strong attendance numbers again this year. There were 46,700 people that walked through the gates during the five-day event at the fairgrounds outside of Beaver Dam. The Fair Association’s Sharon Keil says those numbers are comparable to 2021. She says there was a slight dip in attendance Saturday due to the weather which cleared in time for that night’s grandstand act, Smashmouth, to perform.