News – August 6, 2021

(Rio) An infant who was abducted from Wisconsin Rapids was found safe in Columbia County Thursday. Wisconsin Rapids police issued an Amber Alert for the two-month-old who was taken by their non-custodial mother, reportedly identified as Haley Pelot. Authorities later found Pelot, along with a male accomplice, reportedly identified as 36-year-old Nicholas Hope at an apartment in Rio. Both were arrested without incident and are facing charges from multiple jurisdictions. A third person, 32-year-old Sonja Lynn Lawless of Rio, is facing charges of Harboring a Felon. The infant was taken to a local hospital to be checked over and is safe and in the custody of child protective services.

(Waupun) Waupun police are seeking help in locating three individuals believed of taking a power tool from a hardware store. The three males entered Marten’s Farm and Home Ace Hardware located at 1100 West Main Street around 4:40pm last Friday and removed the tool from a red, Milwaukee tool case. They left the scene in a 2000’s silver Dodge or Chrysler minivan. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Waupun Police Department. Contact information and photos of the suspects and vehicle can be found at DailyDodge.com.

(Green Lake) A Green Lake man has been charged with 20 felony counts of Possession of Child Pornography. Zachary Kehlenbrink was arrested in January. The Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office investigated Kehlenbrink based on three cyber tips it received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Nearly two thousand images were reportedly found on his phone and two laptops and over 140 videos. The 31-year-old will be back in court next week for a preliminary hearing.

(Beaver Dam) There is a scam going around with the caller saying they are with the Beaver Dam Utility Billing Department. Utility officials say the con artists say that the customer is delinquent in their utility payments and need to provide payment information that includes banking or credit card information. It is a scam, the utility would never call a customer over the phone to discuss delinquent payments.

(Columbus) Committee assignments have been announced for Wisconsin’s newest member of the Assembly. State Representative Will Penterman will serve on four committees: Education, Veterans and Military Affairs, Housing and Real Estate, and Constitution and Ethics. The Columbus Republican won a special election last month for the seat vacated by John Jagler of Watertown, who now serves in the Senate.

(Fall River) The Columbia County Health Department will be hosting a free walk-in COVID vaccine clinic this Saturday. County health officials say the clinic will be for a one-and-done Johnson and Johnson shot. The J and J vaccine is only offered to those 18 and older. The clinic will be at the Fall River Chamber of Commerce Arts and Crafts Farmers Market located at the Savannah Oaks Community Center on Highway 16. It will be held from 8am to 3pm.

(Madison) Governor Tony Evers used his weekly radio address to continue urging Wisconsinites to get vaccinated for COVID yesterday. Evers’ request comes amid a steady rise in the seven day average of new cases. That number, which had dropped to 69 as recently as July 21, reached 1,000 as of Thursday. That’s the highest seven day average reported by the state Department of Health Services since early February. – WRN