News – February 17, 2021

(Watertown) In the race for the Republican nomination for the 13th State Senate District, that is the seat that opened up when Scott Fitzgerald was elected to Congress in November, the top vote getter is John Jagler of Watertown. Jagler, defeats Don Pridemore of Hartford and Todd Menzel of the Town of Bristol. Jagler will advance to the April election where he will face Democrat Melissa Winker and independent candidates Spencer Zimmerman and Ben Schmitz.

(Madison) Governor Tony Evers proposed $91-billion-dollar two-year spending plan includes raising $1-billion-dollars in taxes, and a $1-point-6-billion-dollar increase in funding for K-12 schools. The Democratic governor’s proposal also keeps a UW System tuition freeze in place. The proposed budget now goes to the legislature’s Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee.

(Beaver Dam) State Representative Mark Born, Co-Chair of the Joint Finance Committee, says he is disappointed that Evers included divisive items in his budget proposal. The Beaver Dam Republican says the Governor is including items such as welfare expansion and marijuana legalization to try and fund massive amounts of spending and several new programs. However, Born notes that Evers did fund several priorities important to Wisconsinites including broadband and an increase to pay for those caring for the most vulnerable.

(Wisconsin) A wide ranging package of tax cuts passed through the Assembly on Tuesday. The primary section of that bill would match state law with federal law in exempting businesses from paying taxes on Paycheck Protection Program loans. Those were part of the 2020 COVID-19 stimulus plan, and Republicans say they were responsible for supporting over 1 point 5 million jobs in the state. The move would trim 540 million dollars from the state’s tax revenue over the next three years. The bill passed 87 to 3.

(Fort Atkinson) The Jefferson County District Attorney says no charges will be filed in a fatal, officer-involved shooting that occurred in December. Monica Hall says the actions by State Troopers on December 9th were lawful and reasonable acts of self-defense. Joseph Crawford-Lamal was killed after he reportedly tried carjacking a civilian’s vehicle with a handgun after being pulled over by law enforcement near Fort Atkinson.

(Dodge County) Wisconsin health officials are reporting 624 positive coronavirus cases in Tuesday’s daily update. State health officials recorded 38 deaths bringing that total to 6,204. Dodge County has experienced 154 deaths and 11,322, a one-day increase of nine positive tests. Deaths were reported in Washington, Fond du Lac and Jefferson Counties.

(Dodge County) Just over three-percent of all Dodge County citizens have completed the COVID-19 vaccination series. That according to the Wisconsin Department of Health website which says 2,807 people have had both shots. Through Tuesday, 10.7-percent or 9,385 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Two-thousand-four-hundred-and-eighty-nine (2,489) doses were administered in Dodge County last week, for a total of 11,921.

(Wisconsin) The state Senate has passed a bill which bars prisoners from being prioritized in Wisconsin’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Democrats argued the state has a responsibility towards men and women incarcerated in close quarters where the coronavirus could spread. The bill passed on a party line vote and is ready for Assembly consideration.

(Lomira) The state’s Department of Natural Resources has released the name of the snowmobiler that was killed in an accident on a trail near Sunny Knoll and Dixon Roads north of Brandon Saturday afternoon. Twenty-five-year-old Jacob Zielicki of Lomira was riding alone when he lost control of his sled went off the trail and struck a tree.

(Fond du Lac) Fond du Lac County Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt is commending a deputy for helping save the life of a Supper Club patron that was choking on a piece of meat. Three bystanders attempted the Heimlich maneuver on the 83-year-old resident at Blanck’s Supper Club in Johnsburg without success. When Deputy Jason Bruggink arrived a couple minutes later he provided two additional thrusts, ultimately freeing the blockage. Waldschmidt commended the deputy and the three bystanders for their quick response to save the patron.