(Beaver Dam) Local and state safety officials are urging the public to be careful when traversing any frozen waterbody. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources say ice is still forming and ice thickness will vary, adding that ice hazards could be covered by light snowfall. Beaver Dam Fire Chief Michael Wesle says people can find more ice safety tips on the department’s Facebook page. For people who are unfamiliar with ice depth and ice fishing, he recommends they talk to people with experience such as friends, family, and even a bait shop.
(Columbia County) A Columbia County jury found a Pardeeville man guilty of First-Degree Intentional Homicide following a week-long trial. It took the jury around 12-hours to return the guilty verdict against Larry Manthe who was charged in the shooting death of 76-year-old Alice Langer of the town of Wyocena in 2022. A pre-sentence investigation was ordered. The 80-year-old Manthe is being held in the Columbia County Jail.
(Pacific) The use of a ceramic heater caused a fire in the town of Pacific over the weekend. The Portage Fire Department was dispatched to N6776 Fox Court Saturday morning for a report of a garage fire. Upon arrival, crews found a two-story single-family residential structure with smoke showing from around the garage door. The blaze was quickly extinguished before it spread throughout the structure. The fire was confined to a small area involving a ceramic heater and mechanics tools. No injuries were reported.
(Juneau) The Juneau Fire Department has recently received a grant from Kwik Trip to start a smoke detector program. The program will offer one free smoke detector for every home in the city of Juneau. Chief Ed Weiss says they will come and help install the detector as well as give homeowners a self-evaluation checklist to see if their home is fire safe.
(Beaver Dam) With colder temperatures in the forecast, Dodge County Public Health is highlighting several locations where the public can get warm. The list of warming shelters in the county includes the Beaver Dam Community Library located at 311 North Spring Street.
