News – June 10, 2021

(Beaver Dam) Traffic along Highway 151 in Dodge County was impacted yesterday due to pavement buckling. The left lane of 151 Northbound near Walnut Road was closed just after 4pm. Roughly an hour and a half later, all northbound lanes were closed due to buckling near mile marker 143.5. All lanes reopened just before 7pm. Due to record-setting heat over the last few days, roadways throughout the region have seen increased pavement buckling. The Dodge County Highway Department encourages motorists to stay vigilant and report any road buckling.

(Hustisford) The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after a vehicle was found in the Rock River in the Town of Hustisford yesterday (Wednesday). Authorities pulled a discarded BMW 323 that was submerged near the bridge on Elmwood Road around 3pm. The vehicle was unoccupied. Anyone with information is asked to call the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office.

(Beaver Dam) A Madison woman charged with running from Beaver Dam police made her initial appearance in court this week. Mariela Munoz allegedly fled from officers at speeds of up to 60-miles-per-hour in the city. The pursuit eventually stopped near Myrtle Road. Munoz reportedly said she ran because she was scared due to recent high-profile events involving the police. If convicted, the 21-year-old faces three-and-a-half years in prison. A signature bond was set at $1,000 and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 15th.

(Herman) A Beaver Dam man was sentenced this week to one year in jail with work release privileges for failing to return to the Dodge County jail from work. Maliek Sherman did not return to the jail after leaving in February for work and a pre-approved medical appointment. The 22-year-old was taken into custody the next day after a sheriff’s deputy pulled a vehicle over that he was driving which had no license plates.

(Fond du Lac) Cash bond was set at $18-thousand-dollars for a homeless man from Illinois who led Fond du Lac and Washington County authorities on a 27-mile chase Sunday. Matthew Mulac is facing two felony counts of Fleeing and Operating a Stolen Vehicle. According to the criminal complaint, Mulac told deputies he was just trying to get home when he fled along Interstate 41. The 47-year-old also believed he was still in Illinois where he reportedly stole a pickup truck from a dealership. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 17th.

(Beaver Dam) The public is invited to attend a meeting next week to discuss the restoration of the lagoon at Beaver Dam Swan Park. The brick walls of the natural water feature at the historic park have been sagging in recent years. City officials say the goal is to provide functional and aesthetically pleasing restoration of the lagoon edge. Representatives from the city as well as the project consultant will attend the meeting to discuss proposed concepts and answer questions. The meeting will be held next Thursday (June 17th) at city hall on 205 South Lincoln Avenue beginning at 5:30pm.

(Wisconsin) Wisconsin health officials continue to stress the importance of vaccinating as many people as possible against coronavirus. Chief medical officer, Dr. Ryan Westergaard, says the pandemic is far from over. Getting vaccinated not only decreases your chances of getting COVID-19, he says, but it also protects people who cannot get vaccinated. President Joe Biden wants 70-percent of adults in the U.S. vaccinated by July 4th. – WRN

(Dodge County) Wisconsin health officials say there are 7,189 COVID deaths in the state, an increase of 11 from Tuesday. Dodge County is reporting 172 with 71 active cases. Thirty-five-point-two-percent (35.2%) of Dodge County residents are fully vaccinated while 39-percent have had at least one dose.

(Wisconsin) Most of the people who have gotten the coronavirus shot in Wisconsin are older and white. The Department of Health Services says 45-percent of Wisconsin’s white population has gotten a shot. That compares to less than 25-percent of people who are Black. More than 46-percent of the state’s Asian population has been vaccinated. More than 83-percent of people 65-and-older have gotten a shot, compared to less than 40-percent of people 18-to-24. – WRN

(Madison) Madison’s new electric-powered fire truck is the first in the nation. The Madison Fire Department says its electric fire truck will reduce emissions, minimize fuel consumption, and make less noise. Fire Chief Steven Daniels says it advances the city’s environmental mission without sacrificing fire-fighting capacity. Madison wants to be 100-percent renewable and sustainable by 2030. The electric fire truck was developed by Pierce Manufacturing in Appleton, which is a subsidiary of the Oshkosh Corporation.