News – June 23, 2021

(Beaver Dam) Officials in Dodge County are seeking public input on a strategic plan. The county board is in the process of developing the plan to identify future countywide priorities. Board Chairman Russ Kottke is encouraging county residents, employers and community stakeholders to take the online survey to give input on priorities to assist the board in making budgetary and programming decisions. The survey is active on the county website as of today and will be open through Friday, July 23.

(Waupun) City officials in Waupun are plotting out the timeline for work on next year’s budget. City Administrator Kathy Schlieve recently outlined Waupun’s budget planning schedule. Schlieve says the Committee of the Whole (COW) structure will be an important component of building the financial document. Highlights of the proposed schedule include an overview of the budget process on June 29, budget workshops on July 27, August 31, and September 28, and a budget review session on October 12.  The current schedule anticipates a final vote on the budget on November 9.

(New Berlin) There was an officer-involved shooting in New Berlin last (Tuesday) night. Authorities were dispatched around 10pm to a call about a subject with a gun on South Moorland Road. New Berlin Police confronted the suspect with the gun. The officer discharged their weapon and struck the subject, who was treated and transported to a local hospital in critical condition. No law enforcement officers were injured. The officer has been placed on administrative leave and is being cooperative. The state justice department is investigating.

(Madison) Governor Tony Evers has signed a number of police reform bills into law. Those bills passed the Legislature last week. Police are no longer allowed to use chokeholds, police departments will have to create use of force policies and make them public, and the Department of Justice will collect data about how police departments are using force. The bills also require parolees who move to Wisconsin to submit their DNA to the state if the Department of Corrections is taking over their supervision.

(Hustisford) A Hustisford man who was placed on probation after running from police will now spend six months in jail after his probation was revoked. On Christmas Eve in 2019, Matthew Hyke fled from a possible domestic incident at a home in Hustisford. He was spotted driving faster than the posted speed limit of 25-miles-per-hour. The 33-year-old was later arrested when he returned to the residence, telling deputy’s he let them catch him. Last month, Hyke was ticketed for speeding. A Dodge County judge yesterday (Tuesday) revoked his probation and sentenced him to six months on a misdemeanor count of Resisting Arrest.

(Emmet) A Reeseville man charged with assaulting a child entered a not guilty plea at arraignment. Marcus Statz allegedly admitted to assaulting the teenage victim between October and January at a farm in Emmet. If convicted, the 47-year-old faces up to 40 years in prison

(Juneau) Coronavirus numbers in Dodge County are following a positive trend. Local health officials say they are actively monitoring four cases of COVID in the county. One week ago, that number was at 69 cases. Two weeks ago, the number of active cases was at 77. Thirty-nine-point-seven-percent (39.7%) of Dodge County residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Statewide that number is at 49.7-percent.

(Cadott) Country Fest returns to western Wisconsin this week. The 2020 edition of the music festival in Chippewa County never happened, due to the coronavirus pandemic. At the time of cancelation, organizers said they’d consider 2020 a wash and make the 2021 festival as safe and successful as possible. The three-day festival at the Country Fest grounds in Cadott starts Thursday. There will be no requirements for masks, or a negative COVID-19 test result or proof of vaccination. Those who’ve not been vaccinated are recommended to socially distance whenever possible, but no requirements will be made.

(Door County) Door County is having trouble hiring workers this year. Business owners say many of the international workers who spend their summer on the peninsula aren’t coming to the U-S this year. Door County tourism officials say they usually get about 500 international workers each summer. This year, it’s closer to 280. Kit Butz with Al Johnson’s restaurant in Sister Bay says the shortage of workers means they’re having to change their business hours.