News – March 1, 2021

(Beaver Dam) A Beaver Dam man is in the Dodge County Jail after authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint and wound up calling in the bomb squad. It all started around 2:45pm Saturday when officers were dispatched to Kelly Circle and Riverview Drive. Investigators determined during questioning that the suspect was in possession of a backpack containing a potentially hazardous device. He was detained for further questioning and the Dane County Sherriff’s Hazardous Devices Unit searched his vehicle. An unidentified item was removed and later destroyed in a safe location.

(Juneau) Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt praised the patience of authorities during an eight hour standoff with a suspect outside of Beaver Dam in late January. Tyler Anderson allegedly struck three law enforcement vehicles during a pursuit that ended when his car went off the highway just west of Crystal Lake Road. The 25-year-old reportedly brandished a weapon after the crash. Schmidt says law enforcement’s goal was to end the situation with nobody hurt and everybody being able to leave. Gas round were eventually used to subdue Anderson and arrest him. Schmidt says even the suspect’s family thanked authorities for their patience and ending the incident without the use of more serious force.

(Sun Prairie) A man is dead after crashing his truck all the way through the front of a Sun Prairie pizza parlor. That crash happened early Saturday morning at Anna’s Pizzeria. Police say the driver of the truck was likely having a serious medical episode at the time of the crash, which left his truck entirely inside of the store. Paramedics were unable to revive the man. His name has not been released. Anna’s remains closed as of Sunday night.

(Wisconsin) Wisconsin’s House delegation has split on party lines in the passage of the proposed new COVID-19 relief package. All of Wisconsin’s Republican Representatives joined in voting against the $1-point-seven-trillion-dollar stimulus plan, which will include $1,400 dollar checks for every American. The bill now heads to the Senate for approval. -WRN

(Wisconsin) Despite the fact that an increase in the federal minimum wage is out of the COVID-19 relief package, Congressman Ron Kind is still in favor of getting that passed this session. He says higher minimum wages are already the norm in the Midwest. Kind adds that GOP leadership in Wisconsin has failed to raise that wage, leaving people in jobs that pay below the poverty level. The Senate Parliamentarian pulled the minimum wage increase from the COVID-19 package last week because it fell outside of what’s allowable for a budget bill. -WRN

(Dodge County) Wisconsin health officials are reporting 464 positive coronavirus cases in Sunday’s daily update. State health officials recorded no deaths and that number remains unchanged at 6,412. Dodge County has experienced 155 deaths and 11,411 cases, a one-day increase of 14 positive tests.

(Wisconsin) The new Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine only requires on dose. Wisconsin health officials say that one dose is sufficient enough to protect the public against the virus. The new vaccine, granted an emergency use authorization over the weekend, also does not need to be stored at extremely cold temperatures.

(Milwaukee) One of the largest COVID testing sites in Wisconsin is reducing hours. Testing at American Family Field will run Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 11am until 6pm due to reduced demand. Testing will continue Mondays through Saturdays at Milwaukee’s Northwest and Southside health centers from 9am until 2pm.