Beaver Dam 2011 Bar Activity Tame So Far
5/18/11 – Bar activity in Beaver Dam over the first three months of 2011 was down dramatically. That’s according to Third Shift Lt. Terrence Gebhardt who says it’s been the quietest of his 19 years on the force. Gebhardt says the Demerit Point System was utilized only once in the last quarter, to assess points against the Game On tavern on Madison Street after an underage patron was caught on the premises. Gebhardt says he is confident that the bar’s owner has virtually eliminated any chance for a repeat offense with the purchase of an electronic driver’s license device that detects fake IDs. There have been no other points assessed against other city taverns and Gebhardt says there has only been the usual amount of calls for service. He says bartenders and bar owners have been cooperating fully with police. There have been some problems with public urination and Gebhardt says they are now citing people instead of issuing a warning.
Fitzgerald On Possible Senate Bid
5/18/11 – While no decisions have been made, State Senator Scott Fitzgerald says he would love the challenge of tackling issues on the federal level. The Republican from Juneau has been among the names bandied about as a possible candidate for the seat held by Senator Herb Kohl, who will not be seeking another term. Fitzgerald was among those waiting to see what Congressman Paul Ryan was going to do before making a decision. Once Ryan took himself out of the running an even bigger name emerged in former Governor Tommy Thompson. Fitzgerald says Thompson is a formidable candidate with a ton of name recognition and the ability to raise a vast amount of resources. One thing that Fitzgerald is sure of: there’s zero chance that both he and his brother, Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald of Horicon, will be competing for the same seat. He says it wouldn’t make sense for two Fitzgeralds to enter the race and split the vote. A spokesman for Assemblymen Jeff Fitzgerald tells us that he continues to talk to the “multitude of supporters” who have encouraged him to run and is still considering whether to enter the race. Scott Fitzgerald noted that the Republican Convention will be held this weekend in Wisconsin Dells and he says it will be interesting to see who generates the most buzz.
Petri at Town Meetings on WBEV Today
5/18/11 – Congressman Tom Petri will appear on WBEV Wednesday afternoon while making the rounds as part of a series of town meetings. The town meetings allow residents in the Fond du Lac Republican’s Sixth District to discuss federal issues and ask questions of their Congressman in a group setting. Petri will be at the Horicon City Hall on East Lake Street from 9am to 10. In the afternoon, he will appear at the Watertown Senior and Community Center for an hour beginning at 3pm. Petri will appear on WBEV’s Community Comment between those two town meetings Wednesday beginning at 12:35pm.
Legislature Considering Synthetic Pot, Bath Salt Ban
5/18/11 – Synthetic marijuana would be just as illegal as real marijuana under a bill passed by the state Senate Tuesday. On a voice vote, senators agreed to ban products like Spice and “K-2.” A number of Wisconsin communities have already banned synthetic pot, including Beaver Dam. It’s said to provide the same type of high as real pot, only without the illegal T-H-C ingredient. Critics say the synthetic marijuana causes higher blood pressures and heart rates, seizures, and extreme anxiety. The bill also bans cathinone, a stimulant in bath salts which police say is being abused more-and-more. The bill now goes to the Assembly.
Dem’s Want New Found Money Going To Education
5/18/11 – Democrats unveiled a new public school funding plan for Wisconsin Tuesday. It would use 350-million-dollars from a projected windfall to help make up for the 800-million in state aid that schools would lose under Republican Governor Scott Walker’s new budget. Officials said a couple weeks ago that Wisconsin would have higher tax revenues that expected between now and the middle of 2013. And because of that, Democrats said Walker can afford to ease some of the pain school officials will feel from the loss of funding. Assembly Democrat Sondy Pope-Roberts of Middleton said the plan would also scrap the expansions of charter schools and private school voucher programs. Walker recently said he wanted to expand Milwaukee’s voucher program to Beloit, Green Bay, and Racine – where city students could get tax funding to attend private schools as a way to escape poverty. Critics say the program siphons state money from public schools.
Earn-A-Buck Repeal Advances
5/18/11 – Wisconsin’s controversial Earn-a-Buck deer hunting policy would be scaled back under a bill passed by the Senate Tuesday. On a voice vote, senators agreed not to make hunters shoot an antlerless deer before taking a trophy buck. But the rule could still be imposed before taking a second buck. The bill also prohibits special gun seasons right before the traditional nine-day gun hunt around Thanksgiving. Both the special gun hunts and the Earn-a-Buck policy were designed to keep the size of Wisconsin’s deer herd at a manageable level. But gun hunters said it thinned out the herd too much before their regular nine-day season. Republicans suggested the proposed changes. They now go to the Assembly.
Water Disinfectant Requirement Repeal On Walkers Desk
5/18/11 – Sixty-six Wisconsin communities would not have to disinfect their drinking water under a bill passed by the Senate Tuesday. The Assembly recently approved the same measure, and it was sent to Governor Scott Walker on a 21-to-11 vote. Walker has not said what he would do with the legislation. It would repeal a D-N-R mandate from last year to make all Wisconsin communities disinfect their water by the end of 2013. The vast majority of Wisconsin places purify their drinking water – but places with 85-thousand dollars residents don’t take that step. A former Marshfield Clinic researcher found higher rates of gastro-intestinal illnesses in places that don’t disinfect their water. But some smaller cities in northwest Wisconsin said they couldn’t afford what the state was mandating.
State Auditor To Retire
5/18/11 – Wisconsin’s long-time state auditor will retire next month. Jan Mueller is leaving after 13 years as the head of the Legislative Audit Bureau. Mueller and her non-partisan agency drew praise from lawmakers in both parties. Senate Republican Rob Cowles of Green Bay, who co-chairs the Joint Audit Committee, said Mueller has saved tax dollars by finding “flaws and inefficiencies.” And she has made important recommendations for solving a number of problems within state government. Democratic Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca says Mueller has saved millions-of-dollars for state taxpayers, and has made a host of state programs more efficient. Legislative leaders will name the new audit bureau director.
BDACT Holds Youth Play Auditions
5/18/11 – The Beaver Dam Area Community Theater is presenting a Tell-A-Tale play this year for kids in grades three through five. It will be “Lay Down Your Hair, Rapunzel” and auditions will be held at the community theater building on North Spring Street tonight (Wednesday) and tomorrow (Thursday) from 4pm to 7pm. Director Trevor Kastein says those interested should be prepared to sing a short song and read from the script. Rehearsals will be weekdays from 4pm to 6pm beginning June 8 and the show runs for four days beginning Wednesday, July 13. The cost is $20.
