News – May 26, 2022

(Beaver Dam) The Beaver Dam Police Department says their number one priority is making sure kids are as safe as they can be when at school. The agency’s comments come in the wake of the tragic elementary school shooting at Uvalde, Texas on Tuesday that killed at least 21 people including 19 children. Department officials say they have an excellent relationship with the Beaver Dam School District and they work daily with the schools to identify and address any known security issues. The Beaver Dam Police Department will have an increased presence around the schools as the academic year comes to a close, but they note that their marked squads try to be as present as possible at all district facilities throughout the year.

(Madison) There’s a renewed call for the Republican-controlled Legislature to take up a pair of gun safety bills. The measures would require universal background checks for all gun sales and implement a “red flag” law allowing judges to take guns away from people determined to be a threat to themselves or others. Democratic Governor Tony Evers called a special session of legislature in 2019 to pass them, but Republican leaders simply gaveled the Senate and Assembly in and out without even debating the bills. Wednesday, state Representative Melissa Agard of Madison began circulating a petition to reintroduce both bills. – WRN

(Waupun) Waupun has seen a recent uptick in vandalism at city parks. The Waupun Police Department says they have taken several reports of property damage and graffiti over the past few weeks. They are asking the public’s help in solving this issue. Anyone with information or who saw something suspicious is asked to contact law enforcement at 920-324-7911. Those with tips can remain anonymous.

(Fond du Lac) Fond du Lac County Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt has announced his re-election campaign. Waldschmidt was first elected to the position in 2018 after being appointed chief deputy under then sheriff Mick Fink. He also served as captain of operations, juvenile detention center superintendent, and was a third shift commander in his 24 year career at the sheriff’s office.

(Beaver Dam) Beaver Dam’s Water Utility plans to flush fire hydrants throughout the city starting next week. The flushing will mainly occur between 7am and 3pm Monday through Friday, with weekend flushing as needed. Director of Utilities Rob Minnema says flushing should take around a month, beginning June 1st and continue through July 1st.

(Dodge County) Jobless claims in the region saw slight improvement in the month of April. The state Department of Workforce Development says the unemployment rate in Dodge County was 2.5-percent in the fourth month of 2022, down four-tenths of a percent from March. Last year, the figure was 3.5-percent. Dodge County moved up a spot in the statewide unemployment ranking to 12th. Statewide jobless numbers tied a record low in April with 2.8-percent.