News – May 29, 2021

(Beaver Dam) The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is investigating a fish kill on Beaver Dam Lake. Fisheries Management Technician Mark Baldock says a complaint was received on Wednesday, May 27. Upon investigation, the DNR discovered that thousands of last year’s common carp were dead or in poor states. They showed signs of sloughing skin and cloudy eyes. The agency was able to collect some samples to be taken to the lab for analysis. Baldock says they do not have any information at this time, but the matter is under investigation. He advises the public to use good judgement and stay away from areas of dead fish.

(Wisconsin) The DNR is reminding Wisconsinites and visitors to recreate safely around the state’s nearly 4,000 dams. According to the Association of State Dam Safety Officials there have been many more fatalities from accidents at dams than there have been deaths resulting from dam failures over the last 40 years. More than 400 reported fatalities nationwide at dams versus 40 deaths from dam failures. Several safety reminders DNR officials give include always stay outside of buoy lines and away from restricted areas near dams, never swim or wade near a dam, never boat or fish alone when near a dam, and neve anchor boats below a dam as water levels can change rapidly. The governor has proclaimed Monday as Dam Safety Awareness Day throughout Wisconsin.

(Beaver Dam) After a scaled back program last year, it is full steam ahead for this Monday’s Beaver Dam Memorial Day Ceremony. The program will be held at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Oakwood Cemetery on Highway 33. The master of ceremonies is Ty Letto with the Beaver Dam Veterans of Foreign Wars post. The keynote speaker is Peter Woreck. The service will include the reading of the names of veterans who have passed away in the past year and a recognition of Prisoners of War.  Ceremony Organizer Lois Levenhagen. Aside from the flyover Levenhagen adds that the Beaver Dam High School Marching Band and St Katherine Drexel Marching Band will be providing music.  She also says they have taken the pandemic into account when planning this years event. The Memorial Service will also be broadcast live beginning at 10:15am on WBEV and video streamed at DailyDodge.com. In case of bad weather conditions, the Memorial Service will be moved to the Veterans Center, 300 Beichl Ave starting at 10:30 am.

(Wisconsin) Stay mindful while you are driving with you family this holiday weekend. Andrew Beckett is with Wisconsin Emergency Management. The Memorial Day weekend marks the traditional start of the summer driving season and this year, with COVID-19 concerns easing, many people have travel plans. – WRN

(Waupun) The Waupun Police Department executed two search warrants during drug investigations earlier this week. The first was late Monday evening in the 200 block of Fond du Lac Street. Deputy Chief Jeremy Rasch says they were assisting the Columbia and Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Offices. He says authorities in Columbia County had previously arrested a man living at the residence for possession of methamphetamine. The second warrant was executed Tuesday morning at a residence in the 200 block of North Mill Street. Rasch says a 46-year-old Waupun man was arrested for possession of controlled substances, drug paraphernalia, and on a probation warrant. A 38-year-old Waupun woman was arrested for possession of controlled substances and drug paraphernalia. Both were taken to the Fond du Lac County Jail.

(Dodge County) Unemployment rates improved in the area last month. According to the Federal labor statistics, most counties saw their unemployment rates improve from a half-percent to more than one-and-a-half-percent from the end of March to the end of April. Dodge County’s jobless rate fell to 3.5-percent in April, down from 4.3-percent from the month before. Last April, when the pandemic gripped the region, unemployment rates in the county reach over 11-percent. The jobless rate in Fond du Lac County fell to 3.4-percent from 4.1-percent, in Washington County to 3.4-percent from 4-percent, in Jefferson County to 3.7-percent from 4.4-percent, in Columbia County 3.7-percent from 4.6-percent, and in Green Lake County 4.4-percent from 5.8-percent.

(Wisconsin) The majority of Wisconsin counties still have high COVID-19 case activity, and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ryan Westergaard says the state needs to do better. As of Friday, only Menominee county had low case activity. Sawyer and Rusk counties had very high activity. Just over forty-one-percent of the state is fully vaccinated. – WRN

(Dodge County) Wisconsin health officials reported 13 COVID deaths yesterday bringing that number to 7,053. Dodge County is now reporting 170 deaths and 11,956 cases. Dodge County health officials are actively monitoring 98 cases. Thirty-three-point-eight-percent (33.8%) of Dodge County residents are fully vaccinated while 38-percent have had at least one dose. In Washington County 37.5-percent have completed the vaccination series. That figure is 35.8-percent in Fond du Lac County, 37.6-percent in Jefferson County, 44.1-percent in Columbia County and 37.4-percent in Green Lake County.

(Wisconsin) The head of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin Ben Wikler, is not too impressed with Paul Ryan’s comments about former President Donald Trump. The former House speaker and member of Congress from Janesville called the end of Trump’s presidency “dishonorable and disgraceful” in a Thursday speech at the Reagan presidential library. But Ryan stopped short of condemning the former president and accused President Joe Biden of pursuing a “leftist” agenda. – WRN