“News-May 4, 2011”

Bullying Incident Leads Boy to Douse Himself with Gasoline

 

5/4/11 – Police in Waupun are investigating a bullying incident that apparently drove a middle school student to try and set himself on fire in a school restroom. Interim Superintendent Don Childs said the boy brought a water bottle filled with gasoline to the Waupun Area Junior-Senior High School on April 25th. He went to the school office smelling of gasoline – and he told officials he had just doused himself in the restroom with the goal of burning himself. According to Childs, the youngster said he didn’t want to kill himself, but he did want to get hurt. He’s now hospitalized. Childs says police have the names of those reportedly involved in the bullying incident. Waupun Deputy Police Chief Mindy Hendricks says the bullies could end up with school discipline or juvenile delinquency charges. Childs said the school has programs against bullying, but the incident could have happened away from school property. The administrator is not sure if cyber-bullying was involved. But he said text-messaging and sites like Facebook have made bullying uglier than he’s ever seen.

 

Gas Prices Set Records

 

5/4/11 – Yesterday’s average gas price in the state was either just below or just above the all-time record high, depending on which source you look at. The state’s Triple-“A” reported an average of almost $4.08 a gallon for unleaded regular, while WisconsinGasPrices.com reported an average of $4.12-per gallon.  The record according to the Triple “A” is $4.11, set in July of 2008.  And they say new records were set yesterday in Madison, Green Bay, and Janesville with average prices ranging from $4.06-to-$4.10.  In Beaver Dam, gas went over the four dollar mark and the high price is $4.09.  National analysts say fears about the Middle East are driving up gas prices – along with oil speculators, the declining value of the dollar, shutdowns by refineries, and the massive tornadoes in the southern U-S. Tom Kloza of the Oil Price Information Service says the Midwest especially feels the pain-at-the-pump because the region is the last in the country where refineries are shut down for their seasonal maintenance. Kloza is guessing that fuel prices will peak by Memorial Day – and they’ll be back under four-dollars-a-gallon by the middle of June. President Obama has talked again about ending tax breaks for Big Oil – and even some Republicans like House freshman Reid Ribble of De Pere are on board with that. But Senate Democrat Herb Kohl of Wisconsin questions whether it will really drop gas prices that much.

 

 

Senior Expo Is Today

 

5/4/11 – The 2011 Senior Expo gets underway this morning at the Heritage Village Mall in Beaver Dam.  The annual event is now in its 15th year. Jim Bublitz with the Active Adult Resource Council, says the vendors represent a wide variety of businesses and organizations with an emphasis on those 55 and older. There will also be food, bingo, prizes and music provided by the Beaver Dam High School’s SWAZZ group and the Senior Center’s Third Street Band. The Senior Expo will be at the Heritage Village Mall from 9am until 3pm.

 

Assisted Living Facility In Operation

 

5/4/11 – Landscaping is being completed, but the new “At Home Again – Columbus” assisted living residence is in operation. Manager Melissa O’Connor said the first resident moved in a day before the official opening. The 20 room facility is located off of Park St. at the edge of the Country Club. “At Home Again” is owned and operated by two Wisconsin families who have operated assisted living services in Sun Prairie and Rio. The new “At Home Again – Columbus” is staffed 24 / 7 and has a parking lot for guests and visitors at the end of Stuart Court.

 

Jury Convicts Smith For Explicit Video

 

5/4/11 – A Beaver Dam woman was convicted by a jury yesterday of exposing a minor to sexual activity. A high school-age child used a cell phone to film Nicole Smith and another man engaging in sex on Thanksgiving Day. The cell phone was found at school and was taken as evidence. Smith told investigators the incident was a practical joke that got blown of out of proportion. The 36-year-old faces up to six years in prison on the felony count plus another nine months on a misdemeanor bail jumping charge when she is sentenced in July. As part of the conditions of her bond, Smith has been prohibited from having contact with the man who was with her in the video. However, she had four felony bail jumping charges filed against her on Monday for allegedly violating that order.  Smith was sentenced to 100 days in jail in December on a charge of OWI- Causing Injury. Authorities say she spoke with the man on four occasions while behind bars. A preliminary hearing on that matter is scheduled for next month.

 

Beaver Dam Man Pleads In Drug Case

 

5/4/11 –  A Beaver Dam man entered a “no contest” plea Tuesday to charges of drug possession with intent to deliver. Gino Montoya was arrested in May of 2009 and a search of his house turned up heroin, cocaine and marijuana.  The 34-year-old was on supervision for a previous drug offense and has been incarcerated since his arrest. The felony charges carry a maximum 73-year-old prison. A pre-sentencing was ordered and a hearing is scheduled for July 20. Dodge County District Attorney Kurt Klomberg says while he will not be recommending the maximum he will be asking for a substantial prison sentence. During the course of yesterday’s plea hearing, an uncharged case was referenced. According to court records that case could result in charges of Reckless Homicide Causing Death, though the state has not made a final charging decision. Klomberg tells us he cannot comment because its part of an ongoing investigation. Under the Len Bias Law, a person who supplies drugs that result in an overdose death could be held liable. Klomberg did say that Montoya plead only to the four drug possession counts as charged and no other cases were impacted because of this plea.

 

Berlin Man Sentenced In OWI

 

5/4/11 – A Berlin man arrested after kicking a Beaver Dam police officer during an arrest for his sixth OWI has entered into a plea agreement. Robert M. Wright pleaded guilty Tuesday to a felony charge of drunken driving and had a misdemeanor and two felonies – including Battery of a Peace Officer – dismissed but read into the record. According to the criminal complaint, police responded to reports of an unwanted subject on December 22 and followed his vehicle as it left the scene. The 38-year-old refused a preliminary breath test, refused to get into a squad car and said more officers would be needed  because there was no way he was going to let them get a legal blood draw. He was said to be cooperative while getting out of the squad car at the emergency room but then starting kicking the officer. Wright later apologized multiple times to the officer for kicking him. A breath-test found his alcohol level to be above the legal limit for driving at point one-three (.13). A sentencing hearing will be held Thursday.

 

Dead Bird Hotline Reactivated

 

5/4/11 – In an effort to track West Nile virus, Wisconsin health officials are re-activating the Dead Bird Reporting Hotline. State Health Officer Doctor Henry Anderson says those dead birds are an early warning for West Nile. They can trigger special prevention and insect control measures where the birds are found. Officials warn people not to handle the birds with your bare hands, but to call the hotline and have the bird picked up and tested for West Nile. The hotline is 1-800-433-1610.

 

Mega Millions Winner in California

 

5/4/11 – A ticket sold in California won the 51-million-dollar Mega Millions’ jackpot last night. Five players throughout the country won the quarter-million-dollar second prize, but none were from Wisconsin. The numbers were 1, 16, 29, 36, and 50. The Mega Ball was 16, and the Megaplier was two. This is the fifth time this year the jackpot was claimed. It goes back to 12-million dollars for the next drawing on Friday night. The next Powerball drawing is tonight, with a jackpot of 36-million dollars.