News – November 12, 2022

(Chester) Nine cows died after a semi tipped on its side in the township of Chester. Dodge County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the crash scene on the northbound ramp of Highway 151 from Highway 26. The initial investigation showed that the 61-year-old male driver from Potosi was operating a Peterbilt with a loaded cattle hauler on the ramp when he pulled onto the shoulder to stop. Law enforcement saw the shoulder was soft and the tractor trailer began to slide down the embankment. The driver was unable to correct the tractor trailer and it tipped over onto its side. The cattle hauler had 38 Holsteins in total, nine of which perished as a result of injuries they sustained in the crash.

(Portage) A machine fire shuts down a business in Portage early yesterday (Friday) morning. The Portage Fire Department was called to Penda Corporation at 2344 West Wisconsin Street for a report of a fire in a plastic machine. Fire Chief Troy Haase says upon arrival, smoke was coming from a large commercial structure. He notes before they reached the scene, the fire extended to the hydraulic lines and produced enough heat to activate the sprinkler system. Haase says Penda employees extinguished the main body of the fire and their quick reaction helped minimize the damage. Crews made entry to find moderate smoke in the area of the affected machine. The fire was out, so firefighters worked with maintenance personnel to ventilate the building. There were no injuries reported. The cause of the blaze was due to a machine malfunction.

(Ashippun) An Oconomowoc man accused of burglarizing a business in Ashippun entered a not guilty plea during his arraignment hearing this week. James Schmeling allegedly entered the business, which scraps junk vehicles, and took an estimated $94-thousand-dollars worth of property. According to the complaint, Schmeling admitted he was there taking items but that they all belonged to him. If convicted, 20-year-old faces up to 23-and-a-half-years in prison.

(Dodge County) State Attorney General Josh Kaul says 54,040 pounds of unwanted medications were collected during Drug Take Back Day in Wisconsin on October 29th. Kaul says Wisconsinites consistently step up for Drug Take Back, making sure tens of thousands of pounds of unused and unwanted medications are safely disposed of. Statewide over 140 law enforcement agencies participated in Drug Take Back Day. Medications were also collected from permanent drug disposal boxes at law enforcement agencies. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office participated along with police departments in Beaver Dam, Columbus, Horicon, Juneau, Lomira, Mayville, Watertown, and Waupun.

(Wisconsin) The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is urging ATV and UTV operators to wear their helmets and seatbelts while out riding. So far this year, 17 people have died in ATV/UTV crashes in Wisconsin including in Jefferson County. DNR officials say most victims were not wearing seat belts or a helmet. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 71-percent of fatally injured ATV riders were killed in crashes involving no other vehicles in 2020.

(Beaver Dam) A state representative from Beaver Dam is being recognized for supporting the utilization of expanded home health care. Mark Born was named a “Friend of Home Health Care” by the Wisconsin Association for Home Health Care. This designation publicly identifies legislators who promote the expanded utilization of home health care as an effective option for post-acute medical treatment. The association says the award is based on the organization’s support for two policies. The first policy is Assembly Bill 960, which protects medical officials from physical violence. The second policy is the Wisconsin Association for Home Health Care successfully advocating for a Medicaid reimbursement rate for home health services in the 2021 through 2023 state budget.