News – November 17, 2022

(Waukesha) Darrell Brooks has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for his role in killing six people and injuring dozens of others by driving an SUV through the Waukesha Christmas Parade last November. He was given an additional 762-and-a-half years for the injuries suffered by others. During Wednesday’s sentencing, Judge Jennifer Dorow described Brooks by saying the law doesn’t matter to him. Shortly after the description, he was removed from the courtroom following an outburst. The victims who were killed have been identified as 79-year-old Virginia Sorenson, 71-year-old Leanna Owen, 52-year-old Jane Kulich, 81-year-old Wilhelm Hospel, eight-year-old Jackson Sparks and 52-year-old Tamara Durand.

(Juneau) The Dodge County Board adopted its 2023 budget Tuesday. It took nearly eight hours to get the $149.8-million-dollar document to a vote, largely due to supervisors discussing a total of 41 different amendments. Of the approved changes, moving $839-thousand-dollars in American Rescue Plan Act Funding towards highway projects in 2024. The money was originally earmarked for purchasing a new emergency management mobile command unit. The board also approved taking $15,000 from the General Fund to address challenges the county has had filling its vacant finance director position. Supervisors also agreed to spend $45,000 to fund necessary equipment and labor to set up recording of committee meetings. Friday, we take a deeper dive into the amendments the county board voted down.

(Juneau) Before talks switched to the budget, the Dodge County Board approved its Land and Water Resource Management Plan. The 10-year plan identifies resource concerns, and sets goals, objectives, and strategies to address them. It also allows the Land and Water Conservation Department to apply for staffing and cost-share grants to assist landowners in installing conservation practices.

(Columbia County) It took a little over 10 hours Tuesday for the Columbia County Board to adopt its 2023 budget. The $84-million-dollar document includes a tax levy of $28.7-million. The mill rate of $3.91 per thousand-dollars of assessed value is a 51-cent drop from the number homeowners saw on their 2022 tax bill.

(Beaver Dam) The last Beaver Dam leaf pickup of 2022 is right around the corner. The Department of Public Works will start the final round of leaf and garden debris pickup on November 28th. City officials say their goal is to complete the final pickup for all of Beaver Dam. However, this process does take several days and the completion of this final round is weather dependent.

(Fond du Lac) The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is investigating the shooting of a snow-white trumpeter swan in Fond du Lac County. Conservation Warden Bill Hankee says his investigation is just beginning. He says the initial complainant saw a group of hunters shooting at a big white bird Saturday morning. The bird was killed and its body was taken to the sheriff’s office for storage. The young hunter from Fond du Lac who shot the bird admitted it to law enforcement.