News – September 18, 2020

(Mayville) All four people involved in a shooting in the city of Mayville are expected to survive. That according to a press release yesterday from the state Justice Department. Authorities say the gunman is a 72-year-old male who knew the three victims. He apparently approached the group at the Spring Glenn Apartments at 1118 Horicon Street around 7:30pm Wednesday and an argument ensued. The suspect brandished a firearm and shot the three individuals before shooting himself. The victims are described as a 53-year-old woman, a 64-year-old woman and a 67-year-old man. All four were transported by air to local trauma centers.

(Town of Oak Grove) The Wisconsin State Patrol has released the names of the motorists involved in a fatal three-vehicle crash Monday afternoon in the Dodge County Town of Oak Grove. Mark Schmidt of Lowell was killed when he failed to yield at a stop sign at the intersection of County A and County W. The 68-year-old’s sedan was struck by a northbound tractor trailer operated by 22-year-old Nicholas Retzlaff of Ripon. Schmidt’s vehicle was then pushed into a Dodge County squad car driven by Deputy Jeremy McCarty, who was waiting to make a left-hand turn. Both Retzlaff and McCarty sustained minor injuries. Each vehicle was occupied by a lone driver.

(Waupun) A former Waupun Correctional inmate appeared in court yesterday on charges of Attempted First Degree Intentional Homicide for reportedly stabbing a corrections officer multiple times. Gregg Phillips allegedly used a shank to stab a prison guard 13 times on Christmas Eve and bit the wrist of a second corrections officer. During the attack, Phillips was allegedly overheard saying (quote) “It needed to be done. It didn’t matter who…it was just because he was a blue shirt” and that “a blue shirt needed to die.” The guard who was stabbed was treated at UW Hospital before being released the following day. If convicted, Phillips faces an additional 75 years in prison.

(Watertown) No injuries were reported in an apartment fire in Watertown yesterday (Thursday). Crews responded to the Riverview Apartments at 122 Hall Street just after 3:30am. The 32-unit complex was evacuated as personnel worked to locate the flames, which were found inside the walls of a vacant apartment on the first floor. The cause is being attributed to the replacement of plumbing in a nearby bathroom the previous day. The fire was contained, and no residents were displaced. Damage estimated at $5000.

(Markesan) Citing a “dramatic rise in confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19” at all schools, the Markesan School District is closing until September 28. In a letter to parents, the district says the decision to take a “fall break” was made in conjunction with the Green Lake County Health Department. It will not be a virtual learning week and there will be no athletic activities, practices, or other events. The district will be adjusting the calendar, if necessary, to address instructional time requirements. Staff will be working during the shutdown, deep cleaning schools and preparing materials for virtual and in-person instruction. The district emphasizes that parents need to be vigilant about screening children prior to coming to school and keep them home if they exhibit any symptoms.

(Dodge County) Wisconsin health officials are reporting 2034 positive coronavirus cases in Thursday’s daily update, which is 17.8-percent of the 9400 tests announced. There are 11,595 active cases in the state, an increase of 756 people from Wednesday. State health officials recorded three deaths Thursday, for a total of 1,231. Dodge County had 35 more cases announced Thursday for a running total of 1512 with nine deaths on record. Public health officials in Dodge County are actively monitoring 246 people.

(Mosinee) Senator Ron Johnson was not able to attend the presidents rally in Mosinee yesterday because he’s been quarantined. Johnson’s office reported on Thursday that the Senator was exposed to someone who has now tested positive for COVID-19. Johnson will be quarantined until at least September 29th. His office says that he has not been showing symptoms of the coronavirus. -WRN

(Wyocena) A reminder, Columbia County Public Health and the Wisconsin National Guard are coordinating a free community coronavirus testing today (Friday). The event is being held from 9am to 4pm at the county highway shop located at 338 West Old Highway 16 in Wyocena. The testing is open to the community and appointments are not necessary.

(Madison) The state Public Service Commission has voted to extend a moratorium on disconnecting utilities of customers who are behind on their bills. The moratorium put in place on March 24 in response to the coronavirus pandemic was set to expire October 1. On a 2-1 vote Thursday, commissioners extended it to November 1. That’s the date on which the annual moratorium on cutoffs for electric and gas customers takes effect. The winter moratorium runs to April 15. The PSC will require any water utility to get its approval to disconnect service. Organizations ranging from the Wisconsin Council of Churches to the Sierra Club asked the PSC to extend the moratorium. -WRN

(Beaver Dam) A procession of trucks will make its way through Dodge County tomorrow (Saturday) to posthumously honor a Beaver Dam man. Larry “Yogi Bear” Sekel passed away last Friday. He worked for Caine Transfer for 40 years, logging over three-million miles. The parade will feature over two dozen Mack trucks from Caine Transfer along with other rigs from colleagues and friends from the Badger State Truck Show. It all starts at Caine Transfer in Lowell tomorrow (Saturday) around 10am and will travel down Highway 151, County B, Industrial Drive in Beaver Dam and then Spring Street, past Larry’s house, to Highway 33 and Oakwood Cemetery, where the family is asking the truckers to honk three times because number three Dale Earnhardt was Sekel’s favorite driver.

(Racine) The “Racine brain” is not from a human. Racine Police Department Public Information Officer Sergeant Chad Melby said the brain found wrapped in foil Tuesday morning at the beach at Samuel Myers Park was deemed “not consistent with a human brain,” but that it’s not clear what type of animal it’s from. The discovery was announced on the Racine Uncensored Facebook page by James Senda, who said in the posting that he found the brain in a bag along with flowers and foreign currency. -WRN