Newscast – December 3, 2020

(Beaver Dam) A Beaver Dam legislator has been named the co-chair of one of the most powerful committees in Madison. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has appointed State Representative Mark Born as Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Finance. Born says he is “extremely honored by the opportunity.” He says the biggest challenges ahead are COVID, the economy and their impact on revenues noting that it has been better than a lot of people thought it was going to be but we’re not out of the woods yet.”

(Wisconsin) Assembly Speaker Robin Vos wants legislative oversight, of the Evers’ administration’s plans for COVID-19 vaccinations. He says it is important that no one individual gets to have (quote) “czar-like powers.” The Assembly Republican plan would give the JFC veto power over the state’s vaccine distribution plan, and would bar employers from requiring employees to get vaccinated. – WRN

(Wisconsin) Republican legislative leaders and Democratic Governor Tony Evers held a second meeting over coronavirus relief. Hours after the Tuesday meeting at the Capitol, Republicans released a 100-million-dollar package of initiatives as a response. Evers had released his own proposals last month. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (lem-ah-hew) says his Republican Party would have serious concerns about increasing spending but would be open to using surplus funds from the medical assistance program. – WRN

(Dodge County) Wisconsin has reported nearly 500 deaths from COVID-19 in just the last 11 days. On November 21st, the death toll passed 3,000. On Wednesday, the total reached 3,502, with 82 reported deaths following Tuesday’s single day record of 107. State health officials reported 3,777 positive cases Wednesday. Dodge County has experienced 74 deaths and 8,457 cases to date. County health officials are actively monitoring 971 people, a decrease of 26 from Tuesday.

(Mayville) A Dodge County sex offender will be living in Mayville. Adam Hechimovich will reside at N8771 German Road and will be under 24-hour electronic monitoring. Agents specializing in intensive supervision will be overseeing Hechimovich who will also be a lifetime GPS client. The 28-year-old had contact with a 16-year-old boy a number of times at the Wayland Academy campus between October and December in 2015.

(Theresa) A Theresa man charged with assaulting a minor entered a not guilty plea during his arraignment hearing yesterday. Adam Saegert allegedly had inappropriate contact with the 15-year-old victim multiple times between 2018 and 2020. If convicted, the 35-year-old faces no more than 40-years behind bars.

(Mayville) A Lomira woman charged with cashing a phony check at a Mayville bank entered a not guilty plea at her arraignment hearing yesterday. Shannon Gammon allegedly cashed a fake check worth $1,000. Several discrepancies were found on the check including an invalid authorized signature and that the check number was one digit too long. If convicted, the 41-year-old faces over 12 years in prison.

(Wisconsin) President-elect Joe Biden and the D-N-C are asking the State Supreme Court to let them argue in the Trump Campaign’s challenge to the state’s election. In paperwork filed on Wednesday, President-elect Biden says that the Trump lawsuit represents a very real danger to the state electors that ought to be casting votes for him later this month after he won the state’s 10 electoral votes. The motion says that Biden is not being represented in the case, due to the fact that the Trump Campaign has sued Governor Evers for signing the certification for the election. The State Supreme Court has not yet scheduled a hearing for the lawsuit. – WRN

(Mount Pleasant) Foxconn appears unlikely to earn state tax credits in the next three years. That projection came in the state Department of Administration’s budget request for the fiscal years 2022 and 2023. DOA said the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation does not expect Foxconn to be in compliance with the state agreement, which could provide the company with up to 2 billion, 850 million dollars in tax credits. Foxconn also failed to earn tax credits in October, after WEDC determined Foxconn was out of compliance with its agreement. – WRN