Kennedy Supports Temporary Third Street Woodshop
11/6/15 – Beaver Dam Mayor Tom Kennedy says he would like to see the woodshop continue operations at the current senior center until the building is razed. When the new Watermark Community and Senior Center opens early next year, the current facility on East Third Street is slated to close, along with the woodshop. During the planning phase for the Watermark, several council members indicated an unwillingness to keep both facilities open citing operational costs. During 2016 budget deliberations, it was learned that it costs more to insure a vacant building than an occupied building. The cost of insuring the soon-to-be-vacated Senior Center next year is expected to increase from $500 annually to $3800. The woodshop, meanwhile, is staffed by volunteers and generates about $2000-to-$3000 a year from contracted work.
We asked Kennedy on WBEV’s Community Comment if it would be more cost-effective to keep the woodshop running in the old building. Kennedy says the insurance company was contacted and woodshop occupancy would be enough to keep the insurance at $500 annually. Additionally, utility costs were already included in the 2016 budget as utilities would be needed even as a vacant building. He notes the soon-to-be-vacated senior center is slated to be demolished as early as April or May to make way for a state-mandated water filtration pond.
Senior Center Administrator Evonne Boettge says if the current woodshop stays open, volunteers would be able to stock up on making cars for the holiday parade and nesting boxes for the city’s annual Bird City renewal event in the spring. Boettge says she is exploring other possible sites, including one across the street from the Watermark and an existing woodshop at the Beaver Dam School’s Don Smith Learning Academy. Council President Jon Litscher does not support the idea of keeping the Third Street building open. He says (quote) “City officials agreed, and it has been fairly well documented, that when the new Watermark opens the old facility will close.” The Operations Committee is expected to consider the matter later this month.
Badger Honor Flight Seeking Korean War Vets For Fall 2016
11/6/15 – Officials with Badger Honor Flight say they are welcoming Korean War Veterans for two trips planned to the nation’s capital in fall of next year. The program takes veterans from around the country to see various war memorials in Washington DC at no cost. Jim Bublitz, with the Beaver Dam contingent of the Madison-based Honor Flight hub, says the spring flights, which are already booked, will take-off on April 30 and May 21. Those flights will include 13 World War Two vets and 190 from the Korean War. There are still vacancies on the fall flights which are scheduled September 24 and October 22. While the spring flights are already booked, Bublitz says World War Two veterans and those with medical issues would be given priority. Badger Honor Flight already has 122 applications from Vietnam veterans and while that program has not yet started it is on the horizon. He adds that the support from the Dodge County area is “unbelievable, fantastic and ongoing.” More information is available at: http://www.badgerhonorflight.org/
City Of Fox Lake’s New Website Is Up And Running
11/6/15 – The City of Fox Lake’s new website went live yesterday. In June, the council agreed to pay Civic Plus $115 per month for four years to host the site. Fox Lake is still looking to link its website to the school district and chamber of commerce’s sites as well as add information on voter registration, absentee balloting, city ordinances, and zoning information. Complaints about the old website were that it was difficult to navigate and that it was not user friendly. The site address is www.cityoffoxlake.org.
Senate To Vote Today On GAB, Campaign Finance
11/6/15 – The Wisconsin Senate will act Friday on modified bills to bring back political appointees to run the state’s elections and ethics investigations — and to change campaign funding laws. The Assembly passed both measures last month, but Senate leaders could not round up enough majority Republican votes until it struck compromises with the holdouts. Unlike the Assembly package, the Senate would keep two retired judges on the new state ethics board. Otherwise, the parties would appoint members to the ethics and elections panels that would replace the non-partisan Government Accountability Board. On the campaign bill, the Senate version keeps the requirement that political donors disclose who they work for — but the reporting threshold for donations would rise by 100-dollars. The Assembly eliminated the mandate, which raised concerns that taxpayers could no longer see if donors are helping their bosses try to get what they want from state government.
DOT Releases October, Year-To-Date Traffic Fatality Numbers
11/6/15 – The state Department of Transportation says 471 motorists were killed on Wisconsin highways from January through October. The state is on pace to finish the year with 550 traffic deaths. There were 44 deaths last month — the third-lowest since the end of World War Two in the 1940s and two more than October of last year. Wisconsin’s deadliest October was in 1971 when there were 127 fatalities. There were two traffic fatalities in Dodge County last month, not counting a fatal train versus pedestrian accident in Lomira and the deaths of two teens in Watertown in Jefferson County. Dodge County has had ten traffic deaths to date this year. There have been eleven deaths in Fond du Lac County and nine in Washington County. Jefferson County has had six; Columbia County five; Green Lake County has recorded three.
Waupun Woman Pleads Guilty To Reduced Theft Charges
11/6/15 – A Waupun woman pled guilty to amended charges of stealing from her employer in a Dodge County courtroom yesterday. Sara Steppke had felony Theft charges reduced to three misdemeanor Theft counts. She was seen on video taking around $2,800 worth of flea and tick collar product from the Veterinary Village in Lomira. The 34-year-old tried to sell the stolen items online but the manufacturer tracked the product through lot numbers. Steppke denied involvement in the incident when she was terminated by her employer but later admitted to the theft when speaking with police. Steppke had three years of probation withheld, must complete 40 hours of community service, and will have a restitution hearing on January 27.
Jury Trial Scheduled In Nigerian Forgery Case
11/6/15 – A February jury trial is now on the calendar for a Beaver Dam woman accused of misappropriating funds from an office she managed. Bridget Mincheski is facing 18 felony forgery charges for allegedly faking checks from the office of Dr. Mary Grote. Mincheski is said to have cashed 18 checks in less than two months totaling around 53-thousand dollars. The 38-year-old told investigators she had been sending a lot of the money to two men who told her they were in the Army. One might have been from Nigeria. She had an online relationship with the other man and was sending him money so he could travel to the U-S and meet her. Each felony charge carries a maximum ten year prison sentence, upon conviction.
Beaver Dam Woman Accused Of House Theft Heading To Trial
11/6/15 – A Beaver Dam woman will proceed to trial on charges that she broke into a house along with her daughter will head to arraignment. A Dodge County judge found probable cause yesterday and bound 41-year-old Catherine Kenevan over for trial on charges of felony Burglary and two misdemeanor counts, all as a party to a crime. According to the criminal complaint, she and her 18-year-old daughter Kayla Kenevan broke into a house on Fabisch Road and stole cash. A neighbor, who is also the homeowner’s sister, called police when she saw the two acting suspiciously in her brother’s backyard. Shortly after, officers arrested the two women in a car that was parked in a wooded area near the Dodge County Fairgrounds. If they are found guilty on all charges, each faces up to 14 years in prison. Catherine’s arraignment hearing is set for November 25 while Kayla has a preliminary hearing on December 17.
Iron Ridge Man Accused Of Fleeing Police Waives Preliminary Hearing
11/6/15 – An Iron Ridge man accused of running from a traffic cop waived his right to a preliminary hearing in a Dodge County courtroom yesterday. Nicholas Siebenlist is facing one felony count of Attempting to Flee or Elude a Traffic Officer. According to the criminal complaint, the 19-year-old was clocked going 78 miles per hour on Highway 33. When the officer turned on his lights and siren, he was clocked going 97. Siebenlist allegedly said he was running since he had a suspended license. If he is found guilty, Siebenlist faces three-and-a-half years in prison and could have his license revoked for six months.
Cash Bond Set For Lomira Man Accused Of Attacking Girlfriend
11/6/15 – Cash bond was set at $5,000 yesterday for a Lomira man accused of abusing his girlfriend. Nathan Weber is facing felony counts of Strangulation and Suffocation, False Imprisonment, and Intimidating a Victim along with two misdemeanor charges, all with domestic abuse enhancers. According to the criminal complaint, the 31-year-old drunkenly attacked his girlfriend when they got home from a night out because she was texting someone he does not like. He allegedly hit her in the head five times; put her in a headlock until she could not breathe, and blocked her from leaving the house. The victim reportedly had visible bruises and injuries to her left wrist, right shoulder, and both legs. If he is found guilty on all counts, Weber faces over 22 years in prison. A preliminary hearing is set in January.
