News 08.26.16
26 August 2016 News
Wisconsin law enforcement agencies are stepping up enforcement over the next couple of weeks to crack down on drunken driving. The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign will continue through the Labor Day holiday. Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Captain, Ryan Waldschmidt says its an offense that is 100 percent preventable. According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation around 160 people died and 29,000 were injured in Wisconsin due to alcohol-related crashes in 2014. The DOT has launched a Drive Sober app for iPhone and Android phones. The app offers drivers to estimate their blood alcohol levels, a designated driver selector and an option to find a ride by listing local taxi, bus, and ride-sharing services to make sure drivers get home safe.
-30-
A Horicon man accused of sexually assaulting a 14 year old girl pleads not guilty to charges against him. Twenty-three year old Nicholas Bradley entered the plea Wednesday in Dodge County Circuit Court. He’s facing two counts of second degree sexual assault of a child. A scheduling conference has been set has been set for October 7th. Bradley is accused of having intercourse with the girl on two separate occasions. The victim told authorities that she met Bradley on a social media website. In May, Bradley was convicted of sexual gratification with an animal for sexually assaulting the family dog. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail- imposed and stayed, and 12 months probation.
-30-
A not guilty plea for a former Fox Lake Correctional officer accused of sexually assaulting three inmates over the course of several months. Thirty-three year old Alex Andre Wouts of Poy Sippi is charged with 5 counts of second degree sexual assault by correctional staff. Three inmates accuse Wouts of preforming sexual acts on them on several occasions. An investigation was opened in December 2015. A pair of underwear from one of the inmates was tested for DNA. The results reportedly showed DNA from the inmate as well as DNA from Wouts. Wouts is no longer employed by the Department of Corrections. A scheduling conference has been set for September 26th.
-30-
People whose job is to help fishers and hunters on the Upper Mississippi River are unhappy about new fees the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing for commercial users. Under the proposed rules, commercial fishing floats and professional guides will have to pay $500 or 3 percent of their gross revenue, whichever is more, as well as a $100 administrative fee to receive a special-use permit for the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. Fishing guide Ted Peck says he is angry about the fee, which he considers an unauthorized tax. Refuge manager Sabrina Chandler says the fees are one of several options the agency has for administering commercial activities on federal land. She says the revenue will go toward the agency’s conservation mission.
-30-
Unemployment fell in most of Wisconsin’s largest cities and counties last month. New data the state Department of Workforce Development released Wednesday shows unemployment dropped in 30 of the state’s 32 largest cities from June to July. Mount Pleasant and Racine were the only two cities that showed an increase. Racine had the highest unemployment of any city at 7.2 percent, up from 6.9 percent in June. Unemployment rates also dropped in 71 of the state’s 72 counties. Racine County’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.5 percent. Dane County had the lowest unemployment rate at 3 percent. Menominee County had the highest at 8.9 percent. The local rates aren’t seasonally adjusted so they can’t be compared to the state unemployment rate, which stood at 4.2 percent in July, unchanged from June but down slightly from 4.6 percent in July 2015.
-30-
More than a million unregistered voters in Wisconsin may be getting a postcard in the mail soon telling them what to do so they can cast a ballot in the upcoming presidential election. The state’s Elections Commission is working on the mailing that is expected to be sent in about a month. It comes as part of the requirement of Wisconsin joining an inter-state consortium dedicated to assisting with voter registration. A state law passed in 2015 required Wisconsin to join the Electronic Registration Information Center. The Elections Commission was to approve its plan for mailing the postcards at a Tuesday meeting. The commission expects between 1 million and 1.5 million postcards to be mailed to potential voters who have driver’s licenses or state ID cards but aren’t registered.
-30-
Share |