News 05.03.16
3 May 2016 News
A Milwaukee man is being held on 100 thousand dollars cash bail and is facing a felony weapons charge following the execution of a search warrant last week at a Dodge County residence. Fifty six year old Kirk Lupton has made his initial Dodge County Circuit Court appearance on a charge of felon in possession of a firearm. Last Wednesday, the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team executed the search warrant at a Town of Lowell residence, recovering 35 firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition and suspected illegal drugs. An ordnance device was located within the home as well. As a precaution, the Milwaukee County Bomb Squad responded and determined it to be inert and safe. The search warrant and arrests were part of a lengthy joint investigation by the sheriff’s office, and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. A second suspect, 34 year old Richard Nutter of Reeseville was arrested on a probation violation. A preliminary hearing for Lupton has been scheduled for May 5th.
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Drugs continue to be a growing problem in area communities. Marijuana, heroin and methamphetamines, in particular, remain widely available in multiple counties, including Fond du Lac and Winnebago. Two recent Oshkosh incidents highlight the issue. According to the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, last week police arrested Mathew Sitter of Oshkosh for making meth in a hotel room while a baby was present. Matthew Summerville of Oshkosh was also arrested after police found 75 pounds of marijuana in a storage shed he was renting. Numerous agencies helped with the drug arrests, including the Lake Winnebago Area Enforcement Group, Oshkosh police; and the Omro and Winneconne police departments. Oshkosh Officer Joseph Nichols says they receive multiple tips in regards to illegal drug activity, and many resources get used to deal with the situations. He says their office and other area law enforcement are doing everything they can to get the drugs and drug dealers off the streets. Police say any information about drugs or drug activity should be reported immediately to the authorities.
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A massive neighborhood revitalization project is underway this week in one Winnebago County community. It’s called “Rock the Block.” The event started Monday and runs through Saturday with the help of more than 500 volunteers. Organizers hope for the same type of success they had last fall when the very first “Rock the Block” campaign was held in Appleton. Habitat for Humanity does up to $3,000 in repairs to a home. The goal is to help low income residents build up equity and bring up property values while encouraging neighborhood pride.
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Wisconsin’s yearly unemployment benefit payments have fallen by more than half since 2010, pulling the trust fund out of a $1.3 billion deficit. Following the recession, many states had diminished or insolvent unemployment insurance trust funds. Wisconsin has worked to address its deficit by tightening eligibility requirements, cutting down on fraud and increasing recuperation of overpayments. According to Department of Workforce Development data, unemployment benefit payments have declined steadily since 2010, dropping from almost $1.3 billion to $535 million in 2015. Meanwhile, the trust fund has climbed out of a $1.3 billion deficit to a positive $743 million. Much of the change is due to an improving economy and declining unemployment claims mirroring nationwide trends, but the reduction in compensation also stems from a smaller percentage of claims being compensated.
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The Wisconsin Lottery says someone who bought a ticket in Kaukauna is a multi-million dollar MegaBucks winner. The lottery says the ticket from Saturday’s drawing is worth $3.6 million dollars. No one has come forward with the winning ticket just yet. The winning MegaBucks numbers from Saturday are 1-13-18-26-27-and-37.
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Authorities say a manhunt for a suspect in a fatal shooting in West Allis ended with a chase and shootout on a Wisconsin highway. West Allis police say a 42-year-old man was fatally shot Sunday morning at an apartment complex. Several hours later, a drive-by shooting was reported on Interstate 90/94 near DeForest. That incident led to traffic closures. Authorities began following a suspect vehicle and used road spikes to disable it. According to a statement from the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, the driver, a 20-year-old from West Allis, got out of the vehicle and moved toward officers with a handgun. When he refused to drop it, two deputies shot him. He was taken to a hospital, and two passengers in the car are in custody. The Wisconsin Department of Justice says it’s believed the suspect in the drive-by is responsible for the homicide.
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A Wisconsin National Guard is headed to Cuba. About 120 members of the Milwaukee-based 32nd Military Police Company will help a joint task force conduct detention operations at the U-S naval station at Guantanamo Bay. The mission has been planned since 2014. Details for a sendoff ceremony are still being worked out.
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