News 06.17.16
17 June 2016 News
A not guilty plea for a Randolph man charged with possessing child pornography. Forty-eight year old Sean Robillard stood mute at his arraignment hearing Wednesday in Dodge County Circuit Court. The court entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. He’s charged with 10 counts of possession of child pornography. According to a criminal complaint, photos and videos of child porn were allegedly found on Robillard’s computer following the execution of a search warrant. A scheduling conference has been set for August 30th.
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The trial for a man charged in a deadly hostage standoff at a Neenah motorcycle shop is pushed back until next year. Online court records show 46-year old Brian Flatoff has a jury trial scheduled for March 13-24, 2017. Previously, his trial was scheduled begin this August. Flatoff appeared in court Wednesday via video conference for a motion hearing, in which the court agreed to a defense request asking for continuance, or more time. Flatoff is charged with 16 felonies, including Felony Murder, for the Dec. 5 standoff at Eagle Nation Cycles. Investigators say Flatoff was coming off a night of drinking when he went to the shop to confront someone about about a motorcycle. Flatoff, armed with a handgun, took hostages and a standoff with law enforcement ensued, during which there was an exchange of gunfire with the suspect. During the standoff, hostage Michael “ML” Funk attempted to escape and was shot and killed by police. A state investigation into the shooting found officers were justified in their use of deadly force.
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Fond du Lac County has a new crops and soils extension agent. Dr. Loretta Ortiz-Ribbing will split her duties between Fond du lac and Dodge counties. Ortiz-Ribbing has held previous extension positions throughout the midwest, and most recently as a retired assistant professor of crop science with the UW-River Falls. She is also a former research scientist with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
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Wisconsin authorities have filed a lawsuit against a gas station chain owner for allegedly selling synthetic cannibinoids. The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection filed the lawsuit Wednesday against Farooq Shahzad, owner of 13 Capitol Petroleum stations in the Madison area. The agency wants an injunction barring sale of synthetic cannibinoids and between $50 and $200 for each illegal sale. The lawsuit alleges the stations have been selling synthetic cannibinoids as incense and potpourri since 2013. According to the filing, a Wisconsin man this past April ingested synthetic cannabinoids he bought from one of the stations, fell into a delirium and hit two schoolchildren with his car, causing significant injuries. Online court records didn’t list an attorney for Shahzad.
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Wisconsin wildlife officials say more than 800 wolves are roaming the state. The Department of Natural Resources released data from wolf monitoring efforts over the winter on Thursday. According to the data, between 866 and 897 wolves are now in the state. That’s a record high population, up 16 percent from last year’s count of 746 to 771 animals. Most of the wolves are grouped in 222 packs concentrated in northern and west-central Wisconsin. The DNR’s current wolf management plan calls for 350 animals. Wisconsin held three wolf seasons before a federal judge placed Great Lakes Wolves back on the endangered species list in 2014. The agency was considering changing its population goal last year but suspended those efforts after the re-listing.
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Wisconsin’s unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been in 15 years. The state Department of Workforce Development reported Thursday that the unemployment rate dropped from 4.4 percent in April to 4.2 percent in May. That’s the lowest it’s been since March 2001. The national unemployment rate was 4.7 percent last month. The report found that the state added 9,700 jobs over the past month. A Marquette University Law School poll released Wednesday showed pessimism about the state’s economy. The poll says 29 percent of respondents think Wisconsin’s economy got worse over the past year while 25 percent say it improved and 44 percent think it has remained about the same. Gov. Scott Walker blamed the poll results on the media, saying “headlines are always about negative and bad things.”
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