News 05.03.17
3 May 2017 News
A fire in Markesan severely damages a business, causing additional damage to neighboring buildings and displaces two apartments. Markesan Police Chief William Pflum says around 2:15 a.m. Tuesday, a call came into the Green Lake County Dispatch regarding a fire at 4 South Bridge Street in Markesan, otherwise known as Stubby’s Bar. As a result of the fire, Stubby’s sustained severe structural damage. A structure to the south suffered fire and water damage which resulted in two apartments being evacuated. Pflum says two other area buildings suffered smoke damage, but no fire or water damage. One person was treated for smoke inhalation and later released. Pflum says many businesses in the area stepped up to help, including Sandy’s Diner, Ted’s Piggly Wiggly, FireHaus BBQ and Vandy’s Lakeside Pub and Motel. Pflum says ten area fire departments assisted at the scene along with multiple police agencies, Southern Green Lake County Ambulance, Alliant Energy and the American Red Cross. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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Authorities continue to investigate a fuel spill on interstate 41 south of Fond du Lac Monday that sent multiple vehicles sliding into the ditch. Fond du lac County Sheriff’s captain Ryan Waldschmidt says the oil spill occurred in the southbound lanes of 41 from Fond du Lac to near the Dodge County line. Waldschmidt says a few cars slid into the ditch and others pulled off to the side of the interstate. Waldschmidt says the source of the spill is unknown at this time, specifically because there weren’t any disabled vehicles at the scene. Highway crews spread sand on the interstate and traffic flow was back to normal by about 10am.
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The driver of a pickup truck involved in a rollover crash in Dodge County dies from his injuries. Sixty eight year old Hans Kubik from Columbus was pronounced dead Monday at UW Hospital in Madison. A passenger in the pickup, 68 year old Mary Larson from Columbus, remains hospitalized. Their pickup was rear ended by a semi on southbound Highway 151 in the town of Calamus Friday night. The pickup veered into the ditch and rolled. The crash remains under investigation.
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A state appeals court overturns a lower court’s ruling in favor of a former agent who brought a whistleblower complaint against the Wisconsin Department of Justice. Dan Bethards brought the claim after he was fired in 2013 following his accusation that his boss at DOJ illegally sold guns. The 3rd District Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday against Bethards. It upheld the 2014 decision by an administrative law judge dismissing Bethards’ complaints, saying he failed to comply with the state whistleblower law. That ruling had been overturned by the Douglas County Circuit Court in 2015. The appeals court on Tuesday agreed with the earlier judge’s findings that Bethards failed to properly contact his supervisor as the state whistleblower law requires. Bethards’ attorney did not comment.
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The Wisconsin state Senate has given nearly unanimous approval to nine bills designed to fight the rise in overdose drug deaths caused by heroin and opioids. The bills now head to Gov. Scott Walker who is expected to sign them into law. Some Senate Democrats argued that while the proposals are a good start, they don’t go far enough. Sen. Janet Bewley calls the bills a missed opportunity to do more. The measures would increase funding to train school staff to screen students for addiction, create a charter high school for 15 recovering addicts, create two or three regional treatment programs for underserved areas of the state and do more to train doctors in treating addiction.
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A Republican-backed measure eliminating minimum salary requirements for state construction projects is moving forward in the Legislature. The Senate’s labor committee on Tuesday passed the bill on a party-line 3-2 vote, with all Republicans in support and Democrats against. The bill could be taken up by the full Senate as soon as next week. It must pass the Senate and Assembly and be signed by Gov. Scott Walker before becoming law. Democrats and unions oppose the measure, saying it will erode the middle class and send skilled workers out of the state. But Republican backers say eliminating the prevailing wage requirement for state public projects will save hundreds of millions of dollars. The bill comes after the Legislature in 2015 voted to end the prevailing wage for local projects.
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