News 03.22.18
22 March 2018 News
One of three Fond du lac residents convicted in the sexual assault of a six year old girl is going to prison. At a hearing Tuesday Fond du Lac judge Gary Sharpe sentenced 41 year old Shane Berg to 18 years in prison followed by 15 years of extended supervision. Berg pleaded no contest in January to a reduced charge of second degree sexual assault of a child. Eighteen year old Tory Tuinstra was sentenced last month to 13 years in prison and 15 years extended supervision. Forty year old Ellen Neumann is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday. According to a criminal complaint Tuinstra described the lifestyle in the Ruggles Street house as dominance/submissive. Tuinstra told investigators that Berg was the dominant one and went by the name “Master Wolf.” According to the complaint everyone in the house wore dog collars, including the six year old victim who wore a purple collar.
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The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation after a man died when his pick-up broke through the ice on Beaver Dam Lake. Sheriff Dale Schmidt says the victim has been identified as 52 year old Gary Ballweg. Schmidt says an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death. The truck was found partially submerged in about 4-5 feet of water 20 yards from shore. Schmidt says it doesn’t take long for hypothermia to set in.
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Several environmental groups are challenging a settlement between the state Department of Natural Resources and the Dairy Business Association over rules regarding concentrated animal feeding operations. The dairy association sued the DNR last year alleging that the agency didn’t follow procedures when updating the measures the operations can use to control runoff. The two groups reached a settlement in October that rescinded the changes. Midwest Environmental Advocates, Clean Water Action Council, Milwaukee Riverkeeper, Friends of the Central Sands and Wisconsin Wildlife Federation are challenging the settlement. They claim the settlement undermines the DNR’s authority to strengthen regulations and loosened rules without public input. John Holevoet, the dairy association’s director of government affairs, said the DNR overstepped their authority and the settlement corrects that issue. Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge William Pocan denied the DNR’s request to dismiss the case Monday. A conference has been scheduled for next month. A DNR spokesman declined to comment, but said the agency is reviewing the decision to determine its next steps.
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Wisconsin officials are imposing a statewide emerald ash borer quarantine. The state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection announced Wednesday that the statewide quarantine will go into effect on March 30. All but two Wisconsin counties are either under quarantine or adjacent to a quarantined county in the state or a neighboring state. No one can move firewood out of a quarantined county to non-quarantined areas and business that handle ash wood must sign agreements with DATCP specifying how they’ll reduce the risk of moving the insect. Imposing a statewide quarantine means firewood from an emerald ash borer-quarantined area can move freely between counties and businesses will no longer need risk-reduction agreements. Movement of firewood from counties under gypsy moth quarantines will still be prohibited.
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