UNDER A PROPOSAL BEING CONSIDERED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION……THE WISCONSIN  DELLS SCHOOL DISTRICT…AND 34 OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS….WOULD BE FORCED TO PROVE THAT THEIR NATIVE AMERICAN NICKNAMES…LIKE THE WISCONSIN DELLS CHIEFS….ARE NOT DISCRIMINATORY.      AT A PUBLIC HEARING IN MADISON THURSDAY…EZRA ZEITLER SAID THAT HIS ORGANIZATION….THE WISCONSIN INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION….IS ESPECIALLY UNHAPPY WITH TWO SPECIFIC NICKNAMES…”CHIEFS” AND “CHIEFTAINS.”  BARBARA MUNSON IS ALSO WITH THE WISCONSIN INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION AND SHE SAID THE TERMS “CHIEF” AND “CHIEFTAIN” SHOULD BE CONSIDERED UNAMBIGUOUSLY RACE-BASED NICKNAMES. IF THE STATE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT ORDERS A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO DROP A NICKNAME….THE DISTRICT HAS ONE YEAR TO ACT.   IF IT DOESN’T IT FACES FINES OF UP TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS A DAY. 

IN JULY OF LAST YEAR….70-YEAR OLD JACK FRANDY OF RURAL RIO ALLEGEDLY DROVE DRUNK AND CAUSED A HEAD-ON CRASH THAT KILLED BEN VANDER VENTER OF RURAL COLUMBUS. THIS WEEK IN COLUMBIA COUNTY COURT…FRANDY PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO ALL CHARGES AGAINST HIM.  HE REMAINS FREE ON A 10-THOUSAND DOLLAR SIGNATURE BOND.  IF FOUND GUILTY, HE FACES UP TO 25 YEARS IN PRISON. THE JUDGE DID NOT SET A TRIAL DATE.  

31-YEAR OLD JERRY ANDERSON OF FRIESLAND WILL BE BACK IN COLUMBIA COUNTY COURT FOR A PRELIMINARY HEARING AUGUST 5^TH .   HE’S ACCUSED OF EXPOSING HIMSELF TO A 16-YEAR OLD GIRL WHO WAS A PASSENGER IN HIS CAR 2-WEEKS AGO…AND MAKING LEWD COMMENTS TO HER.   HE ALSO ALLEGEDLY SENT HER A TEXT MESSAGE ASKING WHEN SHE WANTED TO HAVE SEX WITH HIM. IN ADDITION….1-WEEK AGO…HE ALLEGEDLY GRABBED A 14-YEAR OLD GIRL BY THE ARM AND INJURED HER.  ANDERSON IS FACING MULTIPLE CHARGES AND UP TO 20-YEARS IN PRISON IF CONVICTED. HIS BAIL WAS SET AT 2-THOUSAND DOLLARS CASH.  

07.29.10
FLOODING IS STILL BEING REPORTED IN PARTS OF OUR AREA AND WE COULD SEE MORE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY FRIDAY...FRIDAY NIGHT AND NEXT WEEK. ACCORDING TO SAUK COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER CINDY BODENDEIN….WHENEVER THERE’S FLOODING…..WATER SAFETY BECOMES AN ISSUE.    SHE SAYS IF YOU HAVE A WELL AND THE WATER IS CLOUDY, DON’T DRINK IT.    PEOPLE WITH CITY OR VILLAGE WATER CAN GET WATER QUALITY RESULTS FROM THEIR LOCAL WATER DEPARTMENT. BODENDEIN SAYS FLOODING SOMETIMES CAUSES POWER OUTAGES AND IF YOU LOSE POWER FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME…..CHECK THE FOOD IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR AND FREEZER AND IF FROZEN ITEMS THAW-OUT…EITHER CONSUME THEM IMMEDIATELY…OR THROW THEM AWAY. AND ALWAYS ASSUME ALL FLOOD WATER IS CONTAMINATED AND KEEP CHILDREN AND ANIMALS OUT OF THE WATER AND NEVER SWIM OR BATHE IN RIVERS, STREAMS, CREEKS OR LAKES IN FLOODED AREAS. 

POLICE IN COLUMBUS SAY TUESDAY NIGHT’S SPECTACULAR FIRE THAT DESTROYED A LARGE STORAGE SHED NEAR THE AMTRAK STATION…..FORCED THE CLOSURE OF HIGHWAY 73 AND THE RAILROAD TRACKS FOR AWHILE AND RESULTED IN THE EVACUATION OF SOME AREA HOMES…..WAS STARTED BY TWO BOYS…AGES 10 AND 13.    THE BOYS HAVE REPORTEDLY ADMITTED THAT THEY WERE IN THE BUILDING PLAYING WITH MATCHES WHEN A BALLED-UP PIECE OF PLASTIC CAUGHT FIRE AND QUICKLY SPREAD AND IGNITED THE BUILDING.  POLICE SAY THE BOYS WILL BE CHARGED…BUT NOT WITH ARSON SINCE THEY DIDN’T INTENTIONALLY TORCH THE BUILDING.  POLICE SAY THEY DID WALK AWAY WITHOUT CALLING 911….EVEN WHEN THEY KNEW THE BUILDING WAS ON FIRE.

IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR….47-YEAR OLD JAMES HENKE OF PARDEEVILLE ALLEGEDLY STABBED 43-YEAR OLD THOMAS KRATZ OF MONTELLO TO DEATH….REPORTEDLY DURING AN ARGUMENT OVER A WOMAN.   HENKE WAS CHARGED WITH FIRST DEGREE MURDER AND HIS TRIAL IS SET TO GET UNDERWAY AUGUST 18^TH. WEDNESDAY…COLUMBIA COUNTY JUDGE ALAN WHITE RULED THAT HENKE WILL BE ALLOWED TO WEAR STREET CLOTHES AND WON’T BE SHACKLED IN FRONT OF JURORS DURING THE TRIAL…WHICH IS EXPECTED TO LAST ABOUT 2-WEEKS. IF CONVICTED….HENKE FACES A POSSIBLE SENTENCE OF LIFE IN PRISON.

39-YEAR OLD MICHAEL YAKER OF DE FOREST HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH DISORDERLY CONDUCT WHILE ARMED FOR ALLEGEDLY SHARPENING A 20-INCH AXE WITH A 7-INCH BLADE IN FRONT OF THE CITY-COUNTY BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN MADISON.    HE WAS ALSO CHARGED WITH VIOLATING A RESTRAINING ORDER.  POLICE SAY YAKER WAS DEALING WITH SOME PERSONAL ISSUES INCLUDING THE LOSS OF HIS JOB…WHICH HE REPORTEDLY BLAMES PARTIALLY ON THE GOVERNMENT.