February 23, 2012

You are here: Home / 2009 / Archives for January 2009

Oshkosh home invasion

January 30, 2009 By

Oshkosh police are looking for several men who robbed a 73-year-old woman Thursday night. Investigators say the group entered the woman's home through an unlocked door, then bound the victim, pushed her to the floor and ransacked the residence.

The assailants left after about 15 minutes with an undetermined amount of cash, and the victim's car. Police are looking for that vehicle, a silver 2006 Toyota Scion station wagon. Authorities say the suspects were possibly in their 20s and were wearing dark clothing. The robbery happened around 9:00 p.m. at a home in the 1900 block of Walnut Street. 

 

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Ethanol plant goes bankrupt

January 30, 2009 By

One of Wisconsin's nine ethanol plants has filed for bankruptcy. The board of Renew Energy in Jefferson voted this week to seek Chapter-11 protections. Board chairman Paul Olsen blames it on lower revenues, and a bank's refusal to renew its operating loan. But he tells the Wisconsin Ag Connection that Renew Energy will keep making ethanol, and ill continue its state-of-the-art dry-milling of corn.

Josh Morby, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance says it's a tough time for the industry with probably no ethanol producers in the state making money.

Morby attributes the low cost of gasoline as one reason for demand being down for the biofuel. He believes gas will spike in price again. Until then plants are looking at ways to become more efficient which may include reducing energy use in production or creating new products

On Monday, US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said he wanted the government to create and promote "best practices" for making corn-based ethanol plants more efficient.

AUDIO: Brian Moon reports (MP3 :77)

Filed Under: Environment & Conservation, Top Story

Racine alderman tapped for interim mayor

January 30, 2009 By

Racine alderman Tom Friedel will be filling in as the city's mayor until citizens elect a new one. "We've been through a tough occurrence here in Racine, said Friedel, who chairs the city council's finance committee. "We have a council that's strong. But we need leadership. We need a council that can continue to work together and make sure that all city services continue and that things keeps functioning.

The previous mayor, Gary Becker stepped down after being busted in an Internet sex sting, a story which focused national media attention on Racine. A special election for the mayor will happen in June possibly. "I had a big decision to make," said Friedel of his decision to accept the appointment as acting mayor. "I thought long and hard about running in the spring. I decided the time was not right for me to do that, but the interim position just suits me suits me perfectly."

Filed Under: Politics & Government

Bids opened – but not in the open

January 30, 2009 By

The process used by the Janesville School District in bidding for a construction project at a district school is in question. Board of Education Commissioner Tim Cullen said nobody from the district was present, when bids for a $500,000 track project at Parker High School were opened.

"You don't want to have the bids opened when nobody responsible for the tax dollars is even present," said Cullen. "No one knows then for sure exactly how many bids were opened. It's just terrible public policy, and a private company wouldn't do it either."

The bids for the track at Parker High School were opened last year in Stevens Point, and Cullen believes the same thing would have happened for a similar project at Craig High School,if details of the Parker bid process had not come to light recently. "I don't know whether it's illegal or not," said Cullen, a former state legislator. "It's just a terrible way to conduct business."

Superintendent Tom Evert says the district's director of business services, Doug Bunton, is responsible for overseeing the bid process, and will prepare a report for the board.

Filed Under: Politics & Government

Police release 911 tapes in Joker home invasion

January 30, 2009 By

The Clark County Sheriff's Department has released the 911 calls from a Saturday morning shooting incident near Thorp.

According to the criminal complaint, 26-year-old Cole Vetterkind broke into the home of his ex-girlfriend's boyfriend just after 5 a.m. He was wearing a mask covering face paint resembling the Joker from a recent Batman movie.

Jason Benzschawel was reportedly sleeping when Vetterkind pulled him from his bed and began punching him with what he thought were brass knuckles; another intruder, 22-year-old Joshua Kane, pulled an 18-year-old woman from the bed, but she was able to escape to a different room, where she quietly made two 9-1-1 calls.

In the calls, the woman tries to tell the operator where the home is and tries to describe the scene. The woman didn't know who the attackers were, but said they claimed to be a from a motorcycle gang. She's eventually called to the other room and hangs up.

Benzshawel was able to free himself momentarily and recovered a gun he kept near his bed. He shot Vetterkind in the leg. Kane's attitude then changes. He immediately yells, "don't shoot," and begs for help to save Vetterkind's life. Benzschawel then offers his belt to use as a tourniquet and helps Kane drag Vetterkind to a car.

The Clark County District Attorney's office has charged Vetterkind with misdemeanor battery and felony burglary, strangulation and suffocation and intimidation of a victim. 

AUDIO: Paul Knoff reports (MP3 1:06)

Filed Under: Crime & Courts
« Previous Page
Next Page »