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Two killed in Rock County weekend crash

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Two people were killed on a rural Rock County road Saturday when the car they were traveling in struck a bus carrying a college volleyball team from Minnesota. The crash involving the bus carrying the Bethel University volleyball team occurred just after 8:00 p.m. The bus driver and 19 passengers on were not injured.

The victims are identified as 20-year-old Savannah M. Sloniker of Waterford, and 22 year-old Anthony Payton of Whitewater. The Rock County Sheriff’s Office says the vehicle being driven by Sloniker crossed the centerline in the 9200 block of County Highway N about 8:00 p.m. and hit a bus head-on.  Sloniker and Payton were pronounced dead at the scene.  No one on the bus was injured.  The cause is still under investigation.

 

Test your livestock feed and silage for flood damage

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Floods across Wisconsin have damaged homes and roads, but they can also damage crops and animal feed.

DATCP Spokeswoman Donna Gilson says the same sorts of dangers that people face when it comes to flood waters will affect your livestock as well.

“Flood waters can have a lot of stuff in them like sewage, bacteria, pathogens, pesticides, all kinds of stuff that could damage crops that are intended for animal feed.”

Gilson says if you think your crops have been damaged in the field or in a silo, talk with your local extension office.

“Have them come out and look at it and just get some good expert advice whether it’s salvageable, and whether it’s worth getting it tested.”

If you are going to lose your crop, make sure you contact your insurance or extension office to find out how best to proceed.

Wisconsin Red Cross volunteers will help hurricane Florence victims

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More than 30 American Red Cross volunteers from Wisconsin are on their way to Virginia and the Carolinas, to assist people in the path of Hurricane Florence.

Hillary Wanecke of Milwaukee also volunteered to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey in Houston. “It’s a good experience every time, you know you’re helping people,” Wanecke. “I’m going because I’m trained, and I like helping people.”

Two emergency vehicles from the Wisconsin Red Cross have also been sent to the Carolinas.

 

Hurricane Florence may start impacting the east coast as soon as Thursday morning. There is a threat of tornadoes Thursday with the storm expected to make landfall Friday or Saturday. Upwards of 40 inches of rain is expected in North Carolina alone.

Four members of Wisconsin family drown in Lake Superior

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Four members of a central Wisconsin family died, when their kayak overturned as they were touring the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore on Thursday.

The Ashland County Sheriff’s Office was alerted around 8:30 p.m. when a woman called to report a text message from her sister that said “911” and “Michigan Island.”

The mother, 29 year old Cari Mews, was found alive in the water just after 10 p.m. The bodies of 39 year old Erik Fryman and two children were found  after midnight. With strong storms hampering search efforts, the body of the third child was found about 10 a.m. Friday.

A preliminary statement from Mews indicated the family kayak had capsized off the shore of Michigan Island and she became separated from her husband and children while attempting to swim to the island.

The children were three, six and nine years old. The family is from Loyal, Wisconsin and all were wearing life jackets. However, the National Park Service recommends use of wet suits or dry suits when paddling in the Apostles. Cari Mews was rescued from 60 degree water.

The U.S. Coast Guard, Wisconsin DNR, National Park Service and Bayfleld Fire and Rescue conducted a water and air search of the area off Michigan Island.

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Governor Walker declares statewide emergency

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An emergency due to heavy rains, flooding and tornadoes in Wisconsin is now statewide. Governor Scott Walker issued the declaration on Wednesday afternoon.

“After the latest round of continuing storms and their tremendous impact in Wisconsin, we have declared a statewide State of Emergency,” Walker said in a statement. “We are ready to provide any tools and resources necessary to impacted communities. I thank all of those who continue to work diligently to help those in need.”

Also on Tuesday, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and Representative Ron Kind requested federal agency assistance for flooded communities in Southwest Wisconsin.

 

Driver drowns at Merrimac Ferry landing

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A man died Tuesday night after driving a car into the Wisconsin River at the Merrimac Ferry landing. Sauk County Sheriff Chip Meister said 57-year-old Scott L. Kirkpatrick, from Middleton, was driving a 2015 Chevrolet Trax southbound on State Highway 113 when he approached the ferry landing.

Sheriff Meister says it appears Kirkpatrick did not realize the road lead into the lake as the vehicle plunged into the lake.

Kirkpatrick and a woman passenger were able to get out of the vehicle.  She swam to shore but Fitzpatrick was unable to make it to shore, according to Sheriff Meister.

WIBA

Dane County flood damage exceeds $100 million, Madison braces for more

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Flood damage in Dane County exceeds $100 million. County Executive Joe Parisi said Friday the initial assessment totals $108 million, with about two-thirds of the total to private homes and businesses and a third to public property.

So far, 859 reports have been made to United Way of Dane County, which gathers damage reports. Much of the damage to date has been concentrated in western Dane County. But that could change if more rain falls as expected.

Madison city officials are moving to long term mitigation of the flooding along the Yahara river and Lake Monona. Mayor Paul Soglin said officials are less worried about flash flooding, and more worried about the rising level of the lakes.

“It’s going to have the water that hits the lake and river pushing water back into the storm sewers, and with no place to go, it’s going to rise into drains and basement floors,” the Mayor said.

Parts of the Isthmus are already seeing standing water, and major roads are expected to be closed for at least a week if not more. Soglin says this is a situation with will simply take time to sort out as water heads out of Lake Monona.

Soglin said that the worries about the Tenney Dam failing are past, and they’re looking to help prevent individual tragedies now. “The dam is operable, the county is finding it’s working fine. I would be more concerned about somebody in a wet basement fooling around with electricity.”

“Dane County residents have shown their resilience over the last week,” said County Executive Parisi. “I am so proud of our first responders, emergency personal and residents who have worked around the clock to help their neighbors and households across the county affected by this horrific event.”

 

Beware of scams in wake of recent disasters

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As Dane County starts to clean up after a flood, the rest of the state should be on the lookout for phony charities.

Those scammers often pose as legitimate organizations like the Salvation Army or the Red Cross, and use high pressure sales to try and get you to donate right there, in cash.

Madison College marketing professor Steve Noll says any legitimate charity that’s asking for money should be happy to let you do some research and donate later.

“If it’s real, they’re going to be happy about that, they’ll be perfectly fine. But if someone’s at the door is pressuring out, saying you need the money now, that should set off a red flag right there.”

You should also be wary of phony online fundraisers or Go Fund Me accounts and make sure that the money is actually going to its intended recipient.

People looking for help cleaning out after that flood should also be wary of random ads for assistance or service that you see on social media. Scammers are able to use tools to specifically target people in flooded areas, says Noll. 

“Especially people who’ve had damaged property, are probably freaking out and desperate, and they’re willing to turn to anyone who could quickly help them.”

If you’re looking for repairs or cleanup after a disaster, stick with local companies that you can trust, and don’t fall for high pressure sales from door to door repair crews.

 

Flooding danger continues for Dane County

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Flooding dangers are not yet over for Dane County residents.

Lake and river levels are already extremely high and many streets remain under water after parts of the county got 13 inches of rain Monday night and Tuesday morning.

Dane County Sheriff David Mahoney says first responders saved countless lives. 

“We lost one life, one tragic loss in the city of Madison. There were dozens if not more, that could have been tragic, without the commitment of our public servants.”

Governor Walker toured the area by air on Wednesday, and vowed to help county officials in every way possible.

“The state stands ready to work with the county executive, the sheriff, with the village and municipal governments throughout this area.”

Crews are busy clearing out the Yahara River to try and help water move downstream. Officials are also watching the dam in Bellville where water was overflowing on Wednesday. Lake levels there are higher than anyone has ever seen before.

The city of Monona and surrounding areas are now at highest risk as flood waters move downstream into Lakes Mendota and Monona.

Two sisters killed in Lake Winnebago boat crash

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Two sisters from Neenah are identified as the victims of a weekend boat crash on Lake Winnebago. The crash on Saturday night involved two boats and two people went missing in the water. The bodies of 20-year-old Cassandra Laabs and 26-year-old Lauren Laabs were recovered by divers on Sunday.

According to the Winnebago County Sheriff’s office, another person on the boat with the Laabs suffered serious injuries. A dog on that boat was also killed in the crash.