Governor Jim Doyle has appointed Burnett County D-A Ken Kutz as circuit court judge in Burnett County. He'll be sworn in August 4. "I'll be the District Attorney up until the point where I'm sworn in as the circuit judge," said Kutz, who's served as D.A. for 21 years. "Essentially, it's business as usual until I'm sworn in as the judge."
This is the second time Kutz has applied for a vacant seat on the bench. The first time was about six years ago, when then-governor Scott McCallum appointed Michael Gableman to the judgeship. Kutz no succeeds Michael Gableman, who's been elected to the state Supreme Court. No word what the governors office will do at this time to fill the open D-A position that will be created when Kutz becomes judge.