Local and State News

The public will be able to attend an upcoming question and answer session involving Manitowoc County public works director Jeff Beyer and the controversial triple-p probe. Board chairman Jim Brey made the announcement this week, saying he plans on organizing the session but so far, a definite date hasn’t been set. At issue is Beyer and his relationship to the triple-p, the company out of green bay that was hired to manage the expo and ice center. The company triple-p was hired in ‘05’ because the county wanted to save money that they would have been spending on heath insurance and other costs related to actual county employees. While they did save money, it was later revealed that the company was owned by in-laws of Beyer, and that the company was not licensed by the state as required. All this was found during two investigations…that were launched at the request of county clerk Jamie Aulik and Manitowoc County executive Bob Ziegelbauer. Ziegelbauer also had a second investigation done by county corporation Steve Rollins. Rollins came to the conclusion that the contract with triple-p should be terminated. Ziegelbauer says that when Rollins’ report that he requested from the corporation counsel pointed out problems at expo “we immediately addressed them." The company, Engstrom, took over services last month.

A Manitowoc man is facing several charges after allegedly punching two women last week, after one of them refused his sexual advances. 27-year-old James Shuttlesworth was drunk when the incident happened late last week in an apartment building on Cedar Grove Drive. According to Manitowoc police…Shuttlesworth and a 22-year-old man, went to the apartment to watch a movie with a 23-year-old Manitowoc woman and a 22-year-old Plymouth woman. While watching the movie, Shuttlesworth allegedly made sexual advances toward the Plymouth woman…and poured a beer over her head when she did not return his advances. Both women then tried to make Shuttlesworth leave…at which time he allegedly punched the Manitowoc woman in the face several times and punched the Plymouth woman in the face once. After being thrown out…Shuttlesworth wanted back in to retrieve his cell phone…and so allegedly began to kick the locked door, which damaged the doorframe. Police say Shuttlesworth also allegedly activated the fire alarm, disturbing the entire building. A short time later, he took off but was later arrested at his home on Thomas Court. He now faces possible charges of disorderly conduct, property damage, giving false alarm and misdemeanor bail jumping charges. Court records indicate Shuttlesworth was also convicted with a second offense of o-w-I back in November.

A Minnesota man is due back in court a week from today, after he was arrested for the sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl at a shopping mall near Appleton. 35-year-old Jamie Lee Sames of Shakopee is being held without bond until he can be extradited to Wisconsin to face charges. According to authorities, Sames was traveling on business when he followed the girl and a friend outside the Target Store at the Fox River Mall last week. He reportedly said he was an Appleton police officer, and he caught them shoplifting a tube of mascara. Police said the girl sat on a bench while Sames took the girl behind some trees and molested her. Sames was arrested after a Green Bay woman who used to live near Sames saw him on a store surveillance video that was shown on T-V. Detectives in the town of Grand Chute say they’ll check the business records of Sames’ employer, to see if he might have committed similar attacks elsewhere. He was convicted of breaking Minnesota’s “Peeping Tom” law in 2005, and authorities say they’re also checking his computer for possible evidence of child pornography. When he returns to Wisconsin, Sames will face Outagamie County charges of child sexual assault and child enticement.

-3/19-

A La Crosse area man will spend six years on probation for his role in the burglaries of almost 100 storage units. 30-year-old Matthew Monti of Onalaska must also pay back 68-hundred dollars in restitution, perform 50 hours of community service, and get a high school equivalency diploma. If he doesn’t do all that, he’ll face 25 years in prison. Authorities said Monti and 28-year-old Terrance Whitehead broke into 96 storage units. Police said they found numerous stolen electronics, sporting goods, and tools at Whitehead’s home last March. The home allegedly served as a store for the stolen items. Burglary charges are pending against Whitehead, who’s been in prison since last May for violating terms of a probation for forgery in 2005.

Wisconsin’s taste of spring is over, at least for a few days. Most of the Badger State enjoyed clear weather and highs in the 60’s this week. But a slow-moving cold front is moving through southern Wisconsin this morning – and it will leave us with cooler temperatures at least into next week. Wausau had a record-high for the date of 62 yesterday. But this afternoon’s highs might not reach 40 in northwest Wisconsin – and the southeast will stay in the 50’s before it starts snowing there this evening. Much of southern Wisconsin is supposed to get an inch of snow tonight, and lighter amounts tomorrow. A mix of rain and snow is predicted for the middle of the state. It will remain dry in the north. By Sunday, forecasters expect dry weather and slowly warming temperatures. But it will be at least Wednesday before the mercury is expected to reach 60 again. And a weak system might bring rain to the northern half of Wisconsin on Tuesday.

 

Wisconsin’s dairy cows produced more milk in February than the same month a year ago – while top-producer California saw its output decline again. The Badger State’s milk production rose five-point-seven percent to just under two-billion pounds for the month. Wisconsin added about five-thousand cows to a herd that totals just over one-and-a-quarter million – and each cow made an average of 80-pounds more than the year before. Meanwhile, California had a one-point-six-percent drop in its milk production, to almost three-point-one billion pounds. The Golden State also lost another 65-thousand cows during the past year – but each cow still made an average of 35-pounds more. Wisconsin is still the nation’s number-two milk state. New York is third, followed by Idaho and Pennsylvania. Total U-S milk production was just over 14-and-three-quarter billion pounds in February, up one-tenth-of-one-percent from a year ago.

The death of a U-W Eau Claire student who fell from an elevated walkway has been ruled an accident. Authorities said 22-year-old Kyle Joswiak of Inver Grove Heights Minnesota fell from a safety rail to the parking lot below. It happened early Wednesday at an apartment complex. Police said Joswiak either climbed onto the safety rail – or he tried to jump over the before he fell. Officials said alcohol was a contributing factor. Joswiak was a senior at Eau Claire, majoring in broadcast journalism.

-3/19-

Six people have donated at least a million-dollars for a new pharmacy school building at Concordia University in Mequon. The school announced an anonymous gift of a million dollars yesterday. That brings the total amount raised to over eight-million. It represents more than half the cost of the new pharmacy school, which is estimated at 12-to-15 million dollars.