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Saturday, Jul. 4, 2009

The Portage Daily Register

Portage and Columbia County, WI - News, Sports and Information - Part of WiscNews.com

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DOT: County must ignore fixing pavement cracks

Filling pavement cracks and performing other non-emergency repairs along state highways will be ignored the rest of this year by Columbia County's Highway Department by order of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

Posted in Local on Thursday, July 2, 2009 11:30 pm.

Local offices closed for holiday

Several local offices will be closed Friday or Saturday for the Independence Day holiday.

Posted in Local on Thursday, July 2, 2009 11:15 pm.

Ag Olympics, car show new at Marquette County Fair

Live music, a tractor pull and ATV races highlight the 141st annual Marquette County Fair, set to begin next week at the fairgrounds in Westfield.

Posted in Local on Thursday, July 2, 2009 11:15 pm.

Relay for Life campaign turns 25

At this year's Relay for Life, there will be cake - lots of cake.

Posted in Local on Thursday, July 2, 2009 11:15 pm.

COLUMN: My remarkable walk in Wales

Come with me as I recall a memorable walk in the land of my mother, Wales. First, I'll explain that her grandparents came to the U.S. in the late 1800s through Canada and finally settled the town of Caledonia in Columbia County. Roberts was the last name. Our two daughters, Jodie and Angela, toured with Peter and me. Jodie set up the trip on her computer via Internet. Unbeknownst to her, the itinerary she plugged us into would reveal a few surprises.

Posted in Local on Thursday, July 2, 2009 11:00 pm.

Bachelorette party saved from elevator

A bachelorette party at Chula Vista was stalled - literally - Saturday night for more than an hour when six women became stuck in an elevator.

Posted in Local on Thursday, July 2, 2009 11:00 pm.

Consolidation committee to meet Tuesday in Westfield

The Westfield Area School District consolidation committee will meet at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to further discuss possible consolidation with the Montello School District.

Posted in Local on Thursday, July 2, 2009 11:00 pm.

Fitness First to become Anytime Fitness

By Oct. 1, Portage's Fitness First will become Anytime Fitness.

Posted in Local on Thursday, July 2, 2009 11:00 pm.

Koss retiring from clerk of courts office

During the past 35 years, Renee Koss has seen thousands of small tragedies told in the files of the clerk of courts office.

Posted in Local on Thursday, July 2, 2009 10:45 pm. | Tags: Centerpiece

A parade to remember: The stories behind the veterans in Pardeeville’s Fourth of July parade

Look into the back of one of the dozen or so convertibles in Pardeeville's Fourth of July parade Saturday and you'll see a neighbor from Rio, Wyocena, Pardeeville or Portage.

Posted in Local on Thursday, July 2, 2009 10:45 pm. | Tags: Topstory

Eager fans hit Portage Theatres for ‘Public Enemies’

With a charcoal fedora and a large soda in hand, Mike Corning was prepared for action.

Posted in Local on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 11:30 pm.

Montello man faces 50 years on charges he shook infant son

MONTELLO - A Montello man faces more than 50 years in prison on charges that he shook his infant son hard enough to cause a fatal brain injury.

Posted in Local on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 11:15 pm.

Man gets probation in one of largest drug cases in county

A Madison man will serve five years on probation for his part in one of the largest drug cases ever investigated in Columbia County.

Posted in Local on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 11:15 pm.

Police Notebook: Thursday, July 2, 2009

Information is taken from the records of the Portage police and fire departments and does not represent a comprehensive list of police or fire department activity. Each individual named in this report is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Posted in Local on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 11:00 pm.

Police investigating reports of man possibly videotaping children

Portage police are investigating several reports of a person or people in a white car possibly videotaping children and leaving before being approached.

Posted in Local on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 11:00 pm.

It’s illegal if it goes up and blows up

Portage residents who plan to have their own Rhythm & Booms fireworks shows this Saturday have some words of caution from the city's fire inspector.

Posted in Local on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 11:00 pm.

Here’s Johnny: Columbus residents see their city on the big screen

It might have been an unusual sight, but not if you knew who was in the audience. A handful of extras and two busloads of Columbus residents waited until the very end of the "Public Enemies" to applaud their city at the end of the credits. But bursts of cheering and the occasional "whoo hoo" were not uncommon throughout the film on Wednesday.

Posted in Local on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 10:45 pm. | Tags: Centerpiece

Clough, old shoe factory rejected as county office sites

The Clough building and the old Weyenberg shoe factory can be added to the list of building properties that aren't suitable for housing Columbia County offices in the future.

Posted in Local on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 10:45 pm. | Tags: Topstory

Tradition rules for Pardeeville Fourth parade

PARDEEVILLE - In the end, tradition prevailed.

Posted in Local, News on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 11:20 pm.

Don't expect history lesson in 'Public Enemies'

All right, I know we don't go to see summer blockbuster films to get an education. We go to them to be entertained.

Posted in Local, News on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 11:15 pm.

Man gets more than 12 years in sex assaults

A prison sentence of more than 12 years and the severing of a mother-daughter relationship is the result of multiple sexual assaults by a Fall River man on a 13-year-old girl in early 2008.

Posted in Local, News on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 11:15 pm.

32nd Brigade not affected by Iraqi city withdrawal

The roughly 3,200 members of the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team will continue their duties at seven Iraqi locations, where they provide base defense and security, guard detainees, train Iraqi prison guards and perform headquarters and support functions.

Posted in News, Local on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 11:15 pm.

Open-meetings issue resolved; No penalty if Marcellon supervisors meet conditions outlined in agreement

Charges of open-meetings law violations will be dropped against the chairman and two supervisors of the town of Marcellon if all three comply with the Wisconsin open-meetings law through November.

Posted in Local, News on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 11:10 pm. | Tags: Topstory

PORTAGE'S COUPON QUEEN: 30 mac and cheeses for 40 cents total? No problem

Nothing is free - that is, unless you have the right combination of coupons, and a sense of playing the game.

Posted in Local, News on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 11:10 pm. | Tags: Centerpiece

Pechmann dies; ex-German POW worked in Columbia County

MADISON - Kurt G. Pechmann, 87, founder of Pechmann Memorials and benefactor of uncounted groups and causes, died Sunday.

Posted in News, Local on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 11:10 pm.

Power outage cause not known

About 1,300 Alliant Energy customers in Portage were without power Monday night when the company's energy distribution system sensed a problem and shut down temporarily.

Posted in News, Local on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 11:10 pm.

Portage is growing ... slightly

Portage grew ever so slightly from 2007 to 2008, according to the latest census data from the federal government.

Posted in News, Local on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 11:10 pm.

Brother vs. brother: Authorities say man cut sibling with lamp

Two brothers staying at Wilderness Resort as part of their parents' 50th anniversary celebration got into a fight that resulted in one cutting the other with a broken piece of lamp, authorities said.

Posted in News, Local on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 11:05 pm.

Police Notebook: Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Information is taken from the records of the Portage police and fire departments and does not represent a comprehensive list of activity. Each individual is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty.

Posted in News, Local on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 11:00 pm.

Pain from state budget could come quickly: higher taxes, reduced services

On one thing, all state lawmakers who represent Columbia County agree: Making a state budget is neither pretty nor painless.

Posted in Local, News on Monday, June 29, 2009 11:55 pm. | Tags: Topstory

Wait for 'Enemies' almost over

Columbus resident Rod Melotte is so excited to see "Public Enemies" that he may levitate from his seat in the theater during the film.

Posted in Local, News on Monday, June 29, 2009 11:55 pm. | Tags: Centerpiece

Vintage 'Enemies'-era items still in Columbus

COLUMBUS - Getting a souvenir of something from the era of "Public Enemies" is a little easier than you might think.

Posted in Local, News on Monday, June 29, 2009 11:45 pm.

Site of downtown eatery vacant again as Cloe's closes

Only skeletal remains of Cloe's and Dan's Saloon & Eatery are left at 123 E. Cook St.

Posted in Local, News on Monday, June 29, 2009 11:45 pm.

Charges: CCI inmate said he’d blow up courthouse, kill judge

An inmate serving time at the Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage for threatening a judge could face additional prison time after authorities say he threatened to kill a Wisconsin Court of Appeals judge and blow up a Madison courthouse.

Posted in Local, News on Monday, June 29, 2009 11:45 pm.

Teen faces charges for breaking into home

A Neshkoro teenager faces more than 25 years in prison on burglary and theft charges after he was seen attempting to break into a Marquette County home.

Posted in Local, News on Monday, June 29, 2009 11:45 pm.

Police Notebook, June 30, 2009

Information is taken from the records of the Portage police and fire departments and does not represent a comprehensive list of police or fire department activity. Each individual named in this report is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Posted in Local, News on Monday, June 29, 2009 11:45 pm.

A flower sweet enough to eat

Shelbi Blau fills a ice cream cone with pudding Monday during the “Dabble in Art” program at the Portage Public Library. The 6-year-old created a forget-me-not flower with gumdrops, sprinkles and marshmallows. Other art projects included painting rocks and creating books.

Posted in Local, News on Monday, June 29, 2009 11:45 pm.

Alleged baby killer seeking lawyer No. 5

BARABOO - The rift between twin infants murder defendant David R. Yates and his defense attorney became a chasm late last week after the judge granted the attorney's request to withdraw from the case.

Posted in Local, News on Monday, June 29, 2009 11:45 pm.

Aircraft of all types wow crowd

Daring pilots did climbs, dives and rolls over Baraboo-Wisconsin Dells Airport, skydivers dropped from thousands of feet up and one of America's most powerful warplanes swept low over the crowd during the fourth annual Baraboo Dells Air Show over the weekend.

Posted in Local, News on Sunday, June 28, 2009 11:55 pm.

Store mascot passes away

He had two names. Depending on the person, he was either Bogey or the little white Hallmark dog.

Posted in Local, News on Sunday, June 28, 2009 11:50 pm.

Feingold listens in; packed house questions senator

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ENDEAVOR - When the topic is health care, U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold said he never knows what he's going to hear when he sets up a listening post.

Posted in Local, News on Sunday, June 28, 2009 11:45 pm. | Tags: Centerpiece

Early review: ‘Enemies’ looks good, lacks bite

LOS ANGELES - With "Public Enemies," all the pieces would seem to be in place for an epic gangster drama: director Michael Mann, who has an affinity for complicated criminals; stars Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, who are famous for immersing themselves in their roles; and a thrilling true story of brazen bank robbers on the run.

Posted in Local, News on Sunday, June 28, 2009 11:45 pm. | Tags: Topstory

Boil order lifted in Montello

People who consume Montello's municipal water no longer need to boil it, Public Works Director Glenn Bucholz said at about 9 a.m. Saturday.

Posted in Local, News on Sunday, June 28, 2009 11:45 pm.

Area Girl Scouts under new structure

The 8-year-olds in Jessie Wurzel's Girl Scout troop will still sell cookies, earn badges and meet in the living room of her Waunakee home.

Posted in Local, News on Sunday, June 28, 2009 11:45 pm.

Operators egg on ham radio usage while in Rio

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RIO - A woman with a Southern drawl interrupted Bill Hanold's conversation about amateur radio operation Saturday.

Posted in Local, News on Sunday, June 28, 2009 11:35 pm.

SCOUTS' HONOR: Portage troop has roots back to early days; it will mark 70th anniversary next year

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Portage's oldest continuous youth organization will turn 70 years old next year.

Posted in Local, News on Friday, June 26, 2009 11:55 pm. | Tags: Topstory

Columbus woman gets prison for stealing from employer

JUNEAU - A Columbus woman who was convicted of setting fire to her home and stealing more than $80,000 from her former employer was sentenced Friday to prison.

Posted in Local on Friday, June 26, 2009 11:55 pm.

Ten cents on the dollar

Do you recall the song "Second Hand Rose?" The first line of that song goes like this: "I'm wearing secondhand hats, secondhand clothes, that's why they call me Second Hand Rose." Another verse was, "Even the piano in our parlor, daddy bought for 10 cents on the dollar."

Posted in Local on Friday, June 26, 2009 11:55 pm.

Marissa able to write her name

On Friday, Marissa Jordan wrote her name for the first time since her brain surgery a week ago.

Posted in Local on Friday, June 26, 2009 11:50 pm.

Police Notebook: Saturday, July 27, 2009

Information is taken from the records of the Portage police and fire departments and does not represent a comprehensive list of police or fire department activity. Each individual named in this report is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Posted in Local on Friday, June 26, 2009 11:50 pm.