6-24-13 emergency plane landing in dodge county

Nobody was injured when a plane made an emergency landing in Dodge County Sunday afternoon.  At about 1:45 p.m., the Dodge County Sheriff’s Department took a report from the Dane County Sheriff’s Department that a plane had made an emergency landing in the Columbus area.  The plane landed in a field in the general area of Canary Road and County Highway G in the Town of Beaver Dam.  The aircraft, a Piper Archer, was occupied by 4 individuals.  The Dodge County Sheriff’s Department says preliminary information is that the aircraft had a problem with a fuel switch-over and the plane ran out of fuel, but details and the accuracy of that information have not been confirmed.  The FAA has been notified.

6-24-13 fatal plane crash report

ASHLAND, Wis. (AP) — An investigative report about a fatal single-engine plane crash in northwest Wisconsin this month says the plane bounced "out of control" on the runway. The June 15th crash killed 63-year-old La Crosse physician Richard Renwick and his 58-year-old brother, Bruce Renwick of Waunakee.

6-24-13 car vas. bike accident sends fdl man to the hospital

A Fond du Lac man was seriously injured when he was struck by a car while riding his bicycle.  Forty seven year old Steven Kuphal was flown by helicopter to Theda Clark Regional Medical Center in Neenah  with what were described as serious injuries.  The Fond du lac County Sheriff’s Office says 20 year old Adam Blackman of Fond du lac was driving his car eastbound on Highway WH, attempting to turn left onto Lakeview Road when he collided with the bicyclist.  The accident happened shortly after 10am Saturday.

6-24-13 sweepstakes scam

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin consumer protection specialists say they've been getting hotline calls about a sweepstakes scam.  The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection says residents across the state say they've been getting calls from people claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House. The suspected scammers tell them they've won a sweepstakes prize and ask for an upfront fee payable with a pre-paid debit card.  The state says potential victims are directed to pick up and pay for a Green Dot MoneyPak debit card from a retail or drug store in order to transfer the fee.  Consumer protection officials say scammers choose pre-paid debit cards and wire transfers as ways for victims to send them money because the transactions are difficult to trace and nearly impossible to reverse.

6-24-13 doctor shortage

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Wisconsin has done a better job of holding onto its primary care physicians than most other states, and new programs for aspiring doctors have positioned the state to weather a possible shortage when the national health care overhaul takes effect next year.  Some states already have a shortage of primary-care physicians, and their problems could get worse when health care reforms go into effect in January. Millions of newly insured Americans are likely to seek care for the first time in years, possibly swamping short-staffed health systems.  But Wisconsin appears to be in good shape. The state ranks 14th in the U.S. with 86 primary-care physicians per 100,000 residents. Wisconsin's pipeline for producing more doctors is expanding, and programs are in place to encourage doctors to practice in rural areas.

6-24-13 baldwin committee assignment

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Sen. Tammy Baldwin has been appointed to serve on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.  The committee oversees energy production and technology issues. It's also responsible for stewardship of public lands and forests.  The assignment builds on the Wisconsin Democrat's experience as a congresswoman. From 2005 to 2013 she served on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.   Baldwin says she hopes to use the position to give Wisconsin a voice in the climate-change debate. She says global climate change is real, and the only question is how the nation will respond to it.  In addition to her new assignment the first-term senator will continue to serve on Senate committees dealing with the budget; health and education; homeland security; and aging.

6-24-13 weekend flooding

LA CROSSE, Wis. (AP) — Heavy rain has led to flash flooding in parts of southwestern Wisconsin, and northern Grant County was hit especially hard.  Boscobel received nearly eight inches of rain.  The Wisconsin Emergency Operations Center says local officials in Boscobel report that more than half the community's streets were flooded early Saturday, but most of the water has receded. Damage assessments are under way to determine how many homes sustained flood damage. The Red Cross and Salvation Army are providing assistance.  Boscobel is a community of about 3,200 people on the Wisconsin River.  The National Weather Service says additional storms were expected Saturday that could result in more flash flooding in southwestern Wisconsin.  Elsewhere, a lightning strike was also blamed for a gas line break small fire at a Milwaukee home early Saturday.