County

Wed
06
Oct
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Mask Mandate Reupped

DANE COUNTY–Effective Oct. 8 at 12:01 a.m. and continuing through Nov. 5, Public Health Madison & Dane County (PHMDC) is issuing Face Covering Emergency Order #3. No changes were made to the existing face covering order, which requires that everyone age two and older wear a face covering or mask when in any enclosed building, where other people, except for members of the person’s own household or living unit, could be present.

The rate of cases in Dane County has risen rapidly since the Delta variant became dominant. On July 19, our weekly case rate per 100,000 was 22, and on Sept.19, our weekly case rate per 100,000 was 209. On Sept. 27, our weekly case rate per 100,000 was 157. While lower than in early September, Dane County remains in CDC’s (Centers for Disease Control) high level of community transmission.

Sun
03
Oct
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Cross Plains Police to Get Body Cams

CROSS PLAINS–The Cross Plains Village Board Monday approved a policy and funding for police officers will begin wearing body cameras.

Approving the BWC program leaves only the law enforcement in the City of Madison, the Villages of Maple Bluff and Blue Mounds, and the Dane County Sheriff’s Department without body cameras. Although Madison requires Special Weapons and Tactics teams to wear them and is beginning a BWC plot program for the northeast district.

Cost and staffing have been municipalities main reasons against using BWCs but the computer server Cross Plains replaced last year is the biggest cost component of the BWC program.

The cameras and charging equipment will cost about $8,000 which the Village Board has already moved from a 2022 capital request to a 2021 expenditure.

Sat
25
Sep
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Town Passes on Child Care Decision

TOWN OF MIDDLETON–Town Board supervisors this week found Dane County’s zoning ordinance too ambiguous to act on a request for an in-home daycare in a secluded residential neighborhood.

The town board asked the county to interpret its zoning ordinance and decide whether Bright Beginnings Day School (BBDS) can operate a childcare facility for seven young children at a residence at 7069 Applewood Dr., in a subdivision adjacent to the Holy Name Catholic Center, off S. Junction Road.

The request has been met with unanimous opposition from the Applewood Hills Home Association which filed a lawsuit alleging the request doesn’t comply with the association’s restrictive covenants against businesses.

At Monday’s town board meeting, BBDS owner and town resident Sarah Tuttle, said she has operated childcare facilities for 18 years and the Applewood Drive location would the firm’s fifth in the area

Sat
25
Sep
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Village Pay Becomes Budget Priority

CROSS PLAINS–In a year when it lost two Public Facilities employees to other Dane County communities, the Cross Plains Village Board has made staff compensation a priority in next year’s budget.

The village conducted a wage study in 2015 but since then wages have been a “back burner” matter Village Administrator Bill Chang said Tuesday.

At a June meeting, the board made employee pay a budget priority for 2022 and administration began studying what the village pays its staff compared to other municipalities in Dane County and statewide.

“Compared to cities and villages our size, about 4,000 population, we’re doing pretty well statewide. Compared to other communities around Madison, we’re lacking,” Chang said.

Not wanting to lose employees to its competitors, it comes down to determining who are the village’s competitors in the employee marketplace.

Sun
12
Sep
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PSC Approves New Well, Improvements in Cross Plains

CROSS PLAINS–Utility regulators last week approved construction of a new well and improvements to an existing one in Cross Plains at an estimated cost $3.303 million.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) estimated that water rates would need to increase by 67 percent, based on a number of assumptions. The village filed a rate increase earlier this summer that would increase average water bills by $12 a month or, 40 percent, during the next two years. That request remains pending with the PSC.

The village currently has two wells but needs a third as there wouldn’t be enough water if one well became inoperable, according to a 2021 Department of Natural Resources report. Water demand is also expected to increase as three new residential subdivisions are being planned in the village.

Thu
09
Sep
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Public Health Issues Updated Face Covering Emergency Order

DANE COUNTY–Effective Sept. 10 at 12:01 a.m., Public Health Madison & Dane County is issuing Face Covering Emergency Order #2. The Order is nearly identical to the current face covering order which requires that everyone age 2 and older wear a face covering or mask when in in any enclosed building where other people, except for members of the person’s own household or living unit, could be present.

The new order includes exemptions for actively playing a wind instrument that has a fabric bell cover, or similar cover, that acts as a face covering and while presenting or performing a religious, political, media, educational, artistic, cultural, musical, or theatrical presentation as long as other spacing and vaccination requirements are met.

Wed
08
Sep
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Update:Burke Man Reported Missing

TOWN OF BURKE–The Dane County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in locating Taylor R. Haberman, 24 of Burke. Haberman was last seen the evening of Sept. 6 and is believed to be driving a Gray Chevrolet Silverado truck with a license plate of LP2670. Haberman is a white male, approximately 5’8” tall and 150 pounds

Haberman did not tell anyone where he was heading but he is an avid waterfowl hunter and may have taken his truck and camo colored kayak to an area hunting location. The Dane County Sheriff’s Office asks the community and hunters to be on the lookout for Haberman and his truck and kayak.

If anyone has information or has had recent contact with Haberman, please contact the Dane County Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 608-284-6900 or call 911.

Update: Taylor Haberman was found safe Wednesday morning. 

Tue
17
Aug
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New County Mask Mandate Starts Thursday

DANE COUNTY–Citing an increase in the seven-day average of cases in the county rising by 382 percent since July 19 and a higher level of transmission for the COVID-19 Delta variant, Public Health of Madison and Dane County (PHMDC) issued a mask mandate effective Aug. 19.

PHMDC Director Janel Heinrich said, “Many times during this pandemic, I have come before you and asked you to take action,” at a press conference Tuesday, and was doing so again.

The mandate requires those age two years and older to wear a mask when inside with individuals outside their household.

Fri
06
Aug
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Krista Halderson’s Remains Identified, Son to Stand Trial for Father’s Murder

DANE COUNTY–The Dane County Sheriff’s Department announced at a press conference on July 30 dismembered remains they found near the Town of Roxbury in Sauk County were those of missing Windsor woman, Krista Halderson. The remains were found on July 14 near Old Hwy 60 along the Wisconsin river.

The news came just two days after her son appeared in court and a judge determined he would stand trial in the murder of his father, Bart Halderson. His dismembered remains were found near the Town of Cottage Grove on July 8.

At the press conference, Sheriff Kalvin Bartlett described the investigation as “time consuming and exhaustive” and said that evidence continues to be collected at the Halderson home in Windsor, where additional remains were discovered last week. Those remains have not yet been identified and Bartlett would not say if they had been found inside the home or in a pond on the property. 

Fri
06
Aug
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Request to Rescind CHC Power Line Construction Denied in PSC Deadlock

MADISON–A request to rescind a decision to build a power line from Dubuque, IA to the Town of Middleton and investigate alleged improper communications by a member of the Public Service Commission (PSC) was defeated last week in a deadlock vote.

PSC Commissioner Rebecca Valcq voted not to approve American Transmission Co. (ATC) and its partners’ request to rescind the construction decision after former Commissioner Michael Huebsch’s emails to ATC’s chief lobbyist came to light.

“I don’t think Commissioner Huebsch was biased or the record was flawed…I don’t think a rescission is necessary. Nothing has changed. The record I relied on, the procedures we followed, I stand by that today,” Valcq said.

Commissioner Ellen Nowak voted to rescind and reopen the power line case but also said there “was no evidence” that Huebsch was biased or that his ex-parte communications with John Garvin, ATC’s chief lobbyist, were improper.

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