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May 20, 2009 |
The $5 million lawsuit that village of Bagley residents filed against the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, claiming that the railroad caused the 2007 flood, has been returned to Grant County Circuit Court.
The suit was originally filed in Grant County in May of 2008.
The railroad had the case transferred to federal court in Madison in August of 2008, arguing that the railroad crosses state lines and therefore the matter was a federal case. The railroad also feared that the Bagley residents would have a home field advantage if the case were heard in Grant County, according to a report earlier this year written by Federal Magistrate Stephen Crocker.
District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled in February to keep the case in Madison, but the Bagley residents dropped a request to make the suit a class-action case, and Crabb then said that the case did not have federal jurisdiction. On May 7, Crabb returned the case to Grant County.
Bagley residents allege that the railroad did not clear debris from in front of a large culvert under the trestle over Glass Hollow Creek. Heavy rains caused flash flooding because the creek backed up at the clogged up culvert on July 17-18, 2007. The flood caused millions of dollars in property damage to numerous homes in Bagley.
In October of 2008, the assessed valuation of the property involved in the lawsuit was a total of $9.64 million.
The firm of Kopp, McKichan, Geyer, Skemp & Stombaugh represent the Bagley residents.
Matthew Martin, son Charlie and Cathy Martin of Prairie du Chien, has been named River Ridge’s 2009 Valedictorian. Not only is Matthew at the top of his class, he is also involved in FFA and National Honor Society. He has been an FFA officer for 4 years and has been named FFA Star Green Hand, FFA Star Chapter Famer and has earned many awards in Land Evaluation, Tractor Safety Operation, Ag Mechanics as well as Dairy Products Judging. Matthew represented River Ridge High School at the FFA State Convention for four years and the National FFA Convention his senior year. Matthew’s future plans are to attend Ohio Technical College in Cleveland, Ohio and pursue a degree in Diesel Power Generator Technician.
Matthew Raisbeck, son of Ron and Shelly Raisbeck has been named the 2009 Salutatorian. In addition to being an outstanding student, Matthew has been involved in and held leadership positions in football (captain), track (captain), FFA (treasurer), Friends Helping Friends, Biology Club (president), Art Club, Student Council (president), National Honor Society (president), DECA (vice president) as well as class officer his junior and senior year. Matt is an all conference football player, has won various awards in FFA and represented River Ridge High School at the Wisconsin Leadership Seminar as a sophomore and Badger Boys State as a junior. Matthew’s future plans are to attend UW-Platteville and pursue a degree in Civil Engineering.
Second cold case death investigation opened
Sheriff Jerry Moran announced Tuesday afternoon that the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department has re-opened its second cold case death investigation in recent weeks.
The most recent re-opening of a death investigation involves the death of Brian Dietrich, who was reported missing on Oct. 31, 1993 by his girlfriend.
Dietrich’s body was found on Indian Isle on Memorial Day 1994. He was 30 years old at the time of his death. Dietrich, who was a resident of Clayton County, Iowa, was last seen in Prairie du Chien walking toward Iowa on US Highway 18 following an altercation in downtown Prairie du Chien. Autopsy results at that time showed that Dietrich died from drowning.
Dietrich was the son of former Clayton County Sheriff Verdean Dietrich.
The other cold case that was re-opened recently was the death investigation involving Kenneth J. Allington.
Allington’s body was found at his home on Mill Coulee Road in rural Prairie du Chien on April 30, 2005. His initial autopsy indicated that no cause of death could be determined. Allington was 54 at the time of his death.
Allington’s body was exhumed on May 13 and a second autopsy was performed on May 14. His body was reinterred later that afternoon. The Sheriff’s Department is still awaiting the results of the second autopsy. The results of the autopsy are expected to take between six weeks and two months.
Sheriff Moran said that both investigations are being treated as suspicious deaths and have not been ruled homicides.
Moran said that a retired Sheriff’s Department investigator who had worked on both cases will be helping with the re-opened investigations.
Anyone with information regarding these investigations are urged to call the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department at (608) 326-8414 or the Crawford County Crime Stoppers at 1-866-779-PAYS or visit the website at crawfordcrimestoppers.com.
May 18, 2009 |
Wauzeka-Steuben announces top graduates for 2009
Krista Walters has been named the valedictorian and Megan Marfilius and Emily McCullick the co-salutatorians for the Wauzeka-Steuben High School 2009 graduating class.
Krista is the daughter of Royce and Vicki Walters of Wauzeka. She is a very focused student and subsequently, her academics have been exemplary for many years running. She has earned MOS (Microsoft Office Suite) certification in Microsoft Word and Excel and earned the Wisconsin Cooperative Education Skill Standards Award of Occupational Proficiency in Youth Leadership. Krista is co-editor of the 2009 school yearbook. Her attention to detail is well-suited for this position.
Being a member of FFA for four years has also kept Krista busy. She has served as a parliamentarian, vice president, and president, and has earned the Star Greenhand and Chapter Star degrees. This year, Krista served as president of National Honor Society of which she has been a member for three years.
Krista has been in softball and Ski Club for two years. Krista’s poster placed first in the State Conservation Poster Contest this winter. She also scored within the top 25th percentile of high school students taking the National Financial Literacy Challenge in Spring and Winter, 2008.
Volunteer work has really been Krista’s forte. She has been involved in the PALS program, paired with a younger student to mentor. She has served on the School Improvement Committee for two years. Krista has been a teacher’s aide for four years, gaining experience working with young students and helping teachers. These all fit in with her future goals to help others in some way.
Megan is the daughter of William and Cindy Marfilius of Prairie du Chien. She has been in National Honor Society for three years, serving as secretary each year. She has been in Student Council for one year, Hornet Club (formerly W club) for six years and on the math team for one year. Megan is the business manager and editor of the school yearbook this year. She has been in forensics for one year, Pep Club for one year, and was in YCC (Youth Connecting Communities) for three years.
Megan was in volleyball for four years and received Most Valuable Player award, a Hornet award, and lettered. She was in basketball for four years. She lettered and earned most improved and a Hornet award. Megan was also in track, serving as captain. She was voted Most Valuable Player, First Team All-Conference, lettered, broke the school’s high jump record, and was a two-time state qualifier, placing 10th and 4th in the high jump event.
Megan is also secretary of her senior class, has been a peer tutor for four years, a teacher’s aide for four years, on Homecoming Court, and attended Badger Girls’ State one year.
Megan plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse for Business Administration and Accounting. She also plans to participate on the Track and Field Team.
Emily is the daughter of Ben and Connie McCullick of Wauzeka. Emily has been in National Honor Society for three years, and this year serves as the vice president. She has been president of Student Council for two years and a member for four. This year, she is co-editor of the school yearbook.
No one can say that Emily was not involved in extra curricular activities. She has been in band for six years, choir for four years, Hornet Club for four years, YCC (Youth Connecting Communities) for three years, Pep club for one year, forensics for two years, Drama Club one year (during which she participated in the school play), and math team for three years.
Athletically, Emily was also very involved and successful. She has been in basketball, softball, volleyball, and cheerleading for four years. She has served as captain in all four sports. Emily lettered four times in basketball, was Co-All Conference player of the year, All-Conference two years, and MVP one year. She has lettered three years in softball, and All-Conference two years. Emily lettered four years in volleyball, All-Conference two years, and Most Improved one year. She lettered in cheerleading for four years and was Homecoming Queen.
Emily has been involved in PALS for two years, a powder puff football team member four years, a class officer for three years, a teacher’s aide four years and a tutor for three years. She was elected Student of the Month her Freshman year, Student of the Quarter her Junior year and was on the High Honor Roll for all four years of high school. Emily will be attending UW-Whitewater. She plans to participate in basketball while in college and plans to receive undergraduate and graduate degrees. Long term, she would like to work with children and adolescents.
The entire staff at Wauzeka-Steuben High School is proud of Krista, Emily, and Megan for their dedication and hard work that have made the school a better place during the time they attended.
‘Suspicious death’ investigation continues
The second autopsy on the body of Kenneth J. Allington has been performed and the investigation into his death continues.
Allington’s body was exhumed on May 13 because new information has led to the re-opening of the 2005 case. Allington’s body was re-interred at Evergreen Cemetery on May 14 at 4 p.m.
Allington, 54, was found dead at his home on Mill Coulee Road in the town of Prairie du Chien on April 30, 2005. An autopsy was performed at that time and no cause of death could be determined.
The Crawford County Sheriff’s Department received new information in February of 2008 and the case was re-opened.
The sheriff’s department is now officially calling the case a "suspicious death."
"We have always thought that this was a suspicious death," said Crawford County Sheriff Jerry Moran.
Moran said that investigators are awaiting the results of toxicology tests that were conducted as part of the autopsy at V.A. Hospital in Madison.
"The toxicology tests will play a big part in this case," said Moran. The tests were conducted in an effort to determine the cause of death.
Moran said that the Sheriff’s Department has also received some tips about the case since a press release was issued on May 13.
"These things (the investigation) take time," said Moran in noting that any information that people may have about the case would be useful.
The Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation is assisting with the case.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to call the Crawford County Crime Stoppers at 326-8933 or 1-866-779-PAYS. Tips may also be submitted via the website at crawfordcrimestoppers.com.
Anyone with a tip will remain anonymous and a reward of up to $1,000 will be paid for a tip which solves a crime with an arrest, charges being filed.
