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Highway 35 accident leaves two Prairie du Chien men dead

At approximately 10 a.m. on Oct. 25, the Crawford County Sheriff's Department was notified of a two vehicle accident in Freeman Township on Highway 35 approximately .3 miles north of Rush Creek Road.

Paul Mara, 66, and George Jilek, 65, both of Prairie du Chien were traveling southbound in a 1997 Saab and collided head on with a northbound 1988 Buick. Mara, who was driving, and Jilek were both pronounced dead at the scene.

The two passengers of the northbound vehicle were transported to La Crosse hospitals. The driver was Gabriela Flores Hernandez, 21, and the passenger Isaac Martinez Guevara, 26, both from Fitchberg. Guevara died later that evening from injuries sustained in the accident and Hernandez was listed in critical condition.

The accident is being investigated by the Crawford County Sheriff's Department.

Marquette City Clerk to join River Bluff Resort staff

Denise Schneider was busy last Thursday, her final day as Marquette city clerk. But Schneider is not out of work. She starts her new job on Monday as executive administrative assistant for housing and condominium development at River Bluff Resort.

Schneider has been Marquette city clerk for the last five years. She and her husband Ron live in Guttenberg with their two children. Before beginning her job in Marquette, Schneider worked at Guttenberg Municipal Hospital. She says she's excited about the change and about the River Bluff development. "I've been in public employment now for 13 years, so it's going to be a little different going back into the private sector," Schneider said. "But I think it will be fun," she added.

Currently, Marquette has no replacement for Schneider. Her departure comes at a time when the city has begun considering hiring a city administrator ‹ a first for Marquette. Some restructuring of duties and positions to facilitate this change has begun. At last Tuesday's city council meeting, Mayor John Ries suggested the council look at hiring the same firm that the city of Prairie du Chien used in their recent search for a new administrator. Marquette has not yet begun the process of writing a job description or screening applicants.

For now, the city has a temporary part-time employee, Rinda Ferguson, to help out with billing and general office duties. And the city is advertising for a permanent part-time person for this position. Deputy City Clerk Maryann Trudo will also help fill in as interim city clerk.

Two men killed by train in Grant County

Around 11:40 a.m. on October 25, the Grant County Sheriff's Department received a call that two individuals were hit by a train. The West Grant Rescue Squad and Glen Haven Fire Department were dispatched to the scene.

Through investigation it was determined that two males were standing on the tracks by the boat landing waiting for a north bound train to go by. Then a south bound train, which was unable to stop, stuck the two individuals. Gary Friday, 60, of Guttenberg and John Jackson, 49, of Center Point, IA, were pronounced dead at the scene by Coroner Ron Sturmer. The Wisconsin State Patrol assisted at the scene. The incident remains under investigation.

Three men, boy held in connection to area bank robberies

Three rural Westby men have been arrested in connection to four area bank robberies in four different counties in two states. Arrested Oct. 21 in Vernon County were Donald S. Landis, 24, Daniel L. Landis, 25, and Jared G. Molner, 26.

Brothers Daniel and Donald Landis are being held in the Vernon County Jail in Viroqua. Molner is being held in Pepin County. Also in custody in connection to the bank robberies is a 15-year-old boy who is being held in a detention center at an undisclosed location.

Authorities at a press conference at the Vernon County Sheriff's Department Tuesday afternoon said that the three men would probably face federal charges stemming from bank robberies in Harpers Ferry, De Soto, Akron, Iowa and Soldiers Grove. The maximum penalty for each count if convicted would be 25 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Donald Landis, Daniel Landis and Jared Molner also face several felony charges in Vernon County including possession of burglary tools, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, concealing stolen property and carrying a concealed weapon. Donald Landis also faces a charge of operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent.

On the morning of Oct. 5 the River Bank in De Soto was robbed and on Oct. 18 at 9 a.m., the Kerndt Brothers Branch Savings Bank of Harper's Ferry was robbed by a man dressed in a brown leather coat, jeans, roper boots and a black motorcycle helmet. The man left the scene as a passenger on a small black motorcycle.

On Friday Oct. 21, at approximately 2:30 a.m., a Vernon County Sheriff's Department deputy saw a "suspicious" truck with its lights off in the parking lot of the New Hope United Methodist Church along Highway 82 near De Soto in rural Vernon County.

The deputy approached the truck and asked the four occupants why they were there and for their identification. Upon gaining identification, the deputy learned that Jared Molner had active warrants in Pepin County and Jackson County. The deputy then told the four occupants that he was going to search the vehicle. When the deputy insisted on searching the vehicle, one of the occupants, later identified as Donald Landis, grabbed something and fled on foot. It was later discovered that Landis had taken a loaded 9 millimeter handgun.

The three remaining occupants were apprehended at the scene and the occupant who fled was arrested Sunday afternoon at a house in rural Vernon County. He had apparently stolen a car a short distance from the church parking lot. He was apprehended without incident. His arrest was due in large part to tips from area citizens.

Following the arrests of the three men, searches were conducted of the truck, two houses and a shed. Eleven loaded weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were seized, including a 9 millimeter automatic pistol, at least two shotguns (including a sawed-off shotgun), various rifles and an assault rifle loaded with 60 rounds.

The truck that the deputy had approached in the church parking lot contained numerous loaded firearms.

Also seized in the searches was a bulletproof vest and an undisclosed amount of cash, some of which had been marked and matched money from the banks in Harpers Ferry and De Soto. A handwritten note was also recovered. The note stated, "This is a robbery. Give me all the cash now!" Authorities at the press conference declined to state the amount of money that was stolen in the bank robberies because of the ongoing investigation.

Two black motorcycles matching the descriptions of those used in the bank robberies were also seized, along with a police scanner, a police scanner procedure manual and several drills and other tools.

Upon checking the title to the vehicle, it was discovered that the vehicle was recently purchased with cash. The cash had been stolen from the De Soto bank.

Vernon County Sheriff Gene Cary said Tuesday afternoon that the case remains "extremely active" and that more arrests may be made.

Allamakee County Sheriff Tim Heiderscheit and Crawford County Sheriff Robert Ostrander said that all information will be given to their respective district attorneys, who will then confer with federal prosecutors as to possible charges in the case.

"Our county and our neighboring jurisdictions are very grateful," said Heiderscheit of the arrests. "There were some tense moments."

"People have been concerned about loved ones who work in small banks," concurred Sheriff Robert Ostrander.

"We're very thankful," said Vernon County District Attorney Tim Gaskell in noting that the deputy who originally approached the truck could have been killed.

Area sheriff's departments have been working with the FBI in an effort to solve the bank robberies.

"It has not been an easy investigation. There are four counties and two states," said Vernon County Sheriff Gene Cary. "Working with the FBI, it's been a pleasure." Cary also said that the case is still open and under investigation and that any further information provided by citizens could be very important.

Investigators said Tuesday afternoon that evidence gathered so far also connects the three suspects to bank robberies on July 2 in Soldiers Grove and on July 18 in Akron, Iowa.

During his initial appearance Tuesday in Vernon County Circuit Court, Donald Landis' bail was set at $100,000 on four felony and two misdemeanor charges. Judge Michael Rosborough also granted Landis' request to act as his own attorney for his preliminary hearing scheduled for Monday.

As he was being taken back to the jail, Landis told someone in the courtroom that he was sorry and that he tried something, but it didn't work out for him.

The three suspects lived in two houses near Westby. The houses are next to each other on Tri-State Road.

Blackhawk statue vandalized
New sculpture park left empty

The statue of Chief Blackhawk was unveiled and introduced to the public on October 8. Just shy of two weeks leaves the bronzed Blackhawk vandalized, the sculpture park empty, the police with no answers and the public very upset.

Sometime during the nighttime hours of Thursday, Oct. 13, vandalism occurred to the newly inducted Blackhawk statue at St. Feriole Island. According to Police Chief Mike King, it appears that someone pickup truck backed into the 350-pound statue, snapping its bolts from the base and knocking it over.

Damage occurred to the staff that Blackhawk is holding (shown right), which was previously straight, and a cut into the side of the right arm.

It is uncertain what the next move will be for the statue, which is currently being kept in city storage for safety. The unique piece of artwork cost around $75,000 to make, and is the first of over 20 statues planned for the Mississippi Rive Sculpture Park on St. Feriole Island.

King said that although they unfortunately don't have much information yet, they are working very hard to solve the crime.

Mayor Cheryl Mader said that while it could have been a lot worse, "Citizens need to know that they cannot disrespect the city like this."

"We are going to get this statue fixed, get it back up and find some way of protecting it," said Mader.

City Administrator hired, duties begin in November  

After 26 years, a new city administrator has been hired in Prairie du Chien. Gordon Gallagher was hired after a unanimous vote at a special city council meeting on October 11.

Current City Administrator Gary Koch said that Gallagher was picked from an original selection of 32 applicants from around the country. That number was then narrowed to ten, then eventually to four.

The four applicants and their spouses were then treated to a reception at the Villa Louis on October 7 where all had a chance to meet Prairie du Chien officials, as well as each other. The following day, each candidate went through a formal interview and tour of the city.

Gallagher has spent his last six years with his wife and two children in Sangatuck, Minnesota, where he was the city's administrator. According to Koch, Gallagher's duties will include only those of the City Administrator. The clerk and treasurer duties will be absorbed be other internal offices, which will be discussedduring a personnel committee meeting tomorrow evening at 6:30 p.m. Gallagher will be paid a salary of $70,000.

"We are really looking forward to welcoming Gordon here in late November," said Mayor Cheryl Mader. She also said that while Koch and all that he has done will certainly be missed, she thinks that Gallagher will "Bring a different approach to the city administration."

Model T tour rolls through Prairie du Chien

A bit of automotive history rolled into historic Prairie du Chien twice within the past week as the drivers and passengers of more than 30 Model T Fords took in the sights at various locations in and around the city.

Model T owners from several states and Ontario, Canada began a regional tour called the Novel T's Great River Road Tour on Monday morning, Oct. 17 in Dubuque. The tour, conducted by The Novel T's, an Illinois chapter of the Model T Club International, wound its way north on the Iowa side along the scenic bluffs of the Great River Road. The tour crossed over briefly for a stop in Prairie du Chien Monday before crossing back over the Mississippi River and heading up to Red Wing, Minnesota as the drivers and passengers took in the fine, fall foliage and enjoyed several sights of interest.

Following their stay in Red Wing, the Model T's rolled down the Wisconsin side on their way back to Dubuque, where the tour ended on Friday, Oct. 21.

While in Prairie du Chien on Monday and Thursday, the Model T owners and passengers took in several attractions including the Villa Louis, the Fort Crawford Museum, The Cannery and Cabela's.

Kit and Sue Larsen of Hinton, Iowa were two of the Model T enthusiasts who enjoyed their visits to Prairie du Chien, during which numerous Model T's of various types and years could be seen rolling through the streets. The vintage vehicles ranged from production years of 1911 to 1927.

The Larsen's enjoyed the tour from the seat of their 1912 Model T Roadster, which sports a breezy, open-air, "mother-in-law" seat in the back. Kit Larsen said that the 1912 Roadster was advertised by Ford as having a top speed of 40 miles per hour.

The first year for production of the Model T was 1909. Initially, the car was made in a variety of colors but the vehicle soon became so popular and the demand so great that Ford began using only black paint because black dried the fastest.

Due to increased competition from Chevrolet and others, Ford once again painted its Model T's in a variety of colors beginning in 1925. That year, Ford sold half of the automobiles produced worldwide. The last year for production of the Model T was 1927.