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Population to limit incarceration?Group: Jail construction should be ...
Found: 2 Days 4 Hours 11 Minutes ago
Leader-Telegram - A special jail committee is proposing that any construction be based on the incarcerated population growing only as fast as Eau Claire County's general populace.By approving a jail inmate growth rate of just 1 percent per year, the committee hopes it will pressure county officials and the justice system to use more alternatives to incarceration. That 1 percent growth rate is less than prior projections made by consultants and the trend indicated by recent, actual jail numbers."That's the risk we're taking," said Will Fantle, vice chairman of the Special Committee to Resolve Jail Space and Site Needs.Two prior studies of the jail done by consultants The Durrant Group and Venture Architects proposed annual increases of 2.5 percent to 3.4 percent, respectively, to the population in the secure cellblocks, not including those on work release.While the jail population has grown by about 3 percent or more in recent years, Fantle said the county's entire population is increasing only by about 1 percent annually."That's not sustainable forever, or else we'd all be in jail in the future," he said.The County Board allocated $200,000 in its 2009 budget to pay for new programs to divert offenders from jail, Fantle noted.Jail Administrator Dan Bresina said he's OK with the 1 percent growth figure, but only if a jail is built with large enough booking, cooking, holding cells and other core spaces to accommodate future additions.The committee ultimately is headed toward a building project, but Fantle said it has not yet decided if it will be a remodeling, addition or new building.Before discussing a new building, Fantle said he's interested in a presentation from Ayres Associates on the structural capabilities of the current courthouse and potential for remodeling the jail.In its meeting two weeks ago, the committee heard from La Crosse County Administrator Steve O'Malley on his experiences closing a Huber Work Release Center three years ago in favor of electronic monitoring and day reporting programs. However, space from the former work release center now is being razed for a $30 million addition to the jail."Their demand on the secure side of the fence continues to grow," Eau Claire County Administrator J. Thomas McCarty said.Though alternatives to incarceration programs can decrease the number of work release inmates, McCarty said they are unlikely to curb the amount of inmates spending their days in jail. In addition, the increasing population and potential changes to law resulting in more jail time for criminals are two ways the county cannot control rising jail numbers, he said.While the county will do everything it can to develop alternatives, McCarty said that doesn't change the fact that something has to be done with the current jail."Our jail has severe structural issues that have to be rectified," he said, mentioning problems with safety and security, small booking and holding areas, and aging infrastructure.In August, the county's plan to build a $59.1 million jail were stopped when a landowner petition prevented the land east of the courthouse to be rezoned for the new facility.The special committee began meeting in late September and is charged with making a recommendation on the jail to the County Board in mid-January.Dowd can be reached at 833-9204, 800-236-7077 or andrew.dowd@ecpc.com....
Council paves way for dog park
Found: 2 Days 21 Hours 34 Minutes ago
The Sheboygan Press - A former landfill on South 18th Street may soon become a place for Fido to frolic....
Call for moreMenomonie ambulance rates are rising
Found: 3 Days 4 Hours 16 Minutes ago
Leader-Telegram - MENOMONIE - A new year rings in higher ambulance rates for those using the Menomonie Ambulance Service.The Menomonie City Council on Monday approved the rate increases effective Thursday, Jan. 1.A basic life support run for a city resident will increase from $500 to $650. Such a run for a nonresident will increase from $555 to $805.One type of an advanced life support run for a resident will increase from $560 to $750, $620 to $910 for a nonresident. A second type of advanced life support call that requires more care will cost $850 for residents and $950 for nonresidents. A specialty care transport, which requires a special nurse or care provider to travel along, will cost $750 for residents and $900 for nonresidents. The cost per mile will increase from $8 to $14.The changes reflect increases in costs over the past two years, and the department also is bundling supply and service costs.The city is staying below the average for other ambulance services in the Chippewa Valley and western Wisconsin, said Fire Chief Jack Baus."We wanted to be fair. We didn't want to go over the top," Baus said, noting many of the other departments have all paramedic-trained personnel while Menomonie does not.In addition, the nine communities that use the Menomonie Ambulance Service outside the city pay a $17.50 per person charge.Snowmobile event approvedIn other action, the council approved allowing National Straightline Snowmobile Racing to hold a speed run Saturday, Jan. 31, on Lake Menomin.NSSR is a professional race association affiliated with International Snowmobile Racing and serves as the only world record series for the 1,000-foot speed run.The race will have two parallel tracks on the ice. One track is used for the professional competition, and the other is for trail riders who want to see how their sleds perform in a race.Four-wheeler and vintage sleds also compete on the trail rider track."We take racing very seriously," said Ron Bray, the race director from Anoka, Minn. "We take safety very seriously. Every sled is checked prior to racing."Alcoholic beverages are not sold as part of the event, orange safety fence is put up as a barrier to protect spectators, and there is insurance for racers and spectators, he said. A professional timing system is used on both tracks.About 200 snowmobiles are expected to compete, reaching speeds of up to 171 miles per hour. NSSR members come from Ohio, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin,About 200 to 300 spectators are projected to attend at a cost of $5 each to help pay for the cost of plowing the track and a parking area.A crew will clean up the race area the night after the race."We leave it cleaner than when we came," Bray said.Powers can be reached at 715-235-9018 or pamela.
powers@ecpc.com....
Southwest rotary hopes to build observation tower in Menominee Park
Found: 4 Days 3 Hours 48 Minutes ago
The Northwestern - The Oshkosh Southwest Rotary hopes a proposal to build a 75-foot observation tower in Menominee Park will stand up....
Dog shooting lawsuit could be first of its kind of Milwaukee
Found: 4 Days 11 Hours 45 Minutes ago
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - The 2004 death of a 7-year-old Labrador/springer spaniel mix named Bubba that was shot by Milwaukee police appears to be the first such case to go to a federal civil rights trial in Milwaukee....
Dog shooting lawsuit could be first of its kind for Milwaukee
Found: 4 Days 15 Hours 46 Minutes ago
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - The 2004 death of a 7-year-old Labrador/springer spaniel mix named Bubba that was shot by Milwaukee police appears to be the first such case to go to a federal civil rights trial in Milwaukee....
David Horst column: Rationalizing aside, this really blows
Found: 6 Days 1 Hour 16 Minutes ago
The Post-Crescent - I come before you today seeking forgiveness. My environmental credentials have been placed in jeopardy by a device not much larger than a baseball bat....
POLICE REPORTS 11.29
Found: 6 Days 5 Hours 9 Minutes ago
The Journal Times - CITY OF RACINE Cash stolen from car A Racine woman called police Wednesday morning after her son discovered that $900 was stolen from her vehicle....
Business hosts touring art exhibit
Found: 6 Days 12 Hours 10 Minutes ago
Daily Citizen - About 70 percent of the original works of art created by Wisconsin inmates, recently shown in the "Other Side of the Fence" exhibit at the Seippel Homestead and Center for the Arts, are now on display in the office of French Realty, 111 E. Burnett St., Beaver Dam. Realtors Brian French, a current member of the Beaver Dam Area Arts Association board of directors, and Sabine French, a BDAAA volunteer, have opened their space ... ...
Hunters in Brown County find third set of human remains
Found: 6 Days 17 Hours 10 Minutes ago
Wausau Daily Herald - MORRISON (AP) Hunters in Brown County stumbled upon a human skull, part of the third set of human remains found so far this hunting season....
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