ART SCENE
UW-W: Scholarship recognizes alumnus Larimer I page 3
Area potters offering their best on Earth, Wood & Fire Tour page 17
SENIOR: Help provided for memory problems I page 9 ROTARY: Pupanek shares Navy Reserve service I page 16
www.dailyunion.com
WEEKEND EDITION October 26-28, 2012
Locally owned since 1870 Fort Atkinson, Wis.
Vol. 142 No. 157
75 Cents
Sentencing in February
Fort man guilty in condo blaze
Up the street . . . and back
By Karyn Spory
ON THE NET It recently was brought to our attention that a local connection was made during the 2012 WIAA State Individual Tennis Meet. In a Division 2 match involving Whitewater High School's Michala Schramm on Oct. 11, her first-round opponent was Lianna Hawi of Lourdes Academy in Oshkosh. Well, it just so happens that Hawi is the daughter of Sharon Last Hawi, a 1984 graduate of Fort Atkinson High School, and the granddaughter of Ray and Marge Last, former owners of the Skate Capitol, which later became the Capitol Banquet Hall. Hawi went on to defeat Schramm, 6-0 and 63, before losing to Jenna Zimmerman of Racine St. Catherine's in the second round. WHERE'S THE JELLY? Any Elvis Presley fan worth his or her salt knows that The King's favorite sandwich was peanut butter and bananas, sometimes with bacon added. Ernest Hemingway was a fan of peanut butter with thick slices of onion. Word has it that today, a popular trend is peanut butter and pickles. Sweet gherkins, kosher dills ... apparently both are tasty. Apparently it dates back to lunch counters during the Great Depression and in extension-service cookbooks in the 1930s and 1940s in recipes that called for a few spoonfuls of pickle relish. Today, PB&P sandwiches are a cult item that even fictional private investigator Kinsey Millhone, of Sue Grafton's alphabet mysteries, loves. We're told that there's a low-level buzz on the Internet of marrying peanut butter and bread with mayonnaise, olives, horseradish, bacon, Marmite (in England) and Vegemite (in Australia). Say, whatever happened to jelly? HAUNTING HOLIDAY Halloween takes place next Wednesday, although many area communities are celebrating this weekend. Did you know that it actually started as a holiday called Samhain, meaning "end of summer'?" In ancient Celtic Ireland, Oct. 31st marked the official end of that season. Potatoes and turnips were the original Jack-o-Lanterns, as Irish children would carve and light them to use during the gatherings on Halloween. TRICK-OR-TREAT! Trick-or-treating traces its roots back to Europe. The custom known as "souling" dates back to the 9th century. On All Soul's Day, which is Nov. 2, the poor would walk through the villages and go door to door begging for food. They would be given "soul cakes," a type of pastry made from bread and currants. They would promise to pray for dead relatives in return for receiving the "soul cakes." Today, trick-ortreaters prefer candy!
lic Library both were dismissed and read into the record. "If that's considered by me, you JEFFERSON — A Fort Atkin- would not be subject to the prosson man has pleaded guilty/no- ecution in the future, but I would contest to purposely setting a consider that conduct in making May fire that heavily damaged a sentencing decision on these his father's downtown condo- cases," Koschnick said of the disminium. missed charges. Alex T. Erdman, 22, entered (Continued on page 5) the plea in Jefferson County Circuit Court Thursday to felony charges of arson and operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent and misdemeanor charges of criminal trespassing and bailjumping. The charges relate to a May 26 blaze at Riverview Condominiums in Fort Atkinson. Erdman reportedly had been angry with his father because he would not WATERLOO — A fire that degive him gas money to drive to stroyed a Town of Waterloo home Racine. Monday has been labeled as in"I have been in communication cendiary or arson by the state with (Assistant District Attorney Department of Justice Division of Jeff) Schock and we do have some Criminal Investigation-State agreements," defense attorney Fire Marshal's Office. Jessa Nicholson told Jefferson The Jefferson County Sheriff's County Circuit Court Judge Office and State Fire Marshal's Randy Koschnick Thursday. "The Office are seeking assistance defense and prosecution are free from anyone with information to argue both cases, but we have about the blaze at W7496 agreed ... Mr. Erdman will enter Manske Road. a plea of count one arson." The fire was deemed suspiThe judge reviewed three doc- cious by authorities when a uments with Erdman, including neighbor reported seeing a vehithe case-settlement form. cle and a male subject in the "You intend to plead either driveway of the residence apguilty or no-contest to the fol- proximately 15 minutes prior to lowing charges: count one, crim- an explosion that apparently iginal trespass to a dwelling, which nited the fire. Jefferson County Sheriff's Ofis a misdemeanor; count one, arfice Chief Deputy Jeff Parker son of a building, that's a felony; said the actual cause of the fire count four, operating a motor veremains under investigation. hicle without consent as a reHe could not reveal details bepeater, which is another felony; count five, bailjumping as a re- cause investigators use them to peater which is a misdemeanor," determine the legitimacy or accuracy of information that might Koschnick said. An earlier charge of felony come in. Meanwhile, he said investigareckless endangerment and an uncharged referral of theft on tors are continuing to collect ev(Continued on page 5) May 30 from the Watertown PubUnion staff writer
Waterloo residence fire arson
BRANCHING OUT — How's this for atmospheric during this Halloween season? A barren tree with the moon caught in its branches, by the light of a fading sunset. This photo was taken along County Highway D, north of Helenville, this week. — Daily Union photo by Pam Chickering Wilson.
Economic growth rate 2 percent WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy grew at a slightly faster 2 percent annual rate from July through September, buoyed by more spending by consumers and the federal government. Growth accelerated from the 1.3 percent rate in the April-June quarter, the Commerce Department said Friday. Even with the increase, growth remains too weak to rapidly boost hiring. The report is the last snapshot of the economy before Americans choose a president in 11 days. Republican nominee Mitt Romney has criticized President Barack Obama's handling of the economy and has noted that the pace of growth has slowed from last year. The 1.74 percent annual growth rate for the first nine months of 2012 remains slightly behind last year's 1.8 percent growth. Still, the pickup in growth could lend weight to Obama's message that the economy is improving. "Growth came in a little higher than we had feared, largely because of the big jump in federal spending," said Paul Ashworth, chief U.S. economist at Capital Economics. "But the economy is still not growing rapidly enough to create sufficient jobs to reduce the unemployment rate." The economy grew faster last quarter in part because consumer spending rose at a 2 per(Continued on page 10)
Van Hollen seeks stay in union suit MADISON (AP) — Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen has asked the state appeals court to put on hold a judge's ruling repealing major parts of Gov. Scott Walker's law effectively ending collective bargaining for most public workers. Van Hollen's request made Thursday comes after Dane County Circuit Judge Juan Colas on Monday refused to issue a stay to his September ruling. Colas says Van Hollen and the state "failed to show that they will suffer irreparable harm if the stay is not (Continued on page 5)
Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation salutes Vorpahl's 20-year service By Ryan Whisner
most $6 million has been applied toward research. Despite its international influA Fort Atkinson couple who ence, this organization is not lost a child to Niemann-Pick Disbased in Los Angeles, New York ease Type C are among the corCity or even Chicago. The founnerstones of the National Niedation is located in Fort Atkinmann-Pick Disease Foundation son, Wis. as it celebrates its 20th anniver"After 20 years, the spirit and sary. essence of the NNPDF continues Niemann-Pick Disease is a to be the same: parents not willrare, genetic, terminal illness. A ing to just sit back and watch lysosomal storage disease, it their children die," NNPDF Excauses the accumulation of fats ecutive Committee Vice Chairin the cells of the liver, spleen and person Barb Vorpahl said. "They brain. When cell function is are empowered by a common Barb Vorpahl blocked, physical and neurologibond, determined to make a difcal deterioration occurs, includ- Pick Disease Foundation was es- ference so their children's suffering the loss of the ability to walk, tablished in 1992 to raise money ing would not be in vain." for family support services and speak and swallow. The Vorpahls' youngest daughSpearheaded by Barb and research. Since then, the foun- ter, Stacey, died eight years ago Gary Vorpahl and six other af- dation's membership has grown at the age of 19 after a coura(Continued on page 7) fected families, the Niemann- to more than 450 families, and alUnion regional editor
Fort council advances $8.12 million budget $315,100 and debt service of $672,079 added in, total expenditures for the City of Fort AtkinThe Fort Atkinson City Coun- son for 2013 amount to an esticil gave preliminary approval to mated $9,113,436, representing the 2013 budget of $8,126,257 an increase of less than 1 percent Thursday during the final night from 2012. of budget workshops. The overall tax levy is expectThe proposed budget repre- ed to increase by 1.38 percent, tosents an increase of 0.47 percent taling $6,659,039.55. The profrom 2012. posed tax rate of $7.38 per $1,000 City residents will have an op- assessed valuation is an increase portunity to comment on the of 1.17 percent or about nine budget during a public hearing at cents per $1,000 from 2012. Fort Atkinson City Manager the council's Tuesday, Nov. 20, meeting. John Wilmet said that about With capital outlay expenses of eight of the nine cents was for the By Ryan Whisner Union regional editor
debt service increase from borrowing for the Fort Atkinson Fire Department's new aerial ladder truck and the renovations to the Dwight Foster Public Library. He noted that operating expenses increased $45,843, or less than half of 1 percent. Expenditure increases were kept to a minimum due to union employees paying into healthcare and retirement benefits. Wilmet pointed out that the 2013 budget reflects the full impact of Wisconsin Acts 10 and 32, with all full-time employees, excluding police, paying half the
DEAL OF A LIFETIME! Oct. t hrs:ccruNg h 31st
11 160340 11 01 0 94922
•FREE Lifetime • $3,500 Oil Changes Minimum Trad •FREE Lifetime Car • Lifetime Engine Washes Warranty
#1
www.kearnsmotorcancom
Used Car Dealership in Jefferson County
cost of retirement and 12 percent of health premiums. Combined with five unfilled positions, this allowed room for an overall 2-percent wage increase within the levy limit. By law, the city must limit the levy hike to the percentage of new construction in a given year. Generally, Wilmet said, the 2013 budget is pretty much the same as 2012. As part of its review Thursday, the council addressed a total of $65,918 in anticipated overdrawn accounts relating to the (Continued on page 5)
1219 S. Main St. Jefferson Sales & Service (920) 674-6777