Portage Daily Register from Portage, Wisconsin • 3

rrrrrrrrrr jrjisrr riT'iir 11 iiSa tvv TW rrrtrgTgTT: fMWwJ fWVJ-yf1 CWN In Portage Daict Register Friday March 9 2001 3A REGION Police officer steps down after sexual assault charges three counts of misdemeanor sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old girl between November 1999 and April 2000 The charges were filed after an eight-month investigation by Special Agent Amy Blackwood of the state Division of Criminal Investigations Because of his resignation Jorgensen who has been on administrative leave pending the investigation will not have to repay that salary He also retains his Wisconsin police investigation James Korom also did not return a call Thursday Jorgensen is scheduled to make his initial appearance before Court Commissioner Leo Grill on March 14 He will be formally told the charges and possible penalties at that time and will also have a cash or signature bond set If Jorgensen is convicted of one or more of the misdemeanor charges each count carries a maximum penalty of nine months in the county jail and a $10000 fine comment on his resignation or the hiring of another officer Former Baraboo Police Chief Thomas Lobe who retired last month declined to comment on the situation since he no longer represents the department Calls to special prosecutor Donald Latorraca and attorney Steve Hurley were not returned Thursday The News Republic was unable to contact Jorgensen The police attorney during the internal reviewing names Thursday and today on an eligibility list for potential employee candidates Kluge said The department will conduct background investigations and report on its progress to the Baraboo Police and Fire Commission at its April meeting Kluge is not worried about hiring another officer saying the department has the most stringent hiring practices in the area PFC President Mary Deppe said because she heard any facts in the case against Jorgensen she closes any further internal investigation into Officer said a Baraboo Police Department news release The release went on to state the department will be reviewing all available information to determine whether there are grounds for further investigation of any other employees of the department Kluge would not comment on whether the charges have hurt the department or its ability to replace Jorgensen The department would be JUDY JUENGER CWN NEWS SERVICE BARABOO A city police officer charged with having sexual intercourse with an underage girl once while on duty has resigned from the department According to Baraboo Police Chief Dennis Kluge Patrolman Eric Jorgensen 29 of rural Baraboo submitted his voluntary letter of resignation Thursday No information about the content of that letter was released Jorgensen is charged with Charge dismissed in Necedah death WHAT'S GOING ON BOB KUEBENSTEIN CWN NEWS SERVICE MAUSTON The pending case against John Gross Jr has been following a Wednesday motion hearing before Juneau County Circuit Court Judge John Brady Gross was charged in November of last year with first degree reckless homicide in the death of 3-year-old Lucas Zietlow But at the Wednesday hearing Brady dismissed the case after evidence showed the mother Amy peijured herself during a hearing According to original testimony at Dec 20 2000 hearing she said she saw Gross hit the boy in the stomach Nov 21 2000 at a rural Necedah residence That alleged blow caused internal injuries Those injuries lead to the death Nov 26 at University of Wisconsin at Madison Hospital frustrated with what happened "Oleson said we would rather have this happen at this stage than before we were ready to go to trial are by no means done with this case We will do everything in our power to ensure whom ever responsible is Oleson would not comment if Amy Zietlow is being considered a suspect in her death is considered a suspect at this Oleson said Oleson will meet with Juneau County District Attorney Dennis Schuh to review the case am disappointed with what happened that led to this Schuh said Gross will remain in custody in Monroe County He still faces a probation hold in Monroe County for charges stemming from alleged criminal activity in Monroe County The evidence that Zietlow committed perjury was presented by attorney Dan Berkos who added law enforcement officials investigating the case were too focused on one suspect client is pleased witli the Berkos said think law enforcement was too fixated in one direction (during the According to the information contained in the complaint following the dismissal on Wednesday Juneau County Assistant District Attorney John Roemer said Zietlow admitted to lying but did so because knew she did not cause harm to the complaint reads Juneau County Sheriff Brent Oleson said it is important Brady dismissed the case without prejudice That means the state can re-file on other charges and will Oleson added The state has 72 hours to refile according to the complaint I levemsys roller coaster ends with plant closin people willing to share their stories and experiences pertaining to their time in the service or on the homefront If you have information please contact Portage High School at 742-8545 as soon as possible Portage Rod and Gun Club will hold a St Day party with Corned Beef and Cabbage being served from 5 pm to 7 pm and live music with Caddy and Co from 7 pm to 11 pm Watermelon Squares will be dancing from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm at the Marcellon School Caller is Tom Nickel All area dancers welcome Zona Gale Center will host the group Anam (Spirit of the King) for a 7:30 pm performance Tickets are $9 and are assigned seating They can be purchased from the Zona Gale Center office Monday through Friday from 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm and at the door the night of the performance Seating is limited and handicapped accessible Sunday March 11 i 4 Adult Open Gym will be held in the Portage Junior High Gym from 1 pm to 4 pm Card Party will be held at St Parish Hall at 7 pm The hall is located on the corner of Highway 22 and CM Euchre will be played and a lunch will be served The public is welcome National Girl Scout Week is March 11 through 17 To become a mentor or an adult volunteer for the Black Hawk Council of Girl Scouts please call 1-800-236-2710 or 1-800-276-9160 Organ Recital presented by Dr I John Behnke Professor of Music at Concordia University in Milwaukee will be held at 3 pm at St Lutheran Church 850 Armstrong St in Portage The community is invited to attend A free will offering will be taken Monday March 12 American Legion Post 47 will hold a Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner at 6 pm at the VFW Post 1707 Meeting after clean up Baraboo Blood Drive will be held from 11:30 am to 5:30 pm at the Armory Columbia County Immunization Clinic will be held from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm in the John Roche Building 711 Cook St in Portage Marquette County Historical Society will meet at 7 pm at the home of Vaughn and Esther Brancel W8046 State Road 23 near Briggsville Larry Whitefeather of Portage will be speaking on Indian Culture The public is invited to attend Please submit items at least a week in advance of the event or its registration deadline Notices may run more as space permits Public service announcements must be submitted in writing Please include name and phone number Friday March 9 A1 Ringling Theatre presents Madison-based Celtic band StoneRing in concert at 8 pm for an evening of traditional Irish and Scottish music Also appearing is Dave Considine a tenor from Baraboo as well as the Spring Green Dancers Tickets $8 for youth and $12 for adult Aleutian Island Military Veterans reunite in Green Bay April 18-20 For information and registration kindly send self-addressed stamped envelope to Al King PO Box 130327 Sunrise Fla 33313 no later than March 19 2001 Civic League of Portage will hold its monthly luncheon on March l4 at the Bfankenhaus Reservations by March 12 by calling Sandy Blankenheim at 742-2978 or Kathy Crawford at 742-5262 Knights of Columbus will be holding a Fish Fry at their clubhouse on Silver Lake Drive in Portage Social hour at 4 pm and dinner at 5 pm The public is invited Saturday March 10 Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner will be held from 4 pm to 7 pm at the Oxford VFW one mile west of Oxford off County I at N3250 First Drive Adults $7 children under 12 $4 Sponsored by Neenah Valley Memorial 6003 Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and Auxiliary Dart Tournament will be held with signup at noon and a 1 pm start time Sponsored by the Briggsville American Legion $20 team entry fee 100 percent payback 501 and Cricket 2 person teams race to 3 double elimination For more info call Mooch at 608-296-2554 or Gary 920-836-3695 Dinner Theatre production of Letters" at the Blankenhaus in Portage will take place on March 10 and 17 Tickets are available at Phoenix Rising at 104 Cook Portage A $25 ticket includes dinner and show Call 742-1897 for more informs tion Portae High School is offering the class and Local this quarter The goal of this class is to publish a booklet about local involvement in World War I World War II Korea and Vietnam Wars The best sources of such information would be local CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS Friday No weekly events scheduled Saturday A Community Free Meal is served the third Saturday of each month from 11:30 am to 1 pm at St John the Baptist Episcopal Church 207 Pleasant St Portage It is a meal for ecumenical fellowship and nourishment All in the Portage community are invited! A community spirited group both ecumenical and humanitarian is hosting the meal and hope you will join them Sunday Portage Post 1707 conducts Bingo every 1st and 3rd Sunday at 7 pm at the smoke-free hall on Collins Street behind the Portage Bowling Lanes BIRTHS March 7 A daughter to Mr and Mrs -Tad Abbott Oxford A son to Maranda Morquist and Keith Poulter Montello A son to Mr and Mrs Shane Schrank Westfield Commercial Residential DRYER VENT EXHAUST SYSTEMS FREE ESTIMATES 608-522-3300 FREEDOM Wl 53951 people according to Amy Lock vice president of mar- keting and communications at Invensys The plant will close sometime in September Lock said Invensys will keep sales and service staff of 115 at the Best Power plant according to Lock will continue to maintain a significant service and sales presence in according to a corporate press release Lock said the decision was based on a decline in the telecommunications industry and that Invensys is involved in an initial public offering IPO to spin off to another company Lock said employees will be offered the same severance package that was offered last April Lock said Museum holds Circus posters were an important part of influencing people to buy a ticket to a circus Artists should be creative and use any material they would like except computer-generated images A winner in each group will be chosen by a panel of judges based on creativity and content Each winner will receive a prize package including free admission to Circus World Museum for his or her class this spring Students wanting to participate should send their draw BOB KUEBENSTEIN CWN NEWS SERVICE NECEDAH The roller coaster ride of emotions for Invensys Systems employees took a downward slide Wednesday morning Employees learned that Invensys Power Systems was closing its Best Power manufacturing division That decision came in early April 2000 In June Best employees received a reprieve when Invensys announced due to production changes the plant would remain open and add a production line But Wednesday morning Best Power employees were told manufacturing operations at Necedah are being transferred to Invensys sites in Raleigh NC and Tiajuana Mexico The decision will affect 215 Circus World BARABOO Circus World Museum is expanding its annual contest for school kids This year the museum is looking for entries from Wisconsin students in grades Kindergarten through fifth while previously the contest was only available to students in fourth grade Grades Kindergarten through second are asked to draw their favorite circus act These can include trapeze jugglers clowns animal acts and more Grades three through five are asked to create a circus poster to advertise the circus coming to their town restructuring will also occur at Invensys sites in Germany and the United Kingdom According to a press release from Invensys possible affected employees are being considered for open positions at other company Best Power management were unable to comment for this story due to a corporate directive from Invensys to direct all statements through its corporate office This is the latest economic blow to Juneau County Earlier this year Brenner Tank Mauston announced it was moving its manufacturing operations to Fond du Lac Shortly after that decision Rayovac in Wonewoc announced it was closing its plant school contest ing along with their name and grade name address and phone number and name to School Contest Circus World Museum 550 Water St Baraboo Wis 53913 The contest deadline is march 30 2001 Entries should be no larger than 11 17 inch piece of paper with only one per student All entries will become property of Circus World Museum For more information call 608-356-8341 1 lcir742-2Tii Send community news and calendar listings to: DAILY REGISTER 309 DeWitt St PO Box 470 Portage Wis 53901 Attention: newsclerk BADGER BASEMENT SYSTEMS INC Basement Environment Specialists Waterproofing Wall Straightening Foundation Stabilizing PRODUCTION EMPLOYMENT KlUsMit Fann a a DMslai al fSom TjSSiWShSSmttXm mm SooShoTl SnSSSffto 51245hour and a full benefits package Candidates unable to attend on March 10 can complete an application Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm AAn 1 For More Information Call 1 -800-558-8440 Wiltshire Farm Division of Sara Laa corporation-- ffsJ-800-262-1880 I laMUMlBMvCoitNl fact 4t 'HUcTUttfe wmt or-st 1.