A Madison police officer was called into assistance Wednesday, March 23, after Nichole Lewis allegedly mugged a woman walking on the 1100 block of Regent Street, near McDonald's. The victim allegedly responded to the attempt by fighting back while a bystander notified police, according to the police report. Police promptly escorted Lewis to the Dane County Jail.
Police involved in the St. Raphael Cathedral case had their initial suspicions of arson confirmed early Tuesday morning after a man admitted to the crime. William \Billy"" Connell, 41, of Lodi, Wis., was charged with arson, burglary and bail-jumping after police apprehended him at the east side Woodman's, 3817 Milwaukee St.
Officer Mindy Winter, who searched Connell at the scene, found hot chocolate packets from a church package, according to the complaint. This corroborates Connell's alleged confession that he stole wine and various other objects from the church. Connell will undergo a competency examination to ascertain whether he understands the charges facing him.
A male, described as black and approximately age 30, robbed the Open Pantry Food Mart, 1401 Regent St., Monday, March 21. According to the police report, the suspect implied he possessed a weapon and proceeded to demand cash. After taking an undisclosed amount, he fled in a gray sedan according to the report.
Restrictions on certain types of mopeds would be eased through legislation debated by the state Assembly Committee on Transportation Thursday at the Capitol.
Current state law says all ""bicycle-type"" vehicles that have an internal engine are mopeds, whereas a bicycle with a power unit that has been added to it is defined as a ""motor bicycle.""
But Rep. John Ainsworth, R-Shawano, who chairs the Committee on Transportation and authored the proposed legislation, testified Thursday that some vehicles are being misclassified under Wisconsin law. Ainsworth said while most mopeds generally can achieve speeds of up to 30 mph, any two- or three-wheeled vehicle that has fully operative pedals, an electric motor of less than 750 watts and does not travel more than 20 miles per hour should be classified as a motor bicycle.
""They are generally treated [by the Department of Transportation] similarly to motorcycles for purposes of traffic regulation and vehicle equipment requirements,"" Ainsworth said. ""They really are more closely comparable to the currently recognized motor bicycles.""
The different definitions of the law are important because, while mopeds must be registered with the DOT, motor bicycles are not forced to meet this requirement. Also, fines for breaking traffic laws are different depending on the vehicle classification.
DOT officials that gave testimony Thursday supported the bill, which now awaits action by the Committee on Transportation.
Steve Van Ess, UW-Madison director of the Office Student Financial Services, will retire on Sept. 1, ending a 30-year career with UW-Madison, according to a university press release.
""I'm really going to miss this place,"" Van Ess said in the release. ""But once you price things out and know that you can afford to retire, it all starts to sound pretty good.""
Van Ess, who has headed the office since 1994, and his wife Ann, an outreach specialist in the School of Business, will retire around the same time to pursue ""a lot of little plans,"" he said.
The university will form a search committee later this spring to find a replacement for Van Ess.
