BURNETT COUNTY
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2017 VOL. 55 NO. 56 www.burnettcountysentinel.com $1.00
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Help yourself not be a victim SEAN DEVLIN EDITOR@BURNETTCOUNTYSENTINEL.COM
BURNETT COUNTY—There is enough upsetting news coming at us from outside our county, let’s try and keep our community safe and happy. Recently, Burnett County home and business owners have seen a frenzy of burglaries disrupt our daily lives. Unfortunately, we are not immune to such crimes in our small, rural communities. As many have heard, the police are
investigating a series of break-ins at area taverns and there has been a spike in home break-ins, also. Officials are working toward answers, the owners are taking extra precautions, and many of us are just hoping this influx of crime begins to decline very soon. While we are all aware of this, many may not be thinking...It could have been me. Our quiet, northern towns are used to being unlocked and unafraid, we like to trust our neighbors. We should trust each other; however, facts are facts, and we all need to be cautious and not make
theft and other such crimes easy. We need to help ourselves not be victims. Or, at least, make it difficult to become one. Burnett County Officials are asking for county residents to lock up. Consider closing and locking the garage at night, the front door, and, when the engine is off, keep the keys with you. After all, making a call to the police about a stolen item, an item that wasn’t secure, there is not much for officials to do. There is no evidence of a break-in if a person walked in and walked out
without an obstacle. So, just keep in mind, as citizens, we can help make crimes more difficult to commit. Sheriff Ron Wilhelm is urging people to take precaution. Don’t ask for trouble. “Lock up your homes, garages and outbuilding. Remove the keys from your vehicles and other equipment in your yards. Be aware of your surroundings at all times.”
Long list of OWIs lands man in prison SEAN DEVLIN EDITOR@BURNETTCOUNTYSENTINEL.COM
KATHY JAVA
The cranes have an extensive migration period and take residence in Burnett County for quite some time. Many of them can even be spotted just off Highway 70 on the south side.
Spectacular crane migration draws visitors to Grantsburg JACKIE BUSSJAEGER FOREST LAKE LOWDOWN EDITOR
GRANTSBURG—Giant wings and rattling, primeval birdcalls fill the air each fall at Crex Meadows Wildlife Area in Grantsburg. The
migration of Sandhill Cranes—elegant birds that stand up to four feet tall—draws visitors to the area from across Minnesota, Wisconsin and beyond. “The cranes are the big attraction,” said Crex Meadows Wildlife
Educator Lauren Finch. “They have a really long migration season, and they’re here for quite a while. The reason people come here, why Crex is such a great place, is because we have a large
GOVERNMENT CENTER— On the night of Sept. 11, 2016, a Burnett County officer received a phone call. The caller, a local gas station employee, expressed concern that the driver of a blue Chevrolet Blazer may be intoxicated. Several minutes later, the official noticed the car driving slowly southbound on Highway 35, leading back into the Village of Webster. The driver was Bryon K. Nickence, 59, Webster. After making contact with Nickence, law enforcem ment discovered he was intoxicated a arrested him for his ninth OWI. and Nickence was in possession of a W Wisconsin I.D. card but not a driver’s l license. After being brought to the jail, N Nickence blew a .24. Because of previo offenses, his limit was legally .02 ous a opposed to the normal .08. Nickence Nickence as was charged with one count of operating while intoxicated (9), operating with prohibited alcohol concentration (PAC) (9), and operating a motor vehicle while revoked. Leading up to Oct. 6, 2017, the day of sentencing, Nickence was incarcerated in Burnett County Jail for 329 days. The charges of operating with prohibited PAC, and operating while revoked were read in and dismissed. For the OWI (9), Nickence will serve an eight-year prison sentence consisting of three years incarceration and five years extended supervision. A 329 day credit will be applied. Before handing down the sentence, Judge Harrington stated the maximum penalty for an OWI of this degree is a fine up to $25,000, and/or up to 10
SEE CRANES, PAGE 7
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