BCS 9.14.16

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BURNETT COUNTY

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2016 VOL. 54 NO. 53 www.burnettcountysentinel.com $1.00

NEW CASINO: Ground broken for Hertel gaming expansion. P2

Crime spree lands Danbury man in prison BY TODD BECKMANN SENTINEL

SIREN—Law enforcement officials and residents alike can take a collective sigh of relief after a serial burglar was sentenced to prison last week in Burnett County Circuit Court. Eugene D. Songetay, or “Duckie,” as he was known to acquaintances, 43, Danbury, was sentenced to 16 years behind bars and 13 years extended supervision for a crime spree which began in July 2011 and last more than four years. “He was like a mastermind of burglaries,” Sheriff Ron Wilhelm said in the wake of the sentencing. “I can’t tell you all the stuff he stole. The guy would steal anything — he’d

even steal from the dump.” There’s no way to put a price tag on everything he stole, but the court tried when, as part of the verdict against him, Judge Ken Kutz assessed restitution against Songetay in the amount of $66,000. “We connected him to 36 burglaries,” Julie Mead, the lead Burnett County Sheriff Department detective on the Songetay case. “He would elaborately conceal his stolen items.” The sheriff said he was amazed at what his department collected when they started executing search warrants. “We actually had to rent a semi trailer to house all the stolen goods we recovered SEE PRISON, PAGE 7

Another continuance in Blake case BY TODD BECKMANN SENTINEL

SIREN—It was scheduled as a final pre-trial for Michelle Blake, a final court appearance by the prosecutor and the defense to get all their motions heard and tie up other loose ends before the case heads to trial. However, word around the courthouse Monday morning was that she was set to enter a plea and avoid a trial. Blake is the former secretary/bookkeeper for St. John the Baptist Church and Sacred Hearts Church in Webster and A&H from

Oct. 2010 to Sept. 2013, and. She allegedly had written 47 checks to herself from the St. John the Baptist’s checking account totaling $42,959.61 and 30 checks from the Sacred Heart’s checking account totaling $34,904.22. Court records also indicate unauthorized withdrawals from the church checking accounts plus unauthorized charges against church credit cards totaled $128,000. But, defense attorney Scott Schlough ad-

STEVE BRIGGS | SENTINEL

Spoiling his dinner Xavier Hane enjoys some cotton candy during Saturday’s Trade River Evangelical Free Church’s fall festival. More pictures on Page 14.

SEE CONTINUANCE, PAGE 6

Moving day BY TODD BECKMANN SENTINEL

ROY WARD

The completed house built by Tigers’ construction class makes its way down Old 35 on its way to its new home on Dunham Lake.

NEWS 715-463-2341 todd@burnettcountysentinel.com

WEBSTER—Thursday was moving day for the house built by the students in the Webster High School’s Tiger Construction class. What started as a dream for Tech Ed Teacher Roy Ward was fully realized when the completed house was moved from school property. Bids were opened in July and the house was sold to Leah and Brad Bulver of Prior Lake, Minn. during a summer school board meeting. The origi-

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nal move date was pushed back due to excessive rain, but the move was rescheduled to Thursday — to some property the Bulvers own adjacent to Dunham Lake. As can be expected, Ward was experiencing a range of emotions on Thursday. “My heart raced as I watched it pull off school property and head down the road,” he began. “That was quickly followed by an empty feeling of loss for SEE HOUSE, PAGE 6

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