APRIL 8, 2015
THE SUN
11
www.osceolasun.com
Traffic crashes killed 36 people in March Series discusses monarchs Deadliest month of March on Wisconsin roads in the last eight years A total of 36 people died in traffic crashes in Wisconsin last month. It was the deadliest March on Wisconsin roads since 2007, when 58 fatalities occurred, according to
preliminary statistics from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). Traffic deaths last month were four more than March of 2014 and six more than the fiveyear average for March. As of March 31, a total of 98 people have died in Wisconsin traffic crashes during 2015 including eight pedestrians, two bicyclists and one motorcycle operator. Traffic deaths through the end
of March were 13 more than during the same period in 2014 and five more than the five-year average. With the start of the road construction season, WisDOT is urging drivers to be extremely cautious in work zones. “Workers and equipment must operate within a few feet of traffic in work zones. Although workers are exposed SEE CRASHES, PAGE 13
BENNETT: The case of the ever-growing catch FROM PAGE 10
mer!” Then he grabbed a football and ran outside to play before I could get in a word! So you tell me: is this a disease or just something that comes with fishing? His 21-inch pike caught last winter is now 25 inches long! I talk reg-
ularly to a lot of people about fishing and I always believe everything they say, just as certainly as I know they believe me. With the addition of cell phones with high quality cameras this so called anglers’ disease might be on the way out. Then a buddy told me he knew a cure . . . Brady
should take up golfing instead of fishing, but another friend told me golfers are the biggest liars! Jim Bennett is an outdoorsman who lives and works in the St. Croix River Valley who can be reached at jamesbennett24@gmail.com.
MILBERG: Will stand trial, pleads not guilty FROM PAGE 1
Vue driven by Milberg sustained severe damage and a 2011 International straight truck sustained moderate damage in the crash. Ducklow was asked about the autopsy results and cause of death for Lydia Milberg, 11; Clara Pavek, 5 and Laynie Jo Amos, 5. All died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash. Investigator Tom Bauer testified about interviews with Neil Sagan and Myrna Rain, who were traveling approximately eight car lengths behind Milberg’s vehicle at a speed of 57-60 mph. Sagan and Rain both told investigators that Milberg’s vehicle drifted on to the right shoulder of the road then appeared to do a u-turn directly into the path of the International truck. No brake lights were observed. Rain placed the 911 call about the accident at 3:41 p.m. On cross examination, Bauer was asked if Rain’s phone or phone records were examined. They were not. Milberg’s attorney Aaron Nelson frequently brought up the topic of time in the hearing, citing its importance in the case. He asked several witnesses how the dispatch center’s time was synchronized and how that would compare to cell phone carriers and Facebook. Pierce County Sheriff’s Deputy Aaron Hansen gave testimony about the recovery of Milberg’s iPhone in April 2014 and the methods used to recover data from the phone and cell phone records. Facebook Messenger chat messages were recovered with time stamps from 3:05 – 3:39 p.m. Hansen testified that they concluded that the messages were between adults because a profanity was used and the topic of the chat was setting up a meeting for lunch. The time of the last message was 3:39:05 p.m., shortly before the 911 call was placed at 3:41 p.m. On cross examination, Anderson was asked if Lydia Milberg’s phone was examined for the Facebook and Messenger apps and if Lydia knew how to operate the apps. Anderson did not know if Lydia had them and knew how to operate them. Nelson asked about the messages between Milberg and Jason McKenzie. At 3:38:26 p.m., McKenzie messages:”Takes a lot to get me nervous.” At
3:39:04 p.m., Milberg replies: “I am 2! Kind of bad!” McKenzie replies at 3:39:07 p.m. : “I’m not nervous.” Anderson was asked if McKenzie’s phone had been examined. It had not. Nelson asked if the iPhone 4 that Milberg owned was capable of having Siri type messages in the Facebook Messenger app using voice recognition. Anderson did not know. Anderson testified that he tried to open the Facebook app on Milberg’s phone after the data had been recovered. When the app opened, an active Facebook Messenger window opened briefly with unrecognizable text and then vanished. Nelson asked if it was recorded, and Anderson replied that it was not. Attorney Nelson asked about cell phone reception in the area where the accident occurred. Anderson testified that the reception in the dip where the crash occurred is bad, and it is better on the hills before and after the spot where the crash happened. Anderson did a check of the reception the day after the accident occurred and testified that there was better reception within 100 yards of the crash. Investigator Ducklow was recalled to the stand to answer questions about the accident reconstruction done by the Wisconsin State Patrol. Nelson asked questions about the tire tread on the Saturn, which the report said was within the legal limits but was too low to be safely driven on any surface other than dry roads. He also asked Ducklow if Milberg’s overcorrection after going on the shoulder of the road may have caused the accident. Ducklow agreed. Questions were asked about when and where the blood sample of Milberg’s blood was drawn. Ducklow testified that the blood was drawn at Regions Hospital and he did not know when it was drawn. The sample did not contain alcohol, but did contain oxycodone and midazolam. Milberg had a prescription for oxycodone and the levels in her blood were within therapeutic levels. The levels of midazolam, a sedative used in minor surgery, were also within therapeutic levels. Ducklow did agree that the drugs did not contribute to the crash. Judge Boles ruled that enough evidence was presented to bind Milberg over for trial and that she could remain out on a signature bond that was posted earlier.
The 2015 Riverway Speaker Series a collaboration of the National Park Service and St. Croix River Association, concludes on Sat. April 11 at 10 a.m. with a program on monarch butterflies, “Dwindling Numbers for an Iconic Insect: Challenges and Hope for Monarch Butterflies.” University of Minnesota professor Dr. Karen Oberhauser will speak about the biology of migratory monarch popula-
tions and the work of citizens and scientists in documenting monarch numbers at all stages of their migratory cycle. Monarchs are negatively impacted by many human activities, and their populations have been declining over the last 20 years. Dr. Oberhauser will discuss threats to monarchs and potential responses to those threats, focusing on SEE MONARCHS, PAGE 13
J&S: Digging into an economic revival FROM PAGE 1
residential and commercial projects. “This is the first building expansion in Osceola since the recession,” says Erickson. “And excavating leads the construction industry, it’s an indicator of development.” J&S owners Dan Thiel and Steve Mueller echo that sentiment. “If ground is broke, that’s only the start,” says Mueller. “Concrete comes next and then the framework.” Electricians, suppliers, engineers, plumbers, drywall installers, roofers, the lumberyard, hardware stores — all will likely see an uptick in business to come. “Once you get into new building construction, there are so many trades involved that a lot of people benefit from it,” says Thiel. J&S got its start as a landscaping outfit in 1998 with little but a skid steer, a dump truck and solid dose of determination. The partners have since added concrete work and excavation to their repertoire, and now draw business from a 40-mile radius of Osceola. The company, which was recognized last year by Equipment World magazine and Caterpil-
lar, Inc. as one of the top 12 contracting companies North America, will do its own excavating for the construction project. Mueller and Theil have been hoping to build an addition to the business for years, but the recession made them — and Erickson at the bank — cautious. “We were going to do an expansion in years past, but didn’t due to the slowing economy,” says Mueller. “Now that we’re feeling a growth in the economy we’ve decided to take the next step and grow to house the additional equipment.” J&S purchased about $500,000 in new equipment last year and has hired five new employees in the last year and a half. The Village of Osceola is seeing similar signs of growth. Last year, it issued two building permits, both in December. This year there are already three permits pending, says Village Administrator Joel West. Beckmann and West also see the J&S expansion as a sign of growth in the village and the general economy. “This is a key building project for the village,” says Osceola Village President Gary Beckmann. “Particularly at this stage in construc-
tion, when the excavator is adding on, that’s a good sign as to what’s coming. ... Growth means growth in tax base. … The expansion of the tax base helps everyone, all residents. That’s why this is important to every resident of Osceola.” “This is a piece of the larger picture both regionally and statewide,” says West, “the return of the economy.” “We’re proud to have J&S as one of the businesses of Osceola,” said Beckmann, “and very happy they’ve chosen to reinvest in their business here.” Mueller says he and Thiel chose to open in Osceola because of the village’s utility resources and the ability to keep their business near downtown. He’s also been pleased with the village’s openness to growth, noting that West was key in moving the project forward on the administrative end. “The village is proactive and wants economic development, with an administrator that wants to jump in and help,” said Erickson. “That’s not always the case. … [J&S] is a really cool story of starting from nothing. That doesn’t happen without the cooperation of a lot of people.”
RECORDS: Montana man killed in car crash FROM PAGE 9
T. Collins, age 30, from Glendive, MT, was eastbound on CTH E. The d river of t he Jetta failed to stop at the stop sign on CTH E at STH 65 and was hit by the Ford truck. The car rolled into a field on the southeast corner of the intersection and came to rest there. The truck entered the same field where it came to rest.
Collins was pronounced dead at the scene by the St. Croix County Medical Examiner. He was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Clay and his passenger, Richard J. Clay age 67 from River Falls, WI, were evaluated at the scene by EMS personnel and were not transported to the hospital. Clay and Johnson were wear-
ing seatbelts at the time of the crash. Assisting at the scene were Roberts Fire & Rescue, and New Richmond EMS. This is the fifth fatality of 2015. The crash remains under investigation by the St. Croix County Sheriffs Office and Medical Examiner’s Office.
BIG READ: Events planned in St. Croix Falls FROM PAGE 8
and, yes, the love, that we can find when residents of a community gather to talk. I can’t wait to bring this show to our St. Croix Valley audiences.” Following the premier at Festival Theater on April 17, the show will travel to the Scandia Community Center in Scandia, Minn. on Sat., April 18 at 7:30 p.m.; the Great River Road Learning and Visitors Center in Prescott, Wis. on
Sun., April 19 at 2 p.m.; the Bayport Public Library in Bayport, Minn. on Fri., April 24 at 7 p.m.; the Friday Memorial Library in New Richmond, Wis. on Sat., April 25 at 1 p.m.; and The Northern Lakes Center for the Arts in Amery, Wis. on Sat., April 25 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for “Jack’s Back Door Café” have a suggested free will donation and can be reserved at FestivalTheatre.org, by emailing festivaltheatreboxoffice@ gmail.com or calling (715) 483-3387.