Leader-Telegram from Eau Claire, Wisconsin • 9

City Editor Doug MeH Regional Editor Gary Johnson 8334211 (300)23S-7077 o) w- Child molester ordered to make ii release public flwtl iiwM aiOf pCOpi3 vl blow when I Cherts puck) their children ccntficza cr pep to ncy hevo encther i ITaCuVOa James Babbitt, assistant district etSmey 3 (- Cb5 By Tim J. Sheehan Chippewa Falls News Bureau A 65-year-old former Rice Lake -man convicted of sexual assault must notify area residents of Ms conviction when released from prison, a Barron County Judge ordered Wednesday. Charles A. Busick will serve more than a year in prison for repeatedly sexually assaulting an 8-y ear-old girl in 1992. Judge Edward Brunner ordered Busick, when released, to notify his neighbors in a three-block radius he is a convicted sex offender.

Brunner has imposed the notification condition in previous cases of sexual assault In this case, Barron County Assistant District Attorney James Babbitt said the condition is part of a 20-year probation Brunner handed down. 7 The method will help meet an objective of sentencing protecting society. "Unfortunately, the notion we all grow up with that we are supposed to be wary of the friendly stranger because that is the person who is going to lure you into a car and molest you doesn't hold true," Babbitt said. Most sexual abuse cases involving adults and juveniles involve family members, trusted friends or even babysitters, Babbitt said. In Busick's case, Babbitt said, he was well known in the neighborhood and often invited children to his house by offering them candy, gum or soda pop.

Local news makes return toWQOW-TV ByRodStetzer Leader-Telegram staff Local news and sports are returning to WQOW-TV (Channel 18) this fall We're going to get back into the news business," said Chuck Roth, vice president of Shockley Communications the station's owner. Roth is general manager of WQOX and its sister station, WXOW-TV (Channel 19) in LaCrescent, across the Mississippi River from La Crosse. The sta- tf" Roth said Hon will hire 'WQOW, an 15 people for ABC affiliate, Its news oper- will add Eau ation, dou- Claire-based bllngthesta- newscasts at 6 don's work- and 10 o.m. force. New beginning equipment about Oct 1.

will also be There is purchased for room for two Its news oper- 1 television news ation. operations in' the Chippewa Valley, said Cheri Weinke, general manager for NBC affiliate WEAU-TV (Channel 13). "We always welcome competition," she said. Another competitor, Fox Broadcasting Co. affiliate WEUX-TV (Channel 48), has a local public affairs program, "IMPACT," and brief newscasts twice a night.

WQOW had Eau Claire-based newscasts from 1982 to March 22, 1990, when owner Tak Communications pulled the plug and laid off 30 employees. Tak Communications eventually went through bankruptcy. Shockley Communications bought WQOW and WKOW from Tak on Nov. 1. Roth said he presented plans for a revived Eau Claire-based newscast to Shockley officials three weeks ago.

"They are very committed to having a full-service news operation," Roth said. There are no plans for an addition to the station at 2881 S. Hastings Way, Roth said. But the station will have to be remodeled to accommodate a news operation. "I look at Eau Claire as being a fantastic community," Roth said.

"It's clearly an area that deserves two local stations." Hot on the trail Derek Schneider uses a twig to gently lift leaves of lupine plants near Eau Claire Wednesday morning while looking for Karner blue butterfly caterpillars. Schneider is studying the butterflies, which are an endangered species. Lupine plants are a good spot to search for the caterpillars, since they feed on the plant. Staff photo by Jeff Thompson "Now with neighbor notification, people will know when Charlie (Busick) offers their children candy, gum or pop he may have another motive," Babbitt said. "Parents will know to be careful not to let that happen," Babbitt said.

Busick was convicted on two of five counts of first-degree sexual assault following a jury trial late last year. In addition to the two-year prison sentence and the lengthy probation, Busick will serve the first year of probation on an electronic monitor. Brunner also ordered Busick noi to live in the same Barron County community as the victim and hef family. Busick can have no contact with juveniles, and only supervised contact with juvenile family members. Busick was given credit for ly 190 days already served in jail The credited jail time will reduce; the prison sentence to less than two years.

fluoridsd on debate irfaces res Bloomer dentist, chiropractor spar over benefits Bv Janean Marti a tremendous benefit," LeMay said. Claims that fluoridation causes immune system problems or low birth rates are false, LeMay said. Peterson says there are a lot of questions about the affects of fluoridation included in recent dental and medical studies. Opposition to water fluoridation is nothing new, including in the city of Bloomer. From 1950 through 1964, Bloomer fluoridated its' water supply, Mayor Randy Summerfield said.

But residents complained they could taste the1 fluorine in the water and, in a referendum, voted to stop fluoridation. Summerfield expects the issue will go to a referendum vote once again. the levels municipal water supplies are fluoridated, said Warren LeMay, a dentist with the state Department of Health. About 90 percent of state residents who live in communities with municipal water supplies consume water fluoridated with hydro fluosili-cic acid, a compound of hydrogen, silicone and fluorine. "Basically every medium to large community in the state fluoridates its water," LeMay said.

There are about 245 small communities that do not, he said. Souk states, including Minnesota, actually mandate all communities fluoridate their water supplies. "At appropriate fluoridation levels, there is some Bloomer residents believe fluoridation canproduce adverse health effects. Timothy Peterson, a Bloomer chiropractor, says some studies indicate small amounts of fluoride can suppress the immune system and even cause lower birth rates. "One of the problems is there is so much fluoride in what we consume, if you put them all together, you can get excess fluoride," Peterson said-He also says 20 to 30 percent of children in cities with fluoridated water supplies experience fluorosis or staining of the teeth.

Teetu-staining fluorosis does not occur at Chippewa Falls News Bureau BLOOMER A debate often heard in the 1950's and 1960's has popped up in Bloomer, where residents are discussing the advantages and disadvantages of fluoridation of the water Bloomer dentist Greg Mihm, concerned about the size and number of cavities he's seen in his patients, proposed the fluoridation. The state Department of Health also supports the fluoridation as a treatment to help prevent teeth decay, especially in children. But Mora 2ktft ogu GUiKi osxSfslfa Show spotlights big kicks enthusiasts get from raising their miniature-sized horses tr- w- fi-v diversify. She also has Arabians and Pintos, red deer and raise turkeys for Jerome Foods. "I started raising them in 1992," Montoya said.

"Once I saw them, I couldn't pass them up. They were so darn cute. It gets in your blood. It's a lot of fun." Rickard noted that a difference between a miniature horse show and a regular horse show is that miniatures aren't ridden. "With the miniatures, everything is groundwork.

You run beside them during the show," Rickard said, adding only very small children can ride them. The cost for a miniature can run from $500 to thousands of dollars, depending on the bloodlines, Rickard said. The. horse show will feature competition in the A and classifications. The A class is for those horses 34 inches and under and Belass is for those between 34 and 38 inches, Rickard said.

By Carol Patterson Menomonie News Bureau MENOMONIE Although they stand just over three feet high when full grown, miniature horses are growing in popularity, said the organizer of the first Northern Wisconsin Miniature Horse Show. The free show, which runs 8 a.m. to 8 J. p.m. Saturday at the Dunn County Fairgrounds, will feature 150 horses.

Exhibitors from Wisconsiri, Minnesota, North Dakota and Iowa are expected, said Diana Rickard, who along with her husband, Larry, began organizing the show last July. "The response has been really good. I'm excited about iC said Rickard, of Wbodville, who has raised miniature horses me past 11 years and owns about 25 of the animals. "Miniatures are for any age, from kids up to senior citizens," she said. "There are some people in their 70s who are showing." 3 Rickard started the Indianhead Miniature Horse Gub five years ago.

She has been running small miniature horse shows the past four years at the Bit Spur Gub near Eau Tve always bleed horses, but I've been afraid of the, big horses," she said. "The miniatures are easy to work with, easy to tranv t- Jessica Montoy a of Menomonie, who has four of her seven miniature horses entered in the show, said she bought miniatures to Staff photo by Carol Pattaraon Jessica Montoya, a member of the Indianhead Miniature Horse Club, shows off her smallest miniature horse, 26-inch tall Fleshia. The horse will be entered in Saturday's First Annual Northern Wisconsin Miniature Horse Show at the Dunn County Fairgrounds. a Region gains a voice at agriculture agency The college's 1996-97 budget was approved Thursday by the CVTC board. The budget includes a tax rate of $1.76 per $1,000 of equalized valuation, a drop of eight cents frop the 1995-96 tax rate.

CVTC's 1996-97 budget is $37.08 million, a S.5 percent increase from the $35.13 million budget in 1995-96. The college's tax levy will be $14.42 million, a 4.3 percent increase over this year's $13.83 million Despite increases in the budget and tax levy, CVTC's tax rate will drop because of an expected 8.8 percent increase in equalized valuation in the college's 11-county district CF gats federal grant CHIPPEWA FALLS The Chippewa Falls Police Department will' receive almost $55,000 to combat domestic violence, it has been announced. Chippewa Falls is one of only six Wisconsin communities to receive $1.1 million in federal funds through the COPS Community Policing to Combat Domestic Violence Program. The program was created as part of the 1994 Crime Bill. The projects are funded for a year, and no local funds are required.

IRS backs tuition plan The Internal Revenue Service will allow college prepaid tuition programs to be exempt from federal income taxes. A Wisconsin prepaid tuition plan, sponsored by state Rep. Rob Kreibich, R-Eau Claire, was signed into law earlier this month in Eau Claire. The law was written to exempt the Wisconsin program from state income taxes. Kreibich said the federal income tax exemption was up to IRS officials.

"I was expecting this ruling to drag on and be wrapped up in the courts," Kreibich said. "I'm impressed by the quick decision from the IRS. They seem to realize the importance of the prepaid tuition plans." From staff reports Fan tiro damages homo RICE LAKE An electric fan apparently caused a fire that damaged i rural Rice lake home at about 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Rice Lake firefighters saw smoke coming from the second-floor window and the eaves of the rented home of Don and Karla Reed, north of Rice Lake in the town of Oak Grove.

The house is owned by Gyde and Donna Drost. The Reeds and their three children, Angela, 14; Brittney, 11; and Jessie, 7, were not injured, Rice Lake Fire Chief James Resac said. Fire damage was contained to the second-floor hallway where the fan was located, Resac said. The first and second floors were damaged by smoke and water. No estimate was made on the damage.

CVTC tax rato to decline Property taxpayers in the Chippewa Valley Technical College district will see their tax rates for the college decrease 4.2 percent next year. By Leader-Telegram correspondent HUDSON A Hudson man recently appointed as an administrator of a large state agency says one reason he was picked is because he's from western Bill Oemichen said he met with Gov. Tommy Thompson before taking the post with the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Thompson told him a western Wisconsin resident would bring a different perspective to the agency, and that he's looking to include more such residents in state appointments, Oemichen said. Oemichen said his experience on the St.

Croix County Board and the county's Economic Development Corporation also helped. He has resigned from both posts and will move to Madison. Oemichen also stepped down from his job as Minnesota's deputy commissioner of agriculture. One of Oemichen's first tasks will be to oversee transfer staff from the Department of Justice to his agency. The DATCP is taking over more of the investigative roles in consumer protection, a legislative move that takes effect July 1.

Oemichen said the change has been controversial. "I think everyone, at some point in their life has been in a situation where someone was dishonest with them," said Oemichen, who is an attorney. "Now I'll be in a position to do something about that.".