THE SPARTA FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO HIGHLIGHT SIGNS ON HOESCHLER DRIVE FOR A FIRE IN THE VENTILATION SYSTEM LAST EVENING.  FIRE CHIEF SCOTT LINDEMANN SAID THEY WERE CALLED TO HIGHLIGHT SIGNS JUST AFTER 7PM MONDAY TO FIND HEAVY SMOKE.  SOMETHING WAS APPARENTLY CAUGHT IN THE VENTS AND BEGAN TO BURN.  SPARTA FIREFIGHTERS WERE AT THE SCENE FOR ALMOST 2-HOURS---NO INJURIES—JUST MINOR DAMAGE TO THE VENT SYSTEM. 

THE OWNER OF A LA CROSSE RENTAL PROPERTY WAS IN FINANCIAL STRAIGHTS—LAWRENCE MYERS’ FOUR-PLEX ON FIFTH AVENUE SOUTH HAD BEEN CONDEMNED—HE WAS BEHIND ON HIS MORTGAGE---SO HE ALLEDGEDLY TORCHED ONE OF HIS CICERO, ILLINOIS BUILDINGS TO COLLECT INSURANCE MONEY.  SEVEN PEOPLE DIED IN THAT CICERO FIRE—INCLUDING A TODDLER AND 3-DAY-OLD BABY---THREE FIREFIGHTERS WERE INJURED.  THE 60-YEAR OLD MYERS AND HIS BUILDING MANAGER, 47-YEAR OLD MARION COMIER WHO ALLEDGEDLY SET THE FIRE—PLEADED NOT GUILTY LAST WEEK TO SEVEN COUNTS OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER AS WELL AS ARSON—THEY’RE BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND. 

THE DEATH OF A 69-YEAR OLD WOMAN FOUND IN A RESIDENCE ON PARK DRIVE IN MERRILLAN HAS BEEN RULED A SUICIDE.  THE JACKSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE RULED THE FEBRUARY 26^TH  DEATH WAS CAUSED BY A SELF-INFLICTED WOUND. 

A BURNED OUT LICENSE PLATE LIGHT LED TO THE ARREST OF A LA CROSSE WOMAN EARLY MONDAY MORNING.  AROUND 12:30AM MONDAY--LA CROSSE POLICE ATTEMPTED TO PULL 32-YEAR OLD LINDSAY SALUZZI OVER FOR THE INFRACTION---AND LINDSAY TOOK OFF---SALUZZI WAS FINALLY BOXED IN BY SQUAD CARS NEAR FRANCISCAN SKEMP---BUT HAD TO BE PULLED FROM HER VEHICLE.  DURING HER ARREST---A XANAX PIILL WAS FOUND---LINDSAY SALUZZI WAS CHARGED MONDAY WITH ATTEMPTING TO FLEE AN OFFICER—POSSESSION OF AN ILLEGAL DRUG---OPERATING A VEHICLE AFTER REVOCATION---NO CHARGE APPARENTLY FOR THE BURNED OUT LICENSE PLATE BULB. 

THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW STRETCHED ALL THE WAY TO BULGARIA AND RETURNED A SUSPECT TO LA CROSSE RECENTLY.  62-YEAR OLD NIKOLAY PRODANOV WAS IN COURT MONDAY FACING SEXUAL ASSAULT CHARGES.  PRODANOV WAS ACCUSED OF ASSAULTING A WOMAN AT RED CLOUD PARK IN 2006.  HE WAS SCHEDULED TO STAND TRIAL LAST YEAR WHEN HE LEFT FOR BULGARIA.  PRODANOV WAS TRACKED DOWN WITH HELP FROM INTERPOL AND HIS DAUGHTER IN MASSACHUSETTS---AND EXTRADICTED BACK TO THE STATES.  NIKOLAY PRODANOV IS BEING HELD ON A $500,000 BOND AND HAS A COURT APPEARANCE LATER THIS WEEK. 

DONALD JOHNSON WAS IN A LA CROSSE COURT MONDAY PLEADING GUILTY TO FELONY THEFT.  JOHNSON---A FORMER LA CROSSE RETIREMENT FUND MANAGER--- VANISHED IN 1995 WITH $850,000 OF HIS CLIENT’S FUNDS.  ONE OF THE 68-INVESTORS BILKED BY JOHNSON--A RETIRED TOMAH SCHOOL SECRETARY WAS IN THE COURTROOM MONDAY---STILL MAD---CAROL DUNCAN SAID SHE STILL DOESN’T KNOW WHY JOHNSON TOOK HER $10,000.  AND JOHNSON GAVE NO EXPLANATION DURING HIS APPEARANCE ---WAVING HIS RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL BY PLEADING “GUILTY” AND SAID---“YOUR HONOR, I BELIEVE IN THIS COURT, JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED WITHOUT A JURY.  ” THE 67-YEAR OLD CAME BACK TO LA CROSSE LAST OCTOBER AND TURNED HIMSELF IN TO POLICE---WITHOUT EXPLANATION.  DONALD JOHNSON COULD GET UP TO 10-YEARS IN PRISON---BUT HE’D BE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE IN 2-AND-A-HALF YEARS.  THAT’S “POSSIBLY” 10-YEARS FOR THE USE OF $850,000 FOR 15-YEARS. 

A MAUSTON MAN HAS BEEN FINED $732-FOR BARTENDING WITHOUT A LICENSE.  29-YEAR OLD JEFFERY HANSON HAD BEEN WARNED BY POLICE FOR NOT HAVING HIS LICENSE ON HIM---THEY FOUND OUT LATER—HANSON DIDN’T HAVE IT ON HIM---BECAUSE –HE DIDN’T HAVE ONE.  THE DRY GULCH SALOON HAS BEEN WARNED---A BARTENDER MUST BE LICENSED AT ALL TIMES.  THOSE WHO WERE ILLEGALLY SERVED BY JEFFREY HANSON NEED NOT WORRY—THEY WON’T BE ARRESTED FOR DRINKING AN ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE.