Local News

47 Year old Donald Dalberg been found guilty of 15 counts, including First-degree Intentional Homicide and Mutilating a Corpse, according to On-line record. 

Dalberg, of Grand Marsh, was convicted of first-degree intentional homicide in connection with the murder of Floyd Burdick, 57.

On January 18, 2024, reports of a deceased man along County Highway M were called into the Juneau County Sheriff’s Office. The caller reported finding a body that appeared to have been burned and left in the snow.

Dalberg will face sentencing in Juneau County in May. 

Mile Bluff Medical Center has announced that its urgent care services will soon be moving to a new, more convenient location inside the Mile Bluff Gateway Center. Beginning Monday, April 21, urgent care will be available at 406 Gateway Avenue in Mauston.

The new facility is designed to continue providing the same high-quality, compassionate care the community has come to expect. Patients can look forward to a modern and comfortable environment for addressing urgent medical needs.

Currently, the emergency and urgent care departments at Mile Bluff share the same space at the main campus in Mauston. This can sometimes make it difficult for patients to know where to go for care. Understanding the difference between urgent care and emergency services can save time, money, and stress—and it can make a big difference in how quickly a patient receives treatment.

NEW Urgent Care Hours:
Beginning April 21, urgent care will be open 7 days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

This marks an expansion of hours, providing patients with more flexibility and access to care when they need it most.

No appointment is necessary to receive care, and patients are seen in the order of arrival. The urgent care team is available to help with a wide range of non-life-threatening medical concerns.

When to Visit Urgent Care vs. the Emergency Room

• Urgent Care is ideal for non-life-threatening issues such as:
  • Minor cuts, sprains, or strains
  • Cold, flu, or allergies
  • Infections (e.g., urinary tract or ear infections)
  • Deep bruises or rashes

• Emergency Room (ER) care is for serious, life-threatening conditions such as:
  • Chest pain, difficulty breathing, or heart attack symptoms
  • Stroke symptoms, head injuries, or loss of consciousness
  • Uncontrolled bleeding, severe burns, or deep cuts
  • Sudden or severe abdominal pain

In emergency situations, Mile Bluff’s Emergency Room remains open 24/7 at the main campus, located at 1050 Division Street in Mauston.

Mile Bluff Medical Center is committed to ensuring a smooth transition as urgent care services move to the new Gateway Avenue location. The organization thanks the community for its continued trust and looks forward to welcoming patients to the updated space.

George “Wyatt” Conti, age 27, was sentenced to 7 years in prison for
sexually assaulting 3 children repeatedly between 2020 and 2021 at a residence in Tomah. Court
documents show Conti was charged with child sex crimes in July 2022 and that the children were
approximately 4, 9, and 14 years of age when the defendant began assaulting them. Conti
admitted to the most serious felonies lodged against him in December 2024. He faced 105 years
of confinement in prison.
Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Richard Radcliffe sentenced Conti on April 2, 2025.
The Wisconsin Department of Corrections recommended Conti be sentenced to a prison term of
13-16 years. Conti, citing his cognitive limitations, asked to be placed on probation. The
prosecutor, Chief Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Sarah Skiles, expressed concern about
protecting the community from Conti, noting Conti said he sexually assaulted the victims at “every
chance” he had and said he knew what he did was wrong but that he would do it again. Skiles
argued Conti should be confined for 20 years. As Judge Radcliffe outlined Conti’s sentence, he
observed offenses involving the sexual assault of children are serious and our community believes
these types of offenders should go to prison; however, Judge Radcliffe concluded Conti had “less
culpability” due to Conti’s intellectual impairments which warranted a lesser prison term.
Conti is expected to be released from prison at the end of 2030. After his release, he will
be supervised by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections for 15 years. Conti will be required to
register as a sexual offender for life.
The investigation of this case was conducted by Detective Kirk Bedenbaugh of the Monroe
County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the City of Princeton Police Department and the staff
at Stepping Stones Child Advocacy Center. After sentencing, Chief ADA Skiles commented, “It
has been said that the way society treats it’s children reveals a lot about society’s soul. Our office
remains extremely grateful to have law enforcement partners, such as the Sheriff’s Office, who
are dedicated to doing their part in protecting the children in our community from sexual predators
like George Conti.”

On April 6, 2025, just after 5:00pm, the Monroe County Communications Center was informed of a crash involving a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle on State Highway 33 near County Highway X in the Town of Portland.

During the initial investigation, it was determined that a 2015 Harley Davidson was traveling west on State Highway 33 when the operator, a 41 year old Stoddard man, lost control while negotiating a curve.  As a result, he was ejected from the motorcycle.  The motorcycle and a passenger then collided with an eastbound 2018 Chevrolet Cruze.  Both the motorcycle operator and his passenger, were pronounced dead at the scene.  There were no injuries to the occupants of the Cruze.  The identity of those deceased are not being released at this time pending notification of family.

The crash remains under investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Monroe County Communications Center, Monroe County Medical Examiner, Westby Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, Cashton Fire Department, Cashton First Responders, Sparta Ambulance, Tri-State Ambulance and Gundersen Air.