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Fake $50 Bill Pops Up At Local Elementary School

A Madison Police officer was dispatched to Kennedy Elementary School on the city's Far East side Thursday afternoon after an 8-year-old student brought a fake $50 bill to show his class.

The boy told police he got the phony money at a toy store.

While having counterfeit currency pop up at a school is unusual, the problems with people trying to pass, or passing, bogus bills in Madison is not unusual, according to police.

Police said they have been responding to calls of phony $20 bills, but they said they are also starting to get reports of fake $50 bills as well.

Police staff at a PDQ store on the 4200 block of Milwaukee Street has seen two separate cases of customers with bad $50 bills this week.

The serial numbers on these $50 bills were IB11037174B. Most of the $20 fakes have had the serial number IA25114453. In one case, a phony $20 had the serial number ID84485510A.

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Facebook Tied To Child Sexual Assault Charge

A 26-year-old Madison man faces charges after having sexual contact with a 12-year-old girl he met through Facebook, according to the Madison Police Department.

Police said the 12-year-old girl told a detective she friended Gustavo Garcia-Aguirre on Facebook a couple of months ago because "he seemed cool."

She said the two sent messages back and forth, and started to talk over the phone. On Sunday, Nov. 7, they met at a shopping mall to chat in person, according to police.

On Nov. 9, the two met outside of her MacArthur Road home on the city's Far East Side, according to police.

Police said the girl got in his car and the two drove to a nearby parking lot.

Some Major Construction Projects Near Completion

Remnants of major construction projects in the city of Madison, Monona and on the Beltline are all set to clear out in the next week or so, though they aren't all finished for good.

Mayor Dave Blogs About Passage Of 2011 City Budget

Early this morning the City Council passed the 2011 city budget. On three hours of sleep I can look back on it and say that I'll be happy to sign it later on today.

When I started my budget process in the summer, I set out three goals. First, protect basic services. Second, keep any tax increase to only what's necessary to do that. And third, accomplish those two things without resorting to budgeting gimmicks. I think the Council and I achieved all three goals.

Not only did we protect basic services, we expanded them. We added eight more police officers and a new unit focused on reducing crimes by repeat offenders, added a few more personnel in the Streets Division to help with various tasks around the city, and added another quarter million dollars in community service investments. There will be no cuts in library hours, parks maintenance or bus service and there will be no Metro fare increase again this year.

Two New Dog Parks To Open In Madison

Starting Saturday, four-legged friends in Madison will have two new places to run around.

A fenced-in dog park will be added at McCormick Greenspace on Madison's North Side and Demetral Park on Madison's Near East Side.

The new areas were chosen last year after several community meetings with interested East Side dog owners, as well as people who lived in the proposed neighborhoods.

Police Investigate Shooting After Victim Show Up In Local E.R.

A 20-year-old man arrived at Meriter Hospital with a non-life threatening gunshot wound at about 4 a.m. Saturday, according to Madison police.

Officers said the man was the victim of a shooting in the 100 block of Swanton Road about 45 minutes earlier.

Police said the incident remains under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014.

Police Investigate Shooting After Victim Shows Up In Local E.R.

A 20-year-old man arrived at Meriter Hospital with a non-life threatening gunshot wound at about 4 a.m. Saturday, according to Madison police.

Officers said the man was the victim of a shooting in the 100 block of Swanton Road about 45 minutes earlier.

Police said the incident remains under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014.