Wisconsin
What happened with the missing father who allegedly faked a kayaking accident and fled to Europe?
Sheriff Mark Podoll stood before the cameras, pleading with Ryan Borgwardt — a husband and father — to contact his family. Months earlier, officials had conducted an extensive search and rescue for Borgwardt.
Since Aug. 12, officials and family have believed that the Wisconsin resident has been missing after kayaking at Green Lake.
During a Nov. 8 press conference, Podoll revealed that evidence suggests Borgwardt is instead alive, possibly faked his death, and potentially in Europe.
“We know that he’s not in our lake,” Podoll said, referring to Green Lake, where Borgwardt’s empty kayak was found adrift in August, sparking fear that he had drowned and a lengthy search effort that included canine searches and divers. Now, authorities have shifted their focus.
This shift in the investigation has prompted new questions about Ryan Borgwardt, who he is and what might have caused him to lead his family into believing he died.
Who is Ryan Borgwardt?
Ryan Borgwardt is a resident of Watertown, Wisconsin, who was believed to have gone missing on Aug. 12, 2024, after he failed to return from a kayaking trip on Green Lake.
He is married and a father to high school and grade school-aged kids, according to Podell.
When did Ryan Borgwardt go missing?
Borgwardt was last seen the night of Aug. 12, the sheriff said during the news conference. Podell said deputies responded to a missing persons call around 5:32 p.m. local time, with Borgwardt’s car and trailer found in the Dodge Memorial Park area.
Podoll noted that the sheriff’s office had pinned Borgwardt’s last known location to Green Lake.
“Deputies headed that way, checked areas around the lake and found Ryan’s vehicle, along with his trailer, parked in the area of Dodge Memorial Park,” Podoll explained.
Borgwardt’s capsized kayak was first found in the western part of the lake, the following day his fishing rod and tackle box, with his wallet, keys and license, was found, Podoll said.
Three cadaver dogs and a dive team were also brought in to help with the search on Aug. 24. Still, Podoll said, after an almost eight-week search, they could not find him.
What do officials think happened to Ryan Borgwardt?
Officials say evidence suggests Borgwardt may have faked his own disappearance and left the country for Europe.
Podell said that on Oct. 7 they discovered that Borgwardt’s passport was “run” on Aug. 13, a day after he went missing. As they continued their investigation, detectives discovered that law enforcement officials in Canada ran his name and that Borgwardt obtained a new passport, Green Lake County authorities said, per NBC News.
Investigators then conducted a digital forensic analysis of Borgwardt’s laptop, which his wife gave them, and concluded “that he was in some place in Europe.” Podell alleged that Borgwardt replaced the laptop’s hard drive and cleared the browser on the day he went missing.
“We found out that he moved funds to a foreign bank, changing his email and communication with a woman from Uzbekistan,” Podoll remarked, noting that Borgwardt took out a $375,000 life insurance policy in January and purchased airline cards. “Due to these discoveries of the new evidence, we were sure that Ryan was not in our lake.”
“Everything that we have found — we’re in a really good position that we know he is someplace out there,” Podoll continued. “All we wanna know is he’s safe.”
What’s next?
Officials are pressing on with their investigation into Borgwardt, focusing their efforts on gathering further information about his motive and whereabouts.
The sheriff also encourages anyone with knowledge to come forward. Podoll said it was too early to identify any charges that Borgwardt might face.
Borgwardt’s wife, Emily Borgwardt, told NBC News via text, “I cannot make any comments at this time since it is still an active investigation.”
The investigation continues to involve multiple agencies like the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, with officials seeking to locate Borgwardt and address any potential legal violations.
“Our goals is to identify any crimes that have been committed by any individuals who assisted with this crime,” Podoll said.
Authorities continue to hold out hope that Borgwardt will make contact with them. During the conference, Podoll urged him to reach out to his family or authorities.
“There’s one last thing I want to do, and this is to Ryan. Ryan, if you’re viewing this, I plea that you contact us or contact your family. We understand that things can happen, but there’s a family that wants their Daddy back.”
Minimum wage hike to go into effect for some across US
Workers in several states and cities will see minimum wage increases go into effect on January 1, 2025, as they continue to battle with high prices.
On Dec. 11, the Journal Sentinel published “23 states to boost minimum wage in 2025.”
It’s laudable for full-time workers to receive a living wage. However, I’m not convinced that boosting minimum wage is a long-term solution to economic inequity. A more effective approach might be to decrease the earnings gap between company owners and their employees. I am not anti-CEO. People who run successful companies take great risks and expend much energy and worry. Moreover, for a product to remain successful there must be ongoing research.
I am not advocating that government enforce a ceiling for maximum earnings. In the best of circumstances, management and workers would negotiate together a working wage necessary for a healthy life where the workers live. In the best of worlds, a priority agenda item at shareholders’ meetings would be the well-being of company employees.
Many will scoff at “the best of worlds.” My response is that the only way we can have the best — or, for starters, the better — is if we step forward and make it happen.
Sheryl Slocum, Milwaukee
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Wisconsin volleyball unveils Final Four banner inside UW Field House
The Badgers unveiled the banner from their 2023 Final Four appearance before their exhibition match against Bradley on Aug. 20.
MADISON – Saige Damrow is headed to Nebraska but not the Cornhuskers.
The former defensive specialist/libero for the Wisconsin volleyball team announced Saturday her commitment to Creighton, the undefeated Big East champion that calls Omaha home.
The Bluejays (32-3) reached the Elite 8 this season before falling to eventual national champion Penn State in five sets.
That team was led by three senior All-Americans that included libero Maddy Bilinovic. Damrow, a native of Howards Grove, will be in the hunt to replace her.
Damrow announced her commitment on Instagram.
A leg injury sidelined Damrow for all but three matches of her freshman season. This year Damrow ranked fourth on the Badgers with 2.24 digs per set and played in 19 of 33 matches. That included a five-match run at libero at the end of the regular season when freshman Lola Schumacher, the starter, was out due to injury.
Damrow has three years of eligibility remaining.
Wisconsin Badgers (10-2, 1-0 Big Ten) at Indiana Hoosiers (9-3, 1-0 Big Ten)
Bloomington, Indiana; Saturday, 1 p.m.
Watch on the Big 10 Network, listen here, or keep up with live stats here.
BOTTOM LINE: Indiana takes on Wisconsin after Shay Ciezki scored 20 points in Indiana’s 90-55 win against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies.
The Hoosiers are 6-1 in home games. Indiana scores 72.0 points while outscoring opponents by 10.2 points per game.
The Badgers have gone 1-0 against Big Ten opponents. Wisconsin averages 13.0 turnovers per game and is 3-1 when committing fewer turnovers than opponents.
Indiana scores 72.0 points, 10.6 more per game than the 61.4 Wisconsin allows. Wisconsin averages 8.0 more points per game (69.8) than Indiana allows to opponents (61.8).
The Hoosiers and Badgers match up Saturday for the first time in conference play this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Yarden Garzon is scoring 14.2 points per game with 4.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the Hoosiers.
Serah Williams is scoring 20.0 points per game and averaging 12.3 rebounds for the Badgers.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hoosiers: 8-2, averaging 71.4 points, 30.8 rebounds, 16.7 assists, 6.2 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 44.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 61.0 points per game.
Badgers: 8-2, averaging 66.4 points, 33.6 rebounds, 15.3 assists, 6.1 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 45.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 60.8 points.
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