City's equipment fails to record mystery booms

CLINTONVILLE - Life goes on in Clintonville – as does the search for the source of the mysterious noises.

And Clintonville residents are speculating.

The marquee outside of Calvary Apostolic Church reads, “God is shaking our city. Let's have a revival!"

So as some speculate and city leaders search, some residents say not knowing the cause has them on edge.

"They had a test on the radio, or on the TV the other day and I was getting scrambled to grab the kids and go," said Heather Fletcher, a mother of two.

Fletcher says she has trouble sleeping at night, wondering what could happen to her, or her children.

"I kind of don't want to be here at all,” said Fletcher. “We're still waiting for answers. I don't know what to think?"

City Administrator Lisa Kuss says reports of the booming from Tuesday night to Wednesday diminished compared to previous nights.

There were only two major events from Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

One event happened at around 8 p.m. that fielded about 10 calls. A second event happened shortly before 5 a.m. which brought about 25 calls.

Kuss says most theories involving manmade causes have been ruled out.

• Clintonville noises: What they're not

In an effort to record the noises and vibrations, the city set up multiple recording devices in the city's water department. But when they checked those devices Wednesday morning, nothing of record was found.

"(Technicians looked at) the eight o'clock time within a half an hour and the five o'clock time this morning,” said Kuss. “And nothing changed in the videos."

Police say they have received more than 500 calls about the noises and vibrations since Sunday night.

Clintonville police released 911 calls from Monday and highlights the city's confusion:  

• Dispatcher: "Clintonville Police Department?"
• Caller: "Have you guys heard any complains for something happening over here, by Hughes Street and McKinley (Avenue) or anything?"
• Dispatcher: "No?"
• Caller: "I think some noises happened. Or…I don't know what the hell it is, but we live on (unintelligible), but man, it's shaking the whole house!"  

Kuss tells FOX 11 that the city signed a contract with an engineering company out of Waukesha called Ruekert & Mielke for four vibration monitoring devices. Kuss says the devices should arrive in Clintonville tomorrow or Friday to be installed.

Kuss says the cost for the devices and monitoring could cost up to $7,000, depending on how long it takes to get good enough data for the city to use.

Kuss says if any data is collected, the hope is to use that to determine the epicenter of the vibrations.

The booms started Sunday. Residents describe them as sounding like thunder, fireworks or someone slamming a heavy door.

The city will hold a meeting Wednesday evening at Clintonville High School to update residents on the investigation.