KFIZ News Friday 1/6/17

Inmate Death Self Inflicted

Investigators say the death of an inmate at Dodge Correctional Institution appears to have been self-inflicted. Justin Kestner, an inmate from Iowa, was found unresponsive in his cell December 21. Staff at the prison was unsuccessful in using life-saving measures on the 26-year-old inmate. Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt says their investigation concluded there was no reason to suspect foul play and Kestner’s death appears to have been self-inflicted. Kestner was serving a 20-year sentence for the 2009 robbery of a Sioux City gas station. He had 15-years added to that sentence after being the first inmate in a decade to escape from Iowa’s maximum security prison Fort Madison in July of 2015. In October, reports say Kestner assaulted a prison officer in Anamosa, Iowa with a piece of metal — and as a result, he was transferred to Waupun.

Patrols Stepped Up In Beaver Dam Following Robberies

Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt says patrols are being beefed up following three convenience store robberies in less than a week in the City and Town of Beaver Dam. He says as a Sheriff he has had enough after the south side of Beaver Dam has seen criminal activities increase in the past year including four robberies, overdoses and drug sales. A person of interest was taken into custody in connection with the BP Gas Station robberies on South Madison on an unrelated issue. Meanwhile he says if you work in a convenience store and someone comes in and demands money it is better to be a good witness than try to be a hero. Since New Year’s Eve a BP Gas Station on South Madison has been hit twice and Beaver Dam’s Coyote Gas and Liquor was robbed Wednesday night.

Beaver Dam Gas Station Robbed

Authorities in Dodge County are investigating a third convenience store robbery in less than a week. This time it occurred at Beaver Dam’s Coyote Gas and Liquor Wednesday night. A clerk told police a man entered the store and demanded cash then fled when he got it. The male was similar in description to the suspect that twice robbed a BP gas station in the Town of Beaver Dam and again the suspect wore a bandana over his face.

MPTC Facilities Director Recommended For Vacant County Board Seat

The Fond du Lac County Board’s Committee on Committees is recommending an appointee for the vacant seat in the 13th Supervisory District. Rich Boudreau the Director of Facilities at Moraine Park Technical College is being recommended to the County Board to take the seat that Brenda Schneider left behind when she became County Treasurer. Boudreau was one of six applicants for the seat. The Committee is also recommending County Supervisor Ken Depperman be appointed to the seat Schneider had on the Finance Committee. That will create an opening on the UW-Extension Education, Agriculture and Recreation Committee.

Johnson Impressed With Visit To Israel

Senator Ron Johnson says he learned a lot from a visit to Israel last month. He says the 260 kilometer long fence Israel built is keeping illegal immigrants out and was built for far less than it would cost the U.S. to do the same. He says they went from thousands of immigrants coming up through the Sinai illegally to just 18 people that were caught last year. Johnson says he also learned from a one-hour visit with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The senator from Oshkosh recently criticized the Obama Administration after the U.S. failed to veto a United Nations Security Council resolution on Israeli settlements. He says that won’t help in future efforts to reach Peace in the Middle East. Johnson says he is also impressed with Israel’s cyber and airport security measures.

Interest In NFDL Vacant Lot Rekindled

North Fond du Lac officials say interest has been renewed in a vacant lot at 1001 Michigan Avenue. Village Administrator Chuck Hornung says they purchased the property from the County in 2014 after the County took it over for back taxes that were due on it. He says a home builder was interested in purchasing it from the village last year. The developer was hoping to build a home on it with the help of the Horace Mann High School’s building trades program, but got so busy that the offer fell by the wayside. Hornung says that interest was rekindled and they are now working on a purchase agreement with him. He says they had also thought about offering the property to Habitat for Humanity.

United Way Campaign At Ninety Percent

With less than two weeks left the Fond du Lac Area United Way campaign is at 90 percent of its fundraising goal for the fall campaign. United Way Executive Director Amber Kilawee says they will be making allocation decisions for the 26 agencies they help out on Thursday, January 19th. She says they still have a ways to go to reach the $760,000 goal. She says they have raised a little over $682,000. She says the best part of the campaign for her is the people that she meets during the effort. She admits she is a little nervous about the campaign when they get to this point of the year. Money raised from the United Way campaign will help out over 30,000 people.