Local News Briefs 11-4-13

A Dodge County judge recently found a Waupun Correctional inmate competent to stand trail who threatened the president, the governor and several judges including Dodge County Judge Andrew Bissonnette. Benjamin Biese waived his right to a preliminary hearing and entered “not guilty” pleas at a subsequent arraignment hearing to seven felony counts of Threatening a Judge and Threats to Injure. The 35-year-old allegedly sent multiple letters, making death threats if his demands were not met. Biese’s letters allegedly threatened to use street gangs to carry out the threats and one letter contained a white powdery substance he said was anthrax. It turned out to be a finely grated soap.

Alleged Police And Judge Impersonator Arraigned

The 26-year-old Waupun man who tried to black mail a Beaver Dam man over a sexual encounter with a 16-year-old girl and his cousin recently was arraigned in Dodge County Court. James Dunham entered not guilty pleas. He allegedly posed as a Beaver Dam police officer during phone calls and later texted the man posing as a judge saying the man could avoid prosecution if he was willing to pay $9,000. He was able to get $1,500 from the man who thought the girl he had sex with was 24-years-old, but later learned was only 16.   Dunham is charged with felony counts of impersonating an officer, identity theft, and making threats. He remains in the Dodge County Jail on a $5,000 cash bond.

Two Arrested In Sheboygan Strong Armed Robbery

(WHBL-Sheboygan)-Two men are in custody in connection with a strong arm robbery which happened in the city of Sheboygan late Thursday night. Sheboygan Police say the investigation led to the arrest of a 23-year-old Sheboygan man for robbery with use of force and an unrelated warrant from Milwaukee.  A 19- year-old Milwaukee man is also in custody on charges of identity theft and obstructing. The two suspects allegedly came up behind a Sheboygan man as he walked home from work late Thursday night, knocked him down, and stole his wallet, cell phone and backpack.

TIF Bill Gets Hearing In State Assembly Committee

A bill that would help struggling tax incremental financing districts recently received a public hearing in the State Assembly’s Local Finance Committee. The bill was authored by State Senator Rick Gudex of Fond du Lac and State Representatives Michael Schraa and Gordon Hintz of Oshkosh. It would allow TIF districts like the Pioneer Inn in Oshkosh and Northgate Business Park in North Fond du Lac to reset their base property value to current value, helping reignite private and public investment. Schraa testified that the bill would help TIF districts hurt when the property value bubble burst in 2008 and 2009. The bill passed unanimously in the State Senate.

Crocodile Drug Making Its Way Into Wisconsin

(Wisconsin Radio Network)-Drug agents are keeping their eyes open to see if a new drug is making its way into Wisconsin. Lieutenant Brad Dunlap is the head of the Lake Winnebago Area MEG Unit and he says it’s known as Krokodil (crocodile). He says it’s highly addictive and users typically die within two years. He says they haven’t seen any cases yet. Dunlap says the drug is a mix of codeine, gasoline and lighter fluid. He says it causes the skin around the injection site to turn green and scaly like a crocodile’s. Dunlap says it poses a threat because it’s an easy drug to make. The D-E-A says there are reports in Russia that more young adults are using Krokodil as a cheaper alternative to heroin.

Lakeside Park Charitable Fund

Fond du Lac Festivals along with the Fond du Lac Area Foundation have established the Lakeside Park Charitable Fund.  Charitable Fund Advisory Committee Chair Ray LaPierre says that the endowment fund will help with improvements to the park.  He says that your contribution is tax deductible and they will help fund projects that cant be completed via other funding measures.  If you would like more information on how you can contribute to the fund contact the Fond du Lac Area Foundation.

Waupun Report Cards

The Waupun School District and its school for the most part lived up to expectations in the state Department of Public Instructions latest round of report cards. Waupun Schools Superintendent Tonya Gubin says their intermediate and high school met or exceeded expectations, but their junior high didn’t. She says they are taking steps to make sure students do the next time. She says to address that they hired an addition math teacher and an intervention block at the end of the day will have more math and reading tutoring. Gubin says they will also be asking for an additional reading teacher.

NFDL Veteran Memorial Help

It turns out the North Fond du Lac Village Board will be helping out with improvements to the Veteran’s Memorial after all. Village Trustee and Veteran’s Memorial Chairman Keith King at first turned down the board’s offer to help with the paving of a gravel path to the memorial. Village Administrator Chuck Hornung says the path is hard for disabled and older veterans to negotiate.  He says the Veterans Memorial group will repay the Village. He says the cost will be about $1,300. He says the group wasn’t certain if it had enough funding to pay for the paving costs this fall.

Scrape Your Car

As the temperatures drop be sure to give yourself extra time to get your car ready for the road if it’s been outside in the elements.  Officer Steve Olson of the Fond du Lac Police Department says must clear all windows of ice and snow for you to be driving legally.  He adds that you also must clear the top of your vehicle of snow as that might slide off and cover your rear-view mirror as you drive.  If you are pulled over for driving without out scrapping your windshield and windows it Fond du Lac you could get a ticket for just $90 in the city and a lot more in the county.

Getting Ready For Winter

(Wisconsin Radio Network)-Are You Ready for Winter? Wisconsin Emergency Management’s Tod Pritchard says the biggest thing officials want to hammer home is the importance of having an emergency supply kit in your cars and home, “It could save your life.” Pritchard says it’s good to have some basic supplies like food and water — make sure it’s nonperishable food that you don’t have to heat to prepare, “because you may not have power.” Governor Scott Walker has declared November 4-8, 2013 as Winter Awareness Week in Wisconsin. The annual campaign, sponsored by Wisconsin Emergency Management, its ReadyWisconsin preparedness program and NOAA’s National Weather Service, is to remind people to be prepared for winter conditions that could threaten their safety.