Local News Briefs For Monday 5/16/16

Money For NFDL Splash Pad Will Be Included In County Budget

The Fond du Lac County UW Extension Education, Agriculture, and Recreation Committee recently approved putting $26,000 into the 2017 County Budget for the North Fond du Lac Pool splash pad project. County Executive Al Buechel says the County Board recently approved something similar for Ripon. He says about the same population would be served by a splash pad at the North Fond du Lac Pool. He says something similar occurred when the pool was put in at the County Fairgrounds in Fond du Lac. He says a supervisor representing the North Fond du Lac area asked the County to do something for North Fond du Lac. Buechel says the County agreed to take over the pool debt service payments in the Village for six years. Buechel says even though the money for the splash pad will be included in the County Budget for next year it will still have to be approved during the budget process.

Fire Pit Burning Concerns

The Division Chief of Fire Prevention for Fond du Lac Fire and Rescue says they have been experiencing problems with residents burning materials they are supposed to while using fire pits. Troy Haase says you can burn clean wood, but nothing else. He says people are burning garbage, cardboard and parts of furniture.  He says they’ve reached a point where they are going to have cite people for the violations. He says they will allow a little leeway for people who are new to the area and don’t know about the City ordinance regarding fire pits yet. But he says there are things people should know they obviously can’t burn.

Johnson Gets State GOP Endorsement During Convention

U.S. Senator Ron Johnson got his party’s endorsement when Republican’s held their State Convention in Green Bay this past weekend. GOP Communications Director Pat Garrett says Johnson will be better for the state than his opponent former U.S. Senator Russ Feingold. He says Johnson is a citizen legislator who has proven to be a real problem solver in Washington. Garrett says Feingold is more about growing government. He says Feingold spent 18 years in Washington and is more about growing Washington Government than growing Wisconsin. One of the hot debates is over who dropped the ball when it came to doing something about medication abuses at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Tomah. Garrett says they have some telling audio they haven’t released yet that shows Feingold’s office knew about the abuses before he left office. He says Feingold knew as early as 2008 while Johnson took action as soon as possible.

Waupun Facilities Survey Deadline Today

Today is the deadline for Waupun Area School District residents to weigh in on an online facilities’ planning survey. The data collected on the survey will guide the district in making short and long-term facility decisions. The district will put a facilities referendum before voters next November. Survey results will be released at a school board meeting next Monday at 6 p.m. at the Rock River Intermediate School Auditorium. To take the survey you will have to enter an individual access code found on the survey. You can get the code by calling the District office at (920) 324-9341.  

New Position Created For Local Habitat Chapter

Habitat for Humanity of Fond du Lac County has created a new position to handle donations. Bob Guess a former Fond du Lac fireman has been named Habitat’s Gift and Kind Coordinator. Guess says at first he just volunteered for Habitat. He then worked on the sales floor at the ReStore. He says his position is like becoming a special teams coach. He says he will be working with office supplies companies, real estate agents and anyone who might want to donate furniture and other items to their ReStore to sell. He says the money they make at the ReStore helps pay for the homes that Habitat builds in the community. He says he will also work with people who would like to leave something to Habitat in their wills. This year Habitat will be building two new homes in Fond du Lac and one in Ripon.    

MPTC Commencement Speaker Announced

Moraine Park Technical College has announced Gina Popp, president and CEO of wisnet.com, as the 2016 Commencement keynote speaker. The College’s Commencement Ceremony will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Fond du Lac High School field house. Nearly 800 graduate candidates will be receiving associate of applied science degrees and technical diplomas, with approximately 350 graduate candidates expected to participate in the Commencement Ceremony. Bonnie Baerwald, Moraine Park president, will preside over the ceremony. Popp, who grew up just outside Fond du Lac, is a 2005 Marian University applied information technology graduate with a business administration minor. This year’s commencement will also feature student speaker Kayla Ebert. Ebert is Moraine Park’s Wisconsin Technical College System 2015-16 District Student Ambassador, and is graduating from the College’s Human Resources program.

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Fruth Field Photos Sought

Photos of Fruth Field are being sought to help with the design of a mural that will be painted on the south wall of the Cardinals Nest Store. The mural will be visible from the field. Old yearbook photos are playing a significant role in the layout of the mural, but community members are urged to submit any photos they may have taken from historical events at the old Fond du Lac Goodrich High School.  For example photos depicting Fondy football games, graduations, pep assemblies, track meets, and class pictures. Electronic photos may be submitted to schnesop000@fondystudents.org.  Hard copies of photos may be dropped off at Fond du Lac High School to the attention of the Cardinals Nest or mailed to Cardinals Nest – Fond du Lac High School, 801 Campus Drive, Fond du Lac, WI 54935.

Matthews Tire Program Donates To Old Glory Honor Flights

Matthew’s Tire is hosting an Oil Change for the Better this week at its stores in Appleton, Green Bay, Menasha, Fond du Lac and Waupaca. Matthew’s will donate $5 to the Old Glory Honor Flight program from every regularly priced oil change performed. The special program runs through Saturday. Through the Old Glory Honor Flights local veterans are flown to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials.