Local News Briefs Friday 4/4/13

State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt says State Senator Glenn Grothman will have an uphill battle to defeat Congressman Tom Petri in a Republican primary. Thiesfeldt says no sitting Republican congressman has lost a primary in the state since the 1970s. However he says Grothman is no stranger to a challenge having defeated then Senate Majority Leader Mary Panzer in a Republican primary for the 20th District about 10 years ago. He says it’s a tall mountain to climb, but don’t count Grothman out. He says if Grothman is successful in his bid for the 6th Congressional District seat it could mean a special election for the Senate seat he now holds.

Small Fire At Sadoff Iron And Metal

Fond du Lac firefighters put out a small fire at Sadoff Iron & Metal on West Arndt Street Wednesday afternoon. Fire Captain Larry Wunsch says the call came in about 12:30 p.m.   A rubbish pile near a shredder machine started on fire and was quickly put out.

Shot Fired Three Arrested In Oshkosh

Police in Oshkosh arrested three Oshkosh men after a shot was fired in the 800 block of Frederick Street just before 10 o’clock Wednesday night. A resident reported two men with guns and a shot fired during a disturbance at a residence. Investigators learned a 33-year-old man had an AK-47 rifle and a 32-year-old man a .38 caliber handgun and a shot was fired from one of the guns. An effort was made to hide the guns at another residence in the 700 block of Central Street, but police found them. The 33 and 32-year-old man and an 18-year old man were arrested. Charges included firearm possession, recklessly endangering safety, disorderly conduct and trespassing. 

Driver Flees From Crash In Washington County

Washington County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a driver who fled from the scene of a two vehicle crash. Officials say people were hurt in the accident on Pioneer Road in the Village of Richfield yesterday afternoon. A witness to the crash followed the fleeing car for several miles until officers could catch up. After a 6 mile pursuit deputies pulled the driver over in the area of County Highway G and Holy Hill Road. The driver was arrested and taken to the County Jail.

Senator Baldwin Visits The STEM Academy And Mercury Marine Today

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin will visit with students and staff at the STEM Academy and tour Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac today. Baldwin will tour the academy, hear from students, and see projects in action. That visit will be from 10 to 11 this morning. Following that she will visit Mercury Marine’s headquarters where she will meet with President Mark Schwabero and tour the assembly plant. Mercury Marine has had five major expansions over the last few years, which have broadened their ability to compete in the global marketplace. In addition, Baldwin will see assembly of the 150 FourStroke outboard, a new product launched in 2012. Mercury Marine’s Fond du Lac facility employs 3,100 workers. The tour at Mercury is from 11:15 to 1 p.m.

Jobless Rates Up In February

According to state and federal labor statistics unemployment levels in the city and county of Fond du Lac were up in February. The jobless rate in the City was at 7.6 percent in February up slightly and in the County it stood at 7 percent. Unemployment rates in February of last year were a full percent higher in the City and a half percent higher in the County. Unemployment rates increased in all but three of the state’s largest cities and all but three of the state’s 72 counties in February.

Senator Gudex Present For Bill Signing Ceremony

State Senator Rick Gudex was present in Oshkosh when Governor Scott Walker signed a bill this week that will help out troubled tax incremental districts. The bill was authored by Gudex and State Representative Michael Schraa of Oshkosh. It was signed at Schwab Properties in Oshkosh. The City’s South Shore Redevelopment area has seen some hard times. Gudex says the bill will allow municipalities to reset the value of TID whose property value has fallen by 10 percent or more.

Gudex says it’s always nice to be included when the Governor signs a bill into law that you had a hand in creating. Another Gudex bill the governor signed into law this week gives the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation the ability to authorize the transfer of tax credits to businesses that meet certain criteria.

Pickup Truck Drivers Fortunate In Ice Incident

Fond du Lac Division Chief of Fire Prevention Troy Haase says two brothers whose trucks went through the ice on Lake Winnebago last weekend were lucky. Haase says the department is equipped and they are trained for ice rescues and fortunately in this instance they didn’t have to do one. Last Sunday when the two trucks carrying dirt bikes went through the temperatures were in the 50s, but Haase says the problem is the water temperature is much colder than that and hypothermia doesn’t take long if you go in.