Local News Briefs Friday 6/27/14

There are a few questions about a fatal accident that occurred on Highway 23 east of Ripon Wednesday afternoon that Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s officials would like answered. Sixty-three-year-old Linda Trotter of Ripon died at the scene of the accident. Twenty-five-year-old Heather Cleveland of Fond du Lac ran into the back of 33-year-old Waylon Zrinsky’s Ford F250 pickup truck pushing it head on into Trotter’s Toyota Prius. Sheriff’s Captain Rick Olig says they need to learn why Cleveland hit the truck. He says it’s an open area. Olig says they’d like to know if she was attentive, whether she was texting or what may have had her attention. He says Zrinsky already had turned his wheels when he pulled up to a stop sign. Paramedics treated Zrinsky and he left before deputies could speak to him. Olig says all three drivers had their seat belts buckled up otherwise the accident could have been more tragic for the two survivors. Cleveland is in serious condition at Theda Clark in Neenah.

Oakfield Man Sentenced For Drunken Driving Injury Accident

(WBEV-Beaver Dam) An Oakfield man entered a “no contest” plea Wednesday in Dodge County Court in connection with a drunk driving injury accident. 52-year-old Bryan K. Novak pled to reduced charges of Operating While Intoxicated, Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Obstruction and Disorderly Conduct. The two-vehicle wreck occurred last June just after midnight on Highway 49 in the Town of Leroy.  A 20-year-old Lomira woman was transported to St. Agnes Hospital. Novak had a blood alcohol level over three-times the legal limit for driving at point-two-six-seven (.267). He was sentenced Wednesday to 180 days in jail with work release privileges amd two years’ probation. Novak also lost his license for nine months followed by a year of blowing into a tube to start his car.

Sheboygan County Crime Of The Week Handgun Theft

Sheboygan County’s Sheriff’s Department is looking for information about a gun that was stolen from a car last Saturday night. The handgun was secured in a vehicle with a “Console Vault” cabled to the passenger seat. The vault was also stolen. The gun was a black and silver Taurus 9 mm semi-automatic hand gun, model 709. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheboygan County Crime Stoppers at 1-877-283-8436. Tips can also be left at www.cuftthem.com or you can text SCTIP plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES). You can remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

Senator Johnson Reacts To Latest VA Report

(Wisconsin Radio Network)-U-S Senator Ron Johnson says a new report is another indicator that government bureaucracy is behind many of the problems experienced by the Veterans Affairs medical system. The report, released by Senate Republican Tom Coburn, argues the V-A has ineffectively used the resources it has been given and Congress has failed to provide oversight. He says rather than fix the problem Congress expands eligibility and makes the problem worse. He says when VA construction projects are backlogged Congress continues to add VA projects because that’s the politically popular thing to do. Johnson says Congress needs to eliminate much of the bureaucracy that has slowed down the V-A system and made it hard to put needed reforms in place.

FDL City Council Meetings Will Be Held At FDL Public Library In July

Due to an upgrade of audio and video equipment in the legislative chambers the Fond du Lac City Council’s next two meetings will not be held at the City-County Government Center. Instead the July 9th and July 23rd meetings will be held at the public library. There will be no live broadcast, but there will be a delayed video recording.  Meanwhile the County Board may not hold a meeting in July. The upgrade should be completed in time for meetings in August.

Second $1 Million Powerball Winner In Sheboygan County In Last Month

State lottery officials say Sheboygan County has its second $1 million Powerball winner in the last month. Both winning tickets were sold at Q Marts the first in Kohler and the latest in Sheboygan. Wednesday’s winning Powerball numbers were 10, 20, 25, 50 and 53 with a Powerball of 35. The Power Play number was 4. No ticket in any state matched all five numbers plus the Powerball, pushing the jackpot to $80 million ($46.7 million cash) for Saturday’s drawing.  

Classic Day In FDL

There should be something for just about everyone at the Commonwealth Classic bike races in downtown Fond du Lac Friday. Dave Haase says there will be activities for the kids, races for the adults, food and refreshments and music later on. He says racing is from 10 a.m. to just after 8 p.m. He says the fastest race will be the men’s professional at 6:30 p.m. Agnesian HealthCare and the Children’s Museum are partnering on events in the Kids Zone, which will be located on Sheboygan Street in front of the library. Events there are from 3 to 6 p.m.  Capping off the day is a concert by Road Trip after the awards ceremony. The Commonwealth Classic is a leg in the Tour of America’s Dairyland.

UW FDL Foundation Awards More Than $32,000 In Scholarships

The University of Wisconsin- Fond du Lac Foundation has awarded more than $32,000 in scholarships to 33 new and continuing students for the academic year 2014-2015. The Scholarship Committee of the UW-FDL Foundation Board of Directors worked closely to read and evaluate about 50 applications before awarding the scholarships. The awards included endowments and donor-named scholarships as well as general UW-Fond du Lac Foundation scholarships. New to tuition assistance this summer, the Foundation will also award two $500 scholarships to students who register for the 2014-2015 academic year past the April deadline required for the larger group of scholarships. Applications can be obtained at the Student Affairs Office and must be completed and returned there by Friday, August 22. Scholarship recipients and their families will have the opportunity to meet their donors on Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the annual UW-Fond du Lac Foundation Donor Recognition and Scholarship Awards Reception held in the University Commons.  A highlight of the event will be the presentation of the 2014 Distinguished Alumni Award, which, this year, will be awarded to Paul Thelen, director of liturgy and music at Holy Family Catholic Community. For more information about the UW-Fond du Lac Foundation Scholarship Program, please contact Executive Director Patty Brandl at (920) 9291337 or at patricia.brandl@uwc.edu

FDL City Holiday Hours

City offices in the Fond du Lac City/County Government Center will be closed on Friday, July 4th in observance of Independence Day. The Municipal Service Center will be closed for all services, including refuse and recycling collection and bulky waste drop off. There will be no refuse and recycling collection on Friday, July 4th. Refuse and recycling normally collected on Friday will be collected on Thursday, July 3rd along with the normal Thursday collection. Yard waste may still be dropped off during the holiday hours. The Fond du Lac Public Library will be closed, but open the following day. The Senior Center will be closed and City Transit buses will not be operating.

Pickett Steam Independence Pull Saturday

The Pickett Steam and Gas Independence Pull will be held this weekend at the club’s grounds on Olden Road in Pickett. Pickett Steam Club President Clayton Wellman says the first pull is at 11 a.m. Saturday morning and both tractors and trucks will be pulling during the early show. He says that goes on until about 4 p.m. The night time pull will begin around 6:30 p.m. Wellman says over the years they’ve made improvements to the club grounds including new restrooms this past year. The club grounds are on Olden Road about 4 miles north of Rosendale off Highway 26 and about 7 miles south of Oshkosh off Highway 26.

Fish For Kids Workshop Sunday

The annual Fish for Kids Fishing Workshop event returns to Fond du Lac’s Lakeside Park this Sunday. It will be from 1 to 4 p.m. on Oven Island and about 100 kids will be participating. Tony Goebel started the event in Fond du Lac when he was 17-years-old. He says for many kids participating in the event it’s the first time they’ve picked up a fishing pole. He says they will teach those kids the basics about fishing. He says they’ve held the event in several cities over the years, but thought it would be nice to return to Fond du Lac for the 10th anniversary. The event culminates with raffle prizes, including fishing poles or tackle boxes being awarded to every child. Those attending also receive a free Fish for Kids hat and snack. To see if there is any room left for registration call (920) 251-9004.