Local News Briefs Friday 7/26/13

Oshkosh Police are looking for a man 60-years-old or older who robbed the Marathon Gas Station at 1320 Oshkosh Avenue last night. Police say the man entered the store about 8:12 p.m. and demanded money from the clerk. After getting an undisclosed amount of cash he fled in a dark green colored 4-door Pontiac Grand Am or Grand Prix. He was white, about 6 feet tall with a thin build. He was wearing a red rain jacket and a black baseball cap. No weapons were displayed and no one was injured. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Dean Artus at (920) 236-5700 or the Crime Stoppers program at 1-800-621-2274.

 

Fondy Woman Facing Animal Neglect Allegations

 

Animal neglect charges have been brought against a 32-year-old Fond du Lac woman. Ten puppies were removed from Stacy Checolinski’s home on July 8th. Checolinski is facing 20 misdemeanor charges or 10 counts each of intentionally failing to provide water for an animal, and improper animal shelter ventilation. The puppies were rescued during hot weather. They were in a crate in the backyard that was covered with a tarp. The puppies are recovering at the Fond du Lac Humane Society shelter. Checolinski will make her initial appearance on the charges Tuesday morning in Fond du Lac County Court.

 

Ashippun Man Sentenced For Stealing From Church Endowment Fund

 

The 62-year-old Ashippun man who stole $162,000 from a church endowment fund has been sentenced to up to a year in jail and 5 years of probation. Jim Schlieve was sentenced this week in Dodge County Court. He was also ordered to pay $4,000 in fines and court costs and 150 hours of community service. He has already made full restitution and if he lives up to conditions of sentencing will have the final four months of jail time stayed. According to the criminal complaint he was overseeing the endowment fund for the Zion Lutheran Church in Ashippun when he took the money. He told investigators he used the money to pay bills and help out struggling relatives.

 

Shoplifter Wields Hatchets To Get Away

 

Maybe the employees at a Fleet Farm store in Beaver Dam should get hazard pay for dealing with shoplifters. They called police late Tuesday morning about a shoplifter they were having difficulty with. That person tried to steal hatchets from the store. When employees tried to stop the thief the hatchets were chucked at them. No one was hurt, but the suspect got away on foot. 

 

FDL City Council Praised For Park Decision

 

Fond du Lac City Council members got some positive feedback this week on their recent action to open up the skateboard park at Adelaide Park to BMX bike enthusiasts. Christina Umbreit says it has been a very positive experience for her family. Her 12-year-old son also thanked the Council saying the park he used to go to closed down recently and he has no other place to go. The Council agreed to allow a trial period at the park this summer to see if skateboarders and BMX bikers to co-exist at the park. There had been some conflicts in the past.

 

Mercury Marine Earnings Second Quarter

 

Both Mercury Marine and its parent company, the Brunswick Corporation, reported solid second quarter earnings Thursday. The Marine Segment, consisting of the Mercury Marine Group, reported net sales of $631.7 million up 7 percent from the $591.2 million from the second quarter of 2012. For the quarter the Marine Engine segment reported operating earnings of $119.4 million compared to $104.0 million the same period last year. Overall Brunswick reported net sales of just under $1.1 billion up about $45 million from a year earlier. Operating earnings were also up. To see the full report click here.

 

FDL County Clerk Says Omnibus Election Package Good And Bad

 

Fond du Lac County Clerk Lisa Freiberg says she would have preferred that state lawmakers not include proposed election laws in an omnibus package of bills. She says one of the bills included in the package was a proposed bill from State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt that would have made recounts easier. She says one change does favor is doing away with special elections for referendums and holding them during regular elections. Freiberg says one way they save on the expense of elections is to do their own programming for voting machines, which she says many counties don’t do. She says because she does the programming it saves about $20,000 for the County.

 

11th Annual Prairie Fest Saturday

 

The 11th annual Prairie Fest will be held at the Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum on the U-W Fond du Lac campus Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s a free event and will be held rain or shine.

Sally Scott is the Executive Director for the Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum. She says they will have tours throughout the event, food, kite flying and the Master Gardner Association will have a plant sale. There will even be a rain barrel auction with KFIZ’s Bob Hoffmaster serving as a guest auctioneer for the 12 p.m. auction. She says rain barrels are an economical and environmentally friendly way of getting water for your garden.There will event be a Prairie Playzone for the kids. For a complete list of Prairie Fest activities visit the Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum website.

 

Planes Begin Arrival For EAA AirVenture

 

If you keep an eye on the sky or perk up your ears you’ll notice that planes are already flying into the area for the start of the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh next Monday. EAA spokesman Dick Knapinski says they are able to accommodate about half of the planes that fly in for the annual event at Wittman Regional Airport. He says others park at airports throughout the area including Fond du Lac.  Knapinski says the majority of their visitors still arrive by car each day about half a million of them from 65 nations. AirVenture has an economic impact of about $110 million. It starts next Monday, July 29th and runs through Sunday, August 4th.

 

RMC Renderings

 

Agnesian HealthCare officials have released renderings of what the new Ripon Medical Center will look like. The new hospital off Eastgate Drive in Ripon will be 120,000 square feet. The $43.7 million project should be completed and operational in late summer or early fall of next year. Look for photos of the renderings at KFIZ.com.