Local News Briefs Monday 3/2/15

A 17-year-old boy was seriously injured when he became entangled in an auger in a silo on a Town of Sheboygan Falls farm Sunday afternoon. Sheboygan County Sheriff’s officials say the County Dispatch Center got a call just before 5 pm. about the accident at W4357 Sumac Road. Rescuers were able to free him and Flight for Life flew him to Children’s Hospital. Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Wisconsin State Patrol, Town of Sheboygan Falls Fire Department, Town of Sheboygan Falls First Responders, City of Sheboygan Fall Fire Department, Cedar Grove Fire Department, Orange Cross Ambulance, and Flight for Life responded.

FDL Powerball Winner Gets Symbolic Check Today

State lottery officials will present a symbolic check to a $1 million Powerball winner in Fond du Lac this afternoon. The winner purchased a Powerball ticket for the Saturday, January 31st drawing at Korneli’s Prairie Express at 919 East Johnson Street. The check presentation will be at the store this afternoon at 4 p.m. The winner matched five out of five numbers, but not the Powerball for that evening’s drawing.

Interest Expressed In Forming Fond du Lac Arts Board

After getting the Fond du Lac City Council’s blessing last week City staff will put together an ordinance to create an Arts Board. A delegation of City officials visited La Crosse to take a look the Arts Board they formed in 2009 and how it impacted the downtown La Crosse Arts District. Fond du Lac Community Development Director Dyann Benson says La Crosse has a nine member Arts Board each member with two year terms. Benson says Fond du Lac has its own Arts, Entertainment and Education District, which was enhanced by the expansion of the Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts. City Council President Sam Meyer told the Council during last week’s meeting that the Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership, Fond du Lac Convention and Visitors Bureau and Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts are in favor of forming an Arts Board. Meyer says he was one of those who went to La Crosse to look at their Arts Board and would like to see something similar in Fond du Lac.

ACT Testing This Week

High School Juniors across the state will take ACT testing. Fond du Lac Schools Superintendent Jim Sebert says Tuesday Juniors will take the ACT exam and Wednesday during the morning will take the new ACT WorkKeys assessment. He says they have 502 juniors that will be taking the testing. He says it is different than past ACT testing and he says the state will be picking up the cost of the testing, which will save the parents of those juniors some money. Sebert says in the past junior interested in attending four-year colleges and universities took the ACT testing, but now technical colleges are also considering using it as an admission requirement. Freshman, sophomores and seniors at Fond du Lac High School will be off Tuesday, but will join juniors at 11:45 Wednesday morning for the remainder of the day. All high school students will attend Friday and off day for 1st through 8th grade students.

Walleye Weekend Non Profit Impact Last Year Over $211,500

Perhaps the biggest impact of Walleye Weekend in Fond du Lac is for the non-profits, schools and service organizations who man booths and attractions at Lakeside Park. Fond du Lac Festivals Executive Director Leanne Doyle says many of those groups it is their biggest fundraising opportunity of the year. She says the net proceeds for those groups and organizations amounts to more than $200,000 a year. Last year it was just over $211,500. Doyle says people don’t realize just how many groups and organizations participate in Walleye Weekend. She says last year it was 46 groups representing 42 non-profits, schools and service organizations. Walleye Weekend 2015 is June 12th through the 14th.

Lawn And Garden Equipment Left In Yard An Opportunity For Thieves

An official with the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office warns residents about leaving valuable equipment out in the yard during the spring and summer. Lieutenant Cameron McGee says it won’t be long until people start using lawn and garden equipment. He says if you leave a riding lawnmower or similar equipment out in your yard it’s an opportunity for thieves. He says it’s best to take the extra time to put the equipment away and remove the temptations for a thief.

Phone Scams

Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Cameron McGee warns residents about a pair of telephone scams. He says in one the caller pretends to be an agent with the IRS and says you owe money and if you don’t pay it face serious consequences. He says the IRS wouldn’t do that. He says in the other they’ve had people saying they are with the Sheriff’s Office and use some type of pretext to try and get money out of you.  He says he actually called one of those scammers back to see what they wanted. He says when they heard who he was they hung up. McGee says later they found out the caller was in Georgia and was using a burner phone.

Motorcycle Safety Classes Available At MPTC

The motorcycle safety coordinator for Moraine Park Technical College says their motorcycle safety course will teach you the basics, which can benefit the beginner or even experienced riders. Kim Rudat says there’s an online course and then range or practical learning on their motorcycle course. He says it takes a weekend and is primarily aimed at the rider who is striving to get their motorcycle license.  He says MPTC’s Fond du Lac campus has a very nice range for motorcycle riders and they even provide the bikes. He says to avoid confusion over when the classes are available give them a call and they will get things squared away. He says 20 different classes will be offered during the season starting in April and ending in September. The phone number to call is 920-924-3207.