Local News Briefs Saturday 10/17/15

Fitchberg Teen Arraigned In Beaver Dam Fleet Farm Shooting

The 17-year-old Fitchburg man who allegedly shot an assistant manager at the Beaver Dam Fleet Farm Store was arraigned in Dodge County Court this week. Jared Spencer pled not guilty to charges stemming from the July 15th incident. The assistant manager and a store security employee confronted Spencer in the parking lot of the store about ammunition he stole. Spencer fired a handgun once striking the 31-year-old assistant manager in the left wrist and shoulder. The victim suffered non-life threatening injuries. Spencer left the store in a vehicle, but was stopped on Highway 151 near Columbus. A scheduling conference in the case will be held next month.

City Of FDL Goes With Different Carrier For Property Insurance

The Fond du Lac City Council this week approved a resolution that allows the City to withdraw from the State of Wisconsin Local Government Property Insurance Fund. Director of Administration Hal Wortman told the Council that the fund provides insurance for City buildings, contents, property and equipment. But he says a number of events have occurred in the past few years that have really put the financial ability of the fund in jeopardy. He says as a result rates are going up. He says a new insurance pool will provide insurance for the City’s property that will cost less. He says the League of Wisconsin Municipalities Insurance Fund and Cities and Counties Mutual Insurance Company have formed the new insurance company.

Agnesian Support For Child ID Kits Provides Momentum

Fond du Lac Fire Chief Peter O’Leary says the decision by the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation to fund Child ID kits for 17,000 children in the County is huge for the effort. The Foundation also committed to funding kits for future kindergartners. The fire department and Green Bay Packers are also involved in the effort that is going statewide. O’Leary says the decision by Agnesian is important because it’s just the type of thing that will provide momentum for the statewide effort. He says he’s proud to be part of the program.

Grothman On Popes Address To Congress

Congressman Glenn Grothman says he found the address Pope Francis recently made to Congress interesting. He says the Pope mentioned people he looked up to. Grothman says he may not look up to all of those same people, but he found the Pope’s address inspirational. He says the Pope emphasized the importance of family and saw the erosion of family as one of the reasons that the world and perhaps America is in decline. Grothman says he hopes Congress ponders the degree to which the Government has played a role in the erosion of family that the Pope talked about.

Food Drive Reminder

Area residents are asked to have their contributions to the Boy Scouts food drive out early this morning. Bags were distributed earlier this week and the Scouts would like them placed outside your door by 8 a.m. Only non-perishable foods should be placed in the bag. Suggestions of what to donate are listed on the bags.

Youth Leadership Oshkosh Program Receives Award

Youth Leadership Oshkosh recently received an award from Leadership Wisconsin.  Each year The Shaping Wisconsin Leaders Award recognizes a Leadership Development Program.  The Youth Leadership Oshkosh program, in its 14th year, is a program of the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce that brings together 24 public and private high school juniors.  The program creates awareness of the community.