Local News Briefs Saturday 2/6/16

IRS Scam Reported In Washington County

Washington County Sheriff’s officials say the IRS scam has hit their county. It’s similar to the scams that have been reported in neighboring counties. The caller says they are with the IRS and you owe back taxes and must pay up immediately or risk going to jail. The real IRS would not call you. The scam has also been reported in Dodge, Fond du Lac and Winnebago Counties.

Gaining Trial Experience

Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney says he’s done 15 to 20 jury trials since he became DA, but the Eve Nance trial was by far the most high profile of the lot. He says with each trial you gain experience, which helps when you do your next trial. He says every trial that he’s done has given him more experience for handling the next trial that comes along. Eve Nance was found guilty of murdering her husband Tim in their Fond du Lac home in November of 2013. Toney has another high profile jury trial scheduled in June when he will try Dennis Brantner who is suspected of killing 18-year-old Berit Beck in July of 1990 in Fond du Lac.

NFDL Utilities Budgets Presented

The North Fond du Lac Village Board this week heard presentations on water, wastewater and stormwater utility budgets for 2016. Village Administrator Chuck Hornung says their Director of Planning and Engineering Nick Leonard and Director of Residential Services Darren Parsons did presentations for the board. He says they will have a public hearing for those budgets at their next meeting. He says following the hearing at the Monday, February 15th meeting the board will consider adopting those budgets.

Democrats Want The Same Accountability From Voucher Schools

Democrats in the state legislature are pushing for a comprehensive accountability bill for private schools and systems involved in the school voucher program. State Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling says money for both public and private schools is coming out of the same pot. She says if public schools are being held accountable; schools with voucher students should be held to the same standards. This week the state’s Department of Public Instruction announced that 135 private and religious schools and systems had registered to participate in the voucher program. That’s thirty-one more than a year ago.

Super Bowl Shut Out

Officials with the state’s Department of Transportation are hoping for zero traffic deaths during Super Bowl Sunday. David Pabst is the Director of the DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Safety. He says the Super Bowl is one of those occasions when a lot of people will be gathering at various parties where alcohol is often served. He says they want people to enjoy the game, but by doing it responsibly. He says they don’t want any impaired drivers on the roads so they are encouraging the use of a designated sober driver or a cab or a bus. Law enforcement agencies across Wisconsin will be keeping a sharp eye out for impaired drivers. Motorists will also notice changeable message signs along major highways encouraging people to drive responsibly.