Local News Briefs Saturday 5/3/14

Tenants of four apartments in a Fond du Lac apartment complex damaged by fire were displaced early Friday morning. The fire began in a second-story apartment and that apartment was heavily damage, but there was smoke and water damage to three more apartments in the 12-unit apartment building. Fire Chief Peter O’Leary says they got the call shortly before 3 a.m., but even at that early hour there were people out who wanted to help if they could. He says most importantly no one was hurt. They even managed to rescue a dog from an apartment adjacent to the one where the fire started. Tenants were alerted to the blaze by smoke detectors.

NFDL Ax Wielder Not Guilty Due To Insanity

The 23-year-old North Fond du Lac man who threatened a police officer with an ax late last September has been found guilty but not guilty of a 2nd degree recklessly endangering safety charge due to mental disease or defect. Two other charges brought against Thomas Owens for an incident at a village apartment complex were dismissed on prosecutor’s motions when he recently appeared in Fond du Lac County Court. No one was injured that day. Police got a call about a man carrying an ax and when Owens was confronted by a village police officer and two Sheriff’s deputies with guns he raised the ax as if to throw it. He quickly lowered it and ran, but was captured a short time later. He later told police he hadn’t slept for days and believed someone had killed people inside his apartment complex.

Baby Death Investigated In Oshkosh

Oshkosh Police and the Winnebago County Coroner’s Office are investigating the death of a 3-week-old baby. County dispatch received a 911 call Thursday morning and they could hear a woman screaming. When police arrived the baby wasn’t breathing and they tried to resuscitate it. Oshkosh paramedics and a doctor arrived and pronounced the baby dead. An autopsy was conducted Thursday afternoon to determine a cause of death, but that information hasn’t been released yet.

Horicon Woman Bound Over For Trial In Child Neglect Case

A 25-year-old Horicon woman has been bound over for trial in a Dodge County child neglect case.  Secoy Koch-Miller had a preliminary hearing Thursday. She is accused of allowing her newborn and a toddler to live in conditions described as being “unfit for humans.” That’s while she was living with her mother in Burnett in a home that’s been condemned. According to the criminal complaint the house was filled with animal and human waste, mice, black mold and had no running water and dead maggots in the refrigerator. Investigators say the home was that of a typical “hoarder.” The two-year-old toddler had spiders living in his hair and both children were covered with bug bites. The children have been placed with a foster family.

Oshkosh Lottery Winner Comes Forward

An Oshkosh man came forward this week to claim the $350,000 prize he won in the Super Cash drawing on Thursday, April 24th. Michael Dobner bought his winning ticket at Blue Moose Stores at 208 Bowen Street in Oshkosh. After taxes he will receive a lump sum of $235,375. The store will get a $7,000 commission from the state lottery.

Political Contributions Disconcerting

Fond du Lac County Executive Al Buechel says it’s very concerning to him how much money is being spent in the political process. Buechel says at one time he considered running for Governor, but there’s no way a candidate could run for that type of office now without becoming beholding to someone. He says he runs on a very small scale in a county executive campaign, but the kind of contributors who give in larger campaigns have expectations and its very difficult not to give them what they want. He says money does the talking now in political campaigns and it is not good for this country. 

Wounded Warriors Book Coming Out

Soon the public will be able to read about the exploits of the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team. Kay Wege is the mother of Josh Wege a member of the team who lost his feet when a roadside bomb went off during a patrol in Afghanistan in October of 2009. She says her daughter is writing a chapter of the book. She says it will highlight nine of the original players and talk a little bit about their medical history. Some of the team members will be in Campbellsport next Friday night for a dinner and a game on Saturday to help kick off a benefit for the Relay for Life event.