Local News Briefs Thursday 9/17/15

Fond du Lac City Council members didn’t propose any changes to the proposed 2016 City Budget or 5-year Capital Improvements Plan during a special meeting Wednesday evening. That may be due to how well the budget has been prepared during the past few years by City staff. City Manager Joe Moore thanked the City staff and Council for their work on the budget. It was Councilman Brian Kolstad’s first City Budget and he says it went smoothly. For Council President Lee Ann Lorrigan it was her fourth City Budget. She says a crucial component of the 2016 is directing more money toward paying off the City’s debt. The tax rate is expected to go up by about 2.5 percent, which would mean an additional $25 in taxes on a home assessed at $100,000. A public hearing will be held on the budget at the Council’s October 14th meeting.

Lost In Hobbs Woods

The search for a Fond du Lac woman and her four missing kids in Hobbs Woods Tuesday night was short-lived. Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Captain Rick Olig says fortunately the woman had a cell phone with a flashlight and a fully-charged battery. She called 9-1-1 and described where in the woods she was. Olig says their deputies are quite familiar with Hobbs Woods and seven minutes after a deputy arrived, the woman and her children were safely brought out of the woods. The incident happened shortly after 7:30 that evening.  

Hartford Man Charged With Possessing Child Porn

A 30-year-old Hartford man has been charged with 15 counts of possessing child pornography. Cory Bonlender made his initial appearance in Washington County Court this week. Bond was set at $3,000 cash and a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for October 7th. Sheriff’s officials say a search warrant was executed at his residence last year in the Town of Addison. The investigation turned up hundreds of images and video of child pornography on his computers and cell phone.

UW Housing Lease Agreement Goes To County Board Next Month

Fond du Lac County Executive Al Buechel informed the County Board this week that a lease agreement with the new developers of student housing for he UW-Fond du Lac campus will come before them next month. He says it will go before a committee on October 14th and the full board on October 20th. He says it will be similar to the agreement they had with the previous developer Bluffstone, but incorporates something supervisors took issue with in the last attempt to develop student housing on campus. He says the developers will pay rent of $1,000 an acre. However some of that rent money will benefit UW-Fond du Lac students. He says a scholarship will be formed and half of the money they charge will be put into that scholarship.

DA Staffing Changes Bring Fresh Perspectives

Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney says changes in his office’s staffing is allowing them to bring in people with fresh ideas. He notes one of their assistant district attorneys went on to become Green Lake County’s new DA and another ended up in the State Attorney General’s office. He says one of their new prosecutors has more than 20 years of experience. He says they also have a new victim witness coordinator who has a lot of experience. He says she worked in Washington County where she held the same positions for seven years. Toney says they’ve also had some changes in their supporting staff. He says one of them comes from the Waupaca DA’s office and she brought some ideas with her on how they can be more efficient. Tuesday night County Board members honored two retiring County employees. One of them was Debra Neubauer who was the Office Coordinator in the DA’s office for 35 years.

Taking Care Of Pets During A Disaster

Fond du Lac County Communications and Emergency Management Director Jim McNabb says when it comes to preparing for disasters he can’t stress enough how important pets are to people. He says that’s especially true for senior citizens. He says they have pamphlets available on how to take care of your pets during disasters. He says the pamphlets talks about what people will need for their pets as well as themselves. McNabb says rescue workers have found that if you take care of a person’s pets during a disaster they are more willing to cooperate. He says it may sound funny, but you should prepare a disaster kit for your pets as well. He says they require food, water and sometimes medications. He recommends a collar with a name tag or license for your pet or a microchip implant. He also suggests a carrying case, which he says could also provide some protection for smaller pets. Pamphlets on taking care of your pets during an emergency are available at the KFIZ offices.

Raising Awareness About Sexual Assaults On College Campuses

Student Government Association members at the UW-Fond du Lac will present a short skit this afternoon to raise awareness about the importance of preventing sexual assaults on campus. The skit will be preformed at 12:30 p.m. in the University Center Commons. The association is participating with the National Campus Leadership Council to draw attention to the issue.