Local News Briefs Tuesday 11/12/13

Fond du Lac City Councilman Dan Manning says he’s disappointed a housing discrimination ordinance change has been dropped from the Council’s agenda this week. Manning initiated the ordinance change, which would have included the terms gender identity or expression in the housing discrimination ordinance to cover trangenders. He says an educational effort will be launched to better inform the public on what the ordinance change was trying to accomplish. Manning says he would like to bring the ordinance back in the future. He says more than one in five transgenders has experienced homelessness and more than one in ten have been evicted because of discrimination.

FDL Theater Burglary

Fond du Lac Police are investigating a burglary that occurred at the Fond du Lac Theater on West Scott Street. Assistant Police Chief Steve Klein says the burglary was reported Saturday morning. Sometime between late Friday night and early Sunday morning someone forcibly entered the Theater and ransacked an office area stealing an undisclosed amount of cash. The theaters computer system and other property were also damaged.  There are no suspects at this time.  Anyone with information is asked to call the crime alert number at 322-3740 or 906-4777, callers can remain anonymous. 

Waupun Woman Suspected Of Setting Apartment Fire

Authorities in Waupun believe a 43-year-old woman was trying to harm herself by setting her apartment on fire Monday afternoon. A passerby called the fire in. When firefighters and police responded to the scene the woman was on the roof of the burning upstairs apartment.  No one was in the lower apartment. Fire Department officials say there was extensive damage to the living room and smoke and heat damage to the rest of the apartment. Three small animals and a dog were found inside, but they were not hurt. The fire occurred at 37 ½ Main Street.

Reward Offered In Waupun Prank Bomb Threat

Police in Waupun are investigating a string of bomb threats at three restaurants and a video store. A $200 cash reward has been posted for information leading to the arrest of the person who phoned in a prank bomb threat at the Culver’s Restaurant in Waupun Sunday night. Police say the restaurant had to be evacuated after the threat was phoned in just before the restaurant was supposed to close. Police also say the McDonald’s Restaurant and Family Video had to be evacuated last night and they were looking into another possible threat at the Pizza Ranch. Anyone with information can call the Waupun Police Department at (920) 324-7911. 

Sheboygan Man Charged For Critical Injuries To 6 Month Old Child

(WHBL-Sheboygan)-A Sheboygan man is being held in the Sheboygan County Jail while his nearly 6 month old son lies critically injured in Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee.  Twenty-one-year-old Benito Zuniga Jr. was charged Monday with felony child abuse and is facing up to 17 years in prison.  According to the criminal complaint, he was charged after his son was taken from his apartment on the afternoon of October 31st.  The infant wasn’t breathing and was taken to Sheboygan Memorial and then transferred to Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee.  Zuniga was arrested and told officers he had tripped and dropped the child who landed on his head.  Authorities said however, that a doctor at Children’s said that would not have caused the severe head injuries.  She told officers last week that the child could die or never completely recover from the injuries, but it’s still too early to tell.  She also said there was evidence of more than one traumatic event.

State Senate Ag Committee To Vote On Raw Milk Bill

(Wisconsin Radio Network)-A legislative committee at the state Capitol is scheduled to vote today on a bill to legalize the sale of raw milk in Wisconsin. Shawn Pfaff heads a coalition opposed to the measure. He says it’s impossible to make unsafe products safe and raw milk isn’t safe unless it’s pasteurized. The author of the bill, West Bend Republican Glenn Grothman, disagrees. He says over time more and more chiropractors and nutritionists are prescribing raw milk for their patients. The bill is up for action in the state Senate Agriculture Committee. Governor Walker hasn’t said what he would do if the bill reaches his desk, but says we need to preserve our reputation as America’s Dairyland.

Behnke Presented With Friend Of Education Award

The Fond du Lac School Board and Fond du Lac Education Association last night honored Bill Behnke with the Friend of Education Award. Behnke is a local master gardener. District Superintendent Jim Sebert says he’s familiar with Bill’s work with the garden at Riverside Elementary School, which started in 2009. He says it seems like Behnke is there working on the garden all the time with staff and students and teaching them the benefits of a garden. He says Behnke has also worked with the UW-Extension and other master gardeners in creating gardens at Rosenow Elementary and Sabish Middle School and is developing one at Parkside Elementary. In accepting the award Behnke said he felt humbled by the honor, but also thanked the other master gardeners for their participation in the program.

Design Work Already Begun On Next Phase Of Pioneer Road Project

West Pioneer in Fond du Lac will officially reopen to traffic Wednesday with a dedication ceremony at the Hickory Street and Pioneer Road roundabout this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. Fond du Lac County Highway Commissioner Tom Janke says they are already moving forwards with the design for the next stage of the Pioneer Road project from Hickory to Military with a portion of Rogersville Road too. He says it will likely be another three to four years before construction starts on that phase. Janke says it will take a couple of years to design and they are applying for funding. He says they will begin with where they left on Pioneer Road when construction starts. He says it will be a four-lane highway continuing through military and the pedestrian path will be continued as well.

Flu Vaccine Still Plentiful

There’s still time to get influenza vaccine from the Fond du Lac County Health Department and your health care provider. Public Health Officer Kim Mueller says they haven’t seen much reported in the way of flu yet. She says people who report getting the flu after getting vaccinated likely already had the virus before they got vaccinated. She says the health department is open weekdays and can give you a flu shot or nasal mist even without an appointment. Hours are Monday through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can call the health department for more information about the flu at 929-3085.

FDL School Board Recognizes American Education Week

The Fond du Lac School Board last night passed three resolutions in honor of next week’s American Education Week. District Superintendent Jim Sebert says it’s always nice to take a moment to reflect on the great work that district staff does. He says teachers, educational support professionals and substitute teachers all play roles in making sure students have meaningful, safe learning experiences. American Education Week is November 18th through the 22nd, there were also proclamations recognizing National Education Support Professionals Day on Wednesday, November 20th and National Substitute Educators Day on Friday, November 22nd.

First “Coffee With A Cop” For Dodge County In Juneau Thursday

The first “Coffee with a cop” in Dodge County will be held this Thursday at 8 a.m. at Village Garden, at 255 W. Oak Grove St. in Juneau. Sheriff’s Department deputies and officers from the Juneau Police Department will be available to meet with community members in an informal setting and enjoy coffee.  “We hope that community members will feel comfortable to ask questions, bring concerns, or simply get to know our officers and deputies,” said Sheriff Patricia Ninmann. “These interactions are the foundation of community partnerships.” Coffee with a Cop is a national initiative supported by The United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.  The program aims to advance the practice of community policing through improving relationships between law enforcement and community members one cup of coffee at a time.

Veterans Day Marked

Veterans Day ceremonies were held across the area and nation Monday to remember the sacrifices of our men and women in the military. Fond du Lac City Councilman Dan Manning, a veteran, attended Veterans Day ceremonies at Winnebago Lutheran Academy and the UW-Fond du Lac. Manning says war has claimed the lives of people he attended West Point with. The Sabish Middle School in Fond du Lac also held their 20th Veterans Day ceremony, which featured remarks by Fond du Lac City Manager Joe Moore who is a retired colonel.

FDL County Board Preview

The Fond du Lac County Board tonight will consider adopting the 2014 County Budget, tax levy and 5-year capital improvements plan. Only one person spoke during a public hearing on the budget last week, but nothing controversial was brought up about the budget. The board will also consider the annual applications for exemption from the county library tax. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at the City-County Government Center in Fond du Lac.