Local News Briefs Tuesday 12/15/15

SUV Hit Home On South Park Avenue

Fond du Lac Police arrested a 39-year-old Fond du Lac man for his first drunken driving offense early last Friday morning. The driver hit a fire hydrant and his SUV went up on a lawn in the 500 block of South Park Avenue. It grazed a metal railing on the front of a home.  The SUV apparently left a trail of fluids and eventually the driver was taken into custody. No one was hurt during the incident, which was reported shortly before 2:30 that morning.


Fire Fatalities

When you look back on the accomplishments of Fond du Lac Fire and Rescue this year it’s easy to overlook the most obvious one. While reviewing those accomplishments recently for the City Council, City Manager Joe Moore talked about the department receiving international accreditation and their role in a Child ID Kit program. But he says the most important accomplishment so far this year is there have been no fatal fires in the City. He says that’s been the case for the past two years and a lot of that has to do with the department’s follow up after a house fire. Each time there is a house fire; firefighters follow up with a neighborhood canvas checking to make sure people have working smoke detectors and fire safety information. Monday firefighters saved a woman on North Lincoln Avenue from the 2nd floor of a burning home. 

Weather Related Closing And Delay Notification System Review For FDL School Board

The Fond du Lac School Board held their last meeting for 2015 Monday night. Schools Superintendent Jim Sebert gave them a brief recap of their weather-related school closing and delay policy. He says they use a mass notification system. He says it’s a phone call, has texting capability and also email. He says in addition to the mass notification system they use radio stations, like KFIZ, and TV stations to get the word out. He says last winter they were fortunate enough to not have to cancel classes for weather.


Achievement Celebrated At FDL School Board Meeting

Some recognition for academic and athletic achievement was celebrated during the Fond du Lac School Board meeting Monday night. Schools Superintend Jim Sebert also gave the board an update on the winter concerts and performances that have been put on. He says one person on Facebook commented that the annual “Night of Silence” was just what they needed to get into the Christmas spirit. The board also recognized the ten Honors Music Ensemble Students from the High School, and State Swimming and Diving Qualifiers Maddy Corbin and Kristilee McCaden.  Also recognized were Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Honorable Mention All-State Football Players, Justin Maratik, Brett Vandenboogard and Jake Walgenbach and Academic All-State Football players Ryan Collien, Dakota Wagner and Will Wright.


Taking Risks For Economic Development

The president of the Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation says to succeed nowadays a community has to be willing to take risks. Steve Jenkins says if you want to have success in economic development you have to take calculated risks. He says there are communities north of taking very calculated risks on the future. He says one of the communities willing to take a risk is Oshkosh with their aviation initiative, which Fond du Lac County is part of. He says they are thinking beyond now and are actually thinking about what kind of workforce they need five years from now in order to be competitive for businesses. Jenkins says initial discussions are being held with other communities about a regional approach to projects. He says that includes cities like Oshkosh, Appleton and Green Bay because benefits and assets can be shared.


MPTC And Ottawa University Form Partnership

Moraine Park Technical College and Ottawa University of Ottawa, Kansas have entered into a partnership. The two colleges are creating an educational pathway for adult learners. It will allow students to take up to 80 earned credits from Moraine Park and transfer them to Ottawa University. Of the 124 credit hours required to complete a bachelor’s degree, the remaining 44 upper division credit hours would be taken at Ottawa University and can be completed in less than two years. Ottawa University opened one of the nation’s first adult-learning campuses in Kansas City in 1974 and expanded to the Milwaukee area in 1994. It is located in Brookfield. You can read more about the agreement at KFIZ.com.


Here We Go A Caroling In NFDL

North Fond du Lac residents are invited to enjoy a night of caroling at Yellowstone Park from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight. Village Administrator Chuck Hornung says residents should bring a lawn chair. He says the Boy Scouts will provide hot chocolate and there will be cookies. The idea came from Village Trustee Tammy Keller who is also coordinating the event. Santa will have a special mailbox there for children to send their letters straight to the North Pole. 


Chapter 52 Holiday Book Sales

Perfect for the holiday shopper with an avid reader on their gift list is the Fond du Lac Public Library’s used-books-and-more store Chapter 52. It’s located next to the library on Sheboygan Street. They will have half off paperbacks on December 16th and 19th and half off 2014 Lucky Day books and holiday books on December 23rd, 26th and 28th. Chapter 52 is open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. All proceeds benefit library programming.