Local News Briefs Tuesday 5/5/15

Human remains were found in Winnebago County’s Vinland Township last week. Sheriff’s officials are trying to identify the remains found near railroad tracks off County Highway GG. Someone called last Wednesday afternoon to report the discovery. The remains are that of man and forensic testing is expected to determine identification and a cause of death. Officials say the remains could have been left there anytime from January of 2013 to December of 2014.  Anyone with information should contact the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department by calling 920-236-7300.

Fire Destroys Dodge County Home

Fire destroyed a home in Dodge County over the weekend. The fire at W5673 Eagle Road in the Town of Clyman was reported early Saturday morning. Ten fire departments battled the blaze, which completely destroyed the home. A sheriff’s deputy patrolling the area spotted the fire and called it in. No one was at home when it happened.

Sheboygan Fatal Traffic Accident

Police in Sheboygan are calling an accident that killed a 67-year-old man at the Sheboygan Paper Box Company April 29th a traffic accident. They say Thomas Vandekreeke was on a narrow walkway near the loading dock when a truck was leaving through a doorway. The trailer hit and killed him. No charges will be filed in the incident.

West Division Street Intersection Closure

The Fond du Lac Public Works Department tells us starting Friday the intersection of West Division Street and Brooke Street in Fond du Lac will be closed for utility repair work.  The road closure is expected to last about a week.  Businesses on Division Street within the construction will remain open to customer traffic. Traffic to the businesses will need to use Military Road or Doty Street.  There will be no marked detour routes.

FDL County Tourism Spending Up In 2014

Fond du Lac County visitors spent $123 million in 2014 compared to $119 million in 2013. Tourism spending figures were released in conjunction with National Travel and Tourism Week, which runs through Sunday. Total business sales were also up for the County increasing a little over 4 percent to just under $214 million. State officials say nearly 2,500 people in Fond du Lac County are employed in tourism-related jobs and they made $55.6 million last year. State wide tourism economy topped $18.5 billion in 2014 a $1 billion boost from 2013.

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Meeting On Highway 67 Project In Campbellsport Tonight

The State Department of Transportation will host a meeting in Campbellsport tonight to discuss preliminary design concepts and show exhibits for the State Highway 67 improvement project. Approximately 18.6 miles of the highway will be improved in Fond du Lac County. The project will begin at the west county line just east of Golden Corners Road and continue to the east county line near Division Road. The meeting is scheduled from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the Campbellsport Community Center. A brief presentation will be provided at 6 p.m. As part of the project the Highway 67 and Highway 45 intersection will be constructed. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2019, but could be moved up to 2018.

Rolling Meadows Golf Course Discussion

Fond du Lac County Executive Al Buechel says there is no serious discussion right now about selling the Rolling Meadows Golf Course. Operations of the course will be reviewed during a meeting of two County Board committees this Thursday. The course has been operating at a deficit for years. Buechel says no one is seriously recommending selling the course or selling it for development. He says the goal of the County Board members he’s talked to is to figure out a way to make the course pay for itself. Course manager David Brandenburg says golf in general has suffered since about the mid-2000s, but weather impacted Rolling Meadows more in the past two years. Buechel says no property tax money has been used to supplement the golf course at least since 1981. He says the County has simply carried the debt. He says the Course is worth more than the deficit and it is a quality of life issue. Thursday’s meeting is at 6 p.m. in Room F of the Fond du Lac City-County Government Center.

Thiesfeldt Bill Would Allow More Participation In WRS

A State Assembly committee today is expected to approve a bill authored by State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt that would allow greater participation in the Wisconsin Retirement System. The state lawmaker from Fond du Lac says to participate now all employees with a municipality for instance would have to make the switch at the same time. He says the problem is that in order to be fully vested employees would need to be with the system five years. He says the bill he authored would allow new employees to join one at a time if they wish. He’s expecting the Assembly committee to approve the bill. It would then move on to a Senate committee.

Reusing Old Schools Works For FDL School District

Fond du Lac Schools Superintendent Jim Sebert says the district has been fortunate over the years to hold onto some former schools and make the most of their use. He says the former Goodrich High School now is the site of the District Administration Center and Riverside Elementary School. He says people might remember back in the day how cramped the district offices were in a site that now serves as U.S. Bank. He says they then moved elementary students out of the Franklin School to what’s now Riverside. Sebert says about 6 years ago when the economy went south they considered selling the Franklin School, but held onto it and its now thriving as the site for their STEM Academy and STEM Institute Charter Schools. Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch toured the STEM Academy and Institute last week.

SAVE Act Requires Colleges To Do More For Victims Of On Campus Sexual Assault

A counselor for Moraine Park Technical College says a new companion piece to Title IX provides more rights to victims of sexual assault or violence on campus. Amy Anderson says it’s called the SAVE Act, which is an acronym for Sexual Violence Elimination Act. She says it will make procedures more transparent, puts more prevention efforts forward and has policies for how colleges have to report on it. She says in the past victims on some of the larger campuses had to sign a non-disclosure agreement, but SAVE closes those loop holes. She says schools will have other requirements to fulfill as part of the SAVE Act. She says they have to address sexual harassment and violence, respond to it promptly, try and prevent it from ever happening again, protect the victims, publish a policy and assign a Title IX coordinator on campus to make sure all of that is done. Student staff also has to be trained about sexual violence, which she says MPTC has been doing for years already.

Same Sex Marriage Licenses Generating Income And Happiness

Fond du Lac County Clerk Lisa Freiberg says the addition of same sex marriage licenses has generated a little more revenue for the clerk’s office over the past year. She says they are required to follow the law and sell the licenses whether they are for a man and woman or same sex couple. She says as a result of the change in the law they see quite a few more happy couples. She says one same sex couple who got a license through the clerk’s office was recently featured in article in the Ripon Commonwealth because they are believed to be the first same sex couple to be married in the community.

MPTC Portfolio Night Thursday At FDL Campus

Graduating students from Moraine Park Technical College’s Graphic Communications, Interactive Media Design and Digital Marketing programs will be showcasing their talents at the College’s annual Portfolio Night Thursday at the Fond du Lac Campus.  Portfolio Night highlights the projects and work these graduating students have completed in their respective programs while at Moraine Park, and it allows them to share their projects with prospective employers, the local community and Moraine Park students and staff. Students from the Fond du Lac, Beaver Dam and West Bend campuses will have their work on display. Portfolio Night is free and will be held on the Fond du Lac campus in room O103/104 from 3-6 p.m.