Local News Briefs Wednesday 1/1/14

Burglary and theft charges have been brought against an 18-year-old Waupun man suspected of helping to burglarize a Town of Trenton home last spring. Dodge County prosecutors brought the felony and misdemeanor charges against Austin Mitchell who is suspected of stealing jewelry from the home and pawning it for drugs.  Mitchell is acquainted with the victim’s grandson, who is himself facing a felony charge for the crime. Dakota Payne claims Mitchell stole the jewelry. Mitchell says he only went to the home that day to walk his dog and was not involved in the burglary.

ASTOP Receives State Grant

The ASTOP Sexual Abuse Center in Fond du Lac was recently awarded a nearly $75,000 ($74,756) grant from the state. Funds will be used to address barriers that keep sexual assault survivors from accessing core services in Fond du Lac County. Attorney General J. B. Van Hollen and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Office of Crime Victim Services recently announced the awarding of nearly $561,000 to 11 agencies across the state that provide services to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. 

ACT 10 Changes Took A Few Years

Fond du Lac County Executive Al Buechel says it took a couple of years to incorporate the policy changes from the state’s passing of ACT 10. He says 2012 and 2013 saw changes due to the law that limited bargaining for public employees. He says most people are familiar with the law that limits public employee to negotiating salaries and wages, but not other things like safety related to work. He says it took a while to adapt new County personnel policies to get in line with those changes, but he believes most of those changes are done now.

Thiesfeldt Will Seek Third Term

Although he hasn’t made it official yet State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt says he will be seeking a third term in office. The state lawmaker from Fond du Lac says it’s something he has been working on over the past year. He says that should come as no surprise to anyone that knows him. He says two year terms are so short you hardly have time in between. He says no formal announcement has been made yet, but he will be seeking a third term. Thiesfeldt was elected to the 52nd State Assembly seat in 2010 after having served the better part of three terms on the Fond du Lac City Council.