Local News Briefs Wednesday 10/28/15

FDL City Council Preview

The Fond du Lac City Council tonight will consider approving a couple of resolutions affecting ownership of roads in the City. One resolution would transfer the ownership of Highway 45 in the City from the state to the City. That would be for a section from Highway 151 on the south to Johnson Street. The Council will also consider vacating an area of Rogersville Road from Military Road west to Sullivan Drive. The Council will also consider amending an ordinance to allow the ownership of chickens in the City. The City’s Plan Commission is recommending against it. The Council meets at 6 p.m. at the City-County Government Center.

Fire Destroys Shed And Damages Home In Town Of Polk

Fire destroyed a tool shed and damaged a home in the Town of Polk Monday night. Washington County Sheriff’s officials say they received a call about the fire on Arthur Road just before 9:30 p.m. The fire began in a tool shed and spread to an adjacent residence. Flames got up into the attic area of the home. The homeowners were able to safely evacuate from the residence. The tool shed was a total loss and although the fire was primary contained to the attic, most of the residential structure will be a loss. Eight fire departments battled the blaze.

NFDL Schools Budget Approved

The North Fond du Lac School Board this week approved the district’s 2015-16 Budget and tax levy. The total levy was $4.5 million and the mill rate was $9.65 per thousand dollars of value on a property. District Superintendent Aaron Sadoff says they were helped by an enrollment increase of 60 new students. He says they did have levy $27,737 for five school choice or voucher students. He says they had to pay $7,200 or $7,800 per student depending on which grade they are in. Sadoff says private schools are great for people who want their kids to go to private school. But he says those schools like public schools should be held accountable if they are getting taxpayer money.

Voucher Student Enrollment

The state’s Department of Public Instruction has released enrollment numbers from the school choice program. Counts were taken during the third Friday in September. According to those figures St. Mary’s Springs Academy has 70 voucher students for the 2015-16 School Year and Winnebago Lutheran Academy 51. That represents 9 percent of St. Mary’s total 796 students and 17 percent of WLA’s 304. Also Central Wisconsin Christian School in Waupun has 32 voucher students or 12 percent of their total enrollment of 258 students. Statewide 2,514 students are attending private schools through the voucher program.

Advice About Scams

When it comes to scams a Fond du Lac Police Officer has a few pieces of advice. Officer Steve Olson says you should never carry around your Social Security card because in the wrong hands it opens a lot of doors for identity thieves. He says if your Social Security numbers are on your Medicare card there is a way around it. He says take a hole punch and punch out random numbers. He says if ifs encased in plastic scratch the numbers out using a sharp edge. Olson says every scam is about getting something from you. He says usually they want credit card numbers, bank account numbers or they want you to wire them money. He also suggests never answering a call on your cell or smart phone if you don’t recognize the area code. He says some calls are generated by robot dialers. If you pick up the call scammers will know it’s a real number that someone will answer.

Former Waupun Clinic Used For Fire Training

Thanks to the generosity of Agnesian HealthCare and Waupun Memorial Hospital, the Waupun Fire Deparment will be conducting fire training. Next Monday the building formerly known as the Waupun Area Clinic at 14 Beaver Street adjacent to Waupun Memorial will be used for training. It will be filled with simulated smoke in an effort to create certain conditions firefighters would expect to encounter when arriving at the scene of a structure fire. There will be no risk to patients at the nearby hospital. The training will be from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The smoke used during the training is non-toxic and poses no danger to the public. Training Officer and Department Captain Mike Beer says, “We are grateful to the team at Waupun Memorial Hospital for their willingness to work with us on this.”

Last DFP Sponsored Farmers Markets Of The Season Today And Saturday

The last Downtown Fond du Lac Farmers Markets of the season will be held this week. Dusty Krikau is the Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership’s Director of Communication and Special Events. She says the last Wednesday Farmers Market of the season is today and the last one on Saturday’s is coming up this Saturday on Halloween, but there will be winter farmers market sponsored by vendors. It will be held every Saturday from 9 a.m. to Noon at the Boys and Girls Club. This Saturday’s Farmers Market will also include the Monster March with in costume trick or treating from 10 a.m. to Noon. She says Main Street will be closed to ensure the safety of kids. She says there will even be costume contests for kids and pets. She says Victoria’s will be sponsoring the costume contest for pets and people and their kids can get their photos taken for the DFP contest on the plaza. For both contests likes on Facebook will determine the winners.

Leave Burning Not Allowed In City Of FDL

The Division Chief of Fire Prevention for Fond du Lac Fire and Rescue reminds residents that they can’t burn leaves and yard debris in the City. Troy Haase says only wood in a fire pit can be burned. He says leaves are too unpredictable when they burn and to keep in one place. He says they can also burn right up to a house or garage and start them on fire. He says in rural areas you don’t usually have to worry about how close together homes are. He says the fire department has already received quite a few complaints about people burning leaves this fall. The City does have a leaf collection program and a yard waste drop off site.

Marian Information Open House Friday

Marian University will hold an informational open house for students interested in its traditional undergraduate programs at its Fond du Lac campus on Friday from 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Check in begins at 9 a.m. in the Stayer Center. The open house event will highlight Marian’s campus and academic opportunities. Admission counselors will be available to answer questions about the admission and financial aid process. Current students will also be available to answer questions and provide an individualized campus tour. Students who apply and are admitted for the fall 2016 semester by November 1 will receive a $500 per year Sabre Award if they enroll full-time.