Local News
Local News Briefs Wednesday 5/6/15
Fond du Lac County’s Juvenile Detention Center does its best to educate and rehabilitate youth who end up in jail. Kelly Schellinger is Juvenile Superintendent for the facility. She says only 13 counties in the state have juvenile detention facilities so they handle juveniles from other counties as well. She says one of the programs they offer to keep more serious juvenile offenders out of the state prison for juveniles at Lincoln Hills is called PACE or Promoting Alternative to Corrections Through Education. She says it’s a voluntary program. Juveniles in the detention facility also get educational programs. Captain Kevin Galske is the Jail Administrator. He says juveniles can be housed in the facility for up to six months. He says because they house juveniles for other counties the facility does generate some revenue for the County.
Interesting Results For State Rep Thiesfeldt Survey
State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt says there’s still time to respond to his constituent survey for the 52nd State Assembly District. At the beginning of the week more than 450 people had responded to the ten question survey. The state lawmaker from Fond du Lac says it covered a variety of topics including revenue surpluses, toll roads, abortion, gun ownership and more. He says 57 percent of those responding were in favor of the $300 million in cuts proposed for the UW System, but that figure has been reduce as the Joint Finance Committee works with it. He says about two-thirds of those responding, 66 percent, were not in favor of the state chipping in $220 million for a new Milwaukee Bucks arena. He says that proposal is still being worked on and refined. He says a majority,54 percent, were against the expansion of school choice. Sixty percent taking the survey felt the state was headed in the right direction. To take the survey click here.
http://legis.wisconsin.gov/assembly/thiesfeldt/Pages/default.aspx
NFDL Will Not Lease Former Salvage Yard Garage
After some thought the North Fond du Lac Village Board has decided against leasing a garage the Village owns on a former salvage yard site along Highway 45. He says they actually got a suggestion from Police Chief Darren Pautsch on one way the garage could be used by the Village. He says the Chief said the police department could use it for training purposes. He says for that matter it could also be used by the fire department for training as well, but if it’s not feasible they might consider taking down the building to clean up the area. He says a hobbyist was interested in the property for restoring old cars, but wouldn’t have been able to afford the rent they were asking.
FDL County Children Will Grow Up Making Better Incomes Than Their Parents
The Fond du Lac County Metropolitan Statistical Area is one of the best places in the nation for children growing up in low income households to have a better income than their parents. According to the Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation the Equality of Opportunity Project found children in the County living in poverty will earn $3,330 annually more than their parents or better than 85 percent of the countries in the nation. For males, it was higher at $3,990 or better than 88% of the counties in America. Females lagged at $2,430 or better than 77% of America’s counties. For all children from average income households, it was $2,340 better than 77% of the nation’s counties. FCEDC President Steve Jenkins calls the findings significant. The figures for affluent households and the “top 1%” were much lower. Data available from “The Best and Worst Places to Grow Up: How Your Area Compares”, http://www.equality-of-opportunity.org/
Community Education Fair Thursday In FDL
The president of the Northeast Wisconsin Consortium for Adult Education says they will host an open house in Fond du Lac Thursday. Tracy Qualmann works for Marian University and she lives in Fond du Lac. She says the consortium promotes higher education in the area. She says she checked with Fond du Lac Public Library officials and the library will host the open house Thursday night from 4 to 7 p.m. on the lower level. She says school representatives from Marian, UW-Fond du Lac, Moraine Park Technical College, Lakeland University, and Silver Lake College will be on hand to answer questions. She says high school students and adults interested in going to college are encouraged to attend this one-stop-shop education fair. For more information click here.
Spring Into Wellness Today At The Forest Mall In FDL
The Forest Mall in Fond du Lac hosts its annual Spring Into Wellness Senior Expo from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today. It will feature entertainment, games, prizes and a vendor fair with local businesses setup throughout the mall. Registration for the free event begins at 9 a.m. in Center Court. KFIZ’s Bob Hoffmaster will host the Morning Show there and Wade Bates and the Senior Center will host bingo from noon to 12:45 p.m.
Bike To School Day Today
Fond du Lac’s elementary and middle schools will participate in the annual Bike to School Day today. Bike to School to promotes physical activity, safety and a cleaner environment. Over the past 30 years, the percentage of children biking and walking to school has declined from 50% or more to closer to about 15% currently. Today, parents drive as many as 50% of children traveling to school. School bus trips account for an increasing share of the remainder. The purpose of Bike to School Day is to start to reverse these trends.
Lt Dan Band Returning To EAA AirVenture
Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band will return to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh this summer as the grand finale of a daylong salute to veterans on Friday, July 24. Performing for the fifth time at EAA AirVenture since 2008, the popular band will be hosted by the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) and EAA Warbirds of America at the Boeing Plaza stage. Sinise, best known for his role as Vietnam veteran Lt. Dan Taylor in the classic film “Forrest Gump,” and as star of the hit TV series CSI: New York. He plays bass in The Lt. Dan Band and is a well-known supporter of veterans and active-duty personnel. The concert will be a highlight of AirVenture’s own Salute to Veterans Day on July 24 and is included with the day’s admission to AirVenture.