Local News Briefs Wednesday 5/7/14

Washington County Sheriff’s officials are alerting Kewaskum area residents about a home invasion that occurred Monday in the 9300 block of Old Fond du Lac Road in the Town of Kewaskum. A resident was awakened by the sound of breaking glass shortly before 1 a.m. The resident found a man near the front door and confronted the invader. The suspect grabbed a purse off a dining room table and fled on foot. The purse had personal effects, credit cards and about $40 in cash in it. The suspect also had taken up to five bags of crushed cans from an outbuilding. The suspect was described as being white, approximately 6 feet tall, medium build, wearing lighter colored pants and a dark sweatshirt or jacket. No weapons were used by the suspect or homeowner.  Anyone who sees suspicious activity is asked to call 911 or the Sheriff’s Office at 262-335-4411.

Slow No Wake Order Lifted In Berlin

Flood stage conditions on the Fox River in Berlin and the Slow-No-Wake order has been cancelled. The ordinance was pressed into service on April 16th due to flooding conditions. The Fox River in Berlin is now below 13 feet and is expected to drop.   

Appleton Man Charged With Human Trafficking In Sheboygan

Sheboygan County authorities have charged a 28-year-old Appleton man for the sex trafficking of teenage girls in Sheboygan. The charges brought against Pao Chang in Sheboygan County Court this week are the culmination of a more than one-year investigation by Sheboygan Police. The girls Chang allegedly brought in for prostitution ranged in age from 13 to 21-years-old. The girls told investigators that Chang would allegedly arrange encounters with men and collect the money.  In return, they would be guaranteed a roof over their heads.  Bond was set at $100,000 cash and he will be back in court for a preliminary hearing next Wednesday.

FDL County Executive On 151 Bypass Improvement Projects

Fond du Lac County Executive Al Buechel says there will be some pluses and minuses with the interchange that will be going in at County Highway V and Highway 151 and the overpass at County Highway T and 151. He says the overpass at County Highway T is more about safety and will limit some access, which is why they want to keep Rienzi Road and Highway 45 open. He says it will be safer and should spur development on the other side of the bypass. The state’s Department of Transportation will begin that work in the summer of 2015. 

Hwy 23 Expansion Project Will Begin In Plymouth

The expansion of State Highway 23 between Fond du Lac and Plymouth to a four-lane road will start in the Plymouth area. Fond du Lac County Executive Al Buechel says work will begin on the eastern portion of the project first. He says the state wasn’t far enough along on right of way acquisition and design to begin it in the Fond du Lac area. He says the work will begin next year in the Plymouth area. He says it will be late 2017 or 2018 before the Fond du Lac section is done.

Waupun Acadmies

The Waupun Area School District will take more of an academy approach at its high school next fall. District Superintendent Tonya Gubin says it’s something they have been developing for about 2 ½ years. She says it’s a way of getting students more college and career ready for the field or work they want to pursue. She says the academies would be in health science and human services, communications arts and businesses, and science technology engineering math and manufacturing. She says their arts department has done a nice job of gearing up for what students need to learn towards a career. She says they will even begin having students at the 7th grade level start to think about what field of study they want to pursue. She says it’s a good move for the district.

Ripon Schools Superintendent Marks Hiring Date Anniversary

Ripon Area Schools Superintendent Mary Whitrock says she is celebrating the first anniversary of her hiring as superintendent for the school district. Prior to that she worked in the Green Bay Area Public Schools she was their Chief Academic Officer and prior to that worked as their Executive Director of Learning. She says it’s a very large district with 20,000 students and she acted as a quasi-superintendent for one of their attendance areas.She says she enjoys working for the Ripon Area School District and the community. Whitrock was selected in April of last year to replace Richard Zimman as superintendent when he retired at the end of last June. Whitrock has nearly 20 years in education. 

Correctional Employees Recognized

Dodge County officials are honoring the correction’s officers of their detention facility as “National Correctional Officer/Employee Week” is being marked this week.  Since 1985, the first full week of May has been dedicated to recognizing the significant contributions made by all corrections professionals throughout the field of corrections.  In Dodge County, more than 100 men and women perform their job duties with distinction and dedication at the Dodge County Detention Facility.  Sheriff Pat Ninmann says, “The correctional staff are key members of the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office.  These law enforcement professionals play a vital role in the County’s criminal justice system and often do not receive the recognition that they deserve.” 

Spring Into Wellness Today At The FDL Forest Mall

Seniors are invited to Spring into Wellness in the Center Court of the Forest Mall in Fond du Lac today. The event is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature game shows, a style show, demonstrations, information from local health clinics, activities, vendors, bingo, great door prizes, and more. KFIZ’s Bob Hoffmaster will host the Morning Show there from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. It begins with a continental breakfast and registration from 9 to 10 a.m. The fashion show is from 10 to 10:45 a.m. KFIZ’s Wade Bates will call bingo from 1 to 2 p.m. and the Vendor Door Prize and Grand Prize Giveaway will be at 2 p.m.