Local News Briefs Wednesday 8/26/15

Waupun Police say a 69-year-old woman drove her vehicle into a house at 112 Elm Avenue Tuesday morning. It happened while Sandra Fretschel was trying to park at Waupun Memorial Hospital’s parking lot. She told officers her accelerator stuck. Her vehicle crossed the street and hit a planter, wheelchair ramp, and destroyed a picture window when it struck the house. Neither she nor anyone inside the home at the time of the crash was injured. The accident was reported around 7:30 a.m.

Jury Trial Underway In Death Of Clyman Woman

A jury trial is underway in Jefferson County for a 33-year-old Waterloo man suspected of killing a Dodge County woman. Michael Henderson is accused of killing 28-year-old Heather Stewart of Clyman. Her body was found in a vehicle in the parking lot of the former Pick n’ Save on South Church Street in Watertown in May of last year. Authorities say Stewart called Rogers Memorial Hospital in Oconomowoc to say she would be ten minutes late for work. She was reported missing the next morning. Her phone records led investigators to Henderson. Stewart was a mother of four, and she had a daughter with Henderson. The trial is scheduled to last two weeks.

Jackson Man Waives Preliminary Hearing In Theft Case

Prosecutors are negotiating a plea agreement with the 40-year-old Jackson man accused of stealing more than $5,000 from golf outing donations that were destined for the Washington County Boys and Girls Club in 2013. Thomas Kraus appeared in Washington County Court Tuesday morning and waived his right to a preliminary hearing on a felony theft in a business setting charge. He had organized golf outings for the boys and girls club since 2007. He was charged in April after a lengthy investigation into missing money. He will be back in court on September 9th

FDL City Council Preview

The Fond du Lac City Council tonight will consider swapping lots in the West Industrial Park with Evaporator Dryer Technologies. Wetlands limit development of a lot the company purchased from the City in 2013, so the City will swap them for a lot that can be developed. The company plans to build a 5,000 to 10,000 square foot building on the lot with potential for future building expansion. The Council also will get budget updates from the Community Development and Information Technology Departments. The Council meets at 6 p.m. at the City-County Government Center. 

NFDL Schools Survey

North Fond du Lac Schools Superintendent Aaron Sadoff says a survey will be part of the district’s long-range facilities planning process. He says they’ve already taken a look at the needs of the facilities. He says they’ve had workshops and tours of the building and now they will work with a company from Slinger on a survey. Sadoff says in the 9 to 10 years he’s been with the district they have never done a comprehensive survey to find out what the community wants for the district. He says they will find out what the community wants and then use the information and data to determine what the future should look like. He says to look for the survey next February.

Hall Retiring From WEDC

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Secretary and CEO Reed Hall submitted his letter of retirement Tuesday. Hall’s last official day will be on September 25th, but he will follow through on commitments including a trade mission to Japan with the Lieutenant Governor in September. Governor Scott Walker and WEDC Board Chairman Dan Ariens both thanked Reed for his service. Hall joined the WEDC in October of 2012.

Grothman Would Like To See EPA Head Resign

Congressman Glenn Grothman recently called for the resignation of Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy. He says for one thing the EPA has problems controlling their employees noting earlier this year their employees were caught watching hours of porn. He says the EPA is mandating clean air standards that would cost Wisconsin and other states billions of dollars. He says we need to keep a strong manufacturing sector. It’s also estimated that if an EPA energy rule is allowed to stand moving away from coal would cost Wisconsin between $3 billion and $13 billion in infrastructure upgrades by 2030. Grothman says new ozone rules will be the most expensive regulations in the country’s history and the costs to move away from coal will be passed along from utilities to their rate payers. Wisconsin is suing the EPA over the new coal rule.

County Office Closings For Labor Day

All County offices in the Fond du Lac City-County Government Center, the Sheriff’s Office Lobby Window, the Portland Street Annex including the Veterans Service Office, the Department of Social Services and the Highway Department will be closed on Monday, September 7th in observance of Labor Day.

More Training For Jail Employees These Days

Fond du Lac County jail administrator says people who work in the jail get much more training than they do when he started in the jail. Sheriff’s Captain Kevin Galske says when he started it was pretty much on the job training. He says there was no training manual. He says you read the policy and as things came up they were explained to you. He says now there is quite a bit of training. He says it’s about a three month process. Galske says there is a lot of paper work that goes with running a jail as well. He says the computer entries are non-stop. Galske says each new jail employee goes through a week-long orientation and also has to go through 160 hours of jail recruit school at Fox Valley Technical College during their first year of employment. He says they’ve hired about 10 new jail employees over the past five months.

MPTC Student Ambassador Finds Her Perfect Fit

Moraine Park Technical College couldn’t have picked a better student ambassador. Kayla Ebert says she has driven semis and dump trucks, worked construction and on farms, done auto body work, and currently does welding for Mayville Engineering Company. After all that she decided to pursue education in a field she things she would be good in human resources, which she goes to MPTC’s Beaver Dam campus for. Ebert says she’s totally involved at MPTC. She started a human resources club, has been involved in fund raising for an international education trip and other endeavors. She says she’s in the student senate, a sorority and has had a 4.0 grade point average since she started. She believes her experiences would benefit others she would work with through human resources. Ebert says she will be seeking a bachelor’s degree after she leaves MPTC, but may not be satisfied until she has a PhD.

Test Drives Will Benefit Lakeshore Elementary Tonight

Lakeshore Elementary School parents are invited to test drive a new Chrysler and earn money for the school through the “Drive for the Kids®” fundraiser during the school’s Back to School celebration tonight. Summit Automotive Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram will provide the cars for the test drive from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Ten dollars will be contributed to the school for each test drive of a new 2015 Town & Country, Chrysler 200 or Chrysler 300. Any licensed driver, age 18 or older, may drive and earn $10 on the school’s behalf.