Local News Friday 6/28/13

Severe Weather Moves Through Area

 

Severe thunderstorms moved through the area yesterday afternoon. Portions of Fond du Lac County were under a severe thunderstorm warning for a little over an hour starting just before 5 p.m. yesterday. Among reports from the area was the sighting of a possible funnel cloud, hail was reported in North Fond du Lac, Taycheedah and golf ball sized hail in St. Peter. A power line and two trees were reported down in the Campbellsport area. Torrential rain moved through Fond du Lac. As for wind speeds they varied depending on where you were. Winds gusted at up to 60 miles per hour in Elkhart Lake. There is a chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms today. 

 

Oshkosh Man Killed In Winnebago County Accident

 

Winnebago County Sheriff’s officials say a 57-year-old Oshkosh man was killed in a three-vehicle accident that happened on Highway 41 southbound near Jacobsen Road in the Town of Menasha late Tuesday night. Terrence Siems was taken to Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah where he died. The accident occurred after one vehicle rear ended a slower moving vehicle and went off the highway. Siems was riding a motorcycle and was unable to avoid hitting the first vehicle. There have been no arrests or citations as a result of the mishap.   

 

North Fondy Teen Drives Into Lake Winnebago

 

According to Fond du Lac Police a North Fond du Lac teen accidentally drove into Lake Winnebago late Monday morning. The 17-year-old was going too fast on Howard Listcher Drive and ended up in the lake. He was taken to St. Agnes Hospital where he was treated and released. The mishap occurred about 11:30 that morning.

 

Porch Pushing Suspect Bound Over For Trial

 

(WHBL-Sheboygan)-A 38-year-old Sheboygan woman has been bound over for a jury trial for allegedly pushing a Grafton woman off a second story porch in Sheboygan earlier this month.  Sara Huston faces a reckless injury felony for allegedly causing near-fatal injuries to 43-year-old Cynthia Whitford.  During a preliminary hearing in Sheboygan County Court, Sheboygan Detective Tamara Remington testified that Whitford suffered two fractured vertebrae after she was pushed off the railing-less porch.  It was determined Whitford fell over 12 feet to the concrete below.  Authorities would find Huston several hours later after she fled the scene.  Also during the hearing, Huston pled not guilty to the charge.

 

Voting Felon Sentenced

 

The 53-year-old convicted felon who voted in last November’s election has been sentenced to 18 days in the Dodge County Jail and will have to pay a $500 fine. Richard Alverson of Hustisford pled “guilty” to one count of election fraud during a hearing this week. A failure to pay child support conviction in Waukesha County in 2010 earned him the felon status. He voted in the Village of Hustisford last fall.  He could have been sentenced to up to 3 ½ years on the fraud charge.

 

Oshkosh Corporation Contract Talks With Union Scheduled

 

Oshkosh Corporation officials and its union workers will be holding contract talks next month. At stake is a $13 billion contract to manufacture a new vehicle for the Army and Marine Corps. The company is hoping to get a five-year agreement with the union. Contract negotiations will start on Monday, July 8th. Company officials hope the talks will conclude by the end of July. The military contract will be awarded in late 2015 or early 2016. The union’s current contract with Oshkosh Corporation runs through September of 2016 and won’t be affected by extension talks.

 

Baseball Diamond Proposal Moving Forward

 

Fond du Lac Youth Baseball wants to build two new little league diamonds at Lakeside Park. The effort got the Advisory Park Board’s blessing this week and moves on to the City Council on July 10th. Ryan Haus of the group says they would lease the land, but can’t start fundraising until they get the City Council’s approval on the project. He says there is a real need for the growing baseball program. However the fields would be built on the same land that has been used for soccer during Walleye Weekend and also at times by Fond du Lac Rugby. Fond du Lac Youth Soccer Association President Greg Winkler says they would have liked to know more about the proposal sooner. They learned about it 5 days before the Advisory Park Board’s meeting. There are over 1,200 kids in the youth baseball and softball programs in the City. The Advisory Park Board voted to recommend approval of the proposal to the City Council 5 to nothing, but four members of the board weren’t present for the meeting.

 

Ripon Common Council Approves Offer To Purchase For Commonwealth Housing Project

 

The Ripon Common Council this week approved Commonwealth Development Corporation’s offer to purchase the former Smucker’s Building to build the Jefferson Street Apartments. The state is giving Commonwealth some help on the project. In April the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority awarded Commonwealth $275,000 in tax credits for the project. City Administrator Lori Rich says it will be nice to seen the new apartments going up behind the City Hall in the fall. The closing is in September and construction should begin sometime in October.

She says the 24 low to moderate income apartment and townhouses have a nice design. She says there are nine townhouse units and a 4-story 15-unit building with underground parking.

 

NFDL Police Benevolent Association Outboard Motor Raffle

 

The North Fond du Lac Police Benevolent Association is selling raffle tickets for an outboard motor through Friday, August 9th. Tickets are $20 each and can be bought through 5 p.m. that date or while supplies last. The winner will be announced at the 14th Annual Golf Shoot-out at Rolling Meadows Golf Course. People who purchase tickets have a chance at winning a 9.9 horsepower Mercury 4-Stroke Outboard motor valued at $3,300. Only 150 tickets will be sold. Tickets are available at PDQ or the North Fond du Lac Police Department. The annual Golf Shoot-out has raised and contributed tens of thousands of dollars to a variety of great local causes such as; college scholarships for graduating seniors, the NFDL Veterans Memorial, Police Unity Tour, Oriole Athletic Complex, decorative light pole banners, free swim lessons for children, the development of a library at the Early Learning Center, medical costs for a terminally ill child and the department’s K9 program.