Local News Saturday 5/4/13

Menasha Police Officer Cleared In Fatal Shooting

 

The veteran Town of Menasha Police Officer who shot and killed a 66-year-old man armed with a shotgun has been cleared of any wrong doing. The Winnebago County District Attorney’s office says Lieutenant Gary Cutler was justified in shooting Wilson Lutz during the April 19th incident at the Scottsdale Apartments. Lutz refused to lower the 12-guage shotgun as he approached officers in a hallway. He was shot twice in the head and hand. Investigators later learned the shotgun wasn’t loaded. Lutz had been threatening to kill himself and was reportedly distraught over a relationship. Cutler is a 17-year veteran of the Town of Menasha Police Department.

 

Jackson Woman Charged With Child Neglect

 

A 22-year-old Jackson woman has been charged with one count of neglecting a child. The charge was recently filed against Melissa Feldner in Washington County Court. A $1,000 signature bond was set when she made her initial appearance this week. Police got a tip from a physician who treated her 2-year-old son. The boy suffered injuries over his entire body, including a lacerated spleen that was caused by blunt force trauma. Felder told investigators that over a course of days the toddler fell out of bed, walked into a wall and tripped on a rug. She will be back in court on May 22nd. 

 

Voting Felon Waives Preliminary Hearing

 

The 53-year-old Hustisford man that cast his ballot in last November’s presidential election despite the fact that he’s a felon recently waived his preliminary hearing in Dodge County Court. Richard Alverson is charged with a felony count of election fraud.  Alverson allegedly registered as a new voter then voted in the Village of Hustisford. He’s a felon because of a 2010 Waukesha County conviction for failing to pay child support. He will be arraigned at the end of the month.

 

Fox Ridge Business Park Doing Well

 

Fond du Lac Community Development Director Wayne Rollin says things are going well with the City’s Fox Ridge Business Park. He says they’ve had two land sales in the park already and a third with a trucking company for 20 acres closes soon.  He says it would be nice if things were going quicker, but it’s solid financially. This coming week the City Council will be asked to approve an extension with J.F. Ahern on an option and right of first refusal for 50 acres of land in the park. Should the company decide to buy the land over the next two years it would cost them $1.1 million.

 

Sherry Holmes Retires From The Red Cross

 

Nearly lost in the shuffle of an eventful week at the Fond du Lac County chapter of the American Red Cross this week was the retirement of Sherry Holmes. She has been the chapter’s Director of Development for the past few years. Holmes says she miss the contact she’s had with the Fond du Lac Fire Department and other organizations. She says she will continue to do volunteer work. Also this week Joyce Keyes of the Red Cross was honored with the Wisconsin Heroes Award for the month of April, the Red Cross got a $4,000 check from the Fire Department from proceeds of their brat fry, and they responded to help out victims of an apartment fire.

 

Ripon College Commencement Speaker Among Tops In Country

 

Ripon College President Zach Messitte says they are excited to have Nate Silver of the New York Times as their commencement speaker this year. Silver expected to address the theme of “data and decision making” in his speech. Silver will also be presented with an honorary degree. Messitte says the Washington Post listed Silver as one of the top commencement speakers of 2013. Silver and his speech at Ripon College were ranked #8. The college’s graduation exercises will be at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 12th.