Local News Wednesday 6/26/13

Lomira Man Charged For Drug Death

 

A 49-year-old Lomira man has been charged with 1st degree reckless homicide in Fond du Lac County Court for the death of a Fond du Lac man last July. Jeffrey Abitz made his initial appearance Tuesday morning on the charge. He posted a $5,000 cash bond and has a preliminary hearing on August 8th. Abitz and 56-year-old Reginald Dorsey of Milwaukee, who is still at large, are suspected of supplying the heroin that led to a Fond du Lac man’s death on July 2nd of last year. A warrant was issued for Dorsey’s arrest on June 12th.

 

Winnebago County Crash

 

A crash on Highway 41 southbound at Highway 10 near Neenah in Winnebago County last night delayed traffic for hours. It happened about 10:30 p.m. and involved five or six vehicles including a motorcycle. The State Patrol and Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department were handling the accident. It took officials more than 6 hours to clear from the scene doing so shortly after 4:30 this morning.

 

House Fire In Sheboygan County’s Russell Township

 

(WHBL-Sheboygan)-Firefighters from St. Anna were called to a garage fire in the town of Russell early this morning.  Sheboygan County Sheriff’s officials say the family of William Lauten, who lives on Sexton Road, discovered the fire in their 3-car garage and called 911 about 1:30.  No word on the cause of the fire.  There were no injuries.

 

Train Fatality Was Suicide

 

Oshkosh Police say a 52-year-old Oshkosh man intentionally walked onto some train tracks where he was struck and killed by a Canadian National train Monday afternoon. Witnesses told investigators the man walked onto the tracks near Easter Custer Avenue and Broad Street and turned towards the oncoming train. When officers arrived the man was already dead. The train had two engines and 91 cars it was heading towards the switching station in North Fond du Lac.

 

FDL City Council Preview

 

The Fond du Lac City Council will be asked tonight to grant several special use permits one for a new Holiday Inn Express that will be built, another for an assisted living facility, and another that will allow a whiffle ball court at The Press Box. The Police Department is also asking for permission to apply for a federal grant of more than $15,000. The money would be used to buy portable alarm systems, surveillance cameras, SWAT sniper rifles and SWAT Operator Equipment. The Council will also honor Fond du Lac Festivals and Walleye Weekend Volunteers, Contributors and Supporters and those who have given generously to replace playground equipment that was destroyed by an arson fire last month. The Council meets at 6 p.m. at the City-County Government Center.

 

FDL County Highway UU Closed For Bike Race Today

 

The Tour of America’s Dairyland bicycle races come to Fond du Lac County today along with some traffic restrictions. Sheriff’s Captain Rick Olig says County Highway UU will be closed down from Golf Course to Ledge Road from 8 a.m. to 3 or 4 p.m. for the Attitude Sports Fond du Lac Road Race. He says racers don’t have to obey every traffic sign along the race route so deputies will be stationed at those points. He says racers are very good at what they are doing, which makes it of great interest to spectators. The tour’s leg known as the Commonwealth Classic in Downtown Fond du Lac will be held this Friday.

 

State Budget Impact On FDL School District Good And Bad

 

Fond du Lac Schools Superintendent Jim Sebert says things are becoming clearer with the state budget. The Governor is expected to sign it into law soon. Sebert says there are some good things for public schools in the budget including $150 more per public school student and the removal of special education vouchers and charter school oversight. He’s not as pleased that the expansion of the school choice voucher program survived the budget. He says the Fond du Lac School District didn’t take advantage of its full tax levy capability last year so the increase in per pupil funding won’t have as big an impact as it will for other school districts. Sebert also says it will take some time to see just how much of an impact the school choice expansion will have on the district. 

 

Land Lease Approved For NFDL Pool

 

The North Fond du Lac School District electors Monday night approved the lease of a small piece of land to the Village to make improvements to the community pool. School District Superintendent Aaron Sadoff says there were struggles to keep the pool open a few years ago. He says fundraisers have helped to make improvements possible including their own Oriole Open Golf outing, which will be held on September 11th this year. He says half the proceeds, which were over $7,000 the last two years, have gone to support the pool. Sadoff says the pool is a quality of life issue and it’s nice to have for those who can’t afford their own pool.

 

MPTC Switches Programs At FDL And West Bend Campuses

 

Moraine Park Technical College will make the most of new labs by shifting some programs at its campuses in Fond du Lac and West Bend. Fred Rice is the Dean of Applied Technology Trades for the school. He says their HVAC or Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Technology and Building Trades Construction Worker programs is moving from their Fond du Lac campus to their West Bend campus. He says that’s based on demographics including employer needs. He says it will allow them to use new state-of-the art facilities. Meanwhile they are converting the former lab space for those programs in Fond du Lac for use into a new paramedic training lab. He says an ambulance was donated to MPTC by the American Red Cross. He says the indoor ambulance simulator with be the only one of its kind in a tech college in the Fox Valley area.