KFIZ News Thursday 9/22/16

Plane Lands On Washington County Highway

A Jacksonville, Florida man had to land his small plane on Washington County Highway H in the Town of Farmington Tuesday morning when the plane experienced mechanical problems. The 77-year-old pilot told deputies he had bought the aircraft from someone in Door County and had flown it from the Ephraim-Gibralter Airport in Ephraim intending to refuel at the West Bend Airport when he had mechanical problems. He was forced to land the plane on the roadway and managed to get it onto a farm access drive. The plane was not damaged and no one was injured.

Hartford Man Sentenced For Accident That Killed Wife

A Washington County judge this week sentenced a 39-year-old Hartford man to two years in prison for a drunken driving accident that killed the man’s wife. Richard Pafford also got five years of extended supervision for the Valentine’s Day accident that killed his wife Renee. The couple had been out celebrating a friend’s birthday and Pafford went off a road and crashed into a tree on the way home. His blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit. The accident happened less than a mile from the couple’s home.

FDL County Joins PACE Commission

Fond du Lac County this week became the 8th County in the state to join the PACE or Property Assessed Clean Energy Commission. County Supervisors heard a presentation on the program before voting to join the commission and adopt a PACE ordinance. The program assists local businesses with financing for renewable energy, energy efficiency, and water conservation projects. County Executive Al Buechel told supervisors the program could help the new owners of the Retlaw Hotel in Fond du Lac with their renovation project. He says it could provide them with some loans dollars they need without asking the County for help. Jon Hochkammer of the Wisconsin Counties Association says PACE provides financing for 100 percent of a project cost for up to 20 years. He says it’s another tool for economic development. The County does not have to commit any money towards the program. Buechel will serve on the PACE Commission Board of Directors. Sheboygan and Washington Counties are also member counties.

NFDL Uses Funding Reserves For Capital Improvement Plan Purchases

The Village of North Fond du Lac will use some of the reserves in its fund balance to pay for capital improvement projects over the next two years. Village Administrator Chuck Hornung says they will use those reserves to pay for projects in the first two years of their five-year capital improvements plan. He says among those projects is an effort to connect two Department of Public Works garages so both can be heated. Among the other purchases that will be made are MDC’s, radios, squad video cameras, and a squad car for the police department, a thermal imaging camera for the fire department, and a snow plow and dump truck for public works.

Democratic State Legislative Candidates Weigh In On Hwy 23 Expansion Issue

Two Democratic candidates for State office feel something should have been done to get the expansion project between Fond du Lac and Plymouth done sooner. Fond du Lac lawyer Paul Czisny is running for the 52nd State Assembly seat. He says it is the type of issue that should have been addressed years ago. He says this is one of the problems with privatizing things that used to be a state function. Winnebago County Executive Mark Harris is running for the 18th State Senate seat. He says although the project has been delayed for another three years he would like to see it proceed. The project was stalled by a lawsuit filed by the 1,000 Friends of Wisconsin.

Judge Storck Thanks Dodge County Board

Dodge County Judge John Storck this week thanked the Dodge County Board for supporting the courts during his 22 years on the bench. Storck is retiring next month. He thanked supervisors for funding a new courthouse around the turn of the century and for adding a fourth judge. Governor Scott Walker has appointed Fond du Lac lawyer Martin De Vries to succeed Storck as a Dodge County Circuit Court judge.

Thelma Dinner Nearly Sold Out

Officials at Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts in Fond du Lac say the Windy Dinner THELMA Style, the organization’s major fundraiser, has only a few tables left. Anyone interested in attending, may visit thelmaarts.org and click Tickets, or call (920) 921-5410. The evening is packed with events including the awarding of the 2016 James C. Hubbard Windy Award to Rick and Pat Miller. This prestigious award goes to an individual or group of individuals who have made a positive impact on THELMA and the Fond du Lac community.