Local News Briefs Friday 11/22/13

The 28-year-old Neenah man who shot himself in a Neenah park Wednesday morning died at Theda Clark Regional Medical Center. Winnebago County Sheriff’s officials have identified him as Thomas West. West called 9-1-1 and when officers arrived he was sitting on a bench in Herzinger Pond Park. Efforts to negotiate with him were unsuccessful. 

Ripon Gets State Loan For Street Project

The Board of Commissioners of Public Lands this week approved more than $1 million in State Trust Fund Loans for three municipal projects including one in Ripon. The City of Ripon is receiving a $200,000 State Trust Fund Loan for a street project. The rest of the money is going to projects in Oconto and St. Croix Counties.

Holiday Inn Expansion Project Will Attract More Visitors To FDL

The President of the Fond du Lac Area Convention and Visitors Bureau says a $10 million project by the owners of the Holiday Inn will give the City something it’s been lacking; more room for conventions and conferences. Craig Molitor says the expansion of the Holiday Inn’s conference center to 16,000 square feet will allow the city to hold bigger conventions and conferences. That will be complimented by the construction of a new Holiday Inn Express next door to the Holiday Inn. Molitor says they would like to attract conferences and conventions from larger cities like Madison that have larger organizations. He says Fond du Lac needs to improve its community wide occupancy rate for hotel and motel rooms which has averaged just over 45 percent, but is seeing improvement of the past few years. He says last year it was at 49 percent and this year should be a record year when it comes to attracting visitors.

Homeless Awareness Effort For Solutions Center Successful

The Solutions Center of Fond du Lac and our sister station K107.1 are thanking people after a successful fundraising drive that was held downtown on Wednesday. Morning Show host Bart Winkler broadcast live for seven hours from a cardboard box on behalf of the Solutions Center and Homelessness Awareness Week. According to Solutions Center Executive Director Lindee Kimball, thousands of dollars worth of products were donated by those stopping by as well as another $700 worth of cash. The goods, which included food, toiletries, and various paper products will be used primarily at the Warming Shelter that is run by Solutions. If you are still interesting in donating, products can be dropped off at the Solutions Center main office at 39 N. Sophia Street during normal business hours. This is the second year that K107.1 and the Solutions Center have teamed up during Homelessness Awareness week.

Governor And DNR Secretary Welcome Hunters

Guess whose swapping deer hunting stories? Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp and Governor Scott Walker hammed it up for a video that’s posted on You Tube that serves as a welcome to gun-deer hunters. Stepp says for the second straight year first time hunters can get a break on the cost of their deer hunting license it will only cost them $5. Walker says the 9-day season feeds our outdoor heritage, our families and the economy. See the video.

Hunting Allowed In Some State Park Areas

The DNR conservation warden who oversees the Waupun area says some deer-hunting will be allowed in state parks. Ben Nadolski says some state parks do allow hunting, he says you should check first to see what areas might be open to hunting. He says hunting isn’t allowed on federal land. An example of that is the northern section of the Horicon Marsh where signs are posted advising hunters of that. He says hunting isn’t usually allowed in special use areas, but if you are going to take a walk where someone might be hunting to wear bright colors.

Sigma Holiday House Saturday

More than 70 juried artisans will be participating in the Sigma Holiday House at the Fond du Lac County Fairgrounds Saturday. Kristin Zitlow of Sigma says some of their members have made Christmas ornaments for the event, which will be held in the Recreation Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will also be a raffle and silent auction. She says all the money they raise will be going back towards their charitable efforts in the community, which include giving to other organizations and putting in some volunteering time. She says tickets are available in advance at several locations for $4 each. Tickets will be $5 at the door. For more information on the event visit the Sigma Holiday House website.

Pink Glove Dance Entry Finishes 18th

Thanks to generous community support, the Agnesian HealthCare and Fond du Lac Family YMCA 2013 Pink Glove Dance video ranked in 18th  place nationwide! This year, Agnesian HealthCare, in partnership with the Fond du Lac Family YMCA, told the inspiring story of local cancer survivor Keri Sabel and the community that rallied together to show their support and their best dance moves! The Pink Glove Dance is a national video competition designed to raise awareness of breast cancer. Organizations across the country compete for the most votes to win $25,000 for their cancer charity of choice. “We cannot thank our supporters enough,” says Holly Brenner, Agnesian HealthCare vice president of Strategic Development & Marketing. “We had more than 500 dancers and 1,000 pink gloves. We are overwhelmed by the 7,535 votes cast in honor of Keri, her story and the community that gathered around her to show their support.” Proceeds from several fund-raisers that coincided with the Pink Glove Dance video are also helping area residents. A pig roast at the Fond du Lac Family Relay for Life raised $1,088 for the local American Cancer Society. The pink popcorn fund-raiser at Agnesian HealthCare and “pink hands” fund-raiser at the Fond du Lac Family YMCA raised $1,143 for the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation’s Women’s Health Fund.