Local News Briefs Friday 4/25/14

An 86-year-old man was injured when a truck rolled over the top of his leg Wednesday afternoon. Fond du Lac Fire Department officials say the man was at the Du Frane U-Haul business at 179 West Division Street shortly after noon. A truck he’d gotten out of wasn’t placed in park and it rolled forward trapping his leg. Whealon Towing happened to be there and one of their jacks was used to help free the man’s leg. He was taken to St. Agnes Hospital for treatment of his injury. 

Waupun Burglary Suspect Arrested

Waupun Police have arrested a 17-year-old boy for the burglaries of two City restaurants. Police got a call from a bank in the City Tuesday about a large amount of coins being turned in for paper money. The call was in reference to the Helen’s Kitchen burglary last Friday. Police developed a suspect and the teen confessed to Detective Brian O’Donovan that he had committed the Helen’s Kitchen burglary and the burglary of Chang Jiang’s Restaurant in February. The boy is facing criminal damage to property, theft, and burglary charges. Charges have been referred to the Fond du Lac County District Attorney’s Office. He would be charged as an adult.

Barn Fire

A dozen fire departments battled a barn fire on Sun Road in the Town of Clyman late Wednesday night. Dodge County Sheriff Pat Ninmann says no one was injured and there were no animals in the barn during the blaze. The barn housed a heating and cooling business and was a total loss. The cause of the fire is still being determined. Firefighters cleared from the scene at 1:30 Thursday morning.

Oshkosh Strong Armed Robbery

Oshkosh Police are reporting another strong armed robbery on N. Main Street. This time it happened in the 200 block when a 29-year-old Oshkosh woman reported people harassing her while she was waiting for a cab in the back parking lot of Screwballs early Tuesday morning. While the woman was speaking with Winnebago County Dispatch she said, “They’re coming back.” Dispatch heard her yell “Get off me” and the woman then told the dispatcher they took her purse. The woman had met the suspects inside the bar earlier, but she didn’t know them. She said they were a black woman and a white woman. The victim was punched in the mouth and her purse was stolen. The suspects ran north on State Street. The purse was black leather and it’s not known how much money was in the purse.   Anyone with information on the robbery is urged to contact the Oshkosh Police Department at (920) 236-5742. 

Congressman Petri On Highway Project Funding

Congressman Tom Petri says one of the things he continues to work on during his last session in Congress is finding a way to continue to fund transportation projects. He says as chairman of the Transportation Committee he’s been working with his committee on the state of the highway trust fund and a way to continue funding projects for the next 5 or 6 years. He says the gasoline and fuel taxes can no longer be depended on to provide the major funding for transportation projects. He says the danger in the uncertainty of funding is that major transportation projects could be cancelled or put off. Governor Scott Walker talked the other day about the possibility of a $700 million shortfall in the state transportation budget by 2017.

Manitowoc Mayor Staying Put

(Wisconsin Radio Network)-After mulling it over the last several days Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickles says he will not seek the Democratic nomination to fill either the Sixth Congressional District or the Ninth District state Senate seat. He says his opportunities right now are for the City of Manitowoc.  Republican Tom Petri of Fond du Lac is not seeking reelection for the congressional seat he’s held since 1979, while Joe Leibham of Sheboygan is giving up his state Senate seat to seek the GOP nomination for Petri’s seat.

FDL Woman Will Thank Paramedics Who Saved Her Life

A Fond du Lac woman who suffered a life-threatening heart attack in February will have the opportunity to thank the paramedics who saved her life today. On February 17th Fond du Lac paramedics used advanced life support techniques to revive here then took her to St. Agnes Hospital where she was treated and later released. She later wrote a letter to Fire Chief Peter O’Leary expressing her gratitude for the life-saving work of the paramedic crew that helped save her. Chief O’Leary says, “Anytime one of our residents has an opportunity to come in and say, thank you, it’s means so much to our personnel.”

Petri Aide Running For State Assembly

An aide to Congressman Tom Petri is running for a State Assembly seat. Tyler Vorpagel of Plymouth announced Thursday he would be running as a Republican candidate for the 27th State Assembly seat. Steve Kestell has held the seat the past 16 years, but is stepping down. Vorpagel, a Plymouth native, has worked in Congressman Petri’s district office the past seven years. In his announcement Vorpagel said he hopes to continue the successful state reforms of the past four years and be a part of the next generation of conservative leadership in Madison.

Severe Weather Plan

An official with the Oklahoma State Highway Patrol says advice you hear during Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week could save your life. Captain George Brown has been through a number of serious tornadoes over the years including the Moore, Oklahoma EF5 tornado last May that claimed the lives of 24 people including the young daughter of a former Fond du Lac couple. He says the safest place inside is underground in a basement or shelter or the most interior room of a home such as a bathroom and if you have a helmet to protect your head that’s a good idea. He also seen a number of people killed over the years who stayed in their cars as tornadoes were approaching. He says its best to get out of the car and seek shelter in a ditch or if possible a concrete structure. He cautions that you should not take shelter where flash flooding could occur. Brown says it is best to have an emergency plan and practice it.

Governor Walker Makes Time 100 List

(Wisconsin Radio Network)-Governor Scott Walker is on Time Magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world, and he says it’s certainly an honor. He says its more about what was accomplished in Wisconsin with reforms than what he did. Someone writes a short note about each person on the list, and in Walker’s case New Jersey Governor Chris Christie touched on the collective bargaining changes that Governor Walker implemented, and his recall fight. The list of 100 includes world leaders, celebrities and other notables. Walker noted that when Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan of Janesville made the list a few years ago, he wrote the article about his fellow Republican.

Drug Drop Take Back Efforts

Area residents are encouraged to drop off their old and unused prescription drugs at drug drop off locations throughout Fond du Lac County as part of National Prescription Drug “Take Back” Day. The effort is targeted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Drug Free Communities is one of those behind efforts to locate drug drop sites at local police departments. John Hendricks of Agnesian Pharmacy says prescription drugs are a threat to ground water if they aren’t disposed of properly. He says a lot of medications are only effective for a certain amount of time, so older drugs loose their potency and the ability to do what they are designed to do.You can find Drug Drop boxes at Fond du Lac, North Fond du Lac, Ripon and Waupun Police Departments and Village Hall lobbies in Campbellsport and Oakfield.

Unemployment Rates Down In March

Unemployment rates in the City and County of Fond du Lac decreased slightly from February to the end of March. According to state and federal labor statistics the unemployment rate for the City shrunk from 7.7 percent to 7.4 percent and for the County from 7.1 to 6.5 percent. Those rates are lower than March of 2013 when the City’s jobless rate was 8.2 percent and the County’s was 7 percent. Unemployment rates decreased in 29 of the state’s 32 largest cities and 66 of its 72 counties in March.

BCI Burke Awarding Playground Equipment Grants

Playground equipment maker BCI Burke of Fond du Lac is awarding a total of $1.5 million grants to leaders of schools, churches, child cares, municipalities, homeowners, associations, and other groups who are looking to improve their outdoor play areas. The “Play Today” grants will be available through June 20th. BCI Burke CEO and owner Tim Ahern says, “They are the ideal catalyst for groups that need momentum to make their playground projects become a reality.” Those who would like to learn more should visit the BCI Burke website for more information.

Coffee With A Cop In Lomira Today

Dodge County Sheriff Pat Ninmann invites area residents to this week’s “Coffee with a Cop” program in Lomira today. It’s being held in conjunction with the Lomira Police Department and will be held at the Lomira Municipal Building from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Residents are invited to join deputies and officers for coffee and conversation.