Local News Briefs Friday 7/10/15

City Manager Joe Moore updated the Fond du Lac City Council this week on a proposal to lease land in McDermott Park to Winnebago Lutheran Academy. He says issues were brought up at the last two Advisory Park Board meetings. One has to do with adding an additional parking lot. City resident Mary B. Hayes is concerned about the runoff the parking lot would create during heavy rains. She says a parking lot that size would require a retention pond and there’s no place to locate a retention pond in the park. City Councilwoman Catherine Block is a member of the Advisory Park Board. She says one thing people have to realize is that the land the parking lot would go on wasn’t donated from the McDermotts. She says the City bought it from the family. She says realignment of that parking lot will be worked on. Other concerns had to do with the reduction of green space in the park that building two softball diamonds and a football and soccer practice field would cause. Also leasing land free for 50 years is a concern. The Advisory Park Board will take up the lease proposal again at their July 27th meeting.

Former Beaver Dam Man Charged For Burglaries

Dodge County authorities have charged a 34-year-old former Beaver Dam man for a series of business and home burglaries. Andy Huth, who now lives in Neilsville, allegedly stole a variety of items including a tractor, an ATV, cash, guns, and a safe. Stolen property was found at his property and his family’s. The thefts occurred in the Towns of Beaver Dam, Westford, and Leroy, the later being at the Mayville Gun Club. Huth will make his initial court appearance next Wednesday. 

Meeting Scheduled On Proposed Kohler Golf Course

People interested in commenting on the proposed Kohler golf course will be able to voice their concerns in person at a public meeting next Tuesday. The DNR is holding the meeting to help determine the scope of an environmental impact statement for the proposed Kohler golf course in Sheboygan County. The meeting is from 6 to 9 p.m. at the UW-Sheboygan Theatre in Sheboygan. It will be held in Room 7114.  The proposed 18-hole golf course would be located in the town of Wilson and constructed on 247 acres owned by the Kohler Company and four acres of easement from Kohler-Andrae State Park. The project site is along the Lake Michigan shoreline in an undeveloped area known as the Black River Forest.

Smithereens Performing Free Sunday In Front Of Thelma

New Jersey rockers The Smithereens will perform live on the street in front of the Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts in Fond du Lac Sunday afternoon for free. The concert starts at 2 p.m. Thelma Executive Director Kevin Miller and Marketing Director Jacqui Corsi say food and beverages will be available starting at 1 p.m. The Elks Club will be grilling and their will be a cash bar. Miller says The Smithereens had hits like A Girl Like You, Behind the Wall of Sleep, and Blood and Roses. He says their goal is make art accessible in all of its forms. Also this weekend at Thelma, the Green Lake Chamber Players will be performing at 7 p.m. Friday night with special guest Lori Skelton of Wisconsin Public Radio. Tickets are available at greenlakefestival.org.

Summer Readers In FDL Public Library Program At Nearly One Million Minutes Read

The Community Information Coordinator for the Fond du Lac Public Library says about half way through their summer reading program it looks like they might surpass the record number of reading minutes they hit in last summer’s program. Readers have logged nearly a million minutes and are on pace to top last year’s 2.5 million minutes. Terri Fleming says it’s easy to sign up on line at fdlpl.org or at one of their library locations. She says just click on the Power of Reading tab. Readers no matter what age get prizes for filling up a reading card. Each card has circles for every 30 minutes read. She says kids who fill up all four cards get a free book of their choosing.

State Lab Tests Dead Birds For West Nile Virus

The director of the state’s Veterinary Diagnostic Lab says they do the testing of dead birds submitted to the lab to determine if they died of West Nile virus. Most birds submitted for testing are crows, blackbirds and blue jays. Dr. Philip Bochsler says in light of the recent avian influenza at least West Nile hasn’t affected chickens and turkeys. He says unfortunately it can have a serious impact on some humans who get it. He says West Nile isn’t the only mosquito borne illnesses the state lab tests for. Only 20 percent of people who get West Nile virus get sick and only 1 percent become seriously ill.

Grothman Tackles Earned Income Fraud

Congressman Glenn Grothman has introduced federal legislation which addresses fraudulent claims on the earned income and child tax credits. Grothman’s bill prevents illegal immigrants from claiming the earned income tax credit by limiting it only to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents with valid social security numbers. It also requires parents who claim dependents to list a valid Social Security number for both the taxpayer and the child for whom the credit is claimed. The federal lawmaker says,” My bill reduces fraudulent claims that will not only save taxpayers billions of dollars it, but also protects families who actually need this tax credit.”

CWC Students Do Well On AP Testing

For the third consecutive year students at Central Wisconsin Christian School in Waupun have done well on the College Board’s Advanced Placement testing.  Tests are scored on a five-point scale, with scores of 3 and higher considered passing and worthy of college credit. This spring a total of 31 tests were attempted by CWC students in four different subject areas, and 25 received passing scores (81%). Combined with a 100% passing rate in 17 tests in 2013, and a 93% passing rate a year ago, Central Wisconsin Christian students have now recorded an 89% success rate over the past three years. The state-wide average for Wisconsin is 68%. “These scores are a confirmation of the top-notch quality of teaching and learning that take place at CWC, and reflect the blessing of a great staff and committed students with the number of kids making the effort to take the tests almost doubling,” remarked Director of Advancement Gregg Zonnefeld.