Local News Briefs Friday 7/25/14

Fond du Lac Police continue their investigation into a couple of home invasions in the Primrose Lane area involving a naked man. Police say they’ve received a few calls after releasing the initial information about their investigation. The latest incident happened Wednesday morning when a homeowner confronted the naked man in a hallway in his home and chased the man out of the house and down the street. Anyone with information is asked to call 906-5555 or the Crime Alert number 322-3740.

MPTC Grant Will Help Reduce Waiting Lists

Funding for the $1.2 million grant Moraine Park Technical College is receiving for worker training grew out of the Governor’s Blueprint for Prosperity initiative. The legislature added $35.4 million to the effort for the Wisconsin Fast Forward program. Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch says Wisconsin Fast Forward is helping bridge a skills gap giving workers training to have the skills employers are looking for. Another goal of the program was to reduce waiting lists at Wisconsin technical colleges. Kleefisch says for MPTC the waiting lists included manufacturing and healthcare job training. The funding MPTC received will help train up to 126 workers through 2016.

FDL City Council Approves Agreement With State For Design Of Arndt St. Bridge Replacement

The Fond du Lac City Council this week approved a State Municipal Agreement for the design for replacing of the Arndt Street Bridge. Public Works Director Jordan Skiff says the bridge provides access when train traffic blocks access to Brooke Street. He says the bridge has needed two emergency repairs in the past three years, resulting in full closures for extended periods of time. It’s sufficiency rating of 42.6 qualifies it for replacement under the State and Federal bridge program. Skiff says State and Federal funds will pay for 80 percent of the design costs and the City will pay for the remaining 20 percent, which will budgeted for in the 2015 and 2016 capital improvements program. He says the City will apply for construction funding with the state in 2016 for the new bridge, but at the earliest it would be replaced in 2019.

Move To Amend Clarifies Effort

A member of the Fond du Lac Move to Amend group is concerned about the information the public was hearing about their referendum effort at the City Council meeting this week. Former UW-Fond du Lac Dean Judy Goldsmith says unlike one speaker implied it’s not about amending the first amendment, but amending the U. S. Constitution to restore campaign contributions limits undone by the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. She says as they ask for in the referendum they don’t think corporations, union, non-profits and similar organizations should be considered as human beings and money as a form of speech.  She says corporations are made up of people, but aren’t people. She says the Supreme Court’s decision removed the limits on campaign contributions. She says the Move to Amend seeks to give elections back to the people. The referendum question will be on the ballot in Fond du Lac and Ripon this November 4th.

Forest Mall Cinema Closing

One of the last original tenants of the Forest Mall in Fond du Lac is closing this weekend. A simple message is posted on the Fond du Lac Theater and Forest Mall Cinema’s website thanking patrons for their many years of service and noting that the Cinema will be closing Sunday.

Lomira Residents Escape Fire

Dodge County Sheriff’s officials say two Lomira residents were able to escape from their home during a fire Wednesday morning. Sheriff Pat Ninmann says it appears a box fan started the fire, but there was no structural damage. There was a lot of smoke damage though. To escape from the fire a man and woman climbed out a second story window onto the roof over their front porch. Seven fire departments responded to the scene. There were no injuries. The time of the fire call was about 1:45 a.m.

Sheboygan Drug Dealer Sentenced

(WHBL-Sheboygan)-A Sheboygan drug dealer is going to prison for ten years. Twenty-seven- year-old Kyle Hansen was sentenced this week in Sheboygan County Court to the prison term and ten years of extended supervision.  Hansen’s sentence was enhanced because he was selling heroin from his home on Primrose Court within a 1,000 feet of a school.  He was under surveillance last October when he was arrested on his way back from Milwaukee with his child and 60 grams of heroin in the car.

Waupun Family Aquatic Center Celebration / Community Picnic Saturday

It’s a double celebration in Waupun this Saturday as the community holds an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony for the new family aquatic center and marks the 175th anniversary of the City’s founding. Waupun Mayor Kyle Clark says they opened the Waupun Family Aquatic Center at the County Park about a month ago and people have really enjoyed it. The open house is from 9 to 10 Saturday morning with a ceremony at 10 a.m. including a ribbon cutting at 10:30. Then from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. also at the park will be the 175th Anniversary Community Picnic with music, food, activities for kids and more. Clark says the aquatic center was a real team effort and there was a little angst over whether they did the right thing, but the end result is something many families will enjoy.

Prairie Fest Saturday

The Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum and UW-Fond du Lac will host the annual Prairie Fest tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum Executive Director Tracy McDermott says the free event is there big fundraising opportunity for the year. There will be prairie tours, wildflower hikes, arts, demonstrations, presentations and children’s activities. Adults can learn more about the Emerald Ash Borer, chicken farming, lasagna gardening, beekeeping, worm farming and native plants. There will also be food and an art fair. Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum Chair Brian Kolstad says they have a couple of events that will precede Prairie Fest. Yoga on the Prairie will be held at 8:30 a.m. and the Pedal the Prairie Bike Ride is at 9 a.m.. For more information on Prairie Fest check out their website.

Unemployment Rates Up In FDL And FDL County

The City and County of Fond du Lac saw their jobless rates increase by nearly a half percent in June. That’s according to state and federal labor statistics. The City’s unemployment rate rose to 6.5 percent and the County’s to 5.6 percent. About 100 fewer people were working by the end of June. Jobless rates a year ago in June were at 8.3 percent for the City of Fond du Lac and 6.9 percent for the County. Unemployment rates increased in all 32 of the state’s major cities last month and 71 of the state’s 72 counties.