Local News Briefs Friday 9/12/14

One man was killed and two others were injured in a two-vehicle accident in Calumet County just before 6 p.m. last night. Sheriff’s officials say the accident happened at the intersection of Harvestore Road and Marx Road when a 29-year-old Appleton man driving a 2001 Toyota Rav4 failed to yield the right of way from the stop sign. His car was t-boned by a 2002 Ford250 Super Duty pickup truck driven by a 37-year-old Kaukauna man. The Appleton man died at the scene. His two passengers were taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton with non-life threatening injuries. The pickup truck driver wasn’t hurt. Alcohol was not a factor in the crash.

Trial Scheduled For Vehicular Homicide Suspect

A jury trial has been scheduled next January for a 20-year-old Fond du Lac man who was allegedly high when he drove off the road near the South Hills Country Club and hit a tree killing one passenger and injuring another. The five day trial for Gilberto Castaneda-Bobadilla on vehicular homicide and injury charges is scheduled to begin on January 26th. The accident occurred on November 16th of 2012.  Seventeen-year-old Campbellsport High School student Giovanni Clouse was killed and 17-year-old Alex Schultz was injured. The three were returning from a concert in Madison early that morning. A state crime lab test found the presence of marijuana in Castenda-Bobadilla’s blood. In addition to the homicide and injury charges he’s facing a drug paraphernalia possession charge.

Drunken Driving Suspect Crashes Near Brandon

A 21-year-old Wilson, Michigan man was arrested after crashing his vehicle into a ditch south of Brandon late Wednesday night. Brandon Police and the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Department were helping Waupun Police after the man sped down Main Street in Waupun doing about 60 miles per hour. He headed north on State Highway 49 towards Brandon and was nearing the village when he turned on Liner Road and crashed into a ditch trying to avoid police. He was arrested at gunpoint and is being held in the Fond du Lac County Jail. Charges are being referred including drunken driving, fleeing an officer, obstruction and unreasonable or imprudent speed. The incident happened about 11:30 Wednesday evening.

Two Arrested After Man Overdoses At Work

A 25-year-old Omro man is fortunate the 24-year-old man he allegedly sold heroin to survived an overdose while at work in Oshkosh Thursday morning. Oshkosh Police say Fire Department paramedics used NARCAN to revive the man and he was taken to the hospital for follow up treatment. Both men were subsequently arrested and are facing charges. The Omro man is being charged with heroin trafficking and possession, recklessly endangering safety and on a probation warrant. The victim is being charged with heroin, marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession.  The incident happened in the 2600 block of Oregon Street at 8:15 yesterday morning.

Emerald Ash Borer Found In Calumet County

Calumet County is the latest County to be quarantined by the state for the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer. Kewaunee, Manitowoc and Outagamie counties are also among the latest where the EAB has been found. State Department of Agriculture officials say in Calumet County the bug was found in the Village of Sherwood, just north of High Cliff Public Golf Course. The Emerald Ash Borer has now been found in 37 of the state’s 72 counties including, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, Washington and Winnebago counties.

State Representative Thiesfeldt On State Budget Objectives

State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt says Republicans would like to cut taxes during the next two-year budget cycle if Governor Walker is reelected. He says Wisconsin still ranks too high when it comes to the tax burden on its residents. He says in a study he recently saw eve with all the changes the state has made its still 12th to 15th on the list and needs to move further down it. The state lawmaker from Fond du Lac says they’ve found that if people have more money in their pocket they will spend it spur the economy. He says he has some of the same goals the Governor does during the next legislative session. He says that includes keeping people employed in good sustaining jobs, has access to good health care and keeping schools strong.

Good Things Happening On Main Street

Fond du Lac fought hard to become one of the forty-plus Wisconsin Main Street communities and 10 years later has a lot to show for it. Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership Director Amy Hansen says recently the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation that runs the program released figures about the success of the program. She says Fond du Lac was near the top in several categories. It was number two for private investment with $15 million in private investment and number one in the number of events with 34. She says during that same time Fond du Lac had the top Main Street program when it comes to total investment. She says that total was $87 million. She says things continue to happen with several major companies moving their operations to Main Street including Commonwealth Companies moving to the former Retlaw Theater and Agnesian and Marian moving some of their operations to the former Nielsen Building. Hansen also told the City Council this week that the vacancy rate downtown has decreased from 10.2 percent to 6.8 percent.

Marian Business And Industry Awards Dinner Scheduled

Marian University in Fond du Lac will hold its 33rd annual Business and Industry awards and dinner at Marian’s Stayer Center on Tuesday, October 28 in the Stayer Center. A reception will be held at 5:45 p.m., followed by dinner and presentation of awards. The Business & Industry awards dinner is an opportunity to recognize organizations and leaders who have made a significant positive contribution to their community. The event also helps to raise scholarship money for the Marian University School of Business & Public Safety students. For more information about the 2014 Business and Industry Awards, contact Kathy Gellings, director of Advancement Services, at (920) 923-7613 or at kgellings@marianuniversity.edu.

Second Annual Plant & Swap Sale At FDL Public Library Saturday

The Fond du Lac Public Library invites fall gardeners to an annual event outside the main entrance of their downtown branch Saturday for a special sale. Community Information Coordinator Terri Fleming says it’s an opportunity to buy or swap plants from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The program is being done in conjunction with the Fond du Lac County Master Gardeners. She says the idea for the Plant Swap and Sale came from a library staff member. She says that member saw another library doing the same thing and they approached the Master Gardeners about helping out with the effort. Gardeners aren’t required to bring something to swap. The event is rain or shine.