Local News Briefs Saturday 10/24/15

Sheboygan County Inmate Dies

Sheboygan County Sheriff’s officials say an inmate was found dead in her cell at the Detention Center Friday morning. The 25-year-old Sheboygan woman was unresponsive when staff found her and dead when medics arrived. The Sheriff requested the Sheboygan Police Department conduct the death investigation.  Detectives from the Sheriff’s Office are also assisting with the investigation. 

Elderly Man Injured When Car Sideswipes Train In Beaver Dam

An 80-year-old man was seriously injured when his car sideswiped a Wisconsin and Southern train Thursday afternoon in Beaver Dam. It happened on Highway 151 at County Highway E. The man’s car was dragged a short distance. He was taken to Beaver Dam Community Hospital and later flown to the UW-Hospital in Madison. Alcohol and drugs are not believed to be factors in the accident.

Waupun Woman Suspected Of Embezzlement Waives Preliminary Hearing

The 34-year-old Waupun woman suspected of taking over $6,200 from the A&W Restaurant in Waupun has been bound over for trial. Rachael Bell waived her right to a preliminary hearing in Dodge County Court this week. She told investigators she was “borrowing” the money from daily deposits for the business to pay personal bills. The thefts occurred in August. She has been released on a $1,000 signature bond and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 22nd.

State Representative Thiesfeldt On John Doe Changes

State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt says changes to John Doe proceedings won’t do away with the process, but will curtail abuses of it. He says under the changes John Doe investigations will be reserved for serious felonies. He says the John Doe proceedings targeted at Governor Scott Walker denied constitutional rights and investigators had too much power. He says in that case a Mack truck was driven through the loop hole that permitted the investigation. He says proposed changes would also put time limits on the investigations and force investigators to come up with funding for the proceedings. The governor signed the bill into law Friday.

A Small Moment In History For FDL County

You probably won’t find it in history books about Fond du Lac County in the future, but a moment in the Town of Eldorado this week was significant. A ribbon cutting was held at a tower site marking the completion of a broadband expansion project for rural areas of the County. Ten new towers were put up by Bug Tussel Wireless and four existing towers will also be used. County Executive Al Buechel says it was one of those little moments that will make a difference for the County when it comes to providing internet access. He says it’s like the person who decided to extend electricity to rural areas of the County, we don’t know who that is but it’s something everyone took advantage of.

Spillman Library Asking For More Funding From Village Of NFDL

The North Fond du Lac Library is asking the village to contribute more money for its budget next year. Village Administrator Chuck Hornung says the village board this past week heard a presentation on the Spillman Library, its programs and staff. He says each year its use continues to grow, so a request was made for more funding from the village. He says the point of the presentation was to ask for more funding from the village. He says it’s something he board will hold more discussions about before the 2016 village budget is approved.

Bags For Bags Today

First Weber Realtors in Fond du Lac will be hosting an event today to raise funds for a program that supports breast cancer patients. They will be selling purses and scarves to raise money for the “Necessities Bag” program, which supplies tote bags containing items a women having a mastectomy might find comforting and necessary. Karen Jo Dobyns found out about the program when she had to have a mastectomy in November of last year. She says that’s when she was introduced to Necessity Bags of Wisconsin. Karen says they will have about 900 purses for sale and 600 scarves. The event is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The First Weber office is next to Gilles on South Main Street.

FDL County Supervisor Receives Award

Fond du Lac County Supervisor Steven Abel  was honored during the County Board meeting this week for five-years of service on the UW-Extension Education, Agriculture and Recreation Committee. Shelly Tidemann of the County’s UW-Extension Service presented Abel with the award from the Wisconsin Association of County Extension Committees. She says overall 43 people from across the state with 355 combined years of service were honored during the Associations annual convention in La Crosse. She says the local extension service appreciates the leadership Steve has given to the local committee.