Local News Briefs Saturday 10/31/15

Rusch Has Role In UW Leadership Changes

A current Assistant Campus Dean for Administration and Finance for the UW-Fond du Lac will have a role at the UW-Fond du Lac following reorganization into regional systems. Bethany Rusch will serve as Associate Dean for Administration and Finance/Campus Administrator at the UW-Fond du Lac. The UW-Fond du Lac, UW-Fox Valley and UW-Manitowoc will be grouped together under the Northeast Region under the new leadership structure for the 13 two-year UW schools. There are also North, Southeast and Southwest Regions. Current UW-Fox Valley CEO and Dean Martin Rudd will be the Northeastern Regional Executive Officer and Dean starting January 1st.

Grothman Spending Too High In Budget Deal

Congressman Glenn Grothman says a spending increase in a federal budget and debt deal is too much. He says there is about a 5 percent increase in spending in discretionary spending for non-defense issues, which he feels is too high. But he says it won’t be going up in the following year. Grothman says at a time when we have a record amount of debt federal lawmakers will be leading the country further into debt, but that’s the cards they were dealt. The Senate early Friday also approved the budget and debt deal and sent it on to President Barack Obama to sign.

FDL County Budget

Fond du Lac County Executive Al Buechel says the county budget process is a give and take process with department heads. He says he meets with all department heads and has an initial discussion about their department’s needs. He says a second meeting is held to narrow things down if they don’t have the funding for what they need. The Fond du Lac County Board will have a public hearing on the proposed 2016 County Budget next Tuesday night at 7:30. The following Tuesday, November 10th the Board will approve the budget and tax levy.

Mercury Marine Third Quarter Earnings Up

Mercury Marine’s parent company, the Brunwick Corporation, says sales for the Marine Engine segment were up four percent over the third quarter of last year. According to the earnings report the segment, mostly Mercury Marine, had net sales of $588.2 million in the third quarter of this year an increase of $21.3 million over the same quarter in 2014. Operating earnings were also up by $9.3 million. Brunswick’s net sales for the quarter were up by 6 percent to nearly $992 million.

Marian Athletes Go Trick Or Treating For Salvation Army

If some older kids come to your door in Fond du Lac today and ask for a donation of canned goods don’t send them away with nothing. Fond du Lac Salvation Army Captain Telinda Wilson says upwards of 50 Marian University athletes will be trick or treating for canned goods for their food pantry today. Every month close to 1,000 households visit the Salvation Army’s food pantry.

NY NY For A Few FDL HS Students Next June

Fond du Lac High School English teacher Dan Anderson will be chaperoning some high school students to New York City next June. District Superintendent Jim Sebert says it will be a nice opportunity for those students. He says it will be tied to writing standards and the students will be doing some journaling and creative and reflective writing. Sebert recently approved the trip, which is scheduled for June 20th through the 25th.

Funding Provided For Runway Design At Dodge County Airport

Governor Scott Walker this week announced a $166,667 project to design reconstruction of a runway at Dodge County Airport near Juneau. The project will improve safety and pavement conditions at the airport. The Federal Aviation Administration is providing $150,000 of the funding with the state and Dodge County splitting the remainder of the costs.

United Cooperative Members Receive Stock Revolvement Checks

United Cooperative mailed out stock-revolvement checks this month. When added to the retirement requests and estate settlements already paid that brings the total payout for the year-to date to nearly $10 million. United Cooperative president and chief executive officer David Cramer says this past month they mailed nearly 16,000 checks to patron members totaling nearly $9.2 million. Based in Beaver Dam the United Cooperative has 29 locations throughout the state including Ripon. October is Co-op Month.

Halloween Party DST Reminders

We invite you to tune in for the 42nd Annual KFIZ Halloween Party tonight at 5:30 p.m. It follows trick or treating in Fond du Lac and North Fond du Lac, which is from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. We also remind you that Sunday is the end of Daylight Saving Time for the year so you have to set your clocks back an hour. And don’t forget to check the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.