Local News Briefs Saturday 2/14/15

A fleeing list has been added to Dodge County’s list of charges against a 19-year-old Berlin man who stole four cars in three counties last August and lead authorities on a 12-mile pursuit down Highway 175. Maxwell Decker was already facing burglary and theft charges in Dodge County for incidents surrounding the pursuit. Decker led Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s and Dodge County Sheriff’s on pursuits ditching and stealing cars along the pursuit. He was eventually arrested in Jefferson County. He’s being held in the Dodge County Jail on a $100,000 cash bond and is scheduled to make his Initial Appearance on the newest charge next month. Decker is facing a fleeing charge and three auto theft charges in Fond du Lac County.

Sturgeon Spearing Request

DNR Sturgeon Biologist Ryan Koenigs is making a request of successful sturgeon spearers given the bitter cold temperatures forecast for the weekend. He’s asking that you bring your fish into a registration station as soon as possible after spearing it. Due to the cold temperatures, the fish will freeze in short order and it makes the registration process a lot easier, and the DNR get better data, when fish aren’t completely frozen into blocks of ice. This will also make less of a mess to your fish because they won’t have to make as big of an incision to determine sex and reproductive stage of your fish. This also will hopefully alleviate the rush of fish being registered at season’s close and allow them to get the total harvest numbers tabulated earlier, and send out earlier.

Getting Youth Interested In Sturgeon Spearing

With more people applying for a sturgeon spearing license every year you wouldn’t think there would be a lack of interest by youth in the sport. DNR Sturgeon Biologist Ryan Koenigs says it’s a sport that has been passed down from one generation to another, but youth have so many things competing for their attention. He says they’ve actually lowered the minimum age for sturgeon spearing in an effort to build more interest in the sport among youth. He says this will be the third year in a row that 12 and 13-year-olds can participate in spearing.

Manufacturing Interest

Areas in and around downtown Fond du Lac are seeing plenty of development, but the City’s Fox Ridge Industrial Park hasn’t seen as much movement of late. Community Development Director Dyann Benson says when it comes to manufacturing growth manufacturers are more cautious coming out of a recession. She says as housing, retail and commercial builds back you will start to see manufacturing look to expand or come into the area. She doesn’t anticipate much interest this year, but says maybe in the next couple of years.

Grothman Seeks Medal Of Honor For James Maggie Megellas

For his first bill in Congress Congressman Glenn Grothman introduced a bill that would award the Medal of Honor to Fond du Lac native and WW II hero James “Maggie” Megellas. Specifically it would be for Megellas’s efforts during the Battle of the Bulge. Grothman says his predecessor Congressman Tom Petri tried several times to get the medal for Megellas, but he feels this effort will finally bring the honor to Megellas who is now in his late 90s. Grothman says Megellas unquestionably deserves the Medal of Honor for his valor. Megellas now lives in Texas.

Stolen Credit Card Used

Oshkosh Police are looking for a man who used a stolen credit card at the CVS Store on January 27th. He is a white man. Two photos have been released of the suspect, which you can see at KFIZ.com.  Anyone that can identify the suspect or has information regarding the theft is asked to call the Oshkosh Police Department at (920) 236-5700.

Eagle Scout Lets Actions Speak For Themselves

True heroes are people who let their actions speak for themselves and a Fond du Lac Eagle Scout seemed to take comfort in that fact during the City Council meeting this week. Michael Meisenburg of Boy Scout Troop 701 was honored with a proclamation for the honor medal he received for saving the life of an adult leader while they were canoeing on Snowbank Lake in upper Minnesota in July of 2013. He, his father Jeff Meisenburg and Adult Leader Michael Zagar saw their canoe swamped in the rough waters. Michael pulled Zagar back to the canoe and the three clung to it until Michael formed a plan to get them out of the 50 degree water. When City Council President Sam Meyer asked Michael if he wanted to say a few words he introduced his mom and dad and thanked the Council.

Transfer Fairs Scheduled At MPTC Campuses

As part of Career and Technical Education month Moraine Park Technical College’s three campuses will have transfer fairs. Current MPTC students and alumni can learn how easy it can be to transfer credits to a four-year college or university during the transfer fairs. The first is on the West Bend campus on Tuesday, February 24th, the second at the Beaver Dam campus on Wednesday, February 25th and the last on the Fond du Lac campus on Thursday, February 26th. MPTC Vice-President of Student Affairs Stanley Cram says they have articulation agreements with a number of four-year colleges and universities around the country.