Local News Briefs Saturday 6/20/15

The Highway Safety Coordinator for Fond du Lac County says there’s nothing a pickup driver could have done to avoid being involved in a fatal accident on Highway 151 at Rienzi Road Thursday afternoon. Sheriff’s Captain Rick Olig 45-year-old Andrew Lang of Fond du Lac was heading south when 80-year-old Michael Butterfield, who was heading north, tried to turn onto Rienzi Road in front of him. He says there was no time for Lang to react, he tried to break and swerve to avoid hitting the full-size car. Butterfield’s 86-year-old wife Susan was killed in the crash and he ended up at St. Agnes Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

FDL Man Sentenced To Prison For Domestic Abuse Charges

A 28-year-old Fond du Lac man was recently sentenced to a little over four years in prison on domestic abuse charges stemming from two incidents last November. Fond du Lac County Judge Dale English sentenced Carlos Flores, Jr. to four years and two months in prison and three years of extended supervision. Flores was facing 16 different charges. He pled no contest to charges of false imprisonment, battery, and intimidating a victim charges. The remaining charges were read into the record and dismissed.

Evaluating Future County Highway Garage Site

Fond du Lac County Executive Al Buechel says sometime in the next two months the County Board will be asked to approve the purchase of a site in Fond du Lac for a future county highway garage. Al Buechel says they’ve thoroughly evaluated the property on South Hickory Street to make sure it will meet the County’s needs. Soils were tested, a drainage plan was done, and they made sure they had enough fill out of the detention pond. The garage will eventually replace the one currently on Dixie Street. In addition to the highway garage it will be home to the County Parks Department, the Sheriff’s impound and will have salt storage buildings. 

NFDL Village President Will Stay An Elected Office

North Fond du Lac Village Administrator Chuck Hornung says the village board has abandoned its inquiries into whether the Village President should be appointed by the board instead of elected by village residents. He says the board asked attorneys with the League of Municipalities who advised them it would be difficult because it would require doing a charter ordinance and then it might not stand up to a legal challenge. Questions came up about the village presidency after voters passed a constitutional amendment allowing the State Supreme Court justices to select a Chief Justice rather than the traditional method of having the snior judge serve in that capacity.

Plea For Beautification Award Nominees

Fond du Lac County Natural Beauty Council member Mary Jean Nicholson made a plea to fellow County Board members this week to nominate properties for the annual Beautification Awards. Nicholson told supervisors they would like to see more nominees from across the County. She says they could use more nominees from the Holyland and on the west side of the county near Ripon. The program recognizes outstanding efforts by businesses, institutions, churches, and farms that contribute to beautification through landscaping and property improvements.  Historic homes or structures that are 90 years and older are also recognized.  Nominations will be accepted until Wednesday, July 15.  To submit a nomination, call the University of Wisconsin Extension Office at (920) 929-3173.