Local News Briefs Thursday 1/15/15

A 23-year-old Fond du Lac man suspected of shooting a 19-year-old Chicago, Illinois man in the leg has pled no contest to a 1st degree reckless injury charge. James Tucker, Jr. was in Fond du Lac County Court Wednesday afternoon for a hearing. As part of a plea agreement charges of attempted homicide and aggravated battery were read into the record and dismissed. A pre-sentence investigation was ordered. The incident happened at the Hometown Harbor Apartment complex on September 28th. The victim was taken to St. Agnes Hospital where he was treated and released.

School Accountability Bill Gets Hearing At State Capitol

(Wisconsin Radio Network)-Both Democrats and Republicans on the Assembly Education Committee take issue with the way school accountability legislation is being handled. Committee chair and bill author Jeremy Thiesfeldt of Fond du Lac is making changes to the bill, many of which haven’t yet been revealed. Representative Sondy Pope of Cross Plains calls Thiesfeldt “courageous.” She says she’s never been on a committee in her seven terms in the legislature where they’ve held a hearing on a bill that doesn’t exist. When asked whether there will be a hearing on the new version, Thiesfeldt said he wouldn’t commit to that. He says local districts will have more control in his new version. He says something will be put in the bill to strengthen local control to make sure it’s absolutely clear that Common Core Standards do not have to be used by local school districts. Thiesfeldt is also removing the academic review board from his legislation.

Fire May Have Been Started By Transients

The fire that damaged a 40 by 70 foot trailer off Forest Avenue in Fond du Lac Tuesday night may have been started by someone trying to keep warm. The area has a transient problem and Fire Chief Peter O’Leary says they suspect someone trying to keep warm on bitterly cold night may have started it. He says the railroad owns the trailer between the rail road and Fond du Lac River and several thousands of dollars worth of damage was done to it. He says the fire was started early, but was left unattended. He says firefighters did a good job putting out the blaze. He says it was tough to get to because it’s unplowed and it is off the street a ways. The location is across the street from the Press Box Tavern.

Oshkosh Duplex Fire

Officials in Oshkosh say one person had to be treated for minor injuries and smoke inhalation after a fire at a duplex yesterday morning. The blaze at 541 Bowen Street was reported at 9:40 a.m. A downstairs tenant managed to put the fire out. The cause of the fire was unattended cooking. There was smoke and fire damage to the kitchen. The tenant’s 3-year-old son alerted him to the fire. Fire Department officials say there were no working smoke alarms in the duplex.

Two Charged For Ripon Burglary

Two men are facing charges for a burglary case. Eighteen-year-old Joseph Hunt of Appleton and 21-year-old David Bresser of Ripon were charged in Fond du Lac County Court Wednesday. A $500 cash bond was set for Hunt and a $1,000 signature bond for Bresser. Hunt has a preliminary hearing on January 29th and Bresser is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on February 26th. Ripon Police say the two were arrested on Monday after stealing items from the home of a relative of one of the suspects that day. Police were able to recover most of the items taken in the case.

Sheboygan Man Charged For Stabbing

A 28-year-old Sheboygan man has been charged for a stabbing that occurred at a Sheboygan nightclub last month.  Christopher Medina faces a 2nd degree reckless injury charge for allegedly stabbing 28-year-old Joe Lee at SheVegas Nightclub December 12th. Lee suffered a stab wound to the abdomen. Night club surveillance video showed that a fight broke out between two groups. During the scuffle it appeared Medina charged at Lee and stabbed him.  The felony charge was filed Wednesday in Sheboygan County Court.

FDL City Council Notes

During last night’s Fond du Lac City Council meeting the Council approved two liquor licenses. One of the licenses is for a sports bar that will be called The Bullpen. It will be located at 243 West 9th Street or the site of the Wishing Well Tavern. Also during the meeting the Council approved two resolutions for street improvement projects on West 11th Street and another to improve Walker Street, West 12th Street, Cedar Street and West Division Street. Proclamations were also made recognizing the American Red Cross Northeast Wisconsin Chapter, Adult School Crossing Guard Recognition Week, and honoring Mary Christie who is retiring at the end of the month after 27 years and seven moths as a bus driver for the City Transit System. Appropriately enough she thanked the City saying “It has been a heck of a ride.”

FDL Superintendent On School Accountability

Fond du Lac Schools Superintendent Jim Sebert has a mixed reaction when it comes to the State Assembly’s School Accountability Bill. He says State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt of Fond du Lac shared his ideas about it with him. He says he appreciate aspects of the legislation Thiesfeldt created. He says Riverside Elementary is a focus school that needed improvement. He says as such they get support from the Department of Public Instruction, help on research-based strategies and money for professional development. He says that’s led to improvement in the school’s report card on how it’s doing. He says he does not like the idea of turning schools that can’t show improvement over a certain time frame, four years, into charter schools. Sebert says he has no idea what the State Senate’s version of the bill will look like. 

Agnesian Changes Visiting Policy During Flu Outbreak

To help prevent the spread of the influenza virus, Agnesian HealthCare – including Ripon Medical Center, St. Agnes Hospital, St. Francis Home and Waupun Memorial Hospital – is temporarily raising the minimum age of visitors to hospital and nursing home patients to 15. Families are also encouraged to limit all visitors to members of the immediate family who are not ill during this flu season, and the community is being asked to stay home if sick except to get medical care. The visitor guidelines will remain in effect until the flu peak passes.

3 Guys And A Grill At Trinity Announces FDL Job Fairs

One of the owners of the 3 Guys restaurants says they are excited to be coming to Fond du Lac. Scott McMurray says they will be opening the 3 Guys and a Grill at Trinity in the former Trinity Restaurant. They are hoping for an April 1st opening. He says their 3 Guys and Grill and 3 Guys and a Pizza Pie restaurants in Elkhart Lake developed a following in the Fond du Lac area through participation in the Taste of Fond du Lac, Walleye Weekend and other events. He says the new restaurant in Fond du Lac will incorporate the best of their two Elkhart Lake restaurants. He says they are happy too that they will be creating about 50 jobs through their Fond du Lac restaurant and will hold a job fair at their Trinity site this Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. He says a second job fair will be held at Trinity from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 21st and if you can’t make that call them at (920) 876-4404.

Christmas Tree Reminder

Fond du Lac’s Dept of Public Works Department is reminding the community the City has discontinued curbside collection of Christmas trees. Residents of Fond du Lac can dispose of their Christmas tree at the Municipal Service Center’s Yard Waste Drop-Off site located at 530 N Doty Street. The Gratitude Club of Fond du Lac as a fundraiser sold tags at the A & W and Gille’s Christmas Tree lots to those who wanted their trees picked up for disposal, but if you didn’t purchase one of the tags you can’t have your tree collected by placing it curbside.

Lucroy Invited To State Of The Union Address

Milwaukee Brewers Catcher Jonathan Lucroy will be attending the President’s State of the Union Address next Tuesday as a guest of U.S. Senator Ron Johnson. Johnson says the All-Star catcher is a hero to Wisconsin sports fans both on and off the field. Johnson cited some of Lucroy’s off-field heroics noting he visits patients at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, traveled with veterans on a November Honor Flight, donated $5,000 scholarships to military families, works with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Muscular Dystrophy Association and other charitable efforts. Lucroy says he’s honored that Senator Johnson invited him as a guest for the State of the Union address. To read more click here.