Local News
Local News Briefs Thursday 1/23/14
A Wind Chill Advisory
continues until noon today. Wind chill values this morning will be in the 20 to
27 below zero range and will only slightly improve this afternoon with wind
chill values at 10 to 20 below zero. Frost bite and hypothermia are
possibilities if precautions aren’t taken in this type of weather.
FDL Police Talk Man Out Of
Home
Fond du Lac Police were
asked to check on the welfare of a man on Olcott Street Tuesday night shortly
after 10 p.m. Assistant Police Chief Steve Klein says the man’s girlfriend and
roommate became concerned after he put camouflage face paint on and started
walking around with a sledge hammer. The girlfriend and roommate exited the
residence to talk with police officers. After some phone communication the man
came out without incident about an hour and a half later. He was taken into
protective custody and to a medical facility for evaluation.
FDL Man Charged For
Incident
A 33-year-old
of getting drunk and carrying around a loaded handgun his home during a
domestic dispute Sunday night has been charged. Adan
with 2nd degree recklessly endangering safety, criminal damage to property,
battery, operating a firearm while intoxicated and disorderly conduct with
domestic abuse enhancers. He paid a $1,000 cash bond and has a preliminary
hearing on February 28th. His wife
called police to report that he had come home intoxicated, threw things around
and then loaded a handgun and began walking around with it. Police talked him
into putting the gun down and coming out of the home shortly after they
arrived. The victim suffered cuts to her hands and a 2-year-old in the home
wasn’t injured.
Winnebago County Sheriff’s
Report Plenty Of Accidents
The Winnebago County
Sheriff’s Department had its hands full with 23 squads on the road at one time
yesterday to handle motorist assists and traffic accidents. Between 6 a.m. and
9 p.m. the Sheriff’s office reported 22 motorist assists and 25 accidents.
There were no serious injuries reported including one accident involving a semi
on Highway 41 near Highway 26 in which the semi dumped its fuel. Dangerous
travel conditions were created by a dusting of snow, icy roads and visibility
problems fed by blowing snow. Winnebago County Sheriff’s photo.
The
approved the debt issue for the 2014 Capital Improvement Projects. The City is
borrowing $2 million for those projects. Bond consultant Paul Thompson informed
the Council that the City had actually gotten a better interest rate than
anticipated. At their last meeting he said they expected an interest rate of
2.48 percent, but the final rate was 2.45 percent. The Council also approved
waiving of the prohibition against alcohol on downtown streets for the
Commonwealth Classic leg of the Tour of America’s Dairyland bicycle racing on
June 27th. This year the
Convention and Visitors Bureau will be the overall coordinator for the event.
Council members also passed a proclamation designating Saturday, May 3rd as
International Migratory Bird Day. The City is in its third year of participating
in the
guards were also honored with a proclamation. Police Chief Bill Lamb accepted
the proclamation on their behalf.
Marijuana Prosecution Bill
Heads To Governor’s Desk
A bill that would fix a
loophole in simple marijuana possession cases is on its way to the Governor’s
desk to be signed into law. State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt of
Assembly version. He says a first-time marijuana possession case is handled in
municipal court and second and subsequent offenses are handled by a district
attorney’s office. He says district attorneys don’t always charge the second or
subsequent possession cases. He says the new law would allow municipal courts
to prosecute the second and subsequent possession cases if the district
attorney’s office does not. He says that makes it worthwhile for law
enforcement agencies that put their time in on those cases. He says it also
makes our streets safer and fixes an inequity in the law.
NFDL Board Approves Repairs
To Ladder Truck
The
approved spending $9,000 to repair cracks in the ladder for the fire
department’s ladder truck, but a bigger question may be looming. Village
Administrator Chuck Hornung says the ladder truck is 28 years old. He says they
needed to have it fixed, but they also have to look at how and when to replace
the truck. He says the truck can still be used, but isn’t really safe for
ladder rescues. Hornung says it would cost them about $850,000 to replace the
truck.
Ice Diving And Ice Boat
Training Scheduled
The Dive Team Leader for
the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Department says its fortunate they haven’t had
to recover a body under the ice of Lake Winnebago for a couple of winters. Sheriff’s
Sergeant Jeff Bonack says their divers
and people who handle the Sheriff’s Amphibious Rescue Craft or SARC still need
to be on top with their skills. He says to that end they’ve scheduled ice boat
training and an 8-hour ice dive for this month. He says although the SARC can
travel at more than 70 miles per hour on open water that’s not something you
can do with uncertain ice conditions and ice shoves and heaves during the
winter on
they are carrying an injured person. He says during one call they were carrying
a person with spinal injuries.
FDL Fire Dept Happy To
Participate In MLK Day Of Service
The Division Chief of Fire
Prevention for the
Fire Department says they were happy to participate in a Martin Luther King Day
of Service project for the Red Cross last Saturday. Troy Haase says the Red
Cross is always there at a fire scene helping them out. Volunteers accompanied
ambulances or engines and fire safety door hangers were hung on the doors of
homes that might be considered at greater risk of fire. Haase says anyone who
received one that would like to have the fire department follow up with a visit
to their home is welcome to call. He says a grant from State Farm helped pay
for the Day of Service activities. Other fire departments including Mayville
and Ripon also participated in similar efforts.
Excavator Safety Awareness
Programs In The Area
Alliant Energy’s
the Digger’s Hotline 2014 Excavator Safety Awareness Program. The programs will
inform those who work outside about calling before you dig and working safely
near underground utility systems. Two of the programs are scheduled in
on February 13th. The one in
Holiday Inn at 7 a.m. that morning and the program in
p.m. Builders, landscapers and
excavators are encouraged to attend. The program includes a meal, either
breakfast or dinner, the presentation, and a Q & A / door prizes. There is
no fee to participate, but attendees must register online at
diggershotline.com, or by calling (262) 785-5300 x5811. Registration ends one
week prior to each meeting.