Local News Briefs Thursday 12/31/15

Search For Person Who Went Through The Ice On Beaver Dam Lake Finds Nothing

Officials with the Beaver Dam Fire Department say after an extensive search they were unable to find a person who supposedly fell through the ice on Beaver Dam Lake Wednesday morning. The report came in just before 8:30 about a person who went through the Ice near Sunset Bay. A hovercraft was deployed, but no one was found during the two-hour search.

Lost Hunter Found In Jackson Marsh

Searchers in Washington County were able to find a lost hunter in the Jackson Marsh early last evening. The 42-year-old Milwaukee man called his wife to tell her he had fallen in the marsh and was stuck. Two Sheriff’s deputies with the aid of a local resident familiar with the marsh were able to locate the man who was cold and wet, but uninjured. A canoe was used to retrieve the man. Shortly after he contacted his wife his cell phone died.

Drone Causes Concern In Waupun

A 32-year-old Waupun man trying out his Christmas present from his girlfriend brought up a possible security issue at a local prison. Police Chief Dale Heeringa says early Monday morning the man was flying his drone when he lost communication with it. He says the man lives a block north of Waupun Correctional Institution and believed the drone landed inside the prison. Police contacted prison officials who did a search and found the drone within the walls of the facility. Heeringa says charges won’t be brought against the man who registered the drone with the FAA. The drone was returned to the man. The chief says new technology can be useful or illegal depending on how it’s used. He says in this case there was no harm, but a drone could have been used to drop anything from contraband to a firearm with the walls of the prison. He says there’s already talk in the community about creating an ordinance to prohibit the use of drones.

Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over

It almost goes without saying that law enforcement officials will be looking for drunken drivers on New Year’s Eve. The Fond du Lac County OWI Task Force is participating in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” national campaign. Fond du Lac County Chief Deputy Sheriff Mark Strand says a good majority of those they arrest throughout the year for drunken driving have driven drunk before. He says they have arrested nearly 240 people for drunken driving this year and about 40 percent of them are repeaters. Strand also says when they arrest someone for drunk driving they are usually well above the .08 blood alcohol content used to define intoxication. He says normally the people they arrest for drunken driving average a .16 BAC. He recommends using a designated driver, calling a cab or looking for a restaurant or tavern participating in the Safe Ride program if you plan to go out drinking tonight. 

Waupun Woman Facing Five Identity Theft Charges

A 36-year-old Waupun woman is facing felony identity theft charges in Dodge County for allegedly stealing more than $27,000 from her mother-in-law. Nicole Grauvogl will make her initial court appearance on January 11th. According to the criminal complaint the victim called police last June after discovering discrepancies in her checking account. Police used surveillance video from a Waupun convenience store to identify Grauvogl as a suspect in the case.

Prominently Displayed House Numbers Can Save Fire Dept Time During A Fire

The Division Chief of Fire Prevention for Fond du Lac Fire and Rescue asks that residents make sure their house numbers are visible from the street. Troy Haase says it can be a real issue any time of the year, not just during the winter. Haase says minutes can make a difference when they have to put out a house fire. He says it’s important to put the house number on a post out front or a mailbox. Haase says they can use GPS, but if the house numbers are more prominently displayed it helps narrow down their search.

City Office Closings For New Years

City offices in the Fond du Lac City-County Government Center will close at noon today and be closed all day on Friday for New Year’s. The same hours apply for the operation of Fond du Lac Area Transit. The Senior Center will be closed both today and tomorrow. The Library will close at 4 p.m. today and will be closed all day on New Year’s. Refuse and recycling will be picked up today. Collection for Friday will be next Monday along with the day’s regular collections. Those materials should be placed curbside by 5 a.m.

County Office Closings For Holiday

The county offices in the City/County Government Center, the Department of Social Services, the Veterans Service Office and the Department of Community Programs will be closed all day on Friday.  Today the offices in the City/County Government Center will close at noon.  Other county offices already referred to will be closed all day today.  The Sheriff’s Office Lobby Window will be closed all day tomorrow and will close at 11:00 a.m. today. The Highway Department will be closed all day tomorrow.  The UW-Extension Office will be closed all day today and tomorrow.

Family Fun At The Blue Line Tonight

The Blue Line Family Ice Center in Fond du Lac will be hosting the kind of New Year’s Eve Party that all members of the family can attend. Rink manager Ryan Blick says they will open their doors at 6:30 this evening and skating and other fun can be had from about 7 to 12:15 a.m. He says of course skating is the main appeal. He says deejays will play music and there will be food. He says some of their members bring food to pass and it’s a good safe environment where parents can spend their time with their kids. It’s $5 for individuals to get in or $10 for the family. You can rent skates or bring your own. Blick says money made from the event benefits a good cause. He says it will allow the Blue Line to purchase more equipment for their introduction to hockey program.