Local News Briefs Tuesday 10/20/15

FDL County Board Preview

The Fond du Lac County Board will hear several presentations during their meeting tonight. County Executive Al Buechel will deliver his annual budget message filling County supervisors on the proposed 2016 County Budget. The board will also get an update on the effort to expand wireless internet to rural areas of the County. Representatives of Bug Tussel Wireless will give the presentation. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at the City-County Government Center in Fond du Lac.

Motorcyclist Involved In Washington County Accident Dies

Washington County Sheriff’s officials say a 50-year-old West Bend resident who was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident on October 3rd has died. The motorcycle went off County Highway H at State Highway 144 late that night. The bike went into a ditch and the motorcycle operator was ejected from it. Flight for Life flew the motorcyclist to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa. The motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet and deputies could smell alcohol on the biker.

Plymouth Man Hurt In Accident

Sheboygan County Sheriff’s officials say a 41-year-old Plymouth man was seriously injured in an accident in the Town of Lyndon late Sunday night. Jaws of Life were needed to free Curt Buchholz from his pickup truck after he went off a curve on County Road U and into a ditch The truck was pinned within several trees. Flight for Life flew him to Theda Clark Regional Medical Center.

Fire At Allenton Company

Fire damaged an aluminum die casting company in Allenton Sunday morning. Washington County Sheriff’s officials say they were notified of a fire on the roof of Allcast Inc. at 11:37 a.m.  Five fire departments battled the blaze that caused about $30,000 in damage to the building. Three workers were inside when the fire broke out and one of them tried to put it out with a fire extinguisher. The fire started at the roof level where a new furnace has been installed for the aluminum smelting and manufacturing process. The fire is considered accidental.

Woman Found Dead In Washington County Truck Stop

A woman with a gunshot wound was found dead in a vehicle in the parking lot of the Richfield Truck Stop early Sunday morning. Washington County Sheriff’s officials say she was in the passenger seat of a pickup truck parked near a gas pump. Authorities say no one is in custody and they are not searching for any suspects. No other information was released about the incident.

Circuit Court Judge Vacancy In Sheboygan County

Governor Scott Walker is seeking applicants for appointment to the Sheboygan County Circuit Court. The new appointee will replace outgoing Sheboygan County Circuit Court Judge Timothy M. Van Akkeren, whose resignation is effective next January 4th.  The new appointee, should he or she choose to run, would be up for election in April 2017. Applications and details are available at the Governor’s website, just click on the Apply to Serve button on the right hand side of the home page.

Amber Lights Coming To School Buses

The terminal manager for Johnson School Bus in Fond du Lac says school buses will be using a new lighting system next year. Kyle Stanchfield says it will be similar to driving your car up to traffic signals. A yellow light will mean caution the bus is stopping and a red light means you have to stop because children are getting on board or off of the bus. He says several states are already using the lighting combination of amber or yellow lights and red lights. He expects it to become the standard across the nation. Stanchfield says the change has been in the works for a few years and it will mean having to simply change the lens on the more than 50 buses they use. He says it’s a great thing for children’s safety. This week is National School Bus Safety Week.

Sheriffs Lieutenant Going Through Leadership FDL Program

Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Jim Borgen is one of those currently going through the Leadership Fond du Lac program. Borgen says it’s about becoming better leaders in the community. It’s a program of the Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce. Borgen says it began with a weekend retreat last month. He says the group is broken up into smaller groups or teams that will do community projects. It’s a 9 month program. The current Leadership Fond du Lac class will graduate next May. Borgen say other law enforcement officials have gone through the program and he is not the first member of the Sheriff’s Department to participate.

Dodge County High School Students Tour Area Manufacturers

As part of Manufacturing Month, Moraine Park Technical College’s Beaver Dam campus will be touring some manufacturers today. It’s being done in conjunction with the Dodge County Manufacturing Alliance and involves high schools from throughout the County. MPTC Vice President of Academic Affairs Jim Eden says students will get a chance to tour the John Deere Horicon Works and other manufacturers before returning to the MPTC Beaver Dam campus. He says with the constants changes in technology they try to set up as many tours as possible at area manufacturers so students can see what is going on.

Souper Tuesdays

Fond du Lac Schools Superintendent Jim Sebert says if you’re looking for a change of pace for lunch check out “Souper Tuesdays” at their WINGS apartment. The WINGS program is for students between 18 to 21-years-old with cognitive disabilities. Each Tuesday during October from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. they will be offering delicious soups and desserts. He says the classroom looks more like an apartment. It’s located near the back of the girl’s locker room close to the aquatic center. He says the students do all the cooking. He says it’s a great learning experience; the students buy the ingredients and make the soup. Sebert says once you get to the aquatic center people will direct you to the WINGS apartment.

Scout Food Drive A Success

Officials with the Bay Lakes Council of the Boy Scouts of America say this past Saturday’s food drive was a success. Scout Executive Mark Logemann says, “Without all areas yet reporting in, we collected in excess of 300,000 items which will be distributed to 100 local food pantries.” The annual drive fills the shelves of food pantries throughout the 35 counties of Northeast Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula served by the scouts. If by chance your donation was missed you can take it to a local Festival Food Store or drop it off at your local food pantry.