Local News Briefs Wednesday 1/15/14

A 20-year-old Fond du Lac man was hurt when he lost control of his pickup truck on Highway 41 at State Highway 26 Tuesday afternoon and was hit by a semi-truck. According to the State Patrol Arthur J. Dietenberger hit the median barrier, went across the southbound lanes and was hit by the southbound semi. He was taken to Theda Clark Regional Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. Dean Cutsforth the 50-year-old Eau Galle, Wisconsin man driving the semi wasn’t hurt. Both drivers were wearing their seat belts. The crash was reported at 2:32 p.m.

Weather Related Runoffs And Crashes

Fond du Lac and Winnebago County Sheriff’s deputies were busy yesterday afternoon and evening with motorist assists due to the snowy weather. Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s deputies responded to 29 runoffs and two accidents. No injuries were reported in the two 2-vehicle accidents that happened at Esterbrook Road and Forest Avenue Road and County Highway V and Haven Drive. Deputies also tried to locate a vehicle which was heading south in the northbound lanes of Highway 151. Winnebago County Sheriff’s deputies assisted 23 vehicles that went into the ditch and responded to six crashes.

Initial Appearance In Green Lake County Court Delayed For Former Police Officer

The initial appearance in Green Lake County Court for the former Waupun police officer who went on a crime spree last August was delayed. Forty-four-year-old Bradley Young of Brandon was supposed to make an initial appearance in Green Lake County Court yesterday afternoon, but that has been delayed until Monday, January 27th. Young has already been charged in Barron and Burnett County, but it was break-in at a Green Lake restaurant that launched a manhunt last August. He’s also suspected of breaking into grocery stores in Berlin and Markesan. Young was a lieutenant and 22 year veteran of the Waupun Police Department when he resigned in the wake of his alleged crimes. A status conference in his Burnett County case is scheduled March 4th and the following day he has a plea hearing in Barron County Court.

Milwaukee Woman Charged In Mayville Burglaries

(WBEV-Beaver Dam)-A 30-year-old Milwaukee woman has been implicated in a string of Mayville-area burglaries. Ashley Pinkert told police she was out-of-work and needed to pay rent and put food on the table for her child. She is charged with three felony counts for break-ins last week at three separate residences. During one of the burglaries, the property owners came home, reportedly found Pinkert there and Pinkert immediately engaged them in conversation like she was supposed to be there and said she was looking for a friend. The victims managed to get her license plate and she was arrested a short time later. Among the items stolen were cash and prescription drugs.

Microsoft/Windows Computer Scam Resurfaces

Waupun Police say they received a call that the Microsoft Computer Scam is re-surfacing. They say you should never give out personal information over the phone. If you are having computer problems, you call them. They will not call you and tell you that you have problems! Police say if you are in doubt, hang up and call your computer carrier yourself.

The Flu In FDL County

Fond du Lac County Public Health Officer Kim Mueller says less than 100 people have tested positive in the County for influenza. She says most of those who did test positive recently were tested by Agnesian HealthCare professionals. She says 69 to 70 tested positive with Agnesian and maybe there were 10 more with Aurora. She advises staying home if you’re sick. She says don’t go to work and don’t getting tested unless you think you’re going to get sicker. Mueller says the majority of those who tested positive for the flu were under 65 years of age and nearly 100 percent tested positive for the H1N1 strain. She says it’s actually good news that it is the H1N1 strain because protection against that strain is included in this year’s flu vaccinations. Flu shots are available through health care providers through the Public Health Department and elsewhere. For more about the flu call the Health Department at 929-3085.

Assembly Passes Bills Aimed At Reducing Heroin Deaths

(Wisconsin Radio Network)-The state Assembly has approved a package of bills aimed at reducing heroin-related deaths in Wisconsin. Lawmakers unanimously approved four bills Tuesday, which include measures that protect heroin users who call 911 to report an overdose and that would make it easier for first responders to administer a drug called Narcan, which can counteract an overdose. Other bills would require those picking up prescription pain killers to show an ID and allow communities to set up drug collection programs. Both measures are aimed at reducing the availability of prescription narcotics, which can often serve as a gateway drug for heroin addicts. State Representative John Nygren (R-Marinette) was the driving force behind the proposals. His support for the changes came out of his family’s own experiences with the drug, after his daughter overdosed on heroin and was later jailed because of her addiction. The Marinette Republican says none of the bills are the “end all, be all” to address an epidemic of heroin abuse in the state, but “they are a significant steps towards correcting the problem.” All four bills now head to the state Senate.

Lakeside Park Dredging Goes Well So Far

Fond du Lac Public Works Director Jordan Skiff says he’s pleased the Minocqua firm dredging the Lakeside Park channels got as much done as they did last month before it became too cold to dredge. He says PCI Dredge got about 20 percent of what they want removed. He says they will return in mid-March to complete the project. He says they will probably add a second dredge at that time, which will make the project go quicker. He says last month they concentrated on an area near the Pavilion, which was probably the worst area in the park. Skiff says it’s been about 50 years since the channels in the park were last dredged.

DFP Annual Meeting Thursday

The Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership’s Annual Meeting will be held this Thursday evening at the Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts. It gets underway at 5:30 p.m. DFP Executive Director Amy Hansen says it’s a good way to highlight what they’ve accomplished and talk about new programs they are initiating. She says they also give out the Design of the Year and Friend of Fond du Lac awards. She says the Design of the Year Award is given out to building renovations or new properties and the Friend of Fond du Lac is usually presented to someone who has been a constant contributor to the enhancement of the downtown. She says they will also be talking about upcoming efforts such as the Wayfinding effort. She says they are also excited about the bike loop being developed around the City.

Public Asked To Weigh In On Walleye Initiative

(Wisconsin Radio Network)-The Wisconsin Walleye initiative is entering its second year, and the DNR wants your input. DNR fisheries supervisor Steve Avelallemant says they want to know your ideas on where to put the state’s expanded walleye stock. He says they will be raising quite a few Walleye fingerlings and they are quite costly so they want the public’s input on where to go with the fish. You can weigh in online at the DNR’s website through the end of the month on those preliminary plans.

Amber Alert Now Available On Twitter

Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen is encouraging Wisconsinites to follow @AMBERAlert on Twitter. He says the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children announced the launch of the Twitter handle for the AMBER Alert program.  When an AMBER Alert is activated it will now include Twitter. Here in Wisconsin, the AMBER Alert has been activated 23 times since the program began in 2003, and has safely recovered more than 30 children.  According to the U.S. Department of Justice, more than 600 children have been rescued since the AMBER Alert program’s creation in 1996.  

FDL Athletic Hall Of Fame Ceremonies This Weekend

Fond du Lac Schools Superintendent Jim Sebert says he’s looking forward to the Fond du Lac Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet this weekend. He says he’s excited that in addition to the inductees members of the 1969 State Championship Football Team will be returning for the festivities. Sebert says he knows five of this year’s seven inductees and he’s interested in hearing their speeches Tickets for Saturday’s Hall of Fame banquet are available at the KFIZ/K107.1 studios on Winnebago Drive. More information on this year’s Hall of Fame is available by clicking here.

Common Core Public Forum Scheduled In FDL

The Common Core Standards will be the focus of a public forum featuring Wisconsin education experts scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on Monday, January 27, at the Theisen Middle School Auditorium.  Panelists will include representatives from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, an area school superintendent, and language arts and mathematics consultants. Panelists will discuss the history, purpose, and funding for the Standards, as well as provide an overview for their implementation, assessment, and challenges.  Specialists will discuss both the mathematics and language arts applications. The Fond du Lac Area Retired Educators Association and Support Our Schools-FDL, a group of local advocates for strong public education, are sponsoring the event.  The event is free and open to the public.

Consultants Laboratory Re-accredited

Consultants Laboratory of Wisconsin, LLC, Fond du Lac, has achieved a two-year accreditation by the Commission on Laboratory Accreditation of the College of American Pathologists (CAP), based on the results of a recent on-site inspection in Fond du Lac and Waupun. Consultants Laboratory is one of the only 7,000 CAP-accredited laboratories worldwide. “We believe it is important to seek this accreditation because the CAP is the industry leader and symbolizes excellence, experience and professionalism – qualities we embrace on a daily basis,” says Carol Hyland, Consultants Laboratory president and chief executive officer. “The CAP congratulated us for the ‘excellence of the services being provided.’” The CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program, begun in the early 1960s, is recognized by the federal government as being equal to or more stringent than the government’s own inspection program. Consultants Laboratory, a member of Agnesian HealthCare, is a regional reference laboratory serving southeastern Wisconsin with more than 200 associates. It provides lab services to other Agnesian HealthCare facilities including the Fond du Lac Regional Clinic (all satellite locations), Ripon Medical Center, St. Agnes Hospital, St. Francis Home and Waupun Memorial Hospital.

Shop With A Cop Successful

The coordinator of Fond du Lac County’s Shop with a Cop program says more than 150 kids participated in last month’s program at Walmart in Fond du Lac. Approximately 155 kids shopped with a law enforcement member. Sheriff’s Deputy Julie Flaherty says children in need from all over the County are referred to them from the various school districts.  She says they couldn’t do it without the support they receive and it brings real joy to the kids, their parents and the law enforcement officials who participate. All donations to the Shop with a Cop program stay in the program.  Monetary donations for the Shop with a Cop program are always welcome.  They can be made at the Sheriff’s office or sent to the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office, P.O. Box 1273, Fond du Lac 54936-1273.