Local News Briefs Wednesday 1/8/14

An 88-year-old Town of Jackson man died during a garage fire Tuesday morning at a residence on Maple Road. Washington County Sheriff’s officials say the victim was in the detached garage trying to get a car started when the fire occurred. A vehicle was destroyed by the blaze and there was smoke damage to the garage. Investigators say there was no sign of foul play. The fire was reported at 8:04 a.m.  

Chimney Fire In Ripon

Ripon firefighters responded to a chimney fire on Washington Street Tuesday. It was caused by a wood burning fireplace. No injuries were reported. Fire units cleared the scene after about an hour. Residents of the home were able to return to it afterwards.

Small Fire At Mercury Marine

Fond du Lac firefighters were called to Mercury Marine’s Plant 15 for a report of a small fire in an overhead heating unit Tuesday morning. Division Chief of Fire Prevention Troy Haase says the time of the call was about 6:40 a.m. He says Mercury workers used a fire extinguisher to put the fire out and firefighters made sure it was out when they arrived. He says no one had to be evacuated because the fire happened around a shift change. Haase says there was some possible damage to the heating unit. Fond du Lac Fire Department photo.

Three Deaths Attributed To Cold Weather In The State

State health officials are investigating three deaths that may have resulted from cold weather. The deaths occurred in Ashland, Marquette and Milwaukee Counties. All of them happened last Friday. A Wind Chill Advisory remains in effect until noon today. Temperatures will again be below zero tonight before climbing into the 20s tomorrow.

Public Heeds Warning About Dangerous Cold

Fond du Lac Fire Department officials say it was good to see the public heed the warnings about staying indoors during the extreme cold the past few days. Fire Chief Peter O’Leary says he and Division Chief of Fire Prevention Troy Haase took a trip down Main Street Monday and there was hardily any traffic. Haase says one of the most dangerous types of calls they respond to during this type of weather is traffic accidents because they have to work with their hands. Haase also reminds residents to be careful about using electric space heaters. He says if you are going to use one plug it directly into the wall. He says to put the heater on a hard surface away from combustibles and keep kids and pets away from them. 

FDL City Council Preview

The Fond du Lac City Council will meet for the first time in the New Year tonight at 6 p.m. at the City-County Government Center. During the meeting the Council will consider approving an agreement with the state for reconstruction of North Main Street from Merrill Avenue to Johnson Street. The $2.7 million project will be in 2020 with the City’s cost share estimated at $76,400. Also during the meeting the Council will consider approving contracts wit the Fond du Lac Police Supervisory Association and the Fire Supervisory Association. Mercury Marine will also be honored with a proclamation recognizing their 75th Anniversary.

Road Rage In Sheboygan

A 40-year-old Two Rivers man was charged in Sheboygan County Court this week for a road rage incident in the City of Sheboygan that occurred last weekend. A vehicle pulled out in front of Daniel Wright who raced to catch up with it and then sideswiped it denting a fender. Wright’s vehicle had damage to the driver’s door and a side view mirror. He admitted he did it out of frustration.

Energy Assistance And Shelter Available

Sandy Tryon of the Aging and Disabilities Resource Center in Fond du Lac reminds those who are having a hard time paying for their heat that the Energy Assistance Center can help. They are located at 104 South Main Street, Suite 711 in Fond du Lac. You can also make an appointment at 1-800-506-5596. She says the elderly in particular have a hard time making ends meet. She also reminds residents that if they need a place to get out of the cold the Solution Center at 39 North Sophia has a warming shelter. She says it’s been operating 24 hours a day for the past few days, but normally it’s just an overnight shelter.

Developing Incentives For Northgate Business Park

The North Fond du Lac Village Board this week discussed incentives for developing the Northgate Business Park. Village Administrator Chuck Hornung says with their purchase of vacant land in the park from MLG, the firm that owned it, they hope to spur interest in the park. He says incentives would be depend on how much development a potential business would be doing to the property. He says in discussions with Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation President Steve Jenkins says he knows there’s more interest in the park now, but nothing solid yet.

Voting Important Any Time Of Year

Fond du Lac County Clerk Lisa Freiberg says voting is important no matter what time of year it is. She says a handful of towns in the County will be voting on the Lomira Schools referendum next month and they are checking to see if they can cut some costs by having Town of Eden voters vote in the Town of Ashford or through absentee voting. She says there are only 16 voters in the Town of Eden affected by the referendum and it costs too much to have three people man the polls all day long for that. She says voting in April is just as important as it is in November because there are fewer voters in April and two years ago two County Board seats were decided by write-in votes. She says the County Board is split up into 25 districts, each representing about 4,000 people.

Cold Kills EAB Larvae

(WBEV-Beaver Dam)-The extreme cold weather this week is going to help control an extreme invasive species. The Emerald Ash Borer cannot be eradicated by the cold, but this week’s temperatures will help. The U.S. Forest Service says 34-percent of larvae die at ten below, 79-percent die at 20 below, and 98-percent of the larvae die at 30 below. At these bitter cold temperatures, the fluid inside the larvae turns to ice, which tears up their organs. Officials say a few days of 30 below zero will go a long way to preserving the state’s ash trees.

Salute The Troops Benefiting From Brewfest

Fond du Lac’s Brewfest has chosen another cause to contribute to for next month’s event. Dan Manning the Executive Director of Salute the Troops in Fond du Lac says they will be benefitting from the event. He says it will include a number of brewers and different types of beers. He says it will include 30 different brewers and over 200 types of beers. He says home brew clubs and wineries will also be participating with 11 home brew clubs and three wineries. Brewfest is from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, February 1st at the Fond du Lac County Fairgrounds Expo Building. Advance tickets are $30 with tickets available at the door for $40. Advance tickets are available at the KFIZ/K107.1 studios, Buffalo Wild Wings and The Cellar in Fond du Lac and O’Marro’s in Oshkosh.

Ice Fishing Encouragement

(Wisconsin Radio Network)-It may be cold outside, but the DNR encourages residents to get out on the lakes and fish.  Fisherman heading out to put some tip ups out on the ice should be careful out on the lakes. Fisheries biologist Skip Sommerfeldt says while ice conditions are generally good, some lakes do have soft spots yet. He says to check with local fishermen or sports shops first. While out on the lake staying warm in an enclosure, Sommerfeldt says carbon monoxide poisoning is a real concern for anglers. You should make sure your heater is well maintained and working properly, and take a walk out of your shack or vehicle every so often to get some fresh air. You can also take advantage of the upcoming Free Fishing Weekend on the 18th and 19th.

Volunteer Help Needed For FDLPL Opportunity Center

The Fond du Lac Public Library’s Opportunity Center needs additional volunteer help. The Center is a free computer lab resource where under- and unemployed people can get help looking for work, writing resumes and researching employers. It is staffed by local volunteers who work one-on-one with users, many of whom lack computer skills. The center needs ideally, volunteers will have experience with Microsoft Office Suite, have basic internet searching and emailing skills, can work with a diverse population and are willing to commit to a regular schedule. Training is provided. Many current volunteers are retired supervisors or human resource professionals, but that level of expertise is not required. The Opportunity Center is open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays; 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays; and 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays. Persons interested in volunteering at the Opportunity Center should contact Annette Clark at clark@fdlpl.org  or (920) 322-3936.