Local News Briefs Wednesday 2/4/15

Fond du Lac Police Officer Ben Hardgrove and his K-9 Packo helped Green Lake County Sheriff’s officials find a hit-and-run suspect over the weekend. A crash happened on Highway 23 near the Lawsonia Golf Course early Saturday morning. Hardgrove and Packo were brought in and found the 21-year-old Ripon man who had driven the vehicle hiding in some woods several miles from the crash site. He was arrested. Alcohol was a factor in the accident and injuries were reported.  

West Bend Woman Reached Plea Agreement

The 22-year-old West Bend woman suspected of hitting a pedestrian with her vehicle in Beaver Dam and leaving that man severely injured has entered into a plea agreement with Dodge County prosecutors. Stephanie Goltz Monday pled to felony Hit and Run Causing Great Bodily Harm. Another charge was read into the record and dismissed. During the January 26th, 2014 accident on Madison Street Goltz hit a 33-year-old Beaver Dam man then sped away toward Highway 151 leaving him severely injured. He was taken to the Beaver Dam Community Hospital before being transported to UW Hospital in Madison. The next day a passenger who was in her car called authorities after hearing a news report about the accident. The passenger said he’d been drinking with her in Beaver Dam and didn’t realize they’d hit a person because blowing snow made it hard to see. Goltz turned herself in to authorities.  She will be sentenced on May 7th. 

Beaver Dam Woman Arrested On 7th OWI Charge

A 46-year-old Beaver Dam woman is facing a 7th drunken driving offense after driving the wrong way on Highway 151 last Saturday night. It had only been nine days between arrests for Jacquelyn Soldner who was arrested on her 6th OWI while picking up her child after school on January 22nd. She posted a $10,000 cash bond last Thursday to get out of jail on that charge. Monday her bond was set at $50,000 cash for her latest arrest. She has a preliminary hearing on Thursday for her January 22nd arrest and another next week for the arrest on January 31st.

Grothman And House Vote To Repeal Obamacare

Congressman Glenn Grothman was among Republican House member who voted Tuesday to fully repeal Obamacare. The legislation also instructs four House committees to submit a health care plan to Congress.  “President Obama promised millions of Americans that their health care costs would decrease and that if they liked their current health care plans they would be able to keep them,” said Congressman Grothman. The federal lawmaker from Campbellsport went on to say, “Unfortunately for working families in Wisconsin, President Obama broke his promise and health care costs have skyrocketed while plans have been cancelled.” The bill passed the House 239 to 186.  It goes next to the Republican-controlled Senate. President Obama has said he will veto the legislation. In the past two years the House has voted more than 50 times to repeal all or parts of the Affordable Care Act.

CD Smith Being Considered For Huge State Project

C.D. Smith in Fond du Lac is one of the finalists being considered to build a new 600,000-square-foot headquarters for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation in Madison. The project could cost as much as $196 million and would be the largest state-owned office building. C.D. Smith is one of four finalists for the project. The other developers are companies with offices in Milwaukee, Minneapolis and Detroit. Negotiations are underway over cost and details of the project. State officials informed the companies they could choose another developer if negotiations aren’t fruitful.

Mixed Use Of Former Wells Manufacturing Site Should Benefit The Neighborhood

Fond du Lac Community Development Director Dyann Benson says mixed use will be a good use for the former Wells Manufacturing site on Brookes Street. Benson says the City turned the site over to Commonwealth Companies last month. In addition to locating Commonwealth’s landscaping headquarters and a garden center at the site, there will be 6 market-rate apartments (on the second floor of one of the buildings. She says the mixed use will increase the use of the site and should be good for the neighborhood. She says given the size of the property it’s good to have uses that are 24/7. She says when the garden center wraps up activity for the day people renting the apartments will be returning from work.

Law Enforcement Award To Be Given Out

The Fond du Lac County Law Enforcement Executives Association will be giving out its annual awards during their luncheon today. Sheriff’s Captain Rick Olig says some Ripon Police Officers will receive Officer of the Year Awards for their work on an embezzlement investigation. Sergeant John Teachout, Captain Bill Wallner and Investigator Lindsey Michels will be honored for the investigation they did into the Ripon College thefts. Tony’s Pizza in Waupun will get the Citizen of the Year Award. Olig says they do a lot for the community, but were very helpful in allowing officers to use their restaurant during a standoff incident in December. The President’s Award will be given to longtime dispatcher Liz McDermott. Who retired during the past year.

Pfeifer Joins WMC Board Of Directors

Mercury Marine’s president has been elected to the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce Board of Directors. John Pfeifer was elected to the WMC Board of Directors during the business trade group’s annual meeting in Milwaukee on January 23rd. He joins 20 newly elected and re-elected directors on the 53-member board for WMC.

Raffle Tickets Available For Evening Of Chocolate And Wine

Raffle tickets are on sale as part of the annual “An Evening of Chocolate & Wine” in Waupun. The event will be held at Waupun City Hall on Saturday, February 21st from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Prizes for the raffle include a White Gold, Coca & White Diamond Pendant donated by Gysber’s Jewelry, Flowers from Rens Floral each month for six months, a one-night stay at the Waupun AmericInn and a gift basket from Guth’s End of the Trail Candy Shoppe. The evening will feature chocolates and various hand-selected wines, specialty beers, local cheeses, music, a silent auction and more for $50 a person. Proceeds will benefit the Waupun Memorial Hospital women’s health and breast care services. Tickets for the raffle are $5 each or three for $20. They are available at Gysbers Jewelry, and the information desks at Waupun Memorial Hospital, Ripon Medical Center and St. Agnes Hospital. To make reservations for the evening or for more information on available sponsorships, call (920) 926-4959.