Local News Briefs Wednesday 5/28/14

A Mercury Marine employee suffered some burns during an accident at Plant 17 in Fond du Lac Tuesday morning. Fond du Lac Fire Department officials say the accident happened shortly after 5 a.m. Molten metal was bring transferred to a bucket that had some moisture in it and some of the molten metal splattered and got into the employee’s boots and on the back. The employee was taken to St. Agnes Hospital for treatment.

Dumpster Fire

Fond du Lac Fire Department officials are reminding residents to make sure their coals or embers are out before dumping them in the trash in the wake of a dumpster fire Monday. Firefighters were called to a dumpster fire at 26 3rd Street about 8 p.m. that evening. Someone living in the apartments at that address had put some charcoal briquettes into the dumpster that were still smoldering. When firefighters arrived they had a full blown fire to put out. No one was injured in the incident.

Charter Upgrade Begins Today

Charter Communications makes a bit of its own history when its cable television programming goes all digital today. For the convenience of its customers the cable, phone and internet provider has been carrying both analog and digital programming for its customers. Kim Haas is the Director of Regional Communications for Charter. She says by going to digital they can offer even more programming and increase their internet speed going forward. She says a number of digital and high definition channels can be offered for each analog channel they eliminate or about 13 to14 digital or 3-4 high definition channels. Over 200 high definition channels will become available through the upgrade. Haas says more than 90 percent of their customers already had the cable box needed for the upgrade because they had digital or high definition in their home already, but each television will need the box. She says it also gives them more access to on-demand programming. Charter customers in Brandon, Berlin, Chilton, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Lomira, Markesan, New Holstein, Omro, Oshkosh, Princeton, Ripon, Rosendale and Winneconne are getting the upgrade. Across Wisconsin, the project will continue through late summer.

ADVOCAP Helping Break Cycle Of Poverty

ADVOCAP is helping Fond du Lac, Green Lake and Winnebago County residents break the cycle of poverty. Bridget Bestor is a volunteer development specialist with ADVOCAP. She there mission focuses on creating opportunities to break that cycle. She says it’s about creating opportunities for self-sufficiency. She says creating self-sufficiency starts young with their Head Start program, which also has opportunities for volunteers. She says they have many community partnerships with other agencies so volunteers are always needed. ADVOCAP is also involved in housing projects. They will be working with Commonwealth Development on the repurposing of the current Ripon Medical Center when hospital employees move to their new facility. Their Fresh Start program will celebrate the completion of their fourth home at 189 Rose Avenue in Fond du Lac with an open house from 1 to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 12th.

Linda Schmitz Retiring From FDL County Sheriff’s Dept

Assistant Fond du Lac County Jail Administrator Linda Schmitz will be retiring this Friday after 33 years with the Sheriff’s Department. Lt. Schmitz says she began in 1981 as a part-time matron taking care of female inmates at the jail. Then one day a cooks job opened up, which the Sheriff told her she would be filling. She says her first promotion to Sergeant came shortly after female jail workers were given equal pay in 1982. Former Sheriff Gary Pucker was the jail administrator at the time. Over the year she became an expert on fingerprinting and saw educational programs and health care programs in the jail grow. Schmitz says back in the day if you wanted to work patrol you had to start in the jail first. So she helped train current Sheriff Mick Fink, Chief Deputy Mark Strand, Captain Rick Olig and Jail Administrator Captain Kevin Galske. Friday afternoon at 3:15 p.m. Schmitz takes the ramp walk signaling her retirement. 

Fairest Of The Fair On Their Role Models

Three young ladies will be vying for the Fond du Lac County Fairest of the Fair crown at the Northwinds Supper Club in Eden Sunday night. They are Courtney McCourt, Katie Bock and Nicole Ries. The three were recently interviewed on News-Talk 1450 KFIZ and that interview will be part of the judging. All three were asked about their roles models. Courtney just turned 19-years-old and will be a sophomore at the UW-Madison this fall. Her role model is a close friend of the family “Uncle Dan.” Katie is 20 and will be a junior at the UW-Madison. She says her mother is her biggest role model. Nicole is 20 and will be a junior at Concordia University this fall. She says her sister Emily is her model.

Seniors Hosting Baccalaureate Service Prior To FDL HS Graduation

The Fond du Lac Senior Class will be hosting a Baccalaureate Service at 4 p.m. at the Emmanuel Trinity Lutheran Church on Thursday, June 5th prior to the High School commencement exercises. The church is located on Wisconsin American Drive in Fond du Lac. The commencement exercises will be at 7 p.m. that evening in the Fond du Lac High School field house.