Local News Monday 6/10/13

Ninth OWI Arrest For Menasha Man

 

A state trooper pulled a 46-year-old Menasha man over for his 9th drunken driving offense on the Fond du Lac County Highway B onramp for Highway 41 last night. James Stratton allegedly drove into median at Lost Arrow Road. He was able to get out and pulled off the highway. A short time later a state trooper pulled him over on the ramp. The incident happened at 6:44 p.m.

 

Mugging Suspect Bound Over For Trial

 

The 20-year-old Lomira man suspected of mugging a 65-year-old Fond du Lac woman for her purse in a Forest Mall parking lot last month has been bound over for trial. Andres Morales was recently in Fond du Lac County Court for a preliminary hearing on robbery with use of force, battery and disorderly conduct charges. He was also arraigned and pled not guilty to the charges. The woman’s screams during the May 28th incident brought witnesses to her rescue and one was able to tackle Morales and hold him until police arrived.

 

Two Hurt In Sheboygan County Accident

 

A Sheboygan man was injured in a two-car collision Friday night in the town of Wilson.  Sheboygan County Sheriff’s officials say it happened around 9 o’clock at County V and Shircel Road when 20-year-old Joshua Spatt, of Sheboygan, made a U-turn in front of an oncoming car driven by 31-year-old Dana Hill, of Sheboygan, and she could not avoid the collision.  Spatt was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.

 

Manhole On Lakeshore Drive To Be Repaired

 

Fond du Lac Public Works officials advise us that beginning today the right turn lane from southbound Lakeshore Drive of Highway 45 to westbound Scott Street will be closed for about a week. A sanitary sewer manhole on Scott Street will be repaired in that right turn lane area. Southbound traffic on Lakeshore Drive will be merged into a single southbound lane and will be permitted to make either the normal left turn from that lane or a right turn around the construction. There will be no marked detour route.

 

Recidivism Rates Declining

 

Waupun Correctional Warden Bill Pollard says they are doing their best to make sure inmates reentering society are equipped to make a successful transition. Pollard notes if you look at more recent recidivism rates about a third of inmates being released from prison commit a new crime within three years of being released. He says the rate would be much higher if you include those who simply commit rules violations while they are on probation. He says the Department of Corrections has really concentrated on reentry training over the last 10 years. Pollard says if an inmate can make it three years out of prison without committing a new crime they stand a pretty good chance of making it.

 

Municipal Court Bill Makes It Through The State Assembly

 

A piece of legislation that State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt crafted that would impact municipal court funding has made its way through the State Assembly. The bill would allow municipal courts to tack on a $10 surcharge for those found guilty of ordinance violations.  The money would then be used to support the municipal courts operations. Thiesfeldt says there was little opposition in the Assembly to the bill. He says it passed by a 95 to 1 vote and moves on now to the State Senate. He says without municipal courts, circuit courts would be more overburdened. He says this way circuit courts have time for more serious cases. There are approximately 350 municipalities served by 243 municipal courts in the State of Wisconsin hearing nearly half a million cases per year.

                    

Lots In The Cupboard When It Comes To Community Service From The Hubbards

 

Fond du Lac County Executive Al Buechel says a reception honoring Jim and Sharon Hubbard this Friday at the Whispering Springs Golf Club is a good way to thank two people who have been ardent community supporters over the last 23 years. The Hubbards will be moving to Valparaiso, Indiana. Jim Hubbard started working at Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac in 1991and retired five or six years ago as their Chief of Staff. Buechel says Jim has been busy with one effort or another ever since and really has been invaluable when a crisis arose. He says Hubbard helped the Fond du Lac Police Department with community efforts in the wake of fatal shooting of Officer Craig Birkholz in March of 2011. He also led recovery efforts during the flooding in 2008. He was involved in the Fair Trade Town effort, the Windhover Center for the Arts and numerous others. Buechel says he’s glad they have a way to thank the Hubbards. The event at Whispering Springs is from 4 to 7 p.m. with brief remarks at 5:30 p.m. Light refreshments and a cash bar will be available.

 

Walleye Appreciation Dinner

 

Mercury Marine’s role at Walleye Weekend doesn’t end with the past weekend’s festival. A couple weeks from now they will hold an appreciation dinner to thank all those volunteers and sponsors who helped make it special. Michelle Kilburn is the manager of competitive angling for Mercury. She says the appreciation banquet on June 25th is a good opportunity to show that appreciation. She says there will be door prizes, sponsor recognition awards, and they will treat everyone to a Walleye Dinner and refreshments.