Local News Thursday 5/9/13

FDL City Council Supports County Highway V/ Highway 151 Interchange Funding

 

The Fond du Lac City Council last night approved a resolution that supports including funding in the state’s Department of Transportation budget to fund construction of an interchange and north frontage road at Highway 151 and County Highway V. The Council approved the resolution on a 4 to 1 vote. Before their vote Robert Overbeck told the Council that an interchange for County Highway V was in the DOT’s original plans, but funding went to the Marquette Interchange in Milwaukee and now they could do the same for the ZOO Interchange there. Councilman Rob Vande Zande, who voted against the resolution, says the DOT already had two chances to get the bypass right and failed on both attempts. Council President Sam Meyer feels the interchange will help with access to the City and in developing the south side of the City. The County Board is expected to approve a similar resolution this month.          

 

FDL City Council Notes

 

In other Fond du Lac City Council notes City Manager Joe Moore informed the Council that the owner of the Retlaw Hotel was in town and met with the Assistant City Attorney Tuesday. Moore says he’s optimistic that the money owed the City in back taxes and fees will be paid. However, Moore also told the Council that the time to do that is growing short. The Alcohol Licensing Committee has a meeting coming up at the end of the month when it will decide on liquor license renewals and those recommendations will be forwarded to the Council for their meeting the second week in June. The Council also honored Lori Agnew with a proclamation. Agnew is the Executive Assistant to the City Manager and has worked for the City for 18 years and 4 months. She retires on Friday, May 17th. Other proclamations during the meeting included one declaring this month “Older Americans Month” and another declaring next week “National Police Week” in the City.  

 

Industrial Accident

 

An employee of McNeilus Steel in Fond du Lac suffered a serious leg injury when some steel fell on him Tuesday morning. A pallet of steel was being loaded onto a flatbed semi-trailer at the company at 123 East Larsen Drive. A hoist was being used and as they were lifting the steel onto the truck the load shifted. The steel broke loose and struck the victim in a leg. Assistant Police Chief Steve Klein says a Flight for Life helicopter landed in the parking lot of an adjacent business and flew the man to Theda Clark Medical Center with a serious leg injury. The accident happened about 9:30 that morning.

 

Washington County Man Seriously Burned

 

A 53-year-old Town of Polk man was seriously burned when he suffered a medical condition while burning wood in a fire pit on Hillside Road. Washington County Sheriff’s officials say it happened Sunday afternoon. Leaves near the fire pit ignited. While he was trying to extinguish the growing fire the victim collapsed from a medical condition and exhaustion. He couldn’t move and started yelling for help. A Milwaukee woman and her husband found the victim and pulled him out of the fire. He suffered 3rd degree burns over a significant portion of his body. Life Star Rescue flew him to Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital-Ozaukee. His two rescuers and a Town of Polk resident put the fire out with buckets of water.

 

Reeseville Man Charged With Possessing Child Porn

 

Dodge County authorities have charged a 32-year-old Reeseville man with ten counts of possession of child pornography. Bond was set at $100,000 cash when Adam Rogers made his initial appearance this week. Rogers allegedly downloaded from a Canadian website used to evaluate whether those types of images are illegal. An analysis of his computer found the images. According to the criminal complaint he claimed he built the computer from old parts and the images must have been on the hard drive from the previous owner. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Thursday, May 23rd.

 

Graffiti Vandalism In Allenton

 

(WBKV-West Bend)-The Washington County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a series of nine graffiti incidents that occurred over the weekend in Allenton. The buildings vandalized included both residences and businesses. According to Lieutenant Martin Schulteis, all the graffiti was done with black spray paint. The first location discovered was the pavilion and a park sign at the Town of Addison Park. When deputies arrived, the paint was still wet and the smell was fresh. Other reported locations were along Main Street and include Allenton Metal, Kamco Inc, and Romies gas station. A residence at 531 New Plat was also vandalized with graffiti and the dollar damage estimate to the bricks is about one thousand dollars. Four other locations were also part of the crime spree and sheriff deputies are working on the details from those locations. If you have any information regarding these graffiti crimes, you are asked to call the Washington County Law Enforcement tip line at (800) 232-0594.Callers can be anonymous.

 

FDL Residents Reminded About Outdoor Fire Pit Ordinance

 

Fond du Lac Fire Department officials are reminding residents about a City ordinance regulating the use of outdoor fire pits. Division Chief of Fire Prevention Troy Haase says if you plan on having a fire you should consider your neighbors and maybe inform them first. The ordinance has guidelines for how close a fire pit can be to a building, fence, decks and property lines. It also prohibits the burning of certain materials including trash and debris. The department got a couple complaints last weekend about people burning trash in their fires. He says another City ordinance doesn’t allow grilling on balconies above a first floor.This is more information available on the outdoor fire pit ordinance at the fire department’s website.

 

NFDL Scoreboard Parts Will Help With Purchase Of New Scoreboards

 

 

The North Fond du Lac Village Board this week decided to sell some spare parts from Village Park scoreboards. Village Administrator Chuck Hornung says money from North Fondy Fest will purchase some new scoreboards for two different baseball diamonds on Winnebago Drive.

He says a school district was interested in the spare parts. Hornung says since they weren’t sure who owned the scoreboards the money from the sale of the spare parts will go towards the purchase of the new scoreboards.

 

Big Lottery Winner At Philly’s On Fourth A Regular Customer

 

Phil Moses of Philly’s Grocery and Deli says there was quite a bit of buzz after a regular customer recently won $200,000 on the Money, Money, Money scratch off game. He says it was a woman who is a regular customer at the store on 4th Street. He says she’s a veteran lottery player so she had no doubt she was a big winner. According to the state lottery’s website that winner was Lynn Farr of Fond du Lac. Phil’s folks owned Ma & Pa’s on Fond du Lac’s famed Miracle Mile for years. Their biggest lottery winner was a 2006 Powerball ticket worth $208 million that 100 employees of Sargento Foods shared in.

 

Mail Carrier Food Drive Saturday

 

The National Association of Letter Carriers will be conducting their annual stamp out hunger food drive this Saturday. Plastic bags for collection of non-perishable foods were dropped off with mail over the last few days. Those who would like to contribute should place donations in the bag near their mailbox Saturday morning. Donations go to help out local food pantries.