Local News Tuesday 3/19/13

Reeseville Man Killed In Dodge County Accident

 

Dodge County Sheriff’s officials say a 29-year-old Reeseville man was killed in a car versus semi accident on Highway 26 south of Five Mile Road in the town of Emmet Monday morning. The accident occurred when the Reeseville man crossed over the center line in his 2001 Dodge Intrepid and collided with a semi. He was killed while the truck driver a Sullivan man was uninjured. The semi was carrying hydrogen peroxide, but the crash caused no leaks. The accident occurred just north of Watertown at 6:10 a.m. leading to the closing of a portion of Highway 26.

 

FDL And Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Worked Armed Robberies

 

The Fond du Lac and Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Departments are investigating three armed robberies that occurred at gas stations. The MSM Citgo at 790 Wolf Road in Random Lake was robbed at 8:20 p.m. on March 8th and Marshalls Gas and Goods at 209 Madison Avenue in Cascade was robbed at 9 p.m. on March 10th. In Fond du Lac County the Waucousta Food Mart was robbed last Friday night at 8:30 p.m. In all three robberies a man entered the businesses displaying a handgun. An undisclosed amount of cash and cigarettes were taken. The robberies appear to be related. Anyone with information is asked to call one of the Sheriff’s Departments. In Sheboygan County call 920-459-3114 or the Sheboygan Countywide Crime Stoppers at 1-877-283-8436. In Fond du Lac County call 920-906-4777 or 920-929-3390.

 

Ten Arrested For Drug Dealing In Plymouth Area

 

Ten people, ranging in age from 20 to 48, are facing various drug charges in Sheboygan County in the wake of an ongoing investigation into the distribution of prescription drugs.  Lt. Mike Williams of the Sheboygan Police Department says the MEG Unit had been investigating the drug trafficking for the past six months and arrested seven of the suspects last Friday in the Plymouth area, and the others at different times since then.  Williams says the investigation also revealed trafficking in heroin.  He says the investigation is continuing. 

 

Waupun Man Arraigned For Library Incident Charges

 

The 46-year-old Waupun man who threatened to bring a gun to the Waupun Public Library pled not guilty to charges arising from the incident when he was recently arraigned in Dodge County Court. Ricky Gerber is facing charges of battery to a Workforce Development employee and disorderly conduct for the December 21st incident. He was upset with a rehabilitation counselor he was working with when he allegedly made the remark about going home to pick up a gun and bringing it back to shoot everyone because he had nothing to lose. Gerber was upset during the meeting because he was informed he could do some light lifting and work rather than being eligible for total disability. Police arrested him while he was snow blowing in front of his home. Gerber has a bail bond hearing on Thursday.

 

Complaint Against Former FDL County DA Dan Kaminsky Dismissed

 

A complaint brought against a former Fond du Lac County District Attorney in the so-called “OWI airplane case” has been formally dismissed. Dan Kaminsky says a panel of the Preliminary Review Committee, part of the Office of Lawyer Regulation, found “lack of cause to proceed.”  It was the second panel to make a no cause finding based on the same information.  The decision is final and is not subject to further review.  A woman filed the complaint while Kaminsky was campaigning for reelection.  The basis for the complaint was a drunken driving case that was settled with a plea to operating an airplane while under the influence although the driver was operating a vehicle. It resulted in the same penalties as OWI 1st, but without the 6 month license revocation. Kaminsky says it took a while for the OLR to find in the complaint. He says he was vindicated, but the public lost out because it’s becoming so much more difficult to get complete and accurate information during a political campaign.

 

FDL County Board Takes Up Tobacco Compliance Ordinance

 

Fond du Lac County supervisors last month postponed acting on a resolution that would amend a county ordinance to allow tobacco compliance checks at stores in rural parts of the County, tonight they will take up the resolution again. Supervisors had questions about the amount of deposit that would be required for those who are cited for selling tobacco products to minors. Six municipalities in the County currently have similar ordinances on the books and the County ordinance would allow Sheriff’s deputies to write out citations for violations of the ordinances. The compliance checks are conducted by the 5 Counties for Tobacco Free Living program. The board meets at 7 p.m. in the City-County Government Center in Fond du Lac.

 

NFDL PFC Addresses Resignations

 

North Fond du Lac’s Police and Fire Commission will address a retirement and a resignation during its meeting Tuesday afternoon. Village Administrator Chuck Hornung says PFC President Mark Vande Berg is retiring so the Commission will be asked to accept his resignation. Jerry Bonlander will be joining the commission to replace him. The Commission will then elect officers. They will also be asked to accept the resignation of Gene Prellwitz who stepped down the middle of last month as the Fire Chief and EMS Director. The Commission meets at 4 p.m. at the Municipal Building in North Fond du Lac.

 

Gudex Stays Focused On Job Creation

 

State Senator Rick Gudex is staying focused on job creation, something he talked about doing during his campaign for the State Senate last year. Governor Walker recently signed the Wisconsin Fast Forward bill Gudex co-authored that creates a system to match job seekers with employers who are looking for someone with their types of skills. He also supported the mining bill, which will create jobs in northern Wisconsin and spin off jobs elsewhere in the state. He says ideas for different job creating bills come from the residents of the state. Recently he held a small business roundtable in Oshkosh and is planning others in Fond du Lac and Waupun. He says businesses want to expand, but sometimes run into roadblocks. Gudex says the Department of Natural Resources hinders some of those efforts. He says that’s something they will have to work on with DNR officials.   

 

Pridemore Runs For State Schools Superintendent

 

State Assemblyman Don Pridemore says he’s running for State Schools Superintendent because he’s tired of what he calls the “Dumbing Down of America.” He says the Department of Public Instruction and the way it is run is contributing to that. One thing he does favor is the expansion of the vouchers school choice program. He says it promotes competition and it does something about the monopoly public schools on the education system.He is also introducing a bill that clarifies state statute to make sure local communities have the ability to hire private security or retired police officers if there is a problem with safety in their schools. He says he’s not advocating allowing weapons in schools. Pridemore says he’s running against incumbent State Schools Superintendent Tony Evers to do something about liberal leadership in the education system.

 

UW-Madison Picks A New Chancellor

 

(Wisconsin Radio Network)-UW-Madison picks new chancellor. Dr. Rebecca Blank is recommended as the next chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The Acting U.S. Secretary of Commerce has been with that department since 2009. Prior to joining Commerce, she served as a fellow at the Brookings Institution. UW System President Kevin P. Reilly said in a statement, “At a time when Governor Walker’s budget would reinvest in the UW System, Dr. Blank’s impressive skill set will be an invaluable addition to UW-Madison.” If confirmed by the full UW System Board of Regents on April 5, Blank would step into her new leadership role in July. In a statement Governor Scott Walker said, “Dr. Blank is a great pick for the University of Wisconsin-Madison.”

 

Chegwin’s Loehr A Principal Of The Year

 

The principal at Chegwin Elementary School in Fond du Lac has been chosen one of four Wisconsin Principals of the Year. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers and Jim Lynch, executive director of the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators announced the winners. Chegwin Principal Theresa Loehr was named the Elementary School Principal of the Year. The school has earned Wisconsin School of Recognition honors nine consecutive years. Other winners were Danielle Bosanec an Associate Principal at Pewaukee High School, Northland Pines Middle Schools Principal Jacquelin Coghlan in Eagle River and Michael Frieder Principal at Bay Port High School in the Green Bay, Howard-Suamico School District. For more about the winners click here.

 

Bullying Topic Of Presentation At FDL Public Library Today

 

Bullying will be the topic of a presentation put on at the Fond du Lac Public Library this afternoon. It will be from 1 to 3 p.m. in the McLane Room. Becky Holzman the Deputy Program Director for the County’s Department of Community Programs and Fond du Lac School Psychologist Blair Krueger are among the presenters. Krueger says anyone who addresses issues of bullying is welcome to attend the free presentation. Holzman says bullying has found its way to social networking sites like Facebook. The presentation will include information on what bullying is, warning signs, and what people can do in bullying situations.

 

Weight Limits Posted For FDL County Highway C

 

Weight limits have been posted for County Highway C from the South Calumet County Line to County Highway HHH. Fond du Lac County Highway Department officials says with the weight limits in effect signs will indicate 6 tons gross load for single axle vehicles, 10 tons for tandex axle vehicles and any two axles under 8 feet apart. Anyone with questions regarding the status of the road postings can contact the Fond du Lac County Highway Department at (920) 929-3485, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

 

WP& L Program Helps Customers With Heating Assistance

 

Wisconsin Power and Light Company, an Alliant Energy Company, has donated $500,000 to its Hometown Care Energy Fund. The fund benefits WP & L customers in need of heating assistance. Donations and funds collected through the Hometown Care Energy Fund are disbursed by community-based non-profit organizations in Wisconsin who distribute money to those customers in need. In 2012, the Hometown Care Energy Fund helped more than 480 households across Wisconsin with an average grant of more than $300 each. WP & L customers also donated $68,200 to the Fund in 2012 through optional donations made when they paid their bill.

 

Registration Being Accepted For Annual Grief Relief Program

 

Grief counselors and others who deal with the grief stricken are expected to benefit from the annual day of grief education known as “Mourning Has Broken.” It will be offered Saturday May 4th from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at Marian University’s Stayer Center. Sister Joyann Repp is a bereavement coordinator for Agnesian HealthCare’s Hospice Hope. She says the theme this year is “Letting Go and Living On,” and the featured speaker is Doug Smith. Registration needs to be made with Agnesian’s Journeys Health Resource Center by Wednesday, April 10th. The number to call is 926-4960. The cost is $20 per person or $35 for two family members, which includes Continental breakfast and lunch.