Local News Tuesday 4/16/13

Governor Issues Statement On Boston Marathon Bombing

 

In addition to President Obama’s address to the nation following the Boston Marathon bombing, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker issued his own statement to state residents yesterday. He said:

 

“There is no explanation for the kind of evil that seeks to destroy.  Our hearts go out to the victims of the bombing today in Boston.  Tonette and I join our fellow Americans in sending our prayers and deepest sympathies to those injured and the families of those killed.”

 

Appleton Man Finished Marathon Before Explosions

 

(Wisconsin Radio Network)-Many Wisconsinites were in Boston Monday, when explosions caused chaos at the finish line of the city’s annual marathon killing and seriously wounding people. Chad Gruett of Appleton was among those from the Badger State running in the Boston Marathon, and had finished the race about 45 minutes before the explosions and was relaxing with friends. Gruett described the mood in Boston as very somber, with many people questioning what happened. He was with a group of about six runners from the Fox Valley, along with their friends and family. Gruett says all of them were safe.

 

 Man Poses As Repairman To Get Into Oshkosh Home

 

Oshkosh Police say a Hispanic man was found in a home in the 800 block of West 12th Avenue about 11:30 a.m. Monday morning by a resident of the home. When he was asked what he was doing there the man said he was there to fix the dryer. He was asked to leave the home. Police were called, but they were unable to locate the man. He is described as being 5 foot 10 inches tall, weighs 200 pounds, and had a mustache. He was wearing a black t-shirt and jeans. Anyone with information about the man is asked to call Oshkosh Police at (920) 236-5700.

 

Names Released In Washington County Accident

 

Washington County Sheriff’s officials have released the names of the eight people who were hurt in a two-vehicle collision in the Town of Addison Saturday afternoon. The driver of the eastbound pickup truck that went through a stop sign and hit an SUV was 17-year-old Sidney Lehman of Theresa. He was treated and released at a local hospital. Name of the three teens that were with him were not released, but they were also treated and released at local hospitals. The driver of SUV, 35-year-old Donald Weeks and a passenger 32-year-old Kelly Brock both of West Bend were also treated and released from a local hospital. Two other passengers in his vehicle 54-year-old Wayne Brock and 51-year-old Laurie Brock of the Town of Wayne remain hospitalized. Wayne Brock is in critical condition at Froedtert Hospital.

 

Sentencing Rescheduled For Sheboygan Woman In Infant’s Death

 

The sentencing in Sheboygan County Court has been rescheduled for an elderly Sheboygan woman for the death of her infant daughter 56 years ago.  Seventy-six-year-old Ruby Klokow was supposed to be sentenced Monday, but her attorney asked that it rescheduled. Klokow pled no contest in February to a charge of 2nd degree murder.  Under the plea bargain reached in the case, she is expected to be placed on probation for 10 years.  District Attorney Joe DeCecco has recommended 45 days in the county jail, but that will be up to Judge Angela Sutkievicz.  Klokow’s 7-month old daughter died in 1957 and, at the time the death was ruled accidental.  However, the case was re-opened after her adult son came forward in 2008, touching off a year-long investigation which ended when Klokow admitted to throwing the infant onto a couch, causing her to then fall to the floor. The baby girl died later of head injuries. The sentencing has been rescheduled for May 1st. 

 

Charges In FDL HS Fire

 

Fond du Lac Police took a juvenile into custody for a fire set in a high school bathroom last Friday. The juvenile was referred to juvenile detention on charges of arson, recklessly endangering safety, and criminal damage to property. A teacher with a fire extinguisher put the fire out before firefighters arrived at the school.

 

Sheboygan Robbery Suspect Arrested

 

(WHBL-Sheboygan)-A Sheboygan man is in the county jail after allegedly robbing an elderly man in the city of Sheboygan last Friday.  Sheboygan Police said the 72- year-old victim was walking his dog shortly after noon on Friday when the 21-year-old suspect asked for money for a ride to the hospital.  When the victim pulled out his wallet, the suspect grabbed it and fled on foot.  Police said the suspect was arrested Sunday night following a traffic stop.

 

5^th OWI Arrest For Sheboygan Man

 

The State Patrol arrested a 31-year-old Sheboygan man suspected of driving drunk a fifth time. After getting a report of an erratic driver a state trooper located the car in Sheboygan County and pulled over Ryan Schuette. The arrest occurred Audubon and Morning Drive at 3:44 Monday afternoon.

 

FDL County Board Preview

 

The Fond du Lac County Board tonight will consider approving a lease with Bug Tussel Wireless for the lease of tower space on the County’s public safety towers. It’s part of an effort to improve Internet service in rural areas throughout the County. Bug Tussel, which is owned by Hilbert Communications, will also be building 12 new towers. Supervisors will also be asked to consider approving a storm water management agreement with the City of Fond du Lac. The Board will also be asked to honor the member of the late Gordon Treffert a past County supervisor who also did a lot of community work. The Board meets at 7 p.m. at the City-County Government Center in Fond du Lac.

 

FDL City Council Organization Meeting

 

Depending on who is elected Fond du Lac City Council President tonight the Council could have its fourth different president in the last four months. Rick Gudex stepped down in December to take his seat in the State Senate. Jim Sabel was elected Council president, but had to step down due to ongoing health concerns. Recently Rob Vande Zande moved up to the Council presidency. During the Council’s organization meeting the Council will elect a president and vice-president. New Council members Catherine Block, Dan Manning and Sam Meyer will also be sworn in. The meeting will start at 5 p.m. at the City-County Government Center.

 

Senator Gudex On Expansion Of School Choice

 

State Senator Rick Gudex says he supports school choice, but there are still some unknowns about the proposed expansion of the voucher program.  Gudex says the bill Senator Grothman introduced that would give tax credits for private education has gained some traction in the State Assembly, but there is little talk about it in the Senate. Gudex says people should be able to choose what they think is the best education for their children. He says on the other hand there will be accountability measures schools who choose to participate in the school choice program will have to live up to. The expansion of the school choice voucher program is included in Governor Walker’s proposed state budget.

 

Investment In The Arts An Investment In Growth

 

The Executive Director for the Fond du Lac Arts Council says increasing funding to the arts will help the state’s economic development efforts. Kevin Miller appealed to the state’s Joint Finance Committee last week telling them that the arts impacts economic development, tourism and jobs. In fact the impact is over half a billion dollars a year. He says creating more jobs and tourism does have an impact on resident’s tax bills and municipal fees. Governor Walker recently named Miller to the State Arts Board. Jacqui Corsi is the Director of Marketing for the Windhover Center for the Arts in Fond du Lac. She says Arts and Entertainment Districts like the one being formed in Fond du Lac are avenues for growth. Miller says the expansion and renovation work going on at the Windhover Center and throughout the neighborhood are good examples of that.

 

Early Postings Can Damage Law Enforcement Efforts

 

The leader of the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Departments detectives says there’s a danger to posting information about a traffic accident or possible criminal incident too quickly to social media. Lieutenant Cameron McGee says it can hinder an investigation or result in information they don’t want getting out released before it should be. He says the incident at the Fond du Lac High School where it was rumored a student had a gun is a perfect example of what can go wrong when something is posted on social media that turns out not to be true. He says it only takes a few seconds to post information on the Internet that may be damaging to an investigation or to a person or family. Law enforcement also uses social media, but the information they release is usually fact based.

 

Work Zone Awareness Week

 

Governor Scott Walker has proclaimed this week as “Work Zone Awareness Week” in Wisconsin. Sergeant David Harvey with the Wisconsin State Patrol says if you’re entering a construction zone the key thing to do is to slow down and pay attention. He says while road constructions workers are especially vulnerable, motorists are the ones who are killed the most in work zone construction crashes. Last year in Wisconsin work zone crashes were responsible for six deaths and 730 injuries. Fond du Lac County lost a highway employee, Dennis Roeseler, in December of 2003 when he was hit and killed by a van while working on Highway 41. Winnebago also lost a couple of highway employees in a work zone accident a few years later.