FDL City Council Votes Down Fluoride Advisory Referendum Proposal

Fond du Lac voters won't have a say this November on whether the city should continue the practice of fluoridating its drinking water. By a 4 to 3 vote the City Council Wednesday night voted down a resolution that called for an advisory referendum. Fifteen chose to speak to the issue prior to the Council's vote. Dr. Warren Post spoke against staging a referendum saying most of the general public wouldn't take time to become well-informed on the issue.  Councilman Jeremy Thiesfeldt (pictured) initiated the resolution on the referendum. He was disappointed with the Council's vote, but feels the issue isn't over yet. In other matters the Council approved amending the budget to pay for the added costs of the Hamilton Building Demolition, Fire Chief Recruitment, and fuel cost increases. To hear some of the speeches given on a possible fluoride referendum click here.

Two Killed In Winnebago County Accident

Two people died from injuries they suffered in a two-car accident in Winnebago County Wednesday afternoon and three others were injured. County Sheriff's officials say the accident happened when a northbound Toyota Camry crossed the median onto Highway 41 southbound and hit an American Red Cross minivan. As a result a 20-year-old man and 15-year-old girl, who were passengers in the car, died from their injuries. The driver of the Toyota Camry and another passenger were taken to Theda Clark Regional Medical Center, as was the minivan driver. The accident happened just before 4 p.m. A second accident involving a semi and dump truck happened about 90 minutes later at County Highway G and Highway 76 also in the Town of Vinland. Douglas Allen of Kaukauna was driving the dump truck. He was taken to Theda Clark with non-life threatening injuries. The semi driver wasn't injured.

FDL County Accident Victim In Good Condition

The 25-year-old Marytown man injured in a one-vehicle accident in northeastern Fond du Lac County Tuesday afternoon is in good condition at a Neenah hospital. A Theda Clark Medical Center spokeswoman says Jeremy Clark is in good condition as he recovers from his injuries. County Sheriff's officials say Clark failed to negotiate a curve on County Highway HH in Town of Calumet. His car went off the road striking several trees and a utility pole. Speed and alcohol were possible factors in the accident.

Reckless Driver Arrested After Pursuit Through Three Counties

A 42-year-old Milwaukee man was arrested after driving recklessly and at high speeds through Washington, Fond du Lac, and Winnebago counties Wednesday morning. The State Patrol says it began as a report of a reckless driver who may have caused a crash in Washington County. Just before 8:30 a.m. a State Patrol sergeant spotted the suspect car heading northbound on Highway 41 at Highway 151 in Fond du Lac. The sergeant pursued the car with speeds exceeding 100 miles an hour. Stop sticks were used that punctured tires on both the suspect and sergeant's cars. Finally about a half mile south of Highway 26 in Winnebago County the man lost control of his car and drove off the highway crashing into a fence. The trooper and Sheriff's deputies took him into custody. Neither the sergeant or the man was hurt, but the suspect was taken to Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh for an evaluation.

Kewaskum Man Gets Prison Time For Sexual Assault Incident

A 33-year-old Kewaskum man will spend five years in prison for sexually assaulting his girlfriend. Scott Kopping was recently sentenced for the incident that happened in Fond du Lac County's Town of Auburn last January. According to the criminal complaint the woman told authorities that Kopping had broken into her home. He was waiting for her when she got home. She managed to escape to a neighbor's house after she was sexually assaulted and held against her will. Kopping will also be placed on extended supervision for five years following his prison term.

FDL Group Pushing For Smoking Ban For Public Places

The first volley has been fired in an effort to get the Fond du Lac City Council to enact an ordinance that would make restaurants, taverns, work, and public places 100 percent smoke free. The Smoke Free Air for Everyone or SAFE Initiative held a press conference Wednesday morning at the Fond du Lac Public Library to announce the effort. The city does have an ordinance for its restaurants, but the group wants the Council to take the lead in freeing the air of second hand smoke. Initiative Coordinator Maggie McCullough says it's been done in Appleton, Madison and elsewhere. Dr. John Lent (pictured) also is urging passage of a smoke-free ordinance. He says studies show the harmful effects of second hand smoke. Lent says fears that Appleton would suffer economic hardship because of their ban never materialized. McCullough says a proposed ordinance will be drafted for the Fond du Lac City Council to consider.

FDL County Board Committees Vote To Reduce Rolling Meadows Asking Price

Two Fond du Lac County Board committees this week voted to recommend drastically reducing the asking price for the former Rolling Meadows Nursing and Rehabilitation Center property. Since closing the facility in 2006 the County has gotten two offers that fell through because of what it would cost to remodel the facility for other purposes. County Executive Al Buechel says they were advised by Troy Rademann of Bomier  Properties to cut the price from the appraised value of $1.3 million to $399,000.  He says Rademann came up with the suggested new asking price. Buechel says they entertained the idea of demolishing the facility and just selling the land, but the cost of demolition and asbestos abatement would have been well over $300,000 alone.

Two Candidates Familiar With Politics Run For 53^rd State Assembly Seat

Two of the four Republican candidates for the 53^rd State Assembly seat are well acquainted with politics. Mike Hatch of the Town of Empire served as Fond du Lac County's Party Chair at one time. He's a former businessman and instructor at the U-W Oshkosh. He'd like to see legislators issue reports on how proposed legislation would affect jobs and the economy. Dick Spanbauer chairs the Town of Algoma Board. He's been involved in Town government for 30 years. He also ran unsuccessfully against incumbent Carol Owens in the last two elections. Spanbauer says the first thing that has to be done is to improve relations with constituents. You can learn more about Hatch on his website and Spanbauer by calling him at 920-233-2656. The other Republican candidates are Mike Christianson and Cecil Streeter. The winner of the September 9^th primary will face Democrat Jeff Mann in November.

Charter Will Carry Big Ten Network

Fans of Wisconsin Badger sports got some good news yesterday as Charter Communications and The Big Ten Network have come to an agreement in principal to carry the station on expanded basic cable service.  Charter doing their best to get the station up and running before Saturday's Badger football opener against Akron, which is set to air on the Big Ten Network.  John Miller of Charter Communications says they do not know what channel it will be assigned to but it will be somewhere between 1 and 99.

Here is some helpful information and website links for flood-related information.