KFIZ News Saturday 10/1/16

Highway 45 Closure And New Interchange Opening Delayed

State Department of Transportation officials say weather has delayed the closing of Highway 45 ramps to Highway 151 and the opening of the Fond du Lac County Highway V/Highway 151 Interchange. Both will now occur at 12 a.m. on Monday, October 10th. A frontage road is being built from Highway 45 to the new interchange, but until it is complete there will be signed detours. 

Inmate Accused Of Beating Guard Waives Preliminary Hearing

A Waupun Correctional Institution inmate accused of attacking a corrections officer has been bound over for trial.  Thirty-five-year-old Jermaine Lockhart recently waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Dodge County Court.  He allegedly beat the officer with a milk crate last October during a cell search.  The officer was treated for an abrasion on the top of his head and a contusion to his left arm.  Lockhart claims the officer had been mistreating him prior to the alleged incident. He will be arraigned October 26th.

Drivers No Cell Phones In Construction Zones

When you see orange cones, put down the phones. A new state law goes into effect today making it illegal for drivers to talk on a hand-held mobile device while travelling through a work zone. The only exception is to report an emergency. Transportation safety officials recommend drivers turn off or silence their phones every time they get behind the wheel to focus their full attention on driving. The goal is to eliminate distractions, and enhance safety for motorists and highway workers.

FDL County Bridges Impacted By Heavier Machinery And Trucks

Fond du Lac County has a number of bridges that need to be upgraded. That was one of the revelations during a meeting about transportation funding this week in Fond du Lac. Local officials talked about waiting years for state or federal funding to become available while the condition of those bridges becomes worse. County Executive Al Buechel says meanwhile the loads they are asked to support continue to increase as trucks and farm machinery become bigger. Seven bridges in the County are load posted, meaning they can only hold a certain amount of weight.

Presidential Candidates Not Focusing On The Issues

State Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling says Hillary Clinton had more poise than Donald Trump during this past week’s debate. Shilling, a Democrat, says the next two debates on October 9th and 19th will be more telling. Shilling says people she’s talked with feel the candidates aren’t really addressing the issues. She says people feel the candidates are trying to one-up each other without really talking about the issues or their plans. The two Vice Presidential candidates will debate each other on Tuesday. Shilling made her comments during a stop in Fond du Lac this past week.

United Way Campaign Making Progress

The Fond du Lac County United Way has received $160,000 in donations for its fall fundraising campaign so far. The goal is $760,000. United Way Executive Director Amber Kilawee says they will soon put up their big thermometer at their office on South Main Street in Fond du Lac so people can see the progress they are making. Meanwhile a number of companies are busy holding fundraisers for the United Way. This past Thursday the Blue Goose Coffee House inside Horicon Bank on East Johnson Street in Fond du Lac held a fundraiser on behalf of the United Way. They donated all sales made that day, which was National Coffee Day.