KFIZ News Saturday 7/30/16

Plane Crash Victims In Critical Condition

Both men injured in a plane crash at the Fond du Lac County Airport Thursday are fighting for their lives at a Neenah hospital. A spokeswoman for ThedaCare says 78-year-old David Spencer and 71-year-old Rafael Chaves of Santa Fe, New Mexico are in critical condition at ThedaCare in Neenah. The two had engine trouble after taking off from the airport. They tried to return and banked above some trees before crashing in the northwest corner of the airport.  They were flown from the scene to ThedaCare Regional Medical Center.

Sheboygan Officers Justified In Shooting

Investigators now believe that the suspect in a deadly officer involved shooting in Sheboygan intended to die in a gunfight with officers. Sheboygan County District Attorney Joe DeCecco says the investigation found that the officers from the Sheboygan police department did follow the department’s policy on deadly force, and that Kevin Higgins came prepared for a conflict with officers. He says Higgins was leaving the Union Tap to find a shooting site to shoot officers as they arrived in response. He says Higgins was going to use his parked vehicle as a fall back position. It had a loaded rifle in it. Higgins was shot and killed by officers as he left the bar, and died at the scene.  Investigators are still trying to determine if his weapons and attachments were purchased legally. 

State Patrol Superintendent Steve Fitzgerald Retiring

Former Dodge County Sheriff Steve Fitzgerald is stepping down as State Patrol Superintendent. Fitzgerald will retire next Friday after nearly 50 years in law enforcement. Governor Scott Walker appointed Fitzgerald as superintendent in 2011. Before that Fitzgerald served as Dodge County Sheriff for 14 years. He began his career as a Chicago cop in the 1960s.  Fitzgerald is the father of State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald and former State Representative Jeff Fitzgerald who is now a lobbyist.

Beaver Dam Shooting Suspect Competent To Stand Trial

This week a Dodge County judge decided the 18-year-old Fitchburg man suspected of shooting a Beaver Dam Fleet Farm employee outside the store is competent to stand trial. That reverses a previous ruling in February that Jared Spencer wasn’t competent.  A scheduling conference will be held in September. The Fleet Farm assistant manager and a store security employee confronted Spencer in the parking lot of the store about ammunition he stole on July 15th of last year.  Spencer fired a handgun once striking the assistant manager in the left wrist and shoulder. Spencer is facing nine different charges including attempted 1st degree intentional homicide.

FDL Man Wanted For Attempted Burglary

West Bend Police are looking for a 22-year-old Fond du Lac man they suspect entered a woman’s home and was going through her purse Wednesday afternoon. The woman confronted Cody Skilling who then fled from the home. Police says he was visiting someone in the area. He has burglary, theft and drug convictions. He is also wanted for a probation violation.

Childrens Vision And Learning Month

Fond du Lac City Council President Lee Ann Lorrigan presented a proclamation at this past week’s City Council meeting declaring August Children’s Vision and Learning Month. Grant Lepley of Family Focus Eye Care accepted the proclamation. He says 10 million children across the country have trouble reading and learning related to vision problems. He recommends vision screening at an early age. He says children should get a screening when they are six months to a year old. He says a lot of doctors in the area will do free eye exams on kids that age. He says they can’t determine much at that age, but can get an idea about a child’s eye coordination and ocular health. He says they can do a follow up when children are 3 to 5 years old to see if they may need glasses.

Short But Not Too Short

North Fond du Lac Schools Superintendent Aaron Sadoff says there weren’t any major changes to student handbooks for the upcoming school year. He says there was a little controversy over the length of shorts they allow students to wear at the high school. He says they can be up to the palm of your hand with your arm lowered to your side. He says previously shorts could be no longer than the tips of your fingertips. He says most of all the handbooks ask that students be ready, respectful, and safe.

County Health Official Avoids Training Session Because Of Zika Virus Risk

Fond du Lac County Public Health Officer Kim Mueller recently took her own advice about exposing yourself to the Zika Virus. She had the opportunity to go to an Emergency Preparedness Training session in Emmitsburg, Maryland, but opted not to. She says mosquitoes in that area of the country can carry the virus, which can represent an enhanced risk for pregnant women. Mueller herself is expecting. She says three people from the County Health Department did attend the training session. Altogether about 60 people from across Fond du Lac County attended the session.

MPTC Student Takes First Place In National Skills Competiton

Moraine Park Technical College President Bonnie Baerwald says a student at their West Bend campus recently took first place in a national skills competition. She says Devin Kissinger took first place in the industrial motor control category at the state level in April and moved on to the Skills U.S.A. national competition last month where he also took first place. She says as far as they are aware he is the first Moraine Park student to take first place in that national competition. She says he is now apprenticing for an electrical company in West Bend. Skills U.S.A. caters to high school and college students looking for careers that require technical and vocational skills.