KFIZ News Saturday 8/27/16

Ripon Man Sentenced For Making Terrorist Threats

The 38-year-old Ripon man who threatened family members causing lockdowns at the Fond du Lac High School and Rosenow Elementary School has been sentenced to 18 months in prison and 2 years of extended supervision. Judge Peter Grimm this week sentenced William Kotlowski on a charge of making terrorist threats. Five other charges were read into the record and dismissed.  He made threats to his ex-wife and her children that led to a “Yellow Allert” at the schools on April 29th. Police picked him up at his place of work in Berlin.  

Shed Fire

The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Department and Town of Calumet Fire Department responded to a pole shed fire at W3435 Johnsburg Road just before 9:30 Friday morning. Several area fire departments also assisted at the scene.  Investigators say that the exhaust from some mechanical equipment started some hay bales on fire. The fire departments responded quickly and extinguished the fire which limited the damage to one corner of the structure.  No livestock were involved and no one was injured in the fire. Michael Lefeber owns the property.

Drive Sober

The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Department is among hundreds of other law enforcement agencies across the state participating in the annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. The campaign is underway now and runs through Labor Day. Sheriff’s Captain Ryan Waldschmidt says while enforcement is important the campaign is also about raising awareness about the problem of drunken driving. Waldschmidt says drunken driving is 100 percent preventable. Last year in Wisconsin 190 people were killed and nearly 2,900 injured in alcohol-related crashes.

Utility Honor

Fond du Lac Public Works Director Jordan Skiff says it was quite an honor for the City’s Wastewater Facility to be named a Utility of the Future Today. The utility was one of 61 public and private utilities from across the U.S., Canada, and Denmark selected for the inaugural honor. He says the City’s facility was honored for their sustainability efforts, which included converting methane gas to electricity to power the plant. He says it is just one of the efforts they are using to increase their efficiency and be more responsible about the environment. Skiff says two members of their staff will be to an exhibition and conference in New Orleans on September 27th to represent the City, which will be recognized and honored as a Utility of the Future Today.

MPTC Official Pleased To Return To The State

Moraine Park Technical College Director of Marketing and Communications Patty Lehn says she was pleased to learn that research on how the community feels about the college came back positive. She says the community really has an appreciation for the college and students feel really supported when they get to campus. Lane came to MPTC from a job in Central Illinois this past January. But she says she is originally from Wisconsin. She grew up on a dairy farm in Kiel and says she is happy to be back in the state. 

Baby Knows Better

Authorities considered evacuating a home in the 300 block of Western Avenue Thursday evening because of a suspicious object on a lawn that was flashing green and red lights. Fire and Rescue was asked to standby. After examining the object at 360 Western Avenue it was determined it was a baby’s pacifier.