Local News Briefs Friday 10/25/13

A 19-year-old Fond du Lac man has been bound over for trial on vehicular homicide and injury charges. Gilberto Castaneda-Bobadilla was in Fond du Lac County Court for a preliminary hearing yesterday. He was allegedly high when he drove off the road near the South Hills Country Club in Fond du Lac last November and hit a tree. Seventeen-year-old Campbellsport High School student Giovanni Clouse was killed in the accident and 17-year-old Alex Schultz was injured. The three were returning from a concert in Madison early the morning of November 16th. A state crime lab test found the presence of marijuana in Castenda-Bobadilla’s blood. Charges against him include homicide by vehicle-use of controlled substance, use of a vehicle with controlled substance in blood-great bodily harm, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Shooting Suspect Bound Over For Trial

The 19-year-old Fond du Lac man who shot guns off in Fond du Lac and North Fond du Lac prompting a heavy police response was bound over for trial during his preliminary hearing in Fond du Lac County Court Thursday. Mason Paasch also entered not guilty pleas to the charges he’s facing when he was arraigned. He’s facing one felony and nine misdemeanor charges.

NFDL Man Who Wielded Ax Bound Over For Trial

The 23-year-old North Fond du Lac man who allegedly threatened a police officer with an ax late last month was bound over for trial during a preliminary hearing Thursday. Thomas Owens was also arraigned in Fond du Lac County Court and pled not guilty to charges stemming from the September 29th incident. No one was injured that day. Police got a call about a man carrying an ax at an apartment complex and when Owens was confronted by a village police officer and two Sheriff’s deputies with guns he raised the ax as if to throw it. He quickly lowered it and ran, but was captured a short time later. He later told police he hadn’t slept for days and believed someone had killed people inside his apartment complex.

Waupun Man Charged For Impersonating An Officer And A Judge

Dodge County prosecutors have filed charges against a 26-year-old Waupun man who tried to black mail a Beaver Dam man over a sexual encounter with a 16-year-old girl and his cousin. James Dunham allegedly posed as a Beaver Dam police officer during phone calls and later texted the man posing as a judge saying the man could avoid prosecution if he was willing to pay $9,000. He was able to get $1,500 from the man who thought the girl he had sex with was 24-years-old, but later learned was only 16.   Dunham was charged this week with felony counts of impersonating an officer, identity theft, and making threats. A $5,000 cash bond was set and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for next Thursday.

Ronald McDonald Missing

Ripon Police are hoping that they deserve a break today in a theft case. Police say someone took a large “Ronald McDonald” statue from the Ripon McDonalds. Anyone with information on Ronald’s whereabouts is asked to call the Ripon Police Department at (920)-748-2888

Governor Signs Bill For Road Improvement Between Sheboygan And Manitowoc Counties

(WHBL-Sheboygan)-A bill signed by Governor Scott Walker this week will help shift a county road between Sheboygan and Cleveland more inland. The bill awards a Local Road Improvement Program grant of up to $4.2 million dollars to make Dairyland Drive the new County Road LS.  Funds will be used to help improve the road to meet state standards for the new designation. The current county road has parts of it right along the Lake Michigan shoreline, and erosion has forced the relocation need. The bill was put together and pushed through the legislature with the help of state legislators Mike Endsley, Glenn Grothman, Steve Kestell, Joe Leibham and Paul Tittl.

Mercury And Brunswick Earnings Up In Third Quarter

Net sales and earnings were up for Mercury Marine and its parent company Brunswick Corporation for the third quarter compared to the same quarter last year. According to the earnings report issued by Brunswick Thursday net sales were up 2 percent. In the marine engine segments, primarily the Mercury Marine Group, net sales were $511 million for the quarter compared to $503.5 million in 2012. Operating earnings for the quarter were $75.2 million compared to $74.5 million in the third quarter of last year. Overall Brunswick Corporation reported net sales of $892.4 million for the quarter up about $18 million and operating earnings of $63.6 million up more than $6 million from the third quarter of 2012. Too see the complete earnings report click here.  

Korneli’s Has Big Badger 5 Winner

Fond du Lac has its second Badger 5 winner in less than a week. Michael Andrews of Fond du Lac won $64,000 from a ticket he purchased at Philly’s on 4th last Sunday. Now someone who bought a ticket at Korneli’s Main Street Express on South Main has won $40,000 in Wednesday night’s Badger 5 game. Korneli’s manager Carissa Torgersen says it’s exciting for the store and its customers. The store has a history of winners. It’s the former Ma & Pa’s site, which had a $208 million Powerball winner in 2006.

Future Remodeling Planned For Harbor Haven

Future remodeling is planned at Harbor Haven Health and Rehabilitation. Fond du Lac County Executive Al Buechel told County supervisors this week that the recent expansion at the County owned nursing home facility is bringing in more revenue with Medicare patients and there seems to be a demand. He says the way the building is designed it’s a perfect candidate for remodeling. He says the remodeling wouldn’t occur until 2015. It would happen in the 40 foot center between rooms.

MPTC Highlights FACT Program During Manufacturing Month

An official with Moraine Park Technical College says Manufacturing Month this month gives them a chance to promote their FACT or Forming Alliances to Cultivate Students program. Marcia Arndt is the associate dean of manufacturing for MPTC. She says manufacturing companies and students both need interaction to develop the job skills for students that some day may serve those companies. She says an endowment fund for the program awards stipends to eligible students with the first being awarded next semester. She says 133 students will receive stipends of up to $500. Arndt says the program also awards money to participating students for emergency funding, which students who are working do encounter.

Coffee Sales Benefit United Way Today

Area residents are invited to enjoy a cup of coffee and benefit the Fond du Lac Area United Way today. United Way Executive Director Tina Potter says proceeds from coffee sales at the Blue Goose Coffee House today will benefit the United Way. The event is from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Blue Goose Coffee House is located inside Horicon Bank in Fond du Lac. Potter says they received a couple of hundred dollars from the Fond du Lac Senior Center’s Arts and Crafts, and Antique Fair last Saturday. They also benefitted from Guaranty Title Service’s Soup and Chili Sale Wednesday, which raised a little over $1,400. Potter says the United Way campaign has collected about $178,000 in donations towards its goal of $740,000 this fall.

Halloween Reminders

Today is the last day to register your kids for the 40th Annual KFIZ Halloween Party. Children 4 to 12 years of age are eligible to be entered. Registration forms must be received by 5 p.m. this afternoon. Don’t forget to listen in Sunday at 5:30 p.m. for the KFIZ Halloween Party. Trick or treating hours in Fond du Lac and North Fond du Lac are from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

Also today the Children’s Museum of Fond du Lac will have their annual Spooktacular event from 1 to 7 p.m. It will include a monster lab, spook tunnels, Halloween-themed games and crafts, pumpkin decorating, contests and more.

Tomorrow children are invited to trick-or-treat in costume in Downtown Fond du Lac from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Children and adults are invited to trick-or-treat for free at participating businesses on Main Street between Merrill Avenue and Fourth Streets. There will also be a special Famer’s Market from Noon to 4 p.m.