Local News Briefs Friday 11/14/14

Oshkosh Corporation has announced plans to build an $80 million facility in Mexico. The facility will make piece parts for vehicles and heavy equipment. Company officials say there are no plans at the new facility to make any parts currently being made at Oshkosh Defense. Officials say the site in Mexico was chosen because they’ve had a joint venture there for the past 35 years and the price was competitive. The  Leon, Mexico facility will employ 1,000 workers.

Oshkosh Police Report Another Utility Employee Scam

Oshkosh Police say some jewelry was stolen from a homeowner in the 1300 block of Reed Avenue this week after someone posing as a power company employee showed up at their door. It happened Tuesday morning. The man said they were doing some work in the area after a tree fell a few doors down. A driver sat out in a truck while they were having the conversation. The man posing at the power company employee, who was about 5 foot 4 inches tall, went down in the basement with the homeowner to check the electrical panel. After he left the homeowner found out some jewelry was missing. If you have information in regards to this incident; or if you have had someone come to your door and report they were with the city or another company, please call (920) 236-5700.  Police say you should always ask for an ID in such incidences.

Dodge County Budget Approved

Dodge County supervisors this week passed the 2015 County Budget and Tax Levy. Total expenditures will increase by $5.5 million. The tax levey will also increase by $650,000 to $33 million. The mill rate will drop by two cents to $5.68 per thousand dollars of value on a property. The Fond du Lac County Board will be asked to approve the 2015 Fond du Lac County Budget next Tuesday night. 

Advanced Buys Part Of Badger Disposal Assets

Advanced Disposal, an environmental services company based in Horicon, has completed the acquisition of certain assets of Badger Disposal, Inc. located in Columbus.  The acquisition includes residential and commercial customers in Dodge and Columbia Counties. “Badger Disposal presented an opportunity to grow our existing base of business in the greater Horicon market,” said Jay Rooney, Advanced Disposal’s regional vice president. “We look forward to providing comprehensive waste and recycling solutions to our new customers.”  Former Badger Disposal customers will be serviced by Advanced Disposal beginning this week from Advanced Disposal’s Horicon hauling location and can call (920) 387-0987 with any questions.

Winter Parking Restrictions Start This Weekend

Winter parking restrictions begin this weekend in a number of Fond du Lac County communities. The odd/even parking restriction in Fond du Lac and North Fond du Lac starts Saturday. If it’s an even-numbered day of the week like it is today at 8 p.m. you park on the even-numbered side of the street until 8 a.m. In Ripon there’s no parking on any City street from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. In Waupun there’s no parking on any City street from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. whenever 2 or more inches of snow is expected. The fine varies from City to City if you violate the parking restrictions.

UW FDL Student Housing On Track To Open Next Fall

UW-Fond du Lac Dean John Short says they are excited to see on campus student housing moving forward. The Villas at Fond du Lac will be a three-story building with 84 beds and room for possible expansion. Short says there were some delays, but they plan to open the facility next fall. He says students living in the facility will get the full residential experience normally associated with colleges. Dr. Short says they will have a ground breaking for the facility sometime early this winter, but haven’t pinpointed an exact date yet. The facility will have 20 suites with four-bedrooms and two with two-bedrooms.

Youth Intervention Program For Young Fire Starters

Fond du Lac Division Chief of Fire Prevention Troy Haase says the department has an intervention program for youth who start fires. He says kids don’t always realize how serious the consequences can be if a fire gets out of control. He says in their intervention program they work with both the kids and their families. He says Jason Roberts runs the program for them, but they also work with a psychiatrist and psychologist. He says they try to educate the children on why fire is bad. Haase says he learned at a conference he attended that children get the wrong impression about fire at an early age. When we put a birthday cake with a single candle aflame before a 1-year-old, they blow out the candle and get a false sense of security about fire. He says whoever started two fires in bathrooms at the high school earlier this week don’t realize how lucky they were the fires were quickly extinguished.

Lakeshore Elementary Celebrates Blue Ribbon Achievement

Lakeshore Elementary School in Fond du Lac will celebrate its Blue Ribbon Award during a ceremony at 2:30 Friday afternoon. District Superintendent Jim Sebert says they were recognized nationally for their academic achievement. He says only eight schools in Wisconsin received that recognition. He says it’s an honor students, their families and staff had a hand in and should be proud of. Cake will be served and State Senator Rick Gudex and State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt will be there to present the school with a State of Wisconsin citation recognizing the honor. Gudex says he’s pleased he can participate in the school’s celebration.

Red Kettle Campaign Launches In FDL Today

The Fond du Lac Salvation Army kicks off its red kettle campaign today. Captain Steve Wilson says they will have people ringing bells and collecting donations for the Salvation Army at 12 locations in the Fond du Lac area during the holiday season. He says it helps to fund their programs throughout the year. He says this year they have 700 families signed up for there Christmas assistance program. He says they have a goal of raising $145,000 during the red kettle campaign. He says they need volunteers to man the kettles and if you’re interested the best way to sign up is to go to ringbells.org. By the way the KFIZ annual bucket brigade will be on Friday, December 5th in the KFIZ parking lot on Winnebago Drive in Fond du Lac. Wilson says they’ve already found a generous donor to match contributions. The Michels Corporation will match up to $8,000.

Ripon’s Christmas In The Village This Weekend

Over twenty businesses in Ripon will be participating in the Christmas in the Village promotion this weekend. Ripon Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jason Mansmith says today’s activities include a visit from Santa at 5 p.m. and he has a workshop at 210 Watson Street and stores will be open until 7 p.m. There will also be horse-draw carriage rides. He says Santa will be in his workshop from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday and some of his reindeer will also be on Watson Street. Mansmith says you can learn more about Christmas in the Village at the Chamber’s website. 

Blood Drive In Ripon Today

Area residents are invited to join Ripon Medical Center associates, volunteers and physicians and donate an hour of time today to give blood to the Community Blood Center. Blood donations will be accepted from 1 to 4 this afternoon at the Ripon Medical Center. Walk-ins are welcome.