Local News Briefs Friday 5/30/14

Bond was set at $10,000 cash this week for an 18-year-old Waupun man suspected of attacking his 15-year-old girlfriend and threatening to punch his own mother. According to the criminal complaint the incident happened early Memorial Day morning. Austin Mitchell allegedly got drunk while out with his father and when his girlfriend later argued with him about his drinking he pulled her off a bed and kicked her. He threatened his mother when she told him she was going to call police. He was arrested by Waupun Police officers and a Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s deputy. Mitchell was charged Thursday in Dodge County Court with eight felony charges and one misdemeanor. He’s being held in the Dodge County Jail and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for next Thursday.

Weeds Complaint

A cost saving measure last summer is being revisited by the Fond du Lac Public Works Department this summer. Laura Degolier addressed the City Council this week about weeds. To save money last year the public works department cut back on cutting weeds along river and creek beds. Degolier says she knew when she heard it there would be issues. She says as a result thistles filled those areas. She says she works as a volunteer at the Prairie Restoration area in Lallier Park and she applied some herbicide last week. She pleaded with the City to reconsider and get the work done this summer. Public Works Director Jordan Skiff says they have a lot to do this summer, but they have been getting a lot of comments about the situation and especially about the Dutch Gap.

Lomira School District Holds Ground Breaking

(WBEV-Beaver Dam)-The Lomira School District broke ground this week on a $24 million building construction and remodeling project. Approximately 72,000 square feet of new construction will be added with an additional 11,000 square feet of renovations. Lomira School Board President Rick Welak says that while it was a close vote, he was glad the community came together to support future generations. The approved plan, he said, saved Theresa Learning Community School. The head contractor is C.D. Smith of Fond du Lac. Bray Architects designed the project.

Hearing Rescheduled For Former Waupun Police Officer

A plea hearing has been rescheduled in Barron County Court for a former Waupun police officer accused of going on a crime spree last August. Forty-four-year-old Bradley Young of Brandon was originally scheduled to have a plea hearing Wednesday, but the hearing has been rescheduled for August 15th. Young is accused of fleeing from police and stealing a vehicle in Barron County. He allegedly tried to break into a restaurant in Green Lake and stole a pickup truck, which kicked off a manhunt that included crashing the truck in Barron County and stealing another vehicle. He was eventually caught after breaking into a cabin West of Spooner. Young was lieutenant with the Waupun Police Department when the crime spree began. He ultimately resigned after 22 years with the department. He’s also facing charges in Burnett and Green Lake Counties.

Maybe He Thought It Was Halloween

Fond du Lac Police last Sunday man cited a man who witnesses say was sitting on a broom naked outside a tavern and was waiving to traffic. When police caught up to the 50-year-old man he was naked, but was sitting on a couch inside his home on West Division Street. He claimed it must have been another naked guy. The incident occurred outside the Wayside Tavern just before 9 a.m. last Sunday morning. The man was issued a citation for disorderly conduct. He had been drinking.

New 4K Principal In Oshkosh

The Oshkosh Area School District has a new principal for its 4-year-old kindergarten programs. Oshkosh Schools Superintendent Stan Mack is recommending that the school board approve Elizabeth Schendel to start July 1st.  She currently works as a support teacher for the Ready 4 Learning or 4K program a role she has had for the past three years. Prior to that Schendel was a 4K teacher at various sites in the community.

Secondary Drowning

An official with the Fond du Lac Fire Department says they are finding out more about a phenomenon known as secondary drowning. Division Chief of Fire Prevention Troy Haase says it’s unusual, but it occurs. He recently read about a child who had ingested too much water while swimming, but didn’t have difficulty breathing until later at home. He says if too much water is taken in it can interfere with the oxygen and breathing process technically resulting in drowning. Haase says in this particular case the child was taken to the doctor in time and was saved, but needed extra oxygen while the child’s system was expelling the extra water.

Wristband Drop Part Of The Fun At Walleye Weekend

The Bank of Oakfield is teaming up with a local pilot for an event kids and adults should enjoy Saturday, June 7th during Walleye Weekend. Adam Marko of the Fond du Lac Skyport will drop 2,000 wristbands from a plane onto a huge bulls-eye at Lakeside Park. He says it’s for kids pre-kindergarten through third grade. He says the wristbands will be multi-colored. Some of the wristbands will be associated with prizes like a bike or water park passes. Ryan Kamphuis, the president of the Bank of Oakfield says they are happy to be associated with the event and Walleye Weekend.The wristband drop will be at 11:30 that morning. Walleye Weekend is June 6th through the 8th at Lakeside Park in Fond du Lac.

Correction On Baccalaureate Service

Information sent to us from the Fond du Lac High School about the location for Senior Class’s Baccalaureate Service next Thursday had the wrong location for the service. The 4 p.m. service will be Emmanuel Trinity Lutheran Church at 20 Wisconsin American Drive in Fond du Lac. The commencement exercises will be at 7 p.m. that evening in the Fond du Lac High School field house.

Art On The Island Sunday

The 45th annual Art on the Island will be held on Oven Island in Lakeside Park in Fond du Lac this Sunday. Hour for the annual event are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Over 70 arts and crafts vendors, live music and kids’ activities will be featured.