Local News Briefs Saturday 6/7/14

Green Lake County authorities are asking for the public’s help to find the person or persons who broke into a home on White Ridge Road in the Town of Berlin and took a flat screen TV. It was a 32-inch Vizio TV and the remote control wasn’t taken. Several vehicles pared at residences on Meadowbrook Road, just east of there had also been gone through. The theft occurred sometime during the first three days of this week. Tips are needed about any suspicious person or persons seen carrying or hauling items along the roadway or old railway bed headed to Berlin or Ripon.

Any information regarding this or any other crime may be reported anonymously to Green Lake County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-GET-THEM (1-800-438-8436) or e-mailed to (getthem@co.green-lake.wi.us) or texted to 847411 keyword “getthem”.   Tipsters may be eligible for up to a $1000.00 cash reward for information leading to the arrest of suspects or recovery of this property.

Alliant Rate Freeze Granted

Wisconsin’s Public Service Commission Friday verbally approved Alliant Energy’s proposal to keep electric base rates unchanged and reduce natural gas base rates for the next two years. The natural gas base rate will be reduced $5 million in 2015 and maintained at that level through 2016.  Alliant Energy’s electric base rates have remained stable and natural gas base rates have decreased since 2010. The approved freeze applies to retail base rates; it excludes fuel costs for electricity and natural gas. Later this summer, Alliant Energy’s Wisconsin utility will file its required annual electric fuel-cost plan, which may reflect increased fuel costs. The plan could result in higher overall retail electric rates in 2015. Natural gas fuel costs are adjusted monthly based on the cost of the natural gas commodity. The commission’s written order on the approval of the base rate freeze is expected within the next two months. A decision on the fuel cost plan is expected by the end of this year.

Tougher Standards For Incoming High School Students

Fond du Lac’s High School Principal says with jobs becoming more technical, a new state law requiring students to take more math and science classes to graduate is a good thing. Jon Wiltzius says students will need three math and two science classes before they graduate from school. He says this year’s freshmen are the first who will have to fulfill that requirement. Wiltzius says it’s tough, but will make them more ready for more education or the workforce.

County Parks Got Off To Slow Start For Camping Season

Fond du Lac County Planning and Parks Director Sam Tobias says they got off to a bit of a slow start with the County parks during the start of the camping season. He says typically it begins Memorial Day Weekend, but cold and wet weather hampered efforts to prepare the parks. He says they also had a couple of retirements in March and April and weren’t fully staffed with seasonal employees. He says they recently filled one of the vacancies and a parks supervisor Paul Klein. He says things will get better for the rest of the season.

Opportunity To Register For FDLPL Summer Reading Program At Walleye Weekend

Kids and adults are urged to sign up for the Fond du Lac Public Library’s Summer reading program “Reading is Brain Food” while they are attending Walleye Weekend. The Library will have people at the Mad Hatter booth. Library Community Information Coordinator Terri Fleming each person will get a card and get to fill in a circle for each 30 minutes spent reading. Kids get a prize right away when they get a card filled in and adults and teens will be entered into a drawing for some big prizes. Kids who fill in four cards will receive a book.  You can also register for the Summer reading program at any Fond du Lac Public Library location.

Ag Money Raffle Tickets For Sale

Fond du Lac Area Association Of Commerce Agricultural Programs Director Brenda Gudex reminds residents to pick up tickets for Ag Money Raffle while they are purchasing tickets for the upcoming Breakfast on the Farm. Tickets are available at the Association’s Office on North Main Street in Fond du Lac. She says the top prize is $3,000. The drawing for the raffle will be held on News-Talk 1450 KFIZ at 9:10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 25th. This year’s Breakfast on the Farm will be hosted by the Ruedinger Farms in Van Dyne on Sunday, June 22nd from 8 a.m. to noon. The raffle supports the Ag Ambassador program that brings agricultural education efforts into area classrooms.

Walleye Weekend

Nearly 100,000 people are expected to visit Fond du Lac’s Lakeside Park this weekend during Walleye Weekend. Fond du Lac Festivals Executive Director Leanne Doyle says there will be tons of activities, food, music and of course Mercury Marine’s National Walleye Tournament. New features include a lumberjack show, a flag day ceremony and fly over, and a 5th quarter performance by the U-W Marching Band. The festival runs through Sunday. Today at the CD Smith and K107 Music Stage East Bad Habitz perform from 1 to 3 p.m., The Presidents from 3:30 to 5:45 p.m, and Boogie and the YoYo’s from 6:15 to 9 p.m.  Tomorrow the stage will host the Jerry Schneider Band from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Sonic Circus from 3 to 6 p.m.