Local News Briefs Thursday 5/8/14

Oshkosh Police have referred three teenage boys and a 12-year-old girl to the Winnebago County Juvenile Intake on sexting charges for sending nude photos to each other via cell phone. The nude photos they sent of each other were sent about three weeks ago and were erased prior to the investigation. The four involved are a 15-year-old boy, two 14-year-old boys and a 12 year-old girl. The four were released to their parents after they were interviewed by police. All four attend Valley Christian School. They were referred on disorderly conduct-unlawful use of a telephone charges.

Waupun Woman Avoids Felony Theft Prosecution

The 35-year-old Waupun woman suspected of taking close to $50,000 from the Mayville business she was working at worked out a deferred prosecution agreement with Dodge County prosecutors. Teresa Ruch pled no contest to three misdemeanor theft charges. If she manages to avoid trouble while on probation she can avoid being sentenced on a felony theft charge. A sentencing hearing later this month will determine the length and conditions of her probation. The charges stemmed from her employment at Mayville Vision between 2009 and 2012. Ruch allegedly failed to make about $32,000 in bank deposits over a four year period and another $15,000 in goods and services were given to family and friends. She left Mayville Vision in 2012 when she and her husband purchased Jan’s Optical in Waupun.

DOT Transportation Moves Wisconsin Meeting In Oshkosh

The state Department of Transportation’s “Transportation Moves Wisconsin” public outreach initiative moves to Oshkosh with a town hall meeting today. The meeting will be at the UW Alumni and Conference Center in Oshkosh. It’s asked that the public not park in lot 6. The meeting begins with an open house at 5 p.m. DOT Secretary Mark Gottlieb will give a presentation at 5:30 p.m. followed by public discussion.

Elections Not That Far Away

Fond du Lac County Clerk Lisa Freiberg says she’s moved forward in ordering absentee ballots for the August election. She says the Governor has said there won’t be a special session this summer to change the state’s voter photo ID law that was struck down by a federal judge, which means she knows which type of ballot to order. She says her role as clerk is also to educate people about elections and she says a lot of people are confused by today’s elections. She says the only County offices up for a vote this November are for Sheriff and Clerk of Courts.

NOAA Weather Radios Available Through County Clerk’s Office

The Fond du Lac County Emergency Management Office is reminding residents that they can purchase NOAA, All Hazards Weather Alert Radios at the County Clerk’s office for $28 including tax. County Communications and Emergency Management Director Jim McNabb says the Midland NOAA weather radios are handy because they let you know when the National Weather Service has issued a severe weather watch or warning. Weather may be monitored 24 hours a day on the NOAA weather radios. The County Clerk’s office is located on the first floor of the City-County Government Center at 160 Macy Street in Fond du Lac.

FDL Area Association Of Commerce Gets Grant For School To Work Program

The Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce is getting a $9.638 grant for its school to work mentorship program. Altogether the state’s Department of Workforce Development is awarding 30 grants totaling $2.1 million to develop or expand creative programs that prepare high school pupils for the workforce or post-secondary education through training in high-demand fields. New Holstein High School is getting a grant for just over $9,000 ($9,040). The grants cover training for up to 949 high school pupils and could involve employment at up to 153 employers.

Kids Videos Help SMSA Second Century Campaign

St. Mary’s Springs Academy’s Second Century capital campaign continues with about three-quarters of what’s needed to build a consolidated K-12 campus on Fond du Lac’s Ledge. Academy President Kevin Shaw says they have raised $16 million of their $21 million goal, but would like to have it all pledged before they start construction. He says the consolidated K-12 campus would be the first in the Milwaukee Archdiocese and maybe the first of its kind in the nation. He says it’s an idea that makes sense and would benefit students. In fact they even got some younger students to help promote the capital campaign asking Shaw questions in videos posted on You Tube including a question about how long it should take to build the school. Virtual bricks can be purchased for the project and other donations can be made at the school’s website.   The videos can be seen at You Tube under SMSA Second Century Campaign. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZyUAGFART8  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJPkC3zgIVY

Brunswick Corporation Quarterly Dividend

The Brunswick Corporation Board of Directors Wednesday declared a quarterly dividend on its common stock of ten cents per share payable June 16th to shareholders of record on May 27th.   The Company returned to paying dividends on a quarterly basis last December, having previously paid dividends on an annual basis since 2002.

FDL American Legion Post Hosts Children’s Educational Event

School children in the Fond du Lac area will be getting some first hand accounts about the nation’s wars during a unique event at the American Legion Post today and Friday. The post will host a Children’s Educational Event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day that’s also open to the public. Jim Guell says they will have veterans from each conflict or war from the WWII to the present on hand to talk about their experiences. One of those veterans is Jerry Thomas who flew a bomber during WWII. Gill says they will have actual uniforms worn by the veterans and plenty of memorabilia. In fact one of the veterans served as a spy during the Vietnam War.

Local Arts Exhibit Opens At Thelma Sadoff Center For The Arts

Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts in downtown Fond du Lac opens its first Membership Exhibition today. The juried exhibit was open to any member of Thelma, Fond du Lac Visual Artists, Fond du Lac Artist’s Association and Sheboygan Visual Artists. Of the 43 submissions, 20 pieces were chosen. The exhibit runs through June 22nd with a free reception from 5 to 8 p.m. today in Thelma’s new two-level Contemporary Wing. Every person who comes through the exhibit will be able to vote for their favorite piece. Viewer’s Choice awards for the exhibit will be announced at a celebration of local arts events being planned for June 12th at Thelma.

Zombiepocalypse Hits Madison

The popularity of zombies makes its way to Madison this weekend with “Zombiepocalypse” or what’s better known as the National Mock Trial Championship. According to the State Bar students will be presenting arguments in the fictional case of Estate of George Romero v. Ashley Williams. In the case, the owner of an energy drink business winds up dead after enjoying an evening with his friends at a zombie run. His business partner is found not guilty at a criminal trial, but his estate pursues a civil claim, which is the heart of the competition. The name of the case is a play on zombie movies. George Romero directed the 1968 classic film Night of the Living Dead and Ashley James “Ash” Williams was the hero in the Evil Dead films. The trial starts today and runs through Saturday. For more click here.