Local News Briefs Thursday 7/18/13

Fond du Lac County Sheriff Mick Fink says he was briefed on the report on a fatal accident involving a Sheriff’s deputy on July 10th.  He says he can’t comment specifically on the State Patrol report about the August 24^th, 2012 accident in which Deputy Ryan Flood ran into a car driven by 20-year-old Matthew Koenigs of Fond du Lac while responding to a call killing Koenigs. He says Flood is on duty, but in a limited capacity riding with another deputy until possible civil and criminal litigation questions are resolved. He says no one is losing site of the fact that the Koenigs family lost their son in the accident. He says their thoughts and prayers are with them. Sheriff Fink says there will be an internal investigation, but that won’t happen until after the civil and criminal aspects of the case are worked out. He says until all three of those aspects are complete it would be premature to comment on Flood’s employment situation.

 

Man Pleads To Filming Women At Ripon College

 

The 20-year-old St. Louis, Missouri man suspected of recording women who were showering at Ripon College has pled guilty to four counts of capturing an image of nudity. Demetrious Moll was in Fond du Lac County Court yesterday. Ten other counts of the same charge were read into the record and dismissed. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 12th. According to the criminal complaint there were four victims. Moll allegedly used his cell phone to record the video. Seventeen files were found on his computer containing the videos. Moll has been banned from the Ripon College campus.

 

Appleton Man Injured In Dodge County Accident

 

Dodge County Sheriff’s officials say a delivery driver was hurt when his van went off a County Highway near Mayville Tuesday afternoon. Fifty-six-year-old Jed Vanderwyst of Appleton was flown to Theda Clark Regional Medical Center. Authorities say he failed to stop at a stop sign, went through a T-intersection and his van went off the roadway and struck an embankment. He works for Central Delivery Service of Appleton. 

 

Washington County Assault Suspect Arrested

 

Washington County Sheriff’s officials say they’ve arrested a 19-year-old Village of Richfield man in connection with the assault of a 20-year-old Menomonee Falls woman in the Richfield Historical Park last Friday.  The woman was walking her dog when she was attacked. She was taken to a hospital where she was treated and released. Sheriff’s investigators developed the suspect through department records. A deputy checked on his vehicle in the park on July 1st. During an interview with Sheriff’s Detectives the man confessed to the attack.  He’s being held in the Washington County Jail on charges of 1st degree recklessly endangering safety and aggravated battery.

 

NFDL Village Board Discusses Kennel Licensing

 

An ordinance is being prepared for the North Fond du Lac Village Board that would prohibit running a kennel in the Village. Village Administrator Chuck Hornung says that comes on the heels of a request about licensing for a kennel. He says they have a limit on the number of cats and dogs you can own. He says the Village Board discussed it during their meeting this week and the general consensus is that they don’t want a kennel in the Village. Hornung says the proposed ordinance will go before the board next month.

 

WP&L Seeks Electric Rate Increase

 

Alliant Energy’s Wisconsin Power and Light has filed for an increase in electric rates for 2014. Company officials say they are requesting a 1.9 percent increase in rates from the state’s Public Service Commission due to expected higher electric fuel costs next year. That would work out to a monthly increase of approximately $1.14 for the typical residential customer. Impacts would vary for residential, commercial and industrial customers. 

 

Firefighters Know Their Limits During Hot Weather

 

The Division Chief of Fire Prevention for the Fond du Lac Fire Department says firefighters have their own way of beating the heat when they are on the scene of a fire during weather like this. Troy Haase says they rotate firefighters in and out and thoroughly check out those who are coming out of battling a fire. He says firefighters stay fit for the rigors of the job, which can include weather extremes. He says anyone working outdoors during a heat wave should stay well hydrated.

 

Heat Having An Impact

 

Fond du Lac Fire Chief Peter O’Leary says they received a couple calls from people earlier in the week who were affected by the heat. That included someone reportedly suffering from heat exhaustion at the County Fairgrounds Pool and an elderly who was nauseous and short of breath in his home. The air temperature inside the home was 96 degrees. Chief O’Leary says do your best to stay cool or go to a place that is. He says the Library, the mall, a pool or the Senior Center are all good examples. He also cautions those who might be suffering from a medical condition to be vigilant. He says if you can avoid strenuous outdoors activity during this heat advisory it’s for the best. He says if you’re going to the Fair there are some air-conditioned buildings, otherwise make sure you are well hydrated.

 

Seniors Invited To Keep Cool

 

Fond du Lac Senior Center Director Dottie Winkelmann says they have a nice cool building if any seniors want to get out of the heat. She says you’d think people would want to take advantage of that, but nurses tell them some people don’t want to leave their home or get out of the heat to the center and then go back home. She says those same nurses say you still need a break from the heat. She says they have some nice diversions including their own library, puzzles, Wi-Fi and more.

She says you can even relax and watch a movie. She says if you call ahead they can even provide you with lunch or you could bring your own. The Senior Center phone number is 322-3630.

 

State Treasurer’s Powers Eliminated

 

State Treasurer Kurt Schuller says his office has little power left to it. He says the State Treasurer serves on the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, which makes decisions about loans, buying and selling lands, logging and timber rights. He was also stripped of administering the unclaimed property program, but is an “ambassador” for the program. He says although it’s well known he was in favor of doing away with the office and that of the Secretary of State he feels stripping the Treasurer’s office of all power could be an issue if a constitutional amendment to do away with those offices fails. State Representatives Michael Schraa of Oshkosh and Tyler August of Lake Geneva recently announced a constitutional amendment to eliminate the positions of Treasurer and Secretary of State. Schuller says he won’t support that effort because he doesn’t think it will succeed.

 

Oshkosh Gets State Trust Fund Loan

 

The state’s Board of Commissioners of Public Lands this week approved slightly more than $7.5 million in State Trust Fund Loans to support ten projects in six municipalities and three school districts in Wisconsin. The City of Oshkosh was one of those receiving a State Trust Fund Loan. The $2.6 million they will receive will help finance a business park development. State Trust Fund Loan monies come from the principal of the state’s Common School Fund enhanced by revenue generated by fees, fines, forfeitures, unclaimed property and timber sales.

 

United Coop Merger

 

The United Cooperative Board of Directors, based in Beaver Dam, recently signed a letter of intent to allow a wholly-owned subsidiary of United Cooperative to pursue a merger with Hillsboro Farmers Cooperative of Hillsboro, Wisconsin. In the coming months, there will be a series of meetings with Hillsboro Farmers Cooperative employees and patron members about the proposed merger. Ballots will be mailed to the Hillsboro Farmers Cooperative voting patron members in August. If approved, the merger will take effect October 1st.  Hillsboro Farmers Cooperative is projecting revenues for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30th to be near $60 million.

 

KFIZ At The Fair

 

News-Talk 1450 KFIZ will be at the Fond du Lac County Fair today. Bob Hoffmaster will be doing the Morning Show there from 9:30 a.m. to Noon. Also KFIZ Wade Bates and Rae Nell Halbur will be reporting live from the Market Livestock Auction tonight starting at 5:30 p.m. On the Grandstand tonight at 7 p.m. there’s an BMX/ATV/FMX Stunt Show. At the Leinie Lodge The Downtowners perform from noon to 4 p.m. and tonight Separate Ways a Journey Tribute Band and Star Six Nine will perform.