Local News Friday 4/19/13

FDL Man Pleads No Contest To Vehicular Homicide Charge

The 33-year-old Fond du Lac man has pled no contest to charges of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle and knowingly operating while revoked causing great bodily harm. Joseph Morales entered the pleas yesterday in Fond du Lac County Court. An additional felony charge was read into the record and dismissed. Charges stemmed from an accident last May on Pioneer Road at Grove Street in Fond du Lac. Morales may have been reaching for or using a cell phone when he t-boned a car driven by 79-year-old Lorraine Ryan of Eden. She died from her injuries and her passenger 76-year-old Alice Wood, also of Eden, was seriously injured. A sentencing hearing hasn’t been scheduled yet. A 5-day jury trial had been set for next month.

House Fire Caused By Misused Extension Cord

 

Fond du Lac Fire Chief Peter O’Leary says their preliminary investigation into a house fire at 83 6th Street yesterday revealed that an extension cord was misused. A multi-strip was plugged into it causing it to overheat. The fire caused fire and smoke damage to the second floor of the two-story house. A man who lives at the home was treated at the scene for minor injuries. No one else was a home at the time of the fire, which was called in at 4:35 a.m.

 

Oshkosh Police Warn About ATM Skimming

 

Police in Oshkosh are advising citizens about card skimming devices that have used on ATM’s at local financial institutions. Three residents reported unauthorized transactions on their accounts Wednesday. They had used an ATM in the 1600 block of West 20th Avenue last weekend. Skimming devices are attached to the bank card slot of an ATM machine and appear to be part of the ATM. As a customer uses their ATM car, the skimmer reads the magnetic strip. The person who places the skimming device on the ATM later removes it and is able to gain access to the accounts read by the skimmer. If you are using an ATM machine and it appears that there is an added part to the card reader, do not use the ATM. Anyone who has information about incident is asked to call Oshkosh Police at (920) 236-5700.

 

Second Accident In Sheboygan This Week Caused By Medical Condition

 

(WHBL-Sheboygan)-For the second time in less than a week a medical condition has led to death of a Sheboygan resident who was involved in a traffic accident. An 85-year-old man was taking his wife to the doctor Wednesday when he collapsed at the wheel.  The vehicle left the road, crossed a lawn and slammed into a pickup truck parked in a driveway.  The victim was taken to St. Nicholas Hospital, where he later died.  His wife was uninjured.  It was the second accident resulting from a medical problem this week.  On Monday 56-year-old Bernice Winter died after she suffered a medical problem while driving.  Her car left the road, struck an oncoming car and then a home.

 

West Bend Ceiling Collapse

 

West Bend firefighters responded to a report of a ceiling collapse yesterday. Fire officials say a living room ceiling in an apartment unit collapsed.  There was a leak in the apartment complex’s roof and water seeped into the ceiling of the apartment unit causing it to collapse. Six units in the 16-unit building had to be evacuated. Some tenants of the apartment complex will be displaced while the roof is being repaired.

 

Governor On Federal Background Checks For Gun Sales

 

(Wisconsin Radio Network)-The governor, on a conference call from his China trade mission, says Wisconsin already has a state background check system in place. He says Wisconsin has an aggressive background check system to block out felons and people who have been committed for mental illness issues. Walker again said that he views the issue as showing the need for increased mental health services. He says that’s why the legislature put in $29 million in new aid to treat mental illness in Wisconsin. A proposal for expanded federal background checks – closing the “gun show loophole” – failed to gain enough support in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday.

 

Former Dodge County Sheriff Going To Work For The State

 

Former Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls isn’t staying retired for long. He’s taking a job with the Wisconsin Emergency Management Department as Emergency Police Services Coordinator. The position involves coordinating with regional directors to develop a mutual aid response between local, state and federal law enforcement. Nehls retired last month. He says the position with the state wasn’t a factor in his retirement decision. He starts that new position on April 29th.  It will allow him to work out of his home.

 

Senator Gudex Says Miller And Windhover Center Something FDL Can Take Pride In

 

State Senator Rick Gudex says Fond du Lac is fortunate to have Kevin Miller on the State Arts Board and running the Windhover Center for the Arts. Miller is the Executive Director of the Fond du Lac Arts Council, which owns and operates the Windhover. Gudex says even before he was elected to the Fond du Lac City Council he had heard about the vision for an Arts and Entertainment District in Fond du Lac and those involved who are getting accomplished including Miller deserve a lot of credit. He says those providing the financial support also deserve credit and the expanded Windhover will be something everyone will be able to enjoy.

 

Ripon Superintendent Comments On School Choice Proposal

 

Ripon Schools Superintendent Richard Zimman says the Governor’s proposal to expand the school choice voucher program goes beyond Fond du Lac and the other eight school districts it would be expanded to. He says according to the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance money taken out of the state funding for schools for the voucher program affects funding for all public school districts. He says basing funding on school report cards isn’t something the school reports cards weren’t originally meant for. Some Republican state lawmakers have proposed giving tax credits to parents whose children attend private schools as an alternative to the school vouchers proposal.

 

SMSA Spring Fling Saturday

 

The St. Mary’s Springs Academy’s annual Spring Fling is tomorrow at the UW-Fond du Lac Commons. The event which features beer and wine tasting, live and silent auctions, and the Big Money Raffle with a top prize of $20,000 will be held from 6 to 11 p.m. Jennifer Walters tells us the event raises money to help kids attending the Springs Academy and is their only fundraiser of the year. She says the Academy came together about five years ago offering an education right up through high school and even have an arrangement with Marian University in which high school students can get tuition discounts at Marian. Tickets are $45 in advance and $55 at the door. You can get them online.   

 

Hydrant Flushing NFDL

 

The Village of North Fond du Lac will be performing annual water main and hydrant flushing between April 29th and May 9th. Flushing of the mains removes natural deposits or iron and minerals that are harmless but affect the color, odor and taste of the water. Also it allows the utility to exercise and maintain hydrants to insure they are working properly. Flushing will be done between the hours of 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. each day in different zones of the water system. You can see a zone map for where and when the flushing will be done at the Village’s website. Look for “Fire Hydrant Flushing” under the Announcements heading.

 

New Dodge County Website

 

Dodge County has a new website. It launched at the beginning of the week. The Sheriff’s website, which used to have its own domain is now of the pages on the website. It’s been updated with a photo of new Sheriff Pat Ninmann. With the County’s new website users can, print, share and bookmark pages. Upcoming meetings and events are listed on the home page. There’s even an I Want To Section, which makes it easier to apply, register and pay for programs.

 

FDL KC Tootsie Roll Drive This Weekend

 

 

The Knights of Columbus will be conducting their annual Tootsie Roll Drive this weekend in Fond du Lac. Over 100 people will be at sites throughout the City including grocery stores, convenience stores, restaurants and churches collecting donations for the charities the KC’s support such as the ARC. A Tootsie Roll is given to any person who wants one, but a goodwill donation is appreciated. This is the 40th year for the drive which over the years has raised more than $465,000. Last year’s drive raised $16,225. The Fond du Lac Knights of Columbus Tootsie Roll Drive is one of the largest Tootsie Roll drives in the state. About 21,000 Tootsie Rolls will be distributed during the drive in Fond du Lac this weekend.