Local News Thursday 3/28/13

Jason Anderson Sentenced To Life In Prison

 

A 36-year-old Fond du Lac man has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the shooting death of his wife. Jason Anderson was sentenced in Fond du Lac County Court Wednesday afternoon for the murder of his 33-year-old wife Nicole in November of 2011. Anderson could have had the possibility of being eligible for release with extended supervision after serving 20 years in prison, but Judge Richard Nuss decided against that. It’s a decision Nicole Anderson’s father Grover Cannon says his family was hoping for. Former District Attorney Dan Kaminsky who prosecuted Anderson during a jury trial last December sat in the prosecutor’s chair for the sentencing, which featured a tearful statement from Nicole’s daughter Amber Schubert. Kaminsky says it was an action that will benefit her. Judge Nuss also sentenced Anderson to 5 years in prison and 5 years of extended supervision on a felon in possession of a firearm charge, which runs concurrent with the homicide charge.   

 

Some emotional statements were given as a 36-year-old Fond du Lac man was sentenced to life in prison for the shooting death of his wife. Fond du Lac County Judge Richard Nuss sentenced Jason Anderson Wednesday afternoon to life in prison without the possibility of patrol for the November 2011 murder of 33-year-old Nicole Anderson. Her daughter Amber Schubert gave a tearful statement during the sentencing. Jason Anderson’s lawyer, Robin Shellow, told the judge the hearing was about sentencing the defendant not honoring the memory of the victim. Former District Attorney Dan Kaminsky who prosecuted Anderson during a jury trial sat in the prosecutor’s chair for the hearing. He believes Amber’s statement was appropriate. Kaminsky says on the other hand an apology Anderson gave during the hearing was hollow and ended with an angry flourish. A jury found Anderson guilty of murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm during an 11 day trial last December.

 

Jim Sabel Has To Resign From FDL City Council Given Ongoing Health Issues

 

Even a Fond du Lac City Council meeting can have a heartbreaking moment as was the case last evening when the resignation of Council President Jim Sabel was tendered given ongoing health concerns. City Manager Joe Moore read a letter from Jim’s wife Joann last night saying it’s with sadness that Jim has to leave the position. He says it’s not a decision Jim or his family took lightly. Moore says he’s sorry to see it happen given Jim’s love of serving on the Council and for the City itself. Moore says how the position will be filled won’t be addressed until a new Council is seated on April 24th. Jim Sabel served on the Council for 9 years and he and his family have called Fond du Lac home for 54 years.

 

Five Injured In FDL County Accident

 

Five people were injured in a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of Highway 26 and Fond du Lac County Highway TC in the Town of Waupun last night. Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s officials say a vehicle driven by Jordan Todd of Fond du Lac went through a stop sign on County Highway TC and hit a vehicle driven by Kathy Keading of Madison. Keading and her 14-year-old daughter were taken to St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac with non-life threatening injuries. Todd and his passengers; Samantha Williams of Fond du Lac and Luis Mischke of Iowa were also injured. He and a front seat passenger were taken to Waupun Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries and a back seat passenger was flown to Theda Clarke Medical Center with serious injuries.

 

Barn Fire

 

Brandon and Alto Fire Departments were dispatched to a barn fire shortly after 5 a.m. this morning. Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s dispatch says the fire was in the area of Highways 44 and 49 in the Brandon area.

 

Major Drug Bust In Oshkosh

 

(Wisconsin Radio Network)-Oshkosh police say they made their biggest drug bust ever earlier this month. Three Oshkosh men were arrested, following a four-month investigation into heroin dealing. Lieutenant Brad Dunlap with the Lake Winnebago Area MEG Unit says they seized heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and a number of other drugs. Nearly three quarters of a kilo of cocaine was seized, which would have supplied 75,000 doses of cocaine.The street value of the drugs is $128,000.  Police have 36-year-old Ubaldo Adame, 43-year-old Fernando Sandoval, and 45-year-old Rodolfo Reyes-Olivas in custody. All three were arrested two weeks ago, but police say they waited to announce the bust because their investigation was still on-going.

 

Appleton Man Strikes Motorcyclist Changing Lanes

 

A 48-year-old Appleton man received several citations after striking a motorcyclist with his vehicle and leaving the scene on Highway 41 southbound in the Town of Menasha yesterday afternoon. Winnebago County Sheriff’s officials say the 23-year-old Neenah man riding the motorcycle suffered minor injuries; scrapes and abrasions to his hands and knees. Sheriff’s deputies caught up with the vehicle and cited the 48-year-old driver for hit-and-run causing injury, unsafe lane deviation, failure to stop for stop signals and unreasonable and imprudent speed. His 27-year-old son who was with him was arrested on four outstanding warrants.

 

Mayville Police Seeking Child Abuse Charges

 

Mayville police are asking the Dodge County District Attorney’s Office to charge a couple with child abuse and neglect. A 3-year-old girl and 4-year-old boy were recently removed from an apartment due to unsafe conditions. Police found dirty diapers and rotting food throughout the apartment. Mayville Police Chief Chris MacNeill says the parents were busy working opposite shifts and the situation at the apartment got to be too much for them to handle. The children’s grandmother is currently taking care of them.

 

FDL City Council Approves Street Projects

 

The Fond du Lac City Council unanimously approved two street improvement projects last night, one for Auburn Street and the other for Kaye Street. Public hearings were held for both projects. The work on Auburn Street is a total improvement, which residents of the street like Dan Nell say is truly needed.  Rob Boda owns quite a bit of property on the street including a rental property. He agrees the street needs improvement, but took exception to how much he was assessed for 110 feet of property he says is nothing but grass. Public Works Director Jordan Skiff told the Council the street dates back to 1917 and over the last 10 years they’ve had to repair 8 water main breaks on Auburn Street.

 

Retlaw Owners Make Payment, But Not What Was Promised

 

The owners of the Retlaw Hotel in Fond du Lac have made a payment on delinquent taxes and fees owed the City. City Manager Joe Moore says they received a payment of $40,500 since the last Council meeting during which the Council held off on suspending the liquor license for North Main Hospitality. Moore says North Main Hospitality had agreed after that meeting to make a payment of $100,000 on the nearly $230,000 they owed. He says they asked if they could make an additional payment of $45,000 instead of the balance of nearly $60,000 they still owed on the $100,000 payment, but Moore says they’ve failed to do that. In other Council notes the Council approved two resolutions and an ordinance that will allow a Love’s Travel Stop and Country Store to be built at the Highway 41 and Hickory Street interchange.

 

FDL Area Chamber Of Commerce Only Endorses Two Candidates

 

The Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce has come out with its endorsements in the City Council race endorsing just two of the candidates. Both of them are newcomers to City politics; Catherine Block and Dan Manning. Block is a local attorney and Manning a manufacturing engineer at MAG-IAS in Fond du Lac.  “We are confident that these are the best candidates to represent the business community,” explained AC president and CEO Joe Reitemeier.  There are three seats open on the City Council and four candidates. The other two candidates are incumbent Council member Rebecca Lunde-Ross and local businessman Sam Meyer a former City Councilman and County Supervisor.

 

Work On Broadband Improvement In Rural FDL County Underway

 

Efforts to expand broadband access in rural parts of Fond du Lac County are proceeding. County Director of Administration Erin Gerred says Bug Tussel Wireless is working with local town officials for citing locations for towers. She says they will also be co-locating on some other County towers and towers that already exist in the County. She says Internet users in rural areas of the County should start to see some improvements by this summer. She says 12 new towers will be going up as part of the effort. She says even when the project is complete there won’t be 100 percent coverage of the County, but a vast improvement in Internet access in rural areas of the County.

 

Ripon Common Council Approves Relocation Of Water Department

 

The Ripon Common Council this week approved borrowing $150,000 as part of refinancing of water revenue bonds to relocate the Water Department. City Administrator Lori Rich says interest rates are favorable. She says a developer is interested in the property that was originally donated to the City by Smucker’s. The money will be used to build an addition onto to the Wastewater Treatment Plant to house the Water Department.

 

Hayes Seeks 10^th Term On FDL School Board

 

Fond du Lac School Board President Elizabeth Hayes is seeking a 10th term on the board. Hayes says she has gained valuable experience over the years attending Wisconsin Association of School Boards conferences and through her time on the board. She says it’s all about offering an good education to students. She says ACT 10 helped the Fond du Lac School District immensely, but the district was smart to wait until after details came out about it to settle contracts with its employee unions. Hayes is concerned the public has the wrong perception about the expansion of school choice voucher program and how it will impact districts like Fond du Lac. She says every school district where vouchers have been put into effect have seen their property taxes rise. Hayes is one of four candidates for three seats on the board. The others are newcomer Barbara Kuhls, and incumbents Mark Jurgella and Kathleen Nagle.

 

Principal Of Year Honor Symbol Of Chegwin School’s Hard Work

 

Fond du Lac Schools Superintendent Jim Sebert says the naming of Chegwin Elementary School Principal Theresa Loehr as Elementary School Principal of the Year in the state is a credit to her and the school. He says her leadership is one of the reasons the school has been named a School of Promise for 9 straight years. In addition Chegwin has been named a Spotlight School in the state the past two years. Sebert says they use the school’s success as a model for other schools in the district. He says Loehr’s latest honor is also a reflection of the hard work put in by teachers and staff at Chegwin.

 

Manufacturing Roundtable

 

Area manufacturers are being reminded about today’s roundtable discussion on comprehensive tax reform. The roundtable is being sponsored by Congressmen Tom Petri and Reid Ribble. It will be from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel.

 

JFC State Budget Hearing Location Changed

 

State Representative Joan Ballweg informs us that the venue for the April 10th Joint Finance Committee public hearing on the state budget has been moved from the Crystal Grand Music Theater to the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells. Testimony will be heard from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 

Treffert Lecture Scheduled

 

Marian University in Fond du Lac will host the 6th annual Dr. Darold A. Treffert lecture series entitled “Help is on the Way!” The presentation will be held on Tuesday, April 16th, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Stayer Center Auditorium. The presentation will focus on Agnesian HealthCare’s introduction of The Agnesian Autism, Behavior and Communication Center, a regional center to evaluate and treat children and adults with autism, behavioral concerns or communication difficulties. The presentation is free and open to the public. Walk-ins are welcome, but preregistration is appreciated. Registration can be done online.