Local News Thursday 6/13/13

Van Recovered, Suspect Captured

 

Police in West Allis yesterday morning recovered a van stolen from the Shopko parking lot in Fond du Lac Monday and arrested the 19-year-old Fond du Lac man who took it. Fond du Lac Assistant Chief Steve Klein says the suspect was very cooperative with their investigators when they traveled to West Allis Wednesday. He says the suspect had gotten into an argument with his mother, was upset about not having a job and was looking for a way to leave the city. Klein says the suspect got his opportunity to leave the city when he saw the van in the parking lot with the keys in it and running. He says the suspect didn’t realize there was a 9-year-old boy in the back of the van when he took it until he heard a cell phone ring and the boy popped up in the back of the van. The boy was dropped off in the area of Military Road and Seymour Street. The 19-year-old suspect was brought back to Fond du Lac yesterday and is being held in the Fond du Lac County jail with pending stolen vehicle and bail jumping charges.

 

Two-Year-Old Found Wandering In Oostburg Village Park

 

Child Neglect charges are being forwarded to the Sheboygan County District Attorney’s Office after a two-year-old boy was found walking in the Village Park in Oostburg Wednesday morning. County Sheriff’s officials say two women found the boy who was wearing pajamas and pushing an umbrella stroller. Officers conducted a door to door canvas of the residential area around the park and after about an hour the boy’s father came forward. The incident was reported shortly before 9:30 a.m.

 

West Bend Man Waives Preliminary Hearing On Explosives And Drug Charges

 

The 22-year-old West Bend man suspected of trying to make pipe bombs and trafficking marijuana has been bound over for trial. Ethan Boettcher waived his right to a preliminary hearing when he appeared in Washington County Court this week. An arraignment is scheduled for Monday, June 24th. On April 5th a Sheriff’s Deputy followed up on an abandoned 911 call at the place Boettcher was staying at on Lake View Road.  Based on what the deputy saw a search warrant was obtained. Authorities seized explosive making materials, nearly 2 pounds of marijuana, 2 firearms, almost $11,000 in cash, a pickup truck and ATV.

 

BD Woman Threats And Assaults Police Officers

 

Bond was set at $1,000 cash this week for a 34-year-old Beaver Dam woman who threatened and assaulted two police officers while she was being treated at Beaver Dam Community Hospital. Police took Twana Gathing Curtis there after a fight with her boyfriend during which she smashed a porcelain rooster and cut herself while trying to stab him with the broken pieces. At the hospital she kicked the officers in the stomach, ribs and arms. She also bit one of the officers in the arm and spit on him. A preliminary hearing is scheduled next week in Dodge County Court.

 

Plymouth Man Hurt In Accident

 

(WHBL-Sheboygan)-A Plymouth man is recovering at St. Nicholas Hospital following a one vehicle accident in the Town of Sheboygan Falls Tuesday evening. Sheboygan County Sheriff’s officials say the one-vehicle accident occurred just before 5:30 p.m. on Playbird Road west of Meadowlark Road.  A Chevy truck, driven by 75-year-old Gary R. Schwensow, was heading east when it left the roadway, entered the south ditch line, crossed a driveway and ended up hitting a tree. After being freed from the vehicle he was taken to St. Nicholas Hospital.

 

Washington County Enforcement Effort Nets 12 OWIs And 34 Speeders

 

Washington County Sheriff’s officials say they arrested 12 people for driving drunk and issued 34 speeding citations during a recent enforcement effort. Grants funded some of the overtime for deputies during the crack down that ran from May 24th through June 4th.  Of the 12 OWI arrests 6 were for a first offense, one was for a 2nd offense with a 4-year-old child in the car, and 5 of the arrests were for a 3rd OWI offense or higher.

 

FDL City Council Notes

 

In other Fond du Lac City Council notes last night the Council unanimously approved condemnation proceedings for the Wells Manufacturing Building on South Brooke Street. It’s part of the City’s agreement with the company, which is expanding its facilities on Rolling Meadows Drive by 62,000 square feet. Commonwealth Development will be developing the Brooke Street site.  The Council also approved an initial resolution for up to $4.5 million in Industrial Development Revenue Bonds for the Windhover Center for the Arts expansion effort. The Center will be able to take advantage of lower interest rates through the IRB’s. City Council President Sam Meyer also issued two proclamations recognizing Fond du Lac High School Junior Danny Loomans and others for the Food for Freedom effort at the High School Memorial Day weekend that collected over 65 tons of food for area food pantries. The St. Mary’s Springs Boys Track and Field team was also recognized for their State Championship. The girls’ team finished second. Meyer noted St. Mary’s athletic teams together have 18 state titles.

 

Lomira School District Referendum Forum

 

Lomira school district residents can find out more about a possible referendum during an information forum at the Lomira High School Gym tonight at 6 p.m. District Administrator Bob Lloyd says representatives of Bray & Associates and C.D. Smith will be on hand. They will present information on the three options that include remodeling school facilities, building a new 6 through 12th grade building or building a new K4-through 12th grade building. Lloyd says in the fall they will issue a survey gauging whether voters might have an interest in a referendum next spring. Lloyd says the timing couldn’t be better because they will be retiring a debt on a previous referendum and interest rates are at a historic low. School Board members may be present, but no action will be taken during the forum.

 

Social Hosting Ordinance Helping Combat Underage Drinking

 

Fond du Lac County Chief Deputy Sheriff Mark Strand says they are using the County’s new social hosting ordinance as a tool to reduce underage drinking in the County. He says with underage drinking parties they usually have someone younger hosting the party, but a few months ago caught someone hosting who should have known better a 37-year-old man. He says it’s not going to be cheap if you get caught hosting an underage drinking party and are fined, but it’s cheaper than having something happen to a partygoer and then getting sued for it. Strand says sometimes its obvious there’s an underage drinking party going on and they aren’t going to ignore it if they see it. The County’s Social Hosting Ordinance went into effect in March of last year.

 

Theda Clark’s Annual Trauma Report Spotlight’s FDL County Accident Response

 

The accident involving a motorist and 10 motorcyclists north of Fond du Lac on Highway 151 a year ago got the spotlight in the annual report for Theda Clark’s Trauma Center. The hospital in Neenah handled four patients from that accident that were in critical condition including the driver who ran into the motorcyclist and three of the bikers from Michigan. Dr. Ray Georgen is Trauma Center Medical Director. He says the emergency workers at the scene of the accident had to do everything right at their end for his team to do the job on their end. He says at the Trauma Center they prepared for a worst case scenario and that’s what they got. They lost one of the bikers, but two others survived Doug Williams and Rick Van Dam. Georgen says Williams is lucky to be alive, he survived 7 cardiac arrests. Van Dam lost a leg, but Georgen says he saw him a few weeks ago and he’s doing well.  The annual report was dedicated the memory of Daniel Winsemius and Douglas Yonkers who died of the injuries they suffered in the accident.

 

 

North Fondy Fest Parade Route

 

The parade route for Saturday’s North Fondy Fest Parade has been announced. According to police the parade will line up in the Friendship Learning Center parking lot. It will proceed north on Thurke Avenue to North Street. The parade will continue east on North Street to Minnesota Avenue. It will proceed south on Minnesota Avenue to McKinley Street. The parade will continue west on McKinley Street to Adams Avenue. It will proceed north on Adams Avenue to Polk Street. The parade will continue west on Polk Street to Thurke Avenue and will end at Friendship Learning Center. The theme for the parade is “Beach Party” and it is expected to last about 45 minutes.

 

UW Extension FDL County Annual Report

 

The University of Wisconsin Extension-Fond du Lac County recently released their 2012 Annual Report. It highlights they connected with Fond du Lac County residents and engaged with them in teaching, learning, leading and serving. Some of the things they responded to or educated the public on included the drought, farm safety, a clean sweep, the Master Gardener’s program, and more. It was also the UW Extension’s 100th anniversary year. To read the report click here.