News 07.20.16
20 July 2016 News
Sheriff’s authorities have identified the man killed following a shooting incident in Winnebago County. Winnebago County Sheriff’s Lt. Chris Braman says 29-year-old Luke A. Smith of Pickett was found deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. A 36-year-old woman was found shot and taken to a hospital. Three dogs were also found fatally shot. Deputies were called to a house on County Highway N in the Town of Utica about 7 a.m. Monday after a neighbor reported a disturbance and heard several gunshots. The investigation continues.
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Police have released the name of a man who died in a motor vehicle crash over the weekend in Winnebago County. 20-year-old Christopher Howard of Neenah was driving west on Grandview Road in Winchester when he missed a curve in the road and struck a tree. Howard was transported to Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah where he was pronounced dead. A passenger in the vehicle, 20-year-old Mario Esparza, was seriously injured in the crash and also transported to Theda Clark Medical Center. He remains in critical condition. Police say alcohol appears to be a factor in the crash, but they won’t know for certain until toxicology results come back.
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A co manager of the Fond du lac Retlaw Hotel says it’s a shame that the hotel has been neglected for so many years but says that’s going to change. Dennis Doucette and Steve Frantz of Legendary Hospitality will be co managing the Retlaw when it reopens next year. Frantz Community Investors of Iowa purchased the hotel in an online auction last month. Doucette says the goal is have the Retlaw once again become the centerpiece of Fond du Lac’s downtown. Doucette says one of the things that makes this business model practical is that hotel will not be a part of a franchise, but rather will stand on its own. Doucette says guests will notice a big change when they walk in the front door into a completely renovated grand lobby. Other improvements will be done to the restaurant, the crystal ballroom, meeting rooms on the second floor, and the hotel rooms. Doucette says the goal is to reopen the renovated hotel in May.
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Gov. Scott Walker is requesting a federal assessment of damage from last week’s heavy rains to determine whether the state will request federal disaster assistance. The storm and flooding caused an estimated $30 million in damage in northwestern Wisconsin. State emergency management officials said in a news release Saturday that the storms caused nearly $1.8 million in damage to homes and businesses and $28.8 million to roads, bridges and trails. Walker is requesting a preliminary damage assessment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help determine if the state will request a federal disaster declaration. The assessment is the first step to request federal disaster assistance. FEMA teams will start assessing damage next week. Ashland, Bayfield and Iron counties and Bad River tribal lands are among the hardest hit.
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A Green Bay firefighter who died in the line of duty nearly 125 years ago finally receives a graveside tribute. Hans Hanson was the first Green Bay firefighter to die while on duty. He was killed during his first day on the job back in 1892. Through research, it was discovered that Hanson was buried in an unmarked grave and had not received full fire department honor. So on Monday, firefighters and others gathered at Woodlawn Cemetery in Allouez to give Hanson proper burial rites and honor him with a gravestone. Hanson is one of nine Green Bay firefighters that have lost their lives in the line of duty.
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A new reports show home sales in Wisconsin for the first half of the year are the best they’ve been since 2005. The Wisconsin Realtors Association says sales of existing homes are up 5.5 percent from the same period last year. The median price of a home rose 4.5 percent to $162,000. Association chairman K.C. Maurer says homes are moving quickly. He says the average time on the market fell to 86 days in June. The last time the days on the market were that low was August 2005. The association’s report says every region of the state experienced a growth in sales compared to the same period in 2015.
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