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News 11.03.16

3 November 2016 News


Only two people spoke at a public hearing Tuesday night on a proposed 2017 Fond du Lac County budget. County executive Al Buechel says the budget holds down the tax rate and maintains existing services. Buechel says he rejected a request from the Department of Social Services for three social worker positions to help deal with opioid abuse because the county can’t afford it. Buechel says the other area of concern that’s addressed in the budget is mental health with more than $479,000 budgeted in the Department of Community Programs. Buechel says this will be the last year that the budget includes no increase for medical insurance premiums. Next year, he says, there is going to be an increase and a large increase could consume all available money.

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Fond du Lac police are warning area businesses about a scam. Police say at least two businesses in Fond du Lac were victims of a scam in September involving a man who claimed to represent a sports team looking for sponsorship and received cashed checks from the owners. The man identified himself by the names Michael Gleason as well as Michael Beck. Businesses who have been approached in a similar manner are asked to call police.

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An inmate facing an attempted homicide charge for allegedly attacking a correctional officer at a Waupun prison last fall has been found competent to stand trial. Dodge County Circuit Court Judge Joseph Sciascia made the ruling at hearing Tuesday for 47 year old Bobby Kimble. A competency evaluation was ordered in June after it was requested by Kimble’s attorney. The case now moves on to a preliminary hearing, which has been scheduled for December 1st. Kimble is charged with attempted first degree intentional homicide, false imprisonment, and battery by prisoners-all as a repeat offender. He’s accused of attacking the 26 year old female officer at Waupun Correctional Institution in October 2015. She was transported to the hospital where she was treated and released. In 1998, Kimble was convicted on charges that included multiple counts of sexual assault with a dangerous weapon, burglary armed with a dangerous weapon, and substantial battery.

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Gov. Scott Walker says the U.S. Small Business Administration will make low-interest disaster loans available for people and businesses in western Wisconsin affected by flash flooding in September. The SBA lists Vernon County, along with the contiguous counties of Crawford, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland and Sauk. Allamakee County in Iowa and Houston County in Minnesota also are listed. President Barack Obama late last month declared a federal disaster in 10 western Wisconsin counties hit by torrential rains, opening the door for federal aid to help cover the cost of more than $11 million in damage to roads and public infrastructure. But that aid is not for private businesses or homeowners. Under the SBA program, homeowners can get loans of up to $200,000 and business owners up to $2 million.

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A Clyman man is convicted of reckless homicide for driving around with the body of a woman who overdosed on heroin before seeking help. Twenty-nine year old Gabriel Joseph Brandl pleaded no contest Tuesday to a charge of first degree reckless homicide in Dodge County Circuit Court. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for January 20th. According to a criminal complaint, a detective was called to Watertown Regional Medical Center May 31st to investigate the death of 41-year-old Holly Nehls, who had overdosed on heroin. Brandl and the woman were at Clyman Park the day before and bought heroin from their dealer. A criminal complaint alleges that Brandl helped Nehls inject herself with the heroin. Nehls passed out, and Brandl says he later realized while driving around with her that she was dead. He brought her body to the hospital about 10 hours later. The alleged drug dealer, 49 year old Terence Jannke of Watertown, is also facing charges that include first degree reckless homicide stemming from Nehls’ death.

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With less than one week until election day, the Marquette University Law School Poll shows Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton holding a 6 point lead over Republican Donald Trump in the Badger State. The poll shows Clinton with 46 percent support among likely voters to Trump’s 40 percent. Those results are close to October’s polling figures which showed Clinton with a 7-point lead. In what’s shaping up to be a dramatic fight to the finish, the U.S. Senate race is neck-and-neck. Among likely voters, Democrat Russ Feingold has 45 percent support and Republican Ron Johnson has 44 percent support. In October, it was Feingold 46 percent and Johnson 44 percent.

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