News 06.23.17
23 June 2017 News
The Fond du Lac Animal Shelter manager describes the inside of an elderly Waupun woman’s home a “biological nightmare.” The Fond du Lac Street home was condemned last week after police found the inside strewn with garbage and cat feces and urine. Fond du Lac animal shelter manager Renee Webb wore a hazmat suit and entered the home to see if they could find any pets. Webb says at least 16 cats, including seven kittens were recovered and taken to the Waupun animal shelter. The woman was removed from the home and taken to the hospital to be treated for what were described as medical issues. Webb says while this type of situation is rare, it has happened before in Fond du Lac county.
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The Appleton Police Department’s new method of dealing with job stress has four legs and a lot of fur. Chief Todd Thomas says the main assignment of the latest recruit — a three-month-old Goldendoodle named Blue — is to lift the spirits of his department’s employees. Thomas says right now Blue is a rookie and needs training and certification. Blue attended his first class at the Fox Valley Humane Association on Wednesday. Once he’s ready, Blue can also be used in the community. Thomas says officers may take him to schools, to hospitals and to situations where child may be dealing with trauma. The chief and his family are Blue’s hosts, so there’s no cost to taxpayers.
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A fire department captain says a 14-year-old girl is lucky to be alive after she fell 40 feet from a cliff onto a rocky area below. It happened Wednesday at High Cliff State Park near Sherwood in Calumet County. Harrison town fire captain Mark Gackenheimer says the teen was conscious when speaking with rescuers and officials at a Neenah hospital say she was in good condition at last word. Gackenheimer says the teen and her mountain bike were on a splinter from a trail that goes to the edge of the cliff, which was soft due to recent rains — and he says others have died while falling from lesser heights.
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Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield is pulling out of the federal health care exchange in Wisconsin. Anthem blames a volatile market for its exit from the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Anthem spokesman Jeff Blunt says making pricing plans is increasingly difficult because of a shrinking and deteriorating individual market. Anthem also cites “continual changes and uncertainty in federal operations, rules and guidance.” The insurance carrier offered plans mainly in northern and eastern Wisconsin. Those who currently have individual or family plans will have coverage through December 31. Blunt says Anthem will offer only one off-exchange medical plan in Menominee County next year.
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The Republican-controlled state Assembly passes a bill designed to prohibit people with pre-existing health conditions from being excluded from health insurance coverage. Republicans brought the issue up after midnight on Thursday. It was not scheduled for debate and there was no notice that the Assembly planned to take up the issue. It passed on a 62-35 party line vote at 1:17 a.m. Thursday.The bill prohibits an individual health insurance policy from reducing or denying a claim due to a pre-existing condition. It also calls for the state insurance commissioner to propose a plan to assist people with pre-existing conditions in maintaining or buying coverage. Democrats objected, saying Republicans should have voted on their proposal to prohibit insurance companies from imposing lifetime limits on coverage.
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