News 06.22.18
22 June 2018 News
Fond du Lac County Board supervisors this week approve a contract with C.D. Smith Construction to be the construction manager for a new county highway garage that will be built in Fond du Lac. County Executive Al Buechel says the Fond du Lac firm is used to dealing with big projects and the price tag on this one will fall between $23 to $25 million. He says Excel Engineering, a local firm, is the architectural firm, so the money for the project will be spent in Fond du Lac County. The new garage will replace the one the County has been using on Dixie Street since the late 1920’s.
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State legislators in Fond du Lac and Sheboygan counties who have dealt with residents’ pleas to expand State Highway 23 to four lanes between the counties are hoping for a different outcome this time. A previous effort got tied up in a lawsuit, but this try at expanding the 19 mile stretch between Fond du Lac and Plymouth to go to a four-lane expressway is gaining momentum. State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt of Fond du Lac is all to familiar with the injuries and fatalities suffered in accidents along that stretch. He believes this time something will be accomplished to alleviate that. The state’s preferred alternative is a four-lane expressway, but environmental impact statements have to consider other alternatives too. State Senator Duey Stroebel of Cedarburg says other alternatives don’t make much sense. He says, “I’ve seen other situations like that. I think it is comical that we have to throw in all of these alternatives that don’t make a bit of sense at all, but ironically enough it is what you need to do to get Federal dollars for these projects.” The DOT held a public hearing in Fond du Lac this week on the proposed project.
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A group of ham radio operators in the Fond du Lac area will be among 50,000 participating in the annual Field Day exercise this Saturday and Sunday. The Fond du Lac Amateur Radio Club will set up their stations at the UW-Fond du Lac. Dr. Jack Heil is Field Day coordinator. He says they will be making contact with other ham radio operators across the country and the world. It is meant to be an emergency preparedness exercise. Heil says in a real crisis ham operators step in to provide communications, which is vital to finding help for those who need it the most. He invites the public to come and see what it is all about. The exercise will run from 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon to 1 p.m. Sunday. Ham radio operators from Omro, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac and surrounding cities will be participating.
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Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s candidate Ryan Waldschmidt has picked up the endorsement of the incumbent Sheriff in his bid for election. Sheriff Mick Fink has endorsed Sheriff’s Captain Waldschmidt. Fink will retire in January after 37 years with the department. He says, “Ryan possesses a unique skill set that is a blend of common sense and intellect that is glaringly apparent. A combination of both of these skills is very rare. His dedication and energy to make himself the best deputy he can be, has allowed him to achieve a thorough working knowledge of both the jail and law enforcement divisions of the Sheriff’s Office.” Fink says endorsing his successor is not something he takes lightly. Waldschmidt will face Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Norton in the August 14th Republican Primary. The winner is likely to be unopposed in the November General Election.
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Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel isn’t ruling out using school safety grants to cover firearm training for teachers. Schimel made the remarks during a news conference Wednesday. He says firearm training for teachers is a local issue and he’s not aware of any schools signing contracts with teachers to have them go armed in classrooms. Republicans passed legislation earlier this year that lays out $100 million for school safety upgrades and safety training. The measure requires schools to create a safety plan with local police to be eligible to receive the money. The legislation doesn’t require arming teachers, although Schimel has said he would be open to that.
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