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Friday News 4/5/19

5 April 2019 News


Oshkosh Man Found Guilty Of Homicide By Intoxicated Use Of A Vehicle Charges

A Winnebago County jury this week found a 49-year-old Oshkosh man guilty of killing two people in a drunken driving car versus train accident. At the conclusion of the three-day trial the jury found Shawn Schettle guilty of eight charges including homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle. The crash in December of 2017 killed Emily Mueller and Jessica Roby. Schettle fled the scene after the accident. He admitted to police he had smoked marijuana and drank vodka prior to the crash. He will be sentenced on June 21st.

Human Trafficking Bill Gaining Support In State Legislature

State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt of Fond du Lac hopes a bill he authored that would train truckers to spot and report signs of human trafficking will soon become law. He testified before an Assembly committee that unanimously supported it. It would require companies that train new truckers for licensing to offer training on how to spot signs of human trafficking and report it. Thiesfeldt says there are more truck drivers on the road than law enforcement officers. Obviously this is an illegal activity and the places that it occurs the most is along busy thoroughfares such as places where truck drivers frequent.” Human trafficking involves primarily teenage girls being forced into prostitution. It’s been reported in all 72 of Wisconsin’s counties. Thiesfeldt says the Interstate 41 corridor in particular is a busy route for human traffickers.

Ripon Area United Way Campaign

The Ripon Area United Way closed the books on the last campaign at the end of March. Board of Directors President Jeff Puhlmann Becker says they made 80 percent of their goal or $72,543. He says the board met several weeks ago and decided to make up the difference to reach their $90,000 goal. “They agreed as of whatever we had at the end of March, the end of our fiscal year, that we would pull money out of reserves to make up most if not all of the shortfall. That will make a significant dent in reserves-that’s going to use up more than half of the reserves that we have.” United Way donations benefit 21 agencies that serve the community.

Survey Returned In Operational Analysis Of Dodge County Sheriff’s Office

An anonymous survey being used in an effort to audit the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office got a good response. The audit is being done by the California-based Matrix Consulting Group. It’s president Richard Brady says 108 people responded to the survey, including about two-thirds of the Sheriff’s office. Positive response included community relations and teamwork in the office, negatives included low staffing and ineffectiveness of the drug task force. The firm is doing an operational analysis of the Sheriff’s office and their review should be completed by the end of June with a full report to the County Board in August.

Mercury Marine Has A New President

(Chris Drees, Mercury Marine photo)

Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac has a new president. Mercury parent company the Brunswick Corporation announced Thursday that Christopher Drees is succeeding John Pfeifer as president. Drees had been president of parts and accessories at Mercury and has been with the company since 1998. Pfeifer is leaving Mercury to pursue other opportunities, but will stay on a brief time during the transition. Drees promotion took effect immediately.

Pfeifer Moving From Mercury To Oshkosh Corporation

Former Mercury Marine President John Pfeifer is literally moving up the road. While Brunswick Corporation announced Thursday Christopher Drees was succeeding Pfeifer as president, Oshkosh Corporation announced Pfeifer as their new Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. It’s a newly created role and begins May 1st. He will report to Wilson R. Jones, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Christian Home Benefit Concert

The Christian Home & Rehabilitation Center in Waupun will hold its annual spring concert and benefit at 6:30 Saturday evening at the Bethel Christian Reformed Church in Waupun. A freewill offering will benefit the Christian Home & Rehabilitation Center and its resident services and programs. A nearly 105,000-square-foot facility along Highway 68 recently opened as the new home for the Christian Home & Rehabilitation Center. The center supports long-term skilled nursing care, rehabilitation services, memory care and assisted living apartments.


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