Hometown Broadcasting News Monday 8/19/19
19 August 2019 News
Truck Driver Found Guilty Of Injuring Twenty-Six
A Columbia County jury recently found an Indianapolis truck driver guilty of injuring 26 people in a collision with a school bus while under the influence of prescription drugs. Forty-three-year-old Wayne Murphy was convicted of five felony counts stemming from the May 23rd, 2018 accident. He was under the influence of the prescription drug Xanax (zan-ex) when his semi-truck smashed into the bus in on Interstate 39 in the Town of Arlington. A pre-sentence investigation was ordered.
More Drugged Drivers On The Road
An official with the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Department says they are seeing more instances of drugged drivers on the roads these days. Lieutenant Eric Halbach says because of that issue there are a number of drug recognition experts throughout the state that law enforcement agencies use. “Actually Wisconsin has 301 drug recognition experts and Fond du Lac County we have three of them within the Sheriff’s Office and there’s others throughout the county also. I know the City of Fond du Lac has some and Waupun also.” Halbach says officers will go through the usual field sobriety and other testing for an impaired driver, but if they suspect the driver is under the influence of drugs they will call in a drug recognition expert. Law enforcement agencies throughout the state are in the midst of the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement effort, which runs through Labor Day.
Active Shooter Presentations
Businesses, churches, and small groups in Ripon can get their own active threat training through the Police Department. Officer Cory Bonack is the Active Threat Coordinator for the department. He says the active threat training at the high school last week was just part of his role. He says he does presentations for businesses, churches, and small groups and can give them some tips on what to do should a real threat ever arise. “A lot of them are looking for updated information as to active shooter response on their end and what they think that police expect of them during an active shooter response and how they should react themselves to keep themselves safe.” Officer Bonack can also go through a facility to look at possible weaknesses and escape routes. Police Chief Bill Wallner says it is good to have a plan because if the real thing ever occurs there is very little time to react. To learn more call the Ripon Police Department at (920) 748-2888.
Highway 23 Meeting In FDL Tonight
The state’s DOT will hold a public involvement meeting in Fond du Lac tonight on the expansion of State Highway 23. The meeting will be about the expansion of the urban stretch of the project from Highway 151 to Seven Hills Road. The expansion will consist of grading, paving, interchanges at County K and County UU, a roundabout at Wisconsin-American Drive, and various local connection roads. The meeting will be held from 5 to 7 pm at the UW-Fond du Lac University Center, in rooms 113/114. There will be a short presentation at the beginning of the meeting, followed by an open-house meeting format. The project is currently scheduled for construction in 2021 and 2022. Overall the state is expanding a 19 mile stretch of State Highway 23 between Fond du Lac and Plymouth and has already begun work on the Sheboygan County side of the project.
Highway 10 Ramp Maintenance Scheduled In Winnebago County
State DOT officials say the eastbound U.S. Highway 10 ramps to southbound and northbound Interstate 41 in Winnebago County will be closed Tuesday from 9 am to 1 pm. That will allow maintenance crews to repair lighting on one ramp and a beamguard on the other. Maintenance is dependent on weather and maintenance crew manpower availability.
FDL County Grant Will Shed Light On Skin Cancer Protection
The Fond du Lac County Health Department has been awarded $10,000 from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to improve environmental public health in the county. The environmental health project will focus on improving local sun safety practices and increasing awareness of the importance of sun protection. Fond du Lac County has the 7th highest rate of melanoma skin cancer out of the state’s 72 counties. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. The main cause of skin cancer is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sunlight. As part of the project, Fond du Lac County Health Department will be working with community partners over the next year to offer free sunscreen at parks, playgrounds, and community pools, encourage businesses with outdoor worksites to offer sunscreen to workers, and implement a public awareness campaign to highlight the importance of being sun safe outdoors and protecting yourself from skin cancer.
Senior Center Rummage Sale
The Ripon Senior Activity Center will be holding a rummage sale this week. The sale will be at the American Legion Post on Friday and Saturday, from 8 am to 6 pm and 8 am to Noon. Items should be dropped off at the Post from Noon to 6 pm on Thursday. Senior Center Director Noreen Johnson says the sales are on a free-will offering basis with money going toward the new building fund. “Pretty much everything in there will be a free-will donation, so they won’t be priced. I think there will be a few larger items that may be priced.” The American Legion will also be holding a brat fry in honor of their 100th anniversary. Anyone who served in military since World War II is now eligible to be a member of the American Legion. If you need assistance getting items down to the Legion call the Senior Center at (920) 748-6225.
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