Hometown Broadcasting News Thursday 1/16/20
16 January 2020 News
Ripon Common Council Refers Columbarium Request Back To Committee
The Ripon Common Council this week referred a request to consider locating a columbarium in one of the city’s cemeteries back to the Public Works Committee. A columbarium is an above ground structure made of granite with small spaces for placing cremated remains in urns. Kristy Sadlon, owner of Divine Passage Funeral Home, told the Council Tuesday night that the cremation rate is rising rapidly and cities like Fond du Lac and Oshkosh have the units. The committee will look at costs, fee structures, insurance and other issues related to a columbarium. A columbarium could generate revenue for the city.
Retraining Grants Can Help Laid Off Workers
The Fox Valley Workforce Development Board says employees laid off by Pier One Imports in Fond du Lac and from seasonal retail jobs are eligible for thousands of dollars in retraining and support. The Board is the administrator for a National Dislocated Retail Grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. The grant offers up to $15,000 in retraining and $15,000 in support-including mileage, books, child care, and payments to cover mortgage or rent while taking classes. More information is available online at foxvalleyjobcenters.com or by calling 920-968-6373. The Fox Valley Workforce Development Board is based in Neenah, and serves Calumet, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Waupaca, Waushara and Winnebago counties.
State Representatives Call For DPI Audit
State Representatives John Nygren of Marinette and Jeremy Thiesfeldt of Fond du Lac are calling for an audit of the state’s Department of Public Instruction. Both are concerned about the decline in reading scores for students despite a nearly $3 billion increase in funding since 2012 for the DPI’s budget. Thiesfeldt says, “Recent Forward Exam results show that 60 percent of Wisconsin students cannot read or write at grade level.” He says taxpayers and students deserve better. The Legislative Audit Bureau would conduct the audit. Nygren is Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Finance and Thiesfeldt Chair of the Assembly Education Committee.
Vaping Dangers
The Tobacco Prevention and Control Coordinator for the Fond du Lac County Health Department says adding to the unknowns of vaping is what others are adding to the liquid cartridges. Sandy Bernier says marijuana and other ingredients are being mixed in with the liquid nicotine. “Pretty much anything you can melt down on a spoon you can put in these devices so that’s some of the severe lung issues that we’ve seen, but some of those were nicotine and marijuana and some of them were just nicotine.” She says the only requirement for electronic cigarettes at this point is to warn the product contains nicotine and nicotine is addictive. Bernier says if you buy the product from someone off the street you have no way of knowing what else might be in them.
ADVOCAP Foster Grandparenting Program
ADVOCAP has opportunities for senior citizens through their Foster Grandparents and other volunteering programs. Bridget Bestor is a volunteer development specialist for ADVOCAP, which serves Fond du Lac, Green Lake and Winnebago counties. One of the opportunities is tutoring and mentoring in local schools. Bestor says experience is not necessary, enthusiasm makes up for a lot. “It’s a little bit of mentoring it’s about that positive role model that’s in there believing in the students and there is someone next to them that says, hey you can do this I know you can do this and I’m here to help you that’s pretty much who we are.” She says Foster Grandparents are volunteering nearly 800 hours a week in public schools including head start programs at Prairieview and programs in Green Lake and Ripon. She invites those who would like to know more about their volunteering programs to call (920) 922-7760 and ask for a volunteer development specialist like herself.
Evening Of Wine And Chocolate
The Agnesian HealthCare Foundation will host the annual Evening of Chocolate & Wine fund-raising event at the Rock River Country Club in Waupun on Friday, January 31st. The event features chocolates, wine, beer, hors d’oeuvre buffet, live music, a silent auction, and an auction drawing. Tickets are $50 per person. Call (920) 926-4971 to reserve your spot or you can register online. Proceeds are used local to support services at Waupun Memorial Hospital.
Share |