Hometown Broadcasting News Wednesday 8/26/20
26 August 2020 News
FDL County Back To Phase One Of Safe Restart Plan
(Fond du Lac County Safe Restart Dashboard)
Ninety-five new COVID-19 cases over the weekend coupled with a higher percentage of overall tests coming back positive has prompted Fond du Lac County to return to Phase 1 of its three phase safe restart program. County Public Health Officer Kim Mueller says they are asking businesses to follow County Health, CDC, and WEDC recommendations for the pandemic. She says they would also like to see social gatherings indoors limited to 10 or less people and non-essential businesses such as bars and restaurants limit business to 25 percent of their capacity. Mueller says they know what they are asking isn’t easy. “Health Department wants you to know that we do recognize all of the challenges that you have been faced with, but we need to now plead with each and every one of you to do your part during this pandemic.” She says when they are doing contact tracing investigations they are recognizing common themes like vendors holding large gatherings, social gatherings such as picnic and birthday parties, lack of wearing face coverings or masks, and people not staying home when they are sick.
Bond Set For Church Burglary Suspect
Bond was set at $3,500 cash Monday for a 26-year-old Waupaca man suspected of burglary and vandalism at the Waushara Community Church in Marion. Nathan Kozlowski was in Waushara County court for a bail/bond hearing. He will make his initial court appearance on burglary and criminal damage charges on September 4th. According to the criminal complaint derogatory slurs against law enforcement and religion were spray-painted throughout the building. Also, file cabinets were opened, doors were damaged, and rooms were ransacked during the August 17th break-in. Kozlowski was identified through surveillance photos.
Oshkosh Battery Incident Now A Murder
Three people are facing possible charges in the death of a 57-year-old man that was taken to a local hospital following an altercation in the 800 block of Mallard Avenue in Oshkosh last Friday night. Oshkosh Police say Jerome Wallin died Tuesday morning from the injuries he suffered during the disturbance. Police were originally looking at charging a 34-year-old man for substantial battery. In addition charges of battery and disorderly conduct were referred to the Winnebago County District Attorney’s Office against a 57-year-old man and 54-year-old woman respectively. Police were dispatched to the residence shortly after 8 pm last Friday evening.
Health Survey Firearms Questions
Fond du Lac County Health Department officials say there is nothing out of the ordinary about questions concerning the keeping of firearms in a community health survey being circulated throughout the county. Some residents feel the questions overstep second amendment rights. The questions ask if firearms being kept on a person’s property, if they are loaded and whether loaded firearms are secured or locked up. The same questions were asked in previous surveys in 2005, 2008, and 2014. One of the reasons the questions were included in the survey is due to concern of injury, violence, and mental health. Firearms are used in over half of all suicide deaths in Fond du Lac County.
Congressman Grothman On Post Office Spending Bill
Congressman Glenn Grothman is hoping the U.S. Senate will vote down the bill the House passed last Saturday that authorizes $25 billion for the U.S. Postal Service to handle mail-in ballots for the November 3rd election. Grothman’s House Oversight and Reform Committee held a hearing Monday in which they questioned U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. DeJoy told Grothman’s committee that the Post Office has plenty of operating capital to get through the election. Grothman says the Post Office already has access to $24 billion if they need it. “I have always been a fan of the post office. However like any other government agency if they right now have access to $24 billion and the U.S. Government is broke I am not going to vote for a bill that gives them an additional $25 billion. That seems a little bit inappropriate.” Grothman says the number of absentee ballots in the mail is expected to increase the volume of mail in the month leading up to the election by about 2 percent.
From Incarcerated To Employment
A free virtual panel discussion entitled Moving From Felony Incarceration to Employment will be held Tuesday, September 22nd from 8 to 9:30 am. Envision Greater Fond du Lac President and CEO Sadie Parafiniuk says even with an 11 percent unemployment rate due to COVID-19 area employers are having a difficult time finding workers. She says prisons in the area are a potential resource for employers. The panel discussion is for the benefit of those employers. She notes released inmates are less likely to reoffend if they have steady employment. “What we also know from statistics and research is that if a formerly incarcerated person can find employment within six months to a year of their release their rates of recidivism just drop drastically.” The discussion will be held via the ZOOM platform. Registration can be handled online. In addition to Envision, Moraine Park Technical Colege and the Community Corrections Employment Program are partnering on the discussion for employers.
Team Of Bow Hunters Gets Approval For Urban Deer Hunt In Ripon
The Ripon Common Council Monday unanimously approved another year of urban deer hunting for “Team Ripon.” During the past 13 years the team of bow hunters has removed 176 deer, including 11 in 2019. One of the reasons for the low harvest total last year was because of the DNR’s 2-year baiting ban required when a captive deer tested positive for CWD in an adjacent county. Meanwhile deer damage complaints have been up this year. City Attorney Lud Wurtz told the Council the team works with private property owners and it has worked well over the years. City Administrator Lori Rich said any residents who need the team to work with them should contact her.
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