Hometown Broadcasting News Wednesday 11/18/20
18 November 2020 News
Ripon Schools Monitoring COVID Situation
Ripon Schools Superintendent Mary Whitrock says it takes a team effort to keep their blend of in-person and virtual learning going in the schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. She says they were averaging about 3 positive cases a week for a while, but that number increased a few weeks ago as the outbreak surged in Wisconsin. “When you do a two-week look back you are looking at 6 to 8 cases and our numbers are a little higher now they are around 11 or 12 over a two week period of positive cases.” She says they do look at each individual case and if it didn’t originate in the schools and there is no spread they are keeping the schools open, but they may send a classroom home or a group of students. She commends parents and families for keeping kids home when they are sick and district staff for being willing to fill in when they have a staff absence due to COVID.
State Prisons Seek Spike In COVID Cases
State Department of Corrections officials say Monday saw the single highest spike in coronavirus cases in the state’s prisons since the pandemic began. The department reported 808 new COVID-19 cases among inmates bringing the number of active cases to 2,063. Six prisons are experiencing major outbreaks of more than 100 active COVID cases among inmates. They include New Lisbon with 362 cases, Fox Lake Correctional with 360, Oshkosh Correctional with 258, Racine Correctional/Sturtevant Transitional Facility with 250, Taycheedah Correctional in Fond du Lac with 140, and Dodge Correctional in Waupun with 135.
Avoiding Law Enforcement Charity Scams
Wisconsin’s Better Business Bureau is urging residents to do their research on a charity before they give especially if it somehow tied in with law enforcement. BBB officials say if you receive calls from a charity supposedly associated with law enforcement containing words like police or trooper it may not be a legitimate charity. The caller explains that the goal of the nonprofit is to help keep police officers, their families or even police dogs safe. Among their recommendations for avoiding such scams is to do your research on the charity, don’t give in to intimidation tactics, and check the charity’s rating on give.org. The BBB recommends if you want to give to law enforcement give locally and check with them on how to do that.
Second Round Of Golden Ticket Give Away
Envision Greater Fond du Lac is holding a second round of their Dine Local Golden Ticket Give Away in partnership with Society Insurance. Envision President and CEO Sadie Parafiniuk says during the first round more than $24,000 in gift cards were purchased with all monies raised going directly to member restaurants and taverns. “We sold over $24,000 in restaurant and tavern gift cards around the county and we way exceeded any goal we dreamed of having.” The second round of the program is underway now and runs through November 25th. Gift cards can be purchased through Envision Greater Fond du Lac’s online order portal. Each card purchased is given an entry into the drawing to win one of two $500 Golden Ticket packages. Gift cards can be picked up from December 7th through the 11th from 8 am to 5 pm at the Envision Greater Fond du Lac office in Fond du Lac.
Hand Pie Give Away At The Ripon Senior Center
It is first come first serve for some hand pies that will be given away today to seniors at the Ripon Senior Activity Center. Center Executive Director Noreen Johnson says they have a limited supply, but have scheduled the giveaway in their parking lot from 11:45 am to 1:15 pm or when the pies run out. “So we ordered hand pies from Mr. & Mrs. P’s are we just giving them away to the seniors so we ordered 85 of them and when they are gone they are gone. It’s individual size so it is easy to eat.” She says in addition to providing a treat for seniors it gives them a chance to remind senior citizens they are thinking about them. It’s a drive-through event so you don’t have to get out of your car. No reservations are necessary.
Winter Weather Awareness
Fond du Lac County Emergency Management Director Bobbi Hicken reminds drivers it won’t be long before winter weather ushers in unpredictable and oftentimes severe conditions. She says with that in mind you should have emergency kits at home and in your vehicle and replace expired or used items. Your kit should include a snow shovel, extra gloves and hats, face masks and kitty litter or sand for traction on icy roads in the event you get stuck. According to the Wisconsin DOT an average of 43 people were killed and 4,138 injured each year between 2015-2019 in crashes on ice or snow-covered roads in Wisconsin. 511 Wisconsin is a great way to check to major roadways throughout the state.
Alice In Dairyland Christmas Tree Cutting
Seventy-third Alice in Dairyland Julia Nunes will mark the start of the 2020 Christmas tree season with a ceremonial tree cutting this morning at 10 am. It will be carried on the Alice in Dairyland Facebook page live. The Evergreen Acres tree farm where the ceremony will be held is located in Walworth County and is owned by Ann and Bob Feucht. The tree farm is closed to the public during the ceremony. The event is held in mid-November each year at a different Wisconsin Christmas tree farm in partnership with the Wisconsin Christmas Tree Producers Association. Nunes will also take Facebook viewers on a virtual tour of the tree farm.
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