![](https://hometownbroadcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Studio-Board-New.jpg)
Hometown Broadcasting News Thursday 1/28/21
28 January 2021 News
Ripon Common Council Approves Applying For Grant For New Senior Center
The Ripon Common Council this week approved two resolutions that would help fund the construction of a Senior Center and Trailhead Facility project in Murray Park. One resolution allows the city to apply for a community development block grant and the other provides a guarantee of matching funds from the city. The city is basically guaranteed $552,000 from the closing of a revolving loan fund and has another nearly $500,000 from the gift from the Mitchell estate. The total cost of the project would be $1,578,000. The city is also hoping to get State Stewardship Fund grant money for the project as well. The City Council unanimously approved both resolutions.
TID Life In Ripon Extended
Tax Increment District 4 in the City of Ripon was granted a one-year extension by the Ripon Common Council this week. Under state law the city is allowed to grant the extension if the revenue from the TID is used to benefit affordable housing and improve the city’s housing stock. City Administrator Lori Rich told the Council that the additional year of life for the TID will allow the city to add $41,000 to the city’s budget. Rich said it will provide homeowners some tax relief. She estimated the owner of a $100,000 home would get about $15.46 in tax relief. She also figured $273,000 would be raised to improve housing in the city.
Baldwin Backs Bill That Would Raise Minimum Wage
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin helped introduce legislation Wednesday that would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2025. The legislation led by Senators Bernie Sanders and Patty Murray would increase the federal minimum wage to $15 in five steps over the next four years. Beginning in 2026, the federal minimum wage would be indexed to median wage growth. According to one independent analysis the bill would increase wages for nearly 32 million Americans. Senator Baldwin says Wisconsin’s economy is strongest when we expand opportunity for everyone.
Unemployment Rates Increase In December
Unemployment rates increased in the state from November to December. Rates for area counties increased from a half percent to nearly 1.5 percent. According to Federal Labor statistics Fond du Lac and Winnebago counties’ jobless rates in December increased to 4.3 percent. Dodge County’s rate was 4.5 percent, Waupaca County’s 5 percent; Waushara County’s unemployment rate was 5.6 percent. Green Lake County’s jobless rate rose to 6 percent and Marquette County’s rate was 6.5 percent. Unemployment rates increased in all 72 of the state’s counties over the month and since December of 2019.
December Local Employment and Unemployment Data Released (wisconsin.gov)
Increasing Availability Of COVID Vaccine Good News
President Joe Biden recently came out with plans to increase the availability of COVID-19 vaccine and speed up the process for getting it to the American public. That includes making 16 percent more vaccine available to states by next week, buying 200 million more doses, and projecting three weeks in advance how many doses states can expect to get so they can take reservations from those who want to be vaccinated. Jeff Puhlmann-Becker of the Ripon Community COVID-19 Task Force says that’s all good news, but the problem still is about delivery. “The challenge as we know and has been since the beginning is the last mile the delivery. Every delivery system works great until you get to that last mile then it gets expensive and cumbersome and trying to get those vaccines from the places where they are stored or distributed into people’s arms is a challenge.” He says other good news this week included the expansion of the list of people eligible to get the vaccine starting March 1st.
National Guard Service Appreciated
Congressman Glenn Grothman says he appreciates the sacrifices members of National Guard had to make to provide security during the inauguration at the U.S. Capitol. The federal lawmaker from Glenbeulah says he spoke with some of them. “I talked to them, nice folks. Most of them had to take 10 to 15 days out of their schedule away from their family away from their regular job. I appreciate them doing it I met with some folks from Wisconsin.” Grothman says some of them were from his 6th Congressional District. In appreciation for the job they did Congressional leadership and the Capitol Visitors Center are allowing members of the National Guard in Washington, DC to tour the inside of the Capitol building. That opportunity only extends through the Friday.
One Hundred Year Old Time Capsule Opened For Horicon School
Officials in the Horicon School District held a ceremony Wednesday morning for a time capsule that was placed in the cornerstone for the Van Brunt Memorial School when it was built in 1921. The school served the district and its students for 100 years until it was sold to a developer. District Administrator Richard Appel unveiled the items that were placed in the time capsule. It included a list of students and staff at the school and signatures of the students. An American Flag with 48 stars. Coins and stamps from the time, a list of living Civil War veterans and American Legion members were also included in the capsule. Five and $20 Confederate bills that were donated were also in the capsule. Copies of the Horicon Reporter detailed a fire that had been at one of the schools and dedication for the school. A time capsule from the high school from 1964 was also found during renovation of the school. The unveiling was held live on the district’s Facebook page.
Air And Road Temperatures Can Vary
A captain with the Town of Ripon Police Department says air and road temperatures play a critical role in whether drivers have to deal with slippery roads during the winter. Howard Stibb says what the temperature gauge in your car shows and the actual road temperature can vary by just a few degrees, but that’s enough to make a difference in road conditions. “It may show 34 or 35 degrees somewhere in there, but that road temperature if that turns out to be 32 or 31 everything that was wet is going to turn to ice.” He says highway departments do their best to keep up, but motorists have to do their part and slow down to try and stay safe on area roads.
Turkey Hunting Success
The DNR says more turkeys were harvested in 2020 than the previous year. Hunters registered 4,600 birds during the fall 2020 wild turkey season, a 21 percent increase compared to the 3,792 turkeys registered during the 2019 fall season. In total, 81,710 harvest authorizations were issued for the 2020 fall season, an increase of 6,935 from 2019. The harvest rate success in 2020 was 5.6 percent, very close to the harvest success rate of 5.1 percent in 2019. DNR officials say in 2020 they saw a large increase in hunting license sales likely due to COVID-19 and an increased public interest in outdoor recreation.
Share |