Hometown Broadcasting News Tuesday 1/12/21
12 January 2021 News
Ripon Dispatch On Common Council Agenda
Following months of consideration the Ripon Common Council tonight will consider whether to consolidate its dispatch services with Fond du Lac County. Council members have heard from both sides of the issue as to whether to keep the city’s dispatch center or transfer its services to Fond du Lac County. Either way the County will be upgrading its hardware for emergency services communications this year and if Ripon decides to keep its dispatch center it would have to pay for the costs itself for costs associated with the upgrade. The consolidation is listed on the Council’s agenda as an action item. The meeting is at 7 pm in the Council Chambers of the City Hall.
Duplex Damaged By Fire In FDL
Firefighters in Fond du Lac put out a fire at duplex Monday morning. The fire found in the second floor ceiling of the home at 220 6th Street is under investigation, but isn’t considered suspicious. Fire Chief Peter O’Leary described the fire saying it caused “moderate damage” to the unit, but left it uninhabitable. No injuries were reported. The time of the fire call was 7:12 am.
COVID 19 Vaccine Rollout
Fond du Lac County Public Health Officer Kim Mueller says they hope to have many people vaccinated against COVID-19 well before they get to the general public by this summer. For now the general population is targeted for vaccination during Phase 2, which occur during the summer and beyond. Mueller says that’s the plan, but everything is tentative based on distribution and availability of the vaccine. “That is what we’re anticipating now, but you know I can tell you if we can get very quick at distributing vaccine we will get there quicker than what this says so this is just tentative.” Right now Phase 1a involves vaccinating health care workers and long-term care staff and residents. There is a Phase 1b, Phase 1c, and finally Phase 2. Frontline essential workers or non-health care workers and those 75-year-old or older would be vaccinated in Phase 1b. That would include firefighters, police officers, corrections officers, postal service workers, grocery store workers, teachers and support staff, child care workers and others. More information about the vaccine rollout is available at the Fond du Lac County website.
Family Terms Deemed Offensive
Congressman Glenn Grothman says he found it offensive the House last week adopted rules to blacklist terms like, “Mother,” “Father,” “Son,” and “Daughter” from use in Congress. He says up to this point, the plot to eradicate the traditional family has been reserved for the fringe left-wing, but that changed with a majority of Americans voting for a party that wants to fundamentally change our country. “That shows that there is a very strong radical influence that was elected in November and we’ve got to look out for them. I mean I was surprised that every Democrat voted for a rule in which we are kind of supposed to consider words like “Father” and “Mother” offensive.” He says while the decision is largely symbolic, it is now the official position of the U.S. House of Representatives that these words are offensive and shall not be used.
Ripon Schools Pleased To Have Michels Back As SRO
Ripon Schools Superintendent Mary Whitrock says they are glad to have Ripon Police Officer Lindsey Michels back as a School Resource Officer. “Yeah we are excited to have her back on board she certainly knows the district and knows are students and staff and it has been a great partner for us.” Michels had previously served as School Resource Officer from 2015 to 2017. Whitrock says one of Michels’ greatest strengths is the proactive things she does to interact with students, get to know families, help them with their trainings especially their emergency and safety trainings and making sure they are prepared no matter what happens. She says Michels will also lead 5th graders in the ACE program.
Agricultural Enterprise Areas Designated In Dodge And Green Lake Counties
The state’s Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection recently designated over 88,000 acres as agricultural enterprise areas or AEAs in Chippewa, Dodge, Dunn, Green Lake, and Outagamie counties. In Green Lake County the designation encompasses 19,725 acres in the towns of St. Marie and Princeton. The goal of that AEA is to support local food production and markets by creating a local brand associated with the AEA for products sold at local stores and farm markets. In Dodge County the AEA is in the Town of Westford covering 18,203. The AEA’s goals are to promote nutrient management planning to reduce sediment and phosphorous runoff to improve local surface water quality of Beaver Creek and Beaver Dam Lake.
Facial Fundraiser Benefits Homeless Shelter Project
Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s deputies used “No Shave November and Double Down December” to grow beards and goatees for a good cause. For a second straight year they paid $50 each to grow the facial hair. This year the St. Katharine Drexel Homeless Shelter will benefit from the funds. The shelter was chosen because homelessness is an issue both patrol and jail deputies see and work with all too often. Organizers for the shelter were presented with a check for $3,600 raised from the growing of beards this winter. The shelter will be built near the St. Vincent de Paul store in Fond du Lac giving the homeless in the community a year round option to help get them back on their feet.
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