Hometown Broadcasting News Thursday 3/18/21
18 March 2021 News
Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy Cleared In Fatal Shooting
Washington County District Attorney Mark Bensen has cleared a Sheriff’s deputy in the fatal shooting of a West Bend man last month in the Town of Kewaskum. Bensen felt the deputy’s actions were justifiable given that 30-year-old Nicholas Pingel had shot and killed two men and gone on a crime spree that included assault, a home invasion and stealing a vehicle and attempting to take another. Bensen determined the deputy was acting within the scope of the law by protecting himself and others when he used deadly force. Bensen’s conclusions followed an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigations into the shooting on February 3rd in the 8100 block of Forest View Road.
Stabbing In Calumet County
Calumet County Sheriff’s officials say two people are in custody for the stabbing of a Columbia County man. The victim had met someone on line he thought was a woman and agreed to meet her at a rural farm site in Calumet County. When he arrived he was taken at gunpoint into the suspects’ vehicle and was stabbed. He was then driven to a residence in the Village of Hilbert where he was held until deputies arrived at the urging of a concerned party. The victim was taken to ThedaCare Regional Medical Center in Neenah to be treated for a knife wound, which was not believed to be life threatening. Meanwhile one of the suspects; 30-year-old Juan Pablo Cruz was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant and a second suspect was taken into custody in the Town of Brillion.
FDL County Board Approves Offer To Purchase Agreement
The Fond du Lac County Board Tuesday night approved an offer to purchase agreement with Rademann Development LLC for the purchase of property at 848 South Military Road in the City of Fond du Lac to relocate the County’s Land and Water Conservation Department. The $1 million plus agreement will pay for an existing building and renovations to the property. The County Board’s Finance and Highway, Airport and Facilities Committees both recommended approval of the agreement.
Unemployment Rates Rise In January
Unemployment rates increased in Wisconsin in January. According to Federal Labor statistics Winnebago County’s rate rose to 3.7 percent, Fond du Lac County’s was 3.8 percent, 4 percent of Dodge County labor force was unemployed, and Waupaca County’s jobless rate was 4.3 percent. Other area counties had rates higher than 5 percent including Waushara County at 5.4 percent, Green Lake County at 5.6 percent, and Marquette County at 6.1 percent. The city of Oshkosh had an unemployment rate of 3.8 percent and Fond du Lac’s rate was 4.1 percent.
Guarding Against A Resurgence
Ripon Community COVID-19 Task Force member Jeff Puhlmann-Becker says we are too close now to closing the gap and ending the pandemic to let down our guard. He notes some neighboring states have seen resurgences in cases because people tired of the restrictions have thrown caution to the wind. “The risk is significant and there certainly are states that are seeing to see problems a resurgence both Michigan and Minnesota are starting to see a resurgence, and there are a couple places on the East Coast.” Puhlmann-Becker says after a year of restrictions with improving data everyone has hope, but shouldn’t end their vigilance just yet.
Some Areas Of FDL County Tricky For Internet Providers
The president and CEO of Envision Greater Fond du Lac says some areas of the county are hard for internet providers to serve because of their terrain. Sadie Parafiniuk says the southeast corner of the county is a good example of that. “So for example in the southeast corner of the county down by the Kettle Moraine area that is a really rocky ground so to dig, to lay down cable is extremely expensive.” She says the area is also hilly with forests and trees, which makes line of site internet connections extremely difficult. County residents are invited to take a survey at Envision’s website about their internet access and service.
Ripon Senior Center Reopening A Ways Off
Ripon Senior Activity Center Executive Director Noreen Johnson says with more people having gotten the regimen of shots for the COVID-19 vaccine they’ve received more inquiries about when the center may reopen again. She says that is still a ways off and when they do reopen it will be in consultation with the Fond du Lac County Health Department. But spring and summer means a few more outdoors type activities will be offered. “We will be doing the same thing as last summer in April we will be opening up for walking group-it’s outside and then we will be opening up for tone and stretch over at Murray Park in the park.” She says once they do reopen they won’t require center visitors to tell them whether or not they’ve gotten the vaccine.
Oshkosh State Of The City Presentation
The annual Oshkosh State of the City Address and Awards Program will happen in a virtual format next Monday night at 7 pm. The event, which will include the presentation of Community Partnership Awards, Citizen Service Awards, the Environmental Leadership Award, and Neighborhood Association Volunteerism Recognition will be on multiple media platforms including several TV outlets. It will begin with City Manager Mark Rohloff delivering the State of the City Address. The video presentation will debut and be posted as an event on Oshkosh Media Facebook page at 7 pm next Monday night. It will be posted later on the Oshkosh Media YouTube channel.
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