Hometown Broadcasting News Friday 7/16/21
16 July 2021 News
Ripon Senior Center Trailhead Project
The Ripon Common Council this week made some decisions regarding the Senior Center Trailhead Building Project in Murray Park. City Administrator Adam Sonntag informed the Council they needed to make decisions regarding location, preliminary design, budget, and project scope so they could stick to the timeline in applying for a Community Development Block Grant for the project. Sonntag recommended Location C, one of three options for the project. He said it would involve moving the Disc Golf Course, but most other community groups favored that particular option. Sonntag says there will be a priority on getting the building built with other alternatives becoming a sort of master plan for the park. The estimated cost of the project is just north of $2 million with an overall estimated cost for the project at $2.27 million. Ripon Senior Activity Center Executive Director Noreen Johnson told the Council they ae looking for a place the whole community can use and that visitors will remember when they think about Ripon.
John Lewis Tribute In Ripon
The League of Women Voters of the Ripon area will hold a candle lighting memorial in recognition and remembrance of the fight John Lewis led from the 1960s through his death in 2020. It is at 8:30 tomorrow night on the Rotary Square in the 100 block of Watson Street in Ripon. It will begin with a prayer at 8:30 pm. There will also be the lighting of candles and perhaps a song or two. Leagues from around Wisconsin will remember Congressman Lewis for his principled fight to expand voting rights to all registered United States citizens. His message is the same as the League; to have educated voters and welcome all United States citizens to exercise their right to vote.
Small Dog Rescued From FDL River
Fond du Lac firefighters rescued a small dog at risk of drowning in the Fond du Lac River Thursday morning. Rescue 471 crew got a call about the dog that fallen in the river in the area of Forest Avenue and Macy Street at 7:15 am. They were able to safely rescue the dog, which was later returned to his owner.
New Principal For Oshkosh School
The Oshkosh School Board this week voted unanimously to approve the appointment of Kristi Levy as the principal of the District’s new middle school, which is expected to open in the fall of 2023. She will serve as principal of Merrill Middle School for the upcoming school year and until the new middle school opens. Levy had been serving as principal of Washington Elementary School. She has experience at all three levels, having taught at Oshkosh North High School, South Park Middle School and Oshkosh West High School.
COVID Vaccine Available For Visitors At Some State Prison Facilities
The state’s Department of Corrections is offering free COVID-19 vaccination to those visiting loved ones at some state correctional facilities. In-person visitation resumed at DOC institutions on July 6th for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the suspension of in-person visits and other operations in March of 2020. Doses are being offered to vaccine-eligible people coming for an in-person visit at six DOC facilities: Fox Lake Correctional Institution, Green Bay Correctional, Kettle Moraine Correctional, Racine Youthful Offender Correctional Facility, Stanley Correctional and Taycheedah Correctional. Since resuming in-person visits this week, most DOC institutions report visitation running at about 50 to 75 percent capacity, with some higher.
Inflation Concerns
Congressman Glenn Grothman had expressed concern when COVID-19 stimulus money was being approved that it would create inflation. Now prices for food, gas, housing, lumber, vehicles and more are increasing. Grothman says “You look at the cost of housing, you look at the cost of food, you look at the cost of energy everything is going up. When you print up that many trillions of dollars which the fed does and that’ s how we are paying for these programs it is going to result in inflation which is a horrible tax.” The federal lawmaker from Glenbeulah says some prices will be going down, but true indicators are housing and energy costs, which may take some time to come down. He says it would help if we weren’t paying people not to work.
Return Of Face Masks
A member of the Ripon Community COVID-19 Task Force says he wouldn’t be surprised to see more places requiring the use of face masks or facial coverings once again. Jeff Puhlmann-Becker says with the Delta variant spreading and vaccinations against COVID-19 tailing off they are a couple key components in what could lead to more health restrictions once again. He also feels the virus will be able to spread once again when the fall and winter comes and we are stuck inside for more time. “It’s coming back into our communities now at the rate that it is what is going to happen when we get to the fall when we start closing windows and doors and we spend more time inside with each other and we’re in closer quarters because all of our kids go back to school.” Puhlmann-Becker says going back to masks in the fall might be a wise move. The Boys and Girls Club of the Tri-County Area have returned to requiring masks for all youth and staff saying they had misinterpreted some of the guidance they got from the Green Lake County Health Department regarding masking requirements for their summer programming.
Spotting Signs Of Mental Health Issues
The Director of Outpatient Behavioral Health for Agnesian HealthCare says anxiety and suicides increased during the pandemic. Dr. Matthew Doll says there are signs that someone may be having mental health issues that are apparent. “Some significant changes in functioning unusual responses to things, chronic irritability, loss of interest in usual activities, increased substance use any kinds of signs of violence verbal or physical aggression.” He says it is a little more difficult to spot issues if a person is withdrawn. Dr. Doll says you should never feel bad about asking someone if they are considering harming themselves because they want to talk about it and it could be the thing they need to get them to seek help. He says mental health is just another way of taking care of yourself.
Berlin Woman Selected As Dole Caregiver
The Elizabeth Dole Foundation this week announced Chris Hahn of Berlin will join is 2021 class of Dole Caregiver Fellows-eleven military and veteran caregivers who have been carefully selected from across the country to represent those Americans caring for a wounded, ill, or injured service member or veteran at home. As a Dole Caregiver Fellow, Hahn will serve as a leader, community organizer, and advocate for military caregivers in their states and nationwide. Hahn serves as a caregiver for her daughter Angie who fell and hit her head leading to complications during her military service.
Christine Hahn – Hidden Heroes
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