Hometown Broadcasting News Wednesday 12/1/21
1 December 2021 News
Fatal Calumet County Accident
Calumet County Sheriff’s officials have released the names of those involved in a fatal traffic crash Sunday night on Highway 57 at Man Cal Road. Fifty-year-old Alex De Tennis of De Pere was driving an SUV east on Man Cal Road and failed to stop at a stop sign hitting an SUV that was heading south on Highway 57. De Tennis died at the scene. Three women in the southbound SUV were taken to a hospital. They were identified as Kimberly Larson and Mary Jo Otten, both of Kewaskum, and Nancy Schlosser of West Bend. The accident in the Town of Brillion occurred about 7:25 pm Sunday evening.
Second Person Charged With Voter Fraud In FDL County
Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney announced Tuesday that a second man has been charged with voter fraud in the November 3rd, 2020 election. Forty-year-old Anthony Van Egtern of Campbellsport will make his initial court appearance on the election fraud charge next Tuesday. Toney says these prosecutions are not indicative that the election was stolen but elections are the cornerstone of our democracy and the integrity of our electoral process must be protected at every turn. Van Egtern had been disqualified from legally voting at the time because he was on probation. He voted at the Taycheedah Town Hall. If convicted of the Class I felony, he faces up to 3 years and 6 months in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000.
FDL County Judge Grimm Retiring
After 31 years on the bench longtime Fond du Lac County Circuit Court Judge Peter Grimm has announced his retirement. Judge Grimm will retire at the end of his current term which runs through next July. In addition to his judicial career he spent 6 years as District Attorney and as an Assistant State Public Defender. Judge Grimm issued a statement Monday which states in part, “It has been an honor to serve the public, litigants, jurors, and attorneys in my courtroom.” He says he strove to handle each case fairly and respectfully. Former Governor Tommy Thompson appointed Grimm to the bench in 1991 and he was elected in 1992 and for subsequent terms.
Dallman Bill Fights Organized Retail Crime
State Representative Alex Dallman introduced a bill, which would establish different requirements related to third-party sellers and online marketplaces through which they sell consumer products. The legislation would require that online marketplaces, such as Amazon, verify that their high-volume third party sellers are legitimate businesses. The state lawmaker from Green Lake says, “This legislation would ensure protection to Wisconsin consumers by giving comfort when they buy goods online, that these online purchases are from reputable businesses and sellers, not criminals.” He adds that businesses like Amazon are currently making massive profits off organized retail criminals selling stolen and counterfeit goods on their platforms. The bill needs to be introduced to a committee and then scheduled for a public hearing.
Interstate 41 Repairs
The state’s Department of Transportation tells us maintenance crews will be repairing pavement on Interstate 41 in Fond du Lac County the next three nights. The work on the southbound and northbound lanes between the Winnebago and Fond du Lac County line and U.S. Highway 151 will be performed nightly from 6 pm to 2 am with a moving lane closure. The work begins tonight and will wrap up early Saturday morning.
Overnight Parking Bans Implemented
Residents are reminded that many communities in Wisconsin have overnight parking bans during the winter months. The City of Markesan implemented their ban this morning which runs from 2 to 6 am daily on city streets. Berlin’s overnight parking ban was implemented Monday. Bans in Fond du Lac, Ripon, and Green Lake started November 15th. Each overnight parking ordinance may differ so you should check out your municipality’s website or give your local police department a call for specifics.
Thankful For COVID Vaccines
A member of the Ripon Community COVID-19 Task Force says COVID vaccines and booster shots positively impacted family gatherings this year. Jeff Puhlmann-Becker says heading into the Thanksgiving holiday was different than a year ago when we didn’t yet have a vaccine for the coronavirus and nobody could have guessed how effective it would be. He says when Pfizer officials were testing their vaccine they had hoped for at best a 60 to 65 percent efficacy rate instead its efficacy rate was a surprising 95 percent. It’s hard to say how the vaccines will stand up against the new Omicron variant, but some countries have implemented travel restrictions which include presenting a negative test before boarding a flight for their country.
Reconciliation Bill
Congressman Glenn Grothman voted against the $1.7 trillion reconciliation bill passed by the House. He didn’t agree with some things included in it like the government taking responsibility for the care of 3 and 4 year old children. He says families should be responsible for raising their own children. He says another provision would allow illegal immigrants to have their college education paid for through Pell grants. The federal lawmaker from Glenbeulah says that seems unfair when American students are competing for grants and scholarships and going thousands of dollars into debt to further their educations. The reconciliation bill is currently in the U.S. Senate whatever they approve would have to go back to the House for approval.
Worker Shortage
The Vice-President for Economic Development for Envision Greater Fond du Lac says when they visit employers the number one topic is the workforce shortage. Jim Cleveland says positions are available at most businesses and companies ranging from entry level to senior management. He says in some cases it is hurting an employer’s growth or expansion efforts. He feels Fond du Lac County has a lot to offer those who choose to live and work in it. Cleveland says the need to attract more workers has led to some outside-of-the-box efforts like the worker relocation incentive program. For more about Envision visit their website or give them a call at 920-921-9500.
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