Hometown Broadcasting News Wednesday 12/15/21
15 December 2021 News
FDL Arson Suspect Trying To Earn A Shortcut To Heaven
The 40-year-old Fond du Lac man suspected of setting his home on fire last week waited around to tell the first police officer on the scene that he had done it. According to the criminal complaint Nathaneal Hankerson later told a Fond du Lac police detective the reason was he wanted to let go of his earthly possessions and burning his house down would give him a shortcut to heaven. Hankerson lived in the home at 302 North Macy Street with his wife and children. No one was harmed during the fire. Hankerson said he started the fire with a 2 ½ gallon can of gas, lighter and lit rag in the kitchen and adjoining dining room. The blaze destroyed the kitchen and the rest of the home was significantly damaged by heat and smoke. Hankerson is being held in the Fond du Lac County Jail on a $75,000 cash bond and has a preliminary hearing on Friday.
Ripon Common Council Notes
The Ripon Common Council last night approved releasing the bids for the Senior Center/Trailhead project in Murray Park. The Council was informed that the cost of the building is estimated at $1.6 million and the overall cost of the project $1.96 million. The Council unanimously approved releasing the bidding. Bids will be opened on February 1st and the Council will approve the bids at a meeting that month. The Council also approved the hiring of Amanda Toney as Finance Director and Assistant City Administrator. She was one of 8 or 9 applicants and four that were interviewed for the position. She is currently the Green Lake County Treasurer and Real Property Lister.
Omro School Closed Due To Water Main Break
An elementary school in Omro is closed today due to a water main break. Omro School District officials say classes at H.B. Patch Elementary School have been cancelled due to the water main break. The break only affects H.B. Patch, and all other schools will follow a normal schedule. It’s not known whether classes at H.B. Patch will resume on Thursday.
State Representative Dallman Tours ThedaCare Medical Center Berlin
State Representative Alex Dallman recently toured and visited ThedaCare Medical Center in Berlin. The center had some expansions added this past spring and the state lawmaker from Green Lake was able to see the new emergency services such as a better location of the staff workstation, access to telehealth, larger trauma room, and a decontamination room for chemical accidents. Dallman says, “This is exactly what Berlin and the surrounding communities in my district need for hospitality care. I was surprised at all of the services that this local, rural hospital offers.” He adds that he learned the hospital is the closest one for approximately 60,000 people in the area.
A Couple Of Good Years For Envision Greater FDL
The president and CEO of Envision Greater Fond du Lac says 2021 may have been their best year yet, but in some ways they had a better year in 2020. Sadie Parafiniuk says 2020 allowed them to really show their value and even during the height of the pandemic they remained open providing needed updates to the businesses they serve. They were also able to provide grants and loans to businesses that were suffering because of the coronavirus. She says by comparison they continued to grow in 2021 adding over $40,000 in memberships and kept their business retention rate above 90 percent.
COVID Holiday Game Plan
The emergency department nurse manager for Ripon Community Hospital recommends playing it safe this Christmas season by getting vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus. Ashley Kolberg also suggests limiting gatherings to small groups. The SSM Health employee says other recommended precautions should also apply if you are unsure of the vaccination status of your guests such as wearing masks, washing your hands and social distancing but sharing dinner is a risk you shouldn’t take. Kolberg says if everyone is vaccinated against the coronavirus it is safe to unmask.
Beware Of Credit Card Scams
The administrator for the state’s Division of Trade and Consumer Protection advises holiday shoppers to make sure the gift cards they purchase aren’t tampered with and aren’t being used to pay off debts. Lara Sutherlin says gift cards are meant to be a gift. She recommends reading the terms and inspecting the packaging to make sure they haven’t been altered. She says the Federal Trade Commission came out with a report about just how prevalent gift card fraud is. During the first 9 months of this year 40,000 people reported losing $148 million to gift card scams. Sutherlin says many more probably didn’t report being scammed because they were too embarrassed or figured the money was gone anyway. The most popular gift cards subject to scams were Target, Google Pay, Apple, Ebay, Walmart and pre-paid credit cards.
FDL County Office Closings For The Holidays
Fond du Lac County offices in the Fond du Lac City/County Government Center and the Sheriff’s lobby/records office will be closed all day Friday, December 24th. County offices will close at noon on Friday, December 31st and the Sheriff’s lobby/records office at 11 am that day. The Department of Community Programs, Department of Social Services and the Veterans Services Office will be closed all day on December 24th and December 31st. The Highway Department will be closed all day on December 31st. The Moraine Lakes Consortium call center will be closed all day on December 24th and December 31st.
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