3/15/22 Hometown Broadcasting News Tuesday
15 March 2022 News
FDL County Board Considers Funding For Boys And Girls Club In Ripon
The Fond du Lac County Board tonight will act on a trio of resolutions each for $500,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act funds the county received. One resolution provides funding for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Fond du Lac County for the construction and development of a homeless shelter known as the St. Katharine Drexel Shelter in Fond du Lac. The second resolution would provide funding to Moraine Park Technical College for the construction and development of an Automation, Innovation, and Robotics Center at the college campus in Fond du Lac. The third resolution would provide funding to the Boys & Girls Club of the Tri-County Area for construction and development of a new center in Ripon. The Board meets at 6 pm in the legislative chambers of the City-County Government Center in Fond du Lac.
Lawsuit Against Dodge County Sheriff And DA Dismissed
A Federal judge in Milwaukee last Friday dismissed all claims made against Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt, the Dodge County District Attorney and various federal agencies made by Selepri Amachree in an immigration lawsuit originally filed in the Northern District of Illinois in June of 2018. Amachree was unable to support any claims against Dodge County or Sheriff Schmidt. The District Court held that “In this case, the question is not whether the law permits dismissal, but rather on which of the many available grounds.” Sheriff Schmidt says he takes his responsibility to protect those who are confined in the county jail seriously as was done in this case. According to the suit, Amachree, an African immigrant, has lived in the U.S. for 50 years. He was taken into custody on February 27th, 2017 at the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office in Juneau. His detention was related to an order to deport him as part of a drug conviction. Amachree spent six months in jail until he was released.
Ripon Traffic Safety Changes
Drivers in Ripon will see some changes at several intersections relating to safety and traffic signals. The Yield signs for the right turn lanes at Union Street/Oshkosh Street at West Fond du Lac Street have been replaced by Stop signs. Those same changes are also happening on East Oshkosh Street and Douglas Street requiring a stop before making a right turn. The city recently saw two significant traffic accidents in less than a day at the intersection of East Fond du Lac Street and Douglas Street.
Ripon Common Council Candidates Forum
The League of Women Voters of the Ripon Area will host a candidate forum for all six candidates for Ripon Common Council on Thursday, March 24th at 7 pm in the Council Chambers of the Ripon City Hall. The forum is open to the public. Masks are optional. Candidates participating in the forum include Ellen Sorensen and Jonathan Gatzke who are running unopposed in Districts 1 and 2 respectively. Incumbent Howard Hansen is being challenged by Annette Klein in District 3 and District 4 candidates are Mike Boscaljon and Doug Iverson. The event will be broadcast live on Channel 986 on the Spectrum cable service and YouTube.com/ripon and is being taped on the Ripon Cable Channel. Questions can be submitted via email to lwvriponarea@gmail.com or by mailing them to League of Women Voters of the Ripon Area, P.O.Box 5, Ripon, WI 54971.
Street Construction Delayed In Oshkosh
Two sections of High Avenue between Osceola Street and Vine Avenue in Oshkosh will be closed to thru traffic starting Wednesday for sanitary, water main, and storm sewer construction. Algoma Boulevard from Osceola Street and West New York Avenue will temporarily have two-way traffic for access during the closure. This phase of construction is anticipated to last about three weeks. The closure is required to complete the work within the road right-of-way in a safe manner for both the City’s contractor’s employees and the traveling public. Signs have been posted in advance of the closure to notify motorists of the roadway closure. Construction was supposed to start Monday but there were delays.
Ground Will Be Broken For Ripon Senior Center Today
A groundbreaking will be held at noon today at Elizabeth Murray Park in Ripon for the Grace and Lloyd Mitchell Senior Activity Center and Trailhead Project. Senior Center Executive Director Noreen Johnson says she’s excited they’ve reached this point in the $2.5 million project. The center is targeted for an October 31st completion. She says they hope to have the new center open for a Christmas Party in December. The City is using a number of funding sources to pay for the project including Community Development Block Grants, the donation from the Grace and Lloyd Mitchell estate and money from the American Rescue Plan Act funds the City received. The public is invited to the groundbreaking. Cookies will be served.
Adapting To COVID
There have been some difficult lessons during the pandemic, but a member of the Ripon Community COVID-19 Task Force says it also taught us how resourceful we can be. Jeff Puhlmann-Becker says we learned that if you have been vaccinated and gotten a booster for the coronavirus it’s likely you will only suffer minor symptoms if you contract the virus. Former President Barack Obama tested positive over the weekend but reported only having a scratchy throat. He and his wife Michelle both got the vaccine and booster. Puhlmann-Becker says some of the ways we adapted to the virus included virtual learning and conferencing, getting home deliveries for groceries and other services, and it taught us how important that in-person connection is with people we care about.
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