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  • 8/25/22 Hometown Broadcasting News Thursday

8/25/22 Hometown Broadcasting News Thursday

25 August 2022 News


Dodge County Sheriff’s Office Looking For Woman

Dodge County Sheriff’s officials are looking for a woman spotted in the Waupun area. She was involved in a traffic incident Tuesday night during which she fled into a cornfield to hide from authorities. Sheriff’s investigators were informed Wednesday afternoon that she was seen walking around the Waupun area knocking on doors asking for water and telling people the police are looking for her. The Sheriff’s Office says if you see her do not approach her but instead call 911 and Sheriff’s deputies will make contact with her. They are investigating why she fled from the incident. A photo of her has been posted on the Dodge County Sheriff’s Facebook page. (Also pictured above)

Berlin Man Suspected Of Ripon Burglary

A former maintenance manager for the Newbury Place Apartments in Ripon is suspected of stealing quarters from a laundry machine coin box at the apartment complex. Richard Dzbinski of Berlin made his initial appearance in Fond du Lac County court Wednesday. He is charged with a felony count of burglary and a misdemeanor count of entry into a locked coin box. He was released on a $1,000 signature bond and has a preliminary hearing on November 4th. According to the criminal complaint two witnesses saw him in the building and one saw him in a laundry room emptying quarters from a washing machine coin box into his pocket. Dzbinski had been terminated from his employment at the building. He was no longer allowed in the building and was supposed to have turned in his keys but may have had copies. He was suspected of similar thefts at the building since he was let go.  The incident he is charged for happened Monday afternoon.

Reconsidering ATV and UTV Use In Ripon

It looks like a long-tabled proposed ordinance on ATV and UTV use in the City of Ripon will be put back into consideration. During the Ripon Common Council meeting this week several council members asked to have the tabled ordinance brought back for consideration. That followed four speakers during the public comment section of the meeting asking for the City to allow the use of ATV and UTV. One speaker said the city used to worry about creating an island in which the city but no surrounding townships and cities allowed their use. But now the city is one of the few municipalities that doesn’t allow their use. Another speaker mentioned that people may have the wrong idea about the typical ATV user. The average ATV can cost $30,000 and the average user is in their 40s. Speakers also talked about the revenue the city is losing out on because ATV users will stop for gas, a meal, and other things on a typical ride. Dodge County recently opened all their roads to ATV and UTV use.  

COVID Still A Divisive Issue

One thing has remained true since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic; Americans remain divided in their beliefs about the coronavirus. Jeff Puhlmann-Becker formerly of the Ripon Community COVID-19 Task Force says a recent article pointed out that among the countries with first-class healthcare systems and access to it, the U.S. has been the most affected in its beliefs about the disease. He says one of those beliefs is that COVID-19 isn’t real with evidence to the contrary. He says what is true is that people are sick about hearing about it which is why it is no longer a staple of newscasts. He says that aside we are coming into a time of year when the weather sends us inside and we have to be more cautious about catching COVID. He says the BA5 variant of COVID-19 is very transmissible.

MPTC Referendum

In addition to two major projects on their Fond du Lac campus if Moraine Park Technical College is successful with a $55 million referendum this November there will be two other major projects. Moraine Park President Bonnie Baerwald says they would also revamp their manufacturing, automation and robotics center in West Bend and put on a 40,000 square foot addition. They also would like to build a fire training center in the Mayville, Horicon or Lomira Area to serve the nearly 50 fire departments in the area who need new firefighters or a place to keep their training up-to-date. If the referendum passes the four major projects would take place between this year and 2025.

Waupun Chamber Envision Partnership

The president and CEO of Envision Greater Fond du Lac says their partnership with the Waupun Area Chamber of Commerce is benefitting both organizations. Sadie Vander Velder says Envision is able to provide the Waupun Chamber with services they can’t offer because of the size of their staff. She says on the other hand they are developing relationships that could help business owners and entrepreneurs. The Chamber Office in Waupun is at 321 East Main Street. The office is staffed Tuesdays from 8 am to noon and Thursdays from 1 to 5 pm. Additional times can be made available for appointments and special projects.

Vetrepreneur Project

Salute the Troops in Fond du Lac in collaboration with Venture Project will host Vetrepreneur Project, a project aimed to help support local veterans with an entrepreneurial spirit to achieve their dream of financial independence. The deadline to apply is September 6th. The program offers local veteran entrepreneurs the opportunity to attend a seven week small business accelerator program hosted by Venture Project, and powered by Salute the Troops. At the end of the educational program, veterans who complete it will have an opportunity to “demo” or pitch their business in front of a panel of judges for a chance to earn $5,000 in seed funding from Salute the Troops. To learn more visit the Salute the Troops website or call 920-539-7472.

Vetrepreneur Project | Salutethetroops (salutethetroopswi.org)

Thurmer Named To MPTC Foundation Board

DeAnn Thurmer

The Moraine Park Technical College Foundation Board has welcomed DeAnn Thurmer, president of SSM Health’s Ripon Community Hospital and Waupun Memorial Hospital, to its membership. She will serve three three-year terms. Dana Bourland, director of college advancement at Moraine Park, says “DeAnn and SSM Health have been very generous supporters of Moraine Park students through scholarship support and by hiring our graduates to fill their workforce needs.” Agnesian HealthCare SSM Health has supported the Foundation as a Gourmet Dinner sponsor, lead donor for the Moraine Park Promise program, donor to the health sciences program, and a donor for Certified Nursing Assistant scholarships.


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