1/11/23 Hometown Broadcasting News Wednesday
11 January 2023 News
Ripon Common Council Accepts Council Member’s Resignation
The Ripon Common Council regretfully accepted the resignation of District 2 Alderperson Paige Kane last night. Kane’s resignation takes effect February 28th. Kane told the Council last night she has accepted a new job in Kenosha and will be moving in mid-March. She has served three years on the Council and has a year left in her term. The Council also approved the timeline for replacing Kane on the Council. Letters of interest from residents living in District 2 will be accepted by City Administrator Adam Sonntag until 4 pm on Friday, February 10th. Staff will verify residency of candidates after that. At the February 27th Common Council meeting each candidate will be given three minutes to explain why they would make a good council member. The Council will then appoint someone who will serve until April of next year. That person will be seated at the Council’s March 14th meeting.
Narcan Leave Behind Program
The Fond du Lac County Health Department and Fond du Lac Fire and Rescue are partnering to start a Narcan Leave-Behind Program in the City of Fond du Lac. Opioid related overdose deaths have been on a steady incline in Fond du Lac County, increasing from 12 in 2014 to 25 in 2020 according to the state’s Department of Health Services. The goal in the Narcan Leave-Behind program is to enhance access to Narcan in the community to reverse opioid overdoses, especially among populations most at risk for an overdose or who are in positions to witness an overdose. Narcan can save lives in the community. Fond du Lac Fire and Rescue paramedics will distribute Narcan kits for layperson use after incidents of suspected opioid overdoses. The County Health Department will continue to offer Narcan trainings throughout the community and on an individual basis. Call 920-929-3085 to request training.
Opioid Crisis
As members of the Winnebago County Board’s Judiciary and Public Safety Committee learned Monday night the opioid crisis continues to be a threat to residents’ health and well-being. County Supervisor Jacob Floam is a member of that committee. He says they learned from the County Coroner Monday that there were 40 fatal overdoses in the county in 2022 just one less than in 2021. Of those 40 overdoses 23 were due to fentanyl. He says the opioid crisis is something they have to work on in conjunction with private partners. He says they have the Solutions Recovery in Oshkosh and they use Vivitrol for inmates in the county jail who are opioid dependent. Floam says fentanyl is also a threat to law enforcement officers who arrest drug traffickers and threatened the life of a Menasha Police Officer involved in a drug bust who got an accidental dose. Narcan had to be administered to save that officer’s life. Floam says they are considering the purchase of TruNarc™ handheld narcotics analyzers to reduce the odds of law enforcement officers getting an accidental dose.
Conditional Use Permit For Oshkosh Sex Offender Facility Granted
The Oshkosh City Council has given the go ahead for a county-owned housing facility for sex offenders. The Council last night approved the city’s conditional use permit for the facility in Oshkosh that can house up to eight registered sex offenders. The facility would be located off County Road Y in rural Oshkosh. A home is currently located at that site that holds only two sex offenders. The $1 million project has been in the works since early last year. Approval of the conditional use permit was the one remaining obstacle that had to be cleared.
Ribbon Cutting Scheduled For New Ripon Senior Center
A ribbon cutting has been scheduled for the Grace and Lloyd Mitchell Senior Activity Center in Ripon. Center Director Noreen Johnson says it will be held at 6 pm on Monday, January 23rd. She says it was a good time for Mayor Ted Grant and the Common Council to attend because they have a meeting scheduled afterwards at City Hall. She says they aren’t open at the new center yet because they are waiting for the installation of audio and visual equipment to be completed. She says they are thrilled to be having a ribbon cutting for the new center. After the ribbon cutting there will be tours of the building and some refreshments. Johnson says one thing they will keep from the current center is their phone number, which is 920-748-6225.
Bridge In Oshkosh Reopened
The state’s Department of Transportation Bureau of Structures tells us the Oregon/Jackson Street Bridge in Oshkosh is now open to vehicle and pedestrian traffic. The bridge was closed Monday morning to allow crews to install a new gearbox and components on the north leaf span of the bridge. Crews completed construction Tuesday, and the bridge opened shortly before noon. Today’s anticipated closure will not be necessary.
Learning Dispatch
Fond du Lac County Communications and Emergency Management Director Amy Haase says there will be a bit of a learning curve in her new role with the County. Haase was with Dodge County Emergency Management for 17 years, the last 8 years as its Director. But she says the dual role with Fond du Lac County especially running dispatch is new to her. She says she is looking forward to that challenge and has worked with dispatch before because sometimes dispatch and emergency management work together on emergencies including weather. Haase notes Fond du Lac County’s Communications Center could handle up to 27 dispatchers, but right now they have 19 or 20 and are in the process of training three new dispatchers.
Alliant Energy Makes Newsweek Ranking
For the third consecutive year, Alliant Energy has been named to Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies. Alliant Energy was recognized as a top-25 company in the energy and utility industry based on a combination of its environmental, social and governance scores. The ranking accounts for the progress made in renewable energy, inclusivity in the workplace and social causes. Alliant Energy’s efforts to create an inclusive workplace have focused on reducing bias, building diverse teams and listening and action on employee feedback. Newsweek’s ranking also reflects Alliant Energy’s environmental efforts to build a better tomorrow including the progress the company has made to date on its Clean Energy Blueprint.
EAA Aviation Museum Saturday Sessions
EAA’s new hands-on education Saturday Sessions program for young people in grades 6 through 12 will kick off on January 28th at the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh. Saturday Sessions open a world of discovery to aviation with a focus on aircraft through fun projects and museum exploration. Each session runs from 9 am until noon and focuses on a different aspect of aircraft construction with an accompanying hands-on project for attendees to take home. The session begins in the Youth Education Center with a brief introduction on the subject followed by the hands-on activity. Students will then be tasked tih completing a scavenger hunt inside of the museum pertaining to the session’s theme. The session will wrap up with a conclusion where students can share what they learned and finish their hands-on project. The inaugural Saturday Session is centered on aircraft structures. Admission is $15 per student. Registration can be done online.
Museum Education Programs & Groups | EAA Museum
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