2/6/23 Hometown Broadcasting News Monday
6 February 2023 News
Wrong Way Driver Arrested For Eighth OWI
A Fond du Lac man was arrested for his 8th operating while intoxicated offense just before midnight Saturday night after driving the wrong way on Fond du Lac County Highway D in the Town of Fond du Lac. A Sheriff’s Sergeant saw the man driving north in the southbound lanes of County Highway D near Brown Road and pulled the 43-year-old Fond du Lac man over. There was a bottle of whiskey in the front passenger’s seat and the man allegedly showed signs of impairment. He refused to take field sobriety testing and was arrested. During the investigation he was taken to St. Agnes Hospital where he verbally and physically assaulted nursing staff. He also made threats to law enforcement. He is being charged with his 8th OWI offense, threats to law enforcement, battery to a health care provider, disorderly conduct, and resisting an officer.
Scrap Pile Fire in FDL
No one was injured during a scrap pile fire at Sadoff’s Iron and Metal recycling center in Fond du Lac Sunday morning. Fond du Lac Fire and Rescue were dispatched to the recycling center at 240 West Arndt Street shortly after 6:30 yesterday morning for a scrap pile fire. Fire crews encountered a large scrap pile of cars and other bulk recyclable materials burning adjacent to a shredding operation. The department’s aerial apparatus was used to extinguish the fire while Sadoff staff arranged for an equipment operator to break up the scrap pile. The cause of the fire is being determined.
Brief Motorcycle Chase in FDL
A 16-year-old Fond du Lac boy is facing charges for riding an off highway motorcycle on city streets late Thursday night. A Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s deputy tried to pull the bike over on Johnson Street but the teen fled. Twice during the half-mile pursuit the teen’s motorcycle got stuck in snowbanks trying to leave city streets. The second time the deputy was able to take the boy into custody. Charges being referred against the teen include fleeing, and citations for unauthorized operation of an off highway motorcycle on a roadway and operating an OHM without required safety certification.
Oshkosh Man Found Guilty Of Attempted Murder
A Winnebago County jury Friday found a 20-year-old Oshkosh man guilty of attempted first degree intentional homicide for trying to kill a school resource officer at Oshkosh West High School in December of 2019. Grant Fuhrman’s family was visibly upset when the jury’s verdict was rendered. Fuhrman’s attorney, Corey Mehlos said,” We are not done yet.” He added that Fuhrman wa only 16 at the time and there was a lot more to the story. Judge Daniel Bissett set the sentencing for May 1st. Fuhrman faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for the Class A Felony. Fuhrman was found guilty of stabbing Oshkosh Police Officer Michael Wissink with a two-pronged serving fork. Wissink shot Fuhrman to protect himself. Wissink has since retired.
New Ripon Public Works Director
The Ripon Common Council Thursday night confirmed City Administrator Adam Sonntag’s appointment of Allyn Dannhoff, as the new Director of Public Works for the City of Ripon. As Director of Public Works Dannhoff will oversee public works operations, streets, waste management, city facilities, cemetery maintenance, and significant portions of the city’s capital improvement plan. Dannhoff was the city’s top candidate following an extensive recruitment and interview process. Sonntag says, “To land a candidate of Allyn’s caliber will allow the city to continue improving our operations and tackling challenges to best serve the community. Mayor Ted Grant says Dannhoff will be an asset to the City of Ripon team. Dannhoff comes to the city with significant public sector management experience. Since 2018 Dannhoff has served as the Director of Operations for the Village of Kimberly. Prior to that he served as the Director of Services for the Village of Hobart, and the Director of Inspection Services for the City of Oshkosh. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the UW-Platteville in Building Construction Management and is a graduate of UW-Madison’s Certified Public Manager Program. Dannhoff will start with the City of Ripon on March 6th.
RASD Financial Audit
Ripon Area School District Business Manager Jonah Adams says the District got a clean bill of health on their financial audit for the 2021-2022 Academic Year. He says there were no major accounting issues with the way the District keeps its books. District Superintendent Mary Whitrock says they have a strong team in their business office. She says they also went to self-funding which was a change for their business office to deal with but they have always risen to the challenge and kept the school board and the public well-informed about what their tax dollars are being spent on. Whitrock says they decided at one point to switch their auditing company but their accounting of the District’s financials has remained consistent.
Traffic Fatalities Down In Green Lake County in 2022
Green Lake County had only one traffic fatality in 2022 which occurred on County Highway Q near Lake Maria. In 2021 the county had 2 traffic fatalities and its five-year average is 2 a year. Chief Deputy Matt Vande Kolk says they would like to see none this year, but they do average a couple a year. He notes they take a proactive approach to traffic enforcement hoping to act as a deterrent to those who speed, drink and drive, and practice other risky driving behavior. In 2018 Green Lake County reached its ultimate traffic safety goal with no recorded driving fatalities. Last year Wisconsin had 598 traffic deaths compared to the state’s five-year average of 582 a year.
Tax Relief
State Representative Jon Plumer would like to see the state return some of its projected $7 billion surplus to taxpayers in the form of tax relief. The state lawmaker from Lodi says that’s a larger surplus than they expected but not as big as some of our Midwestern neighbors have experienced. He would like to see some of it returned to taxpayers in the form of long-term tax relief to help them weather the inflation we’ve seen and use some of it to reinvest in the state’s priorities. Representative Plumer represents the 42nd State Assembly District.
Mayville Safe Drinking Water Loan Application
The DNR is seeking public comment on the City of Mayville’s application for funding through the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program. The city will use the money to address deficiencies in its public drinking water system by replacing its existing water treatment system. Activities related to the project are expected to be minor and will not result in significant adverse environmental effects. No further environmental review or analysis is needed before funding is approved. Those who would like to submit comments have until February 18th. Comments should be addressed to; Department of Natural Resources, Care Of Michelle Brietzman, DNR Community Financial Assistant Specialist, CF/2 101 South Webster Street, P.O.Box 7921 Madison, Wisconsin 53707.
New ThedaCare Board Members
Three community leaders will soon join the ThedaCare Board of Trustees, the governing body for the local, not-for-profit health care organization. Alan Loux, John Pfeifer and Dr. Steven Price have been recently elected to the Board. ThedaCare Board of Trustees Chair Jim Kotek announced their elections. Alan Loux is President and CEO of Rawhide Youth Services. John Pfeifer is Oshkosh Corporation’s President and CEO. Dr. Steven Price is the founder and managing partner of the Neuroscience Group. Loux, Pfeifer and Price will begin their three-year terms with the ThedaCare Board of Trustees this month.
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