5/17/23 Hometown Broadcasting News Wednesday
17 May 2023 News
BODY RECOVERED FROM SHEBOYGAN RIVER
The body of a 25-year-old Sheboygan man was recovered from the Sheboygan River Tuesday morning. According to the Sheboygan Fire Department at approximately 10:45 the state DNR’s remotely operated vehicle located Lee Lor’s body roughly 12 feet below the surface. Sheboygan County Divers recovered Lor’s body, which was turned over to the Sheboygan County Coroner. Search efforts began Monday, but were halted when visibility and diver safety became concerns. The search resumed about 10 am yesterday morning. Sheboygan Police and the US Coast Guard also aided in the search effort. Dispatchers received calls Monday night around 7:10 pm about a possible drowning near Rotary Riverview Park in Sheboygan, which prompted the search. (Sheboygan Fire Department photo).
JFC VOTES TO INCREASE STARTING PAY FOR PROSECUTORS AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS
Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney Tuesday praised the state Joint Finance Committee’s vote to increase starting pay for assistant district attorneys and public defenders. Toney is the President of the Wisconsin District Attorneys’ Association. He says, “Today’s vote by the Joint Finance Committee represents a transformational investment in public safety and prosecutors.” Toney says they expect the increase in pay will stabilize the prosecutor ranks allowing them to recruit and retain prosecutors. Under the proposal starting pay will increase to $36 an hour or about $75,000 a year. Current prosecutors would see their pay increase by $8.76. Elected DAs would see a similar increase in pay for the upcoming term beginning in 2025. It would also give Kenosha County two more prosecutors and Sauk County one additional prosecutor. It would also increase part time positions in Langlade, Oneida, and Ozaukee to full time positions.
TOWN SQUARE SELLS FORMER GREEN LAKE COUNTY SAFETY BUILDING
Town Square Community Center in Green Lake has sold the former Green Lake County safety building to a business owner. Town Square plans to use proceeds to support the nonprofit community center’s programs and upkeep of the historic courthouse building which Town Square will continue to own. Town Square Executive Director Kris Anderson says the sale begins an exciting new chapter for Town Square. She says, “The reduced overhead allows us to direct resources into the courthouse building and community-enriching programs for generations to come.” The former county safety building currently consists of a Bingo hall, commercial kitchen, and Town Square Tap bar, plus 20,000 square feet of unused space which formerly housed the Green Lake County jail. The safety building’s buyer, Matt Rogatz, will lease certain spaces back to Town Square to allow successful community activities to continue, including Bingo and Town Square Tap operations. Anderson says Rogatz is heavily invested in Green Lake and committed to a robust future for the area.
FLASH TRUCKING DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTED
A business that will be locating in Ripon’s Business Park was spotlighted in an Envision Greater Fond du Lac newsletter during Economic Development Week last week. In particular efforts to bring Flash Trucking of Green Lake to Ripon were highlighted. Envision CEO and President Sadie Vander Velde says Envision’s Senior Director of Business Attraction Lisa McArthur worked with Ripon City Administrator Adam Sonntag and Flash Trucking officials on a potential client for Flash Trucking. McArthur knew of a company from the State of Washington that makes Magnesium Hydroxide, a kind of Milk of Magnesia on a greater scale. That company needed a company that could take the powder shipped in trucks, agitate it, and then deliver the finished product to companies. Vander Velde says Flash Trucking has that capability. Flash Trucking is buying land in the Ripon Business Park with plans to put in a 10,000 square foot building and rail spur for trans-loading.
FDL SUPER CASH WINNER
Fond du Lac’s history of big lottery winners continues with a $350,000 Super Cash winner on Sunday. The winning ticket was sold at Hansen’s BP on West Johnson Street, which is north of the City’s famed “Miracle Mile.” But Hansen’s is no stranger to big winners itself. Over the past six years the store sold a $1 million Powerball ticket in February of 2020, a $100,000 scratch-off ticket in February of 2018, and a $350,000 Super Cash ticket in May of 2017.
PFAS BEING MONITORED
PFAs or forever chemicals in water are something the Green Lake Association is monitoring. Association Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Prellwitz says phosphorous levels and invasive species are priorities for the Association at this time, but growing concerns across the nation about PFAs is something they are aware of. She says it is concerning that the state’s Department of Natural Resources is already posting fish consumption advisories due to PFAs. Prellwitz says they hope to stay ahead of that particular problem with Green Lake. On May 4th the DNR said a type of PFA was detected in rainbow smelt sampled in Green Bay. As a result they recommended consuming only one meal per week of rainbow smelt from the Bay of Green Bay and its associated tributaries.
EAA BARNSTORMER BOUTIQUE RIBBON CUTTING
EAA and the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon cutting Thursday morning at 10 am for the newly refurbished Barnstormer Boutique inside the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh. The opening for the EAA Barnstormer Boutique follows a three-month renovation that creates a unique attraction inside the EAA Aviation Museum. The store now features aviation and EAA merchandise for all ages inside a 1920s-style aerodome hangar design. It also features airplane artifacts from EAA’s collection as an extension of the museum experience. It is the first major renovation of the museum store area in 40 years since the EAA museum opened in Oshkosh in 1983. The store officially opens to the public on Saturday.
RIPON PARKS AND RECREATION WEBSITE
Ripon Senior Activity Center Executive Director Noreen Johnson says she is excited about the new website they share with the Parks and Recreation Department. She says people are welcome to check it out at Ripon.recdesk.com. Once you create an account you can sign up for programs or rent facilities, although you can just peruse the site if you want to see what it offers. She notes by creating an account, you can also make a deposit to create a balance and draw against that if there are fees for programs or rentals that you use. You can use a credit card on the site to pay for things, but there is a $3 surcharge for that. Johnson says anyone is still welcome to come into the center where you can also sign up for programs or rent facilities, but they will still ask you to create an account while you are there. She feels the website will streamline the services they offer.
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