5/18/23 Hometown Broadcasting News Thursday
18 May 2023 News
WOMAN BEING CHARGED FOR ALLEGEDLY SELLING ALCOHOL TO TEEN INVOLED IN DOUBLE FATAL ACCIDENT
The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday afternoon arrested a woman suspected of selling alcohol to a teen resulting in a fatal accident that resulted in the deaths of two teens and injuries for a third. Sanju Paudel is expected to make her initial court appearance today on a recommended charge of providing alcohol to a minor resulting in death. Nevins Zoch a student at Laconia High School died at the scene, Tommy Koenigs who attended St. Mary’s Springs High School died several days later after his organs were donated. A third teen, a 16-year-old Fond du Lac High School student was injured in the crash when their vehicle went off Golf Course Drive in the Town of Taycheedah on January 21st and struck a tree. At the time of the accident Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s investigators said speed and alcohol were factors in the crash.
GROUNDBREAKING AT MPTC FDL CAMPUS
Moraine Park Technical College in Fond du Lac broke ground yesterday for the Automation, Innovation and Robotics Center. Moraine Park President Bonnie Baerwald says yesterday’s groundbreaking ceremony kicked off the first of four referendum projects. The Fond du Lac Advanced Manufacturing and Trades project has two phases, the addition of the Automation, Innovation and Robotics Center and an update of the existing B-Wing facilities. The total project is expected to cost $12.8 million. The AIR Center is partially funded by donor contributions of nearly $2.7 million. The Advanced Manufacturing and Trades project is expected to be completed in June of 2024, with students first using the space in the fall of 2024. (Moraine Park photo).
BROADBAND EXPANSION PROJECT
The Fond du Lac County Board Tuesday night unanimously approved an initial resolution for revenue bond financing for a Bug Tussel Wireless broadband expansion project. Mitchel Olson of Bug Tussel explained to county supervisors that this would be third allotment for a total $240 million project that began in 2021. Upgrades in Fond du Lac County for internet infrastructure were budgeted at $16 million. A total of 12 counties benefitted from the first two phases of the project and four more will with the third. Although the county needs to approve the revenue bond financing it will be held harmless with no actual costs to the county. Olson said improvements in Fond du Lac County have added 2,000 new customers for Bug Tussel and current work on the eastern side of the county will add another 1,500. Bug Tussel will come before the Fond du Lac County Board again for the final resolution for the revenue bond financing.
MADISON MAN ARRESTED IN COLUMBIA COUNTY FOR FOURTH OWI
A 46-year-old Madison man was arrested for his fourth operating while intoxicated offense during a traffic stop in Columbia County’s Town of Leeds Monday night. The County’s Dispatch Center got a call about a vehicle on northbound State Highway 22 that was driving left of the center line and had stopped in the middle of the highway. The caller kept dispatch updated on the location of the vehicle until a Sheriff’s deputy could locate it. During the traffic stop the driver, Duh Thang, exhibited signs of impairment. He was subsequently arrested and taken to the Columbia County Jail. (Columbia County Jail photo).
BALD EAGLE RESCUE ON BIG GREEN
Wautoma’s DNR Conservation Warden Ben Mott is being praised for the extra effort he put forth to rescue a bald eagle that was in apparent distress on May 4th. The eagle was unable to fly and was bouncing around on Big Green Lake in Green Lake County. Warden Mott tried to gently capture the eagle from shore but ended up in his kayak. He paddled out to get the eagle that was perched on a downed tree in the water. Once he got the bird back to land it was taken to the Raptor Education Group in Antigo for examination and possible treatment. The eagle is expected to recover. Because the rescue occurred on May 4th, which is known as Star Wars Day, the DNR posted on its Facebook page that the force was strong with Warden Mott. (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources photo).
CHIP SEALING IN GREEN LAKE NEXT WEEK
The City of Green Lake will be chip sealing some of its streets next Tuesday and Wednesday. No one will be allowed to park on those streets while the work is being performed. No parking signs will be posted. Streets that will have chip sealing done on their entire length include Lake Street north to south, Water Street east and west, Greenway Avenue, and Strauss Avenue. Hill Street will be done from Mill Street to Lake Street.
AREA CHEESEMAKER RECEIVING DAIRY PROCESSOR GRANT
A cheesemaker from Dodge County is among the 21 Wisconsin dairy companies receiving this year’s Dairy Processor Grants from the state. Widmer’s Cheese Cellars in Theresa will be receiving a grant to invest in plant modernization. Envision Greater Fond du Lac CEO and President Sadie Vander Velde says Widmer’s is one of their member businesses. Vander Velde says it is worth visiting Widmer’s if you would like to find out first-hand how cheese is made. It has been a good year for Widmer’s. Last year they celebrated 100 years in business and last month they were among the winners during the United States Championship Cheese Contest in Madison. Since 2014 the state’s Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection has funded 106 proposals for Dairy Processor Grants, totaling $2 million. (Widmer’s photo).
RIPON HAS ONE OF THE BEST MAIN STREETS IN WISCONSIN
Ripon’s historic Main Street recently received a little bit of notoriety named by World Atlas.com as one of the 7 Towns in Wisconsin That Have the Best Main Streets. The article mentions the Little White Schoolhouse but also lively pubs, inviting restaurant, and artsy coffee shops. Ripon Main Street Executive Director Craig Tebon says the Ripon Main Street program begun in 1988 has worked over the years on business recruitment and the appearance of the downtown. But he says it is not just the downtown, what they are doing requires the whole community’s participation. The article also talked about the eye-catching Italianate architecture inspired by the 16th century Italian Renaissance. Tebon says the downtown owes its architecture partly to major fires in the 1870s which required rebuilding with the use of brick. Other towns recognized in the article include; Mineral Point, Cedarburg, Hayward, Stoughton, Sturgeon Bay, and Burlington.
7 Towns in Wisconsin That Have The Best Main Streets – WorldAtlas
LAW ENFORCEMENT MEMORIAL CEREMONY
Area law enforcement officials will have a role in Friday’s 33rd annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony at the Memorial site on the Capitol Grounds in Madison. The 2023 Honor Roll includes two names that will be officially added to the Memorial, bringing the total amount of Wisconsin law enforcement officers listed on the Memorial to 289. Both of the officers’ deaths were discovered through historical research. Marinette County Sheriff’s Office Motorcycle Officer Joseph Gaber died May 10th, 1929 and Florence County Deputy Sheriff T. Lincoln Edwards February 1st, 1957. Fond du Lac Police Chief Aaron Goldstein (pictured) has been chosen to be the keynote speaker for the event. In addition deputies from the Waushara County Sheriff’s Office will be among the honor guards posted at the Memorial site. Similar to the military guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, two law enforcement honor guard members will continually encircle the Memorial site from approximately 5:30 am until the ceremony at noon.
RECREATIONAL OFFERINGS
Ripon Parks and Recreation Director Ashton Zeien is hoping to form leagues around a few popular sports that aren’t currently offered. She says pickle ball has become very popular across the nation and they have a group that drops in to play, but she would like to launch a league if they can get enough people involved. She would also like to be able to start leagues for Sand Volleyball or Indoor Volleyball, which would be contingent on coordinating gym space for the indoor version. Zeien believes Barlow Park would be ideal for Sand Volleyball, but the facilities for that in the park have to be upgraded first. She says they wouldn’t want city residents playing the sport unless the facilities were up to par.
THE MARKET AT TOWN SQUARE RETURNS FRIDAY
A sure sign of spring, the Market at Town Square in Green Lake begins this Friday. Hours for the Market are from 3 to 6 pm. Growers and artisans from throughout central and east-central Wisconsin will gather on the picturesque lawn at Town Square with plants, creations and produce available to purchase. The Market is a great place to buy local, support small businesses, and network with the community. On the first Friday of each month, the Market will feature live music, a free drop in Art Lab in the MakerSpace, and a guest non-profit organization. This year’s Market will feature vendors that specialize in farming, baking, woodworking, quilting, glass art, honey, and more.
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