7/10/23 Hometown Broadcasting News Monday
10 July 2023 News
CHILD INJURED DURING BONFIRE IN FDL
Fond du Lac Fire and Rescue officials say a child was flown to a hospital after falling into a bonfire Saturday night. It happened around 10 pm along Vermont Street. The child was taken to St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac and was later flown by Flight for Life to the UW-Hospital in Madison to be treated for burns. No information was released about the child.
DUMPSTER AND BUILDING FIRE IN FDL
Fond du Lac firefighters responded to 227 South Main Street, the former Sippel’s Barber Shop, for a reported dumpster fire Friday afternoon. When crews arrived they found the dumpster located at the rear of the building on fire and flames were rapidly spreading to the northwest corner of the building. The blaze was quickly knocked down and brought under control. There was significant damage to the rear corner of the vacant building. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is being determined. The time of the fire call was 3:30 pm. (Fond du Lac Fire and Rescue photo).
SENATOR BALLWEG ON STATE BUDGET VETOES
State Senator Joan Ballweg is disappointed with Governor Tony Evers vetoing of a $3.5 billion income tax cut and a $795 million property tax cut included in the two-year state budget. The state lawmaker from Markesan says Governor Evers campaigned on providing a tax cut to the middle class, but he did the exact opposite by reducing the tax cut by 95 percent. The plan he vetoed would have provided relief to individuals making $27,630 or more annually and married joint filers making $36,840 or more annually. Ballweg says the budget does include two projects in the 14th Senate District. The Natural Resources budget includes $100,000 for grants to complete water quality studies required by the Department of Natural Resources for Buffalo Lake. The Montello/Fox River Lock Channel repairs were also fully enumerated.
TIF BILL AIMS TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING
State Representative Jon Plumer and State Senator Dan Feyen recently collaborated on a bill that would loosen restrictions on Tax Incremental Finance Districts to create more workforce housing. Plumer says one thing the bill would do is allow TIF Districts to exceed 12 percent of a municipality’s equalized value if the project is developer-financed which takes the risk away from the municipality. He says currently properties in a TIF District have to be contiguous, but they wouldn’t have to be under the bill. The state lawmaker from Lodi says we have a tremendous shortage of workforce housing in this state and this would do something about it.
REPORT VANDALISM
During the summer months there is a rise in the number of vandalism incidents that law enforcement officials respond to and Green Lake County has seen some of that. Park restrooms in Green Lake had to be closed in late May while repairs were being made from damage and graffiti. Chief Deputy Matt Vande Kolk says that’s a senseless type of crime but it persists. He urges people to call the Green Lake County Crime Stoppers if they see something suspicious going on. Anyone who may have a tip or information about the vandalism is urged to call the Green Lake County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-GET-THEM, that’s 1-800-438-8436. You can also text GETTHEM at 847411. Tips may be eligible for up to a $1,000 cash reward for information leading to the arrest of suspects. You can report your tips anonymously.
FREE WELL WATER TESTING FOR NITRATES AT FARM TECHNOLOGY DAYS
The state’s Department of Natural Resources will be providing free well water testing for nitrate at Farm Technology Days in Baraboo July 18th through the 20th. Nitrate is the most common health-related contaminant found in Wisconsin’s groundwater. The DNR will offer free on-the-spot screening, and results will be available in only a few minutes. Those interested should bring one cup of well water in any clean container to booth 719 and look for the DNR’s Drinking Water and Groundwater Program table. DNR Private Water Field Supervisor Stacy Steinke says, “About 10 percent of private wells statewide may contain high levels of nitrate, and almost one-third of private well owners have never had their water tested for nitrate.”
RIPON COMMUNITY HOME CLEAN
A Ripon-based cleaning service has chosen a grieving family for its Ripon Community Home clean next month. Rachael Greeningur is the Owner and CEO of Queen of Clean which cleans homes, businesses, and real estate properties. She says they chose the Chad and Nikki Unverrich family for the free cleaning. Chad was diagnosed with a very aggressive inoperable form of brain cancer in March of 2020. He died at home on June 27th surrounded by Nikki and their three daughters. Greeningur says it has been a three-year struggle for the family and due to seizures Chad developed Nikki had to quit her job to take care of him. She says a landscaping service already took care of some trees encroaching on the home, but the brunt of the cleaning involving the house, yard work and barn will be on August 25th through the 27th. Another Ripon cleaning service will chip in and volunteers are welcome. Volunteers can sign up at the Queen of Clean website or can call 920-410-4280.
Community Home Clean Up | Queen of Clean
WONDERBOOK DONATION
The Ripon Public Library is adding Large Print chapter books for youth in the Wonderbook format-a book that offers print and audio all-in-one. The new collection was made possible with generous funding from a Kiwanis Children’s Fund grant of $1,000. The grant was obtained as the President’s Project for Ripon Noon Kiwanis President, Gary Scholtens, and the Mildred M. and Edward W. Baar Education Fund of the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation with Webster Foundation facilitation. The library has been circulating Wonderbooks-picture, emergent reader, and chapter books-for youth since 2020 with enormous success. Ripon Noon Kiwanis President Gary Scholtens presented Youth Services Librarian Linda DeCramer with funds for the new Large Print Wonderbook collection last month. You can read more about it at Hometown Broadcasting.com.
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