10/18/23 Hometown Broadcasting News Wednesday
18 October 2023 News
MOTORCYCLIST INJURED IN FDL COUNTY CRASH
A 75-year-old Lomira man was seriously injured when his motorcycle ran into a passenger car on State Highway 49 west of Church Road in Fond du Lac County’s Town of Waupun yesterday afternoon. Sheriff’s deputies, Life Star Ambulance, and Waupun Country Fire were dispatched to the scene at 5:01 pm. The west bound passenger car was waiting to make a left hand turn into Tom Dooley Apple Orchard when the west bound motorcycle struck it. The Lomira man operating the motorcycle suffered life-threatening-injuries and was flown to Aurora Medical Center in Summit. The 20-year-old Mayville woman driving the passenger car, and her passenger a 20-year-old Lomira woman were not injured. Inattentive driving is believed to be a factor in the crash.
ATV Injury Crash in Dodge County
An 18-year-old Watertown woman was seriously injured in an ATV crash in Dodge County’s Town of Shields Tuesday afternoon. Sheriff’s officials say shortly after 1 pm a caller reported finding an ATV crashed and a woman lying in the roadway with serious injuries. Investigators say the 4-wheeler was heading west on Wood Road near County Road K when it left the roadway and overturned in the ditch. The woman was ejected from the ATV. A Flight for Life helicopter flew her to a medical facility. A helmet was found at the scene but it is not known if the woman was wearing it at the time of the crash. The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Wisconsin DNR Conservation Wardens.
FDL WALMART THEFT SUSPECTS ARRESTED
Three men in their early 20s suspected of stealing nearly $3,600 worth of Apple watches from the Walmart Store in Fond du Lac are convicted felons with criminal histories out of Michigan, Indiana, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. Sunday evening Fond du Lac Police responded to the Walmart Store for a robbery. During the robbery a suspect asked to see an iPad and when the Walmart associate opened the locked door another grabbed and held them down while two others took the watches. Fond du Lac Police sent out an alert to other Walmart Stores in the region and the three suspects were scene at a Walmart in Watertown but fled. However, Whitewater Police intercepted their vehicle in the parking lot of the Walmart there. The stolen watches were recovered. All three suspects were arrested and were taken to the Fond du Lac County Jail. They are facing robbery, felony theft, disorderly conduct, and battery charges.
UWO ENDING IN PERSON CLASSES AT FDL CAMPUS
Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman and the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Chancellor Andrew Leavitt announced Tuesday morning a process has begun to end in-person instruction at the UWO-Fond du Lac campus by the end of next June. Fond du Lac County Executive Sam Kaufman says he received many messages and calls from people angered by the move including comments that view it as abandonment. Kaufman feels it may be an opportunity to re-purpose portions of the campus and create a new partnership with the UWO, Fond du Lac County, and the private sector. He says discussions have been held about a community daycare provider opening services within a portion of the campus, entering into an agreement to allow Envision Greater Fond du Lac to use space for creation of an entrepreneurship center for small businesses, and exploring other opportunities for use of the gymnasium. Kaufman doesn’t see the partnership with UWO ending, but rather an ongoing discussion of specialized programs at the campus. (University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Fond du Lac campus photo).
HALLOWEEN RESTRICTIONS FOR SEX OFFENDERS
The state’s Department of Corrections is again working with law enforcement this Halloween to conduct random home visits of registered sex offenders on DOC supervision. These checks will happen in communities across the state during local trick-or-treating hours. Restrictions for registered sex offenders were established to protect children out trick-or-treating, and they include: prohibiting having any Halloween decorations, either insider or outside the residence, handing out candy or participating in any trick-or treating activities, wearing a Halloween costume, and turning on a porch light during their local trick-or-treating. Parents can get to know their neighborhoods by accessing the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry website and conducting a zip code or geographic radius search. If the public sees any possible violations, they may call the tip line at 1-877-234-0085. If it is an emergency contact law enforcement.
ENVISION WILL ADDRESS RIPON CONCERNS
An official with Envision Greater Fond du Lac says they are looking forward to an opportunity to address the Ripon Common Council next Monday night. Joe Venhuizen is Envision’s Vice-President of Membership and Resource Development. He says it is difficult for municipalities to understand their return on investment when much of what Envision does is for the long term such as exploring childcare housing options or broadband improvements. He says the perception that Envision has distanced itself from small businesses is wrong. He says Raina Lyman their Director of Small Business and Entrepreneurship has office hours at Mugg’s in Ripon every two weeks. He says she has met with 130 small businesses across the county this year offering technical assistance free of charge and assisted with 20 startups through grants, small business loans, other partners, and more connections. The Ripon Common Council has considered reducing the city’s annual contribution to Envision from $13,000 to $2,000 for 2024.
MEASLES CAUSE FOR CONCERN
It may only be one case but a single case of measles in Milwaukee County is enough for Fond du Lac County Public Health Officer Kim Mueller to remind people to have their children up-to-date on their measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines. Mueller says it’s a very contagious disease that can be warded off even if a child only received one dose, though two are recommended. She says unfortunately children can’t receive their first dose of MMR vaccine until they are a year old and the second one should be administered when they are four years old. Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services says measles can be dangerous, especially for infants and young children. One out of every four people who get measles in the United States will be hospitalized. One or two out of every 1,000 children in the United States who get measles will die from the disease, even with the best care.
ROSENDALE-BRANDON SCHOOL DISTRICT EXPLORES RENAMING AND REBRANDING
Officials at the Rosendale-Brandon School District went through survey results Tuesday for a Renaming and Rebranding Exploration Survey. With the successful passage of a building addition and improvement referendum last April the district will be consolidating down from four schools to two schools. Once building improvement work is complete the current Rosendale Intermediate School will house elementary students and Laconia High School 6th through 12th grade students. District Superintendent Wayne Weber says they are exploring the possibility of rebranding and renaming everything including school colors, mascots, names, and logos. All the new signage and names would be in place by the fall of 2025. The process includes two upcoming exploration meetings about naming and mascots on November 1st and messaging and logos on December 6th. Both meetings will be at the Laconia High School and will start at 6 pm. They are open to the public. The Rosendale-Brandon School Board will make the final decisions about renaming and rebranding.
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT MEETING FOR HIGHWAY PROJECTS
The state’s Department of Transportation will be holding a public involvement meeting to discuss highway improvement projects in Waupaca and Outagamie counties. The projects are on U.S. 45 from Givens Road to Church Road and State Highway 54 from West Jeanne Street and County S near New London in Waupaca and Outagamie counties. The meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday at the Community/Senior Center in New London. A brief presentation is scheduled to begin at 5:30 pm followed by an open house where residents can ask questions. For the U.S. Highway 45 project, the work being proposed includes replacing the pavement, upgrading the guardrail, and completing curb and gutter replacements as needed. For the State Highway 54 project, the work being proposed includes replacing the pavement, installing new traffic signal infrastructure at the State Highway 54 and County D intersection, upgrading curb ramps to ADA standards at that intersection, and repairing or replacing storm sewer and curb and gutter as needed. Construction is currently scheduled for 2026.
RHS RECOGNIZED BY US NEWS & WORLD REPORT
The Ripon High School has earned the national Best High Schools distinction by US News & World Report for the 2023-2024 school year. Ripon High School is ranked #181 out of 574 high schools in the state and nationally at #5,926 out of approximately 17,680 public high schools. State rankings are based on students having the opportunity to take Advanced Placement coursework and exams. The AP participation rate at Ripon High School is 27 percent. Other related criteria includes Ripon’s minority enrollment at 14 percent and 25 percent of students who are economically disadvantaged. National rankings are based on a school’s performance on state-required tests, graduation, and how well students are prepared for college. You can read more about the recognition at the Ripon Area School District’s website.
RHS Ranked in Best High Schools 10-3-23 (ripon.k12.wi.us)
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