10/4/23 Hometown Broadcasting News Wednesday
4 October 2023 News
SUN PRAIRIE MAN CHARGED WITH NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE IN DODGE COUNTY
Prosecutors in Dodge County have charged a 36-year-old Sun Prairie man with homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle for causing a crash that killed a horse and buggy operator two years ago. Sheriff’s deputies responded to the crash scene on Highway 16/60 near County Highway J in the town of Lowell in September of 2021. According to the criminal complaint they found a mangled horse drawn buggy and a damaged SUV. The SUV driver, Eric Schmoldt, said he had lowered his visor because of the sunlight. He said he couldn’t see a lot and thought he had hit a speed limit sign. Schmoldt allegedly sent a text message just moments after the crash saying, “just got into another car accident…this time it was my fault.’ The SUV had struck the horse and buggy while trying to pass it. Schmoldt will make his initial court appearance on October 30th.
NACHO FUNNY
Luxemburg Police aren’t laughing about food that was poured over people’s vehicles and put in their mailboxes late Sunday night. It involved food such as syrup, nacho cheese, oil and applesauce and was done sometime between 9:30 and 10:30 Sunday evening. Police have evidence two teenage boys driving a silver 4 door car were responsible, driving without headlamps and blowing the horn after it was done. Village Police Chief Chris Gulbrand says, “Pranks are sometimes funny but antics like this are overboard, as they are entering private property when people are not home or sleeping.” Police are asking that anyone with doorbell camera video that may have captured the two contact the police department via email.
lpdcgulbrand@villageofluxemburgwi.gov
RIPON CITY BUDGET WORKSHOP
The Ripon Common Council combed through the proposed 2024 City Budget Monday night. No action was taken as City Administrator Adam Sonntag and Assistant City Administrator and Finance Director Amanda Toney reviewed the proposed budget. Sonntag told the Council they are looking at a $9.04 tax rate or an increase of 14 cents per thousand dollars of value on a property which would work out to $14 more for a home valued at $100,000. The overall increase in tax levy is $77,269 to $3.92 million. The total projected budget is $17.5 million. Sonntag says they did see a $361,000 increase in shared revenue from the state, which will help. One of the big ticket items will be the replacement of radios for the police department at $120,000 and for EMS at $136,000. Police Chief Bill Wallner explained that the County is switching over to dual band for an 800 megahertz system. The Council is expected to have a public hearing and adopt the budget at their Tuesday, November 7th meeting. The budget timeline and information on the proposed 2024 Ripon City Budget can be found on the city’s website.
2024 City Budget – City Budget – City of Ripon, Wisconsin
SENATOR JOHNSON ON ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND THE UAW STRIKE
U.S. Senator Ron Johnson says it was surprising last week to see President Biden stand with United Auto Workers union members who are striking for pay raises. Johnson says Biden’s push for electric vehicles could be very destructive to the American economy because it could force auto makers to go bankrupt. The federal lawmaker from Oshkosh says most Americans prefer the internal combustion engine and don’t want to be burdened with looking for recharging stations on longer trips. He says we don’t have the rare earth minerals, we don’t have the battery manufacturing capacity, and we don’t have the EV chargers. Meanwhile, Ford, GM, and other auto makers have been laying off or furloughing hundreds of workers with the prolonged strike.
LAW ENFORCEMENT HIRING
Green Lake County Chief Deputy Matt Vande Kolk says in his 24 years in law enforcement he’s never seen the difficulty in hiring new law enforcement officers and dispatchers like they are experiencing now. He says it’s not just the Sheriff’s Office, but law enforcement across the country. Vande Kolk says they have a need to fill a number of positions including patrol, corrections, and communications. He says every role in law enforcement is important to the justice system. He says fire, EMS, and military are also experiencing hiring difficulties. He says those who apply and get the positions aren’t just getting good benefits and careers, but also can go home at the end of their shift knowing they have made a real difference. (Green Lake County Sheriff’s photo).
NATIONWIDE EAS TEST TODAY
There will be a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System and the Wireless Emergency Alert today at approximately 1:20 pm Central Standard Time. This includes radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers. FEMA will send a national test message to participating stations. The Wireless Emergency Alert portion of the test will be disseminated by wireless providers that have chosen to participate. Members of the public will be able to receive the message if their phone is Wireless Emergency Alert-capable, switched on and within range of an active cell tower, and their wireless carrier participates. There are no charges for delivery of Wireless Emergency Alert messages and the alerts resemble a text message.
GRANTS AWARDED FOR ALCOHOL AND DRUG PREVENTION PROGRAMS
Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction has awarded over $1.1 million in grants to help reduce or prevent the use of alcohol, tobacco, opioids, and other drugs among students. The two competitive grants, the state-funded Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Grant Program and the Opioid Prevention Grant Program, were provided to public school districts, private schools, and consortia in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Through the AODA Grant Program, $907,978 was awarded to 46 projects serving students in 63 school districts, including four consortia. Through the Opioid Prevention Grant Program, $250,000 in funding was allocated to 23 school districts and private schools.
AIR QUALITY TRENDS REPORT RELEASED
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has released its 2023 Air Quality Trends Report. It includes state monitoring data through 2022 for air pollutants regulated under the federal Clean Air Act, including ground-level ozone, particle pollution, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. The 2023 reports show that since the early 2000s, statewide ozone concentrations have decreased 21 percent. With these reductions, the entire state is meeting the federal 2008 ozone standard. However, with only modest improvements, and even slight concentration increases along the Lake Michigan shoreline in recent years, the Milwaukee area and parts of Sheboygan and Kenosha counties are not meeting the more stringent 2015 ozone standard. The 2023 Air Quality Trends Report and other historical reports are available on the DNR’s Air Quality webpage.
Wisconsin’s Air Quality Trends | | Wisconsin DNR
AG IN THE CLASSROOM
More than 10,000 students will learn about the importance of Agriculture in Wisconsin through Envision Greater Fond du Lac’s Agriculture in the Classroom program this school year. Amy Ries is Envision’s Director of Agricultural Programs. She says there Agricultural Ambassador Jackie Robinson sets up the teaching opportunities with teachers and service clubs. Primarily they teach students from 4K through 5th grade, but have adapted their programs for middle school and high school as well. They are on course to teach more than 10,000 students about the benefits of agriculture this school year. Students learn about where food comes from, what it takes to process things like milk into other products like cheese, careers connected to agriculture, and how technology has affected agriculture. To learn more about the Ag in the Classroom program call Envision at 920-921-9500.
TREE AND SHRUB SALE
The Dodge County Land and Water Conservation Department’s tree and shrub sale has started. There are nearly two dozen varieties of trees and shrubs being offered for sale for planting in the spring of 2024. Orders for trees and shrubs are being taken through January 31st, 2024 or until sold out. There are a limited number of trees and shrubs available. For more information, or to obtain an order form, contact the Dodge County Land and Water Conservation Department weekdays at 920-386-3660, or you can visit the county’s website where you can view the tree and shrub brochure and print out an order form.
Tree Sales Program | Dodge County, WI
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