12/12/23 Hometown Broadcasting News Tuesday
12 December 2023 News
MISSING MENASHA MAN FOUND SAFE
Menasha Police say a missing 21-year-old man with cognitive disabilities was found safe Monday morning and was reunited with his family. There was concern because of the cold weather when he went missing early yesterday morning. He has cognitive disabilities and undiagnosed mental health issues. He is also nonverbal. Officials say he is not able to perceive cold and the dangers of cold weather, and there were worries he may not know to seek shelter. During previous incidents he was found outside of local businesses or walking near railroad tracks. Menasha Police thank everyone who assisted in sharing information about the man while he was missing.
RIPON FACING DRUG CHARGES
A 25-year-old Ripon man is facing possession of narcotics, cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and carrying a concealed knife charges stemming from a traffic stop in Ripon last Thursday. According to the criminal complaint Owen Nordvold was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped at 503 Eureka Street. Small amounts of heroin, crack cocaine, and a narcotics residue were found in the vehicle. All three tested positive for fentanyl. Knives were also discovered concealed in the driver’s and passenger side doors. Nordvold made an initial appearance in Fond du Lac County court Monday. Bond was set at $5,000 cash and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for December 21st. All five charges he faces have repeater modifiers. Nordvold was previously convicted in Fond du Lac County in 2020 of narcotics possession, and in 2019 of marijuana trafficking. A carrying a concealed knife charge is being referred against 26-year-old Alexandra Prellwitz of Ripon, who was driving the vehicle Nordvold was in last Thursday. She was previously convicted of heroin trafficking in Waushara County in 2017.
ATV UTV USE NOW ALLOWED IN GREEN LAKE
Green Lake Police tell us ATV and UTV signs have been put up at the entrances to the city. All roads in the city are now open for ATV/UTV use from 5 am to 10 pm daily. Between the hours of 10 pm to 5 pm from December 1st to April 1st ATV/UTV operators are allowed to travel to and from home, or lodging establishments on an ATV/UTV to obtain access to the lake via landings during this time period. Operators are also allowed to access the gas stations during this time period. However, this route to and from the residence and gas stations shall be the shortest practical route which can be taken. Basic rules also apply. You must be 16 years old or older with a valid driver’s license. ATV/UTV must be registered for public use with the DNR. The speed limit in the city is 25 miles an hour. You must have insurance. Headlights and taillights must be lit at all times. Brake lights must function. If you are under 18 years old you must wear a helmet. No open intoxicants are allowed. For more information see Green Lake City Ordinance 10-4-3.
MEMORIAL TODAY FOR OSHKOSH POLICE K9
Oshkosh Police will honor the life and service of K9 Magic with a memorial service today that is open to law enforcement and the public. The department’s therapy dog passed away on November 25th. The memorial service will be held at the Best Western Premier Hotel at 1 North Main Street in Oshkosh. Doors will open at 9:30 am and the service will start at 10 am. Public parking will be available in the hotel’s parking lot and also in the parking lot located to the west of the Leach Amphitheater.
OUTDOOR SIREN ISSUE
Fond du Lac County Communications and Emergency Management Director Amy Haase says moving the time they sound outdoor sirens and changing the duration they are sounded for is not an easy ask. Ripon officials constantly receive complaints about the noon Saturday siren testing. Ripon City Administrator Adam Sonntag says it really was brought home during the Christmas in the Village weekend last month. He says it is too expensive to move the sirens to different locations. Haase says the sirens are sounded for three minutes and neighboring Dodge and Winnebago counties also sound them at the same time. She says every community in the county would have to agree to changing the time. She says Ripon officials had two opportunities to bring up the siren issue this fall when the County sent out its annual update on policies in August and in September when an Emergency Management Incident Preparedness Planning Workshop was held. The Ripon Common Council recently passed a resolution asking the county to consider changing the time and duration of the siren testing.
HOLIDAY FIRE SAFETY
Ready Wisconsin encourages everyone to keep fire safety in mind this Holiday season. Candles remain a popular decoration this time of year, while they are also a frequent reason for why firefighters end up in homes. According to the National Fire Protection Association nearly half of home decoration fires reported in the U.S. during the month of December are caused by candles. Andrew Beckett of Ready Wisconsin says make sure they aren’t near anything flammable and won’t be easily knocked over. He says they should be at least 12 inches away from any flammable materials and shouldn’t be within reach of children or pets. He also recommends checking your Christmas lights and decorations to make sure cords aren’t frayed or bulbs aren’t loose. Never link more than three light strands together, unless the directions indicate it is safe to do so. If wires are warm to the touch unplug and remove them. Make sure to turn out Christmas lights and the tree, and outdoors decorations when leaving your home or going to bed.
Celebrate the Holidays by Staying Fire Safe | Wisconsin Emergency Management
KEVIN MCCARTHY LEAVING
Congressman Glenn Grothman says he’s sorry to see former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy leave at the end of the year halfway through his two year term. The federal lawmaker from Glenbeulah believes McCarthy did as good a job as anyone during his short tenure as Speaker. But eight Republicans joined Democrats in the House on the vote to oust McCarthy. Grothman says that was bad for the Republican Party and bad for the country. Grothman says because McCarthy is stepping down a special election will have to be held for his district in California to fill the remainder of his term. That district will also go without representation in Congress for three or four months. Grothman says he likes the new Speaker Mike Johnson, but Johnson only has about seven years of experience in Congress.
NEXT GENERATION 911 GRANTS AWARDED
The state’s Office of Emergency Communications recently announced the award of $5.6 million in state funding to 19 grant projects for local public safety answering points across Wisconsin. Funding will be used for various projects related to Next Generation 9-1-1 implementation, and public safety answering point’s consolidation efforts. Among the Sheriff’s Offices getting those grants is the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office which is receiving over $375,000 in state money and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office over $23,000. The Office of Emergency Communications is also awarding 28 grant projects a total of $1.4 million in state funding to local county land information offices across Wisconsin. Funding will be used for various projects related to geographic information systems data creation, preparation, and remediation activities necessary for enabling Next Generation 9-1-1. Among the county land information offices receiving grants are Calumet County which will get over $33,000, Columbia County is getting just over $71,000, and Winnebago County which will receive nearly $62,000.
FDL COUNTY HOLIDAY OFFICE HOUR CLOSINGS
Fond du Lac County has announced its closings for the observance of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. County offices in the City-County Government Center in Fond du Lac, the Sheriff’s Office lobby/records office, the Department of Socials Services, Portland Street Annex, and the Highway Department will be closed on Monday, December 25th and Monday, January 1st. The Moraine Lakes Consortium call center will be closed on December 25th and 26th, and January 1st and 2nd.
YOUNG LEADERS BREAKFAST
The Young Professionals of Fond du Lac, a program of Envision Greater Fond du Lac, recently hosted its third annual Young Leaders Breakfast event at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in Fond du Lac. The Young Leaders Breakfast last Tuesday brought 47 young leaders and 135 high school students together to share ideas, impart wisdom, and develop relationships that will support the continued growth of Fond du Lac communities. The event included three round-table discussions, covering topics related to working in specific industries, different pathways after high school graduation, and more. The participating young professionals represented at least 20 different industries including business, agriculture, engineering, skilled trades, and health care. A total of 11 schools joined the event representing both private and public spheres. High schools from Laconia, Ripon, and Waupun were among those schools.
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