12/13/23 Hometown Broadcasting News Wednesday
13 December 2023 News
RIPON COMMON COUNCIL APPROVES MOU WITH ENVISION GREATER FDL
The Ripon Common Council last night approved a memorandum of understanding with Envision Greater Fond du Lac for the services Envision will provide to the city in 2024. The scope of services the MOU covers includes Entrepreneurship and Business Support, Industrial Development Support, and Joint Advocacy. Envision President and CEO Sadie Vander Velde credits Ripon City Administrator Adam Sonntag and the city for pioneering an MOU with Envision. She says it’s the first memorandum of understanding Envision has had with a city, but Envision hopes to do the same with others. As part of the understanding Envision Director of Small Business and Entrepreneurship Raina Lyman will be holding some hours at the Ripon City Hall to meet with business owners. The City for its part will pay Envision $6,500 for the economic development services described in the MOU.
RIPON COMMON COUNCIL NOTES
It was a busy final meeting of 2023 for the Ripon Common Council last night. Among the things the Council approved was an alcohol beverage license for Knuth Brewing Company’s new location at 230 Watson Street. It is expected to open in about two weeks. The Council also switched its insurance carrier for General Liability, Property and Casualty Insurance for 2024 from EMC to the League of Wisconsin Municipalities Mutual Insurance which is expected to save the city about $15,000. The Council approved the purchase of a vacuum sweeper to replace its current street sweeper. City Administrator Adam Sonntag says the vacuum sweeper is more environmentally friendly than what they currently use. The cost at just under $279,000 is a little more than the other sweeper the city tested but it outperformed the other. The Council also approved an ordinance that will create a community development authority. It will have the power to carry out blight elimination, slum clearance, urban renewal programs and projects, and housing projects.
LODI MAN FACING FLEEING AND OWI CHARGES
A 52-year-old Lodi man is facing multiple charges including his 6th OWI after fleeing from a traffic stop on Highway 60 in Columbia County last Saturday night. According to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office a Lodi police officer pulled over Chad Stites for an equipment violation but also noticed Stites’ vehicle was unable to maintain its lane. The vehicle fled while the officer was approaching the driver’s side window. The officer asked for help from the Sheriff’s Office. A short time later Stites’ vehicle went off Highway 60 and Hillestad Road and Stites fled on foot. Stites was allegedly uncooperative when he was found by a Sheriff’s K9 and continued resisting when officers tried to handcuff him. A taser was deployed. EMS responded to treat any injuries. In addition to the OWI charge other charges referred against Stites include fleeing an officer, resisting or obstructing, misdemeanor bail jumping, and there was a probation violation.
PORTION OF LAKESHORE DRIVE IN OSHKOSH CLOSED
City of Oshkosh officials closed Lake Shore Drive Tuesday, the road adjacent to Lake Winnebago near the Oshkosh Water Filtration Plant between the two driveways to the plant. The closure was to allow crews to access Lake Winnebago in order to conduct maintenance of a Water Filtration Plant intake pipe. The maintenance work is expected to be complete by December 31st. A recent maintenance inspection revealed that up to 60 percent of the 60-inch water intake pipe entry is blocked by sediment that built up over time. The city declared an emergency in May to address the blockage and recently the DNR granted authorization to conduct the necessary maintenance work.
MEMORIAL CEREMONY FOR OSHKOSH K9 MAGIC
Police in Oshkosh held a memorial ceremony yesterday for Police K9 Magic. Magic became unexpectedly ill last month and it was discovered that she had cancer surrounding her heart and other organs. Medical staff determined that there was nothing further that could be done to help Magic recover so she was euthanized to end her pain. The Golden Retriever was almost 4 years old and was acquired by the Oshkosh Police Department in March 2022 from Journey Together. Magic was the department’s therapy dog and she helped provide emotional support to both members of the community and officers. Magic had 364 deployments during her 20 months of service with the department. She passed away on November 25th. The memorial ceremony was held at the Best Western Premier Hotel in Oshkosh yesterday.
DICKENS OF A CHRISTMAS RECAP
Ripon Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mandy Kimes says she is very pleased how well everything connected with Dickens of a Christmas ran at the beginning of the month. Kimes says Dickens was one of the things that made her fall in love with the city before she was Chamber director. She says judging from the feedback they got from visitors she is not alone. Kimes says everything was bigger, better and brighter. She says the streets were filled on Friday and Saturday nights and a lot of people stayed for the weekend. She says they got a lot of nice comments about the holiday parade on Friday night and for the first time they gave out prizes for the three best floats. The floats were judged on the number of lights, how much they engaged the crowd, and other criteria. Dickens of a Christmas in 2024 will be December 6th through the 8th.
PREVENTING HOLIDAY KITCHEN AND TREE FIRES
An official with Ready Wisconsin says when it comes to keeping your holidays fire safe, decorations and candles aren’t the only things you have to carefully consider. The Christmas holidays also mean gathering with families and friends. Andrew Beckett says if you’re hosting a holiday party, stay fire safe by keeping the kitchen free of distractions, clear decorations away from around the stove and oven, and always have a fire extinguisher available nearby. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are two of the three leading dates for home structure fires caused by cooking. Beckett also suggests keeping live trees watered daily. He says it only takes a matter of seconds for a fire involving a dry, live tree to grown into a large blaze. Trees should also be displayed at least three feet away from heat sources, such as a heater or fireplace. Heat will dry out a tree and make it more combustible when exposed to open flames or sparks.
PLAN TO QUIT TOBACCO NOW FOR THE NEW YEAR
Fond du Lac County Tobacco Prevention and Control Coordinator Johanna Brotz says the New Year is a great time to invest in yourself and your future, to feel your healthiest and look your best by quitting tobacco. She urges tobacco users to make a plan to quit and learn about resources to support your efforts. As “quit season” gets underway this month, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services is promoting the Wisconsin Quit Line statewide. It is free resource available to everyone in the state over the age of 13. The Wisconsin Quit Line provides free help at 1-800-Quit Now, which is 1-800-784-8669. Individuals can also access the Quit Line by texting “READY” to 200-400. Individuals who call the Quit Line have access to one-on-one help with trained cessation experts and a starter supply of medications such as nicotine patches, lozenges, and gum to aid success.
TREFFERT STUDIOS HOLIDAY HULLABALOO
SSM Health is inviting everyone to celebrate the Magic of the Holidays at the SSM Health Treffert Studios Holiday Hullabaloo in Fond du Lac. It will be held next Wednesday night from 5 to 7 pm at the SSM Health Treffert Studios at 231 North National Avenue in Fond du Lac. It will feature the chance to engage in art projects, channel your inner pastry chef with cookie decorating, and harmonize with the joyous tunes during a holiday music sing-along. There is a $10 cost per family. Those who plan to attend are asked to RSVP by calling 920-921-8100.
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