12/15/23 Hometown Broadcasting News Friday
15 December 2023 News
TWO DEADLY FIRES
The area saw two deadly house fires in the last few days. Oshkosh firefighters were dispatched to 1837 Ashland Avenue just before 5 am Thursday morning. John Holland of the Oshkosh Fire Departments says four of the five people residing in the home were able to make it out safely thanks to working smoke alarms. Upon searching the home fire crews found one person dead on the second floor of the house. The cause of the fire is being investigated. The family is being assisted by the Oshkosh Police Department’s Community Crisis Closet and the American Red Cross.
Elsewhere in Hustisford Wednesday night firefighters and EMS were dispatched to the 100 block of South Oakwood Boulevard for a fire in a single story home. A victim was found shortly after fire crews began to attack the blaze. The victim was removed from the home and EMS began life-saving measures but to no avail. The Dodge County Medical Examiner’s Office pronounced the person dead at the scene. The fire remains under investigation. There were no working smoke alarms in the residence.
FDL COUNTY TWO TRAFFIC PURSUITS IN THE SAME DAY
Less than 24 hours since their last high-speed pursuit Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s deputies were involved in another involving a Milwaukee man with a significant criminal background. It began last night about 7 pm when a Sheriff’s deputy tried to pull over a northbound vehicle on Interstate 41 near Lost Arrow Road for traffic violations. Tire deflation devices were successfully deployed but the suspect’s vehicle exited I-41 onto Johnson Street in Fond du Lac. He traveled off the ramp and into a ditch, before his vehicle became disabled. He then fled on foot through business parking lots. With the assistance of Sheriff’s K9 Ace he was tracked and taken into custody. The pursuit covered 7 miles. The suspect is a 42-year-old Milwaukee man out on bond for three felony cases in Brown County. He was taken to the Fond du Lac County Jail. Charges being referred against him include fleeing an officer, possession of marijuana, hallucinogenic drugs and drug paraphernalia, two counts of first degree recklessly endangering safety, and three counts of felony bail jumping. He was also arrested on suspicion of OWI impaired and was issued several traffic citations.
APPLETON MAN ARRESTED FOLLOWING FDL COUNTY TRAFFIC CHASE
Fond du Lac County Sheriff’’s deputies, Fond du Lac and North Fond du Lac Police all had to terminate separate chases for a 32-year-old Appleton man a deputy tried to pull over for a traffic violation on Interstate 41 early Thursday morning. Eventually the man’s vehicle ran over a tire deflation device and his vehicle was found parked on a dead end. He was arrested during a high-risk traffic stop. He was identified as the driver they had been pursuing. He was cooperative and was taken into custody. No one else was in the vehicle. The man is a convicted felon and was out on bond on felony charges in Fond du Lac County, and misdemeanor charges in Outagamie County. Charges being referred against him for the Fond du Lac County pursuit include fleeing an officer, second-degree recklessly endangering safety, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of narcotics, felony bail jumping, and misdemeanor bail jumping, and operating with a revoked license. A Fond du Lac Police vehicle and a civilian’s vehicle also struck the tire deflation devices.
DIDION MILLING FINED
The U.S. Department of Labor has reached a settlement with Didion Milling Incorporated that requires the Cambria corn milling company to pay more than $1.8 million in penalties after a May 31st, 2017, explosion that killed five workers and injured more than a dozen others. The company has also agreed to make extensive safety and health improvements at the facility. The agreement was issued as a final order on Wednesday. OSHA Regional Administrator Bill Donovan in Chicago says, “Didion Milling’s agreement to make extensive safety improvements and work with OSHA and industry experts to protect the mill’s workers will protect the safety and lives of their current and future employees.” He added that, “The five workers who lost their lives and those injured in this preventable tragedy must never be forgotten.” The settlement follows the October 13th convictions of company Vice President of Operation Derrick Clark and its former Food Safety Superintendent Shawn Mesner by a federal jury in Madison for falsifying documents and obstructing an OSHA investigation. Didion Milling pleaded guilty on September 29th to charges related to falsifying the mill’s cleaning and baghouse logs and agreed to pay restitution of more than $10 million to the 2017 explosion’s victims and a $1 million criminal fine.
SWEARING IN CEREMONY FOR NEWEST FDL COUNTY SHERIFF’S K9
Next Tuesday Fond du Lac County Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt will be conducting a swearing-in ceremony with Josie, the Sheriff’s Office newest K9. Unlike most K9’s used by the Sheriff’s Office which are paired with deputies on patrol, JosIe will be paired with the department’s in-house crisis social worker Shelia Seaborg. The ceremony will be held at 2 pm in the sheriff’s office conference room in Fond du Lac. Other K9’s used by the Sheriff’s Office are Koda, Ace, Rip, Cohl, and Iro who is recovering from being shot during an incident in Fond du Lac in October.
UPDATE ON RIPON OPERATIONS CENTER PROJECT
Alliant Energy has provided an update on the Ripon Operations Center project. Project plans were filed with the Wisconsin Public Service Commission last summer to construct a new facility. It will include sufficient office, shop, garage and yard spaces to efficiently meet both current and planned future operations. Construction will begin mid-2024 with completion expected mid-2025. Brad Kulka, director of operations at Alliant Energy, says, “This investment in the Ripon Community will strengthen the company’s local presence for years to come.” The new facility will be located less than two miles northeast of Alliant Energy’s current Ripon Operations Center. Tri-North Builders is the main contractor which will use skilled local workers for the project. Alliant Energy’s Ripon Service District is 900 square miles serving over 17,000 electrical customers and over 6,000 gas customers.
SENATOR JOHNSON ON HUNTER BIDEN AND AN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY
U.S. Senator Ron Johnson questions why Hunter Biden would skip out on a scheduled deposition following a subpoena from House Republicans if he is innocent of accusations against him. Johnson says the contempt of Congress speaks volumes as well as the mounting evidence connected to his foreign business dealings and speculation about how the Biden family may have benefitted as a result of the president’s status. Johnson says Hunter Biden skipping out on the closed deposition gives Republicans another argument for its impeachment inquiry into the president. The House Wednesday night voted along party lines in favor of an impeachment inquiry. Hunter Biden made a brief appearance at the Nation’s Capital Wednesday to give a public statement. During that statement he said Republicans, “weaponized my dad’s love for me, and turned his greatest strengths-his compassion, his empathy, his authenticity-into evidence of corrupt complicity.”
ASTOP PREVENTION EDUCATION EFFORTS IMPORTANT
Officials say money that goes into prevention education is important especially when it comes to sexual assault and abuse. ASTOP of Fond du Lac provides assistance and advocacy to those victims, but the prevention education they do in schools across the county also has an impact. Isabel Williston is the Executive Director of ASTOP. She says in addition to the schools their prevention educators also do presentations for groups and at events in the community. So far this year they’ve seen about 12,000 people through their educational efforts. They’ve been to all the schools in Ripon including Ripon College. The Fond du Lac County United Way has supported ASTOP since it began in 1992. United Way Executive Director Amber Kilawee says every dollar invested in a prevention program sees a return of seven dollars on the investment. ASTOP has a 24-hour crisis line, that phone number is 920-926-5395.
TREFFERT STUDIOS HOLIDAY HULLABALOO
SSM Health Greater Fond du Lac 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. Meg Puddy is SSM’s Director of Behavioral Health Community-Based Services. She says the Treffert Studios has a mental health team, but it is also an outlet for people with neuro diversities. She says they have a fully functional multimedia and production studio which houses a large variety of creative tools and technology including video, film equipment, musical instruments, art supplies and so much more. She says it gives neuro divergent individuals a chance to collaborate, develop team work and creative skills which ultimately may lead to more socialization and employment opportunities. As for the Hullabaloo it will have visits with Santa, Arts and Crafts, Sing-a-longs, read-a-longs and more. There is a $10 cost per family. Those who plan to attend are asked to RSVP by calling 920-921-8100.
PANCAKES WITH SANTA
The Children’s Museum of Fond du Lac invites everyone to meet Santa, enjoy a delicious pancake breakfast and participate in fun family activities all while supporting Fond du Lac County’s Foster Care Program. The event is tomorrow from 8 am to noon with a Sensory Friendly offering from 12:30 to 1:30 pm at the museum. Breakfast seatings will take place every half hour. “Pancakes with Santa” was built in conjunction with one of the museum’s most popular family events of the year. Visitors will have the opportunity to engage in “reindeer games,” decorate and play in the museum’s Gingerbread Village, decorate cookies in Festival Foods Cookie Shop, enjoy holiday caroling from the Waupun Choir and Fond du Lac High School Cardinal Singers, make handmade cards, and so much more. The cost for the event is $10 for museum members and $15 for non-members with proceeds benefitting the Fond du Lac County Foster System. Registration information can be found on the museum’s website and financial assistance is available by request.
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