1/4/24 Hometown Broadcasting News Thursday
4 January 2024 News
EDEN MAN PLEADS TO ARSON CHARGES
A 40-year-old Eden man facing multiple charges of Arson in Fond du Lac County entered guilty pleas during a court hearing Wednesday. Daniel Enright was facing seven felony charges for suspicious fires. He pled guilty to two counts each of intentionally setting fire to another’s land and arson. Three other charges were read into the record and dismissed. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 1st. The first suspicious fire was investigated in March of 2020. Eventually Enright was arrested last February. According to the criminal complaint he admitted to lighting fires in the area over a three year period. He told investigators he lit fires to relieve stress, which included the birth of his child three years ago. He also admitted starting a fire after arguing with his fiancée. Fires were set in grassy brush marsh type of areas. He faces a similar charge in Washington County. A hearing in that case is scheduled for next week.
FDL MAN SENTENCED ON SEXUAL ASSAULT CHARGE
A 42-year-old Fond du Lac man has been sentenced to 8 years in prison and 15 years of extended supervision on a second degree sexual assault of a child charge. Fond du Lac County Judge Laura Lavey sentenced Nathaneal Hankerson on December 20th. Hankerson pled no contest to the charge on November 28th. He was originally charged with first degree child sexual assault. His mental health treatment will continue a Mendota Mental Health Institute. Last February Hankerson was convicted of arson. He set fire to a home in Fond du Lac. He was found not guilty due to mental disease or defect.
REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS FOR ROSENDALE PRIMARY SCHOOL
The Rosendale-Brandon School District is seeking proposals for the sale and proposed use of the Rosendale Primary School property located at 300 West Wisconsin Street in Rosendale. The property is expected to be vacated in the fall of 2025. The property includes a 32,300 square foot building on approximately 8 acres. Interested parties can view the proposal and other documents on the District website. Proposals are due no later than noon on February 29th. Last April District voters approved a $35.7 million referendum for improvements to the Rosendale Intermediate School site and Laconia High School which also includes additional classrooms at the elementary school and an additional wing at the high school. When additions and renovations are completed by the fall of 2025, the District will be able to consolidate from four campuses to two. It will result in the closing of Rosendale Primary School and Brandon Elementary School. The District expects to seek proposals for the Brandon School property in late winter.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL – Rosendale-Brandon School District (rbsd.us)
RAFD STRATEGIC PLAN
Included in its 5-year Strategic Plan the Ripon Area Fire District Governing Board included 5-year Capital Improvement Plans. Board President Ellen Sorensen says when she was the Director of Administration under Fond du Lac County Executive Allen Buechel she learned the value of Capital Improvement Plans and took that with her when she had similar positions with Brown and Marinette counties. She is pleased the Fire District has included Capital Improvement Plans in its Strategic Plan. She says some of the capital improvement items in the plan include the purchase of a truck in 2025 and new radios for Fond du Lac County’s switch to an 800 megahertz system. Sorensen says when she moved back to Ripon she pushed the city to start doing capital improvement plans. She says that way there are no surprises with future expenditures. The RAFD Boar Tuesday night approved a 5-year Strategic Pan.
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS
One of the longest running associations the Fond du Lac County United Way has had with an agency it supports is with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fond du Lac County. Big Brothers Executive Director Tammy Young says their priority is to match adults or “Bigs” with children or “Littles.” The currently have 10 matches in the Ripon area, but there are 10 to 15 littles that need matches. Young says that they have both school-based and community-based matching. Although located in Fond du Lac they have people that will meet with potential “Bigs” at Barlow Park Elementary School. She notes there isn’t a big time commitment for those who become “Bigs.” Young has been a “Big” to an 11-year-old girl for the past three years. She says it started out as a school-based match and moved to a community-based match. Her “Little” likes to spend time with her and her dog. Anyone interested in finding out more about becoming a “Big” should call the Big Brothers office in Fond du Lac at 920-922-8200 or visit their website bbbsfdl.org.
SPRING ELECTION CANDIDATES
The deadline has passed for submitting papers to run for public office this spring setting up a couple of races in the Ripon area. According to Ripon City Clerk Naomi Miller the only contested race for Common Council is for District 2 with incumbent Terry Grunert being challenged by Mark Denkert. Unopposed are Jolene Schatzinger in District 4, David Gallops in District , and John Splitt in District 1. Mayor Ted Grant is also unchallenged. The Ripon School Board races feature five candidates running for four seats. Incumbents Lori Machmueller and Denise Martinez will be challenged by Katie Grady, Shannon Lampe and Kelly Nielsen. Machmueller and Martinez were appointed to the board to fill vacancies. The Green Lake Common Council features a race for the District 1 seat between Dann Green and Mark Wilton. Non-incumbents have until 5 pm Friday to file for candidacy if they choose to run for District 1. District 2 incumbent Alderman Jon McConnell is running unopposed. For the Green Lake School Board incumbents Tim Lyke and Mary Cryier filed non-candidacy papers. Nick Carriere is running for one of those two open seats. Meanwhile all 25 seats on the Fond du Lac County Board of Supervisors are up for election. Ripon area Supervisors Kat Griffith who represents District 1 and Gary will who represents District 2 are unopposed. Karen Madigan who represents District 3 will be faced by Jim Will who opposed her two years ago.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WALK IN CLINIC
The lead psychologist for SSM Health’s Behavioral Health Walk-In Clinic at Ripon Community Hospital says they have had a pretty successful first year for the program. Amy Bayer says they began as the Day Stabilization Unit with was 24/7. Over the summer they changed the name to the Behavioral Health Walk-In Clinic which more accurately reflects their purpose. She says they no longer provide the 24 hour a day, 7 days a week service. Their hours are 8 am to 7 pm weekdays, and they are open until 5 pm on weekends. Bayer says they were the first health care provider in the state to provide the service they did through the Day Stabilization Unit. If you are suffering a mental health crisis the Behavioral Health Walk-In Clinic can provide short term relief. You just have to check-in at the Emergency Department at Ripon Community Hospital.
RADON TEST KITS AVAILABLE
The Radon Information Center, which serves Waushara, Green Lake, Marquette, and Portage Counties, is reminder residents that during National Radon Action Month they can pick up a radon test kit for only $5 at their county health department. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., and the leading cause among non-smokers. Radon is a gas that you can’t see, smell or taste. It comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in the soil and rock and may collect in your home. Testing your home is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk. For more information about radon visit the website lowradon.org.
WATERSHED PROTECTION GRANTS
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has awarded $1 million in producer-led watershed protection grants to 47 farmer-led groups for 2023. Grants support producer-led conservation solutions by encouraging innovation and farmer participation in on-the-ground efforts to improve Wisconsin’s soil health and water quality. Among the recipients are the Dodge County Farmers for Healthy Soil & Health Water which will get a $26,400 grant and the Fond du Lac County Watersheds Alliance which is receiving a $29,600 grant. Governor Tony Evers said of the program, “Across the state, producer-led groups are doing tremendous work caring and advocating for our state’s land and water resources, and those efforts continue to grow year after year.”
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