4/23/24 Hometown Broadcasting News Tuesday
23 April 2024 News
FDL MAN ARRESTED FOR ERRATIC AND VIOLENT BEHAVIOR
A 35-year-old Fond du Lac man is facing multiple charges for several incidents in the City of Fond du Lac Monday afternoon. Police say it began at a home in the 600 block of East Merrill Avenue where the man allegedly destroyed property and physically assaulted another person in the home. His girlfriend drove him to St. Agnes Hospital where he continued to display bizarre and violent behavior. At one point he slammed his girlfriend into the side of a vehicle, got into the vehicle and drove off. Police and Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s deputies flooded the area. The man showed up at a Dairy Queen on Fond du Lac Avenue where he entered the food area but was pushed out of the restaurant by two employees. They suffered minor injuries. A Fond du Lac Police officer then spotted his vehicle in the area of South Hills Golf & Country Club. The man crashed his vehicle on a pedestrian golf cart bridge. A homeowner then spotted him running behind their house and the man was taken into custody shortly after that. He was transported to the Fond du Lac County Jail after he was medically cleared.
NAMES RELEASED IN FATAL MANITOWOC COUNTY ACCIDENT
The State Patrol has released the names of those involved in a fatal crash between a semi and passenger car on Manitowoc County Highway F at Marken Road last Tuesday morning. Twenty-year-old Lesly Garcia Rivera of St. Nazianz was heading south in her car on Marken Road and failed to yield at the stop sign at County Highway F. A westbound semi on County Highway F collided with her car. The impact caused the semi to overturn resulting in fatal injuries for 57-year-old Terrence Fesing of Chilton who was driving the truck. Rivera was flown to ThedaCare Regional Medical Center in Neenah with non-life threatening injuries.
DRUG RINGLEADER CONVICTED
One of the suspected ringleaders of a drug distribution operation busted in Fond du Lac County has pleaded guilty to delivery of amphetamine and narcotics charges. Thirty-one-year-old Melvin Kemp of Westland, Michigan was in Fond du Lac County court for a hearing Monday. He will be sentenced on May 30th. He was one of ten people connected to the delivery and distribution of more than 100 pounds of methamphetamine with a street value of $1 million in 2022, as well as the early stages of a fentanyl distribution operation. Fond du Lac County authorities seized 3.25 pounds of methamphetamine and 280 grams of fentanyl. The investigation involved local, state and federal agencies.
FDL MAN SENTENCED ON HEROIN AND COCAINE DEALING CHARGES
A 50-year-old Fond du Lac man have been sentenced to 5 years in prison, 5 years of extended supervision, and 5 years of probation on heroin and cocaine dealing charges. Last Friday Fredrick Ware pled no contest to manufacture and delivery of heroin and possession of cocaine with intent charges. Additional charges were read into the record and dismissed which included similar heroin and cocaine charges, two counts of felony bail jumping, and a theft charge. Following a trial last month a Fond du Lac County jury found Ware not guilty of a first degree reckless homicide charge. He was suspected of supplying the drugs that led to a Fond du Lac resident’s fatal overdose. The overdose victim died on February 15th of 2022.
LAKE STURGEON SAFE FROM ENDANGERED SPECIES LISTING
The state’s Department of Natural Resources Monday shared the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s announcement that lake sturgeon will not be added to a list of endangered or threatened species. This comes after a 12-month look into a petition filed in May of 2018 by the Arizona-based Center of Biological Diversity. Such listings would make harvesting the fish illegal, but without them, popular sturgeon harvest seasons in states such as Wisconsin and Michigan can continue. The DNR says it is reviewing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s finding and will continue to follow the sturgeon management practices in the Wisconsin Sturgeon Management Plan.
ST WENCESLAUS STREET PROJECT BID APPROVED
The Ripon Common Council last night approved a low bid of $932.348.50 from Egbert Excavating of Green Lake for the St. Wenceslaus Street Reconstruction project. It was one of five bids for the project which will include street reconstruction, water and sewer, storm sewer, and sidewalk installation. City Administrator Adam Sonntag told the Council that the School District has approved a waiver of special assessment and will be paying $60,000 to $70,000 for sidewalk added near Ingall’s Field. He says the school district is planning some of its own future improvements at the field including an enhanced entrance. He says some parking will be eliminated along the street but the street will be made a two-way improving safety during football and athletic events. Sonntag also informed the Council that the city had received a $52,000 grant to help with costs of the project. The St. Wenceslaus project is expected to begin in mid-June. Also last evening the Council heard a presentation on the Ripon Public Library’s Annual Report.
FATAL DRUGGED DRIVING CASE RESOLVED
Green Lake County Chief Deputy Sheriff Matt Vande Kolk says while they are glad to see a resolution in a court case stemming from a fatal drugged driving accident, it wasn’t easy on any of the families involved. Jessica Knueppel was sentenced this month to 8 years in prison and 4 years of extended supervision for an accident on State Highway 23 in September of 2021 that claimed the life of a 51-year-old Appleton man. Vande Kolk says it is a measure of justice for the family but they still suffered the loss of a loved one. Vande Kolk says they always hope that the person sentenced in such a case will get the help they need to turn their lives around. Knueppel has a plea and sentencing hearing in Fond du Lac County court Friday. In that case she is charged with second degree recklessly endanger safety, OWI first with a passenger under the age of 16, narcotics and cocaine possession.
JOHNSON HOUSE LEADERSHIP UNDER FIRE
For now House Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership in Congress remains intact, but Congress has a one-week break after passing a foreign aid bill. But he’s under fire from conservatives for passing that aid with the help of Democrats. Congressman Glenn Grothman says Congress went through four candidates before replacing previous House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and it is not something they can afford to do with the upcoming elections. U.S. Senator Ron Johnson says Speaker Johnson is a genuine conservative and a person of faith and trying to put in another speaker now would hurt Republican efforts this fall. Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia is pushing to remove Congressman Johnson from the leadership.
BALLWEG FAIR LEGISLATION SIGNED INTO LAW
State Senator Joan Ballweg’s bill to provide additional funding to county and district fairs was signed into law by Governor Tony Evers last week. Senator Ballweg says the legislation will provide enough state aid to cover the costs for premiums awarded at county or district fairs. The bill also prohibits the state’s Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection from restricting the number of fairs an exhibitor may participate in. The state lawmaker from Markesan says it is important to invest in local fairs because they promote agriculture and community involvement. The bill received bipartisan support and goes into effect for the upcoming fair season.
OSHKOSH PRINCIPAL RECOMMENDATIONS
The Oshkosh Area School District is recommending Alexandra Piester as the next principal of Carl Traeger Middle School and Rebecca Montour as the next principal of Perry Tipler Middle School/Advanced Learning Program. Both recommendations have been forwarded to the Board of Education for their approval at their meeting Wednesday. Piester currently serves as the curriculum and assessment instructional support teacher at Carl Traeger Middle School. She has 10 years of experience in the District. Montour currently serves as the assistant principal at Maplewood Middle School in Menasha. Previously, she was an assistant principal at Oshkosh West High School after serving as a middle school band teacher in Hortonville.
AIR FORCE MATERIAL COMMAND PARTICIPATING IN AIRVENTURE 2024
The organization that develops, delivers, and sustains nearly every U.S. Air Force weapon system will be center stage at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh this summer. The Air Force Material Command is among the highlighted units. Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programs, points out the Command manages installation and mission support, discovery and development, test and evaluation, and life cycle management services and sustainment for nearly every major Air Force weapon system. Participating Command aircraft and activities will be announced as they are finalized. The Air Force’s Band of the Flight will also perform during the week. The 71st edition of EAA’s fly-in convention is July 22nd through the 28th at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh.
RCH AUXILIARY FLOWER BASKET SALE
The SSM Health Ripon Community Hospital Auxiliary will be hosting their 9th annual spring flower basket sale from 9 am to 5 pm on Monday and Tuesday, May 6th and 7th or until supplies run out. The sale will be outside near the hospital’s main entrance. The sale will feature a choice of high-quality 10-inch hanging baskets of Begonias, Sun and Shade Combos, Fuchsias, Geraniums, Portulaca, Impatiens, Petunias or Lantanas in various colors that are specifically grown for Wisconsin’s climate. There will be no pre-orders. Cost is $28 each. Cash and checks will be accepted; no credit cards. All proceeds will support Ripon Community Hospital programs and services. Thanks to fundraising events, like the spring flower basket sale, the Auxiliary donated $20,368 to Ripon Community Hospital in 2023 alone to help secure temporal thermometers for the emergency room, ultrasound probe, Hana table retractors, sit-to-stand device, and staff appreciation treats.
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