8/16/24 Hometown Broadcasting News Friday
16 August 2024 News
ROBBERY AND STABBING IN OSHKOSH
Oshkosh Police are investigating the robbery of a business in the 1300 block of Oshkosh Avenue and the stabbing of one of the business’s employees. The employee was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. They were called to the business at 6:25 Thursday morning. A 23-year-old Oshkosh man suspected in the incident was still on the scene. He was taken into custody. He was later booked into the Winnebago County Jail on charges of armed robbery, second-degree recklessly endangering safety, resisting or obstructing an officer, and bail jumping.
SHEBOYGAN COUNTY FATAL TRAIN ACCIDENT UPDATE
Sheboygan County authorities have identified the 66-year-old Kewaskum man killed when the semi-truck he was driving was struck by a Wisconsin Southern train Wednesday afternoon near Random Lake. Jeffery Blankenheim’s truck was loaded with 5,000 gallons of liquid manure. He was driving on Abbott Drive and the semi ended up on its side in a ditch as it crossed the railroad crossing with Abbott Drive. A northbound train struck it. The engine and six of the train’s 22 cars were derailed. Only one car lost some of its non-toxic plastic pellet load. Blankenheim died at the scene. No one else was injured.
CLINTONVILLE DRUG ARRESTS
Just before midnight last Saturday night Clintonville Police pulled over a vehicle for an equipment violation which led to two drug arrests. It happened in the area of South Main Street and West 1st Street. The Department’s K9 Thor alerted on the vehicle for possible narcotics. Officers searched the vehicle and found 12.2 grams of suspected methamphetamine, 2.1 grams of suspected fentanyl, and drug paraphernalia. As a result of the search a 65-year-old Wautoma woman was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, a narcotic, illegally obtained prescription medication, and drug paraphernalia. A 33-year-old Neopit man was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and felony bail jumping. The woman currently has an open felony case for methamphetamine trafficking and other drug-related charges. The man has two open felony cases and is on probation for possession of methamphetamine, narcotics, and other various charges. (Clintonville Police K9 Thor in photo).
DRIVE SOBER OR GET PULLED OVER
The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office is one of the many law enforcement agencies that are participating in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign. It began yesterday and runs through Labor Day Monday, September 2nd. The goal is to deter impaired driving and prevent tragedies seen in previous Labor Day weekends from happening again. Sheriff’s Captain Chris Randall says their first priority is to keep people safe so they are asking everyone to plan ahead if they know they’ll be out drinking. He adds the message they are trying to get out is, “drunk driving is illegal and it takes lives.” He recommends having a designated driver or calling a taxi or rideshare if you’re not sober to drive home. During the last Labor Day holiday there were 1,365 traffic crashes in Wisconsin, including 9 fatalities. Of those crashes, 113 involved an impaired driver. Among the 9 people that were killed in the crashes, four of them involved an impaired driver.
RIPON DPW FACILITY BIDDING
The Ripon Common Council Wednesday night approved a low bid of $8.6 million from Cardinal Construction of Fond du Lac for the construction of a new Department of Public Works facility. City Administrator Adam Sonntag told the Council thanks to a softer market the five bids they received were competitive and lower than the original estimates of $10 to $12 million. He says Cardinal Construction put in the most responsible bid. The Council also approved contracts for moving a water main and gas and power lines to accommodate construction of the new DPW building. Egbert Construction which is already in town for the St. Wenceslaus project will move the water main as part of a change order for the cost of $44,757.50. Alliant Energy will be relocating the gas and power lines for the cost of $34,675.53.
RIPON SCHOOLS TAX RATE LOWEST EVER
Ripon Area School District Business Manager Jonah Adams says the mill rate for the District on property taxes this year should be the lowest it has ever been. He says it will likely be below $7 per thousand dollars of value on a property compared to $7.95 last year. He cites a few reasons for that including an increase in state aid. That aid increased in part because the District paid off about $230,000 in debt. In addition equalized value on properties in the District went up by about 10 percent, which will allow them to drop the mill rate by about 12 percent. He says they will also be paying off some of their debt this year. The overall debt is $17.5 million which Adams says should be paid off by 2035. He points out the early debt payments they make will allow them to save more than $40,000 over the life of that debt. The School Board will approve the budget and tax levy during an October meeting.
ROSENDALE BRANDON SCHOOL DISTRICT IMPROVEMENTS
In addition to the Laconia High School, improvements were made at Rosendale Intermediate School this summer as well. It is part of additions and renovations approved by Rosendale-Brandon School District voters during an April 2023 referendum. District Superintendent Wayne Weber says the concrete slab for a 6 new classrooms at what will be Laconia Elementary School was poured and some of the steel is up. He says work on the playground also started. He says one of the bigger projects at that school was improvement to the school office, which has been completed. It was gutted and a window was put in so secretaries could see anyone approaching the building. Staff moved back into the office this week. Next March high school students will be moved into the new addition and the current section of the high school will be renovated for use by middle school students. Work will also continue at the Intermediate School with hopes that all the work will be completed by the fall of 2025.
STUDENT LOAN DEBT FORGIVENESS SCAMS
Last month the Department of Education completed changes to the Public Student Loan Forgiveness program so qualifying federal student loan debt borrowers are free to apply. Until September 30th, borrowers in default on their federal student loans can use the Fresh Start program to return to good standing. Wisconsin Division of Trade and Consumer Protection Administrator Michelle Reinen says while borrowers navigate the programs and changes, they should also know how to identify a student loan debt scam. Red flags in those scams include requests for upfront fees and promises of immediate loan forgiveness or cancellation. She says a big “no, no” is requests for your Federal Student Aid ID. If they get the FSA ID it has the same legal status as a signature, and someone with it could access your account and take control of your personal information without your knowledge.
ELK MANAGEMENT PLAN APPROVED
The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board this week approved the DNR’s 10 year Elk Management Plan and the associated administrative rule package. The plan is intended to guide elk management at a statewide level to ensure a healthy, robust and sustainable elk population. Key updates to the plan include managing the statewide elk population and renaming the management zones to include regional distinctions such as Northern and Central. It also will create one continuous elk hunting season, expand the boundaries of elk management zones, and establish elk hunting units within and adjacent to elk management zones. Wisconsin’s elk herds reside in Ashland, Bayfield, Sawyer, Rusk and Price counties in the north and Jackson County in central Wisconsin. The state’s elk population is projected to reach over 500 animals after this year’s calving season.
CAMP SCHOLLER OPEN DURING NFL DRAFT
The Experimental Aircraft Association will make its improved drive-in Camp Scholler campsites available in late April 2025 to help meet the demand for accommodations during the NFL Draft at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. The NFL Draft is April 24th through the 26th. EAA Director of Events Chris Farrell says, “With hundreds of thousands of football fans coming to northeast Wisconsin, accommodations are at a premium and people have asked if we would be available to assist.” Camp Scholler will be open for 10 days while the football world is focused on Green Bay. Beginning today campsites can be reserved online through the EAA website. Each campsite is available from April 19th through the 29th, with a three-night minimum at $175 per night which includes all taxes and fees. Payment is due in full at the time of reservation. In addition, extra motor vehicles may be parked in an overflow parking lot for $25 per day per vehicle. With each reserved campsite, EAA is also providing two complimentary EAA Aviation Museum passes and a 20 percent discount certificate for merchandise at the Barnstormer Boutique inside the museum.
Camp Scholler Opens For Camping Near Green Bay the Week of the 2025 NFL Draft | EAA
WE ARE OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD
A cast of more than 40 will perform the musical “The Wizard of Oz” at the Ripon High School Auditorium this weekend. The Ripon Area Community Theatre will stage the performances based on the Frank L. Baum book and music composed for the movie. It’s your chance to relive the classic moments from Dorothy Gale’s trip over the Rainbow and her visit to Oz. You can get reacquainted with the Scarecrow, Tin Man, the Lion, good and bad witches, the munchkins, the Wizard and other characters. Performances are tonight at 7 pm, Saturday at 2 and 7 pm, and Sunday at 2 pm. It doesn’t take a brain to know you will need tickets. They are $10 for General Admission, $5 for ages 6 to 18, and admission is free for those 5 and under. Tickets are available at the door or online at Hometown Tickets.com. The Ripon Area Community Theatre is a sponsored program of the Ripon Noon Kiwanis, with additional sponsorship by Dante and Jennifer Houston. (Ripon Area Community Theatre photo)
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