10/31/24 Hometown Broadcasting News Thursday
31 October 2024 News
MONROE MAN CONVICTED FOR ROLE IN RIPON DRUG OVERDOSE DEATH
The fourth and final person charged with first degree reckless homicide in a fentanyl overdose death in Ripon has pled guilty. Nineteen-year-old Donavyn Mueller of Monroe entered the plea during a hearing in Fond du Lac County Court Wednesday. His bond was revoked, a presentence investigation was ordered, and he will be sentenced on February 7th. District Attorney Eric Toney stated, “The Ripon Police Department conducted a challenging investigation that resulted in another dangerous drug dealer being taken off our streets with this homicide conviction.” Three others have been convicted of similar charges. Michael Manske will be sentenced on January 21st, Joseph Schmidt-Rehbein on December 20th, and Maison Springston on December 2nd. According to the criminal complaint in April of last year the victim, an 18-year-old Ripon man, took a pill believed to be Percocet at a Ripon home and overdosed. He was taken from the residence and left on a sidewalk. The pill contained fentanyl.
MENASHA MAN CHARGED WITH ARSON FOR FDL FIRE
Bond has been set at $750,000 cash for a 60-year-old Menasha man who set a fire that led to severe injuries for a 16-year-old girl in Fond du Lac last month. Mike Perez is charged with arson of a building, first-degree reckless injury, four counts of criminal damage to property, and mistreatment of animals causing death. All seven felony charges stem from a fire in the 200 block of Packer Street on September 23rd investigators believe the fire was started by an improvised incendiary device. The teen suffered spinal injuries and burns when she fell from a second story window trying to escape the fire. Two pets were also lost in the fire. A preliminary hearing in Fond du Lac County Court is scheduled for November 8th.
SPEAKERS AT FDL COUNTY HEARING TALK ABOUT HOUSING ISSUES
Five people took time to comment during the public hearing Tuesday night on the proposed 2025 Fond du Lac County Budget. All five speakers addressed the County Board about housing affordability and the homeless. Mike Brassie is the President of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Fond du Lac County. He told the board seniors and others are becoming homeless because they can’t afford rent. He stated they had to help out 12 families in Waupun when the rent at their apartment building was raised from $800 a month to $1,200. He says others including a few of the homeless in Ripon have moved to Fond du Lac to get closer to the resources they need to survive. Mary Ketterhagen of Fond du Lac told the board churches and non-profits have been doing their part to help the homeless for years. She says now it’s time for the County to do its part. She says low-income housing funding is needed in the budget. Another speaker called for the development of a county-wide housing plan.
RIPON COMMON COUNCIL NOTES
The Ripon Common Council this week approved holding a public hearing on the proposed 2025 City Budget on Tuesday, November 12th at 7 pm. City Administrator Adam Sonntag says they are considering a $9.29 mill rate per thousand dollars of value on a property. He says that would be about $32 more than this past year on a $100,000 home. The tax levy will be $3.9 million. In other Council notes the City is hiring Public Administration Associates or PAA to help with the search for the combined position of finance director and assistant city administrator. It will cost the city $12,600. PAA has done previous job searches for the city which had good results. The Council also approved a professional services agreement for $49,500 for MSA to review sanitary sewer user agreements for industrial users. MSA is recommending creating an industrial user assistant position to monitor that use. Industrial user charges paid for the treatment of that sewage at the wastewater treatment plant is $538,000 a year. An MSA representative told the Council the city should also be charging for the removal of ammonia in that wastewater. The Council also approved a street use permit ordinance which will have to be applied for if an event staged in the city closes down streets. The permit will cost $25.
ABSENTEE VOTING REMINDERS
Fond du Lac County Clerk Lisa Freiberg says in-person absentee voting will end this weekend for the November 5th election, but voters should check with their municipal clerk on just when that is where they live. She says it can vary up to Sunday. She stresses that some municipal clerks will be available for in-person absentee voters this weekend, but you should check with them or the municipality’s website for the hours they are available In Ripon today and tomorrow are the last days for in-person voting at City Hall until 5 pm. Freiberg also urges voters to get their absentee ballots in the mail if they are going that route. She says the window is pretty tight for getting them in on time to get counted.
PUTTING TOGETHER HOLIDAY MEALS
Traded Treasures Thrift Store and Community Food Pantry in Ripon will have meals for people in need during the holiday season. Shannon Wright is a member of the agency’s board of directors. She says they try and send a larger than usual meal out to families during the holiday season. She says they are grateful to Leroy Meats for providing coupons for turkeys. She says it cost about $45 a meal for the holiday meals. They send the meals out throughout November providing them for about 150 to 200 families. She says they distribute the meals on their regular food pantry day which is Monday from 10 am to 4 pm. Wright tells us they can also be contacted at 920-748-5756 if people need to make arrangements for other than that day. Donations are welcome to help with the cost of the meals. Traded Treasures Thrift Store and Community Food Pantry is located next to the Police station in Ripon on West Jackson Street.
WALSWORTH HIRES NEW EXECUTIVE VP OF COMMERICAL SALES
Walsworth has hired Stephanie Maday as the company’s new Executive Vice President of Commercial Sales and Board Member. She will be replacing Walsworth’s current Executive VP of Commercial Sales, Dave Grisa, who is retiring from the company in November. Maday will be based out of Walsworth’s Sales and Marketing office in Overland Park, Kansas. Maday comes to Walsworth with nearly 25 years of sales and management experience, more than 20 of it at Taylor Corporation in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area working for client 3M Promotional Markets. A native Minnesotan who has spent much of her life in the Mankato, Minnesota area, Maday graduated from Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato with a business degree. Among Walsworth’s magazine and catalog printing facilities is one Ripon.
Walsworth Hires Stephanie Maday as New EVP of Commercial Sales
ENVISION PROMOTES RAINA LYMAN
Envision Greater Fond du Lac has promoted Raina Lyman to Senior Director of Economic Development. In the new role, Lyman leads efforts to attract new businesses and support the growth of existing ones in the region. Her focus is on boosting the local economy. She will drive initiatives that make the community thrive and help business see why the region is the perfect place to succeed. She will also oversee activities of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Specialist. Lyman previously held the role of Director of Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
TRICK OR TREAT HOURS
Many communities across the state held their trick or treating times last weekend, but there are still some that stick with the traditional date on Halloween. Among the communities holding trick or treating times today are Appleton from 4 to 8 pm, Brandon from 4:30 to 6:30, Kingston from 6 to 8 pm, Markesan from 6 to 7:30, Omro from 4 to 7 pm, Oshkosh from 5 to 7 pm, Rosendale from 5:30 to 7 pm, Waupaca from 5 to 7, Weyauwega from 5 to 7 pm, and Winneconne from 4 to 8 pm. Drivers should be on the lookout for kiddos during those hours.
10/22/24 Trick or Treat Hours – Hometown Broadcasting
Share |