1/14/25 Hometown Broadcasting News Tuesday
14 January 2025 News
FATAL CRASH NEAR WAUTOMA
The State Patrol is investigating a fatal two-vehicle crash that occurred near Wautoma Monday afternoon. It happened on Waushara County Highway Y, east of 11th Avenue, in the Town of Deerfield. Evidence suggests a car and SUV collided head on. An 83-year-old Hancock man driving a 2008 Jeep Patriot died at the scene. An 18-year-old Hancock woman driving a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu was taken to ThedaCare Wild Rose Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Assisting agencies included the Waushara County Sheriff’s Office, Wautoma Fire Department, Wautoma Emergency Medical Services, Hancock Emergency Medical Services, and the Waushara County Medical Examiner’s Office. The crash happened at 2:47 pm.
FATAL HIT AND RUN SUSPECT ARRAIGNED
The 21-year-old Oshkosh man charged with hit-and-run involving death for a fatal accident last October was arraigned in Winnebago County Court Monday. Drake Dodge pled not guilty. Judge Scott Woldt also denied a request for bail modification which would have allowed Dodge to drive to work. According to the criminal complaint Ethan Luaders was found lying in the road just before 3 am on October 5th in the area of New York Avenue and Goss Court near the UW-Oshkosh campus. Another driver spotted Luaders lying in the road, stopped her car and called 911. When first responders arrived they performed CPR, but he died at the scene. Later that morning, accompanied by his parents, Dodge turned himself in. He admitted to police hitting Lauders. He said he stopped for a second. Dodge told police he made the dumb decision to drive away instead of calling in the accident. He also admitted to drinking earlier in the evening, but felt he was fine to drive. Dodge will be back in court in March.
VOTER ID
If the State Assembly today approves it, a referendum to place Voter ID in the State Constitution will go to voters in April. State Representative Alex Dallman says Wisconsin has had a Voter ID program for about a decade now and it has gone through numerous legal challenges. He says it is equated with election integrity. The state lawmaker from Markesan says 80 percent of state residents approve of Voter ID but putting it into the State Constitution would make it more binding and difficult to do away with. Voters in April will also be voting on statewide races for the State Supreme Court and Public Schools Superintendent.
OSHKOSH SCHOOLS REFERENDUM
Voters in the Oshkosh Area School District will be asked to pass a $197.8 million referendum on the April 1st ballot. It represents the second phase of a four-phase facilities plan developed through planning in 2018 and 2019. Phase 1 approved by referendum in November of 2020 included consolidation of middle and elementary schools on the north side of town including the building of the Vel Phillips Middle and Menominee Elementary Schools. Phase 2 on the west side includes the expansion of elementary schools and building a new middle school. Oshkosh Schools Superintendent Bryan Davis says due to updated zoning for the airport in 2023 plans to build a new middle school at the current South Park Middle School had to be shifted to the Shapiro Elementary School site. Davis says their priorities for the referendum include student safety and reducing operational costs with the consolidations. The final goal was maintaining a zero dollar impact on the tax levy. He says they can do that by prepaying on current referendum debt. More information on the referendum and facilities plans is available at the Oshkosh Area School District website.
District – Oshkosh Area School District
PIPE CREEK PROJECT
Fond du Lac County officials say work will soon begin along portions of the Pipe Creek within Shaginappi Park. During that time, heavy machinery will be in the park for the installation of streambank stabilization practices to address continued erosion. Such work will include grading, installation of riprap, and tree removal to allow for new plant growth. Upon project completion, all disturbed areas will be seeded with native grass and wildflowers. Weather dependent, it is anticipated the project will take a month to complete.
OSHKOSH DEFENSE CONTRACT
The Marine Corps Systems Command has awarded Oshkosh Defense a nearly $30 million to integrate next-generation autonomous technology into the remotely operated ground unit for Rogue Fires. Delivery will begin this year. Oshkosh will execute the award with ground-based autonomy partner, Forterra. The advanced self-driving technology of Rogue-Fires provides the Marine Corps with increased flexibility, scalability and resilience in contested environments. The technology reduces the need for human driving in high-risk combat environments.
HOWELL ELECTED TO STATEWIDE CHAMBER BOARD
Envision Greater Fond du Lac President and CEO Sadie Howell has been elected to the Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce Executives Board of Advisors. In 2025, she will serve as the Chair-Elect, then Chair the board in 2026. She says she’s honored. She added, “This appointment reflects our shared dedication to the chamber industry, and I am eager to collaborate with my statewide colleagues to drive innovation and growth within our state.” WCCE, a program of Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, is a professional association of full and part-time executives and staff members of local chambers of commerce in Wisconsin.
FDL COMMUNITY THEATRE PRESENTS COMPANY
Fond du Lac Community Theatre will stage performances of Stephen Sondheim’s groundbreaking musical, Company, February 13th through 16th, at Goodrich Little Theatre in Fond du Lac. The iconic musical explores love, commitment, and the complexity of modern relationships through the eyes of perpetual bachelor Robert. With a brilliant score by Sondheim and a timelessly relevant book by George Furth, Company offers a poignant yet humorous look at life, love, and connection. The performance schedule is Thursday through Saturday February 13th through the 15th at 7 pm, and Sunday, February 16th at 2 pm. The show is 2 hours and 45 minutes long, including a 15-minute intermission. Tickets are available online at Hometown Tickets.com or in person at Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts during regular business hours. Guests can also purchase tickets at the box office one hour before each show for an additional $3 per ticket.
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