1/23/25 Hometown Broadcasting News Thursday
23 January 2025 News
FATAL TWO VEHICLE ACCIDENT IN WINNEBAGO COUNTY
A 30-year-old Berlin man was killed when his pickup truck collided with an Amazon delivery van on Highway 21 west of Leonard Point Road in Winnebago County’s Town of Algoma last evening. Sheriff’s officials say the man was heading west when it collided with the eastbound van driven by a 30-year-old Appleton woman. The pickup became fully engulfed in flames. Two Good Samaritans, not involved in the accident, pulled the man from the pickup and began life-saving measures but he died at the scene. Assisting Sheriff’s deputies at the scene were the State Patrol, Omro Police, and Town of Algoma Fire Department and first responders. The accident was reported at 6:07 pm.
SERIOUS TWO VEHICLE ACCIDENT IN DODGE COUNTY
Dodge County Sheriff’s officials tell us a 45-year-old Deerfield man suffered serious life-threatening-injuries when his SUV was struck by a semi on US Highway 151 just south of State Highway 73 in the Town of Elba last night. The preliminary investigation found the SUV was heading south on Highway 151 when it lost control and slid through the median into the northbound lanes. A semi traveling north collided with it. The Deerfield man was ejected from his vehicle. He was taken to the UW-Madison hospital. The semi driver, a 46-year-old Bondurant, Iowa man, was not injured. The accident happened shortly before 8 pm.
FDL COUNTY JAIL SPECULATION
Fond du Lac County Executive Sam Kaufman says there is definitely a need for a new county jail, but a number being thrown around of $300 million for the cost of building one is premature. An ad-hoc committee has been taking a look at the need including touring other jails. Kaufman says he’s toured the county’s current jail. He says there are parts of the jail that date back 67 years and parts that were renovated that are sinking. He feels it can be a problem for inmates and blind spots present security issues for corrections officers. Next month the ad hoc committee will do a two-hour presentation to the full County Board. After that it will likely be turned over to the Public Safety Committee which will look at possible locations, designs, and costs for the future project. He says speculation about a $300 million cost was for a full justice center that would also house the court system, court offices, and the district attorney’s office. He points out no matter what the cost the county would probably have to do a special levy and may put the matter to referendum.
TACKLING HOMELESSNESS
The Executive Director of Ripon Area Chamber of Commerce says she was impressed by what she saw at ADVOCAP’s Opportunity Center in Fond du Lac. It is a place to provide connections for the homeless and others who don’t have a way to navigate the system. It can help people with issues like getting food share, applying for Social Security, provides access to computers, or for the homeless provides a mailbox. Mandy Kimes of the Ripon Chamber says something similar with a spin on it for people living in a rural area would be more appropriate for Ripon. The Ripon/Green Lake subcommittee of the Winnebagoland Housing Coalition is hosting a regional meeting next month to address the issue of rural homelessness in Wisconsin. The event will be on Wednesday, February 5th from 3 to 4:30 pm at the Ripon Public Library’s Silver Creek Room. People can attend in person or via Zoom.
WEARIN’ AND SHARIN’ THE MASQUERADE
The Boys & Girls Club of the Tri-County Area is selling tickets for its annual fundraising gala at the Heidel House Hotel & Conference Center in Green Lake. This year’s Wearin’ & Sharin’ is being called “The Masquerade” and is taking on that theme for the event on Saturday, March 15th. The Masquerade will include a sumptuous three-course meal, captivating live and silent auctions, and thrilling raffles and games. Proceeds raised from the event will benefit the Boys & Girls of the Tri-County Area and its sites in Berlin, Green Lake, and Ripon. Tickets are $125 each or $1,500 for a corporate table, but those prices increase on February 12th to $150 per person and $1,750 for a corporate table. The Club invites you to don your mask and join them for a night where elegance meets purpose. Registration is available through the Club’s website.
Wearin and Sharin The Green | The Boys and Girls Club Tri-County Area
FUNDRAISING CONTINUES TOWARD WAUTOMA YMCA POOL
After raising $10 million for the construction of a YMCA in Wautoma members of the Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin now turn their attention to raising another $4.5 million for a pool to go with it. Lani DeMars says it will be a smaller version of a YMCA but will have all the essential features. That will include a big lobby area, an elevated walking track, a child care center, a gymnasium, group fitness classes, a wellness center, and more. The Foundation has created a fund for the Friends of the Waushara Community YMCA to take donations for the second phase of the project a pool. DeMars says it would be more cost effective to build both at the same time. She says if they can raise $4.5 million toward the pool by the end of February they can leverage an additional $1.2 million in federal funding. Ground will be broken for the new YMCA in Wautoma in July. With a 13 month build the YMCA will be completed in the summer of 2026.
FDL SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENDUM
The Fond du Lac School Board unanimously approved going to referendum on April 1st to ask taxpayers to authorize the District to exceed the revenue limit for four years for maintaining operations, maintenance expenses and providing for security upgrades in the District. Over the next few months, the District will share more information about the referendum plan through the District’s website, social media and direct mail. Here is what the District is sharing on their website. The referendum will ask permission for the District to exceed the revenue limit by $10 million per year for four years beginning in the 2025-2026 school year and running through the 2028-2029 school year.
Referendum | Fond du Lac School District
MPTC NAMES RUSCH VP OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
Moraine Park Technical College welcomes Bethany Rusch as the next Vice President of Finance and Administration. Effective December 19th, Rusch assumed her role as part of the president’s cabinet-serving as one of four executive leaders under President Bonnie Baerwald. In this role, Rusch will provide strategic leadership and coordinate innovative solutions for all financial services, talent and facility functions. Rusch brings extensive experience in higher education and leadership, recently serving as the Associate Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. In joining Moraine Park, she will assume the responsibilities of Carrie Kasubaski who resigned on January 3rd. Bethany graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh with a Master of Social Work degree.
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