3/25/25 Hometown Broadcasting News Tuesday
25 March 2025 News
FDL MAN SENTENCED ON SECOND DEGREE MURDER CHARGE
The second of the two Fond du Lac men suspected of robbing and killing Benzel Rose of Fond du Lac was sentenced in Fond du Lac County court to 50 years in prison and 20 years of extended supervision. Thirty-one-year-old Eric Perry pled no contest to second degree intentional homicide, armed robbery with use of force, and felon in possession of firearm charges last December. Co-defendant Julius Freeman was convicted in a jury trial in 2023 of first-degree intentional homicide and armed robbery. He was sentenced to life in prison, with eligibility for release after 35 years. Late the night of October 17th, 2021, Fond du Lac Police responded to a 9-1-1 call for assistance at a residence in the 300 block of 8th Street. Officers found the 26-year-old Rose dead from a gunshot wound to the head. A gun and some money were stolen from Rose. Perry and Freeman were picked up on probation warrants in the fall of 2021 and have been incarcerated since. (Fond du Lac County Jail photo).
APPLETON MAN SENTENCED FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING CHILDREN
The 66-year-old Appleton man that sexually assaulted several children at a campground in Waupaca County was sentenced Monday to 21 years in prison. Richard “Rick” Klimek was suspected of sexually assaulting the victims at Farmer Gene’s Campground on Kinney Lake Road in Dupont, west of Marion. He was a seasonal camper there. The three victims ranged in age from 6 to 12 years-old. Some of them are adults now. Those assaults dated back to 2017. Klimek will also be on the Sex Offender Registry for the rest of his life.
WAUPUN MAN SENTENCED FOR ELECTION FRAUD
A 68-year-old Waupun man was convicted in Fond du Lac County Court Monday of felony election fraud-voting by a disqualified person. Martin Kehl’s conviction stemmed from registering to vote on Election Day November 8th, 2022 and then voting in that election. Kehl was actively serving a felony OWI probation sentence during that election, making him ineligible to vote. Judge Laura Lavey sentenced him to 7 days in jail and a $1,500 fine. The state had recommended 30 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. Judge Lavey stated, “The charge is serious and goes against the core of what our country is based on.” Judge Lavey also took into consideration a recent stroke the defendant suffered that requires treatment needs. District Attorney Eric Toney says he hopes the sentence serves as a deterrent to others showing them the consequences of violating the integrity of the electoral process.
RIPON COMMON COUNCIL APPROVES MAKING BLOSSOM STREET ONE-WAY
The Ripon Common Council last night approved revision of a city ordinance to make Blossom Street a one-way street. The Council had postponed action on the ordinance from their last meeting to gather more information. Ripon City Administrator Adam Sonntag says both the Boys & Girls Club of the Tri-County Area and St. Catherine’s Siena Church will benefit from making Blossom Street a one-way street. He says the street isn’t wide enough to support two-way traffic with parking on both sides. He says city staff has discussed it for quite some time. Sonntag says the additional traffic from the Boys & Girls Club and daycare center compounds the problem. He says he is quite familiar with the street because he drives it every day. It will be a couple of months before the street becomes one-way.
OSHKOSH FIRE CHIEF FINALISTS SELECTED
The Oshkosh Police and Fire Commission have selected five finalists to interview for its Fire Chief vacancy. The five finalists have from 18 to more than 30 years of Fire and Emergency experience and have served as a supervisor and command level officer. Timothy Heiman is currently Division Chief of Training for the Oshkosh Fire Department. Erik Jonas is currently Deputy Chief for Marshfield Fire and Rescue. Gregory Stelter is currently Assistant Fire Chief for the Oshkosh Fire Department. Andrew Wienckowski is currently Deputy Fire Chief for Long Grove Fire Protection District, Long Grove, Illinois. Kurt Zellman is currently Fire Service Program Coordinator at Milwaukee Area Technical College and previously Deputy Chief for the Southern Ozaukee Fire Department in Mequon. The Commission has planned a “meet and greet: for next Monday, from 5 to 7 pm at the Oshkosh Convention Center. The “meet and greet” and open house will be an opportunity for the candidates to meet and interact with Oshkosh residents. An extensive interview process has also been scheduled for next Tuesday.
FDL REGIONAL JOB FAIR
More than 50 employers across various industries, including office, service, manufacturing, healthcare, and other professional positions, will be looking for their next new hires at the Fond du Lac Regional Job Fair. The Job Fair will be held from 1 to 4 pm on Wednesday, April 2nd at the Fond du Lac Expo Center at the County Fairgrounds. Job seekers of all skill levels can connect directly with hiring managers and learn about available positions. Some companies will even conduct on-site interviews, making the event a fantastic chance to make an immediate impact. Job seekers are encouraged to bring resumes to share and to dress for the career they want. A complete list of employers registered for the Job Fair is available at the Fox Valley Work.org website and will be frequently updated. Individuals interested in a resume refresh are urged to contact the Fox Cities Job Center-Menasha at 920-997-3272. Appointments can be made for in-person or virtual sessions.
SENATOR JAGLER ON HIGH POLITICAL TEMPERATURE
State Senator John Jagler says the political temperature is high at the moment, something they’ve noticed at recent town hall meetings and in talking with constituents. He says unfortunately most of the concerns being expressed are with Elon Musk and President Trump’s shake up of the federal government something he and other state legislators have no control over. He says state legislators are reacting like everybody else. The state lawmaker from Watertown chairs the State Senate’s Education Committee. He is monitoring the situation with the U.S. Department of Education which the Trump Administration is trying to do away with. Jagler says they don’t have much connection with that department but are more concerned that the federal money that helps pay for things like school lunch, special education, and other educational programs continues to be funneled to the state.
DEER ROUNDUP
Green Lake County Chief Deputy Matt Vande Kolk says they were glad their drone team could lend a helping hand to herd three deer off of Big Green Lake on Saturday, March 15th. The three deer broke through the ice about 100 yards offshore. He says their department, Green Lake Police, and local DNR brainstormed and came up with the idea of using the drone to herd the deer back to shore. Wind and ice complicated the rescue a bit with two making it back to shore, but a rope was needed to help the third. Vande Kolk says it took a little over an hour to rescue the exhausted deer. A short video of the rescue effort is available on the Green Lake Police Department Facebook page. (Green Lake County Sheriff’s photo).
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