Hometown Broadcasting News Thursday 2/20/20
20 February 2020 News
Fire At FDL Auto Dealership Was Accidental
(Fond du Lac Fire/Rescue photo)
The Sunday night fire at a Fond du Lac auto dealership has been ruled accidental. That’s according to Fond du Lac Fire Chief Peter O’Leary. He says a gasoline-powered piece of equipment ignited as gas was being poured into its fuel tank. Firefighters were dispatched to Be Smart Auto Mall at 530 Van Dyne Road about 9 pm Sunday evening. No one was injured during the blaze.
West Bend Man Abandons Overdosed Son In A Vehicle On Interstate 41
The Sheriff’s Office in Washington County is crediting an alert county snow plow driver for helping save the life of a 24-year-old West Bend man that had overdosed on drugs. The snow plow driver called the Sheriff’s Office to report a vehicle with fresh damage pulled over on Interstate 41 north of Highway 33 in the Town of Addison. When deputies arrived they found the West Bend man in the passenger’s seat. He was unresponsive. Deputies administered two doses of NARCAN, which brought the man around. Fresh tracks in the snow leading away from the driver’s door subsequently led them to the 48-year-old West Bend man who had been driving the vehicle. He is the father of the man who had overdosed. Both father and son were charged Tuesday afternoon, the father for OWI and the son for possession of drug paraphernalia and bail jumping.
Sex Offender Moved To FDL
Fond du Lac Police say a 68-year-old sex offender has moved to 457 Thomas Street in the city. John Bunch moved to that address Tuesday after serving 26 years in prison on four counts of first degree sexual assault of a child. He was convicted in 1993 of sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl over the course of a 6-month period. In 1985 he was convicted in Kenosha County of false imprisonment. Bunch will be on electronic monitoring.
Walk Away From Columbia County Jail
(Columbia County Sheriff’s photo)
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help to find a walk away from the County Jail. Thirty-two-year-old Brandon Shearer failed to return to the jail from work Tuesday morning. Shearer last lived in Portage. He is serving a 360 and 180 day sentence on charges of mistreating animals, disorderly conduct, battery, strangulation and suffocation, theft, and felony bailing jumping. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office at 608-742-4166.
Oshkosh Bridge Project Starting Today
The $1.1 million project to improve the Oshkosh/Congress Avenue Bridge over the Fox River in Oshkosh starts today. Work should be finished in July. The bridge will be closed to all traffic during construction. A signed detour route will follow state Highway 21, I-41, and U.S. Highway 45. The prime contractor for the project is Omega Coatings and Construction, LLC from Tarpon Springs, Florida.
Income Tax Cut Proposal
The income tax reduction proposal Republicans are pushing through the state legislature would also benefit manufacturers and state residents in general. State Representative Joan Ballweg says they want to reduce state debt by $100 million. “We are telling the State Building Commission to pay off $100 million in our debt. Now debt to build buildings and to support things that are happening not necessarily on the UW campuses but for our state office buildings, our DNR building all of that.” Another $45 million would be used to reduce taxes for manufacturers by exempting their machinery and tools from property taxes. Meanwhile the $250 million income tax proposal would reduce taxes for most income tax filers by about $106, $145 for married couples that file jointly.
Once Upon A Time Fundraiser
A lot of good children’s stories start out “Once Upon a time..” and organizers of a fundraiser hope there will be a happy ending for a fundraiser for the Wautoma Public Library. They will hold their first ever Once Upon a Time Fundraiser Gala this Saturday evening from 4:30 to 9 pm at the World War II Memorial Building in Wautoma. Heide Hensel Buntrock is a library board member. She says the fundraiser will help raise money to update the Children’s Room at the library. “We have lots of exciting updates that we would like to do to make it more user- friendly for the children and families, shelving, interactive displays. Lots of cool things for the children’s area.” The event will include a catered prime rib dinner, music, raffles and door prizes. For raffle tickets or more information call the Wautoma Public Library at 920-787-2988. The goal is to raise $10,000.
German Heritage Celebrated Through Oshkosh Public Library Exhibit
(Oshkosh Public Library photo)
Area residents can find out more about the German Heritage through a special exhibit on the second floor of the Oshkosh Public Library. “Neighbors Past and Present” is on loan from the Max Kade Institute for German-American Studies in Madison. It closes on Wednesday, February 26th, which still gives people about a week to take it in. Sandy Toland is the Community Engagement Librarian at the Oshkosh Public Library. She says it is a special exhibit. “It’s fourteen panels it talks about the art and culture and language in Oshkosh in the Fox Valley area now that is directly attributed to the German that laid the founding work for where we live.” Among the special activities surrounding the exhibit was a performance by the Tuba Dan Band on February 8th.
Share |