Hometown Broadcasting News Friday 5/8/20
8 May 2020 News
Safety First
Members of the Ripon Community COVID-19 Task Force want to remind residents it is still important to practice social distancing, wear a mask, and cough or sneeze into your elbow when you are out in public. Jeff Puhlmann Becker of the Task Force says more people have become complacent with all the talk of reopening, but we’re not safe yet. He says they are working on a way of reminding folks about that. “We’re just in the beginning stages of some kind of virtual contest for a jingle or a song or whatever it might be about safety practices, what’s important.” He says during the first few weeks of the Safer at Home order there was little traffic on the streets, but that’s no longer the case as people grow complacent or more confident that they will be safe. He says it is still not safe without restrictions.
Grothman Feels COVID-19 Unemployment Benefits Are Too High
Congressman Glenn Grothman feels the extra money people on unemployment are receiving because of the COVID-19 outbreak is too much. He says the Republican negotiating team working on the original stimulus bill should have negotiated for less than the $600 a week people are receiving in addition to regular unemployment benefits. “I think there are businesses who are or will have a hard time getting employees to work because they can make more money on unemployment. That’s something I fought when I was in Washington, I lost that fight. It was obviously something the Democrats asked for.” The federal lawmaker from Glenbeulah says those high unemployment pay levels will stop on July 31st so people will have to get back to work.
Ripon Summer Concert Series Impacted By Global Pandemic Restrictions
The Horicon Bank Ripon Summer Concert Series on the Village Green in Ripon is like everything because of the COVID-19 health crisis in a state of flux. Downtown Manager Craig Tebon says they had to cancel the May 28th Jazz on the Green concert with Ripon Middle School and High School Bands. The June 5th concert with The Jimmy’s was also cancelled. He says others could be rescheduled for later in the summer or early in the fall. “Our goal is to have concerts. We just don’t know at this point what format, what time frame.” Tebon says if it requires social distancing such as cordoning off sections of the green space they will do what they have to. Concert information can be found on the Ripon Wisconsin website, also their Facebook and Instagram pages.
Beaver Dam Company Shut Down During COVID 19 Testing And Sanitation
The Wisconsin National Guard is helping test employees at a Beaver Dam manufacturer for COVID-19 after eight confirmed cases at the facility since last week. Richelieu Foods makes pizzas, dressings and sauces. The company was closed this week to test workers. There are 420 employees that work at the facility in Beaver Dam. Richelieu CEO Ric Alvarez says, “The health and safety of our employees, their families, and our customers has always been our top priority.” During the shutdown, all employees will be paid for 40 hours for the workweek and additional cleaning and sanitation by an external vendor will be completed.
Green Lake County Crime Of The Week
The Green Lake County Sheriff’s Department is looking for a vehicle that drove on a property behind Daiseye along the river in Princeton and damaged a green electrical box. The box was heavily damaged when it was hit sometime between April 26th and April 28th. Video caught an early 2000’s gray minivan either a Dodge Caravan or a Ford Freestar driving on the grass toward the property on the 27th and the following day a dark-colored truck with a dark topper was seen driving on the grass behind the property at 525 West Water Street in Princeton. Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Stoppers program at 1-800-438-8436.
Three Reach Plea Agreements In Dodge County Human Trafficking Case
Federal prosecutors have reached a plea agreement on sex trafficking charges with the former owner and two managers of a shuttered Dodge County strip club. Michael Siegel of Fox Lake owned the Hardware Store and Scott Hoeft of Watertown is a former manager. They admitted to using the club in Clyman to promote, manage, and carry out prostitution. On April 21st the two filed plea agreements in the Eastern District Court of Wisconsin. Because of the pandemic a plea hearing hasn’t been scheduled yet. Meanwhile Siegel’s brother, William Siegel, who also managed the club, also filed a plea agreement to plead guilty for his role.
Society Insurance Donates To Disaster Relief Fund
Society Insurance in Fond du Lac is providing cash matches to the first $10,000 in gifts donated to the Fond du Lac Area Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund. Foundation Executive Director Joe Braun says the matching gift from the Society Insurance Charitable Foundation will result in $20,000 of additional coronavirus relief for Fond du Lac County nonprofits, in addition to the generous dollars that have already been raised. Applications for the Disaster Relief Fund will be available for Fond du Lac County nonprofit agencies after May 18th.
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