Hometown Broadcasting News Tuesday 7/21/20
21 July 2020 News
Rio Man Being Charged With Vehicular Homicide
A 29-year-old Rio man is facing vehicular homicide charges for driving drunk and recklessly during an accident in Columbia County last Friday morning that killed his passenger. Mitchell Merkes fled the scene on foot leaving behind his passenger 31-year-old Zachary Austin also of Rio. Austin died at the scene of the accident on Genrich Road. Sheriff Roger Brandner says Merkes was driving a pickup truck that went off the road at a high rate of speed. It went into a ditch and struck a mailbox. Merkes was found hiding in a wooded area about a mile from the crash scene. He is being charged with Homicide by Intoxicated Use of a Motor Vehicle and Operating after Revocation, causing death. He has 3 prior OWI convictions.
Youth Dies At Chilton Track
A 5-year-old child died after falling off a youth motorcycle and being struck by an ATV at Gravity Park Speedway in Chilton Sunday. Calumet County Sheriff’s officials say the boy died of his injuries after being hit by an ATV driven by an 18-year-old man. The accident at the race track in the Town of Chilton happened shortly after 2 pm Sunday afternoon.
Oshkosh Schools Referendum Questions Approved
The Oshkosh Area School District Board of Education unanimously approved placing two school funding requests on the November 3rd ballot. The first requests renewal of $7.95 million in annual operating funds provided through two previous voter-approved referendums for learning. The second requests $107 million in capital funds to advance the first phase of a long-range facilities plan It would fund building a new middle school and a new elementary school, close three aging/outdated facilities, enhance school safety and security and address deferred maintenance and infrastructure needs. The estimated tax increase per $100,000 of home value would be $4 a month in 2021, $6 a month in 2022, and $7 a month for the rest of the bond term.
Waupaca County Free COVID Testing
Waupaca County Public Health Services will be teaming up with the Wisconsin National Guard this Thursday to offer free COVID-19 testing at the County Fairgrounds in Weyauwega. No appointments are necessary for the drive-through testing, which will be from 11 am to 7 pm. Testing is for those 5-years and older and you must stay in your car. A parent or guardian must accompany any minors from 5 to 17 years of age. You also must wear a facial mask when you come to the testing site. If you have questions call the health department at 715-258-6323.
FDL County Board Meeting Cancelled
The Fond du Lac County Board of supervisors won’t be meeting tonight. The meeting has been cancelled and the next regularly scheduled County Board meeting is Tuesday, August 18th at 6 pm at the City-County Government Center in Fond du Lac. Supervisors are allowed to petition for the cancellation of a meeting if there isn’t enough business to conduct.
Traded Treasures Donations Handled Differently During Pandemic
Donations to the Traded Treasures Thrift Shop in Ripon help fund the Community Food Pantry. Executive Director Amy Pollesch says people are so generous about their donations, but they do prefer that donations are gently used and clean items. “That are just really ready to go right out from the donation center right into the sales floor. And what we do is we take those items and we sell them and then that money goes directly into our account so that we can help buy food and pay for all of the overhead expenses of owning a building.” She says because of the pandemic they are asking those making donations to place them in a trailer out in front of the shop Thursdays and Fridays. Pollesch says the donations will sit in the trailer for four to six days before volunteers with masks and gloves unload them.
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