Hometown Broadcasting News Wednesday 7/29/20
29 July 2020 News
Ripon Face Mask Proclamation
Several people spoke out Monday night during Ripon’s City Council meeting against a proposed mayoral proclamation asking residents to voluntarily wear face masks out in public during the pandemic. One speaker said she has asthma and already had COVID-19 back in March. Another said although it would be voluntary it would still amount to fear-based control of the city’s residents. A few of the City Council members said Ripon residents are well-educated and are capable of making their own decision without a proclamation. Alderman Benjamin Morrison said he works in the medical field and works with COVID-19 daily. He added he chooses not to wear a facemask outside of work. Some changes were suggested for the wording of the proclamation including dropping a reference to educating those who don’t wear face masks about the benefits of face coverings. Mayor Ted Grant’s proclamation will be brought back to the Council’s next meeting for more discussion.
Fire Displaces Residents In FDL Apartment Complex
(Fond du Lac Fire/Rescue photo)
An apartment fire at 130 Forest Avenue in Fond du Lac Tuesday morning displaced the residents of seven of the units in the building. No injuries were reported, but Fire Chief Peter O’Leary says there was quite a bit of damage to the third floor apartment where the blaze was restricted. He says it was mostly smoke and water damage. O’Leary notes it could have been worse, but the building’s fire alarm alerted residents who then safely exited the building. Firefighters quickly located the fire and put it out. The cause of the fire is being determined.
Eight Sent To The Hospital During FDL Carbon Monoxide Leak
Eight people were sent to hospitals during a carbon monoxide leak at a Fond du Lac business Monday afternoon. Firefighters were called to Quality Packaging at 851 Sullivan Road just after 2:30 pm. When they got there they began treating workers for carbon monoxide poisoning. Utility crews were able to detect elevated levels of the gas. Six people were taken to St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac and two to Waupun Memorial Hospital for treatment. The cause of the leak was narrowed down to a forklift being used in a warehouse.
Beaver Dam Man Sentenced For Punching Police Officer
A Dodge County judge this week sentenced a 34-year-old Beaver Dam man to two years in prison and three years of extended supervision for punching a Beaver Dam Police officer in the mouth. Last January officers were at Eric Henson’s residence to arrest him for a domestic dispute when he punched the officer and later head butted the same officer. While he was being handcuffed he yelled at them, “You’re dead.” District Attorney Kurt Klomberg says the court needs to make it clear there will be stern consequences for threatening and harming police.
PPP And Micro Loan Programs Still Available To Help Small Business
Small businesses still have time to apply for financial assistance through the Payroll Protection Program. Envision Greater Fond du Lac President and CEO Sadie Parafiniuk says most banks are well-versed in the program that’s offered through the Small Business Administration. “Go to your regular local lender the bank that you use for your business and ask them about how to apply. Our local banks have definitely because experts in that area and reach out to them and ask them.” The deadline to apply for the PPP program is August 8th. Parafiniuk also suggests checking with Envision to see if their low-interest micro-loan program is still available, which can loan up to $5,000 to a business affected by the coronavirus. To inquire about the micro-loan program call Envision at 920-921-9500.
Grothman Votes Against Confederate Statue Replacement Bill
Congressman Glenn Grothman last week voted against a bill that would remove confederate statues from the U.S. Capitol and replace them. Specifically one of them would be replaced with a bust of Justice Thurgood Marshall one of the key figures in making late-term abortions legal in the country. Grothman says being pro-life he couldn’t vote for that. “I thought it was preposterous that we were going to require having a statue of the judge that has in essence made late-term abortion legal in the United States.” The federal lawmaker from Glenbeulah says if the authors of the bill wanted more bipartisan support, they should not have requested a bust of such an ardent abortion activist.
Census Reminder
Ripon Mayor Ted Grant put in a plug for the U.S. Census as the City Council meeting was wrapping up Monday night. He reminded residents that the deadline to complete the census is this Friday. He noted 74 percent of the city’s residents had filled out the census questionnaire already, but said it was important for as many residents as possible to complete it. The census helps determine federal funding for state’s, counties and municipalities and to draw up Congressional boundaries for representation. Ripon’s participation rate during the 2010 Census was 79 percent.
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