Hometown Broadcasting News Friday 11/20/20
20 November 2020 News
House Fire Displaces Nine People In Oshkosh
An unattended cooking fire is being blamed for damaging a home in Oshkosh late Thursday morning. The Oshkosh Fire Department responded to the home in the 1300 block of Monroe Street around 11:30 am. Flames and heavy smoke were coming from the back of the home when firefighters arrived. Eight people were at home during the blaze; one person was taken to a hospital and is expected to recover. The American Red Cross is helping the nine people, including 4 children who were displaced by the fire. The fire was determined to be an accident caused by unattended cooking.
Two Arrested For Poaching In Columbia County
Two Milwaukee residents were arrested Tuesday night for poaching deer in Columbia County’s Town of Lowville. Sheriff Roger Brandner says their dispatch center got a call about someone shining deer and two gunshots that were heard on Traut Road. Deputies located a suspicious vehicle in the area and learned the two occupants had been shining deer. A dead deer was found inside the trunk of the vehicle and a gun was located in the parking lot of the Mud Lake Wildlife Area. Charges are being referred to the Columbia County District Attorney’s Office against 28-year-old Maricela Roman and 18-year-old Brandon Alexander Damman of Milwaukee. The gun and deer were turned over to the DNR.
Santa Visiting Ripon Neighborhoods In December
For Ripon residents next month Santa will quite literally be coming to a neighborhood near you prior to his Christmas Eve visit. The Ripon Area Chamber of Commerce and Ripon Area Fire District are teaming up to bring Santa to different neighborhoods via fire truck. Chamber Executive Director Jason Mansmith says it will be based on city wards. “So we’re super excited to do the 2020 Ripon Santa on Tour event. People are concerned that they are not going to be able to get to see Santa maybe not have the chance to talk to him or wave at him or those kinds of things.” It will be a socially distant event with people encouraged to wave to Santa from their front porch stoop or sidewalk. The tour is Saturday December 5th in Wards 1 & 7, Sunday December 6th in Wards 8 & 9, Saturday December 12th in Wards 11 and 5, Sunday December 13th in Wards 3,4, 6 and 10, and Saturday December 19th in Ward 2. Hours are 10 am to Noon those Saturdays and 1 to 3 pm on Sundays. Ward Maps are available at the Ripon Chamber website under the Dickens of a Christmas tab.
COVID News
A member of the Ripon Community COVID-19 Task Force says there has been some good news lately connected with the pandemic. Jeff Puhlmann-Becker says as many as three vaccines being developed could provide protection from the virus. He says the FDA also announced its approval of an at-home test for the coronavirus. “The FDA website has now announced that they have approved an in-home rapid test so you can test in your home and not only test at home, but get the results at home.” Also according to a New York Times article there is evidence that people who have been through the virus might actually be immune to it for years to come. Puhlmann-Becker says it lends credence to Dr. Fauci’s advise to wear masks, socially distance and stay the course.
Technology Playing Growing Role In The Classroom
Ripon Schools Superintendent Mary Whitrock says they’ve seen first-hand how important technology in the classroom is with the virtual learning that’s been done during the pandemic. She says one of the components Ripon voters approved by passing an operational referendum this month was an upgrade in technology. “Probably one of the most significant things that is in the referendum for technology is looking at those devices that we have for individual students, but also those classrooms’ presentation systems that we use and I got to tell it is so critical to have those.” She says one of the benefits of having so many students learning virtually is the skills students are developing in using the technology and in digital citizenship.
Drug Take Back Event A Success
The Fall Prescription Drug Take Back effort in Fond du Lac County was a success last month. Drug Free Communities of Fond du Lac County officials say between October 14th and October 26th 2,558 pounds of unused or expired medications were collected and safely disposed of. That’s about half of what was collected last year, but the spring Take Back effort was cancelled this year. SSM Health collected the most pounds of medication and the City of Fond du Lac Police Department had the second largest amount. The Ripon Police Department hosted and collected a drive up and drop off medication event at the Ripon Senior Center, Russel Manor and Willowbook collecting 17 pounds in three hours that was added to their 388 pound total.
Thanksgiving Meal Prices
Thanksgiving meal food prices in Wisconsin remain stable this year according to the Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s annual Marketbasket survey. They estimate the price of popular food items used to prepare a Thanksgiving meal to serve 10 people at $60.97. On the other had the American Farm Bureau Federation’s survey of the same items came in slightly lower at a grand total of $60.11. Sarah Hetke of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau says this season we should be grateful for access to healthy and affordable food items given the supply problems grocery stores experienced earlier this year due to the pandemic.
Share |