Hometown Broadcasting News Wednesday 7/7/21
7 July 2021 News
Competency Hearing Scheduled For FDL County Murder Suspect
A 27-year-old Fond du Lac man suspected of intentionally hitting and killing a motorcyclist with his father’s pickup truck last July is scheduled for a competency hearing next Monday. Two psychiatric exams found Daniel Navarro was not competent to assist in his own defense. He was committed to the Mendota Mental Health facility for inpatient treatment this past January. Navarro is charged in the death of 55-year-old Phillip Thiessen of Fond du Lac who died at the scene of the crash on Winnebago Drive. According to the criminal complaint Navarro felt he was a victim of racism and was targeted because he was Mexican. Navarro in turn said he picked hitting a motorcycle because he believed the person driving the motorcycle was white and in Wisconsin white people drive motorcycles and the Harley climate is made up of white racists.
Investors Saw Potential In Heidel House
One of the new co-owners of the Heidel House Hotel and Conference Center says it was an attractive property with a rich history that attracted his investment group to it after it closed in the spring of 2019. Don Klain is the president of Lighthouse Hospitality Group which manages the historic hotel in Green Lake. He says they felt it had a lot of potential. Klain says renovations alone to the property were over $11 million and that does not include the cost of purchasing the land and the buildings. The updated venue includes 115 guest rooms and suites, 12,500 square feet of banquet and meeting space, the Oakwood Restaurant, Waves Pub and Grill, docks for public use and more. It also provides over 50 jobs to those working for the Heidel House Hotel and Conference Center.
Smoke Detectors A Small Cost For Safety
Ripon Area Fire District Chief Tim Saul says a house fire at 204 ½ Eureka Street last week is another case of the city being fortunate that the residents didn’t have working smoke detectors. He says if the fire had been later in the night the 3 adults and two children that got displaced by the fire might not have been so lucky. He says one of the people living in the home remarked how quickly the fire advanced through the home. Saul says in fact fires generally triple in size every minute. He says working smoke detectors are a small investment when it comes to protecting your family and your property.
It Was A Kangaroo Captain
The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office had to hop to it Monday evening after getting a report from a woman living in the Malone area. The woman said she believed the creature she saw eating berries off one of her trees off Highway 151 was a kangaroo. After staving off its hunger it headed for a nearby field. Two other people also said they saw the Marsupial. Their description of the kangaroo was fitting, about 4 feet tall, with brownish-colored fur, and a preference for hopping. Any others who may have spotted the kangaroo are asked to contact the Sheriff’s office.
Ballweg Room Tax Bill Signed Into Law
A bill State Senator Joan Ballweg of Markesan and State Representative Joel Kitchens of Sturgeon Bay authored updating the way municipalities collect room tax was recently signed into law by Governor Tony Evers. Ballweg says room tax collections are incredibly important to tourism-rich communities like the Wisconsin Dells and Door County. Ballweg says, “This bill modernizes how local governments account for room tax revenue by bringing parity between the traditional hotel lodging industry and popular modern lodging marketplaces like Airbnb and VRBO. The majority of the revenue from room tax is required to be used for tourism promotion and development. The legislation makes it easier for municipalities to know how much they are due and give them the needed tools to collect it.
Dodge County Highway S Closure
Starting Thursday Dodge County Highway S between County T and County Highway G will be closed to all traffic to allow for the removal and replacement of two bridges. The detour for the closure will be northbound County Highway G to southbound US Highway 151 to eastbound County Highway S. It is anticipated that these projects will be completed by mid-October. The State’s Department of Transportation are administering the projects which will be funded by federal, state, and county funds.
Oshkosh Fire Chief Recognized By Peers
The Wisconsin State Fire Chiefs’ Association recently presented Oshkosh Fire Chief Michael Stanely with their 2021 Chief of the Year Award. The award was presented on June 26th at the Fire Chiefs’ conference that was held at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. The award selection criteria emphasize leadership, innovation, professional development, integrity, service to the public and contributions to the fire service as a whole. Nominees for the award are reviewed by a selection panel comprised of Fire Chiefs from throughout the state. Among those supporting Chief Stanley’s nomination was Oshkosh City Manager Mark Rohloff. Chief Stanley’s professional fire service career spans over 25 years.
For The Protection Of Others
A member of the Ripon Community COVID-19 Task Force says it took a lot to get the public used to wearing face masks during the epidemic, but its benefits may lead to more people wearing it beyond providing protection against the virus. Jeff Puhlmann-Becker says it has helped to cut down on seasonal illnesses like the flu. He says wearing facial coverings has been the norm in some countries prior to the pandemic. He says he recently wore a mask out in public because he had a sore throat and chose to wear it out of consideration for others. The CDC still requires the use of facial coverings in health care facilities and in other situations.
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