4/29/22 Hometown Broadcasting News Friday
29 April 2022 News
Fire At Press Box Tavern In FDL
Fond du Lac firefighters Wednesday night worked another fire where the cause was improperly discarded smoking materials. It happened shortly after 7 pm at the Press Box Tavern in the 200 block of Forest Avenue. When crews arrived smoke was coming from an outside wall on the front of the building. Crews had to overhaul the wall on both the inside and outside of the building to extinguish the smoldering fire. The business was evacuated for about an hour while that was being done. Interim Fire Chief Erick Gerritson says the proper way to dispose of discarded smoking materials is in a fire-proof receptacle. (Fond du Lac Fire and Rescue photo)
ACLU Files Complaint Against OASD Alleging Racial Harassment
The ACLU of Wisconsin filed a complaint this week with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights asking them to investigate the Oshkosh Area School District after Black middle school students were expelled when they were racially harassed at school. The complaint alleges two black siblings, a seventh-grader and his sister who is in sixth grade, were subject to persistent racial harassment while attending Oshkosh schools and that the District and school administrators failed to address the harassment or investigate the incidents fully. The complaint alleges things escalated at a Halloween school dance when a white student threw water on a group of black students. As a result seven black students were referred for expulsion and police brought charges of disorderly conduct against several black students including the boy and his sister. The complaint alleges the white student wasn’t punished nor were charges brought against that student. Oshkosh Area School District officials say they as a matter of policy address matters of pupil discrimination but no complaint has been filed with the District by the ACLU or the family referenced in the ACLU press release issued Thursday.
Rumors About Arrest In Lily Peters Murder
The murder and sexual assault of 10-year-old Lily Peters in Chippewa Falls inadvertently caused some headaches for nearby Altoona Police and the Altoona School District. Altoona Police Chief Kelly Bakken posted a statement on the department’s Facebook page Wednesday afternoon saying they had been fielding rumors that they had arrested an Altoona student in relation to Lily’s murder. Bakken stressed that no Altoona students were involved in the homicide. An eighth grade boy from Chippewa Falls has been charged with Lily’s murder. A court hearing next Thursday will determine whether that 14-year-old will be tried as an adult.
Child ID Card Option
Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt says they have added an option to request child identification cards to the Sheriff’s Office app. The credit card-sized plastic card has a picture and information about the child, as well as contact information for parents or guardians. Parents who submit their child’s information via the app will be able to pick the card up at the sheriff’s office, have it mailed to them, or have a deputy deliver it to their home within Dodge County. By selecting “I consent”, parents give the Sheriff’s Office permission to enter the child’s photo and identifiers into the county’s secure records management database for easy dissemination to all Dodge County law enforcement agencies. Parents who choose “I do not consent” will receive their child’s printed card, but the information will not be readily available to dispatchers and officers if the child goes missing.
COVID 19 Report
The latest COVID-19 surge has pushed the 7-day average for new cases in Wisconsin to 1,205 a day. The Department of Health Services Thursday said 1,642 new cases were reported. The positivity rate for new cases now stands at 9 percent. On the plus side no new deaths were reported. Twenty-nine people were hospitalized with the coronavirus. The Wisconsin Hospital Association Thursday reported 203 COVID-19 patients in hospitals across the state, nine fewer than the day before. Of those 35 are in intensive care units, one less person than on Wednesday.
Winnebago County reported 71 new cases of COVID-19 Thursday. Twenty-five new cases were reported in Fond du Lac County and Dodge County had 13 new cases. Green Lake County had 3 new cases and Waupaca County reported 2 new cases and 1 death although that death happened more than 30 days ago. Five new cases of the coronavirus were reported in Waushara County.
Questions About The Need For Second COVID Vaccine Booster Shot
While taking questions from the Fond du Lac County Board this week about the Health Department’s Annual Report, County Public Health Officer Kim Mueller was asked whether a second booster shot for COVID-19 was really needed. Mueller told the board it is recommended for those 50 or older, those who are immunocompromised, and those 12 and older that are immunocompromised. She says it’s too early to know if the shot might become an annual thing like being vaccinated for influenza, but that a lot depends on the variants for the coronavirus that keep popping up.
Junk Cars In Yards Frowned On
Ripon Police Chief Bill Wallner says flowers and plants aren’t the only things budding this time of year. He says it’s also typical to see junk vehicles and trash showing up in resident’s yards, which won’t be tolerated. Chief Wallner says they are currently wrapping up a code enforcement effort on those issues. He says property owners will be given a chance to take care of those issues and will get a notice to do so. He points out if it persists they face the possibility of a fine for violating city ordinances.
Flood Named MPTC Distinguished Alumnus
Moraine Park Technical College has named James Flood of Fond du Lac the 2022 Distinguished Alumnus. Flood grew up on a farm in the countryside of Eden and graduated from Campbellsport High School in 1969. He went on to pursue a marketing degree at the College, then known as Moraine Park Technical Institute, and graduated with his associate degree in 1972. Flood has spent almost 50 years living, working and serving in the Fond du Lac area. He retired in 2015 but has remained active in serving his community. He served on the MPTC Foundation Board for 10 years in various positions, spending his final two years as board president. Most notably, he served on the Moraine Park Promise program campaign cabinet that raised $1.2 million for student scholarships. He will accept his award at the May 13th student awards banquet.
Oshkosh Principal Recommendation
The Oshkosh Area School District tells us Beth Galeazzi is being recommended to serve as principal of the District’s new northside elementary school, which is expected to open in the fall of 2004. The appointment will be included as an agenda item on the May 11th Board of Education meeting. Pending Board approval the appointment will being on July 1st. Until that time Principal Galeazzi will continue to serve as principal of Webster Stanley Elementary School. Washington and Merrill elementary schools will continue to be led by their principals until the new school opens in the fall of 2004.
Ripon Community Hospital Auxiliary Spring Flower Sale Next Week
A flower sale at the Ripon Community Hospital next Monday and Tuesday will support the efforts of the hospital’s auxiliary. Barb Behlin is the Vice President of SSM Health Ripon Community Hospital Auxiliary. She says they hope to sell 200 baskets during the 2-day sale. She says they will have high-quality 10-inch hanging baskets of flowers specifically grown for Wisconsin’s climate. The baskets are $25 cash or checks only. The Spring Flower sale is from 9 am to 5 pm each day near the hospital’s main entrance. The Auxiliary supports the hospital in a number of ways providing services for staff and patients, scholarships, and buying items needed at the hospital. Some purchases have included transport chairs and transport ventilators for patients. They even had an appreciation day on Valentine’s Day for staff to show their appreciation for all the staff has done during the pandemic.
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