1/4/23 Hometown Broadcasting News Wednesday
4 January 2023 News
Portage Dairy Plant Fire
Fire damaged a dairy plant in Portage Monday night. It is believed the blaze began in a room where butter was being stored at the Associated Milk Producers Incorporated plant at 301 Brooks Street. Firefighters responded for a fire alarm and encountered heavy smoke and fire coming from the roof of the plant. Butter runoff and heavy smoke slowed access to the structure. The Portage Fire Department was aided by nine other fire departments and after multiple hours fighting the blaze, the fire was contained and extinguished before it could spread past the firewalls and throughout the building. The Portage Hazmat Team also attempted to contain the runoff of butter into storm sewers and into the canal. They placed boom and other absorbents to control the runoff. The DNR was out to assess the runoff Tuesday. Employees of the dairy plant were safely evacuated and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is being determined. (Portage Fire Department photo)
Industrial Fire Reported In FDL
Firefighters in Fond du Lac responded to Champion Insulation Tuesday afternoon for a reported fire in a product packaging system. When fire crews arrived at 1249 South Hickory Street they saw smoke coming from the insulation silo on the inside of the building. The silo system uses augers to place insulation into the packages for distribution. At some point the insulation over heated and started to smolder. Firefighters removed much of the smoldering insulation from the system and extinguished the remaining material inside the silo with water. The fire was contained to the packaging system and didn’t involve the structure. No injuries were reported and all employees were safely evacuated.
Update On Waupaca County Shooting Incident
The Waupaca County Sheriff’s Office has released more information about two men arrested Saturday night at a residence in the 300 block of High Street in the Village of Embarrass. Officials say no one was shot but a 39-year-olld man went to a neighbor’s house to report he was shot in the chest and the face. He also stated his family was abducted. He later retreated to his garage and armed himself with a shotgun. Responding law enforcement officers made contact with the man who was taken to a ThedaCare Hospital where he was treated for lacerations to his hands, but he didn’t have any gunshot wounds. After being medically cleared he was arrested, as was an 18-year-old man who was at his residence. Charges have been referred to the Waupaca County District Attorney. The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Clintonville Police Department and Clintonville Area Ambulance Service.
Shots Fired In Beaver Dam
Beaver Dam’s Police Department is asking for the public’s help to find out who might have been responsible for firing off at least 17 rounds from a firearm early last Thursday morning. Police says shortly after 1:30 am that morning 14 rounds were shot off near the Cooper Street bridge on the south side of the city. Around the same time, a vehicle in the 800 block of South Lincoln Avenue was struck 3 times by fired rounds. Casings from both scenes are the same. Anyone who lives in the area is being asked to check their security cameras for any footage that may be of interest to police. Anyone having information about the incident is urged to call Detective Kuhnz at 920-356-2552. The Beaver Dam Police Department’s Facebook page can also be messaged directly.
Ballweg Returns For Legislative Session
State Senator Joan Ballweg joined her colleagues for the inauguration of the 106th Wisconsin State Legislature yesterday. Senator Ballweg is starting the third year of her four-year term as the State Senator for the 14th Senate District. She says, “I’m looking forward to another productive term serving Central Wisconsin in the state legislature. I continue to encourage constituents to see my office as a resource as we begin this legislative session.” Senator Ballweg was joined by her husband Tom. Over the 2023-24 Biennium, Senator Ballweg will serve on the Joint Finance Committee, as Chair of the Committee on Agriculture and Tourism, and as a member of the Committees on Mental Health, Substance Abuse Prevention, Children & Families, Universities & Revenue and the State Building Commission.
Berlin Common Council Approves Funding Request
The Berlin Common Council last month approved a $15,000 request for funds from the City’s TID Building Improvement program from Jason Timm to renovate and improve a commercial/residential property at 229 Broadway Street. Alderperson Luke Dretske says normally they don’t hear requests for residential properties and do have a façade improvement program for businesses. But he says the 130-year-old building does have some historical value and the main improvement would be to repair the roof. Timm, a 27-year-old entrepreneur from Omro, has a four step plan for improving the building over the next 10 years. Repairs to the roof are estimated at just under $41,000. Dretske says Timm’s father has had some experience in renovating buildings in the Oshkosh area.
Future Five Named
The Young Professionals of Fond du Lac will be honoring their Future Five and the Young Professional of the Year during an event at South Hills Country Club in Fond du Lac on Thursday, January 19th. Chris Vitton of the Young Professionals says more the 30 people were nominated for the Future Five and the five came out of that list. They are; Campbellsport Village Administrator Charlie Kundy, LEB Insurance Group President Michael Leb, Wisconsin Lighting Lab Director of Marketing Josh Michels, Wisconsin Lighting Lab Marketing Manager Becca Schumacher, and SIA Insurance Services Partner/Financial Consultant Jon Venhuizen. Cocktails are at 6 pm that evening with the program at 7 pm featuring speaker Dr. Alan Patterson, founder and President of Mentor. The registration deadline for the event is Wednesday, January 11th which can be accomplished on the Envision Greater Fond du Lac website. Young Professionals of Fond du Lac are an Envision program.
Events (envisiongreaterfdl.com)
Waupun Wayfinding Signs
Waupun Mayor Rohn Bishop stuck to his guns when it came to making sure the city’s new wayfinding signs recognized Waupun as the “City of Sculpture.” He says the city is known for the seven unique bronze sculptures gifted to it by Clarence Shaler 100 years ago. He says the agricultural logo was fine, but so many of the state’s cities are connected with farming already and Waupun’s outdoors sculptures set it apart. Bishop initially lost his battle at the Common Council level last July over getting back to being recognized for its sculptures. But that struggle caught on with the media and city residents and last August the Common Council changed its mind. The new signs went up last month.
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