3/9/23 Hometown Broadcasting News Thursday
9 March 2023 News
Winter Weather Advisory
A winter storm is on the way prompting a Winter Weather Advisory for the area. The advisory is in effect from 6 pm tonight to 9 am Friday morning for Columbia, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Marquette, Waupaca, and Waushara counties. The advisory runs from 6 pm tonight to Noon tomorrow for Calumet and Winnebago counties. Total snow accumulations could range from 4 to 7 inches with Northeast winds gusting from 20 to 30 miles an hour. Hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute. (Ripon Police Department photo).
Appeals Court Denies Appeal In Fatal Boating Accident Case
A state appeals court has rejected the appeal of a 48-year-old Neenah man who hit another boat on Lake Winnebago killing two sisters. Brian Sullivan challenged whether the evidence in the case supported his convictions, and if the circuit court abused its discretion in deciding his sentencing. The appellate court rejected both arguments and affirmed his conviction. In December of 2020 Sullivan was sentenced to 3 years in prison and 3 years of extended supervision. In September of 2020 a jury found Sullivan guilty of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle charges. On August 18th of 2018 he was driving one of two boats that collided. The collision killed 26-year-old Lauren Laabs and her 20-year-old sister Cassie Laabs. The two women were thrown from their boat during the collision and drowned. They were not wearing life jackets.
Interim Leadership Roles In Ripon Area Fire District Filled
The Ripon Area Fire District Governing Board took steps this week to temporarily fill leadership roles following recent retirements. The Board appointed John Hollatz as Interim Fire Chief, Cody Boers as Interim Deputy Chief and Heather Donovan as Assistant Chief. Also, at the urging of the consulting firm McMahon Public Safety and Municipal Management the board approved an interim staffing plan. The firm felt there was a need for day-to-day supervision and management at the fire station. They recommended three options and the board approved option two. Under that option the Interim Fire-Chief would work 23 hours a week. McMahon would continue to provide management counsel to the Interim Fire Chief about four hours a week. Assistant Fire Chief Donovan would be moved to full-time assigned to Administration. The interim moves will keep the department running efficiently until a Strategic Plan and any restructuring are completed.
State Highway 21 Construction Meeting
The state’s Department of Transportation will be hosting a construction information meeting regarding a project on State Highway 21 between Coloma and Wautoma in Waushara County. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 22nd from 6 to 7 pm at the Town of Richford Town Hall in Coloma. A brief presentation is scheduled to begin at 6 pm followed by an open house. Construction will include replacing the asphalt, improving safety at the intersection of County Highway B by lowering the roadway and cutting into a nearby hill, shoulder widening, guardrail replacement, curb and gutter replacement, and culvert replacement and installation. State Highway 21 will be closed to through traffic and detoured for approximately five months from March 27th through September 2023.
Fighting Fentanyl Trafficking
The first hearing of the House Oversight Committee’s Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs was held yesterday. Wisconsin Congressman Glenn Grothman chairs the committee. The hearing focused on the critical role that certain tools, like dogs, play in assisting Border Patrol in stopping drug activity and other criminal activity along the border. Congressman Grothman says to stop the flow of the deadly drug fentanyl into our country we need to tighten security at the border and increase penalties for fentanyl distribution. Grothman sponsored a bill that increases the mandatory minimum sentencing for selling fentanyl. The bill is currently in the Judiciary Committee. Last year the Border Patrol seized enough fentanyl to kill over three billion people.
Medical Marijuana
Two Republican state lawmakers from the area believe legislators are closer to approving medical marijuana in the state than they are small amounts for recreational use. State Representative Alex Dallman of Green Lake says the Republican Caucus is more open to the use of medical marijuana. He commends past legislators for taking a wait-and-see approach while other states dealt with the consequences of making medical marijuana legal. He doesn’t think we will see the recreational use of marijuana in the state decriminalized for quite a lot of time. State Senator Joan Ballweg of Markesan is of the same mind when it comes to recreational use. Michigan has decriminalized the recreational use of small amounts of marijuana.
Entrepreneur Events Scheduled
The Director of Small Business and Entrepreneurship for Envision Greater Fond du Lac invites area business owners and entrepreneurs to two upcoming events this month. Raina Lyman says they will hold an Entrepreneur Social on Monday, March 20th from 11:30 am to 1 pm at HANG10 Poke in Fond du Lac. She says it’s a good event if you are looking to network, leverage and connect with each other and business development resources. A second program on Thursday, March 30th from 10 am to 4 pm at the Lakeside Park Pavilion in Fond du Lac is about “Burnout Prevention for Entrepreneurs.” If you plan to attend either or both events you need to pre-register. You can find that information on Envision’s website under the Events calendar.
Events (envisiongreaterfdl.com)
Auto Dealer Licenses Revoked
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation Division of Motor Vehicles has revoked the wholesale dealer licenses of three vehicle dealerships in Beaver Dam. Horseman Motors LLC and Your Experience LLC are both located at 1645 North Spring Street and On The Go Auto LLC is at 822 Park Avenue in Beaver Dam. Their licenses were revoked for failing to properly follow administrative requirements by failing to maintain a licensed business facility. A hearing examiner affirmed the decision to revoke the licenses on February 2nd. Dealers are given 30 days to appeal a revocation to the state Division of Hearing and Appeals. The dealers did not appeal and the decision was made final on March 4th.
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