4/13/23 Hometown Broadcasting News Thursday
13 April 2023 News
FIRE AND EXPLOSION IN WAUPACA COUNTY
Officials with the Waupaca County Sheriff’s Office say a fire led to the explosion of a 1,000-gallon LP tank in the Waupaca area yesterday afternoon. The explosion caused two other buildings to catch fire, a house and a barn. The blaze caused considerable damage to the buildings. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene shortly after 1:30 for a small structure fire. But the fire slowly moved into fields sparked by high winds. The cylinder of the propane tank exploded. No injuries were reported, but two firefighters, one from Waupaca and the other from Scandinavia were treated for minor heat exhaustion. Two people were displaced by the fire. The Red Cross is assisting them.
CORN FIELD FIRE IN FDL COUNTY FIRE DANGER REMAINS HIGH
About 10 acres of corn stubble were destroyed by fire in the Town of Eden early last evening. The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office and Eden Fire Department were sent to the area of W3194 County Road F for a report of a corn field on fire. Investigators say the farmer who rents the land, Jeffrey Zimdahl, was cutting corn stalks when a spark from the farm machinery started the field on fire. The Eden Fire Department quickly extinguished the fire. No one was injured. Fire danger remains high in the state. More than 100 acres burned during a wildfire in Juneau County yesterday. Green Lake County is among the counties that have instituted burning bans.
THREE TRAFFIC CRASHES ONE SUSPECT
Fond du Lac Police have arrested a 33-year-old North Fond du Lac woman they believe was involved in three traffic crashes Wednesday morning. Fond du Lac Police responded to East Scott Street and Roosevelt Street for a traffic crash with injuries. The woman was pinned in her car and there were 12 and 14 year old children in the car with her. While there another crash was reported at Scott Street and North Main Street. Officers determined both accidents were related. The suspect vehicle struck a vehicle in the area of Scott and Main Streets, continued east for a half-mile and crashed into a parked pick-up truck pushing it into the path of another vehicle causing a third crash in the area of East Scott and Roosevelt Streets. The woman and two children were taken to St. Agnes Hospital. Speed and drug-related impairment appear to be factors in the accidents. The woman was subsequently arrested for operating while impaired with a minor 1st offense and several other traffic violations.
TWO CRASHES TWO HURT ON US HIGHWAY 151 IN THE TOWN OF WAUPUN
No one was hurt when a southbound vehicle rear-ended a slower vehicle hauling farm machinery on US Highway 151 in the Town of Waupun, but two people were injured in a secondary crash. Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the first crash just before 4:30 Wednesday afternoon near County Road AS. While investigating that accident in the southbound lanes, a southbound passenger car was rear ended by a southbound semi causing significant damage to the semi and car. A 38-year-old Madison woman driving the car and her infant child were taken to Waupun Memorial Hospital with minor injuries. The 31-year-old Custer, Wisconsin woman driving the semi was not hurt. The semi driver was cited for following too closely. The State Patrol assisted at the scene.
CAMPBELLSPORT MAN THREATENS TO DAMAGE DOWNTOWN DUNDEE
Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s deputies took a 52-year-old Campbellsport man into custody yesterday afternoon who was threatening to do damage to downtown Dundee. The Sheriff’s Office got a report about the intoxicated man shortly after 2:30 pm. He was at Dins Garage and Mini Mart. When officers responded the man was in the residence attached to the gas station. Prior to that he was removing firearms from the residence and loading them into his pickup truck. He was taken into custody without incident. He was booked into the county jail for terrorist threats, misdemeanor bail jumping, OWI 2nd, felon in possession of firearm, disorderly conduct, armed with a firearm while intoxicated, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was out on bail in Fond du Lac County for resisting or obstructing an officer, and disorderly conduct. The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the State Patrol, Campbellsport Police, and Campbellsport Ambulance.
FLAGS TO BE FLOWN AT HALF STAFF IN HONOR OF SLAIN POLICE OFFICERS
Governor Tony Evers has ordered flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin to be flown at half-staff on Saturday in honor of Chetek Police Officer Emily Breidenbach and Cameron Police Officer Hunter Scheel who were killed in the line of duty last Saturday. Governor Evers says, “Their tragic and senseless deaths are an incredible loss and a testament to the danger first responders face every day in the line of duty to keep our communities safe.” Services for Officer Breidenbach and Officer Scheel will be held Saturday in Cameron, Wisconsin.
NO MOW MAY RETURNS TO RIPON
No Mow May returns to Ripon next month. The Ripon Common Council this week passed a resolution making it an annual tradition. Last year the council passed a resolution to give it a trial. That worked out well according to City Administrator Adam Sonntag with 188 people registering with the city to skip mowing their lawn during the month of May to benefit bees and pollinating insects. But as with last year’s trial those who are going to participate in No Mow May have to register with the city which can be done online. The city will be enforcing its ordinances regarding lawn maintenance for those who do not register to participate in the program.
DOGS AND CHICKENS OH MY
The City of Ripon has made some moves to allow residents to keep backyard chickens and to bring their dogs into city parks and cemeteries. In both cases the city was responding to desires expressed by residents. Police Chief Bill Wallner says people will be allowed to keep up to six hens in their backyards if they get a permit from the city and adhere to guidelines. Details are available on the city’s website along with a link for registering the chickens. This week the Common Council also approved amending an ordinance to allow dogs on leashes in city parks and cemeteries. Details on that will also become available on the city’s website. Chief Wallner says a parks and recreation survey showed people wanted to be allowed to bring their dogs into parks.
DRUG RECOGNITION EXPERTS AN ASSET
In what is becoming more of a necessity for law enforcement, the addition of a drug recognition expert is becoming an asset in keeping impaired drivers off of the road. The Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office is fortunate to have two of them. In past two years the department has seen increasing numbers of drugged driving violations. Chief Deputy Matt Vande Kolk says their two drug recognition experts have specific training on how to identify a drugged driver which helps them in court cases. He says it also helps them roadside when a driver shows no indication of alcohol intoxication, but does show signs of impairment. At the beginning of March Sheriff’s Sergeant Michael Prachel and Deputy Michael Majeskie were recognized at the Wisconsin Drug Recognition Expert Awards for being among the top ten drug recognition experts in the state. There are more than 365 drug recognition experts in the state of Wisconsin.
DALLMAN BILL WOULD INDEX UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
State Representative Alex Dallman has re-introduced his bill, which would change the amount of benefits received under unemployment insurance. The current unemployment program provides for 26 weeks of unemployment no matter the current economic conditions and availability to employment. Under the bill benefit weeks would max out at 26, if the unemployment rate was over 9 percent. The amount of weeks would be reduced along a sliding scale down to 14 weeks if unemployment levels reach 3.5 percent. Representative Dallman says, “With the advisory referendum on requiring able-bodied, childless adults to look for work in order to receive taxpayer-funded welfare benefits passing in the most recent spring election, there is no better time to reform Wisconsin’s unemployment program and get more people back into the workforce.” The bill has been co-sponsored by over 20 state representatives and senators in the Wisconsin Legislature.
STATE OF THE COUNTY PRESENTATION
The League of Women Voters of the Ripon Area continues its 2022-23 program calendar year with a State of the County address by Sam Kaufman, Fond du Lac County Executive. During the presentation he will update League members as well as the public on both current and future matters regarding Fond du Lac County. The presentation will be held in the Council Chambers of Ripon City Hall next Wednesday at 7 pm. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. Prior to being elected Fond du Lac County Executive in a special election in 2022 following the death of Allen Buechel, Kaufman served on the county board. He was also a trial attorney and partner in a Waupun law firm.
PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK
The Fond du Lac County Communications Center is celebrating Public Safety Telecommunicators Week this week. The Center hosted an open house Tuesday afternoon. Fond du Lac County Communications and Emergency Management Director Amy Haase says all week long the public and those they dispatch bring in treats and express their gratitude. The Center in Fond du Lac is a civilian-run 911 center that serves all communities in the county, including 18 fire departments, 6 ambulance services, 11 first responder groups and 11 law enforcement agencies. On an average day the Center receives over 350 administrative calls and 75 emergency calls. Haase says their dispatchers are second to none and often are working with someone on the other end of the line who is having one of the worst days of their life.
SHREDDING EVENT AT WAUPUN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
SSM Health Waupun Memorial Hospital is inviting the public to bring personal and confidential home office papers in need of safe and secure disposal to a free-drive –thru paper shredding event from 11 am to 1 pm on Wednesday, May 3rd. The hospital is partnering with Iron Mountain Information Management, LLC, to shred confidential documents which will ultimately be recycled to make paper towels, napkins, tissue and toilet paper. Participants can enter off Beaver Dam Street behind the new two-story patient care building. A volunteer will help unload papers. The first 50 participants will receive an insulated reusable bag. Acceptable items would include bank statements, credit card statements, invoices, anything with your name and address on it. Participants are reminded that pre-shredded, damp, or wet paper is not acceptable.
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