10/24/23 Hometown Broadcasting News Tuesday
24 October 2023 News
BODY OF MISSING BOATER IN WASHINGTON COUNTY FOUND
Washington County Sheriff’s officials say the body of an 80-year-old man missing on Pike Lake was discovered by a resident who was boating on the lake Sunday afternoon. Deputies responded to the scene along with members of the Washington County Dive Rescue team. The man’s body was located a short distance offshore in approximately six feet of water between the beach area and boat ramp at Pike Lake State Park. The body was positively identified as the 80-year-old man that had gone missing while boating on the lake last Wednesday.
FDL MAN FOUND NOT GUILTY BY REASON OF INSANITY IN MOTHER’S ATTACK
The 34-year-old Fond du Lac man who tried to kill his mother with a hammer has entered a guilty plea to an attempted first degree intentional homicide charge. A plea hearing was held in Fond du Lac County court Monday for Aristotle Wurtz. Judge Anthony Nehls accepted the plea by Wurtz and found him not guilty by mental disease or defect. An aggravated battery charge was read into the record and dismissed. Judge Nehls ordered a patient supplemental evaluation and predispositional report, which has to be completed within 45 days. Another hearing has been scheduled for December 21st. According to the criminal complaint Wurtz told Fond du Lac Police detectives his parents were “Being mean to God.” He admitted trying to kill his mother by hitting her in the head with a hammer and wanted to kill his father too. During the attack last January 26th the victim was struck in the head about 30 times.
OSHKOSH MAN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON ON SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CHARGE
A Federal judge has sentenced a 52-year-old sex offender from Oshkosh to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for attempted child enticement. Scott Meyer was previously convicted of causing a child to view or listen to sexual activity in Shawano County in 2018. He spent time in prison for that crime and was required to register as a sex offender. According to U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin in June of 2021 Meyer communicated with an undercover officer who he believed was a 15-year-old girl. Meyer requested sexually explicit photos from the girl and encouraged her to run away from home. On July 14th, 2021, Meyer planned to pick the girl up and bring her back to his residence in Oshkosh for sex. Meyer began communicating with the undercover officer just two months after he was released from prison for a similar offense committed in Shawano County. The Fox Valley Metro Police Department investigated the case.
BOND SET FOR WAUTOMA CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT SUSPECT
Bond was set at $200,000 cash during a court hearing Monday for a 44-year-old Wautoma man suspected of multiple sexual assaults of children. The hearing for Adam Henning was held in Waushara County court. His initial hearing on charges of repeated sexual assault of the same child and first degree sexual assault of a child under 13 is scheduled for November 21st. Wautoma Police responded to a reported sexual assault of a child on Saturday, October 14th. Child forensic interviewers with Waushara County Human Services assisted with multiple victim sensitive interviews. Police identified Henning as a suspect and interviewed him. Henning allegedly admitted to multiple acts of sexual assault with different victims that occurred from 2018 to 2023. He was arrested last Friday.
PAIR OF IMPAIRED DRIVERS ARRESTED IN COLUMBIA COUNTY SATURDAY
Columbia County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a pair of impaired drivers during separate incidents Saturday. Forty-eight-year-old Richard Checots of Poynette was arrested for his fifth OWI, battery or threat to a law enforcement officer, marijuana possession, and operating while revoked. His vehicle had gone into a ditch in the Town of Poynette shortly after midnight. Late Saturday morning 32-year-old Briana Huberd of Janesville was pulled over for going 87 miles an hour on State Highway 16 which has a 55 mile an hour speed limit. She was arrested for her third OWI with a passenger under 16 and operating a motor vehicle while revoked. Neither Checots nor Huberd had a valid driver’s license. (Columbia County Sheriff’s photo).
RIPON COMMON COUNCIL APPOINTS NEW COUNCIL MEMBER
The Ripon Common Council last night heard from three people interested in filling the vacancy in the city’s third district. That vacancy on the Council was created by the unexpected death of Howard Hansen. After hearing from Annette Klein, Jason Kimpel, and Steve Riemer the Council took a vote and approved Riemer to fill the vacancy until the April 2026 election. Riemer received 4 votes and Kimpel 3 votes. Riemer is retired he was a small business owner for 30 years. He is a member of the Ripon Historical Society, is currently on the city’s Historic Preservation Commission, is a former member of the city’s planning and transportation commissions, and a former member of the Ripon Area Chamber of Commerce. He will be seated on the Council next month. The Council also heard a presentation from three officials with Envision Greater Fond du Lac about some of the benefits the city and its businesses receive from Envision. Joe Venhuizen, Lisa McArthur, and an Envision Board member gave the presentation. They told the Council that Envision would like to do updates for the Council at least twice a year.
STATE SPEARING LICENSE DEADLINE
The state’s Department of Natural Resources reminds all spearers interested in harvesting a lake sturgeon from Lake Winnebago during the 2024 sturgeon spearing season to purchase their license before next Tuesday, October 31st. While there are unlimited licenses available for Lake Winnebago, the Upriver Lakes fishery that includes Lakes Poygan, Butte des Morts and Winneconne is managed by a preference point system and lottery limited to 500 permitted spearers. Both residents and non-residents can purchase a license through the Go Wild system or at any license sales location. All license holders must be a minimum of 12 years old. The 2024 sturgeon spearing season will open on February 24th and will run for a maximum of 16 days or until any of the pre-determined harvest caps are met.
CYBERSECURITY
October is Cybersecurity Month and the theme for the month is “Secure our World.” Michelle Reinen is the Administrator for the State’s Division of Trade and Consumer Protection. She says we’ve become more dependent on technology, and it is important that we take steps to protect our computers and devices from those who would steal our information or money. She says the first step is to update your software on a regular basis. She recommends adopting a habit to keep yourself or your organizations secure or sharpen up on a habit you’ve been lax about. She says updated software can provide a layer of protection to keep hackers out. Another thing she suggests is regularly updating passwords and making sure the password has upper- and lower-case letters, symbols, and numbers. Reinen says maybe you should consider a password phrase or password manager. The Governor’s Cybersecurity Summit is being held in Green Bay over the next two days.
K9 BOND STRONG WITH HANDLERS
Green Lake County Chief Deputy Matt Vande Kolk says the K9’s they use develop a strong bond with their handlers and could put it all on the line if the situation calls for it. He says he believes part of that is instinctual and may go back to their training. He says they have an intuitive nature about them to know what is going on and what they can do to aid their handler. He says he’s not sure how much they really know and how much of it is just instinctual. Vande Kolk says Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s K9 Iro was shot several times and is recovering from those wounds, but he says a situation like that is an exception and not the rule for what their K9s usually go through on the job. He points out it is not unusual for their K9s to suffer injuries on the job because of the places they are asked to search which aren’t always safe. He says the dogs also have normal health issues that require veterinary visits.
AREA LEGISLATORS MEET WITH HEALTH CARE LEADERS
State Senator Joan Ballweg and State Representative Jon Plumer attended a meeting at Ripon Community Hospital last Friday with representatives from area health care providers. Leaders from SSM Health, ThedaCare, and Gunderson were among those attending the gathering brought together by the Wisconsin Hospital Association. She says typically it is an opportunity to share information about pending legislation and concerns health care providers have. She says during this meeting the health care providers talked about their efforts to be transparent on their websites about medical procedures and costs. She says it is a little bit different for each health care provider for SSM Health the program is called MyChart. The state lawmaker from Markesan says they also learned the providers have representatives who will work with patients on costs for treatments and procedures that might be cost prohibitive. She says it is good information that legislators can share with their constituents. (Senator Joan Ballweg photo).
SSM HEALTH COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS
The president of SSM Health hospitals in Ripon, Waupun, and Baraboo says they are proud of the contributions they make to the communities their employees live and work in. A study released this summer showed SSM Health Greater Fond du Lac has a $914 million annual economic impact on the local Fond du Lac community. DeAnn Thurmer the president of Ripon Community Hospital, Waupun Memorial Hospital, and St. Clare Hospital in Baraboo says their impact on the local communities also extends to $1 million in charitable contributions and the time employees and volunteers give serving on various boards and committees. She says in the Ripon area some of their contributions have gone toward a capital campaign for a new Boys & Girls Club facility, a contribution to the Brandon-Fairwater Fire Department, and the Ripon Early Bird and Ripon Noon Kiwanis Clubs’ all-inclusive playground at Riggs Park.
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