1/30/24 Hometown Broadcasting News Tuesday
30 January 2024 News
FORMER FDL WOMAN CONVICTED OF SECOND-DEGREE RECKLESS HOMICIDE
A 45-year-old former Fond du Lac woman has been convicted in Green Lake County court of second-degree reckless homicide and second degree recklessly endangering safety. Jessica Knueppel of Sparta entered guilty pleas during a hearing Friday. A charge of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle was read into the record and dismissed. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 15th. Charges stemmed from a fatal accident on State Highway 23 near Green Lake County Highway W that occurred on September 29th, 2021. Fifty-one-year-old Steven La Tour of Appleton was killed in the crash. Investigators determined Knueppel’s SUV crossed over the centerline striking the SUV driven by La Tour head on. La Tour died at the scene and Knueppel was taken to ThedaCare Medical Center in Berlin. (Green Lake County Sheriff’s photo).
COURT APPEARANCE FOR FORMER TAYCHEEDAH INMATE SUSPECTED IN CELLMATE’S DEATH
Bond has been set at $1 million cash for a 28-year-old former Taycheedah Correctional inmate charged with first degree intentional homicide for the death of her cellmate. Taylor Sanchez appeared in Fond du Lac County court via video conferencing Monday. She is suspected in the beating death of 68-year-old Cindy Schulz-Juedes who was found unresponsive in her cell last July. In June of 2022 Cindy Schulz-Juedes was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for the August 2006 shooting death of her husband, Kenneth Juedes. In August of 2022 Taylor Sanchez was sentenced to 18 months in prison for battery or threat to law enforcement in Kenosha, plus two more years for battery to an inmate. According to the criminal complaint Sanchez told officers she was hearing voices telling her to kill Schulz-Juedes. Sanchez is currently being held at the Wisconsin Resource Center in Oshkosh, a Department of Corrections-supervised living facility. She will be back in court for a status conference on March 21st.
FIRST PINK FENTANYL SEIZURE FOR WINNECONNE POLICE
An anonymous tip last Wednesday led police in Winneconne to their first “Pink” fentanyl seizure. The tip was that a man working at a local business appeared to be high. During their subsequent investigation police stopped a vehicle partially matching the description of the tip. They learned the 33-year-old Berlin man driving it was on probation for amphetamine trafficking and narcotics possession. The man admitted to having syringes including one with a pink liquid in it on his person. A search of his person turned up a glass jar that also had fentanyl in it. A 22-year-old Neenah woman with the man was also on probation on drug charges. More syringes and fentanyl were found in the man’s vehicle. The Berlin man took ownership of the contraband found and was arrested on probation violations and drug charges have been referred to the Winnebago County District Attorney’s Office. “Pink” fentanyl is a deadly mixture of fentanyl, carfentanil, and heroin. It is known as “Pink,” but also goes by street names such as “Pinky” and “Pink Death.” (Winneconne Police Department photo).
BEAVER DAM STOLEN VEHICLE PURSUIT
While Beaver Dam Police were taking a report about a stolen vehicle early last Friday morning the vehicle drove past the home they were at. Officers tried to stop the vehicle but the driver took off and a pursuit ensued. The vehicle eventually got stuck in the snow near the Dodge County Fairgrounds. The driver exited the vehicle but did not obey officers’ commands. K9 Boomer was deployed and the driver was taken into custody. The driver was taken to a hospital for treatment and later to the Dodge County Jail. Police were assisted by the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office and Juneau EMS.
SHORT TRAFFIC PURSUIT IN HORICON
Horicon Police participated in a short vehicle pursuit early Sunday morning. A police sergeant saw a car with heavily tinted windows traveling faster than the 25 mile an hour speed limit on Washington Street. A records check found the vehicle’s registration was suspended. The car turned south onto Valley Street and a traffic stop was attempted. The vehicle ignored the sergeant’s lights and sirens. It increased its speeds as it entered River Bend Park going more than 40 miles an hour in the park. Eventually the vehicle lost control in the gravel parking lot due to wet slushy conditions. The driver was arrested and taken to the Dodge County Jail. Police are requesting charges from the District Attorney’s Office of felony fleeing, marijuana possession, drug paraphernalia possession, and a probation hold.
REWARD OFFERED FOR INFORMATION ON SNOWMOBILE TRAIL DAMAGE
The Richford Ridge Riders Snowmobile Club is offering a $500 reward for information leading to the person or persons, who intentionally damaged pine trees on their snowmobile trail system. The person responsible was on the trail after the intersection for about 30 yards “on a straight section of trail” then drove straight in the trees knocking over and breaking roughly 10 Pines. The Club faces the possibility of losing the trail that has been on the property for over 30 years. The trail connects Westfield to Richford, but also Coloma to Richford and Wautoma. Anyone with information is asked to contact a club member or message their Facebook page. Tips will remain anonymous. Information will be validated. (Richford Ridge Riders Snowmobile Club photo).
FDL COUNTY FAIR STAGE NAMING RIGHTS
A couple of Fond du Lac County committees Wednesday will discuss a resolution to accept several donations for construction of a new stage at the Fond du Lac County Fairgrounds. The county had originally set aside $600,000 for the stage, but it will cost over $1.2 million for the project. County Executive Sam Kaufman says the City of Fond du Lac has chipped in $375,000 for the stage and now National Exchange Bank Foundation is willing to pay $300,000 for the naming rights. He says they will get the naming rights for the next 15 years. Kaufman says it would be great to see the new stage ready for this July’s fair, but that is probably too optimistic. If the committees approve their recommendations for the donations and naming rights they will be passed along to the full County Board for approval.
OSHKOSH INFORMATION SESSIONS ON ROAD AND SIDEWALK ASSESSMENTS
The City of Oshkosh will take a look at the way it assesses road and sidewalk improvement projects during three public engagement sessions this week. City officials say they are looking at a combination of funding sources. One is implementation of a $35 per vehicle Vehicle Registration Fee or wheel tax. The other is charging a portion of street improvements to the city’s water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer utilities. That would result in an increase to each utility bill. Altogether, the funding sources would provide the needed $3.75 million annually for road and sidewalk reconstruction. Winnebago County Supervisor Jacob Floam, who is running for Oshkosh City Council, credits the city for trying to come up with an alternative to high assessments on property owners. He does not favor going to a wheel tax. The public information sessions begin tonight at 6 pm in Room 406 of the City Hall. There’s another Wednesday at 2 pm on the City of Oshkosh Government Facebook page and Oshkosh Media Gov TV platforms. The last session is Thursday morning at 10 am in Room 406 of the City Hall.
BGCTC WEARIN’ & $HARIN’ THE GREEN
The Boys & Girls Club of the Tri-County Area will hold their premier community event, Wearin’ & Sharin’ the Green, on Saturday March 9th at the Heidel House in Green Lake. The annual fundraising gala has an Enchanted Garden theme. Kassidy Walter is the Club’s Resource Development Coordinator she talks about all the different things guests will be able to enjoy during the event. All guests will dine on a three-course meal, bid on silent auction items, play raffles and games, and participate in a live auction filled with extraordinary items. Walters says tickets are $125 per person or $1,500 for a corporate table that seats 10 people. But prices go up on February 7th. All proceeds raised will benefit the Boys & Girls Club of the Tri-County Area with sites in Berlin, Green Lake and Ripon. Tickets for Wearin’ & Sharin’ the Green are available on the club’s website.
Wearin and Sharin The Green | The Boys and Girls Club Tri-County Area
MEMORIAL DONATION MADE TO THE RIPON PUBLIC LIBRARY
The friends and family of Michele Schrader, who passed away last June, recently donated funds toward a collection of 27 VOX Books to serve and support aspiring readers at the Ripon Public Library. Vox Books are hardcover books with a digital audio player inside the front cover. This pairing of print with audio in a single unit provides many benefits for young learners as they progress toward becoming independent readers and lifelong learners. Michele was a lover of learning and an advocate for literature as a catalyst toward living and experiencing the world with a creative spirit. She was an active member of the Friends of the Ripon Public Library. For several years she served as coordinator of the Friends’ famous books sales, which fund library programming. She was also a happy and supportive participant in library events and delighted in bringing her daughters to Storytime.
In the photo: Michele’s husband Colonel Ed Schrader, and dear friend Mary Mellenthin.
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