3/14/24 Hometown Broadcasting News Thursday
14 March 2024 News
PEDESTRIAN STRUCK BY VEHICLE IN OSHKOSH
An 89-year-old Oshkosh resident suffered significant injuries when a car backed into the victim that was walking on a sidewalk in the 300 block of North Westhaven Drive Wednesday afternoon. Oshkosh Police say a 78-year-old woman was driving the vehicle that was backing into the roadway when it struck the pedestrian. The victim was taken to ThedaClark Regional Medical Center in Neenah. The driver was cooperative with police investigating the incident. The accident was reported at 1:35 pm.
JURY TRIAL RESCHEDULED FOR SO CALLED HALLOWEEN KILLER
A jury trial has been rescheduled for Wisconsin’s so-called Halloween Killer who is seeking to be released from a secure mental health facility. Gerald Turner, who turns 75-years-old next Monday, is being kept at the Sand Ridge Secure Treatment Center in Mauston. A petition to be released from there in 2022 was denied. A jury trial in Fond du Lac County court was originally scheduled to start on April 17th, but the five-day trial instead will now begin on December 9th. He was convicted of the Halloween 1973 rape and murder of 9-year-old Lisa Ann French in Fond du Lac. She was trick-or-treating that night in Turner’s neighborhood. Turner completed his prison sentence in 1994. His parole was revoked in 2013 for possessing sexually-explicit material. He completed that sentence in 2018 but was found to be a sexually violent person and has since then been at a supervised living facility.
SUSPENDED DRIVER’S LICENSE POLICY CHANGE
The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office has changed its policy to be more aggressive in cracking down on drivers who drive without a valid driver’s license. The first offense is an ordinance violation and results in a fine. However, if you commit a 2nd or subsequent offense within 3 years, it becomes a traffic crime with penalties that can include jail time. Sheriff Dale Schmidt says the problem is many of citations for operating while suspended never escalate to a crime and some drivers continue to violate the law, receive citations, fail to pay them, and seldom try to obtain their license legally. So the Sheriff’s Office is no longer issuing citations for operating while suspended but will be issuing the operating without a license citation and ask the District Attorney’s Office to prosecute the multiple offense crimes. The Sheriff’s Office cites two repeat offenders as examples of the violations. Both 21-year-old Damien Hose of rural Beaver Dam and 20-year-old Trayvin Yarrington (pictured) of Columbus drove three times without a license within three years. Hose had 14 operating while suspended violations and Yarrington 24 violations. Both also had numerous incidents of failing to pay the fine. Hose was booked into the jail for his traffic crime. (Dodge County Sheriff’s photo).
GREEN LAKE SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENDUM INFORMATION SESSION TONIGHT
The Green Lake School District will host an information session about its April 2nd Referendum tonight at 6:30 pm at the District’s Library Media Center. The Green Lake School Board is asking the community to approve an operational referendum that would allow the district to exceed its revenue limit over the next four years. The referendum continues the revenue from a 2020 referendum, $1.4 million. The amount is considered “levy neutral” for December 2024 taxes, meaning it won’t cause an increase or decrease compared to December 2023 tax bills. In years 2, 3, and 4 the levy increase is calculated at 15 cents per $1,000 estimated tax rate for each of the three years. For example, if you own a home valued at $100,000, you would see a $15 increase on your property taxes for the school district. The referendum, if passed, would start this December and end with December of 2027. An additional information session will be held on Tuesday, March 26th at 6:30 pm, also at the District’s Library Media Center.
Green Lake School District – Referendum Information 2024
GRISWOLD TRUCK PROHIBITION
An item to look for on a future Ripon Common Council agenda is prohibition of heavy trucks on Griswold Street from Metomen to County Highway E. Alderman John Splitt brought the subject up toward the end of this week’s meeting saying a group of farmers had approached him asking if the city would consider lifting the ban during the harvest season while they are getting their products to market. Alderwoman Jolene Schatzinger also said she had spoken with some farmers who found that they were spending more money on gas to take the uphill alternative route. Mayor Ted Grant said the item will be put on a future agenda for discussion.
CELEBRATE RIPON
Ripon Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mandy Kimes says the 175th Anniversary of the City of Ripon will be celebrated with a special dinner at Vines & Rushes Winery on Wednesday, May 22nd. She notes the Commercial Club, the forerunner of the Chamber, used to hold a Ripon Street Fair and that eventually became an annual dinner for the Chamber. She says it was a chance to celebrate what the Chamber had achieved throughout the year, business successes and new happenings in Ripon. The dinner hasn’t been held since COVID. A Celebrate Ripon Planning Committee was formed to plan the 175th Anniversary Celebration and Chamber event. They held a meeting last week. Those who would like to be part of the committee should contact the Chamber at 920-748-6764.
FDL COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT CELEBRATES WIC ANNIVERSARY
The Fond du Lac County Health Department is celebrating National Nutrition Month and WIC’s 50th Anniversary. WIC or Women, Infants, and Children is one of the programs the Health Department participates in. It provides nutrition education, breast feeding support, and opportunities to get healthy foods. Public Health Officer Kim Mueller says there are criteria for the program. For instance you have to be a Wisconsin resident, qualify based on income, are pregnant or have been in last six months, or have children under the age of five. She says once you qualify they work with the whole family. She says they can help the family if they need to get connected to other resources as well. Mueller says they will also work with foster parents. Those who receive WIC cards can use them at participating stores to buy some food and other items. She recommends applying with the health department to see if you are eligible for the WIC program.
SENATOR BALLWEG HOSTS SENATE SCHOLAR
Senator Joan Ballweg welcomed 2024 Senate Scholar Alyssa Durrant to the Wisconsin State Senate Tuesday. Alyssa, a senior from Waupaca High School, met with Senator Ballweg and had the opportunity to observe the senate session. The Senate Scholar program is a week-long intensive educational program that is offered by the state senate. Students admitted to the program are academically exceptional high school juniors and seniors. There are only 33 students admitted to the program every year, where they get a hands-on, up-close view of the legislature. High school seniors with exceptional leadership skills in the 14th Senate District are reminded to apply for the 20th Annual Joan Ballweg Leadership Scholarship. The deadline for applications is Friday, March 29th. Scholarship packets are available in area high school guidance offices and online at Senator Ballweg’s website. You can also call her office at 608-266-0751 for an application packet.
Joan Ballweg, Wisconsin State Senator, District 14
MEDICAL SCHOOL CONCERNS
Congressman Glenn Grothman says a House Education Committee meeting last week was enlightening for him. He says they heard testimony from some medical schools about educating doctors to serve their own ethnic group. He says over the years he’s had different doctors and never protested the physician based on race or ethnicity. His main concern is about the quality of education the doctor receives and the health care they will provide the patient. The federal lawmaker from Glenbeulah says choosing your doctor should be up to the patient.
OUTDOOR WARNING SIREN SEASON
Winnebago County Emergency Management is reminding residents that beginning this Saturday at noon they will begin the warning siren test season. It will be done weekly at noon on Saturdays until the cool fall weather arrives. Outdoor warning sirens are designed to warn people who are outside. They recommend if you don’t have one, consider purchasing a NOAA weather radio for home or office to warn you of severe weather when you are outdoors.
FISHING TOURNMENT REGISTRATION
Starting April 1st fishing tournaments that are statewide or regional in nature, seasonal without specific fishing dates or have fewer than 20 boats or 100 participants will be required to register with the DNR. Registration of these tournaments will be free of charge. The DNR regulates fishing tournaments or organized competitive fishing events where money or prizes are awarded to protect fish populations from overharvest and to avoid crowding or conflicts among waterbody users. Larger tournaments and some specialized tournaments are monitored and regulated through a paid permit system. Tournament organizers will be able to submit their registrations using simple online or paper forms that ask for organizer contact information and event information. Registrations are required to be submitted 72 hours before the start of a tournament. Once submitted, registrations are complete, and no approvals are required. Anyone interested in hosting a fishing tournament in Wisconsin can visit the DNR’s Fishing Tournaments webpage.
Fishing tournaments | Fishing Wisconsin | Wisconsin DNR
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