3/15/24 Hometown Broadcasting News Friday
15 March 2024 News
ARREST IN STOLEN TRUCK CASE
The Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office has made an arrest in a case involving the theft of a pickup truck that occurred last Friday night or early Saturday morning. The older truck was stolen from the area of County Highway F in the Town of Seneca. The Sheriff’s Office posted information about the truck and a photo as part of the Green Lake County Crime Stoppers program. The program leads to anonymous tips and offers a possible reward for that information. If you see or know something about a crime you can call the Green Lake County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-GET-THEM, that’s 1-800-438-8436.
SHEBOYGAN STANDOFF ENDS IN MAN’S DEATH
A standoff incident in Sheboygan Wednesday ended with the death of a 52-year-old man from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Sheboygan Police say they were called just before 10 o’clock Wednesday morning by a 31-year-old Sheboygan man. He told dispatchers he was working on a door at his home when something blew up in his face. First responders found the man had a gunshot wound under his right eye and he was taken to a local hospital. Later he was flown to Froedtert Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Meanwhile officers set up a perimeter around the home because the person responsible for the shooting was still inside. Negotiations with the suspect failed. When officers attempted to enter the home they heard a gunshot inside. A drone was deployed and it revealed the suspected shooter was dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Names have not been released.
BAUR AND VANG BACK IN COURT
The mother of 3-year-old Elijah Vue was bound over for trial in Manitowoc County court on child neglect charges. Katrina Baur and her boyfriend Jesse Vang both face charges for the missing toddler’s alleged treatment. They were in court Thursday morning. Baur waived her right to a preliminary hearing. Vang, who is still without an attorney is waiting for the public defender’s office to find him one. His preliminary hearing was rescheduled for next Thursday. Baur will be arraigned next Friday. Vue was staying with Vang when he was reported missing on February 20th. Efforts to find him continue.
TOW TO GO ACTIVATED FOR ST. PATRICK’S DAY WEEKEND
Wisconsin’s AAA is activating ‘Tow to Go’ for the St. Patrick’s Day weekend, in hopes that partygoers do not press their luck by driving impaired. Tow to Go is active from 6 pm tonight to 6 am Monday morning. When someone calls Tow to Go, AAA dispatches a tow truck to transport the would-be impaired driver and their vehicle to a safe location within a 10-mile radius. The service is free for anyone, yet AAA asks that it be treated as a last resort. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, St. Patrick’s Day is one of the deadliest holidays on U.S. roadways. In 2020, more than 11,000 people died in drunk-driving crashes. The phone number for Tow to Go is 855-286-9246.
JANUARY UNEMPLOYMENT RATES
Unemployment rates in January continued to remain under or near 3 percent for area counties. According to Federal Labor statistics jobless rates for Fond du Lac and Winnebago counties were both at 2.3 percent at the end of January, down slightly from December. Dodge County’s rate was up slightly to 2.5 percent and Waupaca County’s rate remained the same at 2.9 percent. Green Lake County saw a slight decrease to 3.3 percent and Waushara County’s rose a bit to 3.7 percent. Unemployment rates for the cities of Oshkosh and Fond du Lac were at 2.3 and 2.7 percent respectively, which was a slight decrease. According to the state’s Department of Workforce Development 43 of the state’s 72 counties saw a decrease, or held steady at the same jobless rate.
ROLLING MEADOWS GOLF COURSE TURNS THE TIDE
Fond du Lac County Executive Sam Kaufman this week lauded the financial turnaround of the county-owned Rolling Meadows Golf Course in Fond du Lac. He says when he came into office in June of 2022 one of his priorities was to decide the future of the course which required allocation of sales tax to cover ongoing annual losses. He felt they needed to turn the finances around or sell it. He says a team effort involving the County Board, himself, and Course Manager David Brandenburg turned the tide. After a financial loss in 2021, the course ended 2022 with a $40,000 profit. In 2023 the course reported a $217,000 profit. The County continues to look for ways of improving the golf course which is a quality of life asset.
BONUS TURKEY PERMITS GOING ON SALE NEXT WEEK
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will begin selling bonus harvest authorizations for the 2024 spring turkey season next Monday with a designated date for each zone. Previously known as leftover permits, bonus harvest authorizations will be available online through the Go Wild license portal and at all license sales agents. Sales begin at 10 am and run through midnight each day. Both hunters who missed the spring turkey drawing deadline last December and those seeking additional harvest authorizations may purchase bonus authorizations at this time. Bonus authorizations are $10 for residents and $15 for non-residents.
SPRING BREAK VACATION TIPS
The Administrator for the State’s Division of Trade and Consumer Protection has advice for those who haven’t booked their Spring Break vacation yet. Michelle Reinen recommends getting everything you booked confirmed. She says that should especially be the case if you used third-party booking for your hotel. Other tips include verifying the address of where you are staying on Google Maps, so you know it is not just a parking lot somewhere. She also suggests asking about any mandatory resort fees. Put details in writing and take that documentation with you in case you need to refer to it. Other helpful suggestions include cleaning any unnecessary cards or documents out of your wallet in case you lose it and use credit cards to pay for things, so you have a record of those purchases.
COVID STRESS STILL IMPACTING HEALTH CARE WORKERS
SSM Health has a program that provides peer support for its own employees. It is called “Care for Caregivers.” Dr. Heather Schmidt is SSM Health’s System Medical Director for Employee Well-Being. She says like any job health care is rewarding but can be stressful. She says they love what they do, but they are human. She says they offer support for their team members so they can continue to care for their patients the way that they want to. Dr. Schmidt says the stress connected with the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have an impact on employees’ mental health. She notes it continues to affect staff recruiting and retention. Schmidt says they offer both large and smaller peer support groups for their employees.
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