3/26/24 Hometown Broadcasting News Tuesday
26 March 2024 News
NO CRIMINAL CHARGES FOR DEPUTY INVOLVED IN FDL SHOOTING INCIDENT
No charges will be brought against a Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Deputy involved in a shooting last October. Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney and Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt held a joint press conference Monday announcing Toney’s decision following an investigation by the state DOJ’s Division of Criminal Investigation. Deputy Blaine Evans and his K9 Iro responded to a call about a disturbance involving weapons in the City of Fond du Lac. A woman had escaped from a residence where she was sexually assaulted and was being held captive by 33-year-old Kyle Massie. Evans used a maneuver to prevent Massey from leaving in a vehicle to search for the victim. As he was leaving the vehicle Massie had an AR style weapon. Evans fired the first two rounds and Iro was sent into the garage Massie was in. Massie began firing hitting Iro first and Deputy Evans was able to back away. Massie was hit by two shots that were not fatal. Eventually Massie got back in the vehicle and crashed into the squad car that was blocking the driveway. Massie died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Massie fired a total of 11 rounds and Deputy Evans 45 rounds. Iro was hit in the chest, torso, both right legs, and his rear right-leg was shattered. Iro has been making progress recovering from those wounds and is expected to return to duty.
VILLAGE OF FREMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT DISSOLVED
As of 4 pm Monday afternoon the Village of Fremont in Waupaca County no longer has a police department and will be contracting with the Sheriff’s Office for police protection services. The Village Board held a special meeting to discuss staffing challenges following the resignation of their recently hired Police Chief and consider contracting with the Sheriff’s Department. Board President Bobbi Marks said the village can’t offer benefits packages that many other departments do and the anticipated starting wage for their officers is lower than surrounding departments. The police department’s budget currently represents about half of the annual village levy. Waupaca County Sheriff Timothy Wilz was also at the meeting. He said deputies respond to the village’s calls for service anyway. He said the Sheriff’s Office might as well set up a police department in the village. He says it would be the village’s own police department. The Village Board’s vote to dissolve the police department and contract with the Sheriff’s Office was unanimous.
RIPON COMMON COUNCIL NOTES
The Ripon Common Council held a public hearing last night for a proposed Community Development Block Grant application. No one spoke during the hearing. If the City is awarded the grant it would help finance the Hamburg/Hennie Street Reconstruction project. The city already has a firm working on the design for the project. The Council also approved a contract with Ehlers Public Finance Advisors for a financial management plan for the city. The contract would pay Ehlers up to $16,000 for the plan, which could assist the city in its planning for things like a capital improvements plan.
PFAS PUNISHMENT UNFAIR
State Representative Alex Dallman says Republicans and Democrats couldn’t agree on a bill that addresses PFAs in drinking water. The state lawmaker from Green Lake says they all agree that the forever chemicals pose a health threat, but the crux of their disagreement has to do with holding unknowing property owners liable for the problem. He says Democrats believe if the polluted underground water runs through multiple properties, all those property owners should be sued. Dallman says that’s incredibly unfair to punish a property owner that has no control over the groundwater that runs through their property. In the summer and fall of 2022 the DNR collected 450 samples from private wells. Most private wells sampled had PFAs concentrations below current Wisconsin Department of Health Services health recommendations, and overall, the numbers of areas in Wisconsin with significant PFAs contamination were limited.
MARKESAN SCHOOLS GIVE BACK
In addition to the excellent education the Markesan District Schools provide to students, the District finds other ways to give back to the community. District Administrator Jason Breaker says for instance they’ve been able to provide supplies and financial donations to the community food pantry in Markesan. Elementary students and their families donate to stock the pantry each November, and the physical education department runs a fundraiser that donated over $7,000 to the food pantry last year. Breaker says the National Honor Society students at the High School hold community events throughout the school year and last month they held a benefit for a family in need. He points out the Honor Society students also volunteer at the library and throughout the community.
CRP AND AED TRAINING AT TOWN SQUARE
Trainer Barbara Kenny will be holding two CPR training sessions at the Town Square Community Center in Green Lake next month. Those taking the training on Thursday, April 25th will be CPR certified. The classes will include CPR and AED training for anyone 11 years and older. The course incorporates the latest science and teaches students how to respond to breathing and cardiac emergencies. Successful students will receive a certificate for Adult/Child/Infant CPR/AED valid for two years. Classes are April 25th from 3 to 5 pm or 5:30 to 7:30 pm and cost $35 per person. You can learn more and sign up at the Town Square website.
CPR and AED Training | Town Square Community Center (greenlaketownsquare.org)
OSHKOSH SCHOOLS FAREWELL TOURS
The public is invited to take a walk down memory lane during farewell tours of Merrill Elementary and Middle School and Washington Elementary School before the buildings close at the end of the school year. Farewell tours at Washington Elementary are Sunday, April 28th from 1 to 3 pm, and Wednesday, May 1st from 6 to 8 pm. Merrill Elementary and Middle School Farewell tours are Sunday, April 28th from 3 to 5 pm, and Wednesday, May 1st from 5 to 7 pm. Visitors are welcome to take a self-guided tour of the schools during the designated times. No advance registration is required and people are welcome to arrive anytime in the two-hour window.
EAA AVIATION MUSEUM RECOGNIZED
The EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh has been named one of the nation’s 10 best aviation museums by Travel + Leisure in a feature published on its website on March 14th. The feature, 10 Best Aviation Museums Around the U.S., highlights the choices of the Travel + Leisure staff, as well as aviation historians and experts. The list includes museums in nine states and the District of Columbia. EAA Aviation Museum manager Chris Henry says, “The recognition from Travel + Leisure is much appreciated, as EAA is very proud of the museum and the work that we are doing each day to preserve aviation history.” The Travel + Leisure recognition is the latest for the EAA facility, as it has been highlighted by CNN Travel as one of the 20 Best Aviation Museums Around the World and earlier this year as a top aviation museum by Group Travel Leader.
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