7/18/24 Hometown Broadcasting News Thursday
18 July 2024 News
GREEN LAKE COUNTY FATAL ACCIDENT INVESTIGATON
The Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office has released accident reports for a July 8th head-on crash in which both SUV drivers were seriously injured, one fatally. It happened on State Highway 23 near South Lawson Drive that morning. Forty-three-year-old Erin Klundt of Neenah was heading east, and 62-year-old Andrew Salzburg of Ripon was heading west on the highway that curves near South Lawson Drive. According to reports Klundt crossed the center line for an unknown reason. Salzburg was negotiating the curve when the two vehicles collided. Both drivers were wearing shoulder and lap belts and were not ejected. They were both taken to ThedaCare Regional Medical Center in Neenah, Klundt by ambulance and Salzburg by helicopter. Salzburg died later. Alcohol and drug tests were not given to either driver. According to the reports Klundt was driving on the wrong side of the road, Salzburg steered to the left in an effort to avoid the collision. Investigators did not determine if Klundt was driving on the wrong side of the road intentionally or unintentionally. It was Green Lake County’s first fatal traffic accident of the year. (Green Lake County Sheriff’s photo).
HIGH RISK TRAFFIC STOP IN WAUPUN
Waupun Police Tuesday night were asked to assist Baraboo Police in the search for a man who was believed to be armed with multiple firearms after using one during an incident in Baraboo. Just before 9 pm the suspect’s vehicle was located parked near a residence in Waupun. Waupun Police and Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s deputies were coming up with a plan when the vehicle took off. A high-risk traffic stop was initiated near North Division Street and West Main Street. The two occupants were taken into custody. The driver was the suspect wanted in connection with the Baraboo incident. The passenger was not involved. Two firearms were recovered from the vehicle. The driver was turned over to Baraboo Police. No one was injured during the high-risk traffic stop.
DODGE COUNTY ATTEMPTED MURDER SUSPECT ARRAIGNED
A 38-year-old rural Watertown man charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide for an incident in the Town of Shields last month was arraigned in Dodge County court this week. Joshua Daniel pled not guilty to the attempted murder, and substantial/aggravated battery charges. The victim, a 36-year-old rural Watertown woman suffered multiple lacerations during the incident on June 21st. Daniel barricaded himself inside the residence on County Highway Q until a Sheriff’s SWAT team entered the home and took him into custody. A telephone scheduling conference is set for the court case on August 26th.
INTERSTATE 41 PROJECT CLOSURES AND REOPENINGS
The state’s Department of Transportation reminds motorists of the 21-day ramp closures at the southbound Interstate 41 on-ramp from Winneconne Avenue and the southbound off-ramp to Main Street in Neenah in Winnebago County. The ramp closures will begin tonight and run through August 9th. Lanes will continue to be reduced in the work zone between Neenah and Appleton. In addition, northbound and southbound I-41 over Lake Butte des Morts and the U.S. Highway 45 to southbound I-41 ramp in Oshkosh will reopen to traffic today through Monday, July 29th to accommodate traffic for EAA AirVenture.
LARGE FISH KILLS REPORTED ON BUFFALO LAKE AND YAHARA RIVER
The state’s DNR is investigating fish mortality events in two different south central Wisconsin locations. The first is in the Buffalo Lake Watershed in Marquette, Green Lake and Columbia counties. The second is on the Yahara River in Stoughton. Due to heavy precipitation, additional reports of fish kills are likely. On Buffalo Lake, a large number of dead fish were reported on July 10th. Fish biologists, sampled multiple locations throughout the more than 400 square mile watershed and confirmed low dissolved oxygen levels across the upper water basin and some tributaries. All fish species in the watershed have been impacted, and anyone using Buffalo Lake or its tributaries may see pockets of dead fish. No dead fish have been found in Puckaway Lake; however dead fish may appear in the coming days as water moves downstream from Buffalo Lake. The DNR says oxygen levels will stabilize and these events usually do not have a lasting impact on the larger fish population. Meanwhile DNR staff is also gathering data on a reported fish mortality in Stoughton on the Yahara River.
ABSENTEE BALLOT DROP BOX PROTECTION
State Senator Dan Knodl of Germantown and State Representative Scott Krug of Rome have introduced legislation to enhance the security around absentee ballot drop boxes. Senator Knodl chairs the Senate Committee on Shared Revenue, Elections and Consumer Protection and Representative Krug chairs the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections. Krug says, “This bill is a start toward standards that make sense. We should all be concerned that anything happening with drop boxes incorporates basic principles of ballot security and transparency in record keeping.”
RIPON PLAN COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF ZONING AND CONDITION USE PERMIT FOR RIPON EVENT BARN LLC
The Ripon Plan Commission is recommending approval of a conditional use permit and rezoning for the Ripon Event Barn, LLC to the Ripon Common Council. The Commission approved the recommendation by a 3 to 1 vote last night for the property at 835 Liberty Street. The recommendation includes a number of conditions. It would need an alcohol license. Operating hours would be limited to 8 am to Midnight Fridays and Saturdays and from 8 am to 9 pm Sundays through Thursday. Sixty off-street parking spaces will have to be provided. Berms consisting of shrubbery and vegetation and a fence for neighbors on the eastside of the property would do something about headlights from vehicles using the venue. The need for the fence depends on whether neighbors to the east would sign a written waiver. Property owner Wayne Chaney told the commission the event barn would operate from May through October. It will consist of a 4-bedroom two story house, two barns, a pavilion, handicap accessible bathrooms, and the off-street parking. He says at most event capacity would be 100 people and it would only operate about 200 hours a year. The recommendation goes to the Common Council next week.
STIGMA AWARENESS EVENT
The 2nd Annual Stigma Awareness event will be held at the Gratitude Club in Fond du Lac next month. It is about raising awareness on stigma and barriers to individuals seeking recovery from substance abuse disorders. Hours for the event on Saturday, August 17th are from 2 to 6 pm. At 2 pm resource tables will be available. From 2 to 6 pm there is a sign up for the 20-team, single elimination Cornhole Tournament featuring prizes for winners. There is a $25 entry fee with proceeds going toward the United Way to support Drug Free Communities of Fond du Lac. The featured speaker at 3 pm is Tom Farley, an advocate for substance use awareness and prevention. Tom’s late brother was comic Chris Farley. A local speaker panel will share their stories about substance use, loss and recovery at 4:30 pm. The vendor raffle and closing is at 6 pm. In the last 3 years Fond du Lac County has lost 65 individuals to overdose deaths.
BERLIN MAN TALKS ABOUT BEING A DELEGATE AT THE RNC
A Berlin man says he’s pleased to be a delegate at the historic Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week. Luke Dretske is no stranger to politics having run for the State Assembly, and he serves as the Berlin Common Council President and as a Green Lake County supervisor. He says some of the highlights so far have been the nomination of Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as Donald Trump’s running mate in the Presidential Election and Nikki Haley’s unification speech. Dretske says Milwaukee and Wisconsin are putting their best foot forward hosting people from 80 different countries attending the convention, but also getting the message across that Wisconsin may be the key battleground state. He says security is amped up. As he spoke to us 20 to 30 different law enforcement officers outside his hotel were walking the streets, barricades were up in many areas, and Coast Guard helicopters and boats patrolling the river have been common sights. (Luke Dretske photo).
BILLETT NAMED WALSWORTH’S NEXT COO
Walsworth has hired printing industry veteran Andy Billett as the company’s new Chief Operating Officer. Billett will be replacing Walsworth’s current COO Jim Mead, who is retiring from the company in November and will be based out of Walsworth’s corporate office in Marceline, Missouri. Billet comes to Walsworth with 25-plus years of printing and senior leadership experience at Taylor Corporation, Custom Ink and Jostens. Once he began to explore the opportunity to join Walsworth, he said it was a perfect match. Billett will be responsible for developing and overseeing the strategy and execution of plans to help the company achieve its short- and long-term operational goals. Billett said he will spend his first month or two visiting all of Walsworth’s locations, getting to know the operations and the employees. Walsworth has a printing facility in Ripon.
READING WITH A DOCK SPIDER
The Fond du Lac County United Way is teaming up with players from the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders Friday for an event at two elementary schools in Fond du Lac. It is called “Reading with a Dock Spider” and as the title indicates players from the Northwoods League team will be reading to children. It is from 9 to 10 am at Riverside and Parkside Elementary Schools. United Way Executive Director Amber Kilawee says her family has been a host family for some of the players in the past. She says the players usually pick a book to read to kids that they enjoyed when they were younger. They also will sign autographs and maybe toss a few baseballs. She says the event is free and open to everyone. Kilawee notes it’s a good experience for the players as well because it helps them build character.
WATCHING A CALF BEING BORN AT THE FDL COUNTY FAIR
Envision Greater Fond du Lac Director of Agricultural Programs Amy Ries says if you are out at the Fond du Lac County Fair this week stop on buy the “Moo”turnity Ward and Education Center. She says they have activities for younger kids and agricultural exhibits for others. Of course the major appeal is being able to witness the birth of a calf. Ries says that’s a miracle of life and worth seeing. Other live animals are also located at the “Moo”turnity Ward. Ries says when a birth is happening it is usually announced at the fairgrounds. The “Moo”turnity Ward and Education Center is open from 10:30 am to 7:30 pm. It is located inside the Recreation Building.
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