7/24/24 Hometown Broadcasting News Wednesday
24 July 2024 News
SENATOR JOHNSON RELEASES MORE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS ON TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Ron Johnson released an additional preliminary finding regarding the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The senator reported that eight shell casings were found near the body of would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks according to first-hand information obtained by Johnson’s office. Johnson’s office released the material-even though it is preliminary-to ensure transparence and to keep the public well-informed. According to Johnson’s latest findings at least three local law enforcement officials reported to the Senator’s office that there were eight shell casing located near Crooks’ body. Two of the individuals saw the shell casings first-hand. The third individual told Senator Johnson’s office that the FBI informed him that there were eight shell casings found on the roof. Senator Johnson’s office had released preliminary findings this past Sunday as well.
FDL POLICE STEP UP PRESENCE AT HOTELS AND MOTELS DURING EAA WEEK
Fond du Lac Police have stepped up their presence at hotels and motels for EAA AirVenture week. Department officials say they are working with those hotels and motels with a goal of raising awareness and educating managers and staff about identifying potential dangers and signs of sex trafficking. Hotel and motel employees are often in the best position to see signs of trafficking, drug activity and other illegal activities. Fond du Lac Police will have additional officers and investigators deployed in marked patrol squads and unmarked vehicles during EAA to target those who check into area hotels and motels to use, deliver, or sell narcotics or engage in sex trafficking.
RIPON FIRE AND EMS CONSOLIDATION STUDY APPROVED
The Ripon Common Council this week approved a $29,275 contract from Public Administration Associates to assist with a plan or study for the consolidation of the fire and EMS departments. PAA of Whitewater was one of three firms that submitted proposals for a study. They’ve done over 40 similar studies in Wisconsin including one for Waupun. Staffing, facilities, and increasing call volumes have been a problem for both the Ripon Area Fire District and Ripon EMS service. City Administrator Adam Sonntag says the study would be about the process and effect of consolidation. It would include models of staffing and budgeting. Council member Ellen Sorensen is also the President of the Ripon Area Fire District Governing Board. She says a strategic plan for the Fire District suggested taking a look at consolidation. Council member Doug Iverson said the study is about the process to fix problems with both departments. Council member John Splitt told the Council he would vote against the preparation of the consolidation plan because he didn’t feel he had enough information to vote for it. The proposed study passed by a 6 to 1 vote.
TOWNS OF DAYTON AND FARMINGTON PASS ORDINANCE LIMITING WAKE ENHANCEMENTS
It took only five minutes last night for a joint decision by the Dayton and Farmington Town Boards in Waupaca County to pass an ordinance to restrict artificial wake enhancements on certain lakes. The ordinance aims to restrict the use of special tanks used on boats to create larger wakes for wake surfing. An official with the Spencer Lake Association says they’ve been working towards the ordinance for a long time. The Town of Farmington banned wake-enhanced boating on Round and Rainbow lakes last January but the town board reversed that decision in April. An ad hoc committee recommended both town boards combine efforts to create an identical ordinance. A few of the lakes are located in both towns. Opponents say wake surfing causes problems with safety and the environment. The Wisconsin Conservation Congress took a recent poll showing overwhelming support for limits on wake surfing.
HELICOPTERS LANDING AT NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY IN WAUPUN TODAY
The National Guard will be test landing nine helicopters in a grassy area just east of the Armory in Waupun about 1 pm this afternoon. They will be landing in pairs of two. It is part of a demonstration the local National Guard unit will be doing at the EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh. The helicopters will be picking up troops. The National Guard is supplying security around the perimeter of the site. Anyone who is stopping to observe is asked to stay within the parking lot area of the Armory.
CROWDSTRIKE CRASH SCAMS
An officer with Oshkosh Police Department says they wanted to reach out to residents before any scammers used last Friday’s CrowdStrike crash to try and scam them. The scams would target individuals attempting to reschedule flights, access banking information, or address technology issues. Officer Kate Mann says if you get an email or text from an unknown source with links or attached files don’t open them. She says scammers may attempt to impersonate CrowdStrike support, sending files that claim to resolve the crash but instead contain malware. Key things to watch out for include phishing emails or text messages posing as someone directly involved with the event, offering support to customers. Scammers may impersonate incident staff in phone calls. Mann adds that they may pose as independent researchers, claiming to have evidence the technical issue is linked to a cyberattack and offering remediation insights. They may sell scripts purporting to automate recovery from the issue.
PERTUSSIS CASES ON THE RISE
Fond du Lac County Health officials say pertussis or whooping cough cases are circulating in the community. Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory disease that spreads from person to person through coughing, sneezing, talking or other close contact. Early symptoms may be similar to the common cold runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever, and mild occasional cough. Later symptoms can include uncontrollable, violent coughing that makes it hard to breathe. Infected people can spread pertussis up to three weeks after the cough begins if they are not treated with the appropriate antibiotics. County Public Health Officer Kim Mueller says most counties in the state have seen an uptick in cases and Fond du Lac County has already seen more cases than they had all of last year. Early treatment can reduce the severity of symptoms. Pertussis can affect people of all ages. However, it can be very serious for pregnant women, immunocompromised individuals, and babies less than 1 year old. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vaccination is the best way to prevent pertussis infection.
WELCOME TO FDL COUNTY
Envision Greater Fond du Lac CEO and President Sadie Howell says they appreciate the people who stay in Fond du Lac County taking hotel and motel rooms, eating at the restaurants, and finding other things to do while they are enjoying EAA AirVenture. She says every year the Fond du Lac County Airport gets more and more traffic from AirVenture and they wanted to come up with a way to harness that. She says they talked with the County’s new airport manager who was open to the idea. She says what they came up with is a video shown on an endless loop that people landing at the airport can see when they walk in. It highlights the county and some of the things visitors can take in while they are in the area.
STURGEON SPEARING APPLICATION DEADLINE
The state’s DNR is reminding sturgeon spearers that the deadline to apply for Upriver Lakes spearing tags is just over a week away. That deadline is Thursday, August 1st. Due to a higher success rate on the Upriver Lakes, only 500 license holders will be selected to spear a sturgeon from lakes Poygan, Winneconne or Butte des Morts during the 2025 sturgeon spearing season. These spearing tags will be issued through a drawing where priority is given to applications with the most preference points. Applicants selected to purchase an Upriver Lakes sturgeon spearing license will be notified by October 1st. The 2025 Winnebago System sturgeon spearing season will be on February 8th on Lake Winnebago and the Upriver Lakes.
ALLIANT ENERGY STORM RESTORATION MUTUAL ASSISTANCE
Dozens of Alliant Energy workers returned home safe this past weekend after helping another utility recover from the major storms in Illinois. ComEd, an energy company serving northern Illinois, recently requested additional resources to help restore power after at least 25 confirmed tornadoes hit Chicago and surrounding areas last week. At one point, ComEd had approximately 430,000 customers without power. Seventy-one Alliant Energy employees from across Wisconsin and Iowa answered the call for mutual assistance and went to help-including crews from Ripon, Beloit, Janesville, Mauston, Fond du Lac, Portage, Verona, and Baraboo. Mutual assistance refers to voluntary partnerships with other energy providers in the region. During major restoration events, these partnerships enable energy companies to bring in additional workers and equipment as needed to safely restore power for all affected customers.
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