News 05.11.17
11 May 2017 News
A group of state legislators is speaking out after two recent crashes on a stretch of Highway 23. They want to see a highway expansion project resume. Between 1999 and 2014 there were 699 crashes, 8 deaths and 279 injuries on a 19-mile stretch of Highway 23 between Fond du Lac and Plymouth. Six Republicans in the state Senate and Assembly say hundreds of people contacted their offices with concerns. Rep. Jeremy Thiesfelt of Fond du Lac says these disasters have been happening for some time and continue to happen. The group believes the $151 million Highway 23 project that was fully funded to expand the road to four lanes needs to continue. That project was halted two years ago when a federal judge found the Wisconsin Department of Transportation didn’t sufficiently show how they came up with the research data for the expansion. The case is currently under appeal, and the DOT still believes four lanes can create more safety.
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Nobody is injured in an armed standoff in the Fond du Lac Walmart parking lot. Around 7:30am Wednesday the Fond du Lac police SWAT team was called to the scene on North Rolling Meadows Drive after receiving a report of a man armed with a gun. The man was sitting in his car. Less than an hour later the subject was taken into custody without further incident. The store was placed on lock down during the standoff.
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Fond du Lac school officials say a threat at Woodworth Middle School has been determined to not be credible. On Tuesday Woodworth Middle School administration received a message regarding a threat. Law enforcement and school administration did not deem the incident as a credible threat. The student that was responsible for making the threat has been identified. The Fond du Lac School District says it will follow through on the disciplinary procedures. School officials say at no time were students in any danger and school was conducted as usual.
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Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is guaranteeing that the state budget passed by the Legislature will not have high levels of borrowing to pay for roads. Vos told reporters Wednesday that a road-funding plan that borrows $300 million to $400 million is a “non-started for the Assembly.” Assembly Republicans put forward their own sweeping plan that lowers bonding from what Gov. Scott Walker proposed from $500 million to $200 million. But the plan has hit roadblocks with Walker and Senate Republicans.\ Vos and budget committee co-chair Rep. John Nygren are challenging the Senate to come up with its own alternative proposal to plug a projected $1 billion shortfall in roads funding.
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The state Senate approves a bill that would loosen fish farm regulations. Under the Republican proposal, fish farms wouldn’t need permits to discharge material into a wetland if the wetland was created for fish farming. It also would allow natural water bodies to serve as fish farms. And farms wouldn’t need permits to construct or enlarge artificial water bodies connected to a navigable waterway. New permit conditions would be prohibited unless needed to meet water quality standards. The bill also would require a review of state rules on viral hemorrhagic septicemia, a deadly fish disease. The Senate approved the bill on a voice vote Wednesday. The Assembly passed the bill last week. Gov. Scott Walker’s spokesman didn’t immediately respond to a message asking if the governor will sign it.
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People under age 21 would be allowed to attend festivals on private property where alcohol is served under a bill the state Senate passes. Supporters say the bill is necessary because state officials told festival organizers they were going to enforce a state law that prohibits minors from attending such events without a parent or guardian present. Under the bill, minors could attend festivals where alcohol is served on private property where attendance is expected to exceed 2,500 people. The same rules are already in place for festivals like Milwaukee’s Summerfest that take place on public property. The Senate approved the bill on a voice vote Wednesday. The Assembly passed it last week. Gov. Scott Walker’s spokesman didn’t immediately respond to a message asking if he would sign it.
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