10/2/24 Hometown Broadcasting News Wednesday
2 October 2024 News
THREE POUNDS OF METH SEIZED DURING TRAFFIC STOP ON INTERSTATE 41
During a traffic stop on Interstate 41 northbound near Lost Arrow Road last night a Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s deputy and his K-9 seized 3.1 pounds of methamphetamine. During the stop the deputy deployed his K-9 and the dog alerted to the odor of illegal narcotics coming from the vehicle. A subsequent search turned up the methamphetamine. The driver, a 34-year-old Chicago man, was arrested and taken to the Fond du Lac County Jail on an amphetamine trafficking charge. The traffic stop at 6:23 pm was for a registration violation on the vehicle. (Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s photo).
MISSING OSHKOSH WOMAN REPORTED SAFE
Oshkosh Police say a 63-year-old woman who went missing from a group home yesterday returned around 10 o’clock last night. Police got a call from staff at the group home in the 1100 block of Minnesota Street that Janice Reitzner had returned. She had left for a walk to a store around 5:45 pm and was supposed to return about 7 pm. They reported her missing at 7:45. She suffers from diminished mental capacity and there was concern about her welfare. (Oshkosh Police photo).
COLUMBIA COUNTY FUGUTIVE AND VICTIM FOUND IN NORTH CAROLINA
Columbia County Sheriff’s officials say a 19-year-old Pardeeville man facing repeated sexual assault of the same child charges is back in custody after fleeing to North Carolina with the victim. Colin O’Brion posted a $2,500 cash bond and was ordered to have no contact with the victim during his initial court hearing. He failed to show up for a subsequent hearing on September 27th and a nationwide warrant was issued. The Sheriff’s Office also learned on that date that the victim, a juvenile girl, had run away from home. O’Brion and the girl were located in North Carolina. He is in custody awaiting extradition to Columbia County. Efforts are underway to reunite the girl with her family in Wisconsin. (Columbia County Jail photo).
LAKE BUTTE DES MORTS BRIDGE PROJECT COMPLETED
The state’s Department of Transportation says improvements have been completed on northbound and southbound I-41 over Lake Butte des Morts. Lane closures were removed Tuesday morning. In addition, the southbound I-41 on ramp from US Highway 45 is now open to traffic. Project improvements included removing and replacing structure approaches for northbound and southbound I-41 bridges over the main channel of Lake Butte des Morts. A 100-foot section of cable barrier on the west side of I-41 near the US Highway 45 interchange was replaced and relocated. Project improvements also included removing and replacing existing safety and weight enforcement facilities along I-41 near the northern shore of Lake Butte des Morts. The benefit of the project was to extend the life of I-41 bridges and upgrade the weight enforcement facilities along the important corridor.
PCH WINNER IN BURNETT
The Publisher’s Clearing House Prize Patrol visited Burnett, Wisconsin yesterday, but their winner wasn’t home. They waited for hours near a local store until the winner, Kelly Minnig, returned home for a 30-minute break from her second job. She had her choice of a new Ford Ranger pickup truck or the cash equivalent of $47,295. She chose the cash. Kelly told the Prize Patrol, “I can use this to pay bills, take a vacation this winter, and save the rest. Maybe I’ll even consider cutting back to only one job for a while.” She has been a PCH fan for 7 years and advises others, “Just keep playing, don’t give up, it’ll happen.” (Publisher’s Clearing House photo).
MOTORIST SEASONAL SAFETY REMINDERS
Green Lake County Chief Deputy Sheriff Matt Vande Kolk says drivers have plenty of reasons to be more cautious this time of year. He says sunrise and sunset times are quickly changing and there is less daylight to drive by. In addition with the harvest season there is going to be more farm machinery on the roads. He recommends being patient and make sure you aren’t making a situation worse by trying to drive around that traffic. In Wisconsin drivers cannot pass an implement of husbandry or slow moving vehicle in a no-passing zone. Vande Kolk also cautions motorists that October and November is a time when they see more crashes involving deer in the roadway. The peak time for car-deer crashes is around dusk and dawn.
WAUPUN SCULPTURE CELEBRATION
Waupun City Administrator Kathy Schlieve says multiple people had a hand in bringing more sculptures to the city known for the sculptures and art that industrialist Clarence Shaler brought to the city long ago. Jeni Maly is a local business owner and art teacher in the Waupun Area School District. She also created a nonprofit Create Waupun with a sole focus of obtaining sculptures and murals for the betterment of Waupun. An affiliation with the Eau Claire Sculpture Tour is bringing rotating art exhibits to Waupun. The Waupun City Council saw the merit to that and put up $5,000 in room tax money to make it happen. The sculptures have a connection to Waupun. Schlieve says one of them depicts Rosie the Riveter. Shaler owned the company that became National Rivet which produced many rivets needed for the WW II effort. Saturday in Waupun there will be a ribbon-cutting and celebration of the new art installations and the grand opening of the food truck alley. It is from 10 am to 2 pm. A schedule for the event can be found at the Discover Downtown Waupun website.
Discover the Art of Waupun | Discover Downtown Wa (discoverdowntownwaupun.com)
AG IN THE CLASSROOM
Paralleling the harvest season, Envision Greater Fond du Lac’s Agriculture Ambassador Programs are going through their busy season. Amy Ries is the Director of Agricultural Programs for Envision. Each year the “Ag in the Classroom” programs teach nearly 10,000 kids about agriculture. Ries says October and November are their busiest months for the program. They were scheduled to see about 1,200 kids for both October and November. Tuesday morning Ries taught second graders at Lakeshore Elementary School in Fond du Lac about agriculture with a particular emphasis on the harvest. For the younger students they usually have a fun activity in this case it was a blackout bingo game with an agricultural theme. They also treated the second graders to Cheerios making sure to tell them about the grain that goes into the cereal.
TOWN SQUARE NORTH ENTRANCE RENOVATION
Town Square Community Center in Green Lake is beginning renovation of the north entrance off the Mill Pond Terrace. The project involves the complete replacement of the current ramp, walls and roof, ensuring safe and improved access for individuals of all abilities. The entrance is scheduled to re-open in late November. The renovation is being funded through multiple sources, including a grant from the Green Lake Basic Needs Foundation and proceeds from the annual Affair for the Square fundraiser. During the construction period, visitors who require accessible entry can call the main phone number 920-807-0008 and a staff member will meet them at the rear of the building to direct them to an alternative accessible entrance. Signage will also be posted to help guide visitors to this temporary entryway.
WELSH HYMN SING IN CAMBRIA
The historic 1st Presbyterian Church in Cambria will host the 79th annual Cambria Welsh Hymn Sing on Sunday, October 13th. There will be two sessions, one at 2:30 pm and one at 5:30 pm. Along with other special numbers, the special guest is award-winning soloist and director Katherine Crusi from Philadelphia. The Hymn Sing will be sung in mostly English in rich four-part harmony. A supper will be served between the two sessions for a donation of $12. The church is located at 121 West Florence Street in Cambria.
RHS STUDENT AMONG NATIONALLY COMMENDED
Ripon High School student Brennan Martin has been named a Commended Student in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. About 34,000 Commended students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Those students were among 50,000 who entered the 2025 competition. Ripon High School Principal Bill Kinzinger says, “To be named one of the top in the nation is an outstanding achievement for Brennan. I know how hard he works, and it’s great to see him being highlighted for his commitment.” You can read more about Brennan’s achievement in our story at Hometown Broadcasting.com.
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