11/14/24 Hometown Broadcasting News Thursday
14 November 2024 News
VIDEO RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT MISSING WATERTOWN MAN
Green Lake County Sheriff officials say they don’t believe a man featured in a TikTok video that went viral is Ryan Borgwardt who faked his own death. Last Friday authorities revealed the 45-year-old Watertown man capsized a kayak on Green Lake in August to fake his own death. They now believe he is in Eastern Europe. Sheriff’s officials say they have been in contact with the interviewer in the video. The video was recorded in June at Pacific Beach in San Diego, California. The creator of the video was holding up a sign asking if anyone wanted free advice. A man on a bicycle came up to her and asked, “Should I go to Uzkbekistan or stay here?” The man continued by saying he was going to meet a woman and acknowledged he was married. The video has been viewed over 4.5 million times. Its creator contacted law enforcement after learning of Borgwardt’s story. The Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office continues looking into the video. They have received numerous tips since their press conference last Friday about Borgwardt’s disappearance.
TAYCHEEDAH MAN SUSPECTED OF POSSESSING AI GENERATED CHILD PORN
A 20-year-old Taycheedah man has been charged with seven counts of possession of viral child pornography. The charges are based on a new law. Meillo (MY-low) Schneider is also charged with one count of resisting or obstructing an officer for putting up a struggle when he was taken into custody. He made his initial appearance in Fond du Lac County Court Wednesday. Bond was set at $100,000 cash and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 3rd. According to the criminal complaint the investigation began on September 27th after the Sheriff’s Office received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children which had received information from Amazon Photos Trust and Safety Team on April 12th. Three other cyber tips had been reported about Schneider. A search warrant was obtained for Schneider’s residence. As a result a Sheriff’s detective reviewed thousands of photo files of anime and artistic renderings of child sexual abuse. Some of the images were AI generated and the detective couldn’t distinguish if some were real or AI generated. They included images of infants and pre-pubescent children being sexually assaulted by adults. (Fond du Lac County Jail photo).
PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT APPROVED
The Ripon Common Council this week approved the purchase of new playground equipment for Selfridge Park. It is part of the improvement project for the park. The Council approved a nearly $217,000 bid from Gerber Leisure Products. City Administrator Adam Sonntag says over the past 28 years Gerber Leisure has provided playground equipment for all four of the city’s parks and it has stood up well to the test of time. During that time only one part has needed to be replaced. Parks and Recreation Director Ashton Zeien told the Council they received three renderings, but Gerber Leisure submitted the best. She says play is very important in a child’s development.
HISTORIC GIFT GIVEN TO RIPON COLLEGE
Ripon College is receiving a $20 million gift, the majority of which is unrestricted to fund strategic initiatives. The donation, the largest gift commitment in the college’s history, will most immediately fund significant improvements to student housing with the potential to generate additional giving for constructing a new residence hall. The investment bolsters the Forever Ripon Campaign’s commitment to facility enhancement following the opening of Hopp Stadium in the fall of 2023 and the completion of the Franzen Science Center, which is targeted for completion next month. Ripon College President Victoria Folse expressed deep gratitude for the donation which was made anonymously. You can read more about the donation on the Ripon College website.
HOMELESSNESS A GROWING PROBLEM
There are 536 people on the waiting list for the St. Katherine Drexel Shelter in Fond du Lac which serves the homeless. Amy Loof is the Executive Director of the Solutions Center and the shelter. She says homelessness is a growing problem. She notes some is due to mental health and addiction. But a growing contributor is the cost of rent. She says a rent increase for someone living at or near the poverty level can tip the scales. She says another growing contributor is the cost of daycare. Loof explains that a single or divorced woman with two children and no support system can’t afford $1,200 a month in daycare costs plus rent. She says when beds open at the St. Katherine Drexel shelter they prioritize people sleeping on the street, in their car or a place not meant to be a domicile. Forty-two percent of those living in Ripon are at or just above the poverty level. Fond du Lac County United Way is a supporter of the Solutions Center and the shelter.
PROGRESS BEING MADE ON BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB FACILITY IN RIPON
Every week Ripon area residents can watch the progress of the new Boys & Girls Club Tri-County Area facility being constructed in Ripon. The targeted opening for the 40,000-square-foot facility is next June. Amy Pollesch is the Club’s Director of Operations. She says it’s exciting to watch the progress. She says it is going to be an incredible space for youth in the community. She says they are grateful to all of those who donated to their capital campaign and the construction crew for their hard work on putting up the building. Once the building is up and running it will serve about 700 kids a year or about 100 to 150 on a daily basis.
GOOD FIRST WEEK FOR HY-VEE STORE IN RIPON
Things have gone well during the first week the new Hy-Vee Store has been open in Ripon. Located in the former Webster’s Marketplace site, Hy-Vee’s opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony last Wednesday. Store Director Phil Hammermeister says the layout inside the store is a bit different, but they are helping customers get acquainted with it. Monday they participated in Hy-Vee’s 25th annual Veterans Day Breakfast serving over 100 veterans. It’s a tradition at all nearly 300 of their stores across 9 states in the Upper Midwest. Another store highlight is their Thursday Night Steak Night. From 4 to 7 pm you can get a grilled steak, potato, and veggie all for just $10. Our Wayne Mausser will be doing live reports from Hy-Vee’s in Ripon from 3 to 5 pm this afternoon. Hy-Vee is open each day from 6 am to 10 pm.
KEEP THE CHEER HERE
Green Lake will hold their “Keep the Cheer Here” Celebration Friday and Saturday November 29th and 30th. It begins that Friday at 5:30 pm with the lighting of the grand Christmas tree, filling the town square with a warm and festive glow. Other activities Friday, November 29th include a Holiday Market in the Town Square Center at 2 pm, a Hot Toddy Hop and Shop and Cookie Walk from 3 to 5 pm. Tickets are limited for that and available at Visit Green Lake.com. Families can get a photo with Santa’s reindeer from 4 to 5:30 pm and Santa arrives at 5:15 pm. The evening culminates at 5:30 pm with the Green Lake Rotary Tree Lighting at the Town Square Community Center with a visit with Santa from 5:30 to 6 pm. Saturday, November 30th will kick off with Breakfast with Santa at the American Legion from 8 to 11 am. From 9 am to 5 pm its Shop Small Business Saturday. In the evening there will be Ugly Sweater Bingo at the Town Square Community Center from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
OSHKOSH SCHOOLS ACADEMY
The Oshkosh Area School District is launching the Oshkosh Schools Academy, a six-month program designed to provide community members the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the district’s mission and strategic priorities. The program will kick off in January and run through June, with monthly sessions covering a variety of topics, including district operations, academic priorities, staff development, and community engagement. Participants will also engage in a book study on the book “Schools Cannot Do it Alone” by Jamie Vollmer. Applications for the Oshkosh Schools Academy are now being accepted, with a deadline of December 11th. The program is limited to 20 to 30 participants. If more than 30 apply, participants will be selected randomly. Those not selected will be added to a waiting list for the following year. More information, including the application form and program details is available on the District website.
Oshkosh Schools Academy – Oshkosh Area School District
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