1/22/25 Hometown Broadcasting News Wednesday
22 January 2025 News
FIRE DESTROYS MOBILE HOME IN WAUTOMA
Fire destroyed a mobile home in Wautoma early Tuesday morning. According to the Wautoma Area Fire Department the fire was in the Capital Court mobile home park on 18th Avenue. The department reported no injuries. The Wautoma Police Department and Wautoma Area Fire Department posted a photo from the fire scene on their Facebook pages yesterday morning after drivers reported seeing smoke. Officials say the extreme cold made fighting the fire challenging. (Wautoma Police Department photo).
FDL ARSON SUSPECT EXPECTED IN COURT TODAY
The 19-year-old Menasha man suspected of setting a fire at the strip mall in Fond du Lac where Congressman Glenn Grothman leases office space, is expected to make an initial appearance in Fond du Lac County Court today. The man is charged with arson of a building and terrorist threats-interrupting or impairing government or public service. No one was inside the building when the fire was set on an exterior wall at 525 North Peters Avenue early Sunday morning. The man told police he started the fire in response to the proposed ban of TikTok. He was found near the strip mall. There was moderate damage to the exterior of the building and minor damage to the interior. (Fond du Lac Fire and Rescue photo).
CECIL MAN ARRESTED AFTER FDL COUNTY VEHICLE PURSUIT
No one was hurt during the 13-mile pursuit of a reckless driver in Fond du Lac County late Tuesday morning. A Sheriff’s deputy was heading south on Interstate 41 near County Highway N in the Town of Eldorado when a speeding vehicle passed the deputy on the gravel shoulder. The deputy tried to stop the driver who continued driving in a reckless manner operating across both southbound lanes and the shoulder of the road. A Sheriff’s deputy and State Troopers successfully deployed tire deflation devices on I-41 near Lost Arrow Road. As the driver approached the County Highway B off ramp he lost control, struck a ditch and his vehicle became disabled. He tried to flee on foot but was taken into custody after a brief chase. After medical evaluation at a hospital, the 31-year-old Cecil man was taken to the County Jail on felony fleeing and first degree recklessly endangering safety charges. Tire debris from the fleeing vehicle caused minor damage to a Sheriff’s Office patrol car and gravel kicked up from the suspect’s vehicle caused minor damage to another driver’s vehicle.
OSHKOSH MAN SENTENCED FOR ROLE IN RIPON TEEN’S OVERDOSE DEATH
A former Ripon man involved in the overdose death of an 18-year-old Ripon man was sentenced in Fond du Lac County Court Tuesday. Last September 23-year-old Michael Manske of Oshkosh pled no contest to first-degree reckless homicide, maintaining a drug trafficking place, possession of THC and drug paraphernalia charges. Because he testified against others involved in the teen’s death, Manske’s charges were changed to first degree recklessly endangering safety as party to a crime and he pled no contest to the charge. He was sentenced to one-year in jail and was given credit for time already served. He was also placed on probation and ordered to pay $13,000 in restitution. Joseph Schmidt-Rehbein and Maison Springston have been sentenced to prison on charges related to the overdose death. Donavyn Mueller will be sentenced on February 7th. According to the criminal complaint in April of 2023 the victim took a pill believed to be Percocet at a Ripon home and overdosed. He was taken from the residence and left on a sidewalk. The pill contained fentanyl.
RIPON SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH
The Ripon School Board recently selected Hazard, Young and Attea or HYA, a national consulting firm, to head the search for the next superintendent for the Ripon Area School District. Last month, Superintendent Dr. Mary Whitrock announced she would retire at the end of June following 12 years of service to the community. The Board plans to select the next superintendent by early April. HYA has posted the position and will hold a planning session with the School Board on February 3rd. In addition, HYA is attending the State Education Convention over the next three days where visitors to their booth will see the Ripon position. In February, HYA will use surveys and focus sessions to connect with stakeholders and gather information from the community on what Ripon is looking for in the next Superintendent. Since 2018, HYA has had 31 client districts in Wisconsin and 94 percent of the superintendents HYA places in positions have stayed for more than 3 years. The actual search time frame will be set at the February 3rd School Board Work Session.
Ripon Superintendent Search Press Release 1-21-25
HEROIC NEENAH RESCUE
Monday night Neenah Police officers responded to the 1300 block of Gillingham Road for a report of a single vehicle accident with likely injuries. The temperature at the time was around 8 below zero. A vehicle was heading south when the driver left the roadway, struck a fire hydrant, turned down an embankment and then struck a tree. The vehicle spun violently and landed on its passenger side. A nearby resident, 30-year-old Tanner Ater, heard the crash and went outside. He saw the car on its side smoking and heard a passenger scream for help. He rushed to the scene with a fire extinguisher and used it on the engine compartment. The passenger climbed out of the vehicle Ater helped her down, fighting through extensive smoke. A Winnebago County Sheriff’s deputy was the first officer on the scene. Ater climbed on top of the vehicle, helped the deputy up, and together they helped the driver out as the car’s engine compartment reignited and quickly became engulfed in flames. Neenah Menasha Fire Rescue arrived along with Neenah Police officers. The fire was extinguished and occupants were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
SENATOR JAGLER BILL WOULD RESET STUDENT TESTING PROTOCOLS
State Senator John Jagler is co-sponsoring legislation to restore high academic standards for K-12 testing protocols. The changes to the student performance standards have been widely panned across the state, including by former State Superintendent, Governor Tony Evers. Senator Jagler says, “We need to reinstate our high academic standards and strive for excellence on behalf of the students and families we serve.” The state lawmaker from Watertown says changes were made behind closed doors in advance and revealed only when the test scores were announced. He notes there was a massive uptick in artificial performance gains that were confusing and misleading. The bill resets the report card standards to levels set in 2019-20, aligns grades 3-8 with national standards set by the National Assessment of Education Progress and resets high school testing standards to levels set in 2021-22 school year. Senator Jagler serves as Chair of the Senate Committee on Education and represents the 13th State Senate District, which covers all or parts of Adams, Columbia, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Jefferson, Marquette, Waushara and Winnebago counties.
RIPON PUBLIC LIBRARY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
Ripon City Administrator Adam Sonntag says city residents will be able to see quick progress on the library improvement project. He says they recently held meetings with their new Library Director Alex Coggeshell to bring her up to speed on the project and get her point of view on possible improvements. He says the timeline from bidding to start of the project will be accomplished in the first six months of this year. Plans will be showed to the public and Common Council next month, with bidding in March, approval of the winning bids in April, and the project will start in June. Sonntag says they couldn’t have done as much with an original budget of $700,000 to $800,000 mostly from donations, but with a nearly $2 million grant too they now have a budget of about $2.5 million. He points out that will address some of the poor mechanicals and features of the library they couldn’t have.
FDL COUNTY HOUSING FORUM
Envision Greater Fond du Lac will be hosting a Housing Forum at the Hotel Retlaw next Tuesday. Envision President and CEO Sadie Howell says it is not open to the general public, but they have invited municipal officials, developers, and construction companies to discuss housing needs. She says Ripon City Administrator Adam Sonntag has been one of those talking about the need for housing. She says at this time there is a need across the country for all kinds of housing including single and multi-family homes, town houses, condominiums, and apartments. The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority will have representatives at the forum. Howell says the hope is putting together municipal officials and those in construction and development may lead to some matchmaking that will result in housing projects.
LOVE LOCAL
The Ripon Area Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for their second annual “Love Local” campaign next month. Chamber Executive Director Mandy Kimes says it is about showing people why local spending is so important to the area economy. She says it is important to choose spending your dollars locally versus online or another alternative. She says the “Love Local” campaign is about showing that appreciation on social media. Kimes says they will be putting up posts and all people have to do is comment on them, like them, and share them and that will make them eligible for some nice prizes. She tells us they like working with local businesses to showcase all that they do for the community.
FISHERIES MANAGEMENT MEETING IN OSHKOSH
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources invites the public to join DNR staff tonight at Fox Valley Technical College in Oshkosh, for the next meeting in a nine-part series focused on fisheries management in northeast Wisconsin. As part of a Spotlight Series that highlights various fisheries in Green Bay, the Winnebago System and inland waters in the northeast, this meeting will focus on the history and status of lake sturgeon and walleye in the Winnebago System. During the meeting, DNR staff members will discuss the history and management of lake sturgeon in the Winnebago System as well as the present management of lake sturgeon and the spearing season. Staff members will also cover how walleye are managed in the system including a summary of annual survey efforts, regulations and research projects aimed at increasing our knowledge of walleye in the system. The meeting will be held in person and virtually via Microsoft Teams from 6 to 8 pm. You can find more information about this event including the Microsoft Teams registration info, on the DNR’s Meetings and Hearings calendar.
MPTC SPRINGS COLLABORATION
Moraine Park Technical College continues its collaboration with St. Mary’s Springs Academy in Fond du Lac, offering high school students hands-on, college-credit courses during an accelerated winter term. Now in its second year, this partnership remains a unique and valuable opportunity for students to explore college-level learning. In 2022, MPTC and Springs began working together to increase dual-credit opportunities for students and strengthen ties between the two institutions. This partnership was the first of its kind between a technical college and parochial school. The program ran from January 6th through January 17th, with 49 Springs’ students attending courses at Moraine Park. Students chose from six course areas: Automotive, Welding, Programming, Early Childhood Education, Culinary Arts, and Nail Care.
Moraine Park and St. Mary’s Springs Academy Partner for J-Term Opportunities – MPTC Today
Share |