5/2/25 Hometown Broadcasting News Friday
2 May 2025 News
GARY DAY BOUND OVER FOR TRIAL
The 40-year-old Cabot, Arkansas man who was traveling with a pregnant Beaver Dam teen was bound over for trial in a Dodge County Courtroom yesterday on child abduction and child enticement charges. Gary Day was in court for a preliminary hearing. A detective was the only one who testified. The judge found probable cause and bound the case over for trial. Day will be arraigned on June 3rd. Day and 17-year-old Sophia Franklin were the subjects of Amber Alerts in Wisconsin, Arkansas, and Missouri. Day is believed to be the father of Franklin’s unborn child. Day was arrested at a Love’s Truck Stop in Sarpy County, Nebraska by Sheriff’s deputies after a tip was made to 9-1-1 on April 3rd. Franklin has since been reunited with her family. The initial Amber Alert in Wisconsin was issued on February 3rd. Franklin was 16-years-old and three months pregnant at the time.
REFERENDUM ON THE HORIZON FOR THE RIPON SCHOOL DISTRICT
Ripon Schools Superintendent Mary Whitrock says one of the tough tasks awaiting new Superintendent Ron Rivard will be getting two operational referendums renewed in the fall of 2027. She says the district has always been frugal so when the state introduced revenue caps in the 1990’s the district was underfunded as a result. Voters passed two operational referendums one for $500,000 and another for $850,000 and they need to be renewed in 2027. She says it would make the most sense to combine them instead of trying to get them approved in separate elections. Whitrock says even with those two referendums over the years the district has been low spending yet maintained high achievement with its students. Over the past few years the Ripon School District has also seen record low tax rates.
POST PARTUM DEPRESSION BILL
The Wisconsin Senate last week passed a bill that would extend post-partum depression care to women on Medicaid for a year. Currently Wisconsin only allows that for up to two months. State Senator John Jagler says the Senate was almost unanimous in passing the bill. Currently Arkansas is the only other state that doesn’t have that kind of coverage for up to a year. The state lawmaker from Watertown says in the long run it will save the state on paying for lingering health problems associated with post-partum depression as well. The bill is now in the State Assembly where Senator Jagler says it may face opposition from Assembly Speaker Robin Vos who may interpret it as an expansion of Medicaid. Governor Tony Evers has already expressed interest in signing the bill into law if it makes it to his desk.
BGCTC GREAT FUTURES CAMPAIGN
The Boys & Girls Club of the Tri-County Area has launched their Great Futures Campaign, an annual campaign that supports programs and services at their sites in Berlin, Green Lake, and Ripon. The club relies on the financial support from those in the community to keep their high-quality programs and services available to the over 1,000 youth they serve each year. The goal this year is to raise $1 million. Next month the club will open its new facility in Ripon. Donors who make unrestricted gifts totaling $1,000 or more will be recognized through the club’s tiered giving levels which range from the “friend” level of $1,000 up to the “Diamond Elite” level of $100,000. The $1 million is required to operate all three sites this year. To donate or learn more about the campaign visit the club’s website.
REAL ID REQUIREMENT
The state’s Department of Transportation Division of Motor Vehicles notes that over 64 percent of Wisconsinites already have a REAL ID driver’s license or identification card. On Monday, the Transportation Security Administration will begin enforcing the requirement to show a REAL ID before boarding a domestic aircraft or visiting a federal building. The most common form of acceptable identification is a driver license or ID card. Wisconsin DMV has been offering the option to have a REAL ID or a non-compliant card since January 2013. For those who want to upgrade to a REAL ID before their next renewal, Wisconsin DMV has a helpful online tool. The Driver License Guide will review what documents a customer needs and will provide a printable checklist of what’s required to get a REAL ID. A list of the required documents is available online at the DMV website.
Home Page – WIDOT Driver License Guide
Wisconsin DMV Official Government Site – Real ID
BARTENDER’S LICENSES NEED TO BE RENEWED
The City of Ripon is reminding those that serve alcoholic beverages that it is time to renew their operator’s license. The licenses, also known as bartending licenses, expire on June 30th and have to be renewed for the upcoming license period of July 1st through June 30th of 2026. There is a $40 renewal fee. A valid photo ID is required which you should bring with you. Applications must be submitted in person at the Ripon City Hall. Cash, check or credit/debit cards are acceptable forms of payment. There is a 3 percent surcharge for card payments. The operator’s license guidelines and forms are available at the City’s website. Anyone with questions should contact City Clerk Naomi Miller at 920-748-4915.
Licensing & Permits – City of Ripon, Wisconsin
SAFETY TIPS FOR NATIONAL BIKE MONTH
May marks National Bike Month, a time to celebrate the joys of cycling, promote its environmental benefits, and encourage more people to ride on two wheels. AAA is using this as a reminder to emphasize the importance of safety for both cyclists and motorists. In 2023, 1,166 bicyclists were killed in traffic crashes and an estimated 49,489 bicyclists were injured. AAA urges bicyclists to wear a helmet, follow the rules of the road, and be visible by wearing reflective gear in low light conditions and using head and taillights at night. Make safe choices by not using headphones while riding. Also watch for pedestrians announcing “on your left” or “passing on your left” or use a bell. For motorists they suggest staying alert, giving at least three feet of clearance when passing a bicyclist, and being patient. Drivers should also be cautious near children on bikes because they are often unsteady and unpredictable.
MONTELLO HOSTS FISH AND FUN FEST
Montello hosts Fish-N-Fun Fest over the next three days offering family activities, music, a petting zoo, raffles, food trucks and vendors, and much more. Debbie Daniels is the President of the Chamber. She says they’ve been offering the event since 2011 but they had something else prior to that. Things kick off today with a carnival, food trucks and vendors, and music from 7 to 11 pm by Best Practice. There’s more fun Saturday and Sunday and a performance by “Road Trip” from 7:30 to 11 pm tomorrow night. Daniels says you can support the Chamber by picking up a Fish-N-Fun button for $5, which helps offset their costs and pay for other Chamber supported efforts. Buttons can be picked up at Kwik Trip, National Exchange Bank & Trust, Fortifi Bank, and the BP Station. She says most businesses will have discounts for those who walk in with a button on. Buttons will also be available at the Chamber’s booth on West Street. More information about Montello’s Fish-N-Fun Fest is available online.
PROJECT GRILL UNVEILING NEXT FRIDAY
Envision Greater Fond du Lac’s Project Grill will host their annual unveiling event next Friday at Festival Foods in Fond du Lac. A program of Envision Greater Fond du Lac, Project Grill is a project-based learning experience for high school students. It strives to develop a strong future workforce by positively highlighting careers within manufacturing. During the unveiling students will display their fully functional grills with the opportunity for their team to win the Best in Show and/or Community Choice Awards. The program also offers academic scholarships each year with the winners announced during the event. Guests can also purchase brats, hamburgers, hot dogs, and sodas at the Festival Brat Barn. Monies raised are put back into the Project Grill program.
Project G.R.I.L.L. – Envision Greater Fond du Lac
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