Monday 12/24/18
24 December 2018 News
Portage Man Bound Over For Trial In Dodge County Murder Case
The 20-year-old Portage man suspected of murdering a Beaver Dam man has been bound over for trial. Nigel Schultz was in Dodge County court for a preliminary hearing last Thursday. A Sheriff’s detective testified about finding the body of 36-year-old Bradlee Gerke in a shallow grave on a Town of Lebanon property last Halloween The body was covered with fresh dirt, hand and grass and left in a cow pasture off Redwing Road. Gerke had been shot multiple times in the head and neck. Schultz will be arraigned on January 30th. Schultz is being held in the Dodge County Jail on a $5 million cash bond.
Watson Street Fire Lead To Change In Fire Inspections
Ripon Area Fire District Chief Tim Saul says inevitably each December in recent years people bring up the Watson Street Fire. It’s not unusual to see thank-yous posted on Facebook for the work firefighters did during the fire. Saul notes it lead to changes in the way they inspect properties. “Our fire inspection program for downtown we really cracked down. We don’t let anything slip through the cracks. We try to make as many changes as we can.” Some properties are grandfathered in from before changes in fire code, which affects some inspections. Saul says they inspect some properties multiple times of the year due in part to age of the buildings.
Innovative Teaching Grants Announced In Ripon Area School District
The Ripon Education Foundation last Friday announced eight recipients of its 2018-2019 Innovative Teaching Grants totaling almost $7,000. Grants were awarded to Tammy Fox, Title One teacher and Literacy Coach at Barlow Park and Journey Elementary Schools; Kat Griffith, Spanish teacher at Ripon High School and Lumen Charter High; Jeanne Hall, 6th grade teacher at Ripon Middle School; Emmy Marvin, school counselor at Murray Park and Quest Elementary Schools; Tanya Monet-Bakken, Science teacher at Ripon High School; Carrie Naparalla, kindergarten teacher at Journey Charter; and Mary Wagner, Reading Interventionist at Barlow Park and Journey Elementary Schools. Grant awards ranged from $300 to $1,700. Since 2002, the Foundation has awarded close to $61,000 in grants to support innovative teaching activities.
New Finance Director Appointed For FDL County
Fond du Lac County will have a new finance director early next year. The county board this past week approved the appointment of Tammy Pinno-Supple as the county’s next finance director. She will replace Karen Kuehl when Kuehl retires in February. County Board Chairperson Marty Farrell joked as the resolution passed that he wasn’t aware there was a count down to Kuehl’s last day on the job, but apparently she was keeping track. Kuehl has been with the county since 1990 many of those years as Finance Director. Pinno-Supple has been with the county for 18 years, the past five years as assistant finance director.
Cooking Meats To Right Temperatures Will Help Avoid Illness During The Holidays
The public health officer for Fond du Lac County says no matter what type of meat or poultry you are cooking for Christmas make sure you cook it to the right temperature. Kim Mueller says if it done right you will avoid making yourself or your guests ill. “All meat has different temperatures of what it needs to reach before it would be considered appropriate to eat. When you are looking at like whole cuts beef, pork, veal, lamb it needs to be at least 145 degrees.” She says ground meat like pork or beef needs to be cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit and chicken and turkey need to be cooked to 165 degrees. Casseroles should also be cooked to 165 degrees. Mueller says for more tips on food preparation go to the CDC website.
Ripon Public Library Giving Campaign Underway
The Ripon Public Library is conducting its third annual giving campaign. Last year the giving campaign raised nearly $7,000. The Library Board used a portion of the undesignated donations to purchase a digital piano for the Silver Creek Room and recently allocated funds to replace the flooring on the lower level early in the New Year. The Library’s goal is raise $10,000 during the campaign with donations more than halfway there. Contributions can be dropped off at the Library or mailed to Ripon Public Library, 120 Jefferson Street, Ripon, Wisconsin 54971. All donations are tax deductible.
Dodge County Fair Building Transfer
The Youth Building located on the Dodge County fairgrounds now belongs to the Fair Association. The county board passed a resolution last week paving the way for the change in ownership. Fair Association Secretary Sharon Kiel and President Doug Ninmann gave the board a check for $1 as a show of good faith. A previous lease agreement was terminated and the final transfer of the structure will occur in the next few days.
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