Thursday News 5/2/19
2 May 2019 News
Including E-Cigarettes In Smoke Free Ordinances
The Tobacco Prevention and Control Coordinator for the Fond du Lac County Health Department says there will be others that join Fond du Lac in updating their smoke free ordinances. The city recently updated its ordinance to prohibit the use of e-cigarettes and electronic smoking devices in public and work places. Sandy Bernier says it doesn’t prohibit the use of those devices, just where they are used. “The purpose and intent of going smoke free in all work and public places was basically just to provide safe air for everyone no matter where they work, no matter what kind of environment they are in.” Bernier says about 20 cities in Wisconsin have included e-cigarettes and electronic devices in their smoke free ordinances and some city and county buildings prohibited their use before that.
Neenah Man Arrested For Driving Under The Influence With A Child In The Vehicle
A state trooper arrested a 30-year-old Neenah man for driving under the influence in Oneida County Wednesday afternoon. It happened on Laura Lane south of U.S. Highway 8 east of Rhinelander. The trooper pulled Andrew Burnett over for an equipment violation, but Burnett failed field sobriety tests. He had a three-year-old in the vehicle with him and was arrested for operating while under the influence drug related. The charge carries an enhancer for having a child under 16 in the car with him. The traffic stop occurred at 2;48 pm.
Ripon Man Charged With Misdemeanor For Confrontation With Ex-Girlfriend
The 43-year-old Ripon man who had a run in with a woman he used to live with at a Ripon apartment building Monday has been charged with a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge. David Floeter made his initial appearance in Fond du Lac County court Wednesday. According to the criminal complaint the woman was at the building to visit a friend and Floeter allegedly grabbed her arm and wouldn’t let her pass through a hallway. He was released on a $500 signature bond and will be back in court for a pre-trial conference on May 22nd.
Low Water Levels Anticipated For Grand River Marsh Wildlife Area
The state’s Department of Natural Resources is advising anglers and waterfowl hunters that water levels at Grand River Marsh Wildlife Area in Green Lake County are expected to remain very low through the summer of 2020. Due to storm damage last August, staff are unable to control water flow through the dam at Grand River Marsh. As a result, water levels will remain too low for boat launching, and angling and waterfowl hunting opportunities will be significantly reduced. Plans are underway to repair the dam, but that work won’t be completed until the summer of 2020.
Nature Playground Proves Popular
The organizer for a nature playground at Barlow Park Elementary School says it’s still being developed, but has seen some initial success. Kat Griffith says they started out with hay bales, boards and a few logs, but would eventually like to add more. Such as large climbing structures, a hand pump and pile of sand, a low ropes course and more. She says in a way it goes back to an earlier era. “To be honest it’s kind of recreating the childhood that we used to have before there was all this screen time and all this litigation and all these big plastic monstrosities called playgrounds. In some ways we are going back to the way people played in the 60s and before.” And how do the kids at Barlow Elementary and Journey Charter School feel about the playground? Griffith says she and some high school students were working on the playground when a group of kindergarteners came out to play chanting “hay bales, hay bales!” She says those who would like to donate materials for the playground should contact Barlow Park Elementary Principal Tanya Sanderfoot.
Ripon College One Day Rally
Ripon College held its second annual One Day Rally Wednesday building up the Ripon Fund. Acting President Ed Wingenbach says the fund provides about 15 percent of the college’s overall budget. “The One Ray Rally is an opportunity to remind people who are affiliated with Ripon of the value of what we do and get them to contribute during the year. Last year we had 954 different donors. Our first One Day Rally our last year goal was 500, so this year our goal is 1,035 different donors.” The 1,035 donor goal represents one for each student, staff and faculty member on campus. Wingenbach says student tuition only covers about 65 percent of their education so the rest has to be fund raised. Donations were raised over an 18 hour and 51 minute period corresponding with the year the college was founded.
Ripon Quarterfinalist In Main Street Contest
Historic Downtown Ripon, Wisconsin is a quarterfinalist in the 2019 America’s Main Street contest, held by national small business movement, Independent We Stand. Residents can vote for quarterfinalists online and move a deserving Main Street one step closer to the grand prize of $25,000. The Top 10 semifinalist will be announced May 27th and the winner on June 3rd. Tom Moniz (MOH-knees), Ripon Main Street President isn’t surprised about Ripon making the quarterfinalist cut.. He says it’s a testament to the commitment of business owners, property owners, and developers that devote their livelihoods to making the downtown district a wonderful place to live eat and play. Semifinalist voting is underway now and runs through May 26th at Main Street Contest.com.
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