News 2008-06-26 Andanh.com

FdL store accused of selling flood-damaged food items Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:09:00 CST
A local gas station/convenience store allegedly sold flood-damaged candy bars and soda to its customers, police officials said Wednesday. The Fond du Lac County Health Department shut down Pinkys Food, 129 Forest Ave., last week after it received a complaint from a woman whose son purchased Gatorade with brown-crusted material around the rim of the bottle, according to the Fond du Lac Police Department report. The store has since reopened. The store was shut down until all items affected by flooding were thrown out. During an inspection Monday, it appeared all old items had been removed from the stores shelves and storage areas and new, fresh items were available for sale, said Fond du Lac County Health Department Inspector Gloria Smedema. An inspector visited Pinkys twice last week and items affected by floodwaters appeared to be on the shelves as the business remained in operation, Smedema said. The Health Department was told by employees of Pinkys that they were in the process of cleaning up and that they were not selling anything that had been affected by floodwaters, Smedema said. They were aware that they had to throw all of those items out, Smedema said. We considered them responsible for that and had to believe what they were sayingwe cant hold everyones hands. Police officers visited Pinkys Sunday and found several bottles of beer, soda, ketchup and potato chip bags that had apparently been affected by floodwaters and were not clean, according to the report. The Police Department received a report that a storeowner was trying to wash items and place them for sale, said Lt. Rob Duveneck. The contaminated Gatorade bottle was inventoried as evidence at the Police Department, according to the report. Pinkys manager Ken Singh denied selling flood-damaged items at the store. He said his store has about $25,000 worth of flood damage for which he does not have insurance.

Flood victims offered emotional support, help with coping Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:44:00 CST
For those flood victims who would like to talk with a professional about coping, Aurora HealthCare, Agnesian Healthcare and Fond du Lac County are offering free and confidential counseling services for those who would like some emotional support.

Cathouse condemned Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:25:00 CST
An East Follett Street residence that was home to more than 170 cats is uninhabitable, local officials said Wednesday. The house at 190 E. Follett St. where between 170 and 177 cats were removed overnight Tuesday was in such a deplorable state that it has been condemned by the citys inspections unit, said Lt. Rob Duveneck of the Fond du Lac Police Department. No one from the inspections department could be reached Wednesday afternoon to explain what will happen with the house. Cats were reportedly swarming the 825-square-foot home when authorities went to the residence Monday night, responding to a complaint from a neighbor of a strong smell of urine coming from the home. According to a Police Department report, one of the two brothers, ages 54 and 55, living at the residence originally told police there were seven cats inside. However, an officer quickly learned otherwise when he entered the home. Furniture and floors were soaked in cat urine, according to the report. The two brothers living at the residence were given vouchers to stay at an area hotel since the home was deemed a health hazard in its current state, according to the police report. The brothers have lived at the home a rental property for the past five years. One of the brothers told authorities they each came to the home with two cats, those felines began reproducing and before they knew it, the situation was out of control, according to the police report. When people learned about the cathouse, they began dropping off strays so they could have a home as well, one of the brothers told police. About 125 of the cats from the East Follett home are currently at the Fond du Lac Humane Society, 652 Triangle Road, or housed in a garage at nearby Ransoms Audio-Video, which is serving as an overflow area for the felines, said Humane Society volunteer Becky Lefeber. The addition of the cats means the local Humane Society facility has more than twice as many cats needing shelter as it typically does, Lefeber said. Another 50 from the house have been taken to other shelters around the state. They are getting treatment for fleas and their necessary vaccines. We are evaluating their health, and they should be available for adoption in the future, Lefeber said. We are still in need of donations of food, litter and kennels. Some of the cats removed from the home appeared to be malnourished, and several kittens were found dead inside a freezer and a refrigerator, Duveneck said. The dead kittens had been wrapped in tinfoil, and the brothers told authorities they were planning to properly dispose of them. The cats food consisted of large bins of chicken mixed with water, since the brothers told authorities they couldnt afford to buy actual cat food. Cardboard boxes doubled as litter boxes for the cats, according to the police report. The cathouse situation is an obvious city ordinance violation, Duveneck said. No more than two cats are allowed in a home unless a multiple pet license is obtained, which allows for up to four cats, said City Clerk Sue Strands. However, it remains unclear if the situation rises to criminal activity. Authorities continue to investigate and seek other routes of possible care the two men might need, Duveneck said. As far as we know, there were no signs of abuse. It was just a situation that got out of control, he said. They were trying to care for these cats, but they just couldnt keep up.

PHOTOS: FdL flood relief center Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:45:00 CST

Man accused of breaking window arrested Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:51:00 CST
WAUPUN A 25-year-old rural Waupun man was taken into custody after he allegedly broke the front window of a downtown business during a fight with a woman on June 24. Waupun police were called to Club Fitness, 306 E. Main St., at about 2:50 a.m. for a report of a man and a woman fighting and breaking glass. When police arrived on the scene they observed broken glass lying on the sidewalk outside of the fitness center. The Waupun man had a bleeding hand and blood on his shirt. The man was transported to the Fond du Lac County Jail. Charges of criminal damage to property are pending. The owners of the facility, Jeff and Lisa Collien, secured the business with a sheet of Plexiglas. Damage to the window is estimated at $1,000.

Paralyzed Edgar man arrested on 5th OWI charge Wed, 25 Jun 2008 08:10:00 CST
An Edgar man paralyzed from the waist down was arrested this morning on a fifth drunken driving offense, according to the Marathon County Sheriffs Department.

PHOTOS: Donkey baseball in Whitelaw Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:49:00 CST

Sheboygan man charged in stimulus check drug deal Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:46:00 CST
This isnt exactly the economic stimulus President Bush had in mind.

Big acts fill lineup for Oshkosh festival Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:21:00 CST
Toting a $2.2 million entertainment tab and now marked with an official sign welcoming guests to Ford Festival Park, Country USA 2008 kicks off with a bang in Oshkosh today.

Country USA is ready to rock Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:20:00 CST
Oshkoshs mid-summer county music festival is ready for some foot stompin fun.

Setting it Straight Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:00:00 CST
LI Michael ORourke is running as a Democrat in the November election to keep his position as Fond du Lac County district attorney.

Woman arrested in scuffle over boyfriend Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:00:00 CST
WAUPUN A 28-year-old Beaver Dam woman accused of beating up a boyfriend Friday night at a Main Street apartment in Waupun has been arrested.

Memorial will be dedicated to fallen emergency personnel Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:00:00 CST
A memorial dedicated to local emergency personnel killed in the line of duty will be unveiled Thursday, June 26, at Hamilton Park.

Conditions are ripe for mosquito onslaught Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:00:00 CST
Following heavy rains in June, health-care providers are preparing for an increase in mosquito-borne diseases and illnesses.

Aramark gets contract with FdL Schools Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:00:00 CST
For the sixth year in a row, Aramark has been awarded the food service contract with the Fond du Lac School District.

Portion of County Trunk D to open Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:00:00 CST
Northbound traffic on Highway 151 will be switched from the temporary route onto the new County Trunk D interchange in Fond du Lac County on Friday, June 27.

Waupun names top candidate in search for new superintendent Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:00:00 CST
WAUPUN The Waupun Area Board of Education hopes to make an offer of employment to the top candidate in the districts search for a new superintendent.

Local Briefs Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:00:00 CST
The Fond du Lac Symphonic Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 26, at Firemens Park.

Liquor license denied for Waupun tavern will close July 1 Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:00:00 CST
WAUPUN A Waupun tavern that served alcohol to a Waupun man who died on his 21st birthday will close it doors on July 1.

175 felines removed from home of 2 brothers on East Follett Street Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:59:00 CST
The Fond du Lac Humane Societys resources have been pushed to the limit after the shelter took in about 175 cats on Tuesday.

Dorf Kapelle performs tonight Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:53:00 CST
Dorf Kapelle will return for its 12th Buttermilk Festival performance at Buttermilk Creek Park tonight, June 25.

PHOTOS: More than 150 cats found in FdL home Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:59:00 CST

Action: Federal reports still indicate struggling economy Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:30:00 CST
Yes, it is that time again. In fact, this week on Tuesday and Wednesday the Federal Open Market Committee will hold another meeting. It will review information submitted by the various Federal Reserve Banks and decide what to do over the near term about the economy in general and interest rates in specific. The Feds summary of economic activity, known as the beige book, generally confirms market expectations that policy makers will probably hold official interest rates steady at this weeks meeting as they balance signs of rising inflation with weakness in the economy. After Wednesday, the next regularly scheduled Federal Open Market Committee meeting is not until Tuesday, Aug. 5. So, lets take a closer look at this background report which Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and the other voting members of the Federal Open Market Committee are to use as they try to assess the current and future status of our economy. In general, this current beige book, based on information collected since June 2, suggests that the economy and economic activity remained generally weak in late April and May. The report also noted that despite widespread increases in prices for manufacturers there still appears to be a limited ability on the part of retailers to pass those costs on to the consumer, which is an indication that inflation hasnt yet taken a firm hold in the economy. More specifically, the report says in part, Consumer spending slowed since the last report as incomes were pinched by rising energy and food prices. Higher energy prices also appeared to dampen domestic tourism. As far as we consumers are concerned, the report says, Consumer spending slowed further since the last report. Contacts in several districts said rising energy and food prices contributed to softer sales in other categories. In the service sector of labor markets, the report said, Chicago reported a slower pace of hiring in recent weeks, and Minneapolis reported that employment in professional services companies decreased from a year ago and is expected to remain flat over the next year. As for manufacturing, the beige book noted, Manufacturing activity was generally soft since the last report. Reports of softer demand for housing-related products continued to be widespread. In the real estate and construction fields, the beige book noted, Residential real estate markets were generally weak across most of the country. Commercial real estate conditions varied in April and May, with some districts reporting that activity had softened. Overall rents were on the rise in New York, but were stable or beginning to slip in Boston, Philadelphia, Richmond and Kansas City. In the area of agriculture and natural resources, the report noted that, Despite less-than-ideal weather conditions, crop conditions generally improved for most reporting districts. Dairy and livestock producers in the Chicago and Kansas City Districts voiced concerns that rising feed costs were eating into profit margins. To perhaps no ones surprise, the beige book noted that, Activity in the energy industry remained strong according to reports from the Minneapolis, Kansas City, Dallas, and San Francisco districts. Cleveland said that energy producers reported a pickup in oil and gas drilling, and Minneapolis indicated that robust oil and gas exploration and production continued in their district. Dallas noted that high oil and natural gas prices had pushed drilling to the highest level in 20 years without any shortages of equipment and services to date. As far as prices and wages are concerned, the beige book said, Business contacts in most districts reported increases in input prices since the last report, especially prices for energy, petroleum derivatives, metals, plastics, chemicals and food. Manufacturing contacts in several districts reported some ability to pass along the higher costs to customersRetail price reports were mixed, with contacts in the San Francisco District reporting subdued price pressures for most products except food and energy-intensive goods. So there you have it. There is a brief summary of the lengthy reports received by the Fed for the current meeting. The bottom line on all of this seems to be that the economy is still struggling along, while, at the same time, pressures may be growing on the inflation front. Most experts still seem to feel that the Fed will keep interest rates unchanged for a while as they try to assess further developments in the economy and try to measure whether lower interest rates and checks from Washington are able to revive the economy without triggering a bout of inflation. As usual, well see. (Tom Butenhoff is vice president/investments, Stifel, Nicolaus Company, Inc. The opinions above are those of Tom Butenhoff and are not necessarily the opinion of this paper or of Stifel Nicolaus.)

Action: Windhover plans Summer Block Party Music Series Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:28:00 CST
The Windhover Center for the Art recently announced its Summer Block Music Party Music Series. Sheboygan Street will be closed from Portland to Marr and music will run from 3 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at Windhover Center or the day of the performance. Ticket price does not include food. The Elks Club will provide a delicious cookout and Windhover Center will provide music, bar and summer ambiance. If inclement weather occurs, the performance will be moved indoors to the Great Hall. The first block party begins on Saturday, July 12, following Downtown Fond du Lacs Summer Sidewalk Sales. After enjoying the sun and sales, stroll down to Windhover Summer Music Stage. Dance to the Reggae and Calypso music of Kojo and the California Jump Blues of Flat Tire. On Saturday, Aug. 16 Joe Scheibinger and Janice Marie will warm the night with a music program featuring the Great Women of Jazz, beginning at 5 p.m. On Sept. 6, during Downtown Fall Festival, the Windhover will host the Festival Family Stage, presenting Cookee, Strong Medicines Pow Wow for Kids, drumming and a host of other performance acts for kids and their family. This series is sponsored by The Goldsmith, Faros Family Restaurant, LH Gyr Excavating and The Coliseum. For more information, call 921-5410.

Action: Area businesses receive FABOH grants Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:26:00 CST
Fond du Lac Area Businesses on Health (FABOH), in partnership with the Fond du Lac Community Health Plan (CHP), recently announced the allocation of $20,000 in grants to its member companies, to support corporate wellness initiatives. The grant money was split between two groupings of companies: companies with existing wellness programs, and those who are just starting their wellness efforts. TTI Trucking was the winner of the $10,000 grant for those starting up their program. This money will be used to fund health risk assessments for all TTI employees. Jeannie Timblin, assistant vice president of TTI, said, We are most grateful and appreciative for the wellness grant that we received. We are very proud to be able to offer this to our employees. As we all know, the wellness of our employees makes the difference of how profitable a company can be. FABOH is a wonderful asset to the community. Moraine Park Technical College and Holiday Automotive both received $2,500 start-up program grants. The City of Fond du Lac, Combination Door, Marian University and Sadoff Rudoy Industries each received one of the four $2,500 existing program grants to fund additional wellness programming at their respective worksites. The FABOH Wellness grants are available on an annual basis and all FABOH members are able to apply. The goal of these grants, as well as the FABOH wellness program, is to bring quality wellness programming into the work place in an effort to reduce health care costs and improve the health and vitality of the member companys employees and dependents. FABOH, a coalition of over 40 employers who work together to improve the cost effectiveness and quality of healthcare services in Fond du Lac County, developed its wellness program back in 2006 in an effort to help members better control their health care costs. With an operating budget of $100,000 per year, the FABOH wellness program has three components aimed at meeting the needs of FABOH members: wellness director consultation, wellness education and employer grants. The Fond du Lac Community Health Plan is a local employer and provider-sponsored program that works with the employer community to reduce cost and improve the health of its members. The Community Health Plan is funded by employers and providers and is made up of representatives from FABOH, Aurora Health Care, Agnesian HealthCare, Froedtert Memorial, Fond du Lac Independent Physicians CHP Board President and the University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation. For more information on FABOH or the Community Health Plan, contact Jerry Popowski, FABOH CEO, at 924-3780 or for more information about the FABOH Wellness Initiative, contact Jeff Butz, FABOH wellness director, at 924-3780 or at jbutz@faboh.com.

Action: Red Cross seeks donations for flood recovery effort Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:24:00 CST
As of Sunday, June 15, the Red Cross had closed all their shelters in Fond du Lac County and begun client casework to offer further assistance to those who are returning back to their homes and cleaning up after the recent flooding. Since Thursday evening, June 12, the Red Cross has sheltered and fed over 300 Fond du Lac County community members at shelters at Fond du Lac High School, the Fond du Lac County Fairgrounds, and in Waupun. The high school staff and administration were extremely helpful during sheltering and the facility was a wonderful asset to our efforts, said Peter Sensenbrenner, executive director of the Fond du Lac County Red Cross. Thanks also go out to all the businesses who donated food for the meals that were served during sheltering and to Agnesian for the cots and blankets that they provided. The Red Cross has clean up kits available at the chapter office located at 272 N. Main St. The chapter also stresses the importance of safety following the flooding, as contaminated floodwaters lean to a greater possibility of infection. Be sure to wear appropriate protective gear when cleaning out flooded areas, warns Jamie Haack, Red Cross director of communication. Also remove items soiled with flood water as soon as possible to prevent contamination, mold and mildew. Bulk trash pickup by the city begins on Wednesday and those wishing to drop off debris can find large dumpsters located at the former Pick n Save location on the corner of Scott and Doty streets. Items can be placed in these dumpsters at no charge. Elderly and those unable to do clean up efforts on their own can contact the local Red Cross office at 922-3450, and request assistance with flood clean up. Some football players from Fond du Lac High School have volunteered to help those in need, and we are grateful for their brawn and goodwill, said Haack. Community members wishing to help out in the disaster relief efforts in Fond du Lac County can do several things. The statewide cost of Red Cross disaster relief operations for the Midwest Tornadoes and Floods will reach a million dollars, said Haack. All Red Cross disaster assistance is provided free of charge, so monetary donations from the public are essential for us to continue to provide our disaster services. Generous individuals can donate to the Fond du Lac chapters disaster relief fund or the Midwest tornadoes and floods disaster relief operation by sending their donations to the local chapter at 272 N. Main St., calling 1-800-Redcross or by making a secure online donation at www.redcross.org. Another way people can help is by donating their time to the Red Cross disaster relief efforts. Those who would like to volunteer in any way can call the Fond du Lac Red Cross office at 922-3450 or contact the Fond du Lac Volunteer Center at 926-1414. It is also important that people realize the need to donate blood. Summer is already a time when blood donation is low. When disasters occur the need for blood further increases. To learn more about blood donation opportunities, visit www.givelife.org or call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543). Finally, The American Red Cross urges affected residents to register themselves and their loved ones on the Safe and Well Web site. The Safe and Well Web site is easy to use: 1. Visit RedCross.org, and click on the Safe and Well link 2. If you are currently being affected by these disasters, click: List Myself as Safe and Well, enter your pre-disaster address and phone number, and select any of the standard message options 3. If you are concerned about a loved one, click Search and enter the persons name and pre-disaster phone number or address. If they have registered, you will be able to view the messages that they posted. 4. If you dont have Internet access, you can call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to register yourself and your family. Follow the prompts for disaster information. Safe and Well is available 24-hours a day, 365 days a year and is accessible in both English and Spanish. All Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation. Please call 1-800-RED-CROSS to make a donation. To help support Red Cross relief efforts for this and other local disasters, financial contributions can be made to the local American Red Cross in Fond du Lac County, 272 N. Main St., Fond du Lac, WI 54935. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org. The American Red Cross in Fond du Lac County serves the needs of people in Fond du Lac County and parts of Waupun.

The Flood of 2008 special section Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:43:00 CST
View stories, photos and video of the flooding of 2008.

Prep softball: Waltz leads league Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:00:00 CST
Oakfield dominated the Trailways North this season and reached the state semifinals, but the Oaks didnt dominate the Trailways Norths all-conference list.

Boys basketball: Murphy to leave North Fondy Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:00:00 CST
North Fond du Lac will soon be looking for a new varsity athletic coach.

Summer baseball: New Holstein edges Kewaskum Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:00:00 CST
New Holstein owned a sizable advantage in the hit column, but it was forced to sweat out a tense sixth inning in a 4-3 win at Kewaskum on Tuesday night.

Brewers hold off Braves in ninth Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:00:00 CST
ATLANTA The Milwaukee Brewers suddenly are winning consistently on the road.

EAA charter school no more Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:11:00 CST
Even though the third-grade EAA Charter School will no longer exist, the curriculum will.

Video: Country USA kicks off Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:57:00 CST

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