News – February 18, 2021

(Rosendale) A Waupun man was seriously injured following a two vehicle crash on Highway M the Town of Rosendale yesterday (Wednesday) morning. Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s deputies responded around 7:20am and discovered that a westbound passenger car, driven by a 28-year-old Waupun man, crossed the centerline and struck a southbound minivan. The Waupun man was taken by helicopter to ThedaCare with serious injuries. The crash remains under investigation.

(Horicon) A five-day jury trial was scheduled yesterday for a Beaver Dam man charged with Homicide by Intoxicated Use of a Vehicle. Dustin VanderGalien is facing 14 felony charges stemming from a multi-vehicle crash that killed a 22-year-old Orfordville man in July of 2019. The 36-year-old allegedly had several mixed drinks prior to the crash. If convicted on all charges, VanderGalien could face no more than 165 years in prison. The trial is scheduled to begin on September 13th.

(Grand Chute) The accused Fox River Mall shooter has been bound over for to trial on first-degree intentional homicide charges. A police investigator gave testimony during Tuesday’s hearing for Dezman Ellis, being held in the Outagamie County Jail while he waits for his arraignment. Investigators say he shot 19-year-old Jovanni Frausto to death at the mall’s food court after the two argued over a girl on January 31st.  Ellis fled to Des Moines after the shooting.  He was arrested there by the U-S Marshal Service.

(Wisconsin) A Republican plan to overhaul Wisconsin’s outdated unemployment insurance computer system cleared the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee on Wednesday. The plan was approved on a 15-0 vote as members from both parties agreed the issues must be fixed. The Evers administration would have to get permission from the Legislature’s budget committee to obtain funding for the project, which could cost $80-million-dollars or more.

(Wisconsin) Turnout in Wisconsin’s spring primary election barely topped 7-percent, one-tenth of what turnout was just three months ago in the November presidential election.  Election officials say just under 325-thousand cast a vote for the only statewide race for state superintendent of schools. The race drew little attention in the days leading up to the vote and the low turnout was not a surprise.

(Dodge County) Wisconsin health officials reported 657 positive coronavirus cases in Wednesday’s daily update. State health officials recorded 10 deaths bringing that total to 6,214. Dodge County has experienced 154 deaths and 11,336 cases, a one-day increase of 14 positive tests.

(Wisconsin) More than 1 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine have been administered to more than 740,000 people in Wisconsin. That’s 12-point-7 percent of the population, according to the Department of Health Services. Wisconsin ranks seventh in the percentage of population that has received at least one dose through Tuesday, according to the CDC. Hospitalizations also continue to trend down. There were 385 hospitalized coronavirus patients Wednesday, including 107 in ICUs.

(Wisconsin) Wisconsin’s Municipal Clerks Association is lobbying to have clerks and poll workers added to the current vaccination group ahead of the April 6th election- saying it makes sense to protect those who may be exposed to a large number of people at once in a public setting. This after clerks navigated as many as five elections last year- often times with inadequate PPE and without many veteran poll workers who chose not to put themselves in harm’s way.

(Wisconsin) Availability of coronavirus vaccine continues to be a concern in rural Wisconsin. State Senator Joan Ballweg brought it up during floor debate on Tuesday, noting providers in her county have been unable to get needed doses. She says the 2,000 residents of Green Lake County who are 65 or older will get the vaccine over a period of 13 weeks.

(Juneau) The Dodge County Health Department is highlighting the side-effects of the COVID-19 vaccine. In their weekly update, county health officials say common side-effects include pain and swelling where the shot was administered as well as fever, chills, tiredness and headache. They say to contact your healthcare provider if the redness or tenderness of where the show as administered increases after 24 hours or the side-effects worry you and do not go away after a few days.