News – November 6, 2021


(Beaver Dam) The vote to seat a new alderperson in Beaver Dam on Monday was not legal. John “Frank” Ferree was sworn-in to represent Ward Three following the resignation of Alderman Jon Abfall, who cited health concerns in his September 30th decision to step down. The council considered three potential candidates. The anonymous vote was five in favor of Ferree, four in favor of Michael Culver and two for Doug Garczynski. State statute, however, requires an appointed official to win by majority vote. With that vacancy and two other absences, the 14-person council on Monday was down to eleven elected officials, not counting the mayor who can only cast a tie-breaking vote. City Attorney Maryann Schacht yesterday (Thursday) notified all three potential candidates that were considered. All residents in Ward Three can apply.  The city will accept letter of interest and declarations of candidacy through 4pm on Thursday, December 2. The city council will then vote to fill the vacancy at their regular meeting on Monday, December 6. Ward Three is bordered on the west by the lake, on the north by Oneida and Maple, on the east by Mary and Center and on the south by Chatham and Cooper streets.

(Campbellsport) Congressman Glenn Grothman has several town hall meetings scheduled for this coming week. The Republican from Glenbeulah will be at Town Hall of Black Wolf located at 380 East Black Wolf Avenue in Oshkosh from 9:30am to 10:30am on November 12th. From 11:30am to 12:30pm, Grothman will be at the Campbellsport Library at 220 North Helena Street and from 3pm to 4pm at the Oostburg Municipal Building at 1140 Minnesota Avenue.

(Fond du Lac) The Fond du Lac County Board this week unanimously approved the final redistricting plan for the county and its municipalities. County Board Chairperson Marty Farrell said there had only been one minor change to it since supervisors approved the tentative plan and sent it off to municipalities so they could change their ward boundaries if they needed to. That change was in the city and town of Waupun in the southwestern portion of the city to accommodate some ward consolidation. No one spoke during public hearings earlier in the meeting on that plan or on the proposed 2022 County Budget. Farrell thanked the Reapportionment Committee members for their hard work on the plan.

(Wisconsin) Governor Tony Evers has vetoed a bill that would have changed how Wisconsin schools address young students struggling to read. The legislation would have required schools to do additional testing and create personalized reading plans. Opponents noted the bill provided no additional funding. In his veto message, Evers noted that, and said he objected to “fundamentally overhauling” literacy instruction without evidence that more testing is the best approach. The bill’s Republican authors had noted that statewide K-12 reading abilities have consistently rated below proficient. – WRN

(Wisconsin) Spending on tourism in Wisconsin increased in September – the first time that’s happened in more than a year. Governor Evers’ office says monthly tourism spending grew in September for the first time since a record-setting year in 2019. Evers credits much of the bounce-back to more than 200-million dollars in federal recovery funding. Tourism spending plummeted more than 20-percent during the COVID-19 pandemic last year. The Department of Tourism still expects this year’s revenues to be lower compared to 2019, but there are signs for future growth. – WRN

(Beaver Dam) Marshfield Medical Center – Beaver Dam is now scheduled pediatric COVID vaccinations. The Wisconsin Department of Health services authorized vaccinators to begin administering the Pfizer pediatric vaccine for those aged five to 11 after the CDC signed off on Tuesday. The pediatric COVID vaccine will be administered at the Beaver Dam clinic on the fourth floor of the medical office building at 705 South University Avenue. To schedule an appointment, call 1-855-908-5029.

(Waupun) SSM Health Greater Fond du Lac is now offering its pediatric patients ages five to 11 Pfizer’s COVID vaccine doses. Pediatric vaccinations are being offered at their Waupun clinic at 608 West Brown Street, Fond du Lac clinic at 420 East Division Street, and their Ripon clinic at 835 Parkside Street. SSM Health Greater Fond du Lac Administrator Missy Tate says they apricate everyone’s patience as they ramp up staff resources to offer pediatric doses as quickly as they can. She says they know that many families are hoping to have their children fully vaccinated by the Christmas holiday, and they are working diligently to help them achieve this goal. A mass pediatric vaccination clinic has been scheduled in Fond du Lac on November 20th. To schedule an appointment, call 920-926-8400.

(Wisconsin) There are slightly fewer students enrolled in Wisconsin state universities this fall. The University of Wisconsin System’s fall enrollment figures show a drop of about one-percent. That’s about 17-hundred students. System President Tommy Thompson says that’s not bad, considering the challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic. The U-W System says enrollment is up in Madison, Green Bay, and Superior. All other campuses were flat, or down. Thompson says the new numbers show a general increase in new first-year students across the U-W System. – WRN

(Beaver Dam) The rest of 2021 will be one hour longer. Daylight savings time ends at 2am tomorrow (Sunday), when the clock goes back to 1am. The Beaver Dam Fire Department remind residents to check their smoke alarms as they turn back the clocks one hour before going to bed tonight (Sat). The department also suggests that you check your carbon monoxide detectors — and to change those batteries as well when changing your clocks. Approximately 500 people are treated at hospital emergency rooms across the state annually for carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.