7-20-13 heat-related deaths in milwaukee

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee authorities are investigating three suspected heat-related deaths as a heat wave broils the city.  The Milwaukee County medical examiner's office says two of the victims are men, ages 71 and 79. Their bodies were found in separate houses Friday.  In both those cases, the medical examiner says the houses were sealed with no fans on and no air conditioning in the house. The other victim is a 44-year-old man. He was found unresponsive in an alley Wednesday evening and pronounced dead in an intensive-care unit Thursday.  The Milwaukee Health Department is reminding people to take care of each other during the hot weather.  The National Weather Service says Milwaukee has recorded four consecutive days of highs in the mid-90s. The heat index has been more than 100 degrees.

7-19-13 correctional officers vote in favor of reorganizing under new union

WFDL news has learned that Wisconsin  correctional officers have voted to reorganize under the organization created by the union’s former local officers.  Fifty three percent or 1548 Department of Corrections security and public safety employees voted to reorganize under the Wisconsin Associaton for Correctional Law Enforcement.  1108 employees voted in favor of AFSCME.  The voting by mail started June 28^th and concluded Thursday.   WACLE interim president Brian Cunningham said earlier that the safety of the correctional officers was at stake on who would represent them on  collective bargaining and workplace issues.  Local Wisconsin State Employees Union groups had filed a lawsuit against WACLE organizers in Winnebago County Circuit Court after several of them transferred about $100,000 in member dues into separate accounts.  Cunningham says the move was made to protect the money.

7-19-13 fdl ranked 4th in the country in wage growth

The city of Fond du Lac is listed as one of the top ten metropolitan areas across the United States where wages are soaring.  The report on YahooFinance.com Is based on figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  According to the report Fond du lac is number four on the list with a one year wage growth of 10.6 percent, an average weekly wage of $811 and unemployment rate of 6.1 percent.  Fond du Lac County Executive Al Buechel says the wage growth locally is attributed to the area’s

manufacturing sector.  "That is significant, that puts us in 4th place nationally,"  Buechel told WFDL news.  The communities on the list ahead of Fond du lac are Midland, Texas at number three, Vero Beach, Florida at number two and San Francisco at number one.  Rounding out the top ten are Provo, Utah, Odessa, Texas, Cheyenne, Wyoming, Dalton, Georgia and Topeka, Kansas.

7-19-13 wisconsin unemployment rate down

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin's unemployment rate dipped slightly in June, continuing a three-month slide.  New figures the state Department of Workforce Development released Thursday show the state's unemployment rate was 6.8 percent in June. That's down from 7.0 percent in May and 7.1 percent in April.

The national unemployment rate in June was 7.6 percent.  The state gained 17,500 jobs during the month, including 7,200 positions in the leisure and hospitality sector. The manufacturing industry added 1,500 jobs.  The June numbers are preliminary and subject to revision.

7-19-13 fdl county highway committe supports park and ride lot

The Fond du Lac County Highway Committee is in support of a new park and ride lot.  The committee has approved a resolution in support of the state Department of Transportation  construction of a park and ride lot with the proposed Highway V and 151 Bypass interchange.  Highway Commissioner Tom Jahnke says if it happens construction is still a couple years out.

7-19-13 fdl county board of health approves wind turbine study resolution

The Fond du lac County Board of Health is asking the state to fund a comprehensive study to determine if wind turbines can have an adverse impact on human health.  At their meeting this week the board voted unanimously in favor of a resolution asking the state to do the study after several residents in the town of Marshfield complained that wind turbines have negatively affected their health.  "There's not convincing evidence yet that makes it an absolute yes and so further study needs to happen,"  County Executive Al Buechel said.  "Its not only the wind turbines in Wisconsin where the people are demonstrating these kinds of problems, its around the country." 
Buechel says the full county  board will take up the resolution  at a future  meeting.  

7-19-13 fdl bicycle enthusiasts push for bike trail loop around the city

A group of Fond du Lac bicycle enthusiast are leading the effort to create a bike trail that makes a complete loop around the city of Fond du Lac.  Public Works Director Jordan Skiff says his neighbor John McDowell helped facilitate a meeting this week to discuss the matter.  "The general areas that we are talking about are the Prairie Trail from the south part of the city to the Peebles Trail, and then to bring the Peebles Trail toward Lakeside Park, through the park over to the Brooke Street Trail and then to take that south to the Pioneer Trail that's being constructed and then to take the Pioneer Trail to the east to eventually connect up again with the Prairie Trail,"  Skiff said.  Skiff says the good news much of the loop is already complete.  Skiff says the city has been working over the past several months on drafting a  bike-pedestrian  plan.