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Another year in Waupaca County

Part 2 of 2018 memories

A plane crash, two homicides, new businesses openings, Manawa passing a school referendum and the successful search for a missing woman were among the top stories in the second half of 2018.

July
A late June storm led to flooding and damage at Iola-Sandinavia High School.

The gym floor sustained ripple effect water damage all the way up to the free-throw lines on the side of the gym closest to the cafeteria.

A Waupaca fire truck was severely damaged when a cehicle hit it from behind while it was parked on U.S. Highway 10 to slow traffic.
Photo courtesy of Waupaca Area Fire District

Erin Tracy, of Weyauwega, announced she was running as the Democratic candidate for the 40th District Assembly seat.

The city Plan Commission approved a site plan for Dollar General to build a second store in Waupaca on the corner of Royalton and Churchill streets.

Eric Brehmer helped save his best friend’s life when he administered CPR to Dan Peterson after he suffered cardiac arrest on July 20.

Police found the body of 18-year-old Timothy M. Cruze II, of Amherst, lying on Golke Road in the town of Farmington at 3 a.m. Saturday, July 28.

Investigators suspected Cruze was the victim of a hit and run.

A Waupaca fire truck was severely damaged on July 29 when a vehicle hit it from behind while it was parked on U.S. Highway 10 to slow traffic approaching an earlier crash.

Two firefighters sustained minor injuries, but did not require hospitalization.

August
Patrick L. Hutchinson, 44, Green Bay, was seriously injured after falling off a tractor located on top of a large bridge at the Symco car show on Aug. 11.

A Rise Together program on Aug. 14, in Manawa sought to raise awareness that the opioid crisis affects rural areas as well as large cities.

In Waupaca County, from 2002-06 there were zero opioid deaths, 2007-11 there were seven and 2012-16, there were 12.

Eight were specifically from prescriptions.

A small twin-engine airplane crashed into a cornfield on Harrington Road, east of the bypass in Waupaca, shortly before 11:20 p.m. Friday, Aug. 31.

The 47-year-old pilot, Andrei Biesinger, of Oshkosh, was severely injured.

Earlier that night, Winnebago County deputies and Oshkosh police tried to arrest Biesinger at the Oshkosh airport on a domestic abuse complaint.

Police said he nearly crashed his plane into a squad car as he took off.

Waupaca County subsequently charged Biesinger with possession of methamphetamine, while Winnebago County charged him with two counts of second-degree reckless endangerment.

September

Visiting with area residents during Cops ‘n Cones are (from left) Sgt. Brandon Leschke and officers Lydia Buntrock and Justin Malueg, of the Weyauwega Police Department. Angie Landsverk Photo

Investigators identified Michael G. Pribbernow, 46, Waupaca, as the driver responsible for the July 28 death of 18-year-old Timothy M. Cruze II, of Amherst, on Golke Road in Farmington.

Pribbernow was charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, hit and run resulting in death, operating a vehicle while revoked and a third offense of operating while intoxicated.

He remains in custody on a $20,000 cash bond and is scheduled for a Feb. 6-8 jury trial.

A pilot program testing the feasibility of four-way stops at two intersections in downtown Waupaca came to an end on Sept. 4. The city returned to traffic signals.

A woman who went missing on the afternoon of Thursday, Sept. 6, was found safe the next morning.

Kathryn (Kitty) Wenckus walked away from her residence in the Chain O’ Lakes area around 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 6.

She spent the night outdoors as temperatures dropped to the mid-40s.

Hundreds of volunteers, police, deputies, firefighters and EMTs assisted with the search.

District Attorney Veronica Isherwood filed charges of reckless homicide by delivery of drugs and delivery of narcotics against Shawen M. Jones, 32, town of Leon.

Jones is accused of selling fentanyl to 40-year-old Eric Modrow and causing his death on May 12, 2017, in the town of Lind.

Jones remains in custody on a $20,000 cash bond.

The city of Waupaca approved the purchase of property adjacent to the police and fire departments.

Located on the corner of Fulton and Washington streets, the former Midtown Motors site sold for $225,000.

October

Cliff Schmidt showed off his 1917 Port Huron 24/75 Steam Engine at the UnionThresheree in Symco. Holly Neumann Photo

The Waupaca County Post reported on the Friends of Fremont’s plan to turn the former Channel Cats Bar and Restaurant property on the Wolf River into a multiuse outdoor space.

The property is located at 204 Wolf Drive, and the business was closed and on the market for some time.

The doors of Weyauwega-Fremont High School’s expanded and remodeled space opened to the community on Oct. 13.

Visitors toured the school and attended a performance in the new 400-seat Performing Arts Center.

The $20.6 million project also included four science classrooms, a multipurpose gym and fitness area, new school entry, HVAC updates and remodeling throughout the building.

Construction began for The Willows, a new facility at Iola Living Assistance.

The 21,245-square-foot assisted living community will feature 24 apartments, including an eight-bed secured Memory Care Unit.

Jacob and Morgan Trone opened Your CBD Store Waupaca on North Main Street.

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is extracted from flowers and buds of hemp plants. The Trones’ store is the first of this franchise to open in Wisconsin.

A new Dollar General store held its grand opening in Manawa on Oct. 29.

November
Voters in Manawa approved two questions on a school referendum.

By a vote of 1,188 to 859, citizens allowed the district to issue bonds for up to $12 million for Jr./Sr. high school additions, districtwide renovations and safety upgrades.

They also voted yes to the second question which allowed the Manawa School District to exceed the state’s revenue limit by $365,000 in the 2019-20 school year to demolish the former elementary school.

There were 1,046 yes votes and 944 no votes.

Local municipalities experienced high voter turnout for the 2018 midterm election.

In Waupaca County, 22,564 people voted on Nov. 6. That was 55 percent of the county’s eligible voters.

In the city of Waupaca, there was an 80 percent voter turnout.

Waupaca County Sheriff Brad Hardel awarded commendations to two deputies.

Deputy Pat Gorchals was recognized for his work as incident commander during the search for Kitty Wenkus. Deputy Brian Strobusch was recognized for his efforts to update the county’s Drug Endangered Children program.

December
Fires struck two are homes this month.

Both times nobody was home and nobody was injured.

On Dec. 4, Joshua and Clarissa Fradrich, who have four children, lost their home. On Dec. 12, Haley Guyer was in the process of moving into her recently purchased home when it was damaged by flames on the north end of the house.

Wisconsin Remembers: A Face for Every Name was on display in the Waupaca Area Public Library’s Exhibit Room in the fall of 2018.
Submitted Photo

The Waupaca Common Council voted on Dec. 4 to purchase the former site of St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church.

Located near the corner of Badger and State streets, the building has been vacant for 15 years.

Although appraised at $239,000, the building’s owner, Michael Sannes, sold it to the city for $100,000.

The Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region received a multi-million dollar gift in the form of a fully operational cheese factory. Marilynn Taylor was president of Wohlt Cheese LLC of New London.

Her gift will benefit residents in the city of New London, the village of Fremont and surrounding townships, and help those attending the former owner’s alma mater, Lawrence University.

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