Scams

[We have received the following from the Oshkosh Police Department and are pleased to publish it on their behalf.]

We have been receiving numerous complaints recently about different scams that occurring where people are trying to take advantage of you and get your money. One of the scams is where an individual was trying to sell an item on Craigslist and the responding party stated that they would mail the seller a check for $1800 dollars more than what the item costs and that she should cash the check and take out what the item costs then send the balance back in the form of a money order. This is almost always a scam as once you cash the check and send the money order the check will then come back as a fraudulent check and then you are responsible for the money order you just sent as well.


As always if you every have any questions if something is possibly a scam of fraud you can always call the Oshkosh Police Department for advice.

Brent J. Buehler
Patrol Sergeant
Oshkosh Police Department
Office (920)236-5700 Cell (920)379-3557
bbuehler@ci.oshkosh.wi.us
http://www.oshkoshpd.com/

Impartial Justice Legislation Passes Assembly and Senate

MADISON– On Friday, Nov. 6, the State Assembly and State Senate passed the Impartial Justice Bill that creates a public financing option for Supreme Court elections. Senate Bill 40 passed the Senate with a vote of 19 to 13 and the Assembly with a vote of 51 to 42. Rep. Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) was the lead Assembly sponsor of this bill. The next step will be for this bill to go to Governor Doyle who has stated that he will sign this bill into law.


“I am extremely proud of my colleagues in the Assembly and the Senate for passing this important legislation,” said Rep. Hintz. “Our recent Supreme Court elections have highlighted the need to reduce the heavy influence of big money in Supreme Court campaigns. This is an important step in the right direction to help restore the impartiality of our state’s highest court.”

The need for reform is underscored by the rising costs of recent Supreme Court Elections in recent years. In 2007, $5.8 million was spent on the Supreme Court race. This was more than four times the amount that had ever been spent on a Supreme Court election in prior years. In 2008, that spending increased to nearly $6 million.

“Opponents of this legislation were quick to point out that taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay for politicians to run for office,” added Hintz. “But our Supreme Court Justices are not politicians, they are judges. They serve a very different role than politicians. It is crucial that we protect the integrity of the court system and maintain the public perception of an impartial judiciary.”

The Impartial Justice Bill (SB 40) changes Wisconsin ’s campaign finance law to create a public financing option for Supreme Court Justice candidates.

Some key components of the bill include:

· This bill creates the Democracy Trust Fund to finance elections for eligible candidates for the Office of Supreme Court Justice through a $2.00 checkoff option on your state tax state income tax form

· An eligible Supreme Court candidate would receive $100,000 in the spring primary and $300,000 for the spring election.

· This bill lowers the maximum allowable contribution from an individual to a candidate from $10,000 to $1,000 and a committee to a candidate from $8,625 to $1,000.

· Effective date: December 1st following the date of publication

City should be more careful in doling out “citations”

In Friday’s mail I received a yellow invoice from the city for a sanitation violation at my rental property. The infraction: Recycling items sitting outside of the recycling cart. The charge was $25 and there was a $10 administrative fee attached to it making the total charge $35.00.

Curious about the infraction, I made a call to City Hall. The city staff person (Vicki) was very nice and explained that a blue bag of recyclable items had been placed outside of the blue bin while on the curb waiting for pick-up. She offered to send me a picture, which she did by email.

Imagine my surprise when I looked at the photo and saw a picture, not of my property, but the house next door! I called her back and explained this was not my property and she said the guys (I assume those on the truck) wrote down my house number. The problem with this is there was some carelessness on the part of “the guys” because, as could clearly be seen in the photo, the house number is straight ahead of the blue cart and other trash cans. All they had to do was look up and, voila, there is the house number for that property. And there was no accidental transposing of any numbers, as one of my friends suggested to me, because the numbers aren’t that similar. But, all’s well that ends well. I was told to disregard the bill and the city is going to send me written confirmation that the bill was sent in error and to disregard it. I also assume the correct property owner will be billed for his or her tenants’ recycling snafu. But this incident moves me to offer the following suggestions.

(1) I realize everyone is human and mistakes happen. I also don’t think the city was being “sinister” in any way by sending out a notice and corresponding bill - though a warning notice at this still very early stage of the new recycling process might be more taxpayer-friendly. They were also very polite and helpful in getting the problem quickly corrected. But I would implore the city staff or whoever is writing down addresses of those properties not in compliance to exercise better care so as to not mistakenly charge another property owner in the future;

(2) When sending out violation notices and bills for same, the city should automatically include a photo with the bill. Otherwise someone might pay for something that should have been someone else’s responsibility; and,

(3) If the city doesn’t automatically send out a photo, I would highly recommend that anyone receiving a bill from the city for some kind of infraction or ordinance violation, call the department who sent out the notice and ask them to supply you with a photo. Otherwise you, too, may end up paying for someone else’s mistake.

Finally, to Vicki in the sanitation department, I thanked you on the phone, but want to publicly thank you again for getting this handled so quickly.

Governor Doyle Thanks Mercury Marine, Workers and Community for Pulling Together

FOND DU LAC – Governor Jim Doyle today recognized Mercury Marine Inc., its workers and the community for coming together to remain in Fond du Lac and announced the state incentive package. The Governor made the announcement at a press conference held today at the company’s headquarters in Fond du Lac .


“Mercury Marine is an iconic Wisconsin company that has provided jobs and investment for this area for more than 70 years,” Governor Doyle said. “Retaining the company and its nearly 2,000 jobs in these difficult times took hard work and cooperation. I want to recognize the City and County of Fond du Lac and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) for helping us further our partnership with the company.”

Throughout the company’s decision process, Governor Doyle encouraged continuing communication and was instrumental in getting the parties to undertake a second vote on the company’s proposal to the union.

“Governor Doyle was instrumental in the process of developing agreements that enabled Mercury to remain in Wisconsin ,” Mark Schwabero said. “Like many companies, Mercury has faced many difficult challenges during the economic downturn, and the governor’s insight, strength and commitment helped create solutions necessary for Mercury to continue operating in Wisconsin .”

“We are deeply grateful for the support and advice that Governor Doyle provided during the difficult negotiations last summer,” said IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Philip J. Grubseer. “He provided resolution at a time when many people thought there could be no resolution.”

The state incentive package totals $70 million through a combination of tax credits, grants and forgivable loans.

“Throughout this process, we had a strong, coordinated effort between state and local government and I want to thank Governor Doyle for his leadership,” Fond du Lac County Executive Allen Buechel said. “In the end, we were all able to work effectively together to keep Mercury Marine in Wisconsin .”

The local incentive package includes $3.0 Million from the City of Fond du Lac . These funds will be provided to purchase land owned by Mercury Marine and/or in the form of forgivable loans and grants from the City of Fond du Lac and its agencies.

Up to $50 Million will be available in the form of a low-interest, performance-based, collateralized loans from Fond du Lac County with guarantees provided by both the City of Fond du Lac and Fond du Lac County . The loan proceeds are to be used for new engine development; the relocation of some of the Stillwater Oklahoma manufacturing positions to Fond du Lac ; and a retirement incentive payment to IAM workers.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Rejects Case Seeking to Strip Away Domestic Partnership Protections

[We have received the following press release and are pleased to publish it on behalf of Fair Wisconsin.]

(Madison, Wisconsin November 4, 2009) —Today, Lambda Legal and Fair Wisconsin applaud the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision to reject a lawsuit brought by Wisconsin Family Action, an antigay group attempting to strip away newly enacted domestic partnership protections for same-sex couples and their families.

“We are pleased that the Court has rejected this challenge to an important law that was validly enacted to protect Wisconsin families,” said Christopher Clark, Senior Staff Attorney in Lambda Legal’s Midwest Regional Office based in Chicago. “Because of today’s ruling, Wisconsin’s same-sex couples and their families who depend on domestic partnership protections can take care of each other in times of illness and crisis. Even with the discriminatory amendment excluding same-sex couples from marriage, the Wisconsin Constitution does not prevent enactment of laws that offer basic decency and security for couples. ”

Fair Wisconsin, the statewide LGBT advocacy group, along with national and regional allies, recently helped enact these important domestic partnership protections for same-sex couples. Fair Wisconsin, vigorous opponents of the 2006 amendment banning marriage equality and civil unions, is defending the new domestic partnership law. Lambda Legal filed to intervene in the lawsuit on behalf of Fair Wisconsin and its members to protect the few but fundamental protections granted to same-sex couples through the domestic partnership law. After reviewing the case, Wisconsin Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuit.

“We are elated with this decision from the State Supreme Court,” says Executive Director Katie Belanger. “Over 15,000 same-sex couples in our state need the basic protections domestic partnerships provide.”

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Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.

Fair Wisconsin, one of the state’s most respected advocacy groups, has a proud history in education, grassroots organizing, outreach, and political action in the cause of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality. With a statewide board of directors and a full-time staff, Fair Wisconsin is the only organization to represent the Badger state in the Equality Federation, the national alliance of state-based LGBT advocacy organizations.

To learn more, visit http://www.fairwisconsin.com/.
         
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http://www.lambdalegal.org/

http://www.fairwisconsin.com/

OSHKOSH AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT DEVELOPS AT HOME LEARNING RESOURCES IN THE EVENT OF POSSIBLE SCHOOL CLOSURES DUE TO H1N1

[We have received the following press release from the Oshkosh Area School District and are pleased to publish it on their behalf.]

The Oshkosh Area School District Curriculum Department has compiled instructional lessons and resources for students in grades K‐12 to support learning in case of school closures. While not mandatory, the district encourages students to utilize these resources to continue their learning progression.

These are difficult and unusual times with the spread of the H1N1 Virus. In the event that a school closes, it is important for students to have the opportunity to continue to learn. Instructional activities are available for grades K‐12 in Literacy, Math, Science, and Social Studies. All lessons are available on the district website:

http://www.oshkosh.k12.wi.us/schools/H1N1.cfm.

If a student/parent/guardian is unable to access these activities through the web, they may pick up a hard copy of lessons at the Oshkosh Area School District Central Administration Building, 215 S. Eagle Street, Oshkosh, WI, Monday‐Friday from 7:45 AM – 4:00PM.

*Please note at the current time all Oshkosh Area School District schools are open and not experiencing significantly high absence numbers. Parents, students and staff are doing an excellent job of keeping the illness out of our schools.

HELP SUPPORT THIS FUNDRAISER FOR THE 2010 IRISH FEST (2010 Oshkosh Irish Fest to be held at the Leach Amphitheater

[We have received this from the Oshkosh Parks Department and are happy to publish it on their behalf.]

Please join your friends from Oshkosh Irish Fest for Scythian in concert. This high-energy Celtic style band is sure to please. Guests will also enjoy a performance by Heritage Academy of Irish Dance. Thurs November 19, Oshkosh Convention Center 7:30 p.m. $6 advance online or $10 at the door. Purchase tickets at http://www.oshkoshirishfest.com/.

This concert is brought to you in part by Dublin 's Irish Pub, Oshkosh 's newest Irish restaurant and pub located at 2070 W. 9th Avenue in Oshkosh .

Dublin's is open 11-close with a 45 item menu (everything under $7) Happy Hour 4-7 M-F $1 off all drinks and appetizers. 16 different beers on tap. Grand Opening November 13 & 14 - Live entertainment and Drink specials.

Each Scythian concert ticket will include a free drink coupon redeemable at Dublin 's!