Joining us today here in the studio.
We have the Ripon police chief with us Bill Walner Thank you for coming in chief.
You bet Bob.
It's always good to meet with you and your listeners It's been a while since I've been out so it's always good to get back
and
talk to you.
We thought we'd catch up a little bit.
Yeah Didn't want to start out with something controversial, but the flock cameras Now that's something that their use has been suspended here in the city
discontinued.
Yep.
Yep
Myself along with the other leaders in the county law enforcement leaders on September 4th, we made a decision to discontinue use of that system.
So obviously the system, the principle of the system and using the system has been very beneficial to us, to the county agencies, to other municipalities in the city and the state.
You know and deterring and catching offenders on particular cases.
We've had cases that we use the system To find suspects on frauds of the elderly missing persons suicidal subjects a variety of cases so the technology and the use of the system was Was a good system however We became aware of that week of September 4th myself and several other law enforcement leaders in the county became aware of some
information sharing that was going on that we were not aware of.
It wasn't really a flock issue.
Well, it's a double issue.
It's a flock issue as well as kind of an open records issue throughout the country.
So we became aware that other agencies around the nation were releasing data from the system that could include data that they checked either with our
cameras or that our investigators or agency investigators had checked with their agencies.
So it could have been open, open cases that were going on.
And we were not aware that that data had been released through this open records request.
So once we became aware of that, it really opened up the door to a lot of concerns about that data, how it was being shared.
um you know by other agencies throughout the nation and particularly in reference to these open records requests that are coming um to them so we just made the decision um we listened to the community um we had some concerns and um just decided at that time it was a good time for us to take a step back to discontinue use to you know check
The progress on those and what's happening.
I understand there may be some legislation coming Some discussions coming at a state level in reference to those and ALPR cameras So we just want to see what's going to happen in that realm The fact of the matter
is
that that system and that technology is changing so rapidly And there are changes coming constantly with it
that it was just time for us to put a pause on it and say you know what we need to hold up on this and just take a break here and step back so our cameras have not been in use since that day since September 4th as well as the other cameras throughout the entire county so jointly all of the agencies within the county decided to make that decision together and we discontinued use throughout the county so
I'm not aware of any flock cameras within finalite county that are being used.
I believe on that same day Winnebale County also made that decision and since then I've seen a variety of agencies throughout the valley and throughout the state that have made that same decision based on our concerns and concerns that were popping up in reference to that.
So
again
it was you know properly used
You know we trained our officers on procedures policies proper use so we had no concerns about our officers use of it It was just the concerns that popped up from these other agencies that were releasing data in other states quite frankly That became a that became an issue for us and we just felt at that point that it was just time to step back and step away if you recall
I had just gone to the council probably two weeks prior to that
and
asked for renewal so and I told them at that time that if anything changed that we certainly would keep them abreast and make decisions based on that so things changed and you know my concerns with the system changed so we decided at that point to to go ahead and make the change and to discontinue the use so people might still see them up around but they're
Covered the lenses are all covered.
They're not recording any data It's just a matter of time to get flocked to come and remove those cameras But as of right now as of September 4th, they're not being utilized at all in the city Okay
Jumping around a little bit.
I understand there's some kind of a recycling event in the city this weekend Yeah, this
weekend just a reminder to people if you've got those old
TVs, let's see, computers, laptops, keyboards, you know, fax machines, microwaves, anything like that.
You can take those to Barlow Park this weekend on Saturday.
The 26th between 8 and 11 a.m.
To recycle those, it's free.
You just pull in, there's a line that you get into and they just drop them off for you.
You're on your way.
So it's a great opportunity to get rid of those things that might be lying around that you want to get rid of, um, rather than throwing them on a trash can or, or any place else.
So, um, this is a good opportunity to take advantage of that.
Again, it's a free service and it's usually once a year and this weekend is that time.
So just a reminder for that.
It's pretty convenient.
Yeah.
It's just a drive through event.
Yep.
Just a drive through up at
Barlow Park.
Yep.
That's pretty easy.
Yeah.
Yeah.
A couple of other things going on in town.
Um,
You know we're halfway through September here or getting towards the end of September So you know what that means, you know on about a month or so the snow might be flying So it's this is the time when people really need to start thinking about winter parking restrictions making arrangements if you don't have a place to park we particularly see issues sometimes with
you know, apartment rentals or rentals throughout the community where parking may be restricted in their driveways and stuff.
This is a time to start making those arrangements before winter parking restrictions come on around November 15th.
So it's time to start thinking about that.
We don't like to think about that summer coming to an end, but certainly, certainly it's a time to start thinking about that.
Go ahead.
Yeah, today's the first day of fall.
Yeah, right.
You can push
that.
Even though it's the first day of fall, we still continue to get code enforcement complaints sent our way in reference to people not mowing grass or blowing grass if when they are mowing out in the street.
So just a reminder that we got to keep up to date on our our lawns and our keep our community looking nice and and our neighbors happy.
So make sure we're still keeping up on our lawn maintenance and stuff so we don't have to come out and remind you of that.
And then certainly want to just talk about people probably have been noticing throughout the community different construction going on in different areas.
So there are some streets that are being resurfaced right now.
I think Hall and Tabret Street are being done this week.
And then coming up, we'll have some more.
projects, black topping projects that you'll see in the community.
Particularly one I want to mention is I know coming up here in the near future there will be one on East Sullivan Street near the high school that will probably result in a lane closure and a detour up there.
So if you've got kids or you got business going up into the high school or the middle school area just pay attention to that.
Changes up there in that area because that construction will be coming soon to try to fix that area of the street.
Made shortcut to quick trip and back so
yeah, there you
go
popular street to get you know back to the school quick trip and these sides All
right chief well, thank you very much for spending a few minutes with us appreciate it you bet Bob We've been talking with ripping police chief Bill Walner this morning
Joining us today here in the studio.
We have the Ripon police chief with us Bill Walner Thank you for coming in chief.
You bet Bob.
It's always good to meet with you and your listeners It's been a while since I've been out so it's always good to get back
and
talk to you.
We thought we'd catch up a little bit.
Yeah Didn't want to start out with something controversial, but the flock cameras Now that's something that their use has been suspended here in the city
discontinued.
Yep.
Yep
Myself along with the other leaders in the county law enforcement leaders on September 4th, we made a decision to discontinue use of that system.
So obviously the system, the principle of the system and using the system has been very beneficial to us, to the county agencies, to other municipalities in the city and the state.
You know and deterring and catching offenders on particular cases.
We've had cases that we use the system To find suspects on frauds of the elderly missing persons suicidal subjects a variety of cases so the technology and the use of the system was Was a good system however We became aware of that week of September 4th myself and several other law enforcement leaders in the county became aware of some
information sharing that was going on that we were not aware of.
It wasn't really a flock issue.
Well, it's a double issue.
It's a flock issue as well as kind of an open records issue throughout the country.
So we became aware that other agencies around the nation were releasing data from the system that could include data that they checked either with our
cameras or that our investigators or agency investigators had checked with their agencies.
So it could have been open, open cases that were going on.
And we were not aware that that data had been released through this open records request.
So once we became aware of that, it really opened up the door to a lot of concerns about that data, how it was being shared.
um you know by other agencies throughout the nation and particularly in reference to these open records requests that are coming um to them so we just made the decision um we listened to the community um we had some concerns and um just decided at that time it was a good time for us to take a step back to discontinue use to you know check
The progress on those and what's happening.
I understand there may be some legislation coming Some discussions coming at a state level in reference to those and ALPR cameras So we just want to see what's going to happen in that realm The fact of the matter
is
that that system and that technology is changing so rapidly And there are changes coming constantly with it
that it was just time for us to put a pause on it and say you know what we need to hold up on this and just take a break here and step back so our cameras have not been in use since that day since September 4th as well as the other cameras throughout the entire county so jointly all of the agencies within the county decided to make that decision together and we discontinued use throughout the county so
I'm not aware of any flock cameras within finalite county that are being used.
I believe on that same day Winnebale County also made that decision and since then I've seen a variety of agencies throughout the valley and throughout the state that have made that same decision based on our concerns and concerns that were popping up in reference to that.
So
again
it was you know properly used
You know we trained our officers on procedures policies proper use so we had no concerns about our officers use of it It was just the concerns that popped up from these other agencies that were releasing data in other states quite frankly That became a that became an issue for us and we just felt at that point that it was just time to step back and step away if you recall
I had just gone to the council probably two weeks prior to that
and
asked for renewal so and I told them at that time that if anything changed that we certainly would keep them abreast and make decisions based on that so things changed and you know my concerns with the system changed so we decided at that point to to go ahead and make the change and to discontinue the use so people might still see them up around but they're
Covered the lenses are all covered.
They're not recording any data It's just a matter of time to get flocked to come and remove those cameras But as of right now as of September 4th, they're not being utilized at all in the city Okay
Jumping around a little bit.
I understand there's some kind of a recycling event in the city this weekend Yeah, this
weekend just a reminder to people if you've got those old
TVs, let's see, computers, laptops, keyboards, you know, fax machines, microwaves, anything like that.
You can take those to Barlow Park this weekend on Saturday.
The 26th between 8 and 11 a.m.
To recycle those, it's free.
You just pull in, there's a line that you get into and they just drop them off for you.
You're on your way.
So it's a great opportunity to get rid of those things that might be lying around that you want to get rid of, um, rather than throwing them on a trash can or, or any place else.
So, um, this is a good opportunity to take advantage of that.
Again, it's a free service and it's usually once a year and this weekend is that time.
So just a reminder for that.
It's pretty convenient.
Yeah.
It's just a drive through event.
Yep.
Just a drive through up at
Barlow Park.
Yep.
That's pretty easy.
Yeah.
Yeah.
A couple of other things going on in town.
Um,
You know we're halfway through September here or getting towards the end of September So you know what that means, you know on about a month or so the snow might be flying So it's this is the time when people really need to start thinking about winter parking restrictions making arrangements if you don't have a place to park we particularly see issues sometimes with
you know, apartment rentals or rentals throughout the community where parking may be restricted in their driveways and stuff.
This is a time to start making those arrangements before winter parking restrictions come on around November 15th.
So it's time to start thinking about that.
We don't like to think about that summer coming to an end, but certainly, certainly it's a time to start thinking about that.
Go ahead.
Yeah, today's the first day of fall.
Yeah, right.
You can push
that.
Even though it's the first day of fall, we still continue to get code enforcement complaints sent our way in reference to people not mowing grass or blowing grass if when they are mowing out in the street.
So just a reminder that we got to keep up to date on our our lawns and our keep our community looking nice and and our neighbors happy.
So make sure we're still keeping up on our lawn maintenance and stuff so we don't have to come out and remind you of that.
And then certainly want to just talk about people probably have been noticing throughout the community different construction going on in different areas.
So there are some streets that are being resurfaced right now.
I think Hall and Tabret Street are being done this week.
And then coming up, we'll have some more.
projects, black topping projects that you'll see in the community.
Particularly one I want to mention is I know coming up here in the near future there will be one on East Sullivan Street near the high school that will probably result in a lane closure and a detour up there.
So if you've got kids or you got business going up into the high school or the middle school area just pay attention to that.
Changes up there in that area because that construction will be coming soon to try to fix that area of the street.
Made shortcut to quick trip and back so
yeah, there you
go
popular street to get you know back to the school quick trip and these sides All
right chief well, thank you very much for spending a few minutes with us appreciate it you bet Bob We've been talking with ripping police chief Bill Walner this morning
It's Wayne Mauser, local news.
Good morning.
I'm Wayne Mauser for Civic Media News.
The 83-year-old Marathon County man suspected of the 1995 murder of James Jim Ruland made his initial appearance in Fond du Lac County Court Monday morning.
Jerome P. Beyer is charged with first-degree intentional homicide and his bond was set at $1 million cash.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday, October 1st.
A status hearing will be held the day before that to make sure Bayer has obtained counsel.
Bayer was Ruhlin's roommate at the time of Ruhlin's disappearance in October of 1995.
They lived in a farmhouse on Cork Street Road in the town of Ripon.
According to the criminal complaint, Bayer told investigators Ruhlin had stolen $1,200 and owed him money for rent, phone and other bills.
But financial records showed Ruhlin was up to date on his
bills and child support.
A check showed Rulund's mother sent him for $2,500 buyers signed as Rulund and deposited into his own account.
He was prosecuted for that theft and the theft of another small check sent to Rulund.
Rulund was in the process of moving into another residence in Kiel when he disappeared.
According to the criminal complaint, cadaver canines were used twice to sniff for human remains on the farmhouse property.
Both alerted on the presence of human remains, but none were found.
has never been found.
Horecon police say three of their four flock license plate reader cameras were stolen or vandalized early on the morning of September 20th.
Horecon police chief Aaron Birkin says, quote, regardless of your feelings about flock cameras, theft and criminal damage to property will never be condoned, unquote.
He added, quote, to the person or person's responsible, you may disagree with the cameras, but apparently the other cameras in the area have a pretty good memory, unquote.
The incident remains under investigation.
Oshkosh police tell us a 72-year-old sex offender will be released from prison and will be living in the city starting September 29th.
Ricky Cornell has no permanent address lined up yet and will be homeless.
He'll be on electronic monitoring and will be on probation until October 4th of 2033.
Cornell has been convicted multiple times beginning with a conviction for lewd and lascivious behavior in 1974.
In 1987 he was convicted of sexual assault of a child first degree.
in Brown County and in 2013 in Winnebago County, a first-degree sexual assault of a child under the age of 13.
His victims were six and nine-year-old girls that he knew.
The 115th Fighter Wing of the Wisconsin Air National Guard is conducting evening training flights through Thursday.
During this time, area residents may see or hear F-35 aircraft in flight until approximately 9.30 p.m.
Training flights normally take place during daylight hours, but pilots
and maintenance personnel are required to conduct nighttime operations as part of their overall readiness.
Pilots will continue to follow flight paths designed to minimize noise to area residents.
With fall officially beginning today, residents may see bad activity around their homes wind down.
Bob Nelson has the story for Civic Media News.
On the Lack County Public Health Officer, Kim Miller says you should never handle a bat with your bare hands because you run the risk of being bitten and contracting rabies.
She says bat bites are so tiny you may not realize you've been
bitten.
Bites are very difficult to see.
Their teeth are super tiny, but that is how a tiny little scratch...
tiny little bite is that opportunity for rabies to hop into your body.
Gina Gizzi, Frisetto of Fond du Lac is perhaps the most famous rabies survivor and cured with a medically induced coma and chemical cocktail after she was bitten by a bat at the age of 15 in 2004.
Miller says the health department can help anyone that may have been bitten by a bat navigate through possible vaccinations and whether the bat needs to be tested.
I'm Bob Nelson for Civic Media News.
Inmates at the Red Granite Correctional Institution are raising monarch butterflies and following their paths as they migrate from the facility to Mexico.
The Refuge for Growth, Change and Inspiration Monarch Program was launched in 2025.
It includes a dedicated monarch butterfly habitat enclosure, pollinator gardens throughout the institution's property, and tagged butterflies that will fly thousands of miles to their over
habitat in Mexico.
The prison's recreation leader, Kerry Yankee, started the program last year after exploring options to add to its list of programs that appeal to the less active population at the institution, including bird watching, card making, flower arrangements, and chair yoga programs.
Twenty inmates participate in the program, which is held once a year from June to September.
Participants are divided into groups of five, and each group is assigned a day of the week to
care for the butterflies.
Yankee provides videos and other additional learning to participants every Wednesday.
I'm Wayne Bowser for Civic Media News.
For Civic Media News, I'm Connie Thelman.
We're all feeling the pain at the pump right now, just filling up our cars.
But the record-breaking diesel prices are hitting Wisconsin farmers with a double dose of high costs.
Not only is it costing farmers more to produce the food for our tables, now, as the Journal Sentinel reports, transport companies are adding new surcharges to move harvests.
Some farmers say their usual transport rates have nearly doubled just as the diesel price has.
Unlike other industries, farmers don't have the option of adjusting their selling price around cost increases.
Local farmers explain their only way to make ends meet is by making cuts.
impacting their farms' future.
As of September 18, Wisconsin has broken its all-time diesel price record every day for seven days in a row.
Yesterday's record diesel price of $6.57 for our state's average continues that trend.
The White House is giving a nod to Wisconsin growers.
Silent Night Evergreens in Central Wisconsin will be providing the official Christmas tree for the White House this year.
The Endeavour Tree Farm welcomed the White House Superintendent of Grounds Dale Haney yesterday morning, who came to select the tree.
Haney says the perfect tree needs to be the right height.
and full all the way around.
Silent Night Evergreens is the 2026 winner of the National Christmas Tree Association's nationwide contest.
The tree selected is a 30-foot tall con-color fur.
It'll be trimmed down and displayed in the blue room for more than 100,000 White House visitors to enjoy this Christmas season.
Don't be alarmed if you hear fighter jets in the sky overnight this week.
The 115th Fighter Wing of the Wisconsin Air National Guard is holding training sessions.
While most exercises take place during the day, pilots and maintenance crews are required to complete night flights to maintain overall readiness.
Flight paths have been designed to minimize noise and disruptions, though local residents may still hear F-35 fighter jets overhead during training hours.
Gas analysts say prices in the Great Lakes area are surging faster than anywhere else in the nation right now.
Civic media's Melissa Kay tells us why.
Average gas prices rose 34.2 cents over the last week, the state average at 4.43 on Monday.
This is 49.7 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and $1.55 higher than this time last year.
Officials at GasBuddy say gasoline prices rose in virtually every state over the past week.
the Great Lakes region experiencing refinery issues, which drove prices up even further.
The national average price of diesel jumped 30.7 cents for an average of $6.49 across the country.
Patrick Dahan is head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.
He said continued strikes on Russian oil refineries tightened global diesel supply, driving diesel prices up in every state.
The refinery issues in the Great Lakes region amplified pressure on diesel prices locally.
GasBuddy officials say any broad directional change in prices will depend heavily on overseas developments.
New attacks and escalations make the outlook deeply uncertain.
For Civic Media News, I'm Melissa Kay.
But there is relief in sight.
Dahan says with the refinery now coming back online, wholesale gas prices should drop significantly.
That means our price at the pump should also come down in a few days.
Brewers baseball tonight.
Hi, I'm Mike Clemens with sports the Brewers in Philadelphia against the Phillies a team They could face later in the playoffs right-hander Dustin May gets the start and was asked What was it like when he was told the Cardinals had just traded him to Milwaukee?
I was stoked
I mean, being able to come to a team that's leading the division by a lot, very good ball club and got a really good chance to go to the playoffs and make a run.
I'm very, very thrilled to be a part of it.
NFL, the Packers relieved to have beaten the Jets on Sunday.
Green Bay had not won a game since December 7th when they beat the Bears of Lambeau Field safety Evan Williams.
We put so much into this.
This is our whole life showing up every day trying to be the best version of yourself for it to not, you know, go the way we want it consistently is yeah, it sucks.
You don't come here to lose games.
It's going to be a competitive league.
Every game is going to be competitive when we have to understand that.
But to end up on the right side of things is definitely what we're looking forward to keep doing.
The Packers host the Falcons this Thursday night kickoff at 7 15 with sports.
I'm Mike Clemens.
It is going to be partly to mostly cloudy today with a high in the low 60s this afternoon tonight.
Partly cloudy with a low dropping into the upper 40s to low 50s tomorrow.
Mostly sunny with a high in the low to mid 60s.
I'm meteorologist Sean Cable.
Local news, local sports, and local people you know.
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