MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - Six of Wisconsin's largest health care systems are forming a statewide network to contract with insurers, and to share what works best for each group.

The partnership includes health systems that serve about 90 percent of Wisconsinites -- Aurora Health of Milwaukee, UW Health of Madison, Gundersen of La Crosse, Aspirus of Wausau, Bellin of Green Bay, and ThedaCare of Neenah.

Jeff Thompson of Gundersen says it's not a merger or a consolidation -- but rather, a true partnership which will allow each system to learn more rapidly from each other, and serve patients more efficiently.

Among other things, each group uses the same technology for its electronic medical records.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - With the growth of the craft beer industry, PMI Entertainment Group and Festival Foods are teaming up to present the Northeast Wisconsin Craft Beer Festival.

The event will happen October 4th at Shopko Hall.

"The craft segment of the beer industry has seen massive growth over the last 15 years, and what we do in our industry is try to find areas where we can promote things that trend," says VP of Food and Beverage Sales at PMI Entertainment Group Brad Foytik.

More than 150 craft beers and light fare hors d'oeuvres will be served that evening.

"What we try to do is get some of the smaller, unique items for the true "hop head", but we still want to cater to those casual beer consumers who are entering this category and who really want to try new things," says Foytik.

All four Green Bay breweries -- Hinterland Brewing Company, Titletown Brewing Company, Stillmank Brewing Company and Badger State Brewing Company -- will collaborate on a special beer that will be featured throughout the area prior to the festival.

"We're going to work on a "steam beer", which is a hybrid style of beer combining ale and lager techniques together," says Badger State Brewing President and Co-Founder Andrew Fabry.

Exclusive to the festival will be each brewer adding its own touch to the agreed upon recipe and sampling those firkins at the event. It's similar to the beer festival held back in 2012.

General admission is from 6 to 9 p.m. and beer lovers will get a commemorative sampling mug and have access to unlimited 2-ounce samples. VIP ticketholders will have access one hour early at 5 p.m. to sample all beers including an exclusive selection not available to the general public. They will also enjoy complimentary food from The Marq.

General admission tickets are $40, while VIP tickets are $75. General admission designated driver tickets are $10, and VIP designated driver tickets are $45. Prices are $10 more at the door for all ticket levels. You can buy tickets at select Festival Foods locations, all Ticket Star outlets including the Resch Center box office, by phone at (920) 494-3401 or toll-free at (800) 895-0071. You can also buy tickets online here.

OCONTO COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - Authorities say the second man hit by lightning in Oconto County over the weekend has died.

That second victim has been identified as Christopher Wold. 

On Sunday, Wold and Brad Cox were building a child's tree house when lightning struck the tree they were working on in the town of Morgan.

Earlier this week, authorities identified Cox as the first fatality from the weather incident.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - A man arrested last summer has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the two police officers involved and the city of Appleton.

On Monday, Steven Pillow filed the suit which claims the cops had excessively used force.

The arrest happened on July 23, 2013, when Pillow claims in his suit that Officer Casey Voss “tackled the plaintiff to the ground and forcibly drove the plaintiff’s face into the concrete surface.” It also claims that Lt. Gary Lewis “kicked the plaintiff numerous times in the face, causing injury and considerable pain.”

The suit seeks unspecified damages. A spokesman for the city of Appleton says they have not been served with the lawsuit and will not comment.

According to online court records, Pillow has had several contacts with police:

* Pillow pleaded no contest to bail jumping and resisting/obstructing an officer for an incident on July 16, 2013, one week before the incident described in the federal suit. He was sentenced to 15 months in state prison.

* Pillow current faces charges of child enticement and repeated sexual assault of a child. A plea hearing is scheduled for Aug. 15.

* He has had previous convictions for disorderly conduct, drug possession, battery, and theft.

(Additional reporting from FOX 11).

SHAWANO, WI (WTAQ) - Some signs and t-shirts in Shawano County are becoming quite the attraction, but it's not what you may think.

They all say "Bieber for Sheriff". 

Voters will not be able to find pop star Justin Bieber on the ballot however. Adam Bieber, a member of the Shawano Police Department, is the one running for sheriff against incubment Randall Wright in next week's election.

Adam Bieber says, if elected, he will provide more funding to fight illegal drugs.

“I want to look for more prevention so that we can effectively fight the war on drugs. Heroin and cocaine are dangerous and they’re a problem around here,” Bieber told FOX 11.

(Additional reporting from FOX 11).

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay police say a suspected drunk driver was arrested after he crashed his car into a bridge.

Police say it happened at the Monroe Avenue Bridge over the East River just after 2 a.m. Thursday.

A female passenger in the car suffered minor injuries, while the male driver was not hurt.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Police in Green Bay say four teens committed violent crimes against random people on the city's west side last week.

According to the department, two people were punched off their bikes and robbed in separate incidents. 

Two of those teens who are now charged admitted to the crimes and were not shy with authorities on what happened, court documents show.

“They just chose particular targets and then assaulted them,” Capt. Bill Bongle of the Green Bay Police Department tells FOX 11.

Police say the first incident took place a week-and-a-half ago on Shawano Avenue when a 16-year-old boy riding his bike home from work was punched in the nose and robbed of his wallet and iPhone.

About four hours later, a 57-year-old man had his bike stolen from him on Velp Avenue after he was punched off of it. 

Then on Monday, an 18-year-old man confronted three teens after having rocks thrown at his vehicle. The teens punched the man, but he chased them away with a wrench.

“He was able to fend off the attack and notified the police and within minutes our officers were in the area, and they were able to apprehend four young people,” said Bongle.

The four teens range in age from 15 to 19-years-old. 18-year-olds Demonte Ayers and Thornton White appeared in court Wednesday.

According to court documents, both men admitted to the crimes. White swore when he described one incident to police, saying the group “beat his (expletive) and took his (expletive). White also said “the kid should have picked another way home.”

“This is unusual and this is why it caught people’s attention, because it doesn’t happen all the time,” said Bongle.

Bongle believes the neighborhoods where these attacks happened are safe, and he doesn’t think similar attacks will happen in the future.

Ayers is being held on a $50,000 cash bond. White is being held on a $25,000 cash bond. Both are due back in court in a week.

(Additional reporting from FOX 11)

MILWAUKEE (WTAQ) - Two men will spend time in a federal prison for moving heroin from Chicago to far northeast Wisconsin.  

55-year-old Brian King of Chicago has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years behind bars, after he pleaded guilty to distributing heroin. 41-year-old Donald Myers of Menominee Michigan was sentenced to 21 months for making phone calls about the intent to distribute heroin.

Both men had their cases settled with plea agreements.

They were among 9 defendants charged with transporting heroin that King provided from Chicago to the Marinette-Menominee area.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) - A Green Bay man has been arrested after arranging to meet who he thought was a 15-year-old girl online that turned out to be investigators with Ashwaubenon Public Safety.

48-year-old Steven Gittens was scheduled to pick up the girl Wednesday afternoon at the library in Ashwaubenon for a sexual encounter. But instead he was arrested by an undercover officer.

Authorities are recommending charges of sexual exploitation of a child and using a computer to facilitate a sex crime against Gittens.

ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) - An Ashwaubenon Public Safety official says a woman and her son reported missing earlier Thursday have been found.

Authorities said that 39-year-old Heather Smith and her 4-year-old son Beau were last seen leaving their residence on Alice Drive around 6 p.m. Wednesday. 

Heather and Beau both live with her parents.

Investigators say that Smith left with her son following an argument with her mother.

(Additional reporting from FOX 11)

MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - A Wisconsin appeals court has ruled against two raw milk producers.

Both cases involved licensing disputes -- not whether somebody has the right to buy or drink unpasteurized milk.

The 4th District appellate court in Madison ruled Thursday in favor of the state Ag Department, and against dairy farmers in Calumet and Walworth counties. The cases were consolidated at the appellate level.

In the Walworth County case, a coalition called "Nourished by Nature" paid a fee to a dairy farm, where the group obtained raw milk for their members' own use. The state called it a "sham arrangement," and farmers Mark and Petra Zinniker went to the courts to see if it was legal.

The Ag Department and the courts both ruled that the farmers produced the milk without a license -- which it lost in 2009 when 35 people got sick drinking their raw milk.

In the Calumet County case, the appellate judges said the owners of a farm store in New Holstein needed a retail license to sell raw milk to an association in which members paid a fee. The state issued a license, but told the owners they could not sell raw milk.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

TOWN OF MENASHA, WI (WTAQ) - Town of Menasha police say three people have been charged in connection with two separate heroin overdose deaths.

25-year-old Adam Bishop of Neenah is accused of supplying heroin to a 21-year-old woman who died last September 20. Evidence at the scene, plus autopsy results, confirm that she had been using heroin.

In another case, 33-year-old Nicholas Hanstad and 27-year-old Amanda Hanstad have been charged with supplying heroin to a 35-year-old man who died on March 21. Police again say autopsy results pointed to heroin as the cause of death.

In the past year, police say three heroin-related deaths in the Town of Menasha have led to homicide charges.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Residents in the city of Green Bay and the village of Ashwaubenon are being asked to keep water usage down this weekend.

The Green Bay Water Utility says starting at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, August 9, an emergency water conservation notice will go into effect until further notice.

Crews will be shutting down and repairing a leak on one of the city's two incoming water transmission lines, leaving the second transmission line to supply water for the whole city.

According to the utility, customers are asked NOT to do these things during emergency conservation periods:

• Water lawns
• Spray water on or wash sidewalks, driveways, windows, patios, etc.
• Fill or refill any and all swimming pools, ponds, or hot tubs.
• Wash vehicles, trailers or boats for non-commercial purposes, except from a bucket.
• Use water for dust control
• Operate outdoor cooling systems, except for necessary health reasons or for the safety of livestock

People are also being asked to delay washing loads of laundry, if possible.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Fire crews responded early Friday to a blaze at Green Bay Preble High School.

According to Facilities Director Mike Stangel, an intrusion alarm sounded at 1:44 a.m. The alarm company responded to the school and discovered the fire. They then notified the Green Bay Metro Fire Department.

When firefighters arrived they saw black smoke coming from the gym. Officials confirmed at one point the bleachers were on fire and that the damage is extensive.

No word yet on what may have sparked the fire.

Officials are currently reviewing security cameras to determine what activated the alarm. Stangel says that it could've been smoke from the fire that set it off.

Stangel says smoke and soot did get into some of the hallways. The extent of the damage in the rest of the building is unknown at this time.

Preble High School’s Facebook page says that there will be no summer school and activities today.

Click here to read the email sent to Preble High School families and staff.

STEPHENSVILLE, WI (WTAQ) - It's been going on for 44 years -- but now that animal rights supporters object, law enforcement will be at a church's pig wrestling event on Sunday.

As of Saturday morning, over 42,000 people have signed petitions at Change.Org demanding the cancellation of the Pig Rassle in Stephensville, 15 miles northwest of Appleton.

The Global Conservation Group of Watertown posted the petition. It says pigs are punched, kicked, body-slammed, and thrown into buckets.

The group says the event violates state laws on crimes against animals. It's part of the annual Round-Up Days at St. Patrick Parish in Stephensville.

Deacon Ken Bilgrien tells the Appleton Post-Crescent that not one pig has been injured in the entire 44 years of the event -- monitors make sure the animals are safe -- and it's being done in fun.

Outagamie County sheriff's captain Mike Jobe does not expect a big crowd of protesters, and his department won't have a large presence there. He says they'll react to "whatever presents itself."

In Jobe's words, "The church has rights, too ... They can do what's legal."

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - Appleton's police chief is retiring due to a medical condition.

In a letter written to Mayor Tim Hanna, Chief Pete Helein said, "My decision was prompted by a medical condition that has recently been confirmed. After consultation with my family, I have decided that it would be best if I retire.”

Helein, who's been the police chief since 2012, will work through September 5. He's worked for the Appleton Police Department for 31 years.

Officials say the city's Police and Fire Commission will appoint an interim chief and start the search for a new chief in the coming weeks.

(Additional reporting from FOX 11).

NASHVILLE, TN (WTAQ) - A touchdown with five minutes left gives the Tennessee Titans a wet 20-16 preseason victory over Green Bay.

Rain fell through most of the game, making the ball slippery and the footing loose.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy held quarterback Aaron Rodgers, running back Eddie Lacy and 8 other players out of the contest.  McCarthy said he just wanted to see his 3 other backup quarterbacks and Rodgers would have played only one series anyway.

There were 8 fumbles in the game.

Matt Flynn started and hit 5-of-10 passes for 49 yards.

Green Bay was leading 7-6 on James Starks’ TD when Flynn went to the sideline.

Rajion Neal scored the other Packer touchdown on a 12-yard run.

Scott Tolzein hit 8-of-12 passes for 124 yards.

The next preseason game for the Packers is next Saturday at St. Louis.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - One man has been arrested after a crash left one woman critically injured.

Green Bay police were called to a one-car rollover crash around 5 a.m. Saturday in the 3800 block of E. Mason Street near Finger Road.

Police believe the 25-year-old driver had been drinking. He was taken into custody. A 23-year-old woman is hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.

Two others in the vehicle, along with the driver, had non-life threatening injuries.

KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ) - A fire early Saturday leaves eight people without a home in Kaukauna.

Fire crews were called to the house fire at 716 E. 9th Street around 5:30 a.m. for a report of a fire on the front porch.

Upon arrival, firefighters saw the front side of the house on fire with smoke coming from the eves.

Five residents were living in the lower units and three lived upstairs. Three other people were staying upstairs in the converted house.

Everyone but one person was able to escape, and crews used a ladder truck to put out the flames and search for that person.

Firefighters eventually found him, and he was taken by ambulance to St. Elizabeth Hospital.

The house is a total loss, and the cause of the fire is under investigation. The Red Cross is helping out those displaced.

(Additional reporting from FOX 11).

HOBART, WI (WTAQ) - A crash in Hobart Saturday night sends one man to the hospital.

According to the Brown County Sheriff's Department, the man was driving north in the 1100 block of Riverdale Drive when his SUV crossed the center line into the southbound lane.

The vehicle then apparently went over a ditch, through a driveway and into another ditch.

Sheriff's officials say the man suffered non-life threatening injuries.