MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - A short and relatively cool summer in Wisconsin is almost about to give way to fall.

Football is a stark reminder of that. So are the weekly Fall Color Reports that the state Tourism Department has begun to post on Travel Wisconsin.Com.

You can get weekly updates on the colors -- plus tips on where to go, and what to do.

Tourism Secretary Stephanie Klett says Wisconsin and New England are the nation's most popular places to see the vibrant red, yellow, and orange leaves of autumn -- and it means big business for hospitality places.

Also, with 40 percent of the state covered in forests, Klett says there's a colorful can't miss destination almost anywhere you go in the Badger State.

There's already one fall color posting. It's at Fond du Lac, where the city's leaves are at 25 percent of the peak colors. Colors normally peak in late September in the far north, and late October in the south.

Klett says about 100 volunteers provide fall color information each week for all 72 counties.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

TOWN OF POYGAN, WI (WTAQ) - A motorcycle passenger has died after the bike hit a deer.

It happened Sunday afternoon west of Oshkosh in the Winnebago County town of Poygan.

Sheriff's officials said the motorcycle was going east on County Trunk D when it struck the deer.

The passenger died at the scene. The driver was treated at a Neenah hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Neither rider was wearing a helmet.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Two people have been hospitalized following a crash between a semi truck and a Winnebago County Highway Department truck Monday.

Authorities say it happened on northbound Highway 41 at Highway 26 in the Oshkosh area around 10:10 a.m. The semi drove into a work zone and struck the highway department truck from behind.

Officials say the highway crews were doing shoulder work, and their truck had a working, lighted sign that directed traffic to the left away from the work zone.

The drivers of both trucks were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Sheriff's deputies say while they don't know how fast the semi was going, the truck didn't appear to be speeding.

For a time, the right lane of the highway was shut down over 2 hours after the crash with backups stretched over 3 miles.

The highway crew’s work on the shoulder was called off for the rest of the day.

(Additional reporting from FOX 11).

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Just five weeks after a major fire, students will return to class at Green Bay Preble High School next Monday.

J. Murphy with Paul Davis Company, who's in charge of cleanup and restoration efforts, says it's one of their tougher projects but is about 12 hours ahead of schedule.

"I would put this up with one of the tougher jobs, absolutely, it's such a big building so there's a lot of area we have to get to where the soot can hide," Murphy said during a media tour Monday. "The size of the building with more classrooms, more stuff on teachers' desks all that had to be dealt with."

Back on August 8, a fire that started in the field house started by spontaneous combustion when rags used to clean up a chemical used to resurface the floor were improperly disposed of in a plastic garbage can.

That field house is the only area students returning will not be able to have access to.

"And the fact that they can't get to the field house will probably be the biggest thing the students will notice," says Murphy. "As far as the building itself, we haven't changed any colors it's just cleaner, brighter and it smells good."

That field house will be open after restoration is completed by November 25. Major construction, including putting on a new roof, is scheduled to get underway next week.

MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) - A crash Tuesday morning involving a Manitowoc school bus and a car did not injure anyone.

Authorities say it happened near the corner of N. 17th Street and Michigan Avenue.

Police say a replacement bus took the kids to school.

SHAWANO, WI (WTAQ) - Most of the time, it appears to be either too wet or too dry on Wisconsin farms.

After last week's downpours, officials said 19 percent of farm fields have surplus moisture -- and only 7 percent are too dry.

Shawano County has had a foot of rain in the past few weeks. Door County had up to 7 inches last Thursday alone. Barron County in the northwest had 7 inches for the week.

Meanwhile, the relatively cool summer continues to slow the development of crops. Still, 74 percent of Wisconsin soybeans are in good to excellent condition.

The same is true for 72 percent of the state's corn.

About two-thirds of the state's pastures are in good to excellent shape -- 6 percent more than the previous week.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

MILWAUKEE (WTAQ) - Wisconsin has not had any confirmed cases of a severe respiratory illness that has made hundreds of children sick in a dozen other states.

It's called the "Enterovirus-68," and it sent almost 500 children to a hospital in Kansas City alone. Some of those youngsters had intensive care.

Officials said the disease might be caused by a rare virus similar to one that spreads the common cold.  

Milwaukee health officials are on the lookout for the Enterovirus, even though there are no official cases yet.

City health official Paul Biedrzycki says there's no reason the virus isn't circulating in Metro Milwaukee. He says local officials are beefing up their surveillance, and urging health care providers and parents to watch for it.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - New annual college rankings from U.S. News and World Report gives high marks to several area universities.

Lawrence University in Appleton is ranked 59th among the country's top liberal arts colleges, while Ripon College is 113th and St. Norbert College in De Pere has moved up to 123rd.

Ripon is also listed 30th in the nation for best value schools.

Among public colleges, UW-Oshkosh comes in at number 69 and UW-Green Bay is 77th.

U.S. News ranks Princeton as the top overall university in the country. Harvard and Yale are 2nd and 3rd.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Authorities say they're investigating a report of an assault on the campus of UW-Green Bay.

Police say a female student told them a male walked up to her and grabbed her as she walked to her car in the Wood Hall parking lot around 2:15 p.m. Monday.

Authorities say the suspect is described as white, about 5'10" with a medium build. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and light-colored cargo shorts.

Anyone with information should contact UWGB Public Safety at (920) 465-2300.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A man whose arrest by a Green Bay police officer was caught on a video that went viral has pled guilty to ordinance violations.

According to online court records, Joshua Wenzel pled guilty to disorderly conduct and resisting an officer Monday. Total fines for the offenses were $815.

The video which showed Green Bay police officer Derek Wicklund became the focal point of debate about excessive force by law enforcement. 

Wicklund was cleared of any wrongdoing by the department.

MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - Fifteen insurance companies intend to sell coverage to Wisconsinites in the federal government's health purchasing exchanges.

That's two more than a year ago. The state insurance commissioner's office released the list Tuesday.

All 13 companies who sold Obamacare coverage the first year want to do it again -- along with Managed Health Services and the All-Savers firm owned by United HealthCare.

The companies must get federal approval and secure contracts before they can be on the exchange. If they're approved, they can sell coverage online from November 15th through February 15th.

Also, 10 insurers plan to offer coverage to small businesses in Year 2 of Obamacare. That's one more than a year ago. All-Savers is again the newcomer.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for all of Wisconsin, as up to 3 more inches of rain are in the forecast for Tuesday night and Wednesday.

Forecasters said a low pressure system is becoming more intense as it moves from the Great Plains through southern Wisconsin. The Weather Service says the system is supposed to drag a strong jet stream with it.

As a result, we might see up 1 to 2 inches per hour for a time Tuesday evening.

The new rains come on top of torrential rains from last week in the northern half of Wisconsin. Folks in Door and Sawyer counties were hit the hardest, with up to 7 inches in the central Door Peninsula.

As of early Tuesday afternoon, no rivers in Wisconsin had flood warnings -- but with some waters going above their flood stages last week, forecasters say we can expect at least some rising rivers due to this storm.

Once it clears out late Wednesday, brisk northwest winds are supposed to keep this things dry and much cooler in the Badger State into the weekend.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay's redevelopment authority has approved funding Tuesday which allows the Hotel Northland project to move forward.

The RDA approved up to $4.7 million in federal loan money for the $40 million project.

Developer Frantz Community Investors says the move will finalize the financial structure of the project and puts it one step closer to beginning work on rehabbing the historic downtown hotel next month.

Green Bay's city council will take up the issue next week.

The Housing and Urban Development loan Frantz Community Investors applied for allows cities to turn federal development grant money into guaranteed federal loans to finance economic development and neighborhood revitalization.

Steve Frantz says the loan is to help fill the gap after deciding to forgo federal tax credits – specifically New Market Tax Credits.

“We expect closing in October, with construction to start in November,” Frantz told FOX 11. “So, that would keep us right in line with our timeframe that we had laid out.”

The city would administer the federal loan program – and is potentially on the hook if the developer defaults. Much of the cost and risk, however, lies with the developer.

The project is still in the process of getting federal and state historic tax credit approval. 

The revamped Hotel Northland would have 160 rooms and is expected to create 160 permanent, full-time jobs. Frantz hopes to have a grand opening by August of next year.

(Additional reporting from FOX 11).

PESHTIGO, WI (WTAQ) - At least one Wisconsin school district has been targeted by a phony invoice scam.

Administrative assistant Ruth Watson of the Peshtigo School District knew something was up. when she received a bill from Scholastic School Supply of Nevada for $647.50.

It was supposed to be for language arts practice books, tied to the Common Core education standards. But Watson found that the company was not on her school's vendor list.

An invoice number was not listed. And when she called the company, she said the person on the other end was brash with an unusual accent.

The Better Business Bureau says complaints about the company have been filed in 22 states. Over a dozen Illinois schools have complained to the BBB.

But officials are concerned that the fake bills sneaked past school employees at one of the busiest times for them -- the start of fall classes.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay police have released surveillance images of the suspect involved in the burglary of an east side restaurant.

Around 2 a.m. on September 1, authorities say Kroll's East on Main Street was robbed. Officers arrived to find the building's back door damaged and opened.

Cops say there is evidence that someone tampered with the ATM.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Allcox at (920) 448-3200 ext. 0185.

Anonymous tips can also be left with Crime Stoppers by phone at (920) 432-7867, by sending a text message with the keyword GBTIP to 274637 or online.

MENASHA, WI (WTAQ) - City of Menasha officials say the historic 1905 cornerstone missing from the former Hotel Menasha demolition has been found.

The theft of the cornerstone was reported to police Tuesday morning, and officials believed it was taken sometime on Monday.

State Wide Razing owner John Martin says a person who was collecting items for the historical society admitted to taking it.

Martin tells FOX 11 perhaps the man did not know the cornerstone was already spoken for. However he was not supposed to remove it from the site.

Officials say the discovery is wonderful news because the historic piece will help teach future generations about the city’s past.

“This building was actually on the national register, so to have a building like this torn down it’s very important to retain whatever elements we can for the preservation of the history of the building for the community,” Paul Brunette with the Menasha Landmarks Commission tells FOX 11.

Authorities are still investigating, but officials say their main concern is that it’s been found.

The demolition company said the cornerstone will go right to the historical society.

(Additional reporting from FOX 11).

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - There appears to be movement in the search for a future developer for the Larsen Green property.

On Broadway Inc. Executive Director Chris Naumann says there are ongoing negotiations regarding a purchase agreement for the 15-acre site.

"We're in a position that if we can get the 3 transacted parties to agree; we, the city and this third-party, then the next step would be we present that solution to the bank," says Naumann. "And then if everybody is happy with that, we sign on the dotted line and we keep this thing moving forward."

Naumann says there is no timetable, but hopes to have this done within the next 60 days.

"We're optimistic, that being said the city plays a big role in the agreement because just of how things will have to transfer given not only On Broadway's interests but certainly how the bank relationship works," Naumann said.

The previous holder of a purchase agreement for that site was Walmart. That agreement expired August 25 after running into problems with their proposal at the city council level, in addition to Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt.

WTAQ has learned that the third-party group is DDL Holdings, which is a partnership between Smet Construction and Titletown Brewing Company. That group has been building a mixed-use development on the opposite end of the former Larsen Cannery.

Earlier Wednesday morning, Schmitt appeared on WTAQ's Jerry Bader show where he expressed optimism about this news.

"I would be more than happy to partner with DDL Holdings," said Schmitt. "I like them, I like what they've done, I like what they're doing right now and I think they have access to cash."

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - An arrest has been made in connection with the robbery of a Green Bay credit union.

Police responded to Fox Communities Credit Union, 1313 Main Street, on August 25. Witnesses told cops a man went into the bank and gave the teller a note. The note said he had a gun and give him money. The man left the bank with an undisclosed amount of money.

Police have arrested a 51-year-old man they believe robbed a credit union last month.

Later police were able to identify the vehicle the man left with, and an officer found that vehicle three days later at the Motel 6, 1614 Shawano Ave. Authorities interviewed the people who had the vehicle and a person of interest was identified as 51-year-old Clifford James Boland.

Investigators searched Boland's home in the 500 block of School Place the next day. They had received information that he had probably left the area and a nationwide warrant was put out for a probation violation.

Then last Wednesday, a Harvey Illinois police officer stopped Boland for a traffic violation and arrested him.

Charges have been forwarded to the district attorney’s office.

CLINTONVILLE, WI (WTAQ) - Clintonville city administrator Lisa Kotter has resigned from her position effective September 2.

As part of the resignation, the city agreed to pay Kotter through next May 15, and Kotter agreed not to file any complaints against the city.

“At this time, it is clear that it is best for me, my family and the community to part ways and each move in a new direction,” Kotter wrote in her resignation letter.

“I will always be appreciative of the positive impact Kotter had on Clintonville city government for the past 17 years.” Mayor Judith Magee said in a statement. “I am incredibly disappointed to see her leave but fully understand her reasons for the resignation.”

The embattled Kotter was placed on paid administrative leave twice this year. Back in May, she was put on leave while an investigation into alleged misconduct took place. City council members referred to a labor attorney the decision whether Kotter misused city funds for family vacations while on work trips.

Magee eventually vetoed the move, effectively ending the investigation and putting Kotter back on the job. 

Then in July, the city council put Kotter on leave without publicly stating a reason. Kotter maintained her innocence.

Kotter has been the Clintonville city administrator since 1997.

(Additional reporting from FOX 11).

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Two days of intense rainstorms have finally left Wisconsin -- but not before delivering one final punch in the form of strong winds and power outages.

The Wisconsin Public Service utility had up to 6,000 customers out Wednesday night in north central and northeast Wisconsin. That number was down to about 300 at 7 a.m. Thursday.

Almost half those were in the Eagle River area. Parts of Door County had winds up to 48 miles an hour.

It started getting much cooler Wednesday afternoon as a cold front breezed through the Badger State. It was 38 at Siren at 6 a.m., but almost everyplace else was in the 40's.

The wind has also diminished in most parts of the state, but some places in eastern and southern Wisconsin still had gusts in the 25 mile an hour range.

More rain is likely in the south Friday as another low pressure system moves through. But for most of Wisconsin, it's supposed to start clearing up Thursday.

Frost is likely in the north Friday night, but that's not unusual for this time of year. The first killing frost ranges from September 13th in the far north, to October 24th close to Lake Michigan between Sheboygan and Racine.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)