OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - The 2015 sturgeon spearing season in Wisconsin is officially underway.

Thousands of anglers are sprinkled along parts of Lake Winnebago and the Upriver Lakes in hopes of catching themselves a sturgeon.

Wisconsin DNR officials say over 13,000 licenses were sold for this season, which is a new record. Officials also increased the harvest cap this year 6 percent for adult females, which generally will close down the season.

Earlier this week, DNR Sturgeon Biologist Ryan Koenigs says they believe that it could be a quick season due to good water clarity across much of the region.

With bitter cold temperatures, officials are urging spearers to register their sturgeon as soon as possible. They say it won’t take long for the fish to freeze making it more difficult to determine the age, sex and reproductive stage of the fish.

There are 11 sturgeon registration stations around the Lake Winnebago system.

The season is scheduled to run for 16 days, or until the limit is reached. Last year the season ended after less than a week.

(Additional reporting from FOX 11).

WINNECONNE, WI (WTAQ) - Aside from anglers talking about the fish they may have caught on opening day of the 2015 sturgeon spearing season, the big topic was the frigid cold.

“Oh it’s nasty out there,” Oshkosh’s Bill Merkel, who speared a 48 pound, 65-inch sturgeon on Lake Poygan, told FOX 11. “The wind’s making the loose snow from yesterday blow around. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere out there if you weren’t in a shack.”

Single-digit temperatures were bolstered by wind chills as low as -20 degrees.

Overall, the Wisconsin DNR says 467 sturgeon were harvested on Lake Winnebago and 126 were taken on the Upriver Lakes Saturday. Spearers harvested 93 juvenile females, 245 adult females and 255 males. That adds up to total of 593 fish harvested.

Senior Fisheries Biologist Ryan Koenigs says a clear trend observed at every registration station was that the fish were in poorer condition (leaner) than observed during recent seasons.

Koenigs adds he anticipated that this would be the case given the lack of gizzard shad in the system over the past year. Gizzard shad have become a staple food source for lake sturgeon over the past couple of decades,

How does this year’s opening day harvest compare to past years? Koenigs says the opening day harvest of 467 fish on Lake Winnebago ranks 5^th highest since the season moved to the shortened six hour spearing day in 2002.

Koenigs believes the season will continue for “at least” another few days given the amount of females harvested on the day.

(Additional reporting from FOX 11)

TOWN OF STEPHENSON, WI (WTAQ) - No one was hurt in a house fire early Sunday in Marinette County.

Crews were called just before 2 a.m. to a home on Rumney Lane in the Town of Stephenson.

Everyone inside the home made it out safely.

Firefighters remained on scene to watch hot spots as of 5:30 a.m.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Two people were hurt after a duplex fire overnight on Green Bay's west side.

Crews were called around 9 p.m. Sunday to the home in the 1300 block of Mather Street.

Flames were coming from the center garages when crews arrived. The blaze was under control in about 10 minutes.

Green Bay Metro fire officials say two people were treated at the scene for burns to their hands. In all, six people were displaced. 

The Red Cross is assisting those who were displaced.

No word yet on a cause.

MARQUETTE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - Menominee Tribal members are about halfway through their walk from Keshena to Madison, where they hope to get the governor to change his mind and allow the Kenosha casino.

About a dozen tribal members left their headquarters on Friday morning, and they marched through a bitter cold weekend.

Tribal chairman Gary Besaw said the group left Wautoma Monday morning, and was planning to get to Portage Monday night.

Republican Governor Scott Walker said no to the proposed Hard Rock Kenosha casino and hotel last month, saying it might force Wisconsin taxpayers to shell out millions to the Potawatomi tribe as part of its latest gaming compact.

Last week -- while Walker was on his trade mission to London -- his administration expressed doubts that the governor would ever reconsider his action.

Meanwhile, the Menominee has mentioned an offer to build its $800 million complex just a few miles south of Kenosha in Zion Illinois.

WISN-TV said it came in a letter from an employee in Zion's economic development agency.

Zion Mayor Lane Harrison told the station that the city's governing body has not discussed it. He said the panel would never consider such a project, without the full support of the city's legal counsel.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - A Fox Valley man accused of busting into an apartment and killing its occupant pleaded guilty Monday to lesser charges.

43-year-old Sean Oehlke of Appleton is scheduled to be sentenced April 23rd for second-degree reckless homicide and burglary. He was originally charged with first-degree reckless homicide, felony murder, and burglary in Winnebago County in last October's death of 68-year-old William Summers.

At the time, authorities said Oehlke was staying with relatives in the same building as the victim in the town of Menasha -- and Summers had probably walked in on him when the slaying took place.

Prosecutors said a confrontation ensued, and Summers was placed in a headlock until he went limp.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

DE PERE, WI (WTAQ) - Two separate incident reports outside of a De Pere nightclub are being investigated by police.

Authorities say a security guard was assaulted by several people outside of Studio 132, 132 S. Broadway Street, early Saturday morning.

Before the alleged assault, someone called police reporting shots being fired outside the club.

Authorities are not releasing many details surrounding the shots fired report. The security guard was taken to the hospital for treatment and was released.

Anyone with information about either incident is asked to call the De Pere Police Department (920) 339-4078.

You can also call Crime Stoppers to remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward. The number is 920-432-STOP (7867). You can also submit a tip on the web by clicking here.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay residents will hit the polls Tuesday to decide who will advance in the race for mayor.

Incumbent Mayor Jim Schmitt is being challenged by City Council President Tom DeWane and businessman David VanderLeest.

DeWane feels he's run an effective campaign.

"I worked hard, I've met thousands of people and have been getting very good vibes out there," said DeWane. "We've been trying to make it a point that there's more to Green Bay than downtown, the Mayor has just one vision."

VanderLeest believes his message has been received the best with voters who want a change in leadership.

"I believe we did a wonderful job at making the citizens aware of the debt load Green Bay is in totaling $186 million," said VanderLeest. "Anytime your administration consistently removes core services and has let the infrastructure in the city crumble, I believe the citizens think it is time for a change."

But Schmitt says everyone knows the good he's done in his 12 years on the job.

"From Bay Beach, Military and Velp Avenues, the VA clinic that with a strong and vibrant downtown," Schmitt said. "We've got a lower crime rate and economic development is up, I don't know why one would want to change that."

The top two vote-getters will square off in the April 7 spring election.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

LENA, WI (WTAQ) - Union workers at Saputo's cheese plant in Lena overwhelmingly supported a strike authorization on Sunday.

"It's lining us up just in case there's action that needs to be taken," said Tom Strickland, a business agent with Green Bay-based Teamsters Local 662. "By no means does it mean we're going on strike."

Strickland says the 459 production, maintenance and warehouse employees have been operating without a contract for nearly 2 years. At issue are unaffordable health insurance, no pay raises, favoritism and a general lack of respect.

"These folks, they want a contract," said Strickland. "We want what's fair and they deserve it."

Strickland says they're very familiar with officials at the Montreal-based Canadian dairy company. Local 662 represents over 1,600 Saputo workers at 11 facilities in both the U.S. and Canada.

"There's an offer out there, but it's not one that's acceptable," said Strickland, adding they have tentatively scheduled a federal mediation meeting for March 4.

WTAQ reached out to officials at Saputo, but they were unavailable for comment.

OCONTO, WI (WTAQ) - A Shawano man will not get a new trial on charges that he killed his ex-girlfriend and her brother.

An Oconto County judge ruled Monday against 31-year-old Daniel Schmidt. He's spending two life terms in prison with no chance for a supervised release, for shooting 32-year-old Kimberly Rose and her 22-year-old brother Leonard Marsh at the woman's home near Gillett in 2009.

Schmidt said the judge improperly excluded testimony from a child psychologist to help corroborate an account from a child witness. Circuit Judge Michael Judge said the defense never established that the testimony was relevant.

Prosecutors said Schmidt killed Rose so she wouldn't expose that he cheated on his wife -- and to keep her from speaking up about his marijuana-growing operation.

Investigators also said Rose loaned Schmidt $1,000 dollars for a motorcycle, and he never paid it back.

A jury convicted him of two counts of first-degree intentional homicide.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - Governor Scott Walker says he will not change his mind about rejecting the proposed Kenosha casino.

With a federal deadline of Wednesday looming for a final decision, the Menominee Indian Tribe made a last ditch offer a week ago. It promised to cover the state's proposed $220 million in bonding for a new Milwaukee Bucks' arena, in exchange for Walker's approval of the Menominee's $800 million Hard Rock gaming complex.

The offer was made public while the governor was in London for a trade mission. His administration expected Walker to reject it, and he did so Monday in a letter to the tribe.

The governor said such a trade-off was never mentioned during his 18 months of negotiations for the Menominee casino.

Tribal chairman Gary Besaw said he was disappointed, but he hopes Walker will at least meet with Menominee leaders face-to-face Wednesday in Madison.

A number of tribal members have been walking since last Friday from their headquarters in Keshena to Madison try to meet with Walker and make a final pitch.

Walker contends that a Kenosha casino could leave the state open to millions in payments to the Potawatomi tribe, should the new casino result in lower revenues to the existing Potawatomi gaming house in Milwaukee.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - A woman charged with shooting her co-worker at a Neenah Walmart says she should be found not guilty by insanity.

A court official says that Justine Boyd pled no contest to attempted first-degree intentional homicide in the shooting of Sharon Goffard on August 14, 2013.

Boyd, however, is pleading not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. A jury trial is due to begin February 24th where her mental state will be considered.

If the jury accepts the plea, she would be committed to a state mental facility. If the jury rejects the plea, Boyd would face sentencing in criminal court. 

Police and prosecutors both say Boyd shot Goffard because Boyd was upset that Goffard got an easier position at work.

However, Boyd’s son told Fox 11 there was no motive for the shooting.

NEENAH, WI (WTAQ) - Neenah police say a routine traffic stop turned into one of the largest marijuana busts in recent memory.

Police officials say an officer pulled over a vehicle around 7:20 p.m. Friday for expired registration near Cecil Street and Marathon Avenue.

The officer says while walking up to the car, they could smell marijuana and called in a second officer for backup.

A search of the driver, 19-year-old Ryan L. Brosman, found pills and a white powder in plastic bags. Tests reveal the powder was cocaine. Brosman also had $500 cash on him.

A vehicle search uncovered marijuana in the passenger compartment, plus a suitcase full of pot. In all, 10 pounds of marijuana was seized by police. They also found edible marijuana candy.

Brosman is charged with possession with intent to deliver THC and cocaine, and second-offense possession of THC.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Results are in from primary election day in Wisconsin Tuesday. 

Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt garnered 51 percent of the vote and will face City Council President Tom DeWane in the general election on April 7.

DeWane got 37 percent of the vote, while former State Senate and Assembly candidate David VanderLeest received 12 percent.

GREEN LAKE, WI (WTAQ) - A former Waupun police lieutenant has pleaded no contest to crimes committed in seven Wisconsin counties.

Bradley Young, who's now 45, is expected to be sentenced sometime in April after he admitted 59 burglaries throughout the state.

Many of those break-ins did not come to light when Young was arrested after a two-day crime spree in 2013. That spree included several break-ins, and it had authorities revisiting other burglaries that were unsolved.

As part of a plea deal, the state agreed to reduce Young's charges to a single count of burglary in each of the 7 counties where the crimes occurred. Prosecutors in Fond du Lac, Dodge, Green Lake, Marquette, Waupaca, Waushara, and Burnett counties all agreed to suggest a total of 10 years in prison.

Green Lake County Circuit Judge Mark Slate said the 10-year sentence seems low, based on the fact the Young's victims have submitted requests for over $100,000 in restitution. Slate said he would make the final call on the officer's sentence -- and the state would seek money from Young's pension to pay the restitution.

Young told officials he committed the crimes due to financial troubles, some of which was spurred by gambling. He resigned from the Waupun police force after 22 years.

During the crime spree, officials said Young stole a pickup truck in Green Lake and crashed it after a chase in Barron County -- and he later busted into a cabin near Spooner where he was surrounded by officers and gave himself up.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

ALLOUEZ, WI (WTAQ) - Village leaders in Allouez says President Steve VandenAvond has resigned.

According to his resignation letter, VandenAvond is taking a job in another state.

The village board says they will discuss ways to fill the position at a future meeting.

• Click here to read Vanden Avond’s resignation letter

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A federal judge has ruled that statements made by an Oshkosh man suspected of possessing ricin made before he was read his Miranda rights will be allowed at trial.

21-year-old Kyle Smith is facing two counts, including knowingly developing and possessing ricin for use as a weapon. That charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Smith is also charged with having ricin not in its naturally occurring form and not for a reasonable purpose. That count has a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Oshkosh police and the Wisconsin National Guard found one-and-a-half grams of ricin inside Smith's apartment on Halloween, according to the criminal complaint.

Smith’s attorney argued statements Smith gave police before being read his rights should not be allowed at trial. But at the hearing Tuesday, federal Judge William Griesbach disagreed.

“The Court finds that this case is one that does fit within the public safety exception. The Court is satisfied that the officers acted in good faith, reasonably and with a real concern for public safety. The officers initial questioning of the defendant was perfectly lawful under the public safety exception; Mr. Smith was properly in custody. The Court finds no violation of Miranda and so the motion to suppress will be denied,” states the court minutes.

Trial is due to begin March 16.

(Additional reporting from FOX 11).

MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - After walking for more than 150 miles from Keshena to Madison, some members of the Menominee Tribe ended up getting no payoff from their protest effort.

The march, which began last Friday, was done to try and get Governor Scott Walker to change his decision on rejecting the tribe's proposed casino in Kenosha.

Accompanied by other tribal members who took the bus to Madison, protesters marched from the Library Mall area of the UW-Madison campus, down State Street to the Capitol building on Wednesday. Hundreds of Menominee members filled the Capitol rotunda for a noon-hour rally.

Tribal chairman Gary Besaw stood outside of Governor Walker's office, but the governor didn't emerge. 

Last month, Governor Walker rejected the planned Hard Rock casino over concern that state agreements might force the state to pay back hundreds of millions of dollars to the Forest County Potawatomi tribe, if that group loses revenue at its existing Milwaukee casino due to the Kenosha project.

Leaders of the Menominee tribe believed that since the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs deadline is not until February 19, that Governor Walker could change his mind up until then.

Last week, the Menominee agreed to cover the state's share of bonding for a new Milwaukee Bucks arena if Walker would approve the casino. He said no to that also, noting that the tribe never mentioned such a concept in 18 months of talks.  

(Additional reporting from FOX 11 and Wheeler News Service)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Formal charges have been filed in what investigators are calling the most disturbing child porn case ever in Brown County.

62-year-old John Beauchamp of Green Bay is facing 20 counts of possession of child pornography.

According to investigators, Beauchamp had 7,446 images of child pornography. They were primarily of kids under the age of 3.

Beauchamp told sheriff's deputies that he refers to himself as "Baby Emily", according to the criminal complaint. He told deputies that he watches child porn in "his nursery," which is a room decorated with dolls and baby clothes in his basement.

On Wednesday, a judge doubled Beauchamp's bond to $10,000.

Meantime, authorities are still looking into whether Beauchamp had any inappropriate physical contact with children.

(Additional reporting from FOX 11).

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Less student information will be given to School Choice Wisconsin in a narrower open records request with the Green Bay Area Public School District.

In a joint statement released by the school district and the pro-voucher group, the revised request only seeks student mailing addresses. It does not request students' names, phone numbers, grade levels or school of attendance like the previous one asked for.

"Because the initial coverage of this request left many parents with questions," said School Choice Wisconsin President Jim Bender. "We worked with the district to both clarify our use of the data and help resolve parental concerns. It was never our intention to use the data in any way that would cause privacy concerns."

Bender added that as part of their ongoing mail program, they requested the "directory data" to augment their mailing list.

"We believe the modifications that were made should address our families' concerns," said Green Bay Area Public School District Superintendent Michelle Langenfeld.

Green Bay Democratic Rep. Eric Genrich says he was as concerned as other parents after learning of this request.

"We heard a lot of concern in our office about their child's privacy being at risk," said Genrich. "I reached out to School Choice Wisconsin and relayed the concerns I was hearing."

Genrich described his conversation with Bender as cordial, but declined to discuss specific details. He issued a statement as well on Wednesday, in which he said, "While I remain opposed to this open records request in principle and in its entirety, I am pleased that some progress was made in the short-term to better safeguard student information."

Genrich went on to add that he is working with State Senator Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) about strengthening privacy protections for all Wisconsin public school children.