MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) - Police in Manitowoc are searching for a driver who drove into Red Arrow Products on Water Street early Saturday.

Police say a front window of the building was damaged around 2:30 a.m. The suspect then left the scene.

Investigators say parts of the vehicle were found at the scene. They are from a 1997-2003 model Pontiac Grand Prix, either maroon or burgundy.

Anyone with information is asked to call Manitowoc Police at (920) 686-6551.

DOOR COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - Almost 1,400 Wisconsin homes and businesses are still without power as of Monday afternoor.

That's after Sunday's massive wind and hail storms that had gusts up to 70 miles an hour and hail the size of softballs in a couple places.

Most of the outages are in Door County, which received the brunt of the damage. One media report said some of the holes are closed at Maxwelton Braes Golf Course at Bailey's Harbor.

In southeast Wisconsin, over 1,700 outages were reported in Walworth County at last word.

The storms are long gone, and most parts of Wisconsin had sunny skies late Monday morning. Highs are expected in the 70s and low 80s Monday afternoon.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A federal judge has sentenced a man who stole a truck and rammed it into a police squad car to three years in prison.

According to court documents, Willie Hayes was involved in an argument with family members on May 13. Menominee tribal police were called in, before Hayes stole a neighbor's truck.

A police sergeant was sitting in a squad car blocking Hayes' path, when Hayes rammed the squad. The cop suffered several minor injuries.

Hayes was also put on supervised release for 5 years following his prison sentence.

TOWN OF MENASHA, WI (WTAQ) - Drivers are being warned about leaving their vehicles idling, after a car was stolen from a parking lot Monday afternoon.

Town of Menasha police say it happened at a convenience store in the 1400 block of W. American Drive around 2 p.m.

Authorities say they were able to use surveillance video and a description of the car to locate it within an hour.

Police are reminding drivers that locking doors and removing keys can help reduce opportunities for thieves.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - Health officials in Outagamie County are investigating several cases of blastomycosis and a possible connection to people who swam or went tubing in the Wolf River.

Hannah Konetzke told FOX 11 that she's been in the hospital for days after being diagnosed with the fungal disease. She believes it came from taking a river tubing trip.

"I was feeling fatigued and nauseous. They found spots on my lungs, did a CAT scan and found three golf ball-sized abscesses," said Konetzke. "I met with a lung doctor and the first thing he asked me was if I went down the Wolf River."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, blastomycosis comes from a fungus that lives in moist soil. People can become infected by inhaling the airborne fungal spores.

Outagamie County Health Department Nursing Supervisor Joe Ellen Biadasz says they're looking into a cluster of blastomycosis cases.

"We don't want to make an assumption," said Biadasz. "It seems like the common thread may be the river tubing trip, but we won't know that until we complete the investigation."

Health officials recommend anyone showing symptoms to get checked out.

"We don't want individuals to panic, we want everyone to use good prudent judgment," Biadasz said. "When you're out in the wilderness, there are many things you can come in contact with. It's knowing if you become symptomatic that you reach out to your family health care provider."

MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - Wisconsin lottery players have again failed to cash in around $2 million in winning tickets over the past year.

The Appleton Post-Crescent says that's the low end of annual $2 to $4 million in unclaimed prizes. Players have left over $57 million on the table since 1997.

Lottery officials say many winning tickets are forgotten or trashed.

As in past years, they say some players may have tossed lotto tickets because they didn't win the jackpot -- and they either didn't know they won smaller prizes, or didn't think it was worth the effort to turn them in.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Tests conducted by the Brown County Health Department have confirmed the West Nile virus has been found in the county.

According to a release, a dead crow found on July 22nd tested positive for West Nile. It's the first time that's happened since surveillance for the mosquito-transmitted virus began May 1.

"The positive bird means that residents of Brown County need to be more vigilant in their personal protective measures to prevent mosquito bites," said Brown County Public Health Director/Health Office Chua Xiong.

The virus is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito, after they feed on infected birds.

"Brown County residents should be aware of West Nile virus and take some simple steps to protect themselves against mosquito bites," said Xiong. "The West Nile virus seems to be here to stay, so the best way to avoid the disease is to reduce exposure to and eliminate breeding grounds for mosquitoes."

The following steps are recommended by health officials:

• Limit time spent outside at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active
• Apply insect repellant to clothing as well as exposed skin since mosquitoes may bite through clothing
• Make sure window and door screens are in good repair to prevent mosquito entry
• Properly dispose of items that hold water, such as tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots, or discarded tires
• Clean roof gutters and downspouts for proper drainage
• Turn over wheelbarrows, wading pools, boats, and canoes when not in use
• Change the water in birdbaths and pet dishes at least every three days
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas, and hot tubs; drain water from pool covers
• Trim tall grass, weeds, and vines since mosquitoes use these areas to rest during hot daylight hours
• Landscape to prevent water from pooling in low-lying areas

Most people (about 80%) who are infected with West Nile virus don't get sick. Those who do become ill usually experience mild symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle ache, rash and fatigue. Less than 1% of people infected with the virus get seriously ill with symptoms that include high fever, muscle weakness, stiff neck, disorientation, mental confusion, tremors, confusion, paralysis and coma.

Older adults with compromised immune systems are at greater risk of developing central nervous system illness that can be fatal.

The Wisconsin Division of Public Health will continue surveillance for West Nile virus until the end of the mosquito season. To report a sick or dead crow, blue jay, or raven, please call the Dead Bird Reporting Hotline at (800) 433-1610.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The illegal immigrant accused of stabbing his ex-girlfriend in downtown Green Bay will stand trial.

Victor Paz-Castellanos waived his preliminary hearing Tuesday and will enter a plea to a charge of attempted first-degree intentional homicide on August 24.

Authorities say Paz-Castellanos stabbed his ex-girlfriend following an argument right after the fireworks show wrapped up on the night of July 4.

Paz-Castellanos is a citizen of Honduras and is in the United States illeaglly. He was deported once, but returned. Federal immigration officials plan to deport him again after these proceedings conclude.

OUTAGAMIE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - The Outagamie County Sheriff's Department is warning homeowners to be on the lookout for fraudulent asphalt repairers going door-to-door.

Deputies are investigating several reports they've received from the public. 

The repairers offer to seal or fix asphalt driveways, then charge large amounts for illegitimate or unfinished work.

Anyone who gets a similar offer or has any information about this case is asked to call Sgt. Mike Fitzpatrick at (920) 832-5279.

Authorities remind residents to only work with known, legitimate businesses that have been checked out and verified.

MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - Both state and local authorities have confirmed four cases of blastomycosis in Northeast Wisconsin, all apparently after those people went tubing on the Little Wolf River in early June.

However, state officials in a release didn't specify the source of the fungal infection.

An Appleton Medical Center spokeswoman said of the 4 cases, one person remains hospitalized.

An infection can develop when a person inhales spores of a fungus found in soil, called Blastomyces dematitidis. About half of people exposed to the fungus never develop symptoms, experts say. Symptoms, which begin to occur between 3 and 15 weeks after a person is exposed, can include a fever, cough, muscle aches and fatigue, and can progress to weight loss, chest pain and a persistent cough. If not detected and treated early, blastomycosis can cause serious complications. The illness cannot be spread from person to person and can be treated with medication.

State officials say spores of the fungus are released and become airborne when soil or rotting organic matter is disturbed. The fungus needs very specific weather and soil conditions to grow and produce infecting spores, so an area where people were infected may pose no threat within a few days. There is no way to identify where the fungus exists, the state says, and testing is usually not successful.

Last year, Wisconsin had 89 cases of blastomycosis and saw 91 cases in 2013. Most of them happened in northern Wisconsin, where conditions are more favorable to the fungus.

WINNEBAGO COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - The Winnebago County Sheriff's Office says a 1,800 pound steer is on the loose.

Authorities say the steer went missing Wednesday near the Winnebago County Fairgrounds. They believe the animal is still near the fairgrounds in Oshkosh.

Anyone who spots the big steer is asked to keep a safe distance and call 911.

MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - A $1 million loan from the Board of Commissioners of Public Land's State Trust Fund will go to help cap a local high school's contaminated playing field.

The Ashwaubenon School District says some of its athletic fields at the high school have been closed after testing found potentially harmful PCBs in the ground.

According to the Wisconsin DNR, the chemical possibly came from carbonless paper sludge or electrical transformers. Those fields in question were built on top of a one-time landfill.

District officials said the PCBs were found when plans were put in place for the new football stadium.

The BCPL operates without taxpayer money and distributes to Wisconsin public schools more than 96 cents of every dollar of interest earned on trust fund investments, according to a news release.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Starting this fall, veterans can receive college credit for their military service at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College.

In a release, NWTC officials say they're offering up to 10 credits of general education coursework for veterans. It depends on their chosen academic program and how long they've served in the military.

Among the eligible courses are: College 101, Contemporary American Society, Oral/Interpersonal Communication and Intro to Ethics: Theory and Application.

The approved credits will be designated as advanced standing on the student's transcript and won't carry a grade toward the student's grade-point average. Officials say if the veteran is able to receive course credit, there is no charge for the class.

School officials say over 400 veterans are currently attending NWTC. The top three areas of study for veterans are in trades, health sciences and public safety.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - Police in Appleton say a man tried throwing away a baggie of heroin while being arrested Wednesday.

It all started as Appleton officers and local drug agents were watching a rental property in the 200 block of E. Harris Street. This surveillance activity was prompted by citizen reports of criminal activity there.

Around 4:30 p.m., officers saw a man they say they knew from previous incidents. As cops approached the building, they say he took off and ran through neighboring yards.

Police quickly caught up to him, which is when he tried to throw the heroin away. 

Several charges are being sought against 23-year-old Tavarious Everson, including possession with intent to deliver heroin (within 1,000 feet of a school), resisting arrest and four counts of bail jumping.

Everson has not been formally charged in connection with this case.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has issued a travel advisory for Saturday's Packers Family Night.

DOT officials ask fans to take your time getting there, with much of Interstate 41 in the Green Bay area under construction. That will contribute to traffic backups in the Lambeau Field area before and after the event.

According to the DOT, this will impact traffic through De Pere and Ashwaubenon as drivers go through town to avoid the highway traffic. Backups are also possible along Interstate 43 and Highway 172.

Here is a list of construction zones to watch out for:

I-41 and WIS 172 Interchange

Brown County

• Motorists should expect heavy congestion and potential long delays at this interchange between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. before the scrimmage and again following the scrimmage. Motorists should consider avoiding this interchange area and utilize alternate routes if possible.

Oneida Street and I-41/Oneida Street interchange

Brown County

• Oneida street between Ridge Road and Hansen Road is reduced to single lanes in each direction and drivers should expect significant delays before and after the game. Drivers are urged to consider alternate routes.

I-41

All construction on I-41 will cease on Saturday for Packers Family Night, although barrier walls, narrow lanes, short merge distances and orange barrels will be present in various locations.

Brown County

• Drivers will encounter 11-foot travel lanes and reduced shoulders in multiple locations along a 10-mile segment of highway. The speed limit is reduced to 55 mph from just south of Grant Street to Lineville Road. Temporary barrier wall at various locations will cause traffic to slow.
• The northbound I-41 on-ramp from Velp Ave remains closed, drivers should plan alternate routes by using nearby interchanges such as Shawano Avenue, Lineville Road or Atkinson Drive interchanges.

Winnebago County

• Drivers will encounter reduced speed limits on I-41 near the US 10/WIS 441/I-41 interchange, as well as reduced lane width on northbound I-41 and reduced shoulder width on northbound and southbound I-41.

I-43 and I-43/I-41 interchange

Brown County

• The northbound I-41 to southbound I-43 ramp is closed. Drivers should plan an alternate route when leaving the game and heading north on I-41 seeking I-43.
• I-43 between Atkinson Drive and I-41 is reduced to a single lane in each direction. Traffic heading north on I-43 to access southbound I-41 could experience back-ups in this location. The speed limit is also reduced to 55 mph.

WIS 32/WIS 57/County X intersection

Brown County

• WIS 32/57 is closed to traffic from Scotchwood Road to County PP. There will be no access from or to WIS 32/57 at County X or Fox River Drive.

WIS 441/US 10 and Roland Kampo Bridge

Winnebago, Outagamie and Calumet counties

• Drivers should be aware of orange barrels, narrow lanes, and barrier walls and reduced speed limits. No work will be taking place on the WIS 441 Tri-County Project the day of Packer Family Night.

WIS 26

Fond du Lac County

• WIS 26, just north of US 151 to the northern Fond du Lac County line (County FF), is closed. Motorists heading north can use US 151 to I-41 to get to Lambeau Field.

For updated traffic information, call 511 or visit 511wi.gov.

DOOR COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - The Door County Sheriff's Department on Thursday say a man reported missing has returned home on his own.

Boone County, Illinois officials confirmed that 62-year-old Timothy L. Milss is home and have notified Door County authorities. 

The sheriff's office in Door County has closed this case.

== EARLIER REPORT ==

Authorities in Door County need your help finding a missing man.

According to the Door County Sheriff's Department, 62-year-old Timothy L. Mills was last seen Tuesday evening, August 4, after walking away from the Bay Breeze Motel in the Village of Ephraim.

Mills is described as white, about 6'2", weighing about 240 pounds with grey and black hair and a goatee.

Police say Mills was last seen wearing a green t-shirt, blue jeans and work boots. He would be carrying a square single-strapped backpack.

Authorities and family members are concerned for Mills' welfare because he may be without his medication.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Door County Sheriff's Office at (920) 746-2416.

TOWN OF ROCKLAND, WI (WTAQ) - Authorities in Brown County say a 14-year-old boy was the victim of a strong armed robbery on the Fox River Trail Thursday.

The sheriff's department said in a release that the incident happened around 2 p.m. near mile marker 9 on the trail, which is just north of Old Martin Road in the Town of Rockland.

The teen told deputies he was biking north when a man heading south on a motorized pedal bike passed him. The man turned around and came up behind the teen. He kicked the teen's bike, causing him to lose control and fall into the brush alongside the trial.

The man then tried to grab a set of headphones the teen had wrapped around his handlebars. When he couldn't get the headphones, the man punched the teen in the face and body, breaking the teen's glasses. 

The teen fended off the attacker, who eventually gave up and rode away. He suffered minor injuries. The teen made it to a nearby business, where he got help and called authorities.

Authorities say the attacked was described as a white man in his 20s. He was 6'0" and weighed around 130 pounds. He was wearing a navy blue t-shirt and glossy black wind pants. The man's sandy blond hair was described as being glossy, possibly gelled, and combed from back to front and to the left.

The man's motorized bicycle was described as old and rusty with a U-shaped handlebar.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Brown Co. Sheriff's Office at (920) 448-4230. Anonymous tips can also be left with Crime Stoppers by phone at (920) 432-7867 or by sending a text message with the keyword GBTIP to 274637.

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Oshkosh police need your help locating a missing man who may be without his medication.

According to a release Friday, 36-year-old Benjamin A. Neuhausel's family and friends last heard from him on July 18. Neuhausel has been known to drive to the Chicago area to visit extended family, but relatives there say they also haven't heard from him.

Authorities say Neuhausel takes medication after he was diagnosed with behavioral issues. They believe he was off his meds before he went missing.

Neuhausel is described as 5'3", 152 pounds, with red hair and blue eyes. He drives a teal 1993 Chevrolet K1500 pickup truck, with license plate number JX2459.

Anyone with information is asked to call Oshkosh police at (920) 236-5700.

WASHINGTON D.C. (WTAQ) - If a Wisconsin congressman has his way, farmers would get federal help to keep phosphorus from running off into streams.

Sherwood House Republican Reid Ribble is backing a bill to provide $30 million in grant funding. It follows a bill last month in which two Michigan House members encourage all Great Lakes states to create farm grants similar to those in their home state.

Ribble says the latest proposal would help farms create buffer zones between their fields and streams -- or pay for equipment like tillers which farmers could share.

Ribble says it's a small step to improve water quality in the Great Lakes region.

Environmental groups partially blame farm runoff for algae blooms that deplete oxygen and create occasional "dead zones" in places like the Bay of Green Bay.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Police in Oshkosh are looking for the person responsible for vandalizing a playground with caulk.

Authorities say it happened sometime between 1 p.m. Monday and noon Thursday at Smith Elementary School.

Several pieces of playground equipment had caulk applied to them.

Anyone with information is asked to call Oshkosh police at (920) 236-5700 and refer to complaint number 15-25691. Anonymous tips can also be left with Winnebago County Crime Stoppers by phone at (920) 231-8477, by text message with the keyword IGOTYA to 274637 or online.