GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - We're learning more details surrounding a Green Bay apartment fire Sunday morning where dogs were found dead inside the burned out unit and a man was taken into police custody.

Green Bay police were called to the building in the 1000 block of Klaus Street just after 7:30 a.m. for a wellness check. Officers were told a 54-year-old man claimed he killed his dogs and set his apartment on fire.

The man was taken into custody without incident, while firefighters put out the flames. 

According to the city's animal control officer, 8 Rottweiler dogs were found dead inside the apartment and they showed no signs of injury.

"Kind of horrendous," Green Bay Animal Control Officer Sharon Hensen told FOX 11. "I did enter the scene with the firefighters, I wasn't able to stay too long because the smoke was still too heavy, but the first body was pretty much by the door, that entrance out. (The) second I came across was easily three feet away."

Hensen says of the 8 dogs, two were adults, five were aged between 6 and 8-months-old, and one was a younger puppy. 

Hensen tells FOX 11 she's known the man for a while and would frequently see him out walking his dogs. She added the two connected over their fondness for Rottweilers.

"He cared a great deal for his animals," Hensen said. "In fact - like I tried to explain to people - that was his family-type thing. His animals were always very, very healthy, well fed, and he pretty much kept to himself with them."

Hensen says they didn't have a history of problems with the man and his dogs, other than complying with licensing laws. The man recently admitted to her that he had more than 2 dogs, which is a city ordinance violation unless otherwise approved. According to court records, a July 2015 citation for no dog/cat license was dropped.

"He had got two of his dogs licensed," said Hensen. "He had come outside to meet us, never allowed us in the apartment at that time. We talked, he did admit to me finally that he had more than two - that he had three - so we talked about a permit."

The Green Bay P.D. reveals that he's being evaluated by mental health professionals. Charges of arson and animal mistreatment are possible.

The property owner, Green Bay Alderman Guy Zima, told FOX 11 he's in the process of selling the property. Zima said the new owner told the man he, "had to get rid of all of the dogs."

Anyone in need of help caring for their animals, through free spay and neuter programs, food assistance and other resources should call Green Bay Animal Control at (920) 448-3266.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Thomas Breads is holding a national competition called the Hometown Breakfast Battle, with 135 chefs across the country trying to win votes for their breakfast recipe. 

One of them is Green Bay's own Chris Mangless from Three Three Five and The Traveling Chef.

"They reached out to us, asked us to be involved and represent Northeast Wisconsin," said Mangless. "So we're one of three chefs representing the whole state of Wisconsin."

Mangless said the goal was to use a Thomas Breads product, either their English muffins or bagels, and incorporate local ingredients to create a great breakfast recipe. He came up with a Door County Cherry Bread Pudding French Toast.

"So it utilizes local Door County cherries and local maple syrup, and then the bagels is what I chose for my recipe as opposed to English muffins," Mangless said.

The goal is to get as many votes as possible in order to win the national competition. You can vote here.

Voters can be eligible to win $10,000 or dinner for six at Three Three Five on Broadway in downtown Green Bay. Not just that, but Mangless is already looking at paying it forward.

"We look forward to giving back to the community, doing a breakfast at the NEW Community Shelter for homeless people," said Mangless, who wants to show that there's more to Green Bay and winning than just the Packers.

You can also use social media to try and drive support for Chef Mangless on social media using the hashtag "#WinWithChris".

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - An Oshkosh man appeared in court Monday on charges he used a fake Facebook account to obtain nude photos of girls.

21-year-old Bret Culver is facing 9 felony counts after police say he had contact with more than 60 girls and women since June. Police say he contacted them through Facebook under the fake name "David James".

Prosecutors say Culver convinced at least 3 teenage girls to send him explicit photos, and he also sent them photos of his own genitals.

Culver was arrested last week at his home following a month-long investigation. Authorities say they used an IP address registered to him to track him down.

According to a criminal complaint, Culver admitted creating the "David James" Facebook profile in order to talk to women. He told investigators that after he received nude photos from one person, it "started the thrill of getting nude pictures from girls." 

NEKIMI, WI (WTAQ) — A part of Highway 26 in Winnebago County has been reopened Tuesday morning after a two-vehicle crash.

Officers were called to the area just north of the intersection with County Road Z in Nekimi around 10:45 p.m. Monday.

Officials say two vehicles collided head-on.

Three people suffered critical injuries. Two of them were flown to the hospital.

A 35-year-old Eldorado man also suffered serious injuries.

No word on what caused the crash.

The sheriff's department says that stretch of Highway 26 will be closed for a couple hours while deputies investigate the crash.

MISHICOT, WI (WTAQ) - Mishicot police and the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Department says they've made an arrest in connection with the robbery of a convenience store on Labor Day.

Investigators say they arrested the store clerk who was working at the KK Uni Mart the day of the robbery. That clerk may have connections with the suspected robber Dustin Kuik.

Kuik was shot and killed by Ashwaubenon police on September 9 at the Quality Inn on Holmgren Way, two days after the robbery.

Police say 24-year-old Raeanna Nagy of Mishicot is being held at the Manitowoc County Jail. 

Prosecutors are recommending charges of possession of a firearm, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and unauthorized use of personal ID information.

Kuik went into the KK Uni Mart just before 10 p.m. Labor Day and showed a handgun to the clerk, according to deputies. Officials say the man took a clear box and a maroon bank bag, both containing cash and coins, and fled on foot. No one was hurt.

Kuik's vehicle was spotted early on September 9 on Oneida Street by Ashwaubenon Public Safety officers. They tried pulling the vehicle over, but it turned in to the parking lot of the Quality Inn. 

Gunfire was exchanged, according to Capt. Jody Crocker. Kuik was wounded and rushed to an area hospital where he later died.

A woman and two children were also in the vehicle; they were uninjured.

MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) - Authorities now say a man who drowned off Lake Michigan near Manitowoc was competing in a fishing tournament.

The Coast Guard pulled the body of 24-year-old Max Boheme of Lisle, Illinois from the water late Saturday afternoon.

Manitowoc County sheriff's officials said Monday Boheme was taking part in the Great Lakes Kayak Fishing Series when his kayak overturned. His body was found close to the boat.

Investigators do not suspect foul play. Autopsy results are still pending.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) -  The State Patrol continues to investigate a weekend crash near Appleton that killed a motorcyclist.

He was publicly identified Monday as 46-year-old Michael Kitkowski of Appleton.

The crash occurred late Sunday afternoon at a intersection. Authorities say an SUV turned left into the path of the oncoming motorcycle.

The State Patrol says Kitkowski was not wearing a helmet. He died later a hospital. The SUV driver escaped injury.

Meanwhile, authorities near Wausau say a teenage girl has died after a crash north of the city Monday morning.

Marathon County sheriff's deputies say a vehicle two girls inside rear-ended a parked garbage truck. The driver died at the scene, while her passenger was taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The girls' names have not been released.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - One man is arrested after a four-vehicle crash in Appleton Tuesday morning.

Police say it happened around 7:45 a.m. at the corner of Northland Avenue and Oneida Street. The vehicles were all heading east on Northland and crash in a chain reaction. 

Authorities say the injuries are non-life threatening.

The 46-year-old man arrested is facing a charge of OWI with a child in the vehicle.

CRANDON, WI (WTAQ) - The last of four people convicted in a brutal northeast Wisconsin beating will spend 24 years in prison.

46-year-old Raymond Jones was sentenced Monday in Forest County, where a jury convicted him in May of attempted homicide and other charges. He and the others were convicted of attacking Steven Roberts in March of last year.

Authorities say the 41-year-old victim was tortured at a house, beaten on a frozen trail, and left for wolves to maul him. ATV riders found him and he survived numerous injuries.

Investigators say the attackers retaliated against Roberts for apparently touching a child inappropriately.

Jones must spend 16 years under extended supervision once he leaves prison. He must also pay $44,000 in restitution.

The other 3 defendants were sentenced earlier. One of them testified against Jones as part of a plea deal.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Oshkosh police need your help locating a man who broke into a business earlier this month.

Police say the burglary happened in the 1300 block of Oshkosh Avenue around 11:30 p.m. on September 5.

Surveillance images, seen above, show a man inside the building after smashing out a front door window.

Authorities are not releasing the name of the business or what was stolen.

Anyone who can identify the person in the surveillance images is asked to call Det. Frey at (920) 236-5700. Anonymous tips can be left with Winnebago County Crime Stoppers by phone at (920) 231-8477, by text message with the keyword IGOTYA to 274637 or online.

Green Bay, WI (WTAQ) - A day off (TUE) for the Green Bay Packers...but that didn't stop several of them from rolling up their sleeves and help build a playground at a Green Bay park.

Kennedy Park, on the city's eastside, got an extreme makeover as Packers players and volunteers from Humana did the grunt work.

Humana V-P Mark Matzke says they have to do a lottery because so many of their employees want to come out and help move the dirt.

Packers players like Don Barclay and Justin Perillo, say it's cool to be part of a project that will benefit the neighborhood for years to come.

The project also came togeather with the help of the Green Bay Parks, recreation and Forestry Department.

The new equipment was purchase through Minnesota/Wisconsin Playground.

Concrete for the play area was donated Green & Gold Concrete in Green Bay.

MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) - Prosecutors in Manitowoc County say the woman arrested in connection with an armed robbery incident in Mishicot was in the car with her kids when Ashwaubenon police shot and killed the suspect.

24-year-old Raeanna Nagy appeared in court Tuesday. A judge set her bond at $25,000 cash.

Police say Nagy was working as a clerk at the KK Uni-Mart when her boyfriend, Dustin Kuik, allegedly robbed the store at gunpoint on Labor Day.

Kuik's vehicle was located two days later on Oneida Street in Ashwaubenon and officers tried pulling him over. The car instead drove into the Quality Inn parking lot on Holmgren Way, Kuik got out of his vehicle and got into an exchange of gunfire with police. He later died at the hospital.

Nagy, nor her two children, were hurt inside the suspect's vehicle.

In court Tuesday, officials say Nagy bought the gun using a credit card belonging to Kuik's grandmother. She's due back in court Monday and has yet to be formally charged.

TOWN OF BELGIUM, WI (WTAQ) — One person is dead after a fiery crash in southern Wisconsin.

The crash on I-43 happened around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Town of Belgium, that's in Ozaukee County.

The State Patrol says a vehicle was going more than 70 miles per hour when a state trooper tried to stop the vehicle.

That's when the vehicle lost control and went through the median.

Officials say that vehicle hit a semi traveling south. The semi then caught fire.

The person driving the vehicle that struck the semi was killed.

The vehicle was stolen from St. Francis.

Drug paraphernalia, marijuana and a loaded handgun was found inside the vehicle.

The semi driver wasn't hurt.

The section on I-43 was closed for about 10 hours.

Green Bay, WI (WTAQ) - After months of debate, Green Bay's city council passed a code of conduct for its elected officials Tuesday night.

Alderman Guy Zima has been outspoken against any code of conduct for the city's mayor and aldermen.

"By the way, I brought Declaration of Independence here, I guess we don't really need that anymore, we've got this code of conduct," said Zima. "Also I've got the constitution that talks about our right to free speech and everything else, it's the first thing, might as well tear that up too."

The 11-page code of conduct address items that many people likely consider common sense. For example, it says elected officials shouldn't be belligerent, abusive, or threatening.

Alderman Randy Scannell drafted the rules after misbehavior accusations were made against Zima and Mayor Jim Schmitt.

"I hope it's not too much to set a standard of behavior that professes a professionalism based on civility and procedure," said Scannell.

The code of conduct also comes with penalties if the council deems an alderman did something wrong. The possible penalties include censure, community service, counseling, up to a $500 fine, suspension, or removal from office.

With a few amendments, the council passed the code on a 10 to 2 vote.

DE PERE, WI (WTAQ) - A kitten has been rescued from an underground storm water pipe, thanks to firefighters in De Pere.

Workers for a landscaping contractor heard the sound of a crying cat from a storm sewer Tuesday.

The company called for help -- and firefighters discovdered that the kitten got into the storm sewer before getting trapped in a connected residential pipe that went upward at a 90-degree angle.

Firefighters cut the pipe to free the kitten.

The animal was said to be in good shape when it was taken to the Brown County Humane Society.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Online court records indicate a De Pere man pleaded no contest in the heroin-related death of another man.

On Monday, Tucker Christensen entered that plea to first-degree reckless homicide in the death of Keith French. As part of a plea deal, 3 other charges were dropped.

French was found dead in a De Pere residence back on March 6. Authorities say Christensen supplied the heroin which killed French.

Christensen will be sentenced November 9.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - A Fox Valley woman has pled not guilty to stealing funds from the Kimberly Papermakers booster club.

According to online court records, Carrie Kluge will stand trial on November 17.

School district officials estimate $60,000 was stolen while Kluge was the treasurer from August 2012 through January 2015. Officials say $49,000 of that has been returned.

After being confronted about the missing funds, Kluge deposited $17,522 into the account and then showed up twice with pillowcases full of cash, according to the criminal complaint. One time a pillowcase had more than $20,800 and a second time with over $10,000.

The Kimberly Papermakers booster club is a nonprofit group that is financially independent from the school district.

WRIGHTSTOWN, WI (WTAQ) - Drivers can now go across the new Highway 96 bridge over the Fox River in Wrightstown.

The bridge, which opened to drivers Wednesday morning, crosses the river about 200 feet south of the old bridge.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says despite the bridge being open, there's still work to be done on the $18.8 million project:

• Completing the pedestrian access from the new bridge by the beginning of December.
• Roadway reconstruction work beginning at the intersection of Turner/Fair/High St. including the majority of High St. to the west to County ZZ (Washington St.). Both the intersection and High Street from Washington St. to Turner St will be closed. This work is scheduled to be completed near the end of November/beginning of December. Once this roadway reconstruction work is completed, the north leg of the east roundabout will be opened to provide access to WIS 96 from the north.
• Closing and removing the old bridge beginning in December and lasting 2 months.
• Next spring, additional roadway reconstruction work on Main Street, High Street, and County ZZ (Washington St.) will take place.
• Completing the pedestrian overlook on the east bank of the river will also take place next spring

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay Trinity Lutheran School is closed in the wake of a student who died of viral meningitis.

Principal Brett Jones confirmed that kindergartener Jack Natzke died Tuesday. The school is being cleaned Wednesday, ahead of open house sessions planned for Thursday and Friday so students and parents can meet with counselors.

School leaders say therapy dogs will also be available to students on Monday when classes resume.

You can learn more about meningitis from the CDC here.

MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - Lawmakers in the Wisconsin Senate unanimously approved a bill Wednesday which would send excess revenue from the Lambeau sales tax to local municipalities.

The excess funds come after Brown County's half-percent sales tax for the 2003 renovation and maintenance of Lambeau Field reached its goal at the end of March. Estimates show $17.6 million will be collected from April 1 through the end of the sales tax on September 30.

"Today, the Senate’s passage of this bill puts us one step closer to ensuring that Brown County residents receive the timely and efficient return of their tax dollars," says State Representative David Steffen (R-Howard). "This one-time financial boost is structured in a way that will allow local governments to innovatively invest in their communities. I am eager to see this legislation move forward quickly to allow these exciting projects and initiatives to get underway."

Steffen is the main sponsor of the Assembly bill, while State Senator Rob Cowles (R-Allouez) is the main sponsor in the upper house.

"Passage of this bill represents the completion of the agreement made between the state and the taxpayers of Brown County back in 2000," Cowles said in a statement. "I’m pleased to have worked with Rep. Steffen and the stakeholders to return this money in a fair manner to the hard-working taxpayers in communities within Brown County."

Legislation now heads to the Assembly, who is in session next week.

The bill would set aside one-quarter of the money for redeveloping the aging Brown County Arena, worth about $4.4 million. The other $13.2 million would be distributed to the county's municipalities based on population, to be used for property tax relief, debt reduction or economic development.

If no action is taken, the excess money could sit in a state account for 16 more years.

Cowles and Steffen hope the legislation can be passed and signed quickly so the money can be distributed to municipalities before the end of the year.