LITTLE CHUTE, WI (WTAQ) - Authorities are asking for your help identifying two suspects who allegedly stole a bottle of alcohol from a store in Little Chute.
Fox Valley Metro police say it happened around 2 p.m. Monday.
If you recognize either suspect, you're encouraged to call Officer Weisnicht at (920) 788-7505, or email at Austin.Weisnicht@fvmpd.org. If you wish to remain anonymous, and still be eligible for a cash reward, contact Crime Stoppers at (920) 788-9090 or at tips@stopcrimenow.org.
SHAWANO, WI (WTAQ) - 200 counts of child pornography are among the new charges filed against a traveling basketball coach busted in Shawano County.
23-year-old Nicholas Bennett of Portland, Oregon, is also facing a charge of using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime and child enticement, according to online court records.
Investigators say Bennett was in Shawano last month as part of a traveling basketball camp. There, officials say he met a 13-year-old boy and began texting him.
The texts became sexual in nature, and the boy's mom contacted police after reading the messages.
Fond du Lac, WI (WTAQ) - Firefighters had a morning call for a duplex fire in Fond du Lac.
The fire broke out early today at a duplex on West Second Street.
The duplex was vacant and it appears no one was hurt.
There's no word on what caused the fire.
Fire Chief Peter O’Leary says his crews also faced a challenge in keeping the fire from spreading to nearby homes.
Alliant Energy had to turn off power to several neighboring homes.
The new owner just took over possession in the past few days. He says there
was extensive damage to the interior of the duplex.
NEW LONDON, WI (WTAQ) - Authorities in east central Wisconsin are trying to determine how a horse was sexually assaulted.
Waupaca County authorities were called Sunday to a farm near New London, after a man noticed that his horses appeared to be spooked.
He found that a 5-year-old pregnant mare was bleeding and injured. A veterinarian later determined that the horse was molested.
Officials say both the mare and its foal are expected to survive.
Sheriff's deputies say they contacted a person of interest with a record of sexually assaulting horses. But there were no arrests at last word.
Officials are urging horse owners to keep watch over their animals, and report anything that might be suspicious.
(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)
ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) - A Brown County Board committee has green lighted a proposal to add "Green Bay" to the Austin Straubel International Airport name.
The Brown County Planning, Development and Transportation committee approved the motion 5-0 Monday night.
Supporters of the idea say the name addition would reach a wider audience, but opponents feel that people already call it the "Green Bay Airport".
The name change still needs approval by the full Brown County Board and the FAA.
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Police in Oshkosh are investigating the shooting of a man who arrived for work early Tuesday.
According to the Oshkosh Police Department, a 42-year-old man was shot in the chest outside a business in the 700 block of Oregon Street around 5:30 a.m. Police say the victim encountered the suspect, a brief struggle ensued, and that's when the victim was shot.
The suspect is described as a white man, between 5'10" and 6' tall, wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a face covering. He ran from the scene.
The victim was rushed to Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah. Police say he's expected to survive.
Authorities believe this to be an isolated incident. Anyone with information is asked to call Oshkosh police at (920) 236-5700 and ask to speak with Det. Dean Artus.
MANITOWOC COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - Authorities in Manitowoc County say two people died in separate crashes over the past 24 hours.
The first happened when an 18-year-old rural Cleveland man was headed west on Cleveland Road when he lost control of his car, went into a ditch and slammed into a utility pole. That happened around 9:15 p.m. Monday. The man died at the scene and the crash remains under investigation.
The second took place just after midnight Tuesday. A 47-year-old Sheboygan man was headed north on Interstate 43 just south of Highway 310 when he tried passing another vehicle and lost control of his pickup truck. The truck went into the ditch on the right and flipped over twice.
The man was thrown from the truck and died at the scene. Authorities believe speed and slushy road conditions were factors.
The victims' names have not been released as relatives are still being notified.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The city of Green Bay has chosen their next police chief.
In a statement Tuesday, the Green Bay Police and Fire Commission have made a conditional offer to current Los Angeles Police Department commander Andrew Smith. Smith is responsible for media relations and community affairs.
"The final candidates for this position were all extremely capable and I want to thank the Police and Fire Commission for their hard work in recruiting the best individuals for the police chief position," Mayor Jim Schmitt said. "I am excited to bring Chief Smith in to lead the talented men and women of the Green Bay Police Department."
Smith has been with the LAPD for over 27 years and has a bachelor's degree from the University of California-San Diego, a master's degree from the University of Southern California and a certificate in law enforcement education from the University of Virginia.
According to his bio, Smith was born in Waukesha and grew up in Upper Michigan.
The offer of employment is conditional upon Smith satisfying certain pre-employment requirements, the city says.
Smith would succeed Tom Molitor, who retired in July. James Lewis has been leading the department on an interim basis since then.
Howard, WI (WTAQ) - Recent escapes from minimum security prisons in northeast Wisconsin has the attention of 4th District Representative David Steffen.
The Howard Republican is meeting D-O-C officials tomorrow (Wed) to talk about improving public notification when a prisoner takes off.
Steffen wants something similar to the Amber or Silver alert system used for missing children and the elderly.
Two inmates escaped from a prison in Oshkosh in October and the public wasn't notified for 4 days.
The pair was eventully captured and returned to prison.
But one of them was on the loose for more than a month before he was caught.
Steffen says it's unaccceptable that there are no standards for the D-O-C to follow in escape incidents.
He says if the D-O-C balks and making changes on its own....he'll introduce legislation in Madison to make it law.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - If you think chest bumps among teammates are unsportsmanlike after a great play, think again.
High-fives and hand-taps are known in the business as "positive touches," and studies show that the workplace camaraderie often leads to more teamwork and more victories.
The Green Bay Packers' defensive players are just starting to get that lesson. Corners' position coach Joe Whitt Jr. says he's seen a positive difference in his unit the last few weeks.
Whitt tells the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he picked it up from an old friend, Georgia women's basketball coach Joni Taylor.
California-Berkeley has researched the topic. The Wall Street Journal later found that the NBA's Dallas Mavericks had twice as many positive teammate touches as Miami in the 2011 Finals, and Dallas won the series 4 games to 2.
Baseball has long shunned on-field emotion, although you're seeing more. Former Milwaukee Brewers' managers Ken Macha and Ron Roenicke sometimes expressed their displeasure for it.
(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Police in Oshkosh are looking for the public's help identifying a burglary suspect.
Police say the suspect stole a tablet from a place in the 100 block of Cimarron County on Tuesday, November 24.
If anyone has any information on the burglary or recognizes the suspect in the photo, you can call the Oshkosh Police Department at (920) 236-5700. If you wish to remain anonymous, contact the Winnebago County Wide Crime Stoppers at (920) 231-8477 or text IGOTYA and your crime tip to 274637 or go online at www.winnebagocrimestoppers.org. You could be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
WAUPACA COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - The public's help is being sought as Waupaca County sheriff's deputies investigate the sexual assault of a horse last weekend.
Authorities say the area where a pregnant mare was molested was on a property near Crain Road and County Highway T in the Town of Lebanon sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning. That's just north of New London.
According to the horse's owner, the animal was spooked and only called police a veterinarian examined the horse.
"One of his mares - that was actually pregnant - was actually bleeding from the back," Waupaca County Sheriff Brad Hardel told FOX 11. "After the vet did his examination, he said the owner should call us, because, obviously, there was some malicious vandalism."
The mare and her foal are expected to survive. Hardel says, unfortunately, this isn't the first time something like this has happened in Waupaca County.
"We have had some similar type incidents years ago, so, unfortunately, we've seen it before and obviously, our process here is to resolve this as quickly as possible. The last thing we want is someone out there that's doing this."
Investigators have spoken with a person of interest, but no one has been arrested.
Hardel says forensic evidence has been collected and sent to the state crime lab for analysis, just as would be done in a sexual assault case. But since animal DNA is also involved, that evidence had to be sent to a second lab for analysis.
In the meantime, Hardel asks the public to contact them if they have information at the county's non-emergency number, (715) 258-4466.
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Oshkosh police need your help locating a man with an outstanding warrant.
25-year-old Thomas Henry Lee Barfell is described as 5'8", 150 pounds with brown eyes and black hair.
Authorities say Barfell is wanted on a warrant and for questioning about a theft from City Center in downtown Oshkosh in September.
Barfell is believed to be in the Oshkosh area.
If you know of Barfell's whereabouts, call Detective Brett Robertson at (920) 236-57233 or the Oshkosh Police Department at (920) 236-5700. If you wish to remain anonymous, contact the Winnebago County Wide Crime Stoppers at (920) 231-8477 or text IGOTYA and your crime tip to 274637 or go online at www.winnebagocrimestoppers.org. You could be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
UNDATED (WTAQ) - The annual Army-Navy football game this year will feature a Northeast Wisconsin connection.
The running backs for Navy will be wearing helmets featuring littoral combat ships. Marinette Marine builds half of the LCS fleet.
The LCS helmet design is 1 of 7 special designs that will be worn by Navy players. Each design features a different vessel.
The 116th annual Army-Navy game will take place in Philadelphia on December 12.
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - The man convicted of murdering Kamewan Salzman outside of an Outagamie County bar is sentenced to life in prison.
Alejandro Silva learned his fate Tuesday after being convicted of first-degree intentional homicide.
Silva shot and killed Salzman outside a bar in the Town of Oneida in August, 2013.
KEWAUNEE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - Authorities in Kewaunee County seized five explosive items from a property Tuesday morning after executing a search warrant.
According to the Kewaunee County Sheriff's Department, the search warrant was executed at a property on Highway 54 in the Town of Ahnapee at 8:42 a.m.
The Kewaunee deputies were assisted by the Door County Sheriff's Department, Brown County Sheriff's Department and the Brown-Outagamie County Bomb squad.
The items were taken for further analysis by the bomb squad. The investigation is ongoing.
GREENVILLE, WI (WTAQ) - Company officials with Gulfstream confirmed Tuesday that they will be laying off workers.
However, it's unclear how that affects its facility in Greenville.
Gulfstream plans to slash 500 employees and 600 contractors nationwide. Officials say its part of an effort to cut costs and streamline its workforce.
Over 900 people work at the facility in Greenville, according to its website.
Company officials say they haven't broken down numbers yet for each specific location.
MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - The Wisconsin Supreme Court says "no".
Today, the high court refused to reconsider its decision to end the "John Doe" investigation into Republican Gov. Scott Walker's recall campaign.
The state Government Accountability Board and Milwaukee prosecutors started the investigation in 2012, focusing on whether Walker's campaign illegally coordinated with outside conservative groups on issue ads.
In a major victory for the governor, the Supreme Court ended the probe in July, ruling that such coordination was legal under state law.
That decision was followed closely by prosecutors filing an appeal and asking to re-open the investigation.
With today's decision, the only re-course for the prosecution would be a federal decision.
Read the full ruling here: http://www.wicourts.gov/sc/opinion/DisplayDocument.pdf?content=pdf&seqNo=156521
RHINELANDER, WI (WTAQ) - A Kaukauna man has been ordered to stand trial for the burglary of a house near Rhinelander where a girl had allegedly killed her mother and step-father.
38-year-old Mark Spietz waived a preliminary hearing Tuesday. He's scheduled to enter pleas December 28th in Oneida County to three burglary charges, and counts of theft and identity theft.
Spietz is accused of stealing numerous items from the house where 17-year-old Ashlee Martinson allegedly killed Jennifer and Thomas Ayres in March, and locked her three sisters in a bedroom.
The stolen items were later recovered, and Spietz was arrested in late October.
The murder case drew national publicity because Martinson wrote an unrelated blog with stories of mutilation and death.
Spietz is not related to the girl's family. He's no longer in jail, after a judge agreed to turn his $2,500 cash bond into a signature bond.
Martinson's case will be reviewed at a status conference December 11th. She has pleaded insanity.
(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - A federal grand jury has indicted an Appleton man on child pornography charges.
68-year-old Larry J. Turk used a computer to possess and distribute pornographic videos of children, some as young as 3-years-old, engaged in sexually explicit behavior with adults, according to prosecutors.
Turk faces up to 30 years in federal prison if convicted.
