ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) - The Village of Ashwaubenon has released a public notice detailing an upcoming neighborhood public open house meeting about the multi-million dollar Titletown District.

The Green Bay Packers organization has submitted an application to the village for a Planned Unit Development (PUD).

The Packers will have a "short presentation to describe the project, the uses proposed for the site, traffic and circulation elements and the initial conceptual design of the buildings and public spaces" on Thursday, January 21 at 6 p.m. at the Ashwaubenon High School Auditorium.

Team officials will then be available after the meeting to answer questions and talk to the public.

Back in August, the Packers unveiled plans for the 34 acres of landed, bordered by Lombardi, Ridge, Brookwood and Marlee Lane, to create a year-round district to attract visitors.

The plans included a large public plaza, featuring an ice skating rink in the winter, a high end Kohler hotel, a Bellin Health Center and Hinterland Brewery and restaurant. There are also plans for high-end townhomes.

According to the village, the Packers can build and develop those plans on the majority of the property. However, there are still small areas which need zoning changes.

The public review and approval of those zoning changes would take place in the weeks following the public open house,

• You can take a video tour of the Titletown District by clicking here.
• You can learn more about the Titletown District by clicking here.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - One of the members of the media interviewed for the now controversial "docu-series" "Making a Murderer" says he felt the producers had an agenda.

That Steven Avery was wrongfully convicted in the murder of Teresa Hallbach in 2005.

"I see it as someone who had a conclusion already in mind"

Mike Kinzel, longtime radio news director at WCUB in Manitowoc, and WHBL in Sheboygan, says a rape case against Avery, back in 1985, may have had an element of less than thorough police work.

Avery had a number of run-ins with police in Manitowoc County and investigators may not have looked at other suspects very closely.

"We're going to get this guy now and kind of put the blinders on"

He was released from prison in 2003 when DNA evidence proved his innocence.

Kinzel believes Avery, and Brendan Dassey, killed Hallbach.

But the flaws in the rape case made it easier for the movie producers to paint Steven Avery in a more sympathetic light.

If he had to do it again Kinzel says he would still do the interview with the producers, but would have done a better job expressing his belief the jury got it right in the Avery-Dassey murder trial.

• You can watch the full video interview with Mike Kinzel here

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Attorneys for former Brown County Sheriff's Deputy Kevin Vanden Heuvel want next week's trial delayed.

Vanden Heuvel is charged with 4 counts: two each of theft and misconduct in office. He's accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from the Brown County D.A.R.E. program.

Online court records show that a motion for adjournment was filed earlier this week.

Right now, Vanden Heuvel is due back in court for a final conference Monday. His trial is scheduled to begin Wednesday.

According to the criminal complaint, Vanden Heuvel and volunteer Early Fuller stole money from the D.A.R.E. parking program for 7 years. Officials say they would park cars, give out fake passes and pocket some of the cash.

Fuller is scheduled to stand trial on February 10.

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - A Winnebago County court commissioner has ordered Richard Klemz to undergo a competency exam after his lawyer says his client suffers from amnesia.

Klemz is the man who allegedly tried to kill an Oshkosh police officer and a Winnebago County sheriff's deputy last month outside the Algoma town hall.

On Thursday, the court commissioner ordered that psychiatric review for Klemz. He's facing 2 counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide and 4 other charges for the incident on December 10.

Winnebago County District Attorney Christian Gossett ruled that the two officers were justified in the shooting of Klemz.

Authorities say the incident began earlier that afternoon when Klemz threatened to harm himself and used a knife and hammer to damage property.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - Appleton police are looking for the public's help in tracking down an armed robbery suspect.

Officers were called to the 2000 block of N. Richmond Street, near the intersection with Glendale Avenue on the city's north side, according to the department's Facebook and Twitter pages.

The robbery took place at Cartridge World, 2011 N. Richmond St.

Police say the robber was described as a tall man, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, jeans and sunglasses.

Appleton police say anyone with information is asked to call them at (920) 832-5500.

UNDATED (WTAQ) - The White House has formally responded to several online petitions asking President Obama to pardon Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey for the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach.

More than 150,000 signatures have been submitted to the White House in the wake of the popular Netflix documentary "Making a Murderer."

The response, which you can read here, states the president cannot pardon state prisoners. The pardon, it reads, would need to be issued at the state level by appropriate authorities.

Earlier this week, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker told the media that he won't pardon Avery or Dassey.

"Just because a documentary on TV says something doesn't mean that's actually what the evidence shows," Walker said. "The bottom line is that there was a crime that was committed a decade ago. There is a system in the judicial system by which individuals can petition the courts to get relief like others have done in the past that shows that someone might actually be innocent. But I am not going to override a system that is already put in place."

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - The Oshkosh Police Department is investigating an indecent exposure incident that occurred on January 3, 2016 at about 4:45 PM.

A man went inside a business in the 300 block of N. Koeller St. and exposed

himself to a female employee before leaving on foot.

Oshkosh Police responded, but did not locate the suspect.

The male suspect was described as being black with a thin build; had dreadlock hair; was about 20 years of age; and was wearing jeans and a pullover sweatshirt.

Checkout the photo of the suspect.

If anyone recognizes the man in the photo, they are asked to contact the Oshkosh

Police Department at (920) 236-5700, reference complaint number 16-262.

Fond Du Lac, WI (WTAQ) - Fire damaged a restaurant in Fond du Lac this morning (FRI).

Firefighters say they were called to Rolling Meadows Restaurant, 947 S. Rolling Meadows Dr., just before 5:30 a.m.

Crews found the fire above the ceiling above the front entryway. They quickly put it out.

The fire department says it appears the fire started when neon lighting outside the building shorted out.

The fire department says restaurant will be closed while repairs are being made.

CHICAGO (WTAQ) - The state will tell a federal appeals court in Chicago Friday why it should be allowed to keep monitoring certain sex offenders for the rest of their lives.

The Justice Department is appealing a decision from Federal Judge William Griesbach, who says it's unconstitutional to make Michael Belleau of Green Bay wear an electronic monitoring bracelet.

A state law from 2006 requires child sex offenders to be monitored for life if they've served both prison time and civil commitments.

The 72-year-old Belleau says the bracelet is retroactive punishment, and an unreasonable search.

Belleau was convicted long before the lifetime monitoring law, but the state says it was in effect after his civil commitment ended in 2010.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - A meeting on Thursday between ThedaCare health system and Network Health Plan failed to achieve a new contract.

The Appleton-based ThedaCare announced plans late last year to stop taking part in Network Health, which is based in Menasha. Despite that, ThedaCare officials were hopeful that the contract between the two sides could be extended until the end of 2016.

According to a statement from ThedaCare Friday, Network Health officials were "non-committal" about extending the contract through the end of the year.

Here is the statement from ThedaCare:

"ThedaCare has had an offer on the table for more than a year to extend our contract with Network Health Plan. We urged Network Health Plan to meet earlier on this matter, but they requested a week’s delay. Throughout, we negotiated in good faith, desiring to extend within the existing terms of the contract.

Additionally, based on public and private comments Network Health Plan recently made about accepting ThedaCare’s offer, there was reason to believe we would be announcing an extension – or at the very least, a definitive no. Instead, the communities we serve are facing uncertainty.Unlike ThedaCare, which is locally owned and makes decisions locally, ownership of Network Health Plan has moved outside northeast Wisconsin, even as far as St. Louis. In this situation, Network Health Plan has granted contract extensions to three organizations, but not to other local employers and Medicare Advantage members. The reasons for this are puzzling.We are exploring options that will allow community members to keep the doctors they know and trust. We are working with other payers who meet our expectations for quality and service. As part of the fabric of the communities we serve, we are committed to being forthright and transparent with you throughout the negotiation process."

Network Health representatives had a different take, saying they're still in discussions with ThedaCare and are working to come to an agreement as quickly as possible.

"As one can imagine, a negotiation of this nature takes time, is not simple or to be taken lightly and because of that we don't want to cause unnecessary concern for our members before there is a final outcome to share," the statement read.

ThedaCare owns hospitals, clinics and other health facilities in the Fox Valley, including Appleton Medical Center and Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - Appleton police have released more information about a suspected armed robber who hit up a business on Thursday.

Police say a man showed a handgun while robbing Cartridge World, 2011 N. Richmond Street, around 2:30 p.m. He then ran off.

The robber is described as 6'3" to 6'4" with a medium build. He was wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and dark sunglasses. Authorities say the man's age and race could not be determined.

Investigators want to know whether this armed robbery is connected to other recent business robberies. Anyone with info is asked to call Sgt. Chue Thao at (920) 832-5953. Anonymous tips can also be left by text message with the keyword APDTIPS to 274637.

UNDATED (WTAQ) - If you thought "Making a Murderer" would be the final say on the 2005 murder case of Teresa Halbach -- that convicted Steven Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey -- think again.

Investigation Discovery's president says they're teaming up with NBC News to produce "Front Page - The Steven Avery Story".

Network officials say the ID special, hosted by Dateline correspondent Keith Morrison, aims “to provide viewers with critical details surrounding the case” and “inform viewers in light of the nearly 300,000 people calling for the release of Avery.”

In a statement:

“We are excited to share with viewers the latest in this compelling saga,” said Henry Schleiff, Group President, Investigation Discovery, American Heroes Channel and Destination America. “Following our investigation, we expect that FRONT PAGE: THE STEVEN AVERY STORY will present crucial testimony and information that addresses many of the questions surrounding Steven Avery.”

It comes in response to the 10-part Netflix docu-series that's gone viral.

It's slated to air later this month.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - Appleton officials are looking for the city's best poets to take part in the 2016 sidewalk poetry program.

Now in its third year, the program will add 5 additional poems to the poems from 2014 and 2015 that have been stamped in more than 40 sidewalks around the city.

“The Sidewalk Poetry Program has been a big success in its first two years, we’ve really been pleased with the response from the community,” Department of Public Works Director Paula Vandehey said in a statement. “We as a city are making an effort to bring more public art to our community in a variety of ways and this program is a great compliment to that effort."

Poems must be submitted by February 15 to this email address: paula.vandehey@appleton.org. Poems selected by the committee will be announced in mid-March and stamped in various locations throughout the city as crews replace sections of sidewalk throughout the summer.

It's open to any Appleton resident or student enrolled with the Appleton Area School District. The poem can be previously published, but must be an original work. The poem must be appropriate for the general public, fit within 10, 40-character lines and be no longer than 250 characters total.

Vandehey says she came up with the idea after attending a Public Works conference in Minneapolis back in 2013. There she learned of a St. Paul artist who created a sidewalk poetry program in that community and she decided to bring it to Appleton.

SHAWANO, WI (WTAQ) - Two men involved in a gunfight Monday in Shawano have been charged.

Tony Brunker is facing three counts, including a felony of first-degree recklessly endangering safety. Andrew Thomas is facing two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety.

Both men were due to make their initial court appearance Friday afternoon.

Police say the conflict began at a downtown bar, when Brunker and several people got into an exchange. Brunker's rear window of his pickup truck got broken out at that time.

Later that evening, Brunker drove past a home on Richmond Street, when he and Thomas shot at each other. Police say Thomas admitted to shooting first. 

No one was injured.

CLINTONVILLE, WI (WTAQ) - Clintonville police say an investigation into suspicious activity near two schools this week has a new twist.

Authorities say they got a call from a Rothschild man Friday morning. The man says he and his wife were watching the news and saw reports of a suspicious vehicle approaching children in Clintonville, asking for directions.

The man told police he and his wife got lost in that area and stopped to ask children for directions to Highway N. The vehicle description matched the man's vehicle and the children positively identified photos of the couple as the two who stopped and talked with them.

Police were also told by a Waupaca County Sheriff's deputy that he was approached by the same man at a local gas station just before noon Wednesday, asking for the same directions.

According to authorities, the second report of a person taking photos on 6th Street near the Rexford-Longfellow Elementary School playground Monday doesn't appear to be connected.

The investigation into that incident is ongoing.

UNDATED (WTAQ) - In the wake of the buzz surrounding Netflix's ten-part documentary series "Making a Murderer", the man thousands of viewers now believe is innocent has a new attorney.

According to a tweet, the law firm of Kathleen T. Zellner and Associates announced they will be assuming the full and complete representation of Steven Avery.

Zellner's firm will be aided by local Wisconsin counsel Tricia Bushnell, who's the legal director of the Midwest Innocence Project.

Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey were convicted in the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach.

According to the firm's online bio, Zellner claims she has righted more wrongful convictions than any other private attorney in America.

"The Zellner Law Firm is looking forward to adding Mr. Avery to its long list of wrongful conviction exonerations," Zellner said in a press release.

LANDOVER, MD (WTAQ) - This was the team Green Bay Packers fans had been missing for weeks, as Aaron Rodgers tosses two touchdown passes in the team's 35-18 win over the Washington Redskins in an NFC Wild Card game Sunday.

Smiles all around, but it didn't start that way. 

The scoring began with a sack of Rodgers in the end zone for a safety and then Washington marched 48 yards in 10 plays before Dustin Hopkins made it 5-0 after a 25 yard field goal. 

Redskins QB Kirk Cousins then hit tight end Jordan Reed for a 24 yard TD pass, making it 11-0 Washington.

But the Packers would never look back, as Rodgers threw scoring passes to receivers Davante Adams and Randall Cobb. Running backs Eddie Lacy and James Starks also scored touchdowns for the Packers.

The Green Bay defense sacked Cousins six times.

The Packers will now seek revenge against the NFC West Division Champion Arizona Cardinals next Saturday night. Back on December 27, the Cardinals pounded the Pack 38-8.

Get a full recap of the Packers win with Mark Daniels and Matt Z on the 5th Quarter, Monday at 5 p.m. exclusively on 1360/97.5 WTAQ News Talk Sports.

BLYTHVILLE, AR (WTAQ) - A Kenosha man suspected of abusing and kidnapping the mother of his children is being held in an Arkansas jail.

Jeremy Tyrone Shorter was arrested Friday night.

The woman Shorter is accused of abducting was found in Oshkosh. Her name hasn't been released. 

Surveillance video from her apartment shows Shorter forcing her out of her apartment and into a car.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

Grover, WI (WTAQ) - A tense situation in Marinette County ended peacefully after an armed standoff Sunday, according to police.

The Marinette County Sheriff's office says it was called to a home in the 4300-block of County Road W in Grover around 11:00 a.m. for a domestic incident.

"(The) female was pretty frantic over the situation and she requested immediate assistance," said Marinette County Sheriff's Deputy Fred Popp.

Popp says there were a number of other people inside the house, including small children. Eventually, a negotiator talked the armed man into surrendering to police at about 2:30 p.m.

"Several hostage negotiators were called in," said Popp. "The male was somewhat resistant - or uncooperative, initially - with talking with the specific negotiator. A few attempts were made by different agencies, different officers. Eventually, they were able to successfully have a resolution with the gentleman, surrendering himself to us."

"He was armed. He was armed with - initial, preliminary information, he had several firearms with him and after further interviews, we found that he had approximately at least five firearms that were loaded."

Popp says no one was injured. Multiple agencies assisted in the standoff, including Brown County.

Green Bay, WI (WTAQ) - All of Wisconsin dropped below zero this (Monday) morning, as the Badger State endures its first cold spell of the winter.

Breezes of up to 15-miles-an-hour dropped Northeast Wisconsin wind-chills to minus-20 to 30 degrees. Wisconsin Emergency Management's Tod Pritchard says there's some basic rules to follow to stay safe if you have to be outside.

Pritchard says "cover as much of your skin as possible and limit your time outdoors"

Frostbite can set in within half an hour on unprotected skin.  A survival kit with extra blankets and hand warmers needs to be in your car as well.

And don't try and heat your home with untraditional items or outdoor sources.

"we're talking things like propane heaters, gas and charcoal grills" 

Pritchard says that's a fire and carbon monoxide hazard.   Gas coming from heaters and grills can be deadly and sneak up on you without you even noticing. 

Ice fishing enthusiasts need to be cautious in the next couple of days as well.  It will take several more days of extreme cold to make the ice thick enough to safely venture out.  Pritchard says it's best to check with the DNR or local experts to get the most accurate conditions.

The National Weather Service says another blast of Arctic air is due in tonight, and wind chills could be a problem into Wednesday.