BRILLION, WI (WTAQ) - Ariens Company President and CEO Dan Ariens is speaking out regarding the controversy over an employee break policy which led to a group of Muslim workers saying it will force them to quit.

Last week, 53 Muslim employees told the media that the "new" prayer-on-the-job policy will force them to leave.  

"This is a break policy we've had in place, the employees voted on it themselves back in the mid-80s," said Ariens on Monday. "So we're adhering to a policy we've had for years."

Ariens says they spoke with the Somalian group last week after other workers were tired of them walking off in the middle of a shift to go pray. The response was fairly negative.

"It was not an eruptive kind of meeting, it was a lot of questions and why are you doing this now," said Ariens. "This seems to have worked for us and why can't it work for you? And I explained that we're going to start the most disciplined adherence to the policy on January 25."

Ariens explained that leadership on the plant floor tried to accommodate and work around the daily prayer issue over the summer, but that other employees spoke up saying that it wasn't fair to the general workforce.

"Many of them (Muslim workers) left and went home after the meeting," said Ariens. "We started to have discussions on Friday and what they did was call WBAY-TV and we started a news cycle, instead of just dealing with this internally."

So far, Ariens says, just 10 workers have come back to them and said they were willing to work with the policy. The rest remain unknown what their future holds, but Ariens says he would like them to stay with the company.

SOCIAL MEDIA REACTION

Since the story first made its rounds on the Internet, Ariens says the response has been overwhelming.

"Well into 90 percent, people saying this is reasonable, this is a work environment, you're not a place of worship you're a place of work," says Ariens. "I'm a little disappointed in the anti-Muslim rhetoric. These are good people that work for us, we'd still like them to come back and work for us under the policy."

Ariens reiterates that it's not about religion, it's about productivity.

"You just can't have a team member walk off an assembly line to go pray, while the other 7, 8 or 9 people are there trying to pick up the slack," said Ariens. "It's very logical for most of us, it's a pretty easy conclusion."

The Council on American-Islamic Relations has contacted Ariens about this issue, hoping that they will change their mind about the policy. 

Ariens says that this is an issue he wants to handle within the walls of the Brillion-based company, not in the court of public opinion.

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Green Bay, WI (WTAQ) - One of the area's most loved community events is facing a bit of a public relations challenge.

Some Allouez residents raised a beef after the 2015 Bellin Run, when they were unable to leave their neighborhood because roads were closed for the race. The flash point is the neighborhood between Webster Avenue and East River Drive. The major roadways are blocked as thousands take over the streets.

Village officials first promised in June, then again in September, to look over the issue. The Village Board is set to take up the subject at its meeting tonight. It's uncertain at this point whether it will take specific action, or just discuss possible solutions.

The Bellin Run has been taking runners, joggers and walkers on a 6.2 mile course through Allouez for 39 years. Participation has grown from a little over 700 in 1977 to 16,500 in 2015.

This year's Bellin Run is scheduled for June 11th.

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UNDATED (WTAQ) - The Netflix documentary on Steven Avery's murder conviction has raised a host of new criticisms and defenses over the way his case was handled.

Now, a juror from a separate trial which convicted Avery's nephew of the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach says that case should be re-tried.

Robert Covington of Madison tells WKOW-TV that he and another juror raised questions during jury deliberations about Brendan Dassey's mental state -- but the other jurors dismissed the concern, saying it was not what they supposed to rule on.

Covington said he knew "something was wrong" with Dassey in the way he expressed himself during his trial.

Both Dassey and Avery are in prison, and another law firm has recently started seeking a second appeal in Avery's case.

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(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay Packers' coach Mike McCarthy vows not to give up the play calling on offense again, saying his decision to do so until mid-December hurt the weekly game preparations on offense.

McCarthy held his 10th annual season-ending news conference Monday, reflecting on the ups and downs of an 11-7 year which ended with Saturday night's divisional playoff loss at Arizona.

Among other things, the coach admitted that running back Eddie Lacy must get more serious about losing weight this offseason.

Not enough adjustments were made to account for injuries which came during the year. And the weaknesses of receiver Davante Adams and tight end Richard Rodgers allowed defenses to consistently plug up the middle and hurt the Packer running game.

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(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Packers' coach Mike McCarthy says his goal for Clay Matthews is to move him back to his original outside linebacker spot full-time.

The Pro Bowler moved inside in 2014 to plug up holes in the Green Bay run defense. But that reduced his sack opportunities except for about 10 snaps a game when he was outside as part of the Packers' 6-defensive back dime package.

McCarthy told reporters at his season ending news conference that Matthews' moving inside shows the type of teammate he is.

McCarthy also says Aaron Rodgers did a great job handling his most adversity since his first season as Green Bay's Number 1 quarterback in 2008.

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(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - An Appleton man was sentenced to five years in prison for selling what police called a particularly potent batch of heroin.

22-year-old Dewayne Farris was also put on 5 years extended supervision Tuesday after being convicted of second-degree recklessly endangering safety.

According to online court records, Outagamie County Judge Vincent Biskupic also put Farris on probation for 4 years.

The heroin sold by Farris is believed to be connected to at least 6 overdoses, according to investigators. However, no deaths have been reported.

MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - A bill allowing extra liquor licenses to accommodate the Green Bay Packers' Titletown District has cleared the state Assembly.

The bipartisan bill was approved Tuesday on a voice vote. Wisconsin State Rep. David Steffen (R-Howard) says he expects the bill to pass the Senate, but the upper house would have to move quickly on the measure before finishing work for the year in March.

“This legislation will benefit not only the Packers, but other development projects throughout the state. Currently, municipalities without licenses are missing out on business opportunities because they cannot offer potential tenants the necessary licensing. This bill changes that. Municipalities that once had to turn away potential developments due to lack of licenses, will now be open for business again; that is great news for the entire state of Wisconsin,” Rep. Steffen said in a statement. 

The legislation allows neighboring communities to Ashwaubenon to sell up to 3 unused liquor licenses to the village, even though they are at the limit for liquor licenses.

Governor Scott Walker, who indicated he supports the measure last month, says Lambeau Field one of Wisconsin's top tourist destinations and he's interested in helping the area expand more.

Last August, team officials rolled out plans for 34 acres of land west of Lambeau Field.

An open house regarding the Planned Unit Development is set for Thursday.

• 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) - An engineering firm has been hired by the City of Green Bay to design the new Colburn Park pool.

According to Mayor Jim Schmitt's office, the contract with GRAEF was approved on Monday night.

Parks Department Design and Development Superintendent Dan Ditscheit says that design work will continue through 2016, with the hope of starting construction after the swimming season ends.

The Friends of Colburn Pool have raised $1 million for the project, triggering a $3.5 million commitment from the city for the Olympic-sized pool. 

However, it's unclear what the final price for the project will be. If it crosses the $4.5 million mark, there's no indication where the extra money will come from or if the project's scope would be reduced.

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The U.S. Coast Guard says they will start breaking up ice on the Bay of Green Bay Thursday.

Coast Guard officials say the ice-breaking will likely take place in areas which are popular with recreation enthusiasts. They include the Fox River, Green Bay & Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal and other areas.

If you plan to head out onto the ice, you're asked to keep away from shipping channels and charted Lake Carriers Association track lines.

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - The Oshkosh Area School District's Board of Education has approved asking voters for additional spending in April.

On Monday, school board members approved an April 5th referendum asking for $4 million per year for 7 years, above current spending caps.

Officials say the money would pay for district operation and maintenance costs.

Residents approved a similar referendum in 2014, worth an additional $3.95 million for 7 years.

NEW HOLSTEIN, WI (WTAQ) - Police in New Holstein are looking for the driver who struck a utility pole and drove off.

Authorities say it happened in the 2400 block of Wisconsin Avenue at 1:05 a.m. on January 10.

A vehicle driving east on Wisconsin Avenue spun out in the snow and hit a utility pole that disconnected power to a home.

The suspect's vehicle is described as a white SUV and would have front-end damage to the vehicle.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to call the New Holstein Police Department at (920) 898-4241.

KIMBERLY, WI (WTAQ) - Authorities spent Tuesday afternoon investigating a dispute which sent two men to the hospital in Kimberly.

Fox Valley Metro Police say they were called to a fight in progress around 2 p.m. Tuesday at 218 Eugene Court.

Officers found a 19-year-old man with minor injuries and took him into custody. The second man, who's in his 30's, was located at a nearby residence with multiple stab wounds. According to a media release, that victim is undergoing surgery and his condition is unknown.

Police found a knife at the scene.

Investigators say the altercation happened between the resident of the duplex and a person he knew. What led up to the fight is still unknown and the investigation is ongoing.

Authorities say they're not searching for any other suspects in the case and there is no threat to the neighborhood or public.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Fox Valley Metro Police Department at (920) 788-7505.

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TOWN OF RUSHFORD, WI (WTAQ) - The search continued Tuesday for a 39-year-old man who went missing last week on the Fox River near Omro. 

The Winnebago County Sheriff's Department says while there's nothing new to report regarding the search, Lt. Tim Eichman is talking about the difficulties they've had trying to locate this man in the area they believe he might be.

"With the cold in the preceding days, obviously it takes its toll on the personnel," said Lt. Eichman. "The extreme cold is passing the operational limits of our gear, which prevented us from putting more divers in."

Eichman says they're getting help from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Winnebago County Dive/Rescue team and the Omro-Rushford Fire Department.

Eichman explains how they've tried to manage the extremely cold temperatures since the man disappeared.

"We've rotated our personnel in and out so we don't succumb to cold injuries," said Lt. Eichman. "We've also attempted to utilize the warming shelters provided by the fire department to warm up our dive equipment."

The unidentified Omro man was last seen on the night of Friday, January 15. Authorities believe he was with a group of people staying at a cabin along the Fox River. The man is believed to have let a dog outside, and that he followed the dog out to open water.

Eichman says they continue to center their search near Delhi Road in the Town of Rushford.

"As long as we have a good search area and equipment that we can still utilize, that we think is going to be beneficial to the search, we will continue," said Lt. Eichman, adding that the final call is with the sheriff on whether to end the search. 

Eichman says that the experience of this search is also causing them to re-evaluate their equipment, which he says was purchased with cold weather in mind.

"This operation is unusual just the extreme temperatures," said Lt. Eichman. "But, obviously, with the issues we've run into, upgrading or different gear options is something that we're looking at in the future."

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Green Bay, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay Police are investigating an overnight armed robbery.

It happened around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Grand Central Station on the corner of West Mason Street and Packerland Drive.

Police say the suspect is believed to be a male with light skin tone, about 6 feet tall and 170 pounds.

The suspect was wearing a dark colored jacket, stocking hat and blues jeans.

Police say a handgun was shown. The suspect did get away with some money.

Call Green Bay Police at (920) 448-3208 if you have any information.

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Green Bay, WI (WTAQ) - Governor Scott Walker is visiting three Wisconsin technical colleges today (Wednesday), to highlight points he made in his State-of-the-State address last night.

But the Governor also made a little news today as well, giving hints about his political plans for 2018. During an appearance on WTAQ's Jerry Bader Show this morning.....Walker spoke about the need to set-up the state for long-term success, while also talking about his own political future and a possible 3rd term in 2018.

"Even if the voters decide to send me back for four more year....that's still seven years out. We need to be thinking about what the state is going to look like in 20 years"

The Governor says he'll wait to make any official decision until after the elections in November.

As Walker mentioned in his speech, he's been traveling the state doing listening sessions with a variety of people from different backgrounds. Getting a sense from them what are the important issues Wisconsin is facing, both short and long-term. "Part of doing that is creating some shared values, and we really think the listening sessions are an important way to do that. But I love being Governor"

The governor's speech highlighted Wisconsin's lowest unemployment rate since March of 2001. He also included a promise to help find a job for anybody in Wisconsin who wants one -- investing in education and worker training programs.

Governor Walker's travels today include appearances at tech schools in La Crosse, Wausau and Green Bay.

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TWO RIVERS, WI (WTAQ) - The search is on for a man after a young girl in Two Rivers said he tried to lure her into his vehicle with the promise of candy.

Police say an 11-year-old girl got off the school bus at the intersection of School Street and Monroe Street around 3 p.m. Tuesday.

As the bus drove off, the girl said a vehicle rolled up to her. The girl said the driver told her to get inside and that he had candy, which they could go to the park and eat it.

The girl described the driver as a white man in his 50's with a short white beard and wrinkles. She also said he had moles or scabs on his hands and face. He was wearing a black jacket with a hood.

The vehicle was described as a four-door white or grey vehicle, possibly a year 2000 model, with silver rims and rust around the wheel wells. The girl also said the interior had black seats and was dirty and full of trash.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Two Rivers Police Department at (920) 686-7200.

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TOWN OF RUSHFORD, WI (WTAQ) — Authorities have released the names and photos of the man and dog missing near the Fox River in Winnebago County.

39-year old William E. Koepke, of Greenfield, and his Belgian Tervuren dog, Drako, have been missing since Friday.

Koepke was staying at a cabin in the Town of Rushford, just west of Omro, when he went to look for Drako.

The state Department of Natural Resources has been helping in the search.

Wardens used a submersible with sonar to search the bottom of the Fox River in recent days while it was too cold for divers.

Sheriff's officals say the search is expected to resume Wednesday.

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A response has been filed by the federal government to a lawsuit involving the Menominee Indian Tribe and a raid of their industrial hemp growing operation.

Authorities raided the hemp grow back in October, confiscating 30,000 plants.

The Menominee tribe filed a lawsuit in federal court against the U.S. Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Agency a few weeks later. In it, they claim to have permission under the 2014 Farm Bill to grow the plants.

According to documents filed in federal court this week, government officials say the court should dismiss the case due to a number of procedural issues. They also suggest the tribe failed to get the permits required under the Controlled Substances Act to grow hemp for industrial use.

The tribe has yet to respond to the federal government's brief. 

No hearings in the case have been scheduled.

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GRAND CHUTE, WI (WTAQ) - After abruptly closing last month, a family fun center in the Fox Valley is back open.

Back on December 30, Funset Boulevard at 3916 W. College Avenue closed in the wake of a major winter storm.

Officials with parent company Marcus Theatres say Funset re-opened after passing an inspection Monday.

In a statement:

"A temporary wall was put in place to reinforce the building structure and secure it from the elements. As permanent repairs are undertaken, the attractions and amenities at Funset Boulevard will be fully accessible with the exception of a train ride and restrooms on the west side of the building. Those areas will reopen in the next several weeks."

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A warning is being sent out after someone used a movie prop $100 bill to buy food at a Green Bay business.

Green Bay police and the Wisconsin Department of Justice say the fake Benjamin Franklin was used at a west side business on Saturday.

The term "For Motion Picture Use Only" is written on the top of the bill.

In addition, officials say a pen used to detect counterfeit money would clearly show that the bill is fake.

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