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UPDATE: Fire in Menominee destroys apartment complex

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MENOMINEE, MI (WTAQ) - Officials say two people are injured and ten are displaced after an apartment complex is destroyed in Menominee, Michigan Tuesday night.

Sheriff's in Meonominee County says the call went out around 9:30 p.m.

Menominee Fire Chief Mark Petersen says the scene was cleared shortly after 4 a.m. Wednesday, but crews have been out to the scene several times dealing with hotspots.

Petersen didn't have a damage estimate and wouldn't say the Rio Vista apartment complex is a total loss, but says about 75 percent of it was damaged in the fire.

Two people who lived at the complex were injured in the fire; one with burns and smoke inhalation, the other with just smoke inhalation.

Petersen says the Red Cross is assisting those displaced by the fire.

Petersen says the cause of the fire is under investigation; the Michigan State Patrol Fire Investigator is en route, but Petersen does not know when investigators will arrive.


Town of Rockland house fire

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ROCKLAND, WI (WTAQ) - No injuries reported after crews responded to a house fire in southern Brown County Tuesday night.

The call goes out to the home on County Highway ZZ in the Town of Rockland.

The sheriff's department said the fire started in a chimney, and then spread into the house. Firefighters called several water tankers and a bulldozer to the scene.    

No word yet on what may have caused the blaze.

Oshkosh drug investigation leads to three arrests

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OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Oshkosh police say three men are charged in what area law enforcement is calling the biggest one day drug bust in the city.

Authorities say two weeks ago today, three men were arrested as part of a four-month long investigation which focused on heroin.

During a news conference Wednesday morning, local law enforcement officials and the Winnebago County district attorney announced the arrests of 36-year-old Ubadlo Adame, 46-year-old Fernando Sandoval and 45-year-old Rodolfo Reyes-Olivas.

The three men are charged with a variety of drug offenses.

In addition to the arrests, police say $128,000 worth of heroin, cocaine, marijuana and other drugs were seized during the investigation. Police also confiscated more than $37,000 in cash and six vehicles.

Neenah police warn about suspicious man approaching kids

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NEENAH, WI (WTAQ) - Police in Neenah are sending a warning out to the community about a suspicious person who they say approached kids playing outside Tuesday afternoon.

Police say the incident took place in the 700 block of Henry Street around 5 p.m. Officers say a man drove up to two girls, ages 5 and 9, who were playing outside their home. The man asked the girls where they lived and then gave each of them money to "buy themselves something nice," according to police. The girls were not hurt.

The truck was described as a larger white pickup. The man was described as a white man, clean shaven with short brown hair.

Anyone with information is asked to call Neenah police at (920) 886-6000.

Bullying allegation in Kaukauna goes viral on social media

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KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ) - We're expected to learn more Wednesday afternoon about a bullying complaint in the Kaukauna School District that has gone viral.

Matthew Bent of Kaukauna posted on his Facebook page Tuesday night his concern about his son being bullied all year at River View Middle School.

The Kaukauna School District has called a news conference this afternoon to address a complaint about bullying at one of its schools. The post has been shared more than 135,000 times.

According to his Facebook post, Bent says his son was physically assaulted by a fellow student on Monday. Bent says the same student has been bullying his son throughout the school year.

Bent also says he's upset the school district and the Kaukauna Police Department aren't doing enough to stop it. In his post, Bent says he spoke with the school police liaison officer Tuesday. Bent claims the officer said there was nothing that could be done.

At a news conference Wednesday afternoon, school district Superintendent Mark Duerwaechter said that's not true.

"I want to be clear, Kaukauna Area School District does not protect bullies,” Duerwaechter said according to FOX 11.

Duerwaechter says the school began an investigation as soon as the alleged incident was brought to the district Tuesday morning. Duerwaechter says the school and the police department interviewed 11 students and a teacher about the alleged bullying. Duerwaechter says the incident took place in a classroom with a teacher present, but Duerwaechter says it allegedly happened when the teacher was not looking.

"There was no criminal action and therefore no legal action that is going to be taken,” said Duerwaechter.

Duerwaechter says the investigation is still ongoing and it is possible school conduct codes could have been broken. Duerwaechter would not say if the alleged bully has been removed from the school.

"We are committed to providing a safe and enjoyable place to work and to learn,” said Duerwaechter.

Bent on his Facebook page Wednesday afternoon posted a statement, saying in part: "I wanted to make sure my son always knows that I am right there behind him and always will be, and to send a message to the school that bullying at every school in the world needs to end now! Hundreds of thousands have spoken loud and clear that bullying has to stop!"

Duerwaechter says he expects the district's investigation to wrap up in the coming days. 

He says he has made several attempts to reach out to Bent and the student's mother to set up a meeting to discuss their concerns. Duerwaechter says Bent has yet to return his calls.

Homicide charges filed against Travis Petersen

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WAUTOMA, WI (WTAQ) - Formal charges have been filed against a Wautoma man for murder.

Appearing in court Wednesday, 42-year-old Travis Petersen is facing one count of first-degree intentional homicide in the death of 50-year-old Robert Kasun.

Petersen had his bond set at $250,000 cash.

Kasun's body was found in a room at the Mt. Morris Motel on March 6.

Petersen told investigators he and Kasun had been drinking together the afternoon of Kasun's death, but he claims left because he got a phone call.

According to the criminal complaint, other motel residents heard a possible argument coming from Kasun's room.

Petersen is scheduled to return to court a week from Friday.

Motorcyclist injured in hit-and-run crash on Hwy. 41

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MENASHA, WI (WTAQ) - Winnebago County Sheriff's say a motorcyclist was injured in a hit-and-run crash on Highway 41 Wednesday.

Authorities say it happened around 4:45 p.m. just south of Prospect Avenue in the town of Menasha.

Officials say the southbound motorcyclist was hit by a car changing lanes. The man suffered minor cuts and scrapes to his hands and arms.

Deputies later found the driver, a 48-year-old Neenah man. They gave him tickets for hit and run causing injury, unsafe lane deviation, unreasonable speed and failure to stop for stop lights.

The driver's 27-year-old son was also arrested on four outstanding warrants.

No names were released.

Man arrested in Shawano drug bust

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SHAWANO, WI (WTAQ) - Sheriff's officials in Shawano County say a man is behind bars for allegedly selling drugs.

The 39-year-old man delivered what are believed to be synthetic drugs, cocaine, and heroin on a number occasions.

Officials searched the suspect's home. They say they found items associated with the possession, sale and delivery of the drugs. 

The man is in the Shawano County jail, charges haven't been filed yet.


Appleton police arrest Ryan Horton on sex, drug charges

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APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - Police in Appleton have arrested a man suspected of sex and drug crimes.

Officials say Ryan J. Horton was arrested in the 800 block of West Northland Avenue Wednesday just before 4 p.m.

Police say the 27-year-old was arriving for what he thought would be a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old girl. That "girl" turned out to be a detective who had chatted with Horton online.

Further investigation led officers to search a home in the 1600 block of W. Evergreen Dr. They took electronic devices inside the home and also found a marijuana growing operation.

Half-million dollar bond set for cold case murder suspect

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OCONTO, WI (WTAQ) - Bond has been set for a man charged in the 1998 homicide of 19-year-old Chad McLean.

52-year-old Peter Hanson is suspected of allegedly fatally shooting McLean in Februray 1998 near Abrams. McLean's body was found on March 22, 1998 in the Pensaukee River.

Hanson is being held on a $500,000 cash bond.

After 15 years, authorities announced on Friday that they believe Hanson was involved in McLean's death. Hanson appeared in court Thursday. 

Hanson also had a court appearance on child pornography and drug charges stemming from a November arrest. 

His defense attorney on those two cases, John Wallace, told FOX 11 Wednesday he is unsure if he will be representing Hanson on the charge of first-degree intentional homicide.

Hanson is due back in court for a preliminary hearing in the homicide case April 24.

Death of Monica Batts ruled accidental

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CHILTON, WI (WTAQ) - Officials in Calumet County say an 18-year-old woman was drunk when she frozen to death outside a home last month.

The body of Monica Batts was found outside a home on Highway X, just east of New Holstein on February 15.

Investigators say the Fox Valley Technical College student had been lying there for at least six hours before her body was discovered. Sheriff’s officials say she left a New Holstein home around 4 a.m.

On her way home, she walked across a snow-covered field and went over a snow fence in the backyard where her body was found. She apparently tried to get into the house but could not.

In the days after Batts’ death, an autopsy was performed on her body. Medical examiner Michael Klaeser determined last month that she died from hypothermia due to exposure to the cold.

After receiving toxicology results, Klaeser said Thursday that Batts had an elevated blood-alcohol level when she died. Klaeser says that led to her confusion and possible loss of direction.

No other drugs were found in her system. The death has been ruled an accident.

Wisconsin Public Service seeks rate increase for 2014

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Utility customers of Green Bay-based Wisconsin Public Service could see their rates for electric and natural gas jump in 2014.

WPS is seeking to raise electric rates 7.4 percent and natural gas rates 5.6 percent.

Spokesperson Kerry Spees says its electric rates have been relatively flat for several years and gas distribution rates have fallen.

WPS says it wants to raise rates for several reasons:

  • Completion of a one-time fuel refund to customers which had the effect of keeping rates flat in 2013
  • The purchase and operation of the gas-fired combined cycle Fox Energy Center generating units
  • Installation of environmental controls at the Columbia Power Plant near Portage (WPS is a co-owner of the plant)
  • Increased transmission costs
  • Improving electric reliability by converting company distribution lines with lower performance history from overhead to underground
  • General inflation

The company also says the hikes are not as high as they could be because of lower costs stemming from the ending of purchase contracts with Dominion and Fox Energy Center; a refund to customers from the company's electric decoupling plan; and lower employee benefit costs.

If approved, the new rates would increase electric bills about $5.78 per month for customers using about 600 kilowatt-hours per month. The new rates would increase natural gas bills about $3.64 per month for customers using about 800 therms per month.

The state Public Service Commission has final say over WPS's request.

Kaukauna police: No charges in alleged bullying incident

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KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ) - Kaukauna police say that a middle school student was involved in horseplay, and there will be no charges in the alleged bullying incident.

Police Chief John Manion told the media Friday that officers have looked into the situation at River View Middle School Monday and determined nothing criminal took place. Manion says it appears students were wrestling after a gymnastics lesson.

That incident led to Matthew Bent's son getting hurt. 

It also spurred worldwide attention on the city, its school and the bullying issue after Bent posted a photo on Facebook with a message that his son had been bullied. The photo went "viral", and has been shared or forwared over 400,000 times since it was posted Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Kaukauna Area School District is still conducting an investigation into whether any school policies were violated.

Superintendent Mark Duerwaechter has stressed the district reacted immediately when Bent brought the issue to the attention of the school and the district Tuesday morning.

Duerwaechter told FOX 11 the school takes every allegation of bullying very seriously and says the district has a number of different initiatives in place to deal with bullying in its schools.

5 Green Bay teens arrested in Bellevue burglary

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BELLEVUE, WI (WTAQ) - Authorities in Brown County say five teens have been arrested for burglarizing a Bellevue home Monday night.

It happened in the 2500 block of Hillside Heights Drive, where money and jewelry were stolen.

The homeowner was running errands, but when he returned, he found the five teens inside the house. Investigators say one of the suspects dropped a cell phone when the group ran out of the house. It helped officials track down the teens. 

Sheriff's officials say all of the suspects are male residents of Green Bay. Two are 17 years old,  and the other three are 15 years old. The sheriff's department is recommending burglary charges.

Investigators are checking to see if this incident is connected to other area burglaries.

Appleton's Olde Oneida Street bridge reopens

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APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - A bridge in Appleton is back open for people to enjoy this spring, after about a year of work.

On Friday the Olde Oneida Street bridge reopened.

It relieves at least one headache for some area people.

“We have been waiting and waiting, and you know…having to just go in a different direction all the time, you know you've almost gotten used to it. But we want it open,” Barb Wing of Appleton tells FOX 11.

Construction on the bridge started last April.


Fishing enthusiasts try catching walleye in De Pere

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DE PERE, WI (WTAQ) - It's a sure sign that spring has arrived in De Pere: the walleye are running on the Fox River.

Folks were eager to get fishing on Friday, no matter if it was by boat or from the shore.

"The itch was there. It’s a big rite of spring. It's awesome for the city of De Pere and Green Bay. There are people from all over the nation that come here,” fishing guide Cameron Lewis told FOX 11.

Lewis says he came up from West Bend.

"As the water temperature warms up, you'll start to see more and more of those fish being caught,” said Rob Korth.

He runs the Swamp Donkey Bait and Tackle out of this trailer in the Dairy Queen parking lot.

“The basics for spring walleye run: plastics, gulp, jigs, hooks, crank, baits, and the live bait minnows,” said Korth.

The shop is mere yards away from the Fox Point Launch. While business has been good, Korth says it didn't start as early as last year.

“This is more of a normal year. Last year we had record high temperatures,” said Korth.

No matter what the anglers used to lure them, folks on the shore say the walleye were biting.

“We've been here for half an hour and we already caught one,” said Chris Rammer of Sheboygan Falls.

Even if it was tough to spot them through the muck.

"The water's pretty dirty. It's hard to see them in there. As soon as the bait hits the water it's pretty much gone,” said Rammer.

Before you head out on the water and start to fish, you might want to check your wallet. Fishing licenses in the state of Wisconsin expire on Sunday.

With warmer temperatures expected this coming week, anglers say more of the larger female walleye will make their way from the bay of Green Bay and into the river.

That will make for even better fishing conditions.

Allouez house fire kills 2 dogs, injures firefighter

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ALLOUEZ, WI (WTAQ) - A house fire in Allouez leaves no people hurt, but two dogs have died from the blaze.

The call goes out just before 7 p.m. Friday to the home in the 900 block of Derby Lane.

Fire crews say the owner walked into the house to find it on fire. There was damage to both the first and second floors. 

One firefighter was hurt, but it's not known how badly.

Officials say they don't know yet what caused the blaze, but damage is estimated to be $75,000.

Shippers concerned about falling water levels on Great Lakes

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Shippers report Great Lakes water levels are so low they are being forced to leave a significant portion of their loads behind, in some cases up to 15 percent.

Lakes Michigan and Huron are more than 2 feet below their average levels, while Lake Superior about 13 inches down.

Those figures come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The lakes are expected to rise between two and four inches in the next month, but that may not be enough.

Shippers have been meeting in Green Bay to discuss the problem and look for solutions.

Shipping less means the cost of transporting goods goes up. That expense is passed on to consumers.

One dead, five injured in Waushara County rollover crash

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TOWN OF COLOMA, WI (WTAQ) - A rollover crash in Waushara County Saturday leaves one person dead.

Authorities say it happened on Interstate 39 just south of State Road 21 in the Township of Coloma.

Officials say an SUV rolled over and six people inside were ejected. One person died at the scene, while the other five were severely injured. Three of the patients were airlifted to area hospitals, while the other two were transported by Waushara County EMS.

According to authorities, alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash.

The southbound lanes of I-39 were closed to traffic until just after 10:30 a.m. when one lane reopened. The other lane reopened at approximately 12:40 p.m.

The Waushara County Sheriff's Department is still investigating the crash, and names of the victims are not being released at this time.

Authorities warn of unsafe ice on area lakes

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OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Warmer weather in the past few days may be a welcome event for most Wisconsinites, but some aren't too happy.

Take drivers who plunged through ice on lakes across Northeast Wisconsin.

Don Herman from the Otter Street Fishing Club and Sunk Dive and Ice Service tells FOX 11 someone fell through the ice on Lake Winnebago near Oshkosh.

Herman said the driver went through the ice while coming back to shore from fishing. The driver wasn't injured, and Herman was able to pull the truck out of the water.

Meanwhile, Door County officials say a 59-year-old Sturgeon Bay man went through the ice on his snowmobile.

It happened just before 6:45 p.m. Friday between the Maple-Oregon Street Bridge and the Bayview Bridge in Sturgeon Bay.

Police say the man was traveling toward the city's downtown when he turned around and the back of his snowmobile went through the ice.

The man said he was in the water for 1 to 3 minutes up to his neck but was able to pull himself out. He was not injured.

Authorities said they suspected he had been drinking, and tell FOX 11 the man then admitted he was drinking. Officials say initial tests showed he was over the legal limit. He was arrested for operating while intoxicated.

Officials are urging everyone to use caution on the ice and venture out at their own risk.

The Door County Sheriff's Department said conditions have deteriorated with the warm weather and the predicted rain will only make them worse.

They said anyone going out on the ice shouldn't go alone, carry a cell phone, have proper clothing and equipment and be aware of current ice conditions and weather.

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