OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Are you interested in flying a plane for the Wisconsin State Patrol??

At EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, the State Patrol is looking to recruit pilots to staff their air support unit.

State Patrol pilot John Vernon says they're losing some current pilots to retirement, and EAA could provide a potential pilot pool.

"We encourage people to come to us with their private pilot license, that's one of things we look for. And then after that we have in-house training to further their education"

Vernon has been a State Patrol pilot for several years...

"It's a different job every single day and you get to be involved and you get to help people"

Three planes, based in Madison, Eau Claire, and Green Bay, and five pilots make up the air support unit.

Pilots monitor many different situations including traffic from above.

If you're interested in joining the flying force, the State Patrol will be at EAA all week.

FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ) - Officials are on the scene of a plane crash in Fond du Lac.

Authorities say they were called to the Fond du Lac County Airport around 8:20 a.m.

A caller from a nearby business saw a plane coming in low and thought it would hit some trees. The plane then turned and hit the ground, the caller told dispatchers.

The crash happened in a field in the northwest corner of the airport, just west of the north-south runway.

Two men who officials estimated were in their 60s were on board the single-engine two-seater. They were flown to ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah. A hospital spokesperson says both people are in critical condition.

The victims have not been identified. It's unknown whether the men were attending EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh.

The Federal Aviation Administration is on scene investigating.

UNDATED (WTAQ) - The man prominently featured in the Netflix series Making A Murderer is blaming his former attorneys for his murder conviction.

In a letter dated July 18 sent to In Touch Weekly, Steven Avery slams his former defense team of Dean Strang and Jerome Buting.

"Dean and Jerome are Bad Attorneys," Avery writes. "They don’t now what Justice is and they don’t now what is a investigation is because if they did they would have done it for a innocent man like me!!!"

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

This news comes on the heels of Netflix's announcement that a second season of Making A Murderer is in production.

In his current appeal, Avery hired Chicago-area attorney Kathleen Zellner.

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Oshkosh police continue to investigate an alleged sexual assault incident at Pollock Pool last month.

In a statement Thursday, officers say the parents of a girl may have information helpful to the investigation of 48-year-old Shannon L. Frantz. Frantz is currently charged with first-degree sexual assault of a child under 13.

The alleged assault took place at the pool on June 24.

Police say the girl was wearing a pink swimming suit with light blue circles and light blue patterned designs. They released a photo of the suit the girl was wearing.

Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Chee Vang at (920) 236-5741.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay's Tall Ship Festival will be able to welcome the world's largest Viking ship after all.

Organizers warned earlier this month that the Draken Harald Hårfagre might not be able to appear due to financial issues.

The ship was having to raise $430,000 to make it to Green Bay and 8 others U.S. ports. PMI Entertainment and other donors contributed to help get the ship to Green Bay. 

The Tall Ship Festival is scheduled for Aug. 5-7 at Leicht Memorial Park in downtown Green Bay.

FLORENCE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - The Wisconsin Department of Justice needs your help finding a Florence woman who hasn't been seen in ten days.

DOJ investigators say 47-year-old Nancy Kathleen Renkas left home around 11 a.m. July 18 to visit a relative in Iron Mountain, Michigan. That relative last saw her around 1:30 p.m. Renkas told the relative that she planned to drive to Menominee, Michigan, to look at a camping trailer.

Her vehicle was found the next day in the parking lot of Super One Foods in Iron Mountain.

Renkas is 5'4" and weighs about 200 pounds. She has brown hair and green eyes. She was wearing a dark blue t-shirt and blue jeans when she left home.

Authorities say they've sent out an alert statewide because Renkas has traveled to Illinois in the past.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Florence County Sheriff's Office at (715) 528-3346.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - For the first time in fifteen years, headstones were tipped over at Fort Howard Memorial Park.

According to a post on its Facebook page, employees say at least 100 headstones were tipped over in an instance of vandalism that happened overnight Wednesday into Thursday.

A cemetery employee says just one of the headstones sustained damage.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the cemetery or Green Bay police at (920) 448-3200.

DE PERE, WI (WTAQ) - A special type of sweet treat is flying off the shelves of a popular De Pere bakery.

Uncle Mike's Bake Shoppe is selling sugar cookies topped with the faces of U.S. Presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

Owner Mike Vande Walle says they normally don't start selling these cookies so early during a presidential election season but this year they got a head start.

"We usually don't start until October 1 but because of the extra activity everyone has involved with the election, we decided to start them during the conventions."

The local bakery has been making about 100 cookies a day.

"People have been calling up, coming in. We actually have some ordered from some other states," says Vande Walle.

Uncle Mike's Bake Shoppe started making the political cookies 8 years ago and got the idea after attending a baking group.

Vande Walle is keeping tabs on which one's are selling more. As of Thursday, Trump is leading Clinton in cookie sales.

The fun cookies will be available through the November election.

BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - Volunteers in Brown County hit the streets early Thursday morning to count the number of homeless people living outside.

"This is a mandated count by HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)," says Jennifer Schmohe, Public Affairs Committee Chair for the Brown County Housing and Homeless Coalition. "We have several agencies in our community who receive funding from HUD. We also want to do the count so we can try and convince people to get services so we can get them off the street."

After working from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. canvassing neighborhoods county-wide, Schmohe says they counted 39 people on the street. That's up from 33 at this time last year.

"We are anticipating that the number is going to be even higher," Schmohe says, indicating that they have until 5 p.m. Friday to count individuals. "We anticipate at least 10 to 12 more households that will present."

There are many factors involved in why a person become homeless. Officials say it may be due to job loss, eviction, lack of affordable housing, or a combination of them.

"Homelessness is one of the most complex issues," says Schmohe. "I think one of the key factors in this community -- we don't have a lot of affordable housing. We have a lot of landlords who are not really tolerant of individuals who are struggling and trying to make ends meet."

Schmohe believes their Housing Resource Day is a step in the right direction. Housing Resource Day is the 4th Thursday of every month at Central Church.

Often times, officials point out, persons experiencing homelessness are battling loss of employment, untreated mental illness, addiction or domestic violence.

"We've certainly seen a spike in people who are experiencing mental health issues who are not able to get services to allow them to stabilize enough to even live in just a hotel environment," Schmohe says. "We also don't have enough services (AODA) for individuals who need a place to just even go and dry out before even going in to treatment."

You can found out more by visiting the Brown County Homeless and Housing Coalition website.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Divine Temple Church of God in Green Bay held a meeting Thursday to discuss community and police relations.

The church invited members of an area Black Lives Matter group to a discussion with Green Bay Police officers.

This was following a peaceful protest held outside the Green Bay Police Department earlier this month.

Thursday night's discussion offered a platform for people to share their concerns and generate solutions for relations going forward.

Black Lives United, director of communications, Stephanie Ortiz.

"We wanted to be heard, we wanted to let people know what our mission was and that is to unite folks of color and our comrades in building a beloved community here in Green Bay"

Green Bay Police Chief Andrew Smith says it's important for police to have a seat at the table.

"I want my officers to feel comfortable walking in these communities and I want these communities to feel comfortable talking to my officers as they're walking around"

The Divine Temple Church of God has held similar discussions over the years and organizers said they will continue in the future.

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - The two millionth "Young Eagle" took to the sky and she did so with star power.

Volunteers take kids ages 8 to 17 on general aviation flights.

Harrison Ford himself piloted the plane.

The actor has been a long-time supporter of EAA's Young Eagles Program and is glad for the chance to volunteer.

"This particular flight I'll remember for a long time"

16-year-old Jodie Gawthrop was that Young Eagle. She said she won't soon forget the flight either.

"Really amazing to meet someone like Harrison or meet a whole community of people here at the air show that share that passion for aviation. You can tell he's really enthusiastic, really passionate, and it was just amazing to see the air show from that perspective"

Volunteers across 90 countries have kept it in flight since 1992.

As a former Young Eagles Chairman, Ford certainly has passion for this program.

"A huge group of dedicated pilots who come together, donate their time, the use of their airplanes, to introduce young people to aviation"

Ford says America is lagging behind other countries in training pilots, particularly commercial airline pilots.

"Aviation's been very important to the history of this country and I'd like to see if continue to have the support that it, that it deserves"

Gawthrop says she's definitely putting her support behind the aviation industry.

She's aiming to get her private pilot's license soon.

"I'm hoping to get my solo done, get my license and eventually see where that takes me career-wise. I'm looking to serve my country in some capacity, hopefully through the military"

Ford was the chairman of the Young Eagles from 2004 to 2009. He's flown 300 times for the program.

GRAND CHUTE, WI (WTAQ) - Outagamie County District Attorney Carrie Schneider says two Grand Chute police officers who shot at a retail theft and carjacking suspect were justified.

"Officers Shepard and Hanson then found themselves positioned in the front of the squad car, and noted that the car shifted into drive and the vehicle began driving at them," Schneider said at a press conference Friday. "Fearing that their lives were in immediate danger and consistent with their training, both officers began firing their weapons into the squad car aiming to stop Lawrenz and the threat he had created."

Schneider was talking about the results of an investigation conducted by her office and the Appleton Police Department.

Last Saturday, officers were investigating a retail theft at Pawn America in Grand Chute. Police say one of the suspects, Michael Lawrenz, became difficult.

As another cop arrived for backup, police say Lawrenz positioned himself into a K9 squad car, which also had a loaded AR-15 inside, and began to go in reverse and slam into another squad car before driving towards the 2 Grand Chute officers.

Police say Lawrenz was struck by a bullet in the bicep area.

The two Grand Chute officers who fired at Lawrenz have been identified as Benjamin Hanson, a two-year veteran and James Shepard, who has been with the department for seven months.

Lawrenz then allegedly drove the squad car into Appleton, where he used the lights to pull over another driver. He then carjacked that driver's vehicle and was eventually caught on Interstate 41 in Brown County.

Lawrenz faces a total of 14 charges, including robbery, criminal damage, taking a car without consent, resisting arrest, and eight counts of bail jumping.

MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - A Milwaukee federal judge is refusing to stay his order allowing voters in Wisconsin to cast a ballot without photo identification while the state Department of Justice appeals.

Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman issued a preliminary injunction allowing people unable to get IDs to vote in the November 8 general election if they sign an affidavit explaining why they couldn't obtain the identification.

On Friday, the AP reports that Adelman refused to grant the stay by saying the injunction doesn't block anyone from challenging a voter's identity and some safety net must exist to protect the rights of voters who lack photo ID.

Officials with the Wisconsin DOJ have filed notice that they'll appeal Adelman's ruling with the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and requested he stay the injunction until the appeal is resolved.

OCONTO, WI (WTAQ) - An Oconto woman was sentenced Thursday to eighteen months in prison in an animal cruelty case.

Jordan McDonald was convicted of dragging a dog behind her car for several miles, killing it, back on January 10. McDonald was also placed on extended supervision for 2 years.

McDonald got into an argument with a person at a home that day. When she left, the dog was tied to the vehicle, according to the criminal complaint. The person McDonald was arguing with called police who pulled McDonald over. The dog was found lying in the road, still attached by a leash to the vehicle.

McDonald had denied knowing the dog was tied to the vehicle, according to the complaint, and accused the person who called police of tying to the vehicle.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Drivers are being reminded about potential heavy traffic and delays for Sunday's Packers Family Night at Lambeau Field.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says Interstate 41, Highway 172 and Interstate 43 could experience significant backups near the stadium, as could the I-41 interchanges at Oneida Street, WIS 172 and I-43.

Barrier walls, orange barrels, and narrow lanes will affect travel. Due to the I-41 Project construction, Ashland Avenue through De Pere and Ashwaubenon will also experience increased traffic congestion as additional motorists use this as an alternate route.

• For real-time road condition information, drivers can use the 511 Wisconsin smartphone app, visit 511wi.gov or check @511WI on Twitter.
• To see a list of construction zones in the area, click here.

Packers Family Night starts at 7:30 p.m.

The DOT is reminding drivers to allow themselves extra time when traveling to or through this area and to exercise caution while driving through road construction projects.

TOWN OF SCOTT, WI (WTAQ) - Officials in Brown County are investigating a fatal crash Friday afternoon.

It happened at State Highway 57 and County Road K in the Town of Scott at 1:09 p.m.

According to officials, a 27-year-old woman was driving westbound and tried to cross the northbound lanes at the intersection when a Jeep slammed into her.

No other details have been released.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Wisconsin Department of Tourism debuted a new concession stand Friday at Lambeau Field that's quintessential Wisconsin.

The Travel Wisconsin Supper Club Concession Stand will feature Wisconsin cuisine like booyah, pot roast sandwiches, traditional pasties, cheese curds and Friday fish fry.

Governor Scott Walker was there for the unveiling.

"I just love the feel. You feel like a step up, you're not just at a concession stand. You feel like you're walking into a traditional Wisconsin supper club. That's a wonderful feeling."

Walker says he and his wife, Tonette, visit supper clubs all the time.

"We go there with friends. There's just something magical that happens. It's not just going out to dinner...it's like all your worries go away. You can sit back and have a good time."

Another item you won't be able to find at any other Lambeau concession stand is the Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet.

"People I think will come to this stand alone, just to get an Old Fashion," says Walker.

The new stand is located outside section 138, between the Mills Fleet Farm and Shopko Gates.

It will debt to fans Sunday, July 31 during Packers Family Night.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay's National Railroad Museum has plans for a major expansion.

Potentially, the $20 million project is just a few years away and officials say it will become a major destination spot for the area.

"What you're going to be able to see is basically a big room with multiple bays in it and each bay will have two to three, maybe up to four different pieces of rolling stock. Each one you'll be able to enter into,” Jacqueline Frank, the National Railroad Museum’s executive director, tells FOX 11. “In the center of the room you're actually going to be able to see a turntable that's going to be able to turn all of the pieces."

The railroad museum is still in the process of fundraising, looking inside the Green Bay community and elsewhere.

"We're also talking to railroads, we're talking to private individuals from around the United States and we already have some really significant donations from individuals from Chicago and other areas as well," said Frank.

She said fundraising will take a year or so, and the construction will take at least 2 years. Architects working on the project say the original museum buildings will be kept where they are.

In 2015, museum officials say they had 86,000 visitors which was up 10,000 from the previous year. They believe that number will continue to grow.

In addition, the museum received a newly restored Canadian National Railway boxcar. It is the first major rolling stock donation to the museum in more than 10 years.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Fans attending Sunday's Packers Family Night need to plan ahead.

That's the advice from both Packers officials and local law enforcement.

The new Titletown Development, where the Kmart and other businesses used to stand, took away 2,500 parking spaces. 

"The parking we utilized over there, a lot of it was for staff, and some other season clients, with staff we're going to do satellite parking and shuttle them in and with season parking clients, we were able to move over to the lots to the south because we gained about 300 more spots with the additional homes that were razed," Aaron Popkey, Green Bay Packers Public Relations, tells FOX 11.

So to help out, the Packers are touting their map of controlled parking lot areas.

"When people are rushed, they make quick decisions, and quick decisions often result in car crashes, being lost, being in the wrong parking lot, being on the wrong street," says Capt. Kevin Warych of the Green Bay Police Department. "So we want people to be aware of different traffic routes, parking lots have changed where people could've parked in years past, so it's going to be a little different.

Warych says Green Bay police perform table-top exercises in preparation for the new traffic layout and problems which could arise in the stadium district.

"We're just anticipating that the public are going to be parking deeper in the residential areas," says Chief Eric Dunning with Ashwaubenon Public Safety. "You get back into the residential area, it becomes much narrower the streets, and then you have the pedestrians walking in the streets also, so it takes a lot more time to get your way through there."

Both Dunning and Warych urge fans to be patient, leave early and plan ahead.

"We try to deploy our resources so that traffic can efficiently and at a pretty good pace clear out of Lambeau Field," Warych says.

Dunning says they've received calls to the village about alternate parking venues, especially for larger vehicles like RVs. He recommends the Brown County Fairgrounds, which is designed to handle RVs, as well as some businesses in the entertainment district with larger surface parking lots could be a place for fans.

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - No injuries were reported after a helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing at EAA on Saturday.

EAA senior communications advisor Dick Knapinski says it happened around 3:45 p.m.

The pilot and 2 passengers were aboard the Bell 47 helicopter when it landed on the east west runway.