GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A sign that the NFL regular season is almost here is now visible if you happen to pass it while driving on Lombardi Avenue.

The Packers fence located across from Lambeau Field has been always painted with a special slogan every year.

Monday people gathered to paint the fence green and gold.

This year's theme is centered around the return of Jordy Nelson with the fence reading, "With Jordy, it's better to receive."

Organizers of the event, like Bruce Kiel, say its a great way to connect with the community.

"It's been going for quite a while and people really enjoy it; the media enjoys it.   It's just a nice community event, it's Packer friendly and the Packers are friendly to it and it makes us very proud to do it."

Last year the slogan had the theme of prevailing though tough times.

TOWN OF NEKIMI, WI (WTAQ) - 40-year-old woman was hurt after a rollover crash around 10 p.m. Monday.

It happened on Interstate 41 just south of state highway 76 in the Town of Nekimi.

Officials say the Kenosha woman was driving northbound on I-41 when she struck another vehicle, causing her to roll into the east side ditch between I-41 and Black Oak School Road.

She suffered non-life threatening injuries.

The other driver was not hurt.

Winnebago County Sheriff's officials say alcohol may have played a role.

There were no road closures.

FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ) - The man accused in the 1990 murder of Berit Beck will be re-tried by prosecutors.

Earlier this year, Dennis Brantner's trial ended in a hung jury. 

The news comes Tuesday from Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney in court. Since Brantner was not in court, a trial date was not scheduled.

Both sides will return to court for a status conference next week.

The 62-year-old Brantner was charged with first-degree murder in Beck's death. Beck was traveling from her home in Sturtevant to Appleton for a work seminar when she disappeared.

Her van was found a few days later, and her body was later found in a ditch in Fond du Lac County.

Authorities who re-examined the cold case say they matched fingerprints on evidence recovered from Beck's van to Brantner.

BELLEVUE, WI (WTAQ) - Investigators continue to seek more information as they continue to investigate last week's murder of a Bellevue woman.

52-year-old Suzette L. Langlois was found dead of a gunshot outside her home, 3020 Manitowoc Road, on August 29.

In a statement, the Brown County Sheriff's Office reiterated their call for patience as they investigate.

"It would be detrimental to the investigation for us to provide specifics on how the crime was committed, why it may have been committed, who may have done it and what evidence we are currently examining," sheriff's officials said in a news release Tuesday.

The statement details that officials have invested over 200 hours in the past four days looking into the case. Items have been sent to the State Crime Lab in Madison to be analyzed for fingerprints, DNA and other trace evidence. Some results are expected next week, however investigators say they won't have all the answers at that time.

"Investigation of a major crime, where there are no eyewitnesses and no obvious motive or suspect, takes time," the news release said. "We are maintaining a broad scope as we move forward with the investigation. We believe the information and evidence we have been gathering will allow us to focus our investigation in the future, especially once we receive results from the forensic examinations of the evidence at the crime lab."

Officials continue to say they have no reason to think the general public is in danger. Investigators said the day of the murder that they did not think it was a random act.

Anyone with information is asked to call Sgt. Brian Slinger with the Brown County Sheriff's Office at (920) 448-4230. Anonymous tips may be left with Crime Stoppers by phone at (920) 432-7867, by text message with the keyword GBTIP to 274637 or online.

KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ) - Kaukauna police say a 12-year-old boy has died after he was struck by a school bus while walking home from River View Middle School.

Officials say the boy was hit while crossing Second Street as the bus was turning onto the street from Crooks Avenue. The tragedy happening on the first day of school in Kaukauna.

“It's a parent's worst nightmare,” said Lt. Jamie Graff with the Kaukauna Police Department. “He was just a pedestrian walking.”

Miranda Casey's 7-year-old son was among the students on the bus that hit the boy.

“They knew something was going on because their bus stopped and they could see police cars coming up behind them,” Casey told FOX 11. “I don't think at first they knew what was happening.”

The students on the bus had to wait briefly before a different bus came to bring them home.

“They were pretty shaken,” said Casey. “They all kind of ran off and ran up to their parents, telling them what happened. A lot of the little ones were crying.”

Just after the crash, police were in the process of interviewing several witnesses, including the driver of the bus.

“We have the state patrol helping us reenact the scene, trying to put some pieces together as to what actually happened,” said Graff.

“I don't know if the bus driver wasn't watching or if the kid ran across the street, not that it makes it any less tragic, but it would be helpful to know as my kids are riding the buses too,” said Casey.

Casey says the bus driver is the same one who drove her child all of last year.

Kaukauna's superintendent, Mark Duerwaecther, has sent out a message to parents about the tragedy:

"The Kaukauna Area School District is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our student, son, grandson, brother and friend, and we extend our heartfelt sympathy to his family and friends. Our focus right now is on supporting those close to the student, and our trauma team is working diligently to prepare support for students and staff. Counselors, psychologists and social workers will be on hand at each of our schools for as long as needed. Please join me in sending our thoughts and prayers to his family."

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Green Bay Police Department was not horsing around Tuesday when they introduced two new members to their force.

Chief Andrew Smith and Mayor Jim Schmitt welcomed horses "Little Joe" and "Casey" to their Mounted Patrol Unit.

The goal of the unit is to provide high-visibility patrol and crime suppression throughout the city and strengthen community policing efforts.

Smith says they have about 40 events in the next year they would like the horses to be at.

"Right now the plan is to have them on all the special events, certainly in the parks on weekends, certainly out here at Bay Beach as much as possible."

Schmitt says they researched these type of patrols in other large cities.

"Mounted police is something that we've talked about for the last couple of years and Chief Smith, when he joined the department, was very committed to doing this."

The two aged geldings are about 20-years-old each and are leased from a private firm out of Milwaukee.

"Little Joe" and "Casey" are currently housed at a stable in Denmark.

Mandi Mincheski is the owner of Moonlight Meadows Performance Horses and says these two are very laid back and perfectly suited for this job.

"They each have their own personality, just like people do and they also have good and bad days, just like people do. So what we're trying to do now, we're trying to establish which officer’s personalities fit best with which horse."

There are 10 officers trained to ride the Quarter Horses which are leased through November, where at that point, the department will reevaluate the program.

The horses are being paid for with money from the police department budget.

Chief Smith says the plan is to have a total of 6 horses in the unit.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay Packers fans will get some new options when it comes to eating at Lambeau Field this season. 

"We kind of just throw things around, come up with ideas, do tastings in the offseason and see what works," says Heath Barbatl, Executive Chef at Delaware North Lambeau. "We always respect fan feedback so we try to appease that, but we do look into culinary trends."

Barbatl says the new concession items range from the savory to the sweet.

• The Pig Skin: Bacon wrapped baked potato with bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream, chili and chives
• The Hail Mary Brat: Foot long brat with Bloody Mary seasoning, and toppings
• Bellin Health Fresh Market: 1919 Cobb Salad, Turkey Burger, Turkey Wrap, Fruit Cup, Mixed Nuts, Sargento Balance Breaks 
• Jalapeno Popper Brat: Foot long brat with jalapenos and cheese
• Poutine: Fries, cheese curds, bacon bites, sour cream and green onions
• Buffalo Chicken Fries: Fries, buffalo chicken, bleu cheese crumbles, diced celery, ranch dressing
• Loaded BBQ Pork Fries: Fries, pulled pork, coleslaw, BBQ sauce, fried onions, jalapenos
• Breadsticks with marinara
• Cheesecake Cone
• Non-GMO Cookie from Sweet Street

This comes after the Packers introduced two new concession stands earlier this year:

• Patrick Cudahy Pack House: The Pig Skin, Ultimate Bacon Burger, Bacon Crusted Cheese Curds, Loaded Cheese Curds, Bacon Kettle Corn
• Travel Wisconsin Supper Club: Pot Roast Sandwich, Wisconsin Fish Fry, Pasties

The team also unveiled the Grub Tub, which attaches to the top of a drink so food can be carried in the same hand. The tub is built with a hole in the middle for a straw, so it does not have to be removed from the top of the cup.

“It’s kind of a fun idea. Every year we travel going to restaurant shows and conventions. We were at the one in Chicago and we saw the challenge that people have when they walk out of the concession stand is how do I eat my soda and eat my food," Eric Sampson, the Director of Operations at Delaware North Lambeau said Tuesday. "It’s all in both of your hands. You can put your nachos, you can put your cheese fries on top of your soda, and they give you a long straw so you have a free hand to eat. It’s a great idea, a very practical idea." 

“I think fans, when it’s their first experience here, you know what they’re looking for as far as stadium fare," said Sampson. "But for the folks who come in week in and week out it’s nice to have as much variety as we’re offering now in the concessions level."

NEENAH, WI (WTAQ) - The complaint seeking to remove Neenah Police Chief Kevin Wilkinson from his job has been withdrawn.

It was just last month when Neenah's Police Commission accepted the complaint filed by two Florida-based investigative consultants on behalf of several citizens including Michael Funk, Ryan Moderson, Michael Petersen and Eagle Nation Cycles owner Steven Erato.

"We had been expected to hire an attorney," Erato said by phone on Tuesday. "We talked to 2 different law firms and both of those law firms advised us that we were wasting our time and money."

Erato says the law firms, which were located in Milwaukee and the Fox Valley, expressed the same concerns about their ability to get a fair hearing. So he says they took the advice.

"For us to take a loan out to hire an attorney when two of them are telling us what's going to happen would not make any sense," said Erato.

Erato, however, vowed that this doesn't mean their fight for justice for their slain friend Michael Funk is, "nowhere near done."

CITY OFFICIALS "SHOCKED"

On Tuesday morning, Neenah Mayor Dean Kaufert says he went into work like it was any other day. He came across city attorney Jim Godlewski who informed him about the withdrawing of the complaint.

"They've wanted this hearing and then at the last minute, after making all these allegations, just say oh we were just kidding, I think is unfair to the city's residents," Kaufert said. "To put it mildly, I was shocked and a little disappointed."

The issue of fairness which caused the Eagle Nation Cycles group concern were cited in their filing. This document specifically highlighted Kaufert and the city's Police Commission.

"Mayor Kaufert and the Police Commission have a well-documented history of allowing the Chief and various police officers to get away with all sorts of misconduct including, but not limited to, murder," the filing stated. 

Then, in an attached affidavit, Erato, Kayellen Reetz and Daniel Dringoli individually signed a recounting of a meeting with Kaufert on May 10. 

"During that same meeting Mayor Kaufert also stated, 'We have been advised by Jim Godlewski (Neenah City Attorney), as well as the City's Insurance Carrier's Attorney's to take no action against the officers due to pending litigation.'"

Kaufert believes these allegations cross the line.

"That's a pretty strong accusation. The fact that I've only been here 2 years, and this is the first time that a hearing has come up with the Police Commission during my tenure really lends itself to the credibility to the people making these accusations," said Kaufert. "I just take umbrage with that statement (about May 10 meeting) and not being truthful."

EVE OF COMMISSION MEETING

The filing with the City Clerk's office on Tuesday also comes just a day before the Police Commission is scheduled to meet to discuss the complaint. 

Now, the commission will have a whole new reason to meet. President Jim Prosser was surprised at the move by the group seeking to oust Chief Wilkinson.

"I was somewhat, they've done a number of different filings," Prosser says. "The one to withdraw on the eve of another meeting to discuss their complaint."

Prosser did not indicate how the five-member commission would decide, but believed moving forward in spite of their motion would be problematic.

"With no one to pursue the complaint, I don't know how we would continue the proceedings," says Prosser. "We need two parties to proceed and I don't know how we do that if the complainants want to withdraw the complaint at this time."

As to the allegations made in Tuesday's filing about commission members having, "very little knowledge about Police Commission procedures and how to perform your official duties," Prosser said he had not reviewed it closely enough to respond, if he were to comment at all.

The Neenah Police Commission will meet at noon Wednesday at city hall inside the council chambers.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay police say a situation which needed the SWAT Team's involvement ended peacefully Tuesday night.

Officers responded to a home on Indian Hill Drive on the city's west side, with neighbors says they could hear the cops trying to talk with a person inside. It started around 5:30 p.m.

FOX 11 reports that a flash bang was heard shortly before 8 p.m. About 15 minutes later, a person could be seen coming out of the home.

A section of Indian Hill Drive near the home remains closed as officers investigate.

OCONTO, WI (WTAQ) -  A teen who spiked her teacher's drink was sentenced Tuesday to two weeks in jail.

18 year old Hailey Brock was placed on probation for two years, with the 14-day jail term a condition.

She started serving her sentence Tuesday, according to Clerk of Courts Mike Hodkiewicz.

She also must perform 32 hours of community service, and maintain full-time employment or schooling.

According to the criminal complaint, Brock confessed to putting cleaning solution for a dry-erase board in the drink of Gillett High School staff member Ray Johnson. 

Police say Gavin Gilbertson helped. Gilbertson is scheduled for a jury trial to start on Sept. 27.

LITTLE CHUTE, WI (WTAQ) - Residents of a Little Chute apartment complex were displaced after the complex was struck by lightning Tuesday evening.

Authorities were called to the eight-unit complex, which is on the 3600 block of Cherryvale Lane.

Everyone was evacuated safely.

The Red Cross says it is assisting the displaced residents.

The Fox Valley Metro Police Department says the situation was contained to the attic.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - After a nearly two-year-old investigation into alleged campaign finance violations, Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt is emerging with a plea deal as formal charges are filed.

On Wednesday, Schmitt was charged with 3 misdemeanor counts: attempted false statements to an election official, attempted accepting campaign contribution funds not belonging to reported contributor and attempted accepting campaign contribution in excess of limits.

"The charges are representative of violations discovered in the course of the investigation," said a statement issued by the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office. "A plea agreement has been reached between Mr. Landgraf and Mr. Schmitt's attorney, Patrick Knight. Mr. Schmitt has indicated an intent to plead guilty to the three criminal charges."

The charges stem from violations of campaign finance law in reports filed by the 58-year-old Schmitt in 2014 and 2015.

Under state law, contributions to individual candidates for local office are limited to a dollar amount equal to 1 one percent of the municipality’s population. In Green Bay, the legal limit for individual contributions is about $1,040. Corporate contributions are also illegal under state law.

"I want all of you to know that I have made mistakes in the handling of campaign finances," Schmitt wrote in a news release addressed to the Green Bay community Wednesday. "While I may disagree with some of his conclusions, I do not dispute his (Landgraf) factual findings nor his belief that all responsibility for accuracy and compliance rests with me."

"This is a black eye for Green Bay," says Alderman Andy Nicholson, one of three city council members who called for an audit of Schmitt's campaign funds in January 2015. "Having a mayor brought up on charges like this, this is corruption. The mayor also put his personal interest before the public and that is terrible. He should resign because of that."

Ald. Nicholson, along with Chris Wery and Guy Zima, pointed out about $10,000 worth of illegally or improperly recorded contributions to Schmitt’s re-election campaign. Nicholson expressed frustration with the results of this investigation.

"These are felonies that are dropped down to misdemeanors. They should show what else is out there also, they should show the public every single violation which are basically felonies," Nicholson said. "He was taking illegal contributions for over a decade. He (Schmitt) knows the law, he believes that he's above the law."  

• You can read the criminal complaint here

Schmitt's attorney indicated in a release Wednesday that he expects the court proceedings arising from the complaint to be fully resolved within a month. No court date has been set, according to online court records.

According to the plea deal, prosecutors will not recommend any jail or probation time. Schmitt also agreed to disband his campaign committee. He will then have to create a new campaign committee. In addition, more than $26,000 from Schmitt's campaign fund has been paid to the state School Fund.

(Additional reporting by WTAQ's Jeff Flynt)

KIMBERLY, WI (WTAQ) - A teenage pedestrian has been injured following a crash involving a vehicle outside Kimberly High School.

Fox Valley Metro police say the female victim had minor injuries that were not life-threatening.

Officials are asking drivers to avoid the area of County Highway N in front of Kimberly High School due to several crashes backing up traffic.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A retired priest has been convicted of exposing himself to a minor.

Online court records reveal that Fr. Richard Thomas pled no contest to 2 charges while two other counts against him were dropped.

Back in March, prosecutors say Thomas exposed himself to a 16-year-old boy while the boy was walking to school. Thomas was living in Grellinger Hall, a home for retired priests in Allouez, at the time.

After the report of misconduct, the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay restricted Thomas from performing any public ministry.

According to the criminal complaint, Thomas told investigators at the time of his arrest that "he is already seeking treatment."

Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on October 28.

KEWAUNEE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A plan to offer some Kewaunee County residents clean drinking water has been announced by a group of organizations, including dairy farms.

On Wednesday, Peninsula Pride Farms unveiled its Water Well program. As part of the program, residents whose water supplies test positive for E. coli bacteria will be provided with bottled water and have well inspections paid for.

The program will also cover installation and maintenance costs of any water treatment systems deemed necessary.

Peninsula Pride Farms is a group representing dairy farms in Kewaunee and Door counties.

"This is a large proactive step being taken toward providing solutions to the issues facing businesses and citizens in karst areas with shallow soils," said Wisconsin DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp in a statement. "This type of effort was among the recent recommendations made by the Kewaunee Groundwater Working Groups that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources facilitated more than a year ago and it is exciting to see it come to fruition with the help of Peninsula Pride."

Wells in the county have been tested in recent years. According to county health officials, about 30 percent tested positive for some kind of contamination. Of those, about 2 percent had E. coli bacteria.

Other more common contaminants include coliform bacteria and nitrates. The Water Well program does not cover wells affected by contaminants other than E. coli.

Concerns about water quality in the area where cows outnumber people nearly 5-to-1 have persisted for years. County leaders have said farm runoff or septic fields at homes could be responsible for contamination in wells.

Some citizens say the program is a good first step, but the larger issue is the high number of cows in the county and related manure spreading.

Besides Peninsula Pride Farms, the Water Well program is being funded by a state grant and local businesses including Nicolet Bank, HSHS Prevea and Breakthrough Fuels.

ASHWAUBENON, WI (Wisconsin Radio Network) - Governor Scott Walker says he’ll include a “Back to School” sales tax holiday in his next biennial budget proposal.

The Republican governor said Wednesday that the sales tax holiday would last two days beginning on the first Saturday of August 2017, and include school supplies, computers costing less than $750, and clothing items costing less than $75 each.

In addition to helping families, Walker said the sales tax holiday would provide a boost to retailers in Wisconsin.

“Retailers here are battling with shopping opportunities across the country and on the Internet,” Walker said.”I will be one more reason for people who want to shop here in the state of Wisconsin.”

Sales tax holidays temporarily exempt or lower state and local sales taxes for certain products and are utilized by state and local governments to encourage certain types of consumer activity. The most common sales tax holidays are applied to school supplies, children’s products, and energy-efficient products and appliances, according to the governor’s office.

The Department of Revenue indicates the sales tax holiday proposal would have an estimated $11 million fiscal impact annually.

Speaker Robin Vos said Assembly Republicans supported a sales tax holiday earlier this year.

“We actually intended to bring it to the floor, but after some discussions with other folks, decided to wait until the budget,” said Vos, adding that he had not heard of the governor’s plan prior to Walker’s announcement. “I always welcome the governor to join our call for lower taxes, and hopefully we’ll be able to get it done next year.”

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - An episode of the TV show "Cops" featuring the Green Bay Police Department will air later this month.

According a promo for the show, it will air on the cable channel Spike at 7 p.m. on September 24.

Earlier this summer, camera crews spent 8 weeks riding along with Green Bay police officers. Officials with the department believe the episode could be used as a recruiting tool.

Camera crews spent eight weeks riding along with Green Bay police earlier this summer. Officers said in July that the episode could be used as a recruiting tool.

BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A man was arrested Wednesday in connection with the murder of a Ledgeview woman earlier this year.

According to USA Today Network-Wisconsin, 38-year-old George S. Burch was booked into the Brown County Jail on a charge of first-degree intentional homicide at 7:45 a.m. and is expected in court Thursday afternoon.

Burch, sources told the media outlet, is suspected of killing 31-year-old Nicole VanderHeyden. Her body was found in a field off Hoffman Road in Bellevue back on May 21.

Two days later, VanderHeyden's live-in boyfriend Douglass Detrie was arrested. But the next month, prosecutors said they didn't have enough evidence to tie Detrie to her murder and released him from jail.

Prosecutors have indicated in prior court hearings that deputies found blood outside the home, blood inside VanderHeyden's vehicle and a footprint on her body, which they say appears to match a pair of Air Jordan shoes found in Detrie's home.

No word yet if the Brown County Sheriff's Department plan to release more information about this development on Thursday.

NEENAH, WI (WTAQ) - A day after the group seeking to remove Neenah Police Chief Kevin Wilkinson withdrew its complaint, the city's Police Commission agreed Wednesday to drop its proceedings. 

It was supposed to be a discussion of the merits of that formal complaint filed by a group affiliated with Eagle Nation Cycles as they continue to seek justice for the December 2015 shooting death of Michael Funk by two police officers.

Instead it was more of an opportunity for President of the Police Commission Jim Prosser to respond to claims made by the group that the five-member board would not be impartial.

"My concern was that they made a number of allegations attacking the credibility of this commission and those were not called for in order to withdraw their complaint," Prosser told FOX 11. "I felt the need to make a statement about this commission and how we think we do business."

The withdrawal filing made Tuesday by the group specifically highlighted Kaufert and the city's Police Commission.

"Mayor Kaufert and the Police Commission have a well-documented history of allowing the Chief and various police officers to get away with all sorts of misconduct including, but not limited to, murder," the filing stated. 

Then, in an attached affidavit, Erato, Kayellen Reetz and Daniel Dringoli individually signed a recounting of a meeting with Kaufert on May 10. 

"During that same meeting Mayor Kaufert also stated, 'We have been advised by Jim Godlewski (Neenah City Attorney), as well as the City's Insurance Carrier's Attorney's to take no action against the officers due to pending litigation.'"

The group that brought the complaint forward says this is not the end of their fight for Funk. They say it's likely they'll bring a similar complaint back in the future.

UNDATED (WTAQ) - A new report from AAA reveals more Americans are driving and more miles are being driven.

A survey results, that cover the second half 2014 and all of 2015, are the most current and comprehensive look at how much Americans drive on a daily and yearly basis.

Nick Jarmusz is a spokesman for the auto club.

"It's given us a really good look at who is on the road and how that changed over the course of the year between 2014 and 2015."

The survey provides two years’ worth of data. The first part of 2014 was released last year.

"What it does is help us better plan for our own efforts in terms of promoting traffic safety, looking at different interests that motorists have and how we should be properly serving them and representing them. But it's also useful for policy makers who can use these numbers for some of the same purposes," says Jarmusz.

He says it also gives AAA a better since of how many people are on the roads.

Survey findings show that:

-Approximately 224.8 million Americans aged 16 years and older reported driving in 2015, a 1.5 percent increase from the year before.

-Motorists in the Midwest drive more (11,295 miles annually) compared to those in the Northeast (9,328 miles annually) or the West (10,906), but slightly less than those in the South (11,314).

-On average, men report driving 2,314 more miles than women per year and spend 18 percent more time behind the wheel.

-More than 86 percent of U.S. households have at least one car for every driver in the home and 28 percent report having more cars than drivers.

For more survey results go to www.aaawisconsin.com.