BELLEVUE, WI (WTAQ) - The search continues for an armed robbery suspect in Brown County.
Officials say a man went into the Bellevue Express Gas Station, on Bellevue Street, around 10:15 last night (WED) and showed a knife.
He demanded money and then left the scene.
No injuries reported.
It's believed the suspect is between 18 and 25 years old. Wearing blue jeans and a blue hoodie.
Anyone with information can call the Brown County Sheriff's Department at 920-448-4200.
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - The Appleton Common Council unanimously approved a railroad 'quite zone' Wednesday.
The plan covers nearly two dozen railroad crossings across the city
In order to create the quiet zones, the city would need to make improvements at each of the railroad crossings.
Those improvements include adding things like medians and extra signage.
The expected cost of the plan is around $800,000.
City leaders expect to have details worked out by the end of the year.
They are also hoping the money for the project is set aside in the city's 2018 budget.
NEENAH, WI (WTAQ) - Menasha Corporation, based out of Neenah, showed off its new facility Wednesday.
Company leaders say next up, they plan to expand the company, and add jobs.
After more than a year of renovations, the 102 thousand square foot facility is in the same location as the old one, but company leaders say it's much different.
Jim Kotek, President & CEO of Menasha Corporation
"That building was simply outdated, it was too small."
The building is not just bigger, it also includes high-tech video boards and spacious conference rooms.
"This building is all about our people, and we have this incredible, incredible workforce."
And Kotek says it's a workforce that the company has plans to expand.
"Clearly we have a plan that calls for continued growth. And with growth, we need to continue to add employees to this wonderful facility."
The company currently employs 250 workers.
Governor Walker was on hand for Wednesday's ribbon cutting.
"It's not just about a building, it sends a solid message that they're vested right here in the Fox Valley and the state of Wisconsin."
And while the company has ambitious plans for the future, Kotek says it'll never forget its past. Part of the new building is even dedicated to it.
"The Fox Valley has been home for our entire 167 years, so kind of connecting to those roots was very very important to us"
The facility cost nearly 30-million dollars.
Part of it being paid for through future-tax dollars, as well as a loan from the state.
MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) - Authorities have arrested and charged a man in connection with a series of burglaries in Manitowoc.
23-year-old Tyler W. Fessler was taken into custody around 11:20 a.m. Tuesday as he tried to run out of the back of a house in the 1200 block of S. 11th Street.
Police say Fessler was "somewhat cooperative" as they questioned him about a string of thefts from homes and vehicles.
Fessler implicated two other people as accomplices; police say they have questioned those two, but so far have not arrested anyone else.
Fessler faces a total of six charges, including felony counts of burglary to a building or dwelling. Police say they have tied him directly to one burglary on the city's north side where a substantial amount of cash was taken.
Investigators also say he has admitted to being involved in 11 other vehicle entries, and is being investigated in connection with several other thefts from vehicles and homes.
A $5,000 cash bond was set for Fessler, who police say was out on bail on previous burglary charges.
He is due back in court Sept. 27.
UNDATED (WTAQ) - City clerks in both Appleton and Oshkosh have announced when early voting for the November election will begin.
In Appleton, early voting will begin October 17. The clerk's office will be open from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on weekdays until November 4.
Early voting in Oshkosh will begin October 24 at the city's convention center. It will be open on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except on November 4 where it will take place at city hall.
Green Bay will have early voting get underway on September 26. The fall general election happens November 8.
A federal judge's ruling expanded the time frame for early voting. In July, Judge James Peterson struck down a state law that limited early voting only to weekdays in the two weeks preceding an election. Before that, the earliest voting could have begun was October 24.
Voters need to bring photo identification.
Voters in other municipalities can find out more information through the MyVote Wisconsin website.
ALLOUEZ, WI (WTAQ) - An investigation is underway after another assault on an employee by an inmate at the Green Bay Correctional Institution.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, the assault took place last Friday at the troubled prison in Allouez. The injured staff member was taken to the hospital, but no further details were released.
DOC officials have called the Brown County Sheriff's Department to investigate.
This is the third attack in recent months at the prison.
In July, a correctional officer suffered burns after an inmate an inmate threw a pot of scalding water in the officer’s face.
In June, three officers were sent to hospital after an inmate stabbed two of them; the third was injured trying to restrain the inmate. That inmate, Francisco Flores-Rocha, was later found dead in an apparent suicide.
DOC Secretary Jon Litscher visited the prison after the second attack to meet with employees. State Sen. Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) also called for an investigation of the prison in the wake of the attacks.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Brown County judge assigned to the case involving Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt has recused himself.
Schmitt was charged with 3 misdemeanor counts in connection with breaking Wisconsin campaign finance laws on Wednesday. According to the special prosecutor, Schmitt has agreed to plead guilty.
Judge Timothy Hinkfuss was randomly assigned the case. On Wednesday, Hinkfuss filed paperwork to remove himself from it. The prosecutor nor defense attorney requested the change.
Hinkfuss was Green Bay's municipal judge before moving to the circuit court bench in 2007. His term overlapped with Mayor Schmitt's time in office.
The District Court Administrator's office says a new judge has not been assigned to the case. It is possible a judge from outside Brown County could be assigned to it.
No court dates have been set.
KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ) - A visitation and funeral for a 12-year-old Kaukauna boy hit and killed by a school bus this week will take place on Monday.
Visitation is set for 10 a.m. at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Kaukauna for Justin Johnson. His funeral will follow at 1 p.m.
Johnson was a 7th grade student at River View Middle School. He was walking home Tuesday when he was hit crossing the street at the intersection of Second Street and Crooks Avenue.
Members of the school district's trauma team say they will attend the funeral and be available for anyone who needs help. School leaders say they are working on setting up a fundraiser in Johnson's memory.
Kaukauna police said they don't plan on releasing any information about the incident until the middle of next week.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame is now displaying a piece of one of the most famous games in Lambeau Field history.
A 5-foot-long section of goalpost ripped down in the celebration following the "Ice Bowl" has been donated to the hall. It came from Stew Mills and the Mills family, who received it from the James and Barbara Smith family.
The hall of fame says both families were at that 1967 NFL Championship Game, where temperatures were at -13 degrees.
Hall of fame officials say the Smith family went onto the field to celebrate after Packers quarterback Bart Starr snuck across the goal line in the closing seconds in the team's 21-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys.
The Smiths were part of a group that tore down the goalposts, loaded them into their family van and took them to a construction company's shop operated by another fan in the group. The goalpost was then cut into pieces divided among the group.
The Smith family's section remained in their Town of Center home until 1990, when James Smith gave it to the Stew and Henry Mills families as a gift. It was then displayed in the Mills Fleet Farm office in Grand Chute.
The post will be displayed in the Ice Bowl Theater on the second floor of the Packers Hall of Fame.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A $2 million bond has been set for the man arrested in connection with the murder of Nicole VanderHeyden.
38-year-old George Stephen Burch appeared in Brown County court Thursday. The court commissioner agreed with prosecutors that there was probable cause to hold Burch in the case, but ordered those documents sealed from the public.
A criminal complaint is expected to be released when Burch returns to court September 16.
The Brown County Sheriff's Office has called a Friday morning news conference to discuss Burch's arrest. Officials say Burch was taken into custody around 6:20 a.m. Wednesday. Burch, who goes by the name Steve, has not yet been formally charged in the case.
The 31-year-old VanderHeyden was found near a field in Bellevue back on May 21. Investigators believe that she was beaten and strangled.
Just days after VanderHeyden was found, Douglass Detrie was arrested after investigators said they found blood near the home the two shared in Ledgeview. However, Detrie was released from jail in June after prosecutors said they didn't have enough evidence to charge him.
WTAQ reached out to Detrie and his attorney for comment on the arrest of Burch. Detrie's attorney, Emily Lonergan, declined an interview but released this statement:
"Mr. Detrie and his family are hopeful that the man being held in custody is the correct person who is responsible for this horrible tragedy, and if so, that the prosecutor will charge him. Mr. Detrie, his family and his legal counsel have steadfastly maintained throughout this matter that someone other than Douglass Detrie killed Nicole. The recent arrest of the new suspect, who is not connected in any way to Mr. Detrie, shows this to be true."
KIMBERLY, WI (WTAQ) - Police say the driver who struck a 14-year-old girl outside Kimberly High School on Wednesday will not be cited.
Fox Valley Metro police say the crash happened at the intersection of Kennedy Avenue and Washington Street (Hwy. N) just before 3:15 p.m.
Officials say the girl was walking north on Washington Street when she crossed in front of traffic and was hit by a vehicle headed west on Kennedy Avenue.
"It was determined that the east and westbound traffic on Kennedy Avenue had the green light at that time and the pedestrian had entered the crosswalk without the right-of-way, not with a walk signal," says Officer Michael Lambie, Fox Valley Metro Police Department. "The driver wasn't able to see them due to their vision being obstructed from another vehicle, the two ended up colliding, resulting in the injury."
Lambie says a westbound mid-size SUV stopped alongside and waited to turn left.
The girl was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
"Kimberly High School is unique in the fact that it's a very large high school in the area and it only has one entry and exit," Lambie explains. "Obviously that does play into this issue. You have a lot of students, staff and parents exiting and entering at the same time, both in the morning and in the afternoon. With the influx of people and traffic, it naturally and inevitably does bring forward issues."
Lambie says this serves as a reminder to both drivers and pedestrians to plan ahead by leaving early and eliminate distractions in order to remain safe in that high traffic area.
NEW LONDON, WI (WTAQ) - Outagamie County's chief prosecutor is expected to discuss more about the fatal shooting of a man by New London police.
Outagamie County District Attorney Carrie Schneider will make a statement about the shooting at 11 a.m. Friday, according to New London police.
31-year-old Kole Knight was shot and killed after pointing what was later discovered to be a toy gun at officers on August 19. His fiancée said Knight was suicidal and that she didn't blame police for shooting him.
Officers Ryan Denu and Brody Erickson were identified as the officers involved. They were placed on administrative leave.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice was called in to investigate. Officials were to then turn over the results of their investigation to Schneider to decide whether Denu and Erickson will be charged.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Green Bay Police Department launched their police foundation earlier this summer in an effort to build and maintain a strong relationship between police officers and the Green Bay community.
Thursday they received a huge donation from the Green Bay Packers and their head coach, Mike McCarthy.
The two have partnered to each make donations of a hundred thousand dollars in support of the foundation's mission.
Green Bay's Police Chief Andrew Smith said he was shocked when he found out the Packers would be donating.
"The generosity and the vision and the leadership from not only the coach, but the Packers organization has just been phenomenal and when I heard that I was just stunned"
Head coach Mike McCarthy said public service workers are close to his heart. His father was both a police officer and firefighter in Pittsburgh.
"They need funding, they need support and frankly it's about the community, our children and embracing these relationships, improving the relationships with public safety."
The donations by McCarthy and the Packers are matching grants, meaning the police foundation needs to raise $200,000 on their own for those donations to take effect.
KIMBERLY, WI (WTAQ) - Police are urging drivers and pedestrians to be cautious around Kimberly High School.
A student was hit by a car there after school Wednesday. The girl was not seriously hurt.
A nightmare. That's how Shari Van Mun describes driving around Kimberly High School before or after classes.
"My son is actually a sophomore this year at Kimberly High School and last year it was horrible, this year it's horrible. They've tried to make some improvements, but it's just not working yet"
A 14-year-old girl was hit by a car while crossing the street here Wednesday. Police say the driver was not at fault, that the girl crossed on a 'do not walk' sign.
Van Mun says she is not surprised by what happened.
"Not even one bit. I'm surprised it didn't happen earlier"
She says there is only one entrance-exit for the school, so the intersection becomes extremely chaotic when students are coming and going.
There are pedestrians, cyclists, skateboarders and drivers new and experienced.
"One way in, one way out. Everything takes forever. It's so congested"
There were similar concerns at the same intersection near the high school last spring and that's when Officer Michael Lambie, with the Fox Valley Metro Police Department, put out an educational campaign to try and help make things safer.
"That's our responsibility as a police department to remind folks to take their time, to be more cognizant of their surroundings and to be careful out there"
Lambie says the department will be continuing the campaign.
Van Mun added that caution is the only safe bet.
"Be careful, be safe, watch for cars. Even if you think it's safe, check one more time"
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - An online petition effort is underway calling for Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt to resign after he agreed to plead guilty to three misdemeanors for violating state election laws.
You might be surprised to hear the creator of JimResign.com is former Schmitt supporter Shae Shortwell.
“I think overall he's done a lot of good things for the city, but this was really something that I looked at and said you can't do this kind of stuff”
Sortwell served on Green Bay's city council under Schmitt.
The Facebook page Sortwell created to publicize the petition received more than 100 likes in its first 24 hours.
“You can't be changing your campaign finance reports to try to make it more legal when it's clearly not”
The charges filed against Schmitt on Wednesday are for false statements to an election official, accepting campaign contributions not belonging to the reported contributor, and accepting campaign contributions in excess of state limits.
In a statement response to the charges, Schmitt made no reference to stepping down.
Schmitt instead referenced the future. Schmitt wrote, “I will exercise much greater care and diligence with any campaign filings to ensure that they meet every letter, intent and requirement of Wisconsin election laws.”
There are options that could lead to Schmitt being removed from office.
An ethics complaint could be filed. If the complaint reaches the city council, three quarters of the 12-member council would need to agree on removal.
Another option is a recall election. Signatures would need to be collected and verified equal to 25 percent of the number of people who voted in Green Bay during the 2014 governor race.
At least one Alderman, Randy Scannell, doesn't like any of the options so far.
“I think it's a little premature, I think the mayor deserves his day in court.”
The mayor and his attorney have said they hope to have the criminal case resolved within the next month.
MADISON< WI (WTAQ) - The shutdown of the West Shore Pipeline continues to cause problems in the Green Bay area.
Problems continue in northern Wisconsin and parts of Michigan's Upper Peninsula as well.
Governor Walker has issued an executive order suspending certain load limitation requirements for transporting petroleum.
He says doing so will alleviate some fuel constraints in the areas served by the pipeline, which was shut down earlier this year.
BELLEVUE, WI (WTAQ) - Few new details were released in the ongoing investigation into the murder of Nicole VanderHeyden.
At a press conference Friday, members of the Brown County Sheriff's Department spoke about how investigators turned their attention toward 38-year-old George Stephen Burch. Burch was arrested Wednesday morning.
"We are now able to place Mr. Burch on South Broadway when and where Nicole was last seen," explained Capt. David Poteat, Investigative Division Director. "We're also able to place Mr. Burch at the location of the homicide, the location Nicole's body was found and the location where additional evidence was recovered."
The 31-year-old VanderHeyden was found near a field in Bellevue back on May 21. Investigators believe that she was beaten and strangled.
Poteat, along with Chief Deputy Todd Delain, remained tight-lipped about the connection between Burch, VanderHeyden and former suspect Douglass Detrie.
Detrie, who was Nicole's live-in boyfriend, was arrested just days after her body was discovered. That's after investigators located blood near the couple's Ledgeview home and learning they had an argument in a bar shortly before her death.
Then on June 10, Detrie was freed from jail after prosecutors said they weren't confident they had enough evidence to tie him to the murder.
"At the time we arrested Douglas Detrie, we had probable cause to believe that he committed the crime. Evidence we collected at the time of his arrest and forensic evidence we received a couple weeks later helped exclude him as a suspect," said Poteat.
Officials would not comment about why Burch recently moved to an area where he has little ties.
"We believe Burch moved to the area around a short time prior to the homicide," Poteat said. "Mr. Burch became a person of interest approximately two weeks ago."
Poteat nor Delain would comment on why Burch went back to Virginia, where he does have ties, days after VanderHeyden's death before returning to Brown County.
As for clearing the name of Detrie, who has kept a low profile following his release from jail nearly three months ago, officials would only say that he's no longer a suspect.
"The action taken at the time, based upon the information we had, we took appropriate action that was supported by the district attorney's office and the court," Delain says. "We followed the evidence. Upon following up with that evidence, that led us in another direction."
Detrie's attorney, Emily Lonergan, released this statement to WTAQ Thursday:
"Mr. Detrie and his family are hopeful that the man being held in custody is the correct person who is responsible for this horrible tragedy, and if so, that the prosecutor will charge him. Mr. Detrie, his family and his legal counsel have steadfastly maintained throughout this matter that someone other than Douglass Detrie killed Nicole. The recent arrest of the new suspect, who is not connected in any way to Mr. Detrie, shows this to be true."
Burch is being held on $2 million bond and returns to court on September 16. At that time, a criminal complaint is expected to be released. Brown County District Attorney David Lasee petitioned to have the probable cause statement sealed at Burch's first court appearance Thursday.
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - No criminal charges will be pursued against two New London police officers who shot and killed a man August 19.
Outagamie County District Attorney Carrie Schneider made the announcement in a news conference Friday morning.
Investigators say officers Ryan Denu and Brody Erickson shot and killed 31-year-old Kole Knight.
Schneider says the officers recognized Knight form a statewide alert indicating there was a warrant for his arrest. When they confronted Knight, he pulled something from his waistband and the officers, fearing that their lives were in danger, immediately began shooting at Knight.
In six seconds, 17 rounds were fired. The coroner's office determined that shots to Knight's head and chest cavity were fatal; he was hit four other times.
Investigation revealed that the gun Knight pointed at officers was a toy; however, the orange tip indicating it was a toy had been cut off. The gun belonged to a friend of Knight's; she told investigators that he had made statements indicating he wanted to end his life.
Denu and Erickson remain on administrative leave as an internal investigation continues, that's according to New London police chief Jeffrey Schlueter.
The officers are also being provided with counseling.
BELLEVUE, WI (WTAQ) - Sheriff's officials have released surveillance images from the armed robbery of a Bellevue convenience store.
The robbery happened around 10:15 p.m. Wednesday at the Express Convenience Center, 1356 Bellevue St. The male robber used a knife, officials say.
Investigators say a dark-colored SUV was seen leaving the area around the time of the robbery.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Brown Co. Sheriff's Office at (920) 448-4230.
Anonymous tips may be left with Crime Stoppers by phone at (920) 432-7867 or by text message with the keyword GBTIP to 274637.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Family members of military personnel who remain unaccounted for from past conflicts dating back to World War II will get an update from government officials on Saturday.
Officials from the Department of Defense, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory will hold briefings at the Hyatt Regency, 333 Main Street in Green Bay from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
"We bring families in, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam and also Cold War, where their loved ones did not come back from a conflict and update them on their status," says Todd Livick, Director of Outreach and Communications at the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. "We have not stopped looking for those that did not come home. A lot of people don't know about that, and the bottom line is our mission statement is fulfilling our nation's promise."
Livick says 188 family members are expected to attend Saturday's briefing. They're representing 94 different military service members who have not come home. They not only will get an update, but can ask the personnel attending specific questions about their loved ones' cases.
"We made a promise many years ago to bring every soldier, sailor, Marine and airman that we can home and we will continue to do that for as long as we can," explained Maj. Craig Cherek, who's a Wisconsin native.
Family members can register to attend here or by calling (703) 699-1420. They can also register at the hotel on Saturday morning.
According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency:
Officials say the Department of Defense is committed to keeping families of the missing and the public informed about the efforts being made to account for missing service members. Several times a year, DPAA specialists meet with hundreds of family members of missing personnel in Washington, D.C., Hawaii, Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, Dover Air Force Base in Delaware and major metropolitan areas across the country.
You can learn more about the DoD's mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country by visiting the DPAA website, on their Facebook page, or by calling (703) 699-1420.
This weekend's visit come just ahead of the 2016 National POW/MIA Recognition Day. This annual event, held on Friday, September 16, honors our missing service members and their families, and highlights the government’s commitment to account for them.
Across the country, local POW/MIA ceremonies are encouraged throughout POW/MIA Recognition Week, culminating with countless events and the national ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Recognition Day.
