GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - You don't have to wait until November to have your vote count. You can now cast your absentee ballot in Green Bay.

City clerk Kris Teske says registered voters can complete the process at city hall.

"We're at 100 N. Jefferson St. That's where they would either come to request one or they can request one for the mail."

You will need an ID to cast your ballot.

If you haven't registered to vote yet, it's better to do it before the busy Election Day. You can go online at www.myvote.wi.gov.

Teske says registering online is easy.

"It's better that way because the person is putting in their own information so they know if they typed in something wrong. If we do it from hand-written, sometimes things gets transposed. We do the best we can but then its right in there, we don't have to re-enter it."

The city clerk says 4 years ago voter turnout was at 88 percent and predicts an even higher turnout this year.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 8th. 

UNDATED (WTAQ) - Drivers in Wisconsin will have a new law to remember starting on Saturday.

As the Wisconsin Department of Transportation puts it, "See orange cones? Put down the phones!"

DOT officials say it will be illegal to talk on a hand-held mobile device while driving through a construction zone in Wisconsin. However, drivers will be able to use them to call 911.

Fines range as high as $40 for the first time a driver is caught, and could jump to as much as $100 every time after that.

“Holding a phone up to the ear takes precious attention away from the road,” David Pabst, director of the Bureau of Transportation Safety at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, said in a statement. “In a work zone, there are narrow, shifting lanes and there is a lot of activity occurring in a condensed space. It’s vitally important that drivers stay focused and alert at all times.”

Speaking on hands-free calls is still legal even in work zones, but the DOT recommends not using the phone at all while driving through areas under construction. The DOT also shared these recommendations:

• Consider turning off the phone until you reach your destination.
• During a long drive, consider leaving a voice mail explaining how long you’ll be unavailable.
• If you have to make a call, find a secure place to pull over and stop, such as a wayside or a gas station.

BELLEVUE, WI (WTAQ) - Firefighters were called to a Bellevue business Monday afternoon thanks to a smoldering bin of towels.

Crews were called at 2:45 p.m. Monday to Biebel's Catering Company on Bellevue Street.

When firefighters arrived on scene they saw light smoke coming from the wash room. 

Everyone inside the business evacuated safely. 

Fire crews removed the towels from the building and extinguished them in the parking lot. The damage was limited to the towels in the bin.

The building stayed open for business.

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - The military has placed a $42 million order for vehicles made by Oshkosh Corp.'s Defense division.

Oshkosh's Joint Light Tactical Vehicle is replacing 55,000 Army and Marine Corps vehicles.

The company says the JLTV provides military members with protection, networking and off-road mobility.

The order is part of a $243 million contract announced last year.

BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Wearing pins and buttons to show their support, Brown County Republicans gathered in Allouez, while Democrats watched the first of three Presidential debates in Downtown Green Bay.

Margaret O'Toole Somenske is a Trump supporter, watching the debate at Brown County GOP headquarters and talking to WLUK.

"She's trying to bait him, but I don't feel it's working"

Rich Langan, the First Vice Chair of the Democratic Party of Brown County, took in the debate at party headquarters.

"Trump is a reality show personality. Clinton is a real person"

Langan added that Clinton handled the debate well and said she proved she should be the next Commander and Chief.

"She's so uniquely qualified for this job. She's handling the debate like I thought she would"

O'Toole-Somenske sees it differently.

"She is a pathological liar so how could you ever believe anything she says”

She thought Trump showed leadership and poise during the debate.

But she also said ahead of the next debate she believes there are some things Trump needs to do to win over those who are undecided. Like release his tax statements.

Langan says he doesn't think Clinton has anything to improve on.

The candidates will go head to head again on Sunday, Oct. 9 and then again on Wednesday, Oct. 19.

The Vice Presidential candidates also face off in a debate that is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 4.

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Oshkosh police say the suspect involved in the armed robbery of a convenience store this past Sunday is armed and dangerous.

The suspect, identified as 52-year-old Charles Earl Meeks, is believed to have stolen money from the store in the 500 block of Ohio Street around 1:30 a.m.

Police believe Meeks was previously inside the store about 4 hours earlier. 

Officials said in a release Monday that if you know where Meeks is, don't approach him and call 911.

Anonymous tips can be left with Winnebago County Wide Crime Stoppers by phone at (920) 231-8477, by text message with the keyword IGOTYA to 274637 or online.

FOX CROSSING, WI (WTAQ) - Leaders in the Village of Fox Crossing have unveiled their new logo.

It features a stylized representation of the Roland Kampo Memorial Bridge and Little Lake Butte des Morts. 

The village's logo includes the phrase "Bridging the Fox Cities," a holdover from the Town of Menasha's logo. This new municipality encompasses nearly all of the former town.

Back in the spring, the village was created when town voters living west of the lake approved incorporating. Then last week, the village acquired all but 3 properties of the former town on the east side of the lake.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay police officers traded in their shiny gold badges for pink ones Tuesday to support October Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The idea of the colorful badges was brought to Chief Andrew Smith by Lt. Steve Mahoney, whose life was recently touched by the disease.

Mahoney's wife Jen was diagnosed 2 years ago with tubular carcinoma and is now cancer free. But the experience left him wanting to do more for awareness.

"If a lady out there in the community either at a Packers game, when I'm working night shift-day shift, sees a pink badge; if that convinces them to go get a mammogram...like I said, it saved Jen's life."

A total of 120 badges were purchased by officers with 25 dollars from every badge being donated to the local charity Ribbon of Hope.

Meg Steinhardt is one of the founders of the non-profit organization and says she's honored the department chose them to benefit from the donations.

"They are involved in so many things and so many causes are at their fingertips that they know about, you know, a kid that's hungry, a family that's struggling and yet they chose Ribbon of Hope because of one of their own. I'm truthfully very touched by this."

The group was presented with a check totaling $3,000 during Tuesday's presentation.

Officers will start wearing the colorful badges starting October 1st.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A UW-Green Bay student organized a small, silent protest Tuesday to highlight the lives of black men being lost at the hands of unethical police officers.

"I think it's a very prevalent issue in America right now," says junior Christopher Thomas. "This is just one of many social changes that's going on right now."

Thomas says he was prompted to quickly put together this show of solidarity with members of the Black Student Union after last week's shooting death of Keith Scott by police in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

"I feel like this community is not doing enough and being a black student at UWGB, which is predominantly a white university, will bring some attention to the whole entire situation," Thomas says.

In all, three students stood silent holding signs and wearing duct tape over their mouths outside the University Union around 11 a.m. Thomas says he's had his own run-ins with police, specifically while working as an intern with the City of Green Bay's Economic Development department this summer.

"I was leaving Glass Nickel Pizza Company and I had bought a cream soda. I was walking down the street and a police officer stops me. I'm thinking he's suspicious that I have a glass bottle and that it might be alcohol," explains Thomas. "He's very tense when he gets out of his car. When he does, I show him my bottle. The officer says, oh I'm sorry you just look a little suspicious. He goes back into his car and I go about my business. It bothered me when he said I looked suspicious."

Thomas says his goal is to continue to bring attention to this issue both on campus and in the community. He's working with a faculty member, and plans to go on ride-alongs with Green Bay police in an effort to keep the conversation going.

MADISON, WI (Wisconsin Radio Network) - Governor Scott Walker says the University of Wisconsin Credit Union’s decision to expand its membership criteria could help more state residents refinance their student loan debt.

Under a change announced Tuesday, the UW Credit Union will now allow most current and former college students who live in Wisconsin to become members. Previously, membership was limited to current and former UW System students, along with UW employees.

The UW Credit Union is one of 13 financial institutions statewide that will refinance student loan debt and Walker said giving more people access to the lower interest rates the UW provides could go a long way towards reducing the debt some people owe.

“This offers a tremendous opportunity for students not only to get student loan financing, but particularly for those looking to consolidate or refinance,” Walker said during a news conference in Madison.

The Department of Financial Institutions also announced a new website, which lists all of the banks and credit unions in the state willing to work with student loan borrowers. The “Look Forward Wisconsin” site also offers advice for current and prospective students, along with their parents, on how to manage the potential student loan burden that can come with attending college.

The effort drew criticism from Scot Ross with One Wisconsin Now, a liberal advocacy group that has been a strong proponent for reforms in the student loan system.

“Nearly one million Wisconsin student loan borrowers have over $19 billion in debt and the best Governor Walker can manage is to hold a press conference announcing he is doing nothing and they should go talk to a bank or visit a website,” Ross said.

He questioned how many banks are going to give students or borrowers a loan or better interest rate, when so many of them have to rely on student loans because they lack good credit.

“I’d like to find out how I could go into a UW Credit Union or any other bank and ask them to give me a loan with no collateral,” Ross said.

OWN and Democratic lawmakers have advocated for a bill that would allow student loan borrowers to refinance what they owe through the state. The proposal saw little movement though in the Republican-controlled legislature.

MANITOWOC COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - Officials say a body found on a Manitowoc County beach may be that of a missing sailor.

The sheriff's department and U.S. Coast Guard says a caller reported finding the body on private property on Lakeshore Road in the Town of Newton around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. 

FOX 11 reports the coroner's office is still investigating the cause of death and the person's identity.

Coast Guard officials believe it could be a missing sailor who disappeared after a 10-foot sailboat that capsized off Red Arrow Beach was found two weeks ago.

Crews spent 13 hours searching Lake Michigan for the missing man, but the Coast Guard called off the search.

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - A not guilty plea was entered Tuesday by the suspect in a half-dozen convenience store armed robberies in the Fox Valley.

Court officials say a trial date was not scheduled for Phillip Thomas. He returns to court for a status conference on November 14.

Police say the six robberies took place in May and June of 2016. Investigators say in each robbery, Thomas allegedly showed a handgun and demanded cash and cigarettes.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - After its Black Lives Matter banner was stolen for the fourth time, the Fox Valley church will hold a fundraiser.

According to leaders with the Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, the banner vanished Friday night or Saturday morning from the sign outside the church along Calumet Street in Appleton.

Officials say a security camera was pointed at the banner, but since the camera was not on the proper setting for nighttime, it couldn't provide a clear view of who stole the banner.

A group called Showing Up for Racial Justice Appleton will collect donations Thursday afternoon in response to the continued problems. Donations will go towards the national Black Lives Matter movement.

A collection station on the corner of Calumet and Matthias streets will be staffed from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday. A demonstration is also planned in front of the church at 2600 Philips Lane.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Police departments nationwide continue to face many of the same problems on a daily basis and Green Bay is no different.

Issues of race relations and crimes that are connected with mental health disorders are a continual concern.

Since becoming the city's Chief of Police in February, Andrew Smith started implementing solutions to help correct some of those matters with the ultimate goal of reducing crime.

This year, 6 officers have been put on a special 90 day assignment.

"All they do, each of these officers, is work on mental health issues, go out in the community, deal with mental health people, deal with individuals that have issues with mental health," says Smith.

The chief expects to select 2 officers to work full-time in mental health outreach. Smith says that's because the specialty is large enough to warrant it. 

"In my perfect world they'd have a clinician assigned to each of them as well, but those officers are going to go out and deal with those folks dealing with mental health crises and hopefully come to some kind of resolution, instead of just bringing them in for a 72 hour hold and then having them be released and having it be a revolving door. Hopefully, we can find some answers to get some people some stability," explains Smith.

When it comes to race relations, the chief says it's important that the department is able to deal with the various neighborhoods within the city. Which is why they are reaching out and meeting with communities, listening to their concerns and working together to help solve problems they're facing.

The department has also hired several officers who are minorities.

"We are actively outreaching for minority candidates. We are trying to have a department that mirrors the population here in Green Bay. I don't think we're there yet but we are definitely moving in that direction," says Smith.

UNDATED (WTAQ) - As a federal grand jury convened in Milwaukee on Tuesday about the investigation into troubled local car dealer Standard Pre-Owned, legislators are talking about details coming to light. 

"Everything about the story just shocks me that it was allowed to go on," says Wisconsin Rep. Andre Jacque (R-De Pere).

"Having this happen is just not acceptable, it should never have happened," remarks Wisconsin Sen. Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay).

There is an ongoing state audit of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, but Wisconsin Sen. Robert Cowles (R-Allouez) says this aspect isn't part of that audit.

"I'm a little disappointed that we didn't embed this subject inside the big audit," says Cowles. "It's possible we could resolve it just with interviews and recommendations from management of DOT and the DMV division. I don't know the answer to that yet."

All three agreed that while there is no clear path forward to ensuring this kind of incident doesn't happen again, they do have some solutions which could be brought up when the Legislature returns to the Capitol next year.

"In 2015, there were over 959,000 title transactions by third parties and the DMV is responsible for auditing these transactions," Hansen says. "But only 1% of them were audited. There has to be something wrong with that, because that's not nearly enough. They only spent in 2015 $51,000. So we may have to take a look at how dealer consignment sales work or don't work, how these types of dealers are licensed or whether they should have more scrutiny."

Jacque is in favor of at least a hearing to hold DOT officials' feet to the fire.

"Just to sort out how this happened and how to keep that from happening again," says Jacque. "I think we have to cast a wide net in terms of who we invite to that."

GRAND JURY DECISION

Typically, the grand jury is made up of 23 jurors trying to decide whether there's enough evidence for an indictment in a case. That's what took place behind closed doors in Milwaukee on Tuesday.

FOX 11 reports that a decision on whether charges will be filed in the case of Standard Pre-Owned could come Wednesday.

Several of the key people involved in Bella Investment Group LLC, the parent company of Standard Pre-Owned, were believed to have testified at the grand jury hearing. However, it remains unclear who the target of the FBI investigation is.

CONSIGNOR COURT ACTION

Earlier this week, an Outagamie County court commissioner rejected a motion to dismiss several defendants from a small claims case against Standard Pre-Owned.

This case involves the Kaukauna location, which sold a car on consignment for Richard and Mason Sprague. The Sprague's were never paid and still hold the title to that vehicle. In court Monday, several other consignors appeared for similar cases.

The lone defendant dismissed from the case by the court commissioner was Sheila Verhagen.

A trial date was scheduled for December 15 at 8:30 a.m. It's expected to last all day.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The daughter of Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, will be in Green Bay this Friday.

Chelsea Clinton is making a campaign stop on behalf of her mother in Wisconsin to urge residents to vote early.

With more people expected to vote in this election than any in history, Clinton will also urge Wisconsinites to get involved in organizing their communities ahead of November's election.

The event will be held at the Meyer Theatre at 11:30 a.m.

Doors open at 10:45 a.m.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - A New Jersey developer has plans to purchase and redevelop the struggling East Town Mall, located on Green Bay's east side near the intersection of Mason and Main Streets.

Kevin Vonck is the city’s economic development director, and spoke to WLUK.

“We'd be moving from turning the mall inside-out more or less, going from a mall with an interior courtyard, taking that all out and basically kind of doing a power retail center”

Currently, there are a variety of stores and a budget movie theatre between East Town’s main anchors of Hobby Lobby and Kohls.

According to city leaders, Lexington Realty International wants to replace the mall with large store fronts, only accessible from the outside.

The New Jersey developer is proposing a 40,000 square foot sporting goods store, 32,000 square foot grocery store, two smaller retailers, and potentially the east branch of the Brown County Library.

Vonck is excited about the possibilities.

“I think they will be names that people will recognize and really be excited about and I think the reason we're excited about it is those are the types of tenants that attract additional tenants as well”

If this plan moves forward, the future of the mall's current tenants is unclear. However, city leaders say outlots could be added in the mall's parking lots, creating more potential retail space.

The city’s redevelopment authority is expected to vote on a term sheet for the proposal during a special meeting today.

As part of the term sheet, the city would be kicking in between $2 million and $3 million in tax incremental financing.

City staff believes the project would raise the mall's property value by at least $6 million.

It is currently assessed at $9 million.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Downtown Green Bay is filled with older buildings, the Green Bay Historic Preservation wants to build on that idea, and create a historic district.

Buildings such as the Brown County Courthouse and the Bellin Building, could soon be part of a new historic district.

Wendy Townsend, with Green Bay’s Office of Economic Development, spoke with WLUK.

"In many downtowns they have a beautiful historic story and it's important that as a Green Bay community we preserve that story”

Townsend says about 50 buildings would be included in the proposed district.

"To have a district where they all support each other's architecture, history and story, it's a much stronger piece for our downtown to be able to be preserved”

She added if the city were to move forward with the historic district, it wouldn't cost taxpayers anything.

"This helps us bring state and federal dollars into our developments when we do economic development of the downtown”

Townsend says the proposal is only in the first phase and there are several more steps before a historic district could be approved.

The Hotel Northland and the Downtown YMCA, would also be included in the district.

Both buildings already qualified for federal or state funding for their current renovations.

ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) - Law enforcement in northeast Wisconsin are warning people about fake $100 bills going around the area.

In a statement, Ashwaubenon Public Safety is warning businesses and the public about the movie prop bill, which read "For Motion Picture Use Only" on the front of the bill. Other types of counterfeit money have been reported as well.

Anyone who receives this kind of bill should get as much information as possible to identify the person who presented it, including a license plate number of the vehicle the person was driving. 

Earlier this year, Green Bay police issued a similar warning.

If you know where the bills are coming from, officials want you to report it to Crime Stoppers at (920) 432-7867 or online.

BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - There will be more money coming to Brown County from the expired Lambeau Field sales tax.

According to a statement from Wisconsin Rep. David Steffen (R-Ashwaubenon), the Wisconsin Department of Revenue has determined than an extra $534,185 was raised by the half-percent sales tax. That money will be divided among the communities in Brown County.

The state returned over $17 million to Brown County municipalities in 2015.

• Click here to find out how much additional money each community will receive

Steffen says the extra money was collected through audits, penalties and interest.

“These additional returns to Brown County and its communities are significant," Steffen said. "I have been encouraged by the strong local leadership in handling these returns and am confident this responsible leadership will continue with any additional future returns."

Steffen says communities should get the money by the end of the week.