ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) - Sounds of the Christmas season filled the terminals at Austin Straubel International Airport Monday.

Around 12 residents and staff from Renaissance Assisted Living in De Pere gathered to sing carols in the Grand Lobby for passengers making their way through Green Bay.

Assistant Airport Director Marty Piette says he hopes the music brings a smile to travelers’ faces.

"The holiday season can be stressful, travel can be stressful, so we just like to have the opportunity to get some groups out here and sing some holiday music to bring our passengers into the holiday spirit."

The group sang holiday favorites like Jingle Bell Rock and Santa Baby.

"We do various events like this throughout the season especially through the holidays. A good example is the Badger/LSU game earlier this summer. We had some bands out here for entertaining our passengers during that event. So, we do it as often as we can," said Piette.

For more information on the state's third largest airport, go to www.flygrb.com.

FOX CROSSING, WI (WTAQ) - Police officers in the Village of Fox Crossing say foot pursuits led to two people being arrested.

Police say the incidents took place separately. 

The first one happened at the Probation and Parole office, 1348 American Drive, at 10:22 a.m. Monday. According to officials, they were told a parole offender took off.

Police say a resident in the 1300 block of Westwood Drive reported seeing the man in his garage. The 40-year-old Fox Crossing resident was taken into custody after cops chase him through backyards.

Then at 12:41 p.m., a resident reported seeing a suspicious man looking into windows in the 1400 block of George Street.

When officers arrived on scene, they tried to speak with the man, but he took off running.

Following a brief chase, the 24-year-old Mauston man was arrested.

He is being held in the Winnebago County Jail on a probation hold along with preliminary charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest.

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - A man accused of sexually assaulting a girl at an Oshkosh pool this past summer has been convicted.

Online court records reveal that Shannon Frantz pleaded no contest on Friday to a charge of first-degree sexual assault of a child.

Frantz had contact with the girl on June 24 at Pollock Pool. He's scheduled to be sentenced on February 6.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The help wanted sign is out at a Green Bay flooring company.

H.J. Martin and Son will hold a job fair from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday at its headquarters, 320 S. Military Avenue. 

The company plans to add 80 to 100 new employees in positions like traveling carpenter, commercial-flooring installer, acoustical ceiling installer, tile and stone setter and others.

A Green Bay flooring company is looking to add more employees.

• Click here for more information on open positions

Company officials say they need more workers to help with the work load on several local and national projects, including multiple within the new Titletown District.

"We are having the best year ever in the 85-year history of the company," said H.J. Martin and Son president and CEO Edward Martin. "We pride ourselves on maintaining a family like culture, where employees stay for 20-, 30- and even 40-plus years because of the opportunities they are given for growth and advancement. We are excited to be in a position to add more talented people to H.J. Martin and Son."

Those attending the job fair are asked to bring a resume and be available for an interview lasting 15 to 20 minutes.

HORTONVILLE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - The Hortonville Police Commission has scheduled two days of hearings into the complaint against Police Chief Michael Sullivan.

Sullivan has been on paid administrative leave since Oct. 21.

According to the statement of charges obtained by WLUK, there are several categories of complaints: inappropriate discriminatory conduct, inappropriate disclosure of confidential information, violation of the state Transaction Information for Management of Enforcement system, violation of employee rights to grieve and engage in concerted protected activity, violating the directive not to discuss the investigation during the course of the investigation, and not being truthful during an internal investigation.

According to agendas posted Monday by the village, evidentiary proceedings will convene at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 21, and are scheduled to last until about 10 p.m. A similar schedule is set for Thursday, Dec. 22, as well.

All proceedings will take place at the village hall, 531 N. Nash St. The hearings will be open to the public.

After that, "further proceedings, including submission of written argument and deliberations by commissioners, will be duly scheduled," the notice states.

It will be several weeks after that for the arguments to be submitted and for the deliberations to take place, according to Scott Herrick, the attorney for the Police Commission.

MADISON, WI (WRN-WTAQ) - While there have been tremendous improvements in the country, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker says there are many dangers still facing U.S. troops who are serving in Afghanistan.

Walker was part of a delegation of other governors who traveled to the Middle East last week to meet with National Guard members stationed overseas.

The trip, organized by the U.S. Department of Defense, included stops in Germany, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, and Afghanistan.

Recounting the trip for members of the media on Monday, the Republican governor said a lot of people assume that things are quieting down due to the impending draw-down of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

He said there is a “night and day difference” in the country, compared to before U.S. forces launch an offensive in 2001. Those include changes in the economy, quality of life for residents, educational opportunities, and more women entering the workforce.

However, Walker said it’s still a very dangerous place for members of the military and civilians.

He said the governors were moved around by helicopter, while wearing flak jackets and helmets, because convoys are still regularly attacked with improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

“It just shows you how real it is,”

Walker said he believes the trip served as a morale boost for those serving overseas, since it shows there are government officials willing to come and see what U.S. troops are going through.

He said it also provided him a first-hand look at the work being done by Wisconsin National Guard members.

“It’s really important to see what they’re doing, to understand that, to appreciate that”

ELDORADO, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - A town in Fond du Lac County is fighting the release of a sex offender there for the second time in about a year.

The state Department of Health Services wants to move the offender, Terry Olson, to a home on Nitschke road in Eldorado.

Monday Fond du Lac County Judge Richard Nuss granted a restraining order to keep Olson out.

Olson was convicted of sexual assault of a child in 1990. Officials say he hurt as many as 30 children.

Olson is from Washington County. Under state law an offender is typically released back into his or her convicting county, unless suitable housing cannot be found there.

Three locations in Washington County were found suitable. According to the Department of Health Services however, they didn't pan out.

"While that was happening both properties had fallen through. The vendor had contacted us and advised they were no longer for sale," said Scott Timm with DHS.

So DHS focused on the Eldorado home where another sex offender already lives.

Fond du Lac County Sheriff Mylan Fink tells WLUK he does not want Olson housed there and neither do local residents.

"I believed that the public safety, especially the children of that area, was at risk should we place that offender there"

According to Fink the Department of Corrections agreed Olson should not be moved there.

Fond du Lac County's Corporation Counsel Meggin McNamara says DHS did not give that information to the judge in Washington County who ordered Olson moved to Eldorado.

"I think it's very disappointing because we expect our judiciary to be making decisions based on being fully informed with the best evidence available"

McNamara says Fond du Lac County and Eldorado officials were not given proper notification of Olson's release.

"So that's problematic from a county perspective when you're trying to provide those resources and protect and serve when we're not fully vetted and we're not fully engaged in the process"

Meanwhile, a Washington County judge has suspended Olson's relocation. That judge asked DHS to do more research on the possible locations in Washington County.

The sheriff and Eldorado residents fought against the release of a Milwaukee County sex offender to the exact same house last December. He was ultimately moved elsewhere.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - After a six-month study, Green Bay's police chief doesn't believe there is a need to ban single can beer sales in the city.

Alderman Guy Zima proposed the ban in an effort to limit littering and public intoxication.

Since mid-June, Green Bay Police increased focus on specific downtown areas to see if single beer and alcohol sales need to be taken out of convenience stores.

Chief Andrew Smith....

“We'd go out with as many as a dozen officers at a time and walk foot beats through these areas and interact with the neighbors and talk with the folks out there”

In six months, the department reports it had 40 calls or stops of someone publicly drinking a single serving of beer or liquor. Those calls generated 48 single-serve offenders. 42 percent of them admitted to being homeless.

However, after talking with businesses, Smith says his officers found out repeat offenders typically were buying more than a single serving of alcohol.

“They were in the opinion that it seemed the folks that would come in there that were the inebriats were buying the 12 packs of the low-end, lower quality alcohol”

Despite the police department's report, Zima tells WLUK he'd still like to see a ban on single serve alcohol sales at convenience stores.

“I still feel strongly to keep the inner city neighborhoods growing, reforming, becoming better places to live that people want to live, the less access to alcohol that type of person wants, the stronger the neighborhoods will become”

Zima is also pursuing a ban on all hard liquor sales at convenience stores. He plans to address single beer sales when the hard liquor ban is discussed at a future meeting.

Smith says his department will continue its foot patrols of areas where littering and public intoxication have been reported as problems.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A water main break near Green Bay Southwest High School has forced the cancellation of evening events at the school.

School district officials say the city's Water Utility has directed that the water be shut off at 3:30 p.m. The building must be closed and empty by that time.

All after-school activities, events and meetings are canceled.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Two men who allegedly skimmed credit numbers from convenience store gas pumps were ordered Tuesday to stand trial.

Leonardo Chacin-Paredes and Orlando Romero-Santaella waived preliminary hearings, according to court records.

Chacin-Paredes enters a plea Jan. 3 to ten counts of misappropriating identification information, while Romero-Santaella's arraignment on ten such counts is set for Jan. 17.

Also Tuesday, Romero-Santaella's bond was reduced from $50,000 cash - which he had posted - to $25,000 cash. That now matches Chacin-Paredes' bond of $25,000 cash, which he, too, has posted. Both had previously been ordered to surrender their Venezuelan passports.

According to police, the two allegedly placed credit card skimmers at the pumps, gathering information including the cardholder's name, credit or debit card number, and the time and date of the transaction.

UNDATED (WTAQ) - With dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills outside, state officials are reminding you about ways to stay safe.

"The biggest danger is just not dressing for this frigid cold weather," says Tod Pritchard, Assistant Public Information Officer with Wisconsin Emergency Management. "This is not the time to make a fashion statement. This is a time to get out those ugly winter hats, the big boots, the big gloves and all that kind of stuff and make sure you are covered up as much as you can."

Just last winter, ReadyWisconsin and the state Department of Health Services reports 33 people died from cold-related problems between December 1, 2015 and February 29, 2016. 

"Young kids and older folks, this is a perfect time to make sure you're staying inside as much as possible and limiting your outdoor activities," Pritchard says. "And if you've got to go out, make sure you are really bundled up."

Officials say that frostbite can occur on exposed skin in under 30 minutes. Symptoms include a loss of feeling and a white or pale appearance in fingers, toes, ear tips and the tips of your nose. If you see these signs, officials recommend seeking medical care immediately.

Another factor is hypothermia, which is an abnormally low body temperature. Those symptoms include shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness in adults and children. In infants, symptoms can include bright red or cold skin and very low energy.

"Insulated water-proof boots, thick gloves, cover your ears and your head with a good, solid winter hat," says Pritchard. "If you can get some sort of a muffler or a facemask, which will help out. Those will help make a big difference."

Also, officials caution about people overexerting themselves in extremely cold temperatures. It can put an added stress on the heart. Unaccustomed exercise such as shoveling snow or pushing a car can bring on a heart attack or make an existing medical condition such as diabetes, hypertension, or cardiovascular disease worse.

State officials say that many of last winter's cold-related deaths were tied to alcohol consumption. They advise you to be cautious when consuming alcoholic drinks this holiday season while out in extreme cold. Alcohol may seem to keep you warm, but can hasten health effects from the cold if you're outside for an extended period of time.

Pritchard adds that pets also need extra care during this time of year. They should be brought inside when the temperature reaches 30 degrees with wind chill. Dogs and cats can get frost-bitten ears, nose and feet if left outside during bitter cold weather. Chemicals used to melt snow and ice can also irritate pets' paws, so be sure to keep anti-freeze, salt and other poisons away from pets.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The frigid temperatures blasting northeast Wisconsin and much of the country, can really do a number on your vehicle.

Dave Shaw, owner of Downtown Auto at 434 E. Walnut Street in Green Bay, says running the heater puts a strain on the battery this time of year and they tend to lose their charge.

"Right now we are running into a lot of batteries that are cranking slow and with the slow cranking engine they tend to flood a little easier."

Shaw says it's always a good idea to let your car run for a few minutes before taking off.

"When the car first starts up, it starves for oil for just a few seconds. It's a crucial time in the engine warm up."

There are several things to keep your eye on as winter settles and takes its toll on your mode of transportation.

A common complaint is poor heat or a heater that comes and goes. That may be an indication that there's a leak.

"Tires are another big thing with inflation this time of the year when it's cold like this. The rubber is not as pliable so if you got a slow leak in the summertime, when it becomes wintertime when the tires are stiffer and less pliable, that slow leak becomes a little bit faster," said Shaw.

It's probably not a good idea to have your vehicle washed when it's extremely cold too.

Shaw says it's a good idea to keep some jumper cables, a blanket, a small bucket of sand and shovel in the trunk in case you get stuck in the snow.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - So what's it like working for the Postal Service in bitter cold temperatures?

Trent Zoglman has been a letter carrier for the past 15 years in Green Bay. His current route is on the east side of the city and it can get pretty treacherous in the winter.

"Temperature wise it's pretty cold. What's nice about it, is that it's not as windy as it could be. Wind is a huge factor when it comes to being cold."

Zoglman has found the secret to staying warm along his 2 1/2 hour route, is lots of layers.

"The big problem is trying to figure out how many layers, you know. One of the nice things is you can take them off as you go. The other thing that I wear is wool when it gets really cold like this out," said Zoglman.

But over his many years walking the routes of Green Bay's east and west sides, there have been moments where things got pretty slippery.

"When you get that little powder snow and you don't know there's an ice layer in there. I've slipped so many times," Zoglman explains.

The Postal Service asks customers to clear snow and ice from sidewalks, stairs and mailboxes to help carriers do their job safely.

Also, customers receiving door deliveries should make sure their sidewalks, steps and porches are clear.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay Water Utility officials are asking homeowners to check areas of your home to prevent water pipes from freezing.

"Please check areas of your home where the water pipes have been known to freeze," says Nancy Quirk, General Manager of Green Bay's Water Utility. "Near broken or open basement windows, near a foundation with cracks in the basement wall, pipes under kitchen sinks or cupboards, unheated crawl spaces are a huge one for us."

Quirk reminds people that if exposed water pipes aren’t properly insulated, they may freeze and cause water damage in your home.

Officials suggest checking the following areas of your home where water pipes have been known to freeze:  

• Pipes near broken or open basement windows
• Pipes near the foundation or cracks in the basement wall
• Pipes near exterior walls in unheated rooms
• Pipes under kitchen sinks or cupboards
• Unheated crawl spaces and equipment rooms
• Inadequate heating in un-insulated or uncovered outside pits

In order to prevent frozen water pipes, Green Bay Water Utility recommends:

• Shutting off and draining outside water faucets before freezing occurs
• Running small amounts of water from highest faucet until full flow returns
• Insulating walls near exposed piping
• Repairing cold air leaks to reduce drafts on piping and meter

As cold temperatures continue, watch for these warning signs of freezing pipes:

• Unusually cold water temperature (less than 35°F) at any fixture
• Unusually low water flow at a fixture – if this occurs, try running water from faucet for several minutes to see if the flow improves
• Discolored water at a fixture
• Extremely cold piping at a fixture
• Sputtering sound when opening a fixture

If your pipes do freeze, never thaw frozen pipes with an open flame or torch as this may cause a fire. You can safely thaw frozen pipes by:

• Blowing them with hot air from a hair dryer or exhaust from a vacuum cleaner – the safest way
• Using heat tape with caution – be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions explicitly and unplug when finished

Finally, Green Bay Water Utility advises taking the following precautions in order to avoid injury and/or further damage:

• Know where the main shut-off valve is located, so you can turn it off quickly if a pipe bursts
• Check and clear drains to prevent basement flooding in case of a burst pipe
• Check for cracked pipes as they may spray water into electrical appliances when thawed

If you need additional information, please contact the Customer Service Department of the Green Bay Water Utility at (920) 785-7910.

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Oshkosh police are searching for four males involved in a weekend attack.

Police say the victim reported being beaten in the 400 block of W. Lincoln Avenue around 1:30 a.m. Sunday. The 20-year-old Greenville man was walking in the area when the group allegedly assaulted him.

Officials say he was rushed to an Oshkosh hospital and later transferred to a Green Bay hospital for his injuries.

One of the attackers was described as an Asian male with long blond hair. All 4 of the attackers left the area in a silver Pontiac Grand Am.

Anyone with information is asked to call Oshkosh police at (920) 236-5700. Anonymous tips may 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.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - A settlement has been reached between five parties that are part of the lawsuit determining who will pay for the cleanup of the Fox River and Appvion.

The federal and state governments sued several paper companies and municipal sewerage operators in 2010, seeking money to pay for the ongoing removal of PCBs from the Fox River. That work is expected to wrap up in 2018.

Since then, the parties have been litigating in federal court to determine which entities should pay what share of the expected $1 billion tab.

The federal government had previously reached settlements with multiple parties. However, Appvion (formerly Appleton Papers) separately made its own claims against many of those same entities, seeking payments to help defray some of their own cost for the cleanup, according to U.S. Paper attorney Scott Hansen. 

During a hearing on Monday, the EPA says five parties which previously settled with the United States and the State of Wisconsin announced a separate settlement of remaining claims brought against them by Appvion, Inc. Those entities are: the City of Appleton, the Neenah-Menasha Sewerage Commission, U.S. Paper Mills Corp., Menasha Corp., and WTM I Company.

Hansen says details of the settlement have not been made public yet, but should be within the next few weeks.

The Appleton City Council scheduled a special meeting for 7 p.m. Wednesday to approve the proposal.

For those five, here are the amounts of the previous settlements with the federal & state governments, according to court documents:

• Appleton: $4,420,000
• Neenah-Menasha Sewage: $4,420,000
• U.S. Paper Mills: $12,495,000
• Menasha Corp.: $11,645,000
• WTM I: $10,370,000

Those entities have exposure under the law because they processed paper or waste water which contained PCBs.

A trial on remaining claims and payment liabilities is scheduled for May 8, 2017.

GREEN BAY (WTAQ-WLUK) - Green Bay is looking at combining the headquarters for its police and fire departments under one new roof.

For the past few years, Green Bay Police personnel have made it known, they're running out of room in their nearly 50-year-old downtown building.

“We're currently using closets and old offices to store evidence,” said Captain John Laux of the Green Bay Police Department.

Down the street and around the corner, Green Bay Metro Fire has been running out of administration space.

The city is looking at helping both departments by putting them in a new building more than twice the size of the current police department.

Laux spoke with WLUK

“A lot of our training is similar. A lot of shared spaces can be used.”

With a projected construction date of Spring 2018, Bray Architects estimates, with inflation, the construction cost for the building would be between $34.4 million and $38 million.

An additional joint storage building would be between $5.8 million and $6.4 million.

Tom DeWane, Green Bay’s city council president, isn't surprised at the cost.

“You're looking at a brand new facility. With everything they need that is involved with this, we expected that from the beginning.”

“I think it's something that is ok that we take a 20-year borrowing that our kids help pay for this, because this is something that is going to stand the test of time,” said Mayor Jim Schmitt.

A site for the new building hasn't been picked out yet. However, Schmitt says city staff is already considering three possible locations. All of them are in the downtown.

“There is property that we own that we would just earmark towards this in the next two years to get the financing squared away and get final approval on that and we can start construction in 2018"

First the city council must sign off on the idea. It is expected to discuss the plan for the first time next week.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - The deep freeze affecting Northeast Wisconsin is pushing some area homeless shelters to capacity.

At the daytime resource facility called the Micah Center, homeless people in Green Bay can get a break from the cold. George Caldwell says there's no doubt it's winter.

"It's brutal. It's like you get frostbite. You end up with pneumonia, bronchitis. You lose feeling in your fingers"

Kurt Loff is warming up and spoke to WLUK.

"With the temperatures at night, even if you're wearing gloves, your face is exposed, and all that. it's not good. If you're out there freezing. You don't know where to go, just decided you want to stay on the streets, that's the worst thing people can do" On average, about 55 people visit the Micah Center each day, but Alexia Wood, Micah Center, and St. John the Evangelist Homeless Center Executive Director, says in the last month, that number is now in the triple digits.

"For us, it's chilly walking to the car. It's chilly just getting out the door in the morning. You start to think about individuals who are out, either waiting at a bus stop, or public transportation, or walking throughout the community"

As the sun begins to fade, other facilities in the Green Bay area begin to open their doors, like St. John the Evangelist Homeless Shelter nearby.

The Catholic Diocese of Green Bay administers both the Micah Center and St. John.

Wood says the 84-bed shelter has been at or above capacity for days.

"This is the first year we've now hit our maximum at an overflow location, and we've started to have the conversation of running two overflow locations on any given night"

If the wind chills dip below -20, St. John's homeless shelter will stay open during the day.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The driver in a double-fatal drunken driving crash has been convicted.

Daniel Boucher will be sentenced Feb. 17 for the Feb. 19 crash on Packerland Drive which killed James and Wendy Rush.

He pleaded no contest Tuesday to first-degree reckless homicide, homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle, misdemeanor OWI second offense, and marijuana possession. In all, 15 other charges were dropped but may be considered by Judge Thomas Walsh at sentencing.

"I know I'm too drunk too drive. I know better. I'm not stupid," Boucher told an officer, according to the criminal complaint.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - Lawrence University has named its next provost and dean of the faculty.

Officials announced Wednesday that Catherine Gunther Kodat will become the school's chief academic officer on July 1. Kodat will replace David Burrows, who's planning to return to the psychology department at the end of the school year.

Kodat, who's currently dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of English at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, says the job description piqued her interest.

"The posting said Lawrence was looking for ‘a leader with a strong vision and a humane, personal touch,’” Kodat said in a news release. “Most of these job descriptions sound a lot like one another, but that line was unique. It caught my attention and told me something about Lawrence that certainly was consistent with my view of the world.”

“The prospect of joining an intellectual community where music plays such a central role, both academically and in the everyday life of the campus, is tremendously exciting to me.”

President of Lawrence University Mark Burstein says Kodat's credentials were a perfect fit for the school.

“Katie's interest in Lawrence drew early attention from the search committee and our interactions with her only increased our desire to have her join us,” Burstein said in a news release. “From the beginning, it was clearly a difficult task to find someone who had the temperament, experience and love of the liberal arts to carry forward the very successful tenure of Dave Burrows. I think we have found such a person in Katie.”

Prior to her time at Lewis & Clark, Kodat taught at Hamilton College, Boston University, Boston College and Tufts University. She also spent time as a metro reporter and dance critic for the Baltimore Sun in the 1980s.

Kodat earned a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Baltimore and master's a doctorate degrees from Boston University.