GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Mason Street Bridge in Green Bay is scheduled to close for several nights next week.
The city's Public Works Department says the bridge will close between 9:30 p.m. and 4 a.m. Monday-Thursday.
Crews will be making repairs to the bridge.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Wisconsin drivers could be in for a rude awakening next time they fuel up.
After multiple states saw notable increases in the price of gasoline this week, Gasbuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan says the Badger State can likely expect one of its own in the coming days.
DeHaan says the price hike would likely be the first in a series of jumps between now and Memorial Day.
He says that's due to a variety of factors, including those that typically lead to an increase at this time of year such as a higher demand as temperatures warm and the beginning of a process where refineries switch over to a more expensive summer gas blend.
DeHaan says there is an additional factor that is unique to this year. He notes a gallon of gasoline currently costs $0.53 more than at this time last year. That's due to a November decision to reduce oil production by 50% in an effort to raise oil prices. Unless something changes, DeHaan expects that will continue to impact gas prices in the coming months.
While DeHaan says gas could near $3.00 per gallon in Wisconsin by late May, he expects the price will drop a bit during the summer months.
DeHaan believes the only way prices will increase beyond Memorial Day is if there is an unexpected refinery outage.
On Thursday, a gallon of gas in Green Bay averaged $2.25, with the lowest price coming in at $2.18.
In comparison, the average price in Wisconsin was listed at $2.26 while the national average sat at $2.32.
MENASHA, WI (WTAQ) - A 2 1/2 month old baby is safe after being left in a vehicle for several hours while her dad got drunk at a bar.
Menasha police arrested a 53-year-old Merriett Cox from Chilton Wednesday after being called to the Redliner Bar on Plank Road.
Bartenders had taken the intoxicated man's keys and quickly realized something wasn't adding up.
Chief Tim Styka explains what happened.
"The conversations that they were having, the male party kept referring to having to check on his girl, which the bar folks were thinking that this may have just been a girlfriend or a wife or someone that he was concerned about."
Styka says the baby was in the car for about 3 hours.
"Fortunately she had been bundled up fairly well in the car seat that she was in. She was found to be hungry and in a dirty diaper," said Styka. The baby is now in the care of her mother.
Cox was charged with neglecting a child and bail jumping according to court records and is being held in the Winnebago County Jail.
Bond was set at $1,000 cash, with a plea & sentencing hearing on April 24.
Cox was also ordered not enter “any establishment in which their primary purpose is the sale of alcohol.”
He was out on bond from a previous incident.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Roughly 333,000 Wisconsinites struggle with a gambling problem.
That's according to the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling's Executive Director Rose Blozinski, who says her organization is aiming to raise awareness for the issue during March's National Problem Gambling Awareness Month.
Blozinski says a gambling problem is similar to drug and alcohol addictions in terms of seratone and dopamine levels in the brain, despite it not involving the ingestion of any substances.
She says untreated addictions can lead to some serious matters such as financial issues due to an inability to pay bills, criminal activity to fund the habit, and even suicide if the person feels overcome by the struggle.
Blozinski has seen gambling addictions force people to file bankruptcy multiple times and also lose jobs through both stealing from an employer and an inability to concentrate on anything but betting.
She says 65% of compulsive gamblers have been known to commit crimes.
In 2016, Blozinski says over 13,000 people called the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling's hotline, with a large number of those calls coming in February and March, which she describes as the peak sports betting period due to events like the NFL Super Bowl and NCAA March Madness men's basketball tournament.
When a person calls the hotline, Blozinski says the operator first tries to determine the caller's current condition.
If there is an immediate crisis, the operator attempts to talk the person through the issue and works to convince them that they are not alone in dealing with struggle.
Medical attention is sought if the operator believes the caller may be contemplating suicide.
If it does not seem to be a time-sensative crisis, the operator connects the caller with various resources in the community, such as trained professionals and group therapy meetings.
Blozinski says there are various signs people can look for to determine if a loved one might have a gambling addiction.
She says when a person starts regularly talking about gambling or possessing sheets with betting lines or other gambling paraphernalia out of the blue, it is a sign that an addiction could be developing.
Other signs include a person trying to hide a P.O. Box address that has been established or insisting on always having to be the one to answer a home phone, as those are ways they might be communicating with bookies.
According to Blozinski, gambling addictions can often occur in unison with things like drug and alcohol problems.
Anyone in need of help is encouraged to contact the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling by calling 1-800-GAMBLE5 or by texting 920-888-HELP.
People can also register for the organization's annual conference, which will be held March 23-24 at the Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake. Registration costs $150 and must be made by March 16. Blozinski says a limited amount of scholarships are still available to help those struggling to pay the conference fee.
ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) - A public safety officer at Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport was recognized Thursday with a distinguished service award for her efforts in saving a woman's life.
Ashley Hull administered CPR on a woman who had collapsed in front of a terminal in the early morning hours of February 20.
She says an off duty officer was the first to respond.
"He was able to shock the patient before I arrived. I started with chest compressions once I got there," said Hull.
Hull did compressions for about 2 1/2 minutes before someone else took over.
"Your adrenaline is just going, that you don't really don't think about it. You are going through and doing what you're trained to do."
She credits multiple agencies including Ashwaubenon Public Safety, an ambulance crew from Ashwaubenon and an off-duty officer from Wausau that responded with life-saving efforts.
"That's why I got into this field. I wanted to make a difference in my community," Hull said.
Hull has worked 6 years as a police officer, 10 years as a fire fighter and 9 years as an EMS.
She's a contracted worker through Pro-Tec Fire Services in Green Bay.
MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) - Police are investigating an overnight vandalism spree where vehicle and house door windows were shot out with a BB or pellet gun.
Calls started pouring in to the police department around 10:30 p.m. Thursday.
As of about 8:30 a.m. this morning, officers said they had taken about 15 reports.
Most of the damage was to vehicle windows, but some of the damage was done to windows on doors of homes.
Several homeowners reported hearing damage, then a vehicle speeding away.
All but one of the reports were from the city's south side. No one was hurt.
One homeowner was able to describe the suspect vehicle as an older SUV, possibly a smaller version of a Chevrolet Blazer or S-10.Anyone with information is asked to call Manitowoc police at (920) 686-6551.
Anonymous tips may be left with Crime Stoppers at (920) 683-4466 and may be eligible for a $500 reward.
PULASKI, WI (WTAQ) - Six people were taken into custody after they reportedly broke into as many as 50 vehicles between Thursday night and Friday morning.
Pulaski officers were dispatched to Arthur Blvd. at 4:18 am Friday for an attempted vehicle break-in.
Upon arrival, the suspects fled on foot before driving off in a silver SUV.
Officers pursued the eastbound vehicle on Highway B before spike strips were deployed and ended the chase near the intersection of Velp Avenue and County B in the Village of Suamico.
All six people in the vehicle, three adults and three juveniles, were taken into custody. There were three males and three females.
During the investigation, officers determined the vehicle was taken without the owner's consent and may have been linked to an undisclosed crime in Marinette County.
Other crimes may have been committed in Seymour and Pulaski.
The investigation is ongoing.
JANESVILLE, WI (METRO SOURCE) - Vice President Mike Pence says the backlash felt by legislators during recent town hall meetings is just an effort from some activists to save Obamacare.
Pence says people know the healthcare program has failed and he promised the "nightmare of Obamacare is about to end."
The vice president spoke in Janesville earlier Friday and said the president's agenda is the biggest, boldest and best the nation has ever seen.
He also said business is showing confidence in the Trump Administration and pointed to job retention at Ford as a vote of confidence in the president.
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - An Oneida man was convicted of his 13th drunk driving offense - for the second time.
63-year-old Gerald Blasczyk, was convicted this week by an Outagamie County jury of OWI-10th or more, according to court records.
It's the second time Blasczyk has been convicted for the May 15, 2011 traffic stop.
Another motorist found Blasczyk passed out behind the wheel of his vehicle, which was still running.
After being sentenced to 7 years, 6 months in prison for the count, Blasczyk appealed.
His conviction was overturned after revelations a defense witness got into an argument with two jurors, with the court ruling "that the encounter caused prejudicial extraneous information to be brought to the jury’s attention."
Sentencing is scheduled for April 28.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - During the near seven months it was open in 2016, the International Arrivals Terminal at Green Bay-Austin Straubel International Airport saw 277 aircrafts clear U.S. customs.
Airport Director Tom Miller says that exceeded expectations, since the U.S. Customs and Border Protection typically does not clear more than 400 aircraft per year at any given facility. If calculated out over a 12-month period, Green Bay would've served roughly 475 aircraft last year.
While the $4,300,000 project created a stand-alone terminal to handle private and corporate flights, Miller says airport officials are working with Congressional delegates to get the staffing needed to also provide clearance for a commercial charter operation.
While he feels the current facility is built for growth, Miller says the expansion would likely cost between $2,000,000-$3,000,000, with 90% of funds coming from federal grants, 5% coming from the state, and 5% coming from the county.
In addition to accommodating flights from four continents last year, Miller says Secret Service used the international terminal as a base of operation during the presidential campaign visits, when no passengers were clearing customs.
MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) - A card skimmer was found on a Manitowoc gas pump Friday night.
Police received a call that a pump at an unnamed gas station on the city's south side was not working correctly.
A gas pump technician was notified of the problem and found the skimmer connected to the card reader on the inside of the pump.
The device was removed and turned over to police.
No suspect information has been made available.
Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to call Manitowoc Police at 920-686-6551.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Getting kids moving is the focus of a Saturday gathering at Lambeau Field.
The Green Bay Packers are holding the 14th annual 'Project Play 60' event.
Activities will be available for both children and adults, including: inflatables, a climbing wall, bungee trampolines, and a ninja obstacle course.
The free event is part of the organization's community outreach initiative and runs from 9 am to 3 pm in the atrium main floor and balcony.
SCOTT, WI (WTAQ) - Fire ravaged a garage and a vehicle parked inside of it in Sheboygan County Saturday.
Both were deemed a total loss.
The blaze started at N2286 State Highway 28 in the Town of Scott around 1:26 pm.
According to the Sheboygan County Sheriff's Office, the garage was fully enflamed when firefighters arrived.
Nobody was hurt, and sheriff's officials do not believe anyone was at home when the fire started.
FENCE (WTAQ-WLUK) -- According to police, a 54-year-old Wausaukee man is dead after his semi rolled over after a crashing into a car.
On the night of March 3 around 4:04 am, the Florence County 911 center received numerous calls about a crash between at fully loaded semi truck and a car. The crash happened at the intersection of County Highway C and South Highway 101.
The car was driving westbound on County Highway C and pulled into the path of of a semi truck driving south. The crash rolled the semi, killing the driver. Police say the 60-year-old man from Quinnesec, MI driving the car had serious injuries.
The intersection was closed for over 5 hours while both drivers had to be taken out of their vehicles. The names of those involved have not yet been released.
The Wisconsin State Patrol is doing a reconstruction of the crash. It remains under investigation.
FLORENCE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A Green Bay man was issued multiple citations following a single vehicle accident in Florence County early Saturday.
Sheriff's officials say the rollover crash happened around 1:20 am on U.S. Highway 2 at Twin Falls Road.
The man was reportedly heading westbound when he failed to negotiate a curve in the road.
Prior to the accident, the 28-year-old was allegedly involved in an altercation at a bar in Iron Mountain, Michigan.
At last word, police were waiting for the man's blood test results to determine if he should be cited for impaired driving.
He was treated at Dickinson County Hospital for his injuries.
MAYVILLE, Wis. (WTAQ-WLUK-AP) — Firefighters in the Wisconsin community of Mayville had to respond to a fire at a familiar scene — their own firehouse.
Firefighters were dispatched around 10 p.m. Saturday after a passer-by reported seeing flames at the station, which is not staffed around the clock.
The volunteer fire department said in a statement Sunday that crews arrived to find a vehicle on fire inside the station and put it out. The fire was confined to the vehicle, but the station had to be ventilated due to the heavy smoke.
Investigators are still trying to figure out what sparked the fire. The department says the fire won't affect its operations.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Roughly 333,000 Wisconsinites struggle with a gambling problem.
That's according to the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling's Executive Director Rose Blozinski, who says her organization is aiming to raise awareness for the issue during March's National Problem Gambling Awareness Month.
Blozinski says a gambling problem is similar to drug and alcohol addictions in terms of seratone and dopamine levels in the brain, despite it not involving the ingestion of any substances.
She says untreated addictions can lead to some serious matters such as financial issues due to an inability to pay bills, criminal activity to fund the habit, and even suicide if the person feels overcome by the struggle.
Blozinski has seen gambling addictions force people to file bankruptcy multiple times and also lose jobs through both stealing from an employer and an inability to concentrate on anything but betting.
She says 65% of compulsive gamblers have been known to commit crimes.
In 2016, Blozinski says over 13,000 people called the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling's hotline, with a large number of those calls coming in February and March, which she describes as the peak sports betting period due to events like the NFL Super Bowl and NCAA March Madness men's basketball tournament.
When a person calls the hotline, Blozinski says the operator first tries to determine the caller's current condition.
If there is an immediate crisis, the operator attempts to talk the person through the issue and works to convince them that they are not alone in dealing with struggle.
Medical attention is sought if the operator believes the caller may be contemplating suicide.
If it does not seem to be a time-sensative crisis, the operator connects the caller with various resources in the community, such as trained professionals and group therapy meetings.
Blozinski says there are various signs people can look for to determine if a loved one might have a gambling addiction.
She says when a person starts regularly talking about gambling or possessing sheets with betting lines or other gambling paraphernalia out of the blue, it is a sign that an addiction could be developing.
Other signs include a person trying to hide a P.O. Box address that has been established or insisting on always having to be the one to answer a home phone, as those are ways they might be communicating with bookies.
According to Blozinski, gambling addictions can often occur in unison with things like drug and alcohol problems.
Anyone in need of help is encouraged to contact the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling by calling 1-800-GAMBLE5 or by texting 920-888-HELP.
People can also register for the organization's annual conference, which will be held March 23-24 at the Osthoff Resort in Elkhart Lake. Registration costs $150 and must be made by March 16. Blozinski says a limited amount of scholarships are still available to help those struggling to pay the conference fee.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - It's been a little over a year since Andrew Smith made his way from L.A. to Green Bay to take over the top cop position and there hasn't been a dull moment since he was sworn in on February 1st, 2016.
Spending close to 30 years at the LAPD before arriving in Titletown, Chief Smith opens up about some of his first year successes and struggles in the latest episode of Green Bay Crime.
"I think one thing that maybe will have the longest impact, is settling the contract with the police officers association, working together with them to come up with new language that changes the culture of the police department and changes the way we pick people for jobs from a seniority based system, where it's only based on seniority, to now we have a merit based system where we pick the best person for the job," Smith said.
The struggles came recently, after an internal investigation of misconduct was launched which lead to the resignation of two officers.
Smith addressed the public and media about the situation on February 17 during a press conference at police headquarters.
"That's very difficult. Seeing the things that were happening inside the department even though it was a very small group of officers isolated on a single watch...some of the stuff that happened was really unprofessional and shouldn't have been happening. The fact that it went on for an extended period of time was even more disappointing," said Smith. "People are going to be held accountable for their actions here."
See the entire interview by clicking on the video above.
KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Two people suffered minor burns in a house fire in Kaukauna.
The fire started around 5:30 p.m. Sunday at a house on Crooks Avenue.
Officials say the fire started in the kitchen.
Along with the two people who suffered minor burns, a firefighter also suffered an ankle injury.
The fire caused about $50,000 in damage.
The American Red Cross is helping the three people who lived in the house.
ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - The popularity of the circus in Northeast Wisconsin appears to be high with seven Beja Shrine shows this weekend all drawing crowds in the thousands.
“The kids were ecstatic when we told them they were going to go to the circus,” said Lyda Schnake of Manitowoc.
The main draw for the children remains the animals.
“I love the elephants,” said Emma Hohman of Seymour. “I absolutely love the elephants.”
“The tigers and lions are mostly mine,” said Mathias Hohman of Seymour.
But for as long as the animals have been bringing people to the circus, people have been outside the doors trying to spread a message on behalf of the animals.
Mary Lemens of Green Bay has held a sign outside each one of the seven circus shows the past six years.
She spoke to WLUK.
“We are really upset about the cruelty that goes on to train these animals to do tricks that are totally unnatural for them to do”
Pressure from animal rights groups was one factor in another circus tour, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, phasing out elephants from its shows.
After that happened, attendance dropped and now Ringling is set to end its tour for good in May.
But Jim Van De Hey, the Beja Shrine Circus Chairman, says circuses with animals continue to do well.
“A lot of people thought that when they announced elephants last year that they were done, people thought there would be no more elephants in circuses, when in fact there is about three or four circuses that run elephants right now across the United States”
Vandehey says the Beja Shrine sees no end in sight for bringing the circus to the area. That is despite continued calls for the animals to be taken out of the acts.
“They've been here forever and we have been here forever and we'll keep being here and they'll keep being here too, so there isn't going to be much changed with that”
“They're going to go for quite some time,” said Lemens. “I think Ringling just had enough and they're moving on. It's smart”
Like usual, the circus is scheduled to be back here the first weekend of March next year.
Proceeds from the circus help cover the operational costs for the Beja Shrine.
The shrine hosts other fundraisers throughout the year, which help cover the costs associated with children's hospital visits.
