GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- Some Meals on Wheels programs could see a cut in federal funding, that's if President Trump's budget proposals are passed.

Devon Christianson, the Director of Brown County’s Homebound Meals Program, spoke to WLUK.

"We do cognitive dining and we do home delivered meals. We pack them ourselves and deliver them out to about 500 people a day”

Christianson says although the program receives federal funding, the money does not come from the Community Development Block Grant.

The CDBG is a $3 billion program President Donald Trump is proposing to eliminate in his 2018 budget.

The grant funds anti-poverty programs like Meals on Wheels.

Christianson says although the CDBG doesn't fund the Homebound Meals Program, any federal cuts could be detrimental.

“We do a whole lot more than meals, so across the board reduction in federal dollars is something that is a great concern to us”

Wisconsin's U.S. Senators have differing views on President Trump's budget proposal.

In a statement, Republican Senator Ron Johnson says:

"The president's budget is the first serious attempt by any White House since I've been serving to rein in the out-of-control federal government by providing budget discipline to departments and agencies. The general direction of this budget focuses on what should be the top priority of the federal government – national defense and homeland security – while protecting the hard-earned dollars of American taxpayers. No two people will agree on every program cut or expansion, and I look forward to working to balance fiscal discipline with what is in the overall best interest of Wisconsin and America."

Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin also released a statement saying:

“Community Development Block Grants help fund local development initiatives in the Fox Valley that support jobs. It also provides senior citizen care and helps support state and local Meals-on-Wheels services which seniors rely on. President Trump is wrong to eliminate this program and I will fight in the Senate against these cuts to a program that makes a difference in the lives of so many families in Wisconsin.”

Christianson adds....."We want to really make sure that they aren't alarmed or feeling that this is for certain, that there is going to be a major cut and these programs won't be available"

Christianson explained she will have to see how the budget works out, because she says right now, it's too soon to say how programs in Brown County would be affected.

DODGE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A Waupun man is facing multiple felony counts after he reportedly dragged an officer roughly 50 feet down a Town of Chester road on Tuesday.

Matthew Ellcey has been charged in Dodge County with Resisting an Officer Causing Substantial Bodily Harm and Fleeing an Officer Causing Bodily Harm. 

The 22-year-old was stopped around 11:40 pm Tuesday for speeding on Highway 49.

According to the criminal complaint, officers saw a small, plastic bag on the floor behind the driver's seat, upon approaching the vehicle.

When they asked Ellcey what was inside the bag, he reportedly said it was likley cocaine.

As the interaction continued, officers say Ellcey became nervous and started showing signs of fleeing.

As they were preparing to have him exit the vehicle, Ellcey allegedly put the key in the ignition and the car in gear.

A lieutenant reached into the vehicle to grab the keys but was unable to do so before Ellcey reportedly took off.  

The officer was dragged roughly 50 feet before letting go to prevent further injury.  However, his hand did get run over by one of the car's tires.  

The lieutenant was taken to the hospital and later released once it was determined that he sustained bruising but no broken bones.

Ellcey reportedly crashed his car a short distance after taking off from officers.  He fled the scene but was later arrested at a nearby home.

Cash bond was set at $10,000 Thursday, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 30.  

STURGEON BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Two men have been arrested in connection with the disappearance of a Sturgeon Bay teen earlier this month.

On March 13, 17-year-old Louis Amelinckx was reported missing from his Sturgeon Bay home.  

Officers say he made stops in Green Bay, Oshkosh, and Milwaukee before police found him in Chicago on March 17.

No further details about the arrest have been made available to WTAQ.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A town hall meeting was held at the Brown County Jail Thursday to discuss the issue of inmate overcrowding and the potential options and solutions for the facility in the years ahead.

Sheriff John Gossage requested the National Institute of Corrections to conduct a Jail and Justice System Assessment which evaluates current operations and assists in determining how to address current and future detention needs.

A representative from the NIC spoke during the town hall.

Gossage explains what the organization is looking at in regards to the jail.

"They've taken a look at what our policies are, what our procedures are, what our physical location is, what our best practices are, taking a look at our treatment courts, taking a look at all of our alternatives and what we've done, and they said we're light years ahead of other communities. The problem is we start having an increase in population."

The NIC brought up real concerns, including how to accommodate the mental health issues facing the jail and addressing the unique needs of the rising population of female inmates.

The sheriff says the overcrowding problem lies within the fact that inmates are not being released as fast as they're booked in.

As for the solution, that may take some time.

"It's a footprint that I don't think people generally want to invest in because it's a jail. It isn't something that's going to bring more money into the community," said Gossage. "A well-educated public and county board is going to be needed here, so they make the right financial business decision, not a political decision."

Gossage is hoping to share statistics from the meeting on the Brown County Jail's website so the public can see what issues they are facing.

For now though, the jail is currently at 92% capacity with 40 inmates shipped out to Outagamie County.

MARINETTE, WI (WTAQ) - A Crivitz man will spend 20 years in prison for trying to hire a hit man to kill two family members.

Robert Dettmering offered an undercover officer $10,000 to shoot his son and his son's wife.

The 76-year-old was reportedly upset that his son sold some land that he had transferred him.

Earlier this year, Dettmering pled no contest to the charge, after previously pleading not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

Dettmering was also ordered to spend ten years on probation once he's released from prison. 

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - A Fox Valley program is trying to ensure that children start learning from day one.

A dozen school districts and four hospitals are collaborating on the 'Take 5 to Help Me Thrive' effort.

It provides many new parents with resource bags as they leave the hospital with their newborn.  

Appleton Area School District Birth-Five Outreach Coordinator Pamela Franzke says the bags include: multiple books, a sheet that details how to sign up for a free smartphone application that offers a variety of parenting information, and a letter from the local school district.  In the near future, she says a parenting DVD will also be included.

Franzke says the goal is to get parents reading to kids from birth as "parents are a child's first teacher and help prepare them for school."

She points to statistics that say 90% of a child's brain development occurs in the first five years and that kids benefit from being read at least 1,000 books in their first twelve months.

Franzke says the program is funded through a combination of school district money, donations, and grants.

This sort of effort is not new to the Fox Valley.

Since 2008, Franzke says the 'Books for Babies' program provided literacy bags to over 13,000 families.  She notes 'Take 5 to Help Me Thrive' expanded on that initiative by adding more materials to the handout.  

Franzke says the goal is to provide 20,000 bags annually at the four participating hospitals: Ascension-St. Elizabeth Hospital and ThedaCare Regional Medical Center's locations in Appleton, Neenah, and New London.

The twelve school districts taking part are: Appleton, Freedom, Hortonville, Kaukauna, Kimberly, Little Chute, Menasha, Neenah, New London, Seymour, Shiocton, and Wrightstown.

In the program's title, 'thrive' stands for: Talk to your child throughout the day, Healthy habits, Read to your baby every day, Interact, Value time spent together, and Engage with your child.

FOX CROSSING, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Local law enforcement agencies are feeling a sense of loss in the wake of Detective Jason Weiland's death.

Police say they sympathize with the Everest Metro Police Department. They say this is an especially painful month, locally.

Law enforcement officers across Wisconsin are in mourning following the death of Weiland.

And locally, many were already in mourning this week.

Fond du Lac Police Officer Craig Birkholz was killed on duty on March 20, 2011. State Trooper Trevor Casper was killed on duty in Fond du Lac on March 24, 2015.

Wisconsin State Patrol Sergeant Luke Newman spoke to WLUK.

"It's always a difficult time of year, especially in the Fond du Lac area. Kind of brings back a lot of memories of what happened in the other two incidents as well"

Newman says Weiland's death has added more sadness to this month.

"A lot of, kind of, melancholy feelings around, just due to the situations"

Area officers say even if the loss doesn't come from their own departments, they still feel the pain.

"It certainly hits home and brings home that it really is a dangerous job and Lord knows what could happen during a shift," explained Fox Crossing Police Officer Jason Weber.

So departments across the area are now reaching out to the Everest Metro Police Department.

It's shown in phone calls and visits, in covering for officers in mourning. Support is also shown in smaller ways, with flags at half staff, condolences on social media and mourning bands on badges.

"To give honor and respect to those who have fallen...We really are one, true family"

Newman says the most important way to honor the fallen is by not forgetting their sacrifices.

"It's important to remember the people who have given their life in the line of duty to protect and serve the people of Wisconsin"

"They are heroes in every sense of the word," added Weber, heroes whose loss will be felt for years to come.

Both state patrol and the Village of Fox Crossing Police Department are planning to send representatives to Weiland's funeral.

MADISON, WI (WRN) - Wisconsin's unemployment rate last month fell to its lowest level in more than 16 years.

Governor Scott Walker says figures released by the Department of Workforce Development show Wisconsin had a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate last month of 3.7-percent...the lowest it's been since November of 2000.

"The last time it was this low, Tommy Thompson was still working in that office and Bill Clinton was President of the United States. To put that into perspective as how far back that has been"

While the unemployment rate has continued to drop in recent years, Wisconsin has still not hit the 250-thousand jobs Walker promised to create during his 2010 campaign.

The governor said Thursday that part of the reason that's been difficult is because many employers are having a hard time finding qualified workers to fill open positions.

The state was a full point the national unemployment rate last month, which decreased to 4.7-percent.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - Appleton Police are looking for the man who held up a north side convenience store.

Officers responded to the incident on the 3400 block of North Richmond Street at 2:16 am Friday.

The victim, who was not harmed, reported the suspect was an African American male in his late teens or early 20's who was dressed in dark clothing.  The man was described as approximately 6'0" with a slender build.

During the incident, the suspect displayed a handgun.  There is no word on the money/goods taken.

Anyone with information on the incident should contact Sergeant Chad Probst of the Appleton Police Department at 920-832-5536 or text CRIMES (274-637) with the keyword 'APDTIPS' at the start of the message.

BELLEVUE, WI (WTAQ) - Brown County Sheriff's officials are investigating an apparent suicide in Bellevue.  

The death investigation is being conducted at the Family Shooting Academy at 1976 Verlin Road.

Although the initial investigation is not complete, officers believe the unidentified person took his own life.

Sheriff's officials say the public is not in danger and no suspects are being sought.  

No further information is being released.  

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Charges have been filed against the 56-year-old Manitowoc man police say led them on a high-speed chase that ended on an airport runway.

Lee Konop is facing one felony count of Fleeing an Officer.

On Wednesday, a Wisconsin State trooper started following two vehicles that were reportedly driving erratically.  

One of the vehicles, driven by Konop, allegedly sped off at speeds north of 100 miles per hour and exited near Oshkosh.

Konop reportedly crashed through a gate at Wittman Regional Airport and into a drainage ditch in the runway area.

Cash bond was set at $1,000 on Thursday.  Konop is due back in court March 30 and has a preliminary hearing set for April 3.  

MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) - Police believe they've got the person responsible for the recent wave of burglaries and thefts on Manitowoc's north side.

Tyler R. Staab of Manitowoc was arrested around noon Friday after a northside resident reported a suspicious suspect walking near the 900 block of North 16th Street.

Officers made contact with the 21-year-old on the 1500 block of Michigan Avenue and took him into custody.

Police had previously identified Staab as a possible suspect in the burglaries.  

There was also a warrant out for his arrest as officers say he failed to return to the Manitowoc County Jail in early March after he was given work release privileges.  

Staab reportedly admitted to all five burglaries and is being held in the county jail.  

We previously reported at least five incidents of houses being entered while the occupants were not home during a ten-day stretch earlier this month. 

The incidents happened during daytime hours, leading officers to believe the supect was either attempting contact at residences and entering when nobody was home or watching the area and entering when they noticed someone leaving.  

Break-ins were reported on the 800 block of N. 14th Street, 800 block of N. 15th Street, 900 block of N. 15th Street, 900 block of N. 16th Street, and 1500 block of New York Avenue.

WASHINGTON D.C. (WTAQ) - Republican leadership has pulled its proposed health care bill from the House floor.

Speaker Paul Ryan had the American Health Care Act pulled Friday shortly before it was set to be voted upon.  The bill was supposed to be considered last night, but the vote was delayed.

Afterwards, Ryan said there were not enough votes to pass the bill as some members of the Conservative 'Freedom Caucus' stood firm in opposing the legislation. 

The decision is seen as a major setback for the Trump administration, which has stated that repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act would be a major step in implementing its tax reform policies.

Earlier Friday, President Trump said he would shift his attention to tax reform if the new health care bill did not immediately pass.

The AHCA would have repealed much of President Barack Obama's 2010 healthcare law, including a requirement that people buy policies.  

MISHICOT, WI (WTAQ) - Governor Scott Walker is open to the idea of closing Green Bay Correctional.

During a stop in Mishicot on Friday, Walker said he would support the move if it was cost effective.  

Green Bay Representative David Steffen has proposed closing the facility, which has operated on land along Highway 172 in Allouez since 1898.

Steffen suggests redeveloping the property and building a new prison in either Brown County or a neighboring county.

The prison currently houses 1,094 inmates, which is well above the designed capacity of 749.

If the current facility is closed, Walker says it is necessary to ensure "there is a reasonable plan to use the proceeds from the sale and development of that site, once it was removed, in a way that could more than pay for the capital cost of building another site."

The governor also stated that new correctional facilities allow for more effective management.

Steffen is expected to unveil his full proposal within the next month, ahead of this summer's vote on a new two-year state budget.

He has stated it would likely take four or five years to close the current building and construct a new one. 

BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - After being around for 15 years, Brown County's 'Breakfast on the Farm' event is one week away from not happening in 2017.

County Dairy Promotions officials have a self-imposed deadline of April 1 to find a host.

After getting shutout in their search of Brown County's 100 dairy farms, Promotions Coordinator Nicole Noehl says they have started approaching some of the county's 900 other farms.

According to Noehl, a host farm needs to be at least 40 acres, have some indoor storage space for food supplies, and provide tours of its operations on the day of the event.

Noehl says expansion projects and changes in management were among the reasons dairy farms could not host this year's breakfast.

If the event is not held in 2017, Noehl says they will start looking ahead to next year.  She notes applications are being accepted to host the 2018 and 2019 breakfasts. More information is available at http://www.browncountydairypromotions.com/.

As for this year, Noehl notes Brown County has another notable ag event planned.  

It is hosting the 70th annual Alice in Dairyland finals on the weekend of May 11-13.  That contest selects the young woman who will serve a one-year term as the state's agricultural ambassador.  

While she would not share how much money the breakfasts have raised, Noehl says roughly 6,000 people attend each year.

Proceeds benefit programs that teach Brown County youth about the importance of agriculture in the state of Wisconsin.

Whether the breakfast is held or not, Noehl says none of the programs they have planned should be in jeopardy of cancellation.

'Breakfast on the Farm' is held on farms throughout Wisconsin on the first Sunday of June as part of the June dairy month celebration. 

MARATHON COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A vigil will be held Sunday night to remember the four people who were killed in Wednesday's shooting spree in Marathon County.

The gathering will take place at 7 pm in Weston's Kennedy Park on Alderson Street.

Everest Metro Police Officer Jason Weiland died along with an attorney, Sara Quirt Sann, and two bank workers, Dianne Look and Karen Barclay.

While law enforcement has not confirmed the suspect's identity, multiple media outlets have reported it is 45-year-old Nengmy Vang.  He is in police custody and at last word was receiving medical attention for a gunshot wound sustained during the Wednesday altercation.

MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) - Manitowoc Police are looking for the owner of a dog who bit a woman in the Shopko parking lot Friday morning.

The woman observed the animal running through the lot and cornered it wih her vehicle.  As she approached the dog, it bit her hand, causing puncture wounds and swelling.

The brown and white dog is described as 'medium-sized' and was found without any collar, tags, or identification.

Anyone with information on the possible owner or who witnessed the incident should call the Manitowoc Police Department at 920-686-6551.

MACKVILLE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - After an open house event Sunday, some people in the Fox Valley are a step closer to taking home a new member of the family.

Saving Paws animal rescue shelter in the Fox Valley had plenty of puppies and cats on hand, ready to go home with new owners.

Many of the animals come from overcrowded shelters from across the country.

The animal shelter held was hoping to match new owners with the many available dogs and cats.

Glenda Stadler, a Saving Paws co-director, tells WLUK

"It's a good time of year. The snow is gone, people want to get outside more, they'll have time. It'll give them an excuse also to be healthy and exercise if they have to walk a dog."

Stadler says the shelter received a transport of about 30 puppies earlier in the month, and they're trying to make room for their next transport coming from Texas in April.

"We like to have the ones who have been here a while find homes first, of course."

Those who came to the event say they're happy to help the animals, who have come from far and wide to be adopted.

Leo Mierzwinski, from Grand Chute, was one of them.

"We just love dogs. We made plans for over a week to make sure that we were going to come here."

So was Sara Krueger...

"We were interested to see what all was out here because we're kind of thinking about getting a puppy, so we thought we'd come out and check."

Stadler says these open houses allow people to bond with the animals in a special way.

"People can come in and see who we have. They don't have to look online and just see a picture."

There will be additional open houses at Saving Paws April 8th and 23rd.

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - A 14-year-old Oshkosh boy was taken into custody for reportedly making a threat against a local elementary school.

Oshkosh Police say the threat against Webster Stanley Elementary School was made Saturday when the boy sent a private electronic message to another citizen, who contacted law enforcement.

The boy was taken to a medical facility for a 72-hour mental evaluation, and a referral arrest for disorderly conduct was made to the county's juvenile intake.

Officers say there is no threat to the school or the community.

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Oshkosh Police say they made a drug bust Friday that resulted in the seizure of over 700 grams of various drugs.

Officials say the city's Vice and Narcotics Unit, with help from the Lake Winnebago Area Metro Drug Unit and Winnebago County Sheriff's Office, executed a search warrant on the 200 block of West Lincoln Avenue. 

Investigators reportedly recovered 82 grams of cocaine, 293 grams of butane hash oil, and 394 grams of high grade marijuana, along with various prescription drugs.

A 23-year-old Oshkosh man was arrested on a variety of felony drug charges and was taken to the Winnebago County Jail.