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Waupaca Man Convicted for School Threats

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WINNEBAGO COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - An 18-year-old Waupaca man has been convicted for his role in making terrorist threats against two Oshkosh schools.

Andrew Monroe pleaded no contest Wednesday to one count of Making Terrorist Threats while a second count was dismissed but can be considered at sentencing.

On January 10, Monroe dared a friend to phone in a threat to get out of having school the next day.

Oshkosh North and West let students out early on January 11 and closed January 12.

The phone call came from Monroe's Waupaca home.

Monroe faces up to 3 1/2 years in prison when he is sentenced June 20.

Dylan Bird of Oshkosh is accused of phoning in the threat to 'shoot up Oshkosh North and West.' The 18-year-old has a plea hearing April 21.

A 15-year-old student reportedly phoned in an additional threat the next night and is facing charges in juvenile court.


Oshkosh K-9 Officer Retires

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OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - After six years, an Oshkosh Police K-9's career has come to an end.

The department announced the retirement of K-9 Sony at Tuesday's city council meeting.

Sony was partnered with Officer Brian Denor in 2011.  

Denor and Sony completed 1,745 hours of training together, which led to 1,124 deployments including 24 suspect tracks and countless drug sniffs.

Sony was responsible for detecting 133.47 grams of cocaine, 88.24 pounds of marijuana, 38.82 grams of heroin, and 12.69 grams of methamphetamine.  

During six years on the force, Sony also aided in seizing over $121,000 in suspected drug money.

Sony will become a family pet.

Conviction in Squad Car Belly-Flopper Case

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WINNEBAGO COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A 25-year-old Kimberly man accused of belly-flopping onto a squad car has been convicted on other counts.

Cody Romano pleaded no contest Wednesday to two counts apiece of felony Battery/Threat to a Law Enforcment Officer and misdemeanor Battery.

A Criminal Damage to Property charge, tied to reports that Romano cracked the windshield of a Menasha squad car when he belly-flopped onto it, has been dismissed.

Romano was asked to leave a New Year's Eve house party in Menasha.

When he thought his friends were driving off without him, Romano jumped onto the friends' car.

Romano attacked two people who exited the vehicle, punching a man in the face and headbutting a woman.

Police were called and as officers approached Romano walking in the street, he belly-flopped onto the squad car.

Romano kicked in the door as an officer was trying to exit the car, slamming it on his leg.

A second officer tried to use a stun gun on Romano, but it had no effect.  Romano then brought him to the ground.

When a third officer arrived, Romano bit his hand.

Sentencing is set for June 28. 

Driver to Thank Fans with a Tour

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UNDATED, (WTAQ) - A former Packers player is getting ready to thank his fans in a special way.

This summer Donald Driver will be inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame July 22, 2017 in the Lambeau Field Atrium.

Soon after he'll be embarking on the "Donald Driver's Thank You Fans Tour" August 10-13 2017.

On his website, he says it's time to reflect and celebrate and thank fans for the memories and support.

"I have wanted to do this tour since I first announced my retirement from the Packers, and now is a perfect time to say THANK YOU!” Driver said. “My wife Betina and I raised three beautiful children here, and we remain ingrained in our support for the state of Wisconsin because of the incredible, life-long friendships and relationships that have been built over 20 years."

If you'd like to request a stop by Driver, fill out an application HERE.

Funds from the tour will benefit The Donald Driver Foundation.

 

Man Convicted of 11th OWI

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OUTAGAMIE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A 52-year-old Fond du Lac man has been convicted of driving drunk for an 11th time.

Steven Johnson pleaded no contest Wednesday to one felony count of OWI 10th Offense or More while a second charge was dismissed.

Johnson was arrested January 1 following a traffic crash in downtown Appleton.

His blood alcohol level was over three times the legal limit.

Despite ten convictions/revocations between 1990 and 2006, Johnson did have a valid license at the time of the January arrest.

Johnson faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced June 2.

 

Brown County Trails Opening

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BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - Outdoor enthusiasts are getting some good news.

The Brown County Parks Department says four of its trails will open for the season on Friday: the horse trails at the Reforestation Camp, Fox River Trail, and Neshota Park as well as the Reforestation Camp's mountain bike trail.

The county's Assistant Parks Director Matt Kriese says crews have spent recent weeks preparing the paths by cleaning up any brush/trees that fell during the winter and searching for ponding water/soft ground conditions.

While Kriese says county officials hope to keep the trails open through at least mid-November, he notes temporary closures are possible.

The county employee says that could be caused by things like large amounts of flooding at Neshota Park or a summer logging operation at the Reforestation Camp that is expected to temporarily close sections of the trail.

Kriese notes the trails are always appropriately signed with their current status.  Updates are also available on the department's Facebook page.

According to Kriese, the Reforestation Camp's mountain bike trail is 19 miles while its horse path is eight miles.

He says the horse trails at the Fox River Trail and Neshota Park are six and three miles, respectively.

Kriese notes the trails were popular destinations last year with over 80,000 people using the Fox River Trail, 27,000 users on the Reforestation Camp trails, and 10,000 on Nashota Park pathways.

While all other county trails are meant for hiking, open year-round, and free to use, Kriese says there is a fee for all persons 16 and older to use the trails that open Friday.

He notes daily passes are $4 for the horse trails and $5 for the mountain bike trail with season passes costing $20 and $30, respectively.

Those passes are available at https://www.park.reservation.co.brown.wi.us/wbwsc/webtrac.wsc/wbsplash.html?wbp=1 or by calling the Parks Department at 920-448-6242.

 

 

 

Three Injured in Manitowoc Accident

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MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) - Three pedestrians were injured in a multi-vehicle accident in Manitowoc on Tuesday.

Manitowoc Police and Fire officials were called to the 2300 block of Western Avenue shortly before 4 pm for an accident outside the main entrance to Holy Family Memorial Hospital.

Investigators say a 71-year-old Manitowoc man lost control of his vehicle, backed into another vehicle, and struck three pedestrians.

The driver then pulled forward, again lost control of the vehicle, and struck another vehicle in the employee parking lot to the north of Meadow Lane.

A 97-year-old Valders woman suffered serious injuries.  Her condition is unknown.

Officers say an 82-year-old Manitowoc man and 64-year-old St. Nazianz woman were treated for minor injuries. 

No word on the driver's condition.  Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the mishap.

Packers Helping Plant Trees

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BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - If you saw a tree planted in the Brown County area Wednesday, it might have been courtesy of the Green Bay Packers.

A total of 477 trees were planted in 17 area communities as part of the Packers' "First Downs for Trees" program.

The organization donates the same number of trees as it had first downs in the previous regular season.  

Wisconsin Public Service's Greg Kirchmayer says it is an effort to "reduce the carbon footprint for their jet flights to away games.  The average NFL team puts out about 450,000,000 tons of carbon, so planting trees is a way to reduce that carbon footprint."

Through the program's seven years, over 4,000 trees have been planted.


State of the City Looks Toward the Future

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt delivered is 14th state of the city address Wednesday night.

The hour long event took place at the Meyer Theater.

Schmitt says retaining and recruiting talented people has to be a focus for the coming year because experts project the community will grow at a rate of less than one percent.

"We can double the expert's projections if we can bring our partnerships together and get the word out that Green Bay is a place for talented people to live, work, and play."

The mayor highlighted many accomplishments of the city saying it's financially strong.

"Green Bay hasn't raised taxes in 5 years and has held true to a tax rate of $8.86 per thousand," said Schmitt. "A 134,000 home pays $1,200 annually in taxes that's for all city services, parks, police, fire, DPW, and the list goes on."

Schmitt gave high praise to the police department for keeping the city safe and crime low.

"Violent crime, property crime, and theft are all down. With our hard working men and women of the police department, we're implementing new strategies and reaching out to the community."

He also mentioned that the city is planning to move forward with recommendations for a new public safety building which would be home to the police and fire department administration.

The mayor also didn't shy away from the controversial topic of the Hotel Northland project saying the city needs to stay focused.

"We've got a signed term sheet from a senior lender. We've got to do some things and make some agreements but if we stay focused and keep our eye on the ball, we can get this opened."

Despite all the challenges and hurdles surrounding it, Schmitt thinks the redevelopment can still open before the end of the year.

Green Bay's mayor reiterated the importance of sharing the city's story with others.

"We'll grow our city together by telling and bragging about our story, Green Bay's story. With social media, we're all Green Bay's marketing department," said Schmitt.

He plans on helping with that mission. Starting next week, Schmitt is starting a new video segment on the city's social media call "A Minute with the Mayor."

To learn more about the city of Green Bay, go to greenbaywi.gov.

LISTEN: 9-1-1 Dispatchers Honored in Brown County

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Public safety communicators in Brown County were honored Wednesday for their hard work and dedication though out the year.

9-1-1 dispatcher Amber Castro was presented the Samaritan Life Award for talking a couple through the unexpected early delivery of their daughter.

The event happened in a De Pere Walmart parking lot on the morning of May 5th, 2016.

Calls like that don't come in every day.

"It was a very exciting call. I had actually just started my shift, so it was just about 2:00 in the morning and I just sat down. It was my first call of the day," explains Castro.

Castro describes who was on the on the other line.

"It was a father, very calm. He did a great job. He was traveling on 41 coming into the county and advised that his wife was not going to make it to the hospital. So he pulled over in the De Pere in the Walmart parking lot and we took it from there."

Matt and Erin Harris of Neenah, with the help of two police officers and Castro, helped deliver baby Julia into the world safely that day.

Castro got to meet baby and mom at the awards ceremony.

Castro was just one of many people honored for their dedication and service.

Here's a list of other award recipients:

  • Quiggles Spirit Award: Matt Hurst
  • Telecommunicator of the Year: Jennifer Conley
  • Lead Telecommunicator of the Year: Heather Patek
  • Customer Service Award: Nancy VanVonderen
  • Samaritan Life Awards: Harris Family, Telecommunicator Amber Castro, De Pere Officer Jacob Nowak, De Pere Officer Nathan Mrstick, LT Dan Gatz, Firefighter/EMT Jade Witt, Firefighter/Paramedic Neal Schwiener, Firefighter/EMT Rick DeWeert

This week is National Telecommunicators Week.

 

Death Investigation Looks For Answers

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MARINETTE, WI (WTAQ) - The Marinette Police Department, Marinette County Sheriff's Department and the Marinette County Coroner's Office are investigating an incident that started in Winnebago County and ended with a traffic stop in Marinette.

Last night the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department alerted police in Michigan's U-P that a suicidal woman, possibly armed with handgun, was headed that way.

Marinette police came upon the vehicle on Cleveland Avenue.

When officers went up to the vehicle they found the female occupant dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Police say this is not an officer-involved death.

Police are not saying who the woman is, pending notification of family. They do say more information might be released later today.

Cops Continue Crackdown On Retail Theft

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay Police say busting cases of retail theft is a priority.

And officers are going the extra mile to prove it.

A 27 year old resident of Bellevue was apprehended on a bus travelling out of the city of Green Bay on I-43.

The man had stolen a pair of sunglasses from the Shopko on East Mason Street.

The Green Bay Police Department requested the assistance of the Brown County Sheriff’s Office to perform a traffic stop on the bus.

The suspect Jonathan Soto was on the bus with the sunglasses located on top of his head.

The shades were later returned to Shopko.

The thief, not so lucky.

Soto was issued a $376 citation for Retail Theft / 1st offense and now has a criminal record.

He was taken into custody and transported to the Green Bay Police Department where he was photographed and fingerprinted. He was then released with a citation/court appearance scheduled in May 2017.

“In this case, a stolen $20 pair of sunglasses cost Mr. Soto to forfeit the bus ticket he purchased, lost time, and missed his ride from his end destination," Green Bay police chief Andrew Smith said in a news release.

"I hope this serves as an example for others that if anyone comes to Green Bay to commit a crime, we are prepared to scour the earth to bring you to justice.”

The Green Bay Police Dept. has been working on combating retail theft, even holding a "summit" for businesses last month.

So far this year, police say they've had 144 reports of retail theft, accounting for 38 percent of thefts in the city. There have been nine in the past week and 35 in the past 30 days.

Two Arrested in Oshkosh Drug Bust

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OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Two Oshkosh residents have been taken into custody on drug charges.

Oshkosh Police's Vice and Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant Wednesday on the 1800 block of Rath Lane.

Investigators say they recovered roughly 15 grams of cocaine.

Police say a 38-year-old man was arrested for Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine, Maintaining a Drug Dwelling, and Bail Jumping.

A 21-year-old woman was taken into custoy for Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine and Maintaining a Drug Dwelling.

The investigation began with an anonymous tip.

Officers encourage anyone who sees or hears about illegal drug activity to call 920-236-5700.

 

Program Promoting College Readiness

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A new program aims to give high school students a head start on their college careers.

The Green Bay Area Public School District launched 'Turbocharge with College Credit' on Thursday.

Superintendent Dr. Michelle Langenfeld says starting with the Class of 2023, students will need at least 15 college credits to graduate high school.

Green Bay Schools is partnering with the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in the effort.

In addition to giving them a head-start on their college degrees, UWGB Chancellor Dr. Gary Miller says the challenging coursework students will have to take before stepping foot on campus will also make them "better aware of the rigors, (help them better) understand a little bit more about the of tension of college, and develop skills that will help them get through university."

 

Miller expects the program could save each student thousands of dollars in tuition costs.

While the main objective is helping kids earn college credit, Langenfeld says the high school courses could also help them "get certification so they can go straight into a career while they are still going to college.  They can earn money while still improving their education."

Langenfeld believes 'Turbocharge with College Credit' will also benefit students who do not plan on going to college.

She says soft skills such as "perserverance (learned in the challenging courses) will guide them to success no matter where they go." 

Langenfeld notes many students already finish high school with college credits, some with more than the 15 that will soon be required.

She says district officials are looking into options for how students can earn those college credits and notes the expansion of Advanced Placement course offerings is possible.

Through the graduating Class of 2022, obtaining college credits during high school will remain optional.

VIDEO: Stop Sign Concerns at Edison Middle School

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A concerned parent of a student at Edison Middle School says something needs to be done about drivers failing to stop at stop signs outside the school.

For the past 4 weeks, while waiting to pick up his son, Otis Day has videoed vehicles breezing through stop signs and posted the videos on Snapchat.

They've gotten thousands of views. 

Day says he's concerned for the kid's safety.

"Every day I watch him and the other kids try to cross, but they can't cross because not everybody stops. Sometimes they'll stop at the one stop sign but they won't stop at the other stop sign."

In the latest video, that lasts a little over 2 minutes, Day finds something very perplexing.

"Every single car, did not come to a complete stop. I started to give credit for almost stops."

Green Bay Police Captain Kevin Warych says in any situation, once they determine a problem, they will send officers to enforce traffic laws and make sure everyone's safe.

"There are a lot more variables that drivers need to be aware of when they're around those schools in the city, so that they're following the traffic laws, so that they're not going to put themselves or any other children or people in danger."

As for Day, he says education is key.

"I want people to just start paying attention. If you're going to roll through a stop sign maybe you'll think 2, 3, 4 times if you're in a school zone."


Child Enticement Suspect Pleads Not Guilty

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DOOR COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - One of the two men charged in connection with the March disappearance of a Sturgeon Bay teenager has pleaded not guilty at his Door County arraignment.

Thirty-three year old Richard Whiting of De Pere is facing one felony count of Child Enticement.

Whiting is charged along with 40-year-old Zerie Baker of Green Bay, who allegedly chatted with the 17-year-old on a social media application.

Baker reportedly got the teen to agree to meet him for sex and drugs.

The 40-year-old allegedly picked up the teen and drove to Green Bay where Baker, Whiting, and the boy did drugs and had sexual contact.

Authorities say the teen was later spotted in Oshkosh and Milwaukee before officers found him safe in Chicago.

Whiting has a status conference June 6 while Baker's initial appearance is Tuesday.

 

 

Suspect Apprehended for Multiple Fox Valley Crimes

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APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - A 55-year-old Appleton man has been arrested in connection with multiple Fox Valley crimes.

Police say Gary Perry was taken into custody without incident Thursday in the parking lot of an Appleton business on East Newberry Street.  

Appleton Police Sergeant Dave Lund says his agency worked in conjunction with the Fox Valley Metro Police Department to apprehend Perry, who is believed to have committed crimes in both jurisdictions.

Investigators believe Perry is responsible for a March 5 burglary at an Appleton bar on the 2700 block of East Newberry Street.  Several gaming machines inside the bar were destroyed.

Perry is also suspected in an April 9 convenience store armed robbery on the 700 block of Kimberly's West Kimberly Avenue.  The robber was armed with a hammer and knife.  

An employee was treated at the hospital for minor injuries after being struck with the hammer.

According to Lund, video and photographic evidence showed a hammer was used in both crimes and that the person responsible in both cases had a similar build.  

Lund says Perry is being held at the Outagamie County Jail with charges of Burglary and Armed Robbery having been requested to the district attorney's office.  

Additional charges are possible.

Appleton Taxman Federally Indicted

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APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - A man who used to prepare taxes in the Appleton area has been federally indicted on charges that he helped fraud the government out of more than $133,000.

Gerardo Garcia faces ten counts of helping file false tax returns.

Prosecutors say the 54-year-old helped file at least 44 false/fraudulent returns between 2011 and 2015.

Garcia allegedly used a number of shady practices in filing the returns including: claiming refunds customers were not entitled to, understating the amount clients owed, and claiming improper filing statuses.

A federal court banned Garcia in 2015 from preparing tax returns and operating a tax return business.

Garcia is set to enter a plea Wednesday.  He faces up to 30 years in federal prison, if convicted. 

Governor's Neenah Visit Draws Extra Security

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NEENAH, WI (WTAQ) - A heightened security presence was on hand at Neenah High School Thursday.  

Governor Scott Walker stopped at the school to discuss education funding in his proposed state budget, amidst the ongoing manhunt for Joseph Jakubowski, who is suspected of stealing firearms from a Janesville gun store and has expressed anger toward politicians.

Despite hundreds of tips, police are unaware of Jakubowski's whereabouts.

Until Jakubowski is in custody, the governor is not sending out advanced notice of his schedule or mailing personal notifications.  

Walker says it is "not so much for me but for others.  I don't want to put anybody else at risk."

That message apparently did not resonate with all students. 

Despite school officials sending out emails last night that explained a heightened security presence and stated there were no known threats, there were roughly 100 more student absences than normal on Thursday.

Though not all students were scared away.

Senior Lydia Engelbreth feels "we have a good system here at school, you can only come through one door, there's checkpoints throughout the building.  I felt safe here and don't really feel there is a huge target on my back."

 

 

Oshkosh Program Encourages Citizen Engagement

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OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - A newly-implemented program allows Oshkosh residents to electronically report quality of life issues and request city services.

'Connect Oshkosh' is a free smartphone application through SeeClickFix.

City Manager Mark Rohloff says the app asks users to select one of roughly 20 categories into which their concern falls.

The resident is prompted to enter a brief description of the issue and is allowed to attach a photograph of the concern, if applicable.

Once the message is received, Rohloff says it is "automatically routed to the right department or division to get addressed."

In addition to sharing their own concerns, users can view others' posts.

Rohloff says that gives a chance for "other residents to say, 'I saw that same problem' and like it."

He says the more people like a post, the more likely it is that the matter will be promptly addressed.

According to Rohloff, "something as urgent as a traffic signal out, then we dispatch somebody 24 hours per day.  Other things like pothole patching, we'll put it in our schedule."

The app gives users the ability to create their own 'watch areas,' which notifies them whenever issues are reported in that neighborhood.

'Connect Oshkosh is available in both the Google and Apple app stores.

Rohloff says the program costs the city roughly $500 per month. 

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