ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) - It was all about helping save lives at Lambeau Field on Monday.

The Green Bay Packers Community Blood Drive took place from 7am to 7pm with a goal of over 300 pints in mind.

Jessica Brabant with the American Red Cross says donating blood in the summer months are critical.

"Summertime is a little bit harder to collect blood just because people are vacationing, kids are out of school doing sports and things like that. 20% of our blood supply does come from the high schools and the middle schools in the area," said Brabant.

Every two seconds in the United States, blood is needed to respond to patient emergencies...that's why events like this are so important.

Brabant says all blood types are welcome.

"O negative is definitely something we strive for just because it's a universal donor. If those traumas or accidents happen, that's the first type that they grab in the hospitals."

David Campsure of Green Bay has donated 8 gallons of blood over nearly 30 years.

"I'm O positive...so, high demand. I get notices all the time."

Last year the event brought in 343 units of blood, exceeding their goal of 325.

Find more details on how you can donate blood at www.redcrossblood.org.

BERLIN, WI (WTAQ) - A dog has been rescued from a Berlin structure fire.

Crews responded to the apartment complex at 479 Oak Street around 10:45 am Monday.

Smoke was seen coming from the building, upon arrival.

Nobody was injured, and the dog was saved from the building's second-floor.

The cause remains undetermined, and the Red Cross is assisting those displaced.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - There's nothing like getting great food at a discounted rate.

The Greater Green Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau just released all the participating restaurants and their menus for Restaurant Week which takes place July 13-20.

Director of Marketing, Brenda Krainik, explains the pricing.

"Our lunches are $10, and our dinners are $20 and $32. So, depending on the style of restaurant that you go to, that's where the prices differ. But it's a huge discount for the consumer," said Krainik.

This is the 5th year for the event with a total of 65 restaurants to choose from.

Krainik says there's something for every taste.

"We have everything from cafes and diners, like a Mustard Seed Cafe, all the way up to Chef Fusion and Black and Tan Grill."

Krainik has advice for those wanting to take advantage of the $32 dinners.

"You should make your reservation ahead of time. Restaurants are already filling up."

Last year, 52,000 meals were served during Restaurant Week with an economic impact of $2.3 million dollars.

See a list of restaurants and their menus at www.gbrestaurantweek.com.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The author of an Assembly Republican plan that addresses Wisconsin's transporation spending and taxes says it could save the state billions of dollars.

Representative Dale Kooyenga has introduced a plan that calls for lowering the state's minimum markup law on gasoline from 9% to 3%.

Kooyenga noted during Monday's edition of WTAQ's Jerry Bader that Wisconsin is one of just two state's with a rate as high as 9%.

The plan also calls for lowering the gas tax while applying the state sales tax to gas.

"We should not have money going from the general fund to the transportation fund.  This allows us to do one of the largest income tax cuts in decades in Wisconsin by saying 'okay, now the users of transportation are going to pay for the transportation system."    

Kooyenga says the overall proposal would lower the price at the pump.

Wisconsin currently has a $939,000,000 transportation deficit.  

Governor Scott Walker has stated he does not see raising the gas tax or vehicle registration fees as the solution to that problem. 

While the state's Joint Finance Committee has said it will scrap the governor's proposed transportation plan for the next two-year budget and start from scratch, Kooyenga says his plan has been accepting to Walker's transportation proposal.

The Brookfield Republican's plan also calls for implementing a flat tax of 3.95% in Wisconsin by the year 2029.

Kooyenga notes it would eliminate various tax credits in order to provide overall rate reductions.

"We're minimizing spending through the tax code by just getting rid of a lot of credits that take a lot of time to fill out, that pick winners and losers."

He says many of the tax credits are only used by a small percentage of the state's filers.

Kooyenga recognizes the plan is open to scrutiny but says Wisconsin's leaders can't keep playing it safe.

"We're going to get more and more of a complicated tax code, and we're going to get farther and farther away from having a state that has a lower tax rate."

Kooyenga says his plan would allow the state to pay down debt while saving billions of dollars over a 20-year period for road projects and providing tax relief to Wisconsin residents.  

To go into effect, the idea would need a thumbs up from Senate Republicans and Governor Walker. 

MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) - A pit bull was taken to the Lakeshore Animal Shelter after police say it attacked another dog.

Police say the pit bull attacked a Labrador retriever in the 1600 block of Thomas Court Monday afternoon.

Police say the Lab's owner was yelling at the pit bull but it kept attacking the Lab.

The Lab's owner and a neighbor tried to free the lab by hitting the pit bull with a wooden bat in the back of the head.

But the attack continued, and that's when a neighbor shot the pit bull with a small caliber handgun.

Police say the pit bull ran off, but came back and attacked the Lab again.

The pit bull was shot a second time and ran off again, but this time it was captured.

The injured Lab was treated at a local animal hospital and released.

The owner of the pit bull was cited.

And it's not the first time police have had trouble with this animal. Records indicate the pit bull had also attacked another dog in Two Rivers.

Police are recommending the dog be removed from the city.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach pitched county supervisors Monday evening on his plan for how to pay for work on the area's major needs.

Streckenbach wants to bring back a half-percent sales tax, similar to what 64 of the state’s 72 counties already have.

It would start January 1st.

At Monday's county executive committee, Streckenbach provided two options for funding nine capital projects that he believes will be completed one way or the other.

“In essence, you can agree to increase taxes and debt for Brown County or you can follow my plan and decrease debt and decrease the taxes”

Streckenbach's plan calls for a six-year, half-percent sales tax that would produce $147 million.

$60 million would go towards fixing roads and bridges. An addition to the jail and library branch upgrades would each receive $20 million. A new expo hall to replace the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena would receive $15 million. $10 million would go toward maintenance of that facility and the Resch Center. Another $10 million would build a new medical examiner building. The fairgrounds and parks would get $6 million. The Stem Innovation Center would receive $5 million and $1 million would go to the Neville Public Museum.

Brown County Supervisor Patrick Buckley tells WLUK..

“The way I see it in the next five years we're going to have to be addressing these needs”

Another Supervisor, Aaron Linssen, agrees...

“A big portion of them are also things we would have bonded for anyways. These aren't new expenditures that are unexpected for the board.”

The plan has already received support from tourism officials.

A group of more than 50 area business leaders is also supporting the plan through the formation of a social welfare corporation called Forward Brown County.

Kramer Rock is the group President.

“Admittedly on a $200,000 home, that's a thousand dollars. That's not chump change, so there are going to be those that say this is not right, but there are so many pluses because the property tax is going to drop.”

Streckenbach also said the sales tax collection projections are conservative, so the tax could end sooner than six years.

“The county board has a couple different ways of handling that,” said Streckenbach.

“They could provide for more tax relief or they could end it sooner and they could put that towards more debt reduction.”

While some supervisors asked questions at the meeting, no one voiced opposition to the plan.

The full county board is expected to vote on the plan next Wednesday, May 17th.

No formal opposition to the plan has stepped forward yet.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - A nearly yearlong investigation into an Appleton fire that killed a Green Bay man has wrapped up.

Autopsy and toxicology test results indicate 24-year-old Milo G. Huempfner died due to smoke inhalation.

However, investigators could not determine how the fire started.

No foul play is suspected.

BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - The conviction against a 40-year-old Winnebago man who threatened a Brown County judge has been upheld.

The state appeals court has ruled the 14-year prison sentence should stand for John Phillips Sr.

Phillips Sr. sent an envelope filled with white powder, that turned out to be baby powder, to a Brown County judge in June 2009.

Along with the powder was a letter threatening the judge, the judge's family, and the district attorney.

Phillips appealed the 2011 conviction, arguing the presiding judge was biased since he worked in the same courthouse as the judge who was threatened.

The state appeals court says Phillips did not meet the burden of proof to show the judge was biased.

HORTONVILLE, WI (WTAQ) - State officials are now handling the investigation into Hortonville Police records that allegedly went missing.

The Division of Criminal Investigation is handling the search for allegedly missing personnel files, which was started by recently-resigned Hortonville Police Chief Michael Sullivan.

The village board decided to transfer the search to state authorities, after Sullivan recommended it be handled by the Black Creek Police Department.

Village officials say they are not aware of any wrongdoing tied to the matter.

Sullivan resigned last week to take a patrol officer position in Wrightstown.

He was allowed to keep his job earlier this year despite being disciplined for violating department policies and having additional complaints filed against him.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay city leaders have been invited to tour a controversial downtown property.

The city's Common Council, Redevelopment Authority, and Historic Preservation Commission have been invited to tour Hotel Northland, as the council considers a project audit of the building's restoration.

Work has resumed on the downtown facility after an ownership dispute held things up for months.

Since quorums of the three bodies could be present, the city clerk's office sent out meeting notices for the tour.  However, no action will be taken.

Project leaders hope the hotel will open later this year.  

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - Car-deer collisions are not uncommon in Wisconsin's rural areas.

However, it's not every day you hear about one happening in a city's downtown.

That was the case early Tuesday afternoon when a deer ran into the side of a vehicle near the intersection of College Avenue and Superior Street.

The deer seemed to be fine and immediately fled.

BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - Residents have their chance to weigh in on the proposal to replace the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena with a new expo hall.

County Executive Troy Streckenbach has announced a series of seven listening sessions for people to discuss his plan, which involves implementing a half-percent sales tax to fund the arena and other infrastructure/debt projects.

Those sessions will be held at:

• Denmark Branch – Brown County Public Library, 450 N. Wall Street, Denmark, WI 54208 on Wednesday, May 10th from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
• Wrightstown Village Hall – Community Room, 352 High Street, Wrightstown, WI 54180 on Wednesday, May 10th from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Weyers-Hilliard Branch – Brown County Public Library, 2680 Riverview Drive, Howard, WI 54313 on Friday, May 12th from 11 a.m. to Noon.
• Pulaski Branch – Brown County Public Library, 222 W. Pulaski Street, Pulaski, WI 54162 on Friday, May 12th from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• Central Branch, 2nd Floor Board Room – Brown County Public Library, 515 Pine Street, Green Bay, WI 54301 on Saturday, May 13th from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• Southwest Branch, Think Tank Room – Brown County Public Library, 974 Ninth Street, Green Bay, WI 54304 on Saturday, May 13th from Noon to 1 p.m.
• Kress Family Branch – Brown County Public Library, 333 N. Broadway, De Pere, WI 54115 on Saturday, May 13th from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Town of Rockland – Town Hall, 1712 Bob-Bea-Jan Road, De Pere, WI 54115 on Monday May 15th from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Town of Ledgeview – Town Hall, 3700 Dickinson Road, De Pere, WI 54115 on Tuesday May 16th from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Several business and community leaders have formed a group to voice support for Streckenbach's plan.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The lockdown at a Green Bay school has been lifted.

Preble High School was temporarily locked down this afternoon following reports of a person with a gun driving in the area of Deckner Avenue and Henry Street.

Police called the matter precautionary.  

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Phase two of an effort to attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators took place in Green Bay Tuesday.

Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary in partner with American Transmission Company's Grow-Smart initiative, planted seeds along I-43, west of Danz Ave and east of Irwin Street.

Spokesperson Alissa Braatz with the transmission company explains what was in the seed mix.

"There are actually 18 different species of vegetation that are in this enhanced seed mix and there are a variation of wild grasses and native flowers," said Braatz.

Braatz says it's important to keep pollinators habitats alive and flourishing.

"Within the past several years species such as the monarch butterfly have endured significant population decline due to a loss in their habitat."

The project started in 2015 and removed invasive species, such as buckthorn, from roughly six acres of land.

The planting on Tuesday took place over two acres of land.

"In the fall of this year we'll look at whether or not there are any other invasives that are popping up through this native enhanced seed mix," Braatz explained.

The new vegetation will be visible as early as this summer.

GREENVILLE, WI (WTAQ) - Greenville town officials are performing an internal inspection on a recent dredging project. 

There are concerns with dredging that has been done on property west of Highway 76, north of Lions Park, that is farmed by Town Board Member Mike Woods.

Town Chairman Jack Anderson says the investigation stems from "significant oversight in township policies and procedures that has led to a need to thoroughly review staff involvement and take appropriate disciplinary actions, if warranted, when full details are known."

Environmental experts say the piece of land in question contains a karst, a geological feature that forms through the dissolving of soluble rocks.  

The karst has the ability to impact well water for nearby properties. 

Officials at the county and state level say Woods did not obtain proper permits before dredging the karst, possibly causing irreparable damage.

Once the problem was discovered, Anderson says a temporary erosion control mat was placed.

He notes there is no timetable for removing the mat but claims officials are trying to develop a long-term solution.

In the meantime, Anderson says they are regularly monitoring the mat.

"We're looking to see if that growth is occurring, making sure that mat is staying in place, whether there are issues with erosion around or underneath that mat."

While the repair cost is unknown, it is also uncertain who will flip that bill.

At an April town meeting, residents expressed anger with Woods for putting the town in the predicament, as DNR officials are threatening heavy fines if corrective action is not taken.

Woods did not comment on the matter at that gathering.

Residents have also called for Woods to be unseated by either Anderson or the board, which the chairman notes isn't possible.

"That's not the case. Those state statutes do not pertain to elected officials but are to appointed officials."

Anderson believes residents would have to pursue his removal through the circuit courts.

The chairman says the town continues to work with its attorneys to "address the internal town policies and procedural lapses that allowed this to occur."

OUTAGAMIE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - An 18-year-old Seymour man has made his initial appearance on charges that he caused a fatal traffic crash.

Blake Doxtator faces one felony count of Homicide by Negligent Operation of a Vehicle.

Doxtator was reportedly driving at speeds near 100 miles per hour when he lost control of the vehicle, striking and killing a 13-year-old boy.

The 18-year-old and his friends were out trick-or-treating on October 31.

Doxtator allegedly told officers he struck a deer but then changed the story to say he swerved to avoid hitting a deer, when investigators found no proof of the first claim.

One of Doxtator's friends reportedly told him to use the deer excuse.

Investigators say others in the car informed them excessive speed was the factor, with one Snapchat showing the vehicle was traveling 97 miles per hour.

A volunteer firefighter also died in connection with the crash, suffering a heart attack when he responded.

Doxtator has been released on a signature bond and has a preliminary hearing May 31.

WITTENBERG, WI (WTAQ) - Officers say a pregnant woman is among two people arrested for being under the influence of drugs in Wittenberg.  

Shawano County deputies say the woman and a man both admitted to using meth prior to the welfare check.

The two were in a car, along with a child, who has since been turned over to a responsible guardian.

A witness told officers the vehicle's driver was high and that there was a child in the car.

Multiple drug charges are being recommended against both suspects.

MENASHA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - A new effort to crack down on speeders and other traffic violators is underway in the Fox Valley.

Drivers along the construction zone of 441 in the Fox Valley Tuesday may have noticed some extra patrols... or even gotten a ticket.

With all the orange barrels, road signs, and construction crews, it's hard to miss the sure-fire signs of construction on Highway 10 and 441 in Winnebago County.

But Sergeant Tim McGrath with the Wisconsin State Patrol tells WLUK that's not stopping some drivers from driving recklessly in this area.

"Definitely in the construction zone, aggressive driving is a problem. By aggressive driving I mean following too close or tailgating, excessive lane changing or speeding" Because of this, McGrath says the State Patrol and the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office teamed up to crack down on bad driving behaviors in the construction zone.

"We want people traveling through the construction zone on 10/441 to be patient, slow down, stay in their lane"

In addition to the aggressive driving, McGrath says they're seeing a lot of distracted driving... particularly with cell phones.

"If you receive a call as you're driving through a construction zone, let it go to voicemail, don't pick it up, don't answer it"

The State Patrol says not only is it dangerous to talk on your phone while driving, but a new law in Wisconsin also makes it illegal to talk on a handheld device while driving through a work zone.

McGrath says... "If we see someone manipulating their cell phone, it's real easy. We can pull you over, and issue a citation, so keep that phone down in a construction zone"

He says driving responsibly will keep not only drivers and passengers safe, but also the construction workers.

There were 239 work zone crashes in 2016 in Winnebago County alone.

The citations they're issuing start at about $200 dollars, and double when there's workers present in the construction zones.

LUXEMBURG, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - The DNR is planning to provide clean drinking water to people whose wells are contaminated by manure runoff.

It could help areas that have been dealing with issues for years, like Kewaunee County.

Since 2001, Chuck Wagner has struggled with well water at his Luxemburg home.

That's when he tells WLUK his first well tested positive for bacteria and nitrate contamination.

"Paid almost $10,000 of our own money to have a new well drilled and that well lasted for a year and a half"

That new well is still contaminated with nitrates. It's undrinkable. So Wagner and his family drink bottled water.

They also have a reverse osmosis filtering system that sends some clean water to the kitchen sink and refrigerator.

"I only get one gallon of water per hour" As a Kewaunee County Board Member, Wagner is happy to hear about the DNR's program to provide clean water to his constituents dealing with similar struggles.

"I'm glad that they're using this, that they came out with this" Wagner says he can't benefit from the DNR's program because the water that comes out of his well is only contaminated with nitrates, not bacteria.

"This is strictly geared toward bacteria. We still haven't found any bacteria, which is a good thing" Wagner said this is a good step, but...

"How come this didn't come out sooner?"

In statement the DNR said several programs worked together to take this step as quickly as possible.

Stacy Harbaugh is communications director at Midwest Environmental Advocates....

"Citizens have been asking for this step for many years and this is good news for people who have been asking for it for a long time" The DNR will only provide clean water for six months.

In that time property owners can work with the DNR to get funding for a permanent fix.

Harbaugh says this cannot be the only step.

"The DNR and our state leadership needs to do more to enforce the environmental laws that protect our drinking water in the first place" Wagner said , in his county, at least, there is hope.

He says farmers are trying new techniques to lessen manure runoff and local governments are planning new infrastructure.

"So I think there's a lot of good things happening" A group of farmers called 'Peninsula Pride Farms' already offers clean drinking water.

That year-old program is for people with contaminated wells in the Kewaunee and Southern Door area.

SHERWOOD, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Fire crews are looking into a fire that tore through a home in Sherwood early Wednesday.

The fire broke out around 1:30 a.m. at a home on State Park Road.

Everyone got out safely and no firefighters were injured.

Jarred Gerl, Assistant Fire Chief, Village of Harrison Fire- Rescue telling WLUK he believes the house is a total loss.

"That's not my judgment call, but when half of your house is missing, I'd say it's a total loss"

Crews say they're going to be out there most of the morning watching for hot spots and working to determine the cause of the fire.