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Task Force To Examine School Boundaries

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Green Bay’s school board is forming a new task force to look at the school district's boundaries.

It's been 18 years since the Green Bay Area Public School District changed its boundaries.

Katie Maloney, the vice president of the Board of Education, tells FOX 11....

“It has to be practical and it has to work for students.”

In Spring, Green Bay voters passed a $68.5 million referendum to address immediate overcrowding needs at a handful of east side schools. However, there are still concerns, primarily at Preble High School.

Preble is 260 students above its target capacity.

The city's two west side high schools are both several hundred students below their targeted capacities. Southwest is 362 students below its target capacity. West is 429 students below. East High School is 142 students below its capacity.

“We are looking at how to best utilize the facilities throughout the district, the facilities that we have right now.” said Maloney.

Last year, a facilities task force's number one recommendation was to revise attendance boundaries to rebalance enrollment.

However, it also recommended building a new high school on the east side.

Maloney says the boundaries task force will discuss all possible solutions.


Police: Seven Arrested in Drug Investigation

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OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Oshkosh Police says it has arrested seven people in connection with an ongoing narcotics investigation.

On Wednesday, officers executed a search warrant at a motel in the 1500 block of West South Park Avenue.

Those arrested face a variety of drug charges including: possession of meth, possession with intent to deliver meth, possession of narcotics, maintaining a dwelling for sale of controlled substances, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The names of those arrested have not been released.

Winter Plowing Returning to Local Trail

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DE PERE, WI (WTAQ) - For a second straight winter, Brown County and multiple municipalities are teaming up to fund plowing the urban section of the Fox River Trail.

Jen Van Den Elzen is with 'Live54218,' which advocates for people keeping healthy lifestyles.

"In 2016, in our winter months, January, February, and March, we had 5,378 people out on the trail.  In 2017, the first year we had snow removal on the trail, in the same winter months, we had 8,697 people out there, so about a 50-percent increase."

Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach says local sport and health groups like Live54218 raised concerns about having a place to bike, run, and walk in the winter.

"It allows for individuals, whether they are commuting or just looking to get outside and have a healthy lifestyle, we're going to make that available.

Streckenbach says the county will contribute the first dollars for snow removal efforts.  WTAQ is in the process of confirming how much money is coming from the county.

"As long as those dollars are not spent, it will remain a county responsibility.  Once those dollars have been spent, then we will go back to the municipalities to help share in those costs." 

The participating municipalities are Green Bay, De Pere, and Allouez.

Bellin Health is also part of the public-private partnership.  President and CEO George Kerwin says his organization understands the importance of the trail. 

"To stay active, to look for any opportunity to use the resources in the community to maintain positive health, that's all of our responsibilities." 

Kerwin says Bellin has purchased 200 passes for employees to use the Fox River Trail, will buy more if necessary, and is calling on other local employers to do the same.

Oshkosh Police Conduct Death Investigation

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OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Oshkosh Police has conducted a death investigation.

Officers found an unresponsive 16-year-old male when they responded to a call from the 1400 block of Fairfax Street around 10 pm Wednesday.

Oshkosh Fire officials were unsuccessful in performing CPR on the boy.

 

Investigators say the death was not caused by suicide or drug use.

It appears to have been from medical or natural causes.

An autopsy has been conducted by the Fond du Lac County Medical Examiner's Office.

The person's name has not been released.  

Gale Watch for Lake Michigan

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LAKE MICHIGAN (WTAQ) - The National Weather Service is cautioning boaters. 

A gale watch has been issued for part of Lake Michigan, including the section of Green Bay north of Sturgeon Bay. 

A gale watch is issued when there is a significantly increased risk of gale-force winds of 39 to 54 miles per hour. 

It ends Saturday night, but officials say it make take an additional day for lake conditions to calm. 

The U.S. Coast Guard says those visiting the lake should be careful, advising people stay off rocks, jetties, and piers since high waves and heavy surf can sweep a person into the water. 

Ranger Reacts to DOJ Honor

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LAKE WINNEBAGO (WTAQ) - A DNR Ranger reacts to being honored by the Department of Justice for his role in a July 19 water rescue on Lake Winnebago.

"I'm humbled by it.  I'm grateful for it, but I'm also humbled.  I'm glad that it ended the way it did and that everybody got home safely."

Ranger Jeff Nieling, along with Warden Tom Sturdivant, was called to the middle of the lake during a thunderstorm. 

When their boat started taking on water, they had to temporarily dock at a private pier. 

"Once things calmed down a little bit, we went back out.  We had new GPS coordinates in by calling them, and we ended up getting them."

Nieling says the experience gave him a new appreciation for the lake's strength.

"It was intense.  It was very intense.  I've always heard people talk about their stories out on Lake Winnebago, and I have a newfound respect for the lake.  It has very powerful waves."

Nieling says this summer's experience wasn't the first time he and Sturdivant worked together.

"We had a stranded boater that we went out for.  We did the same thing, but it wasn't during a storm."

Nieling says that he has not spoken with the two people they rescued since that day but notes that they have spoken with Sturdivant.  

Guarding Against a Dangerous Drug

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MENASHA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Fentanyl is a synthetic drug, and according to the Drug Enforcement Agency, it is approximately 100 times more powerful than morphine.

If ingested, injected, or absorbed, fentanyl can cause dizziness, nausea, and confusion.

Menasha officer learned about the drug first-hand during a drug overdose death investigation in July, when he experienced symptoms consistent with fentanyl exposure.

Menasha Police Chief Tim Styka says his officer returned to work a couple of days after the incident.

"Certainly [he] has been very open and enjoys to talk about the experience from the facet that if others can learn from what he went through and not go down that road, that's a win."

The department has also learned from that incident and implemented changes, which include a safety kit for officers that includes goggles and gloves.

Those items are included in the state's recommended guide on how first responders can avoid fentanyl exposure.

Some of the other guidelines include a first responder's exposure risk levels.

For example, if there's a moderate risk/high volume hazard, some of the items that should be used include a uniform and a face piece respirator.

The most recent numbers from the Centers for Disease Control's drug overdose deaths in Wisconsin, involving synthetic opioids, show in 2014, 90 people died, and in 2015, 112 people died.

Those numbers do not include meth overdose deaths.

As for the Menasha Police Department, Styka continues to stress, safety is key for everyone involved.

"Making sure that we are prepared to be able to protect ourselves to protect the community," he said.

Packers Hope To Get Players Healthy

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ARLINGON, TX (WTAQ) - Green bay Packer running back Ty Montgomery says he will play on Sunday. Others are not so sure.

Montgomery was listed as doubtful on the final Packer injury list going into Sundays game vs Dallas.

The Packer RB is battling broken ribs suffered in the win over Chicago. Coach Mike McCarthy said they wouldn't know until late Saturday if Montgomery can play on Sunday.

Davante Adams continues to be listed as questionable as he goes through the concussion protocol. Adams did practice this week.

Mike Daniels is another injured Packer who insists he will play this week .

Both Packer tackles, David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga are listed as questionable. Linebacker Joe Thomas is out for this week.

McCarthy said he was happy with the progress that some of the injured players made this week.

The Packers play the Cowboys this afternoon in Arlington. Packer GameDay begins at 1pm on WTAQ.


Fire Safety Week in Wisconsin

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ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) - It's 'Fire Prevention Week' in Wisconsin.

This year's theme is "Every Second Counts: Plan Two Ways Out," which is meant to get families to create or review an escape plan.

"If there was a fire in the home, in any particular room, having two ways of getting out of the home and how important it is to get out of there in a safe and efficient way."

Ashwaubenon Public Safety Chief Eric Dunning says one of the best things to do in a fire is to close doors behind you.

"By doing that, it will keep the room that is impacted by smoke and flames contained in that area.  More importantly, as you go out the front or back door, by closing that it will prevent fresh oxygen from going into the home and fueling the fire."

Dunning notes it's important for families to reunite as quickly as possibly when a fire does occur.

"Have a meeting point, whether it's a mailbox or tree.  That way they have accountability so when fire officials arrive on scene, they know if there's someone inside or not."

The chief also urges people to keep up with checking the batteries in their smoke alarms.

"The old battery-operated ones, the recommendation is to change the battery twice per year.  The newer smoke alarms that are out on the market now have a lifespan of ten years." 

Dunning urges people to practice their escape drill twice per year, teach children how to escape on their own, and ensure the house is easily marked for idenification by firefighters.

Fire Prevention Week runs through October 14.

Agency Helping Appleton Coated Workers

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Bay Area Workforce Development believes it can find jobs for Appleton Coated's 600-plus workers, many of whom are currently laid off following the company's sale.

However, Executive Director Jim Golembeski says there might be a challenge or two they'll need to overcome.

"This is a little older workforce, and they're at a fairly decent rate of pay.  I think we're looking at an average salary of about $25 an hour.  It's a very good climate right now.  We have a lot of employers looking to hire people right now.  It's all across the board.  These workers aren't going to be interested in those $10-$12 an hour jobs."

Golembeski says his agency has already held orientation sessions with some of the laid off workers and notes they are working to set up a job fair for them within the next couple of weeks.

"We're really going to be looking at employers who can offer the kind of pay and benefits that are comparable to what these workers are currently receiving."

While he notes it is a difficult time for the affected workers, Golembeski urges them not to panic or make quick decisions, noting the current time is much more favorable for them than would have been the 2002 period of economic structural changes or the 2008-2009 recession.

"We have a very strong economy right now in Northeast Wisconsin."   

Golembeski says they have reached out to at least 10-15 employers but would not share any names.

Packers Rally To Pull Out Big Win In Big D

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ARLINGTON, TX (WTAQ) - Roster depth threatened to derail the Green Bay Packers season, but late game magic from QB Aaron Rodgers pushed the Pack to a 35-31 win over the Dallas Cowboys on the road.

The Packers struggled to find their footing in the first half.

While Rodgers was able to engineer two TD drives, kicker Mason Crosby missed both extra point attempts.

Dallas QB Dak Prescott ran his offense unchecked by the Green Bay defense and threw for three TDs, two to WR Cole Beasley.

Down 21-12 entering the second half, the Pack buckled down and thundered back to take the lead after a field goal from Crosby and a TD throw from Rodgers to WR Jordy Nelson.

A dropped ball wound up in Green Bay CB Demarious Randall's hands for a pick-six to put the Packers ahead again later on, but the Cowboys answered with a long TD drive to put the ball in Aaron Rodgers' hands with just over a minute left.

A field goal would have tied it, but Rodgers brought the Packers down the field and capped the game with a TD to Davante Adams for the win.

Adams was taken out on a stretcher ten days before against the Chicago Bears after a nasty hit by LB Danny Trevathan, but Adams recovered and cleared concussion protocol to play Sunday.

The 4-1 Packers find themselves atop the NFC North after the Detroit Lions lost to the Carolina Panthers to fall to 3-2.

Rodgers & Co. will travel to Minneapolis for their first game with the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday at 12 p.m.

Sound Of Silence At Kids' Soccer Games

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NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Saturday was an unusual one for soccer parents, as they sat on the sidelines in silence.

The East Central Soccer District in Neenah adapted the "Silent Weekend" rule from South Carolina after it realized heckling referees has gone too far.

East Central Soccer referee assigner, Mike Jones, explains to FOX 11.

"The referee ages are between 12, 13, and 14 and when you get a parent screaming at them constantly, it just deters them from being a referee down the road."

President of Neenah Soccer Club, Marti Coan says...

"Parents get carried away. The language they use, the intensity of their voices. We want everybody to have fun and be safe."

Parents are only allowed to clap. If the rule is violated within the third warning, they can be kicked out.

Some parents shared how they plan to restrain themselves.

"I guess I'll probably have to pace or walk away for a little bit," Jonathan Dickey said.

Kay Bahm said, "I brought posters to hand out to people."

Both parents and players believe there's good intentions from the Silent Weekend, but many, like Bahm, disagree about the no cheering rule.

"I think it's an encouragement hearing people cheer."

Seven-year-old Isla Jones likes to hear the crowd.

"I just like how sometimes my parents cheer because sometimes it makes me have a better playing time."

But nine-year-old Mea Jones said the quiet atmosphere helped improve her performance.

"We were a little more focused, we can hear our coaches more and it was just different a little bit".

The East Central Soccer organization have a meeting today (Monday) to discuss if they want to continue this rule next spring.

Drive Through Church Not Part Of The Plan

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - A Green Bay church held services Sunday after a car crashed into the side of the building.

It happened Saturday night at the First Assembly Church on Shawano Avenue.

No one was inside the building at the time.

The family room at the church sustained most of the damage.

And it's unclear when all the repairs will be done.

Jessie Pierquet, a member of Green Bay First Assembly Church, says other church members helped clean up the damage.

"Our guys, a bunch of our church guys got together and boarded up the side of the building, so we ere able to go on and have church as normal today."

The suspect was caught shortly after crashing into the church.

Police Investigate Weekend Burglaries

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ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) - Computers and purses were stolen during burglaries in Ashwaubenon over the weekend.

Ashwaubenon Public Safety says the burglaries happened Saturday night into Sunday morning.

One house was in the 1500 block of Avondale Drive and the other in the 1400 block of Ponderosa Avenue.

Both are not far from Pioneer Park, on the village's west side.

Investigators say in both cases the burglar or burglars walked in through unsecured garage doors and went inside the homes.

Ashwaubenon Public Safety is reminding residents to keep garages closed and doors locked to help deter this kind of criminal activity.

Anyone with information is asked to call Investigator Robert Messer at (920) 492-2995. Anonymous tips may be left with CrimeStoppers by phone at (920) 432-7867 or online.

More Business For Marinette Marine

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MARINETTE, WI (WTAQ) - Fincantieri Marinette Marine will build its 14th littoral combat ship.

According to Lockheed Martin, the contractor on the project, the U.S. Navy has placed an order for the ship.

Lockheed Martin says the contract is for less than $584 million, the limit Congress has set for LCS orders.

Marinette Marine has built half the fleet of littoral combat ships. The other half are built at a shipyard in Alabama.

Lockheed Martin did not say when construction would begin.

The ship, LCS 27, is the 14th Freedom-variant LCS ordered by the U.S. Navy to date.

With the addition of LCS 27 to the shipyard’s production backlog, there are now seven ships in various stages of construction at Fincantieri Marinette Marine and two more in long-lead production.

Since the LCS program’s inception Lockheed Martin says Freedom-variant LCS production has injected hundreds of millions of dollars into local economies throughout the Midwest.

The program supports thousands of direct and indirect jobs throughout the United States, including more than 7,500 in Michigan and Wisconsin alone.

There are 119 Wisconsin and 28 Michigan suppliers that contribute to the program.

The latest ship to be completed in Marinette is the future USS Little Rock, which was delivered to the Navy last month.


NWTC Unveils Fire Training Resource

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Northeast Wisconsin firefighters now have a new place to train.

A ribbon-cutting was held Monday morning for a new burn tower at NWTC Green Bay's Public Safety Training Center.

Associate Dean of Public Safety John Flannery says the four-story building will allow for a variety of instruction.

"It simulates burning in structures.  It simulates a basement fire.  It simulates like a garage fire.  It has recessed balconies, which allows firefighters to practice responding to a high-level apartment complex or a hotel."

Flannery notes the new tower offers multiple features that the one that recently came down did not.

"You can set multiple fires on different floors of the tower so the trainees can go into these different areas to do search and rescue.  We can do confined space training, so we have an elevator shaft that they're able to practice in."

In addition, Flannery says the new facility allows for training in wrappling down the side of a building.

According to Flannery, the 98 fire agencies in the district can start booking the facility immediately for a minimal-to-low cost.

He notes the tower was funded by taxpayer dollars approved in a recent referendum but was not able to provide the exact cost.

The Public Safety Training Center is located at 2565 Larsen Road.

Marinette Marine Receives LCS Order

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MARINETTE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - Marinette County officials are discussing the impact the Littoral Combat Ship program at Marinette Marine has on their community. 

The U.S. Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin and Marinette Marine a contract of up to $584-million dollars to construct LCS 27. 

Association for Business and Industry Executive Director Ann Hartnell notes that won't be the only work Marinette Marine will be doing for the Navy.  

"There are three ships in the process right now of construction and three sitting in the water for finishing touches and trials."

LCS 27 is the 14th Freedom-variant LCS ordered by the Navy to date.

Hartnell says that program has roughly a 2.5% direct and indirect impact on the county's economy.

"Probably 500-700 people on the campus every day that are either the supply chain or are contractors hired by Marinette Marine to do tasks in the LCS program."

Hartnell credits Marinette Marine and the LCS effort for what she says are positive jobless rate figures.

"Unemployment numbers since the spring have been 3.4-4.5%."

In an effort to ensure the program continues, Hartnell notes the county offers revolving loan funds to suppliers and contractors, and will soon launch another initiative. 

"We will have the grand opening in the next month for a business and industrial incubator that is dedicated to the growth and acceleration of the Maritime industry in Northeast Wisconsin."

Hartnell says city officials are also engaged in an ongoing dialogue with Marinette Marine about potential problems and future contracts.

To date, Marinette Marine and project contractor Lockheed Martin have delivered five ships to the U.S. Navy.  Seven ships are in various stages of construction, with two more in long-lead production.

Trial Ordered in Homicide Case

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OUTAGAMIE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A 58-year-old Appleton man accused of killing his girlfriend is heading to trial. 

Johnny Scott is charged with fatally shooting Annie Ford during an argument at their apartment last month. 

Scott is set to be arraigned October 30.    

Conviction in Fatal Traffic Crash

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BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A 19-year-old Greenleaf man has been convicted of using marijuana shortly before causing a fatal traffic crash

Devon Robley has pleaded no contest to amended charges in connection with the July 2016 Ledgeview accident. 

He pleaded to two counts of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle and one count of operating a vehicle with a detectable amount of a restricted controlled substance in his blood. 

Two other charges were dismissed but can be considered at sentencing.

 

Prosecutors say Robley crashed into an SUV at speeds around 70 miles per hour, killing one person in both vehicles. 

 

Robley faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced January 5. 

Advice for Rat Affected Residents

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A Green Bay alderman wants to hear from residents who are affected by the city's rat problem. 

Chris Weary says he's taken dozens of complaints this year from his constituents and notes other west side representatives have heard similar claims.

"Anywhere from over by Lambeau Field: Shadow Lane and Lombardi, that area, Colburn Park to over on Shawano Avenue."

Weary notes the complaints have varied in nature.

"It'll range from 'I saw rats basically walking across the street' or they've seen some in their back yards.  I've been having to send inspections in and then help them figure out why they're there." 

He reminds this isn't the first time the city has had to deal with this problem.

"A couple years ago we had a similar issue on the very near-west side.  We hired exterminators to come in and cover a couple block area and really knock back that population."

Weary says city officials are working to educate people on how to rat-proof their homes.

"Take a survey of your yard and your house.  Anywhere that's a small, round area that they could fit into, block up.  If you have a wood pile that's on the ground, get it up six inches off the ground.  Compost bins, take a look at those.  Look around the base of old garages."

Weary says he is working with other west side aldermen on creating a city-funded eradication program.

In most previous years, Weary notes he would only receive one or two complaints about rats.

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