DOOR COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A 58-year-old computer technician for the Green Bay Area Public School District faces one count of Possessing Child Pornography. 

Prosectuors say authorities were tipped to Matthew Vanboesschoten's online activity by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding an inappropriate image of a 5-7 year old girl and executed a search warrant at his Brussels home in June. 

Vanboesschoten allegedly admitted to viewing up to 50 inappropriate images on the file sharing website Chatstep, saying he saved 6-10 of those images on a personal laptop that used to be property of the school district.  

The 58-year-old also claims that he never physically acted on his thoughts of having sex with children or took pornographic images/videos of minors.

Vanboesschoten is due back in court on November 7 for a status hearing.   

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - For the first time in more than a decade, an Appleton facility that encourages youth exploration and creativity is expanding.

'Building for Kids' will unveil an Innovation Lab next month that is dedicated to science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM, activities.

"We've been preparing for his for many, many years.  We've been so proud to be a part of this community, and we're looking forward to the next 25 years as well."

Executive Director Jarrad Bittner says the lab will be open to kids on November 5.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Those who buy and sell items online will now have a designated safe space to do business.

The Green Bay Police Department says it has established an "Internet Purchase Exchange Location" in the parking lot of the East Side Community Policing Center, adjacent to 315 S. Baird St.

The parking lot is intended to be a safe location for residents to meet potential buyers or sellers for items bought and sold online.

Police say the parking lot is under video surveillance 24 hours a day and is clearly posted.

"We encourage all residents to use this location when purchasing or selling items online. By offering this location to the citizens of Green Bay, it creates a safe, well-lit, monitored area which improves the security of in-person transactions. The video surveillance recordings can also be utilized if the legitimacy of a transaction is ever questioned. This video can be retrieved and utilized in future investigations by officers."

The Internet Purchase Exchange Location signs were donated by the Wisconsin Crime Prevention Practitioners Association.

For more crime prevention tips, police say go to http://www.wicrimeprevention.com/

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - The city of Appleton is considering signing on to the Paris Climate Agreement.

That's the effort by a number of countries to fight climate change, which President Trump dropped out of.

Appleton's Parks and Recreation Committee debated the issue Monday night, discussing two resolutions dealing with sustainability and climate change.

"It's great to see all of the things that Appleton is is doing and that they're serious about taking care of our environment," said city resident Jill Mitchler.

The first resolution was an update to the city's master sustainability plan to work on projects that would take steps like reducing use of fossil fuels, reducing garbage waste and restoring waterways.

The resolution calls for a review of the plan yearly and ways for citizens to see costs and progress online. That passed 5-0.

Council member Joe Martin spoke to FOX 11...

"It will continue to report to the constituents and the taxpayers in the city."

The second resolution was more divisive.

It asks Mayor Tim Hanna to consider having Appleton join other mayors in signing on to uphold the Paris Climate Agreement.

That would mean voluntarily working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the city starting in 2020.

"This informs how we look at our policies. For the city this is a highlight, it's a call to attention and it's a prioritization," explained council member Vered Meltzer.

Several residents, like Mitchler, voiced their approval of joining the agreement.

"Take bold action. Number one: acknowledge that climate change is a problem, number two: make a concerted and united effort to to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

However, not all the committee members want the city to join the Paris Climate Agreement.

Matt Reed has some concerns.

"I don't agree with the fact that it's entirely human caused. I don't think that passing a resolution with vague language saying, 'we'll try to do better, we'll do something down the road,' is the answer."

Another member pointed out it's ultimately the mayor's decision whether to sign on to the agreement. The committee sent it to the mayor for further review.

The sustainability resolution will be up for a vote in front of the full council on October 18th.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - It appears Green Bay's Shipyard project is going to cost more and take longer to build than originally expected.

Changes to the plan are outlined in a new development agreement that will be up for its first vote today at the city’s Redevelopment Authority meeting.

Kevin Vonck, Green Bay’s Economic Development Director, tells FOX 11 the numbers are up to date.

“We've been talking about it for about two years now, so we just wanted to make sure that we accounted for construction costs have gone up a little bit, so that number was bumped up to $9.5 million.”

The $9.5 million is just for stadium construction. Another $1.5 million has been added for waterfront improvements and parking, bringing the total project cost up to $11 million.

That's a little too rich for alderman Guy Zima's blood.

“I don't think the Bullfrogs create enough interest to justify that kind of expenditure.”

The stadium would be programmed 180 days a year, including Bullfrogs baseball, high school athletics, and minor league soccer.

The development agreement calls for the Bullfrogs' owners to put in $1 million, with the Stadium District Board pitching in $500,000. The remaining $9.5 million would come from the city.

However, the Bullfrogs would eventually pay the city $4.5 million over a 20-year lease agreement.

“It's got great uses for the community, the neighborhood” says Vonck. “It would really bring some vibrancy to that area and really give that area a boost."

“We have Joannes Stadium for the Bullfrogs,” said Zima. “They don't exactly sell it out. For a few dollars more we could make that a little nicer venue.”

According to the Bullfrogs, the team averaged 1,403 fans per home game during the 2017 season.

City officials' original goal was to have the Shipyard open for the Bullfrogs 2018 season. The new goal is to have it ready for the 2019 season.

The Shipyard's development agreement is contingent on separate agreements being reached before the end of the year for an Anduzzi’s restaurant and a 2,000 capacity indoor concert venue. Both would be attached to the stadium.

After the Redevelopment Authority’s vote, the full city council would then vote on the development agreement at its October 17th meeting.

ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) - The Green and Gold has kicked off its 'Packers versus Cancer' campaign.

People can donate to the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation by purchasing limited edition cancer awareness hats at the Packers Pro Shop or by contributing to a text-to-donate campaign, by texting 'Packers' to 50555 from October 16-22.

The Packers plan to match up to $10,000 in donations.

In addition, the team will honor cancer survivors during an on-field celebration at its October 22 game against New Orleans. 

Fans in attendance will be able to write the name of a loved one affected by cancer on a free giveaway banner.

MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) - The City of Manitowoc is asking residents how it can improve the downtown area.

Mayor Justin Nickels says the creation of a new Downtown Master Plan is meant to help them learn what millennials and other groups want.

"We're trying to differentiate ourselves from others.  One of the greatest assets that we have that not many other communities do is being on the shores of Lake Michigan and the Manitowoc River.  We really just want to capitalize on that potential growth."

Nickels says the city also wants to benefit off potential tourist spending.

"We have the USS Badger that brings in 100,000 people per season right into our downtown, and we really don't capitalize enough on making sure that those tourists stay in our downtown." 

The mayor notes he has already heard concerns about an inadequate amount of apartments and housing in the downtown area, as well as concerns with pedestrian and biker safety.  

Nickels believes the city can make better use of land on the water.

"We're going to focus on 4-6 underutilized pieces of land that we want to get a market study for, that we want to be able to go out and sell."

He explains the kinds of questions they want residents to answer.

"What would you like to see downtown?  What have you seen in other downtowns that you see as successful."

Things get underway Wednesday evening, with a Community Kick-Off Event from 5:30-7:30 pm at the Capitol Civic Center.  It will include a brief presentation and several stations for residents to share input on the topics of preservation, transportation, and new development. 

People can also weigh in and stay current on what's happening by visiting the official project website.

Nickels says they will collect resident feedback through April and then decide how to proceed.

He notes the city was already hired an outside consultant and will create a steering committee for the project.

Ahead of this process of drawing up a new Downtown Master Plan, Nickels says some efforts have already gotten underway.

He notes the creation of a downtown tax incremental financing district has led to two projects, a $17-million dollar expansion by Briess and a $7-million dollar renovation by Schuette.

The latter leads to commercial use on the first floor and apartments on the second and third floors of a building that has been vacant for roughly 15 years.

Nickels says the combined TIF commitment for the projects is around $2.5-million dollars.

BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - The reward for information leading to the location of a Brown County woman who has been missing for 4 1/2 years has been extended.

Victoria Prokopovitz was 60-years-old when she was last seen at her Kunish Road home in the Town of Pittsfield in April 2013.

Investigators say Prokopovitz left her purse, which contained her ID, cell phone, and money, behind.

The family's $17,000 reward expires on January 8.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Green Bay Area Crime Stoppers by phone at (920) 432-7867, by texting the keyword 'GBTIP' to 274637 or online.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - Appleton Police is looking for a missing 20-year-old woman. 

Officers say Caitlyn Pa Chia Xiong has not been seen since the early morning hours of October 5. 

A friend reported her missing that evening.  

Investigators say there has been no activity with Xiong's phone or bank accounts and note they've been unable to identify her current location or condition through various interviews and record checks.

Xiong is described as 5'2", 100 pounds with brown eyes and black hair.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call Appleton Police Sergeant Chue Thao at 920-832-5953 or anonymously use the 'REPORT' feature on the department's free phone application.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Green Bay Gamblers organization has unveiled the jerseys its players will wear during October 28's 'Military Night' game.

The shirts feature red, white, and blue colors along with the state of Wisconsin on the sleeves.

Players, like Matthew Jennings, are excited about the new threads.

"It's really special, especially coming from a military family.  It's nice to just give back to those people who sacrificed everything for us and allow us to live in a great county."

Proceeds from helmets and jerseys that are auctioned off during the match will benefit the Disabled American Veterans group, which provides medical assistance to disabled vets.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Brown County eighth graders converged on the KI Convention Center Tuesday to learn about careers they might want to pursue.

More than 65 exhibitors were on hand for the third annual 'Find Your Inspiration' event.

"Our goal for today is to find one career that they are interested in, understand the classes that they would need to take next year in high school to start working towards that and then understand if they need a 2-year degree or 4-year degree."

Organizers, like the Greater Green Bay Chamber's Ashley Knutson, also wanted kids to learn what type of education is needed for various jobs.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A downtown Green Bay development effort is heading to the city council after receiving approval Tuesday from the Redevelopment Authority.

The proposed $11-million dollar Shipyard Project could be built along the Fox River and play host to Green Bay Bullfrogs, concerts, and other events.

Economic Development Director Kevin Vonck says "multi-season, multi-purpose events, and the things we've been talking about all along are still in the conversation of what we want to do from sports, but also again, what we want to do providing an opportunity for our community to use this facility."

City officials say 88-percent of the more than 60 resident responses to a neighborhood survey of those living within the boundaries of 9th to Walnut and State to Ashland felt the Shipyard would have a positive impact on their community.

MENASHA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Menasha is looking for some feedback when it comes to the direction of the city's downtown.

Menasha resident Nancy Houk says "I'd like to see more handicapped parking that is easier for handicapped people."

"They want to put in what they call, 'medium-density residential'," Houk said. "That I don't think because we're all single families' homes down there, and I think that's how it should stay. I don't want to move."

Those concerns are exactly what city officials want to know about.

Menasha community development director David Buck says, "there's no plan in document that is useful unless it has the community's goals and wishes at heart, and it's incredibly difficult to implement anything unless it has community backing."

The city came up with three potential plans, but says the plans are still preliminary and note things can change.

• Click here to provide feedback on downtown Menasha

"They're kind of selectively placed on from feedback plans that we heard and now people are kind of commenting on, 'Are these on the right spots? Is this what we want to see here?'" Buck says.

One priority for Menasha residents is the waterfront. The city has eight waterfront guideline principles.

Houk says, "I like the big building that they put in there now, but I'd like more and you know things like that and people go, 'Yeah but then you block the sight of the water."'

Some residents want to see the city keep older retail buildings.

"I'm inclined to keep it, because it's quaint and attractive and I think as more potential businesses become available, they'll become quite valuable properties," says Menasha resident Jack Fry.

With all the alternatives and feedback to consider, city officials hope to have a final draft by year's end.

APPLETON,WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - A new study shows program that's trying to prevent repeat OWI offenses may be working, in Outagamie County.

It's a program substitutes treatment, for jail time.

Bernie Vetrone, director of the county's criminal justice treatment services, tells FOX 11 the Safe Streets Treatment Options Program, or SSTOP, has been in effect in Outagamie County since 2011.

"Instead of sitting in a jail cell they're going to treatment, they're seeing a case manager."

SSTOP is a year-long regimen of treatment and is for 2nd or 3rd OWI offenders who are approved by a judge.

Vetrone says the county found out right away the program saves money. It costs taxpayers $50 a day to keep one person in the county jail.

"This program is $1.35 per day. So it's very cost effective."

More important, is what the county didn't know.

"What we thought we knew was that it was good at reducing recidivism, but we didn't have any concrete studies."

The county partnered with UW-Milwaukee criminologist Tina Freiburger on a year-long study to find out. She spoke to the county board Tuesday.

"We compared the SSTOP participants to a control group of participants. We actually found that the program reduced OWIs by 31%."

The study looked at 346 SSTOP participants from 2012 and 2013 versus 346 offenders from 2009 and 2010, before the program started.

Freiburger says the research encompassed three years out from their first convictions.

"We also found that they had fewer convictions overall, in addition to OWIs, as well as were sentenced to fewer days in jail."

According to the study, the SSTOP group had 36% fewer convictions than the comparison group and 22% fewer new incarcerations.

Vetrone says even though the study was wide-ranging the SSTOP is a relatively young program. So they'll have to continue doing studies on it in the future to ensure it's beneficial.

"So in the future we hope to expand this to two, three, four years down the road."

Winnebago and Waupaca Counties have similar programs. Winnebago was the first.

BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - The daughter of a Northeast Wisconsin legislator is one of the two people arrested on charges of First Degree Reckless Homicide by Delivering Drugs. 

Brown County Sheriff's officials say 28-year-old Cassandra Nygren, the daughter of Marinette Representative John Nygren, has been booked into the county jail on five charges: two counts of Reckless Homicide by Delivering Drugs and one count apiece of Manufacturing and Delivering Heroin, Neglecting a Child, and Maintaining a Drug Trafficking Place.

Thirty-three year old Shawn Gray has been booked on the same charges, plus counts of Failure to Comply with a Sex Offender Registry, Providing False Information to a Sex Offender Registry, Resisting or Obstructing an Officer, and Second Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety.  He also faces two counts of Bail Jumping.

Sheriff's officials say they will release additional information about the arrests at a Thursday morning press conference.

Both subjects are expected to make initial court appearances Thursday afternoon.

Nygren was previously convicted for Possessing Narcotic Drugs in 2010 and 2015.

Her battle has served as an inspiration for Representative Nygren's various pieces of legislation to combat the heroin epidemic.

COMBINED LOCKS, WI (WTAQ) - Appleton Coated's sale has been finalized. 

California-based Industrial Assets closed on the mill Tuesday, after a judge approved the sale last week. 

The liquidation company will resume limited operations at the paper mill while it seeks another buyer to operate the mill going forward. 

Many of Appleton Coated's 600-plus workers remain laid off.   

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - A mentally ill man is in custody after authorities say he displayed a gun outside of Appleton's Northland Mall.

Officers responded early Wednesday afternoon, after receiving multiple reports of a man aggressively wielding a black handgun outside Pet Supplies Plus.

According to authorities, the man complied with officer commands and dropped the weapon.

Investigators say the gun turned out to be a BB/pellet type revolver and note the man has been placed on a protective hold for his safety and the safety of others.

Charges will be referred to the Outagamie County District Attorney's Office.

Appleton Police says there is no further threat to the public.

HOWARD, WI (WTAQ) - Brown County authorities are looking for a missing 24-year-old woman.

Investigators say Azure Ra Dunbar was last seen Tuesday in the Village of Howard with a white male in his 30's named 'Jay.'

Officers say the two were seen verbally arguing in a 2008 black Mazda 3 hatchback, WI plate 153-UYK and a red paint transfer on the passenger side, which they may be traveling in and has been declared stolen.

The vehicle was last seen in the 1200 block of Howard's Brookfield Avenue.

Azure is described as 5'6", 125 pounds with black hair and green eyes.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Sergeant Matthew Wilson at 920-448-6192.

KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - The Boy Scouts of America says it will soon let girls take part in all of its programs, but the move has raised some eyebrows, especially with the Girl Scouts.

As a local Cub Scout Master, John Jung tells FOX 11 he approves allowing girls into the 107-year-old institution.

"I think it's exciting. It's a good organization for youth and for the community and allowing girls can just improve it."

Jung told us a few of his boy scouts have some reservations allowing girls in the mix, but says it's not entirely new.

"There are girls in Venture programs already. So it's something that scouting is used to."

But Lee Snodgrass, Communications Director for Girl Scouts of the Northwest Great Lakes, says while they're not surprised at this move, it might alter the relationship between the two groups.

"You're probably see a little less collaboration, in terms of programming, because we already have programming developed specifically for girls, with girls in mind."

Snodgrass suspects the Boy Scouts may be dealing with a drop in participants.

"I know that the Boy Scouts have been experiencing a decline as a segment of their membership base has shifted away," she said.

However, in a statement, the Boy Scouts of America's National Board Chairman Randall Stephenson said the move is to expand opportunities for everyone.

The statement says, in part, "I've seen nothing that develops leadership skills and discipline like this organization. It is time to make these outstanding leadership development programs available to girls."

Meanwhile, Snodgrass says the Girl Scouts, a 105-year-old organization, continues to evolve to keep up with girls' needs.

"As we get into STEM programming, as we get into some of our adventure programming that we do."

Jung says it's not just the programming, but that Boy Scouts' new policy will offer convenience for families, allowing brothers and sisters to have similar experiences.

"I know we do have different programs and I get a lot of families that are interested in doing a family thing, which this would allow more."

The change for Cub Scouts is expected to start next year. A program for older girls is expected to start in 2019.

KEWAUNEE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Kewaunee County Sheriff Matt Joski says he has asked an outside agency to look at the report on this summer's deadly shooting by one of his deputies.

Joski says the move follows protocol and allows for the agency to look at the report from a policy perspective.

District Attorney Andrew Naze won't be filing criminal charges against any of the officers.

Joski tells FOX 11 that decision validates his officers’ actions.

“It's absolutely comforting,” said Joski. “It's reinforcing the fact that we do train effectively, we do have high quality men and women doing these jobs.”

22-year-old Tyler Whitmire is the one who was killed in the case.

In dash camera videos, you can see Whitmire run toward Officer Jordan Salentine with what investigators say is a kitchen knife over his head.

Sheriff Joski says Deputy Jamie Tlachac's decision to shoot Whitmire follows state training. Joski says state policy allows for deadly force if a suspect with an edged weapon comes within 21 feet.

“Their actions would have been justified even earlier. When they did it, he literally came to rest at the feet of that officer. That is important to note because that was absolute criteria for deadly use of force.”

The department's policy for weapons and use of force lays out five intervention options: officer presence, dialog, control alternatives like pepper spray or a Taser, protective alternatives, which include impact weapons and canine units, and the final option is deadly force.

“The information that was provided to us by the 911 calls, by the victims, by those witnesses, we had to come into that at a higher level,” said Joski.

Joski says he is still looking through the hundreds of pages in the incident report. He hopes to use it as a tool to help improve his department moving forward.

Whitmire's family members described his actions that night as out of character.