Quantcast
Channel: Local news from wixx.com
Viewing all 18355 articles
Browse latest View live

More Details About Lawmaker's Daughter's Arrest

0
0

BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - More details have been released about the events leading to Tuesday's arrest of a state legislator's daughter.

Brown County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Todd Delain says 28-year-old Cassandra Nygren, daughter of Representative John Nygren, and 33-year-old Shawn Gray provided the drugs in a June fentanyl overdose death at an Allouez home.

Delain says officers were called to the 1500 block of South Webster Avenue for a report of a 'pulseless, non-breathing female.'

Upon arrival, Delain says responders found 31-year-old Jennifer Skeen dead.  She was 30-33 weeks pregnant at the time.

According to Delain, the medical examiner ruled the death as a 'drug overdose involving a lethal level of fentanyl.'

Over the course of the investigation, which began June 2, Delain says Nygren and Gray were identified as suspects, through a combination of evidence from the scene, witness statements, cell phone records, and surveillance footage.

Delain says investigators needed, and were able to obtain, more activity tying the dating couple to drugs.

"Even after the death, the Brown County Drug Task Force was able to conduct a controlled buy of heroin from Mr. Gray and Ms. Nygren." 

Delain notes that officers located them on the roads this past Tuesday.

"Mr. Gray was driving with Ms. Nygren and her 14-month-old child in the vehicle when he fled from officers.  Due to the reckless nature of Mr. Gray's attempt to elude officers, the pursuit was terminated."

However, Delain says Gray and Nygren were taken into custody a short time later.  They were in the Village of Bellevue, within close proximity to their vehicle.

Investigators have referred the following charges against Nygren: two counts of First Degree Reckless Homicide by Drug Delivery and one count apiece of Delivery of a Controlled Substance, Neglecting a Child, Keeper of a Drug House, Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Possession of Heroin, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

The following charges have been recommended against Gray: two counts apiece of First Degree Reckless Homicide and Bail Jumping and one count apiece of Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registry, Providing False Information to a Sex Offender Registry, and Second Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety.

Gray was also cited for Operating After Revocation, Driving without Insurance, Failure to Stop for an Officer, Hit and Run, and Reckless Driving.

Delain would not comment on how long Nygren was on their radar, but authorities note that she was involved in a 'number of' drug trafficking instances.

"I would describe them as 'middlers' who distribute to support their habit and to live off of.  Certainly, they were not wealthy people making a lot of money doing it."

Delain says the pair was harming themselves and the community as a whole.

"Mr. Gray and Ms. Nygren engaged in a pattern of extremely reckless and destructive behavior."

Nygren's cash bond was set at $50,000 Thursday.  Formal charges in the case are not expected until next week.


Card Skimmer Found on ATM

0
0

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A credit card skimmer has been found on an ATM machine attached to an east side Green Bay bank.

Investigators believe the people responsible for placing the credit card information-stealing device at Fox Community Credit Union, 1820 Main Street, first went to the ATM on September 26, installing the skimmer about a week later.

Officers suspect the skimmer was slid into the card slot from the outside, as the internal part of the machine is accessible only from the inside of the bank.

They note the thieves also installed a camera to the top of the ATM that could record people entering PINs.

Anyone with information is asked to call Green Bay Police and refer to report number 17-211750. Anonymous tips may also be left with Crime Stoppers at (920) 432-7867.

Officers: Man Tried Kidnapping Suamico Teen

0
0

BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A 22-year-old Colorado man has been arrested on charges that he planned to kidnap a 16-year-old Suamico girl.

Brown County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Todd Delain says Curtis Bowser started an online relationship with the girl more than a year ago, which was later noticed by her parents.

"The parents advised that the adult male had engaged in telephone conversations with their daughter and, in fact, had sent their daughter a cell phone to use to talk to him."

Sheriff's Lieutenant Jim Valley says his agency was not immediately notified.

"It goes back some time, to where the individual was contacted (by the girl's parents) and told not to (contact her), to where it did not elevate into a criminal charge."

Investigators say the two never met in person but believe he was "grooming" her for a life together.

Valley says it was only recently that the parents did involve law enforcement.

"We were not notified until after he already left Colorado of this particular situation, where he planned to come and abduct the child."

Delain says they contacted partner agencies in other parts of the state to be on the lookout for Bowser.

"We were able to locate him driving northbound, north of Madison, Wisconsin.  Law enforcement was able to surveil Mr. Bowser from that location, directly to the Village of Suamico."

Delain says Bowser was arrested Tuesday in the vicinity of the girl's home.

Charges of Attempted Abduction of a Child, Child Enticement, Possession of THC, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia have been filed against Bowser.

Bowser is expected to make an initial appearance Thursday afternoon.

Residents Asked to Complete Fairgrounds Survey

0
0

BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - Residents are being asked to weigh in on the future of the Brown County Fairgrounds.

County officials are looking to develop a master plan for the property.

Parks Director Matt Kriese is asking people to complete a five-minute online survey.

"It asks whether you've used the property, what you'd like to see in the property.  Maybe even some event organizers will take a look at that survey and help us out with some of the infrastructure needs that would meet their needs better."

While they have not drawn up any conceptual designs, Kriese notes county officials have been looking at a few specific areas of improvement, one of those being the century-plus old barns on the property.

"Whether we are going to look at repairing those, whether we are going to look at one large building that provides us more flexibility out there."

Kriese says they also hope to find ways to develop the riverfront for recreation.

"Whether that's a trail connecting all of the communities, maybe kayak launches or stand-up paddle board launches, protecting the wildlife, adding boat slips in there."

While investments were made in 2016 to fund infield grading and electrical upgrades, Kriese notes it has been more than 20 years since building-related improvements were made.

The county received an $80,000 grant through its Stadium Board to hire a project consultant, Rettler Corporation.

The deadline to complete the survey is October 27, with Rettler then gathering the results and presenting the findings to the county's Development Committee in November. 

"We will look through those results and from that point, the consultant will develop conceptual plans.  We're looking to invite the public in, take a look at these concepts, and then evolve those concepts into one final plan." 

Kriese hopes the process will wrap up by January.

He notes the county is looking to invest $3.5-million dollars into the fairgrounds over the next five years.

Click here to access the survey.

School Celebrates 'Apple Crunch Day'

0
0

DOOR COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - Students in one local school got their fill of a popular fruit Thursday.

For a sixth straight year, Southern Door Elementary took part in Apple Crunch Day.

"It's a national program where we try to locally sort apples throughout the county."

Chef John Swanson says the day is meant to educate students on healthy eating habits.

"We have six different varieties with names on them so the kids can read about the different flavor charcteristics."

Swanson says they also used the day to promote locally grown produce, since more than 800 of the apples were donated by a Forestville farm.  

"The local farmers within a radius of 30 miles of us, we use local cheese, local beef, local apples, local potatoes."

The district high school's lunch menu was lined with apple-inspired dishes.

"We have wild rice risotto with apples, chicken braised with apples and a little bit of maple syrup and bacon." 

The farm that donated the apples is Kielar Orchard.

High School Mechanics Headed To Vegas

0
0

FREEDOM, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - A 30-year-old truck will take a group of area high school students on a big adventure soon.

Members of the Freedom High School Automotive club have rebuilt and refurbished a 1985 Toyota 4Runner.

It's gotten them into one of the world's biggest car shows.

In two weeks the SEMA Show in Las Vegas begins and Freedom High School Junior Trevor Hintz will be there.

"It's really hard to get into, so I'm really surprised that I get to go. It's kind of mind-blowing for me."

SEMA is billed as the world's largest automotive trade show, featuring a lot of aftermarket work.

To get there, Jay Abitz, the automotive instructor for Freedom High School tells FOX 11, the students rebuilt the 4Runner.

"And the kids are doing it all so they're physically working had, emotionally it's stressful and we're on a deadline."

It's been a non-stop summer project. The students have worked on all aspects of the truck: mechanical, paint, fabrication, you name it.

"Pretty much since school let out we've been here at least once a day," said Hintz.

The 4Runner has been almost completely rebuilt and the students have also put in a lot of aftermarket work.

"It's lifted, it's got roof rack going on, brush guard, the rear bumper is all custom."

Donors helped the work along by offering up $20,000-worth of materials. Rick Paulick donated the truck itself.

"Oh this is the coolest thing I've ever done in my life, by far! I've been here every week helping out too."

Abitz has been impressed with dedication of the students.

"It says a lot of their character and their commitment to be able to do something like this and see it through to the end,"

But for Hintz, this is only the beginning.

"I plan on going into the Marines for diesel mechanics and everything relates. So, this'll, this'll probably help out quite a bit."

The truck will be auctioned off sometime in March and the money raised will go back into the automotive club.

Fatal Crash Blocks Highway

0
0

HOLLAND, WI (WTAQ) - All lanes on Highway 57 by Wayside Road, south of Greenleaf remain closed due to a crash that's claimed the life of a 33 year old Appleton man.

The crash happened around midnight in Holland.

Officials say a dump truck was struck by a car which didn't stop at a stop sign. The car rolled into a ditch and both vehicles caught fire.

The driver of the car died at the scene.

The dump truck was driven by a 33-year-old Greenleaf man. He was treated and released.

There is a detour in place.

Detour: Northbound traffic will exit Highway 57 at Man Cal Road. Head east on Man Cal Road to County Highway P. West on Hill Road back to Highway 57.

Southbound traffic will reverse these directions.

Brown County officials are not releasing any names, or how long the road will be blocked off.

Police Investigating Hit-And-Run Crash

0
0

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Oshkosh Police is investigating a Friday morning hit-and-run crash. 

Investigators believe a car took off after colliding with a motorcycle on Ohio Street at West Sixth Avenue around 7:05 am.

The motorcyclist and passenger were taken to the hospital, and their conditions are unknown. 

The hit-and-run driver has been located. 

Stretches of Ohio, from West Fifth to West Seventh, and West Sixth, from Michigan to Idaho, are expected to be closed for several hours while investigators are on scene.  


GBPD Discusses New Criminal Tool

0
0

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay Police says it is addressing a new problem being posed by thieves.

The Fox Community Credit Union on Main Street recently reported a card shimmer having been placed inside the ATM attached to the bank's exterior.

"Usually it's the skimming devices that we have reported in the past where people will gain access into the internal components of a gas station pump and be able to retrieve the data.  This shimming device is looking to defeat the chip in people's debit and credit cards, which is relatively new."

Police Captain Kevin Warych says shimmers are placed inside the machine while skimmers are placed outside of the machine.

Warych says this is the first time a shimmer has been reported in Green Bay.

"It just appears that the criminals are going to new heights to get people's credit card information.  This is kind of the evolution of this fraud."

Warych offers ways that residents can try to protect themselves against card shimmers.

"Cover your hand as your other hand enters the PIN number, monitor your credit card transactions daily, take an extra minute and walk inside a building, where the ATM is inside versus outside."

In this shimming incident, he notes another sign was reported.

"What we learned was: people were sliding their ATM cards in and using the pinpad to gain access or get money, and the card was not going in smoothly or coming out smoothly." 

Warych says it appears that the shimming device, like many skimming devices in the past, was placed at night, when there was less likely to be witnesses. 

College Receives Largest Ever Donation

0
0

DE PERE, WI (WTAQ) - A local school has received the largest single donation in its history.

The Donald and Patricia Schneider family has given $30-million dollars to Saint Norbert College, with that money going toward the school's endowment.

The Schneider family, which owns Ashwaubenon trucking company Schneider National, has previously donated to the school.

In 2015, a contribution from the Schneider estate helped St. Norbert establish its business school and MBA program.

Five years prior, the Donald J. Schneider Stadium opened.

Don Schneider was a 1957 St. Norbert graduate, who passed away in 2012.  He served on the college's board of trustees and was a part-time instructor.  

Oshkosh Police Investigating Death

0
0

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Oshkosh Police is conducting a death investigation. 

Officers say Aaron Wood was reported dead in the 300 block of Viola Avenue at 9:19 am Wednesday. 

Investigators say they've located a vehicle that was being used by Wood in the City Hall parking lot. 

A photo of the vehicle that picked up the person who dropped off Wood's vehicle in that lot on Sunday is at the top of this story.  

An autopsy was performed Thursday, with toxicology results pending.

Anyone with information on who owns the vehicle in the above photo or about the death is asked to call Oshkosh Police Detective Dean Artus at 920-236-5726 or Winnebago County Crime Stoppers at 920-231-8477.

Increase in Local Drug-Related Deaths

0
0

WINNEBAGO COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - While plenty of attention has been given to this week's drug arrest of State Representative John Nygren's daughter Cassandra Nygren, it's far from an isolated incident.

Winnebago County already has 14 confirmed drug-related deaths this year, with another 14 pending.

This year's confirmed cases are a fairly even split between heroin and prescription drugs.

 

County Coroner Barry Busby describes the trend he's seen since taking the position.

"For five years when I first became coroner, we were averaging about five overdoses per year.  The next eight years it went to 15, and that was with a spike in prescription drug abuse.  The highest we've been is about 30."

Busby says his office is looking to find trends in an effort to prevent future cases.

New Detail in Death Investigation

0
0

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Oshkosh Police is no longer looking for a vehicle in connection with a death investigation.

However, officers continue to look into the Wednesday morning death of Aaron Wood in the 300 block of Viola Avenue.

An autopsy was performed Thursday, with toxicology results pending.

Anyone with information about the death is asked to call Oshkosh Police Detective Dean Artus at 920-236-5726 or Winnebago County Crime Stoppers at 920-231-8477.

Woman Injured in Hit-and-Run

0
0

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - A woman suffered non-life threatening injuries when struck in a hit-and-run incident near the Lawrence University campus.

Appleton Police says it happened around 11:30 pm Saturday at the intersection of College Avenue and Lawe Street.

Investigators say the vehicle hit the woman while she was walking through a crosswalk and then took off.

Officers say the driver was later located and arrested for driving while intoxicated and fleeing the scene.

Body Pulled from Fox River

0
0

LITTLE CHUTE, WI (WTAQ) - Outagamie County Sheriff's officials say a body has been pulled from the Fox River.

It happened around 9:15 am Saturday near Heesakker Park in Little Chute.

The body has been turned over to the county coroner's office.

No further details have been released as the investigation is ongoing.

 


Name Released in Fatal Crash

0
0

HOLLAND, WI (WTAQ) - Brown County Sheriff's officials have identified the man killed in Thursday night's fatal accident in Holland.

Investigators say 33-year-old Samuel Kuehl of Appleton crashed his vehicle on Highway 57 at Wayside Road.

They believe Kuehl blew a stop sign and hit a dump truck.

The 33-year-old Greenleaf man driving the dump truck was not injured.

 

Woman Hurt in Three Vehicle Crash

0
0

THERESA, WI (WTAQ) - A 49-year-old woman has been taken to the hospital following a three-vehicle crash in the Town of Theresa.

Dodge County Sheriff's officials say it happened Wednesday when the woman suddenly braked as she was northbound on I-41.

Investigators say she struck a truck driven by a 43-year-old Appleton man and was then hit by a truck driven by a 61-year-old Milwaukee man.

Neither of the other drivers were injured.

Badgers Stay Unbeaten with Purdue Win

0
0

MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - Purdue was able to keep the Badgers off the scoreboard in the second half, but they could not keep Wisconsin from continuing its unbeaten start to the season.

Seventh-ranked UW improved to 6-0 (3-0 Big Ten) with Saturday's 17-9 win over the Boilermakers at Camp Randall.

It was another huge game for freshman running back Jonathan Taylor, who tallied 219 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries.

The Badgers defense held Purdue (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) to just 221 yards of total offense.

Wisconsin hosts Maryland (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) on Saturday.

Garage Fire in Kaukauna

0
0

KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ) - A Kaukauna garage fire has caused roughly $35,000 in damage.

Firefighters were called to the 300 block of Taylor Street at 3:19 pm Sunday.

The detached garage and a nearby car caught fire, but nobody was injured.

Battery packs for remote controlled cars are being blamed for the blaze.

Appleton Grad Discusses CA Wildfire Experience

0
0

SONOMA, CA (WTAQ) - An Appleton East High School and UW-Madison graduate discusses his experience fleeing the California wildfires.

Sixty-year-old Paul Kitzerow says a neighbor's phone call last week woke him up in the middle of the night, warning he and his wife that danger was looming in their Sonoma neighborhood.

"We took 5-10 minutes to scurry around, trying to grab phone, charger, computer, charger, a couple of scrapbooks, and the cats were the main thing."

The Kitzerows were evacuated to a community center and have since been staying with family in San Francisco.

Kitzerow has not been back to his house but based on reports he's heard, says it has been destroyed. 

"I'm hopeful that we can find anything, honest to God, that's my hope is that there are a few things there, because we literally had everything in our lives there."

Kitzerow says it's been especially tough since they just moved into their 'dream home' three months ago, after spending 30 years in San Jose.

"It's extremely emotional, the crying, it's a process, you think of all the things you had, things that are irreplaceable.  That kind of comes in waves."

Kitzerow notes the fires have devastated local economies throughout the state.

"It's going to take the entire area years to recovery from this.  There are some major, major wineries that are taking massive hits."

Despite the dark times, Kitzerow is finding some positives, noting he and his wife intend to rebuild.

"As emotional as it is and as much as we lost, there are so many people that lost the same thing, and they may not have the resources that we have to stabilize and get on our feet a little bit and then to start recovering." 

Kitzerow says he has still been visiting Wisconsin three or four times per year.  

Viewing all 18355 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images