GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - NWTC's Transportation Center is the first brand new building constructed on the campus in more than ten years.

Trucks, cars, new equipment and lots of space. It's everything NWTC automotive technician instructor Mark Ledvina tells FOX 11 is everything he wanted for his classroom.

"It took a lot of planning to get to this stage and now we're excited to teach classes here."

Ledvina added that there is a "huge industry need, the demand for auto technician, auto collision, media heavy duty truck and heavy equipment is great, so as we have a need for more technician, we need more space in order to do that."

Officials say in the next two years, the college expects to graduate 62 students in the auto and diesel programs.

They say right now, companies have more than 290 openings in those fields in the college's district.

"We do everything from transmission overhauls, to break work, to steering, suspension, alignments. When students transition from school to work, it's going to be a really smooth transition for them," said Ledvina.

Instructors said the new facility allows them to oversee students better.

Auto collision refinish instructor James Zuege....

"The old collision shop was just a little disjointed, the shop was set up sort of like an 'L' so it was really hard for us to see the entire class."

Zuege said the previous building layout hindered the students learning and work, but with the new complex, he's hopeful for a better work flow.

"This is how it is in the real world, most shops or progressive shops are getting to look like this and having this style of equipment."

Voters approved the $66.5 million for the Transportation Center as part of the college's 2015 referendum.

Students began using the new facility in August.

NEW LONDON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - An autopsy on the body of a person found in a burned-out SUV has determined that the person was a female -- but little else.

Police say the autopsy was done Monday.

That was two days after the SUV was found burning near Henry Street, east of N. Shawano Street, on the city's north side.

Police say nothing suspicious was found during the autopsy.

However, investigators still have not identified the person, and say they will need to use dental records.

No more information will be released until the person has been identified and an official cause of death has been determined,

Police say the public is not in danger.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Brown County Drug Task Force says someone apparently made meth in a Green Bay park, and they're afraid that person may do it again.

The Task Force found items believed to have been used to "cook" meth dumped along a walking trail at Fireman's Park, 1703 W. Mason St.

Investigators shared photos of the items, which included drain cleaner and a package of pseudoepehdrine decongestant tablets.

The used products were found earlier this month.

Officials say there's a danger of fire and explosion with products used to make meth. Anyone who comes across similar trash should be careful.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Brown County Sheriff's Office at (920) 448-4230.

Anonymous tips can be left with Crime Stoppers by phone at (920) 432-7867 or by sending a text message with the keyword GBTIP to 274637.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Don't respond to a text message claiming a hit has been put out on you and your family.

That's the word from Green Bay police.

Officers say someone reported receiving this text message from phone number 920-306-2579:

"I want you to read this message very carefully, and keep the secret with you till further notice, You have no need of knowing who i am, where am from, till i make out a space for us to see, i have being paid $10,000,00 in advance to terminate you and your relatives with some reasons listed to me by my employer, its one i believe you call a friend , i have followed you closely for one week and three days now and have seen that you are innocent of the accusation, Do not contact the police or F.B.I or try to send a copy of this to them, because if you do i will know, and migh."

The message is cut off at that point, and is accompanied by what police call a "poor" image of a gun.

The phone number comes from a Google phone, which can be accessed from outside the U.S., police say.

Police say they've since determined that about a dozen other people received the same text message.

Investigators think the message is a scam and responding to it would lead to further messages demanding money.

Police remind citizens to never give out credit card numbers, gift card numbers or any other financial account numbers to unfamiliar people.

DARBOY, WI (WTAQ) - Many of the 600-plus Appleton Coated workers have a chance Tuesday afternoon to find their next job.

Bay Area Workforce Development is holding a job fair in Darboy that is specifically for the employees of the recently sold paper company.

Executive Director Jim Golembeski says roughly 50 employers will be on hand.

"Get in front of people, ask about what kind of jobs are available, be able to talk about what kind of skills they have, and really interact with one-on-one with those companies."

For the job fair, Golembeski says they selected employers who offer similar pay and benefits to Appleton Coated.

Despite operations coming to a close at both Appleton Coated and U.S. Paper Converters, Golembeski says there are comparable jobs to be had at places like Little Rapids Corporation, Georgia Pacific, Green Bay Packaging, Great Northern Corporation, and International Paper.

"There's a lot of companies that are expanding.  They are obviously experiencing a high rate of retirement from the baby boom generation and are looking for people."  

In addition to those companies, Golembeski says there will be other employers at the event.

"Other sectors in manufacturing, food packaging companies also looking to hire, and then some higher-end manufacturing." 

Golembeski says his agency has been working with many of the affected workers in recent weeks, helping prepare many of the senior workforce for a job search process they haven't dealt with in quite some time.

"We've been working with them on resumes, how to approach an employer, what kind of things are out there, what questions to ask."

In addition to the job fair, Golembeski says Bay Area Workforce Development will continue connecting workers with career specialists, as needed.

He notes the agency also plans to help the 50-plus U.S. Paper Converters employees who are affected by their anticipated closure near year's end.  

OUTAGAMIE COUNTY- (WTAQ)- An Appleton man faces 16 charges for allegedly recording women undressing in their homes and public bathrooms.

Andrew Persen, 28, is charged with 10 felony counts of capturing an intimate representation, along with five misdemeanor counts of invading privacy using a surveillance device, and one count of posting a private image without consent.

Persen will be in court on November 3 for a preliminary hearing

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 3, according to court records.

According to the complaint, police were contacted by woman, who said she was a friend of Persen. 

The woman accused Persen of videoing her in her own bathroom, and posting it on an adult website.

Police say Persen admitted to placing cameras in that bathroom, and also admitted to placing a hidden camera in his own home and in a dressing room at Target in the Fox River Mall.

Police obtained a search warrant for Persen’s Appleton home. He admitted to placing cameras at his friend’s bathroom, also placed a hidden surveillance camera in a dressing room at Target in the Fox River Mall, and one at his own home.

Police say it is unknown if the video recorded in hte dressing room was ever placed online.

A man accused of mistreating animals had his Brown County trial delayed to allow for a possible merging of a similar case in Manitowoc County.

Sterling Rachwal was scheduled to have trial on December 6 in Brown County, but that has been moved to January 31, to allow for discussions to take place.

In Brown County, Rachwal if facing charges for allegedly having inappropriate contact with a horse on a farm in the Town of Eaton. 

The incident allegedly took place back in February. 

Rachwal was also charged in Manitowoc County after a trail camera video allegedly shows Rachwal assaulting a horse.

The incident took place in April. 

The Manitowoc County trial is scheduled for December 14, but would be cancelled if the cases are merged.

Rachwel has many convictions that date back to 1983, but was also found not guilty due to mental disease or defect in some cases.

Earlier this month, State Representative Andre Jacque propossed a bill that would make it a felony to sexualy assault an animal. 

BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A 21-year-old Green Bay woman has been convicted in a fatal drunken driving crash. 

Savannah Dumas, who was 20 at the time, has pleaded no contest to being above the legal limit during the April 19 Suamico accident that claimed her passenger's life. 

She pleaded to charges of Homicide by Intoxicated Use of a Motor Vehicle and Causing Injury While Under the Influence.

Counts of Homicide by Use of a Vehicle While Having a Prohibited Alcohol Concentration and Causing Injury While Operating with a Prohibited Alcohol Concentration were dismissed as part of the deal.

Dumas faces up to 25 years in prison when she is sentenced January 5. 

Three bartenders were later cited for serving Dumas the night of the crash.   

WAUPACA COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A husband and wife are dead following an apparent murder-suicide in the Town of Royalton.

Waupaca County Sheriff's officials say the bodies were discovered around 8 am Tuesday in a vehicle among some trees near Highway 110 and North Shore Drive.

Sheriff Brad Hardel says the person who called in the incident told dispatchers that the vehicle was still running, with the tires spinning.

Investigators believe the 51-year-old man shot his estranged 32-year-old wife multiple times before shooting himself.

Authorities say surveillance video from a nearby supper club shows the man pulled into the establishment's parking lot shortly before 8 am.

The woman's vehicle reportedly pulled into the lot a few minutes later.

The man allegedly got into the passenger seat of the woman's vehicle, with it crashing into a ditch while it left the parking lot.

Investigators say an empty handgun holster was found inside the man's parked vehicle.

The names have not been released, pending family notification.

NEENAH, WI (WTAQ) - Two ThedaCare hospitals will not be merged into one facility.

Hospital officials have announced that they will instead invest money to enhance their existing hospitals in Appleton and Neenah, with a focus on expanding access and convenience across the nine counties it serves.

ThedaCare's Board of Trustees, along with executive leaders, made that decision Tuesday following an 18-month exploration of a possible consolidation.

President/CEO Dr. Imran Andrabi says a variety of factors went into that decision.

"How much time will it take for people to travel to be able to access care, quality and safety issues, issues from a personnel perspective."

While he was not able to provide any financial figures since renovation projects have not yet been identified, Andrabi notes cost was also a factor.

"Right now, it is better for us to reinvest in our current facilities and invest in additional infrastructure than to go to a single hospital."  

Hospital officials say they will begin planning for improving their existing facilities immediately.

Andrabi says this decision was made largely with the future in mind.

"We looked at how care is configured today and where healthcare is going in the future from a population of health perspective." 

Andrabi says more details on how they plan to enhance the existing facilities could be available in early 2018.

ThedaCare employs more than 6,700 healthcare professionals at its seven hospitals and 32 clinics throughout Northeast Wisconsin.   

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - The investigation into cameras being secretly placed in multiple intimate Outagamie County locations continues.

Appleton Police Sergeant Dave Lund notes they were already able to determine recording devices were hidden in the Fox River Mall Target dressing room, as well as the suspect's home and a friend's bathroom.

"We're sending those electronic items to the state crime lab to be further analyzed for images to see if there's a possibility that there may be more victims or that there may be additional locations."

Lund is referring to technology seized during a search of Andrew Persen's home.

Persen has been accused of a variety of crimes, including posting a nude video of his friend online.

Lund notes they were tipped to Persen by the alleged victim, who had learned that the video was taken and posted without her consent.

While the investigation is ongoing, authorities believe the number of victims may be limited.

"Our investigator feels that at this time, the three locations are probably where all of the images were taken."

The Outagamie County Sheriff's Office has posted on its Facebook page that they're looking to be contacted by anyone who might have used the affected Target dressing room on April 6, 2017 from 3-7:15 pm, although it has not been confirmed that only people visiting during that time could have been recorded.  

There is also no word at this time of any potential Target videos being posted online.

Although he says these incidents are rare, Lund offers advice for people since the crime can occur anywhere.

"Just to have more situational awareness, taking a good look around in a changing room, see if you see anything that appears to be suspicious."

Persen's preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 3.   

A generous couple from northeast Wisconsin who worked hard to succeed at their careers have left behind a $2.4 million gift to a Shawano Area Community Foundation (SACF) charitable fund that, by 2019, will be awarding $100,000 a year in college scholarships to six Gillett High School graduates and five from Suring High School.

Kenneth and Loriane Dittman, farm kids, who spent their reteriment in Gillett, have already provided smaller scholarships in the past. i

Gillett Superintendent Todd Carlson said they are grateful.

"For our students, this is just a fantasic oppertunity. My heart goes out to the Dittman's, who thought so much of education."

Loraine Dittman established a permanent endowment with SACF in 2007, putting in place a giving plan that the couple, who had no children, had decided on after attending a financial planning seminar.

Kenneth died in 2001. 

The money will be invested by the Community Foundation so that the principal grows steadily while also providing a permanent asset source for scholarships to be awarded to students at the two schools in the Dittmans’ names. 

The couple set it up so 60% of the fund’s proceeds support scholarships in Gillett and 40% in Suring.

Both of the districts are smaller in size.

Gillett High School’s total enrollment for all four grades is 156. Suring’s four-year high school has 119 total students.

Carlson said what makes this award special, is that they both worked for everything they had.

"I think the Dittmans were someone who really appreciated education early on, who struggled to have an education. They wanted to create that oppertunity for someone to go on."

Kenneth grew up in Gillett and ten worked nights scrubbing brewery tanks in Milwaukee to pay his way through the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

Loraine, grew up in Colby, and helped pay her nursing school expenses by babysitting.

The fund is expected to grow in time.

Starting in spring of 2018 at Gillett High School, the fund will award three one-time $4,000 scholarships to students attending four-year colleges and two $3,000 scholarships to students at two- or four-year colleges.

In 2019, that will grow to four students each potentially receiving $12,000 in scholarships over four years of college and two getting $6,000 for two years, for a total of $60,000 awarded per year.

"This is a need and it is something that small schools struggle with" Carlson added.

Carlson also stated that all sized schools have students with financial difficulties. 

In Suring, two graduates will be awarded one-time scholarships of $3,000 and four of $1,500 this coming spring.

In 2019, the fund will award scholarships of $10,000 over four years to three graduates and $5,000 over two years to two graduates.

That will total $40,000 awarded per year.

Eligibility requirements for the scholarships to be administered by both schools call for graduating seniors attending a four-year college or two-year college or technical college.

It will also require financial need, a history of community involvement and a minimum 3.0 GPA  in the last two semesters, or 2.5 GPA for students planning to attend technial college.

Sheriff Officials in Waupaca County said a local supper club helped them solve a rare crime in the Town of Royalton, Tuesda morning.

Waupaca County Sheriff Brad Hardel said 51-year-old John Cummings of Weyauwega shot his wife, 32-year-old Cori Cummings of Manawa, multiple time, before turning the gun on himself, inside the moving the vehicle that they were both in.

The report came in from a caller who said the vehicle went off the road, struck and tree, and was still running with the tires spinnng. 

The accident occured on North Shore Road at State Highway 110.

Waupaca County Sheriff Brad Hardel says if it wasn't for surveillance footage from a supper club's security camera, they may have still be asking questions about a husband-wife murder-suicide in Waupaca County Tuesday morning.

"The surveillance showed that he pulled into the parking lot. He got out of his vehicle and got into her vehicle on the passenger side."

Sheriff Hardel said it was then that the vehicle took over for just a bit from the parking lot, before crashing into the tree. 

"Without that, we would have at some point found his vehicle there, that is for sure. We went in and asked if they had any video, and they did just of the one portion, but happened to be where they were parked at least, so that helped us a lot."

Hardel said the crime scene left too many questions and the pieces of the puzzle did not add up to a typical one vehicle crash.

Hardel added that upon arriving on scene, they found two deceased, but did not notice the gun shot wounds right away, or an empty gun holster in the husbands vehicle.

BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A couple of new additions are coming to the NEW Zoo.

Two male red pandas are expected to arrive in Brown County from Calgary on Thursday.

The zoo's two current red pandas are both females, which Neil Anderson hopes will lead to mating.

"Now red pandas are endangered. There are about 2,500 left on the face of the earth. It's important to have programs like this -- add to reproduction."

The new pandas will be quarantined for 30 days.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A Green Bay Police officer discusses a Monday incident after his department brought attention to his good deed.

Officer Darryl Robinson responded to a call from an elementary school, saying the eight-year-old's mother was incarcerated, with no emergency contact listed to pick him up.

Robinson says he wanted to do something special, since it was also the boy's birthday.

"We brought the eight-year-old out to the squad.  He had never been in a police car before and was very excited to ride in one.

Robinson had met the boy's grandfather once before and was able to get ahold of him.

"I asked if it was okay if I could take him to McDonald's before bringing him, and he said 'yes.'"

Robinson says the two had a great time together.

"He was looking at the toys that they put in the Happy Meals.  He was excited, I guess, to hang out with a police officer."

The department later shared the story on its Facebook page, with hundreds of comments pouring in.

"I'm not one for the spotlight, but it was good seeing all of the comments.  There was nothing negative that I read.  That's pretty rare in this profession."

Robinson hopes this story inspires other officers to do the same.

HOLLAND, WI (WTAQ) - The shooting of a 16-year-old Town of Holland boy has been deemed an accident.

Sheboygan County Sheriff's officials say they responded to a Wednesday afternoon call of a boy having been shot in the left shoulder by his father.

The victim was taken to the hospital.

No charges will be filed.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - The new Appleton roundabout at OO and 47 has seen a steep increase in crashes over when the intersection had traditional stoplights.

City and state authorities decided to install the roundabout to make the intersection safer.

Justin Krueger of Combined Locks regularly travels through the intersection.

"That's very surprising that there's more accidents in the roundabout. I haven't seen any, but I have seen quite a few back when the stoplights were in."

Appleton Police Sergeant Dave Lund tells FOX 11....

"I have to admit that I was a little bit shocked when I started to look at the number of crashes."

Lund says there were 25 crash reports between August 31st through October 10th this year. That's compared to seven crashes during the same time in 2016 and two crashes in 2015.

"We've cited over ten people for failure to yield."

But he does say there's a silver lining.

"None of the incidents were anybody reporting injuries and, in a number of, even, the reportable crashed, what we were seeing is that vehicles were still driveable."

Lund adds a roundabout does not guarantee there won't be any crashes, but should ensure crashes that do happen are less serious.

"Fewer occurrences of severe injury, or less property damage."

He says the culprit behind the uptick in crashes is likely a lack of familiarity with this, specific roundabout. People either pull in front of cars already in the roundabout too closely, or change lanes in the roundabout.

"If you pay attention to the signage above the street that will tell you exactly which lane you need to be in."

Krueger says for some, there is definitely a learning curve.

"I think it'll take awhile before they figure out how to use the roundabout."

The roundabout opened on September first.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay Police is investigating a Wednesday night armed robbery. 

Captain Kevin Warych says officers were called to the Citgo in the 1200 block of Velp Avenue around 10:30 pm.

"A male suspect wearing all black clothing and a mask, similar to the one in the 'Scream' movie, had entered the store and displayed a handgun.  The suspect entered the store, displayed the handgun to the clerk, and was able to get an undisclosed amount of money."

Warych notes there's still plenty of questions to be answered. 

"Investigators look for patterns and similarities to try and determine if this was an isolated incident or if this suspect matches the description in another robbery or another burglary or another violent crime."

Warych explains where the investigation goes from here.

"Detectives are following up to process the crime scene, evidence, trying to determine any leads." 

If you have any information about this incident, please contact the Green Bay Police Department reference report 17-212538.

If you have information and want to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 920-432-STOP(7867) 

No charges will be issued in connection of a fatal crash that killed a woman, and injured an Outagamie County Sheriff Deputy. 

The investigation of the Black Creek crash in August recently completed. 

The driver, 70-year-old Marcia Noble, failed stop at a stop sign, when he car was struck by a squad car operated by Outagamie County Deputy Lynne James. 

The passenger, 94-year-old Dorothy Noble died due to injuries, and the deputy suffered minor injuries.

Wisconson State Patrol Sgt. Dan Diedrich said no ciations or charges will be issued.

NORTHEAST WISCONSIN (WTAQ) - The Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program returns for another year.

Applications are being accepted for the program that helps qualifying residents with their energy bills and emergency needs.

WPS Spokesman Matt Cullen says "the eligibility guidelines are based on 60% of the state median income."

Click here for more information on the eligibility requirements.

To apply, Cullen says people should call their designated county agency.

"You'll need to provide proof of income for all household members for the past three months, social security numbers for all household members, their most recent energy bill and/or their electric and natural gas account number, a photo ID, and if they're a renter, a rent certificate." 

Click here for a list of county agencies to contact.

Also, Cullen says his agency's moratorium on shutting off utilities returns November 1, running through April 15, 2018.

"Customers who are having difficulty paying their energy bills should contact us.  We work with them to offer them payment arrangements."

While utilities are prohibited from disconnecting heat service during the moratorium, Cullen notes people whose accounts are currently disconnected need to make arrangements to pay outstanding charges before service can be restored.