KEWAUNEE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Fierce winds blew through the state Tuesday, leaving some residents with damage to clean up.

The sound of howling winds woke some people overnight, or perhaps it was the sounds of snapping tree branches.

It may be getting better soon, but the gusts, at times 50 miles per hour or more, left their mark.

Power poles snapped, and trees fell onto power lines.

And that wind certainly was strong enough to blow around pretty much anything that was not secured to the ground.

High winds toppled an evergreen tree Tuesday morning on Kewaunee's southwest side.

Neighbors say no one was home at the time, but there was damage to the roof, and a car parked in the driveway.

Just around the corner another tree trunk snapped off, as a reminder of winds that blew across the area.

And in the same neighborhood, those gusts proved too much for Keri Karnopp's propane grill.

"It was right up here against the window, in the corner.  I had no idea what it was until I let the dog out, I noticed the grill wasn't by the back door anymore."

Karnopp says the brakes were on for the 100-pound barbeque.

"I thought 'this is weird, that the grill's not there.' So I took a couple steps out here, and noticed the grill in the pool."

The wind pushed the grill 24 feet across the wooden deck before splashing down on top of the pool cover.

"I was thinking how are we ever going to get that out? Because we put the winter cover on it this last weekend."

The full sized-grill with the extra burner was soaked, half-submerged in a couple feet of water. Karnopp says her family will try to help her fish it out.

"I was surprised. But I guess all we could do is laugh about it now. At least nothing major was broken. The grill can be replaced."

Karnopp says the grill was just one year old. She figures it will cost about $400 to replace it.

"I haven't had time to really think about it at all. But I guess we'll see what Santa brings us."

Meanwhile, the clean up continues, Many Christmas decorations will need some attention as well.

BELLEVUE, WI (WTAQ) - A truck driver explains what it's like hauling a big rig during strong winds. 

Deb Beldon of Illinois drove her truck to Bellevue in the midst of Tuesday's strong winds, which reached speeds north of 50 miles per hour.  

"If it catches you just right, you get a crosswind coming across and there's a gust, it feels like it's going to push you right off the road.  You're going to go flying.  The only way to solve that problem or compete against it in any way is just slow down and take your time."

Beldon notes it's the truck's height and long flat the top that make travel difficult. 

She says the key to staying safe is slowing down.  

 Green Bay Police Captain Kevin Warych said they approached the scene with carefully.

Green Bay Police worked with the Oneida Law Enforcement and the Brown County Sheriff's Department.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay police are searching for the suspect in the armed robbery of a west side sandwich shop.

The robbery happened just after 6 last night (TUESDAY) at Cousins Subs on W. Mason Street.

Police say the suspect entered the store and threatened the clerk with a knife.

No one was hurt and the suspect ran from the scene with an undisclosed amount of money.

If you have any information regarding this incident, please call the Green Bay Police Department at (920) 448-3208.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at (920) 432-STOP(7867) or provide your tip online at 432stop.com.

HOWARD, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) -The Brown County Sheriff's office continues to search for two skimmer suspects.

More than two weeks ago, the pair is believed to have placed a skimmer device at the Woodman's in Howard.

"Technology has changed, technology has become a lot easier for thieves to steal our information."

Lt. James Valley tells FOX 11 it's still unclear how many people's information may have been stolen.

"We don't know how many victims were victimized beforehand, we have the evidence, we're processing the evidence, that takes some time."

Valley says the skimmer was unlike the ones they've seen before.

"It doesn't look any different than your regular machine that you're swiping your card on; that information is then being transmitted to the thieves to steal your information."

Working to make sure your information is secure this holiday season, Susan Bach, with the Better Business Bureau, is offering some tips.

"Make sure everything looks okay, the payment slot or the keypad shouldn't look loose or shouldn't be a different color, the graphics should match up."

Bach also suggests using a credit card with a chip.

"With a chip card, those transaction numbers change with each transaction, so it's a one-time transaction, those are the most secure."

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Brown County District Attorney David Lasee says he wants a special prosecutor to look into two separate complaints involving Green Bay elected officials.

A group of five aldermen first filed a complaint against Mayor Jim Schmitt regarding his handling of money in the Hotel Northland project.

Alderperson Barbara Dorff then filed a complaint against those aldermen for violating state open meeting laws.

“I believe our office has a conflict of interest, which is the same reason we requested a special prosecutor for the mayor’s previous referral,” wrote Lasee in an email to FOX 11 about why he is referring the complaints to a special prosecutor.

Lasee also asked a special prosecutor to look into Schmitt’s campaign finances in 2015, which resulted in three misdemeanor convictions in December 2016.

Alderman Andy Nicholson, Chris Wery, and Guy Zima initially requested an investigation in that case.

Tom De Wane, Mark Steuer, Nicholson, Wery, and Zima are the council members who filed the latest complaint against Schmitt.

They asked Lasee to launch an investigation into Schmitt’s actions during a press conference at the Brown County Courthouse on October 30th.

The group of aldermen accused Schmitt of committing perjury, intent to deceive, fraud, and violation of public trust.

Talking to FOX 11, Schmitt has denied doing anything inappropriate and believes the aldermen’s actions are politically motivated.

“This is so made up, it's ridiculous,” said Schmitt. “This is an evil group of people that very much want to hurt me and city projects.”

“There is nothing personal here,” said Steuer. “Some people can paint it any way they want, but we've been all fully vested in this for a long, long period of time. I think it's important that the truth be known.”

Three days after the aldermen held their news conference, Dorff filed her complaint with Lasee.

Dorff’s complaint alleges the aldermen held a walking quorum in coming up with the decision to ask Lasee to launch an investigation into Schmitt’s actions.

“I hope that me just filing the complaint is a message that says hey it's not acceptable to act this way.”

The aldermen disagree with Dorff’s claims.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay Police say they may have solved a string of burglaries.  

Homes, businesses and churches have been burglarized in Green Bay the past couple of months, according to Green Bay Police Captain Kevin Warych.    

"Since mid-October, we have received multiple reports of burglaries."  

After more than a month of investigation, he says the Forensics unit helped answer some questions.

" They were able to collect a piece of evidence from one of the scenes, and with the help of the crime lab, they were able to identify a suspect."  

The evidence collected was a fingerprint of 45-year old Charles Moffett.  

He was taken into custody, but Warych said they learned more after they connected a suspect to the crime.  

"He was already on bond for burglary from May of 2017. He is currently in the Brown County jail on warrents, and new charges of burglary for all the cases we just solved.  

Moffett is awaiting new charges to be filed.

OUTAGAMIE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - With snow possible in the coming days, one local county spent Wednesday morning going over its winter preparedness.

Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson says their snow removal fleet is ready to go, urging drivers to be cautious when approaching them on the roads.

"We see too often people speeding.  They're coming up really close behind the snowplow.  They're passing in a very unsafe way."

Nelson suggests giving yourself an extra 5-10 minutes to get where you're going when there's snow on the ground.

He explains what goes into the decision of making an emergency declaration.

"Kind of look at weather patterns, look at what's happened in the past, and then also talk to some of my neighbors (in Brown and Winnebago counties).  It's better to air on the side of caution."

Nelson notes towing bans can go into effect when a tow truck needs to pull a vehicle out of a ditch on a busy highway.

"Try to limit or mitigate the kind of traffic congestion that would result by pulling someone out of a ditch."

While he says their snowplows are ready to go when needed, Nelson notes the WisDOT 24-hour service helps with some of the county's major highways.

"Highways 41 and 441, as well as part of Highway 15, we have a 24/7 contract with the state.  As soon as the first snowflake falls, until the last snowflake falls, we have trucks who are out there clearing and salting around the clock." 

Nelson notes residents can contact their municipal office to learn more about winter parking restrictions.  

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A New York man is facing charges for inappropriate sexual contact with a Shawano area teen.

According to the complaint, James Huskisson, also known as Jason Desantes, was in Shawano in October to meet a girl for sex.

The complaint also states that he would send sexualy explicit photos to the girl, and demanded explicit photos from her.

Police were contacted by Administration of Wolf River Lutheran High School in Shawano, after a suspicious vehicle with New York plates was located in the school parking lot. 

Days later, the victim told administration that she was involved in an inappropriate relationship wot a New York man, and he came to Wisconsin to give her gifts. 

After police inspected the girls phone, they found messages, and nude photos that the two exchanged.

According to the complaint, the two had sex while Huskisson was in Wisconsin.

He returned to his home where he was eventually taken into custody.

Court records show that Huskisson is a convicted rapist, spent time in prison in New York, and is a registered sex offender.

BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A local cheese-maker is bringing 50 new jobs to Brown County. 

BelGioioso Cheese says it's new 100,000 square foot manufacturing facility will produce mozzarella cheese. 

The company currently has nine plants, employing more than 700 people. 

BelGioioso started in 1979, with two cheese-makers producing mild provolone. 

FOND DU LAC COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A 28-year-old former teacher at Ripon High School has been charged with having a sexual relationship with one of her students. 

Samantha Fitzpatrick of Oshkosh reportedly exchanged explicit messages with a 16-year-old boy, who said he did not want the relationship.

Prosecutors say one of Fitzpatrick's friends told them that she admitted to the affair.

The school board accepted her resignation in May.

Fitzpatrick faces felony counts of Child Enticement-Sexual Contact, Sexual Assault of a Student by School Staff, and Exposing a Child to Harmful Material, as well as one misdemeanor count of Resisting/Obstructing an Officer.

Cash bond has been set at $1,000.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 5.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Green Bay Police Department is searching for a missing juvenile, who they have now upgraded from a runaway to Missing-Endangered.Police say the missing juvenile is Cynthia G Kordus.

She is approximately 5’04” and weighs approximately 150 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes. Cynthia was last seen wearing gray pants, tall black boots and a long black overcoat. 

She was reported missing on Tuesday.

Cynthia was last seen getting off a school bus at Minoka-Hill school on Green Bay’s east side at approximately 2:05pm.Cynthia may be with 36 year old Marcos Gonzalez-Alonzo.

Police say Marcos is approximately 5’05” and 180 pounds with black hair and black eyes.

Marcos is familiar with the far west side of Green Bay. Police feel Cynthia may not cognitively be able to understand the dangerous situation she is currently in, and has referred to Marcos as her boyfriend in the past. If anyone has information concerning this case, please call the Green Bay Police Department at (920) 448-3208 and reference report number 17-214274. You can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward by contacting Green Bay Area Crime Stoppers by phone at #920-432-7867, through their website at 432stop.com, or by downloading the P3 tip app through Google Play or the App Store.

COMBINED LOCKS, WI (WTAQ) - The Outagamie County executive's office says a local paper mill is restarting one of its machines.

Executive Tom Nelson says 50 Appleton Coated employees will be called back to work.

Many of the 600 workers were laid off in September, ahead of the mill being sold to a California-based company.

BRILLION, WI (WTAQ) - A group representing Somali-Muslim workers has filed a federal lawsuit against a Brillion company in regards to its break policy.

Last year, Ariens began permitting two scheduled 10-minute breaks, saying unscheduled breaks were impacting the company's work flow.

Prior to that policy change, the lawsuit says the Muslim employees were allowed to take short breaks to pray, while non-Muslim employees could do the same to smoke, make a phone call, or get food.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations says the new, short breaks did not allow the Muslim employees to pray the necessary amount of times each day.

CAIR claims the plaintiffs were either coerced to resign or terminated.

The workers are asking for their jobs back, with short prayer breaks and payments for lost wages and benefits.

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - A new video is pumping up fans of one local football team.

UW-Oshkosh invited community members to take part in a short production ahead of Saturday afternoon's contest against Mount Union.

Justin Dejager is the marketing manager for the Oshkosh Convention Bureau.

"The coach, the young players, they've done so great and to have four playoff games here in Oshkosh, you know that never happens. So we had to get out there and show our support for all the hard work our team has put in this year."

The video features the school's mascot parading through the city to collect people for a march, which ends at Titan Stadium.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - An Appleton bus line is taking steps to become more handicap accessible.

Valley Transit has purchased three new buses with wheelchair ramps.

Appleton Alderman Joe Martin uses an electric wheelchair.

"Having the accessibility, having the access to the community, is what we're all about."

Valley Transit serves communities throughout the Fox Cities.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - A program that educates low-income mothers and their pre-school age children has graduated seven of its first students.

The Women's Fund of the Fox Valley Region's 'Starting Point 2.0' teaches mothers life and family strengthening skills, also preparing them for college and career success.

Fox Valley Technical College Economic Advocate Kelly Kohl says this will benefit the kids.

"There are many studies that indicate that when children are watching their parents, they really mimic what they're doing. So by creating a success story with the women, we are planting that into the next generation."

The Women's Fund has awarded more than $1.2-million dollars in grants to programs like this one.

BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A local cheese-maker is bringing 50 new jobs to Brown County. 

BelGioioso Cheese says it's new 100,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Denmark will produce mozzarella cheese. 

Vice President of Sales Gaetano Auricchio says "we source milk from local Wisconsin farmers to ensure the freshest, highest quality possible. We work with local architects and construction companies to create these beautiful and efficient manufacturing facilities."

Their cheese can be found in stores across the country, with Auricchio saying they have become part of a major retailers initiative to buy an additional $250-million dollars in products supporting American jobs by 2023.

"We look forward to making a lot of fresh mozzarella for Walmart out of this new facility."

The company currently has nine plants, employing more than 700 people. 

BelGioioso started in 1979, with two cheese-makers producing mild provolone.

Founder Errico Auricchio says "we had the dream of creating a cheese company in the United States. It was a challenge. We had been in [the] cheese business in Italy for 100 years. My company was started in 1879 and I came in 1979.  I never thought it would become this big. In 1984, we introduced the fresh mozzarella and then it's been a big growth "

To apply for a job with BelGioioso, click here.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A Green Bay re-construction project completion has allowed for a much traveled road to open for the first time since May.

"We are happy to see the construction done and folks seem to be generally pleased with the outcome."

Green Bay Director of Public Works Steve Grenier says the project has a great outcome, but the process led to some headaches.  

"We had two major hospitals right in the middle of the construction zone."  

Grenier said keeping the project going while keeping the hospitals open was a challenge.   

Along with better pavement, as one of the improvements, Grenier said residents will notice a safer way to cross the street at locations they could not before.  

"We introduced the use of rectangular rapid flashing lights for pedestrian access across the corridor.   The lights will flash when somebody is in the crosswalk to warn drivers."

The project also included the storm sewer, replacing water main and sanitary sewer, upgrading traffic signals and improving pavement and crossings.   

The overall cost of the extreme makeover came in around $3 million.