KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Wisconsin Bald Eagle population is growing at a record pace, according to experts.

But that growth isn't necessarily happening in Northeast Wisconsin.

On the Fox River in Kaukauna Debbie Nowak, 1000 Islands Enviromental Center Naturalist, tells FOX 11 the 1000 Islands Conservancy Zone is a good place to eagle watch.

"Usually, on a given day, you can probably find a couple to three dozen eagles hanging out in the conservancy zone." Naturalist.

For the third straight year, eagle sightings set a record. The Deparment of Natural Resources reports 1590 occupied eagle nests in the state. That's a 5.7 percent increase from last year's 1504.

But even though official sightings were up around the state, there was a drop in Northeast Wisconsin.

There were 171 nests reported this year, compared to 176 a year ago.That's a drop of 2.8 percent.

"It's not necessarily we need to get concerned about, all of a sudden. Just one year's data isn't going to tell us a lot. If we see a continued downward trend, then we might need to look at what's going on in our area," said Nowak.

Outagamie County currently has 12 nests. That's an increase from 8 just two years ago.

The DNR conducts the aerial survey in the spring in 8 zones around the state.

"That's what our surveys consist of right now is just occupants. So, if we see a bird sitting on a nest, or a bird sitting near a nest, then we consider that occupied," said Joe Henry, DNR Upper Lake Michigan Ecologist.

Scientists say the 1972 ban of the chemical D.D.T. is a big factor in the birds' success. The pesticide made eggs thin, causing many nests to fail.

Back at 1000 Islands, Nowak says the big birds continue to soar.

"Just their comeback story. From the brink of extinction to now thriving in our state is really a fantastic thing to see."

There are events around the area celebrating the birds' success. That includes Eagle Days in Kaukauna on January 27, 2018.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - From a ceremonial groundbreaking more than a year ago, the Fox Cities Exhibition Center is nearly complete.

Pam Seidl, the executive director of the Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau, tells FOX 11 they're almost at the finish line.

"Very excited! Every time I come over something is finished or much further along than before."

Appleton Mayor Tim Hanna says construction is on time and meeting its $31 million budget. Final details and decorations should go in, starting next week.

"You can see a lot of activity going on, a lot of electricians, a lot of people doing a lot of finish work."

Wednesday, Fox Cities community and economic leaders checked out the progress.

"First of all, I think the community's gonna like it, but, I think, more importantly, the people that come to visit, I think they're gonna love it," said Hanna.

And, according to Seidl, visitors are already loving it.

"We had a nice tour with 50 meeting planners last week. They were very impressed with the facility, loved the setting."

Seidl said the highlights are all of the windows, the natural lighting and large patio over looking Jones Park.

The park itself is scheduled for renovations in the coming year.

"When we get Jones Park done it's just gonna provide a little different feel. I think it's gonna be, it's gonna feel very welcoming," said Hanna.

Seidl says there are several bookings for the exhibition center through January, February and March. The hard work of selling the venue to event planners ramps up now.

"It doesn't stop when it's open. A lot of these groups are booking 3, 4, 5 years out. Visitors to the area, good exposure and, also, a great economic impact of visitor spending throughout the community, will be well worth it.".

The grand opening is set for January 11th. There are more events booked through the rest of the month.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ)- On this 76th anniversary day, one local Pearl Harbor Survivor is sharing a less common perspective of what December 7th is about to him.

Green Bay resident Firman Balza is one of few survivors living in Wisconsin, and says to him, it's more about learning rather than reflecting. 

"To me it's just another day, but to a lot of other folks, they don't even know about it. I can't even begin to put enough emphasis on how horrendous it was for Firman."

"If civilization is to survive, we must cultivate the science of human relationships - the ability of all peoples, of all kinds, to live together, in the same world at peace."

Balza is one of few survivors that reside in Wisconsin.

TOWN OF PESHTIGO, WI (WTAQ) - This started as an incident involving a male at a motel in Marinette.  Officials aren't sure if it was a robbery or domestic incident.

The male ended up at a house in the Town of Peshtigo and then left in a vehicle.

Officers tried to stop the vehicle on Schacht Road. 

Deputies say the vehicle then ended up in a ditch and the male left the vehicle with a handgun.

The male was shot by officers and died at the scene.

No Marinette police officers or Marinette County deputies were injured.

State Highway 64 will stay closed for several hours.

State Hwy 64 is currently closed to through traffic from Cty T west to Cty RW.

Alternate Route:

Eastbound traffic will go south bound on CTH RW, east bound on Pine St towards Buisness 41, then get onto US 41 north bound until Roosevelt Rd, and back on to WIS 64.

West bound traffic will use the reverse route.

DE PERE, WI (WTAQ) - A local political science professor weighs in on the sexual assault allegations that have hit Capitol Hill. 

St. Norbert College Associate Professor of Political Science Charley Jacobs explains what prompted the recent revelations and condemnation.   

"We've seen a change in the culture nationwide, both inside and outside of government.  I think it's created more scrutiny on the behavior of individuals that the culture has been willing to exempt, or overlook, or at least make excuses for." 

Jacobs believes this condemnation of sexual assault/misconduct allegations isn't going anywhere.

"It's not something that they're going to be able to sweep under the rug.  Both parties are going to have to start to engage it.  They're both going to start using human resource techniques to make sure that staff and elected officials are all behaving properly."

Two Democratic lawmakers have announced their resignations this week amid allegations from multiple women: Michigan Representative John Conyers and Minnesota Senator Al Franken.

A number of Democratic Senators stated Wednesday that Franken should step down, ahead of his Thursday announcement. 

Jacobs feels that was more likely the result of concerns with the treatment in the workplace.

"Will (the Democrats) use it as leverage if (Republican) Roy Moore wins the Senate seat from Alabama?  They may, but I'm not sure that's what's driving this."

The professor shares what he thinks will happen if Moore, who has denied sexual misconduct claims from multiple women, is victorious in Tuesday's special election against Democrat Doug Jones. 

"I suspect he will get seated.  The common refrain I expect to hear will reflect their belief that the voters of the state of Alabama have spoken."

Both Conyers and Franken have denied the allegations against them, at least to some extent.  

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ)- A Green Bay teen, accused of shooting another teen was ordered to stand trial on Thursday.

17-year old Adolfo Gonzalez is accused of shooting at another Justin Hill, after seeing him with his ex-girlfriend in Allouez last month.

Gonzalez has been described as a jealous ex-boyfriend.

An officer testified about the shooting in court on Thursday.

According to the reports, Gonzalez allegedly shot HIll in the neck.

He has an arraignment scheduled for January 5th.

Gonzalez is charged with first-degree intentional homicide.

KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ) - A Kaukauna resident has been ordered to remove a tractor from his front lawn.

Joe Grundy was told he has until 3 pm Friday to do so.

The city's municipal court says Grundy was also fined $238.

Grundy has argued the tractor is a decoration, but the city says it's an ordinance violation.

Grundy is expected to appeal to the circuit court.  

BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - Local students helped decorate a county Christmas tree Thursday.

Syble Hopp School students brought handmade ornaments for Executive Troy Streckenbach's tree at the Brown County Northern Building.

Music Teacher Nicole DeRuyter says it's one of the students' favorite events each year.

"The kids get to show off the ornaments they made and share their cheer and goodwill with each other.  They love the opportunity to sing and just have a lot of fun."

Thursday's festivities were part of the school's annual holiday tree decorating and caroling celebration.

DE PERE, WI (WTAQ) - A local college's women's basketball team will not play any of the next ten games on its schedule. 

St. Norbert College says a number of players violated school policy in connection with an on-campus, alcohol-related incident.

The suspension starts immediately and runs through January 24.

Rev. Jay Fostner, O. Praem. is St. Norbert College's Vice President of Mission and Student Affairs.

"Our young students are still struggling to understand the extreme dangers that happen with underage drinking, with overconsumption.  We as a school feel that we have to use this as a learning opportunity for the players.  While basketball is hugely important and a huge part of their lives, it's more important that they understand what can happen with potential overconsumption."

The team will reportedly continue practicing, before resuming play on January 27 at Cornell College in Iowa.  

This move means they'll be ineligible for the Midwest Conference Women's Basketball Tournament.

NEENAH, WI (WTAQ) - An effort to rehabilitate Little Lake Butte des Morts' fish population takes another step.

Officials from Neenah's Arrowhead Park and the DNR have worked together the past couple years, installing fish cribs on Thursday.

The DNR's Adam Nickel says the cribs incorporate fresh trees anchored into the water and are meant to help wildlife grow.

"They come in, they spawn around the structure and then in June, they use that as refuge to hide from predators and grow to adult age where anglers can come around and hopefully fish for them down the road."

Officials plan to survey the number, species, and size of fish to measure the cribs' effectiveness.

ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ)- Old Glory Honor Flight, Brown County and the Green Bay Packers came together Thursday to give Veterans a new opportunity.

Old Glory Honor Flight revealed plans for a new flight that will depart from Austin Straubel International Airport to provide Veterans a chance to see their war memorial in Washington DC.

The flight, next November will make history, as it will be the first Honor Flight to depart from Green Bay.

Drew MacDonald, President of Old Glory Honor Flight says all other flights through the years have departed from either Appleton or Oshkosh.

Out of 43 flights, all but eight flights were flown out of Outagamie International Airport.

"The Flight of Champions is our version out of Brown County, in conjunction with the Packers."

MacDonald says being a first time event takes a lot of planning and partnership.

"It amplifies the complexity drastically" MacDonald said.

The plans for now is for The Flight of Champions to be a one time event, but the possibility of expanding to future flights, is not out of the cards yet.

World War II Veterans can sign up for the new flight, but MacDonald wans that they will be taking a majority of passengers who are currently on a waiting list.

The waiting list is more than 600 people long.

The date of the flight is November 1st. 

It will conclude Brown Counties 200th Anniversary celebration and the Packers 100th Anniversary.

In attendance at the event along with McDonald were Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach, World War II Veteran and Pearl Harbor Survivor Firman Balza and Packers CEO and President Mark Murphy.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A Foxconn representative was in Green Bay Thursday to discuss the electronics giant's Wisconsin strategy.

Director of U.S. Strategic Initiatives Alan Yeung says they chose the area for its talent, with the goal of creating partnerships with businesses throughout the Badger State.

"I think from global trade standpoint, the Fox River Valley and Green Bay has been synonymous with trade.  This region will play a very vital role for not only Wisconsin, but also upper Midwest." 

Roughly 700 people who hope to partner with Foxconn were at the KI Convention Center for the 'New North Summit.'

Foxconn, which plans to build a plant in Racine County, says it will return to the Green Bay area in early 2018 for a supplier-vendor workshop.

BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) -- UPDATE: Sheriff's officials say they are no longer looking for the men and that they are not suspects.  Authorities say the two were merely lost, knocking on the wrong door on the wrong street.  

***

The Brown County Sheriff's Office has released surveillance video of suspicious behavior captured the same day they held a press conference regarding a string of burglaries that they are invesigating.

The video shows that two men approached a residence within the Village of Suamico in the Hunter’s Run subdivision on November 30.

The men approached a residence in the 2500 block of Huntington Way South, rang the door bell and knocked.

The home owner reported that they asked for someone who was not associated to the residence. 

The suspicious incident and video was shared with te Brown County Sheriff's Office.

Officials are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying either of these men in the video clip. 

 If you know either of the men in the video please contact Detective Sergeant Zak Holschbach immediately via email or by phone.

  Callers can choose to remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward by calling Crime Stoppers at 920-432-7867 or text GBTIP and your tip to 274637 (crimes).  

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - City officials confirm to FOX 11 that agreements are in place for the Shipyard project in downtown Green Bay.

The project includes an outdoor events center, which would host Bullfrogs baseball, development league soccer, high school athletics, and other community events.

An Anduzzi’s restaurant and a 2,000-person capacity concert venue would be attached to the stadium as well.

Festival Foods President and CEO Mark Skogen is behind the concert hall plan.

Last month, Skogen told FOX 11 that he was considering sites in Ashwaubenon for the concert hall, because he was frustrated with the lack of progress of the Shipyard proposal.

“Green Bay has worked hard to get things back on track. Not closing any doors at this time. Ashwaubenon is still possible.”

Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt has said that Skogen's involvement would make or break the Shipyard project.

Kevin Vonck, Green Bay’s Economic Development Director, says all three pieces of the project will be on the Redevelopment Authority’s agenda next week.

The full city council would take up the agreements on December 19th.

The city council passed a development agreement in October for the stadium part of the Shipyard proposal.

However, that agreement is meaningless if deals aren't finalized before the end of the year with Anduzzi’s and Skogen.

The project would be part of a larger entertainment district next to the Mason Street Bridge, on Broadway.

The city's goal is for the stadium to be open for the Bullfrogs' 2019 season.

NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - To honor the memory of a life taken too soon people across the Fox Valley committed random acts of kindness Thursday.

December 7th is a special day of remembrance in the Fox Cities...

"It's Olivia's birthday. It would've been her 14th birthday," said Becky Kopitzke of Neenah.

Olivia Stoffel was killed during the Trestle Trail shooting on May 3rd, 2015. So were her father Jon and an unrelated man, Adam Bentdahl.

On Olivia's birthday, Kopitzke tells Fox 11 people across the area honored her by performing random acts of kindness.

"She'd give gifts to the family and to her friends and giving was just part of who she was and it was part of the way she shared her faith."

On the Facebook page 'Olivia's Heart,' people posted their good deeds and the kindness they received.

As a Stoffel family friend Kopitzke and her children gave out treat bags at the Neenah Library.

"Their faces light up and suddenly, 'well God bless you! Thank you! That was very kind,' and that's what it's all about, just showing kindness to another human being."

Area police departments joined in. The Trestle shooting weighs heavily on their memories too.

"It was very impactful on our community. It affected a lot of our officers," said Fox Crossing Police Officer Jason Weber.

For the Fox Crossing Police Department's random act of kindness Weber says officers are giving out mugs as well as coupons for free coffee.

"It's nice for the giver too! You know, our officers are getting hugs!"

"Let's make every day a day that you do a random act of kindness," added Officer Stuart Zuehls of the Neenah Police Department.

Officer Stuart Zuehls of the Neenah Police Department says this is just one way to keep the victims' memories alive.

"Letting us not forget the tragedy and taking something out of that and saying, 'you know what? Let's do something good here."

And those who knew her say Olivia would be excited about it too. The Facebook page for 'Olivia's Heart' has more than 1,3000 members.

Participants say they plan to keep up the randoms acts of kindness every year.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ)- A man accused of a Brown County murder will get the chance to argue his innocence next month.

George Burch claims he was beaten and threatened by Douglass Detrie, who he says is the one responsible for the murder of Nicole VanderHeyden in May of last year.

The defense plans to argue that while he was inside his vehicle with VanderHeyden, Burch was struck in the back of head by Detrie.

The defense's claim is that Burch noticed VanderHeyden was unconscious. He also claims that Detrie held him at gunpoint, and forced him to drive the body to the Bellevue field where it was later found.

Burch was granted the chance to argue this case to a jury, but his claim goes against evidence that shows Detrie was not at the scene of murder.

Court records shoe that Detrie was arrested, but never charged for the murder after a Fitbit device that he was wearing, showed he was sleeping at the time of the murder.

The criminal complaint shows that Burch's DNA was found on VanderHeyden's body, clothes and other evidence and that cell phone records put him at the murder scene and the scene where the body was found.

Arugments in court on Friday were on the accuracy of data from a Fitbit as a key piece of evidence.

 Burch is scheduled for trial on February 16.

MARINETTE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - Investigators have released the name of the man killed in Thursday's officer-involved shooting in Marinette County.

Sheriff Jerry Sauve says the deceased is Jesse Cole Shuping of Portsmouth, Virginia.

"For the last month to six weeks or so, he's been in our county.  He spent some time down in Green Bay doing some work.  He spent some time at a homeless shelter, befriended somebody there that very recently allowed him to stay at her residence."

Sauve claims the incident at Marinette's Budget Inn Motel that started things was likely the 35-year-old trying to collect a debt he believed one of the motel's guests owed him.

"The person that he confronted was not this person, actually an employee there, who also rents there."

The sheriff speculates why Shuping initiated a vehicle pursuit when officers tracked him to a Peshtigo home.

"Number one: he was wanted, number two: he was a convicted felon, number three: he was armed, which is a big violation, and number four: we believe he just committed a criminal act." 

Sauve notes Shuping has "an extensive criminal history, felony convictions from North Carolina and Virginia, wanted also from Virginia (on a grand larceny charge)."

The name of the officers involved are expected next week.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) -- Packer Tight End Lance Kendricks was cited for marijuana possession.

The incident occurred in September.

Police records show Kendricks was pulled over for speeding when an officer reported smelling marijuana.

According to police, marijuana was located in Kendricks glove box, and he was given a warning for speeding.

Kendricks will be in court in February.

If convicted, Kendricks would have to pay a $326.50 fine.

STEPHENSON, MI (WTAQ) -- A public hearing to determine if Aquila Resources should receive the final permit they need to operate the Back Forty Mine, is scheduled for next month.

The hearing will be held on January 23 at 6:00pm. The meeting will be at Stephenson High School.

A decison on issuing the wetland permit will need to be made by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and would have to be made by April 7th.

Aquila Resources already has several of the necessary permits. 

Prior to the public hearing, a project design description was given.

“The applicant proposes to impact 28.4 acres of wetland and 550 linear feet of stream by constructing a polymetallic open-pit mine with above-ground tailings disposal and rock management facilities, onsite wastewater management facilities, and operations and storm-water management facilities. The project proposes to excavate approximately 980,820 cubic yards of material from 5.3 acres of wetland and place approximately 803,453 cubic yards of fill in 5.9 acres of wetland and 253 linear feet of stream channel. The project also proposes reductions in surface water inputs that would impact 17.2 acres of wetland and 297 linear feet of stream channel. The project also proposes the instillation of a 15-inch diameter outfall pipe within the 100-year floodplain of the Menominee River and an associated 11 cubic yards of riprap water ward of the ordinary high watermark of the Menominee River for the purpose of erosion control. As compensatory mitigation for the impacts to aquatic resources, the applicant is proposing the preservation of existing aquatic resources through placement of a conservation easement and perpetual long-term management of a 507.74 acre parcel of property in Lake Township. The parcel contains 294.24 acres of existing wetland, 7,864 linear feet of perennial stream, and 4,794 feet of Menominee River frontage. The project is located in T35N, R28W, Section 04, Lake Township, Menominee County, Michigan.”

Concerns of damage to nearby waterways have been raised by environmentalists.

CHICAGO (WTAQ) – A decision by a federal appeals court will keep Brendan Dassey in prison by reinstating his conviction in the murder of Teresa Halbach. 

The ruling was given in a 70-page document.

In the ruling, the panel stated "The state courts’ finding that Dassey’s confession was voluntary was not beyond fair debate, but we conclude it was reasonable. We reverse the grant of Dassey’s petition for a writ of habeas corpus.”