The idea of teachers with guns is not getting much support in Green Bay.

Green Bay Police Chief Andrew Smith says he has had discussions about it.

"The ones that I have spoken to do not feel comfortable. One retired teacher told me no matter what someone was doing, I could not point a gun and shoot somebody."

Superintendent Michelle Langenfeld says she has not had a teacher ask her to be allowed to carry a gun, and said the thought brings up concerns, including a lack of training.

"I would offer that they did not sign up to be law enforcement, or they would have gone into law enforcement" Langenfeld says.

Langenfeld says one other big concern weighs on her mind.

"If a weapon would get into the wrong hands, perhaps a child could access it."

Chief Smith and school safety expert Ed Dorff says to them, the big concern has to do with the uncertainity of proper training.

"A trained officer who has demonstrated the ability to handle a firearm for a couple of decades, would get my vote over just about anybody" Smith says. 

"Before we talk about arming teachers and school staff, we really wonder what kind of training and background they have and would need to know that their training or background at least matches, if not exceeds what SWAT has" said Dorff.

For the time being, Green Bay Police have increased their presence at Green Bay District Schools ever since the shooting in Florida.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - Two people have been injured in a Sunday morning fire.

It happened around 2 am in the 1100 block of Appleton's East Roeland Avenue.

Half of the duplex's first and second floors were covered in flames when crews arrived.

Everyone made it out safely, but the two people did suffer burns.

The cause is still under investigation.

FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ) - Investigators are looking into what caused a Saturday night fire at a Fond du Lac residence.

Crews responded to a home in the 100 block of South Brooke Street around 8:30 pm.

A car caught fire and spread to the garage.

No injuries have been reported.

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - A busy Saturday for the Oshkosh Fire Department.

The agency says it responded to four ice rescues.

People are urged to be careful on frozen waters, with the department noting no ice is ever 100% safe.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders visited UW-Green Bay Saturday evening.

Sanders is part of what's called the "Repeal the Trump Tax Tour" which criticizes the Trump tax plan.

It's part of a 100-day, nationwide tour that began last month.

But since Trump signed the tax plan in December more Americans are warming to the idea.

Sanders, the independent Senator from Vermont, joined other activists in criticizing the plan for overwhelmingly benefiting businesses and those in the highest tax bracket.

"How does it happen that so many millions of families are struggling today to keep their heads above water while at the same time the people on top are never ever had it so good," questioned Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont.

Sanders called on supporters at the Weidner Center in Green Bay, to put pressure on the Republicans to repeal the Trump Tax law.

"Get invovled, stand up, fight back," Sanders said.

Trump signed the tax bill back in December indicating it will benefit all Americans.

"Your paychecks are going way up. Your taxes are going way down," said President Trump.

Fellow Republicans have spoken out in favor of the Tax overhaul.

"So, I think the public will like keeping more of their hard earned money and I think they'll like the fact that compared to where this process starts, it's much more aimed at the average guy," said Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-6th Congressional District.

But the Tax Policy Center reports while the top 20 percent of earners will see their income increase by 2.9 percent, the lowest 20 percent of earners see only a 1.2 percent increase.

The tax cuts benefit companies the most by cutting the corporate tax rate from 35 to 21 percent. Some companies have passed along bonuses to workers. And as some start to see a few more dollars in the paychecks, Americans have warmed to Trump's plan.

Back in December the the Trump Tax law received only a 37 percent approval rating. This week the New York Times poll shows the approval rating now at 51 percent.

"Repeal the Trump Tax Tour" moves on to Lansing Michigan Sunday night. The 100-day tour wraps up on April 15, tax day, with rallies planned across the country.

SUAMICO WI (WTAQ)- Two School in the Howard-Suamico School District Are Best In State

 Bay Port High School and Bay View Middle School are winners of the Spirit of Excellence Award.

Bay View Middle School Principal Steven Meyers says the award goes beyond the book learning, and is a big focus of their education picture.   

"We teach our students that excellence is not just a skill, but it is more of an attitude or mindset, and it gets noticed."  

The award is given to schools that demonstrate excellence in leadership development, school spirit, sportsmanship and service to the community.  

Bay Port Principal Mike Frieder says this award includes everyone.  

"Almost everyone of them could relate to this award in someway, and that is really what learning is all about."  

Meyers said everyone wins with an award like this.  

"Helping students to become good people and to become leaders is what I believe education is also about" Meyers says. "An education is not just about one's self, but to give back to the community and to the country."  

Bay View Middle School and Bay Port High School became the first Wisconsin district to have two school receive the award in the same year.  

Bay Port Principal Mike Frieder said the award goes beyond success in the classroom.  

"It happens on a stage or a field or when you are outside of school giving back to the community. Learning is not just something that just happens at school, it happens all over the place."  

This is the first time Bay Port High School has won the award. Bay View Middle School also won in 2013 and 2015.

WAUPACA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - A Waupaca elementary school is in the running for a $100,000 grant for a new playground that will be fully accessible for special needs students.

Waupaca Learning Center Elementary School is one of five schools in the country and the only one in the state up for the grant.

Liz Kneer, parent-teacher group president, tells FOX 11 staff is determined to win the grant because the school with the most votes, gets to take home the money.

"This would be such an important thing for us to have to have those kids feel included. There's one little guy in the picture for our playground grant and the look on his face when we talked to him about it is priceless."

Click here to vote for the school

Online voting for the grant is available until March 15th.

DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Police and fire departments work side-by-side responding to 911 calls.

But De Pere Fire Chief Alan Matzke tells FOX 11 that also involves the same risks.

"We don't know if they have weapons in that home, we don't know as to their mental health, so we find ourselves in a vulnerable position."

That's why he says they're taking their partnership into the classroom.

And, Jake Nowak, officer and defense instructor at the De Pere Police Department, says it's all to better prepare firefighters for situations where they need to defend themselves.

"What we're trying to do is at least provide them with a little bit of something. So, in the event, that they are faced with sudden assault or get in a bad situation, they have something to fall back on."

Throughout the course, he says firefighters are taught basic defense skills.

"Police, we get many hours of this training, in the academy, we do annual in services, where they have nothing. This is the first time they're going to be exposed to that training."

The training is one Nowak says will keep first responders safe, "You never know when that sudden assault is going to happen."

Matzke says this collaboration strengthens their partnership, when responding to emergencies.

"In fact, we start to look at each response more integrated. What piece can police do better, and what piece can fire do better."

The agencies say police officers are also involved in fire safety training.

NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Neenah police are looking for the vandal who defaced the Kimberly Point Lighthouse in Neenah with spray paint Friday night.

The vandalism of what some consider a prize possession in the city of Neenah upset many people.

Nikki Dessart of Menasha tells FOX 11....

"It's just really disrespectful, I mean that's a beautiful piece of architecture and it's a really nice spot."

"I was really disappointed and was hoping it's not someone from our community," Donna Vanrroy of Neenah said.

The Kimberly Point Lighthouse was tagged with spray painted drawings and the letters 'SC'.

Mayor Dean Kaufert hopes to find out what that message means.

"Now I'm going to ask the police department to do what they can, see what they can find out, with the message that was there, the initial or whatever it is, find out who did this. "They need to know that this will not be tolerated in the community."

Kaufert said the paint had only been on for about a day, before the parks department took action Sunday morning.

"We have some graffiti solution we put on it; we were able to get to it early, we were able to take it off, it wasn't on there very long."

Although the graffiti is no longer there, if you look closely you can still see blue paint all over the side of the building.

Kaufert told FOX 11, the Neenah Parks and Recreational Department plans to painting over the faded blue paint when the weather turns over.

"I don't have the exact cost but its time and employees cost money and you know you bring them on a Sunday so it's probably a little more."

Kaufert and community members agree it's not a typical crime that happens in the city.

"We really don’t have this type of thing too often; it’s really kind of sad that there are people out there," Cindy Repenn of Neenah said.

Kaufert says the city refuses to be accustomed to that kind of vandal and damage.

"You better be careful because we're going to try everything we can to find out who you are and there's going to be some form of punishment."

If you have any information about the vandalism, you're asked to contact the Neenah Police Department's non-emergency line at 920-886-6000.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A Brown County Murder Trial heads into its 2nd week today.

On Friday, the jury learned of the evidence that led to the arrest of Doug Detrie for the murder of his girlfriend Nicole VanderHeyden in 2016, and also learned why Detrie was released from jail 18 days later.

"all these pieces of evidence we thought we had turned out to have answers for them."

Detective Brian Slinger said that included DNA test results and results from samples of blood that were found that may have linked Detrie.

"the one swath from the car, that wasdeemed to be blood, was not Nicole's blood."

Despite being the defendant in the case, George Burch's name was barely brought up in court the first week.

That is expected to change this week.

Burch himself could take the witness stand himself to tell his side of the story.

DE PERE, WI (WTAQ) - A group of five churches and a Christian radio station have filed suit against the City of De Pere regarding the anti-discrimination ordinance which goes into effect Thursday.

De Pere passed the ordinance November 21st.

It prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

The ordinance says its intent is to promote equal rights:

“To protect the health, safety and general welfare of all inhabitants of the city, and all persons employed and living within the city, it is declared to be the public policy of this city to foster and enforce to the fullest extent of the law equal opportunity employment, housing and public accommodations without regard to actual or perceived age, color, family status, gender identity and/or gender expression, marital status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, military service or veteran status, person with disability, sex, sexual orientation, source of lawful income or victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.”

The five churches -- Hope Lutheran, Crosspoint, Destiny, St. Mark Lutheran, and Christ the Rock, along with Lakeshore Communications (operators of Q90FM), filed suit last week, challenging the ordinance.

“Unlike many of its counterparts in other state, local and federal law, the De Pere ordinance does not clearly exempt religious organizations. Nor has the City been willing to assure religious institutions that they will not be subjected to the ordinance when it takes effect March 1, 2018. As a result, the ordinance is likely to be imposed on churches and other religious organizations in a manner that would mandate government orthodoxy in core religious functions, communication, and conduct. Five churches and a religious broadcaster located in De Pere therefore bring this challenge seeking a construction of the ordinance that will protect their state and federal constitutional freedoms.”

The plantiffs ask for a declaration the ordinance does not apply to them, or that it be ruled unconstitutional.

The suit also details the religious beliefs of the various churches, and what they find problematic with the ordinance.

According to court records, the city has not been formally served with the lawsuit. Once that happens, it has 20 days to respond. No hearings have been scheduled.

The city has a forum planned for Tuesday about the ordinance.

According to a news release..."The City wants to reach out to those in the community who may have questions on the City’s new anti-discrimination ordinance.”

The session will be held at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the City Hall Council Chambers, 335 S. Broadway St.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A Brown County Murder Trial heads into its 2nd week today.

On Friday, the jury learned of the evidence that led to the arrest of Doug Detrie for the murder of his girlfriend Nicole VanderHeyden in 2016, and also learned why Detrie was released from jail 18 days later.

"all these pieces of evidence we thought we had turned out to have answers for them."

Detective Brian Slinger said that included DNA test results and results from samples of blood that were found that may have linked Detrie.

"the one swath from the car, that wasdeemed to be blood, was not Nicole's blood."

Despite being the defendant in the case, George Burch's name was barely brought up in court the first week.

That is expected to change this week.

Burch himself could take the witness stand himself to tell his side of the story.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - More than 7,600 teddy bears being passed out to children at Aurora BayCare in Green Bay on Monday.

A handful of Green Bay Gamblers hockey players are handing out stuffed animals that were thrown on the ice during Saturday's 'Teddy Bear Toss.'

Following the team's first goal in the annual contest, fans throw the bears onto the ice.

Media Relations Coordinator Jason Habeck says "our guys just stop play.  They come out and clean up bears too.  Right in the middle of the first period, you've got all these (FFA) kids out on the ice, you've got our players, and they're bagging up bears.  We've probably got it down to about 15 minutes (before play resumes)."

Some of the players who were at Aurora BayCare weighed in on their Saturday experience.

Nolan Moyle says "the atmosphere from the fans was unbelievable.  Getting that first (goal) and seeing all the teddy bears come down was unbelievable."

It was McKade Webster who netted that opening goal about five minutes into the contest.

Josh Dunne notes the entire locker room was buzzing before the game.

"We all wanted it, but it's a team game so we were going to be happy for each other.  It was definitely a little competition to see who could get that goal."

In its 19 years, the Teddy Bear Toss has collected more than 107,000 stuffed animals.

LAKE WINNEBAGO, WI (WTAQ) - A total of 951 sturgeon were speared during this year's 16-day season, which ended on Sunday.

DNR Fisheries Biologist Ryan Koenigs says the 654 fish speared on Lake Winnebago is roughly 100 more than last year, with the upriver lakes' total holding relatively steady at 297.

"Last season, I think we actually would've exceeded this year's harvest.  It was a full 16-day season, but we had some safety issues and effort was significantly reduced during probably the last half of the season, or longer because of the warm weather and the deteriorating ice conditions."  

Koenigs says some spots were definitely more favorable for spearers than others.

"The busiest registration stations that we had on Lake Winnebago were Calumet Harbor and Wendt's On the Lake in the Van Dyne area. Combined, they registered about 340 fish."

Although the official numbers have not been calculated, Koenigs says "visually, it seemed that the fish this year were a little bit leaner than what we've probably been accustomed to in the last 5-10 years.  That makes sense given the overall lack of forage." 

Koenigs says this year was better than other dirty-water years but significantly worse than ones with favorable conditions. 

OUTAGAMIE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A 19-year-old Seymour man will spend two years in prison for causing a fatal Oneida crash.

Prosecutors say Blake Doxtator was driving at speeds nearing 100 miles per hour when he caused the Halloween night 2016 accident.

Doxtator will also spend five years under extended supervision, do 25 hours of community service (including eight the day before Halloween at the cemetery where the 13-year-old who died in the crash is buried), and provide a $300 scholarship to Seymour High School regarding arts or animal-related issues.

His driver's license has also been revoked for one year.

KIMBERLY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - A Kimberly company is using a $4.2-million dollar grant to continue developing a program to aid folks in Africa, India, and China.

Crane Engineering's Mobile Septage Treatment System would turn human waste into non-potable water for agricultural and industrial use. 

CEO Lance Crane says "the goal is to save lives and with this mobile system; it's treating waste in these developing countries; we can save thousands of lives."

Waste from outhouses is often left in water streams, leaving potentially-fatal pathogens. 

Program Director Mark Hassman says the new technology would change things.  

"Once they get it out of the pit, it'll come to our process, we'll treat it and then after the water's left, we'll leave it in the ditch, but it won't have the bacteria that gets kids sick."

Crane says the units will be sold to governments and businessmen, with prototypes expected to be developed and tested this summer.

"It's going to be affordable to the market.  We don’t want to just give these away, we want the market place and the entrepreneurs to be able to afford these units and use them."

The World Health Organization estimates 361,000 children under five years of age die each year due to diarrhea caused by poor sanitation and contaminated water.

Crane Engineering is a leading distributor of fluid processing technology in Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.

It could make tens of thousands of units, potentially adding new workers to build, manufacture, and test the products. 

WAUPACA, WI (WTAQ) - A Waupaca elementary school is asking for votes to help improve the lives of their special needs students.

New playground equipment for Waupaca Learning Center is a dream, that could soon come true.  

Liz Kneer, President of the Waupaca Learning Center Parent Teacher Group, says equipment that is accessible to all special needs students is hard to come by.   

"The closest playground like that is about 30 miles away from Waupaca."   The school would use the money for new equipment for everyone.  

"A lot of it is very old and was installed when the school was built" Kneer said. "The school district would remove that play structure, and then with the grant, we would install an ADA accessible playgound with ramps."  

Kneer says the lack of ADA accessible playground equipment, is leaving some kids left out.  

"I think we all know what it is like to be a kid on the playground, and it would be tough to be out there and not be able to play with your friends, like everyone else. There are nearly 700 students, and of those students, ten percent are special needs."  

Kneer says all students would benefit with new equipment, but it would open up more oppertunities for those students with special needs.  

The top vote getter will win the $100,000 grant.   Online voting for the grant is available until March 15th. 

Click here to vote for the school

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ)- Week two of the George Burch murder trial started with testimony from those who knew him well.

Those who lived with Burch were among the eleven witnesses that the state called to the stand on Monday.  

The jury learned a little more about why George Burch was in Green Bay in 2016.  

According to testimony, Burch moved to Green Bay from Virginia and lived with a longtime friend Edward Jackson and his wife Lynda Jackson.  

Jackson testified that he knew Burch for over 20 years and made arrangements for him to come to Wisconsin and pay $100 dollars a week to live with them.  

"He said that him and his wife were on the outs, and he had no place to go. I offered him to come out here and get a fresh start" Jackson said. "He was going to stay in upstairs bedroom."  

Jackson testified that Burch did find employement, but got behind on his rent payments.  

He also testified that he gave Burch a vehicle to use so he could get to and from work.    

Edward Jackson was asked about a trip that he took with Burch right after the night that Nicole VanderHeyden was murdered.  

Jackson testified that he went on a fishing trip to Racine with Burch, and that Burch slept most of the way there. The state asked Jackson if Burch had any signs of injury on his head, which Jackson testified that he did not.    That is significant becuase Burch's defense team is contending that he was knocked out by Doug Detrie when he found Burch and VanderHeyden getting intimate together.  

Jackson also testified that he watched a news story on Nicole VanderHeyden's murder with Burch after they got home, and recalled what he said to Burch when he first saw it.  

"I said the scumbag that did this needs to be taken down."  

He was also asked if he remembered how Burch responded to the news story.  

"He was intensly looking at the TV" Jackson said.  

He told the jury that the 1999 Blazer that he let Burch use was in a hit and run accident and ended up being junk.    Testimony last week revealed that the vehicle could not be searched for evidence, but the state is infering that it was the vehicle that Burch used to transport VanderHeyden's body after the murder.  

Green Bay police officer Robert Bourdelais testified on his interaction with Burch was the vehicle was reported missing by the Jacksons.  

Bourdelais testified, that the vehicle ended up being evidence in a police investigation.   

"I look up calls from the area from the night before, and noticed that the vehcile was involved in vehicle fire and the vehicle was involved in a hit and run accident prior the vehcile fire the night before."  

Bourdelais was questioned about Burch's willingness to corporate with the hit and run investigation by surrendering his cell phone for a data download.  

The officer testified that Burch willingly surrendered his cellphone so that text message data could be downloaded for the investigation.  

"We asked him if he was willing to show us that information, and he did."  

That data ended up holding a stronger significance because the data placed Burch at four key places having to do with VanderHeyden's murder.   Green Bay Forensics Computer Examiner Kendayl Danelski testified that she was the one who downloaded data from Burch's phone, but had to download the all of the data because she was unable to only download certain files.  

Raymond Lenz from the State Crime Lab testified for a short period of time about evidence that was found on VanderHeyden. Lenz confirmed that small pieces of wire were found on VanderHeyden's clothes, and they came up as a match of the wires that were found in the yard across the street from the Detrie home.   The state contends that the cord was used in the murder.  

In the afternoon, the jury heard testimony from two other friends and roomates of Burch. They both testified that Burch liked to hang out the bar and try to pick up girls.   

The state also called Burch's girlfriend at the time, Jordan Schuyler, to the stand. Schuyler testified that she met Burch in 2016 at Blackstone Family Resturaunt in Green Bay, and dated him through the summer of 2016.    Schuyler was asked if she noticed any bruises or injuries on Burch, or if he mentioned anything about the crime, which she said he did not metion anything and he did not have any injuries.   

The State will have two more witnesses to call on Tuesday morning. At that point, it is expected that the state will rest its case, and the defense will start calling witnesses as early as Tuesday. The trial is still expected to be done by the end of the week.   

Day 1: Opening Statements and Body Discovery 

Day 2: Emotions get High 

Day 3: Detrie Takes The Stand 

Day 4: Focus Turns To Evidence 

Day 5: Burch Is Brought Up In Testimony    

George Burch, is accused of killing Nicole VanderHeyden and leaving her body in a Bellevue field in May 2016. 

Prosecutors say Burch's cell phone activity ties him to multiple key sites from the night of VanderHeyden's death.

Burch's attorneys, after their client testifies, plan to introduce evidence that points the finger at VanderHeyden's boyfriend Douglass Detrie.

Prosecutors say Fitbit evidence clears Detrie.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - The public hears from the developer who created the latest Appleton public library plan.

Appleton city leaders also got the chance to ask questions about it during a joint meeting last night of the library board and finance committee.

Developer Paul Klister, with Commercial Horizons, explained his plan for a new development in downtown Appleton.

He tells Fox 11 the main feature would be a new, 120,000 square foot public library.

"On top of that there would be multi-use. So there would be 40,000 square feet of flex space. There would be three to four stories of multi-family, potentially some underground parking and some retail on the first floor."

That would all be part of the first phase of development, which would go on the site of the current YMCA-owned parking ramp by Solider's Square.

Out of eight proposals the city received for its new library, library director Colleen Rortvedt says this is the best.

"From the library's needs, from the city's needs in meeting the comprehensive plan, adding housing, parking solutions, adding tax value to the city. It just knocled it all out of the park. It was also the most affordable option."

A parking lot would be built south of the YMCA to replace the ramp. However, the developer could later turn that lot into a new ramp and more apartment housing in future development phases.

It's estimated the first phase will create $22 million in new tax base and cost the city about $30 million.

Mayor Tim Hanna told FOX 11 its too early to tell if this would raise taxes.

"Yes, it has that potential, but we're gonna work really hard to minimize the impact," he explained, saying it would all depend on the final plans, financing and possible grants.

Hanna said he understands that no single plan can please everyone, but he says hopes this plan will please most.

He says is still very early in the process, but that the city and developer will try to be as transparent as possible.

"Say, 'hey, I got this question,' or another staff member says, 'hey, somebody asked about this,' and we share that so that we're giving consistent answers...We'll answer the questions we can, but a lot of times the answer's gonna be, 'we don't know right now."

The plan will need to be approved in committees and by the full city council. The city will then need to draw up a development agreement with the developer, which will also need the same approval.

No vote on the plan has been scheduled at this point, but there will be opportunities for public input.

If all goes well, the developer estimates construction could begin this fall, with phase one complete by May, 2020.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay Police are investigating an overnight armed robbery.

It happened around 10:15 last night (Monday) at the Speedway gas station on East Mason Street.

Police say a man with a knife did get away with some money.

No injuries reported and no one is in custody.