ALLOUEZ, WI (WTAQ) - Former residents of the 74-unit Hilltop Place Apartments in Allouez who lost their home to fire seven weeks ago are thanking the community for their support.   

On Thursday, fire victims received a check for over $400. 

The money came from donations from the community through a relief fund set-up at North Shore Bank.

Amy Gerarden and her family is one of only a few who have not found new housing since the fire. 

“It’s been horrible, I’m still homeless”  Gerarden said, “me, my children and our pets are all split up, it’s been very difficult to find housing all over again” 

Gerarden along with those who occupied 67 of the units each received a check. 

Fire victims also received other donated household items, clothes and toys from St. Mathews Parish. 

Victim Amy Rouse says it’s definitely been a challenge getting back up. 

“You get over the shock initially”  Rouse said, “but the pain is still there, it’s been especially hard on my children to recover from but you just have to remain strong and think of the positive things."

Green Bay Metro Fire is still investigating the cause of the fire.

NEENAH, WI (WTAQ) - A neonatal doctor working at UW Hospital has died from injuries suffered in an ambulance crash.

The crash took place Wednesday afternoon on Highway 26 near Rosendale in Fond du Lac County.

According to UW Health, Dr. Stanley Phillips died from his injuries Thursday night.

Phillips had just started a pediatric fellowship at UW Hospital last week.

Two other ambulance crew members suffered minor injuries.

There were no patients on board.

BELLEVUE, WI (WTAQ) - Authorities in Brown County are investigating an armed robbery late Thursday.

Sheriff's say there were called to 2445 Van Lake Court in Bellevue around 11:20 p.m.

A retired Asian couple were tied up by three suspects, while they went through the home. One vehicle was stolen by the suspects and later left in Allouez. It's unclear what else was taken.

The couple suffered minor injuries.

Brown County Sheriff's describe the suspects as a Hispanic male, 35 to 40-years-old. He was wearing a tan jacket, blue jeans and black shoes.

Two others are a possible Asian male wearing a long-sleeved blue shirt and a possible white or Hispanic male wearig a long-sleeved shirt. Those suspects had their faces covered.

Sheriff's say they don't believe the public is in any danger.

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

IOLA, WI (WTAQ) - Thousands of classic car lovers are making a trek to central Wisconsin for the Iola Old Car Show.

The 41st annual event began Thursday, and runs through Sunday in the small Waupaca County community of Iola.

Hundreds of classic vehicles are on display. The event also has the Midwest’s largest swap meet, with over 4,000 enthusiasts willing to trade all kinds of automotive-related items.

One thing that’s new is a motorcycle safety exhibit.

The state DOT and the Wisconsin Motorcycle Safety Program have brought what they call “The Ref,” a specialized facility designed to teach both bikers and car drivers how to be safer.

It also gives those who’ve never ridden a motorcycle a chance to find out what it’s like. 

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - An ethanol plant in Oshkosh expects to re-open this fall, after a new owner has been approved for it.

Ace Ethanol of Stanley was one of five bidders for the old Utica Energy plant, which closed last fall after drowning in $30 million of debt.

A Winnebago County judge Thursday approved Ace Ethanol’s bid of $16.5 million to buy the shuttered plant. Ace says its shareholders must approve the purchase before it can be finalized.

Company co-founder Robert Sather said Ace has 40 to 45 employees at Stanley, and a similar number will be needed at Oshkosh. Former Utica workers are expected to apply.

Ace Ethanol opened its Stanley plant in 2002, and it expects the Oshkosh plant to be profitable in short order.

Wisconsin now has 9 ethanol production facilities. 

FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ) - Mercury Marine expects to complete a $20-million expansion by December at two outboard motor plants in Fond du Lac.

They’ll add 38-thousand square feet of production space which will be filled with equipment over the next two years.

Just like the rest of the economy, Mercury’s business is growing slowly in the wake of the Great Recession.

Still, the firm says there’s a bigger demand for its more powerful recreational outboard of engines of 75-horsepower and higher.

Mercury is paying the for the entire expansion itself, with no government assistance.

Fond du Lac County Executive Allen Buechel says Mercury is doing better than expected, four years after the company said it would move to Oklahoma if it didn’t get union concessions and taxpayer help.

The employees approved the concessions – and city, county, and state taxpayers all chipped in as Mercury decided to close its Oklahoma plant and move the business to Wisconsin.

The firm now has 2,900 employees in Fond du Lac – 1,300 more than in 2009.

Mercury expects to pay off a county loan by 2021, and that’s when a county sales tax is due to end.

Every $20 spent in Fond du Lac County provides 10-cents toward Mercury Marine’s financing.

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - The case against a man convicted of raping a UW-Oshkosh student has been dismissed.

54-year-old Joseph Frey received a 102-year sentence in 1994 after his conviction in the 1991 rape.

New DNA evidence has linked the crime to another man, who has since died. The new evidence led a Winnebago County judge to overturn Frey’s conviction in May.

On Friday, prosecutors said in court they would not file new charges.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Police in Green Bay have released surveillance photos of the suspect in the armed robbery of a Pioneer Credit Union last week.

Police said the male suspect walked in just after 10:30 a.m. July 3rd to the credit union at the corner of Velp Avenue and Gray Street with a revolver.

The PD also released a more detailed description of the suspect. 

He was described as wearing a wig with long black hair, a dark colored leather type jacket, black and purple athletic shoes, a multi-colored patterned blouse that resembled "hospital scrubs". The man was carrying a handbag with white straps. 

No one was hurt during the robbery.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Green Bay Police Department at (920) 448-3208.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A Michigan real estate developer has doubled their proposal to between $30 and $40 million in their bid to redevelop the Clarion Hotel site along downtown Green Bay’s riverfront. 

Edgewater Resources has submitted a letter of intent to bid on the project that would involve tearing down the hotel and building a 16-story building. 

The project includes 200 hotel rooms, with the top four floors housing 28 condominiums.

 The proposal also has other amenities including an event lawn, pavilion, rooftop viewing terrace, a restaurant with an outdoor bar and seating, a spa, pool and a marina. 

Green Bay Economic Development Director Greg Flisram says the developer will be submitting financial projections, financial pro forma, and other documentation on how they will get the project financed. 

The city wants construction to begin by the end of the year, as the hotel would be connected to the expanding KI Convention Center.  

Flisram says Edgewater’s letter indicated that construction would start at the earliest in April of 2014. 

The convention center expansion is expected to take a year, and Flisram say the hotel developer would have some catch-up to do, because they need the space available for conventions in 2015. 

Edgewater Resources started talking with the city in the midst of the city council being asked to approve a deal for the sale of the Clarion to the current management company for a total of $6.7 million. 

That includes a minimum of $4 million for a complete hotel renovation. 

After council members got word of Edgewater’s interest, they decided to hold off on a vote until July 30^th. 

STURGEON BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Door County's Highway Commissioner is calling for improvements to the Sturgeon Bay Bridge along Michigan Street after the front end of a Florida couple’s motor home was crushed. 

The driver halted moving across the lifting span because of heavy traffic ahead but did not clear the lift bridge’s counterweight. 

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation contracts to operate the bridge via remote using video cameras from the Maple-Oregon Street Bridge two blocks away. 

The Florida couple escaped without injury. 

The commissioner says, “everything was done procedurally correct.”  

HOWARD, WI (WTAQ) - A single vehicle crash in Howard Saturday morning has left the driver and passenger with life-threatening injuries.

Brown County Sheriff’s were on the scene as of 2:30 a.m. near Cardinal Lane and Riverview Drive.

The vehicle apparently lost control and crashed in the YMCA parking lot.

Sheriff's believe alcohol and speed were factors in the crash. 

A 34-year-old male driver from Howard was ejected from the vehicle. Also injured was a 21-year-old female from Oconto Falls.

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MARINETTE, WI (WTAQ) - The family of Trish Waschbisch has filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit against the man charged with her murder.

Back in April, Waschbisch was stabbed to death at her home in Peshtigo. Her boyfriend, Brent Kaempf, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide. Kaempf is due be arraigned on August 1.

On June 27, the wrongful death suit was filed by her estate and children Alexis Waschbisch and Justin Bunker, according to online court records. There has not been a hearing scheduled in the case.

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - A convicted sex offender, who's also an ex-priest, has been approved for release from a treatment center and will live in Oshkosh.

In 1994, Norbert Maday was convicted and served his sentence for sexually assaulting teenage boys. The state had him committed as a sexual predator.

Last month, a judge approved a supervised release plan, but details of that plan were sealed

On Friday, the Oshkosh Police Department issued a news release, stating the 75-year-old Maday will be released on or before Aug. 2, and will be living at 747 Bowen St. He will be under the supervision of the state Dept. of Corrections and Dept. of Heath Services. Among the terms of his release: - No contact with victims - No unsupervised/unauthorized contact with minors - No presence in taverns, bars or liquor stores. No use of alcohol or illegal drugs. - May not leave the residence without an approved chaperone for at least the first year. The police department notes that Maday "is not wanted by the police at this time. This notification is not intended to increase fear; Rather, it is our belief that an informed public is a safer public." There are 22,809 registered sex offenders in Wisconsin. Of those, 5,835 are in prison. 5,401 are on active probation, parole or extended supervision. 11,573 are terminated from supervision. 

There are 439 registered sex offenders reporting residence in Winnebago County, according to Oshkosh police.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - Firefighters in Appleton say a child playing with a lighter caused a fire at the Harbor House domestic abuse shelter.

The call went out around 9 p.m. Saturday.

Officials indicate the building's sprinkler system contained the blaze to a third story bedroom.

29 adults and 36 children had to find another place to spend the night because of water damage.

The Red Cross and family members are helping the displaced residents.

The affected residents are expected to be allowed to return Sunday or Monday.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - An Appleton apartment building was evacuated Saturday after a fire breaks out in a kitchen.

Authorities say it happened around 5:30 p.m. at 210 N. Summit Street.

Residents there called 911 to report smoke coming from an apartment. Firefighters arrived on scene and found smoke coming from the apartment building hallway.

Upon arrival, the building was not fully evacuated. Other fire crews conducted search operations and evacuated occupants that remained in the 18-unit building.

The occupant of the apartment in which the fire originated was checked by paramedics for smoke inhalation.

No other injuries were reported.

The occupant of the affected apartment is displaced and will be staying with family. Everyone else was allowed to return to their apartments.

Fire officials have ruled the fire accidental. It originated on a stove top and spread to materials stored on top of a refrigerator.

The department reminds people to make sure they remain in the immediate area of any cooking activities, and have working smoke detectors.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A new proposal to tear down the Clarion Hotel in downtown Green Bay and build a new $30 to $40 million riverfront hotel could threaten a historic hotel's redevelopment.   

Frantz-Hobart out of Iowa wants to restore and reopen the Hotel Northland, which is a project worth $25 to $30 million. 

But Green Bay Economic Development Director Greg Flisram says they are nervous about new talks and the proposal for the city owned Clarion property. 

“Real estate in Green Bay has a certain physics to it, for every action there is a direct and opposite reaction,” Flisram said. 

Flisram says Frantz-Hobart may ask for extension on its due diligence period to see how the dust settles on the Clarion. 

On Friday, Edgewater Resources expressed their interest to bid on the Clarion property. 

They want to tear down the hotel and build a 16-story, 4-star hotel that would have 200 rooms and top floor condominiums. Other amenities would include a restaurant and bar with outdoor seating, a pool, spa, rooftop terrace, and marina. 

Flisram says the Hotel Northland renovation could be, "potentially threatened” by the Clarion proposal. 

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - With all the new development and businesses in downtown Green Bay, the Alderman for the district wants to attract the right people while shunning away the undesirables.   

How do you do that?

Alderman David Boyce is calling for a ban on sagging pants, where pants sit below the butt.

Boyce calls sagging pants offensive. 

“Probably the best way to address the issue is to have a consensus among downtown business district people,” Boyce said. 

Boyce wants downtown businesses on the same page for a dress code and for them to not serve or allow people in with sagging pants.

The issue is on the Protection and Welfare Committee’s agenda for Monday evening.

Boyce wouldn’t say if he's calling for a city ordinance that would involve fining anyone, but says other municipalities do it.

TOWN OF PIERCE, WI (WTAQ) - Sheriff's in Kewaunee County say a Green Bay teenager has died from injuries suffered after rescue crews found him in the water Sunday.

Authorities get the call around 12:30 p.m. to Krohns Lake County Park in the Town of Pierce for a possible drowning.

Officials say the 15-year-old had been swimming with friends when he was unable to swim back to the platform from which they had been jumping off of. 

Upon arrival, Algoma Fire and Rescue deployed ladders from the platform and recovered the teen around 12:45 p.m. 

Paramedics initiated resuscitation efforts and continued as he was transported to Aurora Medical Center in Green Bay. After initial treatment at Aurora Medical Center, the teen was transferred to St. Vincent Hospital where he remains in critical condition.

His name is not being released.

Kewaunee County sheriff's officials are investigating.

TOWN OF MAPLE GROVE, WI (WTAQ) - A Reedsville man was killed after two trucks collided in Manitowoc County.

The coroner’s office said 46-year-old David Hoyer died from blunt-force injuries to his head, chest, and abdomen.

The crash was reported around 8:30 a.m. Sunday on Manitowoc County Trunk “K” in the town of Maple Grove.

It remains under investigation. Officials said alcohol was not a factor. 

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay area residents are being advised about several complaints of fraud.

Police say they have received complaints about people getting suspicious text messages from a 920 number which states: "BANK ALERT: Your CARD has been DEACTIVATED. Please call 920-569-6444".

A possible number may be (920) 747-0968.

When you call that number, you are asked to enter your 16 digit card credit/debit number and expiration date.

Green Bay police advise people not to enter their card number. Banks would not text you this type of alert. If you recieved the text, please ignore it. 

If you have any questions regarding your account, call your financial institution directly.

If you did call the number and entered your card information, contact your bank. If you notice unauthorized charges on your account, contact your financial institution to have your card canceled and file a police report. 

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Green Bay Police Department at (920) 448-3208, or you can call Crime Stoppers and remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward. 920-432-STOP (7867). Submit a tip on the web at www.432stop.com.