SHAWANO, WI (WTAQ) - Attempted homicide charges have been filed against a Shawano County man who allegedly attempted to choke a Shawano County sheriff's deputy after being pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving.
Forty-five-year-old Chad Kohel is facing six charges from the traffic stop on July 27th, including strangulation and third offense drunk driving.
Jeffrey Haase, his public defender, has declined to comment on the case.
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - The Appleton International Airport just recorded all-time record traffic this past June, setting the highest passenger numbers in the airport's 53-year history.
June marked the 14th consecutive month of passenger growth for Appleton International Airport, which was recently named by Bloomberg as the fourth fastest growing airport in the nation.
Starting in June, United Airlines began flights to Denver out of Appleton, which has been immensely popular and aided to the airport's growth.
The full airline passenger statistics report can be found online at "atwairport.com".
Oconto, WI (WTAQ) - Six counts of sexual assault by a staff member have been charged to a 24-year-old Suring High School teacher.
Timothy Grimes allegedly had inappropriate contact with a 15-year-old girl.
Grimes was a friend of the victim's family and spent time at her house.
His initial appearance in Oconto County Court was made on Tuesday and he will return on August 9th for a balance of initial appearances.
A $15,000 cash bond was set and he was ordered to have no contact with the victim or Suring schools.
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - Officers were called out Wednesday morning for a body that was found next to a radio tower.
The body was found on the 2800 block of East College Avenue.
The investigation began around 9:45 a.m Wednesday.
"The Preliminary investigation is consistent with a suicide of an adult female", according to the Appleton Police Department.
GRAND CHUTE, WI (WTAQ) - For many in Wisconsin, Back to School starts today
A sales tax holiday on back to school items and supplies are bringing many to the stores on day one. Governor Scott Walker was in Fleet Farm in Grand Chute, and said while it may not seem like a whole lot, it ads up fast.
"A typical family with kids in school from kindergarten through 12th grade spends about $680 dollars a year on back to school.
He says the tax holiday results in over 30 dollars saving for doing what you normally do, and everyone can benefit.
"I don't care where you come from, big city or small town, regardless of income, back to school is challenging."
Walker was in Fleet Farm in Grand Chute and said while it may not seem like a whole lot, it adds up fast and has long-term effects.
"The idea is to get people to go to stores that are physically located in Wisconsin that hire people that are part of the workforce in the state of Wisconsin.
The holiday goes through Sunday.
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - An act of vandalism in March will move sporting activities at Fox Valley Lutheran High School.
In March, someone drove a jeep across two soccer fields and two football fields, causing extensive damage.
The football team had to make some major changes.
They will practice on the outfield of the baseball diamond and home games for football will be held at Appleton North, Xavier and Kaukauna.
The damage costs over $260,000. Insurance covered $100,000.
School officials are hoping fundraisers can offset some of the balance.
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - A Fox Crossings police officer will not face charges for a May 23rd incident in which he shot and killed a man acting erratically with a knife.
The Winnebago County District Attorney's Office has determined Officer Seely Moe was justified in fatally shooting twenty-five-year-old Joshua Gomoll of Kaukauna.
Body camera footage, which is graphic, can be viewed on the Wisconsin Department of Justice website.
MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) - The death of a toddler has resulted in Manitowoc police taking two individuals into custody.
A three-year-old child was taken to the hospital on July 28th with severe external and internal injuries, which caused the child to die later that day.
Investigators later learned that the child was at that time in the care of two adults that were ingesting illegal drugs.
The 46-year-old man and 38-year-old-woman, both of Manitowoc, have been arrested.
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers kicked-off Wisconsin's Annual Education Network Summit on Wednesday.
The Democratic hopeful for governor announced at the summit his plan to ask for $969 million for special education funding in the next state budget but insists this has nothing to do with the August 14th primary election.
Evers claims that without this dramatic rise in funding Wisconsin schools will continue to fall short of providing students the resources they need.
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - A Fox Crossing police officer will not face charges for a May 23rd incident in which he shot and killed a man acting erratically with a knife on Trestle Trail.
The Winnebago County District Attorney's Office has determined Officer Seely Moe was justified in fatally shooting twenty-five-year-old Joshua Gomoll of Kaukauna.
911 dispatchers first started receiving warnings of Gomoll acting increasingly erratic at around 3 P.M.
The first call they received claimed Gomoll kicked over a mailbox, was throwing objects and was charging towards vehicles throughout a Fox Crossing neighborhood.
Minutes later they received another call that he was running through the street wielding a knife and threatening people in the area.
Body camera footage, which is graphic, can be viewed on the Wisconsin Department of Justice website.
The District Attorney's office says Gomoll was pronounced dead at the scene, but officers did initially administer first aid.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - More and more bikes are being reported stolen in Green Bay and often times the police are left helpless if that bike isn't registered.
This prompted Green Bay Police to team up with CH Robinson to register bikes and hand out over 70 bike locks on Wednesday at Fisk Park.
28 bike theft complaints and 42 abandoned bikes have been reported to the Green Bay Police this year.
The police are also strongly advising everyone to have their bikes registered so they can be located and returned if they are lost or stolen.
ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) - Two major electric service companies hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday to mark a major achievement.
WPS and We Energies officially opened their new 31,000-square-foot employee training center in Ashwaubenon on Thursday.
The training center will service over 1,400 employees and contractors this year alone.
The facility is being deemed a first-of-its-kind resource for safety training and skill development.
MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) - Charges are still pending for a 46-year-old man and 38-year-old woman, both of Manitowoc, in the case of a 3-year-old child that died.
The child was taken to the hospital on July 28th with extreme external and internal injuries and died later that night.
The two individuals in custody were responsible for watching the child throughout the summer, while the child's parents were at work.
Child neglect and drug charges will be recommended by the police.
An autopsy of the child is currently being conducted in Milwaukee and results are expected in three to eight weeks.
BROWN COUNTY (WTAQ) - A Brown County supervisor is no longer asking for an advisory referendum on the November ballot that would relate to board meetings beginning with a prayer.
Pat Evans issued a statement Wednesday evening saying that his proposal has been met with misunderstanding and that he wants to focus on his true duties as supervisor.
Evans is running to be Green Bay's mayor and was publicly accused by other supervisors of proposing the referendum as a publicity stunt.
GRAND CHUTE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - For many in Wisconsin, Back to School starts today
A sales tax holiday on back to school items and supplies are bringing many to the stores on day one. Governor Scott Walker was in Fleet Farm in Grand Chute, and said while it may not seem like a whole lot, it ads up fast.
"A typical family with kids in school from kindergarten through 12th grade spends about $680 dollars a year on back to school.
He says the tax holiday results in over 30 dollars saving for doing what you normally do, and everyone can benefit.
"I don't care where you come from, big city or small town, regardless of income, back to school is challenging."
Walker was in Fleet Farm in Grand Chute and said while it may not seem like a whole lot, it adds up fast and has long-term effects.
Kris Keller of Shiocton told FOX 11, she normally spends about $50. But with the Northland Avenue Shopko sale prices and the tax free sales, Keller said she saved money.
"I would say if we bought it at the beginning of the year, versus now, we probably saved almost half. Good sales," Keller said.
Tara Niemuth of Weyauwega said she typically spends a total of $400 in supplies and apparel, and the tax holiday increased the savings even more.
Niemuth said she saved "probably at least a hundred dollars or more, because we got clothes too, not just school supplies."
But not all parents were impressed by the deal.
"(I'm) last minute shopping and not for the sales tax reason, because it only saves you about $5 and it's kind of a headache with all the people around shopping," said Kara Jansen of Kimberly.
"Nearly half of our store is tax-free today," said the Shopko store manager, Mark Grasmick.
Grasmick said there's been an uptick in business.
"Had to schedule extra heavy for register and floor coverage as well," said Grasmick.
The tax free sales apply to only certain items, including clothing and school supplies that cost less than $75 per item.
Managers at Fleet Farm say the holiday will hopefully boost sales in products that are taxed.
"Any time foot traffic comes in the door, there's opportunity to buy here at Fleet Farm, from consumable items to lawn and garden to everything we carry here," explained Justin Kangas, the Fleet Farm general manager.
And while not everyone will profit from the deal, they say it's going to be beneficial.
"It would have been great 25 to 30 years ago when I had little ones in school," said Susan Schroeder. "I'm sure it's going to be a real help for people."
The sales tax holiday runs through Sunday.
"The idea is to get people to go to stores that are physically located in Wisconsin that hire people that are part of the workforce in the state of Wisconsin," said Walker.
The holiday goes through Sunday.
FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ) - Last night a Fond du Lac officer and deputy were both injured while attempting to make an arrest.
When authorities attempted to detain the 32-year-old suspect in a battery complaint, he began punching the deputy in the face.
When a Fond du Lac officer attempted to intervene, he was also struck in the face by the suspect.
Both the deputy and officer received facial and head injuries and the officer was treated for a broken elbow.
Charges of suffocation, strangulation, and battery to a law enforcement officer are being recommended against the suspect.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Green Bay Police and Fire Commission ruled Thursday that Officer Paul Spoerl will be discharged immediately for lying during an internal investigation of the department's night shift.
An internal investigation discovered that Spoerl lied in order to cover for two other officers who were being investigated for harassing other officers on the night shift.
Both of the officers that Spoerl was covering resigned shortly after the investigation started.
In total, six other officers were suspended various lengths of time due to their role in the night shift harassment.
Spoerl has been suspended without pay since July 31, 2017.
(WTAQ) - Attorney General Brad Schimel announced on Thursday that 60 schools and school districts across the state will receive more than $5.5 million in the latest round of safety grants.
Among the list of 60 Wisconsin schools, there is a dozen located in northeast Wisconsin.
The grants are being distributed in an effort to finance changes that will hopefully make schools safer for children.
The grants stem back to a law allowing $100 million to be distributed to schools that apply, which was signed by Governor Walker this past March.
Schools can still apply for these grants online until August 13th.
ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) - West Revenue Generation Services announced on Thursday that they will be laying off 36 employees at the end of August.
The company states that the layoffs are a direct result of them losing a contract with a major client.
The employees will receive their same rate of pay for the remainder of the month they are working.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Green Bay Police and Fire Commission ruled Thursday that Officer Paul Spoerl will be discharged immediately for lying during an internal investigation of the department's night shift.
An internal investigation discovered that Spoerl lied in order to cover for two other officers who were being investigated for harassing other officers on the night shift.
Both of the officers that Spoerl was covering resigned shortly after the investigation started.
In total, six other officers were suspended various lengths of time due to their role in the night shift harassment.
Spoerl has been suspended without pay since July 31, 2017.
