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Minneapolis police chief wants to rebuild public trust after Green Bay incident

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MINNEAPOLIS (WTAQ) - The Minneapolis police chief wants to start a dialogue to help rebuild public trust in her department.

That’s after an incident in Green Bay in which two off-duty Minneapolis officers reportedly used racial slurs against a group of black men – and then asked police not to say or do anything after one officer admitted throwing a punch during the encounter.

A similar incident was reported in the Minneapolis suburb of Apple Valley.

Last week, Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau called for a dialogue with cultural and faith leaders in her city to help rebuild people’s trust in her officers.

Police union president John Delmonico says he wants to a part of that dialogue. He said there’s no place in his department for, “racist or bigoted” officers.

The June 29th Green Bay incident came to light last week. It followed a similar incident in the Twin Cities suburb of Apple Valley in which two officers pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct.

The officers in the Green Bay incident had no charges filed against them. They were suspended with pay from the Minneapolis SWAT team, pending an internal affairs investigation.

Harteau has also appointed a new Police Conduct Oversight Commission, which is expected to start operating next month. 


Not guilty plea entered for Michael Whitmire in fatal stabbing

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Green Bay man accused of fatally stabbing his girlfriend is pleading not guilty to the charges.

50-year-old Michael Whitmire allegedly killed Ouida Wright back in May.

Police say Whitmire admitted to killing Wright while the two were arguing.

Whitmire is due back in court September 6. A trial date has not been set.

Gang member who killed Green Bay teen gets 40 years in prison

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The man who gunned down an innocent 15-year-old Green Bay teenager last August will spend 40 years in prison. 

A Brown County judge also sentenced Julio Gonzalez to 20 years extended supervision after being convicted of first degree reckless homicide. 

Gonzalez and six others showed up at a home along Smith Street on Green Bay’s east side looking for revenge against another man who beat up a member of their gang earlier that day. 

Jeremy Teller and his cousin were approached by the group as they left a party.  The two were chased after they ran away.  Teller fell to the ground and was then surrounded by the group.  That's when Gonzalez shot Teller in the back.  

Teller had nothing to do with the gang, and Green Bay Police said Teller was at the wrong place at the wrong time. 

Other members of a gang were sentenced Monday in connections with Teller death. 

Alex Rodriguez name dropped from field at USA Youth Sports Complex in Appleton

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APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - Major League Baseball’s suspension of Alex Rodriguez is having consequences in the Fox Valley. 

Soon after the news came down, the Fox Cities Sports Authority dropped Alex Rodriguez’s name from one of the baseball fields at the USA Youth Sports Complex in Appleton. 

Since Rodriguez’s name was mentioned in news reports about MLB’s investigation into performance enhancing drugs and the Biogenesis clinic in Miami, conversations started about what to do about the name of the baseball field. 

Back in 1994, then 18-year-old Rodriguez played 65 games with the Appleton Foxes, before they changed their name to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. 

The field in question was named after Rodriguez in 2003.

MLB suspended Rodriguez for the rest of this season and all of the 2014 season. 

Early morning car crash rattles Green Bay neighborhood

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Some Green Bay residents had a startling early morning wakeup call after an alleged drunk driver drove through their homes.

Green Bay Police say around 2 a.m. Tuesday a black Chevrolet Impala lost control while traveling at a high rate of speed, jumped the curb in the 1200 block of 9th Street, and then plowed into a house. 

It continued to travel, hitting a flatbed trailer which sent the vehicle airborne. The vehicle finally stopped after it struck a parked SUV in the driveway of a second home. The SUV was pushed into that home.

The car severed a gas meter that led to an evacuation of nearby homes. 

Utility crews were brought in along with Green Bay Metro Fire Department. 

Police say four female suspects were seen fleeing the car.

An officer located all of the suspects more than a mile down the road at the corner of 9th Street and S. Chestnut Avenue.

They were detained and the driver was arrested for OWI Causing Injury and other charges.

Police say nobody inside the homes were hurt.

Police search for missing Green Bay man

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Police in Green Bay need the public's help in tracking down a missing man.

The family of 55-year-old Stanley Knight reported him missing from his far east side apartment. Knight's family hasn't heard from him since July 27.

He drives a tan 1999 Chevrolet Silverado with the license plate: DK8146. Knight's truck has wolf decals on it.

Foul play is not suspected, but police say this is unusual behavior for him.

Call Green Bay Police at (920) 448-3208 if you have any information.

Man stabbed on Green Bay eastside after dispute with neighbors

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Some Green Bay neighbors got into argument mid-day Tuesday that ended with one of them being stabbed. 

Police responded around 10:20 am. to the 2000 block of Imperial Lane and found a 27-year-old man stabbed. 

He was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Police say the suspects are not in custody but are following up on information pertaining to their whereabouts.

Since this was a disturbance between neighbors, police says the public is not in any danger. 

Lois Velaszquez pleads no contest in boyfriend's murder

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The woman accused of murdering Derrick House has agreed to plead no contest to a reduced charge, and will be sentenced October 1st.

Lois Velaszquez and House were arguing in Green Bay on May 6, 2012, when investigators say she picked up a knife off the floor and stabbed House in the chest. The two had apparently been fighting about cheating.

Velaszquez was initally charged with first-degree intentional homicide, which carries a mandatory life prison term.

On Monday, she pled no contest to first-degree reckless homicide, which carries a maximum term of 60 years in prison.


VIDEO: National Root Beer Float Day in Green Bay

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - How did the Green Bay area celebrate National Root Beer Float Day?? 

Seven A&W Restaurant locations gave away free small floats after 2 p.m. Tuesday until the doors closed.

District Manager Tony Kalous says they've been planning for this day.

"All of our root beer tanks were churning up fresh root beer this morning," says Kalous. "We've been ordering in extra for weeks in anticipation for this event, making sure we had enough ice cream."

Kalous says each location sells about 250 floats every day, but his expectations for Tuesday were high.

"We're gonna do more than double that easy," says Kalous. "My guess would probably be about 700 or so per location, and I think I'm on the light side of that estimate."

That would be a nice turnout for the cool treat, but for an even better cause. All locations are asking for donations to the Wounded Warrior Project. Kalous said it was a decision made by corporate, but that the money raised here in the Green Bay area will stay here.

"Sometimes it's your grandfather that served in Vietnam or World War II, but we all know someone who's served in the military," said Kalous. "These people are out there putting everything on the line, and if we can give just a little bit back to them, I think that is a phenomenal cause to be a part of."

VIDEO :: Rappelling Lambeau Field - Preview of Wednesday's ultimate leap for Special Olympics

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GREEN BAY, WI – Some local VIP’s went over the edge Tuesday by rappelling down historic Lambeau Field.

It’s an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for those adventurous local celebrities, who are helping to raise money for Special Olympics Wisconsin.

On Wednesday, the public will get their chance to take the “ultimate Lambeau Leap” by scaling the most hallowed NFL stadium in the country.

To sign up, you must raise a minimum of $1,500 for Special Olympics Wisconsin. Ask family members, co-workers and friends to sponsor your rappel, and all the money raised benefits the 10,000 Special Olympics Wisconsin athletes.  The professional members of the Over the Edge team will provide all the technical assistance and work alongside you to assist you down the entire way. No prior rappelling experience is required. Edgers MUST be at least 18 years old on the day of the event and weigh between 110 to 300 lbs. 

NBC 26 starts to promote bars as alternative to watch Friday's Packers pre-season

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The chances that NBC 26 will return to Time Warner Cable before the first Packers pre-season game on Friday is slim. 

NBC 26 broadcasts three of the four pre-season games.

The station has started to promote local bars that will be broadcasting their signal through other providers like Dish Network, Direct TV, Comcast and Charter. 

The station has been off air for nearly two weeks after Time Warner refused a contract extension.

Poss says they are not looking at getting anything different from Time Warner then other major re-broadcasters who have recently signed new contracts with Journal Communications, NBC 26's parent company. 

“Currently in negotiation… I have to say that the negotiations are not progressing as quickly as I like,”  WGBA-TV general manager Joe Poss said.

Time Warner doesn’t like the rate increase it would have to pay to re-broadcast the NBC 26 signal. 

Poss says the cable provider made the choice to drag viewers into this. 

“They have basically said no, they will not take our extension," Poss said, "So we are currently off air and that’s what makes this such a difficult situation especially with the Packers game coming.”

Time Warner might be focused more on a larger dispute with CBS and Showtime. Around three million of their cable customers in half a dozen markets lost programming over a contract dispute regarding increased fees.

“We need to get to the table and get this done, and Time Warner needs to come out and they need to be a part of this," Poss said "We’ve had a couple situations where we sent over deal points to them and it’s been two days since we received anything back.”

Storm damage widespread across Fox Valley, Brown and Manitowoc counties

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WRIGHTSTOWN, WI (WTAQ) - Wrightstown was one of the hardest hit areas from strong storms early Wednesday morning.

It caused massive damage to trees at the Apple Creek Campground.

"It woke me up, I heard a lot of booms and bangs because I had a tree go down right near my camper," says Teresa Coonen. "It was like a big gust of wind, and it just happened real fast and it was over. I was like wow!"

Marco Tarra is a farmer visiting the U.S. from Denmark and was staying there due to the pending storms.

"It's undescribable, the weather like that," says Tarra, who added he's never been through anything like that before. 

In Kaukauna, high winds tossed motor homes all over Quality RV at County Highway J and U.S. Highway 41.

"It is pretty shocking and pretty dramatic," says Amy Ristow, who's husband owns the business but happens to be out of town. "Thank God for insurance."

The National Weather Service said there was heavy damage to Trinity Lutheran Church in New London. That’s also where camper units flipped over at the Huckleberry Campground. No injuries were reported there.

In Greenleaf, a gas leak occurred at an auto body shop – and the building collapsed a short time later.

Officials said many trees fell on houses on Appleton’s southeast side. Trees and power lines fell throughout eastern and central Wisconsin, as far west as Marshfield.

Kaukauna had gas leaks. A semi-truck overturned on Interstate 43 near Maribel.

There are no reports of serious injuries from any of the damage which slammed the Fox Valley, southern Brown County and Manitowoc County.

Surgeries were canceled Wednesday at an Appleton hospital where thunderstorms knocked out power during the night. Officials at Appleton Medical Center said it was running on a backup generator, after police said up to 90 percent of the city lost its electricity at the height of the storms.

We Energies said over 53,000 electric customers in the Fox Valley were without power as of 7 a.m. Appleton had around 14,000 customers out.

The Wisconsin Public Service utility reports almost 14,000 customers in the dark in its service area of northeast and central Wisconsin. Denmark had around 1,700 customers out. 

The National Weather Service said Appleton had 86 mile an hour winds during the night. Hail and strong winds hit the northern half of Wisconsin Tuesday night and early Wednesday. 

Kaukauna closet fire damages home Tuesday

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KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ) - Fire crews in Kaukauna respond to a report of a closet fire Tuesday night.

The call went out just after 7:30 p.m. to the home in the 300 block of 18th Street.

Firefighters say a blanket started on fire when it touched a hot light bulb. 

The blanket was placed on a wooden deck, which also started on fire. 

It caused about $1,000 in damages. 

One person was home at the time of the fire and was not injured.

Car crash kills two people after hitting home

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TOWN OF CLAYTON, WI (WTAQ) - Authorities in Winnebago County say two people are dead following a crash in the Town of Clayton.

It happened around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday when officials say a car traveling west on Larsen Road missed a stop sign and slammed into a home at County Highway T.

Both the driver and passenger were killed.

The victims are a 27-year-old Winneconne man and a 21-year-old Oshkosh woman.

UPDATE: Storm causes power outages across NE Wisconsin

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Many parts of Northeast Wisconsin are in the dark Wednesday morning after powerful storms rolled through the area.

For the latest information on power outages:

Click here for Wisconsin Public Service outages.

Click here for We Energies outages.

At the height of the power outages, We Energies spokesman Barry McNulty says there were roughly 60,000 customers without power.

“We have to restore a significant amount of our infrastructure and our network. We are going to have to rebuild it," says McNulty.

An effort McNulty says could take until the weekend.

“What that means is the duration of the outage and our ability to restore it is going to take longer, but right now we are drawing upon all the resources, not only ours but also contractors as well as other utilities to help out in this effort.”

As of 4:15 pm, 6,500 WPS customers were without power mostly in the southern Brown, Calumet and Manitowoc County areas. A reminder, stay away from downed power lines.

Areas hit hardest are:

-Wrightstown

-Greenleaf

-Brillion

-Reedsville

As many as an estimated 18,000 were without power after last night’s storms hit the area.

WPS will work through the night but some customers will be without power until Thursday. Because of the significant number of poles and electrical equipment that needed replacing, the restoration effort unfortunately, is taking a little longer.

Officials say safety is still the top priority, both for customers and for WPS restoration crews. Stay away from all downed power lines and areas where power lines may be entangled in tree branches. Have a trained tree trimming professional take care of the removal of your downed tree branches to avoid compromising your safety. (They can also advise you what it best for your damaged trees.)  WPS advises everyone to assume and treat all power lines as being “live” and energized.

If anyone is in imminent danger, contact local law enforcement at 911. To report power outages or unsafe conditions or situations, contact WPS at (800) 450-7240.

Should you use backup electrical portable generators; if gasoline fueled, they need proper ventilation to operate and need to be used properly. Only a licensed electrician should connect portable generators to existing wiring and to ensure all code requirements are met. Avoid dangerous back-feeds into the system that can cause electrical shock for anyone working on the system, including line electricians working to restore power.

For food storage info during power outages, the United State Dept of Ag can provide some good information.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/shared/PDF/Severe_Storms_and_Hurricanes_Guide.pdf

 


Fox Valley Metro police says streets closed due to storm

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KIMBERLY, WI (WTAQ) - Authorities in the Fox Valley continue to assess the damage left from the powerful storm overnight.

Fox Valley Metro police say the storm caused substantial damage in Kimberly, Combined Locks and Little Chute.

Authorities say so far no one has been injured, but some structural damage has been reported due to trees falling onto homes and vehicles, multiple downed power lines and lots of debris in yards and on the roadways.

Police say Kimberly and parts of Combined Locks are still waiting for power to return and the utility companies are working on the issue across the County and are unsure when full power will be restored.    

As of 11:30 a.m. Washington Street in Kimberly from Kimberly Avenue to First Street remains closed due to downed power lines and debris in the roadway. The detour route for southbound car traffic on Washington Street is west on Kimberly Avenue, south on Lincoln Street, and east on First Street to Washington Street.

The detour route for northbound car traffic on Washington Street is west on First Street, north on Lincoln Avenue, and east on Kimberly Avenue to Washington Street.

Police are asking semi and large truck traffic traveling northbound on Washington Street to detour west on Kennedy Avenue, north on Railroad Street, and east on Kimberly Avenue to Washington Street. 

Semi and large truck traffic from south on Washington Street should detour west on Kimberly Avenue, south on Railroad Street, and east on Kennedy Avenue to Washington Street.

Railroad Street from Kennedy Avenue to Highway CE is still closed due to debris in the roadway.

FVMPD and the Kimberly Street Department are working on getting proper signage for the detour routes and are currently directing traffic for the affected area.

The Kimberly Village Hall is closed and will remain closed at least until power is restored. 

Combined Locks is asking residents to bring fallen tree branches and debris to the bottom of the sledding hill by the Civic Center and NOT bring them to the dump site.

The Villages are asking residents to be patient with storm clean up as it may take weeks to get everything cleaned up. Police are asking people to keep vehicles off the street and not park there to help with storm clean up through Friday August 16.

FVMPD is asking people traveling on the roads to be cautious of downed power lines and debris in the roadway. Please drive with care and take your time. When approaching intersections please do so with caution as most stop lights do not have power and stop signs have been deployed.

UPDATE: Town chairman killed while clearing storm debris in Marinette County

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MARINETTE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - The Chairman from the Town of Porterfield in Marinette County was killed and early Wednesday morning while clearing storm debris. 

67-year-old Eugene LaCombe was struck and killed by a vehicle while he was cutting up a tree that fell across Bagley Road near Highway 64.

Another man was hit but is expected to be okay.

It was around 1:42 a.m. when a southbound vehicle hit them.

Marinette County Sheriff’s say LaCombe’s vehicle was parked in the northbound lane with its hazard lights flashing. 

Sheriff’s say the glare of the headlights and heavy rain at the time contributed to the 19-year-old driver not seeing the two men. 

The second victims is expected to be okay. 

Surgeries cancelled at Appleton Medical Center due to massive power loss

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APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - Surgeries were canceled this morning at an Appleton hospital where thunderstorms knocked out power during the night.

The Appleton Medical Center said it was running on a back-up generator, after police said up to 90-percent of the city lost its electricity at the height of the storms.

We Energies said over 53,000 electric customers in the Fox Valley were without power as of seven o’clock. Appleton had around 14,000 customers out.The Wisconsin Public Service utility reports almost 14,000 customers in the dark in its service area of northeast and central Wisconsin.Denmark had around 1,700 customers out.

The Apple Creek Campground near Wrightstown was heavily damaged.

Fallen trees blocked the campground’s main entrance, and there have been no reports of serious injuries. In Greenleaf, a gas leak occurred at an auto body shop – and the building collapsed a short time later.

The National Weather Service said Appleton had 86-mile-an-hour winds during the night. Hail and strong winds hit the northern half of Wisconsin last night and early today.

They’re gone, and partly cloudy skies are in the statewide forecast for today.

Pulaski School Board to discuss member citation for hosting underage drinking party

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PULASKI, WI (WTAQ) - The Pulaski School Board will discuss a recent conviction by one of its members tonight.

Christine Vandenhouten was given a citation for hosting an underage drinking party at her home the night of May 11th.

She recently paid a $366-dollar fine.

Because she’s an elected official and not a district employee, the school system cannot pursue disciplinary action against her.

Vandenhouten has been on the Pulaski School Board since April of 2011. She, her teenage son, and nine other Pulaski students were cited.

The district’s acting administrator said at the time that some students who were not ticketed admitted being at the party.

School athletes and club members who attended were punished by their respective organizations.

DOJ looking into Waupun cop's possible connection to other burglaries, break-ins

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MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - The state Justice Department will try to find out if Waupun police lieutenant Bradley Young is tied to any other crimes, besides the ones he allegedly committed the past two days.

The 43-year-old Young was arrested Tuesday eveniung.

That’s after he allegedly burglarized a Green Lake restaurant, stole a pick-up truck in Green Lake, crashed the vehicle in a police chase in Barron County, stole a car near Rice Lake, and broke into a cabin west of Spooner.

That’s where he gave up after state and local officers surrounded the home.

State officials say charges are pending, and no court appearances have been scheduled.

Young remains in the Burnett County Jail.

Waupun Deputy Police Chief Scott Louden said state investigators would try to determine if Young may have been involved in other break-ins in Green Lake County.

For now, he’s on administrative leave.

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