No charges filed against MN cops in Green Bay incident

August 9, 2013, 7:22 am

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MINNEAPOLIS (WTAQ) - No charges will be filed against two Minneapolis police officers who got into a racially-charged street confrontation in Green Bay, and then reportedly criticized local officers.

Minneapolis officers Shawn Powell and Brian Thole – who are white – reportedly argued with a group of black men outside a bar June 29th, and one of the officers admitted throwing a punch.

The black group was gone by the time Green Bay Police got there, and their names never got into a police report.

Assistant City Attorney Kail Decker said it would have been hard to prove assault charges without knowing who the victims were. Also, Decker told Minneapolis Star-Tribune he did not know why police didn’t pursue non-criminal disorderly conduct citations in municipal court – since the officers were caught on police video making racial slurs.

A police spokesman did not comment on that.

The Minneapolis mayor and police chief have both expressed outrage.

The chief apologized to Green Bay Police, removed the two officers from the Minneapolis SWAT team, and put them on paid leave pending an internal investigation. 

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Deployment of Brown Co. OWI Task Force tonight

August 9, 2013, 9:37 am

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - For the 22nd time this year, the Brown County OWI Task Force will be deployed tonight.

Authorities say it's a good way to start the football season by looking for drunk drivers around the Packers-Cardinals preseason game at Lambeau Field.

It's unclear where they will patrol, but officials say it will begin at 11 p.m.

This will be the Brown County OWI Task Force's 77th deployment overall. 

Wisconsin Public Service needs to build new power plant by 2019

August 9, 2013, 12:07 pm

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay-based Wisconsin Public Service says there's a need to build a new power plant by 2019.

Integrys Energy Group, Inc. chief administrative officer Larry Borgard revealed that to investors this week in New York.

Integrys Energy Groups, Inc. is WPS's parent company.

"We're always considering all the options in trying to provide the best way we can to meet growing customer demands in the future," says Integrys spokesman Todd Steffen. "Our electric generation strategy is continually evolving."

Officials say the new plant would be needed after WPS shuts down coal-fired plants which are getting older and causing more pollution than today’s more efficient facilities.

Steffen says the company would decide in the next year or two on a new overall plan. Media reports suggest three potential sites in Northeast Wisconsin, but Steffen wouldn't confirm that.

"We have existing sites, we have new sites, there's a whole gamut of different opportunities and options that we are looking at," says Steffen, who added that the shuttered Kewaunee Power Station apparently isn't being looked at. "There's probably not a very strong chance that we would even consider that option."

Officials said the plant was closed because it could no longer compete with gas-fired plans for low production prices.

WPS recently bought a gas-fired plant in Kaukauna to replace the power it was buying from Kewaunee. The utility reached a settlement with the federal EPA to either close or use cleaner energy for its oldest coal-fired boilers in the Wausau and Green Bay areas. 

(Information from Wheeler News Service included within the story)

Summer Industries opens plant in Neenah

August 9, 2013, 12:25 pm

≫ Next: UPDATE: Arrest made in connection with Plover woman's homicide

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NEENAH, WI (WTAQ) - A North Carolina company that makes a host of paper products has opened its first plant in Wisconsin.

Summer Industries has opened a $1.5 million facility in Neenah.

The firm says it will have 20 manufacturing jobs once it’s up to full speed. Summer Industries makes paper tubes, cans, and cores from recycled paperboard. 

It has opened six plants in the last dozen years, including the one in Neenah.

The plant’s customers are generally made up of other industries – including the makers of labels, strapping, paper, tapes, and films. 

UPDATE: Arrest made in connection with Plover woman's homicide

August 9, 2013, 12:27 pm

≫ Next: Three crosses unharmed at New London church damaged by tornado

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PLOVER, WI (WTAQ) - An arrest has been made in connection with a homicide investigation involving a Plover woman whose body was found in a burned out vehicle Wednesday.

36-year-old Jamie Koch was found dead inside the vehicle in the Waupaca County Town of Harrison.

The state Division of Criminal Investigation is working the case.

According to a release from DCI, the suspect was booked into the Portage County Jail on tentative charges of first degree reckless homicide and hiding a corpse, both felonies.

Authorities spent some time Thursday at an apartment complex on Chestnut Drive in Plover, before an arrest came late in the day. 

Three crosses unharmed at New London church damaged by tornado

August 9, 2013, 12:35 pm

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NEW LONDON, WI (WTAQ) - Not everything was destroyed when a tornado ruined Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in New London.

Pastor Bill Sutlief said three crosses were left unharmed from the EF-1 tornado early on Wednesday. Sutlief calls it a powerful sign that, “speaks volumes to us about the presence of Christ among us.”

The twister tore the roof from the sanctuary and destroyed the church’s fellowship hall. Still, three large crosses remain standing – including one that supported a broken window at the fellowship hall.

Thursday night, the congregation gathered for a service outside the destroyed building. That was after structural engineers and insurance adjusters inspected the site earlier in the day.

The church building was only 8 years old when the tornado hit.

The twister was one of five which landed in Northeast Wisconsin soon after midnight Wednesday. 

Time Warner Cable promotes alternative for watching Packers game

August 9, 2013, 1:08 pm

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The continued Time Warner Cable and NBC 26 dispute will prevent Green Bay Packers fans in Fox Valley from watching the pre-season game tonight.

However, a Time Warner spokesman says there is an alternative – Telemundo. He says customers will need a cable box and the broadcast is in Spanish.

Contract negotiations with the station’s parent company, Journal Communications, and Time Warner Cable have lasted a couple months with no resolution.

Time Warner refused a contract extension on July 25th and pulled 15 Journal Broadcasting TV stations signals, including WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee. 

The WGBA-TV's station’s general manager says negotiations have “stalled”.

Wounded Warrior Amputees vs Packer Alumni Flag Football benefit Saturday

August 9, 2013, 2:04 pm

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DE PERE, WI (WTAQ) - The Wounded Warrior Project Amputee Football Team will be playing Saturday night at St. Norbert College against former Green Bay Packers and otther ex-NFL players. 

The Wounded Warrior team includes U.S. military service members who lost limbs while fighting Iraq and Afghanistan.

Proceeds benefit the team, nonprofit support group and disability advocacy organization.

The benefit event starts at 6 p.m. Saturday, at St. Norbert’s Donald J. Schneider Stadium.

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Grammy winning Norah Jones makes surprise visit at Mile of Music

August 10, 2013, 2:24 am

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APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - The Mile of Music festival in Appleton featured a surprise visit from Grammy award winning artist Norah Jones last night during the headlining performance at Lawrence Memorial Chapel.

A set with Spacewoman featuring Pete Remm quietly open it’s set with Jones on the piano. She also provided some back-up vocals for Adriel Danae and Mile of Music organizer Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons. 

Jones has been traveling with the Wild Rover Tour. 

It was rumored last week she might make an appearance at Mile of Music, as she had made unannounced appearances with the groups on the tour. 

The Mile of Music features 40 bands, groups, and singers performaning at numerous venues along College Avenue over a four-day period that ends Saturday. 

Nicolet National Bank chips in to help Bank of Wausau as feds shut it down

August 10, 2013, 2:40 am

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WAUSAU, WI (WTAQ) - FDIC regulators have shut down the Bank of Wausau, making it the second bank to shut down in Wisconsin this year.

According to the FDIC, the single branch bank had over $43-million in assets and $40-million in deposits.

Nicolet National Bank in Green Bay has agreed to buy out about $30-million of that asset, with the FDIC assuming the remaining assets.

The bank failure is expected to cost the insurance fund over $13-million.

This latest shutter brings the total number of failed U.S. banks to 18 this year, compared to 51 last year and 157 in 2010.

Packers shut out by the Cardinals

August 10, 2013, 3:22 am

≫ Next: Man dead, suspect in custody after gunshots ring out at Oneida bar

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Green Bay Packers were shut-out in its first preseason game at Lambeau Field last night, losing to the Arizona Cardinals 17-0.

Just three days after signing with Green Bay, quarterback Vince Young was 1-of-3 for 7 yards and rushed for 12 yards on 2 carries.

The only real highlight of the game for the Packers was an Aaron Rodgers pass to wide receiver James Jones for 50-yards in the quarterback’s only series of the game.

Packers are back in preseason action on August 17, against the Rams in St. Louis.

Man dead, suspect in custody after gunshots ring out at Oneida bar

August 10, 2013, 4:49 am

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TOWN OF ONEIDA, WI (WTAQ) - The Outagamie County Sheriff's Department is investigating a homicide that happened early Saturday morning at a bar in the Town of Oneida. 

Onieda Police say a 24-year man was shot in the bar and later died at the hospital. 

A suspect is in custody. 

Authorities responded to the Benderz Bar on W140 W. Service Road around 2:00 a.m. after receiving reports of gunshots.

Large downtown Green Bay fight ends with nine arrests

August 11, 2013, 7:02 am

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Law enforcement was needed to break up a large fight that occurred outside a downtown Green Bay bar Sunday morning. 

Nine people were eventually arrested just outside Billy Goats Pub at 709 South Broadway. 

Police were responded to a call around 2:17 a.m. about a disturbance and a man with a gun.  

Brown County Sheriff’s, Ashwaubenon Public Safety and additional Green Bay police officers were called in to help. 

Eventually the crowd was subdued and a gun was recovered.  

First aid was given to a number of people from the altercation. 

Man arrested following high speed chase, crash

August 11, 2013, 7:46 am

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay police say one man was arrested following a hit and run crash that led to a chase.

Some cops say they saw the hit and run in the parking lot of Billy Goats Pub, where a large fight broke out early Sunday.

Authorities say the driver left the bar parking lot and following a high speed chase, crashed in the 1100 block of E. Walnut Street.

Officials say the driver hit a utility pole and then got out and ran but was later arrested and faces several charges including drunk driving.

It's unclear at this time whether the crash and chase is related to the large melee.

Residents allowed back to homes in Neenah after gas leak

August 11, 2013, 7:50 am

≫ Next: Crash kills Kewaunee woman Saturday night

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NEENAH, WI (WTAQ) - Residents at a Neenah apartment complex are back in their homes following a gas leak caused evacuation of the area for several hours.

The gas leak happened at a building at 1331 Gillingham Rd., near the Primrose Apartment complex.

Crews have stopped the leak. They were called to the scene shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday.

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Crash kills Kewaunee woman Saturday night

August 11, 2013, 7:53 am

≫ Next: Manitowoc police arrest man for driving with girlfriend holding onto wipers

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TOWN OF LUXEMBURG, WI (WTAQ) - A 20-year-old Kewaunee woman is killed following a crash Saturday night.

Authorities believe alcohol and speed were factors in the crash just after 8:30 p.m. at the intersection of Church and Rendezvous Rd. in the Town of Luxemburg.

A truck towing farm equipment was crossing an intersection when the driver of the vehicle hit the pickup and rolled into a ditch, according to officials.

The driver of the vehicle died on scene.

The passenger of that vehicle, a 21-year-old Luxemburg woman, was transported to the hospital with serious injuries.

The driver of the pickup truck was not hurt.

Manitowoc police arrest man for driving with girlfriend holding onto wipers

August 11, 2013, 7:58 am

≫ Next: Sea Dragon on "aggressive schedule" in hopes for Labor Day weekend opening

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MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) - A man has been jailed for allegedly driving off while his girlfriend hung onto the windshield wipers.

Manitowoc Police say the unidentified 31-year-old woman told them she was trying to stop her 31-year-old boyfriend from a drug deal.

Police say the woman fell off and was later hospitalized, but suffered only cuts and bruises.

The boyfriend faces first-degree reckless endangerment and domestic violence charges.

Sea Dragon on "aggressive schedule" in hopes for Labor Day weekend opening

August 11, 2013, 10:40 pm

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GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Kids could have one last adventure before school is back in session.

Bay Beach Amusement Park’s newest ride, the Sea Dragon, could be open by Labor Day Weekend.

At least that’s the goal for the classic swinging-ship ride. 

Green Bay Park and Recreation Department Director Dawne Cramer says it’s an “aggressive schedule.” 

Crews begin to reassemble the city owned park’s 19^th ride Monday. 

The ride was purchased from the west coast during the winter and for the past several months, operators and mechanics have gone over the ride with a fine tooth comb.

Some parts were replaced, and the Viking ship along with its dual sea dragon heads was repainted. 

All this summer, the ride’s new home has been under construction near the Zippin Pippin. 

Cramer hopes to figure out how many tickets it will cost to ride the Sea Dragon by the end of this week, but she knows it will cost either two or three tickets. Tickets are 25 cents apiece.

Fire damages Kaukauna house

August 12, 2013, 7:43 am

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KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ) - Authorities say a fire damaged a Kaukauna home Sunday morning.

Outagamie County officials say the call went out around 5:30 a.m. to the single story home at 705 Dodge Street.

No one was home at the time.

The cause remains under investigation.

Officials say there is heavy fire, water and smoke damage. Estimated damage totals $55,000.

The Kaukauna Fire Department has labeled the house as a complete loss.

Lake Winnebago water quality study to begin

August 12, 2013, 8:51 am

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OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - This is the time of year when blue-green algae makes its presence known in many Wisconsin lakes.

The state DNR is warning swimmers and boaters to watch out for algae blooms. Those blooms typically grow in August due to rising water temperatures, and other conditions which make algae growth possible.

Last week, UW-Milwaukee said it received a three-quarter million dollar national grant to test Lake Winnebago – the state’s largest inland lake – to see if blue-green algae create toxins in drinking water.

Officials say the toxins can cause rashes, hives, aching stomachs, and flu-like symptoms.