KEWAUNEE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - Kewaunee County Emergency Management will be simulating an industrial type incident during an exercise on Saturday.

The simulation will take place in the Village of Luxemburg around the Kewaunee County Fairgrounds.

It's been twenty years since an exercise has taken place in that area, and Kewaunee County Emergency Management Director Tracy Nollenberg says the area has changed in that time, so it is time to practice.

"To make sure that they have their procedures in place and a plan in place for what they are going to do if an emergency does happen in that area."

During that time the area will look like an actual emergency and some roads will have partial closures for much of the day.

"Hearing sirens and seeing emergency response vehicles going through so that they are not alarmed when they see that going on."

A partial road closure of 4th Street will be in effect from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. 

Emergency Management will follow the exercise by hosting a social media training on Monday.

"We are doing a social media functional exercise just to help promote emergency response participation from the Saturday exercise.

The public should expect an increase in the counties social media activity that day.

OSHKOSH (WTAQ-WLUK) - A program that trains service dogs for those suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) got a boost from a local police department.

Through the program, the dogs are placed with inmates at the Oshkosh Correctional Institution.

"It gives the inmates an opportunity to gain skills, it gives the inmates an opportunity to give back to the community. I think it helps them through their incarceration period as well. But then it gives back to the community," said Oshkosh police chief, Dean Smith.

The money was raised by Oshkosh officers and staff as part of its fall fundraiser.

Every Oshkosh Police Department employee who donates $50, can have facial hair, female officers can have their hair past the collar of their uniform shirts and staff can dress casually on Thursdays and Fridays.

To add a little friendly competition to the fundraiser, Lt. Andrew Lecker has challenged Sawyer, the bearded collie, to see who can grow the best beard.

The fundraising effort will continue through the end of November.

FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ) - Fond du Lac Police are investigating why a man was found unresponsive in the road earlier this month.

32-year-old Joshua Farr was found lying in the 800 block of Grove Street on October 3 in the early morning hours.

He was taken to the hospital where he later died.

If you have any information regarding this incident, please call Detective Mike Mueller at (920) 322-3713 or the crime alert number (920)322-3740.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - As part of Brown Counties 200th Anniversary, a "This is Public Health" Flu shot clinic was held.

At Heritage Hill in Green Bay Wednesday afternoon, sleeves were rolling up for the flu shot.

Adults and children lined up and County Public Health Officer Anna Destree says the mission to help prevent the flu in Brown County got underway.

"We know that the flu is preventable, and the single best way to prevent the flu is to get the flu vaccine."

Destree says last year was a rough year so this year it was important to bring awareness to flu prevention and provide flu shots and little to no cost.

"If it doesn't prevent illness, then it can at least prevent the severity of illness which means less time away from work, school, and play."

Not everyone elects to get the flu shot and while Destree says it does come highly recommended to get one, those that choose not to should at least practice habits that would keep the flu away.

"Avoiding sick people, not sharing utensils, eating healthy foods, getting plenty of rest and not smoking."

The vaccination Wednesday was 20 dollars for adults, and free for children.

The flu vaccination is recommended for all people 6 months and older. 

Symptoms of the flu include fever, headache, non-productive cough, sore throat, running nose and the feeling of being very tired.

Those who believe that they have flu symptoms should contact a healthcare provider right away.

Brown County residents will have multiple opportunities to get a flu shot.

UPDATE: Oshkosh Police reporting a 34 year old Kaukauna man has been taken into custody in connection with this case.

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Oshkosh Police have provided more details about a man that was found dead at home last Friday.

Police identified 47-year-old Steven Mallas as the deceased victim on Wednesday. 

"According to Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office Steven Mallas died as a result of a complication from a battery," says Officer Kate Mann with the Oshkosh Police Department.

The incident was reported in the 400 block of Boyd Street.

"No weapons were reported being used during this battery," says Officer Mann

Police are continuing their investigation and even with the violent nature of the incident, officials are assuring families in the area that they are not in extended danger.

"We feel that this was an isolated incident and that the public is not at any risk," explains Officer Mann.

At this point, any tips may help lead the department to an arrest.

"Right now we're looking for any information that people would have in regards to this incident," says Officer Mann.

The Oshkosh Police Department can be reached at 920-236-5700 and individuals can remain anonymous by contacting Winnebago County Crime Stoppers at 920-231-8477.

MENASHA, WI (WTAQ) - The unemployment rate is continuing to drop to the point where there is now more open positions than unemployed individuals.

There were more than 7 million open positions listed in August, according to the U.S. Labor Department.

According to the department, there were more than 6 million people were unemployed during that time.

The unemployment currently sits at a near five-decade long low of 3.7 percent.

This dynamic has forced employers to adjust their approach and this has affected many businesses in Northeast Wisconsin.

The change was apparent at the Fox Valley Technical College Job Fair on Wednesday where hiring employers were promoting boosted benefits among other factors aimed at attracting young workers.

Many of those companies looking to attract a new generation of workers have found that money isn't the only factor.

"With the younger workforce, we found that they wanted more vacation and we're looking at our pay structure as well," says Molly Schecklman of Innovative Machine Specialist, Inc.

Brandon Fochs, a student at FVTC, agrees that money isn't everything right now.

"I'm not looking for a lot to start off with, just the ability to grow, the ability to make more as I stay there and show my dedication to the company," says Fochs.

Travis Rewalt with Neenah Foundry lists the positions his company is looking to fill.

"We're looking to fill automation technicians, looking to fill controls roles," says Rewalt.

Many employers also noted declining enrollment at manufacturing schools is a challenge when searching for new hires.

Shecklman describes some of the difficulties her business has faced when searching for new hires.

"There are few people who are unemployed, and those people aren't necessarily looking at the skills and training jobs that we have," she says.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A fire left one person without a home last night.

Green Bay Metro Fire getting the just before 5 to a residence at 836 Chestnut Avenue.

Officials say the fire started in the kitchen after the stove was left on.

At that point flames spread from the stove to the kitchen cabinets and walls.

Firefighters estimate a $20,000 loss and remind people to never leave appliances on and unattended.

ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - The Packers say there's already a long list of people interested in living at one of the 220 residential units coming to the Titletown District.

On Wednesday, people that live in the neighborhood to the south of Titletown had a chance to meet with developers about the district’s next phase.

Some of the neighbors who showed up to the informational meeting at Ashwaubenon's Performing Arts Center say it's been so far so good for the Packers' Titletown District.

“To me, it's like a little miniature Time Square,” said Patricia Neumann.

Don Doney tells FOX 11 he's a regular visitor.

“In the summer, we go over there a couple times a week just to roam around and watch the people and get something to eat.”

Coming next for the Titletown District is 220 residential units.

Up to 150 units will be in an apartment complex. 70 to 90 units will either be in the form of townhomes or stacks, which are paired units, similar to a duplex.

The apartment building and a four or five-story office building will sit on top of a podium. Parking will be underneath the podium.

The Packers say more retail, restaurant, or commercial development will likely be announced in the next 60 days.

Charlie Millerwise, the Packers Director of Development, tells FOX 11 since those plans were first publicly revealed two weeks ago, 950 people have expressed interest in moving into the new residential units.

“If you go to Titletown.com you can put your name on an interest list and our sales group will start talking with you and provide some information about timeline and size and price and things like that as they become available.”

“I can't imagine that many people in that small of an area,” said Neumann.

“It's a big area, but it's not really big for that amount of people they seem to want to put in it.”

The Packers told nearby residents the goal is to start construction next spring and have the projects complete for the summer of 2020.

MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) - A man was ordered to stand trial on Thursday that's being charged in connection to a toddler's death.

Court Records show that Eduardo Gamez of Manitowoc faces two counts of chronic child neglect.

He waived a preliminary hearing on Thursday and is scheduled to enter a plea on October 29.

The charges stem from an incident in July when a toddler in Gamez's and Jamie Schrank's care suffered extensive bruising and died from internal and external injuries.

Schrank is also being charged with chronic child neglect and has pleaded not guilty, but no trial date has been set.

Neither of the individuals has been charged specifically with the boy's death, however. 

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - UPDATE: A Green Bay boy who was missing from his home on the city's west side has now been found safe, according to police.

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The 12-year-old had been missing from his home in the 1200 block of Colonial Avenue since around 4:30 yesterday afternoon. 

According to the boy's father, the boy has health conditions that require an adult's care.

He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a maroon sweatshirt.

The police were searching for the boy near Franklin Middle School and reported the boy did not have friends or family nearby that we would have gone to. 

BARRON, WI (WTAQ) - The Wisconsin Department of Justice announced on Thursday that its Office of School Safety is planning on deploying emergency resources, including trained therapists, school resources officers, and comfort dogs, to the Barron School District.

The Office of School Safety (OSS) is a relatively new department to assist in crisis situations and hasn't gained much experience in deployment yet.

"The Office of School Safety was created on March 22, of this year and there really hasn't been a situation that would meet that standard up until this point," says OSS Director Kristen Devitt.

This announcement follows the aftermath of the disappearance of 13-year-old Jayme Closs. The search for her continues and it was recently announced that her parent's death was ruled a homicide. 

Due to the fluid nature of this investigation, there isn't a hard timeline on how long resources will be implemented throughout the Barron School District.

"We're just providing the support that's needed and reevaluating every day to see what needs to happen tomorrow," says Devitt.

Students and staff will be assisted in managing trauma and mental health needs. 

The Wisconsin Safe and Healthy Schools Training & Technical Assistance Center will be providing emergency training to school staff and counselors through PREPaRE training.

This training focuses on a long-term approach to provide mental health support to students and staff after a crisis.

"It just talks about being ready to not just respond but also to recover from a significant incident," explains Devitt.

Maybe most importantly, the OSS wants to offer help to every affected individual.

"This is sort of an enhancement that focuses on the school community, not just focusing on family and friends of the victim," she says. 

The services being provided are funded through an emergency grant from the Wisconsin Department of Justice. 

LUXEMBURG, WI (WTAQ) - A groundbreaking event Friday morning will unveil enhanced student safety measures for one school district.

The event at Luxemburg-Casco Primary School starting at 10 AM will showcase the first phase of a larger improvement project. 

The highlights of this component are heightened security at main entrances to school buildings and shatter resistant film on windows and glass. 

School District Superintendent Glenn Schlender says proposed safety improvements were on an April referendum that voters overwhelmingly supported.

"It's a no-brainer," says Schlender. "People just intuitively said, well, of course, you have to increase the security of your schools."

One of the main focuses will be keeping a watchful eye on who enters and leaves the building.

"We needed to upgrade our school entrances to be what is referred to in our business as a secure main entrance," he says.

That includes having the proper personnel in place at the entrance to monitor and check-in individuals attempting to enter the school.

He says staff, parents, and students should be able to enter into the school building and feel safer very soon. 

"We expect the entrance to be fully operational for the start of next school year," says Schlender. 

The other main safety improvement, shatter resistant film on windows and glass, is already in progress.

"We are already installing film at the intermediate school and our middle school," explains Schlender.

Future components to the larger school improvement project include additional space for classrooms and athletic facilities. 

FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ) - The mother of a Fond du Lac man who died earlier this month is speaking out saying she thinks there's more to the story of how her son died.

Joshua Farr was found by officers lying in the road on Grove Street on October 3. He was flown to ThedaCare Medical Center for his head injuries but died on October 11. 

Investigators have not determined if the death was criminal or not, but Katherine Farr, Joshua's mother, has made up her mind.

"It's just hard not knowing why they killed him, why he's gone," says Katherine Farr.

She says her son was immersed in a bad crowd, full of drug addicts, and he sustained a severe head injury just a few months ago following a beating.

"He had brain swelling and bleeding, again, both times," she says.

Not only is she convinced this is a criminal case, but also believes investigators have kept her in the dark.

"I have not heard from the detectives not once," explains Farr. "Not once since I've been here."

No matter the outcome of the case, Katherine Farr wants people to remember her son for the loving individual he was. That's how she'll think of him.

"He was a caring person, funny," she says. "Liked to embarrass his mom."

The family is planning on having a private memorial for Joshua.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the Fond du Lac Police non-emergency number at 920-322-3713.not once since I

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Green Bay Police Department will be better able to fight opioid abuse in the area thanks to a $1,000 check they were presented on Thursday.

The donation came from a local business, Newcomer Creations, Funerals, and Receptions.

Police Chief Andrew Smith accepted the check from the business, which has stated they simply want to help people in the community. 

Green Bay Police stated they will be able to purchase additional narcan kits that will be carried by officers.

“Taking on the opioid epidemic is a collective effort,” Smith told Fox 11 News.

“We must work together to prevent addiction and help our family members, friends, coworkers, or anyone that has fallen victim to this. On behalf of the Green Bay Police Department, we thank Newcomer for their generous support in helping future victims.” 

PESHTIGO, WI (WTAQ) - A Brewers winning streak resulted in free food a George Webb in Peshtigo.

Hundreds of free burgers were handed out, thanks to the Brewers, and a long time promise by George Webb if the Brewers win 12 in a row.  

Doug Orlowski of Kewaunee was the first in line.  

"We were waiting for the Brewers to do this my entire life, and once they did, we made the road trip up to Peshtigo to get the burger. Orlowski says it was worth the trip.  

"Tastes like victory."  

For some, one burger was not enough.  

Sean Nichols of Iron Mountain Michigan, a competitive eater, stopped in for a snack.   

"I am just enjoying them, not speed eating them. 15 paid and one for free."  

For Nichols, it was a new experience.  

"I have actually never had George Webb before, so I thought this was a good chance since I was driving through the area."  

For some like Marla Curran of Allouez, it was a chance to relive old memories.  

"The burger is just as I remember," she said. "I have not had one since 1987."  

When asked out the burger tasted.  

"It tastes better when the Brewers are winning."  

While winning 12 games in a row is great, Brewer fans are hoping for more, starting with a two-game win streak that would send them to the World Series.  

Fans just hope it does not take 18 years for 12 in a row to happen again.

KEWAUNEE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Hundreds of middle school students took to the field Thursday to learn about careers in agriculture.

A line of school buses made its way through the 20-acre barn at Kinnard Farms near Casco.

Co-Owner Lee Kinnard tells FOX 11 this 7,200 dairy cow complex is state-of-the-art.

"Technology is the great equalizer that allows farms to be very much like any other career out there."

From drones to genetics, to computerized security, Ag-Career Day 2018 is designed to attract seventh, eighth and ninth grade school students to fill jobs in the industry.

"It's phenomenal. It's just so exciting for them to see this in person. They have no idea until they're exposed to it," said Lynn Kroll, Kewaunee County Economic Development Corporation.

Kroll tells FOX 11 the 25 presentations are tailored to middle school students.

"Because once they get into high school, they're going to start taking classes in the area where they need to, to go to school, or to find out what they like."

So what do the students think of the field trip?

"Awesome. It's fun. It's a good experience. There are all new things. There are job opportunities. And learning more about dairy, and how they process the cows," said Kayla Du Fresne, Kewaunee Middle School Student.

"When I was younger, I just thought it was the farmer, the helpers, and the cows and calves. I didn't think there was much behind it," said Shelby Pribek, Kewaunee Middle School Student.

"Working on a farm isn't just cows and calves and stuff. There's a lot of stuff that goes into it," said Jayde Steward, Kewaunee Middle School Student.

A career in agriculture may be a choice that Kinnard says he would welcome..

"We'd love to retain these kids here. Make this their home. Make this their residence. Make this their community of choice."

This is the fourth Ag-Career Day.

About 700 students from Southern Door, Denmark, Algoma, Kewaunee, and Luxemburg-Casco attended the two-day event.

UPDATE:  APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - A wanted man and woman are in custody after a night long disturbance in Appleton.  Cops patrolling the 1800 block of Frances Street when they spotted a man and a woman that were both wanted on several felony warrants in a home on the block.  The couple refused to come out for hours as police swarmed the neighborhood.  The standoff is over and no injuries reported.

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - A wanted man and woman were the cause of a disturbance in an Appleton neighborhood overnight.

Officials say an officer was patrolling the 1800 block of Frances Street in Appleton last night.

That officer saw a man and a woman that were both wanted on several felony warrants in a home on the block.

Police decided to use SWAT teams to take both the man and woman into custody.

Additional officers made it to the home around 7:30, and demanded the man and woman come out of the house.

After making the commands over a megaphone, two people came out of the home.

Neither was the man or woman that officers were looking for. But they did tell police the people they were looking for were inside.

Officers say made several attempts to get the man and the woman to come out of the home, including using a robot.

Finally, the woman came out of the house and surrendered, but at last word, the man was still inside. Police say they do not believe the public is in danger.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - Preliminary development plans were publicly unveiled Thursday night for Renard Island.

What to do with 55-acre island, near Bay Beach, has been a topic in Brown County for more than a decade.

In the past three days, all the ideas talked about over the years were put to paper.

Dean Haen, Port of Green Bay Director says...

“We're hoping that this plan creates a lot of buzz and there are public entities and private entities that want to partner to fulfill this plan.

Mark Walter, Business Development Manager for Brown County Port and Resource Recovery, tells FOX 11 the plan includes three options.

“On one end, you've got an undeveloped, kind of habitat area. The other end you've got a very active recreational use island. In the middle, it's a little bit of both.”

Possibilities for the island include an observation tower, walking, and biking trails, a marina, fishing piers, and kayak and paddle boat opportunities.

Haen tells Fox 11 retail shops are also possible, however, any structures would likely need to be built on the island's perimeter, to avoid extra engineering costs.

“One of the designs has like a fisherman's wharf, boardwalks, you've got a place you can rent rollerblades, paddleboards, kayaks, ice cream.”

One point to stress is these options are all drafts. A final master plan must receive full county board approval.

“We'll actually have a finished plan that will go over permit ability of the ideas that we have, the cost, the return on investment, the idea that we're maybe going to have multiple lessees out there doing multiple activities,” said Haen.

“It's great to think you can, but at the end of the day, if we can't put it in here without spending millions of dollars, we're not going to do it. It just doesn't make sense that way,” said Walter.

The county hopes to have a final master plan for Renard Island ready to vote on in February.

The county must maintain ownership of the island.

Renard Island was constructed in 1978 as a place to put contaminated, dredged sediment.

A clean cover of dredged material was put on the island to protect human health and the environment.

ELKHORN, WI (WTAQ) - A suspect was shot and killed by a deputy in Elkhorn Thursday night according to Walworth County sheriff's officials.

Deputies attempted to pull the suspect over after he was spotted driving recklessly on Highway 12/67 near Elkhorn around 10 PM, but a pursuit began after the individual failed to pull over.

Officials report that later the suspect's vehicle did stop and the deputy got out of his squad car. At that point, the suspect started driving toward the deputy, who fired his weapon and killed the man.

No one else was injured.

The shooting is currently under investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - The Mega Millions jackpot hit $1 billion Friday, making it the largest in Mega Millions history.

The jackpot has grown by more than $300 million since Wednesday morning after no winning ticket was sold.

Another Green Bay resident, Leo Cortright, also agreed the jackpot was a lot but said he has a plan all figured out if he were to win.

While the odds of you winning are one in 300 million, Patrick Stoa, a financial adviser for Macco Financial Group, said it's never a bad idea to have some sort of financial plan in place. 

"When people receive a lot of money one of the first things they do is let too many people know about it. If you tell too many people about it and you don't have a plan for your money, a lot of other people do," said Stoa.

Stoa said the first simple step you should take if you happen to win the lottery is to sign your ticket and put it somewhere safe.

"The second thing I would do would be to go on a vacation and get away from it all and process it. After that they will want to meet with a financial planner and an estate attorney because they might have estate tax issues that they are unfamiliar with," he said.

The estimated cash value for Friday's jackpot is $565 million, but the winner could choose to be paid annually over 30 years.

"Mathematically it's better for them to take the buyout, but I would argue to take the monthly payouts so they won't run out," explained Stoa.

Meanwhile, there is a Powerball drawing on Saturday. That lottery's jackpot has grown to $430 million, with an estimated cash value of $248 million.