GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay police are looking for a man who ran away from the Brown County Courthouse Friday morning.
Authorities say Christopher Belland was in court for an initial appearance on drug-related charges, when he managed to escape.
The 35-year-old Belland is white, wearing a white t-shirt and carrying a gray sweatshirt.
Police say the public is not in any danger.
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - We're hearing some details about a proposed contract extension between Oshkosh Corporation and its largest employee union.
United Auto Workers Local 578 members will vote on the proposal Sunday. Labor negotiators and the company reached a tentative deal on Monday.
Oshkosh Corp. officials say they need a five-year extension to help win a $13 billion contract to build Joint Light Tactical Vehicles for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps.
According to Oshkosh Corporation, the deal includes the following parts:
If the deal is approved, it would extend the existing labor agreement from 2016 to 2021.
The military contract is expected to be awarded in late 2015. Full-scale production wouldn't start until 2018.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Bay Beach Amusement Park is set to have another successful summer as it wraps up the season this last weekend.
After Labor Day, the park is only open on the weekends.
Asst. Manager Jason Arnoldi says with their newest ride the Sea Dragon opening for the last month of September, it has kept a steady pace of people coming through the normally slow part of the season. “It got a little bit more excitement going, it definitely increased attendance during September, it let people know that we were open,” Arnoldi said.
Arnoldi says with no Packers game this weekend, he expects to see more families coming out.
Gross revenue for the park is on par with the last two summers with more than $2.3 million. Ridership is up three and half percent and facility rentals were also up.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Crime Prevention Foundation of Brown County has granted nearly $13,800 in grants to ten recipients.
Some of those receiving funds include Ashwaubenon Public Safety’s Neighborhood Watch Program, a male mentorship program at De Pere Middle Schools, a Friday night program at the YMCA, Crime Stoppers, and the Green Bay Police Department’s Teen Police Academy.
Over the past eleven years, the foundations has awarded more than 90 grants worth more than $125,000.
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - A vehicle fire in Appleton brings a halt to the fire department's winter coat distribution.
Fire officials say the blaze started on the city's south side just after 8 a.m. Tuesday. Two vehicles were extensively damaged.
The coats were not involved in the fire. Authorities were just preparing to deliver them when they were called out.
When crews arrived on scene, a pickup truck was engulfed in flames and another truck parked nearby was also on fire.
Firefighters re-scheduled the Operation Warm coat distribution for Thursday, November 14th. They will visit Columbus Elementary at 8:30 a.m. and Lincoln Elementary at 10 a.m.
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - An Appleton man has been sentenced to 16 months in prison on a federal bank fraud conviction.
28-year-old Travis Zielinski pleaded guilty to a scheme in which he withdrew $68,000 from 48 bank accounts.
Prosecutors said Zielinski combed through newspaper obituaries to target the bank accounts of people who had recently died. Authorities said the victims were either dead, incapacitated, or were vulnerable in other ways.
Zielinski must spend three years under federal supervision once he leaves prison. He also has to repay all of what he stole.
STURGEON BAY, WI (WTAQ) - State and federal government biologists took water samples from Sturgeon Bay Tuesday, to find out if the invasive Asian carp has indeed arrived in northeast Wisconsin.
Earlier this month, a Notre Dame study turned up DNA evidence that the invasive carp showed up near Potawatomi State Park in Door County. That's where Sturgeon Bay empties into the Bay of Green Bay.
Officials say Tuesday's water samples will be analyzed to give officials a better idea of whether the silver or the big-head Asian carp have taken any kind of hold in the area.
The samples will be processed in Green Bay, and will get DNA testing at a federal lab in La Crosse. The results are expected in January.
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - The mystery is solved as to the blood trail in Appleton.
Police say a man came forward Wednesday admitting it was his blood found in the 300 block of N. Linwood Avenue on Saturday.
"They were rather embarrassed by the whole episode, but at this point it's a relief to us to know what the source of that was," says Sgt. Dave Lund with the Appleton Police Department. "This man admitted he was intoxicated and disoriented, they had gone to several buildings in the area looking for someone to let them in to help them out."
The man, who lives near that area of Appleton's west side, had stumbled and hit his head. He blacked out, and when he came to, that's when he was looking for help while dripping blood.
Lund says the man eventually made it home, where he was able to get treated for his head wound.
"They knew they were intoxicated enough that they shouldn't drive, so that was a positive thing," says Lund. "But they had apparently been with someone, it would've been nice for that person to ensure that this individual got home and was okay at that point."
No charges will be filed.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A man who allegedly swindled people out of $150,000 will stand trial.
40-year-old Frank Bagniefski of Green Bay waived his right to a preliminary hearing in court Wednesday.
Police say Bagniefski convinced them to invest in a fake business. Bagniefski used to work at First Rate Lending in Green Bay. Company officials say they were not aware of the alleged fraud.They also say Bagniefski was let go due to performance issues in March.
Bagniefski will enter a plea November 25.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A man is sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after he confessed to a number of arsons, including a fire at an Oconto County church.
Federal Judge William Griesbach handed down the sentence to 29-year-old Drew Christensen. He must also pay over $632,000 in restitution.
Court documents indicate that Christensen admitted to setting these three fires:
Christensen was also convicted of arson charges in two Wisconsin counties for three other fires. He will be sentenced in Marinette County Thursday, and in Oconto County Monday.
Christensen was a member of the Brazeau Fire Department for nearly six years.
Two accomplices also faced charges in both state and federal court for the incidents.
Donald Halbur was already sentenced to five years in prison in state court. He also faces a Jan. 27 federal court sentencing. Jessica Miller was already sentenced to five years in prison in state court. She faces a Jan. 28 federal court sentencing.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Brown County Sheriff's Department is warning residents about an increase in truck trailer thefts.
The thefts, which authorities say have been reported across Wisconsin, are of trailers for heavy duty construction, flatbeds and enclosed trailers. The suspects have the capability of hooking up several different types of trailers.
Sheriff's officials ask the public to keep an eye on areas where trailers are parked. Anyone who sees anything they feel is suspicious should contact local police.
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - The Appleton Area School District is exploring the possibility of a maintenance and technology referendum in February.
The school board will have to make the decision by mid-December.
The AASD board are hosting two public meetings next week where the district will be present informaiton on facilities and technology. The meetings are Monday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Roosevelt Middle School and Wednesday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at downtown City Center Plaza in the Community Room.
At this point, the referendum doesn’t have a specific amount.
TOWN OF MENASHA, WI (WTAQ) - Police in the Town of Menasha say an officer found a suspicious car Tuesday night in the 1400 block of West American Drive.
"In checking the license plate of that vehicle, the officer found that it was listed as stolen through the city of Oshkosh," says Town of Menasha Police Officer Jason Weber. "The driver stated that he was test-driving the car and really didn't provide any other information."
Weber says a search of the vehicle turned up a backpack.
"Inside of the backpack was over two pounds of marijuana, along with some packaging materials," says Weber. "Which led the officers to believe this person was either selling it or prepared to sell the marijuana."
The 39-year-old man was jailed on charges of possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver and possession of a prescription drug without a valid prescription.
Weber adds that the Oshkosh Police Department is investigating the stolen car angle to this.
MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) - Lawmakers in Manitowoc County will consider a half-percent sales tax hike put inside the 2014 budget proposal.
A motion from County Supervisor Todd Holschbach cleared the board's Finance Committee on a 3-2 vote Monday night.
Holschbach says the revenue from the sales tax would help pay for overdue maintenance to county property.
"It dates back to 1997, and it adds up to $4.8 million and I think it's our responsibility to address that fiscal challenge," says Holschbach. "It also includes county highways that are not being maintained and 10-plus deficient bridges."
Another motion by Jim Brey, Finance Committee Chairman, would take $1 million of that additional revenue to keep county workers' health insurance plan where they have been.
But the adjustment to the budget has drawn the ire of Manitowoc County Executive Bob Ziegelbauer.
"The Finance Committee action, in many ways, is just a sellout to special interest groups who want their stuff and are willing to have anybody but them pay for it," Ziegelbauer says. "We're trying to make some changes to that to make it affordable as a fringe benefit from the employers' point of view."
Ziegelbauer says he'll veto the sales tax idea, but hopes it doesn't even get past the full County Board. He's encouraging residents to contact their supervisor.
"Believe me; they hear you when you call. They don't get many calls, and when they get calls on issues this fundamental as a sales tax increase, they'll pay attention," says Ziegelbauer. "It's one thing to be intimidated by a room of special interests representatives in a committee room; it's another thing when all the people of their district start talking to them."
Holschbach denies that special interests played a role in the proposal.
"Our county workers are not a special interest, they're our county workers," says Holschbach. "We have businesses trying to create jobs, and that's not a special interest."
The Manitowoc County Board will take up the amended 2014 budget on Tuesday night.
SHAWANO COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A house fire in Shawano County forces people out in the cold.
Fire crews responded to the blaze on Moh He Cun Nuck Road in the Township of Bartelme around 1:30 a.m. Thursday.
Two people reportedly suffered smoke inhalation. Officials aren't sure if a dog got out of the home.
Cause of the fire and the extent of the damage isn't known.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - In an effort to save the city money, Green Bay is saying goodbye to the two person garbage collection teams.
Starting on the first of the new year, the city will start to phase in automated trash collection with just one driver operating a pick-up arm. It's been in the works for years, it started with the automation of recycling.
Details on what the move to automated trash collection will look like were released this week.
It will be a six month process that would coincide with three new trucks being added and the conversation of nine others.
Homeowners will be getting a new 96-gallon trash cart that will arrive on their doorstep two weeks before automation starts in their area.
Homeowners will also get a bill of $60 for the new cart. “The current proposal, what we are planning on doing it splitting that charge, $30 on this year’s tax bill and $30 on next year’s tax bill” said Public Works Director Steve Grainer.
There are other big changes; there will be only be two times in a year when bulk waste will be picked-up. In the past, you could put it out whenever. Now the city will charge for bulk waste pick-up if it’s not in that time frame.
However, the city has set-up two new year-round drop off sites for bulk items. One on the east and west side Public Works garages.
The city will also schedule four overflow periods throughout the year, where residents can place extra trash outside their trash carts.
Grainer says the carts will be delivered by the manufacturer and will come with a large packet of information on all the changes.
A few things need to still be smoothed out, but you will soon be able to visit the Public Works sanitation webpage and find out the estimated time that your neighborhood will start using the trash carts.
Around 40,000 homes and businesses will soon get water bills that will include a Q & A sheet.
GREEN BAY, WI (WATQ) - Tonnage numbers through the Port of Green Bay are back on track to hit two million tons for this shipping season after a decrease in September.
Numbers bounced back in October, up eleven percent over last at this time.
To date, tonnage numbers are at 1.7 million says Port Director Dean Haen. Positives for this so far year are in limestone with an increase of 23%. It is the largest import commodity. Foreign imports of salt are up 165%.
Haen says tonnage numbers are a direct economic indicator. If tonnage hits the two million mark, Haen says it means of good start or year for economy for northeast Wisconsin.
Haen says this is the scramble time for industry shippers as they look to get in and out tonnage before the season wraps up, which is typically between mid-December and the first of the new year.
STURGEON BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A trial has been ordered for one of the suspects accused of setting fire to a sex offender's home because they didn't want him in the neighborhood.
On Thursday, Justin Baker waived his preliminary hearing. Online court records indicate an arraignment has been scheduled for November 25.
The other suspect, T.J. Robert Hunt, returns to court Monday for a balance of initial appearance.
Baker and Hunt found out that Jason Johnson, a registered sex offender, had recently moved into the residence. They allegedly started the fire, targeting Johnson. He was able to escape uninjured.
KIMBERLY, WI (WTAQ) - A village in the Fox Valley has come up with a plan to replace a former paper mill.
The firm of AIM Development is working with other developers and the village of Kimberly to fill bring new life to 98 acres where NewPage closed a paper plant five years ago.
The plan includes a mix of homes and businesses which include single-family houses, apartments, townhouses, office buildings, restaurants, and retail stores.
Officials have not given a timetable for the project -- and the costs have not been made public yet.
MARINETTE, WI (WTAQ) - When an ex-firefighter leaves a federal prison, he'll go directly to a state lockup to serve more time for setting a number of arson fires in northeast Wisconsin.
A state judge in Marinette County gave 29-year-old Drew Christensen a five-year prison term Thursday. That was a day after Federal Judge William Griesbach of Green Bay ordered a 10-year term for burning down the Klondike Community Church and two taverns over the past four years.
Christensen's Marinette County conviction was for burning down Jessica Miller's home at Stephenson, after she and another man convinced him to destroy her house so she could collect the insurance money.
The judge ordered them to pay back the insurance company almost $300,000. He also told Christensen to spend five years under extended supervision when his prison terms end.
A judge in Oconto County could give Christensen even more time on Monday, when he's due to be sentenced for burning down a mobile home and a garage.
A federal prosecutor called Christensen a "serial arsonist."
His lawyer said it was the only way he could let out his aggression, after he broke up with his fiancée and his brother died in a car crash five years ago.
