GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Fire damages an east side Green Bay building early Friday morning.
Fire crews were called to the building on the corner of East Mason and George Streets around 1 a.m.
Officials say the blaze started outside the building which houses a law office and a barbershop. Then the flames made its way inside.
No one was hurt. There's no estimate on damages yet, but officials say it's not a total loss.
Investigators don't know what started the fire.
MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - A state senator wants to take a closer look at the UW’s new Human Resource System.
That’s after the Legislative Audit Bureau found that the university overpaid $33 million in employee health and retirement benefits in the last fiscal year.
Joint Audit Committee co-chair Rob Cowles of Green Bay said the audit raised concerns about a lack of monitoring and oversight for the UW’s fringe benefit payments. Cowles said it reflects a, “recurring trend of fiscal mis-management by the UW System.”
But university spokesman David Giroux said the problems have already been resolved. He said UW staffers identified the overpayments, and have adopted new procedures to prevent similar problems in the future.
The complex Human Resource System started operating almost two years ago, and Giroux said the errors took place during what he called a “period of stabilization” for the system.
The audit showed that the UW overpaid $15.5 million for health coverage, including $8 million for over 900 employees who had been fired. The UW was only able to recover $228,000 of the premiums for the fired workers.
The overpayments to the state retirement system were credited back to the university.
ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) - Officials with the WIAA and PMI Entertainment Group unveiled the 2013 state girls basketball tournament logo Friday.
Last spring, the WIAA approved moving the girls tournament from Madison to the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon. The girls had played in Madison for 36 years.
The agreement is for two years, meaning the future home after 2014 is still up in the air. The tournament is scheduled for March 14-16 and tickets go on sale Saturday.
The WIAA decided to keep the boys state tournament in Madison, where it has 92 years of history. The tournament will stay there through 2020.
Convention and Visitors Bureau officials estimate the economic impact of the tournament to be about $3 million.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The longest serving mayor in the history of the city of Green Bay has died.
The mayor's office says Sam Halloin has died at the age of 89.
Halloin was first elected in 1979 and held the post until he retired in 1995. During that time he helped develop the city's downtown, including the construction of the Neville Public Museum.
Halloin also served on the City Council and the Brown County Board.
The city is honoring Halloin by flying flags at half staff at City Hall and all city municipal buildings for the next three days.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A Preble High School student has learned his fate after being convicted in a fatal hit-and-run crash.
18-year-old Felix Ruiz was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison, along with three-and-a-half years of extended supervision Friday.
In July, investigators say Ruiz struck and killed 52-year-old Daryl Wayka on Main Street. After the crash, Ruiz's brother drove him to Milwaukee to take a bus to Mexico.
Ruiz returned, but did not turn himself in. Police eventually found Ruiz hiding in a closet at a friend's house in Howard.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Officials with the St. John the Evangelist homeless shelter have entered a written not guilty plea to their ordinance citation.
That move negates the need for a municipal court hearing scheduled for next week.
The city of Green Bay cited the shelter for allegedly violating their conditional use permit, which limited the shelter to 64 residents per night. Officials from the shelter and Catholic Diocese of Green Bay have said they would not turn anyone away due to the limit. The shelter has also taken people to an overflow facility at St. Norbert College in an attempt to meet the permit requirements.
The next step in the case is a Feb. 5 pretrial conference with the city attorney's office. That is not a hearing before the municipal court judge.
The shelter could be fined $500 plus court costs for each violation of the permit.
Also, shelter officials are expected to ask on Monday that their permit limit be increased.
MARION, WI (WTAQ) - Shawano County authorities are investigating the robbery of a Marion home, while family members were planning the funeral of the elderly couple who lived there.
First, a 90-year-old husband and wife died within 25 hours of each other earlier this week. Eldore and Malinda Mielke left the world the same way they had farmed their land for 68 years of marriage: Together.
"What I can comment on is that U.S. currency was stolen along with some jewelry. There were some other items taken,” said Sgt. Gordon Kowaleski of the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department.
The Shawano County Sheriff's Department says it took DNA samples and tire track analysis from the Mielkes' house. There are no suspects.
Police tips if your home will be empty for a while: Make sure to have someone watch it. Also, don't share any more than you have to about what's inside the home, or about what may be in a family estate.
If you have any information about this theft, Shawano County deputies say they'd like to hear from you at (715) 526-3111.
SAN FRANCISCO (WTAQ) - In one of the great playoff debuts in NFL history, Colin Kaepernick led the 49ers to a 45-31 win over the Green Bay Packers at Candlestick Park in San Francisco Saturday night.
The 2nd-year player set an NFL record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a playoff game with 181. Kaepernick added a pair of touchdowns on the ground, to go with 17-of-31 passing for 263 yards and 2 TD's with one interception.
That interception started the game for the Packers, as cornerback Sam Shields returned that pass 52 yards for a touchdown.
Following a Kaepernick 20-yard TD run on the next drive, the Packers took a 14-7 lead when running back DuJuan Harris scored on an 18-yard scamper. That capped a 7 play, 80-yard drive.
The 49ers scored twice in the 2nd quarter, on 12 and 20-yard touchdown receptions by wide receiver Michael Crabtree. Crabtree caught 9 balls for 119 yards in all.
After the Packers tied the game at 21-21 on a 20-yard touchdown grab by wide receiver James Jones, the Niners got a 36-yard field goal from David Akers to lead 24-21 at the half.
The second half became all San Francisco, as the Packers defense had problems stopping Kaepernick and the NFC Western Division champs.
The Packers had two turnovers, which both turned into touchdowns for San Francisco.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, battling a sinus infection, finished the day 26-of-39 for 257 yards with 2 TD's and 1 interception.
San Francisco dominated time of possession 37:47 to 21:59.
The 49ers advance to their second straignt NFC Championship Game and await the winner of Sunday's NFC Divisional playoff between the Seattle Seahawks and the Atlanta Falcons.
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Officials with Oshkosh Public Schools say providing school board members with Apple iPads will save money in the long run.
It’s being called part of a district effort to cut down on paper expenses.
Each iPad-2 is expected to cost about $380, making the total expense almost $2,700. District staff won’t have to make copies and put together huge information packets for board meetings any more.
One district official says the iPads will also make it easier for board members to access information.
The iPads are considered a good investment, even the district is facing the need to cut more than $2.5 million in spending to balance the budget.
KANSAS CITY (WTAQ) - The Kansas City Chiefs have hired John Dorsey as their new general manager.
Dorsey, the longtime director of college scouting for the Green Bay Packers, will be introduced in a press conference Monday.
Dorsey becomes the 6th GM in franchise history. He replaces Scott Pioli, who had been the GM since January 2009.
The Chiefs and Pioli parted ways earlier this month prior to Andy Reid being named the new head coach.
MENASHA, WI (WTAQ) - Menasha police are investigating an early morning stabbing that left a 20-year-old man injured.
Police say it happened at an apartment building in the 1200 block of Midway Road before 1:30 a.m. Sunday.
The victim, whom cops spoke with at the hospital, suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Authorities say they don't have any suspects in custody, but they are attempting to talk to people who may have been involved in the incident.
The public is not believed to be in any danger.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Brown County Board plans to honor Green Bay Packers’ receiver Donald Driver this week for his contributions to the community.
The 37-year-old Driver is the team’s all-time leading receiver. But he’s not expected to return to the Packers after 14 seasons, and county supervisor Bernie Erickson says he wants to honor Driver before he leaves town.
The board plans to recognize him for creating a foundation that deals with homelessness and education. Driver has also hosted an annual charity softball game with his Packer teammates.
Erickson says Driver has given both his talents and his money to the community – and now is a great chance to honor him.
County officials say the board meeting is on Driver’s schedule, but it’s subject to change.
Green Bay has been Driver’s only NFL team since he was drafted in 1999. He says still he wants to play until he’s 40 – but he may also retire as a pure Packer. He hasn’t made that decision yet.
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - With the return of the Oshkosh-based 1157th Transportation Company, preparations are underway to welcome home the Wisconsin National Guard unit.
According to Capt. Joy Staab, soldiers from the 1157th are expected back by the end of the week for a ceremony on the EAA grounds in Oshkosh. Last week, the unit arrived in Mississippi from Afghanistan for debriefing.
Oshkosh Corp. is helping to underwrite the costs of the welcome home ceremony as well as provide vehicles to display. There will be seating for at least 1,100 people at the ceremony.
Plans for the return flight and transportation for the unit to the EAA grounds in Oshkosh are still in the works.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Operators of the downtown Green Bay St. John’s Evangelist homeless shelter plan to request an increase in their bed capacity.
Currently the Green Bay Catholic Diocese serves 64 people, but was cited by the city for being in violation of their permit.
During a news conference Monday outside the shelter, an estimated 125 volunteers and supporters of the shelter gathered. There Executive Director Alexia Wood announced they plan on requesting a new conditional use permit to serve 84 guests a night.
The shelter has redeveloped an area of the old school they occupy that was not in use. Over the summer, the shelter revamped its bathrooms, resource center and sleeping quarters.
Meanwhile, the Diocese is gearing up for a fight against their citation, claiming their operational plan, that was approved by police and discussed at committee level, allows them to currently house overflow residents that they are supposedly in violation of.
Back in August, the shelter's conditional use permit was approved by the city council for an increase of a dozen more people to 64-beds. As part of the CUP, the city required an operational plan. That operational plan includes an overflow plan to serve 20 people, which was discussed at a Plan Committee meeting.
The shelter has been sending around 16 guests every night to St. Norbert College since Dec. 21st after the city cited the shelter. But the college is only available for another week, as a campus gym will be needed once students return from winter break.
The shelter put out a call to organizations to help with overflow guests, as it may not be possible for the city council to approve the new CUP request before St. Norbert College students return.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A man was pulled from the Fox River in Green Bay Monday.
Authorities say a witness called them after seeing a man acting suspiciously near the water.
When officers arrived, the man went onto the ice, and refused to come off. He eventually broke through. That's when a police officer and firefighters went into the water to pull him out.
Police say the man is 50 years old, and homeless. Officials say he was suicidal.
The man was taken to the hospital for evaluation.
MANITOWOC COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) - A Manitowoc teenager is dead following a crash Monday.
Authorities say it happened on County Highway J at San Road near Reedsville.
Wisconsin State Patrol officers say a milk tanker was driving southbound when the 16-year-old in a car didn't stop at a stop sign at the intersection.
The driver of the milk tanker suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Officials haven't released the name of the teen killed.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Green Bay city council gives the green light to a new preschool program expected to start next fall at Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary.
Wildlife Sanctuary Director Mike Reed says the program is part of a growing trend of nature based education because kids, especially younger kids perform better.
Reed says the program will get kids outside learning their core requirements.
It’s a different direction for the city because they will be hiring a teacher and naturalist directly. They in turn will work with the Green Bay school district who supplies the curriculum and resources.
The city would receive funds of an estimated $57,000 on an annual basis from the Department of Public Instruction.
Alderman Tom Sladek liked the idea of the program but questioned the city’s involvement and if they is really part of the city’s mission.
Sladek wondered why the school district, who administers and runs programs like this, wasn’t better equipped to handle the program.
ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ) - Governor Scott Walker is taking his State of the State address on the road Wednesday.
Governor Walker is kicking off his statewide tour with stops in Hartford and Ashwaubenon.
Walker will appear at Austin Straubel Airport Wednesday afternoon, after a visit to Steelcraft Corp. in Hartford.
More statewide visits will be announced at a later date by the governor's office.
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Green Bay Police Department is using interns to handle what could be over 10,000 minor cases in the New Year.
The idea is to free up the sworn officers for more serious crimes.
The interns are called CSI’s, or Community Service Interns. They’re responding to calls that involve vandalism, theft, and parking complaints.
The interns do not have guns, but they can get armed back-ups if they have to.
Officials say the interns also patrol Green Bay’s parks – and they work with neighborhood groups.
One of the interns, Riley Peterson, says it gives him valuable experience as he trains to become a full-fledged police officer.
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - Governor Scott Walker, Adjutant General Don Dunbar, and senior National Guard leaders will help welcome home a transportation unit from Afghanistan on Friday.
About 130 members of the Guard’s 1157th Transportation Company of Oshkosh were planning to go to Kuwait to help protect a military base. But the soldiers were re-assigned to Afghanistan as part of a troop re-allocation by the Pentagon.
They’ve been getting de-briefed at Camp Shelby in Mississippi since January 7th – and the soldiers are expected to reunite with their families at the EAA grounds in Oshkosh.
The transportation unit has spent the last 10 months escorting convoys throughout Afghanistan. The group also includes Guard personnel from three other units based in Sparta, Tomah, and Waukesha.
