GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A Green Bay woman learned her fate Friday after she was drunk while driving and crashed into two homes last summer.

22-year-old Janae Owens will spend 18 months in prison, followed by 18 months extended supervision after being convicted of second offense OWI causing injury.

After Owens left a bar celebrating a friend's birthday in August, she was speeding down Ninth Street when her vehicle left the road, hit a home, severed a gas meter, struck another vehicle and slammed into a second home. The passengers in her car suffered minor injuries from the incident where Owens' blood alcohol level was .138.

Owens apologized to the court, saying, "I know what I did was really foolish and I embarrassed myself."

The judge in the case also criticized both the district attorney and defense lawyer for seeking too lenient of a sentence.

FOX 11 reports that Assistant District Attorney Eric Enli asked that Owens be placed on 3 years probation, with a year in the county jail. Defense attorney Andrew Mongin asked for probation and a six to eight-month jail sentence. 

Judge Timothy Hinkfuss rejected both recommendations as too lenient, saying drunk driving is too much of a problem.

"It (drunk driving) has to stop. It does have to stop," Hinkfuss said. "Clearly there is a problem - if nothing else for decision making."

At least people won't have to worry about Owens drinking and driving while she's in prison, Hinkfuss added.

(Additional reporting from FOX 11)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Green Bay Packers lost a second assistant coach Friday.  

Outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene said he was stepping down after five years for personal reasons. He said he wanted to be with his family a little more.  

Until today, there was no indication that Greene was planning to leave, or looking for another NFL job.  

Greene -- a former pro linebacker himself -- said he's had nothing but positive experiences in Green Bay. He said he would miss coaching -- and once his two kids go to college, he'll try coaching again if a team wants to have him.  

Packers' coach Mike McCarthy said football had nothing to do with Greene's departure -- except for the time commitment that all coaches seem to face. McCarthy said Greene provided, "an incredible amount of energy, passion, and knowledge each and every day he was with us."  

Greene's resignation comes a couple days after Packers' quarterback coach Ben McAdoo was named the new offensive coordinator of the New York Giants.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Area banking institutions are helping out some of the nearly 70 million Target customers who fell victim to a security breach during the recent holiday shopping season.

One way banks like Associated is helping is by sending a new debit card to customers.

“As a bank, we're all about protecting the assets of our customers,” said Cliff Bowers, SVP and Director of Public Relations for Associated Banc-Corp tells FOX 11. “In the scope of things, this was a small investment.”

Bowers says Associated has issued new debit cards to thousands of its customers. He says that's despite a very small number actually having fraud attempts to their accounts.

“For those who haven't activated their cards yet, we're encouraging them to do that,” said Bowers. “We're still providing fraud monitoring on those accounts until they get changed over.”

The retail giant Target is also offering customers a year of free credit monitoring.

This week Target sent an e-mail to customers, stating their names, home and email addresses and phone numbers may have also been compromise during the period from late November to mid-December.

“We can help provide fraud protection, but it’s up to the individual to work with us to help identify if everything is in proper order,” said Bowers.

Associated Bank says significantly more customers called after the Target news broke. However, in the bank's view, not many customers initially canceled their cards.

(Additional reporting by FOX 11)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - A recent study from UW-Green Bay finds that a mineral called strontium can be found in your drinking water.

Wisconsin's Department of Health Services says that the mineral occurs naturally in the environment and this particular type of strontium is not radioactive.

"As you come closer to Brown County and Outagamie County, people have their wells pulling water out of rock layers that are further down in the earth," sUW-Green Bay Geoscience Professor John Luczha tells FOX 11.

The older rock holds minerals like strontium and if water is present, it can dissolve the mineral.

"If you notice where you have the yellow, and especially the red and orange dots on here, those are samples from wells where you have something like four milligrams per liter or higher, dissolved strontium. There are a number of wells throughout the region that actually exceed this short-term health advisory," Luczha said.  

The study took 115 samples from municipal and private wells. The Environmental Protection Agency says the Lifetime Health Advisory Limit for strontium in your drinking water shouldn't be more than four milligrams per liter.

Preliminary findings from the UWGB study found 73 of its samples contained higher levels of strontium than the EPA's recommendation.

“Somebody who maybe tests their water, and it comes out higher than four milligrams per liter, should not immediately assume that suddenly they're going to have negative health effects," Roy Irving, a toxicologist with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, tells FOX 11.  

Unlike well water, the Green Bay Water Utility gets its water from Lake Michigan. Although the water goes through a filtration process, the company still tests for strontium and other material within the drinking water each year. 

Based on the UWGB study, the DNR is looking into the strontium results that were found. DNR officials recommend private well owners to sample their wells for bacteria, strontium, and other minerals that may be in the drinking water.

MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ) - Two people are hurt and one man is under arrest following a hit-and-run crash in Manitowoc Saturday.

Police say it happened at the intersection of Marshall Street and S. 16th Street around 8:30 p.m.

A vehicle driven by a 20-year-old man struck a 56-year-old Manitowoc man riding a pedal tricycle. Cops say the tricycle rider went into the windshield of another vehicle, but that driver didn't stop.

Police say a couple blocks later; the driver hit another vehicle and again failed to stop. He kept going to his home on S. 13th Street.

Officials say the tricyclist was able to pull himself from the windshield, into the vehicle, but the suspect tried to lock him inside.

A person who witnessed the crash followed the suspect to his home and called police. Officers arrived and arrested the suspect.

The tricyclist was able to get out of the vehicle, and walk to the 1300 block of Marshall Street, where police officers found him. He was taken to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries. 

The suspect was also taken to the hospital for what police say is a significant cut on his hand. He was also treated and released. He was then taken into custody on charges of OWI causing injury, hit-and-run causing injury and failure to render aid.

Police are still looking for any witnesses to call them at (920) 686-6551.

LOS ANGELES (WTAQ) - Former Green Bay Packers' safety Darren Sharper is due in court February 14th, on suspicion of sexual assault in Los Angeles.  

Sharper, who played eight of his 14 NFL seasons in Green Bay, was booked on Friday and released on a $200,000 bond.  

L.A. Police said it's investigating Sharper's possible involvement in two sexual assaults in West Los Angeles in October and earlier this month. Also, New Orleans Police said it's investigating an alleged sexual assault by Sharper last September 24th.  

The 38-year-old Sharper was also suspended from the NFL Network, where he's been working as an analyst.  

Sharper made the Super Bowl as a Packer in his rookie season of 1997. He had 36 interceptions and five touchdowns in Green Bay.  

Sharper then moved on to Minnesota and New Orleans, where he won a Super Bowl with the Saints in the 2009 season.  

Sharper retired in 2010 with six All-Pro nominations and five Pro Bowl bids.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Starting today, some doors at Lambeau Field are closed due to the ongoing renovation project.

The doors at the Miller Lite Gate and Harlan Plaza will no longer be open. Visitors to Lambeau Field will have to use the Oneida Nation Gate entrance until July.

Also gone are the towering statues of Curly Lambeau and Vince Lombardi, which have been moved closer to Lombardi Avenue as part of the project.

During these renovations, the Packers Pro Shop, Curly's Pub and stadium tours will remain open.

SHIOCTON, WI (WTAQ) - Officials in Shiocton are looking into an alleged hit list that was found last week at the high school.

FOX 11 reports that a parent of a Shiocton High School student says the list contained the names of 65 students and teachers.

Village Police Chief Christine Brownson wouldn't comment to WTAQ about the investigation, but told FOX 11 that the students involved in creating the list indicated that they were names of people, "they did not like."

The list was discovered Monday last week. Shiocton District Administrator Nichole Schweitzer tells WTAQ they're still sorting it out.

"We've continued that investigation, taking appropriate precautions and necessary steps to ensure student and staff safety," Schweitzer says. "We certainly have taken this situation seriously and consequences that have been earned have been given out so that everyone is safe."

District leaders tell say they understand parents' frustrations, and have promised to notify parents as soon as they have answers. Meanwhile, they say parents should have no cause for concern.

"I would tell you that if my child attended school here today, she would be here. She would've been here last week and every week before that, and she would be here tomorrow and every day after that," Schweitzer says. "If we truly felt that any one person or more persons were in imminent danger, we would not ask them to come into school."

Schweitzer adds that this does appear to be an isolated incident, and no other implied threat has been made.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - As cold as it's been, you might think it's impossible to fall through the ice -- but you'd be wrong.  

The Wisconsin Public Service utility says the ice remains thin near hydroelectric facilities, even after it was 15 to 30-below for a sizable length of time this month.  

WPS generation official Bill Bosacki says the ice is often thin, inconsistent, and unsafe near hydroelectric dams and adjacent reservoirs. That's because the water under the ice flows a lot more quickly than it does elsewhere.  

Bosacki says the utility has signs, ropes, and barriers warning folks to stay away from thin ice -- but anglers have been setting up shop inside the boundaries anyway.  

Also, another bout of cold weather is on the way for Monday night and Tuesday.

Parts of northern Wisconsin could get down to 20-below overnight. Even at that temperature, Bosacki says folks should not be lulled into thinking the ice at the hydroelectric dams are safe.  

Wisconsin Public Service has 15 of those facilities in about the northeast quarter of the state.  

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Port of Green Bay handled 16 percent more shipping traffic last year than the previous year.  

Port officials said 2013 was a healthy season, especially compared to the recession plagued years of 2009 and '10. Two-point-two million tons of cargo went in and out of Green Bay's gateway to the Great Lakes.  

Meanwhile, shipping within the Great Lakes is off to a very slow start in 2014, due to the extremely cold January. Crews that use Lake Superior say the ice buildup is the worst in decades.  

Mark Gill of the Coast Guard said a normal three-day trip from Duluth-Superior to Gary Indiana now takes 6 to 7 days as a result of the icy conditions.  

International shipping ended last week, after the locks closed at Sault Ste. Marie along the Upper Michigan border at Canada.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - Starting Tuesday, some changes are being made to the Outagamie County Jail.

Officials say an area used to house juveniles will now be used as a unit for adult inmates with special medical or mental health-related issues.

On December 31, the 29-bed space became available after the county closed its juvenile detention operation. The county said the average number of juvenile housed in the facility had dropped to fewer than 2 per day.

Other counties will take over housing those juveniles as needed.

(Additional reporting from FOX 11)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The latest cold snap in Wisconsin began Monday.  

After mild readings in the 30's Sunday, the mercury dropped to the single digits and teens Monday afternoon in northern and central areas.  

Weather officials said a good part of the nation will remain cold for most of the week from the Midwest through New England.  

Northwest and east central Wisconsin received a fresh coating of snow Monday morning. Four inches fell in parts of Ashland and Bayfield counties, and it was still coming down as of mid-day. One to three inches swept through eastern Portage County through Waupaca and Door counties.

It was still in the 20's in much of southern Wisconsin early Monday afternoon, but they'll get cold as well.

Monday night's lows are expected in the single digits in the south, to around 14-below in Eau Claire and the northwest. All of Wisconsin could be below zero Tuesday night. The National Weather Service has issued a Wind Chill Advisory for the entire listening area from 9 p.m. Monday until 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Another weak storm system is due in on Wednesday, with an inch or two of snow possible. But we're not supposed to get any real warm up until Friday, when temps in the low 20's are forecast statewide. 

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - Sister Bay Republican Representative Garey Bies says he won't run for re-election.

Bies, who represents the 1st Assembly District, announced Monday he will not seek an eighth term in office. 

Bies did not say why he wouldn't run. He's held that seat for the past 14 years.

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The parent company of a northeast Wisconsin utility is selling its electric service in Upper Michigan.  

The Integrys Energy Group of Chicago said Monday it will sell the Upper Peninsula Power Company to the equity firm of Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Partners. The price is almost $299 million.  

State and federal regulators must still approve the deal.  

Integrys CEO Charles Schrock says it will provide more money to cover power plants and infrastructure for its other utilities -- including Wisconsin Public Service of Green Bay. Integrys is upgrading pollution control equipment at the Public Service coal fired plants near Wausau.  

Also, the state recently approved the company's plans to upgrade power line equipment in parts of northern Wisconsin.  

Media reports says Integrys was not planning to sell the U.P. utility until it was approved by Balfour Beatty a year ago. The utility has 52,000 customers and 120 employees in Upper Michigan.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) - Appleton police are seeking charges against two women following a weekend armed robbery.

Cops were called just before 7:30 p.m. Saturday to the 1100 block of W. Wisconsin Avenue. They learned two women went to the apartment over a property dispute. Inside, one of the women took a wallet from a victim. The victim tried getting it back, but the woman zapped the man three times in the neck with a stun gun. The women then fled.

Authorities found out the women lived in Neenah, and got a search warrant for a home in the 800 block of Henry Street, where they believed the primary suspect lived. Police, with the help of a Neenah SWAT team, found the suspect and the property belonging to the victim inside the home. They also recovered the stun gun.

Now, a 32-year-old Neenah woman is jailed on possible charges of armed robbery, carrying a concealed weapon and disorderly conduct. A second woman was taken into custody, but released. Cops are requesting charges of being party to armed robbery and disorderly conduct against the second woman.

(Additional reporting from FOX 11).

SHIOCTON, WI (WTAQ) - Shiocton School District officials have sent home a letter to parents seeking to ease their concerns about a possible "hit list" uncovered at the high school last week.

Superintendent Nichole Schweitzer sent a letter home to parents Monday night writing, "(r)est assured that we would have contacted you directly earlier in the process if we felt your child was in imminent danger. Too, we would not have held school, if we felt that being in our learning environment placed any child or adult in imminent danger."

The list allegedly contained names of 65 students and staff members. Three students were suspended, according to Schweitzer.

Schweitzer tells WTAQ there may be more discipline to come, including possible expulsion of the students involved.

Below is the full text of the letter:

January 20, 2014

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I am writing to you today regarding an alleged hit list authored by students enrolled in the high school. When a concern regarding a list of names was brought to our attention, school administration and law enforcement began an investigation. While the investigation continued, the appropriate actions were taken with the students involved so as to ensure the safety of all students and staff. As we seek to wrap up the investigation and put this matter behind us, rest assured that the appropriate actions continue to be taken so that Shiocton School District remains a safe place to learn and teach.

Incidents such as these are treated as a serious matter. Rest assured that we would have contacted you directly earlier in the process if we felt that your child was in imminent danger. Too, we would not have held school, if we felt that being in our learning environment placed any child or adult in imminent danger.

Our goal is to always provide a safe environment for all children, staff, volunteers, and visitors not just today, but yesterday and in every tomorrow. We appreciate the trust and confidence you place in us, and we will continue to ensure a safe learning environment for all.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at 920-986-3351 x761. Thank you again for your trust and confidence.

Yours in Education,

Nichole J. Schweitzer

OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - The new federal budget restores funding for air traffic controllers at Wittman Airport in Oshkosh -- but not for the EAA's annual AirVenture show.  

The Wheeler News Service incorrectly reported Tuesday that the Federal Aviation Administration restored $447,000 that was part of last year's automatic sequester spending cuts.  

The EAA's Dick Knapinski said late Tuesday that the cut remains in effect -- although Wittman Airport did get back funding for its tower operations for the rest of the fiscal year.  

The government normally provides separate controllers for the AirVenture show, to handle the 10,000 planes that fly in and out of Oshkosh that week.  

Last year, the EAA paid the cost under protest, and went to court to challenge it. Knapinski said a federal appeals court has yet to decide the case -- and for now, the government's fee for controllers remains in place for this year's show, to be held July 28th through August 4th.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - Green Bay Police continue to investigate two suspicious deaths on the city’s west side.   Police say they found the bodies of 33-year-old April Veraghan, and 9-year-old Damian Verghan Tuesday morning. They were in an apartment in the 500 block of south Fisk Street. Officers found them while responding to a welfare check.  Autopsies and toxicology tests are being done and police will have more to say about this case once those have been completed.

OCONTO, WI (WTAQ) - The man convicted of killing a brother and sister in Gillett back in 2009 learned his fate Tuesday.

In Oconto County court, Daniel Schmidt was sentenced to two life terms in prison with no chance for parole. 

Schmidt murdered 32-year-old Kimberly Rose and 21-year-old Leonard Marsh at their home.

According to the criminal complaint, the 30-year-old Schmidt and Rose had an affair. Schmidt's wife found out about the affair, and he wanted to end the relationship to fix his marriage. He also owed money to Rose. 

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - New wind chill advisories will take effect from late Wednesday through Thursday, as another blast of arctic air moves into Wisconsin.  

Light snow fell in much of the state overnight, as another low pressure system zips through the Upper Great Lakes.

FOX 11 reports there will be occasional snow throughout the day with accumulations of between 1 and 2 inches and a high near 10°.

Winds will pick up Wednesday night out of the northwest at 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 35 mph creating blowing snow and difficult driving conditions.

The temperatures plummet to near -3 with wind chills reaching -25 by Thursday morning.

7 a.m. temperatures were close to the zero mark statewide, with wind chills as low as the minus-teens.  

More light snow is possible throughout the day, and lake effect snow advisories have been posted along Lake Superior.  

The Gogebic Range in Iron and Ashland counties could get over 7 inches of new snow from Wednesday afternoon into Thursday. Superior expects 3 to 5 inches.  

Most of the state could get wind chills as low as 35-below by early Thursday. The National Weather Service wind chill advisories cover all but about the northeast quarter of Wisconsin.  

Wednesday night's lows will range from zero to 21-below.  

A slight warm up is predicted for Friday until another burst of snow and cold air is due in for the weekend.

(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)