Shawano Leader News
Different paths, one destination
Lee Pulaski, [email protected]
Leader Photo by Lee Pulaski U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, right, smiles as she receives a gift from College of Menominee Nation President Verna Fowler during commencement ceremonies Saturday in Keshena. Baldwin was the keynote speaker.
Leader Photo by Lee Pulaski College of Menominee Nation graduates turn their tassels Saturday morning during the commencement ceremony at the Menominee Casino Resort. The college handed out 77 degrees and technical diplomas.
The graduates of the Class of 2016 at the College of Menominee Nation were encouraged by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin on Saturday to not see their graduation as the end of a journey but as a portal to the next chapter of their lives.
“Although you all walk the same path on this stage today, you all did not take the same path to get here,” Baldwin said during the commencement ceremony at the Menominee Resort Casino in Keshena. “No matter what path you took, you do all have one thing in common. You worked hard, not to get the piece of paper that you’re about to receive, but you persevered to build a better life for yourself.”
Baldwin was selected to be the commencement speaker due to her heavy involvement with CMN and the Menominee Tribe. Verna Fowler, CMN’s president, said Baldwin has visited the college more times than any other national leader.
“Her continuing interest in the welfare of working families and students is gratefully acknowledged,” said Fowler, who later gave Baldwin a basket with organic coffee and wild rice, along with a personal recipe for a wild rice dish.
Baldwin said she remembered meeting with Menominee leaders at her office after she was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1998. She was amazed at how that tribe and others held on to their native language and culture, even though the U.S. government had historically looked down on American Indian ways, she said.
The exception was when the Menominee and other tribes used their native tongue to send coded messages during World War II, Baldwin noted. Still, the code talkers’ contributions were not formally acknowledged for decades.
“Despite this, you proudly held your language, culture and history close to your hearts,” Baldwin said.
The Democratic senator from Madison encouraged the graduates to continue utilizing their skills and give back to serve the common good.
“Each of you understands well your place in a world much bigger than yourselves, and each of you commit yourselves to the idea that we’re all in this together,” Baldwin said. “That is what today is all about.”
Baldwin encouraged the families of the graduates to take a moment to join their loved ones in the spotlight.
“It is a proud moment in their lives, but it also ought to be a proud moment in your life,” Baldwin said.
The college gave out 77 associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees and technical diplomas during Saturday’s commencement. The graduating class included residents of two dozen communities and representation from seven American Indian tribes.
CMN is one of 37 tribal colleges in the United States, but it is not the just the college’s infrastructure and staff that Menominee leaders are proud of, tribal Chairwoman Joan Delabreau said.
“The success and endurance of the college makes it a point of pride and an asset to the tribe and all American Indian people,” Delabreau said. “In the same way, all tribal college graduates are points of pride and assets to the community. You are a huge point of pride to the Menominee Nation.”
Delabreau encouraged the graduates to return to their communities and find ways to make them better, as well as serve as role models for future generations.
Ariel Sanapaw, of Gresham, leaves CMN as the first graduate with an an Associate of Applied Science degree in pre-environmental engineering technology. She also earned an Associate of Arts degree in biological and physical sciences.
Sanapaw said she was inspired by seeing her mother graduate from CMN and felt she needed to create a better future for herself.
“The journey here at the College of Menominee Nation has been extremely satisfying in all the programs and internships the college has to offer,” Sanapaw said. “Before, I wasn’t involved in much, but I opened myself to new things.”
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Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent
Photo by Grace Kirchner A color guard leads the Memorial Day parade in Clintonville from the laying of the memorial wreath at the bridge in W.A. Olen Park to Graceland Cemetery.
A retired Marine Corps colonel urged young people to help find a way to avoid war Monday at a Memorial Day ceremony at Graceland Cemetery in Clintonville.
“To the young people, some of you will end up here,” retired Col. Kenneth Dunlavy told the crowd at the cemetery for the annual program. “Our generation has not found a way to solve wars. I hope your generation does; if not you could end up here.”
Dunlavy also recounted the history of Memorial Day, which was first called Decoration Day.
Dunlavy was born in Deer Creek in 1941. He graduated from Clintonville High School and Ripon College. He served during the Vietnam War, flying A-4 Aircraft on 240 combat missions. He joined Marine Corps Reserves in 1972, the same year he started flying for American Airlines, and retired in 1992 as a colonel. He retired from flying Boeing 777 aircraft in 2000 and returned to the Clintonville area.
Dunlavy was introduced by Mayor Lois Bressette.
Pastor Ben Hollingsead, Christus Lutheran Church, Clintonville, delivered the invocation and benediction.
Julia Fenn sang “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
The Clintonville High School band performed the national anthem and other patriotic music.
Commander James Young, VFW Post 664, served as officer of the day.
The list of deceased veterans was read by former Mayor Judith Magee.
The Gettysburg Address was read by Embarrass President Tom Martin.
The program at Graceland Cemetery was later repeated at Riverside Cemetery in Embarrass.
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Leader Staff
Anthony Welch
Shawano police have issued public notice of a convicted sex offender moving into the community next week.
Anthony C. Welch, 26, will be released from prison on June 7. He will reside at the New Era House, 105 E. Richmond St.
Welch will be supervised by the Shawano office of the state Department of Corrections. He is required to register with the state’s Sex Offender Registry Program for life.
Welch was convicted in Shawano County in 2008 of first-degree sexual assault of a child under the age of 13.
According to Shawano police, Welch sexually assaulted several children who were known to him.
Welch was sentenced to five years in prison.
He was also subsequently convicted of forgery, felony bail jumping and issuing worthless checks, according to court records.
For information, contact Police Chief Mark Kohl at the Shawano Police Department or call 715-524-4545.
The public can also query the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry Program at www.widocoffenders.org.
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Scott Williams, [email protected]
Aiming for better service on legal matters, the Shawano School District is changing law firms after 30 years with the same attorney.
The school district has signed a new contract with the Green Bay law firm of Strang Patteson Renning Lewis & Lacy for advice on issues such as employee discipline, student rights and open meetings.
The district had previously contracted with Davis & Kuelthau, also of Green Bay, and had been associated with attorney Robert Burns for 30 years.
Superintendent Gary Cumberland said officials had no complaints with Burns, but were not working much with him recently and had become dissatisfied with services provided by others at Davis & Kuelthau since the school district’s main attorney left the firm.
“It came down to a service issue,” Cumberland said.
Burns and others at Davis & Kuelthau could not be reached for comment.
The School Board voted May 16 to approve the new deal with Strang Patteson, effectively immediately.
Strang Patteson attorney Geoff Lacy said he left Davis & Kuelthau last year after working there many years and serving the Shawano School District. Lacy said his past association with the school district should allow administrators to make an easy transition to Strang Patteson.
“I know the district very well,” he said. “I’m happy for the opportunity to get back together and work with those folks.”
School district records show attorney costs for the district have varied in recent years — from less than $13,000 last year to more than $50,000 previously.
Cumberland said the contract for legal services had not been reopened to competitive proposals in several years.
Administrators earlier this year received proposals from five law firms, each offering a different estimate on hourly rates for its attorneys.
Davis & Kuelthau said its attorneys would have charged between $220 and $280 an hour, while Strang Patteson proposed rates of between $200 and $350 an hour.
In its proposal, Davis & Kuelthau noted that Burns has been involved in serving the school district for 30 years — including before he moved to Davis & Kuelthau — and that he has helped the district avoid any major legal liabilities during that time.
“We believe we are uniquely qualified to continue to serve the Shawano School District,” the proposal stated.
Strang Patteson said in its proposal that more than 75 school districts use the firm for legal advice.
“Handling sensitive legal issues in a manner that combines sound legal analysis with practical considerations for public perceptions and ethical standards,” the proposal stated, “is one of the skills we value the most in our practice.”
The other law firms to submit proposals were Boardman & Clark, of Madison, Ruder Ware, of Wausau, and Von Briesen & Roper, of Milwaukee.
Public Record
Shawano Police Department
May 30
Police logged 23 incidents, including the following:
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 100 block of South Main Street.
Theft — A flower pot was reported stolen in the 800 block of South Prospect Street.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 1100 block of Waukechon Street.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 200 block of West Fifth Street.
Disturbance — Police responded to a report of a fight in progress at Richmond Street and Airport Drive.
Shawano County Sheriff’s Department
May 30
Deputies logged 42 incidents, including the following:
Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint at the Ho Chunk Casino, N7198 U.S. Highway 45, in the town of Wittenberg.
Vandalism — A vehicle was reported vandalized on Bluebird Road in the town of Birnamwood.
Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Elm Grove Road in the town of Pella.
Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Oriole Road in the town of Wittenberg.
Accidents — Authorities logged four accidents, including three deer-related crashes.
Clintonville Police Department
May 30
Police logged 12 incidents, including the following:
Disturbance — Officers responded to a domestic disturbance on East 12th Street.
Disturbance — Officers responded to a disturbance on Wilson Street.
Disturbance — Officers responded to an unwanted subject on Flora Circle and found the party had left.
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Leader Staff
Leader Photo by Tim Ryan Marshal Giese, of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 206, and Susan Giese place the memorial wreath at Monday’s Memorial Day service at Woodlawn Cemetery in Shawano.
Leader Photo by Tim Ryan Shawano County Administrative Coordinator Brent Miller, who spent 21 years in the service, most recently in Afghanistan, talks about the commitment soldiers make to defend America’s freedoms at Monday’s Memorial Day service at Woodlawn Cemetery in Shawano.
Hundreds of people gathered Monday at Woodlawn Cemetery in Shawano for the annual Memorial Day program honoring those who have fallen in the line of service.
“Its a day when we remember all those who gave their all,” said Dennis Bohm, master of ceremonies. “Let’s not just remember them today, let’s remember them always.”
But it was also a day to remember those they left behind.
“As as we pause today to reflect first and foremost on those who have fallen in defense of a grateful nation, we must also consider the sacrifice of the wives, husbands, sons and daughters who have lost their loved ones for the cause of liberty,” youth speaker Gabrielle Tuma said. “They’re all patriots and have our eternal thanks.”
Shawano County Chairman Jerry Erdman, who served in Vietnam in 1969, said recalling those who had fallen is actually a year-round remembrance.
“For those of us who have served, for those of us who have been on the battlefield, Memorial Day is 365 days a year,” he said.
“We’re here to honor those and remember those that gave their all; not just the ones left on the battlefield, but the ones left at home to mourn them,” Erdman said. “Today is about remembering. Today is about remembering our brothers in arms; men and women of our armed forces who gladly took upon the call they were asked to do, and they gave their all for us.”
Shawano Mayor Jeanne Cronce said the day was more than what most people think of Memorial Day; as the official beginning of summer.
“We think of picnics and barbecues and a holiday together around the family,” she said. “That happiness and freedom, however, is the product of the real cause for this holiday -- the sacrifice made by men and women who have fought and died for the freedom and liberties America holds dear.”
Main speaker Brent Miller, Shawano County’s administrative coordinator, spoke about the widely reported ill treatment of veterans returning from Vietnam as spurring his interest in serving.
Not to teach the dissenters a lesson, he said, ” but so those dissenters and any like them could continue to have those freedoms.”
Miller was in the service for 21 years, most recently in Afghanistan. He recounted some of those lost or injured there.
“They gave their lives for this country,” he said, adding that their families also made a commitment.
“All who served had plans for a long and full life, but had their dreams and expectations end suddenly,” Miller said. “The pain of the ultimate sacrifice is the cost of freedom.”
Monday’s ceremony also featured musical presentations by Wolf River Harmony and high school and middle school marching bands.
Marshal Giese, of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 206, and Susan Giese placed the memorial wreath.
The VVA chapter also provided the firing squad salute. Taps was performed by Brent and Isabella Buettner.
Invocation and benediction were given by Travis Kleinschmidt of St. Jakobi Lutheran Church.
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Shawano Police Department
May 29
Police logged 18 incidents, including the following:
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 300 block of South Washington Street.
Vandalism — A truck was reported vandalized in the 300 block of South Sawyer Street.
Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 200 block of Prairie Street.
Vandalism — Police responded to a vandalism complaint at Memorial Park, 909 S. Lincoln St.
May 28
Police logged 24 incidents, including the following:
Disturbance — Police responded to a report of a fight in progress in the 100 block of South Main Street.
OWI — A 22-year-old man was arrested for operating while intoxicated at Lafayette and Green Bay streets.
Juvenile — Police responded to a complaint of children playing on the railroad tracks at Main and Mills streets.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 300 block of Pearl Avenue.
May 27
Police logged 27 incidents, including the following:
Vandalism — A vehicle was reported vandalized in the 1200 block of East Green Bay Street.
Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint in the 600 block of West Picnic Street.
Theft — A theft was reported at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 302 S. Main St.
Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint at ThedaCare Medical Center, 100 County Road B.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 300 block of East Maurer Street.
Shawano County Sheriff’s Department
May 29
Deputies logged 33 incidents, including the following:
Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Murphys Road in Bowler.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on County Road J in the town of Morris.
Burglary — Authorities investigated a burglary complaint on Lessor-Navarino Road in the town of Navarino.
Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile problem on County Road T in the town of Waukechon.
Accidents — Authorities logged five deer-related crashes.
May 28
Deputies logged 36 incidents, including the following:
Disorderly — Authorities responded to an intoxicated person complaint at Shawano County Park, W5785 Lake Drive, in the town of Wescott.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Oak Park Circle in the town of Wescott.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Grand Avenue in Wittenberg.
May 27
Deputies logged 36 incidents, including the following:
Disorderly — Authorities responded to an intoxicated person complaint on County Road A in the town of Richmond.
Vandalism — A truck was reported vandalized on Freeborn Street in Cecil.
Burglary — Authorities investigated a report of an attempted burglary on Blueberry Road in the town of Herman.
Vandalism -- Authorities responded to a vandalism complaint on Main Street in Gresham.
Rate this article: Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yetSex discrimination alleged in police department
Tim Ryan [email protected]
Shawano Police Chief Mark Kohl is being sued in federal court by one of his officers who claims Kohl delayed hiring her at the department because of her gender.
Officer NiCole Hoffmann maintains Kohl declined to hire her in July 2014 because the department at that time was not interested in additional female officers.
According to the complaint, Hoffmann finished third on a list of potential new hires.
When the first two male applicants on the list were offered the job and turned it down, Kohl bypassed Hoffmann and offered the post to the fourth-ranked male applicant, who was “substantially less qualified and less experienced,” according to the complaint.
The complaint details a conversation Hoffmann said she had with Kohl after being passed over, during which she asked why she was not hired.
“I’m only telling you this so you don’t beat yourself up,” Kohl said, according to the complaint. “You’re a great cop. I hear great things about you, but we don’t want to hire another female right now. You can have the next job in January.”
According to the complaint, Kohl told Hoffmann there were “too many females on night shift,” and an experienced male was needed on the night shift, “to carry the weight.”
Hoffman was later hired at the department in January 2015.
Kohl said he could not comment on the lawsuit and referred questioned to Assistant City Administrator Eddie Sheppard.
Sheppard said the city was still gathering information on the matter and had no comment at this time.
Hoffmann is seeking “damages in compensation for the injuries caused by defendant’s unlawful conduct and punitive damages for defendant’s malicious or wanton violation of her rights,” according to the complaint.
The complaint alleges Kohl’s actions resulted in “a substantial loss of income and benefits, both in the past and future, emotional and psychological distress, and loss of reputation, humiliation and embarrassment.”
Kohl’s actions “adversely impacted Hoffmann’s seniority status, which, in turn, has adversely affected and will continue to adversely affect her promotional opportunities, work schedule, vacation picks and other terms and conditions of employment,” the complaint alleges. “These losses, both tangible and intangible, will be ongoing for the rest of Hoffmann’s career.”
The complaint also seeks punitive damages against Kohl “in order to deter him and others similarly situated from such wrongful conduct in the future.”
There was no amount of damages specified.
Hoffmann is seeking a jury trial in the case, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Green Bay.
Hoffmann was previously an officer with the Bonduel Police Department and a part-time transport deputy for the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department.
She worked as a reserve deputy for Waupaca County in 2008 and was promoted to reserve sergeant before resigning in 2013. She also worked part-time with the water patrol on the Chain O’ Lakes.
Hoffmann worked special details for Shawano County while on the Bonduel police force in 2012 and was put on the road as a uniformed patrol officer in 2013.
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Scott Williams [email protected]
Leader Photo by Scott Williams New owner Tim Day watched from his nearby summer cottage and felt that the tavern most recently known as Sparky’s Sunset Grill could offer much more as a waterfront attraction.
After a 20-year hiatus, the Bamboo Bar is making a comeback on the shores of Shawano Lake.
The establishment most recently known as Sparky’s Sunset Grill — perhaps the only true waterfront tavern on the lake — is under new ownership and is undergoing a significant makeover.
When it reopens, just about the only thing that will not be new is the name. The owners are reclaiming a name that was previously associated with the attraction for about 50 years: the Bamboo Bar.
“It’s an institution,” said Tim Day, who purchased the property with partners and is overseeing an interior and exterior remodeling job.
Tentatively scheduled to reopen in early July, the bar and grill at W5884 Cedar Court in the town of Wescott is getting a new boat dock, kitchen, flooring, outside patio, an indoor stage for musical performances and more.
Ron Schumacher, owner of the neighboring Bamboo Shores Vacation Rental Homes, called the transformation impressive and said his customers will enjoy having such a high-quality place to frequent while vacationing on the lake.
“It’s going to be a major change,” Schumacher said. “We’re looking for good things from it.”
Known as Sparky’s Sunset Grill for the past five years, the lakefront tavern closed its doors April 30 abruptly and without explanation. Those associated with the business at the time would only say that the property might soon be sold or renovated.
Day and his partners completed the purchase in mid-May from previous owner Rick Heyrman. Organized collectively under the corporate name Bamboozled LLC, the partnership also includes Jeff Puissant, Dan DeChamps and Bob Weyers.
Day, who has a background in finance and real estate, owns a summer cottage near the Sunset Grill, and he has always thought the bar and grill property was underutilized. Especially with its unique place on the waterfront, he said, the establishment should be better maintained and managed.
“We want it to be a fun bar where people can bring their families,” he said. “It just seems that the community should have a place.”
The new owners are negotiating a lease with an experienced management team that will own and operate the business. Details of that arrangement have not been finalized yet.
Jerry Olsen, who owned the Bamboo Bar during the 1970s and 1980s, said the business started around World War II with boat rentals. The owners later started selling beer, and crowds soon gathered throughout the summer, as well as during winter months for snowmobiling and ice-fishing.
“We were packed,” he said. “The place just rocked and rolled.”
After Olsen got out of the business in 1994, the tavern was renamed and ownership changed hands a couple of times. Noting that the property seemed rundown in recent years, Olsen said he is excited to see new owners fixing it up.
He also is delighted that the original Bamboo Bar name will be back.
“That makes me pretty happy,” he said. “Everybody still remembers it as the Bamboo Bar.”
Rate this article: Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 Average: 5 (1 vote)Bonduel shows graduates some hometown support
Scott Williams [email protected]
Leader Photo by Scott Williams Bonduel High School graduates assemble inside the school Friday for the procession into the gymnasium for ceremonies honoring the Class of 2016.
Members of the Bonduel High School Class of 2016 accepted their diplomas Friday and stepped into the future amid a strong showing of hometown support.
“Enjoy the ride that life gives you,” said faculty member Jeanna Raymakers, the keynote speaker. “Enjoy the ride, make things happen, and never stop learning.”
Teachers, parents and other community members packed the school gymnasium to honor the 76 graduates with a ceremony that combined reflection and encouragement.
Valedictorian Cathryn Siolka recalled the years that students have spent together and the many milestones they passed as a group. Acknowledging that the high school years passed quickly, Siolka said she hopes classmates took the time to cherish every moment.
“We have found our passions here,” she said. “Thank you for the memories.”
The school choir treated audience members to a rendition of “My Wish,” while Salutatorian Jared Letter got the crowd laughing with an address intentionally filled with overused graduation ceremony cliches.
Speakers congratulated the graduates on the accomplishments they have realized — both in and out of the classroom — and urged them approach the future with confidence and determination.
School Board member Dennis Bergsbaken, whose son was graduating, reminded the students how difficult it seemed learning to tie their shoes, to ride a bike and to drive a car. Those tasks now mastered, Bergsbaken encouraged the graduates to approach future challenges with the understanding that hard work brings success.
“You have learned to use your determination and drive,” he said, “to accomplish whatever task lies ahead of you.”
District Administrator Patrick Rau took a few minutes to highlight memorable stories of graduates who excelled in overcoming adversity and pushing themselves.
“Tonight is a special night,” Rau said, “but the stories, laughter and memories don’t have to end.”
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Tim Ryan [email protected]
Leader Photo by Greg Mellis Ezekiel Gueths and Julia Beck, Shawano Community High School senior class president, lead the way as the Class of 2016 prepares Friday to enter the SCHS gym for the 136th graduation commencement.
Shawano Community High School’s Class of 2016 bid a fond farewell Friday to their educational careers in the hallowed halls of learning at the local level.
Some have plans to continue that learning at higher levels, but the focus of Friday’s celebration was a nod to the past with a greater emphasis on what’s yet to come.
“There’s a reason the windshield is much larger than the rearview mirror,” said co-valedictorian Ezekiel Gueths.
Though the high school’s graduates were obviously the stars of Friday’s ceremony, the supporting players were not forgotten.
Parents, coaches, teachers and administrators who played their parts along the way were also noticed by graduating seniors in their remarks.
“You have shown us what the definition is of a community here in Shawano,” said class president Julia Beck.
“Take a look around you at the faces of friends, family, coaches and teachers,” Gueths said. “We all have those special people in our lives who made us who we are today.”
Co-valedictorian Teagen Monfils told her fellow graduates that they had reached a day 18 years in the making, in an address that outlined their growth year by year, and occasionally tinged with humor.
At age 4, she said, came the first day of school.
“Not only was this our first day of school, but the last time we were excited to go,” she said.
It was the pivot now that all would be making to the future that each of the speakers emphasized.
“Whatever the path, we have more to achieve,” Monfils said. “No matter what challenges the future holds, we will be able to overcome them. Give it your all and dare to be the best you can be.”
Beck shared the lessons she had learned in her school career that she would carry into the future, including being yourself, showing respect and using common sense.
“There’s some tough obstacles to overcome, not only in high school, but in life,” she said, which ultimately will make a better and stronger person.
“Challenges bring success and sometimes failures,” she said. “It is what we do with failures that help define who we are.”
Gueths said Friday’s commencement celebrated not just an end but a new beginning.
“It is time for us to refocus, look forward and set forth a new series of goals,” he said. “Make the most of every day and live it to the fullest.”
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Shawano Police Department
May 26
Police logged 31 incidents, including the following:
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 600 block of South Lincoln Street.
Disturbance — Police responded to a report of a fight in progress at Flamingo’s, 1017 E. Green Bay St.
Theft — Money was reported stolen at St. James Lutheran School, 324 S. Andrews St.
Disturbance — Police responded to a report of a disturbance at Main Street and Alpine Drive.
Disturbance — Police responded to a domestic disturbance in the 100 block of Aspen Court.
Truancy — Police logged four truancy complaints from Hillcrest Primary School, 1410 Waukechon St.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 800 block of East Lieg Avenue.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 800 block of East Randall Street.
Shawano County Sheriff’s Department
May 26
Deputies logged 41 incidents, including the following:
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Grand Avenue in Wittenberg.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on River Drive in the town of Wescott.
OWI — A 24-year-old Medford man was arrested for operating while intoxicated on Highway 45 in the town of Aniwa.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Hillview Road in the town of Herman.
Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Main Street in Gresham.
Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on County Road E in the town of Green Valley.
Drug Offense — An 18-year-old Shawano male was cited for possession on Highway 29 in the town of Richmond.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Webb Street in Wittenberg.
Juvenile — Authorities investigated a juvenile alcohol complaint on Pine Ridge Road in the town of Belle Plaine.
Accidents — Authorities logged five deer-related crashes.
Clintonville Police Department
May 26
Police logged 13 incidents, including the following:
Disturbance — A domestic abuse/disorderly conduct complaint was under investigation on 10th Street.
Trespass — A warning was issued for trespassing on West Madison Street.
Warrant — Two subjects were arrested on three warrants in Bucholtz Park.
Disturbance — A neighbor dispute was reported and a warning was issued on North 12th Street.
Disorderly — A warning was issued for disorderly conduct on South Main Street.
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Shawano School District announced it is conducting its summer food service program this year.
The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. It provides nutritious meals to children during the summer, when free and reduced-price school meals are unavailable.
Free meals will be made available to eligible children 18 and under. Persons over 18 who are determined by a state or local public educational agency to be mentally or physically disabled and who also participate in a public or private nonprofit school program during the regular school year may receive free meals as well.
Hillcrest Primary School and Shawano Community High School will serve free breakfast from 7:45-9 a.m. and free lunch from 10:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. every day during summer school. Summer school runs from June 13 to July 15.
“This program fills a void created when school breakfast and lunches are not available,” said Sarah Moesch, Shawano food service director, Taher, Inc. “Helping parents meet the nutritional needs of their children is the strength of this program.”
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Tim Ryan [email protected]
The village of Mattoon is seeking a court injunction to stop the Unified School District of Antigo from closing Mattoon Elementary School at the end of the current school year.
The complaint filed in Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court Monday maintains the village and parents of elementary school students in Mattoon were blindsided by the decision, which the complaint also alleges was retribution for the lack of support for the school district’s failed April 5 referendum.
The $25.9 million plan would have closed down five of its district’s seven elementary schools, renovated the remaining two, and built a brand-new, centralized school in the city.
Mattoon and Crestwood schools would have stayed open under that plan.
The referendum failed by a vote of 3,787 to 2,615.
The complaint asks the court to order that Mattoon Elementary be kept open until at least the end of the 2016-2017 school year to give parents adequate time to find other educational options for their children.
Two parents of Mattoon elementary students joined the village as plaintiffs in the complaint.
The complaint states families that expected to have their children attend the school next year will have their lives and schedules — including travel, work and child care — irreparably disrupted by the closure, which will traumatize young and vulnerable children.
“The defendants’ decision to suddenly disrupt children’s educational placement impairs and demeans their educational placement as something to be upended on a whim, with little regard to their expectations or need for stability,” the complaint states.
The complaint also maintains the the school’s closure will make the village of Mattoon a less attractive place to live, leading to a decline in population, business presence and economic vitality.
The Antigo School Board voted April 25 to close the elementary school at the end of this school year, which ends June 3.
Most parents were notified on April 27-28, less than 48 hours before the general deadline for open enrollment, according to the complaint. Some parents had also already enrolled their children in the school’s 4-year-old kindergarten program for next school year.
The village has also filed a separate complaint with the Langlade District Attorney’s Office, alleging the school board violated open meetings laws by not giving sufficient notice that the April 25 meeting would include any action regarding Mattoon Elementary School.
During discussion of an agenda item covering “next steps” for district facilities, board member Patrick McKenna made a motion to close the Mattoon school, according to the complaint. The motion passed by a 5-4 vote.
There had been no previous notice of any imminent closing, according to the injunction complaint.
The complaint also alleges that school board members “conspired to surprise the public with the action to close Mattoon Elementary School without proper notice and out of spite and retaliation against the residents of Mattoon for the board members’ perception that residents of Mattoon did not show sufficient support for the board’s proposed referendum.”
Some parents have begun circulating a petition for detachment from the Antigo school district to allow the Mattoon school to become part of the Bowler School District, according to the complaint, which states that process could take until the end of the 2016-2017 school year.
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Leader Photo by Greg Mellis Several local groups, including 4-H, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts put American flags at veterans’ gravesites throughout Woodland Cemetery on Thursday afternoon. Qualheim’s True Value donated the flags.
Memorial Day in Shawano will be marked Monday by a parade to Woodlawn Cemetery and a program honoring fallen veterans.
The parade is scheduled to start from Huckleberry Harbor at 9:20 a.m. and proceed east along Fifth Street until reaching Humphrey Circle and then Woodlawn Cemetery. In recognition of the solemn occasion, organizers have asked that no candy or other handouts occur along the parade route and that no horns or sirens be sounded.
The parade marshal this year is Marshal Giese, an Army veteran of the Vietnam War and now commander of the local chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America.
Others scheduled to participate include the Shawano Community High School marching band, Shawano Community Middle School band, VFW, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Shawano Mayor Jeanne Cronce and fire and police departments.
All veterans are invited to join the parade or the cemetery programs, along with any youth groups or city, county or state officials.
At Woodlawn Cemetery, the program starting at 10 a.m. will be led by master of ceremonies Dennis Bohm and will include keynote speaker Brent Miller, a veteran currently serving as Shawano County administrative coordinator.
Wolf River Harmony will perform the national anthem and “God Bless America.”
Marshal Giese and his wife, Susan, will lead the placing of a memorial wreath, followed by a firing squad salute and the playing of taps.
In the event of rain, the program will move to Shawano Community High School, and an announcement will be made one hour in advance on radio stations WTCH-AM 960 and WOWN-FM 99.3.
The holiday parade and program are presented by the Allied Veterans Council, which includes DAV Chapter 22, VFW Post 2723, AMVETS Post 10, VVA Chapter 206 and American Legion Post 117.
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The Shawano County Historical Society is planning some new additions to the eighth annual Rhubarb Fest at Heritage Park on June 11.
A rhubarb pie baking contest is planned. Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers. Slices of the contest pies will be offered for sale in the dessert line on the porch of the Sikora Archives and Reception Center. A complete list of rules is available at the Historical Society’s Archive building at 517 N. Franklin St., Shawano, or online at www.shawanohistory.org.
The history of the Civil War will be noted with a re-enactment by members of Company E, 2nd Division, Wisconsin, on Sunset Island. There will also be a fur traders’ encampment and children’s activities on the island.
Civil War memorabilia from Shawano County will be on display on the porch of the Kast House, where visitors will have the opportunity to read Civil War letters written by soldiers Parmalee Ackermann and Julius Murray to their families in Shawano.
Antique quilts from the Historical Society collection will be on display under a tent located near the log cabin. Visitors will hear about the history and design of each quilt in the collection. One unique quilt features autographs of many early Shawano residents.
Heritage Park’s newest building addition, Old Tabor Church, will be open to visitors. The church is complete, including furnishings, and can be rented for small weddings and other celebrations.
The event will continue to include rhubarb desserts and brats, museum tours, Shawano Woman’s Club plant sale, live music, basket raffle, crafters and more.
The park is located at the corner of Franklin Street and First Avenue in Shawano.
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Shawano Police Department
May 25
Police logged 18 incidents, including the following:
Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint at Shawano Community High School, 220 County Road B.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance at ThedaCare Medical Center, 100 County Road B.
Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint at County Road B and Industrial Drive.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 100 block of Military Road.
Shoplifting — Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St., reported a shoplifting incident.
Shawano County Sheriff’s Department
May 25
Deputies logged 35 incidents, including the following:
Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Front Street in Wittenberg.
Threatening — Authorities responded to a threatening complaint on East Green Bay Street in Bonduel.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Bartelt Street in Gresham.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on River Drive in the town of Wescott.
Disorderly — Authorities responded to a lewd and lascivious behavior complaint on County Road N in Birnamwood.
Clintonville Police Department
May 25
Police logged seven incidents, including the following:
Suspicious — A suspicious incident was reported on North 12th Street.
Burglary — A burglary was reported on East 12th Street and was under investigation.
Theft — A theft was reported on West Morning Glory Drive.
Disorderly — A warning was issued for disorderly conduct complaint on North Main Street.
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Scott Williams [email protected]
Leader Photo by Scott Williams Donated to the Shawano County Historical Society, the 19th century church has been restored at Heritage Park and now is open for visitors or private rental.
It is the little white church salvaged from a bygone era and brought into the present to begin life anew.
Now part of Shawano’s Heritage Park, the church, dating back to 1891, has emerged from a three-year restoration effort and is about to host its first wedding at its new location.
Michael Pehlke Jr. and Lacey Nelson will exchange vows June 4 inside a church that stands in the same park where the young couple had their first date and shared their first kiss.
When they decided to tie the knot, the historic house of worship overlooking the Wolf River in Shawano easily represented the perfect location.
“It just felt like this was the right place for us,” Pehlke said.
Stepping inside the quaint sanctuary on their wedding day, the young bride and groom will be following in the footsteps of generations of newlyweds who have walked down the very same aisle over the past 125 years.
Originally built in the Belle Plaine area, the church was called Tabor Church and served residents in that part of Shawano County for about 50 years. In the 1940s, the building was moved to Shawano, where it became a Seventh-day Adventist church at 940 S. River St.
After the Seventh-day Adventists stopped holding services there in 2013, philanthropist Edith VanDree bought the building for $10,000 and donated it to the Shawano County Historical Society.
The nonprofit historical society had been searching for a church to add to its collection of historic properties on display at Heritage Park, including a vintage schoolhouse, log cabin and railroad depot.
Historical society leaders moved the old church to the riverfront park, 524 N. Franklin St., and then spent the next three years meticulously restoring it. The hardwood floors, gothic windows and replica steeple all hearken back to the church’s original 19th century appearance.
Once it was finished, officials knew that the unique property, renamed Old Tabor Church, should be something for the people of Shawano County not just to admire, but also to utilize.
Although there are no plans to resume regular church services inside, historical society board member Karen Grover said the facility is the ideal setting for family reunions, musical concerts, memorial services — and, yes, weddings. With a dozen pews, the building can accommodate about 75 people.
The historic society charges rental fees of $100 for the first hour, $50 for each additional hour.
“It’s a gathering place in the community,” Grover said. “It’s for everyone.”
For Pehlke and Nelson, it is about to become one of the most special places in their lives.
The young couple visited Heritage Park in September 2013 and shared their first kiss there during their first date, after being introduced by friends. When they recently began making wedding plans, they wondered if the tiny church being restored at Heritage Park would be available.
In discussing possible locations to exchange their vows, both of them realized they had found the perfect place.
“We kind of knew right away,” Nelson said. “We kind of said it at the same time.”
Surrounded by family and friends, the couple on June 4 will begin their life of matrimony together as the first couple married inside the church since the restoration was completed in April.
Some wedding guests have teased Nelson that the historic old church seems a little “cheesy” for a wedding ceremony, but “I like cheesy,” the young bride said.
Officiating at the ceremony will be Wayne Hass, an ordained minister who is also the bride’s stepfather. Initially unaware that it would be the restored church’s first wedding, Hass said he was honored to be a person of religious faith participating in such a significant moment for both his family and the little white church.
“I guess I’m just in awe,” he said. “I’m amazed how stuff works out.”
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U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin will be the keynote speaker May 28 at graduation ceremonies for the College of Menominee Nation.
The Wisconsin Democrat will address graduates during ceremonies starting at 10 a.m. at the Menominee Casino Resort Conference Center ballroom, N277 State Highway 47-55, Keshena.
The graduates will include bachelor and associate degree recipients from both the college’s Keshena and Green Bay campuses, as well as students completing technical diploma programs.
Audience members are encouraged to arrive no later than 9:30 a.m.
Baldwin, a champion of education issues, is a frequent visitor to the college’s Keshena campus. She holds the distinction of being Wisconsin’s first woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and first in the U.S. Senate.
Baldwin served three terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1998. In 2012, after seven terms in the House, Baldwin won election to the U.S. Senate. Her service in the 113th Congress has included membership on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Senate Budget Committee; Energy and Natural Resources Committee; Special Committee on Aging; and the U.S. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
She is active in legislative efforts to support middle class-affordable higher education and in summer 2015 introduced the America’s College Promise Act to aid students attending community colleges.
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Shawano Police Department
May 24
Police logged 28 incidents, including the following:
Auto Theft — A truck was reported stolen in the 1200 block of Valley Lane. According to police reports, keys to the truck were in the vehicle, along with money.
Theft — Police responded to a property theft complaint in the 800 block of East Richmond Street.
OAR — A 27-year-old woman was cited for operating after revocation at Waukechon Street and Dallman Lane.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 300 block of East Maurer Street.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance at The Store, 404 E. Green Bay St.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 100 block of Acorn Street.
Shawano County Sheriff’s Department
May 24
Deputies logged 51 incidents, including the following:
Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint at the Ho-Chunk Casino, N7198 U.S. Highway 45 in the town of Wittenberg.
Disturbance — Authorities responded to a domestic disturbance on East Green Bay Street in Bonduel.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on U.S. Highway 45 in the town of Aniwa.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on state Highway 29 in Wittenberg.
Theft — Authorities responded to a property theft complaint on Maple Road in the town of Wittenberg.
Theft — Authorities responded to a property theft complaint on Genesee Street in Wittenberg.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Redwood Lane in the town of Belle Plaine.
Assault — Authorities investigated a report of an assault at Tigerton Elementary School, 500 Elm Street, Tigerton.
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