Shawano Leader News

Shawano Police Department

March 20

Police logged 22 incidents, including the following:

Warrant — A 37-year-old man was taken into custody at the Probation and Parole offices, 1340 E. Green Bay St.

Drug Offense — Police investigated a drug complaint at Shawano Community Middle School, 1050 S. Union St.

Hit and Run — Police investigated a property damage hit-and-run in the 200 block of Mountain Bay Trail Drive.

Accident — A driver was cited for following too closely after a two-vehicle property damage accident in the 1300 block of East Green Bay Street.

Warrant — A 32-year-old man was taken into custody at the Probation and Parole offices, 1340 E. Green Bay St.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 20

Deputies logged 39 incidents, including the following:

Warrant — A 35-year-old man was taken into custody on a warrant at Division and Lincoln streets in Shawano.

Shoplifting — A 65-year-old man was cited for shoplifting at Kwik Trip, 102 Express Way in Bonduel.

Warrant — A 29-year-old woman was taken into custody on a warrant at the Shawano County Courthouse, 311 N. Main St. in Shawano.

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Camp 14 Road in Bowler.

Auto Theft — A vehicle was reported stolen on River Road in the town of Almon.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint at Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School, 400 W. Grand Ave. in Wittenberg.

Accidents — Authorities logged two deer-related crashes.

Clintonville Police Department

March 20

Police logged nine incidents, including the following:

Accident — Police responded to a property damage accident at Morning Glory Drive and Ginger Spur.

Accident — Police responded to a three-vehicle accident on North Main Street.

Warrant — A 27-year-old Shawano man was taken into custody on a warrant.

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A Shawano man accused of robbing the CoVantage Credit Union last year entered a plea of no contest to that and other charges Thursday.

Darrin H. Church, 48, is scheduled for sentencing July 9.

Church was accused of robbing the CoVantage Credit Union at 911 E. Green Bay St. and attempting to rob Cash Tyme at 705 E. Green Bay St.

Thursday’s hearing was scheduled as a pre-trial conference, but no trial date had been set and, according to court records, Church’s attorney Steven Weerts informed the court earlier this month that he was dropping plans for an insanity plea.

The case had been delayed for several months while the defense awaited a doctor’s report.

Church was initially found to be not competent to stand trial after a court hearing in June, but it was also determined he could become competent if treated.

He was ordered held for treatment and incarcerated at the Mendota Mental Health Institute until a November court hearing at which he was found to be competent.

According to the criminal complaint, Church walked into the CoVantage Credit Union just after 3:30 p.m. April 8 and passed a note to the teller demanding money. He then made off with more than $6,000 in cash.

He was also accused of trying to pass a similar note to a teller at Cash Tyme shortly before the CoVantage robbery.

Church had been contacted earlier that same day by sheriff’s deputies who warned him he had to turn over more than $400 he had collected from the sale of Girl Scout cookies. Church told deputies he would pay for the cookies later that day.

Church had also been confronted the day before about unpaid rent, according to the criminal complaint.

After his arrest, Church initially told authorities he had gotten money from his aunt. However, he later admitted to writing the robbery notes at Cash Tyme and CoVantage, as well as one he wrote at Bank Mutual but did not use.

The note was apparently discarded by Church and has not been recovered, but Church told police the note read, “Give me all the money and hurry and everything will be OK.”

There was no information available Thursday on what the state was offering under the plea deal. The robbery charge carries a maximum possible penalty of 40 years in prison.

A count of resisting an officer was dropped as part of the plea agreement.

Church also pleaded no contest Thursday to several misdemeanor counts in two other cases, including defrauding a taxicab driver, issuing worthless checks and bail jumping.

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A Keshena teen is facing multiple charges of auto theft and attempted auto theft for being part of an alleged joyriding spree with a group of juveniles in December.

Kyle J. Peters, 18, is accused of stealing a vehicle in the town of Lessor, the attempted theft of a vehicle in the town of Richmond and being party to the crime of stealing a vehicle, also in Richmond. He is also accused of being a passenger in a stolen vehicle, which is a misdemeanor.

The alleged incidents all occurred Dec. 9, according to the criminal complaint.

Peters is the only suspect charged so far as an adult in the case. He was allegedly with a group of juveniles, including a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old. Other ages were not listed in the complaint.

One of the vehicles was found abandoned in a ditch near where another vehicle was reported stolen, according to the complaint. Another vehicle was recovered by Green Bay police after being involved in a crash in the city.

Green Bay police took a juvenile into custody who told them he had gotten the vehicle from another juvenile at a party. He said he believed the vehicle had been stolen in Shawano County, according to the criminal complaint.

Interviews with the juveniles by Shawano County sheriff’s deputies eventually led to Peters.

According to the complaint, Peters told deputies he was with the juveniles during the thefts, but did not steal any of the vehicles.

Peters is due in Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court for an initial appearance April 7.

If found guilty, Peters could face a maximum of six years in prison and $10,000 fine for being party to the crime of taking and operating a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent. A lesser felony charge of operating, but not taking, a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent carries a maximum 3 1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Peters could also face a maximum 3-year sentence and $5,000 fine for attempting to take and operate a vehicle without the owner’s consent, and a maximum nine months and $10,000 fine on the misdemeanor count of being a passenger in vehicle being operated without the owner’s consent.

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Shawano Police Department

March 19

Police logged 21 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — A 21-year-old Shawano man was arrested on a felony charge of false imprisonment and misdemeanor counts of battery and possession of marijuana after a disturbance in the 200 block of Teddington Lane.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem at Sacred Heart Catholic School, 124 E. Center Street.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem at Olga Brener Intermediate School, 1300 S. Union St.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint in the 1000 block of South Main Street.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint in the 100 block of Acorn Street.

Warrant — A 46-year-old woman was taken into custody on a warrant after a traffic stop at Main and Mills streets.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance on Humphrey Circle.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 19

Deputies logged 35 incidents, including the following:

Warrant — A 30-year-old Shawano woman was taken into custody on a warrant on Lake Drive in Wescott.

Warrant — A 34-year-old Wittenberg man was taken into custody on a warrant on Webb Street in Wittenberg.

OAR — A 23-year-old man was cited for operating after revocation on County Road A in Red Springs.

OAR — A 23-year-old De Pere man was cited for operating after revocation on state Highway 29 in Waukechon.

Accidents — Authorities logged seven accidents, including a vehicle versus turkey and a vehicle versus cow.

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By: 

Lee Pulaski, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Lee Pulaski Wolf River Lutheran High School students, from left, Anne Buchholz, Kanon Schneider, Andrew Schmidt and Andrew Jess work on an accounting exam Wednesday morning at the school in Cecil. Officials hope to build a new $1.3 million school in Shawano.
Leader Photo by Lee Pulaski Wolf River Lutheran High School owns this land at the intersection of state Highways 22 and 29, west of Boarders Inn and Suites. If there is enough support, the school hopes to build a new facility here.

Wolf River Lutheran High School, a small parochial school in Cecil, is considering building a new $1.3 million school in Shawano.

The proposed 18,000 square-foot building would consist of five classrooms, a gymnasium with two locker rooms, office space and other basic needs.

The school has hired Cornerstone Stewardship Ministry, based in Madison, to conduct a survey to determine the level of support that such a capital undertaking would have. The surveys, which were due back this week, will determine whether the school will attempt to move forward with a new building, according to school officials.

Principal Jay Lindsey said the school will learn the survey results on April 12. If results are favorable, the school will launch a fundraising campaign with the goal of having a new building within the next three years, he said.

The school already owns more than 25 acres at the intersection of state Highways 22 and 29 in Shawano.

Wolf River Lutheran opened in 2004. It has four Lutheran-trained teachers providing education for 18 students, and Lindsey as its first full-time administrator. The school has also been expanding its extracurricular activities, including a girls basketball team, drama productions and a forensics team.

According to Lindsey, the existing building, formerly an elementary school for the Bonduel School District, is at the end of its useful life.

“It’s not so much the infrastructure — the safety or suitability of the building — as much as it is whether it is appropriate for our needs,” Lindsey said. “It’s an elementary school. It has a gymnasium, which we’re grateful for and able to practice in, but it’s not big enough to have home games in.”

Lindsey noted the classrooms are also too small to suit the needs of a high school education. Having bigger classrooms, and more classrooms, will be essential for the future, he said.

Although a bigger facility could potentially expand the high school’s extracurricular activities, increasing enrollment is the primary goal.

“Location-wise, we don’t feel like we will draw (students) as well in the future here in Cecil … as we would at the land we already own at 22 and 29 there in Shawano,” Lindsey said.

Shawano and Bonduel are home to three parochial schools, all serving kindergarten through eighth grade, and Lindsey suggested the area can use an alternative to the public high schools.

“We recognize there are a lot of good things going on in public schools in Shawano and Bonduel, but we also believe an important aspect of high school can be the Christian focus,” Lindsey said. “Some people are looking for that in education, and we want to be available to provide that to them.”

The possibility of having a parochial high school in Shawano appeals to Susan Longmire, principal of St. James Lutheran School, a K-8 school in Shawano. As the product of a lifelong Lutheran education, Longmire sees value in mixing reading, writing and arithmetic with religion.

“I believe really strongly that if we can make Christian education available for our kids all the way through high school, why not do it?” Longmire said. “This is a tough world we’re living in right now, and I just think there’s more to an education than just the classes. The morals, the values and the environment they’re in shape who they become.”

Longmire noted that Wolf River Lutheran has managed to develop some good programs, despite few funds and low enrollment.

Unlike public schools, Wolf River Lutheran does not receive state education funds. Instead, it relies on tuition, annual contributions from 13 area congregations, donations and fundraisers.

St. James and Wolf River Lutheran both have a curriculum that adheres to state public school standards, Longmire said, and because class sizes are small, the students get much more one-on-one attention from teachers than in public schools.

“I think it would be a good addition to the community. It gives parents another choice,” Longmire said. “I know there are some parents who hope that this will become a reality because they want to send their children on to a Lutheran high school.”

Lindsey is confident the new campus will become a reality.

“I’m telling freshmen that are coming in, including my daughter, that there’s a better than even chance they’ll have a new building by the time they’re seniors,” he said.

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With an hour to go before deadline Wednesday, the Bonduel School District had received 17 applications from job candidates interested in filling the post of district administrator.

Peter Behnke will retire at the end of the school year, ending 25 years overseeing the district and 40 years in education.

Behnke said there were still some last-minute applications coming in via email Wednesday and that there could be others coming in under the wire before the 4 p.m. deadline.

He had previously told the School Board he anticipated anywhere from 15 to 25 applicants.

The School Board will review the applications Monday and narrow them down to a half dozen or so who would be scheduled for interviews, with the first round of interviews tentatively scheduled for April 7-8.

Behnke said the applicants included a variety of positions, including principals and superintendents, and a wide range of experience.

The majority are from Wisconsin, but some are from out of state and some even have “international assignments,” Behnke said.

The applicants also include some from other school districts in this area, but the School Board will not release any names until after it has narrowed down the finalists.

Behnke is only the third administrator the district has had since 1950. Frank Weix was administrator from 1950-1979, followed by Lyman Franzwa from 1979-1989, when Behnke took over.

Behnke’s current salary is $124,388. His last day on the job will be June 30.

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By: 

Leader Staff

A convicted sex offender who was deported to Mexico in February is facing a felony charge in Shawano County of failing to inform the state Sex Offender Registry of his new whereabouts.

Antonio S. Marquina, 41, was convicted of second-degree sexual assault of a child in Shawano County in 2007 and sentenced to prison. He was also ordered to register with the state as a sex offender after his release.

Marquina was released from Racine Correctional Institution on Jan. 14 and immediately taken into custody by federal authorities with the Department of Immigration and Naturalization Service. He was deported on Feb. 3, according to court records.

The state Sex Offender Registration Program listed Marquina as noncompliant on Feb. 13 and referred the matter to the Shawano-Menominee County District Attorney’s office for a felony charge.

The state registry requires convicted sex offenders to notify the state of any change of address within 10 days.

A criminal complaint, along with an arrest warrant, was filed against Marquina on Monday. He could face six years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.

District Attorney Greg Parker said the warrant ensures Marquina will face arrest and prosecution if he ever returns to the United States.

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Shawano Police Department

March 18

Police logged 20 incidents, including the following:

Juvenile — Police logged four truancy complaints from the Shawano School District.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem at Sacred Heart Catholic School, 124 E. Center St.

Drug Offense — Police investigated a drug complaint at Aarrowcast, 2900 E. Richmond St.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance at Shawano Community Middle School, 1050 S. Union St.

Theft — Money was reported stolen in the 100 block of Prairie Street.

Warrant — A 20-year-old male subject was taken into custody after a traffic stop at Division and Main streets. Another 20-year-old male in the vehicle was cited for possession of marijuana.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 18

Deputies logged 32 incidents, including the following:

OWI — Authorities responding to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Beauleau Lake Road in Red Springs arrested a 22-year-old Gresham woman for operating while intoxicated.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on state Highway 47 in the town of Lessor.

Reckless Driving — Authorities responded to a reckless driving complaint on County Road D in Almon.

Accident — Authorities logged one accident involving a sheriff’s squad versus a deer on Butternut Road in Richmond. There was no significant damage to the vehicle.

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By: 

[email protected]

Leader Photo by Tim Ryan Shawano Farmers Market Board member Bob Dumke shows a site plan for the farmers market’s new location at Franklin Park to vendors who attended an organizational meeting Tuesday at Angie’s Main Cafe, 132 S. Main St.

The new nonprofit group that will operate the Shawano Farmers Market starting this year met with vendors Tuesday to talk about the market’s move to a new location.

“Our vision for this site was to have a market in a city marketplace on a square where there’s more green present. That was really our goal in setting this up,” said Richard Sarnwick, president of the Shawano Farmers Market Board.

The market will move from the City Hall parking lot to Franklin Park, the grounds of the old Franklin Middle School at the corner of Division and Washington streets.

Vendor booths will be located along the eastern edge of the park, facing Washington Street, which will be blocked off to traffic at both ends.

Board member Bob Dumke said there is space for at least 50 vendors along Washington Street.

As with the old location, there will be a music tent, information tent and a spot for nonprofit vendors.

“We’re still ironing out some of the details,” Dumke said. “I feel comfortable we can manage the site better than ever, with reduced traffic and congestion.”

Electricity will be available to vendors that require it, with Shawano Municipal Utilities installing a meter that the market will have to pay for.

Vendors will make use of the Civic Center parking lot across the street and will have access to the center’s restrooms.

Dumke said locating at Franklin Park would further a long-range vision of the farmers market that would mesh with the city’s eventual development of the park site.

“As the city develops this into a park — hopefully a residential, neighborhood type park — they will include in their planning the use of the site as a farmers market and hopefully establish more permanent facilities,” Dumke said.

Sarnwick noted those permanent facilities could include such things as storage and restrooms.

“We’re hoping when the city sees how fantastic this is going to be, that they’re going to start to participate more,” Sarnwick said.

The farmers market, which operates Saturday mornings starting June 21 this year through October, was run through the Business Improvement District since it began in 2008, though most of the members of the new board were the original proponents of the event.

Treasurer Jennifer Langlois said it costs about $8,000 to $9,000 to run the market, with two-thirds of that money coming from vendor fees and the rest from donations.

Being a nonprofit will now allow the farmers market to also go after grant money.

An added expense this year, estimated at close to $1,000, will be insurance.

“This year, a big chunk is going to private insurance since we don’t fall under the city anymore,” Langlois said.

Vendors at Tuesday’s meeting had a few logistical questions, but there were no reservations expressed about the new location.

About 30 people attended the meeting in the back room at Angie’s Main Cafe, 132 S. Main St.

Vendors did have some concerns about ongoing issues not related to the new site, including some vendors who pack up and leave early, which they said discourages visitors who think the market is closing for the day.

Sarnwick said there is nothing the board can do to keep them from packing up, but they won’t be able to leave early at the new location. For safety reasons, they won’t be allowed to bring their vehicles out of the parking lot onto Washington Street until the market closes at noon.

Vendors also wanted to ensure that the produce being sold at the market is being grown locally, which, Sarnwick said, was why the certified local vendor program was being reinstated.

“In many farmers markets across Wisconsin and across the nation, there are some vendors who will come in and buy potatoes at Walmart and package them up and say they’re selling them as freshly grown potatoes and they’ll use the market under that guise and they’ll mark the price up,” he said.

Sarnwick said none of the vendors present was doing that, but starting this year volunteers would go to local farms to certify they are producing the product they’re selling.

The certifications are not mandatory, and vendors can still be part of the market without the certification. Those that are certified get a banner to place on their booths.

“Our vendors like the program because they get credit for all the hard work they do in developing their product,” Sarnwick said.

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By: 

Lee Pulaski, [email protected]

A bill that would allow farmers to feel more comfortable about hosting the public for educational and tourism activities is still making its way through the state Legislature, but it has broad support in Shawano County.

Known as the agritourism liability bill, the measure provides immunity to providers for injuries and deaths on their property. There are exceptions, such as not providing signs warning about unseen problems or acting in a way that puts visitors’ safety in jeopardy.

The bill passed the Assembly 85-9 on Feb. 20, received unanimous support from the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Small Business and Tourism on March 10 and is waiting to be scheduled for debate on the Senate floor.

Troy Porter, owner of Porter’s Patch, is pleased that the bill is moving through the Legislature. Besides hosting thousands of visitors each year to pick pumpkins, berries and other produce, Porter’s Patch also has a Farmtoberfest that includes hay rides, a corn maze and other family activities.

“It’s almost impossible to pick every rock out of the field so someone doesn’t trip over it, because this is a working farm,” Porter said. “You’re still going to have to do your due diligence and have certain management practices in place.”

Porter said he has talked with people from the insurance industry, and they are unsure how AB 746 would affect rates.

“That is a huge safety net, because it could make or break me,” Porter said. “There could be a huge lawsuit, and this farm isn’t around anymore.”

Rep. Gary Tauchen, R-Bonduel, one of the sponsors of the bill, said the measure would protect farmers while promoting agritourism.

“When I was in school, there were students that were three generations away from farming,” Tauchen said. “Now, many of the kids I talk to in schools are five generations away from the farm. It’s important to show them where their food comes from.”

Jamie Patton, University of Wisconsin-Extension agriculture agent for Shawano County, noted the bill could greatly impact the county, where 47 percent of the land is owned and managed by farmers, and its neighbors.

She noted there are already popular activities, such as the Bike the Barn Quilt tour started last year and the annual Brunch on the Farm, that connect visitors with local farmers, but with the bill providing immunity for most accidents on farmers’ land, it increases opportunities to show people what farmers do.

“This is a nice bill to limit liability from some of the things that do come with farms, such as uneven surfaces and farm animals, which can be unpredictable at times,” Patton said.

Patton said a recent agricultural needs assessment found several farms and agriculture industries that were interested in providing agritourism opportunities. The bill would be a win for both the agricultural and tourism industries, she said.

“This provides another potential to not only provide recreational activities for those outside activities and bring more monies into the county but also to bring some more monies to the farms who are providing some unique opportunities,” Patton said.

Patti Peterson, tourism manager with the Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce, is eager to see which farms and ag producers step forward to develop events that draw visitors to the area.

“We have a number of places in this area that sell things like pumpkins and berries and have corn mazes. There are a lot of people that fall under the umbrella of agritourism that we don’t even think about,” Peterson said. “Hopefully, it will encourage more people who maybe hadn’t previously invited the public into their farm to do that.”

Peterson noted the barn quilts have already drawn attention to Shawano’s agriculture industry. She has gone to a number of sports shows where people have asked what else there is to do in Shawano County, she said.

“More people naturally want to be on the farm,” Peterson said. “It’s really something we should be proud of. People have worked for generations on these farms.”

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By: 

Lee Pulaski, [email protected]

Shawano School District could be going down the same path as some neighboring schools when it comes to technology.

The School Board signed off Monday on a three-year district technology plan that will be sent to the Department of Public Instruction. That plan includes a one-to-one technology initiative that would give every student a technology device to be used for learning.

Bonduel School District implemented a one-to-one initiative in 2007 after voters approved a referendum enhancing the district’s technology budget by $150,000 and renewed it in 2013. Wolf River Lutheran High School has provided devices for every student for years, and Gresham School District began a one-to-one initiative in January.

Craig Young, technology director for the Shawano School District, told the board the cost to provide every student with a tablet or laptop is similar to the current cost of maintaining computer labs in each school. Young did not go into specifics about cost, and the plan did not provide information about the cost to make such a conversion.

“We can immediately start using learning resources (in class) instead of everyone going to a lab,” Young said. “Each student will be responsible for their own device, and in many cases they take better care of it because it is theirs. We’d have less maintenance costs during that time frame.

Board member Derek Johnson expressed reservations about a one-to-one initiative. He questioned whether it was necessary for each student to have a personal device.

“I don’t know why we need that,” Johnson said. “We’re not going to have every kid on a computer all at the same time. Some kids are in gym. Some kids are in cooking class. Some kids are here or there. Obviously, we don’t need to have every kid have a computer or device all the time.”

Board member Michael Sleeper questioned whether students would be allowed the alternative of using their own devices, potentially saving money for the district.

Young explained that all devices the district would purchase would come with a warranty in the event of malfunction, something the district could not extend to students’ personal tech devices. Students would be responsible for any major damage caused by their own neglect.

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Shawano Police Department

March 17

Police logged 20 incidents, including the following:

Assault — A sexual assault complaint was under investigation.

Juvenile — Police logged three truancy complaints from Shawano Community Middle School, 1050 S. Union St.

Disturbance — Police responded to a domestic disturbance in the 200 block of East Center Street. A 45-year-old Bowler man left the scene before police arrived. The matter was still under investigation.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 100 block of South Washington Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 17

Deputies logged 21 incidents, including the following:

Fire — Authorities responded to a roof fire at a residence on Old 22 Road in Green Valley.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Rosemary Court in Wescott.

Reckless Driving — Authorities responded to a reckless driving complaint on state Highway 47 in Hartland.

Clintonville Police Department

March 17

Police logged 12 incidents, including the following:

Juvenile — Police responded to a truancy complaint on West Street.

Fraud — Counterfeit money was reported on South Clinton Avenue.

OWL — A woman was cited for operating without a license after police responded to a hit-and-run complaint on South Main Street.

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Shawano Police Department

March 16

Police logged 18 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Police responded to a verbal dispute on Aspen Court.

Accident — Police responded to a two-vehicle property damage accident at Green Bay and Bartlett streets.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 1100 block of South Weed Street.

Shoplifting — Police responded to a shoplifting complaint at Charlie’s County Market, 521 S. Main St.

Drug Offense — A 16-year-old male was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia.

March 15

Police logged 15 incidents, including the following:

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint in the 1000 block of South Andrews Street.

Drug Offense — Police investigated a drug complaint in the 700 block of South Main Street.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 100 block of South Sawyer Street.

OWI — A 50-year-old Shawano man was arrested for operating while intoxicated after a short pursuit when he failed to yield for a traffic stop on East Green Bay Street.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint in the 100 block of South Lincoln Street.

March 14

Police logged 19 incidents, including the following:

Warrant — A male subject was taken into custody on a warrant in the 500 block of South Union Street.

Hit and Run — Police investigated a property damage hit-and-run at Shawano Community High School, 220 County Road B.

Fraud — Police investigated a fraud complaint at Associated Bank, 129 E. Division St.

Hit and Run — Police investigated a property damage hit-and-run in the parking lot at Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St.

Theft — Medication was reported stolen in the 100 block of South Main Street.

Accident — Police responded to a two-vehicle property damage accident in the 1200 block of East Green Bay Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 16

Deputies logged 31 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a domestic disturbance on Lessor-Navarino Road in Navarino.

OWL — A 23-year-old man was cited for operating without a license on County Road C in Green Valley.

Vandalism — Mailboxes were reported vandalized on Swamp Road in Pella, and Spruce Road and Pioneer Road in Belle Plaine.

Disturbance — An 88-year-old Shawano man was cited for disorderly conduct after a domestic disturbance on First Street in Waukechon.

Hit and Run — Authorities investigated a property damage hit-and-run on County Road M in Pella.

Assault — Authorities investigated an assault on Lake Drive in Wescott.

Accidents — Authorities logged three minor accidents.

March 15

Deputies logged 35 incidents, including the following:

Fire — Authorities responded to a machine shed fire on Old 47 Road in Lessor.

Fraud — North Star Casino, 12180W County Road A in Gresham, reported a counterfeit bill.

Juvenile — Authorities investigated an underage drinking complaint on Lake Drive in Wescott.

OWI — A 53-year-old Gillett man was arrested for operating while intoxicated on Lake Drive in the town of Washington.

Disturbance — A 56-year-old Bowler man was arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct after a disturbance on River Road in Bowler.

Accidents — Authorities logged two minor accidents.

March 14

Deputies logged 40 incidents, including the following:

OWI — A 32-year-old Iron River man was arrested for operating while intoxicated after putting his truck into a ditch on Middle Drive in Angelica.

Reckless Driving — Authorities responded to a reckless driving complaint on Highway 29 in Richmond.

Fire — Authorities responded to a vehicle fire on County Road G in the town of Herman.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a domestic disturbance on County Road A in Gresham.

Accidents — Authorities logged four accidents, including a deer-related crash.

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By: 

Kevin Murphy, Leader Correspondent

What the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board has done for consumption of dairy products, A similar organization can do for the beer industry, says state Rep. Gary Tauchen, R-Bonduel.

The Wisconsin Beer Commission would promote Wisconsin-made beer. Under Tauchen’s plan, four members of the seven-member board would represent microbrewers, defined as breweries producing less than 300,000 barrels of beer annually, one would represent major breweries, and one would represent beer wholesalers. The commission also would include a chairman.

The commission would reflect the diversity of Wisconsin’s beer industry, which has 87 small brewers and two majors, Tauchen said.

Tauchen said the idea came to him when thinking about the state’s three most famous products: beer, brats and cheese.

“We created the Milk Marketing Board in 1983. Last year (the Legislature) changed rules to help export brats and other meats out of the state, but we haven’t done much to promote the beer industry,” he said.

Tauchen’s bill, Assembly Bill 856, brings the industry’s stakeholders to the table in an effort to make Wisconsin beer even more famous.

“This would be a vehicle to help market and to do research related to marketing beer,” Tauchen said. “It would be part of the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, which works other trades.”

While the WMMB is funded from fees producers pay, the commission’s budget would be funded through beer sales at the Wisconsin State Fair.

Except for beer vendor stands, Wisconsin’s brewing industry has not had a presence at the fair, which Tauchen said presents a great opportunity to get information to out-of-state visitors.

The Wisconsin Brewers Guild, which also promotes craft brewing in the state, welcomes creating a beer commission, said Jeff Hamilton, a WBG board member and president of Sprecher Brewing Co.

“The mission of the guild is to promote and protect the smaller brewers in the state but there isn’t a central marketing force especially for smaller brewers in the state that effectively promotes their beer. This would give everyone a starting point to market,” Hamilton said.

Bill Tressler, owner of Hinterland Brewing Co., of Green Bay, also is a solid supporter of Tauchen’s proposal.

“Absolutely, the Wisconsin Brewers Guild hasn’t spent a lot of time on marketing, mainly on legislative issues. The commission represents an opportunity to promote Wisconsin beer as something special and unique and that we’re a region where good, quality beer is brewed,” he said.

Deb Carey, co-owner of New Glarus Brewing Co., sees the commission has an opportunity to help level the playing field in the Legislature between big and small breweries.

“Craft brewers don’t have lobbyists like others in the beverage industry. I wouldn’t say it’s a level playing field now, it’s difficult for small wholesalers or brewers to get started,” she said.

Carey also wants some regulatory certainty and tells that to legislators visiting her brewery.

“Each session has drastic changes in the way I do business, and that takes away your peace of mind,” she said.

Building a brewery is a “substantial investment,” costing at least $2,000 per square foot and those making that investment deserve some protection, she said.

The commission could also highlight the importance to the state of the $900 million micro brewing business, which supports more than 9,800 jobs, she said.

Tauchen said his bill has gone through three drafts before getting introduced this month, which is late in the current legislative session.

Instead of seeking a public hearing and passage of the bill, Tauchen wants more industry and public input before re-introducing it in January.

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By: 

Lee Pulaski, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Lee Pulaski Dan Labby, Shawano Community Middle School principal, points out results of a student survey on bullying during a presentation Thursday night at the school. School administrators have dealt with at least 100 incidents of bullying this school year, with about three months of school left.

Dealing with bullying is an almost daily occurrence for administrators at Shawano Community Middle School.

Principal Dan Labby said this week there were about 100 reported bullying incidents at the school since the start of the 2013-14 school year, and there are still three months of school left.

He noted during a community presentation Thursday at the school that middle school students are at a unique stage of development—socially, mentally and physically. They’re not as dependent as elementary school students nor as independent as high school students.

“They’re still going to want a hug, but they’re not going to ask you for it,” Labby said. “They are going to be different from one minute to the next.”

Associate Principal Tami Bagstad said there are bullying cases that are not reported to administrators, because the students choose instead to tell friends or parents, with the latter often angrily asking officials why steps have not been taken to deal with the bullies.

“Once we have the information, we definitely check into it, because we do take it seriously,” Bagstad said.

Even when administrators are aware of bullying, she said, they cannot tell victims’ parents what consequences the bullies are facing because of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

The administrators said the schools deals with four types of bullying: verbal, physical, incidental and cyberbullying. The cyberbullying is growing at an alarming rate, they said, which is why the school is presenting two public presentations on the subject March 27.

According to survey results presented by Labby, some SCMS students reported being bullied seven or more times during the school year. It was more common, he said, for students to have been bullied once or twice during that time.

School officials did not furnish survey results to the Leader by press time.

The most common reasons for bullying were to show off, try to be popular or to feel powerful, according to the survey. Less common reasons were issues such as race, size, gender, disability and sexual orientation, Bagstad said.

Labby estimated that the school spends about 30 hours per year talking to students about bullying through assemblies and homeroom lessons.

THE NEXT STEP

WHAT: Shawano Community Middle School officials will talk about cyberbullying.

WHEN: 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. March 27

WHERE: LGI classroom, Shawano Community Middle School, 1050 S. Union St., Shawano

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By: 

Leader Staff

Two longtime members of the Shawano City-County Airport Commission have announced they are stepping down.

Chairman Larry Sperberg said he is retiring effective May 1, after 18 years on the commission.

Secretary/Treasurer Lee Lemke also announced he is resigning, effective at the end of April, after nine years with the commission.

Sperberg is a city appointee whose latest six-year term is set to expire April 30.

Lemke was appointed by the county, which will need to appoint a replacement to fill out his term, which was not set to expire for another two years.

Mayor Lorna Marquardt said the commission would make recommendations for people to fill the vacancies.

Marquardt usually puts out a call to the public for citizens interested in serving on commissions. However, in this case, she said, the posts require people with specialized knowledge.

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By: 

Leader Staff

A rural Shawano man is facing two felony counts of false imprisonment after an alleged domestic disturbance in Wescott on Thursday.

Deion J. Boivin, 20, could face a maximum possible penalty of six years in prison and a $10,000 fine on each count if found guilty. He is also charged with misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct, criminal damage to property, possession of drug paraphernalia and intentionally abusing a hazardous substance.

Boivin had allegedly been “huffing” compressed air prior to the disturbance, according to the criminal complaint.

The complaint alleges Boivin prevented two women who live in the residence from leaving after what started as a verbal dispute.

A third person who lives in the home apparently left through a window and ran to a neighbor’s home to contact authorities.

A Shawano County sheriff’s deputy responding to the scene saw an open window at the back of the house with a screen removed and footprints leading away.

Boivin was ordered held on a $2,500 cash bond after an appearance Friday before Shawano-Menominee Circuit Court Judge William Kussel Jr. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Thursday.

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By: 

Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent

Costs of the unusually cold winter continue to mount for the city of Clintonville.

City Administrator Lisa Kuss told the Common Council this week that the cost to keep water running in area homes so far totals about $47,000, a freeze-up at the waste water treatment plant cost $15,000, city employees have racked up about 200 hours in overtime due to the weather, and the city spent several hundred dollars to send a letter to its water customers about its run-water order.

Kuss said residents should continue to keep their faucets running until at least the end of March to avoid frozen water pipes.

Kuss said 50 homes had frozen pipes so far this winter.

“With one exception, all the freeze-ups have been from 12th Street south,” she said. “The soil in Clintonville is sand or clay. It is easier with sandy soil for the frost to go deeper and faster. Most pipes in Clintonville are 6 feet deep. Frost has been found 7 feet and more.”

A 6-inch, mile-long pipe from the waste water treatment plant to the sludge tank froze in mid-February. For three days, 2,500 gallons of waste was hauled to a tank at the Randy and Carol Erickson farm southeast of the city. This spring, the sludge will be spread on fields where plants for human consumption are not planted.

Immel Construction, Kersten Excavating, Schoenike Septic and city workers were able to thaw the pipe after three days. City workers spent about 200 hours working on the problem, according to Kuss.

“Obviously, this was not the best month,” Kuss said. “The cooperation from the companies we work with was awesome. Nobody was without water for more than 24 hours, and obviously it was very cold at the time.”

Kuss noted there is no charge to users to run the water the size of a pencil stream. However, residents who experience a freeze-up and were not running the water will be charged.

Kuss noted that after receiving complaints from residents who were unaware of the run-water order, the city sent a letter to each customer. The mailing cost between $700 and $800, she said.

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Shawano Police Department

March 13

Police logged 21 incidents, including the following:

Juvenile — A student was cited for possession of tobacco at Shawano Community Middle School, 1050 S. Union St.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem at Olga Brener Intermediate School, 1300 S. Union St.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem at Busy Bee Day Care, 840 Olson St.

Disturbance — Police responded to a domestic disturbance at the Wisconsin House, 216 E. Green Bay St.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 13

Deputies logged 40 incidents, including the following:

OWI — A 53-year-old woman was arrested for operating while intoxicated on County Road U in Herman.

Assault — Authorities investigated an assault on Main Street in Birnamwood.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance at Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School, 400 Grand Ave., in Wittenberg.

Theft — A portable utility trailer and truck tires and rims were reported stolen on Dump Road in Navarino.

Disturbance — A 20-year-old Shawano man was arrested after a domestic disturbance on Lafayette Street in Wescott.

Accidents — Authorities logged three accidents, including two deer-related crashes.

Clintonville Police Department

March 13

Police logged seven incidents, including the following:

Theft — A retail theft was reported on South Main Street.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem on Rosa Park Court.

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By: 

Lee Pulaski, [email protected]

Shawano County will not approve a wage study this month as originally planned.

Representatives from Madison-based Carlson Dettmann Consulting LLC gave the Administrative Committee and department heads draft recommendations of pay levels for all positions during two meetings Thursday. The committee and managers are expected to take about a week to review the recommendations and respond to Carlson Dettmann.

At that point, the firm anticipates taking at least a week to finalize pay levels and determine minimum and maximum hourly and salary rates. The Administrative Committee has tentatively scheduled a meeting for 12:30 p.m. April 14 to review the study.

The County Board meets on April 15, but it likely will not vote on the study until May.

Consultant Charlie Carlson said the county is at a “key juncture” in the study.

“We’re going to counsel people to be calm. We’ve got a ways to go yet,” Carlson said. “We just need your thoughtful reactions.”

Carlson noted that the county’s original plan to complete the study before the April 1 general election was not feasible. He advised taking up the plan after the board reorganizes in April and implementing the wage changes in 2015, so the county has sufficient time to budget accordingly.

Carlson said municipal and county governments are able to control wages more effectively since most public unions disbanded following implementation of Act 10 in 2011. Prior to that, public employee unions negotiated pay increases and other perks. Act 10 took away most union rights, save for modest wage increases.

“Most public employers in Wisconsin, for four decades, have engaged in a political process of wage determination,” Carlson said. “This is a process about logic and system and method and control. We try to get as much error out of the process as possible.”

The firm has compared Shawano County’s wages with 23 other Wisconsin counties and two sources in the private sector.

Consultant Barbara Petkovsek said there are three basic pay plans — developing annual or biennial steps across a range, having pay-for-performance similar to what is used in the private sector, or developing a hybrid plan that allows regular steps to a control point and then having future raises or bonuses depend on performance.

“There are ways to design a plan you can afford,” Petkovsek said. “We help you understand so you can make good decisions with the information you provide.”

She said most counties want their employees to at least match the average pay of other counties, but that depends on the county’s budget situation and the need to retain and attract good employees.

Petkovsek pointed out that the county has hired 72 people since 2012 and has several vacancies, including the county planner job, that are expected to be filled in the coming months.

Once a plan is adopted, there is an appeal process for employees, but changes will only be made to correct errors by the consultants or for substantial changes in an employee’s job duties, Carlson said. Changes should not be based on policy decisions by the County Board, or the study will fail, he said.

“This really has to be the art of what’s possible,” Carlson said. “If all we can accomplish in this study is to get positions arrayed appropriately internally and paid competitively, that would be a good day.”

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