Shawano Leader News
Business owner picked for County Board
Scott Williams, [email protected]
Leader Photo by Lee Pulaski Shawano-Menominee Circuit Court Judge William Kussel, left, administers the oath of office to Patrick Hoffman, the new county supervisor for District 2, during Wednesday’s County Board meeting. Hoffman fills the seat left behind when Ron Kupper passed away.
Local business owner Patrick Hoffman has become the newest member of the Shawano County Board.
Hoffman was appointed Wednesday to complete the unexpired term of District 2 Supervisor Ronald Kupper, who died May 8 at age 73 after a long battle with cancer.
Representing a district that covers generally the west side of Shawano, Hoffman will complete Kupper’s two-year term, which expires next April.
Hoffman said while he has not decided whether to run for election to a full term next year, he is excited about getting involved in county government.
“I’m a political guy,” he said. “I like politics.”
The County Board approved Hoffman’s appointment unanimously after it was presented by Chairman Jerry Erdmann.
Erdmann said he selected Hoffman from among four applicants from District 2 because Hoffman seemed eager to serve and seemed to know about the government process.
“He seems to be a good person for this County Board,” Erdmann told his fellow supervisors. “Common sense — I like to see that.”
After the County Board approved the appointment, Hoffman was sworn in by Shawano-Menominee Circuit Court Judge William Kussel Jr.
Hoffman, 49, grew up in Gresham and has lived in Shawano for about 30 years. He and his family own and operate Hoffman Wood Fiber LLC, a paper mill supplier in the town of Seneca.
He told supervisors that he has been exposed to politics through his former wife, Diane Hoffman, who serves on the Shawano School Board. He also said supporters urged him privately to seek the County Board appointment.
“I’m just hoping that I can serve the people in my district well,” he said.
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Shawano Police Department
June 23
Police logged 34 incidents, including the following:
OWL — Police cited a man for operating without a license at Prairie and South Franklin streets.
Theft — Authorities investigated a theft at Lebakkens Rent to Own, 1200 E. Green Bay St.
Theft — The Store, 404 E. Green Bay St., reported a gasoline drive-off.
Theft — A bicycle was stolen from a residence in the 100 block of Prairie Street.
Theft — A self-propelled lawn mower was stolen from a residence in the 700 block of South Maiden Lane.
Harassment — Police investigated a harassment complaint in the 400 block of North Humphrey Circle.
Hit and Run — Authorities investigated a hit-and-run accident in the parking lot of Taco Bell, 1266 E. Green Bay St.
Disturbance — Police responded to a verbal disturbance in the 100 block of Acorn Street.
Abandoned — Police issued warnings to two people regarding abandoned vehicles.
Vandalism — Police investigated a report of a paintball striking a residence in the 1100 block of Birch Hill Lane.
Property — Police investigated a break-in on the 200 block of South Main Street.
Fireworks — Police warned a resident for launching fireworks in the 100 block of Hill Street.
Disturbance — Police investigated a disturbance on South Hamlin and East Center streets.
Shawano County Sheriff’s Department
June 23
Deputies logged 34 incidents, including the following:
Warrant — Authorities took a woman into custody on an outstanding warrant.
Warrant — Authorities took a man into a custody on a probation warrant.
Disturbance — Authorities responded to a family disturbance in the 1200 block of Fischer Street in Gresham.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious homeless man in Gresham.
Theft — Pathways, W18105 Hemlock Road, Wittenberg, reported a stolen phone had been found.
Assault — Authorities investigated an assault on North Pathfinder Court in Wescott.
Accident — Authorities responded to a tipped over buggy on South High Line Road in Hartland. No injuries reported.
Theft — Prescription medication was stolen from a vehicle in the 100 block of South Mission Street in Wittenberg.
Deer — Deputies logged a deer-related crash on state Highway 47 and Landstand Road in Lessor.
Assault — Authorities investigated an assault involving injury on Little Road in Gresham.
Theft — Authorities logged theft of a television in the 600 block of Schabow Street in Gresham.
Suspicious — Authorities logged a suspicious vehicle near John’s One Stop, state Highway 47-55 and Frailing Road in Wescott.
Juvenile — Authorities investigated a juvenile alcohol complaint on Evergreen Road in the town of Belle Plaine.
Clintonville Police Department
June 23
Police logged 10 incidents, including the following:
Fraud — Three worthless checks were reported.
Domestic — Police responded to a domestic disturbance on Lincoln Avenue.
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OWI injury
A Green Bay man is facing a felony charge of operating while intoxicated-causing injury as a result of a single-vehicle crash last month in the town of Richmond.
Bruce S. Pirlott, 45, could face a maximum six years in prison and $10,000 fine if found guilty. He is also charged with a felony count of operating with a prohibited alcohol concentration-causing injury, which carries the same possible penalty.
Pirlott and a male passenger were both thrown from the vehicle when it rolled over on state Highway 29 at County Road MMM on May 16.
The results of a blood test showed Pirlott had a blood-alcohol count of 0.16 percent at the time of crash, twice the legal limit, according to the criminal complaint.
Pirlott is scheduled for an initial court appearance Aug. 3.
Imitation of controlled substance
A Krakow man is due in court Monday for an initial appearance on charges alleging he tried to pass off crushed-up aspirin and cooking spices as cocaine and marijuana.
Nicholas W. Temple, 20, could face a maximum 3½ years in prison and $10,000 fine on each of three felony counts of imitation of a controlled substance if convicted.
He is also charged with felony identity theft for allegedly giving a false name to police. That count carries a maximum six years in prison and $10,000 fine.
According to the criminal complaint, Temple was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over in the city of Shawano on May 31. Temple admitted the fake drugs in the car were his and that he planned to pass them off as real in a drug sale, the complaint states.
Strangulation
A Shawano man is facing a felony count of strangulation and suffocation as a result of a domestic disturbance in the town of Waukechon.
Ted L. Larsen, 43, could face a maximum six years in prison and $10,000 fine if found guilty. He is also charged with misdemeanor battery and disorderly conduct.
Larsen allegedly choked a woman during an altercation June 10, according to the criminal complaint. He is scheduled for an initial court appearance July 6.
Substantial battery
A Shawano teen and a Milwaukee man are facing a felony charge of substantial battery for injuries caused to a man during a fight June 18 in the city.
Michael L. Alloway, 18, and Jaral R. McCollum, 36, could each face a maximum 3½ years in prison and $10,000 fine if found guilty.
Alloway is also charged with two counts of identity theft for allegedly giving two different false names to police. Each of those counts carry a maximum six years in prison and $10,000 fine. He also faces six counts of misdemeanor bail jumping.
Police responding to a fight in progress found the 32-year-old victim lying in a pool of blood, according to the criminal complaint. He had sustained multiple fractures to his face.
Alloway was ordered held on a $3,000 cash bond and is scheduled for an adjourned initial court appearance Monday.
McCollum was ordered held on a $2,500 cash bond and was scheduled for an adjourned initial appearance Monday. Online court records did not indicate a future court date.
Auto theft
A Keshena man is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Friday on a felony charge of operating a vehicle without the owner’s consent.
Cornell J. Zhuckkahosee, 23, could face a maximum 3½ years in prison and $10,000 fine if found guilty.
He allegedly stole a Ford pickup truck in Shawano on June 18.
He was ordered held on a $1,000 cash bond.
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Tim Ryan, [email protected]
The family of a Michigan man killed in a hit-and-run two years ago is calling for the public’s help in solving the case as the anniversary of his death nears.
Timothy J. Meade, 22, of Stephenson, Michigan, was found about 2:30 a.m. June 28, 2013, in the eastbound lane of traffic on County Road M at the state Highway 29 overpass.
“He was struck in the eastbound lane and left to die,” the family said in a media release.
Meade had been visiting friends in the area and was headed back to their residence after leaving The Shack, a nearby drinking establishment. He left The Shack between 1:45 a.m. and 2 a.m.
He was seen by a passing motorist near the tracks just south of The Shack, talking or texting on his phone a short time later.
Around 2-2:10 a.m., a call was made from Meade’s phone.
His body was found a short time later.
“As much as we believe the driver is from the Shawano area, it is just as possible he/she was just passing through town,” the family said. “We do know the vehicle was traveling into Shawano at the point of impact.”
Detectives determined Meade was struck by an SUV or large vehicle that would have been headed eastbound on County Road M.
Autopsy results indicate Meade was lying down in the road at the time he was struck.
Shawano County Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Gordon Kowaleski said extensive time and investigation has gone into the case over the last two years.
“It’s still an open case, but it’s gone cold,” he said.
“Somebody out there has knowledge of what happened,” Kowaleski said. “They family has a right to know what happened. We’d like to get closure for them.”
Anyone with information, no matter how insignificant, is asked to call the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department.
People can also contact family members by private messaging Steve Edwards or Eileen Edwards on their Facebook pages, or by emailing [email protected] or [email protected].
“We fully believe somebody knows something,” the family said. “Please keep this story fresh in your minds and help us find the person/persons responsible.”
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Lee Pulaski, [email protected]
Only 157 schools in Wisconsin were recognized as a 2015 School of Distinction, and two of them are in Shawano.
Hillcrest Primary School and Olga Brener Intermediate School are among the schools recognized for excellence by the state Department of Public Instruction. Both schools will be honored in August at an annual leadership conference for the state’s Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports program.
“PBIS is a systemwide proactive framework that enables schools to be more effective and responsive to student social-emotional needs by implementing a multi-level system of support for behaviors,” said Carolyn Stanford Taylor, assistant state superintendent of DPI’s division of learning support.
Karen Smith, principal at Olga Brener, said she was very pleased her school was receiving the honor, noting that the school focuses on keeping office referrals and other negative consequences to a minimum.
“Our team works very hard, and it’s definitely a team effort,” Smith said. “We’re glad that our efforts were recognized by the state.”
Smith said the school uses a proactive approach and teaches the proper way for students to behave. By making students “responsible citizens” early on, she explained, it allows more time in the classroom for learning.
Smith noted Hillcrest does the same thing, so when students go from second grade at Hillcrest to third grade at Olga Brener, the transition is seamless, because the children are familiar with expectations and the district’s language associated with learning new behaviors.
“We show them that this is the right way, and this is how we do it here at Brener,” Smith said. “We follow three rules about being respectful, being responsible and safe. We always want them to think about what they’re doing to meet these standards.”
Smith said her school would continue to look at how it is doing things and try to adjust the system if it no longer meets the needs of students and staff.
Hillcrest will receive a second honor at the PBIS conference as a School of Merit for reading. Sixty-two schools statewide are being honored for the achievement.
Troy Edwards, Hillcrest principal, was out of town this week and could not be reached for comment.
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The Associated Press
Efforts to preserve the endangered language of the Menominee have gotten a boost thanks to a grant that will help a University of Wisconsin-Madison linguist translate native text.
UW-Madison Professor Monica Macaulay, who has long collaborated with the tribe, is working with people fluent in Menominee to convert material written in 1928 into colloquial English. Macauly said the text includes sentences like, “Large were panthers’ teeth for eating man,” and outmoded words like “hither” and “thither.”
“Just like really silly stuff like that,” she said.
Macaulay has been awarded a $70,000 Baldwin endowment grant for the project. The grants are given to further the “Wisconsin Idea” of spreading knowledge beyond the borders of the university.
There are fewer than 10 fluent speakers of the Menominee language, all of whom are in their 70s and 80s. To try to change that, the Menominee Language and Culture Commission has produced two bilingual dictionaries and a children’s book.
Native language is also taught at Menominee Tribal School.
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Shawano Police Department
June 22
Police logged 20 incidents, including the following:
OWL — A 21-year-old man was cited for operating without a license at Hill and Franklin streets.
Arrest — A 28-year-old man was taken into custody for a violation at the probation and parole offices, 1340 E. Green Bay St.
Vandalism — A tire was reported slashed at Hensel’s, 134 S. Washington St.
Vandalism — Windows were reported shot with a BB gun in the 700 block of South Evergreen Street.
Shoplifting — Charlie’s County Market, 521 S. Main St., reported four juveniles, ages 7-11, in custody for shoplifting.
Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 200 block of North Bartlett Street.
Shawano County Sheriff’s Department
June 22
Deputies logged 45 incidents, including the following:
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Buss Road in the town of Grant.
Disturbance — A 34-year-old Keshena man was arrested on a warrant and charges of disorderly conduct and battery after a disturbance on Lake Drive in Wescott.
Vandalism — A porch was reported shot at with a BB gun on Loon Lake Circle in Wescott.
Theft — A 46-year-old Clintonville man was taken into custody on a probation and parole hold after authorities responded to a theft complaint on Cecil Street in Bonduel.
Fraud — North Star Casino, W12180 County Road A, Bowler, reported a counterfeit $10 bill.
Burglary — Authorities investigated a burglary on Partridge Lane in Aniwa.
Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Ho-Chunk Road in Wittenberg.
Clintonville Police Department
June 22
Police logged 11 incidents, including the following:
OAR — A driver was cited for operating after revocation.
Theft — A theft was reported at the library.
Hit and Run — A property damage hit-and-run was reported on South Main Street.
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Shawano Police Department
June 21
Police logged 21 incidents, including the following:
Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint at Waukechon and County Road B.
Drug Offense — A juvenile was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia and a curfew violation in the 400 block of East Green Bay Street.
Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint on Richmond Court.
Assault — Police investigated an assault in the parking lot at Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St.
Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 200 block of Alpine Drive.
June 20
Police logged 19 incidents, including the following:
Curfew — A juvenile was cited for curfew violation at Main and Sawyer streets.
OWL — A 25-year-old man was cited for operating without a license at Green Bay and Lincoln streets.
Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint in the 700 block of South River Street.
Vandalism — A house was paint-balled in the 1100 block of Birch Hill Lane.
Theft — A Milwaukee Brewers flag was reported stolen in the 1100 block of East Lieg Avenue.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 200 block of South Sawyer Street.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 500 block of South Main Street.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 1200 block of East Green Bay Street.
June 19
Police logged 23 incidents, including the following:
Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint in the 300 block of North Bartlett Street.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 600 block of West Pine Street.
Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 300 block of South Washington Street.
Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 500 block of South Cleveland Street.
OAR — A 26-year-old woman was cited for operating after revocation in the 400 block of East Green Bay Street.
Shawano County Sheriff’s Department
June 21
Deputies logged 44 incidents, including the following:
Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile problem on Moh He Con Nuck Road in Bowler.
Theft — Authorities investigated a property theft complaint on Warrington Avenue in Cecil.
Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Pine Road in Birnamwood.
Theft — Authorities investigated a property theft complaint on Main Street in Gresham.
Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on County Road Q in the town of Morris.
Vandalism — Authorities responded to a vandalism complaint on Poplar Road in Richmond.
Theft — Authorities investigated a property theft complaint on County Road Q in the town of Morris.
Accidents — Authorities logged three deer-related crashes.
June 20
Deputies logged 40 incidents, including the following:
Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Hemlock Road in Wittenberg.
Warrant — A 30-year-old man was taken into custody on a warrant on County Road C in Angelica.
Theft — Authorities investigated a property theft complaint on County Road Q in Wittenberg.
Trespass — Authorities responded to a trespassing complaint on Green Bay Street in Bonduel.
Fireworks — Authorities responded to a fireworks complaint on Rustic Road in Belle Plaine.
Accidents — Authorities logged three deer-related crashes.
June 19
Deputies logged 52 incidents, including the following:
Warrant — A 58-year-old woman was taken into custody on a warrant on State Street in Leopolis.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Cherry Street in Bowler.
Theft — Authorities investigated a property theft complaint on Big Lake Road in Red Springs.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Butternut Road in Richmond.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Range Line Road in the town of Grant.
OAR — A 76-year-old man was cited for operating after revocation on state Highway 47-55 in Wescott.
Accidents — Authorities logged an injury accident on state Highway 47 in Hartland and four deer-related crashes.
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Shawano Police Department
June 18
Police logged 37 incidents, including the following:
Disturbance — Police responded to a fight in progress in the 100 block of Aspen Court.
Fire — Authorities responded to a truck fire at Main and Green Bay streets.
Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint in the 600 block of West Picnic Street.
Arrest — A 29-year-old man was taken into custody for a violation at the probation and parole offices, 1340 E. Green Bay St., and cited for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Shoplifting — Police investigated a shoplifting complaint at Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St.
Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 500 block of South Cleveland Street.
Disturbance — Police responded to a verbal dispute in the 200 block of North Bartlett Street.
Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint at the Skate Park, 107 E. Elizabeth St.
Trespass — Police responded to a trespassing complaint in the 500 block of South Franklin Street.
Warrant — A 27-year-old woman was arrested on a warrant in the 200 block of South Union Street.
Vandalism — A garage door was reported vandalized in the 1400 block of South Prospect Street.
Disturbance — A 31-year-old man was arrested on an outstanding warrant after a disturbance in the 100 block of Acorn Street.
Auto Theft — A vehicle was reported stolen in the 800 block of East Richmond Street.
Shawano County Sheriff’s Department
June 18
The Sheriff’s Department did not provide an incident list.
Clintonville Police Department
June 18
Police logged 12 incidents, including the following:
Harassment — Several juveniles were warned for harassment on Franklin Street.
Disorderly — A disorderly conduct complaint on Waupaca Street was under investigation.
Juvenile — Warnings were issued to two juveniles for malicious mischief on South Clinton Avenue.
Harassment — Warning issued for harassing phone calls on Bennett Street.
Rate this article: Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yetAnker loses bid to overturn child porn convictions
Tim Ryan, [email protected]
A motion hearing in Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court on Friday gave a rare glimpse into some of the thinking that can play into criminal defense strategies; particularly in cases where even defense attorneys are apparently overwhelmed by the evidence against their clients.
The court heard a motion Friday asking to overturn convictions on more than 100 counts of child porn possession against Damon J. Anker.
Anker, 36, was sentenced in April 2013 to 34 years in prison and another 17½ years of extended supervision. He had been convicted in February of that year after a five-day jury trial.
Anker is appealing the conviction on the grounds of ineffective counsel.
Anker’s attorney during the trial was Kevin Musolf, who took the stand Friday as a witness.
Anker appeared by video hook-up and waived the attorney-client privilege of confidentiality so Musolf could testify.
Anker’s new attorney for the appeal, Greg Petit, argued that Musolf conceded several elements of the state’s case against Anker by not challenging whether the children depicted in the images and videos found on Anker’s computer were underage or were engaged in sexually explicit activities.
Musolf had argued during the trial that the images and videos were inadvertently downloaded while Anker was browsing for legal porn. His defense rested on the claim that Anker did not knowingly possess child porn and had not looked at the material.
Musolf said his reason for not challenging the age of the children or the explicit nature of the videos was simple.
“The jury was going to see them,” he said. “They could tell if they were old enough or not, under 18 or not. If I’m sitting there arguing that this person, who would at least clearly appear to be under the age of 18, and I say, ‘they’re not under the age of 18,’ the jury would in my opinion potentially just say, ‘well, this guy’s an idiot. Obviously this person’s under 18 and he’s trying to tell me they’re not.’ Therefore, we’d lose credibility on our good argument, of the knowledge element.”
Musolf said he was provided with all the videos and images seized by authorities and randomly reviewed 24 of the files before deciding on the defense strategy. He said he discussed the strategy with Anker, but conceded there was nothing in writing showing Anker agreed to the strategy.
However, under cross-examination by District Attorney Greg Parker, Musolf acknowledged there were daily consultations during the trial with Anker, who never objected to how his defense was being handled.
Anker also testified at the trial, denying knowledge of the images and videos, but never addressing the age of the children or the acts depicted.
During the trial, Detective Sgt. Gordon Kowaleski, who investigated the case, read a description of each of the videos and images into the record, telling the jury that in many cases the children involved were known victims on file with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The descriptions included children, some as young as 8 years old, posing for nude photo shoots and having sexual acts performed on them.
Petit criticized Musolf for not challenging the NCMEC report given that no experts were called during the trial to testify as to the ages of the children.
Musolf said that based on the material he saw, and the material shown to the jury during the trial, there was no reason to object to the report.
He said he has seen some of the same victims from the NCMEC report in previous child porn cases he has defended.
In his ruling denying the motion to overturn the convictions, Judge James Habeck said that objecting to the NCMEC report might have strengthened the prosecution’s case, because it likely would have forced the state to bring in expert witnesses from NCMEC to testify about the ages and identities of the children.
Habeck said Musolf could be considered to have been ineffective on some legal points, but doubted that the outcome would have been any different if Musolf had taken some other tack.
Habeck said Musolf made a reasonable strategic decision not to challenge the age question.
“He made a strategic evaluation as to the fact that you call wolf if you keep saying this child isn’t under 18 and everybody on the jury is looking at an 8-year-old girl with no breast development and no pubic hair, ‘Who are they trying to kid?’” Habeck said. “All you do is ruin your own credibility.”
Friday’s hearing was the first step in Anker’s appeal process, which he can now take to the state court of appeals.
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Kevin Murphy, Leader Correspondent
Shawano County and four towns will receive a combined $4.68 million in one-time impact payments when a 345-kilovolt power line is built and energized in 2019, the American Transmission Co. announced this week.
The towns of Angelica, Green Valley, Lessor and Maple Grove will also receive a combined $281,349 in annual payments for the life of the project called the North Appleton-Morgan power line, which the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) approved last month.
The payments are made to monetarily mitigate some of power line’s long-term and short-time impacts including land use restrictions, loss of woodlands and aesthetics.
Richard Smith, Green Valley town chairman, said other communities along the power line have called the payments a “godsend,” and he welcomes the increased funding.
“I wouldn’t go as far as calling it a ‘godsend,’ but it’s … considerably more than anything we receive for other sources,” he said Thursday.
Green Valley would receive a $673,138 one-time payment and $80,777 in annual payments. The one-time payment is to be used for environmental-related purposes unless the town seeks an exception from the PSC.
The town board will begin discussions next month on how to use the money, said Smith, which will include the possibility of exploring whether they could be put to use on roads and demolishing old buildings that pose a hazard to trespassing youths.
By statute, the payments are disbursed based on the power line’s $178.6 million total cost and the length of the line that runs through each municipality, said Jackie Olson, an ATC spokesperson.
More of the line will run through the town of Maple Grove than any other municipality along its route and consequently, the town will receive the most money — a one-time payment of $855,309 and $102,637 in annual payments.
The town opposed the line, said Randy Holewinski, town chairman, as landowners did not think it was necessary.
“Why build it if we don’t need it?” he said of the sentiment in the town.
There has been no discussion about how to spend the payments, Holewinski said, but a new town hall may come up. Maple Grove does not have a town hall after the previous one burned down several years ago in a fire department training exercise after the town determined it was not feasible to continue using.
“We’re renting a church hall, which is cheaper to rent than what it costs to maintain the old town hall,” Holewinski said.
County Board Chairman Jerry Erdmann said he has not been formally notified of any impact payments the county would receive when the line goes into service.
“We won’t talk about it until then, but I’m sure it will have stipulations on how it should be used and we’ll follow those exactly,” he said.
The county received about $2 million, Erdmann said, when ATC built the Werner-Morgan power line through the towns of Green Valley, Washington, Waukechon and Belle Plaine in 2009.
That one-time payment funded environmental projects in the county, said Erdmann, who referred specific questions to the Darcy Smith, of the county’s finance department. Smith was unavailable for immediate comment Thursday.
The North Appleton-Morgan project extends 45 miles through Brown, Outagamie, Shawano and Oconto counties, with 53.5 percent of its route located in Shawano County. That means 53.5 percent of the total $8.93 million in one-time payments will be disbursed to the county and the four towns. The four towns also will receive the same percentage of the $536,040 in total annual payments disbursed.
The 345-kV line will be built alongside a new 138-kV line within the same utility corridor but only the 345-kV line generates Impact and annual payments for local governments.
The power lines will zigzag through the four towns in the county. The lines cross state Highway 32 entering the county from the east just north of County Road E, and then head south along an existing gas pipeline to the city of Pulaski. The lines re-enter the county at state Highway 156 heading west along the north side of the highway, crossing state Highway 55 and then turning south at County Road X exiting the county.
ATC will contact landowners this summer for easements and rights of way. Construction will begin next summer and be completed by 2019.
Rate this article: Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yetShawano officer victim in felony theft case
Leader Staff
A Tigerton woman facing a felony theft charge is accused of stealing jewelry from a friend who also happens to be a Shawano police officer.
Patricia A. Anderson, 52, allegedly stole a guitar, bracelet, necklace and diamond rings from Heidi Thaves, the police department’s K-9 officer, while staying at her home in the town of Herman, according to the criminal complaint.
Value of the jewelry stolen was placed at more than $6,000, according to the complaint.
Anderson had been renting a room from Thaves when the alleged thefts took place between May and September 2013, according to the criminal complaint.
Thaves discovered several items missing in early 2014 and discovered the items had been pawned at pawn shops in Shawano and Schofield.
According to the complaint, Anderson told Shawano County authorities she had a gambling problem and would pawn some of Thaves’ items, returning them if she won.
Anderson could face a maximum 3½ years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted of felony theft. She is also charged with three counts of misdemeanor theft.
Anderson is free on a $500 signature bond and is due in court for an adjourned initial appearance June 29.
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Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent
Despite a recommendation from the Clintonville Park and Recreation Commission to approve a dog park in the city and to begin fundraising, the Common Council failed to give its approval last week.
The vote was 5-3 in favor, but failed because six votes were needed.
Alderman Steve Kettenhoven was disappointed with the vote. Kettenhoven said after the meeting that it didn’t seem right that people are not being represented by a majority of the council.
“I can’t believe the council voted no on something free to the residents,” Kettenhoven said.
Katie Kettenhoven, a student at Fox Valley Technical College who wanted to begin fundraising for the dog park, gave a presentation to the council and then asked for permission to start fundraising for a dog park that would be located on Beacon Avenue.
Katie Kettenhoven had hoped to get pledges for the construction of a dog park. She said she thought a dog park would be beneficial to the city.
Alderwoman Mary-Beth Kuester said the public works and park and recreation directors already had enough on their plate. Kuester noted that she knew dog parks in Madison were well used.
Steve Kettenhoven said he spoke to people that were in favor of a dog park and were currently taking their dogs to a park in New London.
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Felony OWI
A Merrill man waived his preliminary hearing and was bound over for trial Wednesday on a felony count of operating while intoxicated, along with four felony counts of bail jumping.
Justin J. Dobson, 27, was pulled over on Highway 29 in the town of Waukechon on June 4 by sheriff’s deputies responding to a reckless driving complaint, according to the criminal complaint.
According to court records, Dobson had posted a cash bond only three days earlier for an alleged third OWI offense in Shawano County. That case is also pending.
Court records also show Dobson is awaiting trial in Racine County on felony charges of possession of narcotic drugs and marijuana.
Dobson could face a maximum six years in prison and $10,000 fine for felony OWI and each of the felony bail jumping counts if found guilty.
He is free on a $2,000 cash bond and is scheduled for a pre-trial conference on Aug. 2o.
Substantial battery
A Bowler woman is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Monday on a felony charge of substantial battery with intent to do bodily harm.
Melissa A. Bernarde, 45, is accused of assaulting a 50-year-old woman during an altercation in Gresham on June 10.
According to the criminal complaint, the woman’s pelvis was broken in two places.
Bernarde could face a maximum 3½ years in prison and $10,000 fine if convicted on the felony count. She also faces two misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct.
Bernarde is free on a $1,500 cash bond.
Strangulation
A Marion man has been charged with a felony count of strangulation and suffocation after a domestic incident in the town of Pella last month.
Robert W. Carey, 42, could face a maximum 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine if found guilty. He is also charged with misdemeanor counts of battery and disorderly conduct.
Carey is accused of choking a woman during a domestic disturbance on May 18.
He is due in court for an initial appearance on July 13.
Rate this article: Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yetNEWCAP CEO to retire
Robert Koller, CEO of NEWCAP, which serves a 10-county region in northern Wisconsin with various social and economic programs, has announced his intention to retire at the end of this year. A committee is being established to find his successor.
Koller has been at the agency for 34 years, including 22 as CEO.
“At my age, nearing 79, and longevity at the post for 22 years, I believe it’s time for new leadership,” Koller wrote in a letter to the board and staff.
After severe management issues in the early 1990s that nearly closed the agency, Koller said NEWCAP has returned to economic stability. Its programs for low-income people in the 10-county region, which includes Shawano and Menominee counties, are intended to provide participants not only with emergency services, but also a path out of poverty.
“While we are one of 16 such agencies in Wisconsin, about 1,000 across the country, having been established as one arm of the war on poverty that was created by Congress in 1964, many people still do not know what we do,” Koller said.
Information about NEWCAP is available online at www.newcap.org. Information about the agency’s Community Health Services programs can be found at www.newcapchs.org.
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Shawano Police Department
June 17
Police logged 24 incidents, including the following:
Shoplifting — Generations, 137 S. Main St., reported a shoplifting incident.
Suspicious — Police responding to a suspicious person complaint about possible drug activity in the 1600 block of Estate Lane found it was only someone smoking an e-cigarette.
Theft — Items were reported stolen out of two vehicles at the Wisconsin House, 216 E. Green Bay St.
Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 500 block of East Fifth Street.
Assault — Police investigated an assault on Alpine Court.
Trespass — Police responded to a trespassing complaint at the Wisconsin House, 216 E. Green Bay St.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 400 block of South Franklin Street.
Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 200 block of North Bartlett Street.
Shawano County Sheriff’s Department
June 17
Deputies logged 48 incidents, including the following:
Trespass — Police responded to a trespassing complaint on Witt-Birn Town Line Road in Wittenberg.
Vandalism — Authorities responded to a vandalism complaint on Granite Street in Tigerton.
Fraud — Authorities investigated a scam complaint at Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St., Shawano.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Cheese Factory Road in Washington.
Trespass — Police responded to a trespassing complaint on U.S. Highway 45 in Aniwa.
Trespass — Police responded to a trespassing complaint on Ebert Street in Gresham.
Warrant — A 46-year-old man was arrested on a Brown County warrant on state Highway 29 in Bonduel.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Frailing Road in Wescott.
Accidents — Authorities logged an injury accident on state Highway 156 in Maple Grove and five deer-related crashes.
Clintonville Police Department
June 17
Police logged nine incidents, including the following:
Drug Offense — A 41-year-old woman was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, driving under the influence, and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop at Second and Main streets.
Trespass — Two juveniles were warned for trespassing on East Morning Glory Drive.
Disorderly — Four juveniles were referred for disorderly conduct, trespassing and obstructing after an incident on North Main Street.
Rate this article: Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 No votes yetGolf course uses grant for upgrades
Contributed Photo Shawano Lake Golf Course recently received a $5,000 grant through Shawano Country Vision 2017. Shown are, from left, Nancy Smith, Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce executive director; Ian Lewis, Shawano Lake Golf Course pro-shop manager; and Dennis Heling, Shawano County Economic Progress Inc. chief economic development officer.
Shawano Lake Golf Course has received an interior grant totaling $5,000 through Shawano Country Vision 2017.
The matching grant was awarded to help cover renovation costs at the business located at W5714 Lake Drive in Shawano. The project included a complete remodel of the bathroom facilities to both update and make them handicap accessible.
The business replaced all the carpet in the facility, installed new coolers behind the bar, added a new walk-in cooler, replaced outside windows on a portion of the building, upgraded to energy-efficient fixtures in the bar and restroom areas, and remodeled the pro shop.
Shawano Lake Golf Course, nick-named Shalagoco or simply the Shal, was established in 1922 and is one of Wisconsin’s oldest courses. The Shalagoco is a public course that features 18-holes; 6,231 yards spread over 120 acres of rolling, tree-lined fairways with finely manicured greens.
The property also contains an eight-tee driving range, a putting green, a sand bunker practice area, and full bar and restaurant with banquet facility. According to pro shop manager Ian Lewis, this is the first major upgrade to the facility in 30 years.
“The upgrades have allowed us to schedule more events, especially dinner events during the winter months, so we now have a full-time chef, prep cook, bartender and will be adding a server,” Lewis said.
During the summer months, Shalagoco has over 30 employees.
Because of Shalagoco’s location near the north shore of Shawano Lake, it is situated to attract many visitors.
“Our improvements will help us attract new events and people to our facility,” Lewis said. “Being located across from the County Park, many of the tourists that come to our area stop by the course to either golf or dine. The remodel is a huge improvement and helps provide them with a better overall experience in Shawano County.”
Shawano Country Vision 2017 grants have helped businesses in communities throughout Shawano County. Small businesses in Tigerton, Eland, Gresham and Shawano have received a total of $77,000 in Vision 2017 facade and interior grants, which has stimulated over $624,000 in private investments.
“We feel the incentives and programs offered through Shawano Country Vision 2017 are vital to economic development because Shawano County must compete with other areas to attract new businesses and keep existing ones,” Lewis said.
Any employer or entrepreneur operating in Shawano or Menominee county can apply for the 2017 grant programs. To determine if your project or business development idea is eligible contact Dennis Heling at 715-526-5839, [email protected], or Nancy Smith at 715-524-2139, [email protected].
Shawano Country Vision 2017 is a five-year economic development plan designed to address various needs of area businesses and communities. One of the key goals is to bring at least 1,000 new jobs to the area by 2017.
The plan’s overall goal is to spur capital investment and grow the economy by implementing specific action steps in key areas, including business expansion, attraction and recruitment, tourism/retail development and community development.
The plan was initiated three years ago by the board of directors of Shawano County Economic Progress Inc. and the Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce to proactively tackle economic challenges including several plant closures, job losses and lower than average per capita income. It is intended to provide a blueprint for future growth and prosperity and a stronger economic climate for Shawano and Menominee counties.
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Leader Staff
A man ordered to spend 40 years at a mental health institution for sexual assault of a child in Shawano County in 1996 won a conditional early release after a hearing Wednesday in Shawano County Circuit Court.
Kenneth A. Filter, 55, was found not guilty by mental disease or defect of first-degree sexual assault of a 6-year-old child, as well as subsequent crimes between 1997 and 1999 that included theft, felony bail jumping and felony escape.
Filter was committed to Mendota Mental Health Institute for 40 years on the sexual assault case, according to online court records, as well as a consecutive 6½ years for property crimes and escape, and 5¼ years for felony bail jumping.
During a nearly two-hour hearing Wednesday, Judge William Kussel Jr. heard testimony from Dr. Kent Berney, a psychologist who evaluated Filter.
Berney recommended conditional release but in a very restrictive placement into a community-based residential facility that would strictly monitor Filter.
District Attorney Greg Parker objected to the conditional release citing the seriousness of the crime and information contained in reports of Berney and a social worker showing that Filter was still exhibiting behavior at Mendota Mental Health Institute that showed he was still a danger to the public and to himself.
Parker cited incidents in the reports showing that Filter had experienced auditory hallucinations in which he had suicidal ideations, and that Filter was placed in the maximum security unit for his behaviors as recently as January.
Kussel said the case was a close call, but granted Filter’s request for conditional release pending a plan that is consistent with Berney’s recommendations.
A court review of the conditional release plan was scheduled for Sept. 10.
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Tim Ryan, [email protected]
The city is returning to a full-time building inspector, after two years of contracting for those services, and adding the duties of zoning administrator to the post.
Brian Bunke, who had been the building inspector in Kiel and Howards Grove, starts his new job Thursday in Shawano.
He is also the owner of Bunke Home Inspection in Kiel and was previously a housing code inspector in Manitowoc.
Mayor Lorna Marquardt said the new zoning code that was put into place this year requires an on-staff zoning administrator. Those duties combined with building inspection were seen as being a full-time job.
Bunke will start at a salary of $55,000 a year.
Bunke is originally from Shawano and graduated from Shawano Community High School in 1982.
“You can’t believe how happy I am to be coming back here,” he said. “It’s like the dream ending to my career.”
Bunke had been in construction since 1984 before moving into his inspector roles.
“It was a natural progression from being young and working in construction to getting old and getting smart and inspecting roofs instead of climbing on top of them,” he said.
The city eliminated its full-time building inspector in 2013. Seven other jobs were also cut that year as the city grappled with an anticipated revenue shortfall.
In May 2013, the city contracted for building inspection with Mike Miller, who previously had the job full-time.
Eliminating Miller’s position was expected to save the city more than $57,000 in salary that year, as well as more than $26,000 in benefits and office expenses, according to the 2013 budget.
The city budgeted $52,000 to contract out for those services.
The city this year put in place its first major overhaul of the zoning code in more than 30 years. Bunke’s duties will include interpreting and enforcing the code.
Among the biggest changes that went into effect in January, the new code tosses the “legal nonconforming” designation for properties that don’t fit in with the zoning in their neighborhoods. The change would make the properties legally conforming and make it easier for property owners to get loans to make improvements or sell the properties.
The code also puts a premium on landscaping for any new development, setting a score that proposed developments would have to meet. They would get points toward the score for various types of landscaping in the site plan.
The requirement applies to new development and to those portions of existing properties that are significantly remodeled or expanded.
Bunke said he has been reviewing the code for the past week and that many aspects are similar to what was on the books in Manitowoc.
“I’m used to quite a bit of it,” he said.
One difference, Bunke said, is that Shawano’s code is more aggressive in its landscaping rules.
“We want to make sure the landscaping looks pleasant for the area,” he said.
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The Associated Press
Poultry producer Foster Farms suspended five employees Wednesday after an animal-rights group released undercover video showing live birds being slammed upside-down into shackles, punched and plucked.
The suspended employees were either directly involved in the abuse or failed to report it to management, the California-based company said in a statement released through a public relations firm.
“The behavior of the individuals in this video is inappropriate and counter to our stringent animal welfare standards, procedures and policies,” the statement said. “We believe raising chickens humanely is simply the right thing to do, and we take our commitment to humane values very seriously.”
The company said it is reinforcing animal welfare training companywide.
The undercover video, obtained by The Associated Press in advance of its release Wednesday, was shot by Los Angeles-based Mercy for Animals, which advocates against eating meat. The group released a video last year purporting to show alleged mistreatment of animals at a Shawano County dairy farm.
The group said the footage at a Foster Farms slaughterhouse in Fresno and the company’s nearby farms was taken between April and June.
Tony Botti, a spokesman for the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, said the agency is investigating the allegations after receiving a complaint from Mercy for Animals last week. He declined to release further details.
In the undercover footage, workers are seen throwing bins of live baby chicks onto the ground, after which some are shown apparently unable to move. It also shows what Mercy for Animals said are the bodies of chickens that were boiled alive after missing an automatic knife that’s supposed to slit their necks.
Nathan Runkle, president of Mercy for Animals, said he believes the video shows there’s “a culture of cruelty, neglect and violence” at Foster Farms and that the company’s management took no corrective action after an undercover employee reported abuse.
Runkle spoke at a news conference in downtown Los Angeles with Bob Barker, former host of “The Price is Right” and a longtime animal-rights activist.
Government statistics show that hundreds of thousands of chickens are accidentally dropped alive into scalding tanks every year, but that represents a small fraction of those slaughtered. Last year, the rate at which chickens were improperly slaughtered plummeted to a low of 0.008 percent, according to the Agriculture Department.
Mercy for Animals has been shooting undercover videos at various animal production facilities across the country for years.
Last year, the Winchester Dairy in southern New Mexico fired a group of employees after a Mercy for Animals video showed cows being whipped with chains and wire cables, kicked, punched and shocked with electric prods.
Employees in other cases have faced criminal charges. No charges were filed based on the video taken on the Birnamwood farm of Alan Andrus.
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