Shawano Leader News

By: 

Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent

The Clintonville School District has been violating state Department of Public Instruction busing rules since the beginning of the school year.

The School Board learned earlier this month night that a DPI audit found two busing issues to address.

The district has been wrongly receiving aid for transporting 4-year-old kindergarten students on a bus with special education students. The practice will be discontinued beginning with the next school year.

If special education students’ individual education plans recommend they need transportation, it will be provided by the district, business manager Lynette Edwards said.

The district also has been transporting several 3-year-olds to parochial schools since the beginning of the school year. The district can do that but will receive no state transportation aid for them. The board voted to end the practice at the end of this school year.

Edwards said bus schedules likely will be quite different next year. The routes won’t be available until some time this summer.

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The granddaughter of the founder of Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats is the company’s new CEO.

The company announced this week that Tanya Nueske will become the third generation to lead the the family-owned smokehouse, which is based in Wittenberg.

She is the granddaughter of the company’s founder, R.C. Nueske, who began selling smoked bacon, ham, sausage and turkey in 1933, and the daughter of the past president, Bob Nueske. Bob Nueske passed away in January.

Nueske’s also announced Glenn Gazzolo as the company’s new president. He will also retain the title of chief operating officer, which he has held for six years.

The company also named Don Bergman as director of sales and marketing. He was previously vice president of sales at Buckhead Beef.

Bergman will oversee national foodservice and retail sales and marketing for Nueske’s.

According to a statement from the company, “Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats is proud to be able to grow and strengthen the company by continuing to create the fine quality and consistency of applewood smoked meats they are known for and by expanding their expertise through development of a talented group of employees.”

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Shawano Police Department

April 22

Police logged 21 incidents, including the following:

OAR — A 46-year-old man was cited for operating after evocation at Union and Maurer streets.

Arrest — A 22-year-old man was taken into custody at the probation and parole offices, 1340 E. Green Bay St.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 1000 block of South Franklin Street.

Truancy — Police logged four truancy complaints from Hillcrest Primary School, 1410 Waukechon St.

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

Fraud — Police investigated a fraud complaint in the 600 block of South Maiden Lane.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

April 22

Deputies logged 37 incidents, including the following:

Theft — Authorities investigated a theft complaint on State Road in Birnamwood.

Threatening — Authorities investigated a threatening complaint on Warrington Avenue in Cecil.

Fraud — Authorities investigated a fraud complaint on state Highway 156 in Navarino.

Trespass — Authorities responded to a trespassing complaint on Shorewood Lane in Pella.

Theft — A check was reported stolen on Moh He Con Nuck Road in Bowler.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Home Street in Wittenberg.

Clintonville Police Department

April 22

Police logged 15 incidents, including the following:

Accident — A two-vehicle property damage accident was reported at Second Street and Morning Glory Drive.

Harassment — A harassment issue was reported on North Clinton Avenue.

Harassment — A harassment issue was reported on Flora Way.

Suspicious — A suspicious incident was reported on North Clinton Avenue.

Disorderly — A warning was issued for disorderly conduct on West Morning Glory Drive.

Disturbance — A juvenile referral was completed for disorderly conduct after a family disturbance on Anne Street.

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Awards will be presented May 6By: 

Leader Staff

Two Shawano police officers and a Shawano County sheriff’s deputy will be recognized as Officers of the Year at the Shawano Optimist Club’s annual Respect for Law award ceremony May 6.

The event will be held at the American Legion Post 117, 850 S. Lincoln St.

The officers were chosen for the honors by their respective departments.

This year’s recipients are sheriff’s deputy Joseph Verbrigghe and police officers Noah Bunt and Ryan Atkinson.

“Noah and Ryan were selected from their efforts in meeting our mission and working hard with others to make this a better city in which to work and live,” Police Chief Mark Kohl said.

Bunt has been an officer since May 2006.

“Noah has been instrumental in strengthening the partnerships we have with landlords and property owners,” Kohl said. “Noah has become the liaison between the police and landlords in providing valuable training in landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities. He has become the P.D.’s point of contact on tenant/landlord and city ordinance issues.”

Atkinson has been an officer since May 2002.

“Ryan works with a team of dedicated police officers in investigating crimes involving drugs and other victim-witnessed crimes,” Kohl said. “Ryan has spent many hours working in partnerships with other law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigations on drug and cold case investigations.

“Even though we’re in our beginning stages of many drug investigations, Ryan’s work has made a big dent into drug activity in Shawano. Ryan’s hard work is making this a safer community for all.”

Kohl said selecting officers of the year from the department wasn’t an easy choice, given the team effort of so many others.

“Along with Noah, Lt. Dan Conradt’s involvement in helping with landlord issues is not overlooked,” Kohl said. “Along with Ryan, officers Dan Conradt’s and Jeff Lenzner’s strong investigative work in drug investigations made our achievements united. I believe Noah and Ryan would recognize their successes as a team recognition.”

In making his selection, Sheriff Adam Bieber noted that the Optimists place particular emphasis on activities that are beneficial to area youth.

“Over the past several years Deputy Verbrigghe has been a tireless volunteer at The Well, a local meeting place for area youth; operated and maintained by the River Valley Community Church,” Bieber said. “The Well provides a safe and secure environment for young people to gather, participate in group activities, and simply have a great time without worrying about being surrounded by negative influences.”

Verbrigghe provides supervision and security at the Well, assists with upkeep and is available to serve as a mentor for the youth, Bieber said.

“Deputy Verbrigghe provides an excellent example of the community caretaking element of policing, both on and off duty,” Bieber said.

Verbrigghe has been with the sheriff’s department for 27 years and was previously a U.S. Army MP serving overseas.

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Local resident, business honoredBy: 

Jason Arndt, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Jason Arndt Shawano Community High School students, from left, Justin Brouhard, Steven Mohawk and Katelyn Onesti help plant a honey locust tree Wednesday during the city Arbor Day celebration at the school. Other students participating were, back row, Braxten Surber, Katelin Senzig, Emma Esch and Tommy Stueck III.
Leader Photo by Jason Arndt Shawano Tree Advisory Committee chairman Bill Erdmann, right, introduces Bob Bartelt as the residential winner of the 2015 Nature’s Friend Award during the city’s Arbor Day celebration Wednesday at Shawano Community High School.

A honey locust tree was planted Wednesday at Shawano Community High School in observance of Arbor Day.

The city’s annual Arbor Day celebration, presented by the city’s Tree Advisory Committee, recognized arboriculture efforts of the city, Shawano Municipal Utilities and two “friends of nature.”

Dozens of students joined local officials for the program.

“We are honored to be a part of this ceremony today,” Principal Scott Zwirschitz said. “These trees will be here a long time, longer than any of us will be around.”

Tracy Salisbury, regional urban forestry coordinator for the state Department of Natural Resources, presented the city with its 21st consectuive Tree City USA designation.

The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service.

To earn the Tree City USA designation, a community must have a tree board or department, tree care ordinance, comprehensive community forestry program and an Arbor Day observance.

Shawano is one of 192 Wisconsin communities with the Tree City distinction.

Shawano Municipal Utilities was honored Wednesday as a Arbor Day Foundation Tree Line USA utility for the 12th straight year. Ten other utilities in the state also received the award.

Salisbury noted it takes tremendous effort for utility companies to aid the long-term health of trees while maintaining power line safety.

Receiving Nature’s Friend Awards were Bob Bartelt, in the residential category, and Charlie’s County Market, in the commercial category. Trees will be planted at the school in their honor.

Bartelt has two white birch trees, one yellow birch, two ash trees, six maple trees, a pear tree and an apple tree, along with a variety of evergreens, on his Lieg Street property.

“I really appreciate all the trees, as do the birds that nest in them,” Bartelt said. “I am honored at being chosen for this tribute and hope the tree that is planted on my behalf will bring enjoyment to others for decades.”

Charlie Harvey accepted the commercial award. A maple tree will be planted in honor of his business outside the SCHS agriculture department.

Alderman Fred Ponschok read a proclamation by Mayor Lorna Marquardt designating Friday as Arbor Day in the city of Shawano, urging community members to participate by planting trees and participating in tree friendly programs and practices.

The city’s Tree Advisory Committee consists of chairman Bill Erdmann, secretary Gerry Stephens (one of the committee’s original members), planter Diana Heikes, forester Mike Harris, Ponschok, volunteer Wayne Habeck, Shawano Municipal Utilities representative Blair Johnson, city public works coordinator Eddie Sheppard and City Administrator Brian Knapp.

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Resolution being sent to governor, legislatorsBy: 

Lee Pulaski, [email protected]

The Shawano County Board this week unanimously passed a resolution opposing the part of Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed budget that would eliminate grants for low-income, disabled and elderly residents in rural communities to replace septic systems to be compliant with state law.

The resolution will go to Walker’s office, as well as members of the Joint Legislative Finance Committee and representatives in the state Assembly and Senate that represent Shawano County.

“We’ve been doing this a long time, and a lot of failed septics have been replaced,” County Board Chairman Jerry Erdmann said Tuesday. “This fund definitely helps those low-income or elderly replace their failed systems.”

County officials said that since the fund was created in 1991, it has helped more than 900 property owners in Shawano County, which has received more than $2 million in program grants over that time.

Bob Jacobson, county planning director, said the grants provide for up to 60 percent of the cost for replacing septic systems, not to exceed $7,000.

Last year, 21 county property owners applied for assistance with their septic systems. The state was expected to provided $100,000 for the grants, but Jacobson said that if the Legislature approves the budget item, the property owners will be on their own to bring their septic systems up to code.

“That grant will be unavailable, not only for Shawano County, but for every county in the state,” Jacobson said. “All of those systems are inspected at the time that they’re installed, and this is a yearly thing.”

Septic system replacement costs vary, Johnson said. Replacing the system for a three-bedroom home could cost around $6,000 to $7,000, he said, while a mound system could cost as much as $14,000.

Supervisor Tom Kautza criticized the plan to eliminate one of the few programs that benefits rural communities. He noted that millions of dollars in block grants help property owners in urban areas.

“This is just an easy one (for the state) to get rid of, because you’re picking on the little guy,” Kautza said. “If they want to take this away from the little guy, they should take the same percentage away from the other ones, too.”

In March, the County Board passed a similar resolution opposing a budget proposal that would have shifted property tax assessment responsibilities from municipalities to counties. The item was recently taken out of the budget by the Joint Legislative Finance Committee.

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Job entails much more than answering the phoneBy: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Tim Ryan Dispatchers Deb Godding, foreground, and Lisa Onesti man the communication center at the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department on Friday morning.

There’s an 11-year-old letter that Maria McCoy keeps in her purse.

She pulls it out and reads it when she needs to be reminded why she does what she does.

McCoy is communications supervisor for the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department, overseeing dispatchers who take emergency calls for sheriff’s deputies, as well as Shawano police, area fire departments and emergency responders.

She was a dispatcher herself before becoming supervisor about four years ago.

In 2004, she assisted a caller with a choking victim.

In addition to taking calls, a dispatcher has to be prepared to give instructions on what to do in emergencies until law enforcement or emergency personnel arrive on scene.

In this particular case, the caller was getting frustrated.

“They wanted to give up because of the amount of time and I continued to tell them, ‘Don’t give up, you have to keep doing this,’” McCoy said.

The victim survived and recovered fully from the incident. McCoy later received a letter of thanks.

“When I was in one of those slump moods where I was wondering why am I doing this job, I will pull that letter out and I will read it. ‘OK, this is why I do it,’” she said. “I’ve read that letter a lot. It’s what kept me going. I wish more of my dispatchers would get those. Sometimes it’s nice to get that pat on the back from the public.”

Last week was the national pat on the back for dispatchers. Each year a full week in April is dedicated to the men and women who serve as public safety telecommunicators. National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week this year ran from April 12-18.

McCoy said the general public often doesn’t understand what a dispatcher does, and that it’s more than just answering a phone.

“They don’t understand that the questions we’re asking are to assist us to decide who to send out, what response is needed for the call, whether it’s law enforcement, fire, EMS,” McCoy said.

“They think they can call in and simply scream, ‘Send a cop,’ or ‘Send the fire department,’” she said. “But there’s still so much more that the fire department and the cops need to know. They need to know what’s really going on.”

The caller is often panicked, but it’s the dispatcher’s job to calm them down enough to get the proper information so the proper response can be sent.

“If they can calm down enough to answer that, it gives us something to go by,” she said.

Then there are the cases where there is no information. Someone will dial 911 and hang up, or just put the phone down.

“We’ll tell (responding officers) whatever we hear in the background,” McCoy said. “Even when people hang up we have to send an officer out, but he’s going to be a lot more cautious in approaching the house.”

Shawano County dispatchers took 58,238 calls last year, including 9,937 911 calls, and dispatched either law enforcement, fire or EMS to 29,686 of those calls.

There is still the occasional nonemergency 911 call.

“People still call us for directory assistance,” McCoy said. “We have to counsel them that this is not a 911 call.”

Shawano County generally has three dispatchers on duty, though sometimes only two overnight.

It takes four months of training before they’re ready to take calls.

“There’s so much more involved than when I started 18 years ago,” McCoy said. “It used to be you pick up a phone and write it on a sheet of paper. Now we have all the computer programs, and with the computer programs you have to know how to enter all the correct information because the officer can look right at it as you’re putting the information in. You have to have a lot of accuracy going for you.”

Dispatchers are also trained in emergency response, so they will be able to provide any instructions necessary in an emergency until EMS personnel are on scene.

“A dispatcher is always the first contact. They are in essence the first responder,” McCoy said.

It’s not a profession to which everyone is suited.

“A lot of people don’t understand what it takes to be a dispatcher. They don’t realize the pressure a dispatcher works under,” McCoy said. “You sometimes roll from one call to the next. Sometimes you barely have time to run to the bathroom.”

Aside from the mandatory overtime — nights, weekends, holidays, the job can also take a psychological toll. And sometimes a dispatcher will know the people who are calling.

“We have one (dispatcher) who took a call where her grandmother had collapsed,” McCoy said. “You don’t get to disconnect the call and go collect yourself.”

McCoy said a dispatcher needs to be confident.

“If you question your ability, you’re not going to be able to make it,” she said. “But if you get that feeling of personal achievement, then you stay with it.”

The Shawano County Sheriff’s Department Communications Center staff includes supervisor Maria McCoy, lead dispatcher Kasey Cross and dispatchers Lisa Onesti, Deborah Godding, Rogene Wegner, Deanna Schuebel, Lucy Klosterman, Mary Beck, Kim Krause, Jennifer Peterson, Jamie Burris, Kathleen Poole, Malorie Notz, Kristin Orlando and Ethan Schmidt.

“The skills, knowledge, and dedication each dispatcher exhibits while assisting the public deserves recognition not only during this week of celebration but throughout the year,” Sheriff Adam Bieber said in a statement.

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Shawano Police Department

April 21

Police logged 25 incidents, including the following:

OAR — A 43-year-old man was issued a citation for operating after revocation in the 100 block of North Main Street.

Accident — Police logged a car property damage incident at Shawano Community High School, 220 County Road B.

Abandoned — Police investigated an abandoned vehicle complaint in the 200 block of South Union Street.

Accident — Police responded to a car versus light pole accident in the 100 block of South Main Street.

Theft — A driver’s license was stolen from the Brickstone Inn, 622 E. Green Bay St.

Theft — Police logged two complaints of failure to return rented items to Lebakkens Rent to Own, 1200 E. Green Bay St.

Accident — Police responded to a two-vehicle accident in the parking lot of Little Caesar’s Pizza, 1056 E. Green Bay St.

Truancy — Four truancies were logged at Hillcrest Primary School, 1410 Waukechon St.

Juvenile — Police responded to Shawano Community High School regarding concerns between an 18-year-old man and 15-year-old girl.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

April 21

Deputies logged 28 incidents, including the following:

Animal — Authorities responded to a complaint of 10 stray cows on County Road A in Bartelme.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a verbal altercation at the Shawano County Courthouse, 311 N. Main St.

Domestic — Authorities investigated allegations a man with felonies illegally possessed firearms on Woodland Road in Washington.

OAR — Authorities investigated a 47-year-old man for operating after revocation at state Highway 117 and County Road E in Washington.

OAR — Authorities investigated a 19-year-old man for operating after revocation on state Highway 47-55 in Wescott.

Domestic — Authorities investigated a disturbance regarding a male displaying threatening behaviors on Hemlock Road in Hutchins.

Suspicious — Authorities investigated two suspicious vehicles in the parking lot of Wolf River Lutheran High School, 220 S. Zachow St., Cecil.

Clintonville Police Department

April 21

Police logged six incidents, including the following:

Accident — One deer related accident was logged on West Madison Street.

Welfare — Police conducted a welfare check on Ninth Street.

Fraud — Police logged a worthless check complaint.

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Board accepts Sparks’ resignationBy: 

Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent

Despite pleas from two dozen students and a parent, the Clintonville School Board voted 4-2 April 13 to accept the resignation of high school social studies teacher Mark Sparks.

Although the board would not confirm the reason for Sparks’ resignation, and he did not attend the meeting, his supporters blamed district budget cuts.

The students, who learned of Sparks’ resignation earlier in the day, presented a petition signed by more than 200 students in support of Sparks.

Students said Sparks made learning enjoyable, that he was a good role model, always willing to help and a teacher who makes students want to learn. Several students offered to help raise money to keep Sparks.

“He is an outstanding teacher that comes from Hortonville and he expects the best out of the kids,” parent Christie Jacobson said. “He is not a teacher just during the day.”

After listening to the students, the board went into closed session for nearly two hours before reconvening and voting to accept Sparks’ resignation.

The board also accepted the resignations of kindergarten teacher Amy Bergmann-Valla and Caitlin Werder, who teaches in the English Language Learner program.

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By: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

City officials Tuesday approved entering into negotiations with ThedaCare over the Shawano Medical Center property that will be vacated later this year.

The Shawano Common Council came out of closed session discussions at its reorganizational meeting and voted to “authorize and direct the city attorney, mayor and city administrator to enter into negotiations with ThedaCare for development of the hospital site,” City Administrator Brian Knapp said.

Knapp said he could not give any further details of what those negotiations would center on because of the closed session discussion.

“There are points in our relationship that need to be discussed further,” he said.

Last week, the Shawano Plan Commission, Industrial and Commercial Development Committee and SMC-ThedaCare representatives met in closed session to hear pitches from two developers offering plans for the property, but that meeting ended without any recommendation.

Knapp said last week that the city was looking for more information from the potential developers before moving forward.

Now, however, it appears the decision will hinge on the city’s negotiations with ThedaCare.

“Those negotiations will determine which way we go,” Knapp said.

The council vote was nearly unanimous, except for one abstention from Alderperson Rhonda Strebel.

ThedaCare officials were not part of the closed session discussion.

SMC chief executive officer Dorothy Erdmann said the continued negotiations with the city are not out of the ordinary under the circumstances.

“We’re getting into the phase of specific details,” she said, noting both sides would be looking to their own best interests and ultimately what’s best for the community.

“This is a complex campus and we want to look at how we work together as we entertain potential developers,” Erdmann said.

Erdmann said she was comfortable with where SMC-ThedaCare and the city are in the process.

“We’re in a good place,” she said.

The hospital will relocate this fall to a new site adjacent to ThedaCare Physicians on County Road B.

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Workers collect eggs for restoration effortsBy: 

Leader Staff

Leader Photo by Tim Ryan Crowds gather on the shores at Shawano dam Saturday at Sturgeon Park to get a glimpse of sturgeon spawning on what was the peak day of activity this season.
Leader Photo by Lee Pulaski A pair of sturgeon connect near some rocks on the Wolf River shoreline at Sturgeon Park. Thousands of people visited Shawano over the weekend to witness the sturgeon spawning.

The shores of Sturgeon Park were burgeoning Saturday and Sunday with the crowds that turned out to see the annual ritual of the spawning run of the star attraction for which the park was named, but it would be hard to tell whether the crowds or the sturgeon came in greater numbers.

Fins flapping wildly in the rushing waters of the Shawano dam might have provided a close-enough view for most sight-seers, but for those closer to water’s edge, the fish swimming in the shallow, rocky waters were close enough to touch.

Three DNR crews handled 700 fish Saturday — “a very productive day,” DNR biologist Ryan Koenigs said — and nearly 250 more Sunday.

“There was little to no activity (Monday) though,” Koenigs said, “so it looks like they are pretty well done.”

Typically, the DNR handles 1,500 fish during its entire spring tagging operation, Koenigs said.

The largest fish tagged below the Shawano dam this year was 77.7 inches, about 10 inches shy of the record set in 2012, when an 87.5-inch, 240-pound fish was netted.

The DNR commended the thousands of people who went to the dam during the weekend rush.

“For the most part, they were respectful and allowed us to do our jobs,” Koenigs said.

The spawning season was shorter and more intense than most years. Warm, sunny weather helped heat up the proceedings, according to the DNR.

Koenigs said the weekend was especially productive because crews also collected and fertilized eggs for multiple sturgeon restoration projects.

“That slowed us down compared to just collecting and tagging fish,” he said.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services personnel gathered eggs for Georgia-based Warmwater Springs, which stocks sturgeon in Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama waters, and the Genoa National Fish Hatchery, which raises sturgeon to be distributed onto the Legend Lake complex on the Menominee Indian Reservation every other year, as well as other estuaries.

DNR crews were joined by about 15 fishery students from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point who volunteered to assist in the tagging operation.

“That increased our numbers and made the operation more efficient,” Koenigs said. “They were critical. Without them, we would not have tagged as many as we did. They made up half of our workforce.”

On Friday, crews tagged about 400 fish in New London and Shiocton, including Sturgeon Trail and Bamboo Bend.

On Thursday, the DNR tagged 52 fish at Sturgeon Trail, seven fish at the Manawa dam on the Little Wolf River and 12 fish at the Clintonville dam on the Pigeon River.

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Plans to modernize SCMS in worksBy: 

Lee Pulaski, [email protected]

The Shawano School Board took the first steps Monday to calling for a November referendum that, if passed by voters, would provide needed renovations to Shawano Community Middle School.

The board voted unanimously to allow district leaders to send out a request for proposals from architects. Once the architects look over what needs to be done to modernize the school, especially its heating and cooling system, final cost estimates will be presented to the board.

“We started looking at the heating and cooling there, and how to resolve that. As you know, it’s getting rather old,” Superintendent Gary Cumberland explained to the board.

Maintenance director Jeff Easter has been trying to keep the system running, but there could come a day when replacement parts are no longer available, Cumberland said.

“As we looked into it, there were other remodeling projects that came up, and we felt they needed to be resolved,” Cumberland said.

Other potential projects include changing some of the walls in order to allow air to circulate properly, Cumberland said. There might also be a renovation of the school commons to allow a full grade to eat at one time; seating space is currently at a premium.

Easter said there would be some cost for the architectural drawings, possibly in the $40,000 range. He would also ask contractors what they would charge, he said.

“The timeline would be to almost immediately start looking at architects and hopefully have them chosen and have their work done by early July,” Easter said. “In August, we’d like to have a good solid idea how much it would cost.”

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Men expected to meet girl, 15By: 

Leader Staff

Two men were arrested in separate incidents over the weekend in the latest sex sting operation conducted by the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department.

Joshua J. Lemerond, 24, of Green Bay, and Timothy M. Brooks, 52, of Townsend, have each been charged with a felony count of using a computer to facilitate a sex crime.

Both traveled to Shawano County on Friday after arranging encounters with what they believed to be a 15-year-old girl, according to the criminal complaint. Instead, they were met by sheriff’s deputies who took them into custody.

They could each face a maximum 40 years in prison and $100,000 fine if found guilty.

Each was ordered held on a $5,000 cash bond Monday.

Lemerond is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Thursday.

Brooks is scheduled for an adjourned initial appearance on May 11.

“Many in the public may be surprised, but the sheriff’s office does investigate instances where some of our youth intentionally put themselves at risk by posting personal and intimate information on the Internet,” Sheriff Adam Bieber said. “Those incidents are investigated on a case-by-case basis; often with education on the potential danger on types of posts being our primary objective.

“Knowing that predators exist in what has become a target-rich environment has led us to practice crime prevention in a virtual environment, before that interaction moves from the Internet into real world victimization.”

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Shawano Police Department

April 20

Police logged 27 incidents, including the following:

Drug Offense — Police investigated a drug complaint in the 1300 block of East Lieg Avenue.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance at Lincoln and Maurer streets.

Trespass — Police responded to a trespassing complaint in the 200 block of East Center Street.

Truancy — Police logged four truancy complaints from Shawano Community High School, 220 County Road B.

Hit and Run — Police investigated a property damage hit-and-run in the 200 block of North Airport Drive.

Shoplifting — Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St., reported a shoplifting incident.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 800 block of South Evergreen Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

April 20

Deputies logged 32 incidents, including the following:

Burglary — Authorities investigated a burglary on U.S. Highway 45 in Birnamwood.

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint at Bowler School, 500 S. Almon St., Bowler.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Middle Drive in Angelica.

Threatening — Authorities responded to a threatening complaint on Forest Street in Birnamwood.

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile problem on Cherry Street in Bowler.

Clintonville Police Department

April 20

Police logged five incidents, including the following:

Burglary — A burglary was reported on Dodge Street.

Warrant — A 19-year-old man was arrested on a warrant and an 18-year-old man was cited for underage drinking after a traffic stop on County Road I. The driver fled the scene.

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By: 

Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent

Walker Forge and Converting Incorporated, industries located on Spring Street in the Clintonville Industrial Park, are experiencing major water problems.

There has been a lot of development in the area and some of the areas that once stored water have been filled in with concrete.

The parking lot is flooded at Converting. The storm sewer is not large enough to handle the water coming out of the drainage basin.

According to City Administrator Chuck Kell, it could cost $100,000 to install a larger sewer at Walker. Kell said that he and the public works department looked at putting in a larger culvert at state Highway 156 but decided that would not solve the problem.

Kell told the Common Council last week there were no tax incremental financing district funds available for the project and that the problem needs to be addressed because both companies have more expansion planned for the future.

“We will have to look for a source of dollars and ask for assistance,” Kell said. “This is a big problem. We need to find out what is going to happen in this watershed.”

Kell also said he was working with a potential developer and found the city did not have an updated zoning map. They found more than 40 changes to boundaries and zoning that had not been updated. Some of the properties in the industrial park have not been rezoned, which could become problematic if not corrected.

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Shawano Police Department

April 19

Police logged 22 incidents, including the following:

Assault — Police investigated an assault in the 200 block of East Richmond Street.

Trespass — Police responded to a trespassing complaint at the Wisconsin House, 216 E. Green Bay St.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint in the 200 block of South Andrews Street.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint at Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St.

April 18

Police logged 21 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 1300 block of East Lieg Avenue.

Disturbance — A 33-year-old man was arrested after a domestic disturbance in the 1300 block of East Lieg Avenue.

Auto Theft — A vehicle was reported stolen in the 300 block of South Sawyer Street.

Drug Offense — Police investigated a drug complaint in the 200 block of Waukechon Street.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint in the 900 block of South Andrews Street.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Sunset Avenue.

April 17

Police logged 25 incidents, including the following:

Assist — Police assisted Menominee Tribal Police with an assault investigation.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 500 block of South Cleveland Street.

Arrest — A male subject was taken into custody for a violation at the probation and parole offices, 1340 E. Green Bay St.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 800 block of South Evergreen Street.

Threatening — Police investigated a threatening complaint in the 1200 block of South Lafayette Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

April 19

Deputies logged 46 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance at the North Star Casino, W12180 County Road A, Gresham.

Bail Jumping — A 40-year-old Keshena man was arrested for bail jumping on Broadway Road in Richmond.

Disturbance — A charge of disorderly conduct was referred against a 55-year-old Stevens Point man after a disturbance at the North Star Casino, W12180 County Road A, Gresham.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on County Road C in Green Valley.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on County Road V in the town of Washington.

Warrant — A 28-year-old Cecil man was arrested on a warrant on Warrington Avenue in Cecil.

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile problem on Wall Street in Bowler.

Accidents — Authorities logged three accidents, including an injury accident on state Highway 29 in Waukechon and one deer-related crash.

April 18

Deputies logged 37 incidents, including the following:

OAR — A 23-year-old Keshena man was cited for operating after revocation at Huckleberry Harbor, 222 N. Sawyer St., Shawano.

OWI — A 23-year-old Gresham man was arrested for operating while intoxicated on Lake Drive in Wescott.

Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint on Front Street in Wittenberg.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Ah Toh Wuk Circle in Bowler.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on County Road C in Green Valley.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Sandy Drive in the town of Washington.

April 17

Deputies logged 42 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Rollman Street in Bowler.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Cloverleaf Lake Road in Belle Plaine.

Vandalism — Authorities responded to a vandalism complaint on Wildlife Road in Waukechon.

Fraud — Authorities investigated a fraud complaint on Baehr Street in Cecil.

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Webb Street in Wittenberg.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Green Bay Street in Bonduel.

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint at Burger King, 100 Express Way, Bonduel.

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Crews collect eggs for restoration effortsBy: 

Leader Staff

Leader Photo by Tim Ryan Volunteers from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point collect sturgeon to be tagged by the DNR below the Shawano dam at Sturgeon Park ib Saturday.
Leader Photo by Tim Ryan Sturgeon splash in the waters below the Shawano dam Saturday during their annual spawning run.

The shores of Sturgeon Park were burgeoning Saturday with the crowds that turned out to see the annual ritual of the spawning run of the star attraction for which the park was named, but it would be hard to tell whether the crowds or the sturgeon came in greater numbers.

Fins flapping wildly in the rushing waters of the Shawano dam might have provided a close-enough view for most sight-seers, but for those closer to water’s edge, the fish swimming in the shallow, rocky waters were close enough to touch.

Three DNR crews handled 700 fish Saturday,

“A very productive day,” DNR biologist Ryan Koenigs said.

Typically, the DNR handles 1,500 fish during its entire spring tagging operation, he said.

Koenigs said it was especially productive because crews also collected and fertilized eggs for multiple sturgeon restoration projects.

“That slowed us down compared to just collecting and tagging fish,” he said.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services personnel will gather eggs for Georgia-based Warmwater Springs, which stocks sturgeon in Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama waters, and the Genoa National Fish Hatchery, which raises sturgeon to be distributed onto the Legend Lake complex on the Menominee Indian Reservation every other year, as well as other estuaries.

DNR crews were joined by fishery students from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point who volunteered to assist in the tagging operation.

“That increased our numbers and made the operation more efficient," Koenigs said.

Crews were back on scene Sunday, but Saturday was the peak day for this year’s spawning season, he said.

On Friday, crews tagged about 400 fish in New London and Shiocton, including Sturgeon Trail and Bamboo Bend.

On Thursday, the DNR tagged 52 fish at Sturgeon Trail, seven fish at the Manawa dam on the Little Wolf River and 12 fish at the Clintonville dam on the Pigeon River.

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DNR anticipates sharp decline by MondayBy: 

Jason Arndt, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Jason Arndt Sturgeon spawning is expected to peak this weekend in the Wolf River near the Shawano dam. Warm weather is creating a shorter than usual spawning season for the prehistoric fish.
Leader Photo by Jason Arndt Beau Miller, of Shawano, holds his daughter Meryl and supervises his other daughter, Miles, at Sturgeon Park on Friday as they and others view the annual sturgeon run.

If you want to watch the sturgeon spawning at the Shawano dam, the state Department of Natural Resources suggests you get there this weekend because the annual ritual could end quickly.

DNR and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service workers arrived Friday afternoon to assess the Wolf River and prepare for their annual work with the prehistoric fish here.

“They are just starting to spawn on the private side of the dam,” Ryan Koenigs, sturgeon biologist for the DNR, said Friday. “By tomorrow morning, things should be in full swing around here. Tomorrow would be a good day to see the fish.”

Sturgeon were spawning along the shorelines from New London to Shawano on Friday.

“Tomorrow (Saturday) will be the big show here,” Koenigs said. “The females south of here are already half spent regarding ovulation, so Friday was the peak spawning day down there.”

Earlier Friday, three DNR crews tagged about 400 fish in New London and Shiocton, including Sturgeon Trail and Bamboo Bend.

On Thursday, the DNR tagged 52 fish at Sturgeon Trail, seven fish at the Manawa dam on the Little Wolf River and 12 fish at the Clintonville dam on the Pigeon River. Koenigs noted a spawning pod at the Pigeon River is a first in the agency’s history.

Koenigs anticipates a sharp decline in spawning by Monday morning.

“It has been in the 70s the last couple days, and the water is rapidly warming up, and the fish are responding quickly,” Koenigs said. “This will be a short run, lasting four to five days. Usually it is seven to 10 days.”

Carlos Echevarria, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services hatchery manager who oversees the collection of sturgeon eggs for various restoration projects, also expects a busy Saturday.

“Things are looking real good right now,” he said. “Saturday will probably be a heavy day down here.”

After collecting the eggs, workers disinfect them with an iodine compound to avoid transmitting diseases to nursery populations. A clay solution is used to make the eggs less sticky to better control fungus infections in the hatcheries.

The hatcheries will grow the sturgeon until they’re about 10 inches long and then release them.

Fish and Wildlife Services personnel will gather eggs for Georgia-based Warmwater Springs, which stocks sturgeon in Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama waters, and the Genoa National Fish Hatchery, which raises sturgeon to be distributed onto the Legend Lake complex on the Menominee Indian Reservation every other year, as well as other estuaries.

A group from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Science is also expected. They will use the eggs to foster sturgeon populations in the Menomonee and Milwaukee rivers in Milwaukee County.

DID YOU KNOW?

- The largest sturgeon ever handled in a spawning assessment operation (240 pounds, 87.5 inches long and probably about 125 years old) was netted in Shawano in 2012.

- Sturgeon eat small organisms such as snails, insect larvae, leeches, small clams.

- The sturgeon is considered a living fossil, remaining unchanged for more than 150 million years.

- Sturgeon typically live at the bottom of lakes where food is more plentiful.

- Fertile sturgeon eggs hatch in five to eight days Newly hatched sturgeon grow to 1 inch in 12 to 14 days.

- Female sturgeon spawn every four, five or six years.

- The oldest sturgeon recorded in Lake Winnebago history was an 82-year-old female in 1953.

- The largest lake sturgeon caught by hook and line weighed 170 pounds, 10 ounces. It was caught in Burnett County in 1979. The largest sturgeon caught during spearing season was 212 pounds, taken from Lake Winnebago in 2010.

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Local officials have more questionsBy: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

City officials this week heard pitches from two developers offering plans for the Shawano Medical Center site after the hospital relocates later this year, but lingering questions stalled them from making a final choice.

The Shawano Plan Commission, Industrial and Commercial Development Committee and SMC-ThedaCare representatives met in closed session with the developers Wednesday.

It had been expected that a recommendation would be made to the Shawano Common Council for its reorganizational meeting Tuesday, but the meeting was adjourned with no action taken.

“We have some follow-up questions for them,” City Administrator Brian Knapp said.

Knapp said the city would look to get those questions answered before another meeting is scheduled.

“It’s entirely dependent on their responses,” he said. “Once we’ve gotten some clarity, we will probably reconvene and continue with the discussion.”

The city initially had three developers interested in the property, but one of those had been pursuing tax credits tied to the historic nature of the hospital property.

The historic tax credits played a major role in financing for the project that turned the former Lincoln School into an apartment complex.

But in the case of the Shawano Medical Center, there had been too much remodeling and building modifications to qualify for the credits.

City officials have been mum about what the two remaining developers are proposing.

The hospital will relocate this fall to a new site adjacent to ThedaCare Physicians on County Road B.

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Kell says city should address problemBy: 

Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent

Clintonville’s auditor, Schenk Associates, is not to blame for the Common Council not knowing the city owes the state more than $1.1 million in an unfunded pension liability, according to interim City Administrator Chuck Kell.

In March, Kell was surprised to learn about the debt, through a newspaper article, and council members complained that Schenk representatives should have alerted the city to the problem.

Kell told the council Tuesday that the city had not asked for a presentation from Schenk for at least 10 years.

“The auditors are not at fault,” he said.

The debt, calculated through 2013, is the gap between the projected cost of future pensions and the amount set aside to pay them. All entities with an unfunded liability are required to pay interest (7.2 percent) on the balance annually to the Wisconsin Retirement System.

Clerk/treasurer Peggy Johnson said the city’s monthly payments to the WRS include interest, but the interest accruing was larger than what the city was paying. The city’s annual payment to the fund was $49,614.40 this year, but the tab was $79,227 with interest.

The city joined the Wisconsin Retirement program in 1964, and all eligible city employees participate.

Kell said the auditors would meet with city officials within the next 60 days.

“I think you want to take care of this,” he told the council. “It is water over the dam. We need to address the debt before it gets worse.

“We have $300,000 that we could use … but that still leaves $700,000 to $800,000 that we need to borrow. … This would not affect our debt limit. It would be manageable.”

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