Shawano Leader News

Shawano, Clintonville police investigatingBy: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

Authorities believe the man who tried robbing a convenience store in Shawano on Friday might be the same man who held up a store in Clintonville at gunpoint last week.

Shawano Police Lt. Dan Mauel said officers are coordinating with the Clintonville Police Department in the investigation.

The attempted robbery in Shawano took place at the People’s Express East, 1206 E. Green Bay St.

According to the police report, a man entered the store about 8:14 p.m. carrying a 4-inch folding knife. He was described as 5 feet, 6 inches tall, wearing a black pullover sweatshirt with the hood pulled up over his head, gloves, black pants and a white cloth mask pulled up over his nose.

Two employees were inside the store at the time, according to the report.

The report states the man walked behind the counter and demanded money from the register, but then fled the scene without taking anything.

Police have not released information about why they believe the man fled empty-handed.

The Police Department’s K-9 unit was brought in to track the suspect but was unsuccessful.

The incident came two days after the armed robbery in Clintonville.

In that incident, a man wearing a face mask entered the Schroeder Shell convenience store, 325 S. Main St., shortly after 1 a.m., displayed a large hand gun and demanded money from the clerk. He made off with an undisclosed amount of money.

Police described that suspect as a white male, wearing a green hooded winter jacket, gloves and a camouflage face mask.

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Shawano Police Department

Feb. 9

Police logged 23 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance at Shawano Community High School, 220 County Road B.

Accident — Police responded to a property damage accident at Green Bay Street and Woodlawn Drive.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 400 block of North Franklin Street.

Child Abuse — A child abuse complaint was under investigation.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Feb. 9

Sheriff’s deputies logged 37 incidents, including the following:

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile problem at Bonduel Elementary School, 404 W. Mill St., Bonduel.

Fraud — Authorities investigated an Internet fraud complaint on Emery Ansorge Road in the town of Washington.

Theft — A trailer was reported stolen on Lake Crest Drive in Wescott.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Second Street in Bonduel.

Theft — A purse was reported stolen on Lake Drive in Wescott.

Fraud — Authorities investigated an identity theft complaint on Cherry Road in Aniwa.

Clintonville Police Department

Feb. 8

Police logged seven incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Officers responded to a damage to property and domestic situation on Robert Street.

Disturbance — Officers were requested to an establishment on South Main Street for a reported fight in progress. The complaint was unfounded.

Warrant — A 33-year-old Clintonville man was taken into custody on Ginger Court on a warrant through Waupaca County Sheriff’s Department.

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Shawano Police Department

Feb. 8

Police logged 19 incidents, including the following:

Trespass — Police responded to a trespassing complaint in the 100 block of South Lincoln Street.

Accident — Police responded to a car versus deer accident in the 1300 block of East Green Bay Street.

Shoplifting — Charlie’s County Market, 521 S. Main St., reported a shoplifting incident.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 600 block of East Schurz Street.

Feb. 7

Police logged 13 incidents, including the following:

OWI — A 20-year-old female was arrested for operating while intoxicated and cited for underage drinking at Green Bay Street and Airport Drive.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 200 block of North Humphrey Circle.

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

Feb. 6

Police logged 16 incidents, including the following:

Theft — Police investigated a theft complaint at The Gathering, 2600 E. Richmond St.

Rape — A report of rape was under investigation.

Robbery — Police were investigating an armed robbery attempt at People’s Express East, 1206 E. Green Bay St.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Feb. 8

Sheriff’s deputies logged 27 incidents, including the following:

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile alcohol complaint on Warrington Avenue in Cecil.

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Koo Yi Kun Lane in Bartelme.

Accidents — Authorities logged six accidents, including an injury accident on Highway 29 in Hartland.

Feb. 7

Sheriff’s deputies logged 37 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Bierman Road in Almon.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Broadway Road in Richmond.

Fraud — Authorities investigated a fraud complaint on Cherry Drive in Angelica.

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

Burglary — Authorities investigated a burglary on County Road D in Seneca.

Accidents — Authorities logged 10 accidents, including five deer-related crashes.

Feb. 6

Sheriff’s deputies logged 36 incidents, including the following:

OWI — A subject was taken into custody for operating while intoxicated on County Road A in Richmond.

Assault — Authorities investigated a sex offense on Hemlock Road in Wittenberg.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a domestic disturbance on Mork Court in Wescott.

Accidents — Authorities logged 10 accidents, including five eight-related crashes.

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By: 

BY Charles Benson, Today's TMJ

It could be a game changer. According to Today's TMJ4, the Menominee Tribe is expected Tuesday to announce a way to pay a big chunk of a new Milwaukee Bucks arena. But there’s a catch.

A source confirmed with Today's TMJ4’s Charles Benson the tribe will kick in $220 million for the new arena - but that’s only if the Gov. Scott Walker goes back on his decision and approves the Kenosha casino.

A news conference has been scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday to apparently unveil the plan and offer what the Menominee claims is "more than 1 billion reasons to say yes to the Kenosha Casino."

There's a lot on the table, and not a lot of time to think about it. The federal government has given the state until Feb. 19. Walker has said his decision was final.

The Menominee say their Kenosha casino offer is worth more than a billion dollars over 25 years to the state if approved by the governor.

But last month, Walker rejected that offer, claiming taxpayers would be at risk for hundreds of millions because of prior agreement with the Potawatomi.

The tribe says it has also offered a $250 million bond to cover any of those potential losses. And now there’s the new offer.

A source confirms the Menominee are expected to offer $220 million to cover the taxpayer's cost for a new arena.

Walker proposed using the state’s income tax on an increase in future player salaries to fund the state portion of the arena - often referred to as the "jock tax."

The tribe’s $220 million, combined with $250 million from the current and former Bucks owners, would put the total at $470 million.

News of the tribe's offer came after Bucks co-owner Wes Edens met with city and county leaders Monday to talk about the new arena.

The offer would also eliminate any potential political battles in the Legislature over the governor's arena financing plan.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, a supporter of the Kenosha casino, said he was not given any details of the tribe's offer but ”it's an exciting opportunity if true."

The source said the tribe is not asking for any naming rights as part of the offer.

The Bucks have not commented on the proposed offer – saying they're waiting for more details.

Walker’s spokesperson responded Monday night by saying, “Our office has received no information about this proposal."

Press Secretary Laurel Patrick also released this statement:

"However, it's important to note that Governor Walker's "Pay Their Way" plan for the new arena protects current taxpayer dollars. The $220 million would not come from current GPR. Rather it is in the form of an appropriation bond to be paid back by projected growth in income taxes from the Bucks, as well as visiting teams, due to salary increases and new TV contracts. Once the bonds are paid off, tax growth would return to the state."

"Governor Doyle’s compacts with the tribes open up the State of Wisconsin to significant litigation risks. Due to those compacts, the long-term economic hit to the state budget would be a potential loss of hundreds of millions of dollars."

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By: 

Leader Staff

Two men were taken into custody Monday morning after an armed dispute in the village of Wittenberg.

The Shawano County Sheriff’s Department said the two men — ages 32 and 59, both of Stacy, Minnesota — had traveled to a residence on Mission Street over a custody-and-care issue involving a teenage relative.

Weapons were displayed, however no shots were fired during the incident.

Both men were armed and allegedly threatened violence. Residents unsuccessfully took measures to defend themselves, and numerous statements were made implying the use of violence, according to the sheriff's department.

Deputies were called to the scene just before 9 a.m.

The suspects left the area and within moments of their departure were engaged by deputies on a high-risk traffic stop. The deputies' commands were honored and both were taken into custody without further incident.

The sheriff’s department is referring multiple charges to the district attorney’s office, including recklessly endangering safety, burglary, attempted abduction, strangulation, possession of a sawed-off shotgun, carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Charges were expected to be filed Tuesday. No further information was being released.

“I want to thank our deputies for handling a very serious situation in a professional manner,” Sheriff Adam Bieber said in a Facebook post.

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By: 

Leader Staff

Shawano police are investigating an attempted armed robbery that took place Friday night, according to a police report.

People’s Express East, 1206 E. Green Bay St., reported the incident shortly after 8 p.m.

According to the report, a man entered the store about 8:14 p.m. carrying a 4-inch folding knife. He was described as 5 feet, 6 inches tall, wearing a black pullover sweatshirt with the hood pulled up over his head, gloves, black pants and a white cloth mask pulled up over his nose.

Two employees were inside the store at the time, according to the report.

The report states the man walked behind the counter and demanded money from the register, but then fled the scene without taking anything.

The Police Department’s K-9 unit was brought in to track the suspect but was unsuccessful.

Police are checking with authorities in Clintonville to see whether there are any similarities to an armed robbery there early Wednesday.

In that incident, a man wearing a face mask entered the store shortly after 1 a.m., displayed a large hand gun and demanded money from the clerk. He made off with an undisclosed amount of money.

Both incidents are under investigation.

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Local store could lose brand name amid corporate turmoilBy: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

The bankruptcy filing this week by RadioShack Corp. and its plans to sell off half its 4,000 U.S. stores and shutter the rest won’t put the Shawano dealership out of business, but it could mean a loss of the Radio Shack brand name.

The store at 221 E. Green Bay St. is officially Technologies Inc., but it is perhaps better known as a Radio Shack outlet.

It’s one of a dwindling number of independent outlets that are Radio Shack in name and carry Radio Shack products, but are not considered part of the chain of retail stores operated by the company.

RadioShack Corp. doesn’t own any part of the local operation, or that of the roughly 750 to 850 other independents with similar agreements nationwide, according to Deb Noffke, who operates the Shawano store.

Other independent Radio Shack stores in the area are in Antigo, Pulaski and Oconto Falls. The nearest stores that are part of the retail chain are in Green Bay and Wausau.

“Most Radio Shack stores in towns with under 10,000 population are independently owned and operated,” Noffke said.

Noffke said Technologies Inc. would remain but, after a nearly 40-year association, losing the brand name will hurt a little.

“It’s not just a name; it’s what I am,” she said. “I grew up with this.”

Noffke said the Shawano store was one of the first to order the TRS-80 home computer in 1977, considered to be cutting edge technology back then.

She said the store ordered it blind, based only on the buzz being created by the idea of having a computer at home.

Noffke said the computers were ordered because her father, Marlin, wanted to play around with it. Two computers came in, but both were sold before he was able to get them out of the box, she said.

At this point, Noffke said, neither she nor any of the other independents she has been in contact with has been told what the bankruptcy filing and chain store closings will mean for them.

“There’s a lot of anger,” she said.

However, Noffke added, it’s possible that the corporate office, in the flux of bankruptcy proceedings, hasn’t resolved that issue yet.

“In all fairness, they really might not know,” she said.

Technologies Inc. is a family-run business that was specializing in home TVs and CB-radios in 1976 when Radio Shack approached it.

“They found us,” Noffke said.

Back then, the business was run by Deb’s mother, Nancy, who made the decision to go with the Radio Shack name.

The store pays rights to use the name and sells Radio Shack products, though not exclusively.

“Some things they discontinued, I still sell,” Noffke said.

Noffke also said she could go elsewhere to find Radio Shack products if it comes to that, but she has liked what she’s been getting over the years.

“They’re my favorite supplier,” she said, noting in particular the company’s packaging and quality control.

While the retail chain has been foundering, Noffke said her store has been doing well enough to stay in business.

“It does well enough to keep all the bills paid, and I can still eat, too,” she said.

The store employs four part-time workers.

RadioShack, founded in Boston nearly a century ago, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection late Thursday. It plans to sell 1,500 to 2,400 stores to its largest shareholder, investment firm Standard General, and has filed a motion to proceed with closing the remainder of its 4,000 U.S. stores.

Standard General would run some 1,750 of the stores it buys as co-branded shops with wireless carrier Sprint Corp.

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Charges expected to be filed MondayBy: 

Leader Staff

Shawano County authorities Thursday arrested a 32-year-old Green Bay man in the latest computer sex sting operation here.

The man was arrested in Wescott about 7 p.m. after setting up a meeting with what he believed would be a 15-year-old girl.

He was instead greeted by Shawano County sheriff’s deputies. His vehicle was taken as evidence by the Sheriff’s Office, which will ask that it be forfeited as it was allegedly used to travel with the intent to commit a felony.

Charges have been referred to the district attorney’s office and are expected to be filed Monday.

Similar arrests have resulted in charges of using a computer to facilitate a sex crime or child exploitation.

Shawano County detectives and deputies are continuing their efforts to identify and apprehend people who would use today’s technologies to facilitate child sex crimes by seeking intimate encounters with underage persons online, the sheriff’s department said in a news release.

“We will continue our proactive efforts to protect the children of Shawano County by sending a clear message that if you travel here to target our youth, we may well be waiting,” Sheriff Adam Bieber said in the release.

“The reality is that these crimes are on the increase, people do not know the intent of potentially dangerous persons encountered online, and our preventative presence in the cyber community will be ongoing,” he said.

Internet safety courses are available through the sheriff’s office, and organizations are encouraged to contact the department if they would like a detailed presentation on what is truly occurring as technologies change, Bieber said.

The arrest brings to 13 the number of people busted in computer sex stings operations in Shawano County over the past two years.

There have been five regional operations since fall 2012, resulting in 84 arrests in multiple counties. Shawano County authorities have also conducted several independent operations.

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Shawano Police Department

Feb. 5

Police logged 19 incidents, including the following:

Warrant — A 42-year-old man was taken into custody on a warrant in the 100 block of South Main Street.

Theft — Police investigated a theft attempt in the 400 block of West Swan Street.

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

Drug Offense — Police investigated a drug complaint in the 1200 block of East Green Bay Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Feb. 5

Deputies logged 34 incidents, including the following:

Reckless Driving — Authorities responded to reckless driving complaints on state Highway 29 in Belle Plaine, Highway 29 in Richmond and County Road Y in Belle Plaine.

Disturbance — Charges of battery and strangulation were referred against a 39-year-old Wittenberg man after a domestic disturbance on Vinal Street in Wittenberg.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on County Road D in Pella.

Clintonville Police Department

Feb. 5

Police logged seven incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Officers responded to a disturbance on South Main Street.

Theft — Money was reported stolen on Bennett Street.

Disorderly — Disorderly conduct was reported at Clintonville Middle School, 255 N. Main St.

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Event celebrates $8.3 million projectBy: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

The people have spoken, and the Menominee Casino Resort listened.

With the help of input from focus groups made up of customers and guests, the casino implemented an $8.3 million improvement project that was recently completed. Grand opening ceremonies will take place at 1 p.m. ThursdayFeb. 12.

“It will be a whole cultural event celebrating the grand opening,” said Jim Reiter, general manager of Menominee Casino Resort.

Speakers will include Tribal Chair Laurie Boivin and representatives from the Menominee Tribal Gaming Authority, Miron Construction and LSE Architects of Minneapolis.

A drum group will perform a welcoming song, and a flag song will be performed as Menominee veterans present the colors.

Visitors can expect a dramatic and modern update to the entrance facade and a number of changes to the casino facility and its 25,000 square feet of gaming space.

“We’ve listened to our guests who have said that they would like a new, clean environment to do their gaming,” Reiter said. “We wanted to provide that for them and give them the best possible experience in their leisure time.”

The main goal of the renovation, Reiter said, was to provide a guest-focused, world-class casino experience by connecting all the features of the establishment: casino, entertainment, meetings, lodging and events.

To that end, all facilities now share a common, self-contained floor that links all of the facilities and makes it easier for customers and guests to get around.

That was a key suggestion that came out of the focus groups, Reiter said.

“Every decision was made with the guest experience in mind,” he said.

The casino floor has been raised about four feet to allow for a state-of-the-art air exchange system underneath that will pump more fresh air into the casino.

A new slot area will hold 820 slot games, while the new table games area includes a separate poker room.

Reiter said many players prefer table games in an area where they won’t be surrounded by the slot machines.

“It’s a lot quieter and less smokey,” he said. “It’s more enjoyable for the players.”

The casino is in the process of razing the old metal building that served as the Bingo hall, having already replaced it with a more comfortable facility that has better access to the rest of the casino and resort and a more pleasant environment.

The new Bingo hall, at a capacity of 240, holds a little more than half of what the old one could seat. However, Reiter said, fewer people are playing Bingo these days.

Other improvements include a new bar and lounge area, a new snack shop and grill, and a new hotel check-in area, now more conveniently located in the convention center.

Menominee Casino Resort last underwent an expansion in 2010 that included the event and convention center, but discussions about the most recent improvements started shortly after that project was completed, according to Reiter.

“We’ve been talking about it for the last couple of years,” he said.

The new gaming floor opened for business during the hunting season last fall. The new bingo hall opened last month, and the new cafe opened last weekend.

“It’s worked out very well,” said Reiter, who has heard lots of positive comments from customers and guests so far.

“This has been a cooperative effort (with) the tribe, Menominee gaming authority and staff working as a team to make this happen. There was a lot of team work, great planning, and even the guests contributed through the focus groups,” Reiter said.

The Menominee Casino Resort employs about 500 people, but that number increases during the summer months.

Tribal officials say the current renovation project is expected to lead to an increase in tourism and stays in the area, benefiting the local economy and area businesses.

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By: 

The Associated Press

Hackers broke into a health insurance database storing information for about 80 million people in an attack bound to stoke fears many Americans have about the privacy of their most sensitive information.

The attack on Blue Cross Blue Shield insurer Anthem could be a sign that hackers have shifted their focus away from retailers and toward other targets, cybersecurity experts say.

The nation’s second-largest insurer said it has yet to find any evidence that medical information like insurance claims or test results was targeted or taken in a “very sophisticated” cyberattack that it discovered last week. It also said credit card information wasn’t compromised, either.

The hackers gained access to names, birthdates, email address, employment details, Social Security numbers, incomes and street addresses of people who are currently covered or have had coverage in the past.

The hackers may not be done with the insurer, as they look for fresh targets after previous ones like the retailers Target and Home Depot shore up their defenses.

“To me, this is the next wave of where were going to see more and more attacks,” said Mark Bower, a vice president with the cybersecurity firm Voltage Security. “Cybercrime is a business. The attackers will simply move to the next low-hanging fruit.”

He said security practices in health care are not as mature as they are in other industries, and hackers have multiple ways to get into a health care system that links insurers, care providers, labs and other businesses that handle sensitive patient information.

Medical records can be sold to criminals who could construct billing and insurance scams involving fake medical centers or target patients for phone scams.

“That’s the kind of sophistication we have in cybercrime,” Bower said. “We have networks of criminals who can use this data whenever its available based on their skill set.”

Medical data also can be used to extort patients, with the hacker demanding money to prevent the public release of sensitive information, said Eran Barak, CEO of another cybersecurity firm, Hexadite.

He added that the attack may have been a probe to test the insurer’s defenses, with hackers planning to return for more information or installing malware that steals data.

The insurer said all of its product lines were affected. It sells mainly private individual and group health insurance, plans on the health care overhaul’s public insurance exchanges and Medicare and Medicaid coverage. It also offers life insurance and dental and vision coverage.

Affected brands include Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Amerigroup.

The federal government also is investigating whether the personal information of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries was stolen. Those government programs are a major business for Anthem.

An Anthem spokeswoman said Thursday the insurer was working with federal investigators to figure out who was behind the attack. They had not pinned down the exact number of people affected.

Anthem Inc., which recently changed its name from WellPoint, covers more than 37 million people.

This wasn’t Anthem’s first security breach.

In 2013, the insurer agreed to pay $1.7 million to resolve allegations it left the information of more than 612,000 members available online because of inadequate safeguards. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said that security weaknesses in an online application database left names, birthdates, addresses, telephone numbers, Social Security numbers, and health data accessible to unauthorized users.

The Health and Human Services Department said then that the insurer didn’t have adequate policies for authorizing access to the database, didn’t perform a needed technical evaluation after a software upgrade, and did not have technical safeguards to verify that the people or entities seeking access were authorized to view the information in the database.

In 2008, the insurer offered free credit monitoring after it said personal information for about 128,000 customers in several states had been exposed online. In 2006, backup computer tapes containing the personal information of 200,000 of its members were stolen from a Massachusetts vendor’s office.

CEO Joseph Swedish, who was not running the company when those security breaches occurred, apologized to customers on a website that the insurer established to explain the latest problem, www.anthemfacts.com.

“We will continue to do everything in our power to make our systems and security processes better and more secure, and hope that we can earn back your trust and confidence in Anthem,” said Swedish, whose personal information was among the data accessed in the attack.

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Easements also could quicken plan’s paceBy: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

The Shawano Common Council next week will look at adding another piece of the puzzle to the city’s longtime vision of a Wolf River Sturgeon Trail.

The Plan Commission this week approved making an offer to purchase a property at 1207 S. River St. The offer goes to the Common Council for consideration Wednesday.

The trail would eventually link Sturgeon Park and Kuckuk Park. The city has been purchasing properties for the trail, which would run along the Wolf River, as they have become available for about 10 years.

The city is also open to getting easements from other properties along the Wolf River for the trail. Much of the waterfront along those properties is wooded and apparently unused by the owners.

City officials have said the trail is part of a long-range plan that could take years to complete.

However, City Administrator Brian Knapp told the commission Wednesday, “there’s been a flurry of activity in the last six months.”

Knapp said the property owner at 1207 S. River St. approached the city after hearing last summer about his neighbors selling their property to the city for the trail.

The purchase price was determined by using two independent appraisals of the property — one by the city and one by the property owner — and offering a price that fell between those two amounts.

The agreement allows the property owner to stay in the home till the end of June at no cost.

As with previous purchases, the city plans to split the property, sell off the residence to a private party, and keep the remainder for the future trail.

There are still two more private riverfront properties just to the north of 1207 S. River St. that the city hopes will eventually connect the trail to Lieg Avenue.

There is also still one more private property to the south that would connect the trail with Kuckuk Park. However, Knapp said, even if the city were to purchase the property, a steep bank along the river might make it unusable for the trail.

A possible option, he said, might be acquiring an easement and taking the trail back over to River Street to continue to Kuckuk.

“We’d have to consider whether it’s going to make sense to continue along the river,” Knapp said.

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Shawano Police Department

Feb. 4

Police logged 19 incidents, including the following:

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

Warrant — A 38-year-old woman was taken into custody at the probation and parole offices, 1340 E. Green Bay St.

Theft — A cell phone was reported stolen in the 1100 block of South Weed Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Feb. 4

Deputies logged 37 incidents, including the following:

Assault — Authorities investigated an assault on North Shore Lane in Wescott.

Disorderly — The sheriff’s department’s school resources officer logged a number of disorderly conduct incidents at area schools. Some of the incidents date back to mid-January. They included five disorderly conduct complaints at Bonduel Middle/High School, 400 W. Green Bay St., Bonduel; one disorderly conduct complaint at Birnamwood Elementary School, 337 Main St., Birnamwood; and one at Tigerton School District, 213 Spaulding St., Tigerton.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Harrison Street in Wittenberg.

Accidents — Authorities logged five deer-related crashes.

Clintonville Police Department

Feb. 4

Police logged six incidents, including the following:

Robbery — An armed robbery at the Shell station on South Main Street was still under investigation.

Warrant — A 26-year-old man was taken into custody on a warrant on Auto Street.

Burglary — A burglary was reported on Auto Street.

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Project would be first in new TIF districtBy: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

The Shawano Plan Commission on Wednesday gave its approval to a development agreement for the former Family Dollar property at 229 E. Green Bay St.

The agreement calls for KTS Investments, LLC, of Green Bay, to remodel and renovate the property by the end of June.

Half of the building will be occupied by Tower Clock Eye Center, with the rest made available for lease.

Once remodeled, the building is anticipated to be valued at more than $500,000.

If less than that, KTS will make up the difference in real estate taxes the city would have collected on a $500,000 property for 10 years, or until the assessed valuation reaches that amount.

Once occupied, the city will also provide KTS with a grant of $61,200 from the tax incremental financing (TIF) district that was approved for East Green Bay Street last year.

The former Family Dollar building is the first to get funding from the city’s newest TIF district, which was adopted in hopes of alleviating blight and promoting development along the East Green Bay Street corridor.

Tower Clock Eye Center is an independent ophthalmology practice providing medical and surgical eye care for patients in Northeast Wisconsin. The existing office is located in Green Bay, and their physicians also see patients at Shawano Medical Center and Oconto Hospital.

The agreement now goes to the Shawano Common Council on Wednesday.

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Free computer help is available weekly at the Glas Coffee Shop, 511 N. Main St., Shawano.

Bruce Starszak, president of Doc-mac, said his company is moving its free computer help program to the coffee shop to reach more customers.

“We are moving to be more visible to the public and offer our services to all people,” Starszak said. “We teamed up with Glas Coffee House in Shawano to make this happen.”

The free help will be available from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays in the main conference room of Glas.

“We can address all your PC computer, Macintosh computer, iPad and tablet problems,” Starszak said. “We offer friendly solutions in easy to understand terms. Whether it is problems with your e-mail, browser, viruses or file recovery, we can offer assistance.”

Starszak said his Marion-based company also can help nonprofits with website design and can recycle computers, which are then provided to those in need as they become available.

Starszak and Dan La Coosse developed the free computer help program over nine years ago. They have provided more than 260 free computers to area residents and have repaired more than 2,000 computers free of charge.

For more information, visit www.doc-mac.com or call 920-993-9002.

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Burglary

A Shawano man is facing felony counts of burglary and theft for allegedly breaking into a town of Herman residence and stealing $27,000 in cash.

Cody J. Krueger, 25, could face a maximum 12½ years in prison and a $25,000 fine on the burglary charge if convicted, and 10 years and a $25,000 fine for felony theft.

According to the complaint, Krueger allegedly broke into the residence sometime between July and December of last year, when the money was discovered missing.

Krueger is due in court for an initial appearance Feb. 23.

Forgery

A Shawano woman has been charged with 11 felony counts of forgery for allegedly passing bogus checks in the city over the course of several months last year.

Crystal A. Teller, 34, is accused of forging signatures on checks she allegedly stole from a Keshena couple, according to the criminal complaint.

The checks were passed at First Merit Bank and CoVantage Credit Union in Shawano between March and May and totaled more than $1,000, according to the complaint.

Teller is due in court for an initial appearance March 2.

Substantial battery

A Shawano man is facing a felony charge of substantial battery after an altercation was reported that allegedly took place in November.

Rodney L. Olson, 51, could face a maximum possible penalty of 3½ years in prison and a $10,000 fine if found guilty.

Olson is accused of pushing a woman during a Nov. 8 incident in the city, causing her to fall against a table and suffer a broken rib and punctured lung, according to the criminal complaint.

Olson is free on a $1,000 cash bond and is due in court for an initial appearance Feb. 16.

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By: 

Leader Staff

Authorities in Clintonville responded early Wednesday to an armed robbery at the Schroeder Shell convenience store.

A man wearing a face mask entered the store shortly after 1 a.m., displayed a large hand gun and demanded money from the clerk, the Clintonville Police Department said.

An undisclosed amount of cash was taken from the register and the suspect fled out the rear door of the business on foot.

Officers from the Marion Police Department and Waupaca County sheriff’s deputies joined Clintonville police in responding to the scene at 325 S. Main St. A search dog was also deployed in an attempt to track the suspect.

Police said security video was being obtained from the store and some items of evidence were recovered during the subsequent search of the area.

Police described the suspects as a white male, wearing a green hooded winter jacket, gloves and a camouflage face mask.

The investigation is ongoing.

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Shawano Police Department

Feb. 3

Police logged 19 incidents, including the following:

Fraud — Police investigated credit card fraud at the Super 8 Motel, 211 Waukechon St.

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

Suspicious — Police logged a suspicious person complaint at Shawano Community Middle School, 1050 S. Union St.

Theft — Multiple items were reported stolen at a residence in the 400 block of South Bartlett Street.

Disturbance — Police investigated a disturbance involving a verbal altercation between a mother and daughter in the 1100 block of South Weed Street.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious circumstance at a residence in the 1000 block of South Main Street.

Accident — Police logged a two-car accident in the parking lot of Charlie’s County Market, 521 S. Main St.

Juvenile — Police assisted the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department with a juvenile problem on North Pathfinder Court in Wescott.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Feb. 3

Deputies logged 34 incidents, including the following:

Accident — Authorities responded to a vehicle rollover at state Highway 22 and Resort Road in Washington.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person walking along Lake Drive in Wescott.

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile tobacco complaint at Bowler School, 500 S. Almon St., Bowler.

OWL — A 38-year-old man was taken into custody on a second violation of operating without a license on County Roads J and D in Seneca.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle at Dump Road and County Road K in Waukechon.

Accidents — Authorities logged one deer-related accident on McDivitt Road in Germania and two accidents involving vehicles in ditches.

Truancy — Two truancies were reported at Bowler School, 500 S. Almon St., Bowler.

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile complaint on Pathfinder Road in Wescott.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle on Popple Lane in the town of Birnamwood.

Clintonville Police Department

Feb. 3

Police logged three incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Police responded to a family disturbance on 14th Street.

Accident — Police logged a minor traffic accident on Ninth Street.

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Teachers help identify students needing helpBy: 

Lee Pulaski, [email protected]

Shawano Community High School has a number of at-risk programs in place to keep students from dropping out, and the Shawano School Board learned this week how well they were working.

Gereon Methner, Shawano School District at-risk coordinator, gave an annual report on the programs and explained how they kept students on track to graduate on time.

While many of the students in at-risk programs were identified when they were in eighth grade, there are some students who run into problems after entering high school, Methner said.

Students are identified as at-risk if they are deficient in the number of credits to graduate, score below proficiency, are delinquent, are truant, are students who become teen parents or lack basic skills, Methner said.

“When I think about at-risk programs, they really don’t have a defined start or end,” Methner said. “They may enter a particular program at different points in time, depending on when they’re identified as at-risk.”

SCHS has a virtual program called KidTalk that allows teachers to corroborate in a virtual setting. From there, the school’s intervention team, which includes Methner, school counselors, social workers and other officials, look at the individual issues and see which intervention will help students get back on track.

One intervention, called the Life Applications Alternative Program, puts students in an alternative setting for four core courses, but it also helps students develop character and leadership skills and encourages service projects. Methner said several students in LAAP helped organize a Toys for Tots campaign that took place during a high school basketball game.

“In the LAAP program, there’s a more individualized approach,” Methner said.

There is also a program where an instructional aide works one-on-one with students at random times to assist them with work completion, organization and academic intervention. Methner said about 40 students worked with the aide in the last year.

The Plato program, which allows students to recover credits through online work, has been a part of the SCHS interventions for several years. In the 2013-14 school year, 17 seniors used Plato, and 13 of them graduated with their class. So far this school year, 18 students have earned credits through the Plato system.

Also, a number of students have taken summer school classes to recover credits. Eighty-five students took summer school courses in 2014. The district is already looking at students who failed in the first semester this year for possible remediation.

“It’s ramping up for this summer. I fall asleep mumbling things about summer school,” Methner told the board.

Methner did not have specific numbers on how many SCHS students are in at-risk programs, but said there are some students involved in more than one program.

“The teachers who are currently doing this are doing a wonderful job,” Methner said. “The students see that the idea is to get them up to speed, not punish them for having subpar abilities in math or reading.”

School Board member Derek Johnson said he wanted to see more done to identify students early so they didn’t find themselves at risk of not graduating midway through high school.

“Obviously, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so we can prevent some of that by heading it off early,” Johnson said.

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By: 

Leader Staff

Leader Photo by Jason Arndt Emergency personnel from Shawano Ambulance carry a victim into an ambulance following a one-vehicle rollover accident Tuesday morning on state Highway 22 in the town of Washington.
Leader Photo by Jason Arndt Authorities investigate a one-vehicle rollover accident on state Highway 22 in the town of Washington on Tuesday. Two people were injured.

Two people were taken to Shawano Medical Center on Tuesday following a single-vehicle rollover on state Highway 22 in the town of Washington.

The Shawano County Sheriff’s Department said the vehicle was turning onto westbound Highway 22 around 11:30 a.m. and swerved to get around another vehicle that was stopped in its path.

The driver lost control and the vehicle went into a ditch where it rolled over multiple times, the sheriff’s department said.

Authorities did not have information about the parties involved or the extent of their injuries. They said one person was conscious when taken to the ambulance and the other was semi-conscious.

The Cecil-Washington Fire Department and Shawano Ambulance Service also responded to the scene.

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