Shawano Leader News

By: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

Bonduel High School Principal Patrick Rau has been offered the job of Bonduel School District administrator.

The Bonduel School Board chose Rau after a second round of interviews Monday with two finalists for the post being vacated by Peter Behnke.

Behnke is retiring in June after 25 years overseeing the district.

Rau has been with the school district as principal for six years. Prior to that he was dean of students at the Mishicot School District, where he had also previously been a math teacher.

Coleman School District Superintendent Brian Walters was the other candidate considered during the second round of interviews.

Behnke said the School Board and Rau are in talks to determine the provisions and conditions of his contract, including salary and benefits.

Behnke’s salary is $124,388.

The School Board’s goal is to officially confirm the new district administrator at the board’s regular meeting Monday.

The school district received 17 applications for the position before narrowing that down to six finalists.

All six were interviewed over a two-day period last week and were also taken on tours of the district.

They included Bonduel Elementary Principal Peggy Jones, Washington Island School District Superintendent Timothy Raymond, De Soto School District Administrator James Kuchta and River Valley School District Pupil Services Director Mati Palm-Leis.

Behnke said the board was pleased with the applicant pool and all of those interviewed were solid candidates.

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By: 

Leader Staff

Tuesday was the first day to circulate nomination papers for the November election, and all three Shawano County incumbents hoping to be on the ballot this fall have taken out papers for another four-year term.

Sheriff Randy Wright, Clerk of Courts Sue Krueger and Coroner Mike Jesse are all up for re-election.

They each have until 5 p.m. on June 2 to return 200 signatures to the county clerk’s office, as will any potential challengers. As of Tuesday afternoon, no one else has yet taken out papers, County Clerk Rosemary Rueckert said.

Rueckert said a new rule added this year will require those who sign the nominating papers to also print their name. Signatures that are not legible will not be counted.

The general election will be held Nov. 4. If a primary is necessary in any of the races, it will be held Aug. 12.

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Shawano Police DepartmentC

April 15

Police logged 18 incidents, including the following:

Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint at Shawano Medical Center, 309 N. Bartlett Street.

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

Reckless Driving — Police responded to a reckless driving complaint at Main and Mills streets.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

April 15

Deputies logged 29 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Hemlock Road in Wittenberg.

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

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint at Gresham School, 501 Schabow St., in Gresham.

Theft — Mail was reported stolen on Maple Road in the town of Herman.

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

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a domestic disturbance on County Road G in Seneca.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Park Street in Gresham.

Clintonville Police Department

April 15

Police logged eight incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Police responded to a domestic abuse/disorderly conduct complaint on East 12th Street.

Accident — A two-vehicle accident was reported when a vehicle rolled into another while parked on South Main Street.

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Contributed Photo The Shawano County Agricultural Society handed out its 2014 awards on April 4. From left, seated, Jay and Angie Schultz, Outstanding Young Farmers; Lindsay Anderson and Ashley Bergsbaken, Farm Bureau Scholarship recipients; standing, Gary Tauchen, Friend of Agriculture; Roger Neumann, 2nd Miler; Allen Kohn, Soil & Water Conservation award; and Jack Kucksdorf, Tree Farmer of the Year.

The award for the 2014 Outstanding Young Farmer was given to Jay and Angie Schultz, of Gresham, on April 4 at the 57th annual Shawano County Agricultural Awards held at The Main Event.

The Schultzes operate a fifth-generation, 96-cow dairy farm consisting of Holsteins, Brown Swiss and Jerseys. They also farm about 380 acres of alfalfa, corn and small grains. The Schultzes are members of the Gresham Town & Country 4-H Club, Shawano County Farm Bureau, Gresham FFA Alumni and Miniature Horse Club.

Rep. Gary Tauchen, R-Bonduel, was recognized with the Shawano County Friend of Agriculture award. He is an active member of several area organizations, including the Rural Health Initiative.

Roger Neumann, of Krakow, was recognized with the Second Miler award. Neumann is an active member of the Shawano County 4-H Junior Dairy Key Committee and the Small Animal Key Committee. He has also volunteered at the Shawano County Fair for 34 years.

The Jack Kicksdorf family, of Red Springs, was recognized as the Tree Farmer of the Year. The Kicksdorfs own 77.5 acres of mixed woodlands and have actively managed their forest, consisting of red oak, sugar maple, basswood, white pine, aspen, balsam fir and black ash, since 1979.

Allen Kohn, of Angelica, was awarded the 2014 Conservation Farmer award. Kohn farms 500 acres of alfalfa and corn. He maintains buffer strips to reduce soil erosion and sediment transport from his fields and has planted more than 2,000 trees to aid in soil and water conservation.

Shawano County Farm Bureau awarded two $500 scholarships to students who have previously volunteered at Brunch on the Farm. Scholarship award winners were Lindsay Anderson, of Gresham, and Ashley Bergsbaken, of Bonduel. Anderson will study agricultural education at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Bergsbaken plans to major in communications and public relations with an agriculture minor at UW-La Crosse.

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By: 

Lee Pulaski, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Lee Pulaski Jenni Buckley, right, instructor for the Perry Initiative, explains the dynamics of bones in the human body Saturday at Shawano Community High School as Kaylee Schweitzer, left, a junior at New London High School, and Anna Fierek, a junior at Kimberly High School, listen. About 40 girls from more than a dozen schools in eastern Wisconsin attended the program, designed to inspire women to be leaders in orthopaedic surgery and engineering.
Leader Photo by Lee Pulaski Taylor Klitzka, a sophomore at Pulaski High School, carves into a bone Saturday afternoon in the Shawano Community High School science lab during the Perry Initiative program, which tries to encourage more young women to pursue careers in medicine and engineering.

Performing surgery is probably not everyone’s idea of how to spend a weekend, but almost 40 high school girls did just that Saturday at Shawano Community High School.

The daylong outreach program was part of the Perry Initiative, a campaign to encourage teenage girls to explore careers in medicine and engineering. Both fields are lopsidedly dominated by men, according to Jenni Buckley, one of the instructors for the Shawano event.

“Orthopedics, which is the study and treatment of the muscular and skeletal systems, has very few women on both the engineering side, the people who make implants, and on the surgery side,” Buckley said. “There are fewer than 8 percent women professors and fewer than 4 percent women orthopedic surgeons.”

Students performed mock orthopaedic surgeries and conducted biomechanical engineering experiments, while also hearing from prominent women engineers and surgeons in the field.

In the morning, the girls helped suture severe cuts on skin and learned how to do spine fusions for scoliosis, Buckley said. They also learned about fixing severely broken legs.

The afternoon session gave the girls a more in-depth look at bones and ligaments, and they learned a variety of procedures that help people continue to function despite being temporarily or permanently disabled.

“We definitely need women in these fields. These professions are lucrative, and you can make a good living for yourself and your family in these fields,” Buckley said.

Orthopedic surgeons make around $200,000 per year, she said, and the engineering field offers similar pay.

Buckley said the role of engineering in health care is often overlooked by many colleges.

“They tend to focus on robotics and cars and aerospace, which is wonderful, but it doesn’t represent the whole of what engineers do,” said Buckley, who has a doctorate in engineering. “A lot of engineers are working in health care.”

Even the pills many people take are developed by engineers, Buckley said.

Rachel Castleton, a sophomore at Bay Port High School in Suamico, has known for a long time that she wanted to pursue a career in medicine, but she wasn’t sure which specialty would best suit her. She found the Perry Initiative’s look at orthopedics intriguing.

“Learning how to suture, that’s applicable in any field of medicine, even if I don’t decide to go into orthopedics,” Castleton said. “It gave me something to think about.”

Jordyn Bucholtz, a sophomore at New London High School, had been unsure of what she wanted to do as a career, but the Perry Initiative experience has her leaning toward a career in oral surgery.

“I didn’t know about any of this before, so it was very interesting to me,” Bucholtz said. “Normally in school, you just sit and learn about it or see pictures, but with this, you actually got to do it.”

Buckley was particularly impressed with the girls on Saturday, noting they were more willing than most to get in the trenches.

“I don’t if it’s the environment around here, but they’re particularly hands-on,” Buckley said. “They’re phenomenal.”

The Perry Initiative offers between 25 and 30 programs at sites nationwide each year. The Shawano program, sponsored by the Shawano Medical Center Foundation, was the group’s first visit to Wisconsin.

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55 employees will be affectedBy: 

[email protected]

The pending closure of the Shawano Kmart store in July has prompted concern about the fate of the dozens of employees who will be out of work in a few months and questions about what will happen to the site once its vacated.

The store at 1211 E. Green Bay St. will begin its liquidation sale on May 4 and will close its doors in mid-July, according to officials of Sears Holdings, the parent company of Kmart.

Dennis Heling, chief economic development officer of Shawano County Economic Progress Inc. (SCEPI), addressed the issue at Tuesday’s Common Council meeting.

“The mayor contacted me to have a discussion about what does this mean to us and what are our next steps,” he said.

Heling said he has been in touch with the Shawano Job Center to see what assistance can be provided to the employees, including possible benefits and job training that might be available.

Sears Holding said the Shawano Kmart employs 55 people.

Heling said SCEPI would put out the word about the site once it becomes available, but, he said, attracting a new business into that location is more complicated than simply soliciting potential retail chains.

“In today’s business world it’s more than my just knocking on a business door,” he said.

Heling said companies contract with site selectors that are often scoping out prospective locations under the radar to maintain confidentiality.

“Many times we don’t even know that a firm is out in our community looking, and many times we don’t know ‘till the day they make the announcement,” he said.

At some point, however, a site selector or the company would probably make contact to get information on such things as demographics and community statistics, Heling said.

Heling said SCEPI is continually seeking new ways to promote the community and attract new business.

“We’re constantly looking for ways to market the community, put our best foot forward and help people understand what’s in the community,” he said.

Mayor Lorna Marquardt said she has gotten a number of calls from Shawano residents who have given their opinions on what they’d like to see move into the Kmart space.

Some of the stores mentioned, she said, include Kohl’s, Target, Fleet Farm and T.J. Maxx.

“It would be great if we could make some communication and invite them to come to our community,” she said.

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By: 

Lee Pulaski, [email protected]

District 22 Supervisor Jerry Erdmann will be the chairman of a clearly divided Shawano County Board of Supervisors for a third two-year term following Tuesday’s election of officers.

Erdmann defeated District 6 Supervisor Randy Young, of Shawano, 15-12. Before the vote, the two made their case on whether they believed the board had moved the county forward over the last two years.

“I think there’s a difference between saying you’re going to move the county forward and moving the county forward,” Young said. “I don’t think the County Board has done a lot in the last two years.”

He cited the lack of progress on an evidence storage facility as a key issue. County officials are looking for grant funding to pay for a standalone building next to the Huber Work Release Center.

“We’ve come up with a plan. We haven’t funded it, and it hasn’t gone away,” Young said.

Young also suggested the county needs a full-time administrative coordinator again, the board should be more active in collaborating with area tribes, and employee morale is at an all-time low.

“I think we need to put our trust back in our employees,” Young said. “They are our biggest asset.”

Erdmann, of Tigerton, said the board has moved forward as much as it could in lean financial times.

“Times are tough,” Erdmann said. “We’re still hearing from people countywide that say they’ve lost jobs, and they’re down to one income.”

Erdmann pointed out that funding for the county has steadily dropped over the last decade, and it can’t do as much as before. He vowed to continue moving things forward.

“I think we have a board here that does work,” Erdmann said. “It’s slow, but we’re moving forward.”

District 19 Supervisor Arlyn Tober, of Pella, will remain vice chairman for the board. He received 17 votes, to four for District 5 Supervisor Sandy Steinke, of Shawano, and three for Young and District 9 Supervisor Ken Capelle, of Cecil.

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By: 

Leader Staff

A man suspected of impersonating a police officer in Bonduel on Sunday was actually an off-duty sheriff’s deputy, the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department said.

The incident took place at the intersection of County Road BE and State Highway 117 about 12:30 p.m.

A caller said a person in a beat-up, newer model car was stopped in front of his vehicle at the stop light, when someone got out, approached the caller’s car, and showed a gold-colored, 5-point star badge.

The caller said the man told the driver to stop following him or he would write him citations. The caller said the man was not wearing a uniform, and he did not have emergency lights on his vehicle.

Chief Deputy John Gutho said the officer came forward after seeing that a complaint had been filed and said he was involved in the incident. The deputy said he warned the caller about following too closely, according to Gutho.

Gutho said the Sheriff’s Department is conducting an internal investigation.

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Shawano Police Department

April 14

Police logged 23 incidents, including the following:

Fireworks — Police responded to a fireworks complaint in the 700 block of East Maurer Street.

Trespass — Police responded to a trespassing complaint at Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St.

Theft — Police logged four theft complaints from the Shawano City-County Library, 128 S. Sawyer St., for unreturned library materials.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

April 14

Deputies logged 73 incidents, including the following:

OAR — A 20-year-old Bonduel woman was cited for operating after revocation after a minor accident on Oakcrest Drive in Hartland.

OWI — A 30-year-old Clintonville man was arrested for operating while intoxicated after his vehicle went into a ditch on U.S. Highway 45 in the city of Marion.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Birch Street in Tigerton.

Fraud — Authorities investigated a fraud complaint on Richmond Street in Shawano.

Vandalism — A garage door was reported vandalized on Angelica Street in Angelica.

Warrant — A 35-year-old man was taken into custody on a warrant on Lawn Road in Lessor.

Accidents — Authorities logged 48 minor accidents, including two property damage accidents.

Clintonville Police Department

April 14

Police logged seven incidents, including the following:

Harassment — A harassment complaint was filed on Flora Way.

Harassment — The middle school reported a bullying complaint.

Suspicious — A suspicious incident was reported on South Main Street.

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Shawano Police Department

April 13

Police logged 12 incidents, including the following:

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint at Flamingo’s, 1017 E. Green Bay St.

Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint in the 900 block of South Washington Street.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem at Division and Sawyer streets.

Fire — A stove fire was reported in the 300 block of South Hamlin Street.

April 12

Police logged 20 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — A 27-year-old Wittenberg man was arrested on charges of domestic violence/disorderly conduct in the 200 block of South Union Street.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 200 block of Green Bay Street.

Burglary — Police investigated a burglary in the 900 block of Waukechon Street.

Accident — A 16-year-old female was cited for driving too fast for conditions after a property damage accident on Humphrey Court.

April 11

Police logged 29 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 1100 block of Waukechon Street.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint in the 800 block of East Richmond Street.

Theft — Police investigated a property theft complaint on Prospect Circle.

Disorderly — Police assisted sheriff’s deputies with a disorderly conduct complaint on a Menominee Tribal Transportation bus at state Highway 29 and Highway 47.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint in the 800 block of South Weed Street.

Accidents — Police logged two deer-related crashes on County Road BE and one on Airport Drive.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

April 13

Deputies logged 29 incidents, including the following:

Disorderly — Charges of disorderly conduct and resisting/obstructing an officer were referred against a 27-year-old Bowler man after a disorderly conduct complaint at North Star Casino, W12180 County Road A, in Gresham.

Burglary — Authorities investigated a burglary at The Elbow Room, 201 S. Warrington Ave., in Cecil.

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

Accidents — Authorities logged two minor accidents.

April 12

Deputies logged 25 incidents, including the following:

Vandalism — A mailbox was reported vandalized on County Road G in Leopolis.

Reckless Driving — Authorities responded to a reckless driving complaint on Poplar Road in Richmond.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Cherry Road in Aniwa.

Theft — Authorities investigated a property theft on Grand Avenue in Wittenberg.

Theft — Authorities investigated a property theft on Red Oak Lane in Wittenberg.

Assault — Authorities investigated an assault on Warrington Avenue in Cecil.

Accidents — Authorities logged three deer-related crashes.

April 11

Deputies logged 49 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Charges were referred against a 23-year-old Shawano man for disorderly conduct and bail jumping after a disturbance on Oak Avenue in Richmond.

Fraud — Authorities investigated a fraud complaint on Cherry Road in the town of Herman.

Theft — A gun was reported stolen from a residence on Lake Road in Aniwa.

OAR — Charges of operating after revocation, tampering with an ignition lock and bail jumping were referred against a 54-year-old Neopit man on Upper Red Lake Road in Red Springs.

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on a Menominee Tribal Transportation bus at state Highway 29 and Highway 47.

Accidents — Authorities logged seven accidents, including six deer-related crashes.

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Consultant recommends educational campaignBy: 

Lee Pulaski, [email protected]

The campaign to build a new campus for Wolf River Lutheran High School could depend on whether the 13 associate congregations share the contributions.

School officials and church representatives received an update Saturday on surveys taken over the last month to determine the feasibility of building a $1.3 million campus at the intersection of state Highways 22 and 29 in Shawano.

According to Jeffrey Davis, a managing partner with Cornerstone Stewardship Ministry in Lake Mills, the school could raise at least $800,000 within the next two to three years, but more education would be needed in order to achieve some or all of the remaining $500,000.

“There is support that exists. It’s probably not as widespread as you hoped it would be, but it does exist at various levels,” Davis said. “We’re suggesting the campaign continue.”

Davis recommended, however, proceeding with caution.

Principal Jay Lindsey said the future of the school could hinge on a new building.

“It’s no secret that there are a lot of people, including myself, who feel that building a new campus … would help our school to grow and to prosper,” Lindsey said.

Davis suggested that the school’s board of directors make a decision whether it wishes to continue as soon as possible. The board is planning to meet in May.

After that, if the plan moves ahead, he recommended the school and church volunteers initiate a silent campaign, trying to seek lead gifts for the project. One survey respondent indicated he was willing to give a $100,000 gift for the school, Davis said, but the person did not leave a name and contact information.

If the silent campaign shows promise, the school could initiate its public fundraising campaign as soon as December, and a final decision on the building could come in 2015.

Some of the strengths for Wolf River Lutheran, according to some of the more than 300 survey responses received, were the school’s positive influence on the community and the school’s biblical influence and concern for students’ spirituality.

Respondents also said the school, which opened in 2004, has an ideal student-to-teacher ratio, and the teachers provide excellent academic instruction.

Davis said the biggest obstacles for fundraising campaign would be that the school, which is based in Cecil, is not very well known and has low enrollment. That could make it difficult to get the 13 associate congregations to find enough financial support.

Davis recommended a Partnership in Ministry approach, where monetary gifts could be split evenly between the school and the congregation where the gift was given. With that approach, Davis estimated $1.8 million to $2.4 million could be raised.

“It’s a unique approach because the high school doesn’t gather all the funds, and it’s not just for the high school but split between the two,” Davis said. “The congregation can identify some projects they would like funded, and those dollars flow to the congregation as well as the high school.”

The bulk of the funding is estimated to come from four congregations. Three of them — St. James in Shawano, St. Paul in Bonduel and St. John in Suring — operate elementary schools. The fourth congregation would likely be St. Jakobi in the town of Richmond because of its close proximity to where the school would be built, according to Davis.

However, some people attending Saturday’s meeting suggested St. Martin Lutheran Church in Clintonville also might be interested, as the proposed location would be more convenient for Clintonville parents.

The Rev. Ted Andrada, director of ministries for St. James Lutheran Church, said the campaign needs to be about more than money.

“It’s about building relationships. Building the building is very key to the future, absolutely, but it’s not a magic dart,” Andrada said. “There’s other work that has to be done, also.”

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By: 

Leader Staff

The Shawano County Sheriff’s Department received a report of a person impersonating a police officer in Bonduel on Sunday. The incident took place near the intersection of County Road BE and State Highway 117 about 12:30 p.m.

A caller said a person in a beat-up, newer model car similar to a Pontiac or Honda Civic was stopped in front of his vehicle at the stop light, when someone got out, approached the caller’s car, and showed a gold-colored, 5-point star badge.

Authorities said the impersonator told the driver to stop following him or he would write him citations. The caller said the man was not wearing a uniform, and he did not have emergency lights on his vehicle.

The impersonator returned to his car and drove east on County Road BE. He was described as a white male in his early 40s, about 6-feet tall, with short blond and gray hair, rotting teeth and wearing blue jeans and T-shirt.

The Sheriff’s Department said if you are concerned the person stopping you is not a real law enforcement officer, stop in a safe place, and request to see the officer’s badge or identification. If you are still not sure, call 911.

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By: 

[email protected]

The Kmart store in Shawano will close to the public in mid-July, a company official confirmed Friday.

The store will remain open for customers until then and will begin its liquidation sale on May 4, according to Howard Riefs, director of Corporate Communications for Sears Holdings, the parent company of Kmart.

Riefs said in an email that the store has 55 employees. Those that are eligible will receive severance and have the opportunity to apply for open positions at area Sears or Kmart stores.

The store, at 1211 E. Green Bay St., opened in 1989.

A manager at the store Friday would not comment and referred all questions to the corporate office.

“Store closures are part of a series of actions we’re taking to reduce ongoing expenses, adjust our asset base, and accelerate the transformation of our business model,” Riefs said in the email. “These actions will better enable us to focus our investments on serving our customers and members through integrated retail — at the store, online and in the home.”

The Shawano store joins four others in Wisconsin that have been slated for closure so far this year. Kmart announced in January that its stores in Hales Corners, Greenfield and Portage would shut down this month.

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By: 

The Associated Press

Gov. Scott Walker could wait until after the November election to decide the fate of a casino in Kenosha.

Walker’s administration announced Friday that it received a six-month extension to make a decision on whether to approve the Menominee tribe’s request to open an $800 million off-reservation casino in Kenosha.

That moves the deadline from Aug. 23 to Feb. 19. The election is Nov. 4.

Both the tribe and its partner, the Hard Rock Casino, had supported the delay.

The Menominee tribe has been pushing for opening an off-reservation casino for more than 20 years, saying it will help pull its tribal members out of poverty. The tribe wants to build the casino complex on the grounds of the old Dairyland Greyhound dog track in Kenosha.

Walker has said he wouldn’t approve the casino unless all of the state’s 11 tribes agree to it. The Ho-Chunk and Forest County Potawatomi tribes, which operate other casinos in Wisconsin, have steadfastly opposed the proposal.

In addition to unanimous agreement among the tribes, Walker said the casino needed community support and must result in no new net gambling.

Walker’s administration has ordered an independent analysis of the economic impact of the proposed casino and entertainment complex that would include a Hard Rock Hotel. The Menominee have said the $800 million project will create 5,000 direct and indirect jobs, while the Potawatomi have said it will cost the Milwaukee area where that tribe operates a rival casino about 3,000 jobs.

Economic impact was not one of the original criteria Walker said he would use for deciding whether he would approve the project.

Walker and tribal chairwoman Laurie Boivin said in the February letter to the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs requesting the extension that more time is needed to “develop and analyze independent data, and facilitate discussions with the interested parties.”

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke has criticized Walker for seeking a delay in the decision until after the election.

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By: 

Leader Staff

The Wolf River Builders Association’s annual Home and Sports Show gets under way today at the Crawford Center, 990 E. Green Bay St., in Shawano.

Previously dubbed the Home and Cottage Show, this year’s show is hoping to draw in a whole new crowd of sports enthusiasts. There are more than 40 vendors signed up for the event.

The show runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $3 or three cans of food.

WRBA officials say they are hoping to have a great show with many vendors pertaining to the home show theme, but are also interested in including organizations/businesses in the sports venue.

A new addition to the show’s lineup is Marianne Huskey, recipient of the Anglers Insight Marketing Angler of the Year Award for 2012. She will be one of the seminar speakers.

Huskey will speak Sunday afternoon about her adventures and how to fish like a champion. Huskey is also a United States Coast Guard captain and a licensed Wisconsin guide offering walleye and ice fishing trips.

Diane Montour, WRBA executive director, noted that the show will also be a chance for the organization to give back to other groups in the area.

“Even though we are a nonprofit ourselves, we work hard at giving back to the community and will again be donating all funds/canned foods collected at the door to Wolf River Habitat for Humanity and SAFPARC, the local food pantry,” Montour said. “The show is an awesome opportunity to get businesses some recognition as well as to help us contribute to the community.”

Also new to the show this year is the canstruction by the Shawano Area Young Professionals. The group will gather up the canned food collected at the event and turn it into a curious looking creation. Participants in other canstruction events have made replicas of things as diverse as American flags to slices of pie.

AT A GLANCE

WRBA seminar schedule

Saturday

10:30 a.m.: “What’s New for 2014? Just When You Think You Had It All”

By Roy Brodhagen, Apple Valley Nursery

11:45 a.m.: “The Perfect Countertop”

By Trish Kieckhafer, Stone Creations

1 p.m.: “Retaining Wall and Patio Installation 101: Out with the Old and In with the New”

By Roy Brodhagen, Apple Valley Nursery

2:15 p.m.: “Growing Fruit Trees and Berry Plants in Your Backyard Successfully”

By Roy Brodhagen, Apple Valley Nursery

Sunday

11:30 a.m.: “Gardening with Conifers for Year-Round Interest — Re-create Your Landscaping”

By Roy Brodhagen, Apple Valley Nursery

1 p.m.: “Marianne Huskey — The Woman Behind the Walleye”

By Marianne Huskey

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By: 

Leader Staff

Two people are facing felony drug charges after an emergency call in the town of Waukechon on Wednesday.

Tiffeny J. Hogan, 31, was taken into custody after EMS personnel were called to her home because family members were unable to wake her, according to the criminal complaint.

The caller told authorities Hogan was under the influence of drugs, the complaint states.

Hogan was eventually awakened, and emergency responders cleared her of any further medical problems.

Shawano County sheriff’s deputies responding to the incident observed drug paraphernalia in the room and obtained a warrant for a further search.

According to the complaint, deputies found numerous syringes, metal cookers, pills, spoons and baggies containing residue, along with other suspected drug paraphernalia.

The complaint states Hogan later told authorities she primarily received her drugs from Michael A. Schilcher, 33, of Shawano. She said she had gotten cocaine from him at the Wisconsin House in Shawano the last time she received drugs.

Schilcher was taken into custody on Thursday.

Hogan was charged Friday with felony counts of possession of narcotic drugs and maintaining a drug trafficking place. Each counts carry a maximum possible penalty of 3 1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Hogan was ordered held on a $2,500 cash bond and is scheduled for an adjourned appearance in Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court on Monday.

Schilcher was charged with one count of manufacture/delivery of cocaine. He could face a maximum 10 years in prison and $25,000 fine if found guilty.

Schilcher was ordered held on a $1,500 cash bond and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Wednesday.

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By: 

Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent

Photo by Grace Kirchner Mary Beth Kuester celebrates after her name was drawn from a hat Friday to break a 100-100 tie in the District 4 race against Mike Hankins in the April 1 election in Clintonville.

Mary Beth Kuester’s name was drawn from a hat Friday to break a tie in the race for District 4 alderperson in Clintonville.

Kuester will not be officially declared the winner of the April 1 election, however, until incumbent Mike Hankins decides whether to request a recount. He has until 5 p.m. Wednesday to make that decision, according to Clerk/Treasurer Peggy Johnson.

Hankins and Kuester both received 100 votes in the election. The Board of Canvassers confirmed the tie earlier this week.

After the drawing on Friday, Kuester thanked Hankins for serving as alderman for the past 10 years and for his dedication. He also has served as the Common Council president.

Hankins said he was unsure whether he would seek a recount. Regardless, he said, he planned to keep on being involved in the community.

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Shawano Police Department

April 10

Police logged 24 incidents, including the following:

Hit and Run — Police investigated a property damage hit-and-run in the 100 block of South Washington Street.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance at Shawano Middle School, 1050 S. Union St., involving a juvenile creating property damage.

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

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem at Main and Stevens streets.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 900 block of South Sawyer Street.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 400 block of West Eagle Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

April 10

Deputies logged 39 incidents, including the following:

Warrant — A 24-year-old man was taken into custody on Cherry Court in Shawano.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Main Street in Gresham.

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a complaint from Bonduel Middle/High School, 400 E. Green Bay St., involving a juvenile who ran away from the school.

Hit and Run — Authorities investigated a property damage hit-and-run at Kwik Trip, 102 Express Way, in Bonduel.

Fraud — Authorities investigated a debut card fraud complaint on Range Line Road in Pella.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Leopolis Road in the town of Herman.

Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a juvenile drug complaint on Hemlock Road in Wittenberg.

Accidents — Authorities logged four deer-related crashes.

Clintonville Police Department

April 10

Police logged six incidents, including the following:

OWI — A 44-year-old Clintonville man was arrested for eighth-offense operating while intoxicated after a traffic stop on North 12th Street.

Search Warrant — An officer assisted Marion Police Department with executing a search warrant in the city of Marion.

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Shawano Co. removed patients after incidentsBy: 

The Associated Press

Shawano County’s attorney says a published report that the county continued placing sick and indigent people in assisted-living homes even though the facilities had a history of operational concerns is incorrect.

Staffers at four facilities owned by Suamico-based Country Healthcare Inc. harmed residents mentally or physically by forcibly restraining them, drugging them into stupors or leaving people with violent records together, according to state inspection reports reviewed by Press-Gazette Media.

The company’s properties include Longview Terrace I and Longview Terrace II, both located on the same campus in Suamico, Country House in Oconto and Woodland Manor in Pulaski.

The report indicated Shawano, Oconto and Kewaunee counties placed people with Country Healthcare even after abuses were reported.

Shawano County Corporation Counsel Tony Kordus, however, said the county removed the residents it had placed at Longview Terrace I and had reported the alleged abuse there to the state. The county has not placed residents at Longview Terrace I since that time, he said, but has continued to use other Country Healthcare sites.

According to the report, the counties paid Country Healthcare a combined $2.5 million in federal funds since 2005 to care for people who could no longer help themselves due to age, illness, poor mental health, or addiction to drugs or alcohol.

The state inspected the facilities for abuse six times in eight years and issued hundreds of citations for violations since 2000. Abuse complaints in 2006 and 2013 were substantiated.

Country Healthcare Inc. blamed county case managers for the problems.

Regulators notified the counties each time enforcement actions were taken against a facility serving one of their residents, said Otis Woods, administrator for the state Department of Health Services’ division of quality assurance.

Shawano and Oconto counties renewed contracts to keep placing residents in Country Healthcare facilities through 2014, while Kewaunee County said it would be reluctant to work with the facilities in the future.

The state’s inspection reports cite a number of instances where residents were mentally or physically harmed.

In one case, a 44-year-old with a traumatic brain injury was found lying in a ditch 500 feet away from the Kewaunee County building, his wheelchair overturned. Staffers told inspectors they didn’t know he was gone. A few weeks later the man was discovered to have a broken nose, and again staffers said they couldn’t explain what happened.

In another case, staff from the company’s Oconto facility locked a 56-year-old man who had obsessive-compulsive disorder out of his bedroom and bathroom, causing him to soil himself.

Kordus said the county promptly removed two people from Longview Terrace I in October 2012 after learning about abuse there.

“Shawano County is the one who reported the alleged abuse to the state,” Kordus said.

He said the county should be applauded for reporting the issue, which he said helped prevent the abuse from continuing.

Kordus said there have been no placements at Longview Terrace I since then.

Shawano County financial records show it has contracted with Country Healthcare since 2010, according to Press-Gazette Media, and continued placing residents in the company’s properties at least through January. The county had paid the company $128,329 through the end of January.

“We have used other Country Healthcare facilities on a limited basis,” Kordus said.

Kordus said the county has not received any complaints regarding any other facility owned or operated by Country Healthcare Inc.

“No complaints of abuse or neglect have been raised regarding any Shawano County client at any of these facilities other than Longview Terrace I – which Shawano County appropriately addressed,” Kordus said.

He also said the couple of residents placed at those other facilities have said they like it there.

“Implying that Shawano County spent $128,000 at Longview Terrace I, or anywhere else, after learning of alleged abuse at the facility would be false and defamatory,” Kordus wrote in an email to Press-Gazette Media. “(The county) utilizes its best efforts to find suitable placement facilities.

“As in this case, as soon as Shawano County learned, or would learn in the future, that an independently owned and operated facility may not be suitable, Shawano County takes the appropriate action. Make no mistake about it, Shawano County has done an admirable job in this regard.”

Oconto County renewed a 1-year, $400,000 contract, effective Jan. 1, with two of the facilities with histories of issues. Craig Johnson, the county’s director of health and human services, said he couldn’t discuss the issue.

“I’ve been told we’re not going to comment,” he said. “There’s things still going on in that facility. This is a small community.”

In Kewaunee County, spokesman Greg Thousand said he took over the human services department in July and couldn’t comment on anything that happened before then.

“Given recent history, we’d be exceedingly reluctant to work with this entity,” he said.

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BHS principal among finalistsBy: 

[email protected]

After a round of interviews this week, the Bonduel School Board has narrowed its candidates for district administrator down to two finalists who will be interviewed again on Monday.

Bonduel High School Principal Patrick Rau and Coleman School District Superintendent Brian Walters are the two still in the running to replace Peter Behnke.

Behnke is retiring in June after 25 years overseeing the district.

Behnke said the school board will likely deliberate after the interviews and could reach a decision Monday night. That would be followed by “a few days of negotiations” over the salary and fringe benefits package.

Behnke’s salary is $124,388.

The School Board’s goal is to officially confirm the new district administrator at the board’s regular meeting April 21.

The school district received 17 applications for the position before narrowing that down to six finalists.

Those six were interviewed Monday and Tuesday and were also taken on tours of the district.

They included Bonduel Elementary Principal Peggy Jones, Washington Island School District Superintendent Timothy Raymond, De Soto School District Administrator James Kuchta and River Valley School District Pupil Services Director Mati Palm-Leis.

Behnke said the board was pleased with the applicant pool and all of those interviewed were solid candidates.

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