Shawano Leader News

Shawano Police Department

April 2

Police logged 26 incidents, including the following:

Property Damage — Police responded to a property damage complaint in the parking lot at Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St.

Accident — A driver was cited for failure to yield and another driver was cited for operating without insurance after a minor accident at Oshkosh and Smalley streets.

Fraud — An identity theft complaint was reported in the 300 block of Alpine Drive.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

April 2

Deputies logged 26 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — A 48-year-old Clintonville man was cited for disorderly conduct on Shady Lane in Belle Plaine.

Reckless Driving — Authorities responded to a reckless driving complaint on state Highway 22 in Belle Plaine.

Reckless Driving — Authorities responded to a reckless driving complaint on state Highway 47-55 in Wescott.

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

Clintonville Police Department

April 2

Police logged four incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Officers responded to a verbal disturbance on 16th Street and a male and female were cited for disorderly conduct.

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Shawano and Menominee counties and Tribal Emergency Management are warning area residents that dangerous winter weather is expected to hit northeast Wisconsin on Thursday and Friday.

Rain, ice, and snow are expected to create dangerous conditions starting Thursday and continuing Friday.

The National Weather Service is expecting the storm to move into the area Thursday evening. This will continue into Friday morning, changing into snow late Friday morning into early afternoon. Ice accumulations between a tenth and three tenths of an inch are possible. Roads could become ice or snow covered and hazardous Thursday night. Snow covered roads will linger through Friday.

Stay tuned to local forecasts for the most current information.

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Last of 19 arrests takes place in WescottBy: 

[email protected]

Leader Photo by Tim Ryan Shawano County Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Gordon Kowaleski continues a text message exchange at his office with a suspect in a sting operation initiated earlier Saturday in Brown County as part of Operation Vanguard.

Editor’s note: The Shawano Leader was allowed behind-the-scenes access to Shawano County’s participation in Operation Vanguard. This is the second of three articles on the sting. On Friday, we will take a broader look at the dangers facing juveniles on the Internet.

It’s just after noon on Saturday as Shawano County Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Gordon Kowaleski settles into a seat in front of two computer monitors in a meeting room at the Brown County Sheriff’s Department.

He is joining investigators from other northeast Wisconsin law enforcement agencies — all stationed at computers of their own — for day three of Operation Vanguard. The Internet sting operation is being spearheaded by Brown County authorities.

Shawano County Detective Chris Gamm and Deputy Jesse Sperberg were also part of the operation targeting potential child sex predators that had already led to a number of arrests during its first two days.

The investigators start by posting ads in the casual encounters section of Craigslist.

At 12:30 p.m., Kowaleski posts two ads, one ostensibly placed by a 15-year-old boy and the other by a 15-year-old girl.

“Lonely in Shawano — tired of winter, being stuck at home, looking for some fun. Must be clean, discreet and for real. Message me to get something going.”

It doesn’t take long for dozens of email responses to start coming in.

“I could have had 12 people working and we would not be able to work all these targets,” Kowaleski said.

Kowaleski responds to the emails as they come in, identifying himself as a female named Cathy. (The name Kowaleski actually used has been changed here to keep the profile confidential for future operations.)

Several exchanges are started, but most immediately cut off contact after Cathy tells them she’s 15. Some tell her she’s too young and shouldn’t be doing this. A few even tell her they’re calling the cops.

The original ad is flagged by one of those contacts and Craigslist takes it down, but it’s posted long enough to make contact with a man who is interested in hooking up.

At 1:09 p.m., Kowaleski begins exchanging texts with the man using a special computer program that simulates a cell phone. The program generates a real but unused phone number from the 715 area code.

The man tells Cathy he’s from Menasha and offers to come to her home. He asks her if she likes having sex, though in much more graphic words, and sends her a photo of his genitalia.

The man asks how old she is, and Cathy tells him she is 15 but turning 16 this summer.

This time, the exchange doesn’t end, and the sex talk continues.

“That’s all we’ve been talking about — everything he’s going to do to me or have me do to him,” Kowaleski said.

The man offers to come to her house and Cathy gives him directions to an address in the town of Wescott.

The meeting is arranged for 7 p.m.

Cathy says her mother will be gone by then to her bar tending job. She asks if he’s bringing anything to drink because “mom keeps the booze locked up, LOL.”

By this time, authorities using the man’s cell phone number have identified him as James J. Kettleson, 50, of Menasha.

At 4 p.m. an arrest team is assigned, which will include Gamm and others who are on duty that night — Shawano County Sheriff’s Detective Rich Wright, Lt. Andy Thorpe, Deputy Annalise Sharpless and Stockbridge-Munsee Police Detective Adam Hoffman.

If the suspect tries to phone Cathy, Sharpless will take the call.

Shortly after 5 p.m., Kowaleski leaves for his office at the Sheriff’s Department in Shawano, where he continues the text messages.

At about 5:30 p.m., the man tells Cathy he is going in to take a shower and is leaving after that. He says it should take 50 minutes to get there.

At 6 p.m., Gamm arrives at the location and sets up surveillance.

“Sometimes they come early to scope the place out,” Kowaleski explains.

Gamm, Thorpe and Hoffman park their unmarked squads at locations where they can view the entire street and move quickly to bottle up the suspect if necessary. By this time, they know there is a silver 2004 Chevy Suburban registered in Kettleson’s name that he will probably be driving.

The goal is to take him into custody as soon as possible once he is out of the car.

Shortly after 6 p.m., Kowaleski passes off his end of the text exchange to Brown County Sheriff’s Lt. Jim Valley, who continues the conversation from Green Bay. Kowaleski, Wright and Sharpless arrive at the house and wait inside.

At 7 p.m., they’re still waiting.

“It shouldn’t take this long for him to get here,” Kowaleski says.

Kowaleski had a no-show the previous night.

“Whether he got scared off or thought he was playing games with me, which is the way it sounded toward the end, or for whatever reason, he was a no-show,” Kowaleski said. “Not everyone we text with shows up.”

At 7:20 p.m., Gamm spots a silver Chevy Suburban that turns down the street and reports that to Kowaleski.

Wright crouches by the front door in a position to grab the suspect when he walks in. He has been told by Cathy that the front door will be unlocked and he can let himself in.

He and Kowaleski discuss whether the squads should be called in as soon as he pulls into the driveway, but there are concerns it could end up in a foot chase.

The Suburban passes by the house, goes to the end of the street and turns around. It passes again, the suspect apparently uncertain which house he’s supposed to go to.

The man texts Cathy, asking her to come outside and wave him in.

Kowaleski, on the cell phone with Valley, tells him to text Kettleson. “Tell him I’m upstairs in the bathroom and the upstairs light is on.”

The vehicle passes the house again and continues circling the area for more than five minutes.

Finally, Kowaleski radios Gamm and Thorpe to take him in a traffic stop.

Moments later, Kettleson is in custody, surrendering without incident. His cell phone and a GPS unit are taken into evidence.

It is the last of 19 arrests made as part of Operation Vanguard.

On Monday, Kettleson is charged with using a computer to facilitate a sex crime, which carries a maximum possible penalty of 40 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

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By: 

[email protected]

Last fall, the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department initiated a program dubbed Operation Guardian Angel, which was modeled on similar statewide programs called Black Veil and Black Veil II.

It involved investigators posing as children on the Internet who were then contacted by parties looking to have sexual encounters. The suspects were arrested when they showed up for the rendezvous.

Guardian Angel resulted in two people being arrested for facilitating a child sex crime and one for prostitution. One juvenile was referred for distribution of child pornography.

Shawano County’s operation ran from October through January. Officials were planning one more weekend of Guardian Angel when they learned Brown County authorities were spearheading another Internet sting operation that would cast its net in a wider area of northeast Wisconsin.

Shawano County folded its last weekend of Guardian Angel into Brown County’s Operation Vanguard, said Shawano County Detective Sgt. Gordon Kowaleski, who was one of the investigators posing as a child during the three-day effort.

“One of the most difficult things I’ve ever done was to sit at the computer this weekend and pretend to be a 15-year-old,” Kowaleski said. “And I’ve got to ask other officers, ‘All right, what are they watching on TV? What (texting) symbols do they use; what abbreviations do they use?’”

Once investigators have a potential suspect on the line, their case against them will first hinge on proving the suspect used a computerized communication system to make contact.

“It could be a Smartphone or even a simple flip phone because even a simple flip phone will go over the public network, and that’s all computerized,” Kowaleski said. “In essence, any time you use a phone, it’s a computerized communication system.”

Next, authorities need to be able to prove the suspect knew — or believed — he was corresponding with a minor.

“Third, we have to prove he was using the computerized communication system to commit a child sex act,” Kowaleski said. “There has to be talk of sex, and they’re the ones that have to bring that up.”

All that remains is for the suspect to show up at the meeting place.

Shawano County officials were part of five of the 19 arrests made during Operation Vanguard; three of them in Shawano County, including one man who drove here from Shiocton in a snowstorm March 27.

Deputy Jesse Sperberg played the juvenile in that case, and it moved from text messaging to an arranged meeting fairly quickly.

“Before we knew it, he was on his way up here to meet what he thought was a 15-year-old girl,” Kowaleski said. “On Friday night, Sperberg had another one from the city of Shawano. He got a ride out from some friends and was arrested when he got here.”

During the county’s Guardian Angel operation, authorities also used a decoy—a Shawano police officer who played the part of a juvenile and met the suspect face-to-face before the arrest.

Kowaleski said a decoy wasn’t really necessary, however, given that the suspect only needs to show up at the rendezvous.

“As soon as he shows up, he’s completed the crime,” Kowaleski said.

“It’s all a living process,” he said. “You always look for the best or a better way to do things and it’s subject to change as you go on.”

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Bonduel teen dies in crashBy: 

Joan Koehne, [email protected]

A Neenah man faces homicide charges after his friend was killed Saturday when the pickup truck they were in crashed into a tree.

Zachary J.E. Romnek, 19, was charged on Tuesday in Oconto County Circuit Court with homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle for the death of Thorton Lee Gressler, 19, of Bonduel, a back-seat passenger. Gressler was pronounced dead at the scene.

Tests showed Romnek’s blood alcohol level to be 0.11 percent. Wisconsin’s legal limit is 0.08.

According to a criminal complaint, Romnek was standing on top of his Dodge Ram pickup when an Oconto County sheriff’s deputy arrived at 2:45 a.m. at County Road W in Riverview, south of Martha Lane. The vehicle was approximately 15 feet off the road, resting on its driver’s side in the south ditch against a large tree.

Romnek told deputies he had been drinking with friends at Diamond Dave’s in Crooked Lake and decided to travel to Pipeline, an area north of Crooked Lake where trucks drive off road. He said he was driving about 35 mph when he lost control on icy roads.

According to the criminal complaint, two passengers in the truck left the scene before authorities arrived. A mother of a female passenger said her daughter had been injured and went for treatment at a hospital. A male passenger contacted by the Sheriff’s Department told deputies he was sore but uninjured. He said they left the scene because they were “scared of getting in trouble for drinking,” according to the complaint.

Romnek was released from the Oconto County Jail on Tuesday after a $5,000 cash bond was met. He is scheduled for a continued initial appearance on April 10.

If convicted of the homicide charge, Romnek could be sentenced to 25 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. He was also charged with operating a motor vehicle while suspended-cause death, which carries a maximum sentence of six years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine.

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Bonduel teen dies in crashBy: 

Joan Koehne, [email protected]

A Neenah man faces homicide charges after his friend was killed Saturday when the pickup truck they were in crashed into a tree.

Zachary J.E. Romnek, 19, was charged on Tuesday in Oconto County Circuit Court with homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle for the death of Thorton Lee Gressler, 19, of Bonduel, a back-seat passenger. Gressler was pronounced dead at the scene.

Tests showed Romnek’s blood alcohol level to be 0.11 percent. Wisconsin’s legal limit is 0.08.

According to a criminal complaint, Romnek was standing on top of his Dodge Ram pickup when an Oconto County sheriff’s deputy arrived at 2:45 a.m. at County Road W in Riverview, south of Martha Lane. The vehicle was approximately 15 feet off the road, resting on its driver’s side in the south ditch against a large tree.

Romnek told deputies he had been drinking with friends at Diamond Dave’s in Crooked Lake and decided to travel to Pipeline, an area north of Crooked Lake where trucks drive off road. He said he was driving about 35 mph when he lost control on icy roads.

According to the criminal complaint, two passengers in the truck left the scene before authorities arrived. A mother of a female passenger said her daughter had been injured and went for treatment at a hospital. A male passenger contacted by the Sheriff’s Department told deputies he was sore but uninjured. He said they left the scene because they were “scared of getting in trouble for drinking,” according to the complaint.

Romnek was released from the Oconto County Jail on Tuesday after a $5,000 cash bond was met. He is scheduled for a continued initial appearance on April 10.

If convicted of the homicide charge, Romnek could be sentenced to 25 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. He was also charged with operating a motor vehicle while suspended-cause death, which carries a maximum sentence of six years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine.

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Uncontested races in the city of Shawano had a couple of amusing write-ins Tuesday, but no other surprises.

Fred Flintstone garnered a vote for circuit court judge and Barney Fife had one for mayor, along with a scattering of write-in votes for actual people.

None of the incumbent city officials had opposition this year.

Vote tallies, which still need to be verified by the Board of Canvass, were as follows:

Mayor, Lorna Marquardt 514

City Attorney, Tim Schmid 534

District 2, Rhonda Strebel 73

District 4, Fred Ponschok 74

District 6, John Hoeffs 127

All are two-year terms.

Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court Judge James Habeck had 539 votes in the city. Countywide, he had 3,001 votes.

Habeck was unopposed for another six-year term.

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Shawano Police Department

April 1

Police logged 21 incidents, including the following:

OWI — A 32-year-old man was arrested for operating while intoxicated at Washington and Prairie streets.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 700 block of South Lincoln Street.

Warrant — An 18-year-old male was taken into custody on a warrant after a traffic stop at Fifth and Main streets.

Vandalism — A truck was reported vandalized in the 1300 block of East Lieg Avenue.

Warrant — A 19-year-old female was taken into custody on a warrant in the 200 block of North Washington Street.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 200 block of Alpine Drive.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance at KFC, 102 N. Airport Drive.

Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint in the 400 block of North Main Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

April 1

Deputies logged 38 incidents, including the following:

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

Fraud — Authorities investigated an identity theft complaint on Cardinal Lane in Aniwa.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on state Highway 29 in Richmond.

Trespass — Authorities responded to a trespassing complaint on Tower Road in the town of Grant.

OAR — A 22-year-old man was cited for operating after revocation on state Highway 22 in Belle Plaine.

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

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

Clintonville Police Department

April 1

Police logged 16 incidents, including the following:

Juvenile — Police responded to a damage to property incident at the high school and a disorderly conduct complaint at the middle school.

Disturbance — Officers responded to a family disturbance on Eighth Street, and warnings were issued.

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By: 

Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent

Mayor Judith Magee withstood a write-in challenge in Tuesday’s election, but Clintonville voters ousted at least two of the aldermen on the ballot.

Magee defeated Tricia Rose 584-302 to earn a third term.

“Having served four years, there is nothing more satisfying to watch democracy in

action in its truest form,” Magee said. “Getting out to mark a ballot is a freedom

that not all enjoy and a right for which we should be thankful. As we move forward I

will follow the city motto, work together to provide service for individuals,

families and businesses of today and tomorrow.”

Incumbents Al Miller and Steven Kettenhoven lost to former aldermen in District 1 and 3, respectively.

Jim Krause defeated Miller 133-62. John Wilson defeated Kettenhoven 79-62.

The third alderman on the ballot, Mike Hankins, tied with challenger Mary Beth Kuester 100-100 in District 4. It was not clear late Tuesday how the winner would be decided.

Gloria Dunlavy in District 2 and Jeannie Schley in District 5 were re-elected without opposition.

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McFarlane says voters looking for changeBy: 

[email protected]

Incumbent Shawano School Board member Julie Van Dyck was ousted from the board in Tuesday’s election, ending a 15-year career on the board.

Incumbent Marcia Yeager, also a 15-year veteran, won another three-year term and will be joined on the board by challenger Beth McFarlane.

The three were competing for two seats in Area 4, with the two top vote-getters elected.

Results reported by the school district were as follows:

Marcia Yeager 925 (i)

Beth McFarlane 761

Julie Van Dyck (i) 681

“I’m pleased and excited to get to work,” McFarlane said.

McFarlane said voters apparently wanted to continue the turnover on the board that’s been taking place over the last couple of years.

“The board is changing, and the community is saying they’re looking for that change to continue,” she said.

Tyler Schmidt edged out veteran John Granchay two years ago. Derek Johnson and Bruce Milavitz joined the board last year.

The most recent addition, Michael Sleeper, was appointed to the board in October to replace Jim Heinz, who resigned in September amid concerns about the direction the district was headed.

Sleeper was also on Tuesday’s ballot, but had no challenger.

“I’m certainly sad and disappointed,” Van Dyck said. “I’ve enjoyed being on the board, and I love the school district. I appreciate the support I’ve had over the years, and I’m grateful to have served.”

She said low voter turnout may have contributed to the results.

Van Dyck said she was pleased Yeager was returned to the board and said she thought McFarlane would do a good job.

Van Dyck said she still plans to attend national education conventions, at her own cost, and bring ideas back to the board.

She said she isn’t sure whether she’ll make another run for the board.

“That’s three years from now,” she said.

Yeager couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday evening.

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Zwirschitz unseats Wnek in Dist. 27By: 

[email protected]

All but one of the 27 Shawano County Board incumbents held onto their seats in Tuesday’s election. Most faced no opposition, but nearly all of those who did easily defeated their challengers to secure another two-year term.

In District 27, however, incumbent Marion Wnek was ousted by former Supervisor Jon Zwirschitz.

Zwirschitz and Wnek both held seats on the board until their districts merged in the 2010 redistricting. They ran against one another, with Wnek winning that year.

On Tuesday, Zwirschitz defeated Wnek, 140-125. The district includes the towns of Hutchins and Almon and the village of Mattoon.

“I’m going to work to save the taxpayers money,” Zwirschitz said. “They’re wasting too much money. People are ready for a change.”

Wnek said he had no reaction to the loss.

“The voters spoke and that’s it,” he said.

Wnek said he has no plans to run again.

Elsewhere, District 5 incumbent Sandy Steinke defeated John Granchay, 82-42. The district includes Wards 9 and 10 in the city of Shawano.

“I want to say thank you to the voters and thanks for their support,” Steinke said.

Steinke chalked up the win to voters’ familiarity with her and her record.

“People know I’m a conservative and that I have their best interests in mind,” she said. “I represent the people, and I’ll never forget that.”

Granchay said beating an incumbent is always difficult, especially when the incumbent holds two positions. Steinke is also a Shawano alderperson.

“I just hope they (county supervisors) solve the issues,” Granchay said. “They’re spending a lot of money and spinning their wheels.”

In District 6, incumbent Randy Young faced an official write-in candidate in William Ecke, but rolled past him 122-20. The district includes Wards 11 and 12 in the city of Shawano.

In other contested County Board races:

• District 10 incumbent Robert Krause defeated challenger David Korth, 68-48. The district includes Ward 3 of the town of Washington and Wards 1 and 2 of Green Valley.

• District 12 incumbent Kathy Luebke defeated challenger Ken Bierhals, 55-19. The district includes the town of Maple Grove, Ward 2 of the town of Lessor and the part of Pulaski in Shawano County.

• District 18 incumbent Steven Gueths beat challenger Cheryl Klapste, 123-77. The district includes Wards 2 and 3 of the town of Richmond.

• District 19 incumbent and County Board Vice Chairman Arlyn Tober easily turned back a challenge from Leone Schneidewend, 104-31. The district includes the town of Pella, Ward 2 of the town of Herman, Ward 1 of the town of Grant, and Wards 4, 5 and 6 in the city of Marion.

• District 23 incumbent Ray Faehling narrowly defeated challenger Annette Rockey, 78-70. The district includes Fairbanks and Tigerton.

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Gresham School Board

Incumbents Holly Schmidt and Marge Eberhard held onto their two at-large seats on the Gresham School Board on Tuesday.

Former board member Gary Olsen ran third.

The two top vote-getters were elected. The unofficial results are as follows:

Holly Schmidt (i) 167

Marge Eberhard (i) 136

Gary Olsen 94

Wittenberg-Birnamwood School Board

Results of a contested race for the Area 5 seat on the Wittenberg-Birnamwood School Board were not available Tuesday night.

Rose Tryba (i)

Cindy Matteson

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Shawano Police Department

March 31

Police logged 11 incidents, including the following:

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem at Hillcrest Primary School, 1410 Waukechon St.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 100 block of Sunset Avenue.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 800 block of East Richmond.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 1000 block of South Lutz Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 31

Deputies logged 28 incidents, including the following:

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Main Street in Angelica.

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile problem on Honeysuckle Lane in Tigerton.

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile problem on Main Street in Birnamwood.

Warrant — A 46-year-old man was taken into custody on a warrant on Pioneer Avenue in Wittenberg.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on County Road G in the town of Grant.

Accidents — Authorities logged three deer-related crashes.

Clintonville Police Department

March 31

Police logged 11 incidents, including the following:

Child Abuse — A child abuse incident was reported on Auto Street.

Harassment — Warning was issued for harassment in W.A. Olen Park.

Accident — Officers provided traffic control and a wrecker was contacted for a semi that ran in the ditch on Industrial Avenue.

Accident — A two-vehicle property damage accident was reported on Memorial Circle.

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Shawano Police Department

March 30

Police logged 14 incidents, including the following:

Theft — A wallet was reported stolen at The Shelter, 142 S. Main St.

Disorderly — Police responded to an intoxicated person complaint in the 100 block of South Washington Street.

Disturbance — Police responded to a report of a fight in progress in the 1100 block of South Main Street.

March 29

Police logged 13 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance on Aspen Court.

Disorderly — Police responded to an intoxicated person complaint in the 100 block of South Main Street after a man was reported urinating on the sidewalk.

Accident — A 14-year-old girl on a bicycle sustained minor injuries after being struck by a vehicle at Lieg Avenue and Main Street.

March 28

Police did not provide an incident list.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 30

Deputies logged 20 incidents, including the following:

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

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a domestic disturbance on Country Lane in the town of Washington.

OWI — A 27-year-old Weston man was arrested for operating while intoxicated on Highway 29 in Wittenberg.

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

March 29

Deputies logged 45 incidents, including the following:

Hit and Run — Authorities investigated a property damage hit-and-run on Main Street in Gresham.

Theft — Authorities responded to a property theft complaint on Railroad Street in Bowler.

Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint on Highway 29 in the town of Herman.

OAR — A 27-year-old man was cited for operating after revocation on County Road G in Red Springs.

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

March 28

Deputies logged 46 incidents, including the following:

Theft — Authorities responded to a property theft complaint on Highway 22 in the town of Washington.

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Elm Street in Bowler.

Drug Offense — A 19-year-old Lac de Flambeau male was arrested for possession of marijuana on Highway 29 in Seneca.

Warrant — A 27-year-old Eland woman was arrested on a warrant on County Road A in Red Springs.

Accidents — Authorities logged 14 accidents, including injury accidents in Maple Grove and Red Springs and two deer-related crashes.

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By: 

Leader Staff

Keshena firefighters battled a bus fire Saturday evening at the Menominee Public Transit Building.

Crews were called to the scene around 5:30 p.m., according to fire officials. A transit bus inside the storage building was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived.

Crews got the blaze under control within an hour, avoiding it from spreading to other buses inside the building. The bus sustained heavy damage and was a total loss. The building’s interior had minor smoke and flame damage.

The cause of the fire was not available Monday.

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By: 

Leader Staff

Shawano County authorities working with the Brown County Sheriff’s Department and other agencies arrested 19 people, including what investigators said was a man training to be a bus driver in Shawano, in a three-day sting operation aimed at getting potential child predators off the streets.

Detectives posing as juveniles on the Internet were contacted by the suspects who arranged to meet them for a sexual rendezvous. When the suspects showed up, they were arrested on a charge of using a computer to facilitate a sex crime.

Three of the suspects were arrested in Shawano County. One of those arrested in Brown County was from Shawano County, according to authorities.

The trainee bus driver had never driven a route alone, authorities said.

Operation Vanguard, as it was dubbed, wrapped up Saturday night with the arrest of a 50-year-old Menasha man who believed he was meeting a 15-year-old girl in the town of Wescott.

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Shawano Police Department

March 27

Police logged 26 incidents, including the following:

Accident — Police responded to a property damage accident on North Bartlett Street.

Drug Offense — Police investigated a drug complaint at Shawano Community High School, 220 County Road B.

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

Hit and Run — Police investigated a property damage hit-and-run in the 300 block of North Franklin Street.

Accident — Police responded to a property damage accident at Lincoln and Elizabeth streets.

Accident — Police responded to a two-vehicle property damage accident on Madison Way.

Assault — Police investigated a reported assault in the 100 block of South Washington Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 27

Deputies logged 52 incidents, including the following:

Auto Theft — A vehicle was reported stolen on Putnam Lane in Bowler.

Fire — Authorities responded to a fire on Town Line Road in the town of Washington.

Accidents — Authorities logged 24 accidents, including two deer-related crashes.

Clintonville Police Department

March 27

Police logged eight incidents, including the following:

Hit and Run — A hit-and-run accident report was completed.

Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint at the middle school.

Assault — A sexual assault complaint was under investigation.

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Two veteran members are hoping to hold onto their seats on the Shawano School Board in Tuesday’s election, while a challenger is hoping to join the ranks of the board’s recent newcomers.

Incumbents Julie Van Dyck and Marcia Yeager, both of them with 15 years on the board, are seeking re-election in Area 4 and are being challenged by Beth McFarlane. The two top vote-getters will be elected to three-year terms.

If one of the incumbents is ousted, it would add to what’s become a slow overhaul of the board over the last couple of years.

Tyler Schmidt edged out veteran John Granchay two years ago. Derek Johnson and Bruce Milavitz joined the board last year.

The most recent addition, Michael Sleeper, was appointed to the board in October to replace Jim Heinz, who resigned in September amid concerns about the direction the district was headed.

Sleeper is also on Tuesday’s ballot, but has no challenger.

At present, only four members of the nine-member board have served for more than two consecutive terms.

Here are the candidates’ responses to a questionnaire provided by the Leader:

Name: Beth McFarlane

Age: 46

Family: Husband, Jeff; three daughters

Education: BA, University of Northern Iowa 1989

Employment: Social Studies teacher, Shawano Community High School, 1992‐98; business manager, Advanced Veterinary Services, 2006‐present

Experience: Six-year member of Sacred Heart Board of Total Catholic Education (president for two years). I have been involved in Junior Achievement, athletic booster and parent-­teacher organizations.

Statement: “I am an experienced teacher who understands the need for communication between parent, teacher, administration and the school board — the entities responsible for making sure our students succeed. Being a taxpayer and small business owner, I understand the need to budget and prioritize in order to have a balance between needs and wants. While I will be a new face to the School Board, I am not new to how a school board functions. I bring to the board different perspectives and life experiences. I believe in and am passionate about education. I want to see our school district not only provide quality programs, but define quality programs that other districts want to copy. I will strive toward this goal while keeping in mind that the money entrusted to us by the hard-working people of this community is to be used wisely and with gratitude.”

Name: Julie Van Dyck

Age: 53

Family: Four children

Education: Master’s degree from Marquette University

Employment: Speech and language pathologist at Menominee Tribal School

Experience: Shawano School Board, 15 years; one of the founders of the Shawano Area Youth Football League; Junior Achievement teacher for middle school students; Rotary member

Statement: “I really do take pride in being a member of the Shawano School Board. It is a good school district, but I think there is always room for improvement. I’ve invested my time into educating myself through seminars offered by the Wisconsin Association of School Boards and National School Boards Association because I think it’s important to keep up knowledge of current trends in education. The budget is always a concern. With our new business manager, there will be increased involvement of the board. We want to have a team approach to formulating the budget. We try to deliver the best education possible at a reasonable cost to the taxpayer. I want to look into untapped resources for funding.”

Name: Marcia Yeager

Age: 61

Family: Married, with three grown children

Education: Shawano High School, River Falls University, NWTC

Employment: I have worked for the Wisconsin Towns Association as a bookkeeper for 12 years and also am the bookkeeper for our family owned business, Yeager’s Sugar Shack.

Experience: Shawano Board of Education for 15 years, holding vice president and treasurer positions; member and president of the Wescott Cemetery Association for 26 years; coached volleyball at Shawano High School for seven years, and officiated high school volleyball for 10 years. I was a member and president of the Sacred Heart Booster Club for eight years.

Statement: “I have been very involved in the community throughout my life. I started the Partners In Education Program at Shawano School District, with the help of Cheryl Koening, and remained on board for nine years. I implemented the “Don’t Laugh at me Program” for the Shawano School District, which I think is so important, because it addresses bullying. I am seeking re-election because I truly believe in the value of education. I believe I have the experience necessary to meet some of the challenges that are facing the education system. This past year we have experienced a lot of positives for our district, and I am proud of some of the accomplishments we have made. The building of the Tech Ed Department has not only advanced the learning for our students, but is also building a partnership with businesses in the industrial park with the hopes of bringing revenue into our school. We need to continue to work together as a community and school district, so we can provide the best education for our students. I will continue to work hard and be a voice of the taxpayer.”

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Leader Staff

County Board, District 5

District 5 incumbent Shawano County Supervisor Sandy Steinke will face a challenge from John Granchay in Tuesday’s election. The district includes Wards 9 and 10 in the city of Shawano.

Supervisors serve two-year terms.

Here are the candidates’ responses to a questionnaire provided by the Leader:

Name: John Granchay

Age: 59

Family: Single, no children

Education: BA degree, Marquette University, 1980

Employment: Retired social worker, Shawano County

Experience: Shawano School Board 12 years, Shawano County Commission on Aging six years, past president Wisconsin Social Service Association

Statement: “I am running because decisions are not being made by the board. They are wasting money by continually having committee meetings and not doing anything on problems that are facing the community. Eventually something will have to be done, and it will cost more money down the road. The board had studies done and they do not follow through on what is recommended. In addition, they do not follow plans that they have agreed to in the past. I hope to present some forward and out-of-the-box thinking.”

Name: Sandy Steinke

Age: 54

Family: Married, one daughter, two grandchildren

Education: Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School, NWTC

Employment: Eye and Vision Clinic in De Pere

Experience: Shawano Common Council for 11 years; Shawano County Board since 2006

Statement: “Serving the city works well with cooperating with the county. We have cooperated on a number of joint ventures. I enjoy serving the people of Shawano County. There are many projects I’d like to see through, that we have been busy with for a while. One of them is evidence storage. I think there’s a common solution for that.”

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By: 

Leader Staff

Following is a list of contested Shawano County and area school board races that will be decided in Tuesday’s election. Races where candidates are not opposed are not listed.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Shawano County Board

• District 5 incumbent Sandy Steinke will face a challenge from John Granchay. The district includes Wards 9 and 10 in the city of Shawano.

• District 10 incumbent Robert Krause will be up against challenger David Korth. The district includes Ward 3 of the town of Washington and Wards 1 and 2 of Green Valley.

• District 12 incumbent Kathy Luebke will face a challenge from Ken Bierhals. The district includes the town of Maple Grove, Ward 2 of the town of Lessor and the part of Pulaski in Shawano County.

• District 18 incumbent Steven Gueths will be up against challenger Cheryl Klapste. The district includes Wards 2 and 3 of the town of Richmond.

• District 19 incumbent and County Board Vice Chairman Arlyn Tober will face a challenge from Leone Schneidewend. The district includes the town of Pella, Ward 2 of the town of Herman, Ward 1 of the town of Grant and Wards 4, 5 and 6 in the city of Marion.

• District 23 incumbent Ray Faehling will go up against challenger Annette Rockey. The district includes Fairbanks and Tigerton.

• District 27 incumbent Marion Wnek will face a challenge from former county supervisor Jon Zwirschitz. The district includes the towns of Hutchins and Almon and the village of Mattoon.

Shawano School Board

Incumbents Julie Van Dyck and Marcia Yeager are seeking re-election in Area 4, and are being challenged by Beth McFarlane. The two top vote-getters will be elected.

Gresham School Board

Incumbents Holly Schmidt and Marge Eberhard are running for two at-large seats on the board, and are being challenged by former board member Gary Olsen. The two top vote-getters will be elected.

Wittenberg-Birnamwood School Board

Incumbent Rose Tryba and Cindy Matteson are vying for the Area 5 seat.

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