Shawano Leader News

By: 

Kevin Murphy, Leader Correspondent

What the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board has done for consumption of dairy products, A similar organization can do for the beer industry, says state Rep. Gary Tauchen, R-Bonduel.

The Wisconsin Beer Commission would promote Wisconsin-made beer. Under Tauchen’s plan, four members of the seven-member board would represent microbrewers, defined as breweries producing less than 300,000 barrels of beer annually, one would represent major breweries, and one would represent beer wholesalers. The commission also would include a chairman.

The commission would reflect the diversity of Wisconsin’s beer industry, which has 87 small brewers and two majors, Tauchen said.

Tauchen said the idea came to him when thinking about the state’s three most famous products: beer, brats and cheese.

“We created the Milk Marketing Board in 1983. Last year (the Legislature) changed rules to help export brats and other meats out of the state, but we haven’t done much to promote the beer industry,” he said.

Tauchen’s bill, Assembly Bill 856, brings the industry’s stakeholders to the table in an effort to make Wisconsin beer even more famous.

“This would be a vehicle to help market and to do research related to marketing beer,” Tauchen said. “It would be part of the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, which works other trades.”

While the WMMB is funded from fees producers pay, the commission’s budget would be funded through beer sales at the Wisconsin State Fair.

Except for beer vendor stands, Wisconsin’s brewing industry has not had a presence at the fair, which Tauchen said presents a great opportunity to get information to out-of-state visitors.

The Wisconsin Brewers Guild, which also promotes craft brewing in the state, welcomes creating a beer commission, said Jeff Hamilton, a WBG board member and president of Sprecher Brewing Co.

“The mission of the guild is to promote and protect the smaller brewers in the state but there isn’t a central marketing force especially for smaller brewers in the state that effectively promotes their beer. This would give everyone a starting point to market,” Hamilton said.

Bill Tressler, owner of Hinterland Brewing Co., of Green Bay, also is a solid supporter of Tauchen’s proposal.

“Absolutely, the Wisconsin Brewers Guild hasn’t spent a lot of time on marketing, mainly on legislative issues. The commission represents an opportunity to promote Wisconsin beer as something special and unique and that we’re a region where good, quality beer is brewed,” he said.

Deb Carey, co-owner of New Glarus Brewing Co., sees the commission has an opportunity to help level the playing field in the Legislature between big and small breweries.

“Craft brewers don’t have lobbyists like others in the beverage industry. I wouldn’t say it’s a level playing field now, it’s difficult for small wholesalers or brewers to get started,” she said.

Carey also wants some regulatory certainty and tells that to legislators visiting her brewery.

“Each session has drastic changes in the way I do business, and that takes away your peace of mind,” she said.

Building a brewery is a “substantial investment,” costing at least $2,000 per square foot and those making that investment deserve some protection, she said.

The commission could also highlight the importance to the state of the $900 million micro brewing business, which supports more than 9,800 jobs, she said.

Tauchen said his bill has gone through three drafts before getting introduced this month, which is late in the current legislative session.

Instead of seeking a public hearing and passage of the bill, Tauchen wants more industry and public input before re-introducing it in January.

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By: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

The Shawano Masonic Lodge has been chosen to host installation ceremonies of new Shriners from around northeast Wisconsin later this month, and a community parade along Main Street will mark the occasion.

The event is usually reserved for the Beja Shrine of Green Bay, but Beja Potentate Nicholas Brosig, the head of the shrine, hit upon the idea of having local lodges host the ceremonies, according to Shawano Mason representative Dale Vannes.

“A couple times a year they have an installation of Masons who wish to become Shriners and there’s a big ceremony that goes on,” Vannes said.

Vannes told the Shawano Common Council on Wednesday how the plans for the ceremony and the parade that will take place March 29 came about.

Vannes said several Shriners recently visited the Shawano lodge.

“They were really impressed with the new building,” he said.

Shawano Masons No. 170 was previously located at 201 1/2 S. Main St., but in 2010, the lodge purchased a facility on 1.5 acres at 2324 E. Richmond St. The building was renovated to make it energy-efficient and handicapped-accessible, and new landscaping was added.

The lodge is used as a gathering space for other community groups as well as the Masons.

“The Masons are very proud of this new building here,” Vannes said.

Vannes said it was also Brosig’s idea to hold a parade prior to the ceremonies; one that would also feature other Shawano community groups that are involved with youth.

“He didn’t want it to be just the Shrine and the Masons,” Vannes said. “There’s a lot of organizations in every community that gets involved with youth, and we’re inviting those organizations to participate.”

Vannes said the 4-H is already on board and he has been reaching out to other community organizations.

Vannes said it would be good exposure for all of the groups involved and could boost membership.

“This would be a great opportunity for the spectators to see the organizations participating in the parade,” he said. “I’m sure there are other people out there, once they find out what these organizations do, they may want to get involved.”

Vannes said it would also be a boost for Shawano, with representatives coming from a number of northeast Wisconsin lodges, along with their wives and friends.

“There’s going to be a lot of people here spending some money,” he said. “I think it’s great for Shawano. It’s great exposure for Shawano, and I think it’s a good thing to toot our community’s horn a little bit and brag about the other organizations that are involved with youth.”

The parade, which was approved Wednesday by the Common Council, will start at 11 a.m. and run north on Main Street from Elizabeth to Division Street, where it will turn west and end at Franklin Park.

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Shawano Police Department

March 12

Police logged 14 incidents, including the following:

Warrant — A 28-year-old man was taken into custody at the Probation and Parole offices, 1340 E. Green Bay St.

Hit and Run — Police investigated a property damage hit-and-run in the 200 block of South Washington Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 12

Deputies logged 26 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a domestic disturbance on Sportsmans Drive in Aniwa.

Theft — Gas was reported siphoned from a vehicle on Harrison Street in Wittenberg.

OAR — A 22-year-old woman was cited for operating after revocation on County Road A in Red Springs.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Steno Trail in Pulaski.

Accidents — Authorities logged two deer-related crashes.

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By: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

City officials Wednesday gave their approval to long-sought improvements at Memorial Park and the Civic Center.

Bids were approved for a new restroom and concession shelter at the park and for updated lighting and a new restroom at the Civic Center.

Shawano Common Council President Woody Davis said the Civic Center improvements were long overdue.

The new facility at the park was one of the most requested items on a Park and Recreation survey conducted last year.

The council approved a bid from A&M Concrete & Construction, of Seymour, for the demolition of the Memorial Park concession stand and restroom facility and construction of a new concession/restroom/shelter facility in the amount of $172,980.

Though it was the lowest of four bids, it came in above the $150,000 budgeted.

A $15,995 bid from Wallace Carpentry, of Bonduel, for the construction of a new restroom in the lower level of the Civic Center was also approved, though it, too, was slightly above the $13,500 budgeted.

The overbudgeted amounts for those projects will be reallocated from elsewhere in the city’s Capital Improvement budget.

A $5,214 bid from Kallies Electric Inc, of Shawano, for updated lighting in portions of the lower level of the Civic Center was also approved. That bid came in under the $7,000 budgeted.

IN OTHER BUSINESS

The Shawano Common Council on Wednesday approved the following:

• Bid of $966,975 by DeGroot Inc., of Green Bay, for this year’s street and utility reconstruction projects.

• Quotation of $38,983 from Ewald Chevrolet, of Oconomowoc, for a dump truck for the Department of Public Works. The price includes a trade-in.

• Quotation of $145,621 from Dueco Inc., of Waukesha, for an aerial bucket truck for Shawano Municipal Utilities.

• Class A liquor license for Anew Tea Emporium & Antiques, 103 S. Main St., and Class B liquor and beer licenses for Trail’s Edge, which will be located in the Four Seasons Resort, 201 N. Airport Road.

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By: 

Lee Pulaski, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Lee Pulaski Jeff Schuh, right, reports on the status of the Bonduel radio tower at the Shawano County Public Safety Committee meeting Wednesday as coroner Mike Jesse, left, and audience members listen. The tower has been transmitting without problems since Feb. 20, Schuh reported.

Shawano County officials made it clear Wednesday that their radio transmissions were just as clear, and that the bugs with the simulcast system were almost all fixed.

Jeff Schuh, the county’s radio specialist, and representatives from Northway Communications of Wausau informed the Public Safety Committee that the equipment needed to fix the radio tower in Bonduel had arrived well ahead of schedule, and that few issues had popped up since the new equipment was brought online Feb. 20.

It had originally been estimated that the equipment would take 10 days to arrive, but it arrived in two.

Last month, several fire chiefs from eastern Shawano County reported broken communications on the county’s new simulcast system, even when emergency crews were within a mile of the Bonduel tower. Many were concerned that if the system failed to transmit during a fire or other emergency, lives could be lost.

Scott Pagenkopf, Northway owner, said his crews have eliminated the problems with the tower and conducted tile testing — radio tests at half-mile intervals — to ensure that the tower was no longer at fault.

“We have not had any errors reported since then,” Pagenkopf said.

Schuh noted that there have been some portable equipment programming issues reported, but nothing involving the tower. One instance involved a faulty radio battery, he said.

“We have been able to isolate all problems to those radios,” Schuh said.

County Board Chairman Jerry Erdmann said he had attended a Grant Town Board meeting last week and was informed of issues that central Shawano County community was having with radio transmissions between county dispatch and town firefighters. Erdmann said the transmissions were “crackly.”

Schuh said he had no knowledge of Grant’s radio issues but said he would look into it.

Supervisor Marvin Klosterman suggested that Schuh get in contact with all fire chiefs in the county to make sure all radio problems are resolved. The fire chiefs and other officials attending Wednesday’s meeting did not report any continuing issues.

Schuh did not anticipate any additional issues with the county’s simulcast equipment.

“We’re fairly confident that the system is working properly,” he said.

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Substantial battery

A Pulaski man is facing a charge in Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court of substantial battery with intent to do bodily harm.

James M. Arati, 39, could face a maximum of 3 1/2 years in prison and $10,000 fine if found guilty.

Arati is accused of striking a woman and breaking her tooth during a domestic incident in Pulaski on Feb. 16. The alleged incident occurred in the portion of Pulaski that lies in Shawano County.

Arati is due in Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court for an initial appearance March 31.

Felony theft

An arrest warrant was issued last week for a Waupaca man on a charge of felony theft for allegedly stealing more than $2,000 worth of electrical equipment from the Shawano Walmart in June.

Brian M. Wacholz, 31, could face a maximum of 3 1/2 years in prison and $10,000 fine if convicted.

According to the criminal complaint, Wacholz was seen in surveillance video disabling and removing electronic security devices from several packages before removing them from the store.

Stolen items allegedly included a Nikon camera, laptop, WiFi routers and car speakers, according to the complaint.

Felony OWI

A Pulaski man has been charged with a felony count of operating while intoxicated for allegedly being under the influence of marijuana when he was pulled over by Shawano County sheriff’s deputies in the town of Wittenberg on Saturday.

Ethan B. Hall, 23, could face six years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.

According to the criminal complaint, Hall was pulled over on state Highway 29 for having an expired registration sticker.

The complaint states Hall’s eyes were bloodshot and he admitted to smoking “half a bowl” of marijuana before driving.

Hall was ordered held on a $500 cash bond and was due in court for a preliminary hearing March 26.

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Shawano Police Department

March 11

Police logged 30 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance at the emergency room of Shawano Medical Center, 309 N. Bartlett St.

Fraud — Police investigated a telephone credit card scam in the 1000 block of South Lincoln Street.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem at Shawano Community High School, 220 County Road B.

Warrant — A female subject was taken into custody on a warrant at the Wisconsin House, 216 E. Green Bay St.

Juvenile — A juvenile was cited for loitering at the Shawano Park and Recreation Center, 220 E. Division St.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 11

Deputies logged 38 incidents, including the following:

Trespass — Authorities responded to a trespassing complaint at the Ho Chunk Casino, 7198N U.S. Highway 45, in Wittenberg.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a domestic disturbance on Sunshine Court in Bonduel.

Warrant — A 34-year-old Aniwa man was arrested on a warrant on Genesee Street in Wittenberg.

Assault — Authorities investigated a reported assault at Birnamwood Elementary/Middle School, 337 Main St., in Birnamwood.

Drug Offense — A juvenile was referred to Social Services after being found in possession of narcotics at Bonduel Middle/High School, 400 W. Green Bay St. in Bonduel.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on County Road C in Green Valley.

Fire — Authorities responded to a vehicle fire on state Highway 47 in Lessor.

Accidents — Authorities logged three accidents.

Clintonville Police Department

March 11

Police logged six incidents, including the following:

Arrest — An 18-year-old male was taken into custody for underage drinking and a probation hold at Bennett and Fourth streets.

Trespass — Police responded to a trespassing and criminal damage to property complaint on East Green Tree Road.

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By: 

Lee Pulaski, [email protected]

Leader Photo by Lee Pulaski A new Boarders sign sits atop the hotel, located at the junction for state Highways 22 and 29 in Shawano, but much of the hotel is still the same, according to Boarders management.
Leader Photo by Lee Pulaski Jason Vanden Heuvel, manager for the Shawano Boarders Inn and Suites, chats with Nancy Smith, center, Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce executive director, and Chamber ambassador Idell Johnston prior to a ribbon cutting Monday afternoon. The hotel was formerly Comfort Inn and Suites.

There is a new name for the hotel at the junction of state Highways 22 and 29, but the service and comfort is expected to remain the same.

Comfort Inn and Suites, W7393 River Bend Road, has been converted to a Boarders Inn and Suites, operated through Cobblestone Hotels, based in Neenah. The Shawano hotel is the ninth Boarders in Wisconsin.

The Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce joined with hotel management in celebrating the name change with a ribbon cutting Monday afternoon.

Aside from signage, very little has changed in the existing hotel, according to manager Jason Vanden Heuvel. The changes that took place occurred within the last month, he said, when the franchise agreement with Cobblestone was signed.

“It was just a matter of letting vendors know, as well as letting future and past guests know that we were going to be a different hotel,” Vanden Heuvel said. “We drove the point home that it wasn’t a downgrade or anything like that. It was just a name change; we were changing brands.”

Most of the changes involved outdoor signage and anything that bore Comfort Inn and Choice branding, such as phone faceplating, signs in the breakfast room and tabletop materials in the rooms and lobby. The biggest change was removing a logo behind a rock wall in the lobby.

Vanden Heuvel took on the management of the Shawano hotel in July 2013, and he said the staff will remain the same.

Vanden Heuvel said he hoped to see some upgrades to the building in the future. He anticipated some new carpeting and other amenities but said nothing has been firmed up.

The change has gone smoothly, although a few guests and community members were caught off guard, according to Vanden Heuvel.

“We were able to get out to the community about the change,” Vanden Heuvel said. “The guests in general had some questions this (past) weekend … but most of them were just asking, ‘I see your sign is different. Am I in the right place?’”

Cobblestone officials welcomed the former Comfort Inn into its family.

“We are proud to welcome the new Boarders Inn and Suites by Cobblestone in Shawano, Wisconsin,” Brian Wogernese, president of Cobblestone Hotels, said in a written statement. “We are seeing more and more hotel owners, management companies/asset managers come to us for a hotel brand that they can trust. Boarders Inn and Suites offers hoteliers a flat rate and more and more people are taking notice of our simple structure. We work hard every day to keep our model as friendly as possible and the industry has noticed.”

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By: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

A water-main break that cut off water to numerous businesses along East Green Bay Street was still being repaired late Tuesday afternoon, but water was expected to be restored before the day was out.

The break occurred just west of Airport Road early Monday, flooding the parking lot at Qualheim’s True Value, 1345 E. Green Bay St., and forcing a number of businesses west of the break to close their doors.

Businesses were affected as far west as McDonald’s, 1202 E. Green Bay St., where a line of cars expecting to visit the drive-through Tuesday afternoon instead encountered a notice about the water-main break and hopes of being open again soon.

Walmart, at 1244 E. Green Bay St., was left without restroom facilities and set up portable toilets outside the store.

Mike Schuler, president of the Shawano Lake Sanitary District Commission, said so many customers were affected by the break because it is a dead-end water line. If water has to be shut off at some point along the line, all of the customers beyond that point lose their water.

The line crosses Green Bay Street past McDonald’s and serves an area extending to some homes behind Pick ‘N Save, he said.

Schuler said the sanitary district hopes to replace the dead-end line if it can get approval.

“We’re working with the DNR on getting a complete loop,” he said.

The district would also have to get right-of-way approval from several land owners to cross their property and would make use of the Mountain Bay Trail.

Schuler said the discussions with the DNR so far have not been successful.

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By: 

Leader Staff

A Shawano man who was reportedly stabbed by a woman in self-defense during a domestic disturbance in the city Saturday is facing a felony charge of false imprisonment and a misdemeanor count of battery.

Robert J. Peters, 46, was ordered held on a $500 cash bond Tuesday. He was scheduled for a preliminary hearing on the charges March 19.

Police responding to a disturbance call about 3 a.m. found Peters holding a bloody towel to his shoulder after having had an altercation with a woman at the residence, according to the criminal complaint. The complaint states the woman’s nose and mouth were bloody and swollen.

The complaint alleges Peters repeatedly struck the woman and kept her from leaving the residence, trapping her in a closet at one point as she stomped on the floor in hopes of attracting the neighbors.

The woman told police she grabbed a knife from a dresser during the attack because she feared for her life, according to the complaint.

Peters could face a maximum six years in prison and a $10,000 fine on the felony charge if convicted.

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Shawano Police Department

March 10

Police logged 22 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Police responded to disturbance in the 900 block of East Stevens Street.

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

Warrant — A 41-year-old woman was taken into custody on a warrant in the 200 block of South Lincoln Street.

Theft — Police responded to a property theft complaint on Prospect Circle.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 100 block of South Main Street.

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

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 10

Deputies logged 32 incidents, including the following:

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint at the Shawano County Courthouse, 311 N. Main St.

Burglary — Authorities investigated an attempted burglary to a garage on Pathfinder Court in Wescott.

Fraud — Authorities investigated an identity theft complaint in Shawano.

OAR — A charge of criminal operating after revocation was referred against a 23-year-old Keshena woman on Camp 14 Road in Bowler.

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Old Lake Road in Wescott.

Warrant — A 30-year-old Neopit man was taken into custody on a warrant on state Highway 47 in Red Springs.

Clintonville Police Department

March 10

Police logged 14 incidents, including the following:

Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint at Clintonville High school.

Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint at Clintonville Middle School.

Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint at Rexford-Longfellow Elementary School.

Theft — A theft was reported on Anne Street.

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By: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

City officials Monday announced that Matthew (Matt) Hendricks has accepted the post of Park and Recreation director, replacing Judy Judd who retired on Friday after 31 years.

Hendricks serves as parks and recreation director of the village of Marshall in Dane County, where he was responsible for 145 acres of parkland and 35 recreation programs. He has held the position since April 2009.

While with Marshall, he wrote and administered grants from private foundations, county and state agencies, and supervised full-time seasonal staff, instructors and volunteers.

Hendricks will start his new job on April 1, with a salary of $57,000.

Judd’s most recent salary was about $63,500.

There are 26 parks in Shawano overseen by the Park and Recreation Department, which is also responsible for Woodlawn Cemetery and the recreation center.

The city initially received some two dozen applications for the director position. The Park and Recreation Commission interviewed seven finalists earlier this month. Two were brought back for another round of meetings with the commission and other city officials.

The Shawano Common Council approved the commission’s choice at a special meeting last week.

Hendricks attended the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He earned a Master of Science degree in therapeutic recreation and Bachelor of Science degree in recreation management.

Hendricks will be moving his wife, three children and family dog here.

“The city of Shawano and Park and Recreation Commission look forward to welcoming Matt and his family to Shawano,” Mayor Lorna Marquardt said in a news release.

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Shawano Police Department

March 9

Police logged 15 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — A 28-year-old Green Bay woman was arrested for battery after policed responded to a fight in progress at Center and Lincoln streets.

Disturbance — A 23-year-old Shawano man was arrested for disorderly conduct and a bond violation in the 400 block of South Franklin Street.

Theft — Police responded to a property theft complaint in the 300 block of Alpine Drive.

Accident — Police responded to a two-vehicle property damage accident at Lincoln and Center streets.

Shoplifting — Police investigated a shoplifting complaint at Kwik Trip, 1241 E. Green Bay St.

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

March 8

Police logged 16 incidents, including the following:

Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint in the 300 block of South Washington Street.

Disturbance — A 46-year-old Green Bay man was arrested for domestic violence and disorderly conduct after a disturbance in the 400 block of East Division Street. Police said the man was stabbed in the shoulder by a woman in self-defense during the altercation. He was treated at Shawano Medical Center and taken into custody.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 900 block of South Main Street.

March 7

Police logged 21 incidents, including the following:

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

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

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem at Olga Brener Intermediate School, 1300 S. Union St.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem on Mountain Bay Trail Drive.

Fraud — Police investigated a fraud complaint in the 100 block of South Main Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 9

Deputies logged 42 incidents, including the following:

OWI — A 41-year-old Clintonville man was arrested for operating while intoxicated on Range Line Road in Pella.

Warrant — A 28-year-old woman was arrested on a warrant on U.S. Highway 45 in Wittenberg.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a report of a fight in progress on Picnic Street in Tigerton.

Theft — Authorities investigated an attempted theft complaint on Murphys Road in Bowler.

Theft — Authorities investigated a property theft complaint on Cedar Street in Tigerton.

March 8

Deputies logged 45 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — A 23-year-old Shawano man was arrested for disorderly conduct, criminal damage to property, bail jumping and a Probation and Parole violation on Woods Road in Wescott.

OWI — A 23-year-old Pulaski man was arrested for operating a vehicle under the influence of marijuana on state Highway 29 in Wittenberg.

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

Accident — A 28-year-old Abrams man was injured in a snowmobile accident on Railroad Street in Bowler. He was transported to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Green Bay.

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

Disturbance — A 29-year-old Bonduel woman was arrested for disorderly conduct after a domestic disturbance on Green Bay Street in Bonduel.

March 7

Deputies logged 31 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on U.S. Highway 45 in Tigerton.

Theft — Medication was reported stolen on state Highway 22 in Belle Plaine.

Auto Theft — A vehicle was reported stolen at the North Star Casino in Gresham.

Disturbance — A 48-year-old Aniwa man was arrested for disorderly conduct, battery and bail jumping after a domestic disturbance on Lake Street in Aniwa.

Vandalism — Authorities responded to a vandalism complaint on Adams Street in Bonduel.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Forest Street in Birnamwood.

OWI — An 18-year-old male was arrested for operating while intoxicated after an injury accident on state Highway 47-55 in Wescott.

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By: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

A Shawano man arrested as part of a statewide sex sting operation rejected a plea deal Friday and was scheduled for a jury trial in July.

Richard E. Denty, 34, was charged with a felony count of using a computer to facilitate a sex crime after allegedly arranging to meet what he believed was a 15-year-old boy for sex.

Denty was one of 16 people in six northeast Wisconsin counties taken into custody in September as a result of Operation Black Veil II.

The operation originated with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force and involved undercover investigators working with local law enforcement to make online contact with suspected offenders.

Denty came to the attention of authorities after posting ads on Craigslist seeking a “casual encounter,” according to the criminal complaint.

He was contacted online by an ICAC investigator posing as a 15-year-old boy, and a meeting was arranged in the parking lot of the Crawford Center in Shawano.

Shawano County Sheriff’s deputies staked out the rendezvous spot while a Shawano police officer posed as the 15-year-old. Denty was taken into custody when he arrived.

According to the criminal complaint, Denty had a pair of handcuffs and a lubricant in his pockets when he was arrested. He told authorities he set up the meeting with the intention of discouraging the boy from meeting strangers for sex.

Denty could face a maximum 40 years in prison and $100,000 fine if found guilty. The plea offer he rejected would have capped his sentence at five years, the minimum under state statutes.

Denty is free on a $15,000 signature bond. The trial is scheduled for July 15.

In March 2013, another Shawano man, Jeffery D. Vadnais-Speck, 28, was one of 17 arrested statewide as a result of the first Operation Black Veil. His case is scheduled for a review hearing on Thursday and a possible jury trial next month.

If it goes forward, it would be the first time a charge of using a computer to facilitate a sex crime has gone before a jury in Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court.

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By: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

Warmer weather predicted heading into next week may be a welcome change from the icy grip of this winter’s lingering polar vortex, but the sudden temperature climb could bring a few new problems with it.

City crews Friday began clearing away some of the huge snow piles that have accumulated in city parking lots to stave off the threat of flooding as the snow starts to melt.

On Monday, when temperatures are forecast to reach 47 degrees, crews will also be working to clear out catch basins to keep water runoff from ponding up in the streets.

Public Works Coordinator Eddie Sheppard said crews are also already having to contend with potholes that start showing up annually with the warmer weather.

Some potholes began opening up after a brief run of temperatures above freezing last month.

“It’s like that every spring, but this year could be worse,” Sheppard said.

Public works crews have been doing temporary patch jobs on the potholes until they can be repaired when spring arrives.

Sheppard said that after several months of problems created by chronic subzero temperatures, he isn’t bothered by the problems warmer weather will bring.

“We’re ready for some new problems,” he said.

The warm-up also poses potential hazards for motorists, as temperatures will continue to drop below freezing overnight.

“Motorists need to be prepared for changing road conditions,” said Capt. Tom Tuma of the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department.

The Sheriff’s Department logged dozens of accidents in the days that followed last month’s warm spell, with drivers suddenly encountering patches of glare ice.

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By: 

Leader Staff

City officials are still waiting for confirmation that they’ve got a new Park and Recreation director to fill the post vacated by Judy Judd’s retirement Friday.

The Shawano Common Council approved making a job offer after coming out of a closed session discussion Tuesday evening.

City Administrator Brian Knapp said Friday the offer is still pending, but the applicant chosen for the job has not had an opportunity to inform his current employers.

Knapp said he expects the agreement to be wrapped up by Monday.

The city initially received some two dozen applications for the position. Seven finalists were interviewed last weekend. Two of them were brought back for another round of meetings on Sunday.

There are 26 parks in the city overseen by the department, which is also responsible for Woodlawn Cemetery and the recreation center.

Judd’s most recent salary was about $63,500. The position was advertised with a salary range of $55,000 to $62,000.

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Child abuse, abandonment

A Pulaski woman is facing felony charges after allegedly abandoning her 10-year-old son along a highway in Krakow on Thursday.

Bonnie A. Gauthier, 40, is charged with attempted physical abuse of a child, mental harm to a child and child abandonment, along with a misdemeanor count of child neglect.

The criminal complaint alleges Gauthier told the child to get out of her vehicle at the state Highway 32 gas station shortly before 9:30 a.m. and drove off. The complaint alleges she also threw a lunchbox at him out of the window as he ran after the car.

A clerk at the gas station contacted Fairview Elementary School, and school staff eventually picked him up. According to the complaint, the temperature when the child was left was one degree above zero.

Gauthier could face a maximum possible penalty of 12 1/2 years in prison and a $25,000 fine if convicted of mental harm to a child, 10 years and a $25,000 fine for child abandonment, and 3 years and a $5,000 fine for attempted physical abuse.

Gauthier was freed on a $1,000 signature bond after a court appearance Friday. She is scheduled for a preliminary hearing March 27.

Sexual assault of a child

A Schofield man is due in court for a preliminary hearing Monday on charges of sexually assaulting a child and other related felony counts.

Patrick C. McNeely, 46, is accused of repeated sexual assault of a 3-year-old boy, child enticement, exposing genitalia to a child, and reckless endangerment for allegedly having sexual contact with the child while suffering from a sexually transmitted disease.

According to the criminal complaint, McNeely had genital warts and Hepatitis C.

The alleged assaults took place in Bowler between October and December.

McNeely could face a maximum 60 years in prison for repeated sexual assault of a child, 25 years in prison and a $100,000 fine for child enticement, 10 years and a $25,000 fine for second degree reckless endangerment, and 3 1/2 years and a $10,000 fine for exposing his genitals to a child.

McNeely is being held on a $20,000 cash bond.

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Shawano Police Department

March 6

Police logged 16 incidents, including the following:

Theft — Police responded to a report of an attempt to steal a purse at Aldi’s, 1253 E. Green Bay St.

Accident — Police responded to a two-vehicle accident at Richmond and Kadletz streets. One driver complained of a back injury, but declined an ambulance. A citation was issued for operating a vehicle without insurance.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 6

Deputies logged 23 incidents, including the following:

OAR — A 28-year-old woman was cited for operating after revocation on Big Lake Road in Red Springs.

Theft — Medication was reported stolen on Mill Street in Bonduel.

Fraud — Authorities investigated a complaint of a house fraudulently listed for rental on Craigslist on Nabor Road in the town of Washington.

OWL — A 16-year-old male was cited for operating without a license on Holy Hill Road in Green Valley.

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

Accidents — Authorities logged two accidents, including a deer-related crash.

Clintonville Police Department

March 6

Police logged seven incidents, including the following:

Assault — Police investigated a battery and disorderly conduct complaint on South Clinton Avenue.

Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on South Main Street.

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By: 

Leader Staff

Leader Photo by Tim Ryan Jeannie Jafolla, NWTC-Shawano Regional Learning Center manager, addresses high school students during their lunch on career opportunities in manufacturing Thursday at Wisconsin Film & Bag.

High school students from the Shawano, Bonduel and Menominee Indian school districts Thursday learned what it takes to get a job at Wisconsin Film & Bag, followed by a tour of the facility, as part of a program aimed at resolving workforce issues in the region.

The Trades Advisory Committee (TAC) — an alliance of Shawano County educators, employers and local agencies — formed in September 2013 with goals of increasing partnerships between businesses and educational institutions, addressing employer job needs and building the local economy.

The committee is comprised of three local high schools, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC), Wolf River School-to-Work, Shawano County Economic Progress Inc., and leaders from Schutt Industries, Kallies Electric, Aarrowcast, K.I. and Wisconsin Film & Bag.

To date, TAC has organized tours to connect high school students with employers, assessed area business needs, and worked to identify and promote career opportunities in the trades for area residents. By sharing resources and increasing collaboration, TAC organizers believe they can help the area’s citizens and businesses prosper.

“Our initial success with the TAC comes from pulling together major players from across the region to address our community’s most pressing questions: ‘How can we work together to get our students jobs, keep our businesses staffed with the best possible employees, and maintain a vibrant local economy?’” said Jeannie Jafolla, NWTC-Shawano Regional Learning Center manager and committee co-chair.

Jafolla took students through a slideshow presentation in the Film & Bag Learning Center on Thursday, outlining some of the possibilities and options awaiting them after high school, along with the estimated costs of further education and the wages they could expect from a career in manufacturing.

Students also learned that employers put a high premium on so-called soft skills, such as teamwork, professionalism and even things as simple as showing up for work every day on time.

“The collaboration among and between NWTC, the Job Center, Wolf River School to Work, the school districts and the business community focuses on growing from within and creating a workforce that has the skill sets that are necessary for our local industries,” said Dennis Heling, of Shawano County Economic Progress Inc., and TAC co-chair.

“Through the Trade Advisory Committee, we are making significant inroads not only helping our students develop a better understanding of what careers are available right here in their own hometown, but we are directly addressing our employer’s future workforce needs,” said Robyn Shingler, case manager for Forward Service Corporation and the Shawano Job Center.

Plans are in the works for tours with students at additional area businesses in the coming year.

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By: 

Tim Ryan, [email protected]

A Shawano teen who was charged as an adult with multiple felony counts related to a joyriding spree last year was sentenced Thursday to six and a half years in prison.

Lindsay R. Holstrom, 17, pleaded no contest in January to five counts of auto theft, as well as felony counts of reckless endangerment, fleeing an officer and bail jumping.

She will have to spend another six and a half years on extended supervision after she serves her prison time.

The sentence handed down by Shawano-Menominee Circuit Court Judge James Habeck was much harsher than recommended by the state.

District Attorney Greg Parker had recommended a withheld sentence and a year in jail as a condition of four years of probation.

Parker said after the sentencing that his recommendation was in line with the approach often taken with youthful offenders.

However, he said, “I would have to agree with the judge’s analysis.”

Parker said Habeck didn’t see Holstrom as an appropriate risk for the community, given a record that included additional offenses while she was out on bond.

“She committed a crime every time she was let out of jail,” Parker said.

Parker also noted during the sentencing hearing that Holstrom had 27 jail violations while she was incarcerated, including a fight.

Holstrom was accused of stealing three cars and trying to steal a fourth during a 12-hour crime spree in Shawano on May 12. She was waived into adult court on the charges.

She was later accused of stealing another car in the city on June 21 after she was released on a $3,000 signature bond in the earlier case. A $10,000 cash bond was ordered after her second arrest.

During the June 21 incident, Holstrom drove through several yards attempting to elude police, striking and damaging a boat trailer at one point and ramming the front driver’s side corner of a patrol car that had pulled up alongside her, according to the criminal complaint.

The roughly quarter-mile pursuit ended with Holstrom ditching the vehicle and fleeing on foot. The Police Department’s K-9 unit was brought in, and Shawano County sheriff’s deputies assisted in the search. She was located in a nearby backyard.

Three other felony counts of bail jumping and 12 misdemeanor bail jumping counts were dismissed under the plea agreement, along with misdemeanor counts of resisting an officer, theft and criminal damage to property.

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