Green Bay News

BRILLION – Gov. Scott Walker’s plans for public school spending in the next state budget received a lot of attention at a budget hearing held March 18 in Brillion.

The governor’s two-year plan calls for holding public schools’ money essentially flat. He wants to eliminate one type of funding for a year, and he plans to expand the state’s private school voucher program.

According to analysis from the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau, state funding for the Department of Public Instruction in 2014-15 is set at $6.15 billion. Under the governor’s plan, it would decrease by .2 percent in 2015-16. In 2016-17, it would increase 3.9 percent from 2014-15.

• Click here for more analysis of the governor’s budget plan for the DPI.

In front of lawmakers considering changes to the governor’s plan, school leaders asked for more public school funding.

“I’m really losing sleep at night,” said Green Bay superintendent Michelle Langenfeld.

Lawmakers on the Legislature’s budget committee listened to more than seven hours of testimony.

The Wisconsin Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee holds a public hearing on the 2015-17 state budget, March 18, 2015, at Brillion High School. (WLUK/Robert Hornacek)

“I do need your help,” said Langenfeld. “How do I prepare a budget for next year with unlimited vouchers and plan for additional resources that will be needed for transportation?”

The governor wants to give more students across the state the money to attend private schools.

He’s proposed to eliminate the 1,000-student limit on the statewide voucher program. Money to pay for new voucher students would come out of the budget of schools losing students.

Some private school districts support the expansion.

“To have a true choice for their education,” said Doug Olig, the principal of St. Mary Springs High School. “To put that voucher, that check, in their backpack, and take a school of their choice. Because sometimes they don’t fit in the one required by their zip code.”

The governor’s plan would also eliminate per-pupil aid to public schools in the first year of the budget.

That payment is $150 per student – a total of $127 million statewide. In the second year of the budget, the governor wants to restore that funding plus $15 million more.

The superintendent of Ashwaubenon schools explained how his district would be impacted.

“The $150 per-pupil cut in Ashwaubenon is nearly a $400,000 negative impact for our school district,” said superintendent Brian Hanes.

Another change in the governor’s budget proposal involves transportation. His plan would give rural, spread-out school districts an additional $5 million for busing.

The governor and Republican lawmakers who lead the state budget committee say they’re open to adding more funding for public schools. But they’re waiting to see if state tax revenues increase in the coming months.

The budget process is far from over. Regional public hearings continue in the week ahead.

Lawmakers will then put together and vote on their versions of the budget for each state agency. The whole plan has to be approved by the governor before it can take effect July 1.

MILWAUKEE (AP) – An Ohio cheesemaker won the United States Championship Cheese with a 200-pound Swiss wheel.

Guggisberg Cheese in Millersburg, Ohio, beat out 1,892 entries from 28 states. Out of a possible 100 points, the Swiss wheel scored 98.496 in the final round of judging Thursday.

First runner-up was a brick cheese made by John Pitman of Mill Creek Cheese in Arena, Wisconsin. Their score was 98.389.

Wisconsin had the most gold medals, with 56 of the 90 categories judged. New York came in second, with seven golds.

Wisconsin, New York and California earned the most medals in the debut yogurt classes, each winning two medals.

The competition is the largest technical evaluation of cheese, butter and yogurt in the U.S.

(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

NEW LONDON – An 18-year-old boy is ok after being rescued from a piece of ice floating down the Wolf River.

It happened Friday evening in the town of New London.

Firefighters say the young boy was stuck on the piece of ice heading towards the Shawano Street bridge.

After the boy was unable to reach the shore, firefighters swam out to the boy with a floating ice rescue sled.

New London resident Carl Kanaman used his flat bottom boat to assist in the rescue.

Kanaman found out about the situation through a facebook post.

The boy told first responders he stepped on the ice upriver, then it began to float away in the strong current.

No injuries were reported during the rescue.

GREEN BAY – Emily Deem has a new addition to her family.

Emily is an aunt again to a little baby girl — Aubrey Rose Rasmussen.

Click on the video to learn more.

SUAMICO – An elderly woman from Suamico was found 300 yards from her home after she went missing for nearly an hour.

Officials were called to Elm Tree Road at about 3:30 Saturday morning. They say the 85-year old woman wandered away.

Officers used a police K9 and thermal imaging equipment to find the woman.

Authorities said she may have had an adverse reaction to a new medication.

The woman was transported to the hospital to be treated for some scrapes and bruises.

 

After a warm start to spring Friday afternoon, the first full day of spring won’t feel quite as spring-like.

Cooler air is moving into place behind a cold front that brought showers to the area this past evening. Mostly Sunny skies are expected for this afternoon but the high temperature will only reach 42.

Partly Cloudy skies will be in place for Sunday and the afternoon high will only make 38.

The cool weather continues at least into Monday, with Partly Cloudy skies and a high of 37

DE PERE – Spring is here and it’s time to get the bikes out, but a special kind of bike is gaining popularity.

The first fat tire bike race to come to the Green Bay area is scheduled for Saturday.

About 100 bikers are expected to participate in the Fatty Patty Fat Tire race.

The race begins at 9 a.m. and registration takes place at the Bleu Restaurant in De Pere.

The course is 2-miles long and bikers can choose from a one or two-hour race where they try to complete as many laps as they can within the time limit.

Riders say the bikes have special over-sized tires that make it ideal for riding in any weather including in winter on snow-covered trails.

FOX 11’s Pauleen Le spent the morning checking it out.

For more information on the Fatty Patty Fat Tire race, click here.

 

 

NEW YORK (AP) – Authorities say seven children are dead following a fire early Saturday morning at a Brooklyn residence.

Fire Department spokesman Jim Long says two people are also critically injured.

He says the dead are children ranging in age from 5 to 15 years old, and they are believed to be family members.

Firefighters received a call about the blaze at a private dwelling on the 3300 block of Bedford Avenue at 12:23 a.m. EDT Saturday.

Long says more than 100 firefighters responded to the blaze and brought the fire under control.

There was no immediate word on a cause. Long says it’s being investigated by the city fire marshal’s office.

No other details are available.

GREEN BAY – Badger State Brewing Company is gearing up for a busy month of basketball!

President and Founder — Andrew Fabry — joined FOX 11’s Emily Deem on Good Day Wisconsin to talk about some tasty beers on tap.

Click here to learn more about Badger State Brewing Co. in Green Bay.

GREEN BAY – Wisconsin Public Service is working to restore power to parts of Green Bay’s west side.

WPS says a semi hit a power pole near the intersection of Packerland Drive and Century Road around 10 p.m. Friday. Crews expect to finish repairs around 5 a.m. Saturday. About 475 customers are affected.

Green Bay police had few details about the crash.

KENNER, La. (AP) – A 63-year-old man was shot Friday at a security checkpoint in the New Orleans international airport after he cut a guard with a machete and sprayed two others with wasp spray.

Richard White entered the airport and went through the TSA pre-check line where boarding passes are checked when he was confronted by one of the guards, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand told a news conference outside the airport.

White responded by spraying the guard with wasp spray, then struck a female officer with a machete, cutting her right arm, Normand said. White sprayed the male officer again before a third officer shot him, striking him in the left chest, left thigh and left facial area, the sheriff said.

Normand said White was transferred to an area hospital but was “unresponsive.”

A bystander received a graze wound to the arm during the scramble to get out of the area and a few people received minor cuts from furniture, the sheriff said.

There was no information at this time of a connection between White and the airport, he said. “We don’t know if he was traveling. We’re still piecing together witness interviews.”

“We don’t know if he was traveling. We’re still piecing together witness interviews.”

TOWN OF MENASHA – When you leave home you probably make sure to shut your door and make sure it’s locked, But that may not be enough.

Officer Jason Weber told FOX 11 Town of Menasha Police are investigating a home burglary where someone kicked in the locked door.

“They were able to gain access or really bust through that door with relative ease,” he explained.

It was because of the little piece of metal that keeps the door latched…the strike plate.

“They’re commonly secured with a one inch screw, which goes into the door frame, which is really weak,” said Weber.

Which makes it easier for someone to kick in. However, there is a fix.

“It’s a relatively simple fix, it’ll cost anybody 40 cents, 50 cents,” said Weber.

“You can go with a longer screw and go through that plate into the stud,” added Dave Butts, store manager at Kitz & Pfeil True Value Hardware in Menasha.

If you want to increase the security even more you can buy a security strike plate, which comes with room for six screws. It’s going to cost more and it’s going to take a little bit more effort to install.

“Depends on how tight the door fits. If you have a little room, a little give in the door it’s a little easier…For ten bucks you can install one,” Butts explained.

We tested the cheaper option at the home of our FOX 11 photographer Mike Moon.

First we checked the strike plate. We found the one inch screws.

So Mike installed two three inch screws we picked up for 48 cents.

Weber told us this simple security hack often goes overlooked until it’s too late.

“Check those screws! People don’t think about them,” he said.

He added, it’s certainly worth a second thought.

According to Weber no one has been arrested for the reported burglary.

He also told FOX 11 that most burglaries are not the knockdown-the-door variety, but rather the unlocked door variety.

OMAHA — Despite their opponent hitting nearly all their three-pointers, Wisconsin leads Coastal Carolina 47-32 at halftime of a Round of 64 NCAA Tournament game in Omaha, Nebraska.

Sam Dekker and Nigel Hayes each have 13 points for the Badgers while Frank Kaminsky has 12. As a team they are shooting 54.8% from the field. The Chanticleers 52% from the field while making 5 of their 6 three-point attempts.

The winner between Wisconsin and Coastal Carolina face Oregon in a Round of 32 game on Sunday.

Two fraternities on the North Carolina State University campus in Raleigh have been suspended: One Friday, the other since earlier this month.

They are the latest fraternities with serious allegations against them.

We have the Straight Story on the recent string of scrutiny on Greek life.

Let’s start with the University of Oklahoma chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Members were caught on video singing a racist chant, earlier this month.

One week later, Pennsylvania State University police announced an investigation into Kappa Delta Rho. Members allegedly posted photos of naked and partially naked women online, some of whom appeared to be asleep or passed out.

Then, days later a fraternity on the UW-Madison campus was shut down. University officials say an investigation found members of the Chi Phi chapter had hazed potential members, called pledges, including forced excessive drinking, and starvation.

Universities in Northeast Wisconsin say they’re working with their fraternities to try to prevent these kinds of incidents.

Fraternity members on UW-Oshkosh’s campus say they’re embarrassed by incidents at other universities.

“It’s disappointing and just heart wrenching to think that all of your hard work is wasted because other people aren’t living up to their values in the same way,” said Tyler Volkert, a member of Beta Theta Pi at UW-Oshkosh.

Members of fraternities and sororities at UW-Oshkosh say their groups are smaller and more community service oriented. Members say they’re also trying to stop hazing and sexual assault before they start.

“One of the things that we’re fostering is having peers hold peers accountable,” said Volkert.

Last year, the UW-Oshkosh Greek Life organization worked with school administrators to restructure its anti-hazing policy, setting out clear guidelines for behavior and consequences.

“There have been violations,” said Dean of Students Petra Rotter, referring to past incidents of behavior requiring discipline. “In most of those situations, it is individuals or a group of individuals, but not the entire fraternity.”

The Dean of Students says the handful of incidents in the past few years are mostly minor, and alcohol-related. We asked fraternity members what they have encountered.

“Were you ever hazed?” FOX 11’s Kelly Schlicht asked Volkert.

“Absolutely not. My first concern when I was joining my fraternity was if I thought at any moment I was unsafe, that I was being hazed, I was going to walk right out the door,” said Volkert.

We also asked other UW-Oshkosh students who are not in the Greek system what they think of fraternities and sororities.

“I don’t really have any bad opinions of them. Up until recently I had only heard good things about them,” said Adam Martin, a UW-Oshkosh Sophomore.

“I think it’s a really good idea for a resume. Like I was originally going to join one but I didn’t because of the time,” said Alyssa Lile, a UW-Oshkosh Sophomore.

“I guess I just never joined, because I had found a group of friends and none of those friends were in a fraternity,” said Bryson Schaeffer, a UW-Oshkosh Sophomore.

UW-Oshkosh’s Greek community is less than three percent of the student population: 370 members out of 13 thousand students.

Students and staff say they continue to work together to keep campus safe for members of all student groups.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) – Kentucky’s men aren’t the only undefeated college basketball players in the NCAA Tournament this year: Princeton’s women are 30-0.

While Kentucky is seeded No. 1 overall among the men, and a heavy favorite to cut down the nets for what would be its ninth national championship, Princeton is a No. 8 seed in the women’s bracket and takes an 0-4 record in NCAA play into its opening game Saturday against No. 9 Wisconsin-Green Bay.

“It’s something we’re looking forward to: proving the (NCAA) committee wrong and showing what we have and showing our stripes,” Princeton senior forward Mariah Smith said. “We were surprised, like others.”

Kevin Borseth, the coach of Green Bay (28-4), was asked Friday whether this is the first time he’s face a no-loss opponent in the NCAAs.

“How many teams have faced an unbeaten team in the tournament?” he replied with a laugh. “I don’t think many have. Somebody’s got to play Kentucky, too.”

Ivy League champion Princeton hasn’t even been involved in many close games, winning by an average of 25 points – and only twice by less than 10.

“We’re looking to be that one team that beats them,” Green Bay guard Megan Lukan said.

In the other first-round game on Maryland’s home floor, the top-seeded Terrapins (30-2) seek their school-record 25th consecutive victory, facing 16th-seeded New Mexico State (22-7).

Western Athletic Conference champion New Mexico State is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 27 years.

“We were picked to finish fifth in our conference, so we’ve been playing with house money all year,” Aggies coach Mark Trakh said. “Why not go out and play house money tomorrow and roll that wheel and see what happens?”

___

Some things to know about Saturday’s NCAA Tournament games in College Park:

FIRST FANS: President Barack Obama showed a bit of family favoritism in filling out his women’s NCAA bracket, picking Princeton to reach the Final Four. His wife, Michelle, is an alum, and their niece, Leslie Robinson, is a freshman forward for the Tigers. Robinson, whose father is the First Lady’s brother, wouldn’t say whether the First Family – including the Obamas’ daughters, Sasha and Malia – might be in the stands Saturday. “They do live pretty close,” she said, smiling. “But there are also many other things happening around the world today, so we’ll just have to see.”

SISTER, SISTER: One Canadian family is responsible for 40 percent of Green Bay’s starting lineup, sisters Megan and Kaili Lukan of Barrie, Ontario. They played one season of high school basketball together – and were rugby teammates back home, too. “It’s neat when they say ‘Lukan to Lukan’ on the (PA system) after a pass,” said Megan, a 5-foot-7 senior guard who leads the team in rebounds (5.2 per game) and assists (4.7). “There’s nothing like playing with your sister,” said Kaili, a 5-10 junior guard who is third in scoring (9.4 points) and assists (2.5).

‘IN THE GRIND': Maryland’s only losses this season came in consecutive games, at home against Washington State, then at Notre Dame on Dec. 3. Coach Brenda Frese said the 20-point loss to Notre Dame – the same team that beat the Terps in last year’s Final Four – created a feeling among her players of “hunger and great responsibility.” Asked how it feels to go more than three months without losing Frese said: “You’re in the grind. It’s all about the next day.”

HISTORY: Only one women’s 16th seed beat a No. 1 – Harvard over Stanford in 1998. New Mexico State, which started 0-5 but is 22-2 since, will try to duplicate that. “We’ve quoted ‘Miracle on Ice’ and quoted ‘Hoosiers,’ the same things everybody else does,” said Trakh, the Aggies’ coach. “Somebody asked me, ‘If you win the game, how big would it be?’ I said, ‘Well, 20 years from now, they’ll make a movie, ‘Miracle on Hardwood.'”

___

AP Sports Writer David Ginsburg contributed to this report.

___

Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A federal judge has struck down a Wisconsin law requiring abortion providers to get hospital admitting privileges.

U.S. District Judge William Conley ruled Friday that the 2013 law is unconstitutional.

Planned Parenthood and Affiliated Medical Services had sued the state, arguing the requirement will force AMS’s Milwaukee clinic to close because its doctors can’t get admitting privileges.

The groups argued that would amount to restricting access to abortions in Wisconsin. State attorneys contended the mandate will ensure continuity of care for women hospitalized with abortion complications.

The judge earlier had put the law on hold. On Friday he issued a permanent injunction blocking its enforcement.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina State University became the latest school to crack down on its fraternities by banning alcohol at events for most of the organizations, a move that came after a racially offensive pledge book was discovered and a separate sexual assault investigation launched.

A news release Friday from university spokesman Fred Hartman said the school worked with the Interfraternity Council to temporarily suspend social events that involve alcohol for more than 20 fraternities. The ban doesn’t apply to historically black Greek organizations, or the Multicultural Greek Council.

The Pi Kappa Phi chapter was suspended after derogatory comments attributed to members in a notebook were found at a restaurant near campus. Separately, new details about a drug paraphernalia seizure surfaced in a search warrant related to a sexual assault allegation at Alpha Tau Omega, which was suspended earlier this month.

The details came out not long after shocking behavior at the University of Oklahoma, Penn State and other schools put fraternities in the spotlight.

West Virginia banned Greek social and pledging activities for several months after alcohol-related problems in the fall, and Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, which helped inspire “Animal House,” recently banned hard liquor.

In Raleigh, television station WRAL posted photos of a notebook attributed to Pi Kappa Phi brothers. The notebook included sexist and racially insensitive comments.

One comment said: “If she’s hot enough, she doesn’t need a pulse.” Another said: “Man, that tree is so perfect for a lynching.”

The school said it received “an apparent pledge book” on Friday and was investigating. Some fraternities make new members keep notebooks with information about brothers during the initiation process.

“The written comments and quotes reported earlier this evening are offensive and unacceptable,” Pi Kappa Phi Chief Executive Officer Mark E. Timmes said.

The book was turned in by student Katie Perry, who said she found it while working at the restaurant.

“The contents were horrible,” she said in short interview with The Associated Press on her front stoop. “I wanted to make sure everybody knew this was going on so it could be corrected. … Frats are looked up to, but this is what they are doing.”

She said she’s received mixed reactions from other students, mostly through Facebook. She alerted the university to one student’s negative comment and told Raleigh police that someone posted her address online, but she didn’t consider any of the messages physical threats.

In announcing the alcohol crackdown, N.C. State said the school also plans training on diversity for chapters and other measures to increase accountability.

In the Alpha Tau Omega investigation, a woman called police March 1 to say that she was sexually assaulted at the fraternity house. She also told officers that drugs including cocaine, ecstasy and prescription pills were being sold out of the house.

Campus police Sgt. J.P. Dye wrote in a warrant that he smelled marijuana from 20 feet away when he went to search the house, and he seized drug paraphernalia, a scale and white powder in a small bag. No one was at the house at the time.

Wynn Smiley, Alpha Tau Omega’s national chief executive officer, said in an interview that the fraternity kicked out a pledge who had white powder and other drug paraphernalia in his room.

The student had been associated with the organization for less than a month, Smiley said.

He said the national organization conducted its own investigation with a lawyer and other alumni advisers, and the organization believes the woman was exaggerating about drugs being sold and the level of drug activity.

“It just didn’t line up with what we were finding out,” he said.

He also questioned her credibility on the sexual assault allegation.

Kayle Graham, a junior psychology major at N.C. State, said racism and sexism among students is sad because the younger generation’s attitude indicates where the country is heading.

“It’s unfortunate that at a college level, students aren’t as mature and socially aware as one would like them to be,” she said.

 

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) – Nothing unusual about players’ family members showing up in the crowd for NCAA Tournament games, of course.

In the case of Princeton freshman forward Leslie Robinson, that could include Aunt Michelle – as in, First Lady Michelle Obama.

Obama’s brother, Craig, is Robinson’s father; he played basketball at Princeton and used to be the men’s coach at Oregon State. Obama went to Princeton, too.

So President Barack Obama showed a bit of favoritism when predicting Princeton, which is 30-0 but only a No. 8 seed, would make it to the women’s Final Four this year.

Robinson wouldn’t share any inside info Friday as to whether the First Family – including the Obamas’ daughters, Sasha and Malia – might be in the stands Saturday for Princeton’s first-round game against Wisconsin-Green Bay in College Park, Maryland.

“That’s my uncle and my aunt, my cousins. They’re my family, just like anyone else’s family at the games to support them,” Robinson said.

“They do live pretty close,” she added with a wide smile. “But there are also many other things happening around the world today, so we’ll just have to see.”

In November, when Princeton was in Washington to play at American University, Michelle Obama attended the game, along with her daughters and mother. The First Lady spoke with the Tigers at halftime.

And a day earlier, the Princeton team got a private tour of the White House, even getting a chance to shoot some hoops on the basketball court there.

Michelle Obama and her daughters were in Asia on Friday, although as Princeton coach Courtney Banghart joked, “That would be a tough commute, but I’m not going to be surprised. They have powers to get where they need to be.”

President Obama is known for being a big basketball fan, one who makes public his NCAA Tournament picks each year and has made a point of attending NBA and college games in D.C.

As for his bracket this time, the one that has Princeton emerging from the College Park games on top-seeded Maryland’s home court and getting all the way to the national semifinals?

Terrapins coach Brenda Frese was unfazed.

“He has strong loyalty, which makes sense. Everyone wants to keep a happy home,” Frese said. “Maybe one of these days, though, if there isn’t a family member (involved), he’ll choose Maryland. I just keep seeing that he’s not choosing Maryland, and we’re in his backyard.”

___

Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

MADISON — Through three quarters Friday the West De Pere boys basketball team was in position to make its dream come true by reaching the Division 2 state championship game.

The Phantoms led Mount Horeb by one point and if they could just hold on for eight more minutes West De Pere would live another day.

However, something happened on the way to Championship Saturday. The Phantoms ran out of gas, while the Vikings were just getting started and it led to a season-ending 65-53 loss at the Kohl Center.

“We just couldn’t get anything going,” West De Pere coach Andy Werner said. “They made a little run early in the fourth.”

West De Pere-Mount Horeb Boxscore

That little run was actually big. The Vikings opened the fourth with a 17-4 run as the Vikings turned 43-42 deficit into a 59-47 lead with 2:44 to play. West De Pere (20-7) looked out of sorts during this period, putting up quick shots and leading scorer Cody Schwartz was falling short on his jumpers.

Schwartz opened the game like someone ready to take his team to the championship game, by scoring 11 first-quarter points and 18 in the first half. However, Schwartz was held to six fourth-quarter points in the second half and those points were when the outcome was established.

I was getting chased around pretty good,” Schwartz said. “I did feel it a little bit on my shot towards the end. My legs were a little tired; a couple short shots.”

With the offense struggling, West De Pere was in trouble because the Vikings (22-5) were not allowing offensive rebounds. Mount Horeb outrebounded the Phantoms, 34-19, and outscored West De Pere, 16-9, on second-chance points.

Werner said earlier in the week Mount Horeb would be a challenge inside and he was right. When asked why his team was outrebounded, Werner said, “They’re taller than us. We knew we had a couple mismatches inside. Rebounding hasn’t really been our strength all year. We knew that would be critical.”

Schwartz finished his brilliant career with 24 points, while Connor Konshak and Zack Sanders each added 13, respectively.

West De Pere didn’t end the season the way it wanted, but after dealing with injuries to Konshak to start the season and season-ending knee injuries to guards Jesse Owens and Luke Pannier in February, it knew reaching state was something to be proud of.

“What made this team special is we haven’t gone that way,” Werner said in regards to using injuries as an excuse. “We’ve been next-man up.”

“It’s been a fun two years,” said Schwartz, who’s headed to San Jose State. “A lot of people didn’t think we could do it last year and this year we lost Chandler (Diekvoss), Aaron Fink and a couple other seniors, how would you do it this year?

“Like coach said, when somebody went down, somebody stepped up. We had one goal. That was to get the gold ball and we fell short, but I’m so proud of what this team accomplished.”

Follow Doug Ritchay on Twitter @dougritchay

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (KRDO-TV) – Oceans kept them apart, but words brought them together.

Rosella Sutton was a high schooler in small-town Minnesota when she picked up a pen and found a friend overseas.

They’ve been in touch for 60 years, but never met.

And for her 80th birthday, Sutton gets a gift long overdue. A surprise visit from her pen pal, Masayo Lutz from Japan.

Sutton helped Lutz learn a new language and they taught each other about life on the other side of the world.

Friends, family and life got in the way but they never lost their keepsakes from their faraway friend.

For decades, words described life’s biggest moments but in this moment, there are no words.