Green Bay News

Submitted Feb. 24, 2015, with the caption:

“Car started on fire in the garage Suamico nordic Trail this morning about 7 AM”

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (AP) — The Mall of America has provided a rare glimpse into security at the nation’s busiest shopping center after an online video purportedly produced by a terrorist group urged extremists to attack shopping malls in Western countries.

The Bloomington megamall has some 40 million visitors each year and the behind-the-scenes steps taken to keep visitors safe are generally unknown to shoppers.

Employees monitor social media sites in the back offices of the Mall of America on Monday, Feb. 23, 2015 in Bloomington, Minn. (AP Photo/The Star Tribune, Renee Jones Schneider)

Officers patrol the mall with family-friendly dogs trained to sniff out bombs. A security team stationed at an underground nerve center keeps watch on hundreds of security cameras throughout the shopping center. Delivery trucks are swabbed for explosives before merchandise in unloaded.

This is a safe place,” Bloomington Police Chief Jeff Potts said. “We encourage people to come on out and shop.”

Officials said most safety measures have long been in place, but that it’s stepped up security following the threat.

“We’ve dealt with this sort of thing in the past,” Potts said. “For a lot of really good reasons, we’ve been working with partners in local, state and federal law enforcement for years. We have built our contingency plans.”

Potts said his officers have increased their presence since the recent threat, but he would not say how many police officers are on duty at the mall. The mall separately employs 100 full- and 50 part-time security staff.

Mall security employees did a scheduled training exercise in their training center at the Mall of America on Monday, Feb. 23, 2015 in Bloomington, Minn. (AP Photo/The Star Tribune, Renee Jones Schneider)

Mall of America officials said it’s always assessing its procedures and coordinating its activities with law enforcement to patrol the 87 acres outside and 4.8 million square feet inside.

The video purportedly made by Somalia’s al-Qaida-linked rebel group al-Shabab urges Muslims to attack shopping malls in the U.S., Canada, Britain and other Western countries. The masked narrator specifically names the Mall of America, as well as shopping centers in Canada and England.

U.S. authorities say there is “no credible” evidence suggesting a U.S. mall attack is in the works.

The authenticity of the video could not be immediately verified by The Associated Press.

GREEN BAY (AP) – A review of public documents shows millions of 911 calls from cellphones in Wisconsin and the rest of the U.S. don’t quickly give a location to authorities.

The Gannett Wisconsin Media Investigative Team and USA Today report that calls from cellphones often only show where the nearest cell tower is. Some show no information. Dispatchers can submit a digital request for a location, but that takes time and doesn’t always work.

Smartphone apps like Google Maps have direct access to the phone’s GPS. But the 911 system, built for landline phones, relies on relays for cellphone information.

Wisconsin does not track location accuracy for 911 calls, but in other states that do, success rates range from 10 percent to 95 percent.

New federal rules would require cellphone carriers to transmit location data in 40 percent of 911 calls by 2017 and 80 percent by 2021.

“The Road to The Resch” has arrived.

Tuesday, the girls basketball postseason tips off with all teams eyeing a trip to the state tournament at the Resch Center. While many state tournament contenders are off until Friday, that doesn’t mean there isn’t quality hitting the hardcourt Tuesday.

Northeastern Wisconsin has been one of the best areas for girls basketball in the state and this year teams like De Pere, West De Pere, Little Chute, Algoma and St. Mary’s Springs, amongst others, have a shot at reaching the state tournament.

With that in mind, here’s a look at each division for our local teams and what to expect.

DIVISION 1
Best team: De Pere (20-2) is the best team in Division 1 in the area, with a balanced attack featuring Jessie Rabas, Carly Cerrato, Margaret Miller, Sarah Kuehn and Jami Palubicki, who average between 7 and 12 points per game. The Redbirds’ biggest obstacle appears to be a potential sectional semifinal meeting with Sheboygan North. The teams split this season series, each winning on its homecourt. The winner likely meets Waukesha West, which is one of the best teams in the Milwaukee area.
Next best: Appleton North. The Lightning is a No. 1 seed in a bracket opposite of De Pere and its side, at least until a sectional final, is less frightening. The Lightning seems to have a quality chance to reach a sectional final where it would possible meet D.C. Everest, the class of teams out west.
Best regional opener: No. 5 Manitowoc at No. 4 Bay Port. The Ships follow the lead of UW-Milwaukee recruit Alyssa Fischer (18.6 ppg., 7.8 rpg.), while Bay Port beat the Ships this season, 67-62.
Notes: Bay Port is 2-5 in its last seven games. … After losing Frankie Wurtz to a knee injury in December, Kimberly is a No. 3 seed and opens at home against No. 6 Hartford. Assuming a win, the Papermakers would then travel to Sheboygan North, assuming North beats No. 7 Green Bay Preble. … Neenah is a No. 2 seed in Appleton North’s bracket. North beat Neenah twice during the regular season.

DIVISION 2
Best team: Take your pick: Pulaski (17-5), West De Pere (18-4), Green Bay Southwest (16-6), Hortonville (19-3), Seymour (17-5). We’ll go with Hortonville, which won the Division 1 heavy Fox Valley Association. The Polar Bears lost to Kimberly (twice) and De Pere, that’s it. They are led by guard Maddie Dunathan, the likely FVA player of the year, who averages 15.7 ppg., Also, keep an eye on freshman Shay Frederick (11 ppg.), who plays beyond her years. The Polar Bears have a very manageable path to the state tournament, so don’t be surprised if they reach the Resch Center.
Next best: Umm, Pulaski, Southwest, Seymour, West De Pere? We’ll go with Bay Conference champ West De Pere, which has a solid attack with guards Bailey Denis and Elizabeth Edinger and Hannah Stefaniak inside. Don’t agree with West De Pere? That’s fine. All these teams are in the same bracket, opposite Hortonville, so the tournament will tell us who’s the best.
Notes: Don’t forget about No. 2 Notre Dame (12-10), the two-time defending state champs. Not a great record, but has the tools to pull an upset, maybe Saturday in a regional final at West De Pere? Just a thought. … This division is loaded with great guard play: Dunathan, Natisha Hiedeman (Southwest), Mariah Syzmanski (Pulaski), Denis, Edinger, Olivia Campbell (Notre Dame), Hailey Oskey (Seymour). … While Hortonville has a less threatening road to state, West De Pere, Pulaski, Southwest, etc., has a rougher road. They need to get through each other and then likely waiting in a sectional final is Cedarburg, one of the best in the state.

Girls basketball brackets

DIVISION 3
Best team: Little Chute (19-3). The Mustangs won the challenging Eastern Valley Conference and did it losing just one game. They were 5-1 combined against fellow conference foes Xavier, Freedom and Fox Valley Lutheran, which are also in the same bracket. Little Chute is led by do-everything guard/forward/center Abbie Botz (13.2 ppg., 7.2 rpg), who gives the Mustangs everything. She’s one of the most difficult matchups around because she can play everywhere. Also, sophomore Tess Keyzers (11.7 ppg.) is a great running mate to Botz. She can score, is good in the open court and can soot the three. Little Chute’s only conference loss came to Freedom on Dec. 2 (41-30). The Mustangs have to be a favorite in their bracket to reach the state tournament.
Next best: Xavier (18-4). The No. 2-seeded Hawks finished second in the Eastern Valley and is playing well entering the postseason with an 8-game winning streak. Erin Powers (14.4 ppg.) and Peyton Ufi (12.1 ppg.) provide a frontcourt challenge any team has to have concerns about. Also, the Hawks lost twice to Little Chute by a total of seven points.
Notes: Roncalli (18-4) won the Olympian Conference and is a No. 1 seed in a bracket that meets up with the Little Chute bracket in a sectional final. … Kiel (18-4), co-champs of the Eastern Wisconsin Conference, is also a No. 1 seed and could meet Roncalli in a sectional semifinal. … Likely regional semifinal matchups are FVL-Little Chute and Xavier-Freedom. The winners meet in a sectional final and the No. 1 seed that winner could meet in a sectional final is Wittenberg-Birnamwood.

DIVISION 4
Best team: St. Mary’s Springs (20-2). The Ledgers’ two losses this season came to defending Division 3 state champ Kettle Moraine Lutheran. Springs, which fell to Algoma last year in a state semifinal, is paced by Kelli Schrauf (16.5 ppg., 7.8 rpg.), while Melanie Schneider adds 11 ppg. Possible No. 1 seeds Springs could meet on the way to state are Dominican and Howards Grove. It appears Springs has a real chance to return to the Resch Center.
Next best: Algoma (17-4). The Wolves, who lost in the state title game a year ago, have been their usual self, despite not having C Anna Dier, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in December. Three of the Wolves’ four losses came to teams in bigger divisions (De Pere, Bay Port and FVL). The other loss came to Lourdes Academy. Baleigh Delorit, the likely Packerland player of the year, leads Algoma with 16.1 ppg.
Notes: Lourdes is a No. 3 seed and could meet Springs in a regional final. … Bonduel (21-1), champs of the Central Wisconsin — Eight, is also seeded No. 1 and could meet Algoma in a sectional semifinal. … Marathon and Laona/Wabeno are the No. 1 seeds on the other half of the bracket and the likely teams to meet Algoma or Bonduel in a sectional final.

DIVISION 5
Best team: Hilbert(15-7), which placed fourth in the challenging Olympian Conference. The Wolves, seeded No. 2, have three players averaging in double figures: April Gehl (11.9 ppg.), Erica Gehl (11.5 ppg.) and Erin Leffler (10.4 ppg.). Hilbert has posted quality wins against bigger schools in Reedsville, Wrightstown and Roncalli. The No. 1 seed in Hilbert’s regional is Sheboygan Christian (19-2).
Next best: Gillett (15-7). The Tigers placed second in the M&O behind Peshtigo. If Gillett manages its its regional it could face No. 1-seeded Niagara in a sectional semifinal.
Notes: Keep an eye on N.E.W. Lutheran, which is a No. 2 seed in Gillett’s bracket. The Blazers are led by Keifer Zimmerman (16.2 ppg.). … Loyal and Assumption, which lost the D-5 state title game last season, are No. 1 seeds on the other half of the bracket. One of them likely will reach the sectional final.

Follow Doug Ritchay on Twitter @dougritchay

NEW YORK (AP) — Lovers of emoji, the cute graphics that punctuate online writing and texts, will soon be able to pick from different skin tones on Apple devices.

Apple Inc. has incorporated more diverse emoji into the developer version of the latest update to its mobile operating system. The iPhone and iPad maker has not said when the update will be available for all users.

Currently almost all the emojis depicting people or body parts, such as a fist or bicep, look white. More cartoon-like faces that are smiling, crying, winking or suggestive of other emotions come in a shade of yellow reminiscent of “The Simpsons” characters.

An Apple spokeswoman said Tuesday that the company is working with the Unicode Consortium, the nonprofit organization that sets the standards for the pictograms, “to update the standard so that it better represents diversity for all of us.”

Unicode last fall proposed adding five new skin color options for emoji. A Unicode technical report says users worldwide want emoji that better reflect global diversity.

Devices made by Apple as well as those running Google Inc.’s Android operating system dominate the smartphone and tablet market.

A message left with Google was not immediately returned.

MANCHESTER-by-the-SEA, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts man has found a way to profit from the several feet of snow in his yard by shipping it to people in warmer climates for the bargain price of $89 for six pounds.

Kyle Waring, of Manchester-by-the-Sea, got the idea while shoveling snow earlier this winter and launched ShipSnowYo.com.

At first he shipped 16.9-ounce snow-filled bottles for $19.99, but he found the snow melted by the time it arrived at its destination.

So he came up with a new plan, selling six pounds at a time. He tells The Boston Globe even if the snow melts a little by the time it arrives the package can still make 10 to 15 snowballs.

He’s also started offering 10-pound packages for $119.

He says he’ll keep selling until people stop ordering.

ALGOMA – Police have arrested two people in connection with a string of burglaries in Algoma.

Two Algoma men, ages 18 and 19, are behind bars, police say. They are suspected in recent burglaries on N. Fourth St. and Lakeview Dr.

Neither man has been formally charged in court.

Police also say they continue to investigate two burglaries on Margaret Lynn Ave. that happened in late December.

MADISON (AP) – The chairman of the Wisconsin Senate Labor Committee is promising an orderly and thoughtful hearing on a right-to-work bill.

Republican Sen. Steve Nass said in a statement Tuesday released two hours from the start of the hearing that the panel will take testimony for nine hours before voting on the bill.

The hearing is the first chance the public will have to let lawmakers know their feelings on the measure that makes it a crime for businesses to enter into agreements with unions that force workers to pay union dues.

Nass calls it a “clean and simple proposal.” He says the issue has been debated for years and now it’s time for Wisconsin to make a decision.

The full Senate is expected to debate the bill starting Wednesday afternoon.

MADISON (AP) – Police officers plan to close the Wisconsin state Capitol as usual after a hearing on a right-to-work bill that’s scheduled to go into the early evening.

Department of Administration spokesman Cullen Werwie said Tuesday that the plan is to operate the Capitol as normal when a legislative committee is meeting. The public will be able to come and go throughout the hearing, but once it is over Werwie says the public will have to leave.

Two buses of police officers from the Wisconsin State Patrol, Capitol Police and Department of Natural Resources arrived at the Capitol just before it opened to the public Tuesday.

A bomb-sniffing dog went through the hearing room and police were seen throughout the building.

A noontime rally is planned by opponents of the bill.

BAYFIELD (AP) – Apostle Islands National Lakeshore officials say the popular ice caves could be open to the public this weekend.

Lakeshore planning chief Julie Van Stappen says they’ll check the ice Wednesday, then make the call. The ice must be locked in and thick enough on the trail out to the mainland ice caves.

High winds are in the forecast for the area this week. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports Van Stappen says it’s hoped the extensive ice cover on the lake will protect the ice cave formations from breaking up.

The caves were open to the public last winter for the first time since 2009. An estimated 138,000 people visited the caves last season.

MADISON (AP) – A Madison company that’s developed a test to screen for colorectal cancer is offered $9 million in tax incentives to grow its business.

The tax credits for Exact Sciences come from the quasi-public Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. Exact Sciences would have to hire about 760 additional employees and make about $26 million into capital improvements by the end of 2020.

The company currently has 430 employees and moved to Madison from Massachusetts in 2009. It received regulatory approval for its Cologuard test last year.

CEO Kevin Conroy says the company plans to double its staff by the end of this year.

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup cornflakes cereal, crushed
1 packet dry Ranch dressing mix
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 stick butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Foil line a baking sheet. Spray foil with cooking spray. Rinse and chicken breasts and pat dry. You can pound chicken slightly to flatten a bit. In a shallow dish or in a large Ziploc bag, add the cornflakes, dry Ranch mix and Parmesan cheese. Stir or shake bag to mix. Dip each chicken breast in melted butter. Next, coat chicken in the cornflake mixture. .Place coated chicken on the pan and bake 35 to 50 minutes or until chicken is golden and cooked through.

A FIFA task force on Tuesday recommended playing the 2022 World Cup in November-December to avoid the summer heat in Qatar.

FIFA said the task force chose the “most viable period” over other proposals to play in January, April or May, dates favored mostly by European soccer. FIFA also said the tournament should be shorter than the current 32-day schedule.

The plan must be approved by the FIFA executive committee, chaired by President Sepp Blatter, at a March 19-20 meeting in Zurich.

Blatter, who is an IOC member, has long favored November-December to avoid clashing with the Winter Olympics, scheduled for February 2022.

“Given that the two bidding cities for the 2022 Winter Olympics – Almaty (Kazakhstan) and Beijing (China) – pledged recently to host the winter games from Feb. 4-20, 2022; that the month of Ramadan begins on April 2 in 2022; and that consistently hot conditions prevail from May to September in Qatar, the only remaining effective option is the November-December window,” FIFA said in a statement.

European clubs and leagues oppose FIFA’s proposal, which shuts them down for several weeks in midseason.

The FIFA executive committee chose Qatar as host in December 2010, when the gas-rich emirate won a five-nation bidding contest to host the tournament in the traditional June-July slot.

Tuesday’s recommendation comes 17 months after the FIFA board – minus several members who have left since the hosting vote after being implicated in corruption – ordered a consultation on finding the best dates in Qatar.

The process was widely seen to have been pre-judged by Blatter, who insisted on November-December as the only realistic choice.

Blatter also reversed his position on the winter World Cup debate. After the December 2010 vote, he said the tournament would be played in summer and the dates could only be changed at Qatar’s request.

Two months ago, Qatar was confirmed as host when a FIFA ethics committee investigation into the 2018 and 2022 bidding contests was closed, concluding that wrongdoing did not influence the results. Russia was chosen as 2018 host.

The FIFA task force will have further meetings to study extending the World Cup qualifying program into early 2022.

FIFA said it is also looking to stage the 2021 Confederations Cup in the usual June-July slot in a different Asian country. Three Asian Football Confederation members – Australia, Japan and South Korea – were losing candidates in the 2022 contest, which also included the United States.

The FIFA-organized Club World Cup, which is traditionally played in December, could be staged in Qatar in 2021 as a World Cup test event, FIFA said.

Fox Sports will broadcast the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Fire crews were called to a home on Nordic Court Tuesday morning a fire, apparently of a vehicle on fire in a garage.

There are no initial reports of injuries.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

GREEN BAY – Are you one serious illness away from bankruptcy? One misstep away from financial ruin? Only 38% of Americans say they have enough savings to cover an emergency (according to a study December, 2014 by Bankrate.com). This week is America Saves week, an initiative dedicated to helping people to find more ways to save.

Financial professional, Kevin Klug from Secure Retirement Solutions sat down with Rachel Manek on Good Day Wisconsin and shared 5 ways to start saving.

Rachel: When you’re struggling to make ends meet, savings might be the last thing on your mind. How is the America Saves program hoping to change that?

Klug: 4 in 10 people struggle to get beyond their monthly bills to save money. People want to save more, but they need help and America Saves week challenges individuals to set a goal and make a plan. For example, take the 1% challenge and set aside 1% of your paycheck to go toward an emergency fund or your retirement. Companies are getting involved in the program, too, by pledging to educate their employees about their 401K benefits.

Rachel:  Why is it so important to save?

Klug: It’s like a safety net. I recommend my clients have at least 3-6 months’ worth of savings in the bank. When families don’t have money to face an unexpected expense, like a broken-down car or a medical bill, they may have to borrow to cover the tab – and that can lead to a cycle of debt. These families live in a constant state of financial insecurity; they aren’t able to look beyond their immediate needs and save for the future or retirement.

Rachel: What are some ways we can work toward putting more money away in savings?

I have 5 steps that I suggest to my clients to help them get started.

1. Create a budget

It all starts with a budget. You need a plan that takes into consideration your income and your expenses. There are 2 types of expenses- your fixed expenses, like your mortgage and car payment that are set every month. And your variable expenses, like groceries, gas, entertainment, which fluctuate from month to month. It helps to write it all down, and you can start with a budget worksheet, like the one on my website, srsplans.com.

2. Track your spending

If you’re struggling with your budget, take a step back and track your spending to figure out where your money is going. Save your receipts, or if you have online checking, you may be able to download your transactions into a software program. Put your purchases into categories to see where you’re spending the most money. That will tell you where you need to cut down.

3. Cut your expenses

This is the hard part. Now that you see where the money is leaking, you can start plugging the cracks. This might require some lifestyle changes, like giving up cable TV, gym memberships, cutting down on coffee runs and dinners out.

4. Don’t blow your tax refund

It’s easy to spend your tax refund on a vacation or a big screen tv. But, before you even get your refund, you should make a plan for the money. The average tax refund last year was nearly $2,700 (according to a September, 2014 report by the Treasury Department)- and that amount could give you a great start on an emergency fund, set up a savings account, or contribute to your retirement.

5. Set goals

America Saves week is all about setting savings goals and making a plan to reach them. So, ask yourself questions like when do you want to retire? How often do you want to travel? What about that dream house or your kids’ college education? It makes it easier to save for things when you visualize them and put a plan on paper.

Delaware police are asking people in Wisconsin to be on the lookout for a 3-year-old girl they say is in imminent danger.

Officials say 43-year-old Michael Trotta assaulted his ex-girlfriend and then abducted his daughter, Elinor.

Police believe he may be headed to Marinette where he has family.

It’s believed he’s in a red S-U-V- possibly a Ford Explorer.

Michael is 43 years old. He’s a white man, 5’8″, about 160 pounds. He has balding blonde hair and scruffy beard.

Authorities say anyone with information or who sees the pair, should not take action on their own, but call 911 immediately.

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (AP) – A Madison man accused in the heroin overdose death of a University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student has pleaded not guilty to first-degree reckless homicide.

Twenty-one-year-old Charlie Phillips-Moore entered the plea Monday in Portage County Circuit Court after a judge ruled prosecutors presented enough evidence during a preliminary hearing to justify the charge.

Prosecutors say Phillips-Moore sold the heroin to a Hancock man who sold it to Peterson shortly before he died in November 2013. Erik Olsen is facing a similar charge in Peterson’s death. He has also pleaded not guilty.

WAOW-TV reports Peterson was found dead in his off-campus home by a roommate. No trial date was immediately set.

SUAMICO – It may still be winter, but area greenhouses have already started preparing for spring.

FOX 11’s Pauleen Le spent the morning at Wery’s Blossom Creek Garden Center in Suamico to check out what’s growing.

For more information on Wery’s Blossom Creek Garden Center, click here.

WASHINGTON (AP) – Divided Republicans are searching for a way out of an impasse over immigration that is threatening to shut down the Homeland Security Department within days.

With the agency’s budget set to expire Friday at midnight without action by Congress, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Monday he would split language overturning President Barack Obama’s contested immigration measures from the department’s funding bill.

The move seemed aimed at pressuring Senate Democrats who have opposed the legislation because the immigration language is included. It also would allow Republicans who oppose Obama’s executive actions on immigration to register their opposition with a stand-alone vote. But Senate Democrats were quick to point out it left unanswered the question of how to fund the Homeland Security Department.

HOUSTON (AP) – Doctors in Houston are optimistic that 10-month-old formerly conjoined twin girls will survive after a recent surgery that separated them.

It took 26 hours last week to separate the girls, Knatalyne Hope Mata and Adeline Faith, who shared a chest wall, lungs, a part of their heart lining, diaphragm, liver, colon, intestines and pelvic area, according to lead surgeon Dr. Darrell Cass. The surgery, which took place at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, had been planned since before they were born last April.

“The surgery was not without its challenges, with the girls sharing several organ systems, but we’re very pleased with how they’re doing,” Cass told the Houston Chronicle (http://bit.ly/1DdS5C3 ) for a story published Monday. “We’re very optimistic they can both have a really great outcome.”

The girls were in stable but critical condition, will be on ventilators for the next week and are expected to be in intensive care for a couple of months, then have more surgery later.

Cass said about five hours into the operation, Adeline’s blood pressure dropped to where the surgical team needed to manually pump her heart to resuscitate her. She recovered after about five to eight minutes.

“It seemed forever at the time,” Cass said.

The surgical team included eight nurses, six anesthesiologists and 12 surgeons.

The twins’ mother, Elysse Mata, and her husband, John, moved from Lubbock to Houston last year to be near their daughters. She said they were “so grateful to all of the surgeons and everyone who cared for our daughters and gave them the incredible chance to live separate lives.”

“We know how much planning and time went into this surgery and we are so blessed to be at a place like Texas Children’s where we have access to the surgeons and caretakers that made this dream a reality,” she said in a statement released by the hospital.

The couple also has a 5-year-old son.

The conjoined condition of the girls was discovered during a routine ultrasound in January 2014. Each weighed 3 pounds, 7 ounces at birth. They have since been in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, and each has grown to more than 20 pounds.

“Seeing the girls wheeled out of the operating room as separate patients, on separate gurneys, the ramifications for them to live private lives was even more poignant and powerful than I expected,” said Cass, co-director of Texas Children’s Fetal Center and associate professor of surgery, pediatrics and obstetrics and gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine. “It literally brought tears to my eyes.”