Green Bay News

RIPON – Saturday afternoon at Wyman Gymnasium is what makes Division III basketball so much fun. The nation’s top two scorers, Grinnell’s Jack Taylor and Ripon’s Ty Sabin, firing at will.

“It’s always good to go against a guy who is on my level,” Taylor said. “Playing against a great player like that was a blast.”

“It’s always fun going against him,” Sabin said. “Especially against a scorer of that caliber.”

In a game that featured 225 points, Sabin netted 33, while Taylor settled for a quieter 20. However, the crowd anything but when these two went to work.

“I think great players rise to the occasion in big games,” Ripon coach Ryan Kane said. “These guys certainly did that.”

For these two former Wisconsin high school standouts, there’s a mutual respect and admiration. On and off the basketball court.

“I told him that the refs didn’t give him any calls and that he needs to start flopping like I do,” Taylor said.

“They respect how hard the other guy plays and their craft,” Kane said. “Both guys are gifted offensively and enjoyed that time today.”

Sabin outscored Taylor in both meeting this year but the Pioneer took home both wins. If they meet again it will be in the Midwest conference tournament, where the Red Hawk guard hopes to make the third time the charm.

“No doubt, I want some revenge for sure,” Sabin said.

It’s only fitting, another score to settle for these two prolific scorers. In Ripon, Dylan Scott Fox 11 Sports.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) – Tom Brady threw for four touchdowns and Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson’s pass in the end zone with 20 seconds left, helping the New England Patriots hold on to beat the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 Sunday night for their fourth Super Bowl title.

The Patriots had lost three straight Super Bowls since winning three in four years a decade ago.

The 37-year-old Brady led them back, hitting Julian Edelman with 2:02 left for his 12th career Super Bowl touchdown pass, breaking Joe Montana’s record.

The Seahawks pulled off a miraculous rally to beat Green Bay in the NFC Championship game and were in position for another improbable victory when Jermaine Kearse made a juggling, 33-yard catch while on his back.

With the ball on New England’s 1, Seattle appeared to be headed toward a second straight Super Bowl title. Butler spoiled the Seahawks’ bid, stepping in front of Ricardo Lockette for the interception.

MADISON – Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is certainly getting more than his fair share of attention these days. Walker continues to make news in and out of the state.

In between giving his State of the State address and working out a budget plan to eliminate a projected deficit, Governor Walker keeps has made several appearances in the national spotlight.

“We can have our own American Revival,” Walker told a crowd January 24 in Des Moines, Iowa at the Freedom Summit.

The summit was a GOP gathering of potential presidential candidates. Walker stressed the importance of going “big and bold.”

By mid-week he was off to Washington, D.C. for more national exposure, and getting press for the formation of a committee to help him explore a potential presidential run.

Then more national exposure to kick off the start of February on a Sunday morning network news talk show. On “This Week” he took on international topics, asked to offer his “big, bold” ideas on Syria.

“Aggressively we need to take the fight to ISIS and any other radial terrorist anywhere around the world,” said Walker. “We have to look at other surgical methods (beyond airstrikes) and ultimately we have to be prepared to put boots on the ground if that’s what it takes.”

Walker tops the latest Bloomberg Politics/DesMoines Register Poll on Republican Favorites for President. The poll taken last week after his appearance in Iowa.

In the poll, Walker resonated with 15 percent of the respondents, ahead of Senator Rand Paul with 14 percent and former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who now says he won’t run, with 13 percent.  Bigger Republican names like Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie lingered in the poll at eight and four percent, respectively. Bush and Christie did not attend the Freedom Summit.

So is Walker running for president or not? Some questioning whether it’s a 99 percent chance given all his media exposure and steps in that direction.

“Oh I don’t know I’d take the odds. I would just tell you one thing, three elections for governor in four years in a state that hasn’t gone Republican since 1984 for president. I wouldn’t bet against me on anything,” said Walker on ABC’s This Week.

National Democrats indicate they’d be more surprised if Walker didn’t run.

“He seems like he is making all of the moves of someone who is running for President,” said Melissa Baldauf, communications director for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. “He’s spending time in Iowa, promising the Caucus voters there that he is going to be back often.”

Fresh off his latest national exposure Walker returns to Wisconsin to present his upcoming state budget on Tuesday. Walker knows now more than ever a national audience is watching how he takes care of business at home.

“We’ve balanced the budgets in each of the years I’ve been in office. We will do it again this time around,” said Walker at a press event in the nation’s capitol.

Click here for more on the Bloomberg Politics- Des Moines Register poll, and see how Hillary Clinton ranks among favorite Democrats for President.

TWO RIVERS – The snow shovels were out as people living along the Lakeshore dug out Sunday.

It’s one of the areas hit with heavy amounts of snow.

As wind whipped past an empty road in Two Rivers, it was hard to see what was ahead.

Bryan Surrisi recently moved back to the area and he said the recent snowfall wasn’t that bad.

“It’s worse in Wyoming,” said Surrisi.

You won’t hear many complaints out of him.

“It could be worse,” Surrisi said.

So with a shovel in hand, the Wisconsinite started to dig.

“It’s got to get done,” Surrisi said.

The storm passing through the Lakeshore dumped between five to seven inches of fresh powder.

“What’s happening is that low pressure is drawing in northeasterly winds, and we’re getting these bands of snow coming off of Lake Michigan. You start to see these darker color blues, that’s some heavier snow from lake effect snow,” said FOX 11 Meteorologist Doug Higgins.

In Manitowoc, the mayor issued a snow emergency. No cars can be parked on city streets overnight to allow plows to clear away the snow.

But some living off of Highway 310, in Two Rivers, wanted to see the snow stick around for a while.

“We make a tunnel,” said Dulton Minkel.

Eight-year-old Dulton Minkle and his brother Austin worked hard to make a snow fort.

“And you have to make a curve and you have to make another hole and curve and try and feel someone’s hand,” said Austin Minkel.

“Let’s take all the snow off so it won’t collapse,” Dulton Minkel yelled.

All of the snow is making the trails around Woodland Dunes Nature Center ideal for snowshoeing.

“It really doesn’t take much, and snowshoeing is fun because it’s not very difficult. If you can walk, you can snowshoe, and modern snowshoes are real easy to use,” said Jim Knickelbine, Woodland Dunes Nature Center director.

The nature center’s director said people aren’t the only visitors.

“Small birds like a chickadee might eat 200 sunflower seeds in a day,” Knickelbine said.

Feeders and mini wooden houses give birds a place to eat and perch all year long.

HOWARD – After a close call on Lake Winnebago, two brothers are urging caution for those looking to venture out onto the ice covered lake.

This comes one week after two people died when their vehicle plunged through the ice.

And the questions surrounding ice conditions – at least the many cracks that seem to be popping up – could persist through the upcoming sturgeon spearing season.

“Not that I’m an expert by any means, but I consider myself an awfully careful person out there and it happens. And especially this year, it’s bad out there,” said Terry Malnick.

Manlick – and especially his brother Rick – know the dangers of Lake Winnebago all too well.

“We figured life was safe on this end,” said Rick in a cell phone video he shot Friday afternoon. “Drove across this crack and the whole thing lifted up, thank God I made it across.”

With more than 60 years of fishing experience on the lake between them, the pair were about two miles out from Calumetville when an unseen spider crack popped up, nearly sending Rick and his truck in.

“That one there opened up and you can see it real well in the video,” said Rick, who was following Terry’s ATV. “Had I parallelled that, it probably would have rolled and dropped in.”

With the truck back near shore, Rick shot the cell phone video to share with others on the internet about what happened, and where. The two – who also run an ice fishing gear business – say the worst is always in the back of their minds.

“It’s worse than any other year’ I’ve seen out there,” Terry said.

Mainly after a Sussex man and his eight-year-old son died last Sunday morning when their Jeep went through near Oshkosh.

High winds, fluctuating temperatures and the lack of a heavy snow pack aren’t helping matters.

“This year, there is more cracks. It’s a little bit more dangerous than a normal year,” said Don Herman, a member of the Otter St. Fishing Club in Oshkosh. He’s also the guy you call to get whatever you might own out of the water.

Herman says the current average ice thickness of the lake is fairly normal right now, at about 17 inches. But there are multiple east-west cracks, compared to the usual ones that run north-south.

Herman says the lake will continue to make ice. But unless the lake gets more snow, the ice condition could prove to be an issue for the upcoming sturgeon spearing season in two weeks.

“This year, they’re going east west and all over, it’s boggling, but you just have to be a little bit more cautious,” Herman said, just like the Manlicks learned.

“My truck will not be going back out there this year, that’s for sure,” said Rick Manlick.

Wintry weather swept across Northeast Wisconsin as we began a new month.

TWO RIVERS – The Lakeshore area received plenty of blowing snow. Check out the conditions.

WAUKESHA COUNTY – People to our south, in Waukesha County, were hit pretty hard. Check out the weather in the Milwaukee area.

TOWN OF MENASHA – Neenah-Menasha fire officials say most of the 20 people displaced by an apartment complex fire Friday night are back home.

Four units remain uninhabitable.

Neenah-Menasha fire crews were called to the Elizabeth Court Apartments around 5:30 p.m.

Firefighters found one person dead in an apartment while doing door to door searches.

The coroners office says the person died of natural causes.

The fire department says the fire is not suspicious. The cause remains under investigation.

HORTONVILLE – If you’re like many, if not most drivers, no matter how confident you are, a little patch of ice still inspires a nervous lurch in your stomach. The drivers on display this weekend in Hortonville, however: not so much.

“When you’re sitting at the starting line, waiting for the flag, you’re just ready to go,” said Fremont’s Eric Hart. “It is, by far an adrenaline rush.”

Hart was one of the daring drivers taking doing icy laps as part of the Outagamie Conservation Club’s 44th Annual Sno-Mo/ATV Races on Saturday. The event raised money for the Club which they use year-round. About a dozen volunteers spent around a month constructing a one-third mile track made entirely out of ice. There were 45 different races on the schedule with divisions based on age and type of vehicle. Drivers tried to tame the ice on snowmobiles, ATVs and motorcycles.

“[The track is] pretty grabby,” said Waupaca’s Dalton Stelzer. “The corners are a little scary at times, but you get used to it.”

Some divisions allowed studded tires on ATVs and there are other ways equipment can help make the ride a little less slippery than you’d expect.

“It doesn’t feel like you’re on grass or dirt, you have more traction on the ice, I feel like,” said Hart.

One prominent aspect of the races any of the many audience members would notice was the youth of many drivers. Pee-wee divisions featured drivers 12-years-old or younger, trying to ensure that a four decades-old event continues for years to come.

“My dad, my brother and friends, we’ll all be in one race together,”said Hortonville’s Mackenzie Martzahl, adding she expected to get the win. “That’ll be pretty interesting.”

Officials said, in all the years of holding the event, warm weather only prevented races from being run on one occasion. Relatively warm temperatures on Saturday kept snowmobile trails leading to the Outagamie Conservation Club from being open but allowed fans and drivers to be a little more comfortable during the day.

MENOMINEE, Mich. (AP) – A company that plans to develop a gold and zinc mine in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula says it has secured financing to continue the process of obtaining permits.

Aquila Resources Inc. says it has reached an agreement with Orion Mine Finance to provide $20.75 million for the next stage of developing the Back Forty project in Menominee County.

Radio station WYKX-WDBC reports that the company has already spent more than $60 million exploring a mineral-rich volcanic belt in the southern U.P.

Aquila took 100 percent ownership of the project last year. Communications Director Robin Quigley says the company expects to be mining by the end of 2016.

The company expects to produce over 15 million tons of ores that could include gold, silver, zinc, copper and lead.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A Republican lawmaker has reintroduced a bill that would outlaw using GPS to secretly track someone.

Under Rep. Adam Neylon’s bill, anyone who secretly placing a GPS device on another person’s vehicle would be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by up to nine months in jail and $10,000 in fines.

Neylon, of Pewaukee, introduced the same bill near the end of the last legislative session almost a year ago. The measure passed the full state Assembly unanimously. The Senate judiciary committee passed the bill unanimously three days before the session ended in April but the measure never got a vote in the full chamber.

The Assembly’s criminal justice committee has scheduled a public hearing on the new bill for Tuesday.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The Dane County Sheriff’s Office says speed and alcohol are believed to be factors in a crash that claimed the life of a 16-year-old boy.

The crash happened at about 3:45 a.m. Saturday in the town of Cottage Grove.

Sheriff’s officials say the teen was driving a Chevrolet Sierra pickup truck northbound on Vilas Hope Road when he lost control, crossed over the southbound lanes and went into a ditch. The vehicle went airborne and collided with a tree.

The McFarland teen was pronounced dead at the scene. His name is being withheld until his family is notified.

Ingredients:

5 cups unsweetened corn or rice square cereal

4 cups of pizza or cheese flavored gold fish crackers

5 cups pretzels

¼ cup vegetable oil or cooking spray

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 teaspoons dry spaghetti seasoning

Directions:

In a large bowl combine cereal, crackers and pretzels.  Pour oil over cereal mixture and mix until coated OR use cooking spray to coat cereal mixture. In a small bowl, combine Parmesan cheese and dry spaghetti mix. Pour over cereal mixture and stir until well coated with seasoning mixture. Store leftover snack mix in an airtight container or bag.

APPLETON – A 17-year-old is in jail after police say he confessed to robbing two convenience stores at gunpoint Saturday afternoon.

Police say they arrested the Appleton teen after a group of Lawrence University students reported a person matching his description had showed them a gun on E. College Avenue.

Officers found a loaded gun in the suspect’s waistband when they took him into custody around 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Police say the teen also confessed to stealing a purse at knifepoint and stealing a vehicle from a downtown parking ramp Thursday night.

Officials say the vehicle has been recovered, and no injuries were reported in any of the robberies.

The Appleton Police Department will recommend multiple criminal charges against the teen.

GREEN BAY – Area restaurants will be busy Sunday taking orders for the big game.

The Green Bay Packers may not be playing, but businesses are still expecting a busier than usual day.

Many are offering deals to draw in customers.

FOX 11’s Pauleen Le spent the morning at the Pizza Ranch in Green Bay.

For more information at the Pizza Ranch, click here.

PHOENIX (AP) – Just living the dream. And looking for more.

Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers won his second MVP award Saturday night, and J.J. Watt swept away the voters the way he sweeps quarterbacks off their feet to take top defensive honors.

Rodgers, also the 2011 Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player award winner, took this one in somewhat surprisingly easy fashion over Watt.  The Packers quarterback received 31 votes for the 2014 award from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. Houston’s Watt, seeking to become the first defensive player to win MVP since 1986, got 13 votes.

Rodgers threw for 38 touchdowns and a league-low five interceptions; he has thrown 512 passes at home without a pick. He led the Packers to two victories at season’s end despite playing with a severe calf injury.

“I feel so fortunate to live out my dreams, year after year,” Rodgers said Saturday night.

Watt, the ultra-energetic and versatile Texans end, is the first unanimous choice for an AP award since Tom Brady won Most Valuable Player in 2007, and the first for top defensive player under the current voting setup.

“It’s special,” he said.

“I’m always trying to raise the bar. The moment you get complacent is the moment you begin your decline. When you start to feel like you’ve made it, when you feel like you’re doing pretty good, that’s when you start to fall back.”

NFL rushing leader DeMarco Murray of Dallas won Offensive Player, while the Arizona Cardinals swept coaching honors. Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski took the Comeback Player award, but was not on hand because, well, New England has a rather important date with Seattle on Sunday in the Super Bowl.

Murray, who ran away with the rushing title with 1,845 yards – nearly 500 more than any other player – also topped the NFL with 2,261 yards from scrimmage. He scored 13 touchdowns in helping the Cowboys win the NFC East.

That overwhelming performance earned him 26 votes as Murray easily outdistanced  Rodgers (15 votes).

“I want to say thank you to the Jones family for taking a chance on me four years ago out of Oklahoma,” Murray said. “It’s been a privilege to play there. Hopefully we can continue that.”

Murray’s contract is up.

“I don’t think it’s any surprise or any secret where I want to play next year,” he said.

Arians took his second Coach of the Year award in three seasons after leading his injury-ravaged Cardinals to an 11-5 record and a wild-card playoff berth. He was the top coach in 2012 as an interim, stepping in for the ill Chuck Pagano and leading the Colts to the postseason.

His defensive coordinator in Arizona, Todd Bowles, won the first Assistant Coach of the Year award. Bowles has parlayed his work with the Cardinals into a head coaching job with the Jets.

“I wouldn’t be head coach of the year if it wasn’t for him and the job he did,” Arians said. “I’m so happy that we started that award and he got it for the first time. Now he’s going to do a great job for the Jets.”

Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who made the play of the year against the Cowboys with a one-handed snag of a touchdown pass while falling backward, was voted top offensive rookie. Beckham tied Michael Irvin’s NFL mark with nine consecutive games of 90 yards receiving and finished with 91 receptions for 1,305 yards and 12 TDs.

“This is a great class that I came in,” Beckham said. “Part of the reason that I wanted to come out (early from LSU) was to be included in this class.”

Rams tackle Aaron Donald won top defensive rookie honors. A force against the run and the pass, Donald had 37 tackles, nine assists, and led all rookies with nine sacks. He was one of three rookies initially selected for the Pro Bowl.

“Hard work pays off,” Donald explained.

In his fourth pro season, Watt earned his second such honor with 20 1-2 sacks, 78 tackles – 29 for losses – 50 quarterback hits, four forced fumbles and 10 blocked passes.

He is the first NFL player with multiple 20-sack seasons. Watt also had 20 1-2 sacks in 2012, his other top defensive player season.

The AP awards were given out during the “NFL Honors” TV program. Also during the show, Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

“This award means a great deal to me, as it symbolizes the valued work that the NFL, its players, and its 32 teams do in the community,” said Davis, a 10-year veteran.

Bears defensive end Jared Allen won the Salute to Service Award. USAA will contribute $25,000 in Allen’s honor to the official aid societies representing all five military branches.

GREEN BAY – When former Packers general manager Ron Wolf’s name was added to the Lambeau Field facade in 2006, he became the only one of the now 23 individuals so honored in the historic stadium to not be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

That’s no longer the case.

According to the Packers official website, Wolf was selected for induction into the Hall of Fame on Saturday as part of the class of 2015. He will be inducted in Canton, Ohio, this summer along with the rest of the class of ’15.

Packers.com reports Wolf was a finalist in the new “contributor” category, which is being treated similarly to the annual senior nominees. Contributors and seniors are voted on separately from the other modern-era finalists but still need the same 80 percent of the vote from the full selection committee for induction.

Two former GMs, Wolf and Bill Polian, were this year’s inaugural contributor finalists.

Wolf held high-level personnel positions with the Raiders, Buccaneers and Jets before coming to Green Bay, but he’s best known as the architect who returned the Packers to prominence. Upon his hiring late in the 1991 season, the Packers had gone a quarter of a century with just two playoff appearances since the Vince Lombardi era.

Wolf is the 23rd member of the Packers to enter the Hall of Fame. Favre is certain to become the 24th. He is first eligible for induction in 2016.

APPLETON – Police are looking for a suspect involved in two armed robberies in Appleton.

They say a male demanded money from a cashier while showing a gun at two convenience stores on Saturday.

Appleton Police Department received a report of an armed robbery inside a convenience store in the 800 block of East Northland Avenue around 2:20 this afternoon.

A second armed robbery was reported about 15 minutes later in the 1200 block of West Wisconsin Avenue.

No injuries have been reported in either robbery.

Investigators are interviewing witnesses and gathering surveillance video from both stores.

If you have information please contact Appleton Police Department at (920) 832-5500.

GREEN BAY – It’s the time of year when high school students start planning what college they might attend.

But some in education say planning for what comes after high school starts at a much younger age.
Eighth grader Hannah Beauchamp says she knows what she wants to be someday.

“I want to be a psychologist and study in science and stuff,” said Beauchamp, who attends Red Smith School.

She’s just not sure how to get there–or into her dream colleges.

“University of Michigan, or Stanford,” she said.

So Beauchamp and her mother, Shauna, came to this information session put on by the Green Bay Schools to figure out her next academic steps.

“Having four years to prepare for college this is a great start,” said her mother.

Though many students at this session are about to enter high school next year, counselors say planning for your future and for college should start as early as sixth grade.

“Honestly, it’s never too early. But on the other hand, we never want to put too much undue pressure on kids in middle school,” said Catherine Ames, a gifted and talented resources teacher with the Green Bay School District. “We like to think about planting seeds for down the road.”

“They can change their mind. Kids have so many different opportunities to try things, and say, ‘this wasn’t for me and I’m going to do something else,’” Ames went on to explain.

Guidance counselors and teachers say the most popular ways to prepare for four-year universities are advanced placement classes.

But additional programs like the Preble High School culinary arts program, or the Bay Link Manufacturing at West High School, could spark curiosity in a future career path.

Ames says for students who are undecided, getting a wide variety of rigorous classes will set them up for success.

“Even the most select colleges will look for that wealth of activities and things, coursework that kids will have done,” says Ames.

And while they don’t have to pick their final destination right away, educators want to students to know all the pathways that are available to them.