KISS

Hwy. 172 project finished

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:45:00 CST

The long construction project on Highway 172 in the Green Bay area is over.

Crews are removing the last of the construction barrels today on the westbound side of the major highway. The eastbound lanes opened last week.

Department of transportation spokesman Kris Schuller says about 85,000 people use Highway 172 each day. He says the last two summers have been difficult for them while workers re-did the highway.

Schuller says besides resurfacing the road, crews also added some auxiliary lanes. The price tag for the project was $37 million.

Fire damage down in Appleton

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:43:00 CST

Fire damage totals in Appleton are much lower so far this year.

Fire Chief Len VanderWyst says through the first six months of the year, fires caused $727,000 in damage. That compares to nearly $2.2 million through June of last year.

VanderWyst says the fires at Valley Funeral Home and a dentist office on Northland Avenue accounted for much of last year's total.

The number of hours that firefighters have spent on emergency calls is also down this year, by 30 percent so far.

'Extreme Makeover' show coming to NE Wis.

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:42:00 CST

A TV show that rebuilds homes for families in need is coming to northeast Wisconsin.

Producers from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition aren't going to announce the family that will get a new home until the project starts on August 14.

Lexington Homes of Green Bay will be in charge of the project, and president Jeff Marlow says they'll have 105 hours to finish everything. He says they're going to need a lot of help from volunteers.

Marlow says they're holding a pep rally next Thursday evening at the Lambeau Field Atrium as a way for people to start getting involved. The rally starts at 6 p.m.

Kids in state exposed to more 2nd-hand smoke

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:41:00 CST

Too many Wisconsin kids are still breathing in second-hand smoke. That's according to a new study that looked at rates across the country.

Dr. Nathan Jones is with University Hospital's Carbone Cancer Center in Madison. He says the state ranks fifth in the country for exposure to second-hand smoke.

Jones says the researchers were surprised because Wisconsin's smoking rate among adults isn't all that high.

Childhood exposure to second-hand smoke causes respiratory problems, higher risk for sudden infant death syndrome, respiratory infections, ear problems and childhood asthma.

Mosquitos not going away anytime soon

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:40:00 CST

If you've been swatting and scratching this summer, you're not alone.

UW-Madison bug expert Phil Pellitteri says there are armies of mosquitoes out there, and they're in attack-mode.

The real bad news is that the heavy rains into last weekend will hatch a new crop of mosquitoes in the next few days, and they'll stick around four or five weeks.

LU prof picked to study Toyota problem

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:25:00 CST

An economics professor at Lawrence University is helping a national committee come up with a solution to prevent future problems in the auto industry.

David Gerard is on the panel that's looking into the causes of unintended vehicle acceleration. He says engineers and scientists are trying to figure out why it's happening, and he will help them decide if Congress or the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration should create new regulations or force recalls to fix the problem.

Gerard says the panel will meet each month through the end of the year, and they'll issue a report next June.

Zellner makes appearance in Brown Co. court

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:24:00 CST

The case in Brown County against a former teacher and girls basketball coach is now starting to proceed.

32-year-old Ryan Zellner made his first court appearance there yesterday.

Zellner is charged with six felonies in Brown County. He also faces 20 counts in Manitowoc County and one in Calumet County.

Zellner is accused of having inappropriate relationships with students at Kiel, Green Bay Southwest and West De Pere high schools.

GB police investigating church burglaries

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:22:00 CST

Green Bay police are trying to find the people responsible for burglarizing east side churches.

Lt. Jim Runge says eight break-ins were reported in the past few weeks, and the thieves are targeting churches that are relatively close to each other.

Runge says the burglars get into the churches by breaking a small basement window. He says they steal a couple of items and leave, but the items aren't worth very much money.

Runge says investigators don't have any suspects yet, but they think that juveniles are committing the crimes.

B-17 bomber turns 75 years old

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:22:00 CST

The military's most sophisticated bomber during the first part of World War II is turning 75.

The EAA Airventure is helping celebrate the anniversary of the B-17 this week in Oshkosh.

Don Price is with the Commemorative Air Force, which has one of the remaining ones on display. He says the crew would consist of 10 people.

Price says the bombardier had one of the best seats in the house, in the nose of the plane. The gunner sat behind plexiglass.

Price says there are only 12 B-17s left that can still fly. He says the Air Force stopped using the plane after World War II, and the Navy kept them around until 1956.

State holds hearing on mascot law

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:21:00 CST

If some state officials get their way, school districts that have Native American nicknames would have to prove that they're not discriminatory.

The department of public instruction now has the authority to order a change, if someone complains about a specific nickname.

Barbara Munson of the Wisconsin Indian Education Association says the officials should provide guidance to communities that are dealing with the issue.

Munson testified at a public hearing on the new law yesterday in Madison.

There are 35 districts in the state with Native American nicknames.

Pulaski man accused of murdering wife

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:00:00 CST

A Pulaski man is in custody for allegedly killing his estranged wife and setting her house on fire, while his children were still inside.

It happened in the early morning hours of May 14, 2009. 50-year-old Randall Staeven faces several charges including first degree intentional homicide, reckless endangerment, and arson.

Investigators believe 40-year-old Christine Staeven was killed before the blaze started. Court records say the fire was set in three different parts of the home, and the children woke up when they smelled smoke and escaped.

Around the time that the fire started, investigators say a neighbor saw Staeven's vehicle leaving the area.

He'll be in Oconto County court for an initial appearance tomorrow.

Van Hollen expands voter fraud task force

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:45:00 CST

Wisconsin's attorney general is expanding an effort to investigate and prosecute election fraud.

J.B. Van Hollen was in Green Bay this morning to announce that 11 district attorneys are joining an existing task force that has filed charges against several individuals in Milwaukee County. He says when local DA's partner with the state, they can do a better job of monitoring voter fraud.

The district attorney offices in Outagamie, Brown, and Winnebago counties are all included in the task force now.

Van Hollen says the group will help to ensure that election-related laws are enforced uniformly statewide.

He says some district attorneys haven't made voter fraud a priority, because they're understaffed, and unfamiliar with election laws.

Vets excited about 'Honor Flight'

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:44:00 CST

Eighty World War II veterans are in the nation's capital today, to see the memorial that's dedicated to soldiers from The Greatest Generation.

The "Old Glory Honor Flight" group from Appleton organized today's trip from the E-A-A AirVenture in Oshkosh to Washington D.C. Veteran Kenneth Tate is from Manitowoc, and he says he's excited to see the World War II Memorial.

The veterans are also visiting the memorials for the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and others.

Glenn Holley of Weyauwega is looking forward to talking with his fellow vets.

The vets are scheduled to return from Washington D.C around six this evening, for a welcome home ceremony and dinner.

Standing water hurting crops

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:43:00 CST

Hot and humid weather with regular rainfall is usually a good thing for farmers, but all the rain we've received in the past few weeks is doing more harm than good.

Kevin Jarek is an ag agent at the UW Extension in Outagamie County. He says too much water is an unusual problem for farmers in July. He says usually they're worried about drought conditions at this time of year, but all the rain is drowning some crops.

Jarek says farmers need about a week of rain-free weather for their fields to get back to a good moisture level.

WI bankruptcy filing up

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:42:00 CST

Bankruptcy filings are up 16 percent in Wisconsin over last year at this time, and a spokesman for a financial assistance organization in the Fox Valley says it's mainly due to job losses.

Alan Prahl of FISC says many people lose their health insurance when they lose their job, and that drives many of them into bankruptcy.

Prahl says most people use bankruptcy protection as a last resort, and it takes an emotional toll on them. He says people should seek financial counseling before they reach that point.

Domestic abuse advocate supports stalking law

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:41:00 CST

An anti-stalking law working its way through Congress would pick up where state laws fall short.

That's the opinion of Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence Policy Coordinator Tony Gibart. He says the measure passed by the House of Representatives this week covers cases where stalkers use technology, like the Internet, to stalk their victims from other states.

Gilbert says the proposal would also change the definition of stalking to include activities that the victim might not be aware of.

Receipt helped crack Burger King robbery case

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:25:00 CST

A receipt that was several blocks away from the scene of an armed robbery helped lead investigators to four suspects.

Court records say after they held up to the Burger King in the town of Buchanan last Saturday night, three men started throwing some of their clothes, and other items, out of the getaway car.

They say a receipt from an auto parts store in Appleton belonged to 37-year-old John Hoskins. His girlfriend, 24-year-old Trisha Kasperek, used to work at the fast food restaurant, and she's accused of helping plan the robbery. Records say she was driving the getaway car.

Hoskins is accused of using a plastic gun to keep a group of employees and their friends on the ground, outside of the restaurant. Court commissioner Brian Figy set Hoskins' bond at $100,000 yesterday.

27-year-old Samuel Resen and 20-year-old Tyrone Leviston-Shaw are also in custody.

All four are charged with armed robbery and six counts of felony theft.

Exam ordered for abduction suspect

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:24:00 CST

The man accused of abducting a child in Appleton is going to undergo a competency exam.

28-year-old Joseph Skenandore was in Outagamie County court yesterday, and a judge ordered the exam before the case can proceed any further.

Skenandore is charged with having sexual contact with a three-year-old boy on the city's northside and then taking the child to two parks. Court records say Skenandore wanted to have more contact with the child and possibly kill him.

Skenandore was living at a home on Erb Street for the developmentally disabled and the child lived nearby.

He was ruled incompetent to stand trial in a number of previous cases. That includes a 2003 case with two charges of sexually assaulting a minor.

Shiocton preparing for mascot challenge

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:23:00 CST

An area school district is preparing for a possible challenge to its Native American mascot.

Earlier this week, the state's school superintendent ruled that the Osseo-Fairchild school district's "Chieftains" mascot is offensive and discriminatory. Under a new state law, the school must change the mascot within a year or face a stiff fine.

Shiocton school district administrator Chris VanderHeyden says it's only a matter of time before their "Chiefs" mascot is challenged.

He says district officials are working on a defense strategy, and they're researching the history of Chief Shioc. But given the decision in the Osseo-Fairchild district, VanderHeyden thinks the new law will eliminate nearly all of the Native American mascots in Wisconsin.

Appleton police search for sign-stealing thieves

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:22:00 CST

The Appleton police department is investigating about a dozen complaints of stolen street signs in the past several months.

Sgt. Pat DeWall says the signs were taken from the far northside of the city, and the costs are adding up. He says the total in sign costs, labor, and damage is several thousand dollars.

DeWall says in some cases the thieves took just the sign, but other times they used a car to bend the sign pole over, and took everything.

DeWall says the thieves are targeting the Smoketree Pass and Werner Road areas.

Ashwaubenon burglary suspect in custody

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:40:00 CST

The suspect in a string of Ashwaubenon burglaries is in custody.

Ashwaubenon public safety officials say Chicago police arrested 45-year-old Sidney Hawkins early this morning. He's being held on a warrant through the Wisconsin corrections department.

Investigators believe Hawkins burglarized four Ashwaubenon restaurants a total of six times during the first half of the month.

Ashwaubenon officials and the state corrections department are working on the extradition process to bring Hawkins back to Brown County.

Fourth suspect arrested in Burger King holdup

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:45:00 CST

The fourth suspect in last weekend's robbery at the Burger King in the town of Buchanan is now in custody.

Authorities were looking for 27-year-old Samuel Resen.

Cpt. Mike Jobe of the Outagamie County sheriff's department says Resen was arrested around 5 a.m. today at a home in Appleton. He says a sheriff's deputy on the Lake Winnebago MEG unit learned that Resen might be there.

Authorities considered Resen to be "armed and dangerous" and Jobe says the SWAT Team was getting ready, if necessary. He says the deputy was able to convince Resen to come out of the house and surrender.

Three others were arrested earlier this week -- 37-year-old John Hoskins, 20-year-old Tyrone Leviston-Shaw and 24-year-old Trisha Kasperek. They could make their first court appearance this afternoon.

(Pictured: Samuel Resen)

Seymour dropped 'Indians' nickname years ago

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:44:00 CST

The Osseo-Fairchild school district is going to have to change its mascot and logo because it was deemed racist. At least one area school district that changed its Native American nickname some time ago says it went smoothly.

Peter Ross is the administrator of the Seymour district, and he says when they voluntarily decided to make the switch, the entire community got involved in the selection process for the new name. Ross says they came up with one that people supported -- the "Thunder."

Ross says it's important to address the issue with respect and understanding, and the Seymour school district is proof that it can be done.

Appleton panel looks at parking rules for yards

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:43:00 CST

Appleton city leaders are trying to clear up the rules for parking recreational vehicles in backyards and along the sides of homes.

Ald. Curt Konetzke is the chair of the municipal services committee, which has been working on the issue for several months. He says city council members receive complaints from time to time so they want to come up with a clear definition of what's allowed.

Konetzke says right now, people can park a car or a recreational vehicle in their backyard. He says they're looking what types of recreational vehicles should be allowed because the state even considers an ice shanty a "recreational vehicle."

The city council could consider the proposed standards next month.

GB officials holding meeting on Military Ave.

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:42:00 CST

Green Bay leaders want to revitalize the Military Avenue area once a major road construction project is completed, and tomorrow night they'll show the public their plan.

Nic Sparacio works in the city's planning department. He says the city worked with business owners and people living in the neighborhood to craft their plan.

Sparacio says neighbors were most concerned about getting around the area. He says business owners want to have more complimentary businesses in the area to help increase their cash flow.

Tomorrow night's meeting will be at Kennedy elementary school from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Outagamie Co. Fair under way in Seymour

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:41:00 CST

There is a lot of sun in the forecast the rest of the week, and Outagamie County Fair organizers hope that leads to big attendance numbers.

Fair Manager Rick Pruski says they also have a lot of entertainment planned. He says tonight they'll have the "catch a pig" contest, and tomorrow night country music artists Jake Owen and Chris Young will take the stage.

Pruski says a Pink Floyd tribute band is performing on Friday night, and on Saturday they'll hold the annual "Country vs. Rock" concert.

Pruski says there will also be a lot of animal exhibits, carnival games, and good food.

The Outagamie County Fair runs through Sunday. It costs $5 to get in, children under 12 years old are free.

Storm leaves three campers with injuries

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:40:00 CST

A possible tornado in northern Wisconsin last night forced local emergency responders to evacuate a number of campers.

Lori Getter of the state emergency management department says southwestern Iron County appears to be the hardest hit area.

Three people who were at remote campsites in the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage were taken to hospitals with injuries. Getter says they were brought to waiting ambulances by boat, and one person was flown to a hospital by helicopter. She says other campers were moved to local hotels.

Getter says there are a number trees down in that area, and local officials are still assessing the damage.

Getter says the storm also caused some damage in western Wisconsin, in Barron and Polk counties. She says there reports of downed trees and power lines. A possible tornado moved through an area south of Cameron.

Charges expected in Burger King robbery

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:25:00 CST

Three people are in custody for last Saturday's robbery at the Burger King in the town of Buchanan, and they could be in court this afternoon.

The Outagamie County sheriff's department got a break in the case Tuesday, and three of the four suspects are behind bars.

Prosecutors are expected to file formal charges today against 37-year-old John Hoskins of Appleton, 20-year-old Tyrone Leviston-Shaw of Appleton and 24-year-old Trisha Kasperek. The three would then appear in court for bail hearings.

Investigators are still looking for 27-year-old Samuel Resen, and they consider him armed and dangerous.

They say three of the suspects robbed the Burger King on Van Roy Road, ordering the employees to get down on the ground. One worker was punched or kicked. The fourth person waited in the getaway car.

(Pictured: Samuel Resen)

NASCAR owner hurt in plane crash at EAA

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:24:00 CST

A NASCAR team owner was hurt in a plane crash last evening at the EAA in Oshkosh.

Jack Roush of Roush Fenway Racing was piloting the Beechcraft Premier business jet, and he was trying to land when the crash happened.

Roush and a passenger were able to walk away from the plane and they were taken to a local hospital.

Roush is in serious, but stable condition. The passenger was a Michigan woman, and she suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Attorneys could consolidate Zellner cases

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:23:00 CST

Instead of dealing with three separate cases, in three different counties, it's possible that a former teacher and girls basketball coach could consolidate them.

32-year-old Ryan Zellner was in Calumet County court yesterday on one felony charge. He's accused of having sexual relationships with teenage students...and sending inappropriate text messages and e-mails.

Prosecutors are charging Zellner with 20 felonies in Manitowoc County and six in Brown County.

Jeffrey Jazgar is Zellner's attorney, and he says it's too early to tell if they will agree to combine the cases.

Zellner waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Calumet County. He's scheduled to make his first court appearance in Brown County tomorrow.

The charges are in different counties because the accusations cover the time he spent at Kiel, Green Bay Southwest and West De Pere high schools.

Appleton sup. reacts to 'Race to Top' ruling

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:22:00 CST

Appleton's top educator says the school district would have benefited from federal funding through the Race to the Top program.

Wisconsin is going to miss out on the second round of education grants.

Sup. Lee Allinger says they would have used some of the money to develop a better system to assess student achievement.

He says right now, they measure student achievement through annual standardized tests, but they can't review the results until the summer. Under a new system, Allinger says the turnaround would be much faster.

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia are finalists for the second round of funding. Thirty-five states, including Wisconsin, applied.

State ag leader remembered

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:21:00 CST

Family and friends remembered the state's agriculture secretary during a service yesterday in Madison.

Rod Nilsestuen drowned last week in Lake Superior. Governor Doyle says Nilsestuen always followed some basic, honest rules.

Nilsestuen was volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in Michigan's upper peninsula last week when he went swimming and drowned.

He'll be buried on Friday near Arcadia, where he was raised on a dairy farm.

Weather service brings simulator to EAA

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:20:00 CST

If you are at the EAA AirVenture this week and need to cool down, walk over the the National Weather Service booth in the Federal Pavilion, and step inside the hurricane simulator.

Meteorologist Pat Murphy says the simulator generates 78 mph winds, which are found in weak hurricanes. He says most people find the experience refreshing. But Murphy says the blast of high wind often makes people think about how destructive the storms can be.

Murphy says the simulator just replicates the winds in a weak hurricane. It doesn't include the heavy rain, sand, and other debris that the storms throw around. He says that's what causes much of the damage.

The simulator will be at the EAA AirVenture all week.

'Old Glory Honor Flight' leaving from EAA

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:20:00 CST

As part of a week-long salute to veterans at this week's EAA Airventure, 80 World War II veterans are taking off this morning for a day-long tour of the war memorials in Washington D.C.

Cpt. Steve Blankenship is a spokesman for American Airlines, and he says the vets will travel on the plane "Flagship Liberty."

The trip to the nation's capital is part of the "Old Glory Honor Flight" program that gives the veterans a chance to see the World War II Memorial.

The flight back to Oshkosh is scheduled to arrive around 6 p.m., and the vets will be treated to a dinner in their honor.

3 of 4 Burger King robbery suspects in custody

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:45:00 CST

Outagamie County authorities arrested three people in connection with a weekend robbery at the Burger King in the town of Buchanan.

They're looking for a fourth suspect.

Investigators arrested 37-year-old John Hoskins of Appleton, 20-year-old Tyrone Leviston-Shaw of Appleton and 24-year-old Trisha Kasperek.

Cpt. Mike Jobe of the Outagamie County sheriff's department says re trying to find 27-year-old Samuel Resen, whose last known address is in the Kimberly area. He says Resen should be considered armed and dangerous.

The holdup happened Saturday night, and Jobe says they know what role each of the suspects played. He says investigators basically worked on the case around the clock, and they developed enough information to get search warrants in the Appleton area.

Jobe says they also found the getaway car.

The four suspects are accused of ordering the employees to the ground and hitting one worker during the hold-up Saturday night at the fast food restaurant on Van Roy Road. They made off with an undetermined amount of cash.

(Pictured: Samuel Resin)

State loses out on 'Race to the Top' again

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:44:00 CST

For the second time, Wisconsin didn't make the list of finalists for federal education grants under the Race to the Top program.

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia advanced past the preliminary round. In all, 35 states applied for the funding.

Wisconsin was seeking about $250 million.

President Obama unveiled the Race to the Top program last year, during a stop in Madison.

Boost in BP stock good news for local investors

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:43:00 CST

The "changing of the guard" at BP is having a positive effect on the company's stock, and an area investment firm says that's very good news for investors.

Catherine Carlson of RBC Wealth Management says while their clients with BP stock have been concerned, for the most part, they're staying the course.

Carlson says they believe the replacement of BP CEO Tony Hayward with American Richard Dudley is a positive step. She says the change is moving BP's stock in the right direction, and Dudley is already making it a priority to return dividends to shareholders.

Carlson says very few clients are selling their BP stock because they don't want to lock in any losses.

Before recession, child poverty down in Wis.

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:42:00 CST

A report shows that before the start of the recession, Wisconsin was making progress in the battle against childhood poverty.

The annual Kids Count study shows the number of children living in poverty dropped by about 20,000 from 2006 to 2008, to about 172,000,

Martha Cranley of the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families says unfortunately, that figure has to be higher now because of the unemployment rate.

Wisconsin ranked 10th in the country on the list of states with the lowest poverty levels. Cranley says investments in state health care programs, like Badger Care, certainly contributed to the positive ranking.

The report found that 10 percent of the total population was living in poverty through 2008.

Outagamie Co. still tallying damage totals

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:41:00 CST

While FEMA officials are looking over the flood damage in the Milwaukee area today, leaders in Outagamie County continue to add up the damage estimates here.

Emergency management director Christina Muller says in order to qualify for federal help, the county would need to meet certain thresholds for damage to public infrastructure.

Muller says when they're done putting together the numbers, the state emergency management department will determine whether to ask FEMA workers to tour the area.

Right now, Muller says she doesn't see any federal help coming for people who had flooded basements.

Damage estimates in Milwaukee County now top $37 million. Governor Doyle says he plans to purse an official federal disaster declaration for that area. FEMA workers will also tour Grant County and possibly some other spots.

Surveillance video may crack robbery case

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:25:00 CST

Surveillance video from businesses near the Burger King on Van Roy Road may be the key to solving an armed robbery case in the town of Buchanan.

Outagamie County Sheriffs Department Cpt. Mike Jobe says investigators are looking at the videos to see if they can track down the car that was used in the armed robbery on Saturday night.

Jobe says they're also following up on a number of leads in the case. There are four suspects in the case.

Three are described as thin black men between 5 feet, 8 inches and six feet tall. The suspect fourth is also a black man. He was seen sitting in the getaway car.

Napolitano unveils safety program at EAA

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:24:00 CST

The top homeland security official in the U.S. unveiled two new general aviation security measures at the EAA in Oshkosh.

The first is called "If You See Something, Say Something." Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says it encourages passengers and crew members on private planes to better recognize and report suspicious behaviors or items.

The program began in New York City, with the city's mass transit system, and expanded just a few weeks ago to include passenger rail systems nationwide.

The second plan streamlines the process for pre-screening passengers and crews entering and exiting the United States on private flights.

Johnson unsure if he'll sell BP stock

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:23:00 CST

Two weeks after saying that he would sell his BP stock, a Republican running for U.S. Senate says he hasn't made up his mind about the issue.

Oshkosh businessman Ron Johnson made the comment in Madison yesterday, following a campaign speech. He says he will likely sell the stock eventually to help fund his campaign, but the decision will be based on market conditions.

Democrats have accused Johnson of supporting BP to protect his personal investments.

Johnson will face Watertown businessman Dave Westlake in a September primary.

The winner will take on the incumbent Democrat, Sen. Russ Feingold.

Appleton school layoff list dwindling

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:22:00 CST

The layoff list for teachers in the Appleton school district is getting a little shorter.

The school board restored the jobs of two teachers last night, because of resignations or retirements.

District chief financial officer Don Hietpas says that leaves seven still on the list, covering about four full-time positions.

When the school district issued the layoff notices last spring, 24 teachers were on the layoff list. They combined to cover about 14 full-time positions that were eliminated because of budget cuts.

Hietpas says if there are more resignations in the weeks leading up to the start of the school year, they could call back more teachers. He says it's also possible that there will be spikes in enrollment in certain areas, and they'll need more teaching positions.

Affinity Medical Group announces new leader

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:21:00 CST

Affinity Medical Group has a new leader.

Affinity Health System officials say Dr. Chris Griger is the new president of the health care provider's medical group. She'll oversee the organization's outpatient clinics. Griger says she's been on the job for about a month.

Griger says she wants to focus on giving patients high-quality care that's focused on them.

Griger says she left a similar job at a health care provider in Santa Cruz, California for the job here.

Neenah holding special flood damage pick up

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:45:00 CST

Neenah officials are helping people get rid of large flood damaged items.

Mayor George Scherck announced today that city crews will pick up flood damaged carpeting, furniture and other items. Scherck says appliances, computers, and other electronics are not included in the special pickup.

Scherck says if someone has flood damaged items on the curb and they haven't been picked up by late in the week, they should call the city.

Scherck says a lot of people had flooded basements from all of the rain that fell over the past two weeks. The worst flooding happened in the city last Thursday.

DNR hopes hunters help with deer study

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:44:00 CST

The DNR is planning two long term studies of deer mortality rates in Wisconsin, and tonight officials will be giving hunters in Shiocton more information about them.

DNR deer researcher Chris Jaques says they'll be attaching radio collars to bucks in one of the studies to see how many survive, and how many are killed by predators. He says the second study involves fawns.

He says the DNR hopes landowners will help them by giving researchers access to their land.

Jacques says they're doing the study because hunters are concerned about the impact that predators have on the deer herd.

Tonight's meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the Navarino Nature Center in Shiocton.

Work on Scheuring Road under way

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:43:00 CST

Construction crews are starting their work today at the Scheuring Road interchange along Highway 41 near De Pere.

The DOT is putting in two roundabouts along Scheuring Road -- at PDQ Drive and Lawrence Drive.

A segment of Scheuring Road is going to be closed until November.

Next spring, workers are going to shut down the entire interchange to replace the bridge over Highway 41 and build more roundabouts.

DMV: More people going on-line for services

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:42:00 CST

The state division of motor vehicles is working to expand the things that people can do on-line, instead of having to go to a service center.

Kristina Boardman of the agency says they're now saving trips for duplicate drivers licenses and ID cards.

The on-line service started two months ago, and already nearly 4,000 people have taken advantage of it. Boardman says that's 4,000 fewer people at the often-crowded DMVs around the state.

ADA law marks 20th anniversary

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:41:00 CST

Twenty years ago today, the Americans with Disabilities Act took effect.

Since then, the director of Disability Rights Wisconsin says people have seen the impact around the state. Lynn Breedlove says access to public places improved a lot.

Breedlove says the act also provided protection for workers, if they're hurt on the job. He says employers need to make reasonable accommodations to ensure that someone can keep working.

Breedlove says over the years, they've seen gradual improvements under the law, so people might not notice the huge impact that it's had over two decades.

DOT building auxiliary lanes on Hwy. 441

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:25:00 CST

More orange barrels are popping up on Highway 441 this week.

Highway crews are expected to start work today on new auxiliary lanes on the north and southbound sides for the highway between the Midway Road and Racine Street exits.

DOT project manager Chuck Karow says they'll also build an auxiliary lane between Highway OO and Highway 41 northbound. He says there will be some overnight lane closures until the project is completed in October.

Karow says the extra lanes will improve safety on the highway because drivers won't have to change lanes if they plan to take the next exit.

'Warbirds' highlight this year's EAA Airventure

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:24:00 CST

EAA Airventure gets underway today, and organizers are highlighting military planes this year.

Spokesman Dick Knapinski says besides a celebration for the 75th anniversaries of the B-17 Bomber and the DC-3, they're sending some World War Two veterans to Washington D.C.to see the war memorial. The "Old Glory Honor Flight" plane leaves on Thursday.

Knapinski says they're going to salute all veterans the following day with a parade through the grounds.

Knapinski says while the "Warbirds" will get plenty of attention during the week, they'll have some unique aircraft on display as well, including a helicopter that runs on hydrogen peroxide.

Knapinski says later in the week, the B-22 Osprey is coming. He says that aircraft can take off like a helicopter or an airplane.

Plenty of activities planed for 'Children's Week'

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:22:00 CST

It's Children's Week in Appleton and city officials say there is a lot going on.

Parks and recreation department spokeswoman Niki Wendt says kids 16 and under can play for free at the Appleton YMCA today, and tomorrow children can swim for free at Erb and Mead pools.

She says kids will be taking to the streets on Wednesday for the Children's Parade. Wendt says over 1,000 kids are already signed up.

She says the activities wrap up on Thursday and Friday. The city is holding a playground fair at Pierce Park on those days from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Fox River nearing flood stage

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:45:00 CST

The Fox River is rising because of all the rain we've received over the past couple of weeks, and the National Weather Service issued a flood advisory for the river this morning.

Meteorologist Tom Helman says the problem actually starts in Lake Winnebago. He says the lake level is rising, and the lake drains through the river. Helman says the Fox River is still several inches below flood stage, but the rain isn't over yet.

Helman says they're already seeing some minor flooding in low-lying areas in Oshkosh and Wrightstown.

He says other low-lying areas between Appleton and Kaukauna could also have flooding problems.

The flood advisory runs through tomorrow evening.

Milwaukee bracing for another round of rain

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:44:00 CST

More rain is coming tonight for the already drenched Milwaukee area.

Susan Burleigh is a spokeswoman for the state's emergency management department, and she says the National Weather Service is predicting between one and three inches, and as many as five in localized areas.

Several inches of rain fell in southeastern Wisconsin last night, leading to widespread flooding.

Burleigh says about 100 people were evacuated from a hotel, when the rain flooded much of the first floor of a Country Inn and Suites. She says a SUV fell into a sinkhole in downtown Milwaukee, and it will take some time for construction crews to fix that problem.

Governor Doyle is hoping that the federal government will help pay for the disaster response and clean-up. He's declaring a state of emergency in Milwaukee County.

Officials hope EAA grounds dry out

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:43:00 CST

It's a big weekend for arrivals at the EAA -- both airplanes and campers -- and workers are doing what they can, when it comes to getting the grounds ready after all of the recent rain.

Airventure spokesman Dick Knapinski says the grass is mushy in some places, but they're not worried about not having enough space. He says for now, they're parking airplanes in paved areas, but they should be able to move some to the turf areas.

Knapinski says campers are setting up and they're in good spirits. He says they understand that weather is a factor in camping.

Knapinski says they're fortunate that the rain that falls on the EAA grounds flows into Lake Winnebago, instead of Oshkosh's storm sewer system. He says the water drains quickly, and crews are pumping any standing water into ditches.

EAA Airventure starts on Monday.

Volunteers helping to clear storm damage

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:42:00 CST

A group of 12 volunteers from Minneosta and Wisconsin is in Hortonville today, helping people clean up from Tuesday's storm.

Police Chief Michael Sullivan says the Baptist Relief Chainsaw Team will be cutting up 45 to 60 large trees on the village's north side.

The volunteers are staying at an Appleton church and are expected to be in the area through tomorrow.

Sullivan says it's nice to see that there are people who are willing to help strangers after a big storm blows through.

Man gets 12 years for death of Appleton baby

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:41:00 CST

A 26-year-old Oshkosh man will spend 14 years in prison for the death of a two-month-old Appleton boy.

David Reimer was babysitting Logan Boyer in May of last year, and he entered no contest pleas last month to charges of second-degree reckless homicide and child abuse.

Court records say Reimer was the mother's boyfriend, but he wasn't the child's father, and he watched the infant overnight at his girlfriend's home on Richmond Street.

Reimer will also spend 12 years on probation after he's released from prison.

Outagamie County district attorney Carrie Schneider says the family is satisfied with the sentence.

The child died from head injuries, and he also had a broken arm and ribs.

Judge Nancy Krueger handed down the sentence this morning.

DOT teaching about roundabouts in Oshkosh

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 21:40:00 CST

Some people are still confused about how to properly drive through a roundabout, and the DOT is holding an open house in Oshkosh tomorrow to answer questions about them.

Spokesman Kris Schuller says the informational meeting at Oshkosh West will be similar to one they held in the spring.

Schuller says 16 roundabouts are being built in the Oshkosh area as part of the Highway 41 expansion project. He says four of them are opening this year, so they want to make sure everyone knows how to drive through them.

Tomorrow's open house runs from 9 a.m. until noon.

Two Outagamie Co. supervisors charged with OWI

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:25:00 CST

A couple of supervisors on the Outagamie County board have pending driving drunk cases against them.

Sup. Peter Beckley of Appleton is facing his fourth OWI charge, while Sup. Jim Mahan of Appleton is challenging a first-time ticket from Outagamie County.

Beckley was stopped in February, and court records say he was driving with a suspended license from his third offense.

Records say Beckley didn't have his headlights on, around 2 a.m., when an Appleton officer saw him crossing the Oneida Skyline Bridge. He's accused of driving several blocks on Seymour Street, with the officer's sirens on, before pulling into his driveway.

As the officer was running Beckley's information, records say Beckley got out of his car and started walking "rather briskly" toward his back door. The officer stopped him, and Beckley allegedly told him that he was at his house, and the officer was on his property.

After refusing field sobriety tests, authorities had Beckley's blood drawn at a hospital, and his blood-alcohol level was nearly 0.21.

Beckley is scheduled to enter a plea at a hearing September 7.

The Outagamie County sheriff's department arrested Mahan in May for his first offense, and he was also ticketed for driving the wrong way on a divided highway. Since Mahan is challenging the tickets, the sheriff's department won't release the details of the incident.

Heavy rain floods streets in Neenah

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:24:00 CST

Torrential rain in Neenah late yesterday afternoon flooded a series of streets in the city.

Mike Sipin is the assistant fire chief of the Neenah-Menasha department, and he says S. Commerical Street was probably hit the hardest. He says there was up to two feet of standing water, and they had to close the street in the 600 block and just south of Cecil Street.

Sipin says there were reports that some businesses had flooding, and homes had flooded basements.

Sipin says on-street flooding covered an area that spans from Winneconne Avenue to the north, Oak Street to the east, Peckham Street to the south and Harrison Street to the west.

The water subsided within a couple of hours, once the city's storm sewer got a chance to catch up.

In Winnebago County, a part of Highway 76 is shut down until sometime today. That segment runs between Highways JJ and G.

Appleton-area locks closed this weekend

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:23:00 CST

Boaters aren't going to be able to make their way up and down the lower Fox River this weekend.

Harlan Kiesow of the Fox River Navigational Authority says they're closing the four locks in Appleton and the Cedars Lock in Little Chute.

He says organizers of the Park-to-Park Paddle are going to have to find another time to hold their annual event.

Kiesow says the current is so strong that they're concerned about powerboats too. He says if they would stall for some reason, it's possible they could be pulled into one of the dams.

Convention center panel to survey public

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:22:00 CST

A committee that's studying the feasibility of a new Fox Cities convention center wants to survey the public to see what people think about the idea.

Appleton Community Development Director Karen Harkness says the surveys will be sent to people in the retail, commercial, health, non-profit, and residential sectors.

She says they're not sure exactly who will get the questionnaire yet, but they want to have a "geographically diverse" group.

Harkness says they're trying to gauge how people think a new convention center would affect their quality of life.

Fundraising will be part of library plans

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:21:00 CST

Private dollars are expected to be one piece of the puzzle, if Appleton is going to build a new library or renovate the existing one.

Jan Quinlan of the Friends of the Appleton Library says typically, fundraising can cover 20 to 30 percent of the cost of a project.

She says seeking donations for a library is nothing new. Quinlan made a presentation to the city's capital facilities committee yesterday afternoon.

A new library might cost $33 million and a renovation could cost $26 million.

According to current budget projections, the city might be able to contribute $10 million, five years from now. Quinlan says they may have to wait a little longer, if more money isn't available.

Appleton reports $400,000 in storm damage

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:45:00 CST

Tuesday's storms caused at least $400,000 of damage in Appleton.

City Assessor DeAnn Brosman says public works crews surveyed the hardest hit parts of the city yesterday to come up with that total.

Brosman says the estimate includes damage done to homes and cars caused by falling branches and uprooted trees, but hail and flood damage is not included.

She says homeowners can still report damage to the county. It will be included in a final report to FEMA. Brosman says she's not sure if the city will qualify for federal aid.

Engineers inspect damaged Appleton bridge

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:44:00 CST

A portion of Prospect Avenue remains closed today, after a group of engineers assessed storm damage on the bridge that passes over Jackman Street.

Chad Weyenberg is a project engineer at the city's public works department. He says the Tuesday storms destroyed a retaining wall and undermined a sidewalk. Weyenberg says engineers also found significant deterioration on a bridge support.

Weyenberg says it could take several days for the engineers to determine the severity of the damage to the bridge.

There's better news for Jackman Street. Weyenberg says it will likely reopen after today's storms move through.

DOT reacts to death of Adopt-a-Hwy worker

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:43:00 CST

A spokesman for the state department of transportation says they were shocked by the death of an Adopt-a-Highway volunteer.

70-year-old Cornelius VanHandel was struck and killed by a car while working in a ditch along Highway 41 near De Pere last night.

DOT spokesman Kim Rudat says this is the first traffic-related death of an Adopt-a-Highway volunteer in northeast Wisconsin. He says there is always some risk if you're working near a highway, but the DOT gives workers safety tips and they post signs for traffic.

A 31-year-old Green Bay woman was driving the car that hit VanHandel. She received tickets for driving without a license and failing to keep her vehicle under control.

St. Joe's Food Program turns to gardeners

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:41:00 CST

A local county ag agent is looking back on the tenure of Wisconsin's ag secretary.

Secretary Rod Nilsestuen was on the job for more than seven years under Governor Doyle, and he drowned yesterday in Lake Superior yesterday.

Matt Glewen is the agriculture agent for the UW-Extension in Calumet County, and he says Nilsestuen worked to find common ground on difficult issues that faced the industry.

Glewen says Nilsestuen was also a strong advocate of the ag industry, and he worked to keep it competitive in the national and global markets.

Nilsestuen was swimming in Lake Superior while he was in Michigan's upper peninsula to do volunteer work.

Manufacturers benefit from consulting group

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:41:00 CST

Manufacturers in northeast Wisconsin benefited more from a non-profit consulting group than any other region in the state.

A report from the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership shows that the group helped create nearly 400 jobs in the New North and had an economic impact of $80 million.

Statewide, that impact was $164 million and nearly 1,000 jobs.

Mike Klonsinski is the executive director of WMEP, and he says in general, manufacturers are a bit more optimistic. He says companies that made a long-term investment did better during the recession and are in a better position coming out of it.

Of the $80 million impact in the New North, $54 million is credited to increased or retained sales and $15 million in cost savings.

Adopt-a-Highway worker killed along Hwy. 41

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:05:00 CST

A highway cleanup volunteer was struck and killed while working along Highway 41 near De Pere.

The state patrol says the 70-year-old Adopt-a-Highway volunteer was working in a ditch near the Schuering Road exit last evening when he was hit by a car.

Investigators say the 31-year-old Green Bay woman driving the car lost control and hit the man. The woman and two passengers
were taken to St. Vincent Hospital with minor injuries.

They're asking any witnesses to come forward.

Appleton leaders compiling storm damage

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:04:00 CST

City of Appleton officials should know this morning how much damage was caused by Tuesday night's storm.

Mayor Tim Hanna says staffers have already done a lot of the leg-work to determine losses. Once those numbers are compiled, the city can determine if state and federal disaster funds are available.

City Assessor DeAnn Brosman, part of the assessment team, doesn't think losses will hit seven-figures. She says six figures is a definite possibility.

Special pick-up set for Appleton storm cleanup

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:03:00 CST

The city of Appleton is holding a special curbside collection for storm debris.

Deputy public works director Nate Loper says it all begins next Tuesday. He says they're going to come to pick up brush in neighborhoods on the day after the regular garbage collection day. The last pickup date will be Monday, August 2, for people who have garbage pickup on Fridays.

Loper says people in the city may also take brush and braches to the city's yard waste sites during regular business hours. They're located on E. Glendale Avenue and S. Whitman Avenue.

Volunteers begin homeless count in Appleton

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:02:00 CST

Volunteers next week begin the task of determining how many homeless people live in the city of Appleton.

It's part of an effort called Homeless Point-In-Time Count.

Fox Valley Emergency Shelter spokesman Chris Lashock says volunteers comb the neighborhoods to get a complete count: He says their secondary goal is to connect the homeless to services they need to stabilize their life.

Mayor Tim Hanna applauds the work of Lashock and the entire volunteer team:

Based on the population numbers, the city can apply for a federal grant to meet the needs of the homeless.

Abduction suspect held on $250,000 bond

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:25:00 CST

A 28-year-old man is in custody on a $250,000 bond on charges that he had sexual contact with a three-year-old Appleton boy and abducted the child.

Joseph Skenandore was in Outagamie County court Wednesday afternoon.

Court records say he had just moved into a group home for developmentally disabled adults, and he was seen walking around a block several times last night waiving to children and smiling.

He's accused of taking the child from a home on Alvin Street around 6:30 p.m.

Assistant district attorney Melinda Tempelis asked for a substantial cash bond, saying that Skenandore admitted that at first, he took the boy behind a fence, outside the child's home and had sexual contact with him.

Court records say Skenandore went to Summit Park, and then later Kiwanis Park, to find a place where he could possibly rape the boy without anyone seeing. Records say he later admitted that he probably would have hurt the child and then he would have "got it for murder."

Skenandore has a criminal history, including two charges of sexually assaulting teens. The cases were dismissed because he was ruled incompetent. A public defender today asked for another competency exam.

Hundreds of storm damage claims filed

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:23:00 CST

Insurance adjusters are busy as claims come in following Tuesday's storms.

Claims adjusters are checking out damage from Appleton to New London after high winds and hail damaged homes and cars earlier this week.

Sandra Spann of American Family Insurance says by yesterday morning they already had more than 200 auto claims and 200 home claims.

Beth Mosher of AAA says her company is receiving a lot of claims as well. She says the damage ranges from dented cars, to roof damage and flooded basements.

Mosher says it's important for people to list all of the damage they find, and keep all of their receipts.

Spann says her company alone expects to receive more than 4,000 claims from the storm.

Small companies could get insurance credit

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:22:00 CST

More than 86 percent of Wisconsin small businesses qualify for a tax credit if they offer health insurance to their employees, but few are aware of it.

That's the finding of a new study on the federal health care reform law by the health care advocacy group Families USA.

Appleton tax consultant Jean Marie Hinds says the maximum tax break is 35 percent of the cost of the insurance, and that could be a substantial savings. She says she's looking into the impact that it would have on her company.

Hinds says she's trying to spread awareness of the tax credit to her clients.

The 35 percent credit is available to companies with 25 or fewer employees, with an average salary of under $50,000.

Advocacy group reacts to health plan changes

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:21:00 CST

A major health insurance plan in the area is going to give people more options by letting them see doctors at Affinity Health and Theda Care.

The Network Health Plan is actually owned by Affinity, and the move impacts about 115,000 people.

Robert Kraig of Wisconsin Citizen Action says there are positives to the move because it could lead to more choices, competition and better quality if doctors work closely together on treatment plans.

Wisconsin Citizen Action advocates for improved health care in the state.

Kraig says there are also some potential negatives. He says it's possible that Affinity and Theda Care could become less competitive if both systems are covered by most insurance carries. He says that could lead to fewer choices, and higher prices, in the future.

The changes in the Network Health Plan won't lead to higher insurance premiums, and they'll take effect August 1.

Appleton boy abducted, suspect arrested

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:45:00 CST

A 28-year-old Appleton man is in custody in connection with the reported abduction and sexual assault of a three-year-old boy.

Police Sgt. Pat DeWall says the child was reported missing by his parents around 6:30 p.m. yesterday. He says officers, friends and neighbors quickly organized a search of the neighborhood around Wisconsin Avenue and Alvin Street.

DeWall says during the search, they learned Jerome Skenandore was missing from an area group home. He says they found Skenandore with the missing child in the area of Kiwanis Park.

DeWall says investigators quickly determined the boy had been sexually assaulted.

Police are recommending charges of first-degree sexual assault of a child, child enticement and child abduction.

DeWall says this is every parent's worst nightmare, and everyone worked together to bring the boy home.

Skenandore is in custody in the Outagamie County jail.

Appleton crews cleaning up storm damage

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:44:00 CST

Public works crews are busy removing fallen trees and branches today after a storm ripped through Appleton last evening.

Mayor Tim Hanna says it could take a couple of days to clean up all of the trees and branches. He thinks crews will pickup storm debris from private property owners next week.

Hanna says portions of Prospect Avenue and Jackman Street are still closed today after city crews found cracks in the Prospect Avenue Bridge. He says there is some water damage and a couple of downed trees might have also affected it.

Hanna says engineers will inspect the bridge today.

Crews continue restoring power

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:43:00 CST

Fewer than 500 We Energies customers are still without power in the Appleton area.

Right after last night's storm, utility spokesman Brian Manthey says that total was around 5,000. He says crews worked through the night.

Manthey says the outages are scattered, and smaller, so workers might only be restoring power for a handful of customers at a time.

Manthey says about 250 customers in Appleton still don't have power. There are about 75 each in the towns of Harrison and Menasha, and a couple dozen in Grand Chute.

Manthey says they called in crews from around the state to speed up the process.

Man abducts Grand Chute woman

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:42:00 CST

Grand Chute police say a 33-year-old man is in custody in Shawano County on accusations that he abducted a woman early this morning in Grand Chute.

Grand Chute police chief Greg Peterson says they found out about the incident around 4:45 a.m., when a 35-year-old woman told someone at a Black Creek gas station that she was being held against her will.

Peterson says the woman was able to escape and Travis Williamson drove off. He says authorities gave chase, and Williamson eventually stopped his car and ran away.

Peterson says there was an extensive search around the Outagamie and Shawano County line and they found Williamson several hours later, around 9 a.m.

He says the woman knew Williamson, but they're still investigating what led up to her abduction from her home on Roselawn Drive.

Network Health Plan now covers ThedaCare

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:41:00 CST

The 115,000 people who have health care coverage from Affinity's Network Health Plan will soon be able see ThedaCare doctors.

The two providers announced an agreement this morning.

Sheila Jenkins is the president of the Network Health Plan, and she says they were able to work out the deal without increasing health insurance costs. She says people have been asking for more choices.

The new partnership takes effect August 1.

ThedaCare CEO Dean Gruner says he's excited with the new relationship.

Jenkins says because a number of doctors who work within the ThedaCare system are independent, people should check to make sure they will be covered under the Network Health Plan. She says they are negotiating with those independent doctors as well.

Storm topples trees in Appleton, areas to west

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:25:00 CST

A storm brought heavy rain, high winds and some hail to the Appleton area, leaving downed trees and power lines in its wake.

Steve Hansel is the deputy director of the Outagamie County emergency management department, and he says there was damage around the city of Appleton.

The neighborhood around Appleton West high school may have been the hardest hit. The severe storm toppled a number of large trees and branches, blocking several streets.

Hansel says the storm started causing damage in New London, and it apparently followed a path near Hortonville, Greenville and Grand Chute.

In Menasha, hail caused some damage to homes and cars. Lt. Steve Hansel of the city's police department says the storm also knocked down trees and caused power outages in a couple of neighborhoods.

The Winnebago County emergency management department says storm damage was limited to Menasha and the town of Menasha.

We Energies works to restore power

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:24:00 CST

About 5,000 We Energies customers initially lost power during last night's severe thunderstorm.

Utility spokesman Barry McNulty says they called in extra crews, and they worked through the night to restore electricity to as many homes as possible. He says they'll have to keep working well into the morning to get everything back on-line.

McNulty says the damage was worse than they originally thought.

McNulty understands that some people were frustrated because they lost power even though there wasn't any storm damage outside their home. He says there had to have been a problem with a line that leads to their house.

Photo gallery: Storm damage in Appleton

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:23:00 CST

Photo gallery of storm damage on Appleton's northside.

Kagen supports lawsuit, pushing carp bill

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:22:00 CST

An Appleton lawmaker says he supports a lawsuit to close the Chicago locks and he's sponsoring a bill that's also aimed at keeping Asian carp out of Lake Michigan.

Congressman Steve Kagen says the bill would take a number steps to fight the fish, including using more electricity to keep the carp away, and possibly close the locks. But the Appleton Democrat says he doubts that the bill will pass, because there are a lot of lawmakers from Illinois who oppose the plan.

Kagen says he also sent a letter this week supporting a multi-state lawsuit that seeks to permanently close the Chicago locks and find a way to close the shipping canals to Lake Michigan.

Neenah teachers training on new laptops

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:21:00 CST

Neenah teachers are learning how to use new classroom computers

Every teacher in the school district is getting a new laptop computer this year, to replace old desktop computers in their classrooms.

Diane Doersch is the district's I-T director. She says in addition to training the teachers how to use the computers, officials are also seeing how much they already know through a technology assessment.

Doersch says the laptops are the first step in a long range goal to have every high school student have their own computer, or portable device. She says they want to make sure the teachers are up to speed with the computers before moving forward with the students.

She says the training sessions will continue through early August.

Appleton breaks record for July rain

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:45:00 CST

Nearly 10 inches of rain has already fallen this month in Appleton, and that's a new record for July.

Jim Sklwronski is a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Green Bay office. He says the previous July record was set in 1994, when Appleton received 8.2 inches of rain.

He says we'll probably add to the record high this week because thunderstorms are in the forecast today, Thursday, and Friday.

Sklwronski says 6.8 inches of rain fell in Appleton in the past week. The average rainfall for the entire month is only about 3.4 inches.

Court ruling could help police catch stalkers

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:44:00 CST

A decision from the state's Supreme Court could help police catch more stalkers.

The high court ruled today that police can secretly attach a GPS tracker to a suspect's vehicle, on private property, if they get a warrant.

A Madison man challenged his stalking conviction, claiming that the secret tracking violated his rights against an unreasonable search. The justices disagreed.

Patti Seger of the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence says using GPS technology lets police turns the tables on stalkers. She says stalkers often use GPS technology to track their victims, and now police can use it to keep an eye on them.

Seger says the Supreme Court ruling is good news for stalking victims. She says without the GPS information, stalking is a difficult crime to prove.

Court opens $200 million state budget hole

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:43:00 CST

A decision by the state supreme court is adding to the state's budget hole.

The high court ruled that lawmakers shouldn't have transferred $200 million from the state's medical malpractice fund, while they were balancing the budget in 2007.

Sen. Mike Ellis of Neenah thinks the court made the right decision. He says he opposed the move three years ago because it took private property and used it for public purposes.

Ellis says the high court's ruling isn't a $200 million bombshell that's going to break the budget. He says that's because the budget is already broken.

Ellis doesn't think the state will have to come up with the money right away. He says the court might put together a payment plan, but the state will have to add interest.

After lawmakers took the money in 2007, the State Medical Society filed a lawsuit. In a 5-2 decision, justices sided with the group.

Candidates for governor react to court decision

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:42:00 CST

The three candidates for governor are reacting to today's court ruling on the medical malpractice fund.

Republicans Scott Walker and Mark Neumann say they wouldn't make similar raids on state funds, if they're elected.

Democrat Tom Barrett criticized the raid, saying the decision is another reason why the state needs "adult supervision" and "responsible budgeting" in Madison.

Ban leads to jump in calls for quit line

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:40:00 CST

In the days after Wisconsin's smoking ban took effect, the state's tobacco quit line saw about a 20 percent jump in the number of calls.

Manager Kate Kobinsky says that's what they expected, after seeing what happened when other states implemented similar bans.

Kobinsky says unfortunately, they weren't able to promote the quit line in the days and weeks leading up to the ban. He says if that had been the case, their numbers might have doubled.

Kobinsky says calls might increase again when the weather starts turning colder and smokers get sick of standing outside in the winter.

The quit line offers medication and free counseling. The number is 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

Isolated storm causes flooding in Black Creek

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:25:00 CST

People in Black Creek had to deal with some flooding yesterday, well before anyone else in the area.

Outagamie County emergency management director Christina Muller says an isolated storm around the noon hour brought high water in the downtown area and some flooded basements.

The National Weather Service reported that two inches of rain fell in the Black Creek area. Muller says in some spots, the standing water was four feet deep.

The high water forced the sheriff's department to close a segment of Highway 54 west of the village.

Flash flooding danger remains high

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:24:00 CST

Scattered thunderstorms are in the forecast for most of the week, and that could lead to problems in areas where the ground is still saturated from last week's storms.

Brown County emergency management director Cullen Peltier says a heavy downpour could cause flash flooding. He says it would only take about 1.5 inches of rain to cause significant problems.

He says people caught in a heavy storm should keep an eye out for water covered streets, and stay out of flood water.

Appleton SWAT team benefits from new station

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:23:00 CST

When Appleton police need the department's SWAT team, members will get there faster, now that the upgraded station is finished.

The team's response time is going to improve by at least 20 to 30 minutes because of the setup of the renovated and expanded station. That's according to Appleton police sergeant Pat DeWall.

DeWall is a member of the SWAT team and he says they have a separate room with lockers to store their gear. Under the old setup, they had to bring their equipment from the lower level to the briefing room in grocery carts.

DeWall says they also had to get their command vehicle from the Valley Transit building on the city's westside. He says now it's stored at the station, and they only have to take a few steps before they can leave.

DeWall says the SWAT team hasn't had to respond to any calls since the new system has been in place.

Van Hollen joins lawsuit to stop Asian carp

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:22:00 CST

Wisconsin and four other states are suing the Army Corps of Engineers and the Chicago water department in an attempt to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes.

Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen says the lawsuit calls for closing the locks in Chicago. He also wants to poison fish to kill the carp that are already past the locks, and find a way to keep the Chicago shipping canals separate from the Great Lakes.

Van Hollen says even though the U.S. Supreme Court decided against closing the locks twice already this year, they have to try something because the situation is getting more serious. He says an Asian carp was found last month beyond a barrier meant to keep the fish from getting into the Great Lakes.

Officials worry that the invasive carp would hurt the Great Lakes habitat and fishing industry.

Van Hollen says Chicago officials will likely put up a strong fight, because closing the locks would have a negative economic impact on the city.

Extension expected for jobless benefits

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 08:21:00 CST

About 50,000 unemployed workers in Wisconsin are awaiting today's expected action in the U.S. Senate to extend their jobless benefits.

Roberta Gassman is the secretary of the state's department of workforce development. She says if Majority Democrats go through with their vote, it won't help everyone, because some have already exhausted all of their benefits.

Gassman says unemployment benefits are a "lifeline" for families to pay their bills. She says they also spend some of the money, and that helps businesses and the economy.

'Idol' boosts visitor spending in Milwaukee

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 21:40:00 CST

The popular TV competition "American Idol" is bringing thousands to downtown Milwaukee this week.

They're lining up to register to audition for the show, and David Fantle of VISIT Milwaukee says that will be a boost for businesses. He says "Idol" could bring in a million dollars to the local economy.

Fantle says because registration is today and tomorrow, and the actual auditions aren't until Wednesday, those people have to stay somewhere. He says hopefully they'll eat at restaurants and check out some of the sites in Milwaukee.

Once the show actually airs in the fall, Fantle says the city will be in the spotlight on one of the highest-rated shows. He says the footage from around the city amounts to free advertising.

"American Idol" starts its 10th season this fall. Milwaukee is one of several spots around the country where producers are holding auditions.

Control of state legislature up for grabs

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:23:00 CST

A lot of attention is focused on state legislative races this year, with Republicans hoping to get back in the majority.

Jay Heck of the government watchdog group Common Cause says they have some chances. He says around five seats in the Assembly and three in the state Senate will most likely be the key races this fall.

Democrats won control of the Assembly in the last election for the first time in 14 years. A three seat shift could put Republicans back in power there. Two seats would do it in the Senate, where Democrats have been in control since 2006.

Expert has food safety tips for farm markets

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:22:00 CST

A food expert is encouraging shoppers to use basic safety steps after visiting local farmers markets.

Barb Ingham of the UW-Extension says that includes cleaning fruits and vegetables.

She says recent trends with food-borne illnesses show that more outbreaks are involving produce, instead of meat. She says that's one reason that it's important to take precautions.

Unless you plan to can or freeze produce, Ingham says you should avoid buying more than your family can eat in a week.

Feds providing $20 NIH research grant

kissfm@wcinet.com (KISS) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:21:00 CST

Cutting-edge medical research in Wisconsin is getting a big boost, in the form a $20 million grant from the National Institutes for Health.

Dr. Reza Shakar is with the Medical College of Wisconsin, and he says they'll use the money on research, ultimately in hopes of generating new therapies for health problems.

A number of schools and health care providers in the Milwaukee area are collaborating on the effort.

While it's the first time that the group is receiving federal funding, UW-Madison researchers are already taking advantage of a similar grant.