With the winter season’s first severe weather on its way, Shawano’s homeless shelter and other emergency services are bracing for a wintry wallop.

SAM’s House homeless shelter expects high demand for its emergency overnight shelter services when the snow hits this weekend and then temperatures turn frigid.

“We don’t want anybody to be out in the cold,” said Jennifer Bisterfeldt, executive director of the shelter.

The National Weather Service is forecasting that Northeastern Wisconsin could get its first significant snowfall of the season this weekend, with perhaps 5 inches of accumulation by Sunday. That will be followed by temperatures dropping to single digits early next week.

Shawano Police Lt. Dan Mauel said city officials are prepared for the brutal weather and are urging motorists and other residents to exercise caution.

“All applicable city departments are fully prepared to deal with the cold and snow of winter,” Mauel said. “We encourage people to pay attention to the weather conditions and dress appropriately.”

For those living homeless, SAM’s House offers emergency shelter and other assistance daily between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. at its facility at 213 E. Green Bay St.

Now in its second season, SAM’s House served 58 people during its inaugural season, providing 630 nights of shelter and nearly 1,000 meals. The facility operates between Nov. 1 and April 30.

Bisterfeldt said she has enlisted extra volunteers to help manage a possible surge in demand for services this weekend when the extreme weather hits. With a capacity of 15 people overnight, the shelter already has filled up periodically this season and could max out again this weekend.

“We’re always kind of on the verge of being full,” she said. “As the weather gets colder, that’s always a high possibility.”

SAM’s House, operated by a nonprofit volunteer organization, welcomes extra volunteers and donors willing to contribute food, clothing or other materials.

Anyone interested in helping can call 715-851-7252 or email volunteer@sam25.org.

Shawano Police Department

Dec. 11

Police logged nine incidents, including the following:

Suspicious Person — A resident reported a man inside a neighbor’s garage in the 200 block of South Lincoln Street.

Harassment — A woman reported receiving a number of rude text messages in the 500 block of South Hamlin Street.

Pedestrian — A bystander reported a man walking in traffic after dark near Waukechon Street and Richmond Street.

Dec. 10

Police logged 19 incidents, including the following:

Drunken Driving — A motorist was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence near Main Street and Center Street.

Animal — A passerby reported a dead goose “dropped from the sky,” possibly after being shot, near Main Street and Oshkosh Street.

Juvenile — A resident reported a teenager making threats with a knife at an apartment in the 800 block of East Richmond Street.

Dec. 9

Police logged 24 incidents, including the following:

School — Staffers reported two separate incidents of students acting unruly in Shawano Community High School, 220 County Road K.

Theft — A motorist reported a license plate stolen from her vehicle in the 100 block of North Main Street.

Animal — An anonymous caller reported a dog left outside all day without shelter in the 500 block of South Smalley Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Dec. 11

Deputies logged 51 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — A resident reported a domestic disturbance with a teenager “flipping out” on Old Lake Road in the town of Wescott.

Disturbance — A resident reported being assaulted and abused at home on County Road D in the town of Seneca.

Animal — A neighbor reported hearing a cow in distress outdoors on Willow Road in the town of Angelica.

Dec. 10

Deputies logged 33 incidents, including the following:

Suspicious — A resident reported a suspicious person claiming to be from the Census Bureau at a home on Hunter Street in Wittenberg.

Suspicious — A caller reported a suspicious person claiming to be from the Census Bureau inside a home on Corazalla Drive in Birnamwood.

Juvenile — A staffer reported seven residents missing from Homme Youth and Family Program, W18105 Hemlock Road, town of Wittenberg.

Dec. 9

Deputies logged 46 incidents, including the following:

Juvenile — An anonymous caller reported a suspected underage drinking party in the 100 block of East Freeborn Street in the village of Cecil.

Harassment — A student reported an incident of harassment at Bonduel Middle/High School, 400 W. Green Bay St., Bonduel.

Disorderly Conduct — Employees reported a customer locked herself in a bathroom and refused to come out at Mia’s Bar, 211 E. Grand Ave., Wittenberg.

Clintonville Police Department

Dec. 11

Police logged 11 incidents, including the following:

Theft — A theft of undisclosed items was reported from a vehicle on Spring Street.

Disturbance — Warnings were issued to several parties following a dispute among neighbors on Lincoln Avenue.

Threat — A threatening telephone call was reported on Hemlock Street.

Dec. 10

Police logged seven incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — An incident of loud music was reported at an unspecified location on Flora Way.

Alarm — A burglary alarm at a business on Spring Street turned out to be a false alarm.

Dec. 9

Police logged four incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — A family dispute was reported at an undisclosed location near North Main Street.

Disorderly Conduct — An incident of disorderly conduct was reported near North Clinton Avenue.

Shawano Police Department

Dec. 12

Police logged 21 incidents, including the following:

School — An unspecified offense on school property was reported at Shawano Community Middle School, 1050 S. Union St.

Animal — A passerby reported a dog looking neglected and injured at a residence in the 500 block of West First Street.

Juvenile — A parent reported harassment of children waiting at a school bus stop in the 200 block of South Lincoln Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Dec. 12

Deputies logged 37 incidents, including the following:

Suspicious — A neighbor reported a suspicious person outside a residence on Oriole Road in the town of Wittenberg.

Assault — An assault was reported at the Huber Work Release Center, 1240 Engel Drive, Shawano.

Burglary — A burglary was reported on Red River Road in the town of Herman.

Identity theft — A resident reported a credit card theft used to purchase merchandise on Homewood Avenue in the town of Wescott.

Clintonville Police Department

Dec. 12

Police logged eight incidents, including the following:

Theft — An incident of theft from vehicle was reported on Spring Street.

Animal — A citation was issued for barking dogs on Wilson Street.

Shawano School District officials searched student lockers Monday at Shawano Community Middle School after receiving reports of a student with a knife.

Officials said no knife was found in the lockers, but they would not say if a knife or other weapon turned up elsewhere.

School District Superintendent Gary Cumberland said Tuesday “the entire situation” was under investigation at the middle school, 1050 S. Union St.

Shawano police separately said a school district offense was reported at the middle school shortly after 8 a.m. Monday. No details were provided indicating whether the incident was related to the knife report.

Police Lt. Dan Mauel said he was aware school officials conducted a student locker search, but he said police were not involved.

Cumberland said rather than a full lockdown, the district ordered a “secure hold,” in which students typically are held in their classrooms to keep hallways cleared while an incident is investigated or a medical emergency is managed.

“The brief secure hold was to investigate an incident which required students to remain in their rooms until some lockers were checked for an alleged knife that a student may have,” Cumberland said.

The superintendent said the situation was resolved, although he also said it was still being investigated.

A popular figure associated with Doc’s Harley-Davidson of Shawano County was killed in a weekend traffic crash on state Highway 29.

Dawn Hamilton, the girlfriend of business owner Stephen “Doc” Hopkins, died following a traffic incident about 5 p.m. Friday in the town of Seneca in western Shawano County.

Hamilton, 41, was closely associated with the Harley-Davidson dealership and frequently joined Hopkins during public events at the business, which is known for its eclectic assortment of attractions, including carnival rides, exotic animals and colorful displays.

Doc’s Harley-Davidson posted an announcement on its Facebook social media page following her death.

“It is with great shock and deepest sadness that we must share that Doc’s girlfriend, Dawn, has lost her life in a car accident,” the statement said.

The Shawano County Sheriff’s Department said the traffic incident was reported at 5:08 p.m. Friday on Highway 29 near the intersection with Campground Road, about 15 miles west of Shawano’s city limits.

Sheriff’s Capt. Tom Tuma confirmed that Hamilton was killed in the crash but declined to release details, including how many vehicles were involved, saying that the incident was under investigation.

Chief Deputy Coroner Glen Peebles said an autopsy was scheduled for Monday.

Shawano Ambulance Service reported that no other injured parties were transported from the scene, which ambulance officials described as an apparent collision involving a passenger vehicle and a semitrailer.

State highway officials reported that part of westbound Highway 29 was closed for three hours after the crash.

In announcing Hamilton’s death on Facebook, Doc’s Harley-Davidson indicated that Hopkins was struggling with the loss. Just this summer, the couple participated in the 2016 Motorcycle Cannonball Race, a cross-country event for which they spent two years preparing. Hopkins drove an antique Harley-Davidson while Hamilton rode in an attached sidecar.

Embarking on the coast-to-coast adventure in September, Hamilton said joining the race was “a lifetime dream.”

A native of suburban Chicago, Hamilton was the mother of five children.

The Facebook announcement said Hamilton’s friends and colleagues at Doc’s Harley-Davidson were trying to understand and absorb her death.

“Dawn has touched and inspired so many lives in so many ways, and was a deeply treasured member of our family,” the statement said. “Dawn set an example for all of us by living life to the fullest and fiercely chasing her dreams. She wore her heart proudly on her sleeve, and made each person she met feel truly special.”

The upper Midwest was in the deep freeze Tuesday, with the arctic air expected to shift eastward and affect millions of people as the week wears on.

Dangerously cold temperatures and frigid wind chills are in the forecast for much of Wisconsin this week. Single digits highs around zero with overnight lows well below zero, especially Wednesday into Thursday, are expected.

Dangerous wind chills from 10 to 30 below zero are expected overnight.

The National Weather Service posted advisories for the Dakotas and Minnesota on Tuesday, with wind chills from 10 to 20 below zero. Wind chill is the combination of air temperature and wind, and forecasters say wind chills this cold can cause frostbite to exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.

In Indiana, snow falling at rates of more than an inch per hour on Tuesday caused poor travel conditions, including along the Interstate 70 corridor. The state Department of Transportation deployed nearly 500 snowplows and trucks statewide.

The cold will affect parts of the northern and eastern U.S. later this week and into the weekend, with frigid temperatures expected in the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions, according to Climate Prediction Center forecaster Stephen Baxter.

Below-normal temperatures are expected this weekend and into Monday across the entire northern half of the country, from the Pacific Northwest to Maine and as far south as Oklahoma, Arkansas and Virginia, according to the Climate Prediction Center.

Up to half a foot of snow also could fall from the Upper Mississippi Valley to the Northeast on Friday and Saturday, and areas east of the Appalachian Mountains could see freezing rain and sleet on Saturday.

Another arctic air mass on the heels of this cold front is expected to bring temperatures to the northern Plains over the weekend and into early next week that will be as much as 24 degrees below normal, according to Baxter.

Shawano Police Department

Dec. 13

Police logged 25 incidents, including the following:

School — Two unspecified offenses on school property were reported at Shawano Community Middle School, 1050 S. Union St.

Theft — Three gasoline drive-off incidents were reported at the Kwik Trip store, 1241 E. Green Bay St.

Tobacco — A tobacco problem was reported at Shawano Community High School, 220 County Road B.

Truancy — Four incidents of truancy were reported at Shawano Community High School, 220 County Road B.

Homeless — A homeless man dialed 9-1-1 to report that a homeless shelter was full and that he was going to freeze outdoors.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Deputies logged 38 incidents, including the following:

Theft — A pickup truck was reported stolen in the 1300 block of East Grand Avenue in Wittenberg.

Ambulance — An elderly woman tripped on her walker and was found bleeding on the floor on County Road M in Tigerton.

Drugs — An unspecified drug offense was reported at North Star Mohican Casino & Resort, W12180 County Road A, town of Bartelme.

Domestic — A woman reported a domestic disturbance that involved two children on Edgewater Road in the town of Waukechon.

Clintonville Police Department

Dec. 13

Police logged nine incidents, including the following:

Counterfeit — Two counterfeit bills were reported at a business on South Main Street.

Suspicious — A police dog was used to check a suspicious incident reported on 13th Street.

The Clintonville School Board voted 3-3 Monday to allow 12 memorial plaques to remain in the high school commons.

Board members Jim Dins, Ben Huber and Clyde Tellock supported a proposal to remove the plaques at the end of the school year, return them to their family and then end the practice of putting up memorial plaques in the school.

Board members Mark Zachow, Tom Neely and Lori Poppi voted against the plan.

A majority vote was needed to pass the proposal. Board member Jim Schultz was absent.

The issue arose when students wanted to put up a plaque for a student, Austin Arnold, who committed suicide last summer. After reviewing its policy, the board in November considered removing the plaques and finding alternative ways to memorialize students and others.

“When there is a student suicide, the board is concerned that the tragic death not be glorified or serve as an incentive for self-inflicted acts by others,” the board noted in its proposed revised policy.

“Some of the best minds of the medical community suggest that there be no plaques and I am going to follow them” Huber said.

Students gathered a petition in support of keeping the plaques.

Student Leah Karlson said when students see those plaques, they evoke memories. Rather than taking down the plaques and causing more problems, the district should help educate students, teachers and the community about suicide, she said.

“The plaques have hung there for many years and they have not been a bad thing. This has nothing to do with suicide,” Poppi said. “They are in honor of someone. What are we saying (if we take them down)?”

Dins also said taking down the plaques had nothing to do with suicide.

Ann Arnold, Austin’s mother, noted that while Dins and others said the debate is not about suicide, it is the issue that always comes up when her son’s plaque is discussed.

Zachow said he had received many phone calls from people who want to keep the plaques.

“I have not had a single person tell me they want them taken down,” he said.

A TV commercial depicting the ordeal of a child who goes home after school to a house without food made Charles LaRock feel sad.

Then it got him thinking. Then it prompted him to take action.

The Shawano fourth-grader launched a food drive that raised boxes of food and other basic needs to help a local family that had fallen on hard times.

The effort was so successful that Charles did it again and helped another family.

Now, the spirit of the holiday season has filled the 10-year-old’s heart once more, as he embarks on another food drive that he hopes will generate enough donations to help two or more families enjoy full traditional feasts during the upcoming holidays.

“There will be more people without food,” Charles said. “I want to donate food to people who won’t have any.”

The youngster’s unusual display of generosity and selflessness has sparked others to rally around him, making his charitable efforts bigger and better.

Linda Tyler, a co-worker of Charles’ mother, was so touched that she wanted to show Charles some support and encouragement. For the current holiday drive, Tyler is filling one box of donations, and she has enlisted a friend to fill another box.

Tyler called it unusual nowadays to see a young child so willing to make sacrifices and help others.

“It helps get everybody in the Christmas spirit,” she said. “You don’t find a lot of kids who would go out of their way like that.”

It all began earlier this year when Charles was watching TV at home and saw a commercial about hunger. He told his mother he was saddened by the image of a child who found no food in the house.

His mother, Sadie Cornelius, said Charles then wondered out loud if children might be affected by hunger at his school, Olga Brener Intermediate School. From there, it was not long before he hatched the idea for his first food drive.

Cornelius and her boyfriend, Orlando Carter, both work hard to pay their bills and to keep food in their own cupboard, with five children at home, but mom agreed to help Charles organize a food drive — and to make some contributions herself — to encourage his charitable efforts and a valuable learning experience.

“It just went from there,” she said.

Once donations started coming in from supporters on Facebook and elsewhere, Cornelius reached out to officials at Olga Brener Intermediate School for help directing the proceeds to a family in need.

School social worker Jodi Guenther recalled that she was happy to assist. Noting that children often show strong instincts for wanting to help others, Guenther said it is important for parents and other adults to recognize such positive personality development — and to encourage it.

Guenther said she was impressed to see Charles pursue his food drive idea.

“It was awesome,” she said. “That’s a true act of kindness.”

Another food drive a short time later raised a bountiful blessing that ended up going to Elizabeth Spiering and her family. With seven children, Spiering and her husband were struggling to make ends meet.

The food drive donation from Charles and his supporters helped the family keep food on the table at a crucial time.

“It was a blessing,” Spiering said, adding: “It’s quite a surprise that it came from a good-hearted child.”

Charles hopes to continue organizing food drives after the holiday season. He even is starting to think about possible careers as an adult that would allow him to care for others.

His mother said she encourages his activism and looks forward to seeing more.

“I’m proud of him,” she said. “He doesn’t think about himself — he thinks about other people.”

Shawano Police Department

Dec. 14

Police logged 24 incidents, including the following:

Juvenile — A motorist reported two boys and one girl dancing in the street and disrupting traffic near Lincoln and Maurer streets.

Fire — A residential fire blamed on a wood stove was reported in the 400 block of West Fifth Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Dec. 14

Deputies logged 40 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — A teenage boy was injured in a domestic disturbance reported in the 200 block of Fourth Street in Mattoon.

Property Damage — A property owner reported that someone broke a horse fence on Butternut Road in the town of Richmond.

Burglary — Several storage units were burglarized with locks cut off at ABA Storage, W4856 State Highway 22, town of Washington.

Clintonville Police Department

Dec. 14

Police logged 11 incidents, including the following:

Theft — A theft from a vehicle was reported on Industrial Avenue.

Worthless Check — A business reported receiving a worthless check on South Main Street.

Harassment — An incident of harassment was reported on East 12th Street.

A student at Shawano Community Middle School was found Monday to be carrying a knife that school officials described as a “toy knife.”

School Superintendent Gary Cumberland would not describe what made the knife a toy, but he said the item “was not a dangerous weapon.”

School officials investigating a report of a student with a knife conducted a student locker search Monday while directing that students be placed under a secure hold in classrooms at the middle school, 1050 S. Union St.

No weapons were found in any lockers, but officials later met with a student and discovered he was carrying a toy knife.

Cumberland would not say whether the knife was confiscated or whether the student was disciplined.

“The district took the appropriate steps to resolve the concern,” he said.

Six-year-old Jason Moore Jr. saw news coverage about the bombings in Syria, including a little boy who lost his family and home in an attack, and his heart went out to the young victim.

The Shawano boy wrote a letter two months ago to President Barack Obama, asking how such a tragedy could occur, offering his home to the boy and expressing fears that such bombings could happen here.

Obama wrote back, telling Jason that the United States was doing all it could to help Syria and its refugees and that his concern at such a young age would make him an important part of his community in the future.

“Our country is working with other countries to try to stop the war, and we are helping some children and families to come to America to escape the violence,” Obama wrote in the letter.

The president went on to say that he was glad Jason wrote him a letter about it, noting that “as long as you keep asking important questions and do everything you can to help others, you can make the world a better place.”

Cheryl Moore, Jason’s mother, said she never expected “in a million years” that the president would reply with a personal letter. She had expected that, if there was any reply at all, it would be a standardized response.

Cheryl Moore said Jason’s grandmother regularly watches the news, and the image of the Syrian orphan boy was shown constantly.

“He kept questioning about the little boy being shown on TV, and it was just really upsetting him,” she said. “We told him, ‘A thing to do would be for you to write a letter and send it over to the president and voice your feelings and thoughts about it.”

Jason wrote the letter, with some help from his grandmother, and sent it off to the White House.

“He just felt that it wasn’t fair that (the boy’s) home got bombed and his parents were killed,” Cheryl Moore said. “He wanted to know where this little boy was going to go and who was going to take care of him. He even offered his house if the boy had nowhere to go.”

As time passed, the image of the boy was no longer in the news, so it was almost forgotten. Then a first-class package arrived at the Moore house on Dec. 5, and it was a letter to Jason from the president.

Jason said he was “happy” when he realized Obama had written him back.

“That boy’s house blowed up,” he said Wednesday. “I was sad about that.”

Jason, who is in first grade at Hillcrest Primary School, is getting noticed at school for the letter, which will be in the school newsletter.

“I’m going to put (the letter) in my bedroom,” Jason said.

Cheryl Moore said Jason’s grandmother planned to take him to Washington, D.C., next summer, and they might even get a chance to tour the White House, even though Obama will be out of office by then.

“(Obama) actually answered his questions and concerns in there about what happened,” Cheryl Moore said. “He said that sometimes bad things happen to good people.”

She noted that the president pointed out in his letter that the bombings in Syria were not as likely to happen in the United States because there are people willing to protect Jason and others living in the country.

“He also said that Jason’s strong concerns will make him a very good person in the community, and that he’ll make a difference in the world when he gets older,” Cheryl Moore said.

Even knowing her son as well as she did, Cheryl Moore was very surprised that a 6-year-old had such empathy for someone he didn’t even know. Jason is active in youth sports and the Cub Scouts, but she didn’t realize he was paying close attention to the bigger picture in life.

“It just blew my mind,” she said. “I was like, ‘Wow, where is this coming from?’ Normally, he doesn’t pay attention to such stuff, but lately, he’s been more concerned about things with children.”

Jason is focused on other concerns closer to home. The Toys for Tots campaign has caught his attention, according to his mother, and he wants to find ways to donate.

“His old jackets and shoes that don’t fit him and are still good, he wants to know if we can donate that stuff,” she said.

Todd Lorbiecki might be new on the job with the village of Bonduel, but he probably looks like a familiar face to a lot of people.

The new director of municipal operations is a longtime parent in the Bonduel School District who also coaches youth sports in Bonduel.

“We’ve definitely been part of the community,” he said.

So when the village needed a new staffer to oversee a significant part of local government operations, Lorbiecki decided it was time to leave the private sector.

Giving up a management position in the finance department at Green Bay trucking giant Schneider National Inc., he realized a longstanding goal of working in local government.

Village Board members selected Lorbiecki from nine applicants for the $52,500-a-year job, which was vacated in October when Steve Berndt retired after 18 years in the position.

Village Trustee Shawn Thorne said it was a leap of faith for the village to hire someone with no municipal government experience. Thorne, however, said he was impressed by Lorbiecki’s work ethic, personality and character.

Thorne added that the new operations director has made a strong start since assuming the position effective Nov. 18.

“Obviously there’s a lot to learn in that position,” Thorne said. “I definitely think Todd is up for the challenge.”

Lorbiecki, 45, graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a degree in biology and water resources. He spent two years working at a Janesville water testing laboratory, and he dreamed about some day managing a municipal water utility system.

His next career move took him to Schneider National, where he worked for 20 years in finance and accounts receivable.

Along the way, he and his wife, Lisa, found their way to Shawano County. The couple settled in Cecil and had two children, both girls, now aged 14 and 12.

As an active parent in the school district, Lorbiecki got involved in coaching girls basketball and softball. He currently coaches both seventh-grade and freshman girls basketball.

When he heard that the village was searching for a new municipal operations director, Lorbiecki pursued the opportunity with enthusiasm. Not only does the job involve overseeing the community’s water and sewer utility systems, it also gives him responsibility for local parks, street maintenance and economic development.

“It’s a little bit different,” he said. “But this is something I was looking to do.”

Since starting work last month, Lorbiecki has enjoyed getting acquainted with his fellow village staffers and also hearing input from residents.

He hopes to focus much effort on economic development, both promoting growth of existing businesses and trying to attract new businesses. Bonduel has much to offer, he said, with the community’s location, highway access and stable population base.

Lorbiecki said he is happy to be using his business expertise and professional background to improve the quality of life in Bonduel.

“I’m excited,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the potential.”

Shawano Police Department

Dec. 15

Police logged 20 incidents, including the following:

Fraud — Police investigated a fraud complaint at Domino’s Pizza, 230 E. Green Bay St.

Theft — A wallet was reported stolen at Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Dec. 15

Deputies logged 33 incidents, including the following:

Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint at the Ho Chunk Casino, N7198 U.S. Highway 45, in the town of Wittenberg.

Theft — A pistol was reported stolen from a vehicle on Butternut Road in the town of Richmond.

Burglary — Authorities investigated a report of an attempted burglary on state Highway 156 in the town of Lessor.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Lake Drive in the town of Wescott.

Clintonville Police Department

Dec. 15

Police logged eight incidents, including the following:

Accident — A two-vehicle property damage accident was reported on North 12th Street.

Harassment — Warning issued for harassment on North 12th Street.

Disturbance — Officer assisted Waupaca County Sheriff’s Department with a disturbance in Embarrass.

Five aldermanic seats are up for election in Clintonville this spring.

The incumbents are Julie Stumbris, District I: Tammy Strey-Hirt, District II; Steve Kettenhoven, District III; Jim Supanich, District IV; and Brad Rokus, District V.

ncumbents have until 5 p.m. Friday to file non-candidacy papers at City Hall.

Candidates must file a declaration of candidacy, campaign finance registration statement and nomination papers at City Hall, 50 10th Street. A minimum of 20 signatures are needed. The forms are available online through the Wisconsin Elections Commission website at http://election.wi.gov/forms or at City Hall.

City Clerk Peggy Johnson has asked that anyone who needs to obtain the paperwork from City Hall to call ahead, so staff can have the paperwork ready when they arrive.

The deadline for filing the papers for the April 4 ballot is 5 p.m. Jan. 3.

If there are more than two candidates in any district, a primary will be held on Feb. 21.

— Grace Kirchner, correspondent

Strangulation

A Shawano County sheriff’s deputy responding to a woman’s cries for help during a 911 call Sunday arrived in time to thwart a strangulation during a domestic abuse incident, according to a criminal complaint filed this week.

Authorities arrested Daniel T. Prendota, 38, of Wittenberg, on multiple felony charges, including two counts of strangulation and suffocation, false imprisonment and battery to a law enforcement officer.

Prendota resisted attempts to take him into custody, according to the complaint, and head-butted a deputy during his arrest. He was subdued with the use of a Taser.

Stockbridge-Munsee police assisted with the arrest. The incident took place in the town of Almon.

Each of the felony charges against Prendota carry a maximum possible penalty of six years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine.

Prendota was ordered held on a $5,000 cash bond and is scheduled for an adjourned initial court appearance Monday.

Stalking

A Tigerton man facing multiple felony counts of stalking and numerous violations of restraining orders has been ordered held on an $80,000 cash bond.

Jay M. Timm, 49, could face a maximum 3 1/2 years in prison and $10,000 fine on each of three counts of stalking that allegedly occurred between September and December.

He is also charged with seven misdemeanor counts of violating harassment restraining orders and 13 counts of misdemeanor bail jumping.

He is accused stalking and a harassing a woman and her family, according to the criminal complaint.

He is scheduled for an adjourned initial court appearance Monday.

Local authorities are joining law enforcement across the country over the next couple of weeks in a national mobilization against drunken driving, targeting the increase in drinking and driving often seen during the holidays.

The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over crackdown began Thursday and runs through New Year’s Day.

“Drunken driving is dangerous any time of the year, but it’s particularly tragic this time of the year,” said Mike Panosh, regional program manager with Wisconsin State Patrol in the Bureau of Transportation Safety.

Officials are not making any secret of the enhanced enforcement effort.

“It’s not a sting, Panosh said. “It’s not some kind of thing where we’re hiding in the shadows. We’re trying to let people know in advance. We’re going to be out there. There’s going to be increased enforcement. We’re going to be looking for drunken drivers.”

There will also not be any checkpoints set up or random stopping of vehicles, which is prohibited in Wisconsin and in most states.

“You have to have probable cause for a traffic stop,” Panosh said.

Shawano County Chief Deputy George Lenzner said deputies would be keeping a sharper eye out than usual for erratic driving or other tell-tale signs.

“We’re pushing our guys to be more vigilant,” he said, “and try to keep them in the areas where we’ve had drunken driving issues in the past.”

The sheriff’s department will also try to put on extra patrols if possible.

“It’s hard to put extra people out because we want to give our guys some time off with their families, too,” Lenzner said. “But we’re going to try to put an extra squad on or two in some of those areas where we’ve had OWI crashes in the past.”

Shawano Police Lt. Mike Musolff said the effort won’t be targeting drinking establishments.

“We won’t be sitting outside of bars waiting for people to leave,” he said. “Our goal is just to make sure everybody’s driving safely on the road and gets to their destination safely.”

Musolff and Lenzner both encouraged holiday partiers to plan in advance for a designated driver or take advantage of free taxi ride services provided by most taverns.

Panosh said the goal of the crackdown isn’t increase drunken driving arrests, but keep drivers from drinking and driving.

“We just want everyone to enjoy the holiday season,” he said. “Plan ahead and make the right choice.”

There were 24,000 convictions for drunken driving in Wisconsin last year.

But, Panosh said, drunken driving arrests have gone down from previous years.

“Over time, we have made a culture change in Wisconsin,” he said. “We’ve done a lot of enforcement and education.”

According to the DOT, 33 percent of all fatal crashes in the state involve alcohol.

Last year in Wisconsin, 190 people were killed and nearly 2,900 injured in alcohol-related crashes.

Winter weather kicked into high gear in the Shawano area Friday with a storm that was expected to dump up to a foot of snow, followed by bitter cold temperatures.

The Shawano School District canceled weekend activities, and street maintenance crews were planning to work long hours to combat the snowstorm.

“We’ll be on it,” Shawano County Highway Commissioner Grant Bystol said.

Snow began to fall early Friday morning and continued much of the day. But the heaviest accumulations were expected to start later Friday night.

The National Weather Service was forecasting about 2 inches of snow during the day Friday, followed by another 6 inches overnight and then 3 or 4 more inches on Saturday.

Temperatures accompanied by brisk winds were expected to plunge to below-zero levels on Saturday, and to remain frigid Sunday before rebounding into the teens on Monday.

Shawano area residents broke out their shovels and sleds Friday as the snowfall began to accumulate.

Randy Steffen, of Shawano, got an early start shoveling the driveway outside the Lincoln Street home where his parents-in-law live. Steffen figured he would shovel his own driveway later and then return to Lincoln Street to repeat the routine as more snow accumulated.

Living in Wisconsin, Steffen said he is well aware of what to expect from winter weather.

“You just take it,” he said. “It’s part of the gig.”

The Shawano School District announced that the winter storm forecast was forcing the cancellation of sports events and other extracurricular activities on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Sounds of the Season Community Christmas Concert scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday at Shawano Community High School has been rescheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at the high school.

The city of Clintonville tried to stay ahead of the storm, too, by declaring a snow emergency effective 6 a.m. Saturday, which means that all streets must be cleared of parked cars. The emergency is scheduled to continue until 6 a.m. Sunday.

The Shawano County Highway Department was ready to battle the snowstorm on area roadways with a full battalion of 43 snowplow trucks.

Bystol said he planned to deploy the crews in a staggered schedule, with different groups working to keep roads cleared overnight Friday and during the day Saturday.

Bystol said he had confidence in his department’s ability to manage the storm.

“We’ve been ready for this one for a while,” he said.

Andy Daniel, operations manager for the Shawano Department of Public Works, said the city had 11 trucks and loaders working to keep city streets cleared and salted. Daniel reminded motorists that road salt is less effective as temperatures grow colder, so he cautioned drivers that city streets could be slick.

The city also was operating with one snowplow truck out of service due to needed repairs. Daniel, however, said there was still plenty of equipment and manpower ready to maintain city streets.

“We’ve done the drill before,” he said. “And we’ll do our best.”

SHAWANO

Sounds of the Season Community Christmas Concert rescheduled for Dec. 20.

Shawano School District weekend events canceled.

Sacred Heart Catholic weekend events canceled.

Shawano Youth Wrestling tournament Sunday canceled.

BONDUEL

Bonduel School District weekend events canceled.

Bonduel private school weekend events canceled.

CLINTONVILLE

Recreation center closed Saturday.

GRESHAM

Gresham Community School weekend activities canceled.

KRAKOW

St. Casimir Saturday Mass canceled.

MARION

Marion school events canceled.

Shawano Police Department

Dec. 18

Police logged 13 incidents, including the following:

Hit and Run — Police investigated a hit-and-run property damage accident in the 400 block of North Main Street.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 200 block of South Sawyer Street.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 1100 block of South Lafayette Street.

Hit and Run — Police investigated a hit-and-run property damage accident at County Road B and South Lincoln Street.

Dec. 17

Police logged 22 incidents, including the following:

Disorderly — Police responded to an intoxicated person complaint in the 700 block of South Union Street.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 500 block of East Green Bay Street.

OWI — An intoxicated driver was reported at Main and Green Bay streets. Police did not respond to a request for additional information.

OWI — An intoxicated driver was reported in the 300 block of West Swan Street. Police did not respond to a request for additional information.

Dec. 16

Police logged 20 incidents, including the following:

Loitering — Police responded to a loitering complaint on Alpine Court.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance at Center and Lincoln streets.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance at Walgreen’s, 401 E. Green Bay St.

Accident — Police responded to a property damage accident at Bartlett and Richmond streets.

Accident — Police responded to a property damage accident at Hamlin and Division streets.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Dec. 18

Deputies logged 34 incidents, including the following:

Disorderly — Authorities responded to an intoxicated person complaint at North Star Casino, W12180 County Road A, in Gresham.

Theft — Authorities responded to a property theft complaint on state Highway 156 in the town of Maple Grove.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on County Road G in the town of Red Springs.

Dec. 17

Deputies logged 27 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Charges of disorderly conduct were referred against a 26-year-old Birnamwood woman and a 26-year-old Wisconsin Rapids man after a domestic disturbance on Church Street in Birnamwood.

Accidents — Authorities logged 12 accidents.

Dec. 16

Deputies logged 48 incidents, including the following:

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint at Gresham School, 501 Schabow St., in Gresham.

Theft — Authorities responded to a property theft complaint on Main Street in Bowler.

Theft — Authorities responded to a property theft complaint on Maple Leaf Road in the town of Belle Plaine.

Accidents — Authorities logged 22 accidents.