A police officer and three other people were shot and killed when a domestic dispute at a bank escalated into shootings at three locations near Wausau on Wednesday, investigators said. A suspect was in custody.

The shootings happened at a bank, a law firm and an apartment complex, where officers, including a SWAT team, had a standoff with the suspect for several hours before ending in a volley of gunfire around 5 p.m.

Authorities took no questions in a brief news conference late Wednesday and gave no details on the four victims or suspect. They said there was no remaining threat to the public. Jason Smith, a deputy administrator for the state Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation, said more than 100 officers were investigating and more information would be released Thursday.

The violence unfolded in a cluster of small towns south of Wausau. The officer worked for Everest Metro, a small, 27-officer force that serves Schofield and Weston.

“I would like to send all my thoughts and ask everybody listening, ‘Thoughts and prayers to all the victims and their families.’ Everest Metro Chief Wally Sparks said. “Please keep them in your prayers and be with our officers.”

The first shooting was reported shortly after midday at Marathon Savings Bank in Rothschild. Officers responding a reported “domestic situation” at the bank arrived to find two people had been shot. They said the suspect was gone when they arrived.

A second call came about 10 minutes later from the Tlusty, Kennedy and Dirks law firm in nearby Schofield. The third shooting happened at 1:30 p.m. from an apartment complex in Weston.

A woman who lives in the complex said she looked out her apartment window at the complex about 1:15 p.m. to see a squad car approach, and a few seconds later heard a gunshot and saw the officer fall. Kelly Hanson, 21, told The Associated Press she saw other officers put the wounded policeman in an armored SWAT vehicle and take him away, but she could not tell if he was alive or dead.

“I thought, ‘What is going on?’ I know what a gun sounds like, and thought, ‘This isn’t good,’” Hanson said.

She said she stayed in her apartment until about 4:45 p.m. when she heard a volley of about 10 shots and began to “freak out.” Authorities eventually let her leave her apartment.

“It’s tragic that had to happen, but I think they did a good job out here today,” Hanson said.

SWAT members entered the apartment building about 2:30 p.m., the Wausau Daily Herald reported. Nearby schools and a hospital went on lockdown. The lockdowns were later lifted.

Susan Thompson, a resident of the building, told the newspaper she heard gunshots and heard someone scream. As she left her apartment, police called to her to get inside and lock her doors. Thompson, 21, said she had her 2-year-old daughter in the apartment. Officers later came to her door and helped her and her daughter outside, she said.

Omar Sey, 31, who said he had just moved to the apartment complex, learned of the shooting after he arrived home to find dozens of squad cars outside. Sey, who said he had moved to Wisconsin from Gambia, said he didn’t understand why such things happen in America.

“This is crazy,” he said. “You have everything at your disposal. Why don’t you make your life better instead of engaging in this?”

Shawano Police Department

March 22

Police logged 16 incidents, including the following:

Arrest — A 44-year-old woman was taken into custody at the probation and parole offices, 1340 E. Green Bay St.

Warrant — A man was taken into custody on a warrant at the probation and parole offices, 1340 E. Green Bay St.

Arrest — A 35-year-old man was taken into custody on a probation hold at the probation and parole offices, 1340 E. Green Bay St.

Fraud — Police investigated a fraud complaint at O’Reilly Automotive, 1301 E. Green Bay St.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 22

Deputies logged 26 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Oak Avenue in the town of Richmond.

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

Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint on state Highway 47 in the town of Lessor.

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

Clintonville Police Department

March 22

Police logged 15 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Police responded for an unwanted subject on Brix Street.

Fraud — A fraud complaint was investigated on North Main Street.

OWL — A citation was issued for operating without a license at 12th and Anne streets.

Shawano County has contracted with Emergency Communications Network LLC for its CodeRED high-speed notification solution.

The CodeRED system provides Shawano County officials an additional resource to quickly deliver emergency notifications by phone, email or text to targeted areas or the entire county.

“Whether it’s an emergency alert, a time-sensitive notification, or a targeted message to a group of people, sometimes you need to quickly share information,” said Natalie Easterday, Shawano County’s emergency management director. “CodeRED gives Shawano County the ability to communicate with residents.”

Information will be disseminated through telephone calls, text messages, emails and the CodeRED mobile alert app.

In order to receive messages, individuals and businesses will need to register.

Shawano County has been provided with an initial database of residential and business telephone numbers, however all individuals living, working or vacationing within Shawano County limits are encouraged to visit www.co.shawano.wi.us and click on the CodeRED logo to enroll additional contact information, including cellphone numbers, text and email addresses.

“No one should automatically assume his or her information is included,” Easterday said.

Individuals without internet access may call Shawano County Emergency Management at 715-526-6774 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday to supply their information over the phone.

For information, call 715-526-6774.

The Tractor Supply Company store at 1313 E. Green Bay St. in Shawano will host a pet adoption day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Families looking to add a pet to their home are encouraged to stop by the store and interact with the dogs and cats that are available for adoption.

“Pet adoption days are exciting at Tractor Supply,” said Jeff Olson, Shawano store manager. “Not only do we get to help families take home a great pet, but we also get to support our community adoption partners who are working hard to care for homeless dogs and cats.”

Participants include Shawano Cares About Critters, Laura Habeck and Girl Scout Troop 4721.

Tractor Supply partners with rescues and shelters to host pet adoption events throughout the year. Organizations interested in becoming an animal adoption partner should register at TSCEventPartners.com, contact the store by phone at 715-526-2938 or visit the store.

For information on raising pets and other animals, visit TractorSupply.com/KnowHow.

Saturday’s adoption event will coincide with Tractor Supply’s Unleash the Savings special on select pet products.

The president of Belmark Inc. said Thursday his company’s Shawano plant development is off to a strong start and should begin to take shape by this summer.

“It’s moving ahead very nicely,” Belmark President Karl Schmidt told a group at The Gathering banquet hall in Shawano.

Schmidt addressed about 100 business and civic leaders at the 12th annual meeting of Shawano County Economic Progress Inc., a regional business development organization.

The crowd applauded an upbeat assessment of economic developments of varied shapes and sizes throughout Shawano as well as such surrounding communities such as Gresham, Wittenberg and Marion.

“We have a lot of exciting things happening all around the region,” said Dennis Heling, chief economic development officer for the group commonly known as SCEPI.

Heling highlighted the results of a facade improvement program that has helped more than 40 businesses make improvements to the exterior or interior of their facilities. The program has allocated $180,000 in grants to businesses, leveraging a combined $1.2 million in investment, Heling said.

“It’s really an exceptional result,” he said. “And I’m really proud of it.”

Other developments in the spotlight Thursday included the Stubborn Brothers Brewery coming to the former Crescent Pitcher Show in downtown Shawano, renovation and expansion of the United Cooperative operation in Shawano, expansion of the Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats plant in Wittenberg, and a future Prevea Health clinic planned at the former Anello’s Torch Light restaurant site in Shawano.

Shawano City Administrator Brian Knapp presented a list of development achievements and prospects, and said the city benefits from economic growth in surrounding communities, too.

Shawano city officials once considered starting their economic development department, Knapp said, but they elected instead to continue investing in the SCEPI organization. Knapp said city officials have since been pleased with the results.

“I’m happy to say that was a good choice,” he said. “It was worth the double-down.”

SCEPI officials worked with city officials and others in persuading Belmark to choose Shawano as the site for the De Pere-based manufacturer’s new plant. The packaging maker announced last summer that it would invest $36 million to build a production facility near County Road B and Waukechon Street.

Scheduled to open in summer 2018, the plant is expected to create 25 to 35 jobs initially and ultimately to employ 120 or more.

In his presentation Thursday, Schmidt recounted how Belmark weighed Shawano against other possible sites for the development. He said preparing the construction site and getting settled in the community have reaffirmed that the company was correct in choosing Shawano.

“It’s been a very, very good process,” he said. “We’re excited about coming.”

The Shawano Redevelopment Authority on Thursday granted the Samanta Roy Institute of Science and Technology more time to provide plans to raze or repair two dilapidated downtown buildings.

The RDA seemed poised to move to condemnation proceedings for at least one of the vacant properties at 214 S. Main St., which has been sitting idle since at least 2005, when SIST was granted a building permit for improvements that were apparently never made.

The board then heard comments from SIST representative Darlene Sense, who accused the city of interfering with its remodeling plans.

She claimed there had either been some confusion or “others that interfered with this.”

SIST had previously sent a letter to the city saying their plans were to repair the building and sell it, and called on the city to “quit playing games with us.”

The city recently denied SIST a building permit for repairs to the building because of the plan lacked details.

“The building permit was denied because the city requested full plans for putting the building back into use, not just plans to address one minor issue where there’s many issues that have been identified,” Assistant City Administrator Eddie Sheppard said.

Zoning Administrator Brian Bunke said the city has still not seen the required state approval of SIST’s plans.

“We’re still waiting for a state-approved plan at this point,” he said. “Nothing has been received from the state on any plans that have been submitted.”

City Administrator Brian Knapp said the city did interfere with SIST’s plans, but, he said, for good reason.

“Certainly we interfered.” he said. “We interfered because you’re going about putting on a Band-Aid with no basis to believe it was safe, that it was structurally sound, that it would allow people to people to use that building in the future without potential danger. And without that assurance we’re not going to let you move forward with repairs on a building.”

The city conducted a court-ordered inspection of the property last year that showed it was a health and safety hazard and was structurally unsound.

Sense accused city officials of already having their minds made up.

“Obviously, the whole plan this whole time is you want the building,” she said.

Some members bristled at that allegation and said they were willing to provide SIST with additional time to present a plan.

RDA member Dave Kerber said that plan has to be more detailed than a vague promise to fix up the building and sell it.

“When I see a building permit taken out in 2005 and a building sit vacant for that long a time, that is not a plan,” he said.

SIST was given 30 days to show that it had hired an engineering or architectural firm to develop the plans, proof that those plans have been submitted to the state, an appraisal of the property and engineering estimates for restoration of the entire structure, SIST’s intentions for the building after it has been renovated, a timeline for moving forward with the reconstruction, and proof of financing showing that SIST can afford to do what it says it will do.

Sheppard estimated it could take $300,000 to $400,000 to make the property usable again, far above the building’s property value.

Thirty days after that initial deadline, SIST will have to show the RDA the full, state-approved plan, which would include how SIST intends to make the building habitable and would cover any lighting, electrical, plumbing, heating and construction work that needs to be done.

The RDA also gave SIST 60 days to come up with plans for its vacant property at 143 S. Main St., which is also considered blighted but not in as bad a shape as 214 S. Main St.

Kerber said the community has been waiting for action on these and other properties.

“The community is realizing that some of this has to move along,” he said. “There’s been inaction for 12 years.”

RDA member Katherine Sloma said there are a number of properties on the RDA priority list, but the SIST property at 214 S. Main St. is at the top of the list.

“This is the one that’s going to fall down,” she said. “This is the health and safety big issue right now.”

Shawano Police Department

March 23

Police logged 32 incidents, including the following:

Arrest — A 52-year-old man was taken into custody at the probation and parole offices, 1340 E. Green Bay St.

Disturbance — A 19-year-old Keshena man was referred for domestic-related disorderly conduct and battery after a disturbance in the 900 block of South Cleveland Avenue.

Shoplifting —A 22-year-old Shawano man was arrested for resisting/obstructing after a short foot chase from Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St. He was also cited for retail theft.

Fraud — Police investigated a fraud complaint in the 1000 block of East Robin Lane.

Fraud — Police investigated a fraud complaint in the 200 block of West Fifth Street.

Shoplifting — A 19-year-old Shawano male was cited for retail theft and cited for two previous retail thefts from Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 600 block of South Weed Street.

Drug Offense — Police investigated a drug complaint in the 800 block of East Richmond Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 23

Deputies logged 41 incidents, including the following:

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint at Wittenberg High School, 400 W. Grand Ave., Wittenberg.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on state Highway 22 in Cecil.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Balsam Row Road in the town of Wescott.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on County Road HH in the town of Washington.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint at Kwik Trip, 102 Express Way, Bonduel.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Front Street in Wittenberg.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Church Road in the town of Morris.

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

Clintonville Police Department

March 23

Police logged 12 incidents, including the following:

Theft — A cellphone was reported stolen on Industrial Avenue.

Truancy — Two citations were issued for truancy at Clintonville High School, 64 Green Tree Road.

Fraud — A fraud incident was reported on South Main Street.

Disturbance — Police responded to a family disturbance on 19th Street.

Many people who hold the job of community service officer are at the beginning of a career in law enforcement, using it as a stepping stone to a full-time police job.

That wasn’t the case with Tom Cotter, who had a career in banking behind him when he joined the Shawano Police Department as a CSO at age 60 a little more than 10 years ago.

He is retiring at age 70 on March 30.

“You work most of your adult life and somewhere along the line you’ve got to stop and smell the roses,” he said. “My job has been good. It’s been a good time.”

Cotter has worked part-time about 20 hours a week handling a variety of community service duties, none of which have required him to be a sworn officer or carry a gun.

Most of his time has been spent pursuing city code violations, such as junked or abandoned cars, garbage piled up in yards, unshoveled sidewalks and overgrown grass.

He also serves subpoenas, leads funeral processions, unlocks vehicles, chases dogs and enforces parking violations.

He has also been called upon to assist at the scene of accidents, redirecting traffic when there is road blockage.

“There’s a variety of things to do,” he said.

The city has put an emphasis in the last few years on the quality of life issues that Cotter typically deals with.

“Some people say just leave it up to the neighborhood to police those things, but we’re stepping up and trying to keep the community looking nice,” he said. “We’re always striving to improve the quality of life.”

Though the department relies heavily on citizen tips, Cotter has been out on patrol actively seeking out code violations.

“Quality of life translates into overall tax base for the city,” Cotter said. “If you’ve got properties that are depressed and there’s junk laying all over the yards, those values are going to go down. It’s important that we work on those things and get those things cleaned up to keep the values or maybe improve the values. It works well for the city in that regard.”

There have been a few high points and low points along the way, the most disturbing of which was helping clear out an abandoned residence on Maurer Street a few years back where the occupant left behind dozens of dead animals.

“He left them in cages,” Cotter said. “We had people in Hazmat suits taking those cages out. A lot of times just bone and skin in the cage. It wasn’t pretty. It was nasty.”

Cotter was also the last CSO who practiced the department’s policy of trapping skunks.

“I got sprayed one time and had to change clothes,” he said. “I had to throw the shirt away.”

After that, then-Police Chief Ed Whealon made a decision.

“That’s it; we don’t do any more skunks,” Cotter recalled him saying.

Cotter said he felt lucky to working at the police department, given that he came without knowing anything about police work.

“The staff and the people I work with were wonderful to take me in,” he said. “They work together so well. I’ve enjoyed it almost every day. I didn’t mind getting up Monday morning to come to work because of the variety of things that you do. It was good to work here. I enjoyed my time here.”

The new Boys & Girls Club of Shawano is off to a strong start and is already drawing praise from families in the area.

Since opening its doors in January, the club has attracted 15 members for after-school activities and services at Olga Brener Intermediate School in Shawano.

The club is open to third-, fourth- and fifth-graders and is designed to give children structured after-school supervision rather than leaving them bored or frustrated.

Organizers held a ribbon-cutting and grand opening ceremony Tuesday to celebrate the successful launch of an important new community service that took three years of study and planning.

“We’re very proud of this,” co-chairman Wendy Crawford told parents and others at the ceremony.

With room available for many more children to join the Boys & Girls Club, the celebration at Olga Brener was also intended to reach other families who might want to consider it as an alternative for their children.

Danielle Coffey, a parent who brought her kids to look around, said her second-grade son spends too much time being unproductive in a computer lab after school. Coffey said she will consider enrolling her son in the Boys & Girls Club when he reaches third grade next year.

“I’m definitely looking forward to having this option for him,” she said.

A group called Leadership Shawano County in 2014 conducted a needs assessment on after-school options for local children. That was followed by a study on creating a local Boys & Girls Club, with assistance from the Shawano School District, the city of Shawano and others.

The effort culminated in last summer’s announcement that the Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay was getting behind Shawano’s new group with administrative and organizational support.

After a fundraising drive to gather needed financing, the club opened its doors in January, offering parents the chance to enroll their kids for just $10 for an entire school year. The club meets every school day in the Olga Brener gym for physical fitness, arts and crafts, homework and other activities.

Pat and Jodi Anderson enrolled their fourth-grade daughter, Olivia, because she had outgrown after-school day care and because she heard that some friends were trying the new club. The family has been pleased with the results, as Olivia enjoys spending time with kids her own age.

“I think it’s a very positive thing,” Jodi Anderson said. “I hope to see more kids join.”

Since the club got started with six kids initially, membership has grown to 15.

Club director Kimberly Lodewegen said she hopes to reach 30 kids before this school year ends, and possibly enroll as many as 50 next school year.

Lodewegen said she is working to promote awareness of the club and also to dispel misconceptions about the audience it is intended to serve. She said the club is a positive outlet for any third- through fifth-grader who needs supervised after-school supervision and companionship.

“This is for everybody — all of these kids,” she said.

Editor’s note: This is the fourth article in a series of five profiling winners of the Celebration of Giving awards presented annually by Shawano Area Community Foundation Inc. for outstanding volunteerism. The winners will be honored at a gala April 11 at the Gathering.

Emma Schmidt inherited a passion for volunteerism from her mother, and the passion has been burning ever since.

The high school senior has worked at a food pantry, taught Sunday school at her church, performed violin for nursing home residents, packed Christmas gifts for needy children, and introduced young students to the business world.

And that does not even include her many activities at Shawano Community High School.

The high-energy, high-impact young woman from Shawano is being recognized for her community service efforts with the 2017 Youth Volunteer Award from the Shawano Area Community Foundation.

“I just really feel honored,” she said.

The daughter of Tyler and Heather Schmidt will join four other honorees April 11 at the foundation’s Celebration of Giving gala, which recognizes individuals or groups that have exhibited a spirit of volunteerism in the Shawano area. Each honoree receives a $1,000 donation to be directed to a nonprofit organization of their choosing.

Schmidt will be donating her $1,000 award to the children’s ministries at Hope Community Church in Shawano.

Sandy Ebbinger, district director of Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, nominated Schmidt for the foundation award, saying that Schmidt has shown boundless energy for worthwhile causes. Not only has the award winner worked with children and adults alike, Ebbinger said, she has asserted herself both in Shawano and beyond.

“She’s really very well-rounded,” Ebbinger said. “It tells me that she’s motivated to make a difference.”

Schmidt, 18, got her first exposure to volunteer service at Hope Community Church, where her mother taught Sunday school. As a young child, Schmidt accompanied her mother and eventually started offering assistance.

By the time she reached her teens, Schmidt was volunteering to care for babies in the church’s nursery.

As the second-oldest of five children at home, Schmidt has devoted much time to getting to know her younger siblings and offering them a helping hand whenever possible. When she became active in Junior Achievement, she found another way to help children, volunteering to introduce the business-based program to younger students.

Assisting those younger than her is a special interest that runs deep.

“I feel like I have a calling toward kids,” she said.

As a student at Shawano Community High School, Schmidt has been inducted into the National Honor Society and has taken her violin talents to the Tri-M Music Honor Society. She also has served on the Student Council, the Science Society and the Spanish Club.

Outside of school, she has volunteered at the Shawano Area Food Pantry and Resource Center while also working in the relief efforts of the organizations known as Feed My Starving Children and Operation Christmas Child.

Ebbinger said she was met many gifted young men and women through Junior Achievement. When she was preparing Schmidt’s nomination for the community foundation award, she was struck by the depth and diversity of Schmidt’s civic activism.

“I was just really impressed,” she said.

After high school graduation this spring, Schmidt plans to enroll at Carroll University in Waukesha and study physical therapy.

Although she recognizes that attending college will leave her little free time, she hopes to continue community service volunteering as much as possible.

“I just love the feeling of being able to help out people,” she said. “I love being helpful.”

Shawano Police Department

March 26

Police logged 22 incidents, including the following:

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint in the 2600 block of East Richmond Street.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint in the 1000 block of East Green Bay Street.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint at Kuckuk Park, 500 Oak Drive.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint at County Road M and Water Street.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance at the Quality Inn and Suites, 104 N. Airport Drive.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint in the 300 block of Madison Way.

Assault — Police investigated an assault complaint in the 1300 block of East Lieg Avenue.

Fraud — Police investigated a fraud complaint at Farm Inn on Main, 123 N. Main St.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 700 block of South Hamlin Street.

March 25

Police logged 15 incidents, including the following:

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint at the Super 8 Motel, 211 Waukechon St.

Accident — Police responded to an injury accident in the 200 block of West Richmond Street involving a driver whose vehicle struck a house. The accident was under investigation. The driver was treated at the scene.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 1100 block of East Lieg Avenue.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint in the 400 block of West Richmond Street.

March 24

Police logged 27 incidents, including the following:

Theft — A handgun was reported stolen in the 200 block of South Union Street.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious person complaint in the 1000 block of South Lincoln Street.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 600 block of South Weed Street.

Threatening — Police responded to a threatening complaint in the 600 block of South Weed Street.

Truancy — Police logged two truancy complaints from the Shawano School District.

Accident — Police responded to a two-vehicle property damage accident at Birch Hill Lane and Prospect Street.

Assault — Police investigated an assault complaint in the 600 block of South Weed Street.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 700 block of South Hamlin Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 26

Deputies logged 34 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Charges of battery, disorderly conduct and damage to property were referred against a 37-year-old Wittenberg man after a disturbance on Home Street in the town of Wittenberg.

OWI — A 22-year-old Freedom woman was arrested for operating while intoxicated and possession of drug paraphernalia after a property damage accident on stateHighway 47 in the town of Lessor.

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a lewd and lascivious behavior complaint on Cecil Street in Bonduel.
Disturbance — Charges of strangulation, disorderly conduct and obstructing an officer were referred against a 25-year-old Minot, North Dakota man after a domestic disturbance on County Road MMM in the town of Richmond.

OAR — A 40-year-old man was taken into custody on a probation hold, operating after revocation and bail jumping after authorities responded to a reckless driving complaint on state Highway 29 in the town of Hartland.

OWI — A 54-year-old Pulaski man was arrested for operating while intoxicated after a minor accident on County Road S in the town of Lessor.

March 25

Deputies logged 30 incidents, including the following:

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Lake Drive in the town of Wescott.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Stony Hill Road in the town of Pella.

Littering — A 26-year-old Stevens Point man was cited for littering after throwing his driver’s license out the window during a traffic stop on Genesee Street in Wittenberg where he was pulled over for wearing a seat belt.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Highway 29 in the town of Hartland.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Oak Street in Bowler.
Warrant — A 24-year-old Cecil woman was arrested on a warrant on Highway 22 in Cecil.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Main Street in Bowler.
March 24

Deputies logged 38 incidents, including the following:

Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint on County Road Y in the town of Belle Plaine.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a fight at the Shawano County Jail, 405 N. Main St.

Drug Offense — A 25-year-old Wittenberg man was arrested for bail jumping, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia and cited for operating after revocation on Ellms Street in Wittenberg.
Fraud — Authorities investigated a fraud complaint on state Highway 156 in the town of Lessor.

Truancy — Authorities responded to three truancy complaints from Bonduel Middle/High School, 400 W. Green Bay St.

Fraud — Authorities responded to an identity theft complaint on Forest View Lane in the town of Belle Plaine.

OWI — A 53-year-old Green Bay man was arrested for operating while intoxicated on state Highway 29 in the town of Wittenberg.

The Shawano Farmers Market will host its annual meeting and 10th anniversary celebration at 7 p.m. Thursday at Angie’s Main Café, 132 S. Main St.

Cake, pie, ice cream and coffee will be served, and the board will inform prospective vendors and the public about the upcoming market, sponsorship opportunities, vendor procedures and more.

The 2017 market will again be held from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays, June 17 through Oct. 7, at Franklin Park.

Market forms and rules are available at www.shawanofarmersmarket.org. Payments and completed applications can be brought to the meeting or mailed to P.O. Box 104, Shawano, WI 54166.

For information, contact Nathan Falk, market director, at shawanofarmmarket@gmail.com or 715-851-9834.

Meeting participants are asked use the restaurant’s rear entrance. Parking is available in the municipal lot at Shawano City Hall, 127 S. Sawyer St.

Fire broke out in a second-floor apartment of Knotty Pines Bar & Grill in Birnamwood on Tuesday.

There were no injuries. The bar doesn’t open until 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and no one was upstairs.

Knotty Pines owner Bobbie Otto was on site but unavailable for comment.

According to Birnamwood volunteer firefighter Randy Berger, the Birnamwood Fire Department received the call between 11:30 a.m. and noon.

With no wind and the temperature around 55 degrees, there were no complications with controlling the fire. The fire was contained by 3 p.m.

“Most of the damage was to the ceiling and roof,” Berger said.

It appeared the fire started in the roof, he said, but the investigation was not completed Tuesday.

The Hatley, Ringle, Mattoon and Easton fire departments also responded, along with Rural Fire Control of Langlade County and the Salvation Army. Wittenberg Fire Department responded to the request for more water.

Chet & Emil’s Restaurant provided pizzas for the emergency personnel.

Shawano Police Department

March 27

Police logged 28 incidents, including the following:

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint in the 1400 block of East Elizabeth Street.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint in the 600 block of South Main Street.

Reckless Driving — Police responded to a reckless driving complaint at Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St.

Truancy — Police logged a truancy complaint from Olga Brener Intermediate School, 1300 S. Union St.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint at Pick ‘n Save, 190 Woodlawn Drive.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 27

Deputies logged 41 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on First Street in Eland.

Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint at the North Star Casino, W12180 County Road A, Bowler.

Truancy — Authorities logged two truancy complaints from the Tigerton School District and two from the Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District.

OWL — A 26-year-old man was cited for operating without a license on state Highway 29 in the town of Hartland.

Vandalism — Authorities responded to a vandalism complaint on Vinal Street in Wittenberg.

Burglary — A burglary was reported on Silver Creek Road in the town of Aniwa.

Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint on Pioneer Road in the town of Belle Plaine.

Clintonville Police Department

March 27

Police logged 11 incidents, including the following:

Burglary — Officers investigated an attempted burglary on East 14th Street.

Accident — Police responded to a two-vehicle property damage accident on North 12th Street.

Accident — Report completed for a car versus deer accident on SSGT Warren Hansen Drive at state Highway 156.

Prompted by an incident in which wheels fell off a school bus carrying students, the Bonduel School District has privatized its transportation system in the middle of the school year.

School administrators signed a deal with Kobussen Buses Ltd. of Kaukauna to take over the fleet of school buses effective Feb. 27 and to handle all nine bus routes throughout the district.

Kobussen, which also serves the Oconto and Peshtigo school districts, will earn about $500,000 a year under a Bonduel contract scheduled to continue for five years.

District Administrator Patrick Rau said the deal represents a savings, because it spares taxpayers the cost of replacing the district’s aging fleet of buses, most of which were 15 to 20 years old.

Rau said officials are pleased with a smooth transition to Kobussen over the past several weeks, and they feel confident that the transportation system is in capable hands.

“I think it’s been good,” he said. “They have a wealth of knowledge and expertise to fall back on.”

Kobussen has been in business since the 1940s and currently serves 24 school districts, including New London, Little Chute and Neenah.

Oconto School District Superintendent Aaron Mulchaski said his district has contracted with Kobussen for several years and has been happy with the service.

Mulchaski said he enjoys “great peace of mind” knowing that students are receiving safe and reliable transportation for school days, athletic events, field trips and all other needs.

“They’ve been a wonderful partner for us,” he said of Kobussen.

Bonduel school officials had been conscious of their aging bus fleet and the need for future consideration of transportation issues when an incident on Oct. 27 gave the matter a heightened sense of urgency.

A bus carrying about 35 students to school suddenly lost two wheels in traffic while traveling on a state highway with a 55 mph speed limit. The driver was able to maneuver the disabled vehicle to a halt on the shoulder of the road, and no serious injuries were reported.

A state inspector later determined that the wheels fell off because of human error involving improper maintenance of the bus.

Rau said officials realized they needed to look at changes immediately because of the incident, coupled with the condition of the bus fleet and the recent loss of staff in the district’s transportation department. A newly hired department director had resigned after just a few months on the job.

“The time to do it was as soon as possible,” Rau said.

Calculating that the district would need to replace two buses annually at a cost of $85,000 each, officials determined that the district would invest $3.1 million over the next five years to continue operating its own bus system and to make the needed improvements. In contrast, contracting with Kobussen to take over the system for the same five-year period would cost $2.7 million, for a savings of about $400,000.

After examining similar proposals from three private companies, school board members agreed to sign a deal with Kobussen.

Kobussen immediately retired Bonduel’s oldest buses, replaced them with better Kobussen vehicles, and brought in its own maintenance staff. The existing crew of bus drivers will remain school district employees for now, but they will switch over and became Kobussen employees when the new school year begins in the fall.

Dan Kobussen, vice president of the company, called it atypical to assume responsibility for a bus system in the middle of a school year.

Kobussen added, however, that the circumstances allowed his company to move seamlessly into a system that has routes already in place and has drivers already trained and accustomed to their routes. The change has been relatively effortless and has offered students and others consistency, he said.

“I think it’s been a pretty smooth transition,” he said. “It’s a little unusual, but everything’s gone really smooth.”

Editor’s note: This is the final article in a series of five profiling winners of the Celebration of Giving awards presented annually by Shawano Area Community Foundation Inc. for outstanding volunteerism. The winners will be honored at a gala April 11 at the Gathering.

Ed Grys gets the big picture.

That’s why Paula Morgen, director of community health at ThedaCare, nominated him for this year’s Health Care Volunteer Award from the Shawano Area Community Foundation.

“Ed is a huge champion in the community for creating health and well-being,” Morgen said.

Morgen said Grys understands that health is more than just diet and exercise, but includes factors like family, poverty and environment.

The Health Care Volunteer Award annually honors an individual for his or her commitment to improving health and well-being of others through volunteerism.

“I’m very pleased,” Grys said. “It’s very nice to be recognized. It’s not why I do it, but it’s very nice to be recognized by the people you work with.”

Bringing the community together to collectively understand and address societal issues that impact health is the role of the Shawano Menominee Community Health Action Team, which launched in early 2013.

Grys agreed to co-chair the fledgling initiative along with then-Shawano hospital CEO Dorothy Erdmann. More than 20 community leaders from all sectors meet monthly to direct the efforts of CHAT.

“When the team was formed, they recruited a number of people from a cross-section of the community,” Grys said. “Because I had experience with the concept in Appleton, I was asked to co-chair.”

Appleton had a CHAT about 12 years ago, Grys said, in which the that team also explored different community needs and wanted input from the Shawano area.

“I was invited to be a part of it,” he said.

One of the results of that participation was the establishment of the Rural Health Initiative in Shawano County.

Grys retired from Little Rapids Corp. in 2009. He has lived in the Shawano community for 28 years. After retirement, he felt he still had more he could contribute.

“I can’t sit around making kites and working in the shop all day,” he said. “I felt I could make a difference. I’m not an expert but I have some experience working with groups to facilitate getting to solutions. I know people in segments of town that I could call on and I was comfortable doing that.”

The SACF award comes with a $1,000 prize, which Grys said he would donate to the Kids Klub at First Presbyterian Church.

The latchkey program offers kids a place to go after school and also operates on snow days and during spring break and Christmas vacation.

The program is sustained by grants and donations. “It’s a good cause,” Grys said.

“In just a couple of years, much has taken place to make the community a healthier place to live, learn, work and play. This is in large part to Ed’s leadership of this new CHAT,” Morgen said in her nomination form.

The heart of CHAT is the “plunge” — an eight-hour field trip for 30-60 leaders from all sectors of the community, including business, health care, education, government, faith organizations, nonprofits, United Way, community foundations and other stakeholders who are passionate about the issue at hand.

The purpose of the plunge is to experience first-hand the challenges many in our community face. Since CHAT began, CHAT has hosted two plunges, one on alcohol abuse and one on drug use.

“With the alcohol plunge, we looked at the problem from all different angles,” Grys said.

Results of that plunge have include a binge drinking awareness campaign and proposed legislation for additional bartender training and certification.

A third plunge is in the works about early childhood, aimed at helping parents of children from birth to pre-kindergarten to prepare them for school and put them on a more equal footing, which will aid their education in later years, Grys said.

“Our goal is to precipitate some action to work on problems that have not been tackled before, a catalyst to get things going,” he said.

Debriefing meetings following the plunge engage stakeholders around gaps and opportunities, mobilizing community assets, creative problem solving, additional needed community engagement, and allocation of CHAT funding.

Under Grys’ direction, CHAT has garnered ThedaCare and community resources to do the following:

• Address how local providers prescribe drugs to reduce amount of drugs available in the community that may be abused or lead to addiction.

• Work with public health, pharmacists, law enforcement and health providers to apply for a grant to educate the community about proper disposal of unused prescription drugs.

• Establish a four-part workshop for area employers on how to recognize substance use/abuse in the workplace and how to support employees with addiction issues.

• Establish a monthly wellness series in The Shawano Leader.

• Support a local campaign to create awareness about what binge drinking is and the prevalence in our community.

• Take a look at school start times to reduce opportunity for “risky behaviors” during unsupervised time after school and to align sleep hours with teen biorhythms to allow for greater academic success.

• Work through local legislators to support bartender skills in dealing with alcohol abuse.

“Ed is committed to families and building the future of our Shawano community,” Morgen said.

Through his leadership, he organized a group of community partners to plan, develop, and implement two Born Learning Trails in Shawano. These trails, as part of the United Way’s Early Childhood Development initiative, promote family and community interactions as a way to turn everyday experiences into learning opportunities for children.

Rather than just install the trails, Grys engaged a local artist and conservation group to add additional artwork and landscape to the trails — making them enjoyable for all ages.

As a spin-off to this project, Grys also helped spearhead the SMART (Super Markets Activities Really Teach) signs in Charlie’s County Market.

He understands that to build a healthy and happy workforce for the future the investment in prevention strategies, health and social promotion, and community support is needed now.

“There are a number of volunteers in our area and they’re being recognized in a number of ways,” Grys said.

With budget cuts, many programs are being supported heavily by volunteers.

“It’s a way of life these days,” Grys said. “It’s nice to know they’re doing something that’s appreciated.”

Shawano Police Department

March 28

Police logged 29 incidents, including the following:

Auto Theft — A car reported stolen in the 300 block of South Washington Street was recovered after a single-vehicle crash on the Menominee Reservation.

Fraud — Police investigated a fraud complaint at CoVantage Credit Union, 911 E. Green Bay St.

Fraud — Police investigated a telephone scam complaint in the 100 block of Mountain Bay Trail.

Theft — A wallet and keys were reported stolen from a vehicle in the 500 block of West Division Street.

Fraud — Police investigated a fraud complaint at Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St.

Shoplifting — Two female shoplifters were cited for shoplifting at Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St.

Disturbance — Police responded to a report of a fight in progress on Humphrey Circle.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

March 28

Deputies logged 42 incidents, including the following:

Warrant — A 23-year-old man was taken into custody on outstanding warrants on state Highway 22 in Cecil.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Main Street in Bowler.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Sugar Bush Road in the town of Aniwa.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Wolf River Road in the town of Richmond.

Assault — Authorities investigated an assault complaint at the Shawano County Jail, 405 N. Main St., Shawano.

Accidents — Authorities logged three deer-related accidents.

Clintonville Police Department

March 28

Police logged 10 incidents, including the following:

OWI — A driver was arrested for operating while intoxicated and possession of marijuana at Sixth and Bennett Street.

Theft — Retail theft on South Main Street was under investigation.

Ann O’Leary, Wisconsin’s 69th Alice in Dairyland, will lead interactive sessions with fourth-graders at several Shawano County schools next week.

The “Mapping out a Healthy Wisconsin” lessons were developed by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to teach students about the impact of agriculture in the state and to help them make healthy food choices.

The lively trivia game format quizzes students on 16 healthy food choices grown or produced in Wisconsin.

“We are enthusiastic about this proven educational program,” said Laura Wilford, director of the Wisconsin Dairy Council. “Mapping out a Healthy Wisconsin is a fun, action-packed fourth-grade classroom presentation. It’s structured to complement the basic grade level Wisconsin curriculum and to expand students’ knowledge about agriculture and nutrition”

The lessons also challenge students’ mathematical skills by teaching, for example, that the state’s dairy business generates $43.4 billion in annual economic activity and the dairy industry produces more than 600 varieties, types and styles of Wisconsin cheese.

In addition, students learn the health benefits of many of their favorite farm products such as milk, cranberries, potatoes and green beans.

O’Leary will visit Bowler Elementary, Tigerton Elementary, St. Paul Lutheran in Bonduel and Bonduel Elementary on Tuesday. On Wednesday, she will be at Birnamwood Elementary, Sacred Heart Catholic in Shawano and Gillett Elementary. She concludes her trip to Shawano County on Thursday with visits to St. James Lutheran in Shawano, Wittenberg Elementary and Gresham Elementary.

An 86-year-old Eau Claire man who was the subject of a Silver Alert was located safe in Shawano County by sheriff’s deputies Tuesday evening.

Donald Skinner was reported missing shortly after not returning home from a breakfast at an Eau Claire restaurant about 10 a.m. His family contacted Eau Claire police and an alert was issued.

Shawano County authorities were notified that Skinner was driving a 2004 Chrysler and might be on state Highway 29. He had reportedly been seen heading east from Wausau around 6:15 p.m. going about 35 mph, according to the sheriff’s report.

A deputy spotted the vehicle near U.S. Highway 45 near Wittenberg.

Capt. Tom Tuma said Skinner was “suffering from a medical condition and was rendered aid.”

No further information was being released.

“He was located and his family was notified,” Tuma said.

Shawano Park and Recreation Director Matt Hendricks on Wednesday wrapped up his last scheduled presentation ahead of Tuesday’s vote on borrowing for park improvements.

The advisory referendum question will ask residents whether the city should borrow up to $1.85 million for development of the Franklin and Smalley parks and a splash pad to replace the kiddie pool at Memorial Park.

The 20-year loan would mean an estimated annual tax increase of 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, or $25 for a $100,000 home.

Hendricks’s presentation Wednesday was given to about three dozen people at the Civic Center, where attendees seemed most interested in proposed improvements at Franklin Park.

Hendricks said older groups were more focused on Franklin Park, while families with children seem to gravitate more to the splash pad feature.

The city has held four open house meetings, and Hendricks has gone out to a number of community organizations to explain the proposed improvements and the impact it would have on tax bills.

In addition, more than 5,000 people have viewed the department’s postings on social media, according to Hendricks.

“We’re hoping for good turnout,” Hendricks said.

There’s also one Common Council race on the ballot between incumbent Alderman Bob Kurkiewicz and challenger Jessica Van Buren.

The park plan has been getting outside support from several groups that have been pushing for a yes vote with yard signs, flyers and advertising.

None of that is being funded by the city, Hendricks said.

The groups include ThedaCare’s Community Health Action Team, Pathways, Shawano Ski Sharks and the Shawano Farmers Market.

Hendricks said he is not aware of any organized effort pushing for a no vote, but there have been individuals who have expressed opposition to seeing their taxes go up.

“That’s been the one common negative I’ve heard, is the taxes,” he said.

Hendricks said there have been some people who don’t like individual elements of the proposed park improvements, but no consensus on any one piece in particular.

At Franklin Park, the improvements would include an amphitheater for music, movies and community events; public restrooms, and pavilion space available for public rental; a water fountain with benches and trees for visual interest; parking, electrical, landscaping and infrastructure to accommodate community events; walkways, picnic tables and benches; and space for a future playground.

At Smalley Park, plans call for a park pavilion with restroom facilities and a rentable picnic shelter; a canoe and kayak launch; boat landings and boat slips; improved parking, lighting and security; walking trails that connect all of the major park features; trees and other native plantings, including native plantings along the waterway to deter geese; and continued revitalization of the beach and the improvement of beach amenities.

The referendum package would also include replacement of the wading pool at Memorial Park with a splash pad, basically a playground with water features.

The department typically has a capital improvements budget of $250,000 a year, meaning it could take about eight years to accomplish the proposed projects if none of that money were to be spent on any other park improvements, according to the city.

The additional borrowing would allow the improvements to be made within about two years, though the actual work would probably not get underway until next year.

Even if the referendum is approved by voters, it will be up to the Shawano Common Council to approve the borrowing.

If Tuesday’s vote goes overwhelmingly one way or another, the council could take action in April.

If it’s close, Hendricks said, there is likely to be more discussion.