Many farmers have been asked to tell their story in an effort to explain to those without a farming background what they do for a living and why they do it.

Deb Mielke doesn’t like that idea. It’s not because she doesn’t think others should know how the farm she and her husband, Dale, operate; she just hates the phrase “tell your story.”

“This isn’t a story we’re telling,” Mielke said. “All we’re doing is promoting our lifestyle, and we think the product we produce is better than these other products that claim they’re milk but they’re not milk.”

The Mielkes will get the chance to showcase the S-Curve Dairy and explain where milk and other nutritional products come from when they host the annual Shawano County Brunch on the Farm on June 25. This will be the third time the Mielkes have hosted the traditional June event.

Playing host did not come about due to want as much as need. The Shawano County Farm Bureau tries to alternate host sites between the western and eastern halves of the county, and with the 2016 brunch taking place at a farm south of Bonduel, that meant the 2017 brunch should have been on a farm on the west side of the county.

Things didn’t work out that way, according to Mielke, who has chaired the event in recent years.

“When we finished the brunch in 2015, Kevin Bonnin had called and said he wanted to do it in 2016,” Mielke said. “When we finished last year, there was nobody.”

The Farm Bureau continued to solicit farmers, but when February came and no one had stepped up, Mielke felt the best option would be to take on the host duties. The farm had been able to handle the large crowd that the brunch traditionally brings in the past.

“A couple of people I had contacted said they would be interested, but they wanted to get this done or that done,” Mielke said. “There were a lot of excuses, but you couldn’t blame them. This takes a lot of time to plan.”

Mielke said a key factor in alternating sites is to show the different ways dairy farms care for and milk the cows that provide the products that lead to grilled cheese sandwiches, butter and more.

“We have small farms. We have large farms. We have in-between farms,” Mielke said.

She and her husband, Dale, milk 320 cows on the land that Dale’s grandfather purchased in 1926. The farm, located south of Caroline, includes 320 acres that the family owns and another 250 acres that it rents to grow the alfalfa and corn used to feed the cows.

In a few years, S-Curve Dairy will become a Wisconsin Century Farm, the second in the family, Mielke said.

The farm almost found itself without a product distributor this year. S-Curve Dairy was not among the 75 farms statewide that were surprised in April by Grassland Dairy Products’ announcement that it would stop buying their milk for export to Canada, but the distributor the Mielkes had been working with, Nasonville Dairy in Marshfield, announced it was cutting ties as of April 1.

“We had two weeks to find somebody else, and the market is saturated,” Mielke said. “There was nobody that would take more milk.”

The crisis was resolved when Dupont Cheese Inc. of Marion took the Mielkes’ milk “in a minute,” Mielke said.

The deal was beneficial to the Mielkes, as Dupont is only 5 miles from S-Curve Dairy, and the timing was perfect.

“If it had been the other way around — Grassland customers calling Dupont before us — it would have been horrible for us,” Mielke said. “You’ve got buildings, land, animals, employees who have families. Then you have your own family. What can you do? You can’t just cut things off overnight.”

Mielke is eager to greet the 3,000-5,000 people who traditionally attend Brunch on the Farm. She noted that, while many brunch hosts have stayed on the sidelines talking with people about their farms, she plans to be more hands-on when people arrive next weekend.

Mielke will deliver a sermon for the nondenominational church service that starts at 8 a.m., and she’s going to do a candy toss for kids on a grassy area at 11:30 a.m. — with milk chocolate, of course. She also plans to show visitors how to make their own butter and give them some to take home, something she’s wanted to do for years.

“That can’t come fast enough,” Mielke said of her planned activities.

Other activities include the kids’ dairy bake-off challenge, 5K dairy dash, wagon rides and farm tours, mechanical milking cow, kids games, barrel train rides, petting zoo, bounce house, and the list goes on.

As for the breakfast itself, the Mielkes — along with dozens of volunteers — will serve up scrambled eggs with diced ham, sausages, hash browns, cheese, cinnamon bread with butter, milk, juice, and ice cream with strawberries or maple syrup.

S-Curve Dairy will also introduce the newest member of its family, a calf named Snowball born earlier this week. Mielke recounted how she and her daughter were planting flowers when they heard a moo coming from the dry cow barn, and they discovered that the mother had given birth there.

“They’ll let you know when something’s wrong,” she said. “We try to do a lot of things to keep them as comfortable as possible.”

Being able to show Snowball and the other cows in their element is very important to Mielke, who gets frustrated when she reads media reports about allegations of animal abuse on other farms by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and other animal rights organizations. She’s eager to show how local farmers produce the food that people will enjoy at the brunch.

“Some Farm Bureaus do their brunches as a fundraiser,” Mielke said. “Ours is education. We’re not here to sell products. We’re here to educate people.”

Shawano Police Department

June 18

Police logged 21 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance involving a juvenile in the 600 block of East Schurz Street.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 600 block of East Center Street.

Burglary — Police investigated a report of an attempted burglary in the 900 block of South Lutz Street.

Disturbance — A 23-year-old Green Bay man was arrested for domestic violence-related disorderly conduct, bail jumping and possession of marijuana after a disturbance in the 800 block of East Fifth Street.

June 17

Police logged 31 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — A 26-year-old Keshena man was arrested for battery/domestic, disorderly conduct/domestic and possession of marijuana after a disturbance in the 900 block of Olson Street.

Fraud — Dollar Tree, 172 Woodlawn Drive, reported a counterfeit $100 bill.

Fraud — BMO Harris Bank, 206 N. Airport Drive, reported two counterfeit bills.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 1200 block of East Green Bay Street.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 200 block of North Humphrey Circle.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 400 block of South Weed Street.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile alcohol complaint at Kuckuk Park, 700 Oak Drive.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile alcohol complaint in the 400 block of East Elizabeth Street.

June 16

Police logged 26 incidents, including the following:

Shoplifting — A 14-year-old Suring girl was cited for shoplifting, resisting arrest and underage alcohol possession after a shoplifting incident at Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St.

Disturbance — A 47-year-old Shawano man was arrested for arson, burglary, two counts of battery, false imprisonment, stalking and reckless endangerment, all domestic violence-related, after a disturbance in the 1200 block of South Andrews Street.

Disorderly — Police responded to an intoxicated person complaint at Smalley and Swan streets.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

June 18

Deputies logged 29 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on County Road E in the town of Washington.

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile problem on Hemlock Road in the town of Wittenberg.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Spruce Road in the town of Belle Plaine.

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

Accident — Authorities responded to an injury accident on Lake Drive in the town of Wescott.

June 17

Deputies logged 49 incidents, including the following:

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on County Road VV in the town of Red Springs.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Town Line Road in the town of Herman.

Fraud — Authorities responded to a fraud complaint on Pathfinder Court in the town of Wescott.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Bartelt Street in Gresham.
Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Quad Park Lane in Tigerton.

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Highway 29 in the town of Wittenberg.

June 16

Deputies logged 62 incidents, including the following:

Hit and Run — Authorities investigated a property damage hit-and-run on Lake Drive in the town of Wescott.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Elm Road in the town of Lessor.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Vinal Street in Wittenberg.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Anderson Avenue in the town of Wescott.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Westgor Avenue in Wittenberg.
Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile problem on Maple Road in the town of Aniwa.

Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint on Freeborn Street in Cecil.
Accident — Authorities responded to an injury accident on County Road E in the town of Green Valley.

Shawano Police Department

June 19

Police logged 28 incidents, including the following:

Vandalism — A vehicle was reported vandalized in the 700 block of South Lafayette Street.

Fraud — Aldi’s, 1253 E. Green Bay St., reported that two con artists worked a scam at the store involving exchanging $100 bills for change and ended up making off with $600.

Disorderly — Police responded to an intoxicated person complaint at Franklin and Stevens streets.

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

Vandalism — A vehicle was reported vandalized in the 100 block of Mountain Bay Trail Drive.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance on Briarwood Lane.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

June 19

Deputies logged 35 incidents, including the following:

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on First Street in Bonduel.

Threatening — Authorities responded to a threatening complaint on Hemlock Road in the town of Wittenberg.

Theft — Authorities investigated a property theft complaint on Birch Street in Tigerton.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Flambeau Road in the town of Hartland.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Beilke Road in the town of Red Springs.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Webb Street in Wittenberg.

Stockbridge-Munsee Police Department

June 18

Police logged four incidents, including the following:

Burglary — A burglary was reported on Knoke Street.

Clintonville Police Department

June 19

Police logged 10 incidents, including the following:

Suspicious — A suspicious incident was checked on Eighth Street.

Accident — Property damage accident report completed after driver struck another vehicle behind the elementary school, 105 S. Clinton Ave.

Juvenile — Warnings issued to three juveniles for loud noise and one for curfew on Hemlock Street.

The Clintonville Common Council last week approved repairs for a sidewalk that has been closed for over a year.

The council approved a bid June 13 for $65,915 from Norcon Corporation, Schofield, to repair a segment of the Ninth Street sidewalk on the corner of Ninth Street and South Main Street. Work is underway and is expected to take about three weeks.

A routine inspection of the commercial building by the fire department in April 2016 found the problem. The basement of the building extends beyond the sidewalk to the curb line. The whole sidewalk was exposed in the basement, and there was water damage that was causing the concrete to fall apart.

The city recently signed an agreement for the repairs with the property owner, Don Smith Condominium Owners Association. The city will pay the entire cost of the project, but will assess the property owner half the cost on its tax bills over the next 10 years.

Kray Brown, Clintonville public works director, said Norcon is one of the largest companies in the industry that does this type of repair.

A Shawano man was ordered held on a $100,000 cash bond Tuesday while he faces multiple charges in connection with a domestic incident last week that culminated in setting a fire in an apparent suicide attempt, according to the criminal complaint.

Joseph O. Maccagnano, 47, is facing felony counts of arson, burglary, false imprisonment, reckless endangerment and stalking, along with misdemeanor counts of battery, disorderly conduct and criminal trespass.

According to the criminal complaint, Maccagnano barricaded himself in a bathroom where he told police he had hoped to succumb to smoke inhalation after the alleged domestic incident. He was dragged out by firefighters responding to the fire.

Shawano police responded to a report of a domestic disturbance shortly after 6:30 p.m. Friday and found a woman who had taken refuge in her vehicle outside of a residence where Maccagnano was still inside and armed with a hammer, according to the criminal complaint.

The woman had multiple facial wounds and was bleeding heavily. She was treated at the scene by emergency responders.

Police then heard smoke alarms going off and spotted smoke coming from the residence and called in the Shawano Area Fire Department.

According to the criminal complaint, Maccagnano told police he had been using meth starting two days before the incident.

He said he continued smoking meth while barricaded in the bathroom waiting to succumb to the smoke from the fire he had set, according to the complaint.

Maccagnano could face a maximum 40 years in prison and a $100,000 fine on two felony counts of arson if found guilty.

He could also face a maximum 15 years in prison and a $50,000 fine for burglary involving committing battery on a person.

The woman knew Maccagnano, but he had no permission to be there, according to the woman, who told police she had found him in the residence when she arrived home.

He also allegedly prevented the woman from leaving during the domestic assault, according to the criminal complaint, and could face a maximum six years in prison and $10,000 fine for domestic abuse-related false imprisonment.

Maccagnano could also face a maximum 12½ years in prison and a $25,000 fine for reckless endangerment if convicted for endangering the lives of police and firefighters.

Maccagnano is also accused of stalking the woman prior to the incident. He could face 3½ years in prison and a $10,000 fine on a felony charge of stalking if found guilty.

Maccagnano is scheduled for an adjourned initial court appearance on July 10.

Shawano Lake boosters have won a battle against an invasive plant species, but they know the war might not be over yet.

One year after large-scale herbicide treatments, the group known as Shawano Area Waterways Management says the lake’s water quality is significantly better for the 2017 summer season.

Now the waiting begins to see if — or when — the destructive underwater plants make a comeback.

Ray Zuelke, a board member of the waterways group, said the stubborn invasive species known as Eurasian Water Milfoil (EWM) almost always returns to one degree or another. So his group is hoping to remain vigilant.

“We want to be ready,” he said.

For the time being, though, the lake is exhibiting noticeably cleaner conditions for boating, fishing and other activities, without nasty plant infestation mucking things up.

Ken VanDenPlas, chairman of the Shawano chapter of Walleyes For Tomorrow, said he has not seen the lake looking this clean in 10 years or more.

VanDenPlas said he was pleasantly surprised starting this spring when he was able to boat across the lake without being forced to stop halfway to clean nuisance plants off his boat’s propeller.

“It’s much improved,” he said. “There’s a lot less of it out there.”

Equipped with a permit from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the private waterways management group led an effort last spring to combat EWM. A contractor was hired to complete herbicide applications across virtually the entire 6,000-acre lake to eradicate the unwanted plant without harming other plants or wildlife.

The estimated $400,000 project was a major undertaking closely monitored by the state and funded with help from lakefront homeowners, businesses, local governments and other supporters.

A report issued in March concluded that the treatments reduced the EWM infestation by more than 90 percent, better than the goal of 70 percent. The report prepared by consultants on the project also cautioned that the unwanted plants could return later.

“An insufficient time has passed to make official judgments if EWM control occurred or if the plants were simply injured for that season and quickly recover,” the report said.

Leaders of the Shawano Area Waterways Management group are expressing delight at how well the herbicide treatments knocked back the plant infestation — even if it does prove to be temporary.

Gary DeFere, president of the private group, said he has enjoyed boating on the cleaner lake this season, and he has heard fishing hobbyists praise the results, too, including bass fishermen who said they were experiencing the best fishing season in 15 or 20 years.

“It was unbelievably successful,” DeFere said. “It was beyond our wildest imaginations.”

Smaller applications of another herbicide were completed in May to clear boat traffic lanes of another invasive plant called curly-leaf pondweed.

For the most part, however, this summer will be spent monitoring the lake for signs that the EW

Zuelke said his group also is making plans to seek another state grant to fund the next phase of the invasive plant battle between 2018 and 2020. If the infestation makes a comeback, he said, it will be important to have plans in place and be ready to act quickly.

Within seven or 10 years, Zuelke said, it could even become necessary to consider another large-scale herbicide treatment.

Referring to proper care of the lake, he added: “It’ll probably be never-ending.”

A jury trial in a former deputy’s civil suit against Shawano County Sheriff Adam Bieber is still scheduled to start on Monday, but a recent court hearing hinted at a possible settlement in the wind that could avoid that.

According to the minutes of a June 9 final pre-trial conference in federal court, a settlement offer had been made but had not yet been accepted.

It’s not clear whether there has been any progress on a settlement since then, and court records do not indicate any update since the June 9 hearing.

Wade Wudtke maintains he was targeted by Bieber and several members of the Shawano County Board over his support for then-incumbent Sheriff Randy Wright in the 2014 election.

The suit specifically named Bieber and five county supervisors who were serving at the time on the county’s administrative and insurance committee: Jerry Erdmann, Deb Noffke, Bonnie Olson, Gene Hoppe and William Switalla.

The suit maintained the committee conducted an investigation targeting Wudtke for political retaliation as a result of a confrontation between Wudtke and Bieber at a Republican Party picnic.

The committee determined there were no disciplinary actions necessary and closed the matter.

Last month, U.S. District Court Judge William Griesbach dismissed all but one of the claims filed by Wudtke and ruled the five county supervisors named in the suit are no longer defendants.

The court ruled that the committee was within its rights to investigate the matter.

The one count against Bieber that remains alleges petty harassment.

Griesbach opened the June 9 hearing by asking whether there was any chance of a settlement in the matter.

Wudtke’s attorney, Mary Kennelly, told the court that they had made an offer but had not received a response.

A federal court clerk on Tuesday said the court has not received any notice of a settlement and the jury trial remains on the docket starting Monday.

The trial is expected to last three days.

The suit seeks damages for both past and future wage and benefit loss; compensatory damages for emotional distress, loss of reputation and loss of earning capacity; punitive damages against the individual defendants; and legal fees and court costs. There is no dollar amount specified.

Wudtke had been a deputy sheriff for Shawano County since 1999. He was hired as a patrol officer and became school resource officer in July 2006. He became a detective in December 2007.

Wudtke resigned in March 2015, about two months after Bieber took office.

Shawano Police Department

June 20

Police logged 30 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 300 block of Mountain Bay Trail Drive.

Theft — Money was reported stolen from a bank account through an ATM at Kwik Trip, 1241 E. Green Bay St.

Trespass — Police responded to a trespassing complaint in the 700 block of South Lincoln Street.

Threatening — Police responded to a threatening complaint in the 800 block of East Richmond Street.

Shoplifting — Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St., reported a 28-year-old woman being detained for shoplifting.

Prowler — A prowler was reported in the 1400 block of South Lincoln Street.

Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint at Waukechon and Richmond streets.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

June 20

Deputies logged 43 incidents, including the following:

Warrant — A 40-year-old man was arrested on a warrant on state Highway 47 in the town of Hartland.

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint at Shawano County Jail, 405 N. Main St., Shawano.

Burglary — A burglary was reported on Fifth Street in Mattoon.

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

Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint on Waukechon Street in the town of Waukechon.

Accident — Authorities responded to an injury accident on state Highway 29 in Wittenberg.

Clintonville Police Department

June 20

Police logged 15 incidents, including the following:

Theft — A theft was reported on South Main Street.

Disturbance — Officers responded for a disorderly conduct/domestic abuse complaint on Wilson Street.

Disorderly — Disorderly conduct was reported on 11th Street.

Disturbance — A family disturbance was reported on East Morning Glory Drive.

The city of Clintonville is developing a master plan for development of the Seven Maples Nature Area.

The 17.2 acres at 150 13th St. was donated to the city by Lynne Simpson, who lived at the property until the home was destroyed by arson in 2015.

To start creating the plan, the city asking residents to participate in an online survey at https://www.getfeedback.com/r/cCPJpthM. A paper copy of the survey is available at city hall; however, the online survey is preferred.

City Administrator Sharon Eveland said results of the survey will be included in a community visioning session that the city expects to hold in August or September.

Seven Maples Nature Area was named after the large trees that encircled a disc golf basket that Simpson’s husband, Jim, installed on the property. He was killed in an automobile accident in 2012.

The agreement for the Simpsons’ donation restricted use of the property to nature preservation, fishing and boating access, hiking and biking trails, a playground, a dog park, a disc golf. No motorized recreational equipment would be allowed on the property as the family would like the natural state preserved.

For information, call Eveland at 715-823-7600.

An ad hoc committee tasked with presenting the Clintonville Common Council with a plan for the city’s outdoor swimming pool hopes to have a recommendation ready in July.

Damaged by fire in December 2015 and in need of repair even before then, the pool has been closed for two seasons. The city hired Beaver Dam-based Water Technologies Inc. in April 2016 to develop potential options for the pool.

In January, Water Technologies presented a plan that would cost more than $5 million. It included features such as faux rock and diving platforms, drop slide, splash pad, waterslide tower and flumes, lap pool, new bathhouse and more. A new pool, without many of the other features, using some of the existing facility was estimated to cost up to $2 million.

The committee voted Monday to direct Water Technologies to provide the cost to rehab the existing pool and to provide a stripped down version of the $5 million plan. The committee asked for the information by July 18 so it could review the material July 26 and prepare a recommendation for the Common Council.

Justin McAuly, the city’s park and recreation director, said that to demolish the existing pool and return the site to turf would cost $42,000 to $50,000.

“Remember, the job of this committee is to get a plan with figures and present it to the council,” said committee member Ryan Rockey, who said he would like to see a referendum on the issue.

Committee chairman Brad Rokus agreed.

“We need to have a vision to present to the council for their support, and we need to know the tax impact,” he said. “We want to know if people are willing to pay to support a pool that is affordable and will serve the community.”

“We need to sell this as a destination for the Clintonville area,” committee member Sue Ashlimann said. “Not everyone wants to swim in a lake. And we need plans to go to the corporate world with this.”

Some area residents voiced their support of maintaining an outdoor pool.

Colesha Kabble said she thought the pool was an asset for Clintonville.

“I know there are a lot of other issues in the city, but we need something for kids, and I hope something gets done,” she said.

A public meeting will be held Monday to give residents a chance to say what they would like to see done with the Clintonville Rec Center building, formerly the armory, at 55 E. 12th St.

The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Community Center, 30 S. Main St.

The building, which was built in 1922, was recently inspected by engineers with Short Elliot Hendrickson Inc. The firm found that the gym floor is unsafe and unusable for large events.

The engineers said the building is safe for limited occupancy, and city staff continue to work the building. The building is also used by the Clintonville Food Pantry, city departments and the Clintonville Area Historical Society for storage.

Bringing the building up to code would cost at least $2.5 million, according to Short Elliot Hendrickson officials. A new building of similar size could be built for $4 million. The cost to raze the building is estimated at $160,000 or more.

City Administrator Sharon Eveland said more detailed information will be available at the community meeting. Representatives from Short Elliot Hendrickson are expected to discuss the firm’s findings.

A Shawano man whose conviction for bank robbery three years ago was overturned on appeal was found not competent to face a new trial at this time after a court hearing Wednesday.

Darrin H. Church, 51, was sentenced in July 2014 to five years in prison and 10 years extended supervision.

Church had pleaded no contest to charges of using the threat of force to rob the CoVantage Credit Union at 911 E. Green Bay St. and attempting to rob Cash Tyme at 705 E. Green Bay St. in April 2013.

The District IV Court of Appeals in March reversed Church’s convictions on those charges, as well as bail jumping and other misdemeanors, on the grounds that Circuit Judge William Kussel Jr. did not ask Church at the plea hearing if he knew he was entitled to a unanimous jury verdict.

The court returned the case to Kussel with instructions that the district attorney has to prove Church understood all the rights he was giving up prior to pleading no contest.

His case was scheduled for review in Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court in May, but Church was unable to appear in person because of a medical condition, according to court records. He is being held at Dodge Correctional Institution in Waupun.

According to the Department of Corrections, Church’s condition was said at the time to be “deteriorating,” court records state.

Church’s attorney and the state agreed that Church should be evaluated for competency before a new trial takes place.

The court Wednesday heard testimony from a clinical psychologist, Dr. Michael Galli, who conducted the evaluation and said Church’s physical and cognitive skills were declining. He said Church was not likely to become competent and would require guardianship and protective placement if released.

The court found Church to be not competent and not likely to become competent and will appoint a temporary guardian ad litem. Another hearing date will be set to determine how to proceed in light of Wednesday’s court finding.

The criminal complaint alleged that Church entered CoVantage Credit Union on April 8, 2013, and gave a teller a note demanding money. He left with more than $6,000 but was arrested a short time later and the money was recovered.

Just before the CoVantage robbery, Church had entered the nearby Cash Tyme Store, gave the teller a note and then told her it was a joke. He left with no funds.

Church had entered another bank earlier the same day but didn’t use the note he had written.

Church was initially found incompetent to stand trial, but that was reversed after a doctor concluded Church had been faking his incompetency.

Galli testified Wednesday that Church was no longer “malingering.”

Seven months after a Shawano County jury decided a dispute over Green Bay Packers season tickets, attorneys in the civil case are still jousting over whether the case was decided fairly.

The presiding judge in the case surrounding Packers ticket broker Douglas Burris will decide soon whether a new trial should be ordered because of something one of the jurors might have said to his colleagues.

Several jurors have testified that juror Roger MacMurray told them during deliberations he has known Burris for 40 years and he regards Burris as a good guy.

The former customers who accused Burris of fraud with their Packers tickets contend that such a remark from a juror tainted deliberations and warrants retrying the case.

Burris’ defense attorney has fired back that any such comment would have been appropriate and that the former customers suing Burris are making a “laughable” attempt to reverse the verdict.

“It is the last desperate attempt of some sore loser plaintiffs to take a grab at the brass ring,” defense attorney John Bartholomew wrote last week in a brief filed with the court.

Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court Judge William Kussel Jr. has scheduled a July 7 hearing to announce his decision in the new trial request.

The jury of four men and eight women issued a verdict Nov. 11 that cleared Burris of all fraud accusations and ruled in his favor on nearly every count in a complex case that involved nine former Packers season ticket holders.

Attorney Rex Anderegg, representing the former ticket customers, later raised allegations of juror misconduct and requested a new trial based on the belief that MacMurray had inappropriately tainted the jury with his alleged remark about personally regarding Burris as a good guy.

“It is difficult to conceive of extraneous information more prejudicial than that which goes straight to a defendant’s character,” Anderegg wrote in a brief filed last month.

Attorneys and parties on both sides of the case either declined to comment or could not be reached for comment.

The case centers on Burris’ activities as a Packers season ticket broker starting in 1991 when he purchased a Shawano tavern known as Stan & Bud’s, 115 N. Main St. The owners of Stan & Bud’s were longtime Packers boosters, and they owned a cache of 331 tickets that were included in the tavern sale.

Burris was once featured in The New York Times, and testimony in the case indicated that he held the distinction of being the most prolific holder of season tickets in any major sport in the country. After cultivating a network of customers who paid for access to his Packers tickets, he sold the entire stockpile in 2012 for $1.4 million to a Green Bay brokerage known as Event USA.

The customers who sued Burris for fraud, breach of contract and other counts are Shawano residents Arlene Martin, Roger Knueppel, Ronald Malueg and Todd Otto, along with Michael Landwehr, of Brookfield, Daryl Dehnke, of Eau Claire, Mark George Most, of River Falls, Grant George Peterson, of Merrill, and Gerald Vosen, of Merrimac.

During a trial that lasted five days, the plaintiffs testified that they felt Burris had unfairly revoked their season tickets at Lambeau Field. Burris testified that he never promised customers indefinite access to tickets and that he was within his rights to sell the whole bundle.

About a week after the trial ended, allegations of juror misconduct surfaced when plaintiff Todd Otto’s wife overheard juror Patricia Hillis discussing the case in a Bible study group. Anderegg then hired a private investigator to track down other jurors and verify Hillis’ account about what was said during jury deliberations.

Initial indications were that a second juror might have discussed having a personal relationship with Burris, but the issue has since focused squarely on MacMurray.

At a hearing in March, Kussel took sworn testimony from all 12 jurors, several of whom said they had overheard MacMurray, or “Mac,” remark during deliberations either that he knew Burris for a long time or that he thought Burris was a good guy, or both.

MacMurray, a retired postal carrier, denied making any such statement, and Burris testified that he did not know anyone on the jury.

Anderegg argued in his brief that regardless of whether MacMurray and Burris actually knew each other, MacMurray’s alleged remarks constituted juror misconduct and undermined the jury’s ability to decide the case without improper outside influence. He also criticized MacMurray for denying what other jurors had described under oath.

“His outright denial he ever uttered a single word about any knowledge of Burris strongly suggests he had something to hide,” Anderegg wrote. “One thing is certain: the credibility of MacMurray is shot.”

In response, Bartholomew asserted that the plaintiffs are compensating for having a week case by exaggerating the significance of what MacMurray might have said. Bartholomew also wrote that MacMurray could have been offering a casual observation about a Shawano businessman known in the community for having distinguished himself with a successful career, as the case demonstrated.

“Any conclusory comments that ‘Mac’ may have made are in fact supported by the evidence,” the defense attorney wrote. “Any jury could have reasonably and objectively concluded that Doug is a good guy.”

The executive director of a Wisconsin-based progressive advocacy group brought his voice to the Shawano County Democratic Party’s monthly meeting Wednesday to encourage local Democrats to use theirs.

“We think it’s important that people use their voices as much as they possibly can, to discuss issues facing the state, facing the county, facing the nation,” said Scot Ross of Madison-based One Wisconsin Now.

“Wisconsin faces a lot of challenges,” he said.

Ross offered tips to help reduce what he said might be the anxiety of speaking out, and offered outlets for making views known, ranging from volunteering for local political organizations or advocacy groups to calling in to radio shows or writing letters to the editor.

Ross said Republicans have been allowed to divide Wisconsin voters into those with urban versus rural interests, even though many of those interests are the same.

“The important thing is not to be divided, but to unify. Our biggest strength is our diversity,” Ross said.

“We’re divided enough,” he said. “We need somebody to bring us together. A lot of the things we care about are under threat.”

Ross focused more on Gov. Scott Walker’s agenda than President Donald Trump’s, calling Walker’s governorship “the most corrupt, power-hungry administration in the history of Wisconsin.”

Ross said that priority issues include health care, restrictions on voting rights under the guise of fighting non-existent voter fraud, and the student debt crisis.

He criticized Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff in his failed bid Tuesday for the Sixth District Congressional seat in Georgia for not making student debt an issue, but that sparked some debate, with some local Democrats maintaining that education was not a priority issue for Georgia voters.

There seemed to be a consensus, however, that Democrats have to put forward a message that is more than just being anti-Trump.

“Going after Trump wasn’t enough,” Ross said. “You have to show a better course. The biggest lesson (from Tuesday’s election in Georgia) is you can’t just go negative.”

One of the busiest places at the Shawano County Fair is getting busier with a facelift that should be complete before the 2017 county fair.

Crews have started work on a long-awaited effort to overhaul the Junior Fair Building, which is home to 4-H Club members and their families throughout the fair.

Dale Hodkiewicz, president of the group that organizes the county fair, said patrons will see a dramatic transformation of the building during this year’s fair Aug. 30 through Sept. 4.

“We’ll have a nice new building,” he said.

The project calls for replacing the building’s aluminum exterior, along with installing a new roof, doors, interior lighting, insulation and other improvements. The chipped and peeling white exterior will give way to a new red- and green-colored facade with stone accents.

Civic leaders and county fair patrons have been talking for years about upgrading the building, also sometimes known simply as the 4-H Building.

The Shawano Area Agricultural Society, which organizes the county fair, raised funds for the makeover and landed a $100,000 donation from Bert and Carol Huntington of Richmond. The building will be renamed the “Huntington Family 4-H Youth Building.”

The estimated $170,000 project also has been supported by other donors, county government leaders, 4-H boosters and more.

Terri Brunner, 4-H educator at the University of Wisconsin-Extension, joined other volunteers last month in getting the project started by clearing the building of all interior furnishings and other clutter.

Brunner said she is excited to see work finally beginning on the long-discussed transformation of such a significant community gathering place.

“It’s a great project,” she said.

The building, which functions as the home base for all 4-H Clubs during the county fair, becomes a hub of activity involving youth camaraderie, competition and exhibition that is separate from the livestock and other attractions throughout the rest of the fairgrounds.

Contractors are working on electrical upgrades and interior painting, which will be followed soon by the exterior remodeling and other major construction work. Bayland Buildings Inc. of Hobart is the main construction contractor on the project.

Hodkiewicz said he is pleased to see the project fully funded and on schedule to be finished before the fair kicks off.

“It’s a real exciting project — let’s put it that way,” he said. “We’re excited to have it get going.”

With the new insulation and other upgrades, the building could become useful in seasons other than just summertime.

Brunner said 4-H officials are planning their own improvements inside the remodeled structure, including a new portable stage and a remodeled office. A wish list of other possible amenities will be presented to patrons during the county fair to generate support.

Brunner said she and other 4-H members are looking forward to seeing the finished product.

“It’s going to be nice to know that we are working in a quality building,” she said.

Shawano Police Department

June 21

Police logged 18 incidents, including the following:

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 200 block of Humphrey Circle.

Traffic — A 49-year-old woman was cited for operating after revocation in the 1400 block of Waukechon Street.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 500 block of East Stevens Street.

Shoplifting — Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St., reported a male shoplifter had fled the store.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 800 block of East Richmond Street.

Trespass — Police responded to a trespassing complaint in the 200 block of Teddington Lane.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

June 21

Deputies logged 53 incidents, including the following:

Theft — An attempted theft from a vehicle was reported on Shawano Line Road in the town of Green Valley.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Sugar Bush Road in the town of Aniwa.

Warrant — A 29-year-old man was taken into custody on a warrant on Cecil Street in Bonduel.

Burglary — A burglary was reported on Hemlock Road in the town of Wittenberg.

Theft — Authorities investigated a property theft complaint on Meadow Road in the town of Washington.

Theft — Authorities investigated a property theft complaint on Kolpack Road in the town of Aniwa.

Hit and Run — Police investigated a property damage hit-and-run on Grand Avenue in Wittenberg.

Theft — Authorities investigated a property theft complaint on Robin Road in the town of Wittenberg.

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Hogan Court in Cecil.

Burglary — An attempted burglary was reported on Yakel Court in the town of Wescott.

Clintonville Police Department

June 21

Police logged 15 incidents, including the following:

Theft — A wallet was reported stolen on Anne Street.

Assault — A sexual assault complaint was under investigation.

Accident — A two-vehicle property damage accident was reported on Industrial Avenue.

Theft — A theft from a vehicle was reported on Eighth Street.

Theft — A theft was reported on Flora Way.

J Doggs is more than just a place where you can order a Chicago-style hot dog, at least for Jeremy Weed and Amber Arneson.

Arneson always wanted to own and operate a restaurant, and when she met Weed, her boyfriend, it was an opportunity to bring culinary skills and entrepreneurship together.

“I was going to do this a couple of years ago,” Arneson said. “I was going to name it Corner Doggs and bring Chicago-style dogs and other stuff to Shawano.”

The timing wasn’t right for Corner Doggs, though. After they met, Arneson told Weed about the Corner Doggs idea, and he was very interested.

“He’s just a very good cook and wished he had his own restaurant,” Arneson said. “He’s bringing in his award-winning chili, and I’m bringing in the Chicago dogs.”

Weed had not heard of Chicago-style hot dogs before meeting Arneson. Originally from Minnesota, he most recently lived in Oconto Falls, where he won a chili contest.

“It was the day before my birthday a few years back, so I entered it, and I got first place,” Weed said. “The next year, it came around on my birthday, and I took second place, and then they stopped doing the festival.”

A former boss had nicknamed Weed “J Dogg,” and as plans for the business fell into place, he suggested it as the name for a particular hot dog. Arneson had other ideas.

“He asked, ‘Can I have my own hot dog with the chili on top and the cheese? I can call it the J Dogg,’” Arneson said. “That’s when I thought, that’s it.”

The hot dog and burger business first arrived on the Shawano scene during the 2016 Shawano County Fair. After another sampling opportunity during the Taste of Shawano earlier this year, J Doggs opened its food wagon at 344 S. Main St. for the season in May.

The food wagon painted red and yellow among modern and historic buildings has attracted plenty of attention, which Arneson attributes to Weed’s skills.

“Him and his cooking — his burgers are amazing. Everything he makes is always really good,” Arneson said.

Locals agree. Dave Bucki, of Shawano, crosses town to J Doggs regularly to enjoy the cuisine.

“I came and gave it a try, and I’ve been coming back once or twice a week ever since,” said Bucki, who usually orders the J Dogs and J Burgers.

Arneson said there are a lot of regular customers, but there are also plenty of new faces coming in, too. J Doggs has a page on Facebook, letting folks know when it’ll be open and any specials that might pop up.

“If you look at Facebook, we get five stars, and people are just really happy with the food,” Arneson said. “We’ve had people come from Chicago to try it, and they tell us we give Chicago a run for their money.”

J Doggs is open four days a week. Arneson and Weed receive supplies once a week from Chicago, and they believe in serving food fresh and unfrozen to make sure it tastes the best. The food wagon provides limited storage.

“If we were open every day, we’d run out of food,” Arneson said.

J Doggs is also open from May to September. Weather tends to be a major factor for the outdoor business, Arneson noted.

Lunch crowds tend to be primarily workers, while evenings and weekends see families coming out to enjoy the J Doggs fare.

“I just enjoy cooking,” Weed said. “When you cook meals for people, and you watch them to see what they do, it’s exciting.”

Arneson said she went with a food wagon to get her feet wet in the business world, but she hopes to someday have a brick-and-mortar restaurant. Once that happens, the food wagon could be used for special events.

“A building would be great in the future, but this is our way to start out,” Arneson said.

A 63-year-old Tigerton woman was pronounced dead at the scene of a two-vehicle crash Wednesday evening on state Highway 29.

Geraldine Barkow was the driver of a vehicle heading westbound on Highway 29 when it collided with a northbound commercial vehicle crossing the highway on County Road U just after 8 p.m.

One other person was also injured in the crash, but details were not provided.

The driver of the commercial motor vehicle was not injured.

The Wisconsin State Patrol is investigating the crash.

Assisting agencies included Shawano County Sheriff’s Office and Gresham Fire Department.

No further information was available Thursday.

Pulaski Community School District announced the hiring of two new administrators this week.

Steve Linssen, current Gillett Secondary School principal, is a new associate principal at Pulaski High School. He replaces Nicole Borley, who has assumed the Pulaski Community School District’s director of Student Services position.

Linssen, an Oconto Falls native and seven-year Pulaski resident, earned his bachelor’s of science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in 2002 and his master’s degree from Marian University in 2008. He has served as middle and high school principal at Gillett since 2013. He was a social studies teacher from 2002 to 2011 and associate principal from 2011 to 2013 in the Shawano School District.

When Linssen and his wife, Gina, to whom he has been married for 13 years, bought a home in Pulaski, they did so because of the school district. Now, he’s happy to work for the same district that his 4-year-old foster son will attend.

“I see myself as a collaborator — a team player — someone who is very passionate about providing what is best for kids and working collectively with students, staff and community to make that happen,” Linssen said.

Lara Kuchenbecker is the new associate principal for Glenbrook Elementary School and assistant student services director for the district.

Kuchenbecker, a Wausau native, earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and special education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2004 and a master’s degree in education administration from Marian University in 2010. She holds principal and director of special education licensures. She was a special education teacher for Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools in 2004-2005 and a special education teacher at the K-5 Roosevelt Elementary School in the Oshkosh Area School District prior to taking the job in Pulaski.

“I am excited to be joining the Pulaski Community School District,” Kuchenbecker said. “I feel that both my relationship-building skills and leadership qualities will support many different families and the Pulaski community as a whole.”

Kuchenbecker currently lives in Neenah with her husband, Jared, and 1-year-old daughter, Evelyn.

Ho-Chunk Gaming Wittenberg contributed over $14,000 on June 9 to several neighboring community events.

“We are grateful to support local organizations and charities to help promote a positive impact on those in need,” said Fletcher Collins, Ho-Chunk Gaming executive manager.

One of the six donations was $5,000 for the seventh annual College of Menominee Nation’s annual benefit golf outing. The charitable proceeds go towards scholarships and other aid for students that are pursuing their higher education goals.

Ho-Chunk Gaming Wittenberg was also a gold level sponsor of the Relay for Life of Wausau with a monetary donation of $5,000. Combined efforts were made with the Relay for Life of New London as a silver level sponsor in the amount of $1,000.

Ho-Chunk Gaming Wittenberg also assisted with the tee and green hole sponsorship to the Antigo/Langlade County Chamber of Commerce at its annual Birdies and Bogeys Golf Outing, giving $2,250.

For the first time, Ho-Chunk Gaming Wittenberg was a silver sponsor and donated $1,250 to K-Tech Charities for the Central Wisconsin Pink Ribbon open on June 12. All donations goes to grants for women cancer survivors.