Upon further review, the call stands in a Shawano County court battle pitting Green Bay Packers fans against their former ticket broker.

A judge Friday denied a request for a new trial in the civil fraud case, which was filed against broker Douglas Burris after he sold a stockpile of coveted season tickets for Packers games at Lambeau Field.

The former ticket customers who have spent years pursuing their claim against Burris said they would consider an appeal.

A jury in November ruled that Burris was within his rights to sell the season tickets to a third party, despite complaints by nine former customers that they thought they had a long-term arrangement with the broker.

The plaintiffs requested a new trial after hearing reports that one of the jurors had said during deliberations that he personally knew Burris and that he regarded the defendant as an honest man.

Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Judge William Kussel Jr. said Friday the jury was exposed to improper outside information, but that the incident did not affect the outcome of the case. Kussel noted that the juror in question lived in Shawano at a time when Burris was a well-known business figure locally.

“It is not unusual for community members to know fairly prominent businessmen,” Kussel said.

After the judge announced his decision denying a new trial, Burris said in an interview that he has endured five difficult years defending his business dealings against the fraud allegations. Now in his mid-70s, Burris said he felt like the ordeal was a waste of time.

“Five years of this is enough,” he said. “I’m totally done.”

The former ticket customers, however, huddled with their attorney outside the courtroom and said later they were considering appealing the judge’s ruling.

Attorney Rex Anderegg, who represents the plaintiffs, said the group would make a final decision after reviewing a transcript of Kussel’s decision. All of the plaintiffs are expressing a strong desire to keep up the fight against Burris, Anderegg said.

“They’ve got a lot invested emotionally,” the attorney said. “That’s the big thing. They feel like they were wronged.”

The former Lambeau Field season ticket customers who sued Burris are Shawano residents Arlene Martin, Roger Knueppel, Ronald Malueg and Todd Otto, as well as 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.

The case centers on Burris’ activities as a 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 more than 300 season tickets that were included in the tavern sale.

After building a network of customers who paid for access to his Packers tickets year after year, Burris sold the entire stockpile in 2012 for $1.4 million to a Green Bay brokerage.

The nine plaintiffs filed a civil suit accusing the Shawano businessman of fraud, breach of contract and other counts. After the jury in November ruled in Burris’ favor on nearly every count, the plaintiffs raised allegations that juror Roger MacMurray had improperly told other jurors about knowing Burris to be an honest man.

At a hearing in March, Kussel took sworn testimony from all 12 jurors, several of whom confirmed hearing MacMurray make such a statement during deliberations.

Burris’ attorney, John Bartholomew, argued that that the plaintiffs were compensating for having a weak case by exaggerating the significance of what MacMurray might have said. In written arguments, Bartholomew referred to them as “sore loser plaintiffs.”

Shawano Police Department

July 10

Police logged 28 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 800 block of South Park Street.

Warrant — A 27-year-old man was taken into custody on a warrant at Green Bay and Ellis streets.

Threatening — Police responded to a threatening complaint in the 400 block of South Franklin Street.

Theft — A phone was reported stolen in the 300 block of Lakeland Road.

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

July 9

Police logged 22 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance at Fifth and Andrews streets.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 400 block of South Washington Street.

Trespass — Police responded to a trespassing complaint in the 900 block of South Evergreen Street.

Threatening — Police responded to a threatening complaint in the 100 block of Prairie Street.

OWI — A 55-year-old man was arrested for operating while intoxicated in the 200 block of East Green Bay Street.

July 8

Police logged 25 incidents, including the following:

OAR — A 33-year-old man was cited for operating after revocation in the 1200 block of East Green Bay Street.

Vandalism — A garage was reported egged in the 900 block of South River Street.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 700 block of South Hamlin Street.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 300 block of South Sawyer Street.

July 7

Police logged 35 incidents, including the following:

Theft — A laptop was reported stolen in the 500 block of South Main Street.

Shoplifting — Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St., reported a shoplifting incident.

Theft — Medication was reported stolen in the 100 block of South Lafayette Street.

OAR — A 61-year-old woman was cited for operating after revocation at Lieg and Andrews streets.

Threatening — Police responded to a threatening complaint in the 1400 block of South Lincoln Street.

Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint at Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

July 10

Deputies logged 37 incidents, including the following:

OAR — A 38-year-old man was cited for operating after revocation on County Road F in the town of Angelica.

Trespass — Authorities responded to a trespassing complaint on state Highway 47-55 in the town of Wescott.

Theft — Tires and aluminum rims were reported stolen from a vehicle on Bernitt Road in the town of Grant.

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

Accident — Authorities responded to an injury accident on Spruce Road in the town of Richmond.

July 9

Deputies logged 40 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance at the North Star Casino, W12180 County Road A, in the town of Bartelme.

Theft — Authorities investigated a theft complaint at the Ho-Chunk Casino, N7198 U.S. Highway 45, in the town of Wittenberg.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Cardinal Lane in the town of Aniwa.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on County Road A in the town of Richmond.

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

Fireworks — Authorities responded to two fireworks complaints.

Accident — Authorities responded to an injury accident on Kroenke Creek Road in the town of Herman.

July 8

Deputies logged 37 incidents, including the following:

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

Disturbance — A 36-year-old Shawano man was arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest on Lake Drive in the town of Wescott.

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

Disorderly — Authorities responded to an intoxicated person complaint on Lyons Road in Birnamwood.

Threatening — Authorities responded to a threatening complaint on Honeysuckle Lane in Tigerton.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Highway 156 in the town of Navarino.

Fireworks — Authorities responded to three fireworks complaints.

Accident — Authorities responded to an injury accident on County Road Q in the town of Wittenberg.

July 7

Deputies logged 50 incidents, including the following:

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

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint at the North Star Casino, W12180 County Road A, in the town of Bartelme.

Theft — Tools were reported stolen on River Road in the town of Aniwa.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Washington Street in Bowler.

Theft — Tools were reported stolen on Lake Drive in the town of Herman.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on First Street in Aniwa.

OAR — A 31-year-old woman was cited for operating after revocation on state Highway 47-55 in the town of Wescott.

OWI — A 43-year-old Tigerton man was arrested for third offense operating while intoxicated on Fair-Morr Road in the town of Morris.

Theft — A phone was reported stolen on Lake Drive in the town of Wescott.

Burglary — A burglary was reported on Lake Drive in the town of Herman.

Fire — Authorities responded to a vehicle fire on Bohn Road in the town of Green Valley.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Maple Street in Birnamwood.

Clintonville Police Department

July 10

Police logged 13 incidents, including the following:

Accident — Police responded to a vehicle versus pole accident on South Main Street.

Theft — Money was reported stolen on Wilson Street.

Accident — Police responded to a two-vehicle property damage accident on North Clinton Avenue.

July 9

Police logged 10 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — A neighbor dispute was reported on North 12th Street.

Fireworks — Police responded to two fireworks complaints.

July 8

Police logged 14 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — A disturbance was reported on South Main Street.

Disturbance— A disturbance regarding a property dispute was reported on North Clinton Avenue.

Theft — Medication was reported stolen on Sixth Street.

Disturbance — A disturbance was reported on West Street.

July 7

Police logged six incidents, including the following:

Burglary— A burglary was reported on West 14th Street.

Theft — Yard lights were reported stolen on Hemlock Street.

Accident — An injury accident was reported on South Main Street.

Theft — A retail theft was reported on South Main Street.

Residents of the Bonduel School District are invited to two public informational meetings about the school district’s Aug. 1 referendum.

The first meeting is 7 p.m. Monday and the second is 5:30 p.m. July 25, both at Bonduel High School, 400 W. Green Bay St.

The meetings are being hosted by Bonduel Area Action Committee, a group working to promote the referendum that seeks $2.7 million in additional funding for the public schools.

Voters on Aug. 1 will go to the polls to decide whether to authorize $900,000 a year for three years in additional property tax support for the school district. The referendum follows voter defeat of a similar measure in April.

District officials have discussed spending cuts in programs and personnel if they cannot close a projected budget deficit starting this fall.

A traveling basketball coach who pleaded guilty to setting up an intended sexual rendezvous with a 13-year-old boy in Shawano two years ago was sentenced Tuesday.

Nicholas R. Bennett, 25, will serve 12 years in prison and another six years’ extended supervision on a felony count of using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime.

Bennett was a basketball coach with Pro Shot Shooting Systems, which offers basketball camps and clinics in various venues across the U.S.

According to the criminal complaint, Bennett struck up an acquaintance with a 13-year-old boy during a basketball camp at Sacred Heart Catholic School, asked for the boy’s cellphone number and began texting him the next day.

The texts came to the attention of the boy’s mother, who contacted the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department. She told detectives the text messages were at first supportive of the boy’s athletic talent but gradually seemed suggestive.

Sheriff’s detectives took over the electronic communications with Bennett. As the conversations between Bennett and detectives continued, the texts became more suggestive and eventually sexually explicit, according to the complaint.

Bennett eventually suggested a meeting and was taken into custody when he arrived.

Bennett pleaded guilty in April, two days before he was set to go to trial.

The court heard testimony Tuesday from the boy’s mother, who detailed the emotional trauma the child continues to experience because of the incident.

Shawano-Menominee County District Attorney Greg Parker argued for the maximum sentence of up to 25 years in prison and 15 years of extended supervision based on what he said was Bennett’s “predatory character” as described in a pre-sentence investigation report and a psychologist’s evaluation.

“There is evidence that he used his job and position as a basketball coach/trainer to groom and have that kind of access to potential victims,” Parker said.

“Children need to be protected from him,” he said.

Defense attorney George Pappas argued for the mandatory minimum sentence of five years, which he said would be sufficient time for Bennett to undergo the required sex offender treatment.

He also noted that Bennett has not been charged or convicted of any other crimes.

Bennett has been the subject of other allegations, including from his home state in Oregon, and other investigations were said to be underway, but no charges have been filed.

In his statement to the court Tuesday, Bennett offered his “sincere apologies to the families, community and all who are involved.”

Bennett, who has been in Shawano County Jail since October 2015, said he has had a lot of time to consider his crimes and now wants to better himself, move forward and become part of the community.

“I take full responsibility for what I’ve done,” he said.

After the sentencing, Parker credited the boy’s mother for her intervention in the incident, saying her monitoring of the text messages between Bennett and the boy prevented a likely sexual assault.

“The mother of this child was spot on,” he said. “She knew immediately what was going on. Her instincts to get the sheriff’s department involved were spot on.”

Shawano County officials are refusing a request from the town of Birnamwood to help repair a road that town officials say was damaged when county sheriff’s deputies detoured traffic away from a building fire.

Town officials say the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department was wrong to detour traffic onto Western Avenue while firefighters battled a blaze March 28 at the Knotty Pines Bar & Grill.

With estimates ranging from $76,000 to more than $100,000 to repair the road’s damaged surface, the town’s attorney has asked the county to contribute to the cost, or perhaps pay the whole thing.

County officials have turned down the town’s request, asserting that the county enjoys immunity from any such claim that sheriff’s deputies mishandled an emergency situation.

“The bottom line is that Shawano County does not intend to offer any financial assistance,” county Corporation Counsel Tony Kordus wrote in a letter to the town.

The situation developed on the afternoon of March 28 after fire broke out inside the Knotty Pines Bar & Grill, located near the corner of U.S. 45 and County Road N. The Birnamwood Fire Department and Wittenberg Fire Department fought to save the structure, joined by crews from many other surrounding departments.

Firefighters were on the scene for several hours, and traffic from U.S. 45 was diverted onto nearby Western Avenue, a town road that local officials say was not built for highway traffic.

In a June 20 letter to the county, town attorney Lee Turonie wrote that firefighters did not think detouring traffic was necessary, but that county highway employees erected barricades and forced traffic onto Western Avenue without coordinating with the town.

“While the sheriff’s department has the ability to detour traffic, it made some very poor decisions,” Turonie wrote.

The town provided estimates from road contractors showing that repairing the damaged road would cost $76,000 to restore its previous condition or $128,000 to fortify it against future possible detours. The attorney wrote that a county contribution of $50,000 “would be of great assistance.”

In response, Kordus wrote that the county denies any liability for damage to Western Avenue. He cited legal precedents in which courts gave municipalities immunity for the manner in which police officers directed traffic during weather emergencies and in construction zones.

“These are the types of cases that will control the outcome of any litigation in this case,” Kordus wrote, “and they are abundant and directly on point.”

He concluded: “If the town desires to file an action against Shawano County, that is its prerogative.”

If town officials want to pursue the matter further, the procedure typically involves filing a claim for damages with the county. If the county denies the claim, the town then would have to decide whether to take the county to court in a civil lawsuit.

Town Chairman Peter Stewart declined to discuss the situation, saying that town officials were waiting to hear more from the county.

The county board’s administrative and insurance committee is scheduled to discuss the issue Wednesday behind closed doors.

In his June 20 letter, the town’s attorney suggested that the county could be held responsible for the entire cost of repairing the road. Because signs were displayed showing weight limits for traffic on Western Avenue, the county could be found negligent for detouring traffic there anyway, Turonie wrote.

Even after the detours began, he added, there is evidence that county employees continued diverting traffic despite reports of damage occurring to the road’s surface.

Citing another legal precedent, Turonie wrote: “There is no immunity, and there is no cap on damages where the county has failed to abate a nuisance.”

A 4-year-old girl was killed late Monday by an explosion of homemade fireworks in the city of Clintonville, according to police.

Alyssa Chmielewski died after sustaining severe injuries to the neck and upper thoracic area. An autopsy was being performed Tuesday afternoon.

Police were called to reports of an explosion around 10:30 p.m. At the same time, an ambulance was called to a residence on Hughes Street in the area of the reports.

Police arrived at the scene of the ambulance call and learned that a 4-year-old girl had been injured by the the explosion.

According to police, the victim’s father, a 42-year-old Clintonville man, had configured an array of sparkler type fireworks in a metal tube.

After lighting the configuration, it exploded, injuring the girl and causing her death.

Clintonville Police Chief James Beggs said a determination would be made whether charges should be filed in the case once the autopsy results were in and all other evidence and statements had been gathered.

Beggs said the department has been in contact with the district attorney regarding the incident.

Information regarding so-called sparkler bombs of the type the Clintonville man was apparently trying to create can be found on the internet and in various YouTube videos, all of which warn of the dangers of packing multiple sparklers into a single device.

Shawano Police Department

July 11

Police logged 27 incidents, including the following:

Fireworks — Police responded to a fireworks complaint at Sturgeon Park, 811 S. Water St.

Disorderly — Police responded to a lewd and lascivious behavior complaint in the 100 block of South Sawyer Street.

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

OAR — A 44-year-old man was cited for operating after revocation and taken into custody on a warrant at Main Street and Northridge Drive.

Accident — Police responded to a property damage accident after a vehicle struck the People’s Express South building at 716 S. Main St.

Fraud — Police responded to a debit card fraud complaint at Charlie’s County Market, 521 S. Main St.

Disturbance — Police responded to a domestic disturbance in the 300 block of Pearl Avenue.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

July 11

Deputies logged 34 incidents, including the following:

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Lakeview Way in the town of Washington.

Vandalism — An outside light was reported vandalized at the Wittenberg Public Library, 302 S. Cherry St., Wittenberg.

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

Theft — A trailer was reported stolen on Belle Plaine Avenue in the town of Belle Plaine.

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

Disturbance — Authorities assisted Shawano police with a domestic disturbance on Pearl Avenue.

Jeff Zander’s talent as a dentist could have taken him anywhere, but he set up practice in Shawano because he wanted to serve the community where he grew up.

Not only that, he particularly wanted to provide care for Shawano-area residents living on a tight budget.

Zander, who served thousands of patients and families starting in 1979, has retired after nearly 40 years in business at Wolf River Dental, 152 Woodlawn Drive.

Although his practice was quite successful, Zander looks back on his career with satisfaction at the impact he made on the community.

“I’ve made a lot of people healthy,” he said. “And that’s what’s important to me.”

Zander has turned over his practice to dentist Casey Gabrhel through a brokerage service called Stepping Stone Dental Partners, based in Madison.

Gabrhel, who graduated from dental school earlier this year and is following her father into the dental business, started seeing patients at Wolf River Dental as soon as Zander retired effective June 29.

Gabrehl said she was drawn to Shawano because Zander’s practice reminded me her of her father’s practice back in the Milwaukee area.

“It’s small and quaint, but still busy enough,” she said. “I love it. And the patients have been really great.”

Zander, 65, who graduated from Shawano High School in 1970, returned to Shawano after dental school at Marquette University and dedicated himself to serving patients in need. As one of the few dentists who accepted Medicaid recipients, he found himself attracting patients from as far away as Baraboo and Superior.

At the time of his retirement, Wolf River Dental was seeing about 25 patients a day and had 4,500 or more as active patients within the past year and a half.

Zander was proud to become known as a dentist who would advocate for low-income families.

“Somebody’s got to fill the need,” he said.

With his wife, Holly, Zander also has been an active supporter of education who volunteers at Shawano Community High School and the Shawano County Historical Society. He plans to spend retirement continuing to teach and remaining active in the community.

Political turmoil has reached the normally peaceful community of Bonduel, leaving elected leaders fighting among themselves and village staff heading out the door.

Police Chief Todd Chaney and Deputy Village Clerk Katrina Schroeder both are stepping down from their jobs, and Village Trustee Shawn Thorne has followed them in vacating his elected position.

All three announced their departures by citing a contentious atmosphere that has developed among the seven elected members of the Bonduel Village Board.

Chaney, who has been police chief for six years, wrote in his June 21 retirement notice that unnamed members of the board had created “a hostile working environment.”

“This has become a travesty, and I choose not to expose myself to these circumstances,” he wrote.

The political upheaval began after a new board was elected in April and after an informal alliance seemed to emerge involving Trustees Joan Kamps, Mary Barney and Margie Qualheim.

Thorne, who has been a veteran of the board, said those three trustees have engaged in personal attacks and have disrupted the village’s normally congenial way of doing business.

Thorne said that although he has seen occasional disagreements before, he has never witnessed so much rancor among colleagues at the Village Hall.

“We have a mess going on here,” he said. “We need the community to step up and help us address this.”

Kamps, Barney and Qualheim were all unavailable for comment.

Qualheim attempted to assure her fellow village officials at a June 20 committee meeting that they should not be taken aback by efforts to scrutinize and improve how the village conducts business.

“Don’t take offense,” she said. “Just keep an open mind and listen.”

Audio recordings of the June 20 meeting and other recent village meetings provide a glimpse at the issues that have contributed to the air of political upheaval.

At a May 10 board meeting, a brief discussion about the village’s code of ethics led to a pointed exchange about personal conflicts of interest in which Village President Sharon Wussow exchanged words with Qualheim, the newest village trustee.

Then, during the June 20 meeting of the public safety committee, Kamps aired questions about the whereabouts of a $1,100 donation she made to the village. Kamps said she left the donation with Schroeder, and that the money later seemed unaccounted for.

The donation issue was quickly resolved, but Schroeder resigned her position as deputy clerk because she felt like her integrity had been called into question. In her July 5 resignation letter, Schroeder wrote that she blamed Kamps, Barney and Qualheim for creating an environment of negativity and hostility at the village.

“It is hard for me to even fathom that adults act in this nature,” she wrote. “It is truly a disgrace to what so many of us want for this village.”

Other issues of disagreement have involved the manner in which Wussow has filled committee appointments, village expenses for employees attending professional conferences, and the procedure for doing background checks on liquor license applicants.

At the same June 20 committee meeting, Kamps and Qualheim questioned the liquor license method and quizzed Chaney about some of his decisions recommending approval or denial of certain applicants. Wussow responded that she felt personally offended at any implication that the village was not following the law. She said she would arrange to have the village’s attorney present the next time trustees gather.

“Everybody has been on pins and needles,” Wussow said at the time. “How can a person not take it personal?”

Thorne submitted his resignation earlier this week, following about 10 years of service during multiple stints on the board. He is in the middle of his current two-year term, with his resignation scheduled to take effect July 20.

In his letter, Thorne noted the recent staff departures and pointed blame at the “disgraceful” conduct of three village trustees.

“I no longer wish to work with these board members,” he added, “as I believe they don’t understand the full ramifications of their actions, and they certainly don’t understand what it means to represent this village.”

Shawano Police Department

July 12

Police logged 25 incidents, including the following:

OWI — A 34-year-old Green Bay woman was arrested for operating while intoxicated at state Highway 47-55 and Strauss Court.

Fraud — Police responded to a debit card fraud complaint in the 500 block of Prospect Circle.

Warrant — A 24-year-old Shawano man was taken into custody for a probation violation warrant and several felony warrants out of Green Bay in the 300 block of South Washington Street.

Noise — Police responded to a noise complaint at Third and Franklin streets.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

July 12

Deputies logged 36 incidents, including the following:

Hit and Run — Authorities investigated a property damage hit-and-run on state Highway 29 in the town of Maple Grove.

Vandalism — Authorities responded to a vandalism complaint on Sandy Drive in the town of Washington.

Fraud — Authorities investigated a fraud complaint on Wall Street in Bowler.

OWI — A 62-year-old Green Bay man was arrested for operating while intoxicated on state Highway 29 in the town of Morris.

Accidents — Authorities responded to an injury accident on Highway 22 in the town of Green Valley and logged three deer-related crashes.

Stockbridge-Munsee Police Department

July 12

Police logged six incidents, including the following:

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem on Putnam Lane in Bowler.

Burglary — An attempted burglary was reported on Bartlelt Street in Gresham.

Clintonville Police Department

July 12

Police logged 11 incidents, including the following:

Noise — A warning for loud music was issued on East Morning Glory Drive.

Disorderly — Disorderly conduct was reported on South Main Street.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem on South Main Street.

Now that chickens have been welcomed into Shawano through a change in the ordinance that previously forbid backyard poultry, enthusiasts of another agricultural pastime are hoping the city will make a similar accommodation for bees.

Cameron Oliver, who moved to the city two years ago, told the Common Council on Wednesday that his family had purchased beekeeping equipment, as well as bees, “only to find out that there’s an ordinance against bees in the city of Shawano.”

Oliver said beekeeping would fall under the same agricultural land use as backyard chickens and that the city had set a precedent by allowing that use within city limits.

The council didn’t discuss the proposal, which was not an agenda item.

Mayor Jeanne Cronce said it would first be taken up by the plan commission.

Oliver also made his case to the plan commission at a meeting last month where he was joined by three other supporters of urban beekeeping.

The hobby has been growing in popularity in recent years.

Wisconsin cities that have adopted ordinances allowing urban beekeeping include Milwaukee, Madison, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh and Eau Claire.

The ordinances limit the size of hives and set fencing and other requirements.

The council also got an update Wednesday on how things are going with the new chicken ordinance approved in May.

Only one backyard chicken permit has been issued.

However, City Clerk Karla Duchac said the city also received a complaint from a woman “who has a neighbor with chickens running all over the place, and they do not have a license.”

She said the city will be looking into the complaint.

Two years after becoming perhaps Shawano County’s largest dairy farm, Matsche Farms Inc. is seeking regulatory approval for an expansion that would boost the agricultural operation to new heights.

The family-owned farm near Birnamwood has unveiled plans for building its biggest barn yet — longer than five football fields — and adding 5,000 more cows to a herd currently estimated at 6,600.

Neighbors are voicing concern that Matsche Farms, located at N9035 River Road in the town of Almon, could become a threat to water quality and air quality in the area.

The expansion plan, however, has won approval from local and county officials, and now is headed to the state Department of Natural Resources for review.

Shawano County Supervisor Robert Krause joined other county officials Thursday in endorsing the plan, saying he is comfortable that the farm is operating safely. The county’s land conservation committee granted approval after conducting a public hearing and hearing from both supporters and opponents of the expansion.

“It’s tough being a large farm,” Krause said. “A lot of people will point a finger without doing their homework.”

State officials said the expansion, if completed, would rank Matsche Farms among the largest dairy farms in Northeastern Wisconsin, alongside Rosendale Dairy LLC in Fond du Lac County and Holsum Dairies LLC in Calumet County.

Farms with more than 1,000 animals — also known as “concentrated animal feeding operations,” or CAFOs — are regulated by the state. There are about 270 such operations throughout the state, including seven in Shawano County.

Two years ago, Matsche Farms was granted approval for an expansion that added about 4,000 cows to the herd and included construction of two new barns, a new milking parlor and a manure storage pit. Matsche Farms at the time was trailing Green Valley Dairy LLC near Pulaski as the largest farm in Shawano County.

The new plan for Matsche Farms calls for building another new barn more than 1,500 feet long, and adding another manure storage pit as well as a pond for runoff from stockpiles of animal feed. In bringing 5,000 more cows to the farm, officials want to consolidate animals currently housed at satellite operations.

Based on the government’s formula of calculating “animal units” — which varies slightly from actual animals — the farm would grow from a permitted maximum of 9,280 to 13,000 animal units. Farm officials said the actual number of cows would increase from 6,600 to 11,850.

The operation would generate about 80 million gallons of cow manure and wastewater annually, much of which would be used to fertilize thousands of acres of farmland throughout the region.

Members of the Almon Town Board added their endorsement to the plan earlier this month.

Town Chairman Jim Gutt said the Wisconsin dairy industry has evolved to include a growing number of large-scale farms. Gutt said he is pleased to see Matsche Farms doing well and growing, although he insisted that there is no particular prestige in having one of the region’s largest farms located in town.

“It’s just that it happened here,” he said. “It’s going to happen somewhere.”

State DNR officials have not announced a schedule for considering the Matsche Farms proposal. State officials are currently working with Matsche Farms to correct unrelated permit violations found in the farm’s handling of cow manure earlier this year.

Neighbors at Thursday’s county public hearing voiced concern about the recent permit violations, saying they fear that the farm expansion would pose heightened risks for water quality problems and other environmental issues.

“Think about Kewaunee, everybody,” neighbor Leslie Hill said, referring to Kewaunee County’s suspected water contamination linked to large farms operating as CAFOs.

Another neighbor, Doug Kriehn, said he is troubled by foul odors emanating from Matsche Farms. He said: “The stench has gotten horrible. I felt like I was going to vomit.”

Matsche Farms representatives offered assurances that they work hard to protect the environment and to comply with state regulations. Some neighbors spoke out in support of the farm expansion.

Neighbor Bart Schultz said he recently drilled a new well on property directly adjacent to Matsche Farms, and the drilling showed no sign of groundwater contamination.

Dairy farms are a major industry in Wisconsin, Schulz said, adding that he applauds Matsche Farms and others for adjusting to economic forces and keeping the industry alive.

“Big farms — I understand why they’re doing it,” he said. “I’m a hundred percent for it.”

Shawano Police Department

July 13

Police logged 28 incidents, including the following:

Accident — Police responded to a three-vehicle crash in the 1300 block of East Green Bay Street. According to the police report, the first vehicle, driven by a 67-year-old Shawano man, was stopped in traffic to make a left turn. The second vehicle, driven by a 74-year-old Shawano man, was stopped behind vehicle one. The third vehicle, driven by a 17-year-old Cecil male, ran into vehicle two, pushing that vehicle into vehicle one. The operator of vehicle two had minor injuries and was transported to ThedaCare Medical Center-Shawano. The 17-year-old was cited for inattentive driving.

OAR — A 37-year-old man was cited for operating after revocation at Olson and Richmond streets.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 800 block of East Richmond Street.

OWL — A 35-year-old Keshena man was cited for operating without a driver’s license and failure to fasten seat belt at Main and Fourth streets.

Curfew — A juvenile was cited for curfew violation in the 800 block of East Richmond Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

July 13

Deputies logged 31 incidents, including the following:

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on North Street in Bonduel.

Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint after a baggie of white powder was found at the Ho-Chunk Casino, N7198 U.S. Highway 45, in the town of Wittenberg.

Fraud — Authorities investigated an identity theft complaint on Quieta Court in the town of Angelica.

Vandalism — Authorities investigated a vandalism complaint on Mohawk Street in the town of Wittenberg.

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile problem on Chrissie Circle in the town of Washington.

Clintonville Police Department

July 13

Police logged 10 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — An officer responded to a report of a neighbor dispute on Second Street and warnings were issued to both parties.

Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Flora Way.

Warrant — A 31-year-old Clintonville man was arrested on a Shawano County warrant.

For most enterprises, the need to expand would be considered a good thing, but if the business provides services to victims of domestic violence, it could also be considered a sad commentary on society.

The Safe Haven Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Support Center in Shawano has been operating for some time at maximum capacity. It will soon kick off a fundraising campaign aimed at adding space to the shelter.

“For a community our size, we have a lot of need,” Executive Director Stacey Cicero said.

The shelter has five bedrooms, and none of them are ever empty, according to Cicero. In some cases, families have shared the bedrooms.

Last year, the shelter provided safe housing for 55 woman and 67 children, with an average length of stay of 27.3 days and 3,385 bed nights, according to information provided by Safe Haven.

Advocates answered 2,064 crisis calls and met with 514 victims.

Cicero said the increasing calls for help might be partly due to increased awareness that services are available.

“It’s not that domestic violence is getting worse, but people are finally reaching out for help,” she said.

The shelter has also seen an increase in high-risk domestic violence situations since the implementation in January of its Lethality Assessment Program.

City and county law enforcement routinely referred domestic abuse cases to the shelter, but in January they added a questionnaire that sought to assess just how dangerous the domestic situations might be, and whether they could end in homicide.

Safe Haven and local law enforcement joined together to apply for a grant to receive training in the program.

Cicero said the number of referrals to Safe Haven as a result of the lethality assessments has been “astounding.”

Through the end of June, 48 percent of domestic violence calls in the city have fallen into the high-risk category. In the county, 56 percent met that criteria.

Questions asked in the assessment include whether the alleged abuser owns a weapon, has ever choked the victim or abused their children.

Cicero said the questionnaire provides a much clearer picture of the domestic situation, allowing for another tool for counseling; provides a higher probability of gaining a restraining order; and can be used as evidence in prosecution.

The Safe Haven shelter is in its 15th year of operation, though outreach and counseling services have been provided going back 10 years before the shelter was established.

The shelter is looking to add three more bedrooms and additional office space, or about 2,000 square feet to its facility.

In addition to providing more space for clients, it will give the shelter more room for outreach and counseling.

The shelter has set a goal of raising $425,000, and will kick off its fundraising campaign Sept. 28 at The Gathering in Shawano.

Shawano Police Department

July 17

Police logged 26 incidents, including the following:

Fraud — Police investigated a fraud complaint at Charlie’s County Market, 521 S. Main St.

Accident — Police responded to a two-vehicle property damage accident in the 100 block of County Road B.

Theft — A phone was reported stolen in the 1400 block of East Green Bay Street.

Vandalism — Benches were reported vandalized at Sturgeon Park, 811 S. Water St.

July 16

Police logged 22 incidents, including the following:

OWI — A 22-year-old man was arrested for operating while intoxicated at Andrews and Richmond streets.

Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint in the 300 block of North Franklin Street.

Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint in the 200 block of South Sawyer Street.

Shoplifting — Dunham’s, 1211 E. Green Bay St., reported a shoplifting incident.

Hit and Run — Police investigated a property damage hit-and-run at state highways 29 and 22.

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

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance at Picnic and River streets.

July 15

Police logged 30 incidents, including the following:

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

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance at Main and Oshkosh streets.

Shoplifting — Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St., reported a shoplifting incident.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 200 block of West Richmond Street.

Warrant — A 20-year-old man was arrested on a warrant at Richmond and Prospect streets.

Burglary — A garage was reported broken into in the 400 block of Humphrey Circle.

OAR — A 32-year-old man was cited for operating after revocation at Main and Presbyterian streets.

July 14

Police logged 27 incidents, including the following:

Theft — A weed eater and edger were reported missing from a garage in the 300 block of Prospect Circle.

Warrant — A 26-year-old man was arrested on a warrant at Huckleberry Harbor, 200 N. Sawyer St.

Accident — Police responded to an injury accident in the 200 block of North Airport Drive.

Warrant — A 23-year-old man was arrested on a warrant at Main and Oshkosh streets.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance at Smalley and Green Bay streets.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

July 17

Deputies logged 48 incidents, including the following:

Theft — Authorities responded to a property theft complaint on County Road J in the town of Fairbanks.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on County Road T in the town of Waukechon.

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Cedar Street in Tigerton.

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

Accidents — Authorities responded to injury accidents on Old 47 Road in the town of Hartland, Grand Avenue in Wittenberg and Blueberry Road in the town of Herman.

July 16

Deputies logged 34 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Pearl Street in Birnamwood.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Forest Street in Birnamwood.

Threatening — Authorities responded to a threatening complaint on Main Street in the town of Angelica.

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

Hit and Run — Authorities investigated a property damage hit-and-run at state highways 29 and 22.

Theft — A purse was reported stolen from an unlocked vehicle on U.S. Highway 45 in the town of Wittenberg.

July 15

Deputies logged 50 incidents, including the following:

Hit and Run — Authorities investigated a property damage hit-and-run at the North Star Casino, W12180 County Road A, Gresham.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a reported fight in progress on Frontage Road in the town of Washington.

Hit and Run — Authorities investigated a property damage hit-and-run on Butternut Road in the town of Herman.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on state Highway 22 in Cecil.

OWI — A 39-year-old man was arrested for operating while intoxicated on Trailer Court Road in Tigerton.

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

July 14

Deputies logged 34 incidents, including the following:

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Oak Avenue in the town of Richmond.

Burglary — A burglary was reported on County Road D in the town of Seneca.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Gerbig Road in the town of Grant.

Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint on First Street in Aniwa.

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

Clintonville Police Department

July 17

Police logged 11 incidents, including the following:

Theft — A theft and forgery complaint was reported on South Main Street.

Theft — Retail theft was reported on South Main Street.

Burglary — A burglary was reported on Robert Street.

Theft — A theft was reported on Eighth Street.

July 17

Police logged 16 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to an unwanted intoxicated subject on West Madison Street.

Theft — A theft was reported on Sixth Street.

Disturbance — Domestic abuse was reported on West Morning Glory Drive.

Disturbance — Domestic abuse was reported on East 14th Street.

July 15

Police logged eight incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Police responded to a domestic disturbance on Modoc Street.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem on Harriet Street.

July 14

Police logged 11 incidents, including the following:

Theft — A theft was reported on West Madison Street.

Harassment — Harassment was reported on East 12th Street.

A Shawano man charged with 11 felony counts of possessing child pornography also had a cache of so-called snuff videos depicting women being murdered, according to the criminal complaint, though none of the charges filed against him are related to those videos.

Gerald R. Hoffman, 39, could face a maximum 25 years in prison and a $100,000 fine for each of the child porn counts if found guilty.

Shawano police, acting on a cyber tip from the Department of Justice Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, executed a search warrant at Hoffman’s residence on July 4. They were assisted by Shawano County sheriff’s detectives.

According to the complaint, a forensic analysis of computer equipment seized revealed images of prepubescent female engaged in sexual activity.

The analysis also found another folder that, according to the complaint, included “video and still image files that appeared to be extremely graphic videos and images of persons being killed and mutilated, including having their heads cut off, numerous images of persons hanging (rope or other items around the person’s neck), in some instances persons being hung/suspended by various body parts including the genitals.”

According to the complaint, Hoffman told authorities he had gotten the files from “a Russian guy” he had made contact with on a fetish website.

Snuff videos have been an underground phenomenon for at least 50 years, going back to the days when they were traded on 8mm film. There has often been debate about whether the murders depicted were real.

Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Gordon Kowaleski said this was the first time he has ever run across such videos during an investigation.

“I’ve never seen anything like it before,” he said.

Kowaleski said it wasn’t clear if any of the videos depicted actual killings.

“Some are fake; some I don’t know,” he said.

A $50,000 signature bond was set in Hoffman’s case. He is due back in court Monday for an adjourned initial appearance.

Kowaleski said possession of the snuff videos is not illegal. If the origin of the videos can be determined, the matter will be referred back to that jurisdiction for further investigation, he said.

Only six months after the last increase went into effect, Shawano Municipal Utilities is asking the state Public Service Commission for another hike in electric utility rates.

“We have a need for a rate adjustment,” City Administrator and SMU General Manager Brian Knapp said.

SMU filed with the PSC on June 30 seeking a 1.7 percent increase.

“We hope it can be effective as quickly as possible,” Knapp said.

Knapp said SMU has fallen short of revenue expected since the new rates went into effect, largely due to changes in behavior by large industrial customers.

Some of those customers, he said, have shifted more of their production to off-peak hours to take advantage of lower overnight rates between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.

“We need to make some adjustments in order to return to profitability,” Knapp said.

The PSC has responded with some follow-up questions for SMU.

“It will be a little while yet, a month or so, before they can tell us what their analysis of our rate increase should be,” Knapp said.

The utility’s request is based on what it hopes its rate of return will be. The actual rates are set by the PSC.

SMU applied to the last year year for a rate increase that would deliver a 5.5 percent of return.

That request was the result of the utility falling short of the 6 percent rate of return the PSC authorized in 2014.

The rate increase that went into effect at the beginning of this year increased monthly bills by an average about 1.94 percent.

Knapp said the new increase, if approved, will likely be geared more toward industrial customers, but it’s possible commercial and residential users could also see another increase.

Embroiled in political strife, Bonduel Village Board members are taking the symbolic step of not paying themselves for meetings necessary to manage the upheaval.

The action approved Monday by a divided board will save taxpayers about $600 in payments as members cope with the departures of the police chief and other village officials.

Trustee Luka Zischka proposed the suspension of board compensation protocol, citing the unusual circumstances in which staff resignations have been blamed on the village board’s dysfunction.

“I’m embarrassed that I’m going to get paid,” Zischka said.

He proposed that board members forgo their usual $30-per-meeting stipend for board meetings to deal with the recent resignations of Police Chief Todd Chaney, Deputy Village Clerk Katrina Schroeder and Village Trustee Shawn Thorne. All three cited turmoil within the village board as a reason for their stepping down.

Zischka’s proposal was narrowly approved, with support from Trustees Margie Qualheim and Mary Barney and opposition from Village President Sharon Wussow and Trustee Dick Sibert. Trustee Joan Kamps abstained on the vote, and Thorne was absent.

Wussow agreed that the spate of resignations was unfortunate, but she added, “Not all of us were the reason.”

Qualheim, Barney and Kamps have been at the center of much criticism surrounding the sudden onset of political tensions within the village government since the current board was seated following the April municipal elections.

While the outgoing deputy village clerk mentioned those three trustees by name, the police chief and Thorne cited three unidentified trustees in describing an atmosphere of hostility and negativity on the village board. The resignations all came within the past month.

Qualheim, the newest village trustee, said in an interview that she has been the target of a hostile environment, not the perpetrator. Qualheim said her fellow board members — except for Barney and Kamps — have treated her like an outsider whose questions and suggestions are not welcome.

Even at her very first meeting, Qualheim said, she was scolded for sitting in the wrong seat.

“There was control in the atmosphere,” she said. “They just would shut me down.”

In recent weeks, village board members have exchanged sharp words while discussing a variety of issues, including the village’s code of ethics, committee appointments and liquor license procedures. Chaney announced his retirement after a pointed debate about how his department screened liquor license applicants, and Schroeder resigned after being questioned about how she handled a monetary donation Kamps made to the village.

Thorne followed by announcing his midterm resignation, effective Thursday, which he blamed on “name calling and personal attacks” from three trustees he later identified as Qualheim, Barney and Kamps.

The seven-member village board has since scheduled several meetings to begin reviewing applicants for police chief and to make plans for filling the other vacancies.

In his proposal to waive village trustee stipends, Zischka cited three meetings where board members were scheduled to consider the resignations. Without mentioning any specific trustee, he said taxpayers should not have to pay for board members to spend time repairing damage done by the board itself.

Zischka acknowledged that turning down pay would not solve the underlying issues, but he said it might help the village’s tarnished public image.

“Our PR for the village is at an all-time low,” he said. “This would be a good-faith effort to try to fix something that is broken.”

Shawano Police Department

July 18

Police logged 22 incidents, including the following:

Fraud — Police investigated an internet fraud complaint in the 100 block of Humphrey Circle.

Arrest — A 25-year-old man was taken into custody at the probation and parole offices, 1340 E. Green Bay St.

Shoplifting — Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St., reported a shoplifting incident.

Drug Offense — Police investigated a drug complaint in the 600 block of East Lieg Avenue.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 700 block of South Maiden Lane.

Disturbance — Police responded to a report of a fight in progress in the 500 block of Prospect Circle.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

July 18

Deputies logged 38 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Kersten Lake Road in the town of Fairbanks.

Suspicious — A suspicious vehicle was reported on Frailing Road in the town of Wescott.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Bartelt Street in Gresham.

Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint at state Highway 29 and Cecil Street in Bonduel.

Accidents — Authorities responded to two injury accidents on state Highway 22 in the town of Washington and logged three deer-related crashes.

Clintonville Police Department

July 18

Police logged 12 incidents, including the following:

Theft — Retail theft was reported on South Main Street.

Disorderly — Disorderly conduct was reported on North Clinton Avenue.

Hit and Run — A property damage hit-and-run was reported on North 12th Street.

A Shawano man was sentenced Tuesday in federal court to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting two teenage girls on the Menominee Indian Reservation.

In sentencing William Wilber IV, U.S. District Judge William C. Griesbach said Wilber had a history of preying on underage girls.

Wilber, 35, pleaded guilty in April to two counts of having sex with a minor. The charges involved a 14-year-old girl in May 2015 at Legend Lake property owned by his family. A second count involved a 15-year-old girl in July 2015 also at the Legend Lake property.

Wilber was detained in January after one of the girls filed a complaint with the Menominee Tribal Police Department.

A third charge of sexual assault of a minor was dismissed, and the U.S. Attorney agreed to recommend concurrent 10-year sentences on the two remaining charges in exchange for Wilber’s guilty pleas.

Wilber’s attorney, Tom Phillip, argued for a sentence of five years or less, writing the court that it was sufficient deterrence and gave Wilber enough time to treat his alcohol problem.

“Wilber needs alcohol treatment, badly. He appears to be the kind of person who drinks until he is both physically and morally insensible,” Phillip wrote in his filing. “In the rest of his life, he doesn’t seem to be predatory or dangerous or violent. … (W)hen he drinks, he seems to lose all inhibitions. A sober William Wilber would not do any of the things that a drunk William Wilber does. A sober William Wilber isn’t a problem, but a drunk William Wilber is.”

Griesbach said that Wilber used alcohol as a tool to overcome the resistance of the juvenile victims and to rationalize his behavior.

Griesbach noted the impact Wilber’s actions had on the victims, as well as his son, who was present during some of the assaults.

In a pre-sentence interview with a court official, Wilber said he considers himself an alcoholic and the abuse of alcohol played a significant part in the crimes he committed. Alcohol has “devastated my life” and “turned me into a person I don’t like,” he said, according to Phillip.

Griesbach ordered 10 years supervision after Wilber is released from prison.

Menominee Tribal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case with assistance from the Willow Tree Cornerstone Child Advocacy Center in Green Bay. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Maier.