Shawano police are looking for the person or persons responsible for a vandalism incident at the Memorial Park splash pad last week.

The shade tarp at the new splash pad was repeatedly slashed sometime Thursday night or Friday morning.

Park and Recreation Director Matt Hendricks said he didn’t yet have a cost estimate for the damage.

Meanwhile, Facebook was buzzing last week about a supposed incident of lewd and lascivious behavior that allegedly took place at the splash pad.

A poster on Shawano Let’s Talk About It said a person had bragged about committing the indecent acts at the splash pad, sparking a community discussion that included the question of whether the park should have security cameras installed.

Police Chief Dan Mauel said he was aware of the Facebook posts, but the department has not gotten any direct reports of such an incident occurring.

“We have no official complaints about the incident described,” he said.

Hendricks said there have also been no reports made to the Park and Recreation Department.

“No one’s contacted our office,” he said. “For an event like that, if people know who it is and know what’s going on, I would think the police department would be the first normal contact.”

Hendricks was skeptical about the claim.

“With social media, who knows what’s true and what’s not true?” he said.

The recent vandalism incident at the splash pad, however, was likely to renew discussions that have been going on for years about whether the parks should have security cameras.

The city’s outdoor recreation plan, developed in 2014 under then-Park and Recreation Director Judy Judd, discussed the possibility of installing security cameras at various parks to prevent vandalism or catch those engaging in vandalism.

At present, the city has no security cameras in the park system, but they have been installed at the recreation center.

“It’s been discussed and it keeps coming up every once in a while,” Hendricks said. “I think it will probably be talked about again.”

Hendricks said it has been just within the last couple of years that many of the parks have gotten the fiber connections that would provide the backbone of the security camera system.

“With that infrastructure, it would be an easier step to include cameras,” he said. “We’re stepping towards the direction of being able to do that.”

Hendricks said the level of vandalism activity at the parks is not high.

“In my opinion, it’s not a concerning amount,” he said, “at least what’s reported to us or what we see.”

The vast majority of vandalism is graffiti.

“This summer, we’ve had graffiti on maybe four or five different occasions,” Hendricks said.

Intentional property damage like the splash pad tarp incident is rarer, according to Hendricks.

“This year, I believe we had one or two picnic tables that we believe were intentionally damaged, and we did have damage to one water fountain at Memorial Park,” he said.

As for the splash pad tarp, the police department is asking anyone for information on that vandalism incident to call the department at 715-524-4545, referencing case P18-05951.

Shawano Police Department

Sept. 5

Police logged 21 incidents, including the following:

Fraud — Police investigated a fraud complaint in the 800 block of West Picnic Street.

Threatening — Police responded to a threatening complaint in the 400 block of East Fifth Street.

Drug Offense — Police investigated a drug complaint at Industrial Drive and Richmond Street.

Disturbance — Charges of domestic violence-related disorderly conduct and battery were referred against a 36-year-old Shawano man after a disturbance in the 1000 block of East Fifth Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Sept. 5

Deputies logged 34 incidents, including the following:

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Main Street in Gresham.

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

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on state Highway 22 in the town of Belle Plaine.

Accidents — Deputies logged five accidents, including one deer-related crash and a semi versus bear.

Clintonville Police Department

Sept. 5

Police logged six incidents, including the following:

Auto Theft — Operating a motor vehicle without owner’s consent was reported on Rohrer Street.

Drug Offense — Citations were issued for underage consumption and possession of marijuana on South Main Street.

The city is reviewing a possible agreement with a proposed tubing business that would allow the for-profit enterprise to operate on public park land, but there are a number of questions to be addressed before it moves forward.

The proposed business, which would provide customers the ability to float the Wolf River by means of a tube, kayak or canoe, would be owned and operated by Jeff Kammerer, who was unable to get approval for the business at an alternate location this summer.

That original proposal did not include the use of public park land.

The original location, 1112 S. Water St., was shot down by Shawano’s zoning administrator and Board of Appeals last month after being deemed too small to support the business.

The zoning for neighborhood mixed use requires a minimum lot size of 9,000 square feet under the city’s zoning code. The location proposed was only 7,500 square feet.

Neighbors also objected to the location over parking and traffic concerns.

The location being proposed now, at 1013 S. Water St., just north of the Community Gardens at Lieg Avenue and Water Street, is only about a block from the site initially proposed.

“It’s known as the old Putz property,” said Park and Recreation Director Matt Hendricks. “There’s an old garage there used as storage right now.”

The Shawano Park and Recreation Commission Wednesday had its first discussion of a proposed agreement that would let Kammerer use the property for his business in exchange for some compensation to the city.

“It’s expected, should this go forward or should this happen, the city would receive monies from the business in order for this to operate,” Hendricks said.

The amount hasn’t yet been determined.

About a dozen people from the area attended Wednesday’s commission meeting to voice their questions and concerns, with their chief objection being the lack of available parking for the business.

There were also questions about whether the public would still have access to the park and its amenities, how wildlife and the shoreline would be impacted, what it might mean for the existing trail system that goes through the property, and how the city could justify a for-profit operation on public land.

Currently, the city has agreements with several nonprofit organizations, including the Ski Sharks, farmers market and soccer club that make use of park land, but there is no concessionaire agreement with a for-profit business.

Hendricks said, however, it’s not uncommon in other park systems.

He noted that a bait and tackle shop operates in a New London park and that many city pools and beaches elsewhere have concession agreements with food vendors. Those businesses, Hendricks said, typically are related to recreational activities.

He said the commission will have to decide whether the business being proposed by Kammerer would be complementary to the park.

The commission Wednesday ultimately decided to table the proposed agreement until next month’s meeting and directed staff to explore whether the tubing business could instead be located at Sturgeon Park and whether there could be an off-street parking lot designated in the area that could serve not just the tubing business but also the nearby community gardens.

Kammerer, in an interview Thursday, said he has heard a lot of community support for his proposed business, even from neighbors who object to the proposed location.

“They say it’s a good idea, but not in their backyard,” Kammerer said. “That’s pretty much the theme of anything new.”

As for the chief concern raised by neighbors, which was the question of parking, Kammerer said it’s not possible to plan for the maximum parking needs that could occur.

“If you plan for maximum capacity for any park, half the city would be parking places instead of houses and yards,” he said. “There’s tournaments and a lot of other activities that happen in town where city streets are being filled and neighbors are being cooperative to get through the event or the tournament or what may be going on.”

Kammerer said he hopes those who support the proposed tubing business will attend future meetings to speak on his behalf.

“I’ve had a lot of great comments and a lot of encouragement to keep going and make this happen,” he said. “I really need some positive voices of people who are willing to speak.”

Shawano Pathways was at the Board of Appeals meeting last month to support his proposal.

Other than that, committees are mostly hearing only the negative side of the story, Kammerer said.

“The committees are just hearing the negatives,” he said. “I could use some help or some positive feedback at the next meeting if the community would like to see this being offered.”

The Shawano County Library is currently conducting a broad-based evaluation of its facilities. The intent is to determine how well the library’s services and other offerings match up against patrons’ many and evolving needs, and if any shortcomings are the result of inadequate physical facilities.

The survey, which takes about 15 minutes to finish, is located online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/C2JQ7B5. Print surveys are also available at all the libraries for those without internet access. Surveys should be completed by Sept. 21.

The survey was developed by the independent, Minnesota-based Library Strategies Consulting Group. All responses are directed to Library Strategies. No survey responses will be connected to particular individuals in the aggregate reports provided to the library.

For information, go to shawanolibrary.org or call 715-526-3829.

The Shawano County Library consists of the main library in Shawano, branches in Birnamwood, Bonduel, Mattoon, Tigerton and Wittenberg as well as a countywide delivery service.

Shawano Police Department

Sept. 6

Police logged 32 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — A 13-year-old Shawano girl was referred for disorderly conduct after a disturbance in the 400 block of South Weed Street.

Accident — A car-deer accident was reported at Green Bay Street and Woodlawn Drive.

Trespass — Police responded to a trespassing complaint at Shawano Community High School, 220 County Road B.

Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint in the 200 block of Kleeman Court.

Theft — A wallet was reported stolen in the 100 block of East Richmond Street.

Hit and Run — Police investigated a property damage hit-and-run at Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St.

OWL — A 32-year-old Shawano man was cited for operating without a driver’s license in the 400 block of South Main Street.

Disturbance — A 21-year-old Shawano man was arrested for disorderly conduct/domestic, resisting arrest and bail jumping after a disturbance in the 1000 block of South Lutz Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Sept. 6

Deputies logged 40 incidents, including the following:

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

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile problem at Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School, 400 W. Grand Ave. in Wittenberg.

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile problem on White Birch Road in the town of Aniwa.

OAR — A 25-year-old man was cited for operating after revocation on state Highway 47-55 in the town of Wescott.

Drug Offense — Authorities responded to a drug complaint on Old Keshena Road in the town of Wescott.

Theft — Authorities responded to a property theft complaint on Marcus Street in Birnamwood.

Accidents — Authorities responded to injury accidents on Green Valley Road in the town of Angelica and and Warrington Avenue in Cecil.

Clintonville Police Department

Sept. 6

Police logged 12 incidents, including the following:

Theft — A theft and forgery incident was reported on East Madison Street.

Auto Theft — A motor vehicle theft was reported on South Main Street and was unfounded after the owner advised they located the vehicle and had just forgotten where it was parked.

Trespass — A warning was issued for trespassing on West Madison Street.

An Antigo man is facing a charge of attempted homicide for a domestic assault that occurred in Shawano County in June.

Wilbert N. Orley, 43, is accused of beating, stabbing and cutting a woman in a wooded area in the town of Almon during an assault that lasted several hours.

The attack allegedly occurred after Orley and the woman visited the North Star Casino on June 22.

According to the complaint, the couple had been arguing before arriving at the casino. While at the casino, Orley allegedly shoved her around and grabbed her by the back of the neck, but no one intervened.

The couple later got back into their vehicle and Orley took the woman down a dirt road off of Hilltop Road, according to the complaint. Orley allegedly pulled her from the vehicle by her hair, threw her to the ground and repeatedly assaulted her.

The complaint alleges Orley threatened her with multiple knives, then cut her hand and stabbed her in the leg with a bolo knife.

The woman reported the incident to Antigo police and was treated for her injuries at Aspirus Hospital.

Orley was arrested by Antigo police and resisted arrest, according to the complaint. He was also allegedly in possession of a meth pipe.

A Shawano County sheriff’s detective was called in because the alleged assault occurred in the county.

Authorities located several knives in Orley’s vehicle, including a box cutter, folding blade knife, fixed blade knife and a Filipino machete “bolo” knife with an 18-inch blade, according to the complaint.

Orley could face 60 years in prison if convicted of attempted homicide.

He is also charged with felony counts of reckless endangerment and false imprisonment, as well as several misdemeanor counts of battery and disorderly conduct.

Orley is currently being held at the Langlade County Jail. He was convicted in Langlade County on Tuesday of domestic abuse and sentenced to 60 days in jail.

He was also convicted Tuesday in a separate case on charges of possession of methamphetamine and battery, for which he was given three years’ probation.

There is no court date set for the Shawano County charges.

A new transportation policy overseen by a new bus company went into effect this week at the Shawano School District, but school and bus company officials are finding there are some issues to address after hearing complaints from a number of parents.

Kobussen Buses of Kaukauna was awarded the transportation contract in the spring over Johnson School Bus Service, Inc.

The district was also considering at that time a change in school start and end times that would allow the bus company to make a single run at the beginning and end of school, picking up and dropping off students from all grades at the same time.

In the past, buses were sent out for a run of high school and middle school students, then went back again for elementary students.

The new school schedules seem to be working well, with only one complaint so far, according to District Administrator Gary Cumberland.

The way students are being picked up for school and dropped off afterward is upsetting some parents, many of whom packed the district School Board chambers Tuesday to complain about stops and even some roads that have been scrapped from the bus routes this year.

About two dozen people spoke at that meeting out of more than three dozen who attended.

The district has had a longstanding policy that students should not be on the buses for any longer than one hour, and that was the directive given to Kobussen.

With more students to pick up all at once because of the new school schedule, the bus company responded to the time mandate by consolidating some of the stops and eliminating some dead-end roads and other spots where turning around was a problem.

Some parents along those routes complain their children are having to walk unreasonably far to get picked up, sometimes along roads where it’s unsafe for them to be on foot.

The School Board held a special meeting Thursday with bus company officials to discuss how to address those concerns.

“We all need to be fair to everybody,” said Dan Kobussen, vice president of Kobussen Buses. “We need to make this system as efficient as possible for everybody involved.”

Kobussen said restoring some of the bus stops would add time to the routes — about three minutes per stop — and will mean the first students picked up will have to be at their stop earlier.

Kobussen also said the number of stops within the city is increasing, partly due to the number of open enrollment students.

“Holy cow, it feels like there’s an awful lot of them in the district,” Kobussen said.

“These stops are just growing and growing and growing,” he said. “It’s overwhelming.”

Board member Chuck Dallas said those observations didn’t seem to jibe with what he has seen.

“In listening to the conversation, I’m wondering if we need to build another school,” Dallas joked. “I’m on the finance committee and they have a budget that’s showing less students than we had in 2017.”

Cumberland said it was hard to tell during the first week of school. However, he said, Hillcrest Primary School had registered an additional 28 students since August.

The district won’t have an official number until the annual third Friday count.

“At this point, I’d say it’s very similar to last year,” Cumberland said in an interview Friday.

Board members at Thursday’s meeting said changes would have to be made to the current pick-up and drop-off policy, particularly in areas where safety is a concern.

“Some of these are dangerous situations that have to be rectified,” board member Bruce Milavitz said. “Stops will have to be added. No doubt about it.”

Board member Michael Sleeper said parents would also feel more secure if they don’t have to walk so far to the bus stop that they’re out of view.

“The parent of a young kid is comfortable as long as they can see them,” he said. “But once they go around a corner, over a hill, whatever, yikes.”

Milavitz said that should be a determining factor in making changes.

Kobussen said some of the problems that have come up this first week were the result of being new to the district.

“We’re still in the preliminary time of knowing what’s going on,” he said. “In the next couple of weeks, as things slow down, we’ll get to that.”

Kobussen also agreed that there are some situations where safety is an issue.

“There are situations where we may have not been quite right in our actual pick-up, so we have to re-evaluate that and we have to make exceptions to the policy that we brought to the school district,” he said.

Kobussen added that the same policy is working in other districts the bus company serves.

“If we’ve got to make changes, we’re willing to make changes,” he said. “It may end up making our routes longer. That’s one thing you’ve got to understand to begin with.”

Kobussen said the past practice of going door-to-door would necessitate another five or six buses and add around $200,000 to transportation costs.

The bus company is being paid $876,611 to provide transportation for the district under its contract, but that amount does not include fuel, which will be billed separately, or transportation for extracurricular events.

Johnson School Bus was paid $950,631 last year, but that figure did include fuel and extracurricular bus runs.

Board member Diane Hoffman said some of the community reaction to the bus route changes this year stemmed from a lack of communication.

“We knew changes were coming,” she said, “and we didn’t communicate that in a timely manner.”

The board went into closed session at Thursday’s meeting to discuss how problems raised by parents could be addressed.

Cumberland said Friday that the board had a “lengthy discussion” and ultimately agreed with a suggestion from Kobussen that someone from the schools evaluate each of the pick-up points, as well as dead-end roads and turnaround issues, to determine safety and make adjustments to the bus routes accordingly.

“The key there is safety,” he said.

Cumberland said the district might have to allow bus trips longer than an hour if necessary.

“That may be something where we’re going to have to bend a little bit,” he said.

He said the district was also willing to spend additional money to ensure student safety.

“If we have to, to make sure kids are safe, then absolutely we will,” he said. “We’ll find a way to get that done.”

There was little turnout for a rally Tuesday organized by the Shawano Area Women’s Network to oppose the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, but there appeared to be plenty of support for the message judging by the honking of car horns and thumbs-up signs from passers-by.

The group displayed anti-Kavanaugh signs Tuesday on Main Street outside the Shawano County Courthouse.

“We believe in women’s right,” said Jan Koch, who co-chairs the group with Tamzin Westcott.

“At our last meeting, we were upset about the Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and his stance on women’s right to choose and what might happen if his nomination is approved,” Koch said.

“We thought we should do something,” she said.

The group settled on a rally Tuesday to tie in with the anniversary of 9/11 “to show our patriotism as well as what we believe,” Koch said.

“Being a patriot is being able to voice your opinion and object when you feel things are wrong,” Westcott said. “Kavanaugh has a record of fighting women’s rights. He refers to birth-control pills as abortion pills.”

Kavanaugh called some forms of contraception “abortion-inducing” during his confirmation hearing.

“Women know their bodies,” Tamzin said. “A lot of our decisions were made by councils of men without a single woman on it. This just isn’t right. Women have to be able to speak for women.”

SAWN member Kathy Nodolf said the Kavanaugh nomination is not a partisan issue.

“This is a women’s issue,” she said.

Koch said SAWN is a non-partisan group.

“We just happen to have some issues that are shared more with Democrats than Republicans,” she said. “We’re for women and for what women believe in. We want to think about families and health care, education, environment — all what’s good for families. That’s what we’re about.”

Koch said the group was encouraging people to contact their senators regarding the Kavanaugh nomination, though she conceded the Wisconsin delegation’s votes were pretty much set.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin is expected to vote against Kavanaugh and Sen. Ron Johnson will almost certainly support him.

But Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine have both said they won’t support a Supreme Court nominee that would overturn Roe V. Wade.

Koch encouraged people to email or phone Murkowski's and Collins' offices, we as their Wisconsin senators.

“A lot of people don’t even know who Kavanaugh is,” Koch said. “They don’t realize that women’s rights are in jeopardy.”

The Gresham School Board approved a plan Monday that would set the tax impact of its proposed referendum at $1.84 per $1,000 of equalized valuation.

The plan was one of three the board had to choose from, but it has a two-fold impact. While being a midway point between the least taxpayer impact and the most, the plan also gives the school district a chance to build its fund balance, which is currently nonexistent.

In the 11 years since Gresham broke away from the Shawano School District, it has underlevied its maximum amount allowed by law by an average of $1.3 million. However, in many of those years, the district spent more than it levied, giving it a negative fund balance at the end of the fiscal year, June 30. Currently, the district has a negative balance of about $525,000.

“You have not levied up to the limit,” said Michelle Wiberg, a consultant with PMA Securities, based in Naperville, Illinois. “The rationale for that is to control the tax burden to the taxpayers of Gresham.”

Even with underlevying, the district’s tax rate is expected to be around $10.93 per $1,000 in 2018, up from $10.54 in 2017. Nick Curran, the district’s business manager, told the board that the tax rate is expected to go up, regardless of whether voters approve the referendum, due to less state funding coming to the school district.

If the $6.5 million referendum passes in November, it would put the tax rate around the $13 mark for the future.

However, even if the referendum passes, that’s only the first hurdle for the district. With Gresham showing a negative fund balance, the district is a higher risk to lending companies.

One way the district is looking to strengthen its financial position is setting aside $200,000 annually to bring it out of the red in about three years and giving it a positive fund balance that equals 10 percent of its annual budget, about $400,000, in five years. The $200,000 had previously been set aside to pay back a short-term loan the district took out in 2014, but the loan was paid off last year.

“As we look to finding investors to lend you the $6.5 million, they’re going to want to see a strong financial position, or they’re going to want to see a plan to reach that position,” Wiberg said.

Under the plan approved by the board Monday, the district would issue $4.3 million in bonds on Oct. 1, 2019, and the remaining amount on March 1, 2024, once the district has achieved a positive fund balance.

Curran noted that having a fund balance in place is beneficial in case of some catastrophe or unforeseen circumstance where a major expense would need to be paid right away.

“If we have a major expense, the fund balance would be there to help pay for that expense,” Curran said.

Shawano Police Department

Sept. 10

Police logged 28 incidents, including the following:

OAR — A 38-year-old man was cited for operating after revocation at Fifth and Lincoln streets.

Disturbance — A 29-year-old Shawano man was arrested for disorderly conduct/domestic violence after a disturbance in the 400 block of East Zingler Avenue.

Theft — Two bikes were reported stolen in the 800 block of South Park Street.

Theft — Police responded to a property theft complaint in the 700 block of South Franklin Street.

Trespass — Police responded to a trespassing complaint at Charlie’s County Market, 521 S. Main St.

Sept. 9

Police logged 19 incidents, including the following:

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

Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint in the 1100 block of South Weed Street.

Hit and Run — Police investigated a property damage hit-and-run in the 1300 block of East Green Bay Street.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 1100 block of South Lincoln Street.

Sept. 8

Police logged 22 incidents, including the following:

Shoplifting — Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St., reported two shoplifting incidents.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 1100 block of South Water Street.

Theft — Money was reported stolen in the 500 block of East Fifth Street.

Theft — A bike was reported stolen at the Recreation Center, 220 E. Division St.

Sept. 7

Police logged 39 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — A 32-year-old Shawano woman was arrested for disorderly conduct/domestic violence in the 400 block of West Swan Street.

Bike Accident — Officers were dispatched to a car/bicycle crash. Investigation determined the bicyclist, a 47-year-old Shawano man, struck an orange construction barrel. He was not struck by a vehicle. The man was transported by ambulance to ThedaCare with minor injuries.

OWL — A 17-year-old Keshena woman was cited for operating without a valid license at Olson and Richmond streets.

OWI — A 57-year-old Shawano man was arrested for third-offense operating while intoxicated and operating after revocation of license in the 1300 block of East Lieg Avenue.

Disturbance — A 25-year-old Shawano man was arrested for bail jumping and resisting arrest after a disturbance in the 400 block of West Third Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Sept. 10

Deputies logged 24 incidents, including the following:

Disorderly — A 28-year-old Shawano woman was arrested for disorderly conduct and bail jumping on Sandy Drive in the town of Washington.

Sept. 9

Deputies logged 41 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Park Street in Gresham.

Vandalism — Vandalism was reported on County Road S in the town of Angelica.

Trespass — Authorities responded to a trespassing complaint on County Road Q in the town of Birnamwood.

Burglary — A burglary was reported on Stony Hill Road in the town of Pella.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a domestic disturbance on Spring Street in Aniwa.

Accidents — Authorities responded to an injury accident on state Highway 32 in the town of Angelica and logged seven deer-related crashes.

Sept. 8

Deputies logged 29 incidents, including the following:

Juvenile — Authorities investigated a juvenile alcohol complaint on Green Valley Road in the town of Angelica.

Vandalism — A mailbox was reported damaged on Range Line Road in the town of Pella.

Vandalism — A garage was reported egged on Webers Point Road in the town of Wescott.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Pioneer Road in the town of Belle Plaine.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a domestic disturbance on Putnam Lane in Bowler.

Sept. 7

Deputies logged 32 incidents, including the following:

Vandalism — A mailbox was reported damaged on Homestead Road in the town of Grant.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Lily Pond Road in the town of Washington.

Hit and Run — A property damage hit-and-run was reported on Hillside Drive in the town of Angelica.

Theft — Pain pills were reported stolen on Potch Ha Chee Road in the town of Wittenberg.

Clintonville Police Department

Sept. 10

Police logged eight incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Officers responded to a family disturbance on South Main Street. The matter was resolved and parties were separated.

Disturbance — Officers assisted with removing an unwanted subject from a residence on North 12th Street.

Sept. 9

Police logged seven incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — A disturbance was reported on Brix Street.

Drug Offense — A 22-year old Clintonville male was taken into custody on Eighth Street for eluding, possession of methamphetamine and possession drug paraphernalia.

Sept. 7

Police logged eight incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — A domestic disturbance was reported on 15th Street.

Accident — A two-vehicle accident was reported at Second and Main streets.

The state Department of Natural Resources plans to temporarily close fishing on Pigeon Lake to protect fish populations while the lake is drawn down for dam repairs.

The fishing closure will extend upstream to portions of the north and south branches of the Pigeon River. A public meeting to discuss the closure is set for 6 p.m. Sept. 19 in rooms 102 and 103 of the Clintonville Community Center at 30 S. Main St.

The drawdown of Pigeon Lake, a 170-acre impoundment of the Pigeon River, began Sept. 4. The drawdown, which is necessary to make repairs to the dam, is expected to take about 20 days and will lower the lake by approximately 10 feet.

Biologists expect a sizable number of fish will be flushed downstream. However, some fish will stay in the remaining river channel or move upstream into the Pigeon River, the North Branch Pigeon River and the South Branch Pigeon River. Fish that remain in the river channel or move upstream may get concentrated into areas that make them easily susceptible to angler harvest. Protecting these fish from harvest will allow them to recolonize Pigeon Lake after it is refilled and speed up the recovery of the fishery.

Area of closure will include:

• The entire lake and Pigeon River, including bays and channels from the dam in Clintonville upstream to where the Pigeon River splits to form the North Branch Pigeon River and South Branch Pigeon River.

• The North Branch Pigeon River from its confluence with the Pigeon River upstream to Knitt Road.

• The South Branch Pigeon River from its confluence with the Pigeon River upstream to U.S. Highway 45.

Fishing will be closed starting Sept. 21 after signs are posted and will remain closed until further notice.

For information about the closure, contact Jason Breeggemann, DNR senior fisheries biologist, at 715-526-4227 or Jason.Breeggemann@wisconsin.gov.

Mayor Richard Beggs said at Monday’s Clintonville Common Council meeting that for the past several months there has been some uneasiness in the area concerning repairs to the dam and the impact on the water level in the pond.

The city has determined that the most economically feasible option is a complete draw down of the lake, and this decision will provide for a quicker project, Beggs said.

“We wish to be responsive to any issues that arise, but the city has determined this is the best approach for our community,” Beggs said.

City officials Wednesday made it easier to phone in their attendance at Shawano Common Council meetings, changing a policy that prevented Alderman Bob Kurkiewicz from participating in several meetings last winter.

Kurkiewicz had been attending meetings from Florida by phone and later via Skype during the winter months for about 10 years, in spite of an 11-year-old ordinance that required the mayor’s approval and only in cases where the council member’s physical absence was due to unusual circumstances.

The city started enforcing that ordinance for the first time in February under Mayor Jeanne Cronce.

The change approved Wednesday requires only that a council member provide the mayor with notice that he or she will be appearing by phone or other electronic means. Permission from the mayor isn’t required.

The change was approved by a 5-0 vote, with Alderwoman Sandy Steinke absent.

“This is something that I brought forward,” Mayor Ed Whealon said. “It kind of brings this ordinance into the 21st century.”

The ordinance still prohibits participation by phone in closed session discussion and limits electronic attendance to one council member at a time.

The council also approved a change to a related ordinance that previously prohibited board or commission members from any phone or electronic attendance.

The members now will be able attend by phone or electronically, provided they give adequate notice to the mayor, but they will be restricted from doing that more than three times in a 12-month period.

Alderwoman Lisa Hoffman pressed for including that limitation so that the privilege would not be abused by board and commission members, who aren’t accountable to the voters.

“These aren’t elected members,” she said. “These are appointed members. So there’s no accountability, other than to the mayor. If a council member chose not to appear, their constituents can say, ‘OK, then we’re not voting for you.’ A board member doesn’t have that.”

Shawano Police Department

Sept. 11

Police logged 30 incidents, including the following:

Accident — A vehicle driven by a 43-year-old Shawano woman rear-ended a stopped vehicle driven by a 61-year-old Shawano woman at Green Bay and Waukechon streets. The 61-year-old woman complained of a minor injury but declined an ambulance. The 43-year-old woman was not injured and was cited for not having insurance.

Trespass — Police responded to a trespassing complaint in the 800 block of South Park Street.

Arrest — A 32-year-old man was taken into custody at the probation and parole offices, 1340 E. Green Bay St.

Disturbance — A 52-year-old Shawano woman was arrested for disorderly conduct/domestic violence after a disturbance in the 700 block of East Fifth Street.

Accident — Police responded to a two-vehicle property damage accident in the 1200 block of East Green Bay Street.

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

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

Drug Offense — Police investigated a drug complaint in the 100 block of Prairie Street.

Disturbance — A 36-year-old Clintonville man was arrested for disorderly conduct/domestic violence and fleeing an officer after a domestic disturbance in the 700 block of East Fifth Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Sept. 11

Deputies logged 33 incidents, including the following:

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

Theft — A trailer was reported stolen on Stony Hill Road in the town of Pella.

OAR — Charges were referred for operating after revocation, bail jumping, speeding and non-registration of vehicle against a 26-year-old Wittenberg woman on Maple Road in the town of Aniwa. A 31-year-old Antigo man was also referred for obstruction.

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile problem on Hofman Street in Cecil.

Theft — Power tools were reported stolen on Spruce Road in the town of Wittenberg.

Atrium Health and Senior Living announced Friday that a consensual agreement has been reached with its lender to have a receiver appointed for 32 Wisconsin-based facilities and one Michigan-based facility so that the company can continue to maintain normal business operations until new operators can be identified and positioned to take over the facilities.

The affected facilities include Atrium Post Acute Care of Oconto Falls and two Atrium Post Acute Care locations in Shawano.

“We have determined that the most effective way to stabilize the company is to seek the appointment of a receiver who will assume all responsibility for operating the company and put it in a stronger position for a potential, future transaction,” Atrium said in a news release. “This action will allow our business to continue operating during the receivership without any interruptions to the important care services provided to our residents and their families. Additionally, the receivership protects our ability to pay our dedicated employees and meet our vendor obligations going forward.”

A Wood County judge appointed Milwaukee attorney Michael S. Polsky of Beck, Chaet, Bamberger & Polsky, S.C. as receiver of the facilities.

“Our goal will be to work together to provide the support and expertise needed to allow all of the facilities to continue delivering quality care and services to residents,” Polsky said. “With a cooperative lender, engaged landlords, a supportive ownership group and a dedicated team of employees, I am confident that all of the Atrium Health care centers will continue to operate with a “business as usual” approach and keep providing the important care to their residents.”

The health, safety, and comfort of the residents will be the primary concern going forward, Polsky said.

“Our main focus at this time is to stabilize the company and ensure that residents continue to receive seamless quality care in the centers from the staff they have come to know,” he said. “This plan also helps ensure that all payroll and benefits are provided to employees and that vendors are paid for ongoing services on a timely basis.”

As Hurricane Florence closes in on the east coast, Tractor Supply Company in Shawano​ is participating in a companywide hurricane recovery initiative. For every Husqvarna chainsaw purchased at Tractor Supply, five trees will be planted within areas that were severely affected by last year’s hurricanes, including Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico.

Tractor Supply has committed to donating up to 50,000 trees through the Arbor Day Foundation’s hurricane reforestation efforts.

The hurricane recovery initiative will run through Oct. 28. It comes approximately one year after Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria left lasting damage in parts of southeastern U.S., Texas and Puerto Rico.

“We are well aware of the devastation and disruption last year’s hurricanes caused to our communities and natural surroundings,” said Ben Parrish, executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary at Tractor Supply. “It is a privilege for us to support the Arbor Day Foundation’s efforts to help make our communities and our world cleaner and greener.”

The Arbor Day Foundation has committed to supplying 5 million trees to the reforestation efforts and will work with local forestry experts who can assess the best time to replant trees and help distribute them to affected homeowners. Long-term reforestation benefits for the impacted communities include improved air quality, support of local wildlife habitats, better flood control and cleaner water, among others.

“Replanting trees in areas that experienced such devastation is no small task, but it is certainly a critical one,” said Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation.

Tractor Supply customers can purchase Husqvarna chainsaws in store or online through Oct. 28 to help fund reforestation efforts. The trees funded by the recovery initiative will be planted in early 2019. For information on Tractor Supply’s Stewardship Program, visit tscstewardshipreport.com.

Shawano Police Department

Sept. 12

Police logged 25 incidents, including the following:

Trespassing — Police responded to a trespassing complaint in the 700 block of South Cleveland Street.

Traffic Hazard — Officers responded to a complaint about a portable basketball hoop potentially being a hazard at the corner of Main and Stevens streets.

Stray Animal — Police responded to a complaint of a dog running loose at Schurz and Union streets.

Recovered Property — Police responded to a call from McDonald’s, 1202 E. Green Bay St., regarding a 10-speed bike found in the parking lot.

Suspicious Vehicle — Police responded to a call of a strange vehicle in the alley in the 200 block of South Lafayette Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Sept. 12

Deputies logged 32 incidents, including the following:

Suspicious Vehicle — Deputies responded to a complaint of a suspicious vehicle on Elm Avenue in the town of Wescott.

Fraud — Deputies responded to a fraud complaint in the 100 block of South Mission Street in Wittenberg.

Property Theft — Deputies responded to a property theft complaint on Resort Road in the town of Washington.

Burglary — Deputies responded to a burglary complaint in the town of Wittenberg.

Reckless Driving — Deputies responded to a reckless driving complaint on state Highway 22 in the town of Washington.

Assault — Deputies responded to a report of an assault on Hemlock Road in the town of Wittenberg.

Burglary — Deputies responded to a burglary complaint in the town of Aniwa.

Accidents — Three accidents were logged, included one involving deer.

Stockbridge-Munsee Police Department

Sept. 12

Officers logged five incidents, including the following:

Reckless Driving — Officers responded to a reckless driving complaint on Main Street.

Property Theft — Officers responded to a property theft complaint on Murphys Road on the Stockbridge-Munsee Reservation.

Packer fans traveling through Shawano County may need to plan on extra trave time this Sunday.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Northeast Region office cautions motorists heading to the Green Bay Packers/Minnesota Vikings football game this that state Highway 29 in Shawano County is under construction, and lane closures could impact travel before and after the game.

Packer travel advisory for Shawano County:

• Highway 29 in eastern Shawano County is reduced to a single lane at various locations in each direction from Highline Road to the Brown County line for resurfacing and concrete pavement repairs.

• Traffic is running counter-directional in the eastbound lanes between Highline Road and County Road C.

• There is a westbound 14-foot width restriction between Highline Road and County Road C.

Higher volumes of traffic can be expected on Highway 29 due to Minnesota fans traveling to the game.

Travelers can check online for real-time traffic information, including travel times, lane closures and incidents, at 511 Wisconsin online at www.511wi.gov or by calling 511.

Shawano Police Department

Sept. 13

Police logged 23 incidents, including the following:

Stabbing — Police were called to a report of a stabbing in the 1100 block of Waukechon Street. A 41-year-old Shawano man was arrested for battery/domestic violence, false imprisonment, violation of a restraining order, bail jumping, strangulation and possession a prescription drug without a prescription. The offender was the person stabbed and he was transported to ThedaCare ER with a minor injury, treated and transported to jail. At this time investigating officers believe the stab wound was self-inflicted.

Theft — A lawn mower and air compressor were reported stolen in the 400 block of West Richmond Street.

Auto Theft — A vehicle was reported stolen in the 1200 block of East Green Bay Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Sept. 13

Deputies logged 47 incidents, including the following:

Threatening — Authorities responded to a threatening complaint on Moh He Con Nuck Road in Bowler.

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

Trespass — Authorities responded to a trespassing complaint on Butternut Road in the town of Herman.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Genesee Street in Wittenberg.

Accidents — Authorities logged three deer-related crashes.

A Colorado man was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison for his part in a shooting incident in Shawano that authorities said was the result of a drug deal gone bad.

Kevon E. Houston, 20, of Denver, will also have to serve five years extended supervision after his prison sentence.

Houston had pleaded no contest to first-degree reckless injury, manufacture and delivery of cocaine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

A second man, Alexander R. Olson, 22, also of Denver, has also been charged in the incident. He is facing the same felony counts and is scheduled for a motion hearing on Sept. 27.

Houston and Olson and were among several people who came to a party at an apartment building at 1024 E. Fifth St. in January to sell drugs, according to the criminal complaint.

An 18-year-old female described as Olson’s girlfriend had acted as a “middleman” in arranging this and other drug sales with drugs supplied by Olson and Houston.

She collected $20 from unnamed people at the party and returned a short time later with the drugs, according to the complaint.

As they returned to their car to leave, they were confronted by a crowd of 10-15 people from the party who complained the drugs tasted like laundry detergent, the complaint states.

Olson, who was in the front passenger seat, was the first to be confronted about the “bunk cocaine,” according to the complaint, but refused to return anyone’s money.

Houston leaned out of a rear passenger seat waving a gun, telling the people to get back, according to the complaint, and fired a bullet that struck a 31-year-old Shawano woman in the chest.

The woman was taken to ThedaCare Medical Center-Shawano with life-threatening injuries from which she has recovered, according to authorities.

Olson and Houston were taken into custody without incident outside a residence in the Middle Village area of the Menominee Indian Reservation. Authorities also seized a handgun allegedly used in the incident.

A new editor-in-chief has been named for The Shawano Leader, Oconto County Times Herald and Wittenberg Enterprise/Birnamwood News, Greg Mellis, NEW Media Inc. president, announced.

Carol Ryczek, a former Leader reporter and photo editor, has been named editor-in-chief of the three publications, Mellis said.

Warren Bluhm will remain news editor in Oconto Falls. Miriam Nelson will remain news editor in Wittenberg.

Ryczek has remained connected to the Shawano community since leaving the Leader, Mellis said. She will bring her interest in local issues and passion for local journalism to her new position, he added.

“Carol has both local connections and a strong sense of what a community newspaper can and should do,” Mellis said. “This fits well with the vision we have for NEW Media.”

Prior to accepting the editor position, Ryczek worked in communications and volunteer services for ThedaCare, a Wisconsin healthcare system that includes a medical center in Shawano. She is a member of the Shawano Farmers Market Board.

“I’m grateful to be back in Shawano doing work that I love,” Ryczek said. “I’m looking forward to working with all three well-established papers.”

Ryczek and her husband live north of Shawano. Their son, a 2002 Shawano Community High School graduate, lives in Colorado.