Shawano Dollars for Scholars has yet to find a recipient this year for the Judge Eberlein Second Chance Scholarship.

The scholarship, for up to $5,000, is intended for people looking to improve their job prospects by attending a vocational or technical school.

Michael Sleeper, Dollars for Scholars first vice president, said the organization has recruited Northeast Wisconsin Technical College to help find applicants for the scholarship, which was first offered in 2013.

“We are hopeful that, working closely with Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, we will be able to identify qualifying candidates,” Sleeper said.

NWTC has posted the scholarship on its website and is informing prospective students of the opportunity, said Alicia Van Straten, NWTC scholarship coordinator.

“We highly encourage any student who is in need of additional assistance to apply for the scholarship on the website,” said Jeannie Jafolla, NWTC Learning Center manager.

Applicants must have resided in Shawano for the last three years and have a high school diploma or general equivalency degree. They also must have been accepted at an accredited post-secondary institution of higher learning and cannot have previously received an award from DFS.

Applicants also must have identified an occupation with employment opportunities and have a plan for completing the education required.

Individuals can apply for the scholarship at any time of the year, with winners announced May 1 and Nov. 1 each year.

The scholarship is named in honor of longtime judge Michael G. Eberlein and his wife, Joanne, whose $7.5 million endowment announced in 2011 has helped Shawano Dollars for Scholars’ total endowment exceed $11 million. The scholarship recognizes the judge’s penchant for giving people second chances.

For further information on the Second Chance scholarship, visit shawano.dollarsforscholars.org.

A Shawano man arrested Saturday after an anonymous caller told police he was allegedly driving drunk has been charged with eighth-offense operating while intoxicated.

Jerry A. Jarvis, 48, could face 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine if found guilty.

According to the criminal complaint, police were notified just before 8 p.m. that an intoxicated male had been in The Store gas station and left in a vehicle that turned onto Green Bay Street.

Jarvis got only as far as the intersection of Green Bay and Lincoln streets, where he stopped for a red light, when police spotted his vehicle and pulled him over, according to the complaint.

The complaint alleges Jarvis failed several roadside sobriety tests, and a preliminary breath test showed a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.22 percent, nearly three times the legal limit.

According to court records, Jarvis has three prior drunken driving convictions in Shawano County, three in Racine County and one in Walworth County.

The most recent was in Racine County in 2006. He was sentenced to two years in prison and three years of extended supervision.

Jarvis was freed on a $1,000 signature bond after a court appearance Monday before Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court Judge William Kussel Jr.

He is scheduled for an adjourned initial appearance Monday.

The family of a Michigan man who died in an apparent hit-and-run one year ago will honor his memory Saturday on the anniversary of his death.

Timothy J. Meade, 22, of Stephenson, Mich., was found at 2:30 a.m. June 28 in the eastbound lane of traffic on County Road M at the state Highway 29 overpass in Shawano.

The case remains unsolved.

The family will join Shawano County authorities at the Sheriff’s Department at 1 p.m. Saturday for a news conference, then travel to the spot where Meade was found to release balloons in his honor.

“We want to stir up interest again,” said Sheriff Randy Wright, adding that authorities and the family are still hoping someone will come forward with information about the incident.

“Somewhere there’s somebody whose conscience is bothering them,” Wright said.

Wright said he is not expecting criminal charges to be filed, even if someone does come forward, given the circumstances of the incident.

“We’d just like to put closure on it,” he said.

Autopsy results indicate Meade was lying down in the road at the time he was struck.

Wright said the driver who struck him likely didn’t see Meade because of the dark conditions and the crest of the bridge at that location.

Meade had been visiting friends in the area and was headed back to their residence after leaving a nearby drinking establishment, according to sheriff’s detectives.

He left the establishment sometime after 1:30 a.m. Several witnesses reported seeing him walking.

Meade was struck sometime between 1:30 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. by a vehicle that would have been headed eastbound on County Road M, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

Detective Wade Wudtke said in an interview late last year that authorities contacted “an enormous amount of people” during the investigation.

“We’ve collected traffic information and data that we’ve been following up on as far as who takes that road of travel and everything,” he said. “We’ve knocked on a lot of doors, talked to a lot of neighbors, followed up on a lot of leads. We haven’t come up with anything.”

Wudtke also said the Sheriff’s Department is not looking to file charges.

“This isn’t anything about prosecuting anybody right now. We just want closure for the family,” he said.

The Sheriff’s Department can be reached at 715-526-3111.

Thousand of eggs, thousands of potatoes and endless cartons of milk were required Sunday to feed more than 5,000 people who attended the Shawano County Brunch on the Farm.

The Kurowski Dairy was abuzz with activity as visitors enjoyed breakfast inside a barn and outside. All of the food provided was raised on a farm in order to show nonfarmers just where their food comes from.

Dave Henselin, a Shawano County Farm Bureau board member known during the brunches as the “egg man,” kept constant vigil over the eggs Sunday. After manning the egg station for 22 years, the Marion resident tried to bow out this year, but brunch coordinators wouldn’t hear of it.

“Somebody’s got to do it,” Henselin said.

Henselin estimated there would be more than 12,000 eggs prepared before the meal was over, with almost 500 prepared at one time. The eggs were mixed in with 5 pounds of ham, 5 pounds of cheddar cheese and a pound of butter to bring a batch to perfection, he said.

“It takes us about a half an hour to get it done,” Henselin said.

More people are wanting to know where their food comes from, which is what makes Brunch on the Farm so popular, according to Deb Mielke, Shawano County Farm Bureau president. June is National Dairy Month, and counties and municipalities across Wisconsin are hosting breakfasts and brunches to give people a glimpse into how farms operate.

“This gives folks a chance to come out and interact with the animals and see how well they’re cared for,” Mielke said. “We are very fortunate in Shawano County to have as many nice looking farms as we do.”

The brunch brings visitors from all over Northeast Wisconsin. Todd Collar, of Denmark, tries to make it to at least one brunch in the region, and this year his family opted to visit Kurowski Dairy.

“A girl who works with me, this is her family’s farm,” Collar said. “It’s nice to bring the boys out to show them where food comes from.”

For many visitors, attending the brunch has become an intergenerational tradition. Elizabeth Thome, of Shawano, remembers visiting farms in June as a child, and now she wants her son to experience seeing animals and farm equipment up close and personal.

“I just remember going in the big barn and eating food and getting to see all the animals,” Thome said. “The ice cream — I always remember the ice cream.”

State transportation officials were in Shawano on Tuesday to offer two options for planned improvements to Airport Drive slated to take place in 2016, but it was clear their preferred option would take the four-lane road down to two lanes.

The Department of Transportation is planning significant repairs to the road, along with some infrastructure replacement, between state Highway 29 and Green Bay Street.

The improvements will require some configuration changes to address safety concerns and bring the road up to state highway standards.

Airport Drive was originally constructed as a city street to provide industrial park access before state Highway 47-55 was overlaid onto it as part of the Highway 29 bypass project.

Among the road’s deficiencies are lanes that are too narrow — 10 feet instead of the standard 12 for highways — and a lack of shoulder area between the lanes and the curb.

City officials met with the DOT last month to raise their concerns about the heavy truck traffic making use of Airport Drive and encouraged the state to keep it a four-lane route to keep traffic flowing smoothly.

Many of the two dozen residents who attended Tuesday’s meeting had the same concerns.

However, DOT project manager Jim Volkmann and representatives of the engineering firm consulting on the project came prepared to show how the two-lane option would address traffic issues and solve some safety problems.

Dedicated left-turn lanes would be added at three intersections — Beauprey Road, Richmond Street and Green Bay Street — addressing fears that traffic would otherwise be brought to a standstill to allow for turning.

The turn lanes would also allow access to properties along the road.

An additional turn-out lane was also discussed as a possible means of keeping traffic flowing around school buses required to stop at the railroad crossing.

A two-lane configuration would also allow for a four-way stop sign at County Road B.

Jim Wendels, consultant project manager with Quest Civil Engineers, of Wisconsin Rapids, said a four-way stop at County Road B would be unworkable with a four-lane highway because of the confusion it could create and also because the signs would have to be placed too far off to the side to be effective.

Volkmann said the two-lane option would also slow traffic to the posted 45 mph speed limit, which, he said, is routinely disobeyed.

He said the current four-lane encourages motorists to push the speed limit to get ahead of the vehicle in the next lane.

With one lane of travel in each direction, there’d be no point to that, “because everyone is going the same speed,” he said.

No change in the speed limit is planned.

“I like some aspects of the two-lane option, safety-wise,” said Eddie Sheppard, Shawano Public Works coordinator, after the meeting.

He said safety is a top priority, along with making sure the chosen option is a good fit for industrial use.

Officials say the Airport Drive project is needed because of the deteriorating condition of the road, which is showing signs of severe cracking, potholes, rutting and an uneven surface.

The existing storm sewer system, culvert pipes, curb and gutter, signage and pavement markings are also in need of either repair or replacement, according to the DOT.

The DOT is projecting a construction start of March 2016 in hopes of being wrapped up by July. A detour would be needed while the road is shut down.

Another public meeting would be held this fall on a date still to be determined.

Mike Koles, head of the University of Wisconsin-Extension office for Waupaca County, has been hired as the new executive director of the Wisconsin Towns Association. He will replace Richard Stadelman, of Shawano, who is retiring on Aug. 31.

Koles is currently the department head of the UW Extension Waupaca County. He has served as a community, natural resources and economic development educator for Waupaca County since 2003. He will begin his new duties on Aug. 1.

“Mike has an outstanding record in education of local elected officials and has been particularly strong in developing leadership programs at both the local and state level,” said Lee Engelbrecht, president of the Wisconsin Towns Association. “He has demonstrated a strong working relationship with town, village, city and county officials in Waupaca County.”

Stadelman also praised the board’s selection.

“I am pleased that Mike Koles was selected by the board and that he accepted the board’s offer,” he said. “Mike is a recognized leader among UW-Extension agents in the state and I believe he will help Wisconsin Towns Association maintain a strong position in providing service to member town and village officers as well as positive working relationships with other statewide organizations.”

The Wisconsin Towns Association is a voluntary association of 1,251 towns and 18 villages across the state. The organization provides education and training to local officials, as well as represents local government interests at the state and federal level.

Shawano Police Department

June 24

Police logged 28 incidents, including the following:

Theft — Medications and concert tickets were reported stolen in the 700 block of Weed Street.

Suspicious — Police received a report of a suspicious vehicle parked in the 100 block of South Andrews Street.

Vandalism — Police responded to a report of a smashed windshield on a van in the 400 block of Bartlett Street.

Trespassing — Police responded to an unwanted male at the Wisconsin House Inn, 216 E. Green Bay St.

Threatening — Police investigated a report of a male being harassed in the 1000 block of South Bartlett Street.

Suspicious — A report of a suspicious vehicle was made at Shawano Lawn and Stone, 950 S. Waukechon St.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

June 24

Deputies logged 50 incidents, including the following:

Vandalism — A mailbox was reportedly damaged on Chrissie Circle in the town of Washington.

Vandalism — Deputies responded to a report of tire tread marks and damage to a tree on Hofa Park Road in Pulaski.

Vandalism — A mailbox was reportedly damaged on East Lake Crest Road in Wescott.

Burglary — Authorities responded to a potential burglary at a barn on Valley Road in Bonduel.

Theft — A leaf blower and two gas cans were reported stolen on County Road A in Richmond.

Burglary — Authorities investigated a breaking and entering report on Hofa Park Road in the town of Lessor.

Theft — Gas cans were reported stolen from a property on Hill Road in Pulaski.

Warrant — Deputies took a 30-year-old male into a custody on a Brown County warrant.

Theft — Medications were reported stolen on Lake Drive in Wescott.

Theft — Deputies investigated theft of a television in the 100 block of West Railroad Street in Bowler.

Suspicious — Authorities received a complaint of stalking with an electronic device on County Road C in Pulaski.

Harassment — Authorities investigated a harassment complaint on Country Lane in Cecil.

Harassment — Authorities investigated a harassment complaint through a SnapChat account on Oak Street in Bowler.

Accidents — Three vehicle accidents involving deer were reported.

Clintonville Police Department

June 24

Police logged 11 incidents, including the following:

Property damage — Police investigated a complaint of property damage on the intersection of North Clinton Street and West 13th Street.

Harassment — Police issued a warning for harassment on Morning Glory Drive.

Juvenile — Police issued warnings to two juveniles for disorderly behavior on South Main Street.

For the second time in less than a week, Shawano police on Tuesday nabbed an alleged multiple-offense drunken driver after being tipped off to his driving by a caller.

James P. Rybicki, 55, is facing a felony count of sixth-offense operating while intoxicated while driving with a child in the vehicle. He could face a maximum 12 years in prison and a $20,000 fine if convicted. He could also have his driving privileges revoked for up to six years.

Police were alerted about 6:30 p.m. that Rybicki was leaving the Shawano Medical Center, where he had visited someone, and getting into a vehicle. They said he was intoxicated and had a 5-year-old child with him.

He was spotted and pulled over at Green Bay and Eberlein streets.

According to the criminal complaint, Rybicki failed several field sobriety tests and a preliminary breath test showed a blood-alcohol level of 0.16 percent, twice the legal limit.

Rybicki was arrested and the child was turned over to a family friend, according to the complaint.

According to court records, Rybicki has two previous OWI convictions in Menominee County, two in Waupaca County and one in Shawano County.

He was sentenced on his most recent conviction in Waupaca County in 2001 to a year in jail as a condition of five years probation.

Rybicki was ordered held on a $4,500 cash bond after an appearance Wednesday before Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court Judge William Kussel Jr.

He is due back in court for an adjourned initial appearance on Monday.

Shawano police made an OWI arrest under similar circumstances Saturday when an anonymous caller reported that Jerry A. Jarvis, 48, of Shawano, was allegedly driving drunk.

Jarvis is charged with eighth-offense OWI and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. He is also scheduled for an adjourned initial appearance Monday.

Shawano County is looking at merging two departments — Social Services and Community Programs — into a single Human Services Department, emulating a vast majority of counties in Wisconsin.

The County Board voted 23-4 Wednesday to form an ad-hoc committee to look into the costs and procedures required to complete the merger. Four county supervisors and three county residents will comprise the committee.

County Board Chairman Jerry Erdmann will represent the county along with the chairs of the Finance Committee and Community Programs and Social Services board — Arlyn Tober, Rosetta Stern and Bonnie Olson, respectively.

John Hill, Ann Miller and Melissa Schuler will be the citizen representatives.

The county expects the departments will be merged by Jan. 2, according to Administrative Coordinator Tom Madsen, who has previously worked in social services departments for other counties.

Madsen said that Shawano is one of eight counties in the state that does not have a combined Human Services Department.

“We drew up an ambitious time line, but (state officials) said it could be done,” Madsen said.

Madsen said it is unlikely the state will oppose a feasibility plan proposed by the county.

The issue of combining the two departments has been on county officials’ minds for some time, according to Olson, but the recent retirement of Barb Larson-Herber, community programs director, was a catalyst for moving the idea forward.

“I think it’s a good idea because, with Family Care coming (to the county), this can all be done before it takes place,” Olson said.

The two departments combined are expected to cost the county more than $17.2 million to operate, more than one-third of its $50 million budget, according to the county’s 2014 budget report.

The Social Services Department is expected to spend almost $7.5 million in 2014, including the budget for the Office of Aging, while the Community Programs Department’s expenditures, combined with Lakeland Industries, are budgeted at more than $9.73 million.

Madsen pointed out that the consolidation would not save the county any money. While the two departments each have a director, human services departments in other counties usually have a director and a deputy director, he said, so no administrative positions will be eliminated.

Madsen said he and other county officials have been talking with employees in the two departments to explain the process.

“This county is ready for it,” Madsen said.

A proposed new facility for housing recently released offenders in the community is raising concerns less than a week before it was due to go into operation.

The state Department of Corrections has contracted with ATTIC Correctional Services for an eight-bed facility at 227 E. Richmond St. in Shawano, replacing the New Era House at 105 E. Richmond St.

New Era’s contract expires at the end of this month. The new contract with ATTIC goes into effect July 1.

However, the new location will need the city’s approval of a special exception to the zoning ordinance.

The Shawano Plan Commission will hold a public hearing on the matter at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall, 127 S. Sawyer St., before deciding whether to recommend approval to the Common Council.

Shawano Mayor Lorna Marquardt, who chairs the Plan Commission, said she has gotten numerous calls raising concerns about the location and its housing of recently released sex offenders.

Though only about a block away from the New Era House, the facility would be that much closer to Peace United Church of Christ at 208 E. Maurer St.

“I’ve heard concerns about the home’s close proximity to a church where children attend classes, Scouts meet and kids are often seen outside playing,” Marquardt said.

“Several community members were under the impression the decision had already been made to allow this property to become a place that houses sex offenders,” she said. “Some of the residents who contacted me were upset and chastised the city for having made that decision. I explained no decision has yet been made.”

The DOC approved a two-year contract with ATTIC Correctional Services earlier this year. It calls for ATTIC to provide transitional housing services for convicted felons that are under the DOC’s supervision, including recently released sex offenders.

Madison-Based ATTIC Correctional Services operates 16 facilities in the state, including Milwaukee, Madison, Appleton and Green Bay.

In December, the city revised its ordinance covering where convicted sex offenders can reside in Shawano as a precaution in the event the DOC contract with New Era House was ever terminated. The change removed the specific reference to the New Era House, replacing it with a generic reference to a transitional placement facility.

The city has a Sexual Predator Ordinance Committee that reviews placements of recently released sex offenders, but not all of them would need the committee’s approval.

Shawano Police Capt. Jeff Heffernon said the DOC can place at the facility offenders who are at a low-level risk of re-offending. The higher-risk level placements would have to go through the committee.

Shawano Police Department

June 25

Police logged 27 incidents, including the following:

Disorderly — Police responded to a complaint of an intoxicated male in the 100 block of South Union Street.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 100 block of Mountain Bay Trail Drive.

Vandalism — A scoreboard at Memorial Park, 909 S. Lincoln St., was reported vandalized.

Warrant — A 30-year-old woman was taken into custody on a warrant after a traffic stop at Olson and Elizabeth streets.

OAR — A 25-year-old woman was cited for operating after revocation at Prairie and Main streets.

Warrant — A 38-year-old man was taken into custody on a warrant in the 600 block of South Union Street.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 400 block of East Division Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

June 25

Deputies logged 30 incidents, including the following:

Vandalism — Authorities responded to a vandalism complaint on Lulu Lake Drive in Wescott.

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

Vandalism — A brick pathway was reported vandalized with a permanent marker on Railroad Avenue in Birnamwood.

Assault — A 20-year-old Bowler woman and a 30-year-old Gresham woman were arrested for disorderly conduct and battery after an assault on Ebert Street in Gresham.

Accidents — Authorities logged four accidents, including an injury motorcycle accident on state Highway 29 in Waukechon and one deer-related crash.

Shawano police are investigating a quick succession of residential burglaries reported Thursday morning.

The first was reported at 4:19 a.m. in the 800 block of East Richmond. A computer was reported stolen in that incident.

Another burglary was reported at 5:38 a.m. in the 600 block of East Maurer Street, followed by a third reported at 7:14 a.m. in the 900 block of South Kadlitz Street.

Police believe the burglaries are related, but no further information was available.

Cracks in the well of the diving pool have been filled and sealed, and the outdoor swimming pool in Buchholtz Park in Clintonville is expected to open Saturday.

Justin McAuly, Park and Recreation director, said the opening of the pool was delayed after leaks were discovered when the pool was filled.

“These cracks developed with frost. We weren’t expecting it. It was a harsh winter for the pool,” McAuly said.

A study by Neuman Pools last fall concluded there could be a million dollars worth of repairs and upgrading needed at the pool. The Park and Recreation Committee is considering whether the city should keep operating the pool after this season.

“The outdoor pool is a big draw. Not many communities are as fortunate to have one,” chairperson Gloria Dunlavy said at the committee’s meeting Tuesday. “The youth need it. They need to get outside to get their vitamin D.”

McAuly said youngsters prefer to swim at the outdoor pool in the summer rather than the Recreation Center’s indoor pool. He also said he knew of communities that are building outdoor pools.

The committee asked City Administrator Lisa Kotter and McAuly to get more detailed information on repair costs, as well as the cost of a new pool.

“We will have to do a fundraiser,” Alderman Jerry Jorgenson said.

Alderman James Krause suggested looking into a dome for the pool as one way to extend the life of the pool.

Shawano police responding to a two-vehicle crash Wednesday arrested a Crandon man on a charge of seventh-offense operating while intoxicated, making it the city’s third multiple-offense drunken driving case in five days.

Lee White, 55, could face a maximum 10 years in prison and $25,000 fine if convicted.

According to the criminal complaint, White was the driver of a Chevy Impala that plowed into a Chevy Blazer on Lakeland Road at Green Bay Street about 10 p.m.

The driver of the Blazer said he was northbound on Lakeland Road when the Impala came around the corner and turned into him. No one was injured in the crash.

White allegedly tried to flee the scene in his vehicle, but it was no longer operable, according to the complaint, which alleges White then left the scene on foot.

A Shawano County K-9 unit assisted police with tracking White and taking him into custody a short time later in a wooded area between Lakeland Road and Walmart, according to the complaint.

The complaint states police found an empty bottle of tequila in White’s vehicle.

White refused to allow blood to be drawn for an OWI test, but a blood draw was taken after police obtained a search warrant, according to the complaint.

White was also charged with misdemeanor counts of hit-and-run, operating while revoked and bail jumping.

According to the criminal complaint, White has four prior OWI convictions in Forest County, one in Milwaukee County and one in St. Croix County.

White was ordered held on an $8,500 bond and is due in Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court for an adjourned initial appearance Monday.

Wednesday’s incident was the third multiple-offense drunken driving case in Shawano since Saturday, when Jerry A. Jarvis, 48, of Shawano, was arrested on a charge of eighth-offense OWI.

On Tuesday, James P. Rybicki, 55, of Shawano, was arrested on a charge of sixth-offense OWI.

Both arrests were made after anonymous callers tipped police about their driving.

A Shawano County man granted a new sentencing hearing last year by a state appeals court on possession of child porn charges was re-sentenced Thursday to 18 years in prison.

Christian J. Wilson, 29, was also ordered to serve another 10 years extended supervision after his release.

The new sentence knocks nine years off the 27 originally imposed, but was still harsher than defense attorney Eileen Hirsch hoped it would be.

Hirsch argued for a seven-year prison sentence, explaining that Wilson will have served four years of that term in October and could quickly be moved into a sex offender treatment program that would take up the final three.

Shawano-Menominee County District Attorney Greg Parker reiterated his recommendation from the original sentencing of 15 to 18 years in prison and 20 years probation.

Noting Wilson’s two “hands on” sex offenses with 5- and 11-year-old girls when he was a juvenile, Parker called Wilson a danger to the public whose collection of child pornography perpetuates crimes against children.

Parker also criticized the defense for comparing Wilson’s sentence to lesser sentences handed down in other child porn possession cases.

“These are red herrings,” he said.

However, in imposing the new sentence Thursday, Circuit Court Judge James Habeck did compare Wilson’s offenses to another Shawano County child porn case, but not in the defense’s favor.

Habeck cited the case of Damon J. Anker, 35, who was sentenced in April 2013 to 34 years in prison on 111 counts of possessing child pornography.

He said the content of the child porn Wilson possessed was more extreme.

“His violations are frankly worse than Mr. Anker’s,” Habeck said. “What he was watching was worse.”

Habeck also noted that Wilson has continued to deny the charges, despite finally entering a no contest plea, and even maintained his neighbor had downloaded the porn and was framing him.

“I don’t believe there’s an ounce of remorse,” Habeck said.

Former Circuit Court Judge Thomas Grover imposed Wilson’s original 27-year sentence in June 2011,. He was also given another 27 years’ extended supervision.

That was the sentence recommended by a Probation and Parole agent in the pre-sentence investigation report.

In January 2013, Judge William Kussel Jr. upheld Grover’s sentence at a post-conviction relief hearing in Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court.

The District III Court of Appeals in November overturned the original sentence, concluding that its length would delay Wilson’s treatment and increase his chances of re-offending.

Key to the appeals court decision was testimony from Dr. Patricia Coffey, a clinical psychologist who also testified at Thursday’s hearing.

Coffey said sex offender treatment, which usually doesn’t begin until the last few years of a prison sentence, should begin as soon as possible to be effective.

In his sentencing, Habeck acknowledged that argument, but said Wilson would be older at the end of a longer sentence and less likely to offend because of his age.

“Judge Habeck should be commended for this sentence,” Parker said after the hearing. “I am pleased to see yet another child predator receive a lengthy sentence here in Shawano County. … The community will be safe for the next 18 years that he will spend in prison.”

Wilson was charged in 2010 with 31 counts of possessing child pornography based on images found on his computer that he downloaded in Wittenberg between January and June 2010, according to the criminal complaint. He pleaded no contest to 18 counts and had the remaining counts dismissed but considered for purposes of sentencing.

Shawano Police Department

June 26

Police logged 31 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance at the Wisconsin House, 216 E. Green Bay St.

Burglary — Police were investigating four residential burglary complaints in the 800 block of South Richmond Street, 600 block of East Maurer Street, 900 block of South Kadletz Street and 700 block of South Maiden Lane.

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

Disturbance — A 22-year-old Shawano man was taken into custody on charges of disorderly conduct and domestic violence after a disturbance in the 1200 block of East Ridlington Avenue.

Arrest — A 21-year-old Rice Lake man who called police to say he was having a bad marijuana trip was arrested for a Probation and Parole violation at Green Bay Street and Eberlein Park Drive.

Fraud — Police investigated a fraud complaint in the 900 block of East Fifth Street.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 1000 block of South Cleveland Street.

Disturbance — A 46-year-old Shawano man was arrested on charges of domestic violence, battery, false imprisonment and strangulation in the 400 block of East Green Bay Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

June 26

Deputies logged 52 incidents, including the following:

Warrant — A 25-year-old Keshena woman was taken into custody on a warrant on state Highway 47-55 in Wescott.

Disturbance — Sheriff’s deputies assisted Shawano police with a disturbance at the Wisconsin House, 216 E. Green Bay St.

Burglary — Sheriff’s deputies assisted Shawano police with a burglary investigation in the 800 block of South Richmond Street.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint at the Kwik Trip in Bonduel, 102 Express Way.

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

Warrant — A 64-year-old man was taken into custody on a warrant on County Road J in Fairbanks.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Third Street in Aniwa.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Basswood Road in Richmond.

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile problem on St. John’s Church Road in Belle Plaine.

Clintonville Police Department

June 26

Police logged eight incidents, including the following:

Arrest — Police responding to a harassment complaint took a female subject into custody on a Probation and Parole hold.

Accident — An accident report was completed for a two-vehicle property damage accident at Madison and Bennett streets.

Theft — A theft was reported on North Main Street.

Delivery of non-narcotics

A Shawano woman is facing four felony counts of delivery of non-narcotics for allegedly selling Ritalin to an Sheriff’s Department informant on four occasions.

Shawndell K. Flint, 41, could face a maximum six years in prison and $10,000 fine on each count if convicted.

According to the criminal complaint, Shawano County sheriff’s detectives set up drug buys through a confidential informant on two occasions in November, once in December and again in February of this year.

Flint allegedly sold a total of 91 pills during the four transactions.

Flint was freed on a $1,000 cash bond Monday and is due back in court for an adjourned initial appearance July 14.

Forgery

A Wittenberg man has been charged with two felony counts of forgery for allegedly passing bogus checks.

Bradley J. Fowler, 32, is accused of using a falsified check for $251 at the Leaky Roof Saloon in Gresham on June 1 and another for $350 at Vee’s Star Campsite in Aniwa the same day.

Fowler could face a maximum six years in prison and $10,000 fine on each count if convicted. He also faces a felony count of bail jumping, which carries the same possible penalty.

Fowler was ordered held on a $2,500 cash bond after a court hearing Thursday. He is scheduled for an adjourned initial appearance Monday.

Strangulation

A Bowler man is facing a felony charge of strangulation and suffocation in connection with an alleged domestic violence incident in Birnamwood last month.

Shawn L. Matson, 38, is accused of choking a woman during an altercation on May 17. He could face a maximum six years in prison and $10,000 fine if found guilty.

Matson is also charged with misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and criminal damage to property.

He is due in court for an initial appearance July 21.

The Shawano County Board this week approved a resolution for half of forfeited bond money collected to go toward courthouse security improvements.

Questions remain about who would handle the money and how a previous funding source would be affected.

The county collects anywhere from $15,000 to $35,000 annually from bail bonds that are forfeited when defendants fail to appear for hearings.

Until now, the forfeited bond money has gone into the general fund.

The Maintenance Department, meanwhile, has budgeted about $6,000 annually to help with courthouse security upgrades. Expenses beyond the $6,000 have gone through the capital improvement projects review process.

Supervisors on Wednesday were unsure whether the bond money approved in the resolution would be in lieu of or in addition to what the Maintenance Department provides.

“Do they get this $6,000 plus the 50 percent (in bond forfeitures)?” Supervisor Bonnie Olson asked. “I would like that question answered.

Supervisor Bert Huntington, chairman of the Public Safety Committee, said he was unaware of the Maintenance Department funds when his committee recommended the resolution June 11. Despite that, he said using bond money for courthouse security was a good plan.

Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court Judge James Habeck spoke in favor of the resolution. Habeck is chairman of the county’s Courthouse Security Committee, which is not a County Board committee but is mandated by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Habeck indicated that the resolution would give his committee direct oversight of the funding.

“We would like to have a definite figure of what’s available,” Habeck said.

Several county supervisors did not see it that way, however. While the courthouse security money would be kept in a separate county fund, expenses would still need to be approved by the County Board after going through the Public Property and Public Safety committees.

“The judge seems to have a totally different idea of who is going to get this budget,” Supervisor Marlin Noffke said. “It seems to me that this should be sent back (to committee) for another look-see. There are a lot of different people with different ideas about where this should be going.”

A motion to send the resolution back to committee failed 16-11.

Supervisor Deb Noffke questioned whether the money collected from bond funds would be enough to keep the courthouse secure. She felt it would be more efficient to have the Courthouse Security Committee make requests to the board, which could allocate money from the general fund.

A long-running investigation into numerous tavern burglaries in the area came to a head Thursday with the execution of a search warrant and the arrest of a Shawano man.

Stephen M. Childs, 30, has been charged with four felony counts of burglary.

A criminal complaint filed Friday indicates Childs was a suspect in additional tavern burglaries that were still being investigated, but Childs has not been charged with those break-ins.

Childs is charged with the burglaries of the Coachlight in Wescott on Nov. 21, the Golf Side Bar in Wescott on June 14, Salty’s Saloon in Richmond on June 17 and Billy’s Bar in Shawano on June 19. He is also charged with four counts of misdemeanor theft.

Childs could face a maximum 12½ years in prison and a $25,000 fine on each felony count if found guilty.

According to the criminal complaint, Shawano County sheriff’s detectives had been investigating a string of tavern burglaries stretching back two years.

The complaint states Childs became a suspect because of past burglary convictions and his familiarity with the taverns that were burglarized.

According to the complaint, all of the burglaries involved prying open a window with a small tool. Safes and ATM machines were also pried open during the crimes, according to the complaint.

A subject matching Childs’ description was also seen in surveillance videos from some of the break-ins, according to the complaint.

Video from another break-in allegedly captured images of a vehicle in which Childs had earlier been a passenger during a traffic stop, according to the criminal complaint.

Authorities also recovered a shoe print from one of the burglaries matching shoes that Childs was wearing during that traffic stop, the complaint alleges. It also alleges Childs had a shoulder bag during the traffic stop that matched one seen in surveillance videos.

On Wednesday, sheriff’s detectives conducted a garbage pick outside Childs’ residence in Shawano, during which they allegedly found numerous items associated with bar activity, such as football pool envelopes and drink tabs.

Sheriff’s detectives, assisted by Shawano police, executed a search warrant the next day during which burglary tools and other items were seized, according to the complaint.

Childs was ordered held on a $20,000 cash bond after an appearance Friday before Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court Judge William Kussel Jr.

He is scheduled for an adjourned initial appearance on Monday.

Police arrested a 56-year-old Gillett woman for armed robbery and battery Friday after she allegedly used a knife to rob the owner of Guerrero Grocery Store, 520 S. Main St., in Shawano.

Police said the woman, dressed in all black clothing, including a black mask, demanded money from the store owner. The robbery occurred at 5:55 p.m. The suspect is being held at the Shawano County Jail.

The owner, a 59-year-old woman, was injured slightly when the suspect threw her to the ground during the robbery, police said. The store owner did not seek medical attention.

The suspect fled the store with an undetermined amount of money. Police apprehended her a couple of minutes later four blocks away.

Further information will be released on Monday, police said, as the incident is still under investigation.