Shawano Police Department

Sept. 20

Police logged 11 incidents, including the following:

Welfare — Police conducted a welfare check in the at Smalley and Oshkosh streets.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 100 block of Acorn Street.

Theft — Games were reported stolen in the 500 block of South Washington Street.

Sept. 19

Police logged 27 incidents, including the following:

Vandalism — A spotlight at Zion Lutheran Church, 1254 S. Lincoln St., was reported vandalized.

Theft — A deer stand was reported stolen on Rusch Road.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 300 block of South Andrews Street.

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

Warrant — A 32-year-old man was taken into custody on a child support warrant at Main Street and River Heights.

Trespass — Police responded to a trespassing complaint in the 400 block of South Hamlin Street.

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

Warrant — A 50-year-old man was taken into custody on a Shawano County warrant in the 300 block of South Washington Street.

Disturbance — Police responded to a domestic disturbance in the 200 block of South Union Street.

Sept. 18

Police logged 34 incidents, including the following:

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint at Charlie’s County Market, 521 S. Main St.

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

Theft — A debit card was reported stolen at Shawano Community Middle School, 1050 S. Union St.

Shoplifting — A 22-year-old man was cited for shoplifting at Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St.

Burglary — A break-in and theft of a bike was reported in the 300 block of West Richmond Street.

Shoplifting — Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St., reported two subjects in custody for shoplifting.

Suspicious — Police responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint in the 500 block of South Airport Drive.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Sept. 20

Deputies logged 37 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Charges of disorderly conduct were referred against a 33-year-old Bonduel man and 21-year old Bonduel woman after a disturbance on West Green Bay Street in Bonduel.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Witt-Birn Town Line Road in the town of Birnamwood.

Trespass — Authorities responded to a trespassing complaint on Salzman lane in the town of Fairbanks.

Trespass — Authorities responded to a trespassing complaint on Hickory Road in the town of Richmond.

Vandalism — Authorities responded to a vandalism complaint on Woods View Lane in the town of Belle Plaine.

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

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

OWI — A 44-year-old Greenfield man was arrested for operating while intoxicated on state Highway 29 in the town of Waukechon.

Sept. 21

Deputies logged 38 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — A 23-year-old Keshena man was taken into custody on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, as well as a probation and parole violation, after a disturbance on Pine Road in the town of Washington.

Burglary — Authorities investigated a burglary on Evergreen Court in the town of Wescott.

Theft — Authorities investigated a property theft complaint on West Green Bay Street in Bonduel.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Elm Street in Bowler.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Franklin Street in the town of Wescott.

Sept. 20

Deputies logged 42 incidents, including the following:

OWI — A 40-year-old Bonduel man was arrested for operating while intoxicated and operating after revocation after an accident on County Road C in the town of Angelica.

OWI — A 47-year-old De Pere man was arrested for ninth-offense operating while intoxicated and fleeing an officer on County Road A in the town of Herman.

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

Theft — Authorities investigated an attempted theft on Lake Drive in the town of Wescott.

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Elm Road in Bowler.

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

More than a year’s worth of planning went into a monumental five-day effort to move equipment, patients and staff from the former Shawano Medical Center on Bartlett Street into its new home on County Road B.

“Everything went as planned,” said Penny Bolck, director of nursing. “There were no surprises.”

The move began Thursday, the day after the public got its first view of the inside of the new ThedaCare Medical Center-Shawano.

By Sunday, patients were ready to be relocated.

Each of the three patients were brought over by Shawano Ambulance Service, along with a nurse, based on the priority of their conditions.

By Monday the new hospital was admitting new patients, out-patient services and specialty services were up and running, and visitor traffic was increasing, according to Bolck.

“The emergency room has been steady,” she said. “Patient care has been business as usual.”

For staff, however, there is bound to be a period of adjustment, Bolck said, as they get acclimated to the new surroundings.

That, too, has been part of the planning process, with staff provided with maps, designated pathways and training in their new surroundings.

Even so, staff may still be looking for “the shortest route between A and B,” she said.

Staff held a “good-bye ceremony” as they closed the doors of the old facility Monday.

Leaving their home of so many years in Shawano has brought a lot of mixed emotions, Bolck said.

“It was a great place to be,” she said, “but there was so much excitement that helped the transition and made letting go a little easier.”

Shawano Police Department

Sept. 21

Police logged 29 incidents, including the following:

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

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

Theft — A theft complaint at Flamingo’s Family Restaurant, 1017 E. Green Bay St., was under investigation.

Arrest — A 29-year-old man was taken into custody for a violation at the probation and parole offices, 1340 W. Green Bay St.

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

Accident — Police responded to a two-vehicle property damage accident at Lieg Avenue and Prospect Circle.

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

Drug Offense — Police investigated a drug complaint at Prospect and Briarwood streets.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Sept. 21

Deputies logged 38 incidents, including the following:

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

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile problem on North Shore Lane in the town of Wescott.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Green Valley Road in the town of Angelica.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Town Hall Road in the town of Red Springs.

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

Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint on High Street in Birnamwood.

Juvenile — Authorities responded to a juvenile problem on Lake View Drive in Aniwa.

Accident — Authorities responded to an injury accident on state Highway 29 in the town of Morris.

Clintonville Police Department

Sept. 20

Police logged 10 incidents, including the following:

Accident — A driver was cited for failure to stop at stop sign after a two-vehicle accident on 15th Street at Anne Street.

Theft — A cell phone was reported stolen on Bennett Street.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint on Seventh Street.

A dead crow found in Shawano County on Sept. 11 has tested positive for West Nile virus. It is the first bird that tested positive for West Nile virus in the county since surveillance for the mosquito-transmitted virus began May 1.

“The positive bird means that residents of Shawano County need to be more vigilant in their personal protective measures to prevent mosquito bites,” said Jaime Bodden, health officer with the Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department.

West Nile virus is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes acquire the virus by feeding on infected birds.

“Shawano and Menominee counties residents should be aware of West Nile virus and take some simple steps to protect themselves against mosquito bites,” said Deb Zernicke, public health nursing supervisor. “The West Nile virus seems to be here to stay, so the best way to avoid the disease is to reduce exposure to and eliminate breeding grounds for mosquitoes.”

The Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department recommends the following:

- Limit time spent outside at dawn and dust, when mosquitoes are most active.

- Apply insect repellent to clothing as well as exposed skin since mosquitoes may bite through clothing.

- Make sure window and door screens are in good repair to prevent mosquito entry.

- Properly dispose of items that hold water such as tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots, or discarded tires.

- Clean roof gutters and downspouts for proper drainage.

- Turn over wheelbarrows, wading pools, boat, and canoes when not in use.

- Change the water in birdbaths and pet dishes at least every three days.

- Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas, and hot tubs; drain water from pool covers.

- Trim tall grass, weeds, and vines since mosquitoes use these areas to rest during hot daylight hours.

- Landscape to prevent water from pooling in low-lying areas.

The majority of people (80 percent) who are infected with West Nile virus do not get sick, according to the health department. Those who do become ill usually experience mild symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle ache, rash and fatigue.

Less than 1 percent of people infected with the virus get seriously ill with symptoms that include high fever, muscle weakness, stiff neck, disorientation, mental confusion, tremors, confusion, paralysis and coma.

Older adults and those with compromised immune systems are at great risk of developing central nervous system illness that can be fatal.

The state Department of Health Services has monitored the spread of West Nile virus since 2001 among wild birds, horses, mosquitoes and people. During 2002, the state documented its first human infections; 52 cases were reported that year. During 2014, six cases of West Nile virus infection were reported among Wisconsin residents.

West Nile virus infections in humans have been reported from June through October. However, most reported becoming ill with West Nile virus in August and September.

The Wisconsin Division of Public Health will continue surveillance for West Nile virus until the end of the mosquito season. To report a sick or dead crow, blue jay, or raven, call the Dead Bird Reporting Hotline at 800-433-1610.

For more information on West Nile virus, visit https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/communicable/ArboviralDiseases/WestNileVir....

A 51-year-old town of Pella woman who inadvertently dropped off more than she expected at a Shawano recycling center last week had her lost item returned before she knew it was missing, according to Shawano police.

The item was an envelope with $2,000 that had fallen out of her purse while she was dropping off aluminum cans at Lakeland Industries, 504 Lakeland Road.

The envelope was lost on Sept. 14 and was put in a safe at Shawano County Human Services, which oversees the recycling center, with expectations the woman would return for it.

The envelope was found by pre-vocational specialist Carl Reindl.

When no one had claimed the envelope the next day, human services officials contacted Shawano police.

The only lead authorities had to go on was the name on the check written to the woman in exchange for the aluminum cans she dropped off.

Police Support Services Manager Laura Woldt did a bit of detective work and managed to track down a phone number for the woman, who, Woldt said, was still unaware she had lost it.

Woldt asked if she might have lost an envelope, and the woman asked if it might have had $2,000 in it.

“She was very worked up,” Woldt said.

The money was intended to be a land payment, Woldt said.

The woman declined to be interviewed or to comment for this story.

“We thank the Police Department for helping us,” said Kimmery Weber, operations division manager at human services. “They’re always very helpful and we’re always grateful.”

The family behind Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats is working to clear the way for a large commercial development near the Ho-Chunk Casino in western Shawano County.

Although representatives of the Nueske family have not outlined specific plans, local officials speculate that the 40-acre site could accommodate a hotel, shopping center or other business appealing to casino patrons.

Located just west of the Ho-Chunk Casino along U.S. Highway 45 near Wittenberg, the site includes a former Nueske family home surrounded by woods and wetlands.

Nueske representatives have asked the Shawano County Board to rezone the property for commercial development that they say would include input from casino officials.

Terry Hilgenberg, a real estate broker working with the Nueske family, said he could not forecast what sort of businesses would end up there or when development might take place.

“We’ll see what the future has to hold,” Hilgenberg said.

Referring to the Ho-Chunk Casino operators, he said, “We would certainly have a discussion with them.”

The Shawano County Board is scheduled to consider the rezoning request Wednesday.

Wittenberg town leaders already have endorsed the zoning change and are recommending that county officials do the same.

Town Chairman Richard Beversdorf said the 40-acre site is situated in an area where the town has long contemplated more commercial growth.

“That fits right in,” he said of the Nueske proposal.

Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats, renowned for its assortment of Old World-style sausages and other food products, operates production facilities and draws crowds to a retail store, both in the Wittenberg area. The family-owned business has been part of western Shawano County since the 1930s.

The house next to Ho-Chunk Casino was a home for Nueske family members before later serving as a rental property.

Company President Bob Nueske was working on commercial development possibilities for the property before he died unexpectedly in January at age 67, Hilgenberg said.

The Ho-Chunk Nation tribe opened its casino nearby in 2008, offering more than 11,000 square feet of slot machines and other attractions for gamblers. The tribe has discussed the possibility of adding a hotel to accommodate casino guests.

Casino executive general manager Casey Fitzpatrick said he would welcome development of the Nueske property, which he said would create jobs and benefit the Wittenberg area.

“It’s just more for the community,” Fitzpatrick said.

The site is not without its challenges.

With most of the 40 acres classified as wetlands, development could face government environmental-protection hurdles that are sometimes difficult, but not impossible, to overcome.

Hilgenberg is vice chairman of the state’s Natural Resources Board, which is part of the state agency that handles wetlands regulatory reviews.

Hilgenberg, who said about 8 to 10 acres is buildable without involving wetlands, said the Nueske family cannot conduct a development study until the zoning is resolved with the county. Given the proximity to the casino, he agreed that a strip-style shopping mall would make sense, with stores or businesses that complement the Ho-Chunk complex.

“It’s a commercial area — no doubt about it,” he said. “We want to make sure we’re going to do something that’s going to work well with the community.”

Beversdorf said a hotel was a good guess, too, although he said Nueske representatives were not offering any speculation when they presented the rezoning request to the town. He said the Nueskes might also intend to sell the property to another developer — a possibility that he said was not relevant to the zoning request.

“They didn’t have to commit,” the town chairman said. “And they chose not to commit.”

Residents of the Shawano School District have given their support for a new budget that raises taxes by $140,000 this year.

About 30 people participated in the district’s annual meeting Monday and voted in favor of a proposed $13.1 million property tax levy to fund schools in the 2015-16 school year.

The School Board is scheduled to take final action next month on the proposed $26.7 million budget.

The final figures could change slightly based on updated property values and student enrollment numbers. Superintendent Gary Cumberland reported an early enrollment estimate of 2,462, which is higher than expected and could mean more state aid.

Spending in the district would total $26.7 million under the budget proposal — down slightly from last year — and would include a 2 percent pay raise for employees, as well as $500,000 in capital improvements for Shawano Community Middle School.

The budget is unrelated to a Nov. 3 districtwide referendum authorizing officials to spend another $9.25 million on renovations and upgrades to the middle school.

The district’s annual meeting was held Monday night at the middle school.

A motorist was hospitalized Tuesday after her vehicle landed upside down in the Wolf River north of Shawano.

Capt. Tom Tuma of the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department said the victim, a woman in her 30s, extricated herself from the overturned car.

She was taken to ThedaCare Medical Center-Shawano, but her condition was not immediately known.

The incident occurred around 5 p.m. Tuesday while the small Honda passenger car was heading west on County Road A west of state Highway 47 in the town of Wescott. Just before crossing a bridge, the vehicle left the road and landed in the river north of the bridge.

Tuma said the vehicle was almost completely submerged in 4 to 5 feet of water.

The road was closed to traffic while crews worked to remove the submerged vehicle and while they searched the area to make sure nobody else had been in the car.

Clintonville Mayor Judith Magee this week agreed to resign, effective Jan. 1, to settle a legal dispute with a former political rival.

Tricia Rose, a local newspaper publisher who ran a write-in campaign against Magee in 2014, filed a complaint in December against Magee citing misconduct in office and other charges.

In the settlement announced Monday at a special meeting of the Common Council, the city agreed to pay legal costs related to Rose’s complaint, Rose explained why she filed the complaint and agreed to withdraw it, and Magee denied all of Rose’s allegations.

Rose said in the joint press release that she filed the complaint “for all the taxpayers in the city of Clintonville” and urged residents to be more active in city government. Magee, saying she admits no wrongdoing, indicated she was resigning so the city can move forward.

Magee and Rose agreed in the settlement to make no further statements about the complaint or agreement. Magee also agreed not to run in the April 2016 mayoral election.

Rose’s filing is termed a Chapter 17 complaint, referring to the Wisconsin state statute that deals with removing elected officials from office. The procedure, which can be initiated by a resident taxpayer, includes written charges and a speedy public hearing at which the accused official can present a defense.

Rose filed her initial complaint Dec. 5 and an amended complaint on Dec. 30.

On Dec. 9, city attorney April Dunlavy told the council that Magee had illegally authorized a $203,000 check, which the council voided, for improvements in a TIF district. Council President Jeannie Schley also said Magee approved stop signs, not OK’d by the council, costing nearly $10,000.

Attorney Jim Kalny was retained by the city to handle the complaint against Magee, and the public hearing was scheduled for June 15. However, the hearing was postponed and then never rescheduled.

Magee’s issues with the council began long before Rose’s complaint, however. The divide became clear when the council voted to suspend then-City Administrator Lisa Kotter in May 2014. The council voted 6-4 two weeks later to extend Kotter’s suspension and refer allegations of misconduct to the city’s labor attorney. Magee vetoed that vote, and Kotter returned to work.

Just over a week later, the council, with a 6-4 vote, failed to override Magee’s veto, falling one vote short of the required supermajority. Council members then passed, again 6-4, a no-confidence vote against Magee.

Several of Rose’s complaints dealt with the Kotter departure.

Kotter resigned in September 2014, just eight days after her 17-year anniversary as the city administrator. The city agreed to pay Kotter’s salary, which was $80,200 annually, through May 15, 2015, and Kotter agreed not to file any complaints against the city. She denied any wrongdoing.

Magee took a medical leave of absence from her mayoral duties Oct. 1. In a statement released to the media, she said she was honored to be elected by city voters to the position but needed time away from the turmoil that had enveloped the city since the 2014 election.

She returned to work Nov. 26.

The Kotter controversy helped spark the successful recall effort — the first in city history — against Greg Rose, District 4 alderman and husband of Tricia Rose. Bressette defeated Rose, 108-93, in the vote.

Three council members involved in the 2014 turmoil opted not to seek re-election in April. A fourth was defeated.

The council last month named District 4 Alderperson Lois Bressette as acting mayor after Magee stopped attending city meetings and holding regular office hours.

In June, reports indicated Magee had been out of town for health reasons.

Shawano Police Department

Sept. 22

Police logged 16 incidents, including the following:

Animal — A caller reported numerous cats possibly abandoned or neglected in a house in the 300 block of East Center Street.

Vandalism — A car owner reported someone put eggs, toilet paper and other debris on his vehicle in the 100 block of South Lincoln Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Sept. 22

Deputies logged 39 incidents, including the following:

Animal — A neighbor reported a vicious dog attacking both people and other dogs on Fink Road in the town of Morris.

Drugs — A resident reported finding drug paraphernalia left behind by former tenants at a house on Kildeer Lane in the town of Aniwa.

Clintonville Police Department

Sept. 22

Police logged six incidents, including the following:

Theft — Several juveniles were cited for theft and trespassing on West Street.

Harassment — A warning was issued for harassment on North 12th Street.

With Shawano County facing its first cases of tuberculosis in nearly 10 years, members of the county health board are coming under question for discussing the issue behind closed doors.

The county’s board of health and veteran services has twice met in executive session to discuss the tuberculosis cases, citing a Wisconsin open meetings law exception that is typically invoked to protect the confidentiality of government real estate dealings.

The meetings occurred on Aug. 17 and on Monday at the county courthouse, with the board both times indicating that the doors were being closed for discussion of “communicable disease investigation and control.”

Immediately after Monday’s executive session, board members voted to beef up staff in the Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department, at a cost of about $13,000, for the purposes of managing the two tuberculosis cases confirmed locally since April.

The legal authority cited for both closed-door meetings allows exclusion of the public while board members deliberate real estate deals, investment of public funds or other business transactions that involve competitive or bargaining issues. Except for such narrow exceptions, all government meetings in Wisconsin are required to be conducted in public.

Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, said residents of Shawano County should not be excluded from discussions about how government health officials are managing cases of tuberculosis, a highly contagious disease.

“People are entitled to that,” he said. “That’s where the public has a legitimate interest.”

The penalty for violating the state’s open meetings law is a fine of up to $300, and any action taken in an improper meeting can be voided.

Shawano County Corporation Counsel Tony Kordus, who did not attend either health board meeting, said board members acted without his input in closing meetings to the public. Kordus, however, said it appeared the closed meetings were “very likely necessary to preserve information deemed as protected health information.”

Kordus also cited legal authority different from what the health board had invoked under the state’s open meetings law.

Members of the health board defended their practices, saying that they saw nothing wrong with their closed-door deliberations.

Board Chairman Jon Zwirschitz said the meetings were closed to protect the confidentiality of the two patients recovering from tuberculosis. Asked what that topic has to do with real estate dealings or public investments, Zwirschitz said, “I have no idea.”

Shawano County health officials have disclosed that one case of tuberculosis was confirmed locally in April and another in August. The two cases, which are believed to be unrelated to each other, are the first confirmed incidents of tuberculosis in the county since 2006.

Tuberculosis, also known as TB, is a bacterial disease that commonly attacks the lungs and can be spread by an infected person coughing or sneezing around others. Officials have said both patients in Shawano County have agreed to remain in isolation during their treatment to avoid spreading the disease, which can be fatal if not treated properly.

According to a health department report seeking approval to hire more staff, treatment of the two patients is expected to continue into 2016.

The report states that health officials also are treating an unspecified number of additional patients with “latent tuberculosis infections,” which means people have tested positive but not actually developed the disease.

Citing the department report that the tuberculosis episode has left health workers “overworked and stressed,” the health board agreed to hire extra staff temporarily. The action followed Monday’s closed-door meeting and came with little discussion or without any public vote ending the executive session.

The state’s open meetings law is written in a way that requires all government business to be conducted in public unless the subject matter is covered by a specific exception, such as lawsuit strategies, employee hiring and firing, or labor contract negotiations.

Lueders said there is an exception to protect an individual’s medical privacy, but it was not included in the legal authority invoked by Shawano County’s health board. That provision also would not allow the health board to exclude the public during discussion of other issues related to tuberculosis, such as the county’s approach to combating the disease and the risks of other people to become infected, Lueders said.

“All of those questions should be discussed in an open meeting,” he said.

Health board member Sue Giese said she believes the closed-door meetings were legal, adding that the public can be excluded from “anything you need to be private about.”

Another board member, Ray Faehling, said the board was following county staff direction that closed-door meetings were needed. Although he defended the meetings, Faehling agreed with the board chairman that no real estate deals or public investments were included in the discussion.

“I don’t know where they even got that idea,” he said.

Steve Grover was driving to a restaurant with family members about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday when he heard a noise and then spotted something most unusual in the Wolf River.

What Grover and other bystanders did over the next few minutes might have saved the life of a young woman whose car somehow landed upside down in the river.

“I saw the vehicle floating,” Grover recalled Wednesday. “I’m just so glad we all were willing to do everything we could to help her.”

The woman, identified as Krystal Benoit, 28, who lives near the crash site north of Shawano, was listed in critical condition Wednesday at a hospital.

Police said she likely would not have survived being submerged in the river if not for the quick thinking and heroics of bystanders who jumped into action. In addition to Grover, 44, the others were Jerome Hoppe, 62, and Gary Effenberger, 57.

Capt. Tom Tuma of the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department said the three men pulled Benoit’s lifeless body from the submerged vehicle and got her breathing again before paramedics arrived.

Tuma called the bystanders’ actions “phenomenal” and said they might be credited with saving the woman’s life.

“They gave her the absolute best chance she had,” Tuma said.

Investigators are still trying to determine what caused Benoit to drive a blue 2005 Ford Escape into the river. Police believe she was driving west on County Road A in the town of Wescott when, just before crossing a bridge over the river, the vehicle left the roadway and ended up in the water.

At the scene, sheriff’s officials initially reported mistakenly that the motorist had extricated herself from the submerged car. Officials later learned of the heroics of the three bystanders, among others.

Tuma said the sheriff’s department and the dive rescue team were also assisted by the Shawano Police Department, Stockbridge-Munsee tribal police, Wisconsin State Patrol and state Department of Natural Resources, along with other civilians who provided help.

“That was just one big team out there,” Tuma said.

Grover, who was on the scene before the vehicle even sank under water, said he quickly dialed 9-1-1 and then sprang into action with Hoppe, who lives nearby, and Effenberger, another passing motorist.

The vehicle sank upside down in 4 to 5 feet of water with only one wheel sticking up out of the water.

Effenberger recalled seeing the other two men pull a woman’s body from the car, and said he ran to the river’s edge to help them perform first aid. As the three men carefully balanced the woman’s body on a tree log, Effenberger said he helped steady her body while the others administered CPR.

Considering that the three bystanders were strangers, Effenberger said, they functioned with surprising teamwork, as though they had practiced for the situation.

“There was a calm order to what was going on,” he said. “It was incredible to see the cooperation.”

Hoppe could not be reached for comment.

Within a few minutes, the woman began breathing on her own, and the color started coming back to her face. Paramedics arrived, and the woman soon was in an ambulance on her way to the hospital.

Before going their separate ways, Grover, Hoppe and Effenberger took a few minutes to express thanks to one another — and to exchange congratulations on a job well done.

The sheriff’s department contacted all three men Wednesday to express gratitude for their efforts.

Grover said he hopes the incident inspires people to take action and help others in need during emergencies, regardless of the circumstances.

“Even if you’re not sure what you’re doing, give it your best shot,” he said. “It might make a difference.”

An overhaul of the Junior Fair Building on the Shawano County Fairgrounds has been zero-funded in the county’s capital spending plans for next year.

The Shawano Area Agricultural Society had requested $125,000 in county funding and offered to raise another $45,000 to upgrade the facility used by 4-H club members and families throughout the annual county fair.

Society officials had hoped to complete renovations to the 50-year-old structure before next year’s county fair.

The Shawano County Board on Wednesday approved $1 million in capital improvement projects for 2016 without including any funds for the proposed improvement on the county-owned fairgrounds.

The action was approved by a 19-8 vote without any mention of the fairgrounds project.

Among the funds approved in the capital plan was an estimated $500,000 for interior renovations to the county courthouse, $93,000 for Heritage Park improvements, $76,000 for sheriff’s department ventilation upgrades, $20,000 for new library computers and $50,000 for Mountain Bay Trail bridge repairs.

The capital spending plan will be included in the county’s overall 2016 budget, scheduled for approval later this year.

For the county fairgrounds project, agricultural society representatives had proposed rebuilding the Junior Fair Building walls, installing a new roof and doors, adding a 4-foot-tall concrete base, installing insulation and new interior lighting, and repainting the exterior in red and green colors.

Nobody from the society addressed the county board Wednesday before the project was zero-funded.

County officials had previously indicated that the fairgrounds improvement was proposed too late in the annual capital spending process to be eligible for funding in 2016.

Shawano Police Department

Sept. 23

Police logged 26 incidents, including the following:

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

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 1400 block of East Green Bay Street.

Harassment — Police investigated a harassment complaint in the 700 block of South Main Street.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 400 block of North Main Street.

Threatening — Police investigated a threatening complaint at the Wisconsin House, 216 E. Green Bay St.

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

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Sept. 23

Deputies logged 41 incidents, including the following:

Hit and Run — Authorities investigated a property damage hit-and-run on Genesee Street in Wittenberg.

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

Juvenile — Authorities investigated a juvenile alcohol complaint on Green Bay Street in Bonduel.

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

Fraud — Authorities investigated an identity theft complaint on Legion Court in Tigerton.

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

Clintonville Police Department

Sept. 23

Police logged 17 incidents, including the following:

Assault —A battery incident was reported at Clintonville High School, 64 W. Green Tree Road.

Disorderly — A disorderly conduct incident was reported at Clintonville Middle School, 255 N. Main St.

Theft — A theft was reported at the middle school, 255 N. Main St.

Trespass — A trespassing complaint was received on West Morning Glory Drive.

Juvenile — Several juveniles were warned for loitering and malicious mischief on South Main Street.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance on Fifth Street.

The third in a series of workshops aimed at identifying and dealing with drug and alcohol abuse in the workplace has been scheduled for next month.

The program was the result of conversations with local business leaders about some of the challenges they are facing, local officials said.

Dennis Heling, chief economic development officer for Shawano County Economic Progress Inc., said local employers invariably raise drug and alcohol abuse as a problem.

“Without exception, they listed that as the number one or two challenge,” he said. “It was always in the conversation.”

Heling said businesses of all sizes named it a problem.

“We have a culture of alcohol use, and maybe abuse, and we see drug use,” Heling said employers told him.

Heling said employees who don’t abuse alcohol or drugs also are being affected by family members who do, and the impact is showing up in the workplace.

Those conversations led to the series of workshops.

“We put together a work group which helped us understand what (human resources) managers were facing, and look at how do we identify (drug and alcohol abuse), what steps do we take and how do we change that activity in our workplaces,” Heling said.

The next workshop, from 8-10 a.m. Oct. 8 at Boarders Inn and Suites, will look at policies and best practices for dealing with suspected alcohol or drug use, and the resources available to employers in Shawano and Menominee counties.

Shawano Police Chief Mark Kohl will also discuss when it is appropriate to call in law enforcement, and give a picture of the extent of drug and alcohol abuse in the city.

Also presenting will be Stephanie Bellin and Polly Elrod, of ThedaCare, who will review the key elements of a good alcohol and drug policy and how companies can make them work within their own environment. There will be an opportunity to learn how area businesses are addressing the issues.

The workshops are funded by grants from ThedaCare and Shawano Country Vision 2017.

This program is free of charge. Funding is provided by Shawano Country Vision 2017 and the ThedaCare Shawano-Menominee Community Health Action Team.

For information, contact Dennis Heling at scepi@frontiernet.net.

To register, go to www.thedacare.org/employerworkhops or call 715-526-5839.

AgVentures LLC, a Shawano-based provider of farming supplies and services throughout the region, could soon be under new ownership.

A purchase in the works by United Cooperative would expand the Beaver Dam buyer’s presence in Shawano County and further consolidate the farm services industry.

Some farmers are unsure what to expect from the AgVentures takeover.

Russel Brock, a farmer in Gillett and a leader of the Oconto County Farm Bureau, said although United Cooperative is a good organization, he wonders if services will change when AgVentures’ local operations come under out-of-town ownership.

“Less competition is not better, I don’t think,” Brock said.

United Cooperative President David Cramer said his group has signed a purchase agreement with AgVentures and that the deal is scheduled to be completed by mid-October. Cramer declined to comment further, citing a nondisclosure agreement between the parties.

AgVentures officials declined to comment, referring questions to United Cooperative.

AgVentures, which is headquartered at 1212 Bay Lakes Road on the east side of Shawano, also has facilities in Oconto Falls and Coleman. The company was formed many years ago through a consolidation of farming cooperatives in Shawano and surrounding areas.

Cooperatives are businesses owned by member farmers to keep their farms equipped with needed supplies and, typically, to share the profits of their endeavors.

Farm service businesses provide farmers with a wide variety of goods and services such as fertilizer, chemicals and seed, as well as sometimes fuel for their equipment, assistance with crop management, and storage or marketing of their livestock feed and other grains.

According to its website, AgVentures offers a full range of agronomy services, which United Cooperative does not currently have available at its Shawano location.

Wes Raddatz, the regional district coordinator for the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, said farmers who do business with AgVentures might benefit from the deal because United Cooperative is a larger organization with the ability to improve services in the area.

“It could be a big deal,” Raddatz said. “United Cooperative is getting to be a larger and larger entity.”

According to its website, United Cooperative was created in 1936, and through numerous acquisitions and mergers now has more than 50 facilities throughout Wisconsin.

“Our large size allows us to be a one-stop shop,” the website says, “but still maintain the member-friendly customer service and individual attention that you would expect and appreciate from a smaller cooperative.”

From its outlet at 660 E. Seward St. near the center of Shawano, United Cooperative offers feed, grain and fuel products and services. The organization has recently undertaken a major redevelopment of its Shawano complex, including demolition of some structures and construction of new facilities.

It was not immediately clear how AgVentures, a private corporation, would be combined with the Beaver Dam cooperative owned by some 30,000 members.

Adam Kuczer, a farmer near Pulaski and vice president of the Shawano County Farm Bureau, said he recalled when United Cooperative a few years ago acquired a small local cooperative of which he was a member. Kuczer said United Cooperative improved services and modernized facilities for area farmers.

Saying he was unsure what United Cooperative had planned with the AgVentures deal, Kuczer said it was understandable for farmers to be apprehensive about such a large organization taking over.

“They’re a much larger scale,” he said. “Is it good for our communities in the long run? That’s a good question.”

Shawano Police Department

Sept. 24
Police logged 23 incidents, including the following:
Suspicious — Police investigated a suspicious person complaint in the 200 block of South Andrews Street.
Accident — Police responded to a deer-related crash at Richmond Street and Industrial Drive.
Trespass — Police responded to a trespassing complaint in the 800 block of South Park Street.
Disturbance — A 19-year-old woman was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and domestic violence after a disturbance in the 100 block of Acorn Street.
Shoplifting — Police located a 22-year-old man who had fled from Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St., after a shoplifting incident. The suspect was found on Raasch Road. He was cited for shoplifting and arrested on multiple warrants.
Drug Offense — Police investigated a drug complaint in the 1300 block of East Lieg Avenue.
Vandalism — A house was reported toilet-papered in the 900 block of South Cleveland Street.
Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Sept. 24
Deputies logged 39 incidents, including the following:
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious vehicle complaint on Lake Drive in the town of Wescott.
Theft — A catalytic converter was reported stolen from a vehicle on County Road A in Bowler.
Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Warrington Avenue in Cecil.
Accidents — A 59-year-old man sustained a head injury after tipping over a tractor on Maple Road in the town of Aniwa. Authorities also logged two deer-related crashes and two reports of dead deer in the roadway.
Clintonville Police Department

Sept. 24
Police logged 12 incidents, including the following:
Hit and Run — A property damage hit-and-run was reported at County Road I and South Main Street.
Disorderly — Malicious mischief and fireworks violation was reported on Lincoln Avenue.
Vandalism — Damage to property was reported on Bennett Street.
Disorderly — Disorderly conduct was reported on 10th Street.
Disorderly — Several juveniles were cited for disorderly conduct and curfew violation after an incident on 15th Street.

A Marion teen was arrested Thursday in connection with numerous burglary and theft complaints over the past few months, the Marion Police Department said, and several others allegedly involved are also facing possible charges.

Marion police on Wednesday investigated a report of two parties running through backyards and down the 400 block of Sherman Street with a third party that picked them up in his vehicle.

A 20-year-old Shawano man was arrested for an active warrant and an 18-year-old Tigerton man was arrested for a probation violation.

During the investigation that night, information was received regarding the rash of burglaries and thefts, police said.

On Thursday, Marion police assisted by Waupaca County sheriff’s deputies and Clintonville police executed a search warrant in the 600 block of N.E. Second Street in Marion.

Evidence linking the 18-year-old and his associates to the burglaries and thefts was found in the residence, according to police. Drug paraphernalia, including methamphetamine and a methamphetamine cooking kit, were also taken as evidence.

An 18-year-old man from Marion has since been arrested on burglary and theft charges.

Charges were being referred to the Waupaca County district attorney’s office against all parties involved for burglary, theft, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia, the Police Department said.

Charges had not yet been filed as of Friday afternoon.

It’s that time of year again, when mating is on the minds of Wisconsin deer, and Wisconsin drivers need to be cautious about the increased activity.

The Department of Transportation this week issued its annual reminder that October and November are the mating season for deer, and they soon will increase their activity, particularly at dusk and dawn while moving back and forth between their bedding and feeding areas.

As they roam, deer may dart unexpectedly onto roads and into the path of vehicles.

Shawano County had the second highest number of deer vs. motor vehicle crashes last year with 725, just behind Dane County with 863. Waukesha County was third with 700.

In Shawano and Green Lake counties, more than half of all reported crashes in 2014 involved deer. Deer are the third most commonly struck objects in Wisconsin traffic crashes (behind other vehicles and fixed objects).

Last year, Wisconsin law enforcement agencies reported a total of 18,312 deer vs. motor vehicle crashes, according to the DOT.

“To avoid hitting deer with your vehicle, you should slow down whenever you see them nearby. If you see one deer, there are probably more in the area,” said David Pabst, director of the WisDOT Bureau of Transportation Safety.

“If you can’t avoid a deer in the road, it’s safer to hit the brakes and hit the deer than to swerve suddenly and try to miss it,” he said. “If you swerve, you risk losing control of your vehicle. You may end up hitting another car or a stationary object like a tree.”

Motorcyclists must be especially careful because deer crashes can be fatal. Motorcycles were involved in eight of the 10 fatal deer vs. motor vehicle crashes in Wisconsin last year.

“The one exception to the ‘don’t swerve’ recommendation applies to motorcyclists,” Pabst said. “Motorcyclists should slow down, brake firmly and then swerve if necessary to avoid hitting the deer. If they must swerve, motorcyclists should try to stay within their driving lane to avoid hitting other vehicles or objects.”

The Menominee Indian Tribe recently named a newly created cul de sac in honor of Shawano County highway worker Derek Stempa, who was killed in a road construction accident in May.

The cul de sac, designated as Stempa Lane, is located just west of the state Highway 47 and County Road G intersection, near the spot where Stempa died.

Stempa, 30, of Shawano, was working as a flag person at that location on May 26 when he was struck by a southbound 2003 Dodge Caravan driven by Dennis St. John, 69, of Tigerton.

St. John died of advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in August before he could be charged.

The accident occurred in a portion of Red Springs that straddles the Menominee Reservation area known as Middle Village. The cul de sac was part of the road project on which Stempa was working.

“Our family is greatly appreciative of the thoughtful gesture made by the Menominee Indian Tribe. We feel blessed to have Derek’s memory honored in this way,” Stempa’s family said in a statement.

Shawano County Highway Commissioner Grant Bystol said the signage on Stempa Lane went up within the last several weeks.

“It was a nice gesture on the part of the Menominee Tribe,” he said. “We sure appreciate that here, as does the family, I’m sure.”

Bystol said Stempa’s death is still being felt by the highway department.

“There’s not a day that goes by that we don’t think of Derek,” he said.

Menominee Tribal Chairman Gary Besaw issued a statement in the aftermath of the crash.

“The Menominee Nation expresses our sympathy to the family of the individual who lost his life and to the Shawano County Highway Department,” he said in the statement. “We are mindful of all who are willing to work in challenging and high risk occupations to make the roadways we travel safer. This tragedy is a reminder to all of us how precious life is and how important it is to use extra caution in all work zones.”

A fund was also set up in Stempa’s name at Capital Credit Union.