After the Common Council rejected her appointment to the Badger Power Marketing Authority, Mayor Judith Magee this week asked for city residents to volunteer to serve on any of a number of city boards.

On Oct. 13, the council rejected Jason Hornung as Magee’s appointee to the authority to replace longtime member Robert Gay, who resigned. Mayoral appointments must be approved by the council.

The council deadlocked, 4-4, on Hornung’s appointment, with Julie Stumbris, Lois Bressette, Brad Rokus and Steve Kettenhoven in support, and Darrell Teal, Gloria Dunlavy, Jim Krause and Mary Beth Kuester voting no. Alderperson Jeannie Schley abstained, and Amy Steenbock was excused from the meeting.

“I abstained because this is not the first time that the mayor has made appointments and then came to the council for approval,” Schley said. “I don’t even know this person.”

Badger Power officials apparently were told of Hornung’s appointment before council members. When contacted by Badger Power, City Administrator Chuck Kell advised them that the appointment would need council approval. He also provided background information on Hornung to the council at the Oct. 13 meeting.

“The council needs to approve the appointments, but now we find out the appointment has already been done without our approval, and now we are being asked to give approval after the fact,” Schley said.

To ensure council members have adequate information, Kell suggested that all future nominees for city appointments be asked to fill out a form that provides background information similar to a resume.

At the meeting, Kuester, a member of the city utility board, said she would be interested in serving on the authority, citing her experience in the utility and finance fields. She also said it would be good for an elected official to represent the residential rate payers.

Kuester’s comments caught Bressette, who served as acting mayor while Magee dealt with health issues, by surprise. Bressette said Kuester never expressed in interest in the position to her.

The cities of Clintonville and Shawano formed Badger Power in 1984 to purchase power wholesale to keep rates low for both communities.

In addition to the Badger Power Marketing Authority, Magee said residents are needed to serve on the city’s board of review, transit commission, redevelopment authority, facilities committee, and board of zoning and housing appeals.

Magee, who last month agreed to resign as mayor, effective Jan. 1, told the council she would seek more people to fill the vacancies on the panels.

Residents who are interested in serving should submit an application to the clerk-treasurer by Friday. Applications are available at City Hall or online at www.clintonvillewi.org. For information, call Kell at 7150823-7600.

A federal raid Friday that bulldozed industrial hemp on the Menominee Reservation will likely lead to a lawsuit in federal court, according to tribal officials.

“Today, Federal Agents improperly and unnecessarily entered the sovereign lands of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin and destroyed the Tribe’s industrial hemp crop,” Tribal Chairman Gary Besaw said in a statement.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, assisted by the FBI, destroyed the hemp near County Road M west of Suring, bulldozing plants and placing them into dump trucks.

The DEA sent out a news release late Friday saying that approximately 30,000 marijuana plants weighing over several thousand pounds were seized in the operation after a search warrant was issued by a U.S. District Court judge in Green Bay.

The news release suggested that other parties might have taken advantage of laws allowing the tribe to grow industrial hemp.

“The search warrant authorized the search of a dwelling, outbuilding and land totaling approximately 20 acres. The investigation into the marijuana fields revealed that individuals other than Menominee Tribe Members planted and were tending to the marijuana plants located on tribal land,” the news release stated.

It was not clear whether tribal officials were aware of the DEA’s marijuana allegations. Besaw’s statement was issued earlier in the day and referred only to the tribe’s hemp crop.

“In light of the actions by the Department of Justice today, the Tribe now has no choice but to move forward with litigation to settle the question of its ability to grow industrial hemp under the 2014 Farm Bill,” Besaw said.

In May, the tribe legalized the growing of industrial hemp that did not have mind-altering effects. Besaw said the tribe believes growing the plants is legal, allowed by the federal farm bill.

Notice of the tribe’s action was reported to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he said.

“The Tribe’s industrial hemp crop was always intended to be a legal crop as allowed by the 2014 Farm Bill,” Besaw said.

Hemp is a type of cannabis plant related to marijuana, and it has been widely used in recent years in the legal manufacture of a variety of products, such as paper, clothing and textiles.

The site of the raid appeared abandoned late Friday, although a posted sign called it “a permitted and experimental industrial hemp field.” The sign also referred visitors to the tribal chairman for more information.

“I am deeply disappointed that the Obama administration has made the decision to utilize the full force of the DEA to raid our Tribe,” Besaw said in his statement. “We were attempting to grow industrial hemp for research purposes in accordance with the farm bill.”

Besaw said there had been differences with federal officials over interpretations of the farm bill, but efforts were underway to resolve those questions, including allowing federal officials to test samples of the crop and destroy strains of hemp that federal officials believed were illegal.

“These offers by the Tribe were rejected in favor of the aggressive unilateral action we saw today,” Besaw said.

“What makes the actions taken today even more difficult to understand is that the federal government is very aware of the great unmet needs of Menominee,” Besaw said. “Menominee County ranks at the bottom of the state in poverty and health statistics. The Tribe is trying to meet these needs by researching the potential economic opportunities of industrial hemp just as Congress intended when passing the Farm Bill.”

The raid Friday comes two months after Menominee leaders asked tribal members if they would support legalizing marijuana so that it could be grown on the reservation as a possible new source of revenue for the impoverished tribe. A referendum on the issue passed with strong support in August, although tribal leaders have not publicly announced whether they will pursue the issue further.

If voters approve a Nov. 3 referendum to modernize Shawano Community Middle School, administrators say the school likely will continue serving the community for another 25 years or longer.

The school district is asking voters to authorize borrowing $9.25 million to replace the middle school’s heating system and make other improvements to the 60-year-old building.

Proponents of the referendum say the upgrades will bring the aging and inefficient middle school up to the same standard of quality that the Shawano School District has established with other schools built or remodeled in recent years.

It also will get the school at 1050 S. Union St. ready for another generation of students — maybe more.

School Board member Marcia Yeager, who attended classes inside the building during the 1960s, said it is disappointing to see how the school has deteriorated and become so dysfunctional for students and teachers.

Yeager said she is excited by the opportunity presented in the Nov. 3 referendum to preserve the past and prepare for the future.

“There’s history there. I’m proud of that school,” she said. “You want to be proud of what we have in this community.”

In addition to a new heating and air-conditioning system, the referendum will pay for renovations or expansions to the school’s front entrance, kitchen and cafeteria areas, gymnasiums, student locker rooms, band and orchestra rooms, restrooms and more.

Paying off the project over the next 20 years would require property tax increases of about $35 a year — less than $3 a month — for the owner of a $100,000 home.

With no sign of organized opposition, school administrators and boosters are confident that members of the community recognize the importance of bringing the middle school up-to-date. But they also are working hard to promote awareness of the referendum so that supporters remember to show up at the polling places on a day when nothing else will be on the ballot.

Rich Belongia, a parent and volunteer coach at the middle school, said he urges people every day to turn out Nov. 3 and help the referendum pass. Mindful that taxpayers are often sensitive about government spending, Belongia said, he reminds people that Shawano historically takes pride in having quality schools, and that the middle school has been overlooked while other facilities were modernized.

Future generations of sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders deserve the same opportunity for a quality education as others in the community, Belongia said, adding that the cost is relatively low.

“It’s such a small sacrifice,” he said. “It needs to be done. We need to take care of our kids and our grandkids.”

It is the Shawano School District’s first referendum since 2010, when voters approved an estimated $27 million initiative to build Hillcrest Primary School and remodel Olga Brener Intermediate School.

Built in 1954, the middle school building at 1050 S. Union St. served as Shawano’s high school until the current high school was erected in 1996. Much of the older building’s heating system and other equipment is original or near-original, forcing students and teachers to endure spotty service, frequent repairs and uncomfortable conditions in many of the areas blueprinted to receive upgrades.

With help from outside consultants, administrators studied the 155,000-square-foot property to craft a modernization proposal that would improve the building’s efficiency and functionality without adding needless frills. The School Board in August approved the final $9,250,000 package of improvements, which will be augmented by another $700,000 in operating funds not included in the referendum.

Jeff Easter, the school district’s building and grounds director, said the building appears structurally sound and likely will serve its purpose for another 25 years or longer if the current proposed updates are completed.

“It should be good to go for quite a while,” Easter said.

If voters give the go-ahead, officials hope to start work inside the middle school by April and be finished by the time classes begin in September.

Shawano Alderman Fred Ponschok, who represents the middle school neighborhood, said he has heard nothing but support for the referendum. Ponschok said he is pleased to see school administrators moving forward with the modernization.

“We’ve got to invest in our schools,” he said. “It’s probably long overdue.”

Shawano Police Department

Oct. 25

Police logged 23 incidents, including the following:

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

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance in the 500 block of South Smalley Street.

Disorderly — Police responded to a disorderly conduct complaint at Smalley and Division streets.

Theft — Prescription glasses were reported stolen from a locker at the Shawano Recreation Center, 220 E. Division St.

Disturbance — Police responded to a disturbance At Richmond and Waukechon streets.

Shoplifting — Pick ‘N Save, 190 Woodlawn Drive, reported a shoplifting incident.

Oct. 24

Police logged 17 incidents, including the following:

Burglary — Police investigated a burglary in the 1100 block of South Weed Street.

Disturbance — Charges of domestic violence and battery were referred against a 54-year-old Shawano man after a domestic disturbance in the 700 block of South Lincoln Street.

Fraud — Police investigated an Internet fraud complaint in the 400 block of West Division Street.

Theft — A purse was reported stolen in the 300 block of East Richmond Street.

Oct. 23

Police logged 25 incidents, including the following:

Drug Offense — Police investigated a drug complaint in the 900 block of East Green Bay Street.

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

Theft — Items were reported stolen from a vehicle in the 1000 block of East Stevens Street.

Vandalism — A vehicle was reported egged in the 300 block of West Eagle Street.

Theft — A safe was reported stolen from a residence in the 800 block of West Picnic Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Oct. 25

Deputies logged 37 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Lake Drive in the town of Wescott.

Juvenile — Authorities investigated a juvenile alcohol complaint on Mill Street in Wittenberg.

Harassment — Authorities responded to a harassment complaint on Highway 117 in the town of Washington.

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

Assault — Authorities investigated an assault complaint on Elm Grove Road in the town of Pella.

OWI — A charge of operating while intoxicated was referred against a 24-year-old Shawano man after a single-vehicle accident on Maple Avenue in the town of Wescott.

Oct. 24

Deputies logged 38 incidents, including the following:

OWI — A 47-year-old Shawano woman was arrested for operating while intoxicated on Anderson Avenue in the town of Wescott.

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

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Balsam Row Road in the town of Wescott.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a domestic disturbance on County Road A in Gresham.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on Camp 14 Road in the town of Bartelme.

Oct. 23

Deputies logged 48 incidents, including the following:

Drug Offense — Authorities investigated a drug complaint on East Green Bay Street in Shawano.

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

Disorderly — Authorities responded to a disorderly conduct complaint on Webb Street in Wittenberg.

Disturbance — Authorities responded to a disturbance on North Avenue in Mattoon.

Theft — Authorities responded to a property theft complaint on state Highway 29 in the town of Richmond.

Hit and Run — Authorities investigated a property damage hit-and-run on U.S. Highway 45 in Wittenberg.

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

A suspected marijuana farm on the Menominee Indian Tribe reservation produced 6-foot-tall plants under the supervision of consultants from Colorado, where marijuana is legal, federal records show.

The connection between the Wisconsin tribe and Colorado-based Comprehensive Cannabis Consulting was not immediately clear, although representatives of the consulting firm were present when federal agents inspected the alleged growing operation on tribal land.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said agents later seized about 30,000 marijuana plants during a raid Friday on a farm located along County Road M on the reservation north of Shawano.

No arrests or criminal charges have been announced, and tribal leaders contend that the remote farm was designed to cultivate industrial hemp, a relative of marijuana that can be used legally in clothing and other products.

But an affidavit released Monday by the U.S. District Court in Green Bay shows that drug agents reported finding evidence of violations of federal laws against possession, manufacture and distribution of marijuana. A federal magistrate approved a search warrant for Friday’s raid based on evidence presented in the 19-page affidavit.

The affidavit described thousands of plants growing in the open, some 4 to 6 feet tall, and others hanging up to dry in a barn on a 20-acre compound protected by security guards who lived in pop-up trailer and a nearby house.

Investigators determined that the operation was supervised by a Colorado consultant who was not a Menominee tribal member and who was associated with Comprehensive Cannabis Consulting.

“He was in clear violation of federal law and Wisconsin state law,” the affidavit stated of the consultant.

The affidavit also showed that Menominee tribal leaders had met with investigators and had given permission to inspect the growing operation, which the tribe described as strictly an industrial hemp field.

Leo Hawkins, a spokesman for the DEA in Chicago, said Monday he could not speculate what would happen next in the investigation.

“It’ll definitely be an ongoing investigation,” Hawkins said.

Officials at the Menominee tribal headquarters in Keshena declined to comment on Monday.

A spokeswoman said Tribal Chairman Gary Besaw was in his office Monday. A special closed-door meeting of the tribe’s governing legislature was scheduled later in the day.

Besaw issued a statement Friday accusing the federal government of improperly seizing and destroyed an industrial hemp crop that was being cultivated for research purposes to identify a possible new business venture for the tribe. The research effort, which Besaw said was disclosed to federal authorities, was being conducted in partnership with the College of Menominee Nation.

A sign posted at the scene declared it “a permitted and experimental industrial hemp field operation associated with the College of Menominee Nation.”

College President Verna Fowler on Monday declined to comment.

Tribal representatives have not addressed the federal government’s contention that the farm was raising marijuana, not industrial hemp.

The issue arises two months after Menominee leaders asked tribal members if they would support legalizing marijuana so that it could be grown on the reservation as a possible new source of revenue for the impoverished tribe. A referendum on the issue passed with strong support in August, although tribal leaders have not publicly announced whether they will pursue the issue further.

According to the affidavit unsealed Monday, DEA investigators assisted by agents from the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs met with tribal leaders Oct. 19 to discuss the farming operation and to conduct an inspection. Besaw was scheduled to participate, but he was in California instead, so investigators were accompanied by Tribal Acting Chairwoman Ruth Waupoose along with other tribal officials.

Agents collected samples, took photographs and talked with a representative of the Colorado consulting firm. Two vehicles with Colorado license plates were spotted on the compound, records show.

Tests on the plant samples initially came back negative, the affidavit states, but a retesting later showed positive results for marijuana. Agents later reported that the crop of suspected marijuana plants weighed “several thousand pounds.”

Oconto County Sheriff Michael Jansen said his agency assisted in Friday’s operation by destroying some of the confiscated plants.

Fire tore through a Marion business early Saturday, destroying the building, according to the Marion Area Fire Department.

Authorities were called to Carver Wood Products, 350 SE Second St., for a structure fire with flames showing at 7 a.m., the fire department said. The fire is believed to have started on the southeast corner of the property.

“The structure is deemed a complete loss and the cause is under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office,” Fire Chief Joseph Stuhr said.

The firm, Marion's oldest industry, is owned by Jim Jueds, who could not be reached for comment.

“This is a part of history that was built in the 1800s,” said Robert Eggleston, a retired industrial arts teacher in the Marion School District. He said he had been in the building in the past and there would be sawdust, lacquer and dry wood inside that would burn easily.

Patricia Adams, who has worked at Carver Wood Products for 39 years stood by as she watched the buildings go up in smoke.

“I have worked in shipping, receiving, production, the office, and in every department,” she said.

Carver Wood Products manufactured office accessories, such as enclosed wall files, binder and book racks, paper/memo trays, pen and pencil cups, wastebaskets, calendar bases and more.

According to the company's website, "For over 100 years, Carver Wood Products has championed a tradition of quality in the art of fine woodworking. Our premium office accessories are built with strict attention to detail-100% select quality hardwoods, Carver´s distinctive lock-corner construction and individually hand-rubbed finishes."

Nine area fire departments responded to the call. The demand for water exceeded the capacity of the city wells. When the capacity became critical, it required trucks to shuttle water to the scene from the Marion pond.

Departments assisting the Marion firefighters at the scene included Clintonville, Grant, Pella, Tigerton, Bear Creek, Manawa, Embarrass and Bowler, along with Clintonville Area Ambulance Service, Marion Police Department and the Waupaca County Sheriff's Department.

Shawano Police Department

Oct. 26

Police logged 31 incidents, including the following:

Drug Offense — Police investigated a drug complaint in the 400 block of South Main Street.

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

Shoplifting — A 30-year-old woman was cited for shoplifting at Walmart, 1244 E. Green Bay St.

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

Truancy — Police logged two truancy complaints from Shawano Community High School, 220 County Road B.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 400 block of Fairview Way.

Juvenile — Police responded to a juvenile problem in the 200 block of North Bartlett Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Oct. 26

Deputies logged 42 incidents, including the following:

OWI — A 25-year-old woman was arrested for operating while intoxicated on County Road V in the town of Washington.

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

Suspicious — Authorities responded to a suspicious person complaint on Freeborn Street in Cecil.

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

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

Clintonville Police Department

Oct. 26

Police logged 12 incidents, including the following:

Animal — Stray dogs on Maize Street were returned to their owner.

Suspicious — Police checked a suspicious incident on Anne Street.

Vandalism — Damage to property was reported on East First Street.

Disturbance — Police responded to a family disturbance on Maize Street.

Shawano: 5-7 p.m. Oct. 31

Bonduel: 5-7 p.m. Oct. 31

Bowler: 3-5 p.m. Oct. 31

Cecil: 5-7 p.m. Oct. 31

Clintonville: 4-7 p.m. Oct. 31

Gillett: 4-6 p.m. Oct. 31

Gresham: 3-6 p.m. Oct. 31

Keshena: 2-4 p.m. Oct. 31

Marion: 5-7 p.m. Oct. 31

Neopit: 2-4 p.m. Oct. 31

Pulaski: 4-7 p.m. Oct. 31

Tigerton: 5-7 p.m. Oct. 31

Wittenberg: 4-7 p.m. Oct. 31

The owner of a troubled downtown Bonduel building failed to show up for a fire department inspection of the property, village officials say.

Building owner Keith Block said he was never told about the inspection, but village officials said he received notice two weeks in advance.

The village is trying to determine if the deteriorated structure at 101 E. Green Bay St. can be salvaged, or if the village should move toward demolition.

Village President Sharon Wussow said officials will next seek a court-ordered warrant to gain access to the building for an inspection with or without Block’s involvement.

“That’s the only way we can do it, since he is not cooperating,” Wussow said.

Contacted by telephone, Block said he received no notice of the inspection, and he blamed Bonduel village leaders for not communicating with him.

“I would be thrilled to cooperate with them if we had some communication,” he said.

The property, located in the center of Bonduel’s downtown business district, has vacant storefronts on the first floor and vacant apartments upstairs. Village officials believe the structure could be unstable and that it needs repairs for broken masonry, water leaks and moldy conditions.

Block also owns the Wisconsin House Inn hotel in Shawano, which is at the center of a similar dispute between the landlord and Shawano city officials.

Over the years, the downtown Bonduel property has housed an ice cream shop, a sporting goods store and other attractions.

The Bonduel fire department attempted to conduct an inspection of the building on Friday, but officials said Block failed to show up for the appointment. The village released a copy of an Oct. 9 certified letter notifying Block of the planned inspection.

The village then sent the property owner another certified letter notifying him of their intent to seek a warrant to inspect the property.

Wussow said officials are holding out hope that the building can be salvaged and restored. But if Block refuses to cooperate or if the repairs are too costly, the village might have no choice but to proceed toward demolition, Wussow said.

“Hopefully it doesn’t have to go to that,” she said, “because it is a nice old building for the community.”

A squash grown by a Marion man recently set a state record at a Wisconsin Giant Pumpkin Growers weigh-in in Mishicot.

Ken Williamson’s squash, on display in his front yard on Main Street, tipped the scale at 1,183 pounds, 15 pounds heavier than the previous state record.

Williamson said he weighed in his squash on the last day of the group’s competition because he knew a man from Gays Mills would be entering a big one. The waiting paid off, because his rival’s squash weighed 1,168 pounds.

Williamson started growing large pumpkins with a neighbor and the hobby grew from there. He plants the seed “somewhere in the town of Dupont.” This year the seed was planted on April 28. He spent about an hour each day working with the squash until it was harvested.

To grow the big vegetables you need good seed, soil and weather, Williamson said. He uses fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides, and spends time watering, pruning and other tasks.

The timing for adding fertilizer must be just right or the squash could explode, Williamson said.

The Wisconsin Giant Pumpkin Growers organization was formed to support the state’s fruit and vegetable growers. Members grow large squash, pumpkins, watermelon, tomatoes, field pumpkins and long gourds.

The growers get together socially, serve on committees, teach others, and share information on growing giant fruits and vegetables. There is plenty of friendly competition. There are entries from the U.S., Germany, Austria, Canada, Finland, United Kingdon, Spain and elsewhere.

Williamson has been a member since 2010. In addition to his record squash, he had a tomato this year that weighed 4 pounds, 6 ounces.

It’s a hobby that has definitely taken root for Williamson. He says it’s something to do!

Forgery

A Birnamwood woman has been charged with a felony count of forgery for allegedly passing a bogus check in the village in March.

Laci J. Walkush, 25, could face a maximum six years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted. She also faces a felony count of identity theft, which carries the same penalty, as well as misdemeanor counts of theft and fraudulent use of a credit card, and several counts of bail jumping.

According to the criminal complaint, Walkush was terminated as an employee of Cady Memorial Home in Birnamwood after an investigation into a missing debit card. The investigation revealed fraudulent purchases at local stores as well as in Wausau and surrounding areas.

The complaint states Walkush signed a resignation statement admitting to the theft of a resident’s debit card. The complaint also alleges Walkush forged a check from the resident payable to her.

Walkush is scheduled for an initial court appearance on Monday.

Felony theft

A Shawano woman is facing a felony count of theft for allegedly stealing jewelry, collectibles and other items valued at more than $7,000 in the town of Washington in June 2014.

Mary Jo Leifermann, 53, could face a maximum six years in prison and $10,000 fine if convicted. She is also charged with a misdemeanor count of bail jumping.

According to the criminal complaint, the homeowner told authorities that Leifermann was a friend of hers that had access to a garage where many of the items were kept.

Leifermann is scheduled for an initial court appearance on Monday.

Reckless endangerment

A Keshena man has been charged with a felony count of recklessly endangering safety as a result of an alleged drunken driving incident in the town of Waukechon in September.

Vernon J. Kohel, 40, could face a maximum 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine if found guilty. He is also charged with a felony count of second or subsequent offense possession of marijuana, along with misdemeanor counts of fourth offense operating a vehicle while intoxicated and operating after revocation.

Shawano County sheriff’s deputies on Sept. 26 responded to calls about a vehicle traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of state Highway 29.

He was eventually pulled over. An initial breath test showed a blood alcohol count of nearly 0.24 percent, three times the legal limit.

Kohel was released on a $2,500 signature bond and is scheduled for a pre-trial conference on Nov. 17.

Shawano Police Department

Oct. 27

Police logged 30 incidents, including the following:

Animal — A resident reported three large cats knocking over her garbage containers in a carport in the 800 block of South Park Street.

Found Property — A metallic orange bicycle with an unknown owner was recovered in the 500 block of South Cleveland Street.

Welfare Check — A social worker reported threats against a baby and possible drug abuse in a residence in the 100 block of Hill Street.

Disturbance — A caller reported parents locking their kids out of the house and refusing them food in the 200 block of North Bartlett Street.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Oct. 27

Deputies logged 44 incidents, including the following:

Disturbance — A caller reported an intoxicated woman threatening to jump out of his vehicle on Cedar Road in the town of Angelica.

Theft — An employee reported a gas drive-off at Little Star Convenience Store, W12140 County Road A, on the Stockbridge-Munsee reservation.

Disorderly — An unknown complainant reported a disorderly student at the Bonduel School District, 400 W. Green Bay St., Bonduel.

Clintonville Police Department

Oct. 27

Police logged seven incidents, including the following:

Welfare Check — A mental health commitment was completed on North 12th Street.

Suspicious — A suspicious incident was reported on Anne Street.

Traffic — A two-vehicle accident with damage was reported in a parking lot on North Main Street.

Shawano police have wrapped up their 2015 Click it or Ticket program with what police said are impressive results.

The department received a $20,000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to educate and enforce occupant safety laws between March and September.

The grant paid for officers’ salaries to work during peak traffic patterns and in areas where a higher-than-normal amount of traffic crashes have occurred in the city.

“Our officers are serious about safety belt enforcement,” Lt. Mike Musolff said. “We see far too many drivers and passengers needlessly killed or injured in Wisconsin because they were unbuckled in a crash.”

Officers worked more than 300 hours from May through September. During that time period, officers wrote 510 traffic citations and issued 300 written warnings.

Most of the traffic citations were for failure to fasten seat belts. Officers also issued citations for operating after suspension or revocation and child safety restraint violations, and several operators were wanted for various offenses.

“We believe we made a positive impact on traffic and pedestrian safety over the summer months,” Police Chief Mark Kohl said. “City officers were out being visible and making a positive impact on the safety of our neighbors and visitors to the area. We hope to receive another traffic safety grant for 2016.”

Shawano County Board members Wednesday approved a $51 million budget for 2016 and applauded the efforts of a revamped county finance department that assembled the spending plan.

It was the first budget since the county’s longtime finance director retired and officials decided instead to reassign those duties to other county staff, including Administrative Coordinator Brent Miller.

Some county supervisors said Wednesday they were apprehensive about how the changes would affect the budget-making process, and they were pleasantly surprised at how well Miller and his staff handled it.

“They stepped right in,” said Supervisor Arlyn Tober, chairman of the County Board finance committee. “They did an excellent job.”

After finance director Diane Rusch retired in May following more than 20 years on the job, her duties were reassigned to Miller and accounting supervisor Darcy Smith, in an experimental realignment that will be re-evaluated later this year.

Supervisor Marlin Noffke, another finance committee member, said the changeover did not result in any of the pitfalls that he feared when it came to preparing the county’s 2016 budget.

“Everything went much more smoothly than I expected,” he said.

The new budget reduces county spending by $9 million, primarily in the area of human services as the state’s Family Care program takes over long-term care for disabled and elderly residents in the county.

Property taxes will increase about $500,000, up to $15.4 million, with a tax rate that climbs from $5.20 to $5.28 per $1,000 of equalized value. That means the owner of a typical $100,000 home will pay an extra $8 for county services, up to $528.

The County Board approved the budget on a 22-2 vote, with Supervisors Deb Noffke and Bonnie Olson casting the “no” votes. Both later said they thought property taxes were increasing too much.

“Everything is going up for the people paying taxes,” Noffke said.

The spending plan covers such county government functions as public safety, public health, highway maintenance, conservation and libraries.

The budget shows increased spending next year for airport operations, child support, clerk of courts and technology services, with decreases planned for veteran services, the county fairgrounds, park maintenance, and road and bridges.

The budget for county government this year was $60 million, with property tax collections of $14.8 million.

Menominee tribal leaders said Wednesday the crop raided by federal agents last week contained no marijuana as alleged by the federal government.

Tribal Chairman Gary Besaw issued a statement reasserting that the tribe was growing only industrial hemp, a different type of plant with no psychoactive effects like those derived from smoking marijuana.

“It can’t get you high,” Besaw said. “If someone tried to smoke those plants, the only result would be a cough.”

The chairman’s statement followed allegations by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration that the tribe’s operation contained about 30,000 marijuana plants weighing thousands of pounds.

No criminal charges have been announced, although the federal investigation is continuing.

Officials with the drug agency and the U.S. attorney’s office in Milwaukee could not be reached for comment Wednesday about the tribe’s statement.

DEA agents raided the tribe’s agricultural operation Friday along County Road M on the Menominee reservation north of Shawano. Plants described as 4 to 6 feet tall were confiscated from an open field and a nearby barn on a 20-acre compound protected by security guards.

An affidavit released Monday showed that federal agents felt they had evidence of illegal possession, manufacture and distribution of marijuana. The affidavit also showed that the operation allegedly was supervised by an outside consulting firm from Colorado, where marijuana is legal.

Menominee tribal officials this summer asked members of the impoverished tribe if they would support legalizing marijuana on the reservation as a possible new business venture. A referendum on the issue passed, although tribal leaders have not announced their intentions on the issue.

Besaw said in his statement Thursday that an industrial hemp crop was planted to determine if the tribe could generate revenue selling the hemp for its commercial applications, such as clothing, accessories and textiles.

Acknowledging that some of the plants might have contained elevated levels of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, Besaw said tribal officials had committed to destroy any such plants. Discussions with federal officials about the hemp venture had been “ongoing for months,” he said.

He released a copy of a letter addressed in July to the U.S. attorney’s office in Milwaukee, informing federal officials of the hemp crop and assuring them that the tribe had no intention of violating any law.

“Enforcement action against the tribe related to such cultivation would be a tremendous waste of resources,” Besaw wrote. “It would destroy an opportunity for the tribe to explore new ways to raise much needed revenue from the sale of products that are not harmful to anyone.”

Shawano Police Department

Oct. 28

Police logged 16 incidents, including the following:

Truancy — Police logged two truancy complaints from Shawano Community High School, 220 County Road B.

Harassment — Police responded to a harassment complaint in the 500 block of South Main Street.

Theft — A cell phone was reported stolen at Shawano Community High School, 220 County Road B.

Accident — Police responded to a car versus deer crash at Main and Mills streets.

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Oct. 28

Deputies logged 34 incidents, including the following:

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

Vandalism — Authorities responded to a vandalism complaint on Maple Street in Birnamwood.

Assault — Authorities investigated an assault complaint on Hemlock Road in the town of Wittenberg.

Trespass — Authorities responded to a trespassing complaint on Stoehr Lane in the town of Red Springs.

Accidents — Authorities logged three deer-related crashes.

Clintonville Police Department

Oct. 28

Police logged eight incidents, including the following:

Fire — Fire department was called to a house fire on West Second Street.

Juvenile — Officer was requested for an uncontrollable juvenile on East 12th Street.

Hit and Run — Police investigated a property damage hit-and-run on South Main Street.

A convicted sex offender from the Milwaukee area will be released into the Birnamwood community next week over the objections of Shawano County authorities.

Reuben Adams, 54, was recently ordered released into the custody of the state Department of Health Services by Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge William Pocan.

The state is placing Adams at N8995 Bluebird Road, Birnamwood, starting Nov. 2.

Adams was convicted in a 1989 case in Milwaukee County of second-degree sexual assault of a child. He sexually assaulted an 11-year-old female acquaintance and a 16-year-old girl who was unknown to him, according to the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department.

Sheriff Adam Bieber said the department raised objections to Adams’ placement in the county at a meeting with state officials earlier this week, but to no avail.

“I guess it doesn’t matter what our concerns are,” he said.

Bieber said judges have the authority to overrule a state statute specifying that sex offenders be placed in their home area.

“They were told to look for other locations for him, and Birnamwood was available,” Bieber said.

Law enforcement agencies routinely notify the public of convicted sex offenders moving into the community under state statutes that allow for public notification when law enforcement feels it is warranted.

The sheriff’s department’s notification Thursday took the rare step of also letting the public know that the department is not happy about the placement.

Bieber said he specifically wanted the notification to express the department’s concerns.

“Everyone should be concerned,” he said. “He seems to be a dangerous sex offender.”

Bieber noted that Adams’ victims were not relatives, as in many sex offense cases, but an acquaintance and a girl who was unknown to him.

“This is different from other sex offender releases,” he said. “We’d rather this not happen, but it’s beyond our control.”

Adams will be under supervision of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections and will be electronically monitored. He is required to register with the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry Program for life.

Bieber directed questions from the public about Adams’ placement to state officials.

He said they can contact Jason Cram, department of health services supervised release program manager, at 608-240-8810.

A call placed to Cram by the Leader on Thursday was not returned by press time.

The public can also query the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry online at http://offender.doc.state.wi.us/public.

The rebirth of Shawano’s beloved Anello’s Torch Lite restaurant is getting off to a rough start.

Construction crews last weekend broke ground and started work on rebuilding the landmark supper club that was destroyed by fire nearly a year ago.

Crews quickly ran into underground water that halted work and forced architects to consider ways to redesign the new restaurant.

Owner Rita Mondus said plans now are moving forward without a basement, and she hopes to celebrate a grand opening of the new establishment by February.

“We’ll make it happen,” she said. “It’s going to happen.”

Fans of Anello’s Torch Lite were devastated last Dec. 30 when fire broke out shortly after closing time and leveled the classic supper club on Shawano’s east side.

Built in 1897, the establishment at 1276 E. Green Bay St. was a popular spot for many decades and was renowned as a favorite of gangsters Al Capone and John Dillinger during the 1920s. Mondus acquired the business in 1981 and renamed it Anello’s Torch Lite.

Months of uncertainty about the restaurant’s future ended this summer when Mondus announced plans to rebuild on a vacant lot directly adjacent to where the fire occurred.

Plans called for a similar supper club with seating for 150, along with a larger bar and a new outdoor patio. Although the name could be modified into The Torch or The Flame, Mondus aimed to recapture the nostalgia of the old place, while also providing customers new comforts and updates.

Shawano city officials approved the rebuilding plans and cheered the restaurant’s return.

“It’ll be great when it’s back,” city building inspector Brian Bunke said.

Bunke was unaware that the plans had been disturbed by underground water, although he voiced optimism that the issue could be overcome.

Led by Bohm Builders Inc., crews got started over the weekend, and excavators discovered that excessive water about 6 feet below the surface would make it impossible to build a new restaurant with a basement as planned.

Mondus said the setback meant that she either had to construct a larger building and spend weeks seeking regulatory approval for a new design, or she had to work within the current layout to find space for everything that would have been in the basement. She opted for the second option and sat down with her designers to implement what she described as “a few little nips and tucks.”

The heating and air-conditioning system will be mounted on the roof. Part of a dining room will downsized, eliminating seating for about 24 customers. And some storage of non-food inventories will be moved to accessory off-site structures.

Mondus said although she was disappointed by the required redesign, she is optimistic that the project will go forward and allow her to welcome back customers by early February.

“That’s the way it is,” she said. “You do what you’ve got to do.”

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., this week congratulated the Menominee Nation on being awarded a prestigious 2015 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize in recognition of its commitment and progress in improving public health.

“I give my heartfelt congratulations to the Menominee Nation on being nationally recognized for their steadfast commitment to improving the physical and spiritual health of the community,” Baldwin said. “I am proud of the Menominee Nation for their pioneering work in integrating health and wellness into several impressive school programs, which have dramatically improved graduation rates and will continue to strengthen future generations.”

Baldwin toured the Menominee Indian Reservation in August. While there, she visited the Menominee Tribal Enterprises headquarters, as well as the College of Menominee Nation and Menominee Tribal Clinic.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize honors select communities that place a high priority on health and bring partners together to drive local change.

Communities across the nation who are leading some of the nation’s most innovative efforts to build a Culture of Health receive a $25,000 cash prize in recognition of their accomplishments.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation highlighted the Menominee Nation’s collaboration between the tribal government, health clinics and younger generations to improve the lives of those on the reservation.

Shawano Police Department

Oct. 29

Police logged 25 incidents, including the following:

Vandalism — Criminal damage to a lawn was reported in the 200 block of East Center Street.

Theft — Jewelry and lottery tickets were reported stolen in the 100 block of Channel Trace Street.

Theft — Police investigated a theft complaint in the 100 block of Oak Court.

Accident — Police responded to a vehicle versus deer accident in the 1400 block of East Green Bay Street.

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

Shawano County Sheriff’s Department

Oct. 29

Deputies logged 38 incidents, including the following:

Warrant — A charge of resisting arrest was referred against a 34-year-old Shawano man who was being taken into custody on a warrant on Ponderosa Road in the town of Wescott.

Fraud — Authorities investigated an Internet fraud complaint on Cherry Road in the town of Aniwa.

Reckless Driving — A 33-year-old West Allis woman was cited for speeding and a 29-year-old male passenger in the vehicle was arrested on a warrant on state Highway 47 in the town of Hartland.

Fraud — North Star Casino, W12180 County Road A, Bowler, reported a counterfeit bill.

OWI — A 34-year-old Keshena man was arrested for operating while intoxicated at Fifth and Main streets in Shawano.

Accidents — Authorities logged seven deer-related crashes.