News

Encompass to expand into Oconto Falls

Published by admin on Wed, 01/25/2023 - 8:01am

The Oconto County Board approved a $250,000 grant that will help Encompass of Green Bay bring more child care availability into the county.

The funds, approved unanimously Jan. 23, are to come out of an American Rescue Plan Coronavirus Fiscal Recovery allocation of about $460,000 for Health and Human Services projects.

Encompass was the larger of two child care providers that responded to a request for applications sent out during the fourth quarter of 2022, Health and Human Services Director Scott Shackelford told the county board.

Oconto Falls Chamber names new officers

Published by admin on Wed, 01/25/2023 - 7:57am

Danielle Kline, vice president of the Oconto Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, has been named the group’s new president.

She succeeds Gail Yatso, who stepped down after the chamber’s annual meeting in November after nine years.

The rest of the chamber’s reorganized board of directors includes Bill Koehne, vice president; Debbie Arndt, treasurer; Katie Daul, secretary; and directors Ginny O’Harrow and Angie Ahlgrim.

Oconto County board remembers Wayne Sleeter

Published by admin on Wed, 01/25/2023 - 7:56am

The Oconto County Board paused for a moment of silence in honor of Wayne Sleeter as it opened its Jan. 23 meeting.

Sleeter, who was the county’s technology services director for 23 years, died unexpectedly on Christmas Eve at the age of 56. He also served on the Suring School Board for 21 years, the last seven as president.

His uncle, Alan Sleeter, is chairman of the county board and expressed his thanks to the community on behalf of the family. About 600 people attended his nephew’s funeral on Dec. 30, Sleeter said.

Upgrades approved for New View Industries warehouse

Published by admin on Wed, 01/25/2023 - 7:51am

Oconto County is investing in a natural gas line and radiant heating for a warehouse used to store inventory for its New View Industries facilities in Gillett.

New View Industries is the county-owned and operated facility that serves people with disabilities and is administered as part of the Health and Human Services Department.

The 4,800-square-foot warehouse is unheated and unusable for several months during the year for some of its products and work materials, New View Industries director Will Kline told the Oconto County Board on Jan. 23.

Oconto County applies to be ‘snowmobile friendly’

Published by admin on Wed, 01/25/2023 - 7:50am

The Oconto County Board has endorsed an application to designate the county as a 2023 Snowmobile Friendly Community.

The Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs designation is designed to celebrate the volunteers who maintain snowmobile trails across the state and promote safe and responsible snowmobiling.

Oconto County Board upgrades meeting management system

Published by admin on Wed, 01/25/2023 - 7:47am

Oconto County has adopted new electronic voting and meeting management software in an effort to to improve the efficiency and transparency of county board meetings.

According to a news release from OpenMeeting Technologies, the company’s electronic voting and meeting management software provides visuals of board votes that are more visible in person and online.

Oconto County Circuit Court proceedings

Published by admin on Wed, 01/25/2023 - 7:44am

Proceedings of Jan. 20

Chadrick B. Thompson, 47, Oconto, was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by three years of extended supervision, for aggravated battery in connection with an incident that occurred Oct. 4, 2021. He was given credit for 473 days already served in county jail. Among conditions of extended supervision, Judge Michael T. Judge ordered Thompson to have no contact with the victim in the case, refrain from alcohol and other drugs, and complete all assessments, counseling and treatment deemed necessary by his probation and parole agent.

Oconto County Sheriff's Department dispatch logs

Published by admin on Wed, 01/25/2023 - 7:42am

Jan. 19

Deputies responded to 48 incidents, including a disturbance on Careful Lane in the Town of Little Suamico, fraud on Red Bank Road in the Town of How, trespassing on Schwartz Road in the Town of Chase, theft on County Road J in the Town of Pensaukee, two traffic stops, two traffic hazards, three traffic offenses, three miscellaneous traffic incidents, two welfare checks; two 911 hangups and three open lines; three ambulance calls; nine crashes, one involving deer.

Jan. 18

New fire chief hired in Wittenberg

Published by admin on Tue, 01/24/2023 - 12:00pm

Wittenberg residents and residents of surrounding areas can expect to see a new face heading the Wittenberg Fire Department.

James Sterk, who has been a volunteer firefighter with the department, was named as the new fire chief after a vote from the fire department’s board, as well as the firefighters themselves on Jan. 7. Sterk comes into the position with 15 years of experience with the department. In his time working in the department, Sterk started as a lieutenant, working his way up to captain, then to battalion chief, before becoming the assistant chief.

Tribe sounds alert on human trafficking

Published by admin on Tue, 01/24/2023 - 11:50am

Human trafficking is not an issue that’s limited to the United States border with Mexico or in major metropolitan cities.

That’s a point that officials with the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin is trying to make, starting with an event at Menominee Casino Resort put on Jan. 18 by the tribe’s advocacy support services program to honor and remember victims of human trafficking. Tribal police and agencies like Safe Haven in Shawano were on hand to meet with people and explain how human trafficking can take place even in rural and isolated areas of the United States.