MERRILL, WI (WSAU) -  A Milwaukee area teen incarcerated at Lincoln Hills Schools has been moved to the Lincoln County jail after an incident at the facility. 19-year-old Kevin Johnson now faces felony battery by a prisoner charges after battering a staff member of the school.

Johnson remains at the jail instead of the Lincoln Hills facility on a $2,500 cash bond awaiting his next court appearance.

ELCHO, Wis (WSAU) There was a small plane crash Sunday afternoon in Langlade County. It happened around 1pm. The plane was attempting to make an emergency landing in a backyard near Elcho. The plane rolled over after touching down, and came to rest upside down.

A husband and wife were onboard. The husband, who was piloting the small plane, was able to walk away and call 9-1-1. The wife, who was a passenger, was injured. She was taken to St. Mary's Hospital in Rhinelander, where her condition is not known. No names have been released.

The pilot said the plane lost power in mid-flight. The exact cause of the accident isn't known. The FAA will begin an investigation today.

WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) A team from Russia won the World Ice Fishing Championships over the weekend in central Wisconsin.

The U-S team placed fourth among 11 nations competing on the Big Eau Pleine (plain) Flowage between Wausau and Marshfield.

The Americans won the 2010 world title on Boom Lake near Rhinelander, but they placed 11th a year ago in Kazakhstan.

Finland placed second this time, and Lithuania took third. Chad Schaub of Michigan was the top U-S ice fishing competitor. He won his division – and he placed third overall.

IRON RIVER, WI (WSAU) -  The man who died in a Friday night snowmobile crash in Bayfield County has been identified. 22-year-old Ryan Maly of Bryant was riding on a trail with friends when he failed to negotiate a curve near Fire Tower Road and Forest Road 242. Maly died after striking a tree.

Bayfield County Sheriff’s Department and the Department of Natural Resources were called to the scene, along with Ashland paramedics and the Iron River Ambulance.

MEDFORD, WI (WSAU) -  Fire destroyed a Medford business Saturday morning. A police patrolman noticed smoke coming from the Main Street Convenience Store at about 6:30 a.m. Medford and Stetsonville fire departments battled the blaze. Crews used a backhoe to pull down parts of the building into the street to prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent buildings.

The fire kept crews busy most of the day Saturday. Several Medford businesses provided food and beverages to firefighters, and opened their doors to give emergency personnel a place to warm up.

The Main Street Convenience Store is a total loss. Neighboring businesses Feet In Motion and Silence is Nothing have smoke and water damage.

WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) -  What started as a problem between two Wausau East students a couple of weeks ago escalated into a problem involving a handful of students, some fighting, and several racially-charged comments around the school and on social media.

Wausau East High School Principal Bradley J. Peck says racially-charged language and violence won't be tolerated. “What I want people to know is, first of all, language that is racially charged or people that are demonstrating intolerance towards other groups, ethnic groups, is not going to be tolerated here.”

Peck says the problems escalated when the students discussed the incident on Facebook and other social media, saying several hurtful and inaccurate things were posted online. As these untrue statements circulated, it increased the tension between some of those involved and their friends. That’s when a fight broke out. There are two teenaged males that were arrested at school Friday.

Peck says bad behavior will not be tolerated. “Those involved in this incident have been dealt with swiftly, and they’re facing not only district discipline but municipal charges too, because we aren’t going to tolerate it. We’re going to do everything we can to preserve a very safe learning environment up here for all students, and we want to resolve everything we can peacefully, however, students are still going to be held accountable for their actions.”

There have been no injuries from the incidents, including the teen boy who was punched Friday. Peck says the repeating of incorrect information and adding details that are not true just made it worse. For example, Peck says someone posted on Facebook that a student was tasered by police when that never happened.

Principal Peck sent a letter to East High parents over the weekend, and he says that has been very well received. He says several students have also stepped up asking what they can do to help restore respect and make the school safer.

School officials have been busy working with students and parents to prevent the problems from escalating again. “First of all, maintaining a safe environment, and that means teachers being available out and about watching what’s going on. talking to the students involved, like on the fringe, especially those that are fanning this with Facebook, making sure that students know the facts of the incident, what’s taken place, also holding people responsible for actions and their words.”

The two teens arrested Friday are being charged, but their names cannot be released since they are juveniles. They are not back in school at this time.

COPY OF THE LETTER TO PARENTS:

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This week has been an extremely unsettling time for the entire Wausau East High School community. Two student altercations occurred in our cafeteria that necessitated the involvement of the Wausau Police Department. The purpose of this communication is to quell rumors surrounding these incidents.

I want you to know these incidents involved a very small number of students. Unfortunately, the information surrounding these incidents - and the number of students involved - have been distorted by students through Facebook and other social media.

These incidents were dealt with immediately. The students involved are facing strict school and District discipline, as well as municipal consequences up to and including disorderly conduct citations and arrests. The use of racially-charged language and fighting will not be ignored or tolerated at our school.

Respect for each other is a core value of Wausau East High School. “We believe everyone at our school possesses qualities and traits worthy of admiration, so we respect the dignity of each person.” Our staff and administration are committed to addressing incidents of intolerance and to ensuring that Wausau East High School continues to be a safe and secure place for students to learn.

Sincerely,

Bradley J. Peck, Ph.D.Principal

STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU) -  Stevens Point leaders moved ahead with borrowing 1.7 million dollars to finish phase two of the Centerpoint Mall redevelopment project. That money will go towards remediation of soil contamination north of the Mid-State Technical College project that occupies the old Penney’s wing.

Mayor Andrew Halverson says the city will build a parking lot where the center of the mall once was between the former Dunham’s building and the back of the Main Street businesses.

He says the city knew they would be responsible for remediation, since the mall was built on contaminated soil. “There is remediation that needs to get done. There’s vapor extraction that we have to incorporate, from a timely perspective, into Mid-State Technical College’s bids which they’re releasing now, and we were contractually obligated to do that.”

The Mayor says the total project might cost less than the 1.7 million. “This is on the high end. This allows for the worst case scenario of environmental remediation. Odds are it will be less. We will also take the proceeds from a Dunham’s sale to offset the principal of this borrowing, as well as any other outside grant dollars that we’re able to receive as a community to help with the environmental concerns.”

There was plenty of council discussion about building the parking lot now or waiting until later. Halverson is pleased the council voted to get this done now. “Parking is very finite in our downtown. We know that we’re going to have to inject parking one way or the other. Why don’t we position ourselves for the best possible success, which is get it in the short term, get Dunham’s spun off as fast as we can. It’s probably increased in value because it’s going to have parking that’s going to support it.”

He says having the parking lot built at this time will make the former Dunham’s site more attractive to potential developers, and it will save money since heavy equipment is coming in to repave part of the city’s parking lot by Shopko and moving that equipment more than once costs money.

Although not on the agenda, the Edgewater Manor Apartments potential sale was brought up, since some have proposed selling it to a developer and placing it in the downtown tax incremental financing district. There’s mixed views among the aldermen about selling the property. The city is waiting for sealed bids from potential buyers, but the Community Development Authority retains the right to refuse all bids.  Several community members spoke in favor of keeping the building and continuing to operate it as senior housing.

MARSHFIELD, WI (WSAU) - In Marshfield, eight candidates are on the ballot in Tuesday’s primary election to fill two seats on the district’s school board. The race was already hotly contested, but now recently discovered overpayments to the district’s superintendent are becoming an election issue.

Scott Noble is one of the challengers who say the overpayment issue and the way it’s being handled is a big problem. According to Noble, “We need more transparency. It’s unfortunate that a citizen had to bring this to the school board’s attention.” Noble added that, “We need to look at an audit, because where there’s this one salary, I would argue there are probably many other mistakes and not just in salary but in overall management of the funds.”

When asked for comment, district officials declined to respond to charges of mismanagement, and calls for more transparency on the issue.

The field of eight include Dennis Juncer, Tom Binder, Amber Leifheit, Paul Lang, Peter Mancl, Christine Miller, Scott Noble, and Elizabeth Zorn. Neither current president Tim Deets or longtime school board member Graham Olsen are seeking re-election.

Following the primary, the field will be narrowed down to four. Two winners will be selected in the general election.

NEILLSVILLE, WI (WSAU) - A former assistant track coach at Thorp High School is accused of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student. 

43-year-old Scott A. Bergman of Thorp has been charged with felonysexual assault of a student by a school staff member. The criminal complaint claims Bergman and the girl began a relationship last fall, when Bergman was her coach.

School officials contacted police when they heard about the possible relationship. Nude pictures of the student were found by Clark County investigators when they searched Bergman’s cell phone. There were also several intimate text messages between them.

Bergman was fired in November. He is free on bond awaiting a Thursday court appearance.

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAU) - Chronic Wasting Disease in central Wisconsin's deer herd will be the topic for discussion tonight at a hearing at the Mead Wildlife Center

The DNR will be bringing in a panel of experts to talk about the disease and what its presence in Portage County will mean for the future. DNR area wildlife supervisor Kris Johansen says the meeting is an open forum. "We're looking for public input from hunters and landowners as we approach this disease for the future."

Early in January, DNR officials reported finding a CWD positive doe during the 2012 gun hunt near the Mead Wildlife Area. That was the first positive result for CWD from a wild deer in the county after the disease was found on deer from game farms nearly a decade ago. The DNR has not yet determined how the doe contracted CWD or how the disease made it off the farms.

Tonight's meeting gets underway at 7 PM at the Mead Visitors Center.

IRMA, Wis (WSAU) The Lincoln County landfill in Irma will be full by 2014. The county is planning to expand the site now.

It will cost $11.5-million to build the next phase of the landfill, which will hold another 1.2-million yards of solid waste.

The land needs to have a clay lining to keep debris from contaminating the ground-water. That clay is being trucked onto the site right now. The expanded landfill will be ready in early 2014. The DNR will do a final inspection of the site before any garbage can be dumped there.

MEDFORD, WI (WSAU) - A man is in custody, charged with felony arson after a fire destroyed a Medford business and caused damages to the adjacent businesses.

35-year-old David J. Johnson of Medford is accused of setting fire to the business he operated, the Main Street Convenience Store.  Police Chief Ken Coyer says they do not believe business owner Steven Fisher is involved in the crime.   Chief Coyer says they do know the cause of the blaze, but those details will be released later by the State Fire Marshall and the Department of Criminal Investigations.  

A Medford police patrol officer spotted the smoke at about 6:30 a.m. Saturday. The State Fire Marshall and the Department of Criminal Investigation was called in to assist Medford and Stetsonville fire officials determine the cause of the fire. No further details have been released.

Johnson remains in custody, unable to post a $10,000 cash bond.

MARSHFIELD, WI  (WSAU)  -  A field of eight school board candidates in Marshfield has been narrowed down to four.  Primary winners were Amber Leifheit, Peter Mancl, Scott Kenneth Noble, and Dennis A. Juncer.  Those four will be on the April ballot for two open seats.

AMBER LEIFHEIT 1138ELIZABETH B ZORN 289THOMAS W BINDER 358CHRISTINE B MILLER 63DENNIS A JUNCER 540PAUL LANG 300PETER MANCL 865SCOTT KENNETH NOBLE 585

 MERRILL, WI  (WSAU)  -  Seven candidates are seeking the three open seats on the Merrill School Board this April 2nd.  Tuesday's primary narrowed the field down to six.  The only candidate eliminated in the primary was Vicki Lindstrom.  

Totals:

           Linda Yingling.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     427    9.29
           Jeff Verdoorn .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     960   20.88
           John Shull .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       865   18.81
           Chuck Bolder  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .    598   13.01
           Norbert Nubs Ashbeck.  .  .  .  .  . 473   10.29
           Lin Kautza .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       855   18.60
           Vicki Lindstrom  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .    415    9.03
           WRITE-IN.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .       5     .11

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAU) - There's a fight brewing over fifteen million dollars in proposed TIF district funding for the Thomas Street project in Wausau.

Wausau's economic development committee met Tuesday night to go over the proposal to spend funding from TIF District 6 in order to pay for reconstruction of Thomas Street. City Council president Lisa Rasmussen says the expenditure is compatible with the project. "If we build Thomas Street properly, we want things to relocate and redevelop along that corridor, just like any other."

The city already has $800,000 budgeted from TIF 6 to pay for land purchases for the project for 2013. The rest of the funding is the current issue. Alderman Bill Nagel says he's against the project. "The issue is are we going to spend city tax money for a thoroughfare at that point? If I have a say in it, I say no." Nagel said he's willing to spend money to improve the road itself but is not in favor of creating a highway that connects 17th and Grand Avenues.

Wausau lost out on state and federal funding on the project last year after federal highway officials had concerns over the way the city managed the buyouts of 10 properties along the path of the proposed road widening project. The city has been searching for ways to pay for the project since then.

The funding measure will come before the finance committee before moving on to the council.

BIG FLATS, WI (WSAU) -  A deputy sheriff and a shooter are both hospitalized after a Tuesday night confrontation in Adams County. Sheriff Sam Wollin said one of his deputies and a Town of Rome police officer responded to a call in the Town of Big Flats at about 8:00 p.m.

Sheriff Wollin said they were notified after someone reported a 52-year-old woman from West Allis missing under unusual circumstances. The missing woman and her 55-year-old spouse had been ordered by the court not to contact each other after a previous incident. West Allis authorities knew the family had the Adams County residence and that they frequently went there.

Wollin said officers made contact with the man inside the residence and gave verbal commands, but the man fired several rounds from a handgun. One of those rounds struck the deputy.

Law enforcement did not return fire, and Wollin says the shooter sustained a self-inflicted wound.

Both men are hospitalized. Their names and present medical conditions have not been made public due to the ongoing investigation. The Sheriff did not respond to reporters’ questions after making a statement Wednesday morning.

WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) -  Do we need to file a missing person's report on the Marathon County Sheriff?  Maybe.

The recent problems involving a Marathon County probation agent have apparently affected her husband’s job performance and attendance. An investigation by the Wausau Daily Herald found that Sheriff Randy Hoenisch has put in under two hours at the office so far this year, and only 82 days during 2012.

Sheriff Hoenisch says those totals do not reflect time he is responding in the community or at training sessions. He also told WSAW television that he often enters the law enforcement center with a regular key and not the electronic swipe card, which doesn’t automatically record who is using the door.

The sheriff has admitted spending a great deal of time assisting his wife Kim with a pain killer addiction. She was was recently convicted of burglary and theft for taking pills from probationers under her supervision.

The sheriff will be up for reelection in 2014 but is considering retirement before then. As sheriff, his salary was just under $98,000 last year plus benefits.

Hoenisch’s absence hasn’t crippled the department’s day-to-day operations. Second in command Chief Deputy Scott Parks has been managing sheriff’s business when Hoenisch is gone.

COLBY, WI (WSAU) -  A staff member of the Colby school district is under investigation for possible inappropriate contact with a teenager. 

The Colby School District confirms a staff member has been accused of inappropriate conduct. That staff member has been on paid administrative leave for nine days. Marshfield Police investigators say the matter involves an offense which occurred outside of Wisconsin with a 17-year-old.

Colby Superintendent Steve Kolden says the district is also conducting its own investigation.

There was allegedly a different incident involving the same staff member and an 18-year-old male three years ago, but that case is not under investigation.

WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) -  An employer that offers many marketing and communications services is looking for additional staff members. West Corporation is having on online Virtual Diversity Career Fair Thursday February 21st starting at 10:00 a.m. and lasting until 4:00 p.m.

The West Corporation is showcasing career opportunities through their free online portal. Job seekers can participate from any computer with access to the Internet. There will be open positions ranging in a variety of fields ranging from entry level to experienced.

You can register by logging in at www.west.com or calling 1-800-841-9000.

WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) -  A central Wisconsin radio station is kicking off their twelfth year of raising money for a good cause. It’s Country Cares for St. Jude’s childrens research hospital.

Joe Cassady says central Wisconsin has been very generous in helping to support St. Jude’s and the patients and families that travel there from our area for care.  He says people in our area have been passionate supporters of St. Jude’s as well by contributing 1.1 million dollars over the past 11 years.

The WDEZ staff will be broadcasting from Trig’s in Wausau during the St. Jude’s radiothon, and you’re invited to stop by, say hello, help out, and drop off donations.

Cassady says it now takes 1.4 million dollars a day to operate St. Jude’s Hospital, so everything you do is very important.

Expect to hear patient stories and interviews, and plenty of information about the St. Jude’s programs on 101.9 FM. You can also get more information and make donations at WDEZ.COM.