GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- An employee was sent to the hospital after a chlorine leak at a water treatment facility in Allouez Firefighters and the Hazardous Materials Response Team (HAZMAT) responded to the facility at 141 Vande Hei Road just before 11 a.m Monday for a report of a potential chemical leak crews learned a 100-pound chlorine cylinder had developed a leak near the valve The leak was contained within a designated room of the building HAZMAT deployed two team members equipped with non-encapsulated Level A suits into the facility The team successfully contained the leak within one minute of entry one worker was exposed and was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation Air monitoring was done in the area to ensure the safety of residents in the nearby neighborhood The leak has not impacted the safety of the water supply system The Green Bay Metro Fire Department responded to a chemical leak at an Allouez water treatment facility May 5 The fire department and the Hazardous Materials Response Team responded to the leak at 10:55 a.m it was reported that a 100-pound chlorine cylinder had developed a leak near the valve after two HAZMAT members entered the facility containing the leak within one minute of entry One worker was exposed and was transferred to a local hospital for further evaluation Air monitoring was done in the area to ensure residents were safe The water supply system was not affected by the leak Rashad Alexander can be contacted at ralexander@gannett.com and 920-431-8214 including two charges of homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle for the July 21 Trevor Hermon -- a passenger in Snulligan's car -- and Luis Rios-Alvarado -- who was driving the vehicle Snulligan struck -- were killed in the crash Snulligan’s attorneys asked for a new trial date The date is expected to be finalized at a hearing May 22 Snulligan was driving on Webster Avenue in Allouez at more than 100 mph in a 30 mph zone according to testimony at a preliminary hearing higher than the legal limit – but the defense has argued that may due to the medical treatment at the hospital which contained alcohol ALLOUEZ (NBC 26) — The state is considering plans to close Green Bay Correctional Institution by 2029 leaving behind 64 acres of prime riverfront property Village President Jim Rafter says the site could become something truly special The village has been planning for this closure for years we had a whole vision created for what that property could be It can become a very special community within a community," said Village of Allouez President The bold concept aims to transform this maximum-security prison into a vibrant hub for retail Rafter says the project could create thousands of jobs and generate millions in new taxable property 64 acres of land can generate a property worth $300 million or more which is approximately five to $6 million in new tax revenue for everyone in property taxes," Rafter said While the transformation is set to bring major change the village plans to preserve the site's rich history a concept reflected in Allouez’s tagline—historically progressive This type of redevelopment has been done before. The old Charles Street Jail in Boston is now a luxury hotel (CLICK TO SEE ITS TRANSFORMATION),and Virginia’s Lorton Reformatory has been turned into apartments, townhomes, and commercial space.(CLICK TO SEE ITS TRANSFORMATION) The big question now is: when will this happen if the budget gets passed with Green Bay Correctional closing we’ll start from that day forward," Rafter added This redevelopment could increase Allouez's current tax levy by up to 30% allowing the village to address infrastructure needs without relying on residents’ pockets Follow the linkto see Allouez's vision for the redevelopment of GBCI ALLOUEZ - I can count on one hand how many times I’ve been inside a Kwik Trip but the number of times I “quick ran to Austin’s” might be a thousand or more In my 23 years in Allouez, I’ve walked those retro green and white floor tiles often. For a weekly run to grab a gallon of milk from Lamers Dairy or the Door County cherry-marinated chicken breasts to put on the grill For those ridiculously good homemade Special K bars even when I shouldn’t have For that one ingredient you never discover you’re missing until you already have half the stuff in the mixing bowl and the oven preheating Like a good neighbor — just down the street helpful and friendly — Austin’s has always been there So it’s sad to know that after all these years Sal’s Foods of Allouez is closing at 6 p.m That has been the name of the grocery store on the village’s far south end of Webster Avenue since the Austin family sold it in 2021 and retired from the business It was The Original Austin’s Grocery Store when it opened there in 1984 but Austin’s supermarkets in Green Bay date back to 1953 with the first location on South Ridge Road and Ninth Street because that’s what you do when you’re attached to something from your past but just like you do with landmarks wherever you grew up you forever call it by what you knew it as You do so at the risk of revealing how old you are I know what you’re thinking: Who gets attached to a grocery store of all places That’s where we gripe about egg prices and people who don’t properly park their cart in the corral how $100 doesn’t buy much anymore and why the freezer case no longer stocks your favorite flavor of Blue Bunny ice cream (mint chocolate chip) I’m not one of those people who enjoys grocery shopping but popping by Austin’s somehow never felt like a chore maybe because it was always personal and always consistent — two things that feel like they’re rapidly evaporating from everyday life So many of the faces working in store were familiar ones, and many of them for decades. There were conversations at the meat counter about what you put in your game-day chili and at the checkout counter about that family of baby owls in your backyard someone saw you wrote about in the newspaper the week before and employees seemed to know every customer It was a first job for many a high school student People who grew up in Allouez have memories of riding their bike to the store as a kid the old-fashioned crepe paper streamers and honeycomb decorations in the shape of hearts or snowflakes got draped across the aisles It reminded me a little of high school prom and a lot of the old Piggly Wiggly corner market in my hometown You weren't going to find the latest limited-edition flavor of Goldfish crackers but when you needed an ingredient from one of Grandma's recipe that had long disappeared from other store shelves especially its signature Clark Gable roasts I wondered that the first few times I saw “Clark Gables” show up as a weekly special on the sign outside is one of those where you still change the letters and numbers by hand with a pole A Clark Gable is two boneless pork loins tied together it got its name from one of the butchers at the original Austin’s meat counter on Ridge Road who looked like the dashing Hollywood legend Go early in the morning and your parking spot often included views of deer wild turkeys and sandhill cranes on the St Norbert Abbey grounds across Webster Avenue Sometimes you would be greeted in the entry by a member of the American Legion Auxiliary handing out poppies for a donation that’s where you would also find a box with packs of outdated buns and bread with a sign that said they were free to take home to feed the birds NEW Zoo & Adventure Park was among the hundreds who commented on the closure announcement on the Sal’s Foods Facebook page thanking both grocery stores for “the many MANY donations of produce” to the zoo animals More: As 'Green and Gold's' incredible theater run comes to an end, what's next for the Wisconsin movie? More: WBAY-TV anchor Bill Jartz, who started at the station in 1983, is retiring I could pick up groceries and drop off my garden pruners at The Traveling Sharpener’s mobile trailer in the parking lot all in one trip which brings me back to that whole convenience store thing And get this: They still helped customers carry their groceries out to the car It was all those little extra touches that made it the kind of small business you wanted to support In a topsy-turvy world on even its best days something about the time warp of those well-worn green tiles a friendly face at the checkout and the smell of chocolate chip cookies in the oven felt comforting Kendra Meinert is an entertainment and feature writer at the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Contact her at 920-431-8347 or kmeinert@greenbay.gannett.com. Follow her on X @KendraMeinert ALLOUEZ − After 71 of business and four years under new ownership The store located at 3823 S. Webster Ave., in Allouez, will close on March 15 at 6 p.m., according to a Facebook post by the company "To those who did support us — our loyal customers and anyone who gave us a chance — we sincerely thank you Your kindness and patronage has meant the world to us," the post read the company has other locations in Freedom For more information visit www.salsfoodcenter.com or follow its Facebook page Ariel Perez is a business reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. You can reach him at APerez1@gannett.com or view his Twitter profile at @Ariel_Perez85 ALLOUEZ — Jim March polished up in a blazer and semi-formal black sneakers to make his first public impression at Tuesday's Village Board meeting as Allouez's administrator March kept litigious baggage left over from his stint as the Outagamie County town of Grand Chute administrator out of his introductory remarks and court proceedings were "not at all" impacting his current job performance "Justice needs to be served if you've been wronged," March told the Press-Gazette after explaining his belief that he'd had his federal rights violated in the town from which he still commutes "and I've always believed you need to defend yourself And I will — I am — serving [Allouez] with 100% effort." Village Board President Jim Rafter said he was "thrilled" in choosing March to replacer Brad Lange even after March made the board's seven members aware of pending lawsuits that he said should be resolved within a few months Rafter extolled March's years of municipal government experience ahead of inviting the new administrator to share his first words to the public on Tuesday March had been in three meetings with local businesses since his first day on Jan and praised the quality of the village's staff which he later told the Press-Gazette was a factor in applying to the job It was actually the only position in municipal government he'd applied for "My whole life is devoted to public service and this seems like the best fit for me," he said Jesse Lin is a reporter covering the community of Green Bay and its surroundings as well as politics in northeastern Wisconsin Contact him at 920-834-4250 or jlin@gannett.com ALLOUEZ — The conceptual plan to replace Green Bay Correctional Institution rivals Titletown in its grandeur The budget will have to pass through the state Legislature before Allouez can even begin turn the concept into reality Here's what could replace the prison, according to the village's renderings A conglomeration of 29 types of facilities are envisioned for the ultimate goal of increasing the region's economic output, tax base, and population. Fittingly, then, the project was integrated into the village's comprehensive plan published on July 2 which serves as a development roadmap until 2044 Drafted by retired planner living David Robillard the mixed-use development plan would take 14 acres along the Fox River and combine it with the 50 acres that the correctional institution currently sits upon A central park acting as the spine of the plan would run from the Fox River to Webster Avenue These amenities will span four zones that split up the entire project into smaller parcels with their own character: a Fox River parcel; a Riverside Drive parcel; a parcel centered around GBCI; and a Webster Avenue parcel The 14 acres along the Fox River will largely house public activities with potential integration into the Fox River Trail and Heritage Hill State Historical Park Those living in the proposed townhouses along the Fox River will look out onto boat docks and fishing spots They'll have no shortage of gathering spots within a stone's throw: a gazebo Riverside Drive parcelThe piece of land on the east side of Riverside Drive would serve as a main entry to the larger development and intersperse with other social amenities Considered the anchoring piece of the project the land surrounding the existing correctional institution will turn into a historically centered space of work and play An entirely face-lifted prison will serve as a main reception space and museum with prison tours There will be artist studios and corporate office space Webster Avenue parcelThe piece of land along the west side of Webster Avenue serving as another main entry point will see the most new construction out of the entire project with a largely residential character It will house most of the project's apartments and condos within walking distance of convenience stores and corporate offices ALLOUEZ (WLUK) -- A neighborhood grocery store in Allouez is shutting its doors for good Sal's Foods of Allouez announced in a Facebook post Thursday it is permanently closing The store's last day will be March 15 the store's new hours of operation will be 9 a.m Officials say the store will "serve [customers] as best as we can during our final days." Sal's Foods has three other locations in Freedom Reader question: Whatever happened to the plans to build a new YMCA on the [Broadview] soccer fields in Allouez Last news articles I can find on it are from 2023 with mention of plans to build in 2025 And several recent Allouez government meetings have alluded to the project not going forward as planned Answer: The memorandum of understanding signed in December 2022 by Village President Jim Rafter and Sean Elliott the former CEO of the Greater Green Bay YMCA that set the project in motion was allowed to expire It wouild replace the Broadview Y at 380 Broadview Drive When asked about the status of the project the Greater Green Bay YMCA emailed the Press-Gazette a statement from interim CEO Jamie Hanner that said: "We haven't ruled out anything yet regarding options to replace or upgrade the Broadview YMCA The Greater Green Bay YMCA remains committed to the community of Allouez and serving our thousands of members that reside there," the statement read a final statement was issued through Director of Marketing Kenzie Hagerstrom: "We are committed to serving the community of Allouez The Green Bay YMCA's MOU with the village of Allouez has expired and will not be renewed at this time In discussions with the leadership of Allouez it was mutually agreed that the soccer field property may not be the future site of the YMCA We look forward to exploring future projects to ensure our community is served in Allouez We have no further comments at this time." The terms of the non-binding memo stated that ownership of the 17-acre parcel would transfer to the YMCA once it raised 60% of the $35 million goal ― which is $21 million Elliott had said the plan was to open the new facility within two years of reaching the fundraising goal This didn't mean that the YMCA planned the new facility would open in 2025 Much of the soccer complex would've retained their athletic use under the plans; 10 acres would've been devoted to outdoor recreational space and two acres to build the facility itself The existing Broadview YMCA was planned to remain vacant for a year before being given to the village "rely substantially on charitable gifts and donations," but loans In 2023, the first full year of tax filings after the December 2022 announcement, all of the fundraising, grants, and gifts received by the Greater Green Bay YMCA totaled $1,807,952, tax filings show or about 8.6% of the $21 million required to begin the transfer and construction process These figures show how much the YMCA received across its entire operation and tax documents don't show much of the fundraised money was allocated for the Broadview YMCA project specifically meeting that it would extend the MOU deadline for 90 days to Sept "Obviously they're not going to be meeting the current timeframe of the MOU," said then-Village Administrator Brad Lange during the June 4 meeting "And we're looking at an extension of 90 days just to keep things moving." the village could consider whether another would be necessary Rafter then addressed those in the public gallery directly "The reason for the extension is the Y is still working on raising money for their part and getting donors and they can't commit to anything until they have the money." In September 2024, the YMCA opened a new branch in Suamico in the former Experience Fitness building in the Urban Edge Towne Centre Elliott specifically noted in a new release ahead of its opening that "This expansion does not detract from our existing plans the Village Board did not take up another motion for a 90-day extension The village's Parks Committee pushed off discussing other plans for the Broadview Soccer Complex on Nov Capital improvements were put on hold due to potential YMCA plans, said Allouez's Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Director Chris Clark during the Jan. 28 meeting it doesn't sound like the YMCA is going to go into this space That's why I wanted to bring this back to the committee," he said "because I didn't want to keep putting things on hold When a resident at the meeting asked why Clark said it didn't look like the YMCA was going to utilize the soccer complex space "Because it doesn't look like the Y's going to go there." Clark continued that he was told the YMCA was emphasizing the restoration of its existing Broadview Y rather than build from scratch in a new location one of the spearheading figures of the YMCA's project who said he last spoke to the Y on the project about a month ago told the Press-Gazette last week that Clark misspoke and denied that plans were stalled nor insinuate that finances had anything to do with it "The short answer is nothing's happened to the plans," Rafter said Send them to Jesse Lin at 920-834-4250 or jlin@gannett.com to look into and come back with an answer every Monday by Scott Hurley ALLOUEZ (WLUK) -- Two championship coaches and an all-time great player are among the Green Bay Packers who once lived in Allouez The Historic Allouez Society posted on its Facebook page a tour of homes once owned by Packers luminaries Eugene Brusky all lived in Allouez during their Packers careers Please double-check the URL for proper spelling. 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ALLOUEZ — The village announced Monday afternoon four finalists to replace longtime village administrator Brad Lange and a meet-and-greet this week for residents One of finalists is a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit against the town he was fired from An executive director of Bug Tussle Wireless/Hillbert Communications Feldt used to work as the Kewaunee County administrator from 2015-2023 Kosobucki has been De Pere's director of Parks Town administrator for the Outagamie County town of Grand Chute from 2008-2023 and vice president-owner of JJApple LLC since 2014 Peters has served as the village and town administrator of Somers (considered both a village and town) since 2018 James March lawsuitMarch was dismissed as town administrator of Grand Chute without cause following a closed session of the Town Board on May 2 wrote in a statement the following day that the Town Board wanted to "move on from its relationship with Mr Van Eperen said March had met the performance goals set by the board who claimed his reputation was damaged by March's initial lawsuit When another town supervisor, Beth English, later motioned to rehire the former town administrator, both English and March had complaints filed against them with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission alleging that English colluded with March to get his old job back. The commission found no evidence of the sort As of Nov. 4, Senior United States District Judge William Griesbach presiding over March's lawsuit has extended the still-open case out to Nov When can residents meet the candidates?Village residents can meet the four finalists at a public reception on from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m The Village Board will make its decision on Nov as well as politics in northeast Wisconsin I'm your neighborhood reporter for Howard ALLOUEZ (NBC 26) — James March was welcomed by the Allouez village board Tuesday night as the new village administrator March is in ongoing litigation with the town of Grand Chute (The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.) Allouez welcomes its new village administrator Tuesday I'm Pari Apostolakos and I spoke with Jim March about the ongoing lawsuits against his former employer "We are very pleased to introduce to our community our new village administrator who has many many years of experience in leading villages towns and municipalities," Allouez Village President Jim Rafter said James March officially became Allouez's new village administrator Jan March says he was formerly employed by the Town of Grand Chute for 15 years he filed a federal lawsuit last year against Grand Chute "I decided to pursue a lawsuit because I believe my federal rights had been violated," March said Court documents say March is suing Grand Chute and three of the town's supervisors for firing him in what he says was retaliation for speaking and cooperating with law enforcement about a criminal investigation involving those three supervisors "I think justice needs to be served so I want to see it through," March said "I was always taught if you've been wronged you need to defend yourself." March also filed a civil lawsuit against the town "I still live in Grand Chute and I hope that community has a bright future as well," he said March says in his new role he looks forward to possibly helping Allouez decommission the village's prison helping with roadway projects and looking for redevelopment opportunities He says he thinks the lawsuits against Grand Chute will be resolved within the next few months and he is fully committed to serving the community of Allouez "I'm serving it with 100% effort," March said We cover stories making an impact in Allouez. This is your home to stay on top of what is changing in Allouez and why it matters to you and your family. We want to hear from you! Click here and tell us what we should be covering in your neighborhood ALLOUEZ — Brad Lange, the village administrator for Allouez, will retire after almost 30 years in the community's service in early 2025. He is the second administrator to retire in the coming months after De Pere announced its city administrator, Larry Delo, will retire Dec Lange filled the position in 2014 after Tracy Flucke's resignation that May "Brad has maintained a standard of excellence in all his endeavors and he will be missed by all!" read a statement drafted by the village's clerk Allouez's village board will accept opinions from the community about important qualities and qualifications to consider when choosing the next village administrator through an assessment survey The survey will collect responses until Aug Jesse Lin is a reporter covering Green Bay and its surroundings Contact him at 920-431-8247 or jlin@gannett.com showing what’s possible if the 126-year-old prison were to close “Once I see the governor’s signature on a budget and that’s included then we hit it running,” said Allouez Village President Jim Rafter along with 14 acres of DNR land across Riverside Drive along the Fox River He sees future development of corporate offices “That is probably some of the most valuable land in Brown County right now to develop,” said Rafter “We expect it to be a compliment to what's going on in other places in Brown County -- Titletown over to the west there’s a few obstacles standing in the way of Allouez’s plan “We’ll figure that out,” said Evers when asked what he would like to see done with the property and whether he’d be willing to transfer the land to the village Seven of them have historical significance according to the Wisconsin Historical Society’s website That includes the main building and the 22-foot high concrete wall prisoners built more than 100 years ago “There are examples of taking buildings like that and turning them into very special developments whether it be hotels or restaurants or markets or combination thereof,” said Rafter Rafter says there’s considerable remediation that would also need to be done Regardless, the village is ready to take on the challenges. Especially, considering a 2018 study found there’s potential for 1,463 new jobs up to $1.4 million annually in new property tax revenue and about $3 million per year in new sales tax revenue Closing the prison as early as spring of 2029 is part of a $500 million plan that includes additions and upgrades at several other prisons This story was updated to add new information will be delayed because of frigid temperatures according to the state Department of Transportation. which will approximately take two weeks to fix News of the repair work was first announced at the village's Jan. 15 Public Works Committee meeting WisDOT said the southbound lanes on Riverside/State 57 at the State 172 bridge will be closed A truck hauling an oversized load hit the underside of the State 172 bridge at 9:50 a.m which bent a steel girder and caused cosmetic damage to another While the bridge maintenance crew fixed the bent girder maintenance work had not been scheduled at the time Construction was originally supposed to start Monday WISDOT announced the repairs would start Wednesday Are there alternate routes?WisDOT said southbound drivers on Riverside can go westbound on State 172 to Pilgrim Road to Ashland Avenue to Vanderperren Way and then eastbound State 172 Rashad Alexander can be contacted at ralexander@gannett.com and 920-431-8214 ALLOUEZ (NBC 26) — Sal's Foods location in Allouez is permanently closing on Saturday according to an announcement from the grocery store on social media the local grocery store thanked all of their "loyal customers and hardworking employees," while encouraging customers to visit them at their other three locations Other locations are in Black Creek (504 S Main St) Freedom (W2082 County Hwy S) and Wausaukee (604 Main Street) ALLOUEZ — Jim March will be the new village administrator of Allouez after the Village Board voted Monday night The board voted unanimously in favor of March. He was chosen out of four finalists to replace Brad Lange who retired after 10 years as the village leader March previously served as town administrator for the town of Grand Chute from 2008 to 2023 and as vice president of JJApple LLC since 2014 The three other finalists were Scott Feldt in Green Bay and commitment to community involvement will help guide our village into the future," said Jim Rafter March is currently the plaintiff in two lawsuits after he was dismissed as town administrator of Grand Chute without cause following a closed session of the Town Board on May 2 The defendants denied any wrongdoing while the case is still pending in U.S On Tuesday, March filed another lawsuit against Grand Chute Wolff and Ings for allegedly violating the state's open meetings law Ings and Wolff knowingly went to an illegal meeting of a quorum of the Town Board on Feb and that no required statutory notice was given March was fired following the May 2 meeting March will become the village administrator Jan Residents can meet March at the Village Board meeting Jan More: Grand Chute faces lawsuit alleging three violations of Wisconsin's open meetings law More: Allouez names 4 finalists for village administrator position; meet-and-greet set for Friday Contact Benita Mathew at bmathew@gannett.com GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- Two communities in Brown County are being recognized for their high voter turnout in Wisconsin's spring election The village of Allouez and the town of Glenmore were awarded trophies Thursday for winning the Project VOTE of Brown County Officials say these municipalities recorded the highest voter turnout percentages in their respective categories for the April 1 election Glenmore's turnout of 75.1% of registered voters was the highest among the communities in the "Green Division" which includes Brown County municipalities with populations under 10,000 65.6% of registered voters in Allouez was the best in the "Gold Division" which is made up of municipalities in Brown County with populations over 10,000 WI is a volunteer organization with a single goal: To increase informed voter turnout in the county candidates or issue," said Kelly McBride Moore with Project VOTE of Brown County Project VOTE members feel strongly that voting is an important right -- a vital right -- that is all too often taken for granted." She said voter turnout in Wisconsin was high April 1 due to several big elections "With significant interest in the Supreme Court and school superintendent races statewide turnout was relatively strong for the spring general election coming in at just over 60% of registered voters countywide," said McBride Moore WI issues the voter challenge each general election to encourage informed voter turnout in the county ALLOUEZ — The new village administrator, whoever he may be won't be bound by term limits like his predecessors the Village Board updated Chapter 5 of the village's ordinances eliminating term limits for appointed officials ahead of finalizing its new village administrator a key appointed position for the municipality The new verbiage also significantly simplifies the process to remove appointed officials now able to serve indefinitely In audio provided by the village from the meeting Lange explained that the village attorney recommended the updates to the ordinance in anticipation of choosing Lange's successor pointed out that the village's three-year term limit for administrators was no longer a common practice in the state While the updated ordinance allows for appointed officials to serve indefinitely after being selected "on the basis of merit," it also simplifies the procedure to remove them Gone from the old ordinance is a lengthy dismissal process that required "written and issuing an order to remove the official from their post The new language reduces the removal procedure down to the majority of the Village Board voting in the affirmative "at any time" to dismiss the individual from their position of clerk-treasurer "I like the cleanliness of it," said the Village Board president Jim Rafter at the end of the agenda item discussion A unanimous vote from the seven board members made the new ordinance official The finalist for the village administrator position whom the village staff are currently in negotiations with but whose name has not been released will "serve at the pleasure of the village board." Should employment discussions with the finalist go well Lange told the Press-Gazette that the village will make his appointment official during its next Village Board meeting on Nov within the village will be closed to repair part of the State 172 overpass beginning Feb WisDOT will close southbound lanes on State 57 at the State 172 bridge in Allouez A truck hauling an oversized load hit the underside of the State 172 bridge at 9:50 a.m The village said that the closure is scheduled to begin Feb How long will the repairs take?Gehin said WisDOT informed the village that repairs would take approximately two weeks which would take the timeframe into late February or early March Will it impact commutes?Only on southbound lanes; northbound lanes will remain open WisDOT will make sure a detour for southbound traffic is available Traffic will go west across the Fox River to the Ashland Avenue interchange exit and reenter State 172 to go back east toward State 57 ALLOUEZ (NBC 26) — Neighbors will have the opportunity to get rid of "anything with a cord" for free in the first-ever Great Green Bay junk drawer garage and basement clean out event this weekend Several community organizations have joined forces to offer free recycling of "anything with a cord" electronics garage and basement clean-out drive is running from 9 a.m to noon on Saturday at the Resurrection Catholic Parish's east parking lot on 333 Hilltop Drive “What makes this event unique is not only the community partnership but that the fees for Freon appliances (air conditioners dehumidifiers) and for TVs/computer monitors is waived,” event organizer Kevin Erb said in a news release “Everything from small electronics from your junk drawer to that broken garage fridge can be brought in." Items like eyeglasses and hearing aids are assessed Donated bicycles will also be repaired and refurbished for those in the community without reliable transportation The event is a joint effort of several community organizations the Green Bay Spokes of Hope project and Resurrection Parish's Care for Creation committee For a full list of items accepted in the recycling drive, click here. ALLOUEZ − A clothing boutique and a restaurant have completed a move from De Pere to Allouez Bu-Tiffle Things Boutique and Chatterhouse 2016 are co-owned by Kevin and Shannon Charles The couple purchased the former Ziggy's Inn building in January and began renovations shortly after The businesses previously shared the same building at 614 George St Shannon said remodeling took longer than expected for both businesses While the boutique opened a little over a week ago the restaurant is still undergoing electrical work "This part (the boutique) is finally open and that (restaurant) is almost done," she said Shannon said the new store is larger than the previous location and is cheery and has better lighting It's also close enough to De Pere for the same clients to visit She said the first week went well and "the enthusiasm is huge." The boutique sells clothes and accessories for women 18 and up Hours of operations for the boutique are 10 a.m For more information visit www.butifflethings.com or follow its Facebook page at which time either motions hearings or a trial date could be set Snulligan was driving on Webster Avenue in Allouez at more than 100 mph in a 30mph zone Snulligan had been scheduled to stand trial last fall in a tactical move by the prosecutors - citing scheduling conflicts for a prosecutor and unavailability of the parents of one of the victims – the charges were dismissed and re-filed ALLOUEZ (WLUK) -- A 14-year-old reported missing from Allouez has been found safe The Brown County Sheriff's Office made the announcement Monday afternoon on social media just hours after posting an alert that she was missing ALLOUEZ - For almost eight decades, Somerville Architects & Engineers designed buildings for everyone from the Green Bay Packers to University of Wisconsin System campuses to Bellin Health's new clinic in Ashwaubenon you probably already noticed construction of one of the employee-owned firm's most-recent buildings in Allouez It's for a client the staff of 47 knows pretty well: Themselves The design and engineering firm founded in Green Bay in 1946 broke ground in late July on its new $12 million headquarters in the 2100 block of Riverside Drive The 1.4-acre site slopes down from Riverside Drive to the Fox River Trail and the new building will give employees views of the Fox River and Lambeau Field Somerville's new office building's foundation and footings should begin to rise from the site soon “We were looking for an asset for our team but a wonderful building to work in,” Schachtner said a lot of natural light and oriented the building to make it a pleasant space.” The new building incorporates traditional and contemporary designs and will be composed of natural stone It's oriented on the site to maximize the volume of natural light and heat but also to minimize glare from the sun It will feature an elevated outdoor terrace for employees and appealing facades that face both Riverside Drive and the Fox River Trail “We have two front doors,” Schachtner said both facades will directly address the village on one side and the river on the other.”  A ‘showcase’ property in Allouez 10 years in the making The foundation for July’s groundbreaking ceremony actually dates back a decade Somerville purchased the 1.4-acre property in 2014 with the intent to build a new home for its operations which does work for a variety of clients but specializes in education and health care buildings has leased space on Riverside Drive for decades and wanted to stay there for the foreseeable future "This gives Somerville an opportunity to showcase our work in our own space We've been doing it for decades and decades but to be able to showcase our architects' and designers' work in a space we designed is great," said Josh Bernhardt who works in business development for Somerville Schachtner said the company knew it wanted to design a building to wow employees so they spent the last decade saving funds and waiting for the right time “It really gives us a front door to showcase what we can do,” Schachtner said “It underscores our commitment to our community.” The wait proved worth it in the form of a shorter construction timeline than many Immel Construction expects to complete the building by July 2025 but the new building features enough space for 60 people as the company eyes future growth The new space aims to make an impression on potential clients and the community as well as on architects engineers and designers Somerville needs to hire and retain to continue to grow And with the staff all working from the office rather than remotely "we figured we might as well create a really awesome space to work in," he said Yes, Somerville designed Lambeau FieldWhen city leaders in 1955 wanted to build a new home for the Green Bay Packers, the city hired John E. Somerville to execute their vision of a 30,000-seat, easily expandable stadium, according to the company's history Brown County would select Somerville's design for another project near Lambeau: the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena Somerville would also be hired to design two more expansions of Lambeau one in the early 1970s that boosted capacity above 56,000 began to work with the Packers on another expansion of the football stadium Somerville in 2000 would design an addition to Lambeau Field that includes team offices restrooms and indoor spaces for year-round activities "As architects of the original Lambeau Field and die-hard Packers fans we have not only a professional but personal interest in preserving Lambeau," Jack Somerville was quoted as saying in the July 10 Contact Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 or jbollier@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffBollier Allouez and Waupun leaders welcomed Gov. Tony Evers' proposal to close or rebuild their communities' prisons and a top Republican signaled Sunday he is open to working with the Democratic governor Evers is pitching a nearly $500 million plan to overhaul the state's prisons That includes shuttering the deteriorating 127-year-old prison in Green Bay and renovating the living quarters at Waupun's facility Evers said parts of the plan that would close Green Bay Correctional Facility which local officials and some Republican lawmakers have long called for may push the GOP-controlled Legislature to move forward on closing the state's troubled youth prisons More Republicans are expected to weigh in Tuesday night when Evers delivers his state budget proposal in full Allouez Village President Jim RafterIn a statement Sunday Allouez Village President Jim Rafter said there is "finally a light at the end of the tunnel." Madison owes it to the taxpayers of Wisconsin to finish this process and close GBCI once and for all Today marks a positive step forward in that journey," Rafter said Rafter added he hopes Democrats and Republicans can find a consensus "to do what has needed to be done for years." Republican Rep. David SteffenSteffen, who represents Howard in the state Legislature, and Rafter have been among the leading voices for closing GBCI for years Steffen told the Journal Sentinel Sunday there will likely be concerns in his caucus about "any additional accelerated release of prisoners." Evers' proposal has promise "I am unsure as to whether or not (Evers') proposal will receive enough support by the Republican-controlled Legislature," Steffen said "That does not diminish the fact that for the first time in history we finally have a governor who is willing to put on paper Steffen considers it a "significant step" that Evers is no longer seeking to release half of the state's inmates and is using existing programs to modestly reduce the prison population Waupun Mayor Rohn Bishop said he is grateful for Department of Corrections Secretary Jared Hoy the governor and legislators for "understanding the importance of Waupun to Waupun." 'That's where the prisons are,' but to those of us who live here they're a part of our community," Bishop said but also an important part of Waupun's heritage." Evers said it is less costly to close the Green Bay prison than to replace it and cited local support for its closure as a factor in choosing whether to close the Waupun facility or the Green Bay prison Remodeling the Waupun facility would create what Evers administration officials are calling a "vocational village," with a focus on expanding job training a Republican from Racine who leads the Senate committee overseeing prisons said if Evers is "willing to have an honest dialogue both in terms of costs and numbers of inmates If he thinks the Legislature will rubber stamp his ideas and let a bunch of felons out of prison he hasn’t learned anything," Wanggaard said in a statement Sunday Evers is proposing further projects to modernize facilities and "stabilizing" the state's prison population — which is over capacity by about 5,000 individuals — by expanding the earned release program and substance use disorder treatment More: Wisconsin Republicans blame Gov. Evers for state’s deteriorating prison conditions, call for more oversight and want to close two facilities said Evers' plan will "save taxpayer dollars and improve public safety." My first priority will be to make sure that the people who work there now have the support they need as they transition to new jobs at the Department of Corrections or elsewhere," Wall said Evers officials said Friday that current employees at GBCI would be guaranteed jobs at other facilities "I will also work with the Village of Allouez to redevelop the prison site to provide new housing our community needs," Wall said This story has been updated to add new information ALLOUEZ (NBC 26) — Green Bay Bishop David Ricken remembers meeting Pope Francis in person Other Catholic leaders recall the Pontiff's impact throughout his time at the Vatican (The following is a transcription of the broadcast story with additional details for the web.) the Catholic church announced Pope Francis's death I'm Pari Apostolakos here at the Diocese of Green Bay where Green Bay Bishop David Ricken remembers what it was like to meet the Pope and shares how he changed the church right here in Wisconsin Watch Pari Apostolakos' full broadcast story below: Bishop David Ricken says he once had the opportunity to meet Pope Francis in person you felt like you were the only person in the room." With the pope's reputation as a disrupter in the church Ricken says it was sometimes difficult even for him to understand Francis' messages your diocese and make a mess,'" Ricken said now we kind of know that was his way of building change there are people here you're forgetting about Or there's something here that needs to change." Norbert Abbey in De Pere released a statement after the Pontiff's death "Pope Francis modeled for the entire world how to live simply and serve the poor He gave voice to the voiceless and lived for the disenfranchised The world has lost a peacemaker and man of mercy." the Rector at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion in New Franken says he was relieved to hear the pope was no longer suffering after weeks of health struggles including hospitalization for pneumonia in both lungs I asked Father Stephens what he has tried to implement in his parish from the Pope's example it's a hospital for sinners," Stephens said "But that links in to what the Holy Father was talking about in really encouraging priests and bishops to really go out And just meeting people where they're at." Bishop Ricken asks the faithful at home to pray for Pope Francis' soul with gratitude Father Stephens also asks people to pray for the Pope's soul and to pray for the Cardinals as they prepare to elect the next Pope ALLOUEZ (NBC 26) — Heads up to anyone traveling southbound from Green Bay through Allouez to De Pere: you may need to find a new route later this month Riverside Drive southbound will close for two weeks The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says this is so they can fix the Highway 172 overpass at Riverside These repairs are needed after an oversized truck hit the underside of the overpass back in early December we have had a string of overheight strikes," said Brady Rades WISDOT's Northeast Region bridge program manager "This [strike in December was] the first one in the southbound direction But all of those cases have been oversized off route of where they were supposed to be Rades ensures drivers that the bridge is still safe to drive under — just due for a long-term fix called heat-straightening "The traffic will remain open [northbound]," he said WISDOT says it will direct drivers to cross the Fox River on 172 and come back across the Fox to get off on Riverside — rather than rerouting drivers to other Village of Allouez roads like Webster Avenue "Our main focus is for heavy truck traffic — big turning movements," Rades said we really focus on trying to keep them on the state system." Highway 172 itself will remain open during the repairs ALLOUEZ — Gov. Tony Evers' proposal to close Green Bay Correctional Institution will almost certainly not be the version that the governor signs at the end of what will be back-and-forth negotiations with the Republican-controlled state Legislature said on Monday that he was hopeful there would be some tweaking done to the governor's proposal that he called "very feasible" with some points of concern for the Republican caucus Steffen joined Allouez President Jim Rafter and state Rep at a news conference Monday at Allouez Village Hall to talk about the governor's prison closure plan that will be part of the 2025-27 budget which Evers is scheduled to unveil on Tuesday More: Jim Rafter, a vocal advocate for the Green Bay Correctional's proposed closure, voices excitement, caution "One of the challenges that's occurred oved the past few years is the longer we've waited the more complicated the solutions have to be And that isn't because of the efforts of the three of us," Steffen said It has delayed and distorted this project." Steffen said on Monday that Walker had privately held plans to introduce money for the prison's closure in a budget if Walker had been reelected to another term Walker's tenure on how to handle adolescent inmates following scores of lawsuits at the Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls They've argued that the current Democratic governor hasn't done enough to improve conditions and has issued policies that undermine staff The governor indicated his hope Republicans will support the conversion of Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls into an adult prison medium security prison Steffen said on Monday that the facilities would turn into maximum security prisons Though he said keeping the early release program's eligibility requirements the same would make it an easier sell for the Republican caucus Steffen said he was keeping an open mind as his focus has been on the easily quantifiable aspects of the state's correctional issue from overcrowding to the structural deterioration of Green Bay's prison Nothing would be off the table for future negotiations (This article was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.) Republican state Sen. Rob Cowles is going to "reinvent himself" now that he's no longer running to be District 2 state senator, he said Thursday morning on the Rational Revolution radio show For starters, the Reagan-era conservative is going to follow the way of former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney and vote for a Democratic presidential candidate for the first time in his life — Vice President Kamala Harris He announced this 17 minutes into the Thursday show less than two weeks before Election Day He emphasized that he would judge candidates down the ballot on their individual merit The longest-serving Wisconsin state senator's decision to vote for Harris came together within the last week while thinking along a line that started with protecting the Constitution continued through fighting Russian President Vladimir Putin and ended with remembering his military family members fighting totalitarianism is a totalitarian and fascist," Cowles said He's indicated that in his words and deeds trying to overturn a free and fair election without evidence." A self-described lover of audits and budgeting, Cowles served as co-chair of the Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau that issued a 168-page report reviewing the 2020 election in Wisconsin on everything from absentee ballots to how clerks maintained voter registration records to the results of the election "And our audit of the 2020 election did not find fraud," Cowles said. "You got the former president saying that the election was stolen every time he's here in Wisconsin; didn't happen." (Former president Donald Trump will be back in the greater Green Bay area on Wednesday.) When asked if Trump was the kind of standard-bearer that the Republican Party should have He was first elected to the Wisconsin Senate in 1986 after serving five years in the Assembly Cowles was moved into the 30th Senate District Jesse Lin is a reporter covering the community of Green Bay The trial is currently scheduled to start Aug the defense attorneys asked for the case to be moved “Defense counsel is scheduled to begin jury trial in a Cook County Illinois Circuit Court matter on the same date as the trial scheduled in the captioned matter The Illinois matter was set for trial before this case was scheduled and the court in Illinois recently confirmed that the case will not be adjourned and will proceed as scheduled,” wrote attorneys Jason Luczak and Nicole Masnica The attorneys say they could accommodate an earlier trial date Prosecutors have not replied to the motion The issue could be discussed at a May 2 hearing SUPERIOR — Decades have passed since the black tern nested in Allouez Bay While other marsh birds like the American bittern yellow-headed blackbird and pied-billed grebe are still around their numbers are fewer than one might expect in a habitat the size of the bay between Wisconsin Point and the city's Allouez and Itasca neighborhoods the first phase of construction was completed as part of the Marsh Bird Restoration Project The goal is to transform dense stands of invasive cattails into a more diverse and dynamic marsh environment for marsh birds conservation manager at Audubon Great Lakes “Allouez Bay has always been a very popular spot for fishing bird watching or whatever someone’s interests might be,” Prestby said “We want to make the condition out there for that better restoration workers spent the late summer mowing and cutting invasive cattails This fall they worked to create channels and pools in those areas using a large amphibious excavator to develop a balanced habitat that combines pockets of open water with native vegetation Native plant seed mix was laid to begin the germination process “We intentionally seed this time of year because then that seed is right on the mud and it has the whole course of the winter to get itself down deeper into the wetland soil as temps go up and down,” Prestby said “Then it’s ready to germinate next summer.” the first phase moves into monitoring to see how the vegetation and birds respond and the partners begin making plans for the second phase of the project “We don’t know exactly what we’re going to do yet and community input is going to be a really big part of that,” Prestby said is to have a lot of conversations to figure out the next steps One of the objectives is to build the wetland further into the bay in the shallow areas north of the existing wetland there was a lot more (emergent) wetland out there,” Prestby said “We don’t want to take away anybody’s fishing spots or hunting spots or anything like that There’s still going to be a lot of open water out there Another objective will be to better protect the coastal wetland While it’s not clear what the plan will be Prestby said there is the possibility that dredge material could be used to slow down wind and wave energy from increasingly strong storms and create additional habitat “Great Lakes coastal wetlands are extremely important not just for wildlife habitat,” Prestby said “They do a really good job of preventing flooding preventing erosion and right next to a big city that’s on the coast of a Great Lake Coastal wetland areas once spanned more than 1 million acres in the Great Lakes but only about half the acreage remains due to historic and contemporary wetland losses “Putting our resources and our energy into projects that help preserve the good Great Lakes coastal wetlands that we have left are extremely important because of all the benefits that they provide," Prestby said "not just for decreasing habitats of special species of marsh birds but also the benefits that they give for people." SUPERIOR — Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Railway is increasing the allowance for its most commonly used taconite claim this year Residential property owners living within a half mile of the taconite facility in the Allouez neighborhood can file a claim to remove taconite dust from their house's exterior “BNSF strives to maintain strong relationships with our communities and our connection with the Allouez neighborhood is an important and distinctive part of our network,” said Lydia Underdahl “As part of our commitment to our neighbors we periodically review this program to ensure it meets current needs and identify opportunities for improvement.” The new rates for 2025 include an increase for the most utilized option which allows neighbors to clean their house themselves Residents who own a house that is up to 2,200-square-feet will receive $400 in 2025 and residents with larger homes will be reimbursed $500 Residents who prefer to have their house professionally power washed will still receive a $1,000 reimbursement for homes up to 2,200-square-feet and $1,500 for larger homes The program has been in place since the 1970s when BNSF constructed the conveyor belt that spans East Second Street in the Allouez neighborhood when Councilor Jenny Van Sickle started receiving calls about claims being denied Van Sickle worked with the railway and residents for several months until BNSF reinstated the program later that year “I’m really proud of the working relationship we’ve built to improve communication,” Van Sickle said “We appreciate the Allouez neighborhood and Councilor Van Sickle for her collaboration and communication on behalf of the community,” Underdahl said has been under scrutiny for over 15 years due to its deteriorating conditions A 2009 state-funded study estimated that the prison in Allouez required $142- million in repairs Republican Assemblyman David Steffen has been leading efforts to close the prison initially under Republican Governor Scott Walker and now under Democratic Governor Tony Evers Steffen highlighted the extent of the facility's disrepair "One of the amazing facts is that there's only 5 percent of that prison that doesn't need repair." A comprehensive study conducted in 2018 during the Walker administration by two architectural engineering firms revealed significant infrastructure failures and operational inefficiencies The report noted that some buildings within the prison had been abandoned due to their poor condition It also identified safety and security concerns stemming from the outdated layout and non-compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) The study at that time deemed replacement a "high priority." told Fox 11: "This is not a place for the human I wouldn't even put my dog in this place." The Department of Corrections has faced criticism for lockdowns that it referred to as "modified movement." DOC officials attributed to multiple incidents of assault involving staff and inmates for the lockdowns Former inmate Dant'e Cottingham has been advocating for improved conditions "The only way people will be safe there is to shut it down and remove all the human beings living and working there." responsible for responding to incidents at the prison reported that calls resulting in law enforcement investigations doubled from 2021 to 2023 covering offenses from assault to arson to murder inmate Jackson Vogel was charged with killing his cellmate with a hate crime enhancer added to the charges His case is scheduled for a hearing next month Watch a Fox11 Town Hall: The Future of Green Bay's Prison detailing the ongoing issues at the prison SUPERIOR — Audubon Great Lakes and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources are starting the wetland restoration project in Allouez Bay The restoration starts with mowing and hand-cutting invasive cattails covering about 7 acres in selected areas of the marsh The work is taking place over several days and is timed to maximize the effectiveness of removing the invasive cattails and avoid the peak of bird nesting season While most of the cattail debris will be removed to allow sunlight to reach the native seed bank some clippings will be left behind to biodegrade naturally over time Some species use this leftover cattail habitat for nesting and others use it for foraging Invasive cattails have been inundating significant portions of the marsh The primary objective of this cutting is to give native species the opportunity to recolonize the area and provide better habitat for marsh birds Great Lakes populations of breeding marsh birds have declined significantly over the past 30 years “These marsh birds depend on a unique habitat complex commonly referred to as hemi-marsh a combination of pockets of emergent vegetation and pockets of open water which has been drastically reduced across the Great Lakes region in parallel with population declines of these species,” Prestby said in the news release Later restoration work will include the continued removal of invasive cattail and increasing interspersion of open water pockets Longer-term restoration at the site may potentially involve additional depth contouring or island creation that will support resiliency to rapidly changing water levels and increased storm activity and create additional habitat and protect the existing wetland for recreation ALLOUEZ — A project for a new retail store in the village has been paused indefinitely after its approval over a year ago director of planning and community development for Allouez said the company did not give a reason for pausing the project but it has a five-year window to construct with the site plans approved on June 20 "They would have to reapply with new site plans after that," he said The plan calls for a 1.053-acre lot and the building proposed is be about 16,000 square feet with 51 parking spots and a rack for bicycles This would be the village's first Dollar General with the next closest one 5.8 miles away at 1641 Main St Ariel Perez is a business reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. You can reach him at APerez1@gannett.com or view his Twitter profile at @Ariel_Perez85 APPLETON - A 49-year-old Allouez man has been arrested in connection with a fatal drug overdose in November, according to the Outagamie County Sheriff's Office Jake Reinhard was arrested on Monday in Green Bay The sheriff's office said Reinhard supplied the fentanyl that led to the death of a 43-year-old man Nov Investigators used evidence collected from the scene to identify the suspect The Outagamie County Sheriff's Office confirmed with the Post-Crescent the identity of the victim Hunnicutt was found dead by family members at the time of his death Reinhard is currently being held in Outagamie County Jail and charged with first-degree reckless homicide/delivery of drugs Rashad Alexander can be contacted at ralexander@gannett.com and 920-431-8214.